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Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Burberry: North Korea Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that North Korean workers are producing garments for Burberry Group Inc. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We have made no such assessment. The Modern Slavery Act, enacted last year, includes a demanding transparency in supply chains disclosure provision. This provision requires businesses operating in the UK, with an annual turnover of more than £36 million, to produce a slavery and human trafficking statement setting out the steps they have taken during the financial year to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains or its own business. The provision obliges eligible companies to publish this information on their website, with a conspicuous link from their homepage, so that consumers, investors and the general public know what steps businesses are taking in this regard. Students: Loans Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on graduates of freezing the income level at which student loans become repayable, and what estimate they have made of the number of students who would be rendered liable if that level were frozen. Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: The impact of freezing the repayment threshold for 5 years was described in the government’s consultation document, which was published in July 2015.https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/freezing-the-student-loan-repayment-threshold Those who earn above the £21,000 threshold can expect to repay nearly £6 extra per week by 2021 (in 2021 prices), or around £306 per year. We expect that an additional 9% of graduates will start to repay as a result of the threshold freeze. This equates to 190,000 of the 2.1 million Plan 2 graduates expected to be in repayment by 2020/21. The £21,000 threshold remains higher in real terms than that applicable to student loans taken out before 2012. student-loan-repayment-threshold-consultation (PDF Document, 468.12 KB) Overseas Students: India Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take to increase international student numbers from India, in the light of the publication of Indian Student Mobility Report 2016 by M M Advisory Services. which points out that, despite the high growth in overseas students from India, the number of students coming to the UK has declined steeply in recent years and is likely to be overtaken by Germany. Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: We welcome international students from all countries to study at our world-class universities. There is no cap on the number that can come here and the UK remains the second most popular destination for international students.The Government is working closely with India to strengthen education ties with the UK. In November 2015, the Indian and UK Prime Ministers’ jointly announced the ‘2016 UK-India Year of Education, Research and Innovation’ and the following month my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Minister of State for Universities and Science led a delegation to India, accompanied by 28 vice-chancellors and college leaders to increase sector-to-sector partnerships.We are funding major bilateral agreements, including: the UK India Education Research Initiative (UKIERI) which supports partnerships in education and research; the Newton-Bhabha Fund, bringing together science and innovation partners to tackle economic development challenges; and supporting the Generation UK-India programme which is increasing the number of UK students taking placements in India. We are also promoting recruitment to the UK through the Britain is GREAT marketing campaign. British Home Stores: Insolvency Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the report of the Insolvency Service into the collapse of BHS. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: It would not be appropriate for details of the ongoing investigation to be made public as that may prejudice the outcome of any criminal or civil cases which arise from it. If any directors are disqualified the Insolvency Service will publish the details of the disqualification on its website (for three months) and will notify Companies House, which keeps the statutory register of disqualifications. In addition, where the investigation uncovers matters of potential criminal misconduct or other regulatory breaches then this will be reported to the relevant authority for further action. Once the investigation is completed the Government will consider what detail it is appropriate to publish having full regard to any legal restrictions on publication, and also the legitimate public interest in the cause of the BHS failure. Comet Group: Insolvency Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the current situation facing the UK's retail industry, they will reconsider their decision not to publish the report by the Insolvency Service into the collapse of Comet Group plc. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Insolvency Service’s fact-finding inquiry into Comet was conducted under Section 447 of the Companies Act 1985. Section 449 of that Act makes it a criminal offence to share any information gathered in the course of the investigation with any person, other than in the strictly prescribed circumstances laid out in the Act. In the light of this legal position I am unable to reconsider the request to publish the report. UK Trade with EU Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the value of (1) imports, and (2) exports, from other EU member states to each local authority area in the UK. Lord Price: Regional trade statistics at the local authority level are not available. Trade statistics showing the value of trade in goods between UK regions/countries (NUTS 1 level) and EU member states are available from the HM Revenue and Customs’ Regional Trade Statistics database. Subsidiary Companies Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK companies are subsidiaries of another company that is registered (1) within the EU, or (2) in the rest of the world; and what estimate they have made of the total value of those UK companies. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Companies House’s role is to hold the register of UK companies and make the information available to the public. Its role is not to provide detailed analysis on companies. Providing an accurate figure on the number and value of UK companies that are subsidiaries of other non-UK companies would breach the disproportionate cost threshold given the volume and complexity of the information within the dataset. North East Surrey College of Technology Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what safeguards and governance arrangements have been put in place to prevent a recurrence of the situation where (1) the Principal of North East Surrey College of Technology allegedly paid her husband over £170,000 during the course of a contract with a Saudi Arabian college, and (2) the Board of Governors were unaware for over 18 months that such payments were made. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: As an independent corporation North East Surrey College of Technology is responsible for ensuring appropriate safeguards and governance arrangements are in place in relation to the corporation including subsidiary companies. The Skills Funding Agency has received a report from NESCOT and is considering whether there is any risk to public funds and if so what action should be taken. Tickets: Sales Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the advice by Europe Direct that providing unique reference numbers on tickets by primary and secondary market ticket sellers is not regulated under the Consumer Rights Directive, and is therefore permitted. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government has not made an assessment of advice by Europe Direct on this issue. Department for Education Dean Trust Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take about the reported proposal by Dean Trust to educate children with special educational needs and disability who have been admitted to one of its schools at another of its schools six miles away. Lord Nash: Local authorities are responsible for drawing up Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and are responsible for making sure the special educational provision set out in them is delivered, including admission to the named school. Once named in a final EHCP, a school is obliged to admit the child or young person. Should a school fail to meet this duty the Department can direct them to do so.We are aware of concerns raised by parents and others about The Dean Trust’s proposal that pupils due for admission in September 2016 who have an EHCP which names Ashton on Mersey School should be educated at Broadoak School. We are determined to support the parties to satisfactorily resolve the situation regarding the currently affected pupils as well as in the longer term, and ensuring that the legal rights of families are enforced. For that reason officials will be meeting with the authority and trust on 20 June. Our priority is ensuring that the transition from primary to secondary school for pupils is as smooth as possible.We are also determined to ensure that all schools are mindful of their responsibilities towards their pupils and act in accordance with the Children and Families Act 2014 and the statutory Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice in ensuring the best possible outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs. All schools should also act in line with their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, which in part 6 states that the responsible body of a school must not discriminate against a child or young person: in the arrangements it makes for deciding who is offered admission; the terms on which admission is offered; nor, by not admitting. Haberdashers' Aske's Federation Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action, if any, they have taken during the last 12 months in relation to the fraud allegations at the Haberdashers' Aske's Federation academy chain. Lord Nash: During the last 12 months, the fraud allegations at the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation academy trust chain have been reviewed as a criminal investigation since first reported to the police in October 2012 by this multi-academy trust. The criminal case against the perpetrator of the fraud began week commencing 6 June at Woolwich Crown Court. The Education Funding Agency (EFA) has engaged with the Trust from the outset and immediately requested that the Trust assess financial systems and risks. The Trust carried out an independent and thorough review of its internal control procedures and reported on this to the EFA. The Trust has taken all the appropriate action since the issue was first identified and the remaining key actions now rest with the Police and the Crown Prosecution Service. Academies and free schools face tighter financial scrutiny than local authority maintained schools. They must publish annual, independently-audited accounts, of which there is no equivalent requirement on maintained schools. We take swift action whenever we identify financial irregularities. Young People: Churches Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to require Ofsted inspectors to judge whether the work of mainstream Christian churches with young people, either directly or through approved Christian organisations which specialise in working with young people, in activities such as holiday Bible clubs, church weekends, and summer camps, is in accordance with a "British Values" test; and if so, when such plans would be introduced. Lord Nash: The Government is committed to safeguarding all children and protecting them from the risk of harm and extremism, including in out-of-school settings. The Prime Minister announced plans to introduce a new system of oversight for out-of-school education settings – such as supplementary schools and tuition centres – which teach children intensively, on 7 October 2015. These were confirmed in the Government’s Counter-Extremism Strategy which was published on 19 October. These plans to regulate out-of-school settings which teach children intensively were set out in the call for evidence which ran for 6 and a half weeks between 26 November and 11 January. We are not proposing to regulate settings teaching children for a short period every week, such as Sunday schools or the Scouts, or one-off residential activities, such as a week-long summer camp. We are looking specifically at settings providing intensive education outside school where children could be spending more than six hours a week. The call for evidence sought views on the appropriateness of seeking to prohibit teaching which undermines or is incompatible with fundamental British values. Now that the call for evidence has closed, we are considering carefully the responses received as we develop the proposals further.We will be publishing our response to the call for evidence and setting out the next steps on the proposals in due course. The Lord Chairman of Committees Opening of Parliament Lord Jopling: To ask the Chairman of Committees, further to his Written Answer on 6 June (HL91), what, if any, is the specification for ermine robes with regard to the materials used, and whether there would be any impediment to clothiers, such as those in the Far East, providing robes for peers either for purchase or for hire. Lord Laming: As set out in the Standing Orders of the House of Lords Relating to Public Business: “When Her Majesty comes publicly to the House, the Lords shall be attired in their robes or in such other dress as may be approved by Her Majesty”. A proposal for robes other than those presently used would be considered by the appropriate authority. Department for Work and Pensions Occupational Pensions Baroness Burt of Solihull: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many companies list separate pension schemes for senior management in addition to their primary employee pension scheme. Baroness Altmann: The information requested is not collated centrally either by DWP or TPR and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Home Office Scout Association: Vetting Lord Vinson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the number of children waiting to join the Scout movement, what plans they have, if any, to review the procedures for repeat Disclosure and Barring Service checks of volunteers. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government has introduced an Update Service to enable existing criminal record certificates to be kept up to date whilst reducing the need for repeat checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The DBS is driving greater uptake of the Update Service which will continue to reduce the need for repeat checks, whilst continuing to safeguard children. The Update Service and criminal records certificates are provided free of charge to volunteers. It is for the Scout Association to determine when criminal records checks should be undertaken and whether to enable volunteers to make use of the Update Service. HM Treasury Embassies: Home Country Nationals Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 12 May (HL8031), what percentage of diplomatic missions in the UK issued with the annual letters on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office requesting staff lists with details of all locally engaged staff and private servants replied with full information in 2015. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Embassy team issued 279 letters to the various Embassies and their different sections requesting staff lists for the 2014-15 tax year in September 2015. The requests also ask for details of private addresses and Remuneration. As a result of that letter we received 24 responses. That is an 8% return. Article 10 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR) outlines a mission’s responsibility to keep the host State informed of the arrival and departure of staff. Embassies therefore only have a legal obligation to notify HM Government of their leavers and new starters so we rely greatly on the goodwill of Embassies to supply us with this additional information. Embassies: Home Country Nationals Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 12 May (HL8031), how many times in (1) 2014, and (2) 2015, HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) specialist embassy team carried out risk assessment activities and identified individuals who had not notified their employment to HMRC, and subsequently took action to ensure they paid the tax that was due. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Embassy team in 2014 and 2015 didn’t undertake any specific risk assessment activities with regards to individuals who had not notified their employment. However the team arranged for one of our Central Compliance Teams to undertake a project to review the National Insurance Contributions (NICs) position of various embassies employees using our Risk Profiling system. We reviewed 697 cases and opened checks into 258 of these. Of these 150 were found to be compliant. The checks covered the tax years 2009/10 to 2014/15. In the current year we are expecting to open further checks in relation to both tax and NICs on a number of employees. London Stock Exchange: Deutsche Borse Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the financial regulators have completed their review of the risk algorithms to be used to permit cross-margining by central counterparties to facilitate the takeover of the London Stock Exchange by Deutsche Borse; whether the results of this review will be published, and whether any further steps will be taken to strengthen confidence in central clearing houses. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The timings of regulatory reviews of any proposal by a CCP to make significant changes to its margining arrangements would be a matter for the company and regulators acting in accordance with the relevant legislation. The Bank of England's 2016 Annual Report on the supervision of financial market infrastructures, laid before Parliament on 4 March 2016, provides further information about ongoing regulatory initiatives in relation to CCPs. Insurance Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what level of engagement they have had with the insurance industry about reducing costs to consumers. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of companies and organisations to discuss relevant issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Treasury’s practice to provide details of all such discussions. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available via the gov.uk website Insurance Companies: Complaints Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the number of customer complaints regarding insurance companies in the current financial year is above or below average. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who are operationally independent from Government. The questions have been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Noble lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House. Cabinet Office Civil Servants Lord Norton of Louth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps have been taken by the Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office to ensure that the Cabinet Office is compliant with section 3(6) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. Lord Bridges of Headley: The requirement of section 3(6) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act is set out in the Civil Service Code, which forms part of the contract of employment for all civil servants.In the 2015 staff survey, 94% of Cabinet Office staff responded positively to a question about awareness of the Civil Service Code. Civil Servants: Training Lord Norton of Louth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many civil servants in the Cabinet Office have taken either or both of the e-learning courses "Induction: An Introduction to Parliament" and "Parliamentary processes" offered by Civil Service Learning. Lord Bridges of Headley: Since its introduction in 2015, 80 Civil Servants in the Cabinet Office have taken the “Induction: An Introduction to Parliament” e-learning course offered by Civil Service Learning.Since its introduction in 2012, 260 Civil Servants in the Cabinet Office have taken the “Parliamentary Processes” e-learning course.Of these, 20 Cabinet Office Civil Servants have taken both courses. Department of Health Fluoride: Drinking Water Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 17 November 2015 (HL3315), why the Executive Summary of the report by Public Health England Water fluoridation: Health monitoring report for England 2014 concludes that "The report provides further reassurance that water fluoridation is a safe and effective public health measure", when the Limitations section of the report states that "there was potential for considerable misclassification of exposure status" and the Conclusion section states that "the population-based, observational design does not allow conclusions to be drawn regarding any causative or protective role of fluoride". Lord Prior of Brampton: The Public Health England report, Water Fluoridation: Health Monitoring Report for England 2014 was, of necessity, an ecological study. An ecological design is appropriate for monitoring health outcomes in fluoridated and non-fluoridated populations. All academic research has limitations. In designing and conducting research consideration must be taken regarding timescales for publication and cost to the public purse. Stating the limitations of the study within the body of a paper is considered good scientific practice. The report discusses the limitations of this study design, including the potential for mis-classification of fluoride exposure status, using an ecological level of measurement with regard to water fluoridation rather than individual fluoride intake. The report’s findings, however, concur with those of numerous authoritative reviews of water fluoridation that finds levels of tooth decay are lower in fluoridated areas and that there is no convincing evidence that water fluoridation causes adverse health effects. For these reasons the author’s conclusion "The report provides further reassurance that water fluoridation is a safe and effective public health measure" is appropriate. With over 70 years’ experience of water fluoridation internationally and over 50 years’ experience in the United Kingdom, there has been no convincing scientific evidence to indicate that water fluoridation has caused harm to health. Wheelchairs Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to make Personal Health Budgets available for the provision of wheelchairs; what arrangements they plan to put in place for wheelchair users; and whether the funding stream will be managed centrally and independently from local wheelchair service budgets. Lord Prior of Brampton: In May 2016, Simon Stevens announced that NHS England would be developing a personal health budgets model for the provision of wheelchairs. This work is in the early stages of development. The intention is to introduce personal wheelchair budgets from April 2017, to cover everyone who accesses the current wheelchair voucher scheme. This includes those with both low level and complex wheelchair requirements. Personal health budgets are not about new money but about using existing budgets differently. Therefore the budget will continue to be held at a local level. NHS England is working with a number of clinical commissioning group clusters to develop guidance on the delivery model. This work will cover care planning, information support and advice for wheelchair users, budget setting (using learning from the development of the Wheelchair Tariff where appropriate) and review. The guidance will be available in advance of the start of roll out in April 2017. Wheelchairs Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to ensure that NHS England works closely with the Wheelchair Leadership Alliance to produce a positive outcome for the future arrangements for wheelchair users through Wheelchair Services; and what resources will be made available for that process to be completed. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial support has been offered to the Wheelchair Leadership Alliance in addition to the support given over the Right Chair, Right Time, Right Now campaign and charter. Lord Prior of Brampton: The Minister for Community and Social Care (Alistair Burt), together with the Minister for Disabled People (Justin Tomlinson) recently met with Baroness Grey-Thompson, Chair of the Wheelchair Leadership Alliance, and NHS England to discuss what action could be taken to improve wheelchair services. This includes NHS England discussing the focus and content of a model service specification for wheelchairs with the Alliance. NHS England made available a further £10,000 to the Wheelchair Leadership Alliance for support during 2015/16. HIV Infection Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the life-time cost of providing medication and care for an individual diagnosed with HIV at the age of 35. Lord Prior of Brampton: This information is not available as data is not held on the differential cost of patients based on their disease severity or age. In 2014/15, NHS England provided over £553 million of funding for the care and treatment of around 78,000 diagnosed HIV patients. HIV Infection Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much they have spent on combating HIV stigma in each of the last five years. Lord Prior of Brampton: Combatting HIV stigma is integral to much of the work carried out to tackle HIV and part of our National HIV and Sexual Health Promotion programme is to reduce stigma by working with the communities most affected by HIV. Over the last two years, Public Health England provided support for the People Living with HIV Stigma Survey, a collaborative cross sector community led initiative to capture the feelings and experiences of living with HIV in a variety of settings. Spending on stigma is not identified separately within the National HIV and Sexual Health Promotion programme and related work. The National Health Service, local authorities, Government, community and faith groups, the media and individuals all have a part to play in eliminating HIV-related stigma. Vaccination Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total combined overall spending on vaccines procurement and administration (1) nationally, and (2) locally, including awareness campaigns, in each year from 2012–13 to the current financial year. Lord Prior of Brampton: Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England were formed on 1 April 2013, therefore spend information can only be provided from 2013/2014 financial year onwards. Total combined spend for 2015/16 is not yet available.Overall spend on procurement and the administration of vaccines, including communications spend for campaigns, is split between PHE and NHS England. The total combined overall spend can only be provided at a national level. Local level information is not readily available. Spend information is provided in the following table. Approximate combined vaccine procurement and vaccine administration spend for England Financial Year2013/20142014/2015Vaccine procurement and vaccine administration spend (£ million)578616 Vaccination Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the final report of the Cost Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Programmes and Procurements working group to be published, and whether its recommendations will be subject to public consultation. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risk that changes to the cost effectiveness threshold for vaccines as proposed by the Cost Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Programmes and Procurements working group would lead to England being restricted from paying for some new vaccines when compared to other health economies in Europe, and people in the UK receiving fewer innovative vaccines. Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government expects to receive the Cost Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Programmes and Procurement report shortly and will consider its recommendations once received. Until then, it would not be appropriate to speculate on possible recommendations or the impact they might have. We are committed to publishing their report. We will decide when to publish, and whether to consult, once we have had time to consider the report. Defibrillators Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on providing defibrillators in public places and schools. Lord Prior of Brampton: We recognise that better provision of defibrillators and increasing the number of people trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation could help save more lives of those who have a cardiac arrest outside a hospital setting. That is why the Chancellor announced in the budget in March 2016 that the Government is making available another £1 million to make public access defibrillators and coronary pulmonary resuscitation training more widely available in communities across England. This builds on last year’s funding of £1 million, which provided almost 700 more publicly accessible defibrillators in communities across England and increased the numbers of people trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Details on how this second tranche of the funding can be accessed will be available in due course. The Department for Education (DfE) is encouraging schools to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) as part of their first aid equipment and in November 2014 announced new arrangements to allow schools to purchase AEDs at a competitive price. This is the result of a unique agreement between the DfE and the Department of Health in which devices are bought in bulk and the savings of around 50% are passed on to schools. Since the launch of this policy, 1,389 defibrillators have been provided to schools. To help schools in considering whether to purchase a defibrillator, DfE has published advice on installing and maintaining AEDs on school premises. This has been developed drawing on the expertise of National Health Service ambulance services and voluntary and community sector organisations. Dairy Products Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the opinion paper by the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration Eat Fat, Cut the Carbs and Avoid Snacking to Reverse Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, whether they plan to revise NHS and Public Health England campaigns that discourage the consumption of dairy products, including full-fat milk, butter, cream and cheese. Lord Prior of Brampton: Public Health England does not plan to revise its campaigns and dietary advice in light of the recent opinion paper published by the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration. Government advice continues to encourage consumption of dairy products as part of a healthy, balanced diet in line with the Eatwell Guide; advising people to choose lower fat varieties of milk and dairy products where possible, due to the evidence that high intakes of saturated fat are associated with raised blood cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. Fats Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to (1) review the long-standing advice by the Department of Health against eating fatty foods, and (2) publish revised advice. Lord Prior of Brampton: Government advice is that people should base meals on starchy carbohydrates, especially wholegrain; eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day; and cut back on food and drinks high in saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is currently reviewing evidence on saturated fat and health. A draft report is planned for public consultation at the end of 2017. Current advice will remain in place until the SACN has completed its review. Female Genital Mutilation Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many midwives have been trained in identifying female genital mutilation (FGM) and in the new mandatory FGM reporting duties, and what percentage of midwives that represents. Lord Prior of Brampton: The Department does not hold information on the numbers of midwives who have been trained in identifying female genital mutilation (FGM) or the mandatory reporting duty to report FGM. Content on tackling FGM is included within the Level 3 Safeguarding training curriculum, published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health on behalf of an inter-collegiate group, which all midwives are required to undertake. Many organisations also deliver additional training, the content of which is decided locally. Last year the Department commissioned Health Education England to develop a range of FGM e-learning sessions available free of charge to National Health Service staff. As of 17 February almost 16,000 modules had been completed. As part of the Department’s FGM Prevention Programme, a package of FGM awareness materials was sent to all hospitals and general practitioner practices in February 2016. In addition, we have developed a flyer insert about the FGM mandatory reporting duty which will be included in the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) magazine, sent to approximately 45,000 RCM members.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2016-06-15

Department for Communities and Local Government Religious Hatred: Islam Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so when, they intend to instigate an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in politics at all levels. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Everyone in Britain has the right to feel safe and at ease in the place where they live. There is no place for hatred against people because of their race, gender, ethnic origin, faith, sexual orientation, age or disability. This includes anti-Muslim attacks which are unacceptable in Britain.The Government is already taking a number of steps to counter Islamaphobia and does not intend to carry out an independent inquiry. We fund Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) to encourage reporting of these crimes and to support victims. We have also set up the first cross Government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group to raise awareness of Islamaphobic attacks. In addition, the police began to disaggregate hate crime by religion in April 2016. This will help the police to build community trust, target their resources and enable the public to hold them to account. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Institute for Apprenticeships Lord Aberdare: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Institute for Apprenticeships will take over any of the functions carried out by Ofsted, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education or Ofqual, such as the inspection of apprenticeship provision or the regulation of qualifications, and if so, which. Lord Aberdare: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role the new Institute for Apprenticeships will have in regulating the quality of apprenticeships, and what powers it will have to undertake that role. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The role of the Institute for Apprenticeships will be to ensure the quality of apprenticeship standards. Apprenticeships will only attract funding from government or the levy if they are against an approved standard or framework. Each standard will contain a plan for how the apprenticeship will be assessed. Although this will be approved by the Institute, the Institute will not assess the apprenticeship training itself: the register of training providers is owned by the Skills Funding Agency and Ofsted will continue to inspect providers.The Institute will, however, need to ensure there is consistency between the levels of assessment being applied, as part of its role in approving standards and assessment plans. Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Price on 10 May (HL8062), whether that answer assumes that the United States Congress will accept a "fast-track" procedure for ratifying the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; and what assessment they have made of the likelihood of such a procedure being either endorsed or withdrawn by the new Congress in 2017. Lord Price: Legislation to re-authorise Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) – sometimes called “fast track” – the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015, was signed into law by President Obama on 29 June 2015. It will apply to certain international trade agreements – including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – if agreement is reached before 1 July 2018. Apprentices: Females Baroness Nye: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to publish the completion rates for apprentices across all apprenticeship frameworks and standards, disaggregated by gender, in the light of the recent report by the Young Women's Trust suggesting that female apprentices in male dominated sectors such as engineering, IT and construction are less likely to complete their apprenticeship. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Apprenticeship achievement rates disaggregated by framework and gender are published on the GOV.UK website by the Skills Funding Agency in the National Achievement Rate Tables (formerly National Success Rate Tables). The dataset is too large to attach to this response but is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/sfa-national-achievement-rates-tables-2014-to-2015 However, table 1 shows overall achievement rates by gender in 2014/15. Table 1: Apprenticeship Overall Achievement Rates by Gender, 2014/15 Overall CohortOverall Achievement Rate % Female192,31071.7 Male170,95071.7 Small Businesses: Billing Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Australian model for payment disputes could help small UK suppliers. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: In establishing the UK Small Business Commissioner through the Enterprise Act 2016, the Government has taken inspiration from the Australian Small Business Commissioner (now the Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman) and Small Business Commissioners at state level in Australia. These bodies provide advice and access to alternative dispute resolution to small businesses involved in a variety of disputes, which may include some payment disputes. The UK Small Business Commissioner will focus on payment disputes between small and larger businesses and encourage a change in how businesses deal with each other – a long lasting cultural change to promote fair treatment for all. He or she will act as a disincentive to unfavourable payment practices, and build the confidence and capabilities of small businesses to help them to assert themselves in contractual disputes and negotiate more effectively. The Commissioner will provide general information and advice, direct small businesses to existing dispute resolution services (eg, mediation services and ombudsmen) and handle complaints from small businesses about payment issues UK Trade with EU Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the proportions, by value, of British exports of goods to EU member states invoiced in (1) sterling, (2) US dollars, and (3) euro, in 2015. Lord Price: The data requested is not available. HM Revenue and Customs collects data on the currency of invoice for trade with non-EU countries but businesses are not required to declare the currency of invoicing for trade with EU member states. Research Councils Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Strategic Advisory Group for the Research Councils will be established, what will be its membership, and what are its terms of reference. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government encourages Research Councils to work closely with other Research Councils and their communities. With regards to the Global Challenges Research Fund, Research Councils are establishing an advisory group - as they do with other areas of research. Details of the group can be found on the Research Councils UK website: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/media/news/160526/. Advisory group announcement (PDF Document, 276.69 KB) Ministry of Defence European Union: Army Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent the UK is committed to joining an EU army if one is formed and we are invited to do so. Earl Howe: The Prime Minister has been clear that the UK will never be part of a European Army. We have consistently said that we will oppose any measures which would undermine member states' competence for their own military forces, or lead to competition and duplication with NATO, which is the cornerstone of our defence. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Sheep Dipping The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the group led by Tom Rigby can expect a response to their question about the advice that was received by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from the Health and Safety Executive and the National Poisons Unit immediately prior to the end of compulsory dipping following the Revocation Order of 4 June 1992. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Defra officials have been investigating this issue since the meeting with the Sheep Dip Sufferers Group in November and sent information to Tom Rigby on 26 May. The information follows up the actions from the meeting and includes news releases from MAFF and the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) from 1992 and 1993. These explain why the decision was taken to end compulsory dipping, and the conclusions of the VPC reviews of organophosphate sheep dips at the time. A note of agreed actions from the meeting was also provided. Lead Ammunition Group Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 15 December 2015 (HL4104), when they intend to make public the report of the Lead Ammunition Group, which was submitted on 3 June 2015, and their response. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government is still in the process of considering the report’s findings and recommendations and will respond to it as soon as possible. Home Office Deportation: Algeria Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what, if any, extra security measures are being implemented, and at what cost, following the decision by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission to refuse the Home Office the right to deport six individuals, allegedly linked to al-Qaeda, to Algeria. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We do not comment on security matters. However national security remains our primary consideration and we have taken, and will continue to take, all necessary measures to protect our national security. Police: International Organisations Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they co-operate with police authorities to promote service by police personnel with the UN and other international bodies. Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential value in career development of service by police on international deployments. Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements they have in place to publish the details of police, law enforcement specialists and other relevant civilian experts in service in UN operations and at the UN Headquarters. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The National Police Chiefs’ Council has established the new Joint International Policing Hub to triage requests for international police assistance through a single point. The Hub joins up the police at a national level and with Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is intended to promote the UK model of policing by consent. Decisions on who to recommend to deploy, and where, lies with Chief Constables, in conjunction with their Police and Crime Commissioners.As the first professional body for all of policing in England and Wales, the College of Policing develops standards and guidance for policing. The College is considering flexibility and the structure of entry, exit and re-entry of officers. It is also considering routes for officers to gain external experience, such as secondments, as part of the Leadership Review.The Government has no plans to publish the details of police, law enforcement specialists and other relevant civilian experts in service in UN operations and at the UN Headquarters. Any personnel deployed as part of a national contingent are listed on the UN website: http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/contributors/2016/apr16_4.pdf European Gendarmerie Force Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the operations of the European Gendarmerie Force. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The European Gendarmerie Force is not a European Union force. It has its own separate treaty between the countries that participate, which does not include the UK, and is not part of the European Union framework. The Government notes the work of the European Gendarmerie Force, but has no plans to pursue membership. Department for Energy and Climate Change Civil Nuclear Constabulary Baroness Featherstone: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was spent on the civil nuclear police force last year, and what is the budgeted expenditure on the force for each of the next four years. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Civil Nuclear Constabulary is mostly funded by industry through arrangements for it to charge nuclear sites for provision of service to those sites, as set out in the Energy Act 2004.The table below set out how much was spent on the force last year, via this mechanism:2015/16Revenue Expenditure£100.2mCapital Expenditure£3.9mTotal£104.1m The budgeted expenditure for future years is set out in the Civil Nuclear Police Authority’s Strategy and Business Plan 2016-2019 (copy attached).Figures for 2019/20 are not provided because this is not yet forecast, given the current extent of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority’s business planning.Some costs that are not for provision of service to nuclear sites cannot be charged to industry, and are covered by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. In 2015/16 that amount was £213,000. It is difficult to predict in advance which costs might not be rechargeable, therefore we do not have a forecast for costs for future years. Similar information was provided in January 2016 in response to a House of Commons named day parliamentary question (reference: 22582), which asked what expenditure has been allocated to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-19 and (e) 2019-20. The figures given in answer to that question and the figures given and referred to here, show some variation. The reason for this variation is partly that the previous figures were based on indicative budgets whereas the figures given here are final budgets as approved by the Civil Nuclear Police Authority Board. CNPA Strategy and Business Plan 2016-19 (PDF Document, 386.51 KB)

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2016-06-01

Prisoners: Prevention of Self-harm Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they endorse the recommendations in Chapter 7 of the recent internal review by HM Prison Service of suicide and self-harm by prisoners and their prevention; whether they endorse the three-year implementation strategy in Annex A to the review; what action they are taking to ensure that the recommendations and implementation timetable are implemented; and which, if any, recommendations they do not endorse and why. Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department announced on 5 February (cols. 441-42W) the acceptance by the Director General of the Prison Service and by Ministers of all the review's recommendations and details of a three-year strategy from April 2001 to put them into effect. The strategy is under way, with £8 million planned investment this financial year. Arrangements are in place for pilot schemes in five establishments, with a focus on the early period in custody, including physical improvements to reception and induction areas. Full-time suicide prevention co-ordinators for most of 30 high risk establishments have been appointed and received initial training. The Safer Custody Group has been established within the Prison Service to implement the strategy. Reducing prisoner suicides is a high priority for Ministers and the Prison Service and will be the subject of regular discussions. Sporting Events: Drug-taking Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What measures they are taking to deter the use of Class A drugs at major sporting and entertainment events. Lord Rooker: The policing of individual sporting events is a matter for discussion and agreement between the police and individual event organisers. While it is true that there was some evidence of drug taking at Royal Ascot, this was at a very low level. Of the 233,000 people who attended the four-day event, there were 27 arrests, mostly for public order offences, and only two for drug related offences, compared to seven arrests for drug related offences at last year's event. In the case of Royal Ascot, the policing operation fulfilled its objective of ensuring that the public were able to enjoy the occasion in safety, free from crime and anti-social behaviour. Northern Ireland: Fuel Tax Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider that reducing taxation on fuel in Northern Ireland would improve revenue, prevent smuggling and increase employment; and whether they intend to take action. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Under existing EU legislation, it is doubtful that we could introduce duty rate differentials between different regions in the UK. Air Travel: Cramped Seating Baroness Wilcox: asked Her Majesty's Government: In view of concerns about the adverse health effects of cramped aircraft seating, the present air passenger duty arrangements appear to act as a disincentive to airlines in providing more spacious seating for economy class passengers. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The changes in air passenger duty introduced in Budget 2000, which came into force on 1 April 2001, apply a reduced rate of duty for passengers travelling in the lowest class on any aircraft. The introduction of more spacious seats throughout the lowest class of cabin on an aircraft would not affect the liability to the reduced rate of duty. Aviation Health Working Group Baroness Wilcox: asked Her Majesty's Government: What benefits are expected to flow from the activities of the inter-departmental Aviation Health Working Group; and over what time period. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Aviation Health Working Group has agreed the following terms of reference: "The Aviation Health Working Group will meet on a regular basis and will work in partnership with other interested parties to give effect to the Government response to the House of Lords Inquiry into Air Travel and Health. Particular responsibilities identified in the response are to: Provide a forum for interested Government departments and agencies to consider issues relevant to aviation health; Provide an interface with the air transport industry, health experts and other interested parties on aviation health issues of mutual interest; Evaluate the need for research into issues related to air travel and health, and consider the role of Government in supporting such research; Ensure Ministers are kept informed and receive comprehensive advice on aviation health matters; Monitor developments that impinge on the health of those travelling by air.'' The group has so far met on three occasions. The initial focus of its work was to produce government-approved advice on the risks of deep vein thrombosis for air travellers. Preliminary short advice has already been circulated to airlines and tour operators, and more detailed advice will be issued to general practitioners and the airline industry and made available through the NHS Direct website shortly. The aim of producing such advice is to ensure that passengers have access to detailed information on the risk of deep vein thrombosis to allow them to make informed choices before they fly. The group has been particularly impressed with some of the material provided by UK airlines for their passengers in the form of pamphlets or videos. Representatives from airlines and other interested parties attended a meeting of the group on 4 May 2001. At this meeting the airlines gave information on current practice in relation to issues such as in-flight medical emergency equipment and noise on-board aircraft. The group is now considering whether current practice in these areas meets the needs of passengers and crew members. The group will also give detailed consideration to the need for further research on aviation health matters once the scoping study that is currently under way is completed in July 2001. Aviation Health Working Group Baroness Wilcox: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, given the strengthened role for the Cabinet Office in the delivery of cross departmental policies, that office will be represented on the inter-departmental Aviation Health Working Group. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The permanent members of the group are the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, the Department of Health, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Health and Safety Executive. The Cabinet Office is kept informed of the group's work and can attend where appropriate. Diabetes Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are considering action to improve early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in the light of the report Too Many, Too Late from the organisation Diabetes UK. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We recognise the importance of detecting and treating diabetes as early as possible. The UK National Screening Committee, which advises government on all aspects of screening policy, is considering whether there is a case for the introduction of a targeted screening programme for Type 2 diabetes. Its conclusions will inform the implementation of the Diabetes National Service Framework for England, which will be published later this year. NHS: Recruitment Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many doctors and nurses were employed in the National Health Service in the year 2000; and over what period of years the Government are planning to achieve their recruitment target of an extra 10,000 doctors and 20,000 nurses. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: There were 97,400 doctors and 335,950 nurses working in the National Health Service in England as at 30 September 2000. The Government plan to increase the number of doctors by 10,000 and nurses by 20,000 by 2005. CJD Surveillance Unit Report Baroness Hilton of Eggardon: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to publish the ninth annual report of the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit's ninth annual report has been published. The report documents the unit's findings in relation to sporadic, familial and iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), and also variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), up to 31 December 2000. Copies have been placed in the Library and made available on the unit's web site at www.cjd.ed.ac.uk. House of Lords: Former MPs Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many members of the House of Lords are former Members of Parliament; and, of these, how many are former Ministers, with former Cabinet Ministers shown separately. Lord Williams of Mostyn: On 6 July 2001, there will be 174 members of the House of Lords who are former Members of the House of Commons. Of these, 107 will have served as junior Ministers (although at least six of the 107 were never Ministers in the Commons but became Ministers in the Lords). Of the 174, 66 were at some time members of the Cabinet (although at least two were never Cabinet Ministers in the Commons but became Cabinet Ministers in the Lords; and some of the 66 became Cabinet Ministers without previously having been junior Ministers). These figures do not include Law Officers, parliamentary private secretaries or junior whips as Ministers. Rural White Paper Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they propose to allocate parliamentary time this Session for a debate on the Rural White Paper. Lord Williams of Mostyn: Parliamentary time in the Lords is not "allocated" by the Government. The schedule of business is agreed through the usual channels. Sound Recording: Copyright Exception Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the plans to amend Section 72 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to delete reference to sound recordings. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: We have no plans to delete references to sound recordings in Section 72 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. We have, however, consulted interested parties on the possibility of changes to the scope of this exception to copyright governing the playing or showing of broadcasts in public places where the public has not paid for admission. Under the exception, the producers of sound recordings receive no royalties for the playing in public of any sound recordings in the broadcasts, although they will have done so for the original inclusion of the sound recordings in the broadcasts. Morocco: Artillery Pieces Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: For what period a licence was given by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to refurbish 30,105 artillery pieces owned by Morocco and originally supplied by Royal Ordnance; and whether the Moroccan authorities have notified MINURSO that the work has been started, in accordance with the United Nations ceasefire agreement. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The export licence in question is valid for two years. The question of whether the Moroccan authorities have notified MINURSO that the work has been started is a matter for the Moroccan Government and the United Nations. Animal Rights Extremists Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have recently taken to provide support to companies threatened by animal rights extremists. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government have taken a series of measures to strengthen the response to threats to legitimate businesses by animal rights extremists. The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 provides additional powers to protect companies and individuals from intimidation and harassment. The Act also provides for regulations under the Companies Act 1985 to disapply the requirement for company directors who are at serious risk of violence or intimidation to file their home address on the public record. Instead, they will be permitted to file a service address, which will appear on the public record. They will still be required to file their home address, but this will be kept on a secure register, with access restricted to law enforcement agencies and others that the regulations may specify. My department is working on the regulations in order to lay them before Parliament as soon as possible. In May, the Government set up a ministerial committee, chaired by the Home Secretary, to develop strategies to tackle animal rights extremism. The Department of Trade and Industry has undertaken to operate banking facilities for Huntingdon Life Sciences plc, which, owing to intimidation of bank staff by animal rights extremists, has been unable to find commercial facilities in the UK, while negotiations with banks continue. These actions demonstrate the Government's commitment to take positive action to ensure that companies are not prevented from undertaking legitimate business through intimidation and harassment of their staff or suppliers. Foot and Mouth Disease Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their estimate of the direct costs to the tourism industry of the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001, 2002 and 2003; and what is their estimate of the number of jobs lost and at risk in the tourism industry in the same periods as a consequence of the outbreak. Baroness Blackstone: The latest assessment put direct losses to tourism for 2001 at between £2 billion and £4 billion. Much will depend on the length of the outbreak and its geographical pattern. My officials are gathering further hard evidence to keep the assessment up to date. The impact in 2002 or 2003 cannot be assessed now. Since the beginning of the outbreak the Employment Service has been tracking the number of claims made for jobseeker's allowance where the claimant has identified foot and mouth disease (FMD) as a cause. The total number of claims attributable to FMD between 23 February 2001 and 1 June 2001 is around 6,500. For those whose employment has been affected by FMD there are additional measures in place, including training, reskilling and upskilling.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2001-07-02a

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Overseas Students Lord Dobbs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many foreign students were studying in UK universities in each of the last 10 years, and how many of those were from China. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics on students enrolled at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The overall number of foreign and Chinese students (undergraduate and postgraduate) at UK HEIs is set out in the following table:Higher Education Student Enrolments by Country of DomicileUK Higher Education InstitutionsAcademic Years 2004/05 to 2013/142004/052005/062006/072007/082008/092009/102010/112011/122012/132013/14Mainland China52,67550,75549,59545,35547,03556,99067,32578,71583,79087,895Hong Kong10,7809,4459,6409,7009,6009,94510,44011,33513,06514,725Macao145165205165205255265325345405People's Republic of China63,60060,36559,44055,22056,84067,19078,03090,37597,200103,025EU93,99599,985105,410112,150117,660125,045130,120132,550125,290125,300Non-EU203,125207,055220,575229,640251,310280,760298,110302,680299,970310,195International297,120307,040325,985341,790368,970405,805428,230435,230425,260435,495Source: HESA Student RecordNote: figures have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 Labour Party: Finance Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the estimated annual financial loss to the Labour Party following the implementation of clause 10 in the Trade Union Bill, which will reverse the current opt-out process. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: There has been no assessment. However, the proposals in the Bill are not about party funding. The Trade Union Bill is introducing a greater level of transparency into union activities by requiring union members to make an active decision to contribute to a union’s political fund.If union members want a political fund they are perfectly free to contribute to one, so, this will not necessarily lead to a reduction in the funds available. Labour Party: Finance Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultation was carried out on the provisions outlined in clause 10 of the Trade Union Bill. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Clause 10 of the Trade Union Bill takes forward the Government’s manifesto commitment to introduce a greater level of transparency into union activities by requiring union members to make an active decision to contribute to a union’s political fund.Therefore, there has been no further consultation on this. Labour Party: Finance Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether an impact assessment was conducted on the provisions contained in the Trade Union Bill that will change the current opt-out process to an opt-in process. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government intends to publish the impact assessment for the Trade Union Bill before Lords’ Committee Stage. Trade Union Bill Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what date the full impact assessment for the Trade Union Bill will be published. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government intends to publish the impact assessment for the Trade Union Bill before Lords’ Committee stage. Department for Education Child Rearing The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of studies which conclude that there is a correlation between early direct maternal care and adult stability. Lord Nash: Research, such as the Early Years Learning and Development Literature Review 2009, and the January 2013 WAVE Trust report on early years, suggests that children need secure attachments with adults in order to feel safe and happy. Good home care can provide this support, which is a real benefit to children as they learn and develop.The Department has extensively assessed the impact of formal early education compared to home care, through its longitudinal research programme Effective Pre-School, Primary & Secondary Education Project (EPPSE). EPPSE followed both groups of children through preschool and school ages, examining their cognitive and social behavioural development up to their AS and A Level exam results in 2015. The EPPSE results show that young children benefit from formal childcare, go on to have better GCSE results and, as a result, are more likely to enter A Level exams.In recognition of the crucial role that parents and carers play in children’s development, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requires childcare settings to form strong partnerships with parents. The EYFS also requires settings to allocate each child a key worker to help ensure that every child’s learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs. Child Rearing The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of studies which show that children benefit most from home care provided by close family members rather than from that available in children's day centres. Lord Nash: Research suggests that children need secure attachments with adults in order to feel safe and happy[1]. Good home care can provide this support, which is a real benefit to children as they learn and develop.There is also a wide body of evidence, including evidence from abroad, which demonstrates that early education delivered by childcare providers can play an important role in children’s early development and later attainment. For instance, the Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE 3-16) Project showed that children who had experienced a good home learning environment and attended a good quality childcare setting went on to obtain better grades in English and maths, and to earn more than those who received little or no pre-school experience.Additionally, the ongoing Study of Early Education and Development (SEED) shows that the chances of disadvantaged children becoming high achievers by the end of primary school were doubled when they had attended any pre-school, compared to those of disadvantaged children who had not attended pre-school.In recognition of the crucial role that parents and carers play in children’s development, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requires childcare settings to form strong partnerships with parents. The EYFS also requires settings to allocate each child a key worker to help ensure that every child’s learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs.[1] Early Years Learning and Development Literature Review 2009, and WAVE Trust report ‘Conception to age 2: the age of opportunity’ January 2013. Ministry of Justice UK Membership of EU Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Ministry of Justice has drawn up any contingency plans for the adaptation of UK law in the event of a UK withdrawal from the EU, and if so, whether they will make those plans available to Parliament. Lord Faulks: The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of the UK’s EU membership that cause so much frustration in Britain in order to get a better deal for Britain and secure our future. The Government is confident that the right agreement can be reached. Prison Sentences: Females Lord Trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Faulks on 17 December (HL4250), whether they now have any additional information about the number of women responsible for one or more young children who are currently serving prison sentences in England and Wales. Lord Faulks: Whilst the specific information requested is not held, the Ministry of Justice recently published statistics on child dependents of female offenders, which can be found at gov.uk on the Statistics at MOJ pages under the topic Ad-hoc justice statistics. A copy of the report is attached here. Female offenders, dependent child stats (PDF Document, 116.03 KB) Department for Culture, Media and Sport Football: Sportsgrounds Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to encourage clubs in the Football League to comply with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority's Accessible Stadia guide. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We would encourage the Football League to make a similar commitment to that made by the Premier League that all clubs in that league willcomply with the measures set out in the Accessible Stadia Guide within an agreed timescale. Department for Work and Pensions Pregnant Women: Health The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to provide at least three years' financial assistance, where such subsidy is independent of paid work, for maternal care in the home. Baroness Altmann: There are currently no plans to provide at least three years' financial assistance, where such subsidy is independent of paid work, for maternal care in the home. Home Office Parliament: Security Lord Evans of Weardale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what national co-ordinating arrangements are in place to provide reassurance or security assistance to MPs or members of the House of Lords who receive direct or implicit threats as a result of their parliamentary duties. Lord Bates: As the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Leader of the House of Commons, stated during Business of the House of Commons on Thursday 17th December (Hansard Column No 1703), it has been agreed that a standardised approach to security packages will be made available to Members of Parliament and will address the personal security outside Westminster including at constituency offices and their homes and will include consideration of staff safety. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) will shortly be announcing details of how to access the security packages. HM Treasury Child Benefit Lord Lennie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many households that currently claim tax relief on income from residential property finance costs also claim child benefit. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The information requested is not available. Railways: South West Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have had discussions with the Chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission concerning railway links between London and south-west England. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The government has had discussions on a range of topics with the Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission. The commission will examine all forms of economic infrastructure, including rail transport. Turkey: Refugees Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government over what period, and under what headings, the €3 billion offered by the EU to Turkey in respect of refugees and migrants will be spent; and what verification of expenditure there will be. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: At the EU-Turkey summit on 29 November, the EU committed €3 billion of additional support to Turkey to help ease its refugee burden and prevent further irregular migration to the EU. The European Commission has proposed a Refugee Facility for Turkey to coordinate the €3 billion in 2016 and 2017, which will be financed in part by Member State contributions and in part from the EU budget.The details of the Refugee Facility, including the financing, governance and monitoring arrangements, are currently being discussed by Member States. All contributions from the EU budget will be fully consistent with the spending limits set out in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-2020. Loans: Republic of Ireland Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the amount of government loans to the Republic of Ireland during the past decade; of those loans, what capital has been re-paid; and how much interest has been received. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: I refer the noble Lord to the most recent statutory report which the Treasury provided to Parliament as required by Section 2 of the Loans to Ireland Act 2010. It was published on 15 October 2015 and is available online along with all previous reports submitted.[1]This report shows the outstanding principal is £3,226,960,000, with repayments due in tranches from 15 April 2019 until 26 March 2021. An interest payment was made by the Republic of Ireland on 15 December 2015 and therefore the interest payments received now total £273,825,613.71.[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bilateral-loan-to-ireland Treasury: Ministerial Policy Advisers Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total annual cost of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s political advisers, including both special advisers and members of the Council of Economic Advisers. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Details of Special Adviser numbers and remuneration across Government departments, including for Special Advisers and Members of the Council of Economic Advisers in HM Treasury, were published in December on the gov.uk website. National Savings Bonds: Pensioners Lord Trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will clarify whether they intend to reissue the 65+ Guarantee of Growth Bonds as and when they mature. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: 65+ GGB “Pensioner” Bonds were a special issue aimed at helping pensioners who rely on their savings in retirement. There are currently no plans for a further issue. Public Finance Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the difference between the public finance forecasts for 2015–16 and the actual financial figures available to date, and what assessment have they made of the reasons for the difference. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) jointly with HM Treasury publish the public sector finances statistical bulletin on a monthly basis, which provides the latest available estimates for key aspects of Public Sector Finances.The latest release was published on 22 December covering the November 2015 public sector finances.[1]Borrowing for the 8 months to November is £6.6 bn less than the same period last year against an Autumn Statement forecast of a £15.7bn full year fall. It’s clear that there is no shortcut to fixing the public finances. That’s why the Chancellor used the Autumn Statement and Spending Review to set out our plan to finish the job and build a resilient economy.The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) are responsible for producing the forecasts of the public finances. They have published a detailed commentary on 22 December, which assesses the latest estimates included in the bulletin against their latest forecast[2].[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/public-sector-finances-bulletin[2] http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/wordpress/docs/Dec-2015-Commentary-on-the-Public-Sector-Finances-release.pdf VAT: Tax Evasion Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of their obligation under EU law to prevent VAT evasion. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: In considering fraud against European own resources, including VAT collection, the European Court recently clarified in the Taricco judgment that Member States are obliged under EU law (Article 325 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) to have in place effective and dissuasive criminal penalties against VAT fraud. The UK applies a full range of penalties to address various behaviours from dishonesty and deliberate inaccuracies through to criminal prosecutions for VAT offences. Electronic Commerce: VAT Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the liability of online marketplaces for unpaid VAT where a business trading in that marketplace evades VAT. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Online marketplaces have no liability for unpaid VAT where the operator merely provides a marketplace for businesses to sell goods. However, HM Revenue and Customs is continuing to work with major online marketplaces to tackle this issue. Electronic Commerce: VAT Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have conducted any test purchases in online markets to provide evidence of the evasion of VAT. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a range of operational activity in place to tackle evasion and to establish evidence of the scale of the problem. HMRC does not routinely carry out test purchases through online platforms. Cabinet Office Commission on Freedom of Information The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information to publish its report. Lord Bridges of Headley: The Independent Commission on Freedom of Information will report as soon as possible after the oral evidence sessions it has announced for 20 and 25 January. Public Inquiries Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which public inquiries they set up between May 1997 and January 2004; and what was the purpose of each. Lord Bridges of Headley: This information was made available as part of the evidence provided by the Government to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Inquiries Act 2005:http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldselect/ldinquiries/143/14318.htm Table of Inquiries under other Acts (Word Document, 117 KB) Public Inquiries Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the financial year 2003–04, what was the total cost of each public inquiry conducted; and what was paid to each inquiry chairman, including expenses and VAT. Lord Bridges of Headley: The information in relation to this time period is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the total cost on completion of those inquiries which span this time period is available as part of the evidence provided by the Government to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Inquiries Act 2005:http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldselect/ldinquiries/143/14318.htm Table of Inquiries under other Acts (Word Document, 117 KB) Statutory Instruments Lord Grocott: To ask the Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Leader of the House on 17 December that the convention on statutory instruments "has now broken" (HL Deb, col 2197), on how many occasions since the second World War such a breakage has occurred. Baroness Stowell of Beeston: Prior to October 2015, the House of Lords had rejected statutory instruments on four occasions since World War II. None of those occasions concerned a statutory instrument implementing a budget measure intended to deliver £4.4bn of savings that had already been approved by the House of Commons - thereby overruling the elected House on a matter of public spending - nor is it precedented for the House of Lords to decline to consider a statutory instrument until the Government has made specific changes to the policy underpinning it. The House's decision to withhold agreement to the Tax Credits (Income Thresholds and Determination of Rates) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 therefore broke new ground, and may be regarded as a breach of the convention underpinning the House's powers in regard to secondary legislation as well as the longer-standing convention regarding the financial primacy of the House of Commons. Life Peers Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many life peerages have been created since the 2010 election, and how many of those were (1) Conservative, (2) Liberal Democrat, (3) Labour, and (4) Crossbench, peerages. Baroness Stowell of Beeston: Peerages created since the 2010 election are listed below:Conservative: 109Labour: 55Liberal Democrat: 51Crossbench/Independent/other: 30Of the peers appointed since the 2010 election 22.4 per cent have taken the whip of her majesty’s official opposition. This compares to 15.7 per cent of those created between the 1997 and 2010 general elections.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2016-01-08

Ulster-Scots Agency Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure stopped the Ulster-Scots Agency's policy of targeting social need by removing the appropriate section of its budget for the year 2004. Baroness Amos: The approved budget for 2004 for the Ulster-Scots Agency is £1,704,000. This gives an increase of £164,000 (10.65 per cent), on the approved budget for 2003. The budget was calculated on the basis of the 2003 budget with amounts due to inflation and the cost of additional staff. This is in line with the care and maintenance mode in which North/South bodies are operating. The Ulster-Scots Agency's policy of targeting social need is ongoing and the approved budget for 2004 should not impact detrimentally on this. Targeting social need is a cross-cutting theme that should be reflected throughout the agency's programme of work. Northern Ireland: Accidental Dwelling Fires Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 22 March (WA 74) concerning cigarette-related fires in Northern Ireland, how many fires were started by means other than cigarettes; and by what other means. Baroness Amos: The numbers of accidental dwelling fires in Northern Ireland caused by means other than cigarettes since 2000 are as follows: 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04(1) Chip pan/ grill pan 435 382 316 105 Electrical Fault 263 214 224 177 Children, Matches 52 55 43 23 Candles 0 55 51 24 Others 492 414 336 107 (1)1 April 2003 to 22 March 2004—the latest date for which statistics are available. Northern Ireland: Languages Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why a leaflet produced by the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety entitled The New GP Contract (reference 299/2003) is not available in the Ulster Scots language. Baroness Amos: In keeping with the department's policy on publications, the leaflet in question was produced in English only. The leaflet indicates that it will be made available in Irish, Chinese, large print, audio tape and Braille and states that consideration will be given for translation into other minority ethnic languages on request. Iraq: Car Bombs Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many car bombs have been intercepted by security forces in Basra this month. Lord Bach: In the period 1 to 31 March 2004, the United Kingdom forces in Basra intercepted one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. Defence Spending Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What the total government expenditure on defence in the years 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03 and what are the expected totals for 2003–04 and 2004–05, expressed in a table showing the figures in current and constant terms and indicating the percentage of gross domestic product for each year. Lord Bach: Defence spending for these years in current and constant terms can be found in Table 6 of the Government's Expenditure Plans 2003–04—2005–06 for the Ministry of Defence (Cm 5912). Defence spending as a percentage of GDP for the period 2000–01 to 2004–05 is: 2000–01: 2.4 per cent 2001–02: 2.4 per cent 2002–03: 2.3 per cent 2003–04: 2.3 per cent 2004–05: 2.3 per cent The Ministry of Defence plans to publish updated figures in the Government's Expenditure Plans 2004–05—2005–06 for the Ministry of Defence in May 2004. MoD and Environmental Tectonics Corporation Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 16 January (WA 111–112), whether they have reached a settlement with Defence and Environmental Tectonics Corporation in respect of the failure of that company to deliver the Royal Air Force centrifuge within the terms of its contract with the Ministry of Defence. Lord Bach: Under the terms of an agreement reached with the Environmental Tectonics Corporation in March 2004, the Ministry of Defence reached a full and final settlement of the dispute in respect of the failure of that company to deliver a centrifuge to the Royal Air Force. Reservists Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 20 April (WA 24), why the reserve standard award for the mobilised members of the Reserve Forces has not been changed since 1997; and whether they will update it forthwith, with retrospective effect to the beginning of the 2003 Iraq conflict. Lord Bach: The regulations for the Reservist's standard award are set out in SI 1997/309. Although the banded ceilings relating to that award were prescribed in 1997, they have continued to meet the needs of the vast majority of Reservists who have made claims for financial assistance under the regulations. Furthermore, those Reservists who believe that they would suffer hardship if they receive only the standard award are able to claim an additional hardship award. There is no ceiling for a hardship award. Reservists who are dissatisfied with the payments they receive from the Ministry of Defence may appeal to a Reserve Forces appeal tribunal. Of the 10,000 Reservists that have been called out since January 2003, only eight have submitted appeals regarding their financial awards. Of those eight, two were resolved to the Reservists' satisfaction before the date of the appeal hearing, two were found in favour of the Service authorities, one is ongoing and three have yet to be heard. Notwithstanding that the current regulations have satisfied the needs of the great majority of Reservists, we recognise that the current system is both time-consuming to administer and perceived to be intrusive by Reservists. Also, we recognise that the banded ceilings are being eroded by pay awards. We are therefore planning to introduce new regulations, but there is no intention or need to make them retrospective. NATO: Ground Surveillance System Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the present status of the NATO air-to-ground surveillance (AGS) programme; to what extent the United Kingdom is participating in that programme; and how will the AGS system, when it is in operation, inter-relate with the United Kingdom's airborne stand-off radar (ASTOR) system. Lord Bach: NATO has recently announced its preferred solution to meet the requirements for a NATO-owned and operated core alliance ground surveillance (AGS) system. NATO has decided to pursue the transatlantic industrial proposed system (TIPS) option proposed by a consortium led by EADS and Northrop Grumman. The TIPS option is based on a mixed fleet of manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). NATO AGS work is now focused on taking the TIPS option through to contract award in spring 2005. The UK participated in the recently completed definition phase. While we shall not be a funding partner in future phases of the core AGS programme, we will contribute advice and guidance to ensure that the required interoperability with the ASTOR system is achieved. The UK will be offering ASTOR as a national contribution to the overall NATO AGS capability, to complement the core AGS system when the latter enters service. Airborne Stand-off Radar Programme Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Airborne Stand-off Radar (ASTOR) programme is still expected to result in the acquisition of five aircraft at a cost of £83.3 million each and eight ground stations at £15.2 million each; and how the remaining £462.1 million project costs, as estimated on 31 March 2003, are made up. Lord Bach: Five air platforms and eight ground stations are planned to be purchased as part of the ASTOR programme at the costs stated. The remaining project costs comprise development of the ASTOR system, establishment of a training school at RAF Waddington and provision of support. Costs are as at 31 March 2003 and as published in the major project report 2003. Watchkeeper Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have for enhancing the capabilities of Watchkeeper by incremental acquisition after its initial entry into service. Lord Bach: Watchkeeper is expected to be delivered through an incremental delivery programme to allow the system to benefit from both existing and developing sensors and air vehicle technology. The programme will develop from an initial operating capability to a full operating capability with timescales to be set at the main investment decision planned for later this year. Watchkeeper Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What constraints there are on the transmission by Bowman of streamlined video images provided by Watchkeeper. Lord Bach: Although its approved requirement does not provide for the transmission of streamed video, Bowman has a high-capacity data capability to handle and distribute compressed images and other data extracted from such sources. The effective transmission of data across the Bowman networks is a function of the size of the data file and the bandwidth available at the time. Watchkeeper Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have for making Watchkeeper available to warships of the Royal Navy. Lord Bach: We expect unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to be a joint capability for the joint battlespace supporting a network enabled capability. At this stage we envisage them operating primarily within the land environment but we are exploring the wider operational untility of UAV systems in the joint battlespace, including the maritime environment, through the joint UAV experimentation programme (JUEP). Iraq: Civilian Deaths Baroness Williams of Crosby: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many Iraqi civilians were killed by coalition forces in the month of March 2004. Lord Bach: United Kingdom units report all confirmed fatalities of which they are aware arising from incidents in which they were involved. We have recently put in place a mechanism for collation of unit reports since 1 May 2003. I will write to the noble Baroness as soon as a figure for March 2004 has been collated but due to the number of reports that must be examined, this is likely to take some time. We are not in a position to comment on civilian casualties allegedly caused by other coalition partners. Education: Targets Baroness Maddock: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to reach their target that 85 per cent of 19 year-olds achieve a level 2 qualification. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: It is not a government target that 85 per cent of 19 year-olds achieve a level 2 qualification. In the 2000 spending review, we agreed and published, the following target—the proportion of 19 year-olds who get qualifications equivalent to five GCSEs at grade A*–C rises by three percentage points between 2002 and 2004 with a further increase of three percentage points by 2006. Measurement of outturn against the target in autumn 2003 was broadly in line with the progress needed to hit the 2004 target. Pensions Bill: Limited Price Indexation Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessments have been made, in the context of the Pensions Bill, of the impact that reducing limited price indexation will have on the number of pensioners eligible for means-tested benefits if inflation exceeds 2.5 per cent. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: We estimate that, as a result of reducing the limited price indexation cap from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent, the average pensioner will face a reduction in their total income over retirement of less than 2 per cent. We do not therefore expect a significant increase in the number of pensioners eligible for income-related benefits. Pensions Bill: Limited Price Indexation Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the rates of poverty among people aged over 80 are likely to be affected by the reduction in limited price indexation as outlined in the Pensions Bill. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: We estimate that, as a result of reducing the limited price indexation cap from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent, the average pensioner will face a reduction in their total income over retirement of less than 2 per cent. As those affected will already have additional provision for their retirement from their occupational pensions, it is unlikely the measure will have any measurable impact on people aged over 80. Moreover, other measures in the Bill, such as the Pension Protection Fund, should help all pensioners by offering protection against the more significant losses of retirement income that may result from employer insolvency. Pensions Bill: Pension Protection Fund Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: From where, if the Pensions Bill becomes law as now drafted, the extra resources required by final salary pension schemes to pay the Pension Protection Fund levy are to come. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The PPF forms part of a substantial and balanced package of measures seeking to ease the financial and administrative burden on employers while offering a sustainable system of protection to individuals. In this way, it is hoped that possible savings made elsewhere through simplification measures will contribute to reducing the effect of the PPF levy on business overall. As explained in PQ/04/2442, the requirement to pay the levy will fall on the trustees of the scheme, who will be left to judge how the levy charge could then be shared as they see fit among employers and employees as one of the overall pension costs. Therefore, if any extra resources are required, they may be shared fairly between both the employer and active members. The Government want to take action to increase member protection without overburdening levy payers, which is why care is being taken to calculate the levy in the fairest possible way and minimise the burden on schemes. Domestic Violence: Emergency Accommodation Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What support they have given between January 2002 and January 2004 to organisations that give advice and emergency accommodation to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people fleeing from domestic violence. Lord Rooker: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not provided funds directly to organisations that give advice or emergency accommodation to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people fleeing from domestic violence between January 2002 and January 2004. However, the Supporting People programme, which went live on 1 April 2003, enables local authorities to provide housing-related support to vulnerable groups, including victims of domestic violence. Between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2004, around £57 million went towards an estimated 5,400 dwellings of housing-related support for victims of domestic violence. The Home Office has also provided a one-off payment to Broken Rainbow for £120,000 in January 2004, to help to set up a domestic violence helpline for the LGBT community. Domestic Violence: Emergency Accommodation Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What discussions they have had with Broken Rainbow LGBT Domestic Violence Service (UK) on funding to ensure that there is emergency refuge service provision for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people fleeing from domestic violence. Lord Rooker: Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have had brief discussions with Broken Rainbow in 2004 in relation to the establishment of emergency refuge accommodation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people fleeing from domestic violence. Officials from the Government Office for London have also met representatives from Broken Rainbow this month to discuss plans for a refuge service in London. As there is no central revenue funding for such schemes, Broken Rainbow has been advised of alternative funding streams and to make contact with the relevant local authorities to put forward the case for such a service. Local Authorities: Conduct of Candidates Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the local authority standards boards and their codes of conduct have any legal standing or functions in relation to the conduct of candidates, political parties and election agents in local elections. Lord Rooker: The code of conduct, which is policed by the Standards Board for England, applies to local government members. Councillors, whether or not they are conducting re-election campaigns, remain under an obligation to act in accordance with the code. Any allegations that members had breached the code would be considered by the Standards Board in line with its usual procedures. The board has no remit in respect of political parties, candidates or election agents unless the candidates or agents are already councillors. Ofcom: Radio Spectrum The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether Ofcom has sufficient powers and technological capability to enforce appropriate controls of the 5.8GHz network, particularly in respect of dynamic frequency selection and transmit power control. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Under the provisions of the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom has the necessary powers to manage the use of radio spectrum in accordance with the provisions of the wireless telegraphy legislation. This includes the responsibility to license or exempt from licensing, devices operating at 5.8 GHz which must comply with the Ofcom interface requirement 2007 which includes the restrictions of dynamic frequency selection and transmit power control. At present, devices operating in this band are subject to a light licensing system where registration of terminals is enforced. Ofcom has the power under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949, and the technical capability with its national field force, to take enforcement action and ultimately, where appropriate, legal proceedings against users operating devices that are not operating within the necessary licence or exemption parameters. Civil Partnerships: Inheritance Provisions Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to amend the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 so as to eliminate any difference between same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The new legal status of "civil partnership" will provide a range of rights and responsibilities for same-sex couples that choose to register. The Civil Partnerships Bill makes provision for civil partners and former civil partners to be added to the categories of people entitled to make a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, and provides for their applications to be treated on the same basis as applications made by spouses and former spouses. The Government have no current plans to amend the 1975 Act to make similar provision for co-habiting opposite-sex or same-sex couples. Asylum Seekers: Return to Country of Origin The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What they have done to publicise the safe return of refugees and asylum seekers to their own countries and communities, so as to counteract any public perception that all asylum seekers and migrants are coming one way. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: In replying to the above question I will refer to both voluntary returns and enforced removals from the UK, as they differ in approach. The voluntary assisted return and reintegration programme (VARRP) is aimed at assisting asylum seekers and people with exceptional or discretionary leave who are considering returning to their country of origin voluntarily. The programme is widely publicised both internally and externally, in reporting centres and induction centres as well as on the Home Office website. Voluntary returns are also publicised to communities by non-governmental organisations including the Refugee Council, Refugee Action, UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Additionally, the Home Office hosts meetings with Iraqi and Afghan community groups to raise the profile of voluntary return. The IOM, which operates VARRP on behalf of the Home Office, will return to all countries where it is safe to do so and where there are travel routes available. The Government recognise that there is scope for us to promote our enforced removals activity more than we are doing currently and we are taking various steps to try and achieve this. Given the sensitive nature of removals, we need to exercise caution and take into account the safety and well-being of the individuals being removed. However, we are already taking steps to promote some enforced removals by putting some information into the public domain. This includes using the media to help promote certain removals, inviting members of the press to take part in some enforcement operations and publishing quarterly statistics on all areas of IND activity, including removals. These statistics can be found on the Home Office website. Asylum Seekers: Readmission to Third Countries Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will invite the European Commission to publish details of the readmission agreements with third states (for asylum seekers and others) which it is negotiating on behalf of member states. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: It is normal procedure for the texts of the Community's readmission agreements with third countries to be made available only after negotiations and the ratification process have been completed. The Commission has so far been authorised by the Council to negotiate Community readmission agreements with 11 third countries, of which four have been concluded. The agreements with Macao Special Administrative Authority, Sri Lanka and Albania are undergoing ratification. The agreement with Hong Kong entered into force on 1 March 2004 as the first-ever Community readmission agreement. It has been published in the Official Journal. Overseas Post-graduate Students: Visa Fees Lord Chan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will waive the extension of the £150 visa fee for overseas post-graduate students pursuing a Masters in Business Administration and other courses where the graduation ceremony for successful students takes place many months after the conclusion of the courses. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Provided the requirements of the Immigration Rules are met, post-graduate students should be given leave to remain for the duration of their course plus four months. This should give post-graduate students sufficient time beyond the completion of their studies to enable them to attend their graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom. There is no facility to waive fees and, other than those people legally exempt from the charge, all will have to pay for their applications to be processed. An application for further leave to remain as a student or as a visitor will attract a fee of £155 for a postal application and £250 for personal callers. Community Punishments Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the efficiency of the administration of community service punishment was last reviewed and which government agency is responsible for the matter. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The government agency responsible for reviewing the efficiency of the administration of community punishment is Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation. Community punishment schemes in all 42 areas of the National Probation Service were reviewed as part of the performance inspection programme between 1999 and 2002. These inspections addressed the achievement of national and local targets, compliance with national standards, the organisation, nature and quality of the work undertaken by offenders and the satisfaction of those who benefited from that work. The currrent inspection programme is the effective supervision inspection which began in June 2003 and will eventually cover all 42 areas. This will focus on management arrangements in community punishment units, along with assessment of offenders and the suitability of work placements. Additionally, since the development of the enhanced community punishment scheme in 2003, the National Probation Directorate has developed a framework to assess how effectively this has been implemented in probation areas. A rigorous post-implementation review is currently underway with very encouraging results. Once the implementation phase is completed, areas will undertake an annual audit of their enhanced community punishment provision to ensure that quality is maintained. Community Punishments Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether litter clearance is a suitable activity for offenders sentenced to community service punishment. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Litter clearance is a suitable activity for offenders sentenced to community punishment and has always formed a proportion of the unpaid work—currently standing at 7 million hours each year—performed by offenders on community punishment orders. It provides punishment of offenders in combination with reparation to the community. The enhanced community punishment scheme which was introduced in October 2003, and is now operational in all 42 areas which make up the National Probation Service, is designed in such a way that it also has a rehabilitative effect and the potential to reduce the likelihood of reconviction. Research indicates that certain qualities or features of placements appear to increase the rehabilitative impact of community punishment and the introduction of enhanced community punishment obliged local probation areas to re-evaluate all existing placements with a view to their capacity: to provide demanding, purposeful work which the offender and the people who benefit from it see as a worthwhile contribution to the community; to ensure contact between the offender and the members of the community who benefit from the work; to provide opportunties for the offender to learn new practical and thinking skills, particularly in relation to employment; and to comply with health and safety requirements. Where existing placements have not matched these criteria, it has usually been possible for areas to work with and support beneficiaries to ensure that the requirements can be met. The type of activity undertaken is much less important than whether the placement provides challenging and demanding work for the offender, enabling them to develop skills which will improve their prospects in the job market. As long as the beneficiary and the probation area work in partnership, it should be possible to provide a quality placement through a well run litter clearance scheme. Suffolk Probation Area, for example, is currently undertaking litter clearance on a number of beaches as well as for local councils. A number of their staff are currently working towards a City and Guilds qualification which is a legal requirement for the supervision of litter clearance on highways and this should enable them to expand their activities further. Prisoners: Literacy Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25 March (WA 109–10), whether they will ensure that prison governors are aware of the advantages to prisoners of a system of educated prisoners teaching illiterate prisoners to read, as promoted by the Shannon Trust and other organisations. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Prison Service appreciates the potential benefits of educated prisoners helping other prisoners to learn. There are plans to support activity to train prisoners, prison officers and staff from other agencies to become adult learner supporters. The main focus will be on the Link Up project, which is funded by the Department for Education and Skills, and delivered by the Basic Skills Agency. This project will be promoted to prisons through heads of learning and skills, who are the members of the prison senior management team responsible for raising awareness of and support for successful leaning schemes within the establishment. Asylum Seekers from Zimbabwe Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the case of failed asylum seekers who are unable to return to Zimbabwe because of the human rights situation there, they will use their power to grant a temporary right to remain in the United Kingdom. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We recognise that conditions in Zimbabwe are such that there are individuals who will be able to demonstrate a need for international protection. Where it is found that they meet the definition of a refugee in the 1951 UN Refugee Covention, asylum is granted. There may also be individuals whose circumstances are such that they qualify for leave under our published policies on humanitarian protection or discretionary leave. If an asylum or human rights application is refused, there will be a right of appeal to the independent appellate authorities against that decision. Should a claim be refused and any appeal be unsuccessful that means that, for that individual, return to Zimbabwe would be safe. Although we are not, in the wider context of the Government's position on Zimbabwe, generally enforcing returns of such individuals at this time, we consider it entirely reasonable to expect them to leave voluntarily. It would not be appropriate in those circumstances to grant them leave to remain in the United Kingdom. UK Frontiers: Security against Organised Crime and Illegal Immigration Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the frontiers of the United Kingdom are secure against (a) organised crime; and (b) illegal immigration. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government's strategy for tackling specifically organised immigration crime is Reflex, the multi-agency forum established in May 2000 which brings together key law enforcement players under the chair of the National Crime Squad. Reflex has funded several successful initiatives since its inception that have contributed to the reduction of criminally-driven immigration to the UK and other EU states. In particular, two projects (Impact 1 and 2) developed the capacity of border guards in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia-Montenegro to identify forged documents, while a third project in Romania saw the establishment of a team focusing effectively on people trafficking and smuggling. Reflex also funds two immigration crime teams in the UK, bringing together the subject matter expertise of the Immigration Service and the investigative capabilities of the National Crime Squad to focus on serious immigration-related crime. A third team is to be established shortly. Reflex activity in 2003–04 resulted in the disruption of 42 criminal groups and has identified £3 million of assets for confiscation and/or seizure. The National Criminal Intelligence Service manages an expanding network of Immigration Liaison Officers (currently 12) operating in key overseas posts to work closely with law enforcement agencies in the host country with the aim of tackling illegal migratory flows to the UK. The UK has developed a network of liaison officers in key posts overseas to build our intelligence picture on organised crime originating outside the UK. We have developed sectoral strategies, for example on drugs and organised immigration crime, which work upstream to take operational action and to achieve disruption as close to source as possible. We continue to work with international partners, and with organisations such as Interpol, Europol and Eurojust to act against organised crime which crosses international borders. The establishment of the recently announced Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) will bring a new focus to bear on reducing the harm caused to the UK and its citizens by all organised crime. UK Immigration Service operates pre and on-entry controls to regulate entry to the UK. Several key measures have recently been introduced in order to enhance border security. They include: the introduction of juxtaposed controls at specific locations overseas by which means the admissibility of passengers is considered and decided prior to embarkation, resulting in improperly documented or those ineligible for entry not being allowed to proceed to the UK; the expansion of the Airline Liaison Network overseas, which is designed to give advice and assistance to airlines in relation to the documentation and the prevention of the carriage of inadequately documented passengers to the UK; the deployment of freight searching detection equipment in UK ports and overseas to target those who seek to enter the UK clandestinely; and an informed visa strategy designed to establish qualification for entry to the UK prior to arrival. As a result of the deployment of detection technology, enhanced juxtaposed controls and close co-operation with our EU counterparts, port operators and carriers, over 9,000 people were prevented travelling to the UK from France during 2003. EU Enlargement: Roma Migrants Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have made any estimates of the number of Roma people who may seek to enter the United Kingdom following the enlargement of the European Union on 1 May 2004; and whether they have made any contingency plans for the reception and accommodation of these immigrants. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The published estimates of numbers likely to travel to the United Kingdom from the new members of the European Union after 1 May do not distinguish between Roma and others. The Government have not made contingency plans for the reception of Roma or any other migrants from those countries. We have made very clear, particularly through information campaigns in the countries concerned, that those coming to this country from the accession states must be able to support themselves. There will be no special assistance given to them. Passports Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What charge is made for the replacement of a lost or stolen United Kingdom passport; and whether such charge covers the total cost of replacing the passport there is any element of penalty included in the charge. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: There is no charge levied by the UK Passport Service on people who report their passports lost or stolen other than the fee required to replace the passport. There is no element of penalty in the fee charged for the replacement passport. The Passport Service operates on a net running costs regime and all its costs are recovered through passport fees. Following the introduction, from 8 December 2003, of improved arrangements for reporting lost, stolen and recovered passport arrangements, the Passport Service has conducted an extensive publicity campaign, one of the key themes of which has been to highlight passport holders' responsibilities for the safekeeping of this important document. Also, as part of its annual fee review the Passport Service will be examining whether a differential and higher fee can be charged for replacing a lost and/or stolen document. Passports Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is desirable that the Registrar of Births and Deaths should inform the Passport Office of deaths in order that any valid passport held by a deceased person can be cancelled; if so, whether legislation is needed to facilitate this; and, if so, whether they expect to introduce such legislation. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The UK Passport Service has been seeking to establish arrangements to receive routine notification of deaths from the Registar General in England and Wales to enable it to cancel any passport held by a deceased person. Legislation is required to facilitate access to the death records for this purpose. In January 2002, the Government published the White Paper, Civil Registration: Vital Change, which set out plans for greater sharing of registration information across government. The order-making powers of the Regulatory Reform Act 2001 will be used to make changes to the legislation covering access to death registration records. It is expected that the draft order will be presented to Parliament for scrutiny before the Summer Recess. Passports Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements are in place for the cancellation of the validity of a passport held by a deceased person; how many passports of deceased persons have been returned to the authorities for cancellation in the past 12 months; and how many passports have been cancelled as a consequence of the deceased holders. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Every passport contains a reminder that it should be returned for cancellation on the death of the holder. On receipt these passports are cancelled. The United Kingdom Passport Service is in discussion with the Office for National Statistics on arrangements to facilitate via local registrars of births, marriages and deaths the return of deceased persons' passports on notification of death. The figures for passports of deceased persons cancelled in the last 12 months are not immediately available. The Passport Service is currently collating this information and I have asked the Director of Operations to write to the noble Lord with the information as soon as it is available. Passports Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans there are for passports issued by member states of the European Union to include biometric detail. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A draft regulation presented by the European Commission Document 2004/0039 on 18 February (Council Document 6406/04) will require passports issued by European Union member states to include at least one biometric identifier. Passports Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether naturalisation information and application papers are available at all times in the Belfast Passport Office. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: UK Passport Service staff do not detail the requirements or hold the application papers for naturalisation or registration as a British citizen. All inquiries and requests are referred to the Home Office Nationality Group in Liverpool. Passports Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why, in terms of passports, there are differences between British citizens and British subjects; what the differences are; and whether any changes are envisaged. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Citizenship is a matter of law, which is determined by the facts of a person's date and place of birth, those of their parents and the application of the provisions of the relevant legislation. The British Nationality Status of Aliens Act 1914 determined in law that all persons born in the United Kingdom and Crown's dominions would hold the status of British subject. The British Nationality Act 1948 introduced the concept of citizenship and determined which British subjects would become a British subject, citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies (BSUKC). The Act came into force on 1 January 1949, and provided for all persons born in the United Kingdom and Colonies to become BSUKC by birth. Those born in a foreign or Commonwealth country who had a father born in the United Kingdom or existing colony would become BSUKC by descent. Other British subjects with a close connection with an independent Commonwealth country became British subjects, citizens of . . . (the Commonwealth country). The status of British subject was retained by a small number of British subjects. In particular Irish citizens born before 1 January 1949 could elect to remain British subjects. British subjects born in British India before 1 January 1949 who did not become citizens of India also remained British subjects on 1 January 1949. The British Nationality Act 1981 provided for BSUKCs who had the right of abode in the United Kingdom to become British citizens on 1 January 1983. It also retained the status of British subject for those who remained British subjects on 1 January 1949. British subject status only applies to those born before 1 January 1949 and cannot be passed to further generations by descent, as is the case with British citizenship. The status will fail to exist when the last British subject is deceased. All British passports are issued in the same format and are only distinguishable by the status shown on the personal details page, or in some cases where the passport holder is not a European national for passport purposes by the absence of "European Union" on the front cover. The major difference between the status British citizen and British subject is that British citizens are able to travel freely within the European Union whereas British subjects who are not European nationals for passport purposes, may need to obtain visas prior to travel. Individuals holding "British Subject" passports may be required by the immigration laws of the receiving country to obtain visas prior to travel. This is not a matter over which the British Government have any authority to intervene. The UK Passport Service therefore recommends that all travellers check with the travel agent or the embassy, high commission or consulate of the country they intend to visit if a visa is required. There are no changes envisaged. HMP Maghaberry: Immigration Act Detainees Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many Immigration Act detainees were held in HM Prison Maghaberry at the most recent date; whether any were children or juveniles; how many were awaiting deportation; and whether their regime (akin to that of prisoners on the enhanced regime) would be improved if they were treated as remand prisoners. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: As at 27 December 2003 (the latest available date for which data are available) fewer than five individuals recorded as having sought asylum were detained at HMP Maghaberry, all of whom were adult males. It is not possible to identify how many of these persons were awaiting deportation. Detainees held at HMP Maghaberry are at present treated as unconvicted prisoners, who would include prisoners on remand. Information on the number of people detained as at 27 March 2004 will be published on the Home Office website (www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1. html) on 25 May 2004. Asylum Seekers: Gender Issues Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the new Home Office instructions on gender issues will have the effect that women applying for asylum will always be interviewed by women. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Home Office Asylum Policy Instructions on Gender reinforces the existing position that every effort will be made to ensure requests for same-sex interviewers are met. Afghanistan: Reconstruction Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their assessment of the significance of the current situation in Afghanistan in their action against Al'Qaeda; and in this context, what are they now doing, together with their allies, to limit the power of the warlords and to increase aid and assistance for civil reconstruction. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: As a result of our efforts with the US and others in Afghanistan, that country is no longer a safe haven for Al'Qaeda (AQ). It is not always easy to distinguish AQ elements from other groups hostile to the current political process in Afghanistan. Extremists are undoubtedly attempting to establish bases there from which to operate, but successful military operations conducted by the coalition and units of the Afghan national army (ANA) are preventing them doing so. AQ operations worldwide have suffered disruption. AQ leadership is dispersed and operating under increasingly difficult conditions. Many key operatives and planners have been detained. The US-led coalition and NATO have now deployed a total of 12 provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) to help to extend the authority of central government at the expense of regional power-holders. The UK-led PRT in Mazar-e-Sharif helped to broker a ceasefire between two regional commanders in October 2003 and more recently played a key role in preventing factional unrest developing in Faryab Province, where a second UK-led PRT is now being established. The new PRT is already working with ANA and Afghan national police units sent to the area by President Karzai. PRTs have had a demonstrably beneficial effect on security in the areas they cover and this in turn helps to facilitate reconstruction. On 1 March 2004 my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development announced in his Written Statement (Official Report, Column 74WS) an increase of the UK's commitment, from £200 million over five years to at least £500 million over the same period. This funding is to support a range of reconstruction work, support for conflict prevention, and the counter-narcotics effort. A booklet outlining DfID's programme in Afghanistan has been placed in the Library of the House. International donors demonstrated their commitment to Afghanistan at the Berlin conference held on 31 March to 1 April 2004 by pledging 8.2 billion dollars of assistance over the next three years. This represents two-thirds of Afghanistan's requirements over this period. We hope that the full requirement will be met through more money becoming available from donors that were only able to make one-year pledges in Berlin. Iraq: Amnesty International Report Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to each of the 11 recommendations in the Amnesty International report on the human rights situation in Iraq, entitled Iraq: one year on the human rights situation remains dire. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are carefully considering the recommendations of the Amnesty International report Iraq: one year on. With regard to the specific recommendations, we will be writing to Amnesty International once we have had time to consider them fully. We will place a copy of our response in the Library of the House. Sudan: Darfur Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have received evidence from Darfur, western Sudan, that rape is being used as a weapon of war; and what is their reponse to the comments of the United Nations co-ordinator, Mukesh Kapila, that the situation is comparable to the Rwandan genocide. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave him on 19 April (Official Report, Cols. WA 2–3). We have received alarming reports of systematic clearing of areas in Darfur based on the ethnic origin of the population in those areas. Civilians have been targeted. We have made clear that reported attacks directed against civilians, including rape, should be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice. A five-person team from the Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights is in Darfur to investigate reports of serious human rights violations. We await their report. But the situation in Darfur is very different to that of Rwanda in 1994. North Korea Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have received the appeal issued by Christian Solidarity Worldwide on 15 April on behalf of Mr Park Yong-chol (alias Jo Yung-su), arrested in China on 18 January 2003, and facing repatriation to North Korea on 1 May; and whether they will make, in conjunction with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a humanitarian demarche in his favour. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are aware of Mr Park's case, and have received the appeal issued by Christian Solidarity Worldwide on his behalf. We are currently discussing with EU partners action we might take. Vietnam: Montagnard Christians Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the Government of Vietnam regarding the killing of Montagnard Christians in the central highlands of Vietnam during demonstrations over the Easter weekend. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are very concerned about the recent violence in the central highlands, and in particular about the reported deaths of several protestors. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development (Gareth Thomas) raised the issue during his visit to Vietnam on 21 April. Our ambassador in Hanoi expressed our concern to the Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister on 16 April and again on 20 April with EU partners at the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With our EU partners, we called on the Vietnamese authorities to respect fully international human rights standards in their response to demonstrations; to allow the international community access to the area; and to address the grievances of the ethnic minority people in the central highlands. My honourable friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mike O'Brien) raised the situation of the Montagnards as well as broader human rights issues, including freedom of religion, during his visit to Vietnam on 16–18 March 2004. Vietnam: Montagnard Christians Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have given support to the call of King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia that the Government of Cambodia should give refuge to Montagnard Christians fleeing the central highlands of Vietnam. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We regularly raise with the Cambodian authorities the importance of fulfilling their obligations under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its related 1967 protocol. We will also continue to reiterate to the Cambodian authorities the need for close co-operation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and of full access to the region for the UNHCR so that the status of those seeking refuge can be properly assessed. Iraq: Alleged Punitive House Demolitions Baroness Williams of Crosby: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their position on the alleged policy of punitive house demolitions in Iraq; and whether they deem such policies to have had a role in provoking the recent violent upsurge in that country. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The UK strongly denies allegations that we have been involved in collective punishments, including the destruction of property, and would fully investigate any such allegation. Where property or land has been destroyed during the course of coalition activities we understand that the owners have been compensated. Iraqi Special Tribunal Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the statute establishing the Iraqi Special Tribunal. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The statute establishing the Iraq Special Tribunal is publicly available on the Coalition Provisional Authority website: www.cpa-iraq.org. Rural Delivery Review Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: When their consultation on Lord Haskins's rural delivery review will start; how long it will last; and when they plan to publish the results. Lord Whitty: Consultation on the Government's response to Lord Haskins' rural delivery review began with the publication of our initial response on 11 November last year. Since then a wide range of stakeholders and interested parties have been consulted, e.g. through stakeholder meetings, partnership working and web-based consultation on particular aspects of the work. A large number of representations have been received and are being taken into account. This process of consultation and partnership working will continue up to and beyond the Government's full response to Lord Haskins' Review, which will be in the context of a refreshed rural strategy as promised by the Secretary of State in her speech on 4 November.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2004-05-04a

