Datasets:
baber
/
uk_hansard

Dataset card Data Studio Files Community
1
text
stringlengths
9
1.44M
source
stringclasses
8 values
id
stringlengths
12
22
added
timestamp[s]
metadata
dict
Airports Commission Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider amending the terms of reference of the Airports Commission to include consideration of air-rail intermodality, surface access, modal shift from road to rail, and modal shift from air to rail. Earl Attlee: As part of its work the Government expects the Airports Commission to fully examine all the surface access needs of any potential development that it recommends. The Government have no plans to amend the Airports Commission's terms of reference. Armed Forces: Unmanned Aircraft Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 11 December 2012 (WA 211), with which international partners they operate unmanned aircraft systems; how many training and trials events for such systems have been undertaken in the last 12 months; and what were the location of any such training and trials events in United Kingdom airspace. Lord Astor of Hever: In support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the United Kingdom operates the Reaper Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) in Afghanistan in co-operation with the United States Air Force. Reaper is the only UK RPAS that is operated with an international partner. Royal Air Force pilots undertake their Reaper conversion training in the United States. No Reaper training or trials events have taken place in the UK. Asylum Seekers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to legal representation for asylum seekers whose (1) applications and (2) appeals have been refused. Lord McNally: Asylum cases will continue to qualify for legal aid funding when the reforms to legal aid in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 are implemented from April this year. This includes legal aid for appeals to the First-tier Tribunal, the Upper Tribunal and the higher courts. The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is in the process of finalising the award of new legal aid contracts for asylum work. These contracts will start on 1 April. There was significant demand for the available work with organisations bidding for more than three times the advertised work across England and Wales. The process of verifying successful tenders and entering into contracts is still ongoing but the LSC anticipates that there will continue to be good access to asylum advice funded by legal aid from April. Bank of England Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they or the Bank of England have taken legal advice on the Bank of England's compliance with the legal requirements set under Section 11 of the Bank of England Act 1998. Lord Deighton: Section 11 of the Bank of England Act 1998 states that the objectives of the Bank of England are to maintain price stability and, subject to that, to support the economic policy of the Government. Section 12 of the Act deals with the specifications of matters relevant to the objectives. As required under Section 12, at Budget 2012, the Chancellor set the remit for the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). The remit specifies price stability as an inflation rate of 2% measured by the 12-month increase in the consumer prices index, which is the operational target of the MPC. The MPC sets monetary policy in order to meet the 2% inflation target in the medium term. Legal advice has not been sought, as the remit recognises that on occasions the actual inflation rate will depart from its target as a result of shocks and disturbances. The remit states: "Attempts to keep inflation at the inflation target in these circumstances may cause undesirable volatility in output". Bank of England Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government when was the last time HM Treasury, under Section 12 of the Bank of England Act 1998, wrote to the Bank of England specifying (1) what price stability should be taken to consist of, and (2) what the economic policy of Her Majesty's Government is to be taken to be; and what was in the letter. Lord Deighton: The Bank of England Act 1998 states that the objectives of the Bank of England are to maintain price stability and, subject to that, to support the economic policy of the Government. Section 12 of the Act requires the Chancellor to specify what price stability is taken to consist of and the Government's economic policy objectives at least once in every period of 12 months beginning on the anniversary of the day the Act came into force. The Chancellor specified these objectives in a letter to the Governor of the Bank of England, with a remit for the MPC, on 21 March 2012, alongside Budget 20121. The Chancellor specified price stability as an inflation rate of 2% measured by the 12-month increase in the consumer prices index (CPI), which is the operational target for monetary policy. The Chancellor confirmed that the Government's economic policy objective is to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries. The remit states further: "The framework takes into account that any economy at some point can suffer from external events or temporary difficulties, often beyond its control. The framework is based on the recognition that actual inflation rate will on occasions depart from its target as a result of shocks and disturbances. Attempts to keep inflation at the inflation target in these circumstances may cause undesirable volatility in output". A copy of the remit and the Chancellor's letter to the governor can be found in the Library of the House. 1 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/open_letter_from_ chx_to_boe_ 21032012.pdf Banking Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK Financial Investments reviewed and approved in principle the sale of branches by Lloyds Banking Group to the Co-operative Bank. Lord Deighton: The execution of the Verde divestment, the name given to the divestment programme of retail and commercial assets of Lloyds Banking Group, is a commercial matter for the bank, subject to adherence to the terms of the state aid agreement. UK Financial Investments works closely with Lloyds to assure itself of the bank's approach to strategy and to hold management rigorously to account for performance. Within this framework, operational management decisions are for the banks themselves without interference from shareholders. Banking: Bonuses Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the reasons for the approach adopted by HM Treasury to the approval of bonuses to bankers employed by Lloyds Banking Group and the Royal Bank of Scotland; and to what extent they reviewed and approved individual bonuses at each bank. Lord Deighton: The Government have been clear that the banks must act responsibly in setting bonuses and continues to take robust action to tackle unacceptable remuneration. However, the Government's investments in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) are managed on their behalf by UK Financial Investments (UKFI) at an arm's-length and commercial basis. UKFI engages with the remuneration committees of both banks in line with UKFI's objective of protecting and creating value for the taxpayer. Benefits Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in receipt of disability living allowance (DLA) have, as one of their primary or secondary disabling health conditions limiting work ability, alcohol abuse or chronic alcoholism; how many, and what percentage, of those in that category came off DLA into work in the last year; whether they can retain the extra benefit for care and mobility if they decline to be treated for their addiction; and, if so, why. Lord Freud: The information requested regarding disability living allowance (DLA) recipients is not available in the format asked for. The department only collects data on drug and alcohol abuse as one main disabling condition. This information can be found at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php? page=tabtool Guidance for users is available at: http://research .dwp. gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf DLA provides a contribution towards the extra costs of disability and is paid in and out of work. The department, therefore, does not need to collate data relating to employment status or ability to work Entitlement to DLA is not based on having a specific health condition, but depends on what help the person needs with personal care as a result of their disability and/or the extent of their mobility difficulties. DLA continues to be paid while the entitlement conditions are met; whether a person seeks treatment or not for their condition is not a prerequisite to entitlement. Children: Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The UK signed the Council of Europe's Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in May 2008. Officials are leading the work to establish the steps that would be required to ratify and implement the convention. Ratification is not a straightforward process and this work needs to be further progressed before any further decisions can be made, including in relation to timescales. Drugs The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many illicit drug addicts they estimate to be in the United Kingdom, and what proportion of them are receiving treatment; and (2) how many long-term prescribed drug addicts there are in the United Kingdom, and what proportion of those are receiving treatment. Earl Howe: According to the 2011-12 Crime Survey for England and Wales (formerly the British Crime Survey), 2,916,000 people had taken an illicit drug in England and Wales in the previous 12 months. That measures usage and therefore does not mean they are addicts. There were 197,110 people recorded as being in drug treatment in England in 2011-12 according to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS). Assessing dependence on prescription drugs and its severity can only be done using local data on a case-by-case basis taking account of duration and impact of use, the condition for which the medicines were prescribed and whether withdrawal symptoms become apparent when the dose is decreased. This can only be done by individual prescribers and their patients. NDTMS records 4,048 people as being in specialist treatment for dependence on prescription-only medicines or over-the-counter medicines, but does not record those who are being supported to withdraw by primary care services. Energy: Nuclear Power Stations Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how their policy for constructing nuclear power stations is related to United Kingdom and international programmes to reduce nuclear waste stockpiles. Baroness Verma: The European Union has adopted a new directive on the safe management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, which requires member states to have plans in place to safely manage their radioactive waste and spent fuel from generation to disposal. The UK Government's policy for the long-term, safe and secure management of higher-activity radioactive waste is to place it in a geological disposal facility (GDF). Until a GDF is implemented, we will continue to make use of safe, secure and environmentally acceptable interim storage arrangements. The Government have set out arrangements to ensure that the operators of new nuclear power stations will pay their full share of the costs of decommissioning and disposal by making secure financial provisions for their liabilities from the outset. EU: Alternative Investment Funds Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they were consulted by European Union authorities on the technical details of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive; if so, how; and what assessment they have made of the impact of that directive on United Kingdom interests. Lord Deighton: The EU Commission's development of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) delegated regulation was informed by advice from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), to which the Financial Services Authority contributed. The Commission consulted member states through an expert working group and written responses. The Government are comfortable with much of the regulation, which is very broad-ranging. The measures should allow AIFMD to be implemented successfully. There are a number of areas in which the draft regulation diverges from ESMA advice and where the Government believe they have the potential to impose some unnecessary costs and restrict flexibility for the industry to best meet investors' needs. The Government consider it is important that industry now has certainty over operational details ahead of the directive's implementation in July 2013. The Government's fuller assessment is set out in their Explanatory Memorandum, which is in the Library of the House. Food: Botanicals Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether in their response to the European Commission's Discussion Paper on Health Claims on Botanicals Used in Foods, they supported Option 1, to retain the status quo, or Option 2, to review the legislation; and when the European Commission is expected to come forward with proposals for the future legislative treatment of botanicals in foods. Earl Howe: The United Kingdom's response to the European Commission's Discussion Paper on Health Claims on Botanicals Used in Foods reflected the range of very different views and strong arguments for and against each option, which were received from government departments, industry representatives and consumer groups. As a result, further consideration of this issue and discussion of possible alternative legislation covering claims about botanicals in foods, including food supplements, is warranted. However, the Government did not commit to either option, at this stage. Food: Hygiene Inspectors Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of advisory and educational visits made by local authority food standards inspectors to food businesses in (1) 2009-10, (2) 2010-11, and (3) 2011-12. Earl Howe: Advice and education visits may be carried out by local authorities to advise food business operators either on food hygiene (covering subjects related to safety of food and its fitness for human consumption) or on food standards (including advice on presentation, labelling and composition). The following table, based on local authority returns to the Food Standards Agency, shows the number of advice and education visits delivered as a part of local authority activities across the United Kingdom since 2009-10 for both food hygiene and food standards. Advice and Education visits Year Food Hygiene Food Standards Total 2009-10 22,247 4,527 26,774 2010-11 19,824 5,231 25,055 2011-12 22,276 7,594 29,870 Food: Labelling Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider requiring improved labelling for all foods so as to indicate country and place of origin. Lord De Mauley: Requirements for origin labelling have been incorporated into the food information to consumers regulation (EU No 1169/2011). The UK supported extending compulsory origin labelling to all fresh meat and a review of extending origin labelling for other foods. We have requested that the European Commission's report looking into the costs and benefits of mandatory origin labelling is brought forward so that an informed, proportionate decision can be taken. We also supported the requirement for origin information to be given where failure to indicate this might mislead the consumer as to the true country of origin or place of provenance of the food. Health: Cardiology Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent research findings suggesting that the National Health Service could save money and lives if patients were checked to see if they had scarring of the heart before decisions are made on whether to implant a defibrillator. Earl Howe: The decision about whether to implant a defibrillator into a patient is a clinical one, taking into account all the available evidence, including any advice from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Health: Diabetes Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the success of recent Israeli-developed therapies for the treatment of diabetes. Earl Howe: The department is aware of the contribution made by Israeli clinicians and scientists in the field of diabetes research. In particular, the department is aware of the work on the artificial pancreas being developed at the Schneider Children's Medical Center in Tel Aviv, the clinical trial being conducted by Andromeda Biotech using the synthetic peptide DiaPep277 as an alternative to insulin treatment in type 1 diabetes and of the developmental work in the transplantation of insulin-producing pancreatic cells in individuals with type 1 diabetes being undertaken at Ben-Gurion University by Professor Smadar Cohen. It will be for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to decide if the findings from these research projects are adopted into national guidelines. Herbal Medicines Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to fulfil their commitment, undertaken by the then Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, on 16 February 2011 (Official Report, col. 84WS), to establish a statutory register for practitioners supplying unlicensed herbal medicines. Earl Howe: The legislation around this policy is complex and there are a number of issues that have arisen which we need to work through. We appreciate that the delay in going out to consult on this matter is causing concern; however, it is important that any new legislation is proportionate and fit for purpose. The department intends to make an announcement on the progress of this policy shortly. Housing Benefit Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each local authority for the last three financial years, what were the total amounts of unused discretionary housing payment funding returned to the Government. Lord Freud: The total amount of unused discretionary housing payments in the last three financial years for each local authority is as below. There was less demand for DHPs in 2011-12 than originally envisaged; therefore, the department agreed that local authorities could carry over unused funding from 2011-12 to 2012-13 to help a greater number of claimants. Total amounts of unused discretionary housing payments 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Aberdeen £0 £0 £21,665 Aberdeenshire £0 £2,170 £2,626 Adur £0 £0 £6,591 Allerdale £329 £229 £1,313 Amber Valley £0 £0 £12,114 Angus £0 £0 £0 Argyll-Bute £461 £0 £0 Arun £0 £0 £48,977 Ashfield £0 £0 £0 Ashford £0 £0 £1,441 Aylesbury Vale £0 £0 £0 Babergh £0 £0 £4,499 Barking £0 £6,797 £28,181 Barnet £0 £0 £107,127 Barnsley £0 £0 £0 Barrow in Furness £263 £27 £459 Basildon £1,673 £298 £9,319 Basingstoke £0 £0 £5,316 Bassetlaw £1,831 £0 £15,033 Bath & NE Somerset £0 £0 £6,334 Bedford £0 £0 £0 Bexley £0 £0 £21,930 Birmingham £0 £0 £102,483 Blaby £0 £0 £0 Blackburn £0 £0 £0 Blackpool £3,119 £0 £92,829 Blaenau Gwent £0 £0 £0 Bolsover £0 £0 £0 Bolton £0 £0 £0 Boston £179 £0 £1,689 Bournemouth £0 £0 £26,881 Bracknell £0 £0 £5,599 Bradford £0 £0 £0 Braintree £0 £2,235 £4,214 Breckland £0 £0 £14,319 Brent £0 £0 £346,026 Brentwood £0 £0 £0 Bridgend £2,592 £0 £5,224 Brighton & Hove £3,031 £0 £219,585 Bristol £0 £0 £40,058 Broadland £0 £0 £9,456 Bromley £0 £0 £38,356 Bromsgrove £0 £0 £0 Broxbourne £1,605 £2,081 £7,142 Broxtowe £0 £0 £12,229 Burnley £0 £0 £0 Bury £0 £0 £17,775 Caerphilly £0 £3,332 £4,176 Calderdale £2,217 £5,999 £22,420 Cambridge £724 £0 £0 Camden £0 £0 £150,963 Cannock Chase £0 £445 £141 Canterbury £0 £874 £0 Cardiff £0 £29,201 £0 Carlisle £0 £0 £3,832 Carmarthenshire £0 £0 £22,710 Castle Point £0 £0 £0 Central Bedfordshire £2,170 £2,159 £0 Ceredigion £0 £0 £0 Charnwood £0 £0 £525 Chelmsford £0 £1,681 £11,362 Cheltenham £0 £0 £14,083 Cherwell £0 £0 £20,985 Cheshire East BC £0 £0 £23,768 Cheshire West & Chester £0 £0 £9,811 Chesterfield £659 £0 £12,399 Chichester £0 £0 £0 Chiltern £0 £0 £21,543 Chorley £0 £499 £336 Christchurch £0 £0 £15,398 City of London £0 £262 £1,403 Clackmannanshire £0 £0 £0 Colchester £0 £0 £9,336 Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar £0 £0 £572 Conwy £0 £0 £10,673 Copeland £0 £0 £78 Corby £0 £0 £5,472 Cornwall £16,613 £0 £0 Cotswold £0 £0 £2,201 Coventry £0 £0 £38,654 Craven £225 £0 £0 Crawley £0 £0 £0 Croydon £0 £0 £7,822 Dacorum £0 £0 £0 Darlington £0 £0 £0 Dartford £0 £1,752 £1,768 Daventry £0 £0 £2,330 Denbighshire £0 £5,210 £3,937 Derby £0 £18,494 £45,824 Derbyshire Dales £489 £0 £2,405 Doncaster £0 £0 £27,718 Dover £0 £0 £1,932 Dudley £0 £0 £17,657 Dumfries & Galloway £0 £274 £1,068 Dundee £0 £0 £0 Durham £6,381 £0 £0 Ealing £0 £0 £51,260 East Ayrshire £2,664 £0 £648 East Cambridgeshire £0 £0 £2,107 East Devon £0 £0 £17,585 East Dorset £0 £0 £14,584 East Dunbartonshire £2,793 £0 £0 East Hampshire £107 £965 £534 East Hertfordshire £0 £1,428 £1,378 East Lindsey £0 £937 £18,446 East Lothian £0 £0 £4,395 East Northampton £654 £0 £5,283 East Renfrewshire £5,803 £0 £4,084 East Riding £0 £6,192 £32,368 East Staffordshire £0 £0 £1,198 Eastbourne £0 £0 £0 Eastleigh £588 £2,778 £726 Eden £1,026 £558 £2,204 Edinburgh £0 £0 £0 Elmbridge £788 £0 £74,082 Enfield £0 £0 £74,414 Epping Forest £6,946 £0 £10,431 Epsom and Ewell £0 £0 £9,170 Erewash £0 £0 £15,148 Exeter £0 £0 £0 Falkirk £0 £0 £512 Fareham £0 £3,687 £2,251 Fenland £0 £977 £994 Fife £0 £0 £3,477 Flintshire £0 £0 £1,469 Forest Heath £0 £4,026 £6,457 Forest of Dean £0 £0 £0 Fylde £0 £140 £13,007 Gateshead £0 £0 £11,239 Gedling £0 £3,066 £0 Glasgow £0 £0 £0 Gloucester £1,316 £6,503 £16,439 Gosport £0 £386 £3,154 Gravesham £629 £0 £0 Great Yarmouth £2,135 £12,131 £3,017 Greenwich £0 £0 £34,973 Guildford £2,183 £0 £8,662 Gwynedd £0 £0 £0 Hackney £0 £0 £184,041 Halton £0 £0 £9,861 Hambleton £1,929 £1,632 £0 Hammersmith £0 £0 £134,600 Harborough £0 £0 £1,364 Haringey £0 £0 £165,709 Harlow £0 £0 £7,242 Harrogate £0 £0 £9,685 Harrow £0 £0 £29,822 Hart £898 £138 £7,953 Hartlepool £0 £0 £1,102 Hastings £0 £0 £0 Havant £0 £0 £0 Havering £0 £0 £24,050 Herefordshire £0 £0 £24,615 Hertsmere £0 £0 £0 High Peak £0 £0 £16,249 Highland £0 £0 £0 Hillingdon £9,610 £0 £67,334 Hinckley & Bosworth £509 £27 £2,441 Horsham £920 £2,393 £4,487 Hounslow £0 £0 £9,226 Huntingdon £0 £108 £9,679 Hyndburn £0 £4,092 £364 Inverclyde £0 £0 £0 Ipswich £3,694 £6,562 £10,402 Isle of Anglesey £0 £0 £6,499 Isle of Wight £1,296 £0 £22,214 Isles of Scilly £0 £0 £19 Islington £0 £10,486 £97,692 Kensington & Chelsea £0 £0 £148,333 Kettering £1,168 £0 £5,157 Kings Lynn & West Norfolk £0 £0 £10,839 Kingston-upon-Hull £7,897 £0 £0 Kingston-upon-Thames £0 £0 £46,736 Kirklees £0 £0 £63,205 Knowsley £0 £0 £2,294 Lambeth £0 £0 £100,911 Lancaster £0 £69 £6,420 Leeds £0 £0 £139,495 Leicester £0 £0 £12,060 Lewes £0 £0 £4,508 Lewisham £0 £0 £0 Lichfield £94 £0 £0 Lincoln £5,964 £30,206 £25,414 Liverpool £6,688 £0 £121,592 Luton £0 £1,712 £27,785 Maidstone £0 £11,002 £66,998 Maldon £0 £0 £7,611 Malvern Hills £5,715 £1,384 £6,582 Manchester £0 £0 £248,111 Mansfield £0 £12,324 £5,194 Medway Towns £0 £0 £21,088 Melton £2,231 £0 £704 Mendip £1,934 £0 £0 Merthyr Tydfil £0 £0 £9,285 Merton £0 £5,945 £18,342 Mid Devon £1,070 £0 £117 Mid Suffolk £0 £0 £2,017 Mid Sussex £0 £0 £2,290 Middlesbrough £0 £0 £12,073 Midlothian £0 £0 £4,668 Milton Keynes £0 £0 £16,281 Mole Valley £708 £722 £9,429 Monmouthshire £0 £0 £0 Moray £2,471 £0 £0 Neath Port Talbot £0 £0 £0 New Forest £0 £0 £8,479 Newark £0 £387 £0 Newcastle under Lyme £369 £0 £0 Newcastle-upon-Tyne £0 £0 £9,087 Newham £0 £0 £58,915 Newport £0 £0 £0 North Ayrshire £0 £0 £355 North Devon £2,325 £0 £2,898 North Dorset £0 £0 £5,705 North East Derby £0 £1,842 £0 North East Lincoln £0 £4,330 £24,716 North Hertfordshire £0 £0 £3,280 North Kesteven £0 £0 £0 North Lanarkshire £0 £0 £0 North Lincolnshire £0 £0 £14,834 North Norfolk £0 £0 £158 North Somerset £0 £5,978 £16,558 North Tyneside £0 £0 £0 North Warwickshire £0 £0 £3,630 North West Leicester £0 £0 £1,745 Northampton £0 £0 £0 Norwich £0 £0 £34,529 Northumberland £5,117 £0 £0 Nottingham £0 £0 £56,697 Nuneaton £0 £2,015 £1,039 Oadby and Wigston £1,536 £190 £4,425 Oldham £0 £0 £0 Orkney £291 £0 £266 Oxford £0 £0 £0 Pembrokeshire £0 £5,236 £14,982 Pendle £0 £4,250 £3,211 Perth & Kinross £0 £0 £0 Peterborough £0 £1,937 £43,857 Plymouth £0 £2,399 £32,925 Poole £0 £3,842 £3,017 Portsmouth £0 £328 £0 Powys £0 £0 £0 Preston £3,086 £2,506 £4,735 Purbeck £1,289 £0 £5,290 Reading £0 £0 £8,373 Redbridge £0 £7,045 £7,276 Redcar & Cleveland £0 £0 £0 Redditch £0 £0 £0 Reigate and Banstead £0 £0 £0 Renfrewshire £0 £0 £0 Rhondda Cynon Taff £0 £0 £7,277 Ribble Valley £0 £0 £0 Richmondshire £0 £120 £77,924 Richmond upon Thames £0 £0 £0 Rochdale £0 £0 £37,939 Rochford £0 £1,461 £10,735 Rossendale £545 £0 £4,358 Rother £8,523 £7,724 £11,787 Rotherham £0 £0 £6,679 Rugby £0 £0 £4,557 Runnymede £0 £0 £0 Rushcliffe £0 £1,457 £10,315 Rushmoor £1,373 £143 £0 Rutland £0 £0 £766 Ryedale £256 £1,537 £2,024 Salford £0 £2,087 £232 Sandwell £0 £0 £5,280 Scarborough £0 £693 £27,800 Scottish Borders £2,360 £0 £0 Sedgemoor £0 £0 £0 Sefton £0 £0 £39,766 Selby £1,796 £0 £7,028 Sevenoaks £0 £3,966 £4,575 Sheffield £0 £0 £24,288 Shepway £9,521 £0 £13,007 Shetland £0 £26 £441 Shropshire £11,339 £0 £5 Slough £1,265 £0 £38,841 Solihull £0 £0 £18,394 South Ayrshire £0 £0 £0 South Bucks £0 £54 £3,597 South Cambridgeshire £282 £0 £7,458 South Derbyshire £0 £1,166 £0 South Glos £0 £0 £50,706 South Hams £0 £0 £0 South Holland £0 £0 £0 South Kesteven £0 £0 £0 South Lakeland £2,097 £7,554 £19,488 South Lanarkshire £0 £0 £21,499 South Norfolk £0 £0 £0 South Northants £0 £2,116 £1,746 South Oxfordshire £1,773 £4,350 £9,528 South Ribble £2,283 £0 £4,439 South Somerset £0 £0 £0 South Staffordshire £0 £0 £0 South Tyneside £6,789 £0 £10,822 Southampton £778 £0 £47,555 Southend on Sea £0 £0 £49,624 Southwark £0 £0 £0 Spelthorne £3,131 £2,780 £0 St Albans £0 £1,905 £16,116 St Edmundsbury £4,313 £0 £0 St Helens £0 £9,621 £376 Stafford £0 £0 £6,197 Staffs Moorlands £0 £0 £2 Stevenage £0 £491 £0 Stirling £0 £0 £14,094 Stockport £0 £0 £0 Stockton on Tees £0 £0 £18,311 Stoke on Trent £0 £0 £6,931 Stratford-on-Avon £0 £0 £0 Stroud £0 £2,045 £9,784 Suffolk Coastal £0 £0 £26,966 Sunderland £0 £4,037 £42,682 Surrey Heath £0 £0 £0 Sutton £0 £0 £17,855 Swale £10,152 £0 £10,850 Swansea £0 £0 £12,142 Swindon £0 £0 £11,464 Tameside £0 £0 £7,543 Tamworth £0 £4,046 £10,394 Tandridge £500 £6,869 £7,547 Taunton Deane £0 £470 £2,238 Teignbridge £0 £0 £1,834 Telford and Wrekin £0 £0 £14,017 Tendring £0 £0 £10,759 Test Valley £0 £0 £0 Tewkesbury £0 £0 £0 Thanet £0 £0 £5,437 Three Rivers £9,508 £5,646 £0 Thurrock £0 £0 £10,393 Tonbridge & Malling £1,377 £0 £0 Torbay £0 £0 £13,703 Torfaen £0 £0 £0 Torridge £0 £0 £5,723 Tower Hamlets £0 £0 £34,262 Trafford £0 £0 £8,325 Tunbridge Wells £0 £6,737 £12,634 Uttlesford £74 £0 £2,762 Vale of Glamorgan £496 £0 £23,658 Vale of White Horse £3,457 £1,119 £11,471 Wakefield £0 £0 £0 Walsall £0 £0 £0 Waltham Forest £0 £0 £22,561 Wandsworth £0 £0 £48,798 Warrington £0 £0 £0 Warwick £0 £1,290 £6,751 Watford £6,377 £0 £0 Waveney £0 £0 £0 Waverley £0 £0 £20,265 Wealden £0 £0 £0 Wellingborough £0 £0 £1,586 Welwyn Hatfield £0 £0 £0 West Berkshire £5,926 £0 £0 West Devon £0 £0 £4,111 West Dorset £5,447 £0 £11,993 West Dunbartonshire £0 £0 £0 West Lancashire £0 £5,740 £12,393 West Lindsey £0 £3,036 £5,479 West Lothian £0 £0 £0 West Oxfordshire £0 £0 £8,651 West Somerset £0 £1,177 £1,847 Westminster £0 £0 £76,503 Weymouth & Portland £0 £0 £19,844 Wigan £0 £0 £37,628 Wiltshire £47,466 £0 £16,653 Winchester £484 £958 £7,822 Windsor & Maidenhead £0 £0 £0 Wirral £173,174 £93,360 £12,869 Woking £0 £0 £3,734 Wokingham £2,868 £0 £8,673 Wolverhampton £0 £24,165 £46,948 Worcester £4,070 £0 £13,693 Worthing £5,997 £5,840 £21,975 Wrexham £738 £0 £12,622 Wychavon £6,164 £584 £13,796 Wycombe £0 £0 £33,948 Wyre £0 £0 £0 Wyre Forest £4,965 £0 £0 York £0 £0 £0 Source: Unused amounts calculated by comparing government contribution and amounts claimed by local authorities. Insurance: Payment Protection Insurance Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 14 February (WA 176-7) on the subject of payment protection insurance, whether they will ensure that the Financial Services Authority's response is also published in the Official Report. Lord Deighton: The Financial Services Authority responded to the noble Lord's question relating to payment protection insurance on 13 March. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library of the House. NHS: Military Veterans Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 26 February (WA 293), what specific examples of advice the Department of Health provided on how priority treatment should be applied. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 26 February (WA 293), what definition of service-related condition is used by the Department of Health uses for establishing priority status; and what guidelines secondary care clinicians consult when comparing veterans' treatment needs to the clinical needs of non-veterans. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 26 February (WA 293), what is the protocol when a veteran files a complaint about improper priority-status rejection. Earl Howe: General practitioners (GPs) are asked, when making referrals relating to a military veteran for diagnosis or treatment, where they are aware of the patient's veteran status, to record that status as part of the referral. If the patient does not want the GP to record their veteran status the information should not be included. If GPs consider that priority treatment might be appropriate because the condition to which the referral relates is likely to be related to the patient's time in the services, GPs are asked to include details in the referral. There is no specific definition of a service-related condition and it will be the judgment of the individual GP based on the information provided by the veteran. The veteran may also be able to provide evidence of the condition being service-related through receipt of a war pension or Armed Forces compensation scheme payment. Where the patient is content for their veteran status to be included, GPs are asked to clearly state this when drafting referral letters including, in their clinical opinion, that the condition may be related to military service. When utilising "Choose and Book", GPs are asked to refer normally and select the correct appointment priority based on the patient's medical condition (routine/urgent or two-week wait) including veteran details in the referral letter: www.chooseandbook.nhs.uk/staff/communications/fact/Armed-Forces.pdf Where secondary care clinicians agree that a veteran's condition is likely to be service-related, they are asked to prioritise veterans over other patients with the same level of clinical need. However, and as set out in David Nicholson's letter of December 2007, it remains the case that veterans should not be given priority over other patients with more urgent clinical needs. A veteran is able to make a complaint about the treatment received through the NHS complaints procedure, details of which can be provided by the NHS organisation being accessed. National Crime Agency Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to establish the National Crime Agency in Northern Ireland. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The National Crime Agency (NCA) will be established through the Crime and Courts Bill, which was introduced into the House of Lords in May 2012 and is in the process of completing its parliamentary passage. The NCA will be a UK-wide crime fighting agency focused on tackling serious, organised and complex crime. As a result of the Northern Ireland Executive's decision not to take forward legislative consent for the National Crime Agency, the Bill includes a new schedule (The NCA: Northern Ireland) which sets out those provisions that will not extend to Northern Ireland together with a series of order-making powers to fully extend the NCA provisions, subject to the consent of the Northern Ireland Assembly, should the position in Northern Ireland change. The NCA will still operate in Northern Ireland and the Bill preserves the agency's activities in relation to reserved/excepted matters in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Executive Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings they had with the leaders of each of the parties in the Northern Ireland Executive or their representatives during 2012. Baroness Randerson: During 2012, Ministers at the Northern Ireland Office met the leaders and/or representatives of the parties in the Northern Ireland Executive on a number of occasions and will continue to do so. Post Office Lord Renton of Mount Harry: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that customers of new village Post Office Local branches can continue to (1) pay cheques to HM Revenue and Customs, (2) make transactions using paying-in slips, (3) pay utility bills with cheques, (4) post overseas parcels exceeding 2 kilograms, and (5) purchase special stamp issues commemorating significant persons and events from British history. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The availability of specific services across the post office network, including those operating the Post Office Local model, is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to my noble friend, and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Library of the House. However, I note that a local model was extensively piloted in over 230 locations across the UK ahead of a national rollout in October 2012. Of these pilot branches, over half were piloted in rural areas. Independent research on behalf of Post Office Ltd found that the vast majority of customers stated that the local model was an improvement over the previous model. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of HS2 Ltd's assumption that a 400 kph design speed is necessary for HS2. Earl Attlee: Current designs for HS2 will permit speeds of up to 360 kph initially on some sections of the route with lower speeds in built-up areas. However, speeds of up to 400 kph could be achieved in future should technical advances in high-speed rail technology permit. Following a review undertaken by HS2 Ltd, Review of HS2 London to West Midlands Route Selection and Speed-A Report to Government by HS2 Ltd January 2012, the Government concluded that, given the sizeable loss of benefits from lower speeds and scope to mitigate environmental effects, the current design was appropriate. As more detailed plans for future operations are developed, we will continue to refine our understanding of the balance between the opportunities offered to future passengers through higher line speed and the way in which running at high speed will affect environmental and other impacts of the scheme as well as operational costs. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of HS2 Ltd's decision not to include Heathrow in the route of HS2. Earl Attlee: The Government believe that the HS2 network should link to Heathrow and its preferred option is for this to be built as part of Phase 2. The Heathrow spur is not part of the initial preferred route for Phase 2 because it has been decided to pause work until after 2015 to allow the conclusions of the independent Airports Commission to be taken into account. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the value of benefits resulting from each minute of journey time saved as a result of HS2. Earl Attlee: The Department for Transport's approach to valuing travel time savings is outlined in the department's transport appraisal guidance (WebTAG). The relevant section can be found at (http://www.dit. gov.uk/webtag/documents/expert/pdf/ u3_5_6-vot-op- cost-120723.pdf). This is the methodology followed in the August 2012 HS2 economic case, where the specific values of time used were consistent with the values recommended by WebTAG at the time the work was specified. This guidance differentiates between the valuation of travel time savings for journeys conducted during the working day, commuting journeys and other non-work trips. It also distinguishes between journeys made on different modes for working time to reflect the different characteristics of passengers travelling on each mode. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of HS2 Ltd's decision to serve Birmingham airport with interchanges located on the direct through high-speed alignment, whilst bypassing Heathrow and East Midlands airports. Earl Attlee: No final decisions have been taken on where the routes and stations should be sited for Phase 2. The Secretary of State for Transport set out his initial preferences for the route in January and a consultation will start later this year ahead of announcing a final decision by the end of 2014. The Government continue to support a direct high-speed connection to Heathrow, as there is a case for providing significant rail capacity to the country's major hub airport. However, in September 2012, the Government launched an independent Airports Commission to identify and recommend options for maintaining the country's global hub status. We consider that further work on a link to Heathrow should now await consideration of the conclusions and recommendation of the Airports Commission. We have therefore paused work on the Heathrow spur. A station at East Midlands Airport was considered by HS2 Ltd. However, the airport market was not significant enough on its own to warrant a station. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by HS2 Ltd to include in their cost estimates a people mover system between the HS2 interchanges at Birmingham airport and the airport terminal. Earl Attlee: The inclusion of a people mover is a requirement of the HS2 scheme to enable interchange between the planned HS2 station (Birmingham Interchange) with Birmingham International Airport and the NEC. The inclusion by HS2 Ltd of a cost estimate for this link is therefore completely appropriate and expected. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HS2 Ltd will include in their cost estimates a people mover system at an HS2 interchange located on the Great Western Main Line at Iver and Heathrow. Earl Attlee: The proposed link between HS2 and Heathrow is via a spur from the main line to a station at Terminal 5, to be linked to the terminal by a footbridge. There is no plan for an interchange at Iver. Work on the Heathrow link has been paused to allow the findings of the Airports Commission to be taken into account. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HS2 Ltd's option analysis considered the potential for, and wider benefits of, an HS2 route via Heathrow, and connected to the Great Western Main Line. Earl Attlee: HS2 Ltd considered several options for connecting HS2 to Heathrow, including a through route via Heathrow and a connection to the Great Western Main Line. Following public consultation in 2011, the Government concluded that it was important that HS2 should directly serve Heathrow and that the optimal approach would be via a spur off the main HS2 line. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to updating the business case for HS2 before the Bill is introduced in Parliament to take account of the potential impact on revenue forecasts of open access competition on the rail network. Earl Attlee: The Government aim to update the business case for HS2 to support consideration of the hybrid Bill for the London-West Midlands phase of the scheme, including consideration of the potential impacts of different regulatory and operating structures. Railways: High Speed 2 Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HS2 Ltd have included in their HS2 Phase Two estimate the cost of a people mover system at the HS2 interchange at Manchester airport; and if so, whether that estimate was calculated in the same way as the Birmingham airport people mover system in the HS2 Phase One estimate. Earl Attlee: HS2 Ltd has confirmed that it has included the estimated cost of a people mover system for the interchange station at Manchester airport in the Phase 2 cost estimate. This cost estimate was calculated using the same base data as that calculated for the people mover system at Birmingham airport. Railways: Intercity Express Programme Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the discount rate applied by the Department for Transport when calculating the net present value for the Intercity Express Programme contracts. Earl Attlee: The discount rate applied when calculating the net present value was stated in the invitation to tender for the rolling stock. The rate is 6.35% and is a product of the basic discount rate, considered to be 3.5% and inflation at 2.75%. Serious Fraud Office Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HM Treasury approved any termination payments to senior officers of the Serious Fraud Office in the last two years. Lord Deighton: HM Treasury has approved one termination payment to a senior officer of the Serious Fraud Office in the last two years. Sudan Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what humanitarian access is permitted by the Government of Sudan to the war-affected areas of Blue Nile and South Kordofan; what is their assessment of the number of civilians dying through lack of food and medicine in those areas; and when they last raised in the United Nations Security Council the enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2046. Baroness Northover: We continue to press both parties to negotiate a cessation of hostilities which would enable humanitarian access to all areas. The estimated numbers of people affected (approximately 900,000), reports from agencies and from those who have fled to camps in South Sudan and Ethiopia, give us cause for great concern. Access is urgently needed for a full and independent humanitarian needs assessment. We reiterated our calls to parties to allow access in the United Nations Security Council on 12 March. We will keep the possibility of further action in the council under review should forthcoming talks between the parties not yield any progress. Sudan Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2046 which called on the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North to enter into negotiations, and to permit humanitarian access throughout South Kordofan and Blue Nile. Baroness Northover: Both sides are obliged by decisions of the African Union and UN Security Council to enter direct political talks on a cessation of hostilities, and we are extremely disappointed that this is yet to happen. We hope both parties will meet in March, and we are encouraging them to attend and engage in serious talks without preconditions, focusing first on achieving a cessation of hostilities and allowing full and independent humanitarian access. Syria Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to a possible scheme for the evacuation from their present locations of persons needing hospital treatment or other urgent rehabilitation as a result of the conflict in Syria, whether within or outside Syria; and what assessment they have made of the efforts of the Government of Saudi Arabia in providing a hospital to relieve the burden on Jordan. Baroness Northover: The UK is providing significant medical support to sick and injured persons inside Syria, where we have funded over 100,000 medical appointments for sick and injured people. In addition to this, we are providing humanitarian support including health and medical care in neighbouring countries for refugees who have crossed international borders. For example, we are funding an ambulance service to transport Syrian refugees in need of urgent medical attention from the Jordanian border. There is strong health provision for refugees in Jordan, including a total of three field hospitals in the camp at Za'atri, one of which has been provided by Saudi Arabia. The UK welcomes all such contributions to the humanitarian relief effort, and we are encouraging all donors to co-ordinate their efforts with the international response, to ensure that the most urgent needs are effectively met. UN: International Year of Water Co-operation Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the United Nations International Year of Water Co-operation, what steps they intend to take to improve the dissemination and exchange of data on water resources and flooding between countries and United Nations specialised agencies. Baroness Northover: The Government will continue to promote dissemination and exchange of data on water resources and flooding through DfID's water management programmes in Africa and Asia. The Government have also taken steps to increase the exchange of data and information. For example, DfID's new Water Security Programme is supporting a partnership between the Global Water Partnership and the World Meteorological Organisation to strengthen early warning systems to reduce the vulnerability of poor people to floods and droughts.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2013-03-19a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2013", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Lord Triesman: I refer to the reply I gave the noble Lord on 24 October (Official Report, col. WA 149). It is too early to say when the chapel repairs will be completed. We will discuss subsequent reopening of the chapel, with the bishop of Gibraltar in Europe and the Church Council in Istanbul. Lord Warner: The information requested is not available; however the following table sets out the number of blood transfusions for patients suffering from cancer treatment-induced anaemia in each of the past five years. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently published draft recommendations on the use of erythropoietin. Following consultation on these recommendations NICE is preparing final guidance, which is expected to be published in May 2006. Blood transfusions for patients suffering from cancer treatment-induced anaemia (*Please see selected codes). Count of Finished Consultant Episodes. NHS hospital trusts in England, 1999–2000 to 2003–04 Year Finished Consultant Episodes 1999–2000 60 2000–01 43 2001–02 54 2002–03 51 2003–04 54 Notes: Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year. Diagnosis (Primary Diagnosis) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. Secondary Diagnoses As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 13 (six prior to 2002–03) secondary diagnosis fields in hospital episode statistics (HES) that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care. Main Operation The main operation is the first recorded operation in the HES data set and is usually the most resource-intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, such as time waited, but the figures for "all operations count of episodes" give a more complete count of episodes with an operation. *Blood transfusion for anaemia induced by treatment for cancer is defined as follows: D61.1 Drug-induced aplastic anaemia in primary diagnosis field with one of the following codes in any of the secondary diagnosis fields Y42.5 Other estrogens and progestogens Y42.7 Androgens and anabolic congeners Y43.2 Antineoplastic natural products Y43.3 Other antineoplastic drugs Or D61.2 Aplastic anaemia due to other external agents in primary diagnosis field with Y84.2 Radiological procedure and radiotherapy in any of the secondary diagnosis fields in any of the secondary diagnosis fields And one of the following OPCS-4 codes recorded in the main operative procedure field: X33.1 Intraarterial blood transfusion X33.2 Intravenous blood transfusion of packed cells X33.3 Intravenous blood transfusion of platelets X33.8 Other specified other blood transfusion X33.9 Unspecified blood transfusion Grossing Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 2003–04, which is not yet adjusted for shortfalls. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has made no such assessment. The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council have commissioned a study into trust status, as part of implementing recommendation 8 of the Goodison Review: Securing the Best for our Museums. The study will include discussions with local authorities with experience of museums moving from, or into, independent trust status. Lord Triesman: Along with other members of the international community, we have been working very hard with President Mkapa, Presidential candidate Kikwete, President Karume and all concerned, to put their personal authority behind a process that would result in a free and fair election on 30 October. I visited Zanzibar in June and made clear to President Karume and the opposition that a peaceful and successful electoral process was central to Zanzibar's future stability and prosperity. I wrote to President Mkapa on 24 October setting out my concerns regarding recent reports of violence and intimidation on Zanzibar. As presidency of the EU, the UK has most recently made representations to the Tanzanian Government, regarding the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has asked Chris Mullin MP, former Minister for Africa, to go to Zanzibar and observe proceedings as its special envoy.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2005-11-03b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2005", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Lord McKenzie of Luton: Around 370 staff remain to be considered for assimilation prior to vesting day. The Office of Government Commence Gateway review report, dated 30 May, is personal to the CEO as the senior responsible officer for the CEHR programme. It is not intended to publish the report. At the last CEHR board meeting the CEO reported that the recommendations had been met or were in hand. The commission's legal strategy is being developed. The interim legal strategy will be in place by 1 October. Any organisations affected will be consulted, including those such as citizens advice bureaux, ACAS, law centres and other local service organisations that will provide advice to individuals who do not meet the CEHR's criteria for assistance.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2007-07-16a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2007", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Railways: Manchester Airport Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the decision by the Manchester Recovery Task Force to terminate the direct train service between Sheffield and Manchester Airport, when they expect that service to be reinstated. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Early in 2020 we set up the Manchester Recovery Task Force, a cross-industry group comprising both the train operators and Network Rail, to work collaboratively together for the first time to look at ways of solving the performance problems of Manchester’s complex railway network, in the short term through timetable changes and in the long term through developing a package of infrastructure enhancements. Analysis by the task force showed that, pre-Covid, three services were particularly poor performers in central Manchester and had a significant impact on the transfer of delays across the network. One of the three was South Yorkshire to Manchester Airport services which reverse at Manchester Piccadilly, consuming two train paths in each direction. These trains impact on the Castlefield Corridor through the reversing moves they make. As new infrastructure is realised and longer trains allow for a greater capacity with less congestion, we will look at services that could be reintroduced while maintaining a reliable timetable. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Energy: Meters Lord Shipley: To ask His Majesty's Government, what steps they are taking to support consumers who cannot monitor their energy consumption via their smart meter as a result of a failure to connect with a data hub. Lord Callanan: Energy suppliers are required by licence conditions to take all reasonable steps to ensure their customers’ smart meters are fully functional and provide customers with complete and accurate information. Energy suppliers must also offer an In-Home Display (IHD) at the point of installation and provide a replacement or repair for any faulty IHD within the first year of installing a consumer’s smart meters. The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) is responsible for regulating energy suppliers against their licence obligations. Geothermal Power: Finance Lord Teverson: To ask His Majesty's Government whatconsideration they have given to the UK’s geothermal industry and the role of the Contracts for Difference scheme in supporting new developments. Lord Callanan: The Government supports the development of geothermal projects provided it can be done at an acceptable cost to consumers, and the most promising use case in the UK appears to be for heat. Government is supporting the development of low-carbon heat networks and thereby building its capability to harness heat from sources such as geothermal energy. Projects generating electricity from geothermal heat are able to bid into the Contracts for Difference scheme.The Government is also supporting a report seeking evidence on geothermal opportunities in the UK, which will involve gathering industry’s views through stakeholder workshops and interviews. Fuel Poverty Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to people experiencing fuel poverty as a result of increased energy bills. Lord Callanan: The Government is committed to supporting all households, especially low income and vulnerable households. This winter, the Government is providing direct support to millions of households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This is in addition to targeted support through the cost of living support packages, announced in May (2022-23) and November (2023-24). Both packages target vulnerable and low income households, including those on means-tested benefits, pensioners and those with a disability. Energy efficiency remains the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, with support available through the Energy Company Obligation, Home Upgrade Grant, Local Authority Delivery scheme and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Department of Health and Social Care Medicine: Education Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons why the new medical schools at Worcester, Brunel, and Chester universities are primarily recruiting foreign students rather than UK-based applicants. Lord Markham: No specific assessment has been made. The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan next year, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years. Community Diagnostic Centres Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what NHS diagnostic and treatment hubs were established during 2022; what are their locations; what services each hub provides; how they were selected; and when each one became operational. Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what elective surgical hubs were established in 2022; what are their locations; what services each hub provides; how they were selected; and when each one became operational. Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the independent sector was invited to participate in the selection of (1) NHS diagnostic and treatment hubs, or (2) elective surgical hubs; and if so, whether this was on the basis of a specific volume of service contracts or spot purchases. Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what arrangements they have put in place to advise (1) GPs, and (2) patients, on their ability to use diagnostic and surgical hubs as an alternative to waiting for treatment at their local hospital. Lord Markham: A table showing surgical hubs and community diagnostic centres (CDCs) established in 2022, with the services provided, the National Health Service region, the relevant integrated care system and NHS trust, the name of the hub and the date of opening, is attached due to the size of the data. Information on the selection criteria for each CDC and surgical hub is not held centrally.Local systems undertake an evaluation of the most appropriate locations for CDCs, including consideration of accessibility, affordability and addressing inequality and deprivation. Business cases are scrutinised by a national approvals panel with clinical and diagnostic experts to assess feasibility prior to approval. CDC locations are also subject to Ministerial approval. Surgical hub locations have been selected by a clinically-led process to ensure that sites are connected to the appropriate services to deliver high quality outcomes for patients and to consider health inequalities. The independent sector were not invited to participate in the selection of CDCs or surgical hubs.NHS England has engaged with patient forums and undertaken a public awareness campaign on the expansion of services. The Department and NHS England are working with general practitioners (GPs), cancer charities and patient representatives to expand direct GP access to diagnostic scans for those with concerning symptoms which do not align with the two-week cancer referral target to see a specialist.2022 CDC and Hub locations (xlsx, 19.0KB) Gender Recognition: Children Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government how many children have been prescribed puberty blockers in each of the last 10 years. Lord Markham: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists or ‘puberty blockers’ are used to treat several medical conditions in children and young people. These include precocious puberty, some forms of cancer, endometriosis and gender dysphoria. Information on the clinical indication for which these medications have been prescribed is not held centrally. The following table shows the number of identifiable patients where gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists for all purposes for children aged under 18 years old has been prescribed and dispensed in primary and secondary care prescribing and dispensing in the community in England in each year from 2015/16 to September 2022. Data is not held prior to April 2015. Financial yearPatients identified2015/20168852016/20179872017/20181,0472018/20191,0722019/20201,0482020/20219362021/2022864April to September 2022693 Source: NHS Business Services Authority Note:Prescriptions have only been included where a National Health Service number has been identified during processing and an age has been recorded. The same patients may appear in multiple years. NHS: Drugs Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the Roadmap for integrating specialised services within Integrated Care Systems, published on 31 May, whether NHS England will maintain their current arrangements for commissioning high cost drugs. Lord Markham: NHS England plans to maintain the arrangements for commissioning high cost drugs established in 2020/21 to 2023/24. During 2020/21 NHS England established a central reimbursement process for high cost drugs based on reported data, to ensure that providers and local commissioners are not exposed to financial risk on drugs which have recently approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, monitor allocation and expenditure and improve financial control.NHS England is exploring more flexibility for systems on the use of high cost drugs to support savings initiatives and reinvestments according to local priorities, while avoiding unnecessary financial risks. Integrated Care Boards Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Integrated Care Boards they forecast will take on full delegated specialised commissioning responsibility from April 2023. Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government when NHS England will confirm how many multi-Integrated Care Board footprints will be established in 2023 to take on joint commissioning responsibility for specialised services. Lord Markham: The number of integrated care boards (ICBs) which will take on responsibility for specialised commissioning and the number of multi-ICB footprints has not yet been confirmed. The responsibility for commissioning services assessed to be suitable will be delegated to ICBs or to joint committees of NHS England and ICBs in 2023/24, following an assessment of system readiness.NHS England is currently working with ICBs to assess system readiness, including identifying multi-ICB footprints. Following a moderation process, recommendations will be made to NHS England’s board for final decisions early in 2023, prior to the deployment of the new arrangements from April 2023. Rare Diseases: Drugs Baroness Wheeler: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2022, published on 28 February, what is the breakdown of the scope of the NHS’ annual report on the uptake of drugs for patients with rare diseases; and when it will be published. Lord Markham: NHS England will provide an annual report on the uptake of drugs recommended in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s highly specialised technology programme for patients with rare diseases by the end of 2022/23. This will include data comparing the actual patients receiving a drug with expected numbers. Where the number of patients is sufficiently high for statistical analysis, this will be reviewed to determine whether uptake has been geographically equitable. Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products Baroness Wheeler: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2022, published on 28 February, when the strategic approach on Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products will be published; and what engagement is being carried out as part of its development. Lord Markham: NHS England is continuing to develop its strategic approach on Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), informed by engagement with patients, providers and the pharmaceutical industry. This is focused on the commissioning and implementation of ATMPs, including service readiness, redesign, investment and provider selection. While no formal publication is currently planned, progress will be reported in England’s Rare Diseases Action Plans. Rare Diseases: Health Services Baroness Wheeler: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to hold delivery partners, including NHS England, to account on the remaining incomplete actions in the England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2022, published on 28 February. Lord Markham: All delivery partners, including NHS England, report on progress at regular meetings of the England Rare Diseases Framework Delivery Group, which provides oversight and coordination for the delivery of England’s Action Plan. Progress reports are made available to stakeholders through the UK Rare Diseases Forum.The next England Rare Diseases Action Plan is due to be published in early 2023 and will include a summary of progress to date against actions in the 2022 Action Plan and updated metrics and milestones for actions which are ongoing. The England Rare Diseases Framework Delivery Group will continue to meet regularly to monitor and report on progress against these ongoing actions. Palliative Care The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report by Marie Curie Better End of Life 2022, published in November, which found that “out-of-hours palliative care is currently inadequate and fragmented”, what plans they have to improve out-of-hours palliative care. Lord Markham: NHS England has published Palliative and End of Life Care: Statutory Guidance for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to support commissioners with the implementation of the Health and Care Act 2022. The guidance advises commissioners on defining services to meet population needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week and ensuring that staff, patients and carers can access care and advice. A copy of the statutory guidance is attached. Between December 2021 and March 2022, NHS England allocated more than £4 million for local specialist palliative care advice services, including out-of-hours provision.Palliative and End of Life Care ICB guidance (pdf, 500.2KB) Coronavirus: Drugs Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the equalities impact of replacing the COVID-19 Medicines Delivery Units in order to move COVID-19 therapeutics delivery to primary care. Lord Markham: NHS England is supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to transition COVID-19 therapeutic access and treatment from secondary care-based COVID-19 Medicine Delivery Units to routine access pathways, which may include a greater role for primary care or a patient’s usual care provider, such as hospital specialists. This should improve outcomes for eligible patients and protected groups by offering treatments in more accessible settings which can support long-term demand. ICBs are expected to mitigate local health inequalities and determine how under-served communities can be reached. ICBs will also undertake equality and health inequalities impact assessments when establishing any new local service provision. Medical Technologies Directorate Lord Bethell: To ask His Majesty's Government what are theobjectives of the MedTech Directorate of the Department of Health and Social Care; and when they intend to publish the (1) strategy, and (2) workplan, for achieving those objectives. Lord Markham: The Directorate aims to ensure that the health and care system has a resilient supply chain for safe and high quality products, provides value for money, embeds sustainability, has access to and adoption of innovative products and a managed transition for medical technology issues following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union and the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.The Directorate has engaged with industry on the Medtech strategy, which is due to be published shortly and is establishing a governing board to oversee the strategy’s implementation. Further information on the implementation of the strategy will be available early in the new year. Influenza: Drugs Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government whether NICE guidelines on influenza Neuraminidase Inhibitor (NI) drugs take account of the importance of rapid diagnostics, given that the optimal impact of NI drugs is within 48 hours of infection. Lord Markham: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) technology appraisal guidance, Amantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir for the treatment of influenza, recommends use of the neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir and zanamivir in specific circumstances. A copy of the guidance is attached.NICE’s guidance does not require that patients have a test to confirm a diagnosis of influenza prior to initiating treatment. However, it recommends the use of a neuraminidase inhibitor for the treatment of influenza in adults and children, where national surveillance schemes indicate that influenza virus A or B is circulating; the person is in an 'at-risk' group as defined in NICE’s guidance; and the person presents with an influenza-like illness and can commence treatment within 48 hours, or within 36 hours for zanamivir treatment in children, of the onset of symptoms as per the licensed indications.Amantadine, oseltamivir and zanamivir guidance (pdf, 210.4KB) NHS: Recruitment Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government when NHS England will finalise the recruitment of new clinical leaders in specialised services, including national clinical directors and national specialty advisors. Lord Markham: This recruitment is complete with the exception of a small number of roles. Further recruitment for these roles is expected to be completed by the end of January 2023. Health Services Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government when NHS England will publish a timeline for the update of service specifications in specialised services. Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what specialised services service specifications NHS England will update in 2023. Lord Markham: NHS England will review and update service specifications for specialised services during the next three to five years. NHS England is currently determining which specifications will be updated in 2023, taking into account progress made in 2022/23 and the emerging priorities for 2023/24. Dental Services: Finance Lord Stunell: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement on 17 November that the NHS will be given £3.3 billion additional funding, what proportion of that funding will be spent on rebuilding community NHS dentistry servicesin areas with (1) no, or (2) low, take-up of new adult NHS patients, such as Stockport. Lord Markham: NHS England will publish its planning guidance and funding allocations for 2023/24 in due course. NHS England asked dental practices to return to full delivery of contracted activity from July 2022. In September, we announced how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care. This includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. We will also streamline processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals. Ophthalmic Services: Learning Disability Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 1 December (HL3634), whether there remains a NHS Long Term Plan commitmentto invest to ensure that children with learning disabilities have their needs met by eyesight services. Lord Markham: The NHS Long Term Plan commitment remains in place. NHS England’s current evaluation of its proof-of-concept will inform decisions on the scope, funding and delivery of any future sight testing model. Electronic Cigarettes: Children and Young People Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to discourage children and young people from vaping. Lord Markham: While the Government  supports adult smokers switching to vaping in order to quit smoking,  we continue to discourage use in children and non-smokers. We have introduced a regulatory framework to deter the appeal of vaping to children through restricting product advertising, limits on nicotine strength, labelling and safety requirements and it is illegal to sell vapes to those aged under 18 years old. The Department continues to work with the relevant agencies to ensure these regulations are enforced in England.We have updated online information and advice on the  Better Health and Talk to Frank platform. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with the Department of Education to communicate with schools policies to prevent children from vaping. Midwives Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make a statement on the midwifery profession in England. Lord Markham: In 2022, we have invested an additional £127 million in the National Health Service maternity workforce and improving neonatal care. This is further to the £95 million invested in 2021 to fund an additional 1,200 midwives and 100 consultant obstetricians. The NHS People Plan also aims to improve working conditions for staff through flexible working and supporting an inclusive and compassionate workplace culture. Coronavirus: Drugs Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the publication of the RAPID C-19 Oversight Group report on 6 October, whether the Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce has determined the nature and threshold of evidence required for a prophylactic monoclonal antibody treatment to be made available via interim clinical policy before an appraisal by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Lord Markham: The interim procurement decisions on COVID-19 treatments, including prophylactics, have been based on the available evidence of clinical effectiveness and advice from expert groups, including RAPID C-19 and a United Kingdom national expert policy working group. This considers the available clinical evidence for efficacy in preventing symptomatic infection, hospitalisation or mortality from COVID-19. Any future decisions on licensed treatments in England, including prophylactics, will be taken through the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s health technology evaluation process. Ambulance Services: Strikes Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans theyhave, if any, to ensure the running of an effective ambulance service in the event of any industrial action by ambulance workers. Lord Markham: NHS England is leading national planning to ensure that employers and trade unions discuss local derogations to identify which services are exempt from strike action to protect patient safety. NHS England is also providing targeted support to some hospitals facing delays with ambulance handovers through a winter improvement collaborative programme to share best practice. The National Health Service is increasing capacity by the equivalent of at least 7,000 general and acute beds and £500 million has been allocated for the Adult Social Care Discharge Fund to improve patient flow through hospitals and reduce waiting times in transferring ambulance patients to accident and emergency departments. Coronavirus: Drugs Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of people who received COVID-19 treatment in a community setting subsequently died from COVID-19. Lord Markham: This information is not held centrally in the format requested. NHS England continues to work with research organisations to understand the impact of treatments on clinical outcomes, such as the RECOVERY, PANORAMIC, OpenSAFELY or ISARIC studies. Department for Work and Pensions Office for Budget Responsibility: Vacancies Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) regarding vacancies in the labour market, what assessment they have made of the level of vacancies in relation to unemployment. Baroness Stedman-Scott: Unemployment is falling and the number of people on payroll is at record levels. The DWP uses ONS data, which shows unemployment to vacancy ratio for Jul-Sep 2022 is 1, meaning that there is approximately one unemployed person for every vacancy in the UK. This ratio is unchanged on the quarter, and down 0.3 on the year- a result of falling unemployment and rising vacancies over the last year. This ratio is at a near record low level, and we will continue to monitor these figures going forward. The Department for Work and Pensions aims to help people move into work across the country, to help employers fill vacant posts to fulfil people’s potential and ensure employers can access the skills and talent they need for the future. Home Office Undocumented Migrants: English Channel Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Murray of Blidworth on 29 November (HL3419), what proportion of the approximately £195 million committed to the government of France since January 2018 has been spent on controllingirregular migration. Lord Murray of Blidworth: I refer Lord Hylton to my previous written response to HL 3419 regarding UK funding committed to France to tackle illegal migration. Refugees The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government, other than for asylum seekers from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, what are the safe and legal routes into the UK for those seeking asylum. Lord Murray of Blidworth: The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people fleeing war and persecution. Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach as that is the fastest route to safety.In addition to dedicated resettlement schemes for Syria, Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Ukraine, the UK welcomes refugees and people in need of protection through the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship, Family Reunion, and Mandate Resettlement Schemes. These are global routes which have allowed thousands of people fleeing war and persecution to rebuild their lives in the UK. Asylum Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to reduce (1) the time taken to make decisions on asylum applications, and (2) the backlog of older cases. Lord Murray of Blidworth: To further accelerate decision making we will drive productivity improvements by simplifying and modernising our system. This includes measures like shortening interviews, removing unnecessary interviews, making guidance simpler and more accessible, dealing with cases more swiftly where they can be certified as manifestly unfounded and recruiting extra decision makers. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Local Government: Flags Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government what permission local authorities need to fly the (1) Ukrainian flag, (2) UN flag, (3) EU flag, and (4) flag of any country other than the UK or Ukraine. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The display of flags in England is controlled under The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements)(England) Regulations 2007 (as amended). Certain flags, as specified under Class H of Schedule 1 to the Regulations, do not require advertisement consent. These include the national flags of any country and the flags of the Commonwealth, the United Nations or any other international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member. Temporary Accommodation: Children Lord Shipley: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many children are expected to be in temporary accommodation over the forthcoming Christmas period. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The latest statutory homelessness statistics for April to June 2022 can be found (attached) here . This includes data on the number of households in temporary accommodation in England, including the number of children.Homelessness statistics for April to June 2022 (pdf, 111.4KB) Social Rented Housing: Construction Lord Shipley: To ask His Majesty's Government how many new homes to let at Social Rent in England (1) were completed in each of the last three years, and (2) are expected to be completed during the forthcoming year. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The number of new social rent homes delivered by local authority since 1991-92, including acquisitions of existing stock, can be found in Live Table 1006C, published (attached) at the following link.The number of starts on site for new social rent homes since 2015-16 can be found in Live Table 1006S, via the same link. We are monitoring delivery of our housing programmes closely. We are working with our delivery partners, and the Sector to help support delivery.Live Table (pdf, 152.2KB) Social Rented Housing: Construction The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made of the number of social homes built in each local authority area in each of the last five years. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The number of new affordable homes delivered, including acquisitions, since 1991-92, can be found in Live Table 1008C, published here . Figures for new build only can be found in Live Table 1011 or through the open data found at the same link.Live Table (xls, 941.5KB) Treasury Financial Services: Regulation Lord Sharkey: To ask His Majesty's Government which of the Chancellor’s proposed reforms to financial services regulation, announced in Edinburgh on 8 December, will (1) require primary legislation, (2) require secondary legislation, (3) be achievable using existingpowers; and for each of the proposed reforms that can be made using existing powers, what power they intend to use in each case. Baroness Penn: The Edinburgh Reforms, launched by the Chancellor on 9 December, take forward the government’s ambition for the UK to be the world’s most innovative and competitive global financial centre. We are committed to an open, sustainable, and technologically advanced financial services sector that is globally competitive and acts in the interests of communities and citizens across all four nations of the UK. As part of the Edinburgh Reforms package, several consultations were either launched or trailed. It would not be appropriate to pre-judge the outcome of these consultations, nor how any measures may be implemented when final government policy has yet to be agreed. The outcomes of these consultations will be taken forward in the usual manner and peers will be able to engage in the normal ways depending on the precise form of implementation. As set out in the Chancellor's written statement, a number of reforms will require secondary legislation. These are: Secondary legislation in Q1 2023 to remove burdens for firms trading commodities derivatives as an ancillary activity. The powers to implement this can be found in: Article 3 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001, Article 3 of the Financial Service and Markets Act 2000 (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2017, and Article 4 of the Financial Regulators’ Powers (Technical Standards etc.) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018.Secondary legislation in 2023 to improve the functionality of the ring-fencing regime. The powers to implement these proposed reforms, which will be subject to consultation in mid-2023, can be found in Part 9B of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.Secondary legislation, when parliamentary time allows, to amend the Building Societies Act 1986. The powers to implement this can be found in Section 7 of the Building Societies Act 1986, and Section 104 (1) of the Building Societies Act 1986. Additionally, the government will add transactions in certain cryptoassets to the Investment Management Exemption list for tax purposes. The existing list of investment transactions is set out in the Investment Manager (Investment Transactions) Regulations 2014. HMRC is able to make this change using existing powers contained in sections 827(2) and 835S(4) ITA07 and section 1150 CTA10. Several of the Edinburgh Reforms are also being taken forward as primary legislation through the Financial Services and Markets Bill (FSM). These are the implementation of a Financial Market Infrastructure Sandbox in 2023, the establishment of a safe regulatory environment for stablecoins and the repeal of retained EU law in financial services. The FSM Bill contains provisions that will enable the government to commence the repeal of retained EU law in financial services and implement its replacement, a smarter regulatory framework specifically tailored to the UK, using secondary legislation following the passage of the Bill. The government will also legislate in the Finance Bill to amend the tax rules for Real Estate Investment Trusts. Energy Price Guarantee Lord Kamall: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they examined the case for (1) reducing VAT on domestic fuel, and (2) raising the personal allowance for taxpayers, as an alternative to the Energy Price Guarantee before they announced the Autumn Statement on 17 November; and if not, why not. Baroness Penn: The Government made the difficult but necessary decision to maintain income tax thresholds until April 2028 to ensure the tax system supports strong public finances. Maintaining these thresholds is universal, progressive and fair. The highest earners will contribute more of the revenue. Even with the decision to maintain thresholds the Personal Allowance (PA) has increased by over 40 per cent in real terms since 2010, ensuring some of the lowest earners do not pay income tax. Thanks to the PA, in 2021-22 around 30% of earners didn’t pay tax. The UK’s PA is high by international standards – it is one of the most generous personal tax allowances in the OECD and highest in the G7.The Government also recognises that families should not have to bear all of the VAT costs they incur to meet their needs, with domestic fuels such as gas, electricity and heating oil already subject to the reduced rate of VAT at 5 per cent of VAT. The Government's package of support to help households with their energy bills is more generous than an additional VAT cut on domestic fuel and power, and there would be no guarantee that suppliers would pass on the discounts from this relief to all customers. As with all aspects of the tax system, the Government will continue to keep income tax thresholds and VAT under review and any decisions on future changes will be taken by the Chancellor in the context of the wider public finances. Credit The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to increase regulation for unregulated digital Buy-Now-Pay-Later products; and if so, when they intend to introduce such measures. Baroness Penn: The Government has announced its intention to bring currently unregulated Buy-Now Pay-Later products into Financial Conduct Authority regulation. The Government published a consultation on a proposed proportionate approach to regulation in October 2021, and published a response to that consultation in June 2022. The Government will publish a consultation on draft legislation soon. Credit Rating: First Time Buyers Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they have had with UK mortgage lenders regarding their assessment procedures, including the use of algorithms, for creditworthiness; and what steps they will take to ensure that first-time-buyers who have been renting from more than one landlord immediately prior to their mortgage application will not be disadvantaged during credit record checks. Baroness Penn: The Treasury are in regular contact with mortgage lenders on all aspects of their business, including lending to first-time buyers. However, the pricing and availability of loans is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. Likewise, beyond what is set out in regulation, the factors that lenders take into consideration when assessing mortgage applications is a commercial decision for individual lenders to make. Nevertheless, this Government remains committed to making the aspiration of homeownership a reality for as many households as possible. Indeed, we are investing £11.5 billion to build more of the affordable, quality homes this country needs, and operate a range of schemes that aim to: increase the supply of low-deposit mortgages for credit-worthy households, increase the availability of new housing, and stimulate economic growth. These include First Homes, Shared Ownership through the Affordable Homes Programme and the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme. The Government also helps first-time buyers to save for a deposit through the Lifetime ISA and Help to Buy: ISA. Over 800,000 households have been helped to purchase a home since spring 2010 through these Government-backed schemes, with the annual number of first-time buyers at a 20-year high in 2021. Retail Trade: Money Lord Stone of Blackheath: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the levels of compliance by businesses with the Bills of Exchange Act 1882; and what steps they will take to ensure that cash is accepted in all retail establishments. Baroness Penn: A bill of exchange is a paper financial instrument that is used to transfer money from one person to another instead of the transfer of the actual money itself. The Bills of Exchange Act 1882 does not specify how they must pay if one is agreed. As technology and consumer behaviour changes, it should remain the choice of individual organisations as to whether to accept or decline any form of payment, including cash or card, based on their consideration of factors such as customer preference and cost. Nonetheless, the Government recognises that many people continue to transact in cash across the UK. The Government is currently taking legislation to protect access to cash across the UK through Parliament as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2022. The legislation will establish the Financial Conduct Authority as the lead regulator for access to cash with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of withdrawal and deposit facilities. This legislation will support local businesses to continue accepting cash by ensuring they have reasonable access to deposit facilities. Further details about the Financial Services and Markets Bill can be found on the Parliament website. Personal Income: National Insurance Contributions Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide financial support to those experiencing a decrease in income as a result of an increase in National Insurance contributions. Baroness Penn: 30 million people will be better off by an average of £480 in 2023-24 due to changes made to National Insurance Contribution (NICs) thresholds and rates earlier this year. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport BBC: Complaints Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of Ofcom's systems of investigating and reporting on complaints about BBC bias. Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a new body, with a majority of non-BBC members, to ensure that the BBC is compliant with its charter requirements on impartiality and accuracy. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The current Royal Charter for the BBC, introduced in January 2017, established Ofcom as the BBC’s regulator to ensure that the corporation is robustly, and independently, held to account as the nation's broadcaster.His Majesty’s Government is clear that the BBC has to provide high-quality, distinctive content and services. It is ultimately a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator on how to enforce these obligations through regulation.Ofcom is responsible for editorial standards, and can consider complaints about BBC content, including accuracy and impartiality.The Government is looking at the governance and regulation of the BBC as part of the Mid-Term Review of the Charter. The Terms of Reference for that review can be found here. The Mid-Term Review will consider whether the current regulatory arrangements for the BBC are working effectively and whether any reforms are necessary.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2022-12-15
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2022", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Human Rights Act 1998: Legal Aid Provision Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What estimate they have made of the cost to the legal aid budget over the next three years, as a result of the implementation of the Human Rights Act 1998. Lord Irvine of Lairg: Thirty-nine million pounds has been allocated to meet Human Rights Act 1998 cases in each of the next three years. Human Rights Act 1998: Life Support Withdrawal Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: When a case involving an application for permission to withdraw life support from a patient in a permanent vegetative state last came before a United Kingdom court, and what was the court's decision: whether any case of this kind has previously gone before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg: and if so, whether the decision of that court differed from the judgment reached in the United Kingdom court: and what new considerations will United Kingdom courts be required to take into account in such cases following the incorporation of the convention into United Kingdom law. Lord Irvine of Lairg: The last case to come before a United Kingdom court involving an application for permission to withdraw life support from a patient in a permanent vegetative state was that of Re M & Re H. In this case, decided on 6 October, Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, President of the Family Division of the High Court, made a declaration that doctors can lawfully withdraw artificial nutrition and hydration from two women in a permanent vegetative state as this was in their best interests and did not constitute an infringement of Article 2 of the convention, the right to life. So far as I am aware, no case of this kind has as yet been before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. In cases such as this, as in other cases under the Human Rights Act 1998, a court determining a question which has arisen in connection with a convention right must take into account any judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, to the extent that, in its judgment, it is relevant. Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Act 1999: Administrative Arrangements Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all details of road traffic accidents which occurred prior to the coming into force of the Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Act 1999 and on which fees are potentially due to National Health Service hospitals, have been entered into the computer system of the Compensation Recovery Unit of the Benefits Agency; and, if not, when they expect this process to be completed; and Whether the number of staff employed at the Compensation Recovery Unit of the Benefits Agency in collecting fees due to National Health Service hospitals has increased, decreased or remained the same since April; and what the number of such staff is now. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The bulk of cases where there is potential NHS recovery will have been transferred to the new computer system by 1 December 2000. A small residue of complex cases will remain; these will be transferred by 2 February 2001. There is the equivalent of 53 staff employed at the Compensation Recovery Unit in collecting NHS fees on behalf of England, Scotland and Wales. This number has remained the same since April 2000. Immigration and Asylum Act 1999: Carriers' Liability Fines Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are, for each carrier, the number of contraventions and penalties imposed for contravening the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and the value of fines outstanding. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Sections 40-42 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, which enable the Secretary of State to demand charges of carriers in respect of the arrival of passengers without proper documents, have not yet commenced. The Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 is still in force. Details of demands served under that Act were given in the Answer to the noble Lord on 18 October 2000 (Official Report, WA 91). Detention Centres: Draft Rules Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What consultations they have undertaken on the draft rules for detention centres; and whether they will submit these rules to Parliament for comment before they are finalised. Lord Bassam of Brighton: As my honourable friend the Minister of State for the Home Office (Mrs Roche) explained to you in her response to your letter dated 6 September 2000, a lengthy consultation process has accompanied the drafting of the Detention Centre Rules and the intention has been to consult as widely as possible. Among those involved have been the leading interested non-governmental organisations--for example, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the Refugee Council, the Medical Foundation and the Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees, along with a number of smaller groups. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, other government departments, the British Medical Association, Immigration Service staff, members of the Visiting Committees, and of course the contractors who currently run the establishments have also been consulted. As I explained in the Answer I gave you on 9 October (Official Report, WA8), the Detention Centre Rules will be laid before Parliament after they have been "made". This is likely to be in the late autumn. The procedure for this Statutory Instrument was debated and determined during the passage of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The rules are subject to the ordinary negative resolution procedure and as such will not be submitted to Parliament in draft form prior to finalisation.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2000-10-19a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2000", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Illegal Meat Imports Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why there have been no prosecutions of air passengers at Heathrow in the last three years for bringing illegal meat such as "bushmeat" into the United Kingdom; and Whether they intend to prosecute passengers at airports who smuggle in illegal meats such as "bushmeat"; and Whether they intend to search more air passengers this year than in previous years for illegal meats such as "bushmeat" and meat from endangered species. Lord Whitty: A decision to bring a prosecution before the courts is a matter for the enforcement authority. They would take into account a number of factors, including the weight of evidence to prove intent to break the laws in question and the ability to bring the offender before the British courts. These criteria may not be easy to satisfy in the case of air passengers bringing in illegal meat, especially where small quantities are seized. In 2001, HM Customs and Excise prosecuted three people for offences relating to imports of meat covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) involving "bushmeat". Two were convicted of CITES offences and one was acquitted but convicted under a separate animal health charge. The level and focus of future controls to address the threat from imported meat will be directed by the risk assessment work which is already under way. We are committed in the light of that risk assessment to strengthen our efforts to tackle the problem of illegally imported meat. EU Enlargement: Agricultural Support Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether in the negotiations for European Union enlargement any ballpark figures have been put forward for the likely amount of annual agricultural support to individual acceding countries; and, if so, what those figures are for Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Slovenia. Lord Whitty: We have received the Commission's proposals for annual agricultural spending for the period 2004 to 2006 covering 10 candidate countries as a whole (not Romania and Bulgaria). The figures for the whole are indicated below (1999 prices, million euros). 2004 2005 2006 Agriculture 2,048 3,596 3,933 Negotiations are still continuing on the agriculture chapter, including on financial matters, and so the above figures are still proposals; as a result there are no indicative splits by individual country. Fishing Vessels: Satellite Tracking System Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to join the satellite tracking system of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission as a means of protecting United Kingdom coral reefs. Lord Whitty: The United Kingdom is already a member of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) by virtue of its membership of the EU. Fishing vessels over 24 metres overall length operating in the waters covered by NEAFC have to carry satellite monitoring equipment and submit their position reports every six hours. Ecolabelling: WTO Rules Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have sought any clarification of World Trade Organisation rules on labelling; and whether they will ensure that any such clarification allows for mandatory and voluntary non-product related production and process methods labelling schemes for any social, health and environmental issue. Lord Whitty: Clarification of the status of ecolabelling initiatives under WTO rules was one of the EU's objectives in its negotiating position at the fourth ministerial at Doha in November 2001. Although it was not possible to reach a consensus on the need for negotiations on this issue at Doha, it was agreed that the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment should prepare a report on labelling for environmental purposes to be presented to ministers at the 5th WTO ministerial in 2003. In the light of this report, the ministerial will decide whether to initiate negotiations on this subject. It is the UK's objective that analysis and in due course negotiations in the WTO should look at the issue of ecolabelling in a comprehensive way, including the status of mandatory and voluntary labelling schemes. Shotguns: Culling of Wild Animals Lord Geddes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 29 April (WA 71–72), whether there are any current recommendations as to what shot size and shotgun type should be used for the culling of (a) foxes; (b) hares; (c) deer; and (d) mink. Lord Whitty: (a) A shotgun of minimum 20 bore and minimum shot size BB (4.09mm diameter) is considered suitable for shooting a fox only at close range (under 25 metres). (b) and (d) A shotgun of minimum 20 bore and shot size of at least number 5 (2.79mm diameter) is recommended for use in shooting hare or mink only at close range. At longer range the use of a rifle is recommended for fox, hare and mink. (c) A shotgun is not recommended for culling deer and would not normally be legal under Section 4(2)(a) of the Deer Act 1991. In certain circumstances the Act permits the use of a shotgun for humane destruction of a seriously injured animal or for use as a slaughtering instrument. Section 7 of the Act provides a defence for occupiers of land etc who use a shotgun where free ranging wild deer cause damage, further damage is likely and the action is necessary to prevent further damage. The minimum calibre permitted is 12 bore, using a single non-spherical projectile weighing not less than 22.68g (350 grains) or a cartridge purporting to contain shot which is 0.203 inches (5.16mm) in diameter (size AAA) (Section 7(2) of the Act). Hunting with Dogs Lord Geddes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 29 April (WA 71–72), whether they currently believe there is a distinction to be drawn between "cruelty" and "suffering" in relation to animals; and Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 29 April (WA 71–72), whether they consider "cruelty" in relation to animals to be a subjective or scientific matter. Lord Whitty: Central to the legal definition of cruelty to animals is the concept of "causing unnecessary suffering". This concept is contained in existing animal protection legislation such as the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996. In their consideration of cruelty the courts have held that this is an objective matter. Energy Label Directives Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: How supplier compliance under the European Union energy label directives is monitored. Lord Whitty: Responsibility for ensuring that suppliers established in the UK fulfil their obligations under the European Union energy label directives rests with the UK enforcement authorities: in England and Wales and Scotland, a local weights and measures authority within the meaning of Section 69 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 (local weights and measures authorities); and in Northern Ireland, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. However, the Market Transformation Programme, which is jointly sponsored by Defra and the DTI, has also carried out a number of spot checks on domestic appliances. This is to provide information relating to the operation and effectiveness of the UK energy labelling regulations and to inform discussions on related policy issues. The enforcement authorities are aware of the Defra monitoring activity and have access to the individual results. We are discussing the individual results, analysis and issues arising with suppliers of the tested products and with AMDEA (the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances) with the intention that the Government will routinely place such information in the public domain. Public Services in Rural Areas Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the extra cost of providing public services in rural areas in England compared to urban areas. Lord Whitty: There are a variety of factors which influence the cost of delivery of public services in different parts of England. These factors differ according to the nature of the service. In allocating resources, individual departments and service providers take account of the relative costs of delivery and other relevant factors. These may include specifically rural factors (such as sparsity of population) as well as measures of relative need and differing labour costs. No overall assessment has been made of the different costs of providing public services in rural areas in England compared to urban areas. Scottish Parliament: Charities The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Scottish Parliament is constitutionally entitled to change the definition of a Scottish charity for purposes other than the application of reliefs from United Kingdom taxes. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Yes. Schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998 defines matters that are reserved and are therefore excluded from the competence of the Scottish Parliament. Section C1 of Part II of Schedule 5 reserves business associations but specifically exempts from this reservation "the creation, operation, regulation and dissolution of charities". As a result, these matters are within the competence of the Scottish Parliament. As the noble Earl indicates, taxation is reserved and the application of reliefs from United Kingdom taxes is a matter for the Inland Revenue.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2002-05-10a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2002", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Education: Home Schooling Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 11 December (WA 167), whether they will provide an example to justify the statement that the release of the data requested might lead to individual children being identified. To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 11 December (WA 168-9), whether they will provide an example to justify the statement that the release of the data requested might lead to individual children being identified. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: Some years ago a journalist located two children convicted of murdering another child using statistics provided through the Department of Heath secure units bulletin. Since then the Department for Children, Schools and Families has adopted protocols that prevent individual children from being identified through published statistical information. The department has closely examined and reviewed its statistical disclosure controls when considering the release of data that could lead to individuals being self-identified or identified by others. Where there is a risk that individual children could be identified, the data are released by aggregation with other data, or released in a form where small numbers are rounded or suppressed. We have applied this policy to the information collected recently on home education. We released much of the raw data in the form of graphs, which allowed users to see the distribution of data but which did not identify individual local authorities. This is because where numbers are low it would be possible for journalists or other researchers to combine press reports or other information collected formally or informally with published statistical information to identify individual children subject to child protection plans, or young people not in education, employment and training, for example. This could lead to home-educating families being pursued for further information about their children-for example, the sort of information set out in the Answers given on 11 December (Official Report cols. WA167and WA169) and 15 December (Official Report cols. WA206 and WA207-WA209). We are considering how we can release more of the statistical data collected in a format that protects individuals from being identified but which is more informative than the data already released. Elections: European Parliament Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the electorate in Northern Ireland for the European Parliament elections in (a) 2004, and (b) 2009. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is responsible for maintaining the electoral register in Northern Ireland and publishing related statistics. Statistics relating to the eligible electorate in respect of particular elections can be found on the Chief Electoral Officer's website (http://www.eoni.org. uk/index/statistics/election-statistics.htm) and demonstrate that the eligible electorate for the 2004 European elections was 1,072,669, and for the 2009 European elections was 1,141,979. The noble Lord may wish to write to the Chief Electoral Officer directly with any further queries. Elections: European Parliament Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the percentage turnout in Northern Ireland at the European Parliament elections in (a) 2004, and (b) 2009. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is responsible for publishing information relating to turnout at particular elections. Statistics relating to the 2004 and 2009 European elections can be found on his website at http://www. eoni.org.uk/index/statistics/election-statistics.htm and show that the percentage turnout in 2004 was 51.72 per cent, and in 2009 was 42.81 per cent. The noble Lord may wish to write directly to the Chief Electoral Officer if he has any further queries. Elections: European Parliament Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for postal votes there were in Northern Ireland for the European Parliament elections in (a) 2004, and (b) 2009. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is responsible for collecting information relating to postal vote applications. Statistics relating to postal vote applications at particular elections can be found on his website at http://www.eoni.org.uk/index/statistics/election-statistics.htm and show that there were 3,184 applications for postal votes in respect of the 2009 European elections (this excludes applications for an absent vote for an indefinite period in the run-up to the elections). The website does not contain information relating to postal vote applications for the 2004 European elections and the noble Lord may wish to write to the Chief Electoral Officer directly to request additional statistics. EU: Legislation Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the recent opinions of the European Commission regarding the United Kingdom allegedly not giving full effect to European Union equality legislation. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The understanding between the European Commission and member states is that infraction correspondence remains confidential. The Commission publishes the fact that a reasoned opinion has been sent but not the letter itself. The Government will therefore not be publishing the two reasoned opinions that the Commission sent to us on 20 November. NHS: IT Strategy Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the gross expenditure on the NHS National Programme for IT at actual and constant prices in each year from 2002-03 to 2008-09; and what is the forecast expenditure for 2009-10. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their forecast of the expenditure required from 2010-11 to 2013-14 to complete the NHS National Programme for IT in the light of the Pre-Budget Report; and when they expect to complete the programme. Baroness Thornton: Comprehensive information is not available in the form requested. This is in part because relevant local expenditure information is not collected in a way that differentiates expenditure on the national programme for information technology from other local IT-related expenditure. In addition, the department does not routinely produce programme-level expenditure figures separately from those covering its wider responsibilities for National Health Service IT. Expenditure information covering all those responsibilities, for the years for which it is available, is shown in the following table. Actual Expenditure Forecast Outturn 2004-05 £ million 2005-06 £ million 2006-07 £ million 2007-08 £ million 2008-09 £ million 2009-10 £ million Capital 360.0 429.0 589.0 686.0 535.1 562.6 Revenue 260.0 539.0 528.0 507.0 528.4 573.8 Notes: 1. All sums are actual expenditure for the year in question, compiled using the accruals accounting convention, and exclude capital charges. 2. The amounts include the original costs of NPfIT contracts, which have not changed, but also include new and additional requirements that have been added, supported by separate business cases and funding, as reported by the National Audit Office. The expenditure is made up of a very significant number of different components and activity contracted at different times across the period. Converting the figures to a meaningful common price base could only be done at disproportionate cost. The national programme comprises a number of separate systems and services for which, as a whole, there is no single national completion date. Systems will continue to need to be upgraded in the light of new technology and changing NHS requirements. Expenditure plans for years beyond 2009-10 are currently being reviewed in the light of announcements made in the Pre-budget Report, and of the evolving IT needs of the NHS. Northern Ireland Office: Cars Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of officials in the Northern Ireland Office are in car-sharing schemes for work purposes which are officially encouraged. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: A scheme is available at www.travelwiseni.co.uk through which staff can make car-share arrangements with other civil servants. Staff are encouraged, where possible, to car-share when travelling on official business. The Northern Ireland Office does not keep statistics on the number of staff who are in car-share schemes, either for work purposes or for journeys to and from work. Northern Ireland Office: Political Directorate Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the sections into which the Political Directorate of the Northern Ireland Office is divided; and what are their roles. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Political Directorate of the Northern Ireland Office consists of four divisions: Rights, Elections and Legacy; Constitutional Policy and Liaison; Political Liaison and Protocol (including the work of the British Irish Secretariat); and Inquiries and Corporate Services. The Private Office, which supports the work of Ministers in the department, is also managed within the Political Directorate. The role and objectives of the Political Directorate of the Northern Ireland Office are published in the annual departmental report, which can be found at: http://www.nio.gov.uk/northern_ireland_office_departmental_report_2009.pdf. A copy of the departmental report is also available in the Library of the House. People Trafficking Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether 77 children suspected of having been trafficked went missing from a children's home near Heathrow since March 2006; if so, whether any of them have been found; and what steps have been taken to prevent such a situation happening again. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: Children who enter the UK without an adult to take responsibility for their care, which could include children who may have been trafficked into the country, will become looked after by the local authority where they present. Where any looked-after children subsequently go missing from their care placements, the local authority must report their absence to the local police so that all necessary action can be taken to locate them and make sure that they are safe. Information about the outcomes of individual children who have gone missing from care in any local authority is not collected centrally. However, following the Prime Minister's Parliamentary Answer to the honourable Member for Hayes and Harlington in the other place on 6 May, officials from the Home Office and the DCSF were asked to investigate concerns about potentially trafficked children from abroad going missing from the London Borough of Hillingdon. Hillingdon works very closely with other local partner agencies through the Hillingdon Local Safeguarding Children Board, which has a child trafficking sub-group. Since 2007, stronger process and systems have been put in place to disrupt the trafficking of children through Heathrow Airport, which has had the effect of reducing the numbers both of young people arriving at Heathrow suspected as being at risk of trafficking and of children later going missing from residential care. Prisoners: Literature Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Bach on 7 December (WA 96), why individual prison governors can determine which books may be received by inmates of their prisons. Lord Bach: The type of items and the frequency with which they may be received by prisoners while in custody are decided by individual prison governors in line with prison Rule 43(2) of the Prison Rules 1999. The rule enables governors to exercise discretion as to the types of items that they consider to be appropriate for their local circumstances, the profile of their prison population (for example, whether a certain publication will have an adverse effect on a prisoner's physical or mental condition) and to fit in with their locally devised incentives and earned privileges scheme. Prisons: Muslim Chaplains Baroness Neville-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 30 April (WA 44), whether the report into Muslim chaplains in public service has been completed; if so, how much it cost; and whether they will place a copy in the Library of the House. Lord McKenzie of Luton: In June 2008, The Experience Corps produced a draft framework of standards and recruitment process to be used voluntarily by institutions when engaging Muslim chaplains in public service. The Experience Corps was awarded £88,708 (excluding VAT) to complete this work. Following a tendering process in August 2008, Faith Matters was contracted to pilot the draft recruitment process and standards. Following the pilot, Faith Matters will produce a final standards framework and recruitment process, which will be promoted for voluntary use in public institutions from spring 2010. The project is projected to cost a total of £90,000, with final payment on completion. A copy of the final documents will be placed in the Library of the House. Roads: Motorways Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 8 December (WA 118) which indicated that there have been no recent discussions on the joint funding of a motorway in Northern Ireland with the government of the Republic of Ireland, what discussions have taken place; when they took place; and what was the outcome. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The funding package for the incoming Northern Ireland Executive was announced by the Treasury on 23 March 2007. That package included details of the provision of £400 million to be made available by the Irish Government over four years as a contribution towards the new roads programme. Subsequent discussions on funding are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government. No minutes have been found of any meetings at which these matters were discussed between members of Her Majesty's Government and the Irish Government either prior to devolution or subsequently. Taxation: Personal Allowance Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government in which years since 1977 income tax personal allowances have not risen in line with inflation. Lord Myners: The information requested is in the table below. Personal allowance risen by less than inflation 1978-79 Personal allowance risen by more than inflation 1977-78, 1979-80, 1982-86, 1988-89, 1996-98, 2008-10 Personal allowance held constant 1981-82, 1993-95, 2003-04,2010-11 In years not shown, the allowance increased in line with indexation.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2010-01-07a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2010", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill Baroness Walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officials have been involved in the preparation of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill; and what was the cost of preparing the Bill up to the date of its First Reading in the House of Lords. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: The preparation of the Bill has been led by a joint DCSF-DIUS Bill team comprising six members of staff. The total expenditure incurred by the Bill team during 2008-09 was £162, 897, and the Bill team has a budget for the current financial year of £214,026. The Bill team has worked closely with officials and lawyers from across the two departments, other government departments and the devolved Administrations both in preparing the Bill and during its passage through Parliament. No figures are available on the total number of officials involved or the total costs associated with the Bill, and this information could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost. Ascension Island Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current situation regarding commercial flights to and from Ascension Island; what recent discussions they have had with the government of the United States of America on commercial flights; and whether they plan to increase commercial flights through the island. Lord Malloch-Brown: In 2003, the Governments of the UK and US entered into a bilateral agreement (the Wideawake agreement) that allows up to four movements (take off or landing) to be made by civil aircraft not engaged in scheduled international air services at the US Wideawake airfield on Ascension Island in any one week. Each movement must be approved by the administrator on Ascension Island. The Governments of the UK and the US renewed this agreement for a further five years in September 2008. There are no current plans to increase commercial flights through Ascension Island. We may need to revisit this agreement with the US should the Government decide in favour of building an airport on St Helena. Association of Chief Police Officers Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 7 May (WA 130), given that the Association of Chief Police Officers receives funds from the Government and each police authority, to whom it is accountable; and whether the Freedom of Information Act 2000 applies to it. Lord West of Spithead: In addition to an annual grant in aid payment, the Home Office makes regular payments to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to fund a number of specific projects or initiatives and these grants are prescribed for the purposes specified and the use is closely monitored. As an independent organisation of chief officers from the police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, ACPO is accountable to its members. Chief officers are in turn accountable to police authorities and the public. As it is a private company, the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to ACPO, since Schedule 1 to the Act does not include a definition which covers ACPO. Banking Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what payments have been made from (a) HM Treasury and its agencies, and (b) HM Revenue and Customs, to (1) Deutsche Bank, (2) Citigroup, (3) Credit Suisse, (4) Goldman Sachs, and (5) Morgan Stanley in 2008—09; and what those payments relate to. Lord Myners: The Treasury made the following payments in 2008-09: Organisation £'000 Purpose Deutsche Bank 41 Staff secondment Citigroup 1,922 Financial stability related Credit Suisse 5,502 Financial stability related Morgan Stanley 1,501 Financial stability related The figures are provisional as they form part of the Treasury's resource account, which is subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The majority of the sums listed relate to advice given to the Treasury on financial stability measures. Under a number of agreements with financial institutions, certain fees are recoverable and the sums listed do not therefore represent a net cost to the Treasury. HM Revenue and Customs has a contract with Citibank for the provision of banking services. A single payment was made in 2008-09 in relation to development work for the start of the service. Banking: Bank of Scotland (Ireland) Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the information provided by Ted Cunningham at his recent trial and which concerns Phil Flynn, the former chairman of the Bank of Scotland (Ireland); if so what action they will take; and whether the information has been drawn to the attention of the Financial Services Authority. Lord Myners: The noble Lord's questions have been passed to the FSA and chief constable. As a matter of policy, the Treasury does not comment on matters of regulation relating to individual institutions. Banking: Lloyds TSB and HBOS Lord Howard of Rising: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether discussions took place between the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Myners, Baroness Vadera, their offices or their officials, and Sir Victor Blank relating to the takeover of HBOS by Lloyds TSB; and, if so, when the first contacts between each of the Ministers concerned or their officials and Sir Victor took place. Lord Myners: Government Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings. Banking: UK Financial Investments Ltd Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make publicly available the budget and funding plan recommendations presented to HM Treasury by the board of United Kingdom Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI) in February and any response from HM Treasury to UKFI. Lord Myners: As the framework document between UK Financial Investments (UKFI) and the Treasury sets out, UKFI's annual report and audited accounts will be laid before Parliament. UKFI's business plan will also be provided to the Treasury Select Committee once agreed. Banking: UK Financial Investments Ltd Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what up-front payments were made to United Kingdom Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI); and what forecast has been made of the periodical management fee to be paid to UKFI. Lord Myners: In its first five months of operation, UKFI's costs were £1.2 million. Going forward, the management fee will depend on agreement of the business plan but is expected to be single figure millions annually. Charity Commission Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what procedures the Charity Commission has in place to take action, in the interests of ensuring effective governance, where the minutes of a meeting of a charity's trustees record a resolution which did not exist and which was subsequently acted upon in relation to the election of trustees. Lord Patel of Bradford: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the commission to reply. Letter from Andrew Hind, dated May 2009. As the chief executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Question on the action the Charity Commission might take where the minutes of a meeting of charity trustees record a resolution which did not exist and which was subsequently acted upon in relation to the election of trustees. Charity trustees should ensure that minutes of trustee meetings are accurate records of the business carried out and decisions made. We produce guidance for charity trustees on this subject. Our publication CC48 Charities and Meetings is available on our website, www.charitycommission.gov.uk and provides best practice advice for charity trustees. Charity trustees are usually elected in accordance with the provisions of their charity's governing document. If these are followed then there is unlikely to be a problem with the appointment and we will not be involved. However, if there is evidence to suggest that an appointment of trustees is invalid then the solution would depend on the circumstances of the particular case. For instance, if appropriate, the commission could use its powers to appoint the trustees to overcome any deficiency in their appointment. Any suggestion that maladministration had taken place in the appointment of trustees would be given serious attention by the commission. Our response would depend on the facts of the case as supported by the evidence. In my response to a previous question, I outlined our risk and proportionality framework, which is published on our website (above) and has been placed in the Library of the House. We would use this framework to assess the most appropriate and proportionate course of action to take. I hope this is helpful. Civil Service: Redundancy Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Patel of Bradford on 31 March (WA 21), what would be the cost of calculating the amount payable in the event of redundancy to a civil servant earning £25,000 per annum who is aged 50 with 15 years service. Lord Patel of Bradford: The Employers' Pensions Guide, issued by Cabinet Office to employers participating in the Civil Service pension arrangements, gives employers guidance on the costs of redundancies. The Employers' Guide is available on the Civil Service website www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions and a current copy has been placed in the Library. Climate Change: DfID Lord Lawson of Blaby: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department for International Development paid to commission the concept paper An Institutional Architecture for Climate Change from the Center on International Co-operation. Lord Tunnicliffe: The concept note, draft and final papers for the concept paper An Institutional Architecture for Climate Changetogether cost a total of £39,112.50. Colombia Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government which projects they are funding in Colombia relating to the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law; who are the recipients of funding for such projects; how much they receive; and what are the purposes of the projects. Lord Tunnicliffe: As the Foreign Secretary's Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) of 30 March makes clear, we have made tackling impunity a new priority for our work in Colombia. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has allocated £250,000 in 2009-10 for this work. Projects are still under development. We will work alongside the United Nations (UN) Office of Drugs and Crime and Colombian NGOs to take forward this work, which will aim to develop the skills of those involved in the Colombian criminal justice sector including lawyers, prosecutors, judges and civil society in investigation and trial skills. For example, we have recently supported a UN project to improve criminal prosecution of sexual crimes committed against women and girls, and in 2009-10 are supporting a project to reduce conflict-related impunity through policy recommendations for the criminal justice system. Colombia Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they ensure that aid to the government of Colombia promotes international human rights norms. Lord Tunnicliffe: The UK Government are funding a broad range of projects to strengthen human rights in Colombia, promoting civil society and supporting human rights defenders. All our assistance is scrupulously monitored to meet the highest standards of probity and effectiveness, and has human rights norms and principles at its core. Projects already approved for 2009-10 and beyond total almost £1 million, and a further £170,000 is to be allocated for human rights projects in areas such as freedom of speech, democracy and tackling discrimination. For example, we are supporting a project on promoting civil society and human rights defenders (with Oxfam) and a project on improving integration of human rights and democracy issues in the media (with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Journalism School of the Javeriana University and NGO partners). Colombia Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they have offered to the Government of Colombia for implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of Colombia. Lord Tunnicliffe: The UK Government are funding a broad range of projects to promote the implementation of United Nations (UN) human rights recommendations in Colombia, alongside international and civil society partners. A full list of on-going UK projects in Colombia can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/word/north-central-south-america/COLOMBIA_UK _PROJECT_2009_10. Crime: DNA Database Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportions of verdicts were guilty when DNA evidence was used against someone with no previous convictions in the last year for which figures are available. Lord Bach: The data held centrally by my department on the court proceedings database for England and Wales do not contain information about the circumstances behind each case, including the use of DNA, other than the information that may be gleaned from the offence itself. As a result convictions involving the use of DNA evidence cannot be identified. Data for Scotland are a matter for the Scottish Executive. Data for Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Office. Crime: Suspicious Activity Reports Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether individuals are entitled to know whether they are on the suspicious activity reports database of the Serious Organised Crime Agency. Lord West of Spithead: The Data Protection Act 1998 allows for any member of the public to request access to their personal data under Section 7 of the Act and SOCA has an established process for dealing with such inquiries. However, the individual responses may be subject to statutory exemptions. Crime: Suspicious Activity Reports Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are employed in the Serious Organised Crime Agency; and how many of them work on implementing and administering the suspicious activity reports. Lord West of Spithead: On 30 April 2009 there were 3,989 full time equivalent staff in SOCA. There are 120 staff in the UK Financial Intelligence Unit engaged on work related to the suspicious activity reports (SARs) regime. Cyprus Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government who attended the meeting in 10 Downing Street on 20 April on Cyprus with the Prime Minister and Foreign Office Ministers; what groups or organisations those people represented; and whether the official Turkish Cypriot representative in London was invited or consulted. Lord Malloch-Brown: A meeting on Cyprus took place in 10 Downing Street on 29 April 2009. My right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Minister for Europe, Caroline Flint, met five Turkish Cypriots, including representatives from women's groups, London Turkish Radio, and political parties such as the Labour Party, Cumhuriyetci Turk Partisi (CTP) and Toplumcu Demokrasi Partisi (TDP). The aim was to have a round table discussion about developments in Cyprus with a small group of participants from Turkish Cypriot civil society. The official Turkish cypriot representative in London was therefore not invited or consulted. Deen International Baroness Warsi: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Malloch-Brown on 30 March (WA 181—2), how they plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the £495,021 paid to Deen International. Lord Malloch-Brown: Independent monitoring and evaluation is being conducted by the University of Islamabad, which will produce a report assessing the effectiveness of the campaign. Additional evaluation reports have been commissioned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Islamabad and London. The combined findings will inform the FCO on the effectiveness of the campaign and be taken into account when deciding whether to move beyond the pilot phase. Deen International Baroness Warsi: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 7 May (WA 145), how much funding (a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (b) each of its agencies, and (c) non-departmental public bodies, have given to (1) the British Muslim Forum, and (2) Deen International, in each of the past five years. Lord Malloch-Brown: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has provided the following funding to Deen International over the past five years: financial Years 2005 to 2007: no funding; financial Year 2007 to 2008: £61,875; financial Year 2008 to 2009: £597,562; and financial Year 2009 to 2010: no funding to date No additional funding has been provided by agencies or non-departmental public bodies associated with the FCO. No funding has been provided to the British Muslim Forum. Development Aid Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the criteria for out-sourcing aid and development work that would otherwise be undertaken by the Department for International Development. Lord Tunnicliffe: Development projects cover a wide range of specialist skills and experience that may not be available in-house and would not be appropriate for the Department for International Development (DfID) to develop. Each project is designed and resourced to meet the specific needs of developing countries in the most effective way. Out-sourcing requires a clear business case that represents value for money for DfID and the taxpayer. Diplomatic Recognition Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use to determine whether to recognise a new or breakaway state. Lord Malloch-Brown: The general criteria that we apply for recognition of an independent state remain as described in the Written Answer dated 16 November 1989 (Official Report, col. 494) by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Earnings Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the percentage changes in public and private sector average earnings including bonuses in each quarter of the past three years; and what was the annualised differential in growth or decline in average earnings including bonuses between the two sectors in those three years. Lord Patel of Bradford: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Karen Dunnell, National Statistician, to Lord Laird, dated May 2009. As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question concerning public and private sector average earnings. (HL3862) The table below provides information on the growth rates (three month average on the same three months a year earlier) in average earnings including bonuses in each of the two sectors for each quarter in the past three years. The third column shows the difference between the two series, calculated on the rounded data. The final column shows the annual average of this difference for the past three years. Growth in average earnings including bonuses (Three month on a year earlier, seasonally adjusted data) Public sector Private sector Difference Annual average 2006 Q2 3.7 4.8 1.1 Q3 3.5 4.0 0.5 Q4 3.2 4.3 1.1 2007 Q1 3.1 4.6 1.5 1.0 Q2 3.1 3.6 0.5 Q3 3.0 4.4 1.4 Q4 3.3 3.3 0.2 2008 Q1 3.8 4.9 1.1 0.8 Q2 3.2 3.6 0.4 Q3 3.9 3.1 -0.8 Q4 4.0 2.8 -1.2 2009 Q1 3.6 -1.2 -4.8 -1.6 The information in the first two columns is published every month in the Integrated Labour Market First Release. Longer runs of data are available on the National Statistics website at: www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1944 www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/tsdtablesl.asp?vlnk=emp. Energy: Carbon Emissions Lord Taylor of Holbeach: To ask Her Majesty's Government with reference to the review by the National Audit Office of the data collected by the Building Research Establishment and published in March 2007 by the Sustainable Development Commission, what actions they have taken to reverse the trend of carbon emissions by departments. Lord Patel of Bradford: The Government have met their target to source at least 10 per cent of electricity from renewables by 31March 2008. The 2007-08 performance data, published by the Sustainable Development Commission in December 2008, showed that 22 per cent of the Government's electricity was derived from renewable sources. Equal Pay Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government in light of the report in the Financial Times of 5 May, whether there is a gender pay gap in Ofsted; if so, what is the percentage difference; and what are the reasons for the difference. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the noble Lord and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library. Letter from Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, to Lord Lester of Herne Hill, dated 19 May 2009. Your recent parliamentary Question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for reply. Your Question referred to an article from the Financial Times, which quoted figures derived from the annual Civil Service employment survey compiled by the Office for National Statistics. The figures highlighted by that article covered permanent full time senior civil servants (SCS) in post at 31 March 2008. Ofsted is committed to equality and diversity and has a range of initiatives underway to support this part of our work. At present, Ofsted has a high percentage of women in senior posts and, notably, six of our eight most senior officials are female. A calculation of the mean salaries of the male and female senior civil servants in post at 18 May 2009, gives a 3.6 per cent difference in favour of female staff. A copy of this reply has been sent to the right honourable Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the Library of both Houses. EU: External Tariff Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the European Union's current average external tariff. Lord Malloch-Brown: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) estimates that the EU's simple average applied external tariff in 2007 was 5.2 per cent. On a trade weighted basis, the WTO estimates that the EU's average applied tariff was 3.0 per cent in 2006. This does not include any trade preferences given through free trade agreements and the EU's generalised system of preferences. EU: Historical Analysis Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Government's policy towards the European Union has been influenced by the analysis of the history and purpose of the European Union presented in The Great Deception, by Christopher Booker and Richard North. Lord Malloch-Brown: No. Financial Ombudsman Service Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their relationship with the Financial Ombudsman Service. Lord Myners: The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is operationally independent from Government. Gaza Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have they had with the Government of Israel regarding the supply of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will raise the issue of the blockade of Gaza with the Israeli Foreign Minister; and whether they will they request Israel to allow all necessary humanitarian supplies into Gaza. Lord Tunnicliffe: The humanitarian situation in Gaza is of serious concern. The UK Government have consistently lobbied for unrestricted access for food and other humanitarian supplies into Gaza. The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State for International Development, and officials from both the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have raised the need to reduce the constraints on goods entering Gaza with the Israeli Government. More recently, the Foreign Secretary raised the issue of access with Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, during a meeting on 6 May; with the UN Security Council in his speech on 11 May; and with Foreign Minister Lieberman on 13 May during his visit to the UK. Government Departments: Staff Absence Baroness Warsi: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the rates of staff (a) absence, and (b) sickness absence, were at (1) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and (2) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, in each of the past three years; and what the targets for the department were in each case. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The average number of working days lost per person due to sickness absence for Defra and its agencies for each of the past three financial years for which figures are available is shown in the table below. Information on absence rates for Defra's non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Defra 8.2 7.5 6.0 Animal Health (previously SVS until 1/4/07) 9.1 Government Decontamination Service (created on 1/10/05) 4.7 Marine and Fisheries Agency 10.5 Central Science Laboratory (now FERA) N/A 6.6 6.3 Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 5.0 6.5 11.0 Pesticides Safety Directorate (now part of the HSE from 1/4/08) 9.8 8.6 7.8 Rural Payments Agency 7.8 6.9 8.6 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 9.4 9.5 9.9 Veterinary Medicines Directorate 11.0 10.9 8.2 Separate figures for core Defra, Animal Health, Government Decontamination Service and the Marine and Fisheries Agency for 2005-06 and 2006-07 are not available. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science figure for 2007-08 covers the period from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008. Records of rates of absence for reasons other than sickness are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Defra and its agencies closely monitor sickness absence, including benchmarking sick absence rates against Cabinet Office figures for the Civil Service. Policies and good working practices are in place to reduce sick absence including conducting return-to-work interviews, occupational health professionals advising on the medical and Disability Discrimination Act aspects of cases, training on stress awareness for managers and staff, and support from staff welfare services. Human Rights Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Atlantic Philanthropies concerning human rights in Northern Ireland; when they took place; what was agreed; and whether any funding changed hands in either direction. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Discussions have taken place at ministerial and official level with Atlantic Philanthropies concerning various aspects of its work in Northern Ireland in the past. Neither Ministers nor officials have met Atlantic Philanthropies specifically to discuss human rights issues. We are aware that a proposal has been made by Atlantic Philanthropies to contribute funding for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to carry out particular projects. No direct discussions have taken place between the Northern Ireland Office and Atlantic Philanthropies about this proposal. The proposal is currently being assessed and no funding has changed hands in relation to it. Human Rights Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are human rights which apply to those living in Northern Ireland and not the rest of the United Kingdom. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Human Rights Act 1998 applies throughout the United Kingdom. Legal Aid Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that the Family Law Bar Association has an opportunity to respond to the report by Ernst and Young into the family advocacy market before decisions are made about proposed fee schemes for family law practitioners. Lord Bach: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has said it will share the outcome of the research by Ernst & Young on the family advocacy market with stakeholders, including the Family Law Bar Association (FLBA), when it becomes available in the next few weeks. The report should not go to the fundamental structure of the final schemes, which are now being determined after the closure of the consultation "Family Legal Aid Funding from 2010" on 3 April. The FLBA has already submitted a response to that consultation. Rather the report will provide additional data for the impact assessment of the effects of the proposed scheme. The FLBA is represented on a stakeholder working group set up by the LSC which has continued discussions, since the consultation closed, on the final structure of the scheme. Northern Cyprus Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many suspected criminals have been returned from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to the United Kingdom since 1 January 2008; and whether those have been as a result of formal requests to the TRNC authorities or of informal police or other activity, or from Turkish Cypriot good will. Lord Malloch-Brown: There has been one case of which we are aware. In January 2009, the Turkish Cypriot authorities deported Gary Robb from north Cyprus and put him on a flight to the UK via Turkey. This was their independent decision, on which we are not qualified to comment. However, we applaud the determination of the Turkish Cypriots to ensure that the northern part of the island is not a haven for fugitives from justice. Northern Cyprus Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has refused any formal request by the United Kingdom to co-operate in policing or other anti-criminal activity since 1974. Lord Malloch-Brown: As we do not recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, there is no mutual legal assistance treaty in place. Therefore, no formal request for assistance has ever been made. However, in the interests of justice, we maintain close contact with the Turkish Cypriots on organised crime issues. Northern Cyprus Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have a formal relationship with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in respect of anti-criminal and anti-terrorist operations. Lord Malloch-Brown: The UK does not recognise the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. No formal relationship therefore exists in respect of anti-criminal and anti-terrorist operations. However, the UK maintains a constructive dialogue with Turkish Cypriots on many issues of immediate concern. We welcome their recent efforts to combat international organised crime, including the adoption of stronger anti-money laundering controls. We also welcome the recently launched bi-communal sub-committee on crime and criminal matters, which provides a mechanism for the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities to exchange information on this important issue. Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism Baroness Neville-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism in the Home Office is planning any savings in line with the £35 billion 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review target. Lord West of Spithead: The Home Office and the police service have a target to achieve value for money improvements worth £1,694 million per annum by March 2011 compared with during 2008-09; that includes saving a cash reduction in Home Office expenditure of £150 million as the department's contribution to the Government's programme to secure £5 billion savings in public expenditure by 2010-11. Alongside other parts of the department and government, the Office of Security and Counter Terrorism and the police service will play a full part in maximising value for money in public expenditure. Performance is reported in my department's annual report. Prisoners: Northern Ireland Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the proportions of Catholic and Protestant prisoners in Northern Ireland; how that compares with the figures in the general population; what are the reasons for their relative numbers; and whether they have commissioned research on the matter. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: At 18 May 2009 the breakdown of prisoners in Northern Ireland was as follows: Protestant 36.6 per cent, Roman Catholic 49.9 per cent, others 13.5 per cent. The last recorded figures for the general population are those recorded in the NI Census of 2001: Protestant 53.1 per cent, Roman Catholic 43.8 per cent, others 3.1 per cent. However, when making comparisons with the above figures it would be necessary to take into account differences in the age profiles and the eight-year time interval. The Northern Ireland Prison Service has a legal obligation to accept everyone who is committed to prison by the courts and as such has no influence over particular religious groups entering the prison population. Prisoners: Northern Ireland Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of Roman Catholic prisoners in Northern Ireland in comparison with other prisoners in certain areas of prison life. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Northern Ireland Prison Service carried out a review of equality of opportunity of prisoners on the basis of religion, in relation to its Section 75 statutory duties. The resulting report The Inside View was published on 12 May 2009. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House. Sefton Coast: Safety Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is responsible for safety along the Sefton coast in north-west England. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Department for Communities and Local Government is responsible, in partnership with other key departments, for driving the neighbourhood renewal agenda, improving cross-government working to secure cleaner, safer, greener neighbourhoods. Local authorities are working with the police, other partners and stakeholders to reduce crime and disorder in their areas, and the Strategic Rail Authority, for example, is also playing an important role in improving local station facilities for passengers such as better lighting and security CCTV at stations. Southern African Development Community Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether any Southern African Development Community country will follow Zimbabwe in adopting white persons land-ownership policies; and what countries they consider may do so. Lord Malloch-Brown: British missions in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries closely follow developments in their respective countries, including on land reform, through contact with relevant government ministries and representatives from the farming industry. SADC Governments, bar Zimbabwe, have expressed their commitment to land reform policies based on a "willing seller, willing buyer" approach and on fair commercial valuation of farms. We do not believe that other SADC countries will interpret their land reform policies in a similar way to Zimbabwe. The SADC Tribunal, based in Namibia, made a landmark ruling in November 2008 in favour of Zimbabwean commercial farmers in a case against the Government of Zimbabwe. This ruling declared that the land reform process in Zimbabwe was illegal and that the appellants had been subject to racial discrimination, highlighting the disparity in land reform policies between Zimbabwe and other SADC countries. The UK has always supported a fair, pro-poor and transparent land reform policy in Africa. Taxation: Income Tax Lord Monson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals aged 60 or over paid higher-rate income tax in each of the last five years for which figures are available. Lord Myners: The information requested is provided in the table below. Year Number of higher rate taxpayers aged 60 or over (thousands) 2006-07 525 2005-06 465 2004-05 423 2003-04 349 2002-03 328 Transport: Local Bus Service Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 20 May (WA 343), what assessment they have made of the proportion of local bus services provided under public service contracts in other European Union member states compared with those in the United Kingdom. Lord Adonis: While the Government are aware that a number of European Union member states provide local bus services under public service contracts, no assessment has been made as to the proportion provided under public service contracts in other member states compared with those in the United Kingdom. Treasury: Minutes of Meetings Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Myners on 12 May (WA 180) concerning discussions with the Government of Ireland, when the long-standing practice of not providing details on such meetings was introduced; and by whom. Lord Myners: As my Answer of 12 May made clear, it is long-standing practice that the Government do not normally publish details of the meetings of UK Ministers and officials with their counterparts in other governments as to do so might prejudice free and frank discussions. I have nothing further to add.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2009-06-02a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2009", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Large Goods Vehicles: EU Countries lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many freight vehicle permits for haulage between the UK and each other EU member state are current; and what plans they have toincrease or amend those quantities. baroness sugg: Haulage between the UK and the EU is authorised by Community Licence rules, so permits are not currently required. If there is no deal, UK hauliers will be able to use ECMT (European Conference of Ministers of Transport) permits or rely on reinstated or new bilateral agreements with member states, some of which may require permits. The Government expects 20 agreements with EU countries to be reinstated once EU law ceases to apply. In most cases we would need to take some further steps with the other relevant parties to bring old bilateral agreements in to effect. In practice we would expect to update many of these old agreements and would seek new bilateral agreements where no old agreements are available. Any amendments to the quantities of permits will depend on the arrangements for reinstated or new road haulage bilateral agreements. Electric Vehicles: Charging Points lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of electric vehicle charging points that are required to be installed in each city, town or village, per units of 1,000 population, within the (1) next year and, (2) next five years. baroness sugg: The Government has not made an estimate of the number of electric vehicle chargepoints required for individual towns, cities or villages. The needs will be highly dependent on local circumstances, such as how many people travel to work by car and level of off street residential parking. We expect the transition to cleaner road transport to be industry- and consumer-led, supported in the coming years by the measures set out in the Road to Zero strategy published in July. A widespread public chargepoint network is important for drivers who do high mileage, travel long distances and/or have no access to chargepoints at home or work. The UK already has more than 14,000 public chargepoints, one of the largest and most comprehensive rapid networks in Europe. The Government’s goal is to encourage and leverage private sector investment to build and operate a thriving, self-sustaining public network with the right framework of policy support. The Road to Zero document, for instance, includes commitments to expand electric and low emission vehicle infrastructure significantly across the country. The department will continue to monitor whether any significant gaps, in uptake or infrastructure provision, emerge in the medium term and consider whether there is a case for direct central Government support in areas where there is a market failure. Preston-Colne Railway Line lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of rail services in the past six months that have not travelled beyond Burnley Central to Brierfield, Nelson and Colne stations but have instead gone back to Preston; and of the effect these service cancellations have had on (1) passengers from these three stations, (2) the number of passengers continuing to use that service, and (3) the reputation of the railway. baroness sugg: The Department does not hold information at the level of detail requested on rail services that, in the past six months, have not travelled beyond Burnley Central to Brierfield, Nelson and Colne stations. Preston-Colne Railway Line lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what responsibility the franchise holder has for assisting and compensating rail passengers travelling to Brierfield, Nelson or Colne but who must leave the train at Burnley Central when it terminates there; and whether the operator is required to make an assessment of the degree of vulnerability or distress of the passengers concerned when determining what assistance should be provided. baroness sugg: The franchisee is responsible for complying with their Passenger Charter and their Disabled people's protection policy for assisting passengers. For compensation, the franchisee is responsible for complying with their Delay Repay scheme. Details of these can be found on the Northern Rail website. Motor Vehicles: Insurance lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost of vehicle insurance for young people between the ages of 17 and 20 years old; and the implications of such costs on the employment prospects for young people in deprived areas. baroness sugg: Motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer and it is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. The Government recognises that the cost of motor insurance can be high for new drivers. Motor insurance premiums can vary according to the potential risk that a driver poses and this can include factors such as the age of the applicant, the types of vehicle being driven, the postal area where the applicant lives and the driving experience of the applicant. As promised in the Road Safety Statement, the Department for Transport has commissioned a £2 million research programme to explore the effectiveness of a range of measures to improve the safety of young and novice drivers, both before they take their test and after they have passed. The Government would like to see improvements in young driver safety reflected in their insurance premiums. Electric Vehicles: Charging Points baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure full enforcement of the Alternative Fuels Access Regulations 2017 provision for ad hoc access to electric vehicle charging points. baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that where companies require users to be members of a specific scheme in order to access electric vehicle charging points such requirements are compatible with the Alternative Fuels Access Regulations 2017. baroness sugg: The Secretary of State for Transport has appointed the Office for Product Safety and Standards, within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, as the Regulator for the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulations 2017. The Regulator is empowered to enforce the Regulations as necessary. Any information regarding a potential breach of the Regulations should be sent to: https://www.rohs.bis.gov.uk/enquiry/ Streatham Station baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 December 2016 (HL3566), whether the development and design work to make Streatham rail station more accessible under the Access for All programme has been completed; and when they expect site work to commence. baroness sugg: Option selection (GRIP 3 stage) has been completed at Streatham station. Funding will be available again from 1 April next year that will allow Network Rail to re-start the project to continue to the next stage. Projects will need to finish construction by 2024 at the latest, but I am expecting Network Rail to accelerate the work as much as possible to ensure the earliest possible delivery. Railways: Standards the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a minimum legal time between the announcement of a train’s boarding platform and its subsequent departure; and what action they are taking to ensure that train operating companies do not disadvantage older passengers, passengers with young children, wheelchair users and passengers with a disability by not leaving enough time between the announcement of the platform and the train's departure. baroness sugg: There is no minimum legal time between the announcement of a train's boarding platform and its subsequent departure. The Department expects train operating companies and station operators to provide timely, accurate information to all passengers at every stage of their journey, including prior to departure. The National Rail Conditions of Travel place a responsibility on operators to make available information that will help passengers to plan and successfully complete their journey. All operators are required as a condition of their licence to have in place a Disabled People’s Protection Policy with a commitment to providing, wherever possible, clear and consistent aural and visual information of train departures and other relevant messages, particularly in the event of delays or disruption. Station staff are encouraged to be alert to anybody who may require assistance. Cross Country Rail Franchise lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 22 October (HL10462), whether they will put in place short term temporary arrangements to deal with overcrowding across the Cross Country Trains network. baroness sugg: The Department is considering a number of different rolling stock options, to reduce overcrowding in both the short and long term, but it is too early, at present, to say what the detail of that will be. Gatwick Airport Station lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 22 October (HL10461), how much they have spent on the Gatwick Airport railway station since 2013; and how much Gatwick Airport has contributed towards this. baroness sugg: Network Rail and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) have funded day to day expenditure on the station which is not immediately quantifiable. Since 2013, more than £11.6 million has been spent on developing the Gatwick Airport Station enhancement scheme, funded by the Department for Transport and Gatwick Airport Ltd (GAL). If the enhancement scheme proceeds, GAL will make an additional funding contribution to the construction costs. Roads: Greater London lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Transport for London about when the closure of sections of Chelsea Embankment to traffic is likely to end. baroness sugg: Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and delivered by Transport for London (TfL). The Government has regular discussions with TfL on a range of issues, however, road closures and traffic management on TfL roads is a matter for TfL. Aviation: Egypt lord stone of blackheath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to allow flights to Sharm el-Sheikh again; if so, when; and if not, why not. baroness sugg: The UK Government continues to work closely with its Egyptian counterparts, sharing its expertise in establishing effective security arrangements at all Egyptian airports including Sharm el-Sheikh.It is long standing government policy not to comment in detail on security matters. However, we look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security requirements can be sustained. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Printing Machinery lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) competitiveness, and (2) fair trading practices of the home printer and printer cartridge market. lord henley: Responsibility for addressing competition and consumer protection issues within markets lies with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA’s predecessor, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) carried out a market study in 2001 on consumer IT goods and services, including the printer and cartridge market. Its main finding on this market was that consumers found it difficult to identify lifetime cost of ownership. The OFT worked with the industry to introduce a labelling scheme to help consumers to consider both purchase price and running costs. Fracking: Earthquakes lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of recent earthquakes in Lancashire being caused by fracking. lord henley: The independent oil and gas regulator, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), is responsible for ensuring operators mitigate the risk of induced seismicity. The OGA is continually monitoring operations around the Preston New Road site to ensure they remain in line with Cuadrilla’s Hydraulic Fracture Plan, which was independently approved by the OGA and Environment Agency before the commencement of hydraulic fracturing operations. We are absolutely committed to exploring shale gas extraction in a safe and science-led way. The Traffic Light System, which dictates the required response to seismic activity, has worked at the Preston New Road site in exactly the way that it was designed to. The very minor seismic events recorded at the Preston New Road site cannot be felt at the surface. Foreign and Commonwealth Office South Sudan: Oil baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 October (HL10375 and HL10376), what assurances they have received from the government of South Sudan that there will now be appropriate accountability by that government for the management of its oil revenues; and what discussions they have had with non-governmental organisations in South Sudan about this issue. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK welcomes the signing of the revised peace agreement on 12 September. As part of this deal, all of the parties committed to economic reforms, including more transparent and accountable management of oil revenues. They must now show genuine commitment to implement all of this agreement in full. They have taken some important steps but there is a very long way to go. Through our bilateral engagement, and as a member of the Troika, we continue to urge the Government and other parties to meet their commitments and ensure that the country's resources are managed in a transparent and accountable way, for the benefit of all South Sudanese. We also continue to support civil society's important and active role in all aspects of the peace process and its implementation.​ Pakistan: Minority Groups lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how British (1) foreign policy, and (2) aid programmessupport persecuted minorities in Pakistan lord ahmad of wimbledon: Promoting human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, is a fundamental part of the British Government's work, including in Pakistan.We remain concerned by the treatment of minority communities, including religious minorities, in Pakistan.We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of minority communities, including religious minorities, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of advancing the rights of minorities during her telephone call with Imran Khan in August following his election as Prime Minister of Pakistan. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018.Under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the UK has supported projects in Pakistan to promote greater tolerance and religious freedom.We ensure that our development assistance, delivered through the Department for International Development (DFID), targets the poorest people in Pakistan regardless of race, religion, social background, or nationality. DFID Pakistan does not disaggregate results or budgets by religion. Burma: Human Rights lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the most recent report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Since the Special Rapporteur's report to the UN General Assembly of August 2018 the UK has played a leading role in securing the resolution adopted at the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council in September. This establishes a mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of atrocities in Burma, as called for by the Special Rapporteur. The Foreign Secretary has stated that it is essential that the perpetrators of any atrocities are brought to justice through impartial and credible investigations. Burma: Press Freedom lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of restrictions on media freedom in Burma; and what steps they have taken to address with the government of Burma concerns about violations of freedom of expression and press freedom in that country. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government has been a consistent and vocal advocate of democratic freedoms in Burma, including freedom of expression. The Ambassador to Burma met the Burmese Attorney-General on 9 August and made clear that freedom of the media was a vital safeguard in a democracy, and that the law should protect journalists rather than punish them for doing their jobs. The Foreign Secretary called for the release of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo in his meeting with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 20 September. Burma: Hate Crime lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address concerns about hate speech with the government of Burma. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Government continues to be deeply concerned by hate speech in Burma. Our Ambassador to Burma discussed the impact of social media on intercommunal relations and the necessity of working with faith leaders in his meeting with the Minister for Religious Affairs on 9 August. The British Embassy continues to work with local partners in Burma to tackle this issue. The UK, working with EU partners and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September that sets out the steps the Government of Burma should take to address the spread of discrimination and prejudice and to combat the incitement to hatred against the Rohingya muslims and other minorities, by publicly condemning such acts and enacting necessary anti-hate speech laws. Burma: Religious Freedom lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of freedom of religion or belief in Burma. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The British Government continues to be deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Burma. The British Ambassador met the Burmese Minister for Religious Affairs on 9 August. He discussed the impact of social media on intercommunal relations and registers the UK's desire for further engagement with religious leaders engaged in interfaith dialogues in Burma. The UK, working with EU partners and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September that called for the amending or repealing of the discriminatory provisions of the set of “protection of race and religion laws” in Burma enacted in 2015 covering religious conversion, interfaith marriage, monogamy and population control. Burma: Churches lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they havetaken to raise with the government of Burma concerns that many churches have been destroyed or damaged by the military in Kachin State since 2011. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has not recently made specific representations to the Government of Burma about destruction and damage of churches in Kachin State. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific raised the UK's concerns about recent military conduct in Kachin and Shan states and about reports that Christians in Kachin were being persecuted in his meeting with the Burmese Ambassador on 11 July. The UK, working with EU partners and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September that called for an immediate cessation of fighting and hostilities, of targeting civilians, and of all violations and abuses of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in northern Burma. Libya: IRA lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek compensation from the government of Libya for the victims of Irish Republican Army terrorism; if so, what progress they have made in seeking such compensation; and if not, why not. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We want to see a just solution for all of the victims of Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorism. The British Government continues to press the Libyan authorities to engage constructively with victims and their representatives on their campaign for compensation: most recently, the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, raised this with Prime Minister Serraj and the Ministers of Interior, Justice and Foreign Affairs in April. The Secretary of State for International Development also raised this with Prime Minister Serraj in August. However, the current violence and political instability in Libya has effectively stalled discussions with the authorities on the resolution of legacy issues. We are now working with other Government Departments to explore what more we can do to support victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism. Algeria: Churches lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Algeria about the official closure of 11 churches in that country; and whether they have had positive responses to any such approaches to that government. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The promotion and protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) internationally is a high priority for the UK. We welcomed the re-opening of three churches in Algeria during the summer, but were disappointed to hear of the closure last week of another church, near the town of Bejaia. The Algerian Constitution protects FoRB, and we have discussed with the Algerian authorities the importance of ensuring those protections are reflected in their laws and processes. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, raised FoRB, including church closures, with the Algerian government when he visited Algiers in June. I also discussed FoRB with Algerian Ministers during my visit in July. Our Embassy in Algiers maintains close contact with the Protestant Church of Algeria. Bahrain: Political Prisoners lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the relevant oversight bodies in Bahrain to encourage them to disclose updates on their investigations into the torture allegations presented by Mohammed Ramadan and Husain Moosa. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We welcome the investigation and recommendation of the Special Investigations Unit and the subsequent decision of the Minister of Justice to refer the cases of Mohamed Ramadan and Husain Moosa back to the Court of Cassation for retrial. Both the recommendation and decision have been made available in the public domain. We will continue to closely monitor these cases. Bahrain: Political Prisoners lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether officials from the British Embassy in Manama will attend the retrial of political prisoners Mohammed Ramadan and Husain Moosa on 22 October. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Officials from the British Embassy regularly attend court hearings of cases of interest to the UK. We will continue to monitor the cases of Mohamed Ramadan and Husain Ali Moosa closely. Maher al-Khabbaz lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about the failure of Bahrain’s Special Investigations Unit to investigate the (1) allegations of torture on, and (2) use of coerced confessions from political prisoner Maher Abbas al-Khabbaz. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK has a continuing dialogue with the Government of Bahrain and all Bahraini human rights oversight bodies. We continue to encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies. We urge these bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations. Bahrain: Political Prisoners lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the response provided by the Bahrain Ombudsman on 18 October to the complaint submitted by Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei on 27 September about the (1) assault, and (2) restrictive measure imposed on female political prisoners Hajer Mansoor, Medina Ali and Najah Yusuf by Isa Town prison authorities. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I am aware of the response provided by the Bahrain Ministry of Interior Ombudsman's Office as part of their investigations into claims submitted by Sayed Alwadaei. I also understand there is further correspondence between the Ombudsman's Office and Mr Alwadaei regarding this investigation. The UK continues to encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies. We urge these bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations, as appears to be the case in this instance. Bahrain: Political Prisoners lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the hunger strike by female activists Hajer Mansoor, Medina Ali and Najah Yusuf to protest the restrictions on phone calls, family visits and free time outside the cell imposed by the Isa Town Prison administration in Bahrain; and what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain to ensure inmates are treated in line with international standards. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I am aware of the protests Hajer Mansoor, Medina Ali and Najah Yusuf have initiated in Bahrain. The UK continues to encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies. We urge these bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations.I understand that family members of Mrs Mansoor have been in direct contact with the oversight bodies. I am aware that the National Institution for Human Rights have also recently carried out an inspection of Isa Town Detention Facility. Israel: West Bank baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take regarding the demolition of Palestinian structures in the West Bank by Israeli forces. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Government has repeatedly made clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concern at the increase in demolitions of Palestinian properties in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. In all but the most exceptional circumstances, demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians and is harmful to the peace process. We call on the Israeli authorities to cease the policy of demolitions and provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C. Israel: Christianity baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about vandalism of Christian property in both Israel and the West Bank. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​While we have not had any recent discussions with the Israeli authorities on this issue, we condemn all extremist violence, including attacks against religious buildings. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv are in regular contact with representatives of churches on a range of issues, including concerns about attacks on places of worship. Palestinians: Recognition of States baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for recognising the state of Palestine following the UN General Assembly's agreement to allow the Palestinian Authority to participate in meetings as a legitimate state. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution that gives the Palestinian observer mission to the UN time-bound additional rights to perform the function of the G77 chair.The UK is clear that we want to see the creation of a sovereign, independent, contiguous, and viable Palestinian state - living in peace and security, side by side with Israel.The UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best serves the objective of peace. Bilateral recognition in itself cannot end the occupation. Without a negotiated settlement the occupation and the problems that come with it will continue. Saudi Arabia: Foreign Relations baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Kings College London,Security Cooperation with Saudi Arabia: Is it worth it for the UK?, published in September, what assessment they have made of the case to uphold international rules-based order in relation to Saudi Arabia. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has an important strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia involving defence and security cooperation which has saved lives on the streets of Britain. We also have a trading partnership that supports thousands of jobs.The UK is committed to upholding the rule of law and the rules-based international system and we expect our partners to do likewise. We make this point very clearly in public and in private. Hebron: Israeli Settlements baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding their plan to approve the construction of further settlement housing units in the West Bank city of Hebron. lord ahmad of wimbledon: On 23 August 2018 the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa issued a statement on Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. The previous Foreign Secretary issued a statement expressing concern about the construction permits issued for 31 settlement units in Hebron, for the first time in 15 years. We will continue to raise our concerns about Israel's plans for further settlements with the Israeli authorities. The Government's position is clear: settlements are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. Leah Sharibu lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Nigeria about the abduction of Leah Sharibu by Boko Haram; whatinformation they have about her health and well-being; and what assessmentthey have made of reports that, following her refusal to renounce her faith, she will be enslaved for the rest of her life. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK continues to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those abducted by Boko Haram and ISWA, including Leah Sharibu. We will continue to use our public messaging and extensive engagement with the Government of Nigeria to push for urgent action to secure the release of all hostages taken by Boko Haram and ISWA. President Muhammadu Buhari has recently restated that the Nigerian government is committed to ensuring Leah Sharibu's release. Hassan Mushaima lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Middle East on 11 October (HC174027), what assessment they have made of the treatment of political prisoner Hassan Mushaima in Bahrain following the cancellation of medical appointments and family visits; and whether they will make representations to the government of Bahrain about her treatment. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The noble Lord will know that the British Embassy in Bahrain and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to follow the case of Hassan Mushaima closely and have raised it with the Government of Bahrain at a senior level. As the Minister for the Middle East and I have made clear in answers to questions tabled in this House and the other place, the Government of Bahrain have given categorical assurances that Mr Mushaima and others detained in Bahrain have access to medical care as needed. The Government of Bahrain have also been clear that family visits, within the prison rules and regulations are permitted. I understand that Mr Mushaima has recently received a family visit.We continue to encourage those with concerns to report them to the appropriate human rights oversight body. We also continue to encourage the oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims. Jamal Khashoggi lord adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they possessed any intelligence about a threat to Jamal Khashoggi before his murder in October. lord adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to establish an inquiry into reports that the security services possessed intelligence concerning the threat to Jamal Khashoggi before his murder in October. lord adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make available to the Intelligence and Security Committee classified information that they may possess relating to any threats to Jamal Khashoggi before his murder in October. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments not to comment on intelligence matters. Department of Health and Social Care Electronic Cigarettes lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the regulation of packaging for liquid nicotine mixtures for electronic cigarettes to ensure that the packaging does not appeal to children. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has put in place proportionate regulations of electronic cigarettes to restrict their use by children. The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 set out legal requirements relating to product safety, labelling and restrictions on advertising for electronic cigarettes. These regulations include a requirement that a unit packet and any container pack of the electronic cigarette or refill container may not resemble a food or a cosmetic product. The Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 make it illegal to sell an electronic cigarette to any one aged under 18 years.In addition, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for monitoring the marketing and advertising of non-broadcast communications for electronic cigarettes. Section 22 of the ASA Committee of Advertising Practice Code concerns the regulation of marketing communications for electronic cigarettes and includes a provision to ensure advertisers do not target or feature children, or include content which is likely to appeal particularly to children.The Government is required to review the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 by 20 May 2021 and the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 by 1 October 2020. The Government also committed in Towards a Smokefree Generation: A Tobacco Control Plan for England published in July 2017 to review where the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union offers opportunities to re-appraise current regulation to ensure this continues to protect the nation’s health.A copy of the Tobacco Control Plan is attached. Tobacco Control Plan (PDF Document, 548.33 KB) Obesity: Children lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many young people who were surveyed in the National Health Survey for England in (1) 2011, (2) 2015, and (3) 2016 were aged (a) 12, (b) 13, (c) 14, (d) 15; what proportion of those were overweight or obese; and what portion had weight problems of sufficient concern for them to be invited to see a health professional. lord o'shaughnessy: The information is not held in the format requested. Obesity: Children lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a dedicated programme of follow-up action for young people aged 12 to 15 who are identified as overweight or obese. lord o'shaughnessy: There is no dedicated programme of follow-up action aimed specifically at young people aged 12 to 15 who are identified as overweight or obese. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning effective lifestyle weight management programmes for children and young people, according to the needs of their local populations. Therefore, programmes vary across the country and are delivered by a range of organisations, in different locations, covering different age groups. Obesity: Children lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the prevalence of obesity among young people aged 12 to 15 is increasing or declining. lord o'shaughnessy: The Health Survey for England collects data on the proportion of children aged two to 15 years old who were obese by survey year from 1995 to 2016, the latest year of data available. Data is only available for the age group 11-15 years.The prevalence of obesity among children aged 11-15 years increased from 15% to 25% between 1995-2004. Since 2005 the prevalence of obesity has remained at around 19%.However, there was an increase in obesity among children and young people aged 11 to 15 in 2016 from the previous year, but this one-year increase does not affect the overall trend which fluctuates around 19%. Health Services and Social Services lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey intend to encourage the integration of health care services provided by the NHS and social care services provided by local authorities; andwhat assessment they have made of thedecision by Lancashire County Council to award the contract for their Health Child Programme 0 to 19 to a private sector provider. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government is committed to better integrating the health and care services provided to the public in England. This starts with enabling better integrated commissioning of services. No assessment has been made of the decision by Lancashire County Council as it is the responsibility of local authorities to commission the services that meet the needs of their local population. Haematological Cancer: Drugs lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many drugs were available on the NHS for the treatment of blood cancer, and (2) how much the NHS spent on blood cancer drugs, in each of the past five years. lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England has advised that it is not possible to provide a comprehensive list of drugs that are available specifically for blood cancer or how much the National Health Service spends on blood cancer drugs as cancer drugs are often licenced for multiple different types of cancer. Haematological Cancer: Drugs lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current level of spending by the NHS on blood cancer treatment; and what estimatethey have made of the proportion of the NHS budget that will be spent on blood cancer treatments in each of the next five years. lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England is unable to provide current or previous spend on drugs specifically for blood cancer as many of these drugs have multiple indications. For the same reason it is not possible to estimate future spend. Medical Treatments lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult on proposals to incorporate input from NHS England into the NICE technology appraisal process when determining treatment criteria. lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure patient groups contribute to the development of treatment criteria for NICE approved treatments in the future. lord o'shaughnessy: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for determining the processes it uses in the development of its guidance.NICE has advised that it has no plans to consult on changes to its processes as it has been able to use its existing structures to ensure NHS England’s intended commissioning criteria are included within the appraisal process. NICE’s existing technology appraisal process that was updated in April 2018 already allows input from NHS England at various points.Patient groups that are registered stakeholders participating in each technology appraisal will be able to provide their views on NHS England’s proposed commissioning criteria as part of the technical engagement step. Where applicable, all patient groups and individual patients have the opportunity to comment during consultation on an appraisal consultation document. Pharmacy lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation by The Royal Pharmaceutical Society to give pharmacists powers to switch patients to new medications without consulting their GPs in the event of drugs shortages after Brexit. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has made no such assessment, although the National Health Service already utilises a range of flexibilities to enable patients to access medicines. We will continue to work with stakeholders as to how these flexibilities may be used further or whether we may need more. Radiology: Regulation baroness golding: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Secretary of State will announce progress on the regulation of Sonographers to provide for statutory protection of title. lord o'shaughnessy: There are no plans to regulate sonographers on a statutory basis. NHS: Negligence lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost to the NHS of clinical negligence claims in (1) 2016, and (2) 2017; and what plans they have to reduce such costs in the future. lord o'shaughnessy: The total Government spend on clinical negligence was £1.7 billion in the financial year 2016-17 and £2.2 billion in the financial year 2017-18.The rising costs of clinical negligence is a serious concern which the Government is committed to tackling, given that National Health Service resources used on clinical negligence are not available for front-line care. Building on the National Audit Office report Managing the costs of clinical negligence in trusts, published in September 2017, we have been working intensively across Government and expect to set out more detail on the way forward in due course. A copy of the report is attached.Following a recommendation by Right Honourable Lord Justice Jackson in Review of Civil Litigation Costs: Supplemental Report – Fixed Recoverable Costs, the Department and the Civil Justice Council (CJC) set up a working party to develop a new process for clinical negligence initially up to £25,000 alongside new fixed costs. This working party is underway and the CJC is due to make recommendations to the Government in December. A copy of the report is attached. Review_of_Civil_Litigation_Costs.pdf (PDF Document, 3.93 MB) Managing_the_costs_of_clinical_negligence_in_trust (PDF Document, 900.14 KB) Rare Diseases: Drugs viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure access to rare disease medicines is not delayed after Brexit. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government is committed to the safe and effective regulation of medicines in the United Kingdom; ensuring patients and the public have fast access to new, innovative medicines, including medicines for rare diseases.The future regulatory system for medicines is subject to negotiation. The White Paper proposal sets out a proposed UK-European Union free trade area for goods, to ensure continued frictionless access at the border to each other’s markets, underpinned by an upfront commitment to a common rulebook on goods and a Facilitated Customs Arrangement to avoid customs checks and controls at our borders. A copy of the White Paper The Future Relationship Between the United Kingdom and the European Union is attached.Furthermore, UK and EU negotiating teams have already agreed a time-limited implementation period, that will maintain access to each other’s markets on current terms - providing certainty for businesses across the EU and UK and time to prepare for the future.On 22 August the Government also set out its plans for medicines regulation in the unlikely event of no deal, through a technical notice. In the unlikely event of a no-deal scenario, the Medicines and Healthcare products and Regulatory Agency would be a stand-alone medicines regulator, taking any decisions and carrying out any functions which are currently taken or carried out at EU-level.The Government also launched a consultation on medicines regulation for the event of no deal; this closes on 1 November 2018.Whatever the exit scenario, we will continue to ensure that UK patients are able to access the best and most innovative medicines and medical devices and that their safety is protected. Future Relationship between UK and EU White Paper (PDF Document, 748.31 KB) Health Services: Travellers baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what training is provided to Clinical Commissioning Groups about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller issues in general, and with regard to dementia in particular. lord o'shaughnessy: Information on training provided to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) is not held centrally, as it is for CCGs to determine their specific needs. Mental Health Services: Travellers baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information about Gypsies, Travellers and Roma community is available from the NHS’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme. lord o'shaughnessy: This information is not available as Roma, Gypsies and Travellers are not separately identified in NHS Digital codes used when recording ethnicity of patients. Health Services: Travellers baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the NHS Data Model and Dictionary will include entries for (1) Gypsies, (2) Travellers, and (3) Roma; and if so, when. baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 9 April (HL6732), whether they are taking account of the finding in the report by the Social Exclusion Task Force and Department of Health, Inclusion Health, published in March 2010, that lack of ethnic monitoring in relation to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities “makes it difficult to ascertain which services are making a difference, to whom, and by how much”; and what progress they have made with NHS England to investigate whether data collection in the NHS could include more of the protected characteristics listed under the Equality Act 2010 to provide better information about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities’ access to healthcare. lord o'shaughnessy: The Department is in the process of reviewing the collection of data within the National Health Service and has commissioned NHS England to complete a scoping exercise to understand how information on protected characteristics is gathered in existing NHS datasets, including the NHS Data Model and Dictionary which currently use the 2001 census ethnicity categories. Subject to the publication of the 2021 Census White Paper, we plan to complete an initial assessment by the end of 2018, which will form the basis for future decision-making on NHS data collection. Physician Associates: Regulation lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the announcement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regarding the statutory regulation of Physician Associates and Physician Assistants in anaesthesia on 12 October, when they intend to commence the legislative process to introduce such regulation. lord o'shaughnessy: Following the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s announcement on 12 October 2018 that the Department plans to introduce statutory regulation for Physician Associates and Physicians’ Assistants (Anaesthesia), officials have started work to develop a suitable underpinning legislative framework.Bringing non-regulated healthcare professions into statutory regulation is typically done using Section 60 of the Health Act 1999. This process takes around 18 to 24 months to complete, subject to Parliamentary time. Social Services: Finance lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allocate additional funding to adult social care in the next financial year. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has announced a further £650 million of new money for social care for 2019-20.The funding is in two parts:- An additional £240 million in 2019-20 for adult social care to alleviate winter pressures on the National Health Service; and- A further £410 million in 2019-20 to improve social care for older people, people with disabilities and children. NHS Foundation Trusts: Private Sector lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS Foundation Trusts promote private healthcare to NHS patients. lord o'shaughnessy: The information requested is not held centrally. Transplant Surgery baroness walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any medium to long-term horizon scanning assessment concerning medical research advances in transplantation of material of human origin in the UK and worldwide. lord o'shaughnessy: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is directed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to conduct or commission research into organ donation and transplantation and into the uses, or development, of stem cells and tissues.NHSBT’s Research, Innovation and Novel Technologies Advisory Group monitors research programmes that require access to donated human material where consent has been given for research. Members of the group include leading researchers who cover all aspects of transplantation. The group also has representation from the British Transplantation Society.The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), funded by the Department, also has an important role. The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre has a research theme on Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine which aims to improve outcomes in solid organ transplantation and the use of clinical advances to support the development of cell based therapies. The NIHR Innovation Observatory is a national medical horizon scanning facility which identifies technologies up to 10 years from being publicly available. Department for International Development Pakistan: Overseas Aid lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 22 October (HL10527), whether they take into account the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan when deciding on the prioritisation of UK overseas development aid; and whether they intend to instruct Department for International Development and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials to visit minority communities in Pakistan and to report on the (1) number of people living in shanty towns and informal settlements, and (2) conditions in which they live. lord bates: DFID Pakistan targets development assistance to improve the lives of poor women and men, regardless of race, religion, social background, or nationality. As part of DFID planning processes, we assess the situation of poor, marginalised and excluded groups to inform priorities. DFID Pakistan works to reduce inequality and exclusion of minorities by promoting tolerance and greater understanding of minorities. As part of routine programme monitoring, and where security allows, DFID staff visit programme sites, including shanty towns and informal settlements. We do not collect disaggregated population data on minority groups. Syria: Reconstruction the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the cost of repairing the damage caused to Raqqa’s infrastructure by US-led coalition operations; and what part they intend to play in the rebuilding of Raqqa. lord bates: While the conflict is ongoing, our priority is to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid to those affected. Since the liberation of Ar-Raqqa from Da’esh, the UK has increased its response to meet the needs of those affected in the city and the rest of North Eastern Syria to help fund a range of activities including mine clearance; health provisions; protection; clean water; sanitation; education; food; and agricultural support. We have limited access to Ar-Raqqa at present due in part to extensive mine contamination from Da’esh’s previous occupation, which has hampered humanitarian efforts and poses a critical risk to civilians. As such, it is not possible at present to accurately assess the costs of reconstruction. The UK will only provide support for reconstruction in Syria once a credible, inclusive political transition is firmly underway. Pakistan: Children lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of (1) the level of child labour in Pakistan; (2) the number of children of school age believed to work in brick kilns, workshops, factories or as domestic servants; and (3) the percentage of children from religious minorities falling into these categories. lord bates: Child labour is widespread in Pakistan but there is a severe lack of data on the issue, including in which sectors children work. DFID Pakistan is committed to help tackle child labour and modern slavery. In partnership with UNICEF, we are funding a pioneering child labour survey which will be used to identify the children most at risk and support the government to strengthen protection. Survey results should be disseminated by the end of 2019. The information will not be broken down by religious status. Pakistan: Education lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) the number of children believed to be illiterate in Pakistan, (2) the number of children not in formal education, and (3) the proportion of children from religious minorities in Pakistan who are illiterate or not in formal education compared with the population as a whole. lord bates: The latest UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey reports an illiteracy rate for 15-24 year olds of 24% for Punjab. The DFID-supported 2016 citizen led Annual Status of Education Report for Pakistan estimates the proportion of children aged 6-16 out of school as 19%. This report is based on data collected from over 83,000 households. The 2017 DFID-supported census results will provide data on the educational status of all children and will be able to disaggregate by minority status. This is not yet publicly available. Pakistan: Schools lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the case of a Christian school boy in Pakistan who was excluded from class and beaten for being accused of tainting the school’s water by touching the tap; and whether they will establish whether UK aid is used to support schools such as this. lord bates: The Government of Punjab has taken swift action and the head teacher of the school concerned has been suspended pending a full investigation. The Pakistan Human Rights Minister and civil society have publicly supported this timely action. UK aid is not directed to individual schools in Punjab. In partnership with provincial governments DFID has supported over nine million children in primary and over five million in secondary schools to gain an education in Pakistan. Department for Education Culture: Education baroness bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the findings of the report by the University of Nottingham, Time to Listen, 15 October, of the value of arts and cultural education. baroness bull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conclusion of the report by the University of Nottingham, Time to Listen, published on 15 October, that arts and cultural education offers “systematic ways of developing understanding, new knowledge and skills”; and what steps they are taking to ensure that arts and cultural education is sufficiently prioritised in the national curriculum. lord agnew of oulton: The government agrees with the report on the value of arts and cultural education. In state maintained schools dance, music, art and design, and drama are a compulsory part of the National Curriculum at key stage 1 to key stage 3, with pupils having an entitlement to study an arts subject at key stage 4. All schools, including academies and free schools, must provide a broad and balanced curriculum. The government is committed to funding music and arts, and has spent almost £500 million on related programmes between 2016 and 2020. This includes £300 million for music education hubs to ensure that all children have the opportunity to play and perform in choirs and ensembles. This spending also includes £118 million for the Music and Dance Scheme, which allows exceptionally talented young musicians and dancers to attend world-class institutions such as the Royal Ballet School and the Yehudi Menuhin School.Between 2010 and 2018 the percentage of young people entering at least one arts GCSE has fluctuated but remained broadly stable. Schools: Security lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 3 April (HL6450), what progress they have made in the production of revised school security guidance. lord agnew of oulton: The Department for Education will launch a formal public consultation on revised school security guidance shortly. Teachers: Pay lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement byLord Agnew of Oulton on 24 October (HLWS5997), whether the allocation for local authorities in respect of specialist provision from the Teachers' Pay Grant in their area will extend to centrally-funded teachers of dance, drama, and music. lord agnew of oulton: The allocation for local authorities in respect of specialist provision is specifically to fund institutions that provide for children with high needs. It does not cover centrally employed teachers. The department is in discussions with a range of stakeholders, including the Local Government Association, about the small number of centrally employed teachers, who account for 1% of all classroom teachers not covered by the Teachers’ Pay Grant. Department for International Trade Overseas Trade: Ethiopia lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of economic and trade relations between the UK and Ethiopia. baroness fairhead: Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and has sustained strong and consistent growth for 14 years. The trading relationship between the UK and Ethiopia is currently worth £699m per annum.In Ethiopia the Government is promoting bilateral trading opportunities in a number of industries, including aerospace, infrastructure and renewable-energy.My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has recently appointed the first HM Trade Commissioner to Africa, who champions trade between the UK and the continent. In addition, my hon Friend for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy MP) is the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy and has visited Ethiopia 5 times to promote UK trade and investment to the country. Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to halt the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia following the confirmation of the cause of death of Jamal Khashoggi. baroness fairhead: The situation in Saudi Arabia is kept under careful review and decisions are made on a case by case basis.Export licence applications are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so was inconsistent with the Criteria. The policy remains as announced to parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#14032566000018 .The key test for the Government for our continued military exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Prefabricated Housing lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent developments in modular construction and its possible impact on the supply of housing in the UK. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government regularly keeps up-to-date with developments in the construction and housebuilding sector, including around modern methods of construction. It has not made a specific assessment of the possible impact of modern methods of construction on housing supply. Prefabricated Housing lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to encourage off-site manufacturing to help towards increasing the supply of housing in the UK. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Our Housing White Paper set out measures to stimulate the growth of modern methods of construction (MMC), including offsite and innovative techniques.£2.5 billion of our £4.5 billion Home Building Fund provides loan finance to builders using these methods and our MMC Working Group will launch a single assurance platform assessing new technologies for homes in the coming months. Travellers: Hate Crime baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 18 July (HL9254), what steps they are taking with media agencies and the Ofcom to combat hate crime and discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities; and what assessment they have made of the findings inthe report by Goldsmiths, University of London, Recognise, Report, Resolve, published in June, of hate speech frequently being published on the comments sections of media outlets’ websites. lord bourne of aberystwyth: We are clear that there is no place for hate speech anywhere in society. While freedom of speech is a vital cornerstone of our society, everybody must remember that they have responsibilities not to spread hatred or fear.As part of the EU High Level Group on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Other Forms of Intolerance, the UK has been a leading voice in the creation of a voluntary EU Code of Conduct which holds social media companies responsible for the removal of all illegal hate speech from their platforms within 24 hours. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Microsoft, Instagram and other internet companies have signed this Code and the third monitoring exercise in December 2017 showed that the companies removed on average 70 per cent of illegal hate speech notified to them.As part of the Hate Crime Action Plan, the Government has supported the Society of Editors to produce a Moderation Guide for online comments, which will be revisited in our continuing work with the Society of Editors and Independent Press Standards Organisation to update the Reporting Diversity booklet. This will consider hatred against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities alongside other racially and religiously motivated hatred.Additionally, in line with the recommendations given in the report Recognise, Report, Resolve, we support efforts to improve awareness and reporting of hate crime, including through our £55,000 grant to HertsGATE (Gypsy and Traveller Empowerment), to work to encourage reporting of hate crime in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Housing: Offenders lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have been assisted into accommodation on release from custody since the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Homelessness Reduction Act changes the response of local authorities to homelessness from crisis intervention to prevention, ensuring that both a wider group of people receive support and that everyone receives support at an earlier stage. Already, people are being referred by prisons for homelessness support before they leave custody through the Duty to Refer, which came into effect on 1 October. We are aiming to publish the first set of statistics collected since the commencement of the act in December. Travellers: Caravan Sites baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to provide sufficient Gypsy and Traveller sites to meet the recommendations of (1) the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, (2) the UN Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, (3) the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, (4) the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and (5) the Council of Europe Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities; and whether the response to their consultation on powers for dealing with unauthorised development and encampments will address this issue. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Planning Policy for Travellers Sites asks local planning authorities to assess the need for traveller sites in their area, and to identify sites to meet that need. Local authorities are best placed to make decisions about the number and location of such sites locally, having had due regard to national policy and local circumstances. Our recent consultation on unauthorised encampments has sought views on whether there are barriers to the provision of sites, and whether there is anything Government can do to help overcome them. We are currently considering the responses to this consultation. Ministry of Defence Army: Officers earl attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many serving officers there are in the British army at each rank above and including Brigadier, broken down by job role. earl howe: The number of regular serving Army officers at Brigadier and above, broken down by the nature of their role as at 1 April 2018, is shown in the table below. These figures include roles owned by other areas of Defence outside of the Army, such as Ministry of Defence Head Office, Defence Equipment and Support, and Joint Forces Command, to meet Defence requirements. These represent a significant proportion of the overall figure. In addition, they also include a number of roles based in NATO, including SHAPE and the Operational Commands, and with international allies and partners, including the United States and France. OperationsOperationalSupportCapability and Acquisition ManagementDefence EngagementPersonnelManagement of DefenceOtherTotal20745393026281920Brigadier1493029232221816Major General4111942663Lieutenant General143132131General312 Source: Defence Statistics (Army) Department for Work and Pensions Housing Benefit lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the claim by the Centre for Social Justice in its report,A Social Housing Strategy, published on 27 October,that the cost of housing benefit will treble to more than £70 billion a year by 2050. baroness buscombe: In their 2018 Fiscal Sustainability Report, the Office for Budget Responsibility projected that relative to the size of the UK economy, spending on Housing Benefit in 2050/51 will be very similar to current levels, at 1.2% of GDP. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Seas and Oceans: Plastics baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to use the UK fishing fleet to collect plastics from the seas around the UK on days when they are restricted from fishing. lord gardiner of kimble: There is no scheme at this time to financially support fishing fleets in collecting litter from the sea during periods when fishing activity might be restricted. We encourage Fishing for Litter: an initiative which supports fishers in Scotland and Southwest England in collecting litter during their usual fishing trips. We also recognise the work that the many NGOs and charitable groups do in conducting beach cleans and litter collection at sea. We are reviewing what more can be done to reduce plastic in the marine environment and will set out our plans shortly in our Resources and Waste Strategy. Food Supply baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure food security for consumers in the UK. lord gardiner of kimble: The UK has a high degree of food security as shown by the UK Security Assessment. This is built on access to diverse sources of supply, including our excellent domestic production. Consumers will continue to have a wide choice of food after we leave the EU. Defra regularly assesses the security of food supply and has well-established relationships with industry on supply chain resilience. We will be using these to support preparations for leaving the EU. It is also essential that we maintain public confidence in the food we all eat; we will therefore ensure there is no compromise on animal welfare, environmental and food standards. We will remain global leaders in environmental protection and animal welfare standards, maintaining our high quality produce for British consumers. Fisheries: Protection lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Earl Howe on 22 October (HL Deb, col 651), when DEFRA began its full assessment of the scale and volume of sea-based and non-seaboard patrol and surveillance capability required afer Brexit; and when they anticipate this work being completed. lord gardiner of kimble: A full scale assessment of the risk and threats to English Waters resulting from EU Exit started in summer 2017. This initial work was necessary to inform future options for the scale and volume of both at sea and shore side patrol and surveillance capability. We continue to assess a number of different options to increase control and surveillance activity in our waters depending on various scenarios. It is therefore not possible to commit to a date of completion at this stage. However, some work is already underway and the Marine Management Organisation are currently undertaking a range of activities, including recruitment, to deliver the increased capability in readiness for leaving the EU. Control and enforcement activities, including patrol and surveillance capability, is a devolved matter. As such, it will continue to be for each Devolved Administration to decide how best to control its waters, and what new arrangements may be needed, when the UK leaves the EU. Home Office Slavery: Children lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of children referred to the National Referral Mechanism as potential victims of modern slavery turned 18 years old before receiving a conclusive grounds decision in (1) 2015, (2) 2016, and (3) 2017. lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average number of days between a positive reasonable grounds decision and a conclusive grounds decision for childrenwho were (1) British nationals, (2) nationals of other EEA countries, and (3) nationals of non-EEA countries who were referred to the National Referral Mechanism for victims of modern slavery between 2014 and 2017. baroness williams of trafford: The National Crime Agency (NCA) regularly publishes National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data but does not publish data about the timescales for reaching reasonable grounds or conclusive grounds decisions by either UKVI or the Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Unit in the NCA.The National Crime Agency does not publish data regarding the age of potential victims when an NRM decision is made, only whether they were an adult or child at the time when the exploitation took place.Latest statistics on NRM referrals and decisions are available at the following link: http://nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics/2018-nrm-statisticsFurther information is also available in the https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/749346/2018_UK_Annual_Report_on_Modern_Slavery.pdf which was published on 18 October 2018. UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery (PDF Document, 2.23 MB) NCA Quarter 2 - April - June 2018 (PDF Document, 409.16 KB) Slavery: Children lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of children who were exited from the Independent Child Trafficking Advocate service because they had turned 18 years old did so before receiving a conclusive grounds decision under the National Referral Mechanism from 30 January 2017 to date. lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements are in place to provide ongoing specialist support to young people in any period between leaving the Independent Child Trafficking Advocate scheme at18 years old and receiving a conclusive grounds decision under the National Referral Mechanism. baroness williams of trafford: From January 2017 to January 2018, 12 children exited the Independent Child Trafficking Advocate (ICTA) service because they turned 18. The data collected by the Home Office is anonymised for evaluation purposes. It is therefore not possible to cross-reference this with decision-making data from the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). More information on the ICTA service and children who exited support can be found in the Interim Report published by the Home Office in July, and the accompanying data tables on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-assessment-of-independent-child-trafficking-advocates-interim-findingsOn turning 18, any young person who is awaiting an NRM decision, becomes eligible for support from The Salvation Army through the Victim Care Contract. This includes outreach and accommodation support where necessary. We are currently preparing to retender this contact which will be operational from 1 April 2020 and will include drop in services for up to 6 months post-conclusive grounds decision. It is part of the ICTA’s role to ensure they effectively transition children turning 18 into appropriate support upon leaving the ICTA service. Assessment - Independent Child Trafficking Finding (PDF Document, 554.63 KB) UK Membership of EU: Referendums lord strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the time taken between the Metropolitan Police being notified by the Electoral Commission of possible breaches of electoral law by Leave.EU and their collection of relevant evidence from the Electoral Commission. lord strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that any breaking of electoral law by pro-leave campaigns during the referendum is investigated; and in what timeframe they anticipate such investigations taking place. baroness williams of trafford: Following the conclusion of an investigation into the campaign spending of Vote Leave and other campaigners during the 2016 EU referendum, the Electoral Commission made two referrals to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) regarding potential criminal offences under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The first referral was received by the MPS on 11 May 2018 and the second was received on 17 July 2018. On 7 September 2018 the MPS received over 900 documents from the Electoral Commission in relation to both referrals.The decision to launch an investigation is entirely an operational matter for the police. It would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment on operational decisions made by the MPS concerning the Electoral Commission’s referrals. Police: Employers' Contributions lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they have provided in the current financial year to police forces in England and Wales to meet the cost of employer contributions for national insurance. baroness williams of trafford: We have provided a comprehensive funding settlement that enables police forces to carry out their important work and meet their financial obligations, including national insurance contributions.In 2018/19 we increased total investment in the police system by over £460m. This includes £280m in force funding from increases in Council Tax precept income. Gambling: Mental Illness lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 23 October (HL10469), why theHome Officedoesnot hold information on the percentage of police call-outs attributable to mental health problems connected with gambling-related harm; whether this information is collected by anyone else; and if not, what consideration they have given to collecting this information in the future. baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office annually reviews the data it collects from police forces under the Annual Data Requirement. We need to ensure we have the right data to inform national policies and better understand the picture from the frontline, but we need to balance this against overburdening the police with added bureaucracy.The police do have a role in responding to people in mental health crisis and that remains the case irrespective of whether the crisis is related to gambling, substance abuse or something entirely different. There will be difficulties for the police in identifying mental health problem connected to gambling-related harm, which means it will be problematic to collect data on the number of call outs from the police forces in a consistent and reliable way.However, we continue to work with the police and health colleagues to ensure that those in mental health crisis receive the support that they require. Brexit: Demonstrations lord kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Metropolitan Police provided them with an estimate of how many people attended the “People’s Vote” march in London on 21 October; and if so, what was that estimate. lord kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police about the resources required to provide police protection to the anti-Brexit protests in Old Palace Yard. baroness williams of trafford: The management of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police. Department for Exiting the European Union Trade Marks baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will negotiate for (1) the UK to remain part of the system of EU wide registration of trade marks and designs, and (2) the continued right of audience for UK Trade Mark Attorneys before the EU Intellectual Proerty Office, after the UK leaves the EU. lord callanan: The Government set out its position on the future economic relationship with the EU, including on intellectual property and the cross-border provision of legal services, in the White Paper published on 12 July 2018. The final outcome is subject to future negotiations with the European Union.In the meantime, we have agreed withdrawal provisions with the EU that cover intellectual property and provide right holders and intellectual property practitioners with legal certainty. In particular, the Government will provide holders of EU trade marks and designs with equivalent UK rights so that they do not experience any loss of protection in the UK after the end of the implementation period. These rights will be provided automatically and for free.Further, we are working with the EU to ensure that the Withdrawal Agreement contains appropriate provisions for intellectual property practitioners in pending proceedings before the EU Intellectual Property Office at the end of the implementation period. We have made excellent progress across the Withdrawal Agreement and are close to concluding an agreement setting out the terms of the UK’s exit from the European Union. Treasury Block Grant lord kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider that the annual block grant payments to the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland represent a subsidy from taxpayers in England or a transfer of the shares of national income due to those devolved administrations. lord bates: The devolved administrations' block grants are generally linked to changes in comparable spending by UK Government in devolved areas. This is achieved by means of the Barnett Formula and supports the principles underlying inter-administration financial relations including accountability, autonomy, transparency, economic efficiency, stability and predictability, discipline and consent. More information on HM Treasury’s policy on funding the devolved administrations is set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. Cryptocurrencies baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to regulate the use and trading of cryptocurrencies. lord bates: The government published the joint HM Treasury – Financial Conduct Authority – Bank of England Cryptoassets Taskforce report on 29 October alongside the Budget.The report commits the authorities to taking a range of actions to mitigate the risks posed by cryptoassets to consumers and markets, while still allowing innovation to thrive.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2018-11-05
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2018", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport: Media and Image Consultants Lord Adonis: The council, which is responsible for the detailed distribution of grant between English higher education institutions, has been consulting the sector on the future formula to be used for the distribution of grant for teaching. The council will consider carefully whether the current formula could be improved drawing on the many arguments and evidence which are put forward in the consultation exercise. RAF: Hercules XV179 Lord Adonis: From 2006–07, institutions will be free to set fees up to £3,000 for new students. Figures for income from fees from 2006–07 onwards will depend on the pattern of fee charging by institutions and the way that students respond to that pattern. Assuming 91 per cent. of students were charged £3,000 and the remaining 9 per cent. £2,000, we estimate that the fee income on a steady state basis on 2006–07 student numbers would be around £2.25 billion. Fuller details are contained in the Written Statement from my honourable friend the Minister of State for Higher Education and Skills of 10 November 2005 (Official Report, Commons, col. 22WS)
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-01-20b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Lord Davies of Oldham: The UK's money laundering regulations require firms to identify their customers and to verify that identity based on material obtained from reliable and independent sources. The UK does not specify that firms carrying out those checks must see a driving licence. Financial services firms carrying out these checks receive practical guidance from the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group (JMLSG). The JMLSG guidance discusses the wide range of evidence of identity that firms can accept. The latest JMLSG guidance was issued in November 2007, was endorsed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in December, and is publicly available on their website at www. jmlsg.org.uk/bba/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=754. Lord Malloch-Brown: The European Commission's working document of May 2007 accompanying the Commission Communication Galileo at a crossroad: The implementation of the European GNSS Programmes (http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/energy_transport/galileo/doc /staff_doc_galileo_en_final_16052007.pdf), suggested that reasons for the failure included continuous unresolved disputes over the share of industrial work, unresolved negotiations on the transfer of design risk, the technical complexity of the programme, and insufficiently strong and clear public governance. Ministers at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council in June endorsed the Commission's analysis, and concluded that the deployment phase of the programme would best be carried out with an alternative procurement model.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2008-02-05a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2008", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Christians in the Middle East Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to discuss at the United Nations the persecution of Christians in Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Baroness Warsi: The persecution of Christians, indeed of all people on the basis of their faith or belief, is deeply troubling and we are committed to combating this wherever it happens. During the United Nations General Assembly Ministerial Week at the end of September I convened a meeting of international leaders to discuss what more politicians in particular can do to promote freedom of religion or belief and fight religious intolerance within our societies. I am determined to build strong collective leadership to tackle the rising tide of religious intolerance which affects Christians, amongst others, in many countries. On 9 September at the UN Human Rights Council we raised our concerns about the recent events in Egypt, including the increased sectarian violence. We have also lobbied in support of UN General Assembly resolutions on the human rights situation in Iran, which have covered the persecution of religious minorities including Christians, and will continue to do so. We will continue to monitor the state of religious freedom in these countries, and in Iraq and Syria and will respond either bilaterally or with other international partners—whichever we judge will be most effective in each case. With EU partners we will also table a resolution at the UN this autumn which stresses the importance of promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief worldwide. Civil Service: Volunteering Scheme The Lord Bishop of Derby: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many civil servants are participating in the national civil service volunteering scheme, broken down by region. To ask Her Majesty’s Government which government ministries and departments are participating in the national civil service volunteering scheme. To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to measure the success or otherwise of the civil service volunteering scheme. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what, if any, criteria they apply to placements offered as part of the civil service volunteering scheme. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the organisations participating in the civil service volunteering scheme are (1) voluntary groups, (2) community groups, and (3) social enterprise organisations. To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the voluntary groups, community groups and social enterprise organisations participating in the civil service volunteering scheme have received government funding. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Government encourages all staff to undertake volunteering which can be of benefit to the local community but also allows civil servants to gain valuable insight and career skills. However, there is no formal national civil service volunteering scheme. Due to the number of civil servants, and the amount who volunteer in their own time, it is not possible to know how many organisations which have worked with civil servants are voluntary groups, community groups or social enterprise organisations which have received government funding. Claims Management Companies Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government by which date in 2013 claims management companies will fall under the jurisdiction of the Legal Ombudsman, as announced by the Ministry of Justice in a press release on 28 August 2012. Lord McNally: The intention is still that claims management complaints' handling is brought within the remit of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC). We were aiming to do this by the end of 2013. However, in order to ensure that the OLC's costs are recovered from the claims management companies and not the wider legal profession, primary legislation will be required. Until we secure a legislative vehicle we cannot commit to a specific timeline and the OLC is aware of the position. Criminal Justice: Funding Lord Smith of Clifton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of annual expenditure on the criminal justice system, including the police, is spent on research and development; and whether a comprehensive programme of both short- and long-term policy-oriented research is in place. Lord McNally: This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost because it would require all the various agencies involved in operating the criminal justice system to identify expenditure specifically on the criminal justice system as distinct from expenditure on other public services, for example civil justice. This information is not centrally collated by each agency. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 10 February 2009 (WA 176), whether they consider that embryoid bodies have the three-dimensional organisation of an embryo to a greater or lesser extent than outgrowing human embryos cultured beyond 14 days; what assessment the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has made regarding the regulation of embryoid bodies in the light of recent research reporting their potential to form a three-dimensional cerebral cortex in culture (Lancaster et al, Nature 501, pp 373–9); and what further regulatory impact they plan on the basis of those findings for prolonged culture of outgrowing human embryos. Earl Howe: On questions of this sort the Department would seek the advice of the national regulatory body for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The HFEA has advised that it has not formally considered this question. The HFEA has also advised that the Authority has not yet considered the recent research article on embryoid bodies to which the noble Lord refers but that the article will be brought to the attention of its Scientific & Clinical Advances Advisory Committee at one of its future meetings. Energy: Prices Lord Forsyth of Drumlean: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of the increase in domestic electricity bills is accounted for by their current policy on renewables. Baroness Verma: As set out in paragraph 6 of DECC's March 2013 report “Estimated impacts of energy and climate change policies on energy prices and bills” (available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/l72923/130326_-_Price_and_Bill_Impacts_Report_Final.pdf) average household dual fuel (electricity and gas) bills are estimated to have increased by around 13% in real terms between 2010 and 2012. Wholesale energy costs are estimated to have contributed at least 60% of this increase with network costs, supplier operating costs and margins contributing around 25%. The costs of energy and climate change policies, including support for renewables, are estimated to have accounted for around 15% of the rise. Health: Human Papilloma Virus The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider asking the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to examine the case for manufacturers being required to include warnings about acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome in patient information leaflets for Gardasil and Cervarix human papilloma vaccines, in the light of the government of Japan’s decision to require such warnings for the latter vaccine. Earl Howe: The safety of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines is kept under constant review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Together with other European competent authorities, the MHRA considers all available sources of information and takes regulatory action when necessary. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that Cervarix is a cause of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and insufficient evidence that either Cervarix or Gardasil may be a cause of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Although a causal association is uncertain, GBS is included as a possible side effect of Gardasil in the product information, the Summary of Product Characteristics for healthcare professionals and the patient information leaflet for patients. The balance of benefits and risks of HPV vaccines is clearly positive, and it is anticipated that the vaccines will eventually prevent up to 400 deaths a year from cervical cancer in the United Kingdom. As with all medicines and vaccines the MHRA will continue to keep the safety of the HPV vaccines under close review. Immigration Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many arrests were made for illegal immigration in the week referred to in their “Go home or face arrest” advertising campaign in (1) Hounslow, (2) Barking and Dagenham, (3) Ealing, (4) Barnet, (5) Brent, and (6) Redbridge. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The data used in support of the claim was the most reliable and recent information. 106 arrests was the total number of arrests made by the West, North and East London Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) teams and arrests made from seven police custody suites in the six pilot boroughs, during the week 30 June to 6 July 2013. The number does not include those who had been refused entry or arrested at Heathrow airport. Immigration Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in relation to the posters displayed in the UK Border Agency (UKBA) offices in Glasgow with the text “Is life here hard? Going home is simple” and the stickers on the seats with the text “Ask about going home”, who published them; at what level their display was authorised; whether and, if so, which, Ministers approved them; and whether it is intended to extend their use to other UKBA offices and other places. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Voluntary departures are the most cost-effective way of removing illegal immigrants and we are committed to ensuring those with no right to remain in the UK should leave voluntarily. There were more than 28,000 voluntary departures last year. Most of those reporting to our UK reporting centres have no legal right to remain in the UK, having exhausted their statutory rights of appeal. In order to encourage increased take-up of voluntary departures the Home Office has implemented a pilot in the Glasgow and Hounslow reporting centres. The pilot commenced on 29 July 2013 and ended on 4 October 2013. As part of the pilot we have replaced and updated the material on display in both centres. The material is designed to assure people that we can provide sensitive advice and assistance to help them return home easily and with dignity. The material was designed in-house and produced by Williams-Lea, the company responsible for the Government print contract. Their display was authorised by the Director General of Immigration Enforcement with my knowledge. The results of the pilot will be evaluated following its conclusion. Immigration: Detention Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many pregnant women were detained in England and Scotland in (1) 2011, (2) 2012, and (3) 2013 to date. Lord McNally: The information requested is not available centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Internet: Fraud Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what, if any, estimate they have made of the total loss suffered by United Kingdom internet users from online fraud in 2012. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There is no single reliable estimate for total losses suffered by internet users. The payments industry body Financial Fraud Action UK estimates that losses on plastic cards due to internet and e-commerce fraud were £140.2 million in 2012 (the most recent figures available). A further £39.6 million of losses were attributed to online banking fraud. Legal Aid Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how parents who are unlawfully detained under the Immigration Act 1971 will be able to apply for bail or access to justice if the proposals in the Transforming Legal Aid consultation are implemented. Lord Popat: Between 9 April and 4 June 2013 the Government consulted on a number of proposals to reform legal aid via the Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system consultation. At around £2 billion a year we have one of the most expensive legal aid systems of its type in the world. The consultation paper contained a range of measures aimed at reducing the cost, and improving the public's confidence, in the legal aid scheme. One of the proposals set out in the consultation paper is that applicants for civil legal aid would need to be lawfully resident in the UK, Crown Dependencies, or British Overseas Territories at the time they apply for civil legal aid and for at least a 12 month continuous period in the past. We have proposed exceptions for asylum seekers and members of Her Majesty's UK Armed Forces and their immediate families. Under the proposal set out in the consultation paper, immigrants would be excepted from the residence test in cases where they were seeking to claim asylum. People who did not meet the residence test would be entitled to apply for exceptional funding under the power set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. We are now carefully considering the consultation responses in relation to this proposal. The Government response is expected to be published in the autumn. Offenders: Custody Baroness Linklater of Butterstone: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average distance from home that (1) young offenders, (2) juveniles, and (3) adult prisoners, were held in custody in each year since 2009, broken down by gender. Lord McNally: Information on adult prisoners' residences for those aged over 18 held in National Offender Management Service secure accommodation is provided by prisoners on reception into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, an address to which offenders intend to return on discharge or next of kin address and these figures are provided in the answer. If no address is given, an offender's committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. These figures are also included in the answer. These figures do not include the 3% of offenders for whom neither an address nor court information is available. Table 1 shows the average travelling distance from home in miles, split by age and gender for all remand and sentenced prisoners, including adult offenders (those aged 21 and above) who are held in prisons and 18 to 20 year olds held in young offender institution accommodation in England and Wales since 2009. Table 1 Adults (aged 21 and over Young Adults (aged 18-20) Month Males Females Males Females May 2009 50 55 49 51 May 2010 51 57 48 47 May 2011 51 55 44 50 May 2012 52 54 41 46 June 2013 53 54 43 48 The Transforming Rehabilitation strategy document published in May 2013 sets out the Government's intention to align the prison estate to support the delivery of resettlement services through a network of resettlement prisons. The aim is for resettlement prisons, beginning with the male adult estate, to release the vast majority of prisoners back into their local area. Table 2 shows the average distance from home in miles for young people in custody aged under 18 for 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 broken down by gender. However, it is important to note that completeness of data varies by year. In 2009/10, 94% of records had completed distance from home data; in 2010/11, 82% had completed distance from home data and in 2011/12, 75% had completed distance from home data. Home area is taken as a young person's address at the time of sentence. If no address is recorded, the Youth Offending Team address the young person is attached to is used as a proxy. Table 2 Gender 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 Female 52 55 59 Male 42 44 50 Combined 43 45 50 The Youth Justice Board (YJB) places young people into the establishment that is best able to meet their needs. In some instances, this may mean placing a young person in an establishment that is not the closest to their home, although the YJB monitors distance from home carefully when making placement decisions. While every effort is made to place young people as close to home as possible, other factors such as age, suitability of regime, risk of self harm or to others, and other risk factors all have to be taken into account when placing a young person in custody. All data has been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Prisoners: Indeterminate Sentences for Public Protection Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people serving indeterminate sentences for public protection, by sentence type, were held in each category of prison, for each of the past three years. Lord Popat: The number of people serving indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection by category of prison for the last three years for which data are available is shown in the table below. All data relate to male prisoners except where shown. End December 2011 End June 2012 End June 2013 High Security 519 532 470 Category 13 trainer 1.322 1,253 1,096 Category C trainer 2,816 2.784 2,680 Local 792 758 596 Open 439 503 575 YOI 123 99 75 YJB 18 18 8 Female prisons 133 131 120 Total 6,162 6,078 5,620 These data are a subset of previously published information. December 2011 was the first period in which the new table on indeterminate sentence prisoners was published. Normally end June figures are used as a proxy for an annual snapshot; December 2011 data is the earliest available for 2011. The high security category includes dispersal prisons and high security local prisons. The Y.18 category includes institutions that hold juvenile offenders. Prisoners: Women Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average length of time for which women prisoners are held in segregation units. To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many women prisoners have been held in segregation units for (1) more than three months, and (2) more than six months. Lord McNally: Responsibility for the use, management and monitoring of segregation and data on segregation is primarily a matter for the Governor of the prison, with routine oversight of segregation procedures provided by the Independent Monitoring Board for the prison and external scrutiny by Ministry of Justice audit and HM Inspectorate of Prisons. For this reason the information requested is not collected centrally on a routine basis and could only be provided at disproportionate cost by collating the relevant information from segregation records held by individual prison establishments. Prisoners: Work and Education Activities Baroness Linklater of Butterstone: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many hours per week on average (1) young offenders, and (2) adult prisoners, spent on (a) work-based activities, and (b) education-based activities, by (i) gender, and (ii) ethnicity, in each of the last five years. Lord Popat: The information requested on gender, ethnicity and average hours per week of young offenders (aged 18-12) and adult prisoners who are undertaking work-based activities or education-based activities could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, information is available on industrial activity in public sector prisons for the period 2010/11 to 2012/13. Headline figures are published in the NOMS Annual Report Management Information Addendum: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225225/mi-addendum.pdf The table below provides information on the number of prisoners undertaking specific work activities in public sector prisons in the years up to 2012/13, the overall hours worked, and the average hours per week worked by prisoners in these areas in male and female establishments. These figures do not include the substantial numbers of prisoners who work in prisons on tasks such as cooking, serving meals, maintenance and cleaning. As the table shows, the number of prisoners working, the average hours worked per week and the overall number of hours worked in public sector prisons has increased significantly since 2010. Table 1: Prisoners working in Custody Number of prisoners working Prisoner hours in work (millions) Average hours per week in work within Male Establishments Average hours per week in work within Female Establishments 2010/11 8,600 10.6 22.5 25.6 2011/12 9,000 11.4 24.3 26.9 2012/13 9,700 13.1 26.0 28.5 Notes 1. The following work activities have been included as work: Contract Services, Land Based Activities. Textiles. Retail. Laundry, Woodwork. PrintingiVata Entry/DTP/Signs, Engineering. PICTA, Other/Concrete, Industrial Cleaning. Single Portions, Charity, Braille, Plastics and Newgate Furniture. 2. The data excludes work placements undertaken by offenders on release on temporary licence. 3. Data has been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the level of detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. In line with the joint HIS NOMS strategy 'Making Prisons Work: Skills for Rehabilitation' NOMS has introduced an outcome achievement payment system in line with the mainstream learning and skills environment. The payment and reward model is not based on hours per week delivered but achievement of units and qualifications, and ultimately on job and reduced re-offending outcomes. The 'Transforming Youth Custody — Putting education at the heart of detention’ consultation paper published on 14 February this year, set out the Government's vision for Secure Colleges, ensuring that young offenders are equipped with the skills, qualifications and self-discipline they need to stop offending and lead productive lives on release. The consultation closed on 30 April and we will publish our response in due course. Smoking: e-cigarettes Viscount Astor: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they propose to licence e-cigarettes that contain nicotine; and, if so, when. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered the introduction of restrictions on the advertising and sale of e-cigarettes to children under the age of 16. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place the same restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes as apply to normal tobacco products. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider e-cigarettes that contain nicotine to be either harmful or addictive; and, if so, whether they plan to require sales packaging to include a health warning. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have classified e-cigarettes as a medical product. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to require the amount of nicotine and other chemicals in an e-cigarette to be clearly displayed at the point of sale and subject to medical licensing. Earl Howe: The United Kingdom Government supports a requirement to license nicotine containing products (NCPs), including electronic cigarettes, under the medicines regulatory framework, through European Union legislation. This position will need to take account of the final form of any legislation. Pending the adoption of a revised Tobacco Products Directive the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency continues to encourage companies voluntarily to license NCPs on the basis of presentation and will continue to decide on whether products are medicinal products on a case by case basis. This is intended to ensure that products are available that meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy to help users cut down their smoking and to quit. The European Commission has said it expects the new legislation to be adopted in 2014 and for it to come into effect in the UK from 2016. Unlicensed nicotine containing products currently on the UK market have not been shown to meet standards of safety, quality and efficacy required by medicines regulation. Product testing suggests significant variability in the amount of nicotine in products, which usually did not match the amount labelled, and in nicotine delivery. There is insufficient evidence currently to recommend the use of unlicensed products. Unlicensed nicotine containing products currently on the market are covered by the provisions of the General Product Safety Directive and associated regulations. There is currently no age restriction on the sale of electronic cigarettes. The medicines regulatory framework requires that products can only be promoted within their licensed indication (including any age restrictions) and that their rational use must be promoted. Medicines regulation prohibits advertising to children. The medicines regulatory framework has specific requirements laid down in European and national legislation relating to labelling and packaging. This includes provisions on the active ingredients in the product, how the product is used, and any warning statements. The draft Tobacco Products Directive also includes provisions for NCPs with nicotine levels below certain thresholds, sold as consumer products, to feature a health warning, covering 30% of the packaging. Sudan Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they will recommend to the United Nations Security Council to improve the effectiveness of the UN Panel of Experts on Darfur. Baroness Warsi: We regularly meet the UN Panel of Experts, and discuss their progress and future priorities with our Security Council colleagues. The Panel faces a number of restrictions from the Government of Sudan; access within Darfur is closely controlled, and one member is being denied entry to Sudan altogether. We have made clear in the UN Security Council and to the Government of Sudan that this is unacceptable, and that the whole Panel need unhindered access throughout Darfur to be able to fulfil its mandate fully. Sudan Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of allegations that the United Nations and African Union Mission in Darfur is being obstructed by the Sudanese authorities, and that they have failed to protect civilians in accordance with their mandate; and whether they will recommend to the UN Security Council that the Mission should be terminated. Baroness Warsi: Restrictions on both movement and the issuing of visas by the Government of Sudan are a significant challenge to the mission’s ability to fulfil its mandate. We have made clear to the Government of Sudan that these restrictions must stop, and raise the issue regularly in Security Council consultations. We share the concerns about the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)’s performance raised by the UN Secretary General in his last report, and are working with the mission’s leadership and with troop contributing countries to find ways to improve its performance on its core mandate to protect civilians. We have also pushed in the UN Security Council for a robust review of UNAMID before the expiry of its current mandate.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2013-10-09a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2013", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Teenage Pregnancy Unit: Local Co-ordinators Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many local co-ordinators have been appointed to implement the policy set out in the Social Exclusion Unit's teenage pregnancy report; and what training or guidance they will receive. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Teenage Pregnancy Unit has to date received notification of 132 local co-ordinators, jointly identified by health and local authorities. The local co-ordinators are to work to local education authority/social services boundaries: there are 150 such authorities in England. The unit will follow up those areas that have not yet provided notification of their co-ordinator. The unit issued detailed advice on the role of the local co-ordinators to health and local authority chief executives on 7 January. The unit also held a conference for local co-ordinators on 1 March to facilitate networking and exchange of best practice. The unit will continue to provide practical support for the local co-ordinators, and will keep their training needs under review. Medical Devices Agency: Key Targets Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the key targets for 2000-2001 for the Medical Devices Agency. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have agreed the agency's key targets for 2000-2001 and copies have been placed in the Library. Council of Europe and WEU Assemblies: UK Delegation Lord Filkin: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there are any changes in the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of the Western European Union. Baroness Jay of Paddington: Mr Anthony Lloyd and Mr Alan Meale have been appointed as substitute members in place of Dr Tony Wright and Mr David Taylor. Delegated Legislation Lord Alexander of Weedon: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many statutory instruments subject to the negative resolution procedure were laid before Parliament in each of the following years: (a) 1980; (b) 1985; (c) 1990; (d) 1995; and (e) 1999. Baroness Jay of Paddington: Some statutory instruments are laid before the House of Commons only. Accordingly the Answer refers to the number of instruments laid before that House. Records are kept on a sessional rather than an annual basis. The records for Session 1980-81 and 1985-86 indicate the number of the instruments considered by the Joint Committee and the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments rather than those laid, but this excludes only any Orders in Council or draft Orders in Council under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 1974. Taking those Sessions which fall towards the middle of a Parliament, and so were of roughly equivalent length, the numbers were as follows: Session 1980-81 793 1985-86 861 1990-91 1,071 1995-96 1,309 1998-99 1,266 Delegated Legislation Lord Alexander of Weedon: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many statutory instruments subject to the affirmative resolution procedure were laid before Parliament in each of the following years: (a) 1980; (b) 1985; (c) 1990; (d) 1995; and (e) 1999. Baroness Jay of Paddington: Some statutory instruments are laid before the House of Commons only. Accordingly the Answer refers to the number of instruments laid before that House. Records are kept on a sessional rather than an annual basis. The records for Session 1980-81 and 1985-86 indicate the number of instruments considered by the Joint Committee and the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments rather than those laid, but this excludes only any Orders in Council or draft Orders in Council under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 1974. Taking those Sessions which fall toward the middle of a Parliament, and so were of roughly equivalent length, the numbers were as follows: Session 1980-81 130 1985-86 158 1990-91 201 1995-96 199 1998-99 178 Delegated Legislation Lord Alexander of Weedon: asked Her Majesty's Government: On how many occasions statutory instruments have been debated on the floor of the House of Commons in each of the last 10 years. Baroness Jay of Paddington: Records are kept on a sessional rather than an annual basis, and several related instruments may be debated on a single occasion. The figures are as follows: Session No. of Debates No. of Instruments debated 1989-90 47 56 1990-91 41 48 1991-92 25 42 1992-93 76 82 1993-94 60 88 1994-95 44 81 1995-96 36 67 1996-97 26 48 1997-98 23 34 1998-99 16 22 Ministers' Letters to Members The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: What guidelines, if any, exist to specify the period within which Ministers who, in debate, have offered to write to Members of the House should do so. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Individual Ministers are responsible for following up commitments to write to noble Lords and honourable Members. The time taken to write will normally depend on the complexity of the issue raised. The e-Envoy Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which Minister is responsible for the work of its e-Envoy. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The e-Envoy (Alex Allan) reports on a day-to-day basis through the e-Minister (Patricia Hewitt) and the Minister for e-Government (Ian McCartney) as appropriate, while also having a direct link to the Prime Minister. PFI and Partnership Projects: Value Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total value of the private finance initiative and partnership projects so far negotiated; and what, if any, part of these totals count against the Public Sector Borrowing Requirement. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The most recent figures were given by the Chief Secretary on 21 December, House of Commons Official Report, cols. 578-579W. These are being updated at present and will be published in the 2000 PSBR. Smuggling: Lost Revenues Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the estimates for the loss of revenue to the Treasury due to (a) smuggling and (b) increased personal allowances in respect of the import of tobacco and tobacco products and wines, spirits and other alcohol products from the Member States of the European Union.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: HM Customs and Excise's latest estimates for smuggling of alcohol and tobacco were published in paragraph 5.99, table 5.1 of the Pre-Budget Report, published on 9 November 1999. Duty-free personal allowances in respect of the import of tobacco and tobacco products and wines, spirits and other alcohol products from the member states of the European Union were abolished on 1 July 1999. Estimates for revenue losses due to legitimate duty-paid cross-border shopping are also included in table 5.1 of the Pre-Budget Report. Duty Free Goods Imported from EU States Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: When agreement was reached on the tax free limits of importing tobacco and alcohol products from the member states of the European Union; what were those quantified limits; what is the legal base for their observance; and what action the Government intend to take to reduce these limits. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The original agreement setting limits on the amounts of duty free tobacco and alcohol an individual can import from another EU member state was set by the EU Commission in Council Directive 69/169/EEC of 28 May 1969. This directive together with subsequent amendments have all been enacted into UK legislation. Until 31 December 1992, the quantified limits were: 200 cigarettes; or 100 cigarillos; or 50 cigars; or 250 gm of tobacco; 2 litres of still table wine; 1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 per cent volume; or 2 litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other liqueurs; 60cc./ml of perfume; 250cc./ml of toilet water; and £36 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs. Since the implementation of the Single Market on 1 January 1993, there has been no restriction in the quantity/value of goods travellers may import into the UK from another member state, provided they are not for a commercial purpose. Tourism Summit: Report Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the report of the Tourism Summit held on 1 March. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: A report of the Tourism Summit will be published in time for the next meeting of the Tourism Forum on 18 April. Internet Stocks: Misleading Information The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the context of Internet and technology stocks, adequate procedures are in place to protect investors from "scalping" and "pumping and dumping". Lord McIntosh of Haringey: There are already provisions in place to combat mischiefs of this sort. Rules governing the conduct of advisers currently prohibit "scalping", where an investment advisor holding shares does not disclose this fact to clients when advising them to buy the shares. These rules require advisers to treat investors fairly in their dealings with them. People engaged in "pumping and dumping", by issuing misleading information about a security in order to inflate the price and taking advantage of this by selling shares previously bought at a lower price, may be guilty of a criminal offence under Section 47 of the Financial Services Act 1986. This offence is carried forward in the Financial Services and Markets Bill. However, to complement the criminal powers, the Bill also contains a civil market abuse regime which will cover giving a false or misleading impression of supply of or demand for shares or of the price of investments. Internet Stocks: Misleading Information The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are concerned at the proliferation of websites, particularly those beyond the scope of United Kingdom regulatory bodies, offering often unsubstantiated and inaccurate share tips; and, if so, what action they propose to take to protect investors from them. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The authorities are concerned that investors should be aware of the risks of trading solely on the information obtained from such sites. Education of investors so that they can determine the merits of information, from whatever source, is the best general defence against people seeking to mislead them. Earlier this month, the Financial Services Authority issued an investor alert about bulletin boards and chat rooms. In addition, making misleading statements can be a criminal offence under the Financial Services Act 1986. The new civil market abuse regime in the Financial Services and Markets Bill will also cover giving a false or misleading impression of supply of or demand for shares or of the price of investments. Scottish Parliament Buildings Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government: To what extent United Kingdom taxpayers will be expected to pay for the difference between the original estimate and the total final cost of the proposed new Scottish Parliament buildings at Holyrood, Edinburgh, including site preparations and fees. Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: The costs of the Scottish Parliament buildings will be met from the Scottish Assigned Budget, the rules for the determination of which were published in the Statement of Funding Policy published by HM Treasury on 31 March 1999. Scottish Parliament Buildings Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they propose to take in relation to the cost overruns for the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood in Edinburgh. Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: Funding of the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood is a matter for the Scottish Parliament. Football for Girls Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Blackstone on 16 December 1999 (WA 56-57), what meetings they have held in 2000 with the Football Association to discuss ways of increasing participation by girls in football at school; and what action has been taken by both the Government and the Football Association as a direct consequence of those meetings. Baroness Blackstone: DfEE officials met the Football Association on 17 January 2000. At that meeting the Football Association endorsed the need to encourage girls to participate more in sport generally, not just football. They also endorsed the changes to the National Curriculum for September 2000, which emphasise the health-related fitness aspects of physical education, as well as games. Their views have been taken on board in the Government's thinking on the future of sport and PE in schools and more generally. The FA will look further at how they can raise the profile of football for both girls and boys at school in this context. Harlan-Hill Crest: BUAV Allegations Lord Brookman: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the outcome of the investigation into the allegations made by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection against Harlan-Hill Crest. Lord Bassam of Brighton: My honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, Mr O'Brien, has today laid in the Library copies of the Home Office investigative report into allegations which were made available to the Home Office by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) on 29 June 1999. The BUAV's allegations were based on the evidence of a sympathiser working under cover at the establishment. The establishment is designated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. My honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, Mr O'Brien, received the Chief Inspector's report on 17 December after a thorough investigation into a complex series of allegations. Generally, the establishment was found to be well run and the level of compliance generally good. He did, however, take action against one breach of a condition of certification--that two animal rooms were not identified in documentation as having been checked as required on two dates during the last two years. The Certificate holder received an admonition for this apparent lapse and he sought reassurances from management about staffing levels. These have been given. Since Christmas 1999, officials have been arranging with the company, its customers and key staff, to lift confidentiality of material in the report whose disclosure would have been contrary to Section 24 of the 1986 Act as being provided in confidence. A small number of areas remain censored because they represent commercially sensitive or personnel information which cannot be disclosed. The greater number of blocked-out areas in the report stem from the BUAV not lifting the confidentiality of material stemming from the undercover investigator's videotapes, diary and interview with the Inspectorate in time for publication this week. When we indicated that we would publish the document in this form BUAV then indicated late yesterday that they might be prepared to lift the confidentiality restrictions on some parts of the report. My officials will contact them again today to ask them to lift their restrictions. The report was disclosed to the Animal Procedures Committee on 9 February for information. The committee has not had opportunity to discuss the report, nor are Ministers expressly seeking advice on its content or the action taken since the investigation was completed. Clandestine Entrants to UK: Civil Penalties Lord Brookman: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made on the production of a code of practice in relation to the civil penalty provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; and when implementation of those provisions will commence. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Clandestine entry into the United Kingdom, particularly in road haulage vehicles, has become a major abuse of the immigration control in recent years. The number of clandestine entrants identified is currently running at about 2,000 each month and the Government are determined to take action to tackle this growing problem. Part II of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 provides for a penalty for each clandestine entrant carried to be levied on the person or persons responsible. It also provides for the detention in certain circumstances of the transporter or vehicle in which the clandestine entrants arrived against payment of the penalty. The civil penalty is an important measure to enable us to deal effectively with an escalating problem. It will be implemented on 3 April 2000 in relation to clandestine entrants arriving in road vehicles. We have consulted widely with a number of representative bodies on a Code of Practice for vehicles to prevent the carriage of clandestine entrants. The draft Code of Practice for Vehicles, which has been amended to take account of comments expressed during the consultation process, was laid before Parliament on 3 March and will come into force on 3 April. Asylum Support Scheme: Housing Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will give details of accommodation so far identified for use by the Home Office to house asylum-seekers under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; and, in particular, what offers of property for this purpose have been made by the Ministry of Defence Housing Executive. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Details of the tenders to provide accommodation under the new asylum support scheme are commercially confidential. I am, therefore, unable to provide the information requested. Segregated Prisoners: Policy Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their policy on the sharing of cells by prisoners segregated either for their own protection or for reasons of good order and discipline; and how many prisoners are sharing cells in segregation units, in what prisons. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The policy is that all prisoners segregated in their own interest or for reasons of good order or discipline should be located in single cells. There are no statistics held centrally but a survey of all prisons on 2 March 2000 revealed that there were no prisoners sharing cells in segregation units who have been segregated for reasons of good order or discipline. On the same date there were 74 prisoners segregated in their own interest sharing cells in segregation units in eight prisons as follows: Prison Prisoners in shared cells Camphill 4 Gloucester 26 Leeds 14 Lewes 16 Nottingham 4 Pentonville 6 Ranby 2 Reading 2 Total 74 Kainos Courses in Prisons Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: In what prisons the Kainos Community is allowed to operate, under what contractual or other arrangements and at what cost to the Prison Service; whether they intend to measure the recidivism rates of prisoners who have been through courses run by the Kainos Community; and, if so, with what control groups such prisoners will be compared. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Kainos Community is currently operating in three establishments, The Verne, Swaleside, and Highpoint, in order to enable an independent evaluation to take place of the programme. The Kainos Trust and the Prison Service are drawing up a joint memorandum of understanding for the period of this evaluation. The Prison Service is providing no funding for the programme. As with any voluntary group that operates in a prison, there are some minimal costs in providing facilities. The measurement of the recidivism rates of prisoners who have been through the programme will be part of the evaluation of the Kainos programme. The evaluation will include an assessment of the extent to which those rates vary from the normal rate for such offenders. It will be for the researchers to propose the best way of doing this--for example, by a control group or by comparison of actual and predicted rates. Country Assessments Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Country Assessment Unit of the Home Office has studied the reports of the Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups of the United Nations Human Rights Commission; and which country assessments have been amended so far in the light of this information. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Officials in the Country Information and Policy Unit draw on a wide range of material in preparing all the country assessments, including the reports of the United Nations' Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups. These reports carry significant weight and are studied as a matter of course. An index that forms part of each assessment identifies the documents from which the assessment has been sourced. In a few instances, the reports may not feature as a source reference--for example, when the issues reported on are not commonly raised by asylum seekers in the United Kingdom or where the information they contain is reflected in other material in the public domain. Amendments are made every six months and take account of all the latest information and comments. It is not possible to ascribe particular changes to particular publications or comments. Financial Bonds for Visitors to UK Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many comments have been received about the proposal contained in Fairer, Faster and Firmer for a bond scheme for visitors to the United Kingdom; how many responses have been received to the consultation document Financial Bonds for Visitors; and, of both of these, how many have supported the proposal and how many have opposed it. Lord Bassam of Brighton: We shall make an announcement about the results of the consultation process on the design of a pilot study for financial bonds in due course, covering both the White Paper proposal and the specific consultation paper. Financial Bonds for Visitors to UK Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many cases of applicants for visitors' visas in the last 12 months have involved the difficult decisions referred to in Fairer, Faster and Firmer, such that the applicant would therefore be required to put forward a financial bond. Lord Bassam of Brighton: No figures are available for family visits (the category that the bond scheme is intended for) involving decisions of this kind. The proposal arose not from statistics on refusals but from representations to Ministers from members of ethnic minority communities who expressed concern that some relatives might have had their entry clearance applications refused because of doubts as to their intention to leave the United Kingdom at the end of their visit. Financial Bonds for Visitors to UK Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people in a full year they expect to be deterred from visiting the United Kingdom as a result of the scheme to require financial bonds from certain visitors; and how many people they expect to be able to visit the United Kingdom, a bond having been supplied, who would not otherwise have been given a visa. Lord Bassam of Brighton: We do not expect that anybody will be deterred from visiting the United Kingdom as a result of the bond scheme; its purpose is to facilitate the grant of entry clearance in borderline cases where there are doubts as to the intention of the visitors to leave the United Kingdom at end of their visit. The number of extra grants is expected to be small, with most cases (as now) being clear grants or refusals of entry clearance. Financial Bonds for Visitors to UK Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: What criteria they will use to determine whether the financial bond scheme proposed in Fairer, Faster and Firmer is discriminatory; and what process will be used to assess whether those criteria have been met. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The criteria for assessing whether a bond has been requested in a genuinely borderline case, and for ensuring that the scheme is not operated in a discriminatory way, have yet to be decided, but we expect to compare pre-pilot family visitor entry clearance application, grant and refusal figures with those arising during the pilot, together with random checking of a selection of applications where a bond has been requested. Financial Bonds for Visitors to UK Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which Embassies or High Commissions are likely to be included in the proposed pilot scheme envisaged in the consultation document Financial Bonds for Visitors. Lord Bassam of Brighton: We have not yet decided where to run the pilot scheme. Asylum Refusals The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: For each year since 1990, how many asylum seekers from each of Turkey, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Ghana, Nigeria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Romania were refused asylum and exceptional leave to remain after full consideration; how many were refused under paragraph 340 of the Immigration Rules; how many were refused on safe third country grounds; and how many were removed from the United Kingdom. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The available information is given in the tables. Removals and voluntary departures (1) of asylum applicants, excluding dependants, by selected nationality, 1990 to 1999 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Turkey n/a n/a 130 130 145 120 190 250 185 n/a Sri Lanka n/a n/a 60 75 55 65 80 95 140 n/a Pakistan n/a n/a 45 90 170 190 420 650 710 n/a India n/a n/a 165 225 290 355 685 825 870 n/a Ghana n/a n/a 90 130 175 210 270 370 285 n/a Nigeria n/a n/a 65 105 210 310 400 505 515 n/a former Czechoslovakia of whom: n/a n/a 5 * 20 10 65 225 390 n/a Czech Republic (2) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 50 110 160 n/a Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0 15 120 230 n/a Poland n/a n/a 10 105 40 245 285 815 605 n/a Romania n/a n/a 35 105 90 200 260 305 335 n/a Data are rounded to 5. * represents 1 or 2. n/a data are not available. (1) Includes any voluntary departure up to and including notification of the decision on the asylum application for port applicants. Includes removals under enforcement powers and those departing voluntarily following enforcement action for in-country applicants. (2) Figures for Czech Republic include holders of Czechoslovakian passports. n/a=Not available 1 Figures rounded to nearest 5, with * =1 or 2. 2 Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. Asylum decisions (1), (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1990 Total refusals Substantive refusals 3rd country refusals Non-compliance refusals Turkey 65 n/a n/a n/a Sri Lanka 10 n/a n/a n/a Pakistan 115 n/a n/a n/a India 80 n/a n/a n/a Ghana 50 n/a n/a n/a Nigeria 10 n/a n/a n/a Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a Poland n/a n/a n/a n/a Romania 10 n/a n/a n/a n/a=Not available. (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*'=1 or 2. (1) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. Asylum decisions (1), (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1991 Total refusals Substantive refusals 3rd country refusals(1) Non- compliance refusals(1) Turkey 75 50 25 -- Sri Lanka 20 15 5 -- Pakistan 180 170 * 5 India 235 210 20 5 Ghana 70 55 10 5 Nigeria 15 10 5 -- Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a Poland n/a n/a n/a n/a Romania 40 40 * * n/a = Not available. (1)Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*' = 1 or 2. (1)Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1)Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country. (1)Paragraph 101 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period including failure to respond to invitation to interview. Asylum decisions (1), (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1992 Total refusals(1) Substantive refusals(1) 3rd country refusals(1) Non-compliance refusals(1) Turkey 645 150 90 405 Sri Lanka 215 10 50 150 Pakistan 1,015 680 15 325 India 1,160 735 65 360 Ghana 1,210 285 25 900 Nigeria 210 75 10 120 Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a Poland 15 * 10 5 Romania 90 50 10 30 n/a = not available. (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*' = 1 or 2. (1) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1) Refused on the grounds that the applicant has arrived from a safe third country. (1) Paragraph 101 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period including failure to respond to invitation to interview. Asylum decisions (1), (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1993 Total refusals Substantive refusals 3rd country refusals(1) Non-compliance refusals(1) Turkey 710 485 110 115 Sri Lanka 260 95 120 45 Pakistan 755 565 20 170 India 1,115 925 25 165 Ghana 925 605 35 285 Nigeria 350 210 20 120 Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a Poland 55 25 25 5 Romania 170 130 25 15 n/a=Not available. (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*'=1 or 2. (1) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country. (1) Paragraph 180F of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period including failure to respond to invitation to interview. Asylum decisions (1), (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1994 Total refusals Substantive refusals 3rd country refusals (1) Non-compliance refusals (1) Turkey 1,000 775 80 150 Sri Lanka 955 805 80 70 Pakistan 1,970 1,765 15 190 India 1,415 1,190 20 200 Ghana 1,610 1,240 60 310 Nigeria 1,485 910 40 535 Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a Poland 90 60 20 10 Romania 520 460 30 30 n/a=Not available. (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*'=1 or 2. (1) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country. (1) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period including failure to respond to invitation to interview. Asylum decisions (1) (1)in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1995 Non- Total Sustantive 3rd country compliance refusals refusals refusals (1) refusals (1) Turkey 910 720 150 40 Sri Lanka 1,225 1,130 75 20 Pakistan 1,640 1,545 35 60 India 1,960 1,770 50 140 Ghana 1,960 1,750 40 170 Nigeria 2,625 2,135 95 395 Czech Republic n/a n/a n/a n/a Slovakia n/a n/a n/a n/a Poland 435 345 80 10 Romania 555 400 145 10 n/a = Not available. (1)Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*' = 1 or 2. (1)Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1)Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country. (1)Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period including failure to respond to invitation to interview. Asylum decisions (1), (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependents, 1996 Total refusals Substantive refusals 3rd country refusals(1) Non-compliance refusals(1) Turkey 1,330 1,000 310 20 Sri Lanka 2,115 2,030 50 35 Pakistan 2,620 2,385 30 205 India 3,690 3,185 45 460 Ghana 2,265 2,155 10 100 Nigeria 5,120 4,525 60 535 Czech Republic 50 15 35 -- Slovakia 110 65 50 -- Poland 830 770 50 10 Romania 760 630 80 55 (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*' = 1 or 2. (1) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country. (1) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period including failure to respond to invitation to interview. Asylum decisions (1) (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1997 Total refusals Certified refusals Other refusals 3rd country refusals(1) Non-compliance refusals(1) Turkey 1,475 65 950 410 50 Sri Lanka 1,710 780 850 60 20 Pakistan 2,870 2,505 35 40 295 India 2,395 1,800 20 30 540 Ghana 1,330 1,030 40 10 245 Nigeria 4,315 1,525 1,635 40 1,115 Czech Republic 210 105 25 70 10 Slovakia 375 225 20 125 5 Poland 860 765 -- 50 45 Romania 635 440 * 45 150 (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*'=1 or 2. (1) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country. (1) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period including failure to respond to invitation to interview. Asylum decisions (1), (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1998 Total refusals Certified refusals Other refusals(1) 3rd country refusals(1) Non-compliance refusals(1) Turkey 1,015 35 820 110 50 Sri Lanka 1,950 415 1,170 260 90 Pakistan 1,950 1,545 90 75 250 India 1,450 930 50 50 425 Ghana 425 275 55 5 95 Nigeria 1,840 685 700 15 440 Czech Republic 180 170 10 * * Slovakia 335 90 240 * * Poland 1,070 1,015 5 * 50 Romania 1,155 780 10 60 305 (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with *=1 or 2. (1) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1) Refused on the grounds that the applicant has arrived from a safe third country. (1) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period including failure to respond to invitation to interview. Asylum decisions (1), (1) in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, January to May 1999 -- Principal applicants Total refusals Certified refusals Other refusals 3rd country refusals(1) Non-compliance refusals(1) Grants of ELR under backlog criteria (1), (1) Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria (1), (1) Turkey 100 -- 25 70 * 505 5 Sri Lanka 385 75 170 130 10 85 -- Pakistan 280 220 30 25 10 60 -- India 175 130 10 25 10 30 -- Ghana 45 25 15 * 5 850 5 Nigeria 310 130 135 10 35 50 5 Czech Republic 50 20 30 -- * -- -- Slovakia 90 5 85 -- -- -- -- Poland 160 150 10 -- -- -- -- Romania 60 25 * 35 -- 5 -- (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with '*' = 1 or 2. (1) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (1) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country. (1) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview. (1) Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre '96 act asylum backlog. (1) May include a small number of cases where asylum has been granted. (1) May include a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2000-03-09a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2000", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Access to Work Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government: What provision they have made for year-on-year increases in funding for the Access to Work scheme. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Access to Work spend has increased since its launch in 1994. The spend for the past three years is in the table below. The budget for the next three financial years is around £60 million per annum. Financial year spend£ million 2002–2003 50.3 2003–2004 56.0 2004–2005 59.5 Army Training Units Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the reply by the Lord Drayson on 28 November (HL Deb, cols. 6–7), what were the supervisory ratios of trainers within army training units on 9 December 2004; what are the current ratios using data for filled posts rather than establishment levels; and how these figures compare with the Royal Navy, the Royal Marine and the Royal Air Force training establishments. Lord Drayson: The commanding officer or officer commanding of every training establishment (unit commander) is directly responsible and accountable for ensuring a pragmatic supervisory care regime is in place for the recruits and/or trainees, within his/her establishment. Supervisory Care is a regime that aims to provide appropriate levels of support, assistance or advice to students while in the training establishment. The level of supervisory care required throughout the various stages of a day will depend on the outcome of a unit commander's risk assessment which takes account of the particular factors at each training establishment. The term supervisory ratios is particularly nebulous as the levels of supervision are determined by the activities being undertaken and therefore supervisory levels will differ not only between the three services but potentially for each specific training activity. For example, the Defence Diving School uses five instructors for a class of eight when in the water, reducing to one instructor for classroom work. Phase 1 (initial training) establishments such as HMS "Raleigh" would use one instructor to supervise up to 30 trainees in a classroom environment but this ratio could reduce to 1:4 for a higher risk activity, as calculated by the unit commander, outside the classroom environment. The manpower requirement is regularly reviewed to ensure that adequate levels of support are in place and the single services have the means to bid for adjustments to their manpower complement if required. Supervisory ratios are therefore only representative of a training establishment as actual ratios will differ between training activities. For Army training establishments, the range of representative supervisory ratios during weekday instruction in December 2004 was 1:4 to 1:41. In December 2005 this range remains the same although there is a downward trend—the average ratio has reduced from 1:16 to 1:12. This compares favourably with current RN (range 1:4 to 1:30, average 1:12) and RAF (range 1:1 to 1:32, average 1:8) ratios. The RN figure includes a 1:10 supervisory ratio for Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) Lympstone. Current effort is being directed to ensure that the three services share good practice in implementation of defence commander's risk assessment guidelines. Artists' Resale Right Lord Willoughby de Broke: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the affirmative instrument relating to Directive 2001/84/EC (The Artists' Resale Right Regulations 2005) will be laid before Parliament. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: We expect to lay the statutory instrument on Artists' Resale Right before Parliament during December. Avian Flu Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the statement by the Lord Bach on 26 October (HL Deb, col. 1204) that all birds that die in quarantine must be placed in a freezer until the local veterinary inspector can collect them accords with the epidemiology report, published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 15 November, relating to a quarantine centre in Essex, which stated that a substantial number of birds that died in quarantine were reported as incinerated. Lord Bach: Current instructions do not require that every bird that dies is sent for examination for notifiable disease. The local veterinary inspector may send a representative sample for examination for notifiable disease. Birds that die may be stored in a freezer for notifiable disease examination or in a fridge if the LVI has authorised that a sample is sent for diagnosis other than notifiable disease. The LVI may authorise the disposal by incineration of carcases not intended for diagnosis. Avian Flu Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: In connection with the quarantine centre in Essex, who authorised the incineration of dead birds; and who verified that the birds were incinerated. Lord Bach: This is a matter for Essex County Council to determine as part of its investigation into the events at the Essex quarantine facility. Avian Flu Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the reply by the Lord Bach on 17 November (HL Deb, col. 1298), what further research is being undertaken into preventing an outbreak of avian flu in the United Kingdom. Lord Bach: It is known that migratory waterfowl carry a variety of avian influenza viruses, usually low pathogenic forms. The department is conducting a survey of wildfowl to establish the prevalence of carriage of avian influenza viruses in certain migratory waterfowl. The department has issued advice on minimising the direct or indirect contact between wild birds and domestic birds. Cycling on Pavements Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 22 November (WA 201), how many fixed penalty notices have been issued in respect of cycling on pavements; and how many have been paid. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: It is not possible to identify how many fixed penalty notices have been issued in respect of cycling on pavements, as the data are not collected centrally. Information for Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Office and that for Northern Ireland for the Northern Ireland Office. EU Sugar Regime Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What changes are forecast in the prices to consumers in the United Kingdom over the next four years, following the introduction of the reform to the common market organisation for sugar, of (a) a typical 100 gram bar of chocolate; (b) a typical 500 gram packet of sweet digestive biscuits; (c) a typical packet of chocolate half-coated digestive biscuits; (d) a pound of mint imperials or similar sweets; (e) sweets and sugar-based confectionery generally; and (f) a pint of beer. Lord Bach: Five categories of sugar-containing products were considered in a September 2004 Defra-commissioned study by Leatherhead Food International: confectionary, soft drinks, other confectionary, cakes and biscuits, and preserves. According to industry estimates, refined sugar accounts for 10 to 20 per cent. of costs for a firm using sugar to produce a wholesale product. Defra's regulatory impact assessment on sugar reform estimates that for a 36 per cent. price cut in sugar, average retail prices of the various sugar containing products would be expected to fall by between 1 per cent (cakes etc.) and 9 per cent (preserves), depending upon the importance of sugar in the product. More precise forecasts for the specific products listed in the question have not been made, but they would be expected to fall within this range. EU: Treaty of Nice Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Triesman on 6 July (WA 109–10), what is the justification for the use of Article 308 of the treaty establishing the European Community as the legal basis for a Council regulation establishing the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. Lord Triesman: Article 308 of the EC treaty allows the Council to act, by unanimity and having consulted the European Parliament, in furtherance of the objectives of the Community where the treaty has not provided a more specific legal base. The Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the Commission's proposal establishing the Fundamental Rights Agency says that it is a general objective of the Community to ensure that its own action fully respects fundamental rights, that the establishment of the agency will further that objective and that the treaty does not provide more specific powers to that end. In 1997, Article 308 (then Article 235) was used, in conjunction with Article 284 (then Article 213), as the legal base to establish the Vienna-based EU Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia. As the centre will be converted into the Agency for Fundamental Rights, the use of Article 308 to establish the latter is a consistent approach in terms of legal base. EU–Israel Association Agreement Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the governments of Poland and Germany about the suspension of the European Union-Israeli Trade Association agreement. Lord Triesman: The Government have not raised the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in discussions with the governments of Poland and Germany. The Government believe that, as a friend of Israel and the Palestinians, close engagement provides us with the greatest chance of encouraging both sides to take the necessary steps to achieve a just and lasting peace. We do not believe that suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement would bring the parties any nearer to a peaceful resolution. EU–Israel Association Agreement Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What systems are in place to monitor implementation of the human rights obligations in the European Union-Israeli Trade Association agreement. Lord Triesman: The EU maintains a regular dialogue with Israel on its human rights obligations within the framework of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. We last raised human rights with Israel at the EU-Israel Political Dialogue and Cooperation subcommittee, which met for the first time on 21 November 2005, to assess the implementation of the political clauses in the EU-Israel Trade Association Agreement and the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan: At the meeting, the EU and Israel proposed the creation of a new working group on human rights. Eurofreeze (Ireland) Ltd Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the interception of an illegal consignment of chicken shipped from China, when they were first notified that Eurofreeze (Ireland) Limited had received the consignment. Lord Rooker: An illegal consignment of chicken originating in China was detained by DARD officials at the Port of Belfast in August 2005 and destroyed. The named company never received the consignment. Government Departments: Lighting Baroness Buscombe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What costs broken down by department are incurred by lighting government department offices overnight. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The information requested is not held centrally. Grey Squirrels Earl Peel: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any research is currently being undertaken into the control of invasive alien species, and in particular grey squirrels, through the process of immuno-contraception; and, if so, how much funding is currently committed to the project. Lord Bach: Defra funding on immuno-contraceptive vaccines for squirrels is part of a much wider fertility control project, which includes planned work on wild boar and a non-immuno-contraceptive fertility control agent for rose-ringed parakeets. The total project cost is £1,012k, with about £830k of that being for immuno-contraceptive work. The project runs from 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2008. For the squirrel component, scientists from the Central Science Laboratory and the Forestry Commission will be carrying out research work which is due to start in January 2006. The main squirrel research will cost about £50k. However, there is other work in the wider project, for example, the development of techniques for administering immuno-contraceptive vaccines orally, which will also be relevant. This work is needed as injection is unlikely to be a practical proposition for most species. If everything goes well with the whole project, we will still be looking at several years before practical and usable fertility control methods are available in the UK. Grey Squirrels Earl Peel: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are commissioning or sponsoring any research into the impact of grey squirrels on woodland bird populations; and, if not, whether they are aware of any other research. Lord Bach: Established in 2001, the UK Woodland Bird Group is led by Forestry Commission England and is made up of representatives of more than 15 government and non-governmental organisations, including Defra, the RSPB, the British Trust for Ornithology, and the country conservation agencies. One of its functions is to prioritise work needed to determine the primary factors responsible for declines in woodland bird populations, and encourage further research, policy and management actions aimed at reversing the declines. The UK Woodland Bird Group has identified grey squirrel impact on nesting birds as one of several possible factors that could be contributing to the decline in populations of woodland birds. A proposal has been drafted for collaborative research on the effects of grey squirrel predation, but before embarking on experimental research, the group is carrying out work on obtaining actual evidence of nest predation by grey squirrels. Health White Paper Consultation Baroness Michie of Gallanach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the online questionnaire used as part of the listening exercise in the consultation process on the White Paper Your Health, Your Care, Your Say focused on general practitioner and nursing services only, and used mostly closed questioning, with no space for open comments. Lord Warner: The online questionnaire was only one of several ways we sought the public's views. We chose a questionnaire structure that could be used to quickly analyse large volumes of data rather that asking for "free form" text which would have been more difficult to systematically assess. The questionnaire was therefore focused on issues that we knew from previous experience were important to people, but we did allow for some commentary to be included and the public have used that opportunity to raise a wide range of issues. We have received about 36,000 completed questionnaires (both online and hard copy) and collected a great deal of data, including thousands of "free text" comments. The local, regional and national events provided people with opportunities to discuss other issues that were important to them. Home Office: Prison Visits Baroness Buscombe: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many civil servants from the Home Office broken down by grade have visited prisons in the last eight years. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Israel: Damage to EU Assets Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to use the remaining period of the United Kingdom presidency of the European Union to discuss with the Israeli authorities the need for past and future compensation for any damage to European Community assets caused by Israeli military action in the Occupied Territories. Lord Triesman: The European Community (EC) has made a comprehensive assessment of additional costs incurred as a result of Israeli Defence Force actions during the intifada, and maintains an audit of damage to EC and member state financed projects. It is difficult legally for the EU or member states to seek redress on damaged infrastructure as the ownership has usually been transferred to the final beneficiary, such as the Palestinian Authority. We none the less press the Israeli Government on this issue. So far compensation for project damage has only once been paid (when a World Food Programme food warehouse was destroyed in Gaza). The UK has repeatedly made representations to the Israeli Government about the often disproportionate force used and the scale of the damage. Israel: West Bank Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the Israeli Government about the effect of closures in the West Bank on the Palestinian elections in January 2006. Lord Triesman: We, along with our EU partners, have expressed our concerns about closures in the West Bank to the Israeli Government. We call on the Israeli Government to co-operate fully with the Palestinian Authority in facilitating the preparation and conduct of the elections, especially to ensure the freedom of movement of all election officials, candidates, campaigners and voters. Language Schools Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many overseas students arrived in England in the years 2003 and 2004 to study at language schools. Lord Adonis: The information requested is not available centrally. Language schools operate for the most part within the private sector and fall outside the scope of any official collection of student data. Additionally, since many of their students do not require visas it is not possible to obtain data about overall numbers from immigration records. Military Families Against the War in Iraq Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they have responded to recent representations from the lobby group Military Families Against the War in Iraq. Lord Drayson: We are not aware of any direct representations to Her Majesty's Government from the lobby group Military Families Against the War in Iraq. Northern Ireland Civil Service Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the decision to reduce the number employed in the Northern Ireland Civil Service was announced; and what has been the reduction since that date. Lord Rooker: The decision was announced on 12 October 2004. Since that date the reduction has been 1,011 posts. Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: What amounts of compensation have been awarded in 2005 against the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland to members or ex-members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary or Police Service for Northern Ireland. Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman's Office advises that no compensation has been awarded against the Police Ombudsman in 2005 to members or ex-members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary or the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any children under 16 years of age have been arrested or detained by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; and, if so, what were the circumstances. Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman advises that one young person was arrested in the company of a police officer and in line with an investigation being undertaken by the Office of the Police Ombudsman. Northern Ireland: Cross-Border Bodies Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which chief executives of cross-border bodies have been accused of bullying or harassment of staff; which, if any, were found guilty; and what penalties they received. Lord Rooker: Allegations of bullying and harassment have been made against the chief executive of Waterways Ireland. The results of an investigation into these allegations are detailed in the joint statement issued on 4 April 2005 by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (DCRGA). The joint statement is available in the Library. In 2001 allegations of harassment were made against the then chief executive of the Ulster-Scots Agency. The chief executive retired prior to completion of the investigation. Northern Ireland: MRSA Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in Northern Ireland, they record the frequency with which methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is (a) a primary cause of death; (b) an identifiable secondary cause of death; or (c) contributes to or results in death; and whether they will give details for the years 2000 to 2004. Lord Rooker: Causes of death are classified by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death (ICD). The current version of ICD does not have a specific code for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, statistics on deaths where MRSA was a contributing factor can be obtained by identifying deaths with specific conditions likely to be linked with MRSA, and manually checking the cause of death on the death certificate to identify whether MRSA was mentioned. The table below gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland where MRSA was mentioned on the death certificate and recorded as (a) the primary cause of death; (b) the secondary cause of death and (c) the primary or secondary cause of death between the years 2000 to 2004. Registration Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 (P) Total (2000–04) MRSA recorded as primary cause of death 1 7 10 4 8 30 MRSA recorded as secondary cause of death 13 10 16 26 36 101 MRSA recorded as primary or secondary cause of death 14 17 26 30 44 131 (P) Data for 2004 are provisional Northern Ireland: Reconciliation Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they define "reconciliation" in the Northern Ireland context. Lord Rooker: There is no statutory definition. Turkey: Human Rights Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to make representations to the government of Turkey about freedom of expression in that country, in light of the forthcoming trial of the novelist Orhan Pamuk on charges of insulting the nation. Lord Triesman: As presidency of the EU, we have raised our concern over the charges brought against Mr Pamuk with the Turkish Government on a number of occasions. Most recently, the noble Baroness, Lady Scotland of Asthal, the Minister of State for the criminal justice system and offender management at the Home Office, raised this with the Turkish Justice Minister when visiting Ankara on 11 November. Our Ambassador in Ankara raised freedom of expression and the charges against Orhan Pamuk with the Turkish Foreign Minister on 9 November and immediately issued his comments on behalf of the presidency; this was well covered the following day in the Turkish press. We will continue to urge the Turkish Government to safeguard freedom of expression and to raise this case. I also refer the noble Lord to the comments by my right honourable friend the Prime Minster and my honourable friend the Minister for Europe (Douglas Alexander) and to the Adjournment Debate of 15 November on this matter in the other place on 1 November (Official Report, cols. 714–715), 15 November (Official Report, cols. 942–950) and on 23 November (Official Report, col. 1507). Turkey: Human Rights Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have made representations to the Turkish Government over the suspended sentence given to Hrant Dink for writing articles concerning the alleged massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Lord Triesman: Our ambassador in Ankara raised freedom of expression and the conviction of Hrant Dink with the Turkish Foreign Minister on 9 November and his comments were well covered the following day in the Turkish press. We will continue to raise this case and to urge the Turkish Government to safeguard freedom of expression. I also refer the noble Lord to the comments by my right honourable friend the Prime Minster on freedom of expression and Turkey on 23 November (Official Report, col. 1507), and to the references made to the conviction of Hrant Dink at the Adjournment Debate of 15 November in the other place on 15 November (Official Report, cols. 942–950). Ulster Scots Agency Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 30 November (WA 53) on funding of the Ulster Scots Agency, why there are no proposals to bring the funding of the agency up to the same level as the Irish Language Agency, in view of the promise of parity of esteem in the Belfast agreement of 1998. Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given on 17 November 2005 (WA173: HL2110). Waterways Ireland Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 2 November (WA 28) concerning the religious imbalance of those employed in Northern Ireland by Waterways Ireland, in what way the organisation acts as an equal opportunities employer. Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 2 November (col. WA38) . Her Majesty's Government are not aware of any religious imbalance in employment in Waterways Ireland. Waterways Ireland follows public sector employment procedures.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2005-12-13b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2005", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Bailiffs Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have for the better regulation of bailiffs. Lord McNally: We have given a commitment to provide more protection against bailiffs. Better regulation of bailiffs is one of the strands that will need to be considered. Benefits: Jobseeker's Allowance Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what entitlements to contributions-based jobseeker's allowance nationals of the A8 countries have if out of work whilst exercising treaty rights in the United Kingdom. To ask Her Majesty's Government what entitlements to contributions-based jobseeker's allowance nationals of the A2 countries have if out of work whilst exercising treaty rights in the United Kingdom. Lord Freud: A national of either an A2 or an A8 country will be entitled to contributions-based jobseeker's allowance if they have paid the required national insurance contributions in the relevant income tax years. If their UK national insurance record is not sufficient to meet the jobseeker's allowance contribution conditions, the UK will use their social insurance payments in another member state to help. Census Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to use the data on languages gathered in the next census. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Baroness Coussins, dated May 2010. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how the data on languages gathered in the next census is intended to be used. (HL25) The topics and questions included in the 2011 Census are the result of a four year period of extensive assessment and consultation with census users including central and local government, business, academics and members of the public. The new questions on language in the England and Wales census will ask about the main language used and ability in speaking English and Welsh in Wales. These questions will help central government, local authorities and the NHS plan their resources and service provision for language support and translation services for non-English speakers, and in particular the impact of English (or Welsh) language ability on employment and other social inclusion indicators. Information on the number of British Sign Language (BSL) users will inform service planning and assist in developing policies to address the deaf community's needs. Government departments who have expressed a requirement for information on languages were the Department for Health, the Department of Communities and Local Government, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Education, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Home Office and the Welsh Assembly Government. Local authorities, academics, and special interest groups also expressed a need for such information. A separate question on Welsh language will again be asked in Wales-as has been done in one form or other since the 1891 Census. Responses will provide information that will be used to measure the change in Welsh language proficiency to inform policy development and monitoring and to inform local resource allocation. Control Orders Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have on the issuing of control orders on individuals suspected of terrorist offences where there is insufficient evidence to lay charges. Baroness Neville-Jones: As set out in Our Programme for Government, published on 20 May, the Government will urgently review control orders, as part of a wider review of counterterrorist legislation, measures and programmes. Copyright Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the law on copyright. Baroness Wilcox: Copyright is extremely important to the UK's creative industries. As Minister for Intellectual Property, I want to ensure that we have a copyright framework that delivers the right outcomes for the UK. Our copyright framework is largely set by international treaty and by European law. I recognise that there are many who call for reform or improvement to the current law, and I am also aware that there are many differing prescriptions for the way ahead, both in the UK and internationally. I look forward to hearing all these views and to reflecting further on them. Education: Languages Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the next meeting of the inter-sector forum set up following the recommendation of Professor Worton's Review of Modern Foreign Languages provision in higher education in England will be held; and who will be its chair. Baroness Wilcox: We welcome Professor Worton's useful report. No date has yet been set for a further meeting of the forum. Nor has a decision been taken about the chair. Decisions are likely to be taken on this in the summer. Extremism Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect their review of the Prevent programme on extremism to be completed; whether it will be published; and, if so, in what form. Baroness Neville-Jones: We shall review Prevent to ensure that it is well focused and to look at aspects of its delivery. We will make a further announcement shortly on the way we will do this. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list the current water fluoridation schemes in operation in the United Kingdom, by Strategic Health Authority, water company, and dates of commencement including dates of any partial cessation. Earl Howe: All or major part of the areas listed below are served by artificial fluoridation schemes. Information is not held centrally on the commencement date of individual schemes or the precise areas covered, but the overall programme of current schemes commenced in the West Midlands in 1964 and proceeded until full implementation of all the existing schemes by the late 1980s. The only major cessations have been in West Cumbria over the period 1994 to 2006. West Midlands SHA Birmingham; Coventry; Dudley; Sandwell; Shropshire; Solihull; South Staffordshire; Walsall; Warwickshire; Wolverhampton; and Worcestershire East Midlands SHA North and West Lincolnshire; Ashfield, Bassetlaw and Mansfield. East of England SHA Bedford. North East SHA Newcastle and Gateshead. North West SHA East Cheshire; and West Cumbria. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list the manufacturers and suppliers of the fluoridation agent, and the description and percentage of the chemical compound used, in each of the current fluoridation schemes in the United Kingdom. Earl Howe: This information is not held centrally. These are matters for strategic health authorities to agree with water undertakers in contracting for fluoridation schemes within the provisions of the Water Industry Act 1991 which prescribe which fluoride compounds may be used and the concentrations permitted. Freedom of Information Act 2000 Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will be extended to academies, examination boards, the Higher Education Statistics Agency and the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services. Lord McNally: The Government intend to extend the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to provide greater transparency. We are currently considering how best to give effect to this aim, one option for which is making further bodies subject to the Act. Health: Cardiology Lord Walton of Detchant: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of cardiac technicians in the National Health Service trained in the use of pacemakers and defibrillators; and what measures are in place to achieve remote monitoring of those devices. Earl Howe: It is for local National Health Service trusts to decide how many cardiac technicians they employ in their area. We will continue to work with industry and the NHS to promote patient access to new technologies, but it is important to realise that not all technologies are appropriate for everyone-it is up to clinicians to make a decision in discussion with patients about the most suitable treatment in each case. Health: Head Injuries Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration has been given to the report to the Department of Health from the head injury support service Temple Head on the detection and care of brain injury; and what action they will take on its recommendations. Earl Howe: Department of Health officials have recently received a copy of the report and will be discussing the findings with representatives of Temple Head in due course. Healthcare: Technology Lord Walton of Detchant: To ask Her Majesty's Government what research they have commissioned into the social benefits of healthcare technologies, as recommended by the Kennedy study of valuing innovation. Earl Howe: The department commissioned the University of York to assess the potential implications of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence adopting alternative economic perspectives. The University of York's report was published in January 2010 and is available at www.york.ac.uk/inst/che/pdf/rp54.pdf. Human Rights Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ratify Protocol 7 to the European Convention on Human Rights. Lord McNally: The Government have not yet taken a decision on whether to ratify the seventh protocol, but will consider the issue in due course. Marie Stopes International Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many complaints have been received by the Department of Health about Marie Stopes International in the past three years for which figures are available. Earl Howe: The department has received one complaint about Marie Stopes International in the past three years. NHS: Car Parking Baroness Thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for introducing free car parks at hospitals. Earl Howe: The Government are considering this area and will make further announcements in due course. NHS: Costs Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase the powers of general practitioners to commission care and to reduce NHS administrative costs; and whether agencies and arm's-length bodies will reduce the number of Primary Care Trust commissioners. Earl Howe: TheCoalition: Our Programme for Government confirms this Government's intention to empower general practitioners to commission care on behalf of patients and to reduce the cost of National Health Service administration by a third. The document also describes the new role and functions envisaged for primary care trusts. We will bring forward more detailed proposals in due course. NHS: Foundation Trusts Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government which hospital trusts have been recommended by Strategic Health Authorities as unsustainable following the Health Act 2009; and what action has been taken on those recommendations. Earl Howe: There are currently no hospital trusts that strategic health authorities have requested be transferred into the regime for unsustainable National Health Service providers, which is outlined in the Health Act (Sections 15 to 18). NHS: Primary Care Trusts Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to ensure that Primary Care Trusts market test their community services in the interests of increasing competition and improving NHS efficiency. Earl Howe: Primary care trusts (PCTs) should commission health services, including community health services, to ensure that these best meet the needs of patients, are efficient and provide good value for money. PCTs are required to demonstrate to the department that their proposals for the future provision of community services will drive improvements in quality and efficiency and are sustainable. Northern Ireland: Advocate-General Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is the Advocate-General for Northern Ireland; and whether that person has the power to terminate prosecutions in Northern Ireland, decide that sentences may be reviewed, and review sentences. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: Section 27 of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 provides that the Attorney-General for England and Wales shall, by virtue of that office, also be the Advocate-General for Northern Ireland. The powers of the Advocate-General are solely statutory and are contained in Part 2 of and Schedule 7 to the 2002 Act. They do not include the powers referred to by the noble Lord. Poverty Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to reduce poverty levels, in support of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Lord Freud: The promotion of social justice and the fight against poverty is at the heart of the Government's programme. Work provides the most sustainable route out of poverty, so our first priority will be to reduce the deficit and restore economic growth so that more people can benefit from the proceeds of a strong and competitive economy. The changes to national insurance outlined in the Queen's Speech will save jobs and support economic growth, contributing to the reduction of poverty. We will reduce poverty by understanding and addressing the root causes and drivers of poverty, particularly family breakdown, educational failure, addiction, debt and worklessness, and economic dependency. A social justice committee, chaired by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, will consider issues relating to poverty, equality and social justice and will ensure the integration of policies to combat poverty across government. To get those people on benefits into work and out of poverty we will simplify the benefits system and address prohibitive and regressive marginal tax rates which too often act as a barrier to moving from benefits to work. These policies will make sure that work always pays. We will therefore reform back-to-work support, and move toward a single employment programme offering targeted, personalised help, ensuring that support is available to those who need it most, sooner rather than later. The work programme will be delivered by providers from the private, public and voluntary sectors. We expect funding to be more heavily focused on outcome payments so that the results providers achieve are aligned more closely with the payments they receive. Retirement Age Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to phase out the default retirement age. Baroness Wilcox: We are committed to phasing out the default retirement age, but it is important to do this in a way that allows individuals and employers to adapt to the new situation. BIS and the DWP have assembled a considerable body of evidence on this issue. Once this has been analysed we will set out the way forward. Shipping: MV "Anja" Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether MV "Anja", on charter to South American Atlantic Services Ltd of Stanley, Falkland Islands, has been compelled by Argentine authorities to sail from Punta Arenas, Chile, and round Cape Horn rather than travelling straight from Punta Arenas to the Falkland Islands. Lord Howell of Guildford: Decisions on shipping routes taken by privately owned vessels are for masters or owners to make. But the Government are aware of Argentine Presidential Decree 256 which purports to require prior authorisation for shipping to and from Argentina and the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. We have delivered a formal protest to the Government of Argentina, making it clear that we firmly reject it. We do not believe that decree 256 is compliant with international law, including the UN law of the sea. The Department for Transport has also issued such advice to the industry. Vehicles: Automatic Plate Recognition Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to restrict the use of vehicle registration number-plate recognition cameras. Baroness Neville-Jones: In keeping with our pledge to safeguard freedoms and protect civil liberties we believe it important to ensure that the use of automatic number-plate recognition technology is proportionate in order to command public confidence. We will therefore be considering whether more needs to be done to strengthen controls and safeguards relating to its use.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2010-06-03a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2010", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Jimmy Lai The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to (1) the government of China, and (2) the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, about British citizen Jimmy Lai. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary set out our views regarding developments in Hong Kong with State Councillor Wang Yi last month. We continue to use our channels with the Chinese Government to make clear to the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities our strong opposition to the National Security Law. The deliberate targeting of journalists and businessmen such as Mr Lai is unacceptable. The Minister for the Indo-Pacific met representatives of Mr. Lai's international legal team on 10 January. Senior officials have and will continue to raise cases such as Mr Lai's with the Hong Kong authorities. Diplomats at our Consulate-General in Hong Kong will continue to attend Mr Lai's court proceedings. Ukraine: War Crimes Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the USA about the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression in Ukraine; and what response they received. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is working closely with international partners, including the US government, to ensure those committing atrocities in Ukraine are held to account. As the Foreign Secretary announced on 20 January, the UK has accepted Ukraine's invitation to join a 'core group' to consider options for ensuring criminal accountability for Russia's aggression against Ukraine, including possibly through a special tribunal. These are complex issues of international law, which the group must be allowed time to consider. The UK recognises the importance of working with partners on accountability. Ukraine: War Crimes Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to laying a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly providing for a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression in Ukraine, citing the precedents of such tribunals in Sierra Leone and Cambodia. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is working closely with international partners to ensure those committing atrocities in Ukraine are held to account, including at the UN level. As the Foreign Secretary announced on 20 January, the UK has accepted Ukraine's invitation to join a 'core group' to consider options for ensuring criminal accountability for Russia's aggression against Ukraine, including possibly through a special tribunal. These are complex issues of international law, which the group must be allowed time to consider. Yazidis: Women The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, together with international partners, to ensure that the Yazidi women and girl victims of Islamic State crimes are supported and have access to justice. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK led the UN Security Council to establish the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL (UNITAD) and continues to encourage close co-operation between UNITAD and the Government of Iraq.We also advocated for the passing of the Yazidi Survivors Law, an important first step toward assistance and justice for survivors of sexual violence by Daesh. The UK is committed to helping Iraq fully implement the legislation, including providing funding support to the Directorate of Yazidi Affairs.During my recent visit to Iraq I met with Yazidi communities and leaders to hear their experiences and reiterate UK support. Iran: Nuclear Power Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the outcome of the recent meeting of E3 diplomatswith Iran in Oslo; andwhat assessment they have made of that outcome. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: E3 (France, Germany and the UK) Political Directors met Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, in Oslo on 16/17 March. The discussion covered the range of our concerns about Iran's behaviour, including its continued nuclear escalation. We have made clear to Iran that its actions over the past months have made progress towards a diplomatic solution on the nuclear issue much more difficult. This was not a negotiation on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Crimes Outside National Territories Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the law on universal jurisdiction; and in particular, what plans they have to expand the scope of section 51 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001, namely the group of perpetrators who can be tried for international crimes in domestic courts. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The criminal law of England and Wales provides for universal jurisdiction over the crimes of torture and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, allowing national authorities to investigate and prosecute these offences under certain conditions when they were committed abroad by foreign nationals. The International Criminal Court Act 2001 allows jurisdiction over the offences of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed abroad by any person who: (i) is/was a UK national or UK resident at the time of the crime; or (ii) became a UK national or UK resident after the crime and still resides in the UK when proceedings are brought. There are no plans to reform the law on universal jurisdiction. Yemen: Humanitarian Situation The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have led recently at the United Nations with the aim of alleviating Yemen’s ongoing humanitarian crisis; and what discussions they have had at the UN with the governments of Saudi Arabia and of the Gulf States in regard to humanitarian funding for Yemen this year. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK uses its role as penholder at the UN Security Council to support the Yemen peace process. A political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability and address the worsening humanitarian crisis. We are also working closely with the UN Special Envoy to Yemen in his efforts to develop the current de facto truce into a Yemeni-led political settlement under UN auspices. The UK pledged up to £88 million of aid for Yemen at the UN-led Humanitarian Pledging Conference in Geneva in March.We continue to engage with Gulf partners regarding a coordinated approach to effectively deliver humanitarian aid in Yemen. This includes at the ambassadorial level and through our officials in Riyadh and Amman. At the inaugural UK-Saudi Arabia Aid Dialogue last month, improving humanitarian access and encouraging greater funding commitments by regional partners were identified as key targets. Afghanistan: Journalism Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the numbers of Afghan journalists currently at risk of persecution in (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan, and (3) Iran, for their professional activities. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a champion of media freedom and a proud member of the Media Freedom Coalition. Defending media freedom at home and abroad is a priority for the UK. In Afghanistan, we understand that around 40 per cent of media outlets have ceased to operate and that 60 per cent of journalists have lost their jobs since August 2021. We continue to address the issue of media freedom in our discussions with the Taliban. We regularly raise media freedom at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan, most recently in January 2023. We condemn the Iranian authorities' crackdown on journalists and continue to raise the Iranian peoples' right to access independent media. The UK regularly engages countries on the need to respect human rights, including on freedom of expression and media freedom. Crimes Outside National Territories Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's law on universal jurisdiction; what challenges any such assessment identified; and how they are planning to address those challenges to ensure that the UK can play a proactive role on ensuring justice and accountability for international crimes. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Applying universal jurisdiction in respect of certain offences helps to ensure that the UK does not provide a safe haven for war criminals or those who commit other serious violations of international law. The Crown Prosecution Service, as the agency responsible, will continue to bring individuals to justice wherever possible. Any decision to prosecute offences of universal jurisdiction in England and Wales is governed by the same principles that apply to any other prosecution and must be in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Burundi: Polio The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help prevent the polio virus outbreak in Burundi from spreading. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We note reports of a recent outbreak of polio in Burundi and urge the Government of Burundi to continue taking preventative measures to limit further risks to the population. FCDO officials have engaged with international partners to discuss how we can limit the outbreak of polio worldwide. Burundi: Freedom of Expression The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support (1) freedom of speech, and (2) freedom of the press, in Burundi. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government welcomes the Government of Burundi's stated commitment to improving the human rights situation and the recent steps taken which demonstrate progress in this regard. We note reports of human rights violations and abuses being committed against the political opposition and critical voices, which we regularly discuss at a senior level with the Government of Burundi. We continue to call on the Government of Burundi to ensure that Burundi develops along a positive trajectory and look forward to Burundi's Universal Periodic Review this year. We urge the Government of Burundi to fully implement the recommendations made in the last review. Development Aid Lord Londesborough: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byViscount Younger of Leckie on 15 December 2022 (HL Deb cols 807–11),what level the next funding round of UK Aid Match will be set at; and what proportion of Overseas Aid this will represent. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Grants under Round 5 of UK Aid Match are due to begin from April 2023 and will have a total value of £13 million over 3 years.We also use UK Aid Match to support emergency humanitarian responses, including £25 million of match funding to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Ukraine appeal.We are currently considering future models for central FCDO funding for civil society and we will draw on the successes of the current UK Aid Match programme. Armenia: Azerbaijan Baroness Cox: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan in respect of reports ofopen fire from Azerbaijani combat positions on Armenian civilians completing agricultural work in the villages of Sos, Tagavard, and Machkalashen on 23, 24 and 26 March. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK government has not made representations to the Azerbaijani government on this specific matter. However, during his visit to Baku on 22 February, the Minister for Europe met with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister and other government officials, and called for the immediate re-opening of the Lachin Corridor and urgent re-engagement with international efforts aimed at securing stability and peace in the region. The UK Government will continue to emphasise this message in further official engagement with the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments in the coming months. Transcaucasus: Roads Baroness Cox: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the ruling of the International Criminal Court on 22 February that the government of Azerbaijan must end the blockage of the Lachin corridor, what representations they are making to the government of Azerbaijan to open the Lachin corridor. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has noted the International Court of Justice's judgments, and continues to call for immediate action to re-open the Lachin Corridor and restore the flow of goods and people into Nagorno-Karabakh. In a statement to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on 2 March, our Ambassador stated that the parties to the conflict must engage in substantive negotiations, without preconditions, to secure a sustainable and peaceful settlement to the conflict and to resolve all outstanding tensions. This followed engagements by the Minister for Europe with the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments over January and February this year. China: Russia Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Joint Statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination in the New Era, dated 21 March. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Addressing the threat from Russia to European security is the most pressing security and foreign policy priority in the short to medium term. China poses an epoch-defining and systemic challenge. We are therefore concerned by the deepening strategic partnership between China and Russia and the implications for an open and stable international order. Putin's war in Ukraine is a breach of international law, a violation of the UN Charter, and was condemned by an overwhelming majority of 141 member nations in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on 23 February 2023 - a resolution we were disappointed China chose to abstain on. As a P5 member, we expect China to stand up for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and uphold its commitment to the principles of UN Charter - principles that underpin Zelenskyy's peace plan. Transcaucasus: Roads Lord McInnes of Kilwinning: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan since 1 March regardingthe closure of the Lachin Corridor. Lord McInnes of Kilwinning: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they have taken since 1 March regarding the closure of the Lachin Corridor. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has repeatedly called for immediate action to re-open the Lachin Corridor and restore the flow of goods and people into Nagorno-Karabakh. In a statement to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on 2 March, our Ambassador stated that the parties to the conflict must engage in substantive negotiations, without preconditions, to secure a sustainable and peaceful settlement to the conflict and to resolve all outstanding tensions. The UK Government will continue to emphasise this message in further official engagement with the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments in the coming months. Freight: Windsor Framework Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what proposalsthey have madefor groupage haulageunder the Windsor Framework. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The agreement establishes a new UK internal trade scheme based on commercial data-sharing, not international customs processes, for the movement of goods. This new scheme will significantly expand the range of businesses who can benefit; end the requirement for traders to provide customs commodity codes for each movement; scrap burdensome supplementary declarations and ensure that businesses can therefore move their goods using the same type of commercial information as they already hold when moving goods to the Isle of Wight.We will continue to engage closely with industry and broader stakeholders on the operational arrangements of the new scheme, including the haulage sector. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Property Development: Floods Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany new residential properties have been constructed within Environment Agency flood zone 2 each year, since the financial year 2012/13. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The percentages of new residential addresses created that have been within each of Environment Agency flood zones 3 and 2 in each financial year since 2012-13 are provided below. Figures for 2012-13 are not available on the same basis due to a change in land use change methodology which took effect from 2013-14.The most recent available percentages of new residential addresses created that have been within Environment Agency flood zone 3, broken down by local authority area are provided in the attached table.Financial yearProportion of new residential addresses created within Flood Zone 3 1 (Per cent)Proportion of new residential addresses created within Flood Zones 2 and 3 2 (Per cent) 2013-14710 2014-15811 2015-16811 2016-17811 2017-181013 2018-19811 2019-20913 2020-21711 2021-22710 Sources: 1 Live table 320: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/land-use-change-statistics-2021-to-2022 2 Using address data used to derive the land use change - new residential address statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/land-use-change-statistics-2021-to-2022 Although National Flood Zone 2 is a stand-alone category, to be practically useful it is generally combined with National Flood Zone 3 to give a complete picture of areas at 0.1% or more risk of flooding in any given year. Therefore figures are provided for National Flood Zones 2 and 3 combined. National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what(1) area in square metres, and (2) proportion, of Victoria Tower Gardens as a whole will be occupied by the intended UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, including (a) the entrance pavilion, (b) courtyard and ramp into the Learning Centre, (c) associated hard standing, (d) service access, (e) new access paths, (f) the parts of the mound not accessible to the public, and (g) areas to be enclosed to ensure the security of the Centre. Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the size in square metres of (1)the current playground in Victoria Tower Gardens, (2) the intended new playground, (3) the intended new café, and (4) the part of the current playground to be occupied by UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre ticketing and associated works. Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) area in square metres, and (2) proportion ofVictoria Tower Gardens as a whole, will be enclosed to guarantee security around the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in addition to the area occupied by the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre itself. Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the floor area in square metres of the proposed underground construction of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre; and what percentage of this underground area will be used for exhibitions and public space as part of the Learning Centre. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Extensive information about the design of the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre was considered at the Planning Inquiry in October 2020 and remains publicly available on Westminster City Council’s website. The additional detail requested is set out in the table below and to provide further assistance and to illustrate the answers I am placing the three source documents in the Library:Gross Internal Area (GIA) & Building Area Breakdown Schedule which shows the area in square metres of every internal space within the proposed Learning Centre, the Entrance Pavilion and the Café/Kiosk.Park Area Diagram rev 2 which shows both the size of Victoria Tower Gardens and the area taken by the Holocaust Memorial above ground within the park.Playground Area Adjustment which shows the boundaries and areas of the current playground and proposed reconfigured playground. It also shows the area between the Spicer Memorial in its proposed new location and the Holocaust Memorial’s entrance pavilion. This area would provide circulation space for all park users between the boundary of the reconfigured playground and the Memorial’s Entrance Pavilion. QuestionAnswerSource1The floor area in square metres of the proposed underground construction of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.3258 m2 * (includes 373m2 of unusable spaces such as voids, risers and areas with limited headroom) * all areas are gross internal floor area (GIFA) i.e. excluding external walls.GIA & Building Area Breakdown Schedule2Percentage of the underground area that will be used for exhibitions and public space as part of the Learning Centre.52.85% Mezzanine Level Lobby (103m2) Learning Centre (349 m2) Basement Level Threshold (314m2) Learning Centre (956 m2) Total = 1722 m2GIA and Building Area Breakdown Schedule3Area in square metres of Victoria Tower Gardens as a whole, that will be enclosed to guarantee security around the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in addition to the area occupied by the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre itself.Zero as an addition to the 1429 m2 occupied by the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.NHM Park Area Diagram rev 24Proportion of (3)ZeroNHM Park Area Diagram rev 25Size in sqm of the current playground in Victoria Tower Gardens1010 m2Playground Area Adjustment 6Size in sqm of the intended new playground945 m2Playground Area Adjustment7Size in sqm of the intended new café15 m2 Café/Kiosk 38 m2 including generator and storageGIA and Building Area Breakdown Schedule8Size in sqm of the part of the current playground to be occupied by UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre ticketing and associated works23m2 Café/Kiosk generator and storage. Zero occupied by ticketing operations in the Entrance Pavilion. Footfall area 155 m2GIA and Building Area Breakdown Schedule Playground Area Adjustment9Area in square metres of Victoria Tower Gardens as a whole that will be occupied by the intended UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, including (a) the entrance pavilion, (b) courtyard and ramp into the Learning Centre, (c) associated hard standing, (d) service access, (e) new access paths, (f) the parts of the mound not accessible to the public, and (g) areas to be enclosed to ensure the security of the Centre.1429 m2NHM Park Area Diagram rev 210Proportion of (9)7.58%NHM Park Area Diagram rev 2 Victim Support Schemes: Women Baroness Thornton: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address geographical areas where there is a shortfall in specialist community support for girls and young women, particularly those with protected characteristics, informed by age, gender, culture, and trauma of those in need. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Local authorities are supported by a range of grants from central government. The Department of Health and Social Care are investing £25 million in women’s health hubs across England, so that women can get better access to care for essential services such as menstrual problems, contraception and the menopause.The Government Equalities Office are responsible for equalities legislation, but all public authorities are bound by public sector equality duties. Ministry of Justice Prisoners: Self-harm The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty's Government what were the rates of self-harm by prisoners under Imprisonment for Public Protection in the last five years. Lord Bellamy: Please see the attached table showing the rates of self-harm by prisoners under Imprisonment for Public Protection1,2,3,4,5 for the last five years that data is available. The numbers used to derive the rates of self-harm for this PQ are published. The quarterly population figures are taken from the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly publication and then averaged across the calendar year. The self-harm incidents are taken from the annual self-harm in prison custody tables from the Safety in Custody Quarterly publication. The rates are calculated using these figures, and the methodology described in footnote 5 below.Imprisonment for public protection (IPP)20172018201920202021Self-harm incidents per 1,000 prisoners895.01129.51271.21095.51108.0 (1) Figures include incidents during contracted out escorts. Figures do not include incidents at Medway STC.(2) In prisons, as in the community, it is not possible to count self-harm incidents with absolute accuracy. In prison custody, however, such incidents are more likely to be detected and counted. Care needs to be taken when comparing figures shown here with other sources where data may be less complete.(3) A new sentence - Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) - was introduced in 2005.(4) The definition of IPP prisoners included in this analysis only includes unreleased prisoners. IPP prisoners who have been recalled to prison after a release are not included.(5) Self-harm incident rates are derived by 1,000 x (number of incidents in year)/(average population for year). Prison population figures are from the Offender Management Statistics quarterly bulletin and are averaged across the four quarterly population figures for each year.Table (xlsx, 17.4KB) Community Orders Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the use of community sentencing. Lord Bellamy: Sentencing is a matter for the independent judiciary and it is right that they have a broad range of sentencing powers, including discharges, fines, community sentences, suspended sentences and custodial sentences, to deal effectively and appropriately with offenders based on the circumstances of the case.To strengthen the option of community sentences for sentencers, this Government introduced reforms through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act 2022 to make them tougher, better monitored, and more effective for punishing offenders, tackling the underlying drivers of offending, and providing support for those who want to turn their lives around.This includes the option for tougher and more flexible use of electronically monitored curfews to better reflect the punishment intended, better support rehabilitation, and better protect victims. The Government is also piloting Problem-Solving Courts (PSC) for specific cohorts with underlying needs through robust supervision and interventions delivered by a multi-agency team with judicial oversight.Beyond the Act, we are: increasing the use of community sentence treatment requirements which require offenders to engage with mental health, drug/alcohol treatment as part of their community sentence; investing up to £120m to get more offenders engaged in treatment; completing and evaluating the Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) Pilots to continue the development of higher quality and timely PSRs to support judicial decision making; implementing our refreshed Integrated Offender Management Strategy to align police and probation in rigorous supervision of specific offenders within the community; and exploring options to increase the availability of robust residential requirements for women. Department of Health and Social Care Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation: Disclosure of Information Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the minutes of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation meeting that set out the clinical risk groups for the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Spring 2023 will be made available to the public. Lord Markham: The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which discussed which groups would be eligible for the precautionary COVID-19 booster programme of spring 2023, will be made publicly available through the GOV.UK website in due course. Coronavirus: Disease Control Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the decision by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that family members of, and carers for, people in the clinical risk groups are not recommended to receive COVID-19 booster vaccinations, what steps they are taking to protect people in clinical risk groups from contracting COVID-19. Lord Markham: As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement titled ‘Approach to Managing Covid-19’ on 30 March 2023, in 2023/24 the Government will maintain a range of capabilities to protect those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Given the continued effectiveness of vaccines and improved treatments, for most people there is a much lower risk of severe illness compared to earlier in the pandemic. We will therefore continue to encourage people to take up the vaccines to which they are entitled, and we will continue to fund and provide COVID-19 testing, to manage outbreaks in some high-risk settings and to enable access to treatments for those who are eligible. We will also maintain essential COVID-19 surveillance activities in the community, primary and secondary care, and in high-risk settings. Additionally, we will retain proportionate capability for testing in the event of a COVID-19 wave or variant that results in a significant increase in pressure on the National Health Service. Vaccination does not significantly limit transmission, so there is no strong reason to prioritise vaccination for carers of those who are at high risk of severe illness. Coronavirus: Vaccination Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what are their reasonsforimplementing restrictions on the spring 2023 COVID-19 booster programme; and what factorswere considered in determining the eligibility criteria for the booster programme. Lord Markham: As with all vaccination programmes in the United Kingdom, the decision on which groups are eligible for a particular vaccination programme is only made following careful consideration of the groups most at risk of illness, severe illness, or death because of infection. For COVID-19, the primary aim of the vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, both in hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19. Therefore, in February 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided advice for the spring 2023 COVID-19 vaccination programme. As a precautionary measure, JCVI advised a spring booster dose for the most vulnerable in the population, as a proportionate response: those over the age of 75 years, residents in a care home for older adults, and those over five years of age who are immunosuppressed. Coronavirus: Vaccination Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) evidential basis, and (2) rationale, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation used to determine that family members of, and carers for, people in the clinical risk groups identified in the Green Book are not recommended to receive COVID-19 booster vaccinations. Lord Markham: In November 2022, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided interim advice which indicated that in autumn 2023, persons at higher risk of severe COVID-19 could be offered a booster vaccine dose in preparation for winter 2023 to 2024. As it was interim advice, the JCVI report does not contain any evidential basis for proposed cohorts. Final advice on who will be advised to receive COVID-19 boosters in autumn 2023 will be provided in due course. The considerations for any future decisions will be referenced in JCVI reports and meeting minutes. In February 2023, JCVI provided advice for the spring 2023 COVID-19 vaccination programme. As a precautionary measure, JCVI advised a spring booster dose for the most vulnerable in the population, as a proportionate response: those over the age of 75 years, residents in a care home for older adults, and those over five years of age who are immunosuppressed. These groups were chosen as they continue to be at highest risk of severe COVID-19. Evusheld Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 6 March (HL5937), why the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) request for referral of 8 June is described as for “referral of Evusheld for treatment of COVID-19” but, as confirmed in a NICE freedom of information response, the request was for “referral of tixagevimab-cilgavimab for preventing COVID-19 [ID6136] on 8 June 2022”, causing delay to the possibility of a decision at a time when the preventative prophylaxis Evusheld was highly efficacious. Lord Markham: The request made by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to the Department on 8 June 2022 was for the referral of Evusheld for the treatment of COVID-19 for inclusion into its multiple technology appraisal on therapeutics for COVID-19, not Evusheld for prevention. I understand from NICE that an error was made in its response to the freedom of information request, and that a correction will be issued accordingly. I apologise that this happened. Palantir: Databases Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to NHS England’s instruction to hospitals to use Palantir’s Faster Data Flows database, whether hospitals will be required to seek patients’ consent for the sharing of their data. Lord Markham: My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has directed NHS England to undertake data collections. The directions create a legal obligation for the NHS England collection and processing and as a result consent is not required. The Faster Data Flows pilot aims to collect data already submitted via legacy collection systems with an aim to reduce data latency. The pilot will not collect any data from providers which they are not already asked to provide, as it is the collection method which is changing, not the information being collected. Ministry of Defence Defence Equipment Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government, further tothe UK's tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region described in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, whether (1) they will speed up the order for F35B fighter aircraft, (2) Crowsnest will be fully accepted into service, (3) the successor to Crowsnest will be expedited, and (4) the planned deployment of HMS Prince of Wales will be brought forward to 2024. Baroness Goldie: The Department has announced the intention to buy a further tranche of Lightning. However, details including the delivery profile remain subject to negotiation.Turning to the CROWSNEST programme, which delivers Merlin Mk2 Airborne Surveillance and Control to the Royal Navy (RN), I can confirm that the capability was accepted into service in February 2021. CROWSNEST will fulfil the RN's organic Airborne Surveillance and Control capability until its current out-of-service date in 2029, to be replaced by a follow-on capability.The Department continually assesses and reviews the effectiveness of its capabilities to inform decisions about where resources should be committed to treat the most pressing risks. The development of a successor to CROWSNEST is designed to ensure the continued delivery of Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Airborne Early Warning to the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) beyond its planned out of service date, and will be coherent with both developments in Uncrewed Air Systems, and other technologies maturing through the Future Combat Air System and the RN's Future Air Dominance System.Finally, regarding HMS PRINCE OF WALES (PWLS), the UK maintains a Very High Readiness CSG whose planned and reactive deployments can be adjusted to achieve His Majesty's Government's objectives. The department does not comment on the detail or evolution of those plans, however, I can confirm that we remain committed to ensuring PWLS commences her operational programme, as planned, in Autumn 2023. Army: Defence Equipment Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the equipment spend planned for the army over the next five years is the largest of all the services. Baroness Goldie: Equipment spend forecasts are published in the annual Defence Equipment Plan and the supplementary data tables published alongside show the planned yearly spend for each Front-Line Command. Some equipment budgets are held outside the Front-Line Commands. These include Strategic Programmes (including Complex Weapons and the Global Combat Air Programme) and the Defence Nuclear Organisation. Army Command does not have the largest spend over the next five years.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-defence-equipment-plan-2022-to-2032 Indo-pacific Region: Defence Equipment Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government what defence assets they are sending to the Indo-Pacific region aside from the aircraft carriers; and whether the two offshore patrol vesselsstationed in the region and the AUKUS agreement on nuclear submarines are part of the UK'stilt towards the Indo-Pacific region. Baroness Goldie: We will continue to utilise a variety of assets as appropriate in the Indo-Pacific, alongside other deployments, joint exercises and training programmes with partner nations to strengthen our regional defence cooperation. The forward deployment of two Offshore Patrol Vessels and the recent announcement of the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme are clear demonstrations of our increased engagement in the region. We continue to deepen and enhance our relationships in the area to place our approach to the Indo-Pacific on a long-term strategic footing. Armed Forces Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, whether the UK army, the Royal Air Force, and most of the Royal Navy will remain in Europe so that the UK’s defence and security efforts remain focused on the Euro-Atlantic through NATO. Baroness Goldie: As set out in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, the Euro-Atlantic will remain the UK's priority theatre of focus. NATO will remain the cornerstone of UK security, with the UK at the heart of the Alliance and offering the full spectrum of Defence capabilities.Any specific policy changes or updates required related to Defence capability and force design will be determined following the publication of the Defence Command Paper. Indo-pacific Region: Navy Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government whethera Royal Navy carrier battlegroup can redeploy from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific within four weeks. Baroness Goldie: It is possible to redeploy a Royal Navy Carrier Led Maritime Task Group from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific Region within four weeks. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Heating: Renewable Energy Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the percentage of non-electrical heat demand that is met by renewable technologies. Lord Callanan: There are a number of options that have the potential to play an important role in decarbonising heat alongside electrification. Increasing the proportion of green gas in the grid is a practical, established, and cost-effective way of reducing carbon emissions. The Green Gas Support Scheme supports injection of biomethane into the gas grid. The £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme in limited circumstances supports the installation of biomass boilers in domestic and small non-domestic buildings with grants up to £5,000. The Government is supporting industry to deliver a neighbourhood trial by 2024 and a village scale trial of hydrogen heating by 2025 to take decisions in 2026 on the role of hydrogen in decarbonising heating, and consulting on the case for enabling or requiring hydrogen-ready boilers and broader heating system efficiencies. Renewable Energy: Seas and Oceans Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government how many officials are engaged in work to support marine energy reaching commercialisation. Lord Callanan: There are four officials whose work is focussed on supporting marine energy commercialisation at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. They are supported by others across the Department who help deliver various renewable schemes and programmes. Wave Power Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, ofthe performance of Wave Energy Scotland; and what plans they have, if any, to replicate its model to support the development of wave energy in England. Lord Callanan: The Government has no plans to make an assessment of Wave Energy Scotland. It was established, and is fully funded, by the Scottish Government. The Government supports the development and deployment of wave energy in the UK through research funding programmes and the Contracts for Difference scheme. Renewable Energy: Innovation Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they intend toprovide to innovative renewable deployment, such as combined wind and wave offshore sites. Lord Callanan: The Government supports innovative renewable deployment through a suite of research funding programmes and the Contracts for Difference scheme. For example, research projects on combining offshore wind and wave sites can apply to UK Research and Innovation for funding. Renewable Energy: Seas and Oceans Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what funding they intend to make availablewithin the Net Zero Innovation Portfoliofor combined wind and wave energy generation. Lord Callanan: The Net Zero Innovation Portfolio is investing up to £60m to support the development of state-of-the-art technologies in the future offshore wind industry. Wave Power: Finance Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of introducing a ringfence for wave energy in future contract for difference auctions. Lord Callanan: Through the Contracts for Difference scheme the Government can ringfence budgets for technologies where costs are comparatively higher than other technologies in the same pot, but show potential to make an important contribution to decarbonisation targets. In the upcoming Allocation Round 5 auction, tidal stream and wave technologies will be part of the emerging technologies pot, which has a £35m budget. Of this total, the Government has a ring-fenced budget of £10m to support tidal stream projects. Wave technology is costlier and at precommercial stage, which is several years behind tidal stream in development, hence the Government has not set a ring-fenced budget for this technology. Home Office Vagrancy Act 1824 Baroness Adams of Craigielea: To ask His Majesty's Government what they have plans to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824; and if so, when. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Government does agree that the Vagrancy Act is antiquated and not fit for purpose, and therefore we have committed to repealing it. We made that commitment during the passage of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act. Our commitment to repealing it has always been dependent on introducing modern replacement legislation to ensure that police and other agencies continue to have the powers that they need to keep communities safe and protect vulnerable individuals.I cannot give a specific date when we will bring the legislation in. We will bring forward suitable replacement legislation in a future legislative vehicle. Police: Vetting Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduceregulations to permit police forces to dismiss officers who have failed vetting procedures. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Secretary has launched a review into the process of police officer dismissals, ensuring that the system is fair and effective at removing those officers who are not fit to serve their communities. Part 8 of the Terms of Reference sets out that this review will consider the performance system and its effectiveness with regards to dismissals, including where officers have failed to maintain their vetting status. Further details, including the full Terms of Reference, have been published on Gov.UK.The Review is expected to conclude in May. The Government is committed to making changes necessary following the conclusion of the Review, including legislative changes where appropriate. Asylum: Children Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government who has statutory responsibility for unaccompanied children seeking asylum who are in interim accommodation provided by the Home Office before they are placed under the care of a local authority. Lord Murray of Blidworth: Whilst an unaccompanied child is in interim accommodation provided by the department, the Home Office will do whatever is reasonable to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare. However, this does not impact the statutory duties owed to unaccompanied children by local authorities at this or any other time. It is for the relevant local authority to consider its duties under the Children Act 1989. The Home Office does not have, and therefore cannot discharge, duties under Part 3 of the Children Act 1989. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Wave Power: EU Grants and Loans Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that UK wave energy projects will continue to have access to EU funding through schemes such as the European Regional Development Fund and Horizon Europe. Viscount Camrose: Wave energy projects have been eligible for a suite of HMG research funding programmes. The UK welcomes the EU’s recent willingness to engage in discussions on UK association to EU programmes. HMG has acted to support UK researchers and businesses across the UK by introducing the Horizon Guarantee - now extended until end June 2023. In all circumstances, we are confident we’re going to have a compelling offer for international S&T collaboration, building on our global strengths. Cabinet Office Low Incomes Baroness Altmann: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the numbers of (1) men, and (2) women, employees who earn less than £12,570 per annum in (a) full-time, and (b) part-time roles. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the Noble Peer’s Parliamentary Question of 27 March is attached in the answer. The Baroness Altmann CBEHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW3 April 2023Dear Lady Altmann,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what is the latest estimate of the numbers of (1)men, and (2) women, employees who earn less than £12,570 per annum in (a) full-time, and (b) part-time roles (HL6837).The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) [1], carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. ASHE is based on a 1% sample of employee jobs taken from HM Revenue and Customs' Pay As You Earn (PAYE) records. Table 1 (below) shows the numbers of (1) men, and (2) women, employees who earn less than £12,570 per annum in (a) full-time, and (b) part-time roles for April 20221 (the latest period for which ASHE estimates are available). As with any survey, estimates from ASHE are subject to a margin of uncertainty.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian DiamondTable 1: Estimates of the number of employee jobs with annual earnings below £12,570, UK, 2022 [1,2,3]GroupNumber of employee jobs with annual earnings of less than £12,570 (thousands) [2,3]Total number ofemployee jobs ingroup (thousands) [2, 3]All employees3,34622,363Male90711,294Female2,43911,069Full-time30916,547Part-time3,0375,817Full-time male1349,856Full-time female1756,691Part-time male7731,439Part-time female2,2644,378Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings[1] Estimates for 2022 are provisional[2] Employees on adult rates who have been in the same job for more than a year[3] Figures for Number of Jobs are for indicative purposes only and should not be considered anaccurate estimate of employee job countsUK Statistics Authority Response (pdf, 93.8KB) Department for Culture, Media and Sport Sports Competitors: Work Permits Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Parkinson of Whitley Bay published on 28 March (HL6443), when the next review of the Governing Body Endorsement will take place; how long the review will run for; what criteria will be deployed as part of the assessment; and what consultation will take place with interested parties, and in particular Premier League clubs. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The reviews of each sport’s Governing Body Endorsement criteria are led by the Home Office. Regular reviews are a common and integral part of this work.The Government is currently carrying out a supplementary rapid review of the competitiveness of English football in attracting the best global talent while maintaining strong support to enable young domestic players to develop from the grassroots level. The scope of the review includes the Governing Body Endorsement criteria for English football. The Football Association, the Premier League, the English Football League, and the Professional Footballers’ Association have been asked for written contributions to the review. Public Sector: Voluntary Work Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote volunteering in support of public services. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: HM Government is committed to enabling people to volunteer in all manner of ways, including in support of public services. Volunteers play important roles alongside staff as magistrates, in schools, and in the NHS, for instance. Each public service area is responsible for its own volunteer management and for developing its strategic involvement of volunteers.The Government is currently taking several steps to promote volunteering in support of public services. For example, the Department for Education continues to support the recruitment of school governors. The ‘Inspiring Governance’ programme recruits volunteers from business to become school governors and to serve on the local governing bodies of academy trusts. Since the programme began in 2016, it has placed 6,782 volunteers in governance roles. The Government has also invested over £1 million to support the recruitment of magistrates from a diverse range of backgrounds. A revised recruitment process has been introduced making use of best practice to ensure that it is fairer, more inclusive, and more accessible. These changes have been supported by a new marketing campaign designed to raise the profile of the magistracy, particularly among under-represented groups of society. Croxteth Hall: Plants Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the long-term and secure future of the Roscoe Botanical Garden. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government recognises the importance of Liverpool's Botanical Collection as one of the oldest such collections in the world.The medical, scientific, educational, and horticultural importance of these rare plants is significant, as well as the benefits they can have for health and wellbeing in the local community and more widely.We support the steps that Liverpool City Council is making to secure the future of the gardens and encourage it to apply to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Olympic Games and Paralympic Games: Paris Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the British Olympic Association about the possibility of British athletes boycotting the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We are currently engaged with other countries in our ‘like-minded’ coalition regarding the International Olympic Committee’s recommendations to International Federations, published on 28 March, on neutrality conditions for Russian and Belarusian athletes.Athlete participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a matter for the British Olympic and British Paralympic Associations, which operate independently of the Government. The Government’s long-standing position is that a boycott would wrongly deny British athletes the chance to reach the pinnacle of their careers. Sports Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UN General Assembly resolution A/77/L.28that major sports events “should be organised in the spirit of peace” and that “the unifying and conciliative nature of such events should be respected”. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The UK attaches great importance to the principles of the UN Charter, including not to use force against the territorial integrity of other states. These principles must be defended. We agree on the importance of sports events for improving international relations, and have set out our position about when events are used to try to legitimise conflicts. Sports: Belarus and Russia Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of theInternational Olympic Committee’s position that (1) no international sports events should be organised or supported by an International Federation of Sport or National Olympic Committee in Russia or Belarus, (2) no flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of these countries can be displayed at any sports event or meeting, including the entire venue, and (3) no Russian and Belarussian Government or State official should be invited to or accredited for any international sports event or meeting. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Vladimir Putin should not be able to use sport to legitimise Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine. The UK has built and led the international response in this area, including convening three collective statements signed by more than 35 countries. Amongst other principles, our statements also set out that Russia and Belarus should not be permitted to host, bid for, or be awarded any international sporting events; the use of official state Russian and Belarusian flags, emblems and anthems should be prohibited; and no athletes or officials representing the Russian and Belarusian states should be allowed to participate in international sport. Tennis: Belarus and Russia Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on the possible participation of Russian and Belarussian players at the grass-court Wimbledon Championships this year; andwhat assessment has been made of the inclusion of those players at that event. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Individual, self-funded Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete in the UK, subject to following our guidance on neutrality. We therefore support the approach of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and Lawn Tennis Association on the basis of following that guidance. Department for Business and Trade Trade Agreements: India Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government whatprogress they have made in negotiating a free trade agreement with India; and when they expect an agreement to be reached. Lord Johnson of Lainston: We have been in negotiations since January 2022, and talks are ongoing. Both nations have come to the table with the very highest of ambitions and a willingness to work together towards a mutually beneficial deal. We are now working through substantive issues like goods market access, services, and investment, and are starting to see a way forward that works for both sides. However, we remain clear – the Secretary of State will only sign when we have a deal that is fair, reciprocal, and ultimately in the best interests of the British people and the economy. Treasury Duty Free Allowances: Northern Ireland Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Penn on 22 March (HL6248), what is the reason why duty-free purchases cannot be made when flying from Belfast to EU countries. Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government why citizens of Northern Ireland are not able to buy duty free products when travelling from Belfast to the EU. Baroness Penn: The government is committed to preserving frictionless movement of people and goods between Northern Ireland and Ireland, which is important to communities across Northern Ireland and would otherwise undermine the Belfast Good Friday Agreement.Enabling duty-free shopping between Ireland, which is a member of the EU, and Northern Ireland without also introducing border controls would lead to significant distortions of trade on the island of Ireland as well as a significant revenue loss for both UK and Ireland by creating a legal route for unlimited amounts of alcohol and tobacco to flow into the UK market duty-free. Child Trust Fund Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that young people do not lose track of their investments in Child Trust Funds. Baroness Penn: HMRC has worked closely with Child Trust Fund (CTF) providers, the wider industry and the Money and Pensions Service to ensure that young people are aware of, and can access, their CTFs. HMRC has:worked closely with CTF providers to ensure they are meeting regulatory requirements to communicate with CTF customers approaching and reaching maturity.developed and improved the ‘Find my CTF’ service on GOV.uk to help customers locate their account.added information to the National Insurance Notification (NINO) letter, which is sent out prior to a child’s 16th birthday, to raise awareness of the CTF scheme with children in the appropriate age bracket.required CTF providers to write to their customers informing them of their options in their 17th year and to provide statements annually after the account holder turns 18.issued a range of communications through regular press releases and social media posts Children with maturing CTFs also receive a significant amount of written information pertaining to their account directly from their account provider. The government is committed to helping people access the savings and money they are entitled to and continues to explore new routes to reunite young people with their Child Trust Funds.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2023-04-12
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2023", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Ministry of Justice Prison Sentences Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish data on (1) the number of offenders subject to indeterminate sentences for public protection who became eligible for licence review over the past year, and (2) the number of those who applied for a licence review over the same period. Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many offenders subject to indeterminate sentences for public protection will be eligible for a licence review each year for the next five years. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: We do not publish the data at the present time; however, we continue to review processes to allow the publication of more information in the future.The accumulative number of IPP offenders, who will become eligible for a licence review each year for the next five years is set out below. Table: IPP cases with at least one release by 30/09/2021 by eligibility to apply for licence termination:YearNumber of cases eligibleEnd of 2021403End of 2022850End of 20231,353End of 20241,771End of 20252,272End of 20262,829Notes:1. Number of Cases Eligible is Cumulative (i.e. cases eligible in 2021 will also be eligible in 2022 etc).2. Data is taken from administrative sources (nDelius) and subject to the inherent inaccuracy in any such large-scale data source.Statistics on the prison population are routinely published as part of the quarterly Offender Management Statistics on Gov.uk - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly Prisoners: Ethnic Groups Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Wolfson of Tredegar (HL3924) on 24 November, what plans they have, if any, to introduce an ethnic group for those in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in statistics related to people in prisons. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: There are no current plans to alter the ethnic groups for the regular quarterly published data on the prison population which formed the basis of the answer to HL3924. The broad categories included in the information released are in line with current guidance from the Race Disparity Unit of the Cabinet Office. Numbers self-designating as ‘Irish Traveller or Gypsy’ are published as part of a more detailed data set which are released annually as part of the series Offender Management Statistics Quarterly. The most recent release of this data formed part of the January to March 2021 issue, published in July 2021. Figures were included in Table A1.9ii of the Annual Prison Population: 2021 document. This showed that as of 30 June 2021 1,365 prisoners self-designated as Irish Traveller or Gypsy. This number was further broken to show that 1,337 were male and 28 were female. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Kyrgyzstan: Foreign Relations Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, for the Prime Minister to extend an invitation to the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic to mark 30 years of bilateral relations and to support a continuing commitment to democracy, sovereignty and national development in the Kyrgyz Republic. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The United Kingdom looks forward to celebrating 30 years of bilateral relations with the Kyrgyz Republic in 2022. Plans for how best to mark this important occasion are still under consideration. We continue to strongly support the democratic development of Kyrgyzstan, as the Minister for Europe and Americas reiterated when she met the outgoing Kyrgyz Ambassador, Edil Baisalov, on 2 December. Summit for Democracy The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their priorities for the Summit for Democracy in December; and who will be attending on behalf of the UK. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The PM welcomes this initiative from President Biden to help rejuvenate the world's democracies and defend them from harm. The summit, with its themes of defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights, offers an opportunity to promote the Open Societies commitments made as part of our G7 Presidency.The UK is working closely with the United States on preparations for the virtual Summit in December, including finalizing arrangements for UK attendance. The Prime Minister will lead the UK's engagement through a summit statement. As full details of the Summit emerge, we will consider further opportunities for UK engagement. Ethiopia: Christianity Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the freedom of religion for Christians in Ethiopia. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are extremely concerned by reports of widespread human rights violations and abuses in Ethiopia committed by all sides in the conflict. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Deputy Prime Minister Demeke on 5 November. Our Ambassador in Addis Ababa spoke to Prime Minister Abiy on 28 October. The Minister for Africa spoke at a Westminster Hall Debate on 3 November and highlighted the horrific scale and nature of human rights abuses against civilians as reported by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is essential that all those responsible for human rights violations and abuses be held to account. All parties must implement the report's recommendations and ensure that victims have access to support. We have stressed the need for Ethiopia to safeguard its incredible diversity of faith and identity in order to uphold freedom of religion and belief.The Foreign Secretary, our Ambassador in Addis Ababa and the Minister for Africa continue to raise human rights issues in our discussions with the Ethiopian Government and more broadly we have reminded all warring parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. The Minister for Africa raised our concerns about ethnic profiling and detentions with Ethiopian State Minister Redwan on 18 November, and made clear our concerns about hate speech in her tweet of 30 November. Our priority is to ensure that Ethiopians, irrespective of ethnicity, religion and political affiliation, receive life-saving aid and that humanitarian access to areas affected by conflict and insecurity is restored. Africa: Coronavirus Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported remarks of the co-chair of the African Union Vaccine Delivery Alliance regarding distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa; and what steps will they take to reduce the likelihood of further mutations of the virus due to a lack of vaccine availability. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We share the concerns raised by Dr Alakija, co-chair of the African Union Vaccine Delivery Alliance, on the inequity in COVID-19 vaccine coverage across Africa compared with the rest of the world. That is why under our G7 Presidency, we gained commitment from G7 Leaders to share at least 870 million surplus doses with low- and middle- income countries by 2022. This includes 100 million by the UK. As of 29 November, over 6 million UK donated doses have gone to 14 African countries. The UK has also donated £548 million to the COVAX Facility, set up to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for 92 low- and middle-income countries, 46 of which are in Africa.To reduce the likelihood of further mutations, we will continue to push for accelerated vaccine coverage through our existing support. We are also supporting work beyond vaccines to strengthen global surveillance, including through the UK Health Security Agency's New Variant Assessment Platform. This will help identify new variants of interest and support a rapid response. Department for Work and Pensions Departmental Coordination: Disability Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to publish the minutes of the most recent cross-departmental meeting of Disability Champions. Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the main objectives of the cross departmental meeting of Disability Champions. Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether attendees of the cross departmental meeting of Disability Champions need to report the number of disabled people employed in each department. Baroness Stedman-Scott: At the request of the Prime Minister, the first Ministerial Disability Champions were appointed in summer 2020 to drive the development and delivery of the National Disability Strategy (NDS).Their objectives include championing disabled people and driving the delivery of the NDS in their respective departments. All champions contributed a statement of intent, and a specific range of commitments published in the strategy. They are not required to report on the number of disabled people employed in their department. In the strategy, the Cabinet Office Disability Unit committed to publishing an annual report in summer 2022, which will detail the progress made against the commitments, including efforts to rebuild the economy and society post pandemic, and to which the Ministerial Disability Champions will have direct input. The most recent Ministerial Disability Champions meeting was on 16 November 2021 where the ministers discussed the progress of NDS commitment delivery; championing disability policies within departments; engaging with Disability and Access Ambassadors; and Disability Confident. The government does not plan to publish the minutes from champion meetings, but as with previous meetings, will update the Ministerial Disability Champions GOV.UK page with discussion highlights. Home Office Crime: Victims Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of referring to proposed Home Affairs legislation by the name of individual victims of crime; and if they have made any such assessment, whether they plan to cease this practice. Baroness Williams of Trafford: In bringing forward changes to the criminal law, it is fitting that we honour those who have campaigned for justice on behalf of a victim of crime by informally naming a new law after the victim concerned. Such colloquial naming of a new law is not used in the legislation itself. We have no plans to change this practice. Contracts: Private Sector Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government which private providers in each region of England have contracts to provide (1) accommodation, (2) welfare, or (3) financial support, for asylum seekers. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Accommodation for supported asylum seekers is arranged by private sector providers through contractual arrangements with the Home Office. AASC: Serco, provision of asylum accommodation in NW and Midlands;AASC: Mears, asylum accommodation in Scotland, NI and NEYH;AASC: Clearsprings, asylum accommodation in South and Wales;AIRE: Migrant Help, Provision of support services for asylum seekers; Details of these contracts can be found on gov.uk under 'New asylum accomodation contracts awarded'. All asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by an independent third party, Migrant Help. Prepaid Finance Services are contracted to provide Asylum Seekers with ASPEN cards. Hamas Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what new evidence they used to inform their decision to list Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government cannot comment on specific intelligence matters. It has been longstanding policy to keep the list of proscribed organisations under review. Hamas’ listing has been extended to cover the totality of the organisation, following an assessment that the distinction between the military and political wings is artificial and that Hamas is currently concerned in terrorism. Full details can be found at the Explanatory Memorandum to the Order on the legislation.gov.uk website. Cabinet Office Military Alliances: Australia and USA Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to appoint someone to report directly to the National Security Advisor (1) on military co-operation with Australia and America, and (2) to help Australia develop SSN submarines. Lord True: The National Security Adviser has appointed Whitehall leads to report to him directly on the UK’s collaboration with the US and Australia on AUKUS. The Ministry of Defence reports regularly to the National Security Adviser on the programme of work, conducted alongside US and Australian colleagues, to identify the optimum way to deliver new submarine capability to the Royal Australian Navy. Ports: Christmas Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken, together with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, to help prevent disruption at UK ports during the Christmas 2021 period. Lord Frost: The Government has engaged extensively with ports and carriers to ensure they are ready for the end of staged customs controls. We are confident that arrangements are in place to ensure the continued flow of trade over the Christmas period.​The Government has invested £470 million for new infrastructure to carry out customs and biosecurity checks, including £200 million Port Infrastructure Fund grants for ports to build infrastructure onsite and £270 million for Inland Sites. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Village Halls: Broadband Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Benson Village Hall in Wiltshire will benefit from their Project Gigabit. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We are backing Project Gigabit with £5 billion of taxpayers’ money, so that hard-to-reach communities are not left out - starting to level up now, not waiting for the end of the commercial rollout, and adding to the 600,000 rural homes and businesses already covered by gigabit connection with our support.As set out in our latest publication, ‘Project Gigabit Delivery Plan: Autumn update, Wiltshire is included in Phase 2 (Lot 30) of Project Gigabit. This project aims to give all residents and businesses in Wiltshire access to future-proofed very high speed connectivity. Procurement for Lot 30 is planned to launch between August and October 2022, before a contract commencement date of July to September 2023.In the meantime, Benson Village Hall can investigate the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS). As part of Project Gigabit, the Government is investing up to £210 million in the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) to support rural communities with the cost of installing new gigabit-capable connections.The scheme provides a micro-grant of up to £1,500 for residents and up to £3,500 for businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband. It enables households and businesses to club together to increase the total subsidy of a project to cover most or all of the costs for installation to eligible areas.I am pleased to confirm that, having checked the eligibility of Benson Village Hall in Wiltshire on the GBVS website, it appears that Benson Village Hall is likely to be eligible for the scheme. Further information on how the scheme works is available on our website. Community Centres and Village Halls: Broadband Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefit of village halls and community centres in rural areas having broadband access. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Building Digital UK (BDUK) has a growing evidence base of the importance of connectivity in rural communities delivered through BDUK programmes, including community Hubs such as village halls and community centres. For instance, our recent research on the impact of gigabit connectivity in rural schools finds there to be time saved and improved pupil experience with high-speed broadband access. BDUK anticipates the benefits to village halls and community centres to follow similar themes in a different context - for example, for local businesses and administration.Approximately 10% of public sector buildings receiving subsidised connections through our Local Full Fibre Networks Programme (LFFN) are community centres and/or village halls. BDUK has an ongoing programme of evaluating the benefits of its different broadband interventions, and initial outcomes for the LFFN programme should be available in 2023.Academics at the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) are also currently researching the benefits of digitally connected village halls and the barriers associated. Their research so far suggests that, following the pandemic, more communities would like their village halls to have an internet connection and that it can broaden the scope of activities provided by the halls. The research will be published on the NICRE website once complete.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2021-12-09