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Nuclear Power Stations: Coastal Areas baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Office for Nuclear Regulation has a threshold beyond which the construction of new nuclear power stations would be disallowed on a specific section of coastline as a result of Met Office projections for (1) sea levels, or (2) the frequency of storm surges. lord callanan: The independent Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) considers nuclear site licence applications and related regulatory matters on a case-by-case basis. In order to ensure the impact of climate change and the adequacy of project specific mitigations are fully and properly considered, the ONR does not prescribe thresholds in advance. The regulator requires appropriate safety margins and considers the latest official climate change predictions, prepared with the Meteorological Office and the Environment Agency. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Islamic State: Prosecutions lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the authorities in Kurdistan lack sufficient resources to detain, investigate and prosecute suspected Daesh fighters; what assistance they will offer to address those issues; and what steps they will take to establish an international or regional tribunal to prosecute Daesh fighters. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK assesses that the effective prosecution of Daesh fighters in Iraq presents a significant challenge to Iraq's judicial systems, including in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. We are working directly with the judicial systems of the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRI) to build their capacity, as called upon by UN Security Council Resolution 2379 on Daesh Accountability. We have identified areas where we can share expertise and will continue to work closely with Iraq's judiciary to ensure due process and compliance with international law.Our Embassy in Baghdad has regular discussions with the Government of Iraq and the UN Investigative Team for the Accountability of Daesh (UNITAD), encouraging close co-operation between them to achieve justice for the victims of Daesh's crimes. Through advanced witness protection and support UNITAD is expanding its engagement with witnesses and survivors. We are committed to ensuring that those responsible for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity are brought to justice in accordance with due legal process. The UK will continue to work closely with international partners in addressing the issues associated with foreign terrorist fighters and in the pursuit of justice of those who have participated in terrorism overseas. Bahrain: Human Rights lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 24 February (HL1680), what specific monitoring is doneto track improvements in the human rights situation in Bahrainfor programmes inthat country. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government takes note of a number of sources of information to track and assess the human rights landscape in Bahrain, including private engagement, statistical data, and public reports.Our assistance is designed to support Bahrain-led reform in areas including human rights. It is provided in line with international standards and fully complies with our human rights obligations and the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance process. Programmes are routinely monitored by officials and evaluated, by officials, on a regular basis to ensure that they are on track for delivery. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the shooting of a 15 year old Palestinian child near Kufr Qaddum on 30 January and reports that there was a delay to his transportation to hospital. lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not raised the case in question, we remain concerned at reported instances of excessive use of force by Israeli forces. We call on Israel to adhere to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest. We urge the Israeli authorities to thoroughly investigate every alleged instance and bring those responsible to justice. We have also stressed the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children. We did so most recently at the UN Security Council on 21 January. Free movement of patients and medical personnel is vital to the effectiveness of care. Delays to treatment can endanger the health and lives of patients. Palestinians: Trade baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the prevention of Palestinian agricultural exports via Jordan by Israeli authorities. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is concerned about the impact of recent Israeli trade restrictions on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The British Government strongly supports the principle of free trade. UK businesses should be free to import Palestinian products without barriers. Her Majesty's Ambassador to Israel has raised this issue with the Government of Israel, most recently on 12 February. We welcome the agreement reached by the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, on 20 February, to lift their respective trade restrictions. We urge both sides to ensure implementation of this agreement. Iran: Baha'i Faith baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports thatIran’s Baha'i minority are being prevented from obtaining identity cards under new rules, thereby depriving them of basic civil rights. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of reports that Iran's Baha'i community are being prevented from obtaining identity cards under new rules, depriving them of accessing many basic services. We remain concerned about the continued harassment and mistreatment that the Baha'i and other minority religious groups face. We support the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran's assessment that discrimination against the Baha'is in Iran is sanctioned by a lack of constitutional recognition. We regularly call upon Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to protect freedom of religion or belief to all Iranians. Identity Cards: Religion lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with governments of countries that require religious affiliation to be stated on identity cards or other official documents about such a requirement. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK opposes the requirement that religious affiliation should be stated on identity cards or other official documents. In Myanmar for example, the UK has supported the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission's to reform the 1982 Citizenship Law, and has urged the Myanmar Government to fully implement them. This would ensure that citizenship, and ID cards, are not linked to ethnic or religious status. Defending and promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is a longstanding human rights priority for the British Government. We actively promote the importance of FoRB and tackling discrimination on the basis of religious identity through our diplomatic activity both bilterally, and through multilateral fora such as the UN. Ministry of Defence HMS Vanguard lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when HMS Vanguard will re-join the Fleet; and what is the final cost of the present refit and refuelling. baroness goldie: I am withholding details of when HMS VANGUARD will re-join the Fleet as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces. I am also withholding the estimated cost of the present refit and refuelling, as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Department for Work and Pensions Poverty: Statistics the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to adopt the Social Metrics Commission's measurement of poverty across all departments following the Department for Work and Pensions' commitment in May 2019 to develop experimental statistics using that Commission's measurement; and whether they have any further information on this issue. baroness stedman-scott: In May 2019 the Government announced that it would develop a new experimental poverty statistic. The Department aims to publish these statistics in the second half of 2020 and this work is ongoing. Home Office British National (Overseas): Passports lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications have been received for British National (Overseas) passports in each of the last three years, broken down by month. baroness williams of trafford: The figures provided for 2019 can only be reported up to the end of June 2019 as these figures are reported within the Home Office transparency figures and cannot be published separately at this time. MonthBN (O) applications received in 2018January1,779February1,464March1,677April1,642May1,765June1,681July1,866August1,726September1,337October1,911November1,780December1,821 MonthBN (O) applications received in 2017January1,734February1,573March1,798April1,558May1,820June1,742July1,906August1,797September1,669October1,871November1,526December1,413 MonthBN (O) applications received in 2019January2,139February1,753March2,581April2,957May3,492June5,532 Cabinet Office Prime Minister: Official Engagements lord hennessy of nympsfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many engagements the Prime Minister has undertaken in his capacity as Minister for the Union since the December 2019 general election. lord true: As Minister for the Union, all the engagements my Rt Hon friend the Prime Minister carries out are undertaken in that capacity. Details are published quarterly on the gov.uk website. Department for International Trade Trade Agreements: USA the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Prime Minister will meet the President of the United States to discuss a trade deal between the UK and the USA; and when it is proposed that formal trade negotiations will commence. viscount younger of leckie: Now that our negotiating objectives for a UK US Free Trade Agreement have been published, we are in a position to negotiate and are in discussions with the United States about when those negotiations will commence. The Prime Minister values the UK’s relationship with the United States, our closest defence and security ally and largest single trading partner. He speaks regularly to the President and will discuss the progress of negotiations in his discussions with the President over the coming months.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2020-03-04

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Property Development: Greater London Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to connect the building developments in East London Tech City with the developments in the Lower Lea Valley. Lord Maude of Horsham: The Mayor of London is responsible for economic development in London, as well as housing policy and delivery and strategic planning. These responsibilities come together through the statutory London Plan. Thus it is for the Mayor and the Greater London Authority, working with the relevant London boroughs, to make the most of the important opportunities provided by the developments in East London Tech City and the Lower Lea Valley. Social Services: Training Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the training scheme to create a career ladder for care workers by developing the role of care practitioners has been cancelled. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government is spending significant sums this year (circa £130 million) to train and develop the adult social care workforce; this includes £12m for the Workforce Development Fund for training to develop the workforce.Whilst pre-contract discussions had taken place, no formal financial commitment was made to this specific project by UK Commission for Employment and Skills and the project has been informed that funding is not available.In order to prioritise funding on the adult skills participation budgets, savings are being made from supporting budgets such as the UKCES. The Government is working closely with its delivery partners, Skills for Care and National Skills Academy Social Care to improve the level of skills of the adult social care workforce.The adult social care workforce has a key role to play as service users experience of care depends heavily on the sensitivity and compassion of care workers. Better skills and training are an important part of raising standards overall. Department for Education Pre-school Education: Finance Baroness Massey of Darwen: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funding exists to provide early years education for children who cannot attend school because of health needs. Lord Nash: The Department funds local authorities for high needs provision through the Dedicated Schools Grant. Local authorities have reported that they are planning to spend £11.62 million from this grant on children in their early years and £72.48 million on hospital education. Local authorities are able to allocate some of this funding to children who cannot attend school because of health needs. We are not able to provide a response with an amount allocated specifically to these children as the needs of children varies amongst different local authorities, and therefore it is right that decision making on allocation of funding for special educational needs and disabilities is made at a local level. Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the role of secondary schools in building self-confidence and social and emotional skills in their pupils. Lord Nash: All schools should equip young people with the necessary skills to leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. Personal Social Health and Economic (PSHE) education has a vital role to play in this and we want all schools to put it at the heart of their curriculum.This includes developing character traits like self-confidence, motivation and resilience. These traits support academic attainment, are valued by employers, and encourage young people to make a positive contribution to British society. Many schools are already doing this. The 27 schools and organisations that were winners of character awards in 2015 demonstrated excellence in the area. We will continue to support schools in developing these traits in pupils without prescribing compulsory measures. In order to do this, we are investing £5 million in character education, including £3.5m of grants for 14 projects and £1m to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to build evidence and expand research into the most effective character education.Last September, Ofsted introduced a common assessment framework for the inspection of schools, early years and further education and skills remits. There is an overall effectiveness judgement underpinned by four graded judgements, one of which is a new judgement on personal development, behaviour and welfare. This aspect, therefore, will be graded and reported on in all school inspections.Additionally, before making the final judgement on the overall effectiveness of all schools, Ofsted inspectors must evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This means that when judging the effectiveness of leadership and management, inspectors will consider the design, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum, ensuring breadth and balance and its impact on pupils’ outcomes and their personal development, behaviour and welfare. Ministry of Defence Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their most recent estimate of the unit cost of the UK’s F-35Bs has been revised (1) upwards, or (2) downwards, as a result of updated information provided by the US Joint Strike Fighter programme. Earl Howe: We continue to see a reduction in aircraft unit costs which is in line with the estimates shown in the annual US Selected Acquisition Report. The UK's F-35 programme remains within its cost approval limit as detailed in the National Audit Office Major Projects Report 2015. Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their most recent estimate of the in-service date for the F-35B aircraft. Earl Howe: UK F-35B Lightning II Initial Operating Capability remains on schedule for 2018. Prosthetics Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the pilot programme for Direct Skeletal Fixation is proceeding, and when they expect that pilot to be completed. Earl Howe: Work is currently under way between the Ministry of Defence, NHS England and the UK Departments of Health to put in place a patient referral pathway to enable access for eligible military personnel and Veterans to the Direct Skeletal Fixation programme. This includes the definition of clinical criteria to access the programme as the procedure will not be appropriate for every individual. The programme is expected to begin in spring 2016 for two and a half years and the results will be published following completion. Unmanned Systems Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to devise a written policy for the development, integration and use of military unmanned systems. Earl Howe: The Ministry of Defence is currently seeking to articulate in one policy document the considerations for future UK capability requirements, development, integration and use of unmanned systems. Syria: Military Intervention The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK airstrikes have been carried out against Daesh in Syria over the last two months; how many of those were against (1) economic targets, and (2) human targets; and what estimate they have made of collateral damage from those strikes. Earl Howe: As at 18 January 2016 the Royal Air Force has conducted a total of 22 air strikes against Daesh targets in Syria, beginning on the 2 December 2015 after the House of Commons vote.Of these, 11 strikes were against oil infrastructure, one was against a Daesh command and control centre and 10 were against Daesh fighters and their equipment. No collateral damage or civilian casualties arose from these strikes. Department for Culture, Media and Sport Athletics: Drugs Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the UK Athletics report A Manifesto for Clean Athletics. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: I welcome UK Athletics contributing to the debate on anti-doping and underlining its commitment to clean sport.It’s important that all sports continue to look at ways they can further promote clean sport and we will continue to work closely with UK Anti-Doping, World Anti-Doping Agency and sports governing bodies on tackling doping. Public Records Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 13 January (HL4703 and HL4704), whether they will place in the Library of the House a list of the grounds for retention linked to the relevant retention instruments. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: I refer the noble Lord to the response to HL4704. Cabinet Office Government Departments: Buildings Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether underused government buildings in Westminster such as the Lancaster House conference centre and the Foreign Secretary’s official residence are being considered for sale to private buyers, and if not, why not. Lord Bridges of Headley: This government is committed to rationalising and reducing the government estate to realise efficiencies and release value. By identifying underused properties and modernising our buildings to make better use of a smaller number of properties, we have reduced our Estate by 2 million square metres, saving over £750 million in running costs and generating nearly £1.8 billion in capital receipts since 2010.Both Lancaster House and 1 Carlton Gardens are properties leased by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office from the Crown Estate. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is therefore not in a position to sell either property. Both properties are in regular use for either conferences, meetings or official hospitality. All Foreign and Commonwealth Office properties are under regular review to ensure value for money. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Thames Tideway Tunnel Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in deciding on measures to limit pollution from storm water overflows in accordance with the footnote to Annex I.A of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), they have specified a certain acceptable number of storm water overflows per year in respect of the Thames Tideway upstream of Beckton; and, if so, what that number is. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: We have not specified an acceptable number of storm water overflows per year in respect of the Thames Tideway upstream of Beckton. The approach we have taken in the Tideway area is to improve sewage treatment and to increase the capacity of the collecting system, with a view to meeting agreed environmental objectives and to complying with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. The measures to deliver this are the Lee Tunnel, the Thames Tideway Tunnel and upgrades to five major sewage treatment works in London. Environment Agency: Public Appointments Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why chairing the Environment Agency is a part-time post. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Agency has a full time Executive and CEO who are responsible for all operational decisions.The role of the Chairman is to hold the Executive to account through regular meetings and committees and provide leadership and strategic vision for the Board.The Chairman does not operationally manage day to day business and is therefore part-time. This is the usual case for Chair appointments to Public Bodies across Government. Environment Agency: Redundancy Pay Lord Palmer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much severance pay was offered, and subsequently paid, to the Chairman of the Environment Agency prior to his resignation. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Sir Philip Dilley will work until the end of January to allow a measured transition. He will receive no severance package. Water Companies: Profits Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Ofwat concerning the profits made by water companies between 2010 and 2015. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government has regular discussions with Ofwat about its strategic priorities and objectives for regulation of the water sector.Ofwat sets price controls independently of Government. This independence is crucial to ensure stable economic regulation which keeps investment costs down and customer bills low.In 2009, Ofwat set price controls for the period from 2010 to 2015. During this period water companies benefited from several factors outside their control, including low taxation and low borrowing costs. In March 2013, Ofwat challenged companies to share gains with their customers. The then Secretary of State wrote to companies in November 2013 in support of Ofwat’s drive. As a result, companies absorbed costs and provided water bill discounts worth £435 million over this period.In 2014, Ofwat delivered a tough price review which means that bills will fall by around 5% in real terms from 2015 to 2020. Department of Health Physiotherapy: Training Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Health Education England to ensure that the number of physiotherapy student commissions for 2016–17 supports the goal of increasing the number of student places outlined in the Comprehensive Spending Review, in the light of the current annual shortfall of 500 physiotherapists required to meet demand reported by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Lord Prior of Brampton: As set out in the Spending Review, from 1 August 2017, new nursing, midwifery and allied health students will no longer receive National Health Service bursaries. Instead, they will have access to the same student loans system as other students.We intend that students studying nursing, midwifery and the allied health subjects as a second degree will also be able to get student loans.The change will only affect new students commencing their courses from 1 August 2017.We plan to publish a consultation at the end of February 2016, to ask how we can successfully deliver the reforms.Under the loans system, students on nursing, midwifery and allied health courses will receive around a 25% increase in the financial support available to them for living costs. The precise change for individuals will be dependent on their circumstances – for example, where they study, the length of the course, income and residency.This will build on the success of wider higher education funding reform, enabling universities to provide up to 10,000 additional nursing, midwifery and allied health training places over this parliament, so more applicants will have the chance to become a health professional.As set out in the Health Education England (HEE) commissioning and investment plan for 2016-17, HEE plans to commission 1,439 physiotherapy training places.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2016-01-20

Government Departments: Websites Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 20 November (WA 224—5), whether they intend to mark any festival of the Church of Scientology on the Communities and Local Government website. Baroness Andrews: My department does not intend to do so. Government Departments: Websites Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 20 November (WA 224—5), who are the stakeholders to which that Answer refers. Baroness Andrews: Ministers and officials send paper or electronic Christmas cards to a variety of people. A list of recipients is not held centrally and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost. Government Departments: Websites Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 20 November (WA 224—5), why Christmas cards are to be used to convey Christmas greetings rather than a goodwill message on the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government as in the marking of non-Christian religions. Baroness Andrews: This year my department will mark Christmas both by the sending of cards and the posting of a goodwill message on its website. Railways: Eurostar Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what steps they are taking to prepare Eurostar international rail services for sale. (2) what is the timescale for the prospective sale of (a) the Channel Tunnel Rail Link; (b) Eurostar (U.K.) Limited; and (c) property associated with London and Continental Railways. (3) what representations have been received from other shareholders regarding the sale of Eurostar. (4) what form of offer for sale is being planned in respect of Eurostar. Lord Adonis: In the recent Pre-Budget Report, the Government stated: "Following the passing of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Supplementary Provisions) Act 2008 last July it is the Government's intention (depending on prevailing market conditions) to proceed with the restructuring of London and Continental Railways Ltd and eventual sale of key assets such as High Speed 1, the rail link between London St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel to deliver best value for the taxpayer". This restructuring work continues and HS1 is currently consulting the rail industry on prospective terms and conditions of access for the railway. No decision has been reached on the timing of sale of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, nor in relation to the form or timing of any sale of other London and Continental Railways Ltd (LCR) assets apart from the sale of some surplus land in connection with the HS1 project. The Eurostar services are an unincorporated international joint venture comprising Eurostar (UK) Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of London and Continental Railways Ltd) and SNCF and SNCB respectively. The Government will continue to have discussions with LCR and the joint venture partners in relation to Eurostar. LCR has had for a number of years a programme to realise value from the sale of land acquired for the project that is now no longer required. This programme is continuing. LCR has completed the sale of certain land holdings at Stratford to the Olympic Delivery Authority and to its development partner Westfield. Other realisations of value from LCR's land interests, principally those at Kings Cross, are expected over the medium term. Railways: Wheelchair Users Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 20 November (WA 227) on arrangements train operators must make for accommodating wheelchair users, what is meant by "reasonable steps"; and whether any written guidance is available. Lord Adonis: It is for each station operator to decide policies in this area and compliance will vary depending on the circumstances of individual stations. There is no prescribed definition of "reasonable". Ultimately this is a matter for the courts to decide, taking into account the individual facts of any case brought by a disabled person who feels that they have been discriminated against. Guidance on this issue, Avoiding Disability Discrimination in Transport: A Practical Guide for Rail Services, was produced by the Disability Rights Commission. The commission also produced two statutory codes of practice on Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act. These are the Code of Practice—Rights of Access: Services to the Public, Public Authority Functions, Private Clubs and Premisesandthe Code of Practice: Provision and Use of Transport Vehicles. These publications are available from the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. Railways: Wheelchair Users Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 20 November (WA 227) on arrangements train operators must make for accommodating wheelchair users, what is meant by "will provide"; and whether disabled passengers are obliged to give notice of their travel to the station. Lord Adonis: Where a disabled person's journey starts from or finishes at a station that is inaccessible to them, there is an obligation upon the train operator to supply, at no additional charge, some form of accessible transport from the start station to the next accessible station along the route, or from the final accessible station to the destination station. This obligation is usually subject to operators being given reasonable prior notice of the need for alternative transport, and to the availability of suitable alternative transport. Information about these arrangements should be well publicised in information material aimed at passengers who have some form of disability. Roads: Dartford Crossing Lord Hanningfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will hold a referendum in Essex and Kent on the continuation of the Dartford crossing tolls; and whether they will ring-fence future income for transport investment in the two counties. Lord Adonis: The charges at the Dartford crossing were introduced in 2003 after toll revenues had paid the costs of the QEII Bridge. Parliament agreed the enabling powers for the charge in 2000, and the introduction of charges was the subject of a consultation exercise. The Government have recently implemented a revised charging regime at the crossing following two consultation exercises. There are no plans to hold a referendum. By law revenues from the crossing must be invested in transport. Until this year a proportion of revenues was made available to support integrated transport projects in the local area. Following our consultation on the local discount scheme this arrangement has now ceased and there are no plans to reintroduce any local earmarking of revenues. However, revenues from the crossing add to the resources available to the Department for Transport to support projects across the country, including investments in Kent and Essex. Roads: Dartford Crossing Lord Hanningfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will trial the removal of the Dartford crossing tolls and assess the subsequent impact on congestion levels. Lord Adonis: The Government do not plan to undertake such a trial. The toll plazas fulfil an important traffic management function, especially going northbound into the tunnels, and allow the queues to be managed before the tunnel entrances rather than in them. The evidence indicates that the tunnels cannot accommodate more traffic than the toll plaza can process. Further, the barriers allow traffic to be held back while fuel tankers and other dangerous loads are escorted through. To undertake a proper trial it would be necessary to remove all the toll infrastructure, ie the booths and the steel and concrete protection surrounding them as it would not be safe to allow free-flow traffic to negotiate the narrow lanes past the toll booths.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2008-12-09a

Department for Communities and Local Government Council Housing: Greater London Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many council homes have been built each year since 2010 in each of the 32 London boroughs. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The numbers of local authority dwellings built ineach London borough from 2010/11 are shown in the attached table. For context I have also provided figures going back to 2001/2. These figures show that under Labour, from 2001/02-2009/10, there were 170 council homes built across the 32 London boroughs, whereas from 2010/11 to 2014/15 we have built 1,510 council homes across London. PQ HL2937 - Number of council homes (Excel SpreadSheet, 15.94 KB) Leader of the House of Lords Peers: Ministerial Policy Advisers Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment has been made of whether denying a member of the House of Lords who is a Special Adviser the right to speak is in breach of the letters patent, which refer to "seat" and "voice". Baroness Stowell of Beeston: A member of the House of Lords who is eligible to take part in the work of the House, and who is also a serving special adviser, is not denied the right to speak. It has, however, been an accepted practice under successive administrations that members in that position vote but refrain from speaking. Foreign and Commonwealth Office China: Family Planning Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they raised concerns about the impact of the one child policy in China on (1) human rights, (2) selective abortion of (a) female, and (b) disabled, unborn children, and (3) rates of forced abortions, infanticide and involuntary sterilisations, with President Xi Jinping during his visit to the United Kingdom. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: China’s ‘one child’ policy was not raised during his recent State Visit, though the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), was very clear during his wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China. Reforms announced by the Chinese government on 29 October which should allow every Chinese family to have a second child, are a significant step. China: Family Planning Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they discussed with President Xi Jinping, during his visit to the United Kingdom, the selective relaxation of the one child policy in China, and the impact of that revised policy on families who have more than two children. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: China’s ‘one child’ policy was not raised during the recent State Visit, though the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), was very clear during his wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China. Reforms announced by the Chinese Government on 29 October which should allow every Chinese family to have a second child, are a significant step. North Korea: Terrorism Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 22 June (HL689) in determining that North Korea does not pose a terrorist threat, what assessment they made of any involvement by North Korea in assassinations, attempted kidnapping and offering support for the Tamil Tigers, Hezbollah and Hamas. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of media reports linking individuals alleged to be agents of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to assassination attempts against DPRK citizens who have resettled in the Republic of Korea (ROK). The reports also detail the actions taken by the ROK authorities in response to these incidents. There are also occasional unverified reports that North Korean agents have abducted refugees resident in other countries. While the DPRK has acknowledged its involvement in the historical abductions of Japanese citizens during the 1970s and 1980s, it has not admitted to participation in these more recent reported cases. We strongly support efforts to resolve enforced disappearances and spoke on this matter during a UN Human Rights Council panel discussion in September.We are also aware of media reports alleging cooperation between the DPRK and the Tamil Tigers, Hezbollah and Hamas. Despite these reports, recent public assessments indicate that the DPRK is not known to have sponsored any terrorist acts since 1987. However, the UK remains extremely concerned by the DPRK’s indiscriminate global proliferation of arms and related material, in violation of UN sanctions. Central African Republic: Politics and Government Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the security situation in the Central African Republic. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is grave. Outside the capital Bangui, violence, looting, road-blocks, hostage-taking and human rights abuses continue to occur with relative impunity.The security situation in Bangui is more stable than the rest of the country, having improved following the surge in violence in late September, but tensions still run high and we continue to advise against all travel to CAR. Central African Republic: Peacekeeping Operations Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the United Kingdom contributes to the cost of the UN peacekeeping force in the Central African Republic. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK contributes £23.2 million for the financial year 2014/15, and a projected £33.02 million for the financial year 2015/16, to the UN Peacekeeping Budget for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). These are assessed (i.e. mandatory) contributions which are based on funding a fixed percentage of MINUSCA’s budget. Central African Republic Baroness Berridge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the need for funds to enable the disarmament, demobilisation and re-integration of those perpetrating violence in the Central African Republic. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) is essential to create the conditions for stability and security in the Central African Republic (CAR). The UN peacekeeping force in CAR, the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), is the lead on DDR work in CAR. The UK works closely with MINUSCA to ensure it provides adequate support to CAR authorities to launch DDR in CAR.MINUSCA has budgeted $28 million for a DDR programme aimed at what they expect will amount to 3,500 ex-Seleka fighters in total and 1,500-3,500 dependants. Through the UK’s contribution to MINUSCA, we support this vital work on pushing DDR forward in CAR.MINUSCA is currently in the pre-DDR phase, preparing for the launch of DDR. This entails a sensitisation process/education process for former combatants who will take part in DDR. Israel: Palestinians Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the state of emergency declared by the Palestinian Red Crescent on 4 October. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While we have not raised this issue specifically with the Israeli authorities, we are clear that medical staff should have the protection that allows them to do their jobs in safety. Since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority on the need to de-escalate the tensions. Bangladesh: Religious Freedom Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 22 October (HL Deb, GC53–4), what response they have received from the government of Bangladesh following the representations they have made about the murder of secularists and upholding rights of freedom of belief set out in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government has been unequivocal in its condemnation of the murder of four secular bloggers in Bangladesh this year, and in calling for the Government of Bangladesh to protect those who face threats to their lives because of the views they have expressed. The Bangladesh authorities continue their investigations to find the perpetrators and a number of arrests have been made. The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, visited Bangladesh from 31 August to 9 September. We look forward to his report at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016 and we will encourage the government to consider all its recommendations carefully. EU Immigration Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria were used to decide which governments to invite to participate in the European Union leaders’ meeting of 25 October to discuss the Western Balkans migratory route. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government understands that on 25 October Commission President Juncker convened leaders from those countries most affected by the migration crisis along the Western Balkans route; namely, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. The emergency meeting was not attended by all 28 Member States of the EU, or all the countries of the Western Balkans. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), participated in a formal EU Conference with Western Balkans and other countries on 8 October in Luxembourg which agreed a comprehensive package of measures for dealing with the challenges of migration through the Eastern Mediterranean. Jerusalem Lord Turnberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with King Abdullah of Jordan about his role in and responsibility for the oversight of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: King Abdullah raised his concerns over violence at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif site during the visit to Jordan in September by the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron). We regularly discuss measures to de-escalate tensions and maintain the status quo with all levels of the Jordanian government.On 29 October the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), met a delegation of Arab Heads of Mission, led by the Jordanian Ambassador, to discuss the violence at the Holy Sites and the implementation of the recent Israel-Jordan agreement. He assured the Ambassador and delegation that we will do all we can to support efforts to de-escalate tensions and maintain the status quo, which includes encouraging all sides to respect the King of Jordan’s custodianship. Jerusalem Lord Turnberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what approaches they have made to the President of the Palestinian Authority about his comments that Israel intends to take over the Temple Mount and the mosque situated there. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), emphasised the importance of calming the current tensions when he spoke to President Abbas on 9 October. On 26 October, our Consul General in Jerusalem raised our concerns with Prime Minister and Minister for Interior, Rami Hamdallah.Since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government on the need to de-escalate tensions, avoid any words or actions that could incite further violence, and maintain the status quo at the holy site of Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. Syria: Peace Negotiations Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any new initiatives planned to revive or replace the so-called Geneva Two process on Syria. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK remains committed to a sustainable political settlement that leads to a political transition in Syria, away from Assad, to a government in Damascus which better meets the needs of the Syrian people and with which we can work to defeat extremism. The Geneva Communiqué, which has been agreed by key international parties, remains a key building block of our efforts on this. On 30 October the UK, US, Russia, key Middle East states and European partners met in Vienna to take forward discussions on this. The Vienna Communiqué sets out areas of agreement and may provide the basis for a new process. The parties have agreed to reconvene within the next two weeks. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Design: Apprentices Lord Freyberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many apprenticeships there are in the field of design; and whether they plan to take steps to increase the number. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Apprenticeship Starts by Frameworks including those in design-related subject areas, are published in a supplementary table to the Statistical First Release https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/467751/apprenticeships-starts-by-sase-framework.xls https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/learner-participation-outcomes-and-level-of-highest-qualification-heldWe are taking action to support and encourage the growth of apprenticeships in all sectors to meet our commitment to 3 million starts over this Parliament. We are working with large and small businesses to find ways to encourage employers, colleges and schools to work together to increase the number of apprenticeships.Over 1300 employers are currently involved in designing new apprenticeship standards including in Design-related occupations such as Product Design & Development Engineer; Product Design & Development Technician; Visual Effects Designer and Software Developer - with more in development. Apprenticeships (Excel SpreadSheet, 225 KB) Learner details (PDF Document, 928.13 KB) Department for International Development St Helena: Airports Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what initiatives they are planning to encourage tourists to use the new airport on St Helena. Baroness Verma: The UK Government is providing financial support of £4.8 million between 2013 and 2016 to Enterprise St Helena, the island’s economic development agency. Enterprise St Helena is supporting the tourism sector through tourist promotion, international advertising, hospitality training, and small business development grants. It is also working with Comair, the St Helena Government’s airline partner, to encourage tourists to visit the island. West Africa: Ebola Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they are planning to fund in West Africa into the persistence of the Ebola virus in survivors, and into post-Ebola syndrome. Baroness Verma: DFID is making UK-funded treatment facilities and laboratories available for research into Ebola survivors and existing DFID-funded research may provide relevant evidence. For example the Anthropology Platform is conducting research into survivors, and the WHO vaccine trial in Guinea is following up participants for three months.To mitigate any risk of potential Ebola transmission, the UK is also helping the Government of Sierra Leone to assist survivors with access to healthcare, safe sex education and condoms, counselling and stigma reduction activities. International Assistance Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of international aid agencies' efforts to support and protect their staff from sexual abuse. Baroness Verma: Whilst we do not have a contractual obligation to have a duty of care for the staff of international aid agencies that are funded by DFID, all DFID funding is subject to DFID’s Due Diligence procedures which assess an organisation’s governance and control structure and those of their downstream partners. Department for Education Unemployment: Young People Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of young people considered not to be in education, employment or training (1) have a disability, or (2) are carers, broken down by region. Lord Nash: Official data covering young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) in England is regularly published by the Department for Education. This data cannot, however, be broken down by individual characteristics.Local authorities collect data on the proportion of 16-18 year olds known by their local authority to be NEET, and who have a learning difficulty or disability, or who are carers. Special Educational Needs Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what options and support are available for young people with special educational needs, but who do not have a statement of special needs, during the transition between school and further education. Lord Nash: The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice makes it clear that both schools and further education colleges in England should support all children and young people with SEN through this important transition, whether or not they have a statement of SEN or an Education, Health and Care Plan.The Code of Practice sets out expectations for this transition. These include a working partnership between schools and colleges; opportunities for young people to familiarise themselves with the new setting; and that the new setting ensure the right provision is in place to meet the young person’s needs and aspirations.Schools also have a duty to secure independent careers guidance for all Year 8 -13 pupils, including those with SEN. This must include information on the full range of education and training options, including further education and apprenticeships. Migration: Education Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that United Kingdom immigration and emigration statistics are studied as part of the core curriculum in schools. Lord Nash: The national curriculum contains a number of opportunities for pupils to be taught about migration, for example within the History curriculum. As part of a compulsory unit on British history, 11 to 14 year olds may study the social history of migration to, from and within the British Isles. The Lord Chairman of Committees House of Lords: Consultants Lord Storey: To ask the Chairman of Committees how many consultants have been employed in the House of Lords in the last three years; and what has been the cost of each firm or independent consultant. Lord Laming: Payments for the last three financial years are as follows:Firm2012-13 £2013-14 £2014-15 £Work undertakenBeamans Ltd--31,050Costs related to a pay and grading reviewBHBi Consultancy Ltd14,800--Audit of an ongoing capital projectBostock Marketing Group23,025-20,238Costs of the independently-managed Member and staff surveysCapita Business Services-6,913-Support for an equal pay auditCatering Consultancy Bureau-6,12813,662Branding project for Catering and Retail Services (CRS) outlets and delivery of communications workshopsChartered Institute of Procurement and Supply-23,118-Support for a review of procurement servicesGovernment Actuary’s Department5,4005,0007,500Annual accounting valuation of the House of Lords staff pension schemeHelena Bayler275-825Design and amendment of specialist formsInformation Accreditor2,12513,77024,735Proportion of costs to provide the two Houses with assurance on the security of new IT systemsJM HR Solutions Limited15,0007,750-Human resource review supportPanache Consultancy Limited2,952--Review of staffing requirements for certain CRS outletsSage Food Design and Development-10,7618,269CRS consultancy regarding food covering: menus, kitchen production, kitchen organisations and structureStern Consultancy-3,468-Income generation project supportThe Litmus Partnership Limited-7,98218,400CRS smarter procurement support and related services including supplier price challengeThe Mystery Dining Company-555395Mystery shopping of catering venuesTurpin Smale-4,400-CRS outlet-specific consultancy to support the Change ProgrammeUniversity of Portsmouth Ltd4,157--Specialist support to develop a facility to search for records from the Parliament Archives online catalogue by placeTOTAL68,77590,720125,074N/AThe House seeks only to engage external consultant support when it is more economical to engage specialist services on a fixed term basis than to embed capacity in-House, when specific external advice is beneficial, or when capacity issues necessitate it.Most of the spending on consultancy in Catering and Retail Services has been to support an ambitious Change Programme which is seeking to deliver a step change in food quality and service by empowering individuals in order to provide better value for money to both the Member and the taxpayer. This investment should help the House reduce the cost of catering provision. Home Office Asylum: EU Law Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Dublin Regulation, in the light of recent events in Syria, and the need to protect vulnerable refugees. Lord Bates: As set out in my Written Answer HL1907 on 21 September, the Government has no plans to change the way in which we apply the Dublin Regulation. The Dublin Regulation is a vital tool in our ability to manage asylum claims, including repeated claims.The European Commission has proposed a review of the Dublin Regulation with a view to bringing forward a new measure for negotiation next March. We will cooperate fully with that review. EU Immigration Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to support the governments of Italy and Greece to deal with the number of immigrants arriving in their countries. Lord Bates: The UK has provided support to Italy and Greece through European Asylum Support Office (EASO) coordinated missions. We have provided over 1000 days of staff time on 20 missions over 3 years, more than any other Member State. The UK will also provide up to ten personnel to EASO to support ‘Hotspot’ missions in Italy and Greece.In addition to assistance through EASO the UK is also providing Greece bilateral law enforcement support through our National Crime Agency.The UK actively supports the work of Frontex (the European Union agency with responsibility for improving the securing and surveillance of the EU external border) to co-ordinate the work of the European border agencies to raise standards of border management. Terrorism: British Nationals Abroad Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what range of sanctions is available to use against British Jihadists returning to the United Kingdom after fighting in Syria and Iraq; and whether they will encourage the police to use them. Lord Bates: People seeking to travel to engage in terrorist activity in Syria or Iraq should be in no doubt we will take the strongest possible action to protect our national security. If they return to the UK they should expect to be subject to a police investigation. Whether a prosecution for an offence can be pursued in individual cases is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, which received Royal Assent on 12 February 2015, has added to existing powers by disrupting the ability of people to travel abroad to engage in terrorism-related activity and controlling their return to the UK; enhancing our ability to monitor and control the actions of those in the UK who pose a threat; and combating the underlying ideology that feeds, supports and sanctions terrorism.In addition, the Government has powers under the Immigration Act 2014 to deprive persons of their British citizenship if such a deprivation is deemed ‘conducive to the public good’, for instance if a person has been involved in threats to national security, war crimes, serious and organised crime or unacceptable behaviours such as glorification of terrorism. Deprivation of British citizenship results in simultaneous loss of the right of abode in the United Kingdom. Once deprived, an individual becomes subject to immigration powers and can be deported or removed from the UK Terrorism: British Nationals Abroad Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the removal of the passports of British Jihadists who have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq, in order to prevent their return to the United Kingdom. Lord Bates: The Government has long-standing powers under the Immigration Act 2014 to deprive persons of their British citizenship if such deprivation is deemed ‘conducive to the public good’, for instance if a person has been involved in threats to national security, war crimes, serious and organised crime or unacceptable behaviours such as glorification of terrorism.Deprivation of British citizenship results in simultaneous loss of the right of abode in the United Kingdom. Once deprived, an individual becomes subject to immigration powers and can be deported or removed from the UK or prevented from returning to the UK if deprivation action occurs whilst they are abroad.In addition under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, the Home Secretary may impose a temporary exclusion order on a British citizen suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activity outside the UK. The individual’s passport would be cancelled, but the individual may return to the UK in accordance with a permit to return. Asylum: LGBT People Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the action plan sent to the National Asylum Stakeholder Forum following the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration's report in 2014 on asylum on grounds of sexual orientation has now been agreed and implemented in full. Lord Bates: Following publication of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration’s report last year and in consultation with key partners, UKVI produced and agreed an LGBTI ‘Action Plan’ to facilitate further improvements in the handling and management of asylum claims brought on the basis of sexual identity issues and to improve the training and guidance given to staff.The key inspection recommendations have been reflected in this plan, specifically improving training and guidance to decision makers, improving claim recording mechanisms, ensuring policy compliance, and ensuring a consistent approach to explicit material and dealing with sexually explicit questioning. We continue to work with our partners in developing these strategies to ensure full implementation of the Chief Inspector’s recommendations. HM Treasury Tobacco Baroness Crawley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether ministerial approval was given to HM Revenue and Customs to conduct a pilot programme of the tobacco industry's Codentify trading and tracing system. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: HM Revenue and Customs is not conducting a pilot programme of the Codentify tracking and tracing system.HM Revenue and Customs is piloting Codentify as a tool for product authentication only.As this is a trial only, no ministerial approval was required or has been sought. Tobacco Baroness Crawley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the pilot programme by HM Revenue and Customs of the tobacco industry's Codentify trading and tracing system in the light of the United Kingdom's obligations under the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and its protocol. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: HM Revenue and Customs has made no assessment of the effectiveness of the Codentify tracking and tracing system. Tobacco Baroness Crawley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether HM Revenue and Customs are undertaking any pilot programmes for tobacco control other than with the tobacco industry's Codentify trading and tracing system. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: HM Revenue and Customs are not piloting any tracking and tracing systems for tobacco control.HM Revenue and Customs are currently trialling Codentify as a product authentication system only. Tobacco Baroness Crawley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment (1) HM Revenue and Customs, and (2) the Department of Health, have made of the accuracy of the Codentify trading and tracing system as a means of product authentication. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: HM Revenue and Customs has made no assessment of the accuracy of the Codentify tracking and tracing system as a means of product authentication.The Department of Health is not responsible for product authentication and it has made no assessment of the accuracy of the Codentify tracking and tracing system as a means of product authentication. Financial Services Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when ministers last met representatives of the Investment Association to discuss fund management industry matters. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.Ministers’ Quarterly Transparency Returns provide details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business and are published on a quarterly basis and can be found on the Government’s website. Cabinet Office Electoral Register Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the electoral register is as complete as possible by the end of March 2016. Lord Bridges of Headley: We are working with Local Authorities, the Electoral Commission and Civil Society groups to find better ways of reaching and encouraging under registered groups to register, as the Minister for Constitutional Reform set out in his recent speech on voter engagement. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/vision-for-electoral-registration-speech-by-john-penrose.Online registration is making the process notably quicker, easier and more convenient for everybody, but particularly for under-registered groups like young people; 2.9 million 16-24 year olds have applied since June 2014. Completing the implementation of Individual Electoral Registration will also help, by giving an accurate picture of registration levels that isn’t artificially inflated or flattered by people who have either died or moved away. Ministers: Codes of Practice Lord Falconer of Thoroton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the removal of the reference in the Ministerial Code to having to comply with international law and treaty obligations alters the legal obligations of ministers. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the new Ministerial Code, whether the duty of ministers to comply with the law continues to include international law and treaties. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Attorney General was consulted or notified before the decision was made to remove the reference to the need to comply with international law and treaty obligations from the Ministerial Code. Lord Bridges of Headley: The Ministerial Code is normally updated and reissued after a General Election. The updated Code makes clear that Ministers must abide by the law. The obligations of Ministers under the law including international law remain unchanged.Information relating to internal discussions and advice is not disclosed.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2015-11-05

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy ARM: Softbank Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consulted experts in the field before publicly welcoming the acquisition of ARM Holdings by SoftBank, and whether they would similarly welcome a rival bid from an international private equity investor. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: SoftBank has made it clear that it intends to invest in ARM, keep its HQ in the UK, and at least double the employee headcount in the UK. The Government welcomes this. No rival bids for ARM have so far been made. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Turkey: Politics and Government Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 30 June (HL759), in which areas of reform in Turkey they believe there has been "significant backsliding". Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government has stressed to the Government of Turkey the importance of freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and the independence of the judiciary. In meetings with the Turkish Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and others during a recent visit to Turkey the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Sir Alan Duncan) emphasised the UK's unequivocal condemnation of the coup attempt and our support for Turkey's democratic institutions. The Minister of State also emphasised the need for Turkey to respect human rights and the rule of law and urged continued focus on the Daesh threat, emphasising the need to protect British tourists. South Sudan: Peace Negotiations Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the preliminary ceasefire agreed in South Sudan on 11 July continues to hold; what steps they are taking to ensure that those displaced by the violence in South Sudan receive humanitarian protection and that the existing infrastructure in place at the Tomping base of the UN Mission in South Sudan is adequate; and what representations they have made to both the first Vice President Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir to encourage constructive political dialogue. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), issued a statement on 14 July calling on President Kiir and First Vice-President Machar to ensure their troops abide by the ceasefire and refrain from further violence. We are now working with our regional partners to support this. At the UN Security Council we continue to make clear that the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) needs to be strengthened and an arms embargo and targeted sanctions should be applied.The UK’s humanitarian partners are providing water, food and health services to those affected by the recent fighting in Juba. Our humanitarian programme continues to deliver assistance across South Sudan to support the 1.6 million internally displaced people. We are also working to ensure that UNMISS has the equipment and unrestricted access it needs to fulfil its mandated task of providing a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Rwanda: Civil Liberties Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are supporting the government of Rwanda in its work to provide civil and political rights for its citizens. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Rwanda has made impressive gains in securing economic and social rights; we want to see these continue. We support the Government of Rwanda’s Vision 2020 development programme which sets out their commitment to “the rule of law and the protection of human rights”.We speak candidly with Rwanda, publicly and privately, and have been clear that Rwanda needs to do more to make these aspirations a reality. For example, we submitted recommendations on media freedoms and political space during the Universal Periodic Review on Rwanda. The Department for International Development’s work in Rwanda is underpinned by an agreement on four Partnership Principles, which include respect for human rights and promoting good governance. Our regular private discussions with the Government of Rwanda are reinforced at Ministerial level, including during visits to Kigali by the former Minister of State at the Department for International Development, my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfied (Grant Shapps), in September and the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) in December last year.We are also delivering training in partnership with the Rwandan National Police on a range of topics from public order management to gender based violence. This training supports the security forces to carry out their role of protecting the population in a human rights compliant manner. Department for Work and Pensions Pensions Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an estimate of the cost of their monetary policy on the solvency of pension schemes, and whether they plan to use the profit made from quantitative easing to strengthen the financial position of the Pension Protection Fund. Lord Freud: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 25 July 2016.The correct answer should have been: The UK’s monetary policy framework gives operational responsibility for monetary policy to the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) at the Bank of England. Decisions on setting monetary policy are for the judgement of the Monetary Policy Committee. The Government is sensitive to the fact that there will be those who gain and those who lose from any particular monetary policy decision. Such distributional effects typically balance out over the course of a policy cycle. Over the last six years low interest rates have helped households and businesses through challenging economic times. Furthermore, as the Bank of England has explained in its article entitled "The distributional effects of asset purchases" published in its 2012 Q3 Quarterly Bulletin: "Without the Bank's asset purchases, most people in the United Kingdom would have been worse off. Economic growth would have been lower. Unemployment would have been higher. Many more companies would have gone out of business. This would have had a significant detrimental impact on savers and pensioners along with every other group in our society." The Pension Protection Fund is financially sustainable and there are no plans to further strengthen it. The PPF 2015/16 annual report said that the Fund has over £22 £23 billion assets under management and is 115 116.3 per cent funded. Lord Freud: The UK’s monetary policy framework gives operational responsibility for monetary policy to the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) at the Bank of England. Decisions on setting monetary policy are for the judgement of the Monetary Policy Committee. The Government is sensitive to the fact that there will be those who gain and those who lose from any particular monetary policy decision. Such distributional effects typically balance out over the course of a policy cycle. Over the last six years low interest rates have helped households and businesses through challenging economic times. Furthermore, as the Bank of England has explained in its article entitled "The distributional effects of asset purchases" published in its 2012 Q3 Quarterly Bulletin: "Without the Bank's asset purchases, most people in the United Kingdom would have been worse off. Economic growth would have been lower. Unemployment would have been higher. Many more companies would have gone out of business. This would have had a significant detrimental impact on savers and pensioners along with every other group in our society." The Pension Protection Fund is financially sustainable and there are no plans to further strengthen it. The PPF 2015/16 annual report said that the Fund has over £22 £23 billion assets under management and is 115 116.3 per cent funded. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Common Land Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they are proposing for reclaiming lost commons under the Commons Act 2006. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Applications can already be made to register commons which were mistakenly omitted from the register in nine authority areas under the Commons Act Schedule 2 paragraphs 2-4. Together these nine authorities cover over 70% of registered commons and greens in England. In addition, where commons were omitted as a result of a mistake made by a commons registration authority, applications under section 19 of the Commons Act 2006 can be made anywhere in England. Foot and Mouth Disease: Vaccination Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in developing better vaccines for foot and mouth disease. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: There are three vaccines authorised for use in the UK for foot and mouth disease (FMD). The UK Marketing Authorisation Holder (Merial Animal Health Ltd) is a leading developer of FMD vaccines and a major supplier worldwide. The decision on whether to develop and market a new product is a commercial one for those pharmaceutical companies wishing to invest the necessary capital. Applications for new products are assessed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to ensure their safety, quality and efficacy prior to them being authorised. River Helford: Fish Farming Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to protect and promote oyster farming on the banks of the Helford River in Cornwall. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The shellfish industry is an important contributor to the UK economy and is worth over £250 million annually. Government policy is to facilitate industry-led growth in this sector; it is for private enterprise and the owners of sites to consider the benefits of oyster farming on the banks of the Helford River in Cornwall. Public funds are currently available to support economic growth in the aquaculture sector through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). In November 2015, the UK Government published a Multiannual National Plan for Aquaculture which outlines areas of growth earmarked for support under the EMFF. In addition, the Shellfish Act 1967 exists to encourage the setting up and management of private and natural fisheries through Several and Regulating Orders, which grant exclusive fishing or management rights within a designated area. Agriculture: Subsidies Lord Palmer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 20 July (HL Deb, col 640), whether the UK is going to be fined by the EU as a result of making late payments under the Single Farm Payment Scheme. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Under normal rules, if the value of payments made after the 30 June deadline exceeds 5% of the value of payments made before the deadline, then penalties apply. The reductions would be 10% on payments made in July, 25% on payments made in August and 45% for payments made in September. Commissioner Hogan, however, confirmed his intention to extend the date by which Member States may make CAP direct payments without the usual reductions in the rate of reimbursement from the EU to the Member States concerned. We are currently assessing the UK position in terms of the value of payments made by 30 June and the expected value of payments to be made before 15 October for each of the four UK paying agencies. Once this assessment has been completed we will be in a position to decide whether the UK needs to submit a request to take up the provisions outlined by the Commission. Department for Communities and Local Government Community Land Trusts Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received representations regarding a specific case in which parish councillors who are also members of a Community Land Trust (CLT) have been told to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest even though the CLT is legally established as a not-for-profit Industrial and Provident Society that requires members to take out £5 par value (not investment) shares and allows no income for members or directors from its activities. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: We are not aware of having received representations on such a case. The national rules on local authority members’ pecuniary interests, as set out in the Localism Act 2011, require local authority members, including parish councillors, to register and disclose certain pecuniary interests, as defined in the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012. A guide for councillors on openness and transparency on personal interests is available on my department’s web-site. Local authority members who contact my department for advice are directed to the regulations and to the guide and are advised to contact the monitoring officer of their relevant local authority, who can advise them on their specific queries. EU Grants and Loans Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to discuss European structural and investment funding with the Local Government Association and other interested parties. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Government meets regularly with representatives of the Local Government Association and other partners, who are members of national and local European Structural and Investment Funds committees where these EU funds are discussed. HM Treasury EU Grants and Loans Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guarantees are in place to ensure that European structural and investment funding commitments that have already been entered into are honoured. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Government remains committed to encouraging economic growth across the regions and nations of the UK. The Government is carefully considering the use of these funds and will make an announcement on EU funding in due course. EU Grants and Loans Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their intention to allocate sufficient funding to meet the level and profile of the current calls by the UK on European structural and investment funding. Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to commit to future funding that reflects the total level of the 2014–20 European structural and investment funding programme in line with the needs of local areas. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The people of the UK have voted to leave the EU. It would not be appropriate to commit, without due consideration, to continuing to spend money over a long period as if we had not voted to leave the EU. But the Government remains committed to encouraging economic growth across the regions and nations of the UK. The Government is therefore carefully considering the use of these funds and will make an announcement on EU funding in due course. Department for International Trade British Chambers of Commerce Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what annual funding they have provided to the British Chambers of Commerce for each of the past four years; whether any payment has been made to that organisation beyond any annual budgetary allocation during each of the past four years; and if so, what was the amount of each such payment, and for what purpose each was made. Lord Price: During the two-year pilot of the Overseas Business Network initiative (OBNi) (2013/14 and 2014/15), the former UK Trade & Investment trialled a number of initiatives with the BCC for which they were granted £1.6m. This included accrediting the overseas service providers, mainly chambers of commerce, and co-ordinating UK-end activity.In 2015/16, BCC were contracted to continue to accredit overseas delivery partners and deliver one global conference, for which they received a total of £334,225 (incl. of VAT). They will continue to accredit overseas chambers in the network in 2016/17, under contract up to a maximum value of £157,680 (plus VAT). BCC were also subcontracted by UKTI’s main contractor for its Inward Investment Programme between 2012 and 2014 for a total value of £2,552,704. The former Department for Business, Innovation and Skills made a number of relatively small payments to the BCC in each of the past four years, for things such as an exhibition stand at the BCC Annual Conferences and a small number of regional events. These payments total around £22,000 across the four years.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2016-08-04

Department for Transport Bus Services: Franchises Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the monetary value of the relevant information that a franchising authority may obtain from local bus operators under Clause 5 of the Bus Services Bill [HL]. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government has made no assessment of the monetary value of the information that a local authority can obtain under Clause 5. The Government understands that some of the information will be commercially sensitive and it is therefore imperative that authorities treat it with care. The information can be used only in connection with the franchising scheme. Bus Services: Franchises Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what basis local authorities are to be given powers under Clause 5 of the Bus Services Bill [HL] to demand relevant information from bus operators, particularly in cases where such relevant information is market-sensitive and providing it to any other party might be contrary to the Competition Act 1998. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government wants to ensure that authorities considering franchising can access the information they need to accurately assess their franchising scheme. This will help to ensure that informed decisions can be made on the basis of robust evidence and analysis. We recognise that some of the information provided by operators will be commercially sensitive. Franchising authorities will need to treat this information with care, and will be able to refuse to release such information by way of the relevant Freedom of Information exemptions. The Bill also makes clear that the information acquired by the franchising authority must only be used in connection with its franchising functions, and not for other purposes. Bus Services: Franchises Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether draft regulations will be made available under Clause 5 of the Bus Services Bill [HL] relating to the provision of relevant information that a franchising authority may obtain from local bus operators, and if so, when. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government will work closely with both local authority stakeholders and bus operators to develop sensible proposals that both meet the needs of franchising authorities and do not place unnecessary burdens on local bus operators. Policy discussions with key stakeholders were started in May, and policy scoping notes, setting out the policy intent of each of the regulations, were circulated to Noble Peers on 15th June. Our intention is to continue to engage with bus operators and local authorities to produce draft regulations for consultation in the autumn. Department for Education Children's Centres: Closures Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many county councils have closed down their children's centres. Lord Nash: Local authorities have a duty under the Childcare Act 2006 to ensure sufficient children’s centres to meet the needs of local families. Local authorities must also consult fully before any significant changes are made to children’s centre services.All 27 county councils in England have children’s centre sites open to families and children providing children's centre services as part of a network.According to data supplied to the department by local authorities, at end May 2016, eight county councils had closed some sites within their children’s centre networks.An independent survey carried out by the national children’s charity, 4Children (published October 2015) estimated more than a million children and families were using children’s centres. Grammar Schools: Buckinghamshire Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take action in response to the recent report by Local Equal Excellent that children with a Pakistani background sitting the 11-plus entrance examination in Buckinghamshire are only half as likely as their white classmates to secure a place at one of the grammar schools in that area. Lord Nash: The School Admissions Code requires school admission arrangements to be ‘fair, clear and objective’. It further requires that ‘admission authorities must ensure that their arrangements will not disadvantage unfairly, either directly or indirectly, a child from a particular social or racial group’.Those who consider an admission policy, including a selection test, to breach the School Admissions Code can submit an objection to the independent Schools Adjudicator. If the Adjudicator agrees that the policy is unfair or otherwise breaches the Code she can require schools to amend their admission arrangements. Department for Work and Pensions Poverty Lord Bird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Office for National Statistics report on the levels of (1) persistent, and (2) overall, poverty rates in the United Kingdom, what new actions they intend to take to eradicate poverty and the causes of poverty in this Parliament. Lord Bird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what amount and proportion of funding from their poverty prevention programmes currently in operation has been allocated to (1) preventing the underlying causes of poverty, (2) dealing with emergency effects of poverty, (3) managing the ongoing effects of poverty, and (4) alleviating the effects of poverty, in (a) each of the last five years, and (b) to date in 2016. Lord Freud: This Government’s welfare reforms are focused on supporting people to find and keep work whilst ensuring that we are protecting the most vulnerable. At the end of the Parliament we will be spending over £60bn – 3% of GDP – supporting people on low incomes. We know that work is the best route out of poverty. Evidence shows that almost three-quarters of poor workless families who found full employment escaped poverty; and that the highest poverty exit rate of 75% was for families that moved from part to full employment. The number of children living in workless households is down by 449,000 since 2010 Our new life chances approach to poverty and disadvantage will include a set of indicators to measure progress in tackling the root causes of poverty such as worklessness, educational attainment and family stability. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Soil: Research Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what surveys of earthworm populations and diversity in arable soils in England have been carried out since 1996, and for each project what was the contractor's budget, and where the final report can be found on the gov.uk website. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Defra has not carried out any surveys of earthworm populations and diversity specifically in arable soils. However, Defra carries out research on earthworms as part of a wider programme of research on sustainable land management because of their important role in developing soil structure, water movement, nutrient dynamics, and plant growth. Defra has contributed funding to the Open Air Laboratory (OPAL) Soil and Earthworm Survey in England launched in 2012. Two technical reports detailing the analysis of the first set of results of the Soil and Earthworm Survey are publicly available on the website of Imperial College London. Defra’s delivery partner Natural England has previously funded the London Natural History Museum to survey earthworms in a number of semi-natural sites across England and Scotland, but also included sampling from 6 arable sites. This work was captured in a report published by Natural England in April 2014 entitled “Earthworms in England: distribution, abundance and habitat”. The report is available on Natural England’s website, reference NECR145. In 2014 Defra funded the establishment of the Sustainable Intensification Research Platform (budget £4,111,184), supporting research into sustainable productive farming techniques, which includes current assessment of earthworm abundance under contrasting arable systems at the Allerton Project at Loddington. Soil: Research Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current health and status of earthworm populations in English arable soils, and based on research and surveys carried out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ commissioned research and research of other organisations, what trends they have identified in the last two decades. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Defra is working closely with the research councils and is funding research to improve our understanding of the role of soil biodiversity in contributing to soil condition. This research includes a Defra-funded review of the current available UK-affiliated evidence base. The Report of the review was published in March and has been placed in the House Library. We are looking closely at its findings, including whether there is a need to carry out analysis of trends in biodiversity in order to understand better how the functions it supports, such as soil structure, water movement, nutrient dynamics and plant growth, contribute to soil condition across a range of ecosystem services and management practices. Soil: Research Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many soil research projects have been completed for which it has provided funding, and how the findings were translated into practical measures that could be applied at farm level, in each year since 1997. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Since 1997, Defra and its predecessors have funded 445 soil research projects, the findings of which are translated into practical measures that can be applied at farm level in a number of ways, including testing of measures as part of the research, reviews of the evidence base feeding into the development of farmer guidance or direct knowledge transfer as part of the research project. The table below denotes the number of completed soil research projects funded by Defra and its predecessors in each year since 1997: 19974019984419992620002820013420022220032620042120051820062920071520082320092420102920111720121820131220141020159 In addition since 2005-6, the first year for which data is available, Research Councils have funded 614 soil research projects. The table below denotes the number of soil research projects funded by the Research Councils that have completed, by financial year, going back to 2005-06. Data for before that year is not available as the information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. 2005-6592006-7622007-8922008-9572009-10682010-11822011-12702012-13262013-14452014-15292015-1624 Home Office Police: Public Records Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation of the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel in September 2012 that police records in England and Wales should come under the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967; and whether they intend to implement that recommendation through the current Policing and Crime Bill. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is considering the options for achieving greater transparency and accessibility of police records in England and Wales, including whether to extend the Public Records Act 1958 to include police records.No decision about implementation has been taken at this time, while careful consideration is given to potential administrative and cost burdens. Police: Per Capita Costs Lord Dear: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average cost of a police constable with four years service in (1) the Metropolitan Police Service, (2) a police force in the Home Counties, and (3) a police force elsewhere in England and Wales. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Home Office has calculated the total salary costs of constables on the pay scale in place since April 2013. These include the employers’ portion of National Insurance and pension contributions and the London Weighting payment where applicable. At pay point 4, which typically approximates to four years service, the cost would be £36,900 in London and £33,700 in other forces.Police officers may receive other allowances and overtime which are not captured in these costs. These include London and South East Allowances which may be paid annually to officers in London and some South East forces at a level set by the relevant chief officer, to meet recruitment and retention needs. These allowances are capped at the following levels: In London, at a maximum of £4,338 per officer; in Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Sussex at a maximum of £1,000 per officer; and in Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey and Thames Valley at a maximum of £2,000 per officer.Four years’ service may not be equivalent to being at pay point four. The general expectation is that officers will progress up the scale by one pay point every 12 months subject to satisfactory performance, but there may be variations to this. A constable with four years service is likely to fall between pay point three and pay point five. These are shown in the table below: Salary costs (rounded to the nearest £100)Pay pointLondon (includes a London Weighting payment at £2,349 per officer)All other forces (including forces in the South East)028,60025,400132,70029,600234,10030,900335,50032,300436,90033,700539,70036,500645,30042,100752,90049,800 Notes:(1) The employers’ portion of pension contributions has been calculated at a rate of 21.3%.(2) The employers’ portion of National Insurance contributions has been calculated at a rate of 13.8% on earnings above the secondary threshold. NI employer contribution has been calculated using the new contribution due to the Single Tier Pension (Introduced in April 2016).(3) London Weighting is a pensionable payment, and applies to all officers working in London forces.(4) An officer may be appointed at pay point 1 rather than pay point 0 if they possess a Policing Qualification or relevant experience. An officer appointed at pay point 0 will move to pay point 1 on completion of initial training. HM Treasury Tobacco: Smuggling Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 14 June (HL Deb, col 1099), what action they are taking in response to the practice by some companies of supplying low-tax foreign markets with more tobacco than they are capable of consuming, thereby facilitating their products being brought back to the UK and depriving HM Revenue and Customs of revenue. Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress HM Revenue and Customs has made in investigating in the UK tobacco companies that over-supply low tobacco-tax foreign countries, and what action has resulted from those investigations. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The UK introduced stringent rules in 2006 requiring all UK Tobacco Manufacturers (TMs) to control their supply chains. These rules required them to take steps to avoid supplying cigarettes and/or HRT (hand rolling tobacco) to persons who are likely to smuggle them into the UK or resupply them to other persons who are likely to do the same. Tobacco manufacturers can face penalties of up to £5m for failing to comply with the rules. HMRC action, in monitoring TM’s compliance, is reflected in a reduction in supplies of UK brand cigarettes to high risk markets of 20% since 2010. At the same time, supplies to those markets of UK brand Hand Rolling Tobacco (HRT) has reduced by 36%. Despite this success HMRC is not complacent. They continue to closely monitor the illicit market in the UK, which today is made up of a mix of unregulated brands, non UK brands, and counterfeit as well as genuine UK brands, to ensure the legislation is working. HMRC also robustly challenge TM’s supply chain policies and procedures to ensure their continued compliance with the rules. HMRC cannot comment on the progress of individual investigations but it is a matter of public record that one manufacturer has been subject to a supply chain penalty. This penalty is currently under to appeal. Tobacco: Smuggling Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current estimate of the loss of tax revenue each year owing to tobacco smuggling. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The 2014/15 tax revenue loss associated with illicit tobacco, including both cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, is estimated to be £2.1 billion. Estimates of UK tax revenue losses are published every year. The latest estimates, for the years 2006/7 to 2014/15, are published in ‘Tobacco Tax Gap estimates 2014-15’. Tobacco: Smuggling Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to further reduce the capacity for tobacco wholesalers and retailers to supply illicit tobacco. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Government currently has no plans to introduce new measures specifically applicable to wholesalers and retailers to tackle the supply of illicit tobacco. However, HM Revenue and Customs has undertaken a public consultation on the implementation of Article 6 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Illicit Trade Protocol, part of which is concerned with consideration of the licensing of the supply chain for tobacco products. The consultation sought views from a wide range of stakeholders to help assess the potential benefits and impacts of introducing a scheme to help establish a clear evidence base for any decisions. The results of the consultation and the proposed next steps will be announced in due course. WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to ratify the WHO protocol on the illicit trade in tobacco. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Government is fully committed to implementation and ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Illicit Trade Protocol. The majority of the requirements of the Protocol are already in place in the UK. HM Revenue and Customs has recently consulted on the implementation of Article 6 of the Protocol, which includes the requirement to license tobacco manufacturing machinery. The Government will ratify the Protocol once we are satisfied that the legislation is in place to meet this requirement. Devolution: Finance Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the devolved administrations are permitted to re-allocate funds provided by HM Treasury for capital expenditure purposes for resource expenditure purposes. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Devolved administrations may not switch provision from Capital to Resource, except where bespoke arrangements have been agreed with Treasury ministers. The annual ‘Consolidated Budgeting Guidance’, published by the Treasury, sets out the budgeting framework for expenditure control for devolved administrations.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2016-06-29

Department for Transport Railways: Manchester Airport Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Manchester Recovery Task Forceformally consulted (1) Sheffield City Council, (2) the Mayor of South Yorkshire, and (3) Doncaster Council, on the withdrawal of the direct Sheffield to Manchester Airport train service; and if so, (1) on what dates, and (2) what responses were received. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Manchester Taskforce received over 800 responses from stakeholders. These included the Mayor of South Yorkshire, Sheffield City Council and Sheffield City Region Transport and Environment Board, which includes representatives from Doncaster Council, and which were received between 5 and 18 March 2021. The full list of respondents can be found on page 27 under Annex A of the summary document produced after the consultation closed. Railways: Fares Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their anticipated timescale for the introduction of a reformed fare structure for rail throughout England; and when do they plan to introduce integrated ticketing for rail passengers. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has made clear that we want to simplify the current mass of complicated fares and tickets, whilst protecting affordable turn up and go tickets and season tickets. We have already made progress on fares reforms, for example introducing flexible season tickets last year and introducing a trial of single leg pricing on LNER and are also working with stakeholders and local authorities on proposals for Pay-As-You-Go in urban areas. High Speed 2 Line: Expenditure Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 5 December (HL3685), how much was approved by Parliament for spending on HS2 (1) Phase 1, (2) Phase 2A, and (3) Phase 2B West; and what was the date of each approval. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government’s spending plans are set out in the Central Government’s annual Supply Estimates, the latest of which were presented to Parliament on 23 June 2022 and can be accessed on www.gov.uk. The voted elements of these spending plans were originally set out in Spending Review 2021 and updated at subsequent fiscal events. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Energy Bills Rebate: Meters Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to identify, and (2) to support, the estimated two million households on non-digital pay-as-you-go energy meters; and what plans they have, if any, to assess the scale of energy self-disconnection this winter. Lord Callanan: Traditional prepayment meter customers will automatically receive the same discount per unit of energy as other customers through the Energy Price Guarantee. Ofgem’s rules require energy suppliers to identify and support prepayment meter customers at risk of self-disconnection through the provision of emergency credit and additional support credit. Ofgem has recently undertaken a Market Compliance Review assessing how suppliers support customers in vulnerable situations, including those on prepayment meters. To drive improvements, Ofgem has started compliance engagement with suppliers and asked them to take action to address the weaknesses that have been identified. Research: Finance Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation on 21 November (HCWS376), what proportion of the funding announced for the UK R&D sector they expect will be allocated to universities in Scotland; and what steps they are taking to ensure that universities in Scotland receive their full share of R&D funding. Lord Callanan: The Government’s priority is to support the UK’s world class R&D sector. We have put in place this additional funding to shore up talent and invest in R&D infrastructure across the UK, while also aiming to secure the UK fusion sectors’ commercial leadership and capabilities. We are committed to levelling up and where funding delivered via UKRI is England only, there will be an additional funding allocation for the Devolved administrations. The approach to funding distribution is being developed and my Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation has written to DA colleagues on this matter. Further details will be announced in due course. Climate Change Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the World Climate Declaration. Lord Callanan: The Government is aware of the World Climate Declaration but relies on the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global authority on climate science, to inform Government policy. Energy Bills Rebate: Northern Ireland Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions (1) ministers, and (2) civil servants, have had with Members of Parliament representing seats in Northern Ireland in each of the last six months about the Energy Bills Support Scheme and its implementation in Northern Ireland. Lord Callanan: The UK Government has been working at pace with a range of different stakeholders to deliver this support to households in Northern Ireland. BEIS Ministers have engaged in debates and drop-in sessions with MPs to share progress and answer questions. Fuel Oil: Prices The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 17 November (HL3214), why they have no plans for a price cap on alternative fuel. Lord Callanan: The markets for alternative fuels – including heating oil, coal, LPG, and biomass – contain a large range of suppliers not subject to the same regulation as electricity and gas suppliers. This means there is no single regulated standard price to modify by the imposition of a price cap. The Government has doubled support to £200 for alternatively fuelled households, in recognition of the pressures caused by these rising fuel costs. The Government will continue to monitor the prices of alternative fuels and will consider further intervention if required to protect UK households from extraordinary fuel prices. Aviation: Carbon Emissions Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Callanan on 1 December (HL3482), whether they can provide a breakdown of the £194 million grant by (1) hydrogen fuel cells, (2) other electric battery technologies, (3) hydrogen combustion, (4) synthetic liquid fuels, and (5) biofuels. Lord Callanan: A breakdown of ATI Programme R&D grants awarded, by individual project, are set out in the table below. Co-funded R&D project supported through the ATI Programme typically involve a range of collaborators including industry partners, universities and research organisations (the ATI Programme has an average of 4 partners per project). Further project information and descriptions can be found on UKRI’s Gateway to Research (gtr.ukri.org) and the ATI website (ati.org.uk) ACCEL (Rolls-Royce) – battery-electric powertrain£3.4mAEDD (Vertical Aerospace) – diagnostic charge device for aircraft batteries£1.2mAEMTA (Safran) – electro-mechanical systems for moving electrical motors and machines£3.1mAEPEC (Safran) – electrical power systems£10.8mAEROBAT (Rolls-Royce) – battery modules for all-electric propulsion systems£7.3mAeroMC (Safran) – electric and hybrid propulsion and power controls£14.9mE-HAV1 (Hybrid Air Vehicles) – electric propulsion system technologies£1.1mEMPAS (QinetiQ) – electric motors for jet engines£1.2mFeasibility Analysis and Modelling of MgB2 Superconducting Electrical Power Machines (Epoch Wires) – electric machines for future aircraft£0.25mFRESSON (Cranfield Aerospace Solutions) – electric (hydrogen fuel cell) propulsion system£9.6mH2GEAR (GKN Aerospace) – Liquid hydrogen (fuel cell) propulsion system£27.2mHEPBAS (Electroflight) – electric drivetrain and battery systems£0.4mHEPBAS (Electroflight) – electric propulsion battery systems£0.35mHIDASP (MicroLink Devices) – solar fuel cells for electric aircraft£3.0mHYFLY (Airbus) – airframe integration for hybrid electric demonstrator£14mHYFLYER (ZeroAvia) – hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system£2.7mHYFLYER 2 (ZeroAvia) – hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion system£12.3mIDP (Vertical Aerospace) – key technologies for battery-electric flying taxi£11.9mINCEPTION (Blue Bear) – all electric propulsion module using batteries and fuel cells£2.9mIPCCA (Collins) – architecture for motor drive electronics£2.4mIPPA (Airbus) – identify key technologies enabling more electrical aircraft£4.2mLACS (Blue Dolphin UK)£0.32mLAMPS (Collins Aerospace) – power electronics and motors£1.3mMEGAFLIGHT (Rolls-Royce) – propulsion system for hybrid electric demonstrator£17.2mSMPP (Safran) – electrical systems for more electric aircraft£12.2mSREEV (Advanced Innovative Engineering) – Hybrid power units for UAVs£0.53mUTOPEA (Evolito/YASA) – electric motors and power electronics£5.5mZEST-1 (Airbus) – initial steps towards large hydrogen-powered aircraft£19.5mZIP (Airbus) – key technologies for high altitude satellites£3.6m Department for Education Headteachers: Pensions Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of changes to the tax free limits to lifetime pension pots on the retention of head teachers in England and Wales. Baroness Barran: The department considers a wide range of policy matters with the Teachers’ Pension Scheme Advisory Board to ensure that the pension continues to be a key benefit in attracting and retaining teachers and head teachers in England and Wales.The lifetime allowance for pensions is being maintained by HM Treasury at its current level of £1,073,100 until April 2026. This allows head teachers and other savers to continue to make significant amounts of pension savings tax-free, while ensuring incentives to save are targeted across society.The government keeps all aspects of the tax system under review, as part of the annual Budget process, and in the context of the wider public finances. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Iran The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the 35th special session of the UN Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Iran on 24 November, what support they plan to give to the Council’s fact-finding investigation into human rights abuses in Iran. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 24 November, the UK voted in support of the Human Rights Council's resolution to establish a UN investigation into the Iranian Government appalling human rights violations. This is a vital step towards accountability. The UK has long raised human rights with the Iranian Government at all appropriate opportunities, both directly and in multilateral fora. We will continue to work with our international partners to hold Iran to account, including in calling for Iran to allow the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran access to the country so he can properly and impartially investigate the reported abuses. Palestinians: Human Rights Lord Pickles: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to reports of the detention and intimidation of Palestinian human rights activists in the Palestinian territories, what recent discussions the Foreign Secretary has had with the Palestinian Authority about the activities of the PA Preventative Security Organisation. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Human Rights is a crucial element underpinning the UK's foreign policy. We continue to urge the Palestinian Authority (PA) to respect human rights, to ensure complaints of mistreatment or arbitrary detention are properly investigated and to continue to improve the performance of the security sector. An essential aspect of our efforts to prepare the ground for a two state-solution is to support a stable PA that can deliver services to its people and act as an effective partner for peace with Israel. The UK will continue to monitor these areas closely and raise with the highest levels of the PA. Bahrain: Nationality Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 24 November (HL Deb cols 1544–50), in which he said that “there are clear areas where inequalities exist” in Bahrain including that “Bahraini women cannot pass on their nationality to their children”, what steps they are taking to address these issues. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 7 November 2022, during Bahrain's Universal Periodic Review, the UK's formal statement included a recommendation that Bahrain amends its nationality laws so that Bahraini women married to foreigners can transmit Bahraini citizenship to their children. Bahrain: Charities Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 24 November (HL Deb cols 1544–50), in which he said that they engage “effectively with civil society” in Bahrain, whether they will list the names of civil society actors in Bahrain with which they have engaged during the last 24 months. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government continues work to maintain and develop relationships with civil society, including non-governmental organizations within Bahrain and internationally. This ensures that HMG draws on a wide range of sources regarding human rights issues in Bahrain. It would be inappropriate to publish a list of civil society actors with whom we engage. Pakistan: Non-governmental Organisations The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Pakistan’s rules regarding the registration and operation of international NGOs in that country and the impact that these rules have had on the work of NGOs that His Majesty’s Government supports. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: International Non-Government Organisations (INGOs) are important partners for the UK. They deliver relief to some of the poorest people in Pakistan. The UK government has raised the matter of forced closures of INGOs with the Government of Pakistan and continues to engage on this issue. We continue to urge a clear and transparent process to ensure INGOs can operate effectively in Pakistan. Bahrain: Press Freedom Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 24 November (HL Deb cols 1544–50) that “media freedom across the Gulf…is very limited”, and the Reporters Without Borders 2022 Press Freedom Index which ranked Bahrain 167 out of 180 countries for press freedom, what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain in support of greater media freedom in that country. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 7 November 2022, during Bahrain's Universal Periodic Review, the UK's formal statement included a recommendation that Bahrain moves quickly to pass the Journalism and E-Media Law, to ensure stronger protections for journalists and enhance wider media freedoms. Pakistan: Charities and Non-governmental Organisations The Lord Bishop of Guildford: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support civil society organisations and non-government organisations in Pakistan in making submissions under the 4th Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a process that allows states to reflect critically on their own human rights record. As a founding member of the UN Human Rights Council, the UK has always advocated for the UN human rights fora and will continue to support the Council and the tools and mechanisms it uses, including the UPR process. The UK government will continue to support civil society and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) - including in Pakistan- to fully engage with the UPR process wherever possible. Pakistan: Centre for Social Justice Pakistan The Lord Bishop of Guildford: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they provide to the Centre for Social Justice in Pakistan. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a long-term supporter of civil society in Pakistan, and we engage with the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) as part of our work on human rights. I conducted a roundtable discussion with human rights stakeholders - including Peter Jacobs, Executive Director of CSJ - on 15 October, discussing open societies and the work of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). We continue to engage with the Government of Pakistan to ensure NGOs such as CSJ can operate effectively. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to reports that imprisoned human rights defender Abdulhadi AlKhawaja is facing a series of new criminal charges in Bahrain as a result of his protest activities from within prison, what representations they will make to the government of that country (1) to raise concerns over any such action, and (2) to call for AlKhawaja’s immediate and unconditional release. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to follow developments on matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain, including Al Khawaja's case. Our close and long-standing ties with Bahrain allow UK Ministers and senior officials to raise sensitive human rights issues, including cases, regularly, privately and effectively. Most recently the Foreign Secretary met with his Bahraini counterpart during the IISS Manama Dialogue in November 2022, where human rights was raised amongst other issues. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Recycling: Labelling Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the new regulations regarding mandatory recyclability labelling are enforced effectively. Lord Benyon: The regulations will set out the role of the enforcement authority and the offences and penalties that will apply to businesses that do not comply with the labelling requirements. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has agreed in principle to become the enforcement body and is advising us on the development of the monitoring and enforcement regime. Cabinet Office Refugees: Afghanistan Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government why individuals who enter under the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme are not currently included in the quarterly Immigration Statistics publications; and what plans, if any, they have to include them. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the noble Lord’s Parliamentary Question of 5 December is attached. Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National StatisticianThe Lord RosserHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW12 December 2022Dear Lord Rosser,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking why individuals who enter under the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme are not currently included in the quarterly Immigration Statistics publications; and what plans, if any, they have to include them (HL4035).In your question, you refer to “quarterly immigration statistics publications”. If referring to the Home Office data Immigration statistics, year ending September 2022[1] , this was published on 24 November 2022, and contains a webpage entitled ‘How many people do we grant protection to?’ [2] . This page provides details of the inclusion of people resettled from Afghanistan in those statistics (see section 1.1 Resettlement).The Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) Migration Statistics Quarterly Report (MSQR), has not been published since August 2020[3] and therefore will not contain information on the Afghan citizen resettlement scheme, which opened on 6 January 2022[4] . In our most recent Long-term international migration bulletin (published on 24 November 2022), Section 4, Migration Events[5] details that around 21,000 Afghans arrived in the UK and are included in the ONS’ total longterm international migration estimates.This figure is based on published Home Office operational data, which estimates around 21,000 arrivals are associated with Operation PITTING (the evacuation of people from Afghanistan in August 2021), and are included in our total immigration estimates. This figure will include some British nationals. Similar to those arriving on the Ukrainian Visa Schemes, in the absence of reliable evidence to suggest otherwise, this subpopulation are included under the assumption that they are arriving in the UK for 12 months or more. This means that these estimates will be an upper bound for these populations and may be revised down once we have more information on their actual length of stay. Please see the Measuring the data section[6] for more detail on our methods.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-september-2022[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-september-2022/how-many-people-do-we-grant-protection-to[3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/migrationstatisticsquarterlyreport/previousReleases[4] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme[5] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/longterminternationalmigrationprovisional/yearendingjune2022#migration-events[6] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/longterminternationalmigrationprovisional/yearendingjune2022#measuring-the-dataAfghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (pdf, 119.7KB) Foreign Investment in UK: China Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the current overall level of financial investment from China to the UK. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question: PQ HL4040 is attached.Financial Investment from China (pdf, 150.5KB) Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Opera Lord Freyberg: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 1 December (HL3495 and HL3496), what is Art Council England's national opera strategy; and whether they will put onhold their plans to withdraw all national programme funding from English National Opera until one has been published. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Arts Council England made its decisions regarding its 2023–26 Investment Programme in line with its published guidance and its ten year strategy, ‘Let’s Create’, which covers all art forms, and which can be found on its website at: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/lets-create.Assessments were carried out by Arts Council England staff, based on balancing criteria published in its funding guidance, and were made by its Area and National Councils, which include both local representatives and people who work in the sector.More opera organisations will be funded in the new Investment Programme portfolio than in the preceding one, and opera accounts for 40 per cent of funding for music in the new portfolio. His Majesty’s Government will continue to work with Arts Council England to understand the impacts of its investment in arts and culture, including on opera. Women and Equalities Cars: Hire Services Lord Chadlington: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of reports of car hire companies not accepting customers aged 75 years or over; and what steps they will take to ensure that older drivers are not unfairly discriminated against. Baroness Stedman-Scott: Such refusals would be potentially unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. This legislation provides that it is unlawful age discrimination for a service provider such as a car hire company to refuse, on age grounds, to lease a vehicle to an otherwise qualified person, unless the company can, when challenged, objectively justify its decision.Where a company cannot, in those circumstances, show that their leasing age policy is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim, the individual affected can bring a claim to the County Court, or Sheriff’s Court in Scotland. The court may determine whether the “objective justification test” has been satisfied, and may award costs and compensation if the claimant wins their case. A range of guidance is available to service providers on their obligations and to service users on their rights, most notably on the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s website: https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com, and through the Equality and Advisory and Support Service (EASS). The EASS can be contacted via its website, http://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com, by telephone on 0808 800 0082 (or by text phone on 0808 800 0084). Equal Pay Baroness Goudie: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to close the gender the pay gap, and (2) to end unequal pay for, and discrimination against, women. Baroness Stedman-Scott: This Government is committed to the empowerment of women in the workplace. Over the last decade our work has seen the gender pay gap fall considerably, with mandatory gender pay gap reporting regulations helping to motivate employers to improve equality in the workplace, and strong growth in the number of women in full-time work.To drive forward this progress we have recently announced a ground-breaking pay transparency pilot, a new STEM returners programme and a Taskforce on Women-Led High-Growth Enterprises. In combination, this work will ensure that all women are able to reach their full career potential, improving gender equality in the workplace, and helping to further narrow the gender pay gap.We also remain committed to the Equality Act 2010, which contains strong protections from discrimination on the basis of sex, and reaffirms fundamental equal pay protections.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2022-12-16

Afghanistan: Vector Patrol Vehicles Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many Vector patrol vehicles are currently deployed to Afghanistan; and whether the full complement of Vector vehicles will still be deployed to Afghanistan by the end of August 2007. Lord Drayson: Policy on disclosure is under review. Until that review is completed I refer the noble Lord to the Answer my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave in the other place on 14 May 2007, (Official Report, col. 508W). Army: Wessex Transport Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association budget for the necessary building works to accommodate 155 (Wessex) Transport Regiment RLC(V); and To what extent the current builders' estimates exceed the budget provision for the necessary works to accommodate 155 (Wessex) Transport Regiment RLC(V). Lord Drayson: The current allocated budget for the necessary building works required to accommodate 155 (Wessex) Transport Regiment RLC(V) upon its formation is £705,000. These funds will be utilised to facilitate the initial building works required at three of the four Territorial Army Centres (TACs) that will be used by the regiment: £37,000 to be spent in the 2008-09 financial year on the Dorchester TAC;£300,000 to be spent during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 financial years on the Poole TAC; and£368,000 allocated for the 2009-10 financial year, to be spent on the Plymouth TAC. This allocation will cover the cost of remedial building works only. A subsequent site survey has been conducted to establish the options available to meet the regiment's full requirement. The building estimate, to provide a full refurbishment and rebuild of all facilities required by the regimental headquarters at the Plymouth TAC, exceeds the current allocation by approximately £3.9 million. Funding will continue to be sought through the department's planning round process, in competition with other priorities in the normal way. Commission for Equality and Human Rights Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 26 June (WA 125), how many staff remain to be considered for assimilation prior to vesting day for the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR); what recommendations were made by the Office of Government Commerce Gateway reviews of the CEHR in relation to the effectiveness of the planned transition; whether they intend to publish the Office of Government Commerce's last report, dated 30 May, about the effectiveness of the planned transition for the CEHR; and when the CEHR intends to contact the citizens advice bureau about the expectations being placed on that charity to provide advice to those individuals who do not meet the CEHR criteria. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The number of staff that remains to be considered for assimilation prior to vesting day is in the region of 370. The Office of Government Commerce Gateway review report date 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 Commission Board meeting the CEO reported that the recommendations had been met or were in hand.. The commission's legal strategy is currently being developed. The interim legal strategy will be in place by 1 October. Any organisations impacted will be consulted, including organisations such as the Citizen's Advice Bureau, ACAS, law centres and other local service organisation who will provide advice to individuals who do not meet the CEHR's criteria for assistance. Government: Collective Responsibility Lord Waddington: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the doctrine of collective responsibility applies to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Home Office with responsibility for Security, Lord West of Spithead, and the Minister of State for Trade and Investment in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Lord Jones of Birmingham. Lord Davies of Oldham: The principle of collective responsibility is set out in the Ministerial Code, which applies to all Ministers and is available in the Library. Government: Departmental Reorganisation Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements they have made to enable Lord Drayson to divide his duties between those with the Ministry of Defence and those with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Lord Drayson: Lord Drayson will be supported by officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to enable him to undertake his duties. Immigration: Unaccompanied Minors Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are considering the appointment of legal guardians for children entering the country (a) where there are grounds for believing that they have been trafficked, and (b) where they are unaccompanied and have no known responsible next of kin, or properly appointed guardians; and whether they can estimate the annual cost of such provision. Lord West of Spithead: Border and Immigration Agency staff at ports and asylum screening units refer all children to local authority children's services if they have arrived alone or where there are concerns that a child may be at risk of harm. If there is a suspicion that a child has been trafficked, this will be reported to the appropriate authorities. The local authority will assess the care and support required under Sections 17 and 20 of the Children Act 1989. If the child becomes the responsibility of the local authority, it acts as the corporate parent through the appointed social worker. The Government do not believe, therefore, that the appointment of a guardian specifically for trafficked children is necessary or desirable. Unaccompanied children who then go on to apply for asylum are referred to the Refugee Council children's panel of advisors, which helps find legal representatives for the child. Consequently, the Border and Immigration Agency does not currently appoint a legal representative for an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child. Met Office Lord Hunt of Chesterton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the Meteorological Office has proposed that the United Kingdom renounce its 29-year membership of the European Centre for Medium-Range Forecasts, bearing in mind that such a move may mean that the centre would leave its Reading site for another country in Europe. Lord Drayson: The Met Office has not proposed that the United Kingdom renounce its membership of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The UK is supportive of the work of the centre and is committed to ensuring it has appropriate levels of funding to maintain its scientific eminence in medium-range weather forecasting. But under proposed budget increases the UK's contribution will grow, in real terms, by more than a third over the next five years. This equates to a rise of approximately £2 million a year. The Government are committed to promoting robust governance and sound management in all international organisations where the UK is a stakeholder. Through better financial management and procurement, improved transparency and accountability, we believe the ECMWF can continue to deliver its core medium-range weather forecasting mission to a high standard without large budget increases. The ECMWF council recently considered proposals from the Met Office aimed at improving management and procurement practices at the ECMWF which, if accepted, would resolve UK concerns over ECMWF governance and value for money. However, without such acceptance, the UK would need to reconsider its membership of the centre. Met Office Lord Hunt of Chesterton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have considered the implications of the possible discontinuance of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Centre for Medium-Range Forecasts in the light of the current role which the United Kingdom is playing in climate change negotiations at the United Nations and the G8. Lord Drayson: The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) has developed useful capabilities, which we value, particularly in medium-range weather forecasting. However, ECMWF does not have a climate prediction capability. The UK's leading role in tackling climate change at an international level is strongly supported by the world-leading climate research and prediction work of the Met Office Hadley Centre. Mobile Phones: Pay-as-you-go Viscount Waverley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make it compulsory for proof of identity to be produced when individuals apply for a pay-as-you-go mobile telephone SIM card. Lord West of Spithead: This issue was considered in detail by an expert group comprising representatives of law enforcement, the security and intelligence agencies and communications service providers following the terrorist attack on London in July 2005. The experts' findings remain valid. They concluded that the compulsory registration of ownership of mobile telephones would not deliver any significant new benefits to the investigatory process and would dilute the effectiveness of current self-registration schemes. Nappies Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare on 2 February (Official Report, 614W), what basic assumptions are being tested for validity in the further work required to eliminate flaws in the life cycle assessment of disposable and reusable nappies in the United Kingdom. Lord Rooker: The further work is not testing the validity of the basic assumptions in the original life cycle assessment. It is analysing disposable and reusable products for 2006 and looking at some ways the various nappies would be used to see how these affect the environmental impacts, such as how they are washed, whether they are pre-soaked and how they are dried. The findings for the different types of reusable nappies and modern disposables will then be compared. People Trafficking: Children Lord Sheikh: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have to tackle trafficking of children following the report on this subject by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, published in June. Lord West of Spithead: The Home Office commissioned this report in 2006 to improve our knowledge of the nature and extent of child trafficking in the UK. We are most concerned about the plight of child victims revealed in the findings and welcome the recommendations, which are being actively pursued as part of the Government's action plan on tackling human trafficking. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 June (WA 60), whether there is a direct line of accountability that applies to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; if so, what that line of accountability is; and who has access to the deliberations or conclusions of those involved in the accountability process. Lord Rooker: The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is accountable to Parliament through the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Members of Parliament are free to question and hold to account the actions of any public office through the normal parliamentary process. Through this process, Members of Parliament and the wider public have access to the deliberations and conclusions of those involved in the accountability process. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many serving police officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been waiting (a) more than a year; (b) more than two years; (c) more than three years; and (d) more than five years to have disciplinary charges against them resolved. Lord Rooker: The Chief Constable has advised that two police officers have been waiting for over two years to have disciplinary charges against them resolved. No officers have been waiting longer than this. No officers, other than these two, have been waiting longer than one year. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 20 December 2004 (WA 112-3), whether all court and disciplinary issues relating to an incident involving Royal Ulster Constabulary Constable Trevor Purcell during a riot on 13 July 2001 have been resolved; and when they expect proceedings in this matter to be concluded. Lord Rooker: I am advised by the Chief Constable that, following the dismissal of court proceedings against Constable Purcell on 29 November 2004, misconduct proceedings were instigated against the constable by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). However, following legal submissions, the hearing was adjourned on 14 March 2006 and a judicial review called by the constable's defence. That judicial review was concluded on 31 May 2007 in favour of the PSNI. It is intended that, when the PSNI professional standards department receives an official record of the judicial review finding, the disciplinary hearing will be relisted. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why access has been denied to Lord Maginnis of Drumglass by the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, or senior officers under his command, to the disciplinary hearing involving Constable Trevor Purcell; and whether disciplinary hearings preclude all non-legal representation or observation. Lord Rooker: These are matters to be dealt with by the Chief Constable. However, Regulations 25 and 26 of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (Conduct) Regulations 2000, which govern attendance at police disciplinary hearings, state that a disciplinary hearing shall be held in private. In circumstances of a complaint, the complainant is allowed to attend and, at the discretion of the presiding officer, may be accompanied by a friend or relative. Also, under certain circumstances, it is within the discretion of the presiding officer to allow others to attend such hearings subject to the consent of all parties to the hearing. Roads: Names Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: What guidance they issue to local authorities regarding the geographical, local and historical criteria to be fulfilled in advance of the naming of new roads. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The department has not issued any recent guidance to local authorities regarding the geographical, local and historical criteria to be fulfilled in advance of the naming of new roads. The naming of new streets is carried out under Section 17 of the Public Health Act 1925, and postal numbering is carried out under Section 64 of the Towns Improvement Clauses Act 1847. Local authorities are responsible for the naming and numbering of new streets and the changing/reallocation of individual property addresses. Many local authorities ensure that the naming of any new roads preserves some historic local connection to the area. In many cases, the council will carry out a consultation exercise with the Royal Mail, the appropriate local town or parish council and the relevant highway authority before any new name is decided. Schools: Academies Baroness Walmsley: asked Her Majesty's Government: With reference to academy schools founded in 2002, 2003 and 2004, how many pupils were entitled to free school meals in the year in which the academy was founded and in each year to date; and how many pupils had free school meals in the predecessor schools in each of the five years preceding the year in which they became an academy. Lord Adonis: The information requested has been placed in the Library. Schools: Performance Tables Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many pupils with key stage 2 results but no subsequent recorded attainment and no pupil-level annual school census record there were in the data underlying the 2006 key stage 4 performance tables; and, in the event that this number is significant, how the Government account for this presence. Lord Adonis: In 2006, there were 13,631 (2.1 per cent) pupils at the end of key stage 4 who obtained no qualifications but had recorded key stage 2 results. Of these pupils, 1,210 did not have a pupil-level school census record. Sector Skills Councils Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the measures taken by sector skills councils in the areas of chemicals, polymers and petroleum, and artificial textile compounds are sufficient to cope with shortages in technician-level recruitment of skilled personnel. Lord Triesman: There continues to be a growing demand from employers for individuals with technology and higher-level skills. Cogent is the lead sector skills council for the chemicals, polymers and petroleum industries. It has undertaken extensive UK-wide consultation and analysis with employers and other partners, resulting in a sector skills agreement that identifies skills gaps and how they are best addressed. The measures to increase the recruitment of skilled technicians include introducing community apprenticeships, revisions of the apprenticeship framework to ensure technical relevance, the development of a sector careers pathways website and programmes that upskill those already working within the industries. For the textile industry, Skillfast-UK is the lead SSC. It has developed new training models for technicians and a fast-track graduate development programme for those wanting to enter careers as technologists. More broadly, the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) programme promotes technology careers to young people and raises the profile of opportunities available in the manufacturing and process industries. In addition, the Government expect to announce shortly plans for the implementation of the recommendations in the Leitch report on skills. Waste Management: London Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who is responsible for co-ordinating a pan-London approach to litter function under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 over the next 10 years. Lord Rooker: Each local authority is responsible for its approach to litter under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act. Local authorities can choose to work together to achieve high standards across a larger area than their own, and such an approach may be commendable, but the Act places no duty on them to do so. We support programmes such as the capital standards programme, which brings together 28 of the local authorities in London to deal with issues surrounding the local environment, including litter.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2007-07-16b

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Climate Change Convention: Egypt Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the outcome of COP27; and what plans they have, if any, to address the issues raised at the conference. Lord Callanan: COP27 established a new fund for responding to loss and damage as part of other funding arrangements relevant for loss and damage. This progress is significant in supporting the most vulnerable.We maintained the focus from Glasgow on the urgent action needed to keep 1.5 alive and secured further work on mitigation to accelerate and implement emission reductions.The deal in Egypt preserves the historic commitments countries agreed to last year in the Glasgow Climate Pact, and the UK will continue to push for international ambition and implementation of the Glasgow Climate Pact and the Paris Agreement. Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen: Recycling Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what work they are undertaking, if any, on converting carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methanol. Lord Callanan: The Government is supporting innovation in the synthesis of methanol from low-carbon hydrogen through the UKRI Hydrogen and alternative energy vectors innovation programme. Where transport fuels are produced by converting carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methanol using renewable inputs, they are eligible for support under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The RTFO is a certificate trading scheme that has been successful in reducing carbon emissions from road transport since 2008 through incentivising the use and production of low carbon fuels. Nuclear Power Stations Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect new nuclear power generating capacity to come online in the UK. Lord Callanan: The target date for commercial operations of reactor 1 at Hinkley Point C (HPC) is 1 June 2027. In order to achieve the up to 24GW deployment pathway by 2050, as set out in the British Energy Security Strategy, the Government intends to take one project to Final Investment Decision (FID) this Parliament and two projects to FID in the next Parliament, including Small Modular Reactors. The Government is in constructive, ongoing negotiations on the Sizewell C project, which would be a replica of HPC. As announced in the Autumn Statement, subject to final approvals, the Government intends to support further development of the project, with an investment of £700m. Department for Education Young People: Education Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask His Majesty's Government how many18 to 24 year olds started a course at (1) Level 4, and (2) Level 5, in (a) 2019, and (b) 2022. Baroness Barran: The department publishes an overview of participation and achievements in learning at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels 4 to 8 at further education (FE) providers and higher education (HE) providers in its annual statistical release ‘Higher-Level Learners in England’. The latest release for the 2020/21 academic year can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/higher-level-learners-in-england/2020-21#dataBlock-a5a1ee87-ec4e-44ee-776a-08da3e21c130-tables. The statistical release includes counts of entrants across different types of higher-level learning, including apprenticeships and Office for Students (OfS) recognised HE.The specific age range requested is not available in the statistical release. The tables below show the number of entrants to NQF level 4 and 5 learning who were aged 18 to 24 in the academic years 2019/20 and 2020/21. (Student age is taken as the age as at 31 August of the reporting period). The statistics are disaggregated by the type of higher-level learning undertaken and figures are rounded to the nearest 5, in line with Higher Education Statistics Agency rounding conventions.English-domiciled higher-level entrants to NQF level 4 learning aged 18 to 24 at English providers in 2019/20 and 2020/21Type of Study2019/202020/21OfS Recognised HE9,1258,355Apprenticeship10,43510,780Institutional credit in Higher Education Providers1,2501,340Other Higher Level3,7053,285Level 4 total24,52023,765English-domiciled higher-level entrants to NQF level 5 learning aged 18 to 24 at English providers in 2019/20 and 2020/21Type of Study2019/202020/21OfS Recognised HE16,45017,730Apprenticeship3,0702,735Institutional credit in Higher Education Providers230265Other Higher Level895760Level 5 total20,64521,485 Statistics for the academic year 2021/22 will be published in Spring 2023 and statistics for 2022/23 will be published in Spring 2024. Children's Social Care Independent Review Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask His Majesty's Government when they will issue their response to theIndependent Review of Children's Social Care, published in May. Baroness Barran: The department is working up an ambitious and detailed implementation strategy in response to the Independent Review of Children's Social Care which we will publish early in 2023. Treasury Retail Trade Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the UK economy of any decline in trading businesses. Baroness Penn: The Government considers a variety of factors to understand the health of the UK corporate sector and economy. This includes monitoring official data, economic modelling and regular engagement with firms and business groups.Like other advanced economies, the UK is affected by global economic challenges, including the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine. Support provided over the past two years has put businesses and the UK economy in a good position to deal with these challenges.Insolvencies fell below the historical average during the pandemic as the Government supported businesses through this economic shock. As we exit the pandemic, and pandemic related support has unwound, insolvencies have risen. This is in line with industry expectations though, and total insolvencies since the start of 2020 remain below what would have been expected based on pre-pandemic trends.The number of new incorporations remains above pre-pandemic levels, showing that the UK continues to offer good opportunities to setup new businesses. Bank of England Asset Purchase Facility Fund Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Penn on 28 March (HL7077), whether they will describe the risks that they have assessed regarding their decision not to publish the Asset Purchase Facility deed indemnity; and which of these risks would “not advance the public’s understanding" of the arrangement by which HM Treasury indemnifies the Asset Purchase Facility. Baroness Penn: The Asset Purchase Facility (APF) deed indemnity will not be published. The disclosure of the APF deed indemnity would be likely to expose sensitive information relating to the quantitative easing scheme and related processes. HM Treasury indemnifies the APF which means that any losses or gains from the APF accrue to HM Treasury. This is public knowledge and the publication of the deed of indemnity will not advance the public’s understanding of that arrangement. The Bank of England publishes quarterly reports for the APF, which explain to the public the implications of indemnity for the Treasury and the cash transfer arrangements between the Bank and Treasury. Blockchain and Non-fungible Tokens Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) operation, (2) benefits, and (3) risks, of (a) Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and (b) the wider blockchain. Baroness Penn: The Government established a Cryptoassets Taskforce in 2018, consisting of HM Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Taskforce’s objectives include exploring the impact of cryptoassets, the potential benefits and challenges of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT, which includes blockchain technology) in financial services; as well as monitoring ongoing developments in cryptoasset markets. These crypto technologies could have a profound impact across financial services, including reducing risk, working capital, and disintermediating friction. However, there are also associated risks. As the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee noted, as crypto technologies grow and become more interconnected with the core financial system we’ll need to ensure that regulators have the right tools to manage the associated risks. That is why the Government is taking forward a number of regulatory initiatives to manage risks and support innovation so that people and businesses can use new technologies both reliably and safely. The Government is putting in place a Financial Market Infrastructure (FMI) Sandbox, which will enable firms to experiment with the use of new technologies like DLT in providing the services that underpin financial markets. The Government is also exploring the possible use of DLT in the issuance and lifecycle of a sovereign debt instrument. Further details on this research programme will be set out in due course. The non-fungible tokens (NFTs) market is evolving rapidly and remains at an early stage of development. Most NFTs are not currently subject to financial services regulation in the UK and the Government has proposed to exclude them from the financial promotions regime on the basis that NFTs can represent a wide array of different assets which might constitute non-financial services products. The Government will continue to closely monitor how NFTs are used in financial services and take further action if necessary. Economic Growth Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have carried out any assessment of the costs to pension funds and pensioners from the impact of the Growth Plan statement by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwarsi Kwarteng, on 22 September; and what those costs are forecasted to be. Baroness Penn: Pension funds are managed by independent trustees and managers and the performance of funds can vary significantly, depending on the investments that have been made, or as a consequence of market fluctuations. Over time, the value of pension funds will change and its value at a point in time will depend on several factors, including the length of time it has been invested and the performance of the investments. Changes to the value of pension funds in the U.K are not measured by any single data source, making it difficult to assess the impact of a particular event. The Pensions Regulator is also actively monitoring the financial markets to assess the impact on defined benefit pension scheme funding and liquidity and they continue to meet with the Bank of England and other regulators on this. Gift Aid Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce measures to improve awareness and uptake of Gift Aid. Baroness Penn: The Government keeps all taxes and reliefs under review, and is committed to providing support to the charitable sector worth over £5 billion per year. Gift Aid - a key part of this- is worth £1.4 billion per year to charities and £500 million to their donors (through higher rate relief). HMRC works closely and regularly with representatives from across the charity sector reviewing Gift Aid and exploring ways in which it can be improved and made fit for the future, as well as raising awareness amongst donors. It places a high priority on this collaborative work, which remains ongoing, and is always interested in ideas to improve the take-up and raise awareness of Gift Aid. Charities also have a key role to play in raising awareness of Gift Aid, as they are best placed to educate eligible donors about the benefits of Gift Aid at the point of donation. Gift Aid Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the current Gift Aid scheme. Baroness Penn: The Government keeps all taxes and reliefs under review, and is committed to providing support to the charitable sector worth over £5 billion per year. Gift Aid - a key part of this- is worth £1.4 billion per year to charities and £500 million to their donors (through higher rate relief). HMRC works closely and regularly with representatives from across the charity sector reviewing Gift Aid and exploring ways in which it can be improved and made fit for the future, as well as raising awareness amongst donors. It places a high priority on this collaborative work, which remains ongoing, and is always interested in ideas to improve the take-up and raise awareness of Gift Aid. Charities also have a key role to play in raising awareness of Gift Aid, as they are best placed to educate eligible donors about the benefits of Gift Aid at the point of donation. Reconstruction: Ukraine Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government whatconsideration they have given to securitising a war risk insurance scheme for investors from the UK of seized assets. Baroness Penn: UK sanctions legislation does not provide powers to seize frozen assets. Under the Russia sanctions regime, assets are frozen immediately by the person in possession or control of them. An asset freeze does not involve a change in ownership of the frozen funds or economic resources. I can confirm, however, that the Government is considering all options on the seizure of Russian-linked assets in the UK, including for the purposes of supporting Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction. Several existing products developed by UK Export Finance already have the scope to support UK exports and investors as part of reconstruction efforts, and cover war and political risks in Ukraine. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Africa: Malaria Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the spread of Anopheles stephensi mosquito in Africa, and (2) the challenges posed for people’s health. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Anopheles stephensi mosquito is a malarial mosquito species that thrives in cities and has been expanding in Africa. The World Health Organisation has estimated that the species could put an additional 126 million people at risk of malaria if it were to spread unchecked. The WHO has launched an initiative to research the spread of the strain and to protect against further spread. The UK recently pledged £1 billion to the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. This investment will help to protect millions of people from malaria. Ministry of Defence Republic of Ireland: Airspace Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government when they last met the government of Ireland to discuss co-operation on defence of Irish air space. Baroness Goldie: There have been no discussions between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Ireland on co-operation on the defence of Irish air space. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Avian Influenza: Gardens The Earl of Caithness: To ask His Majesty's Government what advice they are giving to those who wish to feed birds in the coming winter and spring seasons to minimise the risk of transmission of avian influenza from bird feeders. Lord Benyon: We encourage anyone feeding wild birds to do so responsibly and not feed them in the vicinity or on the same premises as poultry or other captive birds and to be aware of the risk of carrying contamination back to their poultry or other captive birds, for example on their footwear. The feeding of wild garden birds is not prohibited by the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) measures or other avian influenza disease control legislation. Where an AIPZ has been declared wild gamebirds should not be fed within 500m of a premises where more than 500 poultry or other captive birds are kept (where this area is under the control of the keeper). The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said that avian influenza is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public’s health is very low. However, members of the public should not touch, pick up or transport dead or sick birds and should keep away from bird droppings if possible, and wash their hands thoroughly if they accidentally come into contact with any bird faeces, feathers or other potentially contaminated material. The NHS website [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bird-flu/prevention] has further information.Wild birds are susceptible to a range of different pathogens. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) provides advice about keeping bird feeders and water baths clean to prevent transmission between wild birds, this guidance will also help minimise the risk of transmission of avian influenza. Plastics: Compost Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compostability of plastics certified as home compostable. Lord Benyon: HM Government notes the findings from UCL's study into the home composting of plastics and will use this to inform our evidence base.The study has shown that home composting is not a viable destination for managing plastic waste and this echoes HM Government's existing position to prioritise the reduction, reuse and recycling of plastics before anything else.In April 2021 we published our response to the call for evidence on the need for standards for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics. The Government response acknowledges that compostable plastics must be treated in industrial composting facilities to be broken down and, when processed incorrectly, can be a source of microplastics and contaminate recycling streams. Therefore, our focus will be on reducing unnecessary consumption and working towards a circular economy, not composting of plastics. Cabinet Office Civil Servants: Flexible Working Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil service employees who have requested flexible working hours have had that request accepted; and how many civil service employees made similar requests in the last three years. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The data of the nature being requested is not routinely captured or reported on by the Cabinet Office. Decisions on flexible working requests are made locally by departments, based on their business needs and delivery requirements.As departments are individual employers they set out their employees’ terms and conditions, including any flexible working policies.The Civil Service is fully focused on delivering for the British people and we have been clear on the benefits of face to face working, and departments across government remain committed to having staff working in offices at pre-pandemic levels. ​​ Department for International Trade UK Trade with EU: Exports Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to return the level of exports from to UK to countries in the EU to the exports level prior to the UK leaving the EU. Lord Johnson of Lainston: The EU is a vital export destination for British businesses, with exports to the EU totalling £298 billion in the 12 months to the end of June 2022. The Government’s refreshed Export Strategy helps businesses at every stage of exporting and our Export Support Service is a single point of access digital enquiry service, assisting business in trading with the EU. In addition, the Department for International Trade has around 300 trade experts across Europe, including a dedicated Trade Commissioner for the continent, and we will have facilitated almost 500 activities and events to support UK exporters between April 2022 and March 2023. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Internet: Education Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask His Majesty's Government howmuch Ofcom has spent on its work to promote online media literacy in each of the last three years. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Ofcom is operationally independent from His Majesty’s Government and is accountable to Parliament. Information on Ofcom’s budget and funding arrangements can be found in its Annual Report and Accounts, which are lodged in the House of Commons Library and published on Ofcom's website. Mobile Phones: Ukraine Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to making provision for (1) free roaming for Ukrainian phones in the UK, and (2) free roaming for UK phones in Ukraine. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Mobile telephone operators currently offer a range of surcharge-free or low-cost options, both for Ukrainian telephones in the UK, and for UK telephones in Ukraine. For example, the UK’s largest mobile telephone operator, EE, has made mobile roaming free for both Ukrainian phones in the UK, and UK telephones in Ukraine.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2022-12-02

Department for Exiting the European Union UK Withdrawal from EU Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether holding a second referendum is an essential constitutional precondition to invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Lord Bridges of Headley: Article 50 explicitly recognises that a Member State may decide to withdraw “in accordance with its own constitutional requirements”. It is for the Member State concerned to determine what those constitutional requirements are. The Government does not consider that a second referendum is necessary, or required to invoke Article 50. UK Withdrawal from EU Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their position that leaving the EU is in the British national interest. Lord Bridges of Headley: We will make a success out of leaving the European Union. We will protect and strengthen the national interest. Department for Exiting the European Union: Departmental Responsibilities Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to transfer operational command and control of the EU units from all other departments to the Department for Exiting the European Union. Lord Bridges of Headley: The Department for Exiting the European Union will be made up of staff from various departments across Government, including from the UK’s Permanent Representation to the EU. European Court of Justice Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to suspend immediately the implementation of all pending and future judgments of the European Court of Justice. Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to suspend immediately all processes for passing into UK law all pending and future EU Directives and Regulations. Lord Bridges of Headley: The UK remains a member of the EU until our withdrawal is completed. We will exercise our rights and meet our obligations as a member of the EU accordingly. Sovereignty: Northern Ireland Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to discuss with other member states the matter of holding a Border Poll in Northern Ireland as part of their negotiations about the UK leaving the EU. Lord Bridges of Headley: The UK Government will continue to abide by its commitments in the Belfast Agreement. It remains the case that the requirements in the Belfast Agreement for a border poll are not met. Our efforts need to be focused on getting the best deal possible for the UK in the negotiations with the EU. EU Law Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the scale of the task required to separate domestic law from EU law. Lord Bridges of Headley: In preparation for negotiations to leave the EU, the Government is undertaking work across a range of areas, including with its legal teams, to establish how best to deliver the government’s objectives.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2016-08-10

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Business: Romford Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to encourage start-ups and boost company growth in Romford. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We are supporting small businesses in many ways and are committed to making sure the UK is the best place in Europe to start and grow a business. Businesses in Romford are benefitting from Government support.68 Start Up Loans, worth £362,000, have been issued across Romford. And 34 businesses have secured loans worth £3.14 million under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme.Through the South East Growth Deal the Government is investing £488 million over six years (2015-2021) to projects which will support economic growth across Essex, including in Romford. And across Romford, six ambitious high growth businesses are benefitting from the advice and support provided by the Business Growth Service. New Businesses: Young People Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support more programmes or competitions for university students and recent graduates to encourage them to embrace entrepreneurship. Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: This Government fully supports the promotion of entrepreneurship in higher education. In 2013/14, the Higher Education – Business and Community Interaction survey found that there were over 4,600 new graduate start-ups, up from 2,357 in 2009/10.The Government is championing closer collaboration between universities and business through the National Centre for Universities and Business which is supported by HEFCE, the Research Councils and Innovate UK. Higher Education Innovation Funding, delivered by HEFCE, also supports university collaboration with industry, the commercialisation of research, and promotes entrepreneurship, enterprise education and broader knowledge exchange. Recall of Unsafe Products Review Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they anticipate publication of the results of the review of the United Kingdom's system for the recall of unsafe products chaired by Lynn Faulds Wood. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Review of UK product recalls chaired by Lynn Faulds Wood is due to be published soon. Yemen: Military Intervention Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy regarding the licensing of arms, including British-made military aeroplanes, to the Saudi Arabian-led coalition which is conducting airstrikes in Yemen. Lord Maude of Horsham: All licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so would be a breach of the Criteria. Ministry of Justice Civil Proceedings: Finance Lord Falconer of Thoroton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much income was generated by the Commercial Court in each of the last 10 years, and what were the operating costs for that Court in each year. Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not analyse the income or cost of the Commercial Court in this way. Such information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Department for Culture, Media and Sport Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 Lord Falconer of Thoroton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to publish on the Legal Aid Agency website or legislation.gov.uk a consolidated version of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 and related regulations. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The revised version of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 is due to be published and available by the end of 2015. Home Office Surveillance: Complaints Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) complaints, and (2) claims, were submitted to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in each year from 2010 to 2014 inclusive. Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average processing time taken for cases in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal from the time a complaint or claim was submitted to the announcement of a ruling in each year from 2010 to 2014 inclusive. Lord Bates: The numbers of new cases received by the independent Investigatory Powers Tribunal each year are published on the Tribunal’s website at: http://www.ipt-uk.com/section.aspx?pageid=5 .The numbers of complaints and claims for the years 2010 to 2014 are as follows.YearHuman Rights ClaimsComplaintsBothTotal20104940751642011464688180201237527916820135867802052014586097215The Investigatory Powers Tribunal does not collate the information about the average length of time from a complaint or claim being submitted to the announcement of a ruling. The cases received by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal vary in scope and complexity. Each case is considered on its own merits and receives appropriate legal scrutiny. Crimes against Humanity: Sri Lanka Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the UN OISL report published in September, what action they intend to take to bring to justice those British citizens residing in the United Kingdom who are alleged to have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity whilst fighting for the Tamil Tigers. Lord Bates: The investigation and prosecution of all criminal offences, including whether an offence has been committed, is an operational matter for the police and Crown Prosecution Service. Deportation Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what safeguards are in place to ensure and monitor the security and wellbeing of individuals deported from the United Kingdom to potentially dangerous home countries. Lord Bates: The Home Office does not routinely monitor the treatment of individuals once removed from the UK as they have been found not to need protection and therefore that they are not at real risk of harm. Each case is considered on its individual merits including, where relevant, the reasonableness of internal relocation.Returns are only undertaken when the Home Office and courts deem it is safe to do so. Private Rented Housing: Immigrants Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Right to Rent provision was included in the Immigration Bill before the report from the trial in the West Midlands had been completed. Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they will give to the advice of bodies that have expressed concerns about the Right to Rent provision of the Immigration Bill. Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they will give to the concerns of landlords raised in the Home Office's recent review of Right to Rent that the scheme has the potential for discrimination. Lord Bates: The Government has always been clear that the Right to Rent scheme would be rolled out across the country after phase one in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton. The Prime Minister committed to do so in May this year. Home Office Science has carried out an evaluation of phase one. The findings of the evaluation have now been published and are informing implementation of the roll out of the scheme.The evaluation was overseen by an expert panel consisting of representatives from landlords and letting agents associations, housing charities, local authorities and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, to enable concerns about the operation of the scheme to be taken into account.The Home Office evaluation reported on mystery shopping research, conducted by independent contractors. This found that there were no major differences in prospective tenants’ access to accommodation between the Right to Rent phase one area and comparator areas, where the scheme was not running. Police: Counter-terrorism Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many police Counter Terrorism Security Advisers were employed in England and Wales in (1) April 2010, and (2) April 2015. Lord Bates: Advice and guidance on protective security and preparedness to terrorist threats is provided by specialist Counter-Terrorism Security Advisors (CTSAs) who operate in every police region.The number of CTSAs in post in England and Wales in April 2010 was 191. The number in post in England and Wales in April 2015 was 146 (this figure includes 4 Counter Terrorism Awareness Advisers dedicated towards the provision of CT awareness advice).Government aims to have 171 staff in post by the end of 2016/17 (145 CTSAs and 26 CTAAs). These planned changes to resource are for the effective and efficient delivery of future advice and guidance, whilst ensuring they maintain their fundamental role as part of wider police capabilities to safeguard the security of the public. EU Immigration Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered seeking UN authority to establish safe holding areas outside the EU, to which refugees seeking to enter the EU could be transferred. Lord Bates: The current migration crisis requires a global response. This may necessitate radical measures to address the unprecedented situation. We regularly engage with EU and multilateral partners, including the UN on a wide range of migration issues in order to find an effective and sustainable solution. Ideas about establishing safe centres outside the EU are at an early stage of development and we will consult appropriate organisations as discussions on these with EU and other partners progress. Visas: Overseas Students Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans Ofqual has to allow visas to be obtained for foreign students from countries in the emerging markets wishing to train for a professional pilot’s licence in the United Kingdom. Lord Bates: The Home Office is responsible for UK visa policy.Flight training organisations can teach courses lasting up to six months to international students, under the short-term study visa route.Alternatively, they may use the Tier 4 visa route where the course lasts longer than six months and they hold a Tier 4 sponsor licence. To qualify for a Tier 4 sponsor licence, an institution must have a track record of teaching UK or EEA students, and be teaching courses which meet Tier 4 requirements. To meet Tier 4 requirements, a course must lead to an approved qualification, as defined in the Tier 4 Guidance for Sponsors. Refugees: Syria Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the recent statement of the UNHCR that, under a 2003 United Kingdom–Cyprus memorandum, the United Kingdom is responsible for resettling Syrian refugees who arrive at a United Kingdom military base in Cyprus. Lord Bates: Those migrants who seek asylum will have their claims considered by the Cypriot authorities on behalf of the Sovereign Base Authorities (SBA). There is no obligation to allow those recognised as refugees to take up residence in the UK. HM Treasury Small Businesses: Inheritance Tax Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish annually a list of Alternative Investment Market companies that qualify for Inheritance Tax relief. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) do not have a list of Alternative Investment Market companies that qualify for Business Property Relief.The claim to the relief will depend on the circumstances of each case. Shares in a company might no longer qualify for Business Property Relief if the company went into liquidation or moved to a full listing on the UK Stock Exchange after publication. Any information provided by HMRC about a company may become out of date quickly raising the risk that relief is claimed incorrectly. Economic Growth Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the slowing of economic growth in Q3. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Government's economic plan is working. In Q3 2015, the economy grew 0.5 per cent – the 11th consecutive quarter of quarter-on-quarter growth – and 2.3 per cent in the year to Q3 2015. The economy is now 12.4 per cent larger than at the start of the 2010. The UK is forecast by the OECD to be the joint fastest growing economy in the G7 in 2015. EU Budget Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list the balance of United Kingdom payments to and receipts from the European Union for each of the last 10 years. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The United Kingdom’s contribution to the EU budget, net of rebate and total receipts, for the last 10 years is as follows:YearGross contributions post rebateTotal public and private receiptsNet contributionNet contribution€bn€bn€bn£bn200512.168.673.492.46200612.388.294.092.80200713.437.426.014.03200810.117.312.802.06200910.116.253.863.68201014.666.757.917.09201113.836.577.266.21201216.186.939.247.82201317.076.3110.768.78201414.076.987.095.91 These figures are taken from the EU’s Financial Report 2014, where comprehensive figures for the UK’s contributions and receipts, as well as those for all other Member States, for all years from 2000-2014 are available. The latest version of this report can be accessed at the European Commission’s website.[1][1] http://ec.europa.eu/budget/financialreport/2014/foreword/index_en.html World War I: Debts Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much they owe the government of the United States for activities in the First World War; what are the repayment arrangements; and when the repayments will be completed. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The United Kingdom owed around £850 million to the United States for activities in the First World War. However, in 1931 the United States proposed a temporary moratorium on all War debts, to allow for negotiations on debt repayment. Following negotiations, no satisfactory agreement was reached and as such, repayments were cancelled between the United Kingdom and United States. The last repayment from the United Kingdom to the United States for debt from the First World War was made in the financial year 1932-33. Department for Energy and Climate Change Plutonium Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the size of the present stockpile of plutonium held in the United Kingdom. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Data on the amount of civil plutonium in the UK are published each year by the Office for Nuclear Regulation. As of 31 December 2014 there was 126.3 tonnes. Detailed information can be found at http://www.onr.org.uk/safeguards/civilplut14.htm.Data on the amount of civilian plutonium as of 31 December 2015 will be published in the spring 2016. Annual civil plutonium & uranium figs as 31.12.14 (PDF Document, 91.41 KB) Plutonium Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current status of the plutonium disposal programme. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) are in the process of submitting advice to support DECC in its considerations. This, together with other sources of information and evidence, will enable DECC to consider options for the way forward. A decision is expected to be made by ministers on how to proceed during 2015/16. Only when the Government is confident that its preferred option could be implemented safely and securely, in way that is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money, will it be in a position to proceed. Plutonium Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the security implications of the various options for disposal of plutonium. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: We expect the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to submit a report to DECC to support us in our considerations on the policy options in due course. Informed by the advice from NDA, ministers will then make an assessment of the options, and decide on the appropriate next steps. Only when the Government is confident that its preferred option could be implemented safely and securely, in way that is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money, will it be in a position to proceed. Housing: Insulation Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the difficulties associated with the insulation of external walls of traditional terraced housing and other older properties with solid walls rather than cavity walls, and whether they are supporting, or will support, research into practical solutions for insulating such walls. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Government has a number of ongoing projects to investigate issues surrounding solid wall insulation, including monitoring current installation practices (DECC), modelling the risks of unintended moisture-related problems (DCLG and DECC), preparing practical guidance for industry to reduce the risks of such problems (DECC) and a wider high-level study of solid wall insulation issues (BIS – the Hansford report, to be published on 12 November).The Government recognises that it is important that we do more and that is why we have commissioned Dr Peter Bonfield to undertake an Independent Review into Consumer Advice, Protection, Standards and Enforcement for both energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Review is due to report in March 2016 and represents a real opportunity to put energy efficiency on a more consumer-focussed and sustainable long-term path for the future. Cabinet Office Electoral Register Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate of the number of people registered as parliamentary electors in more than one constituency in the United Kingdom; and what proportion of those are so registered (1) because they are students, (2) because they occupy more than one home, (3) because they work away from their main residence, and (4) for other reasons. Lord Bridges of Headley: It is not possible to provide an estimate of the number of people registered as parliamentary electors in more than one constituency as this information is not held centrally.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2015-11-11

Department for Communities and Local Government Housing: Construction the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact of the removal of the requirement for developers to provide a certain proportion of affordable housing in developments of ten homes or fewer on the number of small and medium-sized enterprise builders over the last two years. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Government does not have data on the number of small and medium-sized (SME) builders over the last two years, but the National House Building Council (NHBC) estimated that the number of homes registered by small builders fell from 44,000 in 2007 to 16,000 in 2016.Our Housing White Paper published in February this year recognised that small sites create particular opportunities for smaller developers, as well as custom developers, and set out a number of proposals for national policy changes so that local planning authorities have policies that support the development of small sites. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Saudi Arabia: Radicalism the lord bishop of leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they made to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Abdel al-Jubeir, when he visited London on 4 September, concerning reports of financial and logistical support provided by Saudi Arabia to Daesh and other radical Sunni groups in the Middle East and Asia. lord ahmad of wimbledon: This was not discussed on 5 September. We have seen no evidence to suggest there has been any funding of Daesh by the Government of Saudi Arabia. Where we do have concerns we do not shy away from raising them. Saudi Arabia has had its own painful experiences as the victim of numerous Daesh attacks. It is a key ally in the fight against Daesh, participating in coalition airstrikes to fight it and speaking out against its poisonous ideology. Saudi Arabia: Religious Freedom the lord bishop of leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they made to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Abdel al-Jubeir, when he visited London on 4 September, concerning religious freedom, eliminating discriminatory enforcement of laws against religious minorities, and promoting respect and tolerance for minority Muslim and non-Muslim religious practices and beliefs. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country, particularly because of the restrictions on freedom of religion or belief. Although not discussed on 5 September, we regularly raise our concern with the Government of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade the lord bishop of leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guarantees, if any, they sought from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Abdel al-Jubeir, when he visited London on 4 September, that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia will only be used in accordance with international humanitarian law. lord ahmad of wimbledon: During his visit to London on 4-5 September, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir had meetings with the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. Both raised the importance of Coalition compliance with their international humanitarian law obligations.The UK Government takes its arms export licensing responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. Our defence exports to Saudi Arabia are kept under careful and continual review to ensure they meet the rigorous standards of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application.We welcomed the High Court’s ruling in July this year that UK Government decisions on arms export licensing to Saudi Arabia are lawful. The judgment stated the Government was rationally entitled to conclude that Saudi Arabia has been, and remains, genuinely committed to compliance with international humanitarian law. We note the application to appeal and will continue to defend the decisions challenged. Pakistan: Religious Freedom lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised with the government of Pakistan (1) the anti-Ahmadiyya laws set out in Penal Code Article 298, and(2) that government'sobligations to protect freedom of religion or belief; and whether they intend to encourage the government of Pakistan to invite the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief to make a country visit to Pakistan. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK Government remains firmly committed to the promotion and protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief. We regularly raise concerns about the protection and persecution of minority communities, including Ahmadiyya Muslims, the blasphemy laws and the protection of freedom of religion or belief to the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. The Foreign Secretary raised the importance we attach to religious tolerance and safeguarding the rights of all Pakistan's citizens during his visit to Pakistan in November 2016. The former Minister for Asia and the Pacific, my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Mr Sharma), discussed the protection of religious minorities with Kamran Michael, former Minister for Human Rights, and Barrister Zafarullah Khan, Prime Minister's Special Assistant for Human Rights, during a visit to Pakistan in January 2017.We continue to urge Pakistan to take the steps necessary to comply in full with its human rights obligations, including engaging with the UN and other international bodies, and to ensure that the rights of minorities are respected.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2017-09-27