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2021", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Heathrow Airport Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of London Heathrow being the only international hub airport in the UK. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In 2012, the Government established the independent Airports Commission to examine the nature, scale and timing of any requirement for additional capacity to maintain the UK’s global hub status. The Airports Commission carried out a detailed assessment of the UK aviation market and considered that it was served by a diverse system of airports, from a global aviation hub at Heathrow through large scale point-to-point airports, such as Manchester, Birmingham and Gatwick, down to small airports primarily focusing on maintaining lifeline routes. Further assessment of the UK aviation market and its hub status was carried out by the Government as part of the development of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), which provides the primary basis for decision making on development consent applications for a Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport. The ANPS sets out the importance of Heathrow Airport’s position as one of the world’s major hub airports. Cabotage: Arts The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 18 May that "a large proportion of the UK touring industry can continue to operate" (HL Deb col 449), whether a "large proportion" means the majority. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In its recent consultation, held in February 2022, DfT sought views on possible measures, designed through close work with the specialist events haulage sector, to help this specific sector adapt to the rules under the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement. The consultation received widespread support for the proposed dual registration measure and it was announced on 6 May 2022 that we would proceed with this approach. The dual registration measure is open to all eligible specialist events haulage firms. Each operator will need to make its own business decisions on utilising the measure, based on their specific needs and resources; for some, this might include partnering with a company with a European operating base. Whether a “large proportion” or a “majority” of specialist events haulage firms utilise the measure as a means for continuing operation is a matter for individual operators. Cabotage The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 18 May that "the EU will not accept greater amounts of cabotage" (HL Deb col 447), what is the basis for those remarks. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: During negotiations on the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement, the UK requested special arrangements, including cabotage easements, for the specialist events haulage sector, which includes UK-based performing arts organisations touring in the EU, but the EU did not agree to this. Driving Licences: Kosovo Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to entering into a mutual recognition agreement with the government of Kosovo regarding driving licences; and what, if anything, is preventing the completion of such an agreement. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Holders of driving licences issued in Kosovo who become resident in or are visiting Great Britain can drive cars and motorcycles for up to one year from the date they arrive. To continue driving after this period Kosovan drivers must apply for a provisional driving licence and pass both a theory and practical driving test. The UK does exchange driving licences with certain countries but Kosovo is not currently a designated country. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has received a request from the Embassy of Kosovo to consider a possible reciprocal driving licence exchange agreement and will provide the necessary information to progress this. The recognition and designation of a country for licence exchange purposes depends on it having satisfactory arrangements in place for the issue of driving licences. This means that driving tests and licensing procedures are required to be comparable with our own here in Great Britain. Applications are subject to the assessment of testing and licensing standards, consultation, introduction of legislation and conclusion of an agreement for reciprocity. High Speed 2 Line: Pollution Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the (1) legal limits, (2) the existing levels, (3) maximum daily mean averages, and (4) maximum hourly mean levels,for (a) NO2, (b) PM10, (c) PM2.5, and (d) O3 levels,for each of the routes being taken or planned by trucks moving spoil and material to or from the HS2 Euston sites;and, in each case, what are the expected values after HS2 has stopped using rail freight for moving spoil and materials. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: No decisions have been made in relation to the removal of spoil and material from Euston by rail. Once a decision is determined, an assessment on the potential impacts (including air quality) will be undertaken. Any decision that is made will need to comply with the Environmental Minimum Requirements that apply to the HS2 scheme. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Tidal Power Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the latest case for the development of a tidal lagoon to generate energy in the UK. Lord Callanan: The Government remains open to considering well-developed proposals for harnessing the tidal range energy in the bays and estuaries around the UK’s coastlines, including barrage schemes and other alternatives. Any proposal would need to demonstrate strong evidence of value for money before the Government could take a view on its potential. Fuels: Excise Duties Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 7 April (HL7355) what steps they will take, if any, against British petrol retailers who have not passed on to consumers the entire five pence cut in fuel duty from the 23 March Spring Statement. Lord Callanan: The Government is clear that retailers should pass the 5 pence per litre cut in Fuel Duty on to consumers immediately. The CMA has been closely monitoring the situation and will continue to do so. The Government is ready to support the CMA to use their powers to act against petrol stations if there is evidence that they are infringing competition or consumer law. This could ultimately lead to fines or legally binding commitments from companies to change their behaviour. Accountancy: Standards Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 16 September 2020 (HL7849), which version of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) framework is applicable to directors preparing International Accounting Standards (IAS) accounts given that (1) the (a) EU, and (b) UK Endorsement Board, have not endorsed any framework, and (2) the EU adopted international accounting standards at the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 which are not legislation and do not include any framework. Lord Callanan: The Companies Act 2006 (the Act) requires UK-registered companies which use international accounting standards when preparing their accounts to use UK-adopted international accounting standards. UK-adopted international accounting standards are defined in Section 474 of the Act as the international accounting standards which are adopted for use within the United Kingdom by virtue of Chapter 2 or 3 of Part 2 of SI 2019/685. These are any international accounting standards endorsed by the EU as at the end of the EU Exit transition period, and any subsequent UK adoptions of international accounting standards by the Secretary of State or, following the delegation of this function, by the UK Endorsement Board. A consolidated text of UK-adopted international accounting standards can be found on the UK Endorsement Board’s website. Flexible Working Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the outcome of their consultationMaking flexible working the default, which ran from 23 September 2021 to 1 December 2021. Lord Callanan: The Government consultation on making flexible working the default received over 1,600 responses, which we are currently reviewing. We will publish the Government response in due course. Conditions of Employment Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timeframe for the introduction of a new single enforcement body for employment rights. Lord Callanan: Creating the new single enforcement body for employment rights will require primary legislation and so timing will be dependent on the legislative timetable. Attorney General Northern Ireland Protocol: Legal Opinion Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the legal opinion the Attorney General received on disapplying parts of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. Lord Stewart of Dirleton: It is a longstanding convention, accepted by governments of all parties, not to disclose outside government whether the Law Officers have given legal advice or the contents of any advice. This convention protects the Law Officers’ ability to give full and frank legal advice on some of the most contentious and difficult issues the Government will be considering. LIBOR Lord James of Blackheath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to direct the Serious Fraud Office to review its handling of the case of Tom Hayes; and, further to the judgment of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in United States V. DB Group Services (UK) Limited (and Deutsche Bank AG) which found that the rigging of Libor interest rates was not against the rules, whether they will ask the Criminal Cases Review Commission to reconsider its decision not to refer Tom Hayes’s case back to the Court of Appeal. Lord Stewart of Dirleton: The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is an operationally independent body. The Attorney General is responsible for safeguarding the independent decision making of the SFO, to maintain this independence the Attorney General cannot overturn a decision reached by the SFO in a particular case. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is an independent arm’s length body who consider cases where people believe they have been wrongly convicted or wrongly sentenced. It would be inappropriate for the Government or the SFO to ask the CCRC to reconsider any decision they have made, including in the case of Tom Hayes. LIBOR Lord Vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Stewart of Dirleton on 6 April (HL7312), what assessment they have made of the judgment of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in United States V. DB Group Services (UK) Limited (and Deutsche Bank AG) which found that the rigging of Libor interest rates was not against the rules. Lord Stewart of Dirleton: There has been no further assessment made on the judgment of the US Court of Appeal in these cases. Department of Health and Social Care Diagnosis and Prescription Drugs Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of the need for accurate diagnosis to ensure the prescribing of anti-viral drugs. Lord Kamall: A range of treatment options are available to non-hospitalised patients at higher risk from COVID-19 to reduce severe disease, hospitalisation and death. The highest risk cohort also have access to free lateral flow device testing to facilitate access to these treatments.The clinical access policy states that an individual must be in the highest risk cohort, have symptoms of COVID-19 without signs of recovery and must have a confirmed positive test result. The patient must then undergo a clinical assessment before they can be prescribed an antiviral treatment. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence: Standards Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held, if any, with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in relation to the delay in its committee meeting to discuss the use of the drug Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan) for certain patients living with triple negative secondary breast cancer. Lord Kamall: The Department and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have discussed the decision to reschedule the committee meeting for the appraisal of Trodelvy to June 2022. This was due to the large number of other items, including other cancer treatments, on the agenda for the meeting in May and ensuring all topics were given the appropriate time and diligence. The consultation for this appraisal received a high number of responses and NICE wishes to ensure sufficient time for the committee to consider this feedback. NICE expects to issue final guidance on Trodelvy in August 2022. Infectious Diseases: Screening Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance is given to hospitals on pre-operative screening for high-risk patients with high prevalence of superbugs, such asCarbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE). Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency has advised health and social care providers, including hospitals, on minimising the impact of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE). This includes recommendations for pre-operative screening and information regarding surgical prophylaxis options for high-risk patients. Patients should be considered for screening on admission if they are likely to stay in hospital overnight and if in the last 12 months, they have been previously identified as CPE positive; been an inpatient in any hospital, in the United Kingdom or abroad; had multiple hospital treatments; had known epidemiological link to a known carrier of CPE; and they are being admitted into augmented care or high-risk units. Coronavirus: Screening Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of eligiblepatients have received doses of COVID-19 antiviral therapies within the five day guidelines set out by Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Lord Kamall: Clinical access policies specify that the oral antiviral treatments molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir+ritonavir must be administered within five days of the patient starting to experience symptoms. Over 95% of eligible non-hospitalised patients who have received an antiviral treatment to date were treated within five days from the onset of symptoms. However, the antiviral infusion remdesivir is suitable to be administered within seven days of the patient becoming symptomatic. Evusheld Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care on 20 April (151279), what the in vitro data has shown about Evusheld’s efficacy against Omicron sub-lineage BA.2 VOC-22JAN-01. Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency is continuing further testing on the treatment’s effectiveness against the Omicron variants, including BA.1 and BA.2. The timing of these results is dependent on identification of new variants of concern and technical scientific assays. Evusheld Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have notrecognised the laboratory assay tests conducted in (1) the US, and (2) the EU, on Evusheld against Omicron subvariants. Lord Kamall: We understand that the United States of America has increased the suggested dose of Evusheld, in line with in vitro results showing that Evusheld has reduced efficacy against some Omicron subvariants. The Food and Drug Administration’s in vitro data was pseudovirus data, whereas the tests being conducted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are based on live virus data. The European Medicines Agency has acknowledged the possibility that Evusheld has reduced efficacy against Omicron subvariants, based on laboratory studies. The data generated by the UKHSA will enhance our understanding of the effectiveness of Evusheld's neutralisation of Omicron subvariants, including BA.2. Infectious Diseases: Screening Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance is given to hospitals on screening for the diagnosis of superbug bacterial infections. Lord Kamall: Guidance on screening for the diagnosis of bacterial infections is organism or resistance specific. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recommends the active patient admission screening of risk groups to minimise the impact of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE). Patients should be strongly considered for screening on admission if they are likely to stay in hospital overnight and if in the last 12 months, they have been previously identified as CPE positive; been an inpatient in any hospital in the United Kingdom or abroad; had multiple hospital treatments; had a known epidemiological link to a known carrier of CPE; and they are admitted into augmented care or high-risk units.The UKHSA also recommends screening for candida auris in hospital units which have ongoing cases and/or colonisations, or identification of a new infected or colonised patient. The UKHSA’s antimicrobial resistance and healthcare associated infections reference unit supports the diagnosis of bacterial infections, including carbapenem-resistant bacteria, Staphylococcus and Acinetobacter species and Neisseria gonorroheae. The unit also provides information and advice on infection prevention and control issues. Immunosuppression: Coronavirus Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide antibody testing for severely immunocompromised patients to assess their levels of antibodies in response to COVID-19 vaccines. Lord Kamall: There are currently no plans to implement targeted antibody testing for immunocompromised patients. However, National Health Service clinicians can arrange antibody testing for patients based on the assessment of clinical need. Schools: Coronavirus Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer fromBaroness Barran on 25 April (HL7840), what advice the UK Health Security Agency has given to education providers on managing the disposal of surplus COVID-19 test kits. Lord Kamall: In April 2022, advice was issued to education providers that test kits which have expired should be disposed of in line with the requirements of the waste duty of care regulations. If more than one carton of lateral flow device test kits requires disposal, a waste contractor must be informed.Kits within three months’ expiry and less than four cartons in pristine condition should be retained. We are currently undertaking a pilot exercise with 51 schools to collect excess stock, with the hope of deploying a wider returns exercise. Coronavirus: Screening Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have made towards developing (1) rapid, and (2) accurate, PCR testing infrastructure to control infections and protect patients in (a) NHS, and (b) private hospitals. Lord Kamall: In National Health Service hospitals, rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is in place to support the urgent testing of patients. Free symptomatic testing continues to be provided for patients in hospital for whom a test is required for clinical management or to support treatment pathways; individuals who live or work in high-risk closed settings in patient facing roles where infection needs to be identified quickly to minimise outbreaks; and individuals whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 who are eligible for anti-viral medication or other treatments. People in this group will be contacted directly and automatically receive tests for use should they have COVID-19 symptoms.Hospitals also use rapid lateral flow device testing where appropriate, which can be used in emergency departments as part of the early decision assist test pathway. The UKHSA does not provide PCR testing to private hospitals as part of the testing regime. Infectious Diseases: Diagnosis Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to re-evaluate the Coronavirus Test Device Approvals process in relation to future pandemics; and whether the approval process for new diagnostic tests for other infectious diseases will remain under the authority of the UK Health Security Agency. Lord Kamall: The Coronavirus Test Device Approvals (CTDA) process is designed to evaluate mature COVID-19 testing technologies and the scope of the policy is kept under review. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has consulted with industry and the public on the expansion of the CTDA process and is currently analysing the responses received. The UKHSA is considering its regulatory role in relation to testing for other infectious diseases and we have committed to reviewing the CTDA process by the end of 2022. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatwork they are currently undertaking, if any, to identify topics which require modular updates by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and which may be facilitated for entry to managed access. Lord Kamall: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) outline for future modular updates was published in the January 2022 board paper Review of methods, processes and topic selection for health technology evaluation programmes: conclusions and final update. The paper states that NICE has identified potential topics for future modular reviews, including processes to facilitate rapid entry to managed access, methods issues for digital, genomic and antimicrobial technologies and the societal value of health benefits in severe diseases and health inequalities. A copy of the paper is attached. During the implementation of NICE’s strategy 2021 to 2026, it will prioritise developing a proportionate approach to health technology appraisals and MedTech early value assessment in the next 12 months.NICE (docx, 139.9KB) Immunosuppression: Coronavirus Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what number of immunocompromised individuals who have received antiviral treatment in England in response to COVID-19 have subsequently been (1) hospitalised, and (2) died, due to COVID-19. Lord Kamall: This information is not held centrally in the format requested. Evusheld Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care on 20 April (151279), on what date theUK Health Security Agency began further testing on Evusheld’s effectiveness against the Omicron variant. Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency began testing during March 2022. Department for Education Apprentices: Taxation Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to require that companies spend over half of their apprenticeship levy on youngpeople. Baroness Barran: It is important that employers have access to training to meet their skills needs and the apprenticeships programme is delivering that. Requiring employers to spend half of their levy funds on young people would restrict employer choice and may reduce opportunities for older workers who may want to re-train, up-skill or re-enter the workforce. Employers are best placed to determine the apprenticeships they need; the government, therefore, have no plans to restrict apprenticeship funding in this way.The government want more young people to benefit from the high-quality training and opportunities for progression that apprenticeships bring and have a range of work underway to ensure that young people can access apprenticeships more easily. This includes working on new ways to connect young people in schools and colleges with employers and providers much earlier in their final academic year when they are considering their options and working with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to identify and promote standards most suitable for those starting their careers. We are also working with employers and providers to highlight the benefits of hiring young apprentices and increase their use of our free recruitment tools so that vacancies are accessible through our Find an Apprenticeship service.The government also continues to offer £1,000 payments to employers when they hire apprentices aged 16 to 18, or those aged 19 to 24 who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan. Overseas Students: Ukraine Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Ukrainian students have been offered at a place at a UK university; and what are those universities. Baroness Barran: Latest statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show there were 870 students from Ukraine studying at UK higher education (HE) providers in the academic year 2020/21. Further information on where they were studying can be found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-59.Following Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, we have seen an extremely positive response from the HE sector in their offer of support to future cohorts of Ukrainian students and I am confident the sector will do their upmost to support Ukrainians wishing to access HE.To support those who are granted leave under the Home for Ukraine Scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme or the Ukraine Extension scheme, introduced by the Home Office, we have extended access to HE student support, home fee status, tuition fee caps, Advanced learner loans and FE19+ funding. This ensures Ukrainians who have been affected by the war in Ukraine can access support on the same basis as those within other protection-based categories (such as refugees).Further information regarding the admissions of Ukrainian students entering UK HE in 2022 will be available through UCAS acceptances data at the end of the year. Schools: Biometrics Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyfull-time equivalent staff at the Department of Education have responsibility for biometric technology use in schools; and what are the job titles of each post. Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatpolicy guidance they have sent to schools in the last five years on the use of biometric technology in schools; and on what dates each set of guidance was issued. Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatmeetings they have had with private companies to discuss the use of biometric technologies in schools in the last five years; and in each case, which companies they met with and on what dates. Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manymeetings they have had with the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner in the last three years on the issue of the use of biometric technologies in schools. Baroness Barran: The decision to use biometric technology rests entirely with individual schools and colleges. Schools and colleges are legally responsible, as per the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Protection of Freedoms Act and Data Protection Act for any data they gather and use.However, in the department there is a team of three officials who work on a range of policy areas relating to health and safety in schools. They also have, as part of their work, responsibility for the provision of guidance for schools and colleges linked to these areas. This includes, amongst others, the non-statutory ‘protection of biometric information of children in schools and colleges’ guidance, which is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/692116/Protection_of_Biometric_Information.pdf.The department published the current version of this guidance to support schools and colleges in 2018. It replaced the ‘protection of children’s biometric information in schools’ guidance from 2012. The department has also publicly committed to updating the 2018 version of the guidance to reflect changes in legislation, replacing the Data Protection Act 1998 with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.The department has not had any meetings with private companies to discuss the use of biometric technologies in schools in the last five years. This is because schools and colleges have the autonomy to choose whether to use biometric technology and, if so, to select the most appropriate provider. However, the department does work closely with others from across government, including the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Home Office and the Information Commissioner’s Office on this issue.Whilst the office of the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner has no statutory regulatory function in the oversight of automated biometric technology used in schools, the department has met with the Commissioner’s Office officials recently to explain the purpose of the department’s guidance and will continue to engage with them as appropriate going forward. Special Educational Needs Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children with special educational needs and disabilities do not have a place in an educational setting. Baroness Barran: The information requested is not held for all children with special educational needs and disabilities. However, the department holds data from local authorities on the number of children and young persons with education, health and care (EHC) plans “awaiting provision”, available in the publication ‘Education, health and care plans’ at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2022.The “awaiting provision” category covers children and young people in a wide range of circumstances who are awaiting the provision specified on their EHC plan. This includes, for example, some who are in an education setting but are awaiting provision in another setting, including those currently attending a mainstream school who are to move to a special school, and some who have only recently moved into the area.The last published figure in May 2022 for the number of children of compulsory school age who have an EHC plan and were not in education on the census date is 1,503, which represents 0.3% of all EHC plans. The equivalent figures for other age groups are also in the published data. Ministry of Justice HM Courts and Tribunals Service: ICT Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the HM Courts &Tribunals Service Common Platform roll-out on (1) the delivery of justice, and (2) staff morale. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: We have rolled out Common Platform to 112 criminal courts in England and Wales. It has already improved the format and timeliness of outcomes of hearings generated and shared with our criminal justice partner agencies and removed the need for staff to rekey information across different IT systems. In the Magistrates’ court, information about cases is now in a single place enabling collaborative working, updating information in real time, and creating efficiencies. The additional functionality currently being developed will bring more efficiencies and we will continue to monitor the impact of these on the delivery of justice.We have designed the Common Platform in partnership with our key stakeholders and continue to release further improvements and functionality. When new functionality is implemented, we gather feedback from users to identify and prioritise improvements.We support our workforce through the implementation of Common Platform and their health, safety and wellbeing is taken extremely seriously. At an organisational level, we have carried out a Change Impact Assessment, Public Sector Equality Analysis and a Workforce Equality Analysis, which remain under regular review. Alongside that, the Civil Service People Survey provides a real understanding of how HMCTS is managing change. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Hong Kong: Human Rights Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the arrest by Hong Kong’s national security police of Margaret Ng and Cardinal Joseph Zen, along with three other trustees of the Hong Kong Humanitarian Relief Fund. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Hong Kong authorities' decision to target leading pro-democracy figures including Cardinal Zen, Margaret Ng, Hui-Po-Keung and Denise Ho under the National Security Law is unacceptable.The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty between the UK and China, and under this China committed to uphold Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and protect the rights and freedoms of its people. This explicitly includes freedom of expression, which is fundamental to Hong Kong's way of life.We continue to make clear to mainland Chinese and Hong Kong authorities our strong opposition to the National Security Law, which is being used to curtail freedoms, punish dissent and shrink the space for opposition, free press and civil society. Yemen: Peace Negotiations Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support negotiations to extend the truce in Yemen before it expires, to release relief supplies. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK welcomes the two-month truce in Yemen, brokered by the UN on 1 April and the creation of a Presidential Leadership Council on 6 April. After over seven long years of conflict, a negotiated political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the humanitarian suffering. The UK will continue to use its diplomatic relations and role as penholder on Yemen in the UN Security Council to support efforts towards political dialogue and peace. The UK continues to encourage the conflict parties to engage constructively with UN-led peace efforts. As part of the truce agreement, there has been an increase in the number of fuel ships entering Yemeni ports, bringing much needed relief to the Yemeni population. Ukraine: Armed Conflict Lord Selkirk of Douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware of any evidence that Ukraine was threatening to attack Russia prior to that country’s invasion of Ukraine. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have seen no credible indication that Ukraine posed a threat to Russia prior to the invasion. Any suggestions by Russia to the contrary are a blatant attempt to justify its unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric invasion of a sovereign democratic state. Indeed, it has been Russia that has continually threatened and violated Ukraine's sovereignty since 2014, including by illegally annexing Crimea, pursuing destabilising activity in eastern Ukraine, and building up over 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border throughout the last year ahead of its illegal invasion. Ukraine: Armed Conflict Lord Selkirk of Douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the indiscriminate bombing of (1) hospitals, and (2) schools, in Ukraine by Russia. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Russia's assault on Ukraine is a premeditated and barbaric invasion of a sovereign democratic state. Russian attacks have killed large numbers of innocent people and caused large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure, amounting to war crimes. Those attacks include the well-documented bombing of schools and hospitals, such as the horrific attack on a school in Bilohorivka. Atrocities such as these, as well as horrific mass graves near Kyiv and reports of illegal abductions and deportations, show the world the true nature of Putin's illegal war in Ukraine. Those responsible must be held to account.In response to attacks against hospitals, the UK has delivered over 5 million medical items. We will provide up to 20 NHS ambulances and are funding the purchase of new ambulances up to £7 million. Frontline medical aid charity, UK-Med, will also receive funding of up to £300,000 to help train Ukrainian doctors, nurses and paramedics on how to deal with mass casualties. Ukraine: Nazism Lord Selkirk of Douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of (1) the remarks by President Putin on the alleged recent spread of Nazism in Ukraine, and (2) of theaccuracy of any evidence on which those remarks were based. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: President Putin's claims of Nazi influence in Ukraine have no basis in reality and are a transparent attempt at disinformation to justify his illegal war. Since the invasion began, Russia has used information operations to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty, create false pretexts, obscure the truth, and hide war crimes.Ukraine has a vibrant democracy. In 2019, Ukrainians voted in record numbers to elect a Jewish President and in Ukrainian Parliamentary elections the same year, a coalition of extreme-right parties achieved just 2% of the vote. Ukraine: Armed Conflict Lord Selkirk of Douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatrepresentations they have made, if any, to the government of Russia regarding that country’s (1) invasion of, and (2) indiscriminate bombing of civilians in, Ukraine; and whether such representations included discussions of restitution by the government of Russia towards the (a) families, and (b) communities, of those who were injured or killed. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary summoned the Russian Ambassador on 24 February to protest against the Russian invasion and demand that Russia fulfil its obligations under International Humanitarian Law. The Minister for Europe and North America spoke with his Russian counterpart on 25 February, where he condemned Russia's unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine and stressed the invasion is an appalling violation of the UN Charter. The Ministry of Defence summoned the Russian Defence Attaché on 24 February and 21 March and protested in the strongest terms against the persistent and unjustified acts of violence being committed against innocent civilians by Russian forces. Restitution was not discussed in these meetings.The UK has worked with partners to refer the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court, to establish a Commission of Inquiry through the UN Human Rights Council and, with the support of Ukraine, to establish an OSCE Mission of Experts under the Moscow Mechanism. Ministry of Defence Defence: Expenditure Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to reviewingdefence spending since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Baroness Goldie: As the Secretary of State for Defence has made clear, Defence spending and our capabilities will be based on the threat picture and to that end we are constantly evaluating our priorities.Following SR20, Defence spending increased by over £24 billion over the next four years up to 2025: the biggest investment in the UK's Armed Forces since the end of the Cold War.This commitment cements our position as the second largest Defence spender in NATO, clearly exceeding the 2% of GDP target. Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent progress they have made in deliveringactions set out in their policy paper Global Britain in a Competitive Age: Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, published on 16 March 2021 and updated on 2 July 2021. Baroness Goldie: The Integrated Review (IR) sets out the vision for a Global Britain in a more competitive age, by integrating foreign, security, defence and development policies. It addressed the unprecedented challenges and geopolitical shifts posed by a deteriorating global security environment.We believe the Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper hold true, but we are continuing to monitor the situation in Ukraine to ensure our strategic approach remains threat-led and in line with the agile planning and delivery mechanisms developed following the Integrated Review. We will continue to review our capabilities and readiness levels accordingly.Recent examples of progress delivering on the IR's objectives can be seen respectively through:(i) Defence's commitment of least £6.6 billion for next generation capabilities and research, especially cyber and space, with investment currently forecasted to surpass this target;(ii) CSG21's deployment in the Indo-Pacific and the permanent deployment of HMS Tamar and HMS Spey to the Western Pacific, an example of a multilateral deployment of cutting-edge military capabilities focused on developing global partnerships and strengthening existing alliances;(iii) our response to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, which has shown the UK at its best, united with our allies to deter Russian aggression on NATO's eastern flank;(iv) from a peak of 5,000 personnel in March 2021 in support of the COVID response, Defence's continued provision of personnel and support across the UK and in support of the Devolved Administrations to manage the pressure on their health services. Ukraine: Military Aid Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist NATO allies in providing military assistance to Ukraine. Baroness Goldie: The UK is at the forefront of the international effort in support of Ukraine and was instrumental in the convening of two International Defence Donor Conferences for Ukraine, which included representation from the EU and NATO. Alongside partner nations, the UK established an International Donor Coordination Centre in Stuttgart in February. This plays a leading role in the international community that ensures the military aid to Ukraine is as coordinated and effective as possible. The UK will continue to give military support and is conducting logistics operations to support the delivery of donations from partner nations. Department for Work and Pensions Cape Industries: Asbestos Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to persuade Cape Industries Ltd to contribute to the funding of research on asbestos-related diseases. Baroness Stedman-Scott: No steps have been taken: whether to contribute to the funding of research on asbestos-related diseases would be a matter for Cape Industries Ltd. Pesticides: Safety Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the latest findings by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) regarding the presence of rodenticide in barn owls; and what plans they have, if any, to prohibit the purchase and use of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) by non-professional users who are not formally trained in their use. Baroness Stedman-Scott: Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs) were developed to address public health and other concerns arising from increasing resistance among rats and mice to the longstanding use of existing rodenticides. The approval for these substances was renewed under EU Biocidal Products Regulations (EU BPR) in 2016, and are now regulated under corresponding regulations, the Great Britain Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR). During the product authorisation process, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducts rigorous evaluations for safety and efficacy using scientific data, with restrictions placed on authorisations as appropriate. A stewardship regime is in place in the UK for professional use of SGARs. A cornerstone of the stewardship scheme is the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) Code of Best Practice, which sets out guidance on the safe use of rodenticides. It is a legal requirement to comply with this code. The scheme also supports the monitoring of exposure of barn owls and red kites to SGARs (as a sentinel species) led by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH). Alongside the stewardship scheme, restrictions are placed on non-professional (“amateur”) use of rodenticides to further limit the risks to non-target animals and birds. Rodenticide use by amateur users is restricted to use in and around buildings, with the majority of amateur use restricted to indoor use only. The stewardship scheme is overseen by a Government Oversight Group (GOG) led by HSE with representatives of other government stakeholders. This year the GOG is conducting a review of the stewardship scheme, including the restrictions placed on amateur use, after five years of operation. HSE is aware of the key findings of the latest report from the CEH, and these will be taken into account as part of the ongoing review, the results of which will be published in due course. Universal Credit Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the value of Universal Credit payments as a percentage of average earnings, for each year since its inception. Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made of the real value of Universal Credit since (1) May 2010, (2) May 2015, (3)June 2017, and (4) December 2019. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department for Work and Pensions publishes annual Abstract of DWP benefit rates statistics. The purpose of the publication and data tables is to provide a reference source for people who are interested in benefit uprating and the value of benefits compared to prices and earnings. The publication and supporting data tables are attached and can also be accessed via the gov.uk website.Data Tables (xlsx, 349.2KB) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs UK Trade with EU: Agricultural Products Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce checks on EU agri-food products imported to the UK. Lord Benyon: Biosecurity remains a top priority for the Government, not only to protect consumers, but also to ensure that trading partners and industry have strong assurance of the UK’s standards of food safety, animal and plant health. Since 1 January 2021, the UK has put in place strict biosecurity controls on the highest risk imports of animals, animal products, plants and plant products from the EU. These controls on the highest risk goods will remain in place. We constantly review whether further safeguards are needed and have a scientific process to assess and respond to changing biosecurity threats. Existing pre-notification requirements and the four-hour derogation for pre-notification will continue for all products of animal origin. Traders must continue to pre-notify to maintain traceability of imports and to allow UK authorities to collect essential data to inform design decisions. Traceability is vital for identifying consignments posing potential risk and allows us properly to manage any biosecurity incidents. Pigs: Livestock Industry Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current state of the livestock industry, and in particular the pig sector. Lord Benyon: The supply chain inflation seen in the livestock sector in recent months, driven significantly by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the consequential increase in costs for feed, fuel and fertilisers, has created challenges across this sector and the wider food and farming industry. We have recognised that increasing input costs, particularly fertiliser, feed, fuel and energy, are creating short term pressures on cash flow. On 6 May, we announced that we are to bring forward half of this year’s BPS payment as an advance injection of cash to farm businesses to help provide confidence. This builds on measures we recently announced to assist farmers with the availability of fertilisers for the coming growing season to help address uncertainty among growers and keep costs down for farmers. These include delays to changes to the use of urea; revised and improved statutory guidance on the use of slurry; and the publication of further details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive. The Government has announced that it will pay farmers to help with the costs of sowing nitrogen fixing plants and green manures to reduce dependence on manufactured fertilisers, and that farmers will be further supported through new slurry storage grants. We are working closely with the industry to identify where further mitigations are available to tackle the challenges they face. We continue to keep the market situation under review through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group, which monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade and recent developments. We have also increased our engagement with industry to supplement our analysis with real time intelligence. The pig industry has faced several additional challenges in recent months. We provided a package of measures to help address these including temporary work visas for pork butchers, and Private Storage Aid and Slaughter Incentive Payment schemes to facilitate an increase in the throughput of pigs through abattoirs. We are launching a UK-wide review of supply chain fairness in the pig sector. We will be engaging with industry on this with a consultation expected later this year. We want to hear from industry about improvements to fairness and transparency that could be made to ensure a profitable and productive future. Although we have recently seen an increase in deadweight pig prices, we will continue to work with the industry to support them at this very challenging time. Agricultural Products: Exports The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the National Farmers Union Growing our agri-food exports to 2030 and beyond, published on 27 April, what plans they have to match Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board levy contribution funding to help grow British agricultural exports. Lord Benyon: We welcome the National Farmers Union (NFU) report on growing exports over the next few years and we look forward to working with NFU to grow exports. We always champion our hardworking farmers and growers and look for ways to unlock opportunities for the sector’s growth. The recently launched Farming Investment Fund supports the creation of on-farm reservoirs and irrigation infrastructure directly supporting growers in producing a variety of crops. The promotion of food exports and the opening up of new markets round the world is a key part of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s (AHDB) activities. AHDB works closely with the Government on this work and although there are no plans for the Government to match the levy contribution, the Government continues to invest in building UK export capability, including the expansion of the agri-food and drink attaché network and formation of the Export Council. In addition, the Government has invested in a range of schemes to help the sector grow their exports such as the Department for International Trade’s Export Academy, the Internationalisation Fund, support from our vast overseas network, UK Export Finance, an international events programme, online services, Export Champions and the Export Support Service. Agricultural Products: Exports The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the National Farmers Union Growing our agri-food exports to 2030 and beyond, published on 27 April, what plans they have (1) to expand the GREAT campaign in relation to agricultural products, and (2) to make the campaign more accessible to potential users in the agricultural sector. Lord Benyon: The GREAT Food and Drink campaign supports food and drink exports via marketing and promotional activity targeted to consumers and trade audiences in four key priority markets: China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. It promotes the breadth, quality and innovation of the UK’s food and drink production and champions our unique culinary offer to help shift perceptions and support exports. Meat and dairy continue to be central to the GREAT campaign’s food and drink promotion in international markets. The campaign works with meat and dairy producers across the UK and will continue to ensure that the best of UK food and drink features prominently in international promotion, working closely with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. The Government continues to invest in building UK export capability, including the expansion of the agri-food and drink attaché network and formation of the Export Council. In addition, the Government has invested in a range of schemes to help the sector grow their exports such as the Department for International Trade’s Export Academy, the Internationalisation Fund, support from our vast overseas network, UK Export Finance, an international events programme, online services, Export Champions and the Export Support Service. Peat Bogs: Conservation Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made protecting peatlands in England; and what discussions they have had with the devolved nations and regions about this issue. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In the Net Zero Strategy, we committed to aim to restore approximately 280,000 ha of peatland in England by 2050, with the Nature for Climate Fund providing funding for the restoration of approximately 35,000ha of peatland by 2025. In the England Peat Action Plan, published last year, we set out the steps we will take to protect and restore our peatland.In 2021, Defra established the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force to explore ways of preserving the carbon stored in our lowland farmed peatlands, both to reduce emissions and to safeguard productive agriculture, and we look forward to receiving its recommendations later this summer.The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 prohibits burning on deep peat in protected sites without a licence and the accompanying guidance sets out the very limited circumstances where burning will be seen as a permissible activity conducted in the right place for the right reasons. We are continuing to engage with stakeholders to encourage sustainable land management practices that reflect our ambitions to restore and protect our peatlands.Through the England Peat Action Plan, we are encouraging landowners and land managers to adopt or create good quality wildfire management plans and use sustainable land management practices to reduce fuel loads - making the land more resilient to and mitigating the risk of wildfire. Last April we supported the development of a new training program, to consolidate knowledge, skills and understanding of vegetation fires including wildfire incidents. Defra has committed further funding for the next three years and we continue to share learning and good practice with the devolved administrations.We have consulted on measures to end the use of peat and peat containing products in horticulture, including a ban on the sale of peat in the retail sector by the end of this Parliament. We continue to engage with the industry on making the transition to peat-free alternatives as seamless as possible and will publish our formal response to the consultation in due course. Home Office Hate Crime: Criminal Records Lord Strathcarron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to delete records for those accused of non-crime hate incidents. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government recognises the concern surrounding the recording of non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs). We also note the Court of Appeal judgment in the Harry Miller v College of Policing case that was handed down on 20 December 2021. The Court found that the recording of NCHIs is lawful provided that there are robust safeguards in place so that the interference with freedom of expression is proportionate.Accordingly, the Government included provisions in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill - which received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022 - to ensure that the recording of NCHIs is governed by a Code of Practice that is subject to Parliamentary approval.The content of the Code will be drafted in due course, and will make the processes surrounding the recording of NCHI data more transparent and subject to stronger safeguards, including on retention. In the short term, we have no plans to ask police forces to review or delete existing personal NCHI data that they may have on record. To do so would be a disproportionately costly, time consuming and resource-intensive process that is not warranted at this stage.The College of Policing is also reflecting on the Court of Appeal’s judgment carefully and make any changes that are necessary to its existing guidance which will remain in force in the interim period before the new Code enters into effect. Asylum: Detainees Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensurethat individual asylum seekers are not detained if there is no evidence that the individual presents a reasonable suspicion of danger to national security. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office does not detain anyone in temporary asylum accommodation. Our accommodation providers do not have enforcement powers and those we are accommodating are free to come and go as they please. However,detention is an essential part of effective immigration control and is used to ensure that those with no right to remain in the UK are returned to their home country if they will not leave voluntarily. Migrants, including asylum claimants, may be detained for immigration purposes only in accordance with Home Office policy, as set out in the Detention General Guidance and the Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention policy. The published detention policy makes it clear that detention must only be used when necessary, and for the shortest possible period. There is a presumption in favour of liberty for any person. We only detain people where removal is a realistic prospect within a reasonable timeframe, or initially to establish their identity or basis of claim. This is set out in both legislation and domestic caselaw and we are held to account on this by the courts, and by a series of safeguards that ensure proper scrutiny of decisions to detain, and on-going detention. Due to the complex range of factors involved, the suitability of detention must be appraised on a case by case basis. Once a person is in detention, regular reviews are undertaken to ensure that their detention remains lawful, appropriate, and proportionate. All asylum claims are considered as quickly as possible and enforcement action is taken once any claims have been considered and refused, and once any appeal rights have been exhausted. Asylum: Costs Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is theaverage cost of (1) detaining an asylum seeker in custody, and (2) providing them with social housing in the community. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office does not detain anyone in temporary asylum accommodation. Our accommodation providers do not have enforcement powers and those we are accommodating are free to come and go as they please. Information on the average cost per night to hold an individual in immigration detention can be found at Migration transparency data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). As at Quarter 4 2021, the average cost per night to hold an individual in immigration detention was £101.61. The total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accounts(opens in a new tab). We do not publish a breakdown of costs of our accommodation & support contracts by location or property type as such detail is considered commercially sensitive. Asylum: Families Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) advice, and (2) training, they give topublic servants dealing with asylum seekers who have family living in the UK. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Public servants, including asylum decision making staff, give careful consideration of the protection needs by assessing all the evidence provided by the claimant. All case working staff receive extensive training on considering asylum claims through our foundation training programme and must follow published Home Office policy guidance when making decisions. The training and guidance cover topics on dependents applying for asylum, child dependents and family asylum claims including those for family and private life. In addition, an information leaflet is issued to asylum claimants at the point of claim which outlines the asylum process and the claimant’s responsibilities within that process. This information leaflet is periodically reviewed. Cabinet Office Ministers: Codes of Practice Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherMinisters who are convicted of criminal offences are in breach of the Ministerial Code. Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Ministerswho are convicted of criminal offences may continue in office; and whether they have any plans to amend the Ministerial Code concerning rules for any Ministers convicted of criminal offences. Lord True: The Ministerial Code sets out the principles and standards of behaviour expected of all those who serve in Government. Principles Ministers of the Crown are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety. Section 1.3 of the Ministerial Code notes the “overarching duty on Ministers to comply with the law”; Section 1.6 sets out that Ministers are personally responsible for deciding how to act and conduct themselves in the light of the Code, and for justifying their actions and conduct to Parliament and the public. Ministers only remain in office for so long as they retain the confidence of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a Minister and the appropriate consequences of a breach of those standards. In turn, the Prime Minister is accountable to Parliament and the public as leader of Her Majesty’s Government, including, ultimately, at the ballot box. It should be noted that paying a fixed penalty notice is not a criminal conviction. Past precedent The noble peer may be aware of previous occasions when reports show that Ministers were found to have breached the law but remained in Ministerial office. For example: In September 2009, the Attorney General was given a £5,000 civil penalty, for employing an illegal immigrant under a law she had previously helped introduce as a Home Office Minister. The then Prime Minister concluded that no further action was necessary, was satisfied that the Minister did not "knowingly" break the law, and noted her full apology. [1] In 2003, the then Solicitor General was banned by the courts from driving for seven days and fined £400 for speeding; the same Minister (then Leader of the Commons) was fined £60 and three points for speeding September 2007; and in January 2010, fined £350 and three points for driving without due care and attention. [2] In 2007, a Home Office Minister was fined £100 and given three points for using his mobile phone whilst driving, admitting he was taking a phone call on government matters. [3] Proportionality of sanctions Action in response to proven breaches of the Ministerial Code should be proportionate. In April 2021, the Committee on Standards in Public Life recommended: “We recommend that the Prime Minister should retain the right to decide on any sanction following a breach of the Code. The current expectation that any breach of the Ministerial Code should lead to resignation is disproportionate. We recommend that there should be a proportionate range of sanctions where the Code has been breached, and will provide further detail on this matter in our final report. Resignation should be retained as an available sanction where a serious breach has occurred.” The Prime Minister accepted this recommendation in April 2021. The Committee again added in November 2021: "No other area of public life has such a binary system of sanctions, and in both Parliament and the Civil Service there are a range of sanctions available according to the seriousness of the offence. There is no reason why this should not be the case for ministers… The Ministerial Code should detail a range of sanctions the Prime Minister may issue, including, but not limited to, apologies, fines and asking for a minister’s resignation." The Government concurs with this approach. 1) The Guardian, 22 September 20092) The Guardian, 8 January 20103) BBC News, 2 November 2007 Privy Council Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord President of the Council on 26 June 2018 (156454), why the whole of the Privy Council will no longer be invited to attend the next meeting of the Accession Council; and when was the last time that the attendance of Privy Councillors at the Accession Council was limited. Lord True: Revised arrangements for an Accession Council on the Demise of the Crown have been put in place following a routine review of operational delivery arrangements. The updated arrangements are an equitable and proportionate response to three key challenges identified during the review: First, the number of Privy Counsellors potentially eligible to attend an Accession Council has increased exponentially since 1952. Secondly, whilst it has long been agreed that St. James’s Palace is the most appropriate setting for the Accession Council, the historic nature of St. James’s Palace presents a number of significant challenges in terms of capacity, accessibility and crowd flow. Thirdly, the pace at which an Accession Council must take place means that very limited additional infrastructure and provision can be put in place to support dignified delivery of such an important occasion.Attendance arrangements for previous Accession Councils has varied and - like current planning - took into account contemporary operational challenges. There is no constitutional understanding that all Privy Counsellors must be summonsed to an Accession Council. Government Departments: CCTV and Procurement Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Cabinet Office will offer written guidance on the use of Chinese-made cameras in government departments; and whether they intend to include provisions in the Procurement Bill to prevent the purchase of (1) equipment, or (2) commodities, linked to states accused of (a) genocide, or (b) slave labour. Lord True: As has been the case under successive administrations, it is not government policy to comment on the security arrangements of government buildings. Specific details regarding the make and model of security systems are withheld on national security grounds The Procurement Bill will strengthen the approach to excluding suppliers from bidding for public contracts where there is clear evidence of their involvement in forced labour or other Modern Slavery practices. We are also taking action in the Bill to clarify that any serious breach of ethical standards applicable to a supplier can be considered to be professional misconduct, which may lead to exclusion. Government Departments: CCTV Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the decision by the Department of Health and Social Care to remove (1) Hikvision, and (2) Dahua, technology cameras from their premises, what plans other government departments have, if any, to also remove those cameras from their premises. Lord True: As has been the case under successive administrations, it is not government policy to comment on the security arrangements of government buildings. Specific details regarding the make and model of security systems are withheld on national security grounds. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Databases: Regulation Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the evidence review published by the Ada Lovelace Institute on 5 May on UK public attitudes to regulating data and data-driven technologies; and what steps are they taking to assess public attitudes to data regulation. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We welcome the Ada Lovelace Institute’s review of public attitudes to regulating data-driven technologies, and agree that this is a pressing issue. The findings reflect those of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation’s (CDEI’s) public engagement research and highlight key questions that the CDEI’s current and planned work addresses.We agree that it is vital to understand people’s experiences and perspectives in order to align data policy and governance with societal values and needs: this is embedded at the CDEI through a dedicated Public Attitudes Insight team. The CDEI has shared its insights into public perceptions of data use in the recently-published, world-first Public Attitudes to Data and AI Tracker Survey which has already been widely used across the public and private sector.The CDEI and the Cabinet Office’s Central Digital and Data Office have also been at the forefront of creating an algorithmic transparency standard for the public sector, which has the needs and expectations of the public at its core, and has since been adopted as a pilot with several public sector organisations. This is a key example of how public engagement can be translated into trustworthy data practices – a recommendation from the Ada Lovelace Institute’s review.The CDEI will continue to work closely with the Ada Lovelace Institute to monitor the public’s attitudes towards data-driven technologies and data regulation, and consolidate and apply the findings to the Government’s work on data-sharing. Research into public attitudes is fundamental to the Government’s efforts to create a trustworthy data-driven technology ecosystem.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2022-05-25
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2022", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Baroness Andrews: The Government have made good progress towards implementing statutory tenancy deposit schemes, which will apply to all assured shorthold tenancies, where a deposit is taken, in England and Wales: There will be two types of scheme: a single custodial scheme, where deposits will be paid into and held in a separate account, and one or more insurance-based schemes, where the landlord or agent will hold the deposit and any failure on his/her part to repay it to the tenant will be covered by the scheme's insurance arrangements. Each scheme will offer an alternative dispute resolution service. The schemes were originally due to be commenced on 1 October 2006. However, in a press release published on 23 June 2006 to accompany the publication of a summary of responses to a consultation document published in November 2005, the Government said that, in order to consider stakeholder concerns raised by that consultation, they had decided to review the commencement date and would confirm that date before Parliament rose in the summer. Lord Drayson: The MoD recognises post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a serious and disabling condition, but one which can be treated. We attach a high priority to increasing awareness of stress-related disorders, and to their diagnosis and treatment. Teaching and training service personnel about operational stress and its management starts at the time of entry into the services and continues through their career. We have put in place measures to increase awareness at all levels and to militate against the development of PTSD and other stress-related disorders occurring among service personnel. These include pre- and post-deployment briefing and the availability of support, assessment and, if required, treatment, both during and after deployments. This is available to all personnel, whether regular or mobilised reservist. During their pre-deployment medical, while deployed or during the post-deployment normalisation period, all personnel including reservists can identify themselves to any medical officer or their chain of command if they believe they are suffering from any mental health condition. It is our policy that no stigma should be attached to this. Diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, including PTSD, is then performed by fully trained and accredited mental health staff. Mental health professionals (psychiatrists and/or mental health nurses) are part of the deployed medical team on all significant operational deployments. This team will continue the educational process during the operational tour and will also brief the chain of command about operational mental health issues that are detected. Individuals might be referred to the team for assessment and management—the therapeutic options will include psychological treatments, the use of medication, or aeromedical evacuation of the individual out of theatre back to further care at their home base. After deployment, it is policy to offer individuals a further briefing prior to returning to their home base, using a variety of media materials. Efforts are also made to arrange a "decompression period" during which service men can begin mentally and physically to unwind after their operational tour while having time to talk to colleagues and superiors about their experiences. Such a decompression phase appears to help the return to the non-operational environment. Returning personnel are also offered a presentation and issued with leaflets to alert them to the possible after-effects of the operational deployment. Once back at their home base, community-based mental healthcare is available to every military unit via our 15 departments of community mental health (DCMH) across the UK plus satellite centres overseas. DCMH teams comprise psychiatrists and mental health nurses, with access to clinical psychologists and mental health social workers. The aim is to see referred individuals at their unit medical centre and, with the patient's permission, to engage with GPs and the patient's chain of command to help manage any mental health problems identified. The full range of psychiatric and psychological treatments are available, including medication, psychological therapies and environmental adjustment, where appropriate. Inpatient care, when necessary, is provided in psychiatric units belonging to the Priory Group. Close liaison is maintained between DCMHs and the Priory units to ensure that all service elements relating to an inpatient's care and management are addressed. Should it be decided, after a patient has been assessed and managed as effectively as possible, that he/she will not be able to continue serving in the Armed Forces and will therefore need to be medically discharged, every effort is made to ensure a seamless transfer back to civilian life. The MoD liaises with the individual's future civilian GP and any NHS consultant that he or she might need to see. Individuals are referred to the defence mental health social workers, who offer the individual significant help in rehabilitating them back to civilian life, with advice on resettlement, medical issues, pensions, housing, employment etc. Service personnel are also made aware of the services offered by ex-service men's organisations such as the Royal British Legion and the specialist mental health charity Combat Stress. Upon leaving the Armed Forces, or on demobilisation for reservists, it is the long-established practice that responsibility for medical care passes to the NHS, and for the majority of veterans their health needs will be met by current NHS provisions. However, the MoD has work in hand to ensure that there is a coherent response to veterans' mental health issues, co-ordinating inputs from the NHS, health departments throughout the UK, the services and ex-service men's organisations, including the charity Combat Stress. Indeed, for treatments not available under the NHS, the Government fund courses of care at Combat Stress facilities, which last year cost £2.8 million, for those whose condition is due to service and for whom this is an appropriate course. In support of these developments, the MoD is also working on further initiatives relating, for example, to the prevention and management of problems arising out of operational stress and to the need to address issues of stigma and discrimination. With respect to the department's responsibility for veterans in particular, we have work in hand to ensure that service leavers can recognise the signs of stress and know where to go for help, using suitable magazine-style material. The MoD recently announced a new mental healthcare initiative for recently demobilised reservists, which will include a dedicated mental health assessment by appropriately qualified members of the Defence Medical Services (DMS). If individuals are then assessed as having a mental health problem that is categorised primarily as PTSD or a related traumatic adjustment disorder that is linked to their mobilised service, they will be offered outpatient treatment by the DMS. In instances where the assessment identifies cases that fall outside these parameters, such as complex multi-disorder diagnoses or acute cases requiring inpatient care, the DMS will refer them to the appropriate NHS provider, as well as encouraging contact with the relevant welfare organisations to ensure follow-up. Details of the programme will be confirmed later this year, including the location(s) at which the assessments will be provided, and the date on which the service will commence.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-07-05a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Ministry of Justice Youth Rehabilitation Orders The Lord Bishop of Derby: To ask His Majesty's Government when the pilot trial changes to Youth Rehabilitation Orders with Intensive Supervision and Surveillance will commence; and when they will report on their findings. Lord Bellamy: Piloting the changes to Youth Rehabilitation Orders with Intensive Supervision and Surveillance are subject to the passage of secondary legislation which we intend to lay shortly. If passed, we intend that the new powers will come into force by summer 2023 for an initial 18-month period in selected areas. An evaluation will determine whether to fully roll out the changes. Publication of the findings will follow, but an exact date has not yet been decided. Prisoners: Pastoral Care The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty's Government what emotional support and spiritual provision is available toprisoners under Imprisonment for Public Protection. The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in the numbers of prisoners under Imprisonment for Public Protection serving ten or more years beyond their original tariff. The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of women serving sentencesunder Imprisonment for Public Protection. Lord Bellamy: The Government is committed to the protection of the public and the effective management of offenders. By law, prisoners serving indeterminate sentences who have completed their tariff will be released only when the Parole Board concludes that it is no longer necessary on the grounds of public protection for them to remain confined. HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) continues to work closely with Samaritans for the delivery of the Listener Scheme, through which selected prisoners are trained to provide support to fellow prisoners in emotional distress. It is important to highlight that Prison Chaplaincy provides not only faith and belief advice but pastoral care to prisoners of all faiths, beliefs and of none, irrespective of sentence type or length, in support of HMPPS’ commitment to decency, safety and rehabilitation. As the number of those serving IPP sentences in prison who have never been released reduces, the proportion of cases which are the most complex and high risk increases. This does mean that we should expect that the number of first releases will continue to slow and the time spent past tariff will increase. However, the IPP Action Plan is focused on, firstly, ensuring each IPP prisoner has a sentence plan, regularly reviewed, with clear objectives as to what the prisoner has to do to reduce risk and, secondly, that the prisoner is held in a prison with an opportunity to achieve those objectives. In the Government response to the Justice Select Committee’s IPP report, we committed to refreshing the IPP Action Plan, focusing not only on important changes to improve the prospects of IPP offenders making progress towards a prospective safe and sustainable release, but also to ensure there are robust processes to drive effective monitoring and accountability for delivery of that plan. The Women’s Estate Psychology Service (WEPS) have implemented a National IPP strategy which takes a bespoke case management approach to each woman serving an IPP sentence. The overarching goal of the strategy is to ensure that all are proactively supported to progress through their prison sentences as quickly as possible. Psychologists regularly review cases and jointly work with prison and probation colleagues to remove barriers to progression and expedite completion of interventions and services. There are, as of end December 2022, 40 women in custody serving an IPP sentence, 12 of whom have never been released. Prisoners' Release: Temporary Accommodation Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide accommodation for prisoners for the first week and weekend after release in instances where the prisoner has lost their home after being remanded in custody for sentence. Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to require the Probation Service to arrange accommodation for prisoners for the first week and weekend after release in instances where the prisoner has lost their home after being remanded in custody for sentence; and what steps they will take to ensure the Probation Service is sufficiently resourced to do so. Lord Bellamy: HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has a range of interventions available to support those on remand when they are released to ensure that they are not homeless.All resettlement prisons have an embedded pre-release resettlement function. These pre-release teams identify and address immediate resettlement needs when the individual arrives. This accommodation support, delivered through Commissioned Rehabilitative Services contracts, includes support and guidance to ensure continuation of an existing tenancy, applications for housing benefit, assistance to access rent deposit and rent advance schemes and compliance with any tenancy obligations to avoid or manage accommodation arrears. We are currently working on extending all Commissioned Rehabilitative Services contracts for accommodation to unsentenced people in prison.Additionally, in accordance with relevant housing legislation in both England and in Wales, HMPPS has a duty to refer anyone at risk of becoming homeless on release from prison to a local authority for housing assistance.In relation to prisoners who have been on remand, subsequently convicted and released as time served they can be referred to our Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS-3), which provides up to 12 weeks of temporary housing, providing that they are subject to probation supervision. Secure Accommodation Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bellamy on 8 March (HL5707), what plans they have to improve the recording and publishing of data in relation to applications to deprive children of their liberty under the inherent jurisdiction. Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bellamy on 8 March (HL5707), whether they will record and publish data in relation to applications to deprive children of their liberty under the inherent jurisdiction, on a comparable basis to that for children subject to secure accommodation orders. Lord Bellamy: HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) are committed to making changes to internal case management systems to enable the routine publishing of data relating to applications to deprive children of their liberty under the inherent jurisdiction of the court, taking consideration of the data-related recommendations made within the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory report.HMCTS are working with the Department of Education and the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory on how the current data can continue to be made available whilst the necessary changes are made to the case management systems. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Jagtar Singh Johal The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current situation of British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal, detained in India since 2017 on charges of terrorism; and when they last raised his case with the government of that country. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has consistently raised Mr Johal's case with the Government of India and is committed to doing what it can to assist him. The Foreign Secretary most recently discussed Mr Johal's case with the Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in Delhi on 1 March. Consular staff visit Mr Johal regularly to check on his welfare and did so most recently on 7 March. Consular staff also continue to attend relevant court hearings in an observer capacity. EU Law: Northern Ireland Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21 March (HL6299), what are the (1) names, and (2) titles, of the EU rules for internal UK trade which are disapplied by the operation of the Windsor Framework; and which customs provisions are removed. Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21 March (HL6296), what are the (1) names, and (2) titles, of the EU laws which will remain in force in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, which would otherwise be subject to removal under the provisions of the Retained EU Law Bill. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government is committed to taking the necessary steps to uphold the UK's international obligations, including the Withdrawal Agreement and the Windsor Framework, as set out in the previous answer. As also set out, all of the rules disapplied are set out in the legal texts published as part of the Windsor Framework. By the EU's own calculations, less than 3 percent of EU rules apply - with those that remain only applying to secure maximum free trade and market access for Northern Ireland firms. It should also be recognised that this is not a straightforward list, as some of those rules will be applied in part for the red lane but not applied in the green lane, for example. But, for example:- Annex 1 of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary legal text shows that 67 rules on food and drink do not apply in the green lane - covering issues like marketing standards, food supplements and additives, and the production of organic products. It also disapplies the certification requirements in the EU Official Controls Regulation, as well as the prohibitions on various movements set out therein.- Requirements in the Union Customs Code (UCC) for rules of origin certificates, tariffs, and commodity codes for each movement do not apply for internal UK trade; nor are there any requirements for customs declarations for consumer parcels, which are classified automatically as "not at risk". And we have secured unfettered access by removing any need for export declarations or equivalent information for goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain as would otherwise have been set out in the UCC.- In a similar vein, and as noted previously, the requirements in the VAT Directive which prevented the zero-rating of energy-saving materials has been disapplied, enabling the changes we brought forward in Parliament this week; as have limits on alcohol duty structures in EU rules harmonising excise duty structures.- And for medicines we have disapplied any role for the European Medicines Agency in authorising medicines for the UK market, as otherwise set out in EU rules on the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products; and removed packaging any other requirements in the Falsified Medicines Directive.These changes have safeguarded Northern Ireland's place in the Union and our internal market, while continuing to support Northern Ireland's businesses by providing them access to the whole UK market as well as the EU market. Religious Freedom Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards fulfilling recommendation six of the Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review into the support for persecuted Christians to make the Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief a permanent role. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO welcomes the findings of the Independent Review of our work to take forward the Bishop of Truro's recommendations, which noted that establishing the role of the position of Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) was at an advanced stage of delivery. The Special Envoy, Fiona Bruce MP, works with the Minister for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, and through the Foreign Secretary to the Prime Minister. We continue to ensure that progress made on the Truro recommendations is embedded and that FoRB is central to our wider human rights work. BBC Arabic Service The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they had any metrics in place to quantify the soft power advantage of the BBC Arabic radio service during its 85 years of broadcasting; what assessment they have made ofany loss of soft power to the UK following its closure on 27 January; and whether they have had any discussions on the matter with the BBC in 2023. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO strongly values the important work of the BBC World Service in providing accurate and impartial news to 365 million people globally each week.The FCDO engages regularly with the BBC. The BBC and the Foreign Secretary periodically agree objectives, priorities and targets, which include audience reach metrics. However, the BBC remains operationally and editorially independent of Government and service delivery decisions are for them to take. Though BBC Arabic radio broadcasting has ceased, the service remains available via TV and digital platforms, reflecting audience trends. BBC Arabic is funded by the Licence Fee, with some additional support via the FCDO-funded 'World2020 programme'.As stated in the Integrated Review Refresh, the UK Government is working to bring soft power into its broader foreign policy approach. This includes providing a one-off £20 million uplift to the World Service to protect all 42 language services, recognising its crucial role in supporting UK soft power and countering harmful disinformation. India: Human Rights The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government when they last raised human rights issues with the government of India; and, further to theUS State Department’s annual country report on human rights practices in India, published on 20 March, what assessment they have made of any increase in significant human rights issues inthat country, including the reported targeting of religious minorities, dissidents and journalists. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India and we discuss all elements of our relationship. We remain committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all, media freedom and to championing democracy and human rights around the world. Where we have issues, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at Ministerial level.  I, Lord [Tariq] Ahmad, regularly speak to the High Commissioner of India. Human rights forms part of that dialogue. Our networks across India regularly meet civil society groups and run projects promoting human rights. Syria: Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government, what discussions they have had with international partners about the possibility of opening a channel of communication to the insurgent group Hei’at Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib, in order to be able to combat the threat from ISIS in north western Syria more effectively. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Daesh are both proscribed by the UK Government under the Terrorism Act 2000. We are closely monitoring the security situation in north west Syria, including the actions of Daesh and maintain a regular dialogue with our international counterparts. The UK is a leading member of the Global Coalition and we are committed to making sure they cannot resurge in the region. Israel: Palestinians The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the government of Israel following the remarks on19 March by the Finance Minister of Israel, Bezalel Smotrich,concerning Palestinian history and culture; and whether they have made any assessment of the potential impact resulting from the Minister’s remarks onpeace and stability in the region. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK condemned the Israeli Finance Minister's comments calling for the Palestinian village of Huwara to be "wiped out" and his recent comments that deny the existence of the Palestinian people, their right to self-determination and their history and culture. Such rhetoric serves no purpose other than to stoke tensions further. Department of Health and Social Care Obesity: Statistics Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to collect data on the causes of obesity; and if so, when this will start. Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to promote personal calorie control as one of the main mechanisms for preventing obesity. Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the causes of obesity; in particular, (1) food addiction, (2) genetics, and (3) other factors. Lord Markham: Obesity is a complex problem, and the causes are multi-factorial, including biological; physiological; psycho-social; behavioural; and environmental factors. There are no plans to collect data on the causes of obesity and no specific assessment has been made on the causes of obesity. Government advice on a healthy, balanced diet is encapsulated in the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide. The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions in which different types of foods should be consumed to have a healthy balanced diet, including average calorie intakes for men and women. The Eatwell Guide principles are communicated through a variety of channels, including the National Health Service website, Government social marketing campaigns, and guidance on healthier catering. For example, the Better Health campaign encourages adults to introduce changes that will help them work towards a healthier weight, including guidance on healthier food choices, calorie intake and portion control. Cancer: Health Services Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government why they have discarded the NHS England 10 Year Cancer Strategy for a combined 5 Year Major Conditions Strategy. Lord Markham: The Major Conditions Strategy will look at the treatment and prevention of cancer in people of all ages, covering the patient pathway. The strategy will look at a wide range of interventions and enablers to improve outcomes and experience for cancer patients. Many patients experience major conditions as part of a wider set of illnesses or needs. The aim is to support individuals by diagnosing them earlier, helping them to manage their conditions better and improving the overall co-ordination of their treatment and care. By bringing cancer and the other major conditions together into a single strategy, we will be able to ensure care is better centred around the patient. This Strategy will draw on previous work on cancer, including over 5,000 submissions provided to the Department as part of our Call for Evidence last year. Beef: Origin Marking The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Food Standards Agency's investigation into the mislabelling of the country of origin on pre-packaged sliced beef. Lord Markham: The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) National Food Crime Unit is carrying out an investigation into a meat supplier. The investigation commenced in August 2021 and is pursuing allegations that the supplier fraudulently provided products labelled as British that were sourced from other countries. As this is a complex criminal investigation which must be carried out with due process and fairness, it is important that the investigation continues to adhere to the highest possible professional standards so that justice can be served. In recent weeks allegations have been made regarding potential hygiene and food safety breaches, with the FSA currently exploring these allegations. No current food safety risks have been identified. The Chief Executive has recently made a statement about the investigation. The FSA is held to account by its independent Board, which was set up in the 1999 Food Standards Act. The Board meets in public on a quarterly basis and next meets on 21 June 2023, in Belfast. Coronavirus: Screening Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 8 February (HL5061), when data for April 2022 and beyond will be validated for release; and on what grounds this information is commercially sensitive. Lord Markham: The data relating to the number of lateral flow device (LFD) tests purchased between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 will be available in late 2023 on completion of the National Audit Office audit on financial year 2022/23. The timescales of the audit are currently being discussed and agreed. The UK Health Security Agency consider that releasing the information on the total costs of LFD tests would not be in the public interest as it could prejudice future commercial relations with suppliers if this information were to be disclosed in the public domain. Gonorrhoea Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to limit the spread of extensively antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea (1) in the general population, (2) in vulnerable populations, and (3) among elderly populations. Lord Markham: The effectiveness of treatment for gonorrhoea continues to be threatened by the development of resistance to the last-line treatment, ceftriaxone. The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobials Surveillance Programme (GRASP) includes a suite of testing and surveillance systems to detect and monitor antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and potential treatment failures. GRASP reports annually on drug resistance in N. gonorrhoeae in England and Wales and has directly influenced changes in treatment guidelines on three occasions. Additionally, all primary diagnostic laboratories test gonococcal isolates for susceptibility to ceftriaxone and refer suspected resistant isolates to the UKHSA national reference laboratory for confirmatory testing and follow-up in real-time. UKHSA has published guidance on managing cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea and performs a risk assessment for each case. If there is a risk of transmission within England, UKHSA instigates an Incident Response to contain spread. This applies to all population groups, including vulnerable and elderly populations, as the approach to tackling antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is universal across England. General Practitioners: Complaints The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government how many patients used the complaints procedure of their local GP surgery in England in each of the last five years; and what was the average length of time GP surgeries in England to investigate patient complaints and to provide a response. Lord Markham: The following table shows the number of complaints received by general practitioners (GPs) in the past five years, and is derived from the document, ‘Data on Written Complaints in the NHS 2021-22’. A copy of this document is attached. YearNumber of complaints2021/2299,4592020/2172,0872019/20Not available2018/1972,3562017/1875,782 The data collection for GP practices was suspended in 2019/20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so data for that year is unavailable. Data on the length of time that it took GP surgeries to investigate and provide a response to complainants is not collected centrally.Data on Written Complaints in the NHS 2021-22 (xlsx, 402.0KB) Nurses: Migrant Workers Baroness Cavendish of Little Venice: To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the international nurses who arrived in the UK in the past 12 months have had an Objective Structured Clinical Examination; and how many have passed that examination. Lord Markham: The information is not held in the format requested. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom and nursing associates in England. It sets the standards that registrants must meet to demonstrate that they are capable of practising safely and effectively in those professions. Information on the number of professionals sitting and passing the Objective Structured Clinical Examination is published on the NMC’s website in an online-only format. Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications the sale of the Vaccines Manufacturing And Innovation Centre (VMIC) near Oxford for the UK’s long-term investment in vaccine manufacturing; and how the disposal of the VMIC will contribute to the preparedness of the UK for future pandemics, particularly in view of the experiences of COVID-19 pandemic. Lord Markham: The decision to sell the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre was made by VMIC UK Ltd.’s Board of Directors, with the facility being subsequently sold to Catalent. Once completed, it is intended that the facility will be capable of producing a range of therapeutics and vaccines. Officials regularly engage with industry stakeholders to understand the wider landscape and implications for vaccine development and manufacturing in the United Kingdom and will continue to do so. Officials are also working across Government to review lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future health emergencies. Nurses: Migrant Workers Baroness Cavendish of Little Venice: To ask His Majesty's Government how many international nurses NHS Trusts have recruited in the past 12 months; and of those, how many have beenpermitted to work. Lord Markham: This information is not collected centrally. Meat: Imports Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government at which point checks are carried out on meat imported into the UK; how many checks are purely on the basis of documentary evidence; and what proportion are physical checks. Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of imported meats were denied entry into the UK for having failed documentary or physical checks in each of the last three years. Lord Markham: Documentary, identity and physical checks on imported meat and meat products from non- European Union countries are undertaken at the first point of entry into Great Britain at designated Border Controls Posts.The frequency of checks applied to imported meat and meat products are prescribed in Commission Retained Regulation (EU) 2019/2124. Imported meat, meat preparations and meat products are subject to 100% documentary and identity checks, with the frequency of physical checks varying from 1% to 30% depending upon the type of meat product that is imported.As our systems record all failures arising from documentary, identity, or physical checks, it may be the case that a single consignment may have failed one or all the checks. The total number of documentary, identity and physical checks failures as a percentage of all checks carried out in 2020 was 0.36%, in 2021, 0.34% and in 2022, 0.31%. Department for Transport Carbon Emissions Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the report Mission Zero: Independent Review of Net Zero by the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP, published on 26 September 2022, what plans they have to implement the strategy proposed in the report and its recommendation that the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate is introduced by 2024. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As set out in the Government’s response to the Independent Review of Net Zero, the Government has published a consultation on the final proposals for the ZEV mandate regulations, to apply from 2024, to support the delivery of the commitments made to phase out the sale of new non-zero emission vehicles. Department for Education Schools: Fire Prevention Lord Best: To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish a response to their consultation Building Bulletin 100: Fire Safety Design for Schools, which closed on 18 August 2021. Baroness Barran: The department takes fire safety in schools very seriously. This is why the consultation draft of ‘BB100: Fire Safety Design for Schools’ proposed multiple interventions to further improve the already high fire safety standards of school buildings.The department has been reviewing and evaluating the evidence submitted before, during, and post consultation, and will publish the response to the consultation and updated guidance in due course. Higher Education: Care Leavers Baroness Eaton: To ask His Majesty's Government how many care leavers made applications tohigher education institutions in each of the last three years for which data are available, broken down by individual institution. Baroness Eaton: To ask His Majesty's Government how manycare leavers were made offers to attend a higher education institution in each of the last three years for which data are available, broken down by individual institution. Baroness Eaton: To ask His Majesty's Government how manycare leavers were accepted onto undergraduate courses at higher education institutions in each of the last three years for which data are available, broken down by institution. Baroness Barran: Data on applications, offers, and acceptances for care leavers by institution is not held by the department. This information may be available from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Training Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what programmes they havein place to support the retraining of workers to enable them to access work in new sectors. Baroness Barran: The government is investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over this Parliament. The department’s skills reforms provide a ladder of opportunity that enables young people and adults to attain good jobs, retrain, and progress in their careers or different careers.In the 2023 Spring Budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced a new initiative called Returnerships. This programme is designed to raise awareness of three different skills pathways, apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps, and sector-based work academies programmes. This will provide a clear route back into work and encourage employers to hire older workers.Apprenticeships are available for everyone over the age of 16, from those starting their career, to experienced workers looking to upskill or retrain in a new profession. There are high-quality apprenticeship routes into more than 660 occupations, from entry to expert roles.As part of our investment in re-skilling and up-skilling opportunities to ensure adults, at any age, can upskill to reach their potential, transforming lives, Skills Bootcamps were introduced at the end of 2020. They deliver short, free, flexible training courses, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview with an employer on completion.Skills Bootcamps are still a relatively new training offer, but they are already delivering positive outcomes for adult learners and employers, and are available right across the country. Following the recent Budget announcement, the department will target making 64,000 training places a year available by the 2024/25 financial year to ensure that learners across all areas of the country can access Skills Bootcamps.We have also introduced the Free Courses for Jobs scheme, which gives eligible adults in England without an existing full level 3 qualification or who are unemployed or meet the low wage criteria, the chance to access over 400 Level 3 qualifications for free.The offer has seen over 35,000 enrolments reported between April 2021 and October 2022. This means that enrolments are 82% higher for adults without a full level 3 compared uptake of the same qualifications in 2018/19.We are continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), with an investment of £1.34 billion in the 2022/23 academic year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship, or further learning.The National Careers Service provides free, up-to-date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills, and the labour market in England. It offers intensive support for low skilled adults without a qualification at level 3, as one of six priority groups for the Service. Professionally qualified careers advisers can support customers to explore the range of learning routes to determine the best route for them and to develop a careers action plan.Community-based National Careers Service contractors are co-located in most Jobcentre Plus offices, as well as a range of other community settings. They work closely with work coaches at a local level, encouraging work coaches to refer customers in need of careers advice and guidance to the Service. Turing Scheme Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the causes of delays to payments to students on the Turing scheme; and what plans they have (1) to reduce the level of bureaucracy involved in applications, and (2) to mitigate the effect of these problems on poorer students. Baroness Barran: Turing Scheme grant recipients are organisations that are, in the main, education providers. The department is aware that some organisations have experienced issues navigating the process for claiming Turing Scheme funds, including providing the correct evidence on projects, which has led to delays in payment being processed. The Turing Scheme delivery partner, Capita, has already taken steps to help organisations better understand the process. This includes video instructions, written guidance and one to one telephone support when requested.Department officials are also working with Capita to review how it can improve the overall customer experience while obtaining assurance that Turing Scheme funds are being appropriately spent, within the grant terms.Under the current payment process, it is the responsibility of grant recipients to request grant funds on time, in line with project plans and to disburse funding to participants. To ensure this does not negatively impact disadvantaged students, Capita have made payments outside of its regular payment cycle where requests have been submitted late or were initially rejected due to incomplete evidence, especially if this puts student placements at risk.The Turing Scheme continues to place great emphasis on providing opportunities for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2023-04-06
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2023", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Africa Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to the recommendations made in The Other Side of the Coin: The United Kingdom and Corruption in Africa, the report of the Africa All-Party Group; and what action they are taking. Lord Triesman: I welcome the report of the all-party group. Its analysis is a helpful contribution to the debate on how best to tackle international corruption, especially in Africa. Corruption has hindered the development of too many African countries for too long. A cross-Whitehall approach is necessary to tackle the issue, and the relevant government departments will consider and discuss the report to provide a fuller response to the Africa All-Party Group. Armed Forces: Pensions Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why increases in Armed Forces pensions are made by regulations laid under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 and increases in disablement and death service pensions under the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977 rather than, in both cases, under the Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Act 2004. Lord Drayson: The arrangements for increasing payments in respect of pensions and compensation reflect the different statutory bases of the various schemes and the normal procedures for uplifting public sector pensions. This does not affect the outcome for the individual beneficiary: all pensions and continuing awards under the Armed Forces compensation scheme are protected from the effects of inflation by annual increases in line with the all items retail prices index. Armed Forces: Recruitment Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Drayson on 9 March (WA 151–52), why young recruits have their period of reckonable service taken from their 18th birthday and not from the date on which they joined the Armed Forces. Lord Drayson: This provision is related to the Armed Forces pension scheme 1975 (AFPS). When this scheme was designed, other ranks' engagements commencement date was linked to the age from which time towards reckonable service for pension began—ie, the date of the 18th birthday. However, under the new Armed Forces pension scheme (AFPS 05) reckonable service for pension purposes counts from the date of entry, irrespective of age. All new recruits since 6 April 2005 are eligible to be members of the Armed Forces pension scheme 2005. Those who joined before 6 April 2005 who are members of AFPS 75, and who will still be in service on 6 April 2006, have been given the option to transfer to AFPS 05. By doing so, they will be allowed to count any pre-18 service as reckonable for pension purposes. Armed Forces: Recruitment Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Drayson on 9 March (WA 152), what guidance on conscientious objection is given to young people joining the Armed Forces. Lord Drayson: As I explained to the noble Lord in earlier Written Answers on 10 January (WA 32) and 9 March (WA 152), during the recruit selection process the staff at the Armed Forces careers offices provide comprehensive written and verbal guidance to all potential recruits, in particular those under 18 years of age and their parents, regarding the nature of the commitment they will be undertaking, their terms of service and rights to discharge. The Armed Forces are wholly volunteer organisations and as such no specific guidance on conscientious objection is provided. Armed Forces: Recruitment Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Drayson on 9 March (WA 152), who is considered in loco parentis for minors leaving care homes in the selection process for the Armed Forces. Lord Drayson: When a minor who is subject to a care order applies to join the Armed Forces, the circumstances of the case are investigated. Where the local authority is the legal guardian (in loco parentis), a responsible representative of the authority would be required to sign the written consent form to allow the application to proceed. Where doubt exists as to the child's ability to make a reasoned choice to enlist, or if the guardianship is unclear, the Armed Forces would require the family court to give written consent to proceed. Bethlehem: Rachel's Tomb Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What discussions they have held with international bodies such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation concerning the activities taking place around Bethlehem's Rachel's Tomb. Lord Triesman: We have had no discussions with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation or other international bodies about Rachel's Tomb. Blasphemy Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will initiate a public consultation on the reform of blasphemy law, having regard to the recommendations of the Law Commission for England and Wales and subsequent events. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have no plans to initiate a public consultation, but would be content to listen to representations on the subject. Child Protection: Bichard Inquiry Baroness Harris of Richmond: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the technical evaluation of the cross-regional information project, outlined in the Home Office progress report of November 2005 on meeting the Bichard recommendations, has been carried out; and Whether the results of the technical evaluation of the cross-regional information project, outlined in the Home Office's progress report of November 2005 on meeting the Bichard recommendations, will be incorporated into the business case for the Intelligence Management Prioritisation Analysis Co-ordination Tasking programme. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A preliminary evaluation of the Cross-Regional Information Sharing Project (CRISP) product was carried out during August and September 2005 using independent advisers. This evaluation found that the CRISP product was inherently capable of providing the basis for a cross-border information-sharing system, deployed more widely, subject to some further development. More detailed work on assessment, testing and stabilisation began in November 2005 and is continuing. The IMPACT programme business case identifies the CRISP product as a means of providing an interim local and cross-border information-sharing capability and confirms the value of continuing work to introduce a common national data standard, based on the CRISP data schema. Consultants: DCMS Lord Smith of Clifton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much was spent in each year on external management consultants by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its agencies from 2000 to 2005. Lord Davies of Oldham: The amount spent by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on external management consultants in each of the years 2002–05 is as follows. 2002 £458,415 2003 £672,145 2004 £1,032,320 2005 £518,060 Consultants: Defra Lord Smith of Clifton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much was spent each year on external management consultants by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its agencies from 2000 to 2005. Lord Bach: The department came into being in June 2001. From information held centrally, the core department's expenditure on management and business consultancy in the three financial years 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 was £15.32 million, £20.26 million, and £14.12 million respectively. The final figure for the financial year 2005–06 is being compiled currently and I shall write to the noble Lord with this information once departmental year end accrual processes are complete. The core department does not hold information centrally identifying expenditure on external management consultants by its executive agencies, independent statutory bodies, non-departmental public bodies, and organisations and bodies financially sponsored by the department. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Consultants: Department for Constitutional Affairs Lord Smith of Clifton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much was spent in each year on external management consultants by the Department for Constitutional Affairs and its agencies from 2000 to 2005. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Department for Constitutional Affairs also replies on behalf of its associated offices and agencies, HM Courts Service and the Public Guardianship Office. For the financial years from April 2000 to March 2005, expenditure by my department on external management consultants was as follows: 2000–01 £3,421,412 2001–02 £8,707,694 2002–03 £7,134,726 2003–04 £9,782,688 2004–05 £10,668,188 Consultants: Department for International Development Lord Smith of Clifton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much was spent in each year on external management consultants by the Department for International Development and its agencies from 2000 to 2005. Baroness Amos: I refer the noble Lord to the responses given by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development to my honourable friend for Great Grimsby on 10 October 2005, Official Report, col. 53W, and to the honourable Member for Cheltenham on 9 January 2006, Official Report, col. 204W. These provided the cost of consultants to the Department for International Development (DfID) from 2000 to 2005. Consultants: Ministry of Defence Lord Smith of Clifton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much was spent each year on external management consultants by the Ministry of Defence and its agencies from 2000 to 2005. Lord Drayson: Specific data on how much the Ministry of Defence spent on external management consultants are available in the Library for 2003 and 2004. The figures for 2005 will be placed in the Library before the Summer Recess. The data for years 2000–02 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate effort. Summaries of MoD expenditure on external assistance, of which management consultancy is a part, are available in the Library for years 1995–2004. Courts: Vulnerable Defendants Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to bring forward legislation with provisions relating to vulnerable defendants. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Office for Criminal Justice Reform is working with colleagues across the criminal justice system on a package of special procedures intended to enable vulnerable defendants with limited cognitive function to participate effectively in their trials. Most of these procedures are non-legislative, and are expected to be promulgated in July. The exception is provision for such defendants to give evidence through a live link, for which the Government propose to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows. Deepcut Review Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Drayson on 9 January (WA 3), whether, following the report of the Deepcut review, they will review the policy of recruiting minors into the Armed Forces. Lord Drayson: The Deepcut review, published on 29 March 2006, supported the continued recruitment of under-18s into the Armed Forces. We are committed to the continuous improvement of training and welfare of recruits, and the Deepcut review will add momentum to this process of change. All the recommendations proposed in the review are being considered in detail to see how they may best be implemented without reducing the effectiveness of our necessarily robust and challenging military training environment. The Government's response to the Deepcut review will be published in full. Deepcut Review Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether and, if so, when they will establish a commissioner of military complaints (the Armed Forces ombudsman), as recommended by the Deepcut review. Lord Drayson: We are committed to the continuous improvement of training and welfare of recruits, and the Deepcut review, published on 29 March 2006, will add momentum to this process. All the recommendations proposed in the review are being considered in detail to see how they may best be implemented, without reducing the effectiveness of our necessarily robust and challenging military training environment. The Government's response to the Deepcut review will be published in full. Digital Television Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether digital television will be available in London and the south-east region prior to the official opening of the Olympic Games in 2012. Lord Davies of Oldham: The vast majority of households in London and the south-east can, with the appropriate equipment, receive digital television services via at least one of digital satellite, digital terrestrial, cable or DSL broadband. Switchover for the London region will happen in the first half of 2012. Driving Licences Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why national driving licences will be retained until 2032 when new European Union-wide licences will be available in six years' time. Lord Davies of Oldham: New measures on driving licences are proposed as part of a new European Union directive, which has yet to be adopted by the European Union institutions. One such new measure is to require member states to issue all new full (that is, non-provisional) driving licences in photocard format in accordance with an agreed European Union model, which reflects existing practice in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Another new measure would require member states to withdraw all old model licences, to replace them with such a European Union format photocard licence, and to do so within 20 years of the date of implementation of the new measures in the member states. On current indications that would mean by 2032. Regardless of the prospective new European Union requirements but wholly in accordance with what is proposed, we wish to be able to decide to withdraw and replace our pre-photocard driving licences, and we are seeking powers in the Road Safety Bill to enable this. Such a decision would be taken largely on grounds of the need to strengthen the security of the driving licence system against fraud. Although no such decision has yet been taken, it is very likely that we would wish to do so much sooner than required by the proposed new directive. Extraordinary Rendition Flights Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will alert police and Customs officers if they have reasonable suspicion of the likelihood or possibility that aircraft owned or chartered by the Central Intelligence Agency, passing through British airports, may be conducting illegal renditions. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government are clear that the US Government would not render a detainee through UK territory or airspace without our permission. I refer the noble Lord to the Foreign Secretary's Written Ministerial Statement of 20 January (Official Report, col. 784W) in another place. Firearms: Airguns Lord Palmer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have made an assessment of the average cost to those small businesses selling airguns which will have to apply to become registered firearms dealers under the proposals in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill; and Whether an impact assessment has been carried out into the additional costs to small businesses selling airguns which will have to apply to become registered firearms dealers under the proposals in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill; and Whether they have made an assessment of how many airguns are bought other than through a commercial dealer; and Whether they have made an assessment of the size of the mail order market for airguns compared to the number sold face-to-face by commercial dealers. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The impact assessment which was carried out concluded that retailers who are already registered as firearms dealers (RFDs) will incur no extra costs. Other retailers will have to pay £150 to register for three years. They will also incur some extra costs if they need to install additional security measures, although this should be minimal. We understand that around 200,000 new air weapons are sold each year through RFDs, sports shops, hardware stores, tackle shops, camping shops and the like. Around 9 per cent are estimated to be sold through mail order, although this is thought to be rising. It is not possible to estimate the number of second-hand air weapons sold each year. Firearms: Airguns Lord Glenarthur: asked Her Majesty's Government: What research has been carried out on the effect of the recent changes in airgun legislation in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003; and what evidence there is to justify the raising of the age limit for owning airguns from 17 to 18 under the Violent Crime Reduction Bill; and What assessment has been made of the potential impact on (a) scouts; (b) cadets; and (c) similar youth organisations by the restrictions on airguns in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill; and what representations they have received on the issue. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The reduction in the number of air weapon crimes in 2004–05 is a welcome indication that the measures we introduced in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 are working. However, there were still 11,825 offences resulting in over 1,500 injuries and we believe that an increase in the age limit to 18 will assist in further reducing this unacceptably high level of offending. We have received a range of representations about the impact on young shooters generally. They will still be able to use air weapons under controlled conditions—eg, under adult supervision, at approved shooting clubs or, if they are over 14, on private premises with the owner's consent. Firearms: Airguns Lord Mancroft: asked Her Majesty's Government: What studies and research have been conducted by the Home Office into the best means of tackling the misuse of airguns; and Whether they have made an assessment of the measures which are taken by other countries to tackle airgun misuse; and, if so, what were the findings of such assessment. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The misuse of air weapons in Great Britain is kept under constant review and subject to regular statistical analysis. There have been no specific studies in relation to practice in other countries, which can differ widely in their levels of controls. It is generally acknowledged that there is no single, simple solution to the problem of misuse and that a range of measures is needed to deal with different aspects of it. Firearms: Airguns Lord Northbourne: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many offences involving airguns they anticipate will be prevented by the proposal within the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to restrict the sale of airguns to registered firearms dealers only; and How many offences involving airguns they anticipate will be prevented by the proposal within the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to raise the age limit to buy an airgun from 17 to 18. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In 2004–05 there were 11,825 crimes in which air weapons were used. It is not possible to say how many of these offences will be prevented by the measures in the Bill, but we believe that restricting the points of sale and increasing the age limit for buying an airgun from 17 to 18 will help to tackle the problem at source. Firearms: Airguns Lord Geddes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What evidence is available to show that raising the age limit for ownership of an airgun from 17 to 18 will have any effect on firearms misuse. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The misuse of air weapons by young people is unlikely to occur when they are under adult supervision and a further increase in the age limit to 18 will assist in reducing the unacceptable number of offences currently committed with air weapons. Firearms: Blank-firing Pistols Lord Palmer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether exceptions will be made under the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to ensure that blank-firing pistols, used in the training of gundogs, can continue to be used. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: It will still be possible to train dogs using blank-firing pistols provided they are distinguishable by virtue of size, shape or principal colour from a real firearm. Firearms: Consultation Lord Brougham and Vaux: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they have brought forward further firearms legislation under the Violent Crime Reduction Bill before publishing the response to the Home Office 2004 consultation paper Controls on Firearms. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have a duty to act immediately when it becomes apparent that steps are needed to protect public safety. In particular, the increasing use of imitation firearms in crime means we need to place restrictions on their general availability. Firearms: Training Shotguns Lord Northbourne: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether exceptions will be made under the provisions in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to ensure that training shotguns with snap caps can continue to be used in the instruction of young people in the responsible use of shotguns. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: It will still be possible to purchase training shotguns with snap caps for instructional purposes provided they are distinguishable by virtue of size, shape or colour from a real firearm. Existing guns and any used for training purposes which require a shotgun certificate are not affected by the Bill. Fluoridation Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government: What professional guidance they have issued regarding the safety for human consumption of (a) hexafluorosilicic acid; and (b) disodium fluoro-silicate. Lord Warner: These chemicals are used in the fluoridation of water supplies. Safeguards on their use are contained in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000, which set a maximum permissible concentration of fluoride in drinking water of 1.5 milligrams per litre. Fluoridation Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many letters the Department of Health has received from members of the public in each year since 2000 requesting that a scheme for the artificial fluoridation of water supplies be introduced in their area. Lord Warner: The Department of Health has received around 1,315 pieces of correspondence since January 2000 that dealt with the issue of fluoridation. To ascertain which of these were pro-fluoridation would incur disproportionate cost. Fluoridation Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which strategic health authorities have discussed the policy of artificial fluoridation of water supplies at board meetings to which the public have been invited to attend. Lord Warner: We are not aware of any strategic health authorities that have discussed fluoridation at board level. Fluoridation Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which research studies on total human exposure to fluoride from all sources have been commissioned by the Department of Health and the National Health Service in the past five years. Lord Warner: The Department of Health has commissioned three relevant research studies. A Systematic Review of Public Water Fluoridation, published by the University of York in 2000, recommended that future studies on the effects of fluoridation should attempt to measure total fluoride exposure. Water Fluoridation and Health, published by the Medical Research Council in 2002, agreed that it is important to understand better the total exposure that individuals are experiencing and to gain a better understanding of any differences there might be in the uptake of fluoride from artificially fluoridated as opposed to naturally fluoridated water. In 2004, the University of Newcastle's School of Dental Sciences published a study into the bioavailability (absorption) of fluoride in naturally and artificially fluoridated drinking water, which concluded: "There was no statistically significant difference between artificially and naturally fluoridated water, or between soft and hard water". We are committed to a continuing programme of research on fluoridation. Food Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the reply by the Lord Warner on 8 March (HL Deb, col. 750), which existing powers would be used in new legislation to regulate the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar and salt to children, if voluntary measures fail to change the nature of food promotion. Lord Warner: Through the Communications Act 2003, statutory regulation of broadcast advertising already exists. For the regulation of non-broadcast media, existing legislation that could be used should voluntary measures fail to change the nature and balance of food promotion includes the Food Safety Act 1990. However, no decision on the most appropriate form of legislation, if any, will be taken until the Government have conducted their 2007 review. Freedom of Information Lord Goodhart: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, they will designate regional assemblies in England as public authorities. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: We are currently evaluating the impact of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on those public bodies covered by the legislation. This evaluation will inform consideration of how best to use the power contained in Section 5 of the Act, which provides for extension of coverage. However, it is the Government's expectation that regional assemblies will comply with the sprit of the Act. In March 2006, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reissued to regional assemblies Guidance on the General Principles of Designation of Voluntary Regional Assemblies, which stated the need to have regard to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Gulf War Syndrome Baroness Park of Monmouth: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will set out in the Official Report their replies to the questions asked in the debate on Gulf War illnesses on 2 February (HL Deb, cols. 392–414) by the Lord Craig of Radley, the Lord Morris of Manchester, the Lord Lloyd of Berwick and the Lord Tyler which were unanswered during the debate. Lord Drayson: I responded to the unanswered questions raised during the debate on Gulf War illnesses on 2 February in letters which were sent separately to Lord Craig, Lord Lloyd, Lord Tyler, Lord Luke and Baroness Murphy on 3 March. The questions raised by Lord Morris were answered during the debate and did not require a further response. A copy of each letter has been placed in the Library. Gulf War Syndrome Baroness Park of Monmouth: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Drayson on 9 January (WA 13) on Gulf War syndrome, why they indicated that they were unaware of a statement by a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence when in a letter to the Baroness Park of Monmouth of 7 March comments by the spokeswoman were acknowledged; and on whose authority her statement was made. Lord Drayson: Following the Answer given on 9 January (Official Report, col. WA 13) the noble Baroness helpfully provided a copy of an article from Disability Now in her letter to me dated 29 January. The article allowed Ministry of Defence officials to identify the source of the specific statement concerning Gulf War syndrome to which she had referred in her earlier Question. My honourable friend the Minister for Veterans acknowledged, in his letter to the noble Baroness dated 7 March, that the statement in the article was consistent with the Ministry of Defence's policies and procedures with regard to making an award under the war pension scheme and also with the replies provided by Lord Davies of Oldham on 24 November 2005 (HL Deb, cols. 1723–26). Immigration: Detention Centres The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 15 February (HL Deb, col. 1151), what urgent steps they have taken or are taking to review chaplaincy arrangements in immigration detention centres. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I am satisfied that the current arrangements for the provision of religious affairs in immigration removal centres work well. No concerns have been raised by detainees about these arrangements; nor has HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in her inspections of individual centres, the independent monitoring boards in each centre, or the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman made us aware of any inadequacies in this area. Income: Cumbria Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider a national allocation from European funds to meet the exception case of Cumbria where income is declining. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Cumbria, along with the other areas not eligible for convergence funding under the next round of European structural funds, will be eligible for support under the regional competitiveness and employment objective. The Department of Trade and Industry is currently consulting on a draft national strategic reference framework for future structural funds spending. The consultation document can be downloaded at www.dti.gov.uk/europe/nsrf.html. As part of this consultation, we are seeking views on how best to allocate competitiveness funding across the regions. In reaching a decision on this issue, the Government will take full account of the needs of all areas, including Cumbria, and invite the views of all stakeholders on how these needs should be addressed in the future allocation of the funds. The consultation ends on 22 May. Iraq and Afghanistan: Military Casualties Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: What advice or guidance on the media handling of the deaths or injuries of British service personnel serving in (a) Iraq, and (b) Afghanistan has been drawn up since the start of those military engagements; and whether they will place a copy of that advice in the Library. Lord Drayson: The policies and guidance on handling media interest in the deaths of British service personnel are contained in joint service publication 751. A redacted copy of this document was placed in the Library in December 2005. This emphasises the need, where possible, to respect the wishes of the families in any media interaction. This document is reviewed regularly and replaced three single service documents in April 2005. Iraq: Police Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government: When Sir Ronnie Flanagan submitted his report on the United Kingdom's policing programme in Iraq; and what was the total cost of the review. Lord Drayson: Sir Ronnie Flanagan submitted his final report on the Iraqi police service to the Secretary of State for Defence on 31 January 2006. The study itself came at no additional cost to Her Majesty's Government, although around £26,700 was incurred in air fares and accommodation costs for the team's visits to Iraq. Iraq: Police Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the paramilitary division of the Iraqi police, known as the Public Order Forces, operates within the Iraqi provinces for which United Kingdom forces have responsibility. Lord Drayson: The "National Police"—which includes the former public order battalions—is a national asset held in Baghdad, ready to be deployed nationwide to reinforce the Iraqi police service. Iraq: UK Military Casualties Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: For each six-month period since the start of military operations in Iraq in 2003, what has been the total number of (a) United Kingdom military deaths; and (b) United Kingdom military casualties. Lord Drayson: The total number of United Kingdom military deaths for each six-month period since the start of military operations in Iraq in 2003 can be found in the table below. Six-month period Deaths (a) (b) March–August 2003 50 September 2003–February 2004 9 March–August 2004 6 September 2004–February 2005 20 March–August 2005 7 September 2005–February 2006 11 March 2006 — Total 103 The best figures currently available for UK military and civilian casualties are published on the Ministry of Defence website. These are: For the period from March 2003 to 31 December 2005: Centrally available remaining records show that some 230 UK military and civilian personnel were treated at UK medical facilities in Iraq for wounds received as a result of hostile action. Separate records, from notification of casualty reporting (NOTICAS), show that some 40 UK military and civilian personnel have been categorised as very seriously injured (VSI) from all causes, and that some 70 personnel have been categorised as seriously injured (SI) from all causes. These figures include personnel treated for wounds received as a result of hostile action. Up to 4,000 UK military and civilian personnel (including a small number of Iraqis) have been medically evacuated from Iraq. The great majority of these cases were due to illness, accidental injury, routine out-patient treatment in the UK or for compassionate reasons and not as a result of hostile action. The total number of UK military and civilian personnel who were admitted to the Shaibah "Role 3" field hospital was 6,609. Of these, 226 were categorised as wounded in action and 6,383 were categorised as suffering disease or non-battle injury. For the period from 1 January to 31 January 2006: Centrally available records show that 65 UK service personnel were admitted to the Shaibah field hospital. Of these, five were categorised as wounded in action and 60 were categorised with disease or non-battle injury. Ministry of Defence: Property Holdings Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will launch a new Ministry of Defence programme of divestment of land and property holdings which are surplus to requirements. Lord Drayson: The future of much of the Ministry of Defence's land and property is already being considered through a process of estate rationalisation, which aims to provide an estate of the right size through consolidation. This is an ongoing process and there are no plans to change or stop it. This department has already achieved disposal receipts in excess of £1.5 billion between 1998 and March 2005 and has targeted a further £895 million of disposal receipts between 2005 and 2010, as part of the ongoing rationalisation process. National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre: Exercises Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 20 March (HL4529), what were the exercises undertaken by the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre in the past two years; what were the private sector companies and other government departments involved in each exercise; and what were the lessons learnt from each such exercise. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The National Security Infrastructure Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) has developed and run four exercises during the past two years with the overall aim of improving the protection of the UK's critical national infrastructure against electronic attack. The government departments and agencies involved were those that collectively have a day-to-day interest in NISCC operations, including the Cabinet Office, the Home Office, MoD, DTI, the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) (formerly the National High Tech Crime Unit), the Government Communications Head Quarters (GCHQ) (especially the Communications Electronics Security Group (CESG) and the Security Service. Private sector companies were invited to take part in some of the exercises, depending on the theme of the exercise. For confidentiality and security reasons I am not able to divulge details of those companies involved. The exercises tested a number of elements of the response to an electronic attack and many lessons have been learnt. These have ranged from ensuring that the central government departments involved understand their roles in the response to an attack; liaison with the private sector; media handling; briefing Ministers; investigational lead, issuing warnings; responding out of normal hours; and ensuring confidentiality. NISCC has also taken part in a number of international exercises including Exercise Cyber Storm, which incidentally a delegation from the All-Party Group on the Internet was given a briefing on as well as visiting the exercise control during play, and a G8 table-top exercise in May 2005 which was designed to test international co-operation in investigating an electronic attack against a member state. Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2006 Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: In relation to Regulation 4 of the Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2006, whether there is any commercial confidentiality restriction on the information which may be exchanged between competent authorities. Lord Warner: The Food Standards Agency has responsibility for the Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/15). The exchange of information between one competent authority and another competent authority pursuant to Regulation 4 of the statutory instrument is not prevented because that information may be commercially confidential. However, the exchange of the information does not affect the right of someone to seek legal redress for breach of confidence in respect of that confidential commercial information if it is used inappropriately by the recipient competent authority. Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2006 Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is a "control body" under the terms of Regulation 5 of the Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2006. Lord Warner: The Food Standards Agency is the central competent authority responsible for the Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/15). The statutory instrument applies, in England, the feed and food elements of Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 on official feed and food, animal health and animal welfare controls, which itself defines "control body". Such a body is an independent third party to which the central competent authority or local competent authorities (local and port health authorities) may, under specified conditions, delegate certain official control tasks, such as inspections or analysis of samples (tasks relating to formal enforcement action where non-compliance with legal requirements has been found, cannot be delegated). The majority of control bodies currently employed by United Kingdom authorities are privately owned laboratories carrying out chemical analysis or microbiological examination of feed or food for local authority enforcement services, or local government laboratories carrying out work for other authorities on a commercial basis. Pensions: Pension Credit Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their estimate of the percentage of all pensioner households which will, on present policies, be eligible to claim pension credit in (a) 2010; (b) 2015; (c) 2020; and (d) 2025. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The numbers eligible to pension credit in the future are subject to a range of uncertainties and a number of factors including the ways that governments choose to uprate benefits. The table shows the projected proportion of pensioner households eligible for pension credit in each year if basic state pension was to be uprated in line with prices and pension credit guarantee with earnings every year to 2025. Table 1: Projected proportion of pensioner households eligible to pension credit for selected years 2010 2015 2020 2025 Range 46 to 52 per cent 51 to 57 per cent 55 to 61 per cent 56 to 62 per cent Notes: 1. Estimates are based on Family Resource Survey data for 2003–04, with incomes and benefits projected forward into the future to estimate the eligibility for each pensioner household on the survey. 2. As with National Statistics's estimates of eligibility for pension credit in 2003–04, estimates are given as ranges to account for possible biases in Family Resource Survey data. They also take account of the effects of sampling variation. It is assumed that the size of this range remains constant in future years relative to the decreasing proportion of non-eligible pensioner households. 3. Estimates cover all those aged above women's state pension age in the private household population of Great Britain. 4. The projections assume the continuation of the current uprating of the standard minimum guarantee by earnings, although the Government have not yet announced how it will be uprated beyond 2008. 5. Estimates account for equalisation of state pension age between 2010 and 2020. It is assumed that the minimum age at which people can claim pension credit rises in line with women's state pension age. 6. Estimates are calibrated to the 2003–04 National Statistics estimates of non-eligibility for pension credit, which adjust 2003–04 Family Resource Survey data to take account of possible biases in reporting. Police: North Wales Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Secretary of State for the Home Department intends to reply to the letter of 20 December 2005 from the North Wales Police Authority. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: My right honourable friend the Minister for Policing, Security and Community Safety wrote, on 3 February, to all the Welsh police authority chairs responding to a common set of issues raised by them in individual letters, including the one dated 20 December 2005 from the chairman of the North Wales Police Authority. Since then, the Home Office central team has been in close contact with the police authorities and chief constables. Police: Reorganisation Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have received regarding the merger of police forces in Wales; and whether they will place copies of all relevant correspondence and reports in the Library. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Home Office received various representations on the merger of forces in Wales, including from all police forces and authorities in Wales, the Welsh Assembly and local authorities, which were taken into account in developing the case for amalgamation in Wales. The case for amalgamation involving Welsh forces has already been placed in the House of Commons Library and is available on the Home Office website at www.policereform.gov.uk. Police: Reorganisation Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many representations, including those from the public, they have received to date in favour of the abolition of the Essex police force as a stand-alone force. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: To date, the Home Office has received submissions from Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire police forces and authorities involving Essex police force. All forces and authorities recognised a merger involving Essex was viable and an effective way of addressing the gap in protective services identified in the eastern region. Ports Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the appointment into the pilot service for the port of Clyde of a United Kingdom marine pilot with no seagoing qualifications or experience complies with (a) the current custom and practice of recruiting class 1 (master mariners); and (b) the current work being undertaken by the Port Marine Safety Code Steering Group in connection with national occupation standards (NOS) for marine pilots. Lord Davies of Oldham: It is for each competent harbour authority to determine the qualifications it requires from its marine pilots, in terms of skills, local knowledge and time of service. The current work of the Port Marine Safety Code Steering Group on national occupational standards for marine pilots recognises the lead responsibility of competent harbour authorities and is taking full account of recruitment and training considerations. Railways: East Coast Main Line Lord Rosser: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 20 March (WA 21–22), whether, before awarding the franchise for the east coast main line, the franchising director was certain that Network Rail could offer the paths for the existing and additional services provided for under the franchise, and that preliminary discussions with the Office of Rail Regulation had concluded that there were no significant problems to prevent the track access allocation being completed. Lord Davies of Oldham: The InterCity east coast franchise was let on the basis that firm rights were in place to operate existing services. The commitment to operate additional services was subject to the franchisee making a successful application to secure track access rights. Network Rail had indicated, prior to the letting of the franchise, that no particular difficulties were foreseen in granting the franchisee rights to operate the 12 additional daily paths that were required to complete the pattern of half-hourly services between London and Leeds. Schools: Northern Ireland Lord Steinberg: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether examination results in grammar schools in Northern Ireland show a higher percentage of success than in similar schools in the rest of the United Kingdom. Lord Adonis: In 2004–05, 96.1 per cent of pupils in year 12 in grammar schools in Northern Ireland achieved five or more GCSE and equivalent qualifications at Grades A*-C compared with 97.9 per cent of pupils aged 15 in selective schools (maintained sector) in England. Comparable figures for Wales and for Scotland are not available. Shareholder Executive Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a date has been determined for Mr Richard Gillingwater, chief executive of the Shareholder Executive, to leave his current position; and, if so, when. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: No. His contract runs to September 2006. Smoking Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much in grants they have given to (a) Action on Smoking and Health, and (b) other anti-smoking organisations in each year from 2000 to 2004 inclusive. Lord Warner: The Department of Health grants to Action on Smoking Health (ASH) under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 are set out in the table. Financial year Grants £ 2000–01 156,170 2001–02 160,860 2002–03 147,810 2003–04 164,000 2004–05 168,000 Separately ASH in Wales has received grants from the Welsh Office and the National Assembly for Wales as follows. Financial Year Grants £ 1999–2000 57,5001 2000–01 118,9002 2001–02 98,0452 2002–03 136,9362 2003–04 94,4272 2004–05 84,2002 Notes: The grants received by ASH in Wales are solely for work carried out in Wales and their accounts are separately audited from ASH. 1 Grant received by ASH in Wales from the Welsh Office. 2 Grant received by ASH in Wales from the National Assembly of Wales. The Department of Health has also awarded a grant to the organisation No Smoking Day (NSD), which organises the day with the same name. The details of the grant awarded to NSD are set out in the table. Financial year Grants £ 2000–01 250,000 2001–02 250,000 2002–03 250,000 2003–04 250,000 2004–05 250,0001 Note: 1 Exclusive of VAT. The Department of Health awarded the following grant to QUIT, an organisation that provides support to smokers who want to quit smoking, in 2000–01 under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, for the project "Quitline transitional funding" of £400,000. A further award was made to QUIT in 2002–03 for its lone parent and smoking cessation project. The details of the grant awarded to QUIT are set out in the table. Financial year Grants £ 2002–03 10,000 2003–04 20,000 2004–05 25,000 Territorial Army Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the current establishment of Territorial Army medical staff by specialisations; and what the establishment will be after implementation of the rebalancing announced on 23 March; and What is the current regular Army establishment for medical staff by specialisations; and what plans they have to change this in the time-scale of the Territorial Army rebalancing announced on 23 March. Lord Drayson: The table below shows the current establishment for regular Army medical staff by specialisation. Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps(QARANC) 1,080 Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC) 420 Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) 190 Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) 3,270 Colonels and above1 60 Total 5,0202 Notes: 1 These ranks cannot be separated by specialisation. 2 The data have been rounded to the nearest 10. There has been a recent increase of approximately 380 to the regular Army medical staff establishment as part of future Army structures, which is included in the table above. Decisions on future changes to the establishment are yet to be finalised. Under Territorial Army (TA) rebalancing the total establishment for TA medical staff will change from 6,884 to 5,268 personnel. The current establishment by specialisation is shown in the table below. Future establishment figures by specialisation are not yet available. Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps(QARANC) 2,350 Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC) 170 Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) 10 Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) 3,130 Non-medical liability 1,230 Total 6,8901 Note: 1 The data have been rounded to the nearest 10. Territorial Army Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many reservists were deployed on operations on 1 January; and what are the planned figures for 1 July 2006 and 1 January 2007. Lord Drayson: There were approximately 668 reservists deployed on operations on 1 January 2006. Future plans are not sufficiently advanced at this stage to provide figures for 1 July 2006 and 1 January 2007. Transport: Bus Lanes Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will take sanctions against officials for the delays in implementing the scheme for camera enforcement of bus lanes outside London, which is now further delayed awaiting the setting up of an independent appeal service. Lord Davies of Oldham: Officials worked very hard to get the regulations and guidance in place. The appeal service is for the local authorities to establish. We understand from the National Parking Adjudication Service that eight councils in England (outside London) hope to have completed all the necessary steps to commence bus lane enforcement this autumn, which will include establishing the appeals service and appointing bus lane adjudicators, subject to the consent of the Lord Chancellor. Water: Iraq, Turkey and Syria Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 3 November 2004 (WA 34–35), whether they have received any information from United Kingdom embassies in Ankara, Damascus and Baghdad about a dialogue between Iraq, Turkey and Syria on the equitable sharing of trans-boundary water resources; and, if not, whether they will make representations to the United Nations Secretary-General regarding the appointment of a special envoy to facilitate such a dialogue. Lord Triesman: We do not believe there have been any subsequent trilateral meetings between Iraq, Turkey and Syria on the equitable sharing of trans-boundary water resources. Trans-boundary water resources are discussed as part of ongoing bilateral dialogue between Iraq, Turkey and Syria. We have received no reports on the specific nature of these discussions from the countries concerned. It is the Government's view that it is for the countries concerned to find a lasting way forward. The Government have no plans to press for the UN Secretary-General to appoint a special envoy to facilitate a dialogue between these three countries. If called on, the World Bank has a high level of expertise in developing solutions to enable the equitable distribution of trans-boundary water resources. We support the bank's work in the Middle East and other regions.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-04-19b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Railways: Timetables Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what passenger data informed the new railway timetable service from 16 May for (1) Welwyn Garden City to London, (2) Huddersfield to Wakefield, and (3) Ilkley to Bradford, services. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Like other train operators, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and Northern are continuously reviewing services to achieve the best possible balance between passenger demand and the resources available. A range of data sources is used by the operators to build up a holistic picture of customer demand. Great British Railways Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourageprivate investment to the Great British Railways. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Great British Railways will get best value from the private sector, including restoring competition for passenger services contracts. Under the new industry structure, Great British Railways will engage with suppliers from a position of strength, offering high-value opportunities to the private sector to compete to deliver world-class solutions for passengers. Simpler procurement within a stable commercial environment will give the private sector confidence to engage and will help to remove barriers to investment and innovation. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Energy: Meters Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to introduce a deficit fund to remove £1,000 off the annual bills of struggling households on pre-payment meters. Lord Callanan: The energy price cap ensures 4.5 million prepayment meter customers pay a fair price for their energy. The Government announced a further £15 billion package of support to help with the cost of living on 26 May, on top of the £22 billion already announced this year. This means almost eight million most vulnerable households will get £1,200 of one-off support in total this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400. The Ability to Pay principal set by Ofgem in the supply licence requires suppliers to provide appropriate support to households which are struggling to pay their energy bills by setting up repayment plans based on a customer’s ability to pay, and by directing them to further support services. National Grid Baroness Redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to refit the electrical grid to handle different kinds of energy flows. Lord Callanan: The Government recognises that the electricity network will require substantial investment and technical evolution to deliver a clean, secure and affordable British energy system. The British Energy Security Strategy includes proposals to accelerate the delivery of network infrastructure. Later this year, the Government and Ofgem will set out their approach to transform the network in more detail through the Electricity Network Strategic Framework. Electrical Safety Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage routes-to-market for new fire and electrical safety technologies. Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage investment into technological solutions in the hazard prevention market. Lord Callanan: Placing new or innovative products on the market requires the same product safety requirements to be met as is required for existing products. Guidance is available for businesses to help set what is required so that they have a clear route for getting their products to market. Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), acts as the prime channel through which Government incentivises business-led technology innovation. It funds innovation through the allocation of competitively awarded grants and funding is available to all businesses undertaking innovation, irrespective of the technology or sector in which they are working. The UKRI Gateway, available via UKRI’s website, provides data on all funded research and innovation projects. Innovate UK also helps to connect innovative businesses with the right partners and expertise to help them bring their ideas to market, and grow and scale their companies, through the Knowledge Transfer Network and Innovate UK EDGE. Motorway Service Areas: Fuels Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allegations of profiteering in the retail sale of petrol and diesel, especially amongst motorway service stations; and what steps they will take to address such profiteering. Lord Callanan: There are rules requiring transparency of petrol and diesel prices, including at motorway service stations so that prices are displayed before fuelling commences. Consumers can then make an informed purchase decision. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recently stated that it stands ready to take action should there be evidence that competition or consumer protection law has been broken in the fuel retail market, and is monitoring the evidence closely. The CMA will continue to work with BEIS to analyse developments. This work will build on the knowledge base the CMA has accumulated during some of the recent mergers it has intervened on in this sector. Business: Coronavirus Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to ensure thatlocal authorities are co-operating on calculating the level of (1) fraud, and (2) error, in business support grants administered. Lord Callanan: BEIS continues to work closely with Local Authorities to minimise the risk of fraud and error, and to take action where this does occur. Local Authorities are required to undertake assurance activity for all COVID-19 Business Grant schemes, to ensure that the recipients were eligible to receive the funds and that funds were paid correctly. Where it is identified that an award of a grant was non-compliant, funding issued will be subject to recovery and all cases of fraud will be pursued. The Assurance and Debt Recovery Guidance can be found on the COVID-19 Business Grants page at Gov.UK. Department for Education Higher Education: Care Leavers Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take, if any, to increase the number of care leavers at high tariff higher education institutions. Baroness Barran: We have published guidance for higher education (HE) providers, setting out areas where care leavers are likely to need additional support, including examples of the types of additional support that have been put in place, drawing on best practice from across the sector. We have also introduced the Care Leaver Covenant, which enables organisations, including HE providers, to make offers of support to care leavers. The National Network for the Education of Care Leavers has developed the Quality Mark: a developmental accreditation process for universities and colleges to demonstrate their support for the inclusion and success of care experienced students. The Quality Mark has a focus on getting the right information to students on academic and pastoral support available to them, along with tailored mentoring and financial advice. As autonomous bodies independent from government, HE providers are responsible for their own admissions decisions. However, the department encourages HE providers to put the interests of students at the heart of their decision-making, including providing the appropriate support for care leavers. All HE providers in the approved (fee cap) category of the Office for Students’ (OfS) register are required to have an access and participation plan (APP) agreed by the Director for Fair Access and Participation at the OfS. In order to be approved, APPs must represent a credible, ambitious strategy to reduce gaps in access, participation and attainment for disadvantaged and under-represented groups. As care leavers are underrepresented within HE, APPs will often address specific interventions by the provider for improving equality of opportunity for care-experienced individuals. This may take the form of targeted outreach, additional pastoral, accommodation or financial support while studying, or support through mentorship or buddy schemes. Care leavers attending HE courses are treated as independent students when their entitlement to living costs is assessed. This means that in nearly all cases they will qualify for the maximum loan for living costs. Care leavers undertaking HE also qualify for a £2,000 HE bursary from their local authority. Additional bursaries are offered by some HE providers for care leavers in higher education. The enclosed attachment contains the department’s analysis of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record showing the number of care leavers who entered courses at English HE providers in each academic year from 2018/19 to 2020/21. Coverage refers to entrants domiciled in England prior to study and care leavers are defined as codes 01 and 04 in the HESA care leaver collection documentation. Further information can be found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c20051/a/careleaver. The summary table below shows the number of care leavers who entered courses at high tariff[1] English HE providers in each year, along with total care leavers entering courses at all HE providers. A full breakdown by institution can be found in the attachment. Academic yearCare leavers entrants at high tariff providersCare leavers entrants at all providers2018/194353,5702019/205053,8952020/215804,290 We will take account of the recommendations from the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, which is due to report shortly, when assessing what further support can be provided to increase the number of care leavers who attend university. [1] The tariff grouping used here is the same as that which the Office for Students defined in Annex A (pg 20) of their technicaly guidance, available here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/6591e671-624a-4ebf-a5fb-1be904a5eb9f/technical-gudiance-to-accompany-provider-modelling-finalforweb.pdf.They are based on the average UCAS tariff score of their young (aged under 21) UK-domiciled undergraduate entrants in the 2012-13 to 2014-15 academic years. Providers in the top third of the ranking by average tariff score form the ‘High tariff’ group. HL298_table (xlsx, 45.2KB) GCE A-level: Children in Care Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many looked after children (1) started, and (2) completed, A-Level courses in each of the last three years for which the data are available. Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what data they collect on the average level of educational attainment for looked after children (1) at Key Stage 5, and (2) in post-16 education. Baroness Barran: The department does not hold information centrally on the types of qualifications looked-after children study and complete beyond key stage 4. The department does hold and publish information on pupils who were at the end of key stage 4 in the 2018/2019 academic year and reports on their destinations in the following academic year (2019/2020).The figures show in the 2019/20 academic year, 5,450 children looked after were in a sustained education destination in the year following the end of key stage 4. Of these, 2,910 were in further education, 860 were in a school sixth form or sixth form college and 1,240 were in some other form of education. The full figures can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d583af1d-ad7d-4f1f-990b-2b27586d6c69.The department does not hold information on the educational attainment of looked after children beyond key stage 4. Destinations of looked-after children (pdf, 12.9KB) Higher Education: Care Leavers Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many care leavers entered high tariff higher education institutions in each of the last three years for which the data are available; and how many entered each institution. Baroness Barran: The enclosed attachment contains the department’s analysis of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record showing the number of care leavers who entered courses at English higher education providers (HEPs) in each academic year from 2018/19 to 2020/21. Coverage refers to entrants domiciled in England prior to study and care leavers are defined as codes 01 and 04 in the HESA care leaver collection documentation. Further information can be found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c20051/a/careleaver. The summary table below shows the number of care leavers who entered courses at high tariff[1] English HEPs in each year, along with total care leavers entering courses at all HEPs. A full breakdown by institution can be found in the attachment. Academic yearCare leavers entrants at high tariff providersCare leavers entrants at all providers2018/194353,5702019/205053,8952020/215804,290 [1] The tariff grouping used here is the same as that which the Office for Students defined in Annex A (pg 20) of their technical guidance, available here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/6591e671-624a-4ebf-a5fb-1be904a5eb9f/technical-gudiance-to-accompany-provider-modelling-finalforweb.pdf.They are based on the average UCAS tariff score of their young (aged under 21) UK-domiciled undergraduate entrants in the 2012-13 to 2014-15 academic years. Providers in the top third of the ranking by average tariff score form the 'High tariff' group.HL300 table (xls, 92.0KB) Academies Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many maintained schools were converted to academy status through sponsorship or other means from September 2010 to March 2022; and how many were converted in each academic year during that period. Baroness Barran: As of March 2022, there were 9,205 open converter and sponsored academies. The tables attached show the annual net growth in the number of these schools from 2011 to March 2022, as well as the total number of converter and sponsored academies as of January each year.This information is derived from the annual School Census data available via School, Pupils, and their Characteristics. This can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.Data from 2022 reflects those schools opened in January, February and March of this year and is derived from Get Information About Schools via this link: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Downloads. HL329_table1 (pdf, 13.9KB)HL329_table2 (pdf, 9.0KB) Special Educational Needs Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Review. Baroness Barran: The department published the special educational needs and disabilities review on 29 March 2022.We have also launched a full, accessible 16-week consultation so that everyone can have their say and the department is keen to hear from a wide range of stakeholders and interested parties. We are making sure that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their parents can respond, as well as people working in education, health and care, and charities and other experts. Free School Meals Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that funding for free school meals is extended through to secondary school. Baroness Barran: All maintained schools and academies, including primary and secondary schools fund benefit-related free school meals (FSM) from their core funding which they receive through the schools block of the dedicated schools grant and is derived from the national funding formula.For the 2022/23 academic year the department will allocate £470 of funding to local authorities for each of the pupils in their area eligible for FSM. Local authorities then distribute this money to schools through their local funding formula, which must include additional funding for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as those eligible for FSM.It is then for schools to decide how to use their budget, including how much to allocate to pay for benefits-based FSM. Children: Social Services Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Action for ChildrenToo little, too late: early help and early intervention spending in England, published on 28 February. Baroness Barran: The ‘Too Little, Too Late’ report recommends an increase in funding for a range of early intervention services. This year, the government announced a £500 million package to give families effective support earlier by creating a network of family hubs in half of the council areas in England and helping up to 300,000 more vulnerable families through the Support Families programme.The report’s other recommendations include a legal duty for early help and additional data collection on early help. The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care has now set out its final recommendations, and we will consider those relevant to early help to inform any next steps. Academies Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total cost of converting maintained schools to academy status through sponsorship or other means from September 2010 to March 2022; and what was the average cost of converting each school to academy status during that period. Baroness Barran: As of March 2022, the department has spent £495 million through our academies pre-opening grants to support schools to become academies. Average costs will vary significantly by project. The department has a range of available grants with set tariffs that contribute towards the costs to support schools to convert.From 2010, the converter pre-opening grant has been set at £25,000 per academy.The level of funding for sponsored pre-opening grants has varied since 2010, when the academies programme began to expand. From 2010 to 2013, the average award for sponsored academies was determined on a case-by-case basis. To ensure greater consistency and drive efficiencies, set tariffs for sponsored academies were established in 2013. Sponsored academies are now eligible for grants ranging from £70,000 to £150,000 per academy.Cost of Sponsored and Converter Academies from 2010 to March 2022Financial YearCosts2010-11£67m2011-12£67m2012-13£65m2013-14£59m2014-15£48m2015-16£26m2016-17£54m2017-18£38m2018-19£30m2019-20£16m2020-21£15m2021-22£10mTotal£495m Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Israel: Palestinians The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Reporters Without Borders that there have been more than 140 instances of violence by Israeli security forces against journalists in Friday protests since March 2018. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to the protection of media freedom around the world. The safety of journalists across the globe is vital and they must be protected when carrying out their critical work. We continue to reiterate the importance of a free and open press, and freedom of expression to the Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. East Africa: Humanitarian Aid The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount of humanitarian aid was delivered to (1) Kenya, (2) Sudan, (3) Ethiopia, and (4) Somalia for the years (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021, and (d) 2022. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK provided the following amounts of humanitarian aid:Financial year (FY) 2019/2020 - Kenya £36 million, Sudan £60 million, Ethiopia £77 million, Somalia £64 million;FY 2020/2021 - Kenya £31 million, Sudan £66 million, Ethiopia £102 million, Somalia £70 million;FY 2021/2022 - Kenya £15 million, Sudan £28 million, Ethiopia £80 million, Somalia £46 million.In addition, in FY 2020/2021, the UK provided £23 million to support desert locust response activities across the region. East Africa: Humanitarian Aid The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide humanitarian aid to East Africa following reports of impending famine conditions in the region. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Approximately 480,000 people in Ethiopia and Somalia are now experiencing famine-like conditions. The situation is extremely grave.The UK is a major humanitarian donor to the East Africa region. In 2022 to support communities affected by drought plus flooding and conflict the UK has provided £72 million to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan. Across the region UK funded humanitarian activities are making a difference and saving lives. In Kenya the UK is providing 26,000 children with life-saving nutritional support. In Ethiopia a further 200,000 children and pregnant and lactating women in southern and eastern regions will receive similar aid.The UK also played a critical role in convening the recent UN Horn of Africa Drought Roundtable which took place in late April in Geneva. This included working with states in the region and the UN to ensure appropriate levels of participation. It helped to bring much needed focus on the drought and it mobilised roughly US$400 million in new funding.Countries across the Horn of Africa will also be impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine due to the increase in the costs of food commodities and fuel on global markets. We are exploring how we can help lessen the impact of rising food prices caused by the war in Ukraine on vulnerable communities in East Africa. This includes assessing alternate markets for procurement of food supplies and working with UN partners to promote effective prioritisation so assistance reaches the neediest.Our response to the drought builds on long-established resilience building programmes in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. In Kenya this includes support to the Hunger Safety Programme, which has provided 600,000 people in drought prone areas with regular financial assistance. In Ethiopia, the UK funded Productive Safety Net Programme has benefitted some 8 million people via financial welfare provision and community public works projects. In Somalia the UK has been assisting over 220 rural communities with sustainable support for internally displaced persons. These programmes, coupled with additional investments, have enabled the UK to reach nearly 8 million people as a part of its emergency humanitarian response. Nigeria: Terrorism Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the joint report by the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust, International Organisation for Peacebuilding and Social Justice and Christian Solidarity InternationalBreaking Point in Central Nigeria? Terror and Mass Displacement in the Middle Belt, published in March. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We welcome this report and its recognition that the underlying drivers of violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt are complex. The Minister for Africa visited Nigeria in February 2022 and raised rising insecurity and its impact on the Nigerian people in meetings with the Vice President, Foreign Minister and several State Governors. The Minister was pleased to be able to meet with a range of interlocutors, including faith and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) leaders, who are working towards peace in Nigeria's Middle Belt. In all these meetings, the Minister reiterated the UK's commitment to working with actors across Nigeria to address violence, protect human rights, and promote dialogue and respect between different ethnic and religious communities. We continue to encourage the Nigerian Government to take urgent action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence. Department for Work and Pensions Universal Credit: Low Incomes Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reinstate the £20 a week uplift in universal credit to help those on low incomes. Baroness Stedman-Scott: There are no plans to reinstate the temporary increase to Universal Credit. The government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and these are global challenges, but the government has taken action to support and help families with a package worth over £37 billion in 2022-23. These steps help ensure that on average a person in work is £6000 better off in work than on benefits. And we stand ready to do more as the situation evolves. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Horticulture: Migrant Workers Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue agricultural visas for picking and processing fruit and vegetables to female Ukrainian workers; and what consideration they have given to housing any such individuals in RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Lord Benyon: The Home Office already operates such an immigration route. The Seasonal Worker visa scheme, which has been extended to 2024, allows overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops. 30,000 visas will be available in 2022, and this is being kept under review with the potential to increase by 10,000 visas if there is evidence of need. The Seasonal Workers visa route is managed by four scheme operators. The scheme operators select, sponsor and monitor migrants, and adhere to all Home Office requirements in practice, including those on migrant safety and welfare. Under the scheme, licenced operators can recruit workers of any nationality or gender from any EU or non-EU country, including from Ukraine. The operators of the Seasonal Worker visa route manage accommodation arrangements and must ensure that all workers are housed in safe hygienic accommodation and many UK farms are already set up for accommodating seasonal workers on site for the spring and summer months. Only asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute will be accommodated in the new reception centre at RAF Linton-On-Ouse. On 24 February the Government announced that all Ukrainian nationals on an existing seasonal worker visa will have their leave in the UK extended to 31 December 2022 and can now switch to the Ukraine Extension Scheme visa if eligible. Under the Ukraine Extension Scheme those who are successful in their application can stay in the UK for up to three years and will be able to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds. Further details on eligibility can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to-stay-in-the-uk-under-the-ukraine-extension-scheme. A copy of the guidance is also attached to this answer. Ukrainian women who are currently in the UK and have a right to work here can also access agricultural jobs through the Department for Work and Pensions’ Find A Job website.Ukraine Extension Scheme (pdf, 126.4KB) Home Office Visas: Russia Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Russian citizens designated under any UK sanctions regime since Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014 have held Tier 1 (Investor) visas. Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how may Russiancitizens designated under any Russia-related international sanctions regime imposed following Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014 have held Tier 1 (Investor) visas. Baroness Williams of Trafford: We do not comment on national security matters, nor do we comment on individual cases. Deportation: Jamaica Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the last four flights carrying deported Jamaican nationals, how many such individuals were on each flight. Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Jamaican nationals will be deported on the special charter flight to Jamaica on 18 May. Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how old each Jamaican national deported to Jamaica on each of the last four flights was when they first came to the UK. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Our priority will always be to keep our communities safe, and we make no apology for seeking to remove those with no right to remain in the UK and foreign criminals. Since January 2019 we have removed 10,017 foreign criminals from the UK. Information on the number of Jamaican foreign national offenders returned from the UK is available from Immigration statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) in table Ret_D03, which can be found attached. A person’s age upon arrival to the UK or their nationality are not exceptions to automatic deportation under the Borders Act 2007, but may be relevant factors, in addition to the strength of their social, cultural and family ties in the UK, in considering whether a human rights exception applies. All those deported will have been provided with the opportunity to raise claims, which are fully considered and determined prior to removal including, where applicable, via the Courts. We do not routinely comment on individual cases.Ret_D03 (xlsx, 412.4KB)
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2022-05-31
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2022", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Sudan: Christianity Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Sudan about the arrest of two Christian pastors from South Sudan. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Our Ambassador in Khartoum raised the cases of Reverend Yat Michael and Reverend Peter Reith with the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March. In addition, officials at our Embassy in Khartoum are in close contact with the legal team working on behalf of the two pastors and are co-ordinating with other Embassies in Khartoum to ensure the international community is represented at the ongoing legal proceedings. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 2 June (HL10), what is their assessment of the cause of the conflict in Gaza, and in particular the effect of Israel's military occupation; and what improvements in living standards have been delivered to the people of Gaza following Israel’s lifting of certain restrictions. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The underlying causes of the conflict in Gaza are rocket fire and other attacks against Israel from Hamas and other militant groups; Israeli restrictions on movement and access; and the lack of progress made by the Palestinian Authority in returning to Gaza to restore effective and accountable governance. Israeli restrictions damage the economy and living standards of ordinary people in Gaza. Israel’s lifting of certain restrictions has resulted in some limited improvements in living standards in Gaza compared to the situation in the immediate aftermath of last summer’s conflict. The water supply has been doubled, more agricultural produce is leaving Gaza for export to Israel or transfer to the West Bank, and the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism is facilitating repairs. However, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs assesses that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We are continuing to call on Israel to ease movement and access restrictions further. Eritrea: Human Rights Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea accusing Eritrea of crimes against humanity. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government note the report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea published on 8 June. We are carefully reviewing their findings and look forward to discussion of the report at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 23 June. We are disappointed the Commission has not been granted access to Eritrea. We continue to call on the Government of Eritrea to honour its international human rights obligations and cooperate fully with the whole UN human rights system, including the Commission. Eritrea: Human Rights Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to press the United Nations Security Council to refer Eritrea to the International Criminal Court, in the light of the report by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UN Commission of Inquiry Report on Human Rights in Eritrea does not recommend referral of Eritrea to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Report recommends that the international community continues to engage closely on the human rights situation in Eritrea, including on countering irregular migration, human smuggling and trafficking. The UK is already fully engaged on this through the African Union-EU ‘Khartoum Process’. The UK will also continue to press Eritrea to improve its human rights record through a range of channels including via the UN Human Rights Council and Special Rapporteur, EU Article 8 Dialogue, and through regular bilateral diplomacy. Philip Blackwood Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the United Kingdom Ambassador to Burma raised the case of Philip Blackwood when he met the Minister of the President's Office earlier this year; and if so, whether he specifically requested Mr Blackwood's release from prison. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Our Ambassador in Rangoon informed the Minister of the President's office that we were following Mr Blackwood's case closely. We continue to provide advice and support to the New Zealand Embassy, who are providing consular assistance to Mr Blackwood who is a dual British/New Zealand national. Bhutan: Overseas Aid Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funds in aid and development assistance have been made available to Bhutan in each of the past three years; and for what purpose. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK contributes to aid and assistance in Bhutan primarily through the EU. The EU development programme for Bhutan from 2007-2013 was €14 million and focused on support for renewable natural resources and enhancing good governance. The 2014-2020 programme is a €42 million package focused on strengthening civil society, supporting local governance and developing sustainable rural livelihoods by enhancing food and nutrition security and generating employment opportunities. There was no bilateral spend in financial years 2013-14 or 2014-15. In financial year 2012-13 the UK spent: • £15,000 on a high-level visit to the UK headed by the Bhutanese Chief Justice. The purpose of the visit was to develop relationships in the field of judicial and advocacy training, explore ways of developing cooperation and mutually beneficial trade links. • £14,610 on a Chevening Scholarship for a Bhutanese journalism scholar. Democratic Republic of Congo: SOCO International Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take in the light of reports into the activities of Soco International in Virunga national park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which allege breaches of bribery and corruption laws. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of allegations of serious wrongdoing made against Soco International, its employees and agents connected to its activities in the Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We expect all companies to act appropriately and encourage anyone with evidence of fraud, bribery or corruption to pass this to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).Allegations of bribery and corruption, and incidents of violence, intimidation and threats directed at environmental activists, fishermen and local residents campaigning against oil exploitation in the Virunga National Park have been inadequately investigated by the DRC authorities. We have called upon the DRC authorities to undertake a full investigation. Middle East: Armed Conflict Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to encourage the governments of Saudi Arabia and Iran to find political solutions to the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Bahrain. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have a long history of friendship, understanding and co-operation. Our shared interests are wide and diverse, and include cooperation on counter-terrorism, defence, trade and investment, education and healthcare. We also work closely with the Government of Saudi Arabia across a range of shared key foreign policy interests.Iran is an important country in the region but it is contributing to regional instability through its actions. We discuss regional issues as part of our bilateral dialogue with Iran, and continue to encourage Iran to play a constructive role in the region. Burma: Rohingya Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make representations to the government of Myanmar regarding the treatment of Rohingya Muslims. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We continue to raise the problems in Rakhine with the government of Burma at every opportunity, and will continue to do so. Most recently in relation to the humanitarian crisis in the Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), called the Burmese Ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 18 May to express concern, calling for an urgent humanitarian response and regional coordination. In parallel, our Ambassador in Rangoon delivered the same message with the EU and US in a demarche to Burmese Ministers, and again bilaterally on 4 June. Rohingya: Human Trafficking Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage international action to prevent Rohingya Muslims from becoming victims of human trafficking. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Ministers have instructed our Embassies and High Commissions in South East Asia to lobby governments in the region to take a coordinated response to address people trafficking and irregular migration from the Bay of Bengal, including that of Rohingya Muslims. We are also lobbying the EU and international partners to the same end. In addition, we have engaged with non-governmental organisations and international organisations, including the International Organisation for Migration and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and supported a discussion of the crisis in the UN Security Council on 28 May. We welcome the international coordination meeting hosted by Thailand on 29 May, which we attended as an observer. We also welcome the Association of Southeast Asian Nation's commitment to raising the issue in its forum. Israel: Palestinians Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they accept the RAND Corporation's calculation of the benefits that would follow a full solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine; and whether they will discuss those findings with both sides. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not made an assessment of the findings of RAND Corporation’s calculations. However we do agree that there would be economic benefits for both sides in the event of a two-state solution being achieved, and have made this clear with the parties and will continue to do so. Macedonia Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the current situation in Macedonia and its possible impact on neighbouring states; and whether they consider that a process of national dialogue, involving civil society as well as political parties, would be helpful. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We remain concerned about the ongoing political crisis in Macedonia and the potential impact on stability for the region. We welcome efforts by Commissioner Hahn on 2 June 2015 in brokering a tentative cross-party political agreement as a first step towards resolving the political crisis in Macedonia and urge the political leaders to implement their commitments and work towards credible reforms that strengthen the rule of law, media freedom, independence of the judiciary and depoliticisation of state institutions. Civil Society has an important role to play in advancing this agenda. Macedonia Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they and the European Union are currently providing in Macedonia. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government undertakes a range of programme activities in Macedonia in the areas of public administration, good governance, rule of law and human rights, freedom of expression and promotion of diversity. This is worth £1.16m. At the same time, through the Instruments of Pre-Accession (IPA) II Fund, the Commission provides financial and technical assistance to support Macedonia to undertake political and economic reforms. €664m has been earmarked for Macedonia for the period 2014-2017. Raif Badawi Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they pressed for the case of Raif Badawi to be discussed at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Conference in Jeddah on 3 and 4 June; and if so, what was the response of the government of Saudi Arabia. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The conference was a multilateral event hosted by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and not by Saudi Arabia, and therefore was not an appropriate forum to discuss individual Saudi Arabian legal cases. However, we are extremely concerned about Raif Badawi’s case and have discussed it at the most senior levels in the Government of Saudi Arabia, most recently on 9 June. We await the outcome of the current Saudi Arabian Supreme Court review of the case. Middle East Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have for addressing interfaith conflict between Sunni and Shia Muslims in the Middle East. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) supports greater dialogue between Sunni and Shia Muslims among all faith groups in the Middle East and North Africa region to build bridges, talk, listen and learn from each other. At the 27 March UN Security Council debate on the persecution of minorities in the Middle East, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), called for bold leadership from governments and communities in the region to continue working for tolerance and reconciliation. Where the British Government is best placed to act, and has the means to do so, we will. For example, in Syria a number of Government-funded projects have brought together religious leaders from all denominations (including Alawi, Christians, Kurds, Druze and Sunnis) to foster greater understanding between faiths and support reconciliation. Middle East Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money has been invested in soft power in conflict zones in the Middle East in order to bring interfaith communities together. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Spending on projects to bring together interfaith communities is dispersed across Government and is a mainstream part of other Government activity. Disaggregating this spending would incur disproportional cost. Department for International Development Sierra Leone: Ebola Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in ensuring that rapid diagnostic tests for ebola are available in Sierra Leone. Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the rapid diagnostic test developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratories will be made available for use in Sierra Leone. Earl of Courtown: Prompt diagnosis of Ebola is vital for an effective response. The UK is investing £1.34 million in new research to fight the virus, including the ongoing development of two rapid diagnostic tests for diagnosis of Ebola by the Institut Pasteur and University of Westminster. The UK is also providing support to other research programmes on Ebola diagnostics and treatments, through enabling the use of the UK funded treatment facilities and laboratories. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratories (DSTL) has been working with BBI Detection to provide Public Health England (PHE) with prototypes of a rapid diagnostic device, named the UK Ebola Lateral Flow Device. The device has been evaluated in Sierra Leone by PHE to determine its utility in the outbreak setting, and the decision on whether to proceed with production now rests with the manufacturer. Developing Countries: Drugs Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of Médecins Sans Frontières' claims that too little funding goes into the development of new drugs and vaccines for neglected diseases, or for illnesses which have proved to be resistant to available treatments. Earl of Courtown: Globally there is insufficient funding for the development of new drugs and vaccines for neglected diseases and resistance to essential drugs is a growing problem. Responding to these challenges is a priority for the UK, and the Government is leading a major new drive to develop drugs for the world’s deadliest diseases. The Government has a manifesto commitment to lead a major new programme to develop drugs for the world’s deadliest diseases. The UK Government is the second largest Government funder of product development public-private partnerships (PDPs) and in recent years, these PDPs have developed over 10 drugs, two vaccines and six diagnostic tests. Several new drugs are currently under development for the treatment of illnesses which are resistant to available drugs. Ministry of Justice Courts: Disclosure of Information Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will introduce measures to open the proceedings of the family courts and the Court of Protection to the press and public; and, if not, why not. Lord Faulks: The Government supports steps to increase openness whilst remaining mindful of the rights to privacy of those involved in such personal proceedings. Since May 2009, amendments to the rules of court governing the practice and procedure to be followed in family proceedings have allowed accredited members of the media access to the majority of court hearings. In January 2014 the President of the Family Division issued guidance requiring more judgments of both the Family Court and Court of Protection to be published online. In August 2014 the President of the Family Division issued a consultation seeking views on the impact of these earlier steps to increase transparency in the family court and on ways to further increase transparency including, the possibility of public access. The Court of Protection Rule Committee is also taking forward work which will examine the benefits and risks of making rule changes which allow greater access to the media and public. Prison Service: Training Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they ensure that new prison officers in prisons in England and Wales receive sufficient training to fulfil their role effectively. Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they ensure that prison officers in prisons in England and Wales receive the in-service training they require to support them in their role. Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how prison officer training has changed in the last five years. Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the suggestion by the Howard League for Penal Reform that prison officer training should be developed into a vocational degree. Lord Faulks: Currently, initial training of newly recruited prison officers begins with an eight week Prison Officer Entry Level Training (POELT) course. This includes two weeks officers spend in their prison, an induction week and a week of prison based learning. The training provides new officers with a foundation level of training in all core skill areas including interpersonal skills, mental health awareness, equality, violence reduction and safer custody, alongside the more traditional security awareness and practical skills needed to be a prison officer. In recognition of the complexity of the role of a prison officer, NOMS plans to increase initial training to twelve weeks. Newly recruited officers will spend 10 weeks at a NOMS learning centre and 2 weeks at their designated prison. This revised course will have an expanded content in relation to safer custody and mental health issues, and there will be a bespoke supporting qualification aimed to prepare new entrant officers to deliver in a rehabilitative culture. There will be more emphasis on building stronger staff-prisoner relationships, with prison officers acting as motivating role models and positively reinforcing values, attitudes and behaviours in order to change their lives. NOMS attaches great importance to the continuing professional development of prison officers, and the range of learning and development opportunities available to staff supports this. NOMS provides specialist training in areas such as Offender Management, Safer Custody, Use of Force, Hostage Negotiator and Intelligence while generic training is available via Civil Service Learning. Each prison is responsible for assessing the training needs of its officers in order to achieve its business objectives. The content of all NOMS’ learning programmes is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect policy and legislative changes and the changing needs of the organisation. We are adopting a more flexible approach to learning, for example, e-learning has been introduced to support face to face learning programmes; prison officers complete knowledge based workbooks during their initial training. There are currently no plans to consider a vocational degree programme for prison officer training. Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Covenant: Northern Ireland Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why Northern Ireland only received a grant of £50,000 from the armed forces covenant (Libor) fund of £35 million which was shared amongst 96 armed forces charities and causes across the United Kingdom. Earl Howe: I am very pleased that, as a result of the Chancellor's decision in 2012 to transfer £35 million of Libor money to support the Armed Forces community, the fund has supported 96 charities and good causes in a variety of ways across the UK.While it is correct that only one of the successful grant applications is designed to solely benefit the Northern Irish Armed Forces community, we anticipate that this community will benefit from a number of UK-wide projects which have received funding.This year sees the implementation of a permanent commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant through a £10 million per annum Covenant Fund, which will be open to applications from across the whole of the UK. Details about the scheme will be announced later this year and I hope that we will see strong applications which will benefit the Armed Forces community in Northern Ireland. Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many residential units are owned by the United Kingdom authorities in the Sovereign Base of Dhekelia, and to which authority it is intended to surrender them to facilitate a political settlement in Cyprus. Earl Howe: There are 416 residential units owned by the United Kingdom authorities in the Sovereign Base of Dhekelia.The land offer put forward to the UN in 2003/4, and subsequently readdressed in 2009 in the event of a reunified Cyprus, does not include any of the residential units owned by the United Kingdom authorities in the Sovereign Base of Dhekelia. Department for Work and Pensions Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have incurred three-year Jobseeker Allowance sanctions; and whether they will provide a breakdown of three-year sanctions imposed by (1) gender, (2) age group, (3) disability status, (4) lone parent status, (5) ethnicity, and (6) region. Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information is available on the number and proportion of sanctioned Jobseeker Allowance claimants who have challenged their sanctions, broken down according to the length of the sanction. Lord Freud: The information requested regarding the length of a sanction is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Cost Effectiveness Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty’s Government where the £83 million savings in the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are to be found, further to the recent announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Defra is planning to remain within its budgetary control totals for 2015-16 and is currently developing options to deliver the £83 million savings announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. These options include tight control of budgets to drive underspends in-year; further efficiency savings; and asset sales. The options are being considered across the Core Department and Defra’s executive agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies. Trees: Imports Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many young trees were imported into the United Kingdom for the 2014–15 planting season; how this compares with the previous year; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such imports on the health of trees in the United Kingdom. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The data provided relates to forest reproductive material, the generic name for the seeds, cones, cuttings and planting stock used in forest establishment. It does not cover imports for non-forest reproductive purposes, which are monitored through the statutory notification schemes administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. The data is only available in financial years and relates to imports from the EU and elsewhere. In summary, import of bareroot and container forestry plants for 2014/15 was 2,088,890 (this figure is for controlled and voluntary species). This represents a significant decrease on 2013/14. According to the Forest Nursery Trade, the decrease in figures is due to an increase in demand for home grown material in Great Britain. We assess the impacts of tree and plant pests and diseases using the Plant Health Risk Register, which is publicly available on the Fera website. Where necessary, we introduce additional plant health requirements in response to threats associated with movements from other Member States. HM Treasury VAT Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the judgment of the European Court of Justice ending the value added tax concession on energy-saving products for non-social housing. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The government is currently considering the full implications of the decision of the European Court of Justice on the application of the VAT reduced rate to the installation of energy saving materials. Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much they have reduced the block grant to the Northern Ireland Executive for the current financial year as a result of the failure of the Northern Ireland Assembly to pass the Welfare Reform Bill. Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the £100 million loan from the contingency reserve provided to the Northern Ireland Executive in financial year 2014–15 has been repaid. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: As a result of the Northern Ireland Assembly’s inability to pass welfare reform legislation, the Northern Ireland Executive’s allocation has been reduced by £114m in 2015-16 to offset foregone cost savings which would otherwise have accrued. The Executive have been aware of the level of the deduction since March 2014. Following the exceptional access to the reserve granted to the Northern Ireland Executive in 2014-15, the Executive’s 2015-16 allocation has been reduced by £100m in 2015-16 in accordance with normal budgetary procedures. These deductions will be reflected in the control totals published alongside departmental Main Supply Estimates for 2015-16. Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what circumstances £53 million was returned to them by the Northern Ireland Executive following the failure to establish a new police and fire service training college near Cookstown, County Tyrone. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: As part of the 2010 Spending Review, the Northern Ireland Executive were permitted to carry forward capital underspends accrued by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice in order to facilitate the planned construction of a new police and fire service training college, through to the end of the period covered by the Spending Review. The Executive has not sought to draw down these funds. Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what monies have been returned to them by the Northern Ireland Executive in the last four years for which figures are available. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The underspends of the Northern Ireland Executive for the years 2011-12 to 2014-15 are shown in the table below £ million2011-122012-132013-142014-15Resource-133.7-102.7-54.2-78.2Capital-19.8-26.8-36.8-14.4Total-153.6-129.5-91.0-92.6 Under current arrangements, each of the Devolved Administrations may carryforward underspends of up to 0.6% of its resource and 1.5% of its capital allocations. The amounts carried forward by the Northern Ireland Executive for the underspends in the 2011-12 to 2013-14 are shown in the table below. The Government has yet to agree the carryforward arising from the 2014-15 underspend with the Northern Ireland Executive.Carryforward from 2011-122012-132013-14 to£ million2012-132013-142014-15Resource48.341.729.4Capital6.830.421.5Total55.172.151.0 Public Expenditure Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Scottish Government, Northern Ireland Executive or Welsh Government can pass an annual budget that includes spending limits higher than the anticipated income to those devolved administrations. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The processes around setting annual budgets to fund public services within the devolved competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly reflect the specific arrangements set out in both legislation passed by Parliament, and by each of the devolved legislatures. The Treasury sets annual control totals for each of the devolved administrations which inform the level of funding Parliament is asked to make available to each of the Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh Consolidated Funds. The Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Offices can only release cash into the devolved Consolidated Funds up to the level approved by Parliament in the relevant Supply Estimate. Cabinet Office General Election 2015: Absent Voting Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen on 4 June (HL Deb, cols 916–18), how many complaints were made by registered electors overseas who failed to receive the postal votes for which they had applied because of maladministration by electoral offices in the United Kingdom. Lord Bridges of Headley: The information requested is not held centrally. The Electoral Commission will produce a report on the General Election in the coming months and this will cover any concerns that arise around the use of postal votes by overseas electors. Muslim Brotherhood Review Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the report of the Muslim Brotherhood review will be published. Lord Bridges of Headley: I refer the noble Baroness to the Prime Minister’s Written Ministerial Statement of 16 March. The government intends to publish the main findings of the Muslim Brotherhood Review, and the government’s Counter Extremism Strategy, in due course.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2015-06-22
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2015", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Agriculture: Costs and Regulation Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' current strategy to achieve its targets of reducing farming costs by 25 per cent by 2010; and Whether as part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' simplification plan to reduce its administration costs an assessment will be made of whether United Kingdom farmers have been disadvantaged by over-implementation of regulations compared with other European Union member states. Lord Rooker: Defra does not have a target to reduce total costs to farmers by 25 per cent. However, we do have a commitment to reduce administrative burdens by 25 per cent by 2010. Lord Davidson's review on the implementation of EU legislation, published on 28 November 2006, found that the unnecessary over-implementation of EU legislation may not be as widespread in the UK as is sometimes claimed. It is sometimes beneficial for the UK economy to set or maintain regulatory standards that exceed the minimum requirements of European legislation. However, the review did conclude that there were areas in the stock of legislation where regulatory burdens can be removed. The review included three Defra case studies: on waste legislation, on fisheries legislation and on the herd register for bovine animals. It makes specific recommendations for Defra in these areas. The report also includes wider recommendations to encourage the spread of best practice across departments in the implementation of EU legislation. Some of these build on Defra's existing best practice work. Defra's 2006 simplification plan, Maximising Outcomes, Minimising Burdens, will be published on 11 December and will be available on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/requlat.asp. Copies of the plan will also be placed in the House Library. The Defra simplification plan will take forward the specific simplification proposals from Lord Davidson's review. In addition, the more generic recommendations which aim to further strengthen the implementation of EU legislation in the future will, if they are not already, be incorporated into our programme of better regulation culture change. The plan reports on the key findings from the cross-Whitehall exercise to measure the administrative burdens imposed by regulations, and how these burdens fall on different stakeholders. It also details simplification projects, many of which are already under way, which will ensure that Defra meets its commitment to reduce administrative burdens by 25 per cent by 2010. Reducing these burdens is just one aspect of better regulation and the plan details initiatives that will improve the way in which Defra and its delivery bodies interact with business. We are working with business stakeholders, including the National Farmers' Union, to develop these initiatives and to help to monitor our delivery of the plan as a whole. Defra's farm regulation and charging strategy, Partners for Success, was launched on 28 November 2005. The strategy commits the Government to improving the way in which we regulate (and enforce regulation) and to reducing bureaucracy. This will improve farmers' capacity to help to protect the environment, animal health and welfare, food safety and worker safety. It is available on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/regulation/charge/index.htm. Agriculture: Poultry Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in order to prevent possible commercial disadvantage, they will reduce the £3,000 registration fee payable by United Kingdom poultry producers under the integrated pollution prevention and control regulations, bearing in mind the £700 registration fee payable by Danish poultry producers; and Whether they will reduce the charges that United Kingdom poultry producers are required to pay on an annual basis under the integrated pollution prevention and control regulations once they are registered under the scheme. Lord Rooker: The integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive applies an integrated environmental approach to the regulation of industrial activities. This means that emissions to air, water (including discharges to sewer) and land, plus a range of other environmental effects, including noise and vibration, must be considered together before a permit is granted. IPPC aims to prevent emissions and waste production and, where that is not practicable, to reduce them to acceptable levels. The regulator must set permit conditions so as to achieve a high level of protection for the environment and human health as a whole. These conditions are based on the use of the "best available techniques", which balances the costs to the operator against the benefits to the environment and human health. Regulatory costs have to be met by those whose activities cause the need for them and so cannot be waived. Intensive livestock installations will be charged £3,331 for a permit application and then annual charges of £2,229 for a small installation and £2,794 for a large one. The IPPC directive applies only to poultry installations with places for more than 40,000 birds and to installations with places for more than 2,000 production pigs or 750 sows. Large units are those greater than 10 times the lower threshold—that is, those greater than 400,000 birds, 20,000 production pigs or 7,500 sows. On 19 May, the industry accepted an offer from the Environment Agency whereby, provided that permit applications are received evenly through the 1 November 2006 to 31 January 2007 application period, a subsistence charge of £1,471 for an existing small installation and £1,844 for an existing large one will be made to industry from August 2007 until March 2008. This represents a substantial saving to industry. The IPPC directive is required to be implemented in its entirety in all member states by 2007. In the UK, the farming sector is among the last to be regulated by the national transposing regulations (with the exception of new installations). Most other industrial sectors have had to apply for an IPPC permit and comply with the provisions of the IPPC regime sooner than intensive livestock. Some EU member states may not charge for IPPC permit applications, but may recover varying proportions of their costs from the regulated industry, while others bear the cost in general taxation. This is a political decision for each national Government. The differing practices that are in place make it difficult to make comparisons of the costs to producers across the EU. I met representatives of the industry recently and assured them that I would look again at what might be able to be done to reduce the costs of these regulatory requirements. Assisted Dying Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will respond to the proposal made by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists that the deliberate intervention to cause the death of a disabled infant should be made legal through the enactment of laws; and what account they are taking of the opposition of the Disability Rights Commission and disabled people's organisations such as RADAR: The Disability Rights Network. Lord Warner: The Royal College has confirmed that it has never promoted or advocated that very premature babies should be actively euthanised and it is not calling for a change in the law to introduce euthanasia. It claims that recent media reports have misrepresented its position. We welcome this confirmation. Care Services: Fresh Drinking Water Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether care standards require that fresh drinking water is available to care residents throughout the day and that it is offered to them regularly; and Whether they will take further steps to ensure that fresh water is a required element of the nutritional standards for older people in care. Lord Warner: Regulation 16 of the Care Homes Regulations requires care homes to, "provide, in adequate quantities, suitable, wholesome and nutritious food which is varied and properly prepared and available at such time as may reasonably be required by service users". Food, in the regulations, includes drink. Standard 15 of the national minimum standards (NMS) for care homes for older people includes the requirements that: service users receive a varied, appealing, wholesome and nutritious diet, which is suited to individual assessed and recorded requirements, and that meals are taken in a congenial setting and at flexible times; andhot and cold drinks and snacks are available at all times and offered regularly. The review of the NMS, which the Commission for Social Care Inspection must take into account when inspecting care homes, is ongoing and will be subject to public consultation in due course. The issue of availability of drinking water to residents is being considered as part of the review. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) published nutrient and food-based advice for those providing food in care homes on 19 October 2006. This advice includes example menus, which include making water available at all eating occasions. Government advice is that we need to drink six to eight glasses of fluid every day. It is therefore implicit that care homes should be making water freely available throughout the day. The nutrient and food-based guidance for those providing residential care for older people is the first part in a series of guidance documents for United Kingdom institutions. The FSA expects to produce guidance for other institutions, including the National Health Service and prisons, in early 2007. Child Protection: Bichard Inquiry Baroness Harris of Richmond: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in ensuring the delivery of the Bichard inquiry recommendations before 2010. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Over two-thirds of the 31 recommendations from the Bichard inquiry have already been substantially delivered. Comprehensive programme management arrangements are in place to ensure delivery of the remainder through to 2010. Some of the most significant aspects of the programme, such as IMPACT, will generate improvements and benefits incrementally during this period. Crime: Rape Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the conditions and circumstances in which DNA would be taken from an accuser of rape from the time of the original reporting of the rape to the period following the verdict of a jury in a rape trial. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Victims of crime may be asked to consent to provide the police with a DNA sample for elimination purposes as part of the investigation into that crime. The victim's DNA sample is not retained after the conclusion of the case and the DNA profile is not added to the National DNA Database unless the victim has given their written consent for this. Democratic Republic of Congo: Poaching Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assistance they have offered to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to assist wildlife wardens to prevent poaching of wildlife. Lord Triesman: Wildlife wardens in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) work in difficult and dangerous conditions to combat poaching. My honourable friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Jim Knight, discussed these challenges when he met wardens in Virunga and Kahuzi-Biega parks during his 2005 visit to the DRC. The biggest threat to wardens, and the wildlife that they are working to protect, comes from armed poachers and from the various foreign and Congolese militia groups operating in remote parts of the DRC. The UK continues to support the UN peacekeeping force, which is working with the new Congolese army to tackle the foreign armed groups. We are also supporting the reform and training of the new Congolese army by providing £3 million for basic life needs support, such as tents and water. This will help to stop Congolese soldiers and militias preying on civilians, wardens and wildlife. EU: Turkey Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their position on the accession of Turkey to the European Union. Lord Triesman: We believe that the accession of Turkey is of immense strategic importance to the EU. Turkey is a growing, dynamic economy, it has an educated workforce and it is a close partner on many of the global issues that matter to us most—drugs, terrorism, non-proliferation and migration. Turkey would also make a significant contribution to the EU's security capabilities and has leverage on all sides engaged in the Middle East peace process. Turkey also links Europe and the Muslim world, and accession would help to refute claims of a clash of civilisations. Guantanamo Bay Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they will not make an exception to the general policy of not assisting non-British nationals in the case of the former British residents held for a long time without charge or trial at Guantanamo Bay; and whether they have made an assessment of the effect that offering to accept the return of some or all of these detainees might have on the early closure of the detention centre. Lord Triesman: It is the long-standing policy of the British Government not to offer consular assistance to non-British nationals, except in cases where a specific agreement to do so exists with another state. A recent Court of Appeal judgment in a judicial review application brought by some of the detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility who were formally resident in the UK confirmed that there is no duty on my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary, in domestic or international law, to make the formal request for release and return from Guantanamo Bay sought by those detainees. In these proceedings, the Government's assessment was that the US Government would be very likely to resist any request for the release of the claimants, and that lobbying would make it more difficult for the UK to engage with the US on wider issues of detainee policy, including our wish to see the Guantanamo Bay detention facility closed. Health: Audiology Lord Turnberg: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the most recently available waiting times for National Health Service audiology services by English regions. Lord Warner: Waiting times for pure tone audiometry by strategic health authority are set out in the following table: Audiology services by region September diagnostic return—commissioner, 15 November 2006 SHA code SHA name DiagID Diagnostic name Total waiting Number waiting 13+ weeks Number waiting 26+ weeks National 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 127,280 82,057 58,289 Q30 North-east 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 1,078 499 186 Q31 North-west 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 14,028 8,186 5,120 Q32 Yorkshire and the Humber 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 13,223 10,470 8,666 Q33 East Midlands 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 8,879 5,603 4,126 Q34 West Midlands 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 28,624 19,138 15,005 Q35 East of England 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 3,888 1,642 711 Q36 London 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 6,018 3,241 1,339 Q37 South-east Coast 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 15,982 11,989 8,912 Q38 South Central 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 11,289 5,945 3,535 Q39 South-west 6 Audiology—pure tone audiometry 24,270 15,343 10,689 Source: DM01 Health: Audiology Lord Turnberg: asked Her Majesty's Government: What advice the Department of Health has sought from the professional bodies representing United Kingdom audiologists in formulating their national audiology plan. Lord Warner: Our intention is to publish the action plan early in 2007. It is clearly essential that it should be informed by the views of the broad range of stakeholders, including the professional bodies, and that it should command broad support wherever possible. A working group has been established to develop proposals, but for reasons of size has not been designed to be representative of the various groups. A forum will be held before publication to ensure that stakeholder groups and others have a formal opportunity to consider possible proposals and contribute their views. The department has already had submissions from a number of professional organisations, and others are of course welcome to write with theirs. Whether or not there is formal consultation on the action plan or elements of it will depend on the nature of the measures. Health: Audiology Lord Turnberg: asked Her Majesty's Government: What consideration has been given to the maintenance of specialist audiology services within the National Health Service in plans to contract out audiology services to private providers; and What estimates have been made of the proportion of deaf people able to benefit from a hearing aid who have received such an aid. Lord Warner: Information on the number of deaf people able to benefit from a hearing aid who have received such an aid is not held centrally. A national action plan for audiology will be published in early 2007. The action plan will be aimed at improving access and reducing waiting times through a strategic improvement approach for the service. A working group is currently developing proposals for the audiology action plan. It will consider all the services that audiology departments provide, including specialist audiology services. In addition to the development of the action plan, the department has announced the procurement of up to 300,000 audiology pathways to provide assessment, fitting and follow-up. Both these measures will assist in significantly reducing waiting times and will greatly benefit those who receive hearing aids. Health: Regulation of Psychologists Lord Walton of Detchant: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their assessment of the extent to which their proposal to place the regulation of the psychological professions under the Health Professions Council will be more successful than the proposal by nine professional bodies representing psychologists to establish a psychological professions council. Lord Warner: The Government set out their proposals for the statutory regulation of applied psychologists in their March 2005 public consultation document, Applied Psychology—Enhancing Public Protection: Proposals for the Statutory Regulation of Applied Psychologists. More recently, the department held a four-month period of consultation on our proposals to reform the regulation of medical and non-medical healthcare professionals, following the recommendations made by Sir Liam Donaldson and the advisory group headed by Andrew Foster earlier this year. This consultation ended on 10 November 2006. We are now considering the way forward in the light of responses and the Government's policy objectives. We expect to publish our proposals shortly. Health: Sport and Exercise Medicine Doctors Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which of the first 16 sport and exercise medicine doctors recognised by the Department of Health have been contracted by Olympic governing bodies of sport. Lord Davies of Oldham: At present there are three doctors in the United Kingdom who have formal recognition and a certificate of specialist training from the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine. This new faculty is recognised by the Department of Health as the official route of approval and accreditation in sport and exercise medicine, and those approved by the new faculty are then registered on the General Medical Council's specialist register. The faculty will be increasing the number of fully accredited doctors over the next few years. Separately, the English Institute of Sport, which receives lottery funding from UK Sport, currently employs 16 doctors. These doctors specialise in sport medicine. One of these doctors is on the specialist register. All the other doctors are in the process of undergoing assessment to be included on the specialist register. Of the 16 doctors employed by the institute, 11 have contractual arrangements with Olympic governing bodies of sport, including the one doctor on the register. The Olympic governing bodies of sport all have doctors contracted to them, although these contractual arrangements vary considerably. Immigration: Unaccompanied Children Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many unaccompanied children arrived in England and Wales, for whom an asylum claim has been made, in each quarter or month of the last two years for which figures are available; and which were the principal countries from which they came. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Asylum seekers apply to be granted refugee status in the UK rather than specifically in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Asylum applications data are not available at regional level. Information on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www. homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. Immigration: Unaccompanied Children Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the care and education of unaccompanied children, granted asylum or long-term leave to remain, are a national responsibility. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Support of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children is the statutory responsibility of local authorities, but central government funding from both the Department for Education and Skills and the Home Office is available for this purpose. Iraq: British Consulate Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether suitable premises have been identified for the British consulate in Erbil, Iraq; and, if so, which premises have been identified. Lord Triesman: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials are currently reviewing plans for the future status of our consulate in Kirkuk. One of the options under consideration is to move to Erbil. NHS: Compensation Lord Walton of Detchant: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the total compensation paid to patients and families in the past five years as a result of litigation against National Health Service obstetricians alleging brain damage during pregnancy or parturition resulting from negligent clinical care. Lord Warner: It is not possible to differentiate claims made against obstetricians and midwife-led teams. The table shows the payments in the past five years for all claims where the injury was either brain damage or cerebral palsy. Payments made over the past five years on obstetrics, obstetrics/gynaecology, community midwifery and antenatal clinic claims where the injury was either brain damage or cerebral palsy Payment Year Compensation 2001-02 320,447,750 2002-03 174,476,205 2003-04 105,608,870 2004-05 173,148,369 2005-06 188,792,357 Total 962,473,551 Note: In 2001-02, claims under the clinical negligence scheme for trusts were centralised and payments include reimbursements to trusts for interim amounts made on cases not yet resolved. Olympic Games 2012: Budget Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, following their objective to deliver the London Olympic Games on an all-party basis, they intend to agree all aspects of the overall budget for the London 2012 Olympic Games with representatives from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government welcome the all-party support for the Olympic Games and will continue to share information about the delivery of the Games on an all-party basis. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has given an undertaking to continue to keep Parliament informed about Olympic costs and to report as necessary on the budget. Palace of Westminster: Post Lord Norton of Louth: asked the Chairman of Committees: What was the total number of items of post received in the Palace of Westminster in 2005; and what proportion was received in each of the two Houses. Lord Brabazon of Tara: Prior to the introduction of systematic screening of the post received in the Palace of Westminster, no accurate figures were kept for the volume of post. Since the introduction of this screening system in January 2006, the volume of post received has been as follows. January 377,468 February 456,159 March 509,709 April 402,208 May 452,238 June 423,505 July 382,171 August 260,055 September 338,823 October 383,248 Royal Mail estimates that recipients in the House of Lords account for 20 per cent of the total volume. The remaining 80 per cent of the post is destined for recipients in the House of Commons. Pensions: Richardsons Fertilisers Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will propose policy changes as a result of the collapse of the Richardsons Fertilisers pension scheme. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We do not propose any policy changes as a result of the collapse of the Richardsons Fertilisers pension scheme. Prisons: Operational Management Lord Ramsbotham: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the abolition of the Office for Contracted Prisons, who is responsible for the direct operational management of each of the private sector prisons containing adult prisoners. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The operational management of contracted sector prisons has always been the responsibility of the contractor for each of the 11 establishments. This has been the situation both prior to and following the closure of the Office for Contracted Prisons at the end of March 2006. The Home Office is responsible for contractual management, ensuring that contractors deliver the service as set out in the individual contracts. The chief executive of the National Offender Management Service is the ultimate authority for each contract. With the exception of HMP & YOI Ashfield, this is delegated to regional offender managers for the area where the prison is located. Within each of the contracted establishments is a Home Office controller whose task is to ensure adherence to the contract on a day-to-day basis and to take remedial action in the event of non-compliance. The Home Office controllers are line-managed through the regional offender manager. The attached table lists contracted adult establishments and their respective regional offender managers. Establishment Region Regional Offender Manager HMP Altcourse North-west Ms Liz Hill HMP Bronzefield South-east Mrs Sarah Payne HMP & YOI Doncaster Yorkshire and Humberside Mr Paul Wilson HMP Dovegate West Midlands Mr Steve Goode HMP Forest Bank North-west Ms Liz Hill HMP Lowdham Grange East Midlands Ms Linda Jones HMP & YOI Parc Offender Management Service Wales Ms Sian West HMP Peterborough East of England Mr Trevor Williams HMP Rye Hill East Midlands Ms Linda Jones HMP Wolds Yorkshire and Humberside Mr Paul Wilson Prisons: Operational Management Lord Ramsbotham: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the abolition of the Office for Contracted Prisons, what direct operational responsibility the director-general of the Prison Service has for private sector prisons. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The director-general of HM Prison Service has no direct operational responsibility for contracted-sector prisons, although some elements of policy work from HMPS directly impact on the contracted sector. Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005: Designation of Land Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What area of land has so far been designated or protected under Sections 128 to 138 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: On 1 April 2006, a designation order (SI 2005/3447) made on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence came into effect designating the following MoD sites as protected sites under Sections 128 and 129 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005: Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde, Royal Naval Armaments Depot Coulport, Northwood Headquarters, RAF Fylingdales, RAF Menwith Hill, RAF Croughton, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Feltwell, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Brize Norton, Sea Mounting Centre Marchwood, RAF Fairford and RAF Welford. On 13 April 2006, following amendments made to Sections 128 and 129 by Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2006, all licensed nuclear sites also became protected sites. An order defining a designated area under Section 138 was laid before Parliament on 10 June 2005 (SI 2005/1537). A map is available at http://www.met.police.uk/publicorder/protest_march.htm. Sport: Anti-doping Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who are the members of the security panel responsible for monitoring UK Sport's national anti-doping organisation for elite sport; on which dates they have met; and when their reports are due to be placed in the Library of the House. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Independent Anti-Doping Scrutiny Panel was set up in September 2005 and is focused specifically on scrutinising the potential for conflicts of interest in relation to the performance of the anti-doping function within UK Sport. The panel is chaired by David Kenworthy, the former chief constable of North Yorkshire Police. The other members of the panel are: Nerys Williams, head of the Health and Safety Executive's Employment Medical Advisory Service;Mark Emerton, former Royal Navy commander and member of the Criminal Cases Review Commission;Trevor Rothwell, former director of Huntingdon Forensic Science Service laboratory; andGillian Ekins, solicitor. To date the panel has met on: 30 September 2005; 9 November 2005; 2 December 2005; 8 February 2006; 15 March 2006; 11 May 2006; 26 July 2006; 6 September 2006; 1 November 2006; and 29 November 2006. Under its terms of reference, the scrutiny panel will produce an annual report, which will be sent to the Minister for Sport and the chair of UK Sport. The panel expects to produce its first report in December 2006 and copies of this document will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Sport: English Institute of Sport Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have agreed performance measures for the English Institute of Sport; if so, when these were last reviewed; and whether they will place a copy of their findings in the Library of the House. Lord Davies of Oldham: UK Sport assumed responsibility from Sport England for the English Institute of Sport (EIS) on 1 April 2006. To date, performance measures for the EIS have not been agreed between DCMS and UK Sport. However, in line with the funding agreement 2005-08, target outcomes and performance measures for EIS will be determined by the end of this calendar year. Sport: UK Sport Performance Targets Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the annual performance targets set out in the funding agreement between UK Sport and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; when these targets were last reviewed; and when they expect to publish the results achieved by UK Sport. Lord Davies of Oldham: The funding agreement for the period 2005-08 between UK Sport and DCMS is available on UK Sport's website at www.uksport.gov.uk/pages/corporate_publications/. DCMS and UK Sport meet on a quarterly basis primarily to measure progress against the targets set out in the agreement. The most recent meeting took place on 17 October. Details of UK Sport's annual performance against the funding agreement targets will be published in UK Sport's annual review, which is required to be laid before Parliament before the end of October 2007. Stone of Destiny Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances the Stone of Destiny would return to London for ceremonial purposes; and whether there are any plans for such a return. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Stone of Destiny will return to London for the next coronation, after which it will be returned to Scotland. Tourism: Indian Visitors Lord Rana: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many tourists with Indian passports visited the United Kingdom in 2005; and how many tourists from India visited Northern Ireland in this period. Lord Davies of Oldham: There were 332,000 tourist visits by Indian passport holders and 272,000 tourist visits by Indian residents to the UK in 2005. The data were obtained from the International Passenger Survey, which is a sample survey, so the results are subject to sampling error. Data for Northern Ireland have not been provided, because sample sizes are too small. VisitBritain expects visits from India to increase significantly in future years and regards India as a priority emerging market for its overseas activities in promoting inbound tourism to the UK. Vehicles: Weight Restrictions Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 23 November (WA 19), what evidence the fixed penalty procedures working group has taken on (a) the number and frequency of, and (b) the cost of enforcement of, weight restrictions offences; and what comparison the working group has made of the fixed penalty for ignoring weight restrictions with more recent fixed penalties such as the £80 fixed penalty for anti-social behaviour. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The fixed-penalty procedures working group has not taken such evidence. In reviewing the level of fixed penalties, the group normally considers relevant factors that might justify an across-the-board increase in the level of the standard fixed penalties and the small number of non-standard fixed penalties. It would not be practical to review individually the level of every fixed penalty. The group has to date received no representation proposing an increase in the fixed-penalty level for failing to comply with a statutory weight restriction. Young Offender Institutions: Ashfield Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Ashfield young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint occurred at Ashfield young offender institution in relation to, respectively, male and female black and ethnic- minority clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions strip-searching involving physical restraint occurred at Ashfield young offender institution in relation to, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The attached table lists the number of incidents where physical restraint was used at HMP & YOI Ashfield during the months November 2005 through to October 2006. Also included are figures for the number of black and minority-ethnic (BME) boys subject to physical restraint. The prison does not strip-search boys under physical restraint. Ashfield is a juvenile establishment that accommodates only males. HMP & YOI Ashfield: use of physical restraint November 2005 to October 2006 Month Incidents where physical restraint is used Black and minority ethnic prisoners involved in physical restraint Full searching (strip-searching) involving physical restraint November 2005 52 10 0 December 2005 30 3 0 January 2006 48 11 0 February 2006 34 8 0 March 2006 30 4 0 April 2006 27 10 0 May 2006 42 6 0 June 2006 31 2 0 July 2006 40 5 0 August 2006 51 11 0 September 2006 38 12 0 October 2006 52 4 0 Total 475 86 0 Young Offender Institutions: Ashfield Lord Ramsbotham: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the abolition of the Office for Contracted Prisons, who is responsible for the direct operational management of the juveniles and young offenders in HM Young Offender Institution Ashfield. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The operational management of HMP & YOI Ashfield has always been the responsibility of Serco, the company holding the contract. This has been the situation both prior to and following the closure of the Office for Contracted Prisons at the end of March 2006. The Home Office is responsible for contractual management, ensuring that Serco delivers the service as set out in the contract. The chief executive of the National Offender Management Service is the ultimate authority for the contract. For HMP & YOI Ashfield, this is delegated to the head of the commissioner's support bureau, which is part of NOMS. In fulfilling this task, the bureau works closely with the Youth Justice Board in identifying its requirements as the customer for Ashfield's services. As with all contracted establishments, there is a Home Office controller at Ashfield whose role is to ensure adherence to the contract on a day-to-day basis and to take remedial action in the event of non-compliance. The Home Office controller at Ashfield is line-managed through the head of the commissioner's support bureau. Young Offender Institutions Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Brinsford young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Castington young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Feltham young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Hindley young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Huntercombe young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Lancaster Farms young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Stoke Heath young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Thorn Cross young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November; and On how many occasions physical restraint was used at Warren Hill young offender institution on, respectively, male and female clients during each of the 12 months prior to 1 November. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The following table shows the number of times approved control and restraint techniques were used, in addition to other incidents where use of force was applied, in the 12 months prior to 1 November. All the establishments hold male young offenders only. Date (HL488) Brinsford (HL489) Castington (HL490) Feltham (HL491) Hindley (HL492) Lancaster Farms November 2005 22 29 100 40 44 December 2005 28 25 69 31 48 January 2006 24 22 75 37 41 February 2006 23 43 78 36 48 March 2006 19 28 98 40 25 April 2006 19 27 61 37 23 May 2006 25 19 110 44 39 June 2006 17 25 81 41 48 July 2006 15 39 82 52 32 August 2006 16 34 76 41 35 September 2006 18 33 58 46 35 October 2006 19 41 70 40 28 Total 245 365 958 485 446 Date (HL493) Huntercombe (HL494) Stoke Heath (HL495) Thorn Cross (HL496) Warren Hill November 2005 43 37 1 16 December 2005 46 59 0 11 January 2006 68 62 0 10 February 2006 18 60 0 10 March 2006 29 56 4 13 April 2006 45 40 0 7 May 2006 46 45 1 21 June 2006 34 62 0 14 July 2006 41 42 0 21 August 2006 44 62 0 7 September 2006 29 41 1 13 October 2006 26 31 1 16 Total 469 597 8 159
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-12-11d
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Audit Commission Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what account the Audit Commission took of the role of good design in its publication Building Better Lives. Lord McKenzie of Luton: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission, and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the noble Baroness direct. Letter from Steve Bundred, Chief Executive, Audit Commission, dated 6 November 2009. Your Parliamentary Question outlined above has been passed to me for reply. The Audit Commission did not look explicitly at the role of good design in its national study on the strategic housing role. The report Building better lives—Getting the best from strategic housing reports councils' concerns that affordable housing targets encouraged them to build large numbers of small flats even if that was not the type of housing that best met the needs of their locality. If councils are prepared to allow such an interpretation of targets to colour their housing strategy, this suggests that the strategy is neither robust enough nor founded in understanding of local needs. A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard. Audit Commission Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government which members of the External Advisory Group for the Audit Commission publication Building Better Lives had expertise in design. Lord McKenzie of Luton: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission, and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the noble Baroness direct. Letter from Steve Bundred, Chief Executive, Audit Commission, dated 6 November 2009. Your Parliamentary Question outlined above has been passed to me for reply. The External Advisory Group, the members of which are listed below, comprised experts from the housing and academic world. It included people from the public and private sector with experience in planning, commissioning new housing and strategic housing management. As the focus of the study was on the strategic housing role, not specifically on new build or design, we did not seek specific design expertise for the advisory group. Members of the External Advisory Group: Alan Murie, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, University of Birmingham;Andrew Griffiths, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health; Howard Revill, National Audit Office;Ian Potter, Association of Residential Lettings Agents; Jenny Allen, National Housing Federation; Martin Field, East Midlands Development Agency; Nick Hooper, Bristol City Council;Reniera O'Donnell, Improvement and Development Agency; Ric Pallister, South Somerset Council; Richard Bayley, Places For People;Richard Capie, Chartered Institute of Housing; Rob Cogings, Derbyshire Dales & High Peak Council;Roy Donson, Barrett Developers; Ruth Lucas, Local Government Association; andTony Hatch, Communities and Local Government. A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard. Audit Commission Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what liaison the Audit Commission had with the Homes and Communities Agency over its publication Building Better Lives in respect of the role of good design. Lord McKenzie of Luton: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission, and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the noble Baroness direct. Letter from Steve Bundred, Chief Executive, Audit Commission, dated 6 November 2009. Your Parliamentary Question outlined above has been passed to me for reply. The Audit Commission interviewed a variety of stakeholders as part of its research into the strategic housing role of local authorities. These included the chief executive and head of policy at the Homes and Communities Agency. We also shared a draft of the report with the Homes and Communities Agency and invited comments. However, the role of good design was not a focus of the study and we asked no specific questions of the Homes and Communities Agency or of other stakeholders about it. A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard. Autism Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people with autism are claiming incapacity benefit. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The available information is provided in the table. Great Britain—Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance claimants with Pervasive Development Disorders as main condition February 2009 4,530 Source: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation. 3. To qualify for incapacity benefit (IB)/severe disablement allowance (SDA), claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work which is called the personal capability assessment. Therefore, the medical condition recorded on IB/SDA claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefits, so, for example, the decision for a customer claiming IB on grounds of mental or behavioural disorders would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities in the personal capability assessment; or on the effects of any associated mental health problems. 4. IB/SDA claimants whose main diagnosis is autism are recorded within the diagnosis code for pervasive development disorders, and which is unable to be broken down further. 5. Employment and support allowance replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. Aviation: Air Passenger Duty Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect on the economy of the introduction of the new rates of air passenger duty; and what assessment they have made of the impact on families wishing to travel to and from the United Kingdom. Lord Myners: In line with Cabinet Office guidance, HMRC conducted an impact assessment of the new banding system and published it on its website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ria/apd-reform-ia.pdf. Aviation: Carbon Emissions Baroness Hanham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made on developing equipment to capture fume events in aircraft and give a warning to cabin and crew members, such as that for carbon monoxide warnings in the home. Lord Adonis: Technology exists to capture fume events on aircraft. This was developed by Cranfield University as a precondition of being able to begin the current research work into cabin air contamination. The published report on what equipment to use is available on http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/hci/cabinairtest.pdf. When we know what contaminants are in cabin air fume events, and in what concentrations, we will then be able to begin to make judgments about whether they cause ill health and what remedies, technical or otherwise, may be appropriate. Aviation: Carbon Emissions Baroness Hanham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Cranfield University study on incidents of fume events in aircraft did not include a requirement for a neuropsychological study. Lord Adonis: We are following the advice of the Committee on Toxicity (COT), which saw the logical first step as research to examine potential exposure. This is currently proceeding. When we know what is in cabin air and in what concentrations, then we can begin to make judgments about any need for, and the possible design of, epidemiological studies. Buses Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the competition authorities about the proposal by the Office of Fair Trading to refer the local bus industry to the Competition Commission. Lord Adonis: The Department for Transport responded to the Office of Fair Trading's consultation on its proposal to refer the market for local buses services to the Competition Commission. A copy of the response has been placed in the Libraries of the House. Church Buildings Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to encouraging wider community use of church buildings in England which are under-used outside the times of regular church services. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The wider community use of church buildings, and of the buildings of other faiths, was the subject of a joint working group between the Church of England and five government departments. This led to the publication of a report, Churches and Faith Buildings: Realising the Potential, in March 2009. The report sets "out a range of actions to help faith groups engage effectively in local and regional agendas, it outlines some resources that might help to make faith buildings more user-friendly as part of wider community activities, and .... ways in which providers of funding and policy makers might better understand what faith groups bring to community". Climate Change: Population Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will propose measures for population control at the Copenhagen climate change summit. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The United Kingdom will not be proposing measures for population control at the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen this December. Climate Change: Sea Temperatures Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of research by Professor Don Easterbrook of Washington University that there is a correlation between sea temperatures and global temperatures and that the present trend indicates thirty years of global cooling. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Professor Easterbrook has claimed that global average temperature may decrease over the next 30 years, due to the onset of a cool phase in a natural pattern of Pacific climate variability that is often referred to as the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO). My department is not, however, aware of any scientific articles published by Professor Easterbrook to support his claim and considers the suggested scenario to be very unlikely. Historical records of global average and regional temperatures show that the PDO produces at most only a small effect on global average temperature. As a result, the PDO is not expected to produce a global average effect large enough to overcome the amount of warming expected over the next 30 years from current and future levels of greenhouse gases. Communities: Preventing Extremism Baroness Neville-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money has been allocated to each group receiving funding under the Prevent Partnership area-based grant in each local area since 2008. Lord McKenzie of Luton: I refer the noble Baroness to the Answer that my honourable Friend the Member for Dewsbury (Shahid Malik) gave to the honourable Member for Putney, Roehampton and Southfield (Justine Greening) on 19 June 2009 (Official Report, col. 509W). Courts: Fees Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of charges of around £100 made by certain local authorities when obtaining liability orders in respect of council tax debts; under what circumstances £3 is charged for such an order from a county court; and whether they propose to review the situation. Lord McKenzie of Luton: No assessment has been made. It is a matter for local authorities to decide what level of costs to charge. Regulation 34 (7) of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 allows local authorities to charge reasonable costs incurred by the authority in obtaining a liability order to the debtor. Local authorities enforce council tax through the magistrates' courts only. Crime: Rape Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the review of the law on rape will be published. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Government announced a review on 22 September 2009 into how rape complaints are handled from when a rape is first disclosed until the court reaches a verdict. The review, led by Baroness Stern, will report in February 2010. The Stern review terms of reference are: to examine the response of the public authorities to rape complaints and examine how more victims can be encouraged to report;to explore ways in which the attrition rate in criminal cases can be reduced and how to fairly increase the conviction rate;to identify how to increase victim and witness satisfaction, and confidence in the CJS in addressing rape;to explore public and professional attitudes to rape and how they impact on outcomes; to utilise findings and information available from other relevant work, particularly the work on victims' experience being led by Sara Payne and the Department of Health Taskforce led by Professor Sir George Alberti, avoiding unnecessary duplication; andto make recommendations, with particular reference to improving the implementation of current policies and procedures. The review will not, however, consider changes to the law. Education: Home Schooling Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 2 November (WA 7), whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the original evidence, collected from local authorities and elsewhere, that formed the basis of Mr Graham Badman's letter of 28 October and his statement that he is aware of 52 care plans in respect of home-educated children. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: The detailed evidence collected from local authorities is not being made available as it is could be used to identify individual children. The aggregated data which Graham Badman provided to the Select Committee with his letter of 28 October has been published on the Every Child Matters website. This letter includes a breakdown of the number of child protection plans for each authority but does not identify individual local authorities. Energy: Anaerobic Digestion Lord Cameron of Dillington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce targets for the number of anaerobic digestion plants to be built in the United Kingdom utilising agricultural and waste products. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have no intentions of introducing targets for the number of anaerobic digestion plants to be built in the UK. Such a policy would encourage plants to be build for the sake of the target rather than encourage cost-effective, well thought-out proposals to deliver both renewable energy and carbon savings. We are nevertheless working with local government, business and farmers to identify the potential of anaerobic digestion in their sectors. We have developed jointly with a broad range of stakeholders Anaerobic digestion—shared goals. This sets out our collective ambitions for the use of anaerobic digestion in this country, as well as the aspirations of individual sectors. It includes an aspiration by the National Farmers Union to have 1,000 farm-based anaerobic digestion plants by 2020. We are encouraging the development of anaerobic digestion through our policies to support the generation of renewable energy. The renewables obligation supports the generation of renewable electricity by anaerobic digestion, as will the feed-in tariff. Our proposed renewable heat incentive will support the generation of heat or the production of biomethane from anaerobic digestion for injection to the gas grid. Energy: Anaerobic Digestion Lord Cameron of Dillington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the promotion and building of more anaerobic digestion plants would affect the need for increased national gas storage capacity. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The progressive loss of flexible indigenous natural gas production means that the GB gas market will need alternative sources of supply- (and potentially demand-) side flexibility, including gas storage capacity. The extent to which increased supplies from biomethane could offset a need for additional close-to-market gas storage capacity would depend on a number of factors, including the quantity, reliability and flexibility of such supplies. Energy: Nuclear Power Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose that at least 25 per cent of British electricity will be generated from nuclear power by 2030. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As set out in the nuclear White Paper, the Government are taking active steps to establish and cement the right policy framework and create the right conditions in the UK for investment in new nuclear power stations. The Office for Nuclear Development is acting to enable investment in the UK from the earliest possible date. The Government have set neither a target nor a cap on the amount of nuclear power that could come forward. Instead, the approach has been to remove the barriers to investment in new nuclear power, and allow energy companies to come forward with projects if they consider it in their interests to do so. The action taken by Government so far has resulted in real interest in new nuclear in the UK, with energy companies announcing plans to build up to 16 GW of new nuclear capacity. The programme of facilitative actions set out in the White Paper should, subject to regulatory approvals, enable companies to begin operation of new nuclear power stations between 2017 and 2020. Government Departments: Procurement Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at Communities and Local Government, Sarah McCarthy-Fry, on 15 June (Official Report, House of Commons, col. 18W) on departmental procurement, how much was spent on Action Treasure Hunts Ltd by Communities and Local Government in 2008—09; what was the purpose of the expenditure; which division of the department participated in the treasure hunts; and in what location the treasure hunts took place. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Action Treasure Hunts Ltd was contracted by the department to provide a training event in Brighton for the Local Governance Research Unit in June 2008. The purpose of the event was to improve the unit's effectiveness and team working capability in line with the department's commitment to encourage collaborative working. The total cost for the 12 staff involved was £1,410 (including VAT). Follow-up work embedded the lessons learnt during the event about office practices and planning. Housing Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether measures are in place to prevent social landlords charging a fee for electricity and gas checks when a person exchanges one social tenancy for another and refusing exchanges when people do not pay such fees. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The right to exchange one social tenancy for another can only be refused on the grounds set out in Schedule 3, Section 92 of Part IV of the Housing Act 1985. None of these grounds covers safety checks or related costs. The conditions which may be attached to landlord's consent are set out at subsection (5) of Section 92. Conditions can only be imposed where rent lawfully due from the tenant has not been paid or an obligation of the tenancy has been broken or not performed. It is unlikely that refusal to pay a charge could amount to rent arrears. Housing: Sale Information Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what obligations a home owner has, when marketing their residential property for sale, to highlight in (a) a home information pack, (b) a voluntary home condition report, and (c) a property information questionnaire within a pack, that the property suffers from (1) planning blight, (2) vermin infestation, (3) a negative reputation for being haunted, and (4) noise disturbance from nearby licensed premises. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The local enquiries search within the home information pack (HIP) should reveal whether the property is on land required for public purposes and could therefore be affected by planning blight. The HIP also includes the result of a search of the local land charges register. This will reveal whether the local authority has incurred recoverable expenses under the Public Health Act 1936 in respect of action taken with the object of taking steps for the destruction of rats and mice on specified premises. If the seller chooses to include a home condition report in the HIP, it will report on any damage caused by wood boring insects that is obvious from a visual inspection of the property. None of the documents that are required to be included in the HIP will reveal whether the property is reputedly haunted or suffers noise disturbance from nearby licensed premises. Housing: Valuation Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances the Valuation Office Agency takes into account the presence of (a) a garden shed, and (b) a greenhouse, as a material consideration when valuing or revaluing a property for the purposes of (1) council tax, (2) capital gains tax, and (3) inheritance tax. Lord Myners: Section 3 (4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 states that a yard, garden outhouse, or other appurtenance belonging to or enjoyed with property used wholly for the purposes of living accommodation will be included as part of the dwelling. This would include any sheds and greenhouses within the domestic curtilage of a property. There is no evidence that such features are value significant attributes. The VOA council tax property attribute data guide specifically states that sheds and greenhouses should be ignored: "Outbuildings present (ignore sheds/greenhouses/outside WCs)". If a property has to be valued for inheritance tax or capital gains tax, it is necessary to estimate its market value at the relevant valuation date. The definition of market value for capital gains tax is contained in Section 272 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 and for inheritance tax purposes in Section 160 of the Inheritance Act 1984. The statutory definitions are couched in similar terms, and essentially require an estimate to be made of the price that a property would fetch if it were sold in the open market. In general terms, if a garden shed or a greenhouse adds any value to a property then it is, in theory, reflected in the valuation. However, in practice such outbuildings are generally of de minimis value when compared to the value of the main dwelling, and nothing will in practice be specifically added to the valuation. Motorcyclists: Noise Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many public complaints there have been regarding motorcycle noise in each county in each of the past three years. Lord Adonis: Her Majesty's Government do not hold detailed information on the number of public complaints made about motorcycle noise. Police forces do not classify and record such complaints in a manner that would enable this information to be obtained without disproportionate cost. The Department for Transport has received 41 items of correspondence on this issue in the past three years. These are broken down in the following table. No complaints have been received by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or the Department for Communities and Local Government on this issue. County 2007 2008 2009 Birmingham 1 Derbyshire 1 Devon 1 Essex 1 Hampshire 2 1 Humberside 1 Lancashire 2 1 London 3 2 Norfolk 1 North Yorkshire 1 Nottinghamshire 3 Shropshire 2 Somerset 1 Surrey 1 Worcestershire 1 1 Unspecified 3 5 6 Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what benefits and public sector pension rates are normally governed by September's RPI figure; what is the estimated cost in 2010—11 of increasing old age pensions by 2.5 per cent and not taking account of the deflationary figure of -1.4 per cent in September 2009's RPI rate; and what rate increases or decreases will apply to other benefits and public sector pensions governed by September's RPI figure. Lord McKenzie of Luton: I refer the noble Lord to my Answers of 5 May 2009 (WA 105) to Parliamentary Question HL2814 and of 1 June 2009 (WA 08) to Parliamentary Question HL3626. The benefits and pensions ordinarily uprated by September's retail price index are: basic state pension, and rates of widows and bereavement benefits linked to the rate of basic state pension;additional pensions, also known as SERPS or S2P;increments: for the deferment of state pension and guaranteed minimum pensions;attendance allowance;carer's allowance;disability living allowance;maternity allowance;industrial injuries disablement benefit;benefits under the Workmen's Compensation Act and the Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis, and Miscellaneous Diseases Scheme;industrial death benefit;widows/bereavement benefits rates are linked to the basic state pension rate; andstatutory payments for maternity, paternity, adoption and sick pay. Income-related benefits, such as income support, are usually uprated in line with the September Rossi index, which is retail price index excluding rent, mortgage interest payments, council tax and depreciation costs. Since April 2009, incapacity benefit has been uprated in line with the September Rossi index. Public sector pensions are increased in accordance with Section 59 of the Social Security Pensions Act, 1975 and I refer the noble Lord to my noble friend Lord Patel of Bradford's Answer of 3 March 2009 (WA141) to Parliamentary Questions HL918 and HL1108. In the 2009 Budget, the Chancellor reaffirmed the Government's commitment to increasing basic state pension, and by extension, widow's benefit and bereavement benefit, in April 2010 by at least 2.5 per cent even if, as expected, retail price inflation was below zero. Uprating basic state pension by 2.5 per cent in April 2010 will deliver an increase worth around £1 billion to pensioners over the course of the year. The current legislation does not allow for benefits and pensions to be reduced in the event of negative inflation so no calculations on benefit and pension reductions have been made. The Government will inform Parliament of proposed benefit levels and tax thresholds for 2010-11 at the Pre-Budget Report. Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many public sector and private sector final-salary pension schemes were in existence over the past three years; what were their respective total memberships; and how many private sector schemes are no longer open to new members. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Such information as is available is presented in the following tables: Number of defined benefit occupational pension schemes by sector, 2004 to 2007 Numbers Sector 2004 2005 2006 2007 Private 18,100 12,030 11,530 10,970 Public 320 n.a. 310 310 Source: Occupational Pension Schemes Survey Notes: 1) Defined benefit includes hybrid schemes 2) The 2005 survey did not cover the public sector 3) Private sector scheme numbers relate to pension schemes with only one section. 4) Figures for 2004 and 2005 exclude schemes that were winding up. 5) Changes to the methodology for 2006 onwards mean that comparisons with 2005 and earlier years should be treated with caution. In 2007, 8,740 private sector defined benefit occupational schemes were no longer open to new members (6,250 closed schemes, 1,760 frozen schemes and 730 schemes that were winding up). The 2008 Occupational Pension Schemes annual report published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) did not include information on scheme numbers because it considered that the survey design was not sufficient to produce robust estimates of scheme numbers. The survey continues to provide robust estimates of scheme memberships: Number of members of defined benefit occupational pension schemes by sector, 2004 to 2008 Millions Sector 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Private 14.6 14.1 12.9 12.9 13.1 Public 10.6 n.a. 11.5 12.0 12.4 Source: Occupational Pension Schemes Survey Notes: 1) Defined benefit includes hybrid schemes 2) The 2005 survey did not cover the public sector 3) Figures for 2004 and 2005 exclude schemes that were winding up. 4) Changes to the methodology for 2006 onwards mean that comparisons with 2005 and earlier years should be treated with caution. 5) Changes to the part of the questionnaire used to estimate pensions in payment and preserved pension entitlements in 2008 mean that comparisons with 2007 and earlier years should be treated with caution Planning: Infrastructure Planning Commission Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect the Infrastructure Planning Commission to announce their first decisions on energy infrastructure projects before May 2010. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It is the Government's intention that the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) will start to accept nationally significant infrastructure applications for energy from 1 March 2010. Under the Planning Act 2008, the IPC has 28 days to decide whether or not to accept a submitted application. The applicant must give notice to a range of persons of the accepted application, allowing them at least 28 days to make representations. If the application is accepted, the IPC must hold a preliminary meeting. The Government have recently consulted on draft regulations which would require the IPC to give at least 21 days' notice of a preliminary meeting. The Planning Act sets a timetable for the IPC to complete its examination of the application within six months of the date of the preliminary meeting, and then a further three months for the IPC to issue a decision (or a recommendation to the Secretary of State when a national policy statement has not been designated). The exact time taken by the IPC to make decisions will reflect the nature and complexity of the application. Ports: Carbon Emissions Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why advice given by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that liability for the carbon reduction commitment fell to port tenants when subsequent advice from the Department of Energy and Climate Change states that port estate owners will be liable for the climate change levy. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Advice given to enquires from Forth Ports about the carbon reduction commitment energy efficiency scheme from both Defra and DECC was based on information supplied by the enquirer. Liability under the CRC rests with the counterparty to the supply contract. Initially Forth Ports stated they were a deemed electricity supplier in which case liability under the CRC would lie with their tenants. Further examination following the creation of DECC, confirmed that the port was the subject of a utility direction by HMRC for the purposes of the climate change levy in respect of supplies of electricity that it made. The direction was given under the provisions of Finance Act 2000 Schedule 6 paragraph 151(1). So in this instance the port authority is liable under CRC. The utility direction has effect from the date it is issued and treats that person as a utility only for the purposes of the climate change levy. Ports: Carbon Emissions Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have given to port estate owners to help them reduce the carbon emissions of tenants to whom they supply electricity. To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have given to ports regarding any reputational liability caused by erratic tenant energy use which may alter carbon reduction commitment league table positions. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government have provided no advice to port estate owners or any other potential participants to help them reduce the carbon emissions of their tenants or more generally on energy use. Such advice is readily available through the Carbon Trust and others. DECC has supported the British Property Federation in the production of the guidance "Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC)—a guide for landlords and tenants" produced by the British Property Federation. Ports: Carbon Emissions Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of port tenants who would not have been included in the carbon reduction commitment had they not been based in port estates with electricity supplied through the infrastructure of the port estate. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government have made no such assessment. Ports: Electricity Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of electricity usage by port tenants which are (a) flour mills, (b) cement batching plants, (c) pipe coating companies, and (d) other high electricity users in United Kingdom ports. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of electricity usage, excluding tenants, by the port estate owners (a) Tilbury, (b) Leith, (c) Southampton, (d) Liverpool, and (e) Belfast. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of electricity usage by port tenants, excluding that solely by the port owners, in (a) Tilbury, (b) Leith, (c) Southampton, (d) Liverpool, and (e) Belfast. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government have made no assessments of the electricity usage of any port tenants or by any port estate owners. Public Order Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have given to education institutions, public bodies and the police about how to respond to the activities of the English Defence League and the Casuals United in the light of disturbances in Luton, Birmingham and Harrow. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government condemn any group that seeks to create distrust and divisions between communities, and is determined to stamp out racism and extremism. The policing of demonstrations and activities by the English Defence League and associated groups is an operational matter for chief officers of police. My honourable friend, the Minister for Community Cohesion, has been in contact on this matter with the police. Through regional government offices, the Government are working closely with a range of local partners and community groups to encourage them to work constructively with the police to help to ensure local communities are protected and to minimise community tensions which would only serve the ends of those who want to sow the seeds of division and tension. The Government have also written to local MPs affected by these demonstrations to encourage them to work with the police in the same way. We encourage local authorities to reach out to local partners, community groups and members of the community to call for calm and a measured response to any demonstrations. The leadership demonstrated by communities in urging people not to resort to violence is welcomed and we would urge that this continue. Railways: Franchises Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the process for letting railway franchises before another competition is announced. Lord Adonis: The design of the franchising process is being considered in the run-up to the next two competitions, Essex Thameside and East Coast, and changes will be made where they can help to achieve the Department for Transport's overall objectives for transport. Railways: High-speed Trains Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are or will be the journey times between London and Edinburgh (calling at York and Newcastle) of (a) the proposed bi-mode super-express intercity train, (b) the existing high speed 125 mph diesel train, and (c) the existing C92 electric train with MK4 coaches. Lord Adonis: No London to Edinburgh trains currently call at York and Newcastle only. Typical fastest journey times of current services (Intercity 125s and Intercity 225s) London to Edinburgh are between four hours 20 minutes and four hours 30 minutes, with one train at four hours 13 minutes. There are usually three intermediate stops (eg Peterborough, York and Newcastle, or York, Newcastle and Berwick). The indicative fastest super-express timetabled journey times are envisaged to be the same for both bi-mode and electric train types. This is four hours six minutes for services that call at four intermediate stations and four hours 11 minutes for services that call at five intermediate stations. It is planned to run all London-Edinburgh trains on these improved timings, not just the occasional headline train as is the case today. Super-express trains will improve the journey times as well as frequency and reliability of services. The introduction of super-express trains enables significant timetable optimisations which will also result in a reduction in journey times of services provided by existing rolling stock. The Class 92 locomotive was designed for use in the Channel Tunnel and is not used on UK intercity services. Rates: Non-Domestic Valuations Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State at Communities and Local Government, Rosie Winterton, on 16 September (Official Report, House of Commons, cols. 2212—14W), what property attributes each of the single-character value significant codes of A, B, C, D, F, I, L, M, P, R, Q, S, T, U, and V represent; and how they differ from the two-character value significant codes with which they share the first alphanumeric character. Lord McKenzie of Luton: On 20 January 2005 the Valuation Office Agency converted its value significant codes from one to two characters to allow it to increase the number of codes. The definition of the single character codes, together with the two character equivalents, are shown in the table below. Value Significant Code (VSC) Definition Equivalent two character VSC A Agricultural Tied Dwellings AO, AV, AW B Balcony BA, BB, BC, BD C Cesspit (drainage) UC D Shared Drive DS F Farmhouses AM I No Street lighting UL L Leisure Facilities (swimming pool/tennis court etc) LE, LF, LR, LS, LT M Multiple value significant items None P Uncharacteristically large plot PL R Restrictive covenant RC Q Roof Terrace. This includes roof gardens QA, QB, QC, QD S Uncharacteristically small plot PS T Septic tank (drainage) US U Utility (adjacent to sub-station/pylon/radio mast etc) UR V View (added value) VC, VE, VH, VI, VL, VM, VO, VP, VR, VS Unemployment Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are enough personal advisers in Jobcentre Plus offices to deal with the number of people unemployed; and, if not, how many personal adviser posts are vacant. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Jobcentre Plus monitors workloads very closely, both at local and national level, to enable it to plan for and deploy extra resources where these are needed to provide services to unemployed customers. Since November 2008 the Government have invested nearly £5 billion to help people claiming out-of-work benefits get back to work. As part of this, funding to Jobcentre Plus has been increased by £3 billion to ensure Jobcentre Plus continues to provide personal help and advice to customers who need it, despite the current recession. This money will also help ensure that the Flexible New Deal—which is now providing tailored help for the long-term unemployed—can cater effectively for higher volumes of jobseekers. The Budget 2009 funding meant that Jobcentre Plus was able to recruit up to 10,000 more staff, on top of 6,000 new staff previously announced in PBR. This increase is entirely for staff directly helping customers to find work or provide support until they get a job. Between October 2008 and July 2009, Jobcentre Plus had recruited 14,000 people. Once forthcoming official statistics for headcount are published we expect to be able to confirm that Jobcentre Plus had achieved its plan to reach 82,000 full-time equivalents in post by the end of September 2009. Meanwhile, customers are now using Jobcentre Plus services differently than previously. More of its face-to-face customer contact is on an appointment basis and information on job vacancies is readily available by telephone and the internet. We have introduced a single national telephone number for new benefit claims so that calls from the public can be directed to the next available member of staff, regardless of location, giving Jobcentre Plus flexibility in where it handles work. This enables staff in jobcentres to focus on those customers in greatest need of support to return to work, maximising the impact of our resources.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2009-11-06a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2009", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Pedicabs: Greater London Baroness Stowell of Beeston: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they havetointroduce legislation in the next parliamentary session to regulate pedicabs in London. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government agrees that it is in the interest of safety and fairness to all road users, pedestrians, and passengers to address the lack of pedicab regulation in London.The Government has supported the Pedicabs (London) Bill, which is being taken forward in the House of Commons by Nickie Aiken MP. High Speed 2 Line: Wendover Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 31 January (HL5657), whether they will publish (1) the cost/benefit analysis, and (2) the additional independent analyses, on which they and HS2 Ltd based their decision to build a viaduct rather than a tunnel at Wendover. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The decision to adopt a majority surface route in the Wendover area was supported by the House of Commons Select Committee during the passage of the High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Act 2017, who were fully presented with the costs and benefits of the presented options.The alternative Wendover Mined Tunnel Proposal was subsequently assessed by HS2 Ltd and by independent consultants as being harder and more expensive to construct than the consented scheme. This assessment was provided to the constituency MP and local councillors at the time, and again in February 2020.The Department does not release information provided in confidence by external suppliers or consultants. High Speed 2 Line: Leeds Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 31 January (HL5594), on what date Leeds City Council (1) councillors, or (2) officials, were informed of the Government's decision not to proceed with previous plans to bring HS2 to Leeds. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government engaged with regional stakeholders, including Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, throughout the development of the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP).The IRP has set out that the Government will look at the best way for HS2 trains to serve Leeds alongside development of the West Yorkshire Mass Transit System. Railways: Tickets Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof the need for better coordination across rail networks of (1) rail ticket types, (2) ticket restrictions, and (3) ticket names; and whatsteps, if any, they are taking to improve such coordination. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail recognised the need for better coordination of fares and ticketing across the rail network. The creation of Great British Railways will help to simplify the current confusing ticketing system and support a modernised customer experience. To support this, the Government is investing £360 million over the next three years in a programme of Fares, Ticketing and Retailing (FTR) reforms including a new online retail channel and app to supersede existing separate train company websites, contactless ticketing in urban areas and the extension of digital ticketing across the network. Lifeboats Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the lifeboat accident on the research ship Sir David Attenborough, whether they plan to review legislation relating to (1) hook release problems, and (2) wire and brake failures, leading to difficulties of recovering free-fall life boats once they have been launched onto the water. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is currently investigating this incident. Their world-class inspectors will uncover its causes and make recommendations to prevent reoccurrence. The Government will consider its response once the investigation is complete. Bus Services: Standards Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the effect of theBus Services Act 2017 in improving bus services. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The National Bus Strategy, published in March last year, set out the Government’s vision for delivering better bus services for passengers across England.Since then, all local authorities in England have published a Bus Service Improvement Plan, setting out how they will improve bus services in their areas. Improvements will be delivered using the powers in the Bus Services Act 2017 – either via enhanced partnerships or bus franchising – using over a billion pounds of new Government funding.The Government has committed £3 billion of bus investment across this Parliament, including £1.2 billion of new dedicated funding for bus transformation. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Business: Loans Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Agnew of Oulton on 24 January (HL Deb, col 21) where he stated that "three out of the seven main lenders account for 87 per cent of loans paid out to companies already dissolved", whether they will provide (1) names of the three lenders, (2) the (a) number, and (b) names, of the dissolved companies, and (3) the amounts of loans made to each of the companies. Lord Callanan: We do not intend to name specific lenders at this time due to the commercially sensitive nature of this information. Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the cases will be pursued (1) in parallel, or (2) sequentially, in the Post Office Horizon Alternative Dispute Resolution. Lord Callanan: Cases being subject to the Alternative Dispute Resolution process are being handled in parallel. Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Post Office will be permitted to demand confidentiality in the Post Office Horizon Alternative Dispute Resolution. Lord Callanan: In principle, Post Office will be permitted to demand confidentiality; however, this is a legal matter and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the size of the compensation cost connected to the Post Office Horizon scandal, and (2) the extent to which the Post Office remains a going concern. Lord Callanan: BEIS Secretary of State is the 100% shareholder of Post Office and in this capacity he has agreed to help fund the Historical Shortfall Scheme and to fund the compensation for postmasters with overturned Horizon-related convictions. An initial estimate of £233 million of maximum budget cover from the Government for Historical Shortfall Scheme compensation payments was published by BEIS, as is required, on the TCA subsidy website. This was an estimate of maximum budget cover potentially required from Government and is not an estimate of likely outturn in settlement costs. The £153 million provision included in the 2019/20 Post Office accounts provides the best estimate of likely overall compensation spend under the Historical Shortfall Scheme, some of which will be paid by Post Office and some of which will be paid by Government. BEIS also published on the TCA subsidy website an estimate of maximum potential Government spend of £780 million to cover both the interim payments of up to £100k to be paid within 28 days of an overturned Horizon-related conviction and the final settlements for these postmasters. This is not, however, an estimate of the likely spend on these settlement costs. Actual compensation costs for postmasters with overturned criminal convictions will be determined by the total number of overturned convictions over time and the individual settlements reached. As was the case on the Historical Shortfall Scheme, I expect that Post Office will publish a more accurate estimate of these compensation costs as a provision in its forthcoming annual report and accounts. Post Office Limited confirmed in its Annual Report and Accounts in March 2021 that it is a going concern. The next Annual Report and Accounts should be published before the end of March 2022 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Staff Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Agnew of Oulton on 24 January (HL Deb, col 21) where he stated that "at the beginning of Covid, BEIS had the grand total of two counter-fraud officials on its staff", whether they will provide details about (1) where the staff were located, (2) their job specifications, (3) their qualifications, (4) their work experience, and (5) the dates on which any additional staff were appointed to perform similar tasks. Lord Callanan: Prior to the Covid pandemic BEIS had 2 suitably qualified officials supported by a Civil Service fast streamer within the central Counter Fraud function however to consider this the total response to Counter Fraud is reductive. As the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic developed, BEIS expenditure increased from a pre-COVID-19 level of less than £20 billion per year to over £100 billion. With the extraordinary speed of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme launch – necessary to ensure business across the UK received the financial support they so urgently needed as quickly as possible - BEIS deployed a Senior Civil Servant, with extensive experience in counter fraud, to lead the counter fraud effort and a number of BEIS employees were redeployed into counter fraud roles to support the core team leading on the COVID-19 loan schemes. It is important to note that this represents only the core BEIS Counter Fraud function and that there is additional resource deployed across the BEIS affiliated organisations dealing with counter fraud. BEIS Counter Fraud function operates as part of the wider Government Counter Fraud function and with partners across the civil service and law enforcement. In early 2021 investment was secured to expand the Counter Fraud capability including an additional 10 counter fraud posts, one being a permanent Senior Civil Service post. Recruitment for these posts started in mid-2021 and as at January 2022 the core BEIS counter fraud workforce has increased to nine. Moving forward, this increase in BEIS counter fraud resource and capability will deliver a counter fraud centre of expertise, supporting and working with the many counter fraud experts across the Arm’s Length Bodies and Partner Organisations affiliated to BEIS. It will develop a robust Lessons process to build prevention strategies for future loans and grant schemes that our Arm’s Length Bodies and Partner Organisations may have deliver and provide the focal point for data collection and reporting between the affiliated groups and the Cabinet Office. Business: Loans Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Agnew of Oulton on 24 January (HL Deb, col 21) where he stated that "three out ofthe seven main lenders account for 87 per cent of loans paid out to companies already dissolved", why the ratio is so skewed; and following his further remarks that "two of the seven account for 81 per cent of cases where loans were paid out to companies incorporated post-Covid", whether they will provide (1) names of the two lenders, (2) the (a) number, and (b) names, of the recipient companies incorporated after the start of the pandemic measures, and (3) the amounts of loans made to each of the companies. Lord Callanan: The Bank continues to work with lenders in order to better understand and validate what may be driving these differences, and to share best practice, data and insight. The Bank continues to publish the names of companies who took out loans under the scheme where required in line with reporting transparency requirements. We do not intend to name specific lenders at this time due to the commercially sensitive nature of this information. Insulation Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the extent to which insulation can be a source of indoor air pollutants, (2) the impact of any such pollutants on occupant health, and (3) the impact of using nature-based insulation as a low pollutant source material. Lord Callanan: The Government has not undertaken an assessment of the extent to which any type of insulation can be a source of pollutants, or the impact of these on the health of occupants of buildings. Insulation: Manufacturing Industries Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the 2050 Net Zero target, whether they have assessed the amount of (1) energy required for, and (2) the global warming potential of, the manufacture of insulation materials. Lord Callanan: The Government has not undertaken as assessment of the amount of energy required for the manufacture of insulation products, or the impact this may have on global warming. The Government remains committed to ensuring that all insulation products sold on the UK market are safe and perform to the required standard. Housing: Heating Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they haveconsidered research published by the Environmental Technologies & Resource Efficiency Support Service (EnTRESS), atthe University of Wolverhampton,concerning any cost and efficiency advantagesinfrared heating has over other alternatives to decarbonising home heating. Lord Callanan: BEIS is gathering evidence on the performance of infrared heating to account for recent developments in infrared heating technology, data management and intelligent control systems. The report published by the Environmental Technologies & Resource Efficiency Support Service (EnTRESS) will be considered as part of this evaluation. Post Boxes: : Theft The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following instances of thefts of Georgian and Victorian post boxes in East Anglia, (1) how many post boxes have been stolen across the UK in the last 12 months, and (2) what discussions they have had with Royal Mail regarding the replacement of those post boxes. Lord Callanan: Royal Mail is aware of the theft of post boxes in parts of East Anglia and is working closely with law enforcement agencies and deploying preventative measures to deter theft. The Government is not involved in the replacement of post boxes which is an operational matter for Royal Mail. Buildings: Insulation Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the quantity of insulation material needed to insulate the entirety of the UK’s building stock in time to meet the 2050 Net Zero target. Lord Callanan: The English Housing Survey provides estimates[1] of the extent of different insulation measures in the English housing stock. These estimates suggest that 6.3m solid walls remain uninsulated, 5.4m cavity walls remain uninsulated, and 3.2m lofts have less than 100mm of insulation (this figure excludes homes that do not have a loft – for example, homes with a loft conversion). Only 1.9m homes currently have floor insulation. It should be noted, particularly for higher cost measures like solid wall insulation, that not all these untreated properties need to be improved, as some of these improvements would not be considered cost effective, practical or affordable on an individual property basis. Energy efficiency is a matter for the devolved administrations, who will have equivalent estimates for their countries. [1]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/898342/Energy_Chapter_2_Figures_and_Annex_Tables.xlsx, tabs: AT2.10, AT 2.11, and AT2.12Energy efficiency measures and seasonal temperatur (xlsx, 229.3KB) Housing: Insulation Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether breathable nature-based insulation is more appropriate for insulating older homes in the existing housing stock than synthetic products. Lord Callanan: The Government has not made an assessment of the circumstances in which nature-based insulation products would deliver better outcomes in older homes. The Government remains committed to ensuring that all insulation products sold on the UK market are safe and perform to the required standard. Insulation Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the 2050 Net Zero target, whether they have assessed the levels of embodied carbon contained in (1) synthetic, and (2) nature-based, insulation materials. Lord Callanan: The Government has not undertaken such an assessment. The Government continues to take forward work to mitigate carbon emissions through measuring and reducing the embodied and operational carbon of the buildings and infrastructure it funds, and within the construction supply chain. Insulation Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the potential for carbon storing nature-based insulation products to decarbonise the built environment, and (2) the impact such products could have on reaching the 2050 Net Zero target. Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals for a mechanism to inform consumers (1) how much embodied carbon an insulation product contains, and (2) whether, and if so how much, it stores biogenic carbon, through Environmental Product Declarations at the specifier level. Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of showing potential consumers the relationship between energy savings and operational carbon versus stored biogenic carbon of insulation materials. Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of using breathable nature-based insulation on the comfort, health and well-being of occupants. Lord Callanan: The Government has not made an assessment of the potential for nature-based insulation products to contribute to the decarbonisation of the built environment, the 2050 Net Zero Carbon target, or the impact on the residents of homes in which these products are use. The Government has also made no assessment of the benefits of showing consumers the potential relationship between individual products and energy savings. To improve energy and heat efficiency in buildings usually requires a number of interventions, including improving insulation. Therefore, the focus of Government programmes that deliver this, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, is on developing approaches to whole house retrofit, rather than on identifying the contribution individual products can make. Department of Health and Social Care Inivos: Protective Clothing Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Kamall of 26 January (HL5352), what is the outcome of the technical review of Inivos gowns, which are currently under investigation through the technical regulatory assurance process. Lord Kamall: We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive. NHS England: Databases Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish a list of (1) organisations, and (2) project titles, that in 2021 had any access to data via NHS England's National Commissioning Data Repository; and for each organisation or project, whether they will provide a brief description of its purpose. Lord Kamall: The National Commissioning Data Repository is only used by NHS England and NHS Improvement employees for commissioning data purposes and does not share data with external organisations. Therefore, NHS England and NHS Improvement do not publish the information requested. Department for Education Alternative Education: Schools Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many alternative education schools are registered. Baroness Barran: The department has interpreted 'alternative education school' to mean a school established to provide alternative provision to students. Alternative provision refers to education arranged by local authorities for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness, or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education, education arranged by schools for pupils on a fixed period exclusion, and pupils being directed by schools to off-site provision to improve their behaviour.Figures from the Secretary of State’s register of educational institutions show that in England there are:348 state-maintained alternative provision schools, which includes Pupil Referral Units, alternative provision academies and free schools.2,411 open independent schools of all types.These figures are available to view at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk.As there is no requirement for registered independent schools, which primarily provide alternative provision, to be registered as such with the Secretary of State, it is not possible to identify the number of independent schools which would mean the definition of 'alternative education school'. Universities: Complaints Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many students have registered complaints about their university with the Office for Students; and how many complaints were upheld in the 2021 academic year. Baroness Barran: The Office for Students (OfS) does not get involved with individual student complaints. Such complaints are a matter for the relevant higher education provider and the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA).In 2021, the OIA received 2,763 complaints from students. Details of the outcomes of those complaints, including the number upheld, will be available in their annual report, which will be published in April 2022 on their website: https://www.oiahe.org.uk/resources-and-publications/annual-reports/.Students can notify the OfS of issues that may be of regulatory interest to it. These are known as ‘notifications’ and the OfS uses this information as part of its regulatory monitoring activity. This helps to ensure that higher education providers comply with the ongoing conditions of their registration. Notifications can be submitted online via the OfS website at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/office-for-students-notifications/how-to-submit-a-notification/ Students: Loans Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that thefreeze on the student loan repayment thresholdwill only stay in place for one year. Baroness Barran: We announced on 28 January that the repayment thresholds for post-2012 (Plan 2) and postgraduate (Plan 3) student loans will be maintained at their current levels of £27,295 and £21,000 per year respectively, for financial year 2022-23.It is more crucial than ever that higher education is underpinned by just and sustainable finance and funding arrangements, and that the system provides value for money for all at a time of rising costs. Maintaining the repayment thresholds at current levels, alongside the ongoing freeze in fees, will help to ensure the sustainability of the student loan system, while keeping higher education open to everyone who has the ability and ambition to benefit from it, including the most disadvantaged.We will confirm repayment thresholds for future years at the appropriate time. Overseas Students: Employment Lord Johnson of Marylebone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sectoral breakdown ofemployment of international students who have stayed in the UK post-study in each of the last 10 years by (1) nationality, and (2) sector of employment. Baroness Barran: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on the outcomes of graduates 15 months after qualifying from higher education in the Graduate Outcomes (GO) survey. This survey is unique in that it collects detailed information from the individual about their employment or further study, which allows HESA to determine the industry and occupation of employment. Further information about the survey is available here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/graduates.The survey results include information on the outcomes of graduates who were domiciled overseas prior to study. For those remaining in the UK, the industry and occupation of employment is available in the GO Open Data here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/graduates/table-19 and https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/graduates/table-22.Information is available for graduates in academic years 2017/18 and 2018/19. Counts in the tables are of survey respondents rather than all members of graduating cohorts. In 2018/19, the response rate, including partial survey responses, was 51% and 34% for EU and non-EU domiciled graduates respectively. Further statistics can be found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb260/figure-3. Breakdowns by country of nationality are not published.Prior to 2017/18, HESA collected data on the outcomes of graduates 6 months after qualifying from higher education in the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey. Data from this survey series are available in HESA’s publication archive, found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/publications#destinations-leavers-higher-education.Though non-EU international graduates were invited to take part in the survey, the level of response was not considered suitable for publication. Universities: Codes of Practice Lord Johnson of Marylebone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which requiring the Office for Students (1) to publish a code of practice governing universities’ use of recruitment agents and sub-agents, and (2) to enforce the code on a ‘comply or explain’ basis as a condition of registration with the Office for Students, would help drive out fraud in international student recruitment and uphold the reputation of higher education in England. Baroness Barran: The government does not currently have plans to request the Office for Students (OfS) to publish a code of practice governing universities’ use of recruitment agents and sub-agents.As set out in the International Education Strategy, the government is committed to working with the sector to enhance international student experience with specific actions that aim to make the application process clearer with more accessible information for potential students.A range of resources are available to higher education (HE) providers working with agents, such as the British Council good practice guidance and the London statement. Both are available here: https://www.britishcouncil.org/education/education-agents/good-practice-guidance-uk-information. The British Universities’ International Liaison Association also supports the professional and personal development of HE staff members with training events, including on the topic of working with agents. This information is available at: https://www.buila.ac.uk/training.The department is working closely with partners including the OfS and UCAS to prevent, detect and deter fraud within the HE sector. Overseas Students: Average Earnings and Economic Growth Lord Johnson of Marylebone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average (1) earnings, and (2) economic contribution, of international students who have stayed in the UK post-study in each of the last 10 years. Baroness Barran: The department publishes information about the earnings of international graduates from English higher education (HE) providers and colleges who remain in the UK for employment one, three, five and ten years after graduating from a first degree in its annual Graduate Outcomes (LEO)[1] publication. Latest available data refers to outcomes in the 2018-19 financial year and are published in Table 45 at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-outcomes-leo/2018-19.Table 1 in the attached spreadsheet summarises the earnings outcomes of international first degree graduates from English HE providers and colleges one year after graduation for the past five tax years. Data is only published for the 2014-15 financial year onwards.The department also publishes employment outcomes and earnings for international postgraduates from English HE institutions in the Graduate Outcomes (LEO): Postgraduate outcomes[2] publication. Table 2 in the attached spreadsheet summarises the outcomes of international level 7 (taught and research) and level 8 postgraduates of English HE institutions, one year after graduation for the past five tax years. Data is only published for the 2014/15 financial year onwards.The government values the positive, significant economic contribution international students make during and post study. No official numerical estimate is held by the department.The graduate route provides greater incentives for international students to work in the UK post-study. The linked graduate route’s impact assessment, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/966659/Graduate_Route_Impact_Assessment.pdf, shows that while on the graduate route, graduates will be able to work and look for work, which is expected to generate income to the Exchequer from direct and indirect tax contributions. This is estimated to lead to a benefit to public finances of between £6.7 and £15.2 billion with a central estimate of £10.7 billion (10-year present value, 2021/22 financial year prices).[1] https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-outcomes-leo/2018-19[2] https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-outcomes-leo-postgraduate-outcomesHL5845_table (xls, 51.0KB) Ministry of Justice Mental Capacity: Payments Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many responses were received to the Mental Capacity Act: Small Payments Scheme consultation, which ran from 16 November 2021 to 12 January 2022. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: I refer my noble Friend to the answer I gave on 27 January 2022 to his question HL5408. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Australia: Visits Abroad Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish theaccounting officer’s assessment of the value for money of the choice of transport for the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Australia. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Foreign travel is a vital part of diplomacy. The work that ministers do overseas ultimately delivers for the British people. We have three government planes for Government business. They are used by the Prime Minister and Ministers for precisely this purpose. This is standard practice and in the national interest.Every government decision is based on value for money. In accordance with the Ministerial Code, the FCDO publishes the costs related to all overseas Ministerial travel as part of the Quarterly Transparency Return. India Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to theJoint Analysis of Conflict and Stability: Guidance Note, published in June 2017, when anassessment on India was last conducted; and what is their assessment of the situation in India, with particular reference to instances of Islamophobic hate speech. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The British High Commission in New Delhi regularly assesses human rights across India. We condemn any instances of discrimination because of religion or belief, regardless of the country or faith involved. We look to India to uphold all freedoms and rights guaranteed in its strong constitution and by the international instruments to which India is a party. We engage with India on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with NGOs, to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at ministerial level.Officials regularly meet religious representatives and have run projects supporting minority rights. The British High Commission supports a UK-India Interfaith Leadership Programme for a cohort of emerging Indian faith leaders, including Muslims, creating an opportunity to exchange expertise on leading modern, inclusive faith communities, and promote values of tolerance and multi-culturalism. The UK will host an international Ministerial conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2022 to energise collective efforts on this agenda. We also work with the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, G7 and other multilateral fora to promote FoRB. Afghanistan Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to theJoint Analysis of Conflict and Stability: Guidance Note,published in June 2017, when an assessment on Afghanistan was last conducted; and what is theirassessment of the situation in Afghanistan, with particular reference to the treatment of the ethnic Hazara community. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO continues to assess and adapt its approach to Afghanistan to take account of changes on the ground and learn from our previous activity.Hazara people, and other ethnic and religious minorities, have long faced attacks and discrimination and we are monitoring the situation closely. We are particularly concerned by reports of targeted killings and forced displacement in recent months. FCDO officials regularly raise human rights, including rights of members of minority groups, in discussions with the Taliban, including during in Oslo on 23-25 January. Myanmar Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regardto theJoint Analysis of Conflict and Stability: Guidance Note,published in June 2017, when anassessment on Myanmar was last conducted; and what is their assessment of the situation in Myanmar, with particular reference to the alleged mass atrocity crimes committed against the Rohingya people. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK condemns the coup and calls for an end to violence and the restoration of democracy. We recognise the particular vulnerability of the Rohingya, and other ethnic and religious minorities, and are monitoring developments closely.The UK finalised our Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability in Myanmar in March 2019. The JACS provides a detailed assessment of the situation in Myanmar, including an analysis of the impact of atrocities committed against the Rohingya in 2017. The JACS recognises, in particular, the role that ethno-religious nationalism played in fuelling widespread violence against the Rohingya. These narratives remain, and are perpetuated by the military regime, leading to an ongoing risk of further atrocities against minorities.Following the coup in Myanmar, the Myanmar JACS is currently being refreshed. The revised JACS will maintain a focus on the situation of the Rohingya, and other ethnic and religious minorities. It will also look to mainstream the UK's developing work on atrocity prevention and identity based violence in Myanmar. China Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to theJoint Analysis of Conflict and Stability: Guidance Note, published in June 2017, when an assessment on China was last conducted; and what is their assessmentof the situation in China, with particular reference to the alleged atrocity crimes committed against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO monitors closely the human rights situation in Xinjiang. This includes regular discussion and sharing of information with international partners, close monitoring of open source research, extensive commissioning and funding of research from relevant international experts on issues of concern, and diplomatic reporting and analysis from our Embassy in Beijing and the wider FCDO network. This growing body of evidence and analysis will continue to inform FCDO and broader HMG policy in relation to Xinjiang, and underpin our robust diplomatic action and domestic policy response. Ministry of Defence Type 26 Frigates: Procurement Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 26 January (HL5599), whether the first Type 26 (1) passed Main Gate in 2015, (2) was ordered July 2017, (3) will enter operational service 2027; and whether they expect the last of the eight ships in that class will enter service in 2041. Baroness Goldie: In November 2015 the Strategic Defence and Security Review confirmed that eight Type 26 frigates would be manufactured. In 2016 the Demonstration Phase for the Type 26 frigates was extended to June 2017. A contract for the manufacture of the first batch of three Type 26 frigates was awarded to BAE Systems in June 2017.All three ships of the first batch of Type 26 frigates are currently in build in Govan, with the first Type 26 frigate (HMS GLASGOW) expected to be in service with the Royal Navy in 2027.The procurement of the Batch 2 (Ships 4-8) Type 26 frigates was confirmed in 2021 and will be subject to a separate approval and contract, which is expected to be awarded early in the 2020s. The dates for the construction of each ship, and its price, will be set during commercial negotiations with BAES. The in-service dates for the Batch 2 ships will be determined and approved when the programme achieves its main investment decision point. Egypt: War Graves Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have madein identifyingthe graves of more than 10,000 Egyptians who died in the service of the British Empire during World War One, including those in the Egyptian Labour Corps. Baroness Goldie: In April 2021, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) published its Special Committee’s report into historical inequalities in commemoration. The CWGC continues to make good progress against the report’s ten recommendations. Documents recently discovered by the CWGC’s dedicated research team put the number of personnel from the Egyptian Labour and the Camel Transport Corps who lost their lives in the Middle East during the First World War at just over 15,550. Very few of these were known to have marked graves and the names of the majority were, and are, unknown to the CWGC. Although one aspect of the CWGC’s response to the report is to search for missing burials (and where they can be located and marked, they will be), the CWGC is initially focused on the discovery of names so that individuals’ service and sacrifice can be properly recorded and acknowledged. The CWGC have established that records and named lists of Egyptian personnel were passed by the British Armed Forces to the then Egyptian authorities so that pensions and compensation could be paid. The CWGC hope that these records might yet be found in Egyptian archival collections and the CWGC is making progress in tracking these records down. Home Office Gender Recognition Baroness Jenkin of Kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps the Home Office is taking to close safeguardingloopholes where a name is changed in relation to a change of gender. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government is clear that we want people who are transgender to be able to live their lives as they wish. We believe that the process of legally changing one’s gender is a serious and legally meaningful undertaking which requires appropriate checks and a level of formality.Home Office policy is to allow a customer to change their gender without requiring a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), in line with the Equality Act 2010, which does not allow discrimination between people who have changed their gender through medical intervention, for example via surgery, and those who have not.Statements from medical consultants are accepted if they are registered on a medical website, can provide proof of their medical qualification and HM Passport examiners can verify; if not HM Passport Office examiners request another letter from another medical consultant if the original person cannot meet the necessary criteria.The Government has begun an internal review into name change more generally. The review is looking at the formal and informal methods by which someone can change their name provide assurance that, where necessary, appropriate safeguards exist. Crimes of Violence Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the (1) risks, and (2) potential legal consequences, for individuals who intervene to try to stop an assault or similar violent crime. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office is not aware of any assessment to have taken place within Her Majesty’s Government regarding the (1) risks and (2) potential legal consequences for individuals who intervene to try to stop an assault or similar violent crime. Treasury Electricity: VAT Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the discrepancy between the public charging VAT rate of 20 per cent for electric vehicles and the five per cent domestic VAT rate for electricity. Baroness Penn: Electricity supplied at electric vehicle charging points in public places is subject to the standard rate of VAT of 20 per cent. In order to keep costs down for families, the supply of electricity for domestic use, including charging electric vehicles at home, attracts the reduced rate of VAT of 5 per cent.Expanding the relief already available would come at a cost to the Exchequer. Any loss in tax revenue would have to be balanced by a reduction in public spending, increased borrowing, or increased taxation elsewhere.The Government keeps all taxes under constant review. Wealth Lord Hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made, if any, of the increase in billionaires resident in the UK by (1) number, and (2) percentage, between (a) 2019–20, and (b) 2020–21; and what assessment have they made of the link, if any, between this increase and the payment of furlough money. Baroness Penn: The Government has made no such assessment. The Office for National Statistics publishes statistics on the wealth of British households where individuals have a tax obligation and report to HMRC: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/totalwealthingreatbritain/april2018tomarch2020 HMRC also publishes statistics on personal incomes: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-incomes-tables-312-to-315a-for-the-tax-year-2018-to-2019 The Wealthy unit, which is part of Customer Compliance in HMRC, does not hold the number of billionaires resident in the UK. Additionally, the 2020-21 income details have been filed in January 2022, and so it is too early to complete a comparison to 2019-20 for 2020-21. Energy: Billing Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to repay the rebate announced to help alleviate household energy bills; and what assessment they have made of the impact on households as a result of such repayment. Baroness Penn: In recognition of the increase in energy costs and the impact this will have on households, the Government is providing significant financial support – up to £350 – to the majority of households. One element of this is a £200 discount for households delivered via their energy bill this autumn. We expect households will pay back the discount from 2023 – when energy prices are expected to be lower - through an increase to standing charges on their bills of around £40 per annum over five years. This approach is fiscally responsible while also helping customers manage the unprecedented increase in energy bills by spreading the increased costs of global prices over time. The policy will provide a significant discount to bills this year whilst gas prices are at historic highs. The government will explore this issue through a public consultation run by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the spring. This policy is on top of wider support available for vulnerable households, elderly and low-income people this winter. These schemes include the Warm Home Discount, which is being expanded to 3m people and increased to £150, up to £300 Winter Fuel Payment for all households with at least one member above State Pension age and a £25 per week Cold Weather Payment. These measures will help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the winter. There is also our £500m Household Support Fund which will help vulnerable households, including pensioners, with the costs of essentials this winter – local authorities will ensure it reaches those who need it most, and 50% of the funding is ringfenced for households with children. In addition to these measures, we’re also providing £3bn over this Parliament to help more than half a million lower income homes become more energy efficient, saving them £290 per year on average. Food and Energy: Prices Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) energy, and (2) food, prices in (a) the financial years from 2016 to 2021, and (b) from the period covering 1 April 2021 to 31 January 2022. Baroness Penn: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects and publishes data on energy and food prices in its monthly consumer price inflation bulletin. The data from each year from 2016 has been reproduced in the table below. Data for January 2022 will be published on 16 February 2022. ONS CPI Detailed annual changes 2008 to 2021 (% Change over 12 months) Consumer Price InflationFood and non-alcoholic beverages InflationElectricity, gas and other fuels Inflation20160.7-2.4-3.020172.72.23.820182.52.16.820191.81.43.820200.90.6-4.620212.60.34.7 Energy: Billing Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what long-term arrangements they will put in place to assist (1) low-income households, and (2) pensioners on fixed incomes, to alleviate their domestic energy costs. Baroness Penn: The Government recognises many households will need support to help deal with the rising cost of energy prices. Therefore, we are providing support worth £9.1bn in 2022-23 composed of:A £200 discount for households delivered via their energy bill this autumn, paid back automatically over the next 5 years, spreading the increased costs of global prices over time in a way that is more manageable for households.A £150 non-repayable cash rebate to 80% of households to help with rising costs now, delivered as a payment from government to Local Authorities, for implementation from this April via a payment to all households in Council Tax Bands A-D.£144 million of discretionary funding for Local Authorities to support households who need support but are not eligible for the Council Tax reduction. There is also our £500m Household Support Fund which will help vulnerable households, including pensioners, with the costs of essentials this winter – local authorities will ensure it reaches those who need it most, and 50% of the funding is ringfenced for households with children. This is on top of wider support available for vulnerable households, elderly and low-income people this winter. These schemes include the Warm Home Discount, which is being expanded to 3m people and increased to £150, up to £300 Winter Fuel Payment for all households with at least one member above State Pension age and a £25 per week Cold Weather Payment. These measures will help ensure those most vulnerable are better able to heat their homes over the winter. In addition to these measures, we’re also providing £3bn over this Parliament to help more than half a million lower income homes become more energy efficient, saving them £290 per year on average. In the longer term, the Government will look to reduce our reliance on global gas prices by moving to a cleaner, more resilient energy system and improve energy efficiency to help keep bills down. Sailing Boats: Sales Lord Hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Sky News on 8 November 2021 that found an increase in the sale of super yachts between 2019 and 2021; and what assessment they have made of the link, if any, between the purchase of such yachts and the payment of furlough money. Baroness Penn: We have not made any such assessment. The objective of the CJRS was to support businesses to preserve employer-employee matches by providing a mechanism to pay the wages of furloughed employees. Through easing the financial burden, the CJRS aimed to support jobs, reduce the risk of permanent business closures, and reduce the risk of large losses in incomes, through wage support to furloughed employees. The scheme succeeded in supporting 11.7 million jobs across the UK, and the Office for National Statistics has found that of all workers who had ever been furloughed, more than nine in ten were still in work in the three months up to June 2021. As per Government guidance, the employer must have paid the full amount they claimed for their employee’s wages to their employee. They also had to pay the associated employee tax, pension, and National Insurance Contributions to HMRC. If they were not able to do that, the employer had to repay the money to HMRC. The Government put robust measures in place to control error and fraud in our key pandemic support schemes, such as investing over £100 million in a Taxpayer Protection Taskforce at the Spring Budget 2021. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Television: Advertising Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of (1) the number of television advertising slots there have been on UK free to view television in the most recent year for which data is available, and (2) of the trend in the number of such advertisements over the previous 10 years. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Ofcom is the independent regulatory body responsible for overseeing the amount and scheduling of adverts on UK licensed broadcast television. It is the responsibility of Ofcom to make any assessment in relation to the number of television advertising slots on UK free to view television or any related trends over the years.Under section 322 of the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom requires licensed television broadcasters to observe a set limit on the amount of advertising they show. The number of internal advertising slots permitted on public service channels depends on the genre and scheduled duration of the specific programme. The total amount of advertising on ITV 1, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C and STV must not exceed an average of seven minutes per hour of broadcasting in any one day, or an average of 8 minutes per hour between 6.00 and 11.00 p.m. For other broadcasters, the total amount of advertising in any one day must not exceed an average of nine minutes per hour of broadcasting. This may be increased by a further three minutes per hour devoted to teleshopping spots.Ofcom’s Code on the Scheduling of Television Advertising (COSTA) sets out the rules with which licensed television broadcasters must comply when displaying adverts. If a broadcaster does not comply with these requirements, they can be found in breach of their licence. The Senior Deputy Speaker Peers' Interests: Lobbying Lord Truscott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker further to the Written Answer by the Senior Deputy Speaker on 23 November (HL4170), what plans, if any, the Conduct Committee has to review the rules about Members of the House of Lords working for lobbying firms. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: I have consulted the Chair of the Conduct Committee in preparing this answer. The Committee has no current plans to review the rules about members of the House of Lords working for lobbying firms. If the Noble Lord has any specific issues that he would like the Committee to consider, he can of course write to the Chair.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2022-02-10
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2022", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Education Faith Schools Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the written answer byBaroness Barran on 9 March (HL5960), what further checks they have made to the 81 settings that claimed to have changed their operations; what steps they have taken to ensure that the 21 settings that have closed their operations have not reopened in another location; what powers local authorities have to close settings that are not compliant with safeguarding requirements; and whether, in the consultation to be launched later this year, they will seek to define "school" so as to enable Ofsted to close unsatisfactory settings more speedily. Baroness Barran: It is a criminal offence under Section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 to conduct an independent school which is not registered with the Department. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools (HMCI) may, under Section 97 of that Act, inspect without notice any setting which they have 'reasonable cause to believe' is the site of an unregistered independent school. Settings that have previously been inspected under Section 97 and where the proprietor has been issued with a warning notice are likely to be inspected again under Section 97 to check compliance. This includes settings where the second inspection confirms closure or a change to compliant operation. A setting may not be inspected again under Section 97 where HMCI no longer has reasonable cause to believe that an unregistered school is being conducted. This may occur, for example, if the setting has registered as a school and is then subject to inspection as such. Ofsted considers all intelligence it receives about unregistered independent schools and will undertake a Section 97 inspection where it has reasonable cause to believe that an unregistered independent school is operating. This includes where new intelligence is received about previously closed sites or where proprietors that have received warning notices may be operating on alternative sites.The department has consulted on expanding the categories of full-time institutions that will be regulated in the same way as independent schools, as well as defining what is ’full-time’ for these purposes. Following this consultation, the government intends to legislate in this area at the next available opportunity.Local authorities have overarching responsibility for safeguarding children and young people in their area, whether these children attend a school (either registered or unregistered), or an out-of-school setting (a setting not offering full-time education). They have a range of legal powers already in place to support them in this responsibility. The department will continue to work with authorities to ensure they are utilising the existing legal powers available to them. The department will also be reviewing and strengthening our existing guidance for local authorities on unregistered schools and out-of-school settings to support them to do this. Schools: Bible and Koran Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government whether (1) the National Curriculum, and (2) other guidance provided to schools, requires that copies of the Koran and the Bible should receive equal respect; and if not, what plans they have to ensure that they are treated equally. Baroness Barran: Every school should actively promote mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. Amongst other criteria, Ofsted will inspect pupils’ knowledge of, and respect for, different people's faiths, feelings, and values.All schools must offer a broad and balanced curriculum, which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, and physical development of pupils.In response to recent incidents, the government has been repeatedly clear that there is no blasphemy law in the United Kingdom. The department has no plans to give specific guidance on the respect that should be shown to specific religious texts. However, the Home Office is drafting guidance on blasphemy incidents, which the department will support with as needed. Apprentices Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 8 March (HL5809), whatare the percentages of each of the apprenticeship levels studied in each of the age groups. Baroness Barran: The following table shows the proportion of participating apprentices in each age group studying at each apprenticeship level for the 2019/20 to 2021/22 academic years. Age groupLevelPercentage Learner Participation for each age group2019/202020/212021/22TotalTotal100.0%100.0%100.0%Intermediate Apprenticeship31.3%26.0%23.7%Advanced Apprenticeship47.1%45.8%44.6%Higher Apprenticeship23.0%29.2%32.3%Under 19Total100.0%100.0%100.0%Intermediate Apprenticeship55.7%51.7%47.9%Advanced Apprenticeship43.3%46.0%48.1%Higher Apprenticeship3.9%4.1%5.1%19-24Total100.0%100.0%100.0%Intermediate Apprenticeship28.7%24.7%22.4%Advanced Apprenticeship53.1%52.4%51.4%Higher Apprenticeship20.1%24.2%27.0%25+Total100.0%100.0%100.0%Intermediate Apprenticeship23.4%18.1%16.1%Advanced Apprenticeship44.1%40.9%38.6%Higher Apprenticeship33.0%41.3%45.6%Note: (1) Percentages derived from volumes published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/bc41867b-b0ad-4967-7403-08db2469d98f.(2) As learners can study at more than one apprenticeship level in an academic year, the proportions at Intermediate level, Advanced level and Higher level may sum to be more than 100%.Further apprenticeship statistics can be found in the Apprenticeships and traineeships statistics publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships. Students: Loans Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given toreintroducing maintenance grants for the most disadvantaged students; and what plans they have to review the parental threshold for maximum loan support given the increased cost of living. Baroness Barran: The government has no plans to reintroduce maintenance grants, as it believes that income-contingent student loans are a fair and sensible way of financing higher education (HE). It is only right that those who benefit from the system should make a fair contribution to its costs.The switch from maintenance grants to loans in 2016 has not resulted in fewer people going into HE. In 2022 record numbers of 18-year-olds entered university, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. An English 18-year-old from a disadvantaged background today is 86% more likely to go to university than they were in 2010.Decisions on student finance have had to be taken alongside other spending priorities to ensure that the system remains financially sustainable and that the costs of HE are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university. Home Education: Registration and Regulation Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer of Baroness Barran on 9 March (HL5961), what estimates they have made of the number of children not regularly in school; whether there has been an increase in the number of children absent from school since the COVID-19 pandemic; and whether they will fund local education authorities to maintain registers of children not in school until they can legislate to make such registers a statutory requirement. Baroness Barran: School attendance has improved since 2010, but COVID-19 and its aftermath significantly damaged attendance levels. COVID-19 caused higher levels of sickness absence, and exacerbated existing problems with persistent absence, with vulnerable children particularly affected. Attendance is now improving, and the government is committed to returning to pre-pandemic levels and better.In autumn/spring 2018/19 overall attendance was 96.7%. The current academic year to date attendance is 4.3 percentage points lower at 92.4%.Local authorities have a statutory duty to make arrangements that enable them to establish, the identities of children in their area who are not receiving a suitable education. To assist with fulfilling this duty, the department expects all local authorities in England to maintain some form of register to help identify these children, in line with our guidance to local authorities on elective home education. This function is funded through existing budgets and resources.When the suitable legislative opportunity arises to take forward the Children Not in School measures, the department will review and undertake a further new burdens assessment to assess the level of funding required to support implementation of the registers, as well as for the proposed local authority duty to support home educating families. Apprentices and Vocational Guidance: Travellers Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that targeted careers advice and the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme reaches Gypsy and Traveller young people, including those who are being educated at home. Baroness Barran: The government is committed to ensuring that all young people and adults can access high-quality careers information, advice, and guidance, regardless of their background.The department is currently developing a Get the Jump communications pack to help Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) stakeholders share information about post-16 and post-18 education and training choices with GRT parents and young people. We will share the pack with members of the department’s GRT stakeholder group at its next meeting and will discuss how we can effectively support GRT young people.The National Careers Service also provides free, up to date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the Labour Market in England.  It is delivered by over 750 careers advisers who help customers to make informed choices about their career options, whatever their age, ethnic group, and background.Working with the Careers and Enterprise Company, Youth Employment UK have developed a free, new online programme designed to support home-educated young people. This project aims to engage young people with trusted, self-directed learning and high-quality signposting to information about pathways, online experiences of the workplace, sector information, and transitions support. Resources are being developed to be used by multi-agency frontline workers, local authorities, and support staff working with young people being educated outside of mainstream education.The Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme is raising awareness of apprenticeships and T Levels to young people in schools and colleges. Since September 2022, it has worked with over 380,000 young people from across all regions and demographics.In addition to working with schools that request support across the country, ASK targets selected levelling-up areas and works closely with schools with students identified as requiring additional support through its development school programme.ASK works closely with local authorities to identify young people who are not in education employment or training (NEET), or at risk of being NEET to provide additional support. The programme also works with local authorities and a variety of supporting stakeholders to provide the service to young people outside of education. Department for Business and Trade Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Callananon 21 February (HL Deb col 1562) that “The key sectors specified in the [Strikes (Minimum Service Levels)] Bill are broadly the same set that were defined as important public services in the Trade Union Act 2016”, why they are changing the category “Education of those aged under 17”, as in the 2016 Act, to the broader definition found in the Bill of “Education services”. Lord Johnson of Lainston: The sectors in the Strikes Bill broadly stem from the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, as amended by the Trade Union Act 2016, as they have long been recognised as important for society to function effectively. Strike action in education services has the potential for far reaching consequences for members of the public, for example children and young people who can be denied access to vital learning if education services strike. It is only right that these services, which the public pay for and expect to be there when they need them, are included in the Bill. Local Government: Coronavirus Lord Smith of Hindhead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether all the undistributed (1) Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant, and (2) Additional Restrictions Grant, scheme funds have now been paid back by local authorities; and what is the total amount that has been repaid. Lord Johnson of Lainston: The Government is working closely with Local Authorities to reconcile undistributed monies for all Covid 19 business grant schemes, including the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG) and Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG). The value of the schemes and receivables due to the Department will be included in the BEIS Annual Report and Accounts which will be published later in the year. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Myanmar: Land Mines Baroness Nye: To ask His Majesty's Government what funding they are providing for demining projects in areas of Myanmar not under the control of the military. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government does not fund any demining projects in Myanmar, as demining organisations are not permitted to conduct mine clearance activities there. Risk education is permitted, and this financial year the FCDO's Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP) is providing £600,000 in funding for UK NGO the HALO Trust and Mines Advisory Group to deliver this activity. Humanitarian mine action is a neutral activity, and the GMAP Myanmar programme currently delivers risk education to at risk groups and communities where conditions allow, regardless of who is in control. Ukraine: Armed Conflict Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine during the celebration of Easter. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Ukraine, and its partners, seek a just and lasting peace for Ukraine which affirms its territorial integrity and sovereignty as per the UN Charter, and provides stability for the global community.President Putin has shown no interest in an enduring peace or ending the suffering caused by his unprovoked, premediated attack on Ukraine.If Russia is serious about advancing the prospects for peace, it must immediately cease attacks against Ukraine's critical national infrastructure and innocent civilians, and withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Ministry of Justice Prisoners: Foreign Nationals Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the amount of foreign national prisoners in England and Wales. Lord Bellamy: The removal of Foreign National Offenders is a Government priority. The Ministry of Justice continues to work closely with the Home Office to maximise the number of deportations.Our new Prisoner Transfer Agreement with Albania entered into force in May 2022, and we are looking to negotiate new Prisoner Transfer Agreements with key EU Member States and wider-world countries. We also signed a new protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons in October 2021 to widen the scope of transferring prisoners without their consent.The Bill of Rights will strengthen the wider framework around appeals made on Article 8 grounds (the right to private and family life) by foreign criminals subject to deportation. Clause 8 of the Bill sets out how the courts should consider the compatibility of new deportation laws.Clause 20 of the Bill of Rights establishes a threshold for successful appeals on Article 6 grounds. This provision is intended to strengthen the approach in this area. Animal Welfare: Sentencing Lord Kamall: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to theSentencing Council Animal CrueltyGuidelines, published on 10 May 2022, why the Sentencing Council have proposed changing the maximum penalty for animal cruelty from five years as agreed in the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021, to three years' custody for the most serious offending. Lord Bellamy: The maximum penalty for any statutory offence is prescribed by Parliament. There are no plans to reduce the maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences from the current five years.Sentencing guidelines are produced by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, which is independent of the Government. The guidelines set out factors which courts must consider when deciding on a sentence and are designed to increase consistency and transparency in sentencing.The Sentencing Council has consulted on revisions to the animal cruelty guideline to reflect recent legislation. The Council has proposed a sentence range of a fine up to three years imprisonment. As the consultation document explains, the upper limit for a sentence range is often lower than the maximum penalty set out in legislation to allow headroom for sentencers dealing with cases of exceptional seriousness. In such cases, statute permits a sentencer to step outside the offence range and impose any sentence up to the maximum.The Sentencing Council’s consultation closed on 1 August. The Council is expected to publish the final guidelines in May of this year, having taken time to consider the consultation responses and make any revisions that they consider appropriate. Once published they would come into effect in July 2023.The consultation paper can be found here: Animal cruelty sentencing guidelines consultation (sentencingcouncil.org.uk). Prisons: Education Lord Woodley: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bellamy on 6 March (HL5835), how will the modelto deliver education when current contract arrangements end for the Prison Education Framework integrate with the One HMPPS programme. Lord Bellamy: The One HMPPS programme will bring prisons and probation closer together to achieve better outcomes for victims, communities and offenders by ensuring the best model possible to deliver core services. Key One HMPPS principles informing the development of the successor contracts to the Prison Education Framework are the prioritisation of regional working and increased focus on the frontline. The two programmes will continue to work closely together as future models are developed. Prisons: Education Lord Woodley: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bellamy on 6 March (HL5835),whether the model to deliver education when current contract arrangements end for the Prison Education Framework will use different lots of prison groups to those under the existing Framework. Lord Bellamy: We are creating a Prisoner Education Service (PES) that will ensure prisoners improve skills such as literacy and numeracy, acquire relevant vocational qualifications, and access employment and training opportunities on release.A regional lotting structure will be applied to the successor contracts to the current Prison Education Framework. Final decisions will be communicated through the procurement process for the new contracts which is due to begin in summer 2023. Prisons: Education Lord Woodley: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bellamy on 6 March (HL5835),whether the key performance indicators for the model to deliver education when current contract arrangements end for the Prison Education Framework will differ from those of the existing Framework; and if so, in what ways. Lord Bellamy: We are creating a Prisoner Education Service (PES) that will ensure prisoners improve skills such as literacy and numeracy, acquire relevant vocational qualifications, and access employment and training opportunities on release. Final decisions on the key performance indicators for the successor contracts to the current Prison Education Framework arrangements have yet to be taken. The key performance indicators will be communicated through the procurement process for the new contracts which is due to begin in Summer 2023. Prisoners: Foreign Nationals Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the cost to the public purse for providing translators for foreign national prisoners in each of the last five years. Lord Bellamy: It is not possible to provide the information in the form requested. The costs of translators and interpreters cannot be disaggregated based on the nationality of the individuals that require these services. In addition, the level of aggregation at which cost data are collected combines all areas of the Ministry of Justice, including prisons, probation and the courts. It is not possible, therefore to obtain the costs associated with providing translation services solely for foreign national offenders. Prisons: Education Baroness Blower: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bellamy on 6 March (HL5835), when the tendering process for the delivery of prison education when the current contract for the Prison Education Framework ends will (1) start, and (2) end. Lord Bellamy: Following engagement with suppliers from the private, public and third sector, procurement for new successor contracts to the current Prison Education Framework arrangements is due to commence in Summer 2023, contracts are due to be awarded to successful bidders in autumn 2024. Contracts are expected to go live in April 2025. Prisons: Education Baroness Blower: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bellamy on 6 March (HL5835),whether there will be a formal consultation over the model to deliver prison education when current contract arrangements for the Prison Education Framework end; and if so, when the consultation period will (1) start, and (2) end. Lord Bellamy: We want to develop a healthy market by encouraging the greatest variety of prison education suppliers possible to respond to our invitation to tender for new successor contracts to the current Prison Education Framework arrangements.We have conducted extensive engagement with the market to communicate our vision for the future education service, demonstrate the range of opportunities available to suppliers across the education and skills sector, and to invite input into the future service design.Our engagement with the market involved a launch event in April 2022, as well as subject-specific webinars and 1:1 meetings with attendees. Further market engagement events were held in November 2022 and February 2023, illustrating how market feedback is being used to shape service design. Participants were given the opportunity to provide their feedback regarding the proposed future prison education service model, with a deadline of 8 March 2023.Other key stakeholders consulted during this period have included prisoners and those with lived experience; HMPPS operational staff; trade unions; and third sector organisations.The procurement process for the new successor contracts is due to commence in summer 2023. Prisons: Education Baroness Blower: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bellamy on 6 March (HL5835), what is their timeline for the (1) development, and (2) delivery, of the model to deliver prison education whencurrent contract arrangements for the Prison Education Framework end. Lord Bellamy: We are creating a Prisoner Education Service (PES) that will ensure prisoners improve skills such as literacy and numeracy, acquire relevant vocational qualifications, and access employment and training opportunities on release. We have already begun making investments including through the recruitment of new Heads of Education Skills and Work and Neurodiversity Support leads in prisons. We are also working with employers to improve skills training and deliver apprenticeships for prisoners.New successor contracts to the current Prison Education Framework (PEF) arrangements will be an important part of PES. Early development of the successor contracts commenced back in April 2022 with a period of initial market consultation involving input from stakeholders and potential suppliers, to help shape thinking on the new procurement and contracting arrangements that will improve performance, quality learner engagement and value for money.Additional market warming sessions were held in November 2022 and February 2023, with further feedback gathered. The procurement process for new successor contracts is due to commence in summer 2023. Contracts are due to be awarded to successful bidders in autumn 2024 and are expected to go live in April 2025. Prisoners: Foreign Nationals Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government how many foreign nationals are currently held in prisons in England and Wales. Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the top 10 countries from which foreign national prisoners originate. Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the cost of housing foreign national prisoners for each of the last five years. Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government how many foreign national prisoners have been released under the (1) Early Removal Scheme (ERS), and (2) Tariff-Expired Removal Scheme (TERS). Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government how many foreign national prisoners have escaped custody in each of the last five years. Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government whether anycategory of foreign national prisoners has access to (1) legal aid, or (2) any other public funding. Lord Bellamy: As of 31 December 2022, there were 9,797 Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) held in prisons in England and Wales, with the top ten origin countries being Albania, Poland, Romania, Ireland (Republic of), Lithuania, Jamaica, Pakistan, Somalia, Portugal, and Iraq.We do not disaggregate prison run costs by nationality and the cost to hold individuals depends on category. Our unit costs for holding prisoners are published on Gov.uk alongside the HM Prison and Probation Service Annual Reports and Accounts.Under the Early Removal Scheme (ERS) and Tariff Expired Removal Scheme (TERS) FNOs are removed from the UK, they are not released from their sentence and are liable to continue their sentence should they return to the UK. ERS applies to those serving determinate sentences, and TERS to those serving indeterminate sentences (Life or Imprisonment for Public Protection, which stopped being used in 2012).Between January 2010 and June 2022, the Home Office removed 22,707 FNOs through ERS with 1,322 of those in the year ending June 2022. Since its implementation in May 2012, 571 FNOs have been removed through TERS. The disparity in numbers under the two schemes is due to there being significantly fewer FNOs with indeterminate sentences than determinate, and the need for the tariff to be expired before they can be removed.The below table shows the number of FNOs who escaped from custody over the last 5 years. A prisoner escapes when they pass beyond the perimeter of a secure prison or the control of escorting staff. All three from 2017-18 were recaptured within 30 days.Year2017-182018-192019-202020-212021-22Number of Foreign National Offenders escaped from custody3..*......* Figures of 1 and 2 are supressed A Foreign National Offender may access legal aid if they satisfy the relevant eligibility criteria: their legal issue is in scope, as set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, and they pass relevant means and merits tests. For immigration matters, all immigration detainees held in prison can access 30 minutes of legally aided legal advice. This provides a functional equivalent to the advice available to detainees held in immigration removal centres. Broader access to public funds would be based on the immigration status of an individual.The Bill of Rights will strengthen the wider framework around appeals made on Article 8 grounds (the right to private and family life) by foreign criminals subject to deportation. Clause 8 of the Bill sets out how the courts should consider the compatibility of new deportation laws.Clause 20 of the Bill of Rights establishes a threshold for successful appeals on Article 6 grounds. This new provision is intended to strengthen the existing approach in this area. Department of Health and Social Care Junior Doctors: Strikes Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to ensure that medical care is not disrupted during the junior doctor strikes. Lord Markham: The National Health Service makes every effort through rigorous contingency planning to minimise disruption and its impact on patients and the public during industrial action. In the case of recent strikes by junior doctors, the NHS had plans in place to engage consultants, Speciality and Associate Specialist doctors and allied health professionals to provide cover. Where necessary, trusts also cancelled non-urgent appointments to prioritise urgent and emergency care. We are urging the British Medical Association junior doctors committee to approach talks constructively for the sake of both patients and their own members. Bereavement Counselling: Training Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure health and social care staff receive culturally-informed training in bereavement, particularly how to identify those at risk of complex grief disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Lord Markham: The End of Life Care for All e-learning training programme has been developed by Health Education England (HEE) to ensure health and social care staff are equipped and well-supported to deliver bereavement care. One of the nine modules in this programme is on bereavement and covers palliative care, sudden death, and childhood bereavement. There are also specific sessions in this programme which provide training on identifying cultural barriers, supporting people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and identifying the risk factors that can impact on the grieving process and affect a carer’s bereavement outcome. NHS England is promoting the uptake of this training programme through its Strategic Clinical Networks. There are many other e-learning programmes available at HEE’s e-learning platform that deliver more specialised training on bereavement, for example after suicide or baby loss, and on post-traumatic stress disorder. Social Services: Finance Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toprovide a fully funded plan (1) to meet the needs of (a) older, and (b) disabled, people and their carers, and (2) to address the staffing crisis in social care. Lord Markham: The Government is making available up to £7.5 billion in additional funding over two years to support adult social care and discharge. This historic funding boost will ensure that local authorities can continue to meet the eligible care and support needs of people in their area and deliver tangible improvements to social care services. We remain committed to the 10 year vision set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper, which covers older and disabled people and their carers. We will shortly publish a plan for adult social care system reform. The plan will build on the progress made so far to implement the 10 year vision set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper. Health Services: Private Sector Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government which routine procedures previously provided by the NHS are now onlydeliveredthrough private companies. Lord Markham: This information is not collected in the format requested. Local commissioning decisions are made by integrated care boards based on their local need. Information on the procedures commissioned locally is not held by the Department. National Health Service commissioners are expected to take National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance fully into account alongside local priorities in designing services that meet the needs of their populations. Sports: Health Hazards Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing for research into the potential long-term health impacts, including an increased risk of dementia, of contact sport. Lord Markham: The Department of Health and Social Care commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is supporting research on the long-term effects of sport on brain health through the NIHR MedTech Co-operative. This includes a study on the detection of prodromal dementia symptoms in former professional footballers. The NIHR is also contributing to a £9.5 million research call to establish a United Kingdom Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) platform. The platform will support new research on the health impacts of TBI and concussion occurring through different contexts including sport. Additionally, the NIHR is supporting research into a potential link between concussion and dementia through the PROTECT study.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the potential health impacts of contact sport. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has established a new Concussion in Sport Research Forum led by the Medical Research Council and UK Research and Innovation. The aim of this group is to bring together key academic experts with experience of traumatic brain injury, concussion and related areas to identify priority research questions for the sporting sector.The Government remains committed to working with sports stakeholders to build on the positive work that is already taking place to mitigate the causes and effects of concussion in sport. Integrated Care Boards: Ministers Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the role of ministers who are linked with Integrated Care Boards. Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government how the effectiveness of linking ministers with Integrated Care Boards will be measured. Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government which minister is linked with each Integrated Care Board. Lord Markham: Ministers regularly meet leaders from integrated care systems, including chairs and chief executives of integrated care boards and chairs of integrated care partnerships to discuss a range of issues on the delivery and improvement of health and care. As part of the ongoing engagement, we will seek to combine the benefits of a sustained relationship with the opportunity for Ministers to engage with different systems. Focal Therapy Lord Aberdare: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to increase awareness among (1) patients, and (2) medical professionals, of the use of focal therapies including focused ultrasound to treat cancer patients. Lord Aberdare: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential use of focal therapies in supporting the NHS to address the cancer treatment backlog. Lord Aberdare: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they have taken to reduce the regional variation across the UK in access to treatment for focal therapies including focused ultrasound. Lord Markham: While focal therapies offer promise, they are not yet recommended for wider adoption and spread across the National Health Service because more evidence is needed. As part of developing their guidance and recommendations, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence seeks input from professionals and patient associations and, through its clinical commissioning policy route, NHS England encourages clinicians working in the NHS in England to submit new policy topics to enable patients to quickly benefit from innovative, evidence-based treatments. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Local Government: Elections Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how successfully localauthorities will be able to implement the new Voter ID legislation at thelocal elections in May. Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government how many people in England had applied for the Voter Authority Certificate by 1 March; how many applications had been rejected; how many Voter Authority Certificates had been issued; what estimate they have made of the number of voters that will need a Voter Authority Certificate; and what estimate they have made of the number of people who will apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: I refer the Noble Lady to the Commons UQ response here, to the Cabinet Office published survey on levels of ownership of photographic identification, and to the New Burdens funding methodology for the Elections Act 2022 available here.Information regarding applications for Voter Authority Certificates is published online. The rejection of an application is a matter for the relevant Electoral Registration Officer.The Association of Electoral Administrators is providing relevant training for Returning Officers.The Office for Students encourages higher education providers to promote electoral registration. Students can register at their home address or their term-time address or both.UQ response (pdf, 403.0KB)Photographic ID ownership (pdf, 86.6KB)New Burdens funding (pdf, 528.3KB) Local Government: Elections Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how successfully local authorities will be able to implement the new Voter ID legislation at the local elections in May. Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of eligible voters who may be unable to vote at polling stations due to the new Voter ID legislation, either because of (1) a lack of acceptable ID, or (2) a lack of awareness of the new requirements; and what training is being provided for (a) polling station officers, and (b) returning officers, to ensure that they prepared to judge the (i) veracity of official documents, and (ii) the authenticity of photo IDs. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: I refer the Noble Lady to the Commons UQ response here, to the Cabinet Office published survey on levels of ownership of photographic identification, and to the New Burdens funding methodology for the Elections Act 2022 available here.Information regarding applications for Voter Authority Certificates is published online. The rejection of an application is a matter for the relevant Electoral Registration Officer.The Association of Electoral Administrators is providing relevant training for Returning Officers.The Office for Students encourages higher education providers to promote electoral registration. Students can register at their home address or their term-time address or both.UQ response (pdf, 403.0KB)Voter Identification (pdf, 86.6KB)New Burdens Funding (pdf, 528.3KB) Refugees: Ukraine The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish details of how the £150 million funding for local authorities to support people on Ukraine visa schemes into longer term accommodation will be allocated. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The £150 million funding will be allocated between the different parts of the UK in relation to their proportion of Ukrainian guests. We are seeking to provide clarity for local authorities and devolved governments on the allocation of funding as quickly as possible, and will set out further details in due course. Private Rented Housing: Internet Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their white paper A fairer private rented sector (CP 693), published on 16 June 2022, what progress they have made on the establishment of the Property Portal. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: We are conducting ongoing policy and digital development which has included user research with potential users of the portal, such as private landlords, property agents, local authorities and private renters. We will continue to conduct testing of potential solutions for the property portal to make sure the system works for different users. Announcements will be made in the usual way. Electoral Register: Students Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue new guidance on how educational institutions should uphold their requirement to cooperate with Election Registration Officers in facilitating the electoral registration of students. Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to remind educational institutions that they should offer voting registration op-in as part of their institutional enrolment in order to tackle low registration rates among young people. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: I refer the Noble Lord to the Commons UQ response here, to the Cabinet Office published survey on levels of ownership of photographic identification, and to the New Burdens funding methodology for the Elections Act 2022 available here.Information regarding applications for Voter Authority Certificates is published online. The rejection of an application is a matter for the relevant Electoral Registration Officer.The Association of Electoral Administrators is providing relevant training for Returning Officers.The Office for Students encourages higher education providers to promote electoral registration. Students can register at their home address or their term-time address or both.UQ response (pdf, 403.0KB)Photographic identification (pdf, 86.6KB)New Burdens funding (pdf, 528.3KB) First Time Buyers: Government Assistance Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government how manyfirst-time buyers they have offered financialsupport to in each year since 2008, broken down by local authority area. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government has delivered a range of interventions in recent years to promote home ownership to first time buyers. Data is not available for all schemesThe Government also stipulates that developers support first time buyers through s106 agreements in the planning system (for example providing Shared Ownership and First Homes) The latest statistics published on first time buyers offered financial support are as follows (attached) (to end September 2022):Mortgage Guarantee Scheme: See Table 6 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1135081/Q3_2022_MGS_Quarterly_Statstical_Release_vFinal_230208.pdfHelp to Buy Equity Loan: See Table 1a at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/help-to-buy-equity-loan-scheme-data-to-30-september-2022 Help to Buy ISA: See quarterly statistics at: Help to Buy: ISA Scheme Quarterly Statistics: December 2015 to 30 September 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Help to Buy: LISA: See table 2 at: Commentary for Annual savings statistics: June 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Mortgage guarantee scheme (pdf, 353.2KB)Help to buy equity loan (pdf, 96.4KB)Help to buy ISA (pdf, 87.5KB) Home Office Passports: Babies Lord Mann: To ask His Majesty's Government what assistance they provide to migrants settling in the UK to obtain UK passports for UK-born babies. Lord Murray of Blidworth: Where a foreign national settling in the UK wishes to obtain a passport for a UK-born child for whom they have parental responsibility, they may apply for a child passport through the normal range of available HMPO application processes.His Majesty’s Passport Office will assess whether the child is a British citizen in accordance with the British Nationality Act 1981, which requires the parent to be settled in the United Kingdom when the child is born, and also provides an alternative mechanism for UK-born children to acquire British citizenship through registration. HMPO provides an enquiry service to assist customers making passport applications. Asylum Lord Strasburger: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the legal routes to the UK for citizens of Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar or the Democratic Republic of the Congo who are applying for asylum. Lord Murray of Blidworth: The UK does not accept asylum claims from abroad. Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach which is the fastest route to safety, in line with the 1951 UN Convention.Our resettlement schemes have provided safe and legal routes for tens of thousands of people including global schemes to start new lives in the UK. The UK welcomes people from all over the world through the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Mandate Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship as well as country specific routes such as Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme as well as Ukraine and BNO schemes. This commitment, alongside a fair and firm asylum system, will ensure we continue to offer safe and legal routes to the UK for those in need of protection.There are additional global safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK should they wish to join family members here, work or study. They would need to meet the requirements of the relevant Immigration Rule under which they were applying to qualify for a visa. Details about the criteria and how to apply are available on GOV.UK at: http://www.gov.uk/apply-uk-visa. Asylum: Hong Kong Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government how many asylum seekers from Hong Kong have been waiting for their case to be processed for longer than (1) six months, (2) one year, and (3) 18 months. Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government how many asylum applications were processed from individuals from (1) Hong Kong, (2) Ukraine, and (3) Afghanistan, in the past 12 months. Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of Hong Kong asylum seekers are in temporary accommodation; and what proportion of those have no access to Wi-Fi. Lord Murray of Blidworth: As of 10/03/2023, there are 52 Asylum Seekers in the Asylum Support Scheme with a Hong Kong nationality out of a total 108,700 Asylum Seekers. 22 of these 52 are currently in temporary accommodation.All service users are entitled to access Wi-Fi wherever it is available with no restrictions placed on them accessing these services by the Home Office.In 2022, 17 initial decisions were made on applications from Hong Kong nationals, 4 initial decisions were made on applications from Ukrainian nationals and 1,842 initial decisions were made on applications from Afghanistan nationals.As at 31 Dec 2022, 115 Hong Kong nationals had been awaiting an initial decision for more than 6 months while 11 had been waiting 6 months or less (main applicants only). Please note that any further breakdowns in wait time are not published. Undocumented Migrants: English Channel Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the undocumented migrants arriving on small boats in 2022 were first registered in other countries as asylum seekers or immigrants; what were the numbers in the top 10 countries of such registrations; and what were the numbers by nationality from the top 25 countries of origin of such migrants into the UK. Lord Murray of Blidworth: Figures relating to registration of asylum claims in third countries are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Solar Power: Housing Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide aid schemes to encourage more households to install solar power. Lord Callanan: The Government’s energy efficiency schemes, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, and the Energy Company Obligation, all include solar panels as an eligible measure, subject to certain requirements. The Government is also exploring options to facilitate low-cost finance from retail lenders to help householders with the upfront costs of installation. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Agriculture: Carbon Emissions Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking tosupport the agriculture sectors to play a leading role in delivering net zero. Lord Benyon: Achieving the net zero target is a priority for the Government. The Net Zero Strategy, national food strategy and 25 Year Environment Plan set out a range of specific commitments to further reduce emissions from agriculture. To deliver towards these we are developing a range of measures through the Agriculture Act, and our future farming policy, all with the aim of enabling farmers to optimise sustainable food production, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and allow consumer choices to drive those changes. In England, we are offering one-off payments and ongoing grants to support farmers to reduce their emissions. These schemes will pay for sustainable farming practices (such as reducing carbon emissions, creating and preserving habitat, and making landscape-scale environmental changes) and improvements to animal health and welfare. We will also support market-led approaches such as improved productivity and use of precision techniques. Department for Transport Shipping: Freight Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their Embracing the ocean: a Board of Trade paper, published on 10 March 2022, how they arrived at their assessment that maritime cargo volumes will treble by 2050; and what assessment they have made of how this will affect their international obligations to achievenet zero carbon emissions by 2050 and meet the biodiversity targets agreed at COP 15 in Montreal in December 2022. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The assessment made in the Board of Trade’s ‘Embracing the Ocean’ paper that maritime cargo volumes will treble by 2050 is drawn from the International Transport Forum (ITF) Discussion Paper, No. 2020/05 ‘Changing Demand for Maritime Trade’ (P. Cariou). That paper cites data from the ITF’s Transport Outlook (2019), which investigates how socio-economic changes (population, GDP trade and transport policies) affect global transport demand, including for maritime. The Government uses UK-level evidence rather than global-level evidence when analysing how UK shipping could contribute to meeting the UK’s economy-wide net-zero target. DfT has produced forecasts of the freight traffic at UK ports, which cover the period to 2050, which have been published online. The UK port freight traffic forecasts were taken into account in the research commissioned by DfT which informed the Net Zero Strategy pathways for UK domestic and international shipping. Further details on the Net Zero Strategy pathways for UK domestic and international shipping can be found on pages 342 and 343 of the Net Zero strategy itself. High Speed 2 Line Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government whatpercentage of HS2 Phase 1 is complete. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Mark Thurston, CEO of HS2 Ltd has recently stated that Phase 1 is approximately 40% complete. High Speed 2 Line Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the terms of reference of (1) Project Silverlight, and (2) Operation Blue Diamond; who is undertaking the work; and when they are expected to report. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Project Silverlight and Project Blue Diamond are the titles of ongoing HS2 Ltd work to develop options with the Department for Transport on how the programme is phased and delivered. The Department for Transport publishes six-monthly parliamentary reports on HS2 and will provide updates in due course. High Speed 2 Line Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Secretary of State for Transport on 9 March (HCWS625), what (1) development, (2) design, and (3) construction, activities will be delayed for two years on HS2 (a) Phase 2A, (b) Phase 2B, and (c) Phase 1 Old Oak Common to Euston; and how much money will be saved as a result of those delays. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Secretary of State for Transport made a written statement to Parliament on 9 March 2023, setting out plans for rephasing some elements of the HS2 scheme. The Department for Transport is continuing to work through the implications of the funding settlement with HS2 Ltd. The Department for Transport publishes six-monthly parliamentary reports on HS2 and will provide updates in due course. High Speed 2 Line Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government how many new bridge structures will be constructed as part of HS2 Phase 1; and of these, how many have been completed. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The total number of Bridges on Phase One is 261, 19 of which have been completed to date. High Speed 2 Line: Colne Valley Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the percentage completion of construction in respect of HS2 Phase 1 of the Colne Valley Viaduct. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: It is not possible to give a percentage completion of the Colne Valley Viaduct as it has structural components that are constructed progressively, with different structures at various levels of completion. To illustrate progress, all abutments are complete, 206 precast segments have been erected, and 26 piers completed. High Speed 2 Line Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the percentage completion of construction in respect of HS2 Phase 1 of (1) Euston Tunnel, (2) Northolt Tunnel, (3) Chiltern Tunnel, (4) Long Itchington Wood Tunnel, (5) Bromford Tunnel, and (6) cut and cover tunnels. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Five tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have been launched to date. On HS2’s longest tunnel, the Chiltern Tunnel, both TBMs ‘Florence’ and ‘Cecilia’ have passed the Amersham vent shaft and are now more than 5-and-a-half miles into their 10 mile drive. In Warwickshire, HS2 completed the first tunnel bore under Long Itchington Wood in July 2022 and the TBM ‘Dorothy’ has been relaunched for the second tunnel bore. In West London, two TBMs ‘Sushila’ and ‘Caroline’ were launched in October 2022 from West Ruislip to create the first section of HS2 tunnel in London. The progress of TBMs can be tracked on the HS2 website. Peers: Correspondence Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to reply to the letter from Lord Berkeley to the Secretary of State for Transportof 16 August 2022 seeking geological information on the route of HS2. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department apologises for the delay in responding and a reply to this letter will be provided shortly. Bus Services: Fares Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government how many bus tickets have been purchased under the Help for Households campaign;and what assessment they have made of the impact the campaign has had on passenger numbers in (1) urban, and (2) rural, areas. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is providing up to £135 million to help bus operators cap single fares at £2 from 1 January to 30 June. Over 140 operators covering more than 4,700 routes in England outside London are currently participating, and the primary objectives of the scheme are to help people save on their regular travel costs and to increase bus usage. The Department for Transport is running a Monitoring and Evaluation exercise to review the scheme so that we will be in position to understand the impact it has brought on savings and patronage. Motorways: Litter Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, (1) to give National Highways enforcement powers to tackle the dropping or dumping of litter on motorways in England, and (2) to increase penalties for those who commit such offences. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Government has no plans to give National Highways enforcement powers to tackle littering offences on motorways in England. National Highways is not an enforcement organisation as its focus is on safety and maintaining the road network. In recent years Government has bolstered Local Authority enforcement powers by raising the upper limit on fixed penalty notices for littering and introducing powers to issue the keeper of a vehicle from which litter is thrown with a civil penalty. We are committed to working with National Highways and across Government to improve enforcement around roadside littering offences. Cycling and Electric Scooters: Accidents Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany casualties have been caused by (1) e-scooters, (2) e-cyclists, or (3) cyclists, in England in each of the last three years. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Statistics on road casualties are based on data collected via the STATS19 system of collisions reported by the police. STATS19 data does not allow the precise cause of collisions to be determined so it is not possible to provide figures for collisions caused by a particular road user type. The number of casualties, including fatalities, involving (but not necessarily caused by) an e-scooter or a pedal cycle in England for the last 3 years for which data is available can be found in the below table. The majority of casualties in these collisions are the pedal cyclist or e-scooter user themselves.The Department cannot disaggregate non-powered pedal cycles from pedal-assisted pedal cycles or motorised pedal cycles. E-scooters only began to be identified within STATS19 from 2020 onwards. YearCasualties in collisions involving a pedal cycleCasualties in collisions involving an E-scooter201916,661Not available202015,964474202116,3671,396 Treasury Childcare: Northern Ireland Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Spring Budget on 15 March, what are the Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland of their pledge ofadditional spending on childcare. Baroness Penn: As a result of Spring Budget 2023, the Northern Ireland Executive’s funding is increasing by £130m 2023-24 and 2024-25. The Block Grant Transparency publication will set out a full breakdown of funding for the Northern Ireland Executive in due course.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2023-03-27