Citizenship Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many persons qualified as citizens of the United Kingdom at Citizenship Ceremonies in Northern Ireland during 2007; and how many such ceremonies were held in Northern Ireland. Lord West of Spithead: A total of 29 citizenship ceremonies were held in Northern Ireland during 2007. Five hundred and forty-five people became British citizens at these ceremonies. The information has been provided from local management information and is not a national statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change. Immigration: BIA Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: How, on the basis of closed-circuit television footage alone and without further investigation, when a complaint by a detainee alleging that there has been a wrongful use of control and restraint on him is referred to them by a unit of the Border and Immigration Agency (BIA), the police can be satisfied invariably that the use of control and restraint was both reasonable in its application and technically correct, as stated in Master Number 39 of the BIA Response to the Complaints Audit Committee Annual Report 2006-07. Lord West of Spithead: As indicated in the Border and Immigration Agency's response to the Complaints Audit Committee's annual report, the agency makes CCTV footage available to the police to assist them in reaching a decision. The conduct of an investigation by the police is an operational matter for the chief officer of the force concerned. Any complaints relating to the conduct of an investigation should be referred to the individual chief officer. Immigration: Detention and Removal Centres Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many persons were held in detention and removal centres at the most recent dates for which figures are available; of those, how many were (a) women, (b) children, and (c) former sentenced prisoners due for deportation; and what is the current total capacity of the detention estate. Lord West of Spithead: The Home Office publishes a quarterly snapshot of people detained solely under Immigration Act powers on the last Saturday of each quarter, broken down by gender and people recorded as being under 18 at the time of the snapshot. The latest published information pertains to persons detained as at 29 September 2007 and is published in the quarterly web-based asylum statistics bulletin and in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom. These statistics exclude persons detained in prison establishments, police cells and those detained under both criminal and immigration powers. Children are detained in only two limited circumstances: first, as part of a family group whose detention is considered appropriate; secondly, when unaccompanied, while alternative care arrangements are made and normally only overnight. While the detention of families with children is very regrettable, it nevertheless remains necessary in appropriate cases in order to maintain an effective immigration control and to tackle abuses of the asylum system. Information on the number of people who were detained awaiting deportation after completing their sentence is not available. The current total capacity of the immigration detention estate is 2,557 beds. Copies of the publications and others relating to immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. Immigration: Detention Centres The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What analysis has been carried out of the number of immigration detainees who are moved from one detention centre to another, and on what grounds a detainee would be moved five times or more within any detention centre estate. Lord West of Spithead: There has been no analysis carried out of the number of immigration detainees who are moved from one removal centre to another. Moves of detainees are kept to a minimum but are necessary in managing a national and dispersed removal estate. A detainee could be moved several times to make optimum use of the detention space available and for his/her own needs. Immigration: Temporary Residency Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the number of people who have overstayed their legal temporary residency in the United Kingdom; and how many such individuals have been detected in each of the last 12 months. Lord West of Spithead: As the then Home Secretary set out in his evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 23 May 2006, following the dismantling of routine embarkation controls beginning in 1994, no Government have been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who are in the country illegally, and that remains the case. A clear goal has been set to reintroduce systems to count everyone in and out of United Kingdom (UK). The e-Borders programme, scheduled to commence in 2008, will strengthen and modernise our border control including providing an electronic record of all those entering and leaving the UK. In the mean time, targeted embarkation controls continue to take place at major ports to identify failed asylum seekers and other immigration offenders who are leaving the UK, and the Border and Immigration Agency is reviewing its capacity to extend these. The total number of individuals arrested on enforcement visits between December 2006 and November 2007 is 10,662. It is difficult to ascertain exactly how many of those arrested overstayed their temporary residence, without looking at their case files. However, a proportion of these individuals will have overstayed their leave. The monthly breakdown of this figure is attached at Annexe A. These data are based on management information and are not a national statistic. They should be treated as provisional as they are subject to change. Annexe A Number of individuals who have been arrested in each of the last 12 months as a result of enforcement visits December 2006 619 January 2007 1,110 February 2007 819 March 2007 926 April 2007 850 May 2007 976 June 2007 942 July 2007 924 August 2007 884 September 2007 819 October 2007 956 November 2007 837 Total 10,662 Railways: Automatic Ticket Barriers Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether for security reasons they are encouraging the installation of automatic ticket barriers in main line railway stations; and, if so, which stations they propose barriers should be installed in. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Ticket barriers are not being installed at railway stations for security reasons. Train operating companies are required to protect revenue under their contracts with the Department for Transport. This may include the installation of ticket barriers at stations. For security measures, the department aims for proportionate and effective measures at railway stations which still allow people to go about their day to day business. Security regimes for the railways have been developed in consultation with operators in full recognition of the open nature of systems; consequently they seek to be commensurate with the terrorist threat, effective, practicable and sustainable.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2008-01-15b

Department for Transport Ribble Valley Railway Line lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to restore passenger services on the Hellifield railway line from Clitheroe. baroness vere of norbiton: The Government has committed £500m to reopen routes and stations and has offered funding to develop ideas for this. We welcome the funding bid from the local MP, Nigel Evans, to explore the case for passenger services north of Clitheroe. Railways: Standards earl attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial penalties train operating companies are subject to if a train is cancelled due to (1) a train defect, or (2) a lack of train crew,broken down by each franchise awarded since June 2010. baroness vere of norbiton: The Department holds all its franchised operators to account for their performance through a Franchise Agreement. Each operator’s performance is measured against a set of benchmarks, which includes cancellations; however, these are not disaggregated down to individual types of cancellations, such as train defects. Specific cancellation causes are not connected to set penalties; any expenditure we require operators to incur to improve performance for passengers is linked to their overall performance. Railways: Capital Investment lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the scheme to re-open railways lines closed by the Beeching report, whether they have a (1) target, or (2) estimate, for (a) the number of stations, and (b) the length of railway, to be reopened by (i) 2025, (ii) 2030, and (iii) in total. baroness vere of norbiton: The Government does not have a target or estimate for the number of stations or length of railway to be reopened by our Reversing Beeching initiate. We have provided an initial £500m and have invited MPs to bring new schemes forward for consideration as well as committing to accelerate existing schemes under consideration and launching a £20m new station fund competition. What can be achieved will be determined by the best bids and opportunities identified. Northern Rail Franchise lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of any additional cost of operating the rail services in the north of England in the next three years which will be more thanthe agreed payments to Arriva Rail North under the franchise that terminates at the end of February 2020. baroness vere of norbiton: The financial impact on public funds from the Northern rail franchise being taken into public ownership on 1 March 2020 has not yet been finalised. It will be informed by the 100 day review, which will be carried out under the public sector operator, which will assess the best way to deliver the commitments to passengers and to restore performance of Northern’s rail services. Cross Country Trains: Finance lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the additional £2.5 million investment made available to CrossCountry trains will result in more seats on services on the routes between the north east and north west, and the south coast and west of England via Birmingham; and when any such improvementswill be in place. baroness vere of norbiton: As part of the recent announcement, a capacity uplift is being planned for Cross Country intercity routes on services on the routes between the north east and north west, and the south coast and west of England via Birmingham. The aim is for this uplift to take place from December 2020. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Construction: Billing baroness neville-rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how muchfirms in construction supply chains have lost in unpaid retentions since they announced the review of the retention system in October 2015, subsequently published in October 2017. lord callanan: The 2017 retentions consultation impact assessment estimated the total amount of retention monies unpaid to construction contractors across the whole construction contracting sector in England due to upstream insolvency at £229m per year in 2015 prices. We continue to work with the construction industry and its clients to achieve a consensus on how to resolve the problems associated with cash retentions. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Syria: Armed Conflict baroness d'souza: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to appoint a specific individual or group to lead on international action to prevent any geopolitical and humanitarian crisis in Idlib. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are gravely concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Idlib where nearly one million people have been displaced as a result of regime and Russian military action since 1 December 2019. During his visit to Turkey on 3-4 March, the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation and the need for an immediate and lasting ceasefire. The UK is a member of the Syria Small Group, together with the US and key European and Arab states, and the UK Special Envoy for Syria, Martin Longden, has been in close contact with his counterparts on the crisis in Idlib. We currently have no plans to create a further position or grouping to address the situation in Idlib. Gibraltar: Politics and Government lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they propose to announce the appointment of a new Governor of Gibraltar. baroness sugg: We are completing the internal processes for confirming the appointment of the new Governor. An announcement will be made once that process is complete. Gibraltar: Politics and Government lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the last Governor of Gibraltar, General Davis, retired from his role before a new Governor had been appointed. baroness sugg: A new Governor was selected before Lieutenant General Edward Davis' contract expired and we are completing the process for confirming that appointment. It is not unusual for there to be a gap between Governors. The current Deputy Governor has been sworn in as Governor and will hold that position until the new Governor is ready to assume the functions of their office. Burkina Faso: Violence the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in Burkina Faso, following reports of an increased jihadist presence and worsening violence in that country. baroness sugg: The UK is deeply concerned by the scale of violence in Burkina Faso. In recent months we have seen a number of horrific attacks with tragic consequences for people in the region. More than 700,000 people were registered as displaced in February 2020. The UK condemns these attacks and is committed to working with all partners, including the G5 Sahel countries, to tackle the long-term drivers of instability in the region.The UK is committed to working with the G5 Sahel countries, including the Burkinabe government, to help address instability in the region. Last week, James Duddridge (Minister for Africa) attended the first meeting of the Sahel Alliance General Assembly and G5 Leaders' Summit, where he reaffirmed the UK's commitment to improved security and increased development in the Sahel. The UK is currently supporting Burkina Faso by providing emergency life-saving assistance to those affected by the conflict crisis. The UK is also providing non-combat assistance to the French-led counter terror mission Operation BARKHANE in the form of three CH47 chinook helicopters; this includes support to operations in Burkina Faso. Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review lord tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to hold a public consultation as part of the Integrated Security, Defence and Foreign Policy Review. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The review will engage with a range of stakeholders here and abroad to ensure proper consultation and challenge. The Government will utilise expertise from both inside and outside government for the review, ensuring the UK's best minds are feeding into its conclusions and challenging traditional Whitehall assumptions and thinking as needed. China: Prisoners lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 March (HL Deb, col 390), whether they will place in the Library of the House all reports and correspondence they have received from the World Health Organisation, especially those relating to the transparency of the government of China’s organ transplant system. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We consult and share assessments with a wide range of human rights and international organisations, including the World Health Organisation, on the basis of confidentiality. In order to maintain working relationships with these organisations, we do not publish details of discussions between them and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Northern Ireland Office Trade: Northern Ireland baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the regulations relating to trade access between Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be (1) published, and (2) enacted. viscount younger of leckie: As committed to in the agreed New Decade, New Approach deal, this Government will legislate to guarantee unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the whole of the UK internal market, and ensure that this legislation is in force for 1 January 2021. The Government is currently considering the best way to implement the Protocol, and will be discussing this with the EU in the Joint Committee and Specialised Committee, as well as engaging extensively with the Executive, wider Assembly and businesses in Northern Ireland. Department of Health and Social Care Coronavirus: China lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) number, and (2) location, of microbiology laboratories in China that handle advanced viruses such as the Wuhan coronavirus; and what assessment they have made of the role any such laboratories may have had in the initial spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. lord bethell: We do not hold this information. Genito-urinary Medicine lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord Bethell on 24 February (HL Deb, cols 2–3), what the expected increase in the preventative health budget will be; how much of that will directly benefit sexual health services; what steps they are taking to put innovation at the centre of the sexual health strategy; and what assessment they have made of the pressures on the sexual health workforce arising from the increasing prevalence of sexual transmitted infections. lord bethell: The 2019 Spending Round provided a real terms increase in the public health grant to local authorities. This is in addition to the funding the National Health Service provides for preventative services. Local authorities in England are mandated to provide comprehensive open access sexual health services. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, including the need for sexual health services taking account of their statutory duties.Work on the development of a new national sexual and reproductive health strategy is underway. Initial engagement has already taken place and we are considering suggestions for priority areas for the new strategy we received through the Green Paper Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s. Details of the strategy’s scope and objectives will be announced in due course.The Department has not made a specific assessment of the pressures on the sexual health workforce arising from increasing prevalence of sexually transmitted infections. Dental Services: Fees and Charges lord colwyn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much revenue was raised from patient charges for NHS dental services in each year since 2015. lord bethell: The following table shows patient charge revenue for National Health Service dental services from 2015/16 to 2018/19. Year2015/162016/172017/182018/19Total (£ million)743.8776.8807.3856.3 Source: NHS England Hospitals: Infectious Diseases lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the study in the British Medical Journal by Julian Guest Modelling the annual NHS costs and outcomes attributable to healthcare-associated infections in England, published on 22 January, what action, if any, they propose to take in response to the estimated 834,000 health-associated infections that occurred in a healthcare setting in 2016–17. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the study in the British Medical Journal by Julian Guest Modelling the annual NHS costs and outcomes attributable to healthcare-associated infections in England, published on 22 January,what action, if any, they propose to take in response to the estimated 28,500 patients that died from a health-associated infection in a healthcare setting in 2016–17. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the study in the British Medical Journal by Julian Guest Modelling the annual NHS costs and outcomes attributable to healthcare-associated infections in England, published on 22 January, what action, if any, they propose to take in response to the estimated 7.1 million bed days in NHS hospitals in England that were occupied by patients with a health-associated infection in 2016–17. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the study in the British Medical Journal by Julian Guest Modelling the annual NHS costs and outcomes attributable to healthcare-associated infections in England, published on 22 January, what action, if any, they propose to take in response to the estimated 79,700 days of absenteeism that occurred amongst frontline healthcare professionals working in NHS hospitals in England as a result of health-associated infections in 2016–17. lord bethell: A survey undertaken in 2016/17 by the European Centre for Disease Control to detect the number of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs), estimated the number in England to be much lower than those in this report at approximately 206,000. Public Health England is developing robust methodologies that will enable greater certainty in estimates of the numbers and costs of HCAIs.While there have been year-on-year reductions in MRSA and C. difficile; E. coli, MSSA, Klebsiella and Pseudomonas infections have increased. From April 2020, the NHS will introduce an annual national reduction target for these bloodstream infections.NHS England and NHS Improvement take a systematic approach to the prevention of infections with a sustained focus at national level. Action on HCAIs forms part of wide- ranging commitments made in the NHS Long Term Plan for preventing ill health among the National Health Service workforce.The United Kingdom’s national action plan on antimicrobial resistance has a strong focus on infection prevention and control and includes the commitment to support research that will help target front line interventions. Roads: Lighting lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 29 January (HL525), what consideration they are giving to reducing the correlated colour temperature of LED lights in order to avoid any adverse affects on melatonin production in the evening. lord bethell: Public Health England reviews the scientific literature and maintains regular contact with research groups studying the impact of light exposure on melatonin production. People who received normal levels of light exposure during the day, especially from daylight, appear to be less susceptible to delayed onset of melatonin production in the evening from artificial lighting. The scope to address various performance parameters of lighting sits with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Life Expectancy: Females lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve life expectancy for women in the UK. lord bethell: The Government wants everyone to have the same opportunity to have a long, healthy life, whoever they are, wherever they live and whatever their background.The best way to improve life expectancy is to prevent health problems from arising in the first place. The Prevention Green Paper published last year set out plans to shift the focus from cure to prevention and the NHS Long Term Plan makes clear commitments to strengthen the National Health Service’s contribution to prevention and health inequalities. Coronavirus: Disease Control lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of isolation as a method of containment for suspected cases of Wuhan coronavirus. lord bethell: Our approach has been guided by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty and independent experts which includes the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.Isolation is about protecting others and stopping the spread of COVID-19. It is very important that anyone who has or might have been exposed to the virus limits the number of people they come into contact with for 14 days. This is the most effective way of preventing the coronavirus from spreading. Department for International Development East Africa: Locusts lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to assist the Food and Agricultural Organisation's support to the areas in East Africa affected by locust swarms and breeding, in particular, assistance with early warning forecasts and alerts on the timings, scale and location of such swarm invasions and breeding. lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any requests for assistance to support aerial spraying and other control activities to counter the locustswarms affecting East Africa from the affected nations; and how they have responded to any such requests. lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the locust swarms in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia on (1) food security and agricultural livelihoods in the affected areas, and (2) their own programmes in (a) those countries, and (b) the region generally. baroness sugg: We are deeply concerned about the devastating locust outbreak in East Africa. It is destroying crops, livelihoods and essential food supplies. Millions of people already face food insecurity in the region and this outbreak will exacerbate this challenge. A supercomputer funded by UK aid is helping countries in East Africa to tackle devastating locust outbreaks by tracking the insects’ movements around the continent. The computer based in Kenya uses data to predict where the locusts will move to and develop early warning systems so communities can prepare.The UK has provided £5 million to support the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Emergency Appeal for the locust outbreak. UK aid is also helping to tackle this outbreak though the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, which has released £7.5 million. Our support is having an immediate impact. With UK aid backed funding, the FAO is spraying pesticides on the ground and by air to prevent further damage to crops and protect livelihoods. The Desert Locust Information System continues surveillance and provision of early warning information for affected countries. We believe that quick action now provides the best chance of halting the spread of locusts before the next breeding cycle when staple crops are in the field between March and July.We continue to monitor the situation closely and stand ready to help further. DFID’s existing humanitarian and development programming in the region is working to address current food insecurity and poverty challenges and is ready to flex to respond to this crisis. As rising temperatures due to climate change make such events across Africa more likely, we are also helping communities adapt longer term to climate shocks. Development Aid lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by The World Bank GroupCapture of Foreign Aid: Evidence from Offshore Bank Accounts, published in February, in particular its finding that disbursements of aid to 22 of the most aid-dependent countries coincided with significant increases in the value of bank deposits in tax havens. baroness sugg: We do not tolerate any misuse of UK aid and have robust systems in place to protect our investments. The Government welcomes research in international development, which can help to inform this. The World Bank is a key partner to the Government in international efforts to tackle corruption and has been assessed by the Government and other parties as having robust procedures to combat fraud and corruption in the use of its funds. Iran: Coronavirus the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what practical assistance they have offered the government of Iran to help it to manage the COVID-19 outbreak. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK, jointly with E3 partners, have offered Iran a comprehensive package of both material and financial support to combat the rapid spread of the disease. This includes financial support of up to €5 million through the WHO or other UN agencies to fight the COVID-19 epidemic affecting Iran, and equipment for laboratory tests, as well as other equipment, including protective body suits and gloves. Department for Education Children in Care: Human Trafficking lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children identified as potential victims of human trafficking have gone missing from local authority care in each financial year from 2009–10 to 2018–19. lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what mechanisms are in place to monitor the number of children identified as potential victims of human trafficking who go missing from local authority care. baroness berridge: Information on the number of looked after children who have been identified as potential victims of human trafficking and who go missing from care is not held centrally. The latest figures on looked after children who go missing in England as at 31 March are published in Table G1 of the statistical release ‘Children Looked after in England including adoptions: 2018 to 2019’, which is attached and is also available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2018-to-2019. Slavery and trafficking of children is a very serious offence and the government is committed to protecting children from this harm. The response to trafficking should be primarily about protecting victims and bringing those who exploit them to justice. Local authorities are responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children in their area, including child victims of modern slavery. The department’s statutory guidance for local authorities on care of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery is clear on authorities’ duties to work with local partners to protect child victims of modern slavery from further risk from their traffickers and preventing exploitation from taking place. In particular, there should be a clear understanding between the local authority and the police of their respective roles in planning for this protection and responding if a child victim of modern slavery goes missing. Section 48 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 makes provisions for Independent Child Trafficking Advocates, which have been renamed Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs). ICTGs are an independent source of advice for trafficked children; somebody who can speak up on their behalf and act in the best interests of the child. Currently, ICTGs have been rolled out to one third of local authorities in England and Wales and the government remains committed to a national rollout. HL1874_HL1875_Table (Excel SpreadSheet, 154.5 KB) History: Education lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government what efforts they have made during their chairmanship of the Commonwealth Heads of Government to ensure that the history of the Commonwealth is taught in UK schools. baroness berridge: The history curriculum gives teachers and schools the freedom and flexibility to use specific examples from history to teach pupils about the history of Britain and the wider world.There are opportunities within the themes and eras of the history curriculum for teachers and schools to teach about the history of the Commonwealth at Key Stages 1-3. Schools can teach about the Commonwealth at Key Stage 1, when teaching about events beyond or within living memory that are significant nationally or globally, and at Key Stage 2, within a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066. There are also opportunities at Key Stage 3, within the ‘ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901’ and ‘challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day’ themes. ‘Indian independence and end of Empire’ is one of the example topics in this latter theme. The Commonwealth also falls within the scope of the subject content set out for GCSE history.The government shared a Commonwealth Education Pack for teachers in 2018, in support of the UK’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that year. The pack is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/department-for-education-launches-commonwealth-education-pack, and has been attached. HL1940_attachment (PDF Document, 2.77 MB) Training lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they provide to those who wish to retrain but do not meet the stated criteria for the national retraining scheme. baroness berridge: The National Retraining Scheme will support working adults to prepare for future changes to the economy, including changes brought about by automation, and help them to retrain into better jobs.In addition to the National Retraining Scheme, our wider adult skills system seeks to improve productivity, employment levels and social inclusion. Programmes including apprenticeships, funded or co-funded skills provision through the Adult Education Budget and access to Advanced Learner Loans enable adults to gain the skills that they need to progress or reskill.The government is also providing an extra £3 billion to develop a National Skills Fund that helps adults to learn new skills and to prepare for the economy of the future. Ministry of Justice Cemeteries lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what regulations exist for the control of cemeteries mounding areas to create new burial spaces. lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what controls exist to protect graves of historical significance from mounding in (1) private, and (2) public, burial grounds. lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they ensure that the locations of early burials are (1) accurately recorded, and (2) accessible. lord keen of elie: The management and maintenance of local authority burial grounds is subject to a comprehensive framework of regulation and guidance, and we anticipate that those operating private burial grounds (many of which are, in any event, regulated by bespoke legislation) will apply the same standards and principles.Graves and monuments of historical significance can be listed in the National Heritage List for England or scheduled in accordance with the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Any changes to listed or scheduled monuments or graves require consent from the Historic England.The Law Commission’s forthcoming Programme of Law Reform includes a project to consider modernising and streamlining the law governing the disposal of human remains, with a view to putting forward a legal framework for the future. Judicial Review lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many judicial reviews were conducted in England and Wales in each year from 1990 to 2019. lord keen of elie: The table sets out the number of judicial reviews that were conducted in the High Court (Administrative Court) of England and Wales each year between 1999- Q3 2019. These are substantive hearings, and not applications for permission to apply for judicial review. They include all outcomes, including the substantive decision of ‘withdraw’. Unfortunately, statistics from before this time were unobtainable in the time available. Data for Q4 2019 is due to be published on 5th March 2020.The table also includes the number of judicial review disposals in the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) Chamber from 2013 (when cases started to be heard there) and until Q3 2019. Importantly, this statistic includes all applications for permission to apply for judicial review, and not just the substantive hearings in stark contrast to the above number quoted for the Administrative Court, which only accounts for substantive hearings. The figures cannot be broken down into hearings conducted in the time available.YearJudicial review in the High Court (Administrative Court)Judicial reviews in the UTIAC (Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber) Substantive cases heardDisposals (inc.applications rejected)19991,117 20001,207 2001729 2002420 2003420 2004334 2005392 2006461 2007421 2008419 2009488 2010477 2011485 2012541 2013546329201439212,708201537418,788201633115,012201731511,48820182199,9712019 Q1-Q3576,529TOTAL10,14574,825 Female Genital Mutilation: Prosecutions baroness jenkin of kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have been (1) prosecuted for, and (2) found guilty of, female genital mutilation in the UK. lord keen of elie: In the period between the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 coming into force and 31 December 2018, there were 6 prosecutions and 0 convictions for female genital mutilation offences.The media, however, reported on one conviction early in 2019, but that covers a period for which statistics will be published in May 2020. Special Educational Needs: Appeals lord lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to compensate parents who have appealed to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal but whose first hearing was cancelled without adequate notice and as a result have incurred expense. lord keen of elie: The First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) is free to access and use, but where appellants have incurred and can evidence financial loss as a consequence of the postponement of a hearing they may apply for a compensatory payment. Each application for an ex-gratia payment is treated on its own merits and dealt with in accordance with HM Courts & Tribunals Service’s complaints procedure. Examples of the types of claims which might be made include the payment of any legal expenses incurred and, where the hearing has been postponed at short notice, the payment of loss of earnings of witnesses who have been unable to find other remunerative employment on the date in question. In 2018/19 there were 17 applications for a compensatory payment, 14 of which related to the cancellation of the first hearing. The average sum paid was £2,347. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Floods lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) financial, and (2) other, support they have (a) provided, and (b) intend to provide to, local authorities in response to recent flood-related emergencies. baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: In response to the recent storms, Government activated the Bellwin Scheme of emergency financial assistance on 10 February and extended this to more areas on 17 February. Ministers also activated the Flood Recovery Framework on 18 February, with support being provided to eligible local authorities to help local residents and businesses affected by the storms. Government has also announced the Property Flood Resilience Scheme to help homes and businesses become more resilient to flooding. Government is working with local authorities to assess the full extent of the flooding impacts and will release the funding to eligible local authorities in due course.Government has made Government Liaison Officers available to support affected areas during response and to support ongoing recovery. Rough Sleeping Review lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the terms of Dame Louise Casey’s review into rough sleeping; and when she will report. baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: Dame Louise Casey has been appointed to undertake a review into rough sleeping that will provide the Government with advice on additional action required to end rough sleeping within this Parliament. Dame Louise’s recommendations will inform the Government’s approach to meeting this manifesto commitment and will support the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to develop their Comprehensive Spending Review bid in summer 2020.Dame Louise will report to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. She will consider as part of the urgent review the links between 24-hour street activity and rough sleeping and how best we can support this group. It will also look into those struggling with drug and alcohol misuse, and those with physical and mental health issues. Self-catering Accommodation: Non-domestic Rates lord foster of bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish an analysis of the responses to their consultation which closed on 15 January 2019 on the business rates treatment of self-catering accommodation. the earl of courtown: The Department is considering what further steps might be appropriate in the light of points made in responses to the consultation and will publish its analysis of those responses in due course. Green Belt baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hectares of land that were previously green belt have been removed from the green belt in local plans adopted in England in each year from 2011 to the present; and how many morehectares are proposed to be so removed in local plans yet to be adopted. baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: The published annual statistical releases and associated tables at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-belt-statistics provide information on the local authority areas within which land had been transferred from the Green Belt - and the hectares of land involved - for each year from 2010-11 to 2018-19.In addition, Table 2 of the 2018-19 release provides figures for the net change in the size of the Green Belt for each year from 2010-11 to 2018-19 separately.Information for 2019-20 is due to be published in September or October 2020.The local plans process does not provide for the department to routinely receive information on the numbers of hectares of land proposed for removal from the Green Belt. Until a revised development plan is submitted to formal examination, any Green Belt boundary changes would be conjecture. Green Belt Statistics 2018-2019 (PDF Document, 1.57 MB) Green Belt baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to fulfil their Manifesto commitment to protect and enhance the green belt. baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: In revising the National Planning Policy Framework we re-affirmed the protections for Green Belt. Under the strengthened “exceptional circumstances” test - applied if a local authority is considering adjustment of a Green Belt boundary – the authority is expected to show evidenced justification that it has examined all other reasonable options for meeting its development needs, and that Green Belt release is a last resort.The Framework also expects development plans to set out ways in which the impact of removing land from Green Belt will be offset by compensatory improvements to access and environmental quality in the rest of the Green Belt. Green Belt: Oxford baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of any loss of green belt land as a result of the proposals in Cherwell District Council's Partial Review of Cherwell Local Plan 2011–2031to buildnew housing ongreen belt land in Oxford; and what steps they intend to take in response to any such assessment. baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: Because of the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in the planning system I am unable to comment on the detail or merits of individual development plans. National policy on Green Belts, and the Government’s expectations of how local authorities should protect them, are made clear in the National Planning Policy Framework, re-issued in February 2019. Energy Performance Certificates lord foster of bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the outcome of theirconsultation Energy Performance Certificates in buildings, which closed on 26 July 2018. baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: BEIS and MHCLG will publish a summary of responses and plan to improve Energy Performance Certificates in due course. Ministry of Defence MOD Stafford the earl of shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to close 4 Site, MOD Stafford; and ifso, what is the envisaged timescale. baroness goldie: The Defence Infrastructure Organisation are currently in negotiations to sell 4 Site, MOD Stafford.I am withholding the information in relation to when the site is intended for closure, as to do so would prejudice commercial interests. MOD Stafford the earl of shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, should they decide to close 4 Site, MOD Stafford, the original owner of the site will have preferred bidder status. baroness goldie: The site will be disposed of in accordance with Ministry of Defence standard procedures and treasury guidelines. The Department would offer any surplus land back to the former owner or their successors under the Crichel Down rules at the market value if the associated Crichel Down criteria are met, and prior to going to the open market. Ministry of Defence: Carbon Emissions lord tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total amount of carbon emissions for the Ministry of Defence each year. baroness goldie: The Ministry of Defence 2018-19 carbon emissions from the defence estate and domestic business travel was 0.82 million tonnes of CO2e. Further details are available in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-annual-report-and-accounts-2018-to-19 Royal Fleet Auxiliary lord mackenzie of culkein: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the three new Fleet Solid Support Ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will be ordered; and what are the estimated in-service dates for each of those new ships. baroness goldie: The Ministry of Defence is currently assessing the options for the fleet Solid Support ship programme, and as part of this process will review the requirement and any procurement strategy. It is not possible to provide any further details until this work has been completed. Ministry of Defence: Sustainable Development lord tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the next Sustainable Ministry of Defence annual report will be published. baroness goldie: For 2018-19 Sustainable Ministry of Defence reporting was integrated into the Annual Report and Accounts and this will continue for 2019-20. Hospital Ships: Procurement lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any new hospital ship will be operational before the retirement of RFA Argus in 2024. lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will procure another helicopter training vessel before the retirement of RFA Argus in 2024. baroness goldie: RFA ARGUS is the Ministry of Defence's Primary Casualty Receiving Ship. The consideration of options to deliver the capabilities provided by ARGUS after she leaves service remains ongoing. Department for Work and Pensions Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses lord mackenzie of culkein: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the operation of the special rules for terminal illness used in accessing disability benefits; whether those rules are appropriate for people with unpredictable terminal illnesses such as motor neurone disease; and what plans they have to review and amend those rules. baroness stedman-scott: The Department is taking forward as a priority its evaluation of how the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and those with severe conditions. We have made progress on all areas of this work and will be continuing to engage with clinicians and claimants, including those affected by motor neurone disease, to ensure their views are heard. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Waste: Exports the lord bishop of salisbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (HL226), what assessment they have made of how waste that is returned to its site of origin following inspection, or prevented from reaching ports, is (1) managed, and (2) processed, once returned to its site of origin. lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Environment Agency (EA) is the competent authority for waste shipments for England. The actions taken by EA officers when they prevent a proposed waste shipment leaving a site or leaving a port will be determined on a case by case basis. When EA officers stop a shipment of waste at port, they oversee the return of the waste to either the site of origin or to an appropriately permitted waste facility. Waste can be held at port until the EA are satisfied that those responsible for the shipment have put appropriate measures in place to manage the waste in accordance with the relevant waste legislation. EA intervention at sites of loading will include officers explaining to businesses why waste cannot be exported, for example if there is evidence of poor waste quality or paperwork issues, and this intervention activity prevents thousands of tonnes of waste from being illegally exported each year. The EA addresses the illegal export of waste using an intelligence-led approach and EA officers will continue to monitor the compliance of those deemed at risk of illegal export, ensuring improvements are made and future shipments are compliant with the regulations. Floods lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of climate change on the prevalance and severity of recent flooding; and what plans they have taken to review the (1) Bellwin scheme, and (2) aid and support provided to local authorities, to ensure that communities have sufficient resilience to withstand such events. lord goldsmith of richmond park: The second Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) published in 2017 identifies risks to flooding and coastal change as one of the UK’s top six risks from climate change. The second National Adaptation Programme (NAP) published in 2018, sets out a plan of actions across Government to address these risks (amongst others identified in the CCRA) over the following 5 years. In addition updated UK Climate Projections – UKCP18 – are a key tool to help the Government, businesses and the public understand the future climate and enable them to make climate-resilient decisions. The Government acted swiftly to activate the emergency Bellwin scheme to help local authorities cope with the cost of response in the immediate aftermath of recent flooding. The Bellwin scheme was activated after Storm Ciara on 10 February and Storm Dennis on 17 February 2020. Under the scheme, local authorities dealing with the flooding can apply to have 100% of their eligible costs, above a threshold, reimbursed by the government. The operation of the Bellwin Scheme was last reviewed in 2015. There are currently no plans to review it further. The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government provides funding to local government to carry out functions including managing flood and coastal erosion risk, through the local government finance settlement. Pesticides baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the legal requirements for local authorities to reporttheir use of glyphosate and other chemical pesticides and herbicides;and what central record is kept of the use of such chemicals. lord gardiner of kimble: Pesticides, including glyphosate and other herbicides, are strictly regulated and their use is only authorised if a scientific risk assessment shows that there will be no harmful effect on human health and no unacceptable effects on the environment. There are specific risk assessments for the use of pesticides in amenity areas, which includes local authority use. There are also controls on the use of pesticides, including training of users and testing of application equipment. It is for local authorities to determine the need for pest and weed control in their operations and to decide how to deliver this effectively without harming people or the environment. There is a legal requirement to minimise the use of pesticides along roads and in areas used by the general public and a number of local authorities are exploring practices that help meet this requirement. Local authorities are not required to report their use of chemical pesticides and no central record is kept. The Government does commission and publish surveys of pesticide use. These focus mainly on the use of pesticides in farming, but surveys of amenity use have been carried out from time to time, most recently in 2016. Drinking Water: Colne Valley baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure good-quality drinking water sources in the Colne Valley by 2027. lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Government have put in place the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 which provide the framework for safe drinking water. Within these Regulations is the requirement for water companies to risk assess their supply systems and to keep those risk assessments under review. Risks identified in the risk assessment require mitigation. Any major constructions work within a water company’s area would result in a review of the risk assessment to identify any potential for impact and mitigation put in place to ensure drinking water meets the required standards and is safe for consumers. Floods lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byViscount Younger of Leckie on 30 January (HL580), whether there is a map to show the areas at (1) current, and (2) future, risk of flooding in England. lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Environment Agency’s (EA’s) Flood Map for Planning (https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/) shows the current likelihood of flooding in England. This map takes into account extreme weather events. While this map does not look at future risks, for many parts of the country the EA assesses future climate impacts on flood and coastal risk through local detailed flood and coastal erosion modelling. These models and outputs can be made available on request to assist in the resilient design of new development. In addition, the EA is currently updating its national flood risk assessment. The new assessment will provide the information needed to guide and support flood risk management decisions and investment in a transparent and understandable way. It will give a dynamic, single story of flood risk for a location, for all sources of flooding, now and in the future, considering defence performance and regardless of scale. Home Office Migrant Workers: Interpreters baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the new points-based immigration system will accommodate public service interpreters who work on a freelance basis. baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there will be any flexibility in the new points-based immigration system's salary thresholds in respect of freelance public service interpreters who cannot guarantee their earnings levels. baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether public service interpreters working for the (1) NHS, (2) courts system, and (3) police, are regarded as (a) skilled, (b) high-skilled, or (c) low-skilled, workers. baroness williams of trafford: On 19 February we published a policy statement setting out the United Kingdom’s future Points-Based Immigration System, which will work for all parts of the UK.We will not be creating a dedicated route for self-employed people, However. in due course, freelance workers will be able to benefit from the proposed unsponsored route as recommended by the independent Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC).Freelance workers contracted to provide services to an organisation can continue to be sponsored under the new skilled work route (which also allows them to work up to 20 hours a week for other organisations).Public service interpreters fall within standard occupational classification (SOC) code 3412; authors, writers and translators. Occupations within this SOC code are considered to be skilled at RQF 4 by the MAC. British Nationality: Children baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to appeal the judgment made in Project for the Registration of Children as British Citizens v Home Office, issued on 19 December 2019; and if they have no such plans, why they have not revised the fees for children applying for British citizenship, as set out in their policy paper Home Office immigration and nationality fees, published on 20 February. baroness williams of trafford: The Secretary of State for the Home Department has been granted permission to appeal against the Court’s finding the Home Office did not have full regard to Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 when setting the fee in fees regulations.The Immigration and Nationality Fees Regulations 2018 were not found to be unlawful and the court case remains on-going. We will therefore continue to charge the fees set out in the fees regulations. Human Trafficking: Victims lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish guidance about identifying and supporting victims of human trafficking as required under section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. baroness williams of trafford: The Government recognises that publishing statutory guidance under section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 is important in ensuring that victims are provided with the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives.We aim to publish the guidance as soon as possible. Guardianship lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government since 30 January 2017 what percentage of children stopped receiving support from an independent guardian because they had turned 18 years old; and how many of those stopped receiving such support within 18 months of it starting. baroness williams of trafford: Last year, the Government successfully rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) in one third of local authorities in England and Wales.In July 2019, the Home Office published an evaluation of ICTGs in early adopter sites, conducted in collaboration with the University of Bedfordshire. The evaluation considered the added value of the ICTG service. It found that 21% of children left the service, from the period of February 2017 to January 2019, because they turned 18. This was the main reason why children left the service. Whilst ICTGs can work with a child for up to 18 months, the evaluation found that the average length of time a child spent in the service was six months. The evaluation can be viewed online via the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-evaluation-of-independent-child-trafficking-guardians-early-adopter-sites-final-reportThe Home Office will publish its next evaluation of the ICTG service later this year. Evaluation of Ind Child Trafficking guardians (PDF Document, 1.53 MB) Slavery and Trafficking Reparation Orders lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Slavery and Trafficking Reparation Orders under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 have been made in each financial year since the passing of thatAct; how many victims have received compensation as a result of those reparation orders; and what was the (1) total, and (2) average, amount of those compensation awards. baroness williams of trafford: Data centrally held by the Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service records reparation orders issued as part of a community sentence and does not separately identify slavery and trafficking reparation orders issued under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.The latest available data on community sentences up to 2018 can be found at:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/802314/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2018.xlsxThe Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act, which took place during 2018/19 examined the effectiveness of this provision and the compensation awarded to victims. The Reviewers recommended that this compensation should be at the forefront of the Court’s mind. Migrant Workers: Social Services lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to involve councils in decisions about reform of the immigration system in relation to the adult social care workforce. baroness williams of trafford: The Government published details of the new UK’s Points Based System on 19 February.A comprehensive programme of communication and engagement will be launched this month, focusing on users and key sectors. It will involve relevant stakeholders, including local authorities. Electronic Surveillance lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the security services are granted access to encrypted messages in exceptional circumstances. baroness williams of trafford: The UK Government supports strong encryption, which is a vital part of our digital economy, but we have been clear that technology companies should not deliberately design out their ability, and that of law enforcement agencies, to access content, even to prevent and detect the most serious crimes such as child sexual exploitation and abuse and terrorism. As the Director General of MI5, Sir Andrew Parker, made clear last week, lawful access to encrypted communications is a vital part of keeping our citizens safe.This is not just about one company. It is about protecting the public across the globe as technology develops. However, as we have made very clear, we are extremely concerned about Facebook’s current proposals to apply end-to-end encryption across their messaging services. The US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) estimates that these proposals would result in the loss of 12 million reports related to child abuse every year. The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates that, in 2018, NCMEC reporting from Facebook will have resulted in more than 2500 arrests by UK law enforcement and almost 3000 children safeguarded in the UK.In order to make progress on this issue, we have been consistently clear that industry must be willing to engage in detailed, technical consultation with governments that can have a genuine impact on their design decisions and that is what the Home Secretary called for from Facebook in an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg on 4 October last year.We believe that this sort of engagement is necessary in order to identify potential solutions that can keep the public safe, without undermining cyber security or individuals’ privacy. We recently set out our approach to this issue in a testimony to Congress, clearly, factually and in significant detail, dispelling myths that prevent proper debate. We would encourage anyone who is interested in our position to read it in full https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-letter-to-mark-zuckerberg Cabinet Office Amazon Web Services: Government Departments lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the G-Cloud 8 call-off contract agreed with Amazon Web Services in 2016 specified that Amazon Web Services had no liability for "direct loss, destruction, corruption, degradation or damage to the Buyer Data or the Buyer Personal Data or any copy of such Buyer Data". lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many contracts they have agreed in the last five years with public cloud providers which specify that the server has no liability fordirect loss, destruction, corruption, degradation or damage to the Buyer Data or the Buyer Personal Data or any copy of such Buyer Data. lord true: It is the responsibility of individual buying authorities to agree terms and conditions with their chosen supplier when calling off from a framework agreement.Specific terms and conditions agreed between parties when calling off from framework agreements are not reported back centrally to the Cabinet Office or the Crown Commercial Service. Business: Billing lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it remains their policy that any supplier who bids for a government contract worth more than £5 million per annum must demonstrate that they pay 95 per cent of invoices within 60 days or be excluded from delivering the contract; and if so, how many such bidders have been excluded from delivering contracts on those grounds. lord true: From September 2019, any supplier who bids for a Government contract above £5m per annum will be expected to pay 95% of invoices in 60 days across all their business. Any supplier who is unable to demonstrate a fair and responsible approach to the payment of their supply chain may be excluded from bidding.A small number of suppliers have been excluded to date for not achieving the expected standards. However, our aim is to drive improvement in performance and ensure subcontractors are paid promptly. Quintessentially lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) whether they will publish the details of the contract between the Department for International Trade and Quintessentially, including the amounts paid to that company in each of the last three years, and (2) whether other Government departments or public bodies have contracts with that company. lord true: Records of Government contracts above £10,000 in central government and £25,000 in the wider public sector are published on Contracts Finder:https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search Details of spends over £25,000 are published on gov.uk:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dit-departmental-spending-over-25000 Joint Ministerial Committee lord murphy of torfaen: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee will take place. lord true: The Devolution Memorandum of Understanding established the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) - a committee structure which meets in different formats for intergovernmental relations, to enable ministers from the UK Government and Devolved Administrations to engage.Future meetings will be confirmed in the usual way. British-Irish Council lord murphy of torfaen: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the next meeting of the British–Irish Council will take place. lord true: The next Summit meeting of the British-Irish Council will take place this summer and be hosted by the Scottish Government. Treasury Erasmus+ Programme and Horizon Europe lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their wish to avoid a role for the Court of Justice of the EU in resolving future disputes between the UK and the EU, what form of dispute resolution they would accept if the UK is to continue participating in the Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ programmes. lord agnew of oulton: The Public Mandate states that the UK is ready to consider participation in certain EU programmes where it is in the UK's and the EU’s interest that the UK does so. The UK will consider a relationship in line with non-EU Member State participation for the following programmes: Horizon Europe, Euratom Research and Training, and Copernicus. The UK will consider service access agreements for the following programmes: EU Space Surveillance and Tracking, and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service. Existing agreements on programmes between the EU and third countries establish dispute resolution mechanisms that do not include recourse to the ECJ. The UK’s priority in negotiations is to ensure that the UK restores its economic and political independence on 1 January 2021. That is the Government’s primary objective. Any agreement must be consistent with this. The UK must have full control over its own laws and the Government will not accept demands for the UK to follow EU law or accept the judgements of the ECJ. Flood Control: Finance lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional capital resources they plan to make available to theGovernments of (1) Wales, (2) Scotland, and (3) Northern Ireland, to fund capital expenditure in the financial year 2020–21 on flood prevention projects. lord agnew of oulton: Flood prevention is a devolved policy area. It is for the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to determine how to allocate their funding across their devolved responsibilities, including to flood prevention. In 2020-21, the devolved administrations have the following capital block grants: £ 5,014m for the Scottish Government, £2,181m for the Welsh Government, and £1,524m for the Northern Ireland Executive. The Barnett formula is being applied in the normal way on any planned changes in UK government departmental budgets, as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, including to any additional funding for flooding in England. Floods: Wales lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional money, over and above that provided by the Barnett formula, they intend to provide to the Welsh Government for the current financial year to meet any additional costs arising from flood damage and alleviation work for (1) households, (2) businesses, (3) farms, and (4) to secure the safety of coal tips. lord agnew of oulton: The devolved administrations can access the HM Treasury Reserve in certain circumstances, as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. The Welsh Government has not made any requests to access the Reserve in 2019-20 for flooding damage or alleviation work. Tourism: VAT lord foster of bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last reviewed the case for reducing VAT on accommodation and attractions to assist the tourism industry; what conclusions they reached; and whether they will publish the analysis that led to those conclusions. lord agnew of oulton: At Spring Statement 2018, the Government launched a call for evidence on the impact of VAT and Air Passenger Duty on tourism in Northern Ireland, which also considered UK-wide changes. The response to the call for evidence was published at Budget 2018. The Senior Deputy Speaker House of Lords: Official Hospitality baroness d'souza: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what percentage of total House of Lords hospitality venue bookings were for the Home Room in the last year for which figures are available. lord laming: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. In 2019 there were 184 events serving 3,289 guests in the Home Room. This accounted for 37% of all venue bookings for House of Lords hospitality in the Attlee, Home and Chomondeley Rooms.The events generated an income of £180,720, of which £20,208 was for facility fees.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2020-03-10

Afghanistan The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What will be the United Kingdom's participation in the joint regional teams in Afghanistan; what forces will be committed; and what are the teams' objectives. Baroness Amos: The UK has agreed in principle to lead one of the provincial reconstruction teams, as they are now known, and possibly contribute to others. It is not possible at this point to define the precise force requirements since this will vary according to the needs of the region in which the team deploys. We hope the provincial reconstruction teams will facilitate the development of a stable and secure environment; promote security sector reform and reconstruction; and underpin the authority of the transitional administration. Afghanistan The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they respond to the concerns of non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan about the precise role of the joint regional teams; whether soldiers in uniform are to carry out humanitarian aid and reconstruction work; and how this will affect the status of non-governmental organisations in the communities concerned. Baroness Amos: FCO, MoD and DfID officials have held three substantive meetings with NGOs since December 2002 to discuss the provincial reconstruction team concept. This concept is still evolving: we hope that lessons being learned from three pilot US PRTs will help shape the concept in a way that will satisfy NGO concerns. We are working with the US, UN and Afghan authorities to identify the most effective way of addressing the concerns expressed so far. Civil Court Debt Lord Clark of Windermere: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress they have made on the review of enforcement of civil court debt. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I am pleased to announce the publication of the White Paper Effective Enforcement which sets out legislative proposals to improve methods of recovery for civil court debt and commercial rent and a single regulatory regime for warrant enforcement agents. It is crucial that creditors who have established a legitimate claim should be able to pursue it through a straightforward and accessible system and, if necessary, enforce a judgment by the most appropriate means. Equally, debtors who genuinely do not have the means to pay should be protected from the oppressive pursuit of their debts. The White Paper contains detailed proposals for a single regulatory structure, unified law and a fairer fee structure for all enforcement agents to enable straightforward, effective warrant enforcement and protect vulnerable debtors who genuinely cannot pay. The paper also sets out revised procedures for attachment of earnings and charging orders and improved access to information to assist enforcement. The paper builds on the Green Paper Towards Effective Enforcement, published in July 2001, and the responses to this consultation paper, published in May 2002. Foreign Nationals in Prison in England and Wales Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 19 October 1999 (WA 108), whether they will publish a table to show how many foreign nationals were in prison in England and Wales at the latest convenient date. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Information for 31 January 2003 is given in the table. Population in prisons in England and Wales on 31 Janaury 2003 by nationality and sex Country Males Females All All Nationalities 66,689 4,214 70,903 British 58,042 3,265 61,307 Foreign Nationals 7,600 895 8,495 Afghanistan 43 0 43 Albania 72 2 74 Algeria 141 0 141 Andorra 1 0 1 Angola 36 1 37 Anguilla 1 0 1 Antarctica 10 2 12 Argentina 7 0 7 Armenia 4 0 4 Aruba 1 0 1 Ascension Island 1 0 1 Australia 19 4 23 Austria 3 0 3 Bahamas 4 0 4 Bangladesh 134 2 136 Barbados 30 1 31 Belgium 45 6 51 Belize 1 1 2 Bermuda 2 0 2 Bhutan 1 0 1 Bolivia 4 0 4 Bosnia- Hercegovina 6 1 7 Botswana 1 0 1 Brazil 19 11 30 British India Ocean 0 0 0 Bulgaria 6 1 7 Burma 1 0 1 Burundi 2 0 2 Cambodia 1 0 1 Cameroon, United Republic 14 2 16 Canada 26 4 30 Cayman Islands 1 0 1 Central African Republic 6 0 6 Chad 1 0 1 Chile 11 2 13 China 79 8 87 Colombia 104 9 113 Congo 37 2 39 Costa Rica 1 0 1 Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 2 0 2 Croatia 4 0 4 Cuba 2 0 2 Cyprus 65 1 66 Czechoslovakia 16 0 16 Denmark 9 0 9 Djibouti 1 0 1 Dominica 6 0 6 Dominican Republic 4 1 5 East Timor (Portuguese) 1 0 1 Ecuador 8 0 8 Egypt 9 0 9 Estonia 3 0 3 Ethiopia 14 0 14 Fiji 2 0 2 Finland 2 0 2 France 83 14 97 French Southern Territories 3 0 3 French Guiana 2 0 2 Gabon 1 0 1 Gambia 22 0 22 Georgia 3 0 3 Germany 84 10 94 Ghana 97 9 106 Gibraltar 2 0 2 Greece 24 3 27 Grenada 11 1 12 Guatemala 2 0 2 Guinea 3 0 3 Guyana 16 3 19 Haiti 2 0 2 Hong Kong 5 0 5 Hungary 20 0 20 India 230 10 240 Indonesia 3 0 3 Iran 83 1 84 Iraq 121 0 121 Irish Republic 597 42 639 Israel 7 0 7 Italy 100 6 106 Ivory Coast 8 0 8 Jamaica 2,372 488 2,860 Japan 1 0 1 Jordan 5 0 5 Kazakhstan 1 0 1 Kenya 61 2 63 Kiribati 1 0 1 Korea Republic of (Sth) 4 2 6 Kuwait 2 0 2 Kyrgystan 2 0 2 Latvia 13 2 15 Lebanon 13 1 14 Liberia 5 1 6 Libya 17 0 17 Lithuania 35 3 38 Luxembourg 1 0 1 Macedonia 2 0 2 Malawi 6 0 6 Malaysia 10 3 13 Mali 1 0 1 Malta 11 1 12 Mauritania 6 0 6 Mauritius 7 0 7 Mexico 4 1 5 Moldova 15 0 15 Mongolia 2 0 2 Montserrat 11 2 13 Morocco 31 2 33 Mozambique 1 0 1 Namibia 1 0 1 Nepal 3 0 3 Netherlands 205 21 226 Netherlands Antilles 12 3 15 New Zealand 7 3 10 Nicaragua 2 0 2 Nigeria 230 43 273 Norway 2 0 2 Oman 1 0 1 Pakistan 383 4 387 Panama 1 0 1 Papua New Guinea 1 1 2 Peru 4 1 5 Philippines 11 4 15 Poland 52 5 57 Portugal 90 12 102 Romania 68 19 87 Rwanda 5 0 5 Sao Tome and Principe 1 0 1 Saudi Arabia 10 1 11 Senegal 2 0 2 Serbia 2 1 3 Seychelles 1 1 2 Sierra Leone 45 2 47 Singapore 1 1 2 Slovakia 7 0 7 Slovenia 1 0 1 Somalia 181 5 186 South Africa 116 25 141 Spain 80 16 96 Sri Lanka 103 1 104 St Christopher & Nevis 2 1 3 St Kitts and Nevis 3 2 5 St Lucia 13 2 15 St Vincent & The Grenadines 6 0 6 Sudan 19 1 20 Surinam 2 1 3 Sweden 3 2 5 Switzerland 6 2 8 Syrian Arab Republic 4 0 4 Tanzania 7 1 8 Territories 1 0 1 Thailand 2 4 6 Togo 5 1 6 Trinidad and Tobago 39 8 47 Tunisia 9 0 9 Turkey 206 1 207 Turkmenistan 2 1 3 Uganda 45 0 45 United Arab Emirates 4 0 4 United States of America 62 14 76 USSR 67 1 68 Uzbekistan 2 0 2 Venezuela 31 4 35 Vietnam 35 3 38 Virgin Islands 0 1 1 Yemen Arab Republic (North) 2 0 2 YemenPeoples Dem Rep (Sth) 3 0 3 Yugoslavia 111 2 113 Zaire 40 0 40 Zambia 12 2 14 Zimbabwe 36 4 40 Not recorded 1,047 54 1,101 Iraq: Legality of Armed Force Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they have not answered the Questions for Written Answer tabled on 6 March by Lord Lester of Herne Hill regarding the principles of public international law governing the manner in which military action is taken against Iraq (HL 2053) and the principles of international humanitarian law applicable to the belligerents (HL 2054). Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Questions to which the noble Lord refers were answered on 20 March 2003 (WA 41), within the recommended 14-day period. Kosovo: Theft of Computer Records Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in view of the risks to witnesses and war-crimes prosecutions, they have discussed with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo the theft on 4 January of computer records from the Centre for the Protection of Women and Children in Pristina, Kosovo; and if not, whether they will now do so. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The British Office in Pristina discussed this case with United Nations Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), which is responsible for the law and order in Kosovo, on 16 January. At that time the investigation into the robbery was still ongoing. The British Office is currently arranging a follow-up visit to ascertain the latest position. The British Office also called on Mrs Sevdije Ahmeti, the founder of the Centre for the Protection of Women and Children, after the incident. Bosnia: Export Approval Baroness Thornton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any goods subject to the European Union arms embargo have recently been approved for export to Bosnia. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Government have approved the export of four military-listed portable explosive detectors to the NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR) headquarters in Sarajevo. Bosnia and Herzegovina is subject to an EU arms embargo, from which only demining equipment and the transfer of small arms to the police are specifically exempt. The embargo was put in place to ensure the safety of international troops and civilians deployed locally. SFOR requires this equipment for the protection of its premises and personnel. This decision was made in accordance with our practice occasionally to make an exemption to our interpretation of the embargo by approving exports of non-lethal military goods to humanitarian, media or peacekeeping organisations where it is clear that the embargo was not intended to prevent those exports and there is a strong humanitarian case for them. Her Majesty's Government fully support SFOR and recognise its legitimate need for the right equipment to carry out its job safely and effectively. The decision underlines Her Majesty's Government' continued support for the work being done by SFOR in maintaining security and devleopment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Iran: Export Licences Baroness Thornton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What changes have been made to their procedures for processing export licences for Iran. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Previous Statements to this House have indicated that all export licence applications for strategically-controlled goods to Iran are considered at a regular meeting of specialist officials, the Iran Working Group. The recommendations made have then been given ministerial consideration within each relevant department. Ministers in the relevant departments, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, have decided they no longer need routinely to consider these recommendations. The routine meeting will no longer convene to consider export licence applications. Officials will now consider any export licence applications for Iran within their relevant government departments, meeting and submitting to Ministers only where necessary. This is in common with processing for other countries, including those of weapons of mass destruction concern. This is a solely procedural change in order to streamline the export licensing process and to reduce delays for UK exporters. The Government will continue rigorously to assess Iran export licence applications on a case-by-case basis against the UK's national restrictions, with special attention paid to the risk of weapons of mass destruction proliferation, and against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Iraq: Protection of Cultural Property Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government: What measures they plan to implement, in the event of military intervention in Iraq, to prevent the looting of archaeological sites and museums and to safeguard the rich historic, archaeological and cultural heritage of Iraq. Lord Bach: Paragraph 53 of Additional Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions prohibits any attack against a cultural property unless that property is used to support a military effort. In our military planning, very careful attention is applied, in accordance with our responsibilities under international law, to ensure that we minimise the risk of damage from any quarter to civilian populations and infrastructure, including sites of historic, archaeological and cultural heritage. We are confident that our servicemen and women will respect the rich heritage of the Iraqi people. Any form of indiscipline by United Kingdom Armed Forces will be taken very seriously and will be dealt with accordingly. Iraqi military and civilian individuals will be held personally accountable for actions taken by them in the event of military action, including criminal offences. Depleted Uranium Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bach on 13 March (WA194–96), what is their assessment of the consequences for enemy forces and civilian populations of the deployment and use of depleted uranium munitions; what are the implications in terms of the conventions of war to which the United Kingdom is party; and whether they will now undertake an urgent review of policy on their use. Lord Bach: We accept the assessment of the health consequences of depleted uranium (DU) which was made by the Royal Society Depleted Uranium Working Group (The Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium Munitions) (2001, 2002)). This concluded that the health consequences would be minimal except for a small number of extreme cases. Such extreme cases would involve being in a vehicle when it is struck by DU or entering a vehicle immediately after it has been struck. In such unfavourable circumstances, the Royal Society predicts that the lifetime risk of fatal lung cancer could be about twice that in the general population, although the extra lifetime risks of other fatal cancers would be substantially lower and extra lifetime risks of fatal leukaemia would be too small to be detectable. Small effects on kidney function would be a possibility for a few soldiers exposed to the highest levels of DU. Only within 50 metres of a DU penetrator strike would DU levels possibly be significant enough to necessitate precautions to prevent or reduce possible intakes. Elsewhere, health risks are deemed to be negligible. The independent research by the Royal Society DU Working Group and other eminent scientists, for example within the United Nations Environment Programme, supports this view. With regard to civilians, the aforementioned Royal Society reports state that, "For those returning to live in areas where DU munitions were deployed, including peace-keepers, the inhalation intakes from resuspended DU are considered to be unlikely to cause any substantial increase in lung cancer or any other cancers". Depleted uranium munitions are not illegal under any convention to which the United Kingdom is party. They are used discriminately and proportionally in accordance with the provisions of international law. We are prepared to use DU tank munitions where necessary because they are currently the most effective anti-armour weapons. At present, we are not reviewing this policy because we have a duty to provide our troops with the best available equipment with which to protect themselves and succeed in conflict. Should future research identify a more effective alternative, the policy would be reviewed at that time. Defence Fair, Amman Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why an official British delegation, including Lord Bach from the Ministry of Defence and a member of the Royal Family, was present at a recent defence fair in Amman, Jordan. Lord Bach: The fourth Special Operations Forces Exhibition (SOFEX) and conference was held in Amman, Jordan, in October 2002. As Minister for Defence Procurement, I, along with government officials, attended the exhibition in line with the Government's policy of supporting legitimate United Kingdom defence exports. The Duke of York attended by personal invitation of HM The King Abdullah. Illegal Meat Imports Baroness Gale: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish their risk assessment and draft action plan for 2003–04 in relation to illegal meat and meat product imports. Lord Whitty: The Government have published a draft revised action plan on illegal imports for 2003–04. A core element of the action plan reflects the transfer of responsibility for anti-smuggling controls to HM Customs and Excise, which will take effect from 11 April. These new arrangements will make a significant difference, as Customs will bring to bear its resources, skills and experience in intelligence, prevention and detection of prohibited goods to help reduce the flow of illegal imports of meat. The draft action plan takes account of experience gained in implementing the action plan in 2002–03 and of insights gained from the risk assessment for the import of illegal meat and meat products contaminated with foot and mouth disease virus into Great Britain and subsequent exposure of GB livestock, which we are also publishing today. The report on the risk assessment makes clear that there were significant deficiencies in the data available and therefore there are large uncertainties associated with the results. We are therefore publishing the report as work in progress and inviting further expert comment or data which might help refine the risk assessment. These developments reaffirm the Government's commitment to strengthened controls on illegal imports. We have shown that we are willing to play our part. But it remains the case that those who use the countryside also have a responsibility to help prevent the spread of pests and diseases. Copies of the revised draft action plan and the risk assessment report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Defra Illegal Imports website (www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/illegali).