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2023", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Statement by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 22 April (WS 150), under what legal authority the Department for Work and Pensions is spending £2,400,000 on setting up the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission in advance of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill receiving Royal Assent. Lord McKenzie of Luton: .The advances are made to the Department for Work and Pensions under the legal authority of the Contingencies Fund Act 1974. Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many more repayable cash advances from the Department for Work and Pensions' contingencies fund are likely to be required to pay for setting up the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission prior to the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill receiving Royal Assent. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Further contingency fund advances will only be sought if essential to the successful introduction of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will conduct an urgent review of the financial planning for the establishment of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. Lord McKenzie of Luton: No. The programme to establish the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is subject to internal DWP scrutiny in line with best practice. The programme is also reviewed by the Office of Government Commerce. Decisions by HM Treasury to provide advances from the contingency fund are subject to review and are scrutinised carefully by the National Audit Office. Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether consultations have been held with the National Audit Office on the decision to spend £2,400,000 from the Department for Work and Pensions' contingencies fund on the setting up of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission prior to the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill receiving Royal Assent. Lord McKenzie of Luton: HM Treasury does not consult the National Audit Office prior to agreement of a contingencies fund advance, as this is not a requirement. All contingencies fund advances are carefully reviewed and scrutinised each year by the National Audit Office. Civil Service Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: (a) how many civil servants have been employed by HM Treasury in each year since 1997; (b) how many civil servants joined HM Treasury in each of those years; and (c) how many civil servants left HM Treasury in each of those years. Lord Davies of Oldham: The latest statistics on the number of civil servants entering and leaving departments are published by the Office for National Statistics. Data can be found dating back to 1997 and can be accessed from the following website: www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=2899_&_Pos=1_&_ColRank=2_&_Rank=272 Crime: Victims Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether rape victims and persons leaving prostitution will benefit from (a) the follow-up to the Tackling Violence Action Plan, and (b) social inclusion policies; and to what extent local partnerships providing services for people in these categories will be helped from central funds. Lord West of Spithead: The Tackling Violence Action Plan, published on 18 February, set out the Government's priority areas of work to tackle serious violent offences, including rape, sexual exploitation and prostitution. In relation to rape, the action plan focuses on improving the investigation and prosecution of cases and providing enhanced support for victims by continuing to monitor local performance of police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service and on a commitment to more than double the current number of sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) and continue to support the national roll-out of independent sexual violence advisors (ISVAs). The action plan also contains a commitment to consider the feasibility of setting up a national sexual violence help-line. We have committed significant resources to ensuring that all victims of sexual violence will be able to access a SARC and an ISVA within the next three years. It is important to ensure that services are sustainable. As police and health budgets are devolved, Home Office funding is intended to supplement funding provided locally. The action plan and the new public service agreements on making communities safer and justice for all are key to ensuring that local funding providers prioritise and take seriously the issue of sexual violence and support local services. In relation to sexual exploitation and prostitution, the action plan restates our commitment to take forward a range of measures under the existing co-ordinated prostitution strategy and the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking. It also sets out a commitment to conduct a review of what more can be done to tackle the demand for prostitution and to reform the law on street offences to support routes out of prostitution and exploitation. Ensuring that dedicated work takes place to support routes out of prostitution is also part of the action plan. A decision on how this work will be taken forward is likely to be made early in the financial year. Energy: Renewables Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's programme to develop the renewable obligation certificate for micro-generators. Lord Bach: The renewables obligation (RO) was introduced in 2002, and microgenerators have always been eligible to participate under the scheme. We recognise that it is not always appropriate to treat microgenerators under the RO in exactly the same way as larger generators, and we have made a number of changes to the RO to reflect this. These include: allowing ROC claims to be made either monthly or annually;removing the need for microgenerators to enter into sale and buyback agreements in order to be eligible for ROCs;introducing a simplified online accreditation form and guidance; andallowing agents to represent microgenerators and to pool the ROCs of two or more microgenerators to help obtain a better price. The most recent changes were made in April last year with the introduction of agents. Since then, the number of microgenerators accredited under the RO has risen by 250 per cent. Later this year we will also be consulting on a more flexible annual ROC claim process for microgenerators, with a view to implementation in April 2009. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 1 April (WA 155), whether they will answer the three parts of the Question. Lord Darzi of Denham: We understand that, in the British Fluoridation Society's (BFS) view, the prevalence of dental fluorosis of aesthetic concern in populations in the United Kingdom drinking artificially fluoridated water is lower than suggested by the York report. The BFS is independent of government, and the department has no influence on the content of its website. The information on the BFS's website differs from that provided in the York report in that it includes research studies completed after the report was published. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 1 April (WA 155) and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 30 January 2001 (WA 55) in which they accepted the findings of the York systematic review of fluoridation, (a) whether the three studies on the British Fluoridation Society's website which were published after the York review are sufficient to overturn that review's estimate of a prevalence of fluorosis of aesthetic concern of 12.5 per cent; and (b) whether the other two studies on the website, published before the York review, were of sufficient quality to meet that review's inclusion criteria; and Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 1 April (WA 155), whether the words of caution cited from the executive summary of the York review referred to the extent of fluorosis of aesthetic concern or to the number of people who would have to be exposed to water fluoridated at 1 part per million (ppm) as compared with 0.4 ppm for one additional person to develop fluorosis of aesthetic concern. Lord Darzi of Denham: In the report Water Fluoridation and Health, published in 2002, the Medical Research Council (MRC) also suggested that the prevalence of aesthetically important dental fluorosis was probably lower than that reported in the York review. The MRC goes on to cite the three studies on the British Fluoridation Society's website which were published after the York review. Of the two studies on the website which pre-date the York review, one is cited in the review and the other is not. It is because of the conflicting research evidence that we have commissioned a new research project on the standardisation of the measurement of fluorosis using digital photography. If our research showed that concern about dental fluorosis was greater than we have assumed, one option would be to consider reducing the target concentration of one part per million currently used in artificial fluoridation schemes, but we would need to take into account any loss in the protective effect on teeth that a lower concentration would have. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 1 April (WA 155), what steps they will take to ensure that the new research project therein referred to will take note of the comments in the executive summary of the York review by controlling adequately for the effects of potential confounding factors and observer bias. Lord Darzi of Denham: The research is investigating whether photographic images can be automatically assessed by software to provide an objective assessment of the degree of fluorosis without the need for subjective assessments by examiners. This will enable true blinding of fluorosis studies to take place in accordance with recommendations of the York report. Freedom of Information Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which public bodies have exemption provisions in the Freedom of Information Act. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 contains 23 exemptions under which requested information may be withheld in specific circumstances. All exemptions apply to all public authorities that are subject to the Act, with the exception of the exemption for information relating to the "Formulation of government policy, etc", which applies only to information held by a government department (including a Northern Ireland department) or the Welsh Assembly Government. Schedule 1 of the Act lists bodies covered by the Act, some of which are covered in respect of certain of their functions only. A total of 16 individual bodies and eight categories of bodies are listed subject to exclusions of some of their functions. Full details are in the table below. Freedom of Information Act 2000: List of public authorities* in respect of which exclusions apply Part under Schedule 1 of the Act Public body/category of bodies Function excluded or specific functions covered (highlighted in bold) Part I - General The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills In respect of information held for purposes other than those of the functions exercisable by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills by virtue of Section 5 (1)(a)(iii) of the Care Standards Act 2000 Part I - General The Armed Forces of the Crown Except (a) the special forces, and (b) any unit or part of a unit which is for the time being required by the Secretary of State to assist the Government Communications Headquarters in the exercise of its functions Part II - Local Government in England and Wales The Common Council of the City of London In respect of information held in its capacity as a local authority, police authority or port health authority Part II - Local Government in England and Wales The sub-treasurer of the Inner Temple or the under- treasurer of the Middle Temple In respect of information held in his capacity as a local authority Part III -The National Health Service England and Wales Any person providing primary medical services or primary dental services or primary ophthalmic services (a) in accordance with arrangements made under Section 92 or 107 of the National Health Service Act 2006, or Section 50 or 64 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 or (b) under a contract under Section 84 or 100 or 117 of the National Health Service Act 2006, or Section 42 or 57 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 In respect of information relating to the provision of those services Part III - The National Health Service England and Wales Any person providing general medical services, general dental services, general ophthalmic services or pharmaceutical services under the National Health Service Act 2006 or the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 In respect of information relating to the provision of those services Part III - The National Health Service England and Wales Any person providing personal medical services or personal dental services under arrangements made under Section 28C of the National Health Service Act 1977 In respect of information relating to the provision of those services Part III -The National Health Service England and Wales Any person providing local pharmaceutical services under (a) a pilot scheme established under Section 143 of the National Health Service Act 2006 or Section 92 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 or (b) an LIDS scheme established under Schedule 12 to the National Health Service Act 2006 or Schedule 7 to the National Health Services (Wales) Act 2006 In respect of information relating to the provision of those services Part I II - The National Health Service Northern Ireland Any person providing primary medical services, general dental services, general ophthalmic or pharmaceutical services under Part VI of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 In respect of information relating to the provision of those services Part V — Police Miscellaneous Any person who (a) by virtue of any enactment has the function of nominating individuals who may be appointed as special constables by justices of the peace, and (b) is not a public authority by virtue of any other provision of this Act In respect of information relating to the exercise by any person appointed on his nomination of the functions of a special constable Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Bank of England In respect of information held for purposes other than those of its functions with respect to (a) monetary policy, (b) financial operations intended to support financial institutions for the purposes of maintaining stability, and (c) the provision of private banking services and related services Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The British Broadcasting Corporation In respect of information held for purposes other than those of journalism, art or literature Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Channel Four Television Corporation In respect of information held for purposes other than those of journalism, art or literature Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection In respect of information held for purposes other than those of its functions exercisable by virtue of paragraph 5(a)(i) of the Care Standards Act 2000 Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Commission for Social Care Inspection In respect of information held for purposes other than those of its functions exercisable by virtue of paragraph 5(a)(ii) of the Care Standards Act 2000 Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Competition Commission In relation to information held by it otherwise than as a tribunal Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel In relation to information held by it otherwise than as a tribunal Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Gaelic Media Service In respect of information held for purposes other than those of journalism, art or literature Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General Any regional development agency established under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 Other than the London Development Agency Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons In respect of information held by it otherwise than as a tribunal Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain In respect of information held by it otherwise than as a tribunal Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General Sianel Pedwar Cymru In respect of information held for purposes other than those of journalism, art or literature Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Traffic Commissioners In respect of information held by them otherwise than as a tribunal Part VI - Other Public Bodies and Offices General The Verderers of the New Forest In respect of information held by them otherwise than as a tribunal * ie bodies/offices and categories of bodies/offices listed in Schedule 1 FOIA but subject to FOIA in respect of some, but not all, of their functions Health: Diabetes Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What evidence is available to support the use of home testing of blood sugar for type 2 diabetes. Lord Darzi of Denham: In September 2002, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued clinical guidelines on Management of Type 2 Diabetes—Management of Blood Glucose. The guidelines include advice on the self-monitoring of blood glucose and state that self-monitoring can have benefits but should be carried out as part of an integrated self-care package and if the purpose is clear and agreed with the patient. The guidelines are under review and will be reissued as part of the Type 2 diabetes: the management of type 2 diabetes (update), expected to be published by NICE in May 2008. Health: Multiple Births Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to reduce the neo-natal morbidity rate among multiple birth pregnancies. Lord Darzi of Denham: Twin and other multiple pregnancies carry a higher risk of the factors related to neonatal mortality and morbidity, such as pre-term birth and low birth weight. We are supporting research into gaining improved understanding and prevention of the trigger factors that are associated with pre-term birth through a range of funding mechanisms across the National Health Service National Institute for Health Research and the department's policy research programme. The Government are committed to the provision of high-quality maternity and neonatal services to help ensure that all babies have the best possible start to life. We have developed a new maternity indicator, through the "Better Care for All" public service agreements, aimed at ensuring that women have early access to maternity care. This will enable early identification of women with a multiple pregnancy, enabling the progress of the pregnancy to be closely monitored. For babies requiring neonatal critical care, we have facilitated the development of 23 neonatal networks across England to provide safe and effective services. A neonatal task force has recently been established to support the NHS to identify and deliver any further improvements. Housing: Prices Lord Steinberg: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their reaction to the estimate that house prices may drop by 30 per cent over the next three years. Lord Davies of Oldham: Budget 2008 set out the Government's view of recent housing market developments. Sound economic fundamentals clearly distinguish present conditions from the late 1980s, when mortgage interest rates peaked at 15 per cent and led to a collapse in the housing market. Ministry of Justice: Annual Reports Lord Grocott: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which annual reports the Ministry of Justice is required by Acts of Parliament to produce; and, in each case, what is the authorising Act. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Ministry of Justice is obliged by statute to lay the following annual documents before parliament: Annual report by: Authorising Act of Parliament Chief Inspector of Prisons Prison Act 1952 Criminal Cases Review Commission Criminal Appeal Act 1995 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995 Her Majesty's Courts Service Courts Act 2003 Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Court Administration Courts Act 2003 Independent Monitoring Boards Prison Act 1952 Information Commissioner's Office Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act 2000 Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman Constitutional Reform Act 2005 Judicial Appointments Commission Constitutional Reform Act 2005 Law Commission Law Commissions Act 1965 Legal Services Commission Access to Justice Act 1999 Office of the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner Access to Justice Act 1999 Office of the Legal Services Ombudsman Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 Parole Board Criminal Justice Act 2003 Probation Boards Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 Sentencing Guidelines Council Criminal Justice Act 2003 Statistics on race and the criminal justice system (by OCJR) Criminal Justice Act 1991 Statistics on women and the criminal justice system (by OCJR) Criminal Justice Act 1991 Tribunals Service Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995 after consultation with the Scottish Ministers in accordance with the Scotland Act 1998 Victims' Advisory Panel Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. An annual report is only required by the Act if the panel is consulted by the Secretary of State in a particular year. Prisoners: Sentences Lord Lloyd of Berwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people are currently serving indefinite sentences of imprisonment for the protection of the public; and at what rate this number is increasing each year; and How many people are currently serving notional minimum sentences of (a) two years or less; (b) between two and three years; (c) between three and four years; (d) between four and five years; and (e) more than five years. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As at the end of February 2008, there were 4,000 offenders serving indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs) in prison establishments in England and Wales. This compares to 2,300 at the end of February 2007 and 550 at the end of February 2006. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing, so the numbers have been rounded to the nearest 50. Prison population information held centrally does not include complete information on the notional minimum sentences (tariffs) to be served by all offenders currently sentenced to an IPP. However, a research study on offenders received into prisons in England and Wales under IPPs between April 2005 and March 2006 collected valid tariff information on 685 of the total 707 IPPs, of which (a) 280 had a tariff of two years or less; (b) 195 had a tariff of over two years up to three years; (c) 107 had a tariff of over three years up to four years; (d) 46 had a tariff of over four years up to five years; and (e) 57 had a tariff of over five years. (These recorded tariffs are believed to include reductions for remand time served). These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems and data returns from prison establishments which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Tax Credits Baroness Corston: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the latest estimate of the take-up of child tax credit among households eligible for such benefit, giving the estimated number of (a) households and (b) children. Lord Davies of Oldham: Estimates of the take-up rates for child and working tax credits in 2005-06 by size of household, for which latest figures are available, are produced in table 7 of the HMRC publication Child and Working Tax Credit Take-up rates 2005-06. This publication is available on the HMRC website at www. hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-take-up.htm.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2008-05-01a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2008", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Crown Dependencies: Constitutional Changes Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which Crown Dependencies must refer constitutional changes to them; which such references are currently awaiting decisions; and on what issues. Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Crown Dependencies are the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey and the Isle of Man, and they are all internally self-governing. Any constitutional changes which are purely internal are therefore a matter for the insular authorities. Any changes affecting the constitutional relationship between the Crown Dependencies and the Crown or the United Kingdom would be subject to consultation between Her Majesty's Government and the insular authorities. No such changes are currently under consideration. Declining Birth Rate Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in response to the declining birth rate in the United Kingdom, they will offer financial and other incentives to couples to have more children. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government have no plans to offer financial or other incentives to couples to have more children. However, the Government are concerned to give all the nation's children the best start in life and have thus increased financial support for families with children. Women's Refuges Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government: (a) How many places in women's refuges now exist; and (b) how many places were thought necessary by the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee in 1975. Lord Rooker: In 1998, a survey of voluntary sector refuge groups found that there were approximately 7,269 bed-spaces in 409 refuge properties in England. The number of household spaces was not recorded by this survey. Local authorities were also surveyed about refuge provision and reported that there were, in 1999, 7,215 bed-spaces in total. Of these, 393 spaces were for single women and 2,322 were for women with children, i.e. a total of 2,715 household spaces. More up-to-date information will shortly become available from the reporting of supporting people supply information. The 1975 recommendation was made by the Select Committee on Violence in Marriage and related to family spaces in refuges rather than the number of individual bedspaces. This suggested provision of 5,580 family spaces, based on one space per 10,000 of the population. No rationale for this assumption was given. The estimate was queried by the Department of the Environment at the time the recommendation was made. WTO Negotiations: State Services Lord Hunt of Chesterton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will seek to ensure that, at the forthcoming World Trade Organisation negotiations, the opening of state services to international competition will be done on the basis of transparent and objective standards, while taking into account local traditions, cultures and needs, and that all countries abide by these rules. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The current negotiations on trade in services at the World Trade Organisation aim at improving the economic development of all WTO member countries under conditions of transparency and progressive liberalisation. WTO members retain the right to regulate services within their territories in order to meet their own national policy objectives. This right is reaffirmed by all WTO members in the guidelines and procedures they have agreed for these negotiations. In making liberalisation commitments, WTO members are obliged to ensure that domestic regulatory measures they apply are administered in a reasonable, objective and impartial manner. US Doctrine on Potential Aggressors Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their view of the United States doctrine against potential aggressors as set out in The National Security Strategy of the United States of America document, published in September 2002; and whether they support it. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Government support the right to take necessary and proportionate military action in self-defence, not only where an attack has occurred but also pre-emptively where an attack is imminent. Her Majesty's Government support the view that this right under international law applies as much to imminent threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction as to the more conventional threats of the past. Pre-emptive action is not just a matter of use of force. It is already at the heart of international strategy against terrorism, including police/intelligence work, cutting of financial flows, diplomatic action to address potential conflict situations, and a range of other tools. Military action is a last resort. US Doctrine on Potential Aggressors Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with Dr Henry Kissinger's view that "It cannot be in the American national interest or the world's interest to develop principles that grant every nation an unfettered right of pre-emption against its own definition of threats to its security" (The Spectator, 28 September). Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: United States security policy is a matter for the United States Government. The British Government support the right to take necessary and proportionate military action in self-defence, not only where an attack has occurred but also pre-emptively where an attack is imminent. Pre-emptive action is not just a matter of use of force. It is already at the heart of international strategy against terrorism, including police/intelligence work, cutting of financial flows, diplomatic action to address potential conflict situations, and a range of other tools. Military action is a last resort. Terrorism and Governments Who Harbour Terrorists Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they make a clear distinction between the pursuit of the perpetrators of acts of terrorism and the pursuit of governments who harbour terrorists or who possess or have access to weapons of mass destruction; and, if so, whether they will set out that distinction in full. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We and our international partners are using a range of responses to counter the threat from international terrorism, from direct action such as that against Al'Qaeda in Afghanistan, to pressure on or assistance to governments who are unwilling or unable to deal effectively with terrorist groups in their territories. We will match the nature and range of our responses to the evolving threats. It is equally important for our security to respond effectively to the threats posed by rogue states who possess weapons of mass destruction. Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make representations to the Government of the United States to urge them, on behalf of those with British nationality, to take urgent measures necessary to have the legal status of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay determined by a competent tribunal, as recommended by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in its decision of 12 March. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The question of the status of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay under international humanitarian law is complex and has to be considered in the light of the facts relating to each individual detainee. The Government are conscious of the importance of safeguarding the welfare of the British detainees. The general circumstances of the British detainees have been the subject of regular representations by the British Embassy in Washington to the US Government. They have also been the subject of direct discussion between the Foreign Secretary and the US Secretary of State, as well as numerous communications at official and at ministerial level. Whatever their status, the detainees are entitled to humane treatment, and if prosecuted, a fair trial. We have made this clear to the US authorities. Middle East: Crown Prince Abdullah's Initiative The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they continue to support Crown Prince Abdullah's peace plan for the Middle East; and what they see as the principal obstacles to that plan. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We continue to welcome Crown Prince Abdullah's initiative, adopted by the Arab League as an Arab peace initiative in Beirut on 28 March. Its offer of normalisation of relations with Israel in the context of a final settlement is important. It strengthens the international consensus on the broad outlines of a settlement based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. This means two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side within secure and recognised borders. The Quartet (US, EU, UN and Russia) reaffirmed the continuing importance of the initiative in their statement of 17 September. We regret that the parties have yet to resume negotiations to reach a final settlement. Continuing violence, the absence of trust between the parties, and the lack of a clear commitment by both parties to a negotiated solution have prevented real progress. Both parties must recognise that lasting security can not be achieved through force. We will continue to do all we can to help the parties break the cycle of violence and restart political negotiations. We support the efforts of the Quartet to agree a roadmap which sets out a series of steps, leading to a final and comprehensive settlement by 2005. The priority now is to agree and implement the roadmap. Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total number of Golden Jubilee medals now issued; and what are the main categories of persons who have received them and the number awarded in each category. Baroness Blackstone: The Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal is being distributed to serving members of the Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and emergency services (police, fire, ambulance, Coastguard, approved lifeboat services and Mountain Rescue) in the United Kingdom who had completed five years or more reckonable service on 6 February 2002 and to holders of the George Cross and Victoria Cross. The total number of medals to be issued is expected to be around 394,850: 141,968 medals have been issued to date to Armed Forces personnel out of the Ministry of Defence's anticipated total of 179,460 and the remainder should be issued by February 2003. Medals issued to each service to date are: Royal Navy and Royal Marines: 25,127 out of a total of 33,760 Army: 74,263 out of a total of 100,700 RAF: 42,578 out of a total of 45,000 Two hundred and fifteen thousand three hundred and ninety medals are currently being produced for the emergency services and should all be issued by June 2003. The anticipated numbers to be issued to each of the emegency services are: Police Forces: 142,730 Ambulance Services: 15,930 Fire Services: 48,630 HM Coastguard: 2,710 Approved lifeboat services: 3,000 Mountain Rescue services: 2,390 Forty-three out of 48 medals have been issued to VC and GC holders. Discrimination on Grounds of Age:Cabinet Committee Responsibility Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which cabinet committee or other government co-ordinating body has charge of integrating policies concerning discrimination on grounds of age.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Williams of Mostyn: DA(EQ) is responsible for co-ordinating the Government's policies on equality issues. DA(OP) is responsible for co-ordinating the Government's policies affecting older people. Both committees report as necessary to the Committee on Domestic Affairs. Copies of the terms of reference for all cabinet committees have been placed in the Libraries of the House. In vitro Fertilisation Incident Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 17 July (HL Deb, cols. 1230–32), whether they have completed their investigation into the in vitro fertilisation incident; and, if so, whether they will publish their findings in relation to the procedures and role of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the general operation of in vitro fertilisation clinics.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The investigation referred to in my earlier reply (HL Deb, 17 July, cols. 1230-32) is continuing, although an initial report has been made to the court. The restriction mentioned in that reply imposed by the court remains in force for the time being. No decision has been made about publication of the investigation's findings. Medical Treatment: Consent of a Child Under 16 Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: In what situations a young person under 16 years can consent to medical treatment: (a) without parental involvement; and (b) with parental involvement.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In the case of Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority (1986) the court held that children who have sufficient understanding and intelligence to enable them to understand fully what is involved in a proposed intervention will also have the capacity to consent to that intervention. As the understanding required for different intervention will vary considerably, a child under 16 may have the capacity to consent to some interventions but not to others. It is good practice to encourage a child to inform his or her parents of a particular decision unless it would clearly not be in the chlid's best interests to do so. When a child or young person lacks capacity, consent can be given on his or her behalf by one person with parental responsibility or by the court. The treatment or intervention must be in the young person's best interests. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection and in vitro Fertilisation Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with research reported earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine which found that babies conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro fertilisation are more likely to have developmental anomalies than those created naturally, and Whether they agree with the findings of a study published earlier this year in The Lancet that children conceived through in vitro fertilisation techniques were more likely to have cerebral palsy than naturally-conceived children. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: A number of international studies have raised questions about some in vitro fertilisation techniques such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The studies show a small increase in the number of babies with health problems. The results are not conclusive and the Medical Research Council and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are reviewing current research and advising what further research is necessary. Surplus Donated Embryos Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is possible for women to adopt surplus embryos. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: If both the people who provided the gametes give their consent, embryos not needed in the treatment of an infertile couple may be donated to provide treatment for others. If a woman on her own seeks treatment with a donated embryo, the code of practice issued by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority sets out the factors which clinics should take into account, particularly the welfare of the child. Fertility Treatment Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the recommendation of a study published earlier this year in The Lancet that only one embryo should be implanted in the wombs of women undergoing fertility treatment. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority reviewed its embryo transfer policy in 2001, issuing guidance to clinics that the number of embryos to be transferred in normal cases should reduce from three to two. The authority is keeping its policy under review. Morning-after Pill Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the report of the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics in January which found that "there is no conclusive clinical evidence that the morning-after pill is safe". Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We do not agree with the conclusions reached in the report by the Scottish Council on Bioethics. Levonelle-2, containing levonorgestrel 0.75mg (the morning-after pill), is authorised in the United Kingdom as a prescription only medicine for emergency contraception within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse or failure of a contraceptive method. This followed advice from the independent expert scientific advisory body, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), which was satisfied as to the quality, safety and efficacy of the product in this indication. Substantial independent evidence reviewed by CSM included two World Health Organisation sponsored pivotal studies. One study involving approximately 2,000 women in 14 countries, including the UK, has been published in The Lancet (1998). The other, published in Human Reproduction (1993), involved 880 women. CSM has also considered evidence from a study of the effects of self-administering emergency contraception (New England Journal of Medicine, 1998). Copies are available in the Library. There is considerable experience of worldwide use with levonorgestrel. It has been available in the UK in other contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy products for 30 years, although only more recently for emergency hormonal contraception. It has been used for emergency contraception in other parts of the world since the 1980s and between 9 and 23 million women have taken it. No major safety issues have been identified. The safety of all newly licensed medicines in the UK is monitored closely by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the CSM through the yellow card scheme. This was extended to community pharmacists in November 1999 in order to improve safety monitoring of over-the-counter medicines. The MCA continues to moinitor the safety of levonorgestrel 0.75mg and will review any potential safety issues in the light of any new evidence which may emerge. Medical Negligence Claims Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to publish a White Paper on medical negligence claims. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Potential reforms to the way clinical negligence claims are handled raise complex issues and need to be considered in tandem with the review of the National Health Service complaints procedure and the Lord Chancellor's consideration of possible changes in the basis on which compensation is paid. We hope to publish proposals for reform late this year. Organ Transplants Lord McColl of Dulwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to approve the survival of transplanted organs. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: United Kingdom Transplant is a special health authority set up for the purpose of registering patients waiting for an organ transplant, agreeing the protocols by which organs are allocated, organising the transport of organs and making sure that the transplant services comply with the Human Organ Transplant Act. It has also been given the responsibility of improving organ procurement, ensuring best practice is adopted across the UK and strengthening the network of transplant co-ordinators. Nearly £4 million is being invested in the National Health Service through UK Transplant to boost the number of life-saving organ transplants. This is funding 35 donor liaison schemes to improve procedures for identifying possible organ donors and the steps to take so that relatives are approached and given the opportunity to decide about donation. It is also supporting 25 living donation programmes, 10 additional transplant co-ordinators and six non-heartbeating donor programmes. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is looking at the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of immuno-suppressive regimens for renal transplantation. This will include looking at treatments to prevent the rejection of transplanted kidneys and to prolong their survival. The overall aim of therapy is to prevent mortality by prolonging graft survival without exposing the patient to the risks of excessive immuno-suppression or other toxicity related to the use of immuno-suppressant drugs. Renal Services Lord McColl of Dulwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress they are making on drawing up the national service framework on renal services; and whether specific funding will be available to implement it. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Each national service framework is developed with the assistance of an external reference group, which brings together health professionals, service users, carers, health service managers, partner agencies and other advocates. The work of the renal national service framework is well under way. The disposition of resources following the Spending Review 2002 will be determined shortly. Primary Care Trust Patients' Forums Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will ensure that the commitment that staff provided to primary care trust patients' forums will be accountable to local communities through the members of primary care trust patients' forums is delivered. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Staff will be provided by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health to primary care trust patients' forums to support the members of patients' forums in their work. The work programme of the staff will be set by the patients' forum members. Therefore, while staff will be employed by the commission, on a day to day basis they will be accountable to the patients' forum to which they are attached. It is for the commission to decide exactly how this dual accountability will be managed and ensured. Primary Care Trust Patients' Forums Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they expect primary care trust patients' forums to act as local one-stop shops for patients, and the public to be involved in local health issues and obtain independent help with complaints. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Patients' forums in primary care trusts will act as one-stop shops by advertising locally their presence and the services they provide in person, over the phone or over the Internet and by being based in premises that are accessible. It will be a matter for the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health to determine the level of resources it provides to patients' forums to enable them to carry out their role. Primary Care Trust Patients' Forums Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the discussion paper by the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales that over 1,600 full-time equivalent staff will be required to enable primary care trust patients' forums to be fit for purpose in carrying out their statutory functions. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health's chair designate and her interim team, along with the Department of Health, are still considering potential structures for the organisation of and staffing levels for patients' forums. The Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales' paper will assist these discussions. As yet no conclusions have been reached. Primary Care Trust Patients' Forums Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many office premises they envisage being provided for primary care trust patients' forums. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It is the responsibility of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health to decide where patients' forums in England, and the staff supporting them, should best be located to enable them to discharge their functions. To assist the commission in doing so, a change assessment group is being set up for each strategic health authority area. It will comprise stakeholders such as the National Health Service, community health councils, local government and local voluntary organisations; and will consider issues such as: 1. Mapping of how the NHS is arranged within the StHA area; 2. Demography; 3. Relationship between the NHS and local government; 4. Recruitment; 5. Independent complaints advocacy Services provision; 6. Accommodation. All the information above will help to inform the commission where the most appropriate accommodation will need to be located—in terms of the NHS, the nature of populations and in relation to other relevant services. It will also enable the commission to form a clear picture of the nature, type and volume of work that will need to be undertaken by the patients' forums for that area and by the staff supporting them. Primary Care Trust Patients' Forums Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many full-time equivalent staff they expect the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health to provide to primary care trust patients' forums. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health's chair designate and her interim team, along with the department, are still considering potential structures for the organisation of and staffing levels for patients' forums. The assumptions assisting current discussions are around ensuring sufficient support for patients' forums members and effective delivery of the functions of both bodies. Acute Hospital Services Lord Laird: asked her Majesty's Government: What was the per capita expenditure per region in the United Kingdom on acute hospital services over the past 10 years. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Estimates of per capita expenditure on acute hospital services by region within England are shown in the table. Expenditure in other countries is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. Figures are not available before 1996–97. 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 £ Northern & Yorkshire 315.1 335.2 348.5 346.9 382.9 395.4 Trent 298.8 327.3 344.4 345.1 377.2 401.5 Eastern 289.3 303.2 326.7 327.4 364.3 379.2 London 308.4 326.4 348.1 364.9 407.7 413.2 South East 298.4 316.1 343.2 340.8 373.1 421.6 South West 311.5 322.8 353.2 358.9 413.6 417.8 West Midlands 315.9 338.6 359.0 344.2 374.3 422.7 North West 310.8 326.2 340.5 340.3 376.2 408.2 England 306.1 324.5 345.4 346.6 383.9 408.3 Notes:Sources: Health authority audited accounts 1996–97 to 1998–99. Health authority audited summarisation forms 1999–2000 to 2001–02. Primary care trust audited summarisation schedules 2000-01 and 2001–02. Weighted population estimates 1996–97 to 2001–02. Health authorities and primary care trusts account for their expenditure on a gross basis. This resulted in an element of expenditure being included in both health authority and primary care returns in 2000–01. The effect of this cannot be quantified. Extra disclosures in the 2001–02 summarisation forms allowed duplicated expenditure to be removed. Regional comparisons are all based on those existing in 2001–02. Acute services have been interpreted to cover maternity, general and acute and accident and emergency services only. Salmonella: Import of Eggs Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will introduce an import ban on eggs found to contain salmonella. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: There are no plans to ban the import of eggs into the United Kingdom due to the presence of salmonella. It has long been known that certain strains of this organism can be associated with eggs, whether imported or domestically produced. It is also known that proper cooking of eggs will kill salmonella. The Food Standards Agency has, however, recently re-emphasised its advice on the handling and use of eggs which, if followed, addresses the main risk of food poisoning arising from this source. Salmonella: Import of Eggs Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will introduce testing of imported eggs for salmonella, along the same lines as the current British Lion egg testing programme. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: There are no plans to introduce routine testing of imported eggs for salmonella. However, the Food Standards Agency intends to carry out a microbiological survey of eggs on retail sale next year and this will include both imported and domestically produced samples. Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What funding they intend to allocate in respect of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and for patients' forums for 2002–03 and 2003–04; and what staffing assumptions have been made in respect of those bodies. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: For the remainder of this current financial year sufficient funding from an existing budget has been set aside for the establishment of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH). This funding includes running costs for the CPPIH for January until April. It would be inappropriate to discuss detailed funding arrangements for patients' forums and the CPPIH for 2003–04 in anticipation of the final outcome of the current spending review. The CPPIH's chair designate and her interim team, along with the Department of Health, are still considering potential structures for the organisation of and staffing levels for patients' forums. The level of funding available for the CPPIH and patients' forums will be a key determinant of this, so as yet nothing has been finalised. The assumptions assisting current discussions are around ensuring sufficient support for patients' forums members and effective delivery of the functions of both bodies. NHS: Information Technology Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What sums have been allocated to the National Health Service for special purposes such as information technology in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The majority of investment for information management and technology in the National Health Service is made from general allocations. This enables local health communities to prioritise investments to meet local need. However, the need for significant investment to support the modernisation agenda has been recognised and additions of £113 million for 2001–02 and £85 million for 2002–03 were earmarked in general allocations for information management and technology investment. Dorset Ambulance NHS Trust Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they intend to take in response to the recent report by the Commission for Health Improvement into the Dorset Ambulance National Health Service Trust. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: An action plan is being developed to improve substantially clinical governance arrangements at Dorset Ambulance NHS Trust following publication of the report by the Commission for Health Improvement. The findings relating to leadership style and reporting of information are currently being investigated by an external review team. Overseas Treatment Pilot Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the evaluation of the scheme to refer National Health Service patients overseas carried out by the York University Health Economics Consortium. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The evaluation report of the overseas treatment pilot carried out by York University Economics Consortium was published in August and is available on the Department of Health website. Copies have also been placed in the Library. Independent Healthcare Providers Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will state the amount of work undertaken by independent healthcare providers for the National Health Service in 2001–02 and the amount paid for that work; and whether they will give their estimates of the amount of work and its value to be undertaken by independent health care providers for the National Health Service in 2002–03. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In 2001–02, National Health Service trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England spent approximately £1.8 billion on the purchase of healthcare from non-NHS bodies. This figure includes expenditure on services provided by all non-NHS bodies, including local authorities and other statutory bodies, as well as independent healthcare providers, and cannot be broken down by type of provider. We do not have an equivalent figure for the volume of activity purchased, nor have we made an estimate of likely activity and spending in 2002–03. NHS Management Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will respond to the Chairman of the British Medical Association who wrote in BMA News on 19 October that "the frustration and antagonism felt by doctors whose hands are tied by government diktat . . . is compounded when NHS managers massage figures to placate their political masters". Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Department of Health launched a new code of conduct for managers on 9 October. The code will cover all senior National Health Service managers and sets out clearly the standards of behaviour expected of them. Serious breaches of the code, such as financial fraud, providing false information or negligence in providing for the safety of patients, could be regarded as gross misconduct and could lead to dismissal. NHS employers are required to make proper and detailed checks on all prospective employees before making an unconditional appointment. Applied properly, these checks should ensure that a manager who had been previously dismissed, made redundant or resigned for disciplinary reasons is not re-employed as a manager in the NHS. Health Select Committee Report: Delayed Discharges Lord Peston: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish their response to the House of Commons Select Committee on Health Report of Session 2001–02 on delayed discharges. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government's response to the Health Select Committee Third Report of Session 2001–02 on delayed discharges has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. Clandestine Entrants to the UK Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the number of clandestine entrants that have been detected entering the United Kingdom concealed in a lorry on a month by month basis for the year to date. Lord Filkin: It is not possible to establish precisely how many clandestine entrants to the United Kingdom have entered concealed in a lorry. Some clandestines are detected inland and it is not possible to confirm any claim they make that they arrived concealed in a lorry. Locally collated, provisional management information for clandestine entrants detected entering the United Kingdom concealed in a lorry in the South East indicates the following monthly figures for 2002: Month Number of clandestine entrants detected entering the UK concealed in a lorry in the South East January 2002 984 February 2002 969 March 2002 789 April 2002 756 May 2002 832 June 2002 583 Clandestine Entrants to the UK Earl Attlee: asked her Majesty's Government: What is the total number of clandestine entrants that have been detected entering the United Kingdom concealed in a lorry for the years 2000, 2001 and the current year to date. Lord Filkin: It is not possible to establish precisely how many clandestine entrants to the United Kingdom have entered concealed in a lorry. Some clandestines are detected inland and it is not possible to confirm any claim they make that they arrived concealed in a lorry. Locally collated, provisional information for clandestine entrants detected entering the United Kingdom concealed in a lorry in the South East indicate the following yearly figures: Year Number of clandestine entrants detected entering the UK concealed in a lorry 2000 12,679 2001 7,807 January to June 2002 4,913 National figures are not available. But evidence suggests that the number of clandestine entrants currently arriving at other UK ports concealed in lorries is not currently a cause for concern. Clandestine Entrants to the UK Earl Attlee: asked her Majesty's Government: What proportion of the total number of clandestine entrants to the United Kingdom in the current year to date has been found to have entered concealed in a lorry; and how this proportion compares with the proportion in previous years. Lord Filkin: It is not possible to establish precisely how many clandestine entrants to the United Kingdom have entered concealed in a lorry. Some clandestines are detected inland and it is not possible to confirm any claim that they make that they arrived concealed in a lorry. The following table of locally collated, provisional information shows the percentage of clandestine entrants arriving in the South East on Eurotunnel shuttles, freight trains and lorries. 2000 2001 January–June 2002 Arrived on board Eurotunnel shuttles through the Channel Tunnel. 0.8% 35.5% 3.3% Arrived on through freight trains through the Channel Tunnel. 10.2% 11% 18.8% Arrived concealed in a lorry, travelled through Channel Tunnel or on a ferry. 89% 53.5% 77.9% Commission for Racial Equality Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider that the Commission for Racial Equality should discharge its statutory functions independently of control by, or influence from, the Home Office. Lord Filkin: The Commission for Racial Equality is a non-departmental public body, which receives some £20 million in grant in aid funding. As with all NDPBs there is a need to balance accountability and independence. Conferring functions on an NDPB involves recognition that a degree of independence of Ministers in carrying out those functions is appropriate. Nevertheless, the responsible Minister is accountable to Parliament for the degree of independence which an NDPB enjoys and ultimately for the overall effectiveness and efficiency with which it carries out its functions. In the case of the CRE, the policy and resources framework is agreed with the Home Secretary and he is accountable to Parliament for the policies and performance of the CRE, including its use of resources and the policy framework within which it operates. Oakington Reception Centre Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to change the way in which Oakington Immigration and Asylum Centre is used after 10 November; and, if so, how they will ensure the safety of all staff employed there and the provision of legal advice to non-suspensive appellants. Lord Filkin: We intend to continue to use Oakington Reception Centre to deal quickly with straightforward asylum claims. Under the provisions of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill as presently drafted, we shall include applications from the 10 safe countries listed in the Bill to which non-suspensive appeals will apply. As with existing Oakington applicants, there will be on-site access to legal advice. Any change in routine requires by law a risk assessment of the site. This is now being undertaken for the whole site at Oakington. Security is reviewed on a regular basis. Asylum Detainees: Pregnant Women Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many pregnant women have been detained under the Asylum Acts since the start of 2002; and whether they will keep detailed records of women so detained, giving the reasons for each detention, and publish a summary at the end of each month. Lord Filkin: Pregnant women are not normally considered suitable for detention under the Immigration Acts unless there is a clear prospect of early removal from the United Kingdom and medical advice suggests no question of confinement prior to this. In addition, women in the early stages of pregnancy may be detained briefly at Oakington Reception Centre as part of the fast-track asylum process. The latest available information on persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers relates to 29 June 2002. As at that date, there were fewer than five women in detention who were known to be pregnant, all of whom were at Oakington Reception Centre. Information on how many persons have been detained since the start of 2002 is not available except by examining individual case files at disproportionate cost. Leave to Remain in the UK: Application Forms Baroness Pitkeathley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to replace the application forms for foreign nationals wishing to apply for leave to remain in the United Kingdom. Lord Filkin: The current application forms are valid for use only until 14 November 2002. Revised forms will be prescribed before then. From the time they are issued until 14 November 2002, applications may be made on either the new forms or the present versions. Only the new forms may be used for applications made on or after 15 November 2002. Copies will be placed in the Library when they are available. Gulf War Veterans Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will respond urgently to the specific concerns and questions raised by Lord Morris of Manchester relating to Gulf War veterans and the ex-service community in the debate on Iraq on 24 September (HL Deb, cols 983-986). Lord Bach: I wrote to Lord Morris of Manchester on 21 October 2002 and a copy of my letter has been placed in the Library of the House. Gulf War Veterans The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to be able to give a response to the concerns and questions relating to the still undiagnosed illnesses of service men and women who served in the Gulf War and to the protection of troops now deployed, or ready to be deployed to the Gulf region for any resumption of hostilities with Iraq, raised on behalf of the Royal British Legion's Inter-Parliamentary Gulf War Group by Lord Morris of Manchester during the debate on Iraq on 24 September. Lord Bach: I wrote to Lord Morris of Manchester on 21 October 2002 and a copy of my letter has been placed in the Library of the House. ISAF The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to extend the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to areas outside Kabul; and whether the ISAF can protect humanitarian aid workers based in, or travelling to, rural areas. Lord Bach: We have no plans to expand either the tasks or the area of responsibility for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Both are set by the United Nations' Security Council Resolution 1413 and by the military technical agreement with the Afghan authorities. These authorise ISAF to help the Islamic Transitional Authority of Afghanistan maintain security only in and around Kabul. ISAF is structured accordingly and it is not in a position to assist aid workers employed outside Kabul. Footpaths Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all public footpaths, including those along coastal areas and closed during the foot and mouth crisis, are now open. Lord Whitty: Restrictions on most footpaths in England were lifted progressively in accordance with the successively revised veterinary risk assessment during the period from March 2001 to February 2002. Action to reopen footpaths was a matter for local authorities in the affected areas, most of which acted to reopen footpaths as soon as it was safe to do so in the light of the damage caused by closure to the rural economy locally. Blanket closures in a small number of areas were revoked by ministerial declaration in July 2001. As a result, by February 2002 99.9 per cent of footpaths were open. The only remaining restrictions related to a small number of paths crossing farms that had suffered infection and full cleansing and disinfection had not been carried out, where veterinary advice was that closure for 12 months from the date of infection was required. The last of these restrictions was lifted on 30 September 2002. There is no reason for any local authority not to have lifted all restrictions some time ago and I am not aware of any outstanding restrictions in any part of England. Urban Foxes Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they are taking to control the increasing numbers of urban foxes; and Whether catching urban foxes and releasing of them into rural areas is legal; if not, whether any such activity has been reported; and whether any persons engaged in such activity have been prosecuted. Lord Whitty: The control of foxes, whether urban or rural, is the responsibility of the owners and occupiers of the property where foxes present a problem. There is no legislation specifically to prevent the capture and release of native animals such as urban foxes into the countryside, provided the person concerned does not contravene the legislation that provides general protection for wild mammals against cruelty and ill-treatment. In view of the significant welfare implications for the fox, the department does not recommend the use of relocation as a method of control. Anyone having first-hand evidence of fox relocation should report it to Defra. Defra: IT Delivery Service Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the information technology section of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is to be offered for sale. Lord Whitty: A programme is under way to plan for transfer of the department's main IT delivery services to the private sector. The main characteristics of this will be purchase by the department of the required IT services through strategic arrangements with a private sector supplier or suppliers rather than a sale of the current internal provision units, although it is expected that there will be a transfer under the TUPE Regulations. Defra: IT Delivery Service Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a proposed sale of the information technology section of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be based on bids with the highest bidder winning or whether there will be a best value appraisal to ensure the suitability of any prospective purchaser. Lord Whitty: The department will follow the public procurement rules. Selection will be based on the most economically advantageous tender, looking at all relevant factors which give best value. In other words, the department will not just take account of price. Public Spaces Baroness Nicol: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the consultation paper on reforming the legislative framework for providing and maintaining public spaces. Lord Whitty: We are today publishing Living Places–Powers, Rights, Responsibilities, the Government's consultation paper on options for reforming the way statutory powers, duties and guidance help the relevant service providers to improve our public spaces and the local environment. The paper is being presented at the Urban Summit to accompany a report on public spaces being published by my right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister. The consultation paper concerns several government departments and we look forward to feedback from a broad range of groups. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House. Rural Payments Agency Annual Report Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the 2001-02 annual report for the Rural Payments Agency. Lord Whitty: The 2001-02 annual report and accounts for the Rural Payments Agency were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House Sudan Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider the Government of Sudan to be a state sponsor of terrorism. Baroness Amos: Her Majesty's Government do not consider Sudan to be a state sponsor of terrorism. The Government of Sudan strongly condemned the terrorist attacks of 11 September and have done much to counter terrorist activity on its territory, although some terrorist elements remain there. The subject of terrorism was taken off the agenda of the EU-Sudan dialogue at the end of 2000 in recognition of this. Intra-state Conflict Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether intra-state conflict requires international law on national and territorial sovereignty to be rewritten and the United Nations Charter revised; and, if so, what initiatives the Government intend to take. Baroness Amos: We believe that the Charter of the United Nations already contains the necessary powers to deal with intra-state conflicts. Much of the agenda of the Security Council already covers conflicts of this type, e.g. Sierra Leone. We do not believe that amending the charter is necessary or feasible in this context. Nor do we have proposals for new conventions; there is already a well-established body of international humanitarian law which is applicable to intra-state conflict. We also believe that the international community must be able to take effective and appropriate action when faced with overwhelming humanitarian crises and massive violations of human rights, and have proposed guidelines on when it would be appropriate for the UN Security Council to act. But progress in promoting these ideas has been difficult, not least because some states fear that their sovereignty could be undermined. We therefore welcomed the establishment and work of the Canadian-sponsored International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) as an attempt to develop common ground on the circumstances when the international community should act. We welcome many of the recommendations of the ICISS, which are contained in its report The Responsibility to Protect, published in December 2001. The report attempts to move the debate from an unproductive discussion of intervention towards a new focus on the responsibilities held by states to protect their own citizens from avoidable catastrophes—from mass murder, rape and from starvation. The report goes on to emphasise, however, that when states are unwilling or unable to fulfil their responsibilities, these responsibilities must be borne by the broader community of states. Ivory Coast Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What they consider to have been the causes of the current violence in the Ivory Coast; whether these were preventable; if so, who should have attempted to prevent the causes of violence; and whether they have identified measures, either internal or external, that are likely to lead to permanent solutions. Baroness Amos: The immediate cause of the current violence in Cote d'Ivoire was a mutiny by factions of the military unhappy at the Government's proposed terms for their discharge. The underlying causes are not yet fully apparent, but it seems clear that divisions between those of Ivorian descent and immigrants explain, in part, the popular support the rebels have received in parts of the country. These divisions have existed for a number of years and were the cause of a coup in 1999 and attempted coups in 2000 and 2001. Since 2001 the Government of Cote d'Ivoire have sought to address them through a process of national reconciliation. In the current crisis the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) took the lead in arranging a ceasefire between the Government and the rebels. In line with our goal of supporting African solutions to African problems, Her Majesty's Government have provided support for Mohammed Ibn Chambas, Executive Secretary of ECOWAS. French troops are now acting as a buffer force between the two sides while an ECOWAS monitoring force is prepared. A solution to the crisis requires dialogue between the Government and the rebels, a negotiated settlement and a resumption of efforts towards national reconciliation. Ivory Coast Lord Alderdice: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their most recent assessment of the humanitarian and security situation in Ivory Coast; and what support they are giving to efforts to achieve an improvement in the situation there. Baroness Amos: We have not conducted an independent assessment of the humanitarian impact of the conflict in Cote d'Ivoire. Representatives from our Embassy in Abidjan have met with several relief agencies. These agencies say that the current situation in Cote d'Ivoire is not a major humanitarian crisis, but large numbers of people are suffering and there is a potential impact on neighbouring countries. The UN is preparing an assessment of likely humanitarian needs and we expect it to issue an appeal for funds soon. We are working closely with the international community to bring about a swift and peaceful resolution to the crisis. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is facilitating discussions between the government and the rebels. ECOWAS plans to send a monitoring force to replace the French troops who are providing a buffer force between the two sides. The UK has provided a military adviser to assist ECOWAS in its efforts and we are now considering further support for a monitoring force. Islamabad: High Commission Visa Services Lord Ahmed: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will open the visa section in Islamabad in the near future. Baroness Amos: After a brief closure for security reasons the visa section in Islamabad reopened on 22 May 2002. Although the service is a restricted one, its scope has been steadily increased since 22 May and further enhancements are planned when circumstances, particularly the security situation, allows. Islamabad: High Commission Visa Services Lord Ahmed: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all visa applications to the visa section in Islamabad could be received via Federal Express courier service, as is done for the American embassy. Baroness Amos: For the last two years certain categories of applicant (mainly frequent travellers) have been able to send applications through Gerry's Fedex (a local joint venture with Federal Express). Since 22 May 2002, all applications have been handled through Gerry's Fedex. Islamabad: High Commission Visa Services Lord Ahmed: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many ethnic minority visa section employees of Pakistani origin are based in Islamabad. Baroness Amos: At present there are two UK-based staff of Pakistani ethnic origin and 39 locally engaged Pakistani staff. Islamabad: High Commission Visa Services Lord Ahmed: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will recruit temporary staff of Pakistani origin to work in the visa section in Islamabad, in light of the threats to white, indigenous staff members. Baroness Amos: All staff at the High Commission in Islamabad face the same level of threat irrespective of their ethnic origin and are owed the same duty of care. However, it has been possible to improve gradually visa services in Pakistan. The aim is to enhance further the Pakistan visa service in the coming months to the maximum extent that the prevailing security situation permits. Islamabad: High Commission Visa Services Lord Ahmed: asked Her Majesty's Government: Since the restriction in services, how many visa applications have been (a) processed and (b) approved in Islamabad. Baroness Amos: Between 22 May and 25 October 2002, 25,429 non-settlement applications have been processed. Of these, 19,438 have been approved. Between 18 September 2002 (when the settlement service was resumed) and 15 October, 1,566 settlement applications were considered and of these 1,067 were approved. Taiwan Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have had any recent discussions with the Government of Taiwan about a policy under consideration by that government to offer financial and other incentives to couples to have more children. Baroness Amos: Her Majesty's Government have had no discussions with the Taiwanese authorities on this subject. Pakistan: Human Rights Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: What concerns they have expressed to General Musharraf about human rights in Pakistan; and when was the last occasion these were specifically mentioned. Baroness Amos: Together with our EU partners, we regularly raise our concerns on human rights with the Pakistani authorities. Most recently, on 15 July my honourable friend Mr O'Brien, the Minister responsible for our relations with Pakistan, made clear to the Pakistani High Commissioner in London our concerns about the situation of Christians and Ahmadis in Pakistan and our opposition to the death penalty. We are now considering the elements of a further EU demarche with partners on human rights abuses in Pakistan. Hong Kong Lord Hylton: asked her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to ensure that the principle of one country-two systems is upheld in Hong Kong, as agreed before hand-over; how they monitor new legislation in Hong Kong; whether legislation based on Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law has been proposed or introduced into the legislature; and, if so, what will be the implications for religious and other voluntary bodies. Baroness Amos: Since the handover in 1997, Her Majesty's Government have closely followed developments in Hong Kong, in line with our responsibilities as a co-signatory to the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong. We have reported to Parliament on the implementation of the Joint Declaration on a regular basis. Where we have had concerns about developments, we have made representations to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, or to Beijing, as appropriate, as noted in the reports to Parliament. The Hong Kong SAR Government have produced a consultation document outlining their proposals for legislation to meet their obligations under Article 23 of the Basic Law. A public consultation process is now under way but the SAR Government have not yet published detailed legislative proposals. We have made clear to the SAR Government our view that any legislation should be consistent with the principles of the Joint Declaration and the two UN human rights covenants. Sudan: Radar System Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the sale of the Alenia Marconi Systems radar system to the Government of Sudan and its use by that Government in pursuing their bombing campaign in Southern Sudan; and whether they have discussed with the aid agencies their concern that the radar system used in conjunction with recently acquired Mig-29s will prevent humanitarian aid flights from flying into Southern Sudan. Baroness Amos: A modern air traffic control system is needed for the large number of commercial and humanitarian flights that fly over and within Sudan and is crucial for the safety of United Nations and non-governmental organisations staff involved in the delivery of vital humanitarian aid in Sudan, the majority of which is currently transported by air. Officials have discussed with aid agencies their concerns about the system. In response to the ongoing civil war, the EU instituted an arms embargo in 1994. We implement this rigorously and expect the arms embargo to remain in place while the civil war and human rights abuses continue. The Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army agreed unrestricted humanitarian access for the duration of the IGAD peace talks in the Memorandum of Understanding on the Cessation of Hostilities on 17 October. The UN and the Humanitarian Affairs Commission and the Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Authority met in Nairobi on 25 October to discuss the implementation of unrestricted humanitarian access. We warmly welcome these developments. We continue to urge all parties to give all possible help to the UN and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to ensure speedy delivery of humanitarian assistance. Our Ambassador in Khartoum raised the general issue of humanitarian access with the Sudanese Minister of International Cooperation on 24 October. Democratic Republic of the Congo Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they will take on the findings and recommendations of the United Nations Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Baroness Amos: We are considering a substantive response to the report's recommendations and will be taking a full part in discussions at the UN Security Council. Women, Peace and Security: SCR 1325 Baroness Rendell of Babergh: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make an announcement on the implementation of the Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security passed on 31 October 2000. Baroness Amos: The UN Secretary General reported to the Security Council on 16 October on implementation of SCR 1325. That report included a number of important points that the Government strongly support: promoting general equality is not just the responsibility of women; post-conflict reconstruction should be based on full observance of human rights and the principle of non-discrimination; and more effort is needed to address the problems of children associated with armed groups, particularly girls. The Secretary General also proposed a target of 50 per cent women in all areas of UN peace operations by 2015. The Government strongly support both the intention and implementation of this ground-breaking resolution. We welcome the UN's efforts to incorporate a gender perspective throughout its work, including peacekeeping and peacebuilding. We are funding a series of projects through the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations, UNIFEM (the UN development fund for women) and NGOs to support implementation of the resolution. We used our Presidency of the Security Council in July to host an open debate on conflict, peacekeeping and gender. We shall continue to work through the Security Council, with the UN and in our peace and development efforts for implementation of this resolution and for the benefit of women and all people striving for peace. Broadband The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they believe that the speed of broadband connections in the United Kingdom, with the majority running at less than a megabit, acts as a disincentive to customer take-up; and whether such speeds can exploit properly the advantages of information communications technology. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: We do not believe that the speed of broadband connections, which at 512 kbps is up to 10 times faster than a standard dial-up modem and at 1 megabit is up to 20 times faster, is a disincentive to take-up in the United Kingdom. Oftel statistics show that take-up is accelerating at around 20,000 new users each week, contributing to a total that is now in excess of 1 million. These levels of speed for broadband connection in the UK allow greater exploitation of the benefits of information communications technology through faster downloads and always-on access. Broadband The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they believe there are any lessons to be learnt for the roll-out of broadband connectivity in the United Kingdom from the fact that South Korea provided $1.5 billion of public money to provide a backbone network and a further $1 billion on loans to ensure companies took broadband to rural areas. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: A recently published report by a DTI-funded mission into the South Korean broadband experience shows that while there are lessons to be learnt from South Korea's strategy for deploying broadband, the differences between that country and the United Kingdom mean that it would not be appropriate for us to adopt exactly the same approach and indeed that there is no set template for broadband success. The UK Government believe that competition is key to strengthening the broadband market. Large injections of cash would not necessarily lead to competition, choice for consumers and sustainable low prices. Broadband The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the failure of the second attempt at auctioning 28 GHz fixed wireless broadband licences to attract a single bidder, what relaxations to the licence conditions are being proposed; and whether they are satisfied that these will result in a successful third auction. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: On 15 October 2002, the Radiocommunications Agency published a consultation document on broadband fixed wireless access at 28 GHz seeking comments on proposals to amend licence conditions in line with the recommendations of the independent review of radio spectrum management conducted by Professor Martin Cave. It proposes to remove the use it or lose it condition and to relax the purpose of use condition so as to allow the deployment of any fixed service. This would apply to both existing and future licences. The agency is also asking whether it should consider making any further changes to the licences. The Government intend to open a new award process as soon as practicable after the conclusion of the consultation. The proposed changes to the licences will give operators the flexibility to offer a wide range of services as they see demand developing. We believe this makes the licences more attractive but it is for operators to decide whether they wish to exploit the opportunity offered. Broadband The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they respond to the view of Keith Todd, chairman of the Broadband Stakeholders Group, that, notwithstanding that there are more than 1 million people taking up broadband, a digital divide still exists, with affordable broadband not available to one in three households; and what strategies they have in place or they are developing to address this. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: It is true that around one third of UK households are currently unable to access broadband through ADSL, cable or wireless, although satellite access is available to almost 100 per cent of households. In order to address this, the Government will continue to promote competition as a cornerstone of their broadband policy. A dynamic and competitive market will be the best means of driving broadband investment further. In addition, we are setting up a new regional broadband unit, which will work with the regional development agencies and devolved administrations to develop broadband availability. Further information on the Government's broadband strategy will be found in the 2002 UK Online Annual Report, to be published shortly. Broadband The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the market-driven model for broadband roll-out will achieve adequate, if not complete, coverage for the whole of the United Kingdom, with particular reference to those areas of the country where it is currently perceived that no commercial market exists. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government believe that the roll-out and take-up of broadband must be market-driven in order to ensure the high levels of competition needed to produce sustainable low prices and consumers interest. This approach has meant that the UK currently has better levels of competition in the broadband market than any of its European G7 neighbours. To help stimulate the market in those areas where broadband is not currently available, we are establishing a new regional broadband unit, due to be launched in November. The unit's broadband experts, to be located in the English regions and the devolved administrations, will work to promote the development of broadband, including extending its availability. Broadband The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have for the delivery of broadband connectivity throughout the public sector in the United Kingdom. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: A new regional broadband unit, to be launched in November 2002, will work with individual government departments to develop broadband connectivity in the public sector. The unit will include a team of procurement experts, to be based as the Office of Government Commerce. OGC is also producing new framework contracts between public sector organisations and suppliers. Cyber Crime: Computer Viruses The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the analysis of Howard Schmidt, vice-president of President Bush's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board. that cyber crime in the shape of computer viruses is costing the world economy billions of dollars, and if so, what action they intend to take. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: I refer the noble Earl to my previous Answers when he last raised the question of what the Government are doing to respond to the increasing threats to information systems answered on 7 May, (WA 163–4). The survey referred to in those Answers makes clear that poor information security management can lead to breaches—and not only those arising from viruses—which lead to significant costs for business. IT Security The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the recent comments of Mr Stephen Timms, Minister for e-commerce, at the Information Assurance Advisory Council's third annual symposium, what additional proposals they have to both promote information technology security and to assist United Kingdom companies in delivering it, with particular reference to possible legislative options. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My honourable friend the Minister for e-commerce said in his address to IAAC's third annual symposium that the department is preparing a new element of the UK Online for Business website aimed at introducing smaller companies to information security management and technologies. After this is finalised, we will seek other ways to get this information to smaller users. We have no proposals to regulate this area and believe that business will rise to the challenge of integrating security into its products and services. Age Discrimination Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which of Her Majesty's Ministers is responsible for policy combating ageism. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Ministers with primary responsibility for combating ageism are as follows; Barbara Roche MP, Minister for Women in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, reporting to my right honourable friend Patricia Hewitt MP on this, is responsible for implementation of the European Employment Directive Article 13 of the Treaty of Rome that will prevent age discrimination in employment and vocational training, supported by officials in the Department of Trade and Industry. The right honourable Ian McCartney MP, Minister of State for Pensions, is responsible for tackling age discrimination in employment. This includes promoting the business benefits of age diversity to employers through the Age Positive campaign. Two Cabinet sub-committees lead on these areas, the Cabinet sub-Committee on Equality (DA(EQ)) and the Cabinet sub-Committee on Older People (DA(OP)). Ministers in other government departments have responsibility for tackling ageism in their own policies and programmes. Age Discrimination Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why are there laws to prevent discrimination on grounds of sex, race and religion but not of age. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government are committed to introducing legislation under the European Employment Directive outlawing age discrimination in employment and vocational training by December 2006. Legislation relating to the sexual orientation and religion or belief strands of the directive will be implemented by December 2003. The Government have already sought views on a number of general age issues in the consultation document Towards Equality and Diversity. There will be a second consultation by summer 2003 on specific proposals for implementation of age discrimination legislation.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2002-11-04a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2002", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Poor Countries: Debt Cancellation Baroness Rawlings: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 20 June (H.L. Deb., col. 155), how many countries have received debt cancellation by the Government under the policy of cancellation of all debts owed to the United Kingdom by developing countries; and how much debt they have cancelled in each case. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The five countries that have reached Decision Point under the enhanced HIPC Initiative and demonstrated their commitment to poverty reduction, (Bolivia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda), have received 100 per cent relief on their debts owed to ECGD. This relief amounts to approximately £18 million in the case of Bolivia, £6 million in the case of Uganda, £115 million in the case of Tanzania, £7 million in the case of Mauritania and £11 million in the case of Mozambique. All these countries had previously received debt cancellation of £150 million from ECGD under the terms of the previous Paris Club agreements. Concrete Pumping Vehicle: Excise Duty Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will seek to amend the Finance Bill in respect of the vehicle excise duty class and rate for a concrete pumping vehicle. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government do not intend tabling an amendment to this year's Finance Bill to change the regime for vehicle excise duty for concrete pumping vehicles. Millennium Bridge Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the projected cost of modifications to the Millennium Bridge; and who will pay for such modifications; and When they expect the Millennium Bridge to re-open to the public; and What studies were made of the safety issues at the Millennium Bridge by the Health and Safety Executive prior to its opening; and What guarantees or indemnities were provided by the architects and the builders of the Millennium Bridge in relation to safety issues. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Millennium Bridge Trust announced on 12 June that the bridge would be closing from 10 pm that night due to its excessive movement. The various bodies associated with the project are currently discussing the problem and the possible solutions. Once they have reached their conclusions then they will be in a better position to decide who, if anyone, is liable to pay for work or who might be approached for support. It would be premature to speculate about how much it will cost to rectify the problem, who will pay for what, or when the bridge will open. The Millennium Commission is not a party to any contracts between the project managers and the architects and builders for the project and I cannot, therefore, provide any information on any indemnities provided in relation to safety issues. The Health and Safety Executive's remit was to make random checks and enforce site safety during the bridge's construction. Once the bridge had opened, it was treated as a public highway and was therefore subject to Southwark Borough Council's powers over highways. North Wales Child Abuse Report Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to publish their response to the report of the tribunal of inquiry into the abuse of children in care in the former county council areas of Gwynedd and Clwyd since 1974, entitled Lost in Care. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We are pleased to announce that the Government's response to Sir Ronald Waterhouse's report into the tragic events in North Wales has been published. The response is called Learning the Lessons and copies have been placed in the Printed Paper Office and the Library. Injectible Medicinal Products: Bovine Origin Materials Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will list all injectible medical products approved for use in the United Kingdom which either contain material of bovine origin or use such material in their preparation. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Many hundreds of injectible medicinal products authorised for use in Europe and the United Kingdom contain material of bovine origin or use such material in their preparation. Each new application for authorisation is assessed individually by the Medicines Control Agency for national authorisations and by the relevant scientific rapporteurs for European authorisations to ensure that they comply with the European guidelines on minimising the risk of transmitting spongiform encephalopathies through medicinal products. The information is held on individual files, but there is no centrally held list and it would incur disproportionate cost to produce one. NMEC: Chairman's Responsibilities Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 8 June (WA 176), and in view of his responsibility for the terms and conditions of board members of the New Millennium Experience Company, what agreement he has reached with Mr David Quarmby as to his terms and conditions as chairman; and whether they differ in any way from those of Mr Robert Ayling. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The roles and responsibilities of the chairman and individual board members of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) are detailed in Appendix 3 to its Annual Report and Accounts for the period ended 31 March 1999. The report was placed in the Libraries of the House in July 1999. There has been no change to the roles and responsibilities of the chairman following the resignation of Robert Ayling. NMEC Board Members: Meeting with Ministers Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 6 June (WA 149), who were the members of the New Millennium Experience Company board with whom the sole shareholder met or spoke on 22 May; and Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 6 June (WA 149), who were the members of the New Millennium Experience Company board with whom the sole shareholder met on the afternoon of 23 May; and Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 6 June (WA 150), what was the subject of the conversation or conversations the sole shareholder of the New Millennium Experience Company had with Mr Michael Grade on 23 May. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: I did not meet any member of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) Board on 22 May. During the course of 23 May I met those members of the Board who attended the Board meeting: Robert Ayling; P-Y Gerbeau; Ian Ash; Cllr Len Duvall; Michael Grade; Malcolm Hutchinson; Sir Brian Jenkins; David Quarmby; and Neil Spence. The board discussed NMEC's revised business plan and budget as well as the decision of the then chairman, Robert Ayling, to resign. Coastal Erosion: Managed Retreat Lord Howie of Troon: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the definition of the concept of "managed retreat" in relation to coastal erosion; and to what kinds of coastline it is intended to apply. Baroness Hayman: The term used by the Government is "managed realignment". As defined in the recent Project Appraisal Guidance, this is "the management of a process of establishing a new line of defence, often set back from the existing position, with the aim of improving the long-term sustainability of the defence, or contributing to other aims such as habitat creation". This would normally involve a deliberate breach of any existing defence so that inundation, or erosion, takes place up to a new line of defence, which may be natural or man-made. It is necessary to recognise that the entire coastline of the UK has over centuries been subject to the natural process of erosion and deposition. This process may be increased by rising sea levels caused by climate change and long-term geological "tilt" which is increasing sea levels still further in the south and east of the country. The response cannot automatically be to build new and ever higher coastal defences to protect against flooding and erosion. Sustainability is a key criterion and the operating authorities need to consider a range of options, including "managed realignment" of the coastline. The decisions on whether or not to continue defending a particular area will depend on a range of considerations, using benefit:cost analysis. Important factors will be the type of assets, both natural and man made, that are currently defended, and any loss or gain of important nature conservation habitat as a result of a decision to defend or not. Where no man-made defence currently exists, a decision whether or not to defend a particular area will be based on similar considerations. Managed realignment needs to be considered as an option on all parts of the coastline. However, given the benefit:cost approach to decision making, such an approach is more likely where low value assets lie behind the existing defence which do not justify the investment necessary in maintaining or improving the existing defence.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2000-06-30a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2000", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Railways: Tickets Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reportsthat over 1,000 rail ticket offices are being considered for closure;which ticket offices are currently being assessed for closure; what steps they intend to take to ensure that passengers who (1) do not have access to bank cards, or (2) who may need assistance with accessing rail services, are protected by having access to staff at ticket offices; and whatis the status of stations which no longer have staffed ticket offices. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: No proposals have yet been made. North Wales Coast Line: Standards Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards re-establishing the frequency of through-trains between Holyhead and London, that existed prior to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The frequency of through trains between Holyhead and London was reduced due to the impact of COVID-19 on passenger demand. Avanti West Coast will be increasing its service provision from 15 May 2022 from the two direct trains per day from London Euston to Holyhead currently provided, to three direct trains and four from Holyhead to London Euston during the week as well as an increase to three direct trains per day in both directions at weekends.The Department continues to work closely with operators in their development of attractive timetables that are reliable, deliver excellent performance for passengers, and offer good value for money. All timetables remain under review as demand returns. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Newport Wafer Fab: Takeovers Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact the proposed takeover of Newport Wafer Fab will have on the UK's ambition in the Global Britain in a Competitive Ageintegrated review, published March 2021, for the UK to be a "digital and data hub" and transition to a "zero-carbon economy"; whether this will require the UK's semi-conductor supply chain to be secured; and what is the basis for their belief that the government of China has stated its aim to buy the UK's (1) semi-conductor capabilities, and (2) the associated intellectual property. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Her Majesty’s Government recognises the importance of semiconductor technology to key UK industries, our ambitions in the Integrated Review, and the wider digital ecosystem. The Government is reviewing its approach to the UK’s global semiconductor sector, working with industry experts, international partners, and representative bodies.Her Majesty’s Government will not accept investments which compromise our national security, and all investment must meet stringent legal and regulatory requirements to protect the UK’s national interest. As an open economy, however, we welcome foreign trade and investment where it supports UK growth and jobs. Ukraine: Armed Conflict Lord Crathorne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Ukraine regarding the protection of collections in museums in Ukraine to protect them from possible looting during the current conflict; and what support they are providing to the government of that country. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Secretary of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has written to, and met virtually, the Ukrainian Minister of Culture, offering whatever practical support is feasible, and has since been keeping in regular contact, discussing, among other issues, the protection of cultural property in Ukraine. I also met the Deputy Minister, Kateryna Chuyeva, at the Venice Biennale this year where I reinforced this offer.As of 9 May, UNESCO had verified damage to 127 cultural sites in Ukraine since Russia’s illegal invasion. We are continuously working with UNESCO, Blue Shield International, the British Council, and other allies to ensure Russia meets its obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.Through the Cultural Protection Fund – a partnership between DCMS and the British Council – Her Majesty’s Government is also directly supporting the Cultural Emergency Response for Ukraine, an international effort co-ordinated by the Prince Claus Fund. The Cultural Emergency Response has provided urgent assistance to Ukrainian museums and collections at risk from looting, damage, and destruction. This includes providing materials and technical assistance to safely package and secure collections. Treasury Energy: Billing The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what figures they have on the increase in the number of people in the UK using high-cost credit, such as ‘buy now pay later’ debt schemes, to pay their energy bills since 1 April. Baroness Penn: HM Treasury regularly monitors developments in the consumer credit market, including the use of Buy-Now Pay-Later (BNPL) credit products, as part of its normal process of policy development.However, it does not hold information regarding the number of people using BNPL or other types of credit to pay their energy bills. Instead, HMT draws on the research of various stakeholders, including consumer groups and the wider financial services industry, to inform policy development.As an interest free product, the government does not consider BNPL to be high-cost credit. However, the government recognises that BNPL products do pose several potential risks of consumer detriment, as set out in The Woolard Review into the unsecured credit market. That is why on 2 February 2021, the Government announced its intention to regulate BNPL products in a proportionate manner. The Government published a consultation on policy proposals for the regulation of BNPL on 21 October 2021, which closed on 6 January 2022. The Government is now reviewing responses to this consultation and considering next steps and intends to publish a consultation response in the coming weeks.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2022-05-19
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2022", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Home Office Addictions baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what istheir response to the report of the Drugs, Alcohol and Justice Cross-Party Parliamentary Group’s Charter for Change, published in September. baroness williams of trafford: The Government has noted the recommendations in the report. In July, the Government published a comprehensive new Drug Strategy which aims to reduce drug misuse and increase the numbers recovering from dependence.The new Drug Strategy sets out a range of actions, to be taken forward at national and local level, that respond to the evolving threats and challenges that continue to emerge from drug misuse. These include changing drugs markets, changing patterns of use and an ageing and more complex group of people who need wide-ranging support to recover. Gwent Police: Demonstrations baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government why Gwent Police Officers are policing anti-fracking protests at Preston New Road in Lancashire; and who is paying the salaries of those officers while they are in England. baroness williams of trafford: The role of the police in managing demonstrations is to preserve the peace, to uphold the law and to prevent the commission of offences. Police tactics and decisions on how to achieve these objectives, and the resources required, are matters for the independent operational judgement of chief officers. If the required resources exceed a police force’s own capacity, mutual aid assistance may be requested from other forces. The decision to seek and assist with mutual aid deployments are operational decisions for the police and the cost of the officers provided are met by the requesting police force. Ministry of Defence Iraq: Armed Conflict the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made of the cost of the UK's participation in the US led coalition air strikes in support of the liberation of Mosul. earl howe: The net additional costs of counter-Daesh operations are as follows: 2014-152015-162016-17Total (£ million)47.2262.4469.4 Net additional costs are those costs that the Ministry of Defence would not otherwise have incurred but for the operations. Gibraltar: Police baroness harris of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the transfer of policing services from the Ministry of Defence to the government of Gibraltar, due in December, has been delayed; and if so, why. earl howe: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave on 15 March 2017 to Question number HL5931. The Ministry of Defence has not undertaken to transfer policing services to Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar in December. It follows, therefore, that there is no delay. Gibraltar Defence Police (Word Document, 13 KB) Cabinet Office Cabinet Office: Written Questions lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the question for written answer on whether they have any plans to commemorate in October the many millions who have died since the October Revolution 1917 which was asked on 13 July (HL791) has not yet been answered; and when they expect to answer that question. lord young of cookham: I refer my noble Friend to the answer I gave on the 14th September 2017. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs PwC: Ofwat lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whethertheyhaveany plans to investigate any possible conflicts of interests created by PriceWaterhouseCooper acting as (1) an adviser to Ofwat’s 2014 Price Review, and(2) an auditor to six water companies. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government currently has no plans to investigate any possible conflicts of interests in relation to role of Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) as adviser to the 2014 Price Review (PR14). Following a process of open competition, after which PwC was contracted as their PR14 delivery partner, Ofwat took steps to ensure that any potential conflicts of interest were identified and managed at all stages. The measures taken were over and above PwC’s normal processes to ensure robust ethical walls are in place.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2017-10-11
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2017", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Penrith (North Lakes) Station Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to return to use the former Station Master's house at Penrith North Lakes Railway Station. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department has no plans to return to use the former Station Master's house at Penrith North Lakes railway station. Railways: Penzance Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of retaining the sleeper train between Penzance and London to the economy of the South West. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport last sought the public’s views on the Great Western franchise in the consultation starting in November 2017. The response, published in August 2018, did not identify specific issues or concerns about the London-Penzance sleeper service. Heathrow Airport: Railways Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated cost of the Western Rail Link to Heathrow; and how much of that cost will be contributed by Heathrow Airport. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The total nominal capital cost for the Western Rail Link to Heathrow, in 2018 prices, is estimated at around £1.5bn to construct the rail link between Heathrow Airport Station and the Great Western Main Line. For the scheme to proceed, the Government has been clear that Heathrow Airport Limited would need to secure and provide an acceptable financial contribution. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Hospitality Industry Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) protect, and (2) promote, the hospitality sector in the (a) short, (b) medium, and (c) long, term. Lord Callanan: The Government moved to Plan B in England as it was necessary to control the spread of transmission of the new threat posed by the Omicron variant and the potential impact on businesses. In order to support all businesses across the UK economy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have provided businesses with an unprecedented support package of £400 billion, including grants, loans, business rates relief, VAT cuts and the job retention scheme. This includes a total of over £26bn in business grants.  The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund is open until March 2022. We are also engaging closely with the hospitality sector to listen to their concerns and help them in their recovery. Additionally, we are working closely with the sector through the Hospitality Sector Council to implement the hospitality strategy which was launched in July. The strategy sets out how the UK government will work with the hospitality sector, as it reopens and recovers from COVID-19, to build the sector’s longer-term resilience. It includes a dedicated recovery working group, made of sector organisations, businesses and government officials, looking at solutions to manage urgent Covid 19 impacts on the sector. Biofuels: Sustainable Development Baroness Boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Callanan on 13 December (HL Deb, col 2), what are the "strict sustainability criteria" bywhich biomass operators abide; and whether these criteria allow operators to source wood pellets from virgin forests. Lord Callanan: The UK has strict sustainability criteria in place for biomass use. For biomass power generation supported under the Renewables Obligation scheme, the sustainability criteria are outlined in Schedules 1, 2, and 3 of the Renewables Obligation Order, which are publicly available on the legislation.gov.uk website. Biofuels: Sustainable Development Baroness Boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response byLord Callanan on 13 December (HL Deb, col 3) that the "evidence is independently audited", who undertakes such assessments; what percentage of imports are assessed; and how many independent audits have found that biomass products used have not met the sustainability criteria. Lord Callanan: The assessments are performed by independent auditors who are qualified to perform assurance engagements in accordance with the International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 (Revised) and the relevant legislation (Article 84(3) of the Renewables Obligation Order 2015). Annual sustainability audit reports are performed in line with the ISAE 3000 (Revised) standards. The auditor will select a limited assurance sample, taken from all biomass products, based on a risk assessment. Ofgem publish independently verified information on how generators have reported against the sustainability criteria in their annual biomass datasets and RO annual reports, which can be found on Ofgem’s website. The information for Drax in these datasets shows that no instances have been found where fuels at Drax have been reported as unsustainable. Department of Health and Social Care Coronavirus: Vaccination Viscount Stansgate: To ask Her Majesty's Government when COVID-19 booster vaccines will be recorded in the Covid Pass within the NHS app. Lord Kamall: The NHS COVID Pass can now be used to demonstrate proof of a booster or third dose for outbound international travel. This is visible through the NHS App and NHS.UK within the NHS COVID Pass for Travel. Coronavirus: Vaccination Lord Cooper of Windrush: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the NHS app willrecordCOVID-19 vaccinations administered to UK citizens while working or studying in EU member states. Lord Kamall: English residents who have received vaccinations overseas, including in European Union Member States, can now have their vaccination details recorded in the National Health Service vaccine database. Individuals can then generate an NHS COVID Pass for domestic use and international travel if they meet certain certification requirements. Travel: Coronavirus Lord Tyrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 12 October (HL2767), in which format the data relating to the number of COVID-19 PCR tests for travel is held; and what plans they have, if any, to publish this data. Lord Kamall: Data on the number of COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for travel was previously held for arrivals from ‘red’ and ‘amber’ list countries.Data on testing for international arrivals from red list and non-red list countries, including confirmatory PCR tests, from 30 September 2021 is published weekly in an online only format at GOV.UK. Ministry of Justice Prerogative of Mercy Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Wolfson of Tredegar on 18 November (HL4189), why their records only date back to 2014; whether they were transferred to other government departments; and if so, which ones. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The previous answer of 2014 referred to above was an error. Records held in the Ministry of Justice date back to May 2003 and the answer should have been clear that records therefore date back 18 years. We now know that records were originally held by the Home Office and were transferred to the Ministry of Justice after it was created in May 2007. These records are selected for permanent preservation and are transferred to The National Archives. I can confirm that no applications for Royal Prerogative of Mercy were recommended to Her Majesty the Queen for terrorism related offences during this time. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office India: Detainees Lord Hussain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India to advocate for the release of human rights activists in that country, including Khurram Parvez. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government will continue to encourage all states to ensure domestic laws are in line with international standards and to cooperate with UN human rights officials and all mechanisms of the Human Rights Council. Our position is clear, that any allegation of human rights abuse is deeply concerning and must be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently.We engage with India on a range of human rights matters, and we raise our concerns directly with the Government of India, including at ministerial level, where we have them. Iraq: Turkey Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Turkish airstrikes in Khanasor, Iraq and the reported targeting of Marwan Badal; and whether they have made representations to the government of Turkey about their attacks in Sinja, Iraq; and if so, what response they have received. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of reports of airstrikes and the death of Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şengalê‎ (YBS) commander Marwan Badal Khudida. We continue to reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians. Iran: Demonstrations Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Iran following the use of force against protesters in Isfahan in recent weeks. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK firmly supports the right to peaceful protest and has designated Iran as a Human Rights Priority Country. We continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor human rights record, and call on President Raisi to set Iran on a different course, which includes committing to improving human rights in Iran. Xinjiang: Minority Groups Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of oppression of minority groups in the Xinjiang region in China. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: There are serious human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang, including the extra-judicial detention of over a million Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in "political re-education camps" since 2017, systematic restrictions on Uyghur culture and the practice of Islam, and extensive and invasive surveillance targeting minorities.The UK Government is committed to working with our international partners to stand up for the rights of Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang and to hold China to account for its serious human rights violations in the region. Iran: Nuclear Weapons Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of Iranhas developed a system to create nuclear weapons. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019. Its nuclear programme is now more advanced than ever before.We are currently engaged in negotiations in Vienna aimed at restoring the JCPoA. Iran must now decide whether to conclude the fair and comprehensive deal on the table, for the benefit of the Iranian people and economy, or collapse the JCPoA. In this scenario, we would carefully consider all the options in partnership with our allies. Ethiopia: Food Aid Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the humanitarian relief effort in Ethiopia of the UN's suspension of food distribution in the Amhara region; and in particular, on the number of deaths of children in that region. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: This conflict in Ethiopia has caused a humanitarian catastrophe, with the UN estimating that 9.4 million people across the north of the country require life-saving aid. Over 400,000 people in Tigray are experiencing famine-like conditions. The context could not be more serious.We remain extremely concerned about the limited delivery of humanitarian aid across northern Ethiopia with conflict and access restrictions hindering the ability of aid agencies to work. Such restrictions are also complicating the conduct of needs assessments meaning we lack a detailed understanding of humanitarian requirements across northern Ethiopia. However, experience from other contexts shows us that young children bear the brunt of such crises. For example it is likely that many children in Afar, Amhara and Tigray have succumbed to otherwise preventable diseases such as diarrhoea due to the limited availability of clean water and healthcare and nutritional services. Ethiopia: Food Aid Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the parties engaged in the conflict in Ethiopia to permit the resumption of food distribution by the UN in areas affected by that conflict. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: This conflict in Ethiopia has caused a humanitarian catastrophe, with the UN estimating that 9.4 million people across the north of the country require life-saving aid. Over 400,000 people in Tigray are experiencing famine-like conditions. The context could not be more serious.Since the outset of the conflict in November 2020 the UK has continually advocated for unfettered access for all humanitarian actors. In its interactions with the various warring parties UK Ministers and FCDO officials have repeatedly stressed the criticality of free access for aid agencies. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Environment: Crime Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the Parliament of Belgium to create an offence of ecocide; and what plans they have to introduce legislation to make ecocide an offence in the UK. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We do not currently have plans to introduce such a law in the UK, but we have strengthened regulations in England in recent months to protect the environment. These are enforced by a variety of regulators including the newly-established Office of Environmental Protection, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Forestry Commission, the Marine Management Organisation, Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, local authorities and Defra itself. Many of these regulators are able to seek criminal convictions to punish significant or persistent environmental offending and to create a deterrent against future non-compliance. They also have access to a broader suite of civil sanctions for many of the offences they are responsible for enforcing. Livestock: Dogs Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threat to livestock from dogs not under control of their owners. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government takes the issue of livestock worrying very seriously, recognising the distress this can cause farmers and animals as well as the financial implications, which can be very significant. Following recent reports on the issue, including by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, we are taking forward recommendations to modernise the relevant legal framework (the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953) for dealing with incidents of dogs attacking or worrying livestock. We have carried out targeted consultation with key stakeholder groups representing interested parties, including roundtable events. This approach has allowed us to build consensus and reach a significant level of technical detail in terms of our policy development and consultation. Representatives from the police, farming and livestock associations, veterinary bodies and dog welfare groups have all been engaged in this process. We have introduced these changes in the current Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. Through this Bill we are enhancing the enforcement mechanisms available to the police and expanding the scope of livestock species and locations covered by the law. These improved powers will enable the police to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively – making it easier for them to collect evidence and, in the most serious cases, seize and detain dogs to reduce the risk of further incidents. Sky Lanterns: Rural Areas Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle the risk of (1) fire, and (2) other serious issues, caused by sky lanterns being released in rural areas. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Local authorities have powers to restrict or ban the use of sky lanterns on council or public land. Councils in England, Scotland and Wales can choose to apply such a ban where a local need exists. Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 have been applied each of the last two years. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 ban the commercial third-party sale of puppies and kittens in England. This amendment, also known as Lucy's Law, came into force in April 2020. Any cases of pet dealers attempting to circumvent the ban on third-party sales should be reported to the relevant local authorities, as enforcers of the legislation. Defra does not hold the data for the application of Lucy’s Law by local authorities. Defra recognises that raising awareness of deceitful sellers is another integral step towards tackling low-welfare and illegal supply of puppies. That is why we launched the communications campaign "Petfished" in March 2020 to raise the public's awareness of the consequences of buying from a low-welfare seller and challenging the assumption that it is easy to spot bad practice. The campaign also signposts to resources available to help people make good decisions and source from responsible breeders or rehoming centres in the UK. Home Office Refugees: Afghanistan Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the implications for Afghan refugees who have been housed in 'bridging' hotels and have voluntarily moved to temporary accommodation as regards their (1) immigration status, and (2) long-term support. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Whether residing in bridging hotels or alternative temporary accommodation, Afghans who were evacuated to the UK will retain the same temporary grant of leave issued to them upon arrival in the UK and, upon fulfilment of caseworking criteria, will receive indefinite leave to remain.Afghans who were evacuated to the UK during, and post, Operation Pitting will receive integration support appropriate to their individual circumstances. Sex Establishments: Licensing Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce nationalminimum conditions for any unlicensed sexual entertainment provided in accordance with exemption available under paragraph 2A (3) (b) of Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Local authorities have powers to control the number and location of lap dancing clubs and similar venues in their area. These powers are not mandatory and only apply where they are adopted by Local Authorities. Where adopted, these provisions allow local authorities to refuse an application on potentially wider grounds than is permitted under the Licensing Act 2003 and give local people a greater say over the regulation of lap dancing clubs and similar venues in their area. Under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 Act, Local Authorities can consider whether granting a licence for a lap dancing club would be appropriate, having regard to the character of the area and the use to which other premises in the vicinity are put. For example, a Local Authority may decide that it would be inappropriate to grant a licence for a lap dancing club in a residential area or next door to a school. This arrangement allows Local Authorities to take the most appropriate approach for their local area, ensuring that local people are able to contribute to the development of their community. Protecting those involved in prostitution and sex work from harm is also a strand of our wider work to eradicate violence against women and girls (VAWG). In 2019 the police updated the National Policing Sex Work and Prostitution Guidance – this makes clear that the safety of people engaged in sex work must be paramount to the police service. Since 2016, the Government has provided over £2 million to specialist organisations supporting those involved in sex work and prostitution. Cabinet Office Coronavirus: Death Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people who have died from COVID-19 related conditions at home since the beginning of the first lockdown in March 2020. Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond. Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician The Lord ChidgeyHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW 15 December 2021 Dear Lord Chidgey, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the number of people who have died from COVID-19 related conditions at home since the beginning of the first lockdown in March 2020 (HL4828). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing statistics on deaths registered in England and Wales. National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for publishing the number of deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively. Mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. Cause of death is defined using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition (ICD-10). Deaths involving COVID-19 are defined by the ICD-10 codes U07.1, U07.2, U09.9 and U10.9. Table 1 provides the total number of deaths registered and deaths involving COVID-19, in all locations and occurring in private homes, in England and Wales between 28 December 2019 and 26 November 2021. Deaths involving COVID-19 includes any death where COVID-19 was a contributory factor to death, not only as the underlying cause of death. These figures are included in our Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales release[1]. Yours sincerely, Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Total number of deaths registered[1], and deaths registered involving COVID-19[2], occurring in all settings and private homes[3], between 28 December 2019 and 26 November 2021, England and Wales Total deaths in all locationsTotal deaths involving COVID-19[4]Deaths occurring in private homesDeaths occurring in private homes involving COVID-191,142,940155,502319,8779,333 Source: Office for National Statistics[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/26november2021 [2] Figures are for deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring. More information can be found in the Impact of registrations delay release: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/impactofregistrationdelaysonmortalitystatisticsinenglandandwales/latest[3] Deaths "involving" a cause refer to deaths that had this cause mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, whether as an underlying cause or not.[4] Deaths include non-residents.[5]The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) definitions are as follows: COVID-19 (U07.1, U07.2, U09.9, U10.9). UKSA's Letter Response to PQHL4828 (pdf, 126.0KB) Cabinet Office: Correspondence Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their target for answering written correspondence from the general public; and what percentage of answers met that target in (1) 2019, (2) 2020, and (3) 2021. Lord True: The Government places great importance on the effective and timely handling of correspondence, including from members of the public. The Cabinet Office currently aims to respond to correspondence from members of the public in 20 working days, in line with the guidance on handling correspondence. The Cabinet Office has responded to: 48% of public correspondence received in 2019 within 20 working days, 82% of public correspondence received in 2020 within 20 working days, and 88% of public correspondence received between 1 January and 31 October 2021 within 20 working days. Treasury Import Duties Lord Borwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Grimstone of Boscobel on 14 December (HL Deb, col 130), what was the total amount in import tariffs collected in (1) financial year 2020–21, and (2) each of the preceding four years. Lord Agnew of Oulton: In the financial year 2020-21, HMRC received £2,962 million in Customs Duty receipts. In the preceding four years, HMRC received the following yearly amounts for Customs Duty:2016-2017£3,359 million2017-2018£3,412 million2018-2019£3,356 million2019-2020£3,287 million Trader Support Service Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the total expenditure on the Trader Support Service has been since its commencement. Lord Agnew of Oulton: Since its commencement to November 2021, the total spend on Trader Support Service is £204 million. Trader Support Service (TSS) has handled just under 1.4 million Supplementary Declarations since 1 January 2021, with approximately 44,000 traders registered to use the service. Just over 16,800 of our traders are registered in Northern Ireland, with just over 11,500 of those traders actively using the service.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2021-12-21
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2021", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Avian Flu Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all the employees who worked for Bernard Matthews in the shed infected by the H5N1 avian flu outbreak have received the Tamiflu antiviral drug. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: All those who had exposure to the infected premises were offered Tamiflu and all accepted. Care Services: Bedblocking Charges Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much each local authority with social service responsibilities has paid for bedblocking charges since their introduction. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Information on charges for reimbursements for delayed discharges is not held centrally. The department holds data on the number of reimbursable hospital bed days by local authority and National Health Service trust. Collection of these data began on 5 October 2003 with the last available data being for the week ending 4 February 2007. The available data held by the department have been placed in the Library. Crime: Rape Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the average cost of awards made to victims of rape attacks by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in the last year for which statistics are available. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) advises that in 2005-06 it made 1,194 awards in respect of "non-consensual vaginal and/or anal intercourse". The median average award was £11,990, and the mean average award was £14,839. House of Lords: Membership of Public Bodies Lord Tebbit: asked the Chairman of Committees: How many members of the House of Lords, by party and from the Cross-Bench group, occupy salaried positions in government departments, government agencies and public bodies funded in part or wholly from national taxation. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The Register of Lords' Interests, to which I refer the noble Lord, gives details of the information requested. The Register is available for consultation in the Library of the House and on the parliamentary website (www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldreg.htm). NHS: IT Strategy Lord Hayhoe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress is being made in implementing the National Health Service information technology strategy; and what are the latest estimates for its completion dates and its costs. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Very substantial progress has been and continues to be made in implementing the national programme for information technology. Of the key centrally funded programme projects, the first elements of the NHS care records service—to provide a transaction messaging service, a personal demographics service, a spine directory service and secure access controls via smartcards—went live on time and to budget in July 2004. The software to support the Choose and Book electronic booking system is complete and went live on time and to budget, also in July 2004. The software to introduce the quality management and analysis system (QMAS) in support of the general medical services contract went live on time and to budget in August 2004 and was fully rolled out within three months, supporting payments to 100 per cent of general practitioners (GPs) under the quality outcomes framework (QOF) every month since. The software to allow electronic prescriptions to be issued went live on time and to budget in February 2005. The rate of connections to the new national broadband network (N3) remains, ahead of schedule, and 98 per cent of general practitioner practices now have a broadband connection. NHSmail was implemented on time in October 2004 and currently has over 230,000 registered users sending 1 million e-mails per day. The National Health Service has already become a digital organisation that is dependent on IT delivered through the national programme for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. So, for example, the first picture-archiving and communications system under the programme was implemented in April 2005 and 69 systems have now been implemented, and around 160,000 patients are treated each week using the technology. Over 38 million patients can now benefit from Choose and Book, and over 2.54 million bookings have been made to date, with daily bookings now exceeding 18,000. Over 11.8 million prescription messages have been issued electronically, with the daily count exceeding 85,000. There is no single national start or completion date for the programme as a whole, or for its individual systems and services. The aim is to achieve substantial integration of health and social care information systems in England under the national programme by 2010. The value of contracts let for the core components of the national programme for information technology, which is being delivered by the department's NHS Connecting for Health agency, amounts to £6.2 billion over 10 years. The National Audit Office (NAO) has calculated that the full gross cost of the programme including national contracts and legitimately approved additions, other central expenditure and local implementation costs is some £12.4 billion at 2004-05 prices. However, this figure does not take into account anticipated savings in the price paid by the NHS for information-technology goods and services due to the central buying power of NHS Connecting for Health, or in NHS staff time saved through using the programme's systems and services. The NAO also acknowledges an independent evaluation that confirms that £4.5 billion has been saved by central rather than local procurement, and a further £860 million of savings achieved through centrally negotiated enterprise-wide arrangements. Young Offender Institutions: Segregation Lord Carlile of Berriew: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many juveniles were held in segregation in Werrington young offender institution in each month since January 2005; and how many have been held for more than seven days and for more than 28 days; and How many juveniles were held in segregation in Wetherby young offender institution in each month since January 2005; and how many have been held for more than seven days and for more than 28 days; and How many juveniles were held in segregation in Brinsford young offender institution in each month since January 2005; and how many have been held for more than seven days and for more than 28 days; and How many juveniles were held in segregation in Castington young offender institution in each month since January 2005; and how many have been held for more than seven days and for more than 28 days; and How many juveniles were held in segregation in Feltham young offender institution in each month since January 2005; and how many have been held for more than seven days and for more than 28 days; and How many juveniles were held in segregation in Hindley young offender institution in each month since January 2005; and how many have been held for more than seven days and for more than 28 days. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information, provided by each establishment from their records, is contained in the following table. Werrington does not have a segregation unit. Feltham Hindley Date Total Between seven and 28 days Over 28 days Total Between seven and 28 days Over 28 days Jan 05 0 0 0 1 0 0 Feb 05 6 1 0 1 1 0 Mar 05 8 1 0 1 1 0 Apr 05 5 0 0 3 0 0 May 05 9 2 0 4 1 0 Jun 05 13 0 0 0 0 0 Jul 05 13 1 0 0 0 0 Aug 05 27 0 0 11 3 0 Sep 05 18 2 0 8 1 0 Oct 05 19 2 0 8 4 0 Nov 05 20 1 0 12 2 0 Dec 05 32 0 0 4 1 0 Jan 06 17 0 0 3 2 0 Feb 06 30 1 0 6 3 0 Mar 06 29 0 0 5 3 0 Apr 06 18 3 0 8 1 0 May 06 33 5 0 12 2 0 Jun 06 35 2 0 4 2 0 Jul 06 28 5 0 9 1 1 Aug 06 34 1 0 12 3 0 Sep 06 26 0 0 11 3 1 Oct 06 14 1 0 14 5 0 Nov 06 24 0 0 9 3 2 Dec 06 5 0 0 11 4 2 Total 463 28 0 157 46 6 Number of juveniles held in segregation Wetherby Date Total Between 7 and 28 days Over 28 days Jan 05 16 4 0 Feb 05 19 14 1 Mar 05 28 19 1 Apr 05 22 12 1 May 05 15 8 0 Jun 05 20 9 0 Jul 05 21 10 0 Aug 05 15 8 1 Sep 05 8 0 1 Oct 05 17 10 0 Nov 05 10 3 0 Dec 05 22 4 0 Jan 06 26 8 0 Feb 06 20 8 2 Mar 06 24 2 0 Apr 06 10 1 0 May 06 13 4 0 Jun 06 12 5 1 Jul 06 12 1 0 Aug 06 15 3 0 Sep 06 19 2 0 Oct 06 13 1 0 Nov 06 11 1 0 Dec 06 16 1 0 Total 404 138 8 Brinsford Castington Date Total Between seven and 28 days Over 28 days Total Between seven and 28 days Over 28 days Jan 05 12 1 0 3 0 0 Feb 05 9 4 0 15 7 2 Mar 05 12 2 1 6 3 0 Apr 05 23 4 0 16 9 0 May 05 15 4 1 10 1 0 Jun 05 10 5 0 7 2 0 Jul 05 11 4 0 7 2 0 Aug 05 12 4 0 4 0 0 Sep 05 8 1 0 9 1 0 Oct 05 7 1 0 18 7 0 Nov 05 11 3 1 15 5 0 Dec 05 7 1 1 11 5 0 Jan 06 6 1 0 9 4 0 Feb 06 12 7 0 16 7 0 Mar 06 21 6 2 7 3 0 Apr 06 23 9 2 15 9 0 May 06 10 3 1 9 4 0 Jun 06 12 4 1 20 7 0 Jul 06 20 5 1 22 6 1 Aug 06 25 12 1 19 3 3 Sep 06 8 3 2 22 12 0 Oct 06 28 15 2 19 10 0 Nov 06 14 7 4 15 3 0 Dec 06 8 1 1 17 6 0 Total 324 107 21 311 116 6
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2007-02-23b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2007", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Home Office Electronic Warfare Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proceeds of crime generated by cyber attacks by hostile states utilising ransom demands; and what steps they are taking to prevent such crime. Baroness Williams of Trafford: During 2021, ransomware became the most significant cyber threat facing the UK. In response, in June the Home Office launched a cross-government policy sprint to accelerate our response to this growing threat. The sprint has engaged in three pillars of activity aligning to the wider SOC strategy pillars (prepare, prevent, protect and pursue): threat, resilience, and international. Underreporting continues to impact our ability to understand the true cost and scale of cybercrime to the UK, an aspect we are actively trying to improve. Tackling cyber crime, including ransomware, is at the heart of the UK government’s new National Cyber Security. The strategy was launched in December 2021 and presents the UK’s role as a responsible and democratic cyber power, protecting and promoting UK interests in, and through, cyberspace. The strategy commits £2.6bn of new investment to deliver objectives under five strategic pillars: Ecosystem; Resilience; Technology; International; and Threat. HMG continues its work with global partners to detect and disrupt shared threats emanating from overseas, the most consistent of these from ransomware criminals based in Russia. In December 2021, the UK held a G7 Senior Officials’ Forum on Ransomware to combat the threat, and the UK is taking a leading role in the international Counter Ransomware Initiative. Further information on the impacts and actions to combat cyber crime can be found in the National Cyber Security Centre Annual Review 2021, on ncsc.gov.uk. Hate Crime The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to require (1) web hosting services, (2) technology companies, and (3) non-UK based service providers such as Cloudflare, to do more to identify and remove hateful content in order to protect the public; and whether they believe 'incel' content constitutes terrorism. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Our objective is to ensure that there are no safe spaces online for all forms of terrorists to promote or share their extreme views. To tackle terrorism online, the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit refers illegal terrorist content to tech companies for removal. Within the Home Office, we encourage tech companies to work together as one coordinated body through the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism to reduce the availability of terrorist content online.We have also published the draft Online Safety Bill, which gives effect to the regulatory framework outlined in the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper. The Joint Committee for pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill published its report on 14th December, and we will prioritise introduction of the Bill once we have carefully considered the Committee’s recommendations.We want the internet to be a safe space for all users - we are clear that what is unacceptable offline should be unacceptable online. However, we recognise the complexities in adapting our approach against an ever-changing technological landscape. We have committed to publishing a new Hate Crime Strategy, building on our achievements under the 2016-2020 Hate Crime Action Plan, which improved the response to all forms of hate crime, including online.Whether or not online content relates to an offence contrary to terrorism legislation is a matter for the police to investigate and will be determined by the facts of each case. The Government is however clear that the definition of terrorism within the Terrorism Act 2000 remains fit for purpose and capable of responding to modern forms of terrorism. Serious violence or the threat of serious violence for the purpose of advancing an ideological cause, including where this is inspired by incel beliefs, is capable of satisfying the definition of terrorism. This is a position supported by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Electricity Generation Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the additional electric power that will be needed by 2030 if their targets for (1) electric vehicles, and (2) heat pumps, are met. Lord Callanan: The Government’s Net Zero Strategy sets out how electricity generation by 2030 might need to increase by around 50TWh (or 16%) compared to 2019 levels to meet growing demand, including from electric vehicles and heat pumps. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Land Mines: Bomb Disposal Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of reductions to mine clearance funding. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Since 2018, under the second iteration of the Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP2), the UK has been one of the most generous countries in the world in funding demining. By the end of financial year 2020/21, GMAP2 had invested £124 million in mine action activities, with at least £17 million more to be spent in this financial year. Under GMAP2 the UK has cleared and confirmed safe 435.2 million square metres of land, the equivalent of over 60,952 football pitches, and has delivered risk education messages to over 3.7 million people in communities affected by mines.The FCDO remains committed to continuing its support to mine action across the globe. The Global Mine Action Programme 3 (GMAP3) is due to begin in financial year 2022/23. We are working towards finalising funding and country allocations and will share plans as soon as this work is complete. Cabinet Office Homicide: Young People Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the latest available data on youth deaths by stabbing in (1) London, (2) Birmingham, (3) Coventry, (4) Liverpool, (5) Manchester, and (6) Newcastle, for each of the last five years. Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have, therefore, asked the Authority to respond.Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician The Rt Hon. the Lord Field of Birkenhead CH DLHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW27 January 2022 Dear Lord Field, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what are the latest available data on youth deaths by stabbing in London, Birmingham, Coventry, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle in each of the last five years (HL5661). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes homicide figures where the method of killing was by a knife or sharp instrument sourced from the Home Office Homicide Index, which is a database separate from the main police recorded crime dataset. It contains detailed record-level information about each homicide recorded by the police in England and Wales. It is continually updated with revised information from the police and courts and, as such, is a richer source of data than the main police recorded crime dataset. We do not hold data on homicide by knife or sharp instrument by age below the national level. However, we have provided the estimates for the previous five years for England and Wales in Table 1. These data were published alongside Homicide in England and Wales, year ending March 2020 (1). This article will be updated on 10 February 2022 to include data for the year ending March 2021. Yours sincerely, Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Offences (2) currently recorded as homicide (3) by a sharp instrument, by age (4), year ending March 2016 to year ending March 2020 Apr' 15 to Mar' 16Apr' 16 to Mar' 17Apr' 17 to Mar' 18Apr' 18 to Mar' 19Apr' 19 to Mar' 20 Number of victims Total212216281260275Under 1696671016-17111014171318-243851816178 Source: Home Office-Homicide Index (1) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/homicideinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2020(2) As at 15 December 2020; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available.(3) Home Office statisticians and Police Forces have undertaken a review of all historical homicide data to update court outcomes and suspect data, this means totals shown in this table will not match previously published figures.(4) The age categories that have been used in this table are supplied by the Home Office.UKSA Response to PQHL5661 (pdf, 122.6KB) Civil Servants: Recruitment Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to close the acceptance gap between white students and ethnic minority students who join the Civil Service Fast Stream. Lord True: The proportion of ethnic minority groups overall being appointed to the Civil Service Fast Stream in 2021 was 23.3%, this aligns with the 2019/20 Higher Education Statistics Agency graduate population level of 23.7% for ethnicity. Steps to ensure that students from minority ethnic backgrounds are successful in their application to the Civil Service Fast Stream start with outreach, attraction and marketing activity, which is designed to encourage applications from individuals from all backgrounds and locations. This is undertaken via early stage schools, college and apprenticeship engagement, along with industrial and internship placements. We have developed an inclusive website, social media strategy, and refreshed the target university list for outreach. Further to this, the Cabinet Office is:expanding the range of internships we offer,undertaking cultural bias reviews of our selection processes,increasing assessor diversity, andimproving our fair and inclusive selection processes by incorporating more regional/virtual assessment. Public Sector: Food Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend Cabinet Office Public Procurement Note (PPN) 6/21 reporting so that (1) public sector suppliers report on their food waste, and (2) they encourage the private sector to adopt this approach. Lord True: In the Resources and Waste Strategy, the government committed to consult on introducing mandatory reporting of food waste by certain businesses of an appropriate size. This builds on a voluntary approach to measuring food waste set out in WRAP delivered Food Waste Reduction Roadmap. A consultation on this will be launched in 2022 alongside the Food Strategy White Paper. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Public Footpaths: Rights of Way Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the negative consequences for the existing public rights of way network arising from ending the cross-compliance requirement that recipients of Direct Payments keep paths open and accessible. Lord Benyon: Clear arrangements are already in place through the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to allow for the establishment, recording and appeal of rights of way to agreed standards, and local authorities have responsibility for their maintenance. Local authorities will continue to receive funding through the Revenue Support Grant for their various rights of way duties.We will continue to pay for access and engagement through our existing environmental land management schemes and we will consider how to maintain investment in these areas as part of future schemes. Our ongoing commitment is visible through other funds and activities including through the Nature for Climate Fund, the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, our Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme and through Countryside Stewardship.Alongside this ongoing support, as we continue to develop our new schemes throughout the transition and into the future, contact is being maintained with a range of stakeholders that represent a variety of interests including access, as well as with end users to determine the specific land management actions that will be paid for under our new schemes.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2022-02-04
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2022", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Afghanistan: Bagram Prison Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they exercise control over those detained or interrogated at the Bagram prison site in Afghanistan; and whether NATO is kept informed of their presence. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The issue of detainees at Bagram is a matter for the US and Afghan Governments as the Bagram facility is a US facility. Detentions operations are absolutely vital when conducting counter-insurgency campaigns. The ability to detain suspect insurgents is essential for operational effectiveness in Afghanistan. Counter-insurgency work is vital to international efforts to bring stability to Afghanistan. The US plays a key role in this work. In the case of UK detention operations in Afghanistan, detainees are held in accordance with ISAF guidelines for a maximum of 96 hours and then transferred to the Afghan authorities or released. In exceptional circumstances, and with ministerial authorisation, detention can be extended to allow for gathering intelligence that is vital for the protection of UK forces and Afghan nationals. The UK is clear that all detainees should be treated humanely. Afghanistan: Narcotics Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Border Management Badakhshan, Afghanistan (BOMBAF) will terminate its anti-narcotic activities along the northern Afghan border on 15 December. To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial provision is to be made to allow Border Management Badakhshan, Afghanistan (BOMBAF) to continue its activities in countering narcotics in north-east Afghanistan beyond 15 December. To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the conclusion of the European Union assessment mission in Kabul on the effectiveness of Border Management Badakhshan, Afghanistan (BOMBAF). To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of alternatives to the activities of Border Management Badakhshan, Afghanistan (BOMBAF). Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: BOMBAF Badakhshan is a border management project aimed at developing the capacity of the Government of Afghanistan to facilitate legitimate trade and movement between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, increase revenues through clear and accountable customs taxation, and tackle illegal smuggling (including narcotics). Phase I of the project, which will end on 15 December 2009, has been working to deliver, among other things, three Afghan border check-points (BCPs) in Badakhshan through the provision of infrastructure, equipment and border management training to local Afghan officials. This stage has cost €5.5 million, funded by the European Commission, United Kingdom and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). UNDP have administered the project. The UK contributed £500,000 towards Phase I. A September 2009 assessment of BOMBAF Badakhshan by the European Commission concluded that the infrastructure, equipment and training supplied through the project had provided a good platform for further development of Afghan Border Police operational capacity in Badakhshan. The report identified the need for further funding to enable the project to continue. We understand that the UNDP are in discussions with potential donors about funding for BOMBAF Phase II. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) commends the work of BOMBAF Badakhshan, which has successfully established three operational BCPs in the province. While these BCPs have increased the Afghan Government's capacity to combat cross-border crime (including narcotic trafficking) to Tajikistan, the FCO recognises the continuing need for investment into border management in Badakhshan. This need must however be considered alongside competing demands for UK resources, and as such there are no current plans to provide further funding for BOMBAF Badakhshan. The UK continues to be a major supporter of the Afghan Government's national drug control strategy, and is spending over £27 million in 2009-10 in support of it. This strategy is a comprehensive approach that balances the need to ensure that there are viable alternatives to poppy for farmers with the need to directly target those involved in the drugs trade. Airports: Security Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the security arrangements for going airside at the main London airports are monitored; by whom; and when. Lord Adonis: Transport security arrangements at all UK regulated airports are regulated by the Department for Transport and overseen and monitored by a regular programme of audit and inspection. Alcohol: Fraud Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were prosecuted for alcohol fraud in the United Kingdom in (a) 2006, (b) 2007, and (c) 2008. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office prosecuted the following number of people in the years indicated for alcohol fraud in England and Wales: Year Number of People Prosecuted 2006 15 2007 10 2008 7 Armed Forces: Senior Staff Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officers of the rank of Lieutenant-General and above there are in the Army; and what was the cost of the aggregate of salaries, official residences, official cars and other emoluments in the most recent financial year for which figures are available for all such officers. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officers of the rank of Vice-Admiral and above there are in the Royal Navy; and what was the cost of the aggregate of salaries, official residences, official cars and other emoluments in the most recent financial year for which figures are available for all such officers. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officers of the rank of Air Marshal and above there are in the Royal Air Force; and what was the cost of the aggregate of salaries, official residences, official cars and other emoluments in the most recent financial year for which figures are available for all such officers. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The number of officers of rank Vice Admiral, Lieutenant General, and Air Marshal and above and the cost of their aggregate salaries is contained in the following table: No of Officers Total Salary Total for All 3 Services 47 £6,762,207 Royal Navy 11 £1,526,717 Army 23 £3,322,416 Royal Air Force 13 £1,913,074 Occupants of official service residences hold posts that require them to entertain and accommodate guests including British Royalty, Ministers, politicians, senior representatives of the private sector and officially hosted overseas representatives, to support Ministry of Defence objectives. It is the post and not the residence or the individual which carries the official service residences designation. In 2007-08, this specific group occupied 19 official service residences and the aggregate cost to the department was £2,656,398.07. This is broken down by: Rent £375,174.00 Utilities £68,182.20 Planned Maintenance £63,963.81 Unplanned Maintenance £100,864.09 Improvements £40,098.87 Furniture and Equipment £11,786.00 Fees to consultants and designers, works service managers and for special reports and services £4,481.89 Household Staff £1,991,139.90 Total £2,656,398.07 Official cars are an extension of the office and provide a more private space for senior officers to work in and so make best use of time spent travelling. Costs for these vehicles are held centrally. However, to determine which of those official cars are allocated to this specific group and then obtain the costs associated would require a manual search of records thus incurring a disproportionate cost. For the year 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008, entertainment expenditure relating to this specific group amounted to £77,366.12. A breakdown of the constituent elements of official entertainment is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Autism Lord Astor of Hever: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to involve interested parties outside of Government in the post-consultation phase of the adult autism strategy. Baroness Thornton: The External Reference Group (ERG) was convened to provide external advice and guidance on the content of the department's National Adult Autism Strategy and its communication and implementation. We are very grateful for the invaluable contribution that members of the ERG have made to the development of the autism strategy and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the delivery of that strategy. Consultation with the ERG is a vital part of the development process. We will be looking for them to comment on the draft strategy, as well as discuss how the recommendations from the ERG report will be taken forward. We will also be looking for their input into the communications plan for the launch and dissemination of the strategy, and the consultation on guidance for commissioners and providers, due in late 2010. Bees Lord Taylor of Holbeach: To ask Her Majesty's Government if the outcome of studies into sudden bee colony collapse identifies infection, contagion or invasion as its cause, whether they will support research into the protection of bees. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Food and Environment Research Agency's National Bee Unit (NBU) has been investigating the causes of colony losses in England and Wales over the past two years. The results have shown that the most important risk factor in the mortality or weakening of colonies is deformed wing virus, a virus transmitted by the parasitic varroa mite, clearly indicating failed or unsuccessful treatments of mite infestations. The key results from the investigations into abnormal colony losses will be published on the NBU's website in the near future. Defra recognises that in addition to colony losses, there are a number of factors that influence bee health and therefore has allocated additional funding of £4,000,000 to investigate these issues. This will be used to: implement the first stage of the Healthy Bees plan, which is aimed at protecting and improving bee health over the next 10 years; fund three bee health research projects in 2009-10; and provide a contribution to the insect pollinator initiative on pollinator decline under which, with other funding partners, up to £10,000,000 will be available over the next five years. Biological Weapons Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving to the Royal Society's efforts to secure more regular reappraisal of scientific developments in biological weapons controls. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The Government agree with the Royal Society that new scientific and technological developments relevant to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention need to be reviewed more frequently than every five years, when review conferences are convened. The Government addressed this issue in a Green Paper of April 2002 Strengthening the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention: Countering the Threat from Biological Weapons (Cm 5484). The Government are committed to ensuring that the convention continues to take account of the challenges presented by rapid advancements in the life sciences. We maintain a dialogue with the Royal Society and other relevant institutions on this issue, and the UK will work with partners to address it at the next review conference in 2011. Carbon Emissions: Motorways Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will promote the contribution of moderating driving speeds on motorways to reducing carbon emissions. Lord Adonis: The current national speed limit of 70 miles per hour on motorways reflects a balance between economic, environmental and safety objectives, but we keep this under review. Enforcement of speed limits is a matter for the police. The THINK! campaign is aimed at achieving better compliance with road safety law overall, including speed limits. The Act on CO2 campaign encourages smarter driving, including staying at or below the speed limit to reduce emissions. Census Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what answers they anticipate to the 2011 census to the proposed ethnic group questions "any other Black/African/Caribbean background" and "any other ethnic group"; what "other ethnic group" other than Arabic was considered; and what percentage of respondents to the 2007 census test described themselves as "Gypsy or Irish traveller". Baroness Crawley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Jil Matheson, National Statistician, to Lord Laird, dated December 2009. As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking (a) what answers are anticipated to the 2011 Census to the proposed ethnic group questions "any other Black/African/Caribbean background" and "any other ethnic group"; (b) what "other ethnic group" other than Arabic was considered; and (c) what percentage of respondents to the 2007 census test described themselves as "Gypsy or Irish traveller". (HL699) (a) We would expect a range of different written responses for those ticking the "Any other Black/African/Caribbean background" box and the "Any other ethnic group" box in the 2011 Census question on ethnic group. In 2001, for more than eight in 10 (84 per cent) of those in the "Other Black" group, an ethnic group description was specified in the text box on the census form. The majority (63 per cent) specified a "Black British" ethnic identity. A further 13 per cent were coded to a "Black Mixed" group, indicating mixed ethnicity where both or all ethnicities described are from different black groups. The main write-in descriptions of the "Other Ethnic group" were Filipino (23 per cent), Japanese (21 per cent), Vietnamese (11 per cent), Arab (11 per cent), Middle Eastern (6 per cent), and North African (4 per cent) although we except most east Asian descriptors to be written in under the "Other Asian" space in 2011 and Arab respondents to use the "Arab" tick-box. More information about the 2001 "other" groups can be found in our article Who are the "Other" ethnic groups? which can be downloaded from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/articies/nojournal/other_ethnicgroups.pdf. (b) With space on the census questionnaire limited to only two new tick boxes, and many more demands for tick-boxes than could be accommodated, ONS developed a set of principles by which requirements for new tick box categories for ethnic groups could be assessed and prioritised. These covered: strength of need for information;lack of alternative sources of information;clarity and quality of the information collected and acceptability to respondents; andcomparability with the 2001 Census data. Particular groups which were identified during the consultation with users and also considered for individual tick boxes were: African Cornish East African Asian Eastern European Greek/Greek Cypriot Iranian Jewish Kashmiri Kurdish Latin American Mixed: Black and Asian Mixed: White and Chinese Nepalese Non-European White Sikh Sri Lankan Turkish/Turkish Cypriot Vietnamese Detailed information about the prioritisation process and the ethnic groups which were considered together with the scores obtained are available in Annex A of the Information Paper Deciding which tick-boxes to add to the ethnic group question in the 2011 England and Wales Census. http://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011-census/2011-census-questionnaire-content/question-and-content-recommendations-for-2011/index.html. (c) Less than 1 per cent of respondents to the 2007 test which was carried out in approximately 100,000 households from within the five local authority areas of Bath and North East Somerset, Camden, Carmarthenshire, Liverpool and Stoke-on-Trent recorded themselves as "Gypsy or Irish Traveller". Census Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will print the "tick answer" options such as "choose one" and "tick all" on the 2011 census form in bold and capital letters to reduce incorrect responses. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will add the words "Mixed British" to the proposed ethnic group question title "Mixed/multiple ethnic groups" in the 2011 census, in line with the existing "Asian British" and "Black British" ethnic group options. Baroness Crawley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Jil Matheson, National Statistician, to Lord Laird, dated December 2009. As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking (a) whether "tick answer" options such as "choose one" and "tick all" on the 2011 census form will be printed in bold and capital letters to reduce incorrect responses (HL744); (b) whether the words "Mixed British" wilt be added to the proposed ethnic group question title "Mixed/multiple ethnic groups" in the 2011 census, in line with the existing "Asian British" and "Black British" ethnic group options (HL747). (a) The design of the 2011 Census questionnaire, including fonts, text format and page layout, has been subject to extensive methodological research and testing. In the options you refer to, "one" is in bold type and "tick all that apply" is in a different colour and font. There are no plans, at this late stage, to make any changes to the format of such instructions on the questionnaire. (b) There are no plans to change the wording of this question. Parliament has now approved the Draft Census (England and Wales) Order 2009, which set out the question topics to be asked in the 2011 Census. The title of the "Mixed/multiple ethnic groups" category in the ethnic group question cannot, therefore, be amended at this stage. Central Asia Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current British Council activity in each country of central Asia, including levels of funding; and what plans will be implemented with regard to British Council activity. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: In Central Asia, the British Council has offices in Kazakhstan (Almaty and Astana) and in Uzbekistan (Tashkent), and also delivers small programmes from these centres to Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The British Council also has offices in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which they fund and operate on a regional basis. Grant funding for 2009-10 is approximately £2 million. China: Organ Donation Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether human organs have been imported into the United Kingdom from China in the last three years; if so, how many; which organs; and how they were verified. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will press for the European Union to ban the import of human organs from China until doubts about their origins have been removed. Baroness Thornton: No human organs are or have been imported from China into the United Kingdom. Information is not held in the UK about other Member States in the European Union and from what countries organs are imported for transplant. The European Commission is working with European Union member states to identify and implement a programme of work to improve the quality and safety of organs across Europe; increasing organ availability; and making transplant systems more efficient and accessible. This aims to stimulate joint actions and facilitate co-ordination across member states. Civil Service Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 30 November (WA 8), how many civil servants have been seconded to the transport industries in 2008 and 2009. Lord Adonis: The number of civil servants seconded or on loan to the transport industries* in 2008 and 2009 totals 21, comprising the following breakdown: Year Number 2008 7 2009 14 Total 21 * Transport-related policy areas within UK government departments and their executive agencies, the European Commission, the United States, Australian and Nigerian Government departments. Crime: Drink-Driving Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering reviewing and amending the law on drink-driving. Lord Adonis: I announced on 3 December 2009 in a Written Ministerial Statement (Official Report, cols. WS 139-140) that I have asked Sir Peter North to undertake an independent review of drink and drug driving legislation. The noble Lord will be aware that Sir Peter is an internationally renowned legal expert whose previous studies include the review of road traffic law which led to the Road Traffic Act 1991. The review will examine possible changes to the current provisions, including the case for changes to the legal alcohol limit for drivers and whether there is a need to tighten the law on drug driving. The study will also consider the likely impact of any changes on driver behaviour, and the practical steps needed to support the introduction of any new or revised offences. Sir Peter has been asked to report by the end of March 2010 and we will then consult on his findings and finalise and publish the Government's new road safety strategy. I have placed a copy of the terms of reference for the review in the Libraries of the House. Democratic Republic of Congo Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the final report of the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo, stating that they did not receive co-operation from the United Kingdom Government in identifying telephone numbers in contact with the Rwandan Liberation Democratic Forces military satellite telephones. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The UK welcomes the Group of Experts report, and the thorough research that went into it. Where it has been legally and practically possible to do so, the UK has shared information on the activities of militia groups as requested by the Group of Experts and will continue to co-operate in this way. We have also provided assistance on the ground in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to members of the group. On the telephone numbers in question, we forwarded the request for information to the police, who passed it on to the War Crimes Unit. This process has proven to be a lengthy one and we continue to press for a response. The UK takes its obligations under the DRC sanctions regime very seriously and will not hesitate to support sanctions against any person or company against whom there is sufficient evidence. That could of course include UK-based companies or individuals. Democratic Republic of Congo Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the statement in the final report of the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo that commanders of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) have telephone contact with United Kingdom telephone numbers; and whether they have evidence of United Kingdom funding or the provision of arms for the LRA. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: We are aware of allegations but we have no evidence that any links exist between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and individuals in the UK. The UK takes its obligations under the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) sanctions regime very seriously and will not hesitate to support sanctions against any person or company against whom there is sufficient evidence. That could of course include UK-based companies or individuals. UK has been in touch with the group throughout, and offered as much assistance as possible to it in its enquiries and shared information on the activities of militia groups as requested by the Group of Experts and will continue to do so where possible. We have also provided practical assistance on the ground in eastern DRC to members of the Group of Experts. Democratic Republic of Congo Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they are supporting the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo (GOE) investigating Rwandan Liberation Democratic Forces diaspora networks in the United Kingdom and Europe; how they are providing the GOE with intelligence on links between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and individuals living in the United Kingdom; and what action they will take against individuals in the United Kingdom who are in direct contact with LRA commanders. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The UK welcomes the Group of Experts report, and the thorough research that went into it. Where it has been legally and practically possible to do so, the UK has shared information on the activities of militia groups as requested by the Group of Experts and will continue to co-operate in this way. The UK has been in touch with the group throughout-and offered as much assistance as possible to it in its enquiries. We have also provided practical assistance on the ground in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to members of the Group of Experts. We are aware of allegations but we have no evidence that any links exist between the Lord's Resistance Army and individuals in the UK. The Lord's Resistance Army is not proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK. Nevertheless, we will not hesitate to support sanctions against any person or company against whom there is sufficient evidence. That could of course include UK-based companies or individuals. Education: Home Schooling Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the costs of the Review of Elective Home Education in England by Graham Badman; and what were the costs of the information-gathering exercises which have followed it. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: Following careful consideration Ministers have decided that this information will remain confidential because of the potential impact on those involved in the review. There have been a large number of postings on various websites and blogs harassing Mr Badman and the apparent campaign is continuing. The department will review the position again in the new year. The information-gathering exercise that followed the review did not incur any external costs as it was conducted by departmental officials. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 18 June 2007 (WA 8-9) regarding the distinction between a pronucleus and a nucleus, whether cells containing pronuclei and nuclei are also distinct; and whether it would be accurate to describe the polar body of an oocyte that contains a pronucleus as equivalent to the blastomeres of an embryo that contain nuclei. To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 9 November (WA 111) and the ensuing letter from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) Legal Advisor on 7 December, whether the polar body of an egg is identified as identical to or distinct from the blastomere of an embryo according to paragraph 14.24 of the HFEA's Code of Practice (6th Edition) and the Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry, Volume 53, Issue 3, pages 255-60. To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 9 November (WA 111) and the ensuing letter from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Legal Advisor on 7 December, which professional bodies have consistently described the polar body of an egg as if it was identical to one of the blastomeres from a subsequent embryo; and with what frequency such terms have been used synonymously in academic literature. Baroness Thornton: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it would not be accurate to describe the polar body of an oocyte that contains a pronucleus as equivalent to the blastomeres of an embryo that contain nuclei. The HFEA has also advised that it has never identified the polar body of an egg as being identical to the blastomere of an embryo. The content of professional body guidelines is a matter for the professional bodies themselves and not the HFEA. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have responded to reports in the Independent on 6 December about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and patient protection, suggesting it is too close to the clinics it regulates. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have investigated allegations that Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority inspections are insufficiently rigorous to identify problems in clinics. To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the areas for improvement acknowledged by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's chief executive; and what changes are being made as a result. Baroness Thornton: The Government are aware of the findings of the Hampton Implementation Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), to which the Independent on Sunday's articles refer. Since the review in April 2009, the HFEA's change programme has continued, with many improvements made to the way in which the authority conducts its business. The HFEA has advised that it accepts that there are still areas for improvement, some of which it has already started work on. These include introducing a new risk-based compliance cycle, which the authority will roll out over the next few months. The HFEA has already streamlined its licensing process by introducing an executive licensing panel to approve straightforward licence applications. The members of the authority had initial discussions about the Hampton report at their meeting on 9 December 2009. The members will have a more detailed discussion on the findings at their next meeting on 20 January 2010. The Government are satisfied that the HFEA remains fit for purpose. Emissions Trading Scheme Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what changes they are considering for Phase 3 of the European Union Emission Trading Scheme from the end of 2012. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As part of the EU Climate and Energy Package, in December 2008 EU member states reached agreement on a revised European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS) to apply from 1 January 2013. The revised EU ETS will play an important in meeting the EU's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 20 per cent by 2020. It includes: a centralised, EU-wide cap on emissions with a trajectory declining annually by 1.74 per cent of 2005 emissions. This will deliver an overall reduction of 21 per cent below 2005 verified emissions by 2020;a significant increase in auctioning levels-at least 50 per cent of allowances will be auctioned from 2013; compared to around 3 per cent in Phase II;100 per cent auctioning to the power sector in the UK and across most of the EU from 2013;sectors at significant risk of carbon leakage to receive 100 per cent free allocation, based on an environmentally ambitious benchmark;access to international project credits from outside the EU to be limited to no more than 50 per cent of the reductions required in the EU ETS across 2008-20;the potential for opting out small emitters and hospitals from EU ETS, providing they are subject to equivalent national measures; and inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS from 2012. In the event that the EU moves to a 30 per cent GHG emissions reduction commitment as part of an international agreement on climate change, further changes will be needed to the EU ETS, including tightening the cap to meet the 30 per cent reduction target. Energy: Clean Coal Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they anticipate a demonstration clean coal plant will be built in the United Kingdom. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As set out in the response to the Framework for the Development of Clean Coal consultation (URN09D/806), we are planning on the basis that carbon capture and storage will be ready for wider deployment by 2020. It remains an objective of the CCS demonstration competition for the successful project to be operational by 2014, but this is one of a number of objectives for this project. The successful bid will be the one that best meets these project objectives overall. Energy: Efficiency Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are assessing the system of decentralised energy and cogeneration established in Woking; and whether they will assess its suitability for replication elsewhere. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Woking is one of a number of decentralised energy and cogeneration initiatives of which we are aware and we continue to follow their progress. We believe that such schemes are replicable in a number of areas across the country as described in the energy White Paper 2007, Meeting the Energy Challenge. The Household Energy Management Strategy, the follow-up to the Heat and Energy Saving Strategy consultation will be published in the new year. It will set out work the Government have undertaken to support development of these types of scheme. Faroe Islands: Whaling Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made or will make to the Government of Denmark regarding the practice in the Faroe Islands of injuring and not killing whales as a sport. Lord Davies of Oldham: I am not aware that the practice of hunting whales and dolphins for sport takes place in the Faroe Islands. The Faroese claim that their drive hunts, or grind, provide an important supplement to their diet and whales and dolphins are killed purely for food. However, the UK has long been concerned about the welfare aspects of these hunts, in particular the cruelty involved. Consequently, the UK has made representations on this matter to Denmark, including pressing for improvements in the conduct of the hunts. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the statistics for dental health among 5-year-olds published in October this year showing a further decline in carious teeth in the area of the Southampton City Primary Care Trust from 1.99 dmft in 2003-04 to 1.76 dmft in 2005-06 and most recently to 1.13 dmft in 2007-08, in the light of the decision in February this year by South Central Strategic Health Authority to fluoridate water supplies in Southampton and some neighbouring areas. Baroness Thornton: Oral health is improving but unacceptable inequalities remain. Direct comparisons should not be made between the results of this survey and previous surveys. This was the first survey of children's dental health where parents of children were required to give positive consent to the examination of their children. Experience shows that non-respondents to requests for consent are more likely to be from deprived areas, where there is a tendency for children to have higher levels of dental decay. I understand that the number of general anaesthetic required for tooth extractions in Southampton remains unacceptably high with recent figures from 2006 to 2009 showing that approximately 500 children every year need to have decayed teeth removed. We continue to support South Central Strategic Health Authority's decision to fluoridate a large part of Southampton and parts of south-west Hampshire. Food: Labelling Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what part Ministers are playing in the proposed European Union food labelling regulation under negotiation in Brussels; and when they will make public details of it. Baroness Thornton: Negotiations on the proposed regulation are being taken forward by the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency (FSA)-a non-ministerial government department. Ministers in Her Majesty's Government have been involved through a ministerial committee in developing the negotiating lines for the FSA and Ministers collectively agreed these negotiating lines. Health Ministers have received a regular update from the FSA on the progress of the negotiations. Details on progress in the negotiations are also notified publicly by way of letters to interested parties. These are available on the FSA website at: www.food.gov.uk/foodlabelling/ull/labellingproposals/. Food: Labelling Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the food manufacturing and retailing sectors to agree on a single system of food labelling. Baroness Thornton: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recently conducted a public consultation on front of pack nutrition labelling for pre-packed foods sold through retail outlets, and is currently considering the responses in detail. The matter will be considered by the FSA Board in March 2010, who will then make recommendations to Ministers. Food: Nano-capsules Lord Taylor of Holbeach: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether legislation requires food manufacturers to indicate on the label whether nano-capsules are incorporated into food. Baroness Thornton: European Union/United Kingdom food labelling legislation requires the indication of ingredients used in the manufacture food, but does not require specific indication of the form in which these have been added (e.g. nano-capsules). Food manufacturers are free to make this declaration on a voluntary basis, so long as this is accurate and not misleading. Government Departments: Bonuses Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government for each of the last three years for which figures are available, how many people were eligible for performance bonuses and special bonuses in the Cabinet Office and its agencies, by civil service band; how many people received each type of bonus, by civil service band; what the average payment was for each type of bonus, by civil service band; and what the maximum payment was for each type of bonus, by civil service band. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: An element of the Cabinet Office's overall pay award is allocated to non-consolidated variable pay related to performance. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives. Non-consolidated variable pay awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls, and have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs. The percentage of the pay bill set aside for performance-related awards is based on recommendations from the independent Senior Salaries Review Body and has been increasing year-on-year towards a target of 10 per cent. The table below details how many people were eligible for and received a non-consolidated variable pay award and the average and the maximum payment for a non-consolidated variable pay award, by civil service band, awarded under the Cabinet Office standard pay and performance management process for the last three years of published accounts. 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 SCS Non-SCS SCS Non-SCS SCS Non-SCS Number of staff eligible for performance-pay award 163 1506 161 1,192 153 1073 Number of staff who received a performance-pay award 112 697 123 761 105 638 Average value of a performance-pay award £6,820 £1,211 £7,280 £1,123 £9,260 £1,133 The maximum payment for a performance pay award1 £16,000 £3,408 £18,000 £4,086 £24,000 £3,075 Percentage of SCS paybill set aside for performance pay 6.5% N/A 7.6% N/A 8.6% N/A 1 In addition, an individual employed on a SCS non-standard form of contract, which links a higher than normal percentage of their pay to delivery-based objectives, received a non-consolidated award of £37,000 for their performance in 2006-07 and £50,000 for their performance in 2007-08. I have asked the chief executive of the Central Office of Information (COI) to write to the noble Baroness with the information relating to COI. Copies of the COI letter will be placed in the Library of the House. Guyana: Rainforests Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the proposals of the President of Guyana for maintaining the rainforests of his country. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We welcome the leadership shown by President Jagdeo. Guyana has one of the world's lowest deforestation rates and we want this to continue. We recognise that Guyana needs to reconcile development challenges with the need to keep forests standing in order to help in the fight against climate change. It is therefore essential that Guyana is supported with sufficient incentives to maintain the services that its rainforests provide. The UK welcomes the historic deal struck with Norway to maintain Guyana's forests. Guyana is the first country to submit a draft readiness plan to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, to which the UK contributed £15 million to the FCPF. This will complement the support provided by Norway. Gypsies and Travellers Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what revision to any regional spatial strategy relating to accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers in the south-east of England has been made. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The South East England Partnership Board submitted their review of Policy H7 of the South East Plan-provision of new pitches that each local authority should provide for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople to Government in June 2009. Consultation on the revision closed on 1 September 2009. An examination in public is scheduled to be held in February 2010. Following the examination, the panel will publish a report before further consultation and final publication of the revised policy. Gypsies and Travellers Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government when an order to commence the provisions of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 with regard to Gypsy and Traveller sites will come into force. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government plan to commence Section 318 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 by order on 6 April 2010. Following a period of consultation, the Government also plan to introduce an order that will commence on 6 April 2010 and will make amendments to Schedule 1 of the Mobile Homes Act 1983. This order would be made under Section 2A of the 1983 Act and will therefore be subject to affirmative resolution procedures and debate in both Houses. Health: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis service at the Royal Free Hospital has been instructed to return all CFS/ME patients to community mental health teams in Camden, Islington, Haringey and Enfield; whether the community teams have the resources to treat those patients; whether the action is in line with the report to the Chief Medical Officer on ME/CFS of 2002 or NICE guidelines on ME/CFS; and what action they propose to take to ensure ME/CFS patients are treated in accordance with current guidance. Baroness Thornton: This is a matter for the local National Health Service. Higher Education: Equality Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many further education colleges have been inspected between 2006 and 2009 and found to be failing or sub-standard in meeting their equality obligations; and what action has been taken. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many further education colleges since 2006 have been found to be in non-compliance with statutory equality duties; what enforcement actions have been taken; and what results have been recorded. Lord Young of Norwood Green: The number of colleges inspected between 2006 and 2009 and found to be failing or sub-standard in meeting their equality obligations is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Her Majesty's Chief Inspector to write to you to provide these details and advise you of what action they have taken. Colleges are autonomous bodies responsible for ensuring for themselves that they are fully compliant with statutory duties, including through their governing bodies. The LSC does, however, impose as part of their funding agreement with colleges, a requirement that they must comply with all statutory responsibilities. The LSC is responsible for ensuring this happens. I have therefore written to the LSC asking them to provide you with details of how many colleges have been found to be in non-compliance and what action has been taken. Higher Education: Equality Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what efficiency savings or budget reductions are proposed for further education colleges in 2010-11; and what equality impact assessments have been undertaken to determine the effect on learners in deprived areas. Lord Young of Norwood Green: In 2010-11 financial year after efficiency savings, total investment in adult training places delivered through FE colleges and training institutions will increase by 3 per cent to £3.5 billion compared with 2009-10. As part of Budget 2009 it was agreed that £340 million efficiency savings would be made from the further education (FE) and skills sector in 2010-11 financial year. The Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11 (November, 2009) sets out how this level of savings can be achieved. £100 million of savings will be achieved by reviewing the funding provided to deliver partners, including the Learning and Skills Improvement Service. The remainder of savings will be achieved from the funding routed through the Skills Funding Agency (which will replace the Learning and Skills Council from April 2010) to FE colleges and training institutions. In making these savings we have sought to protect front-line services and focus on improving value for money by only buying high quality provision and maximising the contribution toward training from businesses, who are the main beneficiaries of the skills system. The potential impact of funding changes on FE colleges and training providers and their ability to deliver to priority groups of learners was considered when taking decisions on where savings should be made. At the national level we have ensured that funding is better focussed on provision that will support our priority groups of learners including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, individuals out of work and those with a low level of skills in line with our statutory entitlements. The LSC will now undertake discussions with individual colleges and training institutions to agree funding allocations for the 2010-11 academic year. It is through these discussions that any issues relating to the mix and balance of their provision will be considered. House of Lords: Energy Conservation Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask the Chairman of Committees what steps he will take to promote the energy conservation in the House of Lords; how the House of Lords will economise its use of energy; and whether heating will be adjusted as appropriate to the temperature. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The Management Boards of both Houses have endorsed an Environmental Action Plan and are currently reviewing an environmental policy statement prepared by the Head of Fire Safety and Environment. The policy statement will be considered by the relevant domestic committees in early 2010. Work is also taking place to establish credible baseline figures against which emissions figures can be measured and to identify environmental opportunities across the Parliamentary Estate, including voltage optimisation and energy awareness. This will enable robust long-term environmental targets, including a carbon reduction target, to be set from 2010. Parliament's energy consumption and carbon emissions are already monitored on a monthly basis. In previous years, carbon emissions have risen year-on-year because of increased occupancy of the Parliamentary Estate, IT use and cooling loads, but they appear to be on course to decrease over the financial year 2009-10 for the first time. In the last 18 months, building management systems controlling heating and cooling have been reconfigured; new remote energy meters, kitchen ventilation and lighting controls and energy efficient lighting and movement sensors have been installed; an insulation trial has been initiated as part of the cast iron roofs project; and a feasibility study of the energy supply options has been conducted. On the specific question of temperature, some radiators on the estate have temperature controls but the age of the buildings and the infrastructure make heating a difficult issue. It will be possible to improve the situation through refurbishment of primary and secondary systems over the coming years. House of Lords: Members' Expenses Lord Marlesford: To ask the Chairman of Committees how many Peers who attended the House from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 claimed expenses totalling (a) under £5,000, (b) £5,000-£9,999, (c) £10,000-£14,999, (d) £15,000-£19,999, (e) £20,000-£24,999, (f) £25,000-£29,999, (g) £30,000-£34,999, (h) £35,000-£39,999, (i) £40,000-£44,999, (j) £45,000-£49,999, (k) £50,000-£54,999, (l) £55,000-£59,999, (m) £60,000-£64,999, (n) £65,000-69,999, and (o) over £70,000. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The figures requested are as follows: (a) under £5,000 162 (b) £5,001-£9,999 60 (c) £10,000-£14,999 65 (d) £15,000-£19,999 49 (e) £20,000-£24,999 60 (f) £25,000-£29,999 41 (g) £30,000-£34,999 29 (h) £35,000-£39,999 39 (i) £40,000-£44,999 45 (j) £45,000-£49,999 62 (k) £50,000-£54,999 45 (l) £55,000-£59,999 41 (m) £60,000-£64,999 11 (n) £65,000-£69,999 5 (o) over £70,000 1 Houses of Parliament: State Opening Lord Berkeley: To ask the Chairman of Committees what was the cost to the House of Lords of the State Opening of Parliament on 18 November. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The breakdown of the estimated costs to Parliament of the State Opening on 18 November is set out below. Black Rod's Department £17,000 Department of Facilities (Lords) £4,000 Parliamentary Estates Directorate £271,000 (of which the House of Lords' share is £108,400) Total £292,000 Internet: Broadband Lord Taylor of Holbeach: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the installation of broadband in private homes will not be used by employers to breach the working time directive. Lord Young of Norwood Green: The working time regulations require that employers keep records to show the weekly working time and night work limits are complied with regardless of where an individual works. Employers must also check how a worker's working time is arranged and whether they are able to take the rest breaks they are entitled to. Iraq: Camp Ashraf Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their commitment to train the Iraqi navy takes account of the Government of Iraq's alleged persecution of residents at Camp Ashraf; and what positive results they expect will ensue from that arrangement. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The UK/Iraq Naval Training Agreement forms part of the transition to a broad bilateral relationship between the UK and Iraq, following the withdrawal of British troops in June. Camp Ashraf is part of a sovereign and democratic Iraq and the situation there is a domestic matter for the Government of Iraq, and is an issue for the Iraqi authorities and the camp leadership to resolve. There is no link between the two issues. Iraq: Camp Ashraf Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they classify the residents in Camp Ashraf as not being "protected persons" under the Fourth Geneva Convention; whether that classification takes account of their international obligations; what assessment they have made of the Spanish Central Investigative Court ruling that the residents of Camp Ashraf are "protected persons" under the Fourth Geneva Convention; and whether they recognise the right of that court to investigate the alleged attacks in July by Iraqi forces on the residents of the Camp. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government view is that, with the formal end of hostilities in Iraq and the transfer of responsibility for the camp to the Iraqi authorities, any claim to protected person status has ceased to apply. This is a view also shared by the US. The decisions of the Spanish National High Court are a domestic matter for Spain. It is for the Spanish to judge how they interpret their adherence to the international treaties and conventions to which they are signatories, including any investigations they may commission or carry out. Iraq: Camp Ashraf Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Iraq about the proposal to transfer residents of Camp Ashraf who have lived there for 23 years to another area of Iraq where it is suggested they are in greater danger. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: Officials from our Embassy in Baghdad have raised the issue with the Iraqi Prime Minister and other Ministers and are in regular contact with a number of organisations involved with Camp Ashraf, including the UN Assistance Mission-Iraq, International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. If the residents of Camp Ashraf are to be relocated to another part of Iraq, then it should be done humanely in a manner consistent with applicable law. That is best done through discussions between the Iraqi authorities and the camp leadership. Ireland: Republican Groups Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government in view of an individual having been charged with republican arms offences while being a member of the Irish Army, whether they will have discussions with the government of the Republic of Ireland about possible collusion between that Army and republican groups. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Irish Government have confirmed that an individual charged with offences stemming from the recent successful cross-border policing operation at Garrison, on 21 November, has been formally dismissed from the Irish Reserve Defence Forces. As this case is currently before the courts it would be inappropriate to comment further. Justice: Custody Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to reduce the number of accused persons who are remanded in custody and subsequently found not guilty; and whether there is a person with specific responsibility for that matter. Lord Bach: The purpose of a bail hearing is for the court to determine whether the circumstances of the case and the defendant's history suggest that the defendant presents such a risk to the course of justice or to the safety of the public as to warrant a remand in custody. This issue is entirely separate from the determination of guilt or innocence, which is for the trial alone. The fact that a defendant who has been remanded in custody is subsequently found not guilty does not mean that the remand decision was wrong. While the Government believe that bail should be withheld in all appropriate cases, we also believe that no one should be remanded in custody unless the circumstances justify it. Our approach over several years, therefore, has been to provide bail services that allow the courts to make bail the appropriate decision in more cases. These services include the provision of electronic monitoring of defendants on bail as an alternative to custody and the introduction of bail support and accommodation schemes to provide, where possible and where necessary, suitable addresses to which defendants can be bailed and where they can get help to comply with their bail conditions. National Audit Office Lord Steel of Aikwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the National Audit Office report on services to people with rheumatoid arthritis. Baroness Thornton: The department welcomes the National Audit Office's report into National Health Service provision of services for people with rheumatoid arthritis. The Government are committed to improving care and outcomes for all people with long-term conditions, including people with rheumatoid arthritis. For example, the department has published a good practice commissioning pathway for inflammatory arthritis which supports clinicians in identifying cases of rheumatoid arthritis and ensuring that they are set on the right pathway of care. This describes key symptoms, for example where patients should be referred for urgent treatment. The pathway is also aimed at supporting local implementation of good practice, to improve efficiency, reduce delays, and improve quality of service provision in a safe and effective way. The department has also published Your health, your way-a guide to long term conditions and self care which provides people living with long-term conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, with information about the choices that should be available to them locally to enable them to self care in partnership with health and social care professionals. The guide can be found on the NHS Choices website at: www.nhs.uk/Planners/YourheaIth/Pages/Yourhealth.aspx The department gave evidence to the Committee of Public Accounts on the National Audit Office's report on 23 November and the Government will formally respond to the Committee's report following its publication. NHS: Race and Equality Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS organisations have not met their obligations under the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Equality Act 2006; and what action they propose in that regard. Baroness Thornton: The department does not centrally hold data on how many National Health Service organisations meet their obligations to eliminate discrimination, and promote equality of opportunity and good relations under the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Equality Act 2006. The department does not performance manage the NHS; this responsibility falls to strategic health authorities (SHAs), the majority of which have assurance systems in place for their trust's levels of compliance. Because of the different approaches currently taken in each SHA, it is not possible to aggregate local evidence into a comprehensive national picture. Whole NHS evaluation of content, scope and quality of compliance would be costly and time-consuming, drawing resources away from other work including service delivery. Delivering equality in relation to patients, the public and staff is central to the work of the department, the NHS and social care. All NHS organisations must have due regard to the NHS Constitution, which puts equality at the heart, requiring the provision of "a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of their belief." The Constitution clearly sets out that all staff should be "treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination." To drive up equality performance in the NHS the department has recently established the NHS Equality and Diversity Council, chaired by the NHS Chief Executive, David Nicholson. NHS: Race and Equality Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in appointing black and minority ethnic staff to senior positions in the National Health Service; and what initiatives are being pursued to increase the number of such staff in such positions. Baroness Thornton: The department does not appoint staff to positions within the National Health Service, as this is the responsibility of individual organisations and trusts. The department supports the NHS to operate as an employer of choice, attracting, recruiting and retaining the best talent from all communities. All NHS organisations must have due regard to the NHS Constitution, which puts equality at its heart. The Constitution clearly sets out that staff should "be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination." The newly formed NHS Equality and Diversity Council, chaired by David Nicholson the Chief Executive of the NHS, will be championing equality in the NHS and seeking assurances on future progress. The department funds the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement to run programmes to support black and minority ethnic staff to improve their career prospects, such as Breaking Through and Top Talent. These aim to identify and support NHS staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, who have talent and potential, to develop their careers in the NHS, possibly successfully competing for senior leadership roles. With the NHS Institute, the Kings Fund runs a Transformational Leadership Programme aimed at increasing black and minority executive membership of NHS Boards. The National Leadership Council supports and develops people in leadership roles across the NHS with a priority focus on inclusion. Piracy Lord Astor of Hever: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the civil maritime industry is encouraging British-flagged ships and ships owned by companies based in the United Kingdom to take measures to protect themselves from piracy. Lord Adonis: The civil maritime industry takes the threat of piracy very seriously and is working with the UK Government to revise the Marine Guidance Note 298 on counterpiracy, through the DfT-led National Maritime Security Committee (NMSC). Industry representatives have also recently updated the Best Management Practice to Deter Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the Coast of Somalia (BMP) and have ensured that advice and guidance is widely circulated, encouraging its adoption by both UK and non-UK flagged ships. An increase in the numbers of reports to the UK Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO Dubai) from ships transiting through, and reports of pirate activity in, the Gulf of Aden region illustrates that industry is both aware of, and following, the above guidance. Planning: Open Fibre Ducts Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that all new planning applications can only be approved if the plans allow for open fibre ducts for the supply of broadband and other technology. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Planning Policy Guidance Note 8: Telecommunications (PPG8) advises that in considering planning applications for other forms of development, planning authorities will wish to consider telecommunications issues. Planning authorities should encourage prospective developers of new housing, offices and industrial estates to consider with all relevant telecommunications operators how the telecommunications needs for the occupiers will be met. PPG 8 should be taken into account by local planning authorities in the preparation of local development documents and may be material to individual applications for prior approval and planning permission. It is for local planning authorities to decide on a case by case basis what is material to an individual planning decision and what weight is to be given to particular elements of that decision. Railways: Rolling Stock Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the minimum standards for rolling stock used by railway franchises; and whether different standards apply to significantly used tourist routes such as the Gatwick Express. Lord Adonis: There are no minimum standards for rolling stock used by railway franchises. It is up to the train operating companies to decide what rolling stock they are going to lease and the standard to which they are going to refurbish them. Retail: Charity Shops Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures have been introduced to remove regulatory burdens affecting charity retail shops. Baroness Crawley: Charity owned and run shops receive significant tax concessions, examples include exemption from corporation tax on profits, zero VAT rating on the sale of donated goods and 80 per cent mandatory non-domestic business rates relief if the shop sells "wholly or mainly" donated goods and the proceeds are applied for charitable purposes. The concessions do not apply to shops owned by charities' non-charitable trading subsidiaries. In addition, charities are able to claim Gift Aid on the sale of donated goods in charity shops. The Health and Safety Executive has produced revised guidance Charity and Voluntary Workers-A guide to Health and Safety, and, jointly with the Charities Safety Group, an example risk assessment for charity shops which should make it easier for charity shop workers to ensure that they are meeting all relevant health and safety requirements. The new Charitable Incorporated Organisation, planned for next year, will give charities the advantages of incorporation without the burden of dual regulation by both the Charity Commission and Companies House. More generally, both the Charity Commission and the Cabinet Office (of which Office of the Third Sector is part) are publishing revised simplification plans this month, that indicate the progress made in, and plans for, simplifying regulatory burdens on charities and other third sector organisations. Roads: Motorways Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the annual maintenance costs of the elevated sections of the Midlands Links motorways; and what assessment they have made of the added costs due to traffic delays. Lord Adonis: The annual maintenance costs of the elevated sections of the Midland Links motorways vary depending on the maintenance schemes that have been carried out during the year. Maintenance schemes are divided into major and routine categories. The following amounts have been or are due to be spent on the maintenance of the structures of the Midland Links during the current four year period: 2006-07-£17.5 million;2007-08-£10.5 million;2008-09-£14.5 million; and2009-10-£22.5 million. During this period, the following four major maintenance schemes were carried out. The first three included elements of carriageway surface renewal work: Ray Hall Viaduct Deck Refurbishment (2006-07);Bromford Viaduct Deck Refurbishment (2006-07); Bromford Viaduct Resurfacing (2008-09); andRay Hall Viaduct Structural repairs to concrete supports (2006-07-2007-08). As the surfacing work extended beyond the elevated sections, it is not possible to identify separate figures for this work for these sections. All four schemes had significant effects on traffic flows on the motorway. Other schemes included in the annual figures involved works on the support structures beneath the running lanes of the motorway and thus did not affect motorway traffic flows. As part of the preparation process for all major schemes that have a potential effect on traffic flows on the motorway, the Highways Agency takes into account the level of predicted delays so that they can be minimised. The delay costs for the above schemes have been calculated as follows: Ray Hall Deck Refurbishment-£2.7 million; Bromford Viaduct Deck Refurbishment-£1.51 million; Ray Hall Viaduct Structural Repairs-£23.4 million; and Bromford Viaduct Resurfacing-£1.52 million. The figure of £23.4 million for Ray Hall Viaduct is high because the repairs were to the supports carrying the M6 over the link road from the M6 southbound carriageway to the M5 southbound carriageway. The link road beneath was reduced to one lane for safety reasons, causing unavoidable delays to both M6 southbound traffic and traffic using the link road. None of the annual figures includes routine maintenance, such as minor resurfacing, lighting and drainage, or winter maintenance-that is, salting. Such works are funded from a regional budget for all motorways and are not separated for Midland Links sections. Routine maintenance is generally carried out overnight to minimise delays to motorway traffic. Senior Salaries Review Body Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the salaries and annual expenses of Mr Bill Cockburn and the other members of the Senior Salaries Review Body. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Chairman and members of the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) do not receive annual salaries, but are paid on a daily basis for each day of attendance and work for the SSRB. The Chair is remunerated at £350 and the members at £300 respectively. The number of days worked per year varies depending on workload. In addition, the members have their travel and related essential expenses reimbursed. During the financial year 2008-09 the annual fees and expenses of the SSRB Chairman and members were as follows: Name Fees Expenses Bill Cockburn £10,150.00 £1,110.60 Mark Baker £5,700.00 £900.60 Mary Galbraith £6,600.00 £6,794.72 Mei Sim Lai £6,300.00 £52.50 Mike Langley £6,300.00 £52.50 Jim McKenna £1,200.00 £367.00 Peter North £7,800.00 £1,780.95 Richard Pearson £7,800.00 £696.85 Paul Williams £9,000.00 £585.50 John Baker £700.00 £0.00 Sexual Assault Referral Centres Baroness Gould of Potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department of Health's responsibility for sexual assault referral centres includes responsibility for the care of children and young people who have been sexually assaulted. Baroness Thornton: The Government have committed to rolling out a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in each police force area by 2011. The Department of Health, Home Office and the Crown Prosecution Service work closely together on this programme with advice from the Department for Children, Schools and Families on the specific needs of children and young people where required. Responsibility for the commissioning of Sexual Assault Referral Centres lies in the partnership of police forces, primary care trusts and local authorities. SARCs can be established to provide services to victims of all ages. Quite often, children who may have been sexually abused may have experienced other forms of abuse and would require a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary and multi-agency approach to their care. SARCs which provide services to children and young people need to take account of national guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children, clinical guidelines from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and guidelines from the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH). The Department of Health, Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) jointly published a guide in October 2009, which sets out the minimum elements essential for providing high quality Sexual Assault Referral Centres for adults and children who are victims of sexual assault. A copy of the guide has been placed in the Library. Sufi Muslim Council Baroness Warsi: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 6 July (WA 116), what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the three years of funding for the Sufi Muslim Council; and against what criteria that was measured. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The department requires all Community Leadership Fund projects to produce end of year evaluation reports, regular interim progress reports and a statement of grant usage. Project effectiveness is measured against milestones and outputs agreed between the department and the organisation which are set out in the funding agreement. The Sufi Muslim Council has provided the department with satisfactory reports as required and has delivered the agreed outputs. Terrorism Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 1 December (WA 30), how many cases relating to terrorist offences committed before 10 April 1998 have been prosecuted in (a) Northern Ireland, and (b) England, since that date. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In respect of the information relating to Northern Ireland, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has collected data of this type only since 2002. For cases prior to that date, the PPS is not able to provide the level of detail requested without incurring disproportionate cost. Since 1 January 2002 to date, eight individuals have been prosecuted by the PPS for terrorist-related offences in respect of offending that occurred before 10 April 1998 with two further individuals currently before the courts awaiting trial. A further eight individuals were prosecuted for offending which spanned a period both before and after 10 April 1998. In respect of the information relating to England, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not routinely collate data of this type, and the CPS is not able to provide the level of detail requested without incurring disproportionate cost. Transport: City Centres Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are assessing the priority measures given to trams, buses, bicycles and pedestrians in certain city centres with a view to their wider adoption. Lord Adonis: The design, installation and any performance assessment of priority measures is a matter for the local highway authority. It is for them to decide what type of priority measures to provide for particular modes of transport. There is a wide range of engineering and other measures available to local highway authorities to help provide priority to different groups where necessary or desirable. These have been developed over many years and the Department for Transport has published guidance covering good practice in design and installation. These include local transport notes and traffic advisory leaflets, which provide information on the performance of such measures on the ground.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2009-12-16a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2009", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Abortion Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 6 February (WA 3) which stated that "safe abortion reduces recourse to unsafe abortion and thus saves lives", whether their policy position is also that safe abortion is a suitable option to reduce the risk of physical and mental harm where a child has been conceived as a result of rape. Baroness Northover: The Department for International Development's (DfID) position is that safe abortion reduces recourse to unsafe abortion and thus saves maternal lives. The July 2011 DfID practice paper clearly outlines the UK policy position on safe and unsafe abortion in developing countries. However, access to safe and legal abortion in the circumstances above depends on an individual country's legislation and policy. Abu Qatada Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to appeal against Mr Justice Mitting's decision of 6 February that Mr Abu Qatada should be granted bail. Lord Henley: The Government were disappointed that the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) decided to bail Abu Qatada. However, the bail conditions are among the most stringent imposed for anybody facing deportation from the UK. Abu Qatada will only be allowed out of his house for two one-hour periods each day. He will not be allowed to access the internet or any electronic communication devices. He will not be allowed to travel outside an approved boundary. Visitors will need to be approved under very strict conditions. He will be subject to a specific condition stopping him going to mosques or leading group prayers. There is very little prospect of successfully challenging SIAC's decision to bail, but if Abu Qatada breaches any of these conditions he will be arrested. Abu Qatada Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Abu Qatada is a British citizen; when Abu Qatada was first convicted in Jordan for his purported role in bomb plots; when Abu Qatada entered the United Kingdom; when the wife and family of Abu Qatada entered the United Kingdom; and whether Abu Qatada and his family were given the right to become resident in the United Kingdom. Lord Henley: Abu Qatada is not a British citizen and does not have the right to reside here. He came to the UK in 1993 on a false passport. Qatada was tried in absentia by the Jordanian authorities in two separate trials in 1999 and 2000. He was found guilty of terrorism offences, including involvement in the bombings of the American School and the Jerusalem Hotel in Amman in 1998 and conspiracy to cause explosions at western and Israeli targets in Jordan to coincide with the millennium celebrations. The Home Office will not comment on the status of Qatada's family. Accidents: Home Accidents Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the recent call by the chief executive of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents for the Government to tackle the "hidden epidemic of home accidents". Earl Howe: The Government are taking steps to improve the health and well-being of the population through their reforms to the health and social care system and through policies across government to support health and safety, including home safety. Local authorities, advised by directors of public health, and supported by ring-fenced public health budgets, will have responsibility for improving the health and well-being of their local populations, including through injury prevention in the home. This will involve working in partnership with local organisations, and developing local strategies with the support of health and well-being boards and the use of joint strategic needs assessments. This is supported by the published Public Health Outcomes Framework, which includes indicators on reducing hospital admissions due to injury for under-18s and reducing falls for the over-65s. Aerospace Industry Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to build upon their efforts to encourage employers to take on young apprentices in aerospace-related industries, especially in small and medium-sized aviation firms. Baroness Wilcox: Aerospace and aviation is one of the sectors we are targeting in the second round of bidding for a share of the £6 million Higher Apprenticeship Fund recently announced by the Prime Minister. Small firms in these industries will also be able to access the new incentive of £1,500 to hire their first young apprentices. Backed with £6 million of financial support from BIS (via the Skills Funding Agency) Rolls Royce is developing a new, state-of-the-art apprentice academy. This will enable the company to train additional apprentices, beyond its own requirements, to feed the wider supply chain. We are also working closely with SEMTA (the sector skills council) and ADS (the national trade association for aerospace), through a Sector Skills Group, to help the UK aerospace industry to secure the workforce it needs. Aerospace Industry Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage aerospace firms to visit schools and talk to pupils about their work and the skills they require in their employees. Baroness Wilcox: Many of our aerospace companies have close links to schools and arrange visits and talks with pupils and students about the UK aerospace industry, the nature of the highly skilled jobs involved, the opportunities for careers, and the range of routes to entry; including through apprenticeships and at technician and graduate level. As part of the Aerospace Growth Partnership, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is working jointly with industry on a range of issues. These include looking at ways in which government and industry can work together to increase public understanding of the sector and the opportunities it offers. To build on this activity, and to highlight the diversity of careers available, we are working with businesses across the UK advanced manufacturing base to open their doors to young people, teachers and careers advisers through the "See Inside Manufacturing" programme. As part of this, it has been agreed that the aerospace sector will hold a series of special events for schools in June. BIS is also a sponsor of Futures Day to be held on Friday 13 July at the Farnborough International Airshow. This will host 10,000 young people (aged 11 to 21) from schools, universities and youth groups. They will participate in a range of interactive events showing how STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects have a direct impact in the real world, as well as conferences, and a careers fair. Afghanistan Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any British companies are negotiating with the Government of Afghanistan concerning mining or metallurgical projects; and what action they are taking to ensure that all future contracts and concessions will be transparent and comply with the European Union transparency directive, taking into account the reasonable interests of local communities. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are not aware of any British companies currently negotiating with Afghanistan on any mineral resource projects. At the international conference on Afghanistan, held in December 2011 in Bonn, the international community committed itself to support Afghanistan's efforts to develop a transparent and accountable regulatory framework to guarantee that its mineral wealth directly benefits the Afghan people. The UK, along with other member states, is currently considering a proposal for improving transparency in the extractives industry as part of the revisions to the European Union accounting and transparency directives. Afghanistan: UN Mediator Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will support the appointment of a United Nations mediator for Afghanistan to negotiate with all internal and external parties to the recent war. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave on 30 June 2011 (Official Report, col. WA457). Air Quality Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many premature deaths are caused by poor air quality in London each year. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Laird, dated February 2012. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many premature deaths are caused by poor air quality in London each year. (HL15817) The accurate reporting of mortality statistics depends on the complete recording of all relevant causes of death by medical practitioners and coroners. Medical practitioners are required to complete the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) to the best of their knowledge and belief. Internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation requires only those conditions that contributed directly to death to be recorded. The MCCD is not designed to collect information on risk factors or exposures related to the development of disease, such as exposure to air pollution. It is therefore not possible to provide an answer to your question based on information collected at death registration. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) state that the most important air pollutant in terms of health effects is particulate matter (PM-ie particles emitted from vehicle exhausts or chimneys or formed in the air from reactions between other pollutants). Estimates indicate that air pollution reduces life expectancy in the UK by an average of six months. Further information on the health effects of air pollution can be found on the DEFRA website and in the following reports: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/air- quality 'Long-term exposure to air pollution: effect on mortality' (2009), the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP), available at: http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/pdfs/finallongtermeffectsmort2009report.pdf 'An Economic Analysis to inform the Air Quality Strategy' (2007) DEFRA, available at: http://archive. defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/airquality/publications/stratreview-analysis/index.htm Alcohol Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what new proposals they have about the issue of binge drinking. Earl Howe: The Government will set out their proposals on tackling the problems associated with alcohol misuse in the forthcoming alcohol strategy. We expect to publish the Government's alcohol strategy in the first months of this year. Alcohol Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will provide an estimate of the additional revenue that would be raised by an increase in duty of 20 per cent on all alcoholic drinks; whether they estimate that such an increase would reduce the consumption of alcohol, and if so, by how much; and what they estimate would be the impact on expenditure on healthcare and criminal justice. Lord Sassoon: The estimated revenues from increasing alcohol duties are published after duty rate decisions have been made and the estimates have been approved by the Office for Budget Responsibility. For an indication of the effect of a 1 per cent increase in duty on all alcoholic drinks, I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 5 December 2011(WA103). The effects of a 1 per cent increase in duties, however, cannot be used directly to derive the effects of a 20 per cent increase. The Government's assessment of the available evidence on the impact of increasing alcohol prices on social outcomes has been set out in the Home Office report available online at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.ik/publications/alcohol-drugs/alcohol/impacts-alcohol-price-review?view=Binary. On balance, the evidence suggests that increases in alcohol prices are linked to decreases in harms related to alcohol consumption. However, these relationships are not always straightforward and there is no automatic mechanism translating duty rates increases to savings in public expenditure. Apprenticeships Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor equality of access to apprenticeship schemes. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 31 January 2012 at: http://www. thedataservice.org. uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current. The supplementary tables for the SFR contain data on apprenticeship starts and completions by age, gender, ethnicity and learners with learning difficulty and/or disabilities (LLDD). Her Majesty's Government are taking steps to increase equality of access to apprenticeships. The National Apprenticeship Service has established a number of pilots with the specific aim of increasing diversity in the background of people applying for apprenticeships. The pilots will finish this spring. The pilots focus on three areas: gender, black and minority ethnic groups and vulnerable young people, including those with learning disabilities and/or difficulties. They are trialling a number of activities aimed at reducing inequalities within apprenticeships. The Minister for Apprenticeships, John Hayes, has received regular updates on the progress of the diversity pilots and will consider the recommendations from the final report due next month. My department will work closely with all our partners to implement recommendations from the pilots to improve equality of access to apprenticeships. Any new policies will be subject to an equality impact assessment. Armed Forces: Aircraft Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether extra costs were incurred at Kandahar airfield to enable it to operate Tornado aircraft instead of Harriers; and, if so, how much. Lord Astor of Hever: We continually make infrastructure improvements to Kandahar airfield. It is not possible to isolate specific costs related solely to Tornado. Armed Forces: Aircraft Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 14 February (HL15261), whether they consider the Royal Navy Merlin Mk 2 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) force a high-end airborne ASW platform. Lord Astor of Hever: The Merlin Mk2 Helicopter is a high-end airborne platform for localised Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). Merlin plays an important role in the United Kingdom's layered approach to ASW and, as part of a High Readiness Task Group, Merlin can provide airborne persistence. Armed Forces: Aircraft Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 14 February (HL15261), whether they intend to create a new RAF capability for anti-submarine warfare (ASW); or whether they intend to extend the Royal Navy's existing ASW capability to embrace any future need for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or fixed-wing capability. Lord Astor of Hever: Following the removal of Nimrod from service, the department has conducted a number of studies into the resulting capability implications, but no decision has been made on whether a long-term manned or unmanned replacement for the Maritime Patrol Aircraft is required. Armed Forces: Medals Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 7 February (WA 31), when they expect to conclude their deliberations and reach a decision in connection with the wearing of the Merchant Navy Medal. Earl Attlee: Further to my Answer of 7 February, Her Majesty's Government are actively taking forward this issue. The granting of honours and decorations is a prerogative power of the Sovereign and due process must be followed. Armed Forces: Staff Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the job titles of all senior officers in HM Forces at the rank of three star and above. Lord Astor of Hever: The information requested is provided in the following table. Job titles of all senior officers in HM Forces at the rank of three star and above. Appointments at Three Star and Above Navy Appointments First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff Commander in Chief Fleet and Commander Allied Maritime Command Northwood (NATO) Second Sea Lord and Commander in Chief Naval Home Command Deputy Commander in Chief Fleet and Chief of Staff Navy Command Headquarters Army Appointments Chief of the General Staff Commander Land Forces Team Leader Army 2020 Adjutant General Commander Force Development and Training RAF Appointments Commander-In-Chief Air Chief of the Air Staff Deputy Commander-In-Chief Operations Deputy Commander-In-Chief Personnel/Air Member for Personnel MoD Centre Appointments Surgeon General Chief of Defence Intelligence Chief of Defence Staff Vice Chief of Defence Staff Defence Senior Adviser to the Middle East Director General Military Aviation Authority Headquarters UK Military Representative NATO Headquarters Deputy Chief of Defence Staff Capability Deputy Chief of Defence Staff Personnel and Training Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) Chief of Defence Intelligence Joint Force Command Deputy Commander Defence Equipment & Support Appointments Chief of Materiel (Fleet) (and Chief of Fleet Support on the Navy Board) Chief of Materiel (Land) and Quartermaster General Chief of Materiel (AIR)/Air Member for Material Permanent Joint Headquarters Appointments Chief of Joint Operations, PJHQ Deputy Commander International Security Assistance Force and United Kingdom National Contingent Commander - Afghanistan Commander Joint Force Command Headquarters NATO, EU and International Appointments Chief of Staff Supreme Allied Commander (Transformation), NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Armed Forces: Staff Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the job titles of all officers in HM Forces at the rank of two star. Lord Astor of Hever: The information requested is provided in the following table. Job titles of all officers in HM Forces at the rank of two star. Appointments at Two Star Navy Appointments Commander (Operations) Chief of Staff (Capability) Chief of Staff (Aviation) Chief of Staff (Personnel) & Naval Secretary Commander UK Maritime Force Flag Officer Sea Training Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England & Northern Ireland and Flag Officer Reserve Forces Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff Commander UK Amphibious Force Defence Reform (Maritime) Implementation Team Leader (short term post ends August 2012) Army Appointments Assistant Chief of the General Staff Chief of Staff Land Forces General Officer Commanding 1st (UK) Armoured Division General Officer Commanding 3rd (UK) Division General Officer Commanding Theatre Troops Deputy Commander Land Forces (Reserves) Director General Personnel Military Secretary Chaplain General Director General Army Medical Services Director General Army Legal Services General Officer Commanding Support Command (Designate) General Officer Commanding 2nd Division General Officer Commanding London District and Major General The Household Division General Officer Commanding British Forces Germany Director General Capability Director General Army Recruiting and Training Commandant Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Director General Logistics, Support and Equipment Commander Joint Helicopter Command RAF Appointments Air Officer Commanding 1 Group RAF High Wycombe -Joint Combat Aircraft Study Director of Legal Services Air Officer Commanding 22 Group (Training) Chief of Staff Health/Director General Medical Services Chief of Staff Capability Assistant Chief of Air Staff Air Officer Commanding 2 Group Director General Chaplain Services Chief Of Staff Personnel Executive Officer/Chief Engineer Air Command HQ MoD Centre Appointments Director (Precision Attack) (& Controller of the Navy on the Navy Board) Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Intelligence Capability) Director Operations Group, Military Aviation Authority Head of the British Defence Staff (Washington) & Defence Attache Deputy Chief Executive UK Hydrographic Office (and National Hydrographer) Director Training & Education (Post ends 30 March 2012) Senior Directing Staff (Naval), Royal College of Defence Studies Senior Directing Staff (Army) Royal College of Defence Studies Senior Directing Staff (Air) Royal College of Defence Studies Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Nuclear & Chemical, Biological) Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets) Director Special Forces Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy) Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Strategy and Plans) Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Global Issues) Director Battlespace Manoeuvre and Master General of the Ordnance Director Defence College of Management and Technology Senior British Loan Service Officer (Oman) Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Health) Director of the Oman Typhoon Project Team Assistant Chief of Defence Staff Strategy Defence Concepts & Doctrine Commander Joint Medical Command Director Information Superiority Assistant Chief of Defence Staff Operations Commandant Joint Services Command and Staff College Military Aviation Authority Director of Technical Airworthiness Chief Executive Service Personnel and Veterans Agency Climate & Energy Security Envoy (seconded to FCO; post ends 30 March 2012) Defence Equipment & Support Appointments Director Submarines Chief of Strategic Systems Executive Director Land Equipment Director Information Systems and Services Director Joint Support Chain Director Materiel Strategy Director Combat Air Assistant Chief of Defence Staff Logistics Operations Permanent Joint Headquarters Appointments Chief of Staff (Operations), PJHQ Chief of Staff Headquarters Joint Forces Command Chief of Staff Headquarters ISAF Joint Command Senior British Military Adviser United States Central Command Deputy Force Commander United Nations Mission Democratic Republic Congo (MONUC) Director Joint Warfare Commander British Forces Cyprus NATO, EU and International Appointments Deputy Chief of Staff, Force Readiness, Supreme HQ Allied Powers Europe, NATO Deputy Director EU Military Staff Chief of Staff Maritime Component Command Naples, NATO Deputy Commander Striking Force NATO Director Force Reintegration, HQ International Security & Assistance Force, Afghanistan Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Representative Europe Chief of Staff Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Deputy Commander NATO Rapid Deployment Corps - Italy Defence Infrastructure Organisation Appointments Head Strategic Asset-Management and Programme Team Armed Forces: Tanks Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they assess to be the transitional and planning costs associated with the introduction of 400 tanks of a new advanced type not already in an existing inventory. Lord De Mauley: Introduction of any new equipment capability to the defence inventory, including tanks, must take into account the planning and resourcing of all associated defence lines of development. These include training, infrastructure, logistic and technical support, doctrine and personnel, as well as initial acquisition costs. For a programme of 400 tanks, these costs would be significant, although it is not possible for the Ministry of Defence to estimate them with any accuracy without significant additional information about the equipment programme and related defence infrastructure, not least because the UK has not undertaken an equivalent programme in recent years. Arms Trade Treaty Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to encourage a comprehensive arms trade treaty in July. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK is fully committed to securing a robust and effective Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The UK delegation has played an active and constructive role in all the preparatory committee meetings and good progress has been made towards an ATT; including securing a joint P5 statement in support of the United Nations process. We continue to engage with key states, both bilaterally and multilaterally, ahead of the crucial negotiating conference in July 2012; while also working closely with civil society and the UK defence industry to build widespread support for the treaty. Bahrain Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 7 February (WA 31), whether it is their policy to raise individual cases with some Governments but not with the Government of Bahrain. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government are committed to supporting human rights defenders, and we have raised human rights issues with the Government of Bahrain at ministerial and senior official levels. Bailiffs Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government , following their publication of new National Standards for Enforcement Agents, what steps the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Communities and Local Government will take to ensure that they are adopted by HM Courts and Tribunals Service, local authorities and other public bodies that use bailiffs. Lord McNally: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals have service contracts with private bailiff companies. These contracts set out the standards of conduct and behaviour required and includes the National Standards for Enforcement Agents. Alongside this, the Department for Communities and Local Government is reviewing what guidance is provided to local authorities on council tax. A consultation paper Transforming Bailiff Action published on 17 February seeks wider views on the content of the National Standards for Enforcement Agents as well as proposals to simplify and clarify the enforcement process, improve the accountability of enforcement agents and address unnecessary or inappropriate enforcement activity. Banking Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking action to review the methods used to calculate the London Interbank Offered Rate for currencies and to establish whether bank customers have been financially disadvantaged. Lord Sassoon: The Financial Services Authority and other national authorities are investigating the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) setting mechanism. EU antitrust regulators are also examining this issue. The setting of LIBOR is not a regulated activity under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The methods used to calculate LIBOR are publically available, as are the data made available by contributor banks. The process is regularly reviewed by market participants. Banking: World Bank Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations about the selection of the President of the World Bank with reference to (1) criteria for professional applications, relevant proven experience, expertise, global credibility and character, and (2) a transparent method of selection; and, if so, to whom and on what basis. Baroness Rawlings: Britain supports an open, merit-based and transparent selections process for the selection of the next World Bank President. In April 2011 the World Bank Board agreed criteria for selection of the President. These include i) a proven track record of leadership and experience managing large international organisations, ii) the ability to articulate a clear vision of the Bank's development mission and iii) effective co-operation and diplomatic communication skills. The World Bank Board also approved a process for shortlisting candidates, holding interviews and final selection. This is available on the World Bank website. Banks: Green Investment Bank Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Wilcox on 9 February (HL 15482), whether they will list the 32 locations that have put themselves forward for consideration as the location for the Green Investment Bank. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The following locations have put themselves forward for consideration as a location for the Green Investment Bank: Bicester Birmingham Brighton Bristol Cardiff Chester Cornwall Coventry and Warwickshire Derby Durham Edinburgh Gloucester Hull Ipswich Leeds Leicester Liverpool London Manchester Milton Keynes Newcastle Norwich Nottingham Peterborough Renfrewshire Sheffield Southampton Stoke-on-Trent Sunderland Tees Valley Torbay Warrington Banks: Lending Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the Lending Code and its application to consumers unable to pay off all their credit card debt each month. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The Lending Code, the latest edition of which was issued in March 2011, sets out minimum standards of good practice for lenders, including credit card providers. A key commitment in the code is that firms should act sympathetically and positively when considering a customer's financial difficulties. It is important to note that not paying the outstanding credit balance in full each month is the customer's choice and is not, in itself, an indicator of financial difficulties, although an inability to meet the required minimum payment or only meeting the minimum payment over an extended period could be. The code requires credit card providers to include on the monthly statement a warning about the risk of making only minimum payments. Section 9 of the code sets out the support that should be provided to customers who experience financial difficulties and requires firms to make contact with customers who believe they may be in or could be at risk of getting into financial difficulties. The support provided by the firm under the code should be proportionate to the severity of the customer's problems. As a self-regulatory code, compliance with the terms of the Lending Code is independently monitored by the Lending Standards Board. The Lending Code Sponsors publish short guides which set out in plain English for consumers what to expect from lenders, including credit card providers, who follow the Lending Code. Banks: Lending Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the continued decline in bank lending is a function of reduced demand for credit or reduced supply; and whether they believe higher profit margins and credit terms required by banks have contributed to the decline in bank lending. Lord Sassoon: The Government are committed to improving the flow of credit to businesses that need it in order to grow. Last year the Chancellor announced a commitment by the UK's biggest high street banks on lending expectations and capacity. As part of this agreement the banks committed to lend £l90 billion of new credit to businesses in 2011, of which £76 billion was to be to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The latter was a 15 per cent increase on 2010 lending of £66 billion. The Bank of England published the total Merlin figures on 13 February 2012. They show that in 2011 UK banks lent over £214 billion to British businesses -a 20 per cent increase compared with 2010, and exceeding the overall lending target by £24 billion. Figures also show a 13 per cent increase in SME lending compared with the year before, with SME lending rising to over £74 billion. The Chancellor has also announced a package of credit-easing interventions worth up to £21 billion to improve the flow of credit to businesses that do not have ready access to capital markets including: A National Loan Guarantee Scheme (NLGS), which will lead to reductions in the cost of bank loans for smaller businesses (those with turnover of up to £50 million). The scheme will allow banks to raise up to £20 billion of funding with a government guarantee, to lend directly to smaller businesses at a lower cost. In many cases this will lead to a reduction of up to 1 percentage point on business loan rates. More information regarding the NLGS will be announced at Budget.A Business Finance Partnership (BFP), initially of £1 billion, to deliver additional finance to mid-sized businesses through non-bank lending channels. The BFP will initially co-invest, with private sector investors like insurance companies, in loan funds that will lend directly to mid-sized businesses. Banks: Lending Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider instructing the Bank of England to introduce a United Kingdom equivalent of the European Central Bank's Long-term Refinancing Operation to encourage increased bank lending at competitive rates. Lord Sassoon: The Bank of England is independently responsible for operations in the sterling money markets. These are designed to implement the Monetary Policy Committee's decisions in order to meet the inflation target; and to provide short-term liquidity insurance to the banking system to support financial stability. The Bank of England's asset purchase scheme has ensured UK banks have access to a substantial amount of liquidity. BBC: Licence Fee Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was collected under the BBC television licence fee in each of the last five years, including from those covered by the Government subsidy for the over-75s; and from how many payees. Baroness Rawlings: According to the BBC's annual report and accounts for each year, the figures are as shown in the following tables. The use of two tables in the answer reflects the fact that the BBC changed the measure for recording the number of licences from millions to thousands in its annual reports. Table one Year Total licence fee income (£m) 75 and over (£m) (included in total income column) *(l) Total number (000's) of licences in force*(2) 2010-11 3,513.4 579.4 25,594 2009-10 3,446.8 556.4 25,459 2008-09 3,493.8 532.9 25,364 Table Two:*(2) Year Total licence fee income (£m) 75 and over (£m) (included in total income column) *(1) Total number (m) of licences in force *(2) 2007-08 3,368.8 508.4 25.3 2006-07 3,242.9 486.6 25.1 *(1) Includes receipts from Guernsey and the Isle of Man which are excluded from DWP payments. *(2) Rather than number of licence sales. BBC: Licence Fee Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Garden of Frognal on 24 January (WA 219), what percentage of collected BBC television licence fee payments for 2011 will be spent in pursuance of the decision by the BBC Trustees to subsidise the BBC pension scheme with £905 million of additional employer contributions to cover its liabilities; and whether they have made any representations about whether any loss of BBC programme-making capacity may result. Baroness Rawlings: The Government have made no assessment of what percentage of the licence fee will be spent on the BBC pension scheme, nor made any representations about any consequences for programme-making capacity. These are matters for the BBC and there is no provision for government to intervene. BBC: Licence Fee Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Government provided to the BBC under their policy of subsidising television licence fees for British citizens aged over 75 in each of the past five years; for how many people each year; and how the amount is calculated. Lord Freud: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) paid the following amounts to the BBC in respect of the following numbers of beneficiaries in the past five years: Year GB NI Total 2006-07 Value (£) 473,898,313 11,544,136 485,442,449 Numbers 3,950,209 93,646 4,043,855 2007-08 Value (£) 495,164,499 12,072,114 507,236,613 Numbers 3,901,506 92,803 3,994,309 2008-09 Value(£) 518,995,581 12,696,902 531,692,483 Numbers 3,969,986 95,057 4,065,043 2009-10 Value (£) 541,881,866 13,240,953 555,122,819 Numbers 4,071,493 97,069 4,168,562 2010-11 Value (£) 564,247,936 13,886,057 578,133,993 Numbers 4,124,297 99,198 4,223,495 The above data are derived from the BBC's audited summary of accounts; the values, which have been rounded to the nearest pound, are reconciled to DWP payment data. The values do not include figures for Guernsey and the Isle of Man (which are not funded by the DWP); values for Guernsey and the Isle of Man are, however, included in the BBC's annual report. The numbers represent the number of licences issued rather than the number in force at any one time. The above information has been calculated by the BBC on the basis of independently audited actual expenditure data. BBC: Licence Fee Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the BBC regarding the charge of £5 for payment of the television licence fee by quarterly direct debit and not for payment by credit card. Baroness Rawlings: Government have not made any representations. BBC: World Service Trust Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 28 November 2011 (WA 2-3), why the business case for the grant of £90 million to the BBC World Service Trust was not published on the Department for International Development website; and whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the business case and the initial correspondence on the decision to make the grant. Baroness Northover: The business case for the £90 million grant to BBC Media Action (formerly knows as the World Service Trust) is on the Department for International Development website. The business case appears as the first entry in a search for BBC in the project database. The business case and the initial proposal from BBC Media Action will be deposited in the Library of the House. BBC: World Service Trust Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Garden of Frognal on 19 December (WA 296) and the deposited paper DEP2012-0004 of 19 December 2011, whether they are satisfied with the arrangement that it is a matter for a member of the BBC Trust to decide themselves whether they are in violation of paragraph 7.1 of its code of practice on the appropriateness of their active involvement "in partisan political activities of a significant and continuing nature." Baroness Rawlings: Yes. The BBC's governing instruments, the Royal Charter and Agreement, place broad obligations on the corporation in respect of its television and radio services, objectives, programme content and standards. Within this framework such decisions remain a matter for the BBC Trust, reflecting its independence from Government. Benefits Lord Newton of Braintree: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will estimate the average gross earnings equating to the proposed benefit cap plus child benefit for (1) a couple and (2) a lone parent, where the number of children is (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five, and (f) six. Lord Freud: The information is in the following table: Number of Children Net Benefit Paid, £ per year Gross Earnings Equivalent, £ per year 0 26,000 35,000 1 27,100 36,600 2 27,800 37,600 3 28,400 38,600 4 29,100 39,600 5 29,800 40,700 6 30,500 41,700 The household benefit cap as applicable to both couples and lone parents is estimated to be £500 per week, or around £26,000 per year, from April 2013. Figures are based on benefit rates as modelled in the financial year 2013-14, when the household benefit cap is due to be implemented, starting from an assumed benefit income of £26,000 per annum in non-child related support for both singles and couples alike. The figures assume that child benefit is paid at £20.30 per week for the first child (£1,055.60 per year) and £13.40 per week for subsequent children (£696.80 per year). Gross earning equivalent figures are based on tax and national insurance contribution rates and thresholds, for an employee not contracted out of S2P, and as modelled in the financial year 2013-14. All figures are in 2013-14 prices and are rounded to the nearest £1,000 throughout. British Embassies Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are staff designated to deal with issues specific to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in any of the United Kingdom's embassies and high commissions abroad. Lord Howell of Guildford: As per the Memorandum of Understanding on devolved Administrations, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) represents the whole of the UK as foreign policy is not a devolved matter. No members of FCO staff are designated to work exclusively on issues related to the devolved Administrations. However, our network of embassies and high commissions also includes staff employed by the devolved Administrations. Scotland The Scottish Government have, under the auspices of the Scottish Affairs Office, four staff (two locally employed) at our embassy in Washington and a further two in the British Consulate in Toronto. In our embassy in Beijing there are two accredited staff. There are also 12 staff working under the umbrella of the United Kingdom's Permanent Representation to the European Union (UKRep) in Brussels. Wales There are nine staff (two locally engaged) working within UKRep Brussels. Wales also has a United States Representative Office for the First Minister, based at our Consulate-General in New York, which houses five staff. There is also a Wales Affairs Officer in New Delhi and a Welsh Trade and Investment Officer working at our embassy in Dubai, both funded by the Welsh Government. Northern Ireland There are six staff (three locally employed) working for the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington and New York. In Washington they are not located within our embassy but the officer in New York is based in the Consulate-General. The Northern Ireland Executive currently have five staff working under the umbrella of UKRep Brussels with a further four arriving shortly. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any information about the alleged killing by the Burmese army of Saw Pah Kok, an ethnic Karen villager, in Burma on 29 October 2011. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are aware of media reports regarding the alleged killing of Saw Pah Kok by the Burmese army. However, we have not been able to verify these reports. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) emphasised the importance of an end to conflict, humanitarian access, political dialogue and national reconciliation during his visit in January of this year. We continue to raise our human rights concerns directly with the Government. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Burma regarding human rights abuses, discrimination and racism against the Rohingya people. Lord Howell of Guildford: During his visit to Burma in January of this year, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) raised the discrimination suffered by the Rohingya community, who have been denied citizenship and access to basic services and rights, directly with the Burmese Foreign Minister. The Foreign Secretary also met a range of representatives from ethnic communities, including the Kachin, Rohingya, Shan, Rakhine, Chin, Mon, Karen and Karenni to hear more about their concerns and aspirations. We will continue to stay close to these and other ethnic groups to ensure we remain seized of the issues they face. On 2 February, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials hosted a meeting which included representatives from Burmese ethnic groups, notably members of the Rohingya community, where the issues facing their people were discussed. We remain committed to ensuring that these issues are raised directly with the Burmese Government, at the United Nations and with international partners. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports they have received about the alleged use of rape and gang-rape by the Burmese army against ethnic minority women in Shan State and Kachin State in Burma. Lord Howell of Guildford: In March 2011, we received reports that the Burmese army had moved into areas of Shan state held by ethnic armed forces. We received reports that seven villages were razed to the ground, and civilians indiscriminately targeted. An estimated 30,000 people fled their homes. In June, conflict broke out in Kachin State, bringing a 17-year ceasefire to an end. Human rights abuses targeting civilians were reported, including torture, rape and unverified reports of murder. We remain deeply concerned by these reports. At a United Nations Security Council debate on protection of civilians in November, the UK called for the Burmese army and ethnic militia to make every effort to protect civilians and bring to account those responsible for human rights abuses against them, and stressed that peace and stability could only be achieved through a genuine process of national reconciliation, starting with inclusive dialogue with all ethnic and political opposition groups. We also ensured that the Burma resolutions passed by the Human Rights Council in March and the General Assembly in November reflected our concerns. We continue to strongly urge the Government to end impunity and bring to account those responsible for human rights abuses. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the government of Burma regarding humanitarian access to conflict areas in Kachin State. Baroness Northover: During his visit to Burma on 15-17 November 2011, Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, pressed President Thein Sein and his Ministers to move urgently towards a resolution to the ethnic conflicts in Burma and to increase humanitarian access in border areas, including in Kachin State. During his visit to Burma on 5-6 January 2012, the Foreign Secretary also raised these issues. These are all things which the Burmese Government have themselves said they wanted to achieve. The British ambassador continues to raise the issue directly with Burmese Ministers. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have raised the imprisonment of Karen National Union leader, Mahn Nyein Maung, with the Government of Burma. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have not specifically raised the case of Mahn Nyein Maung with the Government of Burma. However, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) raised ethnic issues directly with members of the Burmese Government, including the Burmese President, during his visit in January of this year. The Foreign Secretary set out very clearly that the release of all political prisoners was one of the central conditions which we would expect the Burmese Government to fulfil before a more fundamental shift in our relationship could take place. He emphasised the importance of an end to conflict, humanitarian access, political dialogue and national reconciliation. He also heard first-hand the concerns and aspirations of different ethnic minorities, including the Shan, Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Chin, Mon, Rakhine and Rohingya communities. I should also note that the Karen National Union's "Eleven-point proposal" for an initial ceasefire agreement, which was accepted by the Government of Burma in January, included a reference to the release of all political prisoners. Cabinet Office: Payments Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what payments were made from the Cabinet Office to (1) Clifford Chance, (2) Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, (3) Slaughter and May, (4) Allen & Overy, and (5) Linklaters in financial years (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11, and (d) 2011-12 to date; and to what those payments related. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Cabinet Office made no payments to Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Allen and Overy or Linklaters in financial years 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 or 2011-12 to date. The Cabinet Office made payments of £50,229 to Slaughter and May in financial year 2011-12. No payments were made to Slaughter and May in financial years 2008-09, 2009-10 or 2010-11. The payments to Slaughter and May were in respect of specialist property support for the consolidation of the London and Bristol regions. These payments were made by the Government Property Unit (GPU). GPU became part of the Cabinet Office on 18 July 2011 following a machinery of government change, and these payments reflect payments made throughout 2011-12 to date. This Government are committed to transparency, and all new contracts over the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder (http://www.contractsfinder.co.uk/). All payments over £25,000 are also published on a monthly basis on data.gov.uk. Caste Discrimination Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in considering the case for exercising the power conferred by Section 9(5)(a) of the Equality Act 2010 to make caste discrimination unlawful, they will have regard to the views and experience of those who may be discriminated against among the Hindu and Sikh communities in this country. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: On this matter the Government have been taking into account views from a large number of individuals and organisations, including those from sectors of the Hindu and Sikh communities that may have experienced caste-based prejudice or discrimination. In particular, the Government have been giving detailed consideration to the report compiled by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) into alleged caste discrimination within the UK. In compiling that report NIESR researchers met extensively with those who felt that they have suffered caste-based discrimination or harassment. The Government are also aware of previous reports on this issue, in particular the Hidden Apartheid: Caste and Caste Discriminationin the UK report published in November 2009 by the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance (ACDA). The Government are also taking into account representations that they have received on this matter. For instance, over 50 comments were received on the need for caste legislation as part of last year's Red Tape Challenge Spotlight on Equalities. The Minister for Women and Equalities, Lynne Featherstone, and officials from the Government Equalities Office also attended an independent meeting on 17 January 2011, organised by ACDA among others, at which the issue of caste legislation was extensively discussed. At that meeting a number of participants spoke to support the bringing into force of Section 9(5)(a) of the Equality Act 2010. Census Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the preliminary results of the 2011 census are expected to be available. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Roberts, dated February 2012. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking when the preliminary results of the 2011 Census will be available (HL15794). May I refer you to the answer given to the right honourable John Spellar MP on 17 January 2012, Hansard reference 89952 column 754W which for ease of reference is copied below. The main field operation for the 2011 Census in England and Wales was completed at the end of May, and the significant task of processing and quality assuring the data is underway. A prospectus of the outputs to be produced from the Census will be published in March, our intention is to release the first results from the 2011 Census in England and Wales in July 2012. The results for Scotland and Northern Ireland will be published separately by National Records Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency respectively. The results will be published with information about the quality and the quality assurance process that ONS carried out prior to publication. Charles Dickens Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving to the Charles Dickens Museum in Doughty Street in promoting Dickens's work in the bicentenary year of his birth. Baroness Rawlings: Her Majesty's Government have not provided the Charles Dickens Museum in Doughty Street with any support in promoting Dickens's work. A number of institutions funded by the Government, including the National Portrait Gallery, the British Council, the British Library and English Heritage are putting on special programmes and events to celebrate the life and works of Dickens. The Charles Dickens Museum has highlighted these events and many others as part of the Dickens 2012 campaign. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which makes funding decisions independently of the Government, has awarded the Charles Dickens Museum over £2.3 million towards its redevelopment. HLF has also recently announced support for two Dickens related projects in Southwark, one in Teesdale, as well as supporting the Dickens Community Archive in Portsmouth. To date HLF has awarded more than £2.7 million in grants for the Dickens bicentenary. Children: Parenting Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what remedies exist for a parent denied access to information about a child for whom they have parental responsibility by (1) a private day nursery, (2) a state school, (3) an NHS general practitioner, and (4) a local authority. Lord Hill of Oareford: Individuals have rights under the Data Protection Act (DPA) to request access to information which relates to them. This right can be exercised by a parent on behalf of a child where the child is unable to make the request in person. This may be because the child does not have sufficient maturity or has a disability. This right that parents can exercise on behalf of their child exists in relation to information held by a wide range of organisations including private nursery schools, state schools, general practitioners' practices and local authorities. If a parent feels that they have not been supplied with information to which they have a right under the DPA and have tried to resolve the issue with the organisation then they can approach the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) with their complaint. If it finds that the organisation is in breach of the DPA, the ICO is able to advise organisations and, ultimately, to enforce compliance with the Act. Additional rights and remedies exist in separate legislation in relation to nurseries, schools and GPs. The Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS) requires all early years providers, including schools with children under five, to supply parents with specified information which includes details about the early years provision and free access to developmental records about their child (for example, the EYFS Profile). Should a provider fail to supply specified information, parents may complain to Ofsted. Maintained schools should wherever possible, ensure that they record the contact details of parents, even when a parent no longer lives with the child. This is not a matter left to the discretion of individual schools. Under relevant education legislation, parents, (including those with parental responsibility or who have care of the child) must receive specified statutory information about their child. If a parent believes that a maintained school is not complying with its obligations under education legislation and they have exhausted the school's arrangements for considering complaints, they may ask the Secretary of State to consider their complaint. The Secretary of State is able to make a direction if a governing body of a school has failed to comply with an obligation under education legislation or has acted unreasonably in the exercise of, or performance of, any function under education legislation. The Secretary of State may make any direction which it is expedient for him to make in order to ensure that the obligation is complied with, or the function performed reasonably. If a GP has refused to provide a person with parental responsibility a copy of a child's medical record, and it has not been possible to achieve resolution through informal discussions, then a person may use the NHS complaints procedure and/or make a complaint to the Information Commissioner. Where a person is dissatisfied with the outcome of these processes, they can contact the Health Service Ombudsman for England. As a last resort, they can take a case to court. China Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of China on the issue of arms sales to the Government of Sudan. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are concerned by reports that the Government of Sudan may have transferred Chinese-made equipment to Darfur in violation of the United Nations arms embargo. We have raised these concerns in the Sudan Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council. China Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there has been any recent change in their position regarding bilateral co-operation with China; and, if so, what change has been made. Lord Howell of Guildford: There has been no recent change in position regarding bilateral co-operation with China. The Government remain committed to an approach of constructive engagement with China. The UK and China have a comprehensive strategic partnership; we have a well-developed set of bilateral links, with our annual UK-China Summit at Prime Ministerial level, underpinned by a set of high level dialogues including: the Strategic Dialogue; Economic and Financial Dialogue, and the new "People to People" dialogue to be launched this April. Civil Service: Retirement Baroness Greengross: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the average retirement age of senior, and other, civil servants over the past 10 years, broken down by government department. Baroness Verma: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Baroness Greengross, dated February 2012. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the average retirement age of senior, and other, civil servants over the past 10 years, broken down by Government Department (HL15736). Civil Service Statistics are published annually by the Office for National Statistics on the National Statistics website. Statistics relating to retirements from the Civil Service are available, with complete coverage of the Civil Service, from 2007 through to 2011 inclusive. An Excel spreadsheet has been provided, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of the house, containing available information about the average retirement age of senior, and other, civil servants each year back to 2007, broken down by government department. Civil Service employment; average retirement age of civil servants by department (2007) 1 2 3 Age in years Responsibility level Senior Civil Service All Other Levels Not Reported 30 September 2007 Attorney General's Departments Crown Prosecution Service n/a 60 60 Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate n/a n/a n/a Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers .. .. n/a Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office n/a n/a n/a Serious Fraud Office .. .. n/a Treasury Solicitor .. .. n/a Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform(excl agencies) .. 60 n/a Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service .. 58 n/a Companies House n/a 42 n/a Insolvency Service n/a 60 n/a Office of Fair Trading n/a 57 n/a Office of Gas and Electricity Market .. .. n/a Postal Services Commission n/a n/a n/a Cabinet Office Cabinet Office (excl. agencies) 60 60 n/a Other Cabinet Office agencies Central Office of Information n/a .. n/a National School of Government .. 61 n/a Parliamentary Counsel Office n/a n/a n/a HM Treasury HM Treasury .. 58 n/a HM Revenue and Customs HM Revenue and Customs 58 60 n/a Valuation Office .. 59 n/a Chancellor's other departments Debt Management Office n/a .. n/a Government Actuary's Department n/a .. n/a National Savings and Investments n/a .. n/a Office of Government Commerce n/a n/a n/a OGCbuying.solutions n/a 60 n/a Office for National Statistics .. 56 n/a Royal Mint n/a 60 n/a Charity Commission Charity Commission .. 61 n/a Children, Schools and Families Department for Children, Schools and Families 56 51 n/a Innovation, Universities and Skills Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills .. 49 n/a National Weights and Measures Laboratory .. .. n/a UK Intellectual Property Office .. 60 .. Office for Standards in Education Office for Standards in Education n/a 60 .. Communities and Local Government Department for Communities and Local Government (excl. agencies) 59 60 n/a Fire Service College n/a 61 n/a Ordnance Survey .. 60 n/a Planning Inspectorate .. 60 n/a Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre n/a .. n/a Culture, Media and Sport Department for Culture Media and Sport .. 56 n/a Royal Parks n/a .. n/a Defence Ministry of Defence 57 60 60 Royal Fleet Auxiliary n/a n/a n/a Army Base Repair Organisation n/a 64 n/a Defence Aviation Repair Agency n/a 60 62 Defence Science and Technology Laboratory n/a 60 n/a Met Office n/a 60 n/a UK Hydrographic Office .. 60 n/a Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (excl. agencies) .. 60 .. Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science n/a 60 n/a Central Science Laboratory n/a 60 n/a Government Decontamination Services n/a n/a n/a Marine and Fisheries Agency n/a 61 n/a Office of Water Services n/a .. n/a Pesticides Safety Directorate n/a .. n/a Rural Payments Agency n/a 60 n/a Animal Health n/a 60 n/a Veterinary Laboratories Agency .. 60 n/a Veterinary Medicines Directorate n/a .. n/a Export Credits Guarantee Department Export Credit Guarantee Department .. 57 n/a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office (excl agencies) 57 60 n/a Wilton Park Executive Agency n/a n/a n/a Health Department of Health (excl agencies) 54 54 n/a Food Standards Agency n/a 60 n/a Meat Hygiene Service .. 63 n/a Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency .. 60 n/a National Healthcare Purchasing and Supplies .. .. n/a NHS Business Services Authority (Civil Service only) n/a .. n/a Home Office Home Office (excl agencies) .. .. n/a Assets Recovery Agency n/a n/a n/a Border and Immigration Agency .. .. n/a Criminal Records Bureau n/a .. n/a Identity and Passport Service n/a 61 n/a Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism n/a n/a n/a Justice Ministry of Justice (excl. agencies) .. n/a 60 HM Courts Service n/a .. 60 Land Registry n/a 60 n/a National Archives n/a 60 n/a Public Guardianship Office n/a n/a .. Tribunals Service n/a n/a 61 Scotland Office n/a n/a n/a Wales Office n/a n/a .. Public Sector Prison Service .. 60 n/a International Development Department for International Development .. 56 n/a Northern Ireland Office Northern Ireland Office .. 63 n/a Security and Intelligence Services Security and Intelligence Services .. 60 n/a Transport Department for Transport (excl agencies) .. 60 60 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency n/a 60 .. Driving Standards Agency n/a 58 n/a Government Car and Despatch Agency n/a 65 .. Highways Agency n/a 60 n/a Maritime and Coastguard Agency .. 62 n/a Office of Rail Regulation n/a .. n/a Vehicle Certification Agency n/a .. n/a Vehicle and Operator Services Agency n/a 60 n/a Work and Pensions DWP Corporate Services 58 59 n/a DWP Shared Services .. 60 n/a Child Support Agency n/a 60 n/a Disability and Carers Service n/a 60 n/a Job Centre Plus .. 60 n/a Pension Service n/a 54 n/a The Health and Safety Executive .. 60 n/a The Rent Service n/a 63 n/a Scottish Government Scottish Government (excl agencies) 60 60 n/a Communities Scotland n/a 59 n/a Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service .. 60 n/a Courts Group n/a .. n/a Fisheries Research Services n/a 60 n/a General Register Scotland n/a .. n/a HM Inspectorate of Education n/a 60 n/a Historic Scotland n/a n/a n/a Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland n/a n/a n/a National Archive for Scotland n/a .. n/a Office of Accountant in Bankruptcy n/a .. n/a Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator n/a n/a n/a Registers of Scotland n/a 59 n/a Scottish Agricultural Scientific Agency n/a .. n/a Scottish Buildings Standards Agency n/a .. n/a Scottish Court Service n/a 60 .. Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency n/a 60 n/a Scottish Prison Service n/a 58 n/a Scottish Public Pensions Agency n/a .. n/a Social Work Inspection Agency n/a .. n/a Student Awards Agency n/a .. n/a Transport Scotland .. .. n/a Welsh Assembly Welsh Assembly Government 59 60 n/a ESTYN n/a .. n/a Source: Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ACSES) 1. Median used as measure for calculating average age. 2. Includes civil servants who have "Retired" under the following Annual Civil Service Employment Survey leaving causes "Retirement on age grounds at the minimum age", "Retirement on age grounds above the minimum age", "Retirement on grounds of ill health", "Approved early retirement (AER)", "Actuarially reduced retirement", "Compulsory early retirement" and "Flexible early retirement". 3. "n/a" used to represent where data is not applicable (there were no reported retirements for the grade/period in question), and counts less than five are represented by "..". Counts less than five have not been included so as not to identify an individual from the analysis that has been produced. Civil Service: Strategy Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government when their review of the Strategy for the Civil Service 2008-13 began. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The formal review started following approval at the Civil Service Capability Board in October 2011. Coastal Communities Fund Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what sort of bids they are looking for to access funds from the Coastal Communities Fund. Baroness Hanham: The Coastal Communities Fund will provide money for projects which support economic development in our coastal communities. These could include projects which improve skills within the community, projects related to protecting the coastal environment or economic development programmes delivered by charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institutions. More examples can be found in the prospectus my department launched on 9 February giving further details of the fund. The Big Lottery Fund will invite expressions of interest from potential grant applicants from 5 March. Commercial Diplomacy Programme Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use to determine which countries should be prioritised in their commercial diplomacy programme; whether they have a list of those that are deemed most attractive for British commercial interests; and, if so, what countries are on that list. Lord Howell of Guildford: Commercial diplomacy is an important component of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) wider prosperity agenda, which brings together all the actions that the FCO takes internationally to support the UK economy. Our Charter for Business (http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/pdf/global-issues/prosperity/business-charter) states that our entire overseas network will do all it can to support British business success overseas, and will work globally to attract quality inward investment through: direct support for business; or action to improve the prospects for UK business across the world. Our embassies and high commissions are the essential infrastructure of our country's influence overseas, and of our economic recovery, so we are working to transform Britain's relationship in the fastest growing cities and regions-for example by significantly increasing our presence in India and China, the world's two emerging superpowers. Priority markets for UKTI are highlighted in their five-year strategy-Britain Open for Business (http://www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/item/148300.html) Commercial Diplomacy Programme Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether each of the individual countries in Central Asia are considered as of priority interest in their commercial diplomacy programme; and, if so, in what regard. Lord Howell of Guildford: There is no priority list for commercial diplomacy as the whole of the overseas network is expected to play its part fully, but we will work tirelessly to exploit the business opportunities that exist in the Central Asian region. Priority markets for UKTI are highlighted in their five-year strategy-Britain Open for Business (http://www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/item/148300.html) Copyright Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) beneficial, and (2) adverse effects they foresee resulting from current proposals to change exception rules in copyright law. Baroness Wilcox: The initial impact assessments published with the current consultation on copyright provided an initial assessment of potential costs and benefits of different policy options under consideration. The Government are now seeking more detailed evidence on the costs and benefits to all parties who could be affected by the proposals, through public consultation. Copyright Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the impact that current proposals to change exception rules in copyright law would have on (1) clarity for teachers and others in the education sector as to whether a given item falls within the copyright exception rules, and (2) authors and other providers of educational materials who at present derive financial benefit from selective photocopying of their work. Baroness Wilcox: The Government's proposals on copyright aim to deliver greater clarity for teachers by ensuring that all reasonable uses of copyright materials in the classroom are permitted, either under licence or an exception, without undermining incentives to authors. The Government, through their current consultation on copyright, are seeking further evidence of the potential impact of various implementation options on authors and other affected parties. The consultation document and accompanying initial impacts assessments are available in the Library of the House and are published on the Intellectual Property Office website. Counterterrorism Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their document Working Together to Protect Crowded Places is still being developed as the basis for security of those places. Lord Henley: In July 2011, Her Majesty's Government published the United Kingdom's counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST) which sets out the objectives for protecting crowded places, that: the Government will ensure businesses owning crowded places and local authorities continue to have access to high quality protective security advice so they know what steps to take to reduce vulnerability to terrorist attack;the Government will also promote security at sites at higher risk; andthat existing guidance will be reviewed and updated. In January 2012, the Government published two revised crowded places guidance documents Protecting Crowded Places: Design and TechnicalIssues and Crowded Places: The planning system and counter terrorism, both with revisions to reflect the contribution that protective security can make to mitigating the impact of a firearms attack. The Government will continue to explore ways in which reducing the vulnerability of crowded places, especially higher risk sites, can be developed and promoted, including through the revision and updating of guidance documents whenever it is appropriate to do so. Courts: Witness Care Units Lord Goldsmith: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the comments by Lord McNally on 1 February (Official Report, cols. 1658-62), how many witness care units are operative in England and Wales; whether they provide a full coverage across the country; and when was the most recent review of the effectiveness and coverage of those units. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: There are 80 Witness Care Units (WCUs) currently operating in England and Wales. The WCUs are distributed geographically across the 13 CPS areas and provide full coverage across the country. A review of witness care was conducted in 2009 aimed at ensuring greater consistency and efficiency in the service delivered to victims and witnesses. In 2011, the CPS commissioned a project to review its victim and witness commitments with a view to taking a fresh look at the service it delivers to them. As part of this review, the CPS is working with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to pilot a revised delivery model within WCUs, targeting resources to those victims and witnesses who are in most need of support. Cyprus Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, as a guarantor power, whether there has been any public acknowledgement of responsibility by the Republic of Cyprus for attacks against Turkish Cypriots prior to the 1974 Turkish intervention; and if not, whether they will now press for such an acknowledgement. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government are aware of the allegations of violence between the two communities on the island since the 1960s, and continue to work towards building confidence between them, including through contributions to the Committee on Missing Persons. The Government are in constant dialogue with the Republic of Cyprus on how to try and encourage progress in the ongoing discussions to reach a comprehensive settlement. Defence: Contracts Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have held any discussions with the Governments of the United States and France on awarding joint defence contracts. Lord Astor of Hever: The Ministry of Defence holds regular discussions with our US and French counterparts on current and potential bilateral co-operative projects and programmes. When co-operation is agreed it is usual practice for a contract to be awarded by one country on behalf of one or more partner nations or in some cases by an international project management organisation such as the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation. Joint defence contracts are not usually awarded. Defence: Contracts Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many defence contracts they have awarded in partnership with NATO or other allied governments in each of the past five years. Lord Astor of Hever: The information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Over the past five years, the UK has been a partner in between 50 and 60 co-operative equipment programmes at any one time, all of which have involved either NATO or other key allies. In some cases, contracts have been placed by the UK, but in others they have been placed by our partners, or by international organisations such as NETMA(1), NAMSA(2) or OCCAR(31). Notes: (1) NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (2) NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (3) The Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation Defence: Contracts Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of British jobs that would be lost if their defence contracts no longer required suppliers to undertake production in the United Kingdom. Lord Astor of Hever: Defence contracts generally do not require suppliers to undertake production in the UK. The Ministry of Defence has placed contracts with specific suppliers in the past, and will continue to do so, where we judge this is essential to protect the UK's operational advantage or freedom of action. In 2009-10, the Ministry of Defence spent over £20 billion with UK industry, just over half of which was in the UK manufacturing sector. Defence: Contracts Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many contracts have been awarded to British-based defence equipment manufacturing companies in each of the past five years; what was the value of each of those contracts; and how many British jobs were secured by the awarding of those contracts. Lord Astor of Hever: The number of contracts placed with defence equipment manufacturing companies is not captured separately. As at 24 January 2012, the Defence Business Services database showed that, in the five-year period between 2006-07 and 2010-11, the Ministry of Defence awarded nearly 40,000 new contracts with an approximate total value of £67.7 billion. Employment implications are a matter for the companies concerned. However, during this period, the number of new contracts placed where the majority of work occurred within the UK remained consistent at around 85 to 89 per cent. Defence: Contracts Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the policy of sovereign capabilities in relation to British defence was first introduced. To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the circumstances that led to the Government deciding that the policy of sovereign capabilities was necessary for the United Kingdom's security and defence. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the policy of sovereign capabilities in relation to defence contracts has been reviewed since it was first introduced. Lord Astor of Hever: Maintaining operational advantage and freedom of action is vital to our national security. The precise circumstances in which action might be needed will vary depending on the nature of the threats we face. These concepts are applicable throughout the acquisition cycle and the operational life of a capability. In 2005, the previous Government published the Defence Industrial Strategy (Cm 6697), which included appropriate sovereignty as one of its guiding principles and made a number of references to sovereign capabilities. In 2009 the Armoured Fighting Vehicle Sector Strategy included an explanation of the concept of operational sovereignty. The most recent consideration of sovereignty requirements for defence equipment and support took place as part of the development of the White Paper National Security Through Technology (Cm 8278). Defence: Contracts Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the proposal to remove most requirements for sovereign capability in relation to defence contracts was first made by (1) the Ministry of Defence, or (2) HM Treasury. Lord Astor of Hever: In July 2010 the Government announced their intention to publish a new defence industrial policy and strategy. The Strategic Defence and Security Review reaffirmed this commitment, which led to a Green Paper Technology, Equipment and Support for UK Defence and Security (Cm 7794) in December 2010 and a subsequent White Paper National Security Through Technology: Technology, Equipment and Support (CM 8278) in February 2012. Defence: Industrial Strategy Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Minister for Equipment, Support and Technology, Peter Luff, that the 2005 Defence Industrial Strategy was "an unfunded and unrealistic wish list", when they came to that conclusion. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the policy of sovereign capabilities in relation to defence contracts figured in discussions between HM Treasury and the Ministry of Defence prior to the publication of the last Strategic Defence Review. Lord Astor of Hever: In July 2010 the Government announced their intention to publish a new defence industrial policy and strategy. The Strategic Defence and Security Review reaffirmed this commitment, which led to a Green Paper Technology, Equipment and Support for UK Defence and Security (Cm 7794) in December 2010 and a subsequent White Paper National Security Through Technology: Technology, Equipment and Support (Cm 8278) in February 2012. Democratic Republic of Congo Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, percentage of the overall funding of the recent presidential and legislative elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo they contributed. Baroness Northover: So far, the Department for International Development has provided £26.8 million bilaterally to the 2007-13 electoral cycle (which includes presidential, legislative, provincial and local elections) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and International Foundation for Elections Service (IFES). The bulk of this funding was to the UNDP elections basket fund, where the UK bilateral share is almost 30 per cent of the total US$167 million fund. As a total of the overall cost of the electoral cycle, the UK bilateral contribution represents around 3.1 per cent. Democratic Republic of Congo Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what budgetary support they give to the Democratic Republic of Congo; and what percentage of that support is estimated to have been spent on the election costs of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Baroness Northover: The UK does not provide budgetary support to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Instead, all UK development assistance in DRC is channelled outside government systems, through non-governmental organisations, United Nations agencies and other multilateral organisations. The Department for International Development has provided £26.8 million to the 2007-13 electoral cycle through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and International Foundation for Elections Service (IFES). Democratic Republic of Congo Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the intended purpose of their bilateral contribution toward the presidential and parliamentary elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo; what assessment they have made of the accuracy of the electoral roll; and whether they agree with the assessment of European Union observers that problems with electoral registration meant that 17 per cent of voters were able to vote despite not being on the list. Baroness Northover: The UK's bilateral support for elections covers the whole 2008-13 electoral cycle, including presidential and parliamentary elections, provincial elections and local elections. Our support is aimed primarily at ensuring that everyone has the right to vote, and encouraging as much participation as possible. It is focused on voter registration; building the capacity of the new electoral commission; improving public understanding of the electoral process, particularly among women and first-time voters; and helping the Congolese police to keep the peace before, during and after elections. In addition, our media project promoted more open debate in advance of the presidential and parliamentary elections through support for independent Congolese media, and we have provided funding to build the capacity of civil society organisations and to strengthen protection for human rights defenders. We are not in a position to make an independent assessment of the accuracy of the electoral roll. We were deeply concerned with allegations that double entries in the voter register outnumbered the official tally. The UK pushed the DRC's electoral commission to ensure all parties had scrutiny of the electoral roll and to publish full voter lists on its website and in registration centres to enable all double entries, whether added through human error or otherwise, to be scrutinised locally and amended. We were disappointed when CENI and political parties were unable to agree a modality that would have enabled a cross-party audit of the electoral roll server to go forward. We are awaiting the final report of the EU observation mission which will give further details of their assessment of the elections. We do share the concerns raised by the mission about reported irregularities in the process, and are aware of the electoral commission's decision to allow "omitted voters" to vote in their voting site if their name was not on the voter's list. Democratic Republic of Congo Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider that their contribution to the 28 November 2011 elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo represented value for money. Baroness Northover: We estimate that the unit cost for the presidential and legislative elections, including voter registration, was US$11.2 per voter, which compares favourably with elections in other post-conflict countries. However, we are disappointed that mismanagement of the results compilation process, and the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the results without fully evaluating reports of irregularities, compromised the credibility of the 28 November elections. This was not the result the UK was hoping for, and did not measure up to the democratic gains we have seen in other recent African elections. However, unlike 2006 where the international community funded 90 per cent of the cost of the elections, in 2011 the process was led, managed and largely financed by the Congolese, who bore about 80 per cent of the cost of the latest elections. The UK's support to elections is part of a long-term strategy to help sustain the 2003 peace settlement (enshrined in the 2005 constitution) and includes support to democratic institutions, to the creation of legitimate political space for interaction between state and society, and to a more equitable sharing of resources. The risks are high, and our ability to influence the outcome limited, but as in other fragile and conflict-affected states, we consider these goals to be an important foundation to enable progress towards the millennium development goals. Developing Countries: Education Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the proposed replacement programme for the Department for International Development Global School Partnerships programme will include Lesotho. To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to announce the replacement programme for the current Global School Partnerships programme; and from what date the new programme will run. Baroness Northover: The Global School Partnerships Programme (GSP) will award final grants to schools in March 2012, but will continue to provide support and advice to schools that have been awarded grants until March 2013. The Department for International Development (DfID) is committed to continuing support for school linking beyond the closure of GSP and is currently looking at how this can be done to ensure a high quality service to schools that also represents value for money for the UK taxpayer. DfID will be making further announcements about the continuation of school linking and the countries that will be supported shortly. Disabled People: Abuse Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they plan to take to prevent abuse directed at disabled people in receipt of benefits. Lord Freud: We are working with the police and other partners to encourage more victims to come forward and report hate crime. We seconded a member of the Office for Disability Issues staff to Disability Rights UK to help take forward, the Let's Stop Hate Crime Project. We are considering the recommendations made by the Equality and Human Rights Commission inquiry into disability related harassment and continue to work with them on their Manifesto for Change. We have amended the legal aid and sentencing Bill to raise the minimum sentence length for murders motivated by hatred of disabled people to 30 years. The Government are committed to ensuring that all disabled people are able to live their lives free from fear of targeted hostility or harassment, regardless of whether they are in receipt of benefit or not. We are determined to tackle negative attitudes and to improve opportunities for disabled people to fulfil their potential. We are working in partnership with disabled people to develop a new cross-government disability strategy. We published a discussion document Fulfilling Potential on 1 December 2011, which seeks practical suggestions in three main areas: realising aspirations, individual control and changing attitudes and behaviours. The latter area is particularly important as promoting positive attitudes and behaviours towards disabled people is fundamental to achieving the full participation of disabled people in society. We aim to publish the final strategy in the spring. We are also developing a new Hate Crime Action Plan that will aim to capture the current and emerging issues across all forms of hate crime, including disability hate crime, and set out actions focused on prevention, support and improving the response to hate crime. The Government are also taking a range of other actions to encourage positive images of disabled people. For example, we are maximising the opportunities given by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Disabled People: Holiday Schemes Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from Sir Bert Massie and others about the requirement to register the Heswall Disabled Children's Holiday Fund as a children's home; what estimate has been made of the costs this will involve; what is the purpose of the requirement; and whether they intend to give assistance to ensure that the holiday project does not founder as a consequence. Lord Hill of Oareford: Representations have been received from several Members of Parliament on behalf of the Heswall Disabled Children's Holiday Fund, of which Sir Bert Massie is the patron. Registration and annual fees for holiday schemes that accommodate children who are wholly or mainly disabled are currently set within the framework of regulation for children's homes. This framework helps to protect vulnerable children and ensure that providers meet relevant standards as set out in the national minimum standards for children's homes. It is important however to strike the right balance between the safeguards necessary to protect vulnerable children and the burdens on providers. The department is currently reviewing the regulatory framework as it relates to specialist providers such as the Heswall Fund. Divorce (Religious Marriages) Act 2002 Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consult representatives of the British Islamic religious communities about whether an order should be made by the Lord Chancellor under Section 1 of the Divorce (Religious Marriages) Act 2002. Lord McNally: It is for a religious community itself to decide to make use of the provisions of the Act and then ask the Lord Chancellor to prescribe the religious group for that purpose. Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Bill Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of provisions in the United States Dodd-Frank law on conflict minerals; and whether they intend to adopt such legislation in the United Kingdom. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are watching closely how the United States Government implement the Dodd-Frank law on conflict minerals, and are awaiting the United States Securities Exchange Commission's publication of the rules by which regulated companies will have to abide under this legislation. However, we have no current plans to adopt similar legislation in the UK: we believe that a combination of voluntary approaches, by businesses, and existing legal and regulatory measures will provide sufficient incentives to achieve greater transparency in the trade in conflict minerals. Duchy of Cornwall Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances the Duchy of Cornwall is considered a public body or a private estate; and if both are held to apply, on what basis is each considered to apply and who makes that decision. Lord McNally: The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate, the funds from which are used to support the public, charitable and private activities of the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. The Duchy is reviewing the First-tier Tribunal's reasons for its decision under the Environmental Information Regulations, with a view to establishing whether it would be appropriate to appeal the ruling. Until then, it would be premature for HM Government to attempt to examine the potential consequences of the ruling. Economy Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Local Data Company on high street recovery rates. Baroness Hanham: The Local Data Company report End of Year Vacancy Report 2011 is an independent survey of vacancy rates in the United Kingdom and some European cities. We have not made an assessment of the report, but we will make use of all relevant data when developing our response to the Mary Portas review into the future of our high streets and our work on regeneration and economic growth. Economy Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reviewed the extent to which the Bank of England's recent monetary policy has transferred economic wealth from savers to borrowers, or vice versa. Lord Sassoon: The independent Monetary Policy Committee's (MPC) policy tools, including Bank Rate and Quantitative Easing, are macroeconomic policy tools designed to affect the economy as a whole, in order to meet the 2 per cent inflation target over the medium term. At its February meeting, the Committee judged that, without further monetary stimulus, it was more likely than not that inflation would undershoot the target in the medium term. The Committee therefore voted to increase the size of its asset purchase programme by £50 billion to £325 billion. The MPC takes into account many factors in its policy decisions, including the prospects for households, assessments of which can be found in the Bank of England's quarterly Inflation Reports, in its press conferences and in the MPC's monthly meeting minutes. Education Maintenance Allowance Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider reinstating the education maintenance allowance in the light of the concerns raised by the Barnardo's report Staying the Course. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Barnardo's report reinforces the importance of the most vulnerable young people being able to participate in further education and training. Our new post-16 financial support arrangements have ensured that those who need the most support can claim £1,200 a year-more than they would have received under the education maintenance allowance (EMA). We have also provided sufficient funding for schools and colleges to give discretionary bursaries of £800 a year to over 15 per cent of the 16 to 19 year-olds in full-time education. Under the EMA, 45 per cent of all 16 to 19 year- olds received it, yet only one in 10 of those receiving it said that it was necessary for their continued participation. We are now taking a much more targeted approach. As well as providing £1,200 to the most vulnerable young people, we have ensured that schools and colleges are better able to respond to local circumstances and individual barriers to participation when deciding how they will support the young people who face the greatest challenges. Education: 16-19 Bursary Fund Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the recommendations of the Barnardo's report Staying the Course on widening access to the 16-19 Bursary Fund for disadvantaged young people. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Secretary of State has written to Barnardo's chief executive to thank her for this very valuable report, which reinforces the importance of the most vulnerable young people being able to participate in further education and training. He has invited her to meet senior officials from the department to discuss the report's findings and recommendations in detail. Egypt Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Egypt about allowing the legitimate supply of fuel to Gaza. Lord Howell of Guildford: We hold Israel, as the occupying power, responsible for ensuring Gaza's basic needs are met, and this includes the provision of fuel. Israel continues to provide 120 megawatts (MW) of electricity per day directly to Gaza, which meets approximately 43 per cent of Gaza's power needs and is paid for by the Palestinian Authority. Egypt provides a further 17MW and the balance of Gaza's power needs (approximately 140MW) should be met by the Gaza power plant. The Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO) is now buying diesel fuel, which is sourced via tunnels between Egypt and Gaza, to operate two turbines in the power station to produce 60MW, and has not requested any industrial fuel from Israel since 5 January 2011. The majority of the population still experiences power cuts, but these are now shorter in duration and less frequent than in late 2010. Egypt Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of the United States about directing the use of their military aid to Egypt towards economic development and sustainable employment. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK has not made representations to the Government of the United States (US) about use of US military aid to Egypt for economic development purposes. We are in close contact with the US and other international partners about the provision of economic and development assistance to Egypt. Egypt Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Egypt seeking access by the International Committee of the Red Cross to all prisoners and detainees, including refugees and migrants. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have not made representations to the Government of Egypt on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross (1CRC) to facilitate their access to detainees in Egypt, and we have not been approached by the 1CRC to do so. However, during and since the January/February uprising of 2011, we have expressed our strong concerns to the authorities about the mistreatment of peaceful protesters, journalists and human rights defenders and called on the Egyptian Government to release all political prisoners and end the State of Emergency. Elected Mayors Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what dates referendums have been held on establishing or removing directly elected mayors in local government; what were the local authorities concerned; what were the total votes cast and percentages for and against; and what was the turnout in each case. Baroness Hanham: The table below shows the dates on which referendums were held to establish or remove directly elected mayors in local government, the local authorities concerned, the total votes cast, the percentages for and against and the turnout. Date Council Result Total votes Yes No Turnout 7 June 2001 Berwick-upon Tweed 13,929 26% 74% 64% 28 June 2001 Cheltenham 24,685 33% 67% 31% 28 June 2001 Gloucester 24.048 32% 68% 31% 12 July 2001 Watford 14,776 52% 48% 25% 20 September 2001 Doncaster 54,851 65% 35% 25% 4 October 2001 Kirklees 38,146 27% 73% 13% 11 October 2001 Sunderland 21,584 43% 57% 10% 18 October 2001 Brighton & Hove 59,938 38% 62% 32% 18 October 2001 Hartlepool 20,961 51% 49% 31% 18 October 2001 Lewisham 32,736 51% 49% 18% 18 October 2001 Middlesbrough 34,489 84% 16% 34% 18 October 2001 North Tyneside 52,558 58% 42% 36% 18 October 2001 Sedgefield 22,497 47% 53% 33% 8 November 2001 Redditch 16,448 44% 56% 28% 20 November 2001 Durham (City) 20,301 41% 59% 29% 6 December 2001 Harrow 41,056 43% 58% 26% 24 Jan 2002 Plymouth 72,370 41% 59% 40% 24 Jan 2002 Harlow 20,786 25% 75% 35% 31 Jan 2002 Newham 39,850 68% 32% 26% 31 Jan 2002 Southwark 19,271 31% 69% 11% 31 Jan 2002 West Devon 15,745 23% 77% 42% 31 Jan 2002 Shepway 25,795 44% 56% 36% 21 Feb 2002 Bedford 16,853 67% 33% 16% 2 May 2002 Hackney 35,244 59% 41% 32% 2 May 2002 Mansfield 16,323 55% 45% 21% 2 May 2002 Newcastle-under-Lyme 29,380 44% 56% 31.5% 2 May 2002 Oxford 33,378 44% 56% 34% 2 May 2002 Stoke-on-Trent 49,179 58% 42% 28% 16 September 2002 Corby 11,590 46% 53% 31% 12 December 2002 Ealing 21,109 45% 55% 10% 5 May 2005 Isle of Wight 65,883 44% 56% 60% 14 July 2005 Fenland 22,805 24% 76% 34% 14 July 2005 Torbay 32,756 55% 45% 32% 4 May 2006 Crewe and Nantwich 30,576 38.2% 60.8% 35.3% 27 September 2007 Darlington 19,207 41.6% 58.4% 24.65% 3 July 2008 Bury 25,813 40.1% 59.9% 18.3% 23 October 2008 Stoke-on-Trent 35,830 41% 59% 19% 6 May 2010 Tower Hamlets 100,615 60% 40% 62% 5 May 2011 Great Yarmouth 25,646 39% 61% 36% 26 January 2012 Salford 30,997 56% 44% 18.1% Unless otherwise stated, all the referendums listed above were held to establish a directly elected mayor. The 2008 referendum held in Stoke-on-Trent was on whether to move to the leader and cabinet executive or operate the mayor and cabinet executive required by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which abolished the mayor and council manager model that Stoke had operated. In addition a referendum was held on 7 May 1998 on the London Mayor, the result was 72 per cent in favour with 28 per cent against with a turnout of 34 per cent. Elections: Overseas Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was their expenditure for each of the past 10 years in contributing to overseas electoral processes; to which elections those contributions applied; which of those elections were deemed free and fair; and whether they consider that their contributions have led to improvements in the conduct of elections in those countries. Baroness Northover: The Department for International Development has supported at least 49 elections in 27 countries since 2002. These include important elections to consolidate peace in Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nepal and the referendum on independence for South Sudan. Our overall judgment is that improvements have been seen in the conduct of elections in these countries, often in challenging circumstances. Between 2004-05 and 2008-09, expenditure on projects to strengthen political systems, including support to elections and parliaments was £215 million. We have recently contributed £1.6 million to support the presidential elections set for 21 February 2012 in Yemen. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 8 February (WA 65-6), when the stem cell lines that correspond to those used in the clinical trial at Moorfields Eye Hospital were previously deposited in the UK Stem Cell Bank; whether the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has been made aware of recent scientific findings in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (Volume 122, Issue 2, pages 569-574), and if so, when; and whether the NPSA intends to instruct those conducting such clinical trials to bring these findings to the attention of patients who have already been treated and prospective individuals considering being recruited, and if so, how. Earl Howe: The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) was not previously aware of the recent article. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) advises that the main point of the paper referred to in the question is that expanding the number of cells through repeated growth cycles, or passaging greater than 34 times from the original stem cells, can lead to spontaneous loss of evolution and introduce defects. The dossier supporting the trial approved using embryonic stem cells at Moorfields Hospital indicates that this level of "over passaging" is not reached and there are sufficient control steps and sampling procedures in place to ensure the integrity of the final product. The MHRA does not consider that these new data impact on the original decision to approve the trial or on the information needing to be provided to trial participants. The Gene Therapy Advisory Committee (GTAC) provides ethical review of clinical trials involving medicinal products for gene therapy, including stem cell trials. GTAC is an independent ethics committee with appointments made by Secretary of State. The National Research Ethics Service (NRES) at the Health Research Authority provides Secretariat support to GTAC. NRES will bring the article to the attention of GTAC. NRES was formerly a directorate of the NPSA. Employment: Agency Workers Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Wilcox on 12 December (WA 210), whether they will ask HM ambassadors to European Union countries to compile a list of how each member state has transposed the EU directive on equal treatment for temporary agency workers and publish the subsequent list; and whether their understanding is still that the majority will have done so on the basis of day 1 equal treatment rights. Baroness Wilcox: I refer my noble friend to the answer I gave on 12 Dec 2011 (WA210). While implementation of European directives is a matter for individual member states, the Government intend to use the FCO network to gain an understanding of how the directive has been implemented in EU member states. Energy: Co-generation Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the electrical power in the United Kingdom is produced as part of combined heat and power systems; and whether they are considering introducing long-term measures to encourage industry to increase this proportion, in the light of experience of combined heat and power systems in reducing carbon emissions in local communities. Lord Marland: Around 7 per cent of the electricity generated in the United Kingdom is through combined heat and power systems. The Government will set out their long-term vision for CHP in the heat strategy to be published shortly. As announced in Budget 2011, further details about the treatment of CHP under the carbon price floor will be set out in Budget 2012. Energy: Energy Company Obligation Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether social housing tenants will have access to the "affordable warmth" element of the Energy Company Obligation. Lord Marland: The eligibility criteria for ECO affordable warmth were recently consulted on and the Government's response will be published in due course. The proposed eligibility criteria for ECO affordable warmth were designed to target support to those most in need, by focusing on low income and vulnerable private tenure households, where energy efficiency standards are low compared to social housing and where alternative means of support will not exist when Warm Front draws to a close in March 2013. Energy: Feed-in Tariffs Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial impact on local authorities of reforms to feed-in tariffs. Lord Marland: No specific assessment has been made of the financial impact on local authorities of reforms to the feed-in tariffs scheme. However, impacts on potential FITs claimants in general have been taken into account at every stage of FITs policy development. Energy: Fracking Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will postpone the granting of permission for hydraulic fracturing for gas and oil production, until full scientific evidence of its consequences and side-effects is available from other countries. Lord Marland: Hydraulic fracturing operations for shale gas, in the UK are currently suspended pending consideration of the implications of the two small earthquakes in the Blackpool area last year. A geomechanical study has been undertaken for Cuadrilla, the operator in that area, and was submitted to DECC in November 2011. It is being reviewed by DECC, in consultation with the British Geological Survey and other independent experts. No decision on the resumption of these hydraulic fracturing operations will be made until the implications of this report, and of any further analysis which may prove necessary, has been fully considered, and appropriate practical measures have been approved by Ministers to minimise the risk of such events occurring again. Other key regulators will be consulted before any such decision is taken. We already have in place a robust regulatory regime to ensure that oil and gas operations will be safely conducted and that protection of the environment will be assured. However, we are not taking it for granted that the regime already in place will remain effective for the future. We are monitoring developments in shale gas elsewhere, principally in the US, for any useful lessons we can learn, and the regulatory bodies principally concerned are liaising regularly to ensure effective coordination of their actions and that any emerging issues are effectively addressed. In these circumstances, we see no need for any general deferral of or moratorium on hydraulic fracturing activities other than for shale gas. Energy: Green Deal Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Green Deal assessors will be prohibited from selling products other than those included in the Green Deal Plan. Lord Marland: Green Deal assessors' core role will be to provide an impartial assessment of the property, the potential energy savings from measures and likely eligibility for Green Deal finance. The recent Green Deal consultation sought views on whether further protections were needed to retain impartiality and transparency in the process and we are currently analysing responses on this issue. Energy: Green Deal Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the purpose of the occupancy assessment for the Green Deal. Lord Marland: The occupancy assessment will provide householders with information about their actual use of energy and the impact on likely savings from the installation of measures. This will enable them to make an informed choice about whether the Green Deal and Green Deal finance is right for their circumstances. Energy: Green Deal Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria will be used for the occupancy assessment for the Green Deal; when it will be published; and what the consultation timescale will be. Lord Marland: The methodology for the occupancy assessment for the Green Deal is being developed with input from a wide range of expert stakeholders. We will be providing more information on the methodology, including a version of the assessment tool for wider testing and feedback, on the BRE website shortly. Energy: Green Deal Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish their response to the Green Deal consultation. Lord Marland: We received over 600 responses to consultation, which we are currently considering. We will publish our response as soon as possible once this process is completed. Energy: Green Deal Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with energy companies regarding the timescale for the introduction of the Green Deal. Lord Marland: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Climate Change met with the larger energy suppliers (British Gas, EDF, E.On, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE) to discuss the Green Deal in January 2012. The timetable for the introduction of the Green Deal was one of the items on the agenda. Officials continue to liaise with energy suppliers frequently regarding the programme plan for the introduction of the Green Deal payment collection mechanism. The framework for the Green Deal is due to be in place in October 2012. Energy: Green Deal Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with businesses regarding the training of assessors for the Green Deal. Lord Marland: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has been involved in regular meetings at official level with stakeholders connected to the development of national occupational standards and training for Green Deal assessors. This has included working with asset skills to communicate the opportunities for training providers through workshops and roadshows throughout the United Kingdom. Energy: Green Deal Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with trade unions regarding the training of installers and assessors for the Green Deal. Lord Marland: There have been no recent discussions with trade unions in relation to the training of installers and assessors for the Green Deal. Energy: Green Deal Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the draft statutory instruments that will give effect to the Green Deal. Lord Marland: The Government published draft legislation alongside its consultation on 23 November 2011. It is available here: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/ content/cros/consultations/-greendeal/greendeal.aspx. Subject to Parliament, we expect to have the final legislation on the statute book by the Summer Recess. Energy: Smart Meters Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to start the rollout of smart meters; and what take-up they expect in the first (1) six months, and (2) 12 months. Lord Marland: The Government will set the framework for the rollout of smart meters across Great Britain, and energy suppliers will then be responsible for planning the installation of smart meters for their customers. This year, the Government will define the technical specifications for smart metering equipment, and will place regulatory obligations on suppliers to complete the rollout of smart meters by 2019. The mass rollout of smart meters is expected to start in late 2014, although some suppliers will be installing meters that comply with the technical specification before that date. The Government are working with energy suppliers as they develop their detailed plans for installing smart meters. Energy: Smart Meters Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of consumer awareness of and support for smart metering. Lord Marland: The Smart Meters Implementation Programme has been working during foundation stage on the development of a strategy for consumer engagement. This has involved an extensive programme of research and stakeholder consultation, through which we have sought to deepen our understanding of how consumers might respond to smart meters, and the types of activities that might be necessary to encourage consumer engagement. This builds on work carried out in phase 1 of the programme, such as Ofgem's Consumer First Panel workshops, which involved primary research with energy consumers. We are aware of a number of assessments of awareness of, and support for, smart metering. They vary, but typically the assessments suggest that awareness is fairly low whereas support for smart metering among those who are aware is higher. The programme has commissioned both quantitative and qualitative research to help us assess consumer awareness and support for smart metering, the results of which are expected this spring. We expect to carry out further research over the coming year to track awareness and explore particular aspects in more depth. We also continue to learn from suppliers' early rollout and stakeholder research where possible. Energy: Smart Meters Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to build consumer awareness of and confidence in smart metering. Lord Marland: The Smart Meters Implementation Programme has been working on the development of a strategy for consumer engagement. We will be publishing a consultation on the strategy soon, which will include proposals regarding building consumer awareness and confidence in smart metering. Energy: Smart Meters Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the needs of vulnerable customers relating to the rollout of smart meters, and how they plan to meet any such needs. Lord Marland: The Smart Meter Implementation Programme continues to explore with interested parties-including the smart meters' consumer advisory group-the needs of vulnerable consumers to ensure they benefit from the installation of smart meters. Suppliers have primary responsibility for delivering the rollout. The Government consulted last summer on licence conditions, which will be finalised this year and which will require suppliers to develop an installation code of practice for smart meters. The code will oblige suppliers to identify vulnerable consumers and meet their needs, and it will supplement existing provisions under the Equality Act 2010 and the electricity and gas supply licence conditions. In developing the specification for the metering equipment, the Government have taken account of research by Consumer Focus and Ricability and are seeking to ensure that the design of the in-home display is accessible to as many consumers as possible, including those with impairments. DECC has jointly funded with Consumer Focus research by National Energy Action to develop a better understanding of the needs of vulnerable consumers. The department is looking at what further research and piloting may be needed to explore the implications of smart metering for vulnerable customers and how any additional support is best delivered. Energy: Smart Meters Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what process they will assess the different technology options for the operation of smart meters, and what criteria they will use. Lord Marland: The Government are developing minimum technical specifications for the smart metering equipment to ensure technical interoperability and promote effective operation of the end-to-end system. We intend to publish this in March 2012. The Government will also undertake additional work this year on other technical issues including an evaluation of home area network technologies. This will be assessed against defined criteria and informed by a series of radio frequency propagation trials. In relation to the data and communication services to support the smart meters system, proposed solutions will be evaluated against a range of criteria including cost, technical suitability, reliability, deliverability, coverage and flexibility. Energy: Smart Meters Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the provision of access to domestic properties required in connection with the installation of smart meters. Lord Marland: We will require energy suppliers to install smart meters for their customers and to take all reasonable steps to reach everyone, including making arrangements with individual customers for the necessary access to their property. However, there will not be a legal obligation on individuals to have a smart meter and we do not expect energy suppliers to take legal action to fit a smart meter if they cannot get the householder's co-operation. Energy: Smart Meters Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of the foundation phase smart meter specification to avert interoperability issues with existing smart meters. Lord Marland: The Government are currently developing specifications for smart metering equipment which it intends to publish shortly. These are based on an agreed set of minimum functional requirements, and will be important in helping to ensure that meters rolled out are interoperable and deliver the required functionality. It is also undertaking other work during 2012 to examine whether further specifications might help support interoperability in the future. This includes a review of the performance of different Home Area Network solutions. Energy: Wind Farms Lord Donoughue: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the total financial subsidy provided to the top 15 recipients of subsidy under the scheme for promoting wind farms for electricity generation (excluding public limited companies); and what the estimated amounts are for each of those recipients. Lord Marland: The Renewables Obligation (RO) is currently the main financial mechanism by which the Government incentivises the deployment of large-scale renewable electricity generation. It is a market based subsidy; Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC) are issued in respect of generation, and are trade-able commodities which have no fixed price. Electricity suppliers purchase ROCs, but the amount a supplier pays for a ROC is dependent on bi-lateral commercially confidential negotiations between the supplier and generator. The RO is administered by Ofgem, who do not hold information on whether the operator of a generating station is a public limited company. The table below lists for the period December 2010 to November 2011, the top 15 wind generating stations (both onshore and offshore), the operator of the station, and an estimate of the value of ROCs received based on the provisional data from Ofgem. The total estimate for these 15 stations is £387 million out of total RO support in 2010-11 of £1285 million 1. Generating Station Organisation listed as operator of station Number of ROCs issued to date for generation that took place between Dec 2010 and Nov 2011 Estimate of RO support (£m) (Nos of ROCs x ROC value for 2010-11 of £51.48) Thanet Offshore Wind Farm Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd 1615892 £83m Walney Offshore Wind Phase I Walney (UK) Offshore Windfarms Ltd 771861 £40m Whitelee Windfarm ScottishPower Renewables (UK) 606033 £31m Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm (East) EON UK plc 502059 £26m Gunfleet Sands I SeaScape Energy Ltd 472978 £24m. Inner Dowsing Offshore Wind Farm Inner Dowsing Wind Farm Ltd 453663 £23m Lynn Offshore Wind Farm Lynn Wind Farm Ltd 445637 £23m Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm (West) EON UK plc 411494 £21m Burbo Offshore Windfarm - A SeaScape Energy Ltd 407483 £21m Rhyl Flats Wind Farm Npower Renewables Ltd (Wind) 377794 £19m Crystal Rig II Wind Farm Fred Olsen Renewables Ltd 356238 £18m Gunfleet Sands II SeaScape Energy Ltd 297801 £15m Barrow Offshore Windfarm - A Barrow Offshore Wind Limited 293555 £15m Kentish Flats Ltd- A,C Vattenfall Wind Power Ltd 254817 £13m Hadyard Hill Windfarm - A,C SSE Generation Ltd 240767 £12m 1 These estimates use the HMT/DECC definition of RO support cost, where the total RO support cost in a given year equals the Obligation level for the year in ROCS times the buyout price. This is also equal to the ROC value times ROCs submitted for compliance. Energy: Wind Turbines Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the new measures being adopted in Denmark in permitting wind turbine installation near housing areas; and whether they have made any assessment of the research on how low-frequency noise is affecting people in Denmark. Lord Marland: The Government continue to monitor how various renewable energy issues are tackled in other countries, including the process for allowing onshore wind-turbine development, and to keep abreast of relevant research on the potential impact of noise. Ethiopia Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the donor assessments commissioned by the Department for International Development into the impact of the villagisation programme in Ethiopia will be published. Baroness Rawlings: The Department for International Development became aware of allegations surrounding the villagisation programme in late 2010 and immediately took steps to investigate them. Assessments into the impact of the villagisation programme were commissioned by the Development Assistance Group (a group of 26 donors, including the UK, who provide aid to Ethiopia). The UK led multi-donor missions to Gambella and the Somali Region. The UK has asked other donors involved in the villagisation assessments for their approval to release these reports but we do not yet have permission from all the agencies concerned. However, we have provided the Ethiopian Government with guidelines on resettlement best practice and these have been placed in the House of Commons Library. Ethiopia Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the issue of villagisation was last raised with the Government of Ethiopia; and whether they raised concerns about human rights abuses and worsening levels of food insecurity associated with this programme. Baroness Rawlings: My right honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, raised our concerns about human rights and implementation of the villagisation programme when he visited Ethiopia between 28 to 30 January. Ethiopia Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings in the recent Human Rights Watch report Waiting Here for Death that Ethiopia's villagisation programme in Gambella region is involuntary and has been associated with significant human rights violations. Baroness Rawlings: The UK Government led an independent multi-agency mission to Gambella in February 2011. The UK government continues to track developments with the villagisation programme and will continue to raise any concerns with the Ethiopian Government. Ethiopia Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that United Kingdom aid provided to Ethiopia under the Protection of Basic Services programme is not used to support Ethiopia's villagisation programme. Baroness Northover: The UK Government do not provide direct support for villagisation despite requests from the Ethiopian Government to do so. It is possible that a small proportion of UK support to the Protection of Basic Services (PBS) programme is being used to provide services for poor people at resettlement sites. PBS has very robust monitoring and audit arrangements and we are confident that these systems will prevent any misuse of UK aid funds. Ethiopia Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to initiate or support a humanitarian impact assessment into the effects of Ethiopia's villagisation programme in Gambella, in the light of the findings in the Human Rights Watch report Waiting Here for Death. Baroness Rawlings: The UK took immediate steps to investigate these allegations when first made aware in 2010. The UK led a donor mission to Gambella in early 2011. The January 2012 multi-agency food security assessment for Ethiopia was conducted at villagisation sites, as well as in other parts of the country. This assessment found that, in Gambella, 48,100 people would be in need of food aid between now and June 2012. This does not suggest a significant increase in numbers of people requiring assistance in that region, compared to previous assessments. EU: Finance The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the arrangements for European Union financing of Caribbean countries under the Cotonou Agreement; when there will be disbursements to the individual Windward Islands; and what plans the UK has to support economic diversification strategies as part of the United Kingdom-Caribbean forum. Baroness Northover: The European Development Fund (EDF) provides development assistance to 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement. The 10th EDF provides €22.682 billion for the period 2008-2013, of which €1.1 billion is allocated to the Caribbean. Timing of disbursements depends on implementation of individual projects. Latest annual disbursement figures available for the Windward Islands are*: Dominica €12.72 million;Saint Lucia €8.59 million;Saint Vincent and the Grenadines €2.94 million; andGrenada €8.67 million. (*2010 figures according to the EuropeAid 2011 Annual Report) A key focus of the DfID programme to the Caribbean is support for economic diversification, given the loss of historic trade preferences and an increasingly competitive global economy. For example, DfID provides £10 million to the "COMPETE Caribbean" programme to support private sector development and competitiveness in the region. So far seven firms have been shortlisted for funding to help develop new products and export opportunities. DfID also provides £10 million to support the implementation of the EU-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). EU: Gambling Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they propose to respond to the call for a co-ordinated European Union approach to online gambling as set out in the Green Paper on online gambling in the internal market. Baroness Rawlings: The Government's response to the European Commission's green paper on Online Gambling in the Internal Market can be found on the Commission's website at https://circabc.europa.eu/faces/jsp/extension/wai/navigation/container.jsp? FormPrincipal:_idcl=FormPrincipal:libraryContentList: pager&page=l&FormPrincipal_SUBMIT=1. The Government believes there is scope for practical co-operation to take place between Member States, whilst ensuring that unnecessary duplication and bureaucracy is avoided, and that mechanisms are put in place to allow providers based anywhere in Europe to have access to each Member State's gambling market. The Government will be considering the new Communication on Online Gambling in the Internal Market in due course. EU: Israel Association Agreement Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether discussions at meetings under the European Union-Israel Association Agreement concerning the human rights clauses of the agreement always include points relating to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza; and, if not, whether they will press for their inclusion. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK is clear that the human rights clauses of the European Union (EU)-Israel Association Agreement are an important part of the framework governing co-operation between the EU and Israel. Human rights discussions formed significant parts of the last meetings of both the EU-Israel Association Council (the ministerial-level body overseeing the Association Agreement) in February 2011 and the EU-Israel Association Committee (the senior official body) in September 2011. Human rights will again be raised by the EU at the next meetings of these bodies. These human rights discussions take into account the situations in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. The EU will continue to raise on a routine basis any concerns it has over human rights in these areas (and elsewhere) within the relevant structures of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The UK has been clear that it is not in favour of upgrading the EU-Israel Association Agreement until there has been substantial progress towards a two-state solution. Improvements in the human rights situations in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories will form an essential part of this. European Single Market Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 9 February (WA 95), what is the relevance of the European Union capital market directive IV to the operation of the single market. Lord Sassoon: On 20 July 2011, the European Commission adopted legislative proposals for the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD) 4. These proposals are currently being negotiated by the European Council and the European Parliament. As the explanatory memorandum on the Commission's proposals (EM 13284/11) sets out, the proposal for a regulation has its legal basis in Article 114(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which aims to ensure the functioning of the internal market. The Government support the completion of the single rule book on EU banking through harmonised definitions and minimum prudential requirements. It is important, however, that member states remain ultimately responsible for financial stability in their respective jurisdictions. The Government are, therefore, very concerned that this approach may constrain the ability of member states to respond flexibly and in a timely manner to systemic risks in their respective jurisdictions, or to mitigate fiscal risk, through macro-prudential policy or implementing higher prudential standards on a permanent basis, that is consistent with the single rule book. European Year for Active Ageing 2012 Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to mark the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing. Earl Howe: The Government are considering plans to promote active ageing in all settings to mark the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. Extended Warranties Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report from the Office of Fair Trading on the value for money of extended warranties. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: None. As an independent authority, the OFT has discretion to investigate cases based on the evidence and according to its prioritisation principles. I note that the OFT has been given undertakings in lieu by extended warranty providers and, before taking a final decision on whether to accept these and not make a market investigation reference to the Competition Commission, is inviting comments (by 7 March) on the likely effectiveness of the undertakings. Firearms: Licensing Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many administration staff, managers, firearms enquiry officers, firearms licensing officers and other administrators have been employed (1) full-time, and (2) part-time, in the administration of grants, renewal and variations of firearms and shotgun certificates in each police force in each of the last four years. Lord Henley: The latest available information shows the full-time equivalent number of police officers and staff with the function of firearms/explosives licensing in each police force area in England and Wales, as at 31 March in each of the years 2008 to 2011. Figures are not available centrally broken down into full-time and part-time staff, nor broken down by specific role within this function. Number of police officers and police staff within the function firearms/explosives1 in each police force area in England and Wales, as at 31 March 2008 to 31 March 20112, 3 Police Officers Police Staff 31-Mar-2008 31-Mar-2009 31-Mar-2010 31-Mar-2011 31-Mar-2008 31-Mar-2009 31-Mar-2010 31-Mar-2011 Avon & Somerset 0 0 0 0 32 27 18 15 Bedfordshire 1 1 1 0 4 4 5 4 Cambridgeshire 1 0 0 0 10 11 15 t4 Cheshire 1 0 0 0 13 12 13 10 Cleveland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 11 11 12 10 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 12 12 14 13 Devon & Cornwall 0 0 1 0 19 17 41 22 Dorset 0 0 0 0 11 11 11 10 Durham 3 0 0 0 4 4 4 6 Dyfed-Powys 0 0 0 0 19 18 20 19 Essex 0 0 0 0 17 19 20 20 Gloucestershire 8 6 6 5 3 6 6 6 Greater Manchester 0 0 0 0 7 12 16 16 Gwent 0 0 0 0 11 8 5 5 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 19 16 19 17 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 15 15 13 10 Humberside 0 0 0 0 6 5 6 6 Kent 0 0 0 0 19 18 18 19 Lancashire 0 0 0 0 10 12 12 12 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 12 12 10 10 Lincolnshire 1 1 1 1 15 12 19 16 London, City of 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Merseyside 0 0 4 4 6 6 6 6 Metropolitan Police 30 26 29 24 75 51 53 55 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 17 12 21 18 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 10 9 11 11 Northumbria 0 0 0 0 1 11 15 16 North Wales 2 0 1 1 7 0 13 15 North Yorkshire 3 2 0 0 17 15 20 0 Nottinghamshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 9 South Wales 0 0 0 1 11 12 12 10 South Yorkshire 2 2 3 2 4 4 10 9 Staffordshire 0 0 0 3 8 8 12 6 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 15 14 16 15 Surrey 0 0 0 0 16 15 14 13 Sussex 3 2 2 2 21 24 27 27 Thames Valley 1 0 0 0 10 13 12 25 Warwickshire 6 1 0 0 12 10 10 9 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 24 23 24 22 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 18 19 20 13 West Yorkshire 0 2 1 1 14 17 16 17 Wiltshire 0 0 6 1 10 12 10 12 Sum 61 43 55 45 562 538 626 568 1 Firearms/explosives function is defined as staff who are predominantly employed in the processing of applications and in making inquiries for firearm and shotgun certificates, renewals, rejections, appeal and firearms surrendered to police custody, or in connection with the licensing and security of explosives and explosives stores. 2 Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables. 3 This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between the totals in this table and totals in similar published tables. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 7 February 2011 (WA 18 and 19) and 10 January 2012 (WA 33) about possible changes to water fluoridation schemes in the United Kingdom, whether they have had discussions with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about why they reduced the concentration of fluoride below one part per million in their schemes; if so, what reasons were given; and what consideration they have given to those reasons. Earl Howe: From contacts with Irish officials, we understand that the Republic of Ireland Government reduced the concentration because of concerns about dental fluorosis. We have no evidence to show that residents of areas receiving fluoridated water in England find dental fluorosis aesthetically unacceptable. The results of a research project funded by the National Health Service on the prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis should be published shortly. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 24 November 2011 (WA 275) and 10 January 2012 (WA 33) in which they state that they now see no relevance in the usage of fluoride supplements in the United States, what kind of evidence they are seeking from the United States that could influence their decision on whether to lower the fluoride concentration in United Kingdom water fluoridation schemes. Earl Howe: A balance has to be struck between maximising the protective effect of fluoridation and the prevalence of the only recognised side effect, dental fluorosis. We will therefore be looking for evidence of aesthetically unacceptable levels of dental fluorosis in the United States and other areas where the water supply has been fluoridated at one part per million and the local population had been advised not to use fluoride supplements. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the added fluoride used in United Kingdom water fluoridation schemes is classified as of pharmaceutical or industrial grade. Earl Howe: These distinctions are not used in regulations in the United Kingdom. Two compounds of fluoride are permitted for artificial fluoridation: hexafluorosilicic acid and sodium fluorosilicate, which are manufactured to exacting quality standards to meet European standards and approval by the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 10 January (WA 34), whether in the light of the small numbers in the Newcastle fluoride bioavailability study, and the cautions issued by the study authors in their first report in 2004, they will cease to make health claims for it or base policy on it. Earl Howe: No. Despite the size of the sample, the researchers concluded that the findings were still statistically significant. Food: Arsenic Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce new regulations regarding the arsenic level in rice in the United Kingdom. Earl Howe: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises that the European Commission and the European Food Safety Authority have been collecting data on the occurrence of arsenic in rice to enable discussions for a European Union maximum limit for arsenic (mostly likely for the inorganic chemical form) in rice and possibly for other products such as algae (seaweeds). No EU maximum limit has yet been formally proposed but discussions are expected to start in the first half of this year. Any agreed EU maximum limit would apply directly in the United Kingdom via an amendment to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 on contaminants in food. In addition, a draft Codex Alimentarius Commission proposal for an international standard on acceptable levels of arsenic in rice is expected to be discussed at the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food in March 2012. However, it is likely to be some time until any international standard is agreed. The UK is taking full part in both the Codex and EU discussions and the FSA will consult relevant stakeholders on any forthcoming proposals. Forced Marriage Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they accept the finding in the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee report on forced marriage, that there is "clear evidence that many schools are not fulfilling their statutory responsibilities with regard to forced marriage"; and, if so, whether they will introduce measures to ensure that teachers address the threat of forced marriage to pupils in their schools so as to provide effective child protection. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will reconsider their refusal to give effect to the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee's recommendation in their report on forced marriage that Ofsted inspectors should "pay particular attention to policies in place to deal with forced marriage in their assessments of the safeguarding arrangements of schools where pupils are likely to be at risk of forced marriage". Lord Hill of Oareford: All schools have statutory responsibilities to safeguard and promote the welfare of their pupils. The Government believe that individual schools are best placed to decide how to fulfil those responsibilities by helping children who may be vulnerable to particular types of harm, such as forced marriage. We do not agree that many schools are failing to meet their responsibilities. As stated in the Government's response to the Home Affairs Committee's report on forced marriage, we recognise that the issue of forced marriage may be relevant to inspectors' evaluation of schools' arrangements for keeping pupils safe. If concerns are brought to the attention of inspectors they will be expected to satisfy themselves that the school is doing everything it can to support pupils. The Government do not, however, believe that it would be appropriate to ask Ofsted to consider schools' forced marriage policies as part of every inspection. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel concerning a response to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza, which submitted criminal complaints three years ago on behalf of families whose members were severely injured during Operation Cast Lead. Lord Howell of Guildford: We regularly raise with the Israeli authorities the importance of due process and access to justice for Palestinians affected by the occupation. We have not made any representations to the Israeli authorities on this specific issue. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel concerning the arrest on 19 January at the Erez crossing in Gaza and subsequent imprisonment of Bassam Raihan; and what steps they will take to ensure that those leaving Gaza for urgent medical treatment are not subject to cruel and degrading treatment. Lord Howell of Guildford: We continue to raise with the Israeli Government the need to ease their restrictions on movement and access to and from Gaza, in close co-ordination with the office of the Quartet Representative and European Union partners. Officials at our consulate general in Jerusalem have discussed the case of Mr Bassam Raihan with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), which confirmed that Mr Raihan is in Israeli custody at Ashdod prison in southern Israel, having been arrested while seeking to cross from Gaza to the West Bank for medical treatment. PCHR is making efforts to ensure that he has access to legal representation. We continue to monitor developments. The Department for International Development (DfID) supports the United Nations (UN) Access Coordination Unit, to work with the UN, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and aid agencies to facilitate the transfer of vital humanitarian assistance, including medical equipment and supplies, in and out of Gaza. DfID gives the UN Access Coordination Unit £1.1 million to help support its work. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had concerning the supply of affordable fuel to Gaza, following the stoppage of the Gaza power plant due to shortage of fuel on 14 February. Baroness Northover: We hold Israel, as the occupying power, responsible for ensuring Gaza's basic needs are met and this includes the provision of fuel. Israel continues to provide 120 megawatts of electricity per day directly to Gaza, which meets approximately 43 per cent of Gaza's power needs and is paid for by the Palestinian Authority. The remainder of Gaza's power needs, including the fuel needed to operate the Gaza power station, is sourced from Egypt. We understand that the stoppage of the Gaza power plant on 14 February was due to a shortage of fuel entering Gaza from Egypt. Discussions are continuing between the Palestinian and Egyptian authorities on the transfer of fuel to Gaza. The UK continues to press the Israeli authorities on the urgent need to ease movement and access restrictions into and out of Gaza, including for the reconstruction of essential infrastructure to ensure a sustainable and affordable power supply for the Gazan people. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the airstrikes in Gaza on 3 February which wounded four civilians, and destroyed and damaged civilian buildings and a water tank. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK remains concerned about the situation in Gaza and by recent incidents in and around Gaza. We continue to urge restraint on all sides and to condemn any acts that might lead to an escalation of the fragile situation on the ground or cause civilian casualties. All such violence represents both an unacceptable risk to innocent life and a real obstacle to direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. We have not raised the specific incidents on 3 February, but are continuing to monitor developments closely and to raise our concerns as appropriate. Government Departments: Maternity Leave Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a common policy on maternity leave across all government departments; and, if so, how much paid leave mothers are permitted to take after giving birth. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: There is not a central Civil Service maternity leave policy. Under the terms of the Civil Service Management Code, arrangements for maternity leave and pay are matters for departments to determine. Departmental policies will provide at least the minimum statutory requirements for those who are eligible for maternity leave and pay. Government Departments: Opinion Polls Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many opinion polls have been carried out for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and each of its agencies in the past two years; on what issues each poll was conducted, and when; what was the cost of each poll; and how many people were polled. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: BIS collects selected information on its surveys of individuals or households, some of which may be classed as opinion polls as they ask about views or attitudes. In 2010-11, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) carried out three such opinion polls, with a total of 3,600 contacts made and a total cost to BIS of £318,000. In 2011-12 so far, BIS has not carried out any such opinion polls. Data were not collected prior to 2010-11. Details that are available are given in the table. The activities of agencies are not known. Detailed information on all surveys of businesses and local authorities carried out by BIS are collected and reported on annually. None of these surveys can be classed as opinion polls. BIS also carries out market research studies as part of its campaign development; these have also not been classed as opinion polls. Surveys of individuals or households that may be classed as opinion polls, 2010-11 Survey title Detailed description Carried out Contacts Cost Public Attitudes to Science 2011 To assess attitudes to science, including attitudes to scientific careers and education, public engagement with science and technology, and highlighting issues around trust in scientists and the work that they do Summer 2010 2,103 £300,000 Public Attitudes to Science 2011; Survey of 14-16 year olds To gauge young people's attitudes to science, including science careers and engagement Jan 11 500 Included in Public Attitudes to Science Public Attitudes to Animal Experimentation Dec 10 997 £18,000 2010-11 Total 3,600 £318,000 Source: BIS Survey Activity Annual Report http://www.bis.gov.uk/analysis/statistics/about-national-statistics/survev-activity I have asked the CEOs of the executive agencies to write to the noble Peer, and a copy of their letters will be placed in the Library of the House. Government Departments: Opinion Polls Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many opinion polls have been carried out for the Department of Energy and Climate Change and each of its agencies in the past two years; on what issues each poll was conducted, and when; what was the cost of each poll; and how many people were polled. Lord Marland: Taking opinion polling to be any quantitative survey asking people or businesses about their opinions and attitudes, then details of such surveys which took place between 7 February 2010 and 8 February 2012 are listed below. Issues covered by the survey When it was conducted Cost of survey Number of respondents Understanding potential responses to the Green Deal Nov 2009-Feb 2010 £145,000 2,000 face-to-face in home interviews with members of public DECC Stakeholder survey May 2010; Feb-June 2011 £24,750 per wave 250 telephone interviews with stakeholders per wave Evaluation of the impact of the Low Carbon Community Challenge projects (LCCC). Two surveys were conducted: baseline and post intervention follow-up Feb-Mar 2010 Sept-Nov 2011 £339,000 13,185 home interviews (per wave) with members of public and residents in LCCC areas Understanding potential response to the Green Deal by non domestic organisations (mainly businesses) Sept-Oct 2011 £97,000 3,000 telephone interviews with businesses Understanding the impact of varying levels of subsidy on householders' likelihood of taking up a Green Deal Nov 2011 £17,410 2000 face-to-face omnibus interviews with members of the public Potential for businesses in the unconstrained sector to help UK meet emissions targets Jan-Mar 2010 £15,700 400 telephone interviews with businesses Survey of organisation behaviour and energy efficiency Dec-Feb 2010 £21,400 860 telephone interviews with businesses Energy Follow-up Survey (a subset of participants from the annual English Housing Survey) Jan-April 2011 £750,000 This cost includes 2,600 in-depth home interviews with householders Assessing the administrative costs of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Aug-Sept 2011 £49,675 740 businesses responding to an online survey, plus 56 in-depth interviews Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) omnibus survey which asked householders about behaviour and attitudes Jan-Feb 2011 £22,960 1,300 face-to-face interviews with householders and 200 CERT customers Government Departments: Public Consultations Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to departments and the public on publishing responses to public consultations on Green Papers and draft Bills; and how they monitor compliance with that guidance. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: Paragraphs 6.4 and 6.5 of the HM Government Code of Practice on Consultation set out the principles that departments should follow in responding to formal written consultation exercises. The code of practice is published at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/tile47158.pdf. More detailed guidance for departments to support their application of the code of practice is published on the BIS website at: http://www.bis.gov. uk/policies/bre/consultation-guidance Responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of consultation exercises, including compliance with the code of practice, rests with individual departments. Government Departments: Staff Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 5 December (WA 120), what are the terms of reference of the review Promoting Equality, Valuing Diversity-A Strategy forthe Civil Service 2008-13; and when they expect its findings to be made public. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: There are no formal terms of reference for the review. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 10 January (WA 38-9), whether they will ascertain from the relevant departments how many civil servants are paid as departmental trade union side staff in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Justice, and HM Revenue and Customs, and the cost in each of those departments of pay, time off and facilities for those staff last year. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Individual departments determine the amount of trade union facility time. As part of the forthcoming consultation with the Civil Service trade unions, we will be looking at reducing the overall amount of facilities time that can be offered by government departments to bring it more in line with practice in the wider public sector. In order to ensure transparency about the union facility time for which government departments are paying, departments will publish information relating to Civil Service trade union representatives and the amount of paid time that is being spent on union work, as well as the overall percentage of the pay bill for which this accounts. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many complaints about civil servants in the Department for Education have been made by members of the public in the past two years; and, in each case, what investigation was undertaken, what action was taken, whether any compensation was paid, and, if so, how much. Lord Hill of Oareford: The information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Staff in the department are bound by the Civil Service Code: http://www. civilservice.gov.uk/about/values. Where a complaint has been made by a member of the public against a staff member and it is judged that the code has been breached, the individual will be subject to the department's conduct and disciplinary procedures. In this regard, there is no record of complaints against departmental staff by members of the public in the past two years. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many complaints about civil servants in the Home Office have been made by members of the public in the past two years; and, in each case, what investigation was undertaken, what action was taken, whether any compensation was paid, and, if so, how much. Lord Henley: Between the dates of the 1 April 2010 and 31 December 2011, 415 complaints were received against civil servants in the Home Office and its agencies. To collate information on investigations undertaken, action taken and compensation paid could only be provided at disproportionate cost. All cases of alleged serious or gross misconduct are formally investigated. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Ministry of Defence or nominated by the Ministry of Defence or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord Astor of Hever: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Department of Energy and Climate Change or nominated by the Department of Energy and Climate Change or ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord Marland: My right honourable friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers are paid through the departmental payroll. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Department for Work and Pensions or nominated by the Department for Work and Pensions or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord Freud: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers are paid through the departmental payroll. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Cabinet Office or nominated by the Cabinet Office or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Prime Minister's Office or nominated by the Prime Minister's Office or ministers in that Office who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers are paid through the department's payroll. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Department for Communities and Local Government or nominated by the Department for Communities and Local Government or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Baroness Hanham: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers are paid through the departmental payroll. I also refer the noble Lord to the answer given by my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Bob Neill) on 12 December 2011 (Official Report, col. 483W). Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Department of Health or nominated by the Department of Health or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Earl Howe: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers are paid through the departmental payroll. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport or nominated by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Baroness Rawlings: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers are paid through the departmental payroll. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Ministry of Justice or nominated by the Ministry of Justice or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord McNally: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers are paid through the departmental payroll. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds and by whose authority the police may arrest a civil servant employed by the Ministry of Defence on that department's property, or remove papers and property from that civil servant's office. Lord Astor of Hever: Ministry of Defence police officers are police officers with constabulary powers provided by the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987, which affords jurisdiction over Ministry of Defence personnel and assets. This would include arrests of Ministry of Defence civil servants, as well as searches of their home and work premises and seizures of any evidence found in connection with criminal investigations. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds and by whose authority the police may arrest a civil servant employed by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills on that department's property, or remove papers and property from that civil servant's office. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: Police powers of arrest, search and seizure, as set out in Parts 2 and 3 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, apply to all individuals, including civil servants, and to all government premises. Before any arrest or removal of papers and property from BIS premises, usual practice would be to seek the consent of our departmental security unit. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds and by whose authority the police may arrest a civil servant employed by the Department of Energy and Climate Change on that department's property, or remove papers and property from that civil servant's office. Lord Marland: Police powers of arrest, search and seizure, as set out in Parts 2 and 3 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, apply to all individuals, including civil servants, and to all government premises. Before doing so on the department's premises, usual practice would be to seek the prior consent of our departmental security unit. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds and by whose authority the police may arrest a civil servant employed by the Department of Education on that department's property, or remove papers and property from that civil servant's office. Lord Hill of Oareford: Police powers of arrest, search and seizure, as set out in Parts 2 and 3 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, apply to all individuals, including civil servants, and to all government premises. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or nominated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers, where salaried, are paid through the departmental payroll. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Department for International Development or nominated by the Department for International Development or ministers in that Department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Baroness Northover: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments, to report by the end of March 2012. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Scotland Office or nominated by the Scotland Office or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: No Scotland Office staff, and no persons nominated by the office or its Ministers, hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and are paid through a company for their services. Government Departments: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Wales Office or nominated by the Wales Office or ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The Wales Office holds no such posts. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds and by whose authority the police may arrest a civil servant employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on that department's property, or remove papers and property from that civil servant's office. Lord Howell of Guildford: Police powers of arrest, search and seizure, as set out in Parts II and III of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, apply to all individuals, including civil servants, and to all government premises. Government Departments: Staff Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Government-funded organisations pay bonuses to their staff; and whether HM Treasury is consulted on those bonuses. Lord Sassoon: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is asked to approve pay levels of £142,500 and above and bonus arrangements of £50,000 and above for individuals in all Civil Service organisations and in respect of appointments to public bodies which are subject to ministerial approval. In May 2010, it was announced that bonuses for senior civil servants would be restricted to the top 25 per cent of performers. For non-senior civil servants, departments have an annual non-consolidated performance pot, which is currently frozen as a percentage of paybill, restricting spend to around 1 per cent of paybill. Information on non-consolidated pay in the Civil Service was published on departmental websites and linked to data.gov.uk in October 2011. The Treasury does not hold information on the overall number of non-Civil Service, government-funded organisations that pay bonuses to their staff. However, many of these organisations were set up to be arm's length of Treasury control, but with their own governance structure to provide value for money to the taxpayer. Government: Ministerial Visits Baroness Nye: To ask Her Majesty's Government what foreign visits were made by Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers from 11 May 2010 to 31 September 2010, and from 1 July 2011 to 31 January 2012. Lord Howell of Guildford: As set out in the Ministerial Code, details of Ministers' overseas travel are published on a quarterly basis on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code. Transparency data for the period May 2010 to June 2011 can be accessed on the FCO website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/transparency-and-data1/ Information for the period July 2011 to 31 January 2012 will be published in due course. Greece: Financial Support Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current level of the United Kingdom's commitment in guarantees and financial support for Greece in the event of a Greek loan default, through the International Monetary Fund and the European Union. Lord Sassoon: The existing package of financial assistance for Greece, worth €110 billion over three years, was agreed in May 2010. This comprises an IMF stand-by arrangement of €30 billion and a package of bilateral loans from euro area member states of €80 billion. A total of €73 billion (of which €20.1 billion has come from the IMF) has been disbursed to date. There was no contribution either from the EU budget or from the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM), which is backed by the EU budget. Therefore the UK's exposure to Greece's financial assistance package is through the IMF alone. The broad terms of a second package of assistance were agreed by euro area Finance Ministers on 21 February 2012, including a 53.5 per cent face-value reduction on existing Greek bonds as part of an offer being made, by the Greek Government, to private sector bond holders. The final size of the package is yet to be determined and will be decided once the private sector's participation is known and Greece has implemented a set of agreed prior actions. There has been no formal decision on an IMF contribution to the second package. The UK lends to the IMF as an institution and not to particular programmes; therefore it is not possible to provide an exact estimate of the UK's contribution to individual IMF programmes. As a rough estimate, we would expect the UK's exposure to overall IMF lending to be in line with its quota share of 4.5 per cent. However, the IMF has preferred creditor status and no country has ever lost money lending to the IMF. Health Lottery Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take action to require the Health Lottery to increase the proportion of its income that it contributes to charities. Baroness Rawlings: It is a requirement of the Gambling Act 2005 that a society lottery should apply a minimum of 20 per cent of the proceeds of each lottery to the causes for which it has been set up to support. The Government keep legislation under review in light of new developments but would need to consider whether any changes are justified, and, in particular, the potential impact on the ability of society lotteries to raise funds for worthwhile causes. Health: Cardiology Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider the south of England congenital heart network to be a model that addresses, and offers a solution to, the concerns raised by the Safe and Sustainable review of children's congenital cardiac services. Earl Howe: The review of children's congenital heart services is a clinically led National Health Service review, independent of government. The Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts, on behalf of local NHS commissioners, will decide the future pattern of children's congenital heart services in England. It is expected to make that decision later this year. It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on the merits of different models of children's heart services while the review process, which is subject to ongoing legal proceedings, continues. Health: Costs Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 November 2011 (WA 249), for what proportion of the pensioner caseload in the Republic of Ireland the United Kingdom pays pensioners' healthcare costs. Earl Howe: For 2011, the United Kingdom was liable for the healthcare costs of 37.74 per cent of the pensioner caseload in the Republic of Ireland. Health: Diabetes Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking action to support the Danish presidency of the Council of the European Union in its efforts to highlight the increasing incidence of diabetes. Earl Howe: The Government welcomes the efforts of the Danish presidency to raise awareness of diabetes and we recognise common objectives relating to the prevention, earlier detection, and better management of diabetes. Paul Burstow, the Minister responsible for diabetes, and the National Clinical Director for Diabetes, have accepted invitations to the European diabetes leadership forum, hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Danish Diabetes Association. This forum will follow the European Union Health Ministers' meeting in April. In addition, the National Diabetes Information Service, hosted by Yorkshire and Humberside Public Health Observatory, is considering how best to improve the international benchmarking of data relating to diabetes. Health: Education and Training Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether postgraduate deans will be in control of the allocation of trainees to courses and the associated funding, under the new arrangements for medical education and training. Earl Howe: The work of the postgraduate deaneries will continue until the new arrangements start in April 2013. Strategic health authorities will continue to be accountable for postgraduate deaneries until 31 March 2013. From 1 April 2013, the Local Education and Training Boards will assume responsibility for education and training including deanery functions and associated funding in line with the guidance published in Liberating the NHS: Developing the Healthcare Workforce, From Design to Delivery, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library. Health: Mesothelioma Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 8 February (WA 70), whether the figures cited include predictions for female deaths from mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases; and what are the projected figures up to 2050, for both male and female deaths. Lord Freud: The figures cited in the Written Answer on 8 February stated that between 33,000 and 49,000 mesothelioma deaths are projected to occur over the next 20 years (2010 to 2029) related to both sexes. A breakdown of the number of projected mesothelioma deaths for males and females over this period and longer-term predictions to 2050 are given in the following table. Actual deaths Projected deaths Projected deaths 1968-2009 2010-2029 2030-2050 Males 35,958 26,000 - 40,000 5,000 - 19,000 Females 6,363 7,000 - 9,000 5,000 - 9,000 The wide ranges for the future predictions are a result of the substantial statistical uncertainty which particularly affects the long-range predictions for males beyond 2030. All of the projections for females are very uncertain due to the smaller number of deaths among women compared to men. Health: Neurology Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to implement the Long-term Neurological Conditions Dataset, published in 2010, in the light of the lack of baseline metrics with which to measure progress in neurological services cited in the National Audit Office report Services for people with neurological conditions. Earl Howe: We are considering the findings of the National Audit Office report on services for people with neurological conditions, and will be responding in due course. Health: Patient Safety Lord Turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the General Medical Council publication Raising and acting on concerns about patient safety in which doctors are asked not to sign contracts that interfere with their responsibility to report their concerns about patient safety. Earl Howe: The department has made clear that any clauses, inserted into an individual's contract, seeking to prohibit that individual from raising a concern in the public interest, are not to be used. Furthermore the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 renders such clauses void. The department supports and welcomes the guidance published by the General Medical Council, which advises doctors against entering into such contracts and which more generally highlights their professional responsibility that doctors have to ensure that they report any concerns about patient safety. Health: Private Medical Insurance Lord Walton of Detchant: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of restrictions placed by Bupa and other private medical insurers on the choice of consultant or hospital to which insured patients can be referred, irrespective of the advice of their general practitioner, and their impact on healthcare in the United Kingdom. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the degree to which Bupa and other private medical insurers exclude pre-existing conditions from their cover, and its impact on healthcare in the United Kingdom. Earl Howe: The department is aware that the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) published a market study covering private healthcare in December 2011. A copy of the study is available on the OFT's website at: www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/market-studies/OFT1396_Private_healthcare.pdf. The OFT is expected to make a final decision by March on whether to refer the market to the Competition Commission. Health: Psoriatic Arthritis Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what account the Department of Health is taking of Outside In, a best practice guidance document for the care of people with psoriatic arthritis; and whether they will ensure that the NHS Commissioning Board is made aware of its recommendations as it develops commissioning guidance for the condition. Earl Howe: I am grateful to the noble Lord for drawing my attention to the guidance document produced by a working group sponsored by British Health Professionals in Rheumatology and the Psoriasis Association. We will gladly ensure that the NHS Commissioning Board is made aware of its recommendations in deciding whether, and how, to develop commissioning guidance for this condition. Higher Education: Funding Baroness Sharp of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many adults aged 24 and over currently studying for a level 3 or 4 qualification in further education (1) receive a free course, (2) receive a subsidised course, or (3) pay full fees. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: In the 2010-11 academic year, the latest year for which final data are available, 475,000 adults aged 24 and over studying towards a level 3 or level 4 aim in further education received government funding. Of these, 108,000 had their fees waived in full. Learners funded by the adult safeguarded learning budget are not included. Information is not available on the total number of non-government funded learners who pay full fees. Higher Education: Postgraduate Certificate in Education Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Postgraduate Certificate in Education places were filled for September 2011; how many applicants there were for those places; and, of those applicants, how many were from (1) Oxford University, (2) Cambridge University, (3) University College London, (4) the London School of Economics and Political Science, (5) Imperial College, and (6) the London Metropolitan University. Lord Hill of Oareford: In England, there were 53,745 applicants for places on Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) for the 2011-12 academic year. Of this number, 21,405 accepted an offer of a place1 for 2011-12. Of the 53,745 applicants: (1) 320 held a degree from University of Oxford; (2) 330 held a degree from University of Cambridge; (3) 255 held a degree from University College London; (4) 55 held a degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science; (5) 100 held a degree from Imperial College London; and (6) 555 held a degree from London Metropolitan University. 1 Included applicants are those who applied to an English institution as one of their choices when applying for a PGCE course. Acceptances include acceptance of a place from any choice, including applications to Scottish or Welsh institutions. Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish guidance for local authorities on the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995; and what the consultation timescale will be. Lord Marland: We are currently considering the future scope of guidance under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA). While there is no formal requirement to consult we are developing proposals in consultation with local government (in the context of DECC's memorandum of understanding with the Local Government Association) and other stakeholders. We propose to issue new HECA guidance in late spring 2012. House of Lords: Food Waste Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask the Chairman of Committees what was the estimated amount of food waste generated by House of Lords food outlets in each month since April 2010; what plans are in place to limit food waste; what are the current arrangements for disposing of food waste; and what plans exist for a more environmentally sustainable food waste strategy for the future. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The estimated food waste generated by House of Lords outlets in each month since April 2010 is shown in the table below. Month Total cost of waste April 2010 1991.45 May 2010 1731.14 June 2010 3244.10 July 2010 3215.31 August 2010 0.00 September 2010 2868.03 October 20 10 2608.85 November 2010 2685.65 December 2010 2427.67 January 2011 3134.28 February 2011 2492.3 I March 2011 3517.48 April 2011 1242.23 May 2011 2442.29 June 2011 2560.42 July 2011 2341.93 August 2011 0.00 September 2011 1930.16 October 2011 3469.17 November 2011 6725.15 December 2011 3029.73 January 2012 2800.84 Total 56458.19 The above figures represent prepared unsold food waste at cost value that cannot be reused or recycled. To put this into perspective, total food waste for the period above is 3.2 per cent of total food consumption. The highest proportion of food waste is from the cafeterias and self-service outlets. Catering and retail services seek to reduce the amount of food waste generated through the use, where appropriate, of pre-prepared ingredients and careful menu management. Food waste is also controlled by reuse, and approximately 50 per cent of unsold prepared food products are either recycled through other outlets or reused (subject to food safety procedures). Unsold food waste is either bagged or passed through a commercial waste disposal unit which extracts most of the water content, resulting in a dry mass which is bagged. The food waste is currently disposed of as part of the mixed general waste stream. This waste is sent to a local facility where energy is generated from incineration. None of the food waste produced is sent to landfill. For the future, work is now under way with Parliament's new waste management contractor to increase composting rates for food waste in preference to incineration. House of Lords: Membership Baroness Hayman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by Lord Strathclyde on 9 February (HL Deb, col. 359) that "the Government are working towards the objective of creating a second Chamber that reflects the share of the votes secured by the political parties at the last general election", to which of the political parties which contested the last general election this policy applies. Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Lord Strathclyde on 9 February (HL Deb, col. 359), that "the Government are working towards the objective of creating a second chamber that reflects the share of the votes secured by the political parties at the last general election", whether they intend to create Members of the House of Lords representing the UK Independence Party, the Green Party or the British National Party; and how they are calculating the number of Cross-Bench Peers to be created. Lord Strathclyde: It has been the practice for the Prime Minister of the day to determine nominations for life peerages. House of Lords: Reform Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from the First Minister of Wales about reform of the House of Lords. Lord McNally: The Government have received no representations on House of Lords reform from the First Minister of Wales. Housing Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an estimate of the number of households that will be required to move from social housing to smaller private rented accommodation with a higher rent in each constituency in Greater Manchester as a result of the reforms proposed in the Welfare Reform Bill. Lord Freud: The information requested is not available. We are unable to accurately estimate the numbers moving out of, or into, the social rented sector as different claimants are likely to have different options available to them, and will respond in a variety of ways to the reforms proposed in the Welfare Reform Bill. Those affected by the under-occupation measure can continue to live in their current accommodation and make up any shortfall by other means, such as through employment or by using other income or savings. Alternatively they may decide to move to smaller accommodation which better reflects the size and composition of their household. As with all new policies we plan to monitor and evaluate the effects of these changes. The impact assessment, entitled Under-Occupation of Social Housing, provides information about the effect of the housing benefit change on different groups of claimants, and can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011-ia.pdf. Human Rights Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not included in the Health and Social Care Bill terms to make clear that third sector and private providers of home care, within the meaning of Paragraph 2 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 and Section 2(28) of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 and Section 1(1)(c) of and Schedule 1 to the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, are subject to the duty imposed by Section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998. Earl Howe: Our view is that all providers of publicly funded health and social care services should consider themselves to be bound by the duty imposed by Section 6 of the Human Rights Act. While we accept that there are arguments on both sides, we think that there are good arguments that a court would find that the provision of publicly funded personal care at home is a function of a public nature. Any amendment to the Human Rights Act in relation to third sector and private providers of home care, such as provision in the Health and Social Care Bill to specify explicitly that they are subject to the Section 6 duty, risks casting doubt on the interpretation of the Human Rights Act in other sectors. Each time specific provision is made with respect to a particular type of body, we weaken the applicability of the general test and raise doubt about all those bodies that have not been specified explicitly in the legislation. The Government have established a commission to look at how human rights are protected in the United Kingdom, to see if things can be done better and in a way that reflects our traditions. The commission is due to report by the end of this year. Human Rights Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government which cases in the last five years they have requested be referred to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights, and in which non-UK cases at a Chamber or the Grand Chamber they have sought leave to intervene in the written procedure or been invited to submit written comments or take part in hearings under Article 36.2 of the Convention. Lord McNally: Since the start of 2007, the Government of the United Kingdom has requested that the following cases be referred to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights: Al Khawaja; Al Saadoon and Mufdhi; Clift; Gillan and Quinton; Greens and MT; Sufi and Elmi; and Tahery. Since the start of 2007, the Government of the United Kingdom has intervened by way of written submissions in the following cases which were not brought against the United Kingdom: Al Dulimi et Montana Management Inc v Switzerland; El Haski v Belgium; Nada v Switzerland; Saadi v Italy; Schalk and Kopf v Austria; Scoppola v Italy; Taxquet v Belgium; TV Vest v Norway; and 20 cases concerning planned deportations to Greece under the Dublin Convention, including four cases against Belgium and 14 cases against the Netherlands, and two cases against France. In addition, since 2007, the UK has appeared at the oral hearings in: MSS v Greece; Saadi v Italy; Nada v Switzerland; and Scoppola v Italy. Immigration Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Henley on 6 February (WA 13 and 14), whether the United Kingdom is obliged to follow the Zambrano judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union; what is its relevance to the United Kingdom; whether it can be appealed; and what are the major implications for the United Kingdom arising from it. Lord Henley: The Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) handed down the judgment in the case of Ruiz Zambrano (C-34/09) in March 2011. The Home Office is considering the implications of this judgment and its effect on the rights of third-country nationals with a dependent Union citizen and is in the process of finalising its policy, including possible changes to the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 ("the Regulations") that would be required in order to enable the issue of documentation on this basis. Judgments handed down by the ECJ are binding on all member states and cannot be appealed. India Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comment by India's Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, that "We do not require the aid. It is a peanut in our total development exercises". Baroness Northover: The remarks made by the Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in a parliamentary debate in 2010 have been quoted out of context by the media and do not represent the Indian Government's current position. India's Finance Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry have issued statements making clear the value they attach to the development partnership with Britain. India Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comment by India's former Foreign Minister, Nirupama Rao, in 2010, that India should not accept any further aid from the United Kingdom because of "the negative publicity of Indian poverty promoted by the Department for International Development". Baroness Northover: The Government have substantially changed its programme to India since 2010. The current view of India's Ministry of External Affairs is set out in a statement of 8 February; "India appreciates co-operation extended by UK in a number of areas, which have contributed to India's overall development efforts, particularly through capacity building, exchange of best practices, knowledge sharing and sharing of technology and technical expertise. The bilateral co-operation between India and UK has been and remains mutually beneficial." Institutional Investors: Voting Records Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Wilcox on 7 February (WA 49), whether they or the Financial Reporting Council have reviewed whether the adequacy of reporting on the exercise of voting rights in United Kingdom companies by institutional investors meets stewardship standards in terms of comply or explain. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The Financial Reporting Council's most recent assessment of the impact and implementation of the stewardship code confirmed that all signatories complied with the disclosure requirements, or explained why not. Last year's annual survey of Investment Management Association members on the stewardship code found that nearly two-thirds of respondents publicly disclosed voting information. The Financial Reporting Council carries out an annual monitoring exercise on implementation of the stewardship code and as a result of last year's exercise they will be consulting on changes to strengthen the code later in the year. Intelligence Services Act Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many authorisations have been given by Secretaries of State under Section 7 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994. Lord Howell of Guildford: It is the policy of successive Governments not to comment on security and intelligence matters. Iran Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are imposing additional sanctions on Iran in the light of statements in January by the United States Defense Secretary and the Director of National Intelligence that Iran was not developing a nuclear weapon. Lord Howell of Guildford: United States Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, said in an interview on 8 January with CBS that Iran is laying the groundwork for making nuclear weapons in the future, but is not yet building a bomb. This is consistent with our position on the Iranian nuclear programme. We and our E3+3 partners, including the United States, France, Germany, Russia and China, are seriously concerned by the continuing development of the Iranian nuclear programme. Iran claims its programme is peaceful. However, the November report from the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency raises serious questions about military dimensions to the programme. Furthermore, Iran continues to expand its capability to produce near 20 per cent enriched uranium at its previously clandestine facility at Qom. This work is on a scale that has no plausible civilian justification. These steps, taken together, bring Iran closer to possessing a nuclear weapons capability. We and our partners are committed to a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue, which is why, in line with the E3+3's dual track policy of pressure and engagement, we are increasing the pressure on Iran to return to the negotiating table. Iran Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy towards military intervention in Iran; and what representations about military intervention in Iran they have made to the Government of the United States and other principal allies. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government want a peaceful, negotiated solution to the Iran nuclear issue, not a military one. To this end, we are pursuing a dual-track strategy of engagement and pressure. This diplomatic strategy is about avoiding military outcomes to the situation. But all options should be kept on the table. We regularly discuss Iran with our principal allies, including the United States. The dual-track strategy of pressure and engagement is agreed among the E3+3 nations (China, France, Germany, Russia, UK and the United States). Iraq Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Iraq about the ratification this month of 23 death sentences by the President of Iraq. Lord Howell of Guildford: Throughout 2011, we continued to raise our opposition to the death penalty with the Iraqi Government at the highest levels. However, the recent number of executions in Iraq is deeply concerning, particularly amid reports that so far in 2012, 65 executions have been carried out in Iraq. This brings the total number of executions in Iraq since November to 94. This is clearly a worrying trend, and our ambassador in Baghdad raised our concern with the Vice-President of Iraq on 30 January and with the Chief Justice on 8 February. We support the recent European Union statement calling for the Government of Iraq to introduce a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to its eventual abolition. Iraq: Camp Ashraf Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the views expressed by the United Nations Special Representative for Iraq in the International Herald Tribune on 16 February, concerning the residents of Camp Ashraf, in particular regarding their permanent resettlement in third countries. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government welcome the ongoing efforts of United Nations (UN) Special Representative of the Secretary-General Martin Kobler to broker a peaceful solution to the situation at Camp Ashraf. We welcome the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Government of Iraq and the UN to allow for the voluntary transfer of some residents to Camp Liberty. The one British citizen we were aware was in Camp Ashraf has left and returned to the UK. Of the five Iranian residents of Camp Ashraf with valid UK refugee travel documents, four have left Camp Ashraf and arrived in the UK. The fifth is free to return to the UK so long as the refugee travel document remains valid. The UK has agreed to consider further the cases of the approximately 50 residents with previous residence in the UK as refugees who do not have valid refugee travel documents, subject to UNHCR (the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) conducting an assessment of their refugee status. The UK has no plans to provide resettlement opportunities for other residents of Camp Ashraf or Camp Liberty. Iraq: Camp Liberty Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have concerning the size, conditions and facilities in Camp Liberty; how these compare with those at Camp Ashraf at the time of the United Kingdom's intervention in Iraq; and what representations they have made to the Government of Iraq on the issue. Lord Howell of Guildford: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) Human Rights Office and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) have confirmed that the infrastructure and facilities at Camp Liberty are in accordance with the international humanitarian standards stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Government of Iraq. Negotiations continue between the Government of Iraq and the leadership of Camp Ashraf over the logistics of the move of some residents from Camp Ashraf. The UK is unable to make a comparison of facilities at either location, since Camp Ashraf fell within the United States area of operations in 2003, and UK officials have not visited Camp Liberty. We continue to raise the issue of Camp Ashraf with the Government of Iraq and to press them to respect the human rights of the residents of Camp Ashraf. We also urge the residents and leadership of Camp Ashraf to engage constructively with the Government of Iraq and United Nations over the plan to voluntarily relocate some residents to Camp Liberty. Israel Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the decisions of the executive board of UNESCO of 19 November 2010 and 19 June 2011, what action has been taken to follow up decisions on Israeli excavations and archaeological works on the al-Aqsa mosque and in the Old City of Jerusalem. Lord Howell of Guildford: We raise our concerns on East Jerusalem with Israel on a regular basis bilaterally and with our European Union partners. East Jerusalem is regarded as occupied territory under international law-we do not recognise Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem. We continue to support international calls for restraint and the avoidance of provocative actions in and around Jerusalem. Attempts by Israel to alter the character or demography of East Jerusalem are unacceptable and extremely provocative. Israel Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement of 31 October 2011 by the Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to the General Conference of UNESCO, asserting that Israel was "Judaizing" occupied East Jerusalem and attempting to change its demographic composition. Lord Howell of Guildford: We raise our concerns on East Jerusalem with Israel on a regular basis bilaterally and with our European Union partners. East Jerusalem is regarded as occupied territory under international law-we do not recognise Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem. We continue to support international calls for restraint and the avoidance of provocative actions in and around Jerusalem. Jerusalem holds particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Attempts by Israel to alter the character or demography of East Jerusalem are unacceptable and extremely provocative. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the value of British arms sales to Israel in 2011; what is the projected value of sales in 2012; and what system is in place to monitor Israel's use of British-manufactured arms within the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: We do not hold information on actual arms sales. However, information on arms exports is published in the annual and quarterly reports on strategic export controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. military, other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. They are available to view at: https://www.exportcontroldb.berr.gov.uk/eng/fox. Currently this includes information up to 30 September 2011. Information covering 1 October to 31 December 2011 will be published in April 2012 and information covering 1 January 2012 to 31 March 2012 will be published in July 2012. The use of military equipment in destinations of concern is monitored by UK overseas posts, using a variety of information including local media and NGOs. Posts have standing instructions to report misuse of UK-origin defence equipment. Overseas posts are regularly asked to check the accuracy of the information contained in the end-user documentation submitted in support of the application. Should this assessment identify an unacceptable risk, the application will not be approved. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking action to prevent any desecration of the Mamilla Jerusalem cemetery, and to halt the construction of the Centre for Human Dignity Museum of Tolerance and the related disinterment of Muslim graves. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have made it clear to Israel on a number of occasions that demolitions of homes and other property in occupied territory are in direct contravention of Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. We will continue to lobby the Israeli Government, bilaterally and with European Union partners, on the issue of demolitions and related human rights concerns. We have not taken direct action on this specific issue. Israel Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have studied the alleged use by Israeli Defence Forces of dense inert metal explosives, flechettes and phosphorus weapons in areas containing civilians in (1) southern Lebanon in 2006, and (2) the Gaza Strip in 2008-09; and, if so, what conclusions they reached and what action they propose. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government are committed to upholding accountability for allegations of breaches of international humanitarian law that have arisen from conflicts in the region through full, fair and impartial investigations by the parties. The report by the Human Rights Council fact-finding mission on Gaza (Goldstone report) raises very serious concerns about the conduct of both Israel and Hamas during the Gaza conflict. It is vital that each of the parties involved-Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority-addresses the allegations made against them. The Israeli authorities carried out an investigation and reported on "The Operation in Gaza" in July 2009. This was updated in January 2010 and again in July 2010. This included investigating the use of white phosphorus munitions and flechettes. We will continue to raise our concerns as appropriate and follow the progress of investigations closely. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what enquiries they have made into allegations that Israeli companies are exploiting the stone resources of the West Bank, in contravention of the 4th Geneva Convention; and whether they have taken any consequent action. Lord Howell of Guildford: We regularly raise with the Israeli authorities their obligations under international law. While our officials in Israel are aware of these allegations, our lobbying of the Israeli Government focuses on the most urgent issues including those which pose the greatest threat to a two-state solution, to the continuation of the peace process or to the lives of ordinary Palestinians. This specific issue has not been raised with the Israeli authorities. The UK continues to promote a lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a final status agreement that will ensure a just arrangement on resources. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will continue to discuss with the Government of Israel their concerns regarding arrest, interrogation and detention of Palestinians by Israel, which have been raised by B'Tselem and UNICEF. Lord Howell of Guildford: I can assure the noble Lord that the UK, along with European Union (EU) partners, continues regularly to raise our concerns with the Israeli Government about the application of due process and the treatment of Palestinian detainees. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), discussed the treatment of prisoners most recently with Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon on 18 January 2012, including the issue of child detainees, as well as with the Israeli ambassador to London. The Government of Israel have reaffirmed to us their commitment to treating prisoners in line with international human rights standards. The UK will continue to monitor the situation with regard to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons and to encourage the Government of Israel to meet their stated commitments. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the European Union Heads of Mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah received responses from the Government of Israel to the statement of 28 January concerning detentions of members of the Palestinian Liberation Council in 2012. Lord Howell of Guildford: EU Heads of Mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah, as of 21 February, have not received a response from the Government of Israel in reply to their statement on the detention of members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. We continue to monitor the situation and to raise this issue as appropriate. Justice and Security Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the full responses, allowing for necessary redactions in the interests of national security, to the public consultation on the Green Paper on justice and security, where necessary with the consent of those who have responded. Lord McNally: The Government intend to publish the responses to the public consultation on the Green Paper on justice and security from all those respondents who have given their consent, allowing for necessary redactions in the interests of national security and data protection. Responses are currently being published at: http://consultation.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ justiceandsecurity/responses-to-the-consultation. Justice and Security Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord McNally on 13 February (WA 129), whether they will publish a list of organisations and individuals which have responded to the public consultation on the Green Paper on justice and security, irrespective of whether the authors have given permission for the publication of the responses. Lord McNally: The Government do intend to publish the fullest possible list of respondents to the public consultation on the Green Paper on Justice and Security. However, a small number of responses were submitted in confidence and the Government are duty bound to respect such requests. The Government will publish a summary of all responses received in due course. Justice: Pardons Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pardons for criminal offences have been granted since 1982; what were the categories of offences for which pardons were granted; and how pardons were distributed in each category. Lord McNally: Since 1982 there have been a total of 698 pardons granted. Details of the numbers granted each year are given below. We do not hold detailed information about the categories of offences for which pardons were granted, and this could only be collected at disproportionate cost. 1982 84 1983 143 1984 60 1985 98 1986 28 1987 41 1988 39 1989 50 1990 51 1991 37 1992 19 1993 22 1994 12 1995 12 1996 1 1997 to date I Kazakhstan Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are offering Kazakhstan on improving its business environment. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The Government encourage the Government of Kazakhstan to adopt policies that improve the business climate and which support UK investors and will continue to work with Kazakhstan towards this end. The UK supports Kazakhstan's accession to the WTO and recognises that it remains a foreign policy priority. Eventual accession should contribute to a more predictable business environment. UKTI also supports high level contact between UK business and the Kazakh Government. This is sustained through the Kazakh-British Trade and Industry Council (KBTIC), whose priorities include promoting good corporate governance. The last annual meeting took place in Astana in September 2011. Khader Adnan Mohammad Musa Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel concerning the health of Mr Khader Adnan Mohammad Musa; and what representations they have made regarding the practice of administrative detention in Israel. Lord Howell of Guildford: The condition of Mr Khader Adnan Mohammed Musa, currently on hunger strike while held in administrative detention by the Israeli authorities, remains of concern to the UK. Our officials in Tel Aviv discussed the issue on 16 February with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressing our concerns, as well as with the office of the Israeli National Security Adviser and the Israeli Prison Service. The UK supports the position of the EU, as set out in the statement by the spokesperson of the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, on 17 February 2012: "The High Representative is following with great concern reports about the deteriorating health condition of Khader Adnan, a Palestinian held in administrative detention in Israel and who has been on hunger strike since mid-December. The High Representative requests the Government of Israel to do all it can to preserve the health of Mr Adnan in its continuing handling of this case. The High Representative reiterates the EU's longstanding concern about the extensive use by Israel of administrative detention without formal charge. Detainees have the right to be informed about the charges underlying any detention and be subject to a fair trial." The UK continues to encourage the Israeli Government to comply with their obligations under international law, including in their policies on detention and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners. The UK is working closely with EU partners to consider further action as appropriate. Lamb Inquiry: Special Educational Needs Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all the recommendations of the December 2009 Lamb inquiry into special educational needs and parental confidence have been fully implemented. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government announced a wide ranging review of SEN and disability in September 2010 and at that time it said that the Lamb inquiry's recommendations would be considered as part of that. Support and aspiration, the Government's SEN and Disability Green Paper, published in March 2011 recognised the findings of the Lamb inquiry. The majority of the inquiry's 51 recommendations made in December 2009 have already been implemented, or have informed the proposals set out in the Green Paper. Notably, the Achievement for All programme, which has led to significant improvements in academic and other outcomes for pupils with SEN, has been expanded and is now available to any school that wants it; information for parents will be improved through our proposed local offer for families to clarify what support is available and from whom; and by 2014, children and young people aged from birth to 25 who would currently have a statement of SEN or learning difficulty assessment will have a single assessment process and education, health and care plan for their support. The Government's response to the consultation on our proposed reforms will be published shortly. Legal Aid Lord Newton of Braintree: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish a revised version of the anticipated savings from the Government's current legislative proposals on legal aid, taking account of the King's College London report Unintended Consequences: The Cost ofthe Government's Legal Aid Reforms, and other assessments made since those proposals were published. Lord McNally: The impact assessments published alongside the response to consultation represent Government's best estimates as to costs and benefits on the basis of the available evidence. Government intend to publish a revised impact assessment after the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill receives Royal Assent, which will take into account any changes to the Bill following the parliamentary process. There is no intention to publish any revised impact assessment before that point. Legal Aid Lord Newton of Braintree: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the totals of any additional costs expected to be incurred as a result of their legislative proposals on legal aid by (1) HM Courts and Tribunal Service, (2) government departments, (3) the National Health Service, (4) local authority care services, and (5) the voluntary and charitable sector. Lord McNally: The impact assessments published alongside the response to consultation represent Government's best estimates as to costs and benefits on the basis of the available evidence. However, these did not specify individual impacts on particular bodies. Extensive discussions were held with other government departments as part of the policy development and clearance processes, and these included systemic costs. Ultimately, costs arising will depend on behavioural responses to the changes, and these cannot be predicted accurately. The Government are committed to assessing the impact of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill and will undertake a post-implementation review of the reforms in due course. Maldives Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of events in the Maldives surrounding the resignation of the country's former President, Mohamed Nasheed. Lord Howell of Guildford: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), said in the other place on 9 February, we are concerned about events in Maldives (House of Commons Official Record, cols. 509-10). It is for the new leadership to establish its legitimacy with its own people and with the international community, with an independent review of the circumstances leading to the transfer of power. We call on the new leadership to demonstrate its respect for the rights of all political parties and their members, and to ensure that the constitution is upheld. The UK is a strong supporter of Maldives' democratic reform process and it is vital that this is preserved. Maldives Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the actions of authorities in the Maldives following protests by supporters of the former President Mohamed Nasheed; what information they have regarding the safety and security of Mohamed Nasheed; and what action they propose to take to ensure the protection and freedom of Mohamed Nasheed and his supporters. Lord Howell of Guildford: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), said in the other place on 9 February, we are concerned about events in Maldives, in particular reports of attacks on members and supporters of the Maldivian Democratic Party (House of Commons Official Record, cols. 509-10). The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), has spoken to former President Nasheed on a number of occasions, most recently on 10 February, when he confirmed he was safe. We understand that he remains at liberty and has access to the media. We have called for calm from both sides and expressed clearly to current President Waheed that Nasheed and his supporters must enjoy safety and security. Our high commissioner has also raised the matter with the police commissioner and Maldivian Defence Ministry. Maldives Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to promote democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights in the Maldives. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to his other question, HL 15618. Maldives Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with partners in the European Union, the Commonwealth, and the United Nations, the United States, the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation and other members of the international community regarding the political crisis in the Maldives; and what discussions they have held with Dr Farahanaz Faizal following her resignation as High Commissioner of the Republic of the Maldives to the United Kingdom in protest at events in the country. Lord Howell of Guildford: Ministers and officials have held a number of discussions with international partners, including European Union (EU) institutions and member states, the Commonwealth Secretary-General and members of the Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth member states, the United States, the United Nations and India, which is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation. An EU heads of mission delegation visited Maldives from 13-15 February and a Commonwealth ministerial action group fact-finding mission will visit shortly. I met with the former high commissioner to the UK on 14 February. Maldives Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have asked the Commonwealth to play a role in the Maldives in the light of the challenge to the elected President; and, if so, what action they have proposed. Lord Howell of Guildford: Since the resignation of President Nasheed on 7 February, we have discussed Maldives with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Commonwealth Secretariat and some Commonwealth member states. The Commonwealth is playing an active role. In line with the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) reforms adopted in Perth, CMAG has discussed the situation and deployed a fact-finding mission to Maldives on 17 February. National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many medicines have been approved to date by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence for the treatment of advanced or metastatic cancers that are specific to (1) females and (2) males. Earl Howe: The information requested is not held by the department. I have asked the chief executive of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to write to the noble Lord with this information. A copy will be placed in the Library. National Loan Guarantee Scheme Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will reconsider the need for, or structure of, the proposed United Kingdom National Loan Guarantee Scheme, foreshadowed in the Autumn Statement, in the light of United Kingdom banks being able to access the European Central Bank's long-term refinancing operation through sterling swaps. Lord Sassoon: The National Loan Guarantee Scheme aims to offset tightening credit conditions for smaller firms in the UK by reducing the cost of loans. Uncertainty in the financial markets has put pressure on the cost and availability of credit, with smaller businesses being particularly affected. By contrast, the aim of the European Central Bank's long-term refinancing operations is to provide longer-term refinancing for banks located in the euro area. National Security Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the skills, expertise and types of manufacturing capabilities which they consider must continue to be available in the United Kingdom if the policy of sovereign capabilities is discontinued. Lord Astor of Hever: On 1 February 2012, the Government published the White Paper National Security Through Technology (CM 8278), which sets out how we will procure technology, equipment and support to meet the UK's defence and security needs. Section 3.1 emphasises how we will take action to protect the UK's operational advantage and freedom of action where this is deemed essential for our national security. NHS: Commissioning Groups Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current estimate of the size and composition of NHS local commissioning groups. Earl Howe: Each emerging clinical commissioning group (CCG) was recently invited by their strategic health authority cluster in November 2011 to participate in an initial risk assessment of their proposed configuration (including the likely impact of their size and their composition) in order to understand whether they are likely to meet criteria defined in the Health and Social Care Bill. We expect emerging CCGs to continue to work with their local primary care trust clusters on these arrangements in preparation for becoming statutory bodies. There is a large range in the size of emerging CCGs with the smallest at a population coverage of around 40,000 and the largest at just over 800,000. It is for the NHS Commissioning Board to take the final decision on appropriate configurations when authorising emerging CCGs. It is too early to give any details about the composition of NHS local commissioning groups. NHS: Commissioning Groups Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what aspects of commissioning by NHS local commissioning groups, in addition to education and training requirements, will carry no cost to providers. Earl Howe: We anticipate that there will be nothing comparable to the proposed levy on providers for education and training needs in the commissioning undertaken by clinical commissioning groups. Any costs incurred by providers (such as transactional or administrative costs) will be covered by the contract price paid by commissioners. NHS: Commissioning Outcomes Framework Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the consultation on the Commissioning Outcomes Framework, run by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, is open for four weeks, in the light of the statement in their Code of Practice on Consultation that consultations should normally last for at least 12 weeks with consideration given to longer timescales where feasible and sensible. To ask Her Majesty's Government why the potential indicators listed in Appendix 3 of the Commissioning Outcomes Framework consultation will not be ready for implementation in April 2013. To ask Her Majesty's Government why the consultation on the Commissioning Outcomes Framework is divided into indicators for the first iteration and potential indicators for future revisions. Earl Howe: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been asked to develop recommendations for robust indicators for the Commissioning Outcomes Framework (COF) to measure the quality and outcomes of services commissioned by clinical commissioning groups. Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, it will be for the NHS Commissioning Board to consider NICE's recommendations and make decisions on the indicators that will be used in the COF. The consultation period that NICE has set at four weeks is in line with public consultations on other NICE work programmes such as the Quality and Outcomes Framework and Quality Standards. The consultation on potential indicators invites stakeholders to comment on the full list of indicators identified. The first set of potential indicators listed in the consultation document are those which, following review of the evidence by its independent advisory committee, will be ready for final publication by NICE in August 2012. The second set of potential indicators listed in Appendix 3 of the consultation document will require further development and testing by NICE and the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care. Due to the length of time involved and the potential requirement to undertake further development and testing, these indicators will not be available for use by the NHS Commissioning Board until after April 2013. NHS: Non-Foundation Trusts Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top: To ask Her Majesty's Government which appointments of chief executives to non-foundation trusts in the National Health Service have been made outside the normal process for appointments. Earl Howe: The Department is not routinely involved with the appointment of chief executives to National Health Service trusts. However, NHS trust chairs are expected to consult and involve the strategic health authority chief executive at all stages of the recruitment, selection and appointment process when appointing a new chief executive. NHS: Non-Foundation Trusts Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top: To ask Her Majesty's Government which non-foundation trusts in the National Health Service have seen a new chief executive appointed in the past year. Earl Howe: The department does not retain appointment dates for chief executives in National Health Service organisations. However, after a new chief executive is appointed to an NHS trust (excluding NHS foundation trusts), the department sends an accountable officer memorandum to the chief executive. The following table sets out those NHS trusts to which an Accountable Officer memorandum has been issued within the last 12 months. Accountable Officer memoranda issued to NHS Trusts, March 2011-February 2012 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust Bedford Hospital NHS Trust Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust Derbyshire Community Health Service NHS Trust Ealing Hospital NHS Trust1 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust2 George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust Kent Community Health NHS Trust Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust Newham University Hospital NHS Trust Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust Oxfordshire Learning Disability NHS Trust Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS trust Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Health Care NHS Trust Shropshire Community Health Services NHS Trust St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust Sussex Community NHS Trust The Whittington Hospital Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Weston Area Health NHS Trust Whipps Cross University Hospitals NHS Trust Wirral Community NHS Trust Wye Valley NHS Trust 1 Two Accountable Officer memoranda were issued to Ealing Hospital NHS Trust-the first marked an interim appointment to cover a period of leave while the second marked the return of the substantive chief executive. 2 Two Accountable Officer memoranda were issued to East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust-the first marked an interim appointment while the second marked the appointment of a new substantive chief executive. NHS: Overseas Students Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures officials of the Department of Health, the Home Office, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are considering for increasing from two years the arrangements for in-house NHS training in the United Kingdom of graduate medical students from (1) countries in the Middle East generally, and (2) Saudi Arabia. Earl Howe: The Department of Health carried out an assessment of the capacity of the medical training system in England to allow graduate medical trainees (not medical students) from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to undertake their specialist training in England without prejudicing any career opportunities for EEA residents. We are aware that many countries outside of the EEA wish their graduate medics to be trained in the United Kingdom; the limiting factor is the number of training places that the system can accommodate. The Department of Health and the Home Office are in discussions about the possibility of visas to cover specialist training. The focus of these discussions has been the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) only. If any arrangements are made it will be on the understanding that all training and living costs would be borne by the originating country and the visas would only apply for the duration of the specialist training. We believe that international demand for training places in the UK will exceed supply and the sustainable delivery of specialist training to UK standards will involve developing and delivering training programmes abroad. There are sound economic and financial reasons for developing visa routes for KSA postgraduate medical trainees, including potential partnerships with KSA on the redevelopment of its healthcare system. There is also evidence that the location of training influences future behaviour, in particular procurement of technology and training that would benefit the UK in the longer term. NHS: Primary Care Trusts Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what would be the ideal number of sustainable primary care trust groups in existence on the day before local commissioning groups become legally active. Earl Howe: There are currently 50 primary care trust (PCT) clusters across the National Health Service in England. The local NHS determined the appropriate cluster geographies to ensure they could maintain management capacity and performance during the transition. These geographies were signed off by the department. The Government are not aware of any need to further cluster PCTs together before PCTs are abolished in 2013, subject to parliamentary approval. NHS: Summary Care Records Baroness Knight of Collingtree: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total cost of the NHS summary care records system. Earl Howe: A total of £109.1 million has been spent on the development of the summary care record between financial years 2004-05 to 2010-11. The forecast of the central costs for the current financial year is estimated at £2.9 million. This includes: the cost of the initial design; the summary care record proportion of the development of the National Health Service national spine; the ongoing maintenance of the central infrastructure to support the record; the central implementation costs for the public information campaign of writing to every registered patient in England; and central implementation support activities to introduce the summary care record to the NHS in England. Costs incurred by the NHS in local implementation of the summary care record are not collected centrally. Northern Cyprus Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 1 February (Official Report, col. 1565), what active steps they are taking as a guarantor power to ensure that the Turkish Cypriot community in Northern Cyprus receives international recognition and has full access to the human rights defined by the European Convention on Human Rights as soon as possible; and what date is their target for that outcome to be achieved. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government's long-standing position is to oppose any partition of Cyprus. United Nations (UN) Resolution 541 explicitly forbids recognition of the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This is why the UK remains committed to the UN-led settlement process, which seeks to end the continued division of the island and will ultimately enable the Turkish Cypriot community to benefit from European Union membership. Northern Ireland Office: Staff Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list any individuals in the Northern Ireland Office or nominated by the Northern Ireland Office or Ministers in that department who hold posts remunerated on the basis of at least 100 days' work per annum and who are paid through a company for their services, with the pay band in each case. Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has announced an urgent review of the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointments to report by the end of March 2012. Ministers are paid through the departmental payroll. Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of any correspondence between the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission during January 2012. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The following letters between the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) during January 2012 will be placed in the Library of the House: Letter received on 5 January, but dated 23 December 2011, from NIHRC Chief Commissioner to Secretary of State; Letter dated 30 January 2012 from Secretary of State to NIHRC Chief Commissioner; Letter dated 30 January 2012 from NIHRC Chief Commissioner to Secretary of State. Northern Ireland: Referendum Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering holding a referendum on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland; what was the question asked in the previous referendum; and whether such a poll would require advance agreement from the people of the Republic of Ireland that they would accept Northern Ireland in the event of a majority in Northern Ireland voting to leave the United Kingdom. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: There are no plans to hold a poll on the status of Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Following the Northern Ireland Border Poll Act 1972 a poll was held on 8 March 1973. Voters were asked: do you want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom? ordo you want Northern Ireland to be joined with the Republic of Ireland, outside the United Kingdom? The circumstances under which a poll in Northern Ireland on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland may be held are set out in the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Overseas Aid Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each year from 1997 up until the last year for which records are available, which organisations have been the recipients of Department for International Development multilateral assistance funding; and how much those organisations received in each of those years. Baroness Rawlings: The Department for International Development (DFID) publishes details of funding to multilateral organisations in Statistics on International Development. This can be found at the following link: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-propress/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2011/. The most recent publication provides data for 2006-07 to 2010-11. Earlier publications are available through the publications section of the DfID website (http://www.dfid.gov.uk/What-we-do/Publications/) and in hard copy in the House of Commons Library. Overseas Aid Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries were the largest recipients of Department for International Development aid, excluding humanitarian assistance, for each year from 1997; and how much each of those countries received in each of those years. Baroness Rawlings: The Department for International Development publishes annual expenditure statistics showing how UK financial resources for international development are spent, including support provided to recipient countries. Given that this information is not available from the one source, and that electronic information is only available back to financial year 2002/03, the following table has been included below to highlight the largest recipients of DfID bilateral aid, excluding humanitarian assistance, for each year from 1997/98 to 2010/11. Top twenty recipients DfID bilateral aid, excluding humanitarian assistance, 1997/98 to 2010/11 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 Rank Country £m Country £m Country £m Country £m 1 India 80 India 89 India 98 India 98 2 Uganda 47 Ghana 53 Uganda 81 Uganda 86 3 Tanzania 41 Uganda 52 Bangladesh 65 Ghana 73 4 Bangladesh 39 Bangladesh 52 Tanzania 63 Bangladesh 69 5 China 38 Tanzania 46 Ghana 48 Tanzania 67 6 Russian Federation 33 Malawi 44 Malawi 46 Malawi 57 7 Kenya 28 China 39 Mozambique 32 Zambia 56 8 Pakistan 28 Russian Federation 30 Sierra Leone 30 Kenya 40 9 Indonesia 27 South Africa 29 South Africa 29 Rwanda 33 10 Montserrat 26 Kenya 29 China 26 Mozambique 32 11 South Africa 26 Mozambique 26 Kenya 25 Sierra Leone 32 12 Ghana 25 Indonesia 25 Russian Federation 24 South Africa 30 13 Malawi 24 Pakistan 23 Pakistan 22 China 30 14 Mozambique 21 Montserrat 23 Indonesia 20 Russian Federation 21 15 Nepal 17 Zimbabwe 16 Montserrat 17 Indonesia 20 16 Zambia 16 Nepal 16 Nepal 15 Montserrat 19 17 Poland 13 Zambia 15 Nigeria 15 Nepal 18 18 Zimbabwe 12 Rwanda 13 Zambia 14 Nigeria 17 19 Nigeria 9 Nigeria 11 Zimbabwe 14 Guyana 14 20 Ukraine 9 Jamaica 10 Rwanda 13 Pakistan 14 Total 559 641 697 826 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 Rank Country £m Country £m Country £m Country £m 1 India 178 India 150 India 197 India 257 2 Uganda 68 Tanzania 95 Iraq 99 Bangladesh 103 3 Tanzania 65 Bangladesh 73 Tanzania 79 Tanzania 94 4 Bangladesh 60 Ghana 55 Afghanistan 69 Afghanistan 73 5 Ghana 55 Uganda 51 Ghana 68 Ghana 72 6 Malawi 46 Kenya 43 Pakistan 66 Ethiopia 56 7 Zambia 45 Malawi 42 Bangladesh 55 Malawi 52 8 Pakistan 43 China 41 Malawi 54 Uganda 50 9 Mozambique 40 Pakistan 38 Uganda 48 Mozambique 48 10 China 33 Mozambique 37 South Africa 42 Nigeria 46 11 Sierra Leone 32 South Africa 36 Mozambique 36 Rwanda 42 12 Rwanda 27 Zambia 34 Sierra Leone 33 Vietnam 40 13 South Africa 25 Rwanda 32 China 32 China 36 14 Kenya 24 Afghanistan 30 Nigeria 31 Pakistan 31 15 Montserrat 23 Nigeria 29 Nepal 29 South Africa 31 16 Russian Federation 23 Sierra Leone 28 Rwanda 27 Zambia 30 17 Nepal 21 Nepal 27 Zambia 26 Nepal 30 18 Nigeria 21 Russian Federation 24 Kenya 25 Kenya 30 19 Indonesia 16 Montserrat 23 Ethiopia 25 Iraq 28 20 Vietnam 16 Vietnam 19 Montserrat 24 Sierra Leone 26 Total 861 907 1065 1175 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 Rank Country £m Country £m Country £m Country £m 1 India 249 India 232 India 274 India 297 2 Bangladesh 123 Tanzania 112 Ethiopia 135 Tanzania 132 3 Tanzania 112 Bangladesh 109 Tanzania 122 Ethiopia 132 4 Afghanistan 95 Afghanistan 97 Bangladesh 116 Afghanistan 128 5 Ghana 95 Ethiopia 89 Afghanistan 101 Bangladesh 126 6 Iraq 82 Pakistan 85 Ghana 92 Nigeria 110 7 Nigeria 77 Ghana 82 Nigeria 84 Pakistan 109 8 Rwanda 70 Nigeria 81 Pakistan 79 Ghana 98 9 Malawi 66 Zambia 61 Malawi 68 Kenya 87 10 Pakistan 59 Malawi 61 Mozambique 67 Malawi 77 11 Vietnam 57 Uganda 60 Uganda 55 Rwanda 70 12 Mozambique 56 Mozambique 56 Sierra Leone 54 Mozambique 64 13 Ethiopia 53 Vietnam 52 Nepal 54 Congo (Dem Rep) 61 14 Uganda 51 Kenya 52 Rwanda 52 Uganda 55 15 Kenya 46 Indonesia 42 Vietnam 51 Vietnam 55 16 Zambia 43 Nepal 40 West Bank and Gaza 45 Sudan 53 17 Indonesia 37 Iraq 39 Sudan 43 Nepal 52 18 China 35 China 39 Zambia 40 Sierra Leone 46 19 Sierra Leone 34 Sierra Leone 38 Kenya 40 Zambia 43 20 Nepal 32 Sudan 26 China 39 South Africa 40 Total 1,472 1,453 1,611 1,834 2009/10 2010/11 Rank Country £m Country £m 1 India 295 India 279 2 Ethiopia 151 Ethiopia 245 3 Bangladesh 148 Bangladesh 171 4 Tanzania 135 Tanzania 144 5 Afghanistan 126 Nigeria 142 6 Nigeria 113 Pakistan 120 7 Pakistan 111 Afghanistan 97 8 Ghana 90 Uganda 94 9 Sudan 87 Mozambique 94 10 Malawi 73 Rwanda 90 11 Congo (Dem Rep) 68 Ghana 87 12 Mozambique 68 Congo (Dem Rep) 86 13 Nepal 61 Malawi 70 14 Uganda 60 Zimbabwe 66 15 Vietnam 54 Kenya 64 16 Rwanda 53 Nepal 62 17 Kenya 51 Vietnam 55 18 Zambia 49 Zambia 52 19 Zimbabwe 48 Sierra Leone 51 20 Sierra Leone 44 Sudan 45 Total 1,884 2,113 Pakistan Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received representations from Pakistan about the use by the United States of remotely controlled weapons on Pakistan; and, if so, what was their response. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have regular discussions with the Government of Pakistan about shared security challenges and our response. Pakistan remains a critical partner in the fight against terrorism. The Government remain fully committed to working in partnership with Pakistan to tackle terrorism and violent extremism that threaten both our interests, including through the enhanced strategic dialogue and mechanisms such as the joint working group on counterterrorism. Drone strikes are a matter for the United States and Pakistan, which are facing a shared and dangerous threat from terrorists. Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Hanham on 9 February (WS 50-3), by which prices index they propose to increase both firefighters' pensions in payment and deferred benefits yet to commence, which public sector schemes will continue to have benefits revalued by the consumer prices index, and what are the estimated short, medium and long term net savings resulting from the changes to the firefighters' pension scheme. Baroness Hanham: The Written Statement made on 9 February set out that both pensions in payment and deferred benefits in the proposed Firefighters' Pension Scheme, to come into force from 2015, would continue to be up-rated in line with Prices Index. The Government announced in the June 2010 Budget that their policy was to use the consumer prices index instead of the retail prices index as their preferred measure of prices. This means that the consumer prices index would be used to uprate many tax credits, benefits and pensions, including public service pensions. This change applies to public service pensions through the statutory link to the indexation of the additional pensions in long-term benefits. This link has been in place since 1979. On 7 February 2012, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced in a Written Ministerial Statement, Official Report, col. 9WS, that public service pensions will be increased by 5.2 per cent from 9 April 2012, the September 2011 measure of the consumer prices index. This increase will apply to the pensions in payment in the firefighters' pension scheme 1992 and the new firefighters' pension schemes 2006, except for those that have been in payment for less than a year, which will receive a pro-rata increase. It will also apply to deferred benefits not yet in payment. No estimate has been made of the savings from changing from the retail prices index to the consumer prices index for the firefighters' pension schemes. However, on 14 November 2011, Official Report, col. 643W, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury set out the estimated net expenditure on public service pensions from 2010-11 to 2015-16, with and without the announced policy changes to uprating and employee pension contributions. People Trafficking Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Henley on 15 February (HL Deb, col. 848) undertaking to invite the Children's Commissioner for England to review the care provision for rescued trafficked children and advise the Government about any changes that should be made, when the Department for Education will make that request; and what is the anticipated timetable for the production of the resulting report. Lord Hill of Oareford: Officials are in discussion with the Office of the Children's Commissioner. The commissioner, who is independent of government, is considering the request. Police: Tasers Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many tasers could be exported to police services of the Crown dependencies and British Overseas Territories under the terms of the new licence for the export of tasers. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: My right honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Alistair Burt) set out UK policy on the export of tasers in his Written Ministerial Statement of 9 February 2012. Licence applications for the export of tasers to the police forces of the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories will be assessed against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant factors, including the recommendations of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the operational needs of the police forces concerned. I cannot say how many tasers could be exported as this is dependent on the number of export licence applications that are received and our subsequent decision on those applications. Political Lobbyists Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received on whether companies which lobby government should identify their clients. Lord McNally: The Government published initial proposals on establishing a statutory register of lobbyists in a consultation document on 20 January 2012. Following the end of the consultation period on 13 April, the Government will carefully consider all representations received and publish their response to the consultation. It would not be appropriate to comment on representations received to date in advance of this. Prisoners: Financial Services Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to assist credit unions in building partnerships with justice agencies to help prisoners gain access to basic financial services on release. Lord McNally: The National Offender Management Service has commissioned research to find the best way to enable offenders to access community financial services through the development of partnerships between credit unions and justice agencies in England & Wales. A policy report and practice guidance will be published in May 2012. Prisoners: Voting Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 7 February (WA 53) and the deposited paper DEP2012-0247 of 6 February, whether they will ascertain from the relevant HM Ambassadors what the actual arrangements in Albania and the Ukraine are for convicted prisoners in prison to vote. Lord Howell of Guildford: Prisoners in Albania can vote in local government and national assembly elections. The President is not elected by public vote. Prisoners in Ukraine can vote in presidential and parliamentary elections. They are not considered to be part of a locality, so do not vote in local elections. In both countries, votes are cast at a polling station set up inside the prison. There is no postal voting. Prisons: Young Offenders Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many 18 to 20 year-olds were accommodated in adult prisons at the latest date for which information is available. To ask Her Majesty's Government which adult prisons were accommodating 18 to 20 year-olds at the latest date for which information is available. Lord McNally: Save in exceptional circumstances, a young adult between the age of 18 and 20 must serve any custodial sentence imposed on them in a young offender institution (YOI) and by virtue of this such offenders must be detained in a YOI. However, an individual of the same age who is being remanded in custody prior to sentence must be remanded in a prison. All remand and sentenced offenders aged between 18 and 20 are held in appropriately designated accommodation within the custodial estate. Whatever the location, young adults have separate sleeping accommodation to older adults and are always managed in accordance with the YOI rules. On 3 February 2012, 3,510 18 to 20 year-olds were accommodated in the following predominantly adult establishments: Male establishments: Altcourse Bedford Belmarsh Bristol Cardiff Chelmsford Doncaster Dorchester Durham Elmley Exeter Forest Bank Gloucester Hatfield High Down Hollesley Bay Holme House Hull Lewes Lincoln Littlehey Moorland Northallerton Norwich Nottingham Parc Peterborough Preston Stoke Heath Swansea Swinfen Hall Thorn Cross Woodhill Female establishments: Askham Grange Bronzefield Downview Drake Hall East Sutton Park Eastwood Park Foston Hall Holloway Low Newton New Hall Peterborough (Female) Styal These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Prisons: Young Offenders Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the annual unit cost of housing 18 to 20 year-olds in young offender institutions (YOIs) for each of the last five years for which information is available, in both cash and real terms; and how this compares with the cost of housing 15 to 17 year-olds in YOIs in the same period. Lord McNally: The following tables show the estimated average cost per prisoner at young offender institutions (YOI) categorised as (a) young adult YOI and (b) under 18 YOI. Overall cost per Prisoner Actual Cost Real Terms £ £ Young Adult YOI 2010-11 45,419 45,419 2009-10 48,629 49,946 2008-09 49,801 52,069 2007-08 48,097 51,798 Under 18 YOI 2010-11 80,042 80,042 2009-10 79,551 81,706 2008-09 67,509 70,583 2007-08 55,831 60,127 An overall cost is available only from 2007-08. Prior to this, only direct costs, i.e. those met at establishment level, have been calculated. Real-terms figures have been calculated using HM Treasury's GDP deflators, to bring them to a 2010-11 common base. The establishments included in the answer are those which are categorised in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts and NOMS Statistical Addendum for each year as either Young Adult YOI (18-20 years of age inclusive) or Under 18 YOI (15-17 years of age inclusive). Establishments are categorised by their main role. Establishments that have more than one role are placed in the category that represents the primary or dominant function of the prison, so the costs shown may include some prisoners of a different age group. The average costs are taken from the individual establishments' overall costs which for 2009-10 and 2010-11 were published on the NOMS website in the statistical addendum to the NOMS annual report and accounts. Possible changes in scope and accounting treatment over the period might mean the figures are not directly comparable. For example, from 2010-11 the cost of capital charge no longer applies. To note within the table: 1. The overall average costs comprise the direct local establishment costs of public and private prisons, increased by an apportionment of relevant costs borne centrally and in the Regions by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). This involves some estimation. Expenditure which is met by other government departments or directly by the Youth Justice Board, such as expenditure on health and education, is not included. Expenditure recharged to the Youth Justice Board in respect of young people is included. 2. The Young Adult Y01 average cost includes an Open YOI. 3. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Public Sector: Bonuses Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many bonus schemes are currently in operation for senior executives in the public sector. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Departments and agencies are responsible for determining non-consolidated performance-related pay (NCPRP) for their senior civil servants within a framework set by the Cabinet Office. Since May 2010, NCPRP for senior civil servants has been cut back. This has been achieved by reducing the number of people who receive awards from 65 per cent to 25 per cent of senior civil servants, so that only those who have given exceptional performance over the year are rewarded. This has delivered savings of around £15 million. Further information, including total spend and the number of NCPRP awards made by each department and agency for the performance year 2010-11, was published on departmental websites and linked to data.gov.uk in October 2011. Information on the number of schemes in the wider public sector is not held centrally. Railways: Freight Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will approve the first strategic rail freight interchange at Radlett, Hertfordshire, in the light of the joint Written Statement by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Transport on 29 November 2011 (WS 13-4) supporting such interchanges. Baroness Hanham: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has not yet reached a decision on this planning appeal. In making that decision, he will take account of the joint Written Statement along with all other material planning considerations. Railways: Information Notices Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to encourage the display of information in languages other than English or Welsh on overground and underground railway systems throughout the United Kingdom. Earl Attlee: Whether to provide information in languages other than English or Welsh is a matter for train and station operators. Pan-European accessibility standards for overground rail services mandate the use of pictograms in certain circumstances, which would assist passengers for whom English or Welsh is not their first language, as well as people with learning disabilities. The same standards require audio-visual systems on trains to be capable of giving information in more than one language, should the operator choose to do so. Railways: Rolling Stock Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to end overcrowding on trains on the Chester-Holyhead line. Earl Attlee: Passengers on the west coast main line will benefit from 106 extra Pendolino carriages, which will provide 7,420 extra seats. These carriages will produce four new 11-car Pendolino trains and lengthen 31 existing Pendolino trains by two carriages. These are set to come into full service by December 2012. The addition of the new trains and extra carriages to the existing fleet will provide more flexibility to enable the train operator to allocate the rolling stock (such as the diesel Voyager rolling stock which operates between Chester and Holyhead) in their fleet in order to best meet demand. Religious Freedom Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office maintains or maintained a Religious Freedom Panel; if so, whether it still meets; and, if not, why not. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not currently maintain a Religious Freedom Panel. The panel's role was embraced in the Foreign Secretary's Advisory Group on Human Rights in 2010. The members of this group were chosen because of their ability to contribute to discussions across the range of human rights issues and many of the group's members are familiar with freedom of religion issues, which continue to be a central concern. In its report on the FCO's human rights work 2010-11, the Foreign Affairs Committee commented that the Advisory Group on Human Rights was a "significant advance on the FCO's Religion Freedom Panel of old". Religious Freedom Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they regularly assess the state of religious freedoms worldwide; and, if so, whether their findings are available in a collected form. Lord Howell of Guildford: Protecting religious freedoms and preventing discrimination on religious grounds is a key human rights issue for the Government. All of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Embassies and High Commissions have a responsibility regularly to monitor and to raise human rights violations and attacks on religious freedoms where these occur in their host countries. Ministers and FCO staff raise our concerns with host Governments and where possible take action on individual cases and lobby for changes in discriminatory practices and laws. In addition, the FCO produces an annual Human Rights Report which has a section on freedom of religion or belief. The entry for each "country of concern" in the Human Rights Report includes a section on freedom of religion or belief in that country. Updates are published online on a quarterly basis. Religious Freedom Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia. Lord Howell of Guildford: Non-Muslims are not permitted to worship openly or establish places of worship in Saudi Arabia as the authorities take the view that this is contrary to Sharia law in the Land of the Two Holy Mosques. The Saudi authorities maintain that all forms of Islam are permitted to worship in Saudi Arabia. However, for the Shia community, civic and religious freedoms, such as the building of mosques, are restricted. We support the right to freedom of religion or belief. We make our views known through the United Nations Universal Periodic Review Process, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's annual human rights report and directly with Saudi human rights organisations and the Saudi Arabian Government. The UK will continue to press for greater, more open religious freedom. Religious Freedom Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of religious freedom in Bahrain. Lord Howell of Guildford: Article 22 of the 2002 Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain guarantees the inviolability of worship and states that freedom of conscience is absolute. This guarantees its citizens the freedom to perform religious rites and hold religious parades and meetings. Bahrain therefore permits many communities freedom to practice their respective religions without interference and display symbols of their religion. This includes followers of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism and the Baha'i Faith. Roads: Gritting The Earl of Courtown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance the Department for Communities and Local Government offered to local councils regarding the spreading of grit during this winter's cold weather; and whether they consider that the grit was used effectively in the past month. Baroness Hanham: The treatment of local roads is entirely the responsibility of local highway authorities. It is, however, important that authorities use their salt stocks wisely and effectively. The Department for Transport, in liaison with the UK Roads Liaison Group and UK Roads Board, published guidance on salt spread rates in December 2010. This has recently been published alongside the consolidation of other guidance on winter service within Well Maintained Highways, so local highway authorities have the most current information on winter best practice in one easy place. This guidance is available at the following weblink: http://www.ukroadsliaisongroup.org/en/guidance/winter-service-guidance.cfm. From a survey the Department for Transport undertook last year, two-thirds of local authorities indicated they have taken steps to implement the December 2010 salt spread rate guidance. The Local Government Association annual Winter Readiness Survey, published on 3 December 2011, shows that local authorities across England have invested in new fleets of gritting trucks, snow ploughs and specialist vehicles and are getting better value for money for council tax payers. Councils are in a stronger position this year because of the efficiency savings they have made, including buying grit much earlier in the year and striking better deals with suppliers. Russia Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Russia on the issue of arms sales to the Government of Sudan. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are concerned by reports that the Government of Sudan may have transferred Russian-made equipment to Darfur in violation of the UN arms embargo. We have raised these concerns in the Sudan Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council. Schools: Absent Children Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances schools must report to their local authority that a child is missing from education. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 set out the circumstances where a school must inform the local authority in which it is situated that a pupil is missing education. The circumstances include a pupil being: deleted from the school register; regularly absent; or "disappearing" following 10 days of unauthorised absence from the school. Notifying the local authority is important because it enables the authority to attempt to trace the child and ensure that any pupil who is no longer on a school roll is receiving a suitable education elsewhere. These regulations apply to all maintained schools, academies and independent schools. Local authorities in England and Wales also have a statutory duty to put in place effective arrangements to identify those children of compulsory school age who are not on a school roll, and who are not receiving a suitable education elsewhere (for example, being educated at home, privately educated, or in alternative provision). Schools: EU Citizenship The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how, in the context of the new European Union initiatives on citizenship, they intend to expand the concept of European citizenship in the national curriculum; whether they will they help schools to explain the workings of the European Union institutions; and whether they will promote the advantages of "mutual recognition" as against European integration. Lord Hill of Oareford: We are undertaking a review of all the current national curriculum subjects. It is our intention that the national curriculum is slimmed down so that it properly reflects the body of essential knowledge in key subjects. We want to give schools greater freedom to plan and set their curricula, using their professional expertise so that they can better meet the needs of their pupils. While English, mathematics, science and physical education will remain compulsory throughout all four key stages, we are still considering which other subjects, including citizenship, should remain part of the compulsory curriculum. We will consult on the proposals before final decisions are made. Schools are required to present political topics in a balanced way in their teaching. This is to enable pupils to acquire the necessary knowledge and to develop their own views. We are confident that schools take very seriously their responsibility to present political issues in a balanced and unbiased way. Schools: Grammar Schools Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether existing grammar schools can (1) take over failing schools, and (2) merge with existing schools; and, if so, whether they can retain their selective entrance criteria. Lord Hill of Oareford: Grammar schools, whether maintained or academy convertors, can retain their selective admissions criteria in any proposed merger, but that process cannot be used to establish an entirely new selective school. We believe that where a school is failing, the best way of providing quick and sustainable improvement is for the school to become an academy with a strong, supportive sponsor. A suitable selective school whether a maintained grammar school or an academy, can act as a sponsor. The selective school would retain its admissions criteria, but these could not be extended to any school they sponsor as the school remains a separate legal entity. Schools: Profit-making Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 8 February (WA 79), whether they are reviewing the policy that state-funded schools cannot be profit-making. Lord Hill of Oareford: No. Schools: Sixth Forms Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many maintained comprehensive and secondary modern schools have sixth forms; and how many do not. Lord Hill of Oareford: The following table shows the number of maintained comprehensive and secondary modern schools which have a sixth form, and how many do not. Sixth Form Status Admissions Policy Does not have a sixth form Has a sixth form Grand Total Comprehensive 792 975 1767 Modern 33 54 87 Grand Total 825 1029 1854 Source: EduBase2 1. The data has been sourced from EduBase2 (the department's database of educational establishments) and is based on information that has been reported to the department and which is subject to change over time. 2. Establishments are subject to change due to amendments to statutory instrument. Schools: Sixth Forms Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many academies have sixth forms; and how many do not. Lord Hill of Oareford: There were 1,580 academies open as at 1 February 2012; of these, 901 academies have post-16 provision and 679 academies do not. Schools: State Schools and Academies Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government under what statutes or regulations state schools and academies are prevented from recruiting, and charging fees to, pupils from (1) other countries in the European Union, and (2) countries outside the European Union. Lord Hill of Oareford: Section 450 of the Education Act 1996 states that no charge shall be made in respect of admission to a maintained school. Academies must abide by this Act by virtue of their funding agreement. Section 450 does not apply for the purpose of: (a) part-time education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age; (b) full-time education suitable to the requirements of persons who have attained the age of 19; or (c) teacher training. State-maintained boarding schools can charge for boarding and can admit European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, but not children from outside the EEA. Under Section 458 of the Education Act 1996, state-maintained boarding schools cannot charge for more than the cost of the boarding. Only independent schools can admit and charge fees to children who are not EEA nationals. The School Admissions Code requires admission authorities to treat applications for children coming from overseas in accordance with European Union law. The provisions of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 govern the right of admission to the United Kingdom (UK). Where these provisions are satisfied, nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) and their children of any age, who come to the UK lawfully to work or for certain other economic purposes, have a right to reside in the UK and enjoy the same rights to education as British citizens. This also applies to unaccompanied EEA national children who come to study in the UK. Non-EEA children unaccompanied by their parents do not have this right, but can apply on their own for leave to enter or remain in the UK to study at independent fee-paying schools. They must satisfy requirements at paragraph 245ZZ of the Immigration Rules, which can be viewed at: http://www.ukba. homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/immigrationlaw/immigrationrules/part6a/. Serbia Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they voted in favour of the three conditions prescribed for Serbia to obtain European Union candidate status. Lord Howell of Guildford: The December European Council set out clear conditions concerning Kosovo that Serbia should meet in order to achieve European Union candidate status. This conditionality was agreed by all 27 member states. The 28 February European Union General Affairs Council will review progress made in meeting this conditionality. Shipping: Fleet Ready Escorts Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any vessels were available to the Royal Navy for escorting the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov through United Kingdom waters other than HMS "Liverpool"; and whether HMS "Liverpool" was in the area in order to be decommissioned. Lord Astor of Hever: The fleet ready escort (FRE) is a designated ship, maintained at high readiness, to provide contingent capability in UK home waters. HMS "Liverpool" is currently the designated vessel for this task. If there is another unit closer to the area of concern or interest, and if it is appropriate, that unit could be reprioritised to be used for FRE tasking. Royal Navy vessels deployed overseas are engaged in specific tasking and operations and are therefore not available for activation as the FRE in UK home waters. HMS "Liverpool" is due to be de-commissioned at the end of March 2012 after which another vessel is due to be designated the FRE. Somalia Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the political aims of the forthcoming London Somalia conference. Lord Howell of Guildford: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), told the other place on 9 February (House of Commons, Official Report, col. 515-16), we hope that the conference will agree practical measures in seven key areas: on the political track, the current transitional institutions in Mogadishu run out in August. They must not be extended. The Somali political process must become broader and more representative. That might involve a constitutional assembly drawn from all of Somalia's communities;on security, African Union forces have pushed al-Shabaab out of Mogadishu to create political space there, and Kenyan action has put al-Shabaab on the back foot. However, African forces have insufficient funding for United Nations Security Council-mandated actions. We therefore hope that the conference will consider how funding can be made sustainable for African troops willing to put their lives on the line;the success stories in Somalia are in the regions. Puntland and Galmudug have established local peace deals and set up Administrations. The conference should agree a co-ordinated international package of support to Somalia's regions that complements work on peace and stability at the national level;piracy off the Somali coast is an affront to the rule of international law. We must break the piracy business cycle. We hope the conference will strengthen arrangements to catch, try and imprison pirates, and continue to develop regional maritime capacity in Somalia and across the region; we hope the conference will agree the areas we need to develop to disrupt terrorism across the region, including stopping the movement of terrorists to and from Somalia, disrupting the flow of their finances and supporting the Somali criminal justice sector so that it can detain and prosecute terrorists in a human rights-compliant manner;on the humanitarian front, the conference provides an opportunity to highlight the need for donors to continue to respond generously and on the basis of needs, to invest more in livelihoods and basic social services, to increase the resilience of households in Somalia to future economic shocks and to help reduce the likelihood of future famines; andwe want the conference to agree on how we handle Somali issues in future, on a revitalised international contact group, on United Nations and African leadership and on more countries deploying diplomats and staff into Somalia, not just basing themselves in Kenya, as many, including ourselves, have had to do in recent years. Which countries lead on which of the follow up actions will be an important part of discussions on this point. We are still to discuss these mechanisms with our partners and final arrangements will not be known until after the conference. Somalia Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they hope to achieve at the forthcoming London Somalia conference in terms of priority follow-up actions; and which countries will be tasked with leading on those follow-up actions. Lord Howell of Guildford: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) told the other place on 9 February (House of Commons, Official Report, col. 515-16), we hope that the conference will agree practical measures in seven key areas: on the political track, the current transitional institutions in Mogadishu run out in August. They must not be extended. The Somali political process must become broader and more representative. That might involve a constitutional assembly drawn from all of Somalia's communities;on security, African Union forces have pushed al-Shabaab out of Mogadishu to create political space there and Kenyan action has put al-Shabaab on the back foot. However, African forces have insufficient funding for United Nations Security Council-mandated actions. We therefore hope that the conference will consider how funding can be made sustainable for African troops willing to put their lives on the line;the success stories in Somalia are in the regions. Puntland and Galmudug have established local peace deals and set up administrations. The conference should agree a co-ordinated international package of support to Somalia's regions that complements work on peace and stability at the national level;piracy off the Somali coast is the affront to the rule of international law that I described. We must break the piracy business cycle. We hope the conference will strengthen arrangements to catch, try and imprison pirates, and continue to develop regional maritime capacity in Somalia and across the region;we hope the conference will agree the areas we need to develop to disrupt terrorism across the region, including stopping the movement of terrorists to and from Somalia, disrupting the flow of their finances and supporting the Somali criminal justice sector so that it can detain and prosecute terrorists in a human rights-compliant manner;on the humanitarian front, the conference provides an opportunity to highlight the need for donors to continue to respond generously and on the basis of needs, to invest more in livelihoods and basic social services, to increase the resilience of households in Somalia to future economic shocks and to help reduce the likelihood of future famines; andwe want the conference to agree on how we handle Somali issues in future, on a revitalised international contact group, on United Nations and African leadership and on more countries deploying diplomats and staff into Somalia, not just basing themselves in Kenya, as many, including ourselves, have had to do in recent years. Which countries lead on which of the follow up actions will be an important part of discussions on this point. We are still to discuss these mechanisms with our partners and final arrangements will not be known until after the conference. Somalia Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what importance will be placed at the forthcoming London Somalia conference on finding African solutions for African problems. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have been working closely with the African Union and partners in the Horn of Africa to prepare for the Conference. We are looking to use the momentum of the Conference to agree a better package of United Nations (UN) support for African Union troops in Somalia. AMISOM (the African Union Mission in Somalia) has been extremely effective in its operations in Somalia and, given the nature of the mission in Somalia, is preferable to a UN Peacekeeping Operation. We are also hoping through the Conference to support and reinforce a Somali-led political process rather than creating our own blueprint or imposing solutions on Somalis. South Sudan The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider China to be best placed to resolve the oil dispute in South Sudan; and what role the United Kingdom and other European Union countries can have without any significant investment in the oil sector. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are very concerned at the failure of Sudan and South Sudan to reach agreement on outstanding issues between them, including on oil. The decision by South Sudan to cease oil production, following earlier action by Sudan to seize some Southern oil, is worrying and could have major economic consequences for both countries. We urge both sides to reach agreement as soon as possible to allow production to restart. We are working with a range of partners, including the United States, Norway, and the European Union to support the African Union mediation between Sudan and South Sudan. China's interests as the major customer for oil from Sudan and South Sudan, as well as the role of Chinese companies in production, obviously give it important influence in this area. We welcome the active involvement of China over recent months in encouraging Sudan and South Sudan to reach a fair agreement and we are in close touch with Chinese officials on these issues. Sport and Recreation Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to offer more protection for sport and recreation facilities under the proposed new National Planning Policy Framework by requiring that any recreation space destroyed as part of a development should be replaced by developers. Baroness Hanham: Ensuring that the planning system gives proper protection to sports and recreation facilities is very important to us. The draft National Planning Policy Framework seeks to increase planning protection for community facilities. The new guidance proposed to strengthen current policy by asking local councils to consider the availability and viability of community facilities as part of the plan making process and to develop policies to safeguard against their unnecessary loss. The Government are also introducing a new designation to protect valued local green spaces, which has the potential to provide additional planning protection to playing fields and other open green spaces. These measures will also be supported by the community right to buy in the Localism Act which will provide additional protection for community spaces. We are giving careful consideration to the responses to the draft National Planning Policy Framework. Sport: Sports Clubs Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the proposed scope of "regulated activity" for sport within the Protection of Freedoms Bill; which roles within clubs would be subject to criminal records checks; and whether they will issue guidance to sports clubs. Lord Henley: The revised definition of regulated activity is based on the nature of the activity or service provided to children or adults and is set out in Clauses 64 to 66 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill. Sport is not specified as an activity but those persons providing care, supervision or training to children on a regular basis will fall within regulated activity, as will any form of health care for children or adults. An exception is made for some supervised work with children. Guidance will be provided on supervision and on the new arrangements more widely. Eligibility for criminal records checks is set out in the exceptions order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975 and regulations made under the Police Act 1997. It will be for individual sports clubs to determine which posts fall within the relevant definitions and when criminal records checks should be made. Sri Lanka Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have asked the Commonwealth to play a role in Sri Lanka in relation to the allegation of the Tamil community that genocide has been committed by the Government of Sri Lanka. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have discussed Sri Lanka with a number of Commonwealth member states. As host of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2013, we will look to Sri Lanka to demonstrate its commitment to upholding Commonwealth values. A key part of this will be to address long-standing issues of accountability and reconciliation after the military conflict. Sudan Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports from Sudan of kidnappings by militias who are targeting minority groups for new soldiers. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are concerned by reports of kidnappings of ethnic South Sudanese resident in Sudan, apparently for recruitment to militia groups in South Sudan. We consider the report credible, although we are unable to confirm the scale of the problem. Reports suggest that abductees are either released on payment of a ransom or are taken to militia training camps. We have sought to corroborate these reports and have discussed them with other embassies and relevant United Nations agencies. Our embassy in Khartoum has raised our concerns with the Government of Sudan, urging them to ensure security for minority groups resident in Sudan. Sudan Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the United Kingdom Embassy in Khartoum has had discussions with the Auxiliary Bishop of Khartoum, Daniel Adwok Kur, about kidnappings by militias in Sudan. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are concerned by reports of kidnappings of ethnic southerners resident in Sudan. Our embassy in Khartoum has discussed the issue with church representatives in Sudan including the Anglican Bishop of Khartoum and the Apostolic Nuncio. We will continue to follow this issue closely, including by meeting with church leaders. Sudan and South Sudan The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what influence they have in talks between the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan; and how they and the European Union can continue to support the African Union mediation process. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK has an important role to play, given its historical ties to both countries and its role as a witness to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. We continue to provide political, financial and technical support to the mediation process led by Thabo Mbeki and the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AU-HIP). The European Union is also providing support to the AU-HIP, in line with its comprehensive approach to Sudan and South Sudan. Supermarkets The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that the National Farmers Union and similar bodies will be able to provide credible evidence to the adjudicator during any investigation of supermarket practices without a specific power in the Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: During the course of an investigation, the Groceries Code Adjudicator will be able to take into account any information it appears appropriate to consider, including evidence from third parties such as the National Farmers Union. Syria Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the absence of a United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria, they will work with their partners in the United Nations General Assembly to recommend a collective measure concerning Syria in line with General Assembly Resolution 377 of 1950. Lord Howell of Guildford: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), said in his Statement to the House of Commons on 6 February, we will continue to raise the situation in Syria at the UN Security Council and we have maintained our strong focus at the United Nations by supporting the UN General Assembly Resolution that explicitly endorsed the Arab League plan for a Syrian-led solution to the crisis. This resolution sent overwhelmingly an unambiguous message of the international community's condemnation of the Syrian regime's actions and intention to hold to account those responsible for the ongoing atrocities. Syria Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will increase the assistance they provide to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in respect of refugees from Iraq resident in Syria, in the light of the difficulties of the present situation in Syria. Baroness Northover: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been vital in providing long-term support to Iraqi refugees in Syria. In 2011 the Department for International Development provided £1 million to support UNHCR's 2011 Iraqi Refugee Regional Response Plan. In recognition of UNHCR's strong performance and important role, the UK is increasing its core funding to UNHCR to cover operations all over the world, including in the Middle East region. UK funding in 2011-12 is £39 million, which includes £20 million above normal core funding. Syria Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to make equipment and other resources available to rebel groups in Syria; whether any such resources will include military assistance; and if they intend to make such resources available, what method they will use to ensure that they are not distributed to groups including Al-Qaeda with interests and objectives inimical to those of the United Kingdom. Lord Howell of Guildford: There is an EU arms embargo on Syria that covers both the Syrian regime and opposition forces and we are observing this. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) informed the other place on 6 February (Official Record, Col. 40), in reference to the Syrian opposition, that "we will help with advice and some logistics and practical support in order to ensure their ability to operate." To that end, we have so far provided training to Syrian human rights activists and are sending experts to the region to help document the crimes being committed by the Syrian Regime. In our contacts with all Syrian opposition groups, we have made clear that they work towards a democratic, representative state, respectful of its ethnic and religious minorities, and which adheres to international human rights conventions. Opposition groups active on the ground and political groups outside Syria have made clear that they disassociate themselves from al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda's recent statements about Syria. Any action by the Government will be in accordance with sanctions adopted by the European Union in respect of Syria. European Union Council Decision of 1 December 2011 (2011/782/CFSP), inter alia, prohibits 'the sale, supply, transfer or export of arms and related material of all types, including weapons and ammunition to Syria by nationals of member states or from the territories of member states', subject to certain exemptions. Taxation: Corporation Taxation Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from the Scottish Government with regard to corporation tax. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The Scottish Government have made six requests for further devolution in the Scotland Bill, including the devolution of corporation tax. The Scotland Bill is currently in Committee in the House of Lords and the Government are considering the Scottish Government's representations alongside points highlighted in debate. Television Sets Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many residents in the United Kingdom they estimate do not have a television. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Laird, dated February 2012. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question to asking how many residents in the United Kingdom they estimate do not have a television. (HL15816) Data on television ownership are collected at the household rather than individual level. In 2010, 1.9 per cent of households in the UK did not have a television. This is equivalent to 511,000 households. This estimate is based on data from the Living Costs and Food Survey, an annual survey of approximately 5,000 private households in the UK. As the survey covers only private households, people living in hostels, hotels, boarding houses or institutions are excluded. The estimate, as with any involving sample surveys, is subject to a margin of uncertainty. Tourism: UK Visas Baroness Valentine: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that United Kingdom tourist visa application forms are available for completion in foreign languages, including Mandarin, in time for the expected influx of visitors for the Olympics. Lord Henley: The UK Border Agency accepts visa applications in over 250 locations worldwide. While it has in the past given consideration to providing visa application forms in different languages, it is not feasible to monitor and update changes to the application process or UK immigration law in every language and script. However, guidance notes on how to complete the application form are available in some foreign languages, notably Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Russian, Thai and Turkish. Locally engaged personnel in the UK Border Agency's visa application centres overseas are often also available to provide clarification in the local language if necessary. Tristan da Cunha Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are any proposals to develop a new port for Tristan da Cunha to replace Calshot Harbour. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government have funded several repairs to Calshot harbour, most recently in March 2011, and a project is currently underway to increase the island's capacity to maintain harbour defences. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working with the Department for International Development and the Government of Tristan da Cunha to develop longer term plans for the Tristan harbour. Tristan da Cunha Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the volcano on Tristan da Cunha is currently stable. Lord Howell of Guildford: The volcano is classed as active but there has been no observed activity since a small underwater eruption in 2004. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to work with the Tristan authorities to monitor the situation. Tristan da Cunha Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is any residual environmental damage following the accident on Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha involving the motor vessel "Oliva". Lord Howell of Guildford: Much work was done to clean up the immediate environmental damage caused by the wreck and most of the visible signs of the sinking of the "Oliva" have now been removed by austral winter storms. However we cannot yet say what, if any, residual damage had been done as the effect on the fishery and wildlife is still being assessed. We continue to monitor this carefully, liaising closely with the Tristan authorities and relevant experts. The insurers of MV "Oliva" continue to meet their obligations for the cleaning up of pollution from the wreck and have compensated the territory for fishery losses in the 2010-11 season. Negotiations with the vessel's insurers over compensation for any longer term impacts of the incident continue. Tunisia Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 15 February (WA 163-64), why the European Union agreed to extend the freeze of Tunisian assets for one year; what representations the European Union received against the extension; and what is the total value of the frozen assets. Lord Howell of Guildford: The freeze on Tunisian assets was put in place against individuals believed to be "depriving the Tunisian people of the benefits of the sustainable development of their economy and society and undermining the development of democracy in the country". The Council agreed to extend the freeze for a further year to avoid the dispersal of funds believed to be misappropriated from the Tunisian state. Further details are set out in the Explanatory Memorandum submitted to Parliament on 19 January 2012. Some of those affected by the asset freeze have brought cases to the European Court of Justice to challenge their designation under the sanctions regime. However, we are unaware of any representations made to the European Union against the extension. We cannot give details of the assets frozen under this regime due to the confidentiality clause in the Council Regulation. We do not know the value of assets held in other European Union jurisdictions. The UK strongly believes that any illegally acquired assets removed from Tunisia should, following due legal process, be repatriated. We remain in contact with the Tunisian Government about how to proceed as quickly as possible and in line with European Union law. Turkey Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Turkey about the arrest of 41 people in or near Batman, including members of a political party, and media and civil organisations. Lord Howell of Guildford: While the Government do not plan to make specific representations about the arrest of approximately 40 people in or near Batman, we continue to raise concerns about human rights, and freedom of expression in particular, with the Government of Turkey. Here, we share the concerns expressed by the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the European Parliament over the continued arrest of politicians, journalists and others in Turkey. Our embassy in Ankara will continue to monitor the situation and lend support through programmes and projects aimed at improving human rights in Turkey It is encouraging that the Turkish Ministry of Justice recently announced a set of reforms to legislation aimed at addressing the length of pre-trial detentions. Along with our European partners we urge Turkey to build on these and to take full advantage of the opportunities created by the process of constitutional reform to address broader human rights issues. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Baroness Walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the part played by the United Kingdom in the negotiation of a new optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to provide a communications procedure, and their ratification of the similar optional protocols to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the United Kingdom will sign the optional protocol at the ceremony to be held in Geneva at the end of February, with a view to ratifying it in the near future. Lord Hill of Oareford: The UK Government are considering the implications of the third optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child for the UK in consultation with the devolved Administrations. As the UK Government have not sponsored the instrument it does not plan to take an active part in the signing ceremony to be held in Geneva on the 28 February. UN Human Rights Council Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support the proposal submitted to the 19th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council that a special rapporteur for religious minorities in Egypt should be appointed. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government are not aware of the proposal to have a special rapporteur for religious minorities in Egypt appointed. The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council has already appointed a special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief to identify existing and emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion or belief and present recommendations on ways and means to overcome such obstacles. The mandate of the special rapporteur is global rather than country specific. The special rapporteur reports annually to the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly. UN Women Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the inclusion of women in the Libyan National Transitional Council in accordance with United Nations Resolution 1325. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government have raised the importance of women's inclusion in the political process with the new Libyan authorities on a number of occasions. These have included the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs', my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague's), first phone call to Prime Minister al-Kib on his appointment and, most recently, when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), met the Deputy Minister for Culture and Civil Society on 7 February 2012. Our ambassador to Libya also raised women's representation in discussion with the National Transitional Council Election Committee during the drafting of the new Libyan Election Law. We are pleased that this will ensure women's representation in the new National Congress. The UK co-funded the first Libyan National Women's Conference in November 2011 during which women put their concerns directly to Chairman Abdul Jalil and Transitional Government Prime Minister al-Kib. UN Women Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to countries involved in the Arab spring to ensure that women participate in both transitional arrangements and new political structures, in accordance with United Nations Resolution 1325. Lord Howell of Guildford: Women played a central role in the 2011 Arab spring, where they voiced their demands for improved freedoms, opportunities and social justice. They also have a vital role to play in both transitional arrangements and new political structures as well as building stability in the region. Securing greater participation for women in all political and economic life will continue to be an essential part of our work and we will continue to press for this in our Government to government engagement in the region. The Government have made representations to countries experiencing the Arab spring. For example, in Libya the importance of women's inclusion in the political process has been raised with the new Libyan authorities. In our programme approach, we have worked with project partners to ensure that gender issues are taken into account, for instance by working to ensure that training courses for journalists have gender-balanced participation. The Arab Partnership Fund also supports projects with a particular gender focus, aiming to strengthen women's political and economic participation, such as a project in Tunisia led by Electoral Reform International Services (ERIS) to support a voter outreach programme targeting women voters in rural areas. We will shortly publish a plan for regional action on United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in the Middle East and North Africa, as part of a revision of the Government's National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 Women, Peace and Security. UN Women Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations about the inclusion of women in any negotiations about the future Government of Afghanistan, in accordance with United Nations Resolution 1325. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt) in the other place on 14 December 2011 (Official Report, cols. 768-69W). UN: Security Council Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government on which occasions in the past 10 years a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council has exercised a veto, and in each case what was the issue on which the veto was exercised. Lord Howell of Guildford: This table shows the occasions in the past 10 years where a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council has exercised a veto and the issue in which the veto was exercised: Year No. of Vetoes Date Issue Vetoing Member State 2002 2 30 Jun. Situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina Draft Resolution on the renewal of UN peacekeeping mission (UNMIBH) (S/2002/712) USA 20 Dec. Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question Draft Resolution condemned the killing by Israeli forces of several UN employees and the destruction of the World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse (S/2002/1385) USA 2003 2 16 Sep. Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question Draft Resolution demanded the cessation of violence and that Israel ceased to threaten the safety of the President of the Palestinian Authority (S/2003/891) USA 14 Oct. Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question Draft Resolution declared the security wall built by Israel in the West Bank to be illegal (S/2003/980) USA 2004 3 25 Mar. Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question Draft Resolution condemned the killing of Ahmed Yassin, the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) (S/2004/240) USA 21 Apr. Situation in Cyprus Draft Resolution approved the mandate of a new UN operation in Cyprus and banned arm sales (S/2004/313) Russia 05 Oct. Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question Draft Resolution demanded that Israel halt all military operations in northern Gaza and ensure that UN personnel and workers can access the region (S/2004/783) USA 2005 0 2006 2 13 Jul. Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question Draft Resolution demanded the unconditional release of an Israeli soldier as well as Israel's immediate withdrawal from Gaza and the release of Palestinian Officials (S/2006/508) USA 11 Nov. Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question Draft Resolution on the Israeli military operations in Gaza and the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a cessation of violence on both sides (S/2006/878) USA 2007 2 12 Jan. Situation in Myanmar Draft Resolution called on the Government of Myanmar to cease military attacks against civilians and ethnic minority regions (S/2007/14) China, Russia 2008 2 11 Jul. Peace and Security in Africa Draft Resolution condemned the violence by the Government of Zimbabwe against civilians after the elections of 27 June 2008 and demanding the immediate cessation of violence (S/2008/447) China, Russia 2009 1 15 Jun. Georgia Draft Resolution on extending UN mandate in Georgia (S/2009/310) Russia 2010 0 2011 3 18 Feb. Situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question Draft Resolution demanded that Israeli cease the construction of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (S/2011/24) USA 04 Oct. Middle East (Syria) Draft Resolution called on the Syrian Government to halt their violent offensive, comply with its obligations under applicable international law, co-operate with the UN and UN agencies (S/2011/612) China, Russia Up to 15 Feb. 2012 2 04 Feb. Middle East (Syria) Draft Resolution condemned the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian Government and demanded that the Syrian Government comply with the Arab League Action Plan of 2 November 2011 and with its decision on 22 January 2012 to cease all violence. (S/2012/77) China, Russia Unemployment: Young People Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government , for 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2011, what were (1) the numbers of long-term young unemployed; (2) the total unemployment rate; and (3) the youth unemployment rate. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Roberts, dated February 2012. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2011, what were (1) the numbers of long-term young unemployed; (2) the total unemployment rate; and (3) the youth unemployment rate. HL15785 The table provides unemployment levels and rates for the October-December three month period in 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2011. Long term unemployment is defined as 12 months and over. The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and are seasonally adjusted. They are published in the monthly Labour Market Statistical Bulletin which is available on the National Statistics website. In accordance with the International Labour Organization (ILO) convention, people are classed as unemployed if they are: without a job, and have actively sought work in the last four weeks; or, out of work, have found a job and are waiting to start it in the next two weeks. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people divided by the number of economically active people. 'Economically active' comprises all those who are either employed or unemployed. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Indications of the sampling variability of LFS aggregate estimates are provided in the Statistical Bulletin. Unemployment levels and rates1 by age and duration Three months ending December, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2011 United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted Thousands and per cent Unemployment rate, people aged 16 and over Unemployment rate people aged 16-24 Number of long-term unemployed2 people aged 16-24 2002 5.1 123 56 2005 5.2 140 86 2007 5.2 139 114 2010 79 20.5 234 2011 84 22.2 246 Source: Labour Force Survey 1 The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people divided by the number of economically active people. "Economically active" comprises all those who are either employed or unemployed. 2 People unemployed for over 12 months Unemployment: Young People Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are implementing to tackle long-term structural youth unemployment. To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to ensure long-term employment for the 22.2 per cent of young people who were reported on 15 February to be without a job, according to the Office for National Statistics. Lord Freud: The Government are aware of the problems facing young jobseekers in the labour market and have put in place a substantial menu of provision to help them move into work. Jobcentre Plus personal advisers offer a comprehensive menu of help that includes jobsearch support and skills provision. Advisers have the flexibility to tailor support to the individual at the most appropriate point in their claim. Get Britain working measures offer additional support, including work clubs, work experience, new enterprise allowance, enterprise clubs and sector-based work academies. The Work Programme provides tailored support to those claimants furthest from the labour market. Young claimants are referred to a provider after nine months and those with more challenging barriers to work can be referred at three months. Providers are paid on the results they achieve, and are paid more for supporting the harder to help into work. The Government recently announced a new youth contract, worth around £1 billion, which is designed to prevent a new generation of young people falling into the trap of long-term unemployment. The youth contract will provide nearly half a million new opportunities for young people-including wage incentives, incentives to take on apprentices, and extra work experience placements. Extra funding is being made available to support the most vulnerable 16 and 17 year olds not in education, employment or training into learning, an apprenticeship or job with training. Unemployment: Young People Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by Lord Freud on 14 February (Official Report, col. 679), why he stated that "long-term youth unemployment has not changed a lot". Lord Freud: Most of the rise in long-term youth unemployment in recent years occurred in the recession. In the two years to spring 2010 the number of 18 to 24 year-olds unemployed for six months or more on the broader ILO definition doubled from nearly 175,000 to around 350,000. Since then the increase has slowed: the latest figure is 380,000, and some of this rise is likely to have been caused by welfare reforms that are moving jobless people previously recorded as economically inactive back into unemployment. Nevertheless, the level of long-term youth unemployment is too high and the Government's policies, including the Work Programme and the recently announced youth contract, are tackling this legacy. The last year has seen a more significant rise in the number of 18-24 year olds claiming jobseeker's allowance (JSA) for six months or more. However, recent policy changes mean that many people previously excluded from the benefit statistics while on work experience or government programmes now continue to receive JSA. Taking account of these changes, the rise in the number of long-term JSA claimants aged 18-24 since spring 2010 is broadly equivalent to the fall in the number participating in programmes that remove them from the claimant count. Keeping young people on JSA adds to the caseload in the short-term but ensures they continue to actively seek work alongside any other support they are receiving, and should improve their chances of moving into real employment. Vehicles: Electric Power Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have instructed the police force in England to prosecute drivers of electronically assisted pedal cycles with 250 watt electric motors. Lord Henley: The Government have issued no such instructions. Enforcement of the law is an operational matter for the police. The Department for Transport has issued guidance to the police on the categorisation of electronically assisted pedal cycles, which may assist decisions as to enforcement. Voluntary Sector Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the burden of administration associated with volunteering, especially for voluntary aviation organisations. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: We are determined to make it easier to volunteer and run civil society organisations by cutting bureaucracy. We set up the Civil Society Red Tape Taskforce, chaired by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, to identify what stops people giving more time and money to civil society organisations. Their report "Unshackling Good Neighbours", makes 17 major recommendations that we are taking forward and Lord Hodgson will review progress in implementing them in May. More generally, the Red Tape Challenge will be focusing on aviation later this year and the public will be able to say whether there are burdens that are specific to volunteering with aviation organisations that should be scrapped. Voluntary Sector Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to make it easier for employers to release their employees to assist in the voluntary organisations in which they have an interest. Baroness Wilcox: The Giving White Paper made clear that the Government fully support and encourage organisations making time available for employees to volunteer. The Government have also made their ambitions clear with their commitment to turn the Civil Service into a civic service, supporting civil society organisations. This will encourage civil servants to give time by providing them with opportunities to use their skills and using volunteering as a means of learning and professional development both in terms of gaining new skills and experiences and also better understanding of the impact of government policies on the civil society sector. Under Every Business Commits, we are also challenging businesses to take action on priorities including promoting employee well-being and engaging with communities, with Government committing in return to encourage enterprise and reduce red tape to create the best conditions for businesses to succeed. Zimbabwe Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the Government of Zimbabwe about the detention and trial of Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu. Lord Howell of Guildford: Officials from our embassy in Harare are in close contact with Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). An official attended Bulawayo magistrates' court on 12 December 2011 for part of the trial of Ms Williams and Ms Mahlangu and observed WOZA's protest march held in Harare earlier this week. We will continue to monitor all WOZA court cases. We have made known to the Government of Zimbabwe our views about the arrest of WOZA activists and on wider human rights concerns. We urge all parties, including the security forces and the prosecuting authorities, to act in an impartial manner and to respect the rule of law. We call regularly, both bilaterally and in partnership with other European Union member states, for an end to all such abuses and the restoration of internationally accepted human rights standards in Zimbabwe.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2012-02-27a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2012", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Lord Triesman: An anonymised copy of the letter to the noble Lord from my honourable friend the then Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs (Ian Pearson) of 27 April, concerning British overseas citizenship and registration as a British citizen, will be placed in the Library of the House.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-06-28a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have expressed any view to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission about its refusal to extend the period of consultation on its draft bill of rights beyond 1 December, as urged by the Bill of Rights Consortium. Lord Williams of Mostyn: It is a matter for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to determine how to conduct the consultation exercise, including the amount of time allocated for people to respond. The consultation period of 12 weeks given by the commission is consistent with Cabinet Office advice to government departments (which recommends that non-departmental public bodies should also be guided by this advice). I understand that the commission has also put back the deadline for submissions from children and young people to the end of January. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission advised that the United Kingdom should appeal in the four European Court of Human Rights cases of 4 May, referred to collectively under the name Jordan. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has not issued any advice on whether the UK Government should appeal in those four cases. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have asked the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to draft a strategic plan for 2002–05; and whether any new commission appointed from 1 March 2002 would be bound by any such document. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is an independent body and as such is responsible for agreeing its own work related forward planning within its legislative remit. The Northern Ireland Office, as sponsoring department, has a requirement to ensure that the grant aid to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is sufficient for it to carry out its legislative functions and also that the money is properly accounted for. The commission has been asked to give consideration to its budgetary requirements for the years 2003–06 to enable the Northern Ireland Office to include the commission's bid for funds within its own planning documents. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is the view of the Chief Commissioner for Human Rights for Northern Ireland that it is possible to remove proposals from the commission draft document published on 4 September. Lord Williams of Mostyn: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library. Police Service of Northern Ireland Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: In which countries officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland are on duty; and whether they will consider allowing the Police Service of Northern Ireland to make or contribute to any international police presence in Afghanistan. Lord Williams of Mostyn: Officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland are currently deployed in Bosnia, Kosovo and East Timor. If the Police Service of Northern Ireland was invited to make a contribution to an international police presence in Afghanistan, the Chief Constable would consult with the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Sex Discrimination Act: XFather Christmas" Advertisements Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is legal under sex discrimination legislation to advertise for a XFather Christmas". Lord Williams of Mostyn: Under the Sex Discrimination Act it is not unlawful to advertise a post where a person's sex is a genuine occupational qualification for the job, within certain tightly drawn limits. Therefore it is permissible to advertise for a man to play the role of Father Christmas. International Terrorism: Review of Government Policy Baroness Billingham: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements have been made for ministerial oversight of the campaign against terrorism. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Prime Minister has established a Sub-Committee of the Defence and Overseas Policy Committee to oversee the Government's role in the international coalition against international terrorism. Its membership and terms of reference are as follows: Sub-Committee on International Terrorism Composition Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Chancellor of the Exchequer President of the Council Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Secretary of State for the Home Department Secretary of State for International Development Secretary of State for Defence The Chief of the Defence Staff, the Attorney-General and the heads of the intelligence agencies also attend when required. Terms of Reference XTo keep under review the Government's policy on international terrorism, in particular the political, military and humanitarian response to the attacks in the United States on 11 September and preventive security measures in the United Kingdom and overseas". In addition, as part of this sub-committee, the Prime Minister has established a ministerial group, chaired by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to keep under review policy on protective security. Its membership and terms of reference are as follows: Ministerial Group on Protective and Preventive Security Composition Secretary of State for the Home Department (in the Chair) Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions Secretary of State for Health Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Secretary of State for Defence Chief Secretary to the Treasury Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Minister of State, Home Office The president of the Association of Chief Police Officers and the heads of the intelligence agencies will attend as required. Terms of Reference XTo keep under review the Govenment's policy on preventive and precautionary security measures to counter the threat of terrorism in the United Kingdom and to British interests overseas; and to report to the Sub-Committee on International Terrorism as appropriate". Adult Skills: Performance and Innovation Unit Report Baroness Billingham: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Performance and Innovation Unit's report on workforce development will be published. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Performance and Innovation Unit's report In Demand—Adult Skills in the 21st Century is published today as a report to the Government. Copies have been placed in the House Library. Additional copies and further information can also be found on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/innovation. Decennial Census 1911 Lord Skidelsky: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will review current policy that prevents public inspection of the 1911 decennial census because censuses for England and Wales are closed for 100 years. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls with the responsibility of the national statistician, who has been asked to reply. Letter to Lord Skidelsky from the executive director of the Office for National Statistics, dated 27 November 2001. The Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent question asking whether the current policy which prevents public inspection of the 1911 decennial census because censuses for England and Wales are closed for 100 years, will be reviewed. I am replying in his absence. (HL1398) There are no plans to review the current policy covering public inspection of the 1911 Census records. A closure period of 100 years for census records is specified in legislation in Instrument No 12 dated 1966 made under the Public Records Act 1958. The Lord Chancellor in conjunction with the Minister of Health, who at that time was responsible for the Census, prescribed the closure period. Under the Public Records Act, there is provision for a record held by the Public Record Office to be inspected if special authority is given by the department responsible for the record. In 1993 it was announced in Parliament that the Registrar General would be willing to consider particular applications for information to be extracted from the 1911 returns if it would enable the applicant to establish a legal entitlement such as an inheritance. Such authority would be given only where the information is not available from any other source and is clearly requisite for establishing the entitlement in question. The Registrar General would wish to be fully satisfied from documentary evidence as to the identity of the applicant. Where the desired information from the Census form relates to a living person other than the applicant, that person's consent would be required before the information would be released. At the time of the 1911 Census, assurance was given that the contents of the Schedule would be treated as strictly confidential. To amend retrospectively the rule would jeopardise public confidence in assurances about recent and future censuses. It may put at risk public trust in other guarantees given about confidentiality. I appreciate that information from census returns would be of value to those people researching their family history, but maintaining the public's confidence in the protection of census information is paramount. Quarry Products: Aggregates Tax The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What range of quarry products will be taxable under the forthcoming aggregates tax; and at what amount per tonne. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The levy will be charged at £1.60 per tonne upon sand, gravel and rock commercially exploited for use as aggregate. Redundancies Lord Roberts of Conwy: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 8 November (WA 40), what were the comparable figures for proposed redundancies for the equivalent period in each of the last five years. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The comparable figures for proposed redundancies for the equivalent period of 6 June 2001 to 30 September 2001 in each of the last five years are: Year Number of proposed redundancies 1996 67,397 1997 60,606 1998 85,976 1999 87,301 2000 115,190 Miners: Respiratory Disease Claims Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will provide a full breakdown of their costs and expenses in connection with miners' respiratory claims, since Mr Justice Turner's judgment of January 1998, particularised between administrative expenses, legal costs, departmental funding and sums paid out to the Department of Trade and Industry's two principal contractors, AON-IRISC and Healthcall. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: To date, the costs for the two schemes to solicitors and the Compensation Recovery Unit amount to £103.8 million, comprising £46.4 million in respect of respiratory disease and £57.4 million in relation to vibration white finger, VWF. The department is unable to provide figures relating to contractors' fees, as the details of these payments remain commercially confidential. The cost of administrative expenses, particularly those of the department, on this work cannot be separately identified. Challenger 2 Tank Air Filters Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many Challenger 2 tank air filters were used during Exercise Saif Sareea II; and how many are now held in stock. Lord Bach: Approximately 600 Challenger 2 air filters were used on Exercise Saif Sareea II. Units are however in the process of recovering their assets following the exercise, so it is not possible to be precise. As at 22 November, 433 air filters were held in storage depots and further stocks are being delivered on a weekly basis. Stocks are also held at unit level, although information on those holdings is not held centrally. Education Action Zones Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish any evaluation there has been of education action zones. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: At the request of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State, the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) has undertaken an ongoing programme of inspection to evaluate the effectiveness of individual education action zones and to routinely publish the results of their findings. To date Ofsted has published 14 reports on individual education action zones and has, in addition, published a commentary on the first six education action zones that it inspected. The reports are published on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk The Department for Education and Skills has this year published an annual report on education action zones. This report documents and evaluates the progress of the education action zone programme to date. I am placing a copy in the Library of the House. Education Action Zones Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who was consulted and over what period about the abolition of education action zones. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Education action zones (EAZs) are not being abolished. All EAZs will complete their agreed full statutory term. Under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, EAZs were established for a maximum statutory term of five years. Our announcement on 14 November proposes that, wherever possible, we aim to continue to support ex-EAZ schools through our Excellence in Cities initiative, following the end of the zones' statutory term. Officials from the Department for Education and Skills are holding discussions with each EAZ on the future of their schools, with a view to developing firm proposals well before the end of its statutory term. Special Educational Needs: Collection of Data Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any plans to conduct an annual schools census in England and Wales requiring enumeration of the numbers of pupils with autism and other conditions giving rise to special educational needs as with the Scottish schools census. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Provisions now consolidated in the Education Act 1996 require schools to submit information on numbers of pupils with special educational needs. There is currently no requirement for schools to submit information in the annual schools census on the nature of such pupils' disability or learning difficulty. The department established an SEN Data Strategy Group which, earlier this year, recommended a number of improvements to the collection of data on pupils with SEN. We are now considering how best these recommendations could be implemented, including developing appropriate data collection software and taking the views of schools and LEAs. In June this year, the department carried out a pilot study involving a sample of 200 mainstream and special schools to assess whether it would be possible to collect data from schools on a broad range of types of SEN. We are now considering introducing a requirement for schools and LEAs to provide this information from 2003–04, and this is likely to include data on pupils categorised as having an autistic spectrum disorder. Benefit Fraud Inspectorate Report: Hastings Borough Council Lord Hughes of Woodside: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to publish the inspection report of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate in respect of Hastings Borough Council. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate report was published today in respect of Hastings Borough Council and copies of the report have been placed in the Library. Inspectors found that the council is working towards the verification framework but needs to improve consistency in gathering evidence before they will be able to implement the framework effectively. The report also noted that Hastings Borough Council did not consistently comply with the requirement to confirm national insurance numbers and the linked identity of claimants. The council's efforts to ensure that only valid claims enter the system are hampered by a claim form that does not meet the standards of the BFI model form. The report notes that before the inspection took place the council implemented major organisational changes. The benefits section introduced new procedures and initiatives that should bring improvements, but insufficient staff resources meant that the gains have yet to be fully realised. Inspectors report that the council pays 90 per cent of rent allowance claims to landlords direct. The council recognises the benefits of maintaining close liaison with landlords, supported by clear procedures for the 'fit and proper person' test. Further improvement is needed in the areas of IT security and management checks. The report finds that the council has effective systems for recovering housing benefit (HB) overpayments. The general lack of resource is having a major impact on the performance of the Benefits Investigation Service causing a shortfall against the weekly benefit saving threshold. Internal Audit's provision of a robust and effective audit service gives some assurance as to the security of the benefits system. The report makes recommendations to help the council to address weaknesses and to improve the administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit; as well as counter fraud activities. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and will be asking the council for its proposals in response to the findings and recommendations of the BFI. Convicted Prisoners: Disfranchisement Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they accept the recommendation by the United Nations Human Rights Committee in its concluding observations of 29 October on the Fifth Periodic Report submitted by the United Kingdom, to reconsider United Kingdom law depriving convicted prisoners of the right to vote. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We have read the committee's draft recommendation and we have no plans to amend the law as it stands at present. The Divisional Court confirmed earlier this year that the disfranchisement of convicted prisoners is both legitimate and proportional in its aim and that there has therefore been no breach of human rights in maintaining the current practice. Millennium Dome: Sale Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the first call on funds from the proceeds of the sale of the Millennium Dome will be the repayment of moneys provided by English Partnerships or of moneys provided by the Millennium Commission. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: In accordance with the legal agreement between English Partnerships and the New Millennium Experience Company dated 12 January 2001, the first call on the proceeds of sale of the Millennium Dome will be for costs defined in the agreement as Xallowable costs". These include various costs associated with English Partnerships's management and maintenance of the Dome, including decommissioning of the contents, and other categories of costs payable by English Partnerships. In addition, Xallowable costs" includes all legal costs, fees and expenses reasonably and properly incurred by either English Partnerships or the company to enable a sale to be achieved: the bulk of these costs have been incurred to date by English Partnerships. Millennium Dome: Sale Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the net sum, after expenses of sale, raised from the sale of the contents of the Millennium Dome; and how this sum has been used. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The net sum raised so far from the sale of assets by the New Millennium Experience Company is £3.7 million. The sum has been used to defray the New Millennium Experience Company's wind-down costs, reducing the net amount of grant needed from the Millennium Commission. New Millennium Experience Company and English Partnerships: Legal Liability for Debts Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have legal liability for any debts of the New Millennium Experience Company and English Partnerships respectively. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The New Millennium Experience Company is a limited company and the Government have no direct legal obligation to meet its liabilities. English Partnerships is made up of two bodies, the Urban Regeneration Agency and the Commission for New Towns. As NDPBs, they stand at arms' length from the Government, operating under their own statute. Legal liability for the commitments they incur therefore lies with them. However, the Government provide them with the necessary resources to carry out an agreed programme and operate a control regime aimed at preventing the bodies creating obligations they cannot fulfil. Greenwich Millennium Village Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the expenditure of public funds to date on the Millennium Village at Greenwich, together with a breakdown of the main source of such funds. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Greenwich Millennium Village is being developed by the private sector with no contribution from public funds, up to now. English Partnerships, the Government's regeneration agency, has facilitated the remediation, servicing and landscaping for the area of the Millennium Village as part of its wider regeneration programme of the whole of the Greenwich Peninsula. In addition, English Partnerships has developed the Millennium School and Health Centre at a cost of £11.6 million, including fees. These facilities are to serve the Millennium Village, but also the far wider community, both on and off the Greenwich Peninsula. Insecticides The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: When waxed fly strips containing Dichlorvos were first marketed under the trade name XVapona"; whether a licence was required; and what toxicity tests were the manufacturers required to conduct. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Resin strips impregnated with Dichlorvos have been marketed under the trade name XVapona" since the 1960s. A Xlicence" as such was not required at that time to allow manufacturers to place such products on the market. However the Pesticides Safety Precautions Scheme (PSPS) which operated on a voluntary basis Xcleared" products for safe use, subject to labelling and any other conditions set by government departments. PSPS was operated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with the HSE becoming involved about 1975. To help manufacturers, guidance was published on the toxicity tests needed to help advisers make recommendations for the safe use of pesticides. The following information was published in XThe Pesticides Safety Precautions Scheme agreed between Government Departments and Industry (1975)" Toxicity data guide: Acute toxicity studies Cumulative toxicity studies Chronic toxicity studies, (including carcinogenicity tests if required). Neurotoxicity tests for organophosphorous compounds Metabolic studies Potentiation tests for organophosphorous compounds It should be noted that the trade name XVapona" covers a range of pesticide products. Insecticides The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: When aerosol insect sprays for use in domestic situations in which the active ingredients were organophosphates were first introduced into the United Kingdom; and which were the organophosphates. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: HSE records show aerosol products containing organophosphorus compounds were on the market in the UK at least from 1975–76. At this time HSE became involved in the voluntary scheme in place to clear and register them. Before then, such products were the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF—now DEFRA). The organophosphorus compounds contained within these products were as follows: Diazinon Dichlorvos Fenitrothion Iodofenphos Pirimiphos-Methyl. Phenols: Health and Safety Executive Advice The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Health and Safety Executive advice about the use of phenols has been changed recently; if so, why; and to whom the advice has been communicated. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: On 22 September 2001, the Health and Safety Commission approved a maximum exposure limit (MEL) for phenol. This will come into effect on 31 December 2001, when it will be published in Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance note EH40/2002, Occupational Exposure Limits. Employers must control exposure of employees by inhalation to any substance with a MEL as far as is reasonably practicable, and in any event below the limit. This new limit replaces former occupational exposure standards that had higher values and less stringent control duties, and reflects the latest scientific appraisal of the health effects of phenol. The new limit has been announced in an HSE press notice, and the intention to introduce it was subject to consultation in 2001. Mox Development: Consideration of Security Implications Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the security implications of proceeding with the Mox development at Sellafield were last considered; and what was the outcome of that consideration. Lord Whitty: My right honourable friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Health decided on 3 October that Mox manufacture is justified in accordance with the requirements of Article 6(1) of Directive 96/29/Euratom. This directive, commonly referred to as the XBasic Safety Standards Directive", requires in Article 6(1) that all new classes or types of practice resulting in exposure to ionising radiation are justified in advance of being first adopted or first approved by their economic, social or other benefits in relation to the health detriment they may cause. My right honourable friends took account of all relevant issues up to 3 October, including security considerations. A copy of their decision is in the Library, including a summary of some of the main considerations taken into account. Paragraphs 67–69 of the decision document and paragraphs 25–33 of Annex 1 describe these issues in detail. The Secretaries of State sought the advice of agencies responsible for safety and security issues, including the Office for Civil Nuclear Security which, as the decision document makes clear, took account of the terrorist attacks on 11 September. Meat Imports Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government: What quantity of meat products have been imported into the United Kingdom from countries that have endemic foot and mouth disease over the last twelve months. Lord Whitty: European Community legislation permits the importation of meat from certain countries where foot and mouth disease is present but only where the disease is restricted to specific areas. Imports are permitted either from parts of the country that are free of disease or under strict conditions that ensure the meat does not come from any animal that may have come in contact with foot and mouth disease before, during or after slaughter. All meat imported from third countries must be accompanied by veterinary certification. This must confirm that the meat is derived from animals which have been subjected to a veterinary inspection during the 24 hours prior to slaughter and showed no signs of foot and mouth disease. All meat imported into the UK from third countries must enter at designated UK border inspection posts (BIPs) where it is subject to veterninary inspections. The table below details UK imports of meat from foot and mouth disease susceptible species* between October 2000 and September 2001 from countries where foot and mouth disease is endemic. Product Country Total (tonnes) Meat of Bovine Animals** Botswana 11,296 Brazil 81,665 Namibia 8,020 South Africa 354 Swaziland 125 Zimbabwe 6,879 Meat of Bovine Animals, Fresh or Chilled Total 108,339 *cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and reindeer ** There were no imports of sheepmeat, pigmeat, goatmeat or reindeer meat from the specified countries between October 2000 and September 2001. Waterfowl: Ban on Shooting with Lead Shot The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they have monitored the ban on the shooting of waterfowl and other similar species with lead shot; and what prosecutions for infringements of the ban have been brought to date. Lord Whitty: The legislation implementing the ban on shooting of waterfowl, and other species, using lead shot has been monitored by the Lead Shot Legislation (England) Review Group. This report to Mr Meacher earlier this year recommended proposals for changes to the schedules to the legislation. A consultation about the proposals has been conducted by my department, the results of which should be known shortly. Reports from the organisations represented on the group indicate that compliance with the legislation is high. To date there have been no prosecutions for infringements of the ban. Waterfowl: Ban on Shooting with Lead Shot The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which bodies or organisations police the ban on the shooting of waterfowl and similar species with lead shot in order to enforce the existing legislation. Lord Whitty: Under Section 4 of the Environmental Protection (Restriction of the Use of Lead Shot (England) Regulations 1999 any person who appears suitable to the Secretary of State may be authorised in writing to undertake enforcement. At the current time only the police are authorised to undertake this function.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2001-11-27a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2001", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Intelligence Services:Scope of Official Functions Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the evidential basis for the allegation made by the Leader of the House of Commons that there are "rogue elements" in the intelligence services; and what are these "rogue elements" alleged to have done beyond the scope of their official functions; and Whether they will conduct an enquiry into whether there are "rogue elements" in the intelligence services and into what they have done beyond the scope of their official functions. Lord Williams of Mostyn: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given in another place by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister to the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green on 4 June 2003, (Official Report, Commons, cols. 147–50). Physiotherapy Educators and Managers Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why physiotherapy educators and managers who do not carry a case load have not received assurances that their professional updating will allow them to remain registered with the Health Professions Council as physiotherapists. Baroness Andrews: All registrants must meet the standards of proficiency when first registered with the Health Professions Council. Thereafter, they are required to remain within their scope of practice which for educators and managers will reflect their current roles. NHS Commissioning Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who will determine whether existing commissioning consortia are working well or whether there are good reasons for change; On what criteria they will assess whether commissioning consortia are working well; Given that primary care trusts and commissioning consortia members have the discretion to decide their own remit and terms of reference, what power strategic health authorities and the Commission for Health Improvement have to override that discretion where the arrangements are deemed not to be working well. Baroness Andrews: Strategic health authorities (SHAs) are responsible for the oversight and performance management of collaborative commissioning groups for specialised services and their service-specific consortia and they will assess, in the light of guidance and taking into account local circumstances, whether commissioning arrangements are working well. The powers of SHAs in relation to primary care trusts are found in The National Health Service (Functions of Strategic Health Authorities and Primary Care Trusts and Administration Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2002 (SI no 2002/2375) Regulation (3) (5). Where there are concerns following a clinical governance review (CGR) report by the Commission for Health Improvement, the SHA will work with the NHS organisation to address the concerns identified and will be responsible for monitoring the CGR action plan as part of its performance management role. Smallpox: Exercise Red Scar Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the results of the exercise held in March to test their plans in the event of a smallpox outbreak. Baroness Andrews: Exercise Red Scar was run by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in March this year to test the operational response to a suspected case of smallpox. The agency intends to publish the summary report of the exercise on its website. A full report of the exercise has been sent to participants, and the lessons learned from the exercise will be disseminated to HPA and National Health Service staff as appropriate. NHS: IT Projects Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any information technology projects in the National Health Service have been cancelled because of incompatibility with the new national programme for information technology in the National Health Service; and, if so, how much had been spent on each of them. Baroness Andrews: No projects have been cancelled because of incompatibility with the national programme for information technology in the National Health Service. Community Care: Direct Payments Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of the impact on independent living from community care direct payments to those with disability. Baroness Andrews: There is an increasing amount of independent research on the costs and benefits of direct payments. Over the next three years, the operation of the Department of Health's Direct Payments Development Fund will provide opportunities to learn more as independent evaluation will be built into each activity supported by the fund. Council Tax Arrears Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the numbers of evictions from social housing and numbers of suspended prison sentences for council tax arrears in each of the past three years. Lord Rooker: Information on the numbers of evictions from social housing for council tax arrears is not collected centrally and so could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The number of suspended prison sentences for council tax arrears is, in effect, the number of committal orders obtained and postponed. Although figures for committal orders obtained and postponed are not collected by central government, they are reported by local authorities to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on its annual revenue collection statistics form. Estimated figures for England, for the latest three years for which information is available, are: ndash;2000 15,900 ndash;01 17,600 ndash;02 22,400. The above figures include grossed estimates for authorities that did not return their form, and so have been rounded to the nearest hundred. Fire Dispute Lord Brooks of Tremorfa: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the latest position on the fire dispute. Lord Rooker: The Fire Brigades Union Executive Council recommended an offer from the Fire Service's national employers to its recall conference on 12 June. The conference voted to accept the offer, and a final agreement has been signed by employers and the union. The Government welcome this agreement which brings an end to the dispute. In the light of this agreement, those Armed Forces personnel deployed on firefighting duties have been stood down permanently. The modernisation of the Fire Services remains a key government priority. This agreement will enable all parties to work together to build a better Fire Service that saves more lives.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2003-06-13a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2003", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Airports: Duty-free Shopping Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the likely impact of the proposed excise duty directive on the commercial revenue of smaller regional airports gained from duty-free shopping. Lord Davies of Oldham: As it currently stands, the European Commission's proposal for Article 13 of the council directive concerning the general arrangements for excise duty would restrict duty-free sales to passengers whose immediate destination is outside the EU. The Government have not conducted an assessment of the extent of any impact of the proposal on smaller regional airports. However, later proposals from the EU presidency have replaced the word "immediate" with "final" in Article 13 of the draft directive. This will maintain the current position, allowing passengers to continue purchasing duty-free goods at any port or airport, providing they hold a valid transport document to a destination outside the EU, regardless of their immediate or interim destination. Airports: Heathrow Viscount Waverley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether pre-flight briefing quarters at Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport can cater for a reasonable build-up of delayed flights without having to impose cancellations due to inadequate space being available. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The aircrew facilities at Heathrow's Terminal 5 are a matter for British Airways as the sole airline operating from the terminal, and BAA as the airport's operator. Aviation Viscount Waverley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which airline is the national flag carrier of the United Kingdom. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The term "flag carrier" in relation to UK aviation is an informal term with no official meaning. Aviation Viscount Waverley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will take action to enable interested airlines to bid to take over routes now franchised by British Airways to other airlines. Lord Bassam of Brighton: British Airways does not franchise services on behalf of the Government. In most parts of the world it is open to any UK airline to compete with British Airways or its franchise partners on the routes it operates. Bloody Sunday: Saville Inquiry Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 22 May (WA 207) concerning the cost of the Saville inquiry, whether an apology was made. Lord Rooker: As set out in my previous Written Answers dated 17 March (Official Report, col. WA 2), and 30 April (Official Report, col. WA 24), the costs quoted on BBC TV's "Sunday AM" programme in July 2006 were inaccurate and the Government subsequently informed Parliament of the correct figures. Crime: Rape Baroness Thomas of Walliswood: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to develop and implement a sustainable funding strategy for rape crisis centres, similar to those in Scotland. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Central government devolve a majority of their resources to local areas to allocate according to local priorities. Central government grant schemes and initiatives are not intended to be a substitute for long-term sustainable local funding. However, the Government recognise that rape crisis centres face considerable financial difficulties and have set up an advisory group of sexual violence organisations to consider what more can be done to increase the capacity and sustainability of the sexual violence voluntary sector. To respond to the crisis in the short term, the Minister for Women announced on 18 March an emergency fund of over £1 million to prevent immediate closures and that money is in the process of being distributed. Crime: Victims Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether victims of violent crime must register with the Northern Ireland prisoner release victim information scheme in order to receive notice of matters relevant to them which involve the perpetrator of the crime. Lord Rooker: Yes. Following the conclusion of a trial where the perpetrator of a crime is sentenced to a term of imprisonment of six months or more, the Police Service of Northern Ireland writes to the identified victim or victims inviting them to register with the Northern Ireland Prison Service's prisoner release victim information scheme. Only if they choose to register with the scheme will they receive information about the release, whether temporary or otherwise, of the perpetrator of the crime against them. This is a requirement of Northern Ireland Statutory Rule No. 293 (The Prisoner Release Victim Information (Northern Ireland) Scheme 2003). Energy: Renewables Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 28 April (WA 4—5), what arrangements will be put in place to monitor the outputs of renewable energy installations whose locations have not been justified during the planning process; to remove them if they do not perform; and to compensate the local population for the failure of installations which do not perform. Baroness Andrews: Planning authorities are expected to address the environmental, social and economic impacts that arise from the proposed location of a renewable energy project. In doing so, they can already use planning conditions to require the removal of a renewable energy installation at the end of a specified period. In such cases planning conditions can also be used to require that a site is restored to its former condition. In the case of wind farms, a guidance note prepared for the Renewables Advisory Board and published by BERR*, highlights that decommissioning conditions can be used to ensure full and satisfactory restoration of a site, either in whole or part, should one or more turbines cease to be operational for a given period of time prior to the cessation of a planning permission. There is no reason in principle why such conditions should not be applicable to other installations for renewable energy. Planning authorities can also impose planning conditions relating to other environmental matters such as noise emissions. The companion guide supporting Planning Policy Statement 22 on renewable energy** provides practice guidance on the use of planning conditions and their applicability to a range of renewable energy technologies. * Available from the BERR and Planning and Renewable energy websites ** Available from the CLG website. Energy: Severn Barrage Lord Moran: asked Her Majesty's Government: What terms are in the contract with the consultancy firm Parsons Brinckerhoff to prevent them charging more than their initial quotation for analysing how the environment around the Severn estuary would be affected if a tidal range power project went ahead. Baroness Vadera: In the tender for the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) submitted by the consortium led by Parsons Brinckerhoff on 21 February 2008, there is a detailed outline for the work on the environmental impacts of proposed tidal power developments in the Severn estuary. This includes studies on hydraulics and geomorphology, flood management, water quality, bird and fish surveys, estuarine and marine ecology surveys and compensation habitat review. If we decide that any extra environmental studies or other work are required in order to complete a good quality environmental report, particularly after the scoping phase of the SEA later this year, then we will agree a price with the contractor as a variation to the current contract. Health: Asthma Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have plans to publish national clinical standards for asthma care in England; and, if so, how compliance with such standards would be monitored and encouraged. Lord Darzi of Denham: Pending consideration of the recommendations of the NHS Next Stage Review, clinical standards are published by the department when they are developed as part of specialty-specific strategies and national service frameworks. The department is not currently engaged in discussions, which might result in the publication of clinical standards for asthma. Health: Pharmacies Lord Mawson: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the proposals in the White Paper Pharmacy in England—Building on Strengths—Delivering the Future (Cm 7341) for pharmacists to play a greater role in the delivery of health services will include encouraging pharmacists to build partnerships with existing community-led healthy living centres across the country. Lord Darzi of Denham: In taking forward the vision within the White Paper Pharmacy in England—Building on Strengths—Delivering the Future of community pharmacies as healthy living centres, it will be important to ensure that pharmacists work in partnership with other health improvement services, including existing community-led healthy living centres. The public health leadership forum for pharmacy will support this programme of work. House of Lords: Public Petitions Lord Norton of Louth: asked the Chairman of Committees: What consideration has been given to permitting public petitions to the House of Lords to be submitted electronically. Lord Brabazon of Tara: As I indicated in my Answer on 16 May 2008 (WA 154), public petitions to the House of Lords are rare: the last occasion on which a petition was presented was on 13 December 2000. I do not therefore believe that expenditure on developing a system of e-petitioning unique to the House of Lords could be justified. On 6 April 2008 the House of Commons Procedure Committee published a comprehensive report on e-Petitions (1st Report, Session 2007-08, HC 136). The Committee envisages that if its proposals are agreed by the House of Commons the earliest date at which a system of e-petitioning could be operational is likely to be early in 2010. The appropriate committees in this House may at the appropriate time wish to take stock of experience in the Commons, and consider whether a similar system should be introduced in the House of Lords. Local Government Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many local authorities have achieved each of the eight themes that are quoted as hallmarks of a well-performing local authority in relation to biodiversity in the Association of Local Government Ecologists publication Increasing the Momentum 2004—2010. Lord Rooker: Increasing the Momentum is a vision statement by the Association of Local Government Ecologists for biodiversity in local government. There is no commitment for the Government to monitor the uptake of the vision and therefore we cannot report on how many local authorities have achieved the eight themes. Offensive Weapons Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: What regulations are in force governing the sale of knives. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government made it an offence to sell knives to people under the age of 18 in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006. The Knives Act 1997 created an offence of marketing a knife in a way which suggested it was suitable for combat, or is otherwise likely to stimulate the violent use of a knife. There are also 18 items on the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988, which it is illegal to sell, offer for sale, hire or import. Belt buckle knives, push daggers and butterfly knives are among the items on this order. Offensive Weapons Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether customers are required to produce identification before purchasing firearms or knives. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Anybody purchasing a firearm or shotgun covered by Sections 1 or 2 of the Firearms Act 1968 must produce a valid certificate which entitles them to purchase the gun being sold. These certificates contain a stamped photograph of the holder. Air weapons can only be sold by way of trade or business through a registered firearms dealer who must record the name and address of the purchaser in a register of transactions. The Government made it an offence to sell knives to people under the age of 18 in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006. If sellers are in any doubt about a person's age, they can request proof of age documents including passports, photo driving licences, or accredited proof of age cards. Offensive Weapons Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: What safeguards exist to regulate the sale of knives or firearms by mail order. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government made it an offence to sell knives to people under the age of 18 in the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006. A mail order company selling knives over the internet would be committing an offence if it did not take proper steps to ensure that it was not selling these weapons to under 18 year- olds as with any other retail outlet. The Knives Act 1997 created an offence of marketing a knife in a way which suggested it was suitable for combat, or is otherwise likely to stimulate the violent use of a knife. This applies to mail order companies as to other retail outlets. In the case of firearms, when a person applies for an authority to possess a firearm the police conduct detailed background checks to ensure that he is fit to possess a firearm and is suitable to have it in his possession without a danger to public safety or to the peace. While firearms may be bought via mail order, only those holding the appropriate certificates from the police or Secretary of State would be able to purchase firearms legally. Offensive Weapons Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether people convicted of carrying a knife are banned from carrying in public a knife of any length or articles with a blade or point. Lord Bassam of Brighton: It is an offence to carry a knife or bladed article in public without good reason or lawful authority. However, folding penknives with blades of not more than three inches are currently not included in this definition. We keep this legislation under constant review. Police: Green Paper Lord Dear: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to publish their Green Paper on policing. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The policing Green Paper will be published shortly. Police: Green Paper Lord Dear: asked Her Majesty's Government: What will be the main areas to be covered in their forthcoming Green Paper on policing. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The policing Green Paper will set out this Government's vision for policing. It will provide a substantive response to Sir Ronnie Flanagan's independent review of policing and will set out proposals for further improvements in four broad areas: making best use of resources and capacity; effective leadership and governance; clear, effective performance machinery; and clarity and co-operation over competing demands. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Browne of Belmont: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many police stations have been closed or scheduled to close since the establishment of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Lord Rooker: The chief constable has provided the following Answer: Twenty-nine police stations have closed since the establishment of the PSNI on 4 November 2001. Stations that are scheduled to close will be subject to the PSNI estate strategy which is currently being considered by the Northern Ireland Police Board. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Morrow: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the proposed commencement date of the new police training college at Loughry, Cookstown, County Tyrone. Lord Rooker: The proposed commencement date of the new joint police, fire and prisons training college is summer 2012. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Morrow: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the number of reserve officers presently serving in the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and how this compares with the numbers in 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively. Lord Rooker: The chief constable has provided the following Answer: The number of reserve officers presently serving in the Police Service of Northern Ireland is 659. This compares to 1237 in 2005, 985 in 2006 and 704 in 2007. Post Offices Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What have been the latest developments regarding the proposed closure of post offices in Northern Ireland. Baroness Vadera: The local consultation period for Northern Ireland started on 1 April and closed on 12 May. Post Office Ltd announced its final decisions on 3 June. Questions for Written Answer Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 2 June (WA 6), who takes the decision that a Question should not be answered in the Official Report; on what basis; and when this policy first arose. Lord Rooker: Ministers take full responsibility for answering Questions. We answer for issues for which the Government are responsible. I am satisfied that the Answer was sufficient to give the noble Lord the information he was seeking. Questions for Written Answer: Guidance to Civil Servants Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the most recent guidance that has been issued to civil servants by the Home Office on the drafting of Answers to Questions for Written Answer in the House of Lords. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Cabinet Office guidance for civil servants on drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions was published in February 2005. A copy of the guidance is in the Library of the House. It can also be found on the Cabinet Office website at: www.cabinet office.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/civil_service/pq_ guidance.aspx. A note and guidance on timeliness and the quality of answers to Parliamentary Questions was circulated to all members of the Home Office's Senior Civil Service on 10 March 2008. Questions for Written Answer: Guidance to Civil Servants Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the most recent guidance that has been issued to civil servants by the Department for Work and Pensions on the drafting of Answers to Questions for Written Answer in the House of Lords. Lord McKenzie of Luton: I have deposited a copy of the most recent guidance available to the department's staff in the Libraries of both Houses. Railways: Electrification Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 3 June (WA 48), how the business case for further electrification takes account of the United Kingdom's dependence on oil as the major tractive force in the transport system. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Department for Transport will take into account a range of scenarios to reflect uncertainties about longer term oil supply and demand when analysing the business case for further electrification. This will include considering the impact of sustained high oil prices. Railways: InterCity Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 3 June (WA 48), what is the anticipated cost of operating the InterCity Express train in an all-electric formation compared with a bi-mode (electric and diesel) version. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The operating cost of InterCity Express programme (IEP) trains is subject to tenders from the market which are set to be submitted at the end of June. An all-electric IEP train is expected to have marginally lower operating costs that the bi-mode version under electric power. The bi-mode train can clearly operate to destinations off-wire or on diversionary routes. Railways: InterCity Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 3 June (WA 48), whether they have assessed the possibility of providing an all-electric InterCity Express train with an automatic coupling device so that it may be hauled by a diesel locomotive beyond the periphery of the electrified network. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The invitation to tender for InterCity Express programme (IEP) does not preclude this option. It is for the market to propose a solution that best meets the IEP specification. We will be able to verify these proposals when we have received bids from the market later this month. Religious Freedom Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they are taking to raise bilaterally and in appropriate multilateral international fora the safety and religious freedom of apostates from Islam to Christianity. Lord Malloch-Brown: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) takes every opportunity to urge states to implement laws and practices which foster tolerance and mutual respect. FCO officials often make representations on behalf of people whose rights to profess their religion of choice are violated. We have recently made representations, bilaterally and with EU partners, to Governments in Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Egypt. The UK, in conjunction with the EU, successfully argued for the inclusion of the right to change or renounce one's religion or belief in the UN Resolution on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief at the 6th session of the UN Human Rights Council in December 2007. Schools: Nurses Lord Bradley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many school nurses were employed in secondary schools in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years; and what proportion of secondary schools employed one or more school nurses in each of the past 10 years. Lord Darzi of Denham: This information is not held centrally. Such information as is available is shown in the following table and shows the number of school nurses employed by each primary care trust (PCT) in England from 2004-07. School nurses were identified for the first time in the 2004 annual workforce census. School nurses are generally employed by PCTs although some school nurses will be directly employed by both state and independent schools. The National Health Service workforce census does not capture these. A number of qualified school nurses will also work coterminously across PCT boundaries but be directly employed by one single PCT. School nurse numbers England 2004 2005 2006(1) 2007 Increase 2004-07 Percentage increase since 2004 Headcount School nursing service nurses 2,409 2,887 2,968 3,162 753 31.25 of which: Nurses with a post- registration school nursing qualification 856 943 1,129 1,227 371 43.3 FTE School nursing service nurses 1,619 1,913 2,053 2,232 613 37.86 of which: Nurses with a post- registration school nursing qualification 607 665 815 893 286 47.12 Notes: (1) More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total workforce figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years' figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated. The level of inflation in earlier years' figures is estimated to be less than 1 per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures (and negligible for full-time equivalents). This should be taken into consideration when analysing trends over time. Source: The Information Centre for health and social care, Non-Medical Workforce Census, general and personal medical services statistics. Supermarkets Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What comparisons they have made between the market share of supermarkets in other large European Union countries and the 75 per cent market share of the main four supermarkets in the United Kingdom; and what figures they have received from those countries. Baroness Vadera: The Competition Commission in the course of its recent investigation into the UK grocery market undertook research of this nature. The Competition Commission made use of a variety of industry publications and data sources. These included publications by market research organisations such as IGD and Verdict, and survey data collected by Taylor Nelson Sofres plc (TNS) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The Competition Commission also undertook separate surveys of suppliers to grocery retailers, local planning authorities (LPAs) and the retail offer of grocery stores in 44 locations across the UK. The results can be found in the Competition Commission's final report at: www.competition commission.gov.uk/rep_pub/reports/2008/538grocery .htm. Taxation: Alcohol Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the calculation underlying the Statement of the Minister of State for Public Health, Dawn Primarolo, to the British Medical Association on 14 March that the higher taxes on alcohol in this year's Budget will save 3,250 lives by March 2013 if fed through to prices. Lord Darzi of Denham: The calculation underlying this Statement is in the form of a paper, which has been placed in the Library. UN: Office of Internal Oversight Services Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the budgeted and actual expenditure of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services in each of the calendar years 2005, 2006 and 2007; and how many people that office employed at the end of each of those years. Lord Malloch-Brown: The UN regular budget is a biennial budget in support of core UN Secretariat functions. The regular budget allocations for oversight services for the 2004-05 and 2006-07 biennial are shown in the table below: 2004-2005 2006-2007 Initial Regular Budget Appropriation $23,227,200 $31,330,100 Final Spend—Regular $23,037,800 $29,830,200 Established Regular Budget posts 91 91 There are also additional oversight-related posts and activities funded from extra-budgetary sources throughout the UN system, including within UN funds and programmes, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the international criminal tribunals and UN peacekeeping operations.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2008-06-11a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2008", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Animal Welfare: Rabbits Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce a code of practice on the welfare of rabbits. Lord Henley: The welfare of farmed rabbits is adequately protected by the general provisions in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, which have a specific schedule relating to rabbit welfare. Additionally, Defra has a welfare code for rabbits which provides good husbandry advice and which producers are required by law to have access to and be familiar with. We have no current plans to publish a code of practice on the welfare of pet rabbits. We consider that the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to provide for the welfare needs of animals are sufficient to ensure the necessary protection for the welfare of pet rabbits. Animal Welfare: Sanctuaries Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to regulate animal sanctuaries. Lord Henley: We have no current plans to specifically regulate animal sanctuaries. However, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal and to treat an animal in a way that fails to meet its welfare needs. We consider the requirements of the Act to be sufficient to ensure the necessary protection of the welfare of animals in sanctuaries. Banking Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect the London interbank offered rate from the risk of manipulation. Lord Sassoon: The setting of the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR) by the British Bankers' Association (BBA) and the contributions made by banks to that process are not regulated activities under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. However, the conduct of firms regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) when contributing to the setting of LIBOR is a matter for the FSA to consider in certain circumstances. The mechanisms used by the BBA to detect manipulation of LIBOR are a matter for the BBA. Banking Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have been given by banking regulators in the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan, as a result of their investigation into the involvement of some banks in setting the London interbank offered rate. Lord Sassoon: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is aware of the issues and maintains strong relationships with other regulators. The FSA discloses information where there are permitted gateways in accordance with Memoranda of Understanding. Banks: Lending Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the reported increase in bank lending margins indicated in a survey of manufacturers conducted by the Engineering Employers Federation on the cost of credit to business, and on the Project Merlin agreement. Lord Sassoon: The Government continue to monitor closely a wide range of data around the availability and cost of credit to UK businesses. The Bank of England will publish quarterly data on the banks' total new lending to businesses under the Project Merlin definition. The Government will consider the banks' performance against the commitment in due course. In addition, the Business Finance Taskforce, led by the British Bankers' Association, has agreed to 17 new commitments in order to improve the banks' relationship with their business customers. The banks will provide a new lending code and a transparent appeals procedure for declined loan applications, among other actions. These commitments will be evaluated by a regular survey of small businesses and their experience of access to finance, which will be published by the British Bankers' Association. Banks: Lending Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis the Prime Minister stated that bank lending was going up (Official Report, 9 March, col. 910). Lord Sassoon: On 9 February the Chancellor announced a new lending commitment by the UK's biggest high-street banks. As part of these commitments the banks will make available £190 billion of new credit to businesses in 2011, up from £179 billion in 2010. If demand exceeds this, the banks have the capacity to lend more. Some £76 billion of this lending will be to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is a 15 per cent increase on 2010 lending of £66 billion. Banks: Lending Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will transfer the role of setting the principal reference rate for calculating the cost of bank loans from the British Bankers' Association to an independent body. Lord Sassoon: This is a commercial matter for the market and not a matter for the Government. Care Quality Commission Lord Colwyn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their forecast of the proportion of dentists who will register with the Care Quality Commission by 1 April 2011. Earl Howe: All primary dental care providers who have submitted a valid application to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) by Wednesday 23 March will appear in the register on the CQC's website on 1 April 2011. The CQC estimates this to be over 88 per cent of those providers who were invited to register. Care Quality Commission Lord Colwyn: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will approve the registration fee that will be payable by dentists by 1 April 2011 to the Care Quality Commission. Earl Howe: The Secretary of State approved on March 24 the Care Quality Commission's registration fees provision to apply from April 1 2011. Civil Service: Staff Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many band 1, band 2, and band 3 senior civil servants and permanent secretaries were in post in May 2010; and how many there are now. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Between 31 March 2010 and 30 September 2010 there has been a 3 per cent reduction in the number of senior civil servants in pay bands 1 to 3. The number of band 1, band 2 and band 3 senior civil servants in post in May 2010 and now are not held centrally but data are available at 31 March 2010 and at 30 September 2010. These data are presented in table 1. At 1 May 2010, there were 40 Permanent Secretaries in post and as of 1 April 2011 there will be 41 Permanent Secretaries. The latter number includes a post previously held by a senior military official but now held by a senior civil servant. Table 1: SCS pay bands 1 to 3, as at 31 March 2010 and 30 September 2010 Pay band 31 March 2010 30 September 2010 Pay band 1/1A 3,322 3,231 Pay band 2 795 767 Pay band 3 189 181 Source: SCS Database, Cabinet Office Data refer only to those employees on Senior Civil Service contracts and excludes a number of employees who work at a senior level who are not considered part of the Senior Civil Service cadre, eg some senior military personnel and diplomats. Driving: Car Test Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the DVLA driving test for car users. Earl Attlee: We want to see all learner car drivers facing a challenging and realistic test which examines whether they have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be safe and responsible on our roads. Following our announcement that we shall cease to publish questions in the theory test, we shall keep the test under review after our recent improvements such as introducing case studies into the theory test, driving independently in the practical test and no longer publishing practical test routes. Drugs: Trafficking Baroness Hooper: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to ratify the Agreement Concerning Co-operation in Suppressing Illicit Maritime and Air Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in the Caribbean Area, which was signed in 2003. Baroness Neville-Jones: The Government are in discussion with the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Montserrat, all of which are looking into what is needed to implement the Agreement Concerning Co-operation in Suppressing Illicit Maritime and Air Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in the Caribbean Area 2003, and fulfil the obligations required. We stand ready to lay the agreement before Parliament with a view to ratification once all the requirements are met. Education: Careers Advice Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current statutory entitlement for careers education advice and guidance for (a) secondary pupils, (b) sixth- form college students, and (c) 16-19 year-old sixth-form students attending educational establishments in England. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Education Act 1997, as modified by the Education (Extension of Careers Education) (England) Regulations 2003, requires secondary schools to provide all pupils in years 7 to 11 with a programme of careers education. The Education and Skills Act 2008 introduced a requirement that schools, in discharging their statutory duty to provide careers education, must provide impartial information and give advice which promotes the best interests of their pupils. The 1997 Act also requires secondary schools and institutions in the further education sector to provide pupils and students with access to guidance materials and a wide range of up-to-date reference materials relating to careers education and opportunities. The Education Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament, seeks to amend these provisions. Education: Careers Advice Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent careers advice for children at school or in further education will be funded by the institutions they attend; what discretion such institutions will have over the level of funding; and what monitoring of the service will take place. Lord Hill of Oareford: Subject to the passage of the Education Bill through Parliament, from September 2012 schools will be responsible for securing access to independent, impartial, careers guidance for their pupils aged 13 to 16. They will be free to decide how to do so, including what resources may be required. We have signalled our intention to consult in due course on extending the duty in the Education Bill to cover all students up to the age of 18, whether they are in schools or in further education institutions. We committed in the White Paper The Importance of Teaching to establishing a destinations measure for schools as part of our commitment to transparency. This will help parents to hold schools to account for the work they do in preparing young people for success post-16 and in helping them to make choices that are right for them. Education: Careers Advice Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all young people under the age of 18 receive free careers advice. Lord Hill of Oareford: The provision of careers advice and guidance services for young people under the age of 18 is currently the responsibility of local authorities, under Section 68 of the Education and Skills Act 2008. In addition, young people have access to web-based resources and a national helpline. Education: Nurseries Lord True: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 17 March (HL 7488), on what basis providers of nursery education may charge for additional hours and services outside the hours for which they receive funding from local authorities; how the level of those charges relate to the level of charges permitted under price controls on hours for which funding is received; and whether the Government will clarify in law the right to make such charges. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 17 March (HL 7488), why top-up fees are allowed for university education but not for nursery education. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 17 March (HL 7488), what are the other private sectors that are subject to similar price control policies. Lord Hill of Oareford: Providers are free to decide whether they wish to offer parents the free nursery education which is funded by LAs. There are no restrictions on what providers may charge parents for additional hours of early education outside the universal free 15 hours. This is a private matter between provider and parent. Where providers have, however, chosen to accept public funding for free places, parents' access to those free places should not be made conditional on the purchase of additional hours. Funding for free entitlement places is just one part of a broader package of public support that providers can access. Many receive training and other assistance from their local authority to support improvements in quality and secure sufficient childcare provision. The Government hope that providers will continue to choose to be part of the free entitlement scheme, providing valuable early learning to children. However, the Government also accept that, for some, delivering the free early education may not fit with their business models. Energy: Coal Miners Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average number of miners employed in the coal industry in each year from 1984 until 2010. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Ashcroft, dated March 2011. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the average number of miners employed in the coal industry in each year from 1984 until 2010. HL7974 The available information is provided in the attached table and is derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Estimates prior to 1992 are not available. It is not possible to provide reliable estimates from 2001 onwards because the sample sizes for this survey are not sufficiently large enough for the coal industry. Number of miners employed in the coal industry. Three months ending December, 1992 to 2010. United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted Thousands 1992 29 1993 18 1994 10 1995 14 1996 11 1997 12 1998 7 1999 7 2000 7 **** 2001 .. 2002 .. 2003 .. 2004 .. 2005 .. 2006 .. 2007 .. 2008 .. 2009 .. 2010 .. Source: Labour Force Survey .. Data suppressed due to insufficient sample sizes Guide to Quality: The coefficient of variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV-for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV< 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV < 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV < 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV = 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (eg hotels, boarding houses, hostels mobile home sites etc.) Energy: Fuel Prices Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the road haulage industry about the price of fuel since May 2010. Earl Attlee: Ministers and officials have had regular meetings with the road haulage industry, when the issue of fuel prices and duty has sometimes been raised. Energy: Nuclear Fusion Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they are utilising the United Kingdom's capability in fusion science and technology; and how they plan to collaborate with other countries using fusion energy research to make fission power cleaner and safer. Baroness Wilcox: The prime focus of UK fusion research is helping to ensure the success of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project which is the vital next step towards practical fusion power stations. The Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) undertakes the vast majority of fusion research in the UK. CCFE operates the Joint European Torus (JET), the fusion research facility based at Culham, under the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) for the benefit of European scientists, conducting experiments that are crucial to the early success of the ITER. CCFE also conducts experiments on the UK's Mega-Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST), which examines important physics issues for ITER, and it collaborates on materials research for fusion power plants. There is some interest in combining fusion and fission for energy production or waste disposal-so called fusion-fission hybrids-but there are still major difficulties in marrying fusion and fission technologies. Furthermore, the hybrid system requires an efficient fusion operating system, which is the focus of the current fusion research programme. The UK will, however, keep a watching brief on further technology developments. Extremism Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will provide funding to enable Quilliam to continue its work in countering extremism. Baroness Neville-Jones: In addition to the £145,400 already agreed for 2010-11 the Home Office has agreed to provide Quilliam transitional funding of £40,490 over three months (March-May 2011). Quilliam is welcome to bid for project funding in the future. Flexible New Deal Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many customers will be served under the Work Programme in its first year of operation. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many customers were served by the Flexible New Deal contracts in its last year of operation. Lord Freud: The latest full year figure for the number of people who have started the Flexible New Deal (net of re-referrals) is 299,200 (this covers the period 5 January 2010 to 4 January 2011). Some 605,000 customers expected to be supported by the Work Programme in its first year of operation (figures for 2011-12 are based on a full year of volumes assuming contracts begin in April 2011. A later contract start date will result in lower volumes). Further information regarding this was placed in the House of Commons Library on 1 March 2011. Food: Standards Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 9 March (WA 406-7), who are the United Kingdom representatives at the Office International de Epizooties (OIE); whether they will propose setting up an OIE working group to develop welfare standards on the farming of chickens and the production of chicken meat and eggs for an OIE terrestrial animal health code; and why they believe it is inappropriate for HM ambassador in Bangkok to assess chicken welfare standards in Thailand. Lord Henley: The Chief Veterinary Officer is the UK delegate at the Office International de Epizooties (OIE). He is the current speaker for the Commission on the animal welfare chapters at the general sessions of the OIE. A permanent OIE working group on animal welfare already exists. It is anticipated that an ad hoc group on animal welfare and broiler chicken production will be convened in 2011, as it was in 2010. A draft standard chapter for meat chicken welfare is under discussion at OIE. The reason it is not considered appropriate for HM ambassador in Bangkok to assess chicken welfare standards in Thailand is because the assessment of animal welfare standards requires specialist knowledge. General Lighthouse Authorities Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the internal financial controls applied by the general lighthouse authorities against the requirements of regularity, propriety and good financial management. Earl Attlee: The framework document for the general lighthouse authorities sets out the financial controls and financial authorities applicable to the general lighthouse authorities. The framework document dated July 2008 is scheduled to be updated in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance, and will be reissued in autumn 2011. Government Departments: Business Plans Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Secretaries of State have met the Minister of State with responsibility for the co-ordination of policy to discuss the implementation of their respective departmental business plans; and when each meeting took place. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Government are committed to publishing monthly updates on departments' progress against key actions and milestones of business plans. The latest updates were published on 4 March 2011. My right honourable friend the Minister for Government Policy (Oliver Letwin) meets with Secretaries of State on a quarterly basis to discuss the implementation of their business plans. I refer the noble Lord to his evidence to the Public Accounts Select Committee on 9 February 2011. Government Departments: Business Plans Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government which government departments are overdue on actions agreed in departmental business plans since October 2010. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Every department publishes a monthly update that details progress against the business plan. This update shows the status for all the actions that were due to start or complete that month, and provides an explanation for any actions that are overdue. These updates are available on the Number 10 website, departmental websites and at the Vote Office. Government Departments: Energy Certificates Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of display energy certificate was awarded to the Department of Health building at Richmond House, Whitehall, in each of the past three years. Earl Howe: The level of display energy certificate for the Department of Health building Richmond House for the past three years is as follows: Sept 08-Sept 09 Band F, 139 Sept 09-Sept 10 Band F, 146 Sept 10-Sept 11 Band F, 140 Government Departments: Energy Certificates Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of display energy certificate was awarded to the Home Office building at 2 Marsham Street in each of the past three years. Baroness Neville-Jones: The level of display energy certificate awarded to the Home Office building at 2 Marsham Street in each of the past three years, showing reduced energy use in each year, was: 2008-09 Band F (144) 2009-10 Band F (132) 2010-11 Band F (128) No. 2 Marsham Street has many energy-saving features in its design. Energy consumption is constantly monitored and reviewed monthly. Savings have been achieved by adjusting office temperatures, reducing plant operating times, widening humidity levels and a number of other measures. Government Departments: Wheelchair Access Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any Atos Healthcare Centres that are used for work capability assessments are inaccessible to wheelchair users. Lord Freud: The medical services contract is delivered from over 140 assessment sites, the majority of which are co-located with DWP or other government buildings. There are 28 sites which are not located on the ground floor, where customers, particularly those with mobility issues, cannot be assessed as emergency building evacuation procedures prevent the use of lifts. Appointment letters request that customers with restricted mobility, who are unable to use stairs, contact Atos Healthcare prior to the assessment when they are offered the option of a domiciliary visit by an Atos Healthcare healthcare professional or are redirected to a site with ground floor facilities. Health: Contaminated Blood Products Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 22 March (HL7657), what is their estimate of the number of people fatally affected by NHS blood and blood products infected by HIV. Earl Howe: I refer the noble Lord to paragraph 2.2 of the review of the support available to individuals infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV by NHS-supplied blood transfusions or blood products and their dependants, copies of which have already been placed in the Library. Health: GP Commissioning Groups Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements will be made for patient participation groups associated with the proposed new general practitioner commissioning consortia. Earl Howe: The Health and Social Care Bill places a duty on general practitioner (GP) consortia and the NHS commissioning board to ensure that people who receive a service are involved in its planning and development, and to promote and extend public and patient involvement and choice. Our meetings with GP leaders show there is a commitment to patient and public involvement within emerging GP consortia and a desire to keep existing structures that have worked well, as well as a desire to forge strong links with local HealthWatch, which will replace the existing Local Involvement Networks. Some consortia may choose to use GP practice patient participation groups to involve patients and the public; however, we do not plan to prescribe the precise mechanisms by which practices or consortia need to engage with the public. We want to ensure that the focus is on developing behaviours and cultures that will encourage and facilitate public involvement and patient voice. Higher Education: Tuition Fees Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that tuition fees for medical students do not discourage applicants from middle and lower income families. Lord Henley: From autumn 2012 universities in England will be able to charge fees of up to £6,000. Those charging between £6,000 and £9,000 per year will be subject to meeting much tougher conditions on widening participation set by the Office for Fair Access. No eligible full-time student in England entering higher education for the first time in 2012, including those studying for medicine, will have to pay their fees up front. Subsidised loans will be made available to cover the full cost. In addition there is a more generous package of living cost support of loans and non-repayable grants for those students from households with incomes of up to £42,600. In the later years of a medical course, responsibility for providing support to medical students is shared with the Department of Health. Students from families with an income no greater than £25,000 per annum may also be eligible for support from the National Scholarship Programme. Universities will determine their own eligibility criteria for the programme. House of Lords: Reform Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose to make provisions enabling electors to recall elected members of a reformed House of Lords. Lord McNally: The cross-party Committee on House of Lords reform, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, has been considering what options are necessary to bring about a more accountable wholly or mainly elected second Chamber. The Government will publish their proposals in a draft Bill shortly. Houses of Parliament: Legislation Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will introduce a Bill enabling electors to recall their Member of Parliament. Lord McNally: The Government are committed to bringing forward legislation to introduce a power to recall Members of Parliament where they have engaged in serious wrongdoing. We are currently considering what would be the fairest, most appropriate and robust procedure. Housing Benefit Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government in how many families in receipt of housing benefit the claimant is (a) a man, and (b) a woman; and in how many families the claim is a joint claim, excluding same-sex couples in both cases. Lord Freud: The information as requested is not available. Justice: Pre-trial Detention Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been their contribution to the European Commission's Green Paper on pre-trial detention; and when this will be published. Lord McNally: The Commission has held exploratory meetings with experts drawn from across EU member states to help inform their thinking on the possible content of the Green Paper. These were attended by UK officials. We expect the Green Paper to be published in spring or summer this year, when we will respond to its recommendations, but would not expect to see a draft until then. Media: Plurality Rules Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether to review the rules on media plurality to ensure that the definition of public interest is wider than the provision of news services. Baroness Rawlings: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will consider the scope of the public interest test as part of the wider review of the communications sector announced by the Secretary of State in January of this year. Mongolia Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote trade between the United Kingdom and Mongolia. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: UKTI recently reviewed how it should support UK businesses in Mongolia. Whilst the review concluded that there was insufficient business demand to justify a permanent UKTI presence, UKTI will now assess high-value opportunities for British companies in Mongolia and consider the scope for a short-term business attachment to the embassy to further explore commercial opportunities in market. This will be in addition to the support already available to British businesses, where appropriate, from the ambassador. More broadly, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UKTI are considering, as part of the commitment to commercial diplomacy, what other support may be provided to business in countries such as Mongolia without a dedicated UKTI presence. Museums, Libraries and Archives Council Lord Stewartby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the expected impact on public expenditure of any move to Birmingham of the Acquisitions, Export and Loans Unit of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. Baroness Rawlings: With the exception of the export licensing team, the Acquisitions, Export and Loans Unit (AELU) of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) moved to Birmingham in April 2010. Until the future location of the export licensing team has been decided, following the transfer of functions from MLA to the Arts Council later this year, it is not possible to assess the full impact on public expenditure of the move of the whole of the AELU. National Employment Savings Trust Lord Hollick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost of the subsidy to the National Employment Savings Trust; by how much this would be reduced if the £4,200 limit on individual annual payments was removed; and what are the factors considered in calculating the subsidy. Lord Freud: The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) is being designed to support automatic enrolment by meeting the needs of employers and individuals that existing pension providers find unprofitable to serve at low charge levels. NEST also has a public service obligation to accept any employer that wishes to use it to automatically enrol eligible jobholders into a workplace pension scheme. This means that NEST has to bear costs purely commercial pension providers do not face. In recognition of this, the Government have decided that the loan to NEST to fund its initial establishment costs should attract a rate of interest equivalent to the Government's own cost of borrowing. This will enable the scheme to deliver low charges to its members and be delivered at no overall cost to the taxpayer in the long run, while not being unfairly advantaged compared with other schemes. The exact amount of loan finance required to establish NEST will depend on its final costs and the nature and size of its membership. The annual contribution limit is a key policy lever designed to ensure that NEST remains focused on its target market. It is only one factor that will influence scheme volumes and its effect on the NEST loan cannot be measured in isolation. National Insurance Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 28 February (WA 260-2), how many of the 63.73 million people with live national insurance number (NINo) accounts were born outside the United Kingdom; what are the 20 most common countries of provenance and the total number of NINo holders for each; and whether data matching is undertaken to ascertain whether people have more than one NINo under differing names. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 28 February (WA 261-2), how many of the 63.73 million people with live national insurance number (NINo) accounts were born outside the United Kingdom, excluding those born in the Republic of Ireland before partition; what are the top 20 countries and what is the total for each; and whether data matching is used to ascertain whether people have more than one NINo under different names. Lord Freud: Nationality data have only routinely been collected since 2002 in respect of foreign nationals registering for a NINo. The table below shows the 20 most common countries of origin for NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK since 2002. Individuals who apply for a NINo under the adult NINo allocation process are subject to a comprehensive range of checks in order to verify the individual's identity. These include robust face-to-face interviews to establish the individual's circumstances, document examination checks to ensure the authenticity of documentary evidence provided, and corroborative checks with other government departments and third parties to verify information supplied during the NINo interview. Checks are also made against the DWP customer information (CIS) IT system to ensure that the individual, once identity has been established, does not already have a NINo. NINo Registrations to Adult Overseas Nationals entering the UK (Thousands): by country of origin-January 2002 to September 2010 (Thousands) Country of Origin Number of National Insurance registrations (thousands) Poland 925.78 India 402.40 Pakistan 191.71 Australia 171.39 Republic of Lithuania 156.74 France 152.22 Slovak Republic 143.35 South Africa 134.12 China People's Republic 113.27 Italy 108.26 Germany 107.72 Spain 105.40 Nigeria 101.92 Portugal 101.86 Romania 90.46 Bangladesh 90.14 Republic of Latvia 89.10 Republic of Ireland 88.17 Philippines 83.36 USA 80.42 Source: 100% extract from National Insurance Recording & Pay As You Earn System Notes: 1) Definitions and conventions: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and displayed in thousands 2) Data are cumulative from 1 January 2002 3) Registration date is derived from the date at which a NINo is maintained on the National Insurance Recording and Pay As You Earn System 4) A very small proportion of NINo registrations are to overseas nationals registering whilst abroad 5) This information is available on the DWP website at http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/ NDPBs: Staff Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the workforce of the Office for National Statistics is based outside London; what are their principal locations; and what are the principal functions performed there. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Myners, dated March 2011. As director-general for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of the workforce of the Office for National Statistics is based outside London; what are their principal locations; and what are the principal functions performed there. (HL8091) The proportion of the workforce of the Office for National Statistics based outside London is 93.74 per cent and their principal locations are Newport, South Wales; Titchfield, Hampshire; remote home workers geographically spread across the UK. The Newport office is the corporate headquarters of ONS. The work here focuses on the collection and analysis of economic statistics, with a growing emphasis on social analysis. A range of corporate services, such as Human Resources, Information Management, Communications and Finance are based here. The work of the Titchfield office focuses on population, demography, geography and regional and local statistics. This includes responsibility for the 10-yearly census of population. In addition, staff at Titchfield support remote workers responsible for data collection for a range of surveys. New Zealand: Earthquake Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what the money paid by the Department for International Development to assist New Zealand after the earthquake there was spent. Lord Howell of Guildford: In response to a request by the New Zealand Government, we sent out a team of 63 search and rescue experts drawn from the British emergency fire and rescue services. In addition to this we provided a specially tailored 10-man disaster identification team to provide essential support and expertise in helping to identify any potential British victims and to bolster the New Zealand authorities in their wider identification process. We will be meeting the full costs of these two deployments. Parliaments: Salaries and Expenses Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the disparity between salaries and expenses of Members of the European Parliament and Members of the House of Commons. Lord Strathclyde: The expenses payable to Members of the House of Commons are determined by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. Responsibility for setting their salaries currently rests with the House, but will soon be transferred to the IPSA on a statutory basis. The salary and expenses for Members of the European Parliament are determined by the Parliament, subject to the provisions of the Statute for Members of the European Parliament. Differences in the remuneration and expenses arrangements for Members of the House of Commons and Members of the European Parliament reflect the facts that they have different roles and responsibilities and their remuneration and expenses are determined by different bodies. Pensions Lord Patel of Blackburn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the proposed flat rate state pension, what assessment they have made of whether existing female pensioners should be provided with the same level of pension as existing male pensioners. Lord Freud: We recognise the inequalities that exist in the current state pension system. We will shortly be publishing a paper that outlines options for delivering a simpler and fairer state pension and one that provides a better foundation for saving. We will be consulting on the options set out in that paper. Pensions Lord Hollick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to prevent mis-selling of pensions following the introduction of auto-enrolment. Lord Freud: The coalition agreement set out the Government's commitment to help reinvigorate occupational savings by encouraging companies to offer high-quality pensions to all employees and through introducing automatic enrolment. My department estimates that around 7 million people are not saving enough to provide the income they are likely to want or expect in retirement. The new employer duty requires employers to automatically enrol eligible workers into a qualifying workplace pension scheme. Workers will have information about automatic enrolment, the scheme their employer has chosen and the contributions they will need to make to remain in pension saving. Individuals will be able to opt out if they believe that pension saving is not for them and they will be provided with information about how to do this. Guidance to be issued by the Pensions Regulator will set out how employers must signpost their workers to an independent source of further information about planning and saving for retirement. The Government recognise that for some people it may not be appropriate to re-direct money into private pension saving. Those on very low incomes will get a high replacement rate from state pension without additional saving. We have therefore included measures in the Pensions Bill 2011 to increase the earnings threshold for automatic enrolment. This will exclude those individuals most likely to achieve a high replacement rate without saving. It may reassure you to know that most people will be better off for saving. DWP analysis has found that over 99 per cent of people can expect to be better off in retirement having saved than if they had not. For over 95 per cent that improvement is greater than the cost of contribution, even after allowing for inflation. The Government will consult shortly on options to simplify the state pension system. The intention is to reinforce the role of the state pension as a foundation for private saving by providing much greater clarity about what people will receive from the state when they reach state pension age. Pensions Bill [HL] Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people currently claiming carer's allowance will be affected by the change in state pension age proposed in the Pensions Bill [HL]. Lord Freud: There are currently 115,370 persons entitled to carer's allowance who have a birth date for whom the state pension age would change as a result of the Pensions Bill 2011. People Trafficking Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what research on human trafficking they plan to conduct in the next 12 months, in line with their obligations under Article 5a of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they plan to publish in the next 12 months, in line with their obligations under Article 5b of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to raise public awareness about human trafficking in the next 12 months, in line with their obligations under Article 5c of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. To ask Her Majesty's Government what social and economic initiatives to prevent human trafficking they plan to implement in the next 12 months, in line with their obligations under Article 5d of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to disseminate information on safe and legal migration in the next 12 months, in line with their obligations under Article 5e of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. Baroness Neville-Jones: The forthcoming strategy on human trafficking due to be published in the spring will set out our future plans for tackling and preventing human trafficking. Prisons: Riots Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord McNally on 9 March (WA 415), at what time the recent incident at Ford open prison started; when intervention commenced; why intervention was not started sooner; of what intervention consisted; and what buildings were destroyed at what cost. Lord McNally: Although events that may have contributed to the disturbance began before midnight on 31 December 2010, concerted indiscipline commenced at approximately 12.20 am on 1 January 2011. The intervention to resolve the incident commenced at 9.20 am, which was the point at which those commanding the incident assessed that intervention was possible without serious risk of injury to staff or prisoners. Intervention consisted of the deployment of staff trained in advanced control and restraint techniques, both from Ford and other establishments, and other national resources. Assistance was also provided by the police and fire services. Damage was caused to B Wing accommodation, the gym, chapel and the induction wing. Total cost of the damage including replacement buildings was approximately £2 million. Railways: Intercity Trains Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what changes took place in the scope of the Intercity Express project between the original invitation to tender and the recent announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport. Earl Attlee: The scope of the project is the design, manufacture, financing, servicing and maintenance of the Intercity Express solution over the life of the fleet. Commercially confidential negotiations are ongoing between the department and Agility Trains. Summary details of the eventual contracts will be published. Roads: A1 Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to upgrade the A1. Earl Attlee: In October 2010, the Department for Transport set out its plans for investment on the strategic road network in the document Investment in Highways Transport Schemes. The A1 Dishforth to Leeming improvement, which sees a section of the A1 upgraded to motorway standard, is a continuing scheme. Beyond the Dishforth to Leeming scheme, there are no current plans for additional upgrades to the A1. However, the Highways Agency is taking forward a number of small scale improvements along the length of the A1. Schools: Academies Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what accountancy plans are in place to ensure transparency and accountability for the use of public funds by academies. Lord Hill of Oareford: Academies are classified as central government public sector organisations and each academy is therefore subject to government accounting, reporting and monitoring requirements, including the whole of government accounts, clear line of sight and the principle of transparency. The Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) is conducting a review to address how academies' current accounting, reporting, assurance and financial monitoring arrangements need to be changed as result of these new requirements. The aims of the review are to simplify the current arrangements and to support the development in the academy system of a high degree of financial competence. The YPLA will also use the review as a vehicle to address the recommendations flowing from the National Audit Office report published on 10 September and the issues flowing from the Public Account Committee report in January 2011 on the academies programme. The YPLA will report to me on the final outcome of the review, setting out detailed proposals and recommendations, in summer 2011. Schools: Admissions Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the schools admissions code. Lord Hill of Oareford: In November 2010 we published the White Paper The Importance of Teaching, which announced our intention to review the school admissions and appeals codes with a view to deliver a simpler, more streamlined admissions process. We want to deliver a process that removes unnecessary burdens on schools and other admission authorities, as well as helping parents better understand and navigate the admissions system. The current codes are 130 pages long, and contain more than 660 mandatory requirements. We will shortly launch a national consultation so that parents and other interested parties can respond to our proposals to enable a simpler, fairer and more transparent admissions framework. Schools: Costs Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average cost of educating a primary or secondary school age pupil in England in (a) the public sector, and (b) the independent sector, for each of the years 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11. Lord Hill of Oareford: The department does not hold comparable information on independent school costs. The available information on the average cost of educating primary and secondary pupils in England is contained within the table below: Expenditure per pupil figures for local authority maintained primary and secondary schools in England from 2008-09 to 2009-10 2008-09 2009-10 Primary Education Secondary Education Primary Education Secondary Education England 3,780 4,890 3,920 5,070 Notes: 1. Financial information used in this answer is taken from the DfE section 251 Outturn Statements. 2. School-based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by the schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. 3. Pupil numbers include only those pupils attending maintained establishments within each sector and are drawn from the DfE Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis. 4. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. 5. Cash terms figures as reported by local authorities as at 23 March 2011 6. The department is due to collect the Section 251 Outturn data relating to 2010-11 financial year later this year. Schools: Independent Sector Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to work more closely with the independent schools sector in order to increase social mobility in England. Lord Hill of Oareford: All schools can make a valuable contribution to helping improve social mobility, including independent schools. Many independent schools are doing this by opening up their facilities to local communities and sharing their facilities and expertise with schools in the state sector. We will continue to encourage independent schools in their collaborations with the state sector. Schools: Support Services Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what charges a state primary or a state secondary school in England is allowed to make to parents for educational or support services. Lord Hill of Oareford: Local authorities and maintained primary and secondary schools cannot charge for admission to any maintained school; education provided during school hours (including transport and the supply of any materials, books, instruments or other equipment); education provided outside of school hours if it is part of the national curriculum, or part of a syllabus for a prescribed public examination that the pupil is being prepared for at the school, or part of religious education (again this includes transport, supply of any materials, books, instruments or other equipment); and examination re-sit(s) if the pupil is being prepared for the re-sit(s) at the school. Local authorities and schools can charge for any materials, books, instruments, or equipment, where the child's parent wishes him to own them; and optional extras, such as school visits outside of school time and music and vocal tuition, in limited circumstances. Schools can make a charge for board and lodging on residential trips, but the charge must not exceed the actual cost. When a school informs parents about a forthcoming trip, they should make it clear that parents of pupils eligible for free school meals will be exempt from paying the cost of board and lodging. No charges can be made unless the governing body of the school has drawn up a charging and remissions policy, giving details of the activities that they intend to charge for and the circumstances in which they will remit the cost. The department's guidance on charging for school activities can be found at http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/qoodpractice/b0011770/charqing-school-activities/. Taxation: Inheritance Tax Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the annual monetary value limit for acceptance in lieu of inheritance tax has been exceeded in any year in the last 10 years. Baroness Rawlings: Under the acceptance-in-lieu scheme (AIL), there is no absolute limit to the amount of inheritance tax that can be settled in any one year. The AIL panel, which is serviced by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, may advise Ministers to approve the settlement up to £20 million in inheritance tax in any one financial year. However, where it is proposed to exceed that figure, Treasury approval is required. On only two occasions in the past 10 years has it been necessary to obtain Treasury approval in this way. This was in 2001, when £16 million in tax was settled and the approval level stood at £10 million; and in 2002, the year in which the approval level was raised to £20 million and tax of £26.6 million was settled. Taxation: Inheritance Tax Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current annual yield of inheritance tax; and what proportion of this is occasioned by tax on potentially exempt transfers. Lord Sassoon: Inheritance tax receipts in 2009-10 were £2,396 million, and this is published in the National Statistics table "HM Revenue and Customs Receipts" available on the HMRC website at: http://www.hmrc.gov. uk/stats/taxreceipts/tax-receipts-and-taxpayers.pdf. Evidence on tax arising from potentially exempt transfers is limited, but the tax impact of potentially exempt transfers that are made within seven years of death is broadly estimated to be in the region of 10 per cent of receipts. Transport: Appraisals Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the New Approach To Appraisal (NATA) cost to develop and run in 2009 and 2010; which consultants were paid to do so; and how much each independent contractor was paid. Earl Attlee: It is difficult to separately identify costs of NATA development because some of the work jointly feeds into the development of strategy, policy and general transport planning best practice. It is estimated that in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years approximately £1,038,000 and £266,000 respectively was spent on projects that made a direct or indirect contribution to the development and maintenance of NATA guidance and software. These cost estimates exclude the costs of applying NATA by scheme promoters and their consultants. The cost of applying NATA across all transport proposals could be estimated only at disproportionate cost. The following consultancies were paid to do work on the aforementioned projects: AECOM/ Faber Maunsell; Atkins; David Simmonds Consultancy; Denvil Coombe Practice; Geospatial; Hartley McMaster; Hyder Consulting; Imperial College; ITS Leeds; John Bates Services; Katalysis; Lionbridge; Mott MacDonald; Peter Davidson Consultancy; TRL; University of Leeds Consulting; Urban and Regional Policy; and WSP. Information is not held centrally on how much each independent contractor was paid for individual work streams. Visas Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the comments by Earl Attlee on 10 March (Official Report, col. 1853) in the debate on the points-based visa system saying that a scientist or philosopher entering through tier 2 "must be paid at least £20,000 per annum, and if they are not earning £20,000 per annum it is not clear to me how they will support themselves" were a correct statement of government policy. Baroness Neville-Jones: From 6 April 2011, new entrants through the tier 2 (general) category of the points-based system must be paid at least £20,000 per annum or the appropriate UK rate for the job in question, whichever is higher, as stated in codes of practice published by the UK Border Agency. Tier 2 migrants must be able to support themselves as they do not have access to most public funds. Waste Management: Textiles Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support textile waste recycling; what steps they have taken to increase such recycling; and what evidence they have on whether it is increasing. Lord Henley: Through our sustainable clothing roadmap, Defra is working with industry to take action to improve the environmental and ethical impacts of clothing across its entire lifecycle. Defra commissioned research to look at the sustainability impacts of clothing and to identify where further actions could be effective. The Maximising Reuse and Recycling of UK Clothing and Textiles report, published December 2009, found that in 2007: 2 million tonnes of textile waste (including clothing, carpets and footwear) is generated annually (of which approx 1 million is clothing); and24 per cent (523,000 tonnes) is collected for reuse and recycling in the UK and overseas. Following the report's findings, a joint government-industry task group was convened in September 2010 to discuss and agree further commitments to improve the sustainability of clothing. The task group will continue to meet twice a year to develop solutions. For other textiles, such as carpets and carpet tiles, existing collection infrastructure facilitated by Carpet Recycling UK is being further developed through Material Action Plans, led by the Flooring Sustainability Partnership, in conjunction with the Waste and Resources Action Programme.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2011-03-29a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2011", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Sudan: Internally Displaced Persons The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the government of Sudan or the office of the Wali of Khartoum about the forced relocation of displaced southern families in Khartoum. Baroness Amos: We have repeatedly made clear to the government of Sudan that all returns and relocations of internally displaced persons (IDPs) must be entirely voluntary and take place in full consultation with the established international monitoring mechanisms. This need was highlighted when violence erupted during an attempt to move IDPs from the Soba Aradi camp near Khartoum on 18 May, causing the deaths of three civilians and 14 police officers. On 19 May, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development issued a statement expressing the UK's grave concern. He called on all sides to prevent any further loss of life and urged the government of Sudan to respect the human rights of the IDPs, protect its citizens and bring those responsible to justice. Our Ambassador in Khartoum has also raised the incident with the government of Sudan and pressed them to investigate the incident in consultation with the Joint National Transition Team under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and to take the necessary steps to prevent a recurrence in the future. Sudan: Internally Displaced Persons The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What development assistance they have given to displaced southern families living in informal settlements in the Khartoum area during 2003 and 2004; in what sectors of development; and through which organisations. Baroness Amos: During 2003 and 2004 DfID contributed £120,000 to fund the NGO Tearfund's primary healthcare programme for displaced people living in camps around Khartoum. Sudan: Internally Displaced Persons The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many displaced people from the south live in Khartoum; and what analysis they have made of the number likely to return home in the next two years, or intending to accept rehabilitation grants under the peace agreement. Baroness Amos: There are up to 2 million displaced people from the south of Sudan living in Khartoum. Following the signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on 9 January this year, the United Nations is preparing for around 500,000 people to return to southern Sudan by spring 2006. In total we anticipate that over 50 per cent of the current displaced population around Khartoum will return home in the next two years. There is no information currently available on how many of the returnees intend to claim rehabilitation grants from the Southern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund. Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to phase out the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme; and, if so, when and over what period of time; and Whether their consideration of the future of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme will be separate from their approach to the employment in agriculture of asylum seekers and illegal workers; and whether they have produced a policy document that defines the differences in their approaches to each category. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government published their five-year strategy for asylum and immigration on 7 February 2005. This contained a commitment to undertake a review of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS). The review will be undertaken later this year in consultation with key stakeholders in the agricultural sector and will aim to establish whether there is an on-going need for SAWS in light of the use of alternative sources of labour, such as nationals of the new EU accession states. The review will ensure that any approach adopted is consistent with policies on reducing illegal working and on the employment of asylum seekers. Algeria: Return of Terrorist Suspects Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, before any Algerian citizen who has been detained in the United Kingdom as a terrorist suspect is returned to Algeria, they will require guarantees that such persons will not be tortured; and whether such guarantees will be monitored by an appropriate international authority such as the Special Rapporteur on Torture of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We will not remove anyone to a country where there is a real risk he or she will be tortured or subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. Each case is assessed individually, and whether or not assurances should be sought is decided on a case-by-case basis. Where assurances have been obtained they, and any monitoring arrangements, are liable to scrutiny in the course of any appeal against, or other judicial challenge to, the removal decision. vCJD: UK Cases Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 26 January 2004 (WA 16–18), whether they will update the table, showing all cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) which have been confirmed in the United Kingdom, indicating in each case the date of death, the date of onset of symptoms and the date vCJD was confirmed. Lord Warner: The information, as supplied by the National CJD Surveillance Unit, Edinburgh, is shown in the following table. It provides information on the 107 definite cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) where the diagnosis has been pathologically confirmed. There are another 49 probable cases of vCJD, including six who are still alive, where neuropathological confirmation is either absent or pending. Confirmed cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United Kingdom as at 26 May 2005 (*) Date of Death Date of Onset Date Confirmed May-95 Jun-94 Sep-95 Nov-95 Jan-95 Jan-96 Nov-95 Dec-94 Jan-96 Jan-96 Feb-94 Jan-96 Jan-96 Jul-94 Jan-96 Feb-96 Mar-95 Mar-96 Feb-96 Jan-95 Mar-96 Feb-96 Aug-94 Feb-96 May-96 Aug-95 Mar-96 Jun-96 Jan-95 Apr-96 Jun-96 Jan-94 Jul-96 Sep-96 Jul-95 Sep-96 Feb-97 Dec-95 Jun-97 Feb-97 Dec-94 Jul-97 Mar-97 Oct-95 May-97 Mar-97 Mar-96 Feb-97 May-97 Mar-96 Jun-97 May-97 Mar-94 Sep-95 Jun-97 Jan-96 Jun-97 Jul-97 Nov-96 Oct-97 Oct-97 Oct-96 Nov-97 Dec-97 Jan-96 Sep-96 Jan-98 Feb-97 Mar-98 Mar-98 Sep-95 May-98 Apr-98 Mar-96 Jun-98 May-98 May-96 May-98 Aug-98 Jul-97 Oct-98 Aug-98 Jul-97 Oct-98 Oct-98 Nov-97 Oct-98 Oct-98 May-96 Nov-98 Oct-98 Nov-97 Nov-98 Oct-98 Jul-97 Nov-98 Oct-98 Oct-97 Dec-98 Nov-98 Nov-97 Feb-99 Nov-98 Apr-98 Feb-99 Dec-98 Aug-97 Oct-99 Dec-98 May-98 Feb-99 Dec-98 Dec-97 Mar-99 Jan-99 Feb-98 Feb-99 Feb-99 Dec-97 Sep-99 Feb-99 Oct-97 Jun-99 Feb-99 Dec-97 May-99 May-99 Jan-98 Mar-00 Jul-99 May-98 Jul-99 Aug-99 Jan-99 Aug-99 Aug-99 Jun-98 Nov-99 Sep-99 Dec-96 Sep-99 Oct-99 Jul-98 Dec-99 Oct-99 Mar-99 Sep-00 Oct-99 Jul-98 Jan-00 Nov-99 May-98 Dec-99 Nov-99 Feb-99 Aug-00 Dec-99 Jun-99 May-00 Jan-00 Apr-99 Jan-00 Feb-00 Apr-99 Apr-00 Feb-00 Jun-98 Jun-00 Mar-00 Sep-98 May-00 Mar-00 Sep-98 Apr-00 Mar-00 May-99 Jun-00 Apr-00 May-99 Aug-00 Apr-00 Apr-99 Aug-00 May-00 Apr-99 Jun-00 May-00 Jul-98 Aug-00 Jun-00 Mar-97 Jun-00 Jul-00 Mar-99 Aug-00 Jul-00 Aug-99 Sep-00 Jul-00 Oct-98 Sep-00 Aug-00 Jan-00 Oct-00 Aug-00 Jun-99 Aug-00 Aug-00 Jul-99 Nov-00 Aug-00 Oct-99 Oct-00 Sep-00 Dec-99 Feb-01 Sep-00 Oct-99 Oct-00 Oct-00 Dec-99 Oct-00 Oct-00 Jul-98 Dec-00 Nov-00 Dec-99 Aug-01 Nov-00 Mar-00 Jan-01 Jan-01 Feb-00 Jun-01 Feb-01 Jul-99 May-01 Feb-01 Aug-99 Jul-01 Mar-01 Jan-00 Aug-01 Apr-01 Apr-00 May-01 Apr-01 May-00 Jun-01 Apr-01 Apr-00 Jul-01 May-01 Dec-99 Jun-01 Jun-01 Sep-00 Jun-01 Jul-01 Sep-00 Jul-01 Aug-01 Jan-00 Oct-01 Aug-01 Oct-00 Sep-01 Oct-01 Dec-00 Jun-02 Feb-02 Oct-00 Apr-02 Mar-02 May-01 Oct-02 Apr-02 May-01 Jun-02 Nov-02 Oct-01 Dec-02 Dec-02 May-01 Feb-03 Feb-03 Sep-01 Sep-03 Feb-03 Mar-01 Apr-03 Feb-03 Jan-02 Jun-03 Apr-03 Nov-01 Jun-03 May-03 Jan-02 Apr-03 May-03 Sep-02 Sep-03 Aug-03 Feb-02 Dec-03 Sep-03 Dec-02 Dec-03 Oct-03 Sep-02 Dec-03 Jul-04 Nov-03 Dec-04 Jul-04 May-03 Oct-04 Sep-04 Jan-04 Mar-05 * The information is presented in order of death. Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the actual, estimated or budgeted amount allocated to each housing market renewal Pathfinder area, and to each local authority within each such area, for each year since the scheme started and for each of the next three years. Baroness Andrews: The actual funding or allocation ceiling for each Pathfinder area by year for the Housing Market Renewal Fund is set out in the following table. Distribution between local authority areas is a matter for the Pathfinder to determine, based on the devised strategy for achieving market renewal in their areas. Pathfinder Out-turn (£m) (2003–04): Out-turn (£m) (2004–05) Allocation Ceiling (£m) (2005–06) Urban Living (Birmingham Sandwell) 4.0 13.7 35.2 Elevate (East Lancashire) 4.0 22.8 45.2 Hull & East Riding – 2.6 10.0 Manchester Salford 20 44.0 61.0 Newheartlands (Merseyside) 4.0 34.4 51.7 Bridging Newcastle Gateshead 7.0 28.0 38.0 Renew (North Staffordshire) 4.0 7.0 23.0 Oldham and Rochdale 4.0 17.2 36.4 Transform South Yorkshire 4.0 27.4 43.6 All figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million. Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the actual and estimated number of (a) dwellings demolished; (b) dwellings renovated; (c) houses renovated as two into one; (d) new dwellings from conversion of other properties; and (e) new dwellings from new build, for each housing market renewal Pathfinder area and for each local authority within each Pathfinder area, for each year since the scheme started and for each of the next three years. Baroness Andrews: The table below provides information on actual and estimated outputs for demolitions, refurbishments and new builds and is broken down by Pathfinder area. Information by local authority area is not collected centrally, nor is information on the number of houses renovated as two into one and the number of new dwellings from conversion of other properties. The table shows that demolition is only part of a package of measures within the housing market renewal programme, which includes substantial refurbishment. Demolitions Refurbished New Build a b e Pathfinder Actual* Estimated* Actual* Estimated* Actual* Estimated* Manchester Salford 214 1,700 1,463 13,400 0 1,000 South Yorkshire 824 1,600 7 2,000 0 112 East Lancashire 141 790 57 1,100 0 131 Oldham Rochdale 0 300 7 350 0 0 Merseyside 12 2,700 42 300 0 1,600 Newcastle Gateshead 190 2,000 293 2,000 4 100 Hull and East Riding 0 44 0 0 0 0 North Staffordshire 2 100 46 300 0 0 Birmingham Sandwell 57 590 9 1,600 0 150 TOTAL 1,440 9,824 1,924 21,050 4 3,093 * Actual figures are latest figures up to September 2004. Estimated figures are up to 31 March 2006. Figures relate to outputs funded by housing market renewal funding only. Hybrid Bill Procedures Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they will take to ensure that the parliamentary hybrid Bill procedure complies with European Union Directive 2003/35/EC. Baroness Andrews: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not planning to recommend changes to parliamentary hybrid Bill procedures. Standing Order 27A of Private Business, to which hybrid Bills are subject, already requires the deposit of an environmental statement in accordance with Schedule 4 to the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999, and we are satisfied that hybrid Bills will be handled so that they meet all the objectives of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (85/337/EEC as amended by 97/11/EC and 2003/35/EC). London Boroughs: Private Residential Developments Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: On what dates each of London's boroughs adopted a policy of securing planning gain from new private residential developments. Baroness Andrews: Information is not held centrally on the timing of adoption of planning obligations policies in London borough plans and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. London Boroughs: Private Residential Developments Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether local authorities can require planning gain as a condition of planning approval for properties for market sale to be built on sites acquired by English Partnerships under its London-wide initiative. Baroness Andrews: Local planning authorities can seek to enter into planning obligations under the provisions of Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as revised by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991. It is for the local planning authorities to decide if it would be appropriate to negotiate planning obligations for the sites acquired for the London-wide initiative. London Boroughs: Private Residential Developments Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which sites were acquired by English Partnerships under its London-wide initiative; and how many dwellings and affordable homes have been built or are planned to be built on each site. Baroness Andrews: English Partnerships has acquired 15 sites for the London-wide initiative and provided one site it already owned at East India Dock Road, Tower Hamlets. The sites acquired are located at: London Road, Croydon Holloway Road, Islington Amelia Street, Southwark Newington Butts, Southwark Lymington Fields, Barking and Dagenham Rowan High-School, Merton Brenley Site, Merton Catford Greyhound stadium and rail site, Lewisham Wandsworth Southside, Wandsworth Adelaide Wharf, Hackney District Hospital, Greenwich Huntley Street, Camden Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow Trenchard House, Westminster West Middlesex Hospital, Hounslow The Mayor of London has also pledged to transfer the Gallions 2 site in Docklands to the initiative. This site is expected to deliver around 300 new homes. This pilot phase of the initiative is expected to deliver about 4,500 homes, 2,000 of which will be affordable homes for sale to key workers and first time buyers. Work is continuing with partners and the relevant local authorities on the total number and mix of units on each site and to bring them forward for development. Development is expected to commence on the first site later this year. Carers Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What allowances a full-time carer of working age, with a severely disabled adult dependant, is entitled to claim, including income support; and whether these allowances provide the carer and the dependant with a reasonable standard of living. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Carers and severely disabled adults have access to the full range of social security benefits: carer's allowance, incapacity benefit, jobseeker's allowance, income support, disability living allowance, attendance allowance, industrial injuries benefits, bereavement and widow's benefits, maternity allowance, state pension and state second pension, pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit, which are dependent upon their individual circumstances. They may also have access to payments under the tax credits and war pensions schemes, and to statutory sick pay, statutory maternity pay or statutory paternity pay. A carer's allowance, currently £45.70 per week, can be paid to a carer whose weekly earnings, net of allowable expenses, are £82 or less and who regularly provides care for at least 35 hours a week to a severely disabled person in receipt of attendance allowance or the middle or highest rate of the disability living allowance care component. Extra money can be paid with carer's allowance for a partner whose net earnings are no more than £27.30 per week. Carers and the disabled people they care for may also be entitled to income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or pension credit. These entitlements are assessed separately unless they are partners living in the same household, in which case they are subject to a joint assessment. In either circumstance, the assessment can include a carer premium (carer's additional amount in the case of pension credit) on account of the carer's entitlement to carer's allowance, and one or more disability premia (disability additional amount in the case of pension credit) on account of the disabled person's eligibility for attendance allowance or disability living allowance. Receipt of attendance allowance or disability living allowance is ignored in the assessment of entitlement to income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or pension credit. The maximum levels of housing benefit and council tax benefit are available to recipients of income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or pension credit who are liable to pay rent or council tax. Overall, households which include a carer and/or a severely disabled person can receive significantly more benefit than other households receiving income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or pension credit. These benefits are set at levels which ensure that recipients should be able to meet their normal daily living needs. To protect their purchasing power, they are increased each year in line with the movement in the general level of prices or, in the case of the pension credit guarantee credit, in line with earnings up to and including 2007–08. The higher levels at which the benefits may be paid to carers, and to those for whom they provide care, are part of the package of support available to severely disabled people and their carers. Further help, including means-tested domiciliary services or direct payments in lieu of such services, may be available from local authority social services departments. Pension Protection Fund Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is possible for the Pension Protection Fund to take an equity stake in a company whose pension liabilities it assumes; if so, what is the legal basis for that power; and whether any restrictions on this power exist Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The board of the Pension Protection Fund may invest for the purposes of the prudent management of its financial affairs, as provided by Section 113 of the Pensions Act 2004. While the Board is obliged by Section 114 of the Act to produce a statement of principles governing determinations about investments made by or on behalf of the board, it is for the board to determine what those governing principles should be. There are no statutory limits or restrictions on the board's power to determine its own investment policy. When the board of the Pension Protection Fund assumes responsibility for a pension scheme the property, rights and liabilities of the scheme are transferred to the Board. This is made clear in Section 161 and Schedule 6 to the Pensions Act 2004. If the board assumes responsibility for a pension scheme the assets of which include an equity stake in the company which used to be its sponsoring employer, then this equity stake would transfer to the board of the Pension Protection Fund. During a PPF assessment period, while the PPF is assessing whether it must assume responsibility for a scheme, the board of the Pension Protection Fund takes over the role of creditor of the employer on behalf of the trustees of the scheme. This is a power the board has under Section 137 of the Pensions Act 2004. During this time the board may be involved in negotiations with the employer in respect of the debt owed to the scheme. As part of these negotiations the board may agree that the scheme make take an equity stake in the employer's business. Nuclear Warheads Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many non-United Kingdom-owned nuclear warheads are located within the United Kingdom. Lord Drayson: As stated in NATO's Strategic Concept (paragraph 63): "nuclear forces based in Europe and committed to NATO provide an essential political and military link between the European and North American members of the alliance. The alliance will therefore maintain adequate nuclear forces in Europe." Numbers of US nuclear weapons in the UK can and do vary, and the capability for deployments of such weapons to and from the UK remains extant regardless of the particular number of weapons in the UK at any given time. It is NATO and national policy not to comment on the detail of such nuclear deployments. NATO: Force Capability Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made by NATO in establishing a single adaptable database of military forces available from member states for the purpose of force generation, as agreed at the Istanbul Conference. Lord Drayson: At the Istanbul Summit in 2004, it was agreed that changes should be made to NATO's defence planning and force generation processes, with the intention of linking political agreement to launch an operation to the provision of forces required to carry it out. One aspect of this was agreement that, subject to further clarification and development, defence planning questionnaire data should be requested in a common or compatible database. This work is subject to the wider review that is being conducted as a result of the Istanbul-mandated comprehensive political guidance for all alliance capabilities issues and planning decisions. Helicopters Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the arrangements for advice about further helicopter capabilities for the Armed Forces will avoid any conflicts of interest and be conducive to open competition and best value. Lord Drayson: Competition and the pursuit of value for money remain the cornerstones of our procurement policy. This applies to our future rotorcraft capability requirements, as elsewhere. For helicopters in particular we are aiming to provide significant efficiency and effectiveness improvements in how we support our helicopter fleet. To this end the department has agreed a heads of agreement with Agusta Westland which commits us to exploring the possibility of working together towards a long-term partnering and business transformation arrangement. The terms of any such partnering arrangement are still being negotiated, but will be consistent with our procurement policy in terms of avoiding conflicts of interest and pursuing value for money. Army Restructuring: 1 (UK) Armoured Division Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total number of personnel and vehicles on the current war establishment of 1 (UK) Armoured Division; and what the total will be once the future Army structure has been fully implemented. Lord Drayson: The current numbers of personnel and vehicles on the war fighting establishment of the lst (United Kingdom) Armoured Division are: manpower 23,154 and vehicles 7,123. These numbers take into account early changes under future Army structures work. There will, however, be further changes and the final figures have yet to be settled. Royal Air Force Centrifuge Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 7 April (WA 147), whether the announcement by Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC) made in the United States on 8 February that the company had resolved its dispute in relation to contract number AESIA/279 with a payment of £2.5 million by the Ministry of Defence is correct; and whether this represents the resolution of the dispute to which reference is made in the Answer. Lord Drayson: The statement by ETC that a dispute in relation to contract number AESIA/279 had been resolved was correct. A payment of £2.5 million was made by the MoD to ETC in full and final settlement of the legal dispute and covered additional work on the contract that supplied Integrated Avionics Maintenance Trainers (IAMT) to the Royal Air Force in 2002. Young Mothers: Physical Activity Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they collect statistics on how many young mothers participate in physical activity; and, if so, whether they will publish those statistics. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Health Survey for England 2002, which focused specifically on children and young people aged 16 to 24, showed that only 22 per cent of young mothers (aged 16 to 24) met the Department of Health Chief Medical Officer's recommendations (participation in at least 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity on five or more days a week) compared to 29 per cent of females of the same range who are not mothers. This difference is statistically significant. It also measured those who took less than 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity once a week. This showed that young mothers were more likely to be sedentary than those of a similar age range who are not mothers, at 30 per cent and 36 per cent respectively. This difference is also statistically significant. Young Mothers: Physical Activity Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are taking action to increase the number of young mothers participating in physical activities. Lord Davies of Oldham: The government-funded Local Exercise Action Pilot (LEAP), based in the five most deprived wards in Hastings, is testing interventions to increase the number of young mothers aged 16 to 25 participating in physical activity. An interim evaluation of the scheme will be completed by mid-June 2005. Sport: Equality Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider that equality of opportunity between men and women currently exists in school sport, community sport and high performance sport. [HL171 ] Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government are committed to promoting equality of opportunity in sport for men and women and are implementing a range of measures. In schools, the National Strategy for PE and School Sport is reaching out to all pupils and the target is to ensure that 85 per cent of five to 16 year-olds doing at least two hours' high-quality PE and school sport each week by 2008. At local level, we expect school sport partnerships to make provision for targeting girls, where that is necessary, by broadening opportunities and tailoring delivery to girls' needs. To date, more than 1,200 secondary schools have benefited from the Youth Sport Trust/Nike Girls in Sport initiative. This seeks to encourage greater participation by girls through changing or relaxing kit specifications, extending the range of activities and improving showers and changing rooms. All schools in school sport partnerships are encouraged to adopt these principles. For community sport, we know that participation in sport and physical activity by women is lower than for the population as a whole. For example, the General Household Survey 2004 reported that during 2002 36 per cent of women had taken part in at least one activity other than walking, four weeks prior to being interviewed. This compared with 51 per cent of men. We have a specific PSA target to increase participation within priority groups, including women, by 3 per cent by 2008. We are tackling access issues for women through various initiatives. An example is the Horton Grange project in Bradford (supported by the Sport Action Zone). This is aimed at increasing opportunities for Asian women with health and weight problems to participate in sport and physical activity and get advice on healthy lifestyle choices. The Equality Standard for Sport, launched last year, is a framework to guide sports and community organisations towards achieving equality. Its aim is to widen access and increase the participation and involvement in sport and physical activity from under-represented individuals, groups and communities. With regard to elite sport, UK Sport has co-ordinated the development of the UK Strategy Framework for Women and Sport, its main principle being to "change sporting culture in the UK to one that values the diversity of women and enables their full involvement in every aspect of sport". The framework will cover participation, performance and excellence, as well as leadership issues for women within sport. In terms of athlete numbers, the latest figures show that (as at 24 May 2005) 40 per cent of athletes on the UK World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) are women. However, it is important to acknowledge that athletes are selected for inclusion on the WCPP on performance grounds alone, with the same standards applying to male and female athletes. Child Seats Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Department for Transport's New Programme for Assessing Child Seats report will be published; and whether they will provide an update of work undertaken to date, including a summary of findings and the cost to the department. Lord Davies of Oldham: The programme started in September 2003 and is due to finish in January 2006. We aim to publish the report in February 2006. The work has established appropriate test methods for the assessment of usability and misuse, dynamic crash performance (in both frontal and side impacts) and durability of child seats. Research into the latest child seat designs and trends from field accident databases has been used as a check on their relevance. These protocols will be used to develop a well founded and effective consumer information programme. The cost to the Department for Transport has so far been £182,000 of a budget of £450,000. Lord Birt Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 24 March (WA 64), whether the Prime Minister's strategy adviser, the Lord Birt, was consulted prior to the announcement on 16 March that Mr Rod Eddington was to become a government adviser on transport policy from September 2005. [HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Prime Minister is fully supportive of Rod Eddington's appointment. It is important that we take a long-term look at the impact of transport on productivity, stability and growth in this country, and Rod Eddington will make a valuable contribution to this work. Public Libraries Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much money has been invested in public lending library capital projects over the past five years. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Public Library Statistics (Actuals) show capital expenditure by the English Library Authorities for the five years up to 2003–04 was: (£000) 1999–2000 30,887 2000–01 28,369 2001–02 48,134 2002–03 53,255 2003–04 33,124 Figures for the subsequent year are not yet available. Public Libraries Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: What they are doing to encourage local authorities to replace and refurbish public lending libraries. Lord Davies of Oldham: Framework for the Future, the first ever national public libraries strategy document, published in 2003, called for library services to be offered in premises fit for purpose and there have been many fine examples of new or refurbished library buildings in recent years. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), one of DCMS's non-departmental public bodies, has also highlighted the benefits of good library design through two excellent reports, Better Public Libraries and 21st Century Libraries: Changing Forms, Changing Futures. These reports show that high quality building design can help libraries meet the challenge of providing services to 21st century citizens and communities. Peckham Library, the Idea Store in Bow, and Bournemouth library (winner of the 2003 Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award) are all examples of how modern libraries are changing, reinventing themselves to become beacons for civic pride, as well as social and economic regeneration. DCMS has allocated £90 million of PFI credits to library projects to date; and bids are currently being considered for a share of the £130 million in credits that we are making available over the next two years. Public libraries are one of the priority areas for these bids. Nevertheless, ultimately, the replacement and refurbishment of public library buildings is a matter for library authorities. Road Surfaces Lord Moran: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in the past 12 months in providing quiet road surfaces on motorways and major roads; and what plans there are for the laying down of new quiet road surfaces in the next 12 months Lord Davies of Oldham: In 2004–05 the Highways Agency installed a total of 1,189 lane km of quieter surfacing, including 117.2 lane km of quieter surfacing installed on concrete roads. In 2005–06 the Highways Agency plans to install a total of 1,000 lane km of quieter surfacing, including 200 lane km of quieter surfacing to be installed on concrete roads. Crossrail Bill Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Crossrail Bill process and consultation complies with European Union Directive 2003/35/EC. Lord Davies of Oldham: I refer my noble friend to my answer of 26 May 2005 (Official Report, col. WA 24). Airlines: Passports Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Under what powers airlines can require passengers on domestic flights to produce passports. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Secretary of State for Transport, in exercise of his powers under the Aviation Security Act 1982, has directed aircraft operators to take all reasonable steps to ensure that each passenger boarding an aircraft, who is recorded as having placed hold baggage in the custody of the operator, is in fact that same person who surrendered that baggage. Some aircraft operators have chosen to meet this requirement by including in their conditions of carriage the need for photographic identification to be produced, which may include a passport. Government Departments: Senior Information Risk Owners Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who are the senior information risk owners in each government department. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Senior information risk owners have been appointed in the following government departments: Cabinet Office: Colin Balmer; Crown Prosecution Office: Claire Hamon; Department for Constitutional Affairs: Dominic Hartley; Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Nicholas Holgate; Department for Education and Skills: Colin Moore; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Donald Macrae; Department for International Development: Mark Lowcock; Department for Transport: Stephen Hickey; Department for Work and Pensions: Joe Harley; Department of Health: Hugh Taylor; Department of Trade and Industry: Yvonne Gallagher; Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Roger Kershaw; HM Revenue and Customs: Carol Piper; HM Treasury: Tamara Finkelstein; Home Office: Helen Kilpatrick; Ministry of Defence: John Taylor; National Assembly for Wales: Bryan Mitchell; Northern Ireland Civil Service: Bill McCluggage; Northern Ireland Office: Paul Priestly; Office for National Statistics: Hilary Douglas; Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Sarah Cox; Parliamentary Counsel Office: Stephen Laws; Scottish Executive: Paul Rhodes; Treasury Solicitor's Department: Hilary Jackson; UK Trade & Investment: Paul Madden. SIRO's have also been appointed in the Security Service, SIS and GCHQ. Pensions Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the statement by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 18 May (HL Deb, col. 105) about pension holidays, what is the total estimated value of pension holidays taken by employers in each of the 10 years ending 1996–97. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Estimates of the total amount of reduction of surplus and the method of reduction between 1987–88 and 1996–97 are published in table 7.9 of Inland Revenue Statistics 1997, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. EU Budget Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a reconfiguration of European Union budget contributions and receipts for member states can be constructed on a fair basis for all members without impairing the British rebate. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Negotiations on the next financial perspective, which will set the EC budget and policy framework for the period 2007 to 2013, are ongoing. Her Majesty's Government have set out their views on how large the EC budget needs to be and how it can be financed. The UK abatement remains fully justified and is not up for negotiation due to inequities on the expenditure side of the budget. These inequities lead to member states of similar wealth to the UK paying a far lower net contribution because of the level of receipts they get back from the EC budget. Sports Facilities: VAT Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the current VAT liabilities concerning education-based sports facilities. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The construction of sports facilities at schools, universities and other educational establishments is normally subject to the standard (17.5 per cent) rate of VAT. VAT zero-rating does apply to the construction of a new sports building intended for use solely by charitable educational establishments unless it is used in the "course or furtherance of business". The provision of sports facilities to an individual for a charge is exempt from VAT when supplied by a non-profit making body. The letting of a sports facility, to clubs or associations may, in certain circumstances, also be exempt from VAT. Otherwise, VAT is chargeable at the standard rate on the provision of sports facilities for a charge. McKinsey and Co. Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether McKinsey and Company is currently carrying out any work for HM Treasury; how many projects the firm has carried out for the Treasury during each of the past five years; for each project, how long it lasted and how many McKinsey employees were involved; and what was the total value of payments made by the Treasury to McKinsey and Company in each of the past five years. Lord McKenzie of Luton: McKinsey and Company is not currently carrying out any work for the Treasury and has not done so since 2001–02. McKinsey carried out five projects for the Treasury over the years 1999–2000 to 2001–02. The fees paid in the past five financial years are set out in the table below and represent five projects. Information on the duration of each project and the number of McKinsey employees involved is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Financial year Fees paid in year, including VAT £ 2000–01 30,269.18 2001–02 90,850.04 2002–03 Nil 2003–04 Nil 2004–05 Nil
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2005-06-07b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2005", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Armed Forces: Aircraft Detection Lord Trefgarne: asked Her Majesty's Government: The Answer printed on Monday 1 October 2007 had a sentence missing. The correct version appears below: What Royal Air Force and Royal Navy assets are available to detect and intercept Russian Bear aircraft which may approach United Kingdom airspace. Lord Drayson: UK forces have procedures to detect and intercept unauthorised military flights from any nation, as well as civil airliners that cause concern. The Royal Air Force is responsible for the detection and identification of aircraft and the dissemination of the recognised air picture within United Kingdom airspace and its approaches, using assets such as RAF control and reporting centres at RAF Boulmer and RAF Scampton and remote air defence radars and communications sites. RAF Sentry aircraft, Royal Navy Type 42 air defence assets and Sea King air surveillance and control Mark 7 helicopters all have the ability to contribute to the recognised air picture when operating around United Kingdom airspace and waters. Royal Air Force Tornado F3 and Typhoon aircraft maintain continuous quick reaction alert readiness and are normally based at RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars. Demonstrations: Parliament Square Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the consultation, mentioned by the Prime Minister in his pre-Queen's Speech statement, on the provisions of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 concerning demonstrations in Parliament Square will take place. Lord West of Spithead: The consultation referred to by the noble Baroness will commence shortly. Flooding Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What financial and other assistance has been provided to each of the relevant local authorities and other public bodies towards the costs of dealing with this summer's flooding and its aftermath; and what further assistance is planned. Baroness Andrews: To date, the Government have made available a significant package of up to £57 million to support areas affected by the flooding of June and July 2007. This includes: £20 million in flood recovery grant for local authorities affected by the floods to support their work in helping those in greatest and most immediate need. Full details of the grant paid out to local authorities is available on the Communities and Local Government website at www.communities.gov.uk/floodrecovery;£14 million for schools and children's services affected by the floods. Full details of the grants made to local authorities are set out in the table at the foot of this answer;£10 million for repairs to the local highway with more to come for affected local authorities as claims are submitted;over £11 million from regional development agencies for businesses affected in their regions. Regional development agencies continue to assess the needs of business in the affected regions and have adapted or expanded their support to meet such demand. Further information is available on the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) website www.berr.gov.uk/regional/regional-dev-agencies/flood-recovery/page40623.html;£l million which can be drawn on as contingency reserve for use by JobCentre Plus to support additional demand for social fund community care grants. As of 5 October, the Department for Work and Pensions had paid community care grants totalling £695,000 to 1,225 people on qualifying benefits to meet the cost of replacing essential household items; and£1 million to support rural tourism in England through promoting rural destinations and visitor attractions and a targeted marketing campaign. This is additional money to that provided under the Bellwin scheme, which provides emergency financial assistance from government to local authorities, to help meet the uninsurable costs of immediate action to safeguard life or property or prevent severe inconvenience to inhabitants in the case of an emergency or disaster. In recognition of the exceptional nature of the recent flooding, we have made it easier for local authorities to claim back additional costs from government by significantly extending the period for which authorities can claim and increasing the proportion of costs they can receive in support grants to 100 per cent above threshold. In addition, on 20 August the UK Government lodged an application with the European Commission seeking support from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to help recovery from the floods. A decision might be expected towards the end of the year or early in 2008. Funding Allocated to Local Authorities by the DCSF for Schools and Children's Services (as of 10 October 2007) Local authority Allocation for June Floods Allocation for July Floods Total Allocation Kingston upon Hull £3,214,424 - £3,214,424 East Riding of Yorkshire £1,477,549 - £1,477,549 Gloucestershire - £1,007,900 £1,007,900 Nottinghamshire £858,508 - £858,508 Rotherham £828,959 - £828,959 Worcestershire £50,000 £644,102 £694,102 Doncaster £614,862 - £614,862 Warwickshire £81,733 £481,070 £562,803 Sheffield £498,394 - £498,394 West Berkshire - £423,404 £423,404 Lincolnshire £210,930 - £210,930 Oxfordshire - £180,422 £180,422 Wakefield £179,373 - £179,373 Richmond - £159,952 £159,952 Merton - £156,489 £156,489 Herefordshire £50,000 £106,011 £156,011 Wokingham - £129,942 £129,942 Kingston Upon Thames - £128,362 £128,362 Barnsley £123,866 - £123,866 Croydon - £121,580 £121,580 Derbyshire £119,761 - £119,761 Surrey - £118,989 £118,989 Sutton - £118,908 £118,908 Wandsworth - £110,591 £110,591 Staffordshire £70,907 - £70,907 Solihull £70,735 - £70,735 Windsor and Maidenhead - £60,072 £60,072 Swindon - £58,067 £58,067 East Sussex - £50,958 £50,958 Birmingham £50,000 - £50,000 Dudley £50,000 - £50,000 Hammersmith and Fulham - £50,000 £50,000 Harrow - £50,000 £50,000 Kensington and Chelsea - £50,000 £50,000 Kirklees £50,000 - £50,000 Lambeth - £50,000 £50,000 North East Lincolnshire £50,000 - £50,000 North Lincolnshire £50,000 - £50,000 North Yorkshire £50,000 - £50,000 Northamptonshire £50,000 - £50,000 Reading - £50,000 £50,000 Sandwell £50,000 - £50,000 Shropshire £50,000 - £50,000 Telford and Wrekin £50,000 - £50,000 Walsall £50,000 - £50,000 Total £9,000,001 £4,306,819 £13,306,820 Note: As well as these allocations to local authorities, the DCSF has paid for surveyors used by some local authorities, and will be meeting some other local authority costs from the contingency fund remaining from the overall allocation of £14 million Government: Electronic Communications Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will standardise the form of Ministers' e-mail addresses. Lord Davies of Oldham: There are no plans to standardise the form of Ministers' e-mail addresses. It is for individual departments to decide how correspondence and other contact with Ministers should be best handled and directed. Government: Regional Ministers Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the terms of reference of each of the Ministers for the Regions; and in what ways are they accountable to Parliament for their work in that capacity; and What departmental support and staffing is and will be provided to the Ministers for the Regions; in which departments such support is and will be located; and what is the budgetary provision for such support; and In what ways the Ministers for the Regions "will provide a sense of strategic direction for the region and give people a voice in central government" as set out on the website of the Government Office for the North West. Baroness Andrews: The role of Regional Ministers, as set out in The Governance of Britain (Cm. 7170 published 3 July 2007) is to: advise the Secretaries of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and Communities and Local Government on the approval of regional strategies;represent regional interests in the formulation of central government policy relevant to economic growth and sustainable development in areas that have not been devolved to the RDAs;facilitate a joined-up approach across government departments and agencies to enable effective delivery of the single regional strategy;promote achievement of the Government's regional economic performance objective;champion the region at high-level events and with regard to high-profile projects ,andrepresent the Government with regard to central government policy at regional Select Committee hearings and at parliamentary debates focused specifically on the region. Each Regional Minister has initiated a forward programme of visits and meetings with key stakeholders. The role is still developing. At present, Regional Ministers are supported by their departmental private offices and the Government Offices in their respective regions. Their costs are being covered by existing budgets, as no specific budgetary provision has been made. Regional Ministers are subject to the same level of scrutiny as with any Minister. The Governance of Britain paper recommends that Parliament consider new arrangements for scrutiny of regional business including the work of Regional Ministers. However the means and form by which this would occur is a matter for Parliament. Government: Regional Ministers Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What work the (a) Minister for the North West, and (b) Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber have so far carried out; what engagements they have undertaken; and what meetings they have attended. Baroness Andrews: The Regional Minister for the North West has set aside time to undertake a demanding programme of county and city region visits. The Minister has held a series of meetings with stakeholders, in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cumbria to date, and will visit Lancashire and Cheshire within the next two months. The Minister has also held a range of meetings and discussions as requested by regional partners including meetings with local authority chief executives, the regional development agency and the Chamber of Commerce. She has conducted her first speaking engagement and a forward programme of meetings and events is being developed. Since her appointment, the Regional Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber has been engaged with the response to and recovery from the flooding that affected the region. This has included meetings with ministerial colleagues and visits to the affected areas of Kingston upon Hull, Wakefield and Barnsley. She has also met with the chairman and chief executive of Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency and the executive board of the Regional Assembly, and undertaken a number of speaking engagements across the region. Housing: National Distribution Networks Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will introduce a planning category for low-impact, low-density housing that is not connected to national distribution networks for water and electricity. Baroness Andrews: The Government currently have no plans to introduce a discrete planning category for low-impact, low-density housing that is not connected to national distribution networks for water and electricity. Planning Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the average time taken to issue decisions on planning appeals in England in the three most recent 12-month periods for which figures are available, for major and ordinary applications respectively, dealt with by (a) written representations, (b) informal hearings and (c) local inquiries. Baroness Andrews: The table below shows the average time taken from start date to decision date for planning appeals for major, minor and all developments, for the three procedure types, (a) written representation, (b) informal hearings and (c) local inquiry. The data includes only those appeals decided by the Planning Inspectorate and includes three full financial years and 2007-08 from April to September. Average time taken to determine planning appeals in weeks Major developments Minor developments All developments (a) Written Representation 2004-05 26 26 26 2005-06 21 21 21 2006-07 19 19 19 2007-08* 22 22 22 (b) Informal Hearings 2004-05 35 35 35 2005-06 47 48 48 2006-07 34 46 44 2007-08* 23 34 31 (c) Local Inquiries 2004-05 35 37 36 2005-06 42 41 41 2006-07 39 46 43 2007-08* 32 38 35 * April-September Planning: Eco-towns Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What precedents they are considering in planning eco-towns in the United Kingdom; whether they will pilot these plans on a small scale; whether they will draw on the experience of communities that already live in an environmentally sustainable fashion; and whether they have made an assessment of Chinese plans for Dongtan zero-carbon city. Baroness Andrews: On 23 July this year, the Government published the Eco-towns Prospectus which set out the vision and outline criteria for eco-towns in England. It also included examples of high-quality sustainable developments, both here and overseas, that we would like eco-towns to demonstrate. In developing eco-towns, the Government are working with the Town and Country Planning Association which has expertise and experience of town planning and new settlements, and as part of its work it will also be looking at good practice both nationally and internationally. This will include available evidence on Dongtan and its relevance to UK experience. The Government will work with the key stakeholders involved with sustainable development and are creating a stakeholder reference group of leading experts. The Government's carbon challenge, which is being run by English Partnerships will help to inform the development of eco-towns. Russia: Andrei Lugovoy Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: When Ministers were first aware of the intention of the Counter Terrorism Division to make public their request for the extradition of Mr Andrei Lugovoy. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: There were a number of cross-Whitehall meetings about the murder of Alexander Litvinenko before the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made its formal announcement on 22 May 2007. During those meetings, CPS made clear that if, in its independent view, there was sufficient evidence to prosecute anyone for the murder, and if necessary, extradition requests would be made. The CPS further decided that it would be right to make its decision on the case public and to explain how the prosecution would commence. Ministerial approval for this course of action was not sought but Ministers were made aware on 18 May 2007, by their own officials, that the CPS would make a public announcement after it had decided whether to recommend charges against any person. My predecessor, Lord Goldsmith, was consulted about the decision and saw a draft of the press release, which named Lugovoy, that day. A final version of the press release was shown to Lord Goldsmith on 21 May; this was sent to other government departments the morning of 22 May before being issued by the CPS. Taxation: Non-domiciled Taxpayers Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: On what date HM Treasury's review of the present non-domiciled tax regulations started; and when they will publish the conclusions. Lord Davies of Oldham: A review of the residence and domicile rules that govern personal taxation was announced at Budget 2002. The conclusions on the review are published in paragraphs 5.80 and 5.81 of the 2007 Pre-Budget Report. Terrorism: Deportations Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 1 October (WA 262), what is the total number of foreign nationals considered to pose a national security threat to the United Kingdom whose cases are subject to deportation. Lord West of Spithead: Twenty-four foreign nationals are currently subject to deportation on national security grounds.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2007-10-12a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2007", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport High Speed 2 Railway Line lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the business case for HS2. baroness vere of norbiton: An updated business case for HS2 will be published alongside the formal notice to proceed for Phase 1 of the project later this year. Railways: North of England lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any representations about prioritising HS3 over HS2. baroness vere of norbiton: There is no either / or choice between HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). Both projects have the potential to be transformative for the North. Whilst Transport for the North’s plans for NPR are at an earlier stage of development, they are being designed to complement HS2 and transform connectivity across the north of England. We are currently consulting on proposals to include passive provision for two future junctions that would one day allow NPR trains to use the HS2 route into Manchester and vice versa. These proposals have been developed with Transport for the North, and, in the future, could allow a potential new route between Manchester and Liverpool that could also be used for services between London and Liverpool. M6: Speed Limits lord lipsey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated value of motorists' time lost due to the 50mph speed limit in place as part of the works to create a digital M6 motorway. baroness vere of norbiton: The impact of delays during construction of the current M6 Junctions 2 to 4 and Junctions 13 to 15 smart motorway schemes was assessed as part of the economic appraisal undertaken prior to the start of construction. This took into account various factors including the impact of the construction programme in full, lane availability and also the effect of limiting traffic speed to 50mph. This assessment gave an estimated value of £80 million for motorist’s journey time lost during construction. The economic appraisal also forecast that the completed schemes would give a journey time gain of £802 million to motorists. In July 2018, Highways England announced its intention to test whether 60mph speed limits in roadworks could be used more often. That work is ongoing, and it is anticipated that the benefits will include improved journey times for motorists. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries lord livermore: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on4 June (HL15847), what recent assessment they have made of the impact of (1) Honda's decision to close its Swindon plant in 2021, and (2) other recent announcements by car manufacturers, on the steel industry in the UK. lord livermore: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 4 June (HL15847),what recent assessment they have made of the impact of (1) Honda's decision to close its Swindon plant in 2021, and (2) other recent announcements by car manufacturers, on the glass industry in the UK. lord livermore: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 4 June (HL15847),what recent assessment they have made of the impact of (1) Honda's decision to close its Swindon plant in 2021, and (2) other recent announcements by car manufacturers, on the tyre industry in the UK. lord henley: The Government is working with the car manufacturers and key industry groups to identify and assess supply chain risks in all cases where car manufacturing operations are expected to cease or reduce. It is a complex picture and it is difficult to project the impact on suppliers. Every effort is being made to support affected suppliers to identify new opportunities to sustain and potentially grow their businesses before the impact of these announcements comes to pass.The Government will continue to assess UK wide supply chain risks have so far identified over 60 supply chain companies directly impacted by the Honda decision. We are working across all LEP areas and with the Devolved Nations to protect and support Honda supply chain businesses across the UK. As well as work across Government to measure the potential short and long-term economic shock from Honda and any supply chain closures on the UK economy (including within other sectors).There are more than 2500 automotive supply chain companies in the UK, including 18 of the world's 20 biggest automotive suppliers, producing approximately £12.7bn worth of parts.We are ensuring everything is being done to support businesses, their workforce and communities affected by the announcements. We continue the strive to attract investment, creating highly-skilled jobs that offer fulfilling careers for years to come. Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of a no-deal Brexit on just-in-time supply chains in the UK automotive sector. lord henley: In February 2018, the Government published its assessment of the implications for business and international trade in the UK, if it leaves the EU without a deal on March 29. This assessment remains valid.The UK and the EU share a strong commercial interest in maintaining the competitiveness of our automotive industries, which rely on highly integrated and sophisticated just in time supply chains. Under a no-deal outcome, the automotive industry would face additional costs and burdens as a result of new customs procedures, compliance requirements and reductions in traffic flows across the Channel.BEIS ministers and officials regularly engage with the automotive industry, bilaterally, via trade associations, and through the Department’s participation in the Automotive Council, to discuss no-deal risks and mitigations. Copyright: EU Law lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the Copyright Directive in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal. lord henley: Whether the Government is required to implement the Directive will depend on the nature of our departure from the EU. Any new legislation after a no-deal exit would be subject to usual legislative processes, including public consultations and full impact assessment. Foreign and Commonwealth Office North Korea: Refugees lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed with the government of China the right of North Korean refugees to resettle in the Republic of Korea. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to emphasise to China that people fleeing North Korea should be treated as legitimate asylum claimants and should not be returned as stipulated by the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. We raised the principle of non-refoulement at the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue in June 2017. We also make clear our concerns to China on individual cases as appropriate.We have not specifically raised the resettlement of North Korean refugees in the Republic of Korea with the Chinese Government. Omar al-Bashir lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 June (HL15969), why, following his indictment by the International Criminal Court, Omar al-Bashir is not subject to financial measures in the UK; and whether, in the light of his removal as President of Sudan and imprisonment, they will review this decision. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Former President Omar al-Bashir is not subject to financial measures in the UK. We do not have any information that former President Bashir has assets in the UK. The UK currently implements financial sanctions through the UN and the EU. There is a mixture of UN and EU sanctions regimes in place for Sudan and its citizens. Following the removal of Bashir and recent events we are, with international partners, considering how we can hold Sudanese regime figures accountable for serious abuses. We are seeking information on financial flows relating to Bashir's overthrow, and will act accordingly. Sudan: Migration lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) whetherthe UK's financial contributions to the Khartoum Process have fundedthe Sudanese Rapid Support Forces, and (2) what assessment they have made of reports that the RapidSupport Forces soldmigrants to Libyan human traffickers and abused migrants' fundamental human rights. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The purpose of the Khartoum Process is to facilitate an EU-Africa dialogue on managing migration, combatting organised immigration crime and addressing the effects of trafficking in the Horn and North Africa. It is called the Khartoum Process because the agreement was signed in Khartoum but it is not specific to Sudan. The UK's financial contributions to the Khartoum Process have not funded the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces. EU funded work on the Regional Operations Centre Khartoum is currently suspended.The UK is aware of reports that the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces sold migrants to Libyan human traffickers and abused migrants' fundamental human rights, but is not able to verify their veracity. The British Government has been clear on the need to do more to break the business model of people smugglers, and is taking steps to try to improve the situation in Libya. This includes working with the Government of National Accord to build the capacity of their law enforcement agencies, and taking steps to tackle the organised crime groups who facilitate the travel from source countries to Europe and the United Kingdom. In June 2018, the UK co-designated UN sanctions against six Libyan and Eritrean traffickers along with France, the US, Germany and the Netherlands. Horn of Africa: Migration lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's role in staffing the Regional Operation Centre in support of the Khartoum Process and AU Horn of Africa Initiative, in the light of reports that it shares intelligence with the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services which was involved in the violence in Khartoum on 3 June. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK does not have a direct role in staffing the Regional Operations Centre Khartoum (ROCK) project. Between February 2017 and March 2019 the UK funded directly one technical consultant to support the ROCK to reach its initial operating capacity. The UK contributes around 15% of the EU Trust Fund as a standard assessed contribution. That in turn, funds the ROCK, and we are part of the project’s Management Board, which will continue to scrutinise the ROCK’s operations. However, due to recent events in Sudan, EU funded work on the ROCK is suspended. Egypt: Torture lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to call for an independent inquiryinvolving the United NationsSpecial Rapporteur on Torture into allegations of torture in Egypt, in particular the case of Ghehad al-Haddad. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Egypt is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Priority Country and the UK continues to urge the Egyptian Government to ensure full implementation of the rights and freedoms set out in Egypt's Constitution. We are deeply concerned about reports of torture and mistreatment in detention in Egypt. We will continue to urge the Egyptian authorities to ensure all detainees are treated in accordance with relevant international human right standards. We have raised our concerns in public and in private, including at Ministerial level, through our statement at the UN Human Rights Council and through our Human Rights and Democracy Report published on 5 June. Jerusalem: Orthodox Church baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sale of Greek Orthodox Church property inEast Jerusalem and reports that the sale is being conducted illegally. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of sales of Greek Orthodox Church property in East Jerusalem, but have not made any assessment of their legality. The British Government does not routinely comment on private property matters. The British Government continues to view settlements in East Jerusalem as illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace. Lama Khater baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the arrest and imprisonment of the Palestinian journalist Lama Khater. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Whilst we are aware of this case, we have not made any specific representations to the Israeli authorities. The Government is committed to the promotion of media freedom and the protection of journalists, as an essential element of democracy and an important attribute of human rights. The former Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP, met leaders of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate in London on 4 July 2018 where they discussed the situation facing Palestinian journalists and the constraints on their work, while officials from the British Consulate in East Jerusalem and our Embassy in Tel Aviv hosted a roundtable in April this year with foreign journalists serving in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to discuss media freedom. Jerusalem: Cemeteries baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about the destruction by the the Israel Defense Forces of graves of Muslim leaders in East Jerusalem in order to build a national park. lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we continue to view East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We remain concerned about actions which further entrench the Israeli occupation, and regularly make representations to the Israeli government about such actions, such as settlement expansion and the destruction of Palestinian property. Cabinet Office Legislative Process lord norton of louth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the recommendations in the report of the House of Lords Constitution CommitteeThe Legislative Process: Preparing Legislation for Parliament (HL Paper 19), published in October 2017, they have not accepted and implemented. lord young of cookham: The then Leader of the House of Commons responded to the Committee's report on 26 January 2018. In her response she committed to asking officials to consider carefully where the Committee's recommendations can be factored into our processes.The Committee made two recommendations that the Government cannot support, relating to consultations and a legislative standards committee. First, on consultations, the Government agrees that timelines for consultations should be proportionate and realistic to allow stakeholders sufficient time to provide a considered response. However, within these parameters, consultation lengths should be adaptable to the complexity of policy and legislative. Second, on a legislative standards committee, the Government is committed to bringing forward well-drafted legislation of the highest quality but does not believe a legislative standards committee would add to this process.The PBL Committee already serves as a strict gatekeeper to legislation being introduced to Parliament. Furthermore, it is generally not possible to separate views on the standards of a bill from views on the appropriateness of the underlying policy, for which the bill stages in each House already provide the appropriate forum for debate and scrutiny. The Committee’s remaining four recommendations continue to be useful to Government and, as the then Leader of the House of Commons said in her response, are being factored into our processes as appropriate. Department of Health and Social Care Measles baroness brady: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address any increase in the number of people infected with measles; and whether they have any plans to introduce compulsory measles vaccinations for children before they start school. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Vaccinations in the United Kingdom are undertaken through informed consent. Although there has been a small decline in coverage in England since 2013, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine coverage through the routine programme (first dose given at one year and the second at three years and four months) remains high. Public Health England has said that the majority of recent measles cases are in those not eligible through this routine programme. A new MMR vaccine catch-up programme for 10- and 11-year olds that previously missed the MMR vaccine was introduced in April this year. In addition, the MMR vaccine can also be given on the National Health Service to children who missed routine vaccination and adults who may need it.In January 2019, the UK Measles and Rubella elimination strategy was published. A multi-agency group has been established to take forward the actions in the strategy in England. Local teams are expected to work with local stakeholders to develop measles and rubella elimination action plans.Public Health England monitors vaccine uptake and works with NHS England to increase uptake. This year, NHS England is undertaking a fundamental review of general practitioner vaccinations and immunisation standards, funding, and procurement. This will support the goal of improving immunisation coverage, using local coordinators to target variation and improve groups and areas with low vaccine uptake. NHS: Crimes of Violence lord clark of windermere: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals are on the NHS's register of violent and abusive actions; and how many such individuals have been added in the past 12 months. baroness blackwood of north oxford: There is no centrally maintained ‘register of violence and abusive actions’ for the National Health Service. NHS trusts, working with their local police service are likely to maintain such registers as part of their responsibilities to ensure appropriate sanctions can be taken against ‘violent and abusive’ patients while ensuring they get the care they need within an environment where all patients and staff are protected. Flour: Folic Acid baroness finlay of llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their consultation on the proposal to add folic acid to flour will include evidence from health economists on the costs to society and the NHS of spina bifida. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department is working closely with economists and analysts to estimate costs to society and the National Health Service of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. We are keen to gather further evidence through the consultation and we welcome responses from all interested parties.The impact assessment will be revised in light of the consultation and published after the consultation closes. Radiology lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many radiographers are required to fulfil the long-term objectives of the NHS. lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many radiographers are employed by the NHS. baroness blackwood of north oxford: In the Cancer Workforce Plan for England which was published in December 2017, Health Education England (HEE) set out the need to target additional training support.As part of the development of the NHS People Plan, HEE will now work with NHS England and NHS Improvement to understand the longer-term workforce implications for further development of cancer services. This will include ensuring sustainable growth beyond 2021 in key professions (including radiography) through continued investment in training places, with a greater focus on attracting and retaining students and improving the numbers of qualified professionals who go on to work in the National Health Service. The number of radiographers required will be addressed in the final NHS People Plan and is dependent on the service model used by each NHS trust.NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.As at February 2019, latest available data, there were over 14,000 full time equivalent diagnostic radiographers and over 2,000 therapeutic radiographers employed by the NHS trusts and CCGs, 2,990 and 726 more, respectively, since 2010. NHS: Finance lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to increase funding for the NHS post-Brexit. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The National Health Service budget will increase by £33.9 billion in cash terms over the next five years, reflecting that the NHS is this Government’s top spending priority. This major investment will support the NHS to continue to deliver world class care.This extra funding for the NHS will still apply in all European Union exit scenarios to ensure it is there for the long term. Mental Health Services lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to implement a long-term strategy to improve the timescale of mental health treatment in the NHS. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Under the NHS Long Term Plan, there will be a comprehensive expansion of mental health services, with additional funding of at least £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24. This will give greater mental health support to an extra 345,000 children, at least 380,000 more adults and 24,000 more new and expectant mothers.The interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June 2019, sets out that an additional 25,000 staff will be employed in mental health services over the next five years. This includes nearly 6,500 more working in children and young people’s mental health services and mental health support teams in schools and colleges. The National Health Service will test new waiting times to ensure rapid access to mental health services in the community for those that need it and expand crisis care. More detailed information will be set out in the National Implementation Framework and the full NHS People Plan due to be published later in the year. NHS: Negligence lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made ofthe Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers’ proposed alternative to theClinical Negligence Fixed Costs Working Group;and which Ministers are responsible for considering the issue of fixed costs in clinical negligence claims. baroness blackwood of north oxford: In 2017 the Department consulted on proposals for fixed recoverable costs (FRC) in claims of up to £25,000 damages, for which claimant legal costs are most likely to be disproportionately high relative to damages awarded. The Department published a summary of responses to the consultation in February 2018.Following the consultation by the Department in 2017 and Sir Rupert Jackson’s recommendation in July 2017 to control the legal costs of these cases, the Department and the Ministry of Justice commissioned the independent Civil Justice Council (CJC) to draw up a new process for clinical negligence claims of up to £25,000 damages, with proposals for FRC for these cases.The CJC has set up a working party to develop proposals, with input from claimant and defendant solicitors, including the Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers. The Department will consider the CJC’s recommendations when its report is published and will consult on any resulting proposals for FRC for these cases before implementation.In view of the CJC’s role to lead work on proposals taking account of stakeholder views, the Department has not made its own assessment of the proposals from the Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers.The Minister of State for Care (Caroline Dinenage MP) is responsible for clinical negligence policy. Cystic Fibrosis: Prescriptions baroness sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government why adults with cystic fibrosis in England are not exempt from paying prescription charges. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Extensive arrangements are already in place to help people access National Health Service prescriptions. These include a broad range of NHS prescription charge exemptions, for which someone with cystic fibrosis may qualify. Together these exemptions currently mean around 89% of NHS prescription items are dispensed in the community free of charge.To support those with the greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, the cost of the prescription pre-payment certificates has been frozen for another year. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week. Ministry of Justice Special Educational Needs: Appeals lord lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) has sufficient (1) resources, and (2) judges, to cope with the number of cases before it; and what plans they have to (a) provide more resources, and (b) increase the number of judges, where they have found these to be insufficient. lord keen of elie: The Special Educational Needs and Disability jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal (“the SEND Tribunal”) has seen a 50% increase in appeals over a 3-year period. In response to this, the SEND Tribunal has increased the number of administrative staff from 25 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) members of staff in May 2016, to 43.5 FTE in May 2019. The Legal Advisers team has also increased from 2.6 FTE at the beginning of 2018, to 4.6 FTE in June 2019.10 new judges were assigned to SEND in September 2018 and a further exercise will be launched in September 2019 for an additional 20 fee paid judges. Parallel to this, HMCTS and the judiciary have been working closely with the Judicial Appointments Commission to recruit judges. In March 2019 21 new fee paid Judges were successfully recruited. Islamist Extremism in Prisons, Probation and Youth Justice Review lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in implementing the actions they set out in their response to Ian Acheson’s Review of Islamist extremism in prisons, probation and youth justice, published on 22 August 2016. lord keen of elie: The Government has delivered against all of the actions it agreed to implement in its response to the Acheson Review. For example, Separation Centres were established to allow greater separation and specialised management of extremists who pose the highest risk to other prisoners. Over 22,000 prison staff, including all new recruits since January 2017, have received enhanced extremism awareness training, covering all forms of ideology. Arrangements are in place to systematically remove extremist literature from prisons, and tightened vetting arrangements for prisoner-facing staff, including the Chaplaincy, are now standard procedure. Prisoners: Radicalism lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the level of radicalising influence by Islamist extremists in prisons in England and Wales; and what estimate they have made of the number of prisoners who have been radicalised in the last five years. lord keen of elie: We are currently managing around 650 individuals in prison and probation through a counter terrorism specialist case management process, ranging from convicted terrorists to those we have identified as showing signs of extremist views or vulnerabilities. We have around 50% more terrorist related prisoners in prisons in England and Wales than we did three years ago. The majority of cases are Islamist extremist (approximately 80%). However, there continues to be a significant rise in Right Wing Terrorism (RWT) cases across the country; the number of Right-Wing offenders in custody rose from 4% of the total Terrorism Act (TACT) / TACT-related cohort in 2015 to 14% in 2019. We do not produce an estimate of the number of offenders who might have been radicalised, nor do we produce a single assessment of the level of radicalising influence by extremists of any ideology. We take the threat of radicalisation and extremism very seriously and this is a key part of our work to improve safety in our prisons. We deal with the risks that individual prisoners present on a case-by-case basis, working closely with law enforcement partners. Department for International Trade Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the High Court judgment on 20 June, whether they intend to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia immediately on humanitarian grounds. lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the value of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the last 12 months. viscount younger of leckie: The Government disagrees with the Court of Appeal judgment and will be seeking permission to appeal. We are carefully considering the implications of the judgment for decision-making. While we do this, we will not grant any new licences for exports to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners, which might be used in the conflict in Yemen. Arms sales data by region are published annually on GOV.UK. Additionally, information on export licences issued, refused and revoked, up to 31 December 2018, which includes values declared for Standard Individual Export Licences, is published on GOV.UK. It should be noted, that licences granted are not necessarily a measure of sales or exports shipped in a given period as they are valid for between two and five years. Licensing data only provides a partial indication of sales as exporters only declare export values for a subsection of licences (Standard Individual Export Licences). Some licences expire before they are used and, in these circumstances, exporters must submit a further application, which can result in an element of double counting. Ministry of Defence Aged Veterans Fund lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been spent by the Aged Veterans Fund in each year from 2016 to 2019. earl howe: The Aged Veterans Fund, set up in 2015, used available LIBOR funds to support older veterans. It funded projects that supported non-core health, wellbeing, and social care needs for older veterans (born before 1 January 1950), including surviving World War 2 veterans, those who undertook National Service, and other voluntary enlisted veterans. The table below details the value of funds awarded in the two years the Aged Veterans Fund was open: Financial YearValue of Grants Awarded2015-16£6,608,0902016-17£22,792,661 Funding was made available for portfolios of projects lasting up to three years, so some projects are still ongoing. Home Office Visas: Overseas Visitors lord collins of highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals were refused visasto travel to the UK for theDfID Safeguarding Summit in October 2018. lord collins of highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals were refused visas to travel to the UK for Wilton Park events in 2018. lord collins of highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals were refused visas totravel to the UKfor the Global Disability Summit in July 2018. baroness williams of trafford: This information requested is not published. Attending meetings, conferences and seminars are all allowed under the Visitor Rules. UKVI has in place engagement teams who can work with event organisers ahead of events to support them through visa processes. Event organisers can approach UKVI directly, we also identify organisers through engagement with other government department and external Stakeholders. Migrant Workers lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to formally respond to the recommendations of the Migration Advisory Committee's review of the Shortage Occupation List, published on 29 May. baroness williams of trafford: The Government is grateful to the MAC for a comprehensive report, the content of which we are now considering, before making final decisions. We will publish a response in due course. Department for Exiting the European Union Eurostat lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of no longerparticipating in Eurostat's data collection and international comparisons of services for public service provision and planning in the UK. lord callanan: The National Statistician has made a commitment to the continued alignment between UK official statistics and international standards, emphasising the importance of comparability for users of statistics, both over time and internationally.Because the UK’s statistics would continue to meet international best practice, where appropriate this would allow for continued comparability with statistics produced under the European framework (much of which is based on international standards, set by bodies such as the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).The emphasis on continuity and comparability means the UK’s decision to leave the EU is not expected to have any immediate impact on the suite of UK official statistics, including those relevant to public service provision and planning. British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to make an agreement to safeguard the rights of UK citizens living in the EU after Brexit. lord callanan: From the very beginning the Prime Minister has been clear that safeguarding the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU was her first priority for negotiations.The agreement reached and set out in the Withdrawal Agreement text will provide UK nationals with certainty about their rights going forward and allow UK nationals to continue to live, work and study in the EU. They will continue to be able to access benefits and services on the same basis after we exit the EU as they do now, subject to any future domestic policy changes which apply to UK nationals.In a no deal, all Member States have now made commitments to protect the rights of UK nationals in the EU and have guaranteed that UK nationals legally resident by exit day will be able to stay. UK nationals can find details of each system on the FCO “living in guides” on gov.uk.On 27 February the House supported an amendment tabled by Alberto Costa MP to seek a joint UK-EU commitment to adopt Part II of the Withdrawal Agreement whatever the outcome of negotiations. The Government has since written to Michel Barnier twice to propose a ‘joint UK-EU commitment to adopt Part II of the Withdrawal Agreement whatever the outcome of negotiations’.Michel Barnier has been very clear that the Withdrawal Agreement is the best way to protect the rights of citizens. The Government is now carefully considering our response and will continue working towards safeguarding the rights of UK nationals in the EU and EU citizens in the UK in all scenarios. UK Trade with EU lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of jobs in the EU which are currently dependent on EU trade with the UK. lord callanan: UK-EU trade supports many jobs in both the UK and the EU. That is why it is in the interests of both sides to maintain trading links once the UK has left the EU; to protect jobs and our economy while allowing us to honour the referendum and realise the opportunities of Brexit.The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) publish estimates on trade in employment, including on the amount of jobs linked to exports. Their most recent data from 2011 estimates that 3.4 million jobs were linked to UK exports across the EU. This data can be found at the link below.https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TIM2015_C1 Treasury Financial Services: Equality lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the UK financial sector (1) increases its diversity, and (2) ensures equal pay. lord young of cookham: It is the Government’s aspiration to see diversity across the UK economy, and HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter reflects our ambition to see an improved gender balance in the financial services industry. So far, over 330 financial services firms have signed the Charter, committing to implement strategic actions to improve their gender balance in senior positions. Regarding wider work to improve diversity in the UK labour market, we are supporting the government commissioned Hampton-Alexander review to push for 33% of all board and senior leadership positions to be held by women by 2020 in the FTSE 350. Government also fully supports the Parker Review, which recommends that FTSE100 and 250 boards should have at least one director of colour by 2021 and 2024, respectively. The Prime Minister also launched the Race at Work Charter and a consultation on mandatory ethnicity pay reporting as part of a package of measures to make the workplace fairer for people from ethnic minority groups. Over 150 employers have signed the Race at Work Charter, including a number of financial services firms. Equal pay for men and women doing the same work, equivalent work or work of equal value, has been a legal requirement since 1970. The Government remains fully committed to the Equal Pay protections in the Equality Act 2010. In 2017, the Government introduced regulations requiring large employers across all sectors, including financial services, to publish the differences in what they pay their male and female staff in average salaries and bonuses annually. The gender pay gap is caused by many factors and does not necessarily mean an employer has breached equal pay laws. Transparency is key to highlighting gender-based differences in pay and enabling employees to hold their employers to account, particularly where equal pay law may have been breached. Ministerial Powers baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times Ministerial Directions have been issued in each of the lastfive years; and from which departments. lord young of cookham: Ministerial Directions are published on gov.uk.There have been nineteen Ministerial Directions in total in the last five years. Details of these Ministerial Directions are set out in the table attached. Ministerial Directions (Word Document, 27.18 KB) Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Loneliness: Ethnic Groups lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to reflect the experiences of people from BAME backgrounds when (1) raising awareness of the public health implications, and (2) addressing the stigma, of loneliness. lord ashton of hyde: Government’s loneliness strategy recognises that loneliness can affect people of all ages and all backgrounds. The Government is aware of the recent research findings contained in “Barriers to belonging: An exploration of loneliness among people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds”, recently published by the British Red Cross, which will be considered in future work. On the public health implications, Public Health England (PHE) has supported the development of standard measures of loneliness and has recently consulted on updates to its Public Health Outcomes Framework, which includes consideration of the addition of the standard measure of loneliness, to inform and focus future work. One aim of Government's recently launched Let’s talk Loneliness campaign is to reduce the stigma of loneliness so that people experiencing it feel they can reach out or take action. This is based on the Mental Health Foundation's research which found that 30% of Britons surveyed said they would be embarrassed to say they felt lonely. The campaign will encourage people across different communities to talk about loneliness. Loneliness lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the appropriateness of the language used for different cultural and linguistic groups in measuring loneliness in their loneliness strategy. lord ashton of hyde: A national loneliness measure was announced in October 2018 as part of the loneliness strategy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) undertook a programme of scoping work to recommend a way of measuring loneliness which would work for people of different ages and backgrounds, including how different loneliness measures compare for use with diverse ethnic groups, including those with limited English. ONS’s final recommendation of using both direct and indirect measures of loneliness where possible is an approach currently taken by the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and the Understanding Society study. The recommended measures are well-tested across different surveys and demographics. ONS worked with the Loneliness Technical Advisory Group to identify a range of criteria regarding the design, sample and geographical coverage of the surveys in which the measure will be included, to build opportunities to improve understanding of differences between ethnic groups. Loneliness lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the report by the Red Cross Barriers to belonging, published in June, for their loneliness strategy. lord ashton of hyde: “Barriers to belonging: An exploration of loneliness among people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds” highlights that many people from BAME backgrounds face multiple challenges to feeling like they belong and accessing support services. These include increased likelihood of discrimination, not feeling welcome and fear of stigma. The report also points to greater barriers to accessing help for loneliness and joining in community activities, including a lack of money, language barriers and not having enough free time. The cross government tackling loneliness team will consider the research findings and recommendations made to Government, in its work taking forward the loneliness strategy. Gaming Machines lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many adult gaming centres are currently in operation in the UK; and how many such centres were in operation in (1) June 2017, and (2) June 2018. lord ashton of hyde: The latest figures for the number of Adult Gaming Centre premises are from September 2018. The figures for each year are given in the table below. Number of Adult Gaming Centre PremisesAt 31 March 2011At 31 March 2012At 31 March 2013At 31 March 2014At 31 March 2015At 31 March 2016At 31 March 2017At 31 March 2018At 30 Sept 20182,1032,2471,6711,6421,6101,5491,5461,5111,436 More information can be found in the Gambling Commission’s industry statistics at https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news-action-and-statistics/Statistics-and-research/Statistics/Industry-statistics.aspx Arts: Loneliness lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progressthey have made, as part of theirloneliness strategy, with the Arts Council to promote the role that arts and culture can play in addressing loneliness and to promote examples of best practice in reducing social isolation. lord ashton of hyde: In 2018’s Loneliness Strategy, Arts Council England (ACE) and DCMS committed to ensuring arts and culture are included in the development of social prescribing and we and ACE are working with DHSC and NHS England to ensure that the cultural sector is well represented in this work. ACE and DCMS are members the Social Prescribing Taskforce, and are working with NHS England and others. ACE also continue to promote best practice for the role that arts and culture has in improving people’s wellbeing through case studies and programmes such as Celebrating Age, and Creative People and Places. The Celebrating Age programme has funded 32 projects that seek to increase engagement of older people with the arts, some of which focus specifically on tackling isolation. Likewise, the Creative People and Places programme also includes projects that incorporate these issues. Research from the programmes , and individual projects, is regularly published. ACE recently partnered with the APPG for Arts, Health and Wellbeing and others to support the Southbank Centre's Creative Health conference in June, which highlighted the role arts and culture can play in wellbeing, including in tackling social isolation. he Southbank Centre - one of ACE’s largest National Portfolio Organisations - announced its intention to address loneliness as part of their health and wellbeing programming. ACE also seeks to address loneliness through its investment in libraries and library-based projects. These initiatives bring people together through reading, promote learning new skills, and encourage participation in clubs, among several others. To continue to promote best practice to tackle loneliness and social isolation, ACE continue to participate in the APPG on Arts, Health and Wellbeing, and now sit on the APPG for Loneliness; and has proposed the convening of a joint session between these two groups. Arts: Loneliness lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progressthey have made, as part of their loneliness strategy, with Arts Council England to use the new loneliness measure across relevant projects and programmes. lord ashton of hyde: Arts Council England (ACE) has been in close contact with DCMS through the development of the Loneliness Strategy, including the development of the new loneliness measure; and has incorporated the measure into current thinking for the evaluation of relevant future programmes that may emerge, as the organisation finalises its new ten-year strategy (due to be launched in 2020). This is further informed by ACE’s participation in the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Conceptual Review of Loneliness, and also links to recent work, led by HOME Manchester, on how the creative and cultural sectors respond to the need to evidence the social impact of their activities. Loneliness lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progressthey have made, as part oftheir loneliness strategy,with (1) the set up and running of masterclasses, and (2) measuring the impact of library services in reducing loneliness. lord ashton of hyde: The Libraries Taskforce ran masterclasses on measuring impact in August 2018 and on conducting evaluations in March 2019. These focussed on ways of measuring the impact of library services on its users including in reducing loneliness. The intention was to equip local library services with the ability to measure activities and impacts within their own communities. Loneliness lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, as part of their loneliness strategy, tolead cross-Government work on tackling loneliness. lord ashton of hyde: The Ministerial group on loneliness chaired by the Minister for Sport and Civil Society continues to oversee the delivery of the 60 commitments in the loneliness strategy alongside considering further opportunities to tackle loneliness across Government. Departments are providing officials to resource a cross-government team to lead the loneliness work. Government will include an update on progress in its first annual report on tackling loneliness, which we expect to be published later in 2019.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2019-07-02
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2019", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Data Protection The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the light of the conference on the European Union Data Protection Directive held on 30 September and 1 October, they have any plans to amend the United Kingdom's data protection legislation; and, if so, in what ways. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have no plans to amend the Data Protection Act 1998 in the light of the conference. The conference was organised by the European Commission to help inform the report that it is preparing on the implementation of the EC Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC). A copy of the United Kingdom's response to the Commission's questionnaire to EU member states about the implementation of the directive is in the Library. I understand that the Commission's present objective is to produce their report by about the turn of the year. When the report is available, the Government will consider what implications it may have for the 1998 Act. Lord Chancellor's Strategic Investment Board Annual Report Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Lord Chancellor's Strategic Investment Board's annual report for 2001–02 will be published. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Copies of the Strategic Investment Board's first annual report covering the period from 1 January 2001 to 31 March 2002 have now been published. Copies are now available in the Library of the House and via the Lord Chancellor's Department's website at www.lcd.gov.uk. This provides full details of the board's achievements for that period and its recommendations for future investment strategies for the Public Guardianship Office. Road Fuel Gases: Duty Lord Palmer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the level of fuel duty in pence per litre equivalent for liquid petroleum gas, compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas, biodiesel and bioethanol. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I very much regret that incorrect figures were inadvertently included in my previous Answers to the noble Lord (HL5721) and to Lord Carter (HL5237 and HL5238) on this subject. The formulae used for converting the rate of duty for road fuel gases from kilogrammes to an equivalent rate per litre were calculated wrongly. The current duty rate for gas used as road fuel, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG), is 9p per kilogramme. The petrol equivalent measured in pence per litre for these gas fuels is listed below. Type of fuel Duty rate (pence per KG) Duty rate for gas calculated on equivalent basis to petrol (pence per litre) CNG 9 6.1 LPG 9 5.4 LNG 9 6.1 The figures showing the duty in pence per litre are calculated by comparing the units of energy of each gas and its petrol equivalent. This calculation takes into account the energy value and engine efficiency of the different fuels and therefore gives the most accurate comparison between one fuel and another. The rate of duty for biodiesel is 25.82p per litre and for bioethanol it is 45.82p per litre. Cross-Channel Smuggling Lord Graham of Edmonton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action is being taken to tackle cross-Channel smuggling. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Tobacco smuggling grew very rapidly in the late 1990s until by 2000–01 over 20 per cent of the cigarette market was illicit. The cost of that tobacco smuggling to UK taxpayers was £3.5 billion. A further 6 per cent of the market was legally non-tax paid product bought abroad and brought back for own use. The great majority of cigarette smuggling is undertaken by serious and organised criminals who conceal large volumes of cigarettes in excess of one million at a time in freight consignments. In 2000, a smaller proportion was smuggled by cross-Channel passengers. However in that year the total cost of such passenger excise smuggling was still £1.7 billion. Had no action been taken over the last two years Customs and Excise estimates that the illicit share of the cigarette market would have reached 31 per cent by the end of March 2002. Since the launch of the Tackling Tobacco Strategy in March 2000 Customs and Excise has been successful in containing growth in the illicit cigarette market, has disrupted over 100 organised crime gangs responsible for the vast majority of the smuggling and has had dramatic success in cutting losses from cross-Channel passenger smuggling by almost three-quarters. Figures for 2001–02, the second year of this strategy, will be published at the time of the Pre-Budget Report and we anticipate they will show that the strategy remains on track. In the same period consumer expenditure on legitimate cross-border shopping for alcohol and tobacco has grown by 10 per cent. In 2000–01 Customs seized 2.8 billion cigarettes. Of these 0.9 billion were seized overseas through the work of Customs overseas' liaison officer network, a further 1.2 billion were seized in freight consignments, 400 million were seized inland and 55 million were seized at the ports from cross-Channel passenger smugglers. The sole focus of Customs excise enforcement activity in respect of cross-Channel passenger traffic is to tackle those who smuggle tobacco or alcohol having received or intending to receive money or money's worth for those goods. The Government have consistently made clear that people are entitled to bring into the UK without liability to tax as much EU tax-paid tobacco or alcohol as they wish for their own use. Customs literature also makes this clear. Just one-tenth of 1 per cent of those who have crossed the Channel in the past two years have had tobacco or alcohol seized by Customs. Since the start of the strategy, the average quantity seized by Customs from cross-Channel passenger smugglers was approximately 4,900 cigarettes and 15 kilos of hand rolling tobacco (equivalent to at least 18,000 cigarettes). Of the 0.1 per cent of cross-Channel passengers who had tobacco or alcohol seized in the years 2000–01 and 2001–02, over 75 per cent chose not to make any sort of appeal against that seizure. Of those that did appeal, magistrates' courts overwhelmingly backed the judgments made by Customs and found against Customs in less than 0.1 per cent of cases, and only 1 per cent of cases were either overturned or restored by a Customs review officer or by an independent tribunal. Building on the success of the Budget 2000 anti-smuggling measures, we are today announcing the next stage of the tackling tobacco strategy. Despite cross-Channel tobacco smuggling having been cut by around three-quarters in the past two years, smugglers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to blend in with honest shoppers. So the measures we are announcing today will help make the distinction between smugglers and honest shoppers even clearer. The measures make clear that Customs activity is legal and fair but tough upon those who attempt to smuggle. It comprises the following components. Regulations will be laid before Parliament today to abolish the 1992 Personal Reliefs Order and replace it with new provisions that effectively define shopping and smuggling, specify the factors Customs will take into account in distinguishing one from the other and place the onus for that decision upon Customs; reaffirm that all Customs stops are lawful and those for excise-specific purposes based on reasonable grounds for suspicion; and increase the indicative levels for tobacco from 800 to 3,200 cigarettes and from 1kg to 3kgs of hand rolling tobacco, representing around six months' supply for an average smoker. Those bringing back larger quantities of tobacco must expect, if asked, to explain how it is that such goods are for their own use. Customs will continue to seize quantities below these levels as well as above them where they are satisfied that those goods are intended for resale or other exchange for money or money's worth. In addition, the announcements the Government are making today will confirm that vehicles used to smuggle tobacco or alcohol will continue to be liable to seizure, but for small first offences Customs will offer restoration of the vehicle for the value of the attempted revenue evasion. Those who use vehicles to smuggle on a large scale or a repeat basis will not be offered such an opportunity and must expect to lose their vehicles. A new clearer guide to appealing/complaining is being published by Customs today and will be given to all those who have goods seized or wish to complain about Customs behaviour towards them. Customs is to undertake, in conjunction with the Lord Chancellor's Department, a review of the present appeals structure and to present proposals for streamlining and simplifying these arrangements by the end of January 2003. The terms of reference will be available today in the Library of the House and on the Customs website (www.hmce.gov.uk), together with details for submitting contributions. Having brought cross-Channel passenger smuggling under control, the Government are determined that it should remain so. To this end Customs expects to conduct an increased number of prosecutions against large-scale and serial cross-Channel passenger smugglers. Violence against Customs officers in the course of carrying out their duties will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Customs will toughen its policy and prosecute anyone who perpetrates serious assaults on staff. This set of measures provides the public with a clear guide to their right to shop for alcohol or tobacco for their own use within the EU and to the consequences for those who attempt to evade tax in bringing in such goods, having received or intending to receive money or money's worth for some or all of them. It will also enable Customs to continue to prevent the smuggling of tobacco or alcohol and the disorder which accompanies such smuggling from ruining the enjoyment of honest cross-border shoppers. It will also enable Customs to prevent the smugglers from undermining the UK economy in alcohol or tobacco products and from depriving our public services of essential tax revenues. Customs will act fairly and in accordance with the law but it will also act firmly and with the full weight of sanctions against those who break the law. Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, Section 11 The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Bearing in mind the urgency alluded to by Ministers at the time of the Bill's passage through Parliament, what progress is being made in implementing Section 11 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Part 11 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 requires consultation to take place with the Information Commissioner and industry before implementation. The consultation process, which has concentrated on the terms of a draft code of practice, is now drawing to a conclusion. In the meantime, as indicated during the passage of the Bill, the industry has co-operated, agreeing voluntary compliance in order to help the security and intelligence services in the fight against terrorism. Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, Section 11 The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the statement of the European Union Data Commissioners, as contained in their press release of 11 September following the International Conference in Cardiff, that they have grave doubts as to the legitimacy and legality of current proposals by the European Union governments to introduce mandatory systematic retention of data traffic; and what implications this has for the implementation of Section 11 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 whether under a voluntary or compulsory scheme. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The recently agreed European Communications Data Protection Directive Article 15(1) amendment struck a careful balance. The directive ensures that governments in Europe are not prevented from using traffic data to fight serious crime, but underlines the need to ensure that any measures should be appropriate, proportionate and respect the European Convention on Human Rights. Part 11 of the Anti-terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001 allows for the retention of communications data obtained or held by the communications providers—these are data about communications transactions, not the content of those transactions. It is intended that this is delivered by way of agreements between the Secretary of State and the providers through a code of practice. The Act allows for a review of the operation of the code's requirements and for an order to be made by statutory instrument for directions to be given if necessary. The statement made by the Data Commissioners, who are an independent advisory group, does not affect the consultation on implementation of the provisions of the Act. Home Office: Race Related Activities and External Consultants Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the total amount spent by the Home Office for each of the following years (2000–01, 2001–02 and proposed for 2003) in England and Wales in respect of race related activities awarded to external consultants; and which consultants have been appointed. Lord Filkin: The available information detailing the name and total amount spent by the Home Office in respect of race related activities awarded to external consultants in each of the following years 2000–01, 2001–02 and proposed spend for 2003 in England and Wales is as follows: Spend Spend Proposed Spend 2000–01 2001–02 2003 Consultant £ £ £ Ghazani Carol Partnerships 20,000 — — Astar Management Consultants Ltd — 45,120 — Sebert Cox — 19,246 — Lumen Consultants — 11,245 — JTN Consultancy — — 85,000 Institute of Employment — — 170,000 ATH Consultancy Ltd — 1,000 — Domino Consultancy — — 5,850 John McAteer — 38,226 — Annette Reis Dunne — 22,452 — Mark Waters — 11,497 — Anthea Fenton — 20,715 — Akronym — 27,485 — Astar Management Consultants — 26,261 — Capita Business Services — 3,451 — Institute for Employment Services — 211 — Equilibrium Consulting — 5,599 — Mike Briggs 395 4,306 — POCC Consultants — 84,711 — HOST Consultants — 67,000 — Totals 20,395 388,525 260,850 Racial Equality in Scotland Code of Practice Lord Clarke of Hampstead: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to bring forward the Commission for Racial Equality's draft code of practice on the duty to promote race equality in Scotland. Lord Filkin: I have today laid the Commission for Racial Equality's draft statutory code of practice on the duty to promote race equality in Scotland. The statutory code of practice will offer practical guidance to public authorities in Scotland on how to meet their general and specific duties to promote race equality. Once the statutory code of practice is brought into effect it will be admissible in evidence in any legal action, and a court or tribunal should take relevant provisions of the code of practice into account. Private Hospital Beds Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the number of private hospital beds in the United Kingdom per 100,000 of the population by region. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The number of beds per 100,000 population in private hospitals and clinics by National Health Service regional office area in England is shown in the table for 31 March 2001. Information on the number of private hospital beds in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the individual government departments. Number of beds in private hospitals and clinics by NHS region as at 31 March 2001 England NHS regional office area Number of beds per 100,000 population England 22.0 Northern and Yorkshire 10.7 Trent 9.7 Anglia and Oxford 28.8 North Thames 37.0 South Thames 35.4 South and West 17.7 West Midlands 13.8 North West 17.2 Countryside Representatives: Meetings with Prime Minister Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will provide details of the Prime Minister's meetings with representatives of the countryside of the United Kingdom since 1997. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Prime Minister has meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of specific meetings or their content as some of these discussions may have taken place on a confidential basis, under Exemptions 2 and 7, Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Lisburn to Antrim NIR Line Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are their future plans for the railway line between Lisburn and Antrim. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The draft budget presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 24 September does not include any resources to maintain services on the Lisburn to Antrim railway line beyond 31 March 2003. Consequently the Government are having to consider the future of this line in the context of the contribution which it makes to public transport and the importance of other competing priorities for the resources that would be necessary to keep the line in operation. Newspaper Industry: Environmental Impact Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: What environmental charges (such as landfill tax) are imposed on the newspaper industry; and, if any, whether these take account of the total number of pages each daily or weekend newspaper prints. Lord Whitty: The Government are keen to encourage waste minimisation and to maximise recycling. We have a voluntary agreement with the Newspaper Publishers' Association which sets targets for the recycled content of its newspapers. It exceeded the target of 60 per cent by the end of 2001, and is on track to meet the future targets of 65 per cent by the end of 2003 and 70 per cent by the end of 2006. Like any industry, the newspaper industry has to pay for the proper treatment and disposal of the wastes it produces. Whether this involves recovery of materials or disposal through landfill, the operator of the waste treatment facility would be entitled to charge for the service. As such charges generally relate to the tonnage of waste produced, they also relate to the size of the newspaper printer's operation. The Climate Change Levy provides businesses a further incentive to improve energy efficiency and reduce impacts on the environment. BSE Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will update the table on the cases of BSE confirmed in Britain each week during the calendar year 2002 to date, together with the moving annual total of cases for each 52-week period. Lord Whitty: The table shows cases of BSE confirmed in Britain each week during the calendar year 2002 to date, together with the moving annual total of cases for each 52-week period. Active and passive surveillance cases are presented separately. See footnote. Passive Surveillance Active Surveillance Week No Number confirmed each week Running 52 week total Week No Number confirmed each week Running 52 week total 1 15 899 1 25 168 2 32 890 2 6 178 3 12 881 3 15 203 4 9 861 4 25 206 5 11 837 5 3 234 6 1 839 6 28 239 7 25 835 7 6 253 8 11 811 8 16 265 9 12 791 9 12 264 10 0 771 10 0 261 11 0 790 11 0 261 12 19 792 12 0 261 13 22 768 13 0 310 14 12 756 14 51 331 15 2 769 15 21 360 16 25 773 16 29 390 17 15 771 17 30 396 18 9 757 18 7 406 19 17 755 19 14 408 20 10 759 20 4 435 21 16 768 21 29 434 22 19 774 22 0 467 23 12 761 23 34 466 24 0 782 24 0 479 25 26 765 25 13 506 26 2 775 26 29 503 27 20 787 27 0 514 28 16 781 28 13 522 29 7 777 29 8 523 30 15 771 30 1 532 31 7 772 31 12 540 32 16 756 32 9 541 33 0 758 33 1 563 34 17 758 34 22 567 35 9 749 35 4 581 36 5 734 36 16 581 37 0 728 37 0 600 38 7 712 38 19 600 39 1 699 39 0 610 40 4 693 40 11 617 41 4 692 41 7 633 42 22 694 42 16 642 43 9 690 43 9 647 44 7 659 44 10 652 45 5 654 45 5 646 46 3 659 46 8 644 47 8 649 47 4 641 48 7 645 48 5 660 49 7 646 49 19 648 50 11 622 50 7 647 51 6 596 51 5 643 52 7 584 52 6 622 Please note that the 52-week period runs from 19 October 2001 (week 1) to 18 October 2002 (week 52). Passive cases: i.e. reported by farmers on the basis of clinical symptoms. Active surveillance: testing of brain when animals die on-farm or are slaughtered at abattoirs. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Baroness Hilton of Eggardon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the quinquennial review of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has been completed. Lord Whitty: The review team completed stage II of its quinquennial review of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew earlier this year. We are placing in the Library of the House a copy of the review team's stage II report together with the Government's response to both stages of the review. The response has been agreed jointly with the board of trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. English for Speakers of Other Languages Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people are on the waiting lists of applicants for ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) courses in England; and how many of these are (a) waiting for initial interviews and (b) students waiting to be placed in classes. Whether they consider it acceptable that there is currently a waiting list of several months for initial assessment interviews for applicants for ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) classes at Nelson and Colne College and of six months for students who have undertaken an initial assessment before they can be offered places in classes; and whether they will provide extra resources in order to allow additional provision to be made. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Government are fully committed to providing good quality English language provision for adults who do not speak English as a first language. Neither the Department for Education and Skills nor the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) holds information on waiting lists of ESOL provision across England. Some areas have higher demand for ESOL provision than others, and the LSC will ensure that where colleges can identify a need to expand their ESOL provision, sufficient funding will be available to them. In addition, the LSC has commissioned research into any unmet demand for ESOL. This includes a survey of providers to establish whether any individuals are on waiting lists for ESOL courses and whether there are constraints on growth to meet demand. The department has recently established ESOL pathfinders, including one in Burnley and Pendle, where Nelson and Colne College is a main partner, to test the new ESOL teaching and learning infrastructure and how we can improve and widen access to ESOL learning. HEFCE Research Assessment Exercise Lord Hunt of Chesterton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements exist for universities to have their letters and questions answered by, and to receive hearings from, the Higher Education Funding Council about the decisions reached by the council in the 2001–02 research assessment exercise, especially in cases where significant changes in the assessment rating occurred during the process. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The outcome of the research assessment exercise was reached through consideration of evidence by expert panels appointed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the other funding councils. Letters and queries relating to the exercise are handled by HEFCE in the same way as other correspondence. HEFCE will consider reviewing panels' decisions if there is credible evidence that the established processes were not followed. HEFCE Research Assessment Exercise Lord Hunt of Chesterton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all Higher Education Funding Council assessment panels include a foreign member when assessing the international standing of university groups; if not, why not; and what plans they have to ensure such panels always include a foreign member in the future. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: In the 2001 research assessment exercise, 60 expert panels considered evidence submitted by higher education institutions. While there was no requirement for panels to include a foreign member, each panel submitted its decisions to a group of overseas experts which endorsed the standard of international excellence. Sir Gareth Roberts is currently leading a review of research assessment on behalf of the UK funding councils. The use of international experts is within the scope of the review. Children Learning English as an Additional Language Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is their policy that, where possible, children with English as an additional language should be taught in mainstream classes. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Her Majesty's Government are committed to ensuring that all children learning English as an additional language receive the support they need to access the curriculum as quickly as possible. The consensus among practitioners in England is that EAL teaching is most effective where it is firmly embedded across all national curriculum subject areas. This ensures that pupils have the opportunity to learn English in a meaningful subject-specific context. My department's role is to ensure that the particular needs of bilingual learners are properly taken into account in all policies and programmes aimed at raising standards. Recent examples include the development and dissemination of EAL modules as part of the national literacy and numeracy strategies and key stage 3. Marina Waters: Flotsam and Jetsam Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action can be taken on health and safety grounds to require marine lessees and operators regularly to remove flotsam and jetsam from within their areas of responsibility of ownership. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Under the terms of existing legislation, there are no powers under which the Government can require marine lessees and operators regularly to remove flotsam and jetsam from within their areas of responsibility of ownership. There is no general legal requirement on operators to clear litter from marina waters. The responsibilities of any lessee will depend on the terms of the lease. However, there are powers which do apply in specific circumstances, and they can also differ depending whether the origin of the material is from a land source or from ships. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will shortly be publishing a consultation paper that includes 27 recommendations for improving the quality of public space. One of these recommendations is to examine the "legislative controls to address litter in areas not covered by Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (in particular, on beaches, rivers and canals)". Although flotsam and jetsam is not strictly litter, it may be considered by certain groups to be an unsightly nuisance and something that authorities should have a duty to clear. This factor will be considered as part of the Defra-led consultation process. Sections 79 and 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 require a local authority to investigate any complaint of a statutory nuisance made to it by a person living within its area. If satisfied of the existence of the nuisance, it must serve a notice requiring the person responsible (meaning the person to whose act, default or sufferance the nuisance is attributable or, where that person cannot be found, the owner or occupier of the premises) to abate any nuisance. The matters which may constitute a statutory nuisance for these purposes include any premises in such a state as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance; and any accumulation or deposit which is prejudicial to health or a nuisance. For the purposes of statutory nuisance, the local authority area includes the territorial sea lying seawards from the shore. The word premises includes land and any vessel, the occupier of the latter being the master of the vessel. Accordingly, it is possible that a local authority would be able to take action to require the private owner of a beach to remove jetsam if it were such as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance. The situation with flotsam might be more difficult, although at private moorings or within a harbour it might be practicable for the local authority to identify the person responsible or an owner or occupier and serve notice if they considered that a statutory nuisance existed. There are also provisions in place which apply when any vessel is sunk, stranded or abandoned in, or in or near any approach to, any harbour or tidal water under the control of a harbour authority or conservancy authority in such a manner as, in the opinion of the authority, to be, or be likely to become, an obstruction or danger to navigation or to lifeboats. In these circumstances, Section 252 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 gives power to harbour and conservancy authorities to take possession of, and raise, remove or destroy the whole of or any part of a vessel. The same power also applies to every article, thing or collection of things being or forming part of the equipment, cargo, stores or ballast of the vessel. London Underground Public Private Partnership Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are satisfied that the Tubelines Consortium is of undoubted financial standing and demonstrably capable of fulfilling all its obligations throughout the period of the London Underground public private partnership; and What further due diligence inquiries they have made into the financial standing of the members of the Tubelines Consortium since the announcement of its preferred bidder status for the London Underground public private partnership. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The competitions for the PPP contracts to modernise the London Underground's infrastructure are the responsibility of London Underground Limited. Assessment of the capacity of the preferred bidders to carry out their obligations under the contracts is an important part of those competitions. Marco Polo Programme Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 16 October (WA 64): (a) whether the budget for the Marco Polo programme which is likely to result in a budget for the United Kingdom of about euro 1 million per annum can contribute in any significant way to achieving meaningful and measurable modal shift of freight from road to rail or water transport; (b) what types of projects they envisage will be affordable within this budget; and (c) how the programme can achieve measurable environmental objectives. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The total budget, as yet undetermined, will be available, without individual or annual allocations, to all member states. As such, any scheme which delivers meaningful and measurable modal shift within the United Kingdom will have national benefit. The Government cannot foretell the types of project which UK industry might propose in seeking Marco Polo funding. The United Kingdom, in common with other member states, awaits Commission proposals on detailed rules for the procedure for submission, selection, execution, dissemination and individual reporting and verification requirements upon which the measurement of achievement will be based. Marco Polo Programme Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they see any benefit in encouraging the European Commission's Marco Polo project with a United Kingdom budget of about euro 1 million per annum given that the budget for the ten year transport plan is £3.4 billion and has similar objectives of encouraging more rail freight; or whether this is part of a policy of reducing any proposed expenditure by the European Commission to a minimum. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The European Commission's proposed Marco Polo programme is designed to encourage the modal shift of intra-Community freight from road to rail or water transport. As such, it complements the sustainable distribution objectives of the Government's Ten Year Plan for Transport, funding under which currently stands at £181.9 billion. The Marco Polo budget, as yet undetermined, will be available to all member states, without individual or annual allocation. Speed Cameras Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: What role PA Consulting play in monitoring the installation of speed cameras under the new netting off procedure. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: PA Consulting advises the Safety Camera Project Board in all aspects of the netting off scheme. Operational cases, including camera deployment strategy, must be submitted to and approved by the Safety Camera Project Board. Speed Cameras Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much PA Consulting is being paid for its work in connection with the netting off procedure for speed cameras; and whether the award was made by competitive tender. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: As a result of competitive tender, PA Consulting is currently engaged on a contract of £1,169,450 (excluding VAT) for work associated with netting off in England and Wales. This is funded from the DfT road safety research budget as part of monitoring the road safety effects of speed and traffic light enforcement cameras. Speed Cameras Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many requests for new speed cameras remain to be cleared by the project board responsible for the netting off procedure; and when the backlog is expected to be cleared. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: There are currently no applications pending to join the safety camera netting off scheme. Any new partnerships wishing to join the scheme in April 2003 must provide outline operational cases by the end of November. Around 15 areas are expected to do so. Speed Cameras Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the same criteria for the selection of speed camera sites are used in all 10 trial areas. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: There were eight trial areas. Site selection criteria were identical for all. Speed Cameras Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: If one speed camera trial area previously had many sites and another had few sites, whether the fact that the former may forecast lower rates of return will be taken into account even though it may still meet the new criteria for siting new speed cameras. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: It is accepted that different areas will join netting off with varying levels of existing enforcement. This means that performance in terms of a reduction in those killed and seriously injured (KSI) will vary in each case. However, any partnership seeking to join the netting off scheme must project a minimum reduction in KSIs of at least 10 per cent over the average of the previous three years. Heathrow and Manchester Airports Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many airlines now operate from and to (a) Heathrow airport and (b) Manchester airport. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: At present, there are 90 airlines operating regularly from and to Heathrow airport and 72 airlines operating from and to Manchester airport.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2002-10-29a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2002", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Aviation: General Aviation Unit Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the objectives of the General Aviation Unit, due to be in operation from April 2014. Baroness Kramer: The CAA is setting up a new General Aviation Unit which will be fully operational from April 2014. This will be a specialist unit, dedicated to proportionate and effective regulation which supports and encourages the growth of a vibrant UK General Aviation sector. The CAA is currently developing the new Unit’s programme of work. Aviation: Safety Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the €600 million research budget provided to the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) by the European Union will be dedicated to furthering research into enhancing general aviation safety. Baroness Kramer: The SESAR programme and allocation of its budget is managed by the SESAR Joint Undertaking, which is a public/private partnership. The SESAR programme is divided into Work Packages addressing each step of the flight. Therefore, there is not a specific Work Package or budget allocation for General Aviation. All Work Packages take into consideration all stakeholders – including General Aviation. Benefits Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many, and what proportion, of Jobseeker's Allowance claimants to whom a sanction has been applied in each month since October 2012 had that sanction (1) reconsidered by Jobcentre Plus, and (2) overturned on appeal. Lord Freud: The information as requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Cyclists Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 12 February (WA 152), whether they will contact police forces reminding them of the law regarding cycling on pavements and the consequence of non-enforcement of the law. Baroness Kramer: The Department for Transport has no plans to contact police forces to remind them of the law regarding cycling on pavements. As stated in my previous reply on 12 February (WA152), the enforcement of this offence is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police and we support any action taken by the police to deter and reduce the number of cycling offences. Dogs: Dangerous Dogs Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they intend to take to reduce the number of deaths by dangerous and illegal dogs in the short and long term. Lord De Mauley: The Government is appalled at any death caused by a dangerous dog. Last year Defra announced measures designed to tackle irresponsible ownership of dogs. The Government is bringing forward as a matter of urgency amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 which will mean that, as from later this year, the offence of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control will be extended to all places including inside the dog owner’s home. The amendments will increase the maximum penalty for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control from 2 years’ imprisonment to 14 years if the dog kills someone and from 2 years’ imprisonment to 5 years if it injures someone. There will also be a separate offence of allowing a dog to attack an assistance dog which will attract a maximum sentence of 3 years’ imprisonment. We have also ensured that the new measures to deal with anti-social behaviour contained in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Bill include such behaviour where it involves a dog. This will mean that local authorities and police will be able to take early action on acts of low level nuisance, such as a dog running free and it worrying people or other animals. In such cases, the owner, or person temporarily in charge of the dog, could be issued with a Community Protection Notice requiring them to improve the situation or face a penalty. This will help prevent dogs becoming dangerous. These new measures, which will come into effect later this year, will enable authorities to help reduce dangerous dog incidents. Education: Healthcare Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the costs, benefits and return on investment of healthcare professional education. Earl Howe: Historically the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) has collated and published information on the total and annuitised costs of education and training for different healthcare professional groups. Their most recent publication can be found on their website at: www.pssru.ac.uk. In summer 2014 the Department will be carrying out the first ever complete collection of education and training costs, for the financial year 2013-14. These costs will inform changes to the tariff for placements in the future. We will publish an analysis of the costs later in the year. Ultimately the benefits and return on investment of healthcare professional education is the recruitment and retention of the right mix and number of staff in the National Health Service. Health Education England (HEE) has been established to provide national leadership on planning and developing the healthcare and public health workforce. One of its roles is to allocate and account for NHS education and training resources and the outcomes achieved. HEE is responsible for a budget of £4.9 billion for education and training. Education: Healthcare Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of transparency in the funding of health care professional educational programmes in universities and local education and training boards. Earl Howe: Health Education England (HEE) has been established to provide national leadership on planning and developing the healthcare and public health workforce. One of its roles is to allocate and account for National Health Service education and training resources and the outcomes achieved. HEE is responsible for a budget of £4.9 billion for education and training. One of HEE's objectives is to demonstrate robust public accountability to ensure that its budget is spent on education, training and development of the workforce, that it is managed effectively, and to demonstrate improvements in value for money. HEE is also responsible for ensuring that all local education and training boards (LETBs) receive an equitable share of the funding provided for education and training, in the form of a transparent long-term allocations policy. The Benchmark Price (BMP) is used to pay universities for tuition costs for certain non-medical courses. HEE is planning to publish the BMP for 2014-15 on their website once it is finalised. As part of the Government's transparency agenda, all payments by HEE and its LETBs over £25,000 are published monthly on HEE's website, which includes payments to universities that HEE fund. Education: Healthcare Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the cost of educating doctors in the United Kingdom; and whether they have made similar assessments of the costs in China and the United States. Earl Howe: Historically the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) has collated and published information on the total and annuitised costs of education and training for different healthcare professional groups. Their most recent publication can be found on their website at: www.pssru.ac.uk. In summer 2014 the Department will be carrying out the first ever complete collection of education and training costs, for the financial year 2013-14. These costs will inform changes to the tariff for placements in the future. We will publish an analysis of the costs later in the year. The Department has not made an assessment of the costs of educating doctors in China or the United States. Education: Healthcare Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the amount of money given to each university and local education and training board in 2013-14 for the funding of health care professional educational programmes. Earl Howe: The Department provided an allocation to Health Education England (HEE) for 2013-14 of £4.9 billion. HEE has published the 2013-14 annual budget for each of its local education and training boards (LETB) in the HEE board papers throughout 2013. The published LETB budgets fund health care professional education programmes and some non-professional training. LETB budgets include amounts for universities, but these are not published specifically. The Benchmark Price (BMP) is used to pay universities for tuition costs for certain non-medical courses. HEE is planning to publish the BMP for 2014-15 on its website once it is finalised. As part of the Government's transparency agenda, all payments by HEE and its LETBs over £25,000 are published monthly on HEE's website, which includes payments to universities that HEE fund. Education: National Pupil Database Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 28 January (WA 209–10), whether any action is taken as the result of pupil tracking; and, if so, what those actions are. Lord Nash: The National Pupil Database forms a significant part of the Department for Education’s education evidence base, and supports a number of key priorities around school accountability and school self-improvement. The Department uses this longitudinal data to formulate and monitor policy; for school accountability, e.g. School Performance Tables; and to target funding, e.g. Deprivation Pupil Premium is based on eligibility for free school meals at any time in the previous six years. Education: National Pupil Database Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 28 January (WA 209–10), which departments, agencies, bodies or persons have access to data relating to the progress and characteristics of individual pupils. Lord Nash: The National Pupil Database (NPD) is a centrally-held longitudinal database linking pupil/student characteristics to attainment information at individual level for all children in maintained schools in England. It also holds individual pupil-level attainment data for pupils in non-maintained and independent schools and pupil records can also be linked to further education college and higher education data. Legislation allows the Department for Education to share individual pupil data from the NPD with named bodies and third parties named in Section 537A of the Education (Individual Pupil Information) (Prescribed Persons) (England) Regulations 2009 (Amended). This includes schools, local authorities, other Government departments and agencies. These regulations also allow the Department to disclose individual pupil data, subject to the Data Protection Act 1998, to named bodies and persons who, for the purpose of promoting the education or well-being of children in England are: • Conducting research or analysis;• Producing statistics; or• Providing information, advice or guidance. Access is subject to requestors complying with terms and conditions imposed under contractual arrangements and a rigorous request approval process. Employment: Mental Health Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking as part of the reformed benefits scheme to improve access to work for people with a mental illness. Lord Freud: We are committed to helping more people with mental health problems to work and are working across Government to increase their employment prospects. For example: Jobcentre Plus delivers back to work support to claimants through a flexible model that is personalised and thus recognises the specific support each individual needs. The Work Programme also offers tailored employment support to disabled people and people with other health conditions. We are also piloting a range of different options for supporting ESA claimants who have longer-term health conditions. In addition we are taking forward and testing recommendations from the recently published report Psychological Wellbeing and Work: Improving service provision and outcomes. Access to Work offers a Mental Health Support Service to support individuals with a mental health condition who are absent from work or finding work difficult. Work Choice provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment. Employment: Mental Health Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is being done to raise awareness of mental health in the workplace in the light of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report “Mental Health and Work: United Kingdom”. Lord Freud: Last summer the Prime Minister launched our Disability Confident campaign for employers; to support them to recruit, retain and develop more disabled people. As part of this campaign, the Government is running a series of regional events for employers. Following these events, we are hoping that MPs will run local events in their constituencies. Our Disability and Health Employment Strategy includes proposals to improve support for employers and people with health conditions, including those with mental health conditions. Within this, DWP will be creating a new ‘One Stop Shop’ for employers, to help them employ more disabled people and people with health conditions. A wide range of material produced by Government is available to employers for supporting and promoting positive health and wellbeing in the workplace. Much of this can be accessed via the HSE and GOV.UK websites. The HSE is also supporting the forthcoming European campaign on addressing stress in the workplace. We have taken steps to raise awareness of the Access to Work scheme amongst under-represented groups having undertaken a 12 month targeted marketing campaign. Employment: Mental Health Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is being done to address the income poverty risk of those with mental illness, in the light of its description by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in its report “Mental Health and Work: United Kingdom” as higher in the United Kingdom than in any other OECD country. Lord Freud: We are committed to improving employment outcomes for people with mental health issues by supporting them to return to and stay in work when they are ready to do so. Our commitment is further underlined by a number of recent publications which explore how employment rates for disabled people and people with health conditions can be further improved. Food: Flour Fortification Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 24 February (WA 187), whether the views of those who object to folic acid fortification of flour will be sought; and whether they will consider, as an alternative, making it mandatory for both folic acid fortified and non-fortified flour and flour products to be available at all retail outlets. Earl Howe: If the Government decided to proceed with mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid then views, including of those who object to the policy, would be sought through public consultation. Consumer choice would be one of the issues considered in reaching a final decision. Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether (1) the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and (2) the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, apply to each of the Overseas Territories. Lord Faulks: (1) The Freedom of Information Act 2000 covers any recorded information that is held by a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities based in Scotland. The Act does not apply to the public authorities of British Overseas Territories. (2)The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 implement European Council Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information and cover any recorded environmental information held by public authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities based in Scotland. The Regulations do not apply to the public authorities of British Overseas Territories. Gibraltar, as part of the EU, has implemented the directive through the Freedom of Access to Information on the Environment Regulations 2005. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent discussions they have held with the government of Israel concerning the future of Gaza; and whether they have any plans to take action to avert the impact on living conditions in the Gaza Strip of environmental pollution. Baroness Warsi: Our Ambassador to Tel Aviv most recently raised our concerns over Gaza with the Israeli National Security Advisor on 13 February. As well as our diplomatic efforts, the UK is providing practical assistance to the people of Gaza. The Department for International Development (DFID) supports the Palestinian Authority and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide basic services, such as education and health, to the people of Gaza. DFID also funds the UN Access Coordination Unit to facilitate the transfer of vital humanitarian assistance, including medical equipment and supplies. Genetic Modification Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 12 November 2013 (WA 113–4) and by Earl Howe on 6 February (WA 76–7) and 26 February (WA 263–4), whether they consider that homologous recombination with a transgene constitutes the artificial modification of a gene; whether they consider that altering the coding sequence of genetic material in an egg or embryo alters “the biological characteristics in some way” of a cell or organism; whether eggs or embryos in which particular genes were replaced by transgenes differing in sequence only by some synonymous codon substitutions would be considered as “permitted” eggs or embryos according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended); and what implications for the regulation of genetic modification arise from the absence of objective criteria that would allow such instances to be recognised definitively. Earl Howe: Homologous recombination is a natural process usually occurring during certain cell division that takes place in male and female germ cells. It can also be a process deliberately targeted artificially to introduce a transgene, which is the transfer of genetic material from one organism to another. We are advised that homologous recombination with a transgene could constitute the artificial modification of a gene but this would depend on a number of variable factors, including the nature of the transgene, the precise methodology used and the type of change in sequence that was introduced. Whether altering the coding sequence of genetic material in an egg or embryo changes the biological characteristics in some way would, again, depend on a number of variable factors. Some changes, such as a sequence that conferred susceptibility or resistance to a disease, would affect the biological characteristics but many others would not. As the noble Lord is aware, section 3ZA of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, determines that no egg or embryo may be considered “permitted” and, therefore, suitable to be used in treatment, if its nuclear or mitochondria! DNA has been altered. The only exception to this being a process designed to prevent the transmission of serious mitochondrial diseases that is permitted by regulations. The Government has developed a working definition of "genetic modification", in the context of mitochondrial donation. This was set out in my Written Answer of 4 March 2014 (Official Report, column WA 304) Government Departments: Staff Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many staff are currently employed for more than 50 per cent of their working week to support the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health in her role as Accounting Officer; and what are their job titles. Earl Howe: The number of Departmental staff currently employed for more than 50% of their working week directly supporting the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health in her role as Accounting Officer is four. Their job titles are as follows:- Deputy Director, Head of Accountability and Regulation;Section Head, Accountability and National Audit;Liaison Manager, National Audit Office & Public Accounts Committee; andAccountability and Regulation Support Officer. Government Departments: Staff Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many staff are currently employed for more than 50 per cent of their working week to support the Permanent Secretary of the Home Office in his role as Accounting Officer; and what are their job titles. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There are currently 425 full time equivalent staff within the Finance directorate of the Home Office and one member of the Permanent Secretary's private office that support him in discharging his Accounting Officer duties. However, to go into further detail would incur disproportionate costs. Immigration: Eurostar Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what legislation immigration service officers are allowed to examine and stamp rail tickets issued by Eurostar for inbound journeys. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Border Force officers have the power to examine passengers seeking entry to the UK under paragraph 2(1) of Schedule two to the Immigration Act 1971. This power was extended to passengers arriving by rail by Article seven and Schedule four to the Channel Tunnel (International Arrangements) Order 1993. Immigration: Eurostar Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why immigration service officials are still required to stamp Eurostar passenger tickets now that passengers from Brussels to Lille are kept separate at all times. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The introduction of a designated Eurostar coach for domestic train passengers from Brussels is designed to address ticket abuse by intra-Schengen passengers on the Eurostar route between Belgium and the UK. To assess the effectiveness of the new system in terms of ongoing border security, additional checks, which involve the stamping of passenger tickets, are carried out by Border Force officers on selected trains arriving at St. Pancras International station from Brussels. These additional checks are a proportionate response to the potential threat to border security and are subject to ongoing review. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to make grants to high-technology companies in Israel conditional on their not being located within West Bank settlements. Baroness Warsi: The Government does not offer grants to high-technology companies in Israel that are located within West Bank settlements. The guidance to British businesses on the Israel Overseas Business Risk section of the UK Trade and Industry website says that: “there are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity.” Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the treatment of children in military custody, in the light of reports by Defence Child International. Baroness Warsi: We have made representations about the treatment of child detainees to the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including at Foreign Minister, Attorney General, Minister of Justice and National Security Adviser levels. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue with the Israeli Defence Force on 25 February. Police: Black and Ethnic Minority Officers Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many black and minority ethnic police officers are dog handlers in police services in England, Wales and Scotland; and what are their ranks. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The requested data for England and Wales is provided in the following table and relates to 31 March 2013. Figures for Scotland are a matter for the Devolved Administration. Number of black and minority ethnic full-time equivalent1 police officers in the dogs function2, 3 in England and Wales, by rank, as at 31 March 2013 England Wales Constable 16 1 Sergeant 2 0 Inspector 1 0 Chief Inspector 0 0 Superintendent 0 0 Chief Superintendent 0 0 ACPO 0 0 Source: Home Office 1. This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been presented to the nearest whole number. 2. Dog handlers including those employed for general policing, drugs and explosive detection duties. Includes officers who are predominantly employed within dogs sections other than dog handlers and those in supporting roles. 3. Officers with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. Prisoners: Disabled Prisoners Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken in the light of the report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on Holme House prison that staff refused to push prisoners in wheelchairs which made such prisoners dependent on other prisoners and put them at risk of being bullied. Lord Faulks: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is considering the recommendations made in HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ (HMCIP) report on HMP Holme House published on 31 January 2014. As with all establishment inspection reports by HMIP, NOMS will produce an action plan responding to all the recommendations made in the report by six months after the date of publication. As an interim measure HMP Holme House have introduced, following appropriate security vetting, volunteer welfare champions - prisoners who assist other prisoners that need assistance. Such voluntary work will be linked to a prisoner’s assessment within the Incentives and Earned Privileges framework, as evidence of engaging with the prison regime, and of behaviours likely to reduce further reoffending. I will write to the noble Baroness detailing the response to the recommendations about this matter once the plan has been sent to the Chief Inspector’. Prisoners: Education Lord Hanningfield: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to improve education in United Kingdom prisons. Lord Faulks: We are taking a number of steps to enhance and build upon the current learning and skills offer to prisoners. We firmly believe that giving offenders the skills and training they need to get and keep jobs on release reduces their likelihood of re-offending. In England prison learning and skills is funded by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and co-commissioned by the National Offenders Management Service and the Skills Funding Agency. The service is known as the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS). New prison education contracts for learning and skills for adult offenders in prisons in England were introduced in 2012. These focus on addressing numeracy and literacy early in prisoners’ sentences, with a requirement to assess learning needs and address any identified literacy or numeracy need. As prisoners reach the end of their sentence, the focus shifts to vocational skills and careers advice. Prison governors work closely with their learning providers under the OLASS arrangements in determining the local curriculum in order to give prisoners the best preparation for employment on release. Work is under way to introduce, this summer, mandatory education assessment by the OLASS provider for all newly-received prisoners. This will ensure that all offenders, not just those that go on to learning, receive a learning assessment (focused around English and maths, but also covering learning difficulties and disabilities). The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and its partners are also working towards implementing better data sharing arrangements between prisons and service providers so that more is known about previous assessment, progress and achievement, as well as current needs. Intensive maths and English courses have also been piloted in prisons, based on the Army’s model, particularly to address the needs of prisoners serving short sentences. Prison Governors and OLASS providers are working together to deliver such courses where appropriate. For prisons in Wales, the Director of NOMS in Wales has responsibility for commissioning the learning and skills services from 1 April 2014 through funding provided by the Welsh Government. These services are delivered by the prisons and address the identified needs of their population to meet the skill requirements of prospective employers. Each prison completes an annual learning and skills needs analysis to help inform their delivery. Performance and quality is linked to the Welsh Government’s devolved requirements in the community to provide an integrated approach to support prisoner resettlement and employability. The Welsh Government undertakes regular robust scrutiny of the quality and outcomes of the learning and skills provision it funds with NOMS in Wales. Improvements and developments for provision in prisons are agreed with the Welsh Government. Prison and education arrangements are devolved matters in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Responsibility for these issues lies with the respective devolved administrations. Prisons: Cleanliness Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken in the light of the report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons on Holme House prison which noted that cells were dirty, some cells “stank”, and prisoners struggled to get cleaning materials and clean clothes and bedding. Lord Faulks: Holme House has re-introduced work for prisoners to repaint cells as they become vacant to ensure that they remain in good condition. A cell inventory check has been introduced in addition to the regular Accommodation Fabric Checks already in place. This ensures that every cell is thoroughly checked to ensure it contains the right equipment, and that the equipment is in a decent workable condition. Under the new core day regime a daily domestic period is provided for prisoners who wish to clean their cells. Cleanliness of cells is reviewed on an ongoing basis by Prison officers. Prisoners are challenged where necessary and this is linked to the Incentives and Earned Privileges scheme. A review of the prisoner kit exchange has taken place. The new system includes improved recording systems to ensure that prisoners receive the right amount of clean kit each week. A weekly check has also been introduced to ensure all spare kit is taken to the laundry each week for washing. Railways: Delays Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the United Kingdom economy of train delays between London and Hastings. Baroness Kramer: The Department for Transport has not made an estimate of the cost to the United Kingdom economy of train delays between London and Hastings. Railways: Electrification Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they still expect the electric railway services between Manchester and Liverpool to start in December. Baroness Kramer: Whilst this is subject to a successful conclusion to the negotiations currently taking place with Northern Rail Ltd, we do expect a phased introduction of electrically powered passenger rolling stock between Manchester and Liverpool to begin from the December 2014 timetable. Railways: Flooding Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage an investigation by Network Rail of the flood-related faults on the London to Hastings line; and what work they expect will be done to reduce the risk of damage in the future. Baroness Kramer: The scope and duration of the works to repair the London to Hastings line is a matter for Network Rail. As the independent safety and economic regulator for Britain's railways, it is the Office of Rail Regulation’s (ORR) responsibility to ensure that Network Rail manages the network efficiently and in a way that meets the needs of its users As part of ORR’s periodic review of Network Rail’s funding and outputs for the next control period (2014-19), ORR have placed a greater emphasis on Network Rail’s asset management and understanding of asset conditions and the company’s plans to address resilience. ORR has asked Network Rail to develop a climate change and weather resilience plan for all routes by the end of September 2014, beginning with the Western Route. Network Rail are on track to complete this by the imposed deadline. Railways: Infrastructure Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to extend the rail network. Baroness Kramer: The Government is committed to building High Speed 2 (HS2) which will be the largest infrastructure project in Europe to expand the rail network in the UK. The Government also works extensively with Local Authorities, Passenger Transport Executives & others to consider options to extend the current rail network. The Chancellor’s 2011 Autumn Statement announced Government’s plans to fund, with local contributions, the Oxford-Bedford and Aylesbury Town to Calvert sections of East-West rail. The scheme meets existing transport needs, and stimulates strong economic growth in high value areas. Railways: Repairs Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the remaining time before the rail track between Battle and Robertsbridge is repaired. Baroness Kramer: Network Rail who own and maintain Britain’s rail infrastructure, have advised that further ground movement means that more work is needed to complete the track repair between Battle and Robertsbridge; as yet, they have given no firm estimate for the reopening of this line. Railways: Replacement Buses Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of rail season ticket holders who have taken rail replacement buses at some point in their journey between Hastings and London in 2014. Baroness Kramer: We have made no such estimation. Railways: Refunds Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to rail companies about refunding season ticket holders whose service has been disrupted by recent extreme weather. Baroness Kramer: No representations have been made. This is a matter for the individual Train Operating Companies to address in line with the arrangements set out in their Passenger’s Charters and in the National Rail Conditions of Carriage. Railways: Trans-Pennine Express Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what involvement they have had in discussions relating to the transfer of trains from Trans-Pennine Express services to the Chiltern franchise; which bodies initiated and sanctioned that transfer; when it will take place; what class of trains will be transferred; and what is their assessment of the effects of such a transfer on Trans-Pennine Express services including the extent of overcrowding. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what involvement they have had in discussions relating to the transfer of trains from the Northern franchise to Trans-Pennine Express services. Baroness Kramer: The lease between the rolling stock supplier and Trans-Pennine Express for 9 Class 170 trains expires in April 2015 from when Chiltern Railways have obtained a new lease agreement. Rolling Stock in this country is a commercial market and the Department for Transport cannot unreasonably withhold its consent for such lease agreements and, as such, gave its agreement when the new lease was signed in February 2014. A number of options are being considered by the Department for Transport and the rail industry to ensure the continued provision of appropriate levels of service to passengers. No decisions on these options have yet been taken. Railways: Trans-Pennine Express Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are proposals to transfer carriages from the Northern franchise to Trans-Pennine Express services; if so, how many carriages would be involved in such a transfer; when it would happen; and what effect it would have on Northern franchise services including the extent of overcrowding and the opening date for the new service between Manchester and East Lancashire via the Todmorden curve. Baroness Kramer: The Department for Transport considers that the market is best placed to make decisions about rolling stock provision. Following a commercial agreement between the lessor of the trains and another train operator, 9 Class 170 vehicles will move away from the Trans-Pennine Express franchise when the lease for them expires in April 2015. To ensure the continued provision of appropriate levels of service for passengers on Trans-Pennine, a number of options are being explored. At present, no decisions have yet been taken. Roads: Potholes and Weather Damage Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that potholes and other road damage, resulting from the extreme winter weather, are repaired as soon as is practicable and affordable. Baroness Kramer: The Government is allocating over £3.4 billion from 2011 to 2015 to local highway authorities for highway maintenance which can be used to fix damaged roads, including potholes. The 2013 Spending Round announcement committed the Government to providing just under £6 billion to local highway authorities for highway maintenance over the six year period from 2015/16 to 2020/21. Local authorities are also able to use revenue funding, allocated by the Department for Communities and Local Government through the Revenue Support Grant, for maintaining their local highways. The Department for Transport also announced on 9 March that it was making available a further £140 million for local authorities in England to help repair damage to the local road network from the severe wet winter the country has encountered. This funding is in addition to £33.5 million we announced previously as part of the transport contribution to the Severe Weather Recovery Scheme. Sudan Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what negotiations they have had with the government of Sudan regarding relief for Sudan’s foreign debt; and when the next scheduled meeting to discuss Sudan’s foreign debt is due to take place. Lord Deighton: Discussions on the treatment of sovereign debt take place within the multilateral framework of the Paris Club. There have been no recent negotiations between the Paris Club and the government of Sudan. A further meeting of the Sudan Technical Working Group on External Debt is expected to take place in the margins of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in April. Toll Crossings Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Kramer on 27 February (WS 117), what tax concessions or exemptions exist on each of the 11 bridges and ferries named; and what legislation permits those concessions or exemptions. Baroness Kramer: These tolled crossings are mainly privately run and operated and are not regulated by the Department, except where they wish to raise their toll charges. The Department for Transport does not hold records on what tax concessions or exemptions exist on each of the 11 bridges and ferries. Transport: Buses Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 27 February (WA 276), what proportion of the bus trips made in 2012–13 were with concessionary passes. Baroness Kramer: The Department for Transport publishes statistics which show that in 2012/13 there were 4,598 million bus passenger journeys in England, of which 1,016 million were journeys made with a concessionary bus pass. The concessionary journeys are 22 per cent of the total. They are for both the statutory off-peak bus travel concession and any discretionary travel concessions for older and disabled people which are offered by local authorities. Passenger journey data by year and by area of England are published in Table BUS0103 at the following link - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-bus-statistics-2012-13 Concessionary travel journey data are published in Table BUS0821 at the following link – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus08-concessionary-travel#table-bus0821 Transport: Trolleybus Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposed re-introduction of the trolleybus in Leeds. Baroness Kramer: Following detailed assessment of the Leeds New Generation Transport (trolleybus) scheme, in July 2012 Ministers agreed to grant Provisional Approval to the scheme and agreed to provide a maximum funding contribution of £173.5m towards the estimated total cost. Funding will only be made available to the scheme’s promoter, Metro (West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive), if the scheme successfully passes through all the statutory procedures and remains value for money. The public inquiry into the scheme’s statutory orders is scheduled to start on 29 April. Turkey Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the effect on Anglo-Turkish communications of legislation that enables the Turkish Telecommunications Authority to block websites without court approval. Baroness Warsi: We support the European Commission in encouraging the Turkish government to ensure that any new internet legislation is implemented in line with EU standards and does not infringe on the right to freedom of expression. The Minister for Europe, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), discussed internet legislation with the Turkish Minister for Justice in Ankara on 25 February. We and our EU partners will continue to underline the importance of freedom of expression and other fundamental freedoms as part of our broader dialogue with the Turkish government. Young Offenders: Custody Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to address the number of people aged 18 to 24 who die in custody. Lord Faulks: I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given to the Lord’s Oral Question on 6 February 2014 (Official report Col 36), announcing that the Government will be establishing an Independent Review into the self-inflicted deaths of 18-24 year olds in prison custody. The review will report by Spring 2015.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2014-03-12a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2014", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Adventure Activities Licensing Authority Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Health and Safety Executive has re-tendered the contract for the Adventurous Activities Licensing Authority since the authority's creation in 1996. Lord Freud: The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) was established in 1996 under the Activity Centres (Young Persons' Safety) Act 1995. Following a tender exercise, Tourism Quality Services Ltd (TQS) was designated as the AALA on 16 April 1996. When HSE was appointed as the AALA in 2007, following the Hampton review Reducing administrative burdens: effective inspection and enforcement, it retained TQS under contract to provide the licensing service for adventure activities. HSE has not subsequently retendered for this service. Bank of England Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 26 October (WA 154), whether HM Treasury has asked the Bank of England why it did not purchase eligible private sector assets under quantitative easing as it agreed to do in response to the letter sent by the previous Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Governor of the Bank on 29 January 2009; if so, what answer it received; and when. Lord Sassoon: The exchange of letters between the then Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Governor of the Bank of England on 29 January 2009 set out the terms on which the Bank of England was authorised to operate the asset purchase facility (APF), including authorisation to purchase up to £50 billion of eligible private sector assets. The Chancellor's letter to the Governor of 6 October 2011 confirms that "The APF continues to include facilities for eligible private sector assets financed by the issuance of central bank reserves, Treasury Bills and the Debt Management Office's cash management operations that are authorised up to a maximum of £50 billion". Operational information for the APF, including information on the Bank of England's purchases and holdings of eligible private sector assets, can be found on the Bank of England website. Banking: European Central Bank Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the most recent announcements from the European Union and others on resolving the European financial crisis will lead to any increase in the United Kingdom's revenue or capital exposures, direct or indirect, including guarantees and uncalled capital, to the European Central Bank or the European Investment Bank. Lord Sassoon: With regards to the European Central Bank (ECB), the 26 October 2011 European Council and euro area summit did not agree any changes to the United Kingdom's financial relationship with the ECB. For further detail on the United Kingdom's financial relationship with the ECB, I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 29 June 2011 (Official Report, col. WA 422). With regards to the European Investment Bank (EIB), the UK holds 16.17 per cent of its capital. As at 31 March 2011, the UK was liable for €35,699 million (£1,600 million) of callable capital to the EIB. This amount is fixed in euros and therefore changes with exchange rate movements. At the time, it was deemed unlikely that member states would be called upon to pay the remaining capital. From our monitoring of the EIB, we do not feel this assessment needs to be changed. Benefits Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for the latest period of 12 months for which they possess the information, how many claims for child benefit took more than three months to determine; how many were outstanding at the end of each week beyond three months; and what proportion of the total number of claims these figures represent. Lord Sassoon: The information requested about the number of child benefit claims that took more than three months to determine and the number outstanding at the end of each week beyond three months is available only at disproportionate cost. This is in light of the work required to construct an age profile of the processing of child benefit claims. For the period October 2010 to September 2011, 6.5 per cent of claims were paid in more than 90 calendar days and 5.8 per cent were outstanding at 97 calendar days. Benefits Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for the latest period of 12 months for which they possess the information, what were the main reasons for claims for child benefit taking longer than three months to process. Lord Sassoon: Between October 2010 and September 2011, the main reason for claims for child benefit taking more than three months to process was that further enquiries were necessary and operational delays occurred. This accounted for 63.30 per cent of cases. A further 23.20 per cent of cases involved ongoing enquiries with customers in competing claim situations. Benefits Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for the latest period of 12 months for which they possess the information, how many claimants with mental health conditions had their employment and support allowance stopped as a result of failing to attend assessments. Lord Freud: When a claimant fails to attend (FTA) a work capability assessment (WCA) and the department has a record of the claimant having a mental health condition, the decision maker will first consider referring the case for a home visit. The visit will cover the conditions required for the WCA process, collect information on possible good cause for non-attendance and advise the claimant that they may be referred for further assessment. Following the visit, the decision maker will consider whether there is good cause for failing to attend the WCA. Only claimants who have not demonstrated any good cause will be disallowed ESA. The department holds information on the number of times a person has failed to attend a WCA appointment and the number of claims that have been closed before the assessment process is complete. However, often a failure to attend a WCA is not the only reason for a claim being closed. Table 1, below shows that, of all 659,700 new ESA claims received between March 2010 and February 2011 (the latest figures available), 242,700 or 37 per cent, have a mental health condition. However, of all claims that have failed to attend at least one WCA appointment, 69,700 or 57 per cent have a mental health condition. This shows that mental health related claims are much more likely to fail to attend a WCA than those with physical health conditions. Table 1. ESA new claims and FTA by health condition type Health condition New ESA claims At least 1 failure to attend (FTA) % of all new ESA claims % of all FTA Mental 242,700 69,700 37% 57% Physical 416,900 52,300 63% 43% All 659,700 122,100 100% 100% Table 2 below presents the number of claims with a mental health condition that have failed to attend at least one WCA and whether they completed the WCA process. This shows that 17,600 claims went on to complete the WCA process despite having failed to attend at least one WCA appointment. There were 46,000 whose claims ended before the assessment was complete. However, there are a number of reasons that a claim may be closed, so we cannot infer that the direct reason for closure of the claim was due to the failure to attend. These figures therefore only provide a broad indication of the numbers of claims where a failure to attend may have led to the case being closed. Table 2. FTA and completed WCA for mental health conditions Mental Health Conditions Completed WCA Claim closed before WCA complete WCA in progress 1 or more FTA 17,600 46,000 6,200 All 158,100 73,100 11,600 The department regularly publishes information on ESA and the WCA. The latest report was published in October 2011 and can be found on the departmental website here: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/ index.php?page=esa_wca. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 or percentage point. Benefits Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the fairness and efficacy of the eight week extension for child benefit when the main carer for a child changes; and what are the reasons for this rule. Lord Sassoon: The disregard of up to eight weeks allows a child to be absent from the person with whom they are normally living for a short period without affecting entitlement to child benefit. This works well in the vast majority of cases. The transfer may occur earlier, where the person responsible for the child changes and the person previously receiving child benefit agrees. If there is a dispute as to who has the main responsibility for a child, it falls to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in their discretion to determine which of them is entitled for this period. Child benefit cannot be transferred from one person to another in any circumstances until three weeks after the week in which a competing claim is received, for example following parental separation. The rules governing the transfer of child benefit from one person to another are statutory, and are contained in the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992. Benefits Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government which ten local authority areas in Wales have the highest number of people in receipt of social security payments; and which 10 have the highest percentage of the population in receipt of social security payments. Lord Freud: The information requested is given below. Local Authorities in Wales with the highest number of benefit claimants and highest percentage of the population claiming benefits: February 2011. Top ten Local Authorities (recipients) Total in receipt of benefit Top ten Local Authorities (% of the population) % of the population receiving benefits Cardiff 92,370 Conwy 38.9 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff 83,350 Blaenau Gwent 38.7 Swansea 79,350 Neath Port Talbot 38.6 Carmarthenshire 65,220 Merthyr Tydfil 38.2 Caerphilly 61,440 Pembrokeshire 36.6 Neath Port Talbot 53,080 Isle of Anglesey 36.5 Bridgend 48,440 Carmarthenshire 36.1 Newport 46,390 Denbighshire 36.1 Flintshire 46,300 Bridgend 36.0 Powys 45,270 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff 35.6 Source: DWP Information Governance and Security Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). ONS: England and Wales Mid-Term Population Estimates, 2010. Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest 10, percentages to one decimal place. 2. Caseload figures used for disability living allowance and carer's allowance include those cases with entitlement but where payment is currently suspended (for example, because of an extended stay in hospital or an overlapping benefit). Caseloads for incapacity benefit and employment and support allowance include 'credits only' cases. 3. The key benefits which are currently included in the All Ages Client Group data are: attendance allowance; bereavement benefits; carer's allowance; disability living allowance; employment and support allowance; incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance; income support (including pension credit for males aged 60 to 64); jobseeker's allowance; pension credit; state pension; and widow's benefits. 4. Data include those aged under 16 receiving disability benefits. 5. At present housing benefit (HB), council tax benefit (CTB), winter fuel payments, maternity allowance and industrial injuries disablement benefit are not included in WPLS. HB and CTB are expected to be added in the future. This group does not yet appear in the statistics. 