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2003-03-26a

Department for Transport Cycleways: Finance lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any interest from (1) local authorities, (2) other public bodies, and (3) private sector organisations in providing funding to a national cycle network; and what is the geographical spread of such interested parties. baroness sugg: A review of the National Cycle Network is currently under way, led by Sustrans but supported by the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations. The review is also considering a wide range of funding sources and how to draw on them. It is for Local Authorities to decide on priorities for local transport investment, including on appropriate sections of the National Cycle Network. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Turkey: Politics and Government lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the replacement of 98 elected mayors by trustees and the suspension of 259 elected village and neighbourhood mukhtars. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government of Turkey has replaced more than 90 Mayors with trustees on the grounds that those mayors were charged with terror offences. We have not made representations on these specific cases to the Turkish authorities.Local elections in Turkey are scheduled for March 2019, and we will continue to urge that elections be free, fair and inclusive, in line with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe recommendations. Pakistan: Human Rights baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, and intend to make, to the government of Pakistan about (1) the arrest of Gulalai Ismail, and (2) ensuring that human rights defenders in Pakistan are able to carry out their work free from persecution by the state. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by restrictions on freedom of expression, including the detention of human rights activists, in Pakistan. The freedom to hold and express views without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction is a cornerstone of democracy. The arrest of Gulalai Ismail is a further worrying development against the backdrop of restrictions on fundamental rights in Pakistan.We regularly raise at a senior level our concerns about the human rights situation with the Government of Pakistan, including on the freedom of expression. I discussed human rights in Pakistan with the Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018. The British Government continues to urge Pakistan to honour in full its human rights obligations. Gulalai Ismail baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the government of Pakistan to restore the right to travel of Gulalai Ismail who was arrested on her return to Pakistan. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by restrictions on freedom of expression, including the detention of human rights activists, in Pakistan. The freedom to hold and express views without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction is a cornerstone of democracy. The arrest of Gulalai Ismail is a further worrying development against the backdrop of restrictions on fundamental rights in Pakistan.We regularly raise at a senior level our concerns about the human rights situation with the Government of Pakistan, including on the freedom of expression. I discussed human rights in Pakistan with the Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018. The British Government continues to urge Pakistan to honour in full its human rights obligations. Victor Mallet lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what response they have received from the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to their representations about the denial of a visa to the British journalist, Victor Mallet. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain very concerned by the Hong Kong authorities’ unprecedented rejection of a visa for senior British journalist Victor Mallet. In the absence of an explanation from the authorities we can only conclude that this move is politically motivated. This undermines Hong Kong’s freedom of speech and freedom of the press, both guaranteed by the Joint Declaration, and the Basic Law, and increases the pressure on the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework. We urge the Hong Kong authorities to reconsider this decision. Confidence in Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms is an essential component of its future success.” We have sought an explanation for the visa refusal from the Hong Kong authorities, but we have not received one. Indonesia: Religious Freedom lord garel-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief on his recent trip to Indonesia raised the situation of the non-religious in that country, as that country does not recognise the right to be a humanist, atheist or agnostic. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Yes. During my visit to Jakarta I talked about the rights of people of faith and those of no faith during a meeting of representatives of different religious communities, as well as raising the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief in my meeting with the Minister of Religious Affairs. Department of Health and Social Care Rare Diseases: Drugs viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce any disparity in access to rare disease medicines between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce any disparity in access to rare disease medicines in England compared with economically similar countries in Europe. viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many treatments for rare diseases are available in Scotland that are unavailable in England. viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sustainability of the NICE appraisal process for rare disease medicines that do not meet the highly specialised technology criteria. lord o'shaughnessy: With the aim of improving the lives of all those affected by a rare disease, the United Kingdom Government published The UK Strategy for Rare Diseases in 2013, a high-level framework containing 51 commitments which sets out a seven-year strategic vision from 2013-2020. A copy of the Strategy is attached. The Government is committed to implementing the Strategy’s commitments and has, in January 2018, published two implementation plans setting out its actions for England. Copies of the Department’s The UK Strategy for Rare Diseases: Rare Diseases implementation plan for England and NHS England’s Implementation Plan for the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases are attached.The Government has not made any assessment of differences in access to medicines for the treatment of rare diseases or on the available number of treatments between England, the devolved administrations and economically similar countries in Europe.With regard to the Government’s assessment of the sustainability of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) appraisal process for rare disease medicines that do not meet the highly specialised technology criteria, patients with rare diseases in England benefit from the same NHS Constitution right to clinically and cost-effective medicines as patients with more common conditions. NICE has recommended a number of medicines for the treatment of rare diseases through its technology appraisal and highly specialised technology evaluation programmes which are now routinely available to National Health Service patients in line with NICE’s recommendations. The UK Strategy for Rare Diseases (PDF Document, 1.88 MB) UK Strategy for Rare Diseases Implementation Plan (PDF Document, 232.42 KB) NHS England Rare Diseases Implementation Plan (PDF Document, 440.64 KB) Food Standards Agency baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the resources available to the Food Standards Agency to prepare forany additional responsibilities itmay assume post-Brexit. lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has provided £14 million of funding in 2018/19 to support the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) workstreams relating to the consequences of leaving the European Union, to help the FSA ensure there is a robust regulatory system in place to guarantee food safety, expand the National Food Crime Unit and deliver replacements for EU programmes which carry out food safety risk management functions. Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: GE Healthcare lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 29 October (HL10764), whether they will publish Bradford NHS Trust’s Data Protection Impact Assessment in respect of the collaboration between the Bradford NHS Trust and GE Healthcare Providers. lord o'shaughnessy: Any decision around publication of the Data Protection Impact Assessment is a matter for the Trust. Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: GE Healthcare lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 29 October (HL10764), whether the collaboration between Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and GE Healthcare Providers is the first deal of this type between an NHS trust and GE Healthcare Providers. lord o'shaughnessy: We are not aware of any other deals of this type between a National Health Service trust and GE Healthcare Providers. Department for Education English Baccalaureate lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to introduce to the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) a greater emphasis on STEAM subjects; and what consideration they have given to including qualifications in design to count towards the EBacc. lord agnew of oulton: The government has no plans to change the EBacc. It has been designed to be limited in size in order to allow pupils to continue to study additional subjects that reflect their individual interests and strengths. The subjects that make up the EBacc are based on the subjects which the Russell Group says at A level open more doors to more degrees at their universities. They provide a basis for a variety of careers beyond the age of 16. They give pupils a broad general knowledge that will enable them to participate in and contribute to society.The government introduced the EBacc as a school performance measure in 2010 to encourage schools to enter more pupils for the core academic subjects of English, maths, science, history or geography and a language. Entries to the science component of the EBacc have increased from 63% in 2010 to 95% in 2018.Under the new national curriculum, design and technology (D&T) remains a compulsory subject in all maintained schools during key stage 3, and schools are required to offer it at key stage 4. We have worked with organisations such as the James Dyson Foundation and the Royal Academy of Engineering to reform the D&T GCSE and curriculum. The new GCSE was first taught in September 2017. It is now a subject which has been updated from its craft-based routes to a cutting-edge qualification, focusing on iterative design processes which are at the core of contemporary practice. Higher Education: Admissions baroness royall of blaisdon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for providing higher education providers with access to free school meals data at the start of the undergraduate admissions cycle as part of measures to widen access to higher education. viscount younger of leckie: Widening participation is a priority for this government. We want to ensure that everyone with talent and potential to succeed in higher education has the opportunity to do so, regardless of background, ethnicity or where they grew up. Higher education institutions play an important role in achieving this goal through their outreach and widening participation work.Government has already made available school level data on pupils eligible for free school meals through the ‘Find and compare schools in England’ service and I encourage universities to make use of this. This is available at: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/.Universities should also continue to work directly with schools and third sector organisations to spot and nurture talent early. I have asked Department for Education officials to look at ways the department can support the sector, to identify talented pupils and to help assist in targeting outreach activity. Higher Education: Admissions baroness royall of blaisdon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they will use to measure the effectiveness of the mechanisms for meeting the new access and participation targets proposed by the Office for Students. viscount younger of leckie: The Office for Students (OfS), as the new independent regulator for higher education, has recently consulted the sector on a new approach to regulating higher education (HE) providers’ progress on widening access and successful participation in HE. The OfS is expected to respond to the consultation later this year.We would expect the OfS to keep any new approach under review, to assess its effectivenes in achieving our goals for improved access and participation in HE by under-represented groups.The OfS brings together the levers of both funding and the arrangements for agreeing and monitoring Higher Education providers’ Access and Participation plans to seek continuous improvement in this area. OfS also now has access to a range of sanctions to address concerns about a lack of progress on access and participation. Apprentices: Taxation lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding from the apprenticeship levy was made available to Welsh police forces and the Welsh Government in the last financial year. lord agnew of oulton: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their share of the apprenticeship levy calculated in line with the Barnett formula. This will be £460 million for the period 2019 to 2020. Wales received £128 million in the period 2017 to 2018. Skills, including apprenticeships, is a devolved matter. Therefore, it will be for the devolved administrations to decide how funds raised from the levy should be used in their administrations. Ministry of Justice Coroners: Armed Forces lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to instruct coroners to record whether a victim of suicide had been a serving or former member of the armed forces. lord keen of elie: The Government has addressed this issue in its response to the current e-petition on the recording of veterans’ suicides. A revised response was published on 30 October 2018. A copy of the response is attached. E-Petition (Word Document, 22.61 KB) Offenders: Employment lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people of working age leaving prison obtained employment following release in the last year for which information is available. lord keen of elie: Based on matched MOJ-DWP data on the proportion of working age adult offenders released from prison in 2011/12, 17% were in employment 12 months after release from custody.More recent data from 2014/15 indicates that at a national level, 26.5% of prisoners were entering employment upon release, but this data was self-reported and we don’t have a split in this rate for length of sentence served. Reoffenders lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many recorded failures by individuals on release from prison on temporary licence were the result of suspected further offences in (1) 2017, and (2) 2018 to date. lord keen of elie: There were more than 350,000 incidences of release on temporary licence (ROTL) in 2017, over 99% of which were completed without a failure on any kind. Out of these there were 11 recorded failures by individuals on release from prison on temporary licence as a result of alleged offending in 2017. The latest data available shows that there were 4 recorded failures for this reason up to 30 June 2018. Prisoners' Release lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were granted compassionate release from prison on the grounds of ill-health in (1) 2017, and (2) 2018 to date. lord keen of elie: The number of prisoners granted early release on compassionate grounds for reasons of ill-health in 2017 and 2018 to date are as follows: 201772018 to date14TOTAL21These figures have been drawn from internal records and the Public Protection Unit Database in HM Prison and Probation Service. As with any large scale recording systems, they are subject to possible errors with data migration and data processing. National Tactical Response Group lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the National Offenders Management Service's National Tactical Response Group was deployed in (1) 2017, and (2) 2018 to date. lord keen of elie: The National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) provides additional support staff or resources to prisons to help them deal with a variety of incidents. The figures provided include incidents where the situation was resolved locally prior to National Tactical Response Groups arrival In 2017 and 2018, NTRG were deployed the following times:2017 – 5472018 – 475* *data accurate up to 31/8/18, the most recently available dataNote, this figures include deployments to Immigration Removal Centres as required. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government High Street Review lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Portas Review on UK high streets. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Portas Review was published in December 2011, and the Government accepted all but one of the 28 recommendations. This included establishing 27 Portas Pilots. Following the Portas Pilots, the Government helped established over 330 Town Teams, each with £10,000 of funding.We recognise that consumer behaviour has changed since 2011. We are taking action to help the high street evolve. That is why we have set out an ambitious Action Plan in the Autumn Budget, to support the sustainable transformation of high streets. Ministry of Defence Armed Forces: Surveys lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the most recent armed forces continuous attitude survey, and(2) any dissatisfaction within the Royal Marines revealed in that survey. earl howe: The Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS) provides long standing and valuable data on understanding how Service personnel feel about key issues. This evidence helps to inform the development of people policies and processes across Defence and within the individual Services. The AFCAS results are reviewed by the Defence Board, Service Chiefs and throughout Defence to identify key issues and to consider how they can be addressed. The Department recognises that the 2018 results show further decreases in the morale of our Service personnel and is taking steps to address those concerns and to enhance the positive aspects and experiences of Service life. Issues previously identified in the AFCAS have already informed the development of a range of programmes under way across Defence and the single Services including Flexible Service, the Future Accommodation Model and the Enterprise Approach. The leadership of the Royal Marines visits units on a regular basis and takes trends in morale extremely seriously. The Royal Marines Chain of Command will consider the findings of AFCAS 2018 carefully and work with members of the Royal Marine Corps to better understand the causes of any changes in attitudes. In addition, the Royal Marines will continue to run focussed engagement events to attempt to understand changes in attitudes in more detail. Department for Work and Pensions Universal Credit baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish any equality impact assessment of the managed migration of Universal Credit; and if so, when. baroness buscombe: DWP published an equality impact assessment for Universal Credit in 2011, a copy of which is attached. As we have noted in our response to the Social Security Advisory Committee, we have now announced that testing for the managed migration will commence in July 2019, we will test and refine our processes on a small scale to ensure that they are working well before we take on larger volumes from 2020, completing the process by the end of 2023. We are conducting detailed Equality Assessments of migration plans as part of our Public Sector Equality Duty. This process is iterative, and so the impacts of the testing will be fully evaluated with equality impacts reassessed in accordance with the evaluation results. So it can take into account the learning and adaptations we make following the testing phase we will publish an assessment of the impacts of managed migration prior to increasing the scaling of managed migration. UC Equality Impact Assessment (PDF Document, 196.81 KB) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Eggs: Imports baroness redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that eggs imported from non-EU countries will be subject to the UK’s high hen welfare standards post-Brexit. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is proud of this country’s high standards of food safety and animal welfare, including for farm animals. Our current high standards, including import requirements, will apply when we leave the EU. As part of our commitment to being a world leader in animal welfare we will use our independent seat in international fora such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to push for stronger global standards. Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union on 25 July that gene-edited crops should be subject to the same EU regulations as conventional genetically modified organisms on (1) the UK plant biotechnology sector, and (2) the availability of Horizon 2020 funding for plant technology research; and what plans they have, if any, to mitigate any impact. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government intervened in the Court of Justice case because it considered that gene-edited crops should not be subject to the same regulations as conventional genetically modified organisms. Our view is that gene-edited organisms should not be subject to GM regulation if the changes made to their DNA could have occurred naturally or through traditional breeding methods. We recognise that gene-editing has the potential to make farming more productive and sustainable and that the UK plant biotechnology sector could be a leading player. We were therefore disappointed in the Court’s judgment and the impact it will have on innovation. The judgement is binding in the UK. However, our departure from the EU could give us the opportunity to take a different regulatory approach in due course. Whilst this may depend on the terms of any agreement that is reached with the EU on future arrangements, it is something that we want to consider. The draft Withdrawal Agreement envisages that UK participants will be eligible to bid for Horizon 2020 funding for the duration of the programme, including after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Projects that are successful in the bidding process will be entitled to receive EU funding for their lifetime. The Government’s priority remains ensuring that the draft Withdrawal Agreement is finalised and concluded. We are planning for every eventuality. The two major components of our planning in a scenario where the Withdrawal Agreement is not ratified (a “no deal” scenario) are the Government’s underwrite guarantee and the post-departure extension to the guarantee. These mechanisms would ensure cross-border collaboration could continue after we leave the EU. Trees: Disease Control lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to increase resilience against threats of disease to ash and oak trees in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall; and what plans they have to provide such resilience. lord gardiner of kimble: Defra is committed to protecting our trees from pests and diseases and building the resilience of our trees, woods and forests. In May we published a new Tree Health Resilience Strategy. The strategy sets out a joint action plan for how government and others can work together to address threats to tree health, including threats to ash and oak nationally. One example of joint action is Action Oak, a hugely important partnership of charities, landowners and government, proactively working together to protect and conserve our oak trees for future generations. Home Office British Nationality: Children baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children have had their applications for British citizenship denied because they failed the good character test in each of the last five years for which information is available. baroness williams of trafford: The available published information on the total number of decisions to refuse applications for British citizenship where the applicant is found to be not of good character for applicants of all ages are published in Home Office’s Immigration Statistics, year ending June 2018, Citizenship tables cz_09 (Refusals of citizenship by reason) available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-june-2018/list-of-tables#citizenship The table below provides figures for the last 5 calendar years.Refusals of British citizenship by reasonReason for refusal20132014201520162017Incomplete applications68772825412852Parent not a British citizen553510749931300Not of good character2,2951,0954,5245,5253,119Delay in replying to enquiries from UKVI4231,2341,2541,6981,319Residence2,2641,2242,8252,6321,659Oath not taken in time061491Insufficient Knowledge of English and KOL62489531673720Other536423495996544Total refusals6,8205,70910,64612,5927,714British already375383312496598Withdrawn7482125220120Total refused or withdrawn7,2696,17411,08313,3088,432Rejected applications97815251,852838Source: Home Office, Migration Border Analysis.Immigration Statistics year to June 2018 - subset of table cz_09. Home Office: Brexit lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding has been allocated to the Home Office by way of Brexit transition finance; and how much of this has been allocated to policing. baroness williams of trafford: The allocation from HMT for the preparation work required in 2018-19 was published in Hansard https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-03-13/debates/18031349000006/SpringStatementNo resource from the EU Exit allocation has been allocated to policing Spring Statement - March 2018 (PDF Document, 577.16 KB) Migrant Camps: Greek Islands lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 23 October (HL10488), what improvements have been made to living conditions in refugee camps in the Greek Aegean islands, in particular the Moria Camp, as a result of the provision of exports from the UK. baroness williams of trafford: The Greek Government is responsible for running the camps on the Aegean islands and for the humanitarian response. UK support in Greece is part of a wider EU effort in coordination with the EU Commission and other EU Member States.UK expert staff are seconded to the EU Commission office in Athens to support its efforts in working with Greece to improve living and security conditions for migrants in the camps on the island hotspots.On the running of the camps, UK experts advise on the implementation of camp operating procedures through working with the relevant Greek authorities to deliver a safe, secure, healthy and clean environment for the camp population. They also provide recommendations and reports on security and safety related issues including: evacuation plans, emergency exits and staff security. Cabinet Office Public Sector: Billing lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the requirementto pursue claims against public authorities in the courts in order to claim statutory interest and compensation; and what plans they have to improve access to interest and compensation owed to SMEs by public authorities due to late payment. lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact of small and medium-sized enterprises assigning their rights to pursue late payment claims against public authorities for statutory interest and compensation. lord young of cookham: The Government understands the importance of prompt, fair and effective payment in all businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who may not have the cash reserves of larger companies. Suppliers can claim statutory interest where a public sector buyer has not paid an undisputed and valid invoice within the contractual payment terms, where the contract does not otherwise provide for the payment of interest. Statutory guidance for public sector buyers and suppliers on paying undisputed, valid invoices within 30 days down the public sector supply chain came into force on 26 February 2015. Public sector buyers must include 30 day payment terms in all public contracts and must ensure that their prime contractor includes equivalent 30 day payment terms in any subcontracts through the supply chain. The Government encourages businesses to report poor payment practice and instances of late payment in public sector contracts in breach of contract terms, including late payment in the supply chain, to its Mystery Shopper service. Public Sector: Billing lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they provide to public authorities to ensure that suppliers who pursue late payment claims against them are not disadvantaged in future public procurement exercises with those authorities. lord young of cookham: Guidance for central government departments, including their Executive Agencies and Non Departmental Public Bodies on prompt payment policy is available in Procurement Policy Note – Prompt Payment Policy and Reporting of Performance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0515-prompt-payment-and-performance-reporting If a supplier feels that they are being disadvantaged in a procurement exercise having made a late payment claim against the contracting authority, contrary to relevant laws, they should raise this issue with the government’s Mystery Shopper service. Census: Travellers baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the next census in England and Wales will separate Gypsies and Travellers into two categories. lord young of cookham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. UKSA response (PDF Document, 70.51 KB) Non-departmental Public Bodies lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance, if any, they have given to employees of non-departmental public bodies about their rights to express concerns about the impact of Brexit on their ability to perform their roles successfully. lord young of cookham: No guidance has been provided on the rights of NDPB employees to raise concerns specifically about EU Exit. We would expect NDPB employees to be able to raise any such concerns through their organisation’s existing systems, as they would any other issue that may affect them. Policy and products about whistle-blowing and raising a concern have been made available to Civil Service departments. The products include a specific policy and FAQs for employees of Non-Departmental Public bodies (NDPBs). The guidance encourages employees of NDPBs to report perceived wrongdoing within their organisation, including a breach of the organisation's core values. An employee should raise these types of concern with their line manager straight away. If the employee feels that it is not appropriate to raise a concern with their manager, they can raise it with another senior manager or directly with a Nominated Officer within their parent department. Concerns can be raised confidentially and investigations will be conducted sensitively and as quickly as possible. Government Departments: Procurement lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to commission a review into the benefit of adopting the recommendations on government procurement made in The Efficiency Review by Sir Philip Green, published in 2010. lord young of cookham: We have implemented the key recommendations on public sector procurement made by the Efficiency Review in 2010. There are no current plans to review these recommendations. However, best practice guidance for public sector procurement is regularly published as procurement policy notes on GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/procurement-policy-notes Department for International Trade Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have raised the possibility of the suspension of UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia with the government of Saudi Arabia at any time since 2 October 2018. baroness fairhead: The UK Government regularly raises the importance of compliance with international humanitarian law with the government of Saudi Arabia. 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. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Mobile Phones: Data Protection the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that mobile phone users are fully aware of the extent to which their data may be harvested and shared by mobile phone applications. lord ashton of hyde: The Data Protection Act places an obligation on all organisations, including those that make mobile phone applications, to be clear about how they process individuals’ personal data and ensure that any consent obtained for its use is clear, unambiguous and purposeful. This information, along with individuals’ rights under the Data Protection Act, should be set out clearly in a privacy notice. The Information Commissioner regulates and enforces the Data Protection Act and has a number of tools available to ensure compliance with data protection rules which include criminal prosecution, non-criminal enforcement and audits. For those who commit serious breaches there are significant financial penalties including fines up to £18 million or 4% of global turnover that can be applied as well as the backstop of criminal prosecution. Digital Technology: Travellers baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to respond to the report by Friends, Family and Travellers, Digital Exclusion in Gypsy and Traveller communities in the United Kingdom, published in September. lord ashton of hyde: We are committed to tackling digital exclusion and the UK Digital Strategy, published in March 2017, describes the steps we are taking across government, including establishing the Digital Skills Partnership, which brings together stakeholders from the private, public and charity sectors to join efforts to help people increase their digital skills at all levels; introducing fully-funded basic digital skills training for adults lacking these vital skills from 2020; and using the 3000 libraries across England to provide a trusted network of accessible locations with trained staff and volunteers, free Wi-Fi, computers, and other technology as well as Assisted Digital access to a wide range of digital public services where individuals are unable for whatever reason to access these services independently. The Race Disparity Audit showed us Roma, Gypsy and Traveller communities are amongst the most disadvantaged in British society and we agree that more needs to be done to make sure nobody is excluded or left behind. The Government funds the Future Digital Inclusion programme managed by the Good Things Foundation and delivered through the 3,000 strong Online Centres network. To date this programme has supported over 800,000 adult learners to develop their basic digital skills, many of whom are socially excluded. The NHS Digital Widening Digital Participation programme, delivered in partnership with Good Things Foundation, develops projects that enable people in England to improve their digital health skills and to increase their access to digital services and tools that support their health and care. Partnership working is at the heart of this programme. In order to better understand the needs of those with low literacy (including low health & digital literacy), NHS Digital regularly works with national and local organisations who know them best and really understand the barriers and challenges for them with getting online. The UK Digital Strategy, published in 2017, states that one of the Government's objectives is to 'enable people in every part of society - irrespective of age, gender, physical ability, ethnicity, health conditions, or socio-economic status - to access the opportunities of the internet', and to deliver this, the Government will focus on 'ensuring that we continue to tackle the root causes of digital exclusion and that everyone can increase their digital capability to make the most of the digital world.' Loneliness: Voluntary Work lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish further information on the pilot tests for new models of flexible and inclusive volunteering opportunities announced in the Loneliness Strategy;how many they expect to be operating by 31 March 2019; and which voluntary bodies will be involved. lord ashton of hyde: The Centre for Ageing Better will publish further information on the flexible volunteering pilots in November 2018. Up to five sites will be launched by March 2019 to test and develop new approaches to age-friendly, flexible and inclusive volunteering.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2018-11-06

Department for Transport Road Works: Utilities lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 9 September (HL17697), what plans they have to review the legal framework under which public utility companies can obstruct the highway for urgent repairs particularly in the Greater London Authority; and which projects they are taking forward to modernise the current regime. baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport is currently considering responses to a recent consultation on amending street works permit conditions relating to portable traffic signals and pavement working. We are encouraging the minority of authorities that have not yet moved to a permit scheme to do so as these are a more effective way of planning and managing street works. In 2018, the Government announced that authorities outside London and Kent, where pioneer schemes already existed, would also now have the option of operating a street works lane rental scheme to manage the impact of works on their busiest roads at busy times. The Government has invested £10m in Street Manager, a new digital system for planning and coordinating street works, which will be used nationwide from April 2020. The Department is currently updating the technical guidance document, “Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways”, to bring it up to date and support innovation in the sector. Finally, the Department is starting to consider improvements to the street works inspection regime. Official Cars: Electric Vehicles lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of vehicles used to convey Cabinet, and other ministers, are all-electric. baroness vere of norbiton: 48% of the GCS fleet is now either battery electric, petrol/electric hybrid or hydrogen powered. The Government Car Service (GCS) is a division of the central Department for Transport (DfT), 16% of their fleet are battery electric vehicles. The GCS are not the only provider of vehicles for ministerial transport. Some Departments have their own car fleet, others use private contractors or the Metropolitan Police, this information is not held by the DfT. Thomas Cook: Insolvency baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that there is a competitive and fair purchasing process for Thomas Cook's former airline routes. baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that there is a competitive and fair purchasing process for Thomas Cook's former landing and take-off slots at Gatwick Airport. baroness vere of norbiton: The Official Receiver’s duty is to realise assets to maximise returns to creditors. This involves selling viable parts of the Thomas Cook business, any discussions remain confidential between the Official Receiver and interested parties. The UK Government is not involved in decision making in relation to the allocation of airport slots. Thomas Cook: Insolvency baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the costs to the public arising from the collapse of Thomas Cook as a result of (1) the repatriation of passengers, and (2) the loss of tax revenues received from the company. baroness vere of norbiton: The costs of the repatriation are not yet finalised, but we are seeking to minimise the impact on government and taxpayers by recovering costs where appropriate through the ATOL scheme, credit card companies and travel insurance. HMRC does not comment on the tax affairs of identifiable businesses. Tour Operators: Insolvency baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the collapse of Thomas Cook, what steps they intend to take, if any, to help protect tour operators from bankruptcies. baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the collapse of Thomas Cook, what steps they intend to take, if any, to help airlines mitigate risks of bankruptcy. baroness vere of norbiton: It is the responsibility of directors to decide when a business is no longer a going concern. It is not the role of government to decide on the viability of a business. As part of its duty to protect consumers, the CAA closely monitors tour operators and airlines through its management of the ATOL scheme and has strong working relationships with the UK travel sector. Now that the repatriation operation is complete, our efforts will be focused on ensuring that reforms are brought forward, taking into account the lessons learned from both the Thomas Cook and Monarch failures. Thomas Cook: Insolvency baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to conduct a review of the collapse of Thomas Cook; and if so, to what timescale. baroness vere of norbiton: The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has written to the Financial Reporting Council to ensure they prioritise, as a matter of urgency, an investigation into both the causes of the company’s failure and the conduct of its directors. The FRC will conduct a robust investigation into the preparation of the company’s accounts in compliance with these standards and seek areas where lessons may be learned. Thomas Cook Group prepared their accounts using EU-adopted International Financial Reporting Standards, which are set by the International Accounting Standards Board and used in 125 countries worldwide. Cycleways lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to improve and extend the cycle network since the publication of their Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy in 2017. baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport has invested £210 million in the Cycle Ambition Cities programme, which to date has delivered 155 miles of new segregated cycle routes, 186 miles of new on-road and off-road routes for cyclists and pedestrians, and 136 miles of off-road cycling signage and resurfacing improvements across eight cities. The Department has also recently announced investment of £22 million to upgrade 32 routes, totalling 103 miles, along the National Cycle Network (NCN) to improve connectivity, accessibility and increase functional journeys. Silver Jubilee Bridge lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Silver Jubilee Bridge in Runcorn will reopen. baroness vere of norbiton: Halton Borough Council, which is responsible for the Silver Jubilee Bridge, has informed my Department that the bridge will reopen fully to pedestrians and cyclists only at the end of November 2019. The Council is taking the opportunity of the bridge’s closure to undertake major maintenance work to remove high level viaducts and embankments, and create a new roundabout to access the town centre and Runcorn Station. These improvements are part of its new Runcorn Station Quarter development. The target date for reopening the Silver Jubilee Bridge to vehicles was spring 2020. Based on the latest programme, this will now be revised to summer 2020. Bus Services: Franchises lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to support bus franchising in England. baroness vere of norbiton: The Bus Services Act 2017 provides mayoral combined authorities with automatic access to franchising powers. Other local authorities may franchise bus services with the consent of the Secretary of State. Guidance on what the Secretary of State will consider in deciding whether to franchise is available on the gov.uk website. We have no plans to change those arrangements at present. Road Traffic Control: Advertising lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on local newspaper revenue of any proposal to remove the requirement on local authorities to advertise Traffic Regulation Orders. baroness vere of norbiton: A discovery or user research project, carried out by the Department for Transport, Geoplace, Ordnance Survey and the British Parking Association earlier in 2019, estimated that the estimated annual advertising costs for traffic orders and temporary traffic orders across all authorities in Great Britain is approximately £49m, which accounts for 34% of the total cost of making a traffic order and 46% of the total cost of making a temporary traffic order. The discovery project findings suggest that the average cost to an authority of advertising a single traffic order is £1,021 and a single temporary traffic order is £769. The Department for Transport has not at this stage made any wider assessment of the impact on local newspaper revenues of removing the statutory requirement to place adverts for traffic orders or temporary traffic orders in local newspapers. The Department is now reviewing the legislation that applies to traffic orders with a view to consulting on proposed amendments in 2020. This may include proposals in relation to advertising, in which case this would form part of the impact assessment that will accompany the consultation. Road Works: Pedestrian Areas lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in their consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes, published on 20 July, why the placement of new apparatus underground should where possible and practical be placed under the footway, footpath or verge. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government why in the consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes, published on 20 July,the need for minimal disruption to the footway, footpath or verge in the placement of new apparatus underground has not been prioritised. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government why in the consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes’, published on 20 July, where it is proposed that the footway, footpath or verge is used for the placement of apparatus underground, that no requirement for the alternative provision for walkers, people with disabilities and parents with young children is set out. baroness vere of norbiton: The consultation document invited views on changes to permit scheme conditions relating to the placement of apparatus in the footway. This proposal was based on existing good practice that has been used by utility companies for some time, and recommends the placement of apparatus in the footway where possible to reduce the impact of works on congestion. We did not suggest any changes that would have compromised safe access during works for those that use the highway, including pavements. We are currently analysing the responses provided and will publish a formal response shortly. Hammersmith Bridge: Repairs and Maintenance the earl of caithness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council that the Council will not pay for the repairs to Hammersmith Bridge, whether they intend to contribute to the cost of the repairs; and what discussions they intend to have with (1) Transport for London, and (2) Hammersmith and Fulham Council,about those bodies' contribution to those repairs. baroness vere of norbiton: Transport in London is devolved and the maintenance of London’s roads is a matter for Transport for London (TfL) and the London Boroughs. The Department has not received a formal request for funds from either the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham or TfL for the repair of Hammersmith Bridge. Should such a request be made, we would consider it with respect to other funding requests, and in view of the devolution settlement for London. Roads: Lancashire lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the road network between East Lancashire and Yorkshire, in particular of congestion at the Colne end of the M65; and what steps they are taking if any to improve road connections in East Lancashire and to reduce congestion at Colne. baroness vere of norbiton: In March 2017, Highways England published its South Pennines Route Strategy, which reviewed the effectiveness of the strategic road network between East Lancashire and Yorkshire. This covered Junctions 1 to 10 of the M65. Lancashire County Council is responsible for the section of the M65 from Junction 10 at Burnley through to its end in Colne.Priorities for improvements to the local highway network in East Lancashire were set out in the East Lancashire Highways and Transport Masterplan, produced by Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council, as local transport authorities in 2014. Local Growth Fund support has been provided to a number of schemes in this Masterplan.In March 2019, the Department announced that Highways England would work with Transport for the North on a study looking at options for improving road links between the M65 and north and west Yorkshire. The output of this study will inform consideration of the case for future investment. Preston-Colne Railway Line lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the passenger usage statistics for each station on the East Lancashire line between Blackburn and Colne, for each of the last five years. baroness vere of norbiton: In the last five years passenger usage for stations on the East Lancashire line has remained broadly static at around 2.3 million entries & exits. Detailed analysis at each station for the past five years can be found on the ORR website and in the table below. Station2017-182016-172015-162014-152013-14Blackburn1.261.281.161.261.33Rishton0.0510.0520.0510.0540.058Church & Oswaldwistle0.0390.0390.040.0420.044Accrington0.460.460.430.380.37Huncoat0.0220.0250.0230.0230.021Hapton0.01650.01630.01510.01820.0191Rose Grove0.0810.0720.0570.0430.041Burnley Barracks0.0220.020.0250.0260.025Burnley Central0.120.1260.1290.1450.15Brierfield0.0310.0330.0320.0320.035Nelson0.1230.1330.130.1320.147Colne0.0920.0960.0970.0970.098Total2.31752.35232.18912.25222.3381*figures by million Roads: Repairs and Maintenance baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the costs resulting from private finance initiative road maintenance contracts agreed by Highways England; andwhat assessment they have made of the adequacy of the level of service provided by those agreements. baroness vere of norbiton: Highways England has no plans to fundamentally review the terms and conditions of its private finance initiative (PFI) road maintenance contracts, including the costs payable under those contracts. Highways England has previously reviewed its PFI contracts and concluded that cancelling or attempting to change them is unlikely to offer value for money. It should be noted that eight of Highways England’s eleven contracts in place are due to end in 2026/27. Highways England manages the costs due to its PFI providers strictly in accordance with the contracts and has taken advantage of cost saving opportunities where possible, for example through project re-financings. In 2018, the largest of its PFIs, the M25 contract, was refinanced achieving annual savings for each year of the remaining contract period of around £10 million. Highways England undertakes monthly and annual performance and financial assessments to ensure all charges levied by PFI Companies are compliant with the service level that is required to be provided under the contract. Should service levels not be achieved, then in line with contractual payment mechanisms, deductions are applied and appropriate mitigating actions agreed to address any deficiencies. Roads: Repairs and Maintenance baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are thedetails of all private finance initiative contracts that were agreed by Highways England, includingthe (1)costs, (2) scope, and (3) length of time thatthey will run. baroness vere of norbiton: Details of all private finance initiative contracts that were agreed by Highways England, including the (1) costs, (2) scope, and (3) length of time that they will run, are detailed in the attached document. Table document for HE PFI contracts (Word Document, 25.69 KB) South Western Railway: Finance baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial position of the South Western Railway franchise; and how much they have received in premium payments from that operator since the start of the franchise. baroness vere of norbiton: Financial performance data is received every four weeks from train operators. The Department closely monitors these commercially confidential reports to ensure that the train operators remain compliant with the obligations within their Franchise Agreements. From the start of their franchise contract (August 2017) to the end of the most recent financial year (March 2019), First MTR South Western Trains Ltd paid a total £326m in premium to the Government. This is closely aligned with the premium forecasts made for this period at the time of franchise bid. The franchise contract core term runs to August 2024. Bicycles: Hire Services lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to consult on changing the law around the ability of members of the public, councils and any other organisations (1) to remove, (2) to take, (3) to destroy, or (4) to otherwise dispose of, undocked bikes for hire which have been left on pavements. baroness vere of norbiton: Local authorities already have powers to deal with hire bicycles if they are causing an obstruction or nuisance, and are also able to introduce local byelaws as appropriate. The Government therefore has no immediate plans to introduce any new legislation, but will continue to monitor the impacts of bike hire schemes and to work with local authorities and scheme operators as appropriate on ways of addressing any problems that arise. Bus Service Operators Grant lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the review of Bus Service Operators Grant announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will include the allocation of new money for the bus industry. baroness vere of norbiton: On 30 September, the Government announced a package of funding and policy measures to support buses, set out in A Better Deal for Bus Users. This includes £220 million of new funding for buses, in addition to the £250 million paid every year in Bus Service Operators Grant. A Better Deal for Bus Users contains a commitment to review this Grant to ensure it supports the environment and improved passenger journeys. It also included a commitment to produce a National Bus Strategy for England, accompanied by a long-term funding settlement to be agreed at the next Spending Review, expected to be in Summer 2020. Bus Services: Finance lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their following commitments amount to new money allocated to buses: (1) £20 million for bus priority measures in the West Midlands, (2) up to £50 million to deliver Britain's first all-electric bus town or city, (3) £30 million to local government to improve services or restore services which have been lost, and (4) £20 million to support demand-responsive services. baroness vere of norbiton: All of these projects are within the £220 million announced by the Government on 30 September, and comprise additional funding on top of the £250m that the Government already spends every year supporting bus services. A34: Accidents lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many fatal and serious injury accidents there have been on the A34 between junction 9 with the M40 and junction 9 with the M3 over the last five years; and how many of these have involved a heavy goods vehicle. baroness vere of norbiton: The number of fatal and serious accidents occurring on the A34 between junction 9 with the M40 and junction 9 with the M3 for the last five years for which figures are available is given in the table below. The junction roundabouts on either end of the A34 where they connect to the motorways have been included in these statistics. Number of fatal or serious reported road accidents on the A34 between junction 9 with the M40 and junction 9 with the M3, 2014 to 2018 YearTotal number of accidentsAccidents involving an HGV 20142911 2015225 2016318 2017196 2018156 Source: DfT, STATS19 Railways lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the loss of fuel duty revenue is taken into account when evaluating the benefits of modal shift from road to rail. baroness vere of norbiton: The Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme encourages modal shift from road to rail (or inland waterway) where the costs are higher than road, and where there are environmental benefits to be gained. The net assessed benefits, or potential benefits in the case of flows not supported by grant, include consideration of the effects on fuel duty revenue. There is published information about the assessment of user benefits related to freight mode shift grants on gov.uk. Bus Services: Fares the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the forthcoming national bus strategy will include provision to make buses affordable for families in temporary accommodation. baroness vere of norbiton: Transport can be a lifeline for communities and people who could otherwise be isolated. The forthcoming National Bus Strategy for England will focus on the needs of passengers and will set out how national and local government and the private sector will come together to meet the needs of local communities. The full scope of the strategy is currently being developed. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Carbon Emissions lord hutton of furness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their commitment to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050, made on 27 June, what plans they have to require that all new (1) policy, (2) legislation, and (3) regulations, are accompanied by impact assessments setting out their effect on carbon emissions. lord duncan of springbank: The template government officials use when completing a regulatory impact assessment for government policy already requires that information is provided to answer the question “what is the CO2 equivalent change in greenhouse gas emissions” for the respective policy. Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement in June that the Smart Export Guarantee(SEG) will come into force from 1 January 2020 and that there will befive eligible low-carbon technology types for the proposed SEG Tariff, namely solar photovoltaic, wind, micro combined heat and power, and hydro and anaerobic digestion, whether eligible utilities will be required to offer a single SEG Tariff to community generators, regardless of generation type; or whether they will be required to offer one tariff for each technology type. lord duncan of springbank: The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) will require licensed suppliers with 150,000 and over domestic customers to provide at least one tariff offer to any eligible exporter, they are free to offer more than one tariff. Other suppliers may participate on a voluntary basis.Suppliers will not be required to offer different tariffs for each technology type. In keeping SEG requirements as simple as possible, suppliers will have maximum flexibility to build on it, adapt and innovate – for example by tailoring tariffs to appeal to owners of various types of small-scale generation, as well as wider smart infrastructure such as electric vehicles and domestic-scale storage systems. Design of UK Funding Schemes for European and International Collaboration Review lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whenthey (1) received, and (2) will publish, the report by Sir Adrian Smith and Prof. Graeme Reid Future frameworks for international collaboration on research and innovation. lord duncan of springbank: My rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Spring Statement on 13 March 2019 that the Government had launched an independent review to assess and make recommendations on our future frameworks for international collaboration. On 26 March 2019, my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation commissioned Professor Sir Adrian Smith to provide independent advice on the design of future UK funding schemes for international collaboration. The report was received in the summer and we will publish the response as soon as possible. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Greece: Asylum lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps, if any, they are taking to ensure the provision of essential healthcare and mental healthcare for unaccompanied minors in Greece. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Greek Government is responsible for supporting migrants on arrival in Greece, including healthcare for unaccompanied minors. The EU has allocated over €2 billion since 2015 to support Greek handling of migration and border management. The United Kingdom is also providing bilateral support. This includes, in 2019, funding a shelter for the most vulnerable unaccompanied children who arrive in Samos. In addition, under Section 67 of the 2016 Immigration Act (the "Dubs Amendment") the United Kingdom is accepting the transfer of some of the most vulnerable unaccompanied children from Greece. France: Asylum lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult Médecins Sans Frontières about the ways in which healthcare for unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people in France can be improved, including psycho-social support. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We do not currently have any plans to consult with Médecins Sans Frontières.The UK will continue to work closely with the French authorities, our international partners, and local stakeholders on this issue, as underpinned by the Sandhurst Treaty. This makes specific provision for improving conditions for migrants in France, including facilitating the transfer of unaccompanied minors to the UK under national relocation schemes and improving access to French domestic asylum procedures.We remain committed to engaging actively in shaping the international response on migration. Hong Kong: Elections lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is any international initiative to send independent observers to monitor the local district council elections in Hong Kongdue to be held on 24 November; and what assessment they have made of the basis on which those elections are being held. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are not aware of any initiative to send international observers to monitor the upcoming District Council elections in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong district council elections will be an important opportunity for the citizens of Hong Kong to use the rights enshrined in the Basic Law to make their voices heard. With this in mind, we will of course follow the conduct of the elections closely. Catalonia: Sovereignty lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Spain about that government's treatment of protesters in Catalonia and Barcelona. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I am saddened that a minority of protesters have resorted to violence in Catalonia. It is important that all parties work to resolve their political differences peacefully and in line with the Spanish legal framework and constitution. The Government has been clear that the situation in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia is a matter for Spain, and that questions related to the issue of independence should be resolved within the proper constitutional and legal channels. The Minister for Europe and the Americas recently outlined this position to the Spanish Ambassador, and in Parliament on 15 October. Zimbabwe: Politics and Government lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the political and social situation in Zimbabwe. lord ahmad of wimbledon: I refer to the statement made by the Minister for Africa to the House on 3 September, Official report, volume 664, column 11. The UK is seriously concerned about the increasing numbers of abductions, arrests and assault of civil society, trade union and opposition activists and the banning of protests in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe remains one of the UK’s 30 Human Rights Priority Countries globally. The UK Ambassador met the Zimbabwean Foreign Minister on 18 October and discussed the economic crisis and political situation in Zimbabwe, reinforcing the need for comprehensive political and economic reform and the protection of the poorest.The UK is providing £128 million of aid to Zimbabwe in 2019/20 focusing on poverty reduction, humanitarian assistance and standing up for human rights and the rule of law. No money is channelled directly through the government. After the United Nations Flash Appeal, DFID has committed £49 million through a new Zimbabwe Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (ZHARP) to support people who do not have access to the food they need. Russia: Foreign Relations viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which UK–Russia cooperative activities in (1) Moscow, and (2) other regions of the Russian Federation, they have provided funding for over the past year. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The United Kingdom currently provides funding in support of a range of programme activity in Russia across Moscow and other regions primarily to support people to people links and support civil society in areas such as human rights, climate change, science, tourism, sport, and trade. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is responsible for managing the Russia programme, however we work collaboratively across Government to ensure activities reflect a broad perspective. Northern Ireland Office Police: Northern Ireland lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland's opposition to an amnesty for members of the security forces who served in the Troubles. lord duncan of springbank: The Northern Ireland Office recently published a summary report of all responses to the consultation on the Stormont House Agreement proposals to deal with the legacy of the past. The Police Federation’s response, one of the 17,000 received, contained a range of views on addressing the past, including opposition to amnesties. The clear majority of all respondents to the consultation argued that a Statute of Limitations or amnesty would not be appropriate for Troubles-related matters. The Government has always shared the view that amnesties are not the right approach and believes that justice should be pursued. The Police Federation’s response to the consultation, along with all others, is being taken into consideration as the Government continues to work with people in Westminster and Northern Ireland to find a fair way forward on this issue. Department of Health and Social Care Pregnancy: Alcoholic Drinks baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Pregnancy, Fertility, Breastfeeding, and Alcohol Consumption: An Analysis of Framing and Completeness of Information Disseminated by Alcohol Industry–Funded Organizations, published on 13 October, which found that the information provided by alcohol industry-funded organisations is misleading about the risks to pregnant women of consuming alcohol, what steps they intend to taketo ensure that pregnant women are given accurate information about such risks. baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Pregnancy, Fertility, Breastfeeding, and Alcohol Consumption: An Analysis of Framing and Completeness of Information Disseminated by Alcohol Industry–Funded Organizations, published on 13 October, what plans they have to make warnings of the risks of consuming alcohol in pregnancy mandatory. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government is very clear about the dangers that alcohol poses to the unborn child and reflects this in the advice it gives. The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines published in 2016 provide clear advice to women not to drink alcohol if they are planning for a pregnancy or are pregnant. The National Health Service online information also reflects this advice.Additionally, the Government has been clear that the alcohol industry must reflect the UK Chief Medical Officers' alcohol guidelines on the labels of their products which includes a no drinking in pregnancy logo. Public Health England, NHS England and local commissioners are already undertaking awareness and education on the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant. Alcoholic Drinks: Labelling baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that they meet the deadline to remove the out-of-date Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines from alcohol product labels. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government has worked with industry to ensure that alcohol labels reflect the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer’s Low Risk Drinking Guidelines for drinks produced after 1 September 2019. The industry has committed to comply with this requirement. Local trading standards have powers to remove products manufactured after 1 September 2019, where those products have labels which include the old guidelines. Stock produced before 1 September 2019 can be sold through. Abortion: Northern Ireland baroness o'loan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether women in Northern Ireland considering an abortion between 22 October 2019 and 31 March 2020 will be offered counselling equivalent to that offered to women in England and Wales. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Northern Ireland Executive was not restored by 21 October 2019, so section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 has now come into force, providing for the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland in relation to sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The United Kingdom Government is now under a duty to bring forward regulations to introduce a new legal framework for abortion in Northern Ireland by 31 March 2020 and has published guidance for healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland on abortion law for the period 22 October 2019 to 31 March 2020. This makes clear that abortion services are not expected to be routinely available in Northern Ireland before 31 March 2020.The UK Government-funded Central Booking System (CBS) has been in operation since March 2018 as a single point of contact for women in Northern Ireland to access abortion care in England. The CBS, and abortion care provided under the scheme, will continue to offer the same service and care package to women from Northern Ireland between 22 October 2019 and 31 March 2020. During this period women from Northern Ireland will be able to have all travel and, where needed, accommodation paid for without any means testing. The package of care offered to women from Northern Ireland is equivalent to the package of care offered to women from England and includes a consultation including impartial information/advice, and where needed, counselling with an abortion provider in England. General Practitioners: Fees and Charges lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress theyhave made in ending the charging of victims of domestic violence by some GPs for letters confirming their injuries in order to get access to other services. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Negotiations are held annually between NHS England and the British Medical Association over amendments to the general practitioner contract. For the 2020/21 negotiations, the Department has asked NHS England to look at improving the system of evidence provision in relation to benefit assessments and legal aid applications for victims of domestic violence. We are working closely on this with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Justice. Essential Tremor: Ultrasonics lord borwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress NHS England has made to commission MR-guided focused ultrasound for patients with essential tremor. baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS England is part way through the process of developing a clinical commissioning policy for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) for treating essential tremor. Stakeholder engagement will be taking place in the next few weeks. If there is a need for additional investment to support the introduction of this new service this will be considered in the next relative prioritisation round, alongside other interventions requiring new investment.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published interventional procedure guidance on the use of MRgFUS as a treatment for essential tremor in June 2018. A copy of Unilateral MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy for treatment-resistant essential tremor is attached. NICE guidance MRI for essential tremor (PDF Document, 80.98 KB) Department for Education School Meals baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of food served in English schools is (a) organic, and (b) locally sourced; and what plans they have, if any, to increase that percentage. lord agnew of oulton: Schools are responsible for their school meals service and how and where they choose to buy their produce. The department does not hold the information on what percentage of food is organic and locally sourced. Schools may use the guidance launched alongside the government’s 'Plan for Public Procurement: Food and Catering Services'. The guidance provides a methodology which helps contracting parties balance a range of criteria when procuring food and catering services. These include production standards, health and wellbeing, resource efficiency, socio-economic factors, quality of service and price. The guidance has been attached and is available from:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-plan-for-public-procurement-food-and-catering. HL240_guidance (PDF Document, 2.65 MB) Durham Commission on Creativity and Education lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education report, published on 18 October. lord agnew of oulton: The Durham Commission on Creativity and Education report recognises the importance of a knowledge-based curriculum in unlocking creativity and we will consider its recommendations. The government believes that mastering the basics in any subject is at the heart of creativity. That is why we have reformed the primary and secondary curriculum so that pupils are equipped with the fundamental knowledge they need and the skills to use that knowledge to explore subjects in depth. Alternative Education lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children are in Alternative Provision. lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many providers of Alternative Provision are registered. lord agnew of oulton: In January 2019, 16,134 pupils solely or mainly attended state-funded alternative provision (AP) at a pupil referral unit, AP academy or free school. A further 10,288 pupils attended this type of provision in addition to their main provider. As of October 2019, there are 327 alternative providers (including pupil referral units, AP academies and free schools). An additional 26,128 pupils attended other forms of AP for which they received local authority funding. This includes independent schools, further education colleges offering pre-16 provision, and unregistered settings including home schooling. As such, there is no central list of these providers. The department is currently looking closely at what we need to do to ensure AP provides high quality education and the right support for these children that will enable them to succeed. The department wants to be as ambitious for them as we are for all children and young people. As part of this the government has launched a £4 million AP Innovation Fund which is delivering 9 projects focused on testing ways to improve outcomes for children in AP. Pre-school Education: Recruitment the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to attract recruits into early years provision. lord agnew of oulton: Employers in the early years sector are responsible for recruiting and setting the pay and conditions for their employees, within the statutory requirements set by government (for example, the national minimum wage).Early years employers that do not pay the apprenticeship levy can receive up to 95% co-investment from the government towards the cost of apprenticeship training. Trailblazer groups of employers, supported by the Institute for Apprenticeships, are also developing new standards for early years at levels 2, 5 and 6.In March 2017, the department published the early years workforce strategy which outlined government's plans to support employers to attract, retain and develop early years staff to deliver high quality provision. The strategy is attached.As a result of the strategy we have worked with sector stakeholders to develop criteria for new more robust level 2 qualifications, as well as developing new career pathways information to support careers advice, recruitment and staff development. The new career pathways map is attached. HL307_PDF (PDF Document, 638.42 KB) HL307_PDF (PDF Document, 590.19 KB) Pre-school Education: Labour Turnover the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the turnover of staff in early years provision has been in each of the last five years in England, Wales and Scotland. lord agnew of oulton: The information requested on the turnover of staff in early years provision is not held centrally. Early years policy is a devolved matter and data collection is determined by the devolved administrations. Pre-school Education: Recruitment the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons can be learned from the recruitment of teachers and social workers for the recruitment of staff to early years provision. lord agnew of oulton: The challenges for recruitment and retention, and the appropriate response to these, will differ between sectors. The department has worked with the sector to develop an early years workforce strategy, published in March 2017 and attached. This set out how government will support employers to attract, retain and develop high quality early years staff. Since then we have worked with sector stakeholders to develop criteria for new more robust level 2 qualifications, awarded a grant to take forward activity to promote gender diversity in the early years workforce, and created a new career progression document to support careers advice, recruitment and staff development. The early years careers progression map is attached. We are also supporting employer trailblazer groups to develop new apprenticeship standards for the early years workforce and investing £20m in in-service professional development and training for early years practitioners in pre-reception settings in disadvantaged areas. HL309_PDF (PDF Document, 638.42 KB) HL309_PDF (PDF Document, 590.19 KB) Universities: Racial Harassment lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they will make in response to the report of the Equality and Human Rights CommissionTackling Racial Harassment: Universities Challenged, published on 23 October. baroness berridge: Racial harassment is unacceptable and we cannot tolerate staff and students being victims of it at our world-leading universities. Higher education providers have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and should discharge their responsibilities fully and have robust policies and procedures in place to comply with the law, to investigate and swiftly address incidents reported to them. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) inquiry has made an important contribution to our knowledge of the extent of racism in higher education. The government will look closely at EHRC’s recommendations. Although some progress has been made, it is clear there is still more to do. Universities have clear responsibilities in this regard and I expect them to take these seriously. Universities: Racial Harassment lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with UniversitiesUK about the steps it is taking to reduce racial abuse on campuses. baroness berridge: Racial harassment is unacceptable and we cannot tolerate staff and students being victims of it at our world-leading universities. Higher education providers have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and should discharge their responsibilities fully and have robust policies and procedures in place to comply with the law, to investigate and swiftly address incidents reported to them. The government will continue to work closely with partners, including Universities UK (UUK) and the Office for Students (OfS), to drive progress on matters of racial harassment and hatred in higher education. Department for Education officials meet with UUK and OfS at least quarterly to discuss progress on this area, drive momentum and communicate the government’s priorities. Ministry of Defence Army: Medical Examinations lord robathan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many medical examinations an applicant for the army is required to attend, broken down by (1) officers, and (2) other ranks; how long those examinations remain valid if passed; on how many occasions applicants have been required to attend (a) one, and (b) more than one, extra examination in the last three years; and what estimate they have made of the cost to the army of any extra examinations, including the issue of travel warrants to applicants. baroness goldie: There is one physical medical examination for both officers and other ranks, Regular and Reserve (the Pre-Service Medical Assessment (PSMA)), the results of which remain valid for one year.Over the last three full financial years, some 1,163 specialist opinions in addition to the PSMA have been sought. Of these, 23 have required another further appointment.If an applicant is found to be medically unsuitable for service, they may appeal. As part of providing evidence for their appeal, they may wish to seek further medical advice. This would be at the personal cost of the applicant.The Army estimates that around £156,000 has been spent over the last three full financial years on additional medical referrals, including travel. Army: Recruitment lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons they learned from their decision to award Capita a contract to manage army recruitment; and what steps they are taking in response to that learning. baroness goldie: As identified by the National Audit Office in December 2018, responsibility for the challenges faced for Army recruiting lies with both the Army and Capita. Many of these challenges including some of the steps taken to address them are set out in the National Audit Office's report.The Government has established a Strategic Partnering Programme which monitors performance of companies such as Capita across HMG contracts. This enables those closest to the day-to-day delivery, in this case the recruitment experts within both Capita and the Army, to work together with contract staff to make improvements. The aim is to resolve issues at the operating level using this expertise, rather than escalating the issue. Afghanistan: Armed Forces baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 22 October (HL21, previously HL18069), what is the new policy relating to threats to and intimidation of interpreters in theatre in Afghanistan; and how it differs from the previous policy. baroness goldie: The Ministry of Defence has not previously placed a formal obligation upon contractors providing services in operational theatres to provide support to local employees who might face increased risk as a result of their association with the UK Armed Forces.Under the new approach, the requirement for contractors to do so will be included within the Statements of Requirement for services where the Department has assessed that individuals recruited locally by the contractor could be at risk of being intimidated as a result of their association with UK Armed Forces such as the provision of interpreter support in countries including, but not limited to, Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defence would expect that any contractor working in these locations would undertake a range of measures that would effectively mitigate threats to employees. The cost of any such measures would be included in the costs charged to the Ministry of Defence. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Agriculture: Seasonal Workers baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the tonnage of UK fruit and vegetables thatwere not harvested and left in the fields as a result of a shortage of seasonal workers. lord gardiner of kimble: Defra produces annual estimates of horticultural crop production. These estimates include tonnage, value and imports/exports which allow the Government to monitor productivity and competitiveness within the industry including supply and self-sufficiency. No estimates are made for the tonnage of crops left unharvested for any reason. As a result, no data is available to answer this question. Home Office Hate Crime lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to encourage the reporting of hate crime, and (2) to achieve successful prosecutions for hate crime. baroness williams of trafford: Police recorded hate crime has more than doubled over the period 2012/13 to 2018/19, with 103,379 hate crimes being recorded in 2018/19- an increase of 10 per cent compared with 2017/2018 (94,121 offences). This increase is thought to be driven largely by improvements in police recording practices, as well as better identification of hate crimes, willingness of victims to come forward, and a genuine increase in these offences around certain events. Better recording is an important part of how to tackle hate crime and support victims.However, this Government recognises that there is no room for complacency given the impact of hate crimes on victims, their families and wider communities. The Hate Crime Action Plan refresh published in October 2018 sets out a comprehensive plan for tackling the issue. This includes work under 5 key themes: preventing hate crime by challenging beliefs and attitudes; responding to hate crime within our communities; increasing the reporting of hate crime; improving support for victims of hate crime; and building our understanding of hate crime.A number of steps have been taken to improve the effectiveness of prosecutions. The CPS has delivered mandatory face to face training for prosecutors and conducts assurance checks on hate crime cases to ensure they are dealt with effectively. The CPS Hate Crime Annual Report shows that the conviction rate for hate crime prosecutions remains steady at 84.3% and the proportion of cases where the CPS was successful in achieving uplifted sentences increased from 67.1% in 2017-18, to 73.6% in 2018-19.Work includes supporting reporting mechanisms such as the police reporting portal TrueVision, the online hate crime hub and third party reporting centres like Tell MAMA as well as improving general understanding of hate crime through activities like the public awareness campaign. Extinction Rebellion: Demonstrations lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to recent events relating to the Extinction Rebellion protests in London, whatassessment they have made of the balance between the rights of freedom of expression, association and assembly under the Convention of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998, and matters of public order and nuisance; in particular, what assessment they have made of the question of conspiracy offences and the protection of those rights; and what steps they intend to take in response to any such assessments. baroness williams of trafford: The right to protest peacefully is a long-standing tradition in this country and a vital foundation of our democracy.There is, of course, a balance to be struck. Protestors’ rights need to be balanced with the rights of others to go about their business. Rights to peaceful protest do not extend to unlawful activity and the police have powers to deal with any such acts. Cabinet Office Elections: Proof of Identity lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that the application process for anyfree alternative form of electoral IDis well publicised and accessible. the earl of courtown: Voter ID is part of a body of work this Government is delivering to strengthen the integrity of our electoral system and give the public confidence that our elections are secure and fit for the 21st century. As was the case in the 2018 and 2019 voter ID pilots, electors who do not have any of the required types of ID will be able to apply for a locally issued electoral identity document, free of charge.The Electoral Commission will be responsible for the national awareness raising campaign to ensure that all voters know how to ensure they have the ID required to vote. A great deal of work was done by each local authority in the voter ID pilots to ensure all voters were aware of the requirement to provide ID and they were able to obtain locally issued ID if required.We will continue working with the pilot authorities who have tested voter ID, the Electoral Commission, and the Cabinet Office pilot and reference group to develop a secure and accessible process for national implementation. Fraud: Internet lord robathan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the level of online fraud in each year from 2015 to 2019; whether that level has increased; and if so, how any increase compares to the number of other reported crimes. the earl of courtown: 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 StatisticianRt Hon. the Lord RobathanHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW 25 October 2019Dear Lord Robathan, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the level of online fraud in each year from 2015 to 2019; whether that level increased and if so, how any increase compares to the number of other reported crimes (HL361).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes figures on crime in England and Wales based on two main data sources: Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) and police recorded crime. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) is face-to-face victimisation survey in which people resident in households in England and Wales are asked about their experiences of a range of crimes, including fraud, in the 12 months prior to interview. Police recorded crime data for fraud offences incorporates information collated by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB).The CSEW provides the best measure of fraud offences directly experienced by individuals in England and Wales. Online fraud are cases when the internet or any type of online activity was related to any aspect of the offence. Comparable data for this offence are only available from 2016 as victimisation questions on fraud are relatively new to the survey[1].Table 1 sets out incidents of fraud and online fraud measured by CSEW from the year ending March 2017 to March 2019. There has been a 16% rise in online fraud (to 3.4 million offences) in the last year. However, the latest figure is at a similar level to that seen in the year ending March 2017. All CSEW crime excluding fraud and computer misuse showed no change over this period, despite some apparent fluctuation over the last two years.The ONS also publishes quarterly data on individual crime types covering England and Wales with associated Appendix Tables[2]Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Incidents of fraud and online fraud, year ending March 2017 to March 2019 CSEW[3][4] England and Wales Adults aged 16 and over April 2018 to March 2019 compared with: Offence group[1]Apr '16 to Mar '17Apr '17 to Mar '18Apr '18 to Mar '19 Apr '16 to Mar '17Apr '17 to Mar '18 Number of incidents (thousands) Percentage change and significance Fraud3,3953,2553,809 12* 17 * Online Fraud[2]1,9161,7562,043 716* Unweighted base17,17125,72534,163[1] See Section 5 of the User Guide for more information about the crime types included in this table. [2] Online Fraud represents fraud cases that were flagged as cyber because the internet or any type of online activity was related to any aspect of the offence.Source: Crime Survey for England and Wales, Office for National Statistics[1] The victimisation questions on fraud and computer misuse were incorporated into the CSEW from October 2015. Up to September 2017 the questions were asked of half the survey sample. From October 2017 onwards the questions are being asked of a full survey sample.[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingjune2019[3] New victimisation questions on fraud and computer misuse were incorporated into the CSEW from October 2015. Up to September 2017 the questions were asked of half the survey sample. From October 2017 onwards the questions are being asked of a full survey sample.[4] In March 2018 the new CSEW estimates on fraud and computer misuse were assessed by the Office for Statistics Regulation against the Code of Practice for Statistics and were awarded National Statistics status.[5] See Section 5 of the User Guide for more information about the crime types included in this table.[6] Online Fraud represents fraud cases that were flagged as cyber because the internet or any type of online activity was related to any aspect of the offence. Public Sector: Contracts lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create an outsourcing regulator with powers to intervene to prevent the waste of taxpayers' money, as advocated by the Reform think tank. the earl of courtown: This government will always champion the private sector's vital role in delivering our public services. The Government is committed to delivering value for money but has no plans to create an outsourcing regulator. The Government has recognised the need for reform and over the past year the Government has made great strides in improving how we work with the private sector with the introduction of the Outsourcing Playbook in February 2019. The Outsourcing Playbook sets out eleven new policies to ensure contracts are set up for success and services are protected in the event of a corporate failure.The Cabinet Office is working with departments to implement the Playbook across all central Government departments and arm’s-length bodies. Brexit: Advertising baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the advert placed in Le Monde on 23 February entitled Brexit—31st October cost. the earl of courtown: Her Majesty’s Government did not place any adverts in Le Monde on 23 February. Brexit: Advertising baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many advertsthey have placed in newspapers in EU27 countries alerting businesses to Brexit on 31 October; and what was the total cost of those adverts. the earl of courtown: “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign activity has taken place in all 27 EU countries to make sure citizens and businesses have the facts they need to know about the steps they need to take to be ready for when the UK leaves the EU.The overall costs of the public information campaign will be published monthly on a rolling basis as part of routine government transparency. Brexit: Advertising baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government how muchthey have spent on (1) motorway advertising, (2) newspaper advertisements, and (3) other public information campaigns,in the past 12 months,about preparing for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. the earl of courtown: ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ is a cross-government campaign using national advertising including TV, radio, press, digital and outdoor advertising. It also includes direct engagement and local elements including business preparedness events, ministerial visits and local authority activity.The cost of the public information campaign will be published monthly on a rolling basis, as part of routine government transparency arrangements. *No heading* baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much it cost to place the advert in Le Monde on 23 October entitled Brexit—31st October. the earl of courtown: Information relating to individual adverts in specific locations is only obtainable at disproportionate cost. Treasury Customs: Staff lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many qualified customs agents there are; and what assessment they have made of the adequacy of that number. the earl of courtown: The customs intermediaries sector in the UK is unregulated and there is no requirement for registration or qualification, so the precise volume of qualified agents is complex to establish. HMRC have engaged extensively with the customs intermediaries sector on the sector’s concerns about demand for customs broker services post-EU exit and a possible short-fall in capacity. That is why HMRC have made £34m available to support the sector with training, improvements in automation, and recruitment of customs agents. This has funded approximately 2200 training courses to train staff in customs process and procedures, and funded the creation of a new UK Customs Academy which will provide online training courses and industry-recognised qualifications. The grant schemes remain open until 31 January 2020. Credit Unions lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the regulations concerning credit unions. the earl of courtown: In 2014, the Government undertook a call for evidence to understand the appropriate steps that could be taken to support the credit union sector. Subsequently, the maximum interest a credit union can charge on loans was raised from 2% to 3% per month, and the upper limit on the geographical common bond was raised from 2 to 3 million people.The Government continues to be open to considering the case for further reform. ABCUL, the sector’s largest trade body, is currently carrying out a sector-wide consultation which is due to conclude later this year. HMT will consider its conclusions in the development of future credit union policy. At Autumn Budget 2018, the Government announced a package of measures to support credit unions, and other social and community lenders, including:A £2 million affordable credit challenge fund, harnessing the UK’s FinTech sector to address challenges faced by social and community lenders, including credit unions.A change in the regulatory boundary of credit broking to make it easier for registered social landlords such as housing associations to refer their tenants to social and community lenders.A prize-linked savings pilot scheme, to encourage the growth of the credit union sector and encourage consumers to build up their personal savings. This pilot launched on October 17th, International Credit Union Day, in 13 credit unions around the country, with 2 more credit unions due to join the pilot.A feasibility study to design a pilot for a UK No-Interest Loans Scheme. The PRA have also proposed a simplified, proportional capital requirement regime for credit unions in their recently published consultation. Funding Secure: Insolvency lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish an independent inquiry into the failure of peer-to-peer lender Fund Secure; andon which datethey first became aware that the firm was experiencing difficulty. the earl of courtown: The Government does not intend to establish an inquiry into the failure of the peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform Funding Secure, which entered into administration on 23 October. The Government monitors the P2P lending sector on an ongoing basis and engages regularly with P2P platforms and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are responsible for the regulation of the sector. The FCA is operationally independent from Government. The second part of the question as it relates to the FCA has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to Lord Myners by letter and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House. Fuels: Tax Evasion lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated loss of revenue to HM Treasury as a result of the sale and distribution, within the UK, of laundered fuel, in each of the last three years for which figures are available. lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many fuel laundering plants have been discovered and decommissioned in (1) Northern Ireland, and (2) Great Britain, in the last three years for which figures are available. lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the effectiveness and depth of co-operation with the authorities in the Republic of Ireland in theirattempts to disrupt and prevent the illegal laundering and distribution of fuel. lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many successful prosecutions have been brought against those charged with the illegal laundering, distribution and sale of fuel in the UK in the last three years for which figures are available. the earl of courtown: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates the difference between expected revenues and the tax that is actually paid in the annual publication, Measuring Tax Gaps. These estimates cannot be disaggregated by type of fraud, for example laundering. HMRC has estimated the total oils (fuel duty) tax gap (including VAT) as follows: £200 million in 2017-18£200 million in 2016-17 The estimate for 2015-16 was calculated using a different methodology and therefore cannot be compared to the estimates for subsequent years. The oils tax gap for 2015-16 was estimated to be less than £100 million. The table below details the number of laundering plants detected by HMRC in NI & GB in each of the last three financial years. LAUNDERING PLANT DETECTIONSYEARNIGB2016-17562017-181022018-1973 The routine sharing of information to identify trends and emerging threats developed over many years through the Cross Border Fuel Fraud Group has continued and further built upon by the Cross Border Joint Agency Task Force introduced as part of the Stormont House (Fresh Start) Agreement. HMRC and the Revenue Commissioners together with other partner agencies are represented at both the regular Strategic and Operational meetings and this continued collaboration has been key to successfully identifying and interdicting fuel related fraud in both jurisdictions. The table below details the number of convictions secured for oils related criminality in the UK in each of last three financial years. Financial YearNumber of UK Convictions16/172517/18618/197

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2019-10-31

Agricultural Wages Board Baroness Quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation they undertook prior to their decision to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board. Lord Henley: No specific consultation was undertaken prior to the decision to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board, as views on the future of the board have been well known for many years, in particular those of the National Farmers' Union and Unite which represent employers and workers on the board. We intend to discuss with interested parties practical approaches to wage-setting in agriculture in the absence of the board and how workers can be best informed of their contractual rights after it has been abolished. Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of recent research by Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini and Professor Andres Carrasco and their teams relating to damage to health arising from the use of Roundup in genetically modified crop cultivation. Lord Henley: Professors Seralini and Carrasco and their collaborators have published a number of papers relating to glyphosate. The Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) of the Health and Safety Executive routinely monitors relevant published literature relating to pesticides. Where there are any issues of regulatory relevance the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP) is asked for its opinion. Many of these papers have been assessed through the routine monitoring process with the conclusion that regulatory action was not required. A number of recently published studies are currently under consideration. Genetically modified crops are not currently grown in the UK. Armed Forces: A400M Lord Gilbert: To ask Her Majesty's Government what acquisition cost they will now be paying for each A400M aircraft. Lord Astor of Hever: I am withholding the information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Banking Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HM Treasury or the Financial Services Authority monitor "Best Buy" league tables for retail deposit accounts as a potential indicator of risk and whether the FSA is required to seek reassurance that banks relying on deposits gathered through their appearance on such tables are engaging in sound commercial practices. Lord Sassoon: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 27 September (Official Report, col. WA 472). In addition, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) monitors the liquidity of UK deposit-takers through regular reporting from and dialogue with firms, and, as part of this, uses "Best Buy" tables as one indicator of retail funding risk. The FSA sees retail funding risk as one of the main sources of liquidity risk for UK deposit-takers, and this is a key area that is monitored by the FSA as part of its continuing supervision of the liquidity of UK deposit-takers and the sustainability of their business models. A monthly "Best Buy" table is widely circulated across FSA supervisors to help inform their discussions with firms. "Best Buy" tables may, for example, be used to question firms on the aggressiveness or, conversely, the lack of competitiveness in their retail deposit raising. Banking: Special Liquidity Scheme Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the money lent to United Kingdom banks under the Bank of England's special liquidity scheme has still to be repaid. Lord Sassoon: The special liquidity scheme (SLS) is a Bank of England scheme. The drawdown period for the SLS closed on 30 January 2009. The Bank announced at the end of September that of the £185 billion Treasury bills initially advanced, some £57 billion has already been repaid. More information on the SLS is available on the Bank's website at www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/s1s/index.htm. Banks: Lending Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will reduce the amount of capital banks are required to hold, so that bank lending to small business can be increased. Lord Sassoon: The supervision of individual institutions and system-wide regulatory requirements are determined by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), an independent body. Following the onset of the financial crisis the FSA implemented the so-called '4-6-8' capital regime. This requires UK banks to hold at least 4 per cent of core tier 1 capital. At an international level, the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision, the oversight body of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, recently delivered a historic and crucial set of reforms that will substantially increase financial stability. Following the G20 agreement in Toronto, regulation will be strengthened only once the recovery is assured. To this end an extended implementation period to 2019 will ensure the transition to new standards, including higher capital and liquidity requirements, will not jeopardise the economic recovery. These reforms will be implemented within the EU by amending the capital requirements directive. As part of the transition period we negotiated in the Basel package, we do not expect the FSA to lower bank capital requirements. UK banks have already made particularly good progress, having raised their average core tier 1 ratios to the highest level in more than a decade. Analysis by the tripartite authorities suggests the transition to higher regulatory standards will be manageable for UK banks. In order to ensure the flow of credit to businesses, the Chancellor announced a number of proposals at the Budget in June 2010. These include increasing the Enterprise Finance Guarantee by £200 million to enable additional lending of up to £700 million for small businesses until 31 March 2011 and the launch of a new Enterprise Capital Fund, to provide an extra £37.5 million in equity finance for small businesses with high growth potential. The Government have also published a Green Paper on business finance in July, to help inform and take forward their agenda on credit and other sources of finance for businesses. This paper discussed the current conditions of bank lending to small and medium sized businesses. Further information about the Green Paper is available here: http://www.bis.gov.uk/businessfinance. The consultation period for the Green Paper closed on 20 September and the Government will comment on responses in due course. In response to the Government's Green Paper on business finance, the British Bankers' Association has recently published the outcomes of its business finance taskforce, which was written in conjunction with the six major UK banks. The taskforce banks have committed to improving customer relationships through a new lending code, ensuring better access to finance and promoting better understanding. In order to ensure better access to finance, the taskforce banks have agreed to establish and invest in a new £1.5 billion Business Growth Fund, which will provide capital to growing businesses. The taskforce has also announced that it would support the Government Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, which supports lending to viable businesses with insufficient collateral and track record. Through awareness raising campaigns and other measures, the taskforce has also committed to help mid-sized businesses access syndicated debt markets and to improve access to trade finance. Further information is available at http://www.bba. org.uk/media/article/business-finance-taskforce. Banks: Lending Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps have been taken to promote bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses in the United Kingdom and what assessment they have made of those steps. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the decline in bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses in the United Kingdom. Lord Sassoon: In March 2010, Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) agreed to legally binding lending commitments. These commitments will see both banks lend a total of £94 billion to businesses on commercial terms, over the 12 months to February 2011. At the Budget in June 2010, the Chancellor announced proposals to help ensure the flow of credit to businesses. These include increasing the Enterprise Finance Guarantee by £200 million to enable additional lending of up to £700 million for small businesses until 31 March 2011 and the launch of a new Enterprise Capital Fund, to provide an extra £37.5 million in equity finance for small businesses with high growth potential. The Government published a Green Paper on business finance in July, to help inform and take forward their agenda on credit and other sources of finance for businesses. This paper discussed the current conditions of bank lending to small and medium sized businesses. Further information about the Green Paper is available at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/businessfinance. The consultation period for the Green Paper closed on 20 September and the Government will comment on responses in due course. In response to the Government's Green Paper on business finance, the British Bankers' Association has recently published the outcomes of its business finance taskforce, which was written in conjunction with the six major UK banks. The taskforce banks have committed to improving customer relationships through a new lending code, ensuring better access to finance and promoting better understanding. In order to ensure better access to finance, the taskforce banks have agreed to establish and invest in a new £1.5 billion business growth fund, which will provide capital to growing businesses. The taskforce has also announced that it would support the government Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, which supports lending to viable businesses with insufficient collateral and track record. Through awareness-raising campaigns and other measures, the taskforce has also committed to help mid-sized businesses access syndicated debt markets and to improve access to trade finance. The Government welcome these important first steps proposed by the banks. Further information is available at: http://www.bba. org.uk/media/article/business-finance-taskforce. BBC: Accounts Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the National Audit Office will have full access to audit the accounts of the BBC as announced by the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on 22 September. Baroness Rawlings: The Government are committed to giving the National Audit Office (NAO) full access to the BBC's accounts to ensure transparency. The Government announced on 22 September that they had reached agreement with the BBC Trust on the NAO having full access to the BBC's accounts. Whether the NAO is appointed as the BBC's auditor is a matter for the BBC and NAO. The Government do not consider this to be central to delivering the Government commitment. BBC: Salaries Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of whether £675,000 per annum is the appropriate remuneration package level for the Director General of the BBC. Baroness Rawlings: This is a matter for the BBC Trust and the Government have not made an assessment. Under the terms of the BBC's charter, it is the responsibility of the BBC Trust to ensure that the BBC delivers value-for-money to licence fee payers. The BBC should be prepared to defend all its expenditure decisions. Children: Nurseries Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what increase or decrease there has been in the number of children in nursery schools since the Early Year Foundation Stage Regulations became law. Lord Hill of Oareford: The early years foundation stage came into force in September 2008. Table 1 shows the number of children taking up early education places in England from 2008 to 2010. Table 1 : Number of children1 taking up early education places2 England 2008- 2010 Position in January each year Year Number of children Increase from Previous year Percentage increase from previous year 2008 1,199,800 34,800 3.0% 2009 1,221,400 21,600 1.8% 2010 1,258,500 37,100 3.0% Source: Early Years Census, School Census and School Level Annual School Census 1. Includes children aged 3 and 4 as well as 2 year-olds at maintained settings. 2. Includes Private, Voluntary and independent providers, Maintained nursery and primary schools and Special schools. The table presented in this answer includes private, voluntary, and independent providers, as well as maintained nursery and primary schools and special schools. Table 1 of the "Provision for children under five years of age in England: January 2010" Statistical First Release, available on the department's website (http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000935/index.shtml) provides a time series of the figures broken down by type of provider. Civil Service: Redundancy Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 28 July (WA 389), what evidence they have of it being good practice in the wider economy to provide higher rates of payments for those who take voluntary redundancy than for those being made compulsorily redundant; and what evidence they have that this ensures the retention of the right civil staff. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Allowing higher levels of voluntary payments allows for earlier exits and therefore savings to the Exchequer. It also minimises the number of compulsory redundancies which need to be made, which is an objective of this Government. Consumer Focus Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of the Citizens Advice Bureaux to take over the functions of Consumer Focus; and whether this assessment will be made available. Baroness Wilcox: In a Written Ministerial Statement on 14 October, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) announced changes to the UK consumer and competition bodies. In that Statement he outlined proposals including the transfer of the functions of Consumer Focus to the national bodies for the citizens advice service in England and Wales and in Scotland. BIS is now discussing implementation with the consumer bodies including Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland and with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Governments. As also announced by the Secretary of State, BIS will consult publicly on the main elements of the proposals in the new year. Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce new powers to enable the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority to pursue offenders to recover funds by means of making regulations to implement the compensation recovery powers under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Lord McNally: I will be considering the issues involved in implementing the right to recovery legislation as part of a wider review of the reparation that offenders can make to victims. Drugs: Ultra-orphan Diseases Lord Walton of Detchant: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence considers the Citizens Council's recommendations Deviating from the threshold, relating to the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of new treatments for ultra-orphan diseases. Earl Howe: This is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an independent body. In January 2009, NICE issued supplementary advice to its appraisal committees on the appraisal of life-extending end-of-life drugs. In developing the advice, NICE took account of the Citizens' Council's views on the circumstances in which it may be appropriate to recommend a treatment where the cost per quality adjusted life year is above the normal threshold range. Elections: Fraud Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there were for fraud in the General Election of 2005. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there were for fraud in the European elections of 2009. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there were for fraud in the Scottish Parliament election of 2007. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there were for fraud in the Welsh Assembly election of 2007. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there were for fraud in local government elections in England and Wales between 2007 and 2010. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there were for fraud in the most recent Scottish local elections. Lord McNally: The Government do not keep statistics on prosecutions for breaches of election law in England and Wales. The figures cited below are extracted from reports prepared by the Electoral Commission rather than from central government records. Accordingly, those reports do not necessarily constitute a complete record of the number of prosecutions during the period referred to. With regard to the General Election of 2005, the Electoral Commission's report Allegations of electoral malpractice in England and Wales 2000-2006 gives details of allegations of electoral malpractice in relation to offences under the Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1983 during that period. The report found that in 2005, there were 59 allegations. The Electoral Commission's report Further analysis of CPS files on allegations of electoral malpractice in England and Wales 2000-2006 gives details of prosecutions for electoral malpractice under the RPA 1983 during that period. The report found that there was one conviction in 2005, though noted that convictions do not necessarily occur in the same year that proceedings are initiated. Though statistics are not recorded on prosecutions brought under common law fraud offences in England and Wales, I am aware that subsequently five people were convicted under the common law offence of conspiracy to defraud at the 2005 General Election in the Bradford West constituency and all received a custodial sentence. With regard to the Scottish Parliament election of 2007 and the Scottish local government elections of 2007, I understand that there have been no prosecutions for fraud under the RPA 1983. When bringing common law fraud charges, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in Scotland cannot differentiate between different types of fraud. Therefore no information is available in relation to any electoral fraud that might have been prosecuted under common law. With regard to the Welsh Assembly election of 2007, and local government elections in England in 2007, the Electoral Commission's report Electoral malpractice in England and Wales-2007 trends found that at the 2007 elections 129 allegations of electoral malpractice were recorded in England and Wales. I am aware that subsequently six people were convicted of committing a number of electoral offences at the May 2007 local government elections in Slough and all received a custodial sentence. Charges that were brought against some of these six individuals also included the common law offence of conspiracy to defraud. At elections in 2008, 2009 and 2010 there was systematic monitoring by the Electoral Commission and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) of allegations of electoral malpractice reported to the police during the election period. With regard to local government elections in England and Wales in 2008, the Electoral Commission and ACPO report Allegations of electoral malpractice at the May 2008 elections in England and Wales found that one case led to prosecution, which resulted in the conviction of one person on a charge of making a false application to vote by proxy and a fine of £1,015. With regard to the European elections of 2009 and local government elections in England in 2009, the Electoral Commission and ACPO report Analysis of allegations of electoral malpractice at the June 2009 elections found that two people pleaded guilty to three charges of false registration and other non-electoral fraud charges in Bournemouth, and each received a sentence of one month's imprisonment for the registration offences. The commission found that, in mid-December 2009, one person pleaded guilty to two charges of personation at the European parliamentary and local government elections in Cannock, and was sentenced to four months in prison. The commission's report also provided updated information about the outcome of allegations of fraud at the May 2008 elections. The report found that a further two cases relating to the May 2008 elections had led to charges or prosecutions meaning that three cases in total relating to the May 2008 elections had led to charges or prosecutions. The first additional case resulted in two people pleading guilty to personation at a polling station, and were both given the maximum community service order penalty of 300 hours. In the second additional case, charges were brought against one person for two false applications to vote by proxy. This person has now been found guilty and was sentenced in August 2010 to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months. With regard to local government elections in England in 2010, the Electoral Commission has indicated that it will publish verified data and analysis on the extent and nature of cases of electoral malpractice reported during 2010, including the May 2010 UK General Election and local government elections, in January 2011. This will include an update on any unresolved cases that were previously reported and unresolved. Energy: Nuclear Industry Baroness Thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure proper oversight of the health of staff in the nuclear industry after the abolition of the Health Protection Agency; and what consultations they have had with management and staff on this matter. Lord Freud: Under health and safety law, it is the responsibility of operators of nuclear facilities to ensure that the health and safety of their employees is safeguarded. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides advice and guidance to nuclear operators, and other employers, to assist them in this task. HSE can also take appropriate enforcement action to secure compliance with health and safety law. The Health Protection Agency provides an integrated approach to protecting UK public health. The agency provides support and advice to HSE on radiation protection matters. The Government have announced that, on abolition of the agency, its functions will be transferred to the new Public Health Service. Energy: Nuclear Waste Lord Vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to instruct the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency to look into the re-use of spent nuclear waste rather than burying it, given recent rises in the world price of uranium. Lord Marland: It is for the owners of spent nuclear fuel to decide whether or not to reprocess it in order to recover reusable nuclear materials. There are, however, some technological constrains and spent fuel from MAGNOX reactors is reprocessed because there is currently no alternative means of dealing with it. The NDA also has existing commercial contracts with both overseas and UK reactor operators to reprocess other spent fuel through THORP. The NDA will continue to manage these contracts taking into account the most appropriate use of the existing plant and their resources. In the case of new nuclear the plans are still as set out in the 2008 White Paper on nuclear power and are, "any new nuclear power stations that might be built in the UK should proceed on the basis that spent fuel will not be reprocessed and that plans for, and financing of, waste management should proceed on this basis". Government are not currently expecting any proposals to reprocess spent fuel from new nuclear power stations, but should such proposals come forward in the future, we would consider them on their merits at the time. It is also worth noting that the price of uranium is only a small factor in the overall running costs of a nuclear power station and by itself might not be enough of a concern for reactor operators to consider reprocessing an economical option. However, the Government intend to keep this issue under review with the NDA. Energy: Tidal Generation Lord Corbett of Castle Vale: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the report Cost of financial support for wave, tidal stream and tidal range generation in the United Kingdom. Lord Marland: The department will publish the report shortly. Equality Act 2010 Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will seek legal advice about which matters complained of in the European Commission's Reasoned Opinion 226, infringement number 2006/2450, remain in potential breach of EU directives following the enactment of the Equality Act 2010. Baroness Wilcox: There is an understanding that infringement proceedings are a confidential matter between the European Commission and member states. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment on this particular reasoned opinion. As a matter of routine, my department is able to draw on legal advice as and when necessary. Finance: Clearing Houses Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether London's competitiveness as a location for the central clearing of equity, bonds and derivatives will be disadvantaged by the lack of access to Euro funding from central banks; and, if so, what action they will take. Lord Sassoon: The UK hosts multiple clearing houses offering foreign currency denominated clearing including in euros. There is no obligation to have access to central bank liquidity in order to offer these clearing services and in all cases the Financial Services Authority requires that appropriate risk management controls are in place. Finance: Derivatives Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that (a) the European Union has a competitive market in securities and derivatives clearing, and (b) clearing houses based in the United Kingdom will not be subject to discretionary actions by other European Union countries. Lord Sassoon: In Europe, the bulk of the G20 policy agenda on post-trade infrastructure will be addressed through the proposed European Markets Infrastructure Regulation. On 15 September the European Commission published a proposal for this regulation which covers issues relating to organisational and risk management standards for central clearing counterparties. The aim is to harmonise standards for clearing houses operating across Europe, allowing them to interoperate thus creating a competitive market for clearing services. Financial Services: Equities Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the practice of high frequency trading of equities as a potential risk to financial stability; and whether they will instruct the Financial Services Authority to initiate a review and produce a report. Lord Sassoon: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 16 June (Official Report, col. WA 115). Formal proposals for the revised markets in financial instruments directive are expected to be published by the European Commission in early 2011. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 27 September (WA 535-6), how a member of the public can evaluate the contributions of Professor Douglass and of Bassin et al when there is no link from the references in South Central Strategic Health Authority's consultation document on water fluoridation to the free websites referred to in that answer. Earl Howe: I remain of the view that the references quoted in the consultation document enable users of the internet to access the information needed to evaluate these contributions. Fluoridation Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government , further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 20 July 2009 (WA 278-9) and Baroness Thornton on 4 March 2010 (WA 272-3), whether in issuing revised guidance to the National Health Service about the evidence surrounding water fluoridation they will give due weight to the findings of the "York" systematic review in 2000 concerning potential health risks including dental fluorosis, and to publications about the study on the bioavailability of fluoride in water by the University of Newcastle that have appeared subsequently to its first report in 2004. Earl Howe: Yes, we are planning to issue new guidance based on all the evidence now available after the outcome is known of the judicial review of South Central Strategic Health Authority's decision to fluoridate Southampton and parts of south-west Hampshire. We will be consulting interested organisations and individuals about the guidance including the noble Earl. Food: Institutions Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will launch a study to evaluate the differences between the dinner menu choices and relevant information provided in prisons and those provided in hospitals and residential care homes; and whether they will publish the results with comparative costs. Lord McNally: Making direct comparisons of food delivery and costs between different services is difficult and can often be misleading. This is because there are so many variances between what is provided and when, how it is served, the take-up rate, the population being provided for and what freedom consumers have in choosing alternative sources of meals. Currently, therefore, there are no plans or a resource allocation to fund a study as suggested. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what legal advice they have received concerning the interception of a British registered boat in International waters, when carrying Jewish people towards Gaza. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are unable to comment on whether or when legal advice has been sought/given. However, I can reassure the noble Baroness that we followed this incident closely, that our consular staff remained in regular contact with the families of those British Nationals on board and that we offered consular assistance to the British participants on arrival in Israel. Those detained by Israel were voluntarily deported on 29 September. Following the tragedy of the Mavi Marmara incident, when nine Turkish nationals were killed by Israeli security forces, we have repeatedly made it clear to Israel that it is a matter of grave concern that Israeli actions should have ended in such heavy and tragic loss of life. Gaza Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Operation Cast Lead on the health and education of children in Gaza; and what action they have taken or will take with European Union partners as a result. Baroness Verma: UN agencies and non-governmental organisations have published a number of reports on the health of children in Gaza since Operation Cast Lead. These show that many children still suffer traumatic stress and that their health is compromised by declining public health service provision, unclean water and a lack of necessary micro-nutrients in food. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides education for 222,000 children in Gaza, reports that schools are overcrowded and children must attend in shifts. Following Operation Cast Lead the UK Government spent £24.8 million on humanitarian assistance. This included the clearance of unexploded ordnance to allow children to return to school, counselling for traumatised children, the building of safe play areas, and improvement to services for pregnant women, new mothers and babies. UK funding also provided food aid and clean water for families in most need. We also provided £5 million to UNRWA specifically to improve education services in Gaza. The UK and European Union (EU) are major donors to UNRWA. Our ongoing support to UNRWA's core budget helps provide food aid, social services, healthcare and education to refugees in Gaza and across the region. So far this year the UK Government have provided £19 million support. This has helped provide food aid to nearly 1 million Gazans; schooling for almost 480,000 children across the region, and primary healthcare to refugees across the region through 138 clinics with 9.5 million annual patient visits. The UK and the EU continue to press Israel to allow reconstruction in Gaza and further to relax restrictions on movement and access into and out of Gaza. On 16 September the European Council called for full implementation of the measures to improve access announced by Israel in June and complementary measures, in order to achieve a fundamental change of policy that will allow for reconstruction and the economic recovery of Gaza. Gaza Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking with the United States and other international partners to ensure faster progress on the implementation of approved and essential projects for improving sanitation and the state of polluted aquifers in Gaza, increasing the population's access to clean drinking water, especially among young children. Baroness Verma: The UK is funding the UN Access Co-ordination Unit (ACU) which works with the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and aid agencies to facilitate the transfer of goods into Gaza, including essential equipment and construction materials for sanitation networks. ACU works closely with the emergency water sanitation and hygiene group, which represents over 30 organisations working on water, sanitation and hygiene in the occupied Palestinian territories. In mid-September 250 tonnes of construction materials entered Gaza for the upgrade of the sewage treatment plant at Sheikh Aljin which will reduce the run-off of sewage into the Mediterranean Sea. The UK continues to press Israel and the Palestinian Authority to increase co-ordination and process applications the import of essential materials more quickly, in order to ensure further improvements to the Gazan sanitation system. Gaza Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take with the quartet to ensure that spare parts and chemicals are made available, so that the water desalination plant at Khan Younis, near Gaza, can work at full capacity. Baroness Verma: There are a number of actual or potential desalination projects in or near Khan Younis, including small privately-owned plants. We are not aware of any specific obstacles to their development and the Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR) has not raised the issue of supplies for desalination plants with the Government of Israel. We continue to work closely with the OQR, UN agencies and other partners to support improvements in access to Gaza for items for approved reconstruction projects, and all items not on the Government of Israel's list of prohibited imports. GMT: Clock Change Lord Tanlaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of Scottish farmers winter their livestock in a controlled environment, and will not be affected by the nationwide clock change on 31 October or any other date. Lord Henley: This is a devolved matter, for the Scottish Executive. GMT: Clock Change Lord Tanlaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of any loss of income from the tourist and leisure industries between 25 October 2009 and 28 March 2010 due to the clock change to GMT and the subsequent onset of darker evenings. Baroness Garden of Frognal: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has made no such assessment. The implications of a possible move to single double summer time remain under active consideration. The Prime Minister made clear in August this year that such a change can be considered only with the agreement of all parts of the United Kingdom including Scotland. Government Departments: Salaries Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated net saving in the pay bill of HM Treasury for each of the next four years if all salaries and increments are frozen. Lord Sassoon: If pay were frozen for the next four years, including progression increments, the cost would be the same as it currently is and there would be no net saving. The June Budget, in which the Chancellor announced the two year public sector pay freeze, exempted from the freeze staff earning less than a full-time equivalent salary of £21,000 who are to receive an annual salary increase of £250. This increases the pay bill slightly over the period. It is not possible to say what the pay bill of HM Treasury would have been without the two year pay freeze as there was no existing agreement covering the relevant period. Government Departments: Salaries Lord Newby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated net saving in the pay bill of the Northern Ireland Office for each of the next four years if all salaries and increments are frozen. Earl Attlee: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) estimates that it could make net savings of approximately £1.09 million in its current pay bill if all salaries and increments are frozen over the next four years (2011-12 to 2014-15) and the current staff configuration remains unchanged over this period. The year on year breakdown of estimated savings are set out below: 2011/12 £0.21 million 2012/13 £0.26 million 2013/14 £0.30 million 2014/15 £0.32 million The HM Treasury GDP deflator of 31 March 2010 has been used as the basis for determining projected pay inflation over the period under consideration. Government Departments: Salaries Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what number and percentage of Cabinet Office staff have received or are due to receive increments in pay in the year ended 5 April 2011; and what is the estimated percentage and money increase in the department's pay bill due solely to increments this year, disregarding promotions or general increases in pay scales. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: In 2010, following the Government's announcement, the Cabinet Office entered a two-year pay freeze for salaries and increments of all staff earning over £21, 000. Eight per cent of staff, who earned £21,000 or less, received an increment in their pay in the year ending 5 April. The estimated percentage increase in the department's pay bill as a result of these awards is 0.05 per cent, which equates to an increase of approximately £50,000. Government Departments: Salaries Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what number and percentage of Department of Health staff have received or are due to receive increments in pay in the year ended 5 April 2011; and what is the estimated percentage and money increase in the Department's pay bill due solely to increments this year, disregarding promotions or general increases in pay scales. Earl Howe: For the department, 2010-11 is the third year of a legally binding three-year settlement for staff below the Senior Civil Service (SCS). A two-year pay freeze for these staff will be entered in 2011-12. For the SCS, base pay was frozen in 2010-11. Staff below the SCS received consolidated pay progression in 2010-11 in respect of performance in 2009-10, with the amount of consolidated progression dependent on position in the pay scale. Overall 2,347 non-SCS staff (87 per cent.) received a consolidated increase in August 2010. The total estimated increase in the department's pay bill for 2010-11 (including national insurance and pension contributions) arising from consolidated pay progression is £4,619,293. This represents a 3.04 per cent. increase in the department's pay bill. Government Departments: Salaries Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what number and percentage of Ministry of Justice staff have received or are due to receive increments in pay in the year ended 5 April 2011; and what is the estimated percentage and money increase in the Ministry's pay bill due solely to increments this year, disregarding promotions or general increases in pay scales. Lord McNally: The information requested is set out below. Ministry of Justice (excluding National Offender Management Service (NOMS)) The Ministry of Justice staff, below Senior Civil Service, received a pay award on 1 August 2010 in accordance with a multi-year pay award negotiated in 2007. As part of this award 8,556 staff received incremental progression. This represents 31 per cent of staff in the ministry. The estimated percentage and money increase in the Ministry of Justice pay bill, excluding Senior Civil Service, solely due to increments for the year ending 5 April 2011, disregarding promotions or general increases, is 0.9 per cent and £6.5 million. This assumes no recyclables and is based on salary as at 31 July 2010. National Offender Management Service NOMS staff received a pay award on 1 April 2010. As part of this award 25,232.7 staff (full-time equivalent) received incremental progression. This represents 51.6 per cent of staff in NOMS. The estimated percentage and money increase in NOMS pay bill solely due to increments for the year ending 5 April 2011, disregarding promotions or general increases in pay scales, is circa 2.5 per cent and circa £44 million. This assumes no recyclables, is based on 2009 pay scales and full-time equivalent staff as at March 2010. Senior Civil Service The information above relates to staff in grades below the Senior Civil Service. For the Senior Civil Service, consolidated pay has been frozen in 2010-11 and no increments were/will be paid for the year ending 5 April 2011. The Ministry of Justice including NOMS will enter into the two-year pay freeze in 2011-12 in line with other public sector workforces. Government Departments: Salaries Lord Newby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated net saving in the pay bill of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for each of the next four years if no bonuses are paid and all salaries and increments are frozen. Baroness Wilcox: Following the spending review settlement for BIS, detailed workforce plans and pay bill allocations, on which such estimates would be based, are being developed and finalised. We are therefore currently unable to provide estimates of savings for the years in question Government Departments: Salaries Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated net saving in the pay bill of the Cabinet Office for each of the next four years if all salaries and increments are frozen. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated net saving in the pay bill of the Cabinet Office for each of the next four years if no bonuses are paid and all salaries and increments are frozen. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The pay bill cost for the Cabinet Office as at 31 March 2010, as published in the annual resource accounts for 2009-10, is £92,256,000. In 2010, following the Government's announcement, the Cabinet Office entered a two-year pay freeze for salaries and increments of all staff earning over £21, 000. Any annual increase to pay bill cost in the department is governed by Her Majesty's Treasury's remit guidance and in collective negotiation with departmental trade unions. It is therefore not possible accurately to estimate any net saving to the Cabinet Office pay bill for future years. Government: Ministerial Visits Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of their ministers, officials and advisers travelled from Brussels on the 17:59 Eurostar on Thursday 16 September; which class of travel they used; and what was the total cost of the fares to and from Brussels. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Departments are committed to publishing on a quarterly basis details of their Ministers' overseas travel. Information for travel made in September will be published as soon as it is collated. Information in respect of civil servants, including special advisers, is not held centrally and to collect the information would involve disproportionate costs. Gypsies and Travellers Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisations will represent the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities among the key stakeholders the Government will work with to take forward the implementation of the Concluding Observations of 2008 of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. Lord Hill of Oareford: In taking forward the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding Observations, the Government are working with a number of groups to address issues affecting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. These include: the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Education Stakeholder Group-its membership has been drawn from representatives of all three communities working in the education sector and from community liaison groups. It includes parents, teachers, governors and a former director of children's services and is chaired by Lord Avebury. Its aim is to engage in awareness raising, changing attitudes and behaviours and supporting work to improve levels of ascription, attendance, transition and attainment to Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils;the National Association of Teachers of Travellers and other professions (NATT+)-they were funded to arrange events in 2009-10 and again in 2010-11. The funding has enabled the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community groups to build their own capacity to source funding, and to plan and deliver the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller months themselves in future; the Rural Media Company and funding the Travellers Times online website;the National Foundation for Educational Research. The Department for Education funded a study into improving educational outcomes for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children; andthe Advisory Council for the Education of Romany and other Travellers (ACERT). Health Protection Agency Lord Turnberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the loss of independence of the Health Protection Agency when it is transferred into the Department of Health will have an impact on the trust placed in the Agency by the public or professionals. Earl Howe: We do not anticipate a loss of trust or independence in the Health Protection Agency's present functions by the public or professionals. Health: Drugs Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have produced any data concerning the dosage of Norethisterone and Ethinylostradiol contained in the drug Primodos compared with the dosage given to patients. To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to assess the needs of people adversely affected by the drug Primodos; how many people were left with disabilities after their mothers used this drug; and whether they will place in the Library of the House any documents they hold relating to the dangers posed by Primodos. To ask Her Majesty's Government which drugs currently available in the United Kingdom contain Norethisterone and Ethinylostradiol; what are the known disabilities which have occurred in the children of users of drugs containing these constituents; and whether any warnings are given to those who take them. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will meet with members of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests, people adversely affected by the drug Primodos, and with the pharmaceutical company, Bayer, to discuss the consequences for people adversely affected by the drug Primodos. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety of the drug Primolut; and whether the licence for its sale has been reviewed. Earl Howe: Primodos first became available in the United Kingdom in 1959 and was discontinued in 1978. Primodos was used as a hormonal pregnancy test and for the treatment of various gynaecological complaints. The licensed dose of Primodos as a pregnancy test was one tablet on each of two consecutive days. Each Primodos tablet contained two sex hormones, a progestogen (norethisterone acetate, 10 milligrams) and an oestrogen (ethinylestradiol, 0.02 milligrams). No licensed medicines currently available in the UK contain norethisterone acetate and ethinylestradiol at the same doses as Primodos. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has no information on the number of children who were born with disabilities to mothers who took Primodos during pregnancy. A total of three reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in association with Primodos (spina bifida, cleft palate, congenital abnormality and pre-eclampsia) via the UK's Yellow Card Scheme are on the MHRA database. None of these cases reported the dose that was administered to the patient. As of 13 October 2010 the MHRA had received a total of 32 UK spontaneous "suspected" ADR reports associated with the combination of the drug ingredients norethisterone and ethinylestradiol (other than Primodos) which describe a congenital abnormality. These reports were received over a period of 45 years. The former Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) advised on the safety of a number of hormonal preparations, including Primodos in 1975 and 1977. The CSM letters and the minutes from the CSM meeting have been placed in the Library. The advice of the CSM was that these hormonal preparations should not be indicated for, or promoted as, a pregnancy test; that a warning about a possible hazard in pregnancy should be inserted in all promotional literature; and that pregnant women should not use these products. In the absence of any significant new scientific evidence that has become available since Primodos was discontinued, a meeting such as that suggested would be unlikely to benefit any of those concerned. Local clinicians and multidisciplinary teams assess the health and care needs of people who consider that they have been adversely affected by Primodos or other hormonal pregnancy tests. The MHRA therefore has no current plans to meet members of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests, people suspected to have been adversely affected by the drug Primodos, or with the pharmaceutical company, Bayer. A large number of medicines currently available in the UK contain norethisterone and ethinylestradiol. These are licensed for hormone replacement therapy, contraception, various gynaecological conditions and in the treatment of some cancers. When used for oral contraception the doses of norethisterone and ethinylestradiol are lower than Primodos. Norethisterone is also currently available as progestogen-only contraception. In common with all licensed medicines, warnings relating to potential side effects of medicines that contain norethisterone and ethinylestradiol are provided in the patient information leaflet that accompanies each medicine, including information about use in pregnancy. All medicines on the UK market are continuously monitored to ensure the benefits outweigh the risks. Primolut N is one of the norethisterone-containing medicines currently available in the UK. Primolut N tablets are licensed for use in a range of gynaecological conditions and contain five milligrams of norethisterone, a progestogenic sex hormone. Advice and warnings relating to potential side effects of Primolut N are provided in the summary of product characteristics for health care professionals, and the patient information leaflet that accompanies each packet of medicine. As with all medicines used in the UK, the MHRA, together with advice from an independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines keeps the safety of Primolut N under continuous review. The MHRA is not aware of any current safety issues with Primolut N. Healthcare: Language Competency Tests Viscount Bridgeman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress is being made in implementing the coalition's commitments to ensure that foreign healthcare professionals have passed robust language and competence tests. Earl Howe: For European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, discussions are currently underway with the General Medical Council and the European Commission and other organisations concerning the issue of language competency. We are also exploring how the proposed National Health Service Commissioning Board might oversee a more effective system for undertaking checks on the language knowledge of primary care practitioners. For overseas doctors from outside the EEA registration procedures including any checks on the language competency of a professional are a matter for relevant regulatory bodies, though employers are still able to satisfy themselves as to the individuals language skills. Healthcare: Language Competency Tests Viscount Bridgeman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the European Union Directive 2005/36/EC, Article 53, whether they have any plans to change the guidance supplied by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Health to competent authorities, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which prevents the assessment of language competency as a condition of registration to practise in the United Kingdom. Earl Howe: The Government have no plans to change their guidance note on the implementation of Directive 2005/36/EC in the United Kingdom for health and social care professionals, which provides guidance to the healthcare regulatory bodies about the obligation placed on them by the directive, including the requirements of Article 53. Healthcare: Language Competency Tests Lord Patel of Blackburn: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the English language skills of doctors from European Union countries are not assessed before they can practise in the United Kingdom whereas those of doctors from south Asian and Afro-Caribbean countries are. Earl Howe: European law prevents language competency tests prior to registration of European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. Doctors from South Asia and Afro-Caribbean countries are not covered by the relevant provisions (EU Directive 2005/36/EC) and therefore the registration procedures for migrants from South Asia and Afro-Caribbean are a matter for the General Medical Council. An employer or a contracting authority should satisfy themselves of a candidate's skills and competencies, including their ability to communicate to the required standard for the post. Clear guidance has been issued to NHS bodies on this issue. This applies equally where a candidate is from the EEA. Housing: Prices Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to prevent another sharp rise in house prices. Lord Sassoon: The Government believe that stability in house prices is important for wider macroeconomic stability. The Government will continue to monitor housing market developments and form future policy accordingly. The Government will also work with the Bank of England to investigate including housing costs in the CPI measure of inflation. Insurance Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the United States' Commodity Futures Trading Commission to ensure that United Kingdom insurers and re-insurers are not affected by the CFTC's treatment of "booked out forward contracts". Lord Sassoon: The UK Government have not made any representations on the effect of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission treatment of booked out forward contracts as regards UK insurers and reinsurers. We have discussed the matter with industry and believe representations to be unnecessary at this time. International Monetary Fund Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support a re-weighting of votes at the International Monetary Fund in favour of developing countries; if so, how they propose that the voting weight of European countries should be reduced; and whether they favour lowering the percentage of votes required to achieve a binding decision. Lord Sassoon: The UK Government fully support reform of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In particular, for the IMF to be legitimate in the eyes of all its members, it must be representative of the modern global economy. This means giving a greater say for the dynamic emerging markets and developing countries that are currently under-represented at the fund. All over-represented countries, including those in Europe, should contribute to this shift. The UK would also support a review of the fund's current voting rules as part of a broader reform package. This should also include a greater role for Ministers in providing strategic guidance to the fund, a reconfiguration of the IMF's executive board and the implementation of an open, transparent and merit-based appointment process for the heads and senior leadership of all international financial institutions. Israel Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with United States and European Union partners about requiring the Government of Israel to remove barriers to the importation of construction materials for internationally approved construction projects overseen by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, especially the eight UNRWA school projects currently unable to proceed. Baroness Verma: I refer the noble Lord to my Written Answer of 18 October 2010 (Official Report, col. WA113). Since this date, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has reported that the Israeli authorities have withdrawn approval for another one of the eight new school projects, giving a total of four schools for which approval remains valid, and four from which approval has been withdrawn. UNRWA is working with the Israeli authorities to resolve this issue and expect that some of the materials required will begin to enter Gaza shortly. The UK Government regularly discuss Gaza access issues with the United States and European Union partners. UK officials also pressed for early progress on UNRWA's school projects during the ad hoc liaison committee donor meeting on 21 September in New York. In response, Israeli officials reported that Israel had not delayed approval for the import of the necessary materials. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the size of Israeli closed military areas in the West Bank; and of their impact on access to water for the Palestinian population. Baroness Verma: According to reports issued by the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 18 per cent of the total area of the West Bank is closed for Israeli military use. We agree with OCHA's assessment that these restrictions exacerbate water shortages faced by Palestinians living in area C of the West Bank. Other causes include lack of rainfall in recent years, inadequate infrastructure and inequitable distribution of water resources. Local Improvement Finance Trusts Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they envisage for Local Improvement Finance Trusts (LIFT) companies, following the abolition of primary care trusts; and what steps they will take to ensure that the local knowledge, expertise and relationships built up by LIFT companies is harnessed through the new NHS structures. Earl Howe: The department is currently examining primary and community estates issues, including Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) related considerations, arising from the White Paper, Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS. Any necessary actions will be announced when they have been determined. LIFT is a series of public private partnerships between primary care trusts (PCTs) and private sector companies. Subject to parliamentary approval, PCTs are to be abolished from April 2013, and we are carefully examining the most appropriate arrangements for managing existing LIFT rights and obligations once this reorganisation has happened. Through using the investment, innovation and creativity of the private sector, LIFT has provided very valuable support to the National Health Service in planning and modernising its property. The Government recognise this contribution and, in particular, the valuable expertise that private sector partners have brought to the programme. Millennium Development Goals Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they dissociated themselves from the consensus in the recent resolution by the United Nations Human Rights Council on safe drinking water and sanitation, given their adherence to millennium goal 7C and to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government regret that they had to dissociate from consensus on the recent UN Human Rights Council resolution on safe drinking water and sanitation. The resolution recognised "the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation". The UK's position is that there exists a right to water as an element of the right to an adequate standard of living (Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), but that there is no basis in international law for recognising a human right to sanitation at this time. The Government believe that recognising rights without due international consideration of what they comprise creates unhelpful ambiguity. Individuals cannot know what they can legitimately claim from the state and the state has no clear understanding of the protection it is obliged to afford to the individual. As part of their efforts to support achievement of the millennium development goals, the Government will prioritise aid spending on programmes to ensure that everyone has access to clean water and sanitation. However, the policy priority we attach to improving sanitation should not lead us to recognise a new legal right without due regard to the structure of international human rights law. National Coal Board: Compensation Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many former employees of the National Coal Board who worked only on the surface were compensated under the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease scheme as a result of (a) fraud and (b) administrative error. Lord Marland: The department is unable to confirm the number of surface worker only claims which have been compensated under the British Coal respiratory disease litigation, due to fraud or an administrative error, as no such claims have been identified through the department's internal and external audits. The department simply acknowledges that, given the number of claims processed through that scheme, it cannot rule out the possibility of claims having been paid as a result of fraud or an administrative error. However, should the department be advised of any claims which were registered under the BCRDL CHA;in which a miner only worked upon the surface of a mine; andin which compensation was paid it will investigate the specific details of the claim. If, in any such claim, it transpires that there has been a fraud then it will seek legal advice on recovering the sums paid. National Lottery Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the National Lottery contributed to good causes in (a) 2008, and (b) 2009, and (c) 2010 to date. Baroness Garden of Frognal: The amounts raised (including investment income) for the non-Olympic good causes in the past three completed financial years are set out in this table: £m Total amount raised Amount transferred to Olympics Net amount available to non-Olympic good causes 07-08 1,302 - 1,302 08-09 1,312 (73) 1,239 09-10 1,492 (292) 1,200 In addition, the National Lottery has raised the following amounts (including investment income) for the Olympic good cause: £m Proceeds from sale of dedicated Olympic lottery games Amount transferred from the non-Olympic good causes Total 07-08 151 - 151 08-09 138 73 211 09-10 87 292 379 NHS: Primary Care Trusts Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to primary care trusts (PCTs) regarding the disposal of property assets prior to the abolition of PCTs. Earl Howe: The current rules governing the sale of National Health Service assets will continue to apply to primary care trusts (PCTs) prior to their dissolution. Guidance on the disposal of NHS owned land and buildings is contained in Health Building Note 00-08: Estatecode, which has already been placed in the Library. In the majority of cases, where an NHS asset is surplus to requirements, it is sold at the best price reasonably obtainable in the market. This should protect the value of assets when disposals occur. PCT property asset disposals are being held in abeyance while the department is currently examining the implications for the management and ownership of the estate following the dissolution of PCTs in 2013. An option appraisal of the various alternatives is being undertaken for consideration by Ministers. The outcome of this process will be announced shortly. Northern Ireland Office: Bonuses Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what bonuses have been paid to the staff of the Northern Ireland Office in the last financial year; how many and what percentage of the staff received such payments. Lord Shutt of Greetland: Non-consolidated performance payments in the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) for 2009-10 were made to staff at Grades D2 to A and to staff in the Senior Civil Service in line with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury Guidance. 559 staff received non-consolidated performance payments, totalling £599,010, rewarding performance throughout the 2009-10 reporting year. This equates to approximately 28 per cent of eligible staff. Under a separate scheme, special performance payments were also awarded to staff in the year 2009-10. 864 of staff received these payments, totalling £226,159. This equates to approximately 43 per cent of eligible staff. These figures reflect the department prior to the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 12 April 2010. Northern Ireland Office: Cars Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what members of staff of the Northern Ireland Office are provided with transport from the car pool; and how much that has cost in each of the past five years. Lord Shutt of Greetland: Following devolution comparable figures for the department as it is now configured are no longer available. Transport from the car pool is made available to staff in the department when official business requires it. Northern Ireland Office: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the objective of the Political Section of the Northern Ireland Office; how many staff it has; and how much it cost in each of the past five financial years. To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to reduce or abolish the Political Division of the Northern Ireland Office. Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) was reconfigured following the completion of devolution on 12 April 2010. There is no longer a political directorate in the department. Details of the department's current organisational structure, including staffing levels, are published on the Cabinet Office website at http://download.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/structure/Northern-Ireland-Office-Organisation-Chart.pdf. The department's baseline for this year is £25.9 million. That will be reduced by 25 per cent in real terms over the next four years as part of the current spending review. Prior to devolution, the political directorate in the Northern Ireland Office had the objective of supporting the Secretary of State on political matters in Northern Ireland. Details of staffing levels and expenditure of all departmental directorates were routinely recorded in the annual departmental reports, copies of which were laid in Parliament and are also published on the NIO's website at www.nio.gov.uk. Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the median pension in payment for (a) civil servants, (b) NHS staff, (c) teachers, (d) university staff, (e) local government workers, (f) police officers, and (g) public workers overall; and what are the respective median lengths of service on which those pensions are based. Lord Sassoon: HM Treasury does not hold up-to-date data on the median pensions in payment or median lengths of service on which those pensions are based. However, table 1.0 of the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission's interim report, published on 7 October 2010, provides a breakdown of median figures for the largest public service pension schemes. The table can be found on the HM Treasury website at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/hutton_ pensionsinterim_071010.pdf. Prisoners: Smoking Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in light of new rules concerning prisoner entitlements, they have made provision for claims for damage to health on the ground that new inmates will be given a "welcome pack" containing cigarettes. Lord McNally: In public sector prisons in England and Wales new inmates are not given a welcome pack containing cigarettes. They are provided with the opportunity to purchase a reception pack on arrival. There is a choice of packs with options for smokers and non-smokers. Packs for smokers contain rolling tobacco and papers, but no cigarettes are offered. If a prisoner decides to purchase a reception pack including tobacco then this is their choice, and they must pay the recommended retail price for it using their own money. Refugee and Migrant Justice Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government , further to draft data disclosed by the Legal Services Commission to Refugee and Migrant Justice showing the number of asylum and immigration suppliers working in breach of the fixed fee margin key performance indicator, what was the total payment, excluding disbursements, for asylum cases paid by graduated fixed fee, made by the Commission to the group of suppliers in breach of the fixed fee margin KPI for their asylum work in the financial year 2009-10. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to draft data disclosed by the Legal Services Commission to Refugee and Migrant Justice showing the number of asylum and immigration suppliers working in breach of the fixed fee margin key performance indicator, what was the Commission's total payment, excluding disbursements, for all graduated fixed fee asylum cases in the financial year 2009-10. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to draft data disclosed by the Legal Services Commission to Refugee and Migrant Justice showing the number of asylum and immigration suppliers working in breach of the fixed fee margin key performance indicator, what was the total payment, excluding disbursements, for immigration cases paid by graduated fixed fee, made by the Commission to the group of suppliers in breach of the fixed fee margin KPI for their immigration work in the financial year 2009-10. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to draft data disclosed by the Legal Services Commission to Refugee and Migrant Justice showing the number of asylum and immigration suppliers working in breach of the fixed fee margin key performance indicator, what was the Commission's total payment, excluding disbursements, for all graduated fixed fee immigration cases in the financial year 2009-10. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to draft data disclosed by the Legal Services Commission to Refugee and Migrant Justice showing the number of asylum and immigration suppliers working in breach of the fixed fee margin key performance indicator for the financial year 2009-10, what was the total number of asylum matter starts allocated to the suppliers in breach of the fixed fee margin KPI for their asylum work as at 30 June 2010. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to draft data disclosed by the Legal Services Commission to Refugee and Migrant Justice showing the number of asylum and immigration suppliers working in breach of the fixed fee margin key performance indicator, for the financial year 2009-10, what was the total number of immigration matter starts allocated to suppliers in breach of the fixed fee margin for their immigration work as at 30 June 2010. Lord McNally: The 64 providers that were in breach of the fixed fee margin (FFM) KPI for asylum cases in 2009-10 were paid £3.01 million (less disbursements and VAT). £14.88 million was paid in 2009-10 (less disbursements and VAT) in graduated fees for asylum cases. The 54 providers that were in breach of the FFM KPI for immigration cases in 2009-10 were paid £3.97 million (less disbursements and VAT). £13.70 million was paid in 2009-10 (less disbursements and VAT) in graduated fees for immigration cases. 12,461 matter starts were allocated to the 64 asylum providers that were in breach of the FFM KPI for asylum cases in 2009-10. This number would not have wholly or even substantially been used for graduated fee matters and could have been used for hourly rate matters as well. 14,242 matter starts were allocated to the 54 immigration providers that were in breach of the FFM KPI for asylum cases in 2009-10. This number would not have wholly or even substantially been used for graduated fee matters and could have been used for hourly rate matters as well. Schools: Design Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the design quality of the modular building of schools; and to what extent it can enhance learning. Lord Hill of Oareford: We have not carried out assessments of the design quality of modular buildings. Schools: Special Educational Needs Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children currently in the state education system in England are deaf or have serious hearing impairments; and how many of those have a statement of special education needs. Lord Hill of Oareford: The available information is shown in the table. Number of pupils(1)(2) in England that have a hearing impairment -January 2010 Number of pupils for whom primary type of need is hearing impairment(3) Pupils stage of SEN assessment School action plus Statement of SEN Total Maintained nursery schools 40 20 50 Maintained primary schools(4) 4,490 2,740 7,230 State-funded secondary schools(4)(5) 4,590 2,140 6,730 Maintained special schools(6) 20 740 760 Non maintained special schools 10 800 810 Pupil referral units x 10 10 Total 9,140 6,440 15,580 Source: School Census (1) Excludes dually registered pupils. (2) Pupils at School Action Plus and those with a statement of SEN provided information on their primary need and, if appropriate, their secondary need. Information on primary need only is given here. (3) Includes pupils with a hearing impairment ranging from those with a mild hearing loss to those who are profoundly deaf. We are unable to differentiate between types of hearing impairment. (4) Includes middle schools as deemed. (5) Includes City Technology Colleges and Academies. (6) Excludes general hospital schools. x Fewer than 5 pupils. Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of the constituent parts and the totals as shown. Turkey Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have had, or intend to have, discussions with the government of Turkey over the desirability of that country permitting gas pipelines to cross their territory carrying energy supplies, some of which may reach the United Kingdom. Lord Marland: The Prime Minister committed to supporting progress towards a southern energy corridor through Turkey to the EU when he met the Turkish Prime Minister in July 2010. The Minister of State for Energy will reiterate this support when he meets the Turkish Energy Minister as part of the UK-Turkey Energy Dialogue in November 2010. Unemployment Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the proportion of workless households in countries belonging to (a) the G20, (b) the European Union, and (c) the G7. Lord Freud: The only reliable international data on workless households are from Eurostat. Comparable data for the G20 and the G7 are not available. Accurate figures on the proportion of workless households are not available, but figures on the proportion of individuals living in workless households are available. The table below shows the proportion of individuals aged 18-59 years old living in workless households in the European Union in 2009. Proportion of persons aged 18-59 who are living in households where no-one works (%) European Union (27) 10.1 Belgium 12.8 Bulgaria 9.7 Czech Republic 6.7 Denmark : Germany 9.2 Estonia 10.4 Ireland 12.9 Greece 8.5 Spain 10.8 France 10.5 Italy 10.4 Cyprus 5.6 Latvia 10.5 Lithuania 12.0 Luxembourg 7.3 Hungary 13.1 Malta 8.3 Netherlands 6.0 Austria 7.3 Poland 10.2 Portugal 6.7 Romania 10.9 Slovenia 7.5 Slovakia 8.2 Sweden : Finland : United Kingdom 11.5 : not available Violence against Children Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding has been allocated to the office of the United Nations Special Representative on Violence Against Children since May 2009 and what future funding they will allocate to this work within the United Nations. Lord Hill of Oareford: The United Nations Special Representative on Violence Against Children and her office are funded through voluntary contributions. The UK does not contribute directly to this fund and has no confirmed plans to do so. The UK provides considerable financial support to the UN's work on human rights. This is through our regular contribution to the United Nations budget and through our voluntary contribution to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Our voluntary contribution to the OHCHR totalled in excess of £2.5 million in each of 2008, 2009 and 2010. Visas Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Jones on 29 October (WA 265), by what criteria they judge there is a shortage of certain butchers, meat cutters, chefs and cooks sufficient to bring those trades on to the shortage occupation list for Tier 2 of the points-based system for entry visas to the United Kingdom from non-European Union countries; and whether they will review those criteria. Baroness Neville-Jones: The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) advises Government on shortage occupations. Meat cutters and chefs were included in the shortage occupation list under the previous Administration. The Government's consultation on the introduction of an annual limit on those admitted to work in the UK from outside the European Union-including the future of the shortage occupation list-closed in September. The Government will bring forward their proposals in due course. Visas Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Jones on 13 October (WA 83), whether they consider that the 2,812 certificates of sponsorship assigned to non-European Economic Area nationals for employment as medical practitioners under tier 2 of the points-based system in 2009, and the 1,423 certificates assigned in 2010 (January-June), suggest a shortage of doctors in the United Kingdom; and whether medical training capacity in universities will be reviewed. Earl Howe: The medical profession is internationally mobile and the number of non-United Kingdom trained doctors finding employment in the UK will vary by specialty and geography, reflecting service demands and the flows of UK doctors. The department is working with the UK Borders Agency on its proposals to limit net migration to the UK. There are no immediate plans for a review of medical training capacity in universities. Overall, the supply and demand for specialty training programmes appears to be well balanced and there are sufficient training opportunities to match the numbers coming through from foundation programme. Visas Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether companies and educational institutions are given quotas of people they can hire from outside the European Union and for whom they can obtain work permits; and how current rules affect the issuing of visas to highly skilled specialist staff or research students. Baroness Neville-Jones: The work permit arrangements were replaced in November 2008 as part of the introduction of the points-based system (PBS). Since that time, employers have issued certificates of sponsorship to workers they wish to sponsor from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). On 28 June this year the Home Secretary announced the Government's intention to limit the number of workers entering the UK from outside the EEA from April 2011. On 19 July we introduced an interim limit on the highly skilled (tier 1 general) and skilled (tier 2 general) worker routes of the PBS. The interim limit has been set at 2009 levels for tier 1 (general) applications from outside the UK. There is no limit on the number of tier 1 (general) applications made within the UK. The interim limit for tier 2 (general) has been set at 6 per cent below 2009 levels. In implementing the interim limit, the UK Border Agency reduced the number of certificates of sponsorship (CoS) available to each sponsor. There is currently no limit on tier 4, the student route of the PBS. We have, however, committed to undertake a thorough review of all student routes including tier 4.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2010-10-26a

Abortion Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 25 June (WA 1), which cited a conclusion of the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health that there is no evidence to suggest that a woman's decision to terminate her pregnancy has any adverse mental health effects, whether the Department of Health considers it possible to ascertain whether or not the continuance of a pregnancy would involve a greater mental heath risk to the mother; and on what empirical evidence such a judgement might be based. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 25 June (WA 1), whether they have any plans to review section 1(1)(a) of the Abortion Act 1967. Earl Howe: The final decision on whether or not to proceed with an abortion is for the woman involved, the two certifying doctors and the doctor who undertakes the termination, taking into account the circumstances for each individual situation and in accordance with the Abortion Act 1967. The report Induced Abortion and Mental Health produced by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health found no evidence to suggest that a woman's decision to terminate her pregnancy has any increased adverse mental health effects. However, there is evidence of unwanted pregnancy being associated with an increased risk of mental health problems regardless of whether the woman subsequently has an abortion or gave birth. Conclusions in the report are based on research in countries where abortion is legally available. Research that includes mental health outcomes for women denied an abortion of an unwanted pregnancy, or those unable to access abortion, is limited. Changes to the law on abortion have traditionally come from backbench members and decisions made on the basis of free votes. Adoption Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current process and timescale involved in obtaining an adoption order; and what plans they have to reform the present system. Lord Hill of Oareford: Once a local authority decides that adoption is the best outcome for securing permanency for a child, the local authority will apply to court for a placement order. This is often done at the same time as a care application is being considered by the court. If the court considers that a care order and placement for adoption is in the best interests of that child, then it will make those orders. On average care proceedings take 54 weeks from application to final order. Once a child has then been placed for adoption the prospective parents can then apply for an adoption order to formalise the relationship. As the recently published Adoption Action Plan set out, the whole process, until a child is adopted, lasts on average two years and seven months, and within that, an average time of one year and nine months to obtain the placement order. The Government are committed to reforming the present system to reduce the time before a child moves in to a loving permanent home. We announced on Friday 6 July our intention to allow local authorities to place children, for whom an adoption decision has been made, with prospective adopters who are also approved foster carers, who will foster the child whilst the court considers the placement application, as well as increasing the use of concurrent planning in the adoption system. This builds on the work that we set out in the Adoption Action Plan, including the publication of an adoption scorecard to hold local authorities to account for their adoption services. This is complemented by our wider work to reform the family justice system which aims to ensure care cases are resolved as quickly as possible in the interests of the children involved. A key part of this work will be legislation which we plan to bring forward in this session to put in place a 26 week time limit for care cases with the flexibility to extend in exceptional circumstances. Advisory Group for National Specialised Services Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a process for appealing appraisals conducted by the Advisory Group for National Specialised Services. Earl Howe: The Advisory Group for National Specialised Services (AGNSS) is an independent stakeholder advisory group which provides advice to Ministers on the services and health technologies which should be commissioned on a national basis. This includes assessments of very high cost low volume drugs. Ministers make decisions on the basis of the advice they receive from AGNSS. There is no appeal process against the advice of AGNSS. Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of evidence from the United States and Canada of a proliferation of weeds resistant to Roundup in fields planted with genetically modified Roundup resistant crops, whether they will permit Syngenta to market the genetically modified herbicide tolerant maize GA21; and, if so, what measures they will take to protect the environment. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: A decision on the marketing of GA21 maize seed for commercial cultivation will be taken in due course at European Union (EU) level, under the terms of Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003. The Government will take a view on whether or not to support EU authorisation on the basis of the scientific evidence on the potential impact on human health and the environment. Ministers will receive independent expert advice on this from the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment. If GA21 maize were to receive EU clearance under the GM-related controls, it could not be grown in the UK in association with Roundup herbicide unless that specific use of Roundup is permitted under the legislation on plant protection products. As yet no application has been made for authorisation to use Roundup on GA21. Authorisation holders for plant protection products are required to report any information relating to the development of resistance, and in the UK we have a Weed Resistance Action Group which is producing practical guidelines for resistance management and monitoring new developments in resistance. The Chemicals Regulation Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive also commissions research on this topic. Banks: Virgin Money Baroness Turner of Camden: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances Virgin Money gave the Government when they purchased Northern Rock plc about the protection of jobs and branches in Newcastle, Tyneside and Sunderland. Lord Sassoon: The Chancellor announced the sale of Northern Rock plc to Virgin Money on 17 November 2011. The deal completed on 1 January 2012. When Virgin Money acquired Northern Rock in November 2011, it made a number of commitments relating to the acquisition: there would be no compulsory redundancies, beyond those already announced by Northern Rock, for at least three years from completion; the total number of Northern Rock branches would be retained and in due course extended as the business's growth allowed; and that the operational headquarters of Virgin Money would be based in Newcastle. Birds: Buzzards Baroness Quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation was undertaken before the decision was taken by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to embark on research involving the destruction of empty buzzard nests and other measures to discourage buzzards in selected areas of England; and who were the consultees. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: In January, Defra convened the Buzzard Working Group to look at the issue of buzzard predation. During these meetings Defra consulted on proposals for new research into non-lethal methods to reduce the damage caused by buzzards to game birds and other livestock. The group was made up of key organisations with an interest both from the conservation and shooting sectors. The following organisations have been consulted through this group: British Association for Shooting and Conservation;British Trust for Ornithology;Food and Environment Research Agency;Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust;Hawk and Owl Trust;National Gamekeepers' Organisation;Natural England;Northern England Raptor Forum;Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; andUniversity of Aberdeen. Bloody Sunday Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they were involved in any consultations or discussions regarding a decision by the Police Service of Northern Ireland to launch a criminal investigation into the events in Londonderry on 30 January 1972; and, if so, who was involved. Earl Attlee: Policing and justice matters were devolved in April 2010. The decision to launch an investigation into Bloody Sunday, following a review of the Saville Report conducted by the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, is one for the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Both of these organisations are, as elsewhere in the United Kingdom, wholly independent of Government for all operational matters. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they are ensuring British companies investing in and trading with Burma do so transparently and ethically. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The British Government urge all companies-including those entering Burma-to promote the highest standards of corporate governance and social and environmental responsibility, including adherence to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the UN's Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We will put responsible investment at the heart of our future commercial relationship with Burma. We want to encourage investment that will benefit local communities and respect the local environment. To help achieve this, we are funding a three-year project by the Institute for Human Rights and Business in Burma, to work towards the implementation of the UN's Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. As part of this, the IHRB are establishing a resource centre in Rangoon to provide advice to companies, governments and civil society on this, and are launching their project with a round-table on 11 July with UK business, senior members of the Burmese Government, and MPs. We have also been focussing on the extractive sector. We have undertaken a concerted dialogue with the Burmese Government to encourage them to sign up to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. The Prime Minister raised this with President Thein Sein. The Burmese have now announced publicly that they are interested in implementing the initiative, and we are helping to organise a visit this month by the Secretariat as a first step. More broadly, we want to ensure that all investment in Burma contributes to broad-based economic growth. We are launching an investment climate assessment and a public expenditure and financial accountability assessment for Burma through the World Bank. We are also working with the International Growth Centre, which has just visited Burma to consider how it might provide policy advice on this. Disabled People: Children's Holidays Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Hill of Oareford on 27 February (WA 280-1) and 15 March (WA 89) relating to the Heswall Disabled Children's Holiday Fund, when they will now complete the review of the regulatory framework and implement its findings. Lord Hill of Oareford: We will be consulting on changes to the regulatory framework from September 2012. The consultation was delayed to permit further consideration of the range of options for regulating specialist providers of holiday schemes for disabled children. The intention is still that streamlined requirements will come into effect from April 2013. Education: Careers Advice Baroness Thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure careers advice and guidance in schools and colleges encourages women to enter occupations which are not sex-typical, in order to tackle occupational segregation. Lord Hill of Oareford: We are supporting young women and young men to make informed choices by giving schools responsibility for securing independent and impartial careers guidance on the full range of education and training options, including apprenticeships. We are currently consulting on extending this statutory requirement to cover careers guidance for pupils in year 8 and 16-18 year-olds in schools and colleges. Statutory guidance has been published to support schools in planning for the introduction of this new duty from September. This highlights the importance of offering young people insights into the world of work through a wide range of careers activities, including engagement with local employers. Schools are free to determine the most appropriate forms of engagement but might consider mentoring, workplace visits, work experience and employer talks. This will be particularly helpful in addressing stereotypes about specific career paths and providing pupils with inspirational role models in a range of careers. Schools will be expected to work in partnership with external and expert careers providers as appropriate. A national standard under which providers operate will only be awarded if certain equality considerations are met. Careers advisers are bound by their code of ethics to give impartial advice and trained to avoid gender stereotyping. These requirements will be captured in a new career development framework that is currently being prepared by an alliance of professional bodies for the careers sector. Education: NVQ Languages Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the decision to remove, beyond 2013, the NVQ languages qualifications from the list of approved qualifications eligible for GCSE-equivalent performance points. Lord Hill of Oareford: Although a number of language NVQs were submitted for inclusion in the 2014 key stage 4 performance tables, they did not demonstrate the characteristics outlined in the Technical Guidance we published in October 2011. Awarding organisations were informed of the decisions for their qualifications in January, and then had the opportunity to request a further review. The final list of qualifications that will count in 2014 was published in March and there will be no further review of qualifications for the 2014 performance tables. Awarding organisations will, however, have the opportunity to submit qualifications for inclusion in the 2016 performance tables. Further details will be published on the department's website in due course. Schools are still able to offer qualifications not included in the performance tables that benefit particular individuals. It is for them to use their professional judgment to offer the appropriate qualifications best suited to their pupils' needs and abilities. Employment: Outsourcing Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 14 June (WA 267), and in the light of recent severe computer problems affecting the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), whether they will use their influence with RBS and other banks substantially owned by the taxpayer to end or substantially reduce the outsourcing of jobs and to repatriate, where possible, those already outsourced. Lord Sassoon: The Government's shareholdings in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) are managed on a commercial and arm's-length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI), a company which is wholly owned by the Government. UKFI's overarching objective is to protect and create value for the taxpayer as shareholder, with due regard to financial stability and acting in a way that promotes competition. UKFI's role is to manage the investments, not to manage the banks-the banks retain their own independent boards and management teams to manage the banks commercially without interference from shareholders. Given the wider impact of this issue, the Financial Secretary spoke to Stephen Hester, the chief executive of RBS about the technical difficulties affecting both NatWest and Ulster Bank to ensure that RBS are doing everything they can to resolve these issues as quickly as possible and that customers will be properly treated and compensated as appropriate. Ethnicity: Data Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy regarding the collection and publication of data on ethnicity, in order to assess access to public services and facilities, and to identify any patterns suggesting inequality or discrimination. Baroness Verma: The Government collects data on ethnicity in various areas of public policy, including the Pupil Census to monitor the educational achievements of different social groups at key stages; the Labour Force Survey to assess key labour market outcomes, and the Integrated Household Survey to investigate other public service issues. In addition, the Government have supported data collection though the new Understanding Society survey, which has a relevant ethnicity boost. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has used this data to assess the extent of inequality and discrimination in the UK and this is contained in their first triennial review in 2010 Decisions on the use of data for assessing access to public services and facilities, and to identify any patterns suggesting inequality or discrimination, is a matter for individual public authorities. Finance: UK Asset Resolution Baroness Turner of Camden: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK Asset Resolution have sold or are planning to sell Northern Rock Asset Management properties in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Sunderland to Virgin Money; and, if so, whether any assurances have been sought by the Government or offered by Virgin Money about the protection of jobs and branches in those areas. Lord Sassoon: UK Asset Resolution Limited (UKAR) is the holding company for Bradford & Bingley plc and Northern Rock (Asset Management) plc and is responsible for managing the closed mortgage books. In December 2011, UKAR announced plans to focus its business on its sites in Doxford (Sunderland) and Crossflatts (Bingley). This would involve the phased withdrawal of staff from its third main site in Gosforth (Newcastle), to be completed by mid-2013. UKAR subsequently sold its Gosforth premises to Virgin Money. Finance: UK Asset Resolution Baroness Turner of Camden: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK Asset Resolution expects to make job cuts as a result of or as part of its phased exit from sites in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Sunderland. Lord Sassoon: UK Asset Resolution Limited (UKAR) is the holding company for Bradford & Bingley plc and Northern Rock (Asset Management) plc and is responsible for managing the closed mortgage books. In December 201 1, UKAR announced plans to focus its business on its sites in Doxford (Sunderland) and Crossflatts (Bingley). This would involve the phased withdrawal of staff from its third main site in Gosforth (Newcastle), to be completed by mid-2013. Around 700 people are employed in Gosforth out of a total workforce of 2400. At the time, UKAR announced that there would regrettably be some job losses as a result of the phased withdrawal. However, the majority of Gosforth staff have been offered the chance to relocate to the nearest UKAR site which is approximately 18 miles away in Sunderland, with some other roles to be transferred to Crossflatts. There are no plans to exit more sites in the foreseeable future. Government Departments: Apprentices Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many apprentices (1) under the age of 21, and (2) over the age of 21, were employed within the Department for Communities and Local Government on 1 June, excluding agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Baroness Hanham: Whilst DCLG currently has no apprenticeships at present it wholly supports the Government initiative to promote these. Government Departments: Apprentices Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of staff employed within the private offices of ministers and the permanent secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 1 June; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: On 1 June 2012, 16 members of staff were employed within the private offices of the ministers and permanent secretary in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Of the 16, none are under the age of 21 or apprentices. However, DCMS operates under a flexible resourcing system which means individuals of any age can apply internally for roles as they become vacant. This includes roles in private offices. DCMS will be participating in cross-Government apprenticeship initiatives in autumn 2012. Government Departments: Apprentices Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many apprentices (1) under the age of 21, and (2) over the age of 21, were employed within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 1 June, excluding agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Viscount Younger of Leckie: On 1 June 2012 no apprentices under, or over, the age of 21 were employed within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), due to focus on Games time delivery. That said, DCMS has historically had a strong record in accepting interns and apprentices across our bodies and sectors and will be participating in cross-Government apprenticeship initiatives in autumn 2012. Government Departments: Media Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the limit on the cost of answering questions put to it by members of the media. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Individual departments are responsible for considering whether a response to a question could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Consideration of the disproportionate costs threshold can apply to all questions asked of departments. HM Treasury guidance to government departments sets the threshold at which disproportionate costs would be incurred in preparing a draft at £850. Where a question is asked under the Freedom of Information Act, Section 12 of the act allows a department to refuse to deal with a request where it is estimated that it would exceed the appropriate limit to: either comply with the request in its entirety or;confirm or deny whether the requested information is held. The appropriate limit is currently £600 for central government. Health: Allied Health Professions Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what capacity the Civil Service has to advise Ministers on matters of concern to the Allied Health Professions. Earl Howe: The Civil Service draws on a variety of expertise, notably the chief health professions officer, to obtain advice for Ministers on matters of concern to the allied health professions. Health: Giant Cell Arteritis Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent 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. To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent 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. Earl Howe: Estimates of the incidence of giant cell arteritis in the literature vary, but on the highest estimate (that of Smeeth et al, 2006) the annual incidence in England could be around 11,000. In a recently published study, 19 of 65 patients (29%) newly diagnosed with giant cell arteritis had suffered irreversible loss of vision. Combining these estimates, up to 3,200 people annually may be suffering partial or total loss of vision as a result of giant cell arteritis. Many of these cases may have been preventable. The available data do not enable us to make reliable estimates of the associated costs of National Health Service treatment. Health: Health Care Workers Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the definition of a "health care worker"; how such workers are regulated; and what level of training is required for them to carry out their tasks when working with patients or clients. Earl Howe: There is no standard definition of a "health care worker". Different statutory definitions apply according to the context. However, the term is generally used to refer to groups of workers who are not subject to statutory mandatory regulation in accordance with s60(2) of the Health Act 1999. As these workers are unregulated there is no mandatory training requirement. It is the responsibility of the service provider to ensure the workforce they employ is adequately trained and has the necessary skills to successfully handle the situations that they encounter in service. In the Health and Social Care Act 2012, we introduced legislation which will enable a system of assured voluntary registration, which we expect to be operational before the end of 2012. We have also commissioned Skills for Health and Skills for Care to develop a code of conduct and minimum training standards by January 2013, which will for the first time set clear expectations about the training and conduct of these workers. Health: Mesothelioma Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the insurance industry about the formation of an insurance-backed fund to pay compensation to people with mesothelioma who cannot obtain compensation any other way. To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that full compensation is awarded to mesothelioma victims who cannot trace their former employers' insurers. Lord Freud: The issues raised are complex, and to ensure we get this right we have been working intensely with stakeholders, including the insurance industry, over the past 18 months to find a solution to the problem. We hope to provide an update on progress before the Summer Recess. House of Lords: Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times since his appointment as a Minister of State, until 2 July, Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint has spoken in the House of Lords (1) in debate, and (2) to answer questions. Baroness Wilcox: In my role as the Minister of State for Trade and Investment I have answered a total of 72 parliamentary questions-including two oral questions. On the 29 March 2011 I moved a motion on export control in Grand Committee, on behalf of my noble friend Baroness Wilcox, and on 9 February 2011 I repeated a Statement on trade and investment in the Chamber. On Thursday 5 July 2012 I responded to a "take note" motion moved by my noble friend Lord Jenkin of Roding on the international competitiveness of UK industry and its success in attracting inward investment and exporting to global markets. Housing Benefit Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many under 25 year-olds are in receipt of housing benefit in each of the 10 districts of Greater Manchester. Lord Freud: The requested information is provided in the table below: Housing Benefit Recipients aged under 25 by Local Authority in Greater Manchester: March 2012 Local Authority Number of recipients Bolton 2,080 Bury 1,150 Manchester 5,220 Oldham 1,710 Rochdale 1,970 Salford 2,380 Stockport 1,480 Tameside 1,700 Trafford 890 Wigan 2,220 Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) Notes: 1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. Recipients are as at the second Thursday of the month. 3. This data incorporates the local authority changes from 1 April 2009. 4. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and March 2012 is the most recent available. 5. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 10. 6. Age groups are based on the age on the count date (second Thursday in the month), of either: (a) the recipient if they are single, or (b) the elder of the recipient or partner if claiming as a couple. Imports and Exports Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 28 May (WA 112-3), what were the top 20 categories (as defined by HM Revenue and Customs) of goods imported from outside the European Union in 2010 according to value of imports; and how much was collected by HMRC in gross customs duties in each of those categories in 2010. Lord Sassoon: The top 20 categories of goods imported from outside the European Union in 2010 by value are detailed in the table below. The table also provides details of the customs duties collected for each category as defined by the integrated tariff of the United Kingdom. Rank Value of goods (£) Customs duty paid (£) Category description 1 31,667,890,451 1,048,690 Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products made thereof 2 21,557,781,751 130,731,454 Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances 3 17,066,558,910 255,337,166 Electrical machinery, equipment and parts; includes sound and television recorders and reproducers 4 11,726,708,902 2,217,078 Aircraft, spacecraft and parts thereof 5 10,576,665,448 20,011,062 Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles made thereof 6 5,799,302,722 362,675,612 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted 7 5,510,487,576 201,943,594 Vehicles, other than railway or tramway rolling stock and parts and accessories thereof 8 5,278,449,470 4,412,852 Pharmaceutical products 9 5,223,093,123 427,768,948 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories not knitted or crocheted 10 4,824,102,484 38,570,371 Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof 11 3,412,973,556 32,225,951 Furniture, bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and light fittings; illuminated signs and nameplates; prefabricated buildings 12 3,280,962,700 34,254,597 Organic chemicals 13 3,112,914,264 58,539,458 Toys, games and sports requisites, parts and accessories thereof 14 3,031,795,455 129,535,014 Plastics and articles thereof 15 2,525,452,521 2,045 Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques 16 2,439,124,571 220,209,442 Footwear, gaiters and the like, parts of such articles 17 2,243,160,307 32,927,920 Articles of iron or steel 18 1,899,277,287 90,475,372 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons 19 1,854,308,661 1,199,452 Ores, slag and ash 20 1,61 9,1 52,872 10,867,567 Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare earth metals, of radio active elements or of isotopes Justice: Judicial Inquiries Lord Kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long each judicial inquiry commissioned by the Government since 2000 has taken; in each case, what was the subject of the inquiry; and whether any of those inquiries did not involve the swearing of oaths or making of affirmations by witnesses. Lord McNally: The following table gives details of the subject, chair and duration of judicial inquiries established since 2000. Those inquires established under statute had or have powers to compel witnesses to give evidence under oath; non-statutory inquiries do not have this power. Inquiry Chair Legislation Duration Did inquiry have power to compel witnesses to give evidence under oath? Shipman Inquiry Dame Janet Smith Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 January 2001 to January 2005 Yes Investigation surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly Lord Hutton Non-statutory July 2003 to January 2004 No Zahid Mubarek Inquiry Mr Justice Keith Non-statutory April 2004 to June 2006 No The Billy Wright Inquiry Lord MacLean Section 7 of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953. Converted to inquiry under Inquiries Act 2005 November 2004 to October 2010 Yes Rosemary Nelson Inquiry Sir Michael Morland Section 44 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 November 2004 to May 2011 Yes The Robert Hamill Inquiry Sir Edwin Jowett Section 44 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998. Converted to inquiry under Inquiries Act 2005 November 2004 to present. (Although the RHI report has been completed and the Inquiry fulfilled its terms of reference, the Inquiry report will not be published until the conclusion of related legal proceedings) Yes The ICL Inquiry Lord Gill Inquiries Act 2005 January 2008 to July 2009 Yes The Fingerprint Inquiry Sir Anthony Campbell Inquiries Act 2005 March 2008 to December 2011 Yes The Penrose Inquiry Lord Penrose Inquiries Act 2005 April 2008 to present Yes The Baha Mousa Inquiry Sir William Gage Inquiries Act 2005 May 2008 to September 2011 Yes The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Lord MacLean Inquiries Act 2005 April 2009 to present Yes The Al Sweady Inquiry Sir Thayne Forbes Inquiries Act 2005 November 2009 to present Yes The Azelle Rodney Inquiry Sir Christopher Holland Inquiries Act 2005 March 2010 to present Yes The Detainee Inquiry Sir Peter Gibson Non-statutory July 2010 to present No The Leveson Inquiry Lord Justice Leveson Inquiries Act 2005 July 2011 to present Yes Mayors Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 30 April (WA 410-1), what methods, procedures and rules are in place to check the powers and performance of directly elected city mayors. Baroness Hanham: As I explained in my reply of 30 April, mayors will be scrutinized by elected councillors, who will do this through the council's statutory Overview and Scrutiny Committees and Full Council. Mayors will also be subject to the council's code of conduct, and any other statutory requirements such as the Local Government Transparency Code. Mental Health Act 2007 Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what data on ethnicity are available regarding detention rates, consent to treatment, control and restraint, and Community Treatment Orders under the Mental Health Act 2007; and, if they are not available, whether the Care Quality Commission will be required to provide such data in respect of the past five years in their annual monitoring of the Mental Health Act. Earl Howe: The Count Me In Census, published annually from 2005 to 2008 by the, Healthcare Commission and by the Care Quality Commission in 2009 and 2010, included information on detention rates, consent to treatment, restraint and Community Treatment Orders, broken down by ethnicity. The Care Quality Commission report Monitoring the Mental Health Act 2010-11 included analysis of the Mental Health Minimum Data Set (MHMDS) to show detail on the use of the Mental Health Act for people from a range of black and minority ethnic groups in 2010-11. The NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care has recently conducted a consultation on how the MHMDS can be used as the source of national statistics about the use of the Mental Health Act 1983. Nursing and Midwifery Council Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will improve the performance of the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Earl Howe: On 26 January 2012, the Government published a Written Ministerial Statement, announcing that the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) would be undertaking a strategic review of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). This followed several years of underperformance by the NMC. On 3 July 2012, the CHRE published its review. It found that while the NMC is discharging its statutory duties, there were serious concerns about leadership, which resulted in poor performance below the standard that the public and registrants have the right to expect. This is of serious concern to the Government. The Government expect to see the NMC implementing all of the recommendations that have been made by CHRE. The department, on behalf of the Privy Council will be working closely with the CHRE to monitor progress. Pensions Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 26 June (WA 58-59), what information they collect on the number, frequency and amount of claims for a temporary uprating of UK state pensions by UK citizens who are resident in countries where that pension is not uprated. Lord Freud: No information is available on the amount of claims that are temporarily uprated. Pensions Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 26 June (WA 58-59), whether they will make it their policy to collect and publish the number of claims made for a temporary uprating of UK state pensions by UK citizens who are resident in countries where that pension is not uprated. Lord Freud: There are no plans to collect additional statistical information on pensioners receiving a temporary up-rate of pension during short visits to GB. To establish a system for collecting such information would be disproportionately costly. Pensions Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the most recent year for which figures are available, how much was paid out to meet claims for a temporary uprating of UK state pensions by UK citizens who are resident in countries where that pension is not uprated. Lord Freud: No information is available on claims that are temporarily uprated. Pensions Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 26 June (WA 59), whether they will record the time taken to process each claim for a temporary uprating of UK state pensions by UK citizens who are resident in countries where that pension is not uprated. Lord Freud: There are no plans to record this information. Pensions Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 26 June (WA 59), whether they will record the number of civil servants who are required to process claims for a temporary uprating of UK state pensions by UK citizens who are resident in countries where that pension is not uprated. Lord Freud: There are no plans to record this information. Pensions Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what types of information and data are currently held on UK citizens who receive UK state pensions and are resident in countries where that pension is not uprated. Lord Freud: The department collates statistical data on individuals receiving UK state pensions. The data are normally extracted quarterly from the department's IT systems for paying state pension. Statistical information is available by the following data characteristics: age; gender; country of residence; category and value of the pension in payment. This statistical information can be accessed on the department's website at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/sp/tabtool_sp.html. Guidance for users is available at: http://83.244.183.180/ flows/flows_off/Guidance%20for%20Users.pdf. Water Supply: Pipe Leakage Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 11 June (WA 236), what are the targets for Thames Water on reducing leakage for 2012 and 2013. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Thames Water's leakage target for 2011-12 and 2013 is 673 Megalitres per day. World Heritage Sites: Liverpool Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hanham on 22 May (WA 53-4), and considering that the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has placed the Maritime Mercantile City of Liverpool on the list of endangered World Heritage Sites, whether the Secretary of State will now call in the Liverpool Waters planning application. Baroness Hanham: The Liverpool Waters application has not been referred to the Secretary of State for his consideration at the current time. It is not the policy of the Secretary of State to consider call-in of applications before they have been referred to him for consideration. The application will be referred in due course as it falls within the scope of the Town and Country Planning (Consultation)(England) Direction 2009 by virtue of English Heritage's outstanding objection, related to the impact of the proposal on the outstanding universal value of Liverpool's World Heritage Site. The implications of the proposal in relation to the conservation and enhancement of the historic environment will form part of the consideration of the proposal against the call in policy set out in the Caborn statement. The Secretary of State is very selective about calling in applications and will only do so if they raise issues of national importance.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2012-07-12a