7. Caseload data are available on the department's tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html. Burma Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much aid will be provided for cross-border assistance in Burma in the current financial year. Baroness Northover: British aid to Burma supports health services, livelihoods and education for particularly vulnerable people who cannot be reached in other ways. On current estimates Britain will provide approximately £1.8 million of cross-border assistance in Burma this financial year. Child Poverty Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government which 20 parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom have the highest levels of child poverty. To ask Her Majesty's Government which 20 parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom have the lowest levels of child poverty. Lord Freud: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or equivalised) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living. The sample size of this survey is not sufficient to provide estimates for small areas such as those requested. However, figures at a regional level are available. Three survey years have been combined because single year estimates are not considered to be sufficiently reliable. Statistics covering 2007-08 to 2009-10 are the most recent available. The table below shows the proportion and number of children living in relative poverty before housing costs (BHC) in the UK, for 2007-08 to 2009-10 in each region. Table: Numbers and proportions of children in households with equivalised incomes below 60 per cent of contemporary median income by region Before Housing Costs (BHC) 2007-08 to 2009-10. Proportion of children (%) Number of children (millions) England 21 2.3 North East 26 0.1 North West 25 0.4 Yorkshire and the Humber 26 0.3 East Midlands 23 0.2 West Midlands 29 0.3 East 16 0.2 London 20 0.3 South East 14 0.2 South West 16 0.2 Scotland 20 0.2 Wales 25 0.2 Northern Ireland 26 0.1 UK (single year 2009-10 value) 20 2.6 Source: Households Below Average Income 1994-95-2009-10, DWP 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data available at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai_arc 2. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 4. Figures have been presented on a Before Housing Cost rather than an After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Costs, housing costs are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are. 5. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 6. The reference period for these HBAI figures is three financial years. 7. Numbers of children have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand children. 8. Proportions of children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest percentage point. 9. This measure is defined as: Relative poverty: children living in households with equivalised incomes below 60 per cent of contemporary median household income. 10. The Child Poverty Act 2010 sets three further income-based UK-wide targets to be met by 2020. The targets are based on the proportion of children living in households with combined low income and material deprivation, absolute low income and persistent poverty. Measures of income poverty at constituency level are approximated by the revised local child poverty measure (formerly known as NI 116). This measure shows the proportion of children living in families in receipt of means-tested out of work benefits, or tax credits where their reported income is less than 60 per cent of median income. Due to methodological differences to the HBAI publication, these small area estimates are not directly comparable with national or regional figures. The revised local child poverty measure does not necessarily capture all those, or only those, children living in households below the 60 per cent of median threshold. Revised local child poverty measure statistics for UK parliamentary constituencies for August 2006, August 2007, August 2008 and August 2009 are published at: http://www.hmrc. gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/child_poverty.htm. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the fact that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is classified by the World Health Organisation's mandatory International Categorisation of Diseases as a neurological disease, and that the Government's contract with Atos Healthcare requires a qualified doctor to assess employment and support allowance claimants for CFS/ME, why the Department for Work and Pensions stated, in response to a Freedom of Information request of 23 March 2011, that any healthcare professional can undertake such assessments. Lord Freud: The Government's contract with Atos Healthcare requires that doctors are used to assess claimants with conditions that are likely to have complex central nervous system examination findings. The majority of claimants with CFS/ME do not exhibit such signs and therefore CFS/ME is not on the list of conditions that are required to be assessed by a doctor. However, if a claimant with CFS/ME has neurological signs, they will be passed to a healthcare professional with the requisite expertise. Development Aid The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much development aid they have given to (a) British non-governmental organisations, and (b) indigenous and in-country non-governmental organisations in the last financial year for which records are available; whether they plan to increase this development aid next year; and, if so, by how much. Baroness Northover: The Department for International Development (DfID) supports civil society organisations (CSOs) through a range of centrally managed funds and through country programmes. Details of the funding provided to UK-based CSOs in 2010-11 can be found in table 19 of Statistics on International Development (SID) 2011, which is available on the DfID website (www.dfid.gov.uk). Information about funding UK CSO's since April 2011 will be provided in the next SID 2011-12. DfID provides relatively small amounts of funding to a wide range of in-country civil society organisations in most DfID programme countries. DfID's central records system does not enable analysis of funding to indigenous and in-country non-governmental organisations. Collecting this information from all country programmes would entail incurring disproportionate costs. DfID's funding for civil society organisations is dependent on the outcomes and results that organisations achieve. DfID does not have any plans to increase or decrease funding for CSOs in the next year. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 31 October (WA 199), whether research licence R0122 specifically permitted bringing about the creation of human embryos for research on 21 June 2000; and how many embryos were created for research under the duration of the research licence R0122. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it has nothing further to add to the Answer I gave the noble Lord on 31 October 2011 (Official Report, col. WA 199), concerning the creation of embryos under research licence R0122. The HFEA has also advised that a search of readily available records shows no embryos were created for research purposes under this research licence. Energy: Nuclear Waste Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider that Eskdale granite is a suitable host rock for a high-level nuclear waste repository. Lord Marland: The Government are not seeking any particular type of geology for the disposal of radioactive waste but have adopted a site selection process based initially on engagement and partnership working with communities that express an interest in participating in the disposal programme. The Government take expert advice on geology from the British Geological Survey (BGS) and no site will be developed unless it can meet the requirements of the independent regulators. Within the areas currently participating in West Cumbria, the BGS has already applied the high-level sub-surface screening criteria (as set out in Annex B of the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely White Paper 2008) in order to eliminate from the process any areas that are obviously unsuitable. A more rigorous geological assessment, based on a comprehensive range of criteria will only be undertaken if a decision to participate in further stages of site selection process is taken by the west Cumbria community. Full details of the initial screening carried out by BGS is available in their report, Managing Radioactive Waste Safely: Initial Geological Unsuitability Screening of West Cumbria (2010) and on the internet at http://mrws.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/mrws/741-west-cumbria-main-report.pdf. EU: Finance Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the additional powers to be given to Commissioner Olli Rehn to supervise national fiscal policies, designed to centralise economic governance powers in Europe; whether they will apply to the United Kingdom; and, if so, whether they will be subject to approval by both Houses of Parliament and in a referendum. Lord Howell of Guildford: President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, announced on 27 October 2011 the reinforcement of the role of the Commissioner competent for economic and monetary affairs by elevating the post to that of Vice-President. Commissioner Olli Rehn will have responsibility for economic and monetary affairs and the euro. He will continue to exercise the Commission's responsibility for co-ordination, surveillance and enforcement in the area of economic governance of the Union and of the euro area in particular. President Barroso's decisions are in line with the president's responsibilities under Article 17(6) of the Treaty on European Union and does not require treaty change. There is therefore no requirement for a referendum under the European Union Act 2011. Financial Services Authority Lord Stevens of Ludgate: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long, on average, is the time taken for the Financial Services Authority to approve a non-executive director appointment for an authorised firm (a) between the receipt of the application and the granting of an interview, and (b) between the granting of an interview and the date of final approval. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed with the Financial Standards Authority whether they ever advise candidates for non-executive director appointments for authorised firms to withdraw their candidatures. Lord Sassoon: These matters are for the Financial Services Authority (FSA), whose day-to-day operations are independent from government control and influence. These questions have been passed on to the FSA, which will reply to you directly by letter. A copy of the response will be deposited in the Library of the House. Gendercide Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they make prior assessments of the levels of gendercide involving female babies in countries to which they propose to make foreign aid available. Baroness Northover: The UK strongly opposes infanticide. We support partner governments' efforts to prevent it wherever it occurs. We recognise that there is not always an easy solution. However, our work on girl's education, women's empowerment, skills and work and jobs aims to increase the value of girls and women in society and therefore tackle the pressure and incentives that drive preferences for male children. The Government strengthened their approach to direct support to governments in July this year. We only provide aid directly to governments once we are satisfied, based on robust assessments, that they share our own commitment to these four partnership principles: poverty reduction and the millennium development goals;respecting human rights and other international obligations;improving public financial management, promoting good governance and transparency and fighting corruption;being more accountable to their citizens; and that providing aid directly to the government represents the best way of delivering results and value for money compared to other options for spending aid. Genetically Modified Organisms The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the documents provided by Oxitec to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under EC Regulation 1946/2003 to accompany the notification of its transboundary shipment of genetically modified mosquito eggs to Malaysia. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: I shall place in the Library a copy of the risk assessment provided by Oxitec. Where appropriate some material has been redacted for reasons of commercial confidentiality. Gypsies and Travellers: Dale Farm Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 21 October (WA 108), what discussions they have had with Basildon District Council regarding the clear-up costs relating to the eviction of travellers from Dale Farm; and whether the Government's definition of clear-up costs includes the costs of eviction. Baroness Hanham: Further to my answer of 21 October 2011 (Official Report, col. WA 108), I can confirm that given the exceptional circumstances of the case, the Department for Communities and Local Government agreed to provide a one-off grant of up to £1.2 million towards the clear-up costs incurred by Basildon Council, following appropriate discussions and due consideration of the matter. The grant will be made after the clearance operation has been completed and upon receipt of a statement of expenditure on costs incurred. Health and Social Care Bill [HL] Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what effect the Health and Social Care Bill will have on the provision of NHS services in Northern Ireland. Earl Howe: The Health and Social Care Bill contains a number of provisions which apply or extend to Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, largely as a consequence of changes to bodies which have functions in relation to those countries, such as the Health Protection Agency. The explanatory notes (pages 6-7) provide a list of the provisions in the Bill which extend or apply to Northern Ireland. Where the Bill affects the devolved Administrations, they have been consulted, and in the case of the provisions in the Bill relating to matters that are devolved in Northern Ireland, the consent of the Northern Ireland Assembly has been granted through a legislative consent motion. Homelessness Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report Battered, broken, bereft: Why people still end up sleeping rough published by St Mungo's; and what are their plans to reduce and eventually eliminate homelessness. Baroness Hanham: The Government are committed to tackling rough sleeping and preventing homelessness. We have maintained the level of Homelessness Grant, with £400 million for local authorities and the voluntary sector over the next four years. A cross-departmental Ministerial Working Group has been set up to address the complex causes of homelessness and improve support for homeless people. We also recently announced £42.5 million for the Homelessness Change Programme which will provide in excess of 1,500 new and improved bed spaces to improve hostels for rough sleepers and ensure that those coming off the streets get the support they need. On rough sleeping we will continue to work with the mayor to deliver No Second Night Out in London and to roll out the principles of No Second Night Out nationally. We have already provided an additional £20 million to Homeless Link for a new Homelessness Transition Fund to help delivery. House of Lords: Fire Safety Lord Berkeley: To ask the Chairman of Committees what fire detection and extinguishing measures are currently in place in the House of Lords. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The House uses a combination of automated and manual fire systems to detect fire, raise the alarm, limit fire spread or damage and aid evacuation. The bicameral Fire Risk Management Team also enforces fire safety processes and procedures. All House of Lords outbuildings have fully automated fire protection systems. The fire alarm system in the Palace utilises a separate network to connect, on a zone by zone basis, approximately 6,500 automatic fire detection devices (including smoke and heat detectors, beacons, aspirators and fire door releases) and approximately 4,000 voice alarm system speakers to a graphics display screen in the fire control room in 1 Canon Row. When a device activates, the fire control officer is alerted via the graphics display screen and deploys the fire section to the scene to investigate the incident. If the fire section confirms a false alarm then the system is reset. If the fire section confirms a fire incident, the fire control officer activates the voice alarm system speakers to raise the evacuation alert. To supplement these arrangements, across the Parliamentary Estate there are approximately 3,500 emergency lights, 855 fire doors, 1,350 dampers, five evacuation lifts, 5,000 fire signs, 750 fire extinguishers, 145 hose reels, 55 fire blankets, 25 evacuation chairs and 70 chemical suppression systems (for use in the kitchens). House of Lords: Staff Lord Laird: To ask the Chairman of Committees, further to the Written Answer of 26 October (WA 158) concerning the total cost of staff in the House of Lords, why the cost of staff has increased by 50 per cent in the past seven years. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The principal factors behind the increase are: pay settlements, which for Bands A-D came cumulatively over the period to 22.3 per cent;inclusion of the Lords share (20 per cent) of PICT staff costs from January 2006. Before that the figure included the small Lords Computer Office, which became part of PICT. This accounts for a 12 per cent increase in costs as compared to 2004-05;Net rise in full-time equivalent headcount from 412 (average 2004-05) to 441 (average 2010-11), ie 7.0 per cent. These figures include the Computer Office but not PICT; the rising cost of accruing superannuation liability charges, which are included in the figures. These consist of employer pension contributions accrued at actuarially determined rates. Over the period they grew by 115 per cent, accounting for 16 per cent of the total in 2004-05 but 22 per cent by 2010-11. Houses of Parliament: Legislation Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis they decide which bills should be submitted for the Prince of Wales's or Queen's consent. Lord Strathclyde: It is a long-established convention that, where Bills are due to affect the Crown, formal prior consent is sought from the Queen for the way in which that Bill will affect the Crown. By convention, when there is a Duke of Cornwall of age, similar formal consent is sought from the Duke of Cornwall. Parliamentary procedure in both Houses requires Queen's consent to be given to a Bill if it affects the Royal prerogative or the interests (hereditary revenues, personal property or other interests) of the Crown, the Duchy of Lancaster or the Duchy of Cornwall. In the case of the Duchy of Cornwall, the consent is needed because of the sovereign's reversionary interest in the Duchy; and currently, while there is a Duke of Cornwall of full age, it falls to be given by the Prince of Wales. Although the Prince of Wales' consent is expressed to the Bill itself, it relates only to the aspects of it that affect the interests of the Duchy. Houses of Parliament: Legislation Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Bills in the past five years they have submitted for the Prince of Wales's or Queen's consent, or both; and, in each case, what was the prerogative or interest affected on the basis of which consent was sought. Lord Strathclyde: The published records of the two Houses show that, in the past five years, the Prince of Wales' consent has been signified to the following Bills: 2010-11 Localism Wreck Removal Convention Energy Sovereign Grant 2009-10 Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions 2008-09 Marine and Coastal Access Coroners and Justice Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction 2007-08 Planning Energy Housing and Regeneration 2006-07 Access to Inland Waterways In relation to the basis on which consent was sought, departmental Bills teams are expected, in the first instance, to establish, in consultation with parliamentary counsel and the House authorities, whether any particular Bill affects the interests of the Crown or the Duchies. In practice, the Duchies tend to be approached if prospective legislation is likely to change how they should administer their property. Houses of Parliament: Legislation Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any Bill in the past five years has been altered as a result of comments from the Prince of Wales or the Queen; and in what way. Lord Strathclyde: By long-standing convention, communication between the Royal Family and the Government is not disclosed. It is subject to exemption under Section 37 of the Freedom of Information Act. However, in modern times, formal consent has never been refused, other than on the advice of Government Ministers. Houses of Parliament: Legislation Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will, in future, publish all correspondence between Ministers and the Prince of Wales and the Queen in connection with Bills for which their consent is sought. Lord Strathclyde: By long-standing convention, communication between the Royal Family and the Government is not disclosed. There are no plans to publish any future correspondence between the Government, the Queen or the Prince of Wales in relation to their consent for Bills. Housing Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the population in each of the London Boroughs and the City of London have owned their home in each year from 1990 to the last year for which records are available. Baroness Hanham: Figures for the proportion of the population, or of the dwelling stock, which is in the owner-occupied tenure are not available at the local authority level except from the census, which only provides figures for 1991 and 2001. These figures are shown in the table below. Data from the 2011 census will be published from summer 2012. Percentage of population in owner-occupied tenure 1991 2001 Camden 35 35 City of London 46 47 Hackney 31 33 Hammersmith and Fulham 43 42 Haringey 53 46 Islington 29 32 Kensington and Chelsea 41 42 Lambeth 38 38 Lewisham 51 51 Newham 54 46 Southwark 29 31 Tower Hamlets 22 26 Wandsworth 56 53 Westminster 36 36 Barking and Dagenham 56 58 Barnet 72 69 Bexley 81 81 Brent 62 58 Bromley 81 78 Croydon 75 70 Ealing 68 64 Enfield 76 72 Greenwich 49 52 Harrow 81 77 Havering 82 82 Hillingdon 75 74 Hounslow 64 63 Kingston upon Thames 77 73 Merton 73 69 Redbridge 82 78 Richmond upon Thames 73 72 Sutton 78 77 Waltham Forest 65 61 London 61 58 Source: Census 1991, 2001 Annual figures for the proportion of the dwelling stock which is owner-occupied are available at the regional level from 1991 to 2010, and are published in live table 109 on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at the following link: http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/stockincludingvacants/livetables/. Housing: Fire Safety Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce in England fire safety provisions similar to those brought in by the Welsh Government for newly-built housing in Wales. Baroness Hanham: Provisions for fire protection in new buildings are made in Part B (Fire safety) of the Building Regulations. Following a review of these regulations last year, we have concluded that there is not any significant new evidence to support introducing any new provisions. Details of the findings of this review were published in December and are available on the internet at: www.communities.gov.uk/ publications/planningandbuilding/buildingregsnextsteps. Human Rights Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the Eminent Persons Group's report on human rights in the Commonwealth. Lord Howell of Guildford: As set out in my right honourable friend the Prime Minister's Written Ministerial Statement of 31 October about the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, a copy of the Eminent Persons Group report A Commonwealth of the People: Time for Urgent Reform has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It is also available publicly on the Commonwealth Secretariat website. Human Rights Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 31 October (WA 193) concerning the Irish Human Rights Commission, on what basis they consider that the Commission has played a significant role in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. Lord Shutt of Greetland: I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 31 October (Official Report, col. WA 193). International Development The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what national and international standards they intend to measure the transparency, accountability and effectiveness of their international development programme as outlined in the 2011 aid reviews; and when they will publish the results. Baroness Northover: The Government, through their bilateral and multilateral aid reviews and their aid transparency guarantee, have identified and published the key results that the Department for International Development (DfID) expects to deliver, and have made greater detail on aid delivery more accessible to the public. The overall results are set out in DfID's business plan. The principles of aid effectiveness under the Paris declaration remain the foundation of its efforts and DfID was the first aid provider to publish information according to the new International Aid Transparency Initiative standard. The Secretary of State will shortly be attending the High Level Forum on aid effectiveness in Busan, where he will push for greater focus by all international development co-operation partners on delivering better results and more transparency. The main vehicle for reporting DfID results will continue to be the annual report in which the department reports on the effectiveness of its aid programmes in its partner countries. In addition, data on individual projects, business cases and subsequent reviews of progress are now available through the project database on DfID's website, together with details of all transactions over £500. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) was established in May 2011 to independently evaluate aid and to hold DfID to account for aid spending. We are also undertaking major reform programmes to enable evaluation in all new programmes. Israel and Palestine Lord Janner of Braunstone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of hate education within Palestinian Authority schools; and what action they intend to take as a result. Lord Howell of Guildford: The content of all Palestinian Authority textbooks is approved by the United Nations (UN). Textbooks used in Palestinian Authority schools have also been approved by the Israeli Ministry of Education for use in Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem. Credible studies from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, the Congressional Research Service and the United States State Department, which have all investigated the issue, show no evidence of incitement or hatred against Israel. However, it is clear that both Israeli and Palestinian textbooks could include more positive and balanced messages. We support that approach. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) runs a human rights programme in all the schools it administers. This emphasises the importance of tolerance and good citizenship and teaches children about the lessons of the Holocaust. Full details of UNRWA's human rights programme and materials can be found on the UNRWA website www.unrwa.org. The Department for International Development will support 35,000 children to go to primary school over the next four years, as part of its Palestinian programme. DfID and colleagues at the British Consulate General in Jerusalem will continue to monitor the situation. Northern Ireland Office: Budget Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 6 June (WA 51), what measures the Northern Ireland Office has introduced to reduce its baseline budget by 25 per cent during the spending review period. Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Northern Ireland Office has put in place a strategy to deliver savings in line with the spending review settlement and progress against this is regularly reviewed by the departmental management board. Northern Ireland Office: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 6 June (WA 51) and 7 July (WA 105-6) concerning staffing in the Northern Ireland Office, on what date they expect to commence the reduction of staff numbers. Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Northern Ireland Office keeps its staffing levels under regular review. Vacancies are only filled when there is judged to remain a business case to do so. Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 10 October (WA 217), whether they will review the current position whereby HM Treasury has overall responsibility for public service pensions policy, but no government department collects or collates details on the liabilities, deficits, assets and membership of such schemes. Lord Freud: HM Treasury has overall responsibility for public service pensions policy, but not for the administration of individual public service pension schemes. HM Treasury collates relevant data to fulfil its role. For example, it collates data on scheme liabilities, deficits and assets for the whole of Government accounts, due to be published in full later in the autumn. An unaudited summary of these accounts was published on 13 July 2011 (Cm 8127). Individual departments are responsible for the administration of their specific public service pension schemes. Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 November (WA 249), whether they will publish (a) details of the new pensioner registration arrangement for determining healthcare costs under European Union Regulation 883/2004 between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom that is taking effect in January 2012, and (b) the inter-state agreement where this was decided; when such payments will start to be based on pensioner registration; and what were the net amounts paid in the last three years to the Republic of Ireland under that regulation. Earl Howe: The Government agreed to the introduction of a registration scheme for determining healthcare costs of state pensioners following negotiations between senior officials from the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (RoI) in March 2011. Final details of the scheme are in the process of being finalised with the intention of having all new state pensioners registered from January 2012, with existing pensioners joining the scheme from 2013-14. The Government will look to publish details of the scheme once it is finalised. The new system will be reflected in payments made from 2014. The net figure, paid to RoI by the UK is shown as follows. 2010-11 £239,600,000 2009-10 £301,300,000 2008-09 £69,500,000 Notes £ Equivalent totals based on exchange rates at the time of the payment. Totals are rounded to the nearest £100,000. Planning: National Planning Policy Framework Lord Christopher: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish an analysis of the responses to the consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework showing, inter alia, how much support was expressed for each proposal made. Baroness Hanham: We will publish the final text taking into account representations that have been made and a summary of responses to the consultation, which will include a summary of views expressed to each question. We are committed to the publication of this final version of the framework by 31 March 2012, but intend to do so well ahead of that time. Population Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote a limit on the growth of the world's population; and what discussions they have had within the European Union and the United Nations on global population trends. Baroness Northover: The UK has no plans to promote a limit on the growth of the world's population. However, we do recognise that a major cause of poverty and a contributor to rapid population growth is the lack of choice for women and girls about when and whether to have children. Some 215 million women around the world who want to delay or avoid pregnancy are not able to access a modern method of contraception. The Government have committed to enabling an additional 10 million women in the developing world to use modern methods of family planning by 2015 in order to support women around the world to exercise control over their own fertility. We recognise that rapid population growth will place a significant strain on the ability of governments to deliver basic services such as health and education, and increase economic growth and development. I recently met with Dr Babatunde Osotemehin, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on the launch of its annual report, state of the world population 2011-People and possibilities in a world of 7 billion. Ports Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Homes and Communities Agency, its predecessors, or the European Commission conducted any financial review into the performance of the port of Great Yarmouth, in terms of state aids and revenue from the tonnage through the port. Baroness Hanham: Neither the Homes and Communities Agency nor its predecessor bodies (English Partnerships and Housing Corporation) have conducted a financial review into the performance of the port of Great Yarmouth, in terms of state aids and revenue from tonnage through the port. The agency's involvement in this project began on 19 September, when it became responsible for the ongoing monitoring of the project. The public funders do have a financial performance arrangement in place but this is based on turnover and the return on capital employed-not on any tonnage through the port. Monitoring of this project by the public funders will continue until 2032. The European Commission has determined that funding for this project does not constitute state aid. Public Disorder Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to identify neighbourhoods with a high risk of social disturbances similar to those which occurred in August 2011; and what measures are in place or being prepared to deal with identified risks. Baroness Hanham: The Deputy Prime Minister announced on 31 August the membership of the Communities and Victims Panel that will be responsible for talking to communities affected by the disorder, including residents, shopkeepers, parents and young people. Chaired by Darra Singh, chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, the panel will be responsible for talking to communities affected by the riots in August. The panel will look at: the motivation for a small minority of people to take part in riots;why the riots happened in some areas and not others; how key public services engaged with communities before, during and after the riots;what motivated local people to come together to take civic action to resist riots in their area or to clean up after riots had taken place;how communities can be made more socially and economically resilient in the future, in order to prevent future problems; andwhat they think could have been done differently to prevent or manage the riots. Further, the National Risk Assessment captures the consequences of public disorder. Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will be making a voluntary contribution to the Diamond Jubilee Trust established by the Commonwealth Heads of Government; and, if so, how much they will contribute. Baroness Northover: We welcome the establishment of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. This is a fitting way to honour 60 years of public service by Her Majesty the Queen, as head of the organisation, by supporting charitable projects and organisations across the Commonwealth. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth last month, the Prime Minister announced that the UK would be making a multimillion pound donation to the trust. State Recognition Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they take the view of the United Nations Security Council in all cases when considering whether to recognise a state. Lord Howell of Guildford: In considering whether to recognise a state, the Government take note of relevant Security Council resolutions, if any. Sudan The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the International Crisis Group's call for a new international framework to succeed the peace agreement in Sudan, and for new partners to help end hostilities and seek a political solution in Abyei, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Baroness Northover: We welcome the report from the International Crisis Group. We continue to urge both parties to resolve their remaining areas of difference, particularly on oil, citizenship and border demarcation and the status of the disputed region of Abyei. We fully support the efforts of President Mbeki, Prime Minister Meles and the AU High Level Implementation Panel in working with both countries on bringing about a solution to these issues, and agree that they should continue to be at the centre of any international peace efforts, with the full support and engagement of the wider international community. Taxation: Isle of Man Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving to the Government of the Isle of Man in aligning their business tax system with the European Union Code of Conduct for Business Taxation. Lord Sassoon: Under the terms of the European Union Code of Conduct for Business Taxation, the Government are committed, within their constitutional arrangements, to ensuring that the principles of the code are applied in their dependent and overseas territories, including the Isle of Man. On 18 October, Tynwald approved an order repealing the attribution regime for individuals and applying to the Income Tax Act (1970), in order to bring its business taxation system into line with those principles. Turkey Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Turkey about the arrest and detention of Ragip Zarakolu and others, who have been imprisoned in Turkey after exercising free speech. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK Government do not plan to make specific representations to the Government of Turkey about the recent arrest and detention of Rayip Zarakolu and others. It is not general UK Government practice to comment on individual judicial processes, but we expect high legal and judicial standards to be observed. Our embassy in Ankara will continue to monitor the situation closely. Zimbabwe Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with the Government of South Africa concerning the rendition of Zimbabwean nationals who seek asylum in South Africa; and what information they have received about alleged deaths in police custody in Zimbabwe of those rendered. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have been concerned by allegations made in the South African press of rendition of Zimbabweans by the Government of South Africa. We have been in contact with leading non-governmental organisations but as yet they have uncovered no evidence to substantiate these claims. We continue to monitor the situation in both South Africa and Zimbabwe.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2011-11-14a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2011", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Agriculture: Single Farm Payment Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they manage commons in regard to single farm payment entitlements. Lord De Mauley: In England, Single Payment Scheme (SPS) payments are generally available to those who are entitled to exercise rights of common over common land ('the commoners'). These rights are registered under the Commons Registration Act 1965 or Part 1 of the Commons Act 2006. A slightly different system operates in the New Forest, where these Acts do not apply. The Rural Payments Agency allocates to each commoner a notional area of the common proportionate to the commoner's share of the total grazing rights (so a commoner with 10% of the total rights would be allocated a purely notional 10% of the common). The commoners do not need to graze the land, but have to ensure the common is kept in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition. Owners, provided they are farmers, generally have the right to any surplus grazing beyond the registered rights of the commoners. As normal with the SPS, the commoners were required to establish payment entitlements in 2005 and need to submit a claim for payment each year. They must also comply with the general rules of the SPS scheme, for example on minimum claim size. SPS payments for common land elsewhere in the UK are the responsibility of the appropriate Devolved Administration. Armed Forces: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Andrew Robatham, on 24 April (HC Deb, col 906W) on unmanned air vehicles, whether United Kingdom personnel embedded with United States forces other than the United States Air Force have ever operated unmanned aerial vehicles; and, if so, where and when. Lord Astor of Hever: The UK has not embedded Remotely Piloted Aircraft System operators with any of the United States Armed Forces other than the United States Air Force. Assets: Publicly Owned Assets Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to sell any publicly owned assets before May 2015. Lord Deighton: The Government is committed to ensuring the effective and efficient management of publicly owned assets, including assessing options for disposal. Where there is no longer a strong policy reason for continued public ownership or where there is potential for an asset to operate more sensibly and efficiently in the private sector, the Government will continue to look into the potential sale of public sector assets. Asylum Seekers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 21 May (WA 40), what is their rationale for conducting an internal review of the asylum support rate system. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: It is the Government's normal practice to conduct an annual internal review of asylum support in order to assess whether the levels of support are sufficient to meet the statutory requirement to provide for the essential living needs of recipients. Aviation: Air Passenger Duty Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken on the subject of Air Passenger Duty following the United Kingdom–Caribbean Forum held in January 2012 at which the Foreign Secretary committed to address any deleterious impacts of Air Passenger Duty on the Caribbean Region. Baroness Warsi: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. friend the member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), on 11 March, Official Report, column 54W. Benefits Baroness Corston: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are allowances within the Work-Related Activity scheme to take account of the unpredictability of the effects of benzodiazepine addiction in enabling compliance with that programme. Lord Freud: Employment and Support Allowance claimants in the Work Related Activity Group are required to undertake work related activity, as a condition of continued entitlement to full payment of benefit. If somebody is addicted to a drug, and is in treatment to overcome that dependency, then we would not expect them to undertake any activity which prevented them fully engaging with that treatment. All Work Related Activity must be reasonable, having regard to an individual's circumstances. Caribbean Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to assist Caribbean nations in addressing crime and insecurity in the region. Baroness Warsi: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office supports wider Government efforts to tackle organised crime and drug trafficking in the Caribbean with the twin aims of increasing capacity in the region and reducing the harm to the UK. Much of the assistance we provide is underpinned by the Department for International Development programming of £75 million over four years. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) has established a regional law enforcement network to help provide maritime intelligence and to build capacity to combat drug trafficking. In the period from April 2012 to March 2013, Project Latitude, a joint SOCA/UK Border Force initiative in partnership with French Customs, Martinique and 15 Caribbean nations, seized 2.8 tonnes of cocaine, eight vessels and made 16 arrests. The Crown Prosecution Service deploys Criminal Justice Advisors to help governments build the rule of law thereby improving the prosecution of serious crime and human rights perpetrators in the region. Addressing these issues also contributes to improving prosperity in the region. Caribbean Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to promote prosperity in the Caribbean. Baroness Warsi: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, alongside other Government departments, carry out various activities to enhance the business environment and promote trade across the Caribbean. We have recently developed a regional approach to our prosperity programme working alongside the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in UK Trade and Investment. Underpinning this is the Economic Partnership Agreement which was promoted by the UK and which provides for free trade between the EU and the Forum of the Caribbean Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific States. We encourage the Caribbean to take advantage of the benefits of it to enable the region to make the right move from aid to trade. Council Tax Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the £100 million transition fund made available to local authorities in 2013–14 to meet the costs of establishing a local council tax reduction scheme has been allocated. Baroness Hanham: The Government made available an additional £100 million of new funding in transition grant to encourage councils to develop well-designed council tax support schemes and maintain positive incentives to work. It was a voluntary grant intended to give councils time to transition to the new localised regime and realise greater efficiencies—such as cutting the £200 million wasted from council tax benefit fraud and error. Transitional grant claims totalling £53,468,243 were made by 196 billing authorities. As a result over two thirds of local authorities received funding. A breakdown of which authorities claimed and how much was allocated to them has been deposited in the Library of the House. Debt: Private Sector Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether private sector debt has increased since May 2010; and if so, by how much, and whether that is consistent with their economic strategy. Lord Deighton: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for estimates of debt in the private sector, these estimates are published quarterly. The pre-crisis decade of growth was built on unsustainable levels of debt. It has been estimated that, by 2008, the UK private sector had become the most indebted in the world. Private sector debt fell by £53 billion or 43 percentage points of Gross Domestic Product between its peak in the first quarter of 2010 and the fourth quarter of 2012. Economy: Sport and Recreation Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the value of recreational climbing and mountaineering to the United Kingdom economy. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government cannot provide an overall estimate of the value of recreational climbing and mountaineering in the countryside as data is not delineated into this specific category. Value to the economy derives from avoided health costs, visitor spend and the use of local contractors in maintaining access infrastructure among others. Economy: Sport and Recreation Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the value of recreational horse-riding to the United Kingdom economy. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government has not made an estimate of the value of recreational horse-riding to the United Kingdom economy. However, the British Equestrian Trade Association carries out periodic surveys and, according to the National Equestrian Survey (2011), the gross output of the equestrian sector is valued at £3.8 billion a year. Energy: Carbon Capture and Storage Lord Ezra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that sufficient resources are being put into the development of carbon capture and storage in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, in the light of the level of coal in use in power stations worldwide. Baroness Verma: The Government is absolutely committed to the development of Carbon Capture and Storage. In April 2012, we published the CCS Roadmap which sets out a comprehensive strategy for the development of cost-effective CCS and launched the £1bn Commercialisation Programme, together with a £125m four-year Research and Development programme. Budget 2013 announced the selection of two preferred bidders in the CCS Competition with the remaining two bidders as reserve projects. We believe this is one of the best offers of any Government anywhere to support this technology. The UK is ideally suited to the development of a CCS industry, with excellent storage potential and industry expertise, as well as world-leading CCS research being undertaken in UK universities. To complement, we are working internationally to share knowledge and learn from other countries and projects, and to support capacity-building efforts in key developing countries, helping accelerate the deployment of CCS. Energy: Electricity Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government from what date electricity companies started to charge customers in respect of renewable options, feed-in tariffs and climate change; and what proportion of the average electricity bill was represented by those charges in respect of (1) the first quarter of 2013, and (2) the second quarter of 2013. Baroness Verma: The Feed-in Tariff (FiTs) scheme started in April 2010. The Renewable Obligation (RO) started in England and Wales in April 2002, in Scotland in a different form (the Renewable Obligation (Scotland)) in April 2002 and in Northern Ireland in 2005. While it is for suppliers to decide whether to pass costs incurred through the RO and FiTs on to consumers (both households and businesses) through their electricity bills, the Government assumes that they do for budgetary and cost control purposes. The total cost of these policies is controlled within agreed limits by the Levy Control Framework (LCF). On 27 March 2013, DECC published an updated assessment of the average impact of energy and climate change policies on household and business energy bills, which is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts-of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills. Energy: Electricity Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether electricity companies are required to disclose to consumers the amount being charged in each bill in respect of renewable options, feed-in tariffs and climate change; which companies already do so; and whether they will arrange that those charges should be disclosed on retail and business bills by all electricity companies. Baroness Verma: Electricity companies are not required to disclose to consumers on bills the amount they are being charged in respect of environmental programmes. Ofgem produces fact sheets that provide a breakdown of the costs which make up a typical energy bill. We are aware that some suppliers provide this information on customers' bills, but we do not hold comprehensive data on each individual supplier's approach. We do not have any plans to require suppliers to set out the cost of environmental schemes on bills. Energy: Solar Parks Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the use of agricultural land for solar parks; and how much grade 1 or grade 2 agricultural land in each county in England is (1) already under solar panels, and (2) under planning application for solar panels. Baroness Hanham: The National Planning Policy Framework requires local planning authorities determining planning proposals that affect farmland to recognise the character and beauty of the countryside, and have regard to all the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land. After consultation with their local communities they should approve renewable energy development only if the impacts - including any cumulative impact - will be acceptable. The Government does not gather statistics on land used for solar arrays or subject to planning applications. Ethiopia Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made, or intend to make, concerning the journalists Reeyot Alemu, Yusuf Getachew, Solomon Kebede, Eskinder Neya and Wubshet Taye, currently imprisoned in Ethiopia. Baroness Warsi: We are concerned by the imprisonment of journalists under Ethiopia's anti-terrorism legislation. Both the Deputy Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr Clegg), and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), have raised this in meetings with Ethiopian Ministers. Our Ambassador in Addis Ababa has also raised these cases, in the context of press freedoms, in his contacts with the Ethiopian government. EU: Cars Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received advice from the European Commission regarding the compliance of new car models with the requirements of the EU Mobile Air Conditioning Directive 2006/40/EC since January 2011. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the EU Mobile Air Conditioning Directive 2006/40/EC in preventing the use in cars of air conditioning units with a global warming potential above 150. Earl Attlee: The European Commission has advised all Member States that Directive 2006/40/EC should be fully enforced, and that it intends to take action to ensure that this is the case. The Department for Transport is not aware that any cars with air conditioning units containing refrigerants with a Global Warming Potential above 150 have been registered in the UK in contravention of legal requirements. Investigations into this are on going in conjunction with vehicle manufacturers, and the Department is in close contact with the European Commission on this issue. Food: Food Banks Baroness Corston: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they provide funding or other assistance to the Trussell Trust for the provision of food banks. Lord Freud: The Government does not provide funding to support food banks and is not considering doing so. We do, however, recognise the good work of organisations that redistribute surplus food to provide access to nutritional meals for those who may otherwise struggle. In addition, most major retailers already have partnerships with redistribution charities. In 2012, DEFRA held a meeting with retailers and food distribution charities to explore the current barriers to redistribution and the Waste and Resources Action Programme has recently begun working with Fareshare and FoodCycle to deliver a trial to increase food distribution from retail stores. Jobcentre Plus district managers have freedom to link with food banks in a variety of ways, for example by: having formal agreements with Trussell Trust, signposting to a wider variety of local provision, signpost claimants to Local Authorities. Health: Mesothelioma Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the additional cost of backdating the date of eligibility for a mesothelioma scheme payment from 25 July 2012 to 10 February 2010; how that cost is estimated in terms of both the numbers of claimants and the average payment, and whether it is inclusive or exclusive of benefit or lump sum payments; and what other relevant factors will be taken into consideration in reaching the estimate. Lord Freud: The additional cost of backdating the mesothelioma scheme to 20/21 February 2010 (including 856 more cases, receiving on average £39.3 million directly from the scheme) would be £119 million. Recovery of government benefits and lump sum payments is included in this estimate. Other relevant factors taken into consideration in reaching the stated estimates are outlined in the 2013 published Impact Assessment1, including the proposed tariff of 70% of average civil compensation. The assumption on legal fees for individuals was moved to £2,000 per case. Dates are rounded to the nearest quarter (i.e. taking the start date from 1st January 2010). Further information can be found in the ad hoc statistical publication, published on 05/06/2013 entitled ‘Analysis to support the passage of the Mesothelioma Bill' https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment-data/file/207023/mesothelioma_bill_04062013.pdf 1 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/198388/mesothelioma-payment-scheme-impact-assessment.pdf Housing: Funding Lord German: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much discretionary housing payment funding was allocated to local authorities in 2012–13 (1) in total across the United Kingdom, (2) in England, (3) in Wales, and (3) in Scotland. Lord Freud: The Department for Work and Pensions has responsibility for Discretionary Housing Payments in Great Britain only. The total allocation in 2012/13 was £67.9m. This comprised the annual allocation of £60m and £7.9m of unspent funding from 2011/12 which local authorities were exceptionally allowed to carry over into 2012/13. The 2012/13 allocations for Great Britain, England, Scotland and Wales are set out in the table below. Government contribution towards Discretionary Housing Payments (including any carry over from 2011/12) in 2012/13 England £60, 918,250 Scotland £4,188,843 Wales £2,799,823 Great Britain £67,906,916 Housing: Funding Lord German: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the total amounts of unused discretionary housing payment funding returned to the Government by each local authority in 2012–13; and what was the cumulative total for the whole of the country. Lord Freud: I will place a copy of the DHP unused allocation table for 2012/13 in the Library which shows how much of the Government contribution towards Discretionary Housing Payments in 2012/13 was unused by each local authority. This also sets out the cumulative total for Great Britain together with individual figures for England, Scotland and Wales. As a one-off arrangement agreed by Treasury local authorities were allowed to carry-forward unspent Discretionary Housing Payment funding from 2011/12 to 2012/13, in total £7.9m was carried forward. Immigration: Deportation Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many convicted criminals who were not United Kingdom citizens, (1) were deported, and (2) voluntarily removed themselves from the United Kingdom, following completion of their prison sentences in 2012. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: In 2012, 4,589 foreign national offenders were deported from the UK, 38 per cent of whom left voluntarily under the Facilitated Removal Scheme. Iraq: Chilcot Inquiry Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to make published copies of the Iraq Inquiry report available to each member of both Houses of Parliament; and what factors informed that decision. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Upon publication, copies of the Iraq Inquiry’s report will be made available in both Houses of Parliament. The Inquiry has indicated that its report will also be available on line. The Government has not yet made any decisions about whether to make psychical copies available to each member of both Houses. Cost is a key factor informing that decision; government expects the report to be a very substantial document; the Inquiry has indicated that the text of its report is likely to be more than a million words. Mesothelioma Bill [HL] Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Lord Freud on 5 June (HL Deb, GC 235), what assumptions they used on the percentage figure of claims that claimants would receive of any compensation to which they were entitled under the scheme set out in the Mesothelioma Bill [HL] in forecasting the projected costs of that scheme of either £119 or £747 million. Lord Freud: The two figures quoted in the question are: £119 million - The estimated cost of the levy if the scheme start date was moved to the 20th or 21st February 2010.£747 million - the estimates cost of the levy if the scheme start date was in 1968. Both figures use the same assumptions as those in the 2013 published Impact Assessment1, except here we use a legal fee figure of £2,000 per case instead of £7,000 per case, no government funding is included and the assumption of the proposed tariff to use 70% of average civil compensation. Dates are rounded to the nearest quarter (i.e. taking the start date from 1st January 2010). Further information can be found in the ad hoc statistical publication, published on 05/06/2013 entitled 'Analysis to support the passage of the Mesothelioma Bill' http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/ asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/2013/mesothelioma_bill_04 062013.pdf. 1 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/198388/mesothelioma-payment-scheme-impact-assessment.pdf. National Insurance Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many individuals aged 16 and above and eligible to be issued with a National Insurance number were resident in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available; how many National Insurance numbers issued were active at that date; and what is the reason for any discrepancy between those two figures. Lord Freud: In 2011/12 (the latest figures available) 601,000 NINos were issued to individuals via the DWP Adult NINo Allocation process. HMRC is responsible for issuing National Insurance numbers to juveniles under the age of 16 for children who are having Child Benefit claimed for them. In order to be allocated a NINo via the DWP Adult NINo Allocation process an individual must be resident in the UK at the time of application. Of the 601,000 NINos issued in 2011/12 all would be considered to be active on the DWP Customer Information System (CIS). Once a NINo is allocated it needs to remain on the Department’s computer system. This is because the NINo provides a permanent numerical link between the individual and their National Insurance Contribution Record, which determines entitlement to contributory benefits and State Pension. Northern Ireland Assembly Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 22 May (WA 87), whether the extensions of the terms of the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament to five years related to a legislature already chosen by the people or one yet to be elected; which political parties in Northern Ireland have sought an extension to their elected term; and what other reasons do they adduce for an extension. Baroness Randerson: As a result of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, and following concerns raised by the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales, the length of the terms of both legislatures were temporarily extended from four to five years in advance of the 2011 elections to avoid a clash with the 2015 UK parliamentary election. Following consultation, and with the agreement of the four political parties in the National Assembly for Wales, the Government will introduce draft legislation later this year permanently to extend the length of a term of the National Assembly for Wales to five years from 2016. On 12 June 2012, Northern Ireland's First Minister, deputy First Minister and Justice Minister wrote to the then-Secretary of State making clear their view that they wished to see the current term of the Northern Ireland Assembly extended until May 2016, in common with the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections. That position was confirmed in a letter to the current Secretary of State dated 15 April 2013 from the First Minister and deputy First Minister. Overseas Conflict: Sexual Violence Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their commitment in the G8 Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict to review the doctrine and training provided to the United Kingdom military to ensure that it includes training for personnel deployed to relevant theatres on the implications of rape and other forms of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations, what discussions the Secretary of State for Defence has had with officials of that department to implement that commitment. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance is currently issued on training for appropriate military personnel deployed to relevant theatres on the implications of rape and other forms of sexual violence in conflict. Lord Astor of Hever: Following the commitment made by the UK Government in the G8 Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict to review the doctrine and training provided to the UK Armed Forces, Ministers have instructed officials in the Ministry of Defence to undertake a review of our doctrine and training, and this work is currently ongoing. All operations are informed by appropriate legal advice and are conducted in accordance with applicable international humanitarian law. All Service personnel are subject to the criminal law of England and Wales by virtue of the Armed Forces Act 2006 (which applies extra-territorially). Any criminal wrongdoing (involving rape or other sexual violence) would be investigated by the Service police and result in a criminal trial by court-martial. All Army personnel, whatever their rank, are subject to mandatory annual training in this area involving what is known as Military Annual Training Tests 7 dealing with Operational Law. Current guidance to Armed Forces personnel on sexual violence in conflict (in the context of war crimes) is set out in the Joint Service Manual of the Law of Armed Conflict. Overarching Prescriptive Guidance on the treatment of detainees is given by Joint Doctrine Publication 1-10 (JDP 1-10) entitled 'Captured Persons'. JDP 1-10 repeatedly emphasises the minimum standard of treatment permissible which is humane treatment. In the chapter of JDP 1-10 on Standards of Treatment, the following is stated, inter alia, in relation to the treatment of females: “The captivity of females is culturally sensitive. Due regard must be given to females' physical strength, the need to protect them against rape, forced prostitution and other forms of sexual violence or abuse”. JDP 1-10 is currently under review with the intention to publish a new edition. In addition, wherever the UK is asked to provide training or capacity building for overseas Armed Forces, we ensure that human rights risks are assessed in accordance with Her Majesty Government's Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Guidance, and include a human rights component wherever possible. Pensions Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the average savings to public funds as a result of the emigration of a United Kingdom citizen who qualifies for the basic State Pension. Lord Freud: The Government has not made any estimate of the average savings to public funds as a result of the emigration of a United Kingdom citizen who qualifies for the basic State Pension. Pensions Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are taking any steps to encourage more United Kingdom citizens who qualify for the basic State Pension to emigrate; and, if so, what steps. Lord Freud: The Government is not taking any steps in this regard. The decision to retire abroad is a purely personal one. Police and Crime Commissioners Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the report of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel on 17 May, what consequences follow a failure by a Police and Crime Commissioner to fulfil statutory publication requirements, with regard to (1) the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and (2) the Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information) Order 2011. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Act and the Order require Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to publish information specified by the Home Secretary, including a register of interests, budgets and decisions of significant public interest. This is a legal obligation which is ultimately enforceable by the courts. The Act also introduced a Police and Crime Panel in every police area to scrutinise the actions and decisions of the PCC. The Panel has the power to question the PCC and report publicly on the PCC's performance of his or her statutory duties. This ensures that the local electorate is able to hold the PCC to account at the ballot box. Police and Crime Commissioners Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the resignation of the Chief Constable of Gwent on 11 June, in the light of the expected role and remit of Police and Crime Commissioners set out in the Policing Protocol Order 2011. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Policing Protocol makes clear that the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) must not interfere in the operational independence of the police. However, PCCs have a statutory duty and electoral mandate to hold the police force and Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public. It is for the PCC to determine who is best placed to lead the force as Chief Constable. The PCC has the power to call on the Chief Constable to resign or retire, but this is subject to a general legal duty to act reasonably and fairly, and also various safeguards set out in the legislation. This includes requirements for the PCC to provide reasons in advance, for the Chief Constable to respond, for HM Inspectorate of Constabulary to give their views, and for the Police and Crime Panel to scrutinise the proposed dismissal before it can be finalised. Police: Traffic Accidents Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the code of practice on the management of police pursuits issued in May 2011 has led to a reduction in the number of accidents involving police vehicles compared with previous years. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Information on the number of accidents involving police vehicles is not collected centrally by the Home Office. Project Crossbow Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assurances they have received from the government of the United States that intelligence shared via Project Crossbow will not be used to conduct targeted killings in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the intelligence gathered via Project Crossbow has been or may be used in operations outside Afghanistan. Lord Astor of Hever: The Crossbow capability is near real time imagery intelligence analysis that is currently used only to support the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan; it previously supported operations in Libya. The UK only uses this capability on missions that are compliant with UK policy and Rules of Engagement. Questions for Written Answer Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent advice has been given to Ministers regarding the importance of ensuring that answers to Questions for Written Answer go as far as possible to answer the questions asked. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Cabinet Offices publishes a ‘Guide to Parliamentary Work': Ministers obligations to Parliament are set out in the Ministerial Code. Roads: M4 Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 7 February (WA 88) concerning the bus lane on the M4, what is the nature of the environmental assessments that are being considered; and why they include the restoration of the bus lane. Earl Attlee: The environmental assessments to understand more fully the effect on the local environment of removing the M4 bus lane looks at all the topics identified in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, scoping out those topics which are not likely to have an effect on the environment. For the M4 Bus Lane the focus is on the likely significance of the impact the removal of the bus lane has on air quality. As part of the assessment, the feasibility of a range of mitigation options for air quality is considered. The scenarios include a ‘with bus lane' option because the bus lane removal is still in its trial period, and we have two outstanding objections to its permanent removal. Schools: Academies and Free Schools Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the locations of existing and proposed academies and free schools in (1) Somerset, and (2) Bath and North-East Somerset; and how many schools, by category, remain in the local authority systems in those areas. Lord Nash: The information requested has been placed in the House Library. Schools: Inspectors Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether independent schools are permitted to select their own inspectors; and, if so, (1) which schools are permitted to do so, and (2) whether the Government plan to (a) halt this practice, and (b) review the list of approved independent inspectorates. Lord Nash: Independent schools are not permitted to select their own inspectors. Independent inspectorates are approved to inspect schools belonging to certain associations and/or groups, and schools can only change inspectorate by joining or leaving the relevant association or group. Non-association schools are inspected by Ofsted, and Ofsted always conducts a school’s first inspection after opening. The only schools which have an element of choice of inspectorate are those which belong to the Association of Muslim Schools UK (AMSUK). AMSUK schools are approved to be inspected by the Bridge Schools Inspectorate (BSI). When BSI was established, AMSUK schools were given a choice as to whether to be inspected by BSI or remain with Ofsted. If a school subsequently wants to change inspectorate, AMSUK must apply to the Department for permission, and a school will only be permitted to move to BSI if it is meeting all of the independent school standards. The Secretary of State has the power to ask Ofsted to inspect any independent school at any time, including those schools that are normally inspected by an independent inspectorate. There are no current plans to change this practice or to review the list of approved independent inspectorates. Ofsted monitors the work of the independent inspectorates and reports annually on their performance. Schools: New Schools Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information is available to interested parties wishing to establish (1) community, (2) foundation, (3) academy, (4) grammar, (5) special, or (6) free schools in England. Lord Nash: The current arrangements for establishing new schools came into effect on 1 February 2012 as a result of the Education Act 2011 introducing section 6A (the ‘academy presumption’) to the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Where a local authority considers a new school is needed in its area it must now seek proposals for the establishment of an academy or free school. Non-statutory guidance sets out the Department’s expectations around the academy presumption process. This can be found at: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/schoolorganisation/f00209212/academy-free-school-presumption Information relating to the Free School application process, including the criteria by which applications are judged, is posted on the Department’s website.1 We expect to add detailed guidance for the next application round shortly. Groups thinking of applying can also seek assistance from New Schools Network2. In certain circumstances it is also possible to publish proposals for the establishment of new maintained schools outside the academy and free school processes. These are set out in sections 10 and 11 of EIA 2006, as amended by EA 2011. In each case a statutory process must be undertaken. The department published guidance on how to establish a new school in May 2012. This can be found at: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/schoolorganisation/f00209212/academy-free-school-presumption The law prohibits the establishment of a new selective school of any type. 1 http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/ typesofschools/freeschools/b00222064/apply. 2 www.newschoolsnetwork.org Sport: Boxing Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Minister for Sport last met the School Amateur Boxing Association; what was the purpose of that meeting; and what was the outcome. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: DCMS officials met the Schools Amateur Boxing Association, together with the Amateur Boxing Association in England and Sport England last year. The aim was to encourage the two boxing associations to work more closely together to promote boxing opportunities for young people. The follow up action lay with the Associations. St Helena and Overseas Territories Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what regulations are in place to protect the historic built environment on (1) St Helena, and (2) other Overseas Territories. Baroness Warsi: The protection of the built environment in St Helena and other Overseas Territories is a devolved responsibility of the Territory Government. However, I am able to advise that in the case of St Helena, the Land Planning and Development Control Ordinance 2013 (and its 2008 predecessor) regulates the development of land and buildings: the conservation of historic buildings is an integral part of this. It operates in a similar way to our own Town and County Planning Act and is implemented by the Land Development Control Authority. The Land Development Control Plan 2012, adopted in March 2012 following a public consultation, provides a strategic steer for development of the Territory. Regulatory policy in the other Overseas Territories varies though several have well-defined rules for the built environment, some of which also cover protection of the natural environment. Examples include; in Bermuda, the Town of St George (Protection of Buildings of Special Interest) Act 1950; in the Cayman Islands, the Planning Regulations 2011; in Gibraltar, the Heritage Trust Act 1989; in Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands Physical Planning Acts; in Turks and Caicos Islands, a National Trust was established under the National Trust Ordinance to deliver heritage protection. Sudan Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 11 June (WA 234–5), at which point the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs called for an independent investigation into serious crimes against humanity in South Kordofan and Blue Nile; what they have done to expedite the establishment of an investigation; and why evidence cannot be gathered from those in refugee camps in the absence of a ceasefire and access to the region. Baroness Warsi: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), made the call for an independent investigation on 28 June 2011 in a public statement, which can be found on the Gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-comments-on-violence-in-southern-kordofan-sudan. At that time, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) was still present, and could potentially have carried out such an investigation. Since the closure of UNMIS in July 2011 there has been no independent organisation with access to the conflict areas to carry out credible investigations in Southern Kordofan or Blue Nile, although some non-governmental organisations have collected testimony from refugees. We are pressing the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North to enter into talks to bring an end to the ongoing conflict. We would expect that accountability for actions against civilians by both sides in the conflict should form part of any political agreement to resolve the conflict, as well as guaranteeing full, independent access to all parts of the two states. Teachers: Training Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training is given to teachers in giving pupils a smooth transition from an old to a new curriculum. Lord Nash: The Government believes that schools are best placed to decide which professional development meets their needs to ensure successful implementation of the new curriculum, and to secure these accordingly. We therefore expect schools to identify their priorities for action, and to identify appropriate sources of support. We recognise that the high expectations set by the new curriculum will present some significant challenges. To assist with this, we are working with subject experts, publishers, educational suppliers and others to identify what support for schools is already in place, any gaps that need to be filled, and how that might be done. This will also support providers in ensuring that initial teacher training takes account of the new curriculum from 2013/2014 onwards. In addition we have given prominence to national curriculum subjects in our bursaries for teacher training commencing in September 2013. We are also ensuring that existing opportunities funded by Government meet the needs of the new national curriculum. For example, the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) has recently released free video training materials focused on calculation. Match funding of £3,000 for phonics materials and training has been extended until October 2013. Teachers: Training Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the quality and availability for teachers of continuing professional development on dyslexia. To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) teachers, and (2) support staff, have taken part in the Special Educational Needs Scholarship Fund in each of the last three years. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what provision has been made for training (1) dyslexia specialists, and (2) specialist dyslexia support teachers, within schools. Lord Nash: The government believes that it is important for teachers to undertake high-quality professional development in order to improve their practice and ability to engage and support children with individual needs such as dyslexia. Headteachers and teachers are better placed than government to make decisions about what particular professional development will best meet the needs of their pupils and school, and about which is most effective. The Government’s role is to provide the context in which they can make these decisions. We are, for example, working with the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) and other experts to ensure that schools can access the Inclusion and Development Programme training materials on dyslexia and other common forms of SEN We introduced the National Scholarship Fund to support teachers in deepening their subject knowledge or specialist expertise. In the first round of the 2011 National Scholarships Fund, 391 of the successful applications came from teachers wishing to undertake a Special Educational Needs (SEN) course or activity. In 2012 we extended the scheme to include a scholarship for SEN support staff. 236 of the successful applications were for teachers, and 274 were for SEN support staff. Applications for the 2013 round are currently being assessed. Trees Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) ash, (2) oak, and (3) plane trees were imported into the United Kingdom during the 2012–13 planting season; and what were their countries of origin. Lord De Mauley: Defra implements the EU Plant Health regime (Directive 2000/29/EC) in England and, under a concordat, in Wales. Separate arrangements apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Most imported trees are introduced through England, even if intended for other parts of the UK. Since the beginning of October 2012 there have been no imports of ash, oak or plane trees from outside the EU into England or Wales. Movements of trees within the EU Single Market are not officially recorded routinely, but Defra introduced a statutory notification scheme on 17 January 2013 for certain tree genera (including ash, oak and plane) moved into England from other EU Member States. Since then, there have been no notifications for ash trees, which remain subject to import and movement restrictions as part of the management strategy against Chalara fraxinea. There have been 214,554 oak trees and 2,300 plane trees notified as moving into England from other Member States. The trees were imported from Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands (and for oak trees only) France, the Republic of Ireland and Spain. The Forestry Commission also records trees imported specifically for forest reproductive purposes and since October 2012 there have been 81,825 oak trees imported into England and Wales for that purpose (30,000 of those have been imported since 17 January 2013 and therefore are also included in the Defra figures above). They were imported from Belgium and Germany. Universal Credit Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 25 March (WA 209), whether they will publish details of the funding that will be made available to each London borough in the current financial year to cover the management element of the costs of temporary accommodation for homeless households on Universal Credit. Lord Freud: Further to my earlier reply, an announcement on future funding available to all local authorities in Great Britain for this provision in Universal Credit will be made in due course. Current arrangements for existing housing benefit claimants in Temporary Accommodation will continue to apply until migration to Universal Credit is complete. Universal Credit roll out is starting gradually with new claims from single jobseekers living in the North West of England, which means it is unlikely that London authorities will see homeless Universal Credit claimants in the near future. However, if this should occur, Discretionary Housing Payments are available. We will continue to work closely with Local Authorities across the country, including London, as we develop plans for national rollout. Visas Lord Steel of Aikwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many representations they have received in the past year from members of both Houses of Parliament concerning the operation of the UK Border Agency in issuing visas. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: To obtain statistical information on representations made specifically about the operation of the UK Border Agency in issuing visas would incur a disproportionate cost. Waterways: River Thames Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what basis the Thames is not designated bathing water; and what advice is given to organisations which organise swimming events in the Thames. Lord De Mauley: The purpose of designating bathing waters is to manage and reduce pollution in surface waters expected to be used by a large number of bathers. This ensures a proportionate approach to protecting bather health. Defra has set out clear guidance on the evidence it requires to consider designating waters and this can be viewed on the Government publications website under “designation and de-designation of bathing waters”. No application has been received in relation to the Thames and Defra is currently unaware of any stretches that would meet its designation criteria. Organisers should contact the appropriate local environmental health department, Public Health England and the Environment Agency. This will ensure they receive advice appropriate to their circumstances. Waterways: Sewage Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have about how much has been spent on investigating alternatives to the Thames Tideway Tunnel by (1) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (2) the Environment Agency, (3) Thames Water, and (4) the Greater London Authority; and when any such sums were spent. Lord De Mauley: Thames Water Utilities Ltd is the sewerage undertaker in London and is responsible for ensuring a solution to ongoing sewage discharges into the Thames. This includes the consideration of alternative solutions to the Thames Tideway Tunnel. We are unable to provide cost figures as requested. Resources have been allocated to working with Thames Water in finding a solution to sewage discharges into the Thames rather than split between enabling a Tunnel solution and into alternatives. In core Defra, prior to 2009 it is not possible to identify the costs associated with work on preventing sewage pollution in the Thames. From 2009 onwards, approximate figures are as follows: Year Activity Cost 2009-10 Waste Water National Policy Statement £44,000 2010-11 Waste Water National Policy Statement £94,000 2011-12 Waste Water National Policy Statement £13,000 Project Financing Advisers £150,000 Legal Advisers £200,000 2012-13 Project Financing Advisers £678,000 Legal Advisers £838,000 Project Insurance Advisers £32,000 Source: Defra - Water & Flood Risk Management In addition to these costs, the annual Defra staff costs allocated to preventing sewage pollution into the Thames in 2012/13 were approximately £360,000. The costs in 2011/12 were similar; in previous years they were significantly less. The Environment Agency similarly does not hold a separate record of costs associated with investigating alternatives to the Thames Tideway Tunnel. Defra does not hold cost information for Thames Water or the Greater London Authority. Young Offenders Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children have arrived at a secure establishment in each of the last four years (1) between 9.00pm and 11.59pm, (2) between midnight and 12.59am, (3) between 1.00am and 1.59am, (4) between 2.00am and 2.59am, (5) between 3.00am and 3.59am, and (6) between 4.00am and 8.00am. Lord McNally: Table 1 below shows how many children arrived at Secure Children’s Homes and Secure Training Centres, (1) between 9.00pm and 11.59pm, (2) between midnight and 12.59am, (3) between 1.00am and 1.59am, (4) between 2.00am and 2.59am, (5) between 3.00am and 3.59am, and (6) between 4.00am and 8.00am, from 30th August 2012 to 6th June 2013. Data prior to this is not held centrally. It is not possible to provide information for Youth Offender Institutions because it would mean manual inspection of daily records which could only be done at disproportionate cost. Table 1: Arrival times at Secure Training Centre and Secure Children’s Home establishments from 30th August 2012 to 6th June 2013 30th Aug 2012-31st Dec 2012 1 Jan 2013-6th June 2013 Time bracket Number of instances Proportion of total number of instances Number of instances Proportion of total number of instances between 9pm-1.59pm 60 11% 86 5% between midnight-12.59am 5 1% 3 0% between 1am-1.59am 2 0% 2 0% between 2am-2.59am 2 0% 0 0% between 3am-3.59am 0 0% 0 0% between 4am- 8am 0 0% 0 0% Total 69 13% 91 5% Source: Data provided to the Youth Justice Board from Serco (the current provider of the SCH and STC escort service). Note: These figures record the time of arrival at an establishment not just for admissions but also returns from court hearings, police stations, hospital visits. Escort providers are expected to take all reasonable steps to expedite the journeys of young people in order to reduce the likelihood of late arrivals at establishments. Some youth establishments do have latest reception times but the overall policy is that young people will not be turned away from establishments regardless of the arrival time.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2013-06-20a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2013", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Railways: Concessions baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the public purse so far of the national pilot scheme for the 26–30 railcard; and what estimate they have made of the potential cost to the public purse of making the scheme available throughout England. baroness sugg: The 26-30 Railcard trial is being carried out by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), an association which includes all British rail companies and Network Rail. RDG are investigating the impact of the trial which will inform decisions moving forward regarding a potential roll out across Great Britain. Railways: Concessions baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, subsidythey provide to train operating companies for the operation of the 16–25 railcard scheme. baroness sugg: As set out in franchise agreements with train operators, the Department for Transport will receive a premium from them or pay out a subsidy based on a range of various measures that the franchisee is asked to deliver, of which railcards are one. It is not possible to disentangle all of the individual elements that contribute to a Train Operating Company’s subsidy. Railways: Concessions baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people who will apply for a 26–30 railcard once fully rolled out throughout England. baroness sugg: The 26-30 Railcard trial is being carried out by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), an association which includes all British rail companies and Network Rail. RDG initially made available 10,000 tickets for the first wave of this trial followed by a further 10,000 for the second wave. They are investigating the trial and evaluating its impact which will help inform the decision making process regarding a potential roll out across Great Britain. First TransPennine Express baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey have agreed to the use on some routes operated by TransPennine Express of trains which are not able to accommodate wheelchairs; andwhat assessment they have made of whetherthose trains are compliant with disability rights legislation. baroness sugg: The Rail North Partnership team (which manages the franchise on behalf of the Department and Transport for the North) have been advised by TransPennine Express that they do not intend to operate Mk3 coaches in passenger carrying service. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy EURATOM lord hunt of chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government which components of Euratom's work programme will the UK participate in following the current negotiations; and whether those will include regulation, safety, energy coordination, and long term research and development of fusion and nuclear waste policies. lord henley: The Government’s strategy is to seek a close association with Euratom, to the mutual benefit of the UK and the EU, and to provide maximum continuity for the civil nuclear sector. The components of this future relationship with Euratom are subject to negotiations with the EU. The UK will also seek to fully associate itself with the Euratom Research and Training Programme, including the Joint European Torus (JET) and the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), and recognises that such an association would necessarily involve an appropriate financial contribution in line with other associated countries. New Businesses: Females lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave madeof the availability of funding for female entrepreneurs. lord henley: This Government is committed to ensuring that all businesses and business owners have the right support. There are now approximately 1.2 million women-led small and medium-sized businesses in the UK.The Government’s assessment is that funding, both equity and debt, is widely available to support entrepreneurs regardless of their gender. The report Small Business Finance Markets 2017/18 published by the British Business Bank notes that the value of equity investment (up 79%), asset finance (up 12%) and peer-to-peer business lending (up 51%) used by smaller businesses all showed significant growth in 2017.There are 38 Growth Hubs across England providing support to help businesses start-up and grow. The Business Support Helpline also provides information and guidance to people across England - 45% of users in 2015/16 were women.The Government-backed British Business Bank’s Start-Up Loans provide funding and support to new entrepreneurs, of which 39% have been issued to women. The British Business Bank is also conducting research to identify ways to overcome the specific barriers faced by female-led Businesses in accessing Venture Capital. In collaboration with the Enterprise Research Centre they are gathering data from over 50 VC firms and are now commissioning behavioural research in this area. Department of Health and Social Care Pupils: Measurement lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they track the weight of school children between the ages of 12 and 16; if so, how this is done; and how the results are communicated to all the parents of the children so measured. lord o'shaughnessy: The weight of school children between the ages of 12 and 16 is not tracked nationally.Data is collected on the height and weight of children aged 2-15 in the Health Survey for England (HSE). Around 2,000 children (aged 0-15) take part in the survey each year. Information is collected through an interview and, if participants agree, a visit from a specially trained nurse. In 2016 the sample contained 2,056 children of which 1,117 children had a nurse visit.The HSE is a sample survey for the purposes of providing statistical information on the health and lifestyles of people across England. It is not designed to report back to parents on their child’s weight. Department for International Development Bangladesh: Rohingya lord ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they have received about any issues in relation to safeguarding or sexual abuse of Rohingya women and children in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh; and what action they intend to take in response to such issues. lord bates: We recognise that Rohingya women and girls face risks in the camps including domestic violence, sexual harassment, forced labour and sexual exploitation. DFID is helping to provide services including psycho-social counselling, reproductive health services, child-friendly spaces, safe shelters and legal advice. We are also providing essential support for personal safety, including improved lighting and alarms to help keep women and girls safer. Syria: Overseas Aid lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Secretary of State for International Development to the Friends of Syria All-Party Parliamentary Group on 28 May, which are the 15 agencies funded by the Department for International Development to implement projects in Syria. lord bates: DFID is now funding 18 agencies implementing projects in Syria. These include UN agencies, international NGOs, and some private sector companies. Aside from the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, we have agreed with partners not to disclose publicly their identity because doing so could put their staff at risk. Burma: Overseas Aid baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to commission a transparent review of UK aid spending in Myanmar. lord bates: In the light of events in Rakhine State since 2017, DFID Burma has undertaken a full strategic review of all its programming. As a result, DFID Burma is shifting its approach to focus more on inclusion, conflict-affected areas and groups, displaced populations and a more robust engagement with government. These efforts continue to support the long-term democratic, peace and economic transitions. A summary of the DFID Burma programme will be published in July alongside the DFID Annual Report 2018-19. Details of all DFID Burma programmes are published on the Devtracker website. Department for Education Pupils: Personal Records lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to inform schools that they no longer need to collect data on pupils' nationality and to remove any such information from their records. lord agnew of oulton: School census requirements are published annually on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-census. The requirements for 2018/19 will be published shortly. Schools: Transport baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of children in rural England who no longer have access to free school transport as a result of cutbacks to free transport services by local councils; and what istheirpolicy on the provision of school transport in rural areas. lord agnew of oulton: The government does not centrally collect data on the number of children who receive free transport.Local authorities consistently spend approximately £1 billion per year on home to school transport.Local authorities must provide free transport from home to school for eligible children. This includes transport for those who attend their nearest suitable school where it is beyond the statutory walking distances of two miles for children under eight years old and three miles for those aged eight to 16. They must also provide transport where there is no safe walking route. Approximately 60% of this funding is spent on transport for children with special educational needs. Ministry of Justice Offenders: Employment baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of adult offenders were in employment one year after (1) a caution, (2) a conviction, and (3) release from prison, in each year since 2012. lord keen of elie: We do not currently hold the data as requested. We are working with HM Revenue and Customs and Department for Work and Pensions to capture this information in the future. From a previous joint exercise between the Ministry of Justice, HMRC and DWP to analyse the links between employment, benefits and reoffending, we know that in 2011-12, one year after a:- police caution: 40% of working age offenders were in P45 employment- release from prison: 17% of working age offenders were in P45 employment Securing employment after a sentence has a positive impact on rates of reoffending. Offenders who found P45 employment in the twelve months after release from prison had one year re-offending rates that were 6-9 percentage points lower than similar offenders who did not find employment. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Affordable Housing lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are proposing to remove the term "social rent" from the glossary definition of affordable housing on their proposed new National Planning Policy Framework. lord bourne of aberystwyth: In the draft National Planning Policy Framework we have consulted on a revised definition of affordable housing for planning purposes. The proposed definition does not remove social rent as a type of affordable housing. The Government’s rent policy sets out guidelines for rent setting for social rent properties and is specifically referenced in the proposed definition. We are considering whether any further amendments to the definition are needed in the light of the comments received, and intend to publish a final version this summer. Housing Associations: Rents lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the annual one per cent rent cut on the ability of housing associations to deliver effective services to their tenants. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government’s published Impact Assessment (attached) is available online: https://www.parliament.uk/documents/impact-assessments/IA15-006F.pdf. The 2017 Global Accounts (published by the Regulator of Social Housing) report that the housing association sector continues to be financially robust, with a total net surplus of £4.1bn - up from £3.3bn in the previous year. Impact assessment (PDF Document, 63.81 KB) Council Housing: Greater London lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the plans by the Mayor of London to provide grant funding to local authorities in London to build council housing. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Mayor has responsibility for housing delivery in London.At Spring Statement 2018, the Chancellor announced that we will be providing London with an additional £1.67bn from the Affordable Homes Programme to support the Mayor to build a further 26,000 affordable homes. Two-third will be homes for rent, including at social rent. This has increased our investment in London to over £4.8bn for at least 116,000 affordable homes by March 2022.We are providing the Mayor with the investment to deliver the affordable homes that London needs, working with Housing Associations and Local Authorities. Travellers: Equality baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the publication of the End of Mission Statement of the Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance at the Conclusion of Her Mission to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in May, what assessment they have made of the lack of teachers from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities, the over-representation of GRT children in secure training centres, and the lack of data on the experience of GRT persons in the criminal justice system. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is concerned about the inequalities experienced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, particularly in health and education. The Race Disparity Audit identified that Roma, Gypsy and Traveller communities are amongst the most disadvantaged groups in British society and we are committed to do more to make sure nobody in this country is excluded or left behind.The United Kingdom has a close working relationship with United Nations bodies and a standing invitation to all Special Rapporteurs, and is committed to upholding the rule of law and the rules-based international system. The Government welcomed the Special Rapporteur’s visit, and will provide further information to the Special Rapporteur as necessary. We will respond to the Special Rapporteur’s country visit findings, conclusions and recommendations when these are presented to the Human Rights Council. Ministry of Defence Military Decorations lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byEarl Howe on 13 June (HL8397), whether 5 star officers and retired Heads of Service were treated in the same fashion with regard to long service and good conduct medals. earl howe: Long Service and Good Conduct Medals were awarded to officers holding five-star rank and, for retired four-star Heads of Service, those who were in Regular Service after 29 July 2014. Home Office Peers: Correspondence lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Home Secretary will respond to my email of 27 May concerning the arrangements for the protection of Tommy Robinson in prison. baroness williams of trafford: The safety of all prisoners under assessment, is a priority for this government, and where threats to a prisoner’s safety are identified, measures are taken to mitigate these. Police: Biometrics lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the annual report of the Commissioner for the Retention and Use of Biometric Material, published in March; and whether they intend to bring forward legislation to govern the use of automated facial recognition by the police. baroness williams of trafford: The Government published its response to the Biometrics Commissioner’s Annual Report on 5 June on the gov.uk website.On the issue of legislation on police use of automated facial recognition, I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to his question HL8083 on 4 June. Immigration: Windrush Generation the lord bishop of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 24 May (HCWS722), how many non-documented Commonwealth citizens, other than those from Caribbean nations, have been removed from the UK while claiming to have been settled here (1) on 1 January 1973, and (2) between 1973 and 1988. baroness williams of trafford: The information requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The Home Secretary has committed to regularly updating the Home Affairs Select Committee on the Department's review of all removals and immigration detentions, dating back to 2002, of Caribbean nationals now aged over 45 (i.e. born before 1.1.73), to establish whether any could have entered the UK prior to 1973 and therefore might be protected by the Immigration Act 1971.We want to take stock of the emerging findings of this initial work before going further. Refugees: Children in Care baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children who entered the UK under (1) the Vulnerable Children's Resettlement Scheme, and (2) section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 (a) have been placed in local authority care, and (b) remain in local authority care; and in which local authorities they were placed. baroness williams of trafford: Unaccompanied children arriving in the UK through the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme and Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 are placed into the care of a local authority. Placements for these children are secured from local authorities voluntarily participating in the National Transfer Scheme.However due to the inherent vulnerability and relatively small numbers of this cohort, the Home Office does not publish a breakdown of such children entering and leaving local authority care. Refugees: Employment baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people granted refugee status were in employment in the UK (1) one year, and (2) five years, after refugee status was granted. baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office does not collect the information required to calculate the total number of people granted refugee status who are in employment in the UK for any point in time.We recognise the difficulties refugees can face when looking for work. We have funded a pilot project to provide additional employment support to refugees resettled through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme and we will share the learning from this pilot with the Department for Work and Pensions and others. We continue to work closely with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that refugees are aware of, and receive, the support they are entitled to. Cabinet Office Regulation lord smith of clifton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many regulatory agencies were operating in the UK in 2017–18; and what was the total annual running cost of those agencies. lord young of cookham: 61 Arm’s Length Bodies with regulatory functions are listed in the Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies 2017. Many of these bodies also have non-regulatory functions. This publication does not include regulators operating as part of Government departments, outside central government, in devolved or local government, nor those which remain unclassified. The running cost of these bodies is set out in Public Bodies 2017, but this includes the cost of non-regulatory functions – the running cost of regulatory functions is not separately identified. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport National Lottery lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the measures that Camelot has in place to address gambling related harm; and of the case for Camelot to provide GambleAware literature at the point of sale of National Lottery products. lord ashton of hyde: Requirements around player protection are set out in the National Lottery operating licence, overseen and regulated by the Gambling Commission. Under the terms of the licence, Camelot are required to produce and implement an underage and excessive play strategy, which I attach. This is available at: https://www.national-lottery.co.uk/responsible-play/consumer-protection-strategy. This is reviewed and approved annually. The Gambling Commission also regularly monitors and engages with Camelot on the measures that it has in place and its progress on its plans to improve them. Additionally, the Gambling Commission makes periodic assessments of Camelot’s performance on player protection and its recent business plan states that it intends this year to assess the effectiveness of the current and future protections in place for National Lottery players. GambleAware commissions treatment services for gambling related harm. This includes GamCare, which provides a helpline and private counselling for anyone affected by problem gambling. GamCare’s helpline and website are advertised on scratchcards, draw tickets and the National Lottery website and in 2017 Camelot increased its contribution to GambleAware from £190,000 to £300,000 per year. CONSUMER PROTECTION STRATEGY (PDF Document, 157.37 KB) Gambling: Surveys lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for reinstating the British Gambling Prevalence Survey. lord ashton of hyde: Following the British Gambling Prevalence Survey (BGPS) in 2010 it was decided to include questions about gambling participation and the experience of gambling problems in national health surveys. Since then, data from the 2012 and 2015 Health Surveys for England and Scotland as well as the Problem Gambling Survey Wales 2015 has been used to assess rates of problem gambling. The health surveys have a similar methodology to the BGPS and target the same population group, while also allowing for cross-referencing of health and demographic variables with those related to gambling. There are no plans to change this method of data collection. The Gambling Commission also monitors gambling participation and prevalence through quarterly telephone and online surveys with people aged 16 and over in Great Britain, conducted independently by Populus. Each survey captures the past four weeks’ gambling behaviour, including problem gambling estimates, consumer awareness of gambling tools and perceptions and attitudes towards gambling. These are collated into annual gambling behaviour reports. Broadband lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their plans for delivering full-fibre to the premises broadband connections to the majority of homes and businesses by 2025; and what proportion of homes and businesses they plan to reach by (1) 2020, and (2) 2022. lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional investment will be available to deliver their plans for full-fibre to the premises broadband connections to the majority of homes and businesses by 2025. lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whenthey will publish a response to their Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review consultation which closed in January. lord ashton of hyde: The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, launched in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, will set out the regulatory and policy changes that are needed to support investment in full fibre networks and deliver on the Government’s ambition, as announced by the Chancellor in his CBI speech for fibre rollout: 15 million premises covered by 2025 with a national network by 2033. The Report is due to be published in due course.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2018-06-21
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2018", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Coal Fired Power Stations lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the reuse of the sites of former coal-fired power stations; and whether any such plans include using those sites for (1) alternative energy production, (2) industrial and employment uses, and (3) housing, in particular social housing. lord henley: The Government has a clear policy to close all unabated coal power generation by 2025. Decisions on the reuse of the sites of former coal-fired power stations will be for the commercial owners or operators. Civil Engineering lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the civil engineering sector in the event of a no-deal Brexit. lord henley: The Government’s long-term commitment to drive productivity in the construction industry includes support for civil engineering through the UK’s National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, which is worth over £400bn of planned public and private investment in nearly 700 projects, programmes and other investments. This includes around £190bn to be invested by 2020/21. It is estimated the next decade will see over £600bn of public and private investments in infrastructure. The National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) has also been increased to £37bn and has been extended by another year until 2023-24. The NPIF is the cornerstone of the Government’s plan to boost growth in areas critical to productivity. The investments we are making from the Construction Sector Deal to transform the sector’s productivity includes our commitment to invest £170m, matched by £250m from industry in the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) in the Transforming Construction: Manufacturing Better Buildings programme. The programme will improve productivity through promoting the development and commercialisation of digital, manufacturing, energy generation and storage technologies for the construction and built environment sectors. The Transforming Construction programme will also promote a range of R&D and demonstration projects through cross sector collaboration; and £72m will be invested in the Transforming Construction Alliance – a consortium of the Centre for Digital Built Britain, the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the Building Research Establishment to support collaboration. The sector deal will aim to create a new business model, driven by investment, and embedded throughout the UK. Energy: Disconnections lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Henley on 26 June (HL16573), why they do not hold data on the number of households who disconnect their energy supply due to the cost; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the lack of such data on their fuel poverty policy. lord henley: Government has given Ofgem, the independent GB energy regulator, a statutory duty to protect the interests of vulnerable consumers, with the regulator enforcing rules to protect consumers at risk of debt and disconnection. Following a call for evidence, Ofgem is undertaking a review of households who disconnect their energy supplies due to cost and has requested that energy companies provide additional information and data to help their analysis. They will publish their response this summer. Government will consider the findings of this review and the potential impact more detailed information about self disconnection could have on how we target fuel poverty policies, such as the Warm Home Discount and ECO Local Authority Flexible Eligibility. Energy: Disconnections lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 26 June (HL16573), what sources of data on the number of households who disconnect their energy supplies due to cost they use to inform their policy-making. lord henley: The energy regulator Ofgem, monitors and publishes data on households who disconnect their energy supplies due to cost, which includes data from their annual Consumer Engagement Survey and from the Citizens Advice self disconnection consumer survey. Following a call for evidence, Ofgem is undertaking a review of households who disconnect their energy supplies due to cost and has requested that energy companies provide additional information and data to help their analysis. They will publish their response this summer. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ark Group DMCC: Finance baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they paid £19 million to the ARK Group DMCC based in Dubai; and if so, why. baroness goldie: ARK Group have delivered UK-funded programmes across the Middle East through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and the Global Britain Fund (now International Programme Fund). We have not been able to identify the specific payment of £19m based on the information provided. However, since 2016-17 ARK have worked on over 20 projects for the FCO and received c.£25m of funding for these projects.ARK's work for the FCO includes projects aimed at improving security stabilisation and communications in Lebanon; improving Security Sector Reform in Jordan; tackling sexual and gender-based violence in Syria; providing support to Syrian voices and civil society; and improving Community Resilience and Peacebuilding in Yemen. Department for International Development International Planned Parenthood Federation: Finance baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution they made to (1) the core, and (2) non-core, fundingof the International Planned Parenthood Federation in (1) 2016–17, (2) 2017–18, and (3) 2018–19; and what further funding they intend to provide to that Federation. baroness sugg: In 2016 DFID contributed £6.45m of net ODA to the International Planned Parenthood Federation and no further funds in 2017. No non-core funding was provided in either period. Comparable figures beyond December 2017 are not yet available. Ministry of Defence Army Reserve: Recruitment lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many soldiers were recruited to the Army Reserve between January 2018 and May 2019. earl howe: Intake for the Army Future Reserve 2020 between 1 January 2018 and 31 March 2019 was 4,310. This figure includes Officers and Soldiers. Further information can be found on gov.uk at the link below:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/quarterly-service-personnel-statistics-2019 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Hunting lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of "canned hunting". lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is aware of the practice of so called “canned hunting”. It is considering this issue carefully and will be informed by evidence it continues to gather. Agriculture: Seasonal Workers lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assistance that seasonal farm workers from the Ukraine could provide in meeting the UK’s agricultural requirements; and what barriers, if any, there are to their entry. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government has introduced a new immigration pilot scheme for 2019 and 2020 enabling up to 2,500 non-European Economic Area migrant workers, including seasonal workers from Ukraine, to come to the UK to undertake seasonal employment in the edible horticultural sector. This pilot will test the effectiveness of our immigration system at alleviating seasonal labour shortages during peak production periods, whilst reducing immigration to sustainable levels and continuing to welcome those who make an invaluable contribution. This pilot is not designed to meet the full labour needs of the horticultural sector. Rather we are seeking to evaluate the immigration pilot’s ability to assist in alleviating labour shortages during peak production periods. Defra and the Home Office will work closely to monitor the pilot, and review its performance against the stated objectives. This pilot will help inform our understanding of how such immigration routes perform in a modern global context, and support the design of our new immigration system laid out in the recent White Paper. Defra is working to improve the official evidence based on temporary worker supply and demand, through a new quarterly survey of growers, the results of which we will consider carefully. We are also working closely with industry to understand trends in labour demand and supply. Immigration issues are reserved and remain the policy responsibility of the Home Office. After we leave the EU, we must ensure that we have an immigration system that works in the best interest of the whole of the UK. Defra is working closely with the Home Office to ensure that there is a long term strategy for agricultural labour as part of the future immigration strategy. The Home Office has launched a 12-month engagement programme with sectors across the UK to enable businesses and other stakeholders to shape the development of the future skills based immigration system. As such, there are no plans to expand this pilot at this time. We wish to fully assess this pilot and the results will help to inform the design of the new immigration system from January 2021. Home Office Lead: Theft lord alderdice: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many churches in England have had thefts of lead in each of the last five years. lord alderdice: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the value of the lead stolen from churches in England in each of the last five years. lord alderdice: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the methods of disposal of stolen lead; and of whether such disposal took place in (1) the UK, or (2) elsewhere in Europe. baroness williams of trafford: The Government recognises the distress and disruption that metal theft can cause, not only to businesses but also local communities of which churches are an important part.The Home Office collects information from police forces on the number of metal theft incidents. These data are published annually by the Office for National Statistics and can be found in the ‘Property Crime tables’ here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/focusonpropertycrimeappendixtables.The data show whether or not the theft was infrastructure or non-infrastructure related. Data are available for the year ending March 2013 to March 2018, however they are not broken down to show how many incidents were related to theft of lead from church roofs or the method or country of disposal for the metal stolen. Property Crime Tables 2017-18 (Excel SpreadSheet, 286 KB) Passports lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are now issuing British passports without the words "European Union" on the front cover; and if so, why. baroness williams of trafford: Passport design changes are determined months in advance to ensure that there are sufficient stocks to deliver passport services to nearly seven million British travellers each year.The issuing of passports to British citizens that no longer include the words European Union was therefore long planned to coincide with the earliest possible date that the UK would leave the EU, and introduced on 30 March 2019.There is no difference for British citizens whether their passport does or does not reference the EU. Both are equally valid for travel. Asylum: Community Relations lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to encourage the integration of asylum seekers into communities. baroness williams of trafford: This Government’s priority is to focus our efforts and resources to support those who most need it, rather than invest in integration for those who may not qualify for international protection. Currently, around half of those who seek asylum in the UK are found not to need international protection. This is why support towards integration is offered at the point where someone has been recognised as a refugee.The Government published the cross-government Integrated Communities Action plan in February 2019. In the action plan we have committed to ensuring all refugees are supported and empowered to integrate and rebuild their lives in the UK, focusing on improving support for English language, employment, mental health, and orientation to life in the UK. Immigration lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many outstanding leave to remain cases are awaiting decision by the Home Office. baroness williams of trafford: Information on the number of Leave to Remain applications currently awaiting decision is not available in published statistics.However, the number of in-country applications in progress is published as part of quarterly transparency data. The latest figures are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/in-country-migration-data-may-2019, which also shows the percentage of straightforward applications considered within service standard. UKVI - In Country Migration Data - May 2019 (Excel SpreadSheet, 129.91 KB) Migrant Workers lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to engage with businesses, employers and other stakeholders before making a final decision on future salary thresholds for skilled workers from outside the UK; and whether that timescale will be shortened in the event of a no-deal Brexit. baroness williams of trafford: Following the publication of the Government’s White Paper ‘The UK’s future skills-based immigration system’ (Cm9722) on 19 December 2018, Ministers and officials are undertaking an extensive year long engagement programme with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK, including with the private, public and voluntary sector and local government, as well as industry representatives and individual businesses. We have already delivered over 100 events in every nation of the UK, reaching almost 1500 stakeholders.As part of our engagement, on 24 June 2019, the Government asked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to consider the issue of minimum salary thresholds in more detail. As part of this new commission, we have asked the MAC to look at a number of issues including the approach to calculating salary thresholds, the levels at which they should be set, the case for greater regional variation and the impact of exemptions from minimum salary thresholds. This report is due by January 2020.We have been very clear that no decision on the levels at which salary thresholds should be set will be taken until we have completed the UK-wide engagement process that is currently underway. Treasury Employment lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of leaving the EU on 31 October on employment levels. lord young of cookham: In November 2018 the Government published a detailed set of economic analyses on the long-term impacts of EU exit on the UK economy, its sectors, nations and regions and the public finances. This government has a strong track record of delivering and protecting jobs. There are 3.7 million more people in work compared to 2010, and the proportion of low paid jobs is at its lowest level for at least 20 years. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Betting the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Ashton of Hyde on 2 July (HL Deb, col 1346), on what evidence they based their claim that the Bet Regret campaign is showing promising results. lord ashton of hyde: We published the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures in May last year. A safer gambling advertising campaign was one of a range of measures to strengthen protections around gambling advertising and more widely, to ensure that the sector is socially responsible and doing all it can to protect consumers. The campaign was launched in February and the initial message, ‘Bet Regret’, is aimed at reducing risky or impulsive betting on sports, particularly by young men. Campaign activity has been closely monitored and a tracking study conducted at the end of the first burst of TV advertising suggests that the campaign is well-targeted and is effectively reaching the intended audience. The attached summary is published on GambleAware’s website here: https://about.gambleaware.org/media/1966/safer-gambling-campaign-update-june-2019.pdf Safer Gambling Update (PDF Document, 3.22 MB)
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2019-07-16
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2019", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Afghanistan: Prisoner of War Status Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have concerning the most appropriate method for determining the status of those arrested by the United States authorities in Afghanistan following recent battles, and in particular that of British citizens or former residents, now in custody. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Whether any individual is a prisoner of war depends on the facts of each individual case. It is for the detaining power in the first instance to take a view. We do not know all the facts and therefore cannot form a view about individual cases. Nuclear Weapons Lord Jenkins of Putney: asked Her Majesty's Government: What happened to the proposal put to the United Nations by the Australian Government to ban nuclear weapons. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The recommendations of the 1996 Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons have in many ways been overtaken by the agreement the UK helped broker at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York in May 2000. The final document of the conference provides a plan, based on achievable steps and agreed by all parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, on the way forward towards nuclear non-proliferation and the ultimate goal of global nuclear disarmament. EU Developments: Six-monthly Report Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to include in the next six-monthly report concerning developments in the European Union the complete text of the presidential conclusions and its appendices published after the Laeken-Brussels European Council; and when the six-monthly report will be published. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: No decision has yet been taken on the precise format and content of the next six-monthly report concerning developments in the European Union. We plan to publish the report during the first few months of this year. Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will report on the outcome of the Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review. Lord Whitty: We are pleased to announce that the report Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review—Report to Ministers by the Review Steering Group has been published today along with a consultation document seeking views on the steering group's recommendations and conclusions and how these might be taken forward. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House. The steering group's report assessed a number of options for change, including additional sources of funding and a broad based regional model to provide a single funding stream. Suggestions for short-term changes include giving the Environment Agency responsibility for all watercourses that present a significant flood risk and on combining and consolidating capital grant and revenue support grant to the agency, possibly in the form of central grant allocations. Elsewhere, the report recommends continued reliance on the existing flood management strategic framework to monitor achievement of the Government's policies and priorities. The Government have agreed to consult on the recommendations in the report. This provides a unique opportunity to consider provision of the flood and coastal defence service from first principles and I look forward to receiving the views of interested parties. We will keep Parliament informed of developments. Seat Belts Lord Janner of Braunstone: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they accept the findings of a Japanese survey (published in the Lancet 2002 359:43–44) that 80 per cent of deaths of drivers and front seat passengers would be avoided if all back seat passengers wore seat belts. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Japanese research clearly demonstrates the inherent dangers of not wearing seat belts. It concludes that 80 per cent of front seat occupant deaths, in the accidents that were investigated, could have been avoided if a rear seat passenger had been wearing a seat belt. These findings are based on the situation in Japan where wearing rates are different from Great Britain. As explained in an oral Answer on 24 January [Official Report, col. 217], we are currently seeking information to estimate the number of front seat occupants injured in Great Britain as the result of being hit by an unbelted rear seat passenger. Asylum Seekers: Driving Licence Applications Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What documents are acceptable as proof of identity of asylum seekers and refugees who are applying for a provisional driving licence; whether these included the SAL1 and SAL2 documents issued by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate when an asylum seeker first enters the country and the National Asylum Support Service 35 document issued by the Home Office when an asylum seeker is given leave to remain; and, if not, why not. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The photocard driving licence is a very secure document. In line with the Government's policy of combating identity fraud and illegal working, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) needs to be assured of the identity of applicants before driving licences are issued. The Home Office has advised that standard acknowledgement letters and the National Asylum Support Service 35 document do not convey the identity of the holder securely enough to allow the agency to accept these papers as sole evidence of identity. The Government recognise the problems faced by those who arrive in this country without any identity documents. In these circumstances, DVLA will consider a combination of a wide range of alternative documentation and the papers mentioned above would be acceptable as individual elements in this process. Other examples might include national identity cards, utility bills and bank statements. London Underground Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to prevent passengers on London Underground being stranded at stations due to industrial action. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: This is an operational matter for London Underground, which informs me that it will be taking all the steps necessary to ensure that all possible service restrictions due to any strike action on the Underground are relayed to customers with the aim of minimising any disruption to their journey. London Underground will give as much information as possible regarding service disruption. Information on alternative routes of travel will be available in the Evening Standard, on the Tube website (www.thetube.com,) posters in advance and during strike action, local radio bulletins, London-wide television and radio, Teletext and Ceefax. Ministerial Briefings: Acoustics Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 11 December (WA 182) on the acoustics in ministerial buildings, whether they accept an overall responsibility for ensuring that the arrangements for briefing and consulting with citizens are adequate. Lord Williams of Mostyn: As the Answer of 11 December made clear, individual government departments are responsible for determining their own arrangements. There is no central guidance on minimum specification. Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the critiera for inclusion of the organisations listed in Appendix 6 of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's publication Making a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland (September 2001); and whether each of the organisations listed has lodged a membership list and a copy of its constitution with the commission. Lord Williams of Mostyn: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The chief commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library. Republic of Ireland President: Police Escort Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 10 January (WA 125) concerning members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland being required to remove their remembrance poppies at a Gaelic Athletic Association function, what status did the officials of the organisation who requested the removal have; and what reasons were given. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The officials concerned were believed to have been senior committee members. They were concerned that the continued display of the poppies may have provoked an adverse reaction from some of those attending the dinner. Northern Ireland Police Service Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many times Consensia, responsible for recruitment for the Northern Ireland Police Service, has sent information to potential applicants by courier and by special post; how many complaints it has had concerning items lost or late in the post; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy about communication with applicants; and How many applicants for the new Police Service of Northern Ireland who have been asked to re-apply for parts of the selection process because of letters lost in the post were from (a) the pool of Catholic applicants and (b) the pool of non-Catholic applicants. Lord Williams of Mostyn: I have been advised that Consensia has sent information to an applicant by courier on one occasion. Consensia is aware of six individuals who stated that they did not receive information, although responsibility cannot be attributed to the postal service in every instance. These individuals were asked to re-apply. Their community background is not known. Consensia uses first-class mail to communicate with applicants, which is in line with government policy. Northern Ireland Police Service Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the mechanism for examining the quality, efficiency and accuracy of the work of Consensia, which is responsible for recruitment for the Northern Ireland Police Service, and whether an undertaking can be given that all application forms and documents from applicants have been fully filled in at all stages. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The quality, efficiency and accuracy of the work of Consensia is kept under review by the Consensia Partnership itself, through the establishment of detailed protocols and procedures with equality checks at all stages. The protocols are subject to review by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Regular meetings are held between the Consensia Partnership and the PSNI to review performance. As required under the legislation, Consensia also employs expert lay assessors to participate in the testing and assessment of candidates, while independent community observers attend various stages of the recruitment process and report to the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Applications are checked on receipt and rejected if not signed and dated. Candidates are given seven working days to provide missing information such as photograph, and 21 days to provide nationality/right to seek employment information. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether as part of their policy of open government, they will require the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to publish on its website all letters from the chief commissioner which have been lodged in the Library of the House in answer to Written Questions. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Act 1998 does not require the commission to publish on a website any letters from the chief commissioner in answer to Parliamentary Questions referred to it for answer. However, the Government require that replies to Parliamentary Questions should be sent directly to the initiator within 14 days and that arrangements are made to ensure that copies are placed in the Library. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is an independent body, and what the Commission chooses to publish on its website is therefore a matter for the commission. However, I have written to the chief commissioner to request that the commission considers this matter. House of Lords Office Space Lord Trefgarne: asked the Chairman of Committees: What proportion of the office space within the House of Lords portion of the Palace of Westminster is occupied by the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary and the staff of the Judicial Office. Lord Tordoff: Within the House of Lords portion of the Palace of Westminster an area of 5,916 square metres is designated as office space. The area occupied by the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary and the staff of the Judicial Office amounts to 557 square metres, some 9.4 per cent of the total.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2002-02-14a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2002", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Ministry of Justice Sentencing baroness gould of potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance is issued to (1) judges, and (2) magistrates, relating to the length of time that should occur between conviction by the courts and the issuing of a final sentence. lord keen of elie: The Criminal Procedure Rules require the court to pass sentence as soon as it is able to take into account the information that it needs for sentencing purposes. The information needed and the time taken to provide and consider it will depend upon the circumstances of the case. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Foreign Companies: Property lord chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the draft bill for their proposed register of the beneficial owners of overseas companies owning property in the UK. lord henley: On 11 December the Government published its new Anti-Corruption Strategy. In the Strategy we have committed to publish a draft bill in this session of Parliament for the establishment of a public register of beneficial ownership of overseas legal entities. The Department ran a call for evidence on this policy earlier in 2017. We will publish a response to the call for evidence early in 2018 and will also set out more detail on the timeline for publishing the legislation. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Bangladesh: Freedom of Expression lord hussain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of press freedom and freedom of expression in Bangladesh, following reports of enforced disappearances of journalists and supporters of opposition parties in Bangladesh. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I raised concerns about disappearances and freedom of expression during my meetings with senior government leaders in Dhaka in August, and the Minister for Asia and the Pacific did the same with the Bangladesh High Commissioner and Foreign Secretary Haque in November. The High Commission in Dhaka regularly raises the full range of our human rights concerns with the Government of Bangladesh.I am deeply concerned by the growing number of attacks against freedom of expression in Bangladesh, including those that have allegedly taken place through arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings. Bangladesh remains a human rights priority country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Bangladesh: Elections lord hussain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Bangladesh to ensure that the elections due to be held in Bangladesh in 2018 are free and fair, following the boycott of previous elections in that country by opposition parties. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is encouraging political parties in Bangladesh to engage in constructive dialogue and allow the Election Commission the freedom to do its important work. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific discussed the importance of free, fair and inclusive elections with members of the Awami League and Bangladesh National Party at a meeting hosted by the Conservative Friends of Bangladesh in July, with Bangladesh High Commissioner Quaunine in August and with Foreign Minister Ali in November. The High Commission in Dhaka regularly discusses these matters with the Government of Bangladesh, the main political parties, and the Bangladesh Election Commission. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Plastics: Recycling baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce a plastic bottle deposit return scheme; and if so, whether any such scheme will be self-financing. lord gardiner of kimble: From 2 October to 20 November an independent working group set up under the Litter Strategy for England held a call for evidence on measures to reduce littering of drinks containers and promote recycling. The focus was rigid and flexible plastic, glass or metal drinks containers that are sold sealed, and used for the sale of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, often for consumption ‘on-the-go’. This included seeking evidence on how reward and return schemes could work in England. The Working Group is due to provide advice to Ministers on potential incentives for drinks containers early in 2018. Any decisions on suitable measures to then take forward will rest with Ministers.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2017-12-28
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2017", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
G8 Meeting, Evian, 1 to 3 June 2003 Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What priority they will give to the war on world poverty at the forthcoming G8 meeting in Evian, France, from 1 to 3 June, with particular reference to: (a) fair trade and the elimination of the dumping of subsidised goods in Africa and other parts of the developing world; (b) debt cancellation in fulfilment of the commitments made at the last G8 meeting; and (c) the honouring of all existing undertakings on aid, including education.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Baroness Amos: We believe that the G8 has an important role to play in promoting poverty elimination. At their summit on 1 to 3 June, the G8 will discuss a number of development issues. On the specific issues mentioned: (a) Regarding trade, the Government remain fully committed to fulfilling the bold and ambitious development agenda set out in Doha in November 2001. Progress to date has been disappointingly slow, however, we are working with all our partners, including those in the G8, to ensure a successful mid-term WTO ministerial conference in Cancun in September. Regarding agriculture specifically, the Government remain committed to substantial improvements in market access, reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies, and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support. (b) On debt cancellation, our main priority remains the full implementation and financing of the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. At the last meeting in Kananaskis, in June 2002, the G8 agreed to the UK proposal to fund their share of the shortfall of up to 1 billion US dollars needed to fully finance the HIPC initiative. We welcome the positive outcome of the World Bank HIPC financing meeting in Paris in October that year; pledges worth some 850 million US dollars were secured for the HIPC Trust Fund to meet the existing shortfall, and the additional top-up needed at completion point, to ensure that countries exit the HIPC process with sustainable levels of debt. We also welcome the general consensus that the overall replenishment should be around 1 billion US dollars to finance fully the HIPC initiative. It will be important that pledges now turn into commitments and that those non-G8 countries yet to pledge do so quickly. The UK has pledged 95 million US dollars plus our share of EC contributions. (c) The G8 made pledges on polio, Global Health Fund, Africa Action Plan and Education Task Force: (i) This year has seen a scaling back of polio eradication activities in critical areas, due to inadequate funding. Polio is on the verge of being eradicated in Africa, and indeed globally. The funding gap to achieve eradication is small (275 million dollars globally), to which the UK has committed 25 million dollars. We are urging other G8 partners to deliver on their G8 commitments urgently. (ii) The G8 agreed in Okinawa to aggressive new targets for AIDS, TB and malaria control matched by a commitment of African heads of state in Abuja. The UN General Assembly Special Session on AIDS concluded with agreement to create and support a global fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, which the G8 financed with 1.8 billion dollars of initial capital at their meeting in Genoa. The UK believes the fund adds value through its ability to deliver donor coherence, support for national health systems and its ability to purchase drugs and commodities in bulk and to establish reliability of supply. UK has pledged 200 million dollars to the fund over five years–80 million dollars of which has been disbursed. (iii) The UK is committed to providing 0.4 per cent of GNI in ODA and increasing bilateral assistance to Africa to £1 billion by 2005–06. G8 progress will be discussed at the Evian summit. Africa personal representatives will be producing a progress report for the Evian summit, which will outline the G8 members' aid spending in Africa. (iv) Education remains a priority for the UK and existing undertakings will be honoured. Between 2002 and 2007 we expect to spend £1.3 billion on the achievement of universal primary education (UPE) provided that we can agree quality programmes with our partners. We will work with G8 partners to ensure increased support and resources to meet the education MDGs. Iraq Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What estimates have been made of the cost of providing an effective penal system in a rehabilitated Iraq; and what measures they are advocating to ensure the generation of the necessary resources and qualified personnel, and What estimates have been made of the cost of providing an effective system for the administration of justice in a rehabilitated Iraq; and what measures they are advocating to ensure the generation of the necessary resources and qualified personnel, and What estimates have been made of the cost of providing an effective civil police system in a rehabilitated Iraq; and what measures they are advocating to ensure the generation of the necessary resources and qualified personnel. Baroness Amos: No estimates have yet been made of the cost of providing an effective penal, justice or police system in a rehabilitated Iraq. The Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs (ORHA) and others are to conduct a six-week assessment of a number of aspects of the justice sector in Iraq. This will include a review of police and prisons functions and facilities as well as the different individual components of the justice sector. On the basis of this study an estimate of the costs to provide an effective justice system in Iraq will be possible. The UK is participating in the assessment mission. While it is ORHA's responsibility to make any changes needed to keep the justice system functioning in the short term, a UN mandate for reconstruction will be required before more substantial reforms can be implemented. DfID is actively considering how best to contribute to the provision of an effective security sector in Iraq, building on recent experience in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Kosovo. Offending Rates and Social SecurityBenefits/Sanctions Lord Addington: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the difference in the rate of offending among those in receipt of full social security benefits and those subject to benefits and those subject to benefit sanctions. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The information is not available. Suicide Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to prevent the use of the internet to promote suicide. Baroness Andrews: The Government deplore the use of the internet to promote suicide. The Department of Health will investigate the legality and feasibility of censoring websites which promote suicide. We are also working to promote the responsible representation of suicidal behaviour in the media as part of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2003-05-15a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2003", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Freight Facilities Grant Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manymaritime operators have used the (1) Mode Shift Revenue Support, and (2) Waterborne Freight Grant, schemes. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: There are no currently supported flows by inland waterways and there have been none during the last three financial years since April 2019. This scheme is open to all freight operators, including maritime operators, who wish to move freight through inland water freight transport instead of road, where inland waterway transport is more expensive. There have been no projects supported by the Waterborne Freight Grant during the last three financial years since April 2019. This scheme is also open to all freight operators, including maritime operators, who wish to run waterborne freight transport instead of road, where transport by water is more expensive. East Coast Main Line: Railway Signals Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 8 July (HL1360), what assessment they have made of additional capacity that will be produced by the East Coast Digital Programme. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The introduction of digital signalling, as part of the East Coast Digital Programme, will increase rail system capability. This can either be used to increase performance or capacity. The priority for the East Coast Digital Programme, and therefore the central economic analysis in the Full Business Case, has assumed that the benefits offered by this increased system capability are captured as performance improvements, including reduction in passenger delays by improving the reliability of infrastructure and improved punctuality of trains which delivers additional revenue from an increase in passenger numbers. East Coast Main Line: Railway Signals Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 8 July (HL1360), who are the industry partners who have provided cost estimates for funding the East Coast Digital Programme; what is the 3 Lines of Defence approach to scrutinising cost estimates; and who is responsible for the independent analysis within the 3 Lines of Defence approach. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The success of the East Coast Digital Programme is dependent on collaborative business change across a number of organisations, known as industry partners. Alongside my Department and Network Rail, these include passenger and freight train operators and suppliers. The 3 Lines of Defence approach is the formal Network Rail Cost Estimate Assurance process. The 1st line is led by business operations which perform the day to day activity. At this stage proposed costs are assessed to ensure they capture all relevant scope and risk as well as being sufficiently evidenced. The 2nd line is provided by other functions in the business to provide a strategic overview of costs and to ensure work has been undertaken diligently. The 3rd line is independent assurance, which for the East Coast Digital Programme Full Business Case was provided by Turner and Townsend. In addition to this assurance, the Department’s Centre of Excellence and the Infrastructure Projects Authority have both independently reviewed the Programme, prior to approval of the Full Business Case. Bus Services: Industrial Disputes Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to prepare for bus workers going on strike this month. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, everywhere has access to great bus services and regularly engages with bus operators on a variety of issues. Where there are disputes between a private entity and its employees relating to employees’ terms and conditions, it is the responsibility of the company concerned to resolve these issues and make conditions for their employees sufficiently appealing. The Government recognises the importance of bus services to the everyday lives of the travelling public. Where industrial action is set to occur, we expect operators to make efforts to minimise disruption and to ensure those reliant on their services can still travel. Electric Scooters: Regulation Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to regulate e-scooters in the same ways as other road vehicles, including through the use of (1) speed limits, (2) number plates, and (3) mandatory insurance. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: It is the intention of the Government that the Transport Bill will create a new low-speed zero emission vehicle category that is distinct from the existing cycle and motor vehicle categories. New powers in the Bill would allow the Government to decide which vehicles will fall into this category and make regulations to ensure that they are safe to use and safe for pedestrians and other road users. The Government plans to use these powers to legalise e-scooter use, with robust technical requirements and clear expectations of users. We are currently considering options for e-scooter regulations, including such things as the requirements for users to hold a driving licence or to register and insure the vehicle, and various technical specifications for vehicles including maximum speed limits. No decisions have been made, and we will consult before they come into force so that, all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime. Parking: Pedestrian Areas Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan torespond to the results of their 'Managing pavement parking' public consultation, which ran from 31 August 2020 to 22 November 2020. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We are actively considering the options for pavement parking policy and will publish the formal consultation response and announce next steps as soon as possible. The formal consultation response will be available to view on the Gov.uk website. Bus Services: Travel Information Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not (1) responded, or (2) taken action, following their 'Bus Services Act 2017: accessible information' public consultation, which ran from 5 July 2018 to 16 September 2018. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department agrees that it is essential that buses should have accessible onboard information to help all passengers to travel with confidence. Since the 2018 consultation the Department has worked with industry specialists to determine the most appropriate way forward, and to ensure that the proposed Regulations take full account of the way local services are provided in England, Scotland and Wales. Electric Scooters Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have extended trials of rented electric scooters to 2024; and how the outcome of those trials will be taken into account in the proposed Transport Bill. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has decided to allow e-scooter trials to be extended from November 2022 to 31 May 2024. The extension will be restricted to existing trial areas only and will allow us to gather further evidence where gaps are identified, building on the findings of the current evaluation. The move towards a new regime means that the trials continue to have significant value, as well as providing a practical example of how better regulation can encourage responsible use. Evidence we are gathering through these trials and other data sources is helping us to understand the safety and wider impacts of e-scooters. We intend to publish the findings from the current national evaluation later this year. Aviation: Noise Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to incorporate the World Health Organization noise guidelines, published in 2018, into legislation related to aviation. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has no current plan to legislate to incorporate the World Health Organisation (WHO) Environmental Noise Guidelines into UK law.Following the 2018 publication of the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines, the Government convened the DEFRA-led Interdepartmental Group on Costs and Benefits Noise Subject Group. This group continues to review the evidence underpinning the WHO’s guidelines, together with more recent evidence and it will consider whether there are any necessary updates to relevant government guidance. British Airways: Strikes Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of the impact of any strike action of British Airways staff on travel at airports in the summer; and what plans they have to prevent any further travel disruption if such strikes take place. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The aviation industry operates in the private sector, therefore an industrial action is a matter for British Airways and the unions. Ultimately, this strike action by Unite the Union and GMB has been suspended following a higher pay offer from British Airways. This offer will now be put to a vote of union members. Railways: Tickets Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to safeguard the role of the ticket office across the rail network. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: No final decision has been taken on ticket offices. Ticket offices have seen a significant decline in use over the last decade, yet their numbers have not substantially changed. Staff will always provide face-to-face services on the railways, which can be crucial for those who need additional support and cannot, or do not want to, use contactless or mobile tickets. There is a process for train operators to propose any changes to the opening hours of ticket offices or for closing ticket offices which is set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, which regulates what train operators can do in terms of fares, ticketing and retailing across the network. This can be found on the Rail Delivery Group’s website. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Help to Grow Schemes Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a Help to Grow Scheme for the third sector. Lord Callanan: Studies show that improving the performance of UK SMEs to match competitor countries such as Germany, could add up to £100 billion to the economy. Help to Grow aims to close that gap by specifically targeting SMEs who will benefit in a way that impacts growth potential and productivity. There are currently no plans to introduce a Help to Grow scheme for the third sector. Businesses applying to either Help to Grow schemes (management and digital) must:Be registered in the UK;Have between 5-249 employees;Have been operating for at least twelve months​; andNot be a charity. Fertilisers Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyare taking to keep fertiliser plants open amidst rising gas prices. Lord Callanan: The Government is closely monitoring the fertiliser market. On 6 May, the Government announced steps to support farmers with cost pressures caused by demand and instability seen across the globe – Direct Payments in England will be paid in two instalments each year for the remainder of the agricultural transition period, to help farmers with their cashflow. Furthermore, we have provided more than £2 billion in relief to help Energy Intensive Industries with electricity costs since 2013 – Fertiliser plants are recipients of this support. Department of Health and Social Care Coronavirus: Medical Treatments Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the recent reported increase in COVID-19 infections, what plans they have (1) to meet with charities working with the clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19, and (2) to set out their strategy for protecting the clinically extremely vulnerable if Evusheld is not procured and made available; and what assessment they have made of how effectively this strategy will protect the clinically extremely vulnerable in the absence of Evusheld procurement or a reversion to non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing and mask mandates. Lord Kamall: The term ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ (CEV) is no longer in use following the end of the shielding programme in September 2021. The majority of people previously identified as CEV are now well protected through the vaccination programme. There is a smaller patient cohort whose immune systems mean that they continue to be at higher risk of infection. The Department continues to regularly engage with charities and organisations representing those whose who are immunosuppressed or immunocompromised.The Government has issued public health advice for those at higher risk in an online only format, which advises eligible individuals to ensure they receive additional doses of the vaccines as appropriate. Many people in this cohort are also eligible for new monoclonal antibody and antiviral treatments to prevent the risk of serious illness and hospitalisation. The advice also suggests that those who are immunosuppressed should seek advice from their National Health Service clinician where appropriate and consider additional steps to prevent the risk of infection. This may include avoiding those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their household contacts until 10 days after a positive test and ensuring their home is well ventilated when receiving visitors.The Department is currently conducting its assessment of the effectiveness of Evusheld, which includes requesting advice from clinicians in line with available data, the public health situation and other treatments available. While we are considering the advice received, we are unable to confirm a specific timetable for any decision. However, we provide an update to Parliament shortly. Healthy Start Scheme The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the potential merits of introducing an automatic registration process for the Healthy Start scheme. Lord Kamall: The Department has not considered the potential merits of introducing an automatic registration process for the Healthy Start scheme.The NHS Business Services Authority operates the Healthy Start scheme which has recently transitioned from paper vouchers to a prepaid card. All applicants to the scheme, where they meet the eligibility criteria set out in the legislation, must accept the terms and conditions of the prepaid card at the point of application. As the prepaid card is a financial product and cannot be issued without the applicant accepting these terms, the NHS Business Services Authority cannot automatically provide eligible families with a prepaid card. NHS: Coronavirus Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the forecast cost pressures on the NHS due to COVID-19 (1) in July, and (2) for the rest of the 2022–23 financial year. Lord Kamall: No assessment has been made in the format requested. However, the Spending Review 2021 provided £6.096 billion for the National Health Service to fund the recovery from COVID-19 in 2022/23. The funding was provided to address the impact of the pandemic on NHS services, funding for costs directly incurred by COVID-19 costs and new pressures relating to anticipated service demand. Bread and Flour: Folic Acid Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Kamall on 6 July (HL Deb col 999), whether they will cite the “scientific contestation” referred to concerning folic acid fortification as part of the Bread and Flour Regulations review. Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord Kamall on 6 July (HL Deb col 1000), whether they will give details of the cases where people “have died because of high levels of folic acid”. Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with governments of other nations which operate a policy of mandatory fortification with folic acid regarding any unintended consequences which have arisen. Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Kamall on 6 July (HL Deb cols 1001–2) regarding the scientific evidence available regarding folic fortification, whether they will publish the science brief referred to by Lord Kamall referencing heliocentrism versus geocentrism. Lord Kamall: The scientific contestation referred to is summarised in the paper Folic acid and neural tube defects: Discovery, debate and the need for policy change by Professor Nicholas Wald. Professor Wald asserts that the United Kingdom should pursue a higher level of fortification than would be permitted by the UK’s Tolerable Upper Level (TUL). A copy of the paper is attached.The Government and its independent scientific advisory bodies have agreed that fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid, at a level informed by the guidance for supplemental intake of folic acid intake advised by the UK Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals, is a safe and effective measure to reduce the number of neural tube defects (NTDs).This view is supported by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) and by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). In 2018 COT published Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment: COT position paper on the current upper level for folic acid intake in response to a previous paper by Professor Wald, addressing the technical points raised in objection to the TUL and continuing to recommend its use. A copy of this paper is attached.Deaths associated with high levels of folic acid refers to potential unintended harms which may arise following the fortification of flour with folic acid, such as an increase in the potential masking of vitamin B12 deficiency or pernicious anaemia where the deficiency can cause permanent neurological damage which can lead to death if untreated.No recent discussions have taken place with countries which have implemented folic acid fortification on unintended consequences of the policy. However, evidence from a number of countries, including those which have implemented folic acid fortification policies, was considered by the SACN and COT to establish the safety and efficacy of fortifying food with folic acid. Analysis by COT and the SACN found that there was insufficient evidence to discount a number of potential risks at very levels of fortification.While there is no specific scientific briefing relating to the debate between heliocentrism versus geocentrism, as I stated in the debate, we will routinely review the policy post-implementation to ensure it meets the objective of reducing NTDs while avoiding any unintended consequences. The forthcoming consultation will outline the proposed fortification levels with the supporting scientific rationale.A (pdf, 1052.5KB)B (pdf, 26.1KB) Respiratory Syncytial Virus Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyhave taken to establish a sub-committee of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on Respiratory Syncytial Virus, as discussed in the JCVI meetings in (1) June 2019, and (2) October 2019. Lord Kamall: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) monitors new vaccines in development to inform future work and is aware of a range of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccines and monoclonal immunisations in late stages of development. The JCVI’s secretariat is planning for a subcommittee on RSV to review these products and advise on the potential use in the national immunisation programme. The timing of the subcommittee will be dependent on progress towards authorisation for these products. However, the first meeting is expected to take place either at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023. Coronavirus: Protective Clothing and Screening Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take in response to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases; and what plans they have (1) to re-introduce free testing, and (2) to update their advice on the wearing of face masks. Lord Kamall: The COVID-19 vaccination and booster programme and the availability of antiviral treatments has ensured a reduced risk of severe illness or hospitalisation. We have transitioned the response towards guidance and encouraging responsible behaviours, while targeting protection towards those individuals most at risk from the virus. Testing remains available for eligible groups, including for certain high-risk individuals and settings.It is currently recommended that face coverings should be worn when COVID-19 rates are high, in crowded and enclosed spaces and when coming into close contact with individuals at high risk. While there are currently no plans to update the guidance on wearing face coverings, the Government continues to assess the situation and will take further action if required to ensure the response remains effective and proportionate. Hospitals: Protective Clothing Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have to reintroduce mandatory mask-wearing in hospitals. Lord Kamall: Mask wearing in National Health Service hospitals is determined locally by individual, organisational and system risk assessments. NHS England continues to work with NHS trusts to ensure that effective infection prevention and control is in place in all areas. Hospitals: Construction Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list the 40 new hospitals they have promised to build; how much building work has been completed on each new hospital; and when they expect each new hospital to admit its first patients. Lord Kamall: The Government has committed to build 40 new hospitals by 2030, in addition to eight previously announced schemes.The schemes are grouped into five cohorts for delivery by 2030, based on an assessment of readiness to progress and the extent to which schemes can realise the benefits of the national programme. This assessment is subject to continuous review and the timescales for individual schemes may change. A list of schemes and cohorts is attached, due to the size of the data. This includes where schemes are in construction and projected opening dates where this information is held centrally. There are eight schemes in cohort five, which refers to schemes yet to be confirmed and currently subject to an ongoing selection process.Table (docx, 22.5KB) PHE Reproductive Health, Sexual Health and HIV Innovation Fund Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what investment they will makein the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund this financial year. Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was allocated tothe Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund in the financial years (1) 2021–22, and (2) 2022–23. Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theywill take to ensure that the next round of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund focuses on (1) tackling inequalities, and (2) communities who have not seen the same improvement in HIV outcomes. Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensurethat the next round of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund includes a focus on (1) shared learning, and (2) ensuring successful pilot projects feed in to national services. Lord Kamall: In December 2021, we announced that an independent review of the impact of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund had been commissioned. The review has now been completed and we are currently considering its findings to inform further steps in 2022. Decisions on future investment in the Fund will be made in due course. In 2021/22, £300,000 was allocated to the Innovation Fund.The Fund aims to support projects which address inequalities and focus on those with poor sexual and reproductive health and HIV outcomes. Bids for funding have previously been assessed on sustainability and how learning will be shared across the sector, including into national services. A library of resources and learning from projects supported by previous Funds is being compiled and will be published later this year. Department for Education Agriculture: Apprentices The Earl of Leicester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many apprenticeships in the farming industry were (1) started, and (2) completed, in each year between 2018 and 2021. Baroness Barran: The department publishes the Apprenticeships in England by Industry Characteristics publication that shows apprenticeship starts amongst employers in the Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing enterprise sector: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-in-england-by-industry-characteristics#content-3-heading.Apprenticeship starts in the Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing sector (and its sub-divisions) from the 2017/18 to the 2020/21 academic years are shown in the attached table and can be found in the 'Apprenticeship starts' tab.Industry based data is not held for achievements. However, the most timely data for starts and achievements for apprentices studying agricultural and related subjects from the 2017/18 to the 2020/21 academic years can also be found in the attached table and can be found in the 'Starts and achievements' tab. HL1525 Table (xls, 31.5KB) Agriculture and Countryside: Education The Earl of Leicester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to teach school children about the countryside and British farming. Baroness Barran: There are opportunities within the geography and science curriculums to teach about the countryside, farming and agriculture, and how important the latter are to food production. These do not feature as stand-alone topics in the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum is a framework designed to give teachers the freedom and flexibility to cover particular topics in greater depth if they wish, and this could include teaching about the countryside and farming. As part of the department’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, our National Education Nature Park initiative will also give children and young people the opportunity to learn about and connect with nature. By 2025 we aim to introduce a natural history GCSE, giving young people a further opportunity to engage with and develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the natural world. In studying this GCSE, young people will explore organisms and environments in more depth, gain knowledge and practical experience of fieldwork and develop a greater understanding of conservation. Adoption Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings included in Adoption UK’s Barometer Report, published in June, which found that 85 per cent of the adopters surveyed said their adoption agency does not regularly review their child’s contact arrangements with birth relatives; and what plans they have to make such reviews mandatory. Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings included in Adoption UK’s Barometer Report, published in June, which showed that only (1) 12 per cent of adopters surveyed were offered advice and training on establishing contact with birth family relatives of their adopted child, and (2) 17 per cent of adopted adults surveyed reported being given any professional support prior to establishing contact with their own birth family in childhood; and what steps they plan to take in response. Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to Adoption UK’s Barometer Report, published in June, what steps they are taking to measure the impact of a lack of support for adopted people and their families when establishing birth family contact. Baroness Barran: Local authorities have a legal duty to provide a comprehensive adoption service. This specifically includes 'Assistance, including mediation services, in relation to arrangements for contact between an adoptive child and a natural parent, natural sibling, former guardian or a related person of the adoptive child', as set out in Adoption Support Services Regulations 2005. It be found at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/691/part/2/made?view=plain. Contact arrangements should be reviewed regularly, and families should be supported with the contact arrangements before, during and after the adoption.As set out in our 'Adoption Strategy: achieving excellence everywhere', the department is working with Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs) to develop and trial what good practice around contact looks like, with a view to setting national standards in this area. This includes investigating what support is needed for children, birth parents, and adoptive parents. RAAs are also currently trialling a new programme called ‘Letterswap', a new digital platform to improve the current ‘Letterbox’ system. The published adoption strategy is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adoption-strategy-achieving-excellence-everywhere. Schools: Sports Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to increase sports funding for schools. Baroness Barran: The department continues to deliver year on year increases to school funding, with the total core school budget increasing to £56.8 billion by the 2024/25 academic year. This is a £7 billion cash increase, compared with 2021/22. In addition to the school’s core budget, the department confirmed that for the 2022/23 academic year, primary schools will continue to receive the £320 million PE and sport premium. In October 2021, the department announced nearly £30 million a year to improve the teaching of physical education at primary school, and to open primary and secondary school sport facilities in the evenings, at weekends, and during the holidays. To support the pupils who the department knows are most inactive, such as girls and pupils with special education needs and disabilities, we are investing nearly £2 million over a three-year period to deliver the Inclusion 2024 programme and the girls’ competitive sport Your Time initiative. Young People: Farmers The Earl of Leicester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the rates of young people in the UK forging careers in the farming industry. Baroness Barran: The department has introduced T Levels which will provide students with a high quality, technical alternative to A levels after GCSEs. T Levels in Agriculture, Land Management & Production and Animal Care & Management will be available from September 2023. We are committed to supporting more young people into apprenticeships in the agriculture, environmental and animal care sectors. Funding for apprenticeships in England will grow to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year to support more apprenticeships in employers of all sizes. There are currently 40 high-quality, employer-designed apprenticeship standards available in these sectors, in occupations such as crop technician, livestock unit technician and agriculture professional adviser. Alongside this, there are a number of land-based providers delivering specific provision in farming and agriculture to cater for those pursing qualifications and careers in these areas. The Free Courses for Jobs offer, which was launched in April 2021, gives eligible adults the chance to access high value level 3 qualifications, including 18 agricultural qualifications, for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job. The Careers & Enterprise Company is supporting schools and colleges to embed best practice in the delivery of careers information, advice and guidance, so young people are aware of the full range of training and careers available to them and have access to a broad range of employers and workplaces, including those in the agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors. This will be delivered through the national roll-out of Career Hubs, Career Leader training, and the Enterprise Adviser Network. The National Careers Service, a free, government funded careers information, advice and guidance service draws on a range of labour market information to support and guide individuals. It is impartial, and careers guidance is tailored to individual needs, but careers advisers can play a key role in alerting people to the range of farming careers available. National Careers Service supports this through disseminating regular information to careers advisers. The Service website gives customers access to a range of useful digital tools and resources to support them including ‘Explore Careers’ which includes more than 130 industry areas and more than 800 job profiles including include a range of roles in the farming industry, describing what those roles entail, qualifications and entry routes. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Bahrain: Human Rights Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to (1) the visit byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon to Bahrain in February, and (2) the comment by a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson to the Middle East Eye on 22 June which said that “a number of human rights cases were raised with senior members of the Bahrain Government by Lord Ahmad during his visit in February”, what were the names of individuals whose cases Lord Ahmad raised with the government of Bahrain during this visit. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: During my visit to Bahrain, I discussed human rights issues and the individual cases of Abduljalil Al Singace, Mohammed Ramadan and Hussain Moosa during my meetings with senior members of the Government of Bahrain, as well as with the independent human rights oversight bodies. Sri Lanka: Development Aid Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they have given to the government of Sri Lanka to help meet that country's emergency needs for (1) life saving drugs, and (2) other medical equipment. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka, particularly as it relates to the supply of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment supplies. The UK contributes to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) Operation in Sri Lanka. The DREF is supporting the Sri Lanka Red Cross with an allocation of CHF691,002 in response to shortages and civil unrest. It will support with the provision of essential medicine, first aid and psychosocial support. We are also working to support the United Nations (UN) and its agencies in the coordination of their response based on the UN's recent joint Humanitarian Needs and Priorities (HNP) Plan, launched on 9 June. This called for US$47.2 million to provide life-saving assistance to 1.7 million people who are most at risk and need immediate support. The World Bank have announced assistance of US$400 million, which includes funds to meet medicines and medical equipment needs. The UK is a major donor of the UN and World Bank.The UK recognises the difficult economic situation and welcomes the ongoing in-depth discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on reforms needed to bring the economy back to a sustainable path. The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe on 30 May and underlined the UK's continued support to the people of Sri Lanka during these economic difficulties. Syria: Refugees Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the levels of repatriation of European citizens, in particular women and children, who were held in closed camps in north-east Syria; and what representations theyhave received from (1) Save the Children, and (2) others, on this issue. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to work with and learn from our international partners on a range of issues to help address the difficult situation in north east Syria, including in relation to camps for displaced persons, where we continue to provide humanitarian assistance. We are aware of a number of reports that have been published on this issue, including by Save the Children. It is ultimately a matter for individual countries how they address any situations involving their nationals, including, where applicable, repatriation to the country of origin. Football: Qatar Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether all UK football fans, regardless of their sexuality, can safely attend the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: During a visit to Doha on 4-5 July, the Minister for the Middle East, Rt Hon. Amanda Milling MP, raised this with local organisers. They reiterated their public commitment that "everybody is welcome" to the tournament, including LGBT+ visitors. We will continue to encourage the equal treatment of all fans and respect for individual rights so that anyone, of any background, can go and enjoy themselves. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Marine Environment: International Cooperation Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to support the international implementation of the Global Ocean Alliance 30by30 initiative. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Since 2019, the UK has been leading the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA) of countries championing ambitious ocean action under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the ‘30by30’ target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030. The ocean has historically been underrepresented in the CBD, and the GOA plays an important role in raising the profile of ocean and marine issues. In addition to leading the GOA, the UK also serves as Co-Chair of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature & People, alongside Costa Rica and France. The HAC champions 30by30 for both the land and the ocean. Between these two UK-led alliances, nearly 120 countries support 30by30 for the ocean, and over 100 countries support 30by30 for both the land and the ocean. As we approach the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the CBD in December 2022, the UK will continue its proactive leadership role in both the GOA and HAC, working with Costa Rica, France, and members of both ambition groups, to call for the 30by30 target to be enshrined within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The UK is committed to securing an ambitious outcome at COP15, including ambitious outcomes for the ocean, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss globally by 2030. It is also crucial that we continue working after COP15 to support the global implementation of the GBF, including the 30by30 target. We are therefore delighted that the UK, Costa Rica, and France published a joint communique during the Stockholm+50 conference in June 2022, outlining plans for the HAC for Nature and People to evolve into a new phase to support the implementation of the 30by30 target following COP15, and we welcome the opportunity this provides for further collaboration with the GOA both ahead of and post-COP15. In addition, the UK continues to provide support for marine protection internationally, including through the £500 million Blue Planet Fund. The Blue Planet Fund, financed from the UK overseas aid budget, will support developing countries to protect and sustainably manage their marine resources and address human-generated threats across four key themes: biodiversity, climate change, marine pollution, and sustainable seafood. Agriculture: Seasonal Workers Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of (1) the shortage of seasonal workers in the first six months of this year, and (2) the extent of the impact to crops of fruit and vegetables; and what plans they have to address this in 2023. Lord Benyon: Horticulture has long relied on seasonal workers to bring home the harvest. After a series of annual pilots the government announced last December that the Seasonal Worker visa route has been extended to 2024 to allow overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months to harvest both edible and ornamental crops. An initial allocation of 30,000 visas was made available for 2022, which will be increased to 40,000 (including 2000 for the poultry sector). Defra continues to monitor the supply of labour to UK horticulture throughout the year, working with operators and sector growers to ensure there is sufficient labour for harvesting the UK's fruit and vegetable crops. Home Office Asylum: Rwanda Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 4 July (HL1084), what is the maximum acceptable cost of transporting asylum claimants from the UK to Rwanda under the terms of the UK–Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership; and whether asylum seekers will be liable personally to fund any part of that cost. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Under the terms of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership the United Kingdom will arrange the transport for relocating individuals to Rwanda.We do not routinely disclose commercial or operational information relating to individual charter flights. However, no asylum seeker will be liable to fund any part of the costs related to their relocation to Rwanda. Offenders: Deportation Lord Parekh: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether citizens of Commonwealth countries may be deported after serving custodial sentences for criminal offences in the UK; and if so, what assessment they have made of the effect of this policy on UK residents who arrived from Commonwealth countries before 1973 and may therefore be without documentation of their residential status. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Commonwealth citizens convicted of a crime in the UK and given a prison sentence will be considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Deportation will be pursued where it is conducive to the public good including where a person receives a custodial sentence of 12 months or more, commits an offence that caused serious harm or is a persistent offender. Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971 provides an exemption from deportation for Commonwealth citizens resident in the UK on 1 January 1973 and ordinarily resident in the UK for at least 5 years before the decision to make a deportation order. The onus is on the person claiming an exemption under section 7 to prove they meet the criteria. British Nationality: Assessments Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of conducting 'Life in the UK' tests in (1) Welsh, and (2) Scots Gaelic, with only a handbook in English; and what plans they have to produce handbooks in those languages. Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have for including Cornish (1) culture, (2) history, and (3) language, in the 'Life in the UK' test. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Life in the UK test requires candidates to learn and build an understanding of the culture, laws and history of the UK, which helps candidates to engage with and integrate into life in the UK. Applicants taking the test in Wales can opt to sit the test in Welsh, and those taking the test in Scotland can sit the test in Scottish Gaelic. The Test, in its current form, has been in place for nearly 10 years and the Home Office intends to set out plans to review the content of the handbook within the next 12 months. Any review will consider the impact the current test content has had in the past 10 years, including the languages which the test can be taken and the materials provided. Human Trafficking Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what data they hold on the routeof travel of people illegally trafficked into the UK. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government is resolute in its commitment to tackle Organised Immigration Crime. In the closely related crimes of people smuggling and human trafficking, our law enforcement partners bear down on the Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs) who facilitate illegal travel to the UK and who exploit vulnerable migrants, often treating them as commodities and knowingly putting people in life-threatening situations.We work closely with international law enforcement partners to share intelligence data and dismantle these networks to disrupt the illegal movement of people and the various routes they take to enter the UK.We have a dedicated Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA), committed to dismantling OCGs engaged in immigration crime. The Taskforce is active in 17 countries worldwide, and its activities include supporting judicial and intelligence capacity building in source and transit countries, and intelligence sharing in key near Europe countries to disrupt people smuggling.We also share information about criminality around small boats between agencies. This includes the Joint Intelligence Cell in France and international networks of both NCA and Home Office. Since July 2020, the Joint Intelligence Cell has taken down 17 small boat OCGs and secured over 400 arrests – taking the criminals behind these crossings off the street. Our cooperation with the French has also prevented more than 23,000 migrant crossing attempts.Alongside our efforts to tackle organised immigration crime we continue to strengthen our efforts to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking. The UK works with partner countries and international law enforcement authorities to disrupt criminal networks and protect potential victims from being trafficked and exploited in the UK. Deportation Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many charter deportation flights took place in 2021; and how many deportees were on each of those flights. Baroness Williams of Trafford: This Government’s priority is keeping the people of this country safe, and we make no apology for seeking to remove dangerous foreign criminals. Foreign nationals who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them.Charter flight operations are an important means to return disruptive individuals or where they are limited scheduled routes, particularly during the global Coronavirus pandemic. We manage the charter programme flexibly, balancing it with the use of scheduled flights to best respond to operational needs.In the calendar year 2021 – The Home Office operated 63 flights removing 1365 individuals.FLIGHT DATEDESTINATIONNUMBER OF PEOPLE REMOVED13/01/2021ROMANIA2519/01/2021LITHUANIA2326/01/2021POLANDLess than 1004/02/2021ROMANIA3411/02/2021LITHUANIA1618/02/2021POLAND1625/02/2021HUNGARY & BULGARIA1502/03/2021ROMANIA2009/03/2021LITHUANIALess than 1018/03/2021POLAND1324/03/2021ROMANIA1231/03/2021LITHUANIA2008/04/2021HUNGARY & BULGARIA1113/04/2021ROMANIA3015/04/2021POLAND2319/04/2021ALBANIA2021/04/2021VIETNAM2727/04/2021ROMANIA2929/04/2021POLAND1506/05/2021HUNGARY & BULGARIALess than 1011/05/2021LITHUANIA2213/05/2021ALBANIA3018/05/2021POLAND1820/05/2021ALBANIA2925/05/2021ROMANIA3027/05/2021ALBANIA2403/06/2021ALBANIA3110/06/2021ALBANIALess than 1015/06/2021LITHUANIA1517/06/2021ALBANIA1922/06/2021POLAND1824/06/2021ROMANIA2001/07/2021ALBANIA3706/07/2021SPAIN & PORTUGALLess than 1013/07/2021ROMANIA & LITHUANIA3015/07/2021ALBANIA1221/07/2021ZIMBABWE1428/07/2021VIETNAM2003/08/2021POLAND1305/08/2021ALBANIA2210/08/2021JAMAICALess than 1017/08/2021POLAND & ROMANIA2219/08/2021ALBANIA2725/08/2021ZIMBABWELess than 1001/09/2021NIGERIA & GHANALess than 1014/09/2021POLAND & ROMANIA3316/09/2021ALBANIA3428/09/2021LITHUANIA1830/09/2021ALBANIA3905/10/2021POLAND & ROMANIA2907/10/2021ALBANIA2213/10/2021ALBANIA1621/10/2021ALBANIA2927/10/2021LITHUANIA1802/11/2021ROMANIA1904/11/2021ALBANIA3510/11/2021JAMAICALess than 1016/11/2021POLAND1418/11/2021ALBANIA1330/11/2021ROMANIA3002/12/2021LITHUANIA1009/12/2021ALBANIA2814/12/2021POLAND1616/12/2021ALBANIA2121/12/2021LITHUANIA16 The Home Office has obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation Act 2018 and in law generally to protect personal data. This exempts personal data if disclosure would contravene any of the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. Migrants: Detainees Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the hourly rate of pay for detainees in immigration removal centres; and how many hours have been worked by detainees in each year since 2015. Baroness Williams of Trafford: In accordance with the Detention Centre Rules 2001, all detained persons should be provided with an opportunity to participate in activities to meet, as far as possible, their recreational and intellectual needs. This includes the provision of voluntary paid activity opportunities. Rule 17 of the Detention Centre Rules permits those in detention to engage voluntarily in paid activities. These activities are provided to meet the recreational and intellectual needs of detained individuals. In accordance with Rule 17, pay rates are determined by the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The currently approved rates of pay are £1 per hour and, for specified projects, £1.25 per hour, as set out in the published Detention Services Order 1/2013 ‘Paid Activities’. Management information on the number of hours of paid activity undertaken by detained individuals for each year from 2015 is set out in the table below. This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.Total hours of paid activity undertaken 2015 - 920,5972015 - 881,0772017 - 669,2132018 - 532,8762019 - 454,0002020 - 250,9702021 - 126,2822022 (January 1st to June 30th) - 98,351 Seasonal Workers: Visas Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have toprovide advance notice for the 2023 allocation of seasonal worker visas. Baroness Williams of Trafford: On the 24 December 2021, the Government announced the continuation of the Seasonal Worker route until 2024, including how quotas will be set throughout this period. Homes for Ukraine Scheme Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the applications of Ukrainian refugees through the Homes for Ukraine scheme are processed as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Lord Harrington of Watford: UKVI have issued thousands of visas under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme. The latest figures can be found here: Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Ukrainians with valid passports can now prove their identity using the UK Immigration: ID check app as part of the application. There are fewer steps to complete and an improved customer experience.More information on the ID check app, including a video giving top tips, can be found on GOV.UK at: Using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Immigration Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theintegration of immigrants in UK society; and what plans they have to improve this integration. Lord Harrington of Watford: The Government takes the integration of immigrants into UK society very seriously and this is reflected in our specific resettlement and welcome programmes for arrivals from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. These programmes are all designed to support new arrivals in understanding life in our country, their responsibilities, and the opportunities that exist for them.Through bespoke resettlement and welcome packages for arrivals from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Hong Kong, the Government continues to monitor the integration needs of new arrivals, working closely with local authorities and other organisations to gather data and inform policy development.All refugees to the UK have immediate access to the labour market and to mainstream services that support their integration, including benefits and healthcare. We ask local authorities to provide monitoring data on refugees who arrive via a UK Resettlement Scheme, which covers their first year in the UK. The data covers key areas such as education, employment, health and English language.The Government also understands the vital role that education plays in promoting integration and preparing our children and young people for life in a modern and diverse Britain. All schools must promote community cohesion; and are required to actively promote our shared values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. Tenants' Associations (Provisions Relating to Recognition and Provision of Information) (England) Regulations 2018 Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whenthe reviewof the effectiveness of the Tenants’ Associations (Provisions Relating to Recognition and Provision of Information) (England) Regulations 2018 will be carried out. Lord Harrington of Watford: The Government wants to make it easier for leaseholders to come together to take on responsibilities for their properties. We are currently considering the Law Commission's report and recommendations on improvements to the Right to Manage for leaseholders. We will also continue to monitor the operation of the Statutory Instrument. Treasury Car Allowances Lord Strathcarron: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the 45 pence per mile HMRC mileage rate motoring allowancein the light of current levels of inflation. Baroness Penn: The Government sets the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAP) rates to minimise administrative burdens. The AMAP rates aim to reflect running costs including fuel, servicing and depreciation. Depreciation is estimated to constitute the most significant proportion of the AMAP rates. Employers are not required to use the AMAP rates. Instead, they can agree to reimburse the actual cost incurred, where individuals can provide evidence of the expenditure, without an Income Tax or National Insurance charge arising. Alternatively, they can choose to pay a different mileage rate that is higher or lower than the AMAP rates. If an employee is paid less than the approved amount, they are allowed to claim Mileage Allowance Relief (MAR) from HMRC. However, if the payment exceeds the relevant AMAP rate, and this results in a profit for the individual, they will be liable to pay Income Tax and National Insurance contributions on the difference. As with all taxes and allowances, the Government keeps the AMAP rates under review and any changes are considered by the Chancellor. Fuels: Excise Duties Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the five pence per litre cut to fuel duty is passed on to consumers. Baroness Penn: The Government has been clear that it expects all those in the supply chain to pass the fuel duty cut through to consumers in full. In June, the Business Secretary requested that the independent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) undertake an urgent review of the market for road fuel. The CMA’s initial findings suggest that the fuel duty cut appears to have been largely passed through, with the largest fuel retailers doing so immediately and others more gradually. The Government fully supports the CMA in its further work to better understand the supply of the road fuel in the UK, and will await these findings. Fuels: Excise Duties Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what price petrol and diesel would need to reach in order to prompt them to further cut fuel duty. Baroness Penn: The temporary 12-month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre represents a £2.4 billion tax cut in 2022-23. All taxes, including fuel duty, remain under review. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Mobile Broadband: Cybersecurity Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the vulnerability of mobile internet systems in the UK to hostile actions; and what steps they plan to take to ensure that all homes and businesses have access to landline connections. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: DCMS works closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to understand and identify vulnerabilities. The NCSC has performed extensive and detailed analysis of the security of the telecommunications sector. This analysis informed the UK Telecommunications Supply Chain Review, and subsequently informed the development of the Telecommunications (Security) Act, which received Royal Assent in November 2021.The Act introduces a new telecommunications security framework in the UK which places duties on public telecommunications providers to protect their networks and services against security compromises. It also introduces new national security powers which are designed to manage the risks posed by high-risk vendors, both now and in the future.The universal service obligations set in the Electronic Communications (Universal Service) Order 2003 require designated providers to offer telephony services throughout the UK. BT and KCOM are therefore required to maintain access to a range of telephony services (including landlines), as well as provide a series of special measures designed for users who have a disability.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2022-07-20
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2022", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Alcohol Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether 24-hour alcohol licensing has, since November 2005, improved Britain's drinking culture; and, if so, how. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department of Culture, Media and Sport produced an evaluation of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 (the 2003 Act) last year and this is available on their website at http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/Licensingevaluation.pdf. The evaluation revealed a mixed picture. The introduction of the Act has not led to the widespread problems some feared. Overall, crime and alcohol consumption were down, with evidence of flexible hours smoothing the peaks of disturbances. However, alcohol-related violence had increased between 3 am and 6 am and some communities had seen a rise in disorder. The main conclusion was that people were using the freedoms, but that not all areas were sufficiently using the considerable powers, granted by the 2003 Act to tackle problems. There is therefore a need to rebalance action towards enforcement and crack down on irresponsible behaviour and the Prime Minister's recent announcements are part of that response. Bats Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 28 October (WA 147), on the advice of which other Government agency the Highways Agency decided to build two bridges for bats over the Dobwalls Bypass in Cornwall; what consideration was given to the adequacy of a single bridge; who drew up the specification for the bridges; and which contractor constructed the bridges. Lord Adonis: The Highways Agency is legally bound to protect endangered species such as bats. Mitigation of the severance of three of their main flight lines formed part of the commitments we made at public inquiry in support of European protected species legislative requirements to enable the bypass project to progress, especially since surveys found 12 of the 14 native species of bat in the area. The Highways Agency sought advice from English Nature (now Natural England), a statutory consultee. They indicated that measures would be required to mitigate the severance of three of the most important bat commuting routes by the then proposed Dobwalls Bypass. These three commuting routes are some distance apart, and highlighted the need to provide separate mitigation measures for each route. The measures comprised two artificial bat crossing structures plus a raised parapet modification to the new Havett Road overbridge crossing. The contractor for the bypass, Interserve Project Services Ltd, constructed the bat bridges. Interserve's design consultant, Parsons Brinckerhoff and environmental sub-consultant Ecological Planning and Research Ltd drew up the specification for them with advice from Natural England. Bats Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government over which roads the Highways Agency has constructed bridges for bats in each of the past five years; and what was the cost of each such bridge. Lord Adonis: The Highways Agency has constructed structures that enable bats to cross roads at four locations. The table below highlights the locations, length and costs of these structures. Bat structures designed and constructed between 2004 and 2009 Scheme Name Road Number Road opened Approx Length of Structure (metres) Single or Dual Carriageway Cutting/Embankment/At Grade Approx Construction Cost of Structure Dobwalls 2 Structures A38 June 2008 Structure 1—59.47m Structure 2—70m Dual At Grade/In Cutting £300,000.00 Haydon Bridge A69 April 2009 19.5m between support posts Single In cutting £60,000.00 High and Low Newton A590 April 2008 33m span between timber supporting posts Dual In cutting £45,000.00 Parton to Lillyhall A595 Dec 2008 34m span between supporting steel structures Dual On embankment £34,133.00 Bats Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, under the legal obligation to protect endangered species, there is any limit to the expenditure that the Highways Agency is required to undertake to provide bridges for bats over new roads; and whether, in the event of the provision of such bridges making the construction of the road under the benefit-cost ratio standards uneconomic, they would cancel or postpone construction. Lord Adonis: Mitigation works undertaken on a Highways Agency major project for bats are implemented under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994. The legislation does not place an expenditure limit on the provision of bat bridges over new roads. The costs associated with the construction of a bat bridge will vary for a variety of reasons, therefore each scheme is assessed on an individual basis. If the cost of provision of bat bridges caused the benefit-cost ratio to drop to the point where construction of the road was uneconomic, then alternative options which meet the scheme's objectives at a lower cost would be considered in the first instance. If no viable options were found, it is possible that construction could be postponed or cancelled. However, this would be highly unlikely as bat bridges form a very small part of the overall scheme cost for new roads. Bats Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the cost to public bodies of complying with the legal obligation to protect endangered species such as bats. Lord Davies of Oldham: The European Habitats Directive places member states under an obligation to ensure that species listed in annex IV to the directive are given strict legal protection; this includes species such as bats. All public bodies are also under a general legal obligation to have regard to the purpose of conserving biodiversity in the exercise of their functions by virtue of Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Measures taken to comply with these obligations can take many forms depending on the individual circumstances of the case in question. The extent of any feasible or necessary measures will very much depend on the degree of harm to the species that is foreseen. In general, good advanced planning and design, with expert advice where appropriate, will help to minimise the costs of compliance. The requirements of the directive are no more than is necessary to maintain the populations of the species concerned at favourable conservation status. Given the extent of the variable factors, we have no plans to review the cost to public bodies of complying with these obligations. British Overseas Territories Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the effect of the world economic downturn on each of the British Overseas Territories; and what measures they are taking to mitigate those effects. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: Owing to their size, the British Overseas Territories are heavily dependent on a small number of industries. The world economic downturn has affected them all, especially those in the Caribbean. In the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Anguilla, decreases in tourism, financial services activity, and related construction activity have led to falling economic output and government revenues. Insurance activity in Bermuda has held up well, although tourism is down. Elsewhere, fisheries and tourism activity in the Falkland Islands have fallen. Gibraltar has a more diversified economy, and revenues have held up well. Montserrat, St Helena and Pitcairn are in receipt of budgetary support from Department for International Development. The Overseas Territories are responsible for their own economic development, and for management of their own public finances. To mitigate the effects of the downturn, all the territories are reprioritising public expenditure and looking at their revenue raising methods. These reforms are necessary where territories have required permission from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to borrow. Other territories are also undertaking such measures. The FCO does not accept any legal liability for borrowing undertaken by the Overseas Territories. However we continue to seek involvement in Overseas Territories' Government borrowing decisions in order to ensure the good governance of the territories. British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what reduction there has been in the ordering of newspapers by the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat as a cost-cutting measure; which newspapers were previously ordered; which newspapers are now ordered; and how much has been saved each year by that measure. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat has consistently ordered the Belfast Telegraph, News Letter, Irish News, Irish Times and the Daily Telegraph on weekdays to meet business needs. The current cost per day of these five newspapers is £4.10. Central Asia: Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what scope there is for temporary deployment to central Asian posts of experienced Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff currently assigned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office corporate pool. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The corporate pool provides staff to cover gaps in Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) departments. Most of these gaps are in London, although staff in the pool may apply for a spell of temporary duty at overseas posts which have requested cover. We have sent four FCO staff to Almaty, Tashkent and Astana on temporary duty in Central Asia since 2007. We have also provided staff to cover eight short-term gaps (caused by illness or annual leave) in posts in Central Asia in the past two years. Central Asia: British Embassy Staff Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the number of staff in each British embassy in each country in central Asia, including Azerbaijan. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: As with all our posts, we keep our staffing levels in our embassies and other offices in central Asia and Azerbaijan under constant review. Central Asia: Heads of Missions Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government which of the current British ambassadors, deputy heads of missions or chargés d'affaires posted to central Asia have conversational fluency in (a) Azeri, (b) Kazakh, (c) Kyrgyz, (d) Tajik, (e) Turkmen, (f) Uzbek, or (g) Russian. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: Current British ambassadors, deputy heads of mission (DHM) and charge d'affaires with fluency in the above languages are HMA Astana, C2 level Russian; HMA Dushanbe, C2 level Russian and DHM Dushanbe, C 1 level Russian. Central Asia: Heads of Missions Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Foreign and Commonwealth Office head of missions eligible to serve in central Asia are fluent in (a) Azeri, (b) Kazakh, (c) Kyrgyz, (d) Tajik, (e) Turkmen, (f) Uzbek, and (g) Russian; and where those officials are currently serving. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The number of FCO officials fluent in each language is as follows: Azeri, 4; Kazakh, 0; Kyrgyz, 0; Turkmen, 0; Uzbek, 0; Dari (for Tajik), 2; Farsi (for Tajik), 12; and Russian, 99. The table below gives the location of these officers: Language No. of speakers Current location Azeri 4 Moscow, Quito, UK (2) Kazakh 0 Kyrgyz (Kirghiz) 0 Turkmen 0 Uzbek 0 Dari (for Tajik) 2 Kabul, UK Farsi (for Tajik) 12 Algiers, Ankara, Canberra, Kabul, Kuwait, Tehran, Washington, UK (2), SUPL (2), Outward Loan Russian 99 Addis Ababa, Astana (3), Baku, Banjul, Beijing, Belgrade (2), Brussels (Emb), Brussels (UKRep), Budapest, Chisinau, Dushanbe, Hamilton, Hong Kong, Islamabad, Istanbul, Kiev, Los Angeles, Maputo, Moscow (15), New Delhi, Oslo, Paris (Emb), Podgorica, Prague, Quito, Riga, Tallinn, Tashkent, Tbilisi (4), The Hague, Tokyo (2), Vienna (Emb), Vienna (OSCE), Vilnius, Washington, Yekaterinburg, Yerevan, UK (30), EOTL (2), SUPL (5), Outward Loan (4) Church Buildings Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given, in regard to the myplace project developing new facilities for young people, to entering into partnerships with little-used churches to create such facilities; and whether such partnerships could be more cost-effective and sustainable than building new premises. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: myplace is delivering over £270 million of government capital investment in world class youth facilities driven by the active participation of young people and their views and needs. Through a competitive bidding process, myplace is funding both new build projects and projects to redevelop existing community assets. It is for bidding organisations from either the public, private or third sector, to work in partnership to develop the most cost effective and sustainable proposals to meet local needs. Aiming high for young people: a ten year strategy for positive activities set out the Government's expectation that local authorities work with young people and local partners to develop integrated capital strategies to maximise the potential for young people of all existing community assets and funding streams. Climate Change Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what research, plans or projects (a) have been completed, (b) are ongoing, or (c) are planned to mitigate the impact of climate change in (1) St Helena, (2) Ascension Island, (3) Tristan da Cunha, and (4) the Falkland Islands. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: Responsibility for mitigating climate change lies with the Territories' Governments. (1) St Helena is taking steps towards reducing their carbon footprint through introducing wind power programmes. (2) In 2010 Ascension Island will be looking to reduce their carbon footprint through wind power and gradually installing solar units in its housing. It also plans to install a carbon emission-monitoring facility. (3) Tristan da Cunha plans to investigate renewable energy as an option for the island. (4) There are a number of projects in the Falkland Islands looking at the impacts of climate change, focusing on sea level, vegetation and biodiversity. Plans are in place to continue such work. The Falkland Islands will continue their ambitious work on wind power programmes. Common Agricultural Policy: Single Farm Payment Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial penalties have been imposed by the European Union authorities on the Rural Payments Agency in respect of their administration of the single farm payment scheme over each of the past five years; and from what source those penalty payments have been funded. Lord Davies of Oldham: To date, financial penalties of the order of £64 million for late payments and £5 million for a shortfall in cross-compliance inspections have been imposed in respect of the 2005 single payment scheme. Funding for these penalties was drawn from a ring-fenced sum that Defra has agreed with HM Treasury for this purpose. Courts Service Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what number and proportion of criminal cases were heard in (a) the Crown Court, and (b) magistrates' courts, in Northern Ireland, England and Wales over the past three years. Lord Bach: The Ministry of Justice gathers court hearing information for England and Wales, but not Northern Ireland. This information is available from the Northern Ireland Courts Service. All criminal cases commence in the magistrates' court, the more serious are then committed or sent to the Crown Court for trial or sentence, or as appeals. In 2008, around 143,000 criminal cases were heard in the Crown Court and around 1,915,000 criminal cases were heard in magistrates' courts. Therefore, around 7 per cent of completed criminal cases heard took place in the Crown Court and 93 per cent occurred in magistrates' courts. Comparable statistics for completed criminal cases heard in the magistrates' courts for previous years are not available, as 2008 data were derived from a different data source from previous years. Annual statistics on the number of criminal cases heard in both the Crown Court and magistrates' courts are published by the Ministry of Justice in the annual command paper Judicial and Court Statistics. The most recent edition, presenting statistics for 2008, was published in September 2009. Copies are available in the Library of the House and from the Ministry of Justice website at http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/ judicialandcourtstatistics.htm. Quarterly statistics are also published by the Ministry of Justice in the statistical bulletin Court Statistics Quarterly, which is also available on the Ministry's website. Crime: Shootings and Stabbings Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths there were in (a) Greater London, and (b) Manchester, caused by (1) shootings, and (2) stabbings, in each of (i) 2005 to 2009, and (ii) 1995 to 1999. Baroness Crawley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Jil Matheson, National Statistician, to Lord Maginnis of Drumglass, dated November 2009. As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths there were in (a) Greater London, and (b) Manchester, caused by (1) shootings, and (2) stabbings, in each of (i) 2005 to 2009, and (ii) 1995 to 1999. (HL6188) Figures for deaths registered in 2009 are not yet available. To allow comparisons with the earlier 5-year period requested (1995 to 1999), figures for the most recent 5-year period available have been provided (2004 to 2008). The table below provides the number deaths in (a) London government office region, and (b) Manchester metropolitan borough, with an underlying cause of (1) firearm injury, and (2) cut/pierce injury, by intent, for the period (i) 2004-0808 and (ii) 1995-99. Table 1. Number of deaths with an underlying cause of firearm or cut/pierce injury, by intent, London government office region and Manchester metropolitan district, 2004-08 and 1995-991,2,3,4 Deaths (persons) 2004-08 1995-99 Mechanism Intent London Manchester London Manchester Shooting Homicide and probable homicide 57 3 49 0 Legal intervention/war 3 0 1 0 Suicide 20 1 42 2 Undetermined 1 3 12 0 Unintentional 2 0 2 1 Total 83 7 106 3 Stabbing Homicide and probable homicide 39 0 67 2 Legal intervention/war 0 0 0 0 Suicide 62 5 52 4 Undetermined 29 0 23 3 Unintentional 10 1 16 1 Total 140 6 158 10 1 The causes of death of firearm and cut/pierce injury, by intent, were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes for the years 1995 to 1999, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes for 2004 to 2008, as shown in Box 1 below. 2 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 3 Using government office region and local authority boundaries as of 2009. 4 Deaths registered pending the result of criminal proceedings (not involving transport accidents), are classified as "unspecified" mechanism and "undetermined" intent deaths. These deaths are not included in the table above, and many are subsequently reported as being homicides. Final homicide figures are therefore likely to be higher than those reported at initial death registration. Box 1. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define deaths with an underlying cause of firearm and cut/pierce injury, by intent Firearm Cut/pierce Intent ICD-9 ICD-10 ICD-9 ICD-10 Unintentional E922 W32-W34 E920 W25-W29, W45 Suicide E955.0-.4 X72-X74 E956 X78 Undetermined E985.0-.4 Y22-Y24 E986 Y28 Homicide and probable homicide E965.0-.4 X93-X95 E966 X99 Legal intervention/war E970 Y35.0 E974 Y35.4 Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government which European Union countries have been involved in joint military exercises with the armed forces of the Government of Cyprus in the Greek Cypriot part of the island. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government have no knowledge of which countries have been involved in such military exercises. Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many bodies of missing persons were found by the United Nations following the conflict in Cyprus in 1974; and whether those bodies were of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The UN committee on missing persons reported that, as of 15 October 2009, the remains of 570 people had been exhumed from different burial sites across the island. Of these, the remains of 179 individuals had been identified and returned to their families, of which 135 were Greek Cypriots and 44 Turkish Cypriots. Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of Greek military personnel based in Cyprus; and whether that number is within the limit required by the Treaty of Guarantee. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government have not made an assessment of the number of Greek military personnel based in Cyprus. Cyprus: Larnaca Airport Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with authorities in Cyprus about whether part of Larnaca airport has been developed over land in Greek Cyprus owned by Turkish Cypriots; and whether Turkish Cypriots were compensated by the Greek Cypriot Government for the loss of the property. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government have had no discussions with authorities in Cyprus about the development of Larnaca airport. However, we continue to believe that the issue of disputed property ownership can only be fully solved by a comprehensive settlement, and it is for the leaders of the two communities to decide what form this takes during their ongoing settlement discussions. Cyprus: Property Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Turkish Cypriot land and property in Southern Cyprus has been taken over by the Greek Cypriot authorities since 1974; and whether payments have been made by the Greek Cypriot authorities to the former owners. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government have no direct involvement in this matter and are unable to supply the information requested. The issue of disputed property ownership can only be fully solved by a comprehensive settlement, and it is for the leaders of the two communities to decide what form this takes during their ongoing settlement discussions. Cyprus: Property Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had about whether the Turkish Cypriot Immovable Property Commission has received applications by Greek Cypriots to purchase properties in Northern Cyprus, whether such applications have been approved and whether payments for the acquisition of those properties have been paid to the Greek Cypriot title holders by the Turkish Cypriot authorities. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: According to figures recently released, over the past three years 422 applications have been made to the Immovable Property Commission. Of these, 75 cases have been resolved: two were resolved with compensation and exchange; four with compensation and restitution; one with restitution after a settlement; and the remainder with compensation. The European Court of Human Rights is expected to rule on whether the IPC offers an effective domestic remedy following a hearing on 18 November. Education: Special Educational Needs Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what extra training has been given to teachers and carers involved with children with special educational needs. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: There are a wide range of activities currently under way and in the planning stage that the DCSF is co-ordinating in relation to improving training for the school workforce in relation to special educational needs. From 1 September 2009, new regulations have come into force which mean that SENCOs in schools are now required to be qualified teachers and, if they have been in post for less than 12 months, they are also required to undertake new mandatory training to assist them in their role. The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) is also in the process of strengthening the coverage of SEN and disability issues in Initial Teacher Training and Induction for teachers—primary materials were launched in June 2008, secondary materials in June 2009 and PGCE materials will be available from November 2009. Also in November this year, the TDA will be launching a modular postgraduate course to provide opportunities for specialist SEN study for experienced teachers. The National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services are in the process of developing the Achievement for All programme which will aim to improve SEN and disability coverage in school leadership programmes. In partnership with the national strategies, we are also in the process of creating and rolling-out the Inclusion Development Programme which will deliver specially designed training resources for the school workforce that address areas of SEN that we know some find difficult—these include communication and autism and behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD). Elections: Armed Forces Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose to ensure that military personnel overseas who are registered for postal voting receive their ballots in sufficient time for them to be returned to be included in constituency counts. Lord Bach: Postal votes cannot be issued until the close of nominations, which for a UK parliamentary election means 11 working days before the poll. For this reason the Electoral Commission recommends proxy voting as the best way to ensure service personnel can cast their ballot, and the Commission recently issued guidance to all military personnel to encourage their participation in this way. However, it is important that service personnel have the opportunity participate in the democratic process, and my right honourable friend Michael Wills MP has written to all MPs inviting them to a meeting to discuss ways in which the registration and voting arrangements for service personnel can be improved. Electoral Register Lord Roberts of Conwy: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average number of electors per parliamentary constituency in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, and (d) Northern Ireland, at the latest date for which figures are available. Baroness Crawley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Jil Matheson, National Statistician, to Lord Roberts of Conwy, dated November 2009. As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your questions asking what was the average number of electors per parliamentary constituency in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland, at the latest date for which figures are available. (HL6226) The table below shows the average number of parliamentary electors in (a) English, (b) Welsh, (c) Scottish and (d) Northern Ireland parliamentary constituencies for 2008 which is the latest date for which figures are available. Average number of electors per parliamentary constituency. 1 2008 England 71,668 Wales 56,544 Scotland 65,850 Northern Ireland 63,055 1. Parliamentary constituencies are based on existing boundaries. Source: Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, and Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Baroness Thornton on 28 October (WA 150—51), whether it is a legal requirement that re-consent procedures should be in place where insufficient information is available to ascertain whether an individual would have objected to the use of their cells to bring about the creation in vitro of an embryo or human admixed embryo for the purposes of proposed research. Baroness Thornton: It is not a legal requirement that re-consent procedures should be in place where insufficient information is available to ascertain whether an individual would have objected to the use of their cells to bring about the creation in vitro of an embryo or human admixed embryo for the purposes of proposed research. The condition in paragraph 21(2)(b), (3)(b) and (4)(b) of Schedule 3 to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 is that the information relating to the cell provider that is available to the researcher does not suggest that the individual would have objected to the use of their human cells to bring about the creation in vitro of an embryo or human admixed embryo for the purposes of the research project. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Baroness Thornton on 27 October (WA 124) and 2 November (WA 7) stating that research licence applications and renewals are assessed in light of available scientific evidence, why records of relevant scientific publications are not maintained by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. Baroness Thornton: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that relevant publications may be provided by centres when they apply for a research licence or for a renewal of a research licence and by peer reviewers when they submit their reviews of these applications. The HFEA has a record of all applications and peer reviews submitted, which will be referred to when the HFEA decides whether to grant or renew a research licence. The HFEA may also refer to advice provided by its Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee when making these decisions. For this reason, the HFEA does not maintain a record of the type indicated in the Question. Energy: Gas Storage Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 5 October (WA 483), what are the diverse sources from which natural gas can be imported; and how much time it takes to import supplies in each case. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Over the past year GB has imported piped gas from Norway, Belgium (via the IUK interconnector) and the Netherlands (via the Balgzand-Bacton Pipeline—BBL). The IUK and BBL pipelines give access to gas from a range of sources including the Netherlands, Norway, Germany and Russia. GB has also received shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Algeria, Australia, Egypt, Norway, Qatar, and Trinidad and Tobago. Piped gas supplies can react quickly to changing market conditions in the UK. The rate at which LNG supplies can respond depends on the proximity and commercial availability of LNG cargoes. The increasing liquidity of the LNG market—the result of its increasing size and more flexible commercial arrangements—is helping to shorten response times. Energy: Power Stations Lord Willoughby de Broke: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many power stations in the United Kingdom they expect to be shut down before 2015 due to the 20,000-hour operating limit in the European Union's large combustion plant directive. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The timing of the closures of the stations opted-out of the large combustion plant directive is a commercial matter for the owners, within the limits imposed by the directive. EU: Council President Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (a) Ministers, and (b) civil servants, have lobbied (1) foreign Governments, and (2) officials in the European Union institutions, to promote Mr Tony Blair's appointment as President of the European Council upon ratification of the Lisbon treaty. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has long been clear that the Government think that Tony Blair would make an excellent candidate and an excellent President of the European Council. Other members of the European Council share the same view. Ministers will talk to our European colleagues about what is the best outcome, and will continue to do so. Officials have not been instructed to lobby for potential candidates. The Government hope that we can have an agreement soon that allows us to choose Commissioners and a President of the European Council. The current chair of the European Council, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, made clear recently that he would not seek nominations for this role until he had clarity on when the Czech Republic would ratify. Fishing: Discarded Fish Lord Swinfen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the weight and retail value of edible fish discarded by British fishermen due to being over-quota in the past 12 months for which figures are available. Lord Davies of Oldham: Cefas (the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) has analysed fisheries data to estimate the quantity of fish discarded by English and Welsh fishermen. Current estimates do not include data from Scotland or Northern Ireland. The total estimate of all species discarded in 2008 is 17 to 25,000 tonnes (approximately 8,000 tonnes of this was made up by the 20 most common commercial species). The current system for recording catch data does not allow us to differentiate why each fish is discarded. For example, a fish could be discarded because it is undersize (below minimum landing size), over-quota, high-graded or has no market. We therefore cannot asses the weight of over-quota fish discarded in the past 12 months by British fishermen. Because data on discards are incomplete, any extrapolations to estimate the retail value for the British fleet as a whole are unreliable. Using the average market value of all fish species as a multiplier would give an inaccurate estimate of the retail value of discards. Nor would that methodology take account of the impact of increased supply to the market on price elasticity or the capacity of processors and retailers to manage the increased supply. Again, because of the way catch data are recorded, we would not be able to disaggregate such an estimate to give a specific retail value for over-quota discards. Work will continue this year to build a better picture of discarding and its impacts. Food: Horse Meat Lord Taylor of Holbeach: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much United Kingdom reared horse meat is (a) sold in the United Kingdom, and (b) exported. Lord Davies of Oldham: All horse meat intended for human consumption produced at approved UK slaughterhouses is exported. 999 tonnes of meat derived from equidae was exported from the UK in 2008. This includes meat from horses, mules, asses and hinnies and does not differentiate between UK-reared or imported animals. Food: Supplements Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the status of European Union legislation concerning vitamins and food supplements; and what is their stance on that legislation. Baroness Thornton: The European Food Supplements Directive 2002/46/EC sets down requirements for food supplements marketed in the European Union and has applied in full since 1 August 2005. The directive is implemented in England by the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003, as amended. The Government support the directive and its broad objectives of ensuring safe supplements that are accurately labelled to facilitate consumer choice and of creating a level playing field for trade in these products throughout the European Union. Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Overseas Territories Department Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to relocate the Overseas Territories Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: There are no plans to relocate the Overseas Territories Directorate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Gaza Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £20 million pledged by them in March 2009 at Sharm el-Sheikh for relief and reconstruction in Gaza and economic development has been spent; and how much they have spent so far in 2009—10 in the West Bank and Gaza. Lord Brett: The UK pledged £30 million at the Sharm el-Sheikh conference, of which £20 million was allocated for reconstruction and £10 million for early recovery. We are already funding a number of early recovery projects, such as cash for work schemes employing people to clear rubble and repair agricultural roads, and expect to spend the full £10 million allocated for this purpose by March 2010. However, due to restrictions on the entry of building materials into Gaza, the UK has not yet been able to spend any of the funding earmarked for reconstruction. We stand ready to provide support as soon as the situation improves, and continue to press the Israeli Government for improved access to Gaza for aid, aid workers and reconstruction materials. The UK has spent £16.9 million in the West Bank and Gaza so far this financial year, including £5.2 million in humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and £10 million in support to the Palestinian Authority to enable it to provide essential public services. We have also provided nearly £20 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide support to Palestinian refugees, of which around half is allocated to Gaza and the West Bank. Health: Complementary and Alternative Medicine Earl Howe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure (a) that herbal practitioners can continue to use a full range of herbal remedies after the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (2004/24/EC) is fully implemented in April 2011, and (b) that such practitioners continue to enjoy protection under Article 15 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Baroness Thornton: We are currently undertaking a consultation exercise on whether, and if so how, to regulate herbal practitioners. The consultation includes exploration of the link between the nature of such regulation and the possibility of regarding herbal practitioners as authorised healthcare professionals, within the terms of Article 5.1 of European Directive 2001/83/EC. This is relevant to the feasibility of introducing a regulatory scheme under Article 5.1 permitting herbal practitioners in the United Kingdom to commission unlicensed herbal medicines manufactured by a third party to meet the special needs of individual patients. We will assess responses to this consultation before announcing proposals on the way forward. We will ensure that our proposals take account of the need to comply with Article 15 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. House of Lords: Fair Trade Goods Lord Hoyle: To ask the Chairman of Committees further to the Written Answer on 19 January (WA 187), what is the present situation in relation to the sale of fair trade bananas by the House of Lords Refreshment Department. Lord Brabazon of Tara: Fair trade bananas are specified as standard when placing orders with the nominated suppliers. In general, fair trade bananas are supplied but on the rare occasions when they are unavailable, an alternative is provided. Houses of Parliament: Surveillance of Members Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Wilson Doctrine prohibits surveillance of Members of either House of Parliament which is authorised by (a) a general certificate rather than a warrant, (b) the police using powers in Part III of the Police Act 1997, (c) the automatic number plate recognition database, and (d) a public authority using the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Lord West of Spithead: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by the Prime Minister on 21 July 2009 in another place (Official Report, Commons, col. 1166W). Human Rights Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, as a Guarantor Power, of the standards of human rights for Greek Cypriots living in the Northern Turkish Cypriot sector and for Turkish Cypriots living in the Southern Greek Cypriot sector; and whether the number of Turkish Cypriots resident in the Greek Cypriot sector has increased or fallen in the most recent year for which figures are available. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The continued division of Cyprus has an impact on the ability of Cypriots from both communities to enjoy the full range of freedoms and rights. The recent United Nations Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the question of human rights in Cyprus (available at http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G09/117/09/PDF/G0911709.pdf?OpenElement) highlights a number of ongoing concerns. However, as that report concludes, the situation of human rights in Cyprus would be greatly improved by the achievement of a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem. It is on this that the UK will continue to focus its efforts. The Government have no knowledge of changes in the population of the Turkish Cypriot community in the south of Cyprus. However, the Republic of Cyprus's most recent census, undertaken in 2001, can be found on the internet at the website address below at http://www.pio.gov.cy/mof/cystat/statistics.nsf/A11/805CB6E0CF012914C2257122003F3A84/$file/MAIN%20RESULTS-EN.xls?OpenElement. Immigration: Deportation Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Iraqi asylum applicants are being returned to Iraq; if so, why; and to what places. Lord West of Spithead: Iraqi asylum seekers who are found not to need international protection and who have no legal basis of stay in the UK are expected to leave. We prefer that they do so voluntarily but where they do not, we will seek to enforce their removal. Removal may be to any part of Iraq. Enforced removals have taken place to the Kurdish Regional Government controlled area of northern Iraq and to Baghdad. Immigration: Deportation Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the 43 persons deported on a flight in October to Baghdad were accepted by the Iraqi authorities and remained there; how many were rejected and brought back to England; and how many of those brought back were stateless or had insufficient documentation. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the 43 persons deported on a flight to Baghdad in October were convicted criminals. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Government of Iraq were informed in advance of their intention to deport 43 persons to Baghdad in October. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the 43 persons deported on a flight to Baghdad in October were Arabs; and how many were Kurds. Lord West of Spithead: The UK Border Agency recently arranged, in conjunction with the Iraqi authorities, the removal of 44 Iraqi nationals to Baghdad via a charter flight. Of the 44 on the flight, 12 were foreign national prisoners subject to a deportation order, and the remaining 32 were subject to removal from the UK for other immigration offences. All those on the flight had an appropriate document to allow their entry into Iraq, as per agreements between the UK Government and the Iraq Government. Upon arrival, 10 people were given permission to enter Iraq, while the remaining 34 were rejected and subsequently returned to the UK. The 10 who were accepted were a mixture of foreign national prisoners and other immigration offenders. Of the 44 individuals on the flight, 29 were of Kurdish ethnicity and 15 of Arab ethnicity. All those removed were from outside the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) administered region of northern Iraq. Immigration: Detainees Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for (a) better medical care for detainees, and (b) improved reception for mobile telephones, at Yarl's Wood detention centre. Lord West of Spithead: The healthcare centre at Yarl's Wood is registered with the Care Quality Commission and works collaboratively with the local NHS services to provide appropriate care for the residents in the centre. Yarl's Wood constantly strives to improve the quality and access to healthcare for detainees and in August 2009 a new partnership board was established, chaired by Yarl's Wood Healthcare and attended by various NHS heads of services and other local authority stakeholders, including Bedford social services. This board works proactively to plan and deliver high quality healthcare services and to build partnerships between NHS and other sector's services. Detainees within the centre have access to mobile phones and are able to obtain a reception on all networks. In addition to mobile phones all detainees are able to make and receive calls on one of the many landline phones located on each of the four residential units. Internet: Illegal Material Lord Steel of Aikwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to enable Ofcom to examine and possibly control the use of the internet for illegal or immoral purposes. Lord Young of Norwood Green: The Government have no such plans. The general law applies online as it does offline. My department is currently assessing the responses received to its consultation document issued on 16 June 2009 asking for views on the effect of any future legislation that might address illicit peer-to-peer file-sharing. The consultation closed on 30 October 2009. Licensing: Live Music Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the 5 per cent increase in venues with a live music permission, reported in the 2008—09 alcohol, entertainment and late-night refreshment licensing statistics published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 22 October, (a) is accounted for by applications from schools and councils licensing their own premises, including parks and streets, and (b) are premises that would not have needed such a permission before the Licensing Act 2003 came into effect. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not hold data on types of premises as, in general, the Licensing Act 2003 does not define these. No analysis of the kind described in part (b) of the question has been conducted. Migrant Workers: Bulgarians and Romanians Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord West of Spithead on 5 October (WA 485) and by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 17 July (WA 216), why the numbers of applications for accession worker cards, sector-based schemes and the seasonal agriculture workers scheme approved for Bulgarians and Romanians since their accession to the European Union were not provided in the Answers. Lord West of Spithead: The Answers provided by Lord West of Spithead and Baroness Royall of Blaisdon stated that information relating to the number of accession worker cards issued to Romanian and Bulgarian nationals since their accession to the European Union is published in the Bulgarian and Romanian Accession Statistics. These statistics are published quarterly and are available in the Libraries of the House. Information on sector-based scheme (SBS) and seasonal agricultural workers scheme (SAWS) applications are also in the annex of this document. The numbers requested are contained within this document. The statistics can also be accessed on page 45 of the following document on the Home Office's website at http://www. homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/immiq209.pdf. Since the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union in January 2007 the number of applications approved are as follows: Accession worker cards—7,455; Sector-based schemes—3,325; and Seasonal agricultural workers scheme—41,975. National Archives Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make sufficient resources available to enable the National Archives to be open to the public on all working weekdays. Lord Bach: As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review in 2007, the National Archives' budgets were agreed for the financial years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. The decision to close to the public on a Monday was undertaken by the National Archives' management in line with a series of other changes designed to achieve savings of 10 per cent. The purpose of these savings is to provide management with the resources to meet new demands. For example, the National Archives has been successful at generating wider interest in history, with large numbers of new online users of their services, and are also actively addressing the challenges of preserving digital records for future generations. HM Government have no plans to provide additional resources above those already agreed with the National Archives. As an executive agency, it is for the National Archives' management to decide how they allocate resources internally. Nauru and Tuvalu Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was paid in aid over the past three years to (a) Nauru, and (b) Tuvalu. Lord Brett: The UK Government did not provide any bilateral aid to either Nauru or Tuvalu in the three years 2006-07 to 2008-09. Northern Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the number of (a) United Kingdom citizens, and (b) German citizens, resident in Turkish Cyprus has increased during the past 10 years. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government have not estimated the number of German citizens in Cyprus. We do not have precise figures for the number of British citizens resident in northern Cyprus but we estimate the figure to have increased over the past 10 years to around 10,000. Northern Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether flights from (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) Turkey, and (d) Azerbaijan, land at Ercan airport in Turkish Cyprus. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: There are no direct flights to Ercan airport except from Turkey. Flights from third countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany or Azerbaijan land in Turkey before continuing to Ercan airport. Northern Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether sea transport from (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) Turkey, (d) Syria, and (e) Lebanon, docks in Turkish Cyprus. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: Sea transport from a variety of countries, including the UK, docks at ports in the north of Cyprus, although we do not hold any specific information about this. As the European Commission has confirmed, there is nothing in international law to prevent this. Northern Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government which nations have offices or consulates located in Turkish Cyprus. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The UK, USA, France, Germany and Australia maintain offices in the north of Cyprus. Turkey is the only country with a self-declared embassy in northern Cyprus. Northern Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government which international organisations have offices located in Turkish Cyprus. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government are aware of the EU Programme Support Office, managed by a private sector company; and the United Nations Development Programme offices in Northern Cyprus. Northern Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact on the tourist industry in Turkish Cyprus in the past year if the currency were the euro and not the Turkish Lira. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government have made no such assessment. Northern Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the largest religion in Turkish Cyprus; and whether there are restrictions on religious observances by (a) Anglicans, (b) Roman Catholics, (c) Protestant Evangelicals, (d) Orthodox Christians, and (e) Jews. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The north of Cyprus is relatively secular, but the largest religion is Islam. Most denominations are free to worship but restrictions remain on the use of some churches. The Government welcome all steps to ensure and expand freedom of worship. Northern Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times this year Her Majesty's High Commissioner in Cyprus has visited Turkish Cyprus. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: Our high commissioner frequently visits the north of Cyprus and follows events there closely. Official Visits Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the forecast cost of hiring the "Hebridean Princess" cruise liner for official visits by HRH the Duke of York around the coast of the United Kingdom in the next year. Lord Adonis: There are no plans for official visits by HRH the Duke of York around the coast of the UK by cruise liner. Organophosphates Lord Tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the inter- departmental Official Group on Organophosphates (previously the Carden Committee) last met; when it is next to meet; and whether its agenda will be published. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Official Group on Organophosphates last met on 26 June 2007. The frequency of the face-to-face meetings is determined by new events which are discussed as agenda items. At the 2007 OGOP meeting it was agreed that the group should meet when the Committee on Toxicity (COT) of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment have completed their review of research on organophosphates and human health. The agenda for OGOP meetings are not published. The Official Group on Organophosphates remains in regular contact and all members have had the opportunity to review the three recently released research reports. These three reports were reviewed by the COT at its 22 September meeting. The views of the COT will be available when the minutes of the meeting are published. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 26 October (WA 106) saying they are not aware of any decision or direction by the Northern Ireland Office that overruled a decision by the Police Service of Northern Ireland not to award a contract, whether that is because the Northern Ireland Office kept no record of any such decision or direction; and what assessment they have made of the account given by Sir Hugh Orde in the Sunday World on 26 July on that matter. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: I can confirm that the Northern Ireland Office has no record of any involvement in a decision or direction which overruled the PSNI's decision not to award a contract in the way described. The department does not specifically comment on newspaper articles. Pollution Lord Willoughby de Broke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Governments of other European Union member states and European Union institutions on the proposed integrated pollution prevention and control directive. Lord Davies of Oldham: Government Ministers and officials have had extensive discussions with other European Union member states and European Union institutions on the proposed industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control) directive (recast) since its publication in December 2007. These paved the way to a satisfactory political agreement on the proposal at Environment Council in June 2009, and will continue as the proposal moves to its Second Reading in the European Parliament next year. Regional Development Agencies Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government which board appointments for the regional development agencies are due for renewal or reappointment by June 2010; and what guidance they have issued on making public appointments to non-departmental public bodies with a tenure of more than one year in the run-up to a general election. Lord Davies of Abersoch: The following table indicates where approvals have been given for re-appointment from December 2009, the number of new appointments which were advertised in June across the regional development agencies (RDAs) taking up post on the 14 December and details of extensions given to date. RDA Approved for re-appointment starting December 2009 New Appointments to be taken up on 14 December 2009 Extensions Advantage West Midlands Brendan Connor 4 positions East of England Peter McCarthy-Ward, William Pope, Lord Edward Iveagh 2 positions plus Chair vacancy advertised. Richard Ellis, Chair, up to December 2010. East Midlands Tricia Pedlar, Haydn Biddle none ONE North East Ruth Thompson, Paul Callaghan, Cllr Peter Jackson Chair vacancy advertised. Margaret Fay, Chair, up to December 2010. North West none 2 Joe Dwek extended to Dec 2010. South East of England Alexander Pratt, Mr Robert Goldfield, Pamela Charlwood 4 South West John Savage 5 Yorkshire Forward Cllr John Weighell, Professor Michael Arthur 2 plus Chair vacancy advertised. Terry Hodgkinson, Chair, up to December 2010. No guidance has been issued on making public appointments to non-departmental public bodies with a tenure of more than one year in the run-up to a general election. Roads: Londonderry Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what undertakings they gave to the Northern Ireland Executive about ring-fencing the funding for a new motorway from the Tyrone Border to Londonderry. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: No such undertaking has been given by Her Majesty's Government. The Northern Ireland Office's annual block grant to the Northern Ireland Executive is not ring-fenced. Schools: Special Educational Needs Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional support has been given to schools that have children with special educational needs. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: To support local authorities and schools to fulfil their duties towards children with special educational needs (SEN), the Government have increased investment with planned expenditure on SEN rising from £2.8 billion in 2000-01 to £5.1 billion in 2008-09. We are improving school workforce skills, with the Inclusion Development Programme cascading in-service training for the school workforce. The first year of the programme covered dyslexia and speech, language and communication disorders, this year is focused on autistic spectrum disorders and next year the focus will be on behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Nationally accredited training for all those new to the role of special educational needs co-ordinator in schools started in September 2009. We have published the Better Communication Action Plan, to improve services for children and young people with SLCN, supported by up to £12 million, and we are funding training for up to 4,000 specialist dyslexia teachers over the next two years. The £31 million Achievement for All pilots started in 10 areas this September to demonstrate how to improve outcomes for children with SEN. Schools: Unregistered Institutions Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 3 November (HL6067), when they intend to commence the provisions of the Education and Skills Act 2008 on part-time providers of education. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: No firm decision has been made about the date on which the provisions of the Education and Skills Act 2008 requiring part-time providers of education falling within specified thresholds to register with this department, come into force. Shipping: General Lighthouse Authorities Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 3 November (WA 52), on how many occasions personnel from the Research and Radionavigation Directorate of the General Lighthouse Authorities of the United Kingdom and Ireland travelled overseas in (a) 2007, and (b) 2008; how many visits are planned for (1) 2009, and (2) 2010; and what the costs and purposes of the visits were or are projected to be. Lord Adonis: I have asked the General Lighthouse Authorities to provide the information requested and this will be placed in the Libraries of the House in due course. Shipping: General Lighthouse Authorities Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 3 November (WA 52), what were the travel and subsistence costs of the General Lighthouse Authorities' Research and Radionavigation Directorate for overseas visits in 2008 and 2009 on business relating to the e-Loran project. Lord Adonis: The General Lighthouse Authorities' Research and Radionavigation Directorate records show that spending on overseas travel and subsistence relating to the e-loran project was roundly £22,000 in 2008-09 and £11,000 so far in this financial year. Shipping: General Lighthouse Authorities Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the National Audit Office or any other such body has investigated the General Lighthouse Fund since 1993. Lord Adonis: The National Audit Office audits the accounts of the General Lighthouse Fund annually. The last audit of the General Lighthouse Fund covered the 2008-09 financial years. Shipping: General Lighthouse Authorities Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 3 November (WA 51) what was the total income from charges levied by the Research and Radionavigation Directorate of the General Lighthouse Authorities of the United Kingdom and Ireland for their services in each year since its inception. Lord Adonis: The income is recorded as below: 2005-06 £132,000 2006-07 £144,000 2007-08 £208,500 2008-09 £27,000 2009 to date £255,500 Spain: Urbanisation Lord Burnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report prepared by Margrete Auken MEP, dated 20 February, on the impact of extensive urbanisation in Spain on individual rights of European citizens; and whether they have raised the matter with the Prime Minister of Spain. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government have no authority to get involved in any matters relating to Spanish domestic legislation, whether national, regional or local, as Property laws are the competency of individual member states, and in Spain responsibility is devolved to the regional governments. Many of the concerns detailed in the Auken report are ones that we share. Although we have not raised this matter with the Prime Minister of Spain, we continue to raise it at other Ministerial and official levels, whenever appropriate. Most recently, my honourable friend Chris Bryant, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, raised property issues with the Spanish Minister of State for Territorial Policy during his visit to Madrid in September and will do so again when he visits this month. Turks and Caicos Islands Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the anticipated additional cost of imposing direct rule on the Turks and Caicos Islands. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The majority of the costs of implementing the recommendations of the Turks and Caicos Islands Commission of Inquiry, including the suspension of ministerial government and the House of Assembly, will fall to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. The Government are funding the provision of additional staff for the Governor's Office, and additional advisers for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. It is not yet possible to specify the full costs of the provision of such advisers prior to the restoration of an elected Government on or before July 2011. Vietnam Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the Government of Vietnam about recent arrests and sentences imposed on critics of official policy and practices, as detailed in the Amnesty International Urgent Action Notices of 8 and 9 October; and whether they have received responses to similar previous representations. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government are concerned about the severe prison sentences given to nine Vietnamese citizens between 6 and 9 October for conducting propaganda against the state. We believe that all nine were peacefully expressing their right to freedom of expression in line with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Vietnam is a party. As with previous cases of this nature, the Vietnamese Government maintain that these nine individuals have broken the law and must be punished accordingly. Our British embassy in Hanoi and our EU partners sent representatives to witness three of the trials. Following the trials we raised our concerns with the Vietnamese Government about the grounds for the convictions and the severity of the sentences. We regularly highlight to the Vietnamese Government the importance of the free flow of ideas, analysis and debate to Vietnam's long-term sustainable development. We will continue to press the Vietnamese Government to adhere to their international human rights obligations. Visas: Watoto Children's Choir Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made to allow the Watoto children's choir to arrive in January 2010 in the United Kingdom to undertake their concert tour. Lord West of Spithead: As of 28 October, visa applications had yet to be submitted to enable the Watoto children's choir to visit the UK in January 2010. Any applications received will be considered by our visa section in Nairobi in accordance with the Immigration Rules. Visas: Watoto Children's Choir Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in 2009 to enable the Watoto children to enter and perform in the United Kingdom. Lord West of Spithead: As of 28 October, no visa applications had so far been submitted in 2009 to enable the Watoto children's choir to visit the UK. Any applications received will be considered in accordance with the Immigration Rules. Young Offenders: Transfers Baroness Falkner of Margravine: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) male prisoners, and (b) female prisoners, were transferred between secure training centres in the 12 months to September; and what were their ages. Lord Bach: The Youth Justice Board (YJB) places sentenced and remanded young people in the under-18 secure estate. The YJB defines a transfer as a planned move either resulting from a transfer request or as a result of estate planning. The table below details the number of occasions when males and females were transferred between secure training centres in the year to 30 September 2009. The data have been provided by the Youth Justice Board and are drawn from administrative computers systems, and as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time. Age Female Male 13 0 2 14 1 4 15 4 2 16 3 2 Young Offenders: Transfers Baroness Falkner of Margravine: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) male prisoners, and (b) female prisoners, were transferred between secure children's homes in the 12 months to September; and what were their ages. Lord Bach: The Youth Justice Board (YJB) places sentenced and remanded young people in the under-18 secure estate. The YJB defines a transfer as a planned move either resulting from a transfer request or as a result of estate planning. The table below details the number of occasions when males and females were transferred between secure children's homes in the year to 30 September 2009, broken down by age. The data have been provided by the Youth Justice Board and are drawn from administrative computers systems, and as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time. Age Female Male 12 0 1 13 1 2 14 3 15 15 1 2 16 2 2 17 0 1 Young Offenders: Transfers Baroness Falkner of Margravine: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the numbers of transfers per prisoner for prisoners aged 12 to 18 who were transferred between (a) young offenders' institutions, (b) secure training centres, and (c) secure children's homes in the 12 months to September. Lord Bach: The Youth Justice Board (YJB) places sentenced and remanded young people in the under-18 secure estate. The YJB defines a transfer as a planned move either resulting from a transfer request or as a result of estate planning. The tables below detail the number of transfers per young person between establishments within each of the three sectors of the under-18 secure estate in the year to 30 September 2009. The data have been provided by the Youth Justice Board and are drawn from administrative computers systems, and as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change over time. Number of transfers per young person in Young Offender Institutions Number of young persons 0 11,118 1 535 2 69 3 14 4 3 5 2 Number of transfers per young person in Secure Training Centres Number of young persons 0 1,340 1 17 2 1 Number of transfers per young person in Secure Children's Homes Number of young persons 0 905 1 29 2 0 3 1
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2009-11-10a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2009", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Arms Trade: BAE Systems Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations the Attorney-General has received from BAE Systems, or from solicitors acting on its behalf, to block the investigations by the Serious Fraud Office into alleged corrupt payments made to secure arms deals with Saudi Arabia; and what response was made. Lord Goldsmith: I have received certain representations from BAE Systems in relation to this case. The SFO investigation into the case is still live and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage. Aviation: Mixed Mode Arrangements Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the implications of mixed mode arrangements fom Heathrow airport runways on (a) noise pollution; (b) night-time flying; and (c) carbon dioxide emissions. Lord Davies of Oldham: Possible mixed mode operations at Heathrow are still being assessed and will be the subject of consultation next year. This will report on the noise and local air quality implications, with particular regard to the limits set out in the Air Transport White Paper. Other impacts, including CO2, will also be taken into account in the appraisal. The Government have announced night-flight restrictions running until 2012. Further consultation is expected in due course on controls to apply from 2012. Introduction of mixed mode operation does not, of itself, imply any changes to night-flight restrictions. Children: UN Conventions Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many and which government department websites hold information on (a) the Convention on the Rights of the Child; (b) the United Nations reporting process; (c) recommendations to the United Kingdom by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child; and (d) the Government's response to those recommendations; and Whether information is disseminated on (a) the Convention on the Rights of the Child; (b) the United Nations reporting process; (c) recommendations to the United Kingdom by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child; and (d) the Government's response to those recommendations to schools, health centres, hospitals, courts, job centres, post offices, libraries and other similar establishments; and, if so, how. Lord Adonis: Information on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations reporting process and the recommendations to the United Kingdom by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child is held on the Department for Education and Skills website: www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/uncrc. This website also contains the 1999 UK periodic report on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which responds to the 1995 recommendations made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. The UK's response to the 2002 recommendations together with the UK's next periodic report will be published in July 2007. Information on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child can also be found on the Government's Directgov website, as well as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. The department does not disseminate information to schools, health centres, hospitals, courts, job centres, post offices, libraries and other similar establishments. However, there are opportunities within citizenship education to learn about human rights and how they relate to young people and could include the convention. Information on the convention can also be accessed through the websites described above. Disabled People: Blue Badge Scheme Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many current beneficiaries there are of the blue badge scheme for parking concessions for entitled disabled people travelling either as drivers or as passengers; and what recent assessment has been made of how well the scheme is working. Lord Davies of Oldham: The results of the Department for Transport's annual survey into the issuing of disabled persons' parking badges by local authority was published on the DfT website on 19 October and showed that some 2,258,000 badges were on issue to disabled people in England as at 31 March 2006. A comprehensive review of the blue badge scheme was completed in 2002. The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the department's statutory advisers on the transport needs of disabled people, was asked to look at the responses received and to submit recommendations to Ministers. Its report was put forward to Ministers and the majority of the recommendations were accepted by the Government in 2002. The department is working on those recommendations which require changes to regulations and plans to consult on the draft regulatory package early next year. Government Property: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which pieces of Ministry of Defence estate in Northern Ireland have been disposed of since 1994; whether they will provide details of each property; and, for each piece: (a) how long the Ministry of Defence owned it; (b) from whom and at what cost it was acquired, if acquired since 1970; (c) how the disposal was conducted; (d) who purchased it from the Ministry of Defence; (e) what were the sale prices and selling costs; and (f) where the resulting assets were placed. Lord Drayson: I am placing the information that is available in the Library of the House. Selling costs are not readily available and will take time to collate. I will write therefore to the noble Lord once this information is finalised. All receipts from the disposal of surplus land come to the defence budget, which is voted on a net basis. House of Lords: Cleaners Lord Harrison: asked the Chairman of Committees: What proportion of cleaners are currently contracted to work outside normal office hours in the House of Lords. Lord Brabazon of Tara: Two groups of employees provide cleaning services within the House. Housekeepers employed directly by the House are contracted to work Monday to Friday from 6.30 am to 10 am, except for the head housekeeper, who is contracted to work from 6 am to 10 am. Two members of the housekeeping staff choose to work from 6 am to 9.30 am. Different and more conventional working hours apply to a small number of housekeepers who carry out special cleaning tasks in support of the Library and the Parliamentary Archives. The House also employs the services of 24 Mitie contract cleaning staff. Their working hours are broken down as follows. Staff member Working hours 1 Manager 6 am to 2 pm 1 Supervisor 5 am to 12 noon 1 Supervisor 2 pm to 10 pm 19 Cleaners 5 am to 9 am 2 Janitors 5 pm to 8 pm Judicial Review Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What policy changes they plan to make in the way judicial reviews are handled by Government in Northern Ireland. Lord Goldsmith: The policy of the Government is, and always has been, to handle judicial reviews with the high standards expected of all parties by the courts. As I stated in my written reply to Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Official Report, col. WA 112), I have asked Mr Peter Scott QC to investigate concerns raised by Mr Justice Girvan in recent judicial review proceedings in Northern Ireland. His terms of reference include his making recommendations on how best to prevent a recurrence of any shortcomings identified. Olympic Games: Medal Target Lord Higgins: asked Her Majesty's Government: When consultation took place with the British Olympic Association's director of performance to agree the medal target for the British Olympic team in Beijing 2008; and where such discussions were held. Lord Davies of Oldham: No consultation has taken place with the British Olympic Association's director of performance to agree the medal target for the British Olympic team in Beijing 2008. The target was set by UK Sport, the Government's agency for elite sport, in 2005, in agreement with DCMS. It will be finalised with the Minister of Sport in spring 2008. However, UK Sport officials have met the BOA's director of performance a number of times since his appointment in September to discuss high-performance issues. Railways: Franchise Operator Failure Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What standby provisions they have in place to operate rail passenger franchises in the event that the incumbent operators fail. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government have powers under Section 30 of the Railways Acts 1993 as amended to step in as "operator of last resort" and take over the operation of a franchise in the event that a franchise holder should be unable to deliver the service. The Department for Transport has detailed contingency plans to cater for this eventuality. The plans are kept under constant review. Roads: Safety Legislation Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether Parliament retains the power to legislate on all matters of road safety without infringing European law. Lord Davies of Oldham: Parliament has the power to legislate on all matters of road safety but legislation must be compatible with EU law where that applies. EU law exists in a number of areas that are relevant to road safety. The Government do not consider that there are any significant issues on which safety-related road traffic law is in conflict with EU legislation. Roads: Warning Lights Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will issue advice to road users regarding the use of coloured warning lights and other high conspicuity markings that in normal use breach the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations (SI 1989/1796). Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government have no plans to issue general advice on the use of special warning lights and conspicuity aids. However, the Highways Agency has produced a code of practice on the self-escorting of abnormal loads or abnormal vehicles (which includes sections on lamps and conspicuity markings), and the Highway Code (Rules 194 and 200) includes advice about emergency vehicles and flashing blue, red or green lights, and about the use of flashing amber lights. Roads: Warning Lights Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to the proliferation of warning beacons or lamps and other high conspicuity markings being used on road vehicles in breach of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (SI 1989/1796), in particular those fitted to abnormal loads, abnormal-load escort vehicles and recovery vehicles. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government are not aware of any proliferation of the use of lights or other conspicuity aids in breach of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (RVLR) 1989 as amended. Government policies, and the RVLR, restrict special warning beacons and high-conspicuity markings to specific definitions of vehicles and uses—for example, vehicles used for emergency or abnormal-load escort purposes—so as to avoid undermining their impact and effectiveness. Use of such beacons and markings in breach of the RVLR is a matter for enforcement by the police. Roads: Warning Lights Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which organisations applied for permission to use lamps or other high-conspicuity markings normally prohibited from use by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (SI 1989/1796) in each of the years 2000 to 2006; and, for each of those organisations, when the permissions will expire. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Transport receives many applications every year from organisations seeking permission to use lamps or other high-conspicuity markings normally prohibited from use by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 as amended (RVLR). Many are refused permission. Government policy is to avoid proliferation of these aids in order to maintain their impact and effectiveness. Where such permission is granted, the organisation concerned is issued with a special order. Some orders granted have changed over time as amendments have been made to the RVLR. The following table summarises the special orders granted, and those expiring, in each of the years 2000 to 2006. A more detailed table, giving the names of each organisation and the coming into force and expiry dates of each order, has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Numbers of Special Orders Granted Each Year Year No. Granted No. Expired 2000 3 3 2001 6 6 2002 8 8 2003 9 8 2004 52 52 2005 37 37 2006 7 3 Roads: Warning Lights Viscount Simon: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many warning lights and high-conspicuity markings permitted in circumstances specified by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (SI 1989/1796) are used regularly on road vehicles; and whether they have made an assessment of the potential for these markings to cause confusion to other road users. Lord Davies of Oldham: No count is made of the number of vehicles permitted to use these aids, but lawful use is restricted according to requirements specified in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (RVLR) 1989 as amended, with occasional special orders to meet particular requirements (for example, for Highways Agency traffic officer vehicles). The aim is to avoid unnecessary proliferation of these aids, which could undermine their impact and effectiveness. We have not made any specific assessment of potential confusion caused to other road users by such aids; however, assessments have previously been made that demonstrate the conspicuity benefit of these lights and markings for high-risk and/or emergency vehicles. Sport: Anti-doping Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the chairman and chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust have been paid on an annual basis since the formation of the Youth Sport Trust. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Youth Sport Trust is a registered charity established since 1994. Details of individual salaries are therefore not held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Sport: Community Club Development Programme Lord Higgins: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which sports facilities are currently supported by the Community Club Development Programme; and how much financial support each facility has received since the inception of the programme. Lord Davies of Oldham: Since 2003, more than 1,000 sports facility projects have received Community Club Development Programme awards. I am arranging for lists of the facilities and awards to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Sport: Ms Sue Campbell Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's press release on 26 August 2003 announcing the appointment of Ms Sue Campbell as interim chair of UK Sport, whether the appropriate safeguards were put in place to ensure no conflict of interest between this role and her advisory role to the Department for Education and Skills. Lord Davies of Oldham: I refer the noble Lord, Lord Luke, to my Answer of 29 November 2006 (Official Report, col. WA 66). Sport: Talented Athlete Scholarships Lord Higgins: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many individuals have received talented athlete scholarships; and how many of those individuals have achieved Olympic, world or European medal success. Lord Davies of Oldham: It is predicted that 2,729 athletes will have received talented athlete scholarships through the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) by the end of 2006-07. These figures break down as follows: 2004-05 920 athletes supported 2005-06 1,109 additional athletes supported 2006-07 Approximately 700 additional athletes supported (awaiting final confirmation of numbers) Athletes on the TASS programme are not generally at the performance level to be competing at Olympic, world or European championship level. There are notable exceptions, however; for example, the silver medal won by Shelley Rudman during the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics; the three European Athletics Championship medals won at Gothenburg 2006; and the 21 medals won by TASS athletes during the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. Additionally, we have seen significant performances from TASS athletes at world and European junior championships; for example, the gold medals won by Harry Aikines Aryeetey at both the 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2005 World Youth Championships. Sport: UK Sport Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will ask UK Sport to approach sponsorship agencies to assist in raising the £100 million sponsorship fund to support aspiring Olympians. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government, supported by UK Sport, are currently exploring a number of options to raise £100 million from the private sector to help support our most talented athletes. We are also considering what external assistance may be required. Sport: Youth Sport Trust Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: What expertise was demonstrated by the Youth Sport Trust to secure funding for its Start Clean drug-free sport outreach programme; and when the competitive tendering process for the award of funding was initiated. Lord Davies of Oldham: Start Clean was the drug-free sport education programme set up by UK Sport in 2004. This was superseded by its 100 per cent ME programme in 2005. The Youth Sport Trust has not secured funding for, nor has any involvement in, either of these programmes. Sport: Youth Sport Trust Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the Youth Sport Trust has received each year from public funds since January 2000. Lord Davies of Oldham: For work related to sports colleges and the joint DfES/DCMS school sport strategy, the following amounts have been paid to the Youth Sport Trust. Financial year DfES (£) DCMS (£) Total (£) 2000-01 938,695 - 938,695, 2001-02 1,135,624 - 1,135,624 2002-03 1,842,368 1,041,150 2,883,518 2003-04 4,841,881 1,394,000 6,235,881 2004-05 9,040,225 2,187,000 11,227,225 2005-06 15,959,487 2,534,500 18,493,987 2006-07 10,151,296 to date 1,880,189 to date 12,031,485 to date Information on other government departments' expenditure is not held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Suicide Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will respond to the call by the charity Papyrus for amendment of the Suicide Act 1961 which has the effect of banning internet sites which may incite people to, or advise people on how to, commit suicide. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government take this difficult problem seriously and are taking a range of non-legislative steps to tackle it, including raising awareness of the potential dangers of suicide websites being accessed by vulnerable people; encouraging search engine companies to ensure that search results give prominence to sites offering help and support to people contemplating suicide; and working with internet service providers to discourage them from hosting sites which may encourage suicide. The Department of Health is also continuing to explore what more non-legislative action might be possible in the context of its Suicide Prevention Strategy. At the Government's request, the Law Commission has considered the law as it applies to suicide websites as part of its work on participation in crime. It concludes (in annexe B to its report Inchoate Liability for Assisting and Encouraging Crime, published on 11 July and available on its website) that the problems posed by suicide websites can be adequately addressed without reform to the Suicide Act 1961. But it recommends that the language of the legislation could be updated, and that consideration should be given to applying its proposed provisions on extra-territorial jurisdiction to the offence of assisting suicide. We will consider these recommendations carefully.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-12-07d
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Butler Report Lord Palmer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What were the costs involved in producing the Butler report; and whether any members of the review committee received remuneration. Baroness Amos: Costs incurred by the Government are estimated at some £452,500. Lord Butler, Lord Inge and Sir John Chilcot received personal remuneration for their work. Iraq: Export Sales of Oil Products Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 6 June 2003 (WA 198), whether the proceeds from all export sales of oil products from Iraq are spent exclusively to meet the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people; the economic reconstruction and repair of Iraq's infrastructure; the continued disarmament of Iraq; and the cost of Iraqi civilian administration; and, if not, for what other purposes the proceeds are spent. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1483 of 22 May 2003 provided that all export sales of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas from Iraq shall be deposited into the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI). The DFI was set up as an account into which all revenues from the sale of Iraq's oil would be paid and to which all assets of the Iraqi Government would be transferred. UNSCR 1483 decided that all DFI funds were to be used in a transparent manner to meet the needs of the Iraqi people. UNSCR 1546 of 8 June 2004 transferred control of the DFI, on dissolution of the Coalition Provisional Authority, to the Iraqi Interim Government (IIG). It provides that the IIG shall use the DFI in a transparent and equitable manner and through the Iraqi budget, including to satisfy outstanding obligations against the DFI. Iraq thus has full authority and control over its financial and natural resources, including the disbursement of funds in the DFI. UNSCR 1546 also affirmed that monitoring of the DFI by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board would continue. Equatorial Guinea Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have been requested by the Government or other public authorities of Equatorial Guinea to investigate the activities of British citizens alleged to have been involved in the failed African coup; and, if so, what action has been taken in response. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Equatorial Guinean Government have approached us in relation to their investigations following the alleged attempted coup in March 2004. We have made clear to the Equatorial Guinean Government that any evidence they may have relating to activities of persons currently in the UK which might contravene UK law should be passed to the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service who are solely responsible for decisions regarding investigations and prosecutions respectively in the UK. We have made clear that the UK takes its international obligations very seriously and will continue to assist where possible. Minors with Indian Nationality Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will explain the basis for their assertion that an Indian minor who acquires British nationality by registration does not lose Indian nationality; and whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of any correspondence between the British High Commission in New Delhi and the Indian Government on this subject. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I thank the noble Lord for his Question on minors with Indian nationality who were registered in Hong Kong as British Nationals (Overseas). Under Indian nationality law, Indian citizens who voluntarily acquire another citizenship lose their Indian citizenship. However, minors are deemed incapable of voluntarily acquiring another citizenship. Thus minors who held Indian citizenship and otherwise acquired British Dependent Territories Citizenship or British National (Overseas) status do not lose Indian nationality as a consequence. It is a statutory requirement for registration as a British Citizen under Section 1 of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 that the applicant must have been solely British, and not hold another citizenship, both on 4 February 1997 when the Act was passed and on the date of application for citizenship. We will place copies of the press release issued by the Government of India on this subject in the Library of the House. Young Offenders Lord Chadlington: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many 16-18 year olds returned to main stream education after being released from a young offenders' institution. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In England and Wales and Northern Ireland, it is not possible to say how many 16-18 year-olds returned to mainstream education as data are not collected and could be collated only at disproportionate cost. However, in England and Wales the Youth Justice Board calculated that of the 5,172 young offenders who have completed Detention and Training Orders in 2004, 2,859 returned to employment, education or training. For information with respect to Scotland, I refer the noble Lord to the Scottish Executive. Child Pornography Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the legal definition of pornography involving children is the same in the United Kingdom as in the Republic of Ireland; and if not, in what respects it differs. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The definition of pornography involving children is not the same in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. In England and Wales, the Protection of Children Act 1978, as amended, deals with indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children under the age of 18. This includes anything which appears to be a photograph of a child, in any form. Whether the photograph is indecent is left for the courts to decide, applying common standards. It is an offence under the Act to take, make, distribute, possess with intent to distribute or to advertise such material. The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (s 160) makes simple possession an offence. In addition the Sexual Offences Act 2003 includes at Sections 48 to 50 offences of causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography, arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography, and controlling a child involved in pornography. Pornography in this context arises when an indecent image of the child is recorded. The law in Scotland and Northern Ireland similarly deals with indecent photographs and pseudo-photographs of children, at present up to the age of 16. According to their government website, in the Republic of Ireland the relevant definition is contained in the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998: the definition covers four types of pornographic material featuring children under 17, irrespective of the medium used. These can be summarised as follows: visual material which either shows a child (or in the case of a document relates to a person who is or is depicted as being a child) engaged in or witnessing explicit sexual activity, or the dominant characteristic of which is the depiction, for a sexual purpose, of the genital or anal regions of children; material which is capable of being heard and which represents a child engaged in explicit sexual activity; visual or audio material that advocates, encourages or counsels unlawful sexual activity with children; information relating to a child that indicates or implies that the child is available to be used for the purpose of sexual exploitation within the meaning of the Act. A visual representation includes any photographic film or video representation, any accompanying sound or any document. Prison Population: Ethnic Minorities Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of the total prison population is from ethnic minorities. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The prison population, by ethnic group, in England and Wales on 28 February 2003 is provided in the table. Population in prison by ethnic group England and Wales, -- 28 February 2003 Number Per cent White 54,445 75.3 Black 11,942 16.5 South Asian 2,352 3.3 Chinese and other 3,468 4.8 Unrecorded 79 0.1 Total 72,286 100 Prison Officers: Training Lord Chadlington: asked Her Majesty's Government: What training is given to prison wardens prior to employment. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The information requested with respect to England and Wales and Northern Ireland is provided below. For the information with respect to Scotland, I refer the noble Lord to the Scottish Executive. In England and Wales all prison officers undertake the Prison Officer Entry Level Training Course (POELT). This is an eight-week course, with time split between the classroom and the students' home establishment, which gives students a thorough and comprehensive introduction to the Prison Service and equips officers to maintain security and contribute to prisoner resettlement. The course includes modules on security training, control and restraint techniques, searching, diversity, interpersonal skills, assertiveness, mental health awareness, suicide awareness, substance awareness, first aid, radio procedures and peacekeeping. In Northern Ireland, prison officer induction training is designed to equip prison officers with a range of control and interpersonal skills to help them perform their duties and meet their responsibilities to prisoners. Staff also receive training on equality, human rights and equal opportunities. The length of the training varies from four to six weeks depending on the specific role of the recruit. British Citizenship: Applications by Overseas Residents Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether an overseas resident who considers that his or her application for registration as a British citizen has been erroneously refused should appeal through the British consulate in the country where he or she lives, or directly from abroad to the Home Office in the United Kingdom; and whether they will add a paragraph to the Casework Instructions to clarify the procedure. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Except in the case of deprivation of citizenship, there is no statutory right of appeal against the Secretary of State's decision. Informal representations, whether made directly or through the British consulate, will be carefully considered and a full reply sent in each case in accordance with casework instructions. Decisions are also susceptible to judicial review on the usual grounds of illegality, irrationality and procedural impropriety. The casework procedures are clear and do not need clarification. Trespass: Royal Palaces Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: To which properties a possible new law of criminal trespass on properties owned by Her Majesty the Queen would apply. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Her Majesty's Government are currently considering whether it is necessary to create a specific offence of trespass for certain sensitive sites, including some Royal and government sites. No decision has yet been taken on which properties any such offence might apply to, but we hope to be able to come to a conclusion shortly. Demolition Orders Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many demolition orders have been made by local authorities in England in each of the past 10 years. Lord Rooker: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Closing Orders Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many closing orders have been made by local authorities in England in each of the past 10 years. Lord Rooker: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Playing Fields and Sports Buildings Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to introduce legislation to include playing fields of between 0.2 and 0.4 hectares within Sport England's remit as a statutory consultee, as announced by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 24 July 2002; and When they intend to introduce legislation to ensure that planning permission is required for the demolition of sports buildings, as announced by the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on 27 July 2000. Lord Rooker: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister aims to consult in the next few months on arrangements for statutory consultees. The proposal to lower the threshold for consultation on playing fields from 0.4 to 0.2 hectares will be included in a draft amendment to the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to consult early next year on the proposal to amend the law on demolition of sports buildings by means of a draft amendment to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. Tertiary Education Lord Howie of Troon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any proposals to increase public expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gross domestic product from the figure of 0.7 to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development mean of 1.0. Lord Filkin: The 2004 Spending Review settlement means that significant additional public resources will be available for tertiary education. There will also be the additional funding from variable fees, which will be publicly funded until such time as students complete their courses and are earning above the repayment threshold. It is not clear at this stage what difference the extra funding will make to the overall percentage of gross domestic product spent on tertiary education. Folic Acid Fortification Baroness Hayman: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the light of the reduction in birth defects evidenced in the recently published Canadian study of the effects of the fortification of flour with folic acid, they will reconsider the case for such fortification in the United Kingdom. Lord Warner: The Government recognise the importance of folic acid and take this issue very seriously by actively promoting folic acid supplements for women who might become pregnant. The Department of Health continues to support the folic acid flash scheme and encourages voluntary fortification of foods with folic acid. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is currently considering whether sufficient new evidence on wider implications of folic acid fortification has emerged to warrant a new risk assessment since that undertaken by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy and published in 2000. The issue of fortification will be reconsidered following SACN's consideration and as further evidence becomes available from overseas. NHS Staff from Overseas: Test for HIV Infection Baroness Knight of Collingtree: asked Her Majesty's Government: What tests for HIV infection are routinely carried out on personnel from overseas coming to Britain for employment in the nursing profession or in care work. Lord Warner: Applicants for work in the National Health Service are required to pass a number of pre-employment checks prior to receiving an unconditional offer of employment. These include verification of qualifications, identity, professional registration, criminal records and occupational health. Guidance on pre-employment checks was issued to NHS employers under the cover of a Direction for the Secretary of State for Health, in June 2002, Following the recommendations made by an expert working group the Government have been consulting the professions and patient organisations regarding the introduction of additional health clearance for serious communicable diseases. Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the results of their consultation on the statutory regulation of herbal medicine and acupuncture; and Whether their final proposals for the statutory regulation of herbal medicine and acupuncture recognise traditional Chinese medicine as a distinct discipline on an equal standing to herbal medicine and acupuncture and with a separate register. Lord Warner: On 2 March we published proposals for the statutory regulation of herbal medicine and acupuncture practitioners. The consultation period closed on 7 June. An analysis of the responses to the consultation will be published in the autumn. We plan to publish draft legislation for further consultation in 2005. We recognise that many practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine use both herbal medicine and acupuncture. Decisions about any new system of statutory regulation will therefore need to take account of their particular needs. Invasive Non-native Species Earl Peel: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to create a single organisation to deal with invasive alien species, including the grey squirrel, as recommended by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Review Group; and, if so, when. Lord Whitty: The Government's response to the Review of Non-native Species Policy report recognised the arguments put forward by the Review Working Group and acknowledged the case for improved co-ordination of relevant functions and provision of advice across Great Britain. My department has held initial discussions with the devolved administrations, other government departments and agencies that work on issues associated with non-native species, to develop a mechanism for improving co-ordination. I anticipate that we will make an announcement early next year. Grey Squirrels Earl Peel: asked Her Majesty's Government: Under what rules the grey squirrel is exempt from the Convention on Biological Diversity. Lord Whitty: The problems of invasive non-native species are recognised internationally and have been identified as one of the major threats to global biodiversity by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Article 8h of the CBD requires contracting parties, as far as possible and appropriate, to prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats or species. Decision VI/23 of the Conference of Parties adopted Guiding Principles on Invasive Alien species and urged parties to address the threats posed by invasive alien species when revising and implementing their national biodiversity action plans. Decision VI/23 also urged parties to review relevant policies, legislation and institutions in the light of the guiding principles. The department, with the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales, convened a working group in 2001 comprising government, nature conservation, and trade representatives to undertake a fundamental review of policy and practice on non-native species. The report took account of CBD Decision VI/23. The working group report of the Review of Non-native Species Policy has been published and is available from the Defra website (www.defra.gov.uk). The department published the government response to the working group's detailed report in October 2003. It was accompanied by a public consultation exercise. The outcome of the consultation is helping my department and the devolved administrations prioritise action and develop an overall strategy for dealing with invasive non-native species. The establishment of a coherent overall strategy will assist in prioritisation of key actions. The CBD does not refer specifically to any individual species such as the grey squirrel. I refer the noble Earl to the Starred Oral Question on 27 May, (HL Deb, Col. 1440), that grey squirrels are well established and the approach we adopt towards them is clearly different from the approach we would adopt to a new threat. A Species Action Plan (SAP) for the red squirrel was published in 1994 as part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). The UK BAP was prepared in response to our commitment to the CBD. The SAP identifies spread of grey squirrels, habitat fragmentation and disease as current factors in the decline of the species and sets objectives and targets to maintain and enhance existing red squirrel populations and to re-establish populations where appropriate. Delivery of the SAP is taken forward through the UK Red Squirrel Group, led by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Scrapie Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people were consulted in the 1999 anonymous postal survey of scrapie notification. Lord Whitty: Questionnaires were sent to 11,554 randomly selected British sheep farmers of whom 7,090 responded. Scrapie: Defra-funded Research Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: When scrapie epidemiology was last peer reviewed. Lord Whitty: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has a policy of reviewing its research programmes every four to five years. The last review of the entire research programme on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) was carried out in December 2000. An additional review of Defra-funded sheep TSE research, including projects on scrapie epidemiology, was carried out in December 2001. Civil Service Efficiency Review: Diversity Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they intend to manage the equality and diversity implications of their intention to cut many Civil Service jobs. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Cabinet Office has issued guidance for departments outlining the factors that they should consider as they develop their plans to implement the outcomes of the Efficiency Review. This emphasises the need to ensure that their procedures do not result in unlawful discrimination directly or indirectly and to consider the impact of their plans on the diversity of the workforce, so that specific groups of staff are not disproportionately disadvantaged. In particular, departments must consider the need to conduct Race Equality Impact Assessments. Public Appointments: Diversity Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the number of women and men on the boards of (a) the Office of Rail Regulation; (b) the Strategic Rail Authority; (c) Crossrail; (d) Network Rail; and (e) the Health and Safety Commission; and whether they have a policy to encourage the appointment of more women to such positions. Lord Davies of Oldham: The number of women and men on the boards of each of the bodies listed (with the exception of Network Rail) is: Organisation Board members(total) Men Women Office of Rail Regulation 6 4 2 Strategic Rail Authority 10 7 3 Cross London Rail Links Limited 7 7 0 Health and Safety Commission 10 6 4 Network Rail is a private company, limited by guarantee, and its board is not appointed by Her Majesty's Government. Cross London Rail Links Limited (CLRL), a private limited company, was established in January 2002 as a joint venture between the Strategic Rail Authority and Transport for London. Following the Secretary of State's 20 July announcement on Crossrail, the company has now been restructured as a joint venture between the Department for Transport and Transport for London, each of which appoints three directors. The chairman is appointed by the Secretary of State with the agreement of the London Mayor. The Department for Transport and the Department for Work and Pensions (responsible for the Health and Safety Commission) have published their proposals for increasing the diversity in public appointments in the Cabinet Office's annual report, Delivering Diversity in Public Appointments 2003. Heathrow Airport: Travelators Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 2 February (WA 77), whether the travelators at Heathrow Airport fell below the required standard during the first six months of 2004; if so, in how many months; and by how much they did not meet the required standard. Lord Davies of Oldham: The standard for travelators at Heathrow airport is that in each month they should be available for 98 per cent of the time. For the first six months of 2004, Terminals One, Two and Three each achieved the standard in all but one month. In the months that travelator availability was below the standard for these terminals, it was above 95 per cent. Terminal Four failed to meet the standard in two of the first six months when availability was above 90 per cent in one month and above 95 per cent in the other.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2004-10-27a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2004", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Lord Warner: Guidance published in HSC 1999/176 recommends that, where no guidance has been issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the National Health Service should use existing arrangements to access publicly available evidence on the effectiveness of new interventions. Bulletins published by the National Prescribing Centre, which is funded by the Department of Health and NICE, are identified as one source of such information. Further sources of advice and information will be identified in the update of this guidance, which we plan to issue later this year. Lord Warner: Revised guidance will be published later this year, and copies will be placed in the Library. The guidance will include advice to the National Health Service on the funding of licensed treatments or new technologies that have not been the subject of guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-07-13a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Ultra-low Sulphur Petrol Baroness Turner of Camden: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress is being made on the introduction of ultra-low sulphur petrol in the United Kingdom. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Pre-Budget Report in November that the Government would reduce duty on ultra-low sulphur petrol (ULSP) on Budget day this year, in recognition of its environmental benefits, subject to consultation and it being widely available. Ministers have today met the major oil companies to discuss this issue. On the basis of that meeting, I am glad to say that we believe that the oil companies are on track to meet their target to supply ULSP nationwide at their retail sites by the end of March. Ministers also asked representatives of independent petrol retailers to meet us today. They operate over 5,000 retail sites across the country. Many are small businesses, often playing a vital role supplying rural and urban communities. Although some independents are already supplying up to 50 per cent ULSP, their representatives indicated that they anticipate that it could take independent retailers longer to complete the nationwide transition to ULSP than for the major oil companies, because of constraints on the capacity of UK oil refineries. The independent retailers could move faster by increasing imports, but this might cause uncertainty in the wholesale and retail markets and would not necessarily be to the benefit of motorists. The Government's objectives are to ensure that everyone should be able to share the environmental benefits of ULSP, and the benefits of the duty cut associated with it. It is in the whole country's interests that these objectives are achieved, and achieved as smoothly as possible. Any decisions on actual duty rates will be taken and announced by the Chancellor in the Budget itself but, as a sensible measure that will be supported by independent petrol retailers, to guarantee that all motorists would benefit from a cut in duty on Budget day, I can announce that the Government intend to match any reduction in duty on ULSP that is announced in the Budget with a reduction in duty on unleaded petrol for a temporary period until 14 June 2001. This will ensure that the introduction of ULSP across the country will happen in the smoothest way, and that car-drivers--especially in rural areas supplied by independent petrol retailers--will be able to benefit from any duty cut that is announced in the Budget for ULSP. We want to match nationwide availability at the major oil companies with all motorists benefiting from any duty cut at independent stations too. In this way we best achieve our aims set out in November--first, that the long-term benefits to the environment are achieved; second, that motorists would be able to benefit from a cut in petrol duty on Budget day; and third, that the benefit would go to all motorists in all areas. Arable Area Payments: Payment Dates Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the postponement of the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) due date from 31 December 2001 to 31 January 2001 is for this year only; whether the next payment will be due on 31 December or 31 January 2002; or whether it is likely that the due date will be further postponed in 2002. Baroness Hayman: The change in payment dates under the Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS) is contained in EU Regulations agreed by the Council of Ministers and applies until further notice. From 2000 onwards payments must be made between 16 November and 31 January (up to 1999 these were made between 16 October and 31 December). Payments on set-aside used for the production of non-food raw materials must be paid between 16 November and 31 March. MAFF and the other UK agricultural departments aim to make payments as soon as possible within those time periods. In England in 2000 half of all payments were made within the first two weeks after 16 November. National Intelligence Model Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all police forces in England and Wales have adopted the National Intelligence Model. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The National Intelligence Model was developed by the National Criminal Intelligence Service on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers and has been adopted by them. We look forward to all forces in England and Wales implementing it. The model offers the prospect of forces working to common standards and discipline in intelligence-led policing which will benefit them locally and also provide benefits in tackling crime at regional and national levels. The use of intelligence to inform operational decisions is necessary if forces are to make the most effective use of their resources and to respond to changing forms of crime. We are making up to £10.6 million available in 2001-02 towards the capital costs of implementation of the model. Lawrence Steering Group Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there exists within Scotland Yard a committee known as the Lawrence Steering Group; what are its proper designation, terms of reference, membership and frequency of meeting; to whom does it report; and what authority it possesses. Lord Bassam of Brighton: As my right honourable friend the Home Secretary announced in another place on 18 May 1999, he set up the Lawrence Steering Group, which he chairs. Its terms of reference are: to oversee and audit the implementation of the Home Secretary's Action Plan, published in March 1999 as the Government's response to the report of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. The group has met 10 times so far. Details of membership of the steering group are as follows: Members representing official bodies: The right honourable Jack Straw MP--Home Secretary Charles Clarke MP--Minister of State, Home Office Jacqui Smith MP--Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for School Standards, Department for Education and Employment Gurbux Singh--Chairman, Commission for Racial Equality Bob Purkiss--Commission for Racial Equality Mark Addison--Chief Executive, Crown Prosecution Service Dan Crompton--Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Maqsood Ahmad--Assistant Inspector of Constabulary Ian Blair--Deputy Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Tony Burden--President, The Association of Chief Police Officers Fred Broughton--Chairman, The Police Federation Peter Gammon MBE--Chairman, The Superintendents' Association Ruth Henig--Chair, Association of Police Authorities Ravi Chand--National Black Police Association Independent members of the Steering Group: The Baroness Howells of St Davids OBE Beverley Thompson OBE Doreen Lawrence Neville Lawrence Judy Clements Keith Kerr Usha Sood Sir Herman Ouseley Mark Blake Violent Crime Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: To what they attribute the recent rise in crimes of violence; and which sections of the population are the principal victims of violent crime. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The British Crime Survey, which is widely accepted as the most authoritative source of information on the real rates of crime, indicates that violent crime has been falling since 1995, and reduced by 4 per cent between 1997 and 1999, the latest date for which figures are available. It is none the less true that there has been an increase in the number of violent crimes recorded by the police. The increase in recorded crime figures in recent years may be due, at least in part, to the fact that additional assault offences were introduced into the recorded crime series in April 1998 and racially aggravated harassment in September 1998. Within violent crime, the change in counting rules impacted most on violence against the person, which now includes common assault and assault on a constable. The numbers of recorded crimes in this category were inflated nationally by the change in counting rules by 118 per cent. Another reason for the increase may be the determined effort to encourage more reporting of racial harassment, homophobic offences and domestic violence. We would expect the recorded figures to rise in these categories as people become less tolerant of these types of violence, and of assaults arising from fights between acquaintances, and therefore more willing to report incidents. The reasons for the recent rise in robbery are complex. The 2000 British Crime Survey suggests that risks for younger people may be increasing. According to evidence from police forces, the number of younger offenders and victims has increased. There is also some evidence to suggest that mobile phone theft may account for some of the increase. Figures from the 2000 British Crime Survey show that the risk of being a victim of violent crime is greatest for men aged between 16-24. Young women are also more at risk of experiencing violence than are older women. Risk decreases sharply for the older population. Personal characteristics influence risk, with the following groups being at higher risk: unemployed adults, single adults, single parents, separated adults and those who go to the pub more than three times a week. The type and location of the household are also factors that influence risk of violent crime. Risks are high where the home is rented privately and in areas of high physical disorder. Risks of violent crime in rural areas are only half the level of those in inner cities and other areas. Drawing on the British Crime Survey, it is also possible to identify which occupations may be most at risk of experiencing violence at work. Those most at risk are the police, social workers, probation officers, publicans and bar staff, security guards, nurses and other health care professionals, transport workers, especialy taxi drivers, welfare, community and youth workers, teachers, managers/proprietors in retail sales and national and local government administrators. Victims of violence at work also have a high risk of being victimised again. Immigrants: Fiscal Contribution Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the methodology and calculations which led the Home Office to conclude that Britain's foreign born population pays 10 per cent more than it receives from government; and how this compares with the generality of the population. Lord Bassam of Brighton: These figures are taken from the recently published Home Office study Migration: An economic and social analysis. They represent an initial estimate of the fiscal contribution that migrants make to the economy--that is the value of the taxes they pay over and above what they consume in benefits and other public services. However, as noted in the Home Office study, there are a wide range of possible assumptions that affect estimates of the contributions of both migrants and the United Kingdom-born population. Work is under way to refine these assumptions and it is the intention to publish the findings from this analysis, which will include details of the methodology used and the calculations. Boards of Visitors and Justices of the Peace Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which boards of visitors do not meet the requirement of Section 6(2) of the Prison Act 1952 that each board should have not less than two Justices of the Peace. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Appointments and resignations on boards of visitors are a frequent occurrence and the composition of any board can therefore change daily. However, as at 19 February 2001 the boards listed below did not have at least two Justices of the Peace on their Board and did not therefore meet the requirements of Section 6(2) of the Prison Act 1952. Deerbolt Drake Hall East Sutton Park Haslar Lindholme Maidstone Moorland Onley Portland Rochester Rye Hill Shepton Mallet Standford Hill Remanded and Sentenced Under-16s: Education Lord Northbourne: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many young people under the age of 16 have completed their sentence in a Secure Training Centre; how many of that number have now returned to full-time education in schools; and how many are receiving educational provision outside schools. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Since 1 April 2000, the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales has assumed responsibility for the commissioning and purchasing of secure accommodation for remanded and sentenced young people. They have provided the following information There are currently three Secure Training Centres (STCs) in operation as detailed in the table below: Medway Rainsbrook Hassockfield Date of opening April 1998 July 1999 Sept 1999 Total number of under-16s who have completed their sentence (as at 15.2.01) 359 (133 since February 2000) 169 135 Number who returned to full time education in schools 9 (since February 2000) 16 9 Number who received educational provision outside schools 68 (since February 2000) 90 17 This information is not held centrally and in the time available it has not been possible to check more than the last year's files at Medway. I will write to the noble Lord with the full figures relating to Medway Secure Training Centres when they become available. Blood Donors: Information Leaflet Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the advice given to potential blood donors in the document Do Not Give Blood Without Reading This Leaflet still reflects the considered views of the National Health Service; and, if not whether, and, if so for what reasons, the leaflet has been withdrawn. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The National Blood Service continues to issue this leaflet to potential blood donors every day. The guidance on eligibility to donate blood is drawn up by the United Kingdom blood services standing advisory committee on the care and selection of donors, which reviews the criteria on a regular basis. Squatter's Rights Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any plans to reform the law on squatters' rights. Lord Irvine of Lairg: In relation to registered land, the Law Commission and HM Land Registry published a consultative document Land Registration for the Twenty-First Century (Law Commission No. 254) in 1998. The document included proposals to reform the law of adverse possession. They intend to publish their recommendations in a report in early summer. The Government will consider the report and will introduce legislation to implement those recommendations it accepts when parliamentary time allows. There are no plans to reform the law of adverse possession in relation to unregistered land.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2001-02-21a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2001", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Acceleration Unit Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the Department for Transport Acceleration Unit’s (1) current work programme, (2) staffing number, and (3) annual budget; and what are its achievements to date. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Since its launch in October 2020, the Acceleration Unit has supported programme and policy teams to speed up the delivery of infrastructure projects and the implementation of new policy initiatives. The work of the Acceleration Unit is driven by the need to build back better, to level up the country and to decarbonise transport. Key achievements to date have included challenging delivery of the Restoring Your Railways programme, including the Dartmoor Line reopening and Northumberland Line; supporting the development of the National Bus Strategy, published on time in March 2021; working with DfT’s arms-length bodies on the development of modal acceleration programmes. The currently work programme includes acceleration oversight on a portfolio of 112 projects in the north through the Northern Transport Acceleration Council; ongoing challenge on the Restoring Your Railways programme; and supporting acceleration of the Manchester & Northwest Rail Transformation Programme to bring forward benefits to passengers in the north earlier. The Acceleration Unit is currently made up of three members of staff. Railways: Electrification Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to announce new infill rail electrification schemes ahead of COP26. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Announcements on future rail electrification schemes will be informed by the outcome of the ongoing Spending Review. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Geothermal Energy Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include minima for (1) volume, or (2) price, for geothermal energy in the next Contracts for Difference electricity auction. Lord Callanan: On 13 September 2021 we published draft parameters ahead of the fourth Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round which did not include a minimum for geothermal energy. The final budget notice will be published ahead of the CfD round opening in December. Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include (1) an equivalent to, or (2) a replacement for, the Renewable Heat Incentive for large-scale renewable heat generation in their Heat and Buildings strategy. Lord Callanan: Large scale renewable heat generation will be supported in a number of ways, including through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, the Green Heat Network Fund and the Green Gas Support Scheme. Further information on each of the schemes can be found on the GOV.UK website. Travel: Additional Restrictions Grant Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reallocate unspent money from the Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme to support travel agents, tour operators and other travel businesses. Lord Callanan: The Government has introduced an unprecedented package of support for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, including grants, business interruption loans and the Coronavirus Job Support Scheme. Allocation of Additional Restrictions Grant funds is solely within the remit of Local Authorities, as they are best placed to provide support that suits the needs of their local area. We continue to work closely with Local Authorities, encouraging them to distribute funding to those businesses most impacted by the restrictions. Reconciliation of the scheme will be undertaken after the closure of the fund on 31 March 2022. Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to abolish the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership; if they have such plans, to which body the Partnership's responsibilities would be transferred; and where it would be based. Lord Callanan: The Government is hugely grateful for the work LEPs have done over the last ten years to support their local economies, including through the Local Growth Fund, Growth Hubs and giving valuable insight to local and national government. Earlier this year the Budget set out significant changes to the way local growth investments are supported, decentralising power and working more directly with local government across the United Kingdom. A review of the LEP was announced at the Spring Budget with the intention to state the Government’s plans around the role of LEPs in the forthcoming White Paper and at the Spending Review. Additional Restrictions Grant Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the funding allocated to local authorities under the Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme had been spent by 31 July. Lord Callanan: All data on Government allocations and Local Authority payments of the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) is available at GOV.UK. As at the last date of publishing, 29 August 2021, Local Authorities had received £2,023,461,804 in ARG funding, and overall had reported to us as having spent £1,710,673,774. Department of Health and Social Care Health Services: Gender Recognition Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the processes that NHS trusts use (1) to arrange and specify facilities for transgender patients, and (2) to take into account the needs of other patients who may be sharing facilities with transgender patients. Lord Kamall: No assessment has been made of the process used by National Health Service trusts for arranging these facilities nor the provision of single sex wards.We expect all NHS trusts to follow all aspects of NHS England and NHS Improvement’s guidance Delivering same-sex accommodation, which sets out the small number of clinical circumstances where mixed-sex accommodation can be justified and also allows, in Annex B, for people to be allocated to wards according to their presentation, such as their preferred dress and pronouns . A copy of the guidance is attached. NHS England and NHS Improvement are currently reviewing this guidance, including whether the Annex is consistent with the provision of single sex wards.Delivering same-sex accommodation (pdf, 414.8KB) Hospital Wards: Gender Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether Annex B in NHS England's Delivering same sex accommodation guidance is consistent with the aim to provide of single sex wards by NHS Trusts. Lord Kamall: No assessment has been made of the process used by National Health Service trusts for arranging these facilities nor the provision of single sex wards.We expect all NHS trusts to follow all aspects of NHS England and NHS Improvement’s guidance Delivering same-sex accommodation, which sets out the small number of clinical circumstances where mixed-sex accommodation can be justified and also allows, in Annex B, for people to be allocated to wards according to their presentation, such as their preferred dress and pronouns . A copy of the guidance is attached. NHS England and NHS Improvement are currently reviewing this guidance, including whether the Annex is consistent with the provision of single sex wards.Delivering same-sex accommodation (pdf, 414.8KB) Hospital Wards: Gender Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the provision of single sex wards by NHS trusts. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to commission a review of the provision of single sex accommodation by NHS Trusts. Lord Kamall: No assessment has been made of the process used by National Health Service trusts for arranging these facilities nor the provision of single sex wards.We expect all NHS trusts to follow all aspects of NHS England and NHS Improvement’s guidance Delivering same-sex accommodation, which sets out the small number of clinical circumstances where mixed-sex accommodation can be justified and also allows, in Annex B, for people to be allocated to wards according to their presentation, such as their preferred dress and pronouns . A copy of the guidance is attached. NHS England and NHS Improvement are currently reviewing this guidance, including whether the Annex is consistent with the provision of single sex wards.Delivering same-sex accommodation (pdf, 414.8KB) Department for Education Business: Coronavirus Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support educational travel businessesaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Baroness Barran: The government has worked at pace to provide an unprecedented and comprehensive package of support to help as many individuals and businesses as possible during this challenging period. The measures introduced include the small business grants, the coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the deferral of VAT and income tax payments. These measures have been designed to be accessible to businesses in most sectors and across the UK. Further measures have been announced by my Right Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that build on the significant support already available as well as set out how current support will evolve and adapt. This includes the extension of the CJRS until the end of September 2021, extending and amending the coronavirus loan guarantee schemes to allow businesses more time and greater flexibility to repay their loans, and the extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant. The ‘Pay as you Grow’ measures will give UK businesses that borrowed under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme the option to repay their loan over a period of up to ten years, and benefit from repayment holidays where required. The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS), which launched on 6 April 2021, will ensure UK businesses of any size can continue to access loans and other kinds of finance up to £10 million per business as they grow and recover from the disruption of the COVID-19 outbreak. For RLS, the government guarantees 80% of the finance to the lender to ensure they continue to have the confidence to lend to businesses. The scheme is open until 31 December 2021, subject to review. In line with the autumn and winter plan the Government continues to keep arrangements for international travel and the relaxation of travel restrictions under review. Schools: Hygiene The Earl of Shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following reports of people drinkingalcohol-based hand sanitiser, what plans they have to withdraw those products from schools and replace them with effective alternatives. Baroness Barran: The department has developed extensive guidance for all settings across the education, childcare and children’s social care sectors on how to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, including a range of protective and control measures for preventing the spread of the virus. There is information to support settings on their responsibilities that advises to clean their hands thoroughly, and more often than usual, as well as good basic hygiene, and the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach, which advises individuals to clean their hands with soap and water or use sanitiser: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/schools-covid-19-operational-guidance#control-measures.Ultimately, schools remain responsible for the products that they require and, as with other cleaning products, schools can access hand sanitiser through their existing supply chains. There are many alcohol- and non-alcohol-based hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants on the UK market and schools should base the use of any of these products on their own risk assessment, alongside existing guidance.Our guidance signposts settings to the e-Bug COVID-19 website which contains free resources for settings, including materials to encourage good hand and respiratory hygiene. This information can be found at the following link: https://e-bug.eu/eng_home.aspx?cc=eng&ss=1&t=Information%20about%20the%20Coronavirus.All education, childcare and children’s social care settings should follow the UK Health Security Agency, formally known as Public Health England, guidance on cleaning for non-healthcare settings outside of the home. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings.Hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants are biocidal products. They are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive. The Health and Safety Executive publishes a list of authorised biocidal products, including hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants: https://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-authorised-biocidal-products.htm.The Cabinet Office and the Department for Health and Social Care published product specifications and standards associated with personal protective equipment at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/927550/Essential_technical_specifications_PPE_and_medical_devices-v0.3_Oct2020_accessible.pdf. Ministry of Justice Bronzefield Prison Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman recommendations for change at HMP Bronzefield, published on 22 September, will be implemented in a timely fashion. Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to update Parliament on the progress of implementing the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman recommendations for change at HMP Bronzefield, published on 22 September. Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Prisons and Probation OmbudsmanIndependent investigation into the death of Baby Aat HMP Bronzefield on 27 September 2019, published on 22 September, what discussions they have had with the Chief Inspector of Prisons. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The events that took place at HMP/YOI Bronzefield were unquestionably tragic, and significant improvements have since been put in place both at the prison and across the entire female estate.The Ministry of Justice, Sodexo (the private providers who are contracted to run HMP Bronzefield) and health providers have accepted the recommendations made by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman in their thorough report and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) will continue to work closely with providers to ensure pregnant women in Bronzefield receive the best possible care. The on-site HMPPS Controller will oversee implementation of the recommendations in line with the agreed Action Plan and timelines, working collaboratively with NHSE and service providers.A project team is coordinating the implementation of the recommendations and to take forward wider learning across all women’s prisons.In July 2019 a fundamental review of policy relating to pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from children up to the age of two in women’s prisons commenced, which concluded in July 2020, and HMIP were part of the consultation group. As a result of the review, a new policy has been published and learning from these tragic events has been incorporated into the new policy where appropriate. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Nigeria: Terrorism Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the possible threat to the UK of (1) the six Nigerians listed by the government of the United Arab Emirates as “global financiers of terrorism” on 13 September, and (2) the organisations in Nigeria which the government of the United Arab Emirates named as havingreceivedfunds and armaments from jihadist supporters. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK condemns all support of terrorist organisations, including financiers, and welcomes an international response to stifle the capability of terrorists to conduct attacks. The UK aims to make the financial system an unsafe space for terrorists to raise and move funds using a range of disruptive tools and capabilities at our disposal to prevent the movement of terrorist finance into and out of the UK.We work closely with Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support their efforts against terrorist organisations, including through the UK-UAE Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows, which launched on 17 September. We maintain up to date travel advice, including security assessments and the threat of terrorism, on the GOV.UK website. Ministry of Defence Warships: Repairs and Maintenance Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intendto enhance the (1) armament, and (2) defensive, capability of the Royal Navy's Forth class offshore patrol vessels. Baroness Goldie: In line with procedures for any deploying ship, the armament and defensive capabilities of the Batch 2 River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels are adjusted as required to ensure the ships can operate safely in accordance with their intended tasking. Department for Work and Pensions Universal Credit Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact assessment they carried out ahead of the cessation of the Universal Credit uplift on 6 October. Baroness Stedman-Scott: No Impact Assessment has been made of ending the Universal Credit Uplift, as it was always intended to be temporary. The Chancellor announced a temporary six-month extension to the £20 per week uplift at the Budget on 3 March to support households affected by the economic shock of Covid-19. Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and the temporary uplift was part of a COVID support package worth a total of £407 billion in 2020-21 and 2021-22. There have been significant positive developments in the public health situation since the uplift was first introduced. With the success of the vaccine rollout and record job vacancies, it is right that our focus is on helping people back into work. Through our Plan for Jobs, we are targeting tailored support schemes of people of all ages to help them prepare for, get into and progress in work. These include: Kickstart, delivering tens of thousands of six-month work placements for Universal Credit claimants aged 16-24 at risk of unemployment; we have also recruited an additional 13,500 work coaches to provide more intensive support to find a job; and introduced Restart which provides 12 months’ intensive employment support to Universal Credit claimants who are unemployed for a year. Our Plan for Jobs interventions will support more than two million people.We recognise that some people continue to require extra support, which is why we have introduced a £421 million Household Support Fund to help vulnerable people in England with essential household costs over the winter as the economy recovers. The Barnett Formula will apply in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving around £80 million (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive), for a total of £500 million. COP26 Population Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to raise the subject ofglobal overpopulation at COP26; and what proposals they have to address it. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to HL13299 on 25 February 2021. Alok Sharma Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what departmental supportthey provide to the COP26 President, Alok Sharma MP. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: A dedicated COP26 Unit, comprising 230 staff, has been set up in the Cabinet Office to oversee preparations for COP26. The COP26 Unit works closely with other government departments and the global diplomatic network. Home Office Interpreters: Afghanistan Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what process they followed topartner with Greater Good Global to resettle Afghan translators. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government has warmly welcomed hundreds of Afghan nationals to this country who have worked alongside our Armed Forces and diplomats in Afghanistan. There is a significant cross-government effort underway to ensure Afghans arriving in the UK receive the vital support they need to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education and integrate into their local communities. To do so we are working closely with local authorities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and the commercial sector.In response to the Afghan crisis, a number of NGOs offered their services to the Home Office including Greater Good Global who are helping to provide wraparound services to Afghans accommodated temporarily in hotels, ensuring that they have access to essential living items and services until they are relocated into more permanent accommodation. Rifles Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byEarl Howe on 6 February 2019 (HL Deb, col 410GC), what was the outcome of the consultation on the .50 calibre rifles; and what plans they have, if any, to ban such rifles. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government ran a public consultation on a range of firearms safety issues between 24 November 2020 and 16 February 2021.Amongst other issues, the consultation sought views on high muzzle energy rifles and whether enhanced security arrangements are necessary for these rifles to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Over 12,000 responses were received to the consultation. The Government is considering these responses carefully and will publish its response to the consultation in due course. Extradition: India Lord Singh of Wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the collapse of the case against Piara Singh Gill, Amritivir Singh Wahiwala and Gursharanvir Singh Wahiwala, why they certified an extradition request from the Indian authoritiesfor these individuals. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Extradition requests from outside the European Union are governed by Part 2 of the Extradition Act 2003 (‘the Act’). Under section 70 of the Act, if the UK has formal extradition relations with such a territory – as it does with India – and receives a valid extradition request from it, the Secretary of State must certify the request unless certain narrow exceptions in the Act apply. In this case, none of those exceptions applied and, by law, the Secretary of State was obliged to certify the extradition requests.Certification of extradition requests by the Secretary of State is only one step in the extradition process. Requests are subsequently subject to the full scrutiny of the Court and the safeguards contained within the Extradition Act 2003.Having considered these cases, the Court discharged the three individuals wanted by India on the grounds that a prima facie case could not be established. Immigration: EU Nationals Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for (1) settled, and (2) pre-settled, status have been granted under the EU Settlement Scheme, broken down by parliamentary constituency. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office publishes data on the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) in the ‘EU Settlement Scheme statistics’.The latest published information on EUSS applications received and applications concluded to 30 June 2021, by Local Authority can be found in tables EUSS_LA_01, EUSS_LA_02 and EUSS_LA_03 (see attached) available at:EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics, June 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Tables - EUSS_LA_01, EUSS_LA_02 and EUSS_LA_03 (xls, 290.0KB) Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Buildings: Insulation Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the share of contributions between (1) landlord, and (2) tenant, owners in a shared leasehold ownership scheme to the costs arising from cladding removal and fire safety improvements. Lord Greenhalgh: The extent to which leaseholders are liable for works or not is governed by the terms in their leases. Government is providing over £5 billion in grant funding for the remediation of unsafe cladding on residential buildings 18 metres and over. This means that leaseholders (including those in shared ownership) in eligible high-rise buildings can be reassured that unsafe cladding will be replaced at no cost to them. Government is also establishing a generous finance scheme which will provide leaseholders in residential buildings of 11-18 metres with access to finance for cladding remediation costs. We will publish more details on how this scheme will work as soon as we are in a position to do so. Finally, we have also introduced a new model for Shared Ownership which will include a 10-year period during which the landlord will support with the cost of repairs in new build homes. The changes will prevent new shared owners from being hit with unexpected repairs and maintenance bills and will help to bridge the gap between renting and homeownership. Regional Planning and Development Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what quantitative measure or measures they will use to determine the success of their levelling up policies. Lord Greenhalgh: Levelling up is at the heart of the Government’s agenda to build back better after the pandemic and deliver for the people of the UK. The Government will publish a White Paper in due course that will set out our plans in more detail. Elections: Proof of Identity Lord Tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe voter identification pilot schemes, what estimatethey havemade of the number of people who could be turned away from polling stations in a General Election. Lord Tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether returning officers will be required to retain data on the number of people who are turned away from polling stations because they do not have appropriate photographic voter ID and who (1) subsequently return with such ID, or (2) do not return to vote. Lord Tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government what upper limitwill be set for the highest acceptable number of people turned away from polling stations because of a lack of appropriate photographic voter ID. Lord Greenhalgh: The Government in its manifesto committed to protecting the integrity of our democracy by introducing identification to vote at polling stations. Stealing someone’s vote is stealing their voice. Voter fraud is a crime that we cannot allow room for and we must stamp out any potential for it to take place in elections.Everyone who is eligible to vote will have the opportunity to do so. Any eligible voter who does not have one of the required forms of photographic identification, can apply for a free, local Voter Card from their local authority. The Electoral Commission will provide a comprehensive, targeted communications campaign and guidance, raising awareness throughout the electorate of the new voter identification requirements.As set out in the Elections Bill, Electoral Registration Officers in England and Wales and Returning Officers in Scotland will be required to keep a record of those people for whom a ballot paper was refused and the reasons for this refusal. Letting Agents: Regulation Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations of the report of the working group on the Regulation of Property Agents, published on 18 July 2019. Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and renters and making sure that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. This commitment includes raising professionalism and standards amongst property agents, protecting consumers while defending the reputation of good agents from the actions of rogue operatives. We therefore welcome the ongoing work being undertaken by the industry itself to raise professionalism and standards across the sector.The Government is considering the recommendations in the report received from the working group on the regulation of property agents. We welcome the work of the Noble Baroness as the Chair of the independent steering group on codes of practice for property agents, and we will continue to work with industry on improving best practice. Unitary Councils Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Local Government Boundary Commission for England is required to propose new ward boundaries for the three new designated unitary authorities in North Yorkshire, Cumbria, and Somerset. Lord Greenhalgh: We intend to seek Parliamentary approval early in 2022 to secondary legislation to establish new unitary councils in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset. These orders will provide for elections in May 2022 to the new unitary councils in their implementation form, including the council size and warding arrangements. It is expected that the Local Government Boundary Commission for England will carry out full electoral reviews of each of the new unitary councils before the second elections to these councils in May 2027. Treasury Tour Operators and Travel Agents: Non-domestic Rates Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure travel agents, tour operators and other travel businesses are prioritised for support from the Business Rates relief fund announced on 25 March. Lord Agnew of Oulton: Funding for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that have not otherwise been eligible for existing reliefs will be available once the legislation relating to material change in circumstance provisions, the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Bill, has passed and Local Authorities (LAs) have established their own local relief schemes. The Government will support LAs to do this as quickly as possible, including through new burdens funding. Formal guidance will follow in due course, setting out the specific considerations that LAs should have regard for when providing relief. Relief will be for LAs to award on a discretionary basis.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2021-10-18
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2021", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Asylum Seekers Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the recent comments of the Refugee Council's Vulnerable Women's Project, in the light of the November 2009 document Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Girls: A Strategy and the Department of Health's consultation, published on 26 February 2010, on failed asylum seekers. Baroness Neville-Jones: Violence against women and girls remains prevalent. This is unacceptable and there should be a cross-departmental approach to addressing it. My honourable friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup will discuss with colleagues across government how we take forward our approach in this area. The Department of Health's consultation review of access to the NHS by foreign nationals runs from 26 February 2010 to 30 June 2010. Ministers will decide how to respond to issues raised by respondents after the consultation has closed. Care Services: Commission on Long-term Care Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they estimate to be the cost of establishing and running a commission on long-term care. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many public sector employees would be involved in a commission on long-term care; and at what salaries they would be employed. Earl Howe: Details of the terms of reference and membership of the commission on funding long-term care will be published shortly. Child Poverty Commission Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they propose to establish the child poverty commission. Lord Hill of Oareford: Section 14 of the coalition document confirms the Government's commitment to ending child poverty in the UK. The Child Poverty Act establishes a Child Poverty Commission to provide advice to the Government on the development of its child poverty strategy. The Act also requires a child poverty strategy to be published by March 2011. The commission must therefore be established in time to feed into the child poverty strategy. We shall make an announcement about the commission in due course. Crime: Prosecutions Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of each hour spent by police custody sergeants in preparing files to assist the Crown Prosecution Service in deciding whether to bring a prosecution. Baroness Neville-Jones: This information is not collected by the Home Office. The programme set out by the coalition explains our approach to policing with greater freedom for police forces from ministerial control; and police forces which are better able to deal with the crime and anti-social behaviour that blight people's lives, and are more accountable to the public they serve. Our reforms include: directly elected individuals to make the police more accountable;reducing bureaucracy that hinders the police, and introducing better technology;publishing crime maps showing the public what is happening on their streets; andregular beat meetings allowing residents to hold the police to account. We have already set out our intention to return charging decisions for some offences to the police. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Budgets Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what amounts the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs underspent or overspent its budget in each of the years 2004 to 2009 inclusive. Lord Henley: The table below sets out details of the department's under- and overspends against its DEL budget in financial years 2003-04 to 2008-09. The figures represent the sum of resource and capital. Underspend/(Overspend)£m % Variance from Budget 2003-041 300 9.5% 2004-05 163 4.7% 2005-062 (37) (1.0%) 2006-07 93 2.3% 2007-08 65 1.7% 2008-09 71 2.2% Note 1 Approximately half of the £300 million underspend in 2003-04 was retained deliberately to be carried forward to cover known pressures in 2004-05; and the majority of the remainder reflected savings in non-cash costs, and slippage in and deferral of some programmes. 2 The overspend in 2005-06 was on non-cash and related to provisions for foot and mouth disease burial sites and common agricultural policy disallowance. Egypt Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, or intend to make, to the Government of Egypt about the use of its emergency law in relation to political opposition. Lord Howell of Guildford: In May, Egypt extended a limited version of its state of emergency, first imposed in 1981, for a further two years. Both our embassy in Cairo and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have raised this with the Egyptian Government asking for an explanation for this action. We continue to call on the Egyptian Government to honour their commitment to end the persisting state of emergency and urge Egypt to ensure that any new counterterrorism legislation takes full account of international human rights law and its obligations under international human rights treaties. On 11 June at the UN's Universal Periodic Review of Egypt, we called on Egypt to end the state of emergency, which allows for unwarranted derogation of some of Egypt's human rights obligations, such as the use of administrative detention. Egypt Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, or intend to make, to the Government of Egypt about allegations of the use of torture in their prisons. Lord Howell of Guildford: Our embassy in Cairo has raised the use of torture with the Egyptian Government. We welcome Egypt's efforts to follow up cases of torture and encourage them to pursue these cases rigorously through the judicial system. On 11 June at the UN's Universal Periodic Review of Egypt, we called on Egypt to accept outstanding recommendations on ratifying the optional protocol to the convention against torture and on extending an invitation to the special rapporteur on torture in 2010. We also called on Egypt to end the persisting state of emergency and to use new anti-terrorism legislation to address current and persistent human rights violations, including the use of administrative detention, and torture. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government under what circumstances the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority does not include a complete record of all matters raised during a new inspection in the corresponding report for a licensed centre; and on how many occasions questions regarding the treatment of patients at licensed centres have been excluded from such reports. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it does not hold this information and to obtain it would be at a disproportionate cost. The process of how the HFEA inspects and reports on centres is provided at the following link: www.hfea. gov.uk/159.html. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many human embryos or cybrid embryos have been used under each research licence granted by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for the specific purpose of deriving embryonic stem cells; and over what time those embryos were used under each licence. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it holds information on the granting of research licences as set out under the headings listed in paragraph 3A(2) of Schedule 2 to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, but this does not include the number of embryos used for the specific purpose of deriving embryonic stem cells. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many independent embryonic stem cell lines have been deposited in the UK Stem Cell Bank by different centres; and what is the relationship between each of those centres and centres covered by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority research licences. Earl Howe: Any United Kingdom centre that deposits embryonic stem cell lines will have a research licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). It is a condition of an HFEA research licence that if a stem cell is derived, then a sample of the line has to be deposited in the UK Stem Cell Bank. The following table shows the stem cell lines currently held by the UK Stem Cell Bank. Centre Number and type of stem cell lines deposited Edinburgh University 4 lines human embryonic stem cells (hESC) King's College London: 6 lines hESC Newcastle University (Centre for Life) 9 lines hESC Nottingham University 2 lines hESC Manchester University 2 lines hESC Sheffield University (and Axordia) 8 lines hESC Roslin Cells 6 lines hESC Roslin Institute 6 lines hESC Cambridge University 1 line (neuroprogenitor) Food: Labelling Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce a Bill requiring the country of origin to be displayed on all food and food products. Earl Howe: There are currently no plans but discussions are taking place in the European Union on the introduction of new food labelling rules, which include those on country of origin labelling. The Government are keen to introduce honesty in food labelling so that consumers can be confident about where their food comes from. Football Association Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they have given to the Football Association in their bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Lord Shutt of Greetland: Ministers and officials are working closely with the FA to demonstrate to FIFA the Government's full commitment to the bid. Ministers will be attending the World Cup in South Africa and will provide direct support in making presentations to FIFA. In addition, as the Prime Minister made clear in his recent phone conversation with Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, the Government are also fully committed to delivering on the guarantees required by FIFA to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Government: Ministerial Duties Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the definition of "sustainable development" as it applies to the published list of duties of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Lord Henley. Lord Henley: Defra is the champion of sustainable development across government and internationally. The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of future generations. Health: Obesity Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the cost-effectiveness of the three-year programme Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross-Government Strategy for England. Earl Howe: The department is assessing the impact and cost-effectiveness of a number of individual programmes contained in Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives. As these programmes are still running, most of these evaluations have yet to report. However, there are reports on the early phase of Change4Life and cycling demonstration towns. Change4Life One Year On is available at: http://collections.europarchive.org/tna/20100509080731/http://dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_112529. Reports on the impact of the cycling demonstrations towns, including an economic evaluation of this initiative, are available at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/cycling-cities-towns/results. Health: Pneumonia Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take to promote the objectives in the recent World Health Assembly resolution on global action against child pneumonia. Earl Howe: The resolution advocates a range of measures to help prevent and treat pneumonia more effectively, including strengthening of health systems, a multisectoral approach and implementation of the global action plan for the prevention and control of pneumonia. The United Kingdom is playing a key role in taking forward the advance market commitment on pneumococcal vaccine, providing $485 million out of the $1.5-billion donor commitment, which could save up to 7 million lives by 2030. In addition, the UK has a £1.3 billion commitment to the International Finance Facility for Immunisation, to be spent through the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI). The UK will continue to support the work of World Health Organisation, GAVI, and developing countries in support of the objectives in the resolution. Domestically, the UK will also continue to provide pneumococcal vaccination (against Streptococcus pneumoniae) for infants and those aged 65 and over, and against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) for infants. Housing Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will continue the housing market renewal programme. Baroness Hanham: All programmes and policies are being reviewed as part of the next Comprehensive Spending Review. In addition a reduction in the housing market renewal programme is included in the £6.2 billion of savings from government spending in 2010-11 announced on 24 May. The current capital budget of £286 million announced in December 2009 has been reduced by £50 million. The Government are consulting with pathfinders on the most fair and transparent means of achieving this saving. Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House minutes of meetings and correspondence entered into by the Director of Communications, Content Industries Directorate, at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills or his staff with members and executives of Community Broadband Network Ltd in the setting up of Independent Networks Co-operative Association as an unincorporated association or Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd; and how they checked the history, operation and record of contractual delivery of Community Broadband Network Ltd and its executives and members. Baroness Wilcox: Documents relating to the grant offer to INCA are the subject of a Freedom of Information Act request and will be released shortly. Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will investigate why on 17 December 2009 a grant offer was issued by the Director, Communications and Content Industries Directorate, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, to Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA Ltd) addressed to Mr Malcolm Corbett, their chief executive; and why a payment of £32,750 was made on 15 March, while the terms of reference of the Scrutiny and Liaison Committee were in draft form. Baroness Wilcox: The grant offer was made to INCA Ltd. Mr Malcolm Corbett is a member of INCA Ltd. Payments by my department to INCA Ltd have been made properly in accordance with the terms of the grant offer letter. Details of the payments have been given in previous Answers. Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what procurement process was employed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to ensure transparency in issuing the contract to Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd to license the four NextGen Roadshow one-day events; how many requests for quotations were made to other providers; how many other offers to stage roadshows were received; and whether they will place all relevant documents in the Library of the House. Baroness Wilcox: No contract was issued by my department to Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd for the purposes outlined in the Question. Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider terminating the grant to Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd issued by the Director of Communications, Content Industries Directorate, at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 17 December 2009 for possible violation of terms in subsections (ii) to (iv) of Section 12. Baroness Wilcox: No. All payments made to Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd by the department have been properly made in accordance with the terms of the grant offer letter. Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ask the Financial Services Authority to investigate the compliance of Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd (INCA Ltd) with the company rules lodged upon its formation; whether they will place a copy of those rules in the Library of the House; how much money they, Government agencies, local authorities and regional development agencies have paid to INCA Ltd since its formation; for what purpose; and which department or body paid the money in each case. Baroness Wilcox: As per Answers to previous recent Questions from the noble Lord, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has not had any reason to investigate INCA Ltd and nor have the Government. INCA's rules are publicly available from the FSA. A grant offer letter was made to INCA Ltd by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in December 2009. Under the terms of the letter a grant of up to £150,000 was available. Payments under the terms of the offer letter have been made to INCA Ltd as follows: 11 March 2010-£31,750.00;30 March 2010-£14,089.46;20 April 2010-£13,053.62; and10 June 2010-£25,117.07. The total amount paid to date is therefore £84,010.15. Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government who were the independent assessors who (a) have been assessing, and (b) will assess, the delivery of advice given on broadband and next generation access by Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd and Community Broadband Network Ltd; and what were or are their qualifications and experience. Baroness Wilcox: No circumstances have arisen which would require such assessors to be appointed and none has been appointed. Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place for evaluating the benefits of advice given by, and any deployment of broadband and next generation access by, Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd and Community Broadband Network Ltd. Baroness Wilcox: No circumstances have arisen which would require such measures. Israel Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking steps to ensure that the confiscated possessions of British citizens recently deported from Israel are returned to them, and that they receive legal assistance in any claims for compensation. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have been in regular contact with the Israelis regarding the missing property. We understand that the property was transferred to Turkey, where any items that were not claimed are now held by IHH, the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief, the organisers of the flotilla. We are communicating any information we have to those British nationals who were on the flotilla. The Government do not provide legal assistance for British nationals in regards to claims for compensation. We can provide them with a list of local lawyers who will be able to advise them on the legal process. Meat: Slaughterhouses Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to obtain consent from the European Commission for the production in slaughterhouses of smoked skin-on sheep carcases; and whether they propose to expedite the application. Earl Howe: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) wrote to the European Commission in May 2010 to ask it to consider proposing an amendment to the European Union food hygiene rules to allow production of skin-on sheep meat. Before making any proposal, the Commission will need to satisfy itself that such a change would be consistent with the objectives of the food hygiene legislation and may require further information or ask the European Food Safety Authority to provide a risk assessment. Any proposal would then need to be approved by a committee of the member states before it could be adopted into law. The entire process of securing the necessary change may take one to two years. The FSA will do whatever it can to assist progress on this matter. Museums and Galleries Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to assess the provision of entry to national museums and galleries, and give national museums greater discretion. Lord Shutt of Greetland: We are committed to maintaining free admission for national museums and galleries, and will be examining options for providing greater freedoms to allow them to become more entrepreneurial and effective in attracting private funding in the future. Plain English Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will issue guidance to all members of the Government, departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies on the use of plain English. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will issue guidance to all members of the Government, departments, executive agencies and non-departmental bodies to refrain from using jargon. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Ensuring that the information they provide is understood by the public is an essential duty of Government. Detailed guidance on the use of plain English is already available for members of the Government, departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Royal Household: Travel Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the royal travel grant in aid in the context of their proposals for sustainable travel; and, if so, what measures they will consider in that review. Earl Attlee: Expenditure of the royal grant in aid budget is the responsibility of the Royal Household. In deciding the most appropriate mode of travel for official travel, the household will have regard to the following key criteria: safety; security; value for money; length of journey; minimising the disruption to others; effective use of the Royal Family's time; environmental impact; andtransport which is consistent with the requirement and dignity of the occasion. The Royal Household's objectives in managing royal travel expenditure are: to contract in the most economic and efficient way consistent with the above criteria; andto ensure that members of the Royal Household take financial considerations fully into account when framing, reaching, or giving effect to decisions which bear upon the grant in aid. Accountability and transparency are achieved through publication of a detailed annual report published as royal public finances. Sport: Football Clubs Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the football governance rules, particularly in respect of the relationship between the owners of football clubs and supporters. Lord Shutt of Greetland: While it is for the football authorities to run our national game, the Government will encourage the Football Association, Premier League, and Football League to work closely together to improve the governance and regulation of the national game. This includes exploring better ways to involve supporters in their local clubs. Superannuation Act 1972 Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the relevant text of the notes on Section 2(3) of the Superannuation Act 1972 available to Ministers at the time of the Bill's passage through Parliament. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: A copy of the notes on Section 2(3) of the Superannuation Act 1972 that were available to Ministers at the time of the Bill's passage through Parliament have been placed in the Library. Transport: Investment Schemes Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have for revising the method of assessing proposed transport investment schemes. Earl Attlee: In the coalition agreement we committed to reform the way decisions are made on which transport projects to prioritise, so that the benefits of low-carbon proposals (including light rail schemes) are fully recognised. We will announce details of how this reform is to be implemented in due course. Transport: Roads Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of vehicle numbers per day they require in order for consent to be given for the development of a dual carriageway or a motorway. Earl Attlee: Consent for the development of a new dual carriageway or motorway is based on a variety of factors, including traffic flow. In each case, a local assessment, based on forecast traffic flows, must be made which takes account of the combined economic, environmental and operational impact of the proposed scheme. This assessment is used to inform the case for consent for a dual carriageway or motorway. The improvement of existing roads requires that each increase in carriageway standard must be justified incrementally and each decision must provide maximum value for money.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2010-06-15a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2010", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Asylum Seekers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which countries failed asylum seekers were returned from the United Kingdom in (1) 2005, (2) 2009, and (3) 2011. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The table below shows the number of failed asylum seekers removed or voluntarily departing from the UK by destination for 2005, 2009 and 2011. It is not possible within these figures to say what stage in the asylum process individuals have reached at the time of their removal, including whether their claim has failed at that point, as those departing voluntarily can do so at any stage without necessarily notifying the UK Border Agency. Following a change to the published categories that separated removals and voluntary departures, figures for 2005 and 2009 are not directly comparable with those for 2011. Latest figures for removals and voluntary departures due to be published on Thursday 29 November will include updated figures published under the new categorisation backdated to 2004. Figures provided are latest published statistics on those removed or voluntarily departing from the UK appearing in Tables rv.06 and rv.06.q of the release, Immigration Statistics: April-June 2012. This is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, research and statistics web pages: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research -statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q2-2012/removals-q2-2012-tabs. Table rv.06: Removals and voluntary departures by country of destination for asylum cases Year 2005 2009 2011 Geographical region Country of destination Total asylum cases; removed or voluntary departed Total asylum cases; removed or voluntary departed Total asylum enforced removals Total asylum voluntary departures Total *Total 15,685 11,636 5,774 4,303 Africa *Total Africa 2,791 2,171 976 693 Americas *Total Americas 1,022 456 250 73 Asia *Total Asia 3,478 4,410 3,062 2,450 Europe *Total Europe 6,800 2,374 1,276 270 Middle East *Total Middle East 1,419 1,628 144 439 Oceania *Total Oceania 7 10 3 1 Other *Total Other 168 587 63 377 Asia Afghanistan 912 1,166 943 375 Europe Albania 1,000 342 144 39 Africa Algeria 243 162 98 59 Oceania American Samoa 0 0 0 0 Europe Andorra 0 0 0 0 Africa Angola 165 50 17 12 Americas Anguilla 0 0 0 0 Americas Antigua and Barbuda 0 0 0 1 Americas Argentina 0 1 0 0 Europe Armenia 15 3 5 4 Americas Aruba 0 0 0 0 Oceania Australia 6 4 1 1 Europe Austria 197 26 21 0 Europe Azerbaijan 51 6 1 0 Americas Bahamas, The 0 0 0 0 Middle East Bahrain 2 3 2 6 Asia Bangladesh 259 173 255 127 Americas Barbados 0 1 0 0 Europe Belarus 25 7 8 2 Europe Belgium 110 76 83 2 Americas Belize 0 0 0 0 Africa Benin 10 3 0 1 Americas Bermuda 0 0 0 0 Asia Bhutan 0 1 0 0 Americas Bolivia 53 15 21 9 Americas Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba : : 0 0 Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina 24 9 1 2 Africa Botswana 6 8 4 3 Americas Brazil 35 32 16 8 Other British overseas citizens : : : : Asia Brunei 0 0 0 0 Europe Bulgaria 34 4 7 0 Africa Burkina 3 0 0 0 Asia Burma 3 4 3 14 Africa Burundi 14 10 2 5 Asia Cambodia 0 0 0 0 Africa Cameroon 33 74 23 9 Americas Canada 20 15 13 10 Africa Cape Verde 0 0 0 0 Americas Cayman Islands 0 0 0 0 Africa Central African Republic 2 0 0 0 Africa Chad 21 2 1 1 Americas Chile 12 2 4 0 Asia China 246 1,075 381 519 Oceania Christmas Island 0 0 0 0 Oceania Cocos (Keeling) Islands 0 0 0 0 Americas Colombia 262 54 20 5 Africa Comoros 1 0 0 0 Africa Congo 60 31 6 0 Africa Congo (Democratic Republic) 43 96 19 6 Oceania Cook Islands 0 0 0 0 Americas Costa Rica 1 0 0 0 Europe Croatia 85 14 0 7 Americas Cuba 3 0 1 4 Americas Curacao : : 0 0 Europe Cyprus 7 4 2 3 Europe Cyprus (Northern part of) 0 0 0 0 Europe Czech Republic 6 10 10 0 Europe Denmark 21 13 9 0 Africa Djibouti 2 1 0 1 Americas Dominica 1 0 0 0 Americas Dominican Republic 1 1 1 1 Asia East Timor 0 0 0 0 Americas Ecuador 171 36 7 3 Africa Egypt 62 68 31 30 Americas El Salvador 0 1 3 0 Africa Equatorial Guinea 1 2 0 0 Africa Eritrea 1 8 0 1 Europe Estonia 2 2 1 1 Africa Ethiopia 38 49 9 10 Americas Falkland Islands 0 0 0 0 Europe Faroe Islands 0 0 0 0 Oceania Fiji 1 1 2 0 Europe Finland 4 7 6 1 Europe Former Yugoslavia : 0 0 2 Europe France 246 204 174 4 Americas French Guiana 0 0 0 0 Oceania French Polynesia 0 0 0 0 Africa Gabon 0 0 1 0 Africa Gambia, The 36 51 29 20 Europe Georgia 53 52 13 7 Europe Germany 415 124 78 3 Africa Ghana 242 118 72 15 Europe Gibraltar 0 0 0 0 Europe Greece 264 239 0 4 Europe Greenland 0 0 0 0 Americas Grenada 0 1 4 0 Americas Guadeloupe 0 0 0 0 Americas Guam 0 0 0 0 Americas Guatemala 2 2 0 0 Africa Guinea 21 12 6 4 Africa Guinea-Bissau 10 1 0 0 Americas Guyana 9 10 4 1 Americas Haiti 0 0 0 0 Oceania Heard Island and McDonald Islands 0 0 0 0 Americas Honduras 0 0 2 1 Asia Hong Kong 3 7 2 5 Europe Hungary 11 17 12 0 Europe Iceland 0 1 0 0 Asia India 362 678 352 622 Asia Indonesia 10 6 1 1 Middle East Iran 389 343 53 86 Middle East Iraq 818 1,106 66 273 Europe Ireland 69 199 73 67 Middle East Israel 39 8 4 11 Europe Italy 424 217 323 5 Africa Ivory Coast 13 26 2 7 Americas Jamaica 404 229 101 9 Asia Japan 0 2 1 4 Middle East Jordan 29 38 4 8 Europe Kazakhstan 20 2 2 1 Africa Kenya 58 90 37 15 Oceania Kiribati 0 0 0 0 Asia Korea (North) 0 1 0 2 Asia Korea (South) 4 8 3 5 Europe Kosovo : 133 9 8 Middle East Kuwait 10 13 1 8 Europe Kyrgyzstan 9 2 2 4 Asia Laos 1 0 0 0 Europe Latvia 5 3 2 2 Middle East Lebanon 62 29 5 9 Africa Lesotho 1 2 1 0 Africa Liberia 24 6 2 2 Africa Libya 38 35 12 47 Europe Liechtenstein 0 0 0 0 Europe Lithuania 7 1 2 4 Europe Luxembourg 3 3 1 0 Asia Macau 0 0 0 0 Europe Macedonia 33 4 0 0 Africa Madagascar 0 0 0 0 Africa Malawi 105 97 28 13 Asia Malaysia 29 28 35 8 Asia Maldives 0 1 0 0 Africa Mali 4 3 2 2 Europe Malta 25 38 8 1 Oceania Marshall Islands 0 0 0 0 Americas Martinique 0 0 0 0 Africa Mauritania 3 0 0 0 Africa Mauritius 9 22 16 17 Africa Mayotte 0 0 0 0 Americas Mexico 1 5 2 6 Oceania Micronesia 0 0 0 0 Europe Moldova 61 25 4 11 Europe Monaco 0 0 0 0 Asia Mongolia 128 36 14 22 Europe Montenegro : 0 0 0 Americas Montserrat 0 0 0 0 Africa Morocco 11 14 14 7 Africa Mozambique 1 4 1 0 Africa Namibia 4 14 14 4 Oceania Nauru 0 0 0 0 Asia Nepal 130 66 31 19 Europe Netherlands 142 26 27 4 Americas Netherlands Antilles 0 0 : : Oceania New Caledonia 0 0 0 0 Oceania New Zealand 0 5 0 0 Americas Nicaragua 0 6 3 0 Africa Niger 6 1 1 0 Africa Nigeria 574 558 353 122 Oceania Niue 0 0 0 0 Oceania Norfolk Island 0 0 0 0 Oceania Northern Mariana Islands 0 0 0 0 Europe Norway 36 15 29 0 Middle East Occupied Palestinian Territories 9 22 1 6 Middle East Oman 6 1 0 1 Other Other and unknown 168 587 63 377 Asia Pakistan 910 736 599 570 Oceania Palau 0 0 0 0 Americas Panama 1 0 0 0 Oceania Papua New Guinea 0 0 0 0 Americas Paraguay 0 0 0 0 Americas Peru 11 4 0 0 Asia Philippines 9 7 6 1 Oceania Pitcairn Islands 0 0 0 0 Europe Poland 9 2 6 1 Europe Portugal 13 6 4 3 Americas Puerto Rico 0 0 0 0 Middle East Qatar 1 4 1 1 Other Refugee : : : : Africa Reunion 0 0 0 0 Europe Romania 673 13 10 3 Europe Russia 82 29 8 16 Africa Rwanda 7 4 3 5 Oceania Samoa 0 0 0 0 Europe San Marino 0 0 0 0 Africa Sao Tome and Principe 0 0 0 0 Middle East Saudi Arabia 0 9 3 4 Africa Senegal 10 4 4 4 Europe Serbia : 2 2 1 Europe Serbia and Montenegro 1,488 : : : Africa Seychelles 9 2 0 0 Africa Sierra Leone 67 31 17 7 Asia Singapore 0 2 0 1 Europe Slovakia 57 9 6 0 Europe Slovenia 7 1 1 0 Oceania Solomon Islands 0 0 0 0 Africa Somalia 22 25 5 11 Africa South Africa 107 83 28 24 Americas South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands 0 0 0 0 Europe Spain 45 19 18 1 Asia Sri Lanka 407 208 292 139 Africa St. Helena 0 0 0 0 Americas St. Kitts and Nevis 0 0 0 1 Americas St. Lucia 4 3 3 1 Americas St. Maarten (Dutch Part) : : 0 0 Americas St. Martin (French Part) 0 0 0 0 Americas St. Pierre and Miquelon 0 0 0 0 Americas St. Vincent and the Grenadines 2 0 5 0 Other Stateless : : : : Africa Sudan 46 29 6 12 Africa Sudan (South) : : 0 0 Americas Surinam 0 0 1 0 Europe Svalbard and Jan Mayen 0 0 0 0 Africa Swaziland 0 4 2 0 Europe Sweden 70 27 21 1 Europe Switzerland 9 4 18 2 Middle East Syria 32 14 3 10 Asia Taiwan 0 0 2 0 Europe Tajikistan 1 1 0 0 Africa Tanzania 43 23 22 8 Asia Thailand 9 11 3 7 Africa Togo 46 2 1 0 Oceania Tokelau 0 0 0 0 Oceania Tonga 0 0 0 0 Americas Trinidad and Tobago 9 12 4 6 Africa Tunisia 6 5 7 73 Europe Turkey 818 359 94 37 Europe Turkmenistan 0 4 1 1 Americas Turks and Caicos Islands 0 0 0 0 Oceania Tuvalu 0 0 0 0 Africa Uganda 265 126 57 15 Europe Ukraine 118 64 18 14 Middle East United Arab Emirates 7 26 1 16 Americas United States 10 25 30 5 Americas Uruguay 0 1 0 0 Europe Uzbekistan 6 6 12 2 Oceania Vanuatu 0 0 0 0 Europe Vatican City 0 0 0 0 Americas Venezuela 10 0 5 2 Asia Vietnam 56 194 139 9 Americas Virgin Islands (British) 0 0 0 0 Americas Virgin Islands (US) 0 0 0 0 Oceania Wallis and Futuna 0 0 0 0 Africa Western Sahara 0 1 0 0 Middle East Yemen 15 12 0 0 Africa Zambia 16 13 4 4 Africa Zimbabwe 282 201 19 117 Asylum Seekers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they undertake monitoring of the lives of failed asylum seekers following their deportation from the United Kingdom; and, if so, how. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The UK does not routinely monitor the lives of failed asylum seekers who return to their home country. They are, by definition, foreign nationals who have been found as a matter of law not to need the UK's protection and it would be inconsistent with that finding for the UK to assume an ongoing responsibility for them when they return to their own country. Asylum Seekers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which countries failed asylum seekers are not currently deported by the United Kingdom. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There are no countries to which the UK Government will not return failed asylum seekers. At any given time, there may be countries to which the UK Border Agency does not enforce returns due to practical and logistical considerations. Asylum Seekers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they ensure that deported asylum seekers in need of medical attention are not deported to countries where the necessary medical treatment is not available. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Individuals whose asylum claims have been refused and who require medical treatment which is either unavailable or difficult to access in their countries of origin will not be removed to those countries where this would be inconsistent with our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. Each person in this situation is considered individually, but for removal not to take place, there must be truly compelling humanitarian considerations. Asylum Seekers: Children Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they ensure that children under 16 are not deported to countries where they are threatened with harm. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The UK Border Agency does not seek to remove any individual-whether adult or child-unless the agency and the courts are satisfied that they are not at risk of harm on return. All asylum applications are given full consideration within the requirements of the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights, and by using up to date and wide ranging country specific information. Bank of England Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 2 November (WA 159), whether the cancellation of government debt acquired by the Asset Purchase Fund for quantitative easing falls within the remit of monetary policy and the terms of reference of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. Lord Sassoon: The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was given authorisation to use the Asset Purchase Facility (APF), for monetary policy purposes, by the then Chancellor, on 3 March 2009. The APF is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank of England. Gilts purchased under quantitative easing are a tool for the MPC to use in order to meet the inflation target. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many attendances at accident and emergency units have been attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning in the past year; and how many deaths have been recorded as resulting from it. Earl Howe: This information is not routinely collected or reported by the department; however analysis conducted by the department in 2011 estimated that there had been around 4,000 attendances at accident and emergency units in England in 2009-10 as a result of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning based on the experimental Accident and Emergency Hospital Episode Statistics. Information provided to the Department by the Office for National Statistics shows that there were 33 deaths in England in 2011 as a result of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Care Services: Autumn Grange Residential Home Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to take any action against the owners of Autumn Grange Residential Home in Nottingham following concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission about the standard of care at the home and the closure of the home by its owners at very short notice. Earl Howe: The Government cannot comment in detail on this matter, which is the subject of police investigation. However, it is not for the Government to take action directly against the owners of the home. If the home is found not to have complied with any regulatory requirement, it will be for the organisation(s) responsible for enforcing those regulations to decide what action, if any, may be appropriate. Care Services: Autumn Grange Residential Home Baroness Pitkeathley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation with residents and their families owners of care homes are required to undertake before closing a home; what consultations with residents and their families were carried out by the owners of Autumn Grange Care Home in Nottingham before their decision to close it; and whether the Care Quality Commission or others were able to carry out any such consultation. Earl Howe: The Government cannot comment in detail on this matter, which is the subject of police investigation. We understand that no consultation with residents and their families took place between the owners and residents and their families, or with the Care Quality Commission, in this case. Nottingham City Council and residents received very short notice of the owners' intention to close the home. The council responded rapidly to ensure that all residents were supported to move into a suitable alternative accommodation and met with residents and their families to discuss and explain the matter at the time. The decision to close a care home voluntarily is taken by the operator, either the local council or National Health Service or, if it is an independent home, the proprietor(s). There is no specific requirement on an operator to consult. However, the department is concerned that any decision to close a home should be handled as sensitively and appropriately as possible. It is essential that proper arrangements are made for the safe and satisfactory transfer of residents to other suitable homes. Adequate time should be allowed for the process, so that residents and their relatives can make decisions and arrangements in a way that minimises stress. Local authorities have a statutory duty to reassess the needs of residents of a home which closes and to arrange suitable alternative accommodation for those who are assessed as needing residential care. In June 2011, the University of Birmingham and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, in association with the Social Care Institute for Excellence, published guidance for councils entitled, ACHIEVING CLOSURE, Good practice in supporting older people during residential care closures. The guidance includes advice on how to cope with the closure process and how to reduce any negative impact on residents. It addresses issues such as providing continuity of care, needs assessment and choice for residents, intelligence and information sharing, resource implications and legal issues. It is available on the University of Birmingham website at: www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2011/06/08JuneCareReport.aspx. Charities: Religious Charities Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many churches and Christian charities have successfully applied for charitable status in the past 12 months. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many churches and Christian charities have had their applications for charitable status turned down as not satisfying the public benefit test in the past 12 months. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many religious places of worship, excluding churches, have successfully applied for charitable status in the past 12 months. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many religious places of worship, excluding churches, have had their applications for charitable status turned down on the grounds of failing to satisfy the public benefit test in the past 12 months. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many religious-based charities, excluding Christian charities, have successfully made applications for charitable status in the past 12 months. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many religious-based charities, excluding Christian charities, have had their applications for charitable status turned down in the past 12 months on the grounds of not satisfying the public benefit test. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission's Chief Executive to reply. Letter from Sam Younger CBE, Chief Executive, Charity Commission to Baroness Berridge, dated 21 November 2012. I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions on the registration of religious organisations in the past 12 months. How many churches and Christian charities have successfully applied for charitable status in the past 12 months [HL3494]. 1175 churches and other charities identifying themselves as Christian on the register of charities have successfully applied for charitable status in the past 12 months (1 November 2011-1 November 2012). There may be additional Christian charities which do not show as such from their entries on the register because they have not self-identified as Christian or having purposes to advance the Christian religion. How many churches and Christian charities have had their applications for charitable status turned down as not satisfying the public benefit test in the past 12 months [HL3495]. One Christian organisation has had its application for charitable status turned down in the past 12 months on grounds which included not satisfying the public benefit requirement. How many religious places of worship, excluding churches, have successfully applied for charitable status in the past 12 months [HL3496]. It is not always possible to identify from the details a charity has given for its entry on the register whether or not it operates a place of worship. To produce a definitive figure would require a manual search which unfortunately is not possible in the time available. How many religious places of worship, excluding churches, have had their applications for charitable status turned down on the grounds of failing to satisfy the public benefit test in the past 12 months [HL3497]. None of the five organisations with purposes to advance religions other than Christianity which have had their applications for charitable status turned down in the past 12 months appears to operate a place of worship. How many religious-based charities, excluding Christian charities, have successfully made applications for charitable status in the past 12 months [HL3498]. 433 religious-based charities, excluding the Christian charities and churches counted above, have successfully made applications for charitable status in the past 12 months. How many religious-based charities, excluding Christian charities, have had their applications for charitable status turned down in the past 12 months on the grounds of not satisfying the public benefit test [HL3499]. One charity with purposes to advance a religion other than Christianity has had its application for charitable status turned down in the past 12 months on grounds which included not satisfying the public benefit requirement. Child Protection The Lord Bishop of Ripon and Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the recommendations from the Department for Education Expert Data Group. Lord Hill of Oareford: As part of urgent action to improve the care and protection of children in residential care, the department has chaired an Expert Data Group. This has been considering how to safeguard looked after children who go missing, or are at risk of going missing, by developing improved local and national data collection arrangements, and strengthening practice amongst carers, children's homes, local authorities and the police. The group includes representatives from the Association of Directors of Children's Services, police organisations, the Office of the Children's Commissioner, the Children's Society and Ofsted. It has met frequently since July and is in the final stages of its work. We will consider its proposals and announce the action we intend to take in due course. Children: Care The Lord Bishop of Ripon and Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the recommendations from the task and finish group on out of area placements of children in care. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Out of Area Placements Task and Finish Group has been focusing on how to improve arrangements, and the quality of care and support, for looked after children placed out of area by their local authorities. This is part of the wider work announced by Ministers in July to reform children's residential care. The group has comprised senior expert representation from children's services, local authorities, providers, Ofsted and others. It has met frequently since the summer. We will consider its proposals and announce the actions we intend to take in due course. Cultural Olympiad Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to embed the success of the Cultural Olympiad in future arts initiatives. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is delighted with the huge impact that the Cultural Olympiad has made. This Government purposely intended that the Cultural Olympiad be delivered by and through the cultural sector, and in that sense, the opportunity remains for the sector to build on the many individual projects that were inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, rather than for the Government to attempt to prescribe future artistic and cultural initiatives. However, DCMS has asked Lord Hall of Birkenhead, as chair of the Cultural Olympiad Board, to continue to lead the board as it oversees and ensures that the legacy from the Games becomes fully embedded within the cultural sector. Education: Careers Advice Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they are monitoring changes to the National Careers Service; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the quality of advice to young people is improved. Lord Hill of Oareford: Schools are subject to a new duty to secure access to independent and impartial careers guidance on the full range of 16-18 education and training options, including apprenticeships. This is underpinned by statutory guidance and a practical guide, published by the Department for Education. Ofsted is carrying out a thematic review of careers guidance, reporting in July 2013, which will highlight good practice and provide a benchmark for future improvements in the quality of provision. Schools are expected to work in partnership, as appropriate, with external and expert careers providers. This can include organisations engaged in delivering the National Careers Service (NCS) or other specialist providers. Young people can also access support from appropriately qualified advisers through the NCS helpline, or by visiting their website. The Skills Funding Agency is responsible for the delivery, design and development of the NCS, reporting to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Changes to the NCS are monitored by BIS and the Agency through the Careers Guidance and Accounts Board, involving the Department for Education in consideration of the service for young people. The board reviews performance data, quality, policy updates and customer satisfaction and progression reports for consideration and advice as appropriate. Education: Special Educational Needs and Disability Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of secondary school pupils (1) overall, and (2) entering academies in 2011-12 and 2012-13 had special educational needs. Lord Hill of Oareford: From next year all young people in England will be required to remain in education for a further year after the compulsory school leaving age. They will have a choice of curriculum and route of full-time education at a school or college, an apprenticeship or full-time work combined with part-time study. We have accepted all of the recommendations from Professor Wolf's report on vocational education. A new fairer, simpler and more transparent funding system will support the introduction of study programmes for 16-19 year-olds from 2013. The published principles for study programmes will ensure post-16 education has a focus on substantial qualifications, English, maths and work experience-the key ingredients that employers want. A series of workshops has been held to help schools and colleges understand these reforms, and we trust them to put on programmes that meet the needs of young people, employers and universities. We are also considering how best A-levels can meet the needs of universities and employers. Ofqual have consulted on A-level reform and, further to the recent announcement on the ending of January exams, are giving further thought to how best to engage universities in the design of the qualifications. Energy: Fuel Prices Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date they expect the planned increase in fuel duty to take effect. Lord Sassoon: On 26 June 2012, the Chancellor announced that the 3.02 pence per litre rise in fuel duty that was due to take effect on 1 August 2012 would be deferred until 1 January 2013. The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review. Energy: Wave Power Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they encourage the generation of renewable energy from wave power; and, if so, in what way. Baroness Verma: The UK Government encourage the development of wave and tidal energy through active engagement with the industry through the Marine Energy Programme Board (MEPB) and bringing together key players for the development of the industry through marine energy parks. We have also contributed to the development of testing centres for these devices such as the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney and the WaveHub in Cornwall. In the past, various funding schemes have been made available towards the development of these technologies; the most recent being the £20 million marine energy array demonstrator (MEAD) scheme. Support is also given under the Renewables Obligation (RO) which is currently 2 ROCs/MWh but will increase from 2013-17 to 5ROCs/MWh for projects up to 30MW. EU: Common Agricultural Policy Lord Monks: To ask Her Majesty's Government which agricultural estates in the United Kingdom were the 10 highest recipients of funds from the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy in the last year for which records are available. Lord De Mauley: The following businesses and organisations were the 10 highest recipients of funds from the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy in 2011. Beneficiary Name Total Paying Agency National Trust £8,095,950.58 RPA Lantra £4,526,362.71 RPA RSPB £3,997,559.71 RPA Herefordshire Council £3,193,885.15 RPA Northumberland County Council £2,904,194.64 RPA Serco Regional Services Ltd £2,729,017.63 RPA Cadwyn Clwyd Cyfyngedig Ltd £2,318,476.63 WG Farmcare Limited £2,179,353.17 RPA Berry Gardens Growers Ltd £2,173,062.83 RPA Frank A Smart & Son Ltd £1,824,206.97 SGRPID Food: Aspartame The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what average daily intake (ADI) was established for methanol at the time when an ADI for diketopiperazines was established at 7.5mg/kg by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food and the Environment in 1982 when they considered aspartame for approval. Earl Howe: In 1982, the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) classified aspartame as Group A, "Substances that the available evidence suggests are acceptable for use in food". In 1992, when the COT moved towards the use of acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) in the assessment of food additives, ADIs were established for both aspartame and its breakdown product diketopiperazine. The COT did not establish an ADI for methanol as they noted that the amounts of methanol that could be present in aspartame sweetened products were lower than those present in some foods and were not of concern. Food: Aspartame The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what testing measures have been established for the Food Standards Agency and Trading Standards officials to ensure that the amount of aspartame added to food and drink by manufacturers meets the prescribed average daily intake of 40mg/kg; and how many prosecutions there have been for infringement. Earl Howe: Maximum permitted levels for aspartame are established in legislation, which also specifies the various foods in which it is permitted. These levels are set so that consumers, including certain sub-populations such as children, are unlikely to exceed the acceptable daily intake of aspartame. It is the food businesses' responsibility to comply with food law; however, enforcement of food legislation is the responsibility of local authorities. Data held by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for 2012 shows that 175 samples were analysed for aspartame. Only one sample was found to be non-compliant as it was not permitted to contain aspartame. This figure only covers those local authorities who are using the UK Food Surveillance System national database. The FSA is not aware of any prosecutions regarding aspartame. Government Departments: Coalition Agreement Lord Ryder of Wensum: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress the Attorney General's Office has made since May 2010 in respect of commitments relevant to it in the coalition agreement. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The Attorney-General's Office does not have any direct policy responsibilities relating to the commitments made in the coalition agreement. Information on the progress made by the Government as whole in meeting these commitments can be found in a Written Ministerial Statement made by Lord Wallace of Saltaire dated 11 June 2012, which provides an update on actions as of May 2012, and the live display of the 2012-13 business plans on the structural reform plan section of the No 10 website. Government Departments: Coalition Agreement Lord Ryder of Wensum: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has made since May 2010 in respect of commitments relevant to it in the coalition agreement. Viscount Younger of Leckie: Structural reform plans detail the concrete steps this Government are taking to implement their agenda. Information on progress can be found in a Written Ministerial Statement dated 11 June 2012, which provides an update on actions as of May 2012, and the live display of the 2012-13 business plans on the structural reform plan section of the No.10 website. Government Departments: Coalition Agreement Lord Ryder of Wensum: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress the Department for International Development has made since May 2010 in respect of commitments relevant to it in the coalition agreement. Baroness Northover: The commitments in the coalition agreement relevant to the Department for International Development have, in the main, been taken forward through actions set out in the department's structural reform plans. The link below provides information on progress to date as well as actions which are currently in progress for each commitment for which the department is responsible for delivery. Details of progress against the department's structural reform plan for 2012-13 can found in the No.10 Transparency website http://transparency.number10. gov.uk/ Details of progress against the department's structural reform plan for 2011/12 can be found in the DfID website http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/DfID-Business-plan-2011-2015/ Government Departments: Coalition Agreement Lord Ryder of Wensum: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress the Scotland Office has made since May 2010 in respect of commitments relevant to it in the coalition agreement. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The coalition's programme for government in May 2010 included a commitment to implement the recommendations of the Commission on Scottish Devolution. This commitment was delivered through the Scotland Act 2012, which received cross-party support in both the UK and Scottish Parliaments. The Act strengthens the devolution settlement and marks the most significant transfer of financial powers from Westminster to Scotland in 300 years. Government Departments: Correspondence Lord Norton of Louth: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) letters, and (2) emails, were received by the Home Office in each of the past five years for which information is available; and, of those, how many were sent by (a) Members of the House of Commons, (b) Members of the House of Lords, and (c) members of the public. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Please see the information requested presented in the table below. All ministerial correspondence is recorded as having been received by letter. Information on the split between correspondence received from Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords is not available for 2007-09. Ministerial Correspondence (Correspondence from Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords) Year House of Commons House of Lords Total 2007 N/A N/A 6,568 2008 N/A N/A 6,933 2009 N/A N/A 6,684 2010 4739 16 4,755 2011 7909 42 7,951 Treat Official Correspondence (Correspondence from Members of the Public) Year Letters Emails Total 2007 10,271 8,357 18,628 2008 9,625 7,401 17,026 2009 6,586 9,030 15,616 2010 5,838 7,552 13,390 2011 6,056 6,226 12,282 Government: Air Travel Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Strathclyde on 24 October (WA 67), why his response did not state how much was charged to news organisations and the Conservative Party or the date on which they received funds from the party, as the original Question asked. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Strathclyde on 24 October (WA 67), why names of individuals are not normally disclosed; and why the Answer did not give the names of those who travelled with the Prime Minister on a chartered flight to the United States on 13 March. Lord Strathclyde: A charge of £5,310 was made for international and internal flights, hotels and transport for the Prime Minister's visit to Washington in March. Three members of the Prime Minister's political office accompanied the Prime Minister; the names of staff accompanying the Prime Minister are not usually published. The invoice totalling £15,930 was paid by the Conservative Party on 16 October. Health: Cardiology Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of Omacor for treating post-heart attack patients; and whether they will intervene following the decision by Greater Manchester Medicines Management Group to deem it not suitable for prescription. Earl Howe: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) Clinical Guideline 48 on secondary prevention of a myocardial infarction (MI) described best practice in the effective diagnosis and treatment of MI. We expect commissioners to take these guidelines fully into account in their decision-making. In view of their complexity and because of the different states of readiness for implementation in the National Health Service, clinical guidelines are not subject to the same statutory funding direction as NICE's technology appraisals. Health: Cardiology Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the analysis submitted by Professor Sir Brian Jarman to the NHS Medical Director that child heart surgery units at Glenfield Hospital and the Royal Brompton Hospital rank 1 and 3 in terms of outcomes performance, what is their response to the recommendation of the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts that these units be closed. Earl Howe: The Safe and Sustainable review of children's congenital heart services is a clinically led, National Health Service review, which is independent of Government. However, we understand that the standards against which all the units providing children's congenital heart surgery were assessed were agreed by the relevant professional organisations. The Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts accepted advice from the professional associations, including the Central Cardiac Audit Database, that mortality rates should not be used to compare hospitals as meaningful comparisons are not possible given the low caseloads. Health: Cardiology Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions will be taken to address inequalities in rates of cardiovascular disease between different areas of England under the Cardiovascular Outcomes Strategy. Earl Howe: This Government are committed to reducing the gap between the health of the richest and the health of the poorest, so more people can look forward to an independent and active old age. The forthcoming cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy will reflect how this will be achieved for people with and at risk of this group of diseases. Health: Hypercholesterolaemia Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the population in England considered to have the condition familial hypercholesterolaemia are known to have been diagnosed with the condition. To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the United Kingdom population have been diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolaemia; and how this compares with other European Union countries. To ask Her Majesty's Government what initiatives are being undertaken to increase the number of people diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolaemia in England. Earl Howe: The information requested is not available centrally. However, Heart UK's survey of lipid clinics and clinical practice published in 2008 estimated that around 15,000 people have been diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) in the United Kingdom. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) states that the prevalence of FH in the UK to be around 1 in 500, which means that approximately 120,000 people may have the condition. This would mean that around 12.5% of those estimated to have the condition have been diagnosed. NICE's Clinical Guidelines 71 on the identification and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia described best practice in the effective diagnosis and treatment of FH. We expect commissioners to take these guidelines fully into account in their decision-making. In view of their complexity and because of the different states of readiness for implementation in the National Health Service, clinical guidelines are not subject to the same statutory funding direction as NICE's technology appraisals. In addition, everyone who has an NHS Health Check will have a cholesterol test. The department has taken the opportunity in the Best Practice Guidance for the NHS Health Check programme to highlight FH for consideration if an individual's total cholesterol is >7.5 mmo1/1- as set out in the NICE clinical guideline. Honours and Knighthoods Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the granting of (1) knighthoods, and (2) other honours other than peerages, what checks are made with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on the tax status of individuals under consideration for an honour and on whether they have been the subject of special investigations or prosecution by HMRC; and, if so, over what period. To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the criteria for granting (1) knighthoods, and (2) other honours other than peerages, to (a) non-resident United Kingdom citizens, and (b) non-domiciled United Kingdom citizens; and what proportion of honours granted in each of the last five years have been to (i) non-residents, and (ii) non-domiciled United Kingdom citizens. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: As part of the process for considering nominations, the Honours and Appointments Secretariat invite government departments with an interest in a particular case to contribute their view. All nominations for honours are judged on merit and on a case by case basis. Meritorious candidates for honours who are non-resident in the UK would usually appear on the Diplomatic Service and Overseas List. Housing Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many affordable housing starts there were in each year from 2005 until the last year for which records are available. Baroness Hanham: Statistics on new housing starts taken from the National Statistics on House Building are published in live table 211 on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website, which is available from the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building. International Crimes Tribunal: Bangladesh Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports they have received of the conduct of the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh; whether they consider that it confirms with international norms for such tribunals; and whether they will find monitors to attend some of the tribunal's hearings. Baroness Warsi: The UK follows the conduct of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh closely including through direct observation by staff based in our High Commission in Dhaka, reports from concerned human rights organisations, and through discussions with a range of stakeholders including representatives of the government, civil society, and defendants. We have called on the Bangladesh Government, publicly and privately, to ensure that trials meet appropriate international standards. We continue to do so, including this year with the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Law Minister, Home Minister, and, most recently with the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary earlier this month. With EU partners, the UK also continues to make clear our strong opposition to the application of the death penalty in all circumstances. We welcome the Government of Bangladesh's commitment to allow independent observers to attend the ICT. The UK has no plans to fund independent monitors, but Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff based in Bangladesh will continue to attend certain hearings as appropriate. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel about the incident at the Erez crossing on 24 October. Baroness Warsi: We have no information about the incident on 24 October. However, the escalation of violence in Gaza and southern Israel was raised by our ambassador to Tel Aviv with the Israeli National Security Adviser and the Israeli Defence Minister in the week beginning 22 October. I also refer the noble Baroness to the oral statement regarding the current crisis in Gaza and the Middle East Peace Process made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 20 November (Official Report, col. 443-446). Israel Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will resist attempts to divide the West Bank into two blocks by creating a continuous zone of settlement extending from East Jerusalem to the Dead Sea; and if so, by what means. Baroness Warsi: We regularly raise our concerns over settlements with the Israel Government, including at the highest levels, most recently with the Prime Minister's office on 24 October and in the course of the UK's strategic dialogue with Israel in London on 1 November. We regularly make clear concerns about any settlements that would risk separating East Jerusalem from the West Bank or dividing the West Bank into two blocks. Lobbying Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in implementing the coalition commitment to regulate lobbying through introducing a statutory register of lobbyists. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The consultation document, Introducing a Statutory Register of Lobbyists, was published earlier this year to gather evidence from experts in the field and members of the public. It asked a number of specific questions, the answers to which are informing policy development in this area. We are currently analysing the evidence collected through the consultation exercise. Overseas Aid Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 30 October (WA 125), whether they are working with the European Commission to ensure that the Commission adopts as policy the provision of humanitarian aid without exception to provide safe abortion care for victims of rape in armed conflict. Baroness Northover: UK aid without exception can be used to provide safe abortion care where necessary, and to the extent allowed by national laws, for victims of rape in conflict zones. The UK Government are not working specifically with the European Commission to ensure the European Commission adopts this as policy. Pakistan Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the value of Department for International Development support for Pakistan in each of the next three years. Baroness Northover: DfID's planned bilateral support to Pakistan in each of the next three years is: 2012-2013-£266.6 million; 2013-2014-£412 million; and 2014-2015-£446 million. This information can also be found in the Bilateral Aid Review technical report: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/barmar. Pakistan Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much Department for International Development education awareness programme money is being spent on advertising in Pakistan. Baroness Northover: Through a combination of political advocacy, media campaigning, civil society engagement, and international pressure, the UK is encouraging the Government of Pakistan and Pakistan's provinces to supply better education. As part of this strategy to improve the amount and quality of education, DfID has spent just over £950,000 to date on a media campaign to raise awareness of Pakistan's education emergency, through print radio and television. This is a powerful campaign designed to raise awareness of Pakistan's education emergency and the need for immediate action. It represents less that 1% of the total projected education spend in Pakistan. Pakistan Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they have given to Geo/Jang Group in the present and previous financial years; and what is the predicted allocation of funds for this organisation in the next two financial years. Baroness Northover: DfID has not provided any direct funding to the GEO/Jang group. The Mir Khalil ur Rahman Foundation, which implements the awareness raising component of a DfID funded education programme in Pakistan, has however purchased television time from GEO at a discounted rate, as part of a transparent process of subcontracting media organisations to deliver this aspect of the programme. Police: Overseas Service Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British police officers have been sent to Bahrain since 31 July; what duties they are carrying out there; and what charges are being made, and to whom, for their services. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: No serving police officers from England and Wales have been sent to Bahrain since 31 July 2012. However, staff from National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) have recently provided assistance to the Bahrain authorities. Post-2015 Development Agenda Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received on the inclusion of peacebuilding in the post-2015 development framework. Baroness Northover: The Government have received a number of representations on the inclusion of peacebuilding in the post-2015 framework. These were letters from two UK-based organisations to the Secretary of State for International Development, and a joint public statement by 42 civil society organisations from across the world entitled Bringing Peace into the post-2015 Framework. Religious Freedom The Lord Bishop of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to publishing a strategy on freedom of religion or belief overseas to help guide the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's human rights annual work programme in this area. Baroness Warsi: Freedom of religion or belief is one of the Government's human rights priorities. We do have a strategy on strengthening our approach to defending this fundamental freedom. The strategy sets out our objectives and makes a series of recommendations to further promote the freedom of religion or belief both through our bilateral work and within various multilateral institutions. These recommendations were shaped by discussions among the Foreign Secretary's Advisory Group on Human Rights, a Wilton Park conference on freedom of religion in July 2011, and discussions with Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) departments and posts. The strategy also draws on the FCO's freedom of religion or belief toolkit, which was compiled after extensive consultations with non-governmental organisations. It contains a large amount of detail, some of which relates to sensitive country situations. We will give consideration to whether there would be value in publishing an edited version. Schools: Sport Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that all young people continue to participate in school sport; and what funding they will provide beyond 2012-13 to support a comprehensive school sport service. Lord Hill of Oareford: The draft programme of study for national curriculum physical education will be released for consultation in the new year. It will have a greater focus on competitive sport and will remain compulsory for all four key stages. The new curriculum is expected to be introduced in schools for first teaching from September 2014. The department fully supports the School Games, which has provided opportunities for young people of all ability levels and backgrounds to enjoy competitive sport. The national level School Games event is held yearly and will next take place in Sheffield in September 2013. Over 10,000 schools are currently signed up for the School Games. We are currently looking at ways in which we can increase this number. The Secretary of State is considering a range of measures to improve school sport and will make an announcement in due course. Shipping: Employment Visas Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many non-European Economic Area citizens have been employed on United Kingdom-flagged fishing vessels in each of the past five years; and on what types of employment visa. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Crew employed on fishing vessels which fish in international waters are not subject to visa or work permit requirements; the Home Office does not have the basis for records of crew members. Any non EEA crew members entering the UK for other reasons are subject to immigration control in the usual way, but are not differentiated in records. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their procurement from small and medium-sized enterprises has increased in value since May 2010. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Yes. Government procurement from small and medium-sized enterprises continues to increase quarter on quarter at a time when overall spending on goods and services has been reduced. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government which small and medium-sized enterprises have been awarded contracts under the Civil Service Learning Contract. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: SMEs that have been selected to deliver discrete pieces of work under this contract as a result of competitive procurement since March 2012 are shown in the table: Epic Performance Improvement Ltd Roffey Park Elevation Learning Stephen Lloyd Associates John Cooper Associates JRT Associates Dove Nest Group Technical Training Teetch Yellow Hat Cordie Praesta In-Company Training Services Good Practice Training Synergy Development Partnership Rare Recruitment Challenge Consultancy Premier Partnerships Axis12 Userfocus BYG systems The Knowledge Academy Catalyst QA Media First Course Monster Media Friendly Mind Gym Government Knowledge Assist KD Global Knowledge Steve Radcliffe Associates Techniques for Change Roffey Park SLA Training Stephen Lloyd Associates Westminster Explained JRT Associates Ashridge Technical Training Yellow Hat Praesta Good Practice Development Partnership Challenge Consultancy Axis12 In addition, a number of independent trainers are used for ongoing training delivery services and they would also be classified as SME suppliers. South Sudan The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of conditions in Yida refugee camp in Unity state in South Sudan; whether those conditions have recently deteriorated; and, if so, whether relocation further from the Sudan border will be in the interests of the refugees. Baroness Northover: The UK monitors the conditions in Yida camp and, despite the regular inflow of refugees that put additional pressure on facilities, there has been a gradual improvement in service provision. However, we are concerned that water provision currently stands at 10.2 litres per person per day, which is below the recognised minimum standard of 15 litres. Similarly there are fewer latrines per person, at one latrine for every 54 people, than the recognised minimum standard of one per 20 people. The humanitarian community is working to improve this. The UK has been providing supporting through the Common Humanitarian Fund in South Sudan, and the Secretary of State for International Development recently decided to provide a further £5 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support the response. UNHCR has consistently lobbied for Yida camp to be moved away from the border, although this is for security reasons rather than as a result of the conditions in the camp. There has been little progress so far. UNHCR is continuing to engage with the Government of South Sudan, the refugee leadership, and the refugees in order to resolve the issue, including through efforts to identify a new site away from the border to which all future arrivals will be sent. Sport: Disabled People Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase funding to disability sport. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport wants to inspire more people with disabilities to play sport regularly, and for opportunities to be included within all London 2012 legacy programmes. Sport England will confirm investment into a number of National Governing Bodies of sport in December 2012, and for the first time, this investment will require delivery of specific targets around delivering an increase in participation by disabled people. In addition, Sport England has established "The Inclusive Sport Fund" with at least £8 million of National Lottery Funding to invest in programmes designed to grow the number of disabled young people (age 14+) and adults regularly playing sport, and is looking at other possible funding streams. Sudan Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have provided any funding for the Sudanese Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Partners summit in London on 27 November; and, if so, how much. Baroness Northover: We will not be providing any financial or other support to the Sudanese Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) Partners summit that will be held in London in November. The UK does remain supportive of the need for DDR in Sudan following political agreement with armed groups. Sudan The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will discuss with the Government of Sudan the case for humanitarian access by aid agencies to displaced persons facing starvation in South Kordofan. Baroness Northover: We have consistently urged the Government of Sudan and Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North immediately to cease hostilities, and allow humanitarian agencies access to Southern Kordofan to deal with the great humanitarian need there. We continue to believe that the United Nations/African Union/League of Arab States Tripartite process remains the most effective way to provide an independent assessment of needs and to deliver the required relief. The UK continues to make it clear to both parties that they must immediately implement the Tripartite proposal that they signed in August to allow full humanitarian access-further delays are unacceptable. When access does become available, the UK will provide funding-including through non-governmental channels. We will not cease in our efforts until humanitarian access is secured. Sudan Baroness Rendell of Babergh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made recently to the Government of Sudan, rebel groups, and international bodies to promote greater access for humanitarian organisations to Darfur; and what is the result of those representations. Baroness Northover: We regularly raise these issues in bilateral discussions with the Government of Sudan and with members of the Darfuri rebel movements. We also stand firmly behind the United Nations (UN) and partners in their broader efforts on humanitarian access to Darfur. We raised our concerns through the UN Security Council in discussions on 24 October. The Security Council President sent a letter earlier this month to the Government of Sudan raising specific concerns about access. The UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan also raised the issue during a meeting of the Implementation Follow-Up Commission, which oversees the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, on 12 November. Syria Lord Clarke of Hampstead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the value of the funding Hezbollah currently receives from the European Union. Baroness Warsi: Hizballah does not receive funding through the European Union. Taxation: Corporation Tax Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had in the past two financial years with water utility companies regarding their past and planned corporation tax payments; and what was the response. Lord Sassoon: HM Revenue and Customs has had regular discussions with water utility companies in the last two years, in relation to tax affairs, in line with its strategy for ensuring that all large businesses pay the tax they owe. Taxation: Cycling Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will introduce a hypothecated bicycle sales tax allocated to the cost of new dedicated bicycle lanes and other facilities to improve the safety of bicycling. Lord Sassoon: All tax revenues are passed to the Consolidated Fund (the Government's current account) because this is the most efficient way to fund the Government's public spending objectives. Hypothecating taxes to particular spending programmes causes inflexibility in spending decisions and can lead to a misallocation of resources. In June 2012, the Government announced a £15 million fund to improve safety for cyclists outside London, by tackling dangerous junctions. This was in addition to the £15 million fund awarded to Transport for London in March 2012, for the same purpose. Universal Credit Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of employers in the United Kingdom who will have to supply details of their employees' salary and national insurance each month as part of universal credit. Lord Sassoon: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold information on the number of employers who will have employees claiming universal credit. However, of the, approximately, 1.7 million PAYE schemes in the UK, HMRC would expect the majority of these schemes to employ at least one person who claims tax credits. Visas Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 30 October (WA 130-2), why the information on the number of student migrants with visas at each A- and B-rated and legacy tier 4 sponsoring institution is not centrally recorded; whether the information is held electronically; and, if so, what is the estimated cost of extrapolation. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The number of students currently at A rated, B rated and legacy institutions is not centrally recorded on the sponsorship IT system linking it to a tier 4 sponsor. Information relating to migrants is electronically recorded on a separate system and the two cannot be reconciled without incurring disproportionate cost.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2012-11-21a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2012", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Counter-terrorism Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will respond in writing to the final report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism which was published on 28 February. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have no plans to respond in writing to the report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism dated 28 February 2014. However, the UK was represented at the UN Human Rights Council expert meeting on 22 September, where we once again set out our position on the legality of Remotely Piloted Air Systems. Diego Garcia Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 21 July (HL849), whether the answer remains the same with the word “intelligence” removed. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The US Government has assured us that there have been no cases of rendition through the UK, our Overseas Territories including Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), or the Crown Dependencies, apart from the two cases in 2002, about which the then Foreign Secretary informed the House in 2008. Email: Fraud Lord Stone of Blackheath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking (1) to protect the public against phishing emails requesting a transfer of funds and (2) to identify the perpetrators; and what assessment they have made of the success of those steps. Lord Bates: The need to tackle cyber crime was identified as a key objective of the Government’s Cyber Security Strategy, which is underpinned by £860 million of funding over five years through the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP). We have invested around 10% of this in improving the capabilities of law enforcement to respond to cyber crime. The National Cyber Crime Unit in the National Crime Agency has undertaken high profile operations in the last few months to tackle some of the most serious cases of malware, responsible for infecting computers and stealing banking and other information. This work was undertaken in conjunction with our international partners, to tackle those cyber criminals operating internationally. We are also working to support the public and industry in better protecting themselves from this type of criminality. The NCSP funds the Cyber Streetwise awareness campaign, which encourages the public and small and medium enterprises to adopt safer online behaviour. The second phase of the campaign will launch shortly, including a refreshed website with further advice and support. In December last year, the Government also published a set of Guiding Principles with Internet Service Providers which agreed minimum standards for supporting their customers to stay safe online. The Government also funds Action Fraud, the central reporting point for fraud and financially-motivated cyber crime. This service also provides information on the latest fraud threats, including phishing emails, and individuals can sign up to be alerted when new threats emerge. Email: Fraud Lord Stone of Blackheath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the total number of phishing emails requesting a transfer of funds received by United Kingdom citizens each year. Lord Bates: It is not possible to give an exact figure for the total number of phishing emails received by United Kingdom citizens each year. Published data from the Oxford Internet Institute estimates that 19 per cent of internet users experienced phishing attempts in 2013, down from 22 per cent in 2011. Phishing attempts, whether successful or not, can be reported to the Action Fraud reporting centre, run by the City of London Police, which is the UK’s central point for reporting fraud and financially-motivated cyber crime. The cyber security threat was recognised by the Government as a Tier One threat to national security. In response, we are investing £860 million over five years through the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP) to improve our ability to understand and tackle this threat. Around 10% of NCSP funding has been used to improve capabilities of the police to investigate cyber crime, including creating the National Cyber Crime Unit in the National Crime Agency, and setting up dedicated cyber teams in each of the Regional Organised Crime Units in England and Wales. We have also launched an awareness campaign, known as Cyber StreetWise, to encourage individuals and businesses to adopt sensible online behaviours so they can avoid the dangers of scams such as phishing. The details can be viewed at www.cyberstreetwise.com. Housing Revenue Accounts Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which local authorities bid for additional borrowing headroom under the Local Growth Fund Housing Revenue Account Borrowing Programme 2015–17; what were the values of those bids; and how many new homes were involved. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 9 October 2014 the Government announced £122 million of additional Housing Revenue Account borrowing to support over 1,700 new affordable homes and local growth across twenty two local authorities. The table below details all the local authorities who bid for additional borrowing headroom. Provider name Offer line name Units Additional borrowing (£m) Status Ashford Borough Council Maidstone Road, Charing 21 £1,434,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council Birchfield Phase 2 18 £540,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council Jarvis Road 60 £3,600,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council Radnor Road HRA 13 £780,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council Caynham Road 20 £1,200,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council Kings Norton Phase 1 44 £2,640,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council White Farm Road Phase 2 6 £360,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council Park Lane Aston 10 £600,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council Cat Lane Shard End 15 £900,000 Accepted Birmingham City Council Bangham Pit Road 21 £1,260,000 Accepted Cannock Chase District Council Glenhaven 21 £1,015,000 Accepted Cannock Chase District Council Hannaford Way 7 £770,000 Withdrawn Cannock Chase District Council Pool Avenue 2 £220,000 Withdrawn Cheshire West and Chester Council Brook Farm 10 £357,000 Accepted Cheshire West and Chester Council Sherbourne Road 10 £357,000 Accepted Cheshire West and Chester Council EPN Garage Sites 18 £946,775 Accepted Cheshire West and Chester Council Greyhound Stadium 40 £2,117,885 Accepted Cheshire West and Chester Council Former Acorns School 20 £1,063,684 Accepted Cheshire West and Chester Council Woodford Lodge Winsford 120 £6,740,735 Accepted Cheshire West and Chester Council Stoak Lodge 12 £958,769 Accepted City of Westminster Council Tollgate Gardens Housing Renewal 86 £8,467,561 Accepted City of Westminster Council Lisson Arches Older People's Scheme 45 £7,500,000 Rejected Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Wrens Nest EO 2 £46,000 Accepted Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Dudley Guest 40 £2,001,888 Accepted Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Middlepark Road 41 £2,080,000 Accepted Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Roseville (archives) 16 £824,000 Accepted Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Portway Close 8 £414,000 Accepted Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Lea Bank Road 6 £312,000 Accepted Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Marley Drive 4 £209,200 Accepted Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Mars Close/Priory Field 3 £157,200 Accepted Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council The Walk Depot 3 £166,000 Accepted Eastbourne Borough Council Glynde Avenue Bungalow 1 £57,988 Accepted Eastbourne Borough Council Tenterden Close 4 £322,400 Accepted Eastbourne Borough Council 43-45 Longstone road 4 £303,000 Rejected Eastbourne Borough Council Fort Lane, Eastbourne 3 £257,000 Rejected Eastbourne Borough Council Belmore road 4 £362,000 Rejected Eastbourne Borough Council Ringwood, Eastbourne 2 £260,000 Rejected Eastbourne Borough Council 84 Northbourne, Eastbourne 5 £663,000 Rejected Guildford Borough Council Corporation Club 12 £360,000 Accepted London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Leys Phase 2 Wellington Drive 69 £3,200,000 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Harrington Square 2 £193,103 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Maitland Park 51 £4,819,500 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Lamble Rent 3 £283,500 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Kiln Place 6 £567,000 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Crowndale Road 2 £189,000 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Chalton Street 10 £945,353 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Raglan Street 16 £1,527,704 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Three Fields 23 £2,209,500 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Laystall, Camden 5 £457,852 Accepted London Borough of Camden Council Heybridge Shared Ownership 2 £189,000 Accepted London Borough of Ealing Peterhead Court 74 £11,601,940 Accepted London Borough of Ealing Buckingham Avenue, Perivale 25 £3,803,110 Accepted London Borough of Ealing Norwood Green 10 £1,661,400 Withdrawn London Borough of Ealing Northholt Grange 25 £4,202,640 Withdrawn London Borough of Ealing West End Gardens Rent 20 £3,814,200 Withdrawn London Borough of Ealing Northolt School Triangle 20 £3,470,220 Rejected London Borough of Ealing High Lane estate 34 £5,807,880 Rejected London Borough of Ealing Hotspur road, Northolt 10 £1,661,400 Rejected London Borough of Ealing Yeading site 30 £4,885,920 Rejected London Borough of Hackney Great Eastern Building 14 £560,000 Accepted London Borough of Hackney Bridge House 39 £1,560,000 Accepted London Borough of Hackney Marian Court 21 £1,260,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow Binyon Cres 2 £82,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow Amy Johnson Court 3 £123,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow The Heights 3 £123,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow Alexandra Avenue 11 £457,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow Grove Avenue 7 £293,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow Holsworth Close 4 £188,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow Stuart Avenue 4 £188,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow Chenduit Way 4 £188,000 Accepted London Borough of Harrow Moelyn Mews 2 £94,000 Accepted London Borough of Sutton Centry House Fellowes Road 15 £675,000 Accepted London Borough of Sutton Richmond Green 28 £1,260,000 Accepted London Borough of Sutton Ludlow Lodge Wallington 47 £2,115,000 Accepted London Borough of Tower Hamlets Baroness Road 22 £3,629,814 Accepted London Borough of Tower Hamlets 6 Jubilee Street 26 £4,594,980 Accepted London Borough of Tower Hamlets Stepney Way 15 £2,712,735 Rejected London Borough of Tower Hamlets Spellman street 3 £630,484 Rejected London Borough of Waltham Forest Mayfield Road 48 £7,128,278 Accepted Luton Borough Council Aldenham Close Luton 5 £150,000 Accepted Northampton Borough Council Dallington Beck 100 £8,600,000 Accepted Thurrock Council Tops Club, Grays 16 £960,000 Accepted Thurrock Council 64-82 Argent Street 38 £2,280,000 Accepted Thurrock Council Grays Foyer 30 £1,800,000 Accepted Thurrock Council Vehicle Testing Centre 79 £4,740,000 Accepted Thurrock Council Yacht Club, Thurrock 30 £1,800,000 Accepted West Lancashire BC (URB) Firbeck Revival Scheme 39 £2,507,935 Accepted Wiltshire Council Southview Trowbridge 50 £1,500,000 Accepted Wiltshire Council Warminster Extra Care 40 £1,200,000 Accepted Winchester City Council Westman Road 12 £359,969 Accepted Winchester City Council 2 Spring Vale 2 £160,000 Accepted Total 1973 £162,034,502 Housing Revenue Accounts: Tower Hamlets Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they rejected two of the bids made by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for additional borrowing headroom under the Local Growth Fund Housing Revenue Account Borrowing Programme 2015–17. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 9 October, my Department announced £122 million of additional Housing Revenue Account borrowing to support over 1,700 new homes across twenty two local authorities. This included two of the four bids submitted by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Of the two approved bids, the total additional headroom amounts to over £8 million supporting almost 50 homes. The Department has not approved two of their bids where they did not meet the Housing Revenue Account Borrowing Programme's clearly stated aims to drive down costs and to support bids with lower public sector costs. The Department gave Tower Hamlets the opportunity to revise their bid which was not taken up by the local authority. Human Trafficking: Children Baroness Doocey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the differences between the child trafficking advocate pilot being operated by Barnardo’s and the scheme operated by the comparator group; and in which local authority areas the two models will operate. Lord Bates: The Child Trafficking Advocacy trial commenced on 8 September across 23 local authority areas. A list of these areas is provided below. In each of the 23 areas, both the Child Trafficking Advocacy service, and the current provision of support for trafficked children will be provided and evaluated so that we can better understand the difference a system of specialist independent advocates makes to the prospects of trafficked children. The current provision of support will be provided to the comparator group and will include the implementation of the recently published statutory guidance for local authorities on the care of unaccompanied asylum seeking and trafficked children. Local Authority areas involved in the trial: Greater Manchester (Manchester City, Stockport, Tameside, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, Wigan, Salford and Trafford); West Midlands (Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton); Croydon; Derbyshire; Kent; Lancashire; Oxfordshire; and West Sussex Human Trafficking: Children Baroness Doocey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, as part of the child trafficking advocate pilot scheme, they have agreed with Barnardo’s who will adjudicate in the case of a dispute over the course of action required to ensure the child’s best interests. Lord Bates: Child Trafficking Advocates are tasked with supporting all agencies to make decisions in the best interests of child victims and ensuring the child’s views are voiced and respected. The Modern Slavery Bill includes a requirement for all public authorities to cooperate with the advocate. As this is not in force we have agreed with all 23 local authorities in the trial that they will cooperate with the advocate. Whilst consultation with the advocate will be expected, final decisions regarding the care and safety of the child will remain the responsibility of the local authority, Home Office, parent or guardian where relevant. National Security Council Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the ministerial membership of the National Security Council; what are the criteria for membership; and what is the process for appointments. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether members of the National Security Council lead on specific thematic issues; and, if so, what are the thematic issues and who leads on each. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The permanent members of the National Security Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, are: the Deputy Prime Minister, the Leader of the House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Foreign Secretary, the Defence Secretary, the Home Secretary, the International Development Secretary, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, and the Minister for Government Policy. The National Security Council considers a wide range of issues relating to national security policy. The Cabinet Office works with the lead Department to prepare each issue for discussion. Network Rail Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Kramer on 15 September (HL1794 and HL1795), with reference to the Framework Agreement between Network Rail and the Department of Transport, whether (1) the Department for Transport, (2) the Office of Rail Regulation or (3) both organisations are now responsible for approving and monitoring progress against Network Rail’s Strategic Business Plan, Delivery Plan, Business Plan and Annual Plan. Baroness Kramer: The Framework Agreement sets out how the Department for Transport and Network Rail interact in terms of corporate governance and financial management. As set out in that document, the Department will be engaged by Network Rail during the production of several corporate planning documents, as is appropriate for a sponsoring Department, in order to agree the strategic approach: - Strategic Business Plans. - The Delivery Plan. - The Business Plan. - Annual Plans. The Office of Rail Regulation regulates Network Rail’s stewardship of the national network in accordance with the Railways Act 1993. It continues to monitor and oversee Network Rail’s delivery of outputs, efficiency and financial performance against what it has challenged Network Rail to deliver in its Determinations that are developed through the Periodic Review process. The Determinations reflect Network Rail’s Strategic Business Plans amongst other things. The Department will not duplicate the Office of Rail Regulation’s work, but will oversee Network Rail’s performance on behalf of the UK taxpayer at a more strategic level, based on the Office of Rail Regulation’s analysis of performance and discussions with Network Rail’s Board. The Strategic Business Plans, Delivery Plan and Business Plan for Control Period 5 were finalised prior to the company’s reclassification to the public sector. Network Rail will continue to update its Plans for Control Period 5 on an annual basis. North Korea Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people are employed in the British Embassy in Pyongyang. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: As of October 2014, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office employs 11 staff in our Embassy in Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. This figure includes UK-based civil servants and locally engaged staff. North Korea Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their foreign policy priorities in respect of North Korea. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK’s foreign policy priorities for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are focused on two areas: counter-proliferation and human rights. Bilaterally, we use our policy of “critical engagement” directly to communicate issues of substantial concern, and to expose North Koreans to international values and the benefits of engaging with the international community. Multilaterally, the UK co-operates closely with like minded partners to ensure international pressure is maintained on the DPRK to address human rights violations and comply fully with its international obligations, including under UN Security Council resolutions relating to its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Private Rented Sector Taskforce Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 25 June (HL334), whether the Private Rented Sector Task Force has met representatives of Crisis, the National Union of Students, Shelter or Generation Rent since its establishment. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Taskforce has a wide ranging and extensive programme of market engagement focused on meeting its principle objective of increasing institutional investment in the private rented sector and supporting the development of new Private Rented Sector schemes. The wider team within which the Taskforce sits and consults, has met with all of the organisations referred to; the Taskforce has directly met with both Shelter and Crisis. Radicalism The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the British nationals estimated to have travelled abroad to fight in Syria and Iraq for extremist groups have since sought to return to the United Kingdom. Lord Bates: We believe that approximately 500 individuals from the UK have now travelled to the region since the start of the conflict. It is estimated half of these have returned. Water Supply The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the amount of water in the United Kingdom that is lost through leakage between source and consumer; and what steps are being taken to end the current position where the consumer pays for such losses through price. Lord De Mauley: The most recently available figures estimate that across England and Wales around 3.1 billion litres of water leaks each day. Ofwat, as the economic regulator, agrees maximum leakage targets with water companies and has the powers to issue penalties to companies that fail to meet these. In the last decade Ofwat has entered into legal agreements with water companies that have missed their targets, committing them to investing more than £230m in improvements on leakage. The Government and Ofwat have worked together to raise the issue of leakage and have worked with the water companies to reduce total leakage by one third since its peak in the mid-90s. Over the next five years, across England and Wales, companies are proposing further work to reduce leakage further. Innovative changes in leak detection technology and large scale programmes of customer engagement have allowed companies to improve their understanding of the problems across their networks and how their customers expect them to respond, allowing the companies to take a much more proactive approach to leakage reduction. Companies are obliged to publish and explain their annual leakage figures on their websites and outline what steps they intend to take to meet their targets in future. In its current price review Ofwat has made it clear that it expects to see companies achieve a balance between keeping customers’ bills down and reducing leakage where it makes sense, such as in water stressed areas where customers are willing to pay.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2014-10-14a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2014", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport East Coast Rail Franchise lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much premium they expect to receive from the franchisee of the East Coast Main Line as a result of shortening the franchise period by three years. baroness sugg: We currently receive premiums in line with their contractual obligations. From 2020 we intend to commence the East Coast Partnership, one of the first of a new generation of integrated regional rail operations. This will include appropriate contributions from the new private partner under a long-term competitively procured contract. We are always looking for the best ways to achieve value for money for the taxpayer alongside the best results for passengers. Reforms will build on the best of the public and private sectors, with private sector involvement bringing innovation, investment and competition. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Bahrain: Police lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the government of Bahrain over the police blockade of the village of Diraz since June2016. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have raised the issue of Diraz with the Bahraini authorities and have been reassured that there is currently no blockade in place. Kosovo: Travellers the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they have given, through the UN’s voluntary trust fund or other channels, to the Roma families who were victims of lead contamination while in UN camps during the civil war in Kosovo. lord ahmad of wimbledon: In 2010, Roma families who were the victims of lead contamination while in the UN camps were resettled in Roma Mahalla and Fidanishte. The UK deployed three experts to test the air, soil and water in Roma Mahalla and Fidanishte to ensure that it was safe to relocate the Roma families to these areas.Through our Embassy in Pristina, we support the return of displaced families from all communities, including Roma, to their place of origin. This financial year, the British Embassy’s Returns Project is supporting the return of five Roma families with housing and support packages.​ Department for Exiting the European Union UK Trade with EU baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the feasibility of different models for a future trading relationship with theEU if the UK pursues a policy of regulatory divergence following withdrawal and during any time-limited transitional period. lord callanan: We are fully focused on making the UK’s exit from the EU, and our new trading relationship with the world, a success. We have set out proposals for an ambitious future trade and customs relationship with the EU, in which we will look to minimise the regulatory barriers for both goods and services between the UK and the EU. The Government has been undertaking rigorous and extensive analysis work to support our exit negotiations, as any responsible Government should, in order to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks. We have been engaging with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy and all regions of the UK as part of this process, and we will continue to do so as we move forward. Department for International Development Non-governmental Organisations: Licensing the earl of dundee: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to promote international harmonisation of licensing of NGOs through a system of mutual recognition and notification. lord bates: The Sanctions and Anti Money Laundering Bill enables the government to draft exceptions and issue general licenses. My department will continue to work across government as the Bill progresses through parliament and with international partners to ensure that where appropriate we are taking a joined-up approach.Enforcing strict sanctions ensures that funding flows are cut off to terrorists and violent regimes whilst on the other hand our world leading charities, protected from financial abuse, help to alleviate the desperate conditions under which extremism can thrive. Department for Education Department for Education: Training lord blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherany major infrastructure projects were invited to send a representative to the seminar on skills held by the Department for Education on 30 November; and if so, which. lord agnew of oulton: My Rt. hon Friend the Secretary of State hosted The Skills Summit on 30 November which was attended by a number of Britain’s business and education experts. The Summit signalled the start of a new partnership between employers and government to drive a skills revolution.The department invited representatives from all 15 technical routes, and over 100 organisations attended the Summit. HS2 and Crossrail were invited to the Summit, as well as companies in the transport, engineering and construction sectors.We were pleased that Colas Rail, HS2, Kier, Severn Trent, Tarmac and Tomlinson were among the 30 founding Skills Partners announced at the Summit. Skills Partners commit to working with the government to develop the skills of young people from all backgrounds from across the country, offering apprenticeships and work placements to provide a route to employment for people of all ages. Out-of-school Education baroness morris of yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to safeguard children in premises that have been confirmed by Ofsted as unregistered schools. baroness morris of yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to identify the number of unregistered schools. baroness morris of yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support local authorities in fulfilling their duties under section 436A of the Education Act 1996, in respect of children attending unregistered schools. lord agnew of oulton: In January 2016, we announced funding for Ofsted to establish a dedicated team of specialist inspectors to identify and inspect those suspected of operating unlawfully and take action to bring them into compliance with the law, including closing the school, or working with the police and Crown Prosecution Service as necessary.Local councils have overarching responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people, and, together with local safeguarding children board partners, they should be assessing any risks to children wherever they are educated. Statutory guidance outlining the responsibilities of local councils is attached and can be accessed at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-missing-education.The government has been working with Directors of Children’s Services on the issue of unregistered schools, and in collaboration with them and with Ofsted have drawn up guidance on joint working between Ofsted, the department and local councils on tackling unregistered schools. We intend to publish the guidance in the near future. Where an unregistered school is identified, Ofsted take steps to share this information with the department and the local council. The department supports councils to use their powers under safeguarding or health and safety legislation to disrupt and tackle unregistered independent schools. Local councils have a duty to investigate where they suspect that a child in their area is suffering, or likely to suffer, harm. Where unregistered independent schools are identified, it is likely to be in the children’s best interests, in terms of both education and safety, for them to move as quickly as possible into properly regulated schools. Children Missing Education (PDF Document, 349.48 KB) Schools: Registration baroness morris of yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) shortest, (2) longest, and (3) average, time taken to determine an application to register a school. lord agnew of oulton: The department’s guidance advises applicants that the process of registering an independent school can take around six months. The department does not hold records of the time taken to determine an application to register an independent school for all historical cases. However, for schools where the department has made a final decision on registration in 2017, the shortest timeframe was 10 weeks, the longest was 143 weeks, and the median average was 23 weeks. Applications can only be taken forward once they contain all the required information and can only be approved if the independent school standards are likely to be met once the school opens.By law, free schools (both ‘presumption’ free schools and central free schools) must also be named on the independent schools’ register before they can open. In order to be added to the independent schools’ register, the Secretary of State must decide whether or not the school is likely to meet the relevant independent schools’ standards once it is open. To enable the Secretary of State to make this decision, Ofsted carries out a “pre-registration inspection” two or three months before the opening date. Schools cannot legally open unless they are registered. Out-of-school Education: Teachers baroness morris of yardley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks are carried out on teachers working in unregistered schools to ensure that those teachers are suitable people to work with children. lord agnew of oulton: Anyone who teaches, trains, instructs, cares for, or supervises children should have appropriate background checks undertaken by employers as part of their recruitment process, and would be eligible for a criminal records check. An unsupervised person undertaking these activities on a regular basis would also be eligible for a barred list check, as part of this process; and it is an offence for an employer to knowingly employ someone in such a role if they have been barred. It is equally an offence for that individual to undertake such activities. In addition to a criminal records check, consideration of other available information, such as references from previous employers, would be considered good practice as part of any organisation’s recruitment decision and as part of their broader safeguarding policies. Home Education baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Ofsted asks schools about pupils who have been removed from the school roll to be home-schooled. lord agnew of oulton: This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Non-native Species baroness redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take in response to the findings of the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2017 that new and emerging invasive non-native species are one of six urgent climate change risks for the UK. lord gardiner of kimble: The UK has long recognised the threats posed by invasive non-native species. In 2008, we published a comprehensive Great Britain Non-native Species Strategy designed to tackle these threats, the first of its kind in Europe. As part of our strategy, we carry out horizon-scanning for new invasive non-native species likely to pose a significant risk if they arrive in the UK. These threats are formal assessments using a comprehensive risk framework that takes climate change into account. We will be carrying the next horizon scanning exercise in 2018. We also carry out risk analysis for individual species which specifically takes the potential impacts from climate change into account. We have set up a Great Britain working group to consider research needs relating to invasive non-native species, which includes the impacts from climate change. Home Office Detainees: Commonwealth lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the last five years including this year to date, how many Commonwealth citizens have been detained following residence in theUK for over (1) 30, (2) 40, and (3) 50, years, (a) following a criminal conviction, (b) after a failure to provide sufficient evidence showing proof of residence, and (c) for other reasons; and in each case how many were subsequently deported. baroness williams of trafford: Providing the information requested would require a manual check of individual records which could only be done at disproportionate cost. Detainees: EU Nationals lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyEU citizens have been detained in the UK, in each of the last five years including the present year to date, on the grounds of being (1) homeless, and (2) unable to support themselves; of those, how many have subsequently been deported; and how manyof those (a) detained, and (b) deported,were children. baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office does not hold the information requested in a reportable format. As such the information requested could only be supplied at disproportionate cost. Immigration: EU Nationals lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to removing the requirement for a permanent residence card in the case of EU citizens wishing to apply for British citizenship. baroness williams of trafford: An EEA national applying for naturalisation must provide a permanent residence document if they wish to demonstrate that they have settled status on the basis of EEA law.This is consistent with other applicants, who apply for citizenship following a period of residence under the Immigration Rules and have to show that they are free of immigration time restrictions before applying.Future arrangements for how EU citizens and their family members will be able to apply for citizenship after the UK has left the EU are being considered, though we have no current plans to amend the law at this time. Home Office: Disclosure of Information lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government with which (1) other government departments, (2) government agencies, (3) other public bodies, (4) voluntary sector bodies, and (5) private sector bodies, the Home Office has regular data sharing arrangements in connection with the identification of individuals' rights to receive public services or to reside in the UK, and other matters. baroness williams of trafford: I refer his Lordship to the answer provided on 7 December 2017 to his question HL3521. Catering: Migrant Workers lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review or amend the rules for issuing Tier 2 visas, in the light of reported shortages of Asian food chefs in the UK. baroness williams of trafford: The Government commissioned advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which advises the Government on shortage occupations. The MAC has consulted widely with the restaurant industry on a number of occasions and concluded that the current criteria adequately identify the very best chefs whilst providing measures for preventing abuse of the system.In seeking to develop an immigration system that serves the national interest, in July 2017, we commissioned the MAC to advise on the economic and social impacts of the UK’s exit from the European Union and also on how the UK’s immigration system should be aligned with a modern industrial strategy – which will inform our decisions on the future system. The MAC has been asked to report by September 2018. Police: Unmanned Air Vehicles lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government which police forces in England and Wales use drones for operational purposes; and what training is provided to officers and staff in the use of such drones. baroness williams of trafford: In a study published on 30 November HMICFRS reported that 28 Police Forces use drones. The deployment of drones is an operational decision for the police.Police forces need to adhere to the commercial operator requirements of the Air Navigation Order when operating drones. This requires operators to be trained by a National Qualified Entity approved by the Civil Aviation Authority. National Oversight Group on Domestic Abuse lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 7 December (HL3560), how many times the National Oversight Group on domestic abuse has met since 13 July 2016; and when the next meeting is scheduled to take place. baroness williams of trafford: The National Oversight Group on domestic abuse has met on three separate occasions since 13 July 2016, the next meeting is scheduled to take place in the New Year. Domestic Violence lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 7 December (HL3560), what advice on good practice to tackle domestic abuse has been disseminated by (1) the National Police Lead for domestic abuse, and (2) the College of Policing, to police forces in England and Wales in the last 12 months. baroness williams of trafford: The National Policing Lead for domestic abuse has provided guidance to forces in the last 12 months on counter allegations of domestic abuse, arrest rates, use of police outcome codes and the use of bail legislation and Domestic Violence Protection Orders.The College regularly maintains and updates the Authorised Professional Practise for Domestic Abuse, which provides national guidance on handling domestic abuse incidents.Both have worked with the domestic abuse charity Safelives to develop a domestic abuse training programme. An evaluation of this training was published this autumn. Borders: Wales lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional border stages will be required following Brexit for those Welsh ports whose main trade in freight and passengers is with Ireland. baroness williams of trafford: The Government is committed to maintaining the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements with Ireland after the UK leaves the EU, protecting the ability to move freely between Ireland and the UK. Joint principles have been agreed with the European Commission to ensure the continuation of the Common Travel Area.The nature of customs arrangements between the UK and the EU following the UK’s departure from the Customs Union will depend on the outcome of Exit negotiations. The Government has been clear that its priority will be to ensure that trade between the UK and the EU is as frictionless as possible. Borders: Wales lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the cost of new border and customs arrangements at Welsh ports following the UK's withdrawal from the EU. baroness williams of trafford: We actively monitor workflows at the border to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand and will continue to do so throughout EU Exit negotiations and as the UK leaves the EU.Government departments are working together across a range of complex issues to develop our future approach at the border. These options will be kept under review in light of negotiations with the EU. HM Treasury EU Budget: Contributions lord grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 28 November (HL3261), whether theAnswer indicated thatthey accept the calculations of the total annual UK contributions to the EU and its predecessors since 1973 in real (2016) prices set out in the House of Commons Library briefing paper The UK’s contribution to the EU Budget; whether they maintain their own statistics on those contributions; and if so, where those statistics are published. lord bates: The Government provides cash figures for the UK contribution to the EU budget, through HM Treasury’s annual publication European Union Finances (previously HM Treasury’s Statement on the 19XX Community Budget). The Government do not maintain real price statistics of historical EU contributions. The Government’s cash figures have been used in the House of Commons Library briefing paper The UK’s contribution to the EU Budget in the calculation to determine the real price equivalents. The Government has not reviewed this calculation. Money Laundering lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes and in particular of countries suspected of money laundering; and how this differs from the UK approach. lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they retain a definitive list of countries suspected of money laundering; and if so, which countries are specified on that list. lord bates: The UK is at the forefront of tackling tax evasion and avoidance and ensuring tax transparency internationally. The EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes marks an important step in our ongoing efforts on this agenda. The UK has been working constructively with European partners on the EU list. Finance Ministers endorsed the list at the December Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting. Separately, the EU has also established, as provided for by Directive 2015/849 (EU), a list of third countries with strategic deficiencies in their national anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regimes that pose significant threats to the financial system of the EU. Within the UK, firms that are regulated through the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 are required to apply enhanced due diligence measures in relation to a business relationship or transaction with any person established in such a country. Credit the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will monitor the voluntary agreement by lenders not to give automatic credit limit increases to consumers. lord bates: Regulation of the consumer credit, including credit cards, is a matter for the Financial Conduct Association (FCA). The FCA has carried out an extensive credit card market study which identified concerns about persistent credit card debt. The FCA’s proposed measures to tackle persistent debt include a voluntary industry agreement to restrict unsolicited credit limit increases. We have passed the Lord Bishop’s question on to the FCA, who will reply directly to him by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House. Cabinet Office Acts earl attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what precedents there are for undertaking a consultation exercise before commencing a section of an act of Parliament, other than one dealing with secondary or delegated legislation under the relevant act. lord young of cookham: A revised set of consultation principles was published in 2016 to give clear guidance to government departments on consultations. These principles are attached to this answer.These do not provide exact criteria for when consultations should and should not be undertaken, as it is important to consider the specific circumstances for each policy. The Government is committed to engaging with the public and other interested parties through formal and informal consultation, in the most appropriate manner for the policy in question. Consultation Principles 2016 (PDF Document, 79.88 KB) Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Personation: Internet the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat the online practice of "catfishing"; and whether they intend to make it a criminal offence. lord ashton of hyde: Catfishing is one of the online harms which we are considering as part of our Internet Safety Strategy. The Strategy, which was published on 11 October, considers ways in which we can ensure Britain is the safest place in the world to be online. Video Games: Classification Schemes lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what system of classificationis used by the Video Standards Council Rating Board to rate video games; and how the level of classification is decided. lord ashton of hyde: Video games are subject to a mixture of statutory and voluntary regulation mainly linked to the Pan-European Games Information (PEGI) classification system. In the UK, the PEGI age ratings have statutory backing under the Video Recordings Act 1984 and the Video Standards Council (VSC) Rating Board is designated under the Act to review and classify products. The PEGI ratings system - which has been adopted in most countries across Europe - is used to classify video games content against criteria which includes, for example, depictions of violence, sexual scenes or themes, depictions of self-harm, drug use, bad language, gambling and the ability to interact online with other players. Video games are awarded 3, 7, 12, 16 or 18 PEGI age ratings as appropriate, and pictograms are attached to the games to indicate the type of content they contain. The VSC uses this system to rate games that are unsuitable for children. More information about the VSC’s approach to classification is set out in their annual report, which is laid before Parliament each year. Video Games lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyvideo gameshave been banned on the grounds of (1) child exploitation, and (2) domestic violence, since the Video Standards Council Rating Board was established. lord ashton of hyde: To date the Video Standards Council has not found it necessary to refuse to issue a certificate to any game submitted to it. Video Standards Council lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have put in place for monitoring the work of the Video Standards Council, and for holding the Video Standards Council Board to account. lord ashton of hyde: Government formally monitors the work of the independent Video Standards Council (VSC) on an annual basis through scrutiny of their Annual Report. This report describes the VSC's application of the independent Pan-European Games Information (PEGI) rating system over the previous year, and is assessed by officials and ministers before being laid before Parliament for further review. Video Standards Council lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last met representatives of the Video Standards Council; and whether they have any plans to review the work of that body. lord ashton of hyde: Officials last met representatives of the Video Standards Council (VSC) at their St Albans headquarters on 29 August 2017 and maintain regular communications outside of meetings. The work of the VSC will next be reviewed upon submission of their Annual Report in 2018. Video Standards Council lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what qualifications are required of employees and members of the Video Standards Council who are involved in determining age classifications for video games. lord ashton of hyde: The Video Standards Council objectively follows the Pan-European Games Information (PEGI) classification criteria produced by psychologists and child welfare experts. Their employees have demonstrated analytical capabilities and include graduates and former police officers. They are also able to consult their Advisory Panel of leading psychologists and legal experts before deciding upon the rating of a video game. Video Standards Council lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the independence of the Video Standards Council in respect of the discharge of the Council's responsibility for determining age classifications for video games. lord ashton of hyde: The Video Standards Council (VSC) applies the independently determined Pan-European Games Information (PEGI) classification system on behalf of industry in order to provide objectivity and consistency in video games age ratings. The VSC’s classification work is reviewed by Government as part of the assessment of their Annual Report. Department of Health Cancer: Screening lord crathorne: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to make colonoscopies available through the NHS as a method of screening for pre-symptomatic cancers. lord o'shaughnessy: Colonoscopy is currently used in the National Health Service bowel cancer screening programme as a diagnostic tool to look at the bowel following a positive screen test for bowel cancer and to remove any polyps (growths) if detected. The aim of a screening programme is to offer a safe and simple test to a large defined population who are at an average risk of developing the condition and to provide early intervention. Colonoscopy is an invasive procedure which in some cases can cause bleeding and discomfort and does not meet the United Kingdom National Screening Committee’s test criteria as noted. Preventive Medicine: Finance lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following comments by Mr Brian Ferguson, Chief Economist of Public Health England, in his blogInvesting in prevention: the need to make the case now, what (1) amount, and (2) proportion, of each ministerial departmental budget was (a) allocated to, and (b) spent on, preventive activities in each of the last five years. lord o'shaughnessy: Data on the amount and proportion of each ministerial departmental budget allocated to, and spent on, preventive activities are not centrally collected. Improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities are not just the preserve of the health system. Most Government Departments can have a significant impact on population health and wellbeing. Being in quality employment, having warm homes, access to green space and safe roads are just some of the wider determinants of health where other government departments have potential to impact on societal health and wellbeing. NHS: Pensions lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS employees in England there were who did not pay into the NHS Pension Scheme in each year since 2010. lord o'shaughnessy: The following table provides an estimate of the number, and percentage, of National Health Service staff in England on the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) who did not pay into the NHS Pension Scheme as at April of each year since 2010.YearScheme non-membersestimated fromESR data 1,2,3,5Estimated scheme non-members in NHS trusts andclinical commissioninggroups (CCGs) 4,5 201014%169,000201115%171,000201215%167,000201315%165,000201411%123,000201511%128,000201611%130,000201711%128,000Notes:1The percentage of scheme non-members is based on staff identified on the ESR Data Warehouse with no employers’ pension contribution made on their behalf in the March of each year.2Percentages do not cover general practices and other organisations that are excluded from or choose not to use ESR for payroll functions.3The ESR Data Warehouse is a monthly snapshot of the local ESR payroll systems. The ESR Data Warehouse is unvalidated.4The number of scheme non-members is estimated by multiplying NHS Digital’s published headcount of staff in NHS trusts and CCGs at 31 March each year by the percentage of scheme non-members estimated from ESR data.5It should be noted that it is not appropriate to conflate these estimates with NHS Pension Scheme membership counts derived from NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) data. The NHSBSA collates active membership data on all NHS pension scheme members across primary care in England and Wales. The ESR Data Warehouse is a monthly snap shot of the live ESR system. This is the HR and payroll system that covers all NHS employees other than those working in general practice, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and organisations to which functions have been transferred, such as local authorities. Figures are for England only. NHS: Pensions lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they give to staff of the NHS on the merits of the NHS Superannuation Scheme. lord o'shaughnessy: The Department, NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) which administers the NHS Pension Scheme (NHSPS) on behalf of the Secretary of State and National Health Service employers are not authorised to provide advice to staff on the merits of the NHS Superannuation Scheme. However, the NHSBSA provides comprehensive online only information to members, potential members, and employers about the NHSPS covering the following: - Joining the Scheme;- Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme;- Cost of being in the Scheme;- Transferring into the Scheme;- Increasing your pension;- Getting an estimate of your pension;- Family and your pension;- Applying for your pension;- Leaving or taking a break from the Scheme;- Divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership and your pension;- Annual Allowance;- Lifetime Allowance; and- Information for Practitioner, locum and non-general practitioner members.In addition, the NHSBSA provides scheme members with an annual total reward statement, which outlines their pension savings to date. Drugs: Misuse lord patel of bradford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the publication in 2016 by the ONS of statistics showingthe highest rate of drug-related deaths amongst women since records began in 1993, what steps they have taken to tackle the specific issues faced by female drug misusers and to reduce any barriers to accessing treatment. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government is investing over £16 billion over the Spending Review period for local authorities (LAs) to spend on public health. LAs are responsible for making decisions on how to spend their local allocation but the public health grant conditions make it clear that they must have regard for the need to improve the take up of, and outcomes from, their drug and alcohol misuse treatment services. Public Health England supports LAs to commission effective drug and alcohol prevention and treatment services to meet the needs of their local population, and in working to reduce drug related deaths. This includes guidance developed with drug service providers with a focus on ensuring that women can access quality drug treatment and recovery services and interventions. A copy of Improving Clinical Responses to Drug-Related Deaths: A summary of best practice and innovations from drug treatment providers is attached. Improving Clinical Responses (PDF Document, 409.66 KB) Fractures baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensure that all NHS users over 50 years old have access to Fracture Liaison Services to identify the link between any fracture and the bone health of the patient. baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensure that women over 60 years old are routinely offered bone density scans to ascertain bone health. lord o'shaughnessy: Fracture liaison services (FLS) provide secondary prevention for fragility fractures. These services identify patients in secondary and/or primary care who have suffered a fragility fracture and assess the patient’s risk of future fragility fracture in a timely fashion. A FLS then provides advice and/or therapy to reduce that risk. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) evidence based guideline Osteoporosis: assessing the risk of fragility fracture, updated in February 2017, sets out best practice on management of fracture risk in patients with osteoporosis. A copy of the guideline is attached. The guidance recommends that clinicians consider assessment of fracture risk in all women aged 65 years and over and all men aged 75 years and over. Women aged less than 65 years and men aged less than 75 years should be considered for assessment in the presence of certain risk factors, such as a family history of hip fracture or low body mass index. Regarding bone density scanning, NICE recommends it be considered after patients have first been assessed using a validated risk assessment tool, such as FRAX, which clinicians can use to evaluate the 10-year probability of bone fracture risk in patient. The guidance also recommends other circumstances where bone density scanning should be considered, including for patients who are to undergo treatment which may affect bone density, such as certain treatments for breast or prostate cancer. Osteoporosis (PDF Document, 109.19 KB) Drugs: Rehabilitation lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they propose to take on the findings of the Care Quality Commission report Substance misuse services: the quality and safety of residential detoxification. lord o'shaughnessy: It is for local authorities to commission these services, supported by expert advice from Public Health England. We expect local authorities to take the findings of the Care Quality Commission’s report very seriously. Dental Health: Children lord turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the incidence of childhood dental decay in (1) those regions where the water supply is fluoridated, and (2) those where it is not. lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England’s Water fluoridation Health monitoring report for England 2014 compared a range of dental and non-dental health indicators in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas. The report concluded that, when deprivation and ethnicity were taken into account, five year-old children in areas with a fluoridated water supply were 28% less likely to have tooth decay than those in non-fluoridated areas, and 12 year-old children in areas with a fluoridated water supply were 21% less likely to have had tooth decay in permanent teeth than children living in non-fluoridated areas. A copy of Water fluoridation Health monitoring report for England 2014 is attached. Water fluoridation (PDF Document, 1.5 MB) Health Professions: Vacancies lord turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current vacancy rate for nurses and midwives in the UK. lord o'shaughnessy: Management information data collected by NHS Improvement estimates that as at September 2017, around 36,000 registered nursing and midwifery posts are not filled by a substantive member of staff - 33,000 of these are covered by bank and agency staff. This is management information data that continues to be developed. Health Professions: Migrant Workers lord turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they anticipate a reduction in the number of nurses and midwives from EU countries coming to the UK after Brexit; if so, by how much; and what assessment they have made of the impact on the NHS of any such reduction. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government hugely values the contribution of all the European Union staff working across the National Health Service and social care, including nurses and midwives. The Government is committed to ensuring a clear pathway to permanent residency for these EU citizens. The Department continues to monitor and analyse overall staffing levels across the NHS and social care, and we are working across Government to ensure there will continue to be sufficient staff to deliver the high quality services on which patients rely following the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU.We are also working hard to improve our domestic supply of nurses and midwives. This year there are more nurses on our wards than last year and numbers will continue to increase in future because of a 25% increase in training places, the introduction of new routes into the profession through the Nursing Degree Apprenticeship, and an increase in the number of nurse associates. Health Professions: Migrant Workers lord turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of nurses and midwives from other EU countries who have returned to their country of origin in the last two years. lord o'shaughnessy: The information requested is not collected by the Department.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2017-12-14
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2017", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Adventure Activities Licensing Authority Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what standards the Health and Safety Executive has established to ensure best value for money in relation to the Adventure Activity Licensing Authority contract. Lord Freud: Tourism Quality Services Ltd (TQS) holds the contract to deliver licensing on a not-for-profit basis on behalf of the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA). As required under the terms and conditions of the contract, its performance against the contract specification is monitored via monthly statistical and financial reports. These detail year-to-date expenditure against the forecast expenditure, which is agreed by the Health and Safety Executive at the start of each year. Further monitoring of performance is provided through quarterly contract meetings, ad hoc meetings and dialogue and annual reports submitted to the HSE board. TQS is independently audited annually and has been subject to an HSE internal audit-both providing additional verification of performance standards. Adventure Activities Licensing Authority Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Health and Safety Executive has to re-tender for the Adventure Activity Licensing Authority contract. Lord Freud: In light of the recommendation to abolish the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority in Common Sense, Common Safety, (a review of the operation of health and safety laws commissioned by the Prime Minister) the Health and Safety Executive sees no value in re-tendering the contract to provide the licensing service. Agriculture: Dairy Farms Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 28 June (WA 411), whether they will in future record in every year the prices charged for milk in one and two pint containers and the volumes produced in each category, as a guide to the profits being made by retailers over and above those currently monitored. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Government have no immediate plans to collect and record either wholesale or retail prices and production volumes for drinking milk. However, we are aware that the EU Commission has this under consideration and we are part of the discussions at Commission management committee meetings. Alcohol Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what amount, and within what period, they estimate that their current alcohol harm reduction strategy will reduce the cost to the National Health Service in England of alcohol misuse. Earl Howe: We will bring together the Government's approach to alcohol in a new strategy. The strategy document should address the full range of harm from alcohol. We expect to publish the strategy in the first months of the new year. Arts: Funding Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions have taken place between Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and representatives of the Local Government Association to identify ways of dealing with the impact of spending cuts on locally-funded arts activities. Baroness Rawlings: The Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries holds meetings every three months with councillor Chris White of the Local Government Association to discuss a range of subjects including arts activities. Autumn Statement Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose to launch reviews into possible leaks of the content of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement. Lord Sassoon: It has been the policy of successive Administrations not to comment on the initiation of, content of, or outcome of internal leak inquiries. Autumn Statement Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement in the Autumn Statement that regionally varied pay may be introduced for the public service, whether they have considered or will consider paying benefits and allowances on a basis which also varies according to region. Lord Freud: We have no plans to calculate and pay benefits and allowances according to region. Banking Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the implications for the future of Project Merlin of government interventions in the provision of credit and the guarantee of private sector risks. Lord Sassoon: On 29 November, the Chancellor announced credit easing. Credit easing builds on the action the Government have already taken to support businesses through the Project Merlin commitments agreed with the major banks. British Embassies: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of its (a) ambassadors, and (b) high commissioners are female. Lord Howell of Guildford: As at November 2011, 19 per cent of our ambassadors are female and 22 percent of our high commissioners are female. These numbers are proportionate to the current representation of women at the senior levels of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (22 per cent). The number of female heads of mission is currently at an all time high of 37, compared with 18 only five years ago. Broadcasting: Digital Radio Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of total radio broadcast listening is through digital radio; by how much that proportion has increased since the first quarter of 2010; and whether they will consider not proceeding with the proposed digital radio switchover. Baroness Garden of Frognal: The latest figures for the third quarter of 2011 show that over 28 per cent of all radio listening is to digital platforms. This is compared to 24 per cent in the first quarter of 2010 showing a rise of around 18 per cent. This Government have always been clear that the consumer is at the heart of any decision in relation to a digital radio switchover. Whilst we are fully committed to a digital future for Britain, no switchover date will be set until the criteria of 50 per cent of all radio listening being on digital platforms is met. Cyclists Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider that the current road traffic rules governing cyclists are adequate and are being applied in full; and, if not, what proposals they have to change them. Earl Attlee: We currently have no plans to amend the rules pertaining to cyclists in the Highway Code. With regards to cycling offences, the enforcement is an operational matter for the police, and we support any action taken by the police to deter and reduce the number of cycling offences. Dominican Republic Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the comments made by the British Ambassador to the Dominican Republic reported in Caribbean Insight that: (1) "Many Dominicans complain about corruption and investors complain about having difficulties", and (2) "A major British company left the country and another told me that an attempt had been made to bribe it". Lord Howell of Guildford: Our ambassador highlighted the concerns of Dominicans and British companies about corruption. He was right to do so. The ambassador's comments were accurate, balanced and fair. The British Government fully support the Dominican Republic in their fight against corruption. The ambassador commended this work in his speech at a recent anti-corruption master class organised jointly by our embassy and the Dominican Republic Attorney-General. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 23 June 2010 (WA 182-3) and 28 November 2011 (HL13465), why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) does not know how the use of human eggs under research licence R0122 related to information provided to patients participating in that research if such usage was nonetheless related to HFEA licensed research; how such usage of eggs was related to the stated aim of research licence R0122 at the time; and whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the progress reports for research licence R0122 in which these numbers of human eggs were described. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the purpose of information provided to patients participating in research is to inform consent and is not related to the number of eggs used. The HFEA has also advised that when research licence R0122 was issued in April 2003, none of the stated objectives referred to the use of eggs. A new objective, referring to the use of eggs, was added in the progress report for research licence R0122, received by the authority in April 2004. A copy has been placed in the Library. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 22 November (WA 222) and 30 November (WA 69), what steps were taken by persons responsible or nominal licensees for research licences R0075 and R0133 to provide the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) with any necessary identifying details such that authorised HFEA personnel could then search the donor registry to confirm that individuals had been appropriately contacted by the centre concerned after their gametes had been used in research without their consent. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it is not possible to interrogate its register to confirm whether individuals were contacted by the relevant centre in a case where embryos were used in research without the gamete provider's consent. The HFEA has also advised that without further information to identify the gamete provider involved, the centre is unable to check its records to confirm whether such contact was made. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 5 December (WA 114-15), whether the proposed clinical trial at Moorfields Eye Hospital will also employ retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells generated by direct reprogramming of other adult cell types, described by Sir Ian Wilmut as avoiding risks of tumorigenesis associated with a pluripotent stage; and whether the RPE cells to be used in the trial or the embryonic cells from which they were derived have been regularly tested to ensure that they do not also exhibit chromosomal alterations in culture. Earl Howe: The product to be used in the clinical trial at Moorfields Eye Hospital does not employ retinal pigmented epithelial cells generated by direct reprogramming of other adult cell types. Testing is undertaken to ensure that chromosomal alterations during culture do not occur. Details of these tests are commercially confidential and therefore we are unable to reveal them. Employment: Agency Workers Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Wilcox on 29 November (WA 42), whether they will ask HM ambassadors to European Union countries, after the implementation date of 5 December, to compile a list of how each country has transposed the directive on temporary agency workers; whether they will publish that list; and whether their understanding is still that the majority will have done so on the basis of day one equal treatment rights. Baroness Wilcox: The Government will be asking our embassies in EU member states, in early 2012, to provide detail on how the agency workers directive has been implemented in each member state. EU: Taxation Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of any European Union financial transaction tax on the City of London; what plans they have to deal with any such impact; and what action they are taking in the Council of Ministers with regard to the proposal. Lord Sassoon: The Government do not support the European Commission's proposal for a financial transaction tax. The European Commission's own impact assessment of the proposal highlights significant detrimental impacts on the European Union (EU), including a reduction in EU GDP between 0.17 per cent and 3.43 per cent. It is difficult to disaggregate this figure to the UK only. However, it is clear that, given that the UK has the largest financial sector in the EU, the UK economy could expect to see a disproportionate impact compared with other EU member states. Agreement to a directive on a financial transaction tax would require unanimity in the Council of Ministers, giving the UK Government a veto over any such proposal. Therefore, such an EU tax cannot be imposed on the UK without the UK's agreement. While the Government could support a global financial transaction tax, the Government oppose an EU-only financial transaction tax. Finance: Creditworthiness Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what staff with expertise in making credit judgments are available to HM Treasury and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills to make credit judgments on commercial risks; and what value for money tests will have to be met by credit easing policy decisions. Lord Sassoon: Under the national loan guarantee scheme, banks will be responsible for assessing the creditworthiness of loan applicants. Under the Business Finance Partnership, private sector fund managers will decide which businesses to lend to. The Government expect to make a net positive return on the credit easing schemes. Government Departments: Buildings Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to install photovoltaic solar systems on buildings owned or occupied by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: All Defra's new build and refurbishment projects include a specific requirement to consider a range of renewable technologies, including photovoltaic (PV) solar systems at design stage. Where cost carbon benefit is demonstrated, appropriate technologies are implemented. A 120m2 solar PV system has been installed at Defra's office at Alnwick and this currently generates approximately 13,000kWh per annum. All other major properties on the Defra estate, including the department's Nobel House HQ building, were assessed in 2009, but there were factors in each location which outweighed the benefit (shadowing and aspect). As solar PV technologies and return on investment have improved, all properties are being reviewed as part of the department's ongoing carbon reduction programme, where projects are assessed against stringent value for money and carbon savings criteria. Government Departments: Procurement Lord Prescott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) date of purchase, (2) amount, (3) supplier and (4) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry of each transaction undertaken by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills using the Government procurement card in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09, (d) 2009-10, and (e) 2010-11. Baroness Wilcox: During October, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published information on departmental government procurement card transactions over £500 for 2011-12 on our website and www.data.gov.uk and we will continue to report on a monthly basis. The information can be found at: www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/financial. Information on transactions over £500 for 2010-11 will be published by the end of March 2012. The cost work required to obtain, contextualise and report data for central government departments from the previous three years, or regarding those transactions under £500, would exceed the cost limits of a freedom of information request or a parliamentary question and therefore can only be provided at disproportionate cost. Government Departments: Procurement Lord Prescott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) date of purchase, (2) amount, (3) supplier and (4) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry of each transaction undertaken by the Home Office using the Government procurement card in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09, (d) 2009-10, and (e) 2010-11. Lord Henley: Details of Government procurement card transactions undertaken by the Home Department in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09, (d) 2009-10 and (e) 2010-11 can only be obtained at disproportionate cost due to the need manually to redact sensitive information. Information would be regarded as sensitive and redacted from publication in the interest of national security or if a release would breach data protection legislation. A consistent method of reporting government procurement card purchase information for individual transactions over £500 in value dating from 1 April 2011 is available. This information was published on our departmental website, http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ publications/about-us/transparency/transparency-gpc -spend/ at the end of October 2011. Government Departments: Procurement Lord Prescott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) date of purchase, (2) amount, (3) supplier and (4) level 3 or enhanced transaction entry of each transaction undertaken by the Wales Office using the government procurement card in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09, (d) 2009-10, and (e) 2010-11. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: This Government are committed to transparency and we believe the information regarding government procurement cards for this financial year is the most relevant. During October we began to publish information on transactions over £500 for 2011-12 for the Wales Office on our website and will continue to do so on a monthly basis: http://www.walesoffice.gov.uk/ transparency/government-spend/. Information on transactions over £500 for 2010-11 will be published by the end of March 2012. The cost work required to obtain, contextualise and report data for central government departments from the previous three years, or regarding those transactions under £500, would exceed the cost limits of a freedom of information request or a parliamentary question. Health Innovation Challenge Fund Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what resources the Department of Health will put into the Health Innovation Challenge Fund in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15. Earl Howe: Expenditure by the department in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 through the Health Innovation Challenge Fund will depend on applications received and contract negotiation for successful applications. Health: Lyme Disease The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Lyme Unit of the Health Protection Agency does not advise patients and their doctors of the advice of the manufacturers of test kits that indicates that a negative result from the Lyme ELISA test, particularly in the early and late stages of infection, does not necessarily exclude Lyme disease and that a patient's clinical signs and symptoms as well as a case history must be included when a diagnosis is being considered. Earl Howe: The Health Protection Agency's (HPA) Lyme Borreliosis Reference Laboratory does advise clinicians that antibody tests may be negative for several weeks after infection has occurred due to the low level of antigenic stimulation in the early stage of infection. It provides information on its test result sheets about the appropriate application and limitations of tests for antibodies to borrelia burgdorferi and indicates that the predictive value of any test result is greatly affected by the pre-test probability of infection. It advises clinicians that the clinical significance of results should be assessed in light of the patient's clinical findings. The advice on the HPA's test results sheet indicates that antibody tests are rarely negative in late Lyme borreliosis. It advises clinicians that alternative causes should be carefully excluded before a diagnosis of seronegative late Lyme borreliosis is accepted. It also advises that antibody positivity may be related to past rather than current infection. The HPA reports its test results to the requesting clinician and it would be for the clinician to inform patients about the significance of their test result. Health: MRSA Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress towards eliminating methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in hospitals. Earl Howe: The National Health Service is making significant process toward a zero tolerance approach to all avoidable methicillin-resistant staphlylococcus aureus(MRSA) bloodstream infections. Over the past 12 months, reported MRSA bloodstream infections have fallen by 29 per cent. Health: Professional Standards Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to amend the Department of Health's operational guidance to the NHS Extending Patient Choice of Provider to recognise the proposed Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care Scheme for Assured Voluntary Regulators as an accepted standard for commissioning services. Earl Howe: The department has provided details in November 2011 on its Supply2Health procurement website of how the qualification process will work. Further details of the qualification process, including guidance and the qualification questionnaire itself, will be published early next year. Whilst developing the qualification process we will look at the assured voluntary registration scheme to see how it can fit into our assurance mechanism. Health: Professional Standards Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to promote the proposed Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care Scheme for Assured Voluntary Regulators to employers and consumers. Earl Howe: Work is currently focused on the development and delivery of the legislative framework required to enable the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care and to quality assure voluntary registers. However, we recognise the need to promote awareness of and use of assured voluntary registers by employers, providers, commissioners, and representative bodies for service users and staff employed in the delivery of health and social care. Subject to the proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill receiving royal assent, we will consider levers and incentives to promote assured voluntary registers. Discussions are already ongoing between the department and the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence about how policy on any qualified provider will take account of, and link to, assured voluntary registers. Health: Professional Standards Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will seek to ensure that the proposed Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care Scheme for Assured Voluntary Regulators is accepted as an alternative and equivalent to statutory regulation; and, if so, how. Earl Howe: The proposed system of assured voluntary registration will be designed to encourage high standards of practice, and to drive further improvement in standards. It will complement, rather than replace, existing systems of assurance. Discussions are already ongoing between the department and the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence about how policy on any qualified provider will take account of, and link to, assured voluntary registers. Holy See Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the British embassy to the Holy See cost in 2010-11 per citizen of the Vatican City. Lord Howell of Guildford: Our embassy to the Holy See cost £849,584 in 2010-11. There are around 400 citizens (and 800 residents) of the Vatican City. Spending per citizen of the Vatican City in 2010-11 was therefore around £2,124. It should, however, be noted that our embassy is to the Holy See, whose global network consists of about 5,000 bishops working with 500,000 priests and 800,000 religious across 220,000 parishes, rather than to the 400 citizens of the Vatican City. Justice: Family Justice Review Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord McNally on 25 November (WA 286) regarding the Family Justice Review, why they referred to the twitter feed @famjusticereview, which does not appear currently to exist. Lord McNally: I must apologise for the typographical error in a previous Written Answer to Lord Roberts of Llandudno. The name of the feed is @FamJustReview and not @famjusticereview as was incorrectly stated. The twitter feed is still live. Justice: Family Justice Review Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether children affected by private law family cases were adequately consulted in person by the Family Justice Review; and to what extent the event held in Leicester on 3 and 4 June contributed to this consultation. Lord McNally: I am satisfied that the Family Justice Review adequately consulted with children in person. Private law issues were considered at the event held in Leicester on 3 and 4 June. In addition, panel members met the Cafcass Young Person's Board to consider private law issues. Coram held a seminar about the voice of the child on behalf of the review. The review team also actively sought input from organisations that advocate for children's interests. Children responded to the call for evidence stage and to the Children and Young Person's Guide to the interim report. Both the interim and final reports were accompanied by a Children and Young Person's Guide. Justice: Family Justice Review Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the evidence gaps listed in Annexe E of the Family Justice Review. Lord McNally: The Government are reviewing all the recommendations in the Family Justice Review including those relating to improving the quality, scope and co-ordination of research, data and management information. The evidence gaps listed in Annexe E of the review are being considered as part of this. The Government expect to issue their response to the Family Justice Review in due course. In our response to the Justice Committee's report on the operation of the Family Courts, we acknowledged that there were limitations with the current data and evidence on family justice, set out a number of improvements that had already been made and our intention to develop a strategy for improving the evidence base going forward. http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/corporate-reports/MoJ/gov-response-operation-of-the-family-courts.pdf. The Ministry of Justice released three research reports on the 3 November 2011 which provide evidence in relation to a number of the evidence gaps listed in Annexe E. These are: Outcomes of Family Justice Children's Proceedings -a Review of the Evidence;Family Justice Children's Proceedings-Public and Private law Case Files; andSustainability of Mediation and Legal Representation in Private Family Law Cases. These reports can be found on the Ministry of Justice website: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/research-and-analysis/moj/outcomes-family-justice.htm http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/research-and-analysis/moj/family-justice-children.htm http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/research-and-analysis/moj/sustainability-mediation-legal-rep.htm We will be keeping the evidence needs under review as the Government take forward reform of the family justice system, prioritising needs in light of the reforms and available resource. Justice: Sentencing Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information and evidence is available to demonstrate whether there is differential sentencing by the courts of white, black and Asian offenders for similar offences. Lord McNally: The Ministry of Justice Court proceedings database contains information on sentencing and ethnicity. Analysis of these data was reported in Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2010. Table 1 below shows the number of persons sentenced for indictable offences at all courts by observed ethnicity, and the average immediate custodial sentence length (ACSL) in months in 2010. Table 1: Persons sentenced at all courts for indictable offences by ethnic appearance, England and Wales 2010 Sentence White Black Asian Other Unknown Total Fine 16.4% 18.9% 18.8% 11.0% 21.4% 17.1% Community Sentence 32.2% 29.5% 27.6% 20.7% 28.7% 31.2% Suspended Sentence 9.8% 8.5% 10.4% 11.9% 10.4% 9.8% Other 18.5% 16.5% 14.1% 14.0% 17.7% 18.0% Immediate Custody 23.0% 26.6% 29.2% 42.4% 21.8% 23.9% Total Sentenced 259,593 31,945 16,588 6,066 33,230 347,422 Average immediate Custodial Sentence Length (months) 14.9 20.8 19.9 19.7 17.6 16.2 It shows that a higher percentage of those in the black, asian and minority ethnic (BME) groups were sentenced to immediate custody for indictable offences than in the white group in 2010 (white 23 per cent, black 27 per cent, asian 29 per cent and other 42 per cent). Table 2 shows the average custodial sentence length (ACSL) in 2010 for the 81,536 who were given determinate sentences for indictable offences. It indicates that there are differences in ACSL by ethnic group within offence group. Table 2: Average immediate custodial sentence length at all courts by offence group and ethnic appearance, England and Wales 2010 Average immediate custodial sentence length (months) Offence group White Black Asian Other Unknown Total Violence against the person 16.8 20.1 23.6 21.8 20.2 17.8 Sexual offences 48.9 60.4 39.0 46.0 45.5 48.7 Burglary 18.5 22.7 16.9 17.5 18.7 18.7 Robbery 34.5 36.6 31.3 35.2 32.4 34.5 Theft and handling stolen goods 3.7 4.5 6.3 7.6 5.1 4.1 Fraud and forgery 11.5 9.3 11.7 10.3 11.9 11.0 Criminal damage 18.1 14.8 21.8 18.2 17.8 18.0 Drug offences 28.5 34.3 29.4 28.9 41.4 30.7 Other (excl motoring offences) 8.3 14.7 16.2 13.3 9.4 9.6 Indictable motoring offences 9.9 9.6 9.0 9.2 8.6 9.6 All indictable offences 14.9 20.8 19.9 19.7 17.6 16.2 Note: Average immediate custodial sentence length excludes indeterminate sentences. Further information on sentencing by ethnic groups for specific offence types can be found in the supplementary tables that accompany Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2010. The identification of differences should not be equated with discrimination as there are many reasons why apparent disparities exist. Differences between ethnic groups may occur for a number of reasons including: the mix of crimes committed; the seriousness of the offence; the presence of mitigating or aggravating factors; whether a defendant pleads guilty; or whether the defendant was represented or not. Research by Thomas (2010) for the Ministry of Justice indicated that people from BME backgrounds were more likely to plead not guilty and be tried. A guilty plea can reduce a sentence by up to a third. Justice: Sentencing Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are reviewing community sentences and restorative justice; and, if so, when they expect the review to be completed. Lord McNally: As I announced on 21 November, we will be consulting on reforms to community sentences to ensure that they effectively punish and rehabilitate offenders. Part of this review will also look at the important issue of restorative justice. We intend to publish a consultation shortly. Legislation Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what legislation, passed during the 2005-10 Parliament, is the responsibility of the Department for International Development and has yet to be brought into force, either in full or in part. Baroness Northover: The Department of International Development has no legislation passed during the 2005-10 Parliament that has yet to be brought into force, either in full or in part. Legislation Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what legislation, passed during the 2005-10 Parliament, is the responsibility of the Department for Transport and has yet to be brought into force, either in full or in part. Earl Attlee: The Acts passed during the 2005-10 Parliament that are the responsibility of the Department for Transport and which contain provisions that are not yet in force are as follows: Civil Aviation Act 2006 (Section 9);Road Safety Act 2006 (Sections 2, 10, 13, 15 - 19, 34, 35, 37 - 39, 42, 47, 48, 56 and 57 and Schedules 3, 6 and 7 (paragraphs (4), (6) - (8), (10), (11), (14), (15), (17) and (18));Local Transport Act 2008 (Sections 2, 4 and 5);Driving Instruction (Suspension and Exemption Powers) Act 2009 (Sections 1-4 and Schedules 1 and 2). This answer gives information about primary legislation only. Information about secondary legislation could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Legislation Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what legislation, passed during the 2005-10 Parliament, is the responsibility of the Scotland Office and has yet to be brought into force, either in full or in part. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The Scotland Office is not responsible for any legislation that was passed during the 2005-10 Parliament and is yet to be brought into effect. Legislation Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what legislation, passed during the 2005-10 Parliament, is the responsibility of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and has yet to be brought into force, either in full or in part. Lord Howell of Guildford: During the 2005-10 Parliament, five Acts of Parliament were passed for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible. Those Acts have been fully brought into force. The Bills that were led on by the FCO during their parliamentary passage during the 2005-10 Parliament were: European Union Accessions Act 2006;International Tribunals (Sierra Leone) Act 2007;European Union Amendment Act 2008;Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Act 2009; andCluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Act 2010. Local Enterprise Partnerships Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government which local enterprise partnerships have not appointed a permanent chair. Baroness Hanham: To date, four out of the 38 local enterprise partnerships have yet to appoint a permanent chair. They are: Swindon and Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, Dorset and Liverpool City Region. In each case the recruitment process is well advanced. Local Enterprise Partnerships Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how decisions of local economic partnerships are made publicly available. Baroness Hanham: Local enterprise partnerships are developed at the local level and each partnership will decide locally how best to communicate their decision making. Partnerships will be directly accountable to local authorities, businesses and other members for their activities. This may take different forms and it will be up to local partners to agree scrutiny arrangements that are sufficiently robust and transparent to ensure proper accountability. Northern Cyprus Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds they continue to refuse to recognise the state of North Cyprus. Lord Howell of Guildford: UN Security Council Resolution 541 (1983), states that the attempt to create a Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was invalid, and would contribute to a worsening of the situation in Cyprus. The Security Council therefore called upon all states not to recognise any Cypriot state other than the Republic of Cyprus. Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Garden of Frognal on 28 February (WA 263) concerning human rights, what are the "particular circumstances of Northern Ireland" that require rights supplementary to those in the rest of the United Kingdom. Lord Shutt of Greetland: Whilst the Belfast agreement does not provide a definition of "particular circumstances of Northern Ireland" in the context of a Bill of Rights, the Government remain clear that reaching agreement within Northern Ireland is essential to further progress on rights issues. Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has complied with its statutory duty to submit an equality scheme to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland; and, if not, what action will be taken by the Northern Ireland Office, as sponsoring department, regarding the enforcement of that duty. Lord Shutt of Greetland: I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 28 November (Official Report, col. WA 27). Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 29 November (WA 43-4), whether they will re-institute the arrangement in relation to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission that remains in place for the Equality and Human Rights Commission under which the chief executive will write to members of the House with information on operational matters which they have requested in a Question for Written Answer, and what is the reason for the different approach by those bodies. Lord Shutt of Greetland: There are currently no plans for the Northern Ireland Office to change its long-standing policy of referring noble Lords to arm's-length bodies when seeking information on operational matters. This reflects the fact that such bodies are both independent and best placed to answer such questions. It also makes sense that, when noble Lords seek information on a very regular basis relating to a particular arm's-length body, whose independence from government is of particular importance, that noble Lords engage with that body directly rather than to seek to do so through Ministers. This Government are always mindful of disproportionate expense. Northern Ireland: Parades Commission Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the future of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland will be responsible for issuing determinations in relation to the 2012 parading season. Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Government have had no recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the future of the Parades Commission. The Parades Commission is legally responsible for issuing determinations on parades and will continue to do so unless, through a locally agreed solution, new legislation is enacted in Northern Ireland. Olympic Games and Paralympic Games 2012 Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games regarding whether the chief interpreter for the 2012 Olympic Games has been appointed. Baroness Garden of Frognal: The chief interpreter was appointed by the London 2012 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) in January 2011. He has been advising LOCOG since then on plans for language services at Games time and will play a key role in their delivery. Passports Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 30 November (WA 78), why the embassy to the Holy See does not issue passports; and how many other British embassies do not issue passports. Lord Henley: There are eight locations outside the UK where passports are issued. Since October 2010 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has operated seven regional passport processing centres, plus a passport section in the British embassy in Dublin. The regional passport processing centres are located in Wellington, Hong Kong, Pretoria, Dusseldorf, Paris, Madrid and Washington. Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 Lord Dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by Lord McNally on 21 November (Official Report, col. 823) regarding reform of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, whether those reforms will be based on the buffer periods proposed in Breaking the Circle: A Report of the Review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, published in 2002. Lord McNally: The Government proposed a review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act as part of the consultation on the Green Paper, Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders, which closed earlier this year. That review has now been completed and, as I said in Parliament on 21 November, the Government now intend to bring forward reforms to the Act. The clauses will be introduced as amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill in due course for debate at Committee. Roads: A1 Baroness Quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made a recent estimate of the cost of achieving complete dualling of the Al between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Earl Attlee: In October 2010, the Department for Transport set out the outcomes of the Government's 2010 comprehensive spending review, publishing details of their investment decisions for major road projects on the strategic road network. Plans to dual the Al between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Berwick-upon-Tweed were not included amongst the schemes identified, and the Highways Agency has therefore not made a recent estimate of the cost of such a proposal. Roads: Fatal Accidents Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish details of the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by drivers aged between 17 and 24 and by those aged over 70; and what was the accident rate in both cases. Earl Attlee: Information that explicitly identifies the cause of accidents is not held by the Department for Transport. However information on factors which, in the opinion of the reporting police officer at the time of attendance, may have contributed to the accident is held by the department and is available from the following address: http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/releases/road-accidents-and-safe annual-report-2010. The table below shows the number of reported killed or seriously injured casualties in road accidents involving a motor vehicle driver, and the estimated rate of involvement, for drivers aged 17 to 24 or 70 and above in Great Britain for 2010. Driver age (years) 17-24 70+ Reported killed or seriously injured casualties in road accidents involving a motor vehicle driver, in 2010 6,758 2,065 Estimated number of motor vehicle drivers involved in fatal or serious accidents per 100,000 driving licence holders, in 2010 129 44 State Recognition Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 23 November (WA 260) concerning United Kingdom recognition of the Vatican City, why the diplomatic links were raised to full ambassadorial status in 1982, and what was their status before that date. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer to the response given by the then Lord Privy Seal, Mr Humphrey Atkins, in the House of Commons Debate on 25 January 1982 (Official Report, Commons, 25 January 1982, vol. 16, col. 245-46W) when asked why Her Majesty's Government have decided to upgrade the legation at the Vatican to an embassy. He said: "The previous level of relations was an anomaly, based on historical considerations which have long lost their significance. The majority of states, including all but one of the United Kingdom's Community partners, have full diplomatic relations with the Holy See. The Pope has influence in several areas of the world where important British interests are at stake and by raising the status of their representative at the Holy See to ambassadorial level, Her Majesty's Government are underlining the importance attached to the views of the Vatican". Turkey Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will assist, formally or informally, those drafting a new constitution for Turkey, drawing on the United Kingdom's experience of devolution and protection for minorities. Lord Howell of Guildford: It is up to the recently formed Cross-Party Conciliation Commission in Turkey, in consultation with civil society, to reform the country's constitution. The Turkish Government have indicated that they are also looking at the constitutions of several European Union countries to inform their own reform. We continue to monitor the reform's progress and stand ready to assist if asked. Unemployment: Under-25s Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of currently unemployed young people (1) completed their compulsory school attendance to age 16, (2) failed or did not take (a) GCSEs or (b) A-levels, (3) come from a family where neither parent is in work, (4) have been in trouble with the police before the age of 16, (5) have a diagnosable mental illness, and (6) belong to each ethnic group. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Northbourne, dated December 2011. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of currently unemployed young people (1) completed their compulsory school attendance to age 16, (2) failed or did not take (a) GCSEs or (b) A-levels, (3) come from a family where neither parent is in work, (4) have been in trouble with the police before the age of 16, (5) have a diagnosable mental illness, and (6) belong to each ethnic group. HL13931 Estimates of unemployment are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Information on completion of compulsory schooling and on criminal records is not collected in the survey. The employment status of young people and their parents is only collected if they are all living in the same household. The attached table provides the requested proportions of unemployed people aged 16 to 24 where suitable data are available. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. In accordance with the International Labour Organization (ILO) convention, people are classed as unemployed if they are: without a job, and have actively sought work in the last four weeks; or, out of work, have found a job and are waiting to start it in the next two weeks. Status of unemployed people aged 16 to 24 years Three months ending September 2011 (unless otherwise stated) United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted Per cent Education No qualifications 13 Qualified to GCSE below grade C and equivalent 11 Qualified to GCSE grade A*-C or equivalent 26 Domestic Situation1 (three months ending June 2011) Live with parents 67 Of whom parents are not in work 22 Health2 Have reported a long-term mental health condition 3 Ethnicity White 85 Mixed/multiple ethnic groups 2 Asian/Asian British 6 Black or African or Caribbean or Black British 6 Other ethnic group 1 Source: Labour Force Survey (ONS) 1 The employment status of children in relation to their parents employment status is only known if they are all living in the same household. 2 Health-related questions in the LFS are self-classified. Comprises mental illness, phobia and panics, depression, bad nerves, anxiety or other nervous disorders.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2011-12-12a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2011", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Baroness Amos: The current concentration of British troops in Helmand province has not diverted DfID's attention from reconstruction and development throughout Afghanistan. Afghanistan is DfID's fifth largest programme and the UK is Afghanistan's second largest bilateral donor, with a planned spend of £102 million in 2006-07. Over 70 per cent of our assistance goes directly to the Government of Afghanistan in support of their own priorities. This includes support for the Government's national priority programmes, which operate throughout the country. For example, the national solidarity programme (NSP) operates in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It has helped to establish over 16,000 community development councils (to identify local needs) and has funded over 22,000 projects in areas including agriculture, education, health, irrigation and transport. Helmand is a priority for the Governments of both Afghanistan and the UK. We have committed up to £20 million a year to support development in the province. This will help to build the capacity of Afghan institutions and promote economic and social development. The major obstacle to reconstruction and development in Helmand is the lack of security. The presence of the British military, in support of the Afghanistan national security forces, will help to overcome that obstacle and establish a better environment for the effective implementation of the Government of Afghanistan's national priority programmes. Baroness Amos: The UK is working closely with German and other G8 colleagues to ensure a strong focus on Africa at the Heiligendamm Summit in June. This will build on earlier G8 commitments to support investment and development in Africa, particularly those made at Gleneagles. Africa's prospects have improved significantly over recent years, with average growth reaching 5.5 per cent in 2005. However, longer-term projections are uncertain. We will, therefore, highlight the importance of efforts to support sustained positive growth. We will emphasise fundamental requirements such as good financial governance, strengthened financial markets and a more conducive investment climate. We will also encourage continued G8 support to related Gleneagles initiatives, such as the Investment Climate Facility, the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund and the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa. Lord Rooker: The UK Government did press other member states and the European Commission to extend indefinitely the ban on the commercial importation of wildbirds, with exceptions for recognised international conservation programmes. The European Union has voted for an indefinite ban on animal health grounds. The UK could not, however, press for a ban on welfare grounds, as this would not comply with World Trade Organisation agreements. Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What information they have received about the charges made against the chairman of the banned Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and Mr Hassan Mushaima, leader of Haq Movement of Liberties and Democracy, in Bahrain; and about the right ofa person whose offence consists of distributing literature criticising the Government to challenge his prosecution as a violation of Article 19 of the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Information in relation to the number of orders for no costs and the average legal costs in environmental cases is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The amount spent on legal aid is not available, as the Legal Services Commission's information systems do not go down to this level of detail. The net change in the gross income limit for civil legal aid since it was introduced in 2001 to the present is £4,200 per annum (from December 2001 until August 2002, the limit was £24,000 per annum and, from April 2006 to date, it has been £28,200). If the applicant has income in excess of the limit, funding is refused. If income is at or below the gross income limit, the Legal Services Commission assesses the applicant's disposable income to determine whether they are eligible for civil legal aid. For criminal legal aid, a different system is in place. From 2 October 2006, where the proceedings are in the magistrates' court, the defendant must satisfy a new means test. An individual is financially eligible for a representation order if his gross annual income, adjusted to take account of any partner or children, is £11,590 or less, and ineligible if it is £20,740 or more. Those applicants whose adjusted income falls within the two thresholds are subject to a more detailed assessment of their disposable income in order to determine their financial eligibility under the new scheme. Legal aid applications for defendants appearing before the Crown Court are not currently means-tested. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs. Lord Rooker: The fishery at Strathy Point operates bag nets, not drift nets. Drift-net fishing has been unlawful in Scotland since 1962. However, the lease of the salmon fishery at Strathy expires in November 2007, and the Scottish Executive, which owns the fishing rights at Strathy, has decided not to renew the lease. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information will be included in the evaluation report when it is published. The response of the immigration Minister (Liam Byrne) to Annette Brooke MP (PQ 108864, 11/12/06) estimated that 30 families had had their asylum support withdrawn under the provisions of Schedule 3 to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Baroness Amos: The United Kingdom drafted and sponsored Security Council Resolution 1740 establishing a special United Nations political mission to Nepal. We strongly support the work of United Nations Mission in Nepal. The United Nations Mission in Nepal is an expression of the whole international community's commitment to help Nepal to recover from conflict and to establish a peaceful, stable democracy. We understand that the United States assistance to the United Nations Mission in Nepal is channelled through the United Nations Security Council. There is no indication of reductions to the United Nations Mission in Nepal at this stage. The overall US assistance to Nepal during 2005-06 was US$50 million andis likely to be in the range of US$38 million toUS$40 million in 2007-08, with possibilities of further commitments later. The United Kingdom support to the United Nations Mission in Nepal has been through the Global Conflict Prevention Pool and we have committed £1.4 million. Our contributions will support the peace process, verification of Maoist combatants, arms monitoring, constitutional support and technical assistance.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2007-03-14a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2007", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they are contributing to the work of the European Union Environment Agency in Copenhagen on policies to deal with global warming within the Sixth Environment Action Programme. Lord Rooker: The Government participate fully within the European Environment Agency's (EEA-Copenhagen) Environmental Information and Observation Network (EIONET), including on any provision of data for matters relating to the Sixth Environmental Action Programme. We also help with the assessment activities that support the programme's own priority actions related to the thematic work being done on subjects such as climate change. The European Commission is currently in the process of conducting a mid-term review of the Sixth Environment Action Programme. The Government are contributing to this review. Lord Rooker: The Energy Saving Trust (EST), which is funded by my department to promote energy efficiency in the household sector, runs campaigns aimed at encouraging consumers to take energy saving action. EST's evaluation of its current "Save Your 20 per cent" campaign is ongoing. For 2005-06, EST suggests that savings of more than 200,000 tonnes of carbon each year were influenced by its consumer-facing activities. Of this, 4,000 tonnes of carbon each year was attributed to 480,000 people switching off lights in unoccupied rooms (numbers turning off appliances were not recorded). Lord Triesman: I believe that the noble Lord is referring to the German presidency's plans to transpose the Prüm convention into EU law. The presidency initiated a discussion on this topic at the Informal Justice and Home Affairs Council in Dresden on 15-16 January but has not yet tabled formal proposals. The Prüm Convention was signed on 27 May 2005 by France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Belgium. It is designed to intensify cross-border police co-operation, especially in the fight against terrorism, cross-border crime and illegal migration. The Prüm Convention offers the potential to improve the exchange of information on DNA, fingerprints and vehicle registrations, which would have a real impact on our ability to bring serious criminals to justice. The Government support better practical co-operation between the police forces of member states and will carefully consider any formal proposals that the German presidency puts forward to transpose the convention into EU law. The exact process as to how Prüm or some of its provisions could be brought into the EU framework has yet to be agreed. Any EU instrument covering the transposition of the Prüm Convention into EU law would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny. Ministers have given evidence on the Prüm Convention to the Select Committee on the European Union, with my right honourable friend the Minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon, appearing before the committee on18 December 2006. Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements have been made for the disposal of the stocks of curd cheese at Bowland Dairy Products Limited. Baroness Andrews: The total administrative funding of the government offices in 2006-07 was estimated at £127.99 million. This covers all running costs including staff costs, accommodation, et cetera. The government offices receive programme funding from seven sponsor departments. We do not hold financial data on all sponsor departments' programme fund expenditure which is channelled through government offices centrally. Total programme funding from Communities and Local Government for 2006-07 was estimated at £1.13 billion. In line with the government office review, management of programme funds forms only one element of the offices' role in the regions. The offices also have a key role in negotiating and brokering local area agreements and regional strategies, for example. The estimated, total administrative costs for each government office for 2006-07 are given below. Government Office Total estimated administration costs for 2006-07 £m London 17.96 South-east 13.97 South-west 14.68 East 12.59 East Midlands 11.42 West Midlands 14.89 Yorkshire and the Humber 12.19 North-west 17.32 North-east 12.97 Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Data on how many stroke patients out of the total were scanned within three hours of admission are not collected centrally. The number of stroke patients out of the total that were scanned within 24 hours of admission is detailed within the concise report of the Royal College of Physicians's (RCP) National Sentinel Stroke Audit 2004. Copies have been placed in the Library. The report of the 2006 clinical audit is due to be published in March 2007. The percentage of acute hospitals able routinely to scan patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week is shown in the attached table. This table is an extract from the RCP's National Sentinel Stroke Audit, Phase 1 Organisational Audit 2006 published in August 2006. Table 29 Access to CT, MRI and Carotid Dopper imaging Computerised Tomography Magnetic Resonance Image Carotid Doppler % Yes 100 per cent 97 per cent 97 per cent Weekdays 0-4 hours 8 per cent <1 per cent 4 per cent 5-24 hours 58 per cent 15 per cent 11 per cent 25-48 hours 27 per cent 33 per cent 25 per cent More than 48 hours 7 per cent 52 per cent 60 per cent Weekends 0-4 hours 8 per cent 2 per cent 1 per cent 5-24 hours 18 per cent 3 per cent 0.4 per cent 25-48 hours 40 per cent 9 per cent 6 per cent More than 48 hours 35 per cent 85 per cent 90 per cent Source: Royal College of Physicians, National Sentinel Stroke Audit, Phase 1 Organisational audit 2006 The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Government of Israel's recent issue of tenders for 44 new housing units in Ma'aleh Adumim constitutes settlement expansion and is therefore in breach of international law; if so,on how many occasions they have made representations to the Government of the United States on this issue; and with what results. Lord Triesman: Our embassy in Riyadh found no evidence to support the claim of illegal detention and deportation of49 members of the Ahmadiyya community. Lord Triesman: The parties have made some progress on implementing the comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) but there have been delays and deadlines have been missed. There have also been clear violations of the CPA's security arrangements which have been reported to the well established and effective ceasefire monitoring mechanism. Such violations have mostly related to failures to re-deploy troops, integrate non-regular armed groups and form joint integrated units on time. There has also been a serious outbreak of violence in Malakal, southern Sudan, in late November 2006—representing the most severe violation of the CPA's security arrangements to date. The UK supports the parties in delivering their security commitments under the CPA by chairing the Security Working Group in the Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC). We are deeply concerned at the overall slow progress being made to deliver the CPA. This could lead to future violations and deadlines within the agreement being missed. The Government are pressing the CPA parties, both bilaterally and through the AEC, to implement the agreement in full. We are also providing substantial development assistance through the Department for International Development in support of the CPA.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2007-01-29a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2007", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Education Schools: Defibrillators Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 23 January (HL4931), which schools have purchased an automated external defibrillator under the new arrangements agreed between the Department for Education and the Department of Health. Lord Nash: As of Thursday 26 February 2015, confirmed orders had been placed for a total of 266 automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The list of schools provided by NHS Supply Chain can be found in the attached table. The Department for Education’s advice on installing and maintaining AEDs on school premises, which has been published to help schools in considering whether to purchase these potentially life-saving devices, is available online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/automated-external-defibrillators-aeds-in-schools Table showing sales of defibrillators to schools (Excel SpreadSheet, 54.5 KB) Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their intention that the (currently non-statutory) syllabus in secondary schools relating to the subject described as "sex and relationship education" should include learning about non-sexual relationships such as the relationship between a mother and her child, or the relationship between siblings, or relationships in the workplace with colleagues or customers. Lord Nash: Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is a non-statutory subject that can encompass many areas of study, including the importance of healthy relationships and how to identify those relationships which are unhealthy. This applies to all the relationships that young people have with their friends, peers and families. PSHE may also include pupils being taught about the workplace and how to develop the essential skills of teamwork and communication. Sex and relationships education (SRE) is an important part of PSHE and is compulsory in maintained secondary schools. When teaching SRE all schools must have regard to the Secretary of State’s statutory sex and relationships guidance, which makes it clear that teaching should include the importance of loving and stable relationships and the importance of family life. Extracurricular Activities Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which extra-curricular activities offered by secondary schools they consider most likely to develop the spiritual, moral, social and cultural values of pupils; and what steps they are taking to encourage and support secondary schools to provide such activities. Lord Nash: Extra-curricular activities can form an important part of a pupil’s education. When activities are structured and organised effectively, they can provide young people with stimulating experiences which build on the knowledge and understanding they gain through lessons; as well as supporting their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Schools have been given greater freedom over their curriculum, so that they can plan their teaching to meet the needs of their pupils. This includes deciding which extra-curricular activities to provide.The Department for Education is allocating £5 million to expand capacity in character education, build evidence of what works and deliver a national awards scheme to recognise existing excellence. Schools: Uniforms Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to subsidising school uniforms for school pupils eligible for free school meals. Lord Nash: The Department for Education has issued guidance for all schools on the need to give high priority to cost considerations when setting their uniform. The guidance emphasises the importance of ensuring that the uniform is widely available and affordable for all parents. Local authorities and academies have discretion within their budgets to provide school clothing grants or offer other help with the cost of school clothing in cases of financial hardship. We also encourage individual schools to consider running their own schemes to provide assistance. The school uniform guidance is published online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Pesticides The Earl of Caithness: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the conclusions of the Anderson Farm Consultants report The Effect of the Loss of Plant Protection Products on UK Agriculture and Horticulture and the Wider Economy, published in October 2014; and what are their reasons for any disagreement with those conclusions. Lord De Mauley: This report was commissioned by the Agricultural Industries Confederation, the Crop Protection Association and the National Farmers Union. It concludes that 40 pesticide active substances are likely to be lost or restricted under European Union (EU) legislation between now and 2020. A further 47 active substances could be threatened. Consequent crop yield losses are likely to lead to substantial loss of profits and jobs across the farming and food sectors. The report concludes that policies in this area should be science-led and based on a realistic and proportionate assessment of risk. The Government has not carried out a detailed assessment of the analysis set out in the Andersons Centre report. However, we would support the central conclusions that current EU pesticide rules will reduce the range of available products. We also agree that decisions on pesticide approval should be proportionate and be taken on the basis of a scientific assessment of risk. Parts of the EU regime for the approval of pesticides do not currently work in this way. The EU Regulation on the approval of pesticides includes a review clause. UK Ministers are pressing the Commission to make sure that the review is carried out thoroughly and takes full account of costs and benefits of regulation. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Democratic Republic of Congo Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in relation to the alleged human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, committed by national forces during Operation Likofi. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials have raised the issue of human rights violations during Operation Likofi with senior members of the Congolese government on a number of occasions since late 2013. This includes meetings with the Minister of Interior, his successor, the Vice Prime Minister for Interior and Security and the Chief of the National Police. In these meetings we called for a robust investigation into the allegations. As such an investigation had not started, the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Ms Greening), took the decision in February to terminate their Security Sector Accountability and Police Reform programme, and informed the Congolese government accordingly. Eritrea Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the statement by His Excellency Mr Girma Asmerom, Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the United Nations, on agenda item 68 (b,c): Promotion and Protection of Human Rights during the Interactive Dialogue of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Eritrea at the Third Committee of the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea, including shortcomings in the rule of law, reports of arbitrary detention, and limits on the freedom of speech. We have made clear to the Eritrean government that they should invite the Special Rapporteur to the country and engage constructively with the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea.We have also asked Eritrea to clarify its plans to implement the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, the importance of which the Eritrean Permanent Representative highlighted in his statement. South Sudan Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reported abduction of South Sudanese school children, while sitting their exams in Malakal; and what estimate they have made of the number of children who have been co-opted into militias in South Sudan. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Both the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Mission in South Sudan have confirmed that over 15/16 February 2015 a number of school children were abducted near Malakal in Upper Nile State. While there are no accurate figures, data from the school registers suggest at least 89 boys were abducted. According to UNICEF some 12,000 children are reported as being used by armed forces and other affiliated militia groups. Sudan Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the United Kingdom's annual financial contribution to the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur peacekeeping force budget in Sudan. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The United Kingdom’s financial contribution to the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) for UK financial year 2014/15 is £50.3m. Sudan Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of claims made by Human Rights Watch regarding the rape of women and girls in Darfur on 30 and 31 October 2014. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: I refer the noble Baroness to the press statement I made on 13 February where I highlighted that “I am particularly concerned by the findings of the Human Rights Watch report published this week into accusations of mass rape by soldiers in Tabit, North Darfur between 30 October and 1 November 2014. These are extremely serious allegations. The report once again highlights the need for a full and open investigation into what happened and unhindered access for the African Union - United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur and humanitarian organisations. We continue to support the call for that investigation.” British Overseas Territories Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to assist elected representatives in the United Kingdom Overseas Territories to carry out their duties efficiently and responsibly. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK remains committed to promoting good governance in the Overseas Territories as set out in the July 2012 White Paper. We work closely with the elected representatives of the territories. UK Ministers and elected leaders of the Overseas Territories meet annually for the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in London to discuss progress in improving governance and agree a Communiqué with new commitments for the coming year. In addition, UK Ministers have frequent contact with Overseas Territories throughout the year. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Cabinet Office are working with the Territories to promote the establishment and implementation of codes of conduct for ministers and elected officials including the Seven Principles of Public Life. In December 2014, all Territory governments which do not yet have codes of conduct in place committed to introducing them. Turks and Caicos Islands Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands since the end of direct rule. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Since the end of 2012, the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) has been able to benefit from the previous work of the Interim Administration and the new constitution. This has given the people of TCI a democratically elected government and House of Assembly, a reformed public service, and strengthened public roles and institutions such as the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Human Rights Commission, the Integrity Commission, the Auditor General, the Complaints Commissioner and the Supervisor of Elections. TCI has demonstrated its commitments to good governance by passing or introducing key legislation across a range of issues such as public service management and public financial management. The UK continues to work with TCI to ensure that reforms in good governance are embedded for the long-term. The economy is performing well and the budget continues to deliver healthy surpluses (estimated $14 million in 2015/16). Gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 4.6 per cent in 2014. The 2014 Joint Ministerial Council communiqué is available on our website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-territories-2014-joint-ministerial-council-communique. A copy of the communiqué is attached. 2014 Joint Ministerial Council communique (Word Document, 28.99 KB) Gambia Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the situation of Ahmadi Muslims in The Gambia, particularly in the light of the statement made by the Gambian Supreme Islamic Council claiming them to be non-Muslims. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government is concerned about the statement issued by the Gambian Supreme Islamic Council in January claiming that the Ahmadiyya community are not Muslims. The UK position on human rights is clear: they are universal and must apply equally to all people. This includes freedom of religion, and divergent views or interpretations should be allowed to co-exist. Our Embassy will be speaking to the Government of The Gambia about these statements and will continue to monitor developments closely. Department of Health Giant Cell Arteritis Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the costs to the National Health Service of failures to diagnose giant cell arteritis sufficiently early to prevent loss of vision for those afflicted, in each of the last five years. Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of people afflicted by giant cell arteritis who have lost vision as a result of a failure to diagnose the illness sufficiently early, in each of the last five years. Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the pilot clinical pathway in Southend to develop faster and more effective diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis. Earl Howe: The National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence Clinical Knowledge Summary on Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) sets out that the annual incidence of GCA in the United Kingdom is approximately 20 per 100,000 people, with total or partial vision loss affecting up to 20% of people. Numbers of patients diagnosed as suffering from GCA related sight loss in each of the last five years and its associated costs are not available. No specific assessment has been made of the GCA clinical pathway used in Southend. However, the Government understands that Professor Bhaskar Dasgupta who developed the Southend clinical pathway, contributed to development of the Royal College of Physicians’ guideline on GCA, published in 2010. The guideline sets out best practice for clinicians in the prompt diagnosis and urgent management of GCA, helping to minimise GCA related vision loss. Social Services: Training Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve training and development in the care sector. Earl Howe: It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure that staff are appropriately trained and competent to carry out the roles they are employed to provide. The Department continues to work with Skills for Care to develop a comprehensive suite of standards and qualifications to support employers in developing the care sector workforce. From 1 April 2015, the Department is introducing the Care Certificate for new healthcare assistants and social care support workers to enable them to receive the high quality and consistent training and support they need to do their jobs. Cancer Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what focus the NHS Five Year Forward View taskforce on cancer services, chaired by Cancer Research UK, will give to molecular diagnostics. Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the NHS Five Year Forward View taskforce on cancer services will report back on their initial assessment of opportunities to improve cancer care before March 2015; and when in 2015 they will present the new five year strategy. Earl Howe: The independent Cancer Taskforce has been set up to produce a new cross-system national cancer strategy to take us through the next five years to 2020, building on NHS England’s vision for improving cancer outcomes set out in the NHS Five Year Forward View. It has been set up in partnership with the cancer community and other health system leaders, and is chaired by the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK. The new strategy will set a clear direction covering the whole cancer pathway from prevention to end of life care, including molecular diagnostics. The Taskforce will produce a statement of intent this month, and the new strategy will be published in summer 2015. Diabetes Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to improve food labelling for diabetes sufferers. Earl Howe: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 21 January 2015 to his question HL3993. Fertility: Drugs Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 10 February (HL4441), what sanctions were imposed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority on each of the clinics that had administered reagents to permitted gametes or permitted embryos that are then introduced into patients when the reagents concerned had not been CE marked; and how promptly the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was notified of all such instances as documented in inspection reports. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it has not been necessary to impose any regulatory sanctions in relation to the use of non CE marked reagents or products, as the clinics in question have given a commitment, as part of the inspection process, to use alternative CE marked products. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was notified that manufacturers were making non CE marked reagents available on 4 December 2013 and 23 November 2014. NHS England: Optum Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that NHS England carried out appropriate due diligence in giving preferred contractor status to the company Optum. Earl Howe: On 5 February 2015 NHS England announced the results of the Commissioning Support Lead Provider Framework. This framework agreement does not give Optum preferred provider status, but allows clinical commissioning groups and NHS England to run open competitions between accredited providers to source excellent and affordable commissioning support services. NHS England has assured the Department that it carried out appropriate due diligence in regard to Optum Health Solutions UK being appointed as a provider on the Commissioning Support Lead Provider Framework. As well as rigorously testing quality and value for money, NHS England ran a 12 month European Union compliant procurement process and carried out the necessary legal and financial checks, before appointing Optum Health Solutions UK as one of the providers on the Commissioning Support Lead Provider Framework. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Ukraine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will propose that the European Union removes all customs duties on Ukrainian exports, and provides technical assistance to Ukrainian companies wishing to enter the European market. Lord Livingston of Parkhead: Ukraine already benefits from autonomous trade preferences which enable most Ukrainian goods to enter the EU market free from import tariffs. In April 2014, the EU unilaterally eliminated or reduced its customs duties on goods originating from Ukraine; for instance, EU import tariffs were removed immediately for 94.7% of industrial products from Ukraine. These autonomous trade preferences have now been extended, so that they will apply for 2015, after which the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) is due to be applied. Under the terms of the DCFTA, 98.1% of the value Ukrainian exports to the EU will become tariff-free. The UK has given its full support for these measures. The EU is providing significant financial and technical assistance to support Ukraine, including help with economic reform and political stabilisation. In addition to our £4.35 million share of these EU and other multilateral efforts. The UK has also committed a further £1.4 million bilaterally this financial year for humanitarian support in Ukraine. On 23 February, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will release £15 million in emergency assistance for Ukraine. Furthermore, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the British Embassy in Kyiv continue to work closely with the Ukrainian government across a broad range of issues to improve our trade and business links.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2015-03-06
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2015", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Crown Prosecution Service: Funding Lord Windlesham: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to reduce public expenditure in the coming year on the Crown Prosecution Service; and if so what are the reasons. Lord Williams of Mostyn: I am pleased to say that an additional £15.8 million has been allocated to the CPS budget this year. This recognises the place of the CPS at the centre of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and the contribution it can make to improving the performance of the CJS, including the police and other agencies. The £15.8 million will allow performance to be raised on prosecutions, on information technology (IT), on diversity and on the Human Rights Act (HRA). Performance improvements will be targeted towards better working with the police, thereby saving police forces' time and money and ensuring that their work in catching suspects is more effectively translated into prosecutions. Consequently, some £4.5 million of the money is to come from the Budget's £100 million police modernisation fund. Chinook Fleet: Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorders Baroness Park of Monmouth: asked Her Majesty's Government: Since the flight trials for the cockpit voice and flight data recorders to be fitted to the Royal Air Force Chinook mark 2/2A fleet were completed in February, how many of the aircraft in the Chinook Mark 2/2A fleet are now equipped with these systems. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Cockpit Voice and Flight Data Recorders have now been fitted to four of the RAF Chinook Mark 2/2a Fleet as part of the Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) programme. This reflects the six-week period required to fit and test each aircraft. Chinook Helicopter Accident: Retention of Documents Lord Chalfont: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any papers or documents relating to the crash of Chinook Helicopter ZD 576 have been or are being destroyed; and, if so, whether they will ensure that there is no further such destruction. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: None of the original Board of Inquiry papers, written evidence or papers held by the branch with lead responsibility for matters concerning the crash has been destroyed. When they are eventually archived, they will be assigned a review date of 25 years, with a recommendation for permanent retention. At the 25-year point they will be examined for the suitability for transfer to the Public Record Office in accordance with the provision of the Public Records Act 1958 and 1967. National Army Museum Council: Chairman Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who is the chairman of the Council of the National Army Museum; and when he last chaired a full meeting. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The chairman of the Council of the National Army Museum is ex officio, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence. The present Under-Secretary has not yet chaired a meeting of council. The last occasion on which the council was chaired by its ex officio chairman was on 20 March 1991. It is customary for council meetings to be chaired by the Deputy Chairman, currently General Sir John Waters. However, the ex officio chairman receives all papers connected with council and is briefed by his officials on museum business. Museum of Army Transport, Beverley Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it has been drawn to the individual attention of the members of the Council of the National Army Museum that the Museum of Army Transport at Beverley may not be able to display its 119 vehicles after August 2000 due to financial difficulties. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Museum of Army Transport at Beverley is a private museum. Its financial situation is, therefore, a matter for the owner and management of the company. Museum of Army Transport, Beverley Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: What alternatives there are to displaying the National Army Museum's collection of vehicles at the Museum of Army Transport at Beverley; and Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 14 March (WA 200), whether the Council of the National Army Museum have now concluded their strategic review, including the collection currently housed at the Museum of Army Transport at Beverley. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Corporate Plan of the Council of the National Army Museum, which is currently being finalised, sets out longer term aspirations for the development of the museum's collection and its outstations. These aspirations, which include the possibility of a development of a major museum complex in the North of England, will be subject to feasibility studies in due course. FCO Board of Management: Appointments Baroness Gale: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there have been any new appointments to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Management Board. Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: The Board of Management is chaired by the Permanent Under-Secretary and oversees the administration of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and all its resources at home and overseas. It has in the past been composed of Senior FCO officials together with the Chief Executive of British Trade International. They will now be joined by two non-executive members, Mr Alan Gormly, Chairman of BPB Industries, and Ms Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Director of Corporate Affairs of Tesco plc. I am sure that the board will benefit greatly from their experience of private sector management practice. Angling: Promotion Lord Mason of Barnsley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have had discussions with the Environment Agency and the Sports Council with a view to obtaining finance for the promotion of angling, and especially the promotion of the sport in the education and training of young people. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government are in regular contact with the Environment Agency and Sport England to discuss a range of issues. My honourable friend the Minister for Sport met representatives of all the angling governing bodies on 13 January this year at which funding to promote angling was discussed. A representative from Sport England was also present at the meeting. My honourable friend has given her support to a number of angling initiatives for young people and will be opening the European Championship. Sport England has made a substantial contribution to the promotion of angling through both the Sports Lottery Fund and grants to the governing bodies of the sport. For the year 1999-2000, grant-in-aid of £27,500 was awarded to the National Federation of Anglers, £29,000 to the National Federation of Sea Anglers, and £27,000 to the Salmon and Trout Association. Thirty-one angling projects have received Lottery funding totalling over £1.5 million. The Environment Agency is committed to developing and promoting sport and recreation, and the promotion of access for everyone, particularly beside, to and on, water. The agency has put in place several measures to promote angling as a sport and educational tool for young people. These include offering a 50 per cent concession on rod licence duties for anglers aged 12-16 inclusive, no licence being required for those under 12 years of age. The agency is also part-sponsor the National Federation of Anglers' Roadshow this summer, at which 5,000-6,000 mainly young anglers will take part. This year they have also introduced the Beginner's Licence, costing £1 per day, in conjunction with coaching schemes. In the last three years, the agency has been targeting fisheries improvement projects in urban areas, the key reason being to improve fishing opportunities for many young anglers who have limited opportunities to travel. The agency has recently published Reel Life magazine, which is sent to 1 million licence holders, including junior anglers, which promoted coaching schemes run by the National Federation of Anglers, the Professional Anglers Association, and the Salmon and Trout Association; angling and conservation guidance; and specific pages dedicated to young anglers, designed to educate and promote good angling practice. Millennium Dome Additional Funding: Direction Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the letter of direction for the payment of an extra £29 million to the Millennium Dome. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: On 9 June the National Audit Office wrote to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee enclosing a paper on the circumstances in which an Accounting Officer Direction was given to the Millennium Commission Accounting Officer. The substance of the direction is contained within the paper, which has been reported to the House, placed in the Commons Library and also deposited in the House of Lords Record Office. Bank Notes Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which banks issue notes which are legal tender throughout the United Kingdom; what is the highest denomination note currently issued by each such bank; and what is the Government's policy on the issue, use and availability of high value bank notes. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: No bank issues notes that are legal tender throughout the UK. All current Bank of England notes (£5, 10, 20, 50) are legal tender in England and Wales, but not in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Notes issued by the commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland are not legal tender anywhere in the UK. The Bank of England takes into account public demand when it issues banknotes. Demand is low for the Bank's £50 note and the Scottish and Northern Irish £100 banknotes. As a result, the Bank has no plans to issue a note above the value of £50 in the foreseeable future. Single Currency: Treasury Statement, 1997 Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the Treasury's estimate of the economic and fiscal consequences of joining the first wave of the euro in 1999, when the Chancellor made his statement in November 1997 that the United Kingdom would not be joining then; and what revisions to that estimate have subsequently been made Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Treasury published the paper, UK Membership of the Single Currency: An Assessment of the Five Economic Tests, in October 1997. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said we will make another assessment of the five economic tests early in the next Parliament. Gas and Electricity Consumers' Council Lord Haskel: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will announce the regional organisation of the proposed Gas and Electricity Consumers' Council. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Following extensive consultation and discussion, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competition and Consumer Affairs has today announced the future organisation of the Gas and Electricity Consumers' Council. It will have a head office based in London. It will have offices in Glasgow serving Scotland, in Cardiff serving Wales, and further offices in Manchester, Birmingham, London, Newcastle and Bournemouth serving England. Bribery of Foreign Public Officials Baroness Whitaker: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will give an undertaking at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Ministers' meeting on 26 June to prepare legislation immediately to outlaw bribery of foreign public officials in international business transactions. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: As my right honourable friend the Minister for Trade will report at the OECD ministerial meeting, the Government are already able to comply with their relevant treaty obligations. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary set out, on 20 June, the Government's proposals for the reform of the law of corruption; these proposals take account, among other issues, of the UK's international obligations. The Government will look to introduce legislation as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. Car Sales and Price Comparisons Lord Jacobs: asked Her Majesty's Government: (a) which three car models achieved the highest sales volume in 1999; and what were the recommended retail prices for these cars (i) in May 1990 and (ii) in May 2000; and (b) what is the individual percentage increase or decrease in the recommended retail price for each of the three car models; and what is the average percentage increase or decrease in the recommended retail price for these cars. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the three car models which achieved the highest sales volume in 1999 were: the Ford Focus 1.6; Ford Fiesta 1.25; and Vauxhall Astra 1.6. The recommended retail prices in May 1999 were obtained by the European Commission in its regular car price survey, and were as follows: Ford Focus 1.6: £10,664 (inclusive of taxes); Ford Fiesta 1.25: £7,844 (inclusive of taxes); and Vauxhall Astra 1.6: £11,700 (inclusive of taxes). The recommended retail prices for these cars in May 2000 are not available, as the Ford models have now been updated and repriced. However, official ONS data on the index of motor vehicle purchasing costs indicates that prices for the sector as a whole fell by 5.1 per cent between May 1999 and April 2000 (which is equivalent to an annual rate of -5.5 per cent). Objective 2 Area Approvals Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to make any representations to the European Commission about the delays in approval of the United Kingdom's Single Programme Documents for Objective 2 areas, which are now only likely to be approved in December 2000 at the earliest; and whether they will consider the implications for achieving spending profiles in those areas which are designated "transitional".[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government do not intend to make any formal representations to the Commission at this stage. The Government believe it will be possible to agree the SPDs by December 2000. Officials meet their Commission counterparts regularly with a view to reaching agreement on the Single Programming Documents as soon as possible. The Structural Funds Regulations contain provisions to ensure that commitments for both full Objective 2 and transitional areas are not lost because of any delay. All the programmes which were submitted by the end of April 2000 will be able to backdate funding of projects to the beginning of the year. Sudan: Persecution of Christians Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What reports they have received concerning attacks on and persecution of Christians in the Sudan (a) in 1999 and (b) in 2000.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Sadly, all sections of society are suffering in the Sudan as a result of the ongoing civil war. There can be no doubt that Christians are among those who have been killed and suffered in other ways for much longer than the last two years. That is why this Government has given peace such a priority. We keep in regular contact with the Churches in the Sudan, listen to their specific concerns and regularly take them up. We also gave our full support to the recent visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury to Khartoum and Juba. Long-term Care of the Elderly Lord Lipsey: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider the report Charging for care in later life before publishing their response to the Royal Commission on long-term care of the elderly. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We are taking into account the variety of views expressed since the Royal Commission's report was published. Charging for care in later life is a useful contribution to this debate. NMEC: Revised Business Plan Baroness Seccombe: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 May (H.L. Deb., col. 773) that it was necessary to prepare a new business plan for the Dome as a result of over-estimates of visitor numbers, when the sole shareholder in the New Millennium Experience Company was informed of the need to ask for such a plan. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) revises and updates its business plan at regular intervals. As sole shareholder, I see all board papers and was therefore privy to the revised business plan prepared in May which included the new visitor figure estimate. Single Intelligence Vote: Review Baroness Park of Monmouth: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the review of the workings of the Single Intelligence Vote has been completed; and, if so, when the outcome will be made known, to the extent consonant with the national security. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Planned expenditure on the Single Intelligence Vote is being considered as part of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review. Expenditure plans from 1999-2000 through to 2000-2001 were published at the end of that review alongside other public expenditure plans. Planned expenditure on the Single Intelligence Vote is being further considered as part of the 2000 Spending Review in the same way as the expenditure for all government departments. The outcome will be announced before the Summer Recess. Motoring Offences: Penalties Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: When was the last time that the amount of fixed penalties for non-endorsable traffic offences was raised; and when any revision is likely to come into effect. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The levels of fixed penalties for motoring offences were last raised in 1992. We conducted a public consultation on proposed increases last summer. The results of the consultation have been considered and the Government expect to be able to announce a decision very shortly. Sex Offenders Act 1997: Part I Review Baroness Goudie: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to review the provisions of Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997; what form the review will take; and over what period it will take place. Lord Bassam of Brighton: My honourable friend the Minister of State at the Home Office, Mr Clarke, is happy to be able to announce that the Government are establishing a review of Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997. Officials will shortly be setting up a small steering group which will direct the review and undertake a consultation process. Research to be published shortly on the effectiveness of the Act will provide an important, but not exclusive, background for the review. The review will examine a wide range of aspects of Part I of the Act and will include consultation with other government departments, non-governmental organisations and the general public. I anticipate that the steering group will report to Ministers at the end of the year. Probation Service: Title Lord Windlesham: asked Her Majesty's Government: When, and for what reasons, the words "After-Care" were omitted from the formal title of the probation service. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The words "After-Care" were removed from the formal title of the Probation Service by Section 65 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982. The reason given at the time was that the words, which had been added by the Criminal Justice Act 1967, were no longer appropriate; they emphasised one aspect of the service's work at the expense of the other functions which it was undertaking. The change back to the original name had the support of all the main probation service organisations and the Magistrates' Association. Prison and Probation Services Inspectorates Lord Windlesham: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are planning to merge the offices of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons and HM Chief Inspector of Probation; and, if so, what justification there is for making such a change. Lord Bassam of Brighton: I refer the noble Lord to the reply I gave to the noble Lord, Lord Hurd of Westwell, on 12 June (Official Report, cols. 1368-70). Postal Voting: Record of Votes Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will introduce a marked register, open to inspection, of persons voting by post in elections. Lord Bassam of Brighton: A register is marked at the time of issue of postal ballot papers to indicate all those to whom a postal ballot paper has been issued. A copy of register is also marked in the polling station to show those to whom a ballot paper has been issued in person. These marked registers are available for public inspection. In addition, copies of the register showing those to whom postal ballot papers have been issued are sent to the candidates and agents contesting the election in question. There are no plans to keep a record of which postal ballot papers have been returned. Asylum Seekers: Support Services Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What services, other than accommodation, are provided to asylum seekers who are dispersed under the new arrangements in place since 3 April under the terms of the contracts with accommodation providers. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Accommodation providers are required to collect asylum seekers from a designated arrival point in the dispersal cluster area, transport them to their address and provide reception services sufficient to acquaint the asylum seeker with their accommodation. Providers must facilitate registration with a local general practitioner, a dentist and, for dependants aged five and under, a health visiting service. Where asylum seekers require immediate health care, providers are required to make immediate arrangements as appropriate. Additionally, providers are required to provide information to asylum seekers regarding health care, education, leisure, recreation, legal, police, emergency services, independent local advice services and the One Stop Service, a grant funded service provided by the voluntary sector giving advice and support to asylum seekers. Asylum Seekers: Support Services Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the terms of the contracts with the providers of accommodation to asylum seekers who are dispersed under the new arrangements in place since 3 April will be varied so that local authorities, voluntary organisations and churches who wish to provide support to the asylum seekers in their areas may be provided with their names and addresses. Lord Bassam of Brighton: We are not willing to provide for the routine disclosure of personal details of asylum seekers supported by the National Asylum Support Service to third parties. This would not be compatible with data protection legislation or our duty of confidentiality to asylum seekers. It is for that reason that we normally disclose personal information to a third party only with the consent of the asylum seeker. We will provide information to other agencies and public organisations without seeking the consent of the asylum seeker where we judge this necessary so they can prevent, detect, investigate or prosecute criminal offences. Asylum Seekers: Support Services Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will provide for asylum seekers to collect their vouchers from sub-post offices where they are the main post office in a town and where: (a) the distance to the nearest Crown Post Office is more than three miles; or (b) the cost of a return journey by public transport to the nearest Crown Post Office is more than 50 pence. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Vouchers are distributed by Branch Post Offices operated by Post Office Counters Limited. While the £10 weekly cash voucher is redeemable only at the Post Office, Buy-Pass retail vouchers are redeemable in a network of over 18,000 retail outlets nationwide. Over 600 post offices are currently in use to distribute vouchers. Others are being brought on stream as required, taking account of a range of factors, including cost and availability of public transport, numbers of asylum seekers likely to use proposed post offices, and possible future availability of further accommodation for asylum seekers in the area. Asylum Seekers: New Accommodation Contract Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What additions and changes have been made in the list of contracts that have been entered into between the National Asylum Support Agency and the providers of accommodation since 15 May. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Since 15 May, the National Asylum Support Service has signed a contract with the North East Local Authority Consortium and Leena Corporation Limited. Departmental Cars Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 8 June (WA 173), what type and make of cars are used by the Home Office. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Details of the cars in the directly managed Home Office Car Fleet are set out in the table. The information does not include vehicles provided for the use of Ministers by the Government Car Service. Type Make Model Saloon Estate Fuel Ford Escort 7 5 Petrol 7 -- Diesel Mondeo 7 1 Petrol 37 38 Diesel Galaxy 16 -- Petrol 6 -- Diesel Sierra* 2 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel Focus 1 -- Petrol 3 -- Diesel Fiesta -- -- Petrol 5 -- Diesel Vauxhall Astra 8 4 Petrol 17 4 Diesel Vectra 11 4 Petrol 4 2 Diesel Vauxhall (cont.) Cavalier* 3 -- Petrol 4 -- Diesel 10 -- Petrol Omega 6 -- Diesel -- -- Petrol Frontera 2 -- Diesel 2 -- Petrol Zafira -- -- Diesel 1 -- Petrol Carlton* -- -- Diesel 1 -- Petrol Nova* -- -- Diesel Peugeot 106 -- -- Petrol 2 -- Diesel 205* -- -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel 206 -- -- Petrol 4 -- Diesel 306 13 -- Petrol 14 -- Diesel 309* -- -- Petrol -- 11 Diesel 405* 4 1 Petrol 25 69 Diesel 406 17 -- Petrol 5 13 Diesel 806 -- -- Petrol 3 -- Diesel Renault 21* -- -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel Laguna 4 -- Petrol 5 -- Diesel Cleo 2 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel Megane 1 -- Petrol 5 -- Diesel Espace -- -- Petrol 5 -- Diesel Rover 75 1 -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel 214* 5 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel 216* 1 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel 416* 2 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel 420* 4 -- Petrol 2 -- Diesel 620* 2 -- Petrol 2 -- Diesel 820* 2 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel 825* -- -- Petrol 2 -- Diesel 25 -- -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel 200* 1 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel Montego* -- -- Petrol -- 2 Diesel Citroen ZX 1 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel Xsara -- -- Petrol 14 4 Diesel Xantia 3 -- Petrol 16 11 Diesel Synergie 1 -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel Fiat Brava 1 -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel Honda Accord 1 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel Mitsubishi Galant 1 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel Nissan Primera 7 1 Petrol -- 1 Diesel Proton Persona 1 -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel Toyota Avensis 6 -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel Volvo 850* -- 1 Petrol -- -- Diesel S40 1 1 Petrol 2 -- Diesel S90 1 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel V70 -- 3 Petrol -- -- Diesel -- -- Petrol -- -- Diesel Volkswagen Golf 1 -- Petrol 4 -- Diesel Passat 1 -- Petrol 8 -- Diesel Sharan -- -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel Audi A4 -- -- Petrol 2 -- Diesel SEAT Toledo 1 -- Petrol 1 -- Diesel Skoda Octavia 1 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel Chrysler Neon 1 -- Petrol -- -- Diesel * These vehicles are discontinued models. These figures do not include fleet figures for the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) or the Emergency Fire Service (EFS), which are no longer managed by this unit. Departmental Cars Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 8 June (WA 173), what type and make of cars are used by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Lord Irvine of Lairg: The breakdown of type and make of cars used by the Lord Chancellor's Department is shown in the following table. Manufacturer Model Alfa Romeo 146 Twin Spark Citroen Saxo Citroen Xantia Citroen Xsara Citroen ZX Fiat Brava Fiat Marea Fiat Punto Ford Escort Ford Fiesta Ford Focus Ford Mondeo Honda Accord Honda Civic Honda CR-V Honda Shuttle Nissan Almera Peugeot 106 Peugeot 206 Peugeot 306 Peugeot 406 Renault Clio Renault Laguna Renault Megane Rover Land Rover Rover Montego Rover 220 Rover 420 Rover 620 Seat Toledo Toyota Carina Toyota Picnic Vauxhall Astra Vauxhall Corsa Vauxhall Vectra Volvo S40 Volkswagen Golf Volkswagen Passat Volkswagen Polo Civil Justice System: IT Plans Lord Gladwin of Clee: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to publish plans for the use of information technology in support of the civil justice system. Lord Irvine of Lairg: My department will publish a paper tomorrow, entitled Civil.Justice.2000: A vision of the Civil Justice System in the Information Age. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Internet at my department's website (http://www.open.gov.uk/lcd).
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2000-06-26a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2000", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Home Office Asylum: LGBT People Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 3 March (HL5244), what steps they plan to take to ensure that information about people claiming asylum on grounds of their sexuality is recorded on a central database. Lord Bates: Information on the basis of an asylum claim is not usually recorded but the Home Office has made arrangements to record this data for cases made on the basis of sexuality on our Case Information Database.We have reminded decision makers to record this information accurately for all such cases and recording compliance is reviewed as part of the second pair of eyes checks on these cases. Asylum: Detainees Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of asylum seekers being detained under powers in the Immigration Acts, what access they have to statutory, free and independent forms of advocacy on an individual basis, excluding legal representation. Lord Bates: All asylum applicants are directed to a range of sources of advice and support offered by non-governmental organisations. However we consider that statutory access to free and independent forms of advocacy is best delivered through providing the asylum applicant with the opportunity to consult a legal representative at his or her own, or public expense (in accordance with provision made by the Legal Aid Agency) or otherwise. This could be a barrister, solicitor or adviser; all however must be qualified to provide advice under Section 84 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to ensure that the advice offered is of the sufficient quality.Safeguards exist for those entering detention through the Detention Duty Advice scheme which was set up by the Legal Aid Agency to provide access to legal advice in detention centres. The scheme provides free legal advice under legal aid for people held in immigration detention, who cannot afford a fee-paying private legal adviser or who are no longer represented by a duty solicitor. Entry Clearances: Nepal Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what conditions a Nepalese man must meet to obtain a three-month tourist visa to visit the United Kingdom if he is married to a woman who is a British citizen resident in the United Kingdom. Lord Bates: All visit visa applications, regardless of nationality, are carefully considered in accordance with the Immigration Rules. Visitors must demonstrate that they are genuinely visiting the UK for a period of less than six months and intend to leave the UK at the end of their proposed visit. Applicants must satisfy our decision-makers that they have strong social and economic ties to their home country as well as adequate funds to cover the cost of their travel to and stay in the UK without taking employment or accessing public funds. DNA Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they consider to be the evidential consequences of the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights that DNA samples can only be retained for up to a maximum of two years under certain circumstances; and whether DNA profiles provide a sufficient basis to initiate a prosecution in the absence of an actual sample. Lord Bates: Under the new regime relating to DNA samples introduced by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, DNA samples must normally be destroyed once a DNA profile has been derived from them, or six months after they have been taken, whichever period is shorter. Profiles are compared with existing subject and crime scene profiles held on the DNA database. If there is a match between profiles, this could form part of the prosecution evidence in a case; however, an individual cannot be convicted on the basis of DNA evidence alone. Therefore the destruction of samples will not normally affect the initiation of a prosecution. If a person is charged with an offence and disputes that a profile used in evidence was derived from a sample taken from them, and the sample has been destroyed, the police have the power to take another sample.In the exceptional circumstance that a sample is required for disclosure as evidence under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, it is not required to be destroyed until after any proceedings have been completed.The Government will consider carefully any court rulings which may have an implication for the policy outlined above. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Parental Leave Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received regarding the accuracy or otherwise of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills online tool to calculate qualification for shared parental leave. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: A firm of solicitors has asked BIS how the on-line calculator calculates the period of continuous employment which an employee must complete to qualify for shared parental leave. The calculator is accessed through GOV.UK and is designed to help parents and prospective parents work out their entitlements. We believe that the calculator delivers the right answer for shared parental leave. As a result of this query we are now looking at how the calculator calculates the period of continuous employment for entitlement for other forms of statutory leave and also for statutory pay. We are doing this to verify that all these calculations are correct. We will take steps to address any discrepancies we find. Department for International Development St Helena Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to announce details of air passenger services to St Helena. Baroness Northover: The UK Government is providing support to the air service procurement process that is currently underway and run by the St Helena Government. St Helena Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to announce details of freight and passenger shipping services to replace those currently provided by the Royal Mail Ship St Helena. Baroness Northover: The ocean shipping service procurement process is being run by the St Helena Government. They will make an announcement as soon as this process has been concluded. St Helena Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on increasing and improving facilities on St Helena for the anticipated increase in tourists once the new airport is completed. Baroness Northover: Enterprise St Helena (ESH), St Helena’s Economic Development Agency, continues to develop the island’s tourism industry and its accommodation. ESH also continues to support local businesses to ensure that St Helena’s tourist attractions are developed and accredited to international standards. Ministry of Justice Cycling: Greater London Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cyclists have been (1) cautioned, and (2) convicted, for road traffic offences in the last 12 months in the Cities of London and Westminster. Lord Faulks: The Department recognises that everyone who uses the highway has a responsibility to behave safely and with consideration for others.The enforcement of cycling offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. Officers can issue verbal warnings, fixed penalty notices or report the road user for formal prosecution.Court proceedings and cautions data for 2014 (which includes data on offenders cautioned and found guilty at all courts of offences related to pedal cycles) are planned for publication in May 2015. The same data for 2015 are planned for publication in spring 2016. The Lord Chairman of Committees House of Lords: Catering Lord Storey: To ask the Chairman of Committees whether the gratuities paid for food and drink by Members of the House of Lords on debit and credit card are directly paid to the service staff; and if so, how. Lord Sewel: All Catering and Retail Services staff, with the exception of staff grade A and above, receive a share of gratuities and function service charges, including those paid on debit and credit cards. The formula for working out the share for each permanent member of staff is based on contracted hours. Gratuities are distributed three times a year through payroll after deductions for National Insurance and income tax. A proportion of gratuities and function service charges is paid to zero hour staff (none of whom has a contractual exclusivity clause) split on a pro-rata basis according to the number of hours they have worked. House of Lords: Postal Services Lord Greaves: To ask the Chairman of Committees what is the expected length of time between external mail arriving at the Parliamentary Estate and its delivery to Lords’ offices; and what is the average time taken. Lord Sewel: There are frequent deliveries of mail from the mail screening centre to the Estate. Mail received from the centre before 6.40am is delivered to Members’ offices between 9am and 10am. Mail received between 6.40am and 10am is delivered between 12noon and 1pm. Any mail received later is delivered the following working day.Delivery of courier items received at the Parcel Office between 8am and 3pm is attempted within two hours. Items received after 3pm are delivered by 10am the following working day.Royal Mail items requiring signature received before 1.30pm are delivered in a round beginning at 2pm; if items are delayed another round is carried out at 4pm. Ministry of Defence Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of each Sea Lightning will be built in the United Kingdom by BAE Systems and other British contractors. Lord Astor of Hever: The F-35 Programme is not developing a Sea Lightning. It is only developing the F-35 A, B and C, which is designated Lightning II by the UK. British contractors produce approximately 15% by value of each Lightning II aircraft. Military Aircraft: Air Traffic Control Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to place a contract to implement Project Marshall. Lord Astor of Hever: The contract to implement Project Marshall was placed on 28 October 2014. USA Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have published, or intend to publish, the Statement of Intent regarding Enhanced Co-operation on Carrier Operations and Maritime Power Projection which was signed by the Secretary of State for Defence and the United States Secretary of Defense in January 2012. Lord Astor of Hever: The document referred to was placed in the Library of the House on 2 February 2012 in response to an answer given in the House of Commons by the then Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology (Peter Luff) on 1 February 2012 (Official Report, column 649W) to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson). Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Lake District National Park Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had or plan to have with the Lake District National Park Authority about its programme of land sales and in particular its decision to advertise for sale land at Stickle Tarn (Great Langdale), Yewbarrow Woods (Longsleddale), Blue Hill and Red Bank Wood, Blea Brows (Coniston Water), Lady Wood (White Moss), Banerigg Wood (White Moss), and the amenity land with river frontage at Portinscale. Lord De Mauley: Defra officials have discussed these issues with the Lake District National Park Authority to understand the situation better. Solar Power Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord De Mauley on 25 February (HL Deb, cols 1648–9) concerning solar panels, whether they plan to extend the policy of not subsidising farmers twice for solar panels to wind farms. Lord De Mauley: Wind turbines and their hard standings are already ineligible under the basic payments scheme. Wind farms do not significantly hamper agricultural activity as they require widely spaced turbines and the blades are sited well above field level. Accordingly, the Government has no plans to make wind farms ineligible for payment. Department for Communities and Local Government Veterans: Homelessness Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 2 March (HL Deb, col 6), what is their assessment of the number of (1) veterans casually sleeping rough, and (2) homeless veterans, in (a) London, and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 2 March (HL Deb, col 6), what programmes they have to help veterans sleeping rough in (1) London, and (2) the rest of the United Kingdom; what programmes are in place to move homeless veterans to permanent housing; and what programmes are in place to prevent veterans from becoming homeless. Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 2 March (HL Deb, col 6), why Lord Wallace did not answer the question asked relating to veterans sleeping rough. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: DCLG’s Rough Sleeping Statistics England – Autumn 2014 statistical release provides a single night snapshot and does not provide information on the demographics of rough sleepers. However, the Greater London Authority’s CHAIN (Combined Homeless and Information Network) database in London shows that, in 2013/14, 3% (145) of people seen rough sleeping who are from the UK had served in the armed forces. The Government has increased spending to prevent and tackle rough sleeping and homelessness making over £500 million available, giving councils the funding and tools needed to take action against rough sleeping locally. There is a range of initiatives and projects in place to help rough sleepers, prevent single homelessness and to help those who have been homeless find and sustain accommodation. The initiatives help a wide range of single homeless people including military veterans. StreetLink has helped thousands of vulnerable people who have slept rough or faced the prospect of doing so. By using Streetlink the public can help connect rough sleepers to the local services available so they can get the help they need to get them off the streets. Since 2012, StreetLink has made nearly 24,500 rough sleeping referrals to councils to investigate, leading to 10,500 rough sleepers being found and connected with local services of which nearly 2,000 resulted in them finding accommodation. We have also supported the roll-out of No Second Night Out nationally through the £20 million Homelessness Transition Fund for the voluntary sector, ensuring rough sleepers are found quickly and that they do not spend more than one night on the street. We have launched an £8 million Help for Single Homeless Fund for local authorities which will improve council services for single people facing the prospect of homelessness. Thirty-four projects, working across 168 local authorities, will provide support for up 22,000 single homeless people. The Government is helping single homeless people find and sustain accommodation in the private rented sector through our £14 million funding to Crisis. By 2016 we expect the Crisis scheme to have helped 10,000 single homeless people since it started in 2010. We have also introduced protection to ensure that former and current Service personnel are not disadvantaged in accessing social housing because of the disadvantages of military life. We have changed the law by regulation so that seriously injured personnel and former members of the Armed Forces with urgent housing needs must always be given high priority for social housing by local authorities. We have also made sure that serving personnel and those who have recently been discharged do not lose their qualification rights because of the requirement to move from base to base. Additionally, we have issued statutory guidance strongly encouraging local authorities to give sympathetic consideration to prioritising the needs of all former Service personnel, for example through the use of local preference criteria and local lettings policies. The devolved administrations publish their own statistics on homelessness and rough sleeping. HM Treasury Bank Services: Switzerland Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which were the 10 jurisdictions into which closed bank accounts held in Switzerland by United Kingdom residents were transferred according to information provided to them by the Swiss National Bank. Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they plan to take in connection with bankers who colluded in tax evasion or oversaw those perpetrating collusion. Lord Deighton: HL4893 Under the Swiss Agreement HMRC received a list of the top 10 destinations to where funds were moved in the period before the Agreement came into force. They are using this information together with information from compliance work to follow the proceeds of tax evasion. As with Lichtenstein agreement signed in 2009, HMRC is legally restricted by the Agreement’s terms from publishing the information provided. HL4896 Where there is evidence of collusion in tax evasion or other wrongdoing, the relevant law enforcement agency would assess that evidence and decide whether to pursue an investigation. HMRC received the data from the French in April 2010 under very strict international treaty conditions, which limited its use to tax purposes only and prevented HMRC from sharing the data with other law enforcement authorities for investigating other potential offences. HMRC first asked for the conditions to be relaxed in August 2010. Following a number of more recent representations, the French authorities gave written confirmation on 23 February 2015 that they were lifting restrictions on the use and sharing of the data with other law enforcement agencies and regulators for the purpose of investigating criminal offences. As a result, HMRC has recently held a multi-agency meeting to discuss how the stolen HSBC Suisse data can be shared with them. HSBC Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what regulatory actions were taken in the United Kingdom in connection with HSBC as a consequence of the fines imposed in the United States in response to its involvement in money laundering on behalf of Mexican drug cartels. Lord Deighton: I can confirm to the Noble Lord that the information I provided him in response to his written question answered on 17th June 2013 remains accurate: US investigations and enforcement action on HSBC focused on their subsidiaries in the US. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has no direct supervisory remit over these HSBC entities. However, in conjunction with the action taken by the US, the (then) FSA, as lead regulator for the HSBC Group globally, made a number of requirements of HSBC Holdings plc, designed to ensure that all parts of the HSBC Group are compliant with the relevant legal and regulatory requirements across the Group to prevent similar failings occurring in future. This included requiring a committee of the HSBC Board to oversee matters relating to anti-money laundering, sanctions, terrorist financing and proliferation financing; requiring the Group to revise its policies and procedures to ensure that all parts of the HSBC Group are subject to standards equivalent to those required under UK requirements; HSBC employing an independent monitor to oversee the Group's compliance with UK anti-money laundering, sanctions, terrorist financing and proliferation financing requirements and to provide independent reporting to the HSBC Board committee and regulators. HSBC Holdings was also required to appoint a Group Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), with responsibility for ensuring that systems and controls are in place across the Group. The FCA is closely monitoring the implementation of these requirements by HSBC. HSBC Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint was made aware of the information forwarded to them by the government of France on alleged tax evasion made possible by HSBC. Lord Deighton: Due to the longstanding legal requirements for taxpayer confidentiality, Ministers are not made aware of invidual tax cases. At no point were Ministers made aware of any suggestion of wrong doing by HSBC itself. Banks: Tax Havens Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to ban United Kingdom banks from operating branches or subsidiaries in offshore tax havens; and whether United Kingdom regulators have any regulatory responsibility for those banks, their management or those in the United Kingdom who supervise such activities. Lord Deighton: The Government does not impose restrictions on where UK banks can operate overseas. However, the UK has championed international tax transparency and through our G8 Presidency has driven the agreement and early implementation of the new global standard for automatic exchange of financial information for tax purposes. To date over 90 countries have committed to exchange such information on a multilateral basis. The UK also remains committed to ensuring that there are effective anti-avoidance rules in place to protect the UK corporation tax base. This includes the introduction of new Controlled Foreign Company rules (effective from the beginning of 2013) which help to deter and prevent artificial diversion of profits from the UK. It also includes supporting the G20-OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project which is looking to address weaknesses in international tax rules which allow companies to avoid paying tax on their profits. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are the UK financial services regulators. The role of the FCA and PRA in regulating overseas branches and subsidiaries of UK banks is dependent on the specific circumstances of an individual case. However, I have asked the FCA and the PRA to reply directly to the Noble Lord by letter to explain their role in this area. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House. HSBC Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish or place in the Library of the House the agreement under which HM Revenue and Customs received from its French equivalent details of accounts allegedly held at HSBC Suisse; whether the terms of that agreement were negotiated by HM Revenue and Customs and advised to ministers; whether HM Revenue and Customs took legal advice and sought the views of ministers on the agreement before its signing; and under which legal jurisdiction the agreement is enforceable. Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the terms of the agreement between HM Revenue and Customs and its French equivalent relating to HSBC Suisse was shown to the Board of HM Revenue and Customs or discussed at a HM Revenue and Customs Board meeting. Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether copies of HM Revenue and Customs Board papers and minutes of Board meetings are provided to HM Treasury and the Board of HM Treasury or its Council of Economic Advisers. Lord Deighton: Information provided to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by the French tax authorities in respect of individuals indicated to hold accounts at the Geneva branch of HSBC Suisse and understood to be UK residents was supplied to HMRC under the terms of both the Mutual Assistance Directive 77/799/EEC[1] and the Double Taxation Convention in force between France and the United Kingdom at that time[2]. The Mutual Assistance Directive had been in force since 23 December 1977. The Double Taxation Convention has been in force since 18 December 2009, replacing an earlier convention which had been in force since 1969. Since their entry into force each of these agreements has been a matter of public record. There was, therefore, no new agreement for the Board of HMRC to negotiate or consider in connection with the provision of the information by the French tax authorities. HMRC does not share copies of Board papers and minutes with HM Treasury. However, senior HM Treasury officials are standing invitees to HMRC's monthly Executive Committee meeting, which is the Department's main executive forum and the primary place where decisions are taken with regards to setting and delivering strategy and improving performance in key areas, and as such they have routine access to relevant committee meeting papers and minutes. Each HMRC Executive Committee member also takes responsibility for the management of activities within a specific portfolio, including enforcement and compliance and business or personal tax customer services; HM Treasury officials do not have access to this level of information which ‎contains operational compliance and taxpayer confidential information.[1] http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31977L0799[2] http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxtreaties/in-force/france.pdf Taxation: Domicil Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review present restrictions on non-domiciled persons remitting capital to the United Kingdom; and whether they will exempt or apply a lower rate to money remitted for United Kingdom investment or charitable donation. Lord Deighton: There are no restrictions on non-domiciled individuals from remitting capital to the UK. Where the individual is taxed on the remittance basis, such payments may be subject to UK tax, where they are foreign income or gains. The Chancellor of the Exchequer keeps all taxes under review. Inheritance Tax Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the cost of raising the inheritance tax threshold to £1 million. Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the cost of raising the inheritance tax threshold to £500,000. Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the benefits to the Exchequer of ending the right to transfer from a deceased spouse to a remaining spouse the unused inheritance tax nil rate threshold band. Lord Deighton: HM Revenue and Customs publishes various illustrative tax changes on tax revenues in 2014 to 2015, 2015 to 2016 and 2016 to 2017, and estimates of the cost of tax reliefs for 2012 to 2013 and 2013 to 2014. This information has been deposited in the Library of the House. LIBOR Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many announcements of donations to charities from the funds received in penalties for the manipulation of Libor have been made by ministers. Lord Deighton: Since June 2012, HM Treasury has received LIBOR fines from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which the Chancellor has chosen to use to help and support those who demonstrate the very best values in our society. There have been announcements around LIBOR fines made at each Autumn Statement and Budget since 2012. Cabinet Office Food Poverty Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to prevent people from having to use food banks. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Under this Government, year on year food prices have fallen, with an annual rate of inflation for food and non-alcoholic drinks of minus 2.5 per cent in the year to January 2015 - the lowest rate since the official CPI series began in 1997. Our welfare system offers a vital safety net, providing around £94bn in 2014/15 on working age benefits to support people who are, for instance, on low incomes or out of work. We are also taking action to help hardworking families with their food costs, for example through free school meals and the Healthy Start and School Fruit and Vegetable Schemes. Department for Culture Media and Sport Castes: Discrimination Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to seek advice from the Propriety and Ethics team in the Cabinet Office about launching the consultation on adding caste to the list of protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010 in a 12-week period that overlaps the general election. Baroness Garden of Frognal: General election guidance for Government Departments published by the Cabinet Office includes advice on carrying out public consultations. That guidance primarily covers situations where an election is called once a public consultation is already under way, rather than any consideration that would be necessary about whether to launch a consultation when an election is known to be imminent. In the case of caste, that consultation has been delayed because of legal developments in a caste-related case – Chandhok v Tirkey. The Employment Appeal Tribunal issued a judgment in December 2014 opening the possibility that claims of caste-associated discrimination may already have a legal remedy under existing legislation, namely the “ethnic origins” element of Section 9 of the Equality Act 2010. We are now carefully considering the judgment’s implications for discrimination law in respect of caste in order to ensure the appropriate level of protection against caste-associated discrimination exists. Broadband: Rural Areas Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to roll out superfast broadband to rural areas of the United Kingdom. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: On 9 February 2015 the Government announced that 2 million premises have been passed by its Superfast Broadband Programme, meaning that superfast broadband is now available to almost 80% of UK premises, up from 45% in 2010. The Government funding is supporting further investment by the private sector to ensure that the benefits of better broadband are extended as widely as possible. Through over 50 local projects the Government, Local Authorities and Devolved Administrations are investing over £1.7 billion in improving broadband. The Superfast Broadband Programme is being delivered in three phases:· Phase 1 (formerly known as the Rural Broadband Programme) aims to provide superfast broadband coverage to 90% of UK homes and businesses by early 2016 and provide access to standard broadband (2Mbps) for all· Phase 2 aims to provide superfast broadband coverage to 95% of the UK by 2017 · Phase 3 is testing options to roll-out superfast broadband beyond 95% Broadband: Rural Areas Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to fast-track those rural areas which have not received funding for superfast broadband. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Superfast Broadband will be available to 95% of UK homes and businesses by 2017. The Government is undertaking a number of market testing pilot projects to explore options for extending coverage beyond the 95% level. Broadband: Rural Areas Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the lack of superfast broadband on businesses, farming communities, households and the elderly, particularly in rural areas. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The benefits of superfast broadband are summarised in the UK Broadband Impact Study (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-broadband-impact-study--2). This looked at a wide range of benefits, including considerations around different business sectors, and rurality. Given the benefits identified the Government aims to provide 95 per cent superfast broadband coverage by 2017, and is exploring options for taking coverage beyond that level. Broadband: Rural Areas Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will use Compton Bassett in Wiltshire as a pilot test case for installing superfast broadband in rural areas due to its special and unusual challenges. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government remains committed to taking superfast broadband coverage further than the 95% level to be achieved by current programmes, but there are no current plans to undertake a pilot exercise in Compton Bassett. Castes: Discrimination Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 4 August 2014 (HL1061), when they received the report of the feasibility study commissioned by the Government Equalities Office; and why the report has not yet been published. Baroness Garden of Frognal: We received a final copy of the report in January 2015, and its findings are currently under consideration. We will publish it as soon as we are in a position to do so. Public Service Broadcasting Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish a consultation concerning broadcast retransmission fees in relation to public sector broadcasters. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Department intends to consult in the near future although no date has been formally set as yet. Department of Health Passive Smoking Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of people who died as a result of passive smoking in each of the last five years. Earl Howe: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 17 February 2015.The correct answer should have been: Exposure to secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard. More than 50 carcinogens have been identified in secondhand smoke. The report of the United States Surgeon General titled “The health consequences of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke” concluded that secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke. The scientific evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in children. Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer. Legislation to stop smoking in vehicles carrying children will come into force in England on 1 October 2015. The report of the Royal College of Physicians Surgeons titled “Going smoke-free: The medical case for clean air in the home, at work and in public places” included estimates that secondhand smoke exposure caused approximately 122,200 deaths in the United Kingdom in 2003, and that the majority of these deaths occurred as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke in the home. These estimates were made prior to the introduction of smokefree legislation in England in 2007. Over the past decade, the proportion of smokers who say that they do not smoke in the home has increased. The evidence is clear that smokefree legislation in England has had beneficial effects on health, as set out in the report “The Impact of smokefree legislation in England: evidence review” which was published alongside the Government’s “Tobacco Control Plan for England” in March 2011. The reports referred to have been placed in the Library. Earl Howe: Exposure to secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard. More than 50 carcinogens have been identified in secondhand smoke. The report of the United States Surgeon General titled “The health consequences of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke” concluded that secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke. The scientific evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in children. Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer. Legislation to stop smoking in vehicles carrying children will come into force in England on 1 October 2015. The report of the Royal College of Physicians Surgeons titled “Going smoke-free: The medical case for clean air in the home, at work and in public places” included estimates that secondhand smoke exposure caused approximately 122,200 deaths in the United Kingdom in 2003, and that the majority of these deaths occurred as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke in the home. These estimates were made prior to the introduction of smokefree legislation in England in 2007. Over the past decade, the proportion of smokers who say that they do not smoke in the home has increased. The evidence is clear that smokefree legislation in England has had beneficial effects on health, as set out in the report “The Impact of smokefree legislation in England: evidence review” which was published alongside the Government’s “Tobacco Control Plan for England” in March 2011. The reports referred to have been placed in the Library. Off-licences Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the volume of alcohol sold by off-licensed premises other than supermarkets in England and Wales in 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Earl Howe: The Government does not collect data on alcohol sales from retailers. Published data is available annually from the British Beer and Pub Association Statistical Handbook. The following table contains the estimated percentage of the volume of alcohol sold in the off-licensed trade by off-licensed premises excluding supermarkets in England and Wales in 2009, 2012 and 2013. Data for 2014 has not been published. Sales Volume of Alcoholic Drinks – Impulse 1 - Proportion of off-trade sales volume (%) sold by off-licensed premises other than supermarkets YearBeer200932.3201226.0201325.4 YearSpirits200925.7201218.7201318.2 YearCider200938.7201233.5201332.1 YearWine200925.8201216.0201316.4 Source: British Beer & Pub Association, Statistical Handbook 2010, 2013 and 2014 Note: 1. Impulse - consists of convenience stores, specialist off licenses and independent retailers. Off-licences Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many off-licensed premises other than supermarkets in England are signed up as partners to the Public Health Responsibility Deal; and how many pledges they have made. Earl Howe: We do not ask Responsibility Deal partners about their license status, therefore we do not know how many off-licensed premises other than supermarkets in England are signed up as partners to the Responsibility Deal nor do we know how many pledges off-licensed premises, other than supermarkets, have made. A full list of partners is available on the Responsibility Deal website at: https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/ Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 2 February (HL4599), given the recent closure of Nottingham University Trust's acute dermatology service, what steps they are taking to relieve increasing service pressure on dermatology in the long term. Earl Howe: The commissioning and provision of National Health Services is a matter for the local NHS. The NHS Trust Development Authority advises that since Monday 2 February Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has been unable to provide a comprehensive adult dermatology service. It no longer has sufficient consultant dermatologist capacity to sustain such a service. The Trust has worked with commissioners to ensure a satisfactory service is available to local people from alternative providers. Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group has commissioned a review to assess how to meet the needs of the population in the future. It would not be appropriate for Ministers or the Department to intervene in this matter. In Vitro Fertilisation Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 24 February 2015 (HL4890 and HL4891), whether Professor Grifo was himself directly involved in performing the experiment described by the abstract in Fertility and Sterility in 2003 (Volume 30, supplement 3, p56); if so, what was indicated in the letter sent to a member of the Expert Panel convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) regarding the personal responsibility that Professor Grifo held for the conduct of that experiment; or, if not, why the HFEA’s Expert Panel did not correspond with those at Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Science who had actually performed the experiment on the woman in China. Earl Howe: We have nothing further to add to the answers given previously on the subject of the published abstract of the Zhang research group. Tobacco Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 25 February (HL 4956) concerning meetings with smoking organisations, whether they will now arrange to meet the Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco; and when they last met representatives of the tobacco industry. Earl Howe: Requests for meetings are considered by the Department when they are received. Officials met with representatives of the Digital Coding and Tracking Association, whose members include British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, Imperial Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International, on 18 November 2014 to discuss the track and trace and security features of the revised Tobacco Products Directive. Macular Degeneration: Drugs Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to make the drug Avastin available to treat people with wet age-related macular degeneration. Earl Howe: Avastin is not licensed for treating wet age related macular degeneration. Whilst only the manufacturer is able to apply for a new licence, doctors are free to prescribe unlicensed medicines and licensed products off label if they feel they are clinically appropriate for their patients. There are two products – Lucentis and Eylea – which are licensed and have both been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for this purpose. It is ultimately the responsibility of the prescriber to recommend the drug that best suits the individual clinical needs of his or her patient following Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and General Medical Council guidance.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2015-03-12
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2015", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Palace of Westminster: Power Supply Lord Colwyn: asked the Chairman of Committees: How many times the heavy machinery working between the Palace of Westminster and Old Palace Yard during the summer recess accidentally (a) cut off the main power supply, and (b) cut off the back-up power supply; and what is the estimated cost of repairs and the loss in ticket sales to the Palace of Westminster visitor ticket office in Old Palace Yard. Lord Brabazon of Tara: During the week commencing 13 August the back-up supply cable to 7 Old Palace Yard was damaged by the contractor working on the road outside. At this time the cable was not being used as the mains supply was intact. Before the cable could be repaired the contractor damaged the main supply cable. The damage cut all power to Old Palace Yard. This cable was repaired later that same evening by EDF Energy (the main electricity supplier). The back-up cable was replaced during the first weekend of September. The cost of repairs to the back-up cable was approximately £7,000 plus VAT. The Palace of Westminster visitor ticket office lost approximately £2,000 in revenue during the period of the power cut due to the inability to process credit card payments. This was the only instance of loss of power supply during the Summer Recess up to 10 September. Should there be a further loss of power during the coming month I will provide additional information. Antiquities Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have yet received a copy of the report, dated 27 July 2006, of a Committee of Inquiry established by University College, London (UCL), to investigate the provenance of antiquities (654 Aramaic incantation bowls) then in the possession of UCL; and what is the current location of the antiquities in question. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not received a full copy of the report relating to the collection of Aramaic incantation bowls. I understand that University College, London, returned the bowls to the Schøyen Collection. Armed Forces: War Pensioners Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether chief executives of health authorities and trusts have complied with and are continuing to comply with the arrangements for priority treatment of war pensioners published in the Department of Health's guidance HSG(97)31; and what monitoring takes place of compliance with these arrangements. Lord Darzi of Denham: War pensioners, including recipients of awards under the Armed Forces compensation scheme, are entitled to National Health Service priority examination and treatment for conditions accepted as due to service. Priority is primarily a function of clinical need and is determined by the clinician in charge, subject only to emergency and other urgent cases. Regular reminders about priority treatment for war pensioners are circulated by the health services to senior NHS managers who are tasked to ensure that relevant clinical staff are aware. The Ministry of Defence and its Veterans Agency receive feedback from individual war pensioners and ex-service organisations on the delivery of priority treatment. Where necessary, the department takes up individual cases with the relevant health authority. Ghana: Cocoa Production Baroness Northover: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the recent report by the Government of Ghana Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment, Pilot Labour Survey in Cocoa Production in Ghana—2006, which details dangerous working practices amongst children on cocoa farms; and whether they will urge chocolate companies to source from farms that are not engaging in such exploitation. Lord Malloch-Brown: We are concerned by the findings of the Ghana Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment's pilot labour survey in cocoa production and are committed to tackling the problem of child labour in the developing world. We have raised the issue with the Ghanaian Government, most recently in May and through workshops in social protection in September. The Government of Ghana passed the Children's Act 1988, which prohibits child labour, especially the engagement of children in hazardous and exploitative work. They are working with the International Labour Organisation on a programme for the elimination of child labour since 2000. The pilot labour survey demonstrates the Government's willingness to constantly monitor and review the situation. Additionally, the Ghanaian Government have encouraged more children into school by making education free. The Government are contributing £100 million over 10 years towards the education sector in Ghana. The Government are also supporting the Government of Ghana to put in place a new social security system, which will target the poorest households—those where children are being forced to work. If these households are guaranteed a minimum level of income, children should no longer need to work. The Government and the Government of Ghana have both been in dialogue with chocolate manufacturers to encourage these companies to help Ghana tackle the issue of child labour through collaborative efforts. There is an official agreement, between governments of countries involved in cocoa production and companies producing chocolate, known as the Harkin-Engel Protocol (2001). This protocol commits all parties to addressing the worst forms of child labour and forced adult labour in the supply chain of the cocoa industry. As a result, the major international chocolate companies have been supporting some of the Government of Ghana's child labour eradication programmes—including part funding the pilot labour survey, encouraging school attendance and setting up more schools near cocoa plants. Northern Ireland: Captain Nairac Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in light of the statement made by Mr Terry McCormick of his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Captain Nairac, broadcast by BBC Northern Ireland on 19 June, they will bring forward the case of Captain Nairac from others being investigated by the historic inquiries team, so that (a) an early decision may be made on the possible prosecution of Mr McCormick; and (b) information concerning the location of Captain Nairac's remains may be obtained. Lord Rooker: The murder of Robert Nairac is one of a number of cases that is currently under review by the historic inquiries team. If evidence is uncovered which would support a prosecution then a report will be forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service. Northern Ireland: Extradition Requests Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many extradition requests have been made to the United States authorities in respect of persons wanted in connection with the allegations of terrorist crimes connected with Northern Ireland since 1 June. Lord Rooker: It is normal government policy to neither confirm nor deny whether an extradition request has been, or is in the process of being, made in relation to any particular individual. Although the subject of this particular question is the number of requests, and not whether a request has been made in relation to a specific individual, the terms of the question are sufficiently narrow that an answer could lead to the possibility of an inference being made in respect of specific individuals. The Government therefore consider that to respond to the question would breach the spirit of the policy and that the disclosure of this information would therefore be likely to prejudice the administration of justice. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the total cost of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland for 2006-07; what will be the cost for the current financial year; and what was the total staffing complement in 2006-07. Lord Rooker: The total expenditure incurred by the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland for 2006-07 was £8,514,150; the budget allocation for the office of the Police Ombudsman for 2007-08 is £9.076 million. The permanent staff complement for the office in 2006-07 was 128. In addition, 13 staff were employed on historic inquiries related work. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many published reports the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland brought forward in 2006-07; how many criminal charges against police officers have been brought as a result of those reports; and what was the overall number of criminal convictions of police officers in that financial year. Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has published three investigative reports in 2006-07; no criminal charges have been brought against police officers as a result of those reports. Further research reports have been published by the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland during this period and can be found on its website. The PSNI has advised that 42 police officers have been convicted of criminal offences during 2006-07. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the total number of criminal convictions of police officers in Northern Ireland since the establishment of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; and what has been the offence and resultant punishment relating to each conviction. Lord Rooker: The PSNI has advised that 227 police officers have been convicted of criminal offences since the establishment of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland until 31 March 2007. The information relating to the offence and punishment for each of these offences could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the total number of police personnel serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary or Police Service of Northern Ireland during each year since the establishment of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland was established on 6 November 2000. The information requested is set out in the following table. RUC/PSNI STRENGTHS Regular Full-time reserve Part-time reserve Total December 2000 8,354 2,557 1,097 12,008 December 2001 7,135 2,256 1,031 10,422 December 2002 7,006 1,852 951 9,809 December 2003 7,322 1,645 868 9,835 December 2004 7,488 1,420 787 9,695 December 2005 7,490 1,060 844 9,394 December 2006 7,534 793 781 9,108 September 2007 7,411 674 858 8,943 Source: PSNI Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any members of staff in the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland have been (a) dismissed, or (b) suspended from duty or had their contracts curtailed since the office was established; and, if so, how many in each year. Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman has advised that one member of staff is currently suspended from duty and five members of staff have been dismissed. This is broken down as follows: 2001—One member of staff dismissed; 2003—Two members of staff dismissed; 2006—One member of staff dismissed; and 2007—One member of staff dismissed. United Nations: Responsibility to Protect Lord Blaker: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their latest assessment of the value of the United Nations doctrine of the responsibility to protect; and to what countries they have considered it relevant. Lord Malloch-Brown: We continue to uphold strongly the value of the concept of the responsibility to protect, to which all UN member states committed themselves during the world summit of 2005. Here, for the first time, world leaders agreed that Governments have the responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity within states. The UK believes it to be a powerful tool in reminding Governments and the international community of their protection responsibilities. The responsibility to protect is relevant to the entire international community, as all UN member states have signed up to it. In particular, the UK secured specific reference to the concept in Security Council resolutions (SCRs) relating to the situation in Sudan (SCR 1706 and SCR 1755), and in SCR 1674 on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The UK will continue to encourage and help states to build capacity to exercise their responsibility to protect; to assist states which are under stress before crises and conflicts break out; and to ensure that the responsibility to protect commitment is translated into a willingness to act, speedily and appropriately, in specific cases.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2007-10-08b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2007", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Ministry of Justice Legal Profession: Brexit Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey have taken to ensure that (1) EU nationals can still access legal services in the UK once the Brexit transition period ends, and (2) British nationals can access legal services in the EU. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The government recognises that citizens and businesses in both the UK and EU Member States rely on the expertise, experience and scale of supply that lawyers currently provide.The government is seeking to negotiate reciprocal sector-specific provisions in the UK-EU Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement which would allow UK lawyers to provide legal advice on UK and International law in EU member states under their UK legal title on a temporary or permanent basis. These provisions remain subject to ongoing negotiations with the EU. UK lawyers will be subject to each EU Member State’s domestic framework which regulates provision of legal services. The government has posted guidance online at gov.uk and will be updating this once negotiations have concluded.EU lawyers practising in the UK will no longer be able to provide regulated services under their home state professional title, although they can still become solicitors and barristers through existing transfer tests that are open to all foreign lawyers. The government has signposted on gov.uk that EU lawyers should speak to UK regulators for further information. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office EU Countries: Foreign Relations Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have a strategy to enhance bilateral relationships with governments of European countries; and if so, whether that strategy includes the development of shared cultural events. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Leaving the EU is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate the UK's position on the world stage. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working to ensure that our European bilateral relationships have the proportionate levels of investment to deliver our international priorities, harnessing appropriate opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation. The UK already engages in a number of bilateral civil society events with other European governments. For example, the annual UK-Italy Ministerial Pontignano Conference took place in October 2020, providing an opportunity for dialogue, debate and relationship building with participants from a variety of sectors including cultural leaders. We will continue to ensure that such events continue to deliver for the UK and seek further opportunities for cultural exchange. Pakistan: Politics and Government The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the government of Pakistan, and (2) the government of India, about the announcement by the Prime Minister of Pakistan on 1 November of his decision to grant provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has regular contact with the Governments of Pakistan and of India, including about regional issues and regional stability. We encourage both sides to engage in dialogue. The UK's long-standing position is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Legal Profession The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by Ban Ki-Moon at theIBA 2020 Virtually Together Conference on 2 November about attacks on, and harassment of, lawyers globally; and what steps they are taking, with international partners,to ensure that the rule of law is not undermined at nation state level. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We share Ban Ki-Moon's concern about the attacks on, and harassment of, lawyers globally. This Government is absolutely clear that any form of violence or abuse against lawyers is utterly unacceptable. The implementation of rule of law by national governments is central to securing the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The independence of the judiciary, legislature, and executive helps ensure that each institution is able to hold the others to account, thereby protecting individual citizens. The UK is part of the Rule of Law Core Group at the UN Human Rights Council; ensuring that the rule of law remains prominent on the Council's agenda. The UK also supports a range of resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council that seek to promote the importance of the rule of law and democracy. In March 2019, the Permanent Representative of the UK Mission to the United Nations, Julian Braithwaite, delivered a statement to the Human Rights Council on behalf of the Rule of Law Core Group, highlighting why the implementation of the rule of law is particularly important for the protection and empowerment of citizens throughout the world. Afghanistan: Terrorism The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Afghanistan about the IS attack at Kabul University on 2 November; and whatassistance they have offered to help to end IS attacks on education centres in Afghanistan. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: I spoke to Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister on 3 November. I expressed the UK's profound condolences for the loss of life caused by the attack in Kabul and noted the particular tragedy of targeting young Afghans in a place of education.Acting Foreign Minister Atmar and I agreed on the need for a reduction in violence levels and for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces to receive continued international support. The UK has committed up to £70 million to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces for 2021. This funding will help ensure those forces are better able protect the Afghan people. Tuesday 3 November was a day of National Mourning in Afghanistan and the British Embassy flew the flag at half-mast in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan. Armed Conflict: Civilians Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Protection of Civilians Report (6-19 October 2020), published on 23 October, and in particular, the destruction of Palestinian-owned olive trees. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the findings of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Protection of Civilians Report (6-19 October 2020). The UK condemns any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. We recognise that there can be an increase in assaults on Palestinian farmers, the destruction of olive trees and the stealing of produce coinciding with the Palestinian olive harvest, which began earlier this month. We have expressed our concerns to the Israeli Government on a number of occasions. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance and bring those responsible to justice. West Bank: Housing Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israelabout reports of a building permit being issued by the Israeli Civil Administration for 31 housing units for Israeli settlers in the Old City of Hebron. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We consistently call for an immediate end to all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution, including settlement expansion within the West Bank. The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten they physical viability of a two-state solution. We urge Israel to halt settlement expansion immediately. Amer Abdel-Rahim Sanouber Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have made to the government of Israelabout the death of Amer Abdel-Rahim Sanouber. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the British Consulate Jerusalem made clear in a tweet on 26 October, we are concerned by the reports surrounding the death of Amer Abdel Rahim Snobar. The British Embassy Tel Aviv raised this case with the Israeli Authorities on 26 October. The UK urged the Israeli authorities to investigate the allegations surrounding his death. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we have advocated swift, transparent investigations and if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. Gaza: Unemployment Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that unemployment in Gaza has increased. Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the rate of unemployment in Gaza has reached 70 per cent. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are deeply concerned by the situation in Gaza. We are working to address the underlying causes of humanitarian need and economic decline in Gaza. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv and our Consulate-General in Jerusalem frequently urge the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to take steps to improve conditions in Gaza. Our economic development programme aims to lift the overall standard of living in by increasing trade and job creation, enabling greater movement and access for people and goods, and enhancing the supply of electricity and clean water. The UK will continue to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza's reconstruction and economic recovery. Sanctions Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what framework they have put in place to assess the success of UK sanctions. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As required by sections 30 and 32 of the Sanctions Act, Her Majesty's Government will review annually whether the UK's sanctions regimes remain appropriate to achieve their stated purposes, and will report to Parliament. If the Government determines that it is no longer appropriate to maintain an autonomous sanctions regime, that regime will be removed or amended accordingly. Periodic reviews of autonomous sanctions designations will take place every three years under the Act. Developing Countries: Nutrition Baroness Mone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support global nutrition beyond the Nutrition for Growth Commitments. Baroness Sugg: Prevention and treatment of malnutrition remains a priority for the UK as part of our commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children. The FCDO remains committed to working closely with the Government of Japan to make sure the 2021 Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit generates meaningful action by governments, donors, businesses, the UN and civil society. We are looking carefully at options for a new UK commitment?post-2020?and will provide an update on our plans?in due course. Nagorno Karabakh: White Phosphorus Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Sugg on 2 November (HL Deb, col 497), what assessment they have made reports of the use of white phosphorus against the population of the Nagorno-Karabakh region by the government of Azerbaijan; and if substantiated, what steps they intend to take in response. Baroness Sugg: The UK Government is aware of reports that white phosphorus has been used, by both parties, although we have not made an assessment of these allegations. Her Majesty's Government strongly supports the appropriate national and international accountability mechanisms to investigate and report on allegations of violations/breaches of international law. Cabinet Office Fossil Fuels Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to stop working with (1) Boston Consulting Group, and (2) other management consultancy firms which regularly advise the fossil fuel industry. Lord True: Any organisations working with the UK Government are contracted in line with Public Sector Procurement Guidelines. Further details of the Government’s Management Consultancy Framework are available on gov.uk. Government Departments: Digital Technology Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 1 October (HL8184), which members of the Digital Economy Council were invited to contribute to the review oftheirDigital Data and Technology function over the summer. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 1 October (HL8184), what were the terms of reference of the recent review into their Digital Data and Technology function. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 1 October (HL8184),which (1) processes, (2) structures, and (3) operations, of the Digital Data and Technology function were considered as part of the review they carried out over the summer. Lord True: The review was commissioned and overseen by the Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary, Alex Chisholm. Announcements will be made in the usual way. Coronavirus: Disease Control Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government who they have awarded contracts to as part of their response to COVID-19; and for each such entity, (1) how many contracts have been awarded, and (2) what is the value of those contracts. Lord True: Cabinet Office does not hold the information requested, as individual departments are responsible for their own procurements.Central Government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder at https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search. Lex Greensill Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what occasions since 1 January 2012 Cabinet Office officials have met Lex Greensill. Lord True: In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.Details of Cabinet Office senior official (Permanent Secretary) meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis, and are available on GOV.UK. Treasury Self-employed: British Nationals Abroad The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there will be a replacement for the social security certificate A1/E101 for self-employed UK citizens working in EEA countries; and, if so, what it will be. Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK continues to participate in EU social security coordination rules during the transition period, and the self-employed should continue to apply to HMRC for A1/E101 certificates as normal. Self-employed individuals going to work in the EU, EEA or Switzerland on or after 1 January 2021 who remain subject to UK social security legislation will be entitled to an A1/E101 certificate if they are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, the Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement or the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement. For those individuals not covered by these agreements, the Government published a mandate on 27 February which sets out its intention to negotiate a future EU-wide agreement on social security coordination, including on which countries’ legislation is applicable. On 26 October, HMRC published an Agent Update which sets out some of the changes for the self-employed going to work in or coming from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland from 1 January 2021.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2020-11-13
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2020", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Legal Aid Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to ensure that the legal aid system provides good value for money. Lord Irvine of Lairg: I am today announcing a package of measures, which will help achieve better value for money in the legal aid system while ensuring that help continues to go to those who need it most. A consultation paper has been published today on the Criminal Defence Service (CDS), Delivering Value for Money in the Criminal Defence Service, which sets out a range of proposals to ensure that CDS expenditure is targeted on those areas where legal aid can best advance and protect a client's interests. Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. A further consultation paper, Proposed Changes to Publicly Funded Immigration and Asylum Work, has also been published today. This sets out proposals to ensure that we obtain more effective controls of costs and quality in legal advice given to asylum seekers. Copies of this consultation paper have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. I can also announce that we are setting up a project to consider the likely supply of and demand for lawyers over the coming years and to establish what remuneration rates may be necessary. This will provide an evidential basis for decisions to ensure a sufficient supply of lawyers of the right quality prepared to undertake legal aid work in the coming years. Finally we are fully implementing the scheme for contracting very high cost criminal cases. These are cases which last (or are estimated to last) over 25 days at trial, or cost more than £150,000. This scheme will ensure better value for money, help the aims of better and earlier case preparation and give the professions greater certainty about payment for work. Northern Ireland Office: QWAs in House of Lords Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there is a target timescale for the answering of written parliamentary Questions in the House of Lords by the Northern Ireland Office; if so, what it is; how many have exceeded the target since 1 January 2002; and why. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Office aims to answer Questions for Written Answer within the 14-day timescale—as set out in the House of Lords Companion to the Standing Orders. However, in order to provide a full and accurate reply, it is sometimes necessary to await the outcome of consultation and discussion, resulting in delays. Since 1 January 2002, 484 Northern Ireland Questions for Written Answer have exceeded the 14-day deadline. However, I hope that the noble Lord will understand that the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly and transfer of powers to Westminster has added a considerable burden of work to the Northern Ireland Office. I would like to assure the noble Lord that the Northern Ireland Office, as with all other government departments, endeavours to answer all parliamentary Questions accurately and promptly. Ulster-Scots Agency Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the approved minutes of the Ulster-Scots Agency, part of the Language Implementation Body, are received by the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure; and, if so, for what purpose are they used. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has been receiving copies of the minutes of the Board meetings of the Ulster-Scots Agency since August 2001. The minutes are used to inform the department about the activities of the agency. Waterways Ireland Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Privy Seal of 25 March (WA 72) and 30 April (WA 101) concerning set-up costs for Waterways Ireland, why the figures provided differ; and which figure is correct. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Answer given on 30 April 2003 (WA 101) provided exact set-up cost details for Waterways Ireland. This figure (£195,000) differed from the response given on 25 March 2003 (WA 72) (£200,000) as the figure in that Answer had been rounded up. The figures contained in the Answers in relation to the North/South Language Body also differ as some staff costs were mistakenly included in the Answer given on 25 March 2003 (WA 72). Disclosure Process: Responses to Consultation on Reform Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the responses to the consultation paper on the reform of the disclosure process. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: On 27 February the Home Office issued a consultation paper on the reform of the disclosure process to seek the views of registered bodies and others on how best to take forward a number of the recommendations of the independent review team (Official Report, column 33-36WS). The consultation period closed on 25 April; 570 responses were received. We have today placed in the Library of the House an analysis of those responses. We will consider carefully the views expressed in response to the consultation before deciding how best to proceed. Scientific Procedures on Animals: Statistics Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Each year, to comply with a requirement in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, the Government present to Parliament statistics relating to scientific procedures using animals in Great Britain. The statistics, based on data collected from those conducting licensed programmes of work under the Act, are published as a Command Paper and placed in the Library. For some while suggestions have been made, from different quarters and in various contexts, as to how the statistics might be improved, both as regards the information provided and the way it is presented. More recently the statistics have been the subject of recommendations by the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures, in its report published last July. In the government response to that Select Committee, we stated we would have the statistics reviewed to see how their content and presentation might be improved. This is to inform the House that Bob Ainsworth has today written to the chairman of the Animal Procedures Committee—the independent advisory body set up under the 1986 Act—asking for that committee to carry out a thorough review. The review is to take into account all the views and recommendations already put forward on the statistics, and to involve widespread consultation with stakeholders, other interested parties and the wider public. The expected cost of any recommended changes, especially in terms of any additional burden on the scientific community would have to be fully justified by the likely benefits. Bob Ainsworth has asked the Animal Procedures Committee to report back to me by the end of 2004. Its recommendations will then be carefully considered. Criminal Records Bureau: Corporate Plan 2003–04 Lord Evans of Parkside: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the Criminal Records Bureau's Corporate Plan for 2003–04. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: I have today placed in the Library of the House a copy of the Criminal Records Bureau's corporate and business plan for 2003–04. After a difficult first seven months of operations, the business plan builds on the steady improvements in performance since last autumn. The average number of disclosures issued each week since October stands at 40,000 compared with 24,500 a week last August. Turnaround times have reduced from over eight weeks to under five and the number of aged applications over six weeks old (and not awaiting further information from the applicant) has been reduced from a peak of 76,000 to under 10,000. For 2003–04, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has set the CRB challenging but realistic service standards which take into account the experience of the first year of operating. The CRB will now seek to process 90 per cent of applications for a standard disclosure within two weeks and 90 per cent of applications for an enhanced disclosure within four weeks. As a result of the service improvements in recent months, the CRB is able to increase its capacity to 60,000 disclosures a week and consequently it can now commence criminal record checks on care workers postponed last November (Official Report, 1 November 2002, cols. WA 48-50) Subject to consultation, the programme for introducing checks will be as follows: Existing care home staff (care home staff who were in post just before 1 April 2002): The deadline for checks for this group will be brought forward from 31 October 2004 to 30 June 2004. In order to make sure the CRB check has been completed by the new deadline, applications will need to be submitted to the CRB between 1 October and 30 November 2003. In order to make best use of the CRB's increased capacity these checks will be carried out at the level of a standard disclosure. Domiciliary care agency and nurses agency staff: In order to ensure a smooth introduction of these checks, we propose making a distinction between new and existing domiciliary care agency and nurses agency staff. We are consulting on the definitions of new and existing staff in order to ensure that they are clear both to agencies and their customers. All domiciliary care and nurses agency staff will be required to obtain enhanced disclosures. From 1 October 2003, a CRB check will be required before a new agency domiciliary care worker or agency nurse can take up their placement. Existing domiciliary care agency staff will be asked to submit applications for checks to the CRB between 1 October and 30 November 2003. The CRB will complete these checks by 30 June 2004. Checks on existing nursing agency staff will commence in spring 2004 once those on existing domiciliary agency staff have been completed. The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list will be introduced as soon as possible. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health has today issued a consultation paper on the necessary amendments to the Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations 2002, Nurses Agencies Regulations 2002 and the Care Homes Regulations 2001. The lower volume of throughput, as a result of the slower introduction of checks on the key groups mentioned above and the deferment of basic disclosures, together with other factors have resulted in higher unit costs. The costs for 2002–03 have been met by the three key departments, namely the Home Office, Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills. The business plan develops a costing regime retaining free checks for volunteers and a new full-cost recovery plan with full effect from 2005. The Government made it clear when the current £12 fee was announced (Official Report, 2 April 2001, col. WA 92) that it was our intention that the bureau would be self-financing in the medium term. That remains our objective. However, in the short term, the costs of the CRB will continue to be met by a combination of fee receipts and contributions from the Home Office, the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills. As we move towards full-cost recovery, it is necessary to increase the disclosure fees. From 1 July the fee for a standard disclosure will be £24 and that for an enhanced disclosure will be £29. Volunteers will continue to receive free disclosures. The necessary amendment to the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) Regulations 2002 has been laid before Parliament today. G8 Summit: Government's Objectives Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: With particular reference to their commitment to NePAD (the New Partnership for Africa's Development), what will be their specific objectives at the G8 Summit in June 2003 with reference to each of the following: (a) the end of dumping by the industrialised world in the poor world; (b) the end of subsidies for goods exported by the industrialised world to the poor world; and (c) the elimination of tariff escalation by industrialised countries, including the European Union, on processed goods exported by the poor countries of the world. Baroness Amos: In the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the draft modalities of the agriculture negotiations put forward by the chairman of the Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture, Stuart Harbinson, include specific proposals on: (1) disciplines for food aid and export credits as well as export subsidies specifically to address the issue of dumping; (2) the structure and targets for reductions in domestic support; and (3) a tariff reduction formula, which also aims at tackling tariff peaks and tariff escalation. Also, the European Commission's agriculture proposals to the WTO include provisions to: (1) reduce export subsidies by 45 per cent; (2) cut trade-distorting domestic support by 55 per cent; and (3) reduce tariffs by 36 per cent. The Commission's proposal specifically mentions the need to tackle tariff escalation. The UK objectives for the G8 summit included obtaining G8 commitment to making real progress in the WTO negotiations, particularly but not only to meet the concerns of African countries. These concerns include commitment to establishing fair rules for special and differential treatment (the "development box"), ensuring real reductions in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) agricultural subsidies and improving market access for developing country agricultural products. UK objectives more specific to Africa were to obtain G8 commitment to improving and harmonising preferential access schemes for African products, expanding the integrated framework for trade-related capacity building to low-income Africa countries, and obtaining agreement on a meaningful African trade initiative based on the French proposals. The G8 agreed a statement on co-operative action on trade, which emphasises the importance of continuing to strengthen the multilateral system, and delivering the Doha Development Agenda. G8 leaders reiterated their commitment to the objective of duty-free quota-free market access for products originating from least developed countries and to improve the effectiveness and ease of use of their respective trade preference programmes, but no commitments were made on addressing export subsidies. G8 Summit: Government's Objectives Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: With particular reference to their commitment to NEPAD (the New Partnership for Africa's Development), what will be their specific objectives at the G8 Summit in June 2003 with reference to each of the following: (a) quota and tariff-free exports of agricultural produce and agriculture-related goods to the industrialised world including the European Union; (b) a "development box" within the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Agriculture; (c) the proposals by President Chirac for a moratorium on subsidies on all goods exported to Africa during current trade negotiations; and; (d) implementation of the ICO (International Coffee Organisation) Coffee Rescue Plan. Baroness Amos: UK objectives for the G8 Summit included obtaining G8 commitment to making real progress on the African concerns at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations. These concerns include commitment to establishing fair rules for special and differential treatment (the "development box"), ensuring real reductions in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) agricultural subsidies and improving market access for developing country agricultural products. UK objectives more specific to Africa were to obtain G8 commitment to improving and harmonising preferential access schemes for African products, expanding the integrated framework for trade-related capacity building to low-income Africa countries, and obtaining agreement on a meaningful African trade initiative based on the French proposals. The UK had no specific objective for the G8 meeting for the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) rescue plan but endorses the ICO quality improvement programme. The G8 agreed a statement on co-operative action on trade, which emphasises the importance of continuing to strengthen the multilateral system, and delivering the Doha Development Agenda including through decisions at Cancun. Specific actions identified are: to achieve further substantial opening of trade in particular in areas of interest to developing countries; to strengthen WTO rules and disciplines; to reach a solution on access to medicines for developing countries; to help with capacity building for trade; and to improve preferences for poor countries. There was limited progress on an African trade initiative following US objections to the proposed export subsidy moratorium proposed. Two of the original French proposals were referred to in the implementation report by Africa personal representatives to leaders on the G8 African Action Plan, in which G8 leaders reiterated commitment to the objective of duty-free quota-free market access for products originating from least developed countries and to improve the effectiveness and ease of use of their respective trade preference programmes. They welcomed the efforts underway by the World Bank Group to examine the potential for effective market-based mechanisms to help to mitigate weather and commodity shocks. Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill Lord Carter: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the latest position as regards the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill. Lord Rooker: The Leader of the House of Commons announced today at Business Questions our intention to recommit the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill to Standing Committee. We have taken this decision to enable us to bring forward provisions which will end the Crown's immunity from planning control, subject to certain safeguards. Given the substantive nature of the proposed amendments, I think it is important that the House of Commons is given the opportunity to debate these new provisions fully before the Bill resumes its remaining stages. We will also be seeking to introduce further provisions which will help to implement the sustainable communities agenda. Clearly this will mean that the Bill will not be able to complete its remaining stages in this Session. Motions have therefore also been tabled today to allow the Bill to be carried over into the next parliamentary session. We will be seeking to ensure that the Bill reaches the statute book as soon as possible in the next Session to lessen the impact of this slight delay. We propose that the provisions relating to Crown development extend beyond England and Wales, which would involve the Scottish Executive pursuing a Sewel Motion in the Scottish Parliament. We are, of course, discussing this with the Scottish Executive, which has been kept informed of our proposals. The intention to carry over the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill into the next Session does not signify any lessening in our commitment to reforming the planning system. Copies of a short progress report covering the large number of workstreams being taken forward as part of this commitment are available in the Libraries of the House. The note will also be available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website www.odpm.gov.uk. Fire Services Bill: ECHR Compatibility Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the provisions of the Fire Services Bill are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. Lord Rooker: In my view the provisions of the Fire Services Bill are compatible with the convention rights. Office of the e-Envoy: Charges to Government Departments The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the projected costs to government departments of the Office of the e-Envoy charges for improvements to e-government services when the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) comes to an end in September; and In respect of the intention of the Office of the e-Envoy to charge government departments for its services, whether they can explain the reported statement from the OeE that "the costs should be [invoiced to] where the savings are made". Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Knowledge Network project within the Office of the e-Envoy was set up with funding from the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) to develop the infrastructure and initial applications and business systems to support inter-departmental working. The CMF funding for the project has now expired. The Knowledge Network is now a successful ongoing service to government departments, with 32 departments and agencies using the infrastructure. As the main development stage is complete, it is in accordance with general government policy that the costs should be met by those benefiting from the service, hence the intention to introduce charges on user departments. The Office of the e-Envoy (OeE) is discussing details with users at the moment but charges are not expected to exceed £150,000 per year even for the major departmental users. The OeE is also responsible for delivering two other major infrastructure developments, the UKOnline portal and the Government Gateway. Both projects are still receiving funding from the CMF. No decisions have yet been taken about moving these services on to a charging basis. e-Government Interoperability Framework The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the recent publication of its 5th version, when they anticipate that the e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) will be updated to allow for wider deployment of wireless and mobile computing technology across government, particularly in respect of broadband delivery to rural areas and the regions. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The e-GIF is regularly reviewed every six months, and at each review all content is updated as necessary. The next review is due in October 2003 when the current advice on the use of wireless and mobile technologies will be revised if the current security concerns about the use of those technologies have been resolved. Employer Task Force on Pensions Lord Carter: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will announce the membership, terms of reference and timetable for the Employer Task Force on Pensions. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The Membership and terms of reference for the task force on pensions are set out below. We expect the task force to report in around 18 months. Employer Task Force on Pensions: Members Appointed by Andrew Smith on 4 June 2003 Company/Organisation Member J Sainsburys plc Sir Peter Davis Group Chief Executive Task Force Chairman BP plc Dr David Allen Group Managing Director Task Force Vice Chairman Acme Whistles Simon Topman Managing Director Aircraft Research Group Brian Timmins Group Chief Executive Amicus Lucy Anderson Deputy General Secretary Co-operative Group Mervyn K Pedelty Chief Executive Corporation of London Peter Derrick Finance Chamberlain Emap Ralph Turner Group Benefits Manager ICI Philip Gillett Tax Controller Marks & Spencer Graham Oakley Company Secretary Scottish Catering Enterprises Susan Karim Managing Director Scottish Power David Nish Finance Director USDAW Sir Bill Connor General Secretary Whitbread Geoff Mellor Pensions Director Wimpey Anna Edgeworth Group HR Director Terms of Reference Role Employer-led body with a mission to increase and extend occupational and private pension provision. Aim to work in partnership with government and individuals to help employees achieve security and independence in retirement by identifying and promoting employer-led solutions which enable and encourage employees to save more and for longer; And to provide the Secretary of State with advice on the role of the employer in the pensions partnership. Key Responsibilities To develop and promote employers' role in pension provision and encourage employees to save, with particular emphasis on: increasing employees' access to high quality pension schemes; improving advice available to enable employees to make informed choices; encouraging employees to take up pension provision; identifying the needs of specific sectors to develop targeted pensions solutions. To act as a catalyst in the development and promulgation of best practice; and To advise the Secretary of State on the role of the employer in the pensions partnership. Oxford and Cambridge Universities: Independent and State School Entries Lord Skidelsky: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will give the figures for the proportion of students entering Oxford and Cambridge universities from independent and state schools respectively every year since 1960. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The latest available information is shown in the table below. Comparable data for earlier years are not held centrally. Acceptances to Oxford and Cambridge Universities by previous educational establishment of which, percentage from Total Acceptances(1) Maintained schools and colleges Independent schools(2) Other(3) Total Oxford 1970 2,417 43 55 2 100 1971 2,382 41 55 4 100 1972 2,497 42 55 3 100 1973 2,500 42 53 4 100 1974 2,537 41 53 6 100 1975 2,719 45 52 4 100 1976 2,744 45 52 3 100 1977 2,817 47 50 3 100 1978 2,850 47 50 3 100 1979 2,788 47 50 3 100 1980 2,814 49 48 3 100 1981 2,836 50 47 3 100 1982 2,840 49 47 4 100 1983 2,686 50 47 3 100 1984 2,853 49 48 4 100 1985 3,120 43 54 3 100 1986 2,940 47 45 8 100 1987 3,070 46 46 8 100 1988 3,226 45 48 8 100 1989 3,164 46 46 8 100 1990 3,110 45 48 7 100 1991 3,189 42 48 10 100 1992 3,184 43 49 9 100 1993 3,157 44 47 10 100 1994 3,276 43 46 11 100 1995 2,848 49 51 n.a. 100 1996 2,948 48 52 n.a. 100 1997 2,942 48 52 n.a. 100 1998 3,044 50 50 n.a. 100 1999 2,964 51 49 n.a. 100 2000 2,928 53 47 n.a. 100 2001 2,980 55 45 n.a. 100 2002 3,088 55 45 n.a. 100 Cambridge 1970 2,715 40 57 3 100 1971 2,868 40 53 7 100 1972 2,907 41 52 7 100 1973 2,887 44 49 7 100 1974 2,878 43 50 7 100 1975 2,948 44 49 7 100 1976 3,032 42 52 6 100 1977 3,004 41 52 7 100 1978 3,224 46 46 8 100 1979 3,066 43 47 10 100 1980 3,300 44 45 10 100 1981 2,905 42 49 9 100 1982 2,792 43 48 9 100 1983 2,899 44 46 10 100 1984 2,985 39 49 12 100 1985 3,098 39 50 10 100 1986 3,129 35 50 16 100 1987 3,020 41 47 13 100 1988 2,933 43 45 12 100 1989 3,013 47 43 11 100 1990 3,117 44 44 11 100 1991 3,015 48 47 5 100 1992 3,052 46 44 10 100 1993 3,068 45 45 9 100 1994 3,095 46 46 9 100 1995 2,989 53 47 n.a. 100 1996 2,767 55 45 n.a. 100 1997 3,001 54 46 n.a. 100 1998 2,982 53 47 n.a. 100 1999 2,985 55 45 n.a. 100 2000 2,999 55 45 n.a. 100 2001 3,088 56 44 n.a. 100 2002 3,053 57 43 n.a. 100 Source: UCAS from 1995 to 2002 and Oxford Gazette and the Cambridge Reporter from 1970 to 1994. Percentages may not sum to totals because of rounding. N.a. = not applicable. (1) Figures for 1994 and earlier years include overseas students who cannot be separately identified. Figures since 1995 cover UK domiciled students only. (2) Includes direct grant schools in years prior to 1982. (3) Includes overseas students in the years up to 1994; and, (for Cambridge in years prior to 1987, and Oxford in years prior to 1978), students from Scotland and Northern Ireland whose school type was not specified. Slug Pellets Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 10 March (WA 152), what evidence they have that the use of slug pellets is increasing in United Kingdom gardens. Lord Whitty: Figures for slug pellet use in gardens are not collated. Rural Delivery Review Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the guiding principles of Lord Haskins's Rural Delivery Review. Lord Whitty: Lord Haskins's Rural Delivery Review will help improve the way rural policies are delivered and make a real difference to local people. The seven guiding principles of the review—the first outcome of Lord Haskins's work—were published today. They are: Better accountability: policy development should be managed separately from policy delivery, whilst ensuring that proper communication exists at all stages between the two functions. Accountability for success or failure cannot be determined if there is confusion between the two. Readiness for policy change: the Government must prepare for the delivery of a major new agri-environmental agenda in the coming years. Devolution: delivery of economic and social policy must be devolved in accordance with the principles of public service reform. Customer focus: the services available to rural businesses and rural communities, and visitors to the countryside, need to be more accessible and transparent. Simplicity: the complex range of agencies currently engaged in delivering the Government's rural policies should be simplified. Co-ordination: the environmental, social and economic elements of rural delivery should be better co-ordinated at a regional level. Value for money: the taxpayer must get better value for money as a result of changes to the current arrangements. Ministers are very grateful for all the work Lord Haskins has done so far, meeting hundreds of individuals and organisations throughout England, as well as visiting Scotland, Wales, France, Germany and Belgium. The principles he has developed are a very useful first indication of his thinking and are consistent with existing work across government bringing services closer to local people, for example through devolution and decentralisation. Ministers want to see real improvements in service delivery to rural people and we expect the Rural Delivery Review to build on these principles to produce imaginative and effective proposals. We now look forward to receiving Lord Haskins's final conclusions in the autumn.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2003-06-05a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2003", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Armed Forces: Predator Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any United Kingdom armed forces personnel are qualified to operate the Predator armed drone; and, if so, whether they have done so under operational conditions. Lord Drayson: A number of United Kingdom armed forces personnel are qualified to operate the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle and have done so under operational conditions. Aviation: Unauthorised Aircraft Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: On how many occasions over the past nine years national security has been put at risk by incursions into United Kingdom airspace by unauthorised aircraft. Lord Drayson: None. British Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 2 May (WA 48), what is the basis for the estimate of 12,000 Nepali beneficiaries set out in the guide to handling Nepalese and Indian applications that is used by the Ethnic Minorities Citizenship Unit of the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong. Lord Triesman: The figure of 12,000 potential applicants represents our best estimate of those of Nepalese ethnic origin who registered as British nationals (overseas) (BN(O)s). This figure is based on oral information provided by the Hong Kong Immigration Department prior to the handover of Hong Kong to China in June 1997. Since our own BN(O) records do not differentiate between different ethnic origins it is difficult for us to provide an accurate figure. British Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 2 May (WA 48), why the content of the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong's website does not reflect current Home Office policy which states that British overseas citizenship can be derived from either the father or the mother of the child in question. Lord Triesman: British nationality law is highly complex. The website of our consulate-general in Hong Kong does not purport to give comprehensive legal advice on this or any other matter. Rather, the website encourages readers to contact the consular section for specific advice on their individual circumstances. The website also offers a link to the Home Office website should the reader wish to research British Nationality Acts in more detail for themselves. British Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the British High Commission in Singapore has not yet issued a passport to Mr S, whose British overseas citizen passport application it received on or around 5 April, given that the Home Office Nationality Directorate has already confirmed to the High Commission that Mr S is a British overseas citizen under Article 6(1) of the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986. Lord Triesman: Our High Commission in Singapore has not issued a British overseas citizen passport to Mr S because Mr S has not provided the high commission with the supporting documents required to process his passport application. The high commission informed Mr S that, in order to process his passport application, evidence of his birth in Hong Kong and evidence of his identity were required. It is 10 years since his last passport was issued, and applications made overseas after 10 years are treated as first-time applications. In these cases, applicants are requested to provide supporting documents. Children: Ophthalmic Testing Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the number of primary care trusts offering ophthalmic testing for very small children; and What statistics are being collected on the incidence of ophthalmic problems in primary school children. Lord Warner: Primary care trusts offer ophthalmic testing to very small children where there is a need. The National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services promotes the early identification of onset problems and early intervention. It includes a review of a child's health during the year in which he/she starts school, including vision screening. We do not collect statistics on the range of ophthalmic problems experienced by children. However, at 31 March 2003, the last date for which figures are available, the Register of Blind People showed that 725 children under four and 3,230 children aged five to 17 were registered blind. The Register of Partially Sighted People showed that 585 children under four and 4,230 children aged five to 17 were registered partially sighted. The registers can be found at www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Statistics/StatisticalWorkAreas/StatisticalSocialCare/StatisticalSocialCareArticle/fs/en?CONTENT–ID=4082697&chk=NrtmK1. Competition Act 1998 (Public Policy Exclusion) Order 2006 Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the regulatory impact assessment prepared for the Competition Act 1998 (Public Policy Exclusion) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/605); and whether they will amend the web link referred to in the explanatory note which currently does not work. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Ministry of Defence has placed copies of the regulatory impact assessment in the Libraries of both Houses. The web link contained in the explanatory note to the order has been adjusted to ensure it functions correctly. I apologise for any inconvenience caused. Conflict Prevention Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What changes have been made in the way the global and Africa conflict prevention pools operate since the evaluation made in July 2004. Lord Triesman: Since the external evaluation of the conflict prevention pools by Bradford University in March 2004, the pools have retained the same structure but have taken a series of steps aimed at improving their operation. The focus of this effort has been on: improving conflict analysis and joint cross-departmental strategy planning, with greater emphasis on where action by the UK can be most effective and leverage international effort; more rigorous prioritisation of pool spending; improving programme and financial management; better training and guidance for staff engaged in the work of the pools and enhancing co-operation and sharing of experience with relevant non-governmental organisations. Conflict Prevention Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What training in conflict prevention and resolution has been received by civil servants and Ministers who oversee the global and Africa conflict prevention pools. Lord Triesman: A variety of training and information resources available for officials and Ministers engaged in conflict prevention and resolution activity within the conflict prevention pools, and in broader policy-making, has been developed. Since 2004, members of the cross-departmental teams who manage pool-funded strategies have attended a regular series of meetings aimed at developing conflict expertise and sharing best practice, including on programme and project management. Regular meetings have also been held with non-governmental organisations involved in conflict-related work. Specific training courses aimed at developing conflict skills have also been developed and run by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Ministers and officials acting in this area have access to expert advice from a team of dedicated conflict advisers appointed by the three pool departments (the FCO, the Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence). They also have access to a wide range of intranet-based guidance, aimed at increasing professionalism and improving policy-making on conflict. Conflict Prevention Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any consideration has been given to the merger of the global and Africa conflict prevention pools. Lord Triesman: Following a major external evaluation of the conflict prevention pools by Bradford University in March 2004, the Government reviewed the geographical organisation of the pools and in July 2004 concluded that, in order to ensure effective implementation of the UK's policy on Africa conflict issues, a separate Africa pool remained necessary. It was also judged important to keep a dedicated focus on Africa given the aims of the UK presidencies of the G8 and EU in 2005 and the follow-up to them. The Government will review the relationship between the Africa and global pools as part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review. Conflict Prevention Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the annual cost of the global and Africa conflict prevention pools. Lord Triesman: The 2004 spending round settlement for the Africa and global conflict prevention pools allocated a combined total of £543.5 million for financial year (FY) 2004-05 to FY 2007-08. The baseline allocations are: SR04 FY Period Global Conflict Pool baseline allocation Africa Conflict Pool baseline allocation 2004–05 £74 million £60 million 2005–06 £74 million £60 million 2006–07 £74 million £63 million 2007–08 £74 million £64.5 million Conflict Prevention Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What discussions they have held with members of the global conflict prevention pool regarding Iran. Lord Triesman: There have been some informal discussions at official level about possible global conflict prevention pool project work relating to Iran. However, the Government have not used the global conflict prevention pool to fund any projects in, or pertaining to, Iran. Diego Garcia Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to pay compensation to those islanders seeking to return to their home areas in the Diego Garcia islands; and, if so, whether the level of compensation will take account of inflation. Lord Triesman: Compensation has already been paid by the Government to the Chagossians. It was made in two stages: £650,000 was paid to the Government of Mauritius for the benefit of the Chagossians in the early 1970s. This would be £5.5 million at today's prices and was given for the express purpose of assisting resettlement. Under a 1982 agreement between the Government, the Government of Mauritius and representatives of the Chagossians, a further £4 million was paid by the Government into a trust fund for the benefit of the registered Chagossians. This was a full and final settlement of any claims that they might have had. This would be £9 million at today's prices. In addition, the Government of Mauritius made land available to the value of a further £1 million. EWHC 2222 (QB) examined thoroughly the circumstances in which the 1982 settlement was reached and accepted it as being in full and final settlement of all claims by those who participated. The judgment also established that the UK had no legal obligation to pay any further compensation. The judgment was upheld by the Court of Appeal in July 2004. Elections: All-women Shortlists Lord Norton of Louth: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Evans of Temple Guiting on 11 May (WA 152), whether the Secretary of State for Wales issued an apology on the BBC Wales Politics Show to the people of Blaenau Gwent, on behalf of the national executive, the party leadership and Her Majesty's Government for imposing an all-women shortlist in 2005; and, if so, what is the constitutional basis for apologising on behalf of Her Majesty's Government. Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 11 May 2006 (Official Report, col. WA 152). EU: External Action Service Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the debate on 4 May (Official Report, cols. 563–65), what are the occasions when the Answer given by the Lord Triesman as to the legality of the European Union's External Action Service was identical to the Answer given at least three times in the past six months, as suggested by the Lord Tomlinson and confirmed by the Lord Triesman. Lord Triesman: The Government have on three recent occasions stated their belief that a European External Action Service, as envisaged in the EU constitutional treaty, cannot exist without the treaty coming into force or change to existing treaties. My right honourable friend the then Minister for Europe (Douglas Alexander) stated this in another place on 26 October 2005 (Official Report, col. 470W), on 3 May during a Foreign Affairs Committee evidence session and to the Lords EU Select Committee in a supplementary memorandum of 3 November. Guantanamo Bay Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to withdraw co-operation with United States authorities and military forces in Iraq until the United States Government close the Guantanamo Bay facility for terrorist suspects, following the request by the Attorney-General. Lord Triesman: No. The Government will support the Government and people of Iraq over the long term. Our aim is to help the Iraqis build democratic structures, build up their own security forces and develop their economy. Terrorists want to destroy all three. The coalition role in Iraq is changing. As the democratic Iraqi Government do more for their people, the coalition is stepping back. On Guantanamo Bay, we have made it clear that we regard the circumstances under which detainees continue to be held there as unacceptable. The US Government know our views. As my right honourable friend the Prime Minister has said repeatedly, and most recently at his press conference on 8 May, it would be better if Guantanamo were closed. House of Lords: Meat and Poultry Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked the Chairman of Committees: What company won the contract 2005/S 220-217248 to supply the House of Lords with meat and poultry; and what steps are taken to ensure that chickens supplied under the contract are not fed on soya grown in the Amazon rainforest (a) on illegally deforested land, and (b) with use of slavery. Lord Brabazon of Tara: Twenty meat suppliers expressed an interest in supplying the House of Lords, and, after a rigorous tender selection process, three suppliers will be awarded the contract to supply under a framework agreement on 25 May 2006. West End Meats and Fairfax Meadow have been confirmed as of 19 May with the third supplier to be named before the award date. All suppliers are obliged to be open and transparent with regard to their supply chain in order to allow full traceability of goods supplied. The House may impose detailed supply specifications in relation to the products bought. House of Lords: Meat and Poultry Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked the Chairman of Committees: How much poultry the House of Lords will buy over the four-year contract 2005/S 220-217248 to supply the House of Lords with meat and poultry. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The estimated annual spend on poultry supplies based on historical usage will be in the region of £35,000 per annum. Immigration: Leave to Remain Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any retrospective effect will be created by recent legal provisions for a maximum reviewable period of five years' leave to remain for asylum and immigration purposes. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 July 2005, the new provisions giving the Secretary of State the ability to review the cases of refugees in the event of a significant and non-temporary change in country conditions apply only to refugees granted limited leave on or after 30 August. Leave granted to a refugee may, however, be revoked where a refugee is liable to deportation, has obtained leave by deception or otherwise brings themselves within the scope of the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention's cessation or exclusion clauses through their own actions. This position has not changed as a result of the new policy of granting five years' limited leave to recognised refugees. Insolvency Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the expected effect of reducing fee IVA1 from £35 to £15 as proposed in the Insolvency Proceedings (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/561). Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Insolvency fees are set in accordance with HM Treasury fees and charges guide which requires that fees should be set only to recover costs. As a result of reviewing this fee during 2005–06 the forecasts showed that fee income would exceed costs. This surplus has arisen due to efficiency gains achieved in dealing with the increased number of IVA registrations. There were 11,651 IVAs registered in 2004–05 and 24,947 in 2005–06. Israel and Palestine: Hebron Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What recent discussions they have had with the Israeli Government concerning the situation in Hebron. Lord Triesman: We have not had any recent discussions with the Israeli Government regarding the situation in Hebron. Manufacturing: Motor Vehicles Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What measures they will take to increase United Kingdom motor vehicle production activity; and what further talks they will have with industry representatives following recent factory closures. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: In 2005, 1.6 million cars and more than 200,000 commercial vehicles were produced in the UK, compared with fewer than 900,000 in the early 1980s. The sector contributes 12.4 per cent. of the UK's export of goods, and £10 billion of added value to the UK economy, and employs 220,000 people. Against a background of tough global competition, the department is committed to sustaining this success, for example by implementing the recommendations made by the Automotive Industry and Growth Team, in particular, in the areas of skills, technology and improved business performance. We have invested £13.5 million in the Automotive Academy, and are working with it to help enhance skills levels in this sector. In collaboration with the regional development agencies, we have committed over £9 million to the supply chain groups programme to improve performance of whole supply chains; and we have committed £13.5 million to help establish two centres of excellence in the areas of low-carbon and fuel cell technologies, and intelligent transport systems. Ministers and DTI officials have been actively involved in regular discussions with trade associations, company representatives and trade union leaders on a range of issues. Parliamentary ICT Earl Attlee: asked the Chairman of Committees: How many staff are employed by the House of Lords and seconded to the Parliamentary Information Communications Technology Service. Lord Brabazon of Tara: When the Parliamentary Information and Communications Technology Service (PICT) was set up in January 2006, 15 members of staff employed by the House of Lords were seconded to it. Parliamentary ICT Earl Attlee: asked the Chairman of Committees: What is the House of Lords budgetary contribution towards the cost of the Parliamentary Information Communications Technology Service. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The House of Lords contributes 20 per cent of the cost of shared elements of the services provided by PICT. Services or equipment provided only to one House, and to Members, are recharged in their entirety to the House concerned. Funding contributions to individual projects are decided on a case-by-case basis. Parliamentary ICT Earl Attlee: asked the Chairman of Committees: What is the turnover rate for House of Lords staff seconded to the Parliamentary Information Communications Technology Service. Lord Brabazon of Tara: Of the 15 members of staff from the House of Lords seconded to PICT in January 2006, one has subsequently left the organisation and a second has submitted his resignation. However, steps have also been taken to fill a number of vacancies carried over from the previous House of Lords Computer Office. In addition to this, a former House of Lords member of staff has been appointed to the new dedicated role of House of Lords Members' Computing Officer. Parliamentary ICT Earl Attlee: asked the Chairman of Committees: Whether House of Lords staff seconded to the Parliamentary Information Communications Technology Service also provide services for the House of Commons. Lord Brabazon of Tara: One of the strategic intentions behind the House of Lords' decision to participate in the Parliamentary Information and Communications Technology Service (PICT) was to ensure that the House could draw on a much larger pool of specialised skills than were previously available. In the new organisation some staff employed by the House of Lords continue to provide services dedicated to the House of Lords, while others now work on joint projects and infrastructure of benefit to both Houses. Equally, there are now staff employed by the House of Commons in PICT who are providing services and expertise to the House of Lords. Parliamentary ICT Earl Attlee: asked the Chairman of Committees: How the Parliamentary Information Communications Technology Service differentiates between a complaint and a request for technical support. Lord Brabazon of Tara: All requests for technical support are logged by PICT and appropriate action is taken to resolve the issue. Technical support is defined as addressing a fault in either hardware or software; and assistance in using software is also deemed as technical support. It is PICT policy that complaints are also logged and escalated to appropriate managers for response and appropriate follow-up action. Complaints may be defined as such by the caller, if they are not satisfied with a service, or through the escalation process either by a senior manager or the customer service team, should they decide that customer feedback is tantamount to a complaint. Parliamentary ICT Earl Attlee: asked the Chairman of Committees: Whether an independent user satisfaction survey was undertaken in respect of the Parliamentary Information Communications Technology Service or the previous computer service; and, if so, whether the findings were published. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The House of Lords conducted an independent survey of Members' views on the House's services and facilities in 2004. No similar survey has been carried out since the formation of the Parliamentary Information and Communications Technology Service in January 2006. PICT is committed to maintaining accreditation with the Helpdesk Institute and this would require that regular surveys of user satisfaction are carried out in the future. Parliamentary Ombudsman Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, the Office of Communications has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Office of Communications (Ofcom) assumed its full powers as the communications regulator on 29 December 2003. There have been no occasions where Ofcom has refused or omitted to give details to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Parliamentary Ombudsman Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 3 May (WA 86), where the information is held as to occasions since 1997 when the Department of Health has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman; and how members of the public may have access to that information. Lord Warner: This information has not been held centrally, but I refer the noble Lord to the reply I gave on 16 May at column WA 27. Peace Protesters Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What offence or offences peace protesters at Menwith Hill have committed during 2006. Lord Drayson: During 2006 the following offences have been committed by protesters at Menwith Hill: Criminal Damage 1 Obstruction of the Highway 2 Criminal Trespass 2 offenders arrested together Assault on Police 1 Prisoners: Foreign Nationals Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the nationalities of all non-British nationals currently serving custodial sentences in the United Kingdom. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information on the nationality of prisoners serving custodial sentences in the United Kingdom is given in tables 1 to 3 attached. A small proportion of prisoners have no nationality recorded. Work is being undertaken between NOMS, the Prison Service and the IND to reduce the number of sentenced prisoners in England and Wales with no nationality recorded. Table 1: Nationality recorded for immediate custodial sentenced prisoners in establishments in England and Wales on -- 31 March 2006 Nationality Number Total 62,801 Afghanistan 39 Albania 74 Algeria 89 Angola 45 Anguilla 1 Argentina 2 Armenia 6 Australia 18 Austria 8 Azerbaijan 1 Bahamas 5 Bangladesh 114 Barbados 21 Belgium 29 Belize 1 Bermuda 1 Bolivia 4 Bosnia-Herzegovina 3 Botswana 4 Brazil 37 Bulgaria 10 Burma 2 Burundi 7 Cambodia 1 Cameroon, United Republic 17 Canada 18 Canton and Enderbury Islands 1 Central African Republic 7 Chile 8 China 163 Columbia 106 Congo 55 Costa Rica 2 Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 11 Croatia 7 Cuba 1 Cyprus 51 Czech Republic 17 Dahomey (Benin) 7 Denmark 9 Dominica 5 Dominican Republic 10 Ecuador 12 Egypt 8 Equatorial Guinea 2 Estonia 9 Ethiopia 31 Fiji 10 Finland 2 France 109 French Southern Territories 1 French Guiana 2 Gambia 18 Georgia 14 Germany 91 Ghana 145 Gibraltar 1 Greece 13 Grenada 26 Guinea 3 Guyana 33 Haiti 1 Hong Kong 7 Hungary 13 India 164 Indonesia 4 Iran 90 Iraq 145 Irish Republic 574 Israel 13 Italy 89 Jamaica 1,198 Japan 1 Jordan 4 Kazakhstan 3 Kenya 42 Kiribati 1 Korea, Republic of (South Korea) 3 Kuwait 5 Kyrgyzstan 5 Lao People's Democratic Republic 1 Latvia 32 Lebanon 8 Liberia 18 Libya 9 Lithuania 99 Macedonia 5 Malawi 6 Malaysia 15 Mali 1 Malta 5 Mauritania 1 Mauritius 14 Mexico 9 Moldova 17 Mongolia 3 Montserrat 14 Morocco 32 Mozambique 1 Namibia 7 Netherlands 115 Netherlands Antilles 19 New Zealand 7 Niger 1 Nigeria 675 Norway 4 Oman 1 Pakistan 313 Panama 2 Papua New Guinea 1 Paraguay 1 Peru 1 Philippines 8 Poland 97 Portugal 117 Romania 87 Russia 62 Rwanda 2 Sao Tome and Principe 1 Saudi Arabia 5 Senegal 2 Serbia and Montenegro 60 Seychelles 2 Sierra Leone 42 Singapore 1 Slovakia 8 Slovenia 2 Somalia 193 South Africa 116 Spain 68 Sri Lanka 85 St Christopher and Nevis 1 St Kitts and Nevis 2 St Lucia 23 St Vincent and The Grenadines 10 Sudan 20 Surinam 5 Swaziland 1 Sweden 8 Switzerland 4 Syrian Arab Republic 4 Tanzania 13 Thailand 2 Togo 9 Trinidad and Tobago 82 Tunisia 8 Turkey 165 Turkmenistan 1 Uganda 49 United Arab Emirates 7 United Kingdom 55,551 United States of America 67 Uruguay 1 Venezuela 52 Vietnam 69 Virgin Islands 1 Yemen, Republic of 7 Zaire 24 Zambia 13 Zimbabwe 108 Total other 5 Not known/not recorded 182 Note: As recorded on prison IT system. Table 2: Nationality recorded for sentenced people in prison in Scotland on 30 June 2004 Nationality Number Total 5,666 American 2 Australian 1 Belgian 2 Brazilian 2 British 5,594 Canadian 6 Dutch 3 German 1 Indian 2 Iranian 3 Iraqi 2 Italian 2 Libyan 1 Other African 9 Other Commonwealth 8 Other European 9 Pakistani 4 Russian 1 Southern African 5 Southern Irish 7 Spanish 1 Turkish 1 Note:As recorded on Scottish Prison Service's management information database. Where no nationality is included, "British" is the default nationality on the Scottish Prison Service management information database; some of the people recorded as British may not be British. Table 3: Immediate custody prisoners in Northern Ireland by nationality as at 23 February 2006 Nationality Number Total 852 Northern Ireland 705 British 89 Republic of Ireland 48 Australia 1 Sierra Leone 1 France 1 South Africa 1 Italy 2 Portugal 1 Algeria 1 Lithuania 2 Sex Offenders: Kevin Hazelwood Lord Taylor of Warwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Attorney-General will seek to increase the minimum sentence of Kevin Hazelwood following his conviction for child rape. Lord Goldsmith: On 20 April 2006, Kevin Hazelwood was sentenced to a term of imprisonment for public protection. He will be detained indefinitely, and may not be released until the parole board is satisfied that his continued detention is no longer necessary for public protection. He may not ask the parole board even to consider his case until he has served five years and seven months from the date of sentence. I have decided not to refer his case to the Court of Appeal. In my public interest capacity, I have the power to refer certain sentences to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient. Before doing so, I give very careful consideration to the facts and surrounding circumstances of the case, and am advised by independent, specialist lawyers on the sentence imposed. I have approached this case in this way, and have concluded that, as the law stands, the sentence for public protection imposed on Kevin Hazelwood is not one with which the Court of Appeal would be likely to interfere. Venezuela Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are planning to take to improve relations with President Chávez and Ministers in the Venezuelan Government. Lord Triesman: We are committed to maintaining an active relationship with the Venezuelan Government. We have many shared interests, including energy, trade and the fight against illegal drugs. Our embassy in Caracas is active in promoting co-operation on these issues with the Venezuelan Government. We continue to look for appropriate ways of developing our bilateral relationship. We are also active within the EU in helping to develop and maintain constructive working relations with Venezuela.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-05-22b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Carillion: Insolvency lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 8 February (HL5130), whether they will now set out which private sector contracts with Carillion have been either suspended or curtailed; and whether they will provide details of the value of those contracts. lord henley: The Government does not hold this information. In his role as liquidator of Carillion, the Official Receiver is an officer of the court and is independent of government. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Henley on 12 February (HL5215 and HL5281), what role they played in commissioning and approving the legal opinion provided by Martin Moore QC, in the light of a Freedom of Information request (BEIS/FOI2016/15803) recording a Department for Business and Industrial Strategy (BIS) official stating that: “I agree; we will need to jointly commission with the FRC an opinion from an eminent QC which could be published" and the Financial Reporting Council later stating to an official that: “We have now developed the Martin Moore opinion to an advanced stage and I thought it would be useful to share it with you to see whether you would like to discuss any points or seek the inclusions of any points”; and whether they will publish any instructions provided to Mr Moore and any insertions added to the legal opinion that he produced. lord henley: Although initial consideration was given to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) commissioning an opinion jointly from counsel, it was later agreed that the FRC would commission the opinion from Martin Moore QC independently. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Henley on 12 February (HL5281)which stated that “the FRC has to form its own view, for the fulfilment of its regulatory functions, of what it considers the law to be. The statement above is an example of the Government and the FRC working together to confirm such an interpretation”, whether the legal opinion by Michael Moore QC, published on 8 October 2013, was dependent upon the Ministerial Statement published by BIS on 3 October 2013, or whether the Ministerial Statement was dependent upon the Moore opinion. lord henley: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) received a draft copy of the legal opinion by Martin Moore QC on 19 September 2013. The statement from Jo Swinson MP about accounting standards, published on 3 October 2013, was based on discussions held with the Financial Reporting Council and consideration by BIS’s own legal advisers. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Henley on 12 February (HL5212)which stated that “The Financial Reporting Council published a statement in June 2014 confirming that the true and fair requirement remains of fundamental importance in the preparation of accounts”, whether they have identified any mistakes in the description of requirements deriving from section 393 of the Companies Act 2006 within the June 2014 FRC statement; and when any such mistakes will be corrected. lord henley: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not identified mistakes in the description of requirements deriving from section 393 of the Companies Act 2006 in the June 2014 Financial Reporting Council (FRC) statement. The FRC is an independent regulator. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Henley on 12 February (HL5280)which stated that “the Government has stated previously that it does not consider that the Companies Act requires the accounts of the company to state the company’s distributable profits”, what assessment they have made of the Financial Reporting Council guidance on section 837 of the Companies Act 2006 which states that “A disclaimer of opinion on the financial statements as a whole would be material as the auditor would be unable to form an opinion on the amount at which the company’s distributable profits are stated”. lord henley: That assessment was set out in the reply given to the noble Baroness on 12th February 2018 to Question HL5280: The determination of the distributable profits and of a distribution by a public company must be based on the profits of the company as set out in the company’s accounts. These must be prepared in accordance with the accounting standards, with the overriding requirement that they must give a true and fair view of the company’s finances. However, the Government has stated previously that it does not consider that the Companies Act requires the accounts of the company to state the company’s distributable profits. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Henley on 12 February (HL5215), whether any member of the Financial Reporting Councilboard acted as an instructing solicitor when Michael Moore QC was asked to provide a legal opinion; and if so, which board member acted in this capacity; what remuneration they received; and on how many other occasions they had also instructed Mr Moore on behalf of the FRC. lord henley: As stated in the reply given to the noble Baroness on 12th February 2018 to Question HL5215, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) considers that instructions to Counsel held by it are subject to legal professional privilege. The Government did not ask the FRC to share copies of its instructions to Martin Moore QC. Financial Reporting Council baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Henley on 1 February (HL4991 and HL4993), on what basis were members of the Financial Reporting Review Panel omitted from the Financial Reporting Council Register of Interests; which members of the Panel have previously served as Financial Reporting Council employees; which members of the Panel are serving or previous members of accounting firms and, for each such member, which firms they have worked for; which remaining Panel members have had any professional relationships with accounting firms; and, for each such member, (1) what the nature of the relationship was, (2) which accounting firm the relationship was with, and (3) when the relationship occurred. lord henley: The details of the members of the Financial Reporting Review Panel (FRRP), including biographies, can be found on the Financial Reporting Council’s (FRC) website and are attached. The FRRP is not part of the FRC’s governance structure but rather a panel from which members are drawn to form Review Groups under the Conduct Committee’s Corporate Reporting Review Operating Procedures. Interests in relation to the specific entity whose accounts are being reviewed are checked before appointment to any Review Group. Financial Reporting Review Council (PDF Document, 252.76 KB) Tidal Power: Swansea Bay lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will consider and respond to relevant parts of the (1) Clean Growth Strategy, (2) Industrial Strategy, and (3) Hendry Review, in order that a decision is reached on progressing the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon. lord henley: In coming to any decision on the proposed Swansea Bay tidal lagoon, the Government is currently assessing the Hendry Review and considering how this technology delivers against its priorities, as set out in the Clean Growth Strategy and the Industrial Strategy. This will ensure that the response to the Hendry Review takes into account the best interests of the UK as a whole and represents value for money for the UK taxpayer and the consumer. Electricity: Storage baroness featherstone: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any estimates of the potential cost savings that could be made by securing a greater supply of large scale, long duration electricity storage. lord henley: In 2016 the Government commissioned a study into the benefits of a smart, more flexible energy system, which found that the UK could save £17- 40 billion across the electricity system to 2050 by deploying flexible technologies. These include demand side response and a range of storage technologies. Long duration storage can provide additional security of supply benefits over those provided by short duration storage, and we have recently amended the Capacity Market rules to reflect this. Insolvency baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government whenthey intend to publish a full response to the feedback they received on their Review of the Corporate Insolvency Frameworkconsultation, published inMay 2016. baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the potential economic benefits of introducing reforms of the UK’s corporate insolvency framework. lord henley: In May 2016 the Government published its Review of the Corporate Insolvency Framework consultation. The consultation contained a package of proposals to improve the rescue opportunities for financially-distressed companies in Great Britain. A summary of responses to the consultation was published in September 2016. Following the publication of the summary of responses, the Government has continued to engage with a range of interested parties to further discuss and explore issues raised in responses to the consultation. This further engagement will ensure that any reforms, if necessary, will be fit for purpose and best achieve the Government’s aims of rescuing distressed but viable businesses, therefore preserving both value and jobs. The Government recognises the importance of the insolvency and restructuring regime to the wider UK economy and the important role it plays in, amongst other things, creating strong conditions for growth and access to credit. The consultation stage impact assessment is available from www.gov.uk. A full response to the consultation will be published later this year. Impact Assessment (PDF Document, 565.06 KB) Standards lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the effectiveness of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's Assisted International Travel Scheme Fund in supporting attendance at both British Standards Institution and International Organization for Standardization committees. lord henley: The Assisted International Travel Scheme has an important role in facilitating UK business participation in international standard making bodies. The Government continues to keep its effectiveness under review. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Travel lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to maintain the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's Assisted International Travel Scheme Fund over the course of this Parliament. lord henley: The Government remains committed to continuing to support UK business’ participation at international standards making bodies and there are no plans to withdraw the Assisted International Travel Scheme Fund. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Travel lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend topublish the total funding allocated to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's Assisted International Travel Scheme Fund on an annual basis since 2010; and if so, when. lord henley: The British Standards Institution (BSI) is required to publish an annual report detailing how the annual grant funding it receives from my Department is spent, including the funding for the Assisted International Travel Scheme. The reports are published on the BSI website but the relevant information has been collated here for ease of reference. Departmental funding largely reflects the levels requested by BSI to support agreed participation in international committee meetings. Funding allocation for Assisted International Travel Scheme2010/11£1,370,0002011/12£1,360,0002012/13£1,280,0002013/14£1,190,0002014/15£1,062,2002015/16£1,017,2002016/17£1,017,2002017/18£798,200 British Standards Institution lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey intend to discuss with the British Standards Institution (BSI) the need to increase the allowances laid out in the BSI fund form A47 supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's Assisted International Travel Scheme Fund. lord henley: The Government greatly values the role that UK business and other stakeholders play in the international standards making process. We will discuss with the British Standards Institution the current rules of the Assisted International Travel Scheme to ensure it continues to provide the most efficient way of supporting UK participation in international standards making committees. Nuclear Safeguards lord teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what new or modified information technology systems are required for the UK nuclear safeguarding authority to be approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency; and whatare the estimatedcosts of developing those systems. lord henley: To deliver a domestic safeguards regime, generally referred to as a State System of Accountancy for and Control of Nuclear Materials (SSAC), the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) plans to put in place a Safeguards Information Management and Reporting System (SIMRS). The SIMRS will enable the ONR to obtain and process the information necessary to ensure timely submission to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the reports required by any future safeguards agreements with the IAEA. The SIMRS will also enable submission of any specific reports required by supplier states as part of Nuclear Cooperation Agreements (NCAs).ONR has estimated that it will cost £10 million to establish a UK SSAC and SIMRS is included as a part of this overall estimate. An initial tender opportunity in relation to the SIMRS is currently being advertised on the Government Digital Marketplace and responses to that tender will provide more certainty on estimated costs. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government for what reason, and by whose advice, the overriding true and fair view requirement of sections 226(2) and 227(3) was taken out of the Companies Act 1985 on the implementation of International Accounting Standards; why this was then reinstated as section 393 of the Companies Act 2006, and by whose advice; when section 393 of the Companies Act 2006come into effect; and for what years that requirement was absent. lord henley: The Companies Act 1985 (International Accounting Standards and Other Accounting Amendments) Regulations 2004 introduced the amendments to the Companies Act 1985 needed to provide for the application of the International Accounting Standards Regulation. The regulations commenced on 1 January 2005. The Companies Act 2006 introduced section 393, which commenced on 6 April 2008. The 2004 regulations gave effect to the EU’s International Accounting Standards Regulation, which introduced the requirement to prepare accounts using EU adopted International Accounting Standards (IAS). The EU Regulation did not include the requirement that IAS accounts should give a “true and fair” view. The Regulation instead relies upon the fact that the framework supporting the standards requires a “fair presentation” of the company’s finances; that it does not require strict conformity with every technical accounting requirement in the accounting Directives; and that the auditor’s report should state whether the accounts give a true and fair view. The Companies Act 2006 consolidated the requirements of the Companies Act 1985 and the amendments to it and restated and reformed the requirements on the preparation of accounts. In line with the recommendations of the company law review following public consultation, the Companies Act 2006 introduced the “true and fair” requirement for all accounts in section 393. I am unable to provide further explanation of the Government’s justification in 2004 for not having also included an overarching requirement that IAS accounts must give a true and fair view. It is an established convention that Minsters of one administration cannot see the documents of a previous administration. I am therefore unable to provide the information requested by the noble Baroness. Financial Reporting Council baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 21 February (HL5518), when each director ofthe Financial Reporting Council (FRC) was informed that the FRC was a public body;how they were informed, and how this was documented; whether they will place in the Library of the House letters of appointment for each director at the date of each appointment, rather than the recent general letter of appointment dated 30 January;and whether they will set out how a public body can operate as a public body if the public has not been informed that it is a public body. lord henley: The terms of appointment for each director of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) mirror the terms of appointment placed into the Library of the House for my answer HL5518. I will ask the FRC to provide the letters of appointment for each director and will place these in the Libraries of the House in due course with appropriate redactions. The classification of the FRC in 2004 and the further considerations by the Office for National Statistics up to 2014 were published. The FRC is included in the whole of Government accounts pursuant to legislation. Financial Reporting Council baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 20 February (HL5467), whether the Financial Reporting Council changed the wording after my question (HL4627) was tabled on 11 January; and why the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 1 February (HL5095) referred to a position with future effect, not the past and present position. lord henley: The fact sheet placed into the Libraries of the House in response to question HL5095 used the word “requested” and is dated June 2017. My answer to question HL5095 stated the position as of 1st February 2018. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 12 February (HL5280), what were the circumstances that led to the UK voluntarily adopting International Accounting Standards (IAS) for separate, company-only, accounts by invoking the option under Article 5 of the IAS Regulation 2001; and whether, prior to the UK invoking that option, the Financial Reporting Council or Department for Trade and Industry had anticipated the difficulties that this option would create for the use of separate accounts for capital maintenance purposes. lord henley: The Department for Trade and Industry consulted on the adoption of “International Accounting Standards” in 2002 (URN 2002/1158). The consultation considered whether the UK should exercise the Member State option under Article 5 of the IAS Regulation and, in particular, whether to extend the application of the Regulation to the individual accounts of publicly traded companies. The consultation stated that: “There may be good reasons to exercise this option in order to help internal consistency and comparability of accounts within the same group and assist in preparation of consolidated accounts. There is the additional advantage that the current practice of presenting entity financial statements of the parent with the group accounts as one package could continue. With no extension the practice would probably have to change, as it would be cumbersome and confusing to have to explain two different bases of preparation. We estimate that this would affect around 2700 companies.” The Government considered the responses to the consultation and conducted a full assessment of the costs and benefits of the various approaches to implement the IAS Regulation. Following this consideration the Government concluded that it would implement the option in the regulation, including to extend the application of the Regulation to the individual accounts of publicly traded companies. The Companies Act 1985 (International Accounting Standards and Other Accounting Amendments) Regulations 2004 (SI 2004 / 2947) provided for the application of the International Accounting Standards Regulation. The impact assessment accompanying the regulations sets out the Government’s assessment of the costs and benefits. It concluded that the Governments resulting policy on taking up the option in Article 5 overall had the following benefits: “Parent companies and building societies and subsidiaries in groups will be able to prepare their accounts to one framework of accounting standards. Companies and building societies that do business or seek capital across borders would be able to prepare their accounts to adopted IAS for ease of comparison. Comparability of accounts will assist, shareholders, analysts and other users of accounts.” Banks: Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) first became aware of any problems with International Accounting Standards for the capital adequacy of particular banks; by what means the FRC found out about such problems; which banks any such problems applied to; and how the FRC responded to any identified problems. lord henley: The Prudential Regulation Authority is responsible for regulation of the capital adequacy of banks. Prior to 2013 this was the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) was not aware of the contribution that certain features of the International Accounting Standards made to the problem of the capital adequacy of the banks until the problem was a matter of public knowledge. The FRC has engaged with UK Government, Europe, internationally, and with the International Accounting Standards Board since then to develop reforms to the standards, which address the concerns that have been identified. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 12 February (HL5214), on which issues does the Financial Reporting Council now accept the position set out by Mr Bompas QC; and in particular whether section 831 of the Companies Act 2006 is one such issue. lord henley: As stated in the reply given to the noble Baroness on 12th February 2018 to question HL5214, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) sought advice on a range of matters from Martin Moore QC and accepted the advice it received. This includes the advice relating to the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 that determines distributable profits. Section 831 forms part of those requirements. The FRC has not changed its views on those matters. Paternity Leave baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the main elements of the campaign to encourage more fathers to take shared parental leave; and what is the take-up target. lord henley: The Shared Parental Leave (SPL) campaign is jointly sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Government Equalities Office. It involves advertising online, on posters in rail stations, bus shelters and on roadsides and in some print publications, driving to a website www.gov.uk/sharetheleave which contains more information and links to guidance on the policy. We are also working with key stakeholders and using PR to communicate our messages to both parents and their employers. The aim of the campaign is to increase awareness of SPL and encourage more parents to discuss this with their partners and employers. We are not able to set a target for take up of shared parental leave as this data is not collected or reported on by employers. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Religious Freedom the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government when their strategy covering freedom of religion or belief will be published. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) freedom of religion or belief work plan is for internal use only. However, the FCO's "toolkit" for use by UK diplomats in promoting and defending the right to FoRB and setting out our policy has been published and can be seen at the gov.uk website. Religious Freedom the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the details of the £600,000 worth of projects funded by the Magna Carta Fund in 2016–17 which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated have directly led to positive freedom of religion or belief outcomes in 20 countries; and what are those outcomes. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Several projects were funded by the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy in 2016-17, including:Hardwired Inc is running a project which promotes tolerance in secondary school curricula in 50 schools in Iraq, Morocco and Lebanon.Christian Solidarity Worldwide is running a project to support human rights defenders in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. This project raises awareness at the national, regional and international level of the unique challenges human rights defenders campaigning for FoRB face in South Asia and Central Asia. It also raises their security awareness and their advocacy capability.The Salzburg Global Seminar brings together experts and educational practitioners from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East to explore approaches for combating extremism, preventing genocide and promoting tolerance. There is a particular emphasis on Rwanda, South Africa and Cambodia.In Malaysia, we supported a project implemented by Article 19 which aimed to strengthen the ability of Malaysia's national human rights institution to advance the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religious belief. The project engaged a range of influential religious groups, with the view to widening the space for constructive debate in the public sphere and encouraging greater tolerance in the socio-political discourse.Article 19 run a project in Tunisia and Egypt, to strengthen civil society to build consensus on institutional, legislative and policy change, engage with international human rights mechanisms and prevent intolerance and hate speech.The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan run a project, which contributes to social stability and security in Central Asia through building the capacity of key state and non-state stakeholders to advance FoRB for all.Cumberland Lodge is running a project to promote understanding among overseas students studying in the UK of the right to FoRB. The students will be better sensitised to FoRB issues before returning to their native countries where we hope that they will act as informal advocates for human rights, including FoRB. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting lord loomba: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answerby Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 25 January (HL4647), what steps they are taking to ensure that widows' rights are a focus ofthe forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are working with member states and the Commonwealth Secretariat to develop an ambitious agenda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The ministerial discussions will be preceded by four official Commonwealth Forums at the start of summit week. The Women’s Forum is being organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and will discuss issues around barriers to female empowerment and gender equality. We anticipate that sessions will also address the unique needs of marginalised groups of women, such as those with disabilities, widows and others. Participants are likely to include individuals and organisations with a particular focus on the rights of all women, including widow’s rights. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting lord loomba: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answerby Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 25 January (HL4791), what steps they are taking to ensure any discussions on preventing sexual violence in conflict at the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will also address the specific issues that affect widows and their children. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are working with member states and the Commonwealth Secretariat to develop an ambitious agenda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The ministerial discussions will be preceded by four official Commonwealth Forums at the start of summit week. The Women’s Forum is being organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and will discuss issues around barriers to female empowerment and gender equality. We are working with them to develop a programme that will address violence against women and girls, as well as the unique impact of conflict on women and girls and their key role in peace and security. We anticipate that sessions will also address the unique needs of marginalised groups of women, such as those with disabilities, widows and others. Participants are likely to include individuals and organisations with a particular focus on the rights of all women, including widow’s rights. Krishna Maharaj the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United States on behalf of Kris Maharaj, a British citizen held in prison in Florida. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government has made numerous representations to the United States Government over a number of years on behalf of Mr Maharaj, most recently when our Ambassador to the US, Sir Kim Darroch wrote to the Attorney General of the United States, Jeff Sessions, on 13 February. Russia: Electronic Warfare viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Foreign Minister Lavrov of Russia extended an invitation to the UK Foreign Secretary during the bilateral meeting on 22 December 2017 in Moscow for respective state cyber agencies to meet to address areas of concern; and if so,how the Foreign Secretary responded and if he has not responded when he will. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov proposed bilateral interdepartmental consultations on international information security to the Foreign Secretary during his visit in December 2017. The British Government is considering its response. The Russian government claims to support responsible behaviour in cyber space, yet secretly conducts destructive cyber attacks. This is not the relationship we want; this kind of behaviour gets in the way of a sensible dialogue. NATO: Brussels lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the decision was taken to construct the new NATO headquarters building in Brussels; when any plans for the new headquarters building were approved; what was the anticipated cost of the project at that time; whether those costs have been revised subsequently, and if so, what is the current estimated cost on completion; what the anticipated dates of completion and occupation were at the time of approval; whether those dates have been revised subsequently; and when it is expected that the old NATO headquarters building will be vacated. lord ahmad of wimbledon: At the 1999 Washington Summit, NATO Heads of State and Government decided to build a new NATO headquarters to meet the requirements of the Alliance in the twenty first century. In 2003, the North Atlantic Council approved a design for the new headquarters with an estimated cost of €1.2 billion. These costs have been revised on a number of occasions; the current estimate is €1.17 billion. Handover of the site was originally planned for August 2015 but was delayed until March 2017 due to technical difficulties. Allies will begin moving to the new headquarters in March 2018 with the site of the current buildings returning to the Belgian Government towards the end of this year. Turkey: Human Rights lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 February (HL5033), whether the shared interests that the UK has with Turkey also include (1) respect for human rights, (2) the independence of the judiciary, and (3) prisons free from torture. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have regular discussions at ministerial level with Turkish counterparts on human rights and rule of law issues. We have also raised concerns about reports of ill-treatment in detention. We will continue to encourage Turkey to respect its human rights obligations, including the right to freedom of expression, and to support the rule of law for all its citizens. UN Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty Review Conference lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what preparations they are making for the 2020 Review Conference of theTreaty on the Non-Proliferationof Nuclear Weapons. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The second of three Preparatory Committees for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in 2020 will take place in Geneva in April. At that meeting, we will continue to engage with a wide range of states on how we can tackle the challenges that we face on non-proliferation and disarmament, and on how to enable access to the peaceful use of nuclear technology. The UK plays a leading role on disarmament verification and we will continue to press for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the start of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty in the Conference on Disarmament and increased transparency and trust between Nuclear Weapons States in order to develop the global conditions in which nuclear armed states feel confident enough to relinquish their weapons. We continue to urge all states that have not yet done so, to join the NPT as non-Nuclear Weapons States. Turkey: Christianity lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 February (HL5034), whether the Christian communities in Turkey referred to include any that have resident UK priests; and how they define "the legal personality of religious beliefs". lord ahmad of wimbledon: The number of UK priests working overseas is a matter for the Church of England and any other relevant religious bodies. The British Embassy in Ankara and British Consulate-General in Istanbul is in close touch with the Anglican authorities. Regarding the legal personality of religious bodies, the leadership of some religious communities have struggled to obtain a unified legal status and instead operate as conglomerations of separate foundations. This can give rise to issues over property. The British Embassy in Ankara have raised issues over religious property ownership with the Turkish authorities. EU Countries: British Nationals Abroad viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any UK minister, official, or embassy staff member has been in communication with any Netherlands minister, official, or embassy staff member, either directly or via a representative, regarding the decision by the District Court of Amsterdam (case number: C/13/640244/KG ZA 17-1327) to refer the question of whether UK citizens living in EU countries are entitled to keep their EU citizenship rights after Brexit to the Court of Justice of the European Union; and if so, what was the outcome of those discussions. viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any UK minister, official, or embassy staff member has been in communication with any Netherlands minister, official, or embassy staff member, either directly or via a representative, regarding an interim appeal to the decision by the District Court of Amsterdam (case number: C/13/640244/KG ZA 17-1327) to refer the question of whether UK citizens living in EU countries are entitled to keep their EU citizenship rights after Brexit to the Court of Justice of the European Union; and if so, what was the outcome of those discussions. lord ahmad of wimbledon: British Government officials have had limited conversations with Dutch counterparts on this case, principally in order to ascertain the factual details.As regards the issue of UK citizens living in the EU after our exit from the European Union, the Government has secured a deal that will safeguard their rights, so that they can continue living their lives broadly as they do now. Our view is that EU treaty provisions state that only citizens of EU Member States are able to hold EU citizenship. Therefore, when the UK ceases to be a member of the European Union, British nationals will no longer hold EU citizenship, unless they hold dual nationality with another EU Member State. Department of Health and Social Care Social Services: Finance lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to close the projected £2.3 billion funding gap in adult social care by 2020 as forecast by the Local Government Association. lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on adults receiving social care of the projected £2.3 billion shortfall in funding for adult social care by 2020 as forecast by the Local Government Association. lord o'shaughnessy: The Budget in March 2017 announced an additional £2 billion to be given to councils over the three years from 2017/18 for social care. More recently the local government finance settlement announced a further £150 million for social care.This additional funding means that Government has given councils access to up to £9.4 billion more dedicated funding for social care over the three years from 2017/18. Overall, councils are able to increase spending on adult social care in real terms in each of the next three years.The Government has set out plans to publish a green paper by summer 2018 presenting its proposals to reform care and support for older people. Mental Health Services: Finance lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether Clinical Commissioning Groups are allocating the additional investment promised by Her Majesty's Government for mental health to mental health services. lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that 50per cent of Clinical Commissioning Groups in England are planning to reduce the proportion of their budgets spent on mental health support in 2017–18, compared to 2016–17. lord o'shaughnessy: It is for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to determine the level of spend on specific services. CCGs are required to achieve the Mental Health Investment Standard (MHIS) - i.e. to increase their spend on mental health services in excess or equal to the growth in their programme allocation and to deliver on the operational targets laid out in the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health.NHS England now publishes CCG mental health spend. Over 80% of CCGs met the MHIS in 2016/17 and are forecast to achieve the standard in 2017/18. Assurance processes are in place centrally and regionally to review and to validate reported spend. For 2018/19 all CCGs will be required to meet the MHIS and this will be subject to confirmation by their auditors. Mental Health Services: Finance lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in ensuring that mental health has parity of esteem with physical health with regard to funding. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government set parity of esteem in physical and mental health in law in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The independent Mental Health Taskforce’s Five Year Forward View for Mental Health report in February 2016 and July 2016 Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health plan set out detailed recommendations for achieving parity of esteem between physical and mental healthcare. Copies of both reports are attached. The Government’s response to the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health report accepted all the report’s recommendations in January 2017 and created a detailed action plan for taking forward the recommendations, including how we will monitor progress and report transparently. A copy of the Government’s response is attached. The report set out a strategy for change in four key areas to drive forward improvements in mental health: promoting good mental health and helping people lead the lives they want to live, integrating care, creating a seven day National Health Service for mental health and hard wiring mental health across health and social care.NHS England’s Mental Health Investment Standard also requires the local NHS to increase mental health investment by at least the same proportion as overall allocations. This is planned to be met across England as a whole in 2017/18 and 2018/19. For 2018/19 all clinical commissioning groups will be required to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard and this will be subject to confirmation by their auditors. Mental Health Five Year Forward View (PDF Document, 2.41 MB) Implementing the Five Year Forward View (PDF Document, 2.36 MB) Govt Response to Five Year Forward View (PDF Document, 271.86 KB) Mental Health Services: Finance lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider ring-fencing existing levels of funding for mental health services in 2018–19. lord o'shaughnessy: The Department does not generally ring-fence budgets within the National Health Service. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 gave clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) the autonomy to make decisions about the health services that best meet the health needs of their population.They do this based on evidence of patient needs locally. However, NHS England’s Mental Health Investment Standard requires the local NHS to increase mental health investment by the same proportion as overall allocations. This is planned to be met across England as a whole in 2017/18 and 2018/19. For 2018/19 all CCGs will be required to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard and this will be subject to confirmation by their auditors. Health Services and Social Services lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy in relation to the integration of health and social care in England. lord o'shaughnessy: Implemented since 2015/16, the Better Care Fund (BCF) is the first mandatory national programme for integrating health and social care. It requires local authorities and clinical commissioning groups to pool budgets for the purposes of integrated care. The BCF has helped to join up health and care services so people can manage their own health and wellbeing, and live independently in their communities for as long as possible.Many local areas are developing more ambitious integrated health and care provision with a range of models including integrated provider models or devolved accountabilities as well as joint commissioning arrangements. They are doing this as part of the Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs). STPs bring National Health Service providers, commissioners, local authorities, and other health and care services together to propose how they, at local level, can improve the way that health and care is planned and delivered in a more person-centred and coordinated way.The BCF and STP development have provided a foundation, but we want to do more to deliver joined up care and to encourage integrated approaches which are outlined in the integration and Better Care Fund Policy Framework 2017-19. For those STPs that are ready to go further and faster in delivering the transformation that we want to see, they can evolve to become an Integrated Care System (ICS). ICSs will provide joined up, better coordinated care that can keep people healthier for longer, and out of hospital. To enable this, NHS England and NHS Improvement will offer them far more control and freedom over the total operations of the health system in their area. Opiates lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in England they estimate are currently addicted to prescription opioids, excluding cancer patients. lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the consumption of codeine for pain relief, whether they have any plans to extend the remit of the Public Health England inquiry into prescription drug addiction and dependence to include over the counter painkillers. lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether GPs are being advised to carry out regular medication reviews for patients who are prescribed painkillers for chronic pain, in particular patients who are prescribed opioids; and if not, why not. lord o'shaughnessy: Information on the number of people in England currently addicted to prescription opioids is not collected centrally. The Government is concerned about the impact of long term use of prescription drugs. The Department has commissioned Public Health England (PHE) to undertake an evidence review to better understand the scope of the problem of prescribed drug dependence.The review will bring together the best available evidence on prevalence and prescribing; the nature and likely causes of dependence or discontinuation syndrome among some people who continue to take these medicines; and effective prevention and treatment responses for each condition for which they are prescribed. There are no plans to extend the remit of the PHE evidence review to over the counter painkillers.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the guideline Controlled drugs: safe use and management in April 2016 which covers systems and processes for using and managing controlled drugs safely in all NHS settings except care homes. The guideline includes recommendations to improve working practices to comply with legislation and aims to reduce the risks associated with controlled drugs, including dependency, overdose and diversion. The NICE guideline provides authoritative guidance that reflects the latest available evidence and will allow healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, to make informed decisions about the prescription and optimal use of medicines which have the potential to cause dependency. A copy of the NICE guideline is attached.The recently-updated national clinical guidelines for drug misuse and dependence have specific guidance about pharmacological management of dependence on benzodiazepines and z-drugs, including prescribing regimens, detoxification, adjunctive therapies and monitoring. A copy of these guidelines, Drugs misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management is attached. Controlled drugs: safe use and management (PDF Document, 166.25 KB) Drugs misuse and dependence: UK guidelines (PDF Document, 1.91 MB) Opiates lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of opioids dispensed for pain relief contain a warning on the package that the medication may cause dependence or addiction. lord o'shaughnessy: The Department does not collect this information centrally. Guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency states that all opioid medicines should contain a warning statement in the patient information leaflet that if taking the medication for long periods there is risk of developing an addiction or dependence. A copy of Additional warning statements for inclusion on the label and/or in the leaflet of certain medicines is attached.It is the responsibility of the dispensing pharmacist to determine whether a specific warning should be placed on the packaging of medication. MHRA Guidance for labelling (PDF Document, 392.37 KB) Mental Illness: Financial Services lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 8 February (HL5380), what percentage of mental health patients in England are referred to money advice services. lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 8 February (HL5380), whether they have considered trialling the integration of money advice in mental health settings in England. lord o'shaughnessy: The number of mental health patients referred to money advice services is not collected.There are currently no plans to trial the integration of money advice services in mental health settings. However, the Government recognises the impact that debt may have on mental health and wellbeing and the difficulties that may be experienced by people with mental health problems in managing their debt.We know that mental health services, including Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services, can signpost patients to money and debt advice services as part of their care. General practitioner practices can also signpost patients to money and debt advice services as part of their care and some practices have arrangements in place with local Citizens Advice Bureaux and debt advice services to provide outreach support in primary care. Drugs: Rehabilitation lord patel of bradford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how NHS-led Sustainability and Transformation Plans, including accountable care systems of integrated health and social care, will work with local authority procured substance misuse services to ensure vulnerable service users are given the right priority of access to treatment and care. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government is clear that decisions about service provision are best taken at a local level by local clinicians.Sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) are five-year collaborations between the National Health Service, local government and other key partners for improving health and wellbeing, developing new models of care, and improving the quality and efficiency of services in local areas across England.The way STPs work in practice will vary according to the needs of different parts of the country and any decision on how they will work with local substance misuse services will be taken at a local level. Department for International Development Burma: Rohingya lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking tosupport birth registration activities in relation toRohingya children born in Bangladesh to ensure that their rights are protected while they are refugees and when, or if, they return to Myanmar. lord bates: The UK supports UNHCR which is conducting a family registration process, including advice and legal support with whatever documents individuals have managed to retain. We continue to lobby the governments of both Burma and Bangladesh to protect and respect the human rights of those who have fled northern Rakhine and to facilitate the conditions for their safe, voluntary and dignified return. Democratic Republic of Congo: Overseas Aid lord willoughby de broke: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much foreign aid money was provided to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the Department for International Development in each year since 2010. lord bates: Since 2010, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has received a total of £1.03 billion in bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Department for International Development (DFID).The table below shows the amount of DFID bilateral ODA to the DRC broken down by year:Year Amount in Millions2010£161.52011£145.82012£138.22013£155.42014£164.12015£1392016£128.4Total£1,032.4Source: Statistics on International Development 2017 Palestinians: Lebanon baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency funding cuts on Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. lord bates: The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) provides essential services to over 5 million registered Palestinian refugees across the region. According to UNRWA, there are approximately 460,000 registered in Lebanon. Many displaced Palestinians from Syria living in Lebanon depend heavily on UNRWA assistance. We are keeping in close contact with regional representatives to understand risks to UNRWA’s sustainability and continue to work closely with UNRWA, the United States, and other European Union partners on how to maintain continuity of key services such as education and health for Palestinian refugees across the region, including in Lebanon. UNRWA has publically stated their determination to continue services in all their fields of operations. Overseas Aid the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government which public bodies will be involved in the review of organisations in receipt of UK aid funding; which organisations will be reviewed; and according to what timetable. lord bates: On 12 February, the Secretary of State for International Development wrote to all UK charities that directly receive UK aid. She asked them to provide her with assurance that the systems and culture that are needed to protect vulnerable people are in place and that they have referred any and all concerns organisations may have on specific cases and individuals to the relevant authorities. DFID officials are now analysing those responses with independent oversight and have shared returns with the Charity Commission. We will share key findings, trends and themes at our Safeguarding Summit on 5 March and will then conduct further in depth analysis as required. DFID has also written to more than 393 international charities which receive UK aid to set out the high standards we expect, and we will undertake a similar exercise with all multilaterals, suppliers and stakeholders. Department for Education Overseas Students: EU Nationals baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to clarify the fee status of EU students studying at UK universities from September 2019. viscount younger of leckie: Future arrangements for EU students starting courses after 2018/19, and who are not settled in the UK or on a pathway to settled status by the specified date, will need to be considered as part of wider discussions about the UK’s relationship with the EU. Applications for courses starting in 2019/20 do not open until September 2018, and we are working to ensure students applying have information well in advance of this date. Overseas Students: EU Nationals lord grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the total cost of student loans to students from EU 27 countries in each of the last ten years. viscount younger of leckie: Information showing student loans paid to English higher education providers on behalf of EU domiciled students (UK/EU nationals, resident in the European Economic Area or Switzerland prior to studying) can be found in the Table 1, attached. Statistics covering English loans paid to students on higher education courses are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’:https://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/full-catalogue-of-official-statistics/student-support-for-higher-education-in-england.aspx. Student loans paid to HE providers, EU domiciled (Word Document, 15.35 KB) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Temporary Accommodation: Children lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect the number of children in hostels and other temporary accommodation in England to rise; and whatsteps they are taking to reduce this number. lord bourne of aberystwyth: We are implementing the Homelessness Reduction Act, which commences in April 2018. The Act significantly reforms England’s homelessness legislation, ensuring that more people get the help they need earlier to prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place.The law is clear that households with dependent children should only be accommodated in B&B in an emergency and then for no longer than 6 weeks.Our new Homelessness Advice and Support Team, drawn from local authorities and the homelessness sector, are providing targeted challenge and support to help Councils improve their practice and performance – including the use of B&B accommodation for families.The Government remains committed to combating homelessness and rough sleeping. To achieve this, we have set up a Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce that will focus on prevention and affordable housing. We have allocated over £1 billion over the course of the spending review to tackle and reduce homelessness. This includes £315 million Homelessness Prevention funding and a Flexible Homelessness Support Grant which local authorities can use more strategically to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place. This amounts to £402 million over the two years from 2017/18, with further funding to be announced for 2019/20. Sleeping Rough: City of Westminster lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Westminster City Council about deaths and hospital admissions of homeless people sleeping rough in the borough. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Ministers at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government meet with representatives of local authorities, voluntary and charity sector organisations, policy experts and other partners on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues including homelessness and rough sleeping.The Government publishes a list of all ministerial meetings with external bodies on departmental business on a quarterly basis. This is available (attached) at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/668182/Ministerial_meetings_Jul_to_Sep_2017.csv/previewOur new Homelessness Advice and Support Team, drawn from local authorities and the homelessness sector, is providing support to local authorities to help them address their homelessness challenges. They have visited a significant number of local authorities across England, including Westminster. List of all Ministerial meetings (Excel SpreadSheet, 35.5 KB) Sleeping Rough lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government on average, each night, how many homeless people in England sleep outside; and whether they expect that number to increase in 2018, compared to 2017. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The annual autumn rough sleeping count is a single night snapshot of the number of people sleeping rough in local authority areas.The latest statistics can be found (attached) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/667302/Statutory_Homelessness_and_Prevention_and_Relief_Statistical_Release_Jul_to_Sep_2017.pdfWe do not collect data on the number of people sleeping rough each night of the year.This Government is committed to preventing and reducing homelessness in England. No one should have to sleep rough. That is why we have committed to halving rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminating it altogether by 2027. Homelessness and Prevention and Relief (PDF Document, 2.38 MB) Ministry of Defence Joint Exercises lord temple-morris: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to participate in international defence exercises with allies during 2018–19; and at what scale. earl howe: The UK Armed Forces routinely participate in international defence exercises with allies and partners across the globe. In 2018 the UK is due to take part in more than 25 major international exercises and a similar number are planned for 2019. International defence exercises vary significantly in scale, complexity and the number of contributing nations, but all are focused upon developing interoperability with our allies and partners. At the cornerstone of our exercise programme are NATO, the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Partner Nations and the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) alliance between the UK and France. Discrete bilateral defence activity with nations outside of these alliances also makes up part of the international programme and supports wider Defence Engagement. Major NATO exercise activity in 2018 and 2019 centres on development of the NATO Response Force and the ability of contributing nations to respond quickly to an international crisis. Exercises will take place in the US and across Europe in Land, Maritime and Air domains. Most notably, Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE in November 2018 will test the ability of NATO to respond to an Article V situation in Scandinavia, involving multinational forces totalling 35,000 personnel. The UK will contribute a maritime task group, an air component and a brigade sized land force. An annual Baltic Operations Exercise focuses on the ability of NATO forces to work collectively in the protection of nations across the Baltic region. It routinely involves over 5,000 personnel from 17 nations and includes participation by up to 40 warships and submarines and over 60 aircraft. The JEF, for which the UK is the framework nation, also exercises throughout the year to develop the ability of partner nations to respond rapidly and work together. Exercise JOINT WARRIOR is the annual major exercise which involves more than 10,000 personnel from seven partner nations, the next of which is scheduled for April 2018. In addition, the JEF Maritime component and amphibious task group also conduct an annual major exercise, which in autumn 2018 will take place in the North and Baltic Seas. The UK and French CJEF will conduct five major exercises during 2018-19. These will include the testing and live fire exercising of a Combined Joint Task Force involving components from the maritime, land and air environments. In addition, frequent command planning exercises are scheduled to develop and enhance working practices within Combined Operational Headquarters. In addition to the major defence international partnerships, significant bilateral exercise activity is also planned over this period. Joint training with the US makes up a significant proportion of the exercise programme and includes aircraft carrier, fighter jet and Divisional level land forces exercises. The Ministry of Defence’s largest exercise of 2018 will be Exercise SAIF SAREEA in Oman, involving more than 6,000 UK personnel, working alongside the Omani Armed Forces, and will train the UK’s high readiness forces in the full scope of defence activities. UK forces will include an Army Brigade, an RAF Air Wing with Typhoon fighter jets and support transport aircraft and a Maritime Task Group made up of a Royal Marines unit and Royal Navy amphibious warships. Type 31 Frigates lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they will provide to manufacturersfor the export ofType 31e frigates. earl howe: Exports and prosperity are at the heart of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, published in September 2017, and are central to the procurement strategy for the Type 31e Frigate. The Department for International Trade's Defence and Security Organisation will lead Government support to Type 31e export campaigns. We will work closely with them and other Departments to provide the necessary Government support to Type 31e export campaigns. The support provided will vary depending on the nature of each individual campaign. Type 45 Destroyers lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the programme for returning theUK's Type 45 destroyers to full capability; and when they anticipatethis will be achieved. earl howe: Improvements to the resilience of the Type 45 Destroyers' power and propulsion system will be delivered through the Power Improvement Project, which involves fitting additional diesel generators to provide the ships with increased electrical generation capacity. The programme is the subject of an ongoing competitive procurement and it would not be appropriate to release details of the programme schedule until the competitive process has completed and the contract has been agreed. The Type 45 Destroyers continue to be deployed on operations and contribute to the defence of the UK and our international partners. Iraq Fatality Investigations lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the future of the Iraq Fatality Investigations. earl howe: In 2013 the High Court ordered the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to establish a non-criminal process of "quasi-inquests" (which we have designated Iraq Fatality Investigations (IFI)) in appropriate cases to comply fully with the investigative obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, which include procedural requirements (to involve the victim's family, to ensure public accountability, and to identify systemic issues) that cannot always be achieved by a criminal investigation alone. The MOD understands the strain any investigation places upon its personnel, the vast majority of whom conducted themselves professionally in the most difficult circumstances, and is committed to providing them with proper pastoral and legal support. IFI are essentially inquests, they are not criminal investigations and can only take place when a decision has been taken not to prosecute. They take place to provide the families of deceased Iraqi civilians with answers about the circumstances of their deaths.It is important that allegations of wrongdoing are investigated to allay public concerns, if unjustified, or to expose discreditable conduct. This process remains appropriate and legally necessary. Israeli Defence Force: Vehicles baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they suppliedspare parts for Land Rover vehicles to the Israeli Defence Force during 2017; and if so, what parts they supplied. earl howe: No spare parts for Land Rover vehicles were supplied to the Israeli Defence Force during 2017. Department for Work and Pensions Farms: Accidents baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the number of farm accidents. baroness buscombe: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has responsibility for the regulation of health and safety standards on Great Britain’s farms. In September 2017 HSE published the document “Sector Plan for Health and Safety: Agriculture” (attached) that details the actions it will take to tackle farm accidents and ill health. I have also attached the draft Sector Intervention Strategy for agriculture which has been shared with stakeholders for public consultation, setting out the sector plan in more detail. It is due to be published this Spring. Sector Plan for Health and Safety: Agriculture (PDF Document, 137.62 KB) Draft Sector Intervention Strategy (PDF Document, 117.91 KB) Home Office Cybercrime lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comprehensiveness of the data gathered by the police about online fraud and attempted online fraud. baroness williams of trafford: To fully understand the threat posed by fraud, this Government recognises the importance of having data which sets out the scale and nature of this type of criminality to then build an effective response. Action Fraud, which is overseen by City of London Police, is the national reporting centre for all frauds and cyber crimes, this is linked with the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), also overseen by CoLP. (The NFIB analyses fraud data to identify links between seemingly unconnected crimes and assess information that may support investigation).These capabilities enable policing to gather comprehensive data from the public, through crime and information reports, and wider industry partners, including the banking and retail sectors, to then build a national fraud intelligence picture. The NFIB also collects policing outcome data from all forces to understand impact. To improve data collection, City of London Police is implementing a new I.T system within Action Fraud and NFIB, due to go-live in Spring 2018, which will enhance reporting routes and analytical capability. This will further improve our collective understanding of the fraud threat. Immigration: EU Nationals lord radice: To ask Her Majesty's Government what istheir estimate of the decrease in net EU migration to the UK as a result of Brexit, if any. baroness williams of trafford: As at 22 February 2018, net EU migration stood at 90,000 for the year ending September 2017. The comparable figure for the year ending June 2016 is 189,000.Net migration statistics are published by the office for National Statistics and can be found at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration Borders: Northern Ireland lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what researchthey have commissioned on the creation of an electronic border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. baroness williams of trafford: The UK is committed to avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, including any physical infrastructure or related checks and controls, as set out in the December Joint Report.It is our priority to deliver a practical solution that recognises the unique social, political, and economic circumstances of Northern Ireland. Immigrants: Detainees lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what enquiries they have made into reports that immigration detainees whose coach caught fire as it took them to a deportation flight were handcuffed by escort staff before they were permitted to disembark. baroness williams of trafford: An investigation is underway into the causes of the incident involving a Home Office vehicle transporting immigration detainees on 14th February. All the detainees on board were safely evacuated from the vehicle before being placed in handcuffs.The safety and welfare of all those in our care is of the utmost importance and we will accept nothing but the highest standards from companies employed to provide detention and escorting services on our behalf. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Electronic Warfare viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advicethey have given to UK institutions and companies to minimise their being a victim of cyber-attacks in the event of cyber warfare. lord ashton of hyde: The goal of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is to help make the UK the safest place to live and do business online. To that end, the NCSC provides expert guidance for all organisations in the UK, large and small, including businesses and industry, government departments, the critical national infrastructure, universities and charities. Following this advice will enable these institutions and companies to put measures in place to help protect themselves from cyber attacks, and help to protect the UK’s economic prosperity and reputation. European Network and Information Security Agency viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the speech of the Prime Minister at the Security Conference in Munich on 17 February, they plan to cooperate with the EU Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) after Brexit; and if so, what form any such cooperation would take; and whether they consider that ENISA's programme of implementation of EU policy and laws falls under the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union. lord ashton of hyde: Membership of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) is one of the ways in which the UK discusses cyber security policy and shares expertise with European partners. We remain absolutely committed to ensuring European security and developing a deep and special partnership with a strong, secure and successful European Union that covers both economic and security cooperation. A close working relationship on foreign and security policy is unconditional. We are proud of the UK’s capability and record on cyber security and will continue to support our European partners in this area. In leaving the European Union, we will bring about an end to the direct jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the UK. There are a number of existing precedents where the EU has reached agreements with third countries which provide for a close cooperative relationship, without the CJEU having direct jurisdiction over those countries. Our aim is to secure a relationship that provides for practical operational cooperation; facilitates data driven law enforcement; and allows multilateral cooperation through EU agencies. We believe that the UK and the EU should work together to design new, dynamic arrangements as part of our future partnership that support this. The details of our future relationship are a matter for negotiations.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2018-03-05