Department for Transport Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 24 October (HL10536), whether they plan to reduce the time by which local authorities should achieve compliance with NOX emissions targets. baroness sugg: The Government has required local authorities to develop local plans and implement them at pace so that air quality limits are achieved within the shortest possible time. This is set out in our 2017 UK Plan to Tackle Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide. Railways: Electrification lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the shortlistedsubmission made by Moxon Architects with Mott MacDonald to the RIBA aesthetic overhead line structures competition on the cost of railway electrification. baroness sugg: This is an industry-run competition, supported by DfT funding, to identify Overhead Line Structure designs that minimise impact on the surrounding environment. DfT has not played a part in the assessment process. Buses: Exhaust Emissions lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 24 October (HL10536), what proportion ofNO2exceedance in NOX targets is attributed to buses as opposed to other traffic. baroness sugg: On average, local road traffic and road traffic background are respectively responsible for around 60% and 18% of UK roadside NOx concentrations. On average, buses contribute around 16% of the NOx concentrations from local road traffic. We do not have statistics on how much of the NO2 exceedance is attributed to buses. Since 2010 the Government has provided almost £150 million to help bus operators and local authorities purchase cleaner buses, and £67 million to retrofit existing bus fleets to a minimum Euro VI standard. Road Traffic lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 24 October (HL10536), what plans they have to deal with increasing levels of pollution and disrupted public transport caused by congestion. baroness sugg: As part of the Industrial Strategy launched at the Autumn Budget 2017, the Government launched the £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund to support transport projects that increase productivity and reduce congestion. Local authorities with an NO2 exceedance can also apply for funding through the Clean Air Fund, which can fund measures to tackle congestion such as changing traffic signaling and improving road and junction layouts. Railways: North of England lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) investing in improving rail connectivity between northern cities, and (2) the economic benefits of such investment compared to those anticipated from HS2. baroness sugg: By 2020 we will have spent over £13bn improving and modernising transport in the North of England. This investment includes providing better rail journeys through the Great North Rail Project. We have also upgraded the network between Liverpool and Manchester and the two new franchises are delivering more than 500 brand-new train carriages, with room for 40,000 more passengers and 2,000 extra services a week. In Liverpool City Region, £340m is being invested between now and 2019 to provide a bigger, better, more reliable railway for passengers. The Government is committed to Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) – a transformational programme to bring the cities of the North closer together with faster and more frequent rail links. At Budget the Chancellor announced a further £37m to develop the scheme. This is on top of the £60m we have made available to Transport for the North to develop the business case for the scheme by the end of this year and will include an assessment of the economic benefits of the scheme. HS2 brings similar benefits in improved connectivity between the major cities of the North and Midlands. The HS2 business case shows over £92 billion of benefits including £18 billion of wider benefits e.g. – delivering more than £2 of benefits for every £1 of investment. This represents good value for money and is in line with other major rail schemes. HS2 is also critical in engineering terms to delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail as HS2 infrastructure is assumed to be used by NPR services. The Chancellor announced £300m in October 2017 to ensure that HS2 is future-proofed for Northern Powerhouse Rail. Crossrail Line lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 17 May (HL7494), how many stations to be serviced by Crossrail 1 trains have station platform heights of (1) 1000 mm, and (2) 750mm. lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 17 May (HL7494), whetherthey have investigated whethertrain manufacturers could build trains to give level access in the range 1000mm to 750mm. lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 17 May (HL7494), what will be the estimated additional operating costs per annum for stations outside the central section to provide staff at all times to provide portable ramps. lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 17 May (HL7494),whether the same arrangements of platform heights are being planned for Crossrail 2 as for Crossrail 1. baroness sugg: There are no stations that will be served by Crossrail 1 trains that have a station platform height of 1000mm or 750mm. The Crossrail rolling stock contract is held and managed by Transport for London (TfL), and therefore any conversations with train manufacturers regarding the specification of the Elizabeth line trains are a matter for TfL. However, Crossrail Limited have provided the Department with a summary of their findings concerning the possible use of trains with floor heights lower than 1100mm. Crossrail Limited identified significant problems that would have impacted upon the design of the train, such as a widening of the gauge profile which would result in unacceptable infringements on gauge clearances at legacy platforms. As the future operator of the Elizabeth line, the operating costs for stations are a matter for TfL.Crossrail 2 is under development. Detailed design requirements including platform heights will be considered as development progresses. Official Cars: Exhaust Emissions lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of their central car fleet is zero-emission capable; and whether they are on target to hit their ambitionof25per cent of their fleet to be ultra-low emission by 2025. baroness sugg: Currently, 11.25% of the central car fleet operated by the Government Car Service (GCS) are zero-emission vehicles. By the end of this year 21.25% will be ultra-low emission when cars on order replace diesel models due for replacement. GCS are on course to meet the target announced in the 2017 Autumn Statement that 25% of central government fleets will be ultra-low emission vehicles by 2022. Railways: Yorkshire and the Humber lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement byBaroness Sugg on 29 October (HL Deb, col 1119) that "we are working closely with Transport for the North to help transform the economy of the north of England through Northern Powerhouse Rail" and "are looking forward to its business case which will be published at the end of this year, and which will set out details of routes and indeed costs”, whether the terms of reference for the details of those routes include a requirement that the new route will include stops at (1) Bradford, and (2) Sheffield; and whether any assurances on this have been given to those two cities. baroness sugg: We are working closely to support Transport for the North in developing the Strategic Outline Business Case for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) which they intend to submit to Government at the end of this year. Services between Sheffield and Manchester, Leeds and Hull have always been a core part of the NPR proposal. Transport for the North’s Strategic Transport Plan set out that serving Bradford as part of the Manchester and Leeds corridor was a priority and options for this are being considered in the business case. Railways: North of England lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the development funding to be made available for Northern Powerhouse Rail announced in the Budget isadditional to that which is already being spent on that project by Transport for the North; if so, what it will be spent on and when; and whether the spending of those funds depends on decisions which will be made following the publication of the business case at the end of this year. baroness sugg: The £37m made available at Budget for financial year 2019-20 to develop Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) is in addition to funds already being spent by Transport for the North to develop the scheme. This will be used to take forward development work on NPR following the submission of the business case at the end of this year. Channel Crossing: Shipping lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have consulted the road logistics and shipping industry on any contingency plans for cross channel shipping in the event of a no-deal Brexit. baroness sugg: The Government is discussing a range of contingency planning issues with industry, including the road logistics and shipping sectors. Channel Crossing: Shipping lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of alternative UK ports to accommodate traffic currently carried through Dover in their contingency plans for cross channel shipping in the event of a no-deal Brexit. baroness sugg: The Department is undertaking a range of analysis to understand the transport implications of various scenarios, and to support the Department’s contingency planning. Channel Crossing: Shipping lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of UK lorry drivers available for the onward transport of goods arriving at UK ports in their contingency plans for cross channel shipping in the event of a no-deal Brexit. baroness sugg: The availability of UK-based lorry drivers is a relevant consideration when considering any potential switch from accompanied to unaccompanied freight, and the Government is taking this into account in its planning work. Railways lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 29 October (HL10683), what representations they are making to the Office of Rail and Road, as part of the ongoing regulatory periodic review, regarding the case for operators to make best use of track by providing most seats for each path used. baroness sugg: Government has made extensive representations to the Office of Rail and Road as part of the Periodic Review 2018 process, which concluded on 31 October with the publication of the Final Determination. This has included the publication of the High Level Output Specification and Statement of Funds Available. Government has not, however, made specific, prescriptive representations to the effect that it expects operators to maximise the number of seats for each train path. Government has instead taken an outcomes-based approach, focussing on the outcomes that matter most to passengers and freight users, including safety, reliability and capacity, with the responsibility being on the industry to deliver these. Government’s representations to the Office of Rail and Road, including its response to the Draft Determination, which was published on 23 August 2018, have stressed that Government places great importance on better using and improving the capacity of the network, including by strengthening the System Operator, which provides advice on the better use of capacity. As the Periodic Review relates to funding and outputs for rail infrastructure, most decisions regarding the utilisation of capacity on the network and increases in seat numbers are made through the Department for Transport’s franchising programme. East-West Rail Link lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 22 October (HL10506), why work to assess the contribution of the East West Rail programme to both regional and national economic growth has not yet been completed; and when it will be completed. baroness sugg: The newly created East West Railway Company is in the process of evaluating the economic benefits of the railway. We expect an economic assessment of the next phase of the project, between Bicester and Bedford, to be published in the coming months. Analysis on the Central Section, between Bedford and Cambridge, is also being progressed. East West Railway Company is planning to hold a public consultation on route options for the Central Section in the early part of next year. Railways: Flood Control lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 23 October (HL10503), what new flood resilience schemes are planned in (1) Somerset, (2) Devon, and (3) Cornwall, for each of the next five years. baroness sugg: Network Rail’s CP6 delivery plan, which will cover 2019-2024, is due to be published in March 2019, and will cover new flood resilience schemes. Crossrail Line baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 29 October, on what date the Secretary of State was first made aware, either formally or informally, that the opening of Crossrail was likely to be delayed. baroness sugg: The Crossrail Board took the decision to delay the opening of the Elizabeth line central section between Paddington and Abbey Wood on Wednesday 29th August 2018. Crossrail Limited notified the Secretary of State of that decision on Thursday 30th August 2018. Crossrail Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Transport for London. As reported in the Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) of 24 July 2018, the Department was aware that there were increasing challenges with regard to the project schedule and the Department was monitoring project delivery very closely. At the time of the WMS, Crossrail Limited were reporting that the December 2018 opening was deliverable. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Energy: Meters lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported conclusion by the Advertising Standards Authority that energy companies will pass on the costs of smart meters to customers through higher bills. lord henley: Consumers pay for their smart metering service as part of their energy bill, as they do for their traditional metering service. Smart meters will deliver reductions to consumers’ energy bills. It is estimated that smart meters will take £300m off consumers’ bills in 2020, rising to more than £1.2bn per year by 2030 – an average annual saving of £47 per household. Northern Ireland Office Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland: Finance lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have determined the budget for the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland for the financial year 2019–20; and if so, what settlement has been agreed. lord duncan of springbank: The Northern Ireland Office is committed to ensuring that all of its sponsored bodies have the necessary resources to deliver their statutory functions and budgets are therefore reviewed annually. Northern Ireland Office officials are currently engaging with the Chief Electoral Officer to confirm the allocation for the next financial year and I expect that this will be determined in early 2019. Department for Education Special Educational Needs: Finance lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to the provision of additional resources to local authorities for specialist support for children with special educational needs and disabilities. lord agnew of oulton: We want children with special educational needs and disabilities to be able to reach their full potential. That is why we have reformed the funding for children and young people with high needs to make it fairer. High needs funding across England has risen by £1 billion since 2013, and will be over £6 billion next year.Previously underfunded local authorities are seeing significant increases to their high needs funding, up to six per cent per head of the 2 to 18 population in 2019 to 2020 compared to what they planned to spend in 2017 to 2018. The provisional allocations for 2019 to 2020 that we announced in July can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-16-schools-funding-guidance-for-2019-to-2020. These will be updated with the latest pupil number data in December.We are monitoring the impact of our national funding formula for high needs on local authority spending decisions and keeping the overall level of funding available under review. Funding for 2020 to 2021 and beyond will be determined in the context of the next spending review. Children in Care lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the number of children entering local authority care is increasing; what assessment they have made of the causes of any such increase; and what steps they are taking to reduce that number. lord agnew of oulton: We monitor the number of children entering the care system on an ongoing basis and information showing the change in the number of children entering the care system for the period since 2010 is provided in the table below:Children who started to be looked after1,2,3 for years ending 31 March 2010 to 2017. Coverage: England. Source: SSDA903 2010201120122013201420152016201728,09027,52028,39028,98030,73031,36032,16032,810Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.Only the first occasion on which a child started to be looked after in the year has been counted.Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements, but include children who were previously looked after under an agreed series of short term placements, but have changed to become looked after under a different legal status (e.g. care order) in the year. Further breakdowns of children who started to be looked after can be found in Table C1 of the statistical first release ‘Children Looked After in England including Adoption: 2016 to 2017’ at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to-2017.The government wants every child to be in a stable, loving home that is right for them. One of the key principles of the legislation which underpins the UK’s child protection system, is that children are best looked after within their families. In July 2018, we revised the attached statutory guidance, ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’, to make this clear to practitioners. However, that is not always possible and, as a last resort, local authorities may apply to the independent courts for a decision about removing a child from his or her family – where there are concerns that the child is at risk of significant harm.Our reform programme, Putting Children First, aims to ensure that all vulnerable children and families receive the highest quality care and support as soon as a need is identified. We have invested up to £200 million through the Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme to test and develop better practice, including testing approaches to help vulnerable children to remain safely at home. We have also established the What Works Centre, which is pressing ahead with its research programme, including what works in safely reducing the need for children to enter care.At the Budget, on 29 October 2018, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the government is also investing £84 million of targeted funding, for a number of local authorities, to improve their social work practice and decision-making. This is to enable these local authorities to support vulnerable children to stay safely at home, thriving in stable family circumstances, where that is in their best interests. Working_Together_to_Safeguard_Children_2018 (PDF Document, 2.23 MB) Special Educational Needs lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings in the advance pre-publication draft report by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, Is Britain Fairer?, published on 25 October, that “in England, the long-term trend towards inclusion of children with SEND in mainstream schools has been reversed” and that this is “at odds with the UK’s commitment to progressively achieve inclusive education for all under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities". lord agnew of oulton: We are currently considering the findings of the report. We remain committed to inclusive education of disabled children and young people and progressively removing the barriers to learning and participation in mainstream education. The Children and Families Act (2014) secures the general presumption in law of mainstream education in relation to decisions about where children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) should be educated; and the Equality Act (2010) provides protection from discrimination for disabled people. We have very high expectations of our mainstream schools, where 98.3% of pupils are educated. As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State said in his speech to the Association of Directors of Children’s Services earlier this year: ‘Every school is a school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND); and every teacher is a teacher of SEND pupils'. While many parents of disabled children choose mainstream education, others will want a specialist setting. Some children have complex SEN that mean that the best educational experience for them is in a school that specialises in meeting those needs. For them, a special school is a positive choice. Pre-school Education lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage more men to train and take up roles in early years education. lord agnew of oulton: The department’s ‘Early Years Workforce Strategy’ (published March 2017) included a commitment to set up a gender diversity task and finish group of sector stakeholders to consider this issue in more depth. The group shared its findings over the summer and we are currently considering how best to address the issue of gender diversity in the early years workforce. Nurseries lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are putting in place to ensure sufficient supply of nursery places for families living in rural and coastal areas. lord agnew of oulton: Local authorities have a duty to secure sufficient childcare for families in their local areas. The department will continue to support all local authorities to deliver the government’s childcare offers and ensure sufficient places, through direct support from departmental officials and our delivery partners. In September 2018, we also announced a year extension to the Childcare Works contract, which will see continued support being provided to local authorities and childcare providers in helping to deliver the government entitlements. The department is committed to ensuring all parents have access to high-quality affordable childcare. We recognise that providers and families living and operating in rural communities are faced with particular barriers to delivering and accessing childcare. That is why under the new early years national funding formula introduced in 2017, local authorities can use a rurality or sparsity supplement in their local funding formulae. Pre-school Education: Apprentices lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce the early years apprenticeship standard. lord agnew of oulton: This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships. I have asked its Chief Executive, Sir Gerry Berragan, to write to the noble Lord and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Ministry of Defence Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the minimum buy of Sea Lightning (F35B) aircraft to ensure the ability to deploy two carriers with the planned 35 jets on each carrier in a national emergency. earl howe: The Ministry of Defence does not recognise the term 'Sea Lightning', with 'F-35B Lightning' the designation jointly agreed by the First Sea Lord and the Chief of the Air Staff. Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 stated our intent to buy 138 F-35 Lightning aircraft over the life of the programme. The first tranche of 48 aircraft will be the F-35B; decisions on subsequent tranches of Lightning will be taken at the appropriate time. We are on track to generate two front-line squadrons of F-35B Lightnings by 2023. Military Decorations lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 15 October (HL10447 and HL10448), when the decision was made to rescind the written confirmation given in 1998 to retiring heads of service that they would be treated in exactly the same way as retired 5 star officers. earl howe: We have made no changes to the agreed five-star privileges accorded to the former Heads of Service. Astute Class Submarines lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact the planned reduction of the Astute submarine fleet will have on the UK’s broad strategic defence goals after Brexit. earl howe: I refer the noble Lord to my announcement of the written statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Gavin Williamson) in the House of Commons on 14 May 2018 (HLWS660). The Ministry of Defence has always planned to procure seven Astute-Class Submarines and these plans have not changed. 20180514 - WMS Astute Boat 7 (Word Document, 21.96 KB) Department for Work and Pensions Department for Work and Pensions: Contracts lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Buscombe on 23 October (HL10674), whether they include in supplier contracts a specific requirement that they do nothing to harm public confidence in the person of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; and if so, whether this is a new policy, and when it was introduced. baroness buscombe: Contractual provisions that impose obligations on suppliers not to harm the reputation of the purchasing authority or otherwise bring it into disrepute are not new policy, such provisions are well-established and widely used in both the public and private sector and are transparent throughout the tendering process. These provisions ensure that contractors adhere to good working practices and governance, for example by ensuring they do not break employment law or use dangerous, unfair or unethical practices which may bring the Authority into disrepute or harm public confidence. Such provisions do not stop any contract holders or affiliates from criticising any specific government department, government policy or politicians. Occupational Pensions baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Buscombe on 31 October (HL10751), what assessment they have made of the obligations on (1) employers, and (2) pension schemes to report failures to pay correct contributions, regardless of whether the errors are large or small; and whether there is a definition of what contributes a material error. baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of auto-enrolment pension contributions which are incorrect. baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce reporting requirements to monitor accuracy of auto-enrolment pension contribution records on an annual basis; and if so, what those requirements will be. baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to put procedures in place to (1) monitor error rates in auto-enrolment contribution records, and (2) assess the proportion of schemes which have taken steps to correct those errors. baroness buscombe: Government has put in place a robust, proportionate, compliance framework for automatic enrolment which ensures that the vast majority of employers are meeting their legal duties, including: declaring compliance, accurately paying contributions and passing contributions to their chosen pension scheme. This framework is backed by statutory powers which enable the Regulator to compel compliance with the law.Employers, trustees, managers and providers must keep records including details of the pension contributions payable in each relevant pay reference period by an employer to the scheme, and the amount payable. This includes the contributions due on the employer’s behalf and deductions made from an individual’s earnings.The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published codes of practice on its website setting out how trustees of defined contribution pension schemes and managers of personal pension schemes should monitor the payment of contributions, provide information to help members check their contributions and report material payment failures to TPR. The codes set out what is considered a material breach, specifically: paragraphs 173 and 174 of Code 3; paragraphs 46 and 47 of Code 5; paragraphs 48 and 49 of Code 6; and paragraphs 173 to 186 of Code 14.In addition, TPR publishes regular assessments of its automatic enrolment compliance and enforcement activities as well as an annual commentary and analysis report, both of which are available on its website. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to extend the deadline to their consultation on the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board to allow for more submissions. lord gardiner of kimble: The consultation on the future of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) launched on 31 August to run for ten weeks. We have no plans to extend the deadline of 9 November. I am, however, very happy to receive views on AHDB at any time. Seafood: Imports baroness redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend seafood products from Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands to be exempt from physical checks at UK borders following Brexit. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government has consistently made clear that we want to preserve continuity in trade with our European neighbours, including non-EU member states such as Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. The means by which we deliver this will be the subject of negotiations between the UK and those countries. Food: Imports baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the UK total food import expenditure is made up of items (1) finished in the EU, and (2) part-finished in the EU, which could be finished in the UK. lord gardiner of kimble: Defra does not hold the statistics required to answer this question. Overseas trade commodity data collected by HMRC does not include any details of where products are manufactured, or of any intermediate manufacturing processes. Nature Conservation baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what acreage of land in England is owned by conservation bodies; and which bodies own such acreage. lord gardiner of kimble: Natural England is the statutory nature conservation body in England. There are currently 224 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) in England, with an approximate area of 94,000 hectares. Natural England manages in whole or in part 143 NNRs, with a total area of approximately 65,000 hectares. Of these, Natural England owns about 20,000 hectares, leases about 30,000 hectares, and manages about 15,000 hectares under Nature Reserve Agreements. The remainder are managed by 53 'Approved Bodies' (organisations approved by Natural England to manage NNRs under Section 35 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981). Almost all NNRs are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) (over 99% by area) and 84% is designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPA), or both. Defra does not hold information on individual land ownership outside the government estate, although many environmental non-government organisations are open about the size of their land holdings. For example, the National Trust and the RSPB, both of whom own significant area of land, publish data and maps of their reserve boundaries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The public forest estate in England, which is managed by Forest Enterprise England (an executive agency sponsored by the Forestry Commission), covers over 250,000 hectares and is managed for multiple purposes, including conservation. Flood Control lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on22 October (HL10505), who is responsible for the coordination of the various bodies listed as involved in the mitigation of flood risk; and how is the performance of that responsible body assessed. lord gardiner of kimble: The National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy (attached) sets out the different roles and responsibilities of public and private bodies in flood and coastal erosion risk management in England. Defra leads on the development of flood and coastal erosion risk management policy on behalf of the Government. The Environment Agency has a strategic overview of the management of all sources of flooding and coastal erosion, details of which can be found in the Strategy. It reports to the Minister annually about flood and coastal erosion risk management; the main reporting responsibilities are set out in Annex 2 of the Strategy. The latest report is attached. National Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management (PDF Document, 5.27 MB) Managing flood & coastal erosion risks in England (PDF Document, 1.94 MB) Fly-tipping the earl of shrewsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the progress made to date in combatting fly tipping. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is committed to tackling fly-tipping. In recent years we have ensured that local authorities have the necessary powers to tackle fly-tipping. We have given local authorities the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small scale fly-tipping and enhanced local authorities’ and the Environment Agency’s ability to search and seize the vehicles of suspected fly-tippers. Earlier this year we also consulted on giving local authorities and the Environment Agency the power to issue fixed penalty notices to householders who fail in their duty of care and pass their waste to fly-tippers. A further announcement will follow later this year. We will also support local authorities in raising householders’ awareness of their duty of care and update the Waste Duty of Care Code of Practice to inform householders better about how to ensure their waste is disposed of properly. As part of the Government’s Resource and Waste Strategy (due to be published before the end of the year), we are developing a strategic approach to waste crime. This will include further measures to tackle fly-tipping, including enhancing local-level partnership working and working with the court system to strengthen sentences to act as an effective deterrent. Defra annually publishes fly-tipping statistics for England. The statistics for 2016/17 showed local authorities dealt with 1,002,000 fly-tipping incidents. The statistics for 2017/18 will be published on Thursday 15 November. Home Office Bank Services: Hacking lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hacking offences pertaining to customers’ bank accounts have been resolved in each of the past three financial years; in how many cases hackers were convicted; and what proportion they estimate the sum attributed to those offences resulting in conviction is of the total estimated to have been stolen through such hacking offences in the last three financial years. baroness williams of trafford: The UK Government does not hold data on customer losses from hacking against banks.There were 142 convictions for Computer Misuse Act offences between 2015-2017. It is not possible to identify from centrally held data the number of hacking offences specifically relating to customer bank accounts. We are unable to disaggregate offences relating specifically to bank accounts from those offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.The cyber threats we face continue to grow in scale and sophistication. This is why the National Cyber Security Strategy 2016-2021 is supported by £1.9billion of transformational investment. Department for Exiting the European Union Chemicals: Regulation lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the regulatory systems of theremaining EU member states and the UK remain aligned post-Brexit, in particular regarding the EU–REACH Chemicals Management System. lord callanan: The UK and the EU start from a unique position of aligned rules. The Government’s White Paper on the Future Relationship between the UK and the EU proposes a UK-EU free trade area, including chemicals, which is underpinned by a common rulebook for goods. The UK is also seeking participation in the EU agencies for highly regulated sectors, including the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Our proposal would avoid friction at the border and mean that businesses could access both UK and EU markets through one series of approvals. EU Institutions: Allowances baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to relevant authorities to encourage them to review the level of allowances for (1) Members of the European Parliament, and (2) judges of the Court of Justice of the European Union. lord callanan: The level of allowances for Members of the European Parliament and are decided internally by the European Parliament’s Bureau and and are outlined in the MEP Statute.The allowances of the President and members of the Court of Justice of the European Union are provided for in Council Regulation (EU) 2016/300 determining the emoluments of EU high-level public office holders which was adopted on 29 February 2016. EU Institutions: Allowances baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to relevant authorities to encourage them toreform the requirements for disclosure of expenditure of allowancesby (1) Members of the European Parliament, and (2) judges of the Court of Justice of the European Union. lord callanan: The level of allowances for Members of the European Parliament are decided internally by the European Parliament’s Bureau and are outlined in the MEP Statute.The European Council determines the salaries, allowances and pensions of EU high-level public office holders, including those of the judges of the CJEU. Therefore the UK, as a Member State, has had the opportunity to feed in and shape discussions around the relevant regulations governing these aspects.The allowances of the President and members of the Court of Justice of the European Union are provided for in Council Regulation (EU) 2016/300 determining the emoluments of EU high-level public office holders which was adopted on 29 February 2016. European Parliament Members: Allowances baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the ruling of the General Court of the European Court of Justice in September which confirmed the European Parliament’s decision to refuse to grant access to documents relating to MEPs’ subsistence allowances, travel expenses and parliamentary assistance allowances. lord callanan: Her Majesty’s Government respects the ruling of the General Court of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Decisions around the release of documents are an internal matter for the European Parliament, acting in accordance with the judgment of the Court. Brexit: Statutory Instruments baroness jay of paddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many statutory instruments they expect to lay before Parliament to address any gaps in the statute book arising from the UK’s withdrawal from the EU; and how many of those instruments they anticipate will be laid under (1) the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018, and (2) other primary legislation. baroness jay of paddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many statutory instruments they expect to lay before Parliament under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in each month to March 2019. baroness jay of paddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many statutory instruments laid under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 they anticipate laying as (1) proposed negative instruments, and (2) draft statutory instruments. lord callanan: I refer to my Hon Friend’s, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union’s, letter to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, the European Statutory Instruments Committee, and the Procedure Committee dated 25 October, published in the committee’s 42nd Report of Session 2017-19, where he sets out the expected ranges of Brexit statutory instruments we expect to lay for each month up to March 2019. All statutory instruments are being published on legislation.gov.uk, and the Government has committed that statutory instruments relating to EU exit will be clearly titled. Treasury Bank Services: Hacking lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money UK banks have reported as having been stolen from customer accounts through hacking in each of the last three financial years. lord bates: UK Finance collects voluntary information on fraudulent transactions in the finance sector, which is published on their website. Gross losses from unauthorised fraudulent transactions going back to 2012 have been published in UK Finance’s “2017 Annual Fraud Update”. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Mobile Phones: Iford lord baker of dorking: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any information from O2 as to when they will improve the mobile telephony in the village of Iford in East Sussex. lord ashton of hyde: Ofcom publishes information on coverage in the UK, which can be displayed by Local Authority. Its latest Connected Nations Report shows that, as of May 2018, there is 99.6% 4G indoor coverage from at least one Mobile Network Operator (MNO), and 69.7% from all four MNOs in the Lewes local authority area. In the same area, the data show that there is 99.9% 4G geographic coverage from at least one MNO and 95.1% from all four MNOs. The Government does not hold the information as asked in the question. Public Sector: Information lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 29 October (HL10726), whether they will now answer the question originally put, namely, what independent body is responsible for advising on the Criteria for exceptions to marginal cost pricing, previously administered by The National Archives, to provide assurance to the re-user of public sector information (PSI) and to demonstrate that the public sector bodies are complying with PSI policy and are trading fairly. lord ashton of hyde: Up until 2015, the exceptions to marginal cost pricing process formed part of the apparatus for managing Crown copyright by The National Archives; it did not form part of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005. As such, it applied solely to a small proportion of Crown copyright material held by museums and galleries. The Information Commissioner became responsible for complaints regarding the re-use of public sector information, under the Re-Use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015. These Regulations necessitated a review of Crown copyright processes and the exceptions process was discontinued. Complaints about charges for re-use by museums and galleries may be referred to the Information Commissioner for a binding decision. Broadband: Compton Bassett lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the installation of superfast broadband in Compton Bassett was stopped; when they expect the remaining properties to receive superfast broadband connectivity; and what compensation, if any, is available for those residents and businesses that have not yet been connected. lord ashton of hyde: The Department does not hold information on specific locations within local Superfast projects. This information is held by the local authority project team - in this case Wiltshire Online. Decisions on what areas are in or out of scope are taken locally. For communities that fall outside of a Superfast area, there are two UK Government schemes in place that aim to upgrade a premises connection, such as the Gigabit Voucher Scheme (https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/) and the Better Broadband Scheme (https://basicbroadbandchecker.culture.gov.uk/).

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2018-11-12

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Culture Investment Fund lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion, and what amount, of the £250 million Culture Investment Fund will be allocated specifically to libraries baroness barran: Over £125m of this new funding will be invested in regional museums and libraries around the country over five years from 2020/21. The funding will be used to upgrade buildings and technology so public libraries across England are better placed to respond to the changing ways people are using them. Details of investment plans will be set out in due course. Legislation: Internet lord tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many revisions to Legislation.gov.uk have yet to be made in relation to (1) primary, and (2) secondary legislation; and what are those revisions. baroness barran: 99.1% of Primary legislation on legislation.gov.uk is up to date. There are 45,000 amendments (to the nearest 1000) remaining. For secondary legislation, the current policy is to update documents made from January 2018 onwards, and there are approximately 3,200 amendments to be made. Full details of all of these amendments are publically available and can be found by using the Changes to Legislation search at www.legislation.gov.uk/changes. Legislation: Internet lord tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Legislation.gov.uk makes use of (1) Google Analytics, or (2) any similar tools; and what personal data is collected by Legislation.gov.uk. baroness barran: Legislation.gov.uk does make use of Google Analytics. Usage log file data is processed using the Kibana software. No personal data is collected by the www.legislation.gov.uk website. Further information is provided in the attached Legislation.gov.uk privacy policy, which can also be found at www.legislation.gov.uk/privacynotice. Department for Education Free Schools lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many schools which were approved in wave 9 of the free schools programme are (1) under construction, and (2) open. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the schools approved in wave 10 of the free schools programme are (1) under construction and (2) open. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the schools approved in wave 11 of the free schools programme are (1) under construction and (2) open. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the schools approved in wave 12 of the free schools programme are (1) under construction and (2) open. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the schools approved in wave 13 of the free schools programme are (1) under construction and (2) open. lord agnew of oulton: Since 2010, the government has funded thousands of good new school places across the country through the free schools programme. The programme aims to kick-start wider improvement, inject fresh approaches and draw in talent from a variety of backgrounds. As at 1 October 2019 there are 507 open free schools, 48 university technical colleges and 24 studio schools, which will provide over 320,000 places when at capacity. The attached table contains the information requested. The length of time it takes to identify, acquire and adapt the right site can sometimes mean that it is necessary for a school to open in temporary accommodation to meet the need for school places in the local area. As such, a free school can open whilst works are taking place on the permanent site. Where we have had concerns over the long-term success and viability of a proposed school, we have taken swift and decisive action to cancel the project. On occasion, a trust will decide to withdraw a project before the proposed school opens. The primary objective of the department in all cases is to ensure the best possible educational outcomes for local pupils and to secure value for money for the taxpayer. HL102_HL30_HL31_HL32_HL33_table (PDF Document, 11.74 KB) Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Trade Marks: Internet lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tolegislate to ensurethat web search engines de-index (1) URLs or (2) websites from its web search indexwhentrademarkshave been infringed. lord duncan of springbank: There are various options available to trade mark owners who believe their rights have been infringed online, and these range from injunctive web site blocking available through the courts, to voluntary cooperation between enforcement agencies and registrars such as Nominet to suspend domain names that are used for IP infringing activity. The government works closely with web search engines on a number of voluntary initiatives to tackle IP infringement of all kinds online. Department of Health and Social Care Fertility: Medical Treatments baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the judgment in R (TT) v the Registrar General for England and Wales & Ors [2019] EWHC 2384 (Fam) on the (1) Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, and (2) regulation of fertility treatment by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the judgment in R (TT) v the Registrar General for England and Wales & Ors [2019] EWHC 2384 (Fam) on members of the trans community who wish to access fertility treatment at a licensed clinic. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Court found that the scheme of birth registration for the children of trans men is lawful and proportionate. The Government welcomes the Court’s decision.The Government’s view is that the judgment has no effect on the availability of regulated fertility treatment and will now consider whether there should be further guidance to clarify this position. The Government considers that regulated fertility treatment is currently, and will remain, equally available to all (trans) women and (trans) men under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Acts. Mental Capacity: Codes of Practice baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government when consultation on the Code of Practice issued under the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 will commence. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Following Royal Assent for the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019, the Department has been engaging across England and Wales with a range of key stakeholders from the health and social care sector and people with lived experience to co-produce the Code of Practice for the new Liberty Protection Safeguards. We plan to start public consultation in the new year and the Code will be laid before both Houses ahead of the new Liberty Protection Safeguards system coming into force. Vancomycin baroness masham of ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they hold on the availability of Vancomycin for the treatment of Clostridium difficile in pharmacies across the country. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department fully understands that maintaining access to vancomycin for the treatment of Clostridium difficile is vitally important to many people in this country.We are aware that two manufacturers of vancomycin capsules are currently experiencing supply issues. However, alternative manufacturers have supplies available and there are sufficient supplies available to continue to meet normal United Kingdom demand.We continue to work closely with industry and partners in the health system to help prevent shortages and to ensure that the risks to patients are minimised when supply issues do arise. Eating Disorders: Health Services baroness parminter: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following their response to the Seventeenth Report of Session 2017–19 by the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (HC855) on 23 September, how many sites have been selected to "pump prime" innovative models of service for adults with eating disorders; and where those test sites will be. baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS England and NHS Improvement are providing ‘pump prime’ funding to 12 pilot sites over 2019/20 and 2020/21 to test and implement new models of integrated primary and community mental health care for adults and older adults with a range of severe mental illnesses. Eight of these will test models that include services for adult eating disorders, including:- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Sustainability and Transformation Partnership;- Cheshire and Merseyside Sustainability and Transformation Partnership;- Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sustainability and Transformation Partnership;- Hertfordshire and West Essex Sustainability and Transformation Partnership;- North East London Sustainability and Transformation Partnership;- North West London Sustainability and Transformation Partnership;- Somerset Sustainability and Transformation Partnership; and- South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care SystemThese sites will work towards improving access to care for adults and older adults with eating disorders in line with published guidance from NHS England and NHS Improvement. They will also generate the first phase of learning about how to achieve greater levels of parity with children and young people’s eating disorder services over the course of the NHS Long Term Plan. Health Services: British Nationals Abroad lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure the provision of healthcare for UK pensioners living in the European Union post-Brexit. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government is committed to securing a deal with the European Union and is working in an energetic and determined way to achieve this.The United Kingdom Government has proposed to all Member States that we should maintain existing reciprocal healthcare arrangements, including the S1 scheme, until 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. These arrangements would safeguard healthcare for the hundreds of thousands of UK-insured persons who live in Europe.I laid a Written Ministerial Statement (HLWS1795) on 26 September 2019, setting out the Department’s progress on ‘no deal’ reciprocal healthcare arrangements, and updated information has been published online on the situation for each Member State, including what arrangements have been put in place. These pages will be kept updated as further assurances from Member States are received. Bevacizumab lord willis of knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government why Avastin is not routinely made available on the NHS for certain groups of cancer patients. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Most new medicines are assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether they represent a clinically and cost effective use of NHS resources. Since 2016, NICE makes recommendations for the NHS on all new licensed cancer medicines through its technology appraisal programme. NHS commissioners are legally required to fund treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance.NICE has appraised Avastin (bevacizumab) for use in the treatment of a number of different types of cancer and has unfortunately not been able to recommend it as a clinically and cost effective use of NHS resources for any type of cancer at the price offered by the drug company. Avastin is not therefore routinely funded by the NHS for any licensed indication.Avastin is funded as an off-label treatment for some types of cancer through the Cancer Drugs Fund. Bevacizumab lord willis of knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Avastin has approval from the European Medicines Authority to be used to treat cancer. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Avastin has approval from the European Medicines Agency to be used to treat cancer in combination with specific chemotherapies in the advanced stages of several cancers. They are:- Metastatic colorectal cancer;- Metastatic breast cancer;- Certain types of unresectable advanced, metastatic or recurrent lung cancer;- Advanced or metastatic renal cell cancer;- Advanced or recurrent or resistant ovarian/fallopian tube cancer; and- Persistent or recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer.Full details of the indications that Avastin is licensed for can be found in the European public assessment report for Avastin. It explains how the Agency assessed the medicine to recommend its authorisation and its conditions of use and is publicly available on their website. Bevacizumab lord willis of knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are (1) current applications, or (2) pending requests, for the use of Avastin following Phase 3 clinical trials. baroness blackwood of north oxford: To extend the indication of Avastin, the Marketing Authorisation Holder (Roche Registration GmbH) would need to submit the results of relevant clinical trials and other information to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to demonstrate acceptable safety and efficacy and a positive balance of benefit to risk. At present, as Avastin has a European Community Marketing Authorisation, a national submission to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to extend the indication is not possible.There has not been any recent positive opinion from the EMA for a new indication of Avastin to be submitted to the European Commission and the EMA has not published any pending extension of indication applications. Cancer: Transplant Surgery lord willis of knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether liver and bowel transplantation is currently approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for cancer patients; and if not, whether there are any clinical trials that have reached Phase 3. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has not produced any guidance relating to combined liver and bowel transplants for cancer patients.The Department funds research mainly through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The usual practice of the NIHR and other research funders is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including liver and bowel transplantation.There has been one relevant clinical trial that reached Phase 3:Study title: In open, prospective, single arm study investigating efficacy and safety of human hepatitis B immunoglobulin Zutectra in liver transplanted patients - the ZEUS Study.Date: 22 November 2012 – 10 April 2014 Essential Tremor: Magnetic Resonance Imagers baroness golding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the funding of MRI treatment of essential tremor following the recommendation by NICE for its use. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published interventional procedure (IP) guidance on the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound as a treatment for essential tremor in June 2018. A copy of Unilateral MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy for treatment-resistant essential tremor is attached.NICE concluded that the evidence on the safety of unilateral MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy for treatment-resistant essential tremor raises no major safety concerns. However, current evidence on its efficacy is limited in quantity. Therefore, this procedure should not be used unless there are special arrangements for clinical governance, consent, and audit or research.IP guidance looks at procedures used for diagnosis or treatment. It considers if they are safe and work well enough for wider use in the National Health Service. Whilst compliance with IP guidance is not mandatory, it is considered best clinical practice for the NHS to take it into account. MRI-essential-tremor (PDF Document, 81.73 KB)

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2019-10-25

Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure: Visits outside British Isles Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 10 May (WA 1) concerning the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, what were the interviews for the Cultural Affairs Office; how many interviews were held; and why the interviews were conducted in the United States. Baroness Amos: The interviews were for the appointment—on a pilot basis—of a cultural affairs officer. The officer would act on behalf of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, based in the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington. For that reason the interviews were held in Washington. Six candidates were interviewed. One official travelled from Belfast to conduct the interviews with Washington-based officials. West Belfast Festival Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 5 April (WA 184), on what date in August 2003 the application for funding for the 2003 West Belfast Festival arrived with the Belfast Regeneration Office; when the decision was made to pay the funding; how much it was; and on what basis it was awarded. Baroness Amos: On 1 April 2003 Belfast Regeneration Office received a funding application for the West Belfast Festival. This application was rejected on 17 June 2003 on the basis that it exceeded the Belfast Regeneration Office three-year funding criterion. Ministers subsequently decided the existing arrangements for public funding of festivals in Northern Ireland lacked coherence and consistency across government and that a more strategic approach was needed. A festivals working group was established to take this forward. In the interim, for 2003, it was decided that shortfall funding should be provided for certain key festivals subject to value for money being proven. On this basis a further application for funding for the 2003 West Belfast Festival was formally lodged with Belfast Regeneration Office on 15 August 2003. This application had been developed through close working between the festival organisers and government officials following the ministerial decision. Funding of £114,548 was awarded on 15 August 2003 on the basis that there was value to be obtained from government subvention for the festival in relation to several aspects of public policy namely, tourism, arts and culture and social/community development. European Constitution Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the proposed European constitution, if ratified by every member state, would become a common constitution for the member states of the European Union. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: No. The treaty would not be a constitution for the UK. The European Union currently has treaties that set out its competences and govern its operations. These treaties effectively already form a constitutional framework for the EU. This treaty's use of the term "constitution" only makes this explicit. It would not turn the European Union into a state—any more than UNESCO is made into a state by possessing a constitution, for example. Eurofighter Typhoon Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: On what date the Ministry of Defence received the report from QinetiQ of the findings of test flights undertaken to establish whether the Eurofighter Typhoon was safe to be accepted into service; to which Minister the report was given; on what date; and what was the consequential ministerial decision. Lord Bach: The Ministry of Defence commissioned from QinetiQ a technical assessment of Typhoon as part of the normal process of introducing a new aircraft type into RAF service. The report was received by officials on 30 April 2003 and was taken into account, along with all other relevant factors and analysis, in the release to service authorisation granted by the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff on 13 May. This allows the aircraft to be flown under the RAF flight safety regime rather than industry arrangements. Since the process does not directly involve Ministers, they did not receive a copy of the report. Meat: Illegal Imports Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Food Standards Agency will undertake a risk analysis of infectious diseases entering the United Kingdom through imports of illegal meats and bushmeat, similar to the animal-based study conducted by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Lord Warner: The Food Standards Agency has sought independent expert advice on the public health risks of imports of illegal meats and bushmeat. The advice is that the risk of exotic human infectious diseases entering the United Kingdom through the food chain is very low. The issue of illegally imported food was also considered recently by the agency's independent Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food. Members agreed that illegal imports did not require further investigation by the committee at present, although it agreed to keep a watching brief on developments in relation to action on illegal imports. We do not therefore plan to commission a further risk analysis similar to the animal-based study conducted by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The agency will continue to monitor data from the UK surveillance centres on cases of infection due to exotic organisms and to review scientific reports. Action on Smoking and Health Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the level of government grant paid to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) during each of the past five years; and what is the total amount of government funding paid to ASH since its inception. Lord Warner: Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) was set up in 1971. The Department of Health awarded a grant to ASH in 1999–2000 following an application for a grant under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. Information on the level of grant paid to ASH prior to 1999–2000 is not available. ASH Scotland is a wholly independent charity with no constitutional or financial links to ASH. The following table sets out the details of grants awarded by the Department of Health. ASH in England Financial Year Grants £ 1999–2000 155,000 2000–01 156,170 2001–02 160,860 2002–03 147,810 2003–04 164,000 Separately ASH in Wales has received grants from the Welsh Office and the National Assembly for Wales as follows: ASH in Wales Financial Year Grants £ 1998–99 40,000 1 1999–2000 57,500 1 2000–01 118,900 2 2001–02 98,045 2 2002–03 136,936 2 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. Skin Conditions: Actinic Keratosis Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the prevalence and incidence of actinic keratosis in England. Lord Warner: Information is not held centrally on the prevalence and incidence of actinic keratosis in England. The National Radiological Protection Board published its report on the Health Effects from Ultraviolet Radiation in 2002 (ISBN 0-85951-475-7). Copies are available in the Library. The report explains that Australian studies on actinic keratosis suggest that less than 1 per cent of such lesions progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma per year and some of these cases may regress if ultraviolet sunlight is avoided. Some patients with multiple actinic keratosis may go on to develop squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Research UK has been commissioned by the United Kingdom health departments to provide the SunSmart sun awareness campaign for the next three years. Cancer Research UK has distributed a poster of photographs to all general practitioners and practice nurses to assist in its identification showing among other skin cancer lesions, actinic keratosis. The ultraviolet collaborative stakeholders group will continue to consider all issues of health concern relating to the ultraviolet radiation. Misleading Food Labelling: Child Health Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the reply by the Lord Warner to the Unstarred Question on misleading food labelling on 5 May (Official Report Cols. 1204–10), what developments there have been in policy making on the effects of misleading food labelling on child health. Lord Warner: Current legislation already prohibits false or misleading labelling, but the Government believe that clearer, more informative labels would help consumers to make healthier food choices. The Food Standards Agency is currently consulting on an action plan on food promotion and children's diets, which includes a proposal to develop advice on signposting of foods high in salt, sugar or fat and healthier options. The plan also recommends that nutrition and health claims should not be used on children's foods which are high in fat, sugar or salt. Businesses: Regulation Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 12 May (WA 44), whether the volume of regulation with which businesses have to comply has increased or declined since they took office in 1997. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: It is difficult to assess the volume of business regulation other than through international comparisons. The World Bank's Doing Business in 2004 (published in October 2003) named the UK among 10 countries out of 130 with the least regulation and the OECD economic survey of the United Kingdom (published January 2004) noted that "Competitive pressures appear to be relatively strong in the UK, with economic and administrative regulations inhibiting competition and barriers to trade amongst the lowest in the OECD". Businesses: Regulation Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they make any estimates of the costs of each new regulation to business. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Yes. A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is required for all regulations that have a cost or benefit to business. Copies of every RIA are available in the Libraries of the House. Stem Cell Bank Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they decided to publish the code of practice for the United Kingdom Stem Cell Bank after the establishment of the bank. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The establishment of the UK Stem Cell Bank and the development of the code of practice for the bank by the steering committee were done in parallel; the code was published before the bank acquired the first stem cell lines. Iraq: Ministry of Culture Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government: What support they are planning to offer the Iraqi State Organisation for Antiquities and Heritage after 30 June to encourage the conservation and curation of the historic heritage in Iraq. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Iraqi Ministry of Culture has now assumed responsibility for its own administration and we welcome the reappointment of Mufid al-Jazairi as the Minister. The Coalition Provisional Authority will end on 30 June and the UK Government are looking forward to establishing a bilateral working relationship with the Ministry over future months. Her Majesty's Government remain committed to future work in Iraq—as exemplified by the work of the British Museum. We hope to support future exchanges between conservationists and establish a dialogue on other areas of possible co-operation. Railways: Refranchising Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will instruct the Strategic Rail Authority to suspend all further refranchising work until the outcome of the comprehensive spending review. Lord Davies of Oldham: No. The Strategic Rail Authority's refranchising programme extends beyond the period of funding considered by the Government's comprehensive spending review. East Coast Main Line Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the draft invitation to tenderers for the East Coast Main Line franchise has not been issued for consultation to rail industry stakeholders; and why the consultation period is six weeks when Cabinet Office guidelines require a 12-week period. Lord Davies of Oldham: The stakeholder consultation document was issued on 7 May to statutory consultees (some 30 local authorities) in accordance with the Railways Act. The SRA has exercised its discretion to reduce the consultation process timescales. It is not a precedent for any future consultations. A wider-based consultation day is being arranged for later this month. There will be another opportunity for public input on key strategic issues affecting this route and its operators when the ECML strategy is consulted upon later this year. East Coast Main Line Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: To whom the draft invitation to tenderers for the East Coast Main Line franchise has been issued. Lord Davies of Oldham: Draft invitations to tender were issued on 7 May to statutory consultees (some 30 local authorities) in accordance with the Railways Act for comment. The four prequalified parties for the intercity east coast franchise—DSB (Danish Railways); First London, Scottish and North East Railway Ltd (First Group plc); Great North Eastern Railway Ltd (Sea Containers Ltd); and Inter city-railways (consortium of Deutsche Bahn AG, Stagecoach Group plc and Virgin Group Investments Ltd)—were also given copies of the draft.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2004-06-14a

Olympic Games 2012: London Bid Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government: What provision they intend to make in their bid for the 2012 Olympic Games for competing nations to provide security protection for their own competitors. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: As stated in the Applicant Questionnaire submitted to the IOC by London 2012 on 16 January, it is envisaged that a strategic group led by the Home Office and reporting directly to the Cabinet Office will be responsible for overseeing the security arrangements for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in 2012. Discussions on security are ongoing and more detailed arrangements will be developed in due course. Regulations: Cost to Business Viscount Goschen: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 1 March (WA 89–90), whether they will establish a running cumulative record of the costs and benefits of regulations introduced, derived from individual regulatory impact assessments. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: No. Gas Oil Bowsers Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 11 February (WA 166) and 21 April (WA 52), why they judge it desirable to impose more burdensome regulations on the carriage of gas oil on the basis of its flammability, when there is no recent history of gas oil bowsers catching fire. Lord Triesman: This change was introduced to implement the provisions of EC directive 1 requirements for the safe transport of dangerous goods. Industry has been fully aware that this has been part of the international text for many years and that, in due course, Great Britain (GB) would be required to conform to international safety obligations. However, the new GB regulations 2 allow a transitional period for industry to meet these requirements and, where existing bowsers will be used solely in the UK, a requirement to meet general safety requirements and be fit for purpose will be maintained. 1 Council Directive 94/55/EC (updated for the fourth time by Commission Directive 2003/28/EC). 2 The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004. Single Railway Track: South-west Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their estimate of the annual loss to the economy caused by the existence of long stretches of single-railway track south west beyond Salisbury to Yeovil and Exeter. Lord Triesman: No such estimates have been made. Mentally Incapacitated Patients: Artificial Nutrition and Hydration Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the withdrawal or withholding of nutrition and hydration delivered by artificial means from mentally incapacitated patients with persistent vegetative state and other similar conditions can only be authorised on application to the courts. Lord Warner: The judgments in the House of Lords in Airedale NHS Trust v Bland stated that withdrawal/withholding of artificial nutrition and hydration in all cases in which the patient is in a permanent vegetative state should as a matter of practice only take place after the approval of the court has been obtained. Mentally Incapacitated Patients: Artificial Nutrition and Hydration Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their policy on the withdrawal or withholding of nutrition and hydration delivered by artificial means from mentally incapacitated patients. Lord Warner: An adult with capacity is able to refuse any form of medical treatment including artificial nutrition and hydration (except in circumstances defined by statute, for example the Mental Health Act 1983). Where the patient is incapacitated and has not made a relevant advance refusal, treatment will be lawful if it is in their best interests. Hence, if the treatment is not in the best interests of the patient it may lawfully be discontinued. Procedural safeguards can be found in professional guidelines, including the General Medical Council's guidance document, Withholding and Withdrawing Life-Prolonging Treatments: Good Practice in Decision Making (http://www.gmc-uk.org/standards/default.htm). Copies are available in the Library. In cases of difficulty, doubt or disagreement, the matter can be referred to the court for adjudication. Foot and Mouth: Fraud Offences The Earl of Courtown: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people have been charged with fraud in connection with the foot and mouth disease outbreak; and of them how many of these are farmers or slaughtermen. Lord Whitty: Six people have been prosecuted by Defra for fraud offences in connection with the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001. Three members of staff were prosecuted and pleaded guilty to making false subsistence claims. Three farmers were prosecuted for making false compensation claims; one farmer pleaded guilty, two farmers were acquitted. There have been no prosecutions of slaughtermen by Defra for fraud. There are no outstanding prosecutions. There are also a significant number of ongoing disputes about contracts during the foot and mouth epidemic, some of which are the subject of legal proceedings. Apples: UK Production Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many of the 6,000 varieties of apples registered in national apple lists are still available in British supermarkets; and what percentage of apples sold in British supermarkets are British-sourced. Lord Whitty: There is no definitive list of the number of apple varieties that exist as they, along with other fruit, are not subject to National Listing. However, over 2,000 varieties of apple are held in the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale. Only a few of these varieties are of commercial significance and regularly appear on supermarket shelves, though other less common varieties are sold periodically by some outlets who wish to offer their customers a wider choice. We estimate that, by quantity, about 30 per cent of the total supply of apples in the UK is home produced. Rural Delivery Review Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish their response to Lord Haskins's Rural Delivery Review. Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State intends to publish a refreshed rural strategy for England later in the spring. The strategy will include a full response to the recommendations coming out of Lord Haskins's Rural Delivery Review. Animal Welfare Bill Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they propose to bring forward the Animal Welfare Bill. Lord Whitty: Parliamentary Counsel is currently drafting the Animal Welfare Bill. We anticipate that the Bill will be published in July. Local Environments: "Spring Cleans" Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have issued any advice to local authorities regarding annual "Spring clean" or "Tidy up" days. Lord Whitty: Whereas a single day or weekend campaign can be effective in raising awareness we are convinced that more sustained campaigns are more effective. The 100 days campaign by Manchester City Council has been a great success and has mobilised the community. The Government provide advice to local authorities on how they can best discharge their statutory duties with regard to the management of the local environment. Defra funds ENCAMS (formerly the Tidy Britain Group) who work closely with local authorities on these issues. ENCAMS run a variety of training and best practice programmes, including their People and Places Programme, which is a unique partnership offering local authorities and other major land owners advice and support on effective action to be taken to solve many of the problems that blight our open spaces. In 2001, Defra allocated £1 million to local authorities through ENCAMS for the LEQ Pathfinder Programme, to find new and better ways of reaching the diverse needs of local people in a number of places through 10 key areas, one being active citizenship. Following the Defra consultation, Living Places—Powers, Rights, Responsibilities, Defra launched a website through the Improvement and Development Agency (IdeA) which acts as a strategic document for local authorities to serve as a guide to current legislation, available guidance and good practice concerning the whole raft of local environmental issues.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2004-04-29a

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: We expect to lay the Statutory Instrument on Artists' Resale Right before Parliament during December. 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 10-20 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. 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. 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 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. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. 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 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. 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 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). 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).