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2018", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Driverless Vehicles: Infrastructure lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the quality of UK infrastructure to help the development of autonomous vehicles. baroness sugg: The Government is committed to improving transport infrastructure. For example, the Road Investment Strategy is investing £15.3 billion for the period of 2015-2020 and a further £23.5 billion for 2020-2025.While the final infrastructure requirements for automated vehicles are not clear, the Government is also investing in trials of connected and automated vehicle technologies. These will inform the Government’s understanding of the infrastructure requirements for these vehicles. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Staff baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any staff at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) who are responsible for accounting and audit policy previously worked at the Financial Reporting Council; whether BEIS staff previously worked at any accountancy firms; and if so, which ones. lord henley: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) team responsible for accounting policy includes a secondee from the Financial Reporting Council with expertise and experience in accounting. We are unable to provide information on the number of BEIS staff who previously worked at accountancy firms as BEIS does not maintain a database containing the career histories of staff. Business lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the business concerns raised by the British Chambers of Commerce about no-deal Brexit preparations. lord henley: Government is continuing to work hard to provide the clarity that we know businesses need in the run up to March 29th. BEIS and other government departments have been working with business representative bodies including the BCC to provide access to answers. The Public Information Campaign business section is regularly updated with the latest information as it becomes available and we will continue to work cross-government to identify gaps in information businesses need and provide it in user friendly accessible formats. Additionally, BEIS has established a Business Readiness Forum which meets weekly and is attended by the BCC which will help both the BCC and other representative bodies to communicate policy decisions to their members in a timely manner in the run up to EU Exit. Wind Power: Feed-in Tariffs lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the wind-related Feed-in Tariff budget is currently (1) committed, and (2) expected to be deployed by banding in the current financial year in the bands (a) 0–50kw, (b) 50–100 kw, (c) 100–1,500kw, and (d) 1,500–5,000kw. lord henley: Following the review of the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme in 2015 a maximum overall budget of £100m from January 2016 to 31 March 2019 was introduced which is enforced through quarterly deployment caps. Deployment is tracked by Ofgem based on the total installed capacity of new installations registered on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) database and their records of applications for ROO-FIT accreditation. The amount of budget committed to each wind band can be calculated using publicly available data using the following methodology. Total capacity deployed for each technology over the period 2016 – 2018 is published under the Feed-in Tariff Deployment Caps Monthly Reports. Total generation can be calculated by applying the load factors (published in the impact assessment that accompanied the 2015 Feed-in Tariffs review) to the total capacity.Finally, to calculate the value of the generation tariff payments made to each band, the total amount of generation per quarter is multiplied by the corresponding tariff rates available on Ofgem’s website. Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount of the Feed-in Tariff budget which is currently (1) committed, and (2) expected to be deployed in the current financial year for (a) wind, (b) solar, (c) hydro, (d) biomass, (e) anaerobic digestion, and (f) micro-combined heat and power. lord henley: Following the review of the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme in 2015 a maximum overall budget of £100m from January 2016 to 31 March 2019 was introduced which is enforced through quarterly deployment caps. Deployment is tracked by Ofgem based on the total installed capacity of new installations registered on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) database and their records of applications for ROO-FIT accreditation. The amount of budget committed to each technology (biomass is not supported under the FIT scheme) can be calculated using publicly available data using the following methodology. Total capacity deployed for each technology over the period 2016 – 2018 is published under the Feed-in Tariff Deployment Caps Monthly Reports. Available on Ofgem’s website. Total generation can be calculated by applying the load factors (published in the impact assessment that accompanied the 2015 Feed-in Tariffs review) to the total capacity.Finally, to calculate the value of the generation tariff payments made to each technology band, the total amount of generation per quarter is multiplied by the corresponding tariff rates available on Ofgem’s website. Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to allow the Feed-in Tariff budget to continue with greater flexibility between tariff bandings. lord henley: The Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme will close to new applications after 31 March 2019 subject to a number of time-limited extensions and a grace period. Cost of Energy Independent Review lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish a detailed response to the Cost of Energy Review's support for further renewable energy investment; and if so, when. lord henley: My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, set out his strategic approach to the GB electricity system last November, in his address ‘After the trilemma – 4 principles for the power sector’. He will set out more details in a White Paper in the summer. The Contracts for Difference Scheme is our main mechanism for supporting new large scale renewable energy generation projects. The next competitive allocation round for less established technologies such as offshore wind will open by May 2019, with subsequent auctions around every two years. Up to £557 million of further support was announced as part of the 2017 Budget. Business: Energy lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any support mechanisms in place to help businesses deploy private sustainable energy supplies to lower costs. lord henley: The Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme has been the Government’s principal method of encouraging uptake of small-scale and micro-scale renewable electricity generation. It allows businesses to invest in small-scale low-carbon electricity such as solar panels and wind turbines, in return for a guaranteed payment for the electricity they generate and export. Businesses are also able to benefit from reduced electricity bills, where the self-generated electricity is consumed onsite. Further information about the scheme can be found on Ofgem’s website. The scheme will close to new applications after 31 March 2019. The Government has also been supporting low-carbon and renewable heating through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) since 2011. The non-domestic RHI offers support to businesses, charities and public bodies for a range of technologies and fuel uses.As of December 2018, the RHI has supported over 19100, through the non-domestic scheme Deployment data can be found on the www.gov.uk site. Business: Energy lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is the policy of the Business Energy Efficiency Programme to help businesses deploy private sustainable energy supplies in order to lower costs and provide energy security for their business. lord henley: The Clean Growth Strategy sets out our ambition to enable business consumers to reduce their energy usage by improving energy efficiency by at least 20% by 2030, potentially reducing carbon emissions by 22MtCO2e over the fifth Carbon Budget. We are developing a package of measures to support businesses to deliver this level of ambition and will respond to a Call for Evidence published last year, ‘Helping businesses improve the way they use energy’ by the summer. Regarding deploying private sustainable energy supplies the Government has been supporting the installation of low carbon and renewable heating for businesses, charities and public bodies through the Non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) since 2011. The scheme aims to bridge the gap between the cost of fossil fuel and low carbon heating technologies by offering a financial incentive and has over 19,100 participants as of December 2018. In addition, the Government’s sustained support for clean energy has helped produce dramatic falls in the costs of renewable technology. For example, the cost of solar cells has fallen by 80 per cent since 2008. Support for solar comes directly from people's bills, so when costs come down, so should support. We have therefore taken steps to control the costs of support schemes, and subsidy-free deployment of solar PV may be a viable option for businesses. Our Industrial Strategy sets out how we want to make sure that the UK continues to reap the benefits from the transition to a low carbon economy. Department of Health and Social Care Cancer: Medical Treatments lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the claims by Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies of the potential for treating a wide range of cancers with a multi-target toxin treatment. baroness blackwood of north oxford: On its website, Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies Ltd presents a technology platform to identify promising peptides that can target cancer cells. All other information on multi-target toxin, (MuTaTo), which is a product combining several cancer-targeting peptides with a strong peptide toxin, which would be personalised to each patient and kill cancer cells specifically - is derived from interviews to newspapers. As no publication of the company’s preliminary works (in vitro and in animals) is available from scientific journals, neither scientific experts nor the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is able to make any assessment of this therapy. The company claims that it is about to start clinical trials, but currently, no clinical trial with such a compound is registered in the European Union public register. If, in the future, the company wishes to apply for a Marketing Authorisation when results in patients become available, the MHRA will be able to assess the quality, safety and efficacy of this therapy and its risk and benefit for its use. Wound Dressings lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether additional financial support is planned to support the National Wound Care Strategy Programme beyond September 2019. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The National Wound Care Strategy Programme (NWCSP) aims to improve the quality of wound care provision through developing pathways of care for priority clinical issues and improving the supply and distribution of wound care products.The Government and National Health Service fully recognise the benefits of improving the quality of wound care provision, and the role the implementation of the NWCSP will play in achieving this aim. Decisions about the future funding for the NWCSP will be made as part of the implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan. Wound Dressings lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made by the National Wound Care Strategy Programme. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The National Wound Care Strategy Programme (NWCSP) has three clinical workstreams (Pressure Ulcers, Lower Limb, Surgical Wounds) and four enabler workstreams (Education and Workforce, Research, Data and Information, Supply and Distribution). Over 80 leading clinicians, researchers, supply and procurement specialists and policy makers are involved in the workstreams, and have commenced work to deliver the programme.The NWCSP has a public web page, which includes further information on the strategy. The web page is being further developed and will include regular updates on the progress of the Programme. The NWCSP web page is available as part of the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSN) publicly available website. Wound Dressings lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to ensure the Department of Health and Social Care operating model for procurement is in alignment with the objectives of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Supply Chain Coordination Limited (SCCL), is the management function of the NHS Supply Chain operating model, which uses the Department operating model for procurement. As a key partner in the delivery of the programme, SCCL is ensuring that there is full alignment between the Department’s operating model for procurement, and the National Wound Care Strategy Programme. SCCL chair the Stakeholder Council, which provide the leadership of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme’s Supply and Distribution workstream, as well as leading the stakeholder forums for suppliers, health and care professionals and patients, and carers and citizens. Wound Dressings lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to make the governance and ongoing progress of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme available on a public website. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The National Wound Care Strategy Programme (NWCSP) has a public web page as part of the Academic Health Science Networks website and a social media presence to promote the programme’s work. The website is currently under development to more clearly indicate the governance structures, the membership of the workstreams, and provide regular updates of the work that is being undertaken. The Stakeholder Forums also have a web presence to enable interested stakeholders to easily register their interest in being involved in ongoing consultations. This will be accessible from the main NWCSP website. Wound Dressings lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether wound dressings will be prioritised by (1) being clinically appropriate, or (2) their unit cost under the Department for Health and Social Care’s operating model. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Clinical and Product Assurance team within Supply Chain Coordination Limited assures that all products supplied by NHS Supply Chain are value for money, fit for purpose, safe, and representative of health and care professional, as well as patient and carer, needs.Products made available must have been assessed as representing the best value for money, balancing both clinical benefit and cost. This assessment is made through a robust evaluation process which is informed by health and care professionals, patients, and carers. Department for International Development Pakistan: Religious Freedom lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 12 February (HL13192), whether they will now answer the question put. lord bates: We have regular discussions about the importance of religious freedom and inclusion in all aspects of public policy, including employment, but we have not specifically raised the issue of the advertisements. We are not aware of any cases of discrimination on the grounds of religion linked with programmes supported by DFID to create employment, including in the public sector. Our Partnership Agreement with the Government of Pakistan makes clear that commitment to human rights (including minority and religious rights) is vital and discrimination in the delivery of UK aid is not acceptable. Compliance with this and other key Partnership Principles is reviewed on an annual basis. As mentioned in the previous answer, DFID Pakistan’s Skills Development Programme will provide 330,000 poor and vulnerable people, including those from minority communities, with technical and vocational training to improve their employment prospects. UNRWA: Finance lord pickles: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the expected funding requirements of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East based on population projections in (1) 2020, (2) 2025, and (3) 2030. lord bates: UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has made no formal assessment on expected funding based on population projections in (1) 2020, (2) 2025, and (3) 2030. Our future funding commitments will be reviewed at regular intervals; UNRWA budgeting models are agreed by the general assembly every two years and were most recently approved for 2019. UNRWA’s current Medium-Term Strategy extends to 2021. The UK has been a consistent top five donor to UNRWA. A long-term solution requires a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for Palestinian refugees. Until that happens the UK remains firmly committed to supporting UNRWA and Palestinian refugees. We recognise that UNRWA will continue to face funding challenges and are having proactive discussions with them about how to ensure the continued delivery of their essential services, recognising strides that they have already made in cost savings initiatives. UNRWA: Finance lord pickles: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the value of the UK’s contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in (1) 2010–11, (2) 2015–16, and (3) 2017–18. lord bates: The amount of UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the requested years is given in the table below. This data is published each year in the Statistics on International Development (SID) publication and is presented on a calendar year basis. Figures for 2018 will be released this autumn. £ (millions)20102011201520162017Total UK ODA to UNRWA per calendar year29.135.064.054.451.0Source: Statistics for International Development 2009-2017 ODA figures are produced only on a calendar year basis in line with the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation, Development Assistance Committee definitions. Department for Education Voluntary Schools lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of non-religious families who will be disadvantaged by the establishment of new voluntary aided religious schools. lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether new fully religiously selective voluntary aided schools have any negative impact on families in receipt of free school meals. lord agnew of oulton: The department undertook an extensive series of activities as part of the Schools that Work for Everyone consultation to understand the variety of opinions relating to faith schools. Having considered the views of respondents, and a range of stakeholder views, the department decided to establish the voluntary-aided capital scheme alongside retaining the 50% cap in faith admissions in faith designated free schools. The statutory process for establishing new voluntary-aided schools has not changed. It remains possible for proposers of any faith or no faith to propose a new voluntary-aided school, and likewise the voluntary-aided capital scheme is open to bids from proposers of all faiths and none. Voluntary Schools lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many expressions of interest in the new capital funding scheme for voluntary aided schools were registered; and what proportion of those led to the submission of a full proposal in the first round of that scheme. lord agnew of oulton: The capital scheme for voluntary-aided schools is designed to be small, and registering interest in the scheme prior to submitting a bid for funding was not compulsory.As well as exploratory discussions with stakeholders, we received expressions of interest for 22 new voluntary-aided schools.The expressions of interest led to 14 bids for funding submitted to the department. A list of the bids that the department received will be published in due course. Education and Skills Funding Agency: Billing lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the last five years, what percentage of invoices submitted to the Education and Skills Funding Agency were paid to suppliers within 30 days; how many invoices were paid later than 30 days; what was the potential interest and compensation liability due to late payment; and how much interest and compensation was claimed and paid. lord agnew of oulton: The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) was established on 1 April 2017. Therefore, we have only been able to provide the data for the 2017/18 financial year.During the 2017/18 financial year, the ESFA paid 99.02% of its invoices within 30 days. 209 invoices were paid later than 30 days.The potential interest due for late payments amounts to £21,144.40. However, no interest or compensation for late supplier payment was claimed or paid. Education: Travellers baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement byViscount Younger of Leckie on 4 February (HLWS1264), what action they will take to improve access for Gypsy, Traveller and Roma young people to further and higher education. viscount younger of leckie: Widening access and participation in higher and further education is a priority for this government. Everyone with the capability to succeed should have  the opportunity to benefit from a university education, regardless of their background or where they grew up. On 1 February 2019, we announced measures to tackle ethnic disparities in higher education. The announcement is attached and can also be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/universities-must-do-more-to-tackle-ethnic-disparity. The new regulator for higher education, the Office for Students (OfS) has a statutory duty in regards to students who share particular characteristics, (protected under the Equality Act 2010), and where there is specific evidence that barriers exist that may prevent equality of opportunity, including those from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Through Access and Participation Plans agreed with the OfS, higher education providers are expected to reduce the gaps in access, success and progression for under-represented groups amongst their students. Eligible 16 to 19 year olds do not pay tuition fees for post-16 further education (e.g. A Levels and approved technical qualifications). This enables young people to meet the requirement of continuing to participate in education or training beyond the age of 16. Eligibility to receive public funding for further education for adults (those aged 19 and above), is based on age, prior attainment and a learner’s circumstances. Skills provision is prioritised and focussed towards young adults, those with low skills and unemployed people who are actively seeking work. In addition, the government also provides financial support to enable learners to participate in post-16 further education, whatever their financial situation. This includes contributions to costs such as transport, childcare, essential books, equipment and accommodation. HL13770_Tackling_ethnic_disparity (PDF Document, 273.74 KB) Skilled Workers: Vacancies lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address a skills shortage in the UK private sector. lord agnew of oulton: The department conducts the Employer Skills Survey, which provides robust assessments of skills shortages across the UK by geography, occupation and by sector. The latest results were published in summer 2018 and are available on GOV.UK, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employer-skills-survey-2017-uk-report.The department also has responsibility for Working Futures which provides 10 year projections of employment by sector, occupation and geography: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-labour-market-projections-2014-to-2024.We are rolling out Skills Advisory Panels, which will bring together employers, local authorities, universities, colleges and other training providers. These partners will work together to pool their knowledge and expertise and decide what skills are really needed across a sub-region. This will help ensure we match training to the jobs available in the local area.We are also working with employers to jointly design and deliver policies and programmes, which will make the skills system more responsive to employer needs, while giving individuals the skills they need to succeed.This includes improving apprenticeships by making them longer, higher quality, and with more off-the job training and proper assessment at the end; introducing T Levels which will offer a high quality and rigorous technical alternative to academic education; and establishing National Colleges and Institutes of Technology to meet higher level technical skills needs. We are also developing a new National Retraining Scheme - an ambitious, far-reaching programme, which will give adults the skills they need to thrive and support employers to adapt as the economy changes. Ministry of Justice Magistrates lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many magistrates in England and Wales can currently sit as a presiding justice in (1) family, (2) youth, and(3) adult criminal jurisdictions; and how many in each category are due to retire in each of the next five years. lord keen of elie: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Prisons: Billing lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the last five years, what percentage of invoices submitted to UK prisons were paid to suppliers within 30 days; how many invoices were paid later than 30 days; what was the potential interest and compensation liability due to late payment; and how much interest and compensation was claimedand paid. lord keen of elie: In respect of information on UK prisons, prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a devolved matter and responsibility lies with the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive respectively. The information requested for prisons in England and Wales could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) does not separately identify payment records relating to prisons only. Data for interest or compensation liability charges due to late payment is also not collated separately. HMPPS data includes prisons, probation and HMPPS headquarters cost centres. As an Agency, HMPPS made approximately 230,000 invoice payments in financial year 2017/18, 85% of which were paid within 30 days. To date in 2018/19 the Agency has paid 87% of invoices received within 30 days. On occasion, invoices are placed on hold for payment. This may be for a variety of reasons including awaiting verification that the goods or services have been delivered and are of the required standard. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Rent to Buy Scheme baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the approval rate of new affordable Rent To Buy housing since the publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework on 24 July 2018; and whether they intend to publish further guidance to encourage local authorities to consider this form of affordable housing. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The number of planning permissions granted for different type of affordable housing is not recorded at a national level. Homes England publish statistics on the number of affordable housing units delivered through schemes such as Rent to Buy and the Greater London Authority report on units delivered through their affordable housing programmes.We are reviewing guidance that will assist delivery of Rent to Buy and will publish this in due course. First Time Buyers: Government Assistance baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support first-time buyers on low to middle incomes who are unable to afford a deposit whilst paying rent on a home. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Government-backed schemes including Help to Buy - Equity Loan, Help to Buy ISA and Lifetime ISA have helped over 500,000 households into home-ownership since 2010. The Autumn Budget 2018 provided an additional £7.2 billion for a new Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme to run from April 2021 to March 2023, which will exclusively help first time buyers. In addition to this the Stamp Duty relief for first time buyers introduced at the Autumn Budget 2017 will help over one million households over the next 5 years. Local Government Finance lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 11 February (HL13242), whether local authorities are meeting the government's stated expectations of making savings while continuing to provide excellent services to local communities. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Councils have done fantastically well in reforming the way they work to become more efficient, both in back-office functions and front-line service delivery – and we welcome that. But with councils accounting for a quarter of all public spending, we and the sector know there is more to do. Councils need to continue playing their part in tackling the deficit, and we will be supporting them to do so. Across the country, councils are looking at ways to:manage demand for transformed servicesdeliver services differently with partners,make greater use of technology to reduce cost and improve service quality,become more commercial, andimprove staff productivity. Local Government Finance lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government which local authorities are failing to make savings while continuing to provide excellent services to local communities in line with the government's stated expectations; and what remedial action, if any, they propose. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Councils have done fantastically well in reforming the way they work to become more efficient, both in back-office functions and front-line service delivery – and we welcome that. But with councils accounting for a quarter of all public spending, we and the sector know there is more to do. Councils need to continue playing their part in tackling the deficit, and we will be supporting them to do so. Across the country, councils are looking at ways to:manage demand for transformed services and deliver services differently with partners,make greater use of technology to reduce cost and improve service quality,become more commercial, andimprove staff productivity.In terms of specific councils, there is no definitive list or “right answer” on this, and it is local areas that are responsible for managing their own resources and performance. My department looks at risk levels in councils so that we can work with the Local Government Association and across Government to support them and prevent financial or service delivery failure. Planning lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the town and country planning framework to achieve more efficient decision making. lord bourne of aberystwyth: In July last year we published a revised National Planning Policy Framework to provide a clear basis for locally-produced plans and planning decisions. We are continuing to explore improvements to procedures, building on recent reforms such as streamlining the use of pre-commencement planning conditions. We recently consulted on further permitted development rights and changes to use class orders to support the high street and encourage more development, and published the outcome of Bridget Rosewell’s independent review into speeding up planning appeal inquiries. Housing: Construction baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support local authorities to meet housebuilding targets; and what guidance they provide to assist local authorities in their negotiations with developers. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Government has already dedicated over £44 billion of investment to help local authorities to deliver the homes communities need. On 14 February, the Government announced nearly £250 million of housing deals which will deliver almost 25,000 more homes. As part of this, the government will be investing £157 million in infrastructure such as building roads and putting natural green space alongside developments.Last year Government introduced a new approach to viability assessment through the revised National Planning Policy Framework and accompanying guidance. The new approach ensures that developers will have greater certainty about what they are expected to contribute, and that these costs can be reflected in the price paid for land. Local authorities will be better able to hold developers to account and will need to set out more clearly for communities what infrastructure and affordable housing has been delivered through developer contributions. Housing: Disability baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by the Minister for Women and Equalities on 7 February (HC Deb, col 405), what steps they are taking to ensure that housing stock across the country can be made more flexible. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Through Building Regulations we set minimum standards of accessibility for all new homes. The revised National Planning Policy Framework introduced an expectation that local housing policies should make use of the Government’s optional technical standards for accessible and adaptable housing which promotes going above the minimum standards.Through the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which helps towards the cost of adapting a home to make it more accessible, the Government has invested more than £2.2 billion, providing around 280,000 adaptations by the end of 2018-19. Regeneration: Cornwall viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the regeneration of the economy of Cornwall; and whether they will list the specific projects they will undertake for that purpose. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government’s ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK.We are working with areas across the UK who are developing Local Industrial Strategies, including Cornwall, and we hope to deliver these everywhere by 2020. These strategies will be developed locally through Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) and agreed with the Government.Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has been allocated £78.23 million as part of their growth deal to support economic growth in the area.There are also two Enterprise Zones in Cornwall. Aerohub+, a split site covering Newquay airport and Goonhilly Earth Station with a focus on Aerospace and Space, and Marine Hub which has a focus on marine technology. They are both progressing well and the site at Newquay airport has attracted several companies including CIS UK Ltd and Apple Aviation. Local Government: Basildon baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Basildon Borough Council regarding commercial decisions in the last two years. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Officials from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government met with Basildon Council in April 2018 as part of their ongoing general engagement with local government. As part of a wide ranging discussion, Basildon Council made reference to its policy of commercial asset acquisition and plans for future housing development in the borough. Refugees lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatdiscussions theMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government hashad with the HomeOffice about extending the 28 day move-on period after refugee status has been granted. lord bourne of aberystwyth: MHCLG continues to work closely with Home Office on ways to improve the support to newly recognised refugees, but there are no plans to extend the 28-day move-on period. Ministry of Defence Torpedoes lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to maintain a sovereign capability in torpedo design, development and build. earl howe: The UK takes a risk based approach to the preservation of the operational advantage derived from our military capabilities and assurance of the freedom of action inherent in the way that they are procured. As such, the acquisition strategies for military capabilities are kept under review to ensure that they remain fit for purpose. For the purpose of safeguarding national security, it would not be appropriate to publicly identify the circumstances or aspects of capabilities we might regard as critical to be maintained in the UK. Torpedoes lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when work is required to start on replacing or updating the Stingray lightweight torpedo. earl howe: The future capability requirements for the Stingray lightweight torpedo are still being investigated and a decision will be made once the time and cost implications are understood. HMS Ocean lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the sale price of HMS Ocean to Brazil; and how much they plan to spend on the new Littoral Strike Ships. earl howe: HMS OCEAN was sold to the Brazilian Navy for £84 million. The potential cost of the Littoral Strike Ship will be established during the initial concept phase that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 11 February 2019. HMS Amethyst lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Yangtze Incident. earl howe: The Government currently has no plans for an official commemorative event of the Yangtze incident. However, we will, of course, give consideration to any requests for support by veterans' organisations. Type 26 Frigates lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the unit price of each of the three Type 26 frigates presently on order. earl howe: In July 2017, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced the award of a contract valued at £3.7 billion to manufacture the first batch of three Type 26 Frigates. The manufacture contract covers the build of the first three Type 26 Frigates through to sea trials and vessel acceptance by the Royal Navy, as well as the remaining development costs for the class. The contract also includes the procurement of the medium calibre gun for the first three ships and the modifications needed to the Clyde shipyards at Govan and Scotstoun to enable the manufacture of the Type 26. The detailed pricing of the contract is a commercial matter between the MOD and BAE Systems and I am withholding the cost per ship, as its publication would be prejudicial to commercial interests. Department for Work and Pensions Jobseeker's Allowance: Disqualification baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Jobseeker's Allowance claimants are sanctioned if they do not accept a job offer because of low pay and conditions. baroness buscombe: Employers should comply with employment law on pay and conditions. Claimants will have good reason for refusing employment if they do so because the national minimum wage applies to them and the employment does not pay at least the national minimum wage. In such a case a sanction would not be applied. Jobseeker's Allowance claimants are not required to apply for zero hours contract jobs and will not be sanctioned if they refuse an offer of a job on a zero hours contract.If a claimant has doubts about the terms and conditions of employment (other than the level of pay) which they consider makes the employment unsuitable, they are encouraged to discuss this in advance with their Work Coach. Sanctions are only used in a small percentage of cases, and that is when people fail to meet their agreed commitments without good reason. When considering whether a sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities and any evidence of good cause, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted. Guidance for decision makers can be found in the Decision Makers Guide (DMG) and Advice for Decision Making Guide (ADM) available at Gov.uk. This guidance is supplemented from time to time with updates to reflect legal and procedural changes. Home Office Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner: Public Appointments baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the recruitment process of the new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) began before the independent review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 could provide its recommendations on the IASC. baroness williams of trafford: The recruitment process for the new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) commenced in June 2018, following the resignation of the previous IASC in May. This was before the announcement of the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act (MSA) on 31st July.The reviewers published an interim report on the findings on the IASC in December 2018, which included a recommendation to pause the recruitment. Given the critical nature of the role the Home Secretary decided to proceed with the appointment process and to work with the new post holder to take forward relevant recommendations Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner: Performance Appraisal baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the possible impact on the independence of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner of the requirement that the Commissioner undertake annual performance appraisals with the Home Office Director of Tackling Slavery and Exploitation. baroness williams of trafford: It is usual for public appointees to take part in an appraisal or performance assessment process in line with the Cabinet Office Code for public appointments.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-for-ministerial-appointments-to-public-bodiesThe requirement to do so does not compromise their ability to carry out their roles independently. We will consider the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act on the role of the independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) and will work with the new post holder to take forward relevant recommendations. Code of Practice for Ministerial Appts (PDF Document, 461.57 KB) Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Gambling: Fines lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many fines have been issued to companies for contraveningthe Gambling Act 2005 in each year between 2010 and 2018. lord ashton of hyde: Where an operator fails to meet its requirements under the Licensing Conditions and Codes of Practice, the Gambling Commission can take regulatory action. Whilst the vast majority of issues are resolved without the use of formal powers, the Gambling Commission may, in the event of a serious breach, impose financial penalties or revoke an operator’s licence. Within the regulatory process, the Commission may also agree a regulatory settlement, whereby an operator agrees to makes a donation to a socially responsible cause. The table below shows the number of fines and regulatory settlements issued between 2010 and 2018. Together, these came to over £40 million. These figures do not include other fines which may have been issued by the courts as a result of prosecutions brought by other enforcement agencies. Fines imposed under s121 of the Gambling Act 2005Regulatory settlements 20102Unknown20110Unknown20122Unknown201313201413201512201613201716201839Total1226 Gambling: Advertising lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many complaints they have received regarding gambling advertising in each year between 2010 and 2018. lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of gambling affiliates which operate in the UK. lord ashton of hyde: Consumer complaints about gambling advertising are generally directed to and dealt with by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) or Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), rather than central government. The ASA received 10,165 complaints about gambling advertising between 2010 and 2018: Year201020112012201320142015201620172018Total165539411681138109098716159331185 Data provided by the ICO shows there were 10,270 complaints between 2014, when gambling was introduced as a complaint category, and 2018. The Gambling Commission is not the lead regulatory authority, but its contact centre does deal with some consumer complaints. It received 1,104 complaints about gambling advertising and marketing between 2014, when advertising became part of its remit, and 2018. Neither government nor the Gambling Commision holds data on the number of marketing affiliates operating in the UK. Gambling operators providing services to customers in Great Britain must be licensed by the Commission and are responsible for the actions of third parties, including marketing affiliates. If an affiliate breaches licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP) the operator will be held accountable.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2019-02-26
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2019", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Report Lord Thomson of Monifieth: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the November 2000 Report of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom entitled United Kingdom Tracer Study: Initial Findings. Baroness Amos: Yes. Copies will be placed in the Library of each House. Naval Vessels Under Repair Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many of Her Majesty's ships are available for operations; and how many ships by type are undergoing extensive inspection, second line repair or long-term modifications and maintenance. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: As at 22 January 2001, 71 surface ships and four submarines (including three Vanguard class) were available for operations and of these 12 were undergoing short-term assisted upkeep, which is similar in nature to second line repair. These were, broken down by type, as follows: Frigates and Destroyers: 8 Mine Counter Measures Vessels: 3 Survey Vessel: 1 A further 11 surface ships and 11 submarines were undergoing periods of combined long-term modifications, maintenance and inspection. These numbers, which include those Swiftsure and Trafalgar Class submarines undergoing repair for the surge line pintle defect, are as follows: Aircraft Carrier: 1 Landing Platform Docking: 1 Landing Platform Helicopter: 1 Frigates and Destroyers: 4 Survey Vessel: 1 Mine Counter Measures Vessels: 2 Offshore Patrol Vessel: 1 Submarines: 11 EU Military Operations and NATO Assets Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: With reference to the Presidency report to the Nice Council on European Union Security and Defence Policy, whether NATO intelligence is included in the list of NATO assets to which the European Union would have assured access in mounting a military expedition led by the European Union. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: In the French Presidency report to the Nice European Council, assured or guaranteed access refers only to NATO planning capabilities for EU-led operations. British Defence Industry Catalogue Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there are any conditions attached to the release and distribution of the British Defence Equipment Catalogues published since 1980; and Whether they believe that the intelligence agencies of all potential military opponents of the Government have copies of British Defence Equipment Catalogues published since 1980. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The British Defence Industry Catalogue is a commercial publication containing only unclassified information that companies wish to publish about their products and capabilities. It is endorsed by the Defence Export Services Organisation as a valuable tool in promoting UK defence exports. The supply of any equipment or services described in the catalogue remains subject to normal export licensing requirements. Given the unclassified status of the catalogue, there is no reason for the Government to place any restrictions on its circulation. While it is possible that foreign intelligence organisations may acquire copies, publication of the information it contains, which is available also from other public sources such as company websites, has no implications for our national security. Hatfield Rail Crash Lord Dixon-Smith: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the cause of the Hatfield rail crash is now sufficiently defined so that there can be confidence in the remedial measures that are being put in place. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: On 23 January the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published a second interim technical report setting out what happened on the day of the accident. HSE's investigation team is continuing its work into the underlying causes of the incident and will make recommendations in due course. HSE has identified that the cause of the derailment at Hatfield was due to a broken rail. HSE has also made assessments of the remedial measures taken by Railtrack, and is satisfied that these measures are appropriate to the risk identified. Further work is under way to improve understanding of gauge corner cracking and the best methods of dealing with it. Royal Parks: Cleansing of Footpaths and Cycle-ways Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the safety and public health reasons for the Royal Parks management providing mechanical sweepers to follow horses on road carriageways while providing no similar cleaning up facilities on cycle-ways and footpaths. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Responsibility for the subject of this Question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, William Weston. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter to Lord Berkeley from the Chief Executive of the Royal Parks Agency, Mr William Weston, dated 31 January 2001. I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your parliamentary Question about the arrangements made for cleaning horse manure from the cycle-ways and footpaths of the Royal Parks because this is an operational matter for which the agency is responsible. We use mechanical road sweepers to clean the cycle-ways and footpaths in the Royal Parks, as we do on the roads, because this is the most efficient method of cleaning them. However, in order to deploy our resources most efficiently, the frequency with which we clean any particular path or cycle-way depends on how heavily it is used. We only arrange for a mechanical sweeper to follow the mounted troops involved in the guard changes in St James's Park. This is because the roads in the park are particularly heavily used and because we know the timing of the troop movements. In other parks, horses are generally confined to the horse rides. The only horses that use the footpaths and cycle ways are the Royal Parks Constabulary mounted officers. Because they do not patrol regular routes at regular times we cannot arrange for contractors to clean up behind them in the same way, even if it were cost-effective to do so. We cannot legislate for those riders who occasionally use the roads and paths instead of the horse rides. Royal Parks: Cleansing of Footpaths and Cycle-ways Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which organisations are responsible for street cleaning the footpath and cycle-way connecting Green Park and Constitution Hill and Hyde Park. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Responsibility for the subject of this Question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, William Weston. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter to Lord Berkeley from the Chief Executive of the Royal Parks Agency, Mr William Weston, dated 31 January 2001. I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your parliamentary Question about the arrangements for cleaning the cycle-ways and footpaths connecting Green Park and Constitution Hill and Hyde Park. I understand that the responsibility for cleaning this area lies with Westminster City Council. Internet Service Providers: Communications Data Provision to Police The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to ensure that police officers, when requesting information from Internet service providers, are adequately aware of the nature of information available in technical terms and appropriately authorised to obtain the confidential data; and Whether they support the proposal from Internet service providers that there should be a list detailing what Internet service providers will tell law enforcement agencies about their customers under criminal investigation; and whether the Internet service providers have indicated how much they will charge for the information. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Law enforcement agencies meet regularly, through working groups, with communication service providers (CSPs) to discuss issues such as the capability of the CSP to provide different types of communications data. A new more controlled regime to access such data is being introduced through Chapter II of Part I of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). These provisions describe the kind of data that may be required to be disclosed in response to a properly authorised notice and the statutory tests to be fulfilled before any such authorisation can be given. The provisions are subject to a statutory code of practice, a draft of which will be published for public consultation shortly. Agreements are in place between CSPs and law enforcement agencies that provide for cost recovery where a CSP is called upon to provide communications data. The agreements have been reached independently of the Government and take account of the fact that a requirement to provide communications data places operational and financial burdens on the CSP. Asylum Applications Lord Renton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people claimed asylum in the United Kingdom during 2000; how many of them have so far (a) been granted asylum; (b) been refused asylum; or (c) evaded control of asylum; and how many are still awaiting a decision. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Provisional information on the number of asylum applications for 2000 is available on the department website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm. Information on how many applications made in 2000 are still awaiting a decision, and on the outcome of decisions on such applications, is not yet available. Information on the number of people who applied for asylum in 2000 and have subsequently absconded in an attempt to evade the control is not available. Asylum Control: Costs Lord Renton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the cost of administering asylum control during the last 12 months for which figures are available. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The total cost of running Immigration and Nationality Directorate operations in 1999-2000, including the cost of administering the asylum control, was £260 million. The current costs of administering asylum control are currently not distinguished separately from overall operational costs. Asylum Seekers: One-Stop Services Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What "one-stop-shop" support services for asylum seekers are currently supported with funding from the Home Office; where they are located; and which organisations provide them; and What is the maximum distance that asylum seekers are expected to be located from the nearest "one-stop-shop" support service; and which "cluster areas" are further than this distance from the nearest one. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Home Office provides grant funding to a number of key voluntary organisations to develop a network of one-stop-services in the cluster regions. The following list indicates where such services are being provided within the regions and by which voluntary sector organisation. The voluntary sector one-stop services which are funded by NASS are not intended to provide a drop-in service to asylum seekers supported by NASS and therefore distance from one-stop services and accommodation within the cluster areas is not relevant. Location Voluntary Organisation London Refugee Council Ipswich Refugee Council Birmingham Refugee Council Leeds Refugee Council Newcastle North of England Refugee Service (NERS) Sunderland North of England Refugee Service (NERS) Middlesbrough North of England Refugee Service (NERS) Dover Migrant Helpline Folkestone Migrant Helpline Margate Migrant Helpline Hastings Migrant Helpline Brighton Migrant Helpline Belfast NICEM Glasgow Scottish Refugee Council Edinburgh Scottish Refugee Council Cardiff Welsh Refugee Council Swansea Welsh Refugee Council Leicester Refugee Action Nottingham Refugee Action Manchester Refugee Action Liverpool Refugee Action Bristol Refugee Action Exeter Refugee Action Plymouth Refugee Action Southampton Refugee Action Oxford Refugee Action Northampton Refugee Action Immigration Act Detainees in Prison Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which prisons are currently being used to hold asylum seekers; and how many are being held in each. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The requested information is contained within a monthly table provided as deposited papers that are placed in the Library on a monthly basis. The most recent table shows the number of detainees as at 31 December 2000. A copy of this table is provided aside for ease of reference. These figures include all those persons detained in prisons exclusively under Immigration Act powers, not just asylum seekers. No-one is detained solely because they have made an application for asylum. These figures are not recorded in such a way as to identify those who are held pending deportation or those serving a sentence following criminal conviction, who may have applied for asylum at some point. Immigration Act Detainees in Prison Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the criteria which are used in making decisions to hold asylum seekers in prisons. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The power to detain in designated places of detention, including prisons, are contained in the Immigration Act. Detention criteria are set out in the White Paper Fairer, faster, firmer. Where the decision to detain an individual has been made, he is allocated a detention space. No one is detained solely because he has made an application for asylum. The Government accept that there will always be the need to use prisons for Immigration Act detainees. This is for reasons of security, control, geographical constraints and availability of space. Prisons will also be used for those prisoners subject to deportation at the end of a prison sentence and those Immigration Act detainees who may need the particular healthcare facilities at a prison. Robberies and Assaults: Assailants Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of robberies and assaults reported to the Metropolitan Police area are reported by the victim as having been carried out (a) by black assailants and (b) by white assailants. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Information is only available on the ethnicity of persons arrested for these offences. Such information was published on 18 January 2001 in the annual Home Office publication Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System. Copies are available in the Library. Illegal Immigrants: Estimated Numbers Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will explain the methodology by which they calculate their estimates of numbers of would-be immigrants currently illegally at large in the United Kingdom. Lord Bassam of Brighton.: There is no official estimate of the number of immigrants unlawfully present in the United Kingdom. However, we are considering commissioning research into this area and expect to let the contract for a feasibility study of possible survey methods shortly. Parole Board Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made with the review of the Parole Board and the operation of supervised conditional release in the light of the study by the University of Oxford Centre for Criminological Research, The Parole System at Work: A study in Decision Making (Home Office Research Study No 202); and whether consideration has been given to extending the function of HM Inspectorate of Prisons to include the parole process. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The final report of the Quinquennial Review of the Parole Board and the associated Comprehensive Review of the wider parole processes for determinate and life sentenced prisoners will be completed shortly. The Home Secretary has already accepted an earlier recommendation from the Quinquennial Review that the Parole Board should continue in its capacity as a Non-Departmental Public Body. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons already monitors the procedures in prison establishments in England and Wales by which prisoners receive parole decisions. This function includes the examination of the timeliness of those procedures and sampling the quality of parole reports. New Criminal Offences Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many new criminal offences were created in (a) public and (b) local and private legislation enacted during the session 1999-2000. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Although the Home Office is responsible for scrutinising proposals for new offences in both public and private legislation no comprehensive records are kept centrally of all new offences created in public legislation. The following information about public legislation therefore relates only to Home Office measures which have been enacted during the 1999-2000 parliamentary Session. The information about local and private legislation covers all private measures during the period in question. Public Legislation The Terrorism Act 2000 created 38 new offences. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 created four new criminal offences. The Football Disorder Act 2000 created two new criminal offences. The Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 created one new criminal offence. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 created three new criminal offences. The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 created 69 new criminal offences. These are listed at Schedule 20 to the 2000 Act. The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 created three new criminal offences. The Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 created two new criminal offences. Local and Private Legislation The Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar (Eriskay Causeway) Order Confirmation Act 2000 created three new criminal offences. The London Local Authorities Act 2000 created 14 new criminal offences. Criminal Records Bureau: Charges Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have reached a decision about Criminal Records Bureau charges, in respect of information about criminal records of people volunteering to work with young people. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Work is continuing to determine the bureau's costs. Fees will be set to recover the costs of the bureau. An announcement about the level of charges will be made as soon as possible. Immigration Act Detainees Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many persons are currently detained under the various Immigration and Asylum Acts; how many of them have been placed in HM Prisons; and which prisons are involved; and How many of those now detained under various Immigration and Asylum Acts are: (a) persons awaiting deportation; and (b) persons seeking asylum or appealing against an asylum decision. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The requested information is shown in the table below, which is placed in the Library on a monthly basis. The most recent information relates to the number of detainees as at 31 December 2000. These figures include all those persons detained in prisons exclusively under Immigration Act powers, not just asyulum seekers. These figures are not recorded in such a way as to identify those who are held pending deportation or those who may have applied for asylum at some point. Persons recorded as being in detention 1 in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers as at 31 December 2000, by place of detention Location Total Detainees Immigration detention centres(2) Campsfield House 176 Dover Harbour 13 Harmondsworth 80 Heathrow Queens Building 15 Longport 2 Manchester Airport 7 Tinsley House 113 Prison establishments(3) Altcourse 6 Bedford 7 Belmarsh 43 Birmingham 10 Blakenhurst 2 Brixton 14 Brockhill 2 Bullingdon 3 Canterbury 3 Craiginches 6 Doncaster 10 Dorchester 2 Durham 6 Feltham 4 Forest Bank 4 Gateside 43 Haslar 120 High Down 56 Highpoint 2 Holloway 18 Holme House 14 Leeds 3 Leicester 2 Lindholme 105 Liverpool 40 Magilligan 2 Manchester 11 Pentonville 12 Rochester 177 Styal 3 The Mount 2 Wandsworth 14 Winchester 8 Woodhill 2 Wormwood Scrubs 21 Other prison establishments 12 Total 1,195 (1) Figures exclude persons detained in police cells (other than at Dover Harbour). (2) Figures include the use of police cells at Dover Harbour). (3) The figures for Prison establishments may include some persons detained under duel immigration and other powers. Water Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 17 January (WA 136), which stated that financial contributions will continue to be made to the British Fluoridation Society: (a) whether it is part of that society's aims to promote water fluoridation; and, if so, (b) whether it is a suitably impartial body to collect and maintain "relevant information, including evidence from research studies on the effects of fluoridation." Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It has been the policy of successive governments to support the fluoridation of water and the British Fluoridation Society has been responsive to that policy. The society has both a promotional role and an information gathering function. I have asked the society to ensure that it produces objective, evidence based information when responding to enquiries. Bovine Tuberculosis: Food Standards Agency Study Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the sub-group of the Food Standards Agency, formed to investigate the adequacy of existing measures to prevent bovine tuberculosis entering the human food chain, will report; and when that report will be made public. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food's Working Group on Mycobacterium bovis will hold its first meeting on 28 February. The committee hopes to report to the Food Standards Agency by the summer. We anticipate that the committee's report will be published once it has been considered by the agency. Copies will be placed in the Library. Health Development Agency Baroness Cumberlege: asked Her Majesty's Government: What have been the major activities of the Health Development Agency since its inception on 1 April 2000. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Health Development Agency (HDA) has been engaged on a wide range of initiatives reflecting the functions assigned to it under its Establishment Order. In particular, it has provided expert support to the development and implementation of the public health aspects of the NHS Plan. The agency's chair was a member of the Prevention and Inequalities Modernisation Action Team and is a member of the Inequalities and Public Health Task Force, and the chief executive is a member of the Coronary Heart Disease Task Force. In addition, since its inception the HDA has completed or initiated a wide range of projects. It has: developed "Evidence Base", an online gateway providing access to the best available information on what works to improve health and reduce health inequalities. It is aimed at a wide range of practitioners and researchers engaged in public health work. It has also developed an online public health information service, maintaining and updating a number of websites providing information and guidance to public health professionals completed, published and disseminated a survey of health improvement programmes, the first of a series of annual reviews prepared, published and disseminated guidance for supporting the primary prevention parts of the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease published updated guidelines for health professionals on smoking cessation, followed by a series of seminars to publicise them under the National Healthy School Standard, carried out a formal assessment of 16 local education authorities, completed accreditation training for 68, and more than doubled the number of schools involved as part of the preparation of the Department of Health's sexual health strategy carried out consultation with young people carried out an audit of the level and quality of specialist skills amongst the public health workforce established the HDA as a fully functional organisation, including undertaking an extensive recruitment programme, and established networks within and outside the NHS. A number of other projects are due to be completed before the end of the HDA's first year, and these are outlined in its summary business plan. HIV/AIDS: Public Education Spending Baroness Cumberlege: asked Her Majesty's Government: How the money for public education about HIV/AIDS was spent by the Department of Health in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In 1999-2000 the Department of Health spent £1.6 million on work for gay men and people who travel to, or have links with, high-prevalence countries and £1.4 million on the general population, including World AIDS Day. In 2000-01 the department allocated £1.6 million for gay men and people who travel to, or have links with, high-prevalence countries and £0.73 million for the general population. The Government also fund the National AIDS Helpline. In addition, the department allocates £55 million to health authorities to spend on HIV/AIDS prevention. Farm Incomes Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make a statement on farm incomes. Baroness Hayman: Revised estimates of farm income during 2000 were published this morning. These confirm the significant reduction forecast last November, and indicate a fall of 25 per cent. This fall is largely due to pressure on prices for agricultural outputs caused by a further rise in sterling against the euro, as compared to 1999. The Government remain committed to providing a framework within which the industry may react to the challenges presented by the current situation. Detailed estimates of the income, output and productivity of agriculture in the United Kingdom in 2000 have been placed in the Library of the House. Committee on Standards in Public Life Lord Gregson: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to announce the conclusion of the Quinquennial Review of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Baroness Jay of Paddington: I am pleased to announce that the report of the Quinquennial Review of the Committee on Standards in Public Life is published today. Copies are being placed in the Libraries. The report recommends that the committee should continue in its present form for the time being. It notes that there may not always be a need for the committee to be continuously involved in a full-time inquiry but that in the future less active periods of monitoring may be called for. It recommends that the committee should react flexibly to requirements and developments in the field of standards in public life. The Government are grateful to Lord Neill and his committee for the work they have done in this area and agree with the report, which concludes that the committee has itself become a part of the fabric of public life. Education Funding per Pupil Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government: For each local education authority in England, what is the average funding available for education per pupil from all sources including Standard Spending Assessments and direct grants. Baroness Blackstone: The following table sets out, for each local education authority, the funding per pupil available for 2000-01, through Education SSA and through special and specific grants. Unit funding for pupils aged 4-19--2000-01 LEA No. and Name SSA Per Pupil Grants Total Government Office Region 812 North East Lincolnshire £2,820 £250 £3,070 East Midlands 813 North Lincolnshire £2,750 £280 £3,030 East Midlands 830 Derbyshire £2,610 £210 £2,820 East Midlands 831 Derby £2,840 £240 £3,080 East Midlands 855 Leicestershire £2,560 £190 £2,750 East Midlands 856 Leicester £3,030 £320 £3,350 East Midlands 857 Rutland £2,560 £290 £2,850 East Midlands 891 Nottinghamshire £2,680 £190 £2,870 East Midlands 892 Nottingham £3,110 £400 £3,500 East Midlands 925 Lincolnshire £2,720 £190 £2,920 East Midlands 928 Northamptonshire £2,660 £200 £2,860 East Midlands 820 Bedfordshire £2,770 £230 £3,000 East of England 821 Luton £3,050 £280 £3,330 East of England 873 Cambridgeshire £2,640 £200 £2,850 East of England 874 Peterborough £2,860 £230 £3,090 East of England 881 Essex £2,830 £200 £3,030 East of England 882 Southend-on-Sea £2,920 £220 £3,140 East of England 883 Thurrock £2,990 £210 £3,200 East of England 919 Hertfordshire £2,860 £180 £3,050 East of England 926 Norfolk £2,750 £220 £2,960 East of England 935 Suffolk £2,680 £190 £2,860 East of England 201 City of London £4,290 £1,040 £5,330 London 202 Camden £4,240 £460 £4,700 London 203 Greenwich £3,870 £460 £4,330 London 204 Hackney £4,470 £490 £4,960 London 205 Hammersmith and Fulham £4,260 £420 £4,680 London 206 Islington £4,250 £480 £4,730 London 207 Kensington and Chelsea £4,360 £370 £4,730 London 208 Lambeth £4,560 £500 £5,060 London 209 Lewisham £4,050 £380 £4,420 London 210 Southwark £4,150 £430 £4,580 London 211 Tower Hamlets £4,420 £520 £4,940 London 212 Wandsworth £3,840 £440 £4,280 London 213 Westminster £4,130 £420 £4,560 London 301 Barking and Dagenham £3,250 £240 £3,490 London 302 Barnet £3,130 £150 £3,270 London 303 Bexley £2,930 £160 £3,090 London 304 Brent £3,640 £240 £3,880 London 305 Bromley £2,890 £200 £3,090 London 306 Croydon £3,180 £220 £3,400 London 307 Ealing £3,420 £280 £3,700 London 308 Enfield £3,220 £190 £3,400 London 309 Haringey £3,770 £380 £4,160 London 310 Harrow £3,070 £170 £3,240 London 311 Havering £2,880 £150 £3,030 London 312 Hillingdon £3,090 £180 £3,270 London 313 Hounslow £3,320 £210 £3,530 London 314 Kingston upon Thames £2,940 £200 £3,140 London 315 Merton £3,170 £230 £3,390 London 316 Newham £3,750 £340 £4,090 London 317 Redbridge £3,130 £190 £3,320 London 318 Richmond upon Thames £2,870 £220 £3,090 London 319 Sutton £2,990 £170 £3,150 London 320 Waltham Forest £3,460 £320 £3,790 London 390 Gateshead £2,810 £310 £3,130 North East 391 Newcastle upon Tyne £3,020 £280 £3,300 North East 392 North Tyneside £2,730 £250 £2,980 North East 393 South Tyneside £2,890 £280 £3,160 North East 394 Sunderland £2,830 £240 £3,060 North East 805 Hartlepool £2,840 £240 £3,080 North East 806 Middlesbrough £3,010 £340 £3,350 North East 807 Redcar and Cleveland £2,820 £250 £3,060 North East 808 Stockton-on-Tees £2,780 £270 £3,050 North East 840 Durham £2,780 £230 £3,010 North East 841 Darlington £2,750 £220 £2,970 North East 876 Halton £2,890 £260 £3,160 North East 929 Northumberland £2,710 £250 £2,960 North East 340 Knowsley £3,250 £340 £3,600 North West 341 Liverpool £3,220 £350 £3,570 North West 342 St. Helens £2,770 £220 £2,990 North West 343 Sefton £2,770 £210 £2,980 North West 344 Wirral £2,880 £230 £3,110 North West 350 Bolton £2,750 £290 £3,030 North West 351 Bury £2,640 £190 £2,840 North West 352 Manchester £3,340 £430 £3,760 North West 353 Oldham £2,830 £300 £3,130 North West 354 Rochdale £2,870 £250 £3,120 North West 355 Salford £2,900 £370 £3,280 North West 356 Stockport £2,590 £210 £2,800 North West 357 Tameside £2,730 £220 £2,940 North West 358 Trafford £2,700 £200 £2,900 North West 359 Wigan £2,630 £240 £2,870 North West 875 Cheshire £2,600 £190 £2,790 North West 877 Warrington £2,580 £190 £2,770 North West 888 Lancashire £2,730 £220 £2,950 North West 889 Blackburn with Darwen £2,960 £320 £3,270 North West 890 Blackpool £2,800 £210 £3,000 North West 909 Cumbria £2,720 £220 £2,930 North West 825 Buckinghamshire £2,790 £220 £3,010 South East 826 Milton Keynes £2,890 £210 £3,100 South East 845 East Sussex £2,850 £230 £3,080 South East 846 Brighton and Hove £2,990 £270 £3,250 South East 850 Hampshire £2,660 £180 £2,850 South East 851 Portsmouth £2,910 £190 £3,100 South East 852 Southampton £2,980 £260 £3,240 South East 867 Bracknell Forest £2,830 £200 £3,030 South East 868 Windsor and Maidenhead £2,890 £230 £3,120 South East 869 West Berkshire £2,710 £230 £2,940 South East 870 Reading £2,970 £280 £3,240 South East 871 Slough £3,390 £280 £3,670 South East 872 Wokingham £2,590 £200 £2,790 South East 886 Kent £2,830 £200 £3,030 South East 887 Medway £2,790 £200 £2,990 South East 921 Isle of Wight £2,940 £240 £3,180 South East 931 Oxfordshire £2,790 £230 £3,020 South East 936 Surrey £2,810 £190 £3,000 South East 938 West Sussex £2,740 £180 £2,920 South East 420 Isle of Scilly £4,890 £820 £5,710 South West 800 Bath and North East Somerset £2,600 £210 £2,810 South West 801 Bristol, City of £2,840 £240 £3,080 South West 802 North Somerset £2,620 £240 £2,850 South West 803 South Gloucestershire £2,500 £210 £2,710 South West 835 Dorset £2,640 £200 £2,850 South West 836 Poole £2,590 £180 £2,770 South West 837 Bournemouth £2,800 £200 £3,000 South West 865 Wiltshire £2,630 £220 £2,860 South West 866 Swindon £2,620 £200 £2,830 South West 878 Devon £2,710 £210 £2,920 South West 879 Plymouth £2,780 £210 £3,000 South West 880 Torbay £2,800 £190 £3,000 South West 908 Cornwall £2,760 £290 £3,050 South West 916 Gloucestershire £2,630 £230 £2,860 South West 933 Somerset £2,650 £230 £2,870 South West 330 Birmingham £3,080 £320 £3,400 West Midlands 331 Coventry £2,890 £270 £3,170 West Midlands 332 Dudley £2,600 £190 £2,790 West Midlands 333 Sandwell £2,880 £250 £3,130 West Midlands 334 Solihull £2,580 £190 £2,760 West Midlands 335 Walsall £2,780 £270 £3,050 West Midlands 336 Wolverhampton £2,910 £300 £3,210 West Midlands 860 Staffordshire £2,580 £170 £2,750 West Midlands 861 Stoke-on-Trent £2,790 £320 £3,110 West Midlands 884 Herefordshire £2,710 £270 £2,980 West Midlands 885 Worcestershire £2,600 £220 £2,820 West Midlands 893 Shropshire £2,670 £220 £2,890 West Midlands 894 Telford & Wrekin £2,780 £250 £3,030 West Midlands 937 Warwickshire £2,610 £210 £2,820 West Midlands 370 Barnsley £2,770 £240 £3,010 Yorkshire & The Humber 371 Doncaster £2,850 £240 £3,090 Yorkshire & The Humber 372 Rotherham £2,750 £310 £3,050 Yorkshire & The Humber 373 Sheffield £2,830 £340 £3,170 Yorkshire & The Humber 380 Bradford £2,940 £370 £3,310 Yorkshire & The Humber 381 Calderdale £2,760 £220 £2,980 Yorkshire & The Humber 382 Kirklees £2,790 £230 £3,020 Yorkshire & The Humber 383 Leeds £2,770 £310 £3,080 Yorkshire & The Humber 384 Wakefield £2,680 £250 £2,930 Yorkshire & The Humber 810 Kingston upon Hull, City of £2,960 £270 £3,230 Yorkshire & The Humber 811 East Riding of Yorkshire £2,630 £220 £2,850 Yorkshire & The Humber 815 North Yorkshire £2,680 £210 £2,900 Yorkshire & The Humber 816 York England £2,630 £2,880 £250 £240 £2,880 £3,120 Yorkshire & The Humber All figures have been rounded to the nearest £10. Figures may change as a result of further allocations via the standards fund and class size reduction.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2001-01-31a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2001", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Roads: Repairs and Maintenance lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support councils to repair road damage caused by theincreased use of roads by heavy goods vehicles. baroness sugg: Potholes are a menace to all road users and the Government is taking the steps to help local highway authorities improve the condition of the roads for which they are responsible, including tackling potholes. Accordingly, the Government is providing £296 million between 2016 and 2021 to local highway authorities in England, outside London, to help repair potholes and stop them forming. This funding is in addition to just under £6 billion which the Government is providing to local highway authorities for local highway maintenance in England, outside London between 2015 and 2021. The Department for Transport announced in January 2017 that it is undertaking an innovative trial on the way potholes are identified and managed, working in partnership with Thurrock, York and Wiltshire councils and two private sector SMEs, Soenecs and Gaist. This trial allows high-definition cameras to be mounted to refuse collection vehicles and by deploying innovative intelligent software will identify road surface problems before they become potholes. The trial recently won an award for the best use of new technology in the highways sector. The Government also announced in March 2018 that it is investing more than £900,000 in innovations using connected vehicles to help councils more efficiently manage and plan maintenance works.These trials will ultimately help provide councils with data to enable them to repair potholes before they occur as well as maintain their other assets more effectively as part of their asset management plans. This will help prevent further potholes and other road defects occurring over time. The Department for Transport is also providing funding to the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) to work on technological and innovative improvements to future-proof the local road network. Driverless Vehicles lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 3 April (HL6592), how manycollisions have been reported in the UK to date involving vehicles driven either autonomously or semi-autonomously. baroness sugg: The Government is not aware that any road traffic collisions involving automated vehicles on public roads have been reported, as per the requirement in road traffic law. Tests involving automated vehicles must comply with all UK traffic law, including the Road Traffic Act. Driverless Vehicles lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 3 April (HL6594),whether (1) the Tesla Model X, and (2) the Tesla Model S, have received EU or UK approval covering the use of the Tesla Autopilot system on UK roads; and whether revisions of that system are subject to any Government or EU approval before being deployed to owners’ vehicles via manufacturers’ system updates. lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 3 April (HL6594), what requirements there are for UK drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel some or all of the time when semi-autonomous vehicle systems are engaged in vehicles with systems such as Tesla Autopilot. lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 3 April (HL6594), whether the Europe Whole Vehicle Type Approval system assesses the safety of semi-autonomous driving systems supplied on vehicle models, such as Tesla Autopilot; and which vehicles with such systems are currently approved for public sale and use in (1) the UK, and (2) the EU. baroness sugg: The TESLA Model X and Model S have European Whole Vehicle Type Approvals (EWVTA) that were issued by the Netherlands. The UK is required to permit the registration and use of vehicles with EWVTA. The behaviour of the driver remains subject to national Traffic Law.Regulation 104 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (as amended) requires that the driver is in such a position that he can have proper control of the vehicle. Rule 160 of the Highway Code advises that a driver should drive with both hands on the wheel where possible. New requirements that limit the time that a driver may remove their hands from the steering control in vehicles equipped with automated lane steering have recently been introduced into Type Approval. An optical warning is required if the driver removes their hands for more than 15 seconds and this is reinforced with an acoustic warning if the period exceeds 30 seconds. If the driver does not respond to the warnings the automated lane steering function will cease to operate 1 minute after the driver removed their hands from the steering control. The Type Approval requirements apply to new vehicle types from 1 April 2018. The UK is leading a UNECE Technical Committee that is developing Type Approval requirements for software that will include provisions to identify where the software has been updated. It is expected that these new measures will be implemented in Type Approval during 2019. Type Approval records do not specifically identify individual features of the steering system and the Government does not hold data concerning the number of vehicles approved with automated lane steering functions either in the UK or in Europe. Driving: Licensing baroness miller of chilthorne domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what discussions they have had, and (2) what conclusions have been reached, with the EU regarding the reciprocal recognition of driving licences post-Brexit. baroness sugg: In the negotiations on transport which are due to commence shortly, we will be seeking a deal to ensure the mutual recognition of UK driving licences to ensure that UK motorists can continue to drive in the EU after we have left. Such a deal is in the interests of both sides. However, irrespective of the outcome of our negotiations, our ratification of the 1968 Vienna Convention and 1949 Geneva Convention will ensure that UK licence holders can continue to drive after exit throughout the EU and EEA using an international driving permit document if necessary. Railway Stations: Access baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what decisions Network Rail have made about the access improvements that will be completed during Control Period 6 under the Access for All scheme including (1) the expected completion dates of access schemes at stations that were not completed during Control Period 5, and (2) details of the additional stations that will be completed during Control Period 6; and what are the expected completion dates for access improvements. baroness sugg: We remain committed to improving access to the rail network. Network Rail have been asked wherever possible to continue to develop the 26 stations deferred as a result of the Hendy Report so that, upon completion of design work, work can start as soon as possible after April 2019. Exact completion dates will be available once design work is complete. Details of the additional funding available for the next Rail Control Period (2019-24) will be published later this year before we seek industry nominations for new projects. Vehicle Certification Agency baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with companies and organisations representing the automotive sector about the role of the Vehicle Certification Agency. baroness sugg: The Government and the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) officials are in regular contact with companies and organisations representing the automotive sector. This is part of a continuing engagement process to provide information on VCA’s role as the UK’s Type Approval Authority and regulator, allowing companies to plan their development and manufacturing operations efficiently. Vehicle Certification Agency baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they expect to be the role, domestically and internationally, of the Vehicle Certification Agency (1) after Brexit, and (2) during a transitional period. baroness sugg: Subject to the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement by both the UK and European Parliaments later this year, the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) will continue to undertake its EU approval activity during a transitional period. Irrespective of agreement on the transitional period, the VCA will continue its role as the UK’s Type Approval Authority issuing UK national approvals, approvals to UNECE regulations and acting as the UK’s National Designated Body for OECD. The role of the VCA in the EU approval system after a transitional period remains subject to future relationship negotiations. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Databases lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's data is hosted (1) in the UK, and (2) overseas. lord henley: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy estimates that by volume more than 90% of its data is hosted in the UK. It has been necessary to provide an estimate given an ongoing, internal programme of work to move from UK-based hosting arrangements to cloud-based services that have their primary data centre within the UK and a secondary data centre overseas. Artificial Intelligence lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of investment they will make in the next five years to support their Industrial Strategy Grand Challenge of Growing the AI & Data-Driven Economy; and how much of that investment will be spent on artificial intelligence. lord henley: More than 50 leading technology companies and organisations have contributed to the development of an AI Sector Deal worth almost £1 billion, including almost £300 million of private sector investment into UK sector. The deal between government and industry, announced recently by my rt. hon Friends the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, also includes more than £300 million of newly allocated government funding for AI research to make the UK a global leader in this technology. Building on the commitment made in the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy and its AI Grand Challenge, the deal marks the first phase of a major innovation-focused investment drive in AI which aims to help the UK seize the £232 billion opportunity AI offers the UK economy by 2030 (10% of GDP). Artificial Intelligence lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what metrics theywill determine whether the UK has become “the go-to destination for AI innovation and investment”, as set out in their Industrial Strategy White Paper; and by what date they intend to achieve that aim. lord henley: AI is emerging in its own right as a nascent industry with the potential to raise the productivity of diverse sectors and create entirely new jobs. To maximise this potential, the recently announced AI Sector Deal will establish a new AI Council to bring together respected leaders in the field from across academia and industry; a new delivery body within the government – the Office for Artificial Intelligence – to support it; and a new Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation. Oversight of the implementation of the Sector Deal will be led by the Office for Artificial Intelligence, which will review progress against objectives regularly. The new government Office for Artificial Intelligence will be established with responsibility for implementing this Sector Deal. It will support the AI Council which will oversee and drive the implementation of the deal. An early role for the Office for AI will be to agree implementation plans for each section of the deal, including agreed success metrics. Membership of the AI Council will be announced ahead of the first meeting. The main aim of the AI Council will be to provide strategic leadership and momentum in delivery. The Office for AI will report to the AI Council regularly and will be subject to challenge sessions from government ministers on progress in implementing the Sector Deal. The Industrial Strategy team will provide the challenge on delivery timetable, metrics and ambition on outcomes as well as providing updates and escalation to ministers across the suite of Sector Deals. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Nigeria: Violence lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for further Islamist violence in Nigeria following reports of unprovoked attacks on Christian communities in the north of that country, including the murder of two Catholic men on 5 April. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by the deaths of two men on 5 April in Kaduna State. The facts of this and all other incidents should be established and perpetrators brought to justice. The UK calls on all parties to find a peaceful solution to the complex underlying causes of these incidents to reduce the potential for further violence. Syria: Military Intervention lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the consequences that should follow, through the United Nations, in relation to Turkey's reported violation of UNSCR 2401 on 24 February. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK fully supports UN Security Council Resolution 2401 and has convened emergency briefings of the UN Security Council to press for implementation of the ceasefire. In line with the resolution, we have urged de-escalation in Afrin, the protection of civilians and the provision of humanitarian aid, while recognising Turkey's legitimate security interests. The genesis and motivation of this resolution was to assist civilians by calling for weekly deliveries of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations of the critically ill, especially in Eastern Ghouta, which at the time was subject to bombardment and siege by the Assad regime. Syria: Military Intervention lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any evidence that Turkey is settling Syrian Islamist allied militias and their families within Afrin Canton; and if so, what action they will take. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have conclusive evidence to suggest that Turkish-backed forces are settling in Afrin. The UK has consistently called for freedom of movement for those caught up in the violence, in accordance with international humanitarian law. This includes the right of return and protection of property for any internally displaced persons who have fled following the recent operation in Afrin. It is essential that the rights of internally displaced persons are protected and those who wish to return are able to do so freely. We will continue to raise this point with Turkish counterparts in our discussions with them. Lezgin Botan lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the 18-year prison sentence imposed on the Turkish opposition MP Mr Lezgin Botan; and what response, if any, they intend to make. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We expect Turkey to undertake any legal processes against MPs fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. We regularly encourage Turkey to respect its human rights obligations, including the right to freedom of expression. The Foreign Secretary and the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas consistently raise these issues with their Turkish counterparts and will continue to do so. Iraq: Islamic State lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Iraq about reports by the Associated Pressthat 19,000 people accused of links to ISIS are being heldin detention; and whether they will seek to discover whether there has been due judicial process for 3,000of those people reported tohave been sentenced to death for alleged membership. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports of the detention and prosecution of Daesh-linked individuals in Iraq. We remain clear that, where there is evidence that crimes have been committed, members of Daesh should be brought to justice, in accordance with due legal process.We discuss human rights issues – including the importance of due process and the right to a fair trial – in our conversations with the Government of Iraq. In particular, we regularly raise our concerns with the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister's Advisory Council and the Chief Justice. Her Majesty's Ambassador to Iraq recently set out our concerns about the application of the death penalty with the Iraqi Justice Minister. We will continue to raise this issue with the Iraqi Government. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take in regard to reports of the possible use of chemical weapons by Israeli forces againstprotestors. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are not aware of any such reports. Ameer As'ad baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israelregarding the prison conditions experiencedby wheelchair user Ameer As’ad who is on hunger strike in order to be provided with an accessible toilet in Israeli prison. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Whilst we have not raised this specific issue, we urge the Israeli authorities to ensure that prisoners are provided with the necessary health care and other provisions that they require in line with international obligations. Syria: Chemical Weapons lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to ensuring that the United Nations Security Council completes President Putin's 2013 initiative to rid Syria of chemical weapons. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains committed to ensuring the removal of all chemical weapons in Syria, but this is complicated by Russia's refusal to hold the Asad regime to account for chemical weapons use. In 2013, Russia committed itself to ensuring that Syria would stop the use of chemical weapons and destroy its chemical weapons stockpile. Yet since then investigations mandated by the UN have found the Asad regime responsible for using chemical weapons in at least four separate attacks. Russia has vetoed UN Security Council resolutions on Syria chemical weapons six times since 2017, including following the chemical attack in Douma. The Syrians have still not provided a comprehensive declaration of their programme, as required by the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council Resolution 2118. Syria: Military Intervention lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to all non-lethal alternatives to military action in Syria. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The decision by the UK, US and France to conduct a carefully targeted military action to degrade and deter further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime was only taken because all non-military options had been exhausted. These efforts have included a negotiated agreement with the regime, guaranteed by Russia, to declare and give up all its chemical weapons capabilities, but the regime and Russia have subsequently failed to respect their commitments. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism to attribute responsibility for attacks was established but later blocked by Russia. Russia has also vetoed any attempt at the Security Council to hold those responsible to account. The EU has brought sanctions against those involved in the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Regrettably these diplomatic efforts had proved insufficient to prevent continued chemical attacks. The UK Government remains clear that the UN-led Geneva process between the Syrian parties, mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 2254, remains the forum for reaching a lasting political settlement to end the conflict in Syria. Syria: Chemical Weapons lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and other partners to ensure that Syria is free of chemical weapons. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains committed to working with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and other partners to ensure that use of chemical weapons in Syria stops, and that the Syrian chemical weapons programme is fully dismantled. In the financial year 2017/ 2018, the UK contributed £110,000 to the OPCW's Trust Fund for Syria Missions, to support its teams analysing Syria's chemical weapons declaration and investigating ongoing use of chemical weapons in Syria. We have also helped train inspectors in forensic interviewing and negotiating skills, shared our information on the attacks being investigated, and lobbied other states to be similarly supportive. The UK strongly supported the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism from the outset of their work in 2015, and we continue to press for the re-establishment of a similar mechanism. Syria: Crimes against Humanity lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the establishment of a Regional Tribunal to bring to trial those responsible for genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity in Syria modelled on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK strongly supports efforts to pursue accountability for war crimes in Syria. In December 2016, the UK co-sponsored the General Assembly resolution which established the new UN International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to assist in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in Syria. Future prosecutions could be through a referral to the International Criminal Court or by hybrid, specialised or national courts. Syria: Crimes against Humanity lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what judicial mechanisms they are putting in place with international parties to bring to justice those responsible for the use of chemical weapons, summary executions, hostage-taking, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, sexual violence, other acts of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Syria. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK strongly supports efforts to pursue accountability for war crimes in Syria. In May 2014, the UK co-sponsored a UN Security Council resolution to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Russia and China vetoed this resolution. Through our Conflict Stability and Security Fund, we are supporting work which collects and documents evidence of war crimes; and builds capacity to investigate sexual and gender based violence cases in Syria. This includes support to the UN International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) whose role it is to conduct investigations and collect evidence to support future prosecutions of perpetrators of the most serious crimes under international law. Future prosecutions could be through a referral to the International Criminal Court or by hybrid, specialised or national courts. Iraq: Islamic State lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the testimony of Rita Habib, a Christian Iraqi woman, published in The Times on 16 April, who was held for three years as a slave by Isis and suffered repeated sexual violence, that her owners included an Iraqi, Saudi Arabians and a Syrian man; and what assistance they are giving to bring the alleged perpetrators to justice. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The testimony of Rita Habib contained appalling reports of human rights abuses and violations, perpetrated against her by members of Daesh. The UK condemns all such atrocities committed. We welcome the commitments of Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi to protect all Iraqi citizens and to investigate all allegations of human rights abuses and violations and to hold those responsible to account. We will continue to make clear that we expect the Government of Iraq to act on that commitment. We are working with our international partners and the Government of Iraq to ensure that Daesh is held to account for its appalling crimes, including against Christians. The Investigative Team established under UN Security Council Resolution 2379 will gather evidence of Daesh crimes, beginning in Iraq, and the UK has committed £1 million to the establishment of this team. In March I visited Iraq and launched the UK's Fourth National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, encouraging efforts to hold Daesh to account for its crimes, build support for survivors of sexual violence and end the stigma attached to victims of those crimes. In Syria, over £1.3 million has been allocated through our Conflict, Security and Stabilisation Fund to support work which collects and documents evidence of war crimes; and builds capacity to investigate sexual and gender based violence cases. Syria: Military Intervention lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they did not seek a mandate from the UN Security Council before taking military action against Syria in response to the chemical attack on Douma. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Russia’s repeated shielding of the Asad regime from investigation and censure by the UN Security Council meant further UN-sponsored action was not possible. On 10 April, Russia vetoed a draft Resolution that would have established an independent UN investigation. This follows their termination of the independent Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism last year after the appalling chemical weapons attack in Khan Sheikhoun. Russia has used its veto six times on the topic of chemical weapons use in Syria since the start of 2017. The military action undertaken by the UK was permitted under international law as set out in the government’s legal position, which can be viewed on the gov.uk website. Sierra Leone: Criminal Proceedings baroness stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK funding is being used, or has been used, to support special criminal sessions in the High Courts of Sierra Leone; if so, what assessment they have made of whether those sessions have resulted in the passing of death sentences; and whether that funding complies with their Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Human Rights Guidancepublished in January 2017. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Her Majesty's Government funding is not being, and has not been, used to support special criminal sessions in the High Courts of Sierra Leone. Commonwealth: Foreign Relations lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether relations with the Commonwealth are an element of the Global Britain initiative; and if so, how significant an element. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Commonwealth is an important element of Global Britain, as evidenced by the recent announcement of 9 new diplomatic posts in Commonwealth countries. Commonwealth: Foreign Relations lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of whether the geographical distance between the UK and the nations of the Commonwealth will have an impact on their intention to collaborate more closely with them. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We do not believe the geographical distance between the UK and other Commonwealth countries will prevent deeper collaboration on the important issues Commonwealth Heads of Government addressed at their meeting in London on 19-20 April. Forty-six Heads of Government travelled to London for the meeting. This demonstrates the importance member states attach to the Commonwealth and their desire to play a full and substantive role in it. Commonwealth lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the issue of the future Head of the Commonwealth; and what considerations underpin their position on this. lord ahmad of wimbledon: At their Meeting on 20 April, Commonwealth Heads of Government agreed that the next Head of the Commonwealth would be His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales Syria: White Helmets lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding if any they provide to the White Helmets in Syria. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been supporting Syria Civil Defence (also known as the White Helmets) since 2013. As of 31 March 2018, the total sum of funding that the British Government has provided to the White Helmets is over £35 million. Syria: Diplomatic Relations lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the status of the UK's diplomatic relations with the government of Syria; and whether they have any plans to change those relations. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government has not severed diplomatic relations with Syria. Since the withdrawal of our staff from the British Embassy in Damascus in February 2012 and the closure of the Syrian Embassy in London in August 2012, our dealings have been minimal and occur only in relation to essential consular or administrative issues. There is no plan to change this. The UK believes the Asad regime has lost its legitimacy due to its atrocities against the Syrian people and that a sustainable political settlement in Syria ultimately requires a political transition away from the current regime. Syria: War Crimes lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are compiling a list of persons allegedly responsible for war crimes in Syria; and if so, whether and when those names will be submitted to the International Criminal Court. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK strongly supports efforts to pursue accountability for war crimes in Syria. We have provided funding to non-governmental organisations and to the UN's International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) whose role is to investigate and collect evidence of the most serious crimes committed in Syria. The UK also supports the important work of the independent UN Commission of Inquiry, which is reporting on human rights violations and abuses. We have also taken significant steps to sanction those linked to the violent repression of civilians in Syria. With UK support, the EU now has such sanctions in place against 261 persons and 67 entities. In May 2014, the UK co-sponsored a UN Security Council resolution to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Russia and China vetoed this resolution. Middle East: Genocide lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the view expressed by the then Prime Minister in 2016, speaking about events in Syria and northern Iraq, that “there is a very strong case here for saying that it is genocide, and I hope that it will be portrayed and spoken of as such”, what assessment they have made of the extent to which actions taken in those areas constitute genocide. lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for ensuring that the perpetrators of crimes such as gross violations of human rights, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity face the prospect of being held to account, and that any final settlement does not include amnesties, in order to deter future genocides and crimes against humanity. lord ahmad of wimbledon: It is UK policy that any determination on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for competent judicial bodies, rather than for governments. The UK is fully committed to the principle that there must be no impunity for the most serious international crimes. We continue to voice our support for this principle, and continue to support the work of the International Criminal Court and the international tribunals to tackle impunity for these crimes. Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking action (1) bilaterally, and (2) multilaterally, to seek to ensure that Joseph Kabila does not stand as a candidate in the next presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government has repeatedly called for President Kabila to honour both the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Constitution and the 31 December agreement and conduct a peaceful transfer of power in DRC via credible elections. The Minister for Africa, Harriett Baldwin MP, made these points directly with representatives of the DRC government when she visited DRC last week. Our Embassy in Kinshasa regularly presses the DRC authorities to ensure they enable the Congolese people to meet their democratic aspirations by electing a new President.The UK continues to coordinate closely with the EU and at the United Nations on the DRC's electoral commitments. We are also working alongside regional partners; for example, in February in Addis Ababa the UK Special Envoy to the Great Lakes joined other members of the International Contact Group on the Great Lakes (ICGGL) to discuss presidential elections in DRC. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in securing the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe following the Foreign Secretary's visit to Iran in December 2017. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We remain very concerned about all our dual nationals detained in Iran. We continue to raise their cases with the Iranian government at every opportunity, and make decisions in line with what we believe will produce the best outcomes in their cases. However, we will not be providing a running commentary. We judge this will not be helpful, or in the best interest of each case. China: Trade the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the UK–China 9th Economic and Financial Dialogue in December 2017, what cooperation with the government of China on the Belt and Road Initiative is currently taking place; and what future cooperation is planned. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Prime Minister discussed the Belt and Road Initiative with Chinese leaders during her visit to China in January 2018. They agreed that the UK and China will seek to identify how best we can cooperate on the Initiative across the region, ensuring it meets international standards. We are currently taking forward the practical cooperation agreed at the most recent Economic and Financial Dialogue. This cooperation includes the appointment of a UK Financial and Professional Services Envoy for the Belt and Road; agreement to jointly identify pilot projects in infrastructure; and establishment of a mechanism to facilitate the joint identification and evaluation of Belt and Road projects involving UK and Chinese companies. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total cost to the UK in hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. lord ahmad of wimbledon: A detailed summary of the full costs to the UK of hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting​ (CHOGM) will be published when the relevant expenditure has been brought to account and audited. Department of Health and Social Care NHS: Drugs baroness finlay of llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the amount ofmoney, if any, that NHS England would have saved in 2017–18 if all pharmaceutical specials dispensed in community pharmacies had been procured according to the Scottish Government's framework for theprocurement of specials. lord o'shaughnessy: No such assessment has been made. NHS: Drugs baroness finlay of llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to adopt the Scottish Government's framework for the procurement of specials for community pharmacies in England. baroness finlay of llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to bring forward secondary legislation to regulate the costs of specials dispensed in community pharmacies in England. lord o'shaughnessy: The powers in the Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Act 2017 enable the Government to reimburse for specials dispensed in primary care in different ways such as considering quotes of suppliers (similar to the Scottish arrangements) and not reimbursing pharmacies at all if for example they have been provided the medicine by a central service. The Government is considering how to implement its powers in the 2017 Act and any proposals to implement changes will be subject to consultation with relevant stakeholders.Further to the Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Act 2017, the Government ran a consultation on new Regulations for the provision of information about health service products. We are finalising the Regulations which are expected to be laid and enter into force later in 2018. The Information Regulations include requirements in relation to special medicinal products which will ensure that the Government obtains information from all manufacturers and importers. This information will make the reimbursement arrangements for the most commonly used special medicinal products more robust. However, where there are concerns about an individual price, it will also enable us to request from suppliers’ information on the costs of supplying a product. HIV Infection: Females baroness gould of potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what actionthey are taking to meet the needs of women with HIV as identified in the report Women and HIV: Invisible no longer published in April by the Sofia Forum and the Terence Higgins Trust. lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England welcomes the Sofia Forum report into the needs of women with HIV. The report provides a summary of the findings of two studies aimed at understanding the needs of women living with or affected by HIV in the United Kingdom and a number of recommendations.In order to meet the needs of women with HIV as identified in the report, NHS England is currently considering how they can address stigma, implementation of peer support and mental health in their HIV services and will take these recommendations for women into account. The report will be considered as part of the evidence base in any future reviews of the HIV Prevention and Sexual Health Promotion programme.In addition to routine data collection, detailed gender breakdowns will be routinely included as part of Public Health England’s HIV Official Statistics. Public Health England is piloting enhanced surveillance to better understand the circumstances associated with men and women acquiring HIV and the reasons for delays in testing for HIV among them. Community Hospitals: Rural Areas baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they envisage for community hospitals in rural areas providing 'step-up step-down' and rehabilitation facilities. lord o'shaughnessy: ‘Step up’ care (preventing unnecessary admissions to acute hospitals or long term care) and ‘step down’ care (receiving patients from acute care for rehabilitation and to support timely discharge from hospital) are considered to be intermediate care services.Whilst these intermediate care services can be provided in a community hospital, it is also possible to provide them in a care home or home setting. It is for the local commissioners, whether they are in rural or urban areas, to determine the most appropriate location to provide these services for their local system based on local needs and issues. It is also important that this choice recognises that the principle that ‘home’ - a person’s usual place of residence – is generally the best place for people to be whenever possible. Community Hospitals: Sales baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the proceeds from the sale of a community hospital by NHS Property Servicesis put towards the provision of health care in that local community. baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what legal basis NHS Property Servicesis permitted to sell a property which has been endowed for use as a community hospital facility, as in the case of the Lambert Hospital in Thirsk. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government’s response to Sir Robert Naylor’s review on the National Health Service estate, published in January 2018, confirmed that properties owned by NHS Property Services are national rather than local assets and are rented to local providers. When moving out of those properties, rental payments stop which creates a financial benefit to the provider. Therefore, capital receipts from the sale of NHS Property Service properties will continue to be pooled at a national level and the investment directed to where it is most needed by patients. Local clinical commissioning groups can put forward a business case for local investment to NHS England for consideration.The ownership of the Lambert Community Hospital in Thirsk transferred to NHS Property Services Ltd in 2013 as a result of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. NHS Property Services is not aware of any restrictions on title which prevents the sale of the property. Suicide: Students lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the suicide rate among students compared with the general population of the same age; and what measures they proposeto address any concerns identified. lord o'shaughnessy: Public Health England and the Office for National Statistics are working with stakeholders to develop new analyses of suicide rates within higher education institutions. The findings will be published in due course. Mental Health Services: Young People lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to remove barriers preventing young people from receiving essential mental health support, following the findings set out in the survey by YoungMinds. lord o'shaughnessy: We have made an additional £1.4 billion available over the course of 2015/16-2020/21 to transform services and ensure access to specialist mental health services for an additional 70,000 children and young people a year by 2020/21. This funding will also ensure that, by 2020/21, 95% of children (up to 19 years old) with eating disorders receive treatment within one week for urgent cases and four weeks for routine cases and 50% of patients (all ages) experiencing a first episode of psychosis receive treatment within two weeks of referral. We are currently exceeding or on track to meet these waiting time standards. The recent Green Paper, Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision: a Green Paper, published by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education, is supported by an additional £300 million and contains key proposals to improve access to mental health support for children and young people. This includes through the creation of new Mental Health Support Teams, which will deliver interventions to children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs in or close to schools and colleges (and be able to refer those with more severe needs to specialist services). The Green Paper also announced the piloting of a four week waiting time to improve access to National Health Service mental health services for those requiring more specialist help, which we will roll out in a number of trailblazer areas alongside the support teams. A copy of the Green Paper is attached. We will also ensure that at least one teacher in every primary and secondary school will receive mental health awareness training by the end of the Parliament (and by the end of 2019 for secondary schools). This will improve the capability of school staff to promote awareness of mental health needs, and provide them with the skills, confidence and knowledge to spot common signs and triggers of mental health issues, and to help children and young people receive appropriate support. Transforming CYP Mental Health (PDF Document, 1.14 MB) Baby Care Units: Admissions baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 14 March (HL5971) showing a “clear overall upward trend” in the number and rate of hospital episodes for neonates from 2000–01 to 2016–17, what assessment they have made of the reasons for that increase; and what was the annual expenditure resulting from such admissions in each of those years. lord o'shaughnessy: Two factors have led to the increase in the number and rate of hospital episodes for neonates. Firstly an increase in the numbers of extremely preterm children admitted and surviving over the last 16 years, a trend that continues. Secondly, there has been an increase in admission of babies born at full term. This is a factor that has been recognised and that we are tackling through the Addressing Term Admissions In Neonatal Units (ATAIN) programme. The ATAIN programme will support healthcare professionals to improve outcomes for babies, mothers and families through the delivery of safer care with a focus on four clinical areas: respiratory conditions; hypoglycaemia; jaundice; and asphyxia (perinatal hypoxia-ischaemia). ATAIN aims to ensure that no baby is separated from their mother unnecessarily by admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. The following table shows the data supplied by hubs in the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Expenditure exercises which NHS England undertakes annually against the NPoC (National Programme of Care) code E08 Neonatal Critical Care. This data covers specialised services expenditure only and no data is held prior to 2013/14 when NHS England came into being. YearExpenditure £ million2013/147242014/156902015/167052016/17721 The financial values have been consolidated through the use of NPoC (National Programme of Care) codes and are taken from our annual CCG expenditure exercise. This exercise uses Provider Aggregate Contract Monitoring as the basis for the data; where this data is incomplete hubs will apportion / estimate any missing values. Attorney General Crimes against Humanity: Prosecutions lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Crown Prosecution Service has used (1) the International Criminal Court Act 2001, and (2) the Coroner’s and Justice Act 2009, on the basis of universal jurisdiction; what were those cases; and what were the offences the individuals were charged and convicted for. lord keen of elie: The Crown Prosecution Service has to date not prosecuted any individual on the basis of universal jurisdiction for offences contrary to the International Criminal Court Act 2001 and the Coroner’s and Justice Act 2009.There have been a small number of prosecutions for international crimes by the CPS, including those of Anthony Sawonuik who was convicted of war crimes from World War II and Faryadi Sarwar Zardad who was convicted of torture and hostage taking as a result of offences committed in Afghanistan. Genocide: Prosecutions lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Crown Prosecution Service has charged individuals with the crime of genocide; and how many convictions were ultimately secured. lord keen of elie: The Crown Prosecution Service has to date not charged any individual with the crime of genocide.There have been a small number of prosecutions for international crimes by the CPS, including those of Anthony Sawonuik who was convicted of war crimes from World War II and Faryadi Sarwar Zardad who was convicted of torture and hostage taking as a result of offences committed in Afghanistan. Genocide: Prosecutions lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in cases blocked by the UK Courts’ extradition of alleged genocidaires to the countries requesting their extradition in order to prosecute them there, whether there has been any consideration of prosecuting those alleged genocidaires in the UK on charges of genocide under the principle of universal jurisdiction; if so, what were the challenges; and what has been done to overcome them. lord keen of elie: Before a prosecution can take place, there has to be a police investigation. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has no powers to investigate allegations of crime. The war crimes team of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) is responsible for the investigation of all allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and torture. They decide whether an investigation is required and how it should be conducted. SO15 received a request from Rwandan authorities in January 2018 to investigate five individuals in the UK in relation to alleged genocide offences in Rwanda dating from around 1994. SO15 has not launched an investigation as it is currently assessing material provided from Rwandan authorities to determine whether it will be possible to carry out further scoping of the allegations. Department for International Development Democratic Republic of Congo: Humanitarian Aid lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report by the International Crisis Group, Electoral Poker in DR Congo, published on 4 April, in respect of the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. lord bates: The UK recognises the concerns outlined by the International Crisis Group (ICG) in its latest report and regularly raises the issue of tackling the root causes of conflict and insecurity that are driving the humanitarian crisis with the Government of DRC. Key to this is the holding of elections in December 2018. This is critical to a peaceful and democratic transfer of power, and longer-term peace and stability in DRC. My colleague, the Minister for Africa, Harriet Baldwin visited the DRC last week, where she saw first-hand the impact of the conflict and insecurity upon the Congolese population. She announced a further contribution of £22 million to the humanitarian appeal for the DRC, bringing UK aid’s support to £227 million over 5 years (2017-2022). Department for Education Disabled Students' Allowances lord addington: To ask Her Majesty's Government which groups and individuals they are asking for expert advice for their review of the second assessment for the identification of disabled students wishing to apply for the Disabled Students' Allowance if the first assessment or identification has been carried out before the age of 16. lord addington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any of the groups or individuals providing expert advice to their review of the second assessment for the identification of disabled students wishing to apply for the Disabled Students' Allowancereceive benefit from the payment that is charged for the second assessment, or have any members who receive such benefits. viscount younger of leckie: In February 2018 officials from the Department for Education wrote to the following organisations seeking their views on whether it should still be necessary for students with specific learning difficulties to have a post-16 diagnostic assessment when applying for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs): The Association of Dyslexia Specialists in Higher Education (ADSHE), The British Dyslexia Association, The British Psychological Society, Dyslexia Action, The Helen Arkell Institute, The National Association of Disability Practitioners, the National Union of Students, the Real Group, the University of Southampton, and The Professional Association for teachers and assessors of students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)/the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee. It is inevitable that some of the organisations whose expert view we have sought for this review will provide diagnostic assessments, training to become diagnostic assessors or accreditation of that training, and will receive payment for those services. We will be mindful of that in reaching a final decision on the review. Music: Finance baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made since April 2016 of the effect of changes to funding of local music services on community music ensembles, particularly youth music ensembles and choirs, and on progression routes through to national ensembles and conservatoires for the most talented. lord agnew of oulton: In addition to funding that schools receive to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, department funding for music education hubs has increased from £58 million in 2014/15 to £75 million each year until 2020. Music education hubs support and enhance the quality of music teaching in schools, reaching beyond school boundaries, to ensure that the aims of the National Plan are delivered. In addition, we recently announced £96 million for arts education in 2018-20, including over £60 million for the Music and Dance Scheme, which enables our most talented young musicians to attend specialist institutions. Since April 2016 the department has not made any assessment of the effect of changes to funding of local music services. However, since 2013, Arts Council England has commissioned an independent analysis of Music Education Hubs’ annual performance. The reports, which provide information on music education hubs’ activities, including their support for ensembles and choirs, are at: www.artscouncil.org.uk/children-and-young-people/music-education-hubs-survey The most recent of these reports is attached. HL6873_Key_Data_On_Music_Education_MEH_2016 (PDF Document, 1.43 MB) Music: Primary Education baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports or assessments they have made or received on the quality and quantity of music education provided by schools at primary level, including how this has been augmented and supported by music education hubs; and in each case for which year. baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports or assessments they have made or received on the quality and quantity of music educationat primary level education outsideschool activities since September 2015; and in each case for which year. lord agnew of oulton: Responses to the Department for Education’s ‘Teacher Voice Omnibus’ Survey (conducted between May and June 2016), indicated that the median average time primary school teachers spent teaching music as a dedicated subject was 30 minutes per week. The amount of provision and support provided by music education hubs to augment this, is set out in annual reports published by Arts Council England. In 2015/16, the latest year for which data has been published, hubs provided or supported 14,866 ensembles and choirs, including 6,887 that are area-based. 342,225 children and young people regularly took part in these, including 34,724 key stage 1 pupils and 174,657 key stage 2 pupils. The 2015/16 report is attached. HL6873_Key_Data_On_Music_Education_MEH_2016 (PDF Document, 1.43 MB) Music: GCSE baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children have taken music subjects at GCSE level for each year since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate. lord agnew of oulton: The figures presented in the table below show the total number of pupils, at the end of key stage 4,[1] who entered GCSE (or equivalent) music since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate (2009/10).[2]Academic yearPupils at the end of key stage 4Pupils entering GCSE music[3]Percentage of pupils entering GCSE music3 2009/10639,26345,4337 2010/11627,09343,1577 2011/12620,61740,7617 2012/13632,39741,2567 2013/14[4]618,43742,4467 2014/15611,02443,6987 2015/16600,42541,6507 2016/17587,64038,901[5]7 [1] Pupils are identified as being at the end of key stage 4 if they were on roll at the school and in year 11 at the time of the January school census for that year. Age is calculated as at 31 August for that year, and the majority of pupils at the end of key stage 4 were age 15 at the start of the academic year. Some pupils may complete this key stage in an earlier or later year group.[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017 (subject time series table).[3] Includes pupils who were absent, whose results are pending, and results which are ungraded or unclassified.[4] In 2013/14, two major reforms were implemented which affect the calculation of key stage 4 performance measures data. These are: 1) Professor Alison Wolf’s Review of Vocational Education recommendations which: restrict the qualifications counted; prevent any qualification from counting as larger than one GCSE; and cap the number of non-GCSEs included in performance measures at two per pupil.2) An early entry policy to only count a pupil’s first attempt at a qualification, in subjects counted in the English Baccalaureate. [5] 2017 figures are based on provisional data. Figures for all other years are final. Music: Education baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimates they have made of the additional investment needed to enable all young people to access high-quality music education, to learn a musical instrument and to enable clear progression routes to be available and affordable to all those who wish to continue. lord agnew of oulton: In addition to funding that schools receive to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, department funding for music education hubs has increased from £58 million in 2014/15 to £75 million each year until 2020. Music education hubs support and enhance the quality of music teaching in schools, reaching beyond school boundaries, to ensure that the aims of the National Plan are delivered. The department has not made estimates of the additional investment needed to enable all young people to access high-quality music education. However, the National Plan for Music Education made it clear that in most cases Department for Education funding would be only one of a number of funding sources available to music education hubs. Music: Education baroness bonham-carter of yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatreports or assessments they have received from Ofsted about whether schools are implementing a broad and balanced curriculum that includes music; and any action being taken if schools are judged on this measure as "inadequate", particularly in schools that are otherwise judged to be outstanding. lord agnew of oulton: All schools should provide pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum. While Ofsted does not grade individual curriculum subjects as part of school inspections, it does assess and report on the curriculum as a whole. Where a school is found not to be offering a curriculum that meets the needs of pupils, this will be reflected in the inspection outcome. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, is examining how schools deliver the curriculum as part of its research programme. Attached is a recent recent commentary, published by Ofsted, on the primary and secondary curriculum in which the Chief Inspector emphasises the importance of breadth in the curriculum. Findings from Ofsted’s curriculum review will help inform the development of its 2019 inspection framework. ttachment_Commentary_on_Primary_and_Secondary_Cu (PDF Document, 416.12 KB) Foster Care lord mackay of clashfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to raise the awareness of children in foster care of their right to advocacy services. lord mackay of clashfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to making it mandatory for local authorities to conduct exit interviews with every foster carer who leaves the role. lord mackay of clashfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to encourage local authorities to improve the quality of their responses to enquiries about fostering. lord agnew of oulton: Foster Care in England, an independent review of the fostering system, published on 6 February 2018, and the Education Select Committee report, published on 22 December 2017, made a number of recommendations relating to the recruitment and retention of foster parents. The reports include specific recommendations regarding initial enquiries into fostering, as well as improving the exit interview process and advocacy for children in foster care. We are carefully considering the recommendations made by both reports and the government response will be published in the coming months. Foster Care lord mackay of clashfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of peer-to-peer support groups in improving foster care retention. lord agnew of oulton: The independent review into the fostering system, ‘Foster Care in England’, published 6 February 2018, and the Education Select Committee report, published 22 December 2017, considered the recruitment and retention of foster parents and the support foster parents receive, including peer support. The department is carefully considering the recommendations and the government response will be published later this year. In addition, the department funds projects to support foster families through the Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme. This includes the Mockingbird Family Model. One of that project’s aims is to increase rates of foster parent recruitment and retention, which includes providing peer support to foster parents. The project will be subject to rigorous independent evaluation and will inform the evidence base of what works in children’s social care. Pre-school Education: Standards lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for early years education of the findings by TeachFirst that one in three children are not "school ready" when they start primary school. lord agnew of oulton: Teach First’s analysis of the latest Early Years Foundation Stage Profile results shows that 29.3% of children in England did not achieve a good level of development (GLD) in 2017. However, the proportion of children arriving at primary school with a GLD is continuing to increase year on year, rising from 51.7% in 2013 to 70.7% in 2017. Reception year presents a window of opportunity to address gaps within a child’s development before they have a chance to widen. In ‘Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential’ (attached), the government sets out its ambitious plans to support teachers to address these development gaps. Plans include a £26 million investment in a Centre of Excellence and national network of English Hubs, focussing on raising standards in reception year and key stage 1, and plans to work with experts to identify and share strong reception year practice. Evidence also shows that a highly qualified workforce is strongly associated with higher quality provision and better child outcomes. We continue to support graduates in the sector by funding the Early Years Initial Teacher Training programme, including bursaries and employer incentives. Unlocking_Talent_Fulfilling_Potential (PDF Document, 2.63 MB) Academies: School Meals lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of exempt academies have not voluntarily signed up to the School Food Standards. lord agnew of oulton: The government encourages all schools to promote healthy eating and provide healthy, tasty and nutritious food and drink. Compliance with the School Food Standards is mandatory for the majority of schools, including all maintained schools. Academies and free schools are required to comply with the standards by virtue of their funding agreements, with the exception of a proportion that we expect to comply voluntarily. All new academies and free schools have mandatory compliance specified in their funding agreements by default, and when these agreements are updated, we will seek to include this. To date, over 1400 exempt academies have indicated they are following the School Food Standards voluntarily. Students: Loans baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, given that the Student Loans Company (SLC) has accepted responsibility for overpayments to healthcare students and that the SLC told students that they were not being overpaid, the SLC will write off overpayments to physiotherapy and other healthcare students. viscount younger of leckie: The government announced on 18 April 2018 that the Student Loans Company (SLC) will provide support to ensure that none of the students affected by the error suffer hardship. Students affected by this will be eligible to apply for additional, non-repayable, support of up to £1,000 for the remainder of this academic year, and should contact the SLC. In addition, repayment of overpaid maintenance support will be deferred for all students affected until they have finished their courses and can afford to repay. Repayment of overpaid maintenance loans will happen via HM Revenue and Customs in the normal way, which is how students will have expected to repay their loans when they took them out. Apprentices: Taxation lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether £600 million has been spent on MBA style executive programmes from the apprenticeship levy fund; what assessment they have made of whether this such expenditure supports the goals and target beneficiaries of the fund; and what effect, if any, this will have on the support offered to new and less experienced employees. lord agnew of oulton: Apprenticeship levels do not directly relate to degree based qualifications, therefore we do not hold data on how much levy funding has been spent on Master of Business Administration style executive programmes. The apprenticeships system has deliberately been designed to be employer-led. Employers are best placed to understand their own skills needs and to choose the apprenticeships to develop their own talent – whether that involves recruiting new people or re-training and upskilling existing staff. Apprentices: Taxation lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they are taking to address concerns that a lack of flexibility on the part of the apprenticeship levy regarding how companies are to spend funds prevents companies from investing in, and developing, the skills they require. lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the two-year time frame for companies to spend the apprenticeship levy to allow them to benefit from any unspent funds after the end of the two-year period. lord agnew of oulton: The apprenticeship levy has been specifically designed to raise funds to support apprenticeships rather than wider skills training. We work with employers and wider stakeholders on a continuous basis to ensure that the delivery of apprenticeship funding meets their needs. For example, in response to employer feedback, we are making changes to the funding system with the introduction of transfers, which will enable employers to transfer up to 10 per cent of their funds to other employers. This will allow levy payers to work with other organisations, including within their supply chains, to encourage new apprenticeship starts. The 24 months expiry period is designed to give employers time to develop their apprenticeship programmes while encouraging employers to take action to create new apprenticeship opportunities. We currently have no plans to extend the expiry period, as this would likely lead to a delay in employer investment in apprenticeships. Ministry of Justice Prisoners: Misconduct lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to reduce the number of days added to the sentences of prisoners for misconduct. lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners had their sentences extended for misconduct in each year from 2011 to 2016. lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cause of the increase in the number of days added to the sentences of prisoners for misconduct between 2011 and 2016. lord keen of elie: Discipline procedures are central to the maintenance of a safe, decent and rehabilitative custodial environment. They require adjudications to be conducted lawfully, fairly and justly. Only Independent Adjudicators, who are District Judges or Deputy District Judges can, in cases deemed to be sufficiently serious, make an award of additional days. Additional days cannot extend the totality of the sentence imposed by the court but, they will have the effect of extending a person’s custodial time left to serve. The most serious offences are referred to the police. Information on the number of individual prisoners who were subject to punishments for disciplinary misconduct is not routinely extracted from the adjudications database as the primary purpose is to report on the volume of punishments imposed. In order to collect this specific information on prisoners, a matching exercise using prison population and adjudication databases would be required to identify each individual prisoner who was sanctioned under the Prison Rules, as a result of which the data could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Information on the number of occasions additional days were awarded to prisoners between 2011 and 2016 is publicly available and is published as part of the Offender Management Statistics bulletin. Table 1 below provides an extract from the published statistics, outlining the number of occasions additional days were awarded by offence during 2011-2016.Table 1: Awards of additional days by offence 2011 - 2016, England and Wales 201120122013201420152016Offence 8,6909,5379,12510,26513,00016,756Disobedience/Disrespect 1,3931,4551,4011,4571,7312,268Escape/Abscond 25207464Unauthorised transactions 5,1115,6685,2846,1867,7389,594Violence 1,1241,2321,2101,4121,6882,295Wilful damage 536611646471635740Other offences 5015515777351,2021,855(1) Adjudications are the procedure whereby offences against the Prison or Young Offender Institution Rules are alleged to have been committed by prisoners or young offenders (YOs). Under the Prison Rules, Governors may delegate the conduct of adjudications to any other officer of the prison or Young Offender Institution, who has passed the relevant authorised training course, has suitable operational experience and has been certified by the Governor as competent to carry out adjudication duties. (2) The number of offences refers to the number of adjudications for which one or more punishments may be imposed onto an offender. (3) The number of punishments refers to all proven adjudications and excludes all those that have been dismissed or not proceeded with. The majority of punishments of added days are for unauthorised transactions, which concern illicit economies within prisons, such as possession and selling of forbidden items. We are working closely with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to improve the response to crime in prisons and to ensure that wherever possible and appropriate those who commit serious crimes in prison are punished through the courts rather than by the internal disciplinary system. We are also reviewing and sharing best practice from prisons who have built up excellent relationships with their local police forces. We are also reviewing the Adjudications policy set out in Prison Service Instruction 47/2011 as part of our ongoing Prison Reform Programme. The review incorporates a study to examine the impact of disciplinary adjudication punishments on custodial misconduct and provide a better understanding of ‘what works’ in terms of behaviour change. Prison Officers lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prison officers were in post on (1) 1 January 2011, and (2) 31 December 2016. lord keen of elie: As at the 31 December 2010 (the closest available data point in time to the 1 January 2011) there were 24,500 full time equivalent Band 3-5 Prison Officers in post. As at the 31 December 2016 there were 17,887 full time equivalent Band 3-5 Prison Officers in post. As we focus on making our jails safe and decent places to support rehabilitation between the end of October 2016 and the end of March 2018 we have increased prison officer numbers by 3,111, which is already significantly over our target of 2,500 additional staff by the end of December 2018. These recruitment efforts form part of a wider drive to ensure that all prisons are fully staffed so that they can deliver safe and decent regimes Slavery: Convictions baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many appeals have been brought against convictions under section 1 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many appeals have been brought against convictions under section 2 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. lord keen of elie: The total number of appeals under section 1 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 is 6 and the total number of appeals under section 2 is 8. Prisoners baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the number of the prison population aged 50 and over, broken down by (1) type of custody, (2) sex, and (3) whether they are repeat offenders or first time offenders. lord keen of elie: The information requested in (1) and (2) are published on gov.uk as part of the quarterly prison population statistics.As at 31 December 2017, the number of the prison population aged 50 and over was 13,522. The breakdown of custody type and sex is provided below.(1) Custody Typei. On remand: 805ii. Sentenced: 12,640iii. Non-criminal: 77(2) Sexi. Male: 13,000ii. Female: 522 The information requested in (3) could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Prisoners' Release lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect to be in a position to release, on licence or otherwise, more prisoners serving indeterminate sentences following the introduction of tags incorporating GPS-based electronic location monitoring. lord keen of elie: GPS location monitoring will be available next year and may be used to monitor a licence condition. Although it is not possible to predict whether this will result in more prisoners serving indeterminate sentences being released, a recent pilot has demonstrated a demand for this technology in the management of individuals released by the Parole Board. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Housing: Prices lord kerslake: To ask Her Majesty's Government, whetherthe Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government,using data from the Office for National Statistics, has identified a link between immigration and increased house prices; what are the data; and what is the underpinning analysis. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Department published the relevant analysis on 13th April and it is available here (attached):https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-the-determinants-of-house-price-changes.I have placed a copy in the Library of both houses. House price changes (PDF Document, 297.17 KB) Grenfell Tower: Fire Regulations lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government who undertook the British Standard 476 fire test for a 30 minute fire door on the Manse Masterdor fire doors installed in Grenfell Tower. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Any doors tested from Grenfell Tower have been commissioned by the Metropolitan Police as part of their investigation and it is not for the Department to comment on. Tests of doors from the same manufacturer commissioned by MHCLG have to date been undertaken by BRE Global Ltd and Exova Group plc. Ministry of Defence Syria: Military Intervention baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to the death of a British soldier in Syria on 29 March, whether they have received advice concerning the legal basis for the presence of British soldiers in Syria; and if so, what was that advice. earl howe: Sergeant Tonroe, who was killed on 29 March, was embedded with US forces on a counter-Daesh operation. The legal basis for operations against Daesh in Iraq and Syria is the collective self-defence of Iraq. Ministry of Defence: Databases lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the Ministry of Defence's data is hosted (1) in the UK, and (2) overseas. earl howe: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the security of its data and other assets very seriously. It is MOD policy that where possible and practicable, information and systems should be retained in the UK, rather than off-shore. We do not comment publicly on specific security arrangements or procedures. Department for Work and Pensions Department for Work and Pensions: Databases lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of theDepartment for Work and Pensions' data is hosted (1) in the UK, and (2) overseas. baroness buscombe: The breakdown of the Departments data hosting arrangements are (1) 95 per cent UK 2) 5 per cent overseas. The Department's overseas hosting is held within a single location within the EU. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Agriculture: Subsidies lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report in the Farmers Guardian that up to a quarter of UK farms could go bankrupt after the UK leaves the EU;and what reassurances they can give to farmers thattheir plans for changes to farm payments will not forcefarmers out of business. lord gardiner of kimble: The government does not accept the view described in the article which was simply reflecting the political opinion of certain individuals. The government has committed to keep the budget spent on agriculture the same for the duration of this parliament and we have been clear that changes will be phased gradually. Leaving the EU is a great opportunity to develop improved and more coherent policy for agriculture and the farmed environment. Dairy Farming lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to assist dairy farmers to stay in business. lord gardiner of kimble: Milk prices have recovered substantially since the deep decline in 2015/16. The UK average farm gate milk price in February 2018 was 7.9 % higher than the same month last year, and 29% higher than in February 2016. The long-term prospects are very positive with huge opportunities for the sector to grow. Leaving the EU offers an opportunity to boost farm profitability through supporting innovation and investment and promoting skills development. Additionally, in response to the call for evidence on the remit of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, the Government announced plans to introduce a number of targeted measures to help boost the resilience of the dairy industry and to improve transparency along the supply chain. Earlier this year the Countryside Productivity Small Grant Scheme was launched, offering grants of between £3,000 and £12,000 for a range of equipment to improve productivity on farms. This follows on from the £40 million of grants launched at the World Dairy Summit in October last year to support investment in cutting edge technology and new equipment. In February, the Government published a consultation document ‘Health and harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit’. This initiated a ten week consultation period to seek the views of all interested stakeholders on the policy framework for agriculture in England after the UK leaves the EU. In our consultation we have provided clear direction for future farm support – public money for public goods. Ivory: Trade lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they intend to take to eradicate the market in ivory to protect the world’s population of elephants. lord gardiner of kimble: The UK is leading global efforts to protect elephants. On 3 April, the Government confirmed that it will introduce a ban on the sale of ivory items of all ages in the UK with narrow and limited exemptions. Primary legislation will be required to implement this ban and the Government will introduce a Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows. This proposed ban will be the toughest in Europe and amongst the toughest in the world. It will send the strongest possible message that the UK does not consider commercial trade in any ivory that could fuel poaching to be acceptable. The ban will complement other action that the Government is taking to tackle elephant poaching and the broader illegal wildlife trade. We are investing £26 million globally to tackle the systemic issues driving the illegal wildlife trade, and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund has already provided £14 million for 47 projects around the world. This includes supporting key countries to develop National Ivory Action Plans. The Government will also continue to call on other countries to take action on addressing the illegal wildlife trade. We will be bringing global leaders back to London in October 2018 for the Illegal Wildlife Trade conference, working with our international partners to tackle this criminal trade. This will include taking action to protect elephants. Rhinoceros Products: Trade lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they intend to take to eradicate the market in rhino horn products to protect the world’s population of rhinoceroses. lord gardiner of kimble: The UK is at the forefront of global efforts to eradicate the market in rhino horn and ensure the survival of rhinos in the wild. We have been working closely with international partners to agree tough measures to protect rhinos through our involvement in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Since 2001 strict measures have been in place in the UK on both the re-export and sale of rhino horn and products derived from it and since 2010, the UK has not authorised the sale of, or other commercial trade in, rhino horn except in exceptional circumstances. The UK has worked with other EU Member States to take similar action to the UK which led to new European Commission guidance to this effect. At the CITES Standing Committee in November last year, the UK was again invited to chair the Inter-sessional Working Group on Rhinoceroses to evaluate Parties’ implementation of the Resolution on Conservation and Trade of African and Asian Rhinoceroses which includes measures to prevent and combat rhinoceros poaching and trafficking in rhinoceros horn. The Working Group will report its findings to the 70th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee which will take place in October this year. Poaching is one of the main threats for the survival of rhinos. Combatting the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), including eradicating the market for rhino horn, is a priority for the UK Government. This is why we are investing £26 million globally and working with international partners to tackle the systemic issues driving IWT. The UK will bring global leaders back to London in October 2018 to make sure that IWT stays at the top of the political agenda, that participants deliver on existing commitments and to instigate new partnerships for action. Plastics: Recycling lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from industry groups and local authorities regarding proposals to increase plastic recycling. lord gardiner of kimble: In January this year, the Government published its 25 Year Environment Plan. It sets out our ambition to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by taking action at each stage of the product lifecycle – production, consumption and end of life. At the production stage, we will encourage producers to take more responsibility for the environmental impact of their products and make sure plastic items are more carefully designed. At the consumer stage, we want to reduce demand for single use plastic. At the end of life stage, we will make it easier for people to recycle and increase the amount of plastic being recycled. We have actively engaged with a wide range of industry groups and local authorities on measures to increase plastic recycling as part of developing our 25 Year Environment Plan, including seeking their ideas on improving current policies. We will continue to work with industry groups and local authorities in taking forward the actions needed to deliver the Plan. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Databases lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the Department forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs'data is hosted (1) in the UK, and (2) overseas. lord gardiner of kimble: 95% of Defra’s data is hosted in the UK.5% of Defra’s data is hosted overseas (predominantly in Dublin, Republic of Ireland). Pet Travel Scheme baroness miller of chilthorne domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the EU on pet passports in the context of Brexit; and, following those discussions, what advice they will provide to pet owners who regularly travel between the UK and the EU with their pets. lord gardiner of kimble: Whilst we remain a member of the EU, we continue to be signed up to the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme. At present, the Government is negotiating our departure from the EU and Defra is working with the Department for Exiting the European Union to look at future arrangements, including those for the Pet Travel Scheme.The rules governing pet travel will continue to apply throughout any implementation period. In the meantime, the Government remains committed to keeping pet owners informed of any changes that could affect travelling between the UK and EU with their pets, and will do so in a prompt and timely manner. Fisheries lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 11 April (HL6658), whether the White Paper will include (1) proposals to provide financial support to the British fishing industry following 29 March 2019, and (2) measures to prevent overfishing of British waters by foreign factory ships. lord gardiner of kimble: We will be publishing a White Paper in due course, setting out our future vision for sustainable fisheries management. The White Paper will be followed by a Fisheries Bill which will ensure that the UK has the legal powers necessary to manage our fisheries in the future. Home Office Slavery baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 28 March (HL6484), whether first responders other than the police who make a referral to the National Referral Mechanism are required to contact the police to make a crime report. baroness williams of trafford: All referrals of potential victims of modern slavery made to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) are shared with the relevant police force to either record a modern slavery crime or to record a crime related incident. This function is carried out by the NRM Competent Authorities rather than NRM First Responders.The criteria determining whether the police record a modern slavery crime or a crime related incident upon receipt of an NRM referral is published in the Home Office Counting Rules For Recorded Crime, attached and available online at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/694433/count-violence-apr-2018.pdf count-violence-apr-2018 (PDF Document, 713.02 KB) Slavery: Children lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle modern slaveryinvolving children; and what financial support they are giving to local authorities, in thecontext of the level of funding available for children’s services by 2020. baroness williams of trafford: Tackling human trafficking and modern slavery remains a top priority for this Government and we are committed to stamping out this abhorrent crime. The Government recognises the particular vulnerabilities of child victims of modern slavery, including trafficking, and acknowledges the tailored support these children require in order to addresses their specific needs and vulnerabilities. To achieve this, the Government will continue with the implimentation of Independent Child Trafficking Advocates nationally; has committed £2.2m from the Child Trafficking Protection Fund to seven organisations to support victims of child trafficking, with a number of these projects working directly with local authorities to support trafficked children in their care; commissioned training for existing Independent Advocates which are a statutory provision available to all looked after children; and, working alongside our NGO partners, have trained thousands of foster carers, so that they are more aware of the specific needs of children who have been trafficked. Funding for children’s services is an un-ring-fenced part of the wider local government finance settlement, to give local authorities the flexibility to focus on locally determined priorities, including tackling modern slavery. In addition, where a victim of modern slavery or potential victim of modern slavery is also an unaccompanied asylum seeking child, the Home Office provide separate funding to the local authority. These funding arrangements are currently under review. Social Services: Children lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultationsthey heldwith local authorities, prior to the announcement of the Serious Violence Strategy, to ascertain the extent of, and any adverse impact of, reduced resources on those support servicesthat will no longer be available for children, young people, and families. baroness williams of trafford: The Government held a series of engagement events with key partners as part of the development of the Serious Violence Strategy, which included the Local Government Association. The evidence behind a range of possible factors for the recent increases in serious violence were considered and the result of that analysis is now set out in Chapter One of the Serious Violence Strategy. Cabinet Office Public Consultation lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many public consultations they have initiated since May 2015; how many have resulted in a published report or conclusion; how many of those were produced within six months of the closing date of the consultation; and for how many public consultations they have yet to publish a report or conclusion. lord young of cookham: Granular information on consultations across all individual departments is not centrally held in the form requested, as individual departments are responsible for their consultations. The Cabinet Office is responsible for the Government Consultation Principles, which provide departments with guidance on conducting consultations. That guidance sets out that consultations and any response to them should be published on gov.uk. The Cabinet Office is taking further steps to assess the number of public consultations which have closed but have not concluded. Government Departments: Billing lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of Government contractors were paid on time in the last year for whichfigures are available. lord young of cookham: This information is not held centrally. Government departments publish their payment performance on a quarterly basis on GOV.UK, but this does not provide an analysis by supplier.Data published in 2016-17 shows that all major departments, apart from one (at 69%), were meeting their 5 days payment target and that all departments were paying at least 98% of their invoices within the 30 day target, with a third of departments achieving 100%. Emergencies: Telecommunications Systems lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any,to upgrade the High Integrity Telecommunications System. lord young of cookham: The current contract for the High Integrity Telecommunications System (HITS) will end in March 2019. A review is currently underway to determine the requirement for a successor system and the associated costs. Emergencies: Telecommunications Systems lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many sites in the UK are connected to the High Integrity Telecommunications System. lord young of cookham: The High Integrity Telecommunications System (HITS) is a resilient communications solution providing a voice and data link to 47 fixed sites across the UK. It is intended to provide failsafe communications in times of national crisis, connecting local responders and the Devolved Administrations with COBR. Emergencies: Telecommunications Systems lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in (1) replacing the High Integrity Telecommunications System mobile terminals that were withdrawn from service in 2013, and (2) introducing improvements aimed at increasing ease of access to, and thus usability of, the network that were due to be announced by the end of 2016. lord young of cookham: Telecommunications System (HITS) will end in March 2019. A review is currently underway to determine the requirement for a successor system, including ease of access, mobility and usability. Cabinet Office: Databases lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of Cabinet Office data is hosted (1) in the UK, and (2) overseas. lord young of cookham: Information on what percentage of Cabinet Office data is hosted is not collated centrally and can only be provided at a disproportionate cost. Brexit baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so when, they propose to consult on proposals to legislate for UK common frameworks to (1) enable the functioning of the UK internal market, (2) ensure compliance with international obligations, (3) ensure that the UK can negotiate, enter into, and implement new trade agreements and international treaties, (4) enable the management of common resources, (5) administer and provide access to justice in cases with a cross-border element, and (6) safeguard the security of the UK. lord young of cookham: Since July 2017, the UK Government has been working closely with the devolved administrations on the policy areas where common frameworks may be required after exiting the EU. The Government published its provisional analysis of this work in March and that initial analysis now enables a conversation beyond governments, in an open and transparent manner. These issues are of central importance to Parliament and the devolved legislatures, but also to businesses and wider stakeholders whose day to day activities will be affected by these decisions. This analysis is part of an ongoing dialogue, not a final position. The conclusions it sets out are provisional and continue to be discussed with the devolved administrations, parliamentarians and external stakeholders. The Government will continue to consult interested parties as this work develops. Brexit baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many bills they intend to bring forward to legislate for UK common frameworks; what subjects those bills will cover; and whether they plan to publish those first as draft bills. lord young of cookham: The Government’s provisional frameworks analysis published in March sets out the 24 policy areas in which it envisages a legislative common framework, either in whole or in part. This analysis remains provisional and is subject to ongoing work with the devolved administrations, parliament and external stakeholders. Where legislation is required, the Government seeks to publish bills in draft wherever possible. Brexit baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the planned legislation on UK common frameworks will require the consents of each of the devolved legislatures. lord young of cookham: Her Majesty’s Government will abide by existing practices and conventions when deciding whether to seek the consent of the devolved legislatures for future UK primary legislation that creates a legislative framework. Cost of Living lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatwas the percentage cost-of-living increases nationally during each of the last five years; and whatwas the annual percentage increase in rates in Northern Ireland over the same period. lord young of cookham: ​The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. Letter from John Pullinger CB, National Statistician, to Lord Maginnis of Drumglass, dated 20 April 2018 Dear Lord Maginnis, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what was the percentage cost-of-living increases nationally during each of the last five years; and what was the annual percentage increase in rates in Northern Ireland over the same period (HL6934). The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) is our most comprehensive measure of inflation, and measures the change in price of a fixed basket of goods and services. The 12-month percentage change in the index is published on a monthly basis. The table below summarises the average 12-month percentage change for each of the last five years. Table 1: Annual average percentage 12-month change, CPIH, UK, 2013 to 2017 YearAnnual average 12-m change (%)20132.320141.520150.420161.020172.6 These data are taken from Table 10 of our Consumer Price Inflation bulletin[1]. In this publication you will also find the 12-month CPIH inflation rates, and similar figures for the Consumer Prices Index (CPI, the Monetary Policy Committee’s current inflation target). CPIH is the same as CPI but includes Council Tax and a measure of owner occupiers’ housing costs, which are not included in CPI. CPIH and CPI are both National Statistics. Unfortunately, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not currently produce an inflation measure for Northern Ireland. This is because the price sample is optimised at the national level and therefore regional price samples are small. Nevertheless, I do recognise that there is an important user need for regional measures of inflation, and to address this ONS have asked the University of Southampton to carry out a feasibility study into calculating regional price indices[2]. You may also be interested to know that ONS analysis suggests that prices in Northern Ireland were on average 2.3% lower than the UK average for 2016. (Note that this analysis refers to the relative difference in price between regions, which is distinct from the rate at which prices change over time). This is taken from our Relative Regional Consumer Price Levels of Goods and Services, UK: 2016 publication[3], which is based on estimates produced for Eurostat once every 6 years. Yours sincerely John Pullinger [1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/ukconsumerpriceinflationmar2018[2] See our Consumer Prices Development Plan, section 3.3.5[3]https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/relativeregionalconsumerpricelevelsuk/2016 Local Government: Elections lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their plans to allow local council candidates to avoid their home addresses being disclosed on official notices and ballot papers will be optional; and whether candidates not wishing to state their home address will be given the alternative of stating in which local government ward they reside, similar to the provisions for parliamentary candidates. lord young of cookham: The Government is committed to removing the requirement for candidates standing as local councillors to have their home addresses published on the ballot paper. This requirement will be replaced with an option to include a statement of residence based on an electoral area the candidate lives in rather than having to include a specific address, in line with the provisions in place for candidates at UK parliamentary elections. We are currently working through the detail in discussion with relevant stakeholders, including what level of location information is appropriate, and how the provisions will be implemented in practice. Suicide: Males lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many men under the age of 45 died as a result of suicide in each of the last ten years for which figures are available. lord young of cookham: ​The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. Letter from John Pullinger CB, National Statistician, to Lord Black of Brentwood, dated 24 April 2018 Dear Lord Black, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking how many men under the age of 45 died as a result of suicide in each of the last ten years for which figures are available (HL7045).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes suicide statistics for the UK, constituent countries, regions and local authorities in England and Wales in our annual bulletin which can be found on the ONS website[1].Table 1 shows the number of suicides in males under the age of 45 for the last ten years for which data are available, in the UK. Table 1: Number of suicides in males under the age of 45, deaths registered in 2007 to 2016, UK[2],[3],[4],[5][6]2007200820092010201120122013201420152016Number of Suicides2257239123132145235923362286215321942180 Yours sincerely John Pullinger[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2016registrations[2] The National Statistics definition of suicide is intentional self-harm (ICD10 codes X60-X84) for those aged 10 and over and Injury/poisoning of undetermined intent (ICD10 codes Y10-Y34) for those aged 15 and over.[3] Figures are for persons aged 10 years and over.[4] Figures are for deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in each calendar year. Due to the length of time it takes to complete a coroner’s inquest, it can take months or even years for a suicide to be registered. More details can be found in the 'Suicides in the UK' bulletin: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/previousReleases[5] Deaths of non-residents are included in figures for the UK.[6] Figures for the UK include data kindly provided by the National Records of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Treasury Duchy of Cornwall: VAT lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Duchy of Cornwall is subject to rules relating to Value Added Tax (VAT) on the same basis as other bodies; if so, whether the Duchy is registered for VAT; and how much VAT was charged by the Duchy in each of the last two financial years. lord bates: The Duchy of Cornwall is subject to VAT on the same basis as other bodies. In response to the second and third parts of the question, HM Revenue and Customs ensures that everyone pays the tax they owe under the law. They cannot comment on the detailed affairs of individual taxpayers. Financial Services: Overseas Trade lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 29 March (HL6581), whether the US Department of the Treasury has indicated in recent meetings with Her Majesty's Government any change to its opposition to including financial services in trade negotiations, as identified by the EU Committee in its report The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, published on 13 May 2014 (14th Report, Session 2013–14, HL Paper 179). lord bates: Her Majesty’s Treasury and the US Department of the Treasury have ongoing discussions on a range of financial services issues, including ensuring continuity when the UK leaves the EU. As the UK is currently an EU Member State, trade negotiations are the exclusive competence of the EU Commission and the UK is bound by the duty of sincere cooperation. During the implementation period, the UK will be able to forge its own way by negotiating, ratifying and signing with new partners across the world. We will only bring new arrangements into force after the conclusion of the implementation period. Enterprise Management Incentives lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to apply for an extension of the EU State Aid Exemption for the Enterprise Management Incentives scheme which expired on 6 April. lord bates: The Government began the process of renewing the State Aid approval for the Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) scheme early last year. The European Commission are considering the application.A further update will be provided in due course. Taxation lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 19 March (HL6520), why they have not estimated the number oftax residency self-certification forms that have been completed or will be completed annually in future; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which a full regulatory impact assessment can be prepared without such estimates. lord bates: The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) is the global standard for the exchange of financial account information. Under the CRS financial institutions are required to obtain and report the tax residence information of their account holders. The information that tax authorities will receive under the CRS is a vital part of global efforts to tackle offshore tax evasion and increase tax transparency. Under the CRS financial institutions are required to carry out due diligence procedures, including obtaining tax residency self-certifications from some account holders.HMRC does not consider estimating the number of tax residency self-certification forms received by financial institutions or estimating how many account holders annually will self-certify in future to be a useful exercise at this time. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published on 18 March 2015 in accordance with the government’s tax policy making process.HMRC continues to monitor the impact of the CRS through information collected through the information exchange arrangements, competent authority discussions, tax returns and compliance work undertaken by HMRC. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Housing: Broadband lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with housing developers about ensuring high speed broadband connectivity to new housing developments, in particular rural housing developments. lord ashton of hyde: The Department regularly discusses with housing developers how high speed broadband connectivity can be delivered to new housing developments. In early 2016, DCMS brokered an agreement between Openreach and the Home Builders Federation (HBF) so that all new build developments would be offered with Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) for free, or as part of a co-funded initiative. This agreement - between the largest home builders organisation, whose members contribute approximately 80% of all private new homes in England and Wales, and the largest network provider - continues to be refined and improved, with input from DCMS. Originally, the threshold was for developments of 250 units or above, then lowered to 100, and is 30 today. Virgin Media and GTC - another infrastructure provider - have similar agreements with the HBF. Rural connectivity is a priority and my officials are working with Defra, MHCLG and industry stakeholders to ensure that high quality digital connectivity reaches all areas of the UK. My Department’s Barrier Busting Task Force continue to engage with the HBF and other house builders and further to this are exploring policy options that will make provisions for ultrafast broadband to be standard in all new homes, ensuring that residents receive the connectivity they deserve.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2018-04-30
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2018", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mexico: Schools lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Mexicoaboutensuring that teachers and school administrators at all state schools are trained in freedom of religion and belief; and whether they will encourage that government to put in place mechanisms to (1) respond swiftly to cases of forced displacement on account of faith, and (2) take action to ensure that, during the period of their displacement, any children involved are not deprived of their right to an education. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Officials in our Embassy in Mexico City have regular contact with the Government of Mexico on a range of human rights issues, including freedom of religion or belief; I discussed these matters with the former Mexican Ambassador to the UK in October 2018. In Mexico, we engage with civil society groups, including Christian Solidarity Worldwide, to help inform our understanding of the human rights situation on the ground. Mexico has close to universal access to basic education. We will continue to work with civil society to identify when rare exceptions do occur. We will also continue to engage regularly with the Mexican authorities at ministerial, official and state levels to discuss human rights, and other freedoms, and to support a broad human rights agenda in the country. Nigeria: Violence lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent killings in Nigeria, in particular the attacks in (1) Nassarawa State, (2) Benue State, (3) Kaduna State, and (4) Gombe. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We remain deeply concerned about continuing intercommunal violence across many states in Nigeria. The root causes of the violence are complex and vary across different regions. Tension between farming and herding communities, exacerbated by population growth and climate change has disrupted traditional grazing routes of nomadic herders leading to conflict with farming communities. We are seeking specific information about the attacks in Nassarawa, Benue, Kaduna and Gombe States, working closely with the Nigerian authorities. Sudan: Military Coups the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of events in Sudan since the recent army coup; and what action they have taken in response to that coup, in particular to encourage the formation of a new provisional government which represents opposition parties and civil society. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Since Bashir's removal on 11 April and the establishment of a Transitional Military Council the UK has made clear public statements via the Troika (US, Norway and UK), the Foreign Secretary and our Ambassador in Khartoum calling for all sides to engage in an inclusive dialogue that leads to a swift and peaceful transition to civilian rule. In support of this we are regularly engaging with all Sudanese parties and civil society, both in Khartoum and London. The UK is working closely with international partners and welcomes the leadership of the African Union (AU); it is vital that the transition credibly delivers the demands of the people of Sudan. As the Foreign Secretary made clear on 24 April, during this once in a generation opportunity for change it is essential the proposed extension of the AU deadline for the return to civilian rule in Sudan is used effectively and that protestors, politicians and military council reach an agreement. Cyprus: Peace Negotiations lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Report of the Secretary-General on his mission of good offices in Cyprus, submitted to the UN Security Council on 16 April; and whether (1) it reflects the ongoing embargo of the Turkish Cypriot community on the island, or (2) recognises the impact of the Greek Cypriot approach to the negotiations since the rejection of the Annan Plan by the Greek Cypriot electorate and the failure of the Crans-Montana talks. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK is grateful for the ongoing work of the Secretary-General and his good offices on the island, as we are to Ms Jane Holl Lute for her ongoing consultations with the parties. We endorse the Secretary-General's view that prospects for a settlement remain alive as reaffirmed in his April report. We welcome his continued willingness to work with the parties to conduct further consultations on a way forward and hope that they will lead to a return to negotiations. We echo the UN's view that the status quo is not sustainable and, like the Secretary-General, we encourage all sides to engage constructively, creatively and with the necessary sense of urgency, demonstrating they are committed to making progress towards a settlement. A settlement continues to represent the most sustainable means of addressing the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community on the island. Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Saudi Arabia following the execution of 37 persons there on 23 April; and in particular, whether they will ask for publication of an independent investigation of allegations of torturing in the cases of Mujtata Al-Sweikat and Abdulkarim al-Hawaj and others. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are very concerned by the 37 executions in Saudi Arabia on 23 April and about allegations of torture. The Foreign Secretary raised this matter directly with the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, HE Minister Al Jubeir. The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including in Saudi Arabia. We regularly raise human rights concerns, including the use of the death penalty, at the highest levels with the Saudi Arabian authorities. We consistently and unreservedly condemn torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and it is a priority for us to challenge it wherever and whenever it occurs.​ Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in securing the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, following the recent statements by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif publicly clarified on 24 April that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case was not linked to his offer of a prisoner exchange to the US. He is quoted as saying, "The offer that I made was people who have been in prison either in the United States or elsewhere in the world on American request… But the Iranian-British woman is a separate case." The UK has not been approached for a prisoner exchange by Iran. In our bilateral discussions with Iran we regularly request consular access to all our dual national detainees, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Under the auspices of diplomatic protection, we will continue to do so to ensure her wellbeing. Department of Health and Social Care Hospitals: Private Sector baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether private hospitals in England are required to provide safety records to the Care Quality Commission to protect patients as provided by the NHS. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Private hospital providers are required by law to notify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about the following occurrences:- A serious injury to a person using the service;- The death of a person using the service;- An incident relating to the service that is reported to or investigated by the police;- Something that stops or may stop the service running safely (such as problems with infrastructure, equipment or premises);- Safeguarding issue such as abuse or allegations of abuse concerning a person using the service if any of the following applies:the person is affected by abuse or alleged abusethe person is an abuser or an alleged abuser; and- Any application and its outcome or withdrawal to deprive a person of their liberty. Medical Records: Children the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the minimum age at which children have the legal right to access their own medical records and to allow or prevent access by others, including their parents; and at what age parents can no longer access their child’s medical records without that child’s written consent. baroness blackwood of north oxford: There is no defined minimum age for the ability to access, and prevent others accessing, medical records. Young people, provided they have capacity, have the legal right to access their own health records and can allow or prevent access by others, including their parents. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland anyone aged 16, and in Scotland those aged 12 or over, are legally presumed to already have such capacity. Those under that age must demonstrate they have sufficient understanding of what is proposed. A child may achieve capacity earlier or later. In any event children should be able to access their own health records but they should not be given access to information that would cause them serious harm.Parents should be allowed access to their child’s medical records if the child or young person consents, or lacks capacity, and it does not go against the child’s best interests. If the records contain information given by the child or young person in confidence, this information should not normally be disclosed without their consent. Department for International Development Developing Countries: Childbirth baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate, if any, they have made of the prevalence of medical detentions after childbirth complications in hospitals in countries that receive UK Official Development Assistance. baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with countries which receive UK Official Development Assistance about women and girls being held in medical detention due to their inability to pay medical bills relating to childbirth complications; and whether they encourage such countries, in such discussions, to release such women and girls. baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support work in countries which receiveUK Official Development Assistance to release women and girls from being held in medical detention due to their inability to pay medical bills after childbirth complications. baroness sugg: The UK is deeply concerned that women are being detained because they cannot pay medical fees, including after childbirth complications. We are currently supporting the World Health Organisation to review the extent of the problem and assess what can be done.Through our work at country level, we also help promote financing reforms to benefit the poor and reduce out-of-pocket expenditure on health. We also advocate for respectful behaviour in health facilities. We are committed to deepen our engagement in this area to ensure respectful and safe maternity care that does not impoverish mothers. Developing Countries: Agriculture the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the World Bank’s new emphasis on the private sector, in particular, whether it has encouraged large-scale industrial farming for palm oil and other commodities at the expense of the environment and local farm livelihoods; and what proposals they have made, if any, to redress this trend. baroness sugg: The World Bank Group (WBG) can play an important role mobilising private sector finance for quality development projects that meet robust environmental and social standards – projects that are critical to providing the finance needed to achieve the Global Goals. Recognising the particular risks in the palm oil sector, the WBG has issued guidance that seeks to ensure improved benefit sharing with smallholders and communities and the widespread adoption of environmentally and socially sustainable standards (The World Bank Group Framework and IFC Strategy for Engagement in the Palm Oil Sector). The International Finance Corporation has a complaints procedure for affected people to express any grievances and seek redress where this guidance is not followed. This procedure is currently under review to ensure greater attention is devoted to responding to complaints at an early stage. Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking with international partners to help contain the current outbreak of Ebola in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. baroness sugg: The UK Government continues to take the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) extremely seriously. It is the largest in the country’s history, the first in an active conflict zone and the second largest on record. We have been one of the leading supporters of the response in the DRC from the very start – through both funding and technical expertise to the World Health Organisation and others – and are actively pushing for international partners to do more. We are also the leading donor for regional preparedness. With case numbers continuing to rise and the outbreak not yet under control, the UK is looking to ensure that the response adapts to meet the needs of a deteriorating situation, including by strengthening community engagement. We are also looking to other donors to step up in terms of funding and support. Preventing the spread of deadly diseases saves lives and money, and is therefore firmly in the UK’s national interest. Overseas Aid: Armed Conflict the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 on the delivery of UK aid assistance, in particular medical and healthcare aid to Idlib, and to conflict zones more generally. baroness sugg: As part of our humanitarian response to the Syrian conflict, the Department for International Development is funding UN and NGO partners to provide vital humanitarian assistance to people in need in Idlib, including healthcare. Our support in Idlib governorate alone has meant that approximately 500,000 people received medical consultations between January and June 2018. The government gives the utmost priority to protecting UK citizens, and safeguarding our national security. As yet, the powers at section 4 of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 have not been used, and there are currently no designated areas. If, in future, any area within Syria or elsewhere is designated, the Act provides clear exemptions from the offence of entering or remaining in a designated area for any person who does so for the purpose of providing aid of a humanitarian nature, or who is acting on behalf of or holding office under the Crown. This means that, even in areas where a designated area offence might be in place, the UK will continue to be able to deliver the highest standards of lifesaving humanitarian support. Palestinians: USA the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United States in regard to reports that the United States Agency for International Development is preparing to reduce the size of its West Bank and Gaza mission and to lay off many of its local employees; and what impact this will have on international efforts to build the capacity for a future Palestinian state in accordance with UK policy to support a two state solution. baroness sugg: The UK maintains a regular dialogue with the United States (US) on a range of Middle East issues, including reduced levels of US funding to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). The UK is concerned about the effects of US cuts to the OPTs on both the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) ability to deliver essential services to Palestinians and on the prospects for peace and stability in the region. A UK official spoke to a US Government official regarding this in February, and in March the former Secretary of State raised wider reductions in US funding to the OPTs with Nita Lowey, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. The UK will continue to work with the international community to support a stable PA which can act as an effective partner for peace with Israel, as part of UK efforts to prepare the ground for a two state-solution. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they are approaching the upcoming replenishment period and strategy review with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. baroness sugg: The UK is delighted to be hosting the Gavi Replenishment in 2020. Gavi has immunised over 700 million children, saving 10 million lives from preventable diseases. The UK is proud to have played a significant role in delivering these extraordinary results. As hosts of the Replenishment Conference, our priority will be to help Gavi secure the funding it needs to further deliver its life-saving work. The replenishment period is also a terrific opportunity to demonstrate the impact of the UK’s contribution to Gavi for the world’s poorest and to recognise the extraordinary work done by British innovators, academics and health advocates to support Gavi’s mission. The next strategic period for Gavi is critically important and the UK will continue to press for further improvements. This includes promoting equitable coverage of immunisation to leave no-one behind and ensure vaccines are available for the most vulnerable. The UK will also prioritise ensuring our investment in Gavi is sustainable and delivers maximum value for money by supporting countries to effectively transition from Gavi support to increased domestic funding. Developing Countries: Vaccination lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in ensuring price transparency of vaccines. baroness sugg: The UK recognises the importance of ensuring vaccines are affordable for the poorest nations and the role price transparency has in supporting this. Our significant investment in Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and support for global initiatives helps progress on increasing the transparency of vaccine prices and ensuring vaccines remain affordable to the world’s poorest nations. Gavi provides vaccines for 60% of the annual global birth cohort, providing it with significant purchasing power which it uses to foster competition and broaden suppliers of vaccines. This approach ensures vaccines are available at sustainable and affordable prices and has helped reduce the cost of immunising a child with three key vaccines by 17% since 2016. Gavi procures vaccines through UNICEF, which publicises historic, current and future prices for vaccines. Our strong investment in Gavi therefore helps to provide full transparency of vaccine costs for 68 of the world’s poorest countries. Outside of Gavi supported countries, the UK has helped make progress on vaccine pricing transparency by supporting the World Health Organisation’s Global Strategy and Plan of Action and Roadmap for Access to Medicines. This plan helps increase global price transparency whist protecting the innovation that is crucial for future vaccine development. UK support for the Access to Medicines Index also helps increase transparency on efforts by pharmaceutical companies to improve the affordability and availability of their medicines. Developing Countries: Vaccination lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they have taken to support poorer countries and emerging economies to (1) secure fair vaccine prices, (2) increase coverage of vaccine availability, and (3) save more lives. baroness sugg: The UK is a world leader in improving global immunisation. The UK is the largest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which provides immunisation support to 68 of the world’s poorest countries. Gavi provides vaccines for 60% of the annual global birth cohort, providing it with strong purchasing power that Gavi then uses to ensure vaccines prices are affordable to low income countries. This model is extremely successful and has reduced the cost of immunising a child with three key vaccines by 17% since 2016. By advocating with vaccine manufacturers to retain affordable prices, Gavi also supports countries transitioning from its support, with every transitioned country since 2016 procuring vaccines at the same or lower price. Gavi’s scale also enables it to increase coverage and availability of vaccines in the poorest nations. By significantly reducing vaccine prices, Gavi has reduced a principal barrier that has enabled it to support the introduction of 380 vaccines. To ensure these reach the most marginalised, Gavi’s support focuses on areas with the lowest coverage and helps develop strong health systems capable of delivering vaccines. The effectiveness of Gavi’s model has seen 10 million lives saved from vaccine preventable diseases. In 2020, the UK will proudly host the replenishment of Gavi, providing a strong opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of Gavi to increase access to vaccinations and save lives in the world’s poorest nations. Developing Countries: Vaccination lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to address equal access to vaccines to ensure that the most marginalised children are immunised. baroness sugg: The UK believes all children should have access to lifesaving vaccines, no matter where they live. Equitable vaccine coverage is therefore a key priority for the UK’s support for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This investment provides immunisation to the poorest children in 68 of the world’s poorest countries. Gavi will vaccinate an additional 76 million children by 2020, preventing 1.4 million deaths from vaccine preventable diseases. As well as providing support to strengthen the overall health system, Gavi focuses on improving access and equity by identifying the populations and geographical areas most likely to be under immunised and at risk of outbreaks. Gavi have also adapted their model to include a Fragility, Emergency and Refugees policy which provides a more quick and flexible response in fragile countries. This has helped reach unimmunised children in places like Syria and in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. As a Gavi Board member, the UK advocates for equitable coverage as a core priority both now and in the future. Department for Education Students: Plagiarism lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many essay mill and contract cheating companies have been (1) prosecuted, and (2) closed. viscount younger of leckie: The use of companies that sell bespoke essays to students who pass the work off as their own undermines the reputation of the education system in this country, and devalues the hard work of those succeeding on their own merit. While it is not currently a criminal offence to operate an essay mill, we are keeping the need for legislation under review. We are mindful however, that countries who have introduced legislation to make the operation of essay mills illegal, appear to have had limited success in pursuing successful prosecutions using that legislation. In 2016, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) found there were approximately 17,000 instances of academic offences per year in the UK. Our current focus is on non-legislative measures and we expect educational institutions to do everything in their power to prevent students being tempted by these companies. In a university context, that may be through making sure their students are aware of the severe consequences they face under the terms of their student contract if they are caught cheating. The most recent guidance from the QAA highlights the importance of severe sanctions of suspension or expulsion if ‘extremely serious academic misconduct’ has been discovered. On 20 March 2019, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education challenged PayPal to stop processing payments for essay mills. PayPal is now working with businesses associated with essay writing services to ensure its platform is not used to facilitate deceptive and fraudulent practices in education. Google and YouTube have also responded by removing hundreds of advertisements for essay writing services and promotional content from their sites. In addition, the department published an education technology strategy on 3 April, attached, which challenges technology companies to identify how anti-cheating software can tackle the growth of essay mills and stay one step ahead of the cheats. We are determined to beat the cheats who threaten the integrity of our higher education system. HL15369_PDF (PDF Document, 1.47 MB) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Private Rented Housing: Social Security Benefits lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action theyare taking, or plan to take, to stop landlords and lettings agents from not offering properties to people who are on benefits. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government recently announced its intention to tackle the issue of private letting advertisements that specify ‘no DSS’ tenants. Over the coming months, the Government will meet industry representatives to discuss what action can be taken to end this practice. We will also be working with colleagues in other government departments, including the Department for Work & Pensions, to explore how we can drive this change across government. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Food lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action theyare taking to support schemes that aim to make use of fresh food as it reaches its best before date rather than have it destroyed. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government continues to work with key stakeholders across the food chain, including redistribution organisations, in exploring the barriers to increasing surplus food redistribution and developing solutions. The Secretary of State announced in October 2018 a £15 million pilot fund for 2019/20 to support the further redistribution of surplus food and reduce food waste. We are looking to make announcements on the successful applicants to the first tranche of funding shortly and announce new opportunities for funding in the next few months. The projects supported by the £500k fund announced in January 2018 are already bearing fruit, with His Church officially opening their new walk in freezer in March. In November 2017, the Government with the Waste and Resources Action Programme and the Food Standards Agency published step by step best practice guidance on date labels to get the right information and advice put on packaging conveyed clearly and consistently to help consumers reduce waste and ensure food is safe and fit to eat. Northern Ireland Office Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland: Finance lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional resources have been made available to the Electoral Office for Northern Irelandin advance of the European Parliament Elections. lord duncan of springbank: It remains the Government’s intention to leave the EU with a deal and pass the necessary legislation before 22 May, so that the UK does not need to participate in the European Parliamentary Elections. However, it is important that the Government takes the necessary steps in advance of the elections. The European Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 2019 came into force on 26 April 2019. This sets out the maximum recoverable amount that the Chief Electoral Officer can recover from the Consolidated Fund for any expenses reasonably incurred for the delivery of the potential European Parliamentary election in Northern Ireland. The maximum recoverable amount specified in the Order is £2,850,000.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2019-05-07
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2019", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Africa: NePAD The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many development projects they have supported through the New Partnership for Africa's Development in the past three years; and in which countries. Baroness Amos: The UK has been a strong supporter of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NePAD) since its creation in 2001. The principles and objectives it embodies (such as African leadership and commitment to good governance and human rights) are critical to achieving poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa. These are core themes for all DfID's work in Africa. In addition to its advocacy role, the NePAD secretariat has also initiated a number of regional programmes. DfID has provided £500,000 towards the work of the secretariat, as well as supporting some specific programmes. This includes £6 million to the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) to increase agricultural productivity; $30 million to the Investment Climate Facility to make Africa a better place to do business; and $20 million to the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa to support project preparation and co-ordination. DfID is a major funder of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism to promote good governance, initiated by NePAD, and has contributed around £2.7 million to date (including to support the process in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique and Uganda). DfID has also provided £325,000 to support the African Union/NePAD Consolidated Plan of Action on Science and Technology. Air Pollution Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in light of recent analysis showing air pollution figures higher than expected, existing air pollution control procedures, which are governed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe rules on long-range transboundary air pollution and the national emissions ceiling directive, are adequate. Lord Rooker: The UK remains committed to meeting its air pollution reduction obligations as specified under the protocols of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), and the National Emission Ceilings Directive 2001/81/EC (NECD). Recent analysis of the UK's progress shows that we are on track to meet our current commitments. We continue to review our performance on improving air quality, and have recently publicly consulted on our updated national air quality strategy. We will also support and contribute to forthcoming international negotiations on the review of the UNECE protocols and the NECD. Airports: Expansion Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the current airport and runway expansion plans for main London airports, and the forecast rise in aviation emissions by 2020, is consistent with the latest European Union plans to reduce the pollution effects of airways. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Department for Transport's recent publication, The Future of Air Transport Progress Report, made it clear that the Government continue to support a sustainable long-term strategy for the development of air travel. The progress report explained our strong support for including aviation in the EU emissions trading scheme as a key element of our approach. Animal Welfare: Reptiles Lord Bradley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (a) wild-caught; (b) captive bred; and (c) ranched reptiles were imported into the United Kingdom in 2006 from (i) within, and (ii) outside the European Union. Lord Rooker: The information requested is set out in the table below: Reptiles imported into the UK from within the European Union Reptiles imported into the UK from outside the European Union 2006 1,470 178,244 Source: TRACES EU-wide system for recording imports Imports of reptiles are not recorded as "wild caught", "captive bred" or "ranched". Animal Welfare: Reptiles Lord Bradley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (a) wild-caught; (b) captive bred; and (c) ranched reptiles were imported into the European Union in 2005. Lord Rooker: The information requested is set out in the table below: Reptiles imported into the EU from outside the European Union 2005 1,613,842 Source: European Community, Eurostat database system for recording imports Imports of reptiles are not recorded as "wild caught", "captive bred" or "ranched". Animal Welfare: Wild Birds Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: With reference to the following species of avian raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, how many of each species have been released under licence in the past 25 years; to whom the licences were issued; whether the parties who released the birds and the organisation that bred them were under licence; and whether the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was the only department authorised to issue licences for these species. Lord Rooker: Licences would not be required for the release of red kite, common buzzard, goshawk, golden eagle, merlin and peregrine falcon as they are species that are ordinarily resident in Great Britain. The release of white tailed eagle, Harris hawk and lanner falcon would be an offence under Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 unless licensed. The white tailed eagle is native to Great Britain while the other two species are not. Until 30 September 2006, the licensing responsibility in England was shared between Defra (and its predecessor departments) and English Nature. Since 1 October 2006 this responsibility has been shared between Defra and Natural England. Available information indicates that no licences have been issued for the release of captive bred specimens of white tailed eagle, Harris hawk and lanner falcon into the wild in England. Animal Welfare: Wild Birds Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: With reference to the following species of avian raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, how many importations of each species have taken place and from what country of origin; whether quarantine conditions were enforced and controlled by the State Veterinary Service; and whether Defra officials were kept informed during each stage of the importation process. Lord Rooker: Defra and State Veterinary Service (SVS) officials are informed when importers of avian raptors apply for licences, and Defra officials are informed when importers apply for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) permits. Copies of any special import licences issued are sent to the Animal Health Divisional Office which covers the area where a bird will become resident. This will alert the local divisional veterinary managers of the bird's arrival and specify the necessary checks on quarantine that will need to be made, as well as any additional tests that may need to be carried out. Birds for commercial import from other member states of the European Union do not have to go to quarantine. If birds are sent to quarantine then the SVS attends frequently to supervise and enforce rules. An SVS officer visits at least three times: at the beginning, during and at the end of the quarantine period. The following statistics for importations recorded by year between 1998 to the present are taken from our own recording system. 1998 has been chosen as the start date as it is the first full year after the introduction of European Community Regulation 338/97 which implements CITES, and which came into force in June of 1997. 1998-Species Common name Qty Country of origin Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 2 South Africa Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 2 Canada Falco biarmicus Lanner 1 South Africa Haliaeetus albicilla White tailed Sea Eagle 12 Norway Falco biarmicus Lanner 2 United Kingdom Parabuteo unicinctus Harris Hawk 2 United Kingdom Aquila chrysaetos Golden Eagle 2 Estonia 1999 — Species Common name Qty Country of origin Milvus milvus Red Kite 1 United Kingdom Haliaeetus albicilla White tailed Sea Eagle 1 Israel Aquila chrysaetos Golden Eagle 2 Bulgaria Falco biarmicus Lanner 3 United Kingdom 2000 — Species Common name Qty County of origin Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 2 United Kingdom Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 4 Canada Falco biarmicus Lanner 1 South Africa 2001 — Species Common name Qty County of origin Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 6 United States Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 2 United States Parabuteo unicinctus Harris Hawk 3 United States Aquila chrysaetos Golden Eagle 3 Russia Haliaeetus albicilla White tailed Sea Eagle 3 Kazakhstan Haliaeetus albicilla White tailed Sea Eagle 5 Russia 2002 - Species Common name Qty County of origin Milvus milvus Red Kite 5 Cape Verde Is Haliaeetus albicilla White tailed Sea Eagle 1 Poland Parabuteo unicinctus Harris Hawk 4 United Kingdom 2003 - Species Common name Qty County of origin Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 1 United Kingdom Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 14 United States Parabuteo unicinctus Harris Hawk 1 United States Aquila chrysaetos Golden Eagle 2 Bulgaria Accipiter gentilis Northern Goshawk 1 United Kingdom 2004 - Species Common name Qty County of origin Haliaeetus albicilla White tailed Sea Eagle 9 Kazakhstan Falco biarmicus Lanner 1 United Kingdom Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 3 United Kingdom Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 1 Germany Parabuteo unicinctus Harris Hawk 4 United Kingdom Falco biarmicus Lanner 1 United Kingdom 2005 - Species Common name Qty County of origin Aquila chrysaetos Golden Eagle 7 Kazakhstan Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 6 United States 2006 - Species Common name Qty County of origin Parabuteo unicinctus Harris Hawk 4 United Kingdom Parabuteo unicinctus Harris Hawk 2 Guernsey Animal Welfare: Wild Birds Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much public money is invested in the captive breeding and release into the wild of the following species of bird—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk. Lord Rooker: Natural England advises that a small amount of public money was spent on developing a captive breeding programme for red kites in 1989. The exact sum is not known, and the attempt to breed these birds in captivity was unsuccessful so no captive bred specimens were released into the wild. No programme for breeding any of the other species has been undertaken using public money by Defra, Natural England or their predecessors. Animal Welfare: Wild Birds Lord Bradley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (a) wild-caught; (b) captive bred; and (c) ranched birds were imported into the European Union in 2005. Lord Rooker: The information requested is set out in the table below: Birds imported into the EU from outside the European Union. 2005 139,334 Source: European Community, Eurostat database system for recording imports Imports of birds are not recorded as "wild-caught", "captive bred" or "ranched". There is no requirement to do so. Animal Welfare: Wild Birds Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: With reference to the releases of the following species of avian raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, whether there was consultation, both with the landowner of the release point, and other land managers in the area ; and Whether responsibilities for release programmes were sub-contracted to non-governmental organisations in respect of the following species of avian raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk; and, if so, which non-governmental organisations; and With reference to the licensing of the following species of artificially bred raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, whether surveys are conducted to establish that adequate supplies of prey or wild food are available; under what authorised conditions artificial feeding is allowed; and for how long after release; and With reference to the licensing of the following species of artificially bred raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, whether vulnerable prey species are taken into account during the preparation of an environmental impact assessment. Lord Rooker: Releases of red kites as part of the Natural England (formerly English Nature)—RSPB Reintroduction Programme (1989 to present) have been carried out in accordance with the internationally agreed IUCN (World Conservation Union) guidelines. These include a requirement to consult local landowners, as well as other interested individuals and organisations, before birds are released. Licences would not be required for the release of the red kite, common buzzard, goshawk, golden eagle, merlin, and peregrine falcon, as they are species which are ordinarily resident in Great Britain. Releases of some of the species listed (for example, the goshawk) have been carried out by individuals or private organisations. My department has no records about consultation with local landowners in these cases. The release of the white tailed eagle (also native to Great Britain), Harris hawk and lanner falcon would require a licence. To release these species without a licence would be an offence under Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The department has no records of licences having been issued in England for the release of artificially-bred specimens of the white tailed eagle, Harris hawk and lanner falcon. Associated impacts of any such releases would be considered, as appropriate, as part of the licensing decision process. Non-governmental organisations are at liberty to propose, conduct and participate in release programmes. For example, the red kite reintroduction programme is a joint RSPB and Natural England endeavour. Natural England, as the licensing authority, would need to be satisfied that it was proper to license any such releases. Any conditions imposed on a licence, including any conditions relating to artificial feeding, would be specific to that licence. Animal Welfare: Wild Birds Lord Bradley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (a) wild-caught; (b) captive bred; and (c) ranched birds were imported into the United Kingdom in 2006 from (i) within, and (ii) outside the European Union. Lord Rooker: The information requested is set out in the table below: Birds imported into the UK from within the European Union Birds imported into the UK from outside the European Union 2006 154,537 54 Source: TRACES EU-wide system for recording imports The birds imported from countries outside the EU were for conservation purposes. Imports of birds are not recorded as "wild-caught", "captive bred" or "ranched". There is no requirement to do so. Armed Forces: Food Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: For each year since January 2000 and for each of the Armed Forces, what has been the proportion of United Kingdom-grown fresh food purchased for consumption by United Kingdom-based personnel in the following categories (a) meat; (b) poultry; (c) dairy products; and (d) vegetables. Lord Drayson: The MoD's new food supply contract commenced in October 2006. The transition between contractors means that information on the country of origin of different foods prior to this date could not be obtained without disproportionate effort. The food supply contractor procures approximately 1,200 different products for the UK Armed Forces. The percentage of UK-produced goods changes regularly as a result of seasonality, value for money incentives, changes to the product specification and supplier. The country of origin of some products is indeterminate because they are manufactured using a number of ingredients, and other products, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, are sourced seasonally from a variety of countries. We can, however, state that under the new food supply contract, 44 per cent of pork (excluding gammon and bacon products), beef and lamb (by value) has been procured from British farms. Armed Forces: Special Investigation Branches Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps have been taken to develop further and increase the tri-service working of service special investigation branches; and What measures they have introduced to ensure that the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch is properly notified by other agencies and police forces of relevant information; and What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has taken to establish protocols with all jurisdictions with which it has interfaces, including foreign jurisdictions, to ensure appropriate sharing of investigative and criminal justice DNA samples and fingerprints; and What consideration the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has given to accrediting officers engaged in forensic tasks to the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners; and What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has taken to develop a forensic science delivery plan for the next five years; and What progress the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has made in developing guidance on information sharing with the police national computer; and Whether the Royal Military Police has considered introducing a system of specialist advisers or direct recruitment into the Special Investigation Branch; and What were the outcomes of the most recent defence training review for military police officer training; and When a review of the assessment criteria for the vocational phase of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch level 3 investigators course is expected to take place; and What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) has taken to implement a major crime case review policy; and whether the SIB has taken steps in liaison with the Association of Chief Police Officers Homicide Working Group; and What progress the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has made in developing an internal communication strategy to increase knowledge and awareness of the benefits of the national intelligence model; and Whether they have considered introducing statutory instruments to allow service police access to the investigative benefits provided by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; and What review the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has undertaken of capturing and submitting criminal justice DNA and fingerprint samples; and What consideration has been given to providing support services for Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch staff; and what reviews have been undertaken to assess the need for more structured support services for those staff deployed in high-risk areas; and Whether the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has reviewed the frequency of structured refresher training provided during peacetime home duties for crime scene investigations; and Why the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch does not have full primacy over investigations in Iraq and Afghanistan; and What additional resources the Ministry of Defence is providing to meet the increases in investigative activity by the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) anticipated in the report of HM Inspectors of Constabulary into the SIB; and What system of performance measurements the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) currently uses; and whether they intend to develop further such systems; and Whether the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch intends to collect statistical data on the rate of conversion of investigations to convictions and to use this information as a performance measure; and What liaison arrangements are now in place between the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) and the Association of Chief Police Officers Homicide Working Group to identify exchange opportunities for less experienced SIB senior investigation officers; and What consideration they have given to making the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch subject to the national witness arrangements set out by the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005; and What use the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch currently makes of the Home Office Large Major Inquiry System major incident room; and whether there are any plans to use the system in all suitable major crime investigations; and What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch and the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) have taken to (a) formally adopt the national intelligence model; and (b) develop a comprehensive strategic assessment to understand the nature and extent of serious and organised crime involving military personnel or affecting military deployments; and What progress the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has made in establishing a fully planned and resourced implementation programme for the adoption of the national intelligence model; and what liaison the Ministry of Defence has had with the National Centre for Police Excellence in this regard. Lord Drayson: These questions all relate to a formal inspection of the Royal Military Police (Special Investigation Branch) (RMP(SIB)) conducted in March 2006 at the MoD's request by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). This was the first time that any part of the service police had been subjected to such a rigorous and in-depth independent examination, applying national bench-marking for police investigations. HMIC identified a number of areas where it felt that improvements could be made and these questions are linked to the report's recommendations. This important work is ongoing, including an assessment of resource implications. The report also identified several opportunities for developing tri-service working and we intend to examine how the lessons learnt can be implemented across the RN and RAF SIBs. HMIC is due to receive a progress report from Provost Marshal (Army) on 1 April 2007. A copy of this report will be placed in the Library of the House. Pending the release of this progress report, I am withholding information as it relates to the formulation of government policy. Benefits: Housing Baroness Thomas of Winchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will inform housing benefit offices how much extra funding they are being allocated to implement the national rollout of local housing allowance. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Local authorities will receive funding towards the cost of implementing the national rollout of the local housing allowance. We intend to inform authorities of their individual allocation in summer 2007. Benefits: Incapacity Benefit Baroness Hollis of Heigham: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage and numbers of those on incapacity benefit who are not in receipt of middle or higher disability living allowance (a) are currently receiving care of 20 hours per week or more; and (b) will be receiving 20 hours per week or more in 2025. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The information is not available in the format requested. For the available information, I refer the noble Baroness to the reply I gave her on 17 January 2007, Official Report, cols. WA 152-54. Benefits: Incapacity Benefit Lord Bradley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people received incapacity benefit in each local authority ward in the city of Manchester since its introduction. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The information is not available in the format requested. Ward level data are not available prior to November 1999. The available information is in the table. Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance claimants in Manchester City Council wards at May each year Ward 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Ardwick 1,400 1,450 1,335 1,340 1,355 1,375 1,335 Baguley 1,035 1,080 1,085 1,080 1,085 1,080 1,045 Barlow Moor 1,040 995 1,040 1,040 1,040 1,040 965 Benchill 1,350 1,400 1,405 1,400 1,420 1,410 1,385 Beswick and Clayton 1,355 1,405 1,365 1,330 1,350 1,390 1,330 Blackley 1,300 1,305 1,310 1,260 1,220 1,250 1,215 Bradford 1,330 1,350 1,365 1,315 1,310 1,285 1,225 Brooklands 1,000 1,030 1,035 1,035 1,035 1,030 990 Burnage 1,075 1,070 1,060 1,050 1,050 1,090 1,085 Central 1,410 1,425 1,350 1,340 1,370 1,375 1,355 Charlestown 1,355 1,405 1,365 1,355 1,365 1,395 1,365 Cheetham 1,520 1,515 1,470 1,470 1,495 1,515 1,470 Chorlton 760 740 715 685 670 635 620 Crumpsall 1,245 1,210 1,225 1,190 1,175 1,165 1,125 Didsbury 470 475 485 475 480 480 460 Fallowfield 890 940 960 945 935 955 935 Gorton North 1,135 1,220 1,200 1,240 1,230 1,245 1,185 Gorton South 1,205 1,265 1,255 1,220 1,260 1,220 1,200 Harpurhey 1,610 1,615 1,600 1,640 1,655 1,645 1,640 Hulme 985 1,040 1,090 1,080 1,070 1,070 1,075 Levenshulme 935 920 875 855 860 885 825 Lightbowne 1,270 1,265 1,225 1,190 1,200 1,150 1,105 Longsight 1,500 1,485 1,415 1,460 1,445 1,420 1,375 Moss Side 1,240 1,245 1,305 1,240 1,250 1,270 1,195 Moston 1,080 1,100 1,080 1,065 1,085 1,090 1,035 Newton Heath 1,430 1,480 1,475 1,510 1,575 1,555 1,535 Northenden 1,050 1,095 1,065 1,060 1,075 1,030 1,010 Old Moat 1,005 1,055 1,015 995 990 975 960 Rusholme 840 855 840 880 890 895 865 Sharston 885 895 925 885 900 895 890 Whalley Range 955 1,000 995 980 970 945 905 Withington 600 580 580 560 555 530 510 Woodhouse Park 1,070 1,095 1,075 1,095 1,090 1,105 1,070 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five. Some additional disclosure control has also been applied.2. Figures include incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and incapacity benefit credits-only cases.3. All figures are for ward boundaries as at 2003 Source: DWP Information Directorate WPLS Climate Change Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress the Department for International Development has made in helping developing countries take advantage of the Global Climate Observation System for climate change observation and analysis. Baroness Amos: DfID has committed £5 million over five years, from 2006-07, to the Global Climate Observation System (GCOS) initiative to help Africa improve the use of climate information in development planning and disaster risk management. The initiative is divided into three phases. The first phase (2006-07 to 2008-09) will identify the key climate information needs to support achieving the millennium development goals. The second phase (2009-10 to 2011-12) will scale up good practice and the final phase (2012-13 to 2014-15) will focus on large-scale implementation to build climate resilience in Africa. The programme will be launched at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa later in January. Work will then begin on preparing a detailed plan and full implementation will begin in the last quarter of 2007. Disabled People: Blue Badge Scheme Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have completed their consultation on the revised guidance to be given to local authorities on the operation of the blue badge (disabled parking) scheme; and Whether they intend to publish updated guidance to local authorities on the operation of the blue badge (disabled parking) scheme; and, if so, when; and Whether they intend to publish an updated edition of the explanatory booklet on the operation of the blue badge (disabled parking) scheme; and, if so, when; and Whether they have considered extending the blue badge (disabled parking) scheme to provide parking benefits for a limited period to those who are temporarily but seriously disabled. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Following a review of the blue badge scheme, the Department for Transport has accepted a recommendation made by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the department's statutory advisers on the transport needs of disabled people, that the scheme should be extended to people with temporary mobility impairments which severely affect their walking ability and are likely to do so for at least 12 months. This change requires amendment regulations which we are currently finalising, along with new guidance to local authorities and a revised explanatory leaflet on the scheme. We intend consulting on this regulatory package shortly and implementing/issuing them as soon as possible thereafter. Health: Waiting Times Lord Selsdon: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the average time it now takes for citizens to (a) see their general practitioner (GP); (b) see a consultant, on referral by the GP, by way of the "choose and book" system; (c) obtain an appointment for a diagnostic procedure, for example, an MRI scan, a CT scan or a blood test, on referral by a consultant; (d) obtain a follow-up appointment with the consultant to discuss the results of the diagnostic procedure; and (e) enter hospital for the appropriate surgery or treatment. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Data on the average time it takes to see a general practitioner are not available centrally. However, monthly data from primary care trusts do indicate that almost everyone is now able to see a general practitioner within 48 hours. The Healthcare Commission's annual report for 2006 suggests that 88 per cent of patients confirm this. The median waiting time for a first outpatient appointment at the end of October was 5.9 weeks. Specific data on waiting times to see a consultant when referred via choose and book are not available centrally. The October data show that the median waiting time for the 15 key diagnostic tests was 5.2 weeks. The data do not differentiate between types of referrer. Information on follow-up appointments is not available centrally. The median inpatient waiting time at the end of October was 6.9 weeks. HIV/AIDS: Papua New Guinea Lord McColl of Dulwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will create a technical co-operation fund to transfer United Kingdom expertise, experience and best practice to Papua New Guinea to address the HIV/AIDS crisis. Baroness Amos: DfID has no programme in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and no plans to establish a technical co-operation fund to transfer UK expertise, experience and best practice to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in PNG. The largest donor to the HIV/AIDS sector in PNG is the Australian development agency, AUSAID. DfID is working closely with AUSAID on major programmes to address HIV/AIDS in a number of other countries in south-east Asia. These include the Three Diseases Fund in Burma, in which poverty and conflict issues have similarities to those found in PNG. Through this joint working, DfID is seeking to transfer some of the UK's expertise in tackling HIV/AIDS in extremely poor countries to AUSAID to apply to its programmes in the region. Iraq: Local Assistance Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they acknowledge some responsibility for ensuring the safety and future well-being of Iraqis who have worked for or helped British forces and international and voluntary organisations in Iraq; and, if so, what action they are planning. Lord Drayson: For current Iraqi employees we acknowledge and fulfil our responsibilities for safety by providing regular security briefings. Operational circumstances permitting, we may also vary working locations and hours and provide temporary accommodation within military camps. Once individuals leave our employ, however, we are unable to offer any further assistance. We cannot comment on measures offered by other organisations. Natural England Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether Natural England has established green infrastructures in all of England's growth areas. Lord Rooker: Yes. Natural England is helping local authorities and regeneration bodies to prepare green infrastructure strategies in partnership with other key stakeholders in all four of the Government's growth areas. Natural England is also working with partners to promote the preparation of green infrastructure strategies in the Government's recently announced growth points. Once completed strategies have been prepared in each case, Natural England will encourage work to embed them within local development frameworks and will work in partnership with developers, house builders and others to support their effective delivery. Natural England Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether Natural England established agreed processes for all major Natural England products and services. Lord Rooker: Natural England has operational processes in place to support all the products and services it is currently delivering. As part of its effort to improve the service it provides, it is reviewing all its business processes, with a view to establishing a single integrated business model for Natural England. Rural Payments Agency Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many persons are currently employed in the Rural Payments Agency; of these, how many are employed in monitoring and checking the cross-compliance provisions of the good agricultural and environmental condition; and what minimum agricultural qualification is required by those who inspect farms for this purpose. Lord Rooker: The total number of staff currently employed by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is 3,174. More than 200 inspectors are trained in all aspects of cross-compliance inspections currently carried out by RPA*. The majority of RPA inspectors have a formal agricultural or related qualification ranging from national certificate/NVQ 3 to postgraduate level and/or a strong farming background. Others have become inspectors after gaining relevant skills and experience elsewhere in Defra/RPA. All inspectors undertake a rigorous internal training programme including mapping and measuring, arable and livestock skills, the requirements of each statutory management requirement falling within RPA's remit and the full range of GAECs. Training is conducted both on and off farm, with input from Defra/external experts as appropriate. The Environment Agency is responsible for carrying out inspections in relation to SMRs 2, 3 and 4 (groundwater, sewage sludge and nitrate vulnerable zones); and the State Veterinary Service for inspections conducted under SMR 10 (restrictions on the use of substances having hormonal or thyrostatic action and beta-agonists in farm animals); a13-15 (control of animal disease and 16-18 (animal welfare). *RPA inspectors carry out inspections in relation to SMRs 1—wild birds; 5—habitats; 6, 7 8 and 8a—livestock identification; 9—restrictions on the use of plant protection products ; 11—food and feed law and 12—prevention and control of TSEs. Volunteering Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people volunteer their time to help conserve and enhance the natural environment. Lord Rooker: The work being done by volunteers for the natural environment is hugely valuable and much appreciated. Volunteering England's 1997 National Survey of Volunteering showed that 48 per cent of the adult population are involved in formal volunteering work (that is, through an organisation). Of this number, 5 per cent did so to conserve and enhance the natural environment. These figures are based on the main purpose of the group or organisation through which the person volunteers. The latest version of this survey—the National Survey of Volunteering and Charitable Giving—is due later this year. An objective in the England Biodiversity Strategy is to increase time spent and number of people volunteering for biodiversity conservation. The indicator for this shows positive progress; for example, the number of Wildlife Trust volunteers has increased by 28 per cent from 21,600 to 27,700 over the five years to 2005. In addition, Natural England is also working to increase the ability of individuals to take action for the natural environment. Nearly 2,000 volunteers work with Natural England on its national nature reserves and sites of special scientific interest. In 2005-06 the value of this work was assessed at £1.8 million. Natural England has a target to increase volunteer involvement by 5 per cent. Waterways Lord James of Blackheath: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the replies by Lord Davies of Oldham on 15 January (Official Report, cols. 429-30) on the reduction in the budget to British Waterways, whether they have any plans to unlock selectively some of the value reportedly tied up in the non-performing assets of related land adjacent to waterways; and whether any such money released could be used to compensate for the reduction in the budget of British Waterways in order to sustain their contribution to the British tourist industry. Lord Rooker: British Waterways has powers under the Transport Acts 1962 and 1968 to undertake waterside regeneration and property development in the vicinity of its waterways. It has a strong track record of achievement and innovation in delivering both urban and rural regeneration through its involvement in property investment and development. Its 1,700 properties are currently valued at £520 million and generated income of £63.2 million last year. British Waterways keeps its operational and investment property portfolio under regular review to ensure that it continues to provide a long-term income stream for the future maintenance and improvement of its waterways. This in turn provides social, economic and amenity benefits and contributes to the British tourist industry.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2007-01-25b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2007", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Agriculture: Dairy Farms Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken a cost assessment of the impact of the proposals regarding (a) nitrate-vulnerable zones, and (b) the water framework directive, on British dairy farmers; and, if so, what are the results. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The implementation of the nitrates directive is a devolved matter, with the impact assessments carried out separately within each Administration. The last impact assessment accompanying the nitrates directive review for England was undertaken and published on the Defra website in 2007. This 2007 impact assessment considered the impact of the proposed amendments to the implementation of the nitrates directive in England. It estimated that the damage cost of water pollution from agriculture in England and Wales was in the region of £445 million to £872 million per year, of which around £196 million to £497 million was accounted for by the impact of agriculture on river and wetland ecosystems and natural habitats. The assessment included a 2004 Ofwat estimate that the cost to the water industry to reduce high nitrate levels caused by diffuse pollution in drinking water supplies would be £288 million (capital expenditure) and £6 million per annum (operating expenditure) for the 2005-10 period. The assessment identified that the main private sector group that would have been affected by revisions to the designations and action programme measures was farmers and, in particular, livestock farmers. These costs reveal that under each action programme option and designation coverage scenario, the dairy sector and arable sector were most likely to be the most significantly affected. Low-end cost estimates showed the dairy sector bearing almost two-thirds of the action programme costs, whilst high-end cost estimates showed both the arable and dairy sector bearing a third to almost half of the action programme cost. The cost to the dairy sector was estimated between £32 million and £42 million through the life of the action programme. The impact assessment included estimates of the potential savings arising if the Government sought a dairy derogation from the EU. For each scenario, the costs to the dairy sector were approximately half where the derogation was made compared to the situation where there was no derogation. The derogation was subsequently granted. The implementation of the water framework directive (WFD) is also a devolved matter. Impact assessments are also carried out separately within each Administration. In England, no separate cost assessment of the impact of WFD on dairy farmers has been undertaken. The national WFD impact assessment in 2007 estimated overall potential costs of implementation for agriculture and rural land management of £142.1 million per annum, at 2007 prices over a 43-year period. However, the process of determining what specific environmental improvement and protection measures are adopted involves an assessment of costs and benefits which may conclude that costs are disproportionate. Where this is the case, measures would not be implemented. The focus in the first river basin management plans, covering the period 2009-15, is on encouraging voluntary change in farming behaviour via the uptake of best practice advice and raising awareness of Codes of Practice through targeted information campaigns. From the impact assessments of the river basin management plans, it is estimated that the cost to the whole of the agriculture and rural land management sector during the first cycle of river basin management is £209,000 (based on 2008 prices). The Environment Agency is developing economic tools for the purpose of assessing costs and benefits of environmental improvement measures that will be able to provide information for the dairy industry in the future. The tools will be used in planning measures which will be subject to consultation and published in the next river basin management plans. Banking: Switzerland Lord Willoughby de Broke: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to legislate to prohibit British subjects from holding bank accounts in Switzerland. Lord Sassoon: The Government do not intend to legislate to prohibit British subjects from holding bank accounts in Switzerland. The UK and Switzerland signed an agreement on 6 October 2011, which will ensure the effective taxation of bank accounts held by UK residents in Switzerland. Benefits Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the average end-to-end processing times for new claims of (a) income support, (b) job seeker's allowance, (c) employment support allowance, (d) housing benefit, (e) child tax credit, and (f) working tax credit. Lord Freud: The average claim processing time for income support (IS), jobseeker's allowance (JSA), and employment and support allowance (ESA) is referred to as average actual clearance time (AACT). For IS, the start date is the date the claim satisfies all the evidence requirements. The end date is the date a formal decision is made on the claim and a notification is issued to the customer on entitlement. For JSA and ESA, the start date is either the date the customer first contacted Jobcentre Plus or the customer's first day of unemployment/sickness, whichever is the later. The end date is the date a formal decision is made on the claim and a notification is issued to the customer on entitlement. The latest information we have is for September 2011, and this is listed below. AACT in month September IS 7.5 days JSA 9.5 days ESA 9.2 days AACT Year To Date September IS 7.1 days JSA 9.6 days ESA 10.0 days The source of the above data is the Management Information System Programme (MISP). MISP is the departmental performance management, data capture and reporting tool. This type of internal management information does not form part of the official statistics outputs that are released by the department in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice. The average processing time for housing benefit new claims in 2010-11 was 22 calendar days. Housing benefit is administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. Housing Benefit Official Statistics are informed by results from data submitted to DWP by each local authority on a monthly basis via the Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE). The latest Official Statistics for Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit processing times are available via the DWP website at http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=rti with results for quarter 1 2011-12 released at 26 October 2011. Child (CTC) and working tax credits (WTC) claims are administered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The time taken to process a new claim for tax credits can vary depending on claimants' circumstances. HMRC are paying new child (CTC) and working tax credits (WTC) claims in an average of around 26 calendar days against a target of 23 days. The source of this data is the core national tax credit system. Children: Care Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total expenditure in 2009-10 on caring for children in local authority children's homes. Lord Hill of Oareford: Based on the information recorded on the Section 251 out-turn statement for the year 2009-10, the total expenditure on residential care for looked after children, across all local authorities in England, was £983,384,098. The out-turn statement for the year 2009-10 is available in the link below: http://www.education. gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/strategy/financeand funding/section251/archive/b0068383/section-251-data-archive/outturn-data---detailed-level-2008-09-onwards. Children: Looked-after Children Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many looked-after children proceeded to university education in 2010. Lord Hill of Oareford: The number of young people now aged 19, but who were looked after when aged 16, in higher education is shown in table 1 below. Information is shown for both 2010 and 2011 (the latest year for which information is available). Table 1: Children now aged 19 years old who were looked after when aged 16 years in higher education 1,2,3 Years ending 31 March 2010 and 2011 Coverage: England Numbers and percentages numbers percentages 20104 20115 20104 20115 All children now aged 19 years old who were looked after on 1 April 2007 or 2008 when aged 16 years old 6,200 6,290 Activity In higher education i.e. studies beyondA level 460 390 7 6 Full time 430 380 7 6 Part time 20 20 - - Source: SSDA 903 1. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. Figures exclude children who were looked after on 1 April aged 16 (in their 17th year) under an agreed series of short term placements. 3. Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. 4. Children now aged 19 years old who were looked after on 1 April 2007 then aged 16 years old (in their 17th year) 5. Children now aged 19 years old who were looked after on 1 April 2008 then aged 16 years old (in their 17th year) - Negligible. Percentage below 0.5°/ The information given above has also been published in Table F1 of the department's Statistical First Release, Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers)-year ending 31 March 2011. This can be found at: http://www. education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/statistics-by-topic/childrenandfamilies/a00196857/children-looked-after-by-las-in-england. Elections: Voting System Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 17 October (WA 12), why citizens of Commonwealth countries in which British citizens are not permitted to vote are able to vote in the United Kingdom. Lord McNally: The Representation of the People Act 1918 provided that only British subjects could register as electors. The term "British subject" then included any person who owed allegiance to the Crown, regardless of the Crown territory in which he or she was born. In general terms, this included citizens who became Commonwealth citizens under the British Nationality Act 1981. The then Government gave an undertaking to preserve certain existing rights of Commonwealth citizens resident in the UK, including the right to vote. This position reflects the historical ties between the UK and Commonwealth countries, rather than reciprocal arrangements. It is not the case that every citizen of a Commonwealth country who is at any time present in the UK is eligible to be included in the register. This right is restricted in electoral law to qualifying Commonwealth citizens. They are defined as "not those who require leave to enter or remain under the Immigration Act 1971" or "those who do require leave, but for the time being have any description of such leave". Finance: Credit Easing Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government in what ways they expect credit easing to act differently from quantitative easing. Lord Sassoon: The purpose of quantitative easing (QE) is to provide the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) with an additional policy tool to meet the 2 per cent inflation target. Following the MPC's October meetings, the Governor wrote to the Chancellor on 6 October 2011, stating that "in order to keep inflation on track to meet the target over the medium term, the committee judged that it was necessary to inject further monetary stimulus into the economy". The Government are considering options on credit easing. Such interventions should complement the MPC's QE. The Chancellor will provide more details on credit easing at the autumn statement on 29 November. Genetically Modified Organisms The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the risk assessment provided by Oxitec to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under EC Regulation 1946/2003 to accompany the notification of its transboundary shipment of genetically modified mosquito eggs to Brazil in February 2011. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: I shall place in the Library a copy of the risk assessment provided by Oxitec. Some material has been redacted for reasons of commercial confidentiality. Genetically Modified Organisms The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were each of the notifications of transboundary shipments of genetically modified organisms supplied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under EC Regulation 1946/2003 since the Regulation came into force; and for each, what was (a) the date of the export, (b) the date of the receipt of the notification by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and by the importing party, and (c) the company, product and destination. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The department has been notified of three shipments which fall within the scope of EC Regulation 1946/2003. These have been made by Oxitec Ltd. and have all consisted of eggs containing genetically modified sterile male mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypti. The details requested are given in the table below: Date of export Date Defra received notification Date of receipt of notification by importing party Destination 4.11.09 19.11.10 26.8.09 Cayman Islands 9.2.11 14.2.11 17.12.10 Brazil 15.9.11 16.9.11 20.10.10 Malaysia Oxitec Ltd has also exported these eggs on other occasions but these have been classified as contained use, so did not require notification under EC Regulation 1946/2003. Government Departments: Legal Fees Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money was spent on legal fees by the Department for Transport in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and what is the estimated expenditure for 2011 and 2012; and how many civil service employees working on legal matters did the Department for Transport have in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and what are the estimated numbers for 2011 and 2012. Earl Attlee: The Department for Transport and its seven executive agencies incur expenditure on a range of legal services each year. To confirm that expenditure for the years 2008-10 and the estimated expenditure for the years 2011-12 would incur a disproportionate cost. However the following information is readily available. The department employs qualified lawyers as civil servants to deal with legal matters. The numbers of lawyers employed for the requested periods are: 2008-09-85; 2009-10-87; 2010-11-69; and 2011-12-72. The above figures include one lawyer based at the DVLA in Swansea. Excluding the costs of the department's own Legal Service, the following sums have been spent on legal fees (or it is estimated that they will spent). 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 (Estimate) DfT (Central Department) * * £6,638,975 (not known) Highways Agency * £7,171,952 £5,568,757 (not known) Vehicle Certification Agency £3,764 £6,045 £4,992 £6,500 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency * * £232,502 £306,132 Maritime and Coastguard Agency £146,955 £153,207 £378,421 £311,000 *Information not available without incurring disproportionate cost. Government Departments: Major Projects List Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 20 October (Official Report, col. 375), what are the projects on the Cabinet Office's major projects list. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 20 October (Official Report, col. 375), what are the criteria used in determining high-risk projects when deciding whether a project is placed on the Cabinet Office's major projects list. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Government intend to publish an annual report on major projects at the end of the year. This will include information on the high risk, high value projects which make up the Government's major projects portfolio (GMPP). The Major Projects Authority is concerned with all projects that are of sufficient value and/or importance to be subject to the HM Treasury spend approval process. Government: Official Photographs Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government at what events in the past six months they have taken official photographs of the Home Secretary. Lord Henley: No official photographs of the Home Secretary have been taken at events in the past six months. Gypsies and Travellers: Dale Farm Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Basildon Council about how many children and sick, disabled or elderly people were resident at Dale Farm; and what information they have about their whereabouts and conditions following their eviction. Baroness Hanham: The clearance of the unauthorised Traveller site at Dale Farm is a matter for Basildon Council. We understand that Basildon Council has been working with the relevant local agencies to ensure that the impact of eviction on vulnerable people and those with other specific needs is taken into account. This is in addition to the council's public commitment to honour its statutory homelessness duty to all those eligible to apply. Health: Autism Spectrum Disorder Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have determined a legal definition for, or recognition of, Autism Spectrum Disorder. Earl Howe: The definition of autism set out in Fulfilling and rewarding lives, the Strategy for adults with autism in England (2010) follows the World Health Organisation's International Statistical Classification of Diseases-10 criteria which define autism as a lifelong condition that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people, and how a person makes sense of the world around them. In line with the approach to terminology adopted by key autism representative organisations, including the National Autistic Society, as well as the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee, "autism" was used as an umbrella term for conditions such as Asperger's syndrome, autistic spectrum disorder, autistic spectrum condition, autistic spectrum difference and neuro-diversity. Autism is an internationally recognised disorder and the Government's position is that it is not necessary to enact legislation that confers a legal definition or recognition. The Equality Act 2010 protects disabled people who have "a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities". This includes people with autism and ensures that they are protected from discrimination. Justice: Out-of-court Disposals The Lord Bishop of Hereford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persistent offenders were given out-of-court settlements in 2010. Lord McNally: Figures on previous criminal histories for those receiving out-of-court disposals are limited to cautions (including reprimands and warnings for juveniles) and convictions. The following table shows offenders receiving a reprimand, warning or caution in 2010 by number of previous convictions and cautions. These figures relate to separate cautioning occasions; where an offender was cautioned on the same occasion for several offences it is the details of the primary offence that have been presented. These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police. Offenders receiving a reprimand, warning or caution by age group and number of previous convictions and cautions in 2010 England and Wales Number and percentage Number of previous convictions/cautions 0 1-2 3-6 7-10 11-14 15+ All offenders 70.8 28.2 0.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 100.0 Juveniles 41,295 16,443 466 69 28 8 58,309 48.3 26.6 14.4 4.8 2.4 3.5 100.0 Adults 95,957 52,772 28,519 9,612 4,758 7,007 198,625 53.4 26.9 11.3 3.8 1.9 2.7 100.0 All ages 137,252 69,215 28,985 9,681 4,786 7,015 256,934 These figures cover offenders cautioned for indictable offences and certain summary offences that are recorded by the police (they exclude a range of less serious summary offences such as television licence evasion, speeding and vehicle tax offences). Major Projects Review Group Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 20 October (Official Report, col. 375), what is the membership of the Major Projects Review Group. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Minister for the Cabinet Office announced the creation of the Major Projects Authority in February 2011, in order to significantly improve the success rate of major projects across central government. The Major Projects Review Group (MPRG) acts as part of the assurance process and was initially established in January 2007 to improve the performance of major projects. The MPRG is a pool of experts, from which panels are put together to scrutinise the largest and most complex major Government projects. The Government will publish an annual report on the progress of the major projects portfolio each year. Major Projects Review Group Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 20 October (Official Report, col. 375), what are the terms of reference of the Cabinet Office's Major Projects Authority. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Major Projects Authority has a clear, enforceable mandate from the Prime Minister for the oversight and direction of major projects funded and delivered by central government. It has been established to ensure firmer control of the Government's major projects both at the individual and the portfolio level. The requirements of that mandate are available at: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/mpa_mandate_0.pdf. Migrant Workers: Bulgarians and Romanians Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 19 October (WA 81), how many work permits were issued to Bulgarian and Romanian adult nationals entering the United Kingdom from January 2007 to December 2010; how many such nationals were issued with national insurance numbers in that period; whether the difference in volumes of work permits and national insurance numbers issued in this instance is greater than expected; and, if so, whether they will investigate further the reason for that difference. Lord Henley: The number of work permit variants issued to Bulgarian and Romanian (EU2) nationals is available on the Home Office website in the "European Economic Area data tables". The most recent statistics available show that a total of 174,577 work permit variants were issued to EU2 nationals between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010. The figures for national insurance numbers issued to Bulgarian and Romanian (EU2) nationals previously provided by Lord Freud on 20 June cover 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2010. This figure was 135,740. The difference is not greater than expected and will not be investigated further. An individual worker will be issued with only one national insurance number, but some EU2 nationals will receive more than one work permit, as they are required to hold a new work permit in respect of each job they undertake. Some other EU2 workers will receive a work permit but not, in the end, take up employment in this country. National Lottery: Tickets Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of where lottery tickets are purchased and where the money for good causes is distributed. Baroness Garden of Frognal: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) makes no assessment of the geographical distribution of the purchase of lottery tickets. The National Lottery operator, Camelot, and the regulator the National Lottery Commission(NLC), ensure that total sales figures broken down by game type, week by week, are made available on a monthly basis with quarterly sales reports providing some additional commentary. The link to the agreed reporting timetable for this financial year, and links to the reports can be found on the NLC website here: http://www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/regulating-the-lottery/sales-reporting. Lottery funding is based on good causes and the impact it can have, and awarded by the Lottery distributing bodies in response to competitive applications, not ticket sales. DCMS's Lottery Grants Database, which uses information provided by the Lottery distributing bodies, provides details of Lottery grants that have been made, and is searchable online at www. lottery.culture.gov.uk. NHS: Health Education England Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements will be made for the education and training of health and healthcare professionals prior to the setting up of Health Education England. Earl Howe: The Secretary of State currently delegates responsibility for education and training to the strategic health authorities (SHAs), which will remain in place until the end of March 2013. Health Education England (HEE) will be established as a special health authority in 2012 with a view to operate in shadow form from October 2012 and be fully operational by April 2013. HEE will work with the SHAs to ensure a carefully managed transition of functions into the new system. NHS: Health Education England Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish their draft proposals on how education, training and workforce planning will be organised under Health Education England. Earl Howe: The NHS Future Forum is continuing to look at education and training in its second phase of work this autumn. Once the Future Forum has concluded this work, the Government intend to publish more detail on the new framework for education and training, including the role and responsibilities of Health Education England. NHS: Public Health England Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to make Public Health England an executive agency; and, if not, why not. Earl Howe: Public Health England will be established as an executive agency on 1 April 2013, subject to the completion of the normal government approval processes for establishing new bodies. Planning: Green Belt Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of existing and planned legislation on the countryside amenities and the green belt areas surrounding the Blacon estate in Chester. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Planning policy on green belts is currently set out in Planning Policy Guidance 2: Green belts. The Government have consulted on the draft national planning policy framework which, when adopted, will replace all planning policy statements and guidance, apart from Planning Policy Statement 10, and will include the Government's policy on the green belt. Railways: Stations Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many railway stations have been built in the past five years; and of these, how many have failed to meet their targets with regard to (a) passenger numbers, and (b) revenue. Earl Attlee: In England, Scotland and Wales, 21 stations have been opened in the past five years. Demand forecasts are made to produce a business case to build a new station. However, new stations are not generally given targets by their promoters to achieve once they are operational. The department does not therefore hold information on the number of stations that have failed to meet their targets with regard to passenger numbers or revenue. This information may be available from individual station promoters. DfT recently commissioned a report called the "New Stations Study" which investigates whether or not actual demand at new stations is significantly different from forecast demand at new stations. Page 21 of the report contains information on forecast and observed demand at new stations for which information has been supplied by promoters. The report can be accessed on the DfT website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/new-stations-study. Railways: Stations Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what work is (a) being conducted now, and (b) planned for the next three years, to determine station usage and demand forecasts for newly opened railway lines and stations; and what is the anticipated cost of this work. Earl Attlee: No specific work is planned to determine station usage and demand forecasts for newly opened railway lines and stations. The Department for Transport includes newly opened stations and new lines into our rail forecasting models as part of its regular update. It is not possible to estimate the cost of this work as it is carried out in conjunction with other updates. A report entitled Station Usage and Demand Forecasts for Newly Opened Railway Lines and Stations was commissioned by the department and has recently been published on the department's website1. 1 http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/new-stations-study Sudan Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider that the United Nations Humanitarian Co-ordinator is taking the right action in response to the situation in South Kordofan. Baroness Northover: The Government fully support the efforts of the United Nations Acting Humanitarian Co-ordinator in calling on both the Government of Sudan and the SPLM-N to stop the fighting in Southern Kordofan and other conflict affected areas of Sudan and to find a political and negotiated solution to the conflict. We also support his calls for unconstrained humanitarian access to affected civilians. The Government are encouraging the humanitarian co-ordinator to also find ways to build trust and understanding between all stakeholders in order to strengthen dialogue with the Government of Sudan to address the humanitarian needs of civilians in conflict affected areas. Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 17 October (WA 37-8), as the average axle load of a public service vehicle is around 5 tonnes and that of a heavy goods vehicle is 11 tonnes, and bearing in mind the fourth power effect of axle weight on road damage, how the 100:1 weighting referenced is calculated. Earl Attlee: I refer the noble Lord to my answer of 17 October 2011 (Official Report, col. WA 37-8) on the basis for the 100:1 factor. Due to the length of time since the 100:1 weighting factor came into usage as part of the highways maintenance relative needs formula, I am afraid the original calculations could only be replicated at a disproportionate cost. Visas Baroness Hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persons who originally entered the United Kingdom on (a) an overseas domestic worker (visitor) visa, (b) an overseas domestic worker (other) visa, and (c) an overseas domestic worker (diplomat) visa, have been referred into the national referral mechanism since its inception. Lord Henley: Between 1 April 2009 and 30 June 2011 the following were referred into the national referral mechanism: (a) 19 persons who originally entered the United Kingdom on an overseas domestic worker (visitor) visa;(b) 15 persons who originally entered the United Kingdom on an overseas domestic worker (other) visa; and(c) 14 persons who originally entered the United Kingdom on an overseas domestic worker (diplomat) visa. These data are based on management information and as such have not been quality assured as part of the production of National Statistics outputs. The data are provisional and subject to change. Visas Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make recognition of those companies which accredit private colleges in order to issue confirmations of acceptance for studies (CAS) for visa purposes dependent on their taking account of CAS issue and visa propriety in their accreditation regimes. Lord Henley: As announced by the Home Secretary on 22 March this year, all education providers wishing to sponsor international students through tier 4 of the points-based system now need to meet new educational oversight requirements by being inspected, audited or reviewed by one of the eight publicly recognised bodies. They must also meet more rigorous immigration compliance requirements by becoming highly trusted sponsors (HTS). The introduction of a new system of robust educational oversight, by the bodies that already have a statutory role in the inspection of educational provision in the UK, replaces the previous accreditation regime by membership-based organisations. The rationale for this was the widespread evidence that the previous regime proved inadequate in tackling the low standards of educational provision and abuse of the immigration system encountered in the privately funded sector. The two requirements on sponsors (to meet minimum immigration compliance and educational oversight standards) are assessed separately due to the expertise and resource particular to each organisation. As the experts in immigration control, the UK Border Agency assesses immigration compliance (such as the usage of CAS or student compliance with the terms of their visa) through the sponsorship system (which now requires all sponsors to become HTS). As the education specialists, the educational oversight bodies (and formerly the five private accreditation bodies) inspect/review educational standards. War Memorials Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether VAT can be recovered on the construction of war memorials in order that public donations for such works are put directly toward the cost of building the memorial, in the light of the case of the proposal to build a Bomber Command memorial. Baroness Rawlings: There is no zero-rate VAT for the construction of memorials. However, the cost of VAT incurred by charities and faith groups in the construction, renovation and maintenance of memorials, can be reclaimed through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Memorial Grant Scheme, subject to the claims meeting the published eligibility criteria. From 2011-12 onwards, the Memorial Grant Scheme has a fixed annual budget of approximately £0.5 million. Waste Management: Fly Tipping Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there were for fly tipping in each year since 1990, in each London borough and in the City of London, up until the last year for which records are available. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts for fly tipping offences in the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas from 1990 to 2010 are given in the table below, which provides the latest available information. These data are given by police force area, as the Ministry of Justice does not hold such information at borough level. It is planned to release court proceedings data for 2011 in spring 2012. Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts for fly-tipping offences(1), Metropolitan and City of London police force areas, 1990 to 2010(2)(3) Police force area 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008(4) 2009 2010 Met. fly tipping 19 33 100 28 21 64 69 61 75 124 120 159 271 323 507 561 701 492 326 285 327 City of London fly tipping - - - - 1 - - - - - - - 1 - 1 - - - - - 2 (1) Includes offences under Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.33(6)(8)(9), 34 & 59; Control of Pollution Act (Amendment) Act 1989, s.1; Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice. Ref: IOS 618-11
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2011-11-02a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2011", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Asylum Seekers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Syrians refused asylum in the United Kingdom in 2013 are (1) not in the United Kingdom following a forced removal, (2) not in the United Kingdom following a voluntary removal, (3) in a detention removal centre, and (4) remain in the country but not in detention. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Of the total number of Syrians refused asylum in 2013: (1 ) Twenty four have returned following an enforced removal. (2) The number of those not in the UK following a voluntary departure is low, ,so in line with Home Office practice on published data, the number cannot be published to protect the identity of those involved. (3) Twenty remain in Immigration Removal Centres. (4) When an asylum claim has been refused, all applicants are encouraged to return voluntarily to their country of origin. The Department cannot therefore provide reliable data in answer to this part of the question. However, the Government has made a commitment to introduce exit checks by 2015 which will improve our ability to identify those who have overstayed their visas and to measure migration. Bahrain Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had concerning the imposition of sanctions against the government of Bahrain until it complies with international human rights law. Baroness Warsi: The British Government has not held any discussions on imposing sanctions against the Government of Bahrain. We are supportive of the reform programme in Bahrain and regularly discuss human rights with the Bahraini government. Benefits Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many benefit claimants have been sanctioned since June 2013; how many dependants those claimants had; and, if total figures are not yet available, when they will be published. Lord Freud: Figures on the number of Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance benefit claimants who have been sanctioned up to September 2013 which is the latest data available, are published and can be found at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ Guidance for users is available at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm The information requested in relation to Income Support Lone Parents (ISLP) shows that there have been 15,040 ISLP sanctions between June 2013 and September 2013. Source Income Support Computer System Notes 1) Income Support Lone Parents receive a fixed sanction of 20% of the personal allowance rate of a single claimant [not aged less than 25] for each failure to attend/participate in a Work Focused Interview until 10 pence is left in payment. This sanction lasts until the individual attends and participates in a Work Focused Interview. In the case where there is more than one sanction in place the claimant need only attend/participate in one Work Focused Interview in order for all related sanctions to be removed from their benefit. . 2) Sanctions are only available up to September 2013 for Income Support Lone Parents 3) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Information on the number of dependants these claimants had is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Benefits Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Jobseeker's Allowance claimants have been sanctioned in each year since 1996 and in each month since October 2012. Lord Freud: Statistics on the number of Jobseeker's Allowance benefit claimants, who have been sanctioned, from April 2000, the earliest data we have, up to September 2013 which is the latest data available, are published and can be found at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/ Guidance for users is available at: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm Central African Republic Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the African Union and to the government of France in the light of the allegations of human rights abuses in the recent report by Amnesty International, Ethnic Cleansing and Sectarian Killings in the Central African Republic. Baroness Warsi: We have frequent discussions with both the African Union and the Government of France on the security and humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic, including the disturbing reports of human rights abuses. Amnesty International’s report highlights the importance of the international peacekeeping effort in preventing ethnic and sectarian killings. Our immediate focus is supporting the UN Security Council-mandated African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA) force alongside the French deployment. They are already on the ground, have a robust enforcement mandate, and are able to act immediately to increase security and humanitarian access. We have supported the UN Security Council to keep the situation under regular review, including what more can be done to strengthen existing efforts given the severity and urgency of the situation. Children: Children’s Rights Baroness Massey of Darwen: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to address violations of children's rights in England. Lord Nash: The UK Government has committed to give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) when developing new policies and legislation: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101206/wmstext/101206m0001.htm#1012063000011 The rights set out in the UNCRC are secured through a range of different methods, including through legislation, guidance and requirements in various national minimum standards. If those requirements are not being met, children can access a range of complaints mechanisms, with support from advocates where necessary, to address any violation of their rights. Ultimately, where a child has exhausted these other forms of redress, it is open to them to bring a challenge to the courts (for example, under the Human Rights Act 1998). Civil Service: Senior Posts Baroness Suttie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage women to apply for senior posts in the Civil Service. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Women comprise over a third of the Senior Civil Service. Work commissioned through the Contestable Policy Fund begins in March and will identify and help to remove the blockages faced by women when applying for senior posts. Genetic Modification Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 22 January (WA 129) and 6 February (WA 77), whether they consider that an egg or embryo with healthy mitochondria that has had its own nuclear DNA removed and entirely replaced by nuclear DNA from a different egg or embryo is genetically modified as a consequence. Earl Howe: As the noble Lord is aware from Viscount Younger of Leckie's Written Answer of 12 November 2013 (Official Report, columns. 113-114) there is no universally agreed definition of “genetic modification”. For example, people who have organ transplants, blood donations or even gene therapy are not generally regarded as being “genetically modified”. While there is no universally agreed definition of genetic modification in humans, the Government has decided to adopt a working definition for the purpose of taking forward the draft mitochondrial donation regulations. The working definition that we have adopted is that genetic modification involves the germ-line modification of nuclear DNA (in the chromosomes) that can be passed on to future generations. We will keep this under review. On the basis of that working definition, the proposed mitochondrial donation techniques do not constitute genetic modification. Health: Cancer Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve access to new medicines for patients with pancreatic cancer. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will conduct an assessment of the Cancer Drugs Fund in relation to the provision of new treatments for patients with pancreatic cancer, and in particular in respect of quality of life. Earl Howe: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides advice to the National Health Service on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of drugs and treatments. NICE technology appraisal guidance, issued in May 2001, recommends gemcitabine as an option for treating patients with advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas who meet certain clinical criteria. NHS commissioners are legally required to fund those treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance. Since October 2010, the Cancer Drugs Fund has helped over 44,000 patients in England to access the life-extending or life-improving cancer drugs their clinicians think they need. On 28 September 2013, the Government announced that a further £400 million will be made available to extend the Fund to the end of March 2016. NHS England is responsible for administering the Cancer Drugs Fund, and decisions on which treatments are afforded priority funding status are taken by an expert clinical panel. In assessing applications for drugs to be included in the national Cancer Drugs Fund cohort policies list, the expert clinical panel uses a scoring tool and one of the criteria in this tool is evidence of impact on quality of life. For cancer drugs not on the national cohort policy list, regional clinical panels can consider individual applications for funding in exceptional cases. Health: Cancer Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to expedite the appraisal of drugs for pancreatic cancer. Earl Howe: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing technology appraisal guidance on the use of a number of drugs for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Wherever possible, NICE aims to publish draft or final technology appraisal guidance on significant new drugs within a few months of their launch. Health: Mitochondrial Disease Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 29 August 2013 (WA 359), 30 October 2013 (WA 259) and 24 February (WA 175–6), how many of the terms employed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to refer to either pronuclear transfer and spindle-chromosomal complex transfer or the outcomes of those techniques they accept as valid; and what external advice and documentation they have relied on in reaching their conclusion that such procedures do not constitute genetic modification. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that, at the request of the Government, it sought public views through a variety of public dialogue and consultation methods on emerging In vitro fertilisation (IVF)-based techniques to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial disease. The public's views on this issue are outlined in the Authority's advice for the Government, which can be found on its website at: www.hfea.gov.uk/6896.htd This exercise did not seek to explore the validity of particular scientific and technical terms. The HFEA convened an Independent Oversight Group to ensure the consultation was balanced and accessible, details of which can also be found on the Authority's website: http://mitochondria.hfea.gov.uk/mitochondria/about-the-consultation/independent-consultation-oversight-group/ Its role included advising on the materials and wording used during the public dialogue exercise. Health: Organ Donation Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what impact the 2011 change, which made it compulsory for drivers applying for a new or replacement licence to state whether they want to be an organ donor, has had on the percentage of the population pledging to donate their organs via the Organ Donor Register; and what has that percentage been in each month of the last three years. Earl Howe: This information is not held centrally in the format requested. However in the five years up to April 2013 the United Kingdom achieved a 50% increase in deceased organ donor rates and work continues to increase consent and organ donation and transplantation rates. A study by the Government Behavioural Insights team in July 2011 in partnership with Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and the Department examined how best to increase registration on the Organ Donor Register. In one of the largest public sector studies of this kind, over one million people took part and were tested on eight different ways of asking whether to join the register. Further information can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/organ-donor-registrations-trialling-different-approaches Houses of Parliament: Post Boxes Lord Berkeley: To ask the Chairman of Committees who authorised the sealing of post boxes inside the Palace of Westminster near the Royal Gallery on the morning of Thursday 27 February. Lord Sewel: Post boxes near the Royal Gallery were sealed on the morning of Thursday 27 February as a security precaution, based on experience and lessons learned from previous events, ahead of the Address by the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany to both Houses of Parliament. The temporary sealing of the post boxes was recommended by the Metropolitan Police Service and authorised by Black Rod. India: Golden Temple, Amritsar The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings they have had or are intending to have with Sikh organisations in the United Kingdom following the publication of the Cabinet Secretary's report on the Indian operation at Sri Harmandir Sahib. Baroness Warsi: We continue to take the views of the Sikh community on this matter very seriously, and round-table meetings were hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 4th February and by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 25th February. The following organisations took part: 4th February Sikh Council UK Network of Sikh Organisations (UK) Federation of Sikh Organisations Sikh Organisation of Prisoner Welfare Sikh Community and Youth Services Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar Akhand Kirtani Jatha Sikh Youth Project Kesri Leher/1984 Genocide Coalition Akali Dal Sikhs in England United Sikhs City Sikhs Network Sikh Federation UK 25th February Sikh Council UK Federation of Sikh Organisations Sikh Organisation of Prisoner Welfare Kesri Leher Sikh Community and Youth Services Sikhs in England City Sikhs Network Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha Sikh Federation UK Indian Worker's Association Young Sikhs UK Sikh Care Society Heathrow Sikh Community and Youth Services Network of Sikh Organisations (UK) National Minimum Wage Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the HM Revenue & Customs report, National Minimum Wage compliance in the social care sector, they will update their evaluation of national minimum wage compliance; and whether they will encourage and monitor the payment of the living wage in the social care sector. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to enforce and monitor national minimum wage enforcement in the social care sector in the light of the evaluation published by HM Revenue and Customs in November 2013; and what extra resources have been made available for that purpose. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have been held with the Local Government Association about the possible role of local authorities in enforcing minimum wage legislation in relation to social care and generally; and with what result. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and the effective enforcement of it, including in the social care sector. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. The Government has a central enforcement body dedicated to the National Minimum Wage (NMW). HM Revenue and Customs covers all areas of the UK, which ensures a consistent approach, a high quality service and a brand that everyone recognises. HMRC investigates every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights helpline. In addition, HMRC conducts risk-based enforcement in sectors or areas where there is a higher risk of workers not getting paid the legal minimum wage. One of the sectors in which HMRC carries out risk based enforcement is the social care sector. The Government is also taking specific action to improve compliance with national minimum wage legislation in the social care sector. The Department of Health is developing statutory guidance for local authorities which refers to employment law and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) guidance on payment of travel time. This will enable local authorities to assure themselves that the care companies they contract with comply with NMW regulations. This guidance should be available in the Autumn. BIS is also working with HMRC to identify the communication action necessary to promote the useful information for workers and employers contained in HMRC’s evaluation report on the social care sector. It is also considering the next steps to increase compliance in this sector. The Government supports businesses that choose to pay a higher wage when it is affordable and not at the expense of jobs. The decision to pay employees above National Minimum Wage is for employers and their workers and the Government will not be monitoring this. Consequently, the government does not intend to monitor the payment of the living wage. Sudan Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what negotiations they have had with the government of Sudan regarding relief for Sudan’s foreign debt; and when the next scheduled meeting to discuss Sudan’s foreign debt is due to take place. Baroness Warsi: The Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD)-led peace talks between the Government of South Sudan and the opposition forces are continuing in Addis Ababa but progress continues to be slow. Reports of attacks in Malakal and the discovery of mass graves in Bor are the latest in a series of disturbing allegations of human rights violations and abuses in South Sudan. We are urging the African Union Commission of Inquiry to act quickly and deploy an investigation team to collect the necessary information. During the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds)'s meeting in February with South Sudanese Foreign Minister Dr Barnaba Benjamin, he urged progress in the peace talks and accountability for human rights abuses.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2014-03-04a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2014", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Midland New Site Airport Proposal: RAF Operations Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Royal Air Force will continue to be able to overfly central and east Warwickshire if a major new airport is built on land between Coventry and Rugby; and Whether, if the Royal Air Force cannot continue to overfly central and east Warwickshire, they will be able to move their operations elsewhere; and, if so, where; and To what extent the Royal Air Force's flight and navigational training programmes will be adversely affected if they cannot continue to overfly central and east Warwickshire. Lord Bach: The development of the midland new site airport is one of many options being considered by the Department for Transport in its examination of the United Kingdom's future requirement for air transport, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom. No decision has yet been taken on whether to build a new airport at a site between Coventry and Rugby, and the study is currently in the consultation phase. It is too early to predict what the impact of such a development on RAF operations might be. The Ministry of Defence will continue to work closely with the DfT throughout the development of the strategy. MND: US Gulf Veterans Study Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What information they have on the decision of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to compensate Gulf war veterans afflicted with Lou Gehrig's disease, and the reasoning that informed their decision. Lord Bach: On 10 December 2001 the US Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the preliminary findings of a US Government-sponsored study of the prevalence among US Gulf veterans of motor neurone disease (MND), known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the US. The VA and US Department of Defense both released some information about the study and its implications via news releases available on the Internet at www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/docs/dsals.doc and www.gulflink.osd.mil/latest-news.html. The Ministry of Defence has received no further information and awaits publication of the detailed research. The MoD cannot take a view on whether there is a link between MND and service in the Gulf until the research has been published. It has always been the case in the United Kingdom that because the cause of MND is not known, if it is diagnosed and claimed within seven years of leaving the Armed Forces a war disablement pension, and associated benefits, may be paid. In addition, UK Gulf veterans may qualify for benefits under the Armed Forces Pensions Scheme. Royal Artillery Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to reorganise the Royal Artillery regiments. Lord Bach: We have been looking at how to optimise the Royal Artillery to meet the demands of the new security environment. The Army currently has two combined regular multiple launch rocket system (MLRS)/unmanned air vehicle (UAV) (Phoenix) regiments: 32 Regiment Royal Artillery based at Larkhill, Wiltshire and 39 Regiment Royal Artillery at Harlow Hill near Newcastle. Each of these regiments has two batteries of nine MLRS launchers and one battery of three troops of UAVs (Phoenix). As a result of past successful deployments, the capability of Phoenix has become more widely recognised and valued within the military command structure. It has, therefore, been decided that a revised structure would provide a better focus for UAVs. In line with the direction set in the new chapter to the Strategic Defence Review this new structure will establish UAVs as a valuable asset for surveillance and intelligence gathering in addition to being Royal Artillery target acquisition assets to support the indirect fire system. The impact on the Royal Artillery will be the separation of these capabilities and the creation of discrete regiments: UAV (Phoenix) at Larkhill and MLRS at Harlow Hill. The reorganisation will require inter-regimental moves of complete sub-units but will not have any significant impact on the overall numbers of personnel at each site. The field standard B2 variant of the Rapier missile system has reached the end of its useful life and will be withdrawn from service by 31 March 2003. The system is currently operated by 22 Regiment Royal Artillery, based at Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire. Following the withdrawal of the Rapier FSB2 equipment, 22 Regiment will undertake a tour in Cyprus in the infantry role during the second half of 2003 before it is disbanded in March 2004. Personnel from the regiment will be redeployed to other Royal Artillery units to support the introduction of planned new "network-centric" capabilities as described in the new chapter, including the Watchkeeper UAV. Our future Rapier air defence capability will be based on the more advanced field standard C model operated by 16 Regiment Royal Artillery and the Royal Air Force Regiment. The capability of 16 Regiment will be enhanced by the creation of a fourth battery. In addition, we plan to move 16 Regiment from Woolwich to Kirton-in-Lindsey in late 2004. It will then be close to both the Air Warfare Centre at RAF Waddington and the Joint Rapier Training Unit at Honington, bringing a number of practical benefits. ISAF Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the International Security Assistance Force is to be extended beyond December 2002. Lord Bach: We welcome the decision by the United Nations' Security Council on 27 November 2002 to adopt Resolution 1444, extending the authority of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to deploy for a further 12 months, from 20 December 2002. The extension comes in recognition of the valuable work undertaken by the ISAF in helping to provide a secure environment in Kabul, allowing the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, headed by President Karzai, to pursue the difficult task of rebuilding the country. The new resolution reaffirms the remit of the ISAF as covering Kabul and its immediate environs. The resolution recognises that security within Afghanistan is primarily a matter for the Afghans themselves and commends their efforts to establish representative, professional and multi-ethnic security forces. Germany and the Netherlands have offered to assume jointly the role of ISAF lead nation upon the completion of Turkey's tenure in command. The United Kingdom anticipates remaining a significant contributor to the ISAF. At a force generation conference on 27 November, the United Kingdom offered to provide staff officers, an infantry company and a bulk fuel installation. Together with their associated support forces, these total over 300 troops, which is consistent in size with our current deployment. Armed Forces: Smallpox Baroness Goudie: asked Her Majesty's Government: What measures they are taking to protect the United Kingdom Armed Forces from smallpox. Lord Bach: Smallpox is a deadly and highly contagious disease that could be used as a biological weapon. Currently we do not assess that there is any immediate threat to our Armed Forces from smallpox. But the consequences of any release of smallpox could be very serious, so we continue to monitor the threat closely, and take precautions. We continually review the package of defensive measures against chemical and biological attack available to our Armed Forces, which includes vaccination. We have decided to offer vaccination against smallpox to a small number of specialist military personnel who face a greater risk of exposure to smallpox by virtue of their specialisation. This will include those NBC specialists and specialist medical personnel who would form the spearhead of our defensive reponse, including vaccination teams, in the event of a confirmed, suspected or threatened release of smallpox. The Department of Health, with which we are working closely, is planning to vaccinate a similar cohort of healthcare professionals. As with other vaccines, vaccination against smallpox will be voluntary and on the basis of informed consent. This work has been taken forward under the cross-governmental civil contingency machinery for which the Home Secretary has overall responsibility. Electronic Networks: Strategy Unit Report Baroness Goudie: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to publish the Strategy Unit report on Electronic Networks. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Strategy Unit's report Electronic Networks: Challenges for the Next Decade is being published today. The report is an important contribution to the strategic thinking for the new Office of Communications (Ofcom). The report reviews the likely range of technology and market developments over the next decade and the challenges they raise for Government and the regulator; considers the importance of electronic networks, including the development of broadband, to the UK's productivity and long-run economic growth; and presents a strategic view of the Government's objectives in the development of electronic networks over the next decade, with a particular focus on the regulatory goals and approach. The majority of the report's recommendations will be for Ofcom to consider and take forward and to report on in its annual report. DTI, working with other government departments and the devolved administrations, will also be responsible for considering and taking forward some recommendations. Comments on the report are invited and should be sent to the Department of Trade and Industry using the email address [email protected]. Copies of the report have been placed in the Printed Paper Office, the Vote Office and the Libraries of both Houses. Market Town Initiative: Alnwick Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the money intended for regeneration projects under the Market Town initiative is reaching its intended targets; and, in particular, whether the single programme, administered by officers of the Northumberland Strategic Partnership, has not subsumed funds intended for the town of Alnwick. Lord Whitty: The Market Town initiative, announced in the Rural White Paper in 2000, continues to make progress, even if in some areas slower than in others. In Alnwick the main limitation on fund availability has been the time taken to put forward its action plans and projects. However, the long-term benefit and the effectiveness of local plans are what matter most. One North East, the Development Agency for the north east region, has set aside £2.6 million for the initiative in Northumberland over the three years 2001–02 to 2003–04. This will be allocated to the eight towns in the regional programme—including Alnwick—according to the quality of the projects put forward to the Northumberland Strategic Partnership by the individual town partnerships. One North East's single programme has been allocated sufficient funds for the initiative to continue indefinitely after 2004. Horticulture Research International Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to ensure that Horticulture Research International remains financially viable. Lord Whitty: Horticulture Research International (HRI) is the subject of a quinquennial review which is examining its performance and organisational status. The report of the independent review team was published on 23 September for public consultation. The department is currently considering stakeholder comments and we expect to announce the way forward shortly. We are seeking to work closely with HRI and its stakeholders to ensure that the organisation has a viable future. Horticulture Research International Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether Ministers or officials played any part in bringing about the reopening of Stockbridge House Experimental Station following its closure in 2000. Lord Whitty: On 11 September 2000 Horticulture Research International (HRI) announced the closure of its operation at Stockbridge House, North Yorkshire as part of a restructuring of its business agreed with the then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). MAFF, as owner of the site, subsequently made arrangements to sell the land on the open market. This was in accordance with Treasury rules which require departments to dispose of surplus assets at the best price reasonably obtainable in the market. Following HRI's withdrawal from the site on 31 March 2001, MAFF allowed Stockbridge Technology Centre to lease some facilities and to look after the agricultural land under a temporary management agreement pending sale. The land was subsequently sold to Stockbridge Technology Centre, which made the best offer. The district valuer considered that its offer was fair and reasonable. The sale was handled by professional agents acting on behalf of the department. Ministers and officials were involved in a number of discussions with HRI and others concerning the events described above. However, they did not "bring about" the sale of the land to the current owner. As explained, the land was sold in accordance with Treasury procedures for the disposal of surplus assets. Disabled Children Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many disabled children live with their families; and how many in residential care; and What is the number of disabled children in the United Kingdom. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys research published in 1989 estimated that overall there were 360,000 children under the age of 16 in Great Britain who had one or more disabilities. Of these, the survey estimated that 91.2 per cent of these children lived with their parents, 0.6 per cent with other relatives, 2.4 per cent in foster homes and 4.4 per cent attending boarding schools either as termly or weekly boarders, while 1.5 per cent lived in communal establishments. (NB. Does not add to 100 per cent owing to rounding.) The Children's National Service Framework (NSF)External Working Group developing standards for disabled children is considering as part of its work how best to improve the statistical information available on disabled children. Disabled Children Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: What support services and financial help are provided for families with disabled children living at home; whether these services take account of the extra cost of caring for a disabled child; and whether these services are available uniformly throughout the United Kingdom. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: A wide range of family support services is provided by the local authorities and the health service. Services include advice, guidance and counselling; short-term breaks; day care; home help; domiciliary care; nursing and medical support; social events and outings for parents and children; child care and family centres. The Government, through various programmes, including implementation of the NHS Plan and Quality Protects, are working to tackle inequalities and reduce unacceptable variations in NHS and social services provision. We are also increasing funding specifically for families of disabled children. Through the Quality Protects programme we have earmarked funding of £60 million over three years for services to disabled children. Next year this funding doubles from £15 million to £30 million. There is also a range of welfare benefits available to families to help with the additional costs of caring for disabled children, depending on their individual circumstances. These include disability living allowance and invalid care allowance. In addition, the Government fund the Family Fund Trust (FFT) which supports families of severely disabled children under 16 with grants for items such as holidays and leisure breaks, washing machines and tumble dryers, bedding and clothing. The FFT operates throughout the United Kingdom. The Government are funding the charity Contact a Family to run a free national telephone help and advice line for disabled children, parents and carers. Adoption Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is their intention to withdraw from the European Convention on Adoption in view of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The United Kingdom is a signatory to the 1967 European Convention on the Adoption of Children, which restricts joint adoption to married couples. In the light of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, it is the Government's intention to denounce this outdated convention. NHS: Delayed Discharge and Emergency Re-admission Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the statistics collected by the Department of Health on delayed discharge and emergency re-admission are publicly available on the Department of Health website; and, if they are not, for what reasons. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Quarterly national emergency re-admission and delayed discharge headline figures are made available on the Department of Health's website. The address is http://www.doh.uk/nhsquarterlyreview. National Committees: Manufacturer Representatives Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 14 October (WA 36–37), whether they consider it would be appropriate for manufacturer representatives to be given the opportunity to sit on or present evidence to the various national committees. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It is for individual national committees to decide, in the context of the issues under discussion, whether representatives from commercial manufacturers should be invited to address a committee or take part in a review. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Consultants and School Nurses Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (1) child and adolescent psychiatrists and (2) paediatricians with expertise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder there are in (a) England and (b) Wales; and How many extra (1) consultants and (2) school nurses have been recruited in (a) England and (b) Wales to tackle attention deficit hyperactivity disorder cases. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Figures are not available concerning consultants and school nurses who have expertise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The figures that are available for England are shown in the table and show an increase in the number of child and adolescent psychiatrists to date of 40 (9 per cent) since 1997. Information for Wales is a matter for the devolved administration. Headcount Headcount 1997 2002 Speciality England England Child and adolescent psychiatry 445 485 Paediatric cardiology 16 54 Paediatric neurology 23 30 Paediatrics 1188 1502 Source: Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census. Notes: Figures refer to staff in post on 31 March 2002 in the hospital, public health and community health service sectors in England. Acrylamide Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, as suggested by David Byrne, the European Union Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, there is a potential risk of cancer to consumers, especially children, from frozen chips and crisps containing the chemical Acrylamide. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Acrylamide has been found to occur in a wide range of home-cooked and processed foods, including chips and crisps. It has not been found in uncooked or boiled foods, and appears to be formed during cooking by methods such as frying and baking. Acrylamide has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. However, this it not a new risk as it is likely that we have been exposed to acrylamide in food for generations. The Food Standards Agency is commissioning research and surveillance to ascertain the reason for, and extent of, acrylamide formation, but in the meantime has advised that on the basis of current evidence people should eat a balanced diet, including a variety of fruit and vegetables, and that as part of a balanced diet people should moderate their consumption of fried and fatty foods. Care Trusts Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: (a) what progress has been made in setting up care trusts; (b) which care trusts are being developed; and (c) when these are expected to operate as care trusts. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Five care trusts have so far been established, four in April 2002 and one on 1 October 2002. These were in April 2002, Bradford District Care Trust, Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust, Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust, and Northumberland Care Trust; and in October 2002, Witham, Braintree and Halstead Care Trust. Two further sites are planning to establish care trusts in April 2003 and one in October 2003. These are based in Sheffield, Sandwell and Bexley respectively. A further 13 sites have notified the department of their interest in setting up care trusts beyond 2003. NHS: General and Acute In-patient Activity Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 29 July (WA 156), whether they are yet able to publish final figures for general and acute activity, analysed into elective and non-elective, for the year ended 31 March 2002. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Figures for general and acute in-patient activity in National Health Service trusts in England will be available from Hospital Episodes Statistics 2001–02. These will be published shortly and made available on the department's website. Private Care Homes Lord Ashley of Stoke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will ensure that the National Care Standards Commission regulates minimum standards for contracts between private care homes and residents. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Regulation 5 of the Care Homes Regulations 2001 requires all care home providers to produce a service user's guide, within which there should be a standard form of contract for the provision of services and facilities by the registered provider to service users. Compliance with these and other regulatory requirements is examined and reported upon by the National Care Standards Commission. Private Care Homes Lord Ashley of Stoke: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of elderly people requiring residential care are in private care homes. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: This information is not available centrally. At 31 March 2001, 84 per cent of residential care home places for people aged 65 and over were in independent care homes in England. Hearing Aid Services Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they know when the National Institute for Clinical Excellence will complete and report on its review of the Institute of Hearing Research project to modernise hearing aid services; and what form this review will take. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Institute of Hearing Research is undertaking a research project on behalf of the Department of Health which we expect to report in early 2003. Once this report has been made available we will consider whether it is appropriate for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to undertake any further work on this topic. Hearing Aid Services Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many of the existing sites chosen for the second phase of the Modernising Hearing Aid Services project are currently fitting digital hearing aids. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The process of modernisation has begun in all sites chosen for the second phase of the project. Site visits have been completed, equipment needs and additional funding determined and agreed. In addition, the vast majority have now received their equipment. Four of the second wave sites are now regularly prescribing digital hearing aids, and that number will be inceasing on a monthly basis. The Royal National Institute of Deaf People is co-ordinating the project on our behalf and expects the majority of the sites to be prescribing digital aids by the end of January 2003. Hearing Aid Services Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: In view of the demands of leading edge technology, what plans are in place to improve the skills of existing technicians in the National Health Service's hearing aid service who will be needed to fit digital hearing aids now that there are plans to make these available to National Health Service patients. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Training has been incorporated as an integral part of the process of modernising hearing aid services. Staff at each site will be trained to use the information technology and audiological equipment when they join the project. In addition, some National Health Service trusts have already provided training for their own staff and are already able to access the digital hearing aids contract without being part of the project. Hearing Aid Services Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: What estimates have been made of the need for additional highly skilled technical staff to be recruited and trained to fit new digital hearing aids successfully; and what plans have been made to close the skills gap that is likely during the years before new graduates start working in this area. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The staffing and training requirements of a modernised hearing aid service providing digital hearing aids is being analysed as part of the Modernising Hearing Aid Services Project. The analysis of the project will be completed early in the new year. Provision for additional staff and training has been made in the funding allocations to each of the sites participating in the Modernising Hearing Aid Services Project. In addition, the Department of Health is carrying forward work on skill mix, recruitment and retention of staff in audiology departments. Hearing Aid Services Baroness Howe of Idlicote: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their assessment of the pilot private finance initiative schemes with private hearing aid consultants currently in operation; and whether they intend to develop these further. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The small pilot project involving high street retailers in the supply of National Health Service digital hearing aids in Shrewsbury and Leeds is not yet completed. However, preliminary results suggest that it can be worth while involving the private sector in the provision of NHS hearing aids. Diabetes Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will announce the publication date of the national service framework delivery strategy for diabetes; and what additional resources will be provided to ensure its successful implementation. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We shall be publishing the delivery strategy for the Diabetes National Service Framework in the next few weeks and we shall make announcements on funding for the National Health Service shortly. NHS: Early Retirement Provision Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What sums of public money have been, or are to be, allocated to the National Health Service Pension Fund to provide concessionary pension benefits for health service employees who have been granted early retirement in the financial years 2001–02 and 2002–03 to date. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The amount recharged by the National Health Service Pensions Agency to employers in England and Wales in respect of early retirements for the financial year 2001–02 was £1.56 million. Data for financial year 2002–03 are not yet available. Early retirements include those from age 50 on the grounds of redundancy and retirements in the interests of the efficiency of the service. Osteoporotic Surgery Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many patients underwent osteoporotic surgery in the last two quarters for which figures are available. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with an operation and a primary diagnosis of osteoporosis (defined by ICD10 codes M80-M82) in National Health Service trusts in England was 1,579 in the quarter to 30 June 2001 and 1,687 in the quarter to 30 September 2001. An FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one healthcare provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes within the year. Human Reproduction: Sex Selection Consultation Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the significance of asking respondents to the questionnaire on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's consultation document Sex Selection: Choice and Responsibility in Human Reproduction to identify themselves in a category called "pro life"; and why respondents are not also asked to identify themselves where appropriate in a category called "pro abortion". Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority gave organisations responding to its consultation on sex selection the opportunity to identify themselves as "pro life" because it is particularly interested in whether such groups would condone sex selection techniques, such as sperm sorting, that do not involve the destruction of embryos. The list of categories is not comprehensive and "pro abortion" organisations can take the opportunity to identify themselves as such if they so wish. Abortion Act 1967, Section 1(1)(d) Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many abortions have been performed each year since 1990 under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967; and how many of these abortions have been performed after 24 weeks' gestation; and Whether medical practitioners performing abortions under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967 are legally obliged to specify the nature of the physical or mental abnormalities giving rise in their judgment to serious handicap when reporting such abortions to the Department of Health. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information requested is set out in the table. Any medical practitioner performing a termination of pregnancy under any grounds set out in the Abortion Act is legally required to notify the Chief Medical Officer on form HSA4. For abortions performed under Section 1(1)(d) practitioners are required to provide details of any foetal abnormalities diagnosed, together with method of diagnosis used, and any other reasons of termination; for example, a condition in a pregnant woman causing a suspected condition in a foetus. Legal Abortions—numbers performed on residents of England and Wales under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended Year Total Over 24 weeks gestation(1) 1990 1,601 21 1991 1,721 58 1992 1,811 53 1993 1,941 61 1994 1,805 81 1995 1,828 63 1996 1,929 85 1997 1,853 66 1998 1,830 73 1999 1,813 89 2000 1,833 94 2001 1,722 100 (1) Figures for 1990 to 1997 are of abortions performed at 25 weeks 0 days gestation or more and may include a very small number of abortions performed under sections other than 1(1)(d); figures from 1998 onwards are of abortions under Section 1(1)(d) performed at 24 weeks 0 days gestation or more. Source: Statistics Division 3G, Department of Health. Healthcare Workers: Smallpox Baroness Goudie: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to protect key healthcare workers against any possible smallpox emergency. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Since the tragic events of September 11, the Department of Health has strengthened its plans against any deliberate release of biological agents, including smallpox. We have no evidence of a specific threat of a smallpox attack on the United Kingdom. However, it is sensible and prudent to ensure that the National Health Service can deal with any potential threat. There are three components to the department's preparation for response to a possible smallpox emergency: improved vaccine stocks, a plan of action and a cohort of immunised staff who could deal safely with any potential smallpox cases. We have already taken action substantially to increase our stocks of smallpox vaccine and we have recently begun a second procurement to add to these stocks. The Department of Health is today publishing an interim plan of action for discussion and comment over the coming month. Under this plan, it is intended to establish 12 regional smallpox response groups around the UK. They will consist of infectious disease physicians and paediatricians, public health physicians, microbiologists/virologists, acute care and communicable disease control nurses and occupational health staff. This core group of NHS staff will need to be immune to smallpox and therefore able to react quickly and work safely with patients with actual or suspected smallpox. Preparations for the vaccination of these key workers is now under way. I expect these vaccinations to be completed by the end of next month. It is intended to vaccinate around 350 healthcare staff across the UK. This will be on an entirely voluntary basis with informed consent. The Ministry of Defence, with which we are working closely, is planning to vaccinate a similar cohort of specialist military personnel. The plan also explains how smallpox cases would be handled in various scenarios. The Department of Health's primary strategy would be to contain and ring vaccinate around any outbreak. The teams of vaccinated healthcare staff are central to delivering this strategy. These plans are a practical precaution designed to ensure the UK is prepared for any possible smallpox emergency. They are in line with World Health Organisation advice and will be kept under review. Similar interim plans are being prepared for publication by the devolved administrations. This work has been taken forward under the cross-governmental civil contigency machinery for which the Home Secretary has overall responsibility. NHS Pay Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are their plans for modernisation of National Health Service pay. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We are pleased to be able to announce that on 28 November negotiators representing the United Kingdom health departments, National Health Service employers and NHS trades unions successfully concluded negotiations on a new pay system for NHS staff (with the exception of those within the remit of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body and the most senior managers). It represents the most radical transformation of the NHS pay system since the foundation of the service in 1948. The proposed new system will now go out for consultation with organisations representing NHS staff. Over the three year period from 2003–04 to 2005–06 the overall package will mean an average increase of 12.5 per cent. in basic pay for NHS staff. It will give a 10 per cent. pay increase over three years for all staff, plus an average 5.9 per cent. in the longer run linked to modernisation. The proposed new pay system will be based on a new system of job evaluation. This means that the basic pay that NHS staff receive will reflect the knowledge, responsibility, skills and effort required in their job, rather than their historic job title or occupational group. To progress fully in the new pay system, staff will need to demonstrate a level of applied skills and knowledge appropriate to their level of responsibility. The new system will also introduce clearer rewards for staff who work flexibly outside traditional working hours. It will give extra flexibilities for local NHS employers to create new types of jobs and to make extra payments to reflect recruitment and retention pressures. Instead of almost 650 different staff grades and thousands of different allowances, there will be a simple set of core terms and conditions based on eight pay bands, including simple, harmonised arrangements for working hours and annual leave. The new system is designed to ensure fair pay for staff, based on the principle of equal pay for work of equal value, and a clearer system of career progression. It will also directly support modernisation of patient care. It will provide new opportunities for staff to take on new responsibilities, breaking down old-fashioned demarcations and enabling jobs to be redesigned around the needs of the patient. It will produce a more sensible division of labour, with nurses, therapists and healthcare assistants taking on new roles that improve NHS productivity and free up more of doctors' and other senior clinicians' time for direct patient care. Clearer rewards for flexible working will help make NHS services more widely available to patients in the evenings and weekends. Improvements in pay, career and training prospects will help recruit an estimated 10,000 more nurses and other health professionals and an estimated 27,000 healthcare assistants by 2006–07 in England, particularly in high cost areas such as London. A clearer link between pay and development of knowledge and skills will help deliver higher and more consistent standards of NHS patient care. If the new system is approved following consultation, implementation will start in 12 NHS sites in spring 2003, with full implementation starting in October 2004. A summary of the proposed new pay system has been placed in the Library. Education Sector: IT Provision The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the light of recent reports about the £57,000 quarterly Internet bill charged to Sandhurst primary school in Lewisham, what arrangements are in place for government funding of Internet connections in particular, and information technology provision more generally, for the education sector. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Schools are individually responsible for their own Internet charges, whether they negotiate their own contracts or purchase through their LEAs. As part of the department's broadband policy, 10 regional broadband consortia were set up to achieve cost-effective broadband connections for schools. The Prime Minister announced on 19 November that every primary and secondary school in the country will be provided with broadband Internet access by 2006. The Government have made over £1.8 billion available for ICT provision in schools in England over 1998 to 2004. This funding is to introduce and develop schools' ICT infrastructure, including hardware, content, training and Internet connectivity. In higher education, the Government have provided over £250 million over 2001 to 2004 for improving institutions' local networks; further digitisation of material to meet the growing demands for online information; and upgrading the transatlantic link connecting with the Joint Academy Network (JANet) further to facilitiate international collaboration in research. In further education, the Government have funded the National Learning Network (NLN) to improve hardware and connectivity, develop staff skills, provide learning materials and guide effective learning, teaching and management across the post-16 sector: £42 million is available in the current and next financial years to support the network. Department for Education and Skills: Outside Consultancies Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much money was spent in each year from 1997–98 to 2001–02 on outside consultancies by the Department for Education and Skills. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: This information is not held centrally and it would require a departmental trawl, at disproportionate cost, to gather the necessary information to answer the Question. Tourism Industry: Insurance Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they believe that tourism organisations should advise the tourism industry of the limitations of existing insurance cover and, together with the regional development agencies, make representations to the insurance industry for the development of policies that would provide cover in the circumstances that occurred in counties seriously affected by foot and mouth disease in 2001. Baroness Blackstone: It is a matter for tourism trade organisations to decide on which issues they should advise their members. For instance, the British Hospitality Association (BHA) decided to advise its members in March 2001, following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, that business interruption policies do not usually cover losses incurred following an outbreak, unless the business's access is closed. If the tourism industry does not consider that suitable insurance cover exists for risks such as those arising from an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, then it can make representations to the insurance industry. As sponsors of the tourism and hospitality industry, my department will consider how it can work with the industry on this matter, if we are approached about it. Thomas Coram Foundation Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the problems associated with the Thomas Coram Foundation's charitable status have been resolved so that the pictures in the Bloomsbury gallery will be on regular public view. Baroness Blackstone: Legal advice to the Thomas Coram Foundation has confirmed that the revised proposals for the establishment of a museum are acceptable. The required works are likely to take place over a period of two years, following which the collection will once again be available for public viewing. Belfast Agreement: Cross-Border Bodies Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 7 November (WA 160) concerning implementation boards, whether any accounting years other than the calendar year apply; and, if so, when and why. Lord Williams of Mostyn: I refer the noble Lord to the response provided to PQ HL 6079 on 7 November. The calendar year is the only accounting year which applies to implementation bodies. Northern Ireland: Post-Primary Education Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will give an undertaking that any replacement for the 11-plus examination in Northern Ireland will be based on the wishes of parents, teachers and the community and that full consultation will take place. Lord Williams of Mostyn: Extensive consultation on the Burns proposals demonstrated a demand for change and support for the abolition of the transfer tests among the education partners, schools, Churches, political parties, voluntary and community organisations and the public. The Government are taking forward the review of post-primary education and are working towards the abolition of the transfer tests as soon as practical. No decisions have been taken on academic selection or on new post-primary arrangements. Jane Kennedy is meeting with political parties and Department of Education officials are meeting with education partners and representatives of parents to discuss the next steps in the post-primary review. The Government will consider the views expressed in these meetings and in the responses to all the strands of the consultation in determining how best to develop new post-primary arrangements which meet the educational needs of all the children in Northern Ireland.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2002-12-02a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2002", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Home Office Eurostar: Immigration Controls lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 29 March (HL Deb, col 900) that “assessment is made of the throughput of traffic and gates are opened and closed accordingly”, why no biometric gates were open at the St Pancras Eurostar terminal on 30 March at a time of maximum traffic; and whether they intend to review their assessment procedure to avoid a recurrence of delays. baroness williams of trafford: The biometric gates at St Pancras Eurostar terminal are owned by Eurostar and operated by French Police aux frontieres. They are part of the French border control process and they dictate the hours of operation. The Eurostar Gare du Nord to St Pancras route has a juxtaposed control in place and the UK Border checks are carried out at Gare du Nord. I can confirm the UK biometric gates were open between 0500-1900 on the 30 March 2018. Passports: Albania baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many false or fraudulently obtained Albanian biometric passports have been detected or confiscated in the past three years. baroness williams of trafford: The information requested is not held in a reportable format. Passports lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the then Immigration Minister was invited to visit De La Rue’s Gateshead site during the tender process for the new British passports; if so, whether that invitation was accepted; and if not, who made the decision not to accept the invitation, and on what basis. baroness williams of trafford: The former Immigration Minister has not been invited by De La Rue to visit their Gateshead site at any point during the procurement process. Driving: Licensing lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement bythe Earl of Courtown on 16 April (HL Deb, col 1012), what guidance they have issued to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency as to how they should, in the exercise of their statutory duties, treat members of the Windrush generation; and how they intend to remedy any adverse actions such as the withdrawal of licences already taken. lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement bythe Earl of Courtown on 16 April (HL Deb, col 1012), what amended guidance they propose to issue to (1) banks, (2) landlords, (3) employers, and (5) other private bodies subject to statutory duties in relation to the control of immigration, to protect the Windrush generation from further disadvantage or discrimination. baroness williams of trafford: The Home Secretary announced that a dedicated team will be set up to help the Windrush generation to evidence their right to be in the UK and to access the benefits and services to which they are entitled.We are considering the need for additional guidance to partner agencies in support of this. British Nationality: Hong Kong lord craig of radley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Immigration on 19 March (HC132570), when a decision will be made on the request of 301 British Hong Kong Servicemen to be granted British citizenship, made in a petition handed to the then Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015 and subsequently raised by a delegation of those servicemen at a meeting with the Home Secretary Amber Rudd in November 2017. baroness williams of trafford: We have received a number of representations on this matter, all of which are being carefully considered and a decision will be made as soon as practicable. Asylum: Torture lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to change their definition of torture in relation to the treatment of asylum claims and related legal proceedings; and, if so, whether they intend to table debates in both Houses of Parliament on those plans before they are implemented. baroness williams of trafford: The Government laid draft revised statutory guidance before Parliament on 21 March 2018, and the corresponding statutory instruments on 27 March, to implement a new definition of torture for the purposes of immigration detention. The statutory instruments and guidance give effect to a recent High Court judgment and are subject to the negative resolution procedure. Immigrants: Detainees lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 16 April (HL6835), whether they will consider implementing a maximum length of time for which vulnerable people, including LGBT asylum seekers, can be detained for immigration purposes. baroness williams of trafford: The Government currently has no plans to introduce a maximum time limit on immigration detention, either generally or for particular groups, such as those who identify as LGBT. A time limit would only encourage individuals, including foreign national offenders who present a risk to the public, to frustrate immigration and asylum procedures until they reach a point at which they would have to be released. This would impact significantly on the Government’s ability to enforce immigration controls and maintain public safety. Immigration lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to reassess their "hostile environment" policy. baroness williams of trafford: The Compliant Environment is not a new concept. It is a renewed effort to develop an immigration system which supports compliance with our laws and Immigration Rules. Successive Governments have brought forward policies to protect the UK taxpayer from the misuse of public services and benefits and those policies are regularly reviewed.In developing the Compliant Environment, we have ensured that those with lawful immigration status can demonstrate it easily. We take the quality of our decision making very seriously; we offer the right to redress and have also built in appropriate safeguards, taking careful account of the need to protect vulnerable persons and to mitigate the risk of taking decisions incorrectly. We will continue to keep those safeguards under review. Passports: Hong Kong lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a record has been kept of the proportion of the 500 passports allocated to members of the Hong Kong Service Corps under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 Selection Scheme that were taken up. baroness williams of trafford: Successful applicants and their dependants under the Hong Kong Nationality scheme were granted British citizenship. They were then entitled to apply for a passport at any time and continue to be able to do so today. No figures exist on how many passports have been issued, including renewals over the passage of time. Refugees the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the recommendations of the report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Refugees, Refugees Welcome. the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the recommendation for a national refugee integration strategy in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Refugees report,Refugees Welcome, is included in the Integrated Communities Strategy. baroness williams of trafford: The Government published the Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper on 14th March. This includes proposals on the future of integration support for refugees. The Green Paper sets out that the Government will work with civil society to increase integration support for refugees recognised after arrival in the UK. This recognises the importance that we place on integration for all refugees. The Green Paper also sets out plans to develop, with the Department for Education and the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government, a new national English language Strategy for England; and plans to share best practice and build on learning about what works in relation to support for refugees on employment, English language, mental health and cultural orientation. The Government will further develop these proposals with input from a range of stakeholders. Consultation on the Green Paper is open until 5th June. Refugees: Syria lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the military action in Syria, they have given any consideration to taking more than the 20,000 refugees to which they have already committed. baroness williams of trafford: The UK has committed to resettling 20,000 of the most vulnerable refugees affected by the Syria conflict by the year 2020 through our Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, and we have no plans to increase this at the present time. This commitment is in addition to those we resettle through our Vulnerable Children’s, Gateway and Mandate schemes, and the thousands who receive protection in the UK under normal asylum procedures.Resettlement is only one part of the solution to the humanitarian crisis in Syria. Our priorities are humanitarian aid and actively seeking an end to the conflict in Syria. We believe this approach is the best way to ensure that the UK’s help has the greatest impact for the majority of refugees who remain in the region and their host countries.We have begun work with key stakeholders and international organisations on our future Asylum and Resettlement Strategy, which includes consideration of the UK’s resettlement offer beyond 2020. Department for Transport Air Traffic Control lord northbrook: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the process for downgrading airspace from controlled to uncontrolled. baroness sugg: The independent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for overseeing the design of UK airspace. The process to request the CAA to approve a proposal for an airspace change is set out in its relevant guidance document, CAP 1616, which came into effect on 2nd January 2018. Ministry of Defence Syria: Military Intervention baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to withdraw support from the Free Syrian Army (FSA), following reports that the FSA were responsible for the roadside bomb which killed a British soldier in Manbij on 29 March. earl howe: The UK is not providing support to the Free Syrian Army. The Government will not provide any additional information on the circumstances surrounding the death of Sgt Tonroe. Syria: Military Intervention baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the laying of a roadside bomb in Manbij, Syria, reportedly by allies of Turkey, which killed a British soldier on 29 March. earl howe: The Government will not provide any additional information on the circumstances surrounding the death of Sgt Tonroe. Astute Class Submarines lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the planned date of the launch ceremony of the seventh Astute class submarine. lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the planned paying off date for the last Trafalgar class submarine in Royal Navy service. earl howe: There are no current Ministry of Defence plans for a launch ceremony for the seventh Astute class submarine at this time. The planned out-of-service and in-service dates for Royal Navy submarines are withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. Warships: Cruise Missiles lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure that the Royal Navy has the capability to launch cruise missiles from surface ships. earl howe: Royal Navy warships are equipped with an array of offensive and defensive weapons to enable them to fulfil their operational roles. UK land attack is ably provided by submarines which can launch Tomahawk missiles. Department for Exiting the European Union EU Law lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof the impact on the UK of economic divergence from EU rules and regulations after Brexit. lord callanan: We are focused on making the UK’s exit from the EU, and our new trading relationship with the world, a success. We have set out proposals for an ambitious future trade and customs relationship with the EU, in which we will look to minimise the regulatory barriers for both goods and services between the UK and the EU. The Government has been undertaking rigorous and extensive analysis work to support our exit negotiations, as any responsible Government should, in order to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks. We have been engaging with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy and all regions of the UK as part of this process, and we will continue to do so as we move forward. We have been clear the Government will not provide an ongoing commentary on internal analytical work that is being carried out within Government. Schengen Agreement lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, after the UK leaves the EU, UK citizens entering a Schengen country on a 90 day visa will, after their return to the UK upon its expiry, have to wait a further three months before they are able to enter another Schengen country without becoming an illegal migrant in that country; and if so, what action they propose to avoid that outcome. lord callanan: The rules that will apply to UK nationals travelling to the EU in future, and EU citizens travelling to the UK are issues that have not yet been discussed with the EU. In her Mansion House speech, the Prime Minister set out our ambition to agree an appropriate and reciprocal labour mobility framework that will enable UK businesses and professionals to travel and provide services. We are carefully considering our options and will discuss these matters with the EU in due course.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2018-04-24
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2018", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Carbon Budgets baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's ability to meet its fourth and fifth carbon budgets, which run from 2022 to 2032; and what plans they have to meet or otherwise amend those budgets. lord henley: The UK carbon budgets set in legislation are among the most stringent in the world, with the fifth carbon budget requiring a 57% cut in emissions by 2028-2032 from a 1990 baseline. The Clean Growth Strategy sets out our plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through to 2032, showing one possible pathway for meeting the fifth carbon budget through domestic action. Projections show that we are on track to deliver over 90% of our required performance against 1990 levels for the fourth and fifth carbon budgets, even before many of the policies and proposals in the Clean Growth Strategy are taken into account. Our progress in delivering on the ambitious policies and proposals set out in the Clean Growth Strategy– across housing, business, transport, the natural environment and green finance - is set out in detail in the Government Response to the Committee on Climate Change’s Annual Progress Report to Parliament. This includes an assessment of progress against key actions and milestones. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Middle East and North Africa: Defence Organisations lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussion or preparation there has been for the creation of an institution for the Middle East and North Africa comparable to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. lord ahmad of wimbledon: An OSCE–style regional cooperative security organisation within the Middle East and North Africa has been periodically suggested but has never found sufficient agreement within the region’s states to become a reality.It would be for the countries in the Middle East and North Africa region to create such an institution. We are not aware of or involved in any such discussions or preparations at this time. Algeria: Politics and Government the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support a national dialogue to achieve a peaceful political transition in Algeria, following the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on 2 April. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are following events in Algeria closely, following (former) President Bouteflika's resignation, the appointment of an interim Head of State and the announcement of presidential election scheduled for 4 July.We have discussed these developments with Algerian officials and civil society representatives at a variety of levels. We commend the peaceful and dignified nature of the demonstration. The forthcoming transition period is a matter for the Algerian people. Ukraine: Foreign Relations the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what practical steps they intend to take to strengthen bilateral relations with Ukraine, including future UK ministerial meetings with new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Prime Minister spoke with President-elect Zelenskiy by telephone on 23 April, and reiterated the UK's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. She expressed our willingness to increase our already deep partnership across a range of areas. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of our two countries working together alongside the international community to deter Russian aggression, and invited Mr Zelenskiy to visit the UK at the earliest opportunity. We look forward to further engagement with Mr Zelenskiy after his inauguration. Arctic Council lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to join the Arctic Council; and if not, why not. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​In accordance with the Declaration on the establishment of the Arctic Council dated 19 September 1996, membership is reserved to Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and the USA, also known as the Arctic States. The United Kingdom has held the status of State Observer to the Arctic Council since its establishment in 1996, and intends to continue to retain this status and our ongoing engagement with the Arctic Council. Israel: West Bank baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about the closure of checkpoints and crossings between Israel and the West Bank during Jewish religious holidays. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised the specific issue of the closure of crossings during Jewish religious holidays with the Israeli authorities. We recognise the Israeli authorities' legitimate need to deploy security measures in some circumstances, including the closure of checkpoints and crossings, and we encourage them to do so in a way which minimises tensions. Palestinians: Religious Freedom baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about Palestinian Christians in Gaza being denied permits to travel to worship in Bethlehem or Jerusalem; and what actionthey will take to preserve religious freedom in the Palestinian Occupied Territory. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains committed to freedom of movement for those wishing to pursue religious ceremonies and purposes. We understand that in April Israel provided some permits for Christians to visit holy sites both in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and outside of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. However Israel continues to implement severe restrictions on movement access for Palestinians in Gaza. We regularly raise our concerns about Gaza with the Israeli authorities, urging them to ease movement and access restrictions and work together with the Palestinian Authority and Egypt to see long-term improvements to the situation in Gaza. We encourage Israel to continue to promptly issue permits regularly to both Christians and Muslims in Gaza, and uphold freedom of religion and belief for all. Jerusalem: Demolition baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Israel's Supreme Court is allowing the demolition of 60 buildings housing 500 Palestinian families in Silwan, East Jerusalem. lord ahmad of wimbledon: On 26 April the EU issued a statement, on behalf of the UK and other EU Member States, requesting that Israel reconsider the pending demolition orders in Silwan. We continue to be gravely concerned by the impact of demolitions and evictions on ordinary Palestinians and the impact this has on the viability of a future Palestinian state. Demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; call into question Israel's commitment to a viable two-state solution; and, in all but the most exceptional of cases, are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. We fund a number of projects to monitor and report on settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and to protect vulnerable Palestinian communities from the effects of settlement expansion. Israel: Elections baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that political operatives working for theLikud-National Liberal Movement have claimed to have decreased voter turnout among Arab-Israelis by illegally hiding 1,300 cameras inside Arab polling stations during the recent elections in Israel. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not made any assessment on this issue as this is a matter for the Israeli authorities. We have discussed with our international partners, including Israel, the importance of free, fair and pluralistic elections in upholding the principle and practice of democracy.​ Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about reports that Israeli forces use live fire in situations where there is no risk to those forces. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is very concerned at the high numbers of Palestinians killed by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the West Bank and Gaza. We have raised the issue with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out transparent investigations whether use of live fire had been appropriate.We repeatedly make clear to the Israeli authorities our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the IDF police non-violent protests and the border areas, including use of live ammunition. We will continue to do so. Iraq: Syria lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toencourage the re-opening of the Iraq–Syria border crossing at Al-Qaim and Abu Kamal; and whether they plan to discuss this matter with the government of the USA, with particular reference to access to, and humanitarian supplies for, 40,000internally displaced people in the Rukban Camp. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK remains deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in Rukban camp. Together with our international partners including the United States, we are urgently pressing the Syrian regime and Russia to allow further UN aid convoys from Damascus. There is no legitimate reason why the regime is refusing to facilitate sustained humanitarian access to the camp. We do not assess the re-opening of the Iraq-Syria border crossing at Al-Qaim and Abu Kamal would assist in this matter as, even if agreed, any aid convoy using this crossing would still require the regime's approval to reach the Rukban camp. Najah Ahmed Yousif lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made about the allegations of torture and sexual assault by officers of Bahrain’s National Security Agency on political prisoner Najah Yusuf; and whether they have communicated directly with the National Security Agency Ombudsmanaboutsuch allegations. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Manama continues to monitor the case of Najah Ahmed Yusuf and has raised her case at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain. Gulf States: Overseas Aid lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 3 April (237139), what are the objectivesof the Integrated Activity Fund. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Integrated Activity Fund was introduced in the 2015 Spending Round to enable activity when funding from core departmental, or other sources, cannot be made available to service the British Government's Gulf Strategy. It is intended to support the delivery of flexible, cross-cutting and sustained investment in the region. Department for Education Pupil Exclusions lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce "off-rolling" of Year 11 pupils from school rolls; and whether such pupils should still be included in school performance tables. lord agnew of oulton: Pupils leave school rolls for many reasons including: permanent exclusion, moving to another school, or changes of circumstances (such as when a pupil moves to a new area). All schools must notify the local authority when a pupil’s name is to be deleted from the admission register. There is no legal definition of ‘off-rolling’. However, the law is clear that a pupil’s name can only be deleted from the admission register on the grounds prescribed in regulation 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended. Statutory guidance on exclusions is also clear that ‘informal’ or ‘unofficial’ exclusions are unlawful, regardless of whether they occur with the agreement of parents or carers. Any exclusion of a pupil, even for short periods of time, must be formally recorded. Following media coverage of inappropriate off-rolling last summer, the department wrote to all secondary schools, reminding them of the rules surrounding exclusion. Ofsted has recently consulted on proposals that will see inspectors paying particular attention to signs of off-rolling, and if it is found, reflecting this in the school’s inspection judgement. Ofsted will publish the outcome of its consultation in due course. In March 2018, the government launched an externally-led review of exclusions practice, led by Edward Timpson CBE. The review is exploring how head teachers use exclusion, and why pupils with particular characteristics are more likely to be excluded from school. It is also considering the differences in exclusion rates across primary and secondary schools in England. The Timpson review and the government’s response were published on 7 May. The review makes 30 recommendations and highlights variation in exclusions practice across different schools, local authorities and certain groups of children. The government agrees with all 30 recommendation in principle and will be taking forward an ambitious response which respects headteachers’ powers to use exclusion, while equipping schools to support children at risk of exclusion. Universities: Disclosure of Information lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of non-disclosure agreements by universities. viscount younger of leckie: Many organisations, including universities, use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and confidentiality agreements legitimately. Universities are autonomous institutions and the Department for Education has not made any specific analysis of their use of NDAs.We expect universities to only use NDAs where necessary and appropriate. Any misuse of these agreements to intimidate and silence people is completely unacceptable.In a speech on 7 May at the London School of Economics, my hon. Friend, the Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, said that non-disclosure clauses should only be used in appropriate circumstances, like protecting valuable research findings should a staff member change jobs. He added that they should not be used to cover up inappropriate behaviour or conduct.The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recently consulted on the best way to tighten the laws around NDAs for workers, ensuring workers are clear on their rights and making it clear in law that people cannot be prevented from speaking to the police or reporting a crime regardless of any NDA. Responses to the consultation are currently being analysed. Students: Loans baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what is the current policy of the Student Loans Company on the surveillance of students’ social media; (2) whetherany such policy is publicly available;(3) which social media platforms may fall under this policy; and (4) what measures are in place to oversee this policy. baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals' social media accounts the Student Loans Company has surveilled as part of its approach to combatting fraud. baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals have received compensation or redress from the Student Loans Company as a result of wrongful decisions under its approach to combatting fraud. viscount younger of leckie: The Student Loans Company (SLC) carries out investigations where fraud is suspected, as well as sample checks to identify possible fraud. The SLC accesses a wide range of publicly available information for the purposes of verifying a customer’s eligibility and detecting and preventing fraud, and this may include publicly available social media content. The SLC only accesses information that is in the public domain; it does not use information sourced from social media in isolation to make a determination on a case; and it does not conduct ongoing monitoring or surveillance of students’ social media. The SLC provides a privacy notice to all students during their application for finance, which is also available on the SLC’s website. This notice sets out how students’ personal information is processed and used by the company, including that both the information provided by the student during their application and publicly available information, such as that on social media and other public platforms, may be used to detect, investigate and prevent crime including fraud. The SLC is also in the final stages of drafting a social media acceptable use policy, which covers all aspects of the company’s social media use. This policy is due to be published on the SLC’s website next month. The policy covers any publicly available social media platform. Currently, the SLC accesses publicly available content on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The policy will be reviewed at least annually or more often if business requirements, legislation, or regulations change. In 2018-19, the SLC investigated 3,829 cases in relation to potential application fraud (out of a total of 2.8 million applicants and students). A further 5,289 cases were investigated in relation to repayment evasion (out of a total 5.7 million repayers). As part of the process for both preventing application fraud and eliminating repayment evasion, investigators may review publicly available information, such as that on social media and other public platforms. This does not occur in every investigation. To date in financial year (FY) 2019-20, and in FY 2018-19, no individuals received compensation or redress from the SLC as a result of wrongful decisions by the SLC's Counter Fraud Team. In FY 2017-18, one individual received an ex-gratia payment of £100. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Homelessness: Children lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support homeless children in the UK. lord bourne of aberystwyth: This Government remains clear that one person without a home is one too many and we are committed to preventing and reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. Time spent in temporary accommodation means people are getting help and it ensures no child or family is without a roof over their head.As well as allocating over £1.2 billion to tackle all forms of homelessness over the spending review period, the government has also taken forward a number of important actions to specifically prevent and reduce homelessness.The Homelessness Reduction Act, which came into force in April 2018, bolsters the support offer for families and individuals by ensuring that there are more opportunities for local authorities to put in place bespoke interventions to either prevent homelessness from happening in the first place, or relieve them from a homelessness crisis where it does occur. Local authorities have a duty to house eligible households with children.We also replaced the Department for Work and Pension's (DWP) Temporary Accommodation Management Fee with a Flexible Homelessness Support Grant which local authorities can use more strategically to prevent homelessness and help households find a settled home. This amounts to £617 million over three years from 2017/18.Our new Homelessness Advice and Support Team, drawn from local authorities and the homelessness sector, is providing support to authorities to deliver the Homelessness Reduction Act and effective homelessness services. Non-domestic Rates: Tax Allowances lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of business rates relief approved by local authorities in England since 2015. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Data on the cost of reliefs given and forecast to be given can be found in Table 2 (attached) of the ‘National non-domestic rates to be collected by local authorities in England 2019-20’ statistical release, which can be found at this link https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/778324/NNDR1_2019-20_Stats_release.pdf Table 2 (PDF Document, 255.29 KB) NNDR Statistical releases (PDF Document, 307.2 KB) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Birds: Pest Control lord crathorne: To ask Her Majesty's Government when Natural England expects to introduce new licences for bird control. lord gardiner of kimble: The Secretary of State has taken over ultimate decision making powers for general licences relating to the purposes covered by the three revoked general licences. The Secretary of State will consider the present situation with intensity and urgency; his priority is getting this right. The Government has issued a call for evidence https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-launches-call-for-evidence-on-decision-to-revoke-general-licences to help our consideration of the issues of new general licences. Animals: Overseas Trade lord lilley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether trade inlive vertebrates between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland takes place under the Trade Control and Expert System and requires an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate; if so, who provides the certificate; and what changes would be required if the UK leaves the EU. lord gardiner of kimble: For live vertebrates traded between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland the normal EU rules for trade between Member States apply. The rules vary according to the animal. For most live vertebrates the consignment has to be notified to the Competent Authority of the receiving Member State using TRACES and requires an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC). If the UK is listed as a third country after EU exit then EU law as it stands would require commercial exports of most live vertebrates from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland to enter the Republic at a Border Inspection Post and be accompanied by an Export Health Certificate. Notification would either be by the EU importer, or potentially by the relevant UK competent authority using TRACES if the EU agrees access to this element of TRACES. In Northern Ireland the relevant competent authority is DAERA. For commercial imports of most live vertebrates from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland in the absence of a deal, the guidance we issued before 12 April set out the process to follow: www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-animals-animal-products-and-high-risk-food-and-feed-not-of-animal-origin-if-the-UK-leaves-the-EU-with-no-deal This included the requirement for the UK importer to contact DAERA and for the consignment to be accompanied by a UK health certificate. This could be an ITAHC for a transition period of six months. If the EU were to agree access to the relevant elements of TRACES as they did for a limited period in the event of the UK exiting the EU without a deal on 12 April, then notification could take place on TRACES and the process would be the same as now. If we leave the EU in accordance with the draft Withdrawal Agreement then for the period of that Agreement the processes for trade of live vertebrates between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland would be the same as now. Packaging: Waste baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations; and whether those Regulations need to be reformed. lord gardiner of kimble: In 2017 the Government published a Post Implementation Review of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations. In our Resources and Waste Strategy we committed to reform our current packaging producer responsibility system which includes measures to incentivise producers to make better, more sustainable decisions at the design stage and point of manufacture. On 18 February 2019 the Government published a consultation on proposals to reform the producer responsibility regime for packaging, including mechanisms to incentivise better design, encourage the use of recycled material and ensure that producers pay the full costs of disposal for packaging they place on the market. The consultation closed on 13 May. Butterflies baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health of the UK butterfly population. lord gardiner of kimble: The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme is organised and funded by Butterfly Conservation, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the British Trust for Ornithology and the UK Government’s nature conservation adviser, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Records are collected by volunteers and provide an invaluable dataset for planning and monitoring action for insect conservation. The scheme’s data is published annually and incorporated into the Government’s UK and England Biodiversity Indicators. The UK indicator of butterfly abundance shows long term declines since 1976 but has shown no overall trend since 2012, despite increases for some species and decreases for others. We have seen real conservation success stories, often where farmers, landowners, voluntary bodies - such as Butterfly Conservation - and Government have worked together to put the right management in the right place. For example, the high brown fritillary, one of Britain’s most threatened butterflies, having lost 85 per cent of its population since the 1970s, has been the focus of conservation efforts and has seen numbers increase by 271 per cent over the last 10 years. Short-term increases in numbers across species were also seen in 2018 when the Monitoring Scheme’s most recent data was published in April 2019. More than two- thirds of UK butterfly species were seen in higher numbers than the previous year, with two of the UK’s rarest, the large blue and black hairstreak, recording their best years since records began. The Government knows, however, that butterfly numbers fluctuate from year to year in response to weather conditions. The Government must closely monitor the underlying trends and keep conservation actions under review to build on progress and ensure that efforts continue to be targeted effectively. Home Office Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund lord dubs: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the European Migration Fund is being allocated to local authorities and in particular to child refugees. baroness williams of trafford: The EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), to which this question presumably relates, is operated in the UK by the AMIF UK Responsible Authority. The total value of the fund to the UK is currently €538.2m.Funding is not allocated directly to local authorities unless they have applied for funding through an open call for proposals operated by the Responsible Authority, one of which is currently open with £50m available for organisations to apply for, for integration related activities for third country nationalS, including refugees. The Home Office, as the department with responsibility for migration, is also able to apply for AMIF funds, and has received a significant amount of AMIF funds to date.There is no particular amount allocated to managing child refugees. A full list of funded projects is published each August on the AMIF page of www.gov.uk along with the UK National Programme and information about calls for proposals. Cabinet Office Brexit lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether transcripts were taken of the meetings in May and June 2018 between the Chancellor of Germany and the Prime Minister; and if so, whether they will place copies in the Library of the House. lord young of cookham: The Prime Minister holds meetings with other leaders regularly in order to further the UK’s foreign policy interests. In order to maintain the trust of other states and continue the free and frank exchange of information between governments, it is important that discussions between the Prime Minister and other leaders are protected. Torture lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whethertheyintend to establish a judge-led inquiry into allegations of UK involvement in torture overseas. lord young of cookham: Further to the Prime Minister’s Written Statement of 22 November 2018 (HCWS1100), the Government continues to give serious consideration to the examination of detainee issues and whether any more lessons can be learned and, if so, how. This includes the question of whether or not there should be a further judge-led inquiry. Treasury Import Duties lord lilley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what revenue they anticipate from a full year of the temporary tariff regime announced on 13 March; and how much they would expect to raise if there were no change in the current tariff regime. lord young of cookham: Under the current tariff regime, the independent Office for Budget Responsibility have forecast tariff revenue to be £3.5bn in 2019/20. In the event of a no deal it will not be possible to replicate our current trading arrangements. The yield raised from tariffs, under the temporary tariff regime, is likely to be highly sensitive to any behavioural response, wider economic conditions, and judgements on modelling assumptions taken by the Office for Budget Responsibility. It is therefore not possible to provide a firm estimate at this stage of a full year of the temporary tariff regime but in the event of no deal, the tariffs policy would be reflected in a future Office for Budget Responsibility fiscal forecast. Electronic Commerce: Tax Evasion lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Young of Cookham on 25 April, what was the value of stock belonging to third parties seized from 14 fulfilment houses by HMRC; whether that stock has been, or will be, destroyed; and if not, what they intend to do with that stock. lord young of cookham: HMRC does not record the values of goods seized from fulfilment houses. Goods have been seized where HMRC believes customs obligations have been contravened. This includes the inability of the fulfilment house to link the goods to an import declaration made to HMRC. Without this link, the value of the goods declared at import is unknown. HMRC will destroy all seized goods after an appropriate period of time has elapsed, unless the importer of the goods can demonstrate it is compliant.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2019-05-13
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2019", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Home Office Counter-terrorism Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the phrase "mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs" in their Counter-Extremism Strategy differs in meaning from the phrase "mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs" referred to in their departmental advice for schools, academies and free schools entitled Improving the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils: supplementary information; and if so, how. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government definition of the phrase “mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs”, as set out in the Counter–Extremism Strategy refers to a mutual respect of the individual regardless of their faith and therefore carries the same meaning and definition as set out in the departmental advice for schools entitled ‘Improving the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils’. Individuals in the UK should be treated with mutual respect and tolerance irrespective of their faith and belief based on fundamental values that have evolved over centuries. These are shared values which are rooted in democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and freedom of religion and belief. Department for International Development Disasters Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that the present conditions of (1) the Gaza Strip, and (2) the Mosul Dam in Iraq, are suitable candidates for examinations under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reductions; and if so, what action they plan to take. Baroness Verma: The UK is deeply concerned by the conditions in Gaza and the risk of the Mosul Dam failing in Iraq. The Sendai Framework is a non-binding framework that covers natural disasters and therefore is not the most appropriate tool for Gaza and Mosul. The UK is a strong advocate for the framework’s aims. We remain committed to supporting the most vulnerable countries and communities to better withstand and recover from the impact of disasters. The framework reflects fully a number of longstanding priorities and areas of expertise which are already being taken forward by DFID to support developing countries to help them to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks and build resilience, through its support to multilaterals and through its country programmes. Nepal: Earthquakes The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the progress of earthquake relief in Nepal in the last 12 months; and how much they have contributed to it. Baroness Verma: Over the past year work has been done by both the Government of Nepal and the International Community to meet the immediate needs of those most affected by the devastating earthquakes in April and May 2015. The UK particularly welcomed the formation of Government of Nepal’s National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) earlier in January 2016 whose mandate is to ensure a co-ordinated and coherent response to the post disaster rebuilding efforts.The UK has played a leading role in addressing the humanitarian needs of the Nepali people and supporting the long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts of the country. With a total commitment of £70 million to the earthquake relief effort, over the last year DFID has provided life-saving humanitarian assistance, for hard to reach communities and to the thousands that remain displaced. UK support has already reached over 280,000 people with shelter, 50,000 people with hygiene kits and sanitation support, and 30,000 people with essential household items, including kitchen sets, solar lamps and water purification tablets. DFID support during the bleak winter season meant that over 200,000 people living at high altitudes were reached with vital cold weather support, including clothes, blankets and mattresses, to help remote communities see through the freezing conditions.We continue to monitor the humanitarian and recovery situation in Nepal, particularly for those who remain highly vulnerable due to loss of homes and livelihoods. For example we have recently approved £4.49 million to support the Gurkha communities living in the remote high hills of Nepal. The support, which will be implemented through the Gorkha Welfare Scheme (GWS), will include building 120 new water supply systems; reaching 3,400 households (22,500 people) with improved water and sanitation facilities; and building latrines for 2,850 households and 35 school, ensuring girls get a separate toilet in schools. Department for Education Arts: Qualifications Baroness Nye: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many level 2 Craft, Creative Arts and Design (9.2) vocational qualifications were completed in each year since 2011 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined. Baroness Nye: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many level 3 Craft, Creative Arts and Design (9.2) vocational qualifications were completed in each year since 2011 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined. Lord Nash: As there is no formal definition of what constitutes “Craft, Creative Arts and Design”, it has not been possible to provide the information that is requested. Grammar Schools: Buckinghamshire Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the not-for-profit company that sets and co-ordinates the 11 plus exam in Buckinghamshire is subject to the public sector equality duty. Lord Nash: The Department for Education holds no responsibility for the 11 plus exams. These are commercial products which local authorities and independent schools implement at their discretion.The 11 plus exam, or newly-named ‘Transfer Test’, in Buckinghamshire is developed by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) at the University of Durham, which is an independent educational supplier. Private and voluntary organisations are subject to the public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010 when they carry out public functions. The duty may therefore apply to CEM’s public functions only, but the Department cannot advise on this. Pre-school Education: Special Educational Needs Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ensure there is adequate funding for children with special educational needs in early years education. Lord Nash: We have already announced over £1bn more for the early years entitlements within the ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant by 2019-20, which includes £300m per year to uplift the average funding rate to providers. We are also providing protection for high needs funding that will make sure that the level of funding rises in proportion to the number of children, including those under 5. This will make sure that local authorities continue to have the flexibility to target funding where it is most needed to help children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families, including the youngest children. Further consideration will be given to funding for children with special educational needs in early years education as part of a consultation later this year.Local authorities are required by law to secure free entitlement places for parents that want their child to take them up. The Government is committed to ensuring that all families have access to high quality, flexible and affordable childcare and parents with children with special educational needs should have the same opportunities as other parents through access to high quality childcare. The Children and Families Act requires local authorities to have a ‘local offer’ which includes a statement on how they intend to tailor the childcare on offer for children with special educational needs and disabilities.Early implementation of 30 hours from September 2016 provides a real opportunity to develop innovative approaches to providing flexible childcare for working parents whose children are disabled or have special educational needs. Through Early Implementation, York, Northumberland, Newham and Wigan are among 8 LAs delivering the 30 hours entitlement from September 2016, a year earlier than planned. This will include delivering targeted places focusing on children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.They will also be supported by Early Implementer Innovator areas including Brighton and Hove, Hampshire and Trafford, who will test the offer and how it works under specific circumstances, including developing approaches to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Children: Day Care Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to ring-fencing funding provided to local authorities for childcare. Lord Nash: We have already announced over £1bn more for the early years entitlements within the ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant by 2019-20, which includes £300m per year to uplift the average funding rate to providers. The increase to the funding rate is based on robust evidence from the Review of the Cost of Childcare. We have made clear our commitment to maximise the amount of early years funding which reaches front line childcare providers, and will consult on proposals for achieving this as part of our consultation on early years funding reform later this year. Children's Play Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the importance of strategic local approaches to play, and what plans they have to require authorities to submit regional play strategies to the Department for Education. Lord Nash: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given on 8 March to PQ 29737, which I have also set out below:The Department for Education recognises that play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning.Play is integral in the early years and is covered in the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework which states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.”The staff working in early years settings as Early Years Educators (level 3) and Early Years Teachers (graduates) are required to have an understanding different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. The criteria for the Early Years Educator and standards for Early Years Teacher Status qualifications are set by the department.Ofsted registers childcare provision on the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register and conducts a regular cycle of inspection to ensure that provision meets the required quality and safety standards.In judging the quality and standards of early years provision, Ofsted inspectors must assess the extent to which the learning and care provided by the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend, including the needs of any children who have special educational needs or disabilities. At August 2015, 85 per cent of providers on the Early Years Register were rated good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. This is an increase of 11 percentage points since 2012.Local Authorities provide and offer Continuous Professional Development and training to early years settings; some of which may include training on play. However, it is not a requirement for local authorities to deliver regional play training as it is already a requirement in the Early Years Foundation Stage to cover play in a setting. Children's Play Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the call in the new report from the charity Sense, Making the Case for Play, for play to be part of the ministerial brief for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Childcare and Education. Lord Nash: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given on 8 March to PQ 29735, which I have also set out below:The Department for Education recognises that play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning. The importance of play is already recognised within the early years legislation covered by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Childcare and Education’s portfolio.Play is covered in the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework and states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.”Staff working in early years settings as Early Years Educators (level 3) and Early Years Teachers (graduates) are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. The criteria for the Early Years Educator and standards for Early Years Teacher Status qualifications are set by the department. However, it is the responsibility of early years settings to provide play opportunities for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.Ofsted registers childcare provision on the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register and conducts a regular cycle of inspection to ensure that provision meets the required quality and safety standards.In judging the quality and standards of early years provision, Ofsted inspectors must assess the extent to which the learning and care provided by the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend, including the needs of any children who have special educational needs or disabilities. At August 2015, 85 per cent of providers on the Early Years Register were rated good or outstanding for overall effectiveness. This is an increase of 11 percentage points since 2012. Children's Play Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to highlight play as a key strand of the Government's policy on parenting and life chances. Lord Nash: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given on 9 March to PQ 29736, which I have also set out below:The Department for Education recognises that play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning.Play is integral in the early years and is covered in the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework which states: “Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others.” The framework is attached.The Government’s forthcoming Life Chances Strategy will set out a comprehensive plan to fight disadvantage and extend opportunity. Within this, we are considering how we can support early years and parenting to give children the best start in life. Early_Years_Foundation_Stage_framework (PDF Document, 236.26 KB) Arts: GCSE The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many individuals took Art and Design GCSE in each year since 2011 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined, and what percentage of the total number of GCSEs this constitutes. Lord Nash: The Department for Education produces statistics on England only.The table below shows the total number of pupils attempting Art and Design and the percentage this represents of all pupils attempting GCSEs at the end of key stage 4 for the years requested. This information is published in the “Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2014 to 2015” Statistical First Release available on GOV.UK. 2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15Number of pupils attempting Art and Design155,724151,601156,482164,648170,783Pupils[1] attempting GCSE[2] Art and Design as a percentage of all pupils attempting GCSEs25.425.025.327.128.5[1] Pupils at the end of key stage 4.[2] GCSE only. Arts: Qualifications The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many individuals took Art and Design GCE AS/A level in each year since 2011 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined, and what percentage of the total number of GCE AS/A levels this constitutes. Lord Nash: The Department for Education produces statistics on England only.Information on the number of entries of art and design GCE AS/A level and the percentage of the total number of all GCE AS/A level entries for the 2010/11 to 2014/15 academic years is provided in the table below. This information is published in the “A level and other level 3 results: 2014 to 2015 (revised)” Statistical First Release available on GOV.UK.GCE/A level[1] entries20112012201320142015Art and Design42,63343,23641,38840,76340,747Percentage of all A level entries that were in A level art and design5.45.55.35.55.4 GCE/AS level[2] entries20112012201320142015Art and Design64,94560,17959,45758,46055,430Percentage of all AS level entries that were in AS level art and design5.55.35.35.25.1[1] A level only.[2] AS level only. Arts: Qualifications The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many individuals completed either Art and Design GCE AS/A level or Craft, Creative Arts and Design level 3 vocational qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined in each year since 2011. Lord Nash: As there is no formal definition of what constitutes “Craft, Creative Arts and Design”, it has not been possible to provide the information that is requested. Department for Work and Pensions Winter Fuel Payments Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost to the public purse in each of the last five years of the winter fuel allowance; and what would be the tax receipt if it were subject to the same tax as retirement pensions. Baroness Altmann: The Government has committed to keeping the Winter Fuel Payment for the lifetime of this Parliament. The cost over the last five years is as follows: 2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15£m 2,7592,1492,1442,1402,117 The Government has not estimated the corresponding tax receipts had the Winter Fuel Payment been taxable. There is a total of 11.4 million pensioners in the UK. National Statistics, published by HMRC, show that in 2013/14, there were 6.12 million taxpayers whose main source of income is from pensions, of which 90 per cent pay the basic rate of tax and 6 per cent pay the higher rate of tax. Department for Communities and Local Government Non-domestic Rates Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support local government in the light of their planned extension of business rate relief. Baroness Williams of Trafford: These tax cuts provide significant support to local businesses. The Small Business Rate Relief measure announced at the Budget will mean 600,000 of the smallest businesses will not have to pay business rates.Local authorities will be compensated in full for their loss of income as a result of these changes. Non-domestic Rates Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the additional expenditure reductions that will be required of local authorities following the announcement of the changes to business rates made in the Budget. Baroness Williams of Trafford: These tax cuts provide significant support to local businesses. The Small Business Rate Relief measure announced at the Budget will mean 600,000 of the smallest businesses will not have to pay business rates.Local authorities will be compensated in full for their loss of income as a result of these changes. Housing: Greater London Lord Horam: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many homes were completed in each London Borough in the latest year for which figures are available; and how many homes were sold under the Right to Buy in each of those London Boroughs in the same year. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The figures requested are provided in the table below: London BoroughDwellings completed in 20151Right to Buy sales in 20152Barking and Dagenham649216Barnet1,50089Bexley603..Brent70860Bromley676..Camden711140City of London105Croydon1,687160Ealing756105Enfield610144Greenwich1,874240Hackney623241Hammersmith and Fulham29082Haringey651177Harrow56128Havering1,08486Hillingdon537136Hounslow1,043183Islington189176Kensington and Chelsea1,11936Kingston upon Thames4637Lambeth1,302228Lewisham1,118111Merton158..Newham691330Redbridge49246Richmond upon Thames121..Southwark1,466278Sutton19452Tower Hamlets1,138264Waltham Forest1,081100Wandsworth76147Westminster166511 source: Live Table 253a https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building2 source: Live Table 691 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-social-housing-salesFigures exclude Preserved Right to Buy.. Local Authority owns no dwelling stock. Dwelling completed - Right to Buy sales in 2015 (Excel SpreadSheet, 19.49 KB) Community Relations: Greater London Baroness Jowell: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of community cohesion in view of the reduction in discretionary spending available to local authorities in London. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Britain has a claim to be the most successful multi-faith, multi-racial democracy in the world. Nowhere exemplifies this more than London – a thriving global city with adiverse population.It is up to the councils in London to decide what to spend their money on and reforms are giving them more powers over their budgets than ever before.The Community Life Survey 2014/15 reports that 89 per cent of people in London feel that their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get onwell together. Full data is available (attached) from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447015/Community_Life_Survey_2014-2015_csv.csv/previewBut we are not complacent. The Prime Minister has asked Louise Casey to carry out a review on how to boost opportunity and integration in the most isolatedcommunities in Britain, the findings of which will inform a new Cohesive Communities programme. Community Life Survey (Excel SpreadSheet, 27.35 KB) Parish Councils: Devolution Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they envisage for town and parish councils in the new devolution deals. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government is engaging with areas across the country to explore how devolution to neighbourhood level can enable more effective co-ordination and tailoring of services and engage communities in delivery and design of services. However, agreeing devolution deals is a bottom-up process - it is up to areas to determine the nature of devolution and the role of town and parish councils, as well as other local groups. HM Treasury Married People: Tax Allowances Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have taken up the Married Couple’s Allowance in each year since its introduction. Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much is being spent on advertising the Married Couple’s Allowance; when the campaign started; and for how long they intend it to run. Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) poster boards, (2) bus advertisements, (3) television advertisements, (4) magazine or print advertisements, and (5) other forms of advertising, they are using to promote the Married Couple’s Allowance; and what is the cost of each form of advertising. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: As of March 24 2016, 585,487 couples had successfully applied for Marriage Allowance, including apporoximately 181,00 who applied in March. The campaign ran until 31 March and final figures are not yet available. Individual Savings Accounts Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they set a five per cent exit charge for early closure of a lifetime ISA. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Whilst the Lifetime ISA is a product aimed at encouraging saving for the long term, the government understands that circumstances change so wants to ensure that people can access their own money if they need it whilst also keeping an incentive to leave funds invested for the long term or to help purchase a first home. The government proposes that savers can make withdrawals at any time for other purposes, but with the bonus element of the fund plus any interest or growth on it returned to the government, and a 5% charge applied. Financial Services Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the contribution of contingent convertible bonds to financial stability and, in particular, the risk of adverse feedback loops and the contribution thereto of the absence of standardised terms. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: In December 2015, the Bank of England set out its medium-term capital framework for UK banks and building societies. The Bank’s analysis suggested that the optimal risk-based going-concern capital requirement for the system as a whole is between 10% and 14% of risk weighted assets. The majority of this capital is made up of the highest quality, common equity tier 1 (CET1) capital. However, a small part (up to 1.5 percentage points) can be made up of additional tier 1 (AT1) capital, such as contingent convertible bonds. The Financial Policy Committee confirmed that only ‘high-trigger’ AT1 instruments would count towards a bank’s AT1 capital in respect of non-risk-based leverage ratio requirements. This capital framework ensures that the UK’s banks and building societies are able to absorb losses and thereby reduce the risks to the stability of the UK financial system. Financial Services: Islam Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which Government buildings have been transferred to finance Islamic bond schemes; what restrictions there are on the use of such assets as a result of Sharia financing; and why that method of raising money was chosen. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Three government properties underpin the Sukuk. These are Richmond House, Wellington House and 22-26 Whitehall. The Sukuk is issued under, and governed by, English law. The properties underpinning the Sukuk continue to be occupied by the departments that were there before issuance, with no change to their use. While investors have a beneficial interest in the assets, they do not have any say over how the properties are used. Employee Ownership Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there was any prior consultation before the decision was taken to end the post transaction valuation check and PAYE health check currently provided by HMRC with effect from 31 March 2016 and, if not, why not. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been consulting representative bodies through the Valuation Fiscal Forum over the last 18 months. HMRC has not withdrawn valuation services that are most relevant to employee share ownership schemes. HMRC has withdrawn valuation checks for income tax and PAYE as in most cases acceptable valuations were submitted, and therefore the service offered was not of sufficient value.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2016-04-07
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2016", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Recruitment Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toincrease the number of lorry drivers to fill workforce shortages. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We are supporting apprenticeships, including to train lorry drivers. A revised standard will be available from 1 August 2021 attracting £7,000 in apprenticeship levy funding. There is also an incentive payment of £3,000 available for new apprentices of any age with an employment start date of 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021.The Department for Work and Pensions is developing a scheme to train jobseekers in HGV driving. The Flexible Support Fund is available to help the unemployed or those in receipt of Universal Credit renew their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).The Department has provided a grant for the non-profit initiative Road to Logistics to train military service leavers, ex-offenders and the long term unemployed to move into jobs in the logistics sector, including lorry driving. Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Vacancies Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any department provided advice in the period up to and including 31 January 2020 noting a possible shortage of HGV drivers after the UK’s departure from the EU; and if so, whether they will deposit all internal Government correspondence that relates to this matter in the House of Lords library. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The shortage of HGV drivers is longstanding and predates the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.Publishing all government advice on this issue could not be done without incurring disproportionate costs. Roads: Greater London Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 24 June (HL1198), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what assessment they have made of the economic benefits that might be realised if responsibility for roads in London was transferred from the Mayor of London and Transport for London to the Department for Transport. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Transport is devolved in London, and the Government has no plans to assess the benefits of reversing devolved arrangements for the capital. Customs: Ashford Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend toundertake works to mitigate the impact of lighting at the Sevington Inland Border facility. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In response to residents’ concerns, the Department commissioned a detailed lighting survey. This confirmed that site lighting is within recommended levels. However, the survey identified several potential improvements which are being implemented as a priority. These include checking and reducing luminance levels, installing baffles, and checking the angle of lighting. In addition, lighting in the north west and south east parking areas – which are not currently in use- has been switched off. The Department is exploring additional lighting controls providing dimming options tailored to operational activity, and the height of the columns. These improvements will be considered alongside the need to maintain a safe level of lighting for the site to operate 24/7. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Professions: Regulation Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount of funding available as part of the pilot grant funding programme for UK professional and business services regulators announced on 29 June. Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the maximum size of the grant available to regulators as part of the pilot grant funding programme for UK professional and business services regulators announced on 29 June. Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) which, regulators will be eligible for the pilot grant funding programme for UK professional and business services regulators announced on 29 June. Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they decided to launch a pilot grant funding programme for UK professional and business services regulators rather than establishing such a programme on a permanent basis. Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Government announced the Pilot Recognition Arrangements Grant Programme on 29 June, and it opened to applications on 8 July. Guidance on the application process is available on GOV.UK. The programme is targeted at supporting the costs of acquiring additional technical expertise incurred by regulatory and professional bodies in preparing for or negotiating a recognition arrangement. Many regulators and professional bodies have agreed recognition arrangements already, this programme will support the establishment of additional recognition arrangements. Successful applicants will be able to apply for reimbursement of 80% of eligible costs for technical expertise to support the agreement of recognition arrangements. Regulators will be able to seek reimbursement of up to £20,000 for individual applicant bodies and £40,000 for groups of applicants. Eligible regulators and professional bodies will be required to submit a business case to apply for funding, and applications will be assessed and ranked against objective criteria. The total grant funding available under the pilot programme is £210,000. The programme is open to regulators that control access to professions regulated in law, and professional bodies that award professional titles and voluntarily regulate professions without underpinning legislation. These bodies must operate within at least one of the four UK nations and must operate within the Professional and Business Services sector, in professions such as accounting, audit, engineering and legal services. The Government has launched the grant programme as a pilot in order to assess the demand and potential value-add of government funding for recognition agreements. The programme will initially run for this financial year only and will undergo monitoring and evaluation to assess the efficacy of direct financial support for regulators and professional bodies in this area. Consideration will then be given as to whether the programme should be extended or not. Department of Health and Social Care Pain: Young People Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reports that the number of people aged 16-34 suffering from chronic pain increased from 21 per cent to 34 per cent between 2011 and 2017, what steps they plan to take to address that increase. Lord Bethell: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has made a number of recommendations for research on managing chronic pain, including the use of psychological therapies, acupuncture and pharmacological interventions.NHS England and NHS Improvement are collaborating with stakeholders such as Versus Arthritis to co-produce and coordinate a strategy. Versus Arthritis have been commissioned to produce a decision support tool based on NICE guidance which can help people living with pain and their clinical teams understand all evidence-based options available. Alongside this tool, NHS England and NHS Improvement will also be publishing a commissioning framework to help local services reduce opioid prescribing in summer 2021. Department for Education Students: Special Educational Needs Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of local authorities to sufficiently support special educational needs students. Baroness Berridge: We are committed to ensuring greater stability of services for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as we enter the recovery phase following the COVID-19 outbreak.We aim to have clear oversight of local areas’ performance in delivering SEND services – including those that had weaknesses before the COVID-19 outbreak, and those that are struggling to respond to the challenges that the COVID-19 outbreak has brought. With this in mind, in April Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) re-started their programme of revisits to areas where SEND services need to improve and a Written Statement of Action was required. Full inspections recommenced in June.We are working closely with Ofsted, the CQC, our professional advisory service and our delivery support partners to identify, support and intervene effectively and early in under-performing areas.We recognise the need to strengthen accountability in the SEND system. That is why the Department for Education, with the support of the Department for Health and Social Care, has commissioned Ofsted and the CQC to develop a new area SEND inspection framework, which will launch after the existing inspection cycle has finished.Learning from the published assessment of the current approach, the new framework will include a greater focus on the experience of children and young people with SEND and their families, and give more prominence to the quality, integration and commissioning of education, health and care services. The new framework will also take into account the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on services and on children, young people and families. Work Experience: Coronavirus Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the early careers survey by Prospects, Work experience during a crisis,published in May; and what plans they have to offer incentives to businesses to employ work experience students. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We are aware that because of the global COVID-19 pandemic 2021 graduates have had increased periods of online learning, resulting in fewer opportunities to gain work experience, which are experiences that traditionally help students to develop employability skills.We have worked closely with the Quality Assurance Agency, professional bodies and the Office for Students (OfS) to ensure that students continue to leave university with qualifications that have real value, reflect their hard work and allow them to make progress in their lives and careers. We also welcome the innovative ways that universities have developed to ensure that students still receive valuable experience (for example, through simulations and virtual practice).We recognise the importance of real-life work experience to complement training, and a number of our skills policies link skills training to jobs. Apprenticeships are jobs with training, and we are currently offering employers £3,000 as an incentive to take on new apprentices. New T Levels are a high-quality equivalent to A levels and include an industry placement with an employer. We are currently supporting the largest-ever expansion of traineeships, which is a skills development programme that includes a work placement. We are offering £1,000 incentive payments for employers offering traineeship work placements.To provide additional support, we have developed the ‘Graduate employment and skills guide’, which was published on 10 May on the OfS’s website: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-students/student-outcomes-and-employability/graduate-employment-and-skills-guide/apply-for-jobs/. We have also worked with Universities UK to develop a Sector Statement of Support, which was published on 10 May on their website. The statement outlines what HE providers and the government are doing to support graduates, and it encourages graduates to take advantage of the support and resources available.We have also engaged with higher education providers to produce a collection of graduate employability case-studies. Published on the provider-facing pages of the OfS website, these case-studies showcase the breadth of innovative work and range of new measures that university and college careers services have introduced to support final-year students and recent graduates as they move from university to graduate life. Ministry of Justice Community Orders Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hours of unpaid work have been completed as part of Community Sentences in each of the last five years. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The number of UPW hours delivered in the last five years are:April 2016 to March 2017: 5,581,803April 2017 to March 2018: 5,381,903April 2018 to March 2019: 5,310,093April 2019 to March 2020: 4,101,917April 2020 to March 2021: 2,117,333 The figures for April 2020 – March 2021 evidence a decline in unpaid work delivery resulting from the pandemic and the need to comply with public health regulations, such as lockdowns and social distancing measures.Prior to 26th June 2021, Community Rehabilitation Companies were responsible for the delivery of unpaid work. Since then, the new unified probation service has assumed responsibility for unpaid work delivery. This has provided an opportunity to re-energise our work, drive up completion rates and deliver better outcomes. We will deliver better quality and more robust unpaid work placements that are highly visible to the public and that meet both punitive and reparative aims. We want to move away from a reliance on individual placements towards incorporating larger national projects with public bodies and charities and we are keen to involve our stakeholders as much as possible in our plans. Prisoners: Coronavirus Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people serving custodial sentences in England and Wales have died from COVID-19. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Verified data on the total number of prisoners who have died having tested positive for COVID-19, or where there was a clinical assessment that COVID-19 was a contributory factor in their deaths, is published on GOV.UK. The latest published figures are for the period up to 30 June in which 149 prisoner deaths were reported. This figure includes those on remand as well as serving custodial sentences. Of these 149 prisoner deaths, 123 are suspected or confirmed to be due to COVID-19. The remaining 27 deaths are believed to be due to other causes, although the individuals had tested positive for COVID-19. Community Orders Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all Community Sentences are completed. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: On 26 June, we transitioned to a new model of probation delivery. These reforms will mean that the delivery of key requirements under community sentences is now the responsibility of the Probation Service. Our new probation service is now responsible for sentence management in both England and Wales, along with Accredited Programmes, Unpaid Work, and Structured Interventions. This simplifies delivery, making it easier for those we work with and giving us greater control of staff and resources to be able to deliver reform. It will strengthen rehabilitation by delivering improved better accredited programmes and other rehabilitative interventions, alongside commissioning specialist services from other organisations.We have demonstrated our commitment and ability to deliver an effective probation service despite significant challenges during the pandemic. The Probation Service has prioritised public protection and risk management, as well as delivery of advice to courts, whilst ensuring staff, people on probation, victims and the general public remain safe.Exceptional Delivery Models, which set out how we operate during the pandemic and ensured services could be continued, were implemented across England and Wales. In-person, socially distanced, offender management continued to be the default for those people on probation who posed a higher risk, for example Terrorism Act offenders. For other cohorts, blended supervision models were deployed, involving various combinations of home visits, face to face appointments, telephone or video contact. The delivery of Unpaid Work has been maximised in line with social distancing restrictions throughout the pandemic, keeping staff and offenders safe. Offenders have been working on outdoor projects and those which support the UK’s recovery from Covid-19, and some have completed projects at home where feasible. For Accredited Programmes, we developed alternative delivery formats to enable continued delivery of Programmes remotely or in smaller groups in person where safe to do so, prioritising offenders who posed the highest risk of harm.As social distancing restrictions ease, we are continuing to increase delivery rates across our services. This includes key requirements such as unpaid work and accredited programmes. Community Orders: Coronavirus Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hours of unpaid work due to be undertaken as part of Community Sentences given (1) before 23 March 2020, and (2) since that date, have been (a) completed, and (b) deferred as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: As unpaid work is necessarily often delivered in groups, such work was unavoidably adversely affected by Covid-19. However, unpaid work has not been deferred. Probation worked hard to innovate unpaid work delivery so that some placements could continue to be delivered safely, including home based projects for local charities and offenders supporting vaccination centres. Nevertheless, due to the adverse effect on delivery rates, probation have been managing a backlog of requirements. We are working closely with our CJS partners to accelerate the delivery of unpaid work and, where appropriate, apply for unpaid work orders to be extended so that hours can be completed after the original 12-month period specified in the legislation. There are approximately 5m hours of unpaid work on the caseload currently, 4m (80%) are in relation to requirements that are still within their normal delivery window or agreed extension.Of all UPW requirements on the probation case list as of 26th June 2021For sentences prior to 23/3/2020, 539,236 hours were delivered.For sentences after 23/03/2020, 749,311 hours were delivered. However, this is a dynamic data set. Some of these requirements are still being worked (yet to reach 12 months from sentencing) and others on the backlog (i.e. post 12 months from sentencing) are being pursued for completion.There is often a delay in recording completed UPW hours. UPW completed over the weekend of the 26th and 27th of June 2021 is unlikely to be fully represented in this data. While all reasonable efforts have been taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the inaccuracy inherent in any large-scale administrative data means data should not be assumed to be fully accurate. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Tigray: Armed Conflict Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relevance of (1) the Responsibility to Protect doctrine, (2) the UK Approach to Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, and (3) the duty to prevent atrocity crimes, in the context of the war in Tigray. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has been at the forefront of the international response throughout the conflict in Tigray. We have engaged directly with the Government of Ethiopia, and that of Eritrea, to press for protection of civilians, unfettered humanitarian access and an end to the conflict. This is in line with our approach to protection of civilians, commitment to Responsibility to Protect and atrocity prevention policy. We have also worked through international fora including the G7 leaders' communique of 13 June. Africa and South Asia: Radicalism Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support religious scholars and academics to offer counter-radicalising narratives in (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan, and (3) sub-Saharan Africa. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are committed to working with partners in fragile environments, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and in sub-Saharan Africa where the risk of radicalisation is most acute. That includes engagement with important influencers such as religious scholars, civil society and community leaders in order to support people vulnerable to recruitment and to address underlying factors which may increase the risk of radicalisation. Eritrea: Sexual Offences Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) the perpetrators of sexual violence in Eritrea are brought to justice, (2) evidence of sexual violence in that country is collected and preserved, and (3) UN investigators have the necessary access to conduct an assessment of reported atrocities; and what steps they are taking to deploy UK experts in preventing sexual violence in conflict to Eritrea. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have deployed from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative UK Team of Experts. Recommendations from an initial scoping mission by them will outline options for supporting the Government of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and other key stakeholders to safely collect and preserve evidence, and bring the perpetrators of sexual violence to justice. The UK fully supports the joint investigation involving the UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights. Tigray: Armed Forces Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to broker talks between the government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front; and what discussions they have had with the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea about withdrawing armed forces from the Tigray region. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Dialogue and reconciliation is required for an inclusive political process to be initiated. The UK endorses African Union Commission Chairperson Faki's views that a comprehensive and all-encompassing permanent ceasefire is necessary to pave the way for sustainable peace in Tigray. We will continue to urge all parties to the conflict to end violence and seek a political resolution. Tigray: Famine Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to avert a famine in Tigray; and in particular, what discussions they have had with the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea (1) to remove roadblocks, and (2) to open the ports of Assab and Massawa. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has allocated £47.7m to respond to the Tigray crisis, to help aid get to those in need and address famine risk through the provision of healthcare, sanitation, and nutrition. We have have consistently called for unfettered humanitarian access. Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many peoplewill be working on the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative agenda by October. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Information on roles undertaken by employees in the delegated grades (i.e. below Director level) is not held centrally. Armed Conflict: Gender Based Violence and Sexual Offences Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions they expect to complete in pursuit of (1) the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and (2) the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, by the end of the present National Action Planpursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2022. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to champion the ethos of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) through our National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS (2018-2022). We will continue to focus our work to ensure better protection and empowerment of women in conflict situations overseas through our diplomatic, development and defence engagements alongside our bilateral and multilateral partners. We will work to achieve this through the seven Strategic Outcomes of the NAP. For example, we remain committed to ensuring women have full, equal and meaningful participation in peacekeeping; providing £1.2m this financial year to the Elsie Initiative Fund to increase the number of uniformed women in peace operations. The UK will also continue to tackle gender-based violence, particularly violence against women and girls as the most prevalent form of gender-based violence.The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative will continue to deliver policy and programme interventions supporting its objectives of strengthening pathways to justice for all survivors of sexual violence in conflict, holding the perpetrators to account and enhancing support available to all survivors and children born of conflict-related sexual violence, including tackling the stigma they face. Environment: Crime Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on9 June (HL981), what plans they have to propose amendments to the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court to include the crime of ecocide by amending preambular paragraph 2 and article 8 of the Rome Statute, as proposed by the Stop Ecocide Foundation in their document Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide,published on 22 June. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Ecocide is not a crime recognised under existing international law and there is currently no consensus on its legal definition. Its removal from the drafting process of the Rome Statute was significant in gaining agreement on the crimes included within the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction.The Rome Statute already provides for some protections to the natural environment in armed conflict, designating intentional attacks that knowingly and excessively cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment as a war crime.The UK's priority is to reform and strengthen the Court to function efficiently and effectively and deliver successful prosecutions. This is a major State-Party driven process where the involvement of States Parties is fundamental to success. A significant amendment such as this is unlikely to achieve the support of the 82 States necessary to pass the amendment. Department for Work and Pensions Disability Living Allowance Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was paid inDisability Living Allowance in the latest year for which figures are available. Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals received Disability Living Allowance in the latest year for which figures are available. Baroness Stedman-Scott: From the latest published benefit expenditure and caseload tables, in 2019/20 the average caseload of people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance was 1.539 million, with nominal terms expenditure of £7.233 billion. National Insurance Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many National Insurance numbers were valid on 21 March. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Information for 21 March is not available. Pension Service: Standards Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what use they have made of (1) focus groups, and (2) other qualitative techniques, to improve the functioning of (a) the Pension Service, and (b) the Department for Work and Pensions. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) makes extensive use of qualitative techniques to improve the functions of its services, extensive examples can be found on gov.uk by searching ‘government/ collections/ research-reports’. With specific reference to improving the functioning of Pension Service – the Department has not undertaken a stand-alone qualitative research project examining this issue in isolation. The Department does however undertake a regular customer experience survey with a range of DWP services, including state pension customers. The survey includes questions around being treated with respect, speed of service delivered and overall satisfaction. The latest published report can be found on the gov.uk website by searching ‘DWP claimant service and experience survey 2018 to 2019’. Pension Service: Standards Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will conduct a review of the template letters used by (1) the Pension Service, and (2) the Department for Work and Pensions, to ensure communications are as clear and comprehensible as possible. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department is committed to making template letters clear, understandable and accessible for all customers. However, we have introduced improved letters for new State Pension customers and we are currently in the process of reviewing and revising Pension Credit letters. As part of these reviews, research is undertaken with a wide range of individuals - and their representatives - who will or have received these benefits. The findings from the research is then used to inform development of the letters which are tested with customers before being introduced for wider use. The Department’s intention is to gradually update all template letters as part of plans to modernise services. This is a long-term plan due to the complexity and volume of letters. Pension Service: Standards Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to improve the customer service provided by the Pension Service across all types of contact, including by (1) the call centres, and (2) the correspondence units. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department is committed to delivering high quality customer service in line with Departmental Quality standards. We undertake regular checks on the quality of work undertaken by our staff including monitoring telephone calls and written correspondence. Feedback from customers on the quality of our service is important to us. We act on this quickly to resolve issues and address areas for improvement. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Pigs and Poultry: Animal Feed Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the decision by the EU to lift the ban on feeding animal remains to pigs and poultry. Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to retain the ban on the feeding of animal remains to farm livestock in England. Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the decision by the EUto allow animal remains to be fed to farm livestock will result in this practice being permitted in Northern Ireland. Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact the decision by the EU to permit the feeding of animal remains to farm livestock will have on the importation of animal products into Great Britain from Northern Ireland. Lord Benyon: The EU is introducing legislative changes which follow their agreed TSE roadmaps. These proposals would authorise for the EU: processed animal protein (PAP) of porcine origin to be fed to poultry and PAP of poultry origin to be fed to porcine animals; animal protein derived from insects to be fed to poultry and porcine animals, under the same conditions as are already required for feeding aquaculture animals; and products containing ruminant collagen and gelatine to be fed to poultry and porcine animals. The rules will still be more stringent than those required by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) which only ban the use of ruminant proteins in feed for ruminant animals. Pigs and poultry have not been shown to be susceptible to TSE. The proposals will not affect the existing bans on feeding animal proteins to ruminants and on intra-species recycling (feeding an animal with a product derived from the same species), and they do not include high-risk animal by-products which are incinerated. Nor would they permit the feeding of animal remains to farmed livestock, which is banned in the UK and the EU.The restrictions on feeding of livestock in England will not be altered by EU legislation. Before taking any policy decision, officials would obtain advice from Government scientists and from the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) regarding any potential risk to human or animal health; and engage closely with groups representing consumers, retailers, producers, farmers and other interested stakeholders. Animal Health is a devolved matter, so this policy is devolved to the Scottish and the Welsh Ministers for their respective territories. Under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol, the amendments will apply to Northern Ireland. The UK does not ban the imports of pig and poultry meat products from countries where the feed rules comply with the OIE requirements. This means that imports of pig and poultry meat products from the EU or Northern Ireland will continue to be accepted into Great Britain. Climate Change Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK is prepared for sustained periods of unusually high temperatures. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Adapting to current and predicted changes to our climate is vital across the economy, including preparing for extremes. There are a range of activities we are taking across government to manage and prepare for the impacts of high temperatures, including in the health and built environment sectors. These include adapting our health systems to protect people against the impacts of overheating, such as ensuring all clinical areas in NHS Trusts have appropriate thermal monitoring. The Heatwave Plan for England aims to protect public health from heat-related harms and is supported by the Heat-Health Alert Early Warning System. This is run by Public Health England (PHE) in collaboration with the Met Office. These form part of the Heatwave and Summer preparedness programme, led by PHE, which became operational on 1 June 2021. Heat-Health Alerts are cascaded through the health and care system, including National Health Service providers and commissioners, social care and local government. The Extreme Heat National Severe Weather Warning Service (NSWWS) was also launched on 1 June 2021 to warn the public and emergency responders whenever a severe or prolonged hot weather episode is forecast. Overheating in buildings has been highlighted as a key risk for the health and productivity of people in the United Kingdom. Through the Future Buildings Standard consultation, the Government, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, has proposed a new overheating mitigation requirement to reduce the risk of overheating in new residential buildings. The Future Buildings Standard consultation was launched on 19 January 2021 and closed on 13 April 2021. We plan to regulate later this year. Defra, its agencies and partners are also preparing for the impacts of climate change on the natural environment, including from high temperatures. For example, Natural England and the RSPB’s updated Adaptation Manual (2020) addresses issues associated with high temperatures for freshwater species and habitats, and the role of riparian trees in keeping rivers cool. Home Office Offences Against Children: Internet Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with the Internet Watch Foundation about obliging internet service providers (1) to block child pornography, and (2) to help prevent the sexual abuse of children. Baroness Williams of Trafford: As set out in the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy, the Internet Watch Foundation is a vitally important partner and plays a crucial role in tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse, including blocking access to child sexual abuse material.The Government routinely engages the Internet Watch Foundation including recently on addressing self-generated indecent imagery where we strongly support the joint Internet Watch Foundation and NSPCC ‘Report Remove’ initiative. The Home Office has also funded the Internet Watch Foundation to deliver a campaign helping both children and parents to understand the risks which can be posed online, specifically around youth-produced sexual imagery. Immigration: EU Nationals Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a person (1) born in the EU, (2) with an EU Member State passport, (3) who is married to a UK citizen, and (4) has (a) resided, and (b) been employed, in the UK for over 20 years, including paying taxes or drawing pension payments, is required to apply for revised domiciliary or another form of changed residency status. Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a person (1) born in an (a) European Economic Area, or (b) European Free Trade Area, state other than the UK, (2) who carries a non-UK passport, (3) who is married to a UK citizen, and (4) has (a) resided, and (b) been employed, in the UK for over 20 years including paying taxes or drawing pension payments, is required to apply for revised domiciliary or another form of changed residency status. Baroness Williams of Trafford: EU, European Economic Area (EEA) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nationals now require UK immigration status to live in the UK. Where they do not already hold such status, they may obtain it under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), where they were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 or are a family member joining such a person, or under the points-based immigration system.EU, EEA and EFTA nationals who acquired a right of permanent residence here under EU law still need to apply for status under the EUSS.Those who already have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK do not need to apply for EUSS status, but may do so, free of charge, if they wish, to take advantage of the additional rights available to them under the Citizens’ Rights Agreements. Peers: Surveillance Lord Balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to assist members of the House of Lords on whom MI5 hold files to submit a request to see those files. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Under Part 4 of the Data Protection Act 2018, pertaining to Intelligence services processing, subjects of information held by a UK intelligence service can request this information from the relevant service. Where the data continues to be held, the intelligence services must consider each subject access request on its merits and provide a response accordingly, except where it would be damaging to national security to do so. Maira Shahbaz Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received about the case of Maria Shahbaz, who was abducted in Pakistan in April 2020; and what steps they intend to take in response to the petition and letter to the Prime Minister asking that she begranted asylum in the UK. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The tragic case of Maira Shahbaz has attracted significant interest, including the petition by Christian NGO Aid to the Church in Need.The UK Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan. Our concerns about such cases, as well as Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls’ rights and gender equality more broadly, are regularly raised with the Government of Pakistan.However, I am not able to provide specific information with regards to Maira Shahbaz’s case as it is a longstanding Government policy not to comment on individual cases. Departing from this policy may put individuals and their family members in danger. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Housing: Construction Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist local councils in building modular housing. Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to increasing the use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), including modular housing. MMC has the potential to improve the quality of new homes, deliver more energy efficient homes, reduce construction waste, improve productivity and address the shortage in construction skills.At Budget 2021, we announced the creation of the MMC Taskforce, backed by £10 million of funding, to accelerate the delivery of MMC homes in England. The taskforce will consist of experts from across government and industry to fast-track the adoption of modern methods of construction. Once constituted, the taskforce will work closely with local authorities and mayoral combined authorities.In addition, the Local Authority Acceleration Construction programme provides investment to unlock up to 32,000 additional homes on surplus public sector land more quickly using MMC.The £535 million Small Sites Fund unlocks land for homes on small and stalled housing sites, with MMC requirements within Homes England grant agreements with local authorities for the Fund. Social Rented Housing: Electrical Safety Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the working party considering mandatory electrical safety checks in social housing will report. Lord Greenhalgh: In the Charter for Social Housing Residents – Social Housing White Paper, we committed to consult on measures to ensure that social housing residents are protected from harm caused by poor electrical safety. Subsequently, we committed to form an official-led stakeholder working group to inform the content of that consultation.The Electrical Safety Working Group is underway and will report in due course. Local Government: Debts Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to assist local authorities in managing debt levels. Lord Greenhalgh: Local authorities borrow and invest under the Prudential Framework. This is a permissive system that gives local authorities wide freedoms for borrowing and investment, and it is for authorities to manage their capital strategies and ensure their borrowing is prudent, affordable and sustainable. However, authorities must operate within the legal bounds of the Framework, which sets the statutory duty to ensure all borrowing is affordable, and have regard to the statutory guidance, which sets out good practice.Government is currently reviewing all elements of the Prudential Framework to ensure it is fit for purpose, and carefully considering where changes are needed to support good investment decision-making and risk management. Trading Standards Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the public of the 52 per cent decline in total net spend by local authorities in England on trading standards services between 2009 and 2019, as set out by Unchecked UK in their reportThe UK's Enforcement Gap, published in October 2020. Lord Greenhalgh: Councils have flexibility to use the funding they receive from the annual Local Government Finance Settlement for trading standards services. Funding provided through the Settlement is un-ringfenced to ensure local areas can prioritise based on their own understanding of the needs of their local communities. Resources made available through the 2020 Spending Review and annual Settlement allowed councils in England access to an overall increase in Core Spending Power from £49 billion in 2020-21 to up to £51.3 billion in 2021-22, a 4.6% increase in cash terms. This is in line with last year’s available increase. This recognises the resources councils need to meet their pressures and maintain current service levels. Additionally, Government is supporting regulatory services teams, including trading standards teams, through the Regulatory Services Task and Finish Group, which was established to help coordinate central government’s expectation of regulatory services teams in local government and to propose short and long-term options to support these essential services. Cabinet Office Government Departments: LGBT People Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government which of their departments take part in (1) Stonewall's Diversity Champion scheme, and (2) Stonewall's Workplace Index scheme. Lord True: A list of which Government departments take part in Stonewall’s Diversity Champion or Workplace Index scheme is not held centrally. We are looking into the matter and I will write to the Noble Lord with further information in due course. Government Departments: LGBT People Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to recent statements by the Equality and Human Rights Commission aboutits withdrawal from the Stonewall Diversity Champions scheme, what steps they are taking to ensure their departments are (1) inclusive workplaces, (2) attracting people from all backgrounds, and (3) workplaces where every employee is treated in line with the Equality Act 2010. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to recent statements by the Equality and Human Rights Commission about its withdrawal from the Stonewall Diversity Champion scheme, what steps they are taking to ensure their expenditure on workplace diversity and inclusion initiatives (1) offers value for money, (2) is fairly balanced, and (3) is reasonable and proportionate, taking into account the rights of all persons with any of the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010. Lord True: The Government has committed to a new standard for diversity and inclusion in the Civil Service which will promote a diversity of backgrounds and opinions. We are committed to fair, inclusive workplaces which draw on the talents of the widest possible range of backgrounds, especially people from non-traditional educational routes and from outside London and the South East. It is fundamental that everyone is able to seize opportunities in the workplace without fear of discrimination or harassment. Memberships of external schemes are kept under review, to ensure value for taxpayers’ money. A number of public bodies have resolved to best champion inclusion through internal programmes. Cybercrime Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the updated Cyber Strategy will be published. Lord True: The Integrated Review published in March set a goal of cementing the UK’s position as a leading responsible and democratic cyber power, and committed to launching a new comprehensive cyber strategy in 2021 to implement this vision. The strategy will set out how we will build up the UK’s cyber resilience; deter our adversaries; and influence tomorrow’s technologies so they are safe, secure and open. Work is well underway to develop the new strategy, and the government plans to continue engaging with partners before publishing it later this year and aligning with funding decisions in the next Spending Review. Employment: Human Rights Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure their workplace policies and procedures do not potentially infringe any person's ability to enjoy their fundamental rights and freedoms under the Human Rights Act 1998. Lord True: When formulating and reviewing workplace policies and procedures, government departments have due regard for all legal requirements, including the rights and freedoms in Schedule 1 of the Human Rights Act 1998. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Voluntary Work Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the report by British FutureOur Chance to Reconnect,published in March; and what steps they are taking to make it easier for people to volunteer in their local community. Baroness Barran: Her Majesty’s Government welcomes the findings of the report and its contribution to our understanding of civil society during the pandemic. As documented, the scale and breadth of the volunteer response over the last year has been remarkable; as the study estimated, 12.4 million people volunteered during the pandemic, 4.6 million of them volunteering for the first time. Government would like to express its gratitude to all those who volunteered for their contributions, whether through continuing or taking up a formal role with an organisation, or national schemes such as the NHS Volunteer Responders programme, or the extraordinary 2.5 million people who undertook local acts of neighbourliness as coordinated through over 4,000 mutual aid groups. Undoubtedly our experience of the pandemic would have been very different without them. As outlined by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, our approach to the government's role in volunteering is as a steward, enabling further unlocking of the potential within the volunteering sector as we seek to build a volunteering legacy from this challenging time. To meet this ambition, DCMS is developing policy with a focus on simplifying the routes into volunteering, how volunteering supply and demand can be best matched and leveraging government’s links with the voluntary and community sector for strategic collaboration. Developing solutions to address the barriers facing those who wish to volunteer in their local community will be an integral element of our work. Beyond this, the Government continues to celebrate and champion extraordinary individuals who volunteer across the United Kingdom through the Prime Minister’s daily Points of Light Awards, and remains committed to promoting the benefits of volunteering both to personal wellbeing and community cohesion.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2021-07-14
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2021", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport High Speed 2 Independent Review lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish their response to the Oakervee Review of HS2. baroness vere of norbiton: Government received the Oakervee Review on 6 February 2020. The Prime Minister then updated the House shortly afterwards on 11 February, where he set out Government’s response to and position on the Review’s key recommendations, including a commitment to HS2. This was followed by Notice to Proceed in April, marking the formal approval for the project to begin the construction phase. The Department for Transport intends to address the other recommendations in due course. High Speed 2 Railway Line: Euston Station lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 24 February (HL1714) and 9 March (HL1715), whetherthe HS2-related works at Euston Station that are required irrespective of any design changes, include ground anchors to sustain the wall and structures at Park Village East and other works necessary to accommodate a three-tunnel design; and whether all design options have been subject to a full risk analysis. baroness vere of norbiton: The provision of works to specifically accommodate a three-tunnel design do not form part of the current early HS2 works being undertaken at Euston. In response to the Oakervee Review, the Department has commissioned a study looking into the efficiency of the future Euston station, including the station approaches. The outcomes of this study will inform the development of the designs of HS2 Euston station and approaches. The selected designs taken forward will be subject to full risk analysis as they are progressed. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Sunday Trading baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to removing restrictions on Sunday trading in England and Wales; what assessment they have made of the impact of the removal of such restrictions on the (1) (a) physical, and (b) mental, health of retail workers, and (2) quality of the (a) environment, and (b) air. lord callanan: We are currently examining Sunday trading laws in the light of covid-19, as we did with the 2012 Olympics. This work includes understanding the impact upon workers and other stakeholders. We will keep measures like this under review as we find ways to support supermarkets and other large shops manage social distancing, and shoppers to buy food and goods more conveniently. Greenhouse Gas Emissions lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessedtheir advice that people use their cars and avoid public transport during the COVID-19 pandemic to be (1) compatible with their target for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050and (2), if not, whether they would withdraw the advice. lord callanan: The Government’s top priority is to ensure we protect people and businesses throughout the present health crisis. The Government’s advice to avoid using public transport where possible, and instead try to walk, cycle, or drive is based on the present concern for public health.Covid-19 has meant people have had to profoundly change the way they live, work and travel. Many people have rediscovered walking and cycling, and their benefits to both air quality and health. We are supporting that through the £225 million Emergency Active Travel Fund, which was announced on 9 May, and is the first stage of a £2 billion investment in active travel. We are also encouraging local authorities to consider rapid changes to road layouts such as pop up cycles lanes to make cycling safer and more attractive.The COVID-19 crisis has not diminished the Government’s determination to meet our net zero target and we are committed to going further and faster to tackle climate change. Transport has a central role to play in decarbonising our economy whilst delivering growth. At the end of March, we published “Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge” kicking off our work on preparing a Transport Decarbonisation Plan to ensure we meet the challenge of reaching net zero transport emissions by 2050. Employment: Females lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to support women at work who have been affected by employment and risk concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. lord callanan: The Government has taken significant steps to protect jobs for all people, whilst minimising the risk of spreading the virus – by encouraging flexible work practices and home working, and through implementing our unprecedented Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Support Scheme. We have provided clear Health and Safety guidance to employers, to minimise risk in the workplace. This includes identifying what work activity or situations might cause transmission of the virus and thinking about who could be at risk (e.g. pregnant women). As always, equalities legislation requires that employers must not discriminate based on gender or pregnancy and maternity in the workplace – this includes discrimination in regard to decisions around access to furlough and working from home. The same applies to decisions around redundancy. It is breaking the law to discriminate, directly or indirectly, against anyone because of a protected characteristic such as age, sex or disability. Post Office Horizon IT System Independent Review lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Ministerial Statement by the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets on 10 June (HCWS280) announcing an Independent Review into the Post Office Horizon IT System and Trials, whether that Review (1) will take account of the “significant failings within Post Office Ltd over nearly two decades” identified by Mr Justice Fraser, (2) will have the power to require Ministers, Board Members, executives, staff and suppliers associated with the organisation throughout the period to appear before it, and (3) will have the power to access all relevant documentation from throughout the period. [T] lord callanan: The findings outlined throughout the Horizon judgments provided an extensive insight as to what went wrong at the Post Office, including an independent judicial view of the facts all sides were looking for. However, the Government accepts more needs to be done. The Government now wants to be fully assured that through the Independent Review there is a public summary of the failings that occurred at Post Office Ltd, drawing on the judgments from the Horizon case and by listening to those that have been most affected, without repeating the extensive findings of Justice Fraser. Post Office Ltd have committed to fully cooperating with the Review. The Review will have sufficient strength and breadth and deliver in a timely manner. The Chair of the review will be fully independent of both the Post Office and Government. They will draw conclusions and make recommendations as he or she sees fit. Foreign and Commonwealth Office China: India the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current situation between the Chinese and Indian military along the Line of Actual Control; and what discussions they have had with the governments of India and Chinaabout de-escalation. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the recent reports of increased tensions between China and India and reports that 20 Indian soldiers were killed in an incident in the Galwan Valley on 15 June. We encourage the two sides to engage in dialogue on issues relating to the border. We are closely monitoring the situation. Sahel: Security the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Chad in relation to security in the Sahel region; and what assessment they have made of the impact of instability in the Sahel region on the UK. baroness sugg: The UK engages directly with Chad through our non-resident ambassador and our office in N'Djamena. The ambassador last spoke to Foreign Minister Cherif on 9 June to discuss the impacts of COVID-19, the security situation, plans for elections and other elements of UK-Chad cooperation.The UK is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel and is clear that long-term peace and stability in this region will support UK interests, including in wider West Africa. The UK is committed to working with all partners, including the G5 Sahel countries, to support those most in need and tackle the long-term drivers of instability in the region. The Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, attended the first meeting of the Sahel Alliance General Assembly and the sixth Summit of the G5 Leaders (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger) in Mauritania on 25 February. He also attended the virtual ministerial meeting of the Coalition for the Sahel on 12 June. At both meetings, he reaffirmed the UK's efforts to improve security and encourage development in the Sahel.The UK is supporting the security response across the Sahel region, including in Chad, through three CH47 Chinook helicopters and support personnel in a non-combat role with the French-led counter-terrorism mission Operation BARKHANE. The UK is committed to helping the G5 Sahel Joint Force reach full operational capability, and has provided bilateral funding towards the provision of non-lethal military equipment and support for the human rights compliance framework. The UK is also supporting efforts to improve security in the Lake Chad Basin. The UK contributes military personnel to the P3 Cellule de Coordination et Liaison in N'Djamena, which gives the Multi-National Joint Task Force technical and strategic support. The UK is also supporting Chad by providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to those affected by the crisis, while investing in longer-term resilience through programmes that help widen access to social protection and enable households to adapt to the changing climate. Between 2015 and 2019, the UK provided over £91.2 million to Chad in bilateral humanitarian and development aid. Iyad Hallaq the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel about the death of Iyad Halaq in East Jerusalem on 30 May. lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the UK Consul General in Jerusalem and the UK Ambassador in Tel Aviv stated on 31 May, we are deeply saddened to hear about the death of Iyad Khairi Hallaq after he was shot by Israeli police in East Jerusalem. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family. We urge restraint in the use of live fire by the Israel Defense Forces. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we have advocated swift, transparent investigations and if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. The perpetual cycle of violence must end. Israel: Palestinians the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the plan submitted by the Palestinian Prime Minister to the United States, Russia, EU and United Nations on 9 June; and, following theremarks by the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa on 11 May (HC Deb, col 20), what steps they are taking to prevent the annexation by the government of Israel of parts of the West Bank. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the proposals that the Palestinian Authority has made for renewed dialogue. We urge the parties to find a means of restarting negotiations, and avoiding unilateral action. The Foreign Secretary made clear our concerns about reports that the new Israeli Government coalition has reached an agreement, which may pave the way for annexation of parts of the West Bank, during a call with the Israeli Alternate Prime Minister Gantz on 20 May and Foreign Minister Ashkenazi on 2 June. We also reiterated our concerns at the UN Security Council remote meeting on the Middle East Peace Process on 20 May. The UK position is clear: any unilateral moves towards annexation of parts of the West Bank by Israel would be damaging to efforts to restart peace negotiations and contrary to international law. We will continue to press Israel and the Palestinians strongly on the need to return to negotiations to achieve peace and the realist action of a two state solution. Ethiopia: Dams lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt over the rate of filling the new Renaissance dam in Ethiopia from the waters of the River Nile. baroness sugg: We are aware of reports on the ongoing dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. We continue to urge all parties involved to come to an agreement and that no side take any unilateral action. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry on these terms on 8 June, as did the Minister for Africa with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu on 20 May. We welcome the resumption of talks between the Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt to work towards a peaceful resolution. China: Religious Freedom the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that priests in China have been forced to preach Chinese nationalism in return for the opening of religious spaces. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of these reports. We remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity and other religions in China. The freedom to practice faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. Department of Health and Social Care Coronavirus: Disease Control lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of COVID-19 related public health instructions not being adhered to; and what assessment they have made of the impact of any such non-adherence. lord bethell: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 10 June 2020.The correct answer should have been: The positive reaction and adherence to social distancing measures from the public has meant that the reproduction number (R number) rate of infection (R rate) has been slowly falling. After assessment of the figures and following scientific advice, the Government will slowly start to lift some of the restrictions that have been in place since 23 March. This will be completed through a phased approach and only if the R rate stays below 1.Additionally, to try to ensure that we work together to achieve this, the Government has increased the fines for the those who break the rules, starting at £100 but doubling with each infringement up to £3,600. lord bethell: The positive reaction and adherence to social distancing measures from the public has meant that the reproduction number (R number) rate of infection (R rate) has been slowly falling. After assessment of the figures and following scientific advice, the Government will slowly start to lift some of the restrictions that have been in place since 23 March. This will be completed through a phased approach and only if the R rate stays below 1.Additionally, to try to ensure that we work together to achieve this, the Government has increased the fines for the those who break the rules, starting at £100 but doubling with each infringement up to £3,600. Care Homes: Coronavirus lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bethell on 14 May (HL Deb, col 807), what is the average time in England between a test taking place in a care home and the results being delivered to its management. [T] lord bethell: The care home tests are processed via the existing programme lab infrastructure, the lighthouse labs and Randox in Northern Ireland. Test turnaround times are consistent with the rest of the programme with over 97% of tests being returned within 48 hours. We continue to make progress on being able to return all results within 24 hours. Coronavirus: Screening lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the COVID-19 testing kits that have been so far sent out in the post have been returned; and of those, what proportion have been (1) positive, (2) negative, (3) not indicative either way, (4) not able to be processed, (5) returned unused, and (6) not returned within the time period allotted. lord bethell: As of 25 May 2020, 61% of COVID-19 home test kits distributed by the National Testing Programme had been returned.Of those COVID-19 home test kits that have been returned as of 25 May 2020:- 3.6% of home test kits received a positive result;- 91.6% of home test kits received a negative result; and- 4.8% of home test kits received a void result. This could be because the sample was not able to be processed, was returned unused, or not returned quickly enough. Coronavirus: Screening baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 5 May (HL3910), what was the (1) number, and (2) percentage, of returned home COVID-19 test kits that were void due to an inadequate self-swabbed sample. lord bethell: As of 25 May 2020, 9,761 COVID-19 home test kits received a void result. This equates to 4.8% of all returned home test kits.It is important to note that a void result can be caused by a number of factors. This includes inadequate or incorrect self-swabbing, a failure of the user to return the swab in a timely manner, or other factors that prevent the sample from being efficiently returned and processed. Coronavirus: Screening baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve access to COVID-19 testing for key workers. lord bethell: Anyone with symptoms can now get a test, regardless of whether they are an essential worker. Essential workers still have a dedicated access route through the essential worker self-referral portal and are able to access testing through multiple channels such as regional test sites, home testing, mobile testing units, and through the care home portal if they are care home members of staff. NHS and Social Services: Coronavirus baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce systematic regular COVID-19 testing of all NHS and care staff and patients. lord bethell: Current clinical advice is that asymptomatic testing can be conducted in any setting where clinically appropriate, for outbreak investigation and infection control. For example, we are testing all emergency admissions to hospital, and all care home residents before they are discharged into a social care setting.For staff, for example, an asymptomatic staff member could be tested when a patient they had been treating unexpectedly tests positive for COVID-19, in order to reduce the risk of spreading infection in healthcare organisations.It is not always appropriate to routinely test asymptomatic staff, and so we currently suggest a more strategic and specific approach. These decisions are made by local decision makers. NHS: Coronavirus lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase COVID-19 testing specifically for frontline NHS staff; and what is their assessment of the survey finding that 83.6 per cent of doctors surveyed had not been tested for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. lord bethell: The Government’s overall ambition is to ensure that everyone who needs a test can get one. Increasing testing capacity is a top priority and we are working around the clock and across the country to protect the vulnerable, support the National Health Service and save lives. NHS staff can be tested in the NHS workplace, or by using the online portal to book a test at a Regional Testing Site, or by ordering a home testing kit. Reaching a daily testing capacity of 200,000 was an important milestone, but this is by no means the end of our ramping up of testing. We plan further increases through the summer and into the autumn through a combination of improvements to existing labs, new partnerships and bringing on board novel tests. Hospitals: Coronavirus lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of recent research by University College London and Great Ormond Street Hospital on the transmission of virus DNA within the hospital setting for their COVID-19 response. lord bethell: The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is responsible for ensuring that timely and coordinated scientific advice is made available to decision-makers, to support United Kingdom cross-Government decisions. In fulfilling this role, SAGE considers a wide range scientific evidence. Our approach has been, and will continue to be, guided by the evidence and latest advice from medical experts, including the Chief Medical Officer. Department for International Development North Korea: Humanitarian Aid lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea following reports by the United Nations of food shortages and malnutrition; what steps they are taking to provide humanitarian assistance which reaches those in urgent need; and what discussions they have had with the government of that country to urgeit to use its resources to prioritise the feeding of its people. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We assess that North Korea’s humanitarian need is likely increasing as a result of the country’s border lockdown in response to COVID-19. The lockdown has prevented most aid shipments from entering the country since January and restrictions on internal movement, including for UN agencies and NGOs, has severely impacted the distribution of aid and support. The UN estimates that 10.1 million people suffer from food insecurity and are in urgent need of food assistance.DFID is providing multilateral funds to the UN and other international organisations providing humanitarian assistance in North Korea, including the Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) in response to COVID-19. As a country of concern in the GHRP, North Korea is receiving funds from this global appeal. We continue to make clear to the North Korean government that international support is available, and urge them to restore international access and monitoring for humanitarian assistance. The UK has also repeatedly called on North Korea to prioritise the well-being of its people over the development of illegal weapons programmes, through our bilateral relationship and in multilateral fora. Department for Education Universities: Students baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of a possible reduction in the number of international students attending universities in England in the next academic year; and what plans they have to encourage more home students into universities in England in the light of any such reduction. baroness berridge: We have been working closely with the Higher Education (HE) sector to monitor the likely impacts of COVID-19 on international student numbers. We understand that the COVID-19 outbreak and a possible reduction in the number of international students poses significant challenges.On Monday 4 May my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced a package of measures to stabilise university admissions this autumn and ensure sustainability in HE at a time of unprecedented uncertainty.We have introduced temporary student number controls for domestic and EU students for the academic year 2020/21 to ensure a fair, structured distribution of students across providers. These measures mean that providers will be able to recruit students up to a temporary set level, based on provider forecasts, which allows additional growth of up to 5% in the next academic year. The Secretary of State for Education, will also have the discretion to allocate an additional 10,000 places, of which 5,000 will be allocated to students studying nursing or allied health courses, to ensure growing numbers that will support our vital public services. This measure will only apply to full-time undergraduate UK/EU domiciled students, with certain specified exemptions. These controls will not apply to international (non-EU) students.The government has been clear that the UK HE sector is ‘open for business’, remains world class and is looking forward to welcoming both domestic and international students in the future. To support international student recruitment, we are taking steps to further promote the new Graduate route (due to be launched in Summer 2021) which will provide an opportunity for international students who have been awarded their degree to stay and work in the UK at any skill level for 2 years. This represents a significant improvement in our offer to international students and will help ensure our HE sector remains competitive internationally.The government has been in close communication with partners in the HE sector, who are considering educational provision for the academic year 2020/2021 and how to best reopen campuses. HE providers are autonomous institutions and will make their own judgements based on the latest public health guidance, taking account of the need to minimise risk to staff and students.To help providers make informed decisions about their provision, the government has issued guidance, which is complemented by the Universities UK’s principles for reopening of campuses to students and staff. We anticipate HE providers will be open for the autumn term with a blend of online teaching and in-person tuition that they consider appropriate and which minimises risk. HE providers will be flexible in accommodating applicants’ circumstances where possible, including if they are unable to travel to the UK in time for the start of the academic year. Schools: Liverpool lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Liverpool City Council's decision for Year 6 pupils not to return to school on 1 June; and whether this means that local authorities can make their own decisions about when school pupils can return to school. baroness berridge: We want to get all children and young people back into education as soon as the scientific advice allows because it is the best place for them to learn, and because we know how important it is for their mental wellbeing to have social interactions with their peers, carers and teachers.Thanks to the huge efforts everyone has made to adhere to strict social distancing measures, the scientific advice indicates the transmission rate of COVID-19 has decreased and, based on all the evidence, we have been able to begin our cautious and phased approach to the wider opening of schools. This includes asking primary schools to welcome back children in nursery, Reception, year 1 and year 6 from 1 June, alongside priority groups (vulnerable children and children of critical workers).However, we recognise that some primary schools will not have been able to open to additional children from 1 June for a number of practical reasons. We are working with local authorities and Regional Schools Commissioners across the country to identify and understand any local issues. If schools are facing particular challenges then we stand ready to support them to ensure they can open more widely as soon as possible.In most cases the preparation for wider opening will be undertaken by the headteacher and senior colleagues of individual schools. However, relevant bodies (such as local authorities, academy trusts or governing bodies, depending on the school type) retain responsibility for key decisions and plans should be confirmed with them, particularly risk assessments of the school opening more widely, before pupils and staff return. Primary Education: Sports baroness morgan of cotes: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to announce a decision on thecontinuation of the Primary PE and Sport Premium for the next academic year. baroness berridge: The government will confirm arrangements for the PE and Sport Premium in the 2020-21 academic year as soon as possible. Children: Computers lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their provision of laptops for disadvantaged children includes the provision of a laptop for each child in care. baroness berridge: The government is providing over 200,000 laptops and tablets to vulnerable and disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access. This includes devices for disadvantaged children receiving support from a social worker, including pre-school children, and care leavers. The department has allocated devices to local authorities and academy trusts based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device. Local authorities and academy trusts are best placed to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. The department has prioritised orders for the most vulnerable children who need access to social services (children with a social worker and care leavers). Ministry of Justice Coroners lord leigh of hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deceased persons are currently being held by coroners in England awaiting registration of death. lord leigh of hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current average waiting time between the arrival of a person whose death was unexplained with a coroner and issuing a death certificate. lord keen of elie: The Ministry of Justice collects statistics on deaths reported to coroners on an annual basis but does not have details of deaths that are under investigation. The Office of National Statistics publishes the number of registered deaths but does not distinguish between deaths referred to coroners and other deaths so it is not possible to determine the average waiting time. Legal Aid Scheme: Coronavirus baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the risk of the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic leading to a significant loss of income for legal aid firms, what assessment they have made of the impact of the Legal Aid Agency’s practice of (1) permitting only two claims a year for ongoing cases, and (2) only paying 75 per cent of such claims. lord keen of elie: The Ministry of Justice recently held a consultation on increasing the limits associated with claims for payment on account. This consultation closed on 16 June 2020.Following this, the limit will be increased, allowing four such requests to be made in a twelve month period. This will be implemented once the necessary updates to infrastructure are completed, and the impact of this change will be kept under review. Legal Aid Scheme: Coronavirus baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on legal aid firms of (1) the stay on possession proceedings for tenants until the end of August, and (2) any subsequent substantial loss of income; and what steps they are taking to ensure that such firms are paid for their work in accordance with the Cabinet Office’sProcurement Policy Note 02/20: Supplier relief due to COVID-19, published on 20 March. lord keen of elie: MoJ is continuing to work closely with the Legal Aid Agency and HMCTS to assess the impact of Covid-19 on legal aid provision, and to support practitioners to work remotely when possible.The Government have taken measures to support the sector include paying for virtual hearings in the same way as in-person hearings, halting pursuit of outstanding debts, relaxing some evidence requirements, and encouraging legal practitioners to use existing avenues of financial help, such as the ability to apply for early payment for work already done on a case. These measures will help Legal Aid providers adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.PN 02/20, which has been updated in PPN 04/20, requires contracting authorities to determine whether a supplier is ‘at risk’. In making that determination, an authority will need to consider what steps have been taken by a public-sector provider to access other available support, because providers have no automatic entitlement to relief payments under the PPN and should not use them to supplement or duplicate the wider support measures that have been made available to UK businesses.Data on legal aid expenditure on areas such as housing possession is released quarterly by the Legal Aid Agency, with the next release scheduled for September. Department for International Trade Trade Agreements: USA baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent progress has been made on negotiating a trade agreement with the United States. lord grimstone of boscobel: The first UK-US negotiation round successfully concluded on 15 May. It saw the two sides hold a full discussion covering all aspects of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. Discussions have continued between the negotiation rounds across a number of chapters. The sessions in the first negotiation round focused on agreeing the scope, objectives and modalities of the potential chapters. Progress has been made in a number of areas, including services, investment and digital trade. The second UK-US Free Trade Agreement negotiating round began on 15 June and will take place over two weeks. Trade Agreements: Civil Servants lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants in the Department for International Trade are dedicated to trade negotiations with(1) the United States, (2) Japan, and (3) Australia. [T] lord grimstone of boscobel: The Department for International Trade’s Trade Policy Group (TPG) has a strong core of trade policy officials which has significantly grown from 45 to 723 (excluding the Export Control Joint Unit and Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate) since 2016. In TPG, we have dedicated teams in charge of coordinating each of our new free trade agreement negotiations, including the US, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. We have 3 Chief Negotiators and 3 Deputy Chief Negotiators currently, as well as the Government’s Chief Trade Negotiation Advisor. Trade negotiations will be progressed by teams of differing sizes depending on their complexity and the Department also works closely with experts in other Departments. Trade Agreements: Brazil baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Brazil about ensuring that UK–Brazil trade does not affect the preservation of the Amazon rainforest. lord grimstone of boscobel: Trade does not have to come at the expense of the environment. As part of our independent trade policy, HM Government is committed to upholding the United Kingdom’s high environmental standards. HM Government is already working with Brazilian counterparts and other interested parties to tackle deforestation and has committed £200m through a number of International Climate Finance programmes aimed at tackling deforestation. The United Kingdom will continue to monitor the situation in the Amazon closely and to raise in our ongoing dialogue with Brazil. UK Trade with EU baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the World Trade Organisation about invoking Article 24 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in the event that an agreement is not reached with the EU before the end of the transition period; and what progress they have made in establishing UK independent World Trade Organisation schedules. lord grimstone of boscobel: At the end of this year the UK will have recovered its economic and political independence. The question is whether we can agree with the EU a deeper trading relationship or whether we have a trading relationship based on the 2019 deal, without a free trade agreement (FTA), on the lines of Australia’s. On leaving the EU on February 1st 2020 the UK took up its independent seat at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The UK’s independent schedules were submitted to the WTO for certification in 2018 in July (Goods) and December (Services), and when the transition period ends at the end of this year they will form the basis of the UK’s independent trade policy. GATT Article XXIV permits the establishment of FTAs and Customs Unions as an exception to the most favoured nation principle, but it has no relevance without an agreement between the WTO members in question. Foreign Investment in UK baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the most recent inward investment statistics. lord grimstone of boscobel: Two major FDI publication have recently been published, reflecting on European investment performance in 2019. The Financial Times’ FDI Report 2020 placed the UK top in Europe, with 1,271 recorded FDI projects – more than Germany and France combined (702 and 500 respectively). This gave the UK an overall market share of 20% in Europe. The EY UK Attractiveness Survey 2020 shows a different picture with the UK receiving fewer projects than France (1,109 to 1,197), therefore conceding the top spot in Europe. Despite the EY report recording an increase for the UK’s FDI project numbers, France saw a greater increase (5% compared to 16%). According to UNCTAD’s WIR 2020, the UK remains the top destination in Europe for attracting foreign direct investment with the highest inward FDI stock in Europe, and has improved its position to being the second highest inward FDI stock in the world, behind the US. The UK’s FDI stock of $ 2 trillion has risen by 10% compared to 2018 and almost doubled from its 2010 levels. Department for International Trade: Disclosure of Information lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) personal confidentiality agreements, and (2) non-disclosure agreements the Department for International Trade has signed with (a) businesses, (b) individuals, and (c) third parties advising, the department on its response to COVID 19. lord grimstone of boscobel: The Department for International Trade has not signed any personal confidentiality agreements, nor non-disclosure agreements with businesses, individuals nor third parties advising HM Government on its response to COVID-19. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Planning baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Greenhalghon 8 June (HL Deb, col 1542), whether they areconsidering any further measures to take planning powers from local councils such as the creation of development corporations. lord greenhalgh: The Government has already set out an ambitious programme to modernise our planning system. Our 'Planning for the Future' reforms will support the delivery of homes that local people need and create greener communities with more beautiful homes. Further details will be published in due course.The Government is also going to examine and develop the case for up to four new development corporations in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, subject to public consultation, as well as explore options for regeneration around Toton, including the potential for delivery vehicles such as development corporations. Parish Councils baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether parish councils are allowed to use the names and addresses as they appear on the electoral register to contact those living in the parish. lord greenhalgh: There are two versions of the electoral register – the edited or open register and the full register. The edited register is publicly available for anyone to use – including to contact listed electors. However, whilst parish councils are also entitled to a copy of the full register, they may only use it to establish whether any person is entitled to attend and participate in a meeting of, or take any action on behalf of, the parish or community. Parish Councils baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether parish councils can access the names and addresses of parishioners held by unitary and council councils, other than those already on the electoral register, so that parish councils can contact parishioners not on the electoral register. lord greenhalgh: As parish councils are not public authorities within the Data Protection Act 2018, principal authorities are prevented from sharing personal information with parish councils beyond that available on the electoral register. Local Government: Social Distancing lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to amend the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 to allow local councils in England to return to physical meetings while maintaining social distancing; and whether any proposed amendments to the regulations will include a hybrid form of meeting. lord greenhalgh: The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 enable all local authority meetings to be held remotely and do not preclude physical meetings or a hybrid form of meeting where these can be held in accordance with public health regulations and guidance. It is for each local authority to determine what is appropriate in their specific circumstances, taking legal advice as necessary. Social Rented Housing: White Papers lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their social housing White Paper. lord greenhalgh: The Government will publish the Social Housing White Paper later this year and I refer the noble Lord to my answer on 16th June 2020 to Baroness Sanderson of Welton (Official Record, House of Lords, Vol. 803. Col. 2043). Council Tax lord pickles: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the recommendations oftheir review, which promised to make council tax collection fairer and more efficient, launched on 10 April 2019, will be published. lord pickles: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the new guidance to local authorities on the collection of unpaid Council Tax to end aggressive enforcement tactics, announced on 10 April 2019, will be issued. lord pickles: To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) organisations, (2) charities, (3) debt advice services, and (4) local authorities were consulted as part of their review on unpaid Council Tax arrears, announced on 10 April 2019. lord greenhalgh: The Department has been working closely with a range of billing authorities, debt advice charities and civil enforcement agencies to better understand the approaches taken in local government in collecting council tax. On the basis of this work, the Department is now preparing guidance setting out the best practice that already exists in the collection and enforcement of council tax. This will be published as soon as possible. Right to Buy Scheme lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given toextending the timeframe in whichlocal authorities must spend retained Right to Buy receiptsfrom three years to five years. lord greenhalgh: We have listened to concerns raised by local authorities about the effects of Covid 19 on their house building programmes and the difficulties of spending Right to Buy receipts to the three year deadlines. On 12 June, we agreed to a temporary extension of the next expenditure deadline of 30 June by six months, and wrote to local authorities to inform them of this change. More broadly, the Government has consulted on ways we can change the Right to Buy receipts system to help councils build more homes. The proposals included extending the period for local authorities to spend their receipts from three to five years, and the Government’s response to this consultation will be published in due course. Ministry of Defence Unmanned Air Vehicles baroness stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Ministry of Defence’s proposal to fly Protector drones within UK airspace, which government body is responsible for addressing safety concerns regarding this proposal; and how are those safety considerations being assessed. baroness stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government who will give the final authorisation on whether Protector drones are permitted to fly within UK domestic airspace. baroness goldie: Final authorisation for the Protector to fly within UK domestic airspace rests with the Civilian Aviation Authority (CAA). However, the RAF's Aviation Duty Holder is responsible for ensuring the aircraft is operated safely in accordance with Military Aviation Authority regulations. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Ivory Act 2018 lord hague of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to implement the provisions of the Ivory Act 2018. lord goldsmith of richmond park: We welcome the Court of Appeal’s ruling last month upholding the world-leading Ivory Act against a claim brought by a part of the antiques industry. The Government is committed to bringing the ivory ban into force as soon as practicable. Home Office Offences Against Children baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 May 2019 (HL Deb, col 90GC), what steps they have taken to ensure better data on the scale of child sexual abuse; and what progress they have made in establishing a national prevalence survey on child sexual abuse. baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office collects and publishes data on crimes recorded by the police, including crimes related to child sexual abuse. These are published quarterly in the Office for National Statistics bulletin “Crime in England and Wales”. The latest data are available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingdecember2019 The ONS have recently published additional statistics and commentary on child sex abuse. There are available here https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/childsexualabuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2019. The most recent Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates that in the year ending March 2019, approximately 3.1 million adults aged 18 to 74 years experienced child sexual abuse before the age of 16 years. This is equivalent to 7.5% of the population aged 18 to 74 years. The ONS is currently carrying out a feasibility study to determine whether a new survey could effectively measure the current scale and nature of child abuse and neglect, including child sexual abuse. Findings from the first stage of the research are due to be published later in 2020. Internet: Safety lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect children from online grooming during the COVID-19 pandemic. baroness williams of trafford: The Government is committed to tackling online child sexual exploitation and abuse and recognises many parents may feel concerned about the activities and content their children are accessing during this period. Guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-keeping-children-safe-online/coronavirus-covid-19-support-for-parents-and-carers-to-keep-children-safe-online) has been published for parents and children outlining resources to help keep children safe from different risks online, including online grooming, and where to go to receive support and advice.The Minister of State for Security, James Brokenshire and the Minister for Safeguarding, Victoria Atkins engaged the Internet Watch Foundation on the threat during the pandemic. The Security Minister has written to industry partners on countering online child sexual exploitation and abuse during the pandemic. He also attended a roundtable hosted by the Internet Watch Foundation with industry partners to discuss what they are seeing at this time, as well as the safeguards and protective measures they are putting in place.The Government is continuing to engage with technology companies around the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, a framework of principles launched by the Five Country Ministerial partners in March. In collaboration with the Five Country governments, our partners in the technology industry have developed a new campaign to help keep children safe during COVID-19. This launched on 17 April, with parents and carers directed to online safety resources on GOV.UK, and children directed to Childline.While some companies are working proactively to tackle illegal and harmful content and activity that occurs on their platforms, we know that more needs to be done. The Online Harms White paper sets out our plans to introduce world-leading legislation to tackle harmful content online and make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. This legislation will include a legal duty of care on online platforms, backed up by an independent regulator to hold them to account. Offenders: Rochdale lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the continued presence in Rochdale of Abdul Aziz, Adil Khan and Qari Abdul Rauf on their victims and their victim's families. baroness williams of trafford: We cannot comment on individual cases. The Home Office is in contact with the local Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) panel to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. Shukri Abdi baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to liaise with Manchester Police and the mayor of Greater Manchester to ensure that all possible action has been taken in the investigation of the death of Shukri Abdi. baroness williams of trafford: The tragic death of Shukri Abdi is the subject of ongoing legal proceedings and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment at this time. Our thoughts remain with her family and friends at this difficult time. Asylum: Finance lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) financial, and (2) other forms of, supportare available to asylum seekers awaiting decisions on their status. baroness williams of trafford: If any asylum seeker would otherwise be destitute they are provided with accommodation and a weekly allowance to cover their essential living needs, although the allowance is not provided if they are accommodated in a full-board facility. The level of the weekly standard allowance from 15 June 2020 is £39.60. The allowance is also provided to asylum seekers who have adequate accommodation provided by their families or friends but need help to cover their essential living needs. Council tax and utilities are also paid for, and free NHS healthcare and education for their children are provided. Police: Biometrics lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create a regulatory framework for facial recognition technology. baroness williams of trafford: The High Court found in September 2019 that there is a clear and sufficient legal framework for police use of live facial recognition technology. The framework includes police common law powers to protect the public, data protection and human rights legislation and the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice. This means they can only use it for a policing purpose where necessary and proportionate. Treasury Welfare Tax Credits lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tointroduce a tax credit system after the COVID-19 pandemic similar to the post-war credits that were introduced after the Second World War. lord agnew of oulton: The Government keeps all aspects of the tax system under review; as we exit the current crisis, we will take stock of the economy and public finances and make the right decisions at that point. Credit Cards: Coronavirus lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide support to people who have fallen behind on their credit card and bill payments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. lord agnew of oulton: The Government recognises that the outbreak of COVID-19 may lead to consumers facing financial difficulty and uncertainty. The major banks and building societies have pledged to provide relief to customers impacted by COVID-19, including deferring mortgage and other loan repayments, waiving fees on savings accounts, and increasing overdraft or credit card limits. On 9 April the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) also announced a series of measures intended to provide emergency support to consumers who are facing temporary cash flow problems as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. These measures came into force on Tuesday 14 April. These measures include, allowing consumers either a 3-month payment holiday or to make nominal payments towards credit cards, store cards, catalogue credit and certain personal loan agreements. It is important to note that lenders can continue to charge interest during this 3-month period. Customers should contact their lender if they are experiencing short-term cash flow problems and would benefit from these measures. In their guidance for firms, the FCA set out their expectation that the payment deferrals described here should not worsen the arrears status of a consumer’s credit file during the payment deferral period. The Chancellor has also announced a wide package of economic support measures including the Self-employment Income Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, to support businesses and consumers during this pandemic. Economic Situation: Coronavirus lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic impact the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic has had on university cities and towns; and what financial assistance, if any, they intend to provide. lord agnew of oulton: We recognise that every region and community will be feeling the impacts of this crisis and we are working to monitor the impact of Covid-19 on local communities across the United Kingdom. In May, we announced measures to support students and universities. These included bringing forward £100m of research funding for vital research, and an estimated £2.6bn worth of tuition fee payments for providers to help manage cash flow. The Government has also confirmed that providers are eligible to apply for its support packages, including business loan support schemes, which the Office for Students (OfS) the regulator in England, estimates could be worth at least £700m to the sector, depending on eligibility and take up. We are working closely with local areas to make sure that individuals and businesses in all regions are directed to the right support during this difficult period. Multinational Companies: Taxation lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many businesses moved their headquarters out of the UKfor tax purposes in each of the last three years. lord agnew of oulton: The information is not held in the form requested; businesses are not taxed in the UK by reference to where their headquarters are, and there is no requirement on businesses to tell HM Revenue and Customs that they have moved their headquarters. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Fraud lord wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to open a confidential telephone hotline to encourage whistleblowing on furlough fraud. lord agnew of oulton: The HMRC fraud hotline service has already been updated explicitly to include the facility for the public to report fraud in relation to all relevant coronavirus relief schemes. The service has two main referral routes; the telephony service and the online reporting tool hosted on GOV.UK. HMRC took the decision to close the telephony arm of this service as a result of Government guidelines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the online reporting service can be used until such time as the telephony service can resume. The online service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can be completed with the same level of complete confidentiality as the telephony service. HMRC are currently exploring options to safely reopen the hotline telephony service and will do so as soon as is practicable. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Maternity Leave baroness brady: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to carry out an equality impact assessment of women who are on maternity leave and using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. lord agnew of oulton: The Government has taken various steps in developing the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help ensure women are not disadvantaged. Employers can claim through the CJRS for enhanced (earnings related) contractual pay for employees who qualify for either maternity pay, adoption pay, paternity pay, or shared parental pay. Parents who have been furloughed whose period of family-related statutory pay begins on or after 25 April 2020 will have their entitlement calculated on the basis of their usual earnings, and not their furloughed wages. The amount that an employee receives in pay should not be affected due to being on furlough during the relevant 8-week period used to determine entitlement to family-related statutory payments and the earnings-related rates of Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay and Maternity Allowance.In addition, the Government has ensured that women returning from maternity leave after 10 June are able to access the CJRS even if they have not been previously furloughed. Detailed information is available in the online guidance. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Biometrics: Ethnic Groups lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to regulate the use of facial recognition technology to ensure that it is not discriminatory towards people from BAME communities. lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that commercial facial recognition technology is (1) registered, (2) accurate, and (3) not discriminatory towards people from BAME communities. baroness barran: Uses of facial recognition technology in the UK, both private and public, are regulated by the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 that set standards for protecting personal data. Organisations have an obligation to ensure that any personal data they hold is accurate and processed in a manner that is lawful, fair and transparent. Facial images, which constitute 'special category' data for the purposes of the legislation are subject to heightened safeguards and can only be processed if specific conditions in the legislation are met. Processing must be necessary, proportionate and justified. The legislation is enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office, which has shown a willingness to take action against commercial organisations that are acting unlawfully. To ensure a safe use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in all sectors, the government tasked the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) to produce a Snapshot briefing paper looking at the uses and potential implications of facial recognition technology’s deployment in the UK. The paper was published on 28 May and we are considering its findings. The CDEI are currently working on a review into bias in algorithmic decision-making and will continue to examine the impacts of FRT and algorithms on society and provide recommendations on how to minimise bias. The Senior Deputy Speaker House of Lords: Coronavirus lord mann: The Senior Deputy Speaker what discussions have taken place about the option of on-site testing for COVID-19 for those entering the Palace of Westminster in relation to the work of the House of Lords. lord laming: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.Some preliminary discussions regarding on site testing for those required to attend the Palace of Westminster for the work of both Houses were held, however, NHS testing is available to all members and staff exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, by post and at sites across the country, and staff and members have been directed to these services. The nature of the work carried out on the estate and the current restrictions on non-passholders has meant that further testing on site is currently not recommended as being required. A number of steps have been taken, in line with Public Health England guidance, to mitigate the risk to members and staff required to attend in person.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2020-06-23
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2020", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Lord Rooker: The review of public administration consultation process attracted 1,206 responses. The report Future Post-Primary Arrangements in Northern Ireland—Advice from the Post-Primary Review Working Group, widely known as the Costello report, was not published for consultation. The working group's remit was, "To take account of the responses to the consultation on the Burns Report, including the diversity of views on academic selection, and provide advice on options for future arrangements for post-primary education". In view of the advisory nature of its remit, its report was not published for consultation. Lord Warner: This is a matter for the chair of the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. I have written to Clive Morton informing him of your enquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library. I am informed by the chairman of Monitor (the statutory name for which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) that the trust has made good progress during 2005–06 in addressing the financial deficit which it incurred in 2004–05. Lord Rooker: Details of the number of residential and non-residential planning applications received by the Planning Service for each year since 2000 in (a) Carrickfergus Borough Council area, (b) Larne Borough Council area, (c) Newtownabbey Borough Council, and (d) Belfast City Council area are provided in the table below. Number of Planning applications* received between -- 2000 and 2005 District 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Carrickfergus 282 297 317 331 309 315 Lame 361 350 374 397 462 427 Newtownabbey 602 603 671 691 716 677 Belfast 2,372 2,590 2,365 2,570 2,658 2,460 * Some of these will be duplicate application and some will be withdrawn prior to decision. Lord Warner: Information is not available in the form requested. The Department of Health does not hold data on the number of people who receive medication. However 359,100 prescription items of methylphenidate hydrochloride were dispensed in the community in England in 2004. Ritalin is one brand of the drug methylphenidate, and accounted for 19 per cent. of the total number of methylphenidate items. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government announced in November 2005 that a renewable transport fuels obligation (RTFO) will be introduced from 1 April 2008. The RTFO will require all suppliers of transport fuels in the UK to ensure that 5 per cent. of their total fuel sales come from renewable sources by 2010 in order to help meet our climate change objectives. In practice, this is likely to mean that by 2010 the vast majority of UK forecourts will be selling standard fuel blended with biofuel, with most private and commercial vehicles also running on blends that include biodiesel or bioethanol. The Department for Transport provides limited grant funding towards the installation of alternative refuelling and recharging infrastructure. The RTFO should ensure that refuelling facilities for alternative fuels will be available in large scale across the UK by 2010. I understand that bioethanol is already being sold in blends of up to 5 per cent. at around 150 outlets in the south-east and north-west of England, but as retailers are not generally distinguishing the fuel as renewable we do not have precise numbers. Information on sites selling other renewable fuels is available on a regional basis from http://www.est.org.uk/fleet/calculators/refuelling/index.cfm?mode=results. The Government have also put in place a number of incentives to encourage the uptake of clean and fuel-efficient vehicles. These include fiscal incentives such as the company car tax and vehicle excise duty systems, which are both structured to reward those who purchase the most fuel-efficient, low CO2 vehicles. These incentives are deliberately technology-neutral and we are not setting specific targets for any particular technology such as for hybrid vehicles. The Government's Powering Future Vehicles strategy, published in July 2002, sets a target that by 2012 cars with a fuel efficiency of 100 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre or better will make up at least 10 per cent. of new car sales.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2006-03-07a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2006", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Armed Forces: Commemoration Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ask the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to ascertain the names of those military personnel who are known to have been killed in the Republic of Ireland during the period 1919-23 for the purpose of their commemoration. Lord Astor of Hever: Details about service personnel who died during the period 1919 to 1921 are held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission: however, they do not indicate where the individual died. The names of those who died after 31 August 1921 are not held. Armed Forces: Mine-resistant Vehicles Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Ranger mine-resistant vehicle; over what timescale; and what conclusions they have reached as to its utility for service in Afghanistan. Lord Astor of Hever: No assessment of the Ranger vehicle has been carried out by the Ministry of Defence. While Ranger is comparable in size and weight to the Mastiff and Ridgeback vehicles deployed in Afghanistan, it was not available when competitions were run for these capabilities. The department does not currently have a requirement for another vehicle of this size. In the event that future operational requirements are identified for a vehicle of its type, the Ranger could be considered, and assessments carried out, alongside other vehicles of a comparable capability. Ranger was put forward for the light protected patrol vehicle requirement, but was significantly too heavy for the capability. If the Ranger is the subject of export interest the Ministry of Defence will be ready to consider assistance in the usual way. Armed Forces: Retired Officers Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many retired officers are employed as regimental secretaries of their former regiments; what is the average pay for such appointees; and whether they will continue to make such appointments of retired officers to assist with the long-term aftercare of the families of those killed in action and those injured in recent and current conflicts. Lord Astor of Hever: Regimental secretaries may be either retired military officers or Ministry of Defence civil servants from the Military Support Function. There are 128 such appointments as at August 2010 incurring a cost of approximately £34,000 each (including salary, pension and national insurance contributions). These personnel are used to provide essential support to Army Regiments. The main emphasis is on the provision of welfare support to the families of bereaved and injured personnel, support to families of service personnel during overseas deployments, fostering community links and providing support to officer and soldier recruiting. This support is needed while the soldier is serving and continues long after he has left the Army. The Army takes its responsibility to its personnel (both serving and retired) and their families very seriously and does not underestimate the support provided by the Regimental system. The Army is looking to deliver its outputs in the most effective and efficient way possible, but there are no plans for support and aftercare services to be reduced. Armed Forces: Scotland Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many service personnel are currently based in Scotland; what is their assessment of the contribution made by those personnel to their local economies; and how many will be based in Scotland when the Strategic Defence and Security Review proposals are fully implemented. Lord Astor of Hever: According to Table 2.2 of Defence Statistics 2010, on 1 April 2010 there were 12,070 service personnel based in Scotland. While the Ministry of Defence does not routinely compile or hold estimates of the impact on local economies of defence sites, regional impact assessments are carried out when closures to bases are being considered. Work is now in hand to produce the detailed plans necessary to implement the recommendations of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). Decisions will not be made until spring 2011 at the earliest, and in some cases not until later in 2011. Full implementation will then take several years. It is therefore too early to say how many service personnel will be based in Scotland following full implementation of the SDSR. Aviation: Security Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings at ministerial level have been held with the British Airline Pilots Association in the last six months to discuss airline and airport security; and how many such meetings are planned for the next six months. Earl Attlee: The Minister of State for Transport met the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) on 18 November as part of a meeting with the Trades Union Congress. She also met BALPA as a part of the National Aviation Security Committee on 29 November. British Council: Funding Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they make available to the British Council for the promotion of the English language overseas; and whether this funding will be sustained over the next five years. Lord Howell of Guildford: The British Council is an executive non-departmental public body, which operates at arm's length from Government and decides its own spending priorities. It was allocated the following grant in aid funding during the Spending Review: 2011-12-£180 million; 2012-13-£171 million; 2013-14-£162 million; and 2014-15-£154 million. It is reviewing the implications of the spending review settlement and has not yet reached a decision on what impact the reduction in grant in aid will have on English language promotion overseas. Child Trust Fund Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated cost of continuing with the child trust fund on the basis of a £50 voucher for each newly born child. To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate has been made of the effect in terms of unemployment on the current providers of cancelling the child trust fund. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the breakdown of the calculation that cancelling the child trust fund will save £500 million. Lord Sassoon: The Government announced in May 2010 that government payments to child trust funds would reduce and then stop. Government payments at birth were reduced by the Child Trust Funds (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2010, which were made in July 2010. The Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill, which is currently before Parliament, will end eligibility for child trust funds for children born from January 2011 onwards, and therefore end the remaining government payments. At the Budget in June 2010, the Government set out the expected Exchequer savings from this measure, as shown in the following table: 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 £320 million £540 million £550 million £560 million £560 million The savings in 2010-11 are lower than for later years because the changes are being made part of the way through the year. The £540-million Exchequer saving in 2011-12, the first full year of savings, divides approximately as follows: £220 million in respect of payments of £250 for every child at birth, and £70 million for additional payments of £250 to children from lower income families; and£190 million in respect of payments of £250 to children turning seven, and £60 million for further payments of £250 to children from lower income families at age seven. The estimated cost of continuing child trust fund payments with a £50 voucher for each newly born child is £40 million a year. This figure assumes that there would be no additional payments to children from lower income families, and does not take account of administrative costs. The Government have made no estimates of the effect on employment at existing child trust fund providers as a result of the changes set out above. However, existing child trust funds will remain in place, and the Government will introduce a new tax-free savings account for children born after the end of child trust fund eligibility. The Government are also working closely with existing child trust fund providers to look for ways of easing the financial impact on them. Regulations have been laid that will allow providers to choose not to accept new child trust fund business, while continuing to operate their existing child trust fund accounts. The Government also intend to relax the requirements for annual statements on child trust fund accounts, so that providers will not be required to send statements for all accounts. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) provided an updated assessment of prospects for the UK economy on 29 November 2010. This forecast incorporated the OBR's assessment of the impact of policy changes announced in the spending review. The OBR's forecast for employment is at the UK level and is therefore not produced to the level of detail requested in this Question. Commonwealth Telecom Development Fund Lord Steel of Aikwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will support the establishment of the Commonwealth Telecom Development Fund. Lord Howell of Guildford: We currently have no plans to support the Commonwealth Telecom Development Fund. Dunfermline Building Society Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 18 November (WA 226-7), what are the total costs to date paid to the joint administrators of the Dunfermline Building Society; and what are the hourly rates charged by the joint administrators. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 18 November (WA 226-7), what are the total and particular costs expended to date in relation to the rescue of the Dunfermline Building Society (DBS) and the DBS bridge bank; what amount of those monies has been repaid; and what estimate they are making of HM Treasury's requirement on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme to contribute to such costs in accordance with the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Lord Sassoon: On 30 March 2009 the Bank of England transferred part of Dunfermline Building Society (DBS) business to Nationwide Building Society (NBS) and part to a bridge bank wholly owned by the Bank of England. The Bank then subsequently placed the remaining business of DBS into the Building Society Special Administration Process (BSSAP). KPMG was appointed as the administrator and it publishes six-monthly progress reports which include full details of costs charged by KPMG to DBS. The progress reports are available from the KPMG website at http://rd.kpmg.co.uk/WhatWeDo/18300.htm. Between 30 March 2009 and 30 July 2010 the remuneration fee paid to KPMG was £13.4 million for its work as administrators. In relation to the details of the financial support provided by the Treasury to support the resolution of DBS and the costs incurred by the DBS Bridge Bank, I refer the noble Lord to the Written Answers I gave on 28 October 2010 and 8 November 2010. In accordance with the Financial Services Market Act 2000 the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is required to contribute to the costs of the DBS resolution. The FSCS's contribution is capped at what it would otherwise have paid out if the authorities had not stepped in and DBS had been left to go into a conventional administration. This cap is to be calculated by the DBS independent valuer (Mr Ian Burns of Smith and Williamson) and his work is still in progress. Economy: Quantitative Easing Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government where the cost and income in respect of funding and receiving income under quantitative easing appear in national accounts. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Myners, dated November 2010. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking Her Majesty's Government where the cost and income in respect of funding and receiving income under quantitative easing appear in national accounts (HL4443). The costs and income associated with quantitative easing appear in the sector and financial accounts for the financial corporations sector. Under international conventions for national accounts, the central bank is included within monetary financial institutions (a subset of financial corporations), rather than central government. So quantitative easing transactions carried out by the Bank of England and its subsidiaries appear in the data for the financial corporations sector. Egypt Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Government of Egypt about the situation of the country's Coptic minority, and, in particular, the burning of 22 Coptic homes on 15 November. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are aware of a number of reports of violence involving Christians and Muslims in Egypt. The incidents appear to have arisen due to mixed-faith relationships or commercial or land disputes that have taken a sectarian turn. We have raised the importance of creating tolerance between the Christian and Muslim communities with the Egyptian Government. For example, during the universal periodic review of Egypt in June, we encouraged further efforts by the Government of Egypt to promote cultural and religious tolerance. We continue to monitor the situation with a view to raising this issue as part of our dialogue on human rights with Egypt. Energy: Biofuels Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of a report by the Institute for European Environmental Policy that plans for increased use of European biofuels may accelerate climate change and adversely affect food production. Earl Attlee: The Institute for European Environmental Policy report, commissioned by environmental non-government organisations, was published on 3 November 2010. We are considering this report, along with other evidence including research commissioned by the Government, as part of our policymaking in this area. The Government takes the issue of biofuel sustainability seriously. The renewable energy directive and fuel quality directive contain mandatory sustainability criteria for biofuels. These include that biofuels must deliver a greenhouse gas saving of at least 35 per cent, and must not be sourced from areas of high biodiversity, or from high=carbon soils (such as rainforests or wetlands). The European Commission (EC) has recently consulted on whether and how indirect land use change (ILUC) should be addressed. The UK Government responded to the consultation, arguing that the analytical work is compelling in showing that emissions from ILUC are significant compared to the potential emissions savings from biofuel use. The UK then called on the EC to take action to address ILUC. The EC is now required to report on the ILUC impacts of biofuels by the end of the year, which we expect to include a response to the EC's consultation. Energy: Carbon Reduction Commitment Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions have taken place between Department of Energy and Climate Change officials and port operators since the proposed changes to the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) allowances under the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme were announced; and what future discussions are planned. Lord Marland: The Government announced that they were not proceeding with revenue recycling on 20 October. On 17 November we published a consultation document on amendments to the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Order-principally delaying the start of the second phase. Since these announcements DECC officials have been engaged with a wide range of industry and public sector organisations including port operators on both the detailed proposals in the consultation and the wider review to simplify the CRC further. DECC officials are meeting the UK Major Ports Group in December to seek its views on simplification. Energy: Carbon Reduction Commitment Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Carbon Reduction Commitment applies to port operators where their tenants' businesses already have climate change agreements. Lord Marland: The position of ports regarding their tenants is no different from any other industrial, commercial or public sector landlords under the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme. Where a landlord supplies a tenant, this energy counts towards the landlord's CRC assessment. The CRC is intended to provide incentives for energy efficiency and reducing demand for energy. One of the barriers to the uptake of energy efficiency measures has been the landlord/tenant split. The CRC addresses this by making the landlord responsible for the emissions in CRC where the landlord is responsible for the energy supply as is the case with some ports. The CCA status of a tenant is irrelevant when considering a landlord's liabilities under the scheme. Energy: Carbon Reduction Commitment Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they decided to change their guidance regarding exemptions for businesses in the climate change agreement (CCA) scheme from the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC); why the guidance changed; what is their forecast of how much this further policy change will cost per year for electricity users who have CCAs now they have to cover the cost of CRC. Lord Marland: The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme started in April 2010. Under the scheme there are some exemptions for scheme participants with climate change agreements. The CCA exemption threshold was included to minimise the administrative burden on participants. The guidance on the CCA exemption has not changed since the start of the scheme. The Government have made clear their desire to simplify the regulatory regime they inherited from the previous Administration, including both the CRC and CCA schemes, so that energy efficiency can be incentivised cost effectively. Energy: Carbon Reduction Commitment Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the private sector of the decision to retain the estimated £1 billion per annum revenue raised from the sale of Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) allowances under the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme; how the figure of £1 billion was achieved; and whether the 6,000MWh threshold is to be reduced to raise £1 billion per annum. To ask Her Majesty's Government how the levying of a Carbon Reduction Commitment tax will help the private and public sector to grow in the economic downturn. Lord Marland: The Government decided not to proceed with the recycling of CRC revenues proposed by the previous Administration in order to support the public finances and contribute to the spending plans set out in the spending review. The decision has the additional benefit of creating a clearer price signal in the scheme which participants have asked for. The clearer and stronger price signal provided by this change should reduce uncertainty and administrative costs while maintaining energy efficiency measures among participants and the commensurate savings in energy bills. The spending review 2010 policy costings document1 sets out the impact on government expenditure of not recycling the revenue to participants. A positive figure indicates a saving compared to previous plans, corresponding to the revenue expected to be generated from allowance sales each year. Year 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) +£716 million +£731 million +£995 million +£1020 million These estimates are based on significant assumptions, particularly with respect to the quantity of emissions covered by the scheme and the uptake of energy efficiency measures within the sector. The figures are based on a 6000MWh threshold. We will not know the CRC emissions coverage accurately until participants have submitted their emissions data in July 2011. The Government have committed to keeping the operation of this scheme under active review with a particular eye to simplifying it and ensuring it properly incentivises those who do most to improve energy efficiency and have begun a consultation with CRC participants on what further steps can be taken to simplify the scheme. 1 http://www.hm-treasurv.gov.uk/spend_sr2010_policycostings.htm EU: Scrutiny Reserve Lord Roper: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the reason for the override of the Scrutiny Reserve Resolution, at the European Council on 29 October, in respect of the initiative of the Government of France to amend the status of Saint-Barthélemy with regard to the European Union. Lord Howell of Guildford: We mistakenly did not recognise this issue as one likely to emerge as an inter-institutional document as defined by the committees' terms of reference and judged that it did not require scrutiny when this issue was discussed in Brussels over the summer. When a final document was issued as a formal communication from the Commission submitted to the council, the Cabinet Office consulted the staff of the committees on 25 October about whether the document should be deposited in view of the fact that there would be no direct impact on the UK. This consultation resulted in the document being deposited for scrutiny and an Explanatory Memorandum was then commissioned. The UK agreed to the change in status at the October European Council, as there were no direct implications arising from this decision for the UK that resulted in the override. The Government take parliamentary scrutiny very seriously and will take steps to ensure that this does not happen again. Flooding: Cornwall Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide additional financial support to Cornwall to cope with the consequences of floods; whether more financial resource will be made available to Cornwall to make necessary flood prevention investment; and whether an inquiry will be established to review the lessons to be learned from the floods. Lord Henley: The Government stand ready to consider what additional support is required if the scale overwhelms local responders. The Department for Communities and Local Government will consider any applications for Bellwin assistance from the local authorities affected. Qualifying costs typically covered by the Bellwin scheme include: costs of evacuating people from dangerous structures and works to make them safe; temporary rehousing; and initial repairs to and the clearing of debris from highways, pavements and footpaths. The management of railway infrastructure is a matter for Network Rail. Decisions on assessing the damage to tracks in Cornwall and for repairing that damage are for Network Rail. Once Cornwall and Devon have assessed the damage to any bridges caused by the flooding, we will of course be happy to discuss the best way forward with local councils. The Association of British Insurers has put advice on its website. It has said that insurers' first priority will be to ensure that every claim is dealt with as quickly as possible and that they will be doing everything possible to help their customers to recover. Insurers are providing advisory leaflets to local people. Flood defence funding and flood and coastal erosion risk management are priority areas for Defra. As a result of the investment that the Government are making, it is expected that better protection to 145,000 households will be delivered by March 2015. Annual budgets are yet to be finalised and therefore it is not possible to discuss individual projects at this stage. Funding for future schemes will be announced in due course. We will review what happened with partners to see if lessons can be learnt about the future handling of such incidents. Gift Aid Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether and when proposals to reform gift aid will be published. Lord Sassoon: Representatives from the charity sector have been working with officials on HM Treasury's Gift Aid Forum to consider a number of options for reform. Their report was submitted on 13 October. The report and the Government's initial response are expected to be published on the Treasury website in December. Government Departments: Staff Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the names of all unpaid advisers to Ministers in the Ministry of Justice. Lord McNally: There are no unpaid advisers to Ministers in the Ministry of Justice. Special advisers, whether paid or unpaid, are employed under the terms and conditions set out in the model contract for special advisers. Unpaid advisers are appointed in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 3.2 to 3.4 of the Ministerial Code. Government Departments: Staff Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the names of all unpaid advisers to Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office. Lord Shutt of Greetland: Eamonn Donaghy, head of tax at KPMG Belfast, Dr Graham Gudgin, senior research fellow at the Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge and senior economic adviser with Oxford Economics, and Victor Hewitt, director of the Economic Research Institute of Northern Ireland (ERINI), have acted as unpaid advisers to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Government Departments: Staff Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the names of all unpaid advisers to Ministers in HM Treasury. Lord Sassoon: There are no unpaid special advisers to Ministers in HM Treasury. For information on special adviser numbers and costs I refer the noble Lord to the Prime Minister's Written Ministerial Statement on 28 October (Official Report, Commons, col. 18-23WS). Government: Photography and Film Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assignments Mr Andrew Parsons has been on to take photographs of the Prime Minister, or any other minister, since being employed by the Cabinet Office. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Andrew Parsons carried out the following assignments while being employed by the Cabinet Office: photographing the Deputy Prime Minister with the British Youth Council;photographing the Deputy Prime Minister-preparing for PMQs;photographing Baroness Warsi meeting US ambassador;photographing the Deputy Prime Minister meeting the Turkish President;photographing Baroness Warsi in her office;photographing the Deputy Prime Minister meeting students;photographing the Prime Minister with the Lebanese Prime Minister; photographing the Prime Minister at the UK-France summit; photographing the Foreign Secretary with the Lebanese Prime Minister; andphotographing the Deputy Prime Minister with the Lebanese Prime Minister. Government: Photography and Film Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assignments Ms Nicky Woodhouse has been on to film the Prime Minister, or any other minister, since being employed by the Cabinet Office. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Nicky Woodhouse filmed the Civil Service awards, which were attended by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, the Home Secretary and the Deputy Prime Minister. Ms Woodhouse also recorded a podcast with the Deputy Prime Minister and had oversight of production on a video of Central Surrey Health for a big society event. Government: Photography and Film Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements have been put in place for the Prime Minister, or any of his ministers, to be photographed or filmed by individuals employed by the Civil Service following the departure of Mr Andrew Parsons and Ms Nicky Woodhouse. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Existing Cabinet Office staff are taking photographs and filming. Other departments will have their own arrangements in place. Gypsies and Travellers Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their definition of "local and historic demand", the new benchmark for site provision for Gypsies and Travellers. Baroness Hanham: We are working up our planning policy for Traveller sites. We have announced our intention to revoke and replace Planning Circular 01/2006 with new short, light-touch policy and guidance, subject to necessary impact assessments. The details of our proposed policies will be set out in a full public consultation. Health: Community Pharmacies Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take to prevent primary care trusts decommissioning community pharmacy services. Earl Howe: The latest statistical bulletin General Pharmaceutical Services-England 2000-2001 to 2009-2010, for the year ending 31 March 2010, shows that primary care trust (PCT) commissioning of local enhanced services from community pharmacies has, overall, continued to grow, with 29,526 such services in 2009-10 compared to 26,970 in 2008-09. Nonetheless, I am aware of the concerns expressed recently by national pharmacy organisations about the possible decommissioning of such services and have asked officials to advise me further of any emerging evidence. We have made clear through our NHS White Paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS that we want pharmacists to have an important and expanding role in optimising the use of medicines and supporting better health. Our forthcoming public health White Paper will set out our commitment to further developing their contribution to improve health and well-being and reduce health inequalities. In addition, PCTs are to publish their final pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) by 1 February 2011 following local consultation. PNAs, closely aligned to joint strategic needs assessments, are to be a strategic planning tool on which future commissioning decisions for effective local community pharmacy services which demonstrate good patient outcomes are to be taken. A copy of the statistical bulletin has been placed in the Library. Homelessness: Rough Sleepers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of rough sleepers are from the A10 countries. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their forecast of the effect of the end of transitional arrangements for migrants in May 2011 on the number of rough sleepers. To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be the role of the cross-ministerial group on homelessness in addressing the needs of homeless migrant populations and in particular migrants from the A10 countries. Baroness Hanham: In 2009-10, 26 per cent of London's rough sleepers were from A10 countries according to the CHAIN database. DCLG does not hold detailed information on the rest of England but is aware that rough sleeping by central and eastern Europeans is an issue in some other areas. It is not possible to forecast with certainty the effect of ending transitional arrangements for A10 migrants on rough sleeping numbers, as this will depend on different people's detailed circumstances. We will continue to monitor numbers once the transitional arrangements end. The ministerial working group is chaired by the Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, and brings together eight Ministers from across Whitehall. It aims to prevent and tackle homelessness. The issue of rough sleeping by A10 migrants, and how we can build on the work already being done by the UK borders authority to support areas with particular problems, is being considered by the group. Housing Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to halt the impact upon long-standing village populations of the lack of affordable housing for families on lower incomes. Baroness Hanham: In the spending review, we announced almost £4.5 billion investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. However, we are giving housing associations much more flexibility on rents and use of assets, so our aspiration is to deliver even more homes through our investment and reforms. We will be including in the localism Bill provisions to give local communities new right-to-build powers, enabling them to deliver small-scale development without the need for a separate planning application. By following a simplified neighbourhood planning process, these powers will enable communities to respond quickly to changing development needs. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Andrew Stunell) launched on 18 October the Home on the Farm scheme. In it he asked that local planning authorities in rural areas with high demand for affordable homes to consider amending their existing planning policies to make it easier for disused farm buildings to be converted into affordable homes. The new homes bonus, subject to consultation, will provide an additional incentive to reward the building of affordable homes. Housing: Council Houses Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of income new council tenants will be allowed to earn before having to relinquish their tenancy. Baroness Hanham: The Government propose to provide local authority landlords with freedom to offer fixed-term or lifetime tenancies to new tenants. Local authorities will be expected to set their own policies for the award of tenancies of different types. There will be no changes to the security and rights of existing social tenants. These proposals are subject to consultation and a copy of the policy paper has been placed in the Library of the House. Immigration Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pupils studying full time at an independent school affiliated to the International Schools Council have subsequently become illegal immigrants. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government do not collect this information. Matters relating to illegal immigration are a matter for the Home Office and the United Kingdom Border Agency. Since the dismantling of embarkation controls it has not been possible to estimate accurately the number of people, such as students, who have overstayed their limited leave to enter or remain in the UK. The wider immigration programme, contained in The Coalition: Our Programme forGovernment, published on 20 May, includes a commitment to support e-Borders and reintroduce entry and exit checks. Immigration Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the change from the present transitional arrangements to "habitual residence" will affect (a) A8 migrants already in the United Kingdom, and (b) A8 migrants who arrive after May 2011. Baroness Neville-Jones: The worker registration scheme must end no later than 30 April 2011. On its termination, A8 nationals' rights of residence as workers will no longer be linked to registration under the scheme. This will be the case irrespective of whether the A8 worker arrived before or after the date on which the scheme ends or whether the individual is currently registered under it at that point in time. Once the scheme has ended, A8 nationals will be treated in exactly the same way as other EU nationals. EU nationals, including A8 nationals, who make a claim for income-related benefits, social housing and homelessness assistance or housing support will be subject to the habitual residence test. Immigration Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many candidates for immigration have a GCSE or International GCSE in English. Baroness Neville-Jones: We do not hold statistics on the numbers of migrants who have a GCSE or International GCSE in English when they apply for or are granted immigration leave. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Israel's withdrawal from the northern part of Ghajar and the implications of this move for the future of the Golan Heights. Lord Howell of Guildford: We welcome the Israeli announcement that they intend to withdraw troops from the northern part of Ghajjar. As I said in my statement of 18 November this is a positive development, and a sign of progress in the region. We call on Israel and the UN to work together to agree practical measures to implement this proposal as soon as is possible. It is important to note that there are a number of other issues still outstanding. We call on all sides to fulfil their full responsibilities under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and would welcome progress on the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP), including on an Israel-Syria peace deal, which would address the occupation of the Golan Heights. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 11 November (WA 127), what assurances concerning Gaza and East Jerusalem the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs received from the Prime Minister of Israel during his visit on 2-4 November. Lord Howell of Guildford: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary made it clear during his recent visit to the region that we want to see an end to all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This includes East Jerusalem. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary also discussed the situation in Gaza with Prime Minister Netanyahu, underlining that we welcome the steps that Israel has taken thus far to improve access but believe that further measures are needed. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 2 November (WA 389), whether the Ambassador of Israel was able to assure the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that no further attempts would be made to alter the population of occupied East Jerusalem; and, if not, what further representations they will make. Lord Howell of Guildford: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary made it clear during his recent visit to the region that we want to see an end to all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This includes East Jerusalem. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary also discussed the situation in Gaza with Prime Minister Netanyahu, underlining that we welcome the steps that Israel has taken thus far to improve access but believe that further measures are needed. Israel and Palestine: West Bank Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the government of Israel asking for the simplification and coordination of the various agencies responsible for check-points on the boundary between Israel and the West Bank. Lord Howell of Guildford: We agree that Israel's system of check points and the processes for moving through them are confusing and frustrating. This applies both to check points between Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to check points within the West Bank, which seriously impede freedom of movement for Palestinians. We are also concerned at the way check points are used to change facts on the ground. In particular we are concerned about increasing restrictions on West Bank Palestinians seeking to access East Jerusalem. The noble Lord may be aware of reports that Israel plans to transfer overall responsibility for the operation of check points to the Crossing Points Administration (CPA). It is too early to judge what effect this will have on the daily lives of Palestinians needing to pass through check points, but early indications are not entirely positive. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and raise with Israel the importance of easing restrictions on movement and access for ordinary Palestinians. Israel and Palestine: West Bank Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the value of a three-month freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank, and in particular its value if such a freeze does not apply to East Jerusalem. Lord Howell of Guildford: Settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace. As my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has made clear we want to see a halt to all settlement activity. A renewal of the earlier freeze, which excluded east Jerusalem, could be a helpful step forward enabling the continuation of direct talks, which are necessary to secure peace. Israel: Shebaa Farms Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the current state of negotiations over the Shebaa farms on the Lebanon-Israel border. Lord Howell of Guildford: UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brought an end to hostilities in southern Lebanon in 2006, called on the UN Secretary-General to develop proposals to deal with areas of disputed territory including the Shebaa farms. The area continues to be occupied by Israel. It has been difficult to make any progress towards delineation of the border between Israel and Lebanon in the absence of agreement between Lebanon and Syria on the demarcation of their border. We urge all parties concerned to work with the UN to solve this dispute. Justice: Compensation Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will restore the discretionary scheme for compensation to prevent the suffering of victims of miscarriages of justice that do not qualify under the statutory scheme. Lord McNally: The discretionary compensation scheme was abolished on 19 April 2006 by the then Home Secretary and the coalition Government have no plans to reintroduce it. We will continue to consider applications for compensation under the statutory scheme, Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, which fully meets our international obligations. Legal Aid Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the judicial review regarding the export of sodium thiopental to the United States by Edmund Zagorski and Ralph Baze is funded under the legal aid scheme; and in what circumstances foreign residents are entitled to legal aid. Lord McNally: Legal aid has been granted to Edmund Zagorski to bring judicial review proceedings regarding the export of sodium thiopental to the United States. Ralph Baze has also received a legal aid certificate in connection with these proceedings. Civil legal aid is available to individuals who are not resident in the UK, subject to the statutory means and merits tests, and provided that that their case is within the scope of the legal aid scheme. Civil legal aid is restricted to matters of English and Welsh law and to proceedings taking place in the courts of England and Wales. Local Authorities Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many local authority council seats were uncontested in each of the past six years. Baroness Hanham: This information is not collected by the Government. National Information Governance Board Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to abolish the National Information Governance Board for England and Wales; and, if so, what alternative arrangements are planned for NHS Information Governance. Earl Howe: Following a review of the department's advisory non-departmental public bodies, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State announced, on 14 October 2010, his intention to abolish the National Information Governance Board (NIGB). It is anticipated that the NIGB's statutory functions will transfer to the Care Quality Commission, and that other advice the board currently provides will in future come from within the department, or other bodies. NHS: Funding Baroness Gould of Potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether an analysis has been made of the cuts being made to NHS frontline services. Earl Howe: National Health Service funding is not being cut. Allocations to primary care trusts this year (2010-11) rose by 5.5 per cent and the recent Spending Review committed that NHS funding would rise in real terms in each of the following four years. However, the constrained rate of growth in funding means that efficiency savings of up to £20 billion will be required over the next four years in order to meet rapidly rising demands and improve the quality of care. The NHS is responding to this challenge through the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) programme, by identifying new ways to increase productivity and efficiency while delivering better quality services to patients. NHS: Internet Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of NHS internet bandwidth capacity is taken up by NHS staff during their working hours for personal, non-NHS use. Earl Howe: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained, if at all, at disproportionate cost. National Health Service bodies take a pragmatic approach to allowing staff to use information technology services for personal reasons. This is governed by locally determined and applied appropriate-use policies. North Africa Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will support recent proposals for a Mediterranean security committee supported by European Union countries which would help take steps towards greater democracy in the Maghreb countries. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government support efforts to improve co-operation in the Mediterranean region, which we believe will lead to greater stability and security. We also work through the European Union to strengthen institutions supporting democracy and the rule of law in the Maghreb countries, including through European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument funding and European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plans. Olympic Games 2012 Lord Sutherland of Houndwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the medals to be awarded at the 2012 Olympics will be designed by British craftsmen or craftswomen. Baroness Garden of Frognal: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Limited (LOCOG) is responsible for medals for the London 2012 Games. As a private company, the costs of the medals will be met from LOCOG's privately-financed budget. Earlier this year, LOCOG initiated a process to seek UK artists to submit potential designs for the London 2012 medals. The results will be announced next year. Olympic Games 2012 Lord Sutherland of Houndwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the medals to be awarded at the 2012 Olympics will be manufactured in the United Kingdom. Baroness Garden of Frognal: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Limited (LOCOG) is responsible for medals for the London 2012 Games. As a private company, the costs of the medals will be met from LOCOG's privately-financed budget. Earlier this year, LOCOG placed the contract opportunity for the production of the medals on CompeteFor, the online service for firms across the UK to bid for London 2012 contracts. LOCOG is unable to restrict aspects of contracts by geography in its tendering process, as that would give rise to competition law issues. However, LOCOG promoted the opportunity to the UK production industry to ensure that the best of UK companies were in a position to bid for the work. LOCOG is in the final stages of the tender process and will make an announcement when this is concluded. So far, 98 per cent of 2012-related contract opportunities have gone to UK-based firms. Parking Fines Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many local authorities have (a) not applied for, (b) applied for but not received, and (c) applied for and been refused, civil parking enforcement powers under the Traffic Management Act 2004. Earl Attlee: Of a total of 327 eligible local authorities in England, 271 have civil parking enforcement (CPE) powers, including all the 34 London local authorities. Of the 56 local authorities without CPE powers, one has applied for the powers and will be receiving them in December 2010. The Secretary of State has never refused an application for CPE powers. Post Office: Banking Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the value of funds deposited by the Post Office with Irish banks; and what guarantee individual depositors in the Post Office have from the British Government. Baroness Wilcox: I have asked Paula Vennells, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the noble Lord with regard to the value of funds deposited by the Post Office with Irish banks and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Library of the House. A UK subsidiary of the Bank of Ireland-Bank of Ireland (UK) plc-was created on November 1. This means that Post Office products under the joint venture with the Bank of Ireland are now regulated through the Financial Services Authority and come under the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), in line with other UK banks and building societies. Rome: Embassies Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they require two embassies in Rome. Lord Howell of Guildford: The United Kingdom, along with 178 other states, maintains full diplomatic relations with the Holy See, and recognises the Pope as a Head of State. The United Kingdom maintains separate embassies to the Republic of Italy and to the Holy See, as it is the diplomatic practice of the Holy See not to accept cross-accreditation of ambassadors to these two appointments. Due to security concerns, the embassy to the Holy See relocated in 2005 to the UK's Porta Pia compound in Rome, which also houses our embassy to the Republic of Italy. The two embassies are located in separate buildings on this site. As well as providing necessary security benefits, this relocation has also enabled the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to make some resource savings in terms of back-office functions. More information on the UK's relationship with the Holy See is available on the Holy See country profile on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Website. Russia Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what occasions they have discussed with the government of Russia the impact of their military operations in the north Caucasus, particularly with regard to the abuse of human rights found by the European Court of Human Rights and the security measures applied by President Kadyrov in the Chechen Republic in terms of the provocation of regional and global terrorism. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government raised the impact of Russia's policies and human rights performance in the North Caucasus at senior official level at our annual bilateral human rights consultations on 14 January 2010. We highlighted that apparent impunity for those that breach human rights or attack human rights defenders may foster an environment in which such attacks are perpetrated. We plan to discuss this with Russia again at the next consultations in early 2011. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary also stressed the importance of human rights, the rule of law and ending the culture of impunity when he met Foreign Minister Lavrov during his visit to Moscow on 13 October 2010. Russia is aware of our concerns, and we will continue to engage with Russia on these issues-at Ministerial level, through our Embassy in Moscow, and through our representation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Social Care Funding Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact of the new social care funding system on the elderly. Earl Howe: We have asked an independent commission to make recommendation on how to achieve an affordable and sustainable funding system or systems for care and support for all adults in England, both in the home and other settings. It is due to report next year. Spending Review 2010 Lord Smith of Leigh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what forecast they have made of the need for social housing over the period of Spending Review 2010; and how they intend to meet that need. Baroness Hanham: The department does not forecast levels of future housebuilding, and delivery will be determined by local housing plans. In the spending review we announced investment of over £6.5 billion in housing. This includes over £2 billion to make existing social homes decent and almost £4.5 billion investment in new affordable housing to deliver up to 150,000 affordable homes. We are giving housing associations much more flexibility on rents and use of assets, so our aspiration is to deliver as many as homes as possible through our investment and reforms. On 22 November we published our consultation document Local Decisions: A Fairer Future for Social Housing, which set out our plans for radical reform of the social housing system. We will be publishing further details on affordable rent in the new year. Spending Review 2010 Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 16 November (WA 200), what proportion of the 0.1 per cent increase above inflation in health spending in each year of Spending Review 2010 will cover current expenditure. Lord Sassoon: As set out in the Spending Review document, the Department of Health's settlement includes a 1.3 per cent increase in real terms in the resource budget over the Spending Review period, which is equivalent to an average annual real growth rate of 0.3 per cent. Spending Review 2010 Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 16 November (WA 200), what proportion of the estimated £20 billion of efficiency savings in health spending will be spent on current expenditure. Lord Sassoon: While the Government have protected NHS spending, the NHS will need to make efficiencies to deal with rising demand from an ageing population and the increased costs of new technology. These savings will be reinvested to support patient care. Sudan Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of preparations for the referendum on the future of Abyei, Sudan; and what discussions they have held with Sudan on the future of Abyei. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are deeply concerned at the lack of progress towards the Abyei referendum. We have urged both Sudanese parties to reach urgent resolution of the impasse and will continue to do so. We are supporting the ongoing mediation talks, including on Abyei, facilitated by President Mbeki and the African Union.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2010-12-01a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2010", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Afghanistan: Poppy Crop Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to diverting a proportion of the Afghan poppy crop for medical use. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government have researched options for the licit cultivation of opiates in Afghanistan, particularly their potential use for medical purposes. Our conclusion was that the Government of Afghanistan did not have the necessary control mechanisms in place to ensure the crop was not illegally diverted. Although the capacity and capability of the Afghan state is growing, the lack of robust control mechanisms remains a risk. The Government of Afghanistan have reached the same conclusion. They have ruled out the licit cultivation of opiates as a means of tackling the illegal drugs trade. Airports: Heathrow Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations and applications they have received about applying for a public service obligation under European Regulations 2408/92/EEC and 95/93/EEC in order to allow the restoration of air services to Heathrow Airport from Durham Tees Valley Airport. Lord Adonis: The Department for Transport has discussed the possibility and the costs of imposing a public service obligation on the route with a number of stakeholders from the Tees Valley area. Neither the regional development agency, One North East, nor any other stakeholder in the region has submitted an application. Benefits: Former UK Residents Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what systems are in place to support families with children who are British citizens formerly resident in the United Kingdom who return to this country and have no other means of support. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Subject to immigration conditions all social security benefits are available to people who meet the qualifying conditions. For income-related benefits, in addition to the specific qualifying conditions people must also pass an habitual residence test. To pass the test everyone, including British citizens returning to the UK after a period abroad, has to show that they have a right to reside and are habitually resident in the common travel area (CTA), which includes the United Kingdom as well as the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland. Climate Change Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to establish, in collaboration with other European governments, enhanced and better-publicised information exchanges about climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes between Chinese and European governmental, academic and industrial organisations. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Both the UK and the EU engage in regular dialogue and co-operation with China on climate change and value this exchange of information and experience. We have encouraged EU countries to co-ordinate and share information on bilateral activities they undertake with China and will continue to do so. The commitment of the EU and China to co-operation on environment and energy issues, including climate change, was underlined and given an institutional structure under the UK presidency of the EU at the eighth EU-China summit in September 2005. At this summit, a joint declaration on climate change was agreed, launching the EU-China Partnership on Climate Change. This partnership provides a high-level political framework to further strengthen the co-operation between the EU and China by setting out concrete new actions to tackle climate change. These actions are set out in the rolling work plan, as agreed in Beijing on 19 October 2006. This partnership fully complements the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and has strengthened co-operation and dialogue on climate change including clean energy, and promotes sustainable development that incorporates work on climate change mitigation and adaptation. It also includes co-operation on the development, deployment and transfer of low-carbon technology, including advanced near-zero-emissions coal technology through carbon capture and storage. At the EU-China summit on 30 November 2009, both sides agreed to upgrade their climate change partnership in order to strengthen policy dialogue and practical co-operation. We hope the upgraded partnership will provide a platform for more comprehensive and strategic engagement on low-carbon development. Details of the partnership are regularly updated and available through the EUROPA website at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/china.htm. Climate Change Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering providing equal levels of financial support to nuclear and renewable energy sources, in order to meet the targets in the Climate Change Act 2008 and to ensure a secure and balanced range of non-fossil energy sources. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The renewables obligation provides a financial incentive to invest in renewables by placing an obligation on electricity suppliers to source a certain proportion of the electricity they sell to customers from renewable sources. The Government have been clear that it will be for energy companies to fund, develop and build new nuclear power stations in the UK, including meeting the full costs of decommissioning and their full share of waste management costs. Economy: Manufacturing Lord Forsyth of Drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were employed in manufacturing in each year since 1997. Baroness Crawley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for Office for National Statistics, to Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, dated 28 January 2010. The attached table contains the number of UK workforce jobs in manufacturing, in June of each year since 1997. Workforce jobs includes employee jobs, self-employed jobs and government-supported trainees. Quarterly data since 1978 are available at www.statistics. gov.uk. UK Workforce Jobs (thousands) Seasonally adjusted Whole Economy Manufacturing Percentage (%) June 1997 28,697 4,528 16 June 1998 28,824 4,554 16 June 1999 29,127 4,381 15 June 2000 29,554 4,255 14 June 2001 29,890 4,084 14 June 2002 30,064 3,881 13 June 2003 30,350 3,694 12 June 2004 30,671 3,547 12 June 2005a 31,012 3,365 11 June 2006a 31,257 3,261 10 June 2007 31,471 3,187 10 June 2008 31,661 3,138 10 June 2009 30,987 2,883 9 a There is a discontinuity in the employee jobs series between December 2005 and September 2006 due to improvements to the annual benchmark. Further information can be found at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/Statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=9765. Elections: OSC Monitoring Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will continue their commitment to provide 10 per cent of the international team of election monitors for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's election monitoring missions in the Commonwealth of Independent States region. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government will keep to their existing commitment of providing up to 10 per cent of observers on an ad hoc basis. Energy: Electricity Generation Lord Reay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the total electricity generated in the United Kingdom (a) in the week beginning 14 December 2009, and (b) in each of the following five weeks, was produced by wind power; and what was the peak demand for electricity on each of the days during that period. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Using daily generation data, operationally metered wind contributed 0.8 per cent of total operationally metered generation during the week of 14 December 2009, and 0.3 per cent, 1.0 per cent, 0.7 per cent, 1.6 per cent and 1.0 per cent in the five following weeks. The highest demand peak during the six-week period, of 58,503 megawatts, occurred on 7 January 2010. The daily peak demand for the six weeks from 14 December 2009 is detailed in the table below. These generation data are made available by National Grid and only refer to wind power which is operationally metered-ie, around half of the UK onshore wind farms and none of the offshore wind farms. Data from DECC providing a more complete coverage of wind farms are available on a two to three-month lagged basis. Peak demand data are also from National Grid, using the initial demand outurn measure. Date Peak demand (MW) 14-Dec-09 55,048 15-Dec-09 55,713 16-Dec-09 55,297 17-Dec-09 55,141 18-Dec-09 55,477 19-Dec-09 51,350 20-Dec-09 50,315 21-Dec-09 55,411 22-Dec-09 54,821 23-Dec-09 53,657 24-Dec-09 48,794 25-Dec-09 41,274 26-Dec-09 40,808 27-Dec-09 43,674 28-Dec-09 48,108 29-Dec-09 50,167 30-Dec-09 49,704 31-Dec-09 49,235 01-Jan-10 45,197 02-Jan-10 49,451 03-Jan-10 50,483 04-Jan-10 57,717 05-Jan-10 57,071 06-Jan-10 56,294 07-Jan-10 58,503 08-Jan-10 56,927 09-Jan-10 53,092 10-Jan-10 52,272 11-Jan-10 57,998 12-Jan-10 57,049 13-Jan-10 57,789 14-Jan-10 57,275 15-Jan-10 54,204 16-Jan-10 49,779 17-Jan-10 48,606 18-Jan-10 54,697 19-Jan-10 53,962 20-Jan-10 55,429 21-Jan-10 54,563 22-Jan-10 53,032 23-Jan-10 48,861 24-Jan-10 48,713 Equal Pay Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's proposals for measuring and publishing information on the gender pay gap. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Government believe that transparency about gender pay is an important way of shining a light on pay inequalities and encouraging employers to tackle them. Voluntary publishing by larger employers is the first important step towards achieving such transparency. The Government are pleased that the Equality and Human Rights Commission has worked with business, unions and other stakeholders to produce its proposals for voluntary gender pay publishing in the private and voluntary sectors. This report represents a useful and important step forward which will enable us to see what is effective and how employers respond to the voluntary approach. The commission will be monitoring progress on the extent to which employers have taken up the voluntary publishing approach and the Government will look at progress when considering the need to move to a mandatory approach through Clause 78 of the Equality Bill. EU: Non-compliance Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what sanctions can be imposed by the European Union on member states which do not pay fines imposed on them for non-compliance with European Union directives and regulations. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: Member states which do not pay fines for non-compliance with EU directives or regulations may be subject to further infraction proceedings under Article 258 of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and fines under Article 260 TFEU. European External Action Service Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect the European External Action Service to be established by the end of March as agreed at the 29 October 2009 European Council meeting. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The European Council has stated that the decision to establish the European External Action Service (EEAS) should be adopted by the end of April, not March 2010. The detailed organisation and functioning of the EEAS will be decided by the member states by unanimity on the basis of a recommendation from the high representative. The high representative has set up a high-level group to help her prepare the draft decision. Fire and Rescue Service Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what would be the cost to public funds of cancelling contracts to regionalise fire control rooms across England and Wales. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The cost of cancelling contracts would depend on the circumstances of cancellation. Specific arrangements are set out in contracts which cannot be disclosed due to commercial confidentiality. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the investigations into the conflict in Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009 requested by the Goldstone report are expected to be completed by (a) Israel, and (b) the Hamas Government in Gaza. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: We have been clear in our call for all credible allegations to be properly investigated. The UN Secretary General is due to deliver a report in February 2010 into the progress of both Israeli and Palestinian investigations of their conduct during the Gaza conflict. Israel, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority are all expected to contribute to this report. Government Departments: Bonuses Lord Newby: To ask Her Majesty's Government for each of the past three years for which figures are available, how many people were eligible for performance bonuses and special bonuses in the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its agencies, by Civil Service band; how many people received each type of bonus, by Civil Service band; what the average payment was for each type of bonus, by Civil Service band; and what the maximum payment was for each type of bonus, by Civil Service band. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: An element of the DCSF overall pay award is allocated to non-consolidated variable pay related to performance. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives. Non-consolidated variable pay awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls, and have to be re-earned each year against predetermined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs. The percentage of the pay bill set aside for performance-related awards for the SCS is based on recommendations from the independent Senior Salaries Review Body. The DCSF was established in June 2007 as part of the machinery of government changes and data for the two years covering the department are set out in the table below. The table shows details of how many people were eligible for and received non-consolidated variable pay awards and the average and the maximum payment for a non-consolidated variable pay award, by Civil Service band, awarded under the DCSF standard pay and performance management process. Performance Year 2007-08 Performance Year 2008-09 SCS Non-SCS SCS Non-SCS Number of staff eligible for non-consolidated performance payment 116 2,584 129 2,625 Number of staff who received a non-consolidated performance payment 80 1,315 97 1,337 Average value of non-consolidated performance payment £9,753 £998 £8,732 £851 The value of maximum non-consolidated payment £25,000 £2,000 £15,000 £2,000 Percentage of SCS paybill set aside for non-consolidated performance payments 8.6% N/A 8.6% N/A The department has no agencies. Homelessness Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many local authorities in north-west England have carried out a homelessness review in the past five years. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Under Section 1 of the Homelessness Act 2002, local housing authorities are required to publish a homelessness strategy, based on a review of homelessness in their district, at least every five years. Authorities were required to publish their first homelessness strategy by 31 July 2003. There is no requirement for local authorities to provide details of their reviews or strategies to the Secretary of State. Information about the number of authorities in north-west England that have carried out a homelessness review in the past five years is not held centrally. Homelessness Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the minimum period for which a local authority is subject to the main homelessness duty. Lord McKenzie of Luton: There is no minimum period for which a local authority is subject to the main homelessness duty. As originally enacted Section 193 of the Housing Act 1996 (duty to persons with priority need who are not homeless intentionally) provided that the local authority's duty to secure accommodation was limited to two years. This restriction was removed by Section 6 of the Homelessness Act 2002. House of Lords: Library Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask the Chairman of Committees whether he will ask the Library of the House to provide a weekly summary of the main activities of the European Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament. Lord Brabazon of Tara: No. The preparation of a weekly summary of the activities of the three institutions would be a labour-intensive and time-consuming process for Library staff and would impact negatively on the core services currently offered to Members. The websites of the three institutions are comprehensive: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/http://www.assemblywales.org/; andhttp://www.scottish.parliament.uk/. Members are encouraged to raise suggestions for new Library services with the Director of Information Services and Librarian in the first instance. National Identity Register Baroness Warsi: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have (a) applied for, and (b) received, a national identity card. Lord West of Spithead: Since 20 October 2009, and up to and including 23 January 2010, over 4,300 applicants have been enrolled or have made an enrolment appointment for an identity card. Of these applicants over 3,000 have been issued with a national identity card. NHS: Race and Equality Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 15 December 2009 (WA 212-13), how many other NHS organisations are being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission; and in which sectors the 133 organisations being investigated are located. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: In addition to compliance notices issued to three NHS trusts in December 2009, the Equality and Human Rights Commission is currently investigating 21 other NHS organisations for possible breach of the Race Relations Act. Of the 133 organisations being investigated by the commission, 87 are located in the public sector while 39 are in the private sector. Since 15 December 2009, seven case files have closed or are no longer active. Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 15 December 2009 (WA 213), whether commissioners are recorded in the minute as objecting to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's proposed work to secure legislative implementation of its advice on a bill of rights for Northern Ireland, and the seeking of outside funding to do so. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The content of internal minutes is an operational matter for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, which operates independently of government. The noble Lord may wish to write to the commission directly on these matters. Ofcom Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how Ofcom is fulfilling its statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity in relation to employment of those providing television and radio services. Lord Davies of Oldham: Ofcom is independent of government. As such, the Government have made no assessment. Ofcom Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are sufficient to meet the requirement in the Communications Act 2003 for Ofcom to "take all such steps as they consider appropriate for promoting equality of opportunity". Lord Davies of Oldham: This is a matter for Ofcom, which is independent of government. Olympic Games 2012: Accommodation Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what facilities for athletes' residential accommodation at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be removed from such accommodation after the Games; and what is the cost of such facilities. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Olympic village has been designed from the outset to provide both accommodation for the athletes during Games time, and, after the Games, homes for a new sustainable community which will be at the heart of a vibrant economic and social hub in east London. Temporary partitions and bathroom facilities will be installed for the duration of the Games, and will be removed as part of the transition to permanent housing. These elements are provided for in the overall budget for the Olympic village. Commercial confidentiality prevents disclosure of budget amounts until the subcontracts have been let. Temporary facilities for athletes and officials at Games time are part of the Games overlay, which is the responsibility of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. This includes common facilities for athletes-such as dining areas, and faith facilities. LOCOG is in the process of working up these plans with its Athletes Commission. LOCOG is a company limited by guarantee, and the cost of the overlay will be met out of its budget-primarily privately financed from sponsorship, ticket sales, merchandise and broadcast rights. Parking Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will advise local authorities that, when 26 December or 1 January falls on a Saturday, parking restrictions should be enforced as if the day in question is a public holiday. Lord Adonis: No. Local authorities' traffic regulation orders will indicate when parking restrictions are enforceable. Where they are enforceable, it is for individual authorities to determine how and when to enforce them, and to inform drivers effectively Parking Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government with reference to a letter dated 30 November 2009 from the Minister of State at the Department for Transport, Sadiq Khan, to Karen Buck, whether they will discuss with the Local Government Ombudsman the Minister's statement that "the department is not aware of any regulations that remove the powers of the Local Government Ombudsman [to investigate the enforcement of parking and moving traffic contraventions in London]"; and whether the Local Government Ombudsman is able to investigate such matters. Lord Adonis: Department for Transport officials will be meeting the Local Government Ombudsman shortly to discuss this matter further. Questions for Written Answer Lord Jopling: To ask the Leader of the House further to her Written Answer on 11 January (WA 135-6), what steps have been taken to bring to the attention of the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change the fact that his department had the worst record of all departments in answering Questions for Written Answer in the House of Lords between May 2009 and the end of the 2008-09 session, having answered 42 per cent within the two-week target. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: I wrote to all Cabinet colleagues on 26 January stressing the importance that Ministers should continue to give Written Questions; highlighting the recently published statistical information; and drawing specific attention to the significant variations across departments. My office has also been in direct contact with the Department of Energy and Climate Change which has confirmed that, since the last parliamentary Session, it has created a new dedicated database and introduced a new monitoring system for Written Questions. Recent statistics show a significant improvement, with approximately 68 per cent of Lords Questions for Written Answer falling to the department in the current Session being answered within 14 days. Railways: East Coast Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for electric IC225 units in use on the east coast main railway line; and whether those plans have been discussed with the owning rolling stock company. Lord Adonis: Plans for the use of electric IC225 units, including their replacement in 2017-18 by super-express trains, were outlined in the east coast franchise consultation document, which was released on 21 January 2010. All rolling stock leasing companies were fully involved in the development of the super-express train specification up until the issue of the European Journal initial tender notice in 2007, at which point their continuing involvement could have created a conflict of interest. Railways: East Coast Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the business case for the proposed substitution of the intercity express trains for the existing IC225 locomotives and carriages. Lord Adonis: The Government have no plans to publish the business case for IC225 replacement until after the conclusion of current contractual negotiations with Agility Trains. Railways: East Coast Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether plans for the use of electric IC225 units will be reviewed following any decisions on future railway funding. Lord Adonis: Plans for the use of electric IC225 units, including their replacement in 2017-18 by super-express trains, were outlined in the east coast franchise consultation document, which was released on 21 January 2010. Somalia: Pirates Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to establish an international agreement to prohibit the payment of ransoms for the release of hostages taken by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: The Government do not make or facilitate substantive concessions to Somali pirates, including the payment of ransoms. Although there is no UK law preventing third parties such as ship owners paying ransoms, we counsel against them doing so, as we believe making concessions to pirates encourages future hijacks. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working with international partners, including the UN, to address the issues of financial flows related to piracy including the payment of ransoms, and has supported work by Interpol and others to develop practical proposals in this area. Teesside Cast Products Plant Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings have taken place between Ministers and Tata Steel about the future of the Teesside Cast Products plant. Lord Davies of Abersoch: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister, my noble friend Lord Mandelson and other Ministers from my department have regularly met or spoken to senior representatives of Corus and Tata Steel as well as local MPs, trade unions and regional offices about the situation at Teesside. Teesside Cast Products Plant Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings have taken place between Ministers and potential buyers of the Teesside Cast Products plant. Lord Davies of Abersoch: There have been no ministerial meetings with potential buyers but the Government continue to explore the opportunities and scope for Corus to find the strategic partner it regards as necessary. Transport: Snowfall Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to learn and disseminate lessons from the effects on road, rail and air transport from the recent cold weather and snow. Lord Adonis: We will wish to consider carefully the lessons from the recent severe weather, taking into account the reviews which local authorities and others conduct. Valuable reviews were conducted last year by the House of Commons Transport Select Committee (The Effects of Adverse Weather Conditions on Transport, HC328), the Local Government Association (Weathering the Storm), the UK Roads Liaison Group (Lessons from the Severe Weather February 2009) and the Greater London Authority (Slipping Up?). It will be important to build on these. Four recommendations from the UKRLG report were specifically addressed to this department and the Highways Agency. My Written Statement on 15 December 2009 (Official Report, cols. WS 253-55) advised what action had been taken by this department and the Highways Agency consistent with those recommendations. These recommendations have been adopted. With respect to the strategic road network in England, following the winter season the Highways Agency will be conducting its own review of the events this winter and will contribute to any wider lessons-learned exercises that are undertaken. Looking at the longer term, my department's climate change adaption plan, which is due to be published in March, will set out how the department and its agencies will be addressing the challenge of making the United Kingdom's transport network more resilient to the more extreme weather events which we are likely to see in future.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2010-02-01a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2010", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Communities and Local Government Non-domestic Rates Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the financial effect of the Budget announcement of changes to business rates relief on (1) local government across England, (2) councils in South Yorkshire, and (3) Sheffield City Council. Baroness Williams of Trafford: These tax cuts provide significant support to local businesses. The Small Business Rate Relief measure announced at the Budget will mean 600,000 of the smallest businesses will not have to pay business rates.Local authorities will be compensated in full for their loss of income as a result of these changes. Local Press: Non-domestic Rates Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the proposed £1,500 business rates discount for office space occupied by local newspapers in England outlined in the Budget will affect Northern Ireland and Scotland. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The £1,500 discount for office space occupied by local newspapers will be introduced in England for 2 years from April 2017. This measure will help to support local newspapers in England, alongside the other changes to Small Business Rate Relief. Business rates are devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland and so this is a matter for the devolved administrations. Barnett consequentials apply to this measure in the normal way. Ministry of Justice Peers: Writs of Summons Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many writs of summons were sent to Peers in 2015, and how many were returned undelivered. Lord Faulks: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 22 January 2016.The correct answer should have been: 704 812 Writs of Summons were sent out to peers at the Dissolution of Parliament on 30 March 2015. Information on the number of Writs that were returned is not held centrally. Lord Faulks: 704 812 Writs of Summons were sent out to peers at the Dissolution of Parliament on 30 March 2015. Information on the number of Writs that were returned is not held centrally.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2016-04-13
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2016", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with (1) Amazon, and (2) other suppliers, about the fall in volume of goods being delivered from Great Britain to Northern Ireland since the agreement of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland in December 2020. Lord Callanan: The Government has been speaking with businesses regularly regarding shipment of goods to Northern Ireland (NI), including parcel operators and online marketplaces. We have working groups with business where they are updated on the latest guidance and have the opportunity to seek further clarity on operational related issues. Assistance is also available from the Trader Support Service, which guides businesses trading with NI through all import processes at no additional cost.Furthermore, the Brexit Business Taskforce has held regular meetings between my noble Friend the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office (the Rt. Hon. Lord Frost), other Ministers, and key business sectors.HMRC held constructive engagement with the postal and parcel industry in the run up to the 31 December 2020 announcement of temporary arrangements for express operators to continue moving the majority of goods with minimal requirements. This engagement will continue for the duration of the temporary arrangements. OneWeb: Satellites Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their acquisition of a share of OneWeb on 3 July 2020, how many satellites OneWeb have launched since that date; where were those satellites manufactured; what launch vehicles were used; and from where they were launched. Lord Callanan: Since the Government’s investment, OneWeb has launched 180 satellites, bringing the total number of satellites launched to 254.OneWeb satellites are currently manufactured in Florida, USA. The payload (the active component), for the satellites is manufactured in the UK.OneWeb currently utilises heavy launch via their ArianeSpace contract executed through the Soyuz launcher at Vostochny in Russia. OneWeb: Satellites Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans OneWeb has to manufacture satellites in the UK; when they expect any such manufacture to begin; what specific applications of OneWeb satellites they expect to benefit the UK; when they expect the development of second generation OneWeb satellites to be completed; and whether they expect the second generation OneWeb satellites to be suitable for Positioning Navigation and Timing programmes. Lord Callanan: Details of satellite production and manufacturing are a commercial matter for the company. However, the Government would of course welcome R&D and manufacturing activity in the UK as part of efforts to grow the UK space sector.The Space Based PNT programme is continuing to evaluate options for future PNT resilience in the UK. Global Navigation Satellite Systems Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 20 October 2020 (HL8804), whether the Space-Based Positioning Navigation and Timing Programme has completed its exploration of new and alternative ways to deliver satellite navigation services to the UK; if so, what the result of that exploration is; and whether OneWeb has a role in any of the options being considered. Lord Callanan: From October to November 2020, the UK Space Agency engaged industry and academia specialising in Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) via a Request for Information (RFI), designed to ensure a wide range of space-based concepts can be explored by the Space Based PNT Programme (SBPP).SBPP’s analysis is ongoing and will assess how well different options meet the UK’s requirements for PNT information from space. Lockheed Martin and Virgin Orbit Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding (1) Lockheed Martin, and (2) Virgin Orbit, received from the UK Space Flight Programme, and for what purpose. Lord Callanan: The UK Spaceflight Programme has provided:£23.5 million in two separate grants to Lockheed Martin. This includes £13.5m to establish launch operations at Saxa Vord Spaceport in Shetland and £10m for the research and development, build and flight demonstration an orbital manoeuvring vehicle.£7.35m to Virgin Orbit as part of £20m central and local government funding to support horizontal launch by from Spaceport Cornwall. Insolvency: Fees and Charges The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Christians Against Poverty Shipshape or sinking ship?, published on 21 July, what plans they have to remove insolvency fees for individuals with insufficient surplus income. Lord Callanan: There are no immediate plans to review the bankruptcy application or Debt Relief Order (DRO) fees. Where the fee is an issue, assistance is already available to allow a debtor to pay in instalments prior to the making of the bankruptcy order or DRO. In addition, some charities offer help with paying the fee. The Government has announced that it will be conducting a review of the personal insolvency framework in due course to ensure that it continues to be fit for purpose. Astronomy: Scientists Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK scientists are working on (1) the James WebbSpace Telescope, and (2) the Extremely Large Telescope European project under construction in Chile. Lord Callanan: The UK’s role in James Webb Space Telescope, leading the Mid-Infrared Instrument known as MIRI, involved scientists, engineers, researchers and technicians from 46 organisations across the UK – supported by approximately £20M investment from UK Space Agency and the Science and Technology Facilities Council. At its peak, the instrument’s development programme was staffed by 25-30 FTE (Full Time Equivalent) per year. Approximately 360 UK scientists will be working with JWST scientific data following its launch in November 2021, through privilege access programmes for the first mission data, and guest observer programmes. When factoring in post docs and PhD students, who will support this research, this figure can be expected to effectively double. We expect that when operational 200-400 UK researchers will seek time on the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) to support their science programmes. During the current construction phase a large proportion of UK scientists are working under commercial contract and we do not have access to staffing within those. When it starts operating in late-2020s, UK scientists will be able to use ELT to study the earliest evolution of stars and galaxies and to characterise and image other planets, possibly like our own. Department for Education Islam: Curriculum Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, subject to a parental right to withdraw children from particular lessons, to require depictions of the Prophet Mohammed to be shown to pupils and discussed as part of Religious Studies in the school curriculum; and if they have no such plans, why not. Baroness Berridge: The department does not specify what a religious education (RE) curriculum should consist of, or how lessons on particular religions or non-religious beliefs should be taught. This is a matter for the school and the local authority’s Agreed Syllabus Conference, depending on whether a school is maintained or an academy, and whether the school has a religious designation or not. The details of these arrangements can be found in department guidance found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/religious-education-guidance-in-english-schools-non-statutory-guidance-2010 and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/re-and-collective-worship-in-academies-and-free-schools.There are therefore no plans for the department to require the depictions of the Prophet Mohammed to be shown to pupils and discussed as part of RE.Schools are free to include a full range of issues, ideas, and materials in their curriculum, including where they are challenging or controversial, subject to their obligations to ensure political balance. They must balance this with the need to promote respect and tolerance between people of different faiths and beliefs, including in deciding which materials to use in the classroom. Teachers: Training Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Education Policy Institute The cost of high-quality professional development for teachers in England,published on 15 July; and what steps are they taking to improve the quality of existing CPD training that teachers participate in. Baroness Berridge: The department would like to thank the Education Policy Institute for the report ‘The cost of high-quality professional development for teachers in England’. Supporting our teachers with the highest quality training and professional development is the best way in which we can improve pupil outcomes, with evidence showing that expert teaching can have a disproportionately strong impact on those from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who have fallen behind. That is why the government has made the training, support and professional development we provide for our teachers central to our levelling up agenda and a key part of our plan to deal with the disruption that the COVID-19 outbreak has caused to schools.To this effect, the government is creating a world-class teacher development system, building from initial teacher training (ITT), through to early career support, specialisation and onto school leadership. At each phase, teachers will have access to high-quality training and professional development underpinned by the best available evidence. This will create a golden thread of support that teachers can draw on at every stage of their careers.As part of the department’s plans to boost education recovery, the package of measures we announced on 2 June included an investment of £253 million to expand our reforms to teacher development to give 500,000 school teachers the opportunity to access world-leading training appropriate for whatever point they are at in their career. This funding includes £184 million for a reformed suite of National Professional Qualifications which will provide training and support for teachers and school leaders at all levels, from those who want to develop expertise in high quality teaching practice, such as behaviour management, to those leading multiple schools across trusts.From September 2021, the government is also funding an entitlement for all early career teachers in England to access high quality professional development and support through the Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms. Under the reforms, new teachers will benefit from a longer induction period of two years, replacing the previous one-year induction processes. This means they will have more time to access structured support and to develop their expertise and confidence. The funding available will give every school who wants it access to a Department for Education funded training provider who will design and deliver a comprehensive programme of face-to-face and online training as part of the new statutory induction for early career teachers. The ECF reforms will be backed by over £130 million a year in funding when fully rolled out.The reforms the department is making to the professional development teachers can access, which also includes the introduction of the ITT Core Content Framework, will root teacher development in the same consistent evidence-based understanding of what works. This will create a thread of high-quality support, training, and development through the entirety of a teacher’s career. School Leaving: Qualifications Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manychildren left school with no (1) GCSEs, or (2) equivalent qualifications, in each of the last three years. Baroness Berridge: In 2020, 2.2% of pupils at the end of key stage 4 (age 16) in state funded schools in England had no GCSEs and equivalent passes. This is a small improvement compared with both 2019 and 2018 when the figure was 2.4%.At age 16, the percentage of pupils without level 2 (5 good GCSEs or equivalent) was 27.3% in 2019/20, 35.7% in 2018/19, and 35% in 2017/18.After the age of 16, pupils should stay in full-time education, be in an apprenticeship or traineeship, or spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training. During this period they should gain further qualifications. Of those leaving at age 18 in 2019/20, 20.6% of pupils left school without level 2 (5 good GCSEs or equivalent), an improvement of 14.5% compared with the same cohort at age 16. STEM Subjects: Ethnic Groups Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what data they collect regarding (1) the participation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students in STEM subjects, and (2) their access to engineering qualifications at vocational or degree level. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Education and Skills Funding Agency collects information from further education providers via the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). The ILR specification for the 2019/20 academic year is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ilr-specification-validation-rules-and-appendices-2019-to-2020.The attached table contains the number of STEM enrolments for both adult (19+) education and training, and apprenticeships at all ages by people from ethnic minorities in the 2019/20 full academic year, and the 2020/21 provisional academic year. Please note that these counts are of learning aims [1]. If someone were to enrol on more than one learning aim in a given academic year they would be counted twice.The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on students enrolled in higher education in the UK. Latest statistics refer to the academic year 2019/20.Data on student enrolments at UK higher education providers are available by subject of study and ethnicity in the academic year 2019/20 in Table 45 of HESA’s Higher Education Student Data pages: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-45.Further details about data collected by HESA is available at the ‘Student record 2019/20’ and ‘Alternative Student record 2019/20’ data collection pages, available here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c19051/a/locsdy and https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c19054.More data on access to higher education are published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). These include breakdowns by subject of study and ethnicity, available in the End of Cycle Data Resources pages: https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-sector-level-end-cycle-data-resources-2020.[1] A learning aim constitutes the package of learning being funded and delivered separately, such as an apprenticeship standard, an individual qualification, a module or a short non-qualification bearing course.HL1997_table (xls, 61.0KB) Ministry of Justice Prisoners: Gender Recognition Lord Cormack: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the judgment in the case of FDJ v the Secretary of State for Justice on 2 July, whether it is their policy to treat biologically male prisoners in possession of a Gender Recognition Certificate as women for all purposes. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service policy framework ‘The Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender’ sets out how decisions regarding transgender prisoners are taken. Prisoners with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) are housed and managed in line with their legal gender. This is in line with the Equality Act 2010 which prohibits discrimination based on gender reassignment. If a prisoner presents risk that cannot be managed in the estate matching their legal gender, the individual is referred to a Complex Case Board, chaired by a senior prison manager. The board then decides the most appropriate location for the prisoner after thoroughly considering all relevant risks, including risk to others, risk from others and the risk of self-harm. Where a transgender woman with a GRC is placed in the women’s estate, we consider any risks she may pose to other women in the estate, with use of separate accommodation where appropriate. We are committed to treating all prisoners fairly, lawfully and decently. Reoffenders: Females Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many recommendations they have implemented from the report commissioned by the Ministry of Justice The Importance of Strengthening Female Offenders' Family and other Relationships to Prevent Reoffending and Reduce Intergenerational Crime, published on 18 June 2019. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Government has made good progress in implementing the recommendations from Lord Farmer’s 2019 report on ‘The Importance of Strengthening Female Offenders’ Family and other Relationships to Prevent Reoffending and Reduce Intergenerational Crime’.So far, 17 recommendations have been completed, including increased access to family contact for women in custody through the rollout of video calling and email reply systems in all women’s prisons, the installation of in-cell telephony in all closed women’s prisons, improvements to Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) policy, and routine access to telephone contact for women and primary carers in court custody suites.We are continuing to work across the MOJ, HMPPS, and wider government to take forward Lord Farmer’s recommendations. Prisons: Females Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average number of miles a woman in prison is held from her home address. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: As of 30 June 2021, a woman in prison was on average 47 miles from their origin address.There are complex and wide-ranging issues involved in transferring and locating prisoners, and allocation decisions must reflect both the specific needs and circumstances of the prisoner, including their security assessment, as well as the operating environment and range of services at the receiving prison.HMPPS is committed to ensuring, where practicable, that prisoners are accommodated as close as possible to their resettlement communities and families. Whilst this is a priority, it is not always possible due to a variety of factors including wider population pressures, or where women have specific sentence planning needs which can only be met at certain establishments.Around 97% of prisoners have an origin location; i.e. addresses that are recorded in our central IT system. If no address is given, an offender’s committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. This information is included in the data provided above. Those with no recorded origin are typically foreign nationals or those recently received into custody.The numerical information provided has been drawn from administrative IT systems, which as with any large scale recording system are subject to possible error with data entry and processing. Treasury National Audit Office: Email Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 12 July (HL1536), what if any access the National Audit Office has to private emails which they regard as amounting to “substantive discussions or decision generated in the course of conducting government business” but which have not been copied to a government email address. Lord Agnew of Oulton: As set out in the answer to HL1536, material amounting to “substantive discussions or decision generated in the course of conducting government business“ should be transferred to the official record and, as such, will be accessible by the NAO in the usual way. In addition, and as set out in Managing Public Money, when the NAO investigates any public sector organisation, it should get full cooperation in provision of papers. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Turkey: Immigration Controls Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the EU’s proposal to fund border controls at Turkey’s eastern border; and in particular, whether this would lead to victims of persecution being turned back. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of discussions between our close partners, Turkey and the EU, on the funding of border controls at Turkey's eastern border. We would expect any new border controls to comply with international law with respect to the protection of refugees. Nigeria: Human Rights Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have provided (1) financial support, or (2) capacity building training, to state governments in Nigeria to help them better manage (a) resources, and (b) conflict, as recommended in the report by the APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Nigeria: Unfolding Genocideon 15 June; and what (i) support, or (ii) guidance, they have given to civil society organisations in Nigeria to monitor and document all cases of human rights violations against the civilian population, as recommended in that report. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We provide capacity building support, training and technical assistance to state governments across Nigeria to help them manage resources more transparently and to be more responsive to citizen needs. We work with civil society on human rights and we will continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting human rights for all. Greece: Migrants and Refugees Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Amnesty International Greece: Violence, lies, and pushbacks, published on 23 June. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The accounts in the report are concerning and illustrate the difficulties presented by irregular migration. As the report notes, Greece has denied using any illegal practices, while Frontex has conducted an internal investigation into the allegations, and the European Parliament has established a permanent standing committee in order to scrutinise Frontex activity in the Aegean. HMA Athens has raised this issue with Greek Migration Minister Mitarakis and we will continue to urge all parties to uphold international law and international human rights standards, and to avoid any actions that may endanger human life. More broadly, the UK is committed to engaging with European and other partners on a 'whole of route' approach to tackling the challenges of, and risks posed by, irregular migration. Nigeria: Christianity Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 24 May (HL3), what assessment they have made of reports of the killing of eight Christians in an attack on a church in Ungwan Gaida, Kaduna State, Nigeria on 19 May; and what recent discussions they have had with the government of Nigeria about the protection of religious sites. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We condemn all attacks on places of worship including the reported attack in Ungwan Gaida, Kaduna State. We regularly raise concerns about attacks and broader insecurity with the Nigerian Government, including during the Minister for Africa's visit to Nigeria in April. Education: Children Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support children from endangered (1) ethnic, and (2) religious, communities in securing scholarships that would enable them to be given comprehensive education outside their country of origin. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Defending and promoting human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, has been a long-standing priority for the UK Government. The UK believes that no one should be excluded from education because of their religion or belief. Discrimination damages not only societies, but also holds back economies.Religious or ethnic discrimination can force families to flee their homes, with refugees and displaced children now constituting the largest group of those out of school, and their number increasing. For this reason, the UK is the founding and leading donor to Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in emergencies. The UK is providing £90 million of funding to ECW from 2019 to 2023. This investment is supporting ECW to expand its operations to more countries, respond to COVID-19, and will support up to 600,000 children living through conflict, and in areas of protracted crises, access education. For example, ECW's support includes the provision of basic education for 88,000 Rohingya children who are now living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Iraq and Syria: Minority Groups Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation of the (1) Yazidi, (2) Christian, and (3) Mandean, communities in (a) Iraq, and (b) Syria; what plans they have to (i) recognise them as endangered communities and (ii) to identify policies to protect them; what assistance they are providing, if any, to these communities; and what assessment they have made of how any such assistance is protecting them. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is firmly committed to supporting the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria who have suffered as a result of conflict and been persecuted, particularly by Daesh. We have contributed £28 million to the UNDP Funding Facility for Stabilisation (FFS), which is helping to enable the return of internally displaced persons, including minorities, to areas liberated from Daesh by restoring vital infrastructure and basic services. Iraq and Syria: War Crimes Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possibility of designating the destruction of cultural heritage as an early warning sign of atrocity crimes, in line with the requirements of the UN Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes; and what plans they have to support (1) the preservation of the cultural heritage, and (2) the protection of places of worship, of endangered (a) ethnic, and (b) religious, communities in (i) Iraq, and (ii) Syria. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains active and committed in this field. The UK was a penholder on UN Security Council Resolution 2347, which treats protection of cultural heritage as an issue of key importance to international peace with implications for national security. In Iraq and Syria, UK support for cultural heritage protection has ranged from providing psycho-social support to Yazidi women trafficked by Daesh, to addressing illegal antiquities trafficking through the flagship Cultural Protection Fund. The UK government is considering further work in both Iraq and Syria through the next round of the Cultural Protection Fund. EU Countries: Frontex Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement from Amnesty International on 23 June that there needs to be improvement to the (1) accountability, and (2) transparency, of Frontex's operations in (a) Greece, (b) Croatia, and (c) Hungary. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The accounts in the Amnesty International report are concerning. We welcome the fact that Frontex has conducted an internal investigation into the allegations, and the European Parliament has established a permanent standing committee in order to scrutinise Frontex activity in the Aegean. The UK co-operates closely with our European partners to manage migration and strengthen our collective borders. We are committed to upholding international law and international human rights standards and to avoiding any actions that may endanger human life. Israel: Palestinians Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the United Nations Children and Armed Conflict, published on 6 May; and, in particular their finding of “grave violations against 340 Palestinian and 3 Israeli children” in the West Bank. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the assessments made in the Annual Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) for 2020. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli and Palestinian security forces providing appropriate protection to the civilian population, in particular the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire. We remain concerned by the number of Palestinians, including children, killed and injured in the West Bank and Gaza. Syria: Diplomatic Relations Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of some (1) European, and (2) Middle-Eastern, states seeking to re-open diplomatic relations with the government of Syria; and in particular, whether they see this as a (a) pragmatic, and (b) realistic, step. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK closed the British Embassy in Damascus in 2012 and has no plans to re-open it. It is up to each sovereign state to make its own decisions on its representation in Syria, but we believe the Assad regime has lost its legitimacy due to its atrocities against the Syrian people and must now engage seriously with the UN political process. Afghanistan: Emigration Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely scale of emigration from Afghanistan over the next yeargiven the advance of the Taliban in that country. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), conducts assessments of the likely scale of migration and internal displacement due to the situation in Afghanistan. They are currently preparing revised estimates to reflect the deteriorating situation and we will continue to work with OCHA, UNHCR, IOM and other donors and neighbouring countries to respond. Cuba: Demonstrations and Religious Freedom Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the anti-government demonstrations in Cuba, and (2) the reports of the forcible detention of religious leaders in that country. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are clear that all Cubans should have the right to protest peacefully. The UK government has called for calm and restraint, and the full respect of all Cubans' human rights. Detention should not be used as a tool to restrict freedom of expression, assembly, and religion. We have raised our concerns directly with the Cuban government, and called for the authorities to release information on detained citizens, including their whereabouts. We will continue to monitor the situation closely. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Cauliflowers Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure the supply offresh UK grown cauliflowers in shops. Lord Benyon: Cauliflower is an important field vegetable for the UK, worth £57m at farmgate in 2019[1]. Defra is taking a number of steps to ensure our delicious home-grown cauliflowers are supplied to shops in both the short- and longer-term.On 22 December 2020, the Government extended the Seasonal Workers Pilot into 2021, with up to 30,000 visas available, granted for workers to come to the UK, from EU or non-EU countries, for a period of up to six months to pick and package fruit and vegetables on our farms.In 2021 and beyond, agricultural and food businesses will continue to be able to rely on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status. Over 5.1 million EU citizens and their families have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).Defra is working with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to raise awareness of career opportunities within the food and farming sectors among UK workers.We will also explore the potential for automation to meet future labour demands of the sector. Defra is leading on a review of automation in horticulture, which will cover both the edible and ornamental sectors in England. The review will support the overall aim of reducing the sector’s dependency on seasonal migrant labour.Defra is aware of the impact haulier shortages could have on the supply chains, including for horticulture products like cauliflower. We are working closely with the sector to understand these impacts. Overall, the UK’s food supply is highly resilient. The food industry is well versed in dealing with scenarios that can impact food supply. [1] Provisional statistic Latest horticulture statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Agriculture: Seasonal Workers Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is theirresponse to reports of vegetables rotting in fields throughout the UK due to a shortage of agricultural workers. Lord Benyon: Defra is working closely with industry to help our world-leading farmers and food businesses access the labour they need, and to ensure that our sectors are appropriately supported both this year and in the future.On 22 December 2020, the Government extended the Seasonal Workers Pilot into 2021, with up to 30,000 visas available, granted for workers to come to the UK, from EU or non-EU countries, for a period of up to 6 months to pick and package fruit and vegetables on our farms.In 2021 and beyond, agricultural and food businesses will continue to be able to rely on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status. Over 5.1 million EU citizens and their families have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). The application deadline was 30 June 2021 and where a person eligible under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the deadline, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.Defra is working with industry and the Department for Work and Pensions to raise awareness of career opportunities within the food and farming sectors among UK workers. We will also explore the potential for automation to meet future labour demands of the sector.Defra is leading on a review of automation in horticulture, which will cover both the edible and ornamental sectors in England. The review will work alongside the newly extended and expanded Seasonal Workers Pilot - and Defra’s efforts to attract more UK residents into agricultural work – to support the overall aim of reducing the sector’s dependency on seasonal migrant labour. Southern Water Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the £90m fine imposed on Southern Water by the Environment Agency for dumping raw sewage into protected seas; and what plans they have to direct the Environment Agency to hold Southern Water to stricter standards in future. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: On 9 July 2021, Southern was handed a record £90 million fine after pleading guilty to thousands of illegal discharges of sewage which polluted rivers and coastal waters in Kent, Hampshire and Sussex. The Environment Agency led the successful prosecution, which is the largest criminal investigation in its 25-year history.The findings in this case were shocking and wholly unacceptable. The Government has made clear that water companies have environmental responsibilities and must realise them. They have a legal duty to avoid pollution to our rivers and other waterways. Water companies should not be letting this happen and those that do will be punished by the full force of the law.This fine, the largest ever imposed on a water company, is absolutely appropriate and welcomed. It will rightly be paid solely from the company's operating profits, rather than customer bills.The Government works closely with the regulators including the Environment Agency and Ofwat to support their work to monitor Southern Water's performance and to hold them to account to deliver improvements for their customers and the environment. For example, the strategic policy statement (SPS) for Ofwat published on 22nd July for consultation outlines Government's key priorities for the independent regulator. This includes continuing to work on water companies' day-to-day environmental performance, with a focus on meeting the Government's ambitions to reduce significantly the frequency and volume of sewage discharges from storm overflows. As well as this, the statement asks Ofwat to challenge water companies to strategically plan their drainage and wastewater services in order to improve resilience and reduce pollution incidents. Ofwat will also work with companies to drive down leakage and improve water efficiency for the benefit of current and future customers.Although it has improved on last year's Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) 1-star rating, Southern Water remains one of the worst performing companies. Southern Water has a package of undertakings to deliver following enforcement action. The package includes steps to improve investment and performance at its wastewater treatment works and to increase transparency for customers about its environmental performance.Minister Pow met with Southern Water's management team earlier this year to discuss their environmental performance. Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, also met with Southern Water's Chair, and the Secretary of State will be meeting with them to discuss their 2020 EPA results.The Environment Agency regularly reviews the EPA metrics and targets to hold water companies to strict standards. They are working on introducing new metrics for water resources, storm overflows and sludge in the future.The Government will continue to work closely with the Environment Agency and Ofwat as they regulate robustly to drive improvements in the sector. Water Companies: Pollution Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to end the practice of water companies being permitted to self-report pollution incidents. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: It is a requirement on water companies to self-report pollution incidents and there are no plans to remove this important requirement. Pollution incidents occur as a result of a system failure and require a reactive response. The quicker the response, the better the outcome for the environment. If the self-reporting of pollution incidents was not required, the Environment Agency would be reliant on third parties to report when things have gone wrong. Water companies can inform the Environment Agency of problems much quicker than if reported by third parties. High levels of self-reporting demonstrates honesty and transparency and is an indicator that companies are managing their systems effectively. Making this information available and reporting it in the Environment Agency's annual water company performance report shines a light on company performance. Removing this requirement would reduce transparency, be worse for the environment and would reduce the Environment Agency's ability to hold water companies to account. Home Office Home Office: Training The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) departmental officials, and (2) Ministers, have undertaken the 'Face behind the case' training. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The ‘Face Behind the Case’ e-learning is for UKVI staff, to highlight the impact decisions have on our customers.As of 28 June 2021, the training has been completed by 10,132 officials across the Home Office. Asylum: EU Action Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the establishment of a European Union Agency for Asylum. Baroness Williams of Trafford: We note the provisional agreement between the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council and the European Parliament on a Regulation to create an EU asylum agency.We will monitor further developments in relation to implementation of this legislation. Asylum The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have to increase the number of safe routes into the country for those seeking asylum. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Since 2015 we have resettled more than 25,000 refugees through safe and legal resettlement routes direct from regions of conflict and instability - around half of whom were children. In addition to this our current family reunion policy has welcomed over 29,000 individuals to the UK in the last 5 years. The UK continues to welcome people through the global UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), as well as through the Community Sponsorship and Mandate Resettlement Schemes and our refugee family reunion policy. This commitment, alongside a fair but firm asylum system, will ensure we continue to offer safe and legal routes to the UK for refugees in need of protection.The New Plan for Immigration will strengthen safe and legal protection routes to the UK by ensuring our resettlement schemes are accessible and fair, resettling refugees from countries where the need is greatest, increasing the integration support of those we welcome, increasing opportunities for community participation in resettlement, supporting access to work visas for highly skilled displaced people and providing more flexibility to help people in truly exceptional and compelling circumstances. Asylum: Families The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have to preserve the right of familial reunification for asylum seekers regardless of the route of entry into the UK as part of the New Plan for Immigration, published on 24 March. The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the New Plan for Immigration, published on 24 March, whatassessment they have made of the risk of unaccompanied minors travelling to the UK via unauthorised routes for the purposes of reunification with relatives who previously entered through unauthorised routes. Baroness Williams of Trafford: We have a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in-line with our international obligations. But we have been clear that individuals in need of protection should avoid making dangerous journeys and claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety. The Nationality and Borders Bill will set up a range of measures to deter people from undertaking dangerous journeys via unauthorised routes.As set out in the New Plan for Immigration, we are committed to review the refugee family reunion rules. Refugee family reunion will only be permitted where refusing would be a breach of our international obligations. In practice, this means refugees will be able to sponsor their spouse or partner and under-18 children if they can show there are insurmountable obstacles to their relationship continuing anywhere other than the UK and it is in the child’s best interests. Asylum Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatis their response to reports that the United Nations regards their planned asylum overhaul as “almost neo-colonial”. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK has a long history of supporting refugees in need of protection. Our resettlement schemes have provided safe and legal routes for tens of thousands of people to start new lives in the UK.The UK is a global leader in resettlement and resettled more refugees from outside Europe than any EU member state every year between 2016 and 2019.Overall, since 2015, we have resettled more than 25,000 refugees through safe and legal routes direct from regions of conflict and instability - around half of whom were children.The UK continues to welcome refugees through the global UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), as well as through the Community Sponsorship and Mandate Resettlement Schemes. This commitment, alongside a fair and firm asylum system, will ensure we continue to offer safe and legal routes to the UK for vulnerable refugees in need of protection. Our focus will remain on helping people directly from regions of conflict and instability. Asylum: Iraq and Syria Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possibility of enabling people from endangered (1) ethnic, and (2) religious, communities in (a) Iraq, and (b) Syria, to be considered for resettlement in the UK; and how many people in each of these categories have been resettled to the UK in each year since 2014. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Refugee resettlement to the UK is based on need, as assessed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) who adhere to humanitarian principles including impartiality, rather than any specific ethnicity or religion.Refugee resettlement statistics are published through official statistics at quarterly intervals. These statistics can be broken down by nationality. We do not publish data on ethnicity or religious affiliation. The next set of statistics will be published in August and will include the number of people resettled up to end of June 2021. These are available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseAs set out in the New Plan for Immigration, the UK will continue to work with the UNHCR to ensure our resettlement schemes are accessible and fair, resettling refugees from countries where the need is greatest, and ensuring those in need of resettlement can access it. Refugees Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what istheir response to reported comments by the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that the UK appeared to be trying to "wash its hands" of its international responsibilities for refugees. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK has a long history of supporting refugees in need of protection. Our resettlement schemes have provided safe and legal routes for tens of thousands of people to start new lives in the UK.The UK is a global leader in resettlement and resettled more refugees from outside Europe than any EU member state every year between 2016 and 2019.Overall, since 2015, we have resettled more than 25,000 refugees through safe and legal routes direct from regions of conflict and instability - around half of whom were children.The UK continues to welcome refugees through the global UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), as well as through the Community Sponsorship and Mandate Resettlement Schemes. This commitment, alongside a fair and firm asylum system, will ensure we continue to offer safe and legal routes to the UK for vulnerable refugees in need of protection. Our focus will remain on helping people directly from regions of conflict and instability. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Private Rented Housing Lord Carrington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits to the economy of the private rental sector. Lord Greenhalgh: We have not made an assessment to quantify the contribution of the private rented sector (PRS) to the economy. We recognise that the PRS plays an important role on providing homes to over 4 million households in England. The Government is committed to delivering a package of reforms to ensure the PRS can operate effectively and meet the needs of both tenants and landlords. The PRS supports labour market mobility, allowing households to move easily both within and between regions, leading to a more efficient allocation of labour and skills. This is due to the relative ease with which renters can give notice and sign new tenancies, and the relative lower costs of moving, when compared to owner-occupier house sales. A key part of our future PRS reforms is to ensure the flexibility of private rental tenancies is retained, whilst balancing increased security for those tenants who need and want it, alongside driving an improvement in the quality and standards of PRS accommodation. In addition, the Build to Rent sector continues to attract investment with analysis by Savills estimating that approximately £1.2 billion was invested into the UK’s Build to Rent sector during the first quarter of 2021. Rents: Arrears Lord Carrington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their press release Support for renters continues with longer notice periods, published on 12 May, on what grounds they have concluded that many landlords are “highly vulnerable to rent arrears”. Lord Greenhalgh: The UK Government has put in place an unprecedented package of support for renters during the pandemic, including financial measures to enable them to continue paying rent to landlords.However, we know that 45% of landlords have just one rental property and 38% have between two to four properties. For most landlords, income from rent makes up 42% of their total gross income making them highly vulnerable when their tenants build up rent arrears.The Government has to balance supporting tenants with landlords' ability to exercise their right to justice where needed. As national restrictions continue to ease, it is appropriate that the emergency measures start to lift but we are doing so gradually. Sand: Compton Bassett Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal for a sand extraction quarry in the conservation area of Compton Bassett; and what plans they have to give local residents more powers to oppose such planning applications. Lord Greenhalgh: This proposal was considered by Wiltshire Council's strategic planning committee on 14 July. Government policy is that local planning authorities should, in general, be free to carry out their duties with regard to day-to-day planning control in their areas with the minimum of interference. Our proposed planning reforms will deliver a simpler, faster, more transparent process, giving communities certainty over what development is permitted through clear land allocations in local plans. Cabinet Office Audit: Standards Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what reporting obligations and responsibilities are placed on external auditors by section 113(7) of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 in the event of a reporting failure. Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of section 113(7) of the Public Contract Regulations 2015; and what plans they have, if any, to amend that legislation to tackle issues relating to reporting and non-compliance. Lord True: Section 113(7) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 requires contracting authorities to publish their performance against the 30 day obligation to pay their suppliers within 30 days, together with details of interest payable/paid where they fail to do so. It does not place any obligations or responsibilities upon external auditors in the event of a reporting failure. The Cabinet Office has included proposals in its Green Paper on Procurement Rules Reform to strengthen the reporting requirements of Section 113(7). The proposals include legislating to align public and private sector reporting requirements and publishing public sector payment performance in a single location which will allow greater scrutiny and challenge of public sector payment performance. The outcome of the consultation will be published in due course. Members and Peers: Equality Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, tointroduce measures so that MPs and Peers are (1) covered by, and (2) liable to, regulations made under the Equality Act 2010. Lord True: The Government does not have plans to change the Act’s coverage as it relates to Parliamentarians. The constitutional position is affirmed by Parliament in Schedule 3 of the Act. The conduct of Parliamentarians is a matter for each House. Codes of conduct set out the standards of behaviour expected of Members of Parliament in all aspects of their public life. Both Houses are advised by the Commissioners for Standards in each House. Where MPs and peers recruit or employ staff, these aspects are covered by the Equality Act 2010, including the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. Local Government and NHS Trusts: Billing Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government why National Health Service Trusts and English Local Authority Councils are allowed to be signatories to the Prompt Payment Code given the reports about failures to pay promptly and make the relevant disclosures under section 113(7) of the Public Contract Regulations 2015. Lord True: The Office of the Small Business Commissioner administers the Prompt Payment Code (the Code) on behalf of BEIS. The Office of the Small Business Commissioner is an independent public body set up by Government under the Enterprise Act 2016. The Code is a voluntary code of practice which any private or public sector organisation may sign up to. If an organisation chooses to sign up to the Code, they must demonstrate they meet the Code standards. However, public sector organisations in scope of Reg 113 of the PCRs 2015 are required to meet payment standards as set out in legislation. This requires contracting authorities to include contractual provisions to make payments due to a contractor no later than 30 days from the point it is declared valid and undisputed, and for that verification to take place in a timely fashion and without undue delay. Ministers: Email Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what powers they have under Freedom of Information legislation to check, in the process of responding to an FOI request, a minister's private email address to see whether they have used it for government business. Lord True: The Government’s position on the operation of Freedom of Information legislation in respect of private email accounts is set out in the ‘Guidance to departments on use of private emails,’ published in 2013 as outlined below:‘The Freedom of Information Act and searches for information9. The FoI Act allows people to request information; it does not give the requestor any power to dictate where the department should search for that information. It is for the department to consider where the information might be and to take reasonable steps to find it. As set out above, it is expected that Government business should be recorded on government record systems. It will generally be reasonable to search only within those systems when a request has been received.10. Departmental searches in response to requests for information are the responsibility of individual departments. The FOI Act itself provides no express legal authority for departments to search another person’s private emails or other records for the purpose of responding to a request made under that Act. In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to ascertain whether there is Government information in an individual’s possession that is not accessible to Government. This should be done by approaching the individual in question and the department should be entitled to rely on that person’s answer. There would be no requirement on the department to inform the requestor that the question had been asked, or (if Government information had been privately stored) where any information was found though, as now, if the Information Commissioner’s office is involved, departments may be asked to explain the nature and extent of the searches conducted in order to reply to a request.’ National Audit Office: Email Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 13 July (HL1535), whether, as part of the National Audit Office (NAO) investigation into government procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic, any private emails were (1) provided directly, or (2) forwarded as part of official correspondence, to the NAO on the grounds that they contained (a) substantive discussions, or (b) decisions. Lord True: The Government fully cooperated with the National Audit Office’s investigation into Government procurement during the pandemic and provided all information requested. The NAO report sets out the NAO's investigative approach and the evidence drawn on as part of the investigation. Department for International Trade Tradeshow Access Programme Lord Foster of Bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government when areplacement scheme for the Tradeshow Access Programme will be announced. Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government will announce further details on plans for a revised trade show support programme when discussions with HM Treasury are concluded. The £38m Internationalisation Fund, launched last year, provides matching grants for export support including attendance at trade shows. China: BGI Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the US Commerce Department’s decision to add BGI Group to an economic blacklist of Chinese companies implicated in human rights violations regarding China’s treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region. Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) Chinese companies which have been banned from operating in the United States but have not been banned in the UK,and (2) reasons why those companies have been banned in the United States. Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government has repeatedly condemned the violation of rights and responsibilities in Xinjiang. On 22nd June, a British diplomatic effort helped deliver the support of over 40 countries for a statement on the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang at the UN Human Rights Council, calling on China to grant unfettered access to the region for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.The US is a close partner, but we are an independent nation, with our own decision-making on what constitutes a security threat. The United Kingdom has no equivalent of the US Entity List.As the passage of the National Security and Investment Act shows, we are strengthening our domestic toolbox in certain sectors. This Act will mandate notification of certain types of transaction to provide a proportionate defence against hostile actors targeting certain sectors. No single country or company is designated as ‘high risk’; transactions are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.In addition, large businesses operating in the United Kingdom are required to report on how they are tackling forced labour in their operations and supply chains under the Modern Slavery Act.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2021-07-28
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2021", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Lord Triesman: Bethlehem is of unique religious and cultural significance to Christians. Restrictions on access and freedom of worship there are one of the many negative consequences of the Israeli closure regime in the West Bank. We have not made specific representations with regard to access for Christian pilgrims at Christmas to Bethlehem and its surrounding biblical sites. But we continue to call on the government of Israel to do all it can to ease all movement restrictions, wherever this is possible. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Extradition Act 2003 came into force on 1 January 2004. It was brought into effect to simplify and modernise the UK's extradition relations with all nations. Extradition between the US and UK is governed by a bilateral treaty negotiated in 1972, which will be terminated when the US authorities have ratified the new treaty, signed by the former Home Secretary and US Attorney-General on 31 March 2003. However, certain provisions of the new bilateral treaty were given effect in the UK by the introduction of the Extradition Act 2003, which came into force on one January 2004. For the new treaty to come into effect in full, it first needs to secure the advice and consent of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. The US authorities have informed us that committee hearings are likely to begin next month. In the mean time, extradition between the UK and the USA will continue. All those who are the subject of an extradition request to the UK are protected by full and effective safeguards in the Extradition Act 2003, regardless of their nationality. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: An anonymised copy of the Home Office memorandum of 18 December 1984 will be placed in the Library of the House. Lord Drayson: Responsibility for information security in the Ministry of Defence, together with other aspects of security, rests with my right honourable friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces. Further information on Ministerial responsibilities is given on the MoD website at www.mod.uk/aboutus/staff/minaf.htm. Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: [An incomplete version of the following Written Answer was received and published on 10 October.] For each year since 1998, how much compensation has been paid to civilians in South Armagh as a result of security forces' alleged activities in the area. [HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Rooker: The Compensation Agency has operational responsibility for administration of the statutory compensation scheme under the Terrorism Act 2000. From 1998 to the present time the agency has paid approximately £7.5 million in relation to claims identified as originating from the South Armagh area. The following table shows the amounts paid annually from 1998 to present. Financial year Amount of compensation paid£ 1997–98 34,911.00 1998–99 1,016,284.75 1999–2000 1,411,629.70 2000–01 1,941,691.80 2001–02 823,655.40 2002–03 1,757,681.92 2003–04 395,208.43 2004–05 19,397.50 2005–06 325.00 Total 7,400,785.50 In addition to those claims dealt with by the compensation agency (NIO) the Ministry of Defence has provided the following information. The following figures come from headquarters Northern Ireland and are concerned mostly with helicopter damage; this includes scaring livestock, damage to crops and buildings. We break down payments by county. South Armagh can come under either Co. Armagh or Co. Down. In the main the payments for South Armagh are shown under Co. Armagh and the statistics for these are shown below. Calendar Year Amount 1998 £586,748.97 1999 £786,183.18 2000 £781,102.72 2001 £514,187.24 2002 £426,758.86 2003 £525,847.02 2004 £352,844.81 2005 £264,429.03 The following figures come from Directorate for Safety and Claims who do not record Northern Ireland claims by area. From 1 January 1998 to date the Claims Public Liability Group paid compensation and costs to Northern Ireland claimants as follows. Calendar Year Amount 1998 £289,479.04 1999 £290,895.78 2000 £356,960.12 2001 £81,374.86 2002 £136,384.02 2003 £23,625.00 2004 £9,950.00 2005 *£542,329.87 *to date These claims will have been received from members of the public who have had a dispute with members of the Armed Forces while in support of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). The majority of claims will be for alleged assault, harassment or wrongful arrest, quite often at vehicle checkpoints. *Note that at least 80 per cent. of the total to date for 2005 covers one claim. Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the Home Office Country of Origin Information Service report on Pakistan, published on 1 November, does not confirm that, contrary to guidance previously given, there are no Ahmadi police officers or administrators in Rabwah, a city whose population is 95 per cent. Ahmadi, as notified to them by the Ahmadiyya community United Kingdom. Lord Adonis: The figures showing A-level and GCSE and equivalent achievement in Northern Ireland, England and Wales between 2001–02 and 2003–04, the latest comparable year available, are as follows. GCE A-level, GCSE and equivalents achievement—time series 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 Proportions achieving Two or more A-Levels1,2 Northern Ireland 43.4% 92.4% 92.0% England 37.6% 89.7% 92.0% Wales 30.6% 93.9% 94.9% 5 or more GCSEs and equivalent at Grades A*-C3 Northern Ireland 58.7% 58.8% 59.5% England 51.6% 52.9% 53.7% Wales 50.5% 51.1% 51.4% No GCSE and equivalent passes3 Northern Ireland 4.4% 4.3% 3.8% England 5.4% 5.2% 4.1% Wales 7.6% 7.5% 7.4% Source: Department for Education and Skills; National Assembly for Wales; Department of Education, Northern Ireland Notes: 1 Including Vocational Certificates of Education (VCE) and equivalent. 2 For 2001–02, figures are based on pupils in schools and students in further education institutions aged 17-18 at the start of the academic year in England, aged 17 in Wales and aged 16-18 in Northern Ireland, as a percentage of the 17 year-old population. For 2002–03 and 2003–04, figures are based on the proportion of candidates aged 16-18 in England (schools and FE institutions) and Northern Ireland (schools), and aged 17 in Wales (schools) who achieved two or more A-levels or equivalent. 3 Pupils in their last year of compulsory education (i.e. aged 15 at the start of the academic year). Including GNVQs in England and Wales. The England figures for 2003–04 also include the wider range of approved pre-16 qualifications.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2005-11-15b
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2005", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Department for Transport Bridges: Closures lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to local authorities and the Greater London Authority on the (1) closure of bridges, (2) factors to be considered when deciding to close a bridge to traffic, and (3) length of time for which bridges should remain closed. baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport endorses the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice, published by the UK Roads Liaison Group. The Code provides advice to highway authorities on all aspects of the management and maintenance of highways and associated assets such as bridges. It provides guidance on issues such as substandard structures and possible remedial action, such as weight restrictions or, if necessary, closure. Railways: Capital Investment lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the fund for re-opening railway lines closed by the Beeching Cuts will be administered; how decisions will be made on which lines it will be used for; how that fund is intended to interact with the Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline system and Governance of Railway Investment Projects;and what over what period of time the funds will be (1) allocated and (2) spent. baroness vere of norbiton: To help communities across the country, we have pledged £500m to start reopening lines closed following the Beeching report, reconnecting smaller towns, regenerating local economies and improving accessibility to jobs, homes and education. Further details will be announced in due course. Roads: Accidents baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what rates of (1) deaths, and (2) injuries, are recorded on roads,per capita, broken down by (a) region, (b) speed limit, and (c) mode of transport. baroness vere of norbiton: The number and rate per million population of people killed and injured in reported road accidents, by region, road user type, and speed limit in Great Britain in 2018 are shown in the tables attached. Tables showing deaths & injuries on roads in 2018 (Word Document, 26.4 KB) Roads: Accidents baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the incidence of road deaths and injuries. baroness vere of norbiton: The Government is committed to improving the safety of all road users. The Road Safety Statement – ‘A Lifetime of Road Safety’, published in July last year, describes in some detail the Department’s intention to undertake a set of actions in the coming years aimed at improving road safety. For example, one of those actions is for the Department to establish a rural roads working group to share experience on improving rural road safety and to work together to tackle the key issues. The effectiveness of these measures will be kept under review. Transport for Wales: Network Rail baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the planned asset transfer between Transport for Wales and Network Rail has now been approved by the Secretary of State; and whether that was done in time for the planned implementation on 31 January. baroness vere of norbiton: Officials from the Department for Transport, Her Majesty’s Treasury and Network Rail continue to work closely with colleagues from the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales on the divestment of the Core Valley Lines. The Department and partners remain on target to consider the necessary approvals and deliver this divestment by the agreed contractual date, which has always been 31 March 2020. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Productivity lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the 0.3 per cent improvement in UKproductivityover the last decade; and why UK productivity is below that of other comparable countries. lord duncan of springbank: The UK has a longstanding ‘productivity gap’ with its main competitors. This has been exacerbated in recent years by weak productivity growth, commonly referred to as the ‘productivity puzzle’.The slowdown in UK productivity growth in the last decade can largely be attributed to changes in the finance and manufacturing sectors which saw an outsized fall in their productivity growth. Economic shocks and pressures arising from the Financial Crisis and the Euro Area crisis also had a dampening effect on productivity.Productivity is the main driver of long-run economic growth. The UK’s ability to improve living standards is almost entirely dependent on its ability to raise productivity. In 2017 the Government published a document on the Industrial Strategy that set out a long-term plan to boost productivity by backing businesses to create good jobs and increase the earning power of people throughout the UK with investment in skills, industries and infrastructure. The Government recently published the Business Productivity Review in response to the Industrial Strategy’s core priority of addressing the UK’s productivity issue.Furthermore, the Industrial Strategy Council – an independent, non-statutory advisory group comprised of leading men and women from business, academia and civil society – was created to provide impartial and unbiased evaluation of the Government’s progress in delivering the Industrial Strategy. The Council published its success metrics on its website in Autumn 2019. Fireworks: Licensing lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide local licensing authorities with greater powers to control the use of fireworks by members of the public at all times of day and all days of the year. lord duncan of springbank: Existing laws are in place to control firework availability and use, to reduce the risks to people and disturbance to animals. Included are age related restrictions, a curfew, and a noise limit. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. This includes looking at data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a fuller picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether further action is appropriate. NHS: Amazon lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to ensure that Amazon staff working on the contract with Amazon to provide health data from the NHS will receive a living wage and be treated with dignity and decency. lord duncan of springbank: The Government is committed to ensuring fair pay and we are clear that all workers should be treated with dignity and decency. We have announced that in April 2020 the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase by 6.2 per cent to £8.72 for those aged 25 and over. This increase will mean that a full-time worker will see their pay increase by £930 over the year. The Government considers the expert and independent advice of the Low Pay Commission (LPC) when setting the rates. The LPC draws on a wide range of analysis to make its recommendations – this includes independent research, stakeholder evidence and a consideration of impacts on businesses. Workers who believe that they have been underpaid the minimum wage or treated unfairly at work may wish to contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration service (Acas) for impartial information and advice. Equal Pay: Ethnic Groups lord shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their response to the Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting Consultation, first published on 18 October 2018. lord duncan of springbank: The Government ran a consultation from October 2018 to January 2019 on Ethnicity Pay Reporting. The Government met with businesses and representative organisations to understand the barriers towards reporting. A response will be published in due course. Thomas Cook: Archives lord faulkner of worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the Thomas Cook historical archives will be (1) preserved, and (2) made accessible. lord duncan of springbank: The archive of Thomas Cook’s historical papers has been transferred to the Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland in order that it can be preserved and made available for inspection. Whirlpool Corporation: Washing Machines baroness neville-rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to Whirlpool’s washing machine recall, how the Office for Product Safety and Standards will contact affected Whirlpool customers to ensure that the company is handling its recall effectively. lord duncan of springbank: It is Whirlpool’s responsibility to contact consumers and undertake an effective recall. The Office for Product Safety and Standards is closely monitoring the progress of the Whirlpool washing machine recall and the actions of the company. We have required Whirlpool to keep us fully updated on the progress of the recall, by providing a range of metrics including consumer engagement. OPSS regularly checks Whirlpool’s customer contact on this issue. OPSS will publish regular updates of data on the recall, including on the time taken for customers to receive a remedy. Whirlpool Corporation: Washing Machines baroness neville-rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to Whirlpool’s washing machine recall, whether the recall was enforced by the Office for Product Safety and Standards or whether it was undertaken voluntarily by Whirlpool. lord duncan of springbank: Whirlpool is responsible for the safety of the products it places on the market and for effective action when unsafe products are discovered. OPSS, as the national regulator, has assessed and agreed the company’s proposal for a recall is proportionate to the risk identified, including ensuring timely notification of consumers as to the action they need to take. OPSS is monitoring the recall closely and will hold the company to account if the recall is not effective. Minimum Wage lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to increase the incentives for firms to comply with paying the National Minimum Wage. lord duncan of springbank: The Government is committed to ensuring employers correctly pay the National Minimum Wage (NMW). We recognise that as the minimum wage increases, so too does the risk of non-compliance. This is why we have doubled the compliance and enforcement budget to £27.4 million for 2019/20, up from £13.2 million in 2015/16. Last year was a record year for NMW enforcement, HMRC identified £24.4 million in minimum wage underpayment for over 220,000 workers. Our enforcement approach is designed to strike a balance between promoting compliance with the NMW whilst deterring future cases of underpayment. HMRC uses a variety of methods to achieve this, working with employers and workers to raise awareness of NMW rules and, in instances of underpayment, using sanctions to deter future non-compliance. We regularly review and adapt our approach to address particular issues around non-compliance and will continue to do so. Cobham: Advent International lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances they (1) sought, and (2) received, from Advent International in regard to the acquisition of Cobham plc, that Cobham plc would not be stripped of its assets. lord duncan of springbank: On 20 December, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced that she had accepted statutory undertakings from the parties involved in the proposed acquisition of Cobham by Advent International. These undertakings:ensure that sensitive Government information continues to be protected;ensure Cobham honours the terms of existing contracts and notifies the Government if there is a material change to the ability to supply key services; andrequire Advent to give prior notice to the Ministry of Defence and Home Office if there are plans to sell the whole, or elements of, Cobham’s business.Separately, the companies also provided legally-binding undertakings on the wider economic implications of the transaction. The companies have agreed with the Takeover Panel that Cobham’s headquarters will remain in the UK, that the Cobham name will continue to be used and that there will be a guaranteed level of R&D spend. Advent also gave a commitment to the Business Secretary to protect jobs. These undertakings will secure the future of Cobham and the important role it plays in our world-leading defence sector and economy. Department of Health and Social Care Smoking: Health Services the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what research they have undertaken into the correlation between reductions in Public Health England's anti-smoking budget and the number of smokers in England; and what are their projections for the future costs to the NHS of treating smoking-related illnesses as a result of any such reductions. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has not conducted any such research and has therefore made no projections on future costs. Public Health England’s Stoptober campaigns have continued to achieve positive anti-smoking outcomes. For example, in 2018 19% of smokers reported making a Stoptober-related quit attempt in comparison to 16% in 2017. Adult smoking rates in England are at their lowest level since records began, currently at 14.4%.We remain determined to achieve our 2019 Green Paper ambition of a smoke-free society by 2030. Prevention remains at the heart of the NHS Long Term Plan, with clear commitments for smoking cessation services in secondary care, and we continue to fund stop smoking services provided by local authorities. Osteoporosis: Females lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there has been any increased incidence of osteoporosis in women who wear the Burka. baroness blackwood of north oxford: No assessment has been made. NHS: Innovation lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the suggestions in the reportby the Academy of Medical Sciences Transforming health through innovation: integrating the NHS and academia,published on 8 January, that NHS breakthroughs have been put at risk. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department funds health research in England through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) which invests over £1 billion annually to fund translational, clinical and applied health research spanning the whole innovation pathway. Since it was established in 2006, the NIHR has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research, and driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the health system.The NHS Long Term Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Deals sets out a clear vision of a health system which prioritises innovation and delivers faster patient access to life-changing products. The Accelerated Access Collaborative has been established to act as the umbrella organisation overseeing the ecosystem. It brings together the leaders from Government, the National Health Service and industry to tackle the barriers to the development and adoption of innovation in the United Kingdom. Prescription Drugs: Environment Protection lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reduce the environmental impact of NHS prescribed pharmaceuticals. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The National Health Service is leading by example in sustainable development and reducing its use of natural resources. As set out in its Long Term Plan, the NHS restated its commitment to the carbon targets in the United Kingdom Government Climate Change Act 2008, reducing carbon emissions (on a 1990 baseline) by:- 34% by 2020; and- 51% by 2025 In particular, the NHS Long Term Plan commits that a substantial reduction in the carbon impact of inhalers and anaesthetics over 10 years, will contribute to the overall NHS carbon reduction targets.Work is also underway to consider how other NHS prescribed medicines can help the NHS achieve these commitments. Pregnancy Tests lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will respond tothe freedom of information request, made by Marie Lyon, Chair of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests on 13 November 2019, seeking access to data held by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency before 27 February 2020; and if not, why not. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency aims to reply to all freedom of information requests within the 20 working-day statutory deadline set out in the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In circumstances where we need to consider whether the public interest in releasing the information is outweighed by the public interest in not giving the information (the ‘public interest test’) the Act allows us to extend the deadline for reply beyond the usual 20 working days. This was applied to Mrs Lyon’s request and we responded by the revised deadline of 13 January. Department for Education Special Educational Needs: Private Education lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of section 63 of the Children and Families Act 2014 in ensuring that parents of children with special educational needs or a disability are able to choose an independent school if that is their wish. lord agnew of oulton: Section 63 of the Children and Families Act (2014) sets out the local authority’s duty to pay fees for special educational provision where an institution, including an independent institution, is named in a final education, health and care (EHC) plan.The process by which parents’ wishes are considered is, instead, set out within the ‘Special Educational Needs & Disabilities 0-25 Code of Practice’, attached, and under section 39 of the Children and Families Act (2014).Chapter 9 in the ‘Special Educational Needs & Disabilities 0-25 Code of Practice’ sets out the duties of local authorities and the rights of parents regarding the naming of schools in EHC plans. When a local authority is finalising an EHC plan, parents can ask for a particular school to be named in the plan. This can be any maintained nursery school; maintained school; any form of academy or free school (mainstream or special); non-maintained special school; independent special school or independent specialist college, where they have been approved for this purpose by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, under section 41 of the Children and Families Act (2014). These schools are published in the section 41 list, which is available to all parents and young people.The local authority must name the parent’s or young person’s choice of school in the EHC plan unless the school would be unsuitable for the child or young person’s age, ability, aptitude or special educational need or unless the child or young person’s attendance would be incompatible with the efficient education of others or the efficient use of resources.The child’s parent or the young person may also make representations for places at independent schools, independent colleges or other post-16 providers that are not on the section 41 list. However, these schools are not obliged to admit children with EHC plans and local authorities are not under the same conditional duty to name these schools in EHC plans.As at January 2019, there were 17,362 children and young people with EHC plans in independent schools. This figure represents 4.9% of all children and young people with an EHC plan. HL141_SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015 (PDF Document, 3.23 MB) Schools: Inspections lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to remove the restriction on Ofsted's inspection of schools which teach for less than 18 hours a week. lord agnew of oulton: Settings that only have pupils attending for less than 18 hours per week are not considered full time and are therefore not required to register as schools. As they are not registered as schools, such settings are not subject to inspection. In March 2018, the department published guidance setting out how the government, Ofsted and local authorities can work collaboratively to help ensure children attending unregistered schools and out-of-school settings are safe and are receiving a suitable education. This guidance is attached and can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-school-registration.Part-time settings should be considered to be out-of-school settings, which the department currently defines as “any institution providing tuition, training, instruction or activities to children in England, without their parents’ or carers supervision, that is not a school, college, 16-19 academy or provider caring for children under 8 years old, which is registered with Ofsted or a childcare agency.” This covers a large, broad and diverse sector, ranging from: settings offering part-time or supplementary education to support mainstream or home education and religious settings offering education in their own faith, to extra-curricular clubs and activities, such as dance classes, sports tuition, as well as uniformed youth organisations.In 2015, the government consulted on proposals to introduce a new system regulation of the sector. However, in 2018 following careful consideration of the large number of wide ranging views and representations received, the government decided not to pursue the model proposed, but to instead further develop the evidence base for a national approach, including future legislation where gaps in existing powers might be identified. In connection with this, the government is currently taking forward a package of measures aimed at enhancing the safeguarding of children in this sector, including the provision of £3 million of targeted funding, in 16 local authorities, to test different approaches to multi-agency working. This work will be used to inform best practice on how existing legal powers, held by local authorities and other agencies, such as the Police, Ofsted and the Charity Commission can best be used to intervene in settings of concern and to help inform the need for any further legislation.Some part-time settings provide alternative provision which is commissioned by a school or local authority. Ofsted can look at such a part-time setting as part of an inspection of the commissioner. In all cases (whether commissioning a place for a child in care or any other child), the local authority or school acting as the alternative provision commissioner should assure themselves that the setting is registered where applicable and that the provision is delivered by high quality staff with suitable training, experience and safeguarding checks. HL157_Guidance (PDF Document, 571.01 KB) Universities: Pay lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the remuneration of vice-chancellors of universities is at an appropriate level. baroness berridge: While universities are autonomous institutions and responsible for setting the pay of their staff, they receive significant amounts of public funding and are rightly subject to public scrutiny.‎ Vice chancellor salaries must be justifiable and should not be excessive.‎ The process for setting pay must be transparent. The government agrees with the recommendation made by the Committee of University Chairs (CUC) in its senior staff remuneration code that vice chancellors should not sit on the committee that sets their pay. The government set up the Office for Students (OfS) to regulate the higher education sector and to ensure the sector is delivering real value for money. The OfS has said that universities should, as a minimum, be following the CUC senior staff remuneration code. Where issues with senior staff pay lead to concerns, the OfS has the power to carry out independent reviews to ensure that a provider’s governance arrangements are fit for purpose. Universities: Freedom of Expression lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote freedom of speech on campuses at universities. baroness berridge: This government will ensure that our universities are places where free speech can thrive and will strengthen academic freedoms.The freedom to express views openly, challenge ideas and engage in robust debate is crucial to the student experience and to democracy. Individuals should never be in a position where they can be stopped from, or are made to feel inhibited in, expressing an opinion perfectly lawfully.The government worked alongside the Equalities and Human Rights Commission which published new guidance in February 2019 on freedom of speech in higher education to support higher education providers and students’ unions in delivering their duties.The Office for Students (OfS) also has an important role to play in championing free speech and promoting good practice. A public interest principle relating to free speech is built into the OfS regulatory framework.The government will be looking closely at how well higher education providers are meeting these obligations and will consider whether further action is needed, working with a range of partners. Universities: Hate Crime lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat hate crime at universities. baroness berridge: Any incident of hate crime is unacceptable and we cannot tolerate staff and students being victims of it at our world-leading universities.Higher education (HE) providers have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010. They should discharge their responsibilities fully and have robust policies and procedures in place to comply with the law, and to investigate and swiftly address incidents reported to them.In its guidance to the Office for Students (OfS), the government has tasked the OfS to tackle these important issues, including the implementation of Universities UK’s (UUK) Taskforce recommendations. The OfS and its predecessor body allocated £4.7 million for a safeguarding scheme to address harassment and hate crime in HE. On 9 January 2020, the OfS published a consultation on harassment and sexual misconduct in HE. This consultation, which concludes on 27 March 2020, asks for views on how the OfS will regulate harassment, including hate-based and sexual misconduct. The OfS expects providers to have policies, processes and systems in place to effectively address these issues.Evaluation to date has shown that progress has been made but that there is still more to do. The government will continue to work closely with partners, including UUK and the OfS to support work to address hate crime and harassment in universities. Ministry of Justice Disasters lord wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to establish an independent public advocate. lord keen of elie: The Government is committed to supporting bereaved families after public disasters and during public inquests.We have consulted on proposals to establish an independent public advocate and will publish a response in due course. Ministry of Defence Strait of Hormuz: Warships lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the UK naval presence in the Strait of Hormuz. baroness goldie: The UK keeps its global military deployments, including its naval presence, under constant review to ensure it is aligned to changing threat levels; the Middle East is no different. The UK is committed to working with our maritime industry, and will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens, and uphold freedom of navigation while urging de-escalation. Armed Forces: Housing lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the energy efficiency of residential accommodation for the Armed Forces over the next three years. baroness goldie: The Ministry of Defence is committed to improving energy efficiency through targeted investment in accommodation. In financial year 2019-20 £48.5 million has been invested in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) to improve thermal efficiency. Projects include fitting external wall insulation; installing new windows and doors; replacement loft insulation and the installation of efficient boilers and central heating systems.A further investment of £50 million is planned for similar projects in financial year 2020-21.In addition, pilot schemes are in development to deliver both near zero energy SFA and retrofitting to significantly enhance energy efficiency.Improvements to Single Living Accommodation will be delivered through efficiency targets on all new build and major refurbishments. Warships lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the availability of Royal Navy warships. baroness goldie: Progress is already being made to improve performance, availability and resilience of the Type 45 Destroyers with the Power Improvement Project and the Equipment Improvement Plan. The arrival of the Type 26 and Type 31 Frigates in to service will also provide a step change in levels of availability. Warships lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the budget for ensuring the availability of Royal Navy warships in each of the last three years. baroness goldie: The Royal Navy's ships are continually being updated and upgraded to meet new threats or to replace obsolete technology.Information regarding all of the costs associated with the availability of Royal Navy ships is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Armoured Fighting Vehicles lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the availability of armoured vehicles for the army. baroness goldie: There are a range of programmes in place that will improve availability, reduce obsolescence and improve safety and reliability across the armoured fleet. The Heavy Armour Automotive Improvement Programme (HAAIP) will provide improvements for the heavy armour fleet including Challenger 2, Challenger Armoured Recovery Vehicle, Titan and Trojan. The HAAIP will deliver a common engine and suspension across all variants which will substantially enhance reliability. In addition, Warrior is being upgraded through the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme which will significantly enhance reliability. The Ministry of Defence is also working closely with Babcock to better anticipate maintenance requirements in order to take preventative action and improve reliability. The new Boxer and AJAX platforms will both have a fully integrated 'Health and Usage Monitoring System' which will greatly enhance the Army's ability to conduct preventative maintenance and so remedy faults early. Armoured Fighting Vehicles lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the budget for ensuring the availability of armoured vehicles for the army in each of the last three years. baroness goldie: The Army has spent over £485million supporting its armoured vehicle fleet over the past three years. This has delivered a modernised fleet that is fit for purpose, safe and provides the competitive advantage our soldiers require on operations. Cabinet Office Prime Minister: Recruitment lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the email account [email protected] has been approved as an official means of recruiting staff to work as special advisers or civil servants; and what are the approved person specifications for the “super-talented weirdos” and “misfits with odd skills” who are invited to apply. earl howe: The blog invites people to get in touch to discuss opportunities. The blog post does not set out proposed recruitment processes.Recruitment to the Civil Service is through fair and open competition following section 10 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act.Special Adviser appointments are made by Ministers in accordance with section 15 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act. Subversion: Russia baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government when thereport from the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament on Russian influence in UK politics will be published. earl howe: In line with his responsibilities in the Justice and Security Act 2013, the Prime Minister carefully considered and approved the report, and is content that its publication would not prejudice the functions of those bodies that safeguard our national security.We acknowledge the public’s interest in the publication of the report; however the report itself is the property of the independent ISC. As such it is not for the Government to publish it; it is for the ISC to lay it before Parliament. Once a new Committee has been established, it will be up to them to choose when they wish to publish it. The process to establish a new Committee has already begun.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2020-01-16
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2020", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Access to Work Scheme Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the access to work programme applies to elected councillors, in the absence of a contract of employment. Lord McKenzie of Luton: One of the basic eligibility criteria for access to work is that applicants should be in or about to start paid employment. Councillors and elected officials who receive payment only for expenses such as travel and subsistence are treated as voluntary workers and are not eligible for access to work. Some councillors, however, receive allowances over and above payment for expenses. Where these allowances are classed as taxable income by HM Revenue and Customs we can treat the person as in employment and provided other conditions are satisfied, we can pay access to work. We are reviewing our guidance to access to work advisers to ensure it is clear. Alcohol Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people in England and Wales under the age of 18 were (a) prosecuted, and (b) cautioned for attempting to purchase alcohol in each year since 2005. Lord West of Spithead: The number of young persons who were proceeded against at magistrates' courts or issued with a reprimand/final warning for the offence of purchasing alcohol whilst under the age of 18 years can be viewed in the attached tables one and two. From June 2000, cautions for offenders under 18 years old were replaced by reprimands and final warnings. The data have been broken down by age and police force area. The number of young persons aged 16 to 17 who were issued with a penalty notice for disorder (PND) for the offence of purchasing alcohol whilst under the age of 18 years can be viewed in the attached table three. (The PND scheme was rolled-out to all police forces in England and Wales in 2004) Court proceedings and PND data for 2007 will be available in November 2008. The number of young persons aged 16 to 17 years issued with a penalty notice for disorder for the offence buying or attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 in England and Wales for the years 2005 to 2006(1)(2)(3) Buying alcohol by person under 18 Buying or attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 Police force 2005(4) 2006 Avon and Somerset - - Bedfordshire - - British Transport Police - 1 Cambridgeshire - - Cheshire - - Cleveland - - Cumbria - 4 Derbyshire - - Devon and Cornwall - 3 Dorset - - Durham - - Essex 1 - Gloucestershire - 1 Greater Manchester 1 - Hampshire - 1 Hertfordshire - 13 Humberside 1 2 Kent - 1 Lancashire 2 9 Leicestershire - - Lincolnshire - 1 London, City of - - Merseyside 5 7 Metropolitan Police - - Norfolk - - North Yorkshire - 1 Northamptonshire - - Northumbria 1 2 Nottinghamshire - - South Yorkshire - - Staffordshire - 7 Suffolk - - Surrey - 1 Sussex 5 3 Thames Valley - - Warwickshire - - West Mercia - 2 West Midlands - - West Yorkshire - - Wiltshire - - England 16 59 Dyfed-Powys - - Gwent - 1 North Wales 1 2 South Wales - - Wales 1 3 England and Wales 17 62 - Nil (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Buying/attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18. Licensing Act 1964 Buying or attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18. Section 149(1)of the Licensing Act 2003 (c.17) (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) This offence came into force on 4 April 2005 Source: Court proceedings data held by CJEAU—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice Our Ref: IOS 190-08 (Table 3) (Contribution for PQ 197365] The number of young persons under the age of 18 years issued with a reprimand or final warning by certain age groups for the offence purchase of alcohol by an individual under 18 by Police Force Areas in England and Wales for the years 2002 to 2006(1)(2)(3)(4)(5) Reprimands/Final Warnings Force and age group 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Avon and Somerset 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Bedfordshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Cambridgeshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Cheshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - City of London 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Cleveland 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 1 1 - - - 16-17 - 1 - - - Cumbria 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - 1 2 1 - 16-17 4 2 9 4 1 Derbyshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-16 - 1 - - - Devon and Cornwall 0-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Dorset 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - 1 Durham 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - 1 - - 1 Essex 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 1 - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Gloucestershire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Greater Manchester 10-13 1 - - - - 14-15 2 - - - - 16-17 4 - - - - Hampshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - 1 - - 1 Hertfordshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 1 - - - - Humberside 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Kent 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Lancashire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - 1 - - - Leicestershire 10-13 - 1 - - - 14-15 - 1 - - - 16-17 1 - - - - Lincolnshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Merseyside 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - 4 - - Metropolitan Police 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Norfolk 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - North Yorkshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 1 - 2 - 2 Northamptonshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Northumbria 10-13 - 1 - - - 14-15 - 4 1 2 1 16-17 3 - 2 7 1 Nottinghamshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - South Yorkshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - 1 - 1 16-17 - - - 1 - Staffordshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - 2 - - 1 16-17 - 1 - 2 - Suffolk 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 1 - - - - Surrey 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - 1 - Sussex 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - 1 - 16-17 1 1 - - - Thames Valley 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Warwickshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - West Marcia 10-13 - - - - 1 14-15 - - 3 - - 16-17 - - 2 - - West Midlands 10-13 - - - - - 14-1.5 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - West Yorkshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - Wiltshire 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - 3 - 16-17 - - - - - Dyfed-Powys 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - 3 - - - 16-17 - 4 5 - - Gwent 10-13 - 1 - - - 14-15 1 - - - - 16-17 - - - - - North Wales 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - South Wales 10-13 - - - - - 14-15 - - - - - 16-17 - - - - - England and Wales 10-13 1 3 0 0 1 14-15 5 12 7 7 3 16-17 16 12 25 15 7 - Nil (1) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Person under 18 buying or attempting to buy or consuming intoxicating liquor. Person under 18 buying or consuming intoxicating liquor in licensed premises. Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, schedule, paragraph 3(4)(2). Licensing Act 1964, Section 169(2). Purchase of alcohol by an individual under 18. Licensing Act 2003 Section 149(1)(7a) (2) These data are on the principal offence basis. (3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. Reprimands and final warnings are included in the above data. (4) The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on 24 November 2005. (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Court proceedings data held by CJEAU—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice Our Ref: IOS 190-08 (Table 2) [Contribution for PQ 197365] Alcohol Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people in England and Wales were (a) prosecuted, and (b) cautioned for buying or attempting to buy alcohol for someone under-age in each year since 2005. Lord West of Spithead: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates' courts or issued with a caution, for offences relating to buying or attempting to buy alcohol on behalf of a person under 18 years in England and Wales for the years 2004 to 2006 can be viewed in the attached table one. The number of persons receiving a PND for this offence can be found in table two. Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in November 2008. The number of persons issued with a caution, and proceeded against at magistrates' courts for certain alcohol offences in England and Wales for the years 2004 to 2006(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Offence description Buying or attempting to buy intoxicating liquor for consumption by a person under 18. Purchasing intoxicating liquor for consumption by person under 18 in bar. Person who buys or attempts to buy alcohol on behalf of an individual under 18. Year Proceeded against Cautions(3) Proceeded against Cautions(3) 2004 38 14 - - 2005 29 12 - 2 2006 14 11 18 13 - Nil (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Buying or attempting to buy intoxicating liquor for consumption by a person under 18. Purchasing intoxicating liquor for consumption by person under 18 in bar. Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 schedule, Paragraph 3(4)(3). Licensing Act 1964 Sec 169(3). Person who buys or attempts to buy alcohol on behalf of an individual under 18. Licensing Act 2003 5149(3,4,7b) (3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. Reprimands and final warnings are included in the above data. (4) The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on 24 November 2005. (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice Our Ref: IOS 204-08 (Table 1) [Contribution for PQ 191307] The number of persons issued with a penalty notice for disorder for the offences purchasing alcohol for under 18 and purchasing alcohol for under 18 for consumption on premises in England and Wales for the years 2004 to 2006(1)(2)(3)(4) Year Purchase alcohol for person under 18 Purchase alcohol person under 18 for consumption on premises 2004 18 66 2005 170 83 2006 407 60 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statute: Buys or attempts to buy alcohol on behalf of person under 18—Section 3 of the Licensing Act 2003 Buys or attempts to buy alcohol for consumption on relevant premises by person under 18. Section 149(4) of the Licensing Act 2003 (3) New legislative reference with effect from, 24 November 2005 on implementation of Licensing Act 2003 (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice Our Ref: IOS 204-08 (Table 2) [Contribution for PQ 191307] Aluminium Baroness O'Cathain: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any government department has requested or received copies of any report regarding any investigation or inquiry undertaken by, or on behalf of, the European Commission, or the European Commission Director-General for Trade, Mr David O'Sullivan, into the conduct of any aspect of the service as a European Commissioner of the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, including discussions and decisions on aluminium tariffs; if so, when they were requested or received; and whether they will place copies of any such reports in the Library of the House. Lord Mandelson: The Director-General for Trade in the European Commission, David O'Sullivan, explained in a letter to the Sunday Times on 16 October that in respect to both the nine-year debate in the EU over tariffs on raw aluminium and to anti-dumping duties on Russian aluminium the decisions were made "after the usual consultation procedures had taken place, including with industry and all 27 European member states, and were based on sound facts". This letter was copied to my department. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Aluminium: Oleg Deripaska Lord Hamilton of Epsom: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform or the Prime Minister's Office were notified before the press officer for trade in the European Commission issued a statement saying that the Secretary of State had met Mr Oleg Deripaska at a few social gatherings in 2006 and 2007 and never discussed aluminium. Lord Mandelson: During the weekend when I moved from Brussels to London and prior to my being admitted to hospital for an urgent medical procedure, a statement was released to the press which said that I had meetings with Mr Deripaska in 2006 and 2007, which led some people to form the reasonable view that my first meeting with Mr Deripaska was therefore in 2006. I have subsequently made clear that to the best of my recollection I first met Mr Deripaska in 2004, and several times subsequently. Aluminium: Oleg Deripaska Lord Hamilton of Epsom: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform will recuse himself from any discussions relating to aluminium tariffs or any business in which Mr Oleg Deripaska has a significant interest. Lord Mandelson: I will abide by the Ministerial Code and avoid any conflict of interest or perception of such in how I conduct my department's business. Aluminium: Oleg Deripaska Baroness O'Cathain: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Statement on 24 October by the Prime Minister that the nature of the dealings of the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with Mr Oleg Deripaska was already investigated by the European Commission when he was a commissioner and the answer was nothing untoward happened, (a) what were the date, responsible authority and terms of reference of the investigation to which the Prime Minister referred; and (b) whether they will place a copy of any report of that investigation in the Library of the House. Lord Mandelson: The Director-General for Trade in the European Commission, David O'Sullivan, has confirmed in a letter to the Sunday Times on 16 October that I made no personal intervention to support the commercial interests of Mr Deripaska. Mr O'Sullivan explained in his letter that in respect to both the nine-year debate in the EU over tariffs on raw aluminium and to anti-dumping duties on Russian aluminium the decisions were made "after the usual consultation procedures had taken place, including with industry and all 27 European member states, and were based on sound facts". This letter was copied to my department. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Armed Forces: Coroners' Inquest Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the new service inquiry panels will be able to investigate cases involving Armed Forces personnel who have been discharged through a related injury; and Under what circumstances new service inquiry panels will be convened; and under what circumstances it will not be necessary to convene a panel. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The purpose of a service inquiry is to establish the facts and to make recommendations in order to prevent recurrence. It is an internal fact-finding investigation primarily to assist in maintaining operational effectiveness. A service inquiry may be held into any matter where anything of consequence may be learned regardless of whether any individuals involved have been discharged subsequently from service. The Armed Forces (Service Inquiries) Regulations 2008 require a service inquiry to be held in the event of the death of a serviceman, where anything of consequence may be learned which is not apparent from the death or which has not been or is unlikely to be identified by any other report. It is a matter of Ministry of Defence policy that a service inquiry should also be held in the following circumstances where the convening authority considers that anything of consequence may be learned, which is not readily apparent and which has not been or is unlikely to be identified by any other report into the matter: the death of a civilian if the death occurs on or in a MoD unit, ship, or establishment and is either work related or the death occurs during service organised activity;the serious injury of a service person or any civilian where the injury takes place in a service unit, ship, or establishment or may be work-related or may be the result of service organised activity; andany aviation occurrence that requires formal investigation. There is discretion, too, depending on the nature and circumstances of an incident, to convene a service inquiry into any matter where the convening authority determines that anything of consequence may be learned, which is not readily apparent or which have not been or are unlikely to be identified by any other report into the matter. Such matters for consideration include: ordnance, munitions and explosive accidents;maritime accidents;navigational incidents;loss or serious damage to property;near misses;financial losses;harassment and bullying;health and safety;environment; andsecurity. The convening authority should consider the following factors when deciding whether a service inquiry is required for such matters that are not mandated by regulations or policy: whether the matter is of sufficient seriousness to warrant a service inquiry;whether any other investigations have been initiated and, if so, whether a service inquiry would be able to add anything to the outcome of these investigations;the complexity of the issue and whether an inquiry would improve operational effectiveness or restore confidence in a particular piece of equipment or procedures; andwhether the matter is of a joint nature and may have wider implications for the service or defence. The decision as to whether to convene a service inquiry will be informed by other investigations such as a police investigation and a learning account, and other specialist investigations such as those conducted by the land accident investigation team. Armed Forces: Coroners' Inquest Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the event of a service inquiry panel not being convened following a death or incapacitation of a member of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, what internal investigations would be undertaken by the Ministry of Defence; whether the findings of such investigations will be available to the families of deceased armed forces personnel; and whether such findings will be available to any coroner's inquest into a death. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The purpose of a service inquiry is to establish the facts and to make recommendations in order to prevent recurrence. It is an internal fact-finding investigation primarily to assist in maintaining operational effectiveness. Depending on the nature and location of the incident, internal investigations may include a service police investigation and a learning account and specialist investigations such as those conducted by the land accident investigation team. The findings of all such investigations will inform the decision as to whether to convene a service inquiry. They will also inform the briefings given to families both of the deceased and those who are incapacitated, to help their understanding of events. Where a death has occurred, these findings will also be made available to the coroner. Banking Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether bonuses for personnel of banks which have used the bank reconstruction fund will distinguish between conventional bonuses for staff and restricted bonuses for senior managers and directors in the foreseeable future. Lord Myners: The Government expect that banks participating in the recapitalisation scheme do not pay cash bonuses to board members in 2008. Going forward, remuneration policy and incentive schemes will be reviewed and linked to long-term value creation, taking account of risk, and restricting the potential for rewards for failure. Bloody Sunday: Saville Inquiry Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 29 September (WA 306), what are the factors which influence their decisions as to whether an apology for incorrect information should be given. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Decisions on whether or not an apology is appropriate are taken on a case-by-case basis. The factors which influence a decision will vary from case to case. British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 21 July (WA 199) concerning areas of mutual interest for the Government of the Republic of Ireland, what matters of east/west activities have been of mutual interest. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: North/south and east/west matters of mutual interest are a standard item on the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) agenda and issues discussed are relevant and pertinent at the particular time of the meeting. Examples of east/west items which have been discussed at past meetings have included avian/pandemic flu, EU Lisbon strategy and UK/RoI mobile phone roaming charges. Joint communiqués issued after each BIIGC are available on the Northern Ireland Office website at www.nio.gov.uk. Crime: Holocaust Denial Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the past year, how many persons accused of holocaust denial have been arrested pursuant to an European arrest warrant under Section 21 of the Extradition Act 2003 and discharged by the judge because the charge was incompatible with the person's Convention rights under the Human Rights Act 1998. Lord West of Spithead: In the past year, one person has been arrested pursuant to a European arrest warrant accused of racism and xenophobia, and computer-related crime. This case is currently before the courts. Crime: New Offences Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many new criminal offences were created between 1997 and 2007; and of these how many originated from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or its predecessors. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It would be a disproportionate use of resources, due to the amount of research involved, to provide figures for the total number of new offences created in the period concerned, and how many were attributable to Defra or its predecessors. Defra is responsible for a large amount of secondary legislation each year, including implementation of European Community obligations. Such legislation may re-enact existing offences or draw down the application of an offence in primary legislation to activities within the scope of the statutory instrument. Some offences are short-lived, being contained in legislation to deal with animal health emergencies. Defra came into being on 8 June 2001 and has data on offences created in primary legislation sponsored by Defra, and so is able to provide information on such offences from that date. The following Acts created criminal offences in the 2002-03 Session of Parliament: the Animal Health Act 2002 (c.42) created several criminal offences including the offence of deliberately infecting an animal with any one of 15 diseases specified in the Act, including foot and mouth disease. The schedule created an offence of failing to comply with a restriction notice preventing the use for breeding of sheep that are of a genotype that is susceptible to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) and also offences of obstructing an inspector carrying out duties under the Act;the Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 (c.33) provided powers to make offences by regulation for failures to comply with the scheme to be created; andthe Water Act 2003 (c.37) made it an offence under Part 1 to fail to comply with a notice served by the Environment Agency requiring work to be carried out on facilities for impounding water or a licence application to be made for unlicensed impounding works.Where abstraction or impounding takes place without a licence or does not comply with the terms of a licence, the Act made it an offence to fail to comply with an enforcement notice issued by the Environment Agency. Part 2 created the offence of introducing water to or supplying water from a water undertaker's supply system without being a water undertaker or a licensed supply person. Under Part 3 it is an offence for an owner of manager of a large raised reservoir to fail to prepare a flood plan when required to do so. Part 3 also extended the offence of supplying water unfit for human consumption to apply to persons including employees of the water undertaker and self-employed people involved with the supply of water; During the 2003-04 Session the following Acts created criminal offences: the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 (c.11) makes it an offence for any person to act as an unlicensed gangmaster and for any other person to enter into arrangements with an unlicensed gangmaster. The Act also created other offences in relation to forgery of documents;the Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004 (c.29) extended the offence of obstructing a highway under the Highways Act 1980 so that the directors, managers and other company officers of a guilty company may also be found guilty of the obstruction if it was committed with their consent, connivance or attributable to their neglect;the Hunting Act 2004 (c.37) made it an offence under Part 1 to hunt a wild mammal with a dog, except in some circumstances such as where the dog is being used for stalking and flushing-out only, or to participate in, attend or knowingly facilitate a hare-coursing event.Part 1 also makes it an offence for the owner of a dog to permit it to be used for hunting or hare-coursing or for the owner of land to allow the land to be entered or used for hunting or hare-coursing. During the 2004-05 Session the following Act created criminal offences: the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (c. 16) created offences in relation to nuisance parking which is the selling or repairing of vehicles on a road by persons in business. Part 6 of the Act created offences in relation to breach of Dog Control Orders, which in relation to specified land may exclude dogs from the land, or prohibit the fouling of the land, or require dogs to be kept on leads when on the land or may limit the number of dogs a person may take on to the specified land. In relation to certain premises in an alarm notification area Part 7 of the Act created offences of failing to nominate a key-holder where an audible intruder alarm is present.The Act also made many existing offences punishable by a fixed penalty notice. During the 2005-06 Session the following Acts created criminal offences: the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (c.45) created offences related to the welfare of animals, such as causing suffering, mutilation, docking of dogs' tails, administering poisons, animal fighting (including publicising and encouraging attendance, and betting) and not taking reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of an animal for which a person is responsible; andthe Natural Environment Act and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16) created criminal offences in Part 3 in relation to pesticides harmful to wildlife and sale etc of invasive non-native species of plants or animals, and extended certain offences in relation to wild birds. Part 4 created offences in relation to sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs). In the 2006-07 Session, Defra did not sponsor any Acts, and no Acts sponsored by Defra in the 2007-08 session have been passed, at the date of response. Defence: Expenditure Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider measures to reduce defence spending, in view of the current level of public finances. Lord Myners: The Government set out their plans for public spending in the Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2007. The next update on the UK fiscal position will be at the 2008 Pre-Budget Report. It will set out how we are supporting the economy in the short-term, whilst taking the necessary decisions to ensure the public finances remain on a sustainable path in the medium term. Democratic Republic of Congo: Rainforests Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make representations to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding their decision to allow logging in their rainforests; and what their assessment is of the likely damage to the environment. Lord Tunnicliffe: The Interministerial Commission for the review of logging concessions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported its preliminary findings on 6 October 2008. It recommended the cancellation of approximately 70 per cent of existing logging titles, reducing from 22 million hectares to 7 million hectares the forest area dedicated to industrial logging. When presenting the findings, the DRC Environment Minister also confirmed that the current moratorium on new logging concessions will remain in place for another three years, which is welcome news. At the same time, it is important to note that the most important drivers of deforestation are agricultural and fuel wood production which are likely to grow in importance as the DRC economy continues its recovery after years of conflict. If implemented in full, the Commission's recommendations should be positive for the DRC environment because they will actually reduce the area open to commercial logging to 11 per cent of the country's productive forests. The same ratio for the Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC) region (excluding the DRC) is 73 per cent. We are therefore not planning specific representations to the DRC Government on the Commission's findings, but will instead help strengthen governance and management of the forestry sector. Through a partnership with Germany funded by the Congo Basin Forest Start-up Fund, the UK is working directly with the DRC Forestry and Environment Ministry to strengthen its capacity at national and provincial levels. Disabled People: Football Grounds Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the progress made by football clubs in implementing the requirements of the accessible stadia guide to ensure that the experience of visiting their grounds is equal for both disabled and able-bodied supporters. Lord Carter of Barnes: Through the accessible stadia guide, the Government have ensured that the minimum standards for disabled facilities at sport stadia are clear and understandable. Save where there are specific safety concerns, assessments on implementing the guide's recommendations is not a matter for the Government. Disabled People: Football Grounds Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will commission new access audits of disabled supporter facilities at Premier League and Football League grounds. Lord Carter of Barnes: It is not for the Government to commission such audits. It is for each football club to assess its current and future compliance with disability discrimination legislation. Education: Land-based Diploma Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 17 October (WA 77—78), how many of the 3,621 land-based diploma places carry an assurance of 10 days in the workplace at each level. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: The Government can give the assurance that all learners taking land-based and the environment diplomas at each level from September 2009 should have a minimum of 10 days' work experience in the workplace at some point during their two-year course. Every year, some half a million 14-to-16 year-olds undertake work-experience placements. These are mainly arranged through education business partnership organisations that are also supporting the delivery of diplomas. To secure approval to deliver diplomas, 14-to-19 consortia of schools and colleges will have demonstrated effective local employer engagement with named employers in their Diploma Gateway applications. 14-to-19 consortia have also been taking action to strengthen local employer support and to ensure there are sufficient high-quality work-experience placements available for all their diploma students. To assist them, we published "Employer Engagement—A guide for Diploma Consortia" in July 2007 which is available on the department's 14-to-19 website. Elections: Stoke-on-Trent Lord Grocott: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the results of all local referenda on directly elected mayors including the most recent referendum in Stoke-on-Trent. Baroness Andrews: The results of each local referendum on a directly elected mayor have been published by the council concerned as required by regulations made under Part II of the Local Government Act 2000. I have placed today in the Library of the House a table summarising the result for all such referendums held to date. Government Departments: Websites Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is the policy of the Department for Communities and Local Government to exclude Christmas from those festivals marked by a message of goodwill and respect on its website. Baroness Andrews: The Department for Communities and Local Government marks the main religious festivals of the major faiths with a goodwill message posted on the department's website. In the past 12 months messages have been posted to celebrate Diwali, Vaisakhi, Chanukah, Easter and Ramadan. At Christmas, the department sends Christmas cards. Gypsies and Travellers Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Statement by Baroness Andrews on 29 September (WS 162—63), how the Homes and Communities Agency will decide in which places people will choose to live; and how it will make this decision on behalf of Gypsies and Travellers. Baroness Andrews: The HCA will not decide where people will choose to live. As at present, regional and local authorities will determine what new housing is needed and where it can best be provided through the planning framework. In relation to accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers, regional spatial strategies will set out the number of pitches required in each local planning authority area, with local authorities identifying land in development plan documents sufficient to meet that need. The HCA's role will be to ensure that the housing targets identified in plans are delivered in a way that creates the kind of communities people want to live in. It will do so either directly, through its funding programmes, the use of surplus public sector land, and the other expertise it can offer, or indirectly, by supporting local authorities, other public sector bodies and private sector partners. Health: Contraception Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 12 December (Official Report, col. 225), what progress has been made on the pilot scheme to allow over-the-counter access to the contraceptive pill; and whether they are planning to introduce further measures to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in the United Kingdom. Lord Darzi of Denham: To date, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority has not received any applications to reclassify oral contraceptives from prescription only medicine to pharmacy status. The Government have invested an additional £26.8 million in 2008-09 to improve women's access to contraception and help reduce the number of teenage pregnancies. Funding will continue in 2009-10 and 2010-11. Some primary care trusts are using this funding to pilot the supply of a range of methods of contraception in pharmacies under National Health Service arrangements. The department is working with these areas to assess the success of these pilots over the next two years. The department is also undertaking a programme of work to support reductions in teenage pregnancy and abortions including a new targeted campaign to highlight contraceptive choices available to women, strengthening links between abortion and contraception services and issuing new guidance Good Practice Guidance on Commissioning Contraceptive and Abortion Services which will be published shortly. Houses of Parliament: Website Lord Norton of Louth: asked the Chairman of Committees: How many visitors there have been to the House of Lords home page on the Parliament website in each month since October 2007. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The number of visits to the House of Lords home page on the Parliament website since October 2007, broken down by month, is set out below. Month Visits October 2007 27,002 November 2007 27,372 December 2007 19,403 January 2008 25,169 February 2008 23,657 March 2008 23,978 April 2008 23,086 May 2008 21,122 June 2008 22,033 July 2008 19,202 August 2008 11,326 September 2008 16,207 October 2008 26,758 International Labour Organisation: Decent Work Lord Rana: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they are taking to encourage the implementation of international initiatives supporting the International Labour Organisation's social justice and decent work principles. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government participate fully in International Labour Organisation (ILO) governing body and conference discussions aimed at promoting implementation of the ILO's work on social justice and decent work, including those relating to the 2008 declaration on social justice for a fair globalisation and its follow-up. The Government also engage with the ILO to help member states meet the aims of its decent work agenda. This includes funding in support of ILO decent work country programmes, under a partnership framework agreement for the period 2006 to 2009. Northern Ireland Office: Agencies Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 21 October (WA 95) concerning inland revenue payments made for agencies and related organisations by the Northern Ireland Office, whether gross amounts were paid to members of the Parades Commission; and whether the Northern Ireland Office will pay Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs income tax for those members for that period. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: I would refer the noble Lord to the Answers given on 21 October (Official Report, col. WA 95) and 7 July (Official Report, col. WA 67). Passports Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the proposal to require all persons entering Great Britain from Northern Ireland to have passports will apply to children; and who will be required to check whether those departing have the necessary papers. Lord West of Spithead: Passengers will not be required to produce passports on arrival following any domestic air or sea journey within the United Kingdom, including on Northern Ireland-Great Britain routes. Arrangements for the introduction of the police power under Section 14 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 are still being planned, including the extent to which they could apply to children. It is intended, subject to consultation, that people will be required to produce one of several types of documentation before travelling to enable the carrier to check identities of passengers and crew in order to meet the requirements of a police request. The types of acceptable documentation will be discussed with carriers as part of the consultation process. The Police Service of Northern Ireland and other UK police forces will use the data collected under this power to support intelligence-led interventions to counter terrorism and tackle serious organised crime. Planning: Eco-towns Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will announce the short list of eco-towns; and whether the list will include 10 locations. Baroness Andrews: The Government are still consulting on the eco-town locations and expects to announce the final shortlist of locations with potential to be an eco-town early in 2009. At this stage in the consultation process it is not possible for the Government to say how many locations will be listed. Planning: Eco-towns Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the advice they receive from the Eco-towns Challenge Panel. Baroness Andrews: The notes and recommendations from the Eco-town Challenge Panel session 1 were published on 23 June 2008 and those from the second session were published on 31 July 2008. Both these reports are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website. Police: Ethnic Minority Recruits Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to revise the targets for ethnic minority recruits to the police service in England and Wales; if so, why; if not, what has been achieved by the existing targets; and what difference they have made. Lord West of Spithead: The police service has made substantial progress over the past nine years in increasing the proportion of minority ethnic officers and staff in its workforce. Currently, minority ethnic officers and staff together represent 5.6 per cent of the service. The increase of minority ethnic officers to 4.1 per cent of warranted officers represents a doubling in representation since 1999. However, despite this progress, the service recognises that there is a lot more to do to achieve a truly representative service which is reflective of the communities it serves. The policing Green Paper: Cm 7448 "From the Neighbourhood to National: Policing Our Communities Together" http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/ policereform/Policing_Green.pdf, sets out a shift in the Government's approach to targets, setting out performance management generally. In future, there will be a single top-down numerical target for forces relating to public confidence. The emphasis will be on national support with greater local responsibility. The Green Paper also sets out proposals to develop an equality, diversity and human rights strategy. The strategy will include local setting of equality standards. The aim of these standards, which are currently being developed by the National Policing Improvement Agency, will be to assist the service to continue to improve performance and mainstream activity on equality and diversity. The standards will be set within a framework which will support authorities and forces in setting equality standards locally with national oversight retained through a new, more robust HMIC inspection regime including a proposed 2010 workforce inspection which will scrutinise (among other issues) the equality standards. The Government are currently consulting on whether the equality standards should include local employment targets such as for race and gender. This shift from national target-setting will provide for targets being agreed locally by police authorities in consultation with communities. This local approach would provide more local ownership and help reflect the needs of local diverse communities. Royal Mail: Pension Service Post Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 29 September (WA 319—20), what sanctions there are against Royal Mail staff who are contracted to open personal and private post for the Department for Work and Pensions and are found to have breached the security rules. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The DWP contract for mail opening is with Haden Building Management Ltd, which operates a subcontract for this service with Royal Mail. DWP Security requirements are detailed both in the Haden contract and this Royal Mail sub-contract. In the event of a security breach, Royal Mail's security investigation team would be responsible for enforcing its conduct code policy and would carry out investigations in order to apply whatever sanction was deemed appropriate to the level of seriousness of that breach. A wide range of sanctions are possible, up to and including prosecution. Somalia: Khat Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have undertaken any projects to deal with the level of trade in, and consumption of, khat in Somalia. Lord Tunnicliffe: The Department for International Development (DfID) is supporting the Somalia employment, enterprise and livelihoods programme, implemented by the International Labour Organisation, which supports the empowerment of women and youth through employment opportunities and small-business development. This offers them an alternative livelihood from the khat trade. DfID is currently not supporting any other projects directly dealing in the trade in or consumption of khat in Somalia. Weeds Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 29 September (WA 428), whether they plan to add Japanese knotweed to those weeds covered by the Weeds Act 1959, in the light of developments in relation to its control. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Weeds Act 1959 allows my right honourable friend the Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) to take statutory action to control the spread of five injurious weeds: common ragwort; spear thistle; creeping or field thistle; curled dock; and broad leaved dock. Defra has no plans to add Japanese knotweed to the list of weeds covered by the Weeds Act 1959. However, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits causing Japanese knotweed to grow in the wild. As stated in the invasive non-native species framework strategy for Great Britain, we plan to identify what further legislative powers may be needed to tackle the issue of invasive non-native species.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2008-11-03a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2008", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Questions for Written Answer: Reply Times Lord Jopling: asked the Leader of The House: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 20 January (WA 121), on how many days since 24 November 2004 have her officials contacted the Home Office to enquire why the Earl of Shrewsbury's Question for Written Answer has not received an answer nine weeks after it was tabled, when the target time for answers is two weeks; and what reasons have been given for the failure to answer. Baroness Amos: The detail requested in many Questions, including the one referred to by the noble Lord, can cause delays resulting in the target date not being met. I understand that the Home Office had considerable problems in obtaining the data requested and regrets that this led to a delay in providing an answer to the Question. All government departments endeavour to respond within the target time, and my office tracks progress on a regular basis. Questions for Written Answer: Reply Times Lord Jopling: asked the Leader of The House: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 20 January (WA 121), why Questions were still awaiting answer on 25 January having been tabled between 24 November and 21 December 2004 when the target time for Answers is two weeks; and whether she will raise the issue at Cabinet. Baroness Amos: There is currently one Question outstanding that was tabled between 24 November and 21 December. The department responsible (the Department for Trade and Industry) has committed to provide an Answer by the end of this week. The detail requested in many Questions can cause a delay. Departments which had Questions tabled within this period noted that a number of them required considerable research. The Northern Ireland Office continues to receive a very high volume of detailed Questions, although all Questions received within the period in question have now been answered. All government departments endeavour to respond within the target time, and my office tracks the progress made with departments. I do not intend to raise this matter with Cabinet, but I continue to raise it weekly with Front-Bench colleagues. African Peer Review Mechanism Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which of the 53 African Union member states have not signed up to the African Peer Review Mechanism; and, of those which have acceded to the mechanism, how many have completed their first examination. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The following members of the African Union have not signed up to the African Peer Review Mechanism: Tunisia, Libya, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Niger, Sudan, Somalia, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Sao Tome and Principe, Comoros, Seychelles and Madagascar. However, 23 countries have signed up for peer review and reviews are underway in four of these. Iraq: Regional Majorities Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government: In which of Iraq's 18 provinces are: (a) Sunni Arabs; and (b) Kurds in a majority. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Although there are no recent reliable census figures, it is commonly assessed that: Sunni Arabs are in a majority in Mosul, Anbar, Salahaddin, Diyala and Baghdad provinces. The Shi'a are in a majority in the city of Baghdad itself. But this is outweighed by the Sunni majority in the satellite towns. The Kurds are in a majority in Dohuk, Sulaymania and Arbil provinces. Sudan: Darfur Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will ascertain why the report of the panel appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1564 was not published on 25 January as anticipated; what conclusion the panel reached on the reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights and alleged acts of genocide in Darfur; whether it identified the perpetrators of such violations; and what measures they will propose to the Security Council to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We understand that due to technical difficulties the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) first received the report of the International Commission of Inquiry (ICI) on 26 January. He released the report to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members on 31 January. The report concludes that the government of Sudan, the Arab militias and the rebels are all guilty of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law, which may amount to crimes against humanity and/or war crimes. The report also found that the government of Sudan has not pursued a policy of genocide in Darfur, although a "competent court" will need to decide whether certain individuals have done so. The report stresses that the crimes which have taken place in Darfur "may be no less serious and heinous than genocide" and recommends that the crimes should be referred to the International Criminal Court. The ICI has given the UNSG a list of suspects it believes may have perpetrated these crimes, and recommends that he pass this list to a competent prosecutor. The UNSC is united in its determination that there can be no impunity for these crimes and will be discussing the next steps over the coming days. Sinn Fein: Re-arming Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the reports in the Sunday Independent on 30 January, whether the Eire Government passed on information concerning the alleged re-arming, recruiting and re-organisation of Sinn Fein/IPR. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: It is not the policy of the Government to comment on intelligence matters. Irish President Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made or intend to make to the Eire Government concerning the description by the President of Eire, Mary McAleese, of approximately 1 million United Kingdom citizens as Nazis. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The President of Ireland has apologised for any offence her remarks about the Holocaust on 27 January may have caused. The Government have therefore made no representations to the Irish Government. Minors with Indian Nationality Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 16 November 2004 (WA 134) on minors with Indian nationality, whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the correspondence from Indian authorities which states that an Indian minor who acquires British Dependent Territories citizenship by registration does not lose Indian nationality as a consequence, as set out in paragraph 7.1 of Annex H to Chapter 14 of the Home Office Nationality Instructions. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Paragraph 11(2) of the press release issued on 20 March 1998 by the Consulate General of India in Hong Kong in response to a request for clarification by the British High Commission in New Delhi makes clear the position of the Government of India on this question. A copy of this press release was placed in the Library of the House on 27 October 2004. EU Constitutional Treaty Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which articles, or other content of the European constitution, will not be subject to the decisions of the European Court of Justice. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The task of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is to ensure that in the interpretation of the constitution the law is observed. The court's jurisdiction is provided for and defined in Articles III–358 to III–380. Article III–376 makes clear that the court's jurisdiction does not extend to the common foreign and security policy. Article III–377 makes clear that member states' responsibilities in the areas of law and order and internal security, and operations carried out by their police and law enforcement services, are not subject to ECJ jurisdiction. Planning Policy Statements Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which planning policy guidance (PPG) documents have already been replaced by new planning policy statements (PPS); what is the anticipated timetable for the full replacement by a PPS of each PPG; whether it is intended to produce any additional PPS documents; if so, on what subject; and when. Lord Rooker: The Statement made in the other place by my right honourable friend the Member for Streatham on 17 June 2004 (Official Report, col. 45WS) indicated that priority would be given to replacement of planning policy guidance notes (PPGs) by planning policy statements (PPSs) where it was required for good policy reasons. Progress on replacement of those PPGs identified in the Statement as a priority is tabled below. PPSNumber Subject Consultationdraft Publication ofrevised PPS/PPG 1 Delivering Sustainable Development 23 February 04 1 February 05 PPG3 Housing: Updates on: Supporting thedelivery of newhousing; and 17 July 03 24 January 05 Planning forsustainablecommunities in rural areas 17 July 03 24 January 05 Planning for mixedcommunities 24 January 05 Summer 05 Barker update Spring 05 Autumn 05 4 Economic Development To follow PPS6 6 Town Centres 15 December 03 Spring 05 7 Rural Areas 15 September 03 3 August 04 9 Nature Conservation/Biodiversity 8 September 04 May/June 05 10 Waste Management 6 December 04 Spring/Summer 05 11 Regional Planning 13 October 03 7 September 04 12 Development Plans 13 October 03 7 September 04 22 Renewable Energy 5 November 03 9 August 04 23 Pollution Control February and July 02 3 November 04 24 Planning and Noise Autumn 05 The review and replacement of other PPGs will take place as and when necessary in the light of their policy and strategic significance. In the mean time the current PPG will remain in place. It is not proposed to produce any additional PPSs at present, although good practice guidance on specific topics may be produced from time to time. Schools: Attendance Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the annual attendance rate for pupils in (a) secondary schools; (b) special schools; and (c) primary schools, in England and Wales in each of the past seven years. Lord Filkin: The information requested is shown in the tables below for England only. Figures for Wales are a matter for the Welsh Assembly. School Attendance in England Academic Year (September to May) Secondary schools % Special schools % Primary schools % All schools % 1997–98 90.99 88.90 93.79 92.72 1998–99 91.12 89.04 94.11 92.93 1999–2000 91.38 89.57 94.34 93.15 2000–01 90.96 88.73 93.92 92.73 2001–02 91.28 89.22 94.15 92.98 2002–03 91.72 89.30 94.19 93.17 2003–04 91.94 89.72 94.51 93.43 Schools: Building Repair Work Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Filkin on 11 January (WA 46), what is the total figure in England for (a) schools backlog repair work; and (b) future schools maintenance requirements in the next five years. Lord Filkin: School buildings' maintenance requirements for English local education authorities total approximately £700 million, £3.7 billion and £3.6 billion for Priority 1, 2 and 3 work respectively. Priorities 1, 2 and 3 relate to urgent work, work needed within two years and work needed within three to five years. Backlog repairs are not separately identified in the data. The figures cover cyclical and scheduled maintenance. They are derived from data supplied to the department by authorities, based on their asset-management condition assessments. Central government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million in 1996–97 to £4.9 billion this year and will rise further to £6.3 billion by 2007–08. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock. Middle Schools Baroness Sharp of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the names and local education authorities responsible for each middle school which educates year 11 pupils. Lord Filkin: As at January 2004 there were six middle schools across England which provide for year-group 11 pupils. The schools were the London Oratory School in Hammersmith and Fulham Local Education Authority (LEA) area; Hinde House School in Sheffield LEA; the Five Islands School in the Isles of Scilly LEA; Minster School in Nottinghamshire LEA; Caroline Chisholm School in Northamptonshire LEA and Royal Alexandra and Albert School in Surrey LEA. Schools: England/Wales Border Baroness Sharp of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any English local education authorities have schools situated on the border between England and Wales or in Wales; and what are the names of such schools and their maintaining local education authorities. Lord Filkin: There are no schools maintained by English local education authorities which are located within Wales. Further information about the location of schools can be accessed via the EduBase web site www.edubase.gov.uk. EduBase is the department's official register of educational establishments. Stamp Duty Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: What would have been the additional revenue to the Exchequer in 2003–04 from commercial property transactions if there had been no exemption from stamp duty in disadvantaged areas; and what they estimate the likely additional revenue would be in 2004–05, including actual figures for the year to date in so far as they are available. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The estimated amount of stamp duty relief given in disadvantaged areas in 2003–04, and forecast for 2004–05, is published at www.newinternet.inrev.gov.uk/stats/tax–expenditures/table1–5.pdf. This amount includes some relief for residential transactions in those areas where the value of the transaction is above the stamp duty threshold but below £150,000. The amount of additional revenue if there had been no exemption from relief for commercial transactions from April 2003 is highly uncertain due to the likely use of other reliefs in some instances and other behavioural effects. Worklessness Among Households Lord Howell of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of households in the United Kingdom are without a wage-earner; and what are the comparable percentages for France and Germany. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply. Letter from the National Statistician, Len Cook, dated 9 February 2005. As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the percentage of households in the United Kingdom without a wage earner and the comparable percentages for France and Germany. The most recent available information was published by the Office for National Statistics in January 2005 in the first release Work and Worklessness among Households. Drawing upon this source, 15.8 per cent of working age households were classed as workless in autumn 2004, the latest period available. In the UK first release, a working age household is a household that includes at least one person of working age, that is, a man aged 16 to 64 or a woman aged 16 to 59. A workless household is a working age household where no one aged 16 or over is in employment. Comparable percentages for France and Germany are not available. Tax: European Court of Justice Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether taxpayers are entitled to establish the effect of United Kingdom taxation laws through judicial processes and to pay any taxes due in accordance with the law so established; and, if so, whether they will explain the statement made by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 31 January (HL Deb, col. 3) that "some objections that have been raised on tax matters before the European Court of Justice are extremely self-interested". Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Of course, the Government accept that all taxpayers are entitled to have their tax liabilities settled in accordance with the law. It is clearly in everyone's interest that this should be the case. This is not in any way inconsistent with the statement I made on 31 January in this House. Benefit Payments: Fraud and Error Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the amount of fraud and error in benefit payments will be reduced to the 1 per cent of gross expenditure that would be necessary to avoid the qualification by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of the resource accounts of the Department for Work and Pensions; and what plans they have to achieve that. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The department is committed to meeting the PSA targets to reduce fraud and error loss in income support and jobseeker's allowance by 33 per cent by 2004 and 50 per cent by 2006; housing benefit by 25 per cent by 2006; and pension credit by 20 per cent by 2006. Further targets have been set for income support, jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit for subsequent years. The department has already made significant progress in delivery against these targets. By March 2004 we had reduced fraud and error in income support and jobseeker's allowance by 37 per cent to 6.4 per cent compared with the 1998 baseline figure of 10.4 per cent, achieving the first stage of the target. We have achieved even more in reducing fraud. Compared to the 1998 baseline figure, by March 2004 we had reduced the level of fraud in working age income support and jobseeker's allowance by half. Since 1997 we have saved the equivalent of over £1 billion through our efforts in reducing fraud and error in income support and jobseeker's allowance. However, even when these targets are achieved the level of loss cumulatively across departmental expenditure is likely to remain above 1 per cent. A reduction in overall loss below 1 per cent will remain very difficult to achieve given the necessary complexity of the benefit system, which seeks to tailor provision closely to individual needs. The department remains committed to reducing loss from fraud and error wherever possible while ensuring that those who genuinely need financial support receive it. Benefit Payments: Fraud and Error Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their estimate of the level of (a) fraud, and (b) error in relation to incapacity benefit payments for 2003–04; and what plans they have to reduce that level. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The level of fraud in incapacity benefit (IB) is very low, estimated at less than 3 per cent of expenditure when last measured. Evidence of fraud in IB is investigated thoroughly. This resulted in 613 prosecutions in 2003–04. Additionally around 45 per cent of people receiving incapacity benefit also receive income support and are subject to the same fraud and customer error management as other income support recipients. We are also working to reduce error as part of our overall strategy of more prevention and better detection. The incidence of error is continuously monitored and improvement targets have been set. Our emphasis is on working smarter and integrating control measures even more closely into our basic business processes. Key aspects include tackling complexity in benefit rules and tighter standard processes supported by better IT to reduce error, improved data-matching to identify misrepresentations and mistakes earlier, and more help for customers to keep claims right. The department concentrates measurement of fraud and error on benefits with the highest levels of loss such as income support, jobseeker's allowance and housing benefit. Fraud and error in IB was last measured in 2001. The results are in the table. Results of Incapacity Benefit Review 2001 Category Monetary Value(£ millions) Percentage of expenditure Fraud overpayments 1 Up to £19 million Up to 0.3 Customer erroroverpayments 2 £16 million 0.3 Customer errorunderpayments3 £15 million 0.2 Notes: 1 This is an upper limit, as insufficient cases of fraud were uncovered in the review to enable a robust central estimate to be made. 2 95 per cent confidence interval (£6 million to £32 million). 3 95 per cent confidence interval (£8 million to £24 million). Official error is measured every year. The latest results are in the table Official Error in Incapacity Benefit 2003–04 Category Monetary Value(£ millions) Percentage of expenditure Overpayments 52 0.8 Underpayments 13 0.2 Notes: 1 95 per cent confidence interval (£37 million to £69 million). 2 95 per cent confidence interval (£7 million to £19 million). 3 All estimates quoted arise from sampling exercises and are subject to margins of error. These are expressed by means of confidence intervals. In addition to the official error underpayments on incapacity benefit (IB) claims in payments, we estimate that there were approximately £6 million of underpayments for those receiving credits only. For the purposes of estimating an IB contribution to our estimate of global fraud and error, we occasionally adjust the overpayment results from the 2001 IB review in line with the change in expenditure and combine the result with the latest IB official error estimate. In the most recent calculation this gave an IB contribution of £87 million. Lottery Fraud Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many examples they have received of bogus or fraudulent national lottery schemes; and what action they have taken to investigate them and bring the people responsible to justice. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Office of Fair Trading, which investigates these cases, received nearly 2,000 complaints and queries about lottery scams based in other countries in 2004. The investigation of these scams is undertaken by the appropriate enforcement agency. DTI is taking action through Consumer Direct, a consumer helpline and website which is currently being rolled out nationwide and provides advice for consumers about these kinds of scams. DTI also helps to facilitate global co-operation against these scams. Since 2001, DTI has signed memorandums of understanding with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This department is also a signatory to the OECD Guidelines for Protecting Consumers from Fraudulent and Deceptive Commercial Practices across Borders, a multilateral co-operation agreement, and last year, negotiated the EU Regulation on Consumer Protection Co-operation which sets an enforcement co-operation framework within the EU. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority: Research Applications Lord Winston: asked Her Majesty's Government: On what basis the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority estimates that the cost of processing each research science application is £6,000. Lord Warner: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) advises that the total cost of regulating licensed research projects is £70,000 per year. There is an average of 12 research licences in operation during a year, giving an average regulation cost per licence of approximately £6,000. This figure covers the costs of processing research licence applications, inspections, research licence committees, 50 per cent of the total cost of the research regulation team and the associated overheads costs of premises, information technology and administrative support. Following a public consultation exercise, the HFEA announced an increase in the research licence fee from 1 February 2005. The fee has increased from £200 to £500 for small projects and £750 for larger, more complex projects. The additional cost of regulating research will be met from the Department of Health's grant in aid. Health and Social Care: Deferred Payments Grant Lord Lipsey: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have taken to make people aware of the scheme under Section 55 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001. Lord Warner: A chief inspector's letter was sent to the directors of social services in June 2002 and a local authority circular was issued in October 2002 advising councils of good practice with respect to deferred payments, and Department of Health expectations. NHS: Wheelchairs Lord McColl of Dulwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many patients are currently waiting for (a) an outpatient appointment, and (b) delivery of indoor and outdoor electric wheelchairs and specialised wheelchair seats; and how many patients they expect will have received (i) an appointment, or (ii) such a delivery by the end of 2005. Lord Warner: The information requested is not held centrally. It may be available from the 151 National Health Service wheelchair services who arrange for the provision of wheelchairs in England. Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many infectious tubercle bacilli may be voided by badgers with primary kidney disease onto pasture during urination. Lord Whitty: This has not been measured. However, the number of tubercle bacilli voided by a badger with kidney lesions would vary according to the severity of infection and the behaviour of the individual badger. Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, of badgers that die as a result of bovine tuberculosis, there is a difference in time course of the disease depending on the route of infection. Lord Whitty: There are no available data to give a definitive answer to this question. There is no evidence to show that bovine TB itself is a major cause of death in badgers. The evidence available suggests that in badgers infected by bite wounding, there is a more rapid dissemination of disease, which might lead to an earlier death; whereas badgers with infected lungs, indicating a respiratory route of infection, can survive for long periods. Some individuals have been recorded as surviving for up to three or four years. EU Sugar Regime Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have undertaken on the impact of the reform of the European Union sugar regime upon (a) British farmers, and (b) the British sugar industry. Lord Whitty: We are still awaiting the European Commission's detailed proposals for reform of the EU sugar regime, but in the mean time we have published independent economic research illustrating some of the possible effects of reform of the EU sugar regime on UK beet growers and beet processors. A full regulatory impact assessment will be prepared once formal proposals are available. Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Lord Skelmersdale: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which orders have been made under Section 43 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; what conditions have been specified by or under such orders; and how those orders have been made publicly available. Lord Davies of Oldham: A table has been placed in the Library with details of orders, made under Section 43 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which are either in force, or expired where no extension or replacement has been issued.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2005-02-09a
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2005", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Home Office Windrush Generation: Anniversaries lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they are planning to celebrate Windrush Day on 22 June; how the Immigration Bill will assist in dismantling the ‘hostile environment’ towards immigrants; and whether the Bill is designed to restore the UK’s reputation as a welcoming and friendly international nation. baroness williams of trafford: The Government remains committed to ensuring that 22 June is a day of celebration and recognition for the Windrush generation and their descendants. 2020 saw the second provision of an annual £500,000 grant to support celebrations on 22 June as well as longer term projects to ensure a lasting legacy for the Windrush generation. Earlier in the year, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government approved funding to be allocated among 49 charities, community groups and local authorities. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, officials worked with grantees to deliver their project outcomes through online or virtual means to coincide with Windrush Day, and by postponing some delivery until later in the year where necessary. The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) also worked with community stakeholders to mark Windrush Day appropriately online and in the media. The Government is committed to a firm, fair and humane immigration policy which welcomes and celebrates those here lawfully, deters individuals from placing themselves at risk of harm and exploitation in the hands of people smugglers and protects the taxpayer. In common with other comparable countries, the UK has in place a framework of laws, policies and administrative arrangements, introduced under successive governments ensuring access to work benefits and services is permitted for those with the right access to them. The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill is primarily focused on ending the EU’s rules on free movement of persons following the UK’s exit from the EU. It does not deal with general immigration matters. Windrush Generation: Compensation the lord bishop of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the efficiency of the rate of compensation payments to those affected by the Windrush Scandal; and what targets they have set for compensating the individuals involved. the lord bishop of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government why Anthony Bryan is yet to receive full compensation under the Windrush Compensation Scheme. baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office is processing claims as quickly as possible, but all claims are different, and the time taken will depend on many factors, including the complexity of the case. Wherever possible, the Home Office makes interim payments on parts of the claim that are straightforward to determine, such as immigration fees, thereby speeding up the provision of compensation. The most recently published statistics on the payments made under the Windrush Compensation Scheme show a clear increasing trajectory of payments: £362,997 paid in the first 12 months of the scheme, of which £300,799 was paid in the most recent three months of that period. These are available to view on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-may-2020. The Home Secretary also announced on 15 July that over £1.5m has now been offered in compensation to claimants. Once the offers are accepted by the applicants, the payments will be made. The Home Office does not disclose information about individual cases. Immigration lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any hostile environment policies are still in place; and if so, what areas are covered by these policies. lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the success of hostile environment policies; and what criteria are used to judge the success of these policies. baroness williams of trafford: The Government is committed to a firm, fair and humane immigration policy which distinguishes effectively between those with lawful status and those here illegally. The term ‘hostile environment’ as a description of Home Office immigration policy is incorrect and does not represent our values as a country.In common with other comparable countries, the UK has in place a framework of laws, policies and administrative arrangements, introduced under successive governments, ensuring access to work, benefits and services is only permitted for those with the right access to them. The measures within this framework are: Right to Work; Right to Rent; and access to healthcare, public funds, financial services and driving licences.Key measures were the subject of public consultations and/or impact assessments before they were introduced. The measures incorporate important safeguards, including the ability to exercise discretion where there are genuine barriers to persons leaving the UK or there are exceptional compassionate factors.A full evaluation of the Right to Rent Scheme is underway and the Government accepts the recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review report in full, including reviewing and evaluating measures designed to regulate access to work, benefits and services. As the Home Secretary said in her statement to Parliament on 21 July, policy and decision making must be rigorously examined to ensure that any adverse impact on any corner of our society is identified and acted on quickly. To ensure that we better understand the groups and communities that our policies affect, we are overhauling the way in which we build up our evidence base and engage with stakeholders across the board. Windrush Lessons Learned Review baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Home Secretary on 21 July (HC Deb, col 2022), what are the terms of reference for the evaluation of the compliant environment policy and measures; whether that evaluation will be designed in partnership with external experts as recommended in the report by Wendy Williams Windrush Lessons Learned Review, published in March; when that evaluation is due to be completed; and whether the findings of that review will be made public. baroness williams of trafford: As the Home Secretary set out on 21 July, it is right that those with no legal right to be in this country are not allowed to exploit the system, but the right protections must be in place for those who status should have been assured. We will undertake a full evaluation of the compliant environment policy and measures – individually and cumulatively - to make sure this crucial balance is right. This is a complex area of policy and scoping of this work has begun, including on the detail of the evaluation. More information will be available in due course.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2020-08-26
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2020", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }
Home Office Speed Limits: Fixed Penalties Lord Taylor of Goss Moor: To ask His Majesty's Government how many speedingpenaltieswere issued by police authorities for each year since 2000. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Office collects and publishes data on fixed penalty notices (FPNs) and other outcomes for motoring offences in England and Wales on an annual basis. The most recent data, up to 2021, is available here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118166/fixed-penalty-notices-and-other-motoring-offences-statistics-police-powers-and-procedures-year-ending-31-december-2021.odsTable 1 below shows the number of speeding offences recorded by police between 2011 and 2021, and how many resulted in a fine being paid.Table 1 Number of speeding offences recorded by police in England and Wales, and how many resulted in a fine being paid, 2011 to 2021Calendar YearNumber of speeding offences..of which a fine was paid20111,494,183705,44420121,590,384731,32920131,659,846722,50320141,863,317745,57620151,944,978787,09220161,970,207784,65420172,013,830778,48620182,101,647807,27320192,253,948820,30820202,006,382758,41820212,378,373853,811Excludes ‘cancelled’ and ‘incomplete’ offences.These figures may be an underestimation, as Durham, North Wales, South Wales, Gwent, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire forces do not record all outcomes on the PentiP system.Equivalent information for years prior to 2011 is not available. Visas: Graduates Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Murray of Blidworth on 28 September(HL10391), what is the “normal manner” for (1) reviewing the efficacy of visa routes, and (2) updating Parliament on them; and what is their timetable for reviewing the High Potential Individual visa entry route and updating Parliament on it. Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Murray of Blidworth on 28 September (HL10391),whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what criteria and data they plan to use in assessing the extent to which the High Potential Individual visa entry route has met its stated objective of supporting the UK’s growth as a leading international hub for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Office are committed to evaluating visa routes to robustly identify which policies and aspects of our delivery are effective. Full details on the ways in which we evaluate visa routes can be found in the Home Office Evaluation Strategy. The findings from completed evaluations, including those evaluating the efficacy of visa routes, are routinely published on GOV.UK.The process of commissioning an external evaluation of the High Potential Individual visa route is currently ongoing. Asylum: Napier Barracks Lord German: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherrefugee support organisations, in addition to Migrant Help, currently operate within Napier Barracks. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: Migrant Help act as a main point of contact for all Non-Government Organisation (NGO) activity and outreach work in the wider community, and a number of organisations are currently engaged with asylum seekers accommodated at Napier Barracks. Refugees: Afghanistan Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany refugees have been resettled in the UK under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme via (1) Pathway 1, (2) Pathway 2, and (3) Pathway 3; and for each pathway, how many of those have been resettled (a) in total, (b) between January to July 2023, and (c) since July 2023. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 24,600 people to safety, including thousands of people eligible for our Afghan schemes. We continue to honour our commitments to bring eligible Afghans to the UK. The data published within: immigration system statistics release (year ending June 2023, published 24 August 2023) provides a breakdown of arrivals by quarter. The number of individuals resettled under the schemes is as follows: 9,676 individuals under ACRS Pathway 1, 66 individuals under ACRS Pathway 2 and 41 individuals under ACRS Pathway 3. Afghan Operational data is viewable at: Afghan Resettlement Programme: operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab) Afghan operational data is released quarterly with the next publication due around the 23 November 2023. Refugees: Afghanistan Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government how manypeople are currently waiting for decisions on eligibility under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme; and how many people approved for resettlement in the UK under the scheme are currently awaiting resettlement. Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Afghansawaiting resettlement in the UK or decisions on eligibility under (1) the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, and (2) the Afghan Citizens Refugee Scheme, are currently in Pakistan; and what steps they are taking to ensure that they are not deported back to Afghanistan. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: We will continue to honour our commitment to bring eligible Afghans to the UK and plans are underway to relocate these families as soon as possible. There is no publicly available data on the number of individuals currently awaiting resettlement from Afghanistan and third countries such as Pakistan, including those awaiting a decision on eligibility. Afghans in third countries including in Pakistan who are eligible for resettlement to the UK continue to be supported by the UK Government, and flights from Pakistan to the UK continue to take place. The UK Government is aware of recent announcements made by the Government of Pakistan regarding Afghans being illegally present in Pakistan. We have engaged intensively with the Government of Pakistan to secure assurances that none of those eligible under Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will be subject to deportation while they await relocation to the UK. Fenethylline Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to stop the availability of Captagon in England. Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of Captagon in England. Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the value of the illegal trade in Captagon. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: In December 2021, the Government launched its ten-year drugs strategy, From Harm to Hope, to cut crime and save lives. As part of this, £300 million has been allocated to fund activity to break drug supply chains from end-to-end, this includes restricting upstream flow, securing the UK border, and ensuring we remain agile in the face of changing threats. Further, an additional £780 million will fund the first three years of an ambitious, decade-long transformation of drug treatment and wider recovery support in England.Specifically, in relation to captagon, the UK remains engaged with likeminded partners and regional states to combat this and is drawing international attention to the issue (for example at the UN Security Council including the most recent meeting on Syria on 30 October).The UK recognises that the production and smuggling of captagon is a lucrative trade, which provides illicit revenue streams to multiple actors, notably the Asad regime and its supporters . We have not assessed the value of the global captagon market and independent estimates vary significantly.The National Crime Agency regularly assess the threat posed to the UK by the trafficking of illicit drugs, and currently assess that there is no direct UK facing threat. To date, no instances of captagon being seized at a UK border have been recorded. Speed Limits: Fines Lord Taylor of Goss Moor: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the average mile-per-hour excess over the speed limit for speedingpenaltiesissuedin 2022, or the last year for which figures are available. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Office collects and publishes data on fixed penalty notices (FPNs) and other outcomes for motoring offences, including speed limit offences, in England and Wales on an annual basis. The most recent data, up to 2021, is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118166/fixed-penalty-notices-and-other-motoring-offences-statistics-police-powers-and-procedures-year-ending-31-december-2021.odsThese statistics include the number of speed limit offences recorded by police forces in England and Wales and the subsequent outcomes, such as whether a fine was paid or a driver retraining course was attended.However, the Home Office does not centrally collect data on mile-per-hour excess over the speed limit, or any information regarding the speed of the vehicle, for speeding penalties issued. Women and Equalities Candidates: Disability Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to restore funding toenable parliamentary candidates with a disability to contest the general election on equal terms. Lord Gascoigne: This Government is committed to increasing representation of disabled people in elected office. Earlier this year, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work wrote to political parties represented in the House of Commons to seek support in ensuring that disabled candidates and people in elected office have the support they require.The Government has been clear that political parties have a responsibility to support disabled candidates.The UK Government Disability Action Plan consultation did include a proposal to review funding of elected office support and explore the merits of a long-term funding solution. The responses to this consultation are currently being analysed with a response to be published in due course. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Audio Recordings: Disinformation Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat thecreation and spread of digitally generated fake audios. Viscount Camrose: The Government recognises the fast-moving development of AI systems, including those used to generate fake audio and the potential of such tools for facilitating criminal offences such as fraud.The Online Safety Act received Royal Assent on 26 October. It has been designed to keep pace with emerging technologies, and to provide Ofcom with broad horizon-scanning and robust information-gathering powers so that it can review and regulate technologies effectively.The Act’s illegal content duties require providers to proactively mitigate the risk that their services are used for illegal activity or to share illegal content. and to design their services to mitigate the risk of this occurring. Services must also take steps to prevent content that constitutes a priority offence from appearing on their service — this includes a number of fraud and financial crime offences.This applies to fake-audio content, whether that content is created by a human of AI-generated. On services it regulates, the Act will regulate AI-generated content in much the same way it does content created by humans.Further, ahead of the Bills implementation, the Government plans to deliver a voluntary Online Fraud Charter. This charter will demonstrate the ambition of signatories to work with the Government to tackle online fraud. Research Bureaucracy Review Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend toimplement the final report of the Independent Review of Research Bureaucracy published in July 2022. Viscount Camrose: The Government is committed to addressing the issues set out in the Independent Review of Research Bureaucracy. We are working with other government departments, funders and sector representative bodies to finalise a comprehensive response to the Review and will publish it in due course. In the meantime, government departments and funding bodies have begun implementing several of the Review’s recommendations. We have established a Review Implementation Network, bringing together senior representatives from across the research funding system, to deliver the recommendations of the review and maintain momentum on this issue. UK Biobank: Data Protection Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assurances were given, when the establishment of UK Biobank was announced in 2002, that data would not be given to insurance companies after concerns were raised that it could be used in a discriminatory way. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government when a decision was made that the assurance that data held by UK Biobank would not be given to insurance companies would no longer apply. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government when and how members of the public were informed that the assurance that data held by UK Biobank would not be given to insurance companies would no longer apply. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what information held by UK Biobank has been sold to insurance companies. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what income UK Biobank has received from the selling of information to insurance companies. Viscount Camrose: The assurance that identifiable data will not be shared with any organisation, including insurance companies, was provided to participants at the time of recruitment, and still applies. Members of the public invited to join UK Biobank were given information leaflets and a consent form that stated that de-identified data would be made available to researchers from across industry, academia, charitable and government sectors if the applications met the required thresholds of including a bona fide researcher and doing health-related research in the public good. Broadband Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of households that do not have access to reliable broadband, broken down by region. Viscount Camrose: The Government is committed to ensuring that all UK premises have access to fast and reliable broadband connectivity. Over 78% of UK premises can access gigabit-capable broadband, which represents significant progress since January 2019, when coverage was just 6%. Ofcom estimates that around 30,000 premises in the UK (0.1%) lack access to either a fixed broadband network with ‘decent broadband’ (at least 10 Mbit/s download and 1 Mbit/s upload speed) or good indoor 4G coverage. A full breakdown is available by local authority and/or constituency in Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2022 report. Ofcom’s UK Home Broadband Performance Report also provides information on the reliability and peak performance of fixed broadband connections. Research: Finance Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theregional allocations of government research funding. Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce regional inequalities in government-funded research and development. Viscount Camrose: The Levelling Up White Paper (published in February 2022) committed to a R&D Levelling Up Mission, recognising the uneven distribution of gross R&D (GERD) spending across the UK. DSIT is delivering this mission to increase public R&D investment outside the Greater South-East by at least 40% by 2030, and at least one-third over this spending review period. We are making progress through investing £100 million for 3 Innovation Accelerators (Greater Manchester, West Midlands and Glasgow) for example, and investing £75 million for 10 Innovate UK Launchpads, £312 million for 12 Strength in Places Fund projects and £60 million for the Regional Innovation Fund. Ministry of Defence Military Aircraft: Accidents Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the conclusions of the Boards of Inquiry into the fatal accidents of (1) the Chinook crash on 2 June 1994 and (2) the Nimrod crash on 2 September 1995, what assessment they have made of the similarities between the conclusions reached on human failings in each report. The Earl of Minto: As the noble Lord will be aware, Lord Philip’s independent review of 2011 into the Mull of Kintyre accident of 1994 was instrumental in the replacement of Boards of Inquiry with Service Inquiries. A Service Inquiry is an inquiry held under statute and seeks to identify where there are lessons to help prevent recurrence. As such, Service Inquiries are not permitted to apportion blame or find negligence. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Syria: Fenethylline Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international partners about stopping the illegal export of Captagon from Syrian criminals. Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the involvement of President Bashar al-Assad, family and friends in the manufacture and export of Captagon. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to engage extensively with international partners on Syrian captagon, including those across the Middle East and the Gulf who are most directly impacted by this illicit trade. The UK also continues to raise captagon at the UN Security Council.This illicit industry allows Asad to fund his war machine whilst spreading instability across the region. The Syrian regime are at the heart of producing and manufacturing captagon, this includes Asad's immediate family members and other malign groups. The UK, working with partners, sanctioned individuals directly involved in the captagon industry in March 2023, including two of Asad's cousins. Bangladesh: Rohingya The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reconsider the cuts madeto aid for the humanitarian response for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a leading donor to the Rohingya response overall in Bangladesh, providing over £373 million in humanitarian support for the crisis since 2017. Given unprecedented global humanitarian need, the UK has adjusted annual allocations for specific crises, including the Rohingya. The UK will return to the 0.7 per cent ODA/GNI target as soon as fiscal tests allow. Rohingya: Genocide The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to request a meeting of theUN Security Council to address the ongoing genocide of the Rohingya. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to monitor the risk of further violence in Rakhine State, and to underline the need for humanitarian access and protection of civilians, including the Rohingya and other vulnerable groups. We continue to raise our concerns at the targeting of Rohingya and other minorities in multilateral fora and with international partners. On 15 November, the UK filed a joint declaration of intervention at the International Court of Justice in The Gambia's case which alleges Myanmar has perpetrated genocide against the Rohingya, in order to set out our interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Genocide Convention before the Court. Sudan: Sexual Offences Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 4 July (HL8647) and 18 September (HL9785), what progress has been made in monitoring conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan, what steps they are taking to support accountability for conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan, and what steps they are taking to ensure that the United Nations fact-finding mission for Sudan includes conflict-related sexual violence expertise. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to tackling gender-based violence including conflict-related sexual violence globally. We continue to call for an end to the violence in Sudan, and for those responsible for human rights violations to be held to account. The UK has enhanced its atrocity risk monitoring, including monitoring of conflict-related sexual violence. The Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted the UK-led 'Sudan Core Group' Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) in October, which will ensure that credible allegations of human rights violations and abuses, including conflict-related sexual violence, by all sides will be investigated impartially by experts in their field to support future accountability efforts. The HRC Presidency has begun the selection process for the three experts that will make up the FFM. We continue to support the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN partners working with Sudan's Combating Violence Against Women Unit. Sudan: Ceasefires and Peace Negotiations Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 4 July (HL8646), what steps they are taking to ensure that Sudanese women and women’s civil society organisations are included in all peace and ceasefire negotiations relating to the current conflict in Sudan. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: It is essential that Sudan's civilians, civil society, women, youth, and Resistance Committees, are all represented in peace and ceasefire negotiations and are included in political discussions about their country's future. On 27 October, UK and Troika partners issued a joint statement welcoming the Sudanese civilians meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to restore Sudan's democratic transition. The UK has also been working closely with Norway in funding a Humanitarian Conference in Cairo this month. We continue to advocate for a return to a civilian-led government. The security and military forces must be held to their commitment to withdraw from politics. We urge all Sudanese stakeholders to engage in an inclusive dialogue that will deliver the peace and stability that the Sudanese people deserve. Development Aid Baroness Jenkin of Kennington: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 31 July (HL9405) and 8 November (HL10550), what were (1) the core, (2) the non-core, (3) any other, and (4) total, financial contributions to (a) the United Nations Population Fund, (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, (c) the World Health Organization, (d) UNICEF, (e) UNAIDS, (f) the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and (g) UN Women, in each financial year from 2014 to 2022. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Based on FCDO "Statistics on International Development: final UK aid spend 2022", the total amount of UK ODA financial contributions was: 2014201520162017201820192020202120221.a United Nations Population Fund - Core20,000,00020,000,00020,000,00020,000,00020,000,00020,000,00020,000,0008,000,0008,000,0002.a United Nations Population Fund - Non-core203,290,00094,690,00087,470,000120,470,000148,880,000189,930,00069,660,00057,320,00097,510,0004.a United Nations Population Fund - Total223,290,000114,690,000107,470,000140,470,000168,880,000209,930,00089,660,00065,320,000105,510,0002.b International Planned Parenthood Federation - Non-core9,600,0009,040,0006,430,00005,480,00034,940,00049,170,00042,530,00022,230,0004.b International Planned Parenthood Federation - Total9,600,0009,040,0006,430,00005,480,00034,940,00049,170,00042,530,00022,230,0001.c World Health Organization - Core14,500,00014,500,00014,500,00019,500,00029,500,00034,500,0005,000,00097,600,00097,750,0002.c World Health Organization - Non-core84,510,000102,150,00088,670,000111,400,000142,640,000150,180,000215,900,00035,530,00043,650,0003.c World Health Organization - Assessed contribution (DHSC)11,500,00011,830,00012,000,00012,190,00012,790,00013,000,00013,260,00012,490,00013,400,0004.c World Health Organization - Total110,510,000128,480,000115,170,000143,090,000184,930,000197,680,000234,160,000145,610,000154,800,0001.d UNICEF - Core48,000,00048,000,00048,000,00048,000,00048,000,00048,000,00048,000,00024,000,0008,000,0002.d UNICEF - Non-core275,130,000287,590,000353,970,000400,070,000401,460,000429,220,000412,740,000201,540,000202,170,0004.d UNICEF - Total323,130,000335,590,000401,970,000448,070,000449,460,000477,220,000460,740,000225,540,000210,170,0001.e UNAIDS - Core15,000,00015,000,00015,000,00015,000,00015,000,00015,000,00015,000,0002,500,0008,000,0004.e UNAIDS - Total15,000,00015,000,00015,000,00015,000,00015,000,00015,000,00015,000,0002,500,0008,000,0001.f Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - Core285,000,000100,000,000152,940,000317,060,000360,000,000370,000,000476,000,000380,000,000434,000,0004.f Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - Total285,000,000100,000,000152,940,000317,060,000360,000,000370,000,000476,000,000380,000,000434,000,0001.g UN Women - Core12,500,00012,500,00012,500,00012,500,00012,500,00012,500,00012,500,0005,750,00002.g UN Women - Non-core490,0004,190,0008,310,0006,850,0004,900,00013,400,0006,910,0003,430,0004,700,0004.g UN Women - Total490,0004,190,0008,310,0006,850,0004,900,00013,400,0006,910,0003,430,0004,700,000Figures have been rounded to the nearest ten thousand. Gaza: British Nationals Abroad Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the safeevacuation of British nationals who are facing challenges trying to leave Gaza. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the Prime Minister and former Foreign Secretary have said, the safety of British nationals remains our top priority. We are working with the Egyptian and Israeli authorities round the clock to ensure our British nationals can leave Gaza as soon as possible. The UK is supportive of limited and temporary cessations of hostilities as part of measures to facilitate the flow of life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza. It is crucial that we capitalise on the hostage deal to allow as much food, water, medical supplies and fuel as possible to reach vulnerable civilians in Gaza. This pause should act as a confidence-building mechanism for future pauses, including those solely on humanitarian grounds. The UK has a team at the Rafah crossing to ensure we can provide the necessary consular and administrative support needed to British nationals when they cross. We are providing support for British nationals to get from Rafah to Cairo, where we have set up a reception centre and have arranged temporary accommodation. Additional Consular and Border Force staff are in country to support this work, as is an FCDO Rapid Deployment Team and a team of British Red Cross psychological support experts. More than 150 British nationals and their dependants have left Gaza so far, this is well over half of those who registered with the FCDO initially. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Somerset Council Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the financial stability of Somerset Council. Baroness Penn: I would like to assure my noble Friend that the Government monitors the financial health of local authorities on a regular basis using a wide range of data as well as through extensive direct engagement with councils.We are aware of the recent concerns relating to Somerset council with regards its financial position. While individual councils are responsible for managing their budgets, the Department has been clear that we are willing to have discussions with any council that has concerns about its ability to manage its finances or faces pressures it has not planned for.For 2023/24, the final Local Government Finance Settlement made available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23. Department for Transport Railways: Disability Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions theyhave had with Network Rail regarding the medical advice they take on accessibility aids for disabled passengers, in particular the risks of the new steel sidebars installed on accessibility buggies at Euston station. Lord Davies of Gower: Network Rail undertakes risk assessments for all passenger facing facilities to help ensure wellbeing and safety. This includes the introduction of safety bars, which are present on the rear of all Network Rail passenger assistance buggies at Euston station and are designed to reduce the risk of riding passengers falling from the buggy. Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties Lord Taylor of Goss Moor: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the value in real terms of vehicle excise duty receipts each year since 2000 for which figures are available. Lord Davies of Gower: Information about the value in real terms of vehicle excise duty (VED) receipts is not held. The table below provides the VED figures reported in the published Annual Report & Accounts between years 2005-06 and 2022-23. Net Revenue stated as VED in the Statement of revenue & expenditure published Accounts.Year£m 2022-237,3252021-227,1332020-216,8982019-206,7752018-196,3902017-186,0012016-175,8762015-165,9302014-156,0232013-146,0522012-136,0132011-125,9322010-115,7822009-105,7422008-095,5432007-085,2692006-074,9842005-064,953 High Speed 2 Line: Construction Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the latest estimated cost for the construction of HS2 from the Eastern end of Old Oak Common station and the proposed six platform HS2 Euston station. Lord Davies of Gower: Following the Network North announcement, the scope and cost estimates for this section of the route are subject to review. An updated cost will be reported to Parliament in due course, noting that we are seeking to strip back the project scope and deliver a station that works, but does not include any features we do not need. High Speed 2 Line: Access Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government whether accessible station transfers for disabled passengers and passengers with luggage at Old Oak Common and Euston stations will be re-designed, given that building work on HS2 has been paused between these stations. Lord Davies of Gower: There are no plans currently to redesign Old Oak Common station where construction is well underway and plans to develop an affordable HS2 Euston station will continue. The HS2 platforms at both stations will support level boarding and step free access from street to the train. The Great Western Mainline platforms at Old Oak Common have been designed to Network Rail main-line standards. There are challenges in providing level boarding due to the need to accommodate multiple types of passenger and freight rolling stock. However, officials are engaged with Transport for London to assess the viability of possible technical solutions. Aviation: Musical Instruments The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with professional musicians and the airline industry to review rules on travelling with musical instruments which cannot be put in the hold; including the adoption of a clear and uniform policy for such instruments which would then be consistently applied. Lord Davies of Gower: The carriage of musical instruments that cannot be put in the hold is a matter for individual airline policy. However, these policies should be transparent and meet the relevant UK Regulation for stowage of articles in the cabin.Most UK airlines permit the carriage of musical instruments in the aircraft cabin. Where permitted, airlines must ensure a procedure for safe carriage is documented in the operations manual. Motorcycles: Carbon Emissions Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government how the Department for Transport co-ordinates policy efforts across its teams in relation to the joint action plan, Realising the Full Potential of Zero Emission Powered Light Vehicles: A Joint Action Plan for Government and Industry, by the Motorcycle Industry Association and Zemo Partnership. Lord Davies of Gower: The Department remains abreast of all policy matters relating to L-category vehicles and the joint Action Plan. When an issue emerges that cuts across several policy areas, officials from different teams across the Department work together to respond. Decisions on each of these policy matters fall under the responsibility for the Minister with the relevant portfolio. Motorcycles: Carbon Emissions Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what mechanisms are in place within the Department for Transport to ensure that its different teams actively communicate and collaborate on policy matters relating tothe Motorcycle Industry Associationand Zemo Partnership joint action plan,Realising the Full Potential of Zero Emission Powered Light Vehicles: A Joint Action Plan for Government and Industry. Lord Davies of Gower: The Department remains abreast of all policy matters relating to L-category vehicles and the joint Action Plan. When an issue emerges that cuts across several policy areas, officials from different teams across the Department work together to respond. Decisions on each of these policy matters fall under the responsibility for the Minister with the relevant portfolio. Electric Vehicles: Charging Points Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government whatplans they have to address regional disparities in chargepoint provision per capita in each locality. Lord Davies of Gower: Government and industry have supported the installation of 49,220 publicly available charging devices as of 1 October 2023. This includes more than 8,900 50kW or above charging devices. The £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking. This will deliver tens of thousands of local chargepoints, ensuring the transition to electric vehicles takes place in every part of the country. Local authority funding was allocated by evaluating need and progress in relation to chargepoint rollout, helping to address existing disparities with infrastructure provision. High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have to put out to full tender the development of the HS2 Euston station, approach tracks and tunnel to Old Oak Common. Lord Davies of Gower: The exact design of the model to be used, how it is taken to market, as well as how and where the alternative funding generated by this will be spent, is commercially sensitive and still subject to further work to ensure we are optimising funding and delivery. There will be a range of options within this that are still being considered and will require more time to develop before a final proposal is determined. Creating an alternative financing model that delivers value for money for the taxpayer will take time to develop. The Government’s ambition remains to make best use of funding from alternative sources to enable delivery of the whole project and to ensure that funding is underpinned by contributions from those people and businesses this development supports. Options for using this alternative funding to cover the costs of the tunnel between Old Oak Common and Euston are also being considered. High Speed 2 Line Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the announcement by HS2 Ltd that £11.5 billion of two-tier contacts have been let by HS2 up to July 2023, what reduction in this total value is expected following the announcement of the cancellation of Phases 2a and 2b of HS2; and what reductions in the scope and value of contractsareplanned to reduce the costs of HS2 Phase 1. Lord Davies of Gower: The Department for Transport is working with HS2 Ltd and its supply chain to assess the cost implications of the cancellation of HS2 Phases 2a and 2b, including any consequential impacts on Phase One, and will update in due course once these cost assessments have been assured. High Speed 2 Line Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government how much has been spent by HS2 Ltd on consultants and advisors for each of the Phases 1, 2a and 2b of the HS2 project; which contracts with consultants and advisers valued at over £50 million are still operational; and which contracts have been terminated following the announcement of the cancellation of most of the HS2 project. Lord Davies of Gower: Details regarding expenditures on HS2, which include consultancy services, can be accessed through the Government's transparency data website.Information related to past, current and future contract opportunities on the HS2 programme can be found on HS2 Ltd’s website. With regard to terminating contracts on HS2 following the Prime Minister’s Network North announcement, the Department is working with HS2 Ltd and its supply chain to assess the cost implications of the cancellation of HS2 Phases 2a, 2b and HS2 East. The Department will provide a further update due course once these cost assessments have been assured. High Speed 2 Line: Rolling Stock Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the cancellation of much of the HS2 project, whether they will review the design and procurement of the rolling stock to be used on HS2, such that all commissioned new train sets will be able to continue on to the existing rail network. Lord Davies of Gower: The Hitachi-Alstom joint venture is contracted to manufacture and maintain the HS2 rolling stock for Phase 1 of the project. We will complete Phase 1 of HS2 between Birmingham and London, with a rescoped Euston station. The contracted HS2 trains are designed to be capable of operating on both the existing rail network and new High Speed Rail network. As such a review of network interoperability is not required. High Speed 2 Line: Rolling Stock Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to amendthe specifications of the parts of HS2 that have not been cancelled to allow train sets currently operating on the existing West Coast Main Line network to operate on all remaining parts of the HS2 line. Lord Davies of Gower: Due to different technical standards, there are currently no plans to amend the HS2 infrastructure to support trains that currently run on the conventional network. Motorcycles: Carbon Emissions Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe proposal by the Motorcycle Association Industry, as part of its new campaign "A Licence to Net Zero", to merge themotorcycle module 1 and module 2 tests. Lord Davies of Gower: The Government has not yet made an assessment of the the Motorcycle Industry Association proposal to merge the motorcycle module 1 and module 2 tests, as set out in their "A Licence to Net Zero” campaign. The Government is open to discussing ideas for reform of the existing motorcycle testing requirements and the wider licensing regime for powered light vehicles known as L category vehicles where they do not compromise safety standards. The Government intends to engage with the Motorcycle Industry Association in the coming weeks to discuss and consider how they align with existing work and planning linked to motorcycle testing. Motorcycles: Driving Licences Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the existing L-Category licensing regime to (1) improve access, (2) reduce costs, and (3) help accelerate progress towards net zero. Lord Davies of Gower: The Government is open to discussing ideas for reform of the existing motorcycle testing requirements and the wider licensing regime for powered light vehicles known as L category vehicles where they do not compromise safety standards. The Government has received proposals from the Motorcycle Industry Association calling for such reform. The Government intends to engage with the MCIA on these proposals in the coming weeks in order to discuss and better understand them. Motorcycles: Driving Licences Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have toinvolvethe DVSAMotorcycle Strategic Focus Groupin reviewing the existing L-Category licensing regime. Lord Davies of Gower: The Government is open to discussing ideas for reform of the existing licensing regime for powered light vehicles known as L category vehicles where they do not compromise safety standards. The Government intends to engage with the Motorcycle Industry Association in the coming weeks to discuss their proposals for reform in order to better understand them. The Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group’s remit is to consider the wider issues affecting motorcyclists including powered two wheelers and personal light vehicles. This includes developments affecting road safety and the training and testing for riders in the motorcycle sector. The group will therefore be made aware of any proposals to review the existing L-Category licensing regime. Department of Health and Social Care Pharmacy Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of what other conditions the Pharmacy First service could cover, beyond the seven conditions announced as part of the Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care. Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have to incorporate independent prescribing into community pharmacy services, once the Pathfinder sites have reported and evaluated their outcomes. Lord Markham: No assessment has been made so far of other conditions Pharmacy First could cover. NHS England is working with integrated care boards to recruit over 200 community pharmacy Pathfinder sites to establish how independent prescribers can be used to incorporate independent prescribing into clinical services available to the public through community pharmacy in the longer-term. A detailed formative and summative evaluation, undertaken by independent evaluators, of the Pathfinder programme is planned to inform any potential future commissioning decisions. Psychiatric Hospitals: Autism Lord Touhig: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce mandatory targets for the reduction of the number of autistic people being held in mental health hospitals. Lord Markham: There are currently no plans to introduce mandatory targets for the reduction of the number of autistic people who are detained in mental health hospitals. Where admission to hospital is needed, it must be therapeutic, least restrictive and for the shortest time possible.The NHS Long Term Plan is committed to achieving a 50% net reduction in the number of autistic people and people with a learning disability who are inpatients in mental health hospitals by end of March 2024. This objective is inclusive of autistic inpatients who are not diagnosed with a learning disability. Integrated Care Boards: South West Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government, in relation to the High Court decision in Consultant Connect Limited v NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board [2022] EWHC 2037 (TCC), whether those integrated care boards conducted a “lessons learnt” review relating to matters raised in that case. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government when Gloucestershire integrated care board’s review of “detailed lessons learnt” from its procurement process will be published. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take, following the High Court’s decision in Consultant Connect Limited v NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board [2022] EWHC 2037 (TCC), to ensure that procurement processes are followed properly by integrated care boards and without “considerable organisational bias”. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent commissioners from manipulating procurement processes in the NHS, following the High Court’s decision in Consultant Connect Limited v NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board [2022] EWHC 2037 (TCC). Lord Markham: Integrated care boards (ICBs) in England should have procurement policies in place that provide assurances to their respective Boards that procurement processes are conducted in a fair and open process which is compliant with relevant legislation such as:- National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) (No 2) Regulations 2013;- Public Contracts Regulations 2015;- Health and Social Care Act 2012;- Equality Act 2010; and- Managing Public Money 2023. All three ICBs have undertaken “lessons learnt” reviews following the judgement of the Court.NHS Gloucestershire ICB’s Lessons Learnt report was approved by its Audit Committee on 8 September 2022. All recommendations from this report have been implemented by the ICB’s Board. The report has not been published externally but is used by NHS Gloucestershire ICB to train and educate its staff. Liothyronine: Gloucestershire Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 9 February (HL5209), why the Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board continues to re-review liothyronine patients already assessed in the NHS despite national guidance that “patients who have already had a review by an NHS consultant endocrinologist should continue to be prescribed liothyronine under existing arrangements”. Lord Markham: The current Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board guidance on the prescribing of liothyronine was agreed by the former Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group in April 2023. Any patients new to Gloucestershire will have their current clinical status reviewed within the existing local clinical pathway. This process will involve an initial ‘advice and guidance’ specialist review which, based on individual patient circumstances, will inform a decision on whether a more detailed specialist clinical review is indicated or not.The intention is that ongoing treatment of a patient’s condition will normally continue whilst the clinical review process is completed. The outcome of this process is that local specialists, general practitioners, and patients can have a high level of confidence in the quality and standards of care provided to patients indicated for liothyronine on the National Health Service in Gloucestershire. Child Rearing The Lord Bishop of Leicester: To ask His Majesty's Government how many complaints the Health and Care Professionals Council has received since 2020 regarding professionals under their regulation providing evidence of parental alienation in court cases. Lord Markham: The Department does not hold the information requested. As the independent regulator of 15 health and care professions, the Health and Care Professions Council is responsible for receiving and handling complaints about practitioners on its register. Babylon Health Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings took place in the last 10 years between Ministers and representatives of Babylon Health. Lord Markham: Ministerial meetings with external organisations are routinely published on GOV.UK on a quarterly basis in an online-only format. A review of this data shows that there were five meetings between Departmental ministers and representatives from Babylon Health within the period 2013-2023. Cystic Fibrosis: Medical Treatments Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what resources they are providing for thedevelopment of new drugs, treatments and processes for those suffering from Cystic Fibrosis. Lord Markham: The Department invests over £1 billion per year in health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR funds and supports health, public health and social care research that leads to improved outcomes for patients and the public and makes the health and social care system more efficient, effective, and safe. Research evidence is vital for improving treatments and outcomes for people.The Department does not directly commission research, rather we invite funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including cystic fibrosis. As with other government funders of health research, NIHR does not allocate funding for specific disease areas. The level of research spend in a particular area is driven by several factors, including scientific potential and the number and scale of successful funding applications. Cabinet Office Professions: Standards Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have toinvestigate the performance of professional bodies, including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Institution of Civil Engineers, in their compliance with their duties under their Royal Chartersto ensure the maintenance of professional standards in their industries rather than the maximising of professional fees. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Privy Council has no jurisdiction to investigate or intervene in the internal affairs of Chartered bodies. The only role that the Privy Council has in relation to Chartered bodies is the reactive one of considering amendments to Charters and Bylaws that are submitted to it for approval by the Chartered body.The grant of a Royal Charter confers independent legal personality on a body and defines its objectives, constitution and powers to govern its own affairs. Incorporation by Royal Charter is a prestigious way of acquiring legal personality. Complaints against a Chartered body should be addressed to the body itself or, if a member, by raising issues directly with the organisation. Treasury Banks: Fraud Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Penn on 14 November (HL Deb col 384), what assessmentthey have made of the availability of out-of-hours fraud and complaints teams within high street banks; and what consideration they have given to mandating a minimum level of out-of-hours provision. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this devastating crime. Tackling fraud requires a unified and coordinated response from government, regulators, law enforcement and the private sector to better protect the public and businesses from fraud. While specific decisions on the opening hours of high street banks and the out-of-hours services provided are commercial decisions for the firm, many of the major UK retail banks provide 24-hour helplines for customers who have been victims of fraud. More broadly, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requires banks and building societies to maintain effective systems and controls to prevent financial crime. The FCA’s rules also require firms to properly investigate all complaints, and, through ongoing supervision, it continues to monitor firms’ complaint handling processes. If certain banks or building societies have more extensive out-of-hours fraud and complaints facilities, customers may choose to switch to an alternative provider using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS). The switch service is free to use and comes with a guarantee to protect customers from financial loss if something goes wrong. This means that customers are more able than ever to hold their banks or building society to account by voting with their feet, and that firms are incentivised to work hard to protect their existing customers from fraud and deal with complaints efficiently. Soft Drinks: Taxation Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to extend the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to drinks that are not currently covered by the levy, such as milk drinks and fruit juices. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) exemption for milk-based and certain milk substitute drinks will next be considered after the Office for Health Inequalities and Disparities completes its voluntary sugar reduction reporting programme. We will provide an update in due course. Public expenditure: Scotland and Wales Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consequential payments they are making to the Welsh and Scottish Governments under the Barnett formula as a result of their recent announcement of additional funding for the promotion of the game of chess in schools and communities in England. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The funding for promoting chess in schools in England was funded from within existing budgets. As such, there are no additional Barnett consequentials from this decision. Bank Services Baroness O'Neill of Bexley: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to encourage high street banks to work together to establish banking hubs to protect access to cash. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups. The government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. This establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash and provides it with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. In the context of this legislation, the financial services sector is working together to develop and provide shared services, such as Banking Hubs. While Banking Hubs are a commercial initiative, the government encourages a swift rollout of these services. Cash Access UK, which delivers these services on behalf of participating retail banks, expects to deliver Banking Hub services in 30 communities by the end of the year, and open at least a further 60 Hubs in 2024. Department for Education Pupils: Per Capita Costs Lord Taylor of Goss Moor: To ask His Majesty's Government in real terms what was the average per pupil funding for secondary schools in (1) England, and (2) Cornwall, (a) this year, and (b) for each year since 2005 for which figures are available. Baroness Barran: I refer the Noble Lord to my answer of 24 November 2023 to Question HL257.
uk-hansard-lords-written-answers
lordswrans2023-11-27
2024-06-01T00:00:00
{ "year": "2023", "language": "en", "license": "Open Parliament Licence - https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/open-parliament-licence/" }