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2005-12-13a

Abortion Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they are making with their investigation of allegations that gender abortions are taking place in England and Wales. Earl Howe: The police and Crown Prosecution Service continue to investigate allegations of sex selection abortions. United Kingdom birth ratios are within normal limits. However, we continue to closely monitor birth ratios and we are in the process of analysing preliminary data. Advisory Committee on Business Appointments Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) followed proper practice in reviewing the application made by Lord Sassoon to become an executive director of Jardine Matheson with effect from 14 January 2013; whether any advice was sought or received on the application from HM Treasury or the Cabinet Office, and if so whether it was followed; and whether ACOBA took into account Jardine Matheson's investment in businesses regulated by the Financial Services Authority including Rothschild Continuation Holdings, Jardine Lloyd Thompson, Jardine Reinsurance Management and Thistle Insurance in making its assessment. To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions in each of the last five calendar years the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments has considered applications from serving ministers. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a serving minister applying to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments for advice in connection with a specific employment offer is required under the Ministerial Code to disclose it on the list of ministers' interests. To ask Her Majesty's Government why the website of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments provided no information on 9 January on the announced appointment of Lord Sassoon to the board of Jardine Matheson. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments provides advice only to former ministers; or whether it will also advise serving ministers in respect of specific employment offers. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Ministerial Code requires former Ministers (and serving Ministers, if appropriate) to seek advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments about any appointment or employment they wish to take up within two years of leaving office. As was the case under the previous Administration, the process is confidential. The advisory committee considers each application on its individual merits and in accordance with the Business Appointment Rules for Former Ministers published on its website at: http://acoba.independent.gov.uk. The normal process was followed in respect of Lord Sassoon's recent application. As the committee makes clear on its website, it advised that it saw no reason why Lord Sassoon should not take up the appointment immediately after he left ministerial office, subject to the following conditions: for three months from his last day in office, his activities on behalf of his new employer would be strictly limited to matters directly concerning the company's interests in Asia, and that he would have no involvement in its UK business or operation;for 12 months from the same date, he should not provide advice to his new employer, or any subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group, on the terms of any bid or contract directly relating to HM Treasury; andfor two years from the same date, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of his new employer or any subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group. The advisory committee publishes on its website the advice it has given on appointments. This information, which includes relevant dates, is also published in the advisory committee's annual reports. These are also available on the advisory committee's website going back to 1996. Animals and Plants: Endangered Species and Extinction Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of animal and plant species which will become critically endangered or extinct if the global human population reaches 10 billion by the end of this century. Lord De Mauley: The Government have not made an assessment of how many species would become endangered or extinct due to population growth. However, the third Global Biodiversity Outlook, published by the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2010 and welcomed by the Tenth Conference of Parties, concluded that: "Most future scenarios project continuing high levels of extinctions and loss of habitats throughout this century, with associated decline of some ecosystem services important to human well-being". The UK Government contributed towards funding the work on scenarios included in this report. Armed Conflict: Rape Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have taken steps to ensure that women raped in war are given access to appropriate and necessary medical care by means of safe abortions by the International Committee of the Red Cross. To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that their policy of providing safe abortions to women raped in war is followed by the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations. Baroness Northover: In the recent House of Lords debate on 9 January 2013 (Official Report, col. 208), the UK's policy was made clear-including that there may be some circumstances where an abortion might be offered, despite being in breach of national law, such as when the life of the mother is at risk. The provision of such services depends on the specific circumstances of each situation. As a humanitarian donor, the UK does not ask the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), or any other humanitarian organisation, to compromise its humanitarian mandate. All humanitarian organisations are free to determine how they operate within the guidance of humanitarian principles and in accordance with applicable international law. The ICRC has little medical infrastructure of its own in conflict-affected countries. The majority of its assistance is provided as support to national health services who retain the primary responsibility for the medical care of their citizens. The ICRC was aware of the recent debate and we continue to engage in dialogue with them on this. They are also aware of the UK's policy and position. Armed Conflict: Rape Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will encourage the International Committee of the Red Cross to separate its United States funding from that of the United Kingdom, to ensure safe abortion services for women raped in war. Baroness Northover: I refer the noble Baroness to my speech in the House of Lords on 9 January 2013 (Official Report, col. 208). UK aid is not in any way influenced by the restrictions in place on US funding. Humanitarian organisations are subject to strict audit and accounting processes. Most organisations receive their funding from a variety of donors, each with its own particular terms and conditions. It is part of normal business for these organisations to follow the relevant terms and conditions for each donor's contribution. Armed Conflict: Rape Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to make representations to the Government of the United States regarding the ban on United States aid being used for abortions for women raped in armed conflict. Baroness Northover: I refer the noble Baroness to my speech in the House on 9 January in the debate on rape in armed conflict (Official Report, col. 208): DfID officials are in regular dialogue with both USAID and US-based international non-governmental organisations with regard to improving access to sexual and reproductive health services and rights. This includes reducing recourse to unsafe abortion. US colleagues have been made aware of the debate, and we continue to have a dialogue on the issues raised including the UK position on the interpretation of international humanitarian law in these situations. Aviation: Baggage Charges Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the proposal by the chairman of the European Parliament's Transport and Tourism Committee, Mr Brian Simpson MEP, to standardise airline baggage-charging rules across the European Union. Earl Attlee: The Department for Transport has made no assessment. The charges commercial airlines levy for carrying baggage is a matter for airlines to decide as private commercial companies. Aviation: Helicopters Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to issue new guidelines for helicopter flights over Greater London once the Air Accident Investigation Branch's findings relating to the incident at Vauxhall on 16 January are available. Earl Attlee: It is too early to speculate about when the Air Accident Investigations Branch will complete its investigations of the accident involving an Augusta Westland AW109 helicopter at Vauxhall on 16 January 2013. There is no reason to believe that helicopter operations over London are unsafe. However, once the reasons behind the accident are known and clearly understood we will consider if any additional measures could further enhance safety. Banks: HBOS Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the Financial Services Authority to publish their report into the causes of the failure of HBOS in 2008. Lord Deighton: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has committed to produce a public interest report into the causes of the failure of HBOS (similar to the report it published on RBS). The report is expected to be published in the summer of 2013. In order to do this, the FSA has had to complete all the enforcement investigations in order not to prejudice the outcome of ongoing enforcement action. The FSA board minutes of 5 September 2012 provide additional detail regarding the scope, approach and governance of the work1. 1 http://www.fsa.gov.uk/static/pubs/board-minutes/5sep12.pdf Banks: Iceland Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 8 January (WA 9-10), what are the penalties the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority can impose on Iceland if found guilty of failure to meet its legal obligations to United Kingdom and Dutch depositors under the European Union deposit guarantee directive; what are the enforcement mechanisms in relation to any such judgment; and whether they will provide an accumulated net figure for the amount owed by each failed Icelandic bank. Lord Deighton: The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Surveillance Authority (ESA) can issue decisions to a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) which the ESA considers is in breach of EEA law and refer the matter to the EFTA Court. As a member of the EEA, Iceland is required by EEA law to comply with judgments of EFTA court. Neither the ESA nor the EFTA court has the power to impose a fine on a member of the EEA. The accumulated amounts owed by each failed Icelandic bank to the UK Government and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) are set out in notes 15, 30, 31 and 33 of the Treasury's 2011-12 annual report. The report can be found on the Treasury's website1 1 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/dep_perf_reports_index.htm Banks: Royal Bank of Scotland Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that any out-of-court settlement by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) with the United States' and United Kingdom authorities is fully scrutinised and is approved in advance by UK Financial Investments and HM Treasury to minimise the net cost to the United Kingdom taxpayers' interests in terms of both the overall cost to RBS and the proportion of any settlement going to United States rather than United Kingdom regulators. Lord Deighton: The size of a fine, in relation to any breach of regulation, is a regulatory matter. It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on an ongoing individual case. The Government's shareholding in RBS is managed on a commercial and arm's-length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI), a company wholly owned by the Government. BBC: Royal Charter Lord Donoughue: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 11 December (WA 207-8), whether they have made representations to the BBC Trust about balance in the BBC's coverage of climate change, in line with clauses 44 and 45 of the agreement accompanying the BBC Charter. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: I can confirm that the Government have made no representations to the BBC Trust about balance in the BBC's coverage of climate change. Within the framework of the charter and agreement, the BBC is editorially and operationally independent of government and there is no provision for the Government to intervene in the BBC's day-to-day activities. The fulfilment of the requirements of the agreement by the BBC is a matter for the BBC Trust. Benefits Baroness Brinton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many students aged 19 and over in further education receive (1) jobseeker's allowance, (2) employment and support allowance, and (3) income support; and for each benefit, how many are (a) required to study as a condition of receiving benefit, and (b) studying on a voluntary basis. Lord Freud: The information requested is not available. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider providing further humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people in Kachin State through local community organisations. Baroness Northover: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given in the other place on 21 January by the Minister of State for International Development, the right honourable Alan Duncan MP (Official Report, col. 79W). Community First The Lord Bishop of Derby: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications have been made to the Community First matching fund in the United Kingdom. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total cost to date of the Community First matching fund. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: By 30 November 2012, the latest date for which figures are available, 4,585 applications for match funding had been made to the Community First Neighbourhood Matched Fund. The total cost to date of the Community First Neighbourhood Matched Fund is £9.922,200.00 (incl. VAT). This financial year £24,600,000 in contributions from the community have matched the government funding. This includes over 1,378,000 volunteer hours and £4.1 million in cash. Deaf People: Benefits Baroness Wilkins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support will be available to deaf people who need communication support if they are unable to follow complex information when communicating verbally, following the passage of the Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013. Lord Freud: The Government believe that support in personal independence payment should be targeted at those people who face the greatest barriers to participating in society. In order to do this, the assessment for personal independence payment considers individuals' ability to carry out selected key activities, and what support they might need to do so. Ten of the activities are focused on daily living and two on mobility. Priority in the assessment will be focused on those people who are least able to carry out the activities. The 10 key activities related to the daily living component cover a range of aspects of daily life, including one activity on the ability to communicate verbally. If an individual needs communication support to be able to understand complex verbal information, they could be awarded descriptor C in this activity, which has four points attached to it. While four points on its own will not be enough to bring entitlement to the daily living component, individuals may also score points in other activities within the assessment, depending on their individual circumstances. Individuals needing communication support to be able to understand basic verbal information will receive eights points, which in itself brings entitlement to the standard rate of the component. Debt: Debt Management Companies Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to regulate the debt management industry. Viscount Younger of Leckie: We have noted with some concern the latest report from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) highlighting problems in the wider consumer credit industry and fully support any enforcement action they take. The Government have also commissioned research into the impact of capping the total cost of credit. The research will be published once complete, in the next few weeks. We have also strengthened the enforcement role of the Office of Fair Trading with a new power to suspend consumer credit licences with immediate effect where there is an urgent need to protect consumers. We continue to work closely with industry to improve standards and to ensure that the issues faced by vulnerable customers in difficult economic circumstances are appropriately addressed. Deportation Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have been returned from the United Kingdom to (1) Romania, and (2) Bulgaria, in each year since those countries acceded to the European Union, by reason of (a) failure to be able to maintain themselves economically, (b) criminal conviction, and (c) other reasons. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The number of people removed or who departed voluntarily to Romania and Bulgaria since the beginning of 2007 is: Removals and voluntary departures to Romania and Bulgaria by type (1)(2) Year Country of destination Total enforced removals Total refused entry at port and subsequently departed Total voluntary departures 2007 Bulgaria 7 3 1 2007 Romania 67 14 12 2008 Bulgaria 17 3 0 2008 Romania 108 28 5 2009 Bulgaria 19 16 4 2009 Romania 166 30 9 2010 Bulgaria 28 7 5 2010 Romania 217 18 5 2011 (P) Bulgaria 33 4 1 2011 (P) Romania 283 16 22 (1) Destination as recorded on source database; all nationals returned to Bulgaria and Romania. (2) Removals are recorded on the system as at the dates on which the data extracts were taken. (P) Provisional figures. Figures will under record due to data cleansing and data matching exercises that take place after the extracts are taken. The numbers of people removed or who departed voluntarily by reason of (a) failure to be able to maintain themselves economically or (c) other reasons is not available without examination of the individual records. To do so would incur disproportionate cost. It is our policy not to disclose the countries to which we remove or deport foreign national offenders as this could jeopardise our diplomatic relations and our ability to continue to do so. The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK within Immigration Statistics. The data on removals and voluntary departures by destination and type are available in the latest release, Immigration Statistics: July-September 2012, tables rv.06 and rv.06.q, from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, research and statistics web pages at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/. Data for October-December 2012 and annual figures for 2012 will be published as part of the regular Home Office publication scheme on 28 February. Economy Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to protect the United Kingdom economy in general, and the financial sector in particular, if the number of European Union nations using the euro fell below five. Lord Deighton: The Government are undertaking extensive contingency planning to deal with all potential outcomes in the euro area. Egypt Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government when in 2011 they received 17 Mutual Legal Assistance requests from the Egyptian authorities; and whether those requests are being processed by the United Kingdom Central Authority. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: All 17 Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests from Egypt were received by the UK Central Authority (UKCA). However it is the usual policy neither to confirm nor deny the existence, content or status of any individual MLA request, including the date a request was received or accepted. Egypt Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether copies of the 17 Mutual Legal Assistance requests received from the Egyptian authorities in 2011 were forwarded to the Serious Fraud Office or to any other United Kingdom law enforcement agency. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: When a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) request is received by the UK Central Authority (UKCA) they liaise with law enforcement agencies as appropriate and where necessary forward the request to a law enforcement agency for execution. However it is the usual policy neither to confirm nor deny the existence, content or status of any individual MLA request, including which law enforcement agencies have been, or are, involved in any specific request. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Marland on 5 December 2012 (WA 158-9), what examples there have been in which technical challenges associated with somatic cell nuclear transfer were overcome on the basis of insights gained from pronuclear transfer; and how else the optimisation of one of those techniques has already informed the development of the other. Viscount Younger of Leckie: This is a technical scientific question and an issue likely to be addressed in peer-reviewed scientific literature. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Marland on 5 December 2012 (WA 158-9), why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority used the term "mitochondria replacement" instead of "pronuclear transfer" or "spindle transfer"; what was the prior evidence to suggest that a lay audience would better understand "mitochondria replacement" than "nuclear DNA replacement"; and whether in effect it is the mitochondria that are actually replaced rather than the nuclear DNA of embryos as defined in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that, as outlined in the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Lord Marland's answer of 5 December 2012 (Official Report, col. WA 158-9), the aim in using such terminology was to enable a lay audience to understand the essential purpose of these techniques, which is to replace unhealthy mitochondria. Descriptions of maternal spindle transfer and pro-nuclear transfer can be found on the HFEA's consultation website at: http://mitochondria.hfea.gov.uk/mitochondria/ what-is-mitochondrial-disease/new-techniques-to-prevent-mitochondrial-disease/. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Marland on 19 November (WA 311-2) and 5 December 2012 (WA 158-9), to what extent they consider that differential segregation of abnormal versus normal mitochondria through a bottleneck during oogenesis may contribute to the pathology of mitochondrial disease in offspring, and whether different tissues are known to be particularly susceptible to mitochondrial disease. Viscount Younger of Leckie: This is a technical scientific research question and an issue likely to be addressed in the scientific literature. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Marland on 19 November (WA 311-2) and 5 December 2012 (WA 158-9), by what methods they assess any increase in the mutation load of particular tissues due to differential segregation and the effects of pronuclear transfer on tissues with different energetic requirements or numbers of mitochondria; whether it is necessary or desirable to confirm that mitochondrial function is normal and to measure the proportion of abnormal mitochondria in various cell types after carrying out pronuclear transfer in embryos with abnormal mitochondria; and whether any such assessment should be made by producing stem cell lines from the reconstructed embryos or by induced pluripotent stem cells. Viscount Younger of Leckie: This is a technical scientific research question. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) agreed, in February 2011, to a request from the Secretary of State for Health to scope "expert views on the effectiveness and safety of mitochondrial transfer". The authority established a small panel, with broad-ranging expertise, to collate and summarise scientific evidence submitted from a wide range of experts in the field. The HFEA submitted a report of the panel's findings to the Department of Health on 18 April 2011. This report can be found on the authority's website at: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/6896.html. As part of this report the panel considered background information on mitochondrial biology and disease. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Marland on 5 December 2012 (WA 158-9), whether the pronuclei are the nuclei of the gametes within the embryo and are therefore DNA-containing nuclei. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The department has sought advice from medical researchers through the Medical Research Council. The pronuclei are unique entities, they exist only in the zygote. The female pronucleus contains the nuclear DNA from the egg and the male pronucleus contains the nuclear DNA from the sperm. Employment: Public Sector Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new private sector jobs have been created since May 2010 in each region and country of the United Kingdom; and what has been the change in the number of people in public sector employment since May 2010 in each region and country of the United Kingdom. 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 Glen Watson, Director General for ONS, to Lord Bates, dated January 2013. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics. I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question of how many new private sector jobs have been created since May 2010 in each region and country of the United Kingdom: and what has been the change in the number of people in public sector employment since May 2010 in each region and country of the United Kingdom. (HL4853) Official estimates of public sector employment are produced quarterly for March, June, September and December. Estimates for interim months are unavailable. The latest available estimates are currently for September 2012. Private sector employment estimates are derived using official quarterly public sector employment estimates. and total employment estimates from the Labour Force Survey. Again, estimates for interim months are unavailable and the latest available estimates are currently for September 2012. All of these estimates relate to the number of people in employment. This is not quite the same as the number of jobs, since one person may have more than one job. The estimated change in the numbers in employment is not the same as the number of jobs created, since it is effectively a net figure, equivalent to the difference between jobs created and jobs that are lost. It should be noted that English further education colleges and sixth form college corporations were reclassified from the public sector to the private sector from 1 April 2012. As a result an estimated employment of 196,000 moved from the public to the private sector between March 2012 and June 2012. Estimates of both public and private sector employment excluding the impact of this reclassification are available at United Kingdom level (at http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/what-we-do/publication-scheme/published-ad-hoc-data/labour-market/december-2012/index.html). Work to produce similar estimates by region is currently underway, with a planned release date of 6 March 2013. Estimates of net change in employment from March 2010 to September 2012 and June 2010 to September 2012 are attached at annex A. Net change in employment 1,2,3 Thousands, not seasonally adjusted From March 2010 to September 2012 From June 2010 to September 2012 Public Sector Private Sector Public Sector Private Sector North East -43 68 -40 49 North West -84 130 -80 78 Yorkshire and The Humber -62 118 -60 111 East Midlands -41 147 -38 138 West Midlands -54 92 -53 38 East of England -46 112 -46 85 London -73 311 -73 295 South East -65 118 -58 87 South West -71 137 -65 70 England -537 1,232 -513 951 Wales -20 41 -18 14 Scotland 4 -49 111 -47 70 Great Britain 5 -607 1,384 -579 1,035 Northern Ireland 6 -14 34 -12 31 United Kingdom 7 -630 1,553 -596 1,161 United Kingdom (seasonally adjusted) 7 -583 1,342 -566 1,049 1 Estimates are based on w here people are employed. 2 English further education colleges and English sixth form college corporations classified to public sector from 1993 to 31 March 2012 They are therefore included in public sector estimates from 1993 to Q1 2012. and to the private sector thereafter. Further details can be found at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pse/public-sector-employment/q3-2012/stb-pse-2012q3.html 3 Quarterly changes in employment may be due to seasonal effects. 4 Public sector employment estimates for Scotland are in line with the Q3 2012 Public Sector in Scotland publication. Further details can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Labour-Market/PublicSectorEmployment. 5 The estimate for Great Britain is the sum total of England, Wales and Scotland. 6 Estimates of public sector employment for Northern Ireland will differ to those published by DETINI. The ONS figures include HM Forces personnel. 7 UK estimates include overseas employees, those who did not state their region of workplace when surveyed as part of the Labour Force Survey and public sector employees that could not be assigned to a region. EU: Budget The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the €26.98 billion proposed by the European Council in recent budget negotiations for the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) compares with the current budget; what is the proposed budget for European Union external spending; what position they will adopt on those proposals; whether the underspend in the EDF's rolling programme can be retained; and what consequences any cuts would have for the Department for International Development's programme. Baroness Northover: The European Commission has proposed that the European Development Fund (EDF) amounts to €30.32 billion over 2014-20, compared to an allocation of €22.68 billion for 2008-13. The UK's top priority in the negotiations for the European Union (EU) budget and EDF in the period 2014-20 is that the level of EU expenditure must be carefully contained. We oppose increases beyond real growth in any area of EU expenditure, including the EDF. However, we believe that it is also important to maintain or increase the proportion of official development assistance within a restrained overall budget. Any funds which do not get committed to programmes under the current EDF will reduce payments member states are required to make under the 11th EDF. EU: Food The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the European Commission's evaluation report for the 2009-11 European Union Food Facility; whether the facility has been successful in tackling poverty, steadying food prices and supporting small farmers and producers; and whether that facility will be extended or replaced with similar programmes. Baroness Northover: The final evaluation of the EU Food Facility confirmed that the global programme has been a success. It has managed to bridge the gap between humanitarian assistance and development. It has successfully mitigated the impact of high food prices for poor people and has strengthened poor people's food security and livelihoods through context-specific programmes. A longer implementation period and a narrowed geographical scope would have increased impact. The evaluation includes important lessons for future bilateral and multilateral assistance. EU: Science and Technology Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their proposals to renegotiate the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union on participation in, and funding from, the science and technologies programmes of the European Union for United Kingdom businesses and research projects. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government are committed to help shape the future of an open, flexible and adaptable European Union, welcome the continuing high level of participation by the UK research base in EU research funding programmes and are actively engaged in the negotiations for the next funding programme (Horizon 2020). Extradition Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the decisions on the applications by Jordan for the extradition of Abu Qatada and that by Thailand for the extradition of Lee Aldhouse, they intend to re-examine and amend the relevant legislation to ensure that a higher threshold is applied to requests for the extradition of United Kingdom citizens to other countries than for the extradition of foreign nationals to their own country; and if not, why not. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Government are seeking to deport, rather than extradite, Abu Qatada to Jordan. In terms of extradition, the Government have no plans to introduce a different threshold for extradition requests based on the nationality of the person requested. Government Departments: e-mail Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many private email accounts are used by Ministers, special advisers and officials in the Department for Transport to communicate with each other and other parts of government. Earl Attlee: The Ministerial Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Code set out how Ministers, officials and special advisers should conduct government business. Government Departments: Ministerial Meetings Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings took place between HM Treasury ministers and officials and directors and executives of Jardine Matheson over the last year, including in connection with overseas business promotion by ministers and officials, infrastructure and other investments by private sector sources in public project finance, and financial regulation. Lord Deighton: Treasury Ministers and officials engage with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the policy development and delivery process. The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations on its website1 1 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister hospitality.htm Government Departments: Ministerial Meetings Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings of (1) the Multinational Chairman's Group, and (2) the Business Advisory Group, took place at 10 Downing Street in 2012. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: As part of this Government's transparency programme, details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on the Cabinet Office website: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/ ministers-transparency-publications. Government of Ireland Bill Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made to mark the opposition to the Government of Ireland Bill in session 1912-13 in a similar fashion to the reception they are organising for the Government of the Republic of Ireland on 16 January to celebrate the passing of the Government of Ireland Bill in session 1912-13. Baroness Randerson: The event on 16 January to mark the centenary of the passing of the Second Reading of the third Home Rule Bill through the other place, addressed the historical events of the time including opposition to the Bill. Likewise the exhibition in Westminster Hall that was opened in March 2012-and which travelled both to the Oireachtas and Stormont-addressed Unionist opposition to the Bill. Greece: Financial Support Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported comment by Angela Merkel that governments are likely to take a loss on Greek debt; and whether, and to what extent, the United Kingdom would be affected. Lord Deighton: It would not be appropriate for the Government to speculate on events in Greece. The UK does not have any direct exposure to financial assistance provided to Greece, as set out in the Written Answer given on 14 June 2012 [HL584]. Health: Diabetes Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all adults and children with diabetes type 1 and 2 get their recommended annual tests. Earl Howe: The Government will hold the NHS Commissioning Board to account for driving improvement in the quality of NHS services through the NHS mandate. The mandate is the main basis of ministerial instruction to the NHS Commissioning Board, which will be operationally independent and clinically led. The NHS Commissioning Board is legally required to pursue the objectives in this document, including "managing ongoing physical and mental health conditions such as dementia, diabetes and depression so that we, our families and our carers can experience a better quality of life". The success of the NHS in delivering improvements in quality and outcomes for people with diabetes will be captured through the NHS Outcomes Framework, primarily through indicators in the domain on long-term conditions, and through indicators on mortality from conditions to which diabetes is a major contributory factor. Health: Electronic Patient Record Systems Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS trusts and foundation trusts currently have fully operational electronic patient record (EPR) systems; and how progress will be monitored to ensure that the NHS Commissioning Board achieves its target for all trusts to have EPR systems in place by 2014-15. Earl Howe: Information on how many National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts currently have operational electronic patient records is not held centrally. The NHS Commissioning Board confirms it will be working with other key stakeholder bodies to establish mechanisms to maintain oversight of the implementation of electronic patient records across the system as part of its role. Health: Melanomas Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce melanoma cases in the United Kingdom, including safety regulation for the sunbed industry. Earl Howe: The Department has funded Cancer Research UK (CRUK) to run skin cancer prevention activity in England under SunSmart banner. In 2012-13 the department has built on the successes of previous years by continuing to target young people aged 16-24 with the key messages of the importance of avoiding sunburn and the dangers of sunbed use (especially by those under 18). Core activities have included disseminating SunSmart branded resources (leaflets and posters); ensuring messages are promoted to the target audience at specific events; and, working with general practitioners to raise awareness of skin cancer symptoms. In July 2012, the department also commissioned and launched a separate campaign, Flag It, to encourage young people to look out for each other while enjoying the sun. The campaign highlighted the dangers of ultraviolet exposure and skin cancer by asking sun seekers to "flag it" when a friend needs to cover up, apply some sunscreen or stay in the shade. The department has recently commissioned a repeat of CRUK's successful sunbed campaign, previously launched at the end of 2011. This will be a nationwide initiative calling on young people to face the damage being inflicted on their skin in pursuit of a tan and is due to run in February 2013. The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 came into force on 8 April 2011 in England and Wales. Sunbed businesses are responsible for complying with the law and local authorities are responsible for ensuring the implementation and enforcement of the Act. To support compliance, the department has published Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 Information for Sunbed Businesses and Guidance on the implementation of the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010. Both sets of guidance are available at the following link: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_125656. A copy has already been placed in the Library. Health: Organ Donation Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what means they have to facilitate and assist members of the public who launch their own local campaigns aimed at increasing organ donor registration. Earl Howe: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has responsibility for promoting organ donation in the United Kingdom. NHSBT encourages individuals, businesses and charities to get involved in campaigning to promote public awareness of organ donation and to increase the number of people on the organ donor register. To facilitate this, NHSBT has a dedicated campaigns webpage that includes a downloadable campaign pack and an online "shopping" facility for members of the public to order leaflets and other promotional items. NHSBT has a campaign team who are able to offer advice and guidance for larger promotional events. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter also provide an interactive forum for supporters to share campaign ideas. Last year, during National Transplant Week, NHSBT established a dedicated campaign microsite that contained downloadable campaign materials, including template press releases to help supporters promote their campaign to local media outlets. Health: Urology Baroness Thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make an assessment of the impact of access to appropriate urology and stoma devices on (1) incidence of infection, (2) product wastage, and (3) ability to participate in employment. Earl Howe: Access to appropriate urology and stoma products is essential to enable people with urological conditions to avoid infection and to participate as fully as possible in the activities of daily life including employment. Specialist stoma nurses and other community nursing staff are trained to advise on the most appropriate products for individual patients, and prescribers can prescribe any products listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff. Health: Urology Baroness Thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of specialist nurses in improving outcomes for stoma and continence patients. Earl Howe: While the Government value the role of specialist nurses, they have not made any assessment on their function in respect of the health outcomes for stoma and continence patients. House of Lords: Catering Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask the Chairman of Committees whether the Refreshment Committee of the House of Lords factored into calculations on the levels of House of Lords catering subsidy the decision by the House of Commons authorities to open up more catering facilities to usage by Members of the House of Lords. Lord Sewel: The widening of access rights to some Commons catering outlets was part of a set of reciprocal access arrangements agreed by both Houses last year. As the arrangements are reciprocal, the Administration's financial plan has been drawn up on the basis that the impact on Lords outlets would be neutral. House of Lords: Catering Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask the Chairman of Committees whether any review of catering services in the House of Lords will take into account the implications of the full amalgamation of catering services throughout the Palace of Westminster and the opening of House of Commons catering facilities to members of the House of Lords. Lord Sewel: The Refreshment Committee is currently reviewing the catering service provided in the House of Lords, but that review is not considering the amalgamation of catering services throughout the Palace of Westminster. Last year, the Refreshment Committee of this House, and the House of Commons Administration Committee, agreed a set of reciprocal access arrangements which means that Peers can now access some Commons catering outlets, and MPs can access some Lords outlets, at certain times. Full details of the access arrangements can be found on the intranet. House of Lords: Catering and Retail Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask the Chairman of Committees what was the total net cost of House of Lords catering and retail services in (1) 2009-10, (2) 2010-11, and (3) 2011-12; and what is that sum as a proportion of the resource budget of the House of Lords. Lord Sewel: For the financial years requested, the total net cost of House of Lords Catering and Retail Services, and that sum as a proportion of the resource budget of the House of Lords, was as follows: Financial year Total net cost of Catering and Retail Services (in £000s) Cost as a proportion of the resource budget 2009-10 1,547 1.31% 2010-11 1,445 1.42% 2011-12 1,330 1.13% House of Lords: Catering and Retail Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask the Chairman of Committees what are the end of year House of Lords catering and retail services outturn figures on (1) turnover, (2) profit, and (3) cost of subsidy, for (a) the Peers' Dining Room, (b) the Home Room, (c) the River Restaurant, (d) the Bishops' Bar, (e) the Lords' Bar, (f) the Gift Shop, (g) banqueting and functions, and (h) Millbank House, in 2011-12. Lord Sewel: The figures requested are set out below, plus (for the sake of completeness) those for the two remaining outlets. A positive contribution equates to "profit", a negative contribution equates to "cost of subsidy". Outlet Turnover Contribution Peers' Dining Room £599,785 -£757,696 Home Room £64,174 -£185,694 River Restaurant £275,987 -£501,564 Bishops' Bar £64,650 -£43,971 Lords' Bar £137,601 -£326 Gift shop £561,770 +£177,704 Banqueting and functions £2,426,105 +£855,414 Millbank House Cafeteria (opened October 2011) £52,373 -£73,857 Barry Room £282,892 -£246,307 Peers' Guest Room £74,411 -£2,843 These figures have been calculated using a number of assumptions. Costs which are directly attributable to particular outlets have been allocated to those outlets. Some central costs have been split between each of the outlets, banqueting and retail services. Others are assigned to administration and kitchen central cost centres, whose combined contribution was -£549,179. Different assumptions could, of course, produce a different set of figures, but these have been used consistently for management information since April 2008. Housing: New Towns Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to comments by the Deputy Prime Minister on 22 November in a speech at the National House Building Council, whether they plan to enable development of a new generation of new towns and cities in England "drawing inspiration from the garden cities"; if so, what are the mechanisms through which they will be built; whether they have identified any possible locations for new towns and cities in England; and, if so, whether any of them are on sites previously identified as suitable for ecotowns. Baroness Hanham: Reflecting commitments made in both coalition parties' general election manifestos and in the coalition agreement, the coalition Government have scrapped top-down Whitehall planning. This has included ending the last Government's so-called eco-towns programme. The eco-town programme was unsuccessful, with developers abandoning the process, a series of judicial reviews and the timetable being extended again and again. Additionally, there was significant local opposition to many of these proposals and none was built under the last Government. Despite a Whitehall target of 10 eco- towns, none was ever built under the last Government. This Government want to work with local communities to build more homes, and promote sustainable development. This is being supported by programmes such as the New Homes Bonus, Growing Places Fund and Get Britain Building. There is also a role for more bespoke assistance to unlock and kick start locally supported, locally led, large- scale sites suitable for housing.. As the first example of this approach, in August 2012, my department worked with local partners to remove barriers to the regeneration of former chalk pits at Eastern Quarry, Ebbsfleet, which will deliver around 22,600 homes in the years to come. This involved renegotiating planning obligations and the Highways Agency supporting necessary road improvements. As a further example, in December 2012, we announced a £20 million injection of funding for the new town of Cranbrook, near Exeter. This will enable local partners to bring forward the delivery of new homes included in the local plan, and create 1,500 jobs in the town that will include 6,000 homes and a new rail station with links to London and Exeter. We are keen to promote garden city design, as outlined in speeches by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and my honourable friend, the Minister for Planning (Nick Boles); the latter's recent speech on planning and design, and the merits of garden city design, can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/speeches/town-and-country-planning-association-conference-speech. Garden city design is also encouraged in the National Planning Policy Framework. We are in discussions with a number of local authorities and their partners about delivering well designed places with the attributes that people most value, such as quality, gardens, green space, community facilities and good local amenities. The Autumn Statement announced £515 million of new funding to accelerate the delivery of a further wave of locally supported, locally led, large sites, including using surplus public sector land and property. We will make further announcements in due course. Human Trafficking Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are strengthening the measures they are taking against the trafficking of women; and, if so, how. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The first report of the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking was published on 18 October 2012. It set out how the Government are strengthening their response to human trafficking. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel concerning the use of live ammunition, following reports of the shooting of Samir Ahmad Abdul-Rahmin by Israeli soldiers. Baroness Warsi: Officials from our embassy in Tel Aviv raised our concerns regarding the use of live ammunition in this case with the Director-General for Strategic Affairs in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office on 17 January. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what replies they have received from the Government of Israel to representations made about the release of withheld Palestinian tax and customs revenues; and what action they will take if those revenues are not released. Baroness Warsi: The Israeli Government maintain that they have suspended the transfer of clearance revenues to deduct debts the Palestinian Authority (PA) owes the Israel Electric Corporation. But we continue to lobby the Israeli authorities at senior levels to release the custom revenues, in accordance with the Paris protocol. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised the issue with Israeli Acting Foreign Minister on 2 January 2012. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), raised it with the Israeli ambassador to London on 3 December 2012. Our embassy in Tel Aviv continues to raise this issue with the Israeli Government at senior levels, most recently on 21 January. We are also lobbying Arab League states to deliver on their pledge of providing a $100 million safety net -the Foreign Secretary raised this with Arab League Secretary-General El-Araby on 7 January and the Arab League discussed the issue in Cairo on 13 January. UK posts in key Arab states are lobbying host governments to deliver promised funding. We will continue to lobby Arab states at senior levels. We have also discussed the issue with European partners and following those discussions the European Commission has announced that it will front-load its payments of aid to the PA, bringing payments forward to help bridge the current crisis. Israel and Palestine Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel concerning the welfare of the prisoner Samer Al-Issawi, currently on hunger strike. Baroness Warsi: Officials at our consulate-general in Jerusalem are monitoring the continued hunger strike by Mr Issawi and other Palestinian prisoners and are in regular contact with the Prisoners Affairs Ministry in the Palestinian Authority. We have lobbied the Israeli authorities underlining the need for those on hunger strike to receive appropriate medical care and are asking all sides to reach a solution that prevents loss of life. Israel and Palestine Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the steps taken to establish a system to monitor the treatment of Palestinian children in custody, following the recommendations of the report, Children in Military Custody, published in June 2012. Baroness Warsi: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), has written to the Israeli ambassador to London to urge Israel to take action on this report. During his visit to Israel in November 2012, the Attorney-General, my right honourable friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) discussed the report with the Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and other senior interlocutors. Mr Weinstein agreed to further talks between UK and British legal experts on the subject. In the mean time we have welcomed some small steps taken by the Israeli authorities. These include a recent Israeli military order which reduces the length of time children can be held in pre-trial detention and an announcement in December by the Israeli state attorney reducing, from April, the period a Palestinian minor falling under the jurisdiction of the West Bank military court system can be held before being brought before a judge. We will continue to press the Israeli authorities for further action on the recommendations in the report. Japanese Knotweed Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress is being made in the pilot schemes for the control of Japanese knotweed. Lord De Mauley: Following rigorous laboratory testing which identified the psyllid Aphalara itadori as a suitable biocontrol agent for Japanese knotweed, it was released under licence to two sites in spring 2010, subject to a programme of close monitoring. After reviewing the data collected, Fera, as licensing authority, approved releases to eight sites in England (7) and Wales (1) in spring 2011. The continuing monitoring has not identified any non-target impacts. The psyllid has successfully overwintered outdoors but numbers remain low so additional releases have been made at the sites to boost numbers with the aim of achieving establishment. This rate of progress is not unexpected. Other classical biocontrol programmes have taken five to 10 years from release to achieve successful biological control. Jeena International Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent representations they have received from the Jeena International organisation in relation to sex selection abortions; and whether either Ministers or officials intend to meet representatives of Jeena International to discuss their experience of that issue. Earl Howe: The Government have not received any representations from Jeena International in relation to sex selection abortions since June 2012. Neither Ministers nor officials have had a recent request to meet representatives of Jeena International to discuss their experiences of this issue. Manufacturing Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they are addressing the deterioration in the balance in international trade in manufactured goods. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The UK remains one of the world's leading manufacturing nations with internationally competitive manufacturing companies in a wide range of sectors. UK manufacturing makes a strong contribution to overall levels of productivity and generates over half the UK's export of goods. Government work closely with industry, and are taking steps to help the UK advanced manufacturing sector compete in domestic and global markets by encouraging innovation and business investment, strengthening supply chains, boosting skills, and supporting exports. UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) works to support UK companies to grow their business by exporting and, through their overseas network, to promote the UK as an excellent place to invest. UKTI's work to drive trade is at the heart of the Government's ambitious target to get to a trillion pounds of exports a year over the next decade. This will only be achieved by getting more companies exporting and to increase the amount exported outside of the European Union. In support of this, UKTI has a target to double the number of companies it helps each year to 50,000 by 2015 and has a renewed focus on high growth emerging markets. Museums: Loaned Artefacts Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have received on whether the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 provides a complete guarantee that artefacts from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, loaned to United Kingdom museums for special exhibitions could not legally be claimed by a third party. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Part 6 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (the Act) provides protection from seizure for cultural objects on loan from abroad in temporary exhibitions in museums and galleries in the UK, provided that the conditions in Section 134 of the Act are met when an object enters the UK. One of the conditions is that the borrowing institution, which must be approved for the purposes of the Act by the Secretary of State under Section 136, has complied with the requirements to publish specified information about the objects under the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan (Publication and Provision of Information) Regulations 2008. There is one important exception to the protection under the Act: an object may be seized or forfeited by a UK court order where the court is required to make the order under an EU obligation or international treaty (Section 135 of the Act). Therefore, the protection against seizure cannot provide an absolute guarantee against seizure, as the UK is subject to these international and European Union obligations which may in certain circumstances require a UK court to make an order for seizure. The Government believe that there are very limited circumstances under which a UK court would be required to make an order pursuant to an EU obligation or international treaty for the seizure of an object in the UK, and welcome the strengthening of cultural links between the National Palace Museum, Taipei and UK museums and galleries. National Parks Lord Reay: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 15 October 2012 (WA 449), in which he stated that an announcement of a public inquiry into the proposals to extend the boundaries of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District National Parks was "imminent", what is the cause of the further delay since that Answer; and when the announcement can be expected. Lord De Mauley: Since my previous response on this issue, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has secured the services of an experienced inquiry manager, who is working closely with both Defra and the inspector for the inquiry to finalise the necessary practical arrangements. Once these arrangements are confirmed, the Secretary of State will issue a Written Ministerial Statement announcing the inquiry. I fully expect this to be within the next month. Omagh Bombing Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 9 January (WA 100), whether they intend to review the matter of publication of the information relating to the Omagh bombing at any point in the future. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Government are not currently intending to review this matter. Overseas Aid Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what humanitarian aid funding they allocated to the International Committee of the Red Cross in (1) 2009, (2) 2010, (3) 2011, and (4) 2012. Baroness Northover: Humanitarian aid funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross has been allocated as follows: (1) 2009-£53.25 million, (2) 2010-£49.7 million, (3) 2011-£99.9 million, and (4) 2012-£59.2 million. Overseas Aid The Lord Bishop of Derby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of their international aid budget funds voluntary schemes independent of non-governmental organisations in the Department for International Development's target developing countries. Baroness Northover: DfID often funds voluntary schemes independent of non-governmental organisations such as community projects using volunteers. Examples of this include: health sector budget support programmes where DfID works with self-help groups and other bodies to promote community awareness and monitoring of government services; and civil society programmes which target the poorest and most disadvantaged groups where a significant focus is on mobilising community groups. The department's systems do not separately identify expenditure associated with these groups from expenditure on other non-governmental organisations and so the department cannot provide this information without incurring disproportionate costs. Police and Crime Commissioners Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the procedures for (1) disciplinary action against, (2) unseating, and (3) replacement of, an elected police and crime commissioner. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) are directly elected and are accountable at the ballot box to the electorate of their police force area. The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 provides for the Police and Crime Panel (PCP) for the force area to consider non-criminal complaints. They will be able to use their powers to require the commissioner to attend a hearing to answer questions, request information and documents from the commissioner, and publish a report or recommendation. This will ensure the electorate are kept appraised of their PCC's conduct and are able to call him or her to account during their term of office and ultimately at the next election. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is responsible for investigating allegations of criminal behaviour against PCCs. A PCC is disqualified from office if convicted of a criminal offence which may carry a prison sentence. The respective Police and Crime Panel has the authority to suspend a PCC-but only if he or she is charged with a criminal offence carrying a maximum sentence in excess of two years' imprisonment. A PCC is unseated or replaced at scheduled elections or through by-elections in the result of death in office, resignation or disqualification. Elections will be held every four years (3.5 years in the first term). Population Growth Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government with which international bodies they have held discussions concerning the growth in global human population; what were the outcomes of those discussions; and what ongoing activity is being undertaken to understand the implications for resources, pollution and societal sustainability of increasing population. Baroness Northover: DfID believes that a rising population is one of several demographic factors to take seriously. Other related factors include the age distribution within populations, the rise of the global middle class and increasing urbanisation. All of these have implications, both positive and negative, for resource availability and use, pollution and sustainability. We are in touch with a wide range of United Nations organisations as well as national and international institutions to help us to understand these issues and how to take them into account in our policies and programmes. Religious Faith Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 17 January (WA 151-2), on what evidence they base the statement that the voice of people of faith has not always been heard; and whether they intend to operate a policy of positive discrimination in favour of the views of people of faith in the formulation and implementation of public policy. Baroness Warsi: Representatives of churches and other faiths have often described the obstacles they have encountered in receiving a fair hearing from local and central government. The Government are committed to giving faith communities a seat at the table in public life, not a privileged position but that of an equal informer in the debate. There is no policy of positive discrimination: the perspectives of people without a religious faith are just as important in the formulation and implementation of policy as those of faith. Retail: Jessops Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will investigate the role of private equity ownership in the collapse of the retailer Jessops. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The appointed administrators will investigate the events leading up to the collapse of Jessops including a review of the validity of any security obtained and the status of a particular creditor. The Government will work with the administrators. Administrators also have a statutory obligation to report to the Secretary of State on the conduct of the directors in an administration. If misconduct is apparent the Secretary of State then has power to seek the disqualification of the directors where it is believed to be in the public interest. Roads: Congestion Charge Baroness Walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the 5,416 congestion charge penalty appeals, both postal and personal hearings, cited as "refused" in Annex 2 of the Road User Charging Adjudicators' Annual Report 2011-12, were refused because they were based solely on mitigation grounds. Earl Attlee: Her Majesty's Government have made no assessment of the appeals process. Under devolution, the Mayor and Transport for London are responsible for the London congestion charge scheme. Roads: Congestion Charge Baroness Walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total cost for the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service adjudicators' time in reaching their refusal decisions for the 5,416 postal and personal hearing congestion charge penalty appeals cited as "refused" in Annex 2 of the Road User Charging Adjudicators' Annual Report 2011-12. Earl Attlee: Her Majesty's Government have made no assessment of such costs. Under devolution, the Mayor and Transport for London are responsible for the London congestion charge scheme. Roads: Congestion Charge Baroness Walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS) is allocating congestion charge penalty appeal hearings for appellants whose appeal grounds are solely mitigation, have already been identified as such by Transport for London, and when case law has established that in such circumstances there is no route of appeal to PATAS. Earl Attlee: Under devolution, the Mayor and Transport for London are responsible for the London congestion charge scheme. As such, the Department for Transport has made no assessment of the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service. Roads: Congestion Charge Baroness Walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what independent and impartial adjudication is available to recipients of a congestion charge penalty whose initial representations, where based solely on mitigation grounds, have been rejected by Transport for London. Earl Attlee: Under devolution, the Mayor and Transport for London are responsible for the London congestion charge scheme. As such, the Department for Transport has made no assessment of the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service. Schools: Teachers Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 18 December 2012 (WA 297) concerning the rate of turnover of teachers in the state sector, how those figures compare with those in other professions. Lord Nash: The rate of those leaving full-time service in the maintained schools sector in England for 2009-10 was 10.5%, a decrease on previous years' figures. The figure for all full-time qualified teachers in maintained schools in England increases to 18.6% if those who transferred to other establishments within the maintained schools sector are included. This rate is similar to that seen in previous years (Annexe A). A UK-wide survey of 775 organisations by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in 20092, the most recent year information is available for, found an overall turnover rate of 15.7%, considerably lower than the previous year's turnover rate of 17.3% and considerably higher than the 10.5% observed for teachers. Turnover rates in this survey included all those leaving the surveyed organisation by way of voluntary or involuntary severance. The 2009 CIPD survey compared the turnover rate for specific sectors and found, for example: private sector services had an overall turnover rate of 16.8%; public sector services had an overall turnover rate of 12.6%; the education sector had a turnover rate of 15.0%; and the health sector had a turnover rate of 11.4%. Further data are provided in Annexe B. Local government surveys have also reported on occupations most frequently cited with retention difficulties. Fifteen per cent of authorities reported that they had retention difficulties with teachers in 2009; this compares to, for example, 28% reporting retention difficulties with adult social workers (Annexe C provides further data). Teachers were not present on this list in the 2010 survey, suggesting they had relatively fewer retention difficulties compared to other local government occupations at that time. 1 The figures are based on published information that is available in Table C1 of the additional tables, which are available at the following web link: http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/ statistics/statistics-by-topic/teachersandschoolworkforce/a00196713/school-workforce-sfr. The source of this information is the Database of Teacher Records, which is primarily collected for pensions administration purposes. 2 http://www.cipd.co.uk/binaries/recruitment_retention_ turnover_annual_survey_2009.pdf. Taxation: Corporation Tax Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review or limit the deductibility for corporation tax purposes of interest paid by United Kingdom companies to offshore owners and affiliates. Lord Deighton: The UK tax system gives deductions for interest as a business expense. This is in accordance with international accounting standards and in line with most countries affiliated with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Government keep all taxes under review. The OECD work on base erosion and profit shifting will include consideration of rules on the treatment of cross-border interest payments. Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the risk to cyclists and pedestrians of increasing the permitted speed of heavy goods vehicles on single carriageway roads. Earl Attlee: Examining the Speed Limit for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) Over 7.5 Tonnes on Single Carriageway Roads: A Consultation Document was published on 9 November 2012 and closes on 1 February 2013. The Department for Transport is looking for any sources of information on the effects of HGV speed on collisions and casualties that we have not identified and that would enable a more robust appraisal of road safety. Ministers will carefully consider the evidence of all of the effects on the economy, environment and of course, road safety, including for cyclists and pedestrians, before deciding what to do next. UK Border Agency: Staff Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government for how long the UK Border Force has been headed by an interim appointee; who is currently filling that post; and when they expect to make a permanent appointment to the post. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Tony Smith has been acting director-general of Border Force since 19 September 2012. An open competition to appoint permanently to the role has now concluded and an announcement will be made about the successful candidate shortly. Vehicles: Number Plates Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review their policy in respect of number plates for vehicles. Earl Attlee: The Department for Transport is currently reviewing the UK system for the production and control of number plates to see if any improvements could be made to strengthen the regime, while minimising any additional burdens on motorists and industry. The British Standards Institute is currently undertaking a review of the British Standards for number plates. Vietnam Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Vietnam about the trial on 8 January of 14 Catholic activists charged with subversion; whether they have made representations about the possible use of capital punishment in that case; and whether they have made representations about the effect of Article 88 of the Vietnam Penal Code, and Government Decree No. 38/2005/NÐ-CP of 18 March 2005 on freedom of speech. Baroness Warsi: The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for East Devon ( Mr Swire), during the recent visit to the UK of Vietnam's Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, raised our concerns on civil, political and religious freedom in Vietnam, including this case. The UK also supports the statement from the EU's ambassador to Vietnam, Franz Jessen, on the trial of 14 Catholic activists. Ambassador Jessen expressed his concerns over the sentence and the fundamental rights for all persons to hold and freely express their opinions in a peaceful manner in accordance with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Vietnam is a party. He called for a review of the sentences. Visas Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for visas from overseas students currently studying in the United Kingdom have been received during the past 12 months; how long it takes on average to issue visas; and how many applications remain to be determined beyond a period of three months. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Data for applications for students applying through the tier 4 route from overseas: Visa applications received in the 12 months to September 2012: 215,867 of these, number issued: 194,660. Average time to resolve applications (irrespective of outcome): 7.5 days applications unresolved after 90 days on 8 Jan 2013: 194. The data are for main applicants only and do not include applications from dependents. Some students issued visas under tier 4 during the period shown will have completed their studies, whereas others would have applied for further leave to remain in the UK. These data are based on internal UK Border Agency management information. They are provisional and subject to change. Visas Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 16 January (WA 134-5), how many non-European Union doctors were given United Kingdom work visas in each of the past three years; and how many European Union and non-European Union doctors were registered in those years with the General Medical Council. Earl Howe: The Home Office does not collect information on the number of grants of entry clearance visas either to individual occupations or to the detailed qualifications of individuals. The General Medical Council (GMC) registers doctors to practise medicine in the United Kingdom and collects data on the number of registrations. The following table shows the number of first registrations with the GMC in the last three years split by whether they gained their primary medical qualification in the European Economic Area (EEA), UK or the rest of the world. First Registration Year Non-EEA EEA excluding UK UK 2010 2,972 2,973 7,010 2011 2,463 2,726 7,112 2012 2,728 3,219 7,085 Total 8,163 8,918 21,207 Source: GMC register Notes: Non-EEA/ EEA/UK-refers to where primary medical qualification was gained and not to nationality/country of citizenship or where they have immediately come from The table also includes temporary registered doctors Welfare Reform Act 2012 Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 on refuges in the United Kingdom with regard to support services for adult and child victims of domestic abuse. Lord Freud: The Welfare Reform Act 2012 does not affect the support services provided by refuges for victims of domestic abuse. Consequently, the Government's impact assessments in respect of the Welfare Reform Bill did not address that point. Ministers subsequently sought the views of the Social Security Advisory Committee over the draft universal credit regulations drafted under the powers of that Act were published on 10 June 2012. Following the committee's report the department responded to concerns recorded by the committee relating to the possible effect on refuges of the proposals for supporting housing costs for residents of refuges. The Government's response was published can be found at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/ssac-universal-credit-report.pdf (paragraph 47).

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lordswrans2013-01-28a

Agriculture: Bluetongue Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they propose to make the bluetongue vaccination scheme compulsory. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Vaccination is the key tool for containment and control of bluetongue, and the ongoing approach to vaccination will be shaped in discussion with the farming industry. Following discussions with livestock industry and veterinary profession stakeholders during the development of the 2008 vaccination plan, it was concluded by Defra and the core group of industry stakeholders that a voluntary approach should be taken. The vaccination plan for bluetongue serotype 8 in 2009 is currently being developed with stakeholders. Further details will be announced following these discussions with the expectation that the vaccination plan will be published by December. This will be made available on the Defra website. Agriculture: Upland Entry Level Scheme Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the proposed upland entry level scheme due to replace the hill farm allowance requires a five-year commitment from tenant farmers renting land on an annual basis; and what area of the countryside will, thereby, receive no environmental upkeep. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: All UK agri-environment schemes (including the proposed uplands strand of the entry level environmental stewardship scheme, or upland ELS) are part-funded by the European Union, and it is an EU requirement that commitments under these schemes last a minimum of five years. This is the minimum period necessary to achieve the environmental benefits being paid for. In order to comply with that requirement, it is necessary to obtain the agreement of the landowner (or the next tenant if his rights to the land are defined) where the tenant does not have rights for the full term of the agri-environment agreement. Farmers with tenancies of less than five years at the time of application will be able to apply for upland ELS provided the landowner countersigns the application and agrees to continue the funded management should the tenant/grazier not be able to do so. The same rule applies to all the other strands of environmental stewardship which have been in place since 2005. Agriculture: Upland Entry Level Scheme Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have considered designing a legally binding agreement allowing tenant farmers access to the proposed upland entry level scheme on the basis that annual renewal of rent for the land in question will denote continuing in the scheme for the full five-year term. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Tenant farmers will be able to access the proposed uplands strand of entry level environmental stewardship, or upland ELS. Farmers with tenancies of less than five years at the time of application will be able to apply for upland ELS provided the landowner countersigns the application, and agrees to continue the funded management should the tenant/grazier not be able to do so. This is to ensure the required land management is carried out for the five-year duration of the agreement. It is an EU requirement that commitments under all agri-environment schemes last a minimum of five years. Airports: Body Scanners Baroness Ludford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have published guidance on whether the use of body scanners at airports and other security check points complies with provisions relating to the taking of indecent photographs of children in the Protection of Children Act 1978 and the Sexual Offences Act 2003; and what representations they have received from operators of these scanners on this matter. Lord Adonis: Only the UK Border Agency currently uses body scanners and the equipment used does not breach either of the Acts quoted. There are no body scanners currently in use at UK airports as the recent trials have been completed. Bangladesh: Elections Baroness Uddin: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to send representatives to monitor the forthcoming elections in Bangladesh. Lord Bach: We are supporting the EU and ANFREL (Asian Network for Free Elections) observation missions. Dhaka-based UK officials plan to join the EU election observation mission as short-term observers. International observers have an important role to play, monitoring electoral processes around the world and making recommendations on ways to improve those electoral processes based on their observations. Bangladesh: Elections Baroness Uddin: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to send parliamentary representatives to monitor the forthcoming elections in Bangladesh. Lord Bach: We plan to participate in the EU election observation mission, whose efforts will complement other planned international observation missions from the UN, Commonwealth, United States and a regional observation mission led by the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL). There are no plans for the UK to send parliamentary representatives to monitor the election. Banking Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the reply by Lord Myners on 11 November (Official Report, House of Lords; col. 550), how they intend to ensure that the initiative for new financial regulations will come from Her Majesty's Government and not the European Union. Lord Myners: The Financial Services Authority, the Bank of England and Her Majesty's Treasury are responsible for financial regulation in the UK. The Government have already announced certain banking reforms. The Chancellor has asked the noble Lord, Lord Turner, the chairman of the FSA, to make recommendations on the reform of financial regulation. The UK works with EU partners to ensure that EU proposals for regulation are appropriate and effective. British Overseas Territories Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the cost to the Treasury of contingent liabilities to each Overseas Territory in each of the past 10 years for which figures are available; and how much of this has been due to damage caused by climate incidents and other natural phenomena. Lord Bach: All assistance arises from the UK's contingent liability to meet the reasonable assistance needs of the Overseas Territories, and defence commitments. The following government departments provide the majority of the assistance to the Overseas Territories: the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department for International Development (DfID), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Department for Transport (DfT). DfID bilateral aid to the Overseas Territories between 1998-99 and 2007-08 was: £ 000s 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 St Helena & Dependencies 8,805 9,363 10,116 10,106 9,555 10,525 14,481 13,564 15,692 17,550 Anguilla 1,977 2,058 2,232 1,847 1,044 954 1,216 895 127 British Virgin Islands 622 516 186 83 90 11 Cayman Islands 23 18 20 3 Montserrat 30,804 22,273 19,597 22,481 23,350 24,757 14,151 12,617 15,556 17,164 Turks and Caicos Islands 3,808 4,044 2,845 2,719 1,532 741 1,187 357 149 178 Pitcairn 148 99 18 26 53 64 1,314 2,582 1,837 1,460 Bermuda 13 4 Falkland Islands Gibraltar 28 23 27 23 6 5 1 2 1 Regional programmes 563 578 1,618 1,409 957 663 642 1,532 1,771 1,001 TOTALS 46,779 38,984 36,662 38,697 36,586 37,719 32,991 31,548 35,132 37,353 Within these amounts, DfID provided bilateral humanitarian assistance following natural disasters to Montserrat (£19.9 million), St. Helena and Dependencies (£165,000), Anguilla (£112,000) and the Cayman Islands (£3,000). DfID also made payments to the Gibraltar Social Insurance Fund in respect of the pension liabilities of certain Spanish nationals who had worked in Gibraltar, totalling £77.4 million between 1998-99 and 2006-07. In 2007-08 DfID made further payments of £15.3 million consisting of pension liabilities and incentive payments made to affected Spanish pensioners as part of the Cordoba pensions settlement. The FCO's Overseas Territories Programme Fund (OTPF) has a number of high-level objectives, including ensuring that the UK's contingent liabilities are well managed and mitigated. Funding to the Overseas Territories, from this and its predecessor fund, since 2000 has been: 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 £m 3.30 2.95 2.84 3.10 3.00 6.50 4.50 6.60 The Department for Transport takes the lead in mitigating contingent liability arising from maritime and aviation activities in the Overseas Territories. Expenditure in these areas has been: 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 £m n/a 0.461 0.461 2.91 2.05 3.06 3.47 3.36 1 Aviation Safety spend only. Other figures not readily available The Ministry of Defence spent £104 million on maintaining its defence presence in the Falkland Islands in 2008-09. It commits approximately £2 million each year to fund defence of the Overseas Territories and disaster relief in the Caribbean Overseas Territories. Central Office of Information: Expenditure Lord Cope of Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the Central Office of Information's total expenditure on public relations, marketing and advertising in 1996—97, using figures comparable with the figures cited in the Central Office of Information's latest annual report and accounts. Lord Patel of Bradford: This information is a matter of public record and can be found in the Central Office of Information's annual report, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The relevant figures for public relations, marketing and advertising, using figures comparable with the figures in the annual reports, were £81.2 million in 1996-07 and £265.8 million in 2007-08. Central Office of Information: Expenditure Lord Cope of Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which advertiser-funded programming agreements the Central Office of Information has facilitated; and what was the cost to the public purse of each of the programmes. Lord Patel of Bradford: A summary of advertiser-funded programmes managed by the Central Office of Information (COI) to date is as follows: Client Programme Cost Department for Children, Schools and Families Je suis un Rockstar £263,534.50 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs If in doubt, leave it out £9,300 National Blood Service Lifeblood, Blood Matters £100,000 Xtra time £53,000 Blood Matters £32,000 Home Office Beat: Life on the Street 2 x £400,000 Army Everest Man v Mountain £300,000 BERR Working Wonders £200,000 Investors in People In Good Company £100,000 Central Office of Information: Expenditure Lord Cope of Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the Central Office of Information has spent on the FRANK drugs awareness campaign. Lord West of Spithead: The FRANK drugs information campaign was launched in May 2003. The campaign provides young people and their families with advice and information about drugs. The campaign is administered and funded by the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The Department of Health, the Home Office and the Department for Children, Schools and Families procure most communication services through the Central Office of Information (COI) for the FRANK campaign. Communication services provided by the COI include media buying, research, digital and sponsorship. Joint spend on all communications campaign activity on the FRANK campaign for the financial years 2003-08 is set out below: Year £ million 2003-04 4.25 2004-05 4.30 2005-06 6.17 2006-07 9.05 2007-08 6.23 Communications spend in this financial year to date (11 November 2008) is £2.5 million. Total spend in campaign years 2003-08 is £30 million. Total spend to date (11 November 2008) is £32.5 million. Central Office of Information: Expenditure Lord Cope of Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the Central Office of Information has spent on the NHS Choice campaign. Lord Darzi of Denham: The Central Office of Information has not spent any money directly on supporting the NHS Choice campaign. Between 24 March 2008 and 6 April 2008, the department spent a total of £601,752.33 on publicising the introduction of national NHS Free Choice from 1 April 2008. Chagos Islands Lord Steel of Aikwood: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, following the upholding of their appeal on 22 October by the House of Lords in the case of R (on the application of Bancoult) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, they will allow the Chagos Islanders to return to their homelands other than Diego Garcia. Lord Bach: The House of Lords has upheld the validity of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Constitution) Order 2004. As a consequence of this ruling, the orders of the Court of Appeal in May 2007 and of the Divisional Court in June 2006 in this regard are set aside. The two Orders in Council for the British Indian Ocean Territory therefore stand and provide that no person has a right of abode in BIOT or the right to enter the territory unless authorised. As my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has subsequently made clear, given the Government's continuing need to take into account the issues of defence security of the whole of the Chagos archipelago in order to meet our treaty obligations to the US and to serve our mutual defence interests, and the fact that an independent study came down heavily against the feasibility of lasting resettlement of the outer islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory, the Government's policy will remain that no person has a right of abode in BIOT or the right to enter the territory unless authorised. However, we will keep in close touch with the Chagossians and consider carefully future requests to visit the territory. Community Cohesion Baroness Warsi: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the effect of single group funding on community cohesion. Baroness Andrews: The Commission on Integration and Cohesion (CIC), which made its recommendations in the summer of 2006, was concerned that groups based on single identities were potentially divisive. In February 2008 the government launched a consultation on Cohesion Guidance for Funders which sought views on this issue. A summary of the responses to this consultation exercise and a decision regarding the future of the guidance will be published shortly. Data Loss Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to prevent accidental loss of data sticks, CD-roms and documents by public officials. Lord Patel of Bradford: I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement placed in the House of Commons regarding the release of the data handling report (DHR) published on 25 June 2008 (Official Report, col. 26WS). The report puts in place rules that departments must follow to improve data-handling arrangements across government. We are working with departments to ensure action is taken to protect data whether they are held on electronic media or on paper. This includes clear rules on the encryption, minimisation and secure disposal of data and media. The report also puts in place clear accountability within departments, scrutiny of arrangements and, importantly, a process of cultural change to ensure that government values and handles personal data appropriately. Training and education of officials is a crucial part of this process. A number of departments have already trained their staff on data security in line with DHR requirements and the Cabinet Office will shortly begin rolling out an e-learning package available for all departments to use to train their staff. East Midlands Development Agency Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 16 October (WA 70), whether the rejection of projects by the East Midlands Development Agency because they are not of suitable standard or merit is affected by the way the agency works with potential applicants. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The application process applied to the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) by the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) was developed in conjunction with industry representatives. A substantial amount of information is available on the website at www.emda.org.uk/rdpe which includes a detailed prospectus for funding in the East Midlands and which provides much detail on the funding available in the region. This prospectus provides background information about the programme, details of what can and cannot be funded, possible grant rates and information about the application process. EMDA's RDPE application process is in two stages. First, applicants submit an expression of interest giving a brief description of the project. In all cases the applicant is provided with detailed feedback and advice on their expression of interest and is invited to contact a named member of the RDPE team at EMDA for further information or clarification if required. Secondly, when an applicant is invited to proceed to full application they are given a step-by-step guide detailing the information required in each section of the form. When a full application is received by EMDA, it is acknowledged and thoroughly appraised. Applicants are contacted during the appraisal process if additional information or clarification is required. If an application is rejected the applicant is given specific reasons as to why the project has been rejected. The letter contains both constructive advice and guidance if necessary. If the project has been rejected due to the quality of the application the letter outlines what improvements are required and informs the applicant that they are entitled to reapply if they wish. The applicant is given clear guidance about the areas requiring improvement. EMDA works closely with other RDPE delivery bodies and regional stakeholders, including the National Farmers' Union, the Country Land and Business Association and representatives of agricultural consultants, as part of its delivery of the RDPE. In light of all these arrangements there should be no reason to conclude that the way in which EMDA works with potential or actual applicants and their representatives is having an adverse impact on how the programme is being delivered. Ecosystems Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made by the United Kingdom Biodiversity Research Advisory Group in investigating empirical ecosystems. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The UK Biodiversity Research Advisory Group's Research Needs Analysis for the Role of Biodiversity in Ecosystem Function, published in October 2006, recommended that there was a need for empirical studies on ecosystems to improve our understanding of ecosystem functioning and of the services they provide. In September 2008, UK BRAG held a joint workshop with the British Ecological Society to look specifically at ecosystem services and the ecosystem approach. The workshop brought environmental researchers together with sociologists and geographers to look at valuing biodiversity in a more holistic and practical way. The proceedings of this workshop will shortly be available on the UK BRAG website. Energy: Gas Prices Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What incentives they propose for companies to reduce the cost of natural gas. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The main incentive for companies to minimise the price of natural gas is the knowledge that they are operating in a competitive market, with an effective economic regulator to protect the interests of consumers. The Government are doing their part by seeking to ensure fit-for-purpose consents regimes for new gas import and storage facilities through the Planning and Energy Bills now before Parliament and by working for open and competitive international energy markets in the EU and beyond. Energy: National Grid Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans the National Grid has to cope with the projected 30,000 megawatts of intermittent wind turbine energy, equating to approximately half the national peak demand of electricity. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: National Grid is responsible for procuring balancing services in order to balance demand and supply and to ensure the security and quality of electricity supply across the GB transmission system. National Grid has a licence obligation to control system frequency within specified limits. National Grid must therefore ensure that sufficient generation and/or demand is held in automatic readiness to manage all credible circumstances that might result in frequency variations. The indications from National Grid and our own advisers are that there is no technical barrier to the connection of renewable generation at, for example, a 30 per cent to 40 per cent penetration level. The indications are that the challenge is an economic rather than technical one, ie ensuring that sufficient capacity of all technologies has the right incentives to remain on and join the network to support the deployment of intermittent renewable technologies and ensuring the economic and efficient operation of the balancing mechanism. Energy: Oil Prices Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their latest forecast of the future level of oil prices. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government do not publish oil price forecasts. They publish oil, gas and coal future price assumptions for the period to 2030. The latest version of the Government's future fossil fuel price assumptions were published in May 2008, following a consultation published in January. Further details are available at the following links: www.berr.gov.uk/energy/environment/projections/recent/page26391.html and www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46071.pdf. Energy: Oil Prices Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are discussing with fuel companies the profits made as a result of the increase in oil prices; and, if so, with which companies. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As part of regular departmental activity, Ministers have discussions with a wide range of UK and international companies operating at each stage of energy supply chains, covering pricing and financials among other issues. Movements in global oil prices and their implications for UK consumers of road transport fuel, gas and electricity are among the factors discussed. Ethnic Monitoring: Equality Outcomes Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether ethnic monitoring is necessary for measuring equality outcomes. Baroness Andrews: The Government consider that ethnic monitoring can be a valuable tool in helping to assess race equality outcomes. European Arrest Warrant Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many British citizens have faced proceedings under the European arrest warrant. Lord West of Spithead: The Extradition Act 2003, which gave effect to the provisions of the European arrest warrant (EAW) in the UK, came into force on 1 January 2004. Since that date, and up to 30 September 2008, 203 British citizens have been arrested pursuant to EAWs. 101 British nationals have subsequently been surrendered to other European member states pursuant to EAWs (see attached table). The table below sets out the figures for each year since the introduction of the EAW: Arrests Surrenders 2004 12 5 2005 42 11 2006 49 26 2007 62 27 2008 to 30.09.08 38 32 Government: Contractors Lord Cotter: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which contractors of the Ministry of Justice do not pay their suppliers within 30 days; and what representations they will make to these contractors about withholding retentions from subcontractors, in accordance with the Office of Government Commerce's fair payment charter. Lord Bach: The Ministry of Justice does not hold information about which construction contractors do not pay their suppliers within 30 days or are withholding retentions from subcontractors. To identify and communicate with all suppliers would be disproportionate in terms of cost and time. My department is reviewing recommended action in respect of the OGC's Guide to Best Fair Payment Practice—Construction Procurement 2007. Government: Contractors Lord Cotter: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which contractors of the Department of Health do not pay their suppliers within 30 days; and what representations they will make to these contractors about withholding retentions from subcontractors, in accordance with the Office of Government Commerce's fair payment charter. Lord Darzi of Denham: The department does not centrally collect data on contractors who do not pay their subcontractors within 30 days. The department is committed to the Government's target of paying all satisfactory invoices within 30 days of the date of the individual invoice. The department has recently committed to making payments to small and medium-sized enterprises within 10 days. The retention of the value of work executed by the contractor or any nominated subcontractor on large-scale projects is 10 per cent. Subject to satisfactory completion, this is released in stages on contract completion. This is in line with the Office of Government Commerce's fair payment charter. The department would support a subcontractor if he experienced difficulty getting paid by the department's prime contractor. Gypsies and Travellers Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many pitches there were on local authority Gypsy and Traveller sites in England and Wales in May 1997; and how many there were on the latest date for which figures are available. Baroness Andrews: In January 1997, the biannual count of Gypsy and Traveller caravans found that there were 5,438 pitches on local authority sites in England, accommodating 6,324 caravans. In January 2008, there were 4,902 pitches on local authority sites accommodating 6,696 caravans. The Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for the caravan count in Wales. Health: Diabetes Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: What mechanisms and guidance they have issued to general practitioners to encourage them to offer blood glucose tests to patients not diagnosed with diabetes who have established risk factors; and Whether the deployment of the new vascular checks will include plans to provide priority access for people not diagnosed with diabetes who have established diabetes risk factors and to ensure such people are tested for diabetes as part of the checks. Lord Darzi of Denham: Putting Prevention First, published on 1 April 2008, set out the Government's proposals for a universal, systematic risk assessment programme for people aged between 40 and 74 who are not already on an established disease register. A copy has been placed in the Library. On 13 November 2008 the department published Vascular risk assessment and management: Next steps guidance, to support primary care trusts (PCTs) in implementing vascular checks. A vascular check will include a filter to determine diabetes risk, and those with established diabetes risk factors will be given a blood sugar test. A copy has been placed in the Library. The guidance emphasises the important role that vascular checks can play in tackling health inequalities, and we expect PCTs to develop local implementation strategies that take into account the risk levels in their own population. Healthcare: Clinical Physiology Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: (a) whether they plan to include clinical physiology in a system of statutory regulation; and (b) whether they will publish an implementation timetable for the inclusion of clinical physiology in a system of statutory regulation; and What representations they have received from the Health Professions Council with regard to the inclusion of clinical physiologists in a system of statutory regulation; and What criteria they use when considering whether to bring new groups of healthcare professionals into a system of statutory regulation. Lord Darzi of Denham: The Health Professions Council (HPC) previously made a recommendation to the Government that a group of healthcare scientists, including clinical physiologists, should be statutorily regulated. The Government are considering proposals for the regulation of the totality of the healthcare science workforce, including clinical physiologists, to deliver the commitments outlined in trust assurance and safety. Timescales will be made available in due course, including details of the necessary consultation process. The Extending Professional Regulation Working Group is developing proposals regarding criteria for bringing new groups of healthcare professionals into a system of regulation. The current 10 criteria used by the HPC to assess regulation of new groups are informing this work. The HPC is represented on the working group. House of Lords: Reform Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will hold a public consultation on the number and different types of representatives of faith or belief organisations as part of their proposals for reform of the House of Lords. Lord Bach: The White Paper published on 14 July is the basis for continuing public consultation. In the White Paper we endorsed the conclusion of the Wakeham Commission, that it would be problematic for a reformed second Chamber to represent all faiths in the UK. We are seeking views on whether an appointments commission for the second Chamber (if appointments are to be made) should be required to provide broader faith representation. We are considering the responses we have received as part of developing detailed proposals for Lords reform. Housing Baroness Warsi: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a permanent tree house within the curtilage of a domestic dwelling is taken into account by the Valuation Office Agency when a property is valued for council tax. Baroness Andrews: In the case of a new dwelling, all features of the property that affect value are taken into account in the banding. The test is whether, in the open market, the presence of a tree house would have any material effect on the property's capital value: in general this is unlikely. In the case of an existing dwelling, if the tree house was a later addition that added value, it would only be taken into account when the dwelling was subsequently sold, or let on a lease for more than seven years. Housing: Right to Buy Scheme Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the light of the availability of social housing to rent, they will discontinue or suspend the right to buy scheme. Baroness Andrews: I refer the noble Lord to my Answer to his earlier Question on this subject, in Hansard for 1 October 2007, col. WA162. The Government have no plans to discontinue or suspend the right to buy scheme. India: Orissa Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have or will discuss with the Government of India allegations that certain Hindu organisations are seeking the religious cleansing of those following other faiths in Orissa state. Lord Bach: We believe that there are a variety of factors behind the recent violence in Orissa. On 17 October, my noble Friend Lord Malloch-Brown discussed our concerns with Anand Sharma, Indian Minister of External Affairs, and Mohammed Quereshi, chairman of the Minorities Commission, in New Delhi. We will continue to urge the Government of India to uphold the right to freedom of religion. The issue of religious freedom is due to be raised at the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue in New Delhi later this year. Inquiries: Northern Ireland Lord Glentoran: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much each public inquiry in progress in Northern Ireland has cost; and what is the average monthly cost of running inquiries in Northern Ireland. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The costs to the end of October 2008 of the independent public inquiries currently under way in Northern Ireland are as follows: The Robert Hamill Inquiry £18.20 million The Rosemary Nelson Inquiry £33.42 million The Billy Wright Inquiry £20.21 million The Bloody Sunday Inquiry £184.9 million The Hamill, Nelson and Wright inquiries were announced to Parliament on 16 November 2004. The average monthly cost of running the inquiries in each financial year since then is as follows: Average monthly spend by financial year (£000) Inquiry 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Robert Hamill Inquiry 111 290 516 365 530 Rosemary Nelson Inquiry 138 294 861 856 1,248 Billy Wright Inquiry 15 192 370 739 649 The Bloody Sunday Inquiry was announced to Parliament on 29 January 1998. The average monthly cost of running that inquiry, and the average monthly legal costs paid by the MoD, are as follows: Average monthly spend by financial year (£000) 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 Bloody Sunday Inquiry 40 554 1,047 1,612 1,598 2,148 MoD legal costs 0 101 272 370 538 565 Average monthly spend by financial year (£000) 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Bloody Sunday Inquiry 2,277 1,198 597 793 421 358 MoD legal Costs 534 271 32 22 19 22 Libya: Compensation Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in view of the proposed settlement concerning crimes committed against United States citizens with Libyan support, they will assist British nationals seeking compensation from Libya in the courts of the United States in respect of crimes committed by terrorists trained or armed by Libya. Lord Bach: The conclusion of a government-to-government agreement between the US and Libya on 14 August will provide for compensation for many of the victims of Libya's past sponsorship of terrorism including the British families of the victims of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988. While this is welcome news for these families it is regrettable that the deal will not benefit all UK nationals with cases in US courts against Libya. During the course of negotiations between the US and Libya, the Government made representations to the US Administration that existing UK claimants with claims before US courts against Libya for its past sponsorship of IRA terrorist acts (the McDonald case) should be included in the recipients of any compensation package. But in the event, this proved not to be possible. A key reason for this was that international and US law do not permit the US Administration to espouse the claims of foreign nationals. Also relevant to the US decision was their assessment of how likely it would be that claims would fall within the jurisdiction of US courts, and how likely it would be that they would succeed. We understand from the US that US courts would not have jurisdiction to hear actions by British nationals against Libya. Malawi Lord Steel of Aikwood: asked Her Majesty's Government: In view of attempts to rename the President of Malawi "Life President", what steps they will take to make upholding democracy in that country, in particular the staging of free and fair elections in May 2009, a condition of United Kingdom aid to Malawi. Lord Bach: The UK, with its EU, Commonwealth and other international partners, is working closely with the Malawian authorities, and with the electoral commission in particular, to try to ensure that next year's presidential and parliamentary elections are free, fair and credible. The Government, through the Department for International Development (DfID), are providing £4 million to support the process, including technical preparations (for example to strengthen the capacity of the electoral commission by buying an electronic computerised voter registration system). We are also actively observing the voter registration process. High Commission officials have visited some 200 registration centres in all parts of the country, and we will be discussing our findings with the authorities. Other DfID and High Commission programmes are supporting democratic processes, including strengthening the media and Parliament, and conflict mitigation. New Forest National Park Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the effect of the New Forest National Park management plan on the amount of cycling allowed in the forest. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: I have made no assessment. The purpose of the management plan is for the National Park Authority (in co-operation with its stakeholders) to formulate its policy for the management of the park and for the carrying out of its functions. The New Forest National Park Authority is an independent authority operating within the local government framework and legislation. Parliamentary Ombudsman Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 8 November 2006 (WA 194—5) and 21 May 2007 (WA 79), whether they have established means of collating and making available information about recommendations from the Parliamentary Ombudsman following her investigations. Lord West of Spithead: The Home Office is in regular contact with the Parliamentary Ombudsman in relation to complaints. In particular, there are regular meetings between UKBA officials and members of the ombudsman's office. In view of these arrangements, there are no current plans to collate and make available this information. Pesticides Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 21 October (WA 97), why they abstained in the June vote in the Council on European Union proposals on plant protection products; and what was the tactical or other effect of that abstention. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government welcomed most of the compromise proposal which was put to the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, but remained concerned that no proper assessment of the potential impact of the proposals for endocrine disrupters on agriculture in the European Union, or of their benefits for consumers, was made available. The UK and three other member states abstained from the vote. In accordance with the rules on co-decision, the proposal was adopted with the support of the Commission and a qualified majority of member states. Police: Ethnic Minority Recruits Lord Sheikh: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many black minority ethnic police officers have been recruited by each police force in each of the past five calendar years. Lord West of Spithead: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given in the table attached. Police Officer Minority Ethnic Recruits1 to Police Forces from 2003-04 to 2007-082 (FTE)3 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Avon and Somerset 4 2 4 1 1 Bedfordshire 5 12 9 0 10 Cambridgeshire 6 6 1 0 0 Cheshire 6 0 3 2 0 Cleveland 2 2 6 0 0 Cumbria 4 1 0 1 1 Derbyshire 1 1 3 6 6 Devon and Cornwall 2 1 1 0 2 Dorset 1 0 0 1 0 Durham 4 1 1 0 0 Dyfed-Powys 0 0 1 2 0 Essex 3 7 7 9 10 Gloucestershire 3 2 1 1 0 Greater Manchester 41 32 11 13 22 Gwent 2 0 2 4 0 Hampshire 7 5 13 9 4 Hertfordshire 14 5 8 6 11 Humberside 4 0 0 1 0 Kent 4 8 6 8 23 Lancashire 15 6 5 11 10 Leicestershire 18 6 9 17 13 Lincolnshire 1 2 2 0 0 London, City of 7 8 3 1 0 Merseyside 7 10 7 19 5 Metropolitan Police 500 252 166 215 193 Norfolk 0 0 0 1 1 Northamptonshire 7 6 1 3 5 Northumbria 1 2 5 2 1 North Wales 0 1 0 1 2 North Yorkshire 2 0 0 1 0 Nottinghamshire 7 5 2 1 3 South Wales 3 3 5 7 2 South Yorkshire 9 5 5 7 4 Staffordshire 2 3 3 1 4 Suffolk 3 0 3 2 1 Surrey 3 1 7 19 12 Sussex 4 6 7 2 2 Thames Valley 20 14 15 12 17 Warwickshire 1 5 10 3 0 West Mercia 2 2 1 2 1 West Midlands 49 43 54 35 45 West Yorkshire 16 35 8 15 18 Wiltshire 5 2 1 0 1 Total 795 502 396 441 430 1. Recruits included those officers joining as police standard direct recruits and those who were previously special constables. This excludes police officers on transfers from other forces and those rejoining. 2. Financial year runs 1 April to 31 March inclusive. 3. Full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. Prisoners: Mental Health Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will provide primary care trusts and strategic health authorities with guidance on the implications of the imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence for their commissioning plans for prison mental health services, in the light of the Sainsbury Centre report In the Dark. Lord Darzi of Denham: We welcome In the Dark, the Sainsbury Centre on Mental Health report on imprisonment, public protection sentences and mental ill health, and fully recognise that mental ill health among the prisoner population is high compared with the general population. The report raises some important points about the information available to prisoners and about access to treatment and care that we will certainly incorporate into our offender health strategy to be published early next year. Prisoners: Mental Health Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to ensure that primary care trusts and mental health trusts can commission and provide mental health care for people released on life licence from imprisonment for public protection. Lord Darzi of Denham: The Home Office launched the Five Year Strategy for Protecting the Public and Reducing Re-offending in February 2008. It contains a commitment to look at ways in which offenders receive effective mental health treatment, whether in prison, in a hospital setting, or in the community. Offenders with identified severe mental health problems are subject to the care programme approach during their stay in prison and on release. This is a standardised formula for the care planning of treatment and continuity of mental health care for the individual. This means that on release from prison all should have a care plan and, pre-release, the prison mental health in-reach team inform and share information with the individual's local community mental health team and general practitioner. Race Relations Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the light of levels of homelessness and unemployment and the consequences for race relations, what role they expect local race equality councils to play. Baroness Andrews: Race equality councils do not have a statutory role and the Government do not task them in any way. However, where local race organisations such as race equality councils and race equality partnerships work with local authorities and other local bodies, they can provide important expertise, local knowledge and intelligence to assist them in fulfilling their duties under the Race Relations Act to eliminate unlawful discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different racial groups. Racism Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to take positive action to tackle any institutional racism in the United Kingdom's political bodies. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Government intend to use the forthcoming Equality Bill to broaden the range of voluntary positive action measures which can be taken to the full extent allowed by European law. The Bill will allow political parties to take a wider range of actions in relation to matters regarding their constitution, organisation and administration, including: carrying out an audit of political party membership to identify the proportion of members from under-represented groups and identify where gaps are present;setting targets for recruitment drives;carrying out general and specific or targeted recruitment drives;running mentoring and leadership programmes;setting targets for increasing the proportion of politicians and staff from under-represented groups; andestablishing and supporting in-house forums for under-represented groups. Further, on 12 November the House of Commons agreed to establish a Speaker's Conference which will consider, and make recommendations for rectifying, the disparity between the representation of women and ethnic minorities and disabled people in the House of Commons and their representation in the UK population at large. This will be an important platform to discuss the action needed and we look forward to the findings of the conference. Refineries: Carbon Dioxide Emissions Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will raise the issue of carbon dioxide emissions from flaring at oil or gas wells and refineries in all appropriate international fora; and whether progress is being made towards eliminating such emissions. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The UK has raised, and will continue to raise, the issue of flaring associated gas as appropriate in international fora. We are working with international partners, sharing best practice and encouraging investment in infrastructure to make progress on eliminating gas flaring. But this is a long-term issue which will require action by governments and individual operators in a number of countries to deliver results. Russia: Human Rights Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many judgments of the European Court of Human Rights given against Russia remain unimplemented; and how much compensation awarded to Russian persons is outstanding. Lord Bach: The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe supervises the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. It makes available a simplified global database of all pending cases for execution control. While this database is not completely up to date, as it takes time for judgments to become final and does not include some of the older cases, it is the best available public source of information on judgments that remain unimplemented. The database can be accessed at http://www.coe.int/t/e/human_rights/execution/02_Documents/PPIndex.asp #TopOfPage and includes contact details to follow up any case not listed on the database with the secretariat. The Government fully support the work of the European Court of Human Rights and raise the implementation of the court's judgments with Russia in their bilateral human rights dialogues. Schools: Academies Lord Bates: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who has sponsored each educational academy since its formation; and, in each case, who was the lead sponsor and what were their financial contributions. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: The two tables show the sponsorship arrangements for each of the academies open in September 2008. The first, headed "traditional procurement academies", shows for each academy, where sponsorship is a contribution to capita costs, the total pledged and the amount for which the department has evidence of receipt. In some cases further sponsorship payments will have been received by the academy trust but not yet reported to the department. The second table, headed "endowment sponsorship", shows for each academy where sponsorship is in the form of contributions to an endowment fund, the amounts pledged and the amounts reported so far to the department as received. Traditional Procurement Academies Academy Sponsor Total sponsorship pledged £(000s) Total expected expenditure of sponsor's contribution to end of October 2008 £(000s) Total confirmed capital contribution from sponsor to end of October 2008 £(000s) Manchester United Learning Trust 2,000 1,614 1,614 Lambeth United Learning Trust 2,000 2,000 2,000 Northampton United Learning Trust 2,000 1,295 1,295 Paddington United Learning Trust * 1,500 857 429 Salford United Learning Trust * 1,600 529 214 Barnsley United Learning Trust * 1,500 214 27 Walthamstow United Learning Trust * 1,500 214 27 Sheffield Springs United Learning Trust 1,500 1,500 1,500 Sheffield Park United Learning Trust 1,000 1,000 1,000 Stockport United Learning Trust * 1,500 429 202 Manchester William Hulme United Learning Trust * 950 135 0 North Oxfordshire United Learning Trust (in partnership with Vodafone) 1,500 36 36 Swindon United Learning Trust (in partnership with Honda) 1,500 300 0 Peckham (1) Harris Federation of South London Schools Trust 2,000 2,000 2,986 Harris Academy South Norwood (1) Harris Federation of South London Schools Trust (2) The Whitgift Foundation 2,000 1,126 250 Harris Bermondsey (1) Harris Federation of South London Schools Trust 1,500 500 493 Harris Merton (1) Harris Federation of South London Schools Trust 500 0 0 Harris Girls—East Dulwich (1) Harris Federation of South London Schools Trust 500 0 0 Harris Crystal Palace (1) Harris Federation of South London Schools Trust 1,000 0 0 The King's Academy Vardy Foundation 2,000 2,000 2,006 Trinity, Doncaster Vardy Foundation 2,000 2,000 2,000 Haberdashers'—Hatcham, Lewisham Haberdashers Livery Company 705 705 705 Haberdashers'—Knights, Lewisham Haberdashers Livery Company 296 296 296 Marlowe Roger De Haan & Kent County Council 2,735 2,735 2,735 Folkestone Roger De Haan & Kings School, Canterbury 2,250 2,250 1,501 Walsall Thomas Telford Online & The Mercers Company 2,500 2,500 2,565 Sandwell (1) Mercers Company (2) Thomas Telford Online (3) HSBC (4) West Brom Albion FC (5) Tarmac Group 2,794 2,794 2,743 Telford Madeley Thomas Telford School (CTC) 2,000 500 500 Grace, Solihull Bob Edmiston 2,000 2,000 2,000 Coventry Grace Academy Bob Edmiston 2,000 0 0 Enfield Oasis Community Learning 2,000 308 308 OASIS—Immingham Oasis Community Learning 2,000 83 0 OASIS—Wintringham Oasis Community Learning 2,000 83 0 Burlington Danes, Hammersmith and Fulham ARK 1,500 1,000 1,000 Lambeth 2 Evelyn Grace ARK 2,000 500 0 Southwark 4 Globe ARK 1,500 0 0 Westminster King Solomon ARK 1,500 500 500 Bexley Sir David Garrard 2,410 2,410 2,462 Greig City Academy, Haringey Greig Trust/Diocese of London 2,000 2,000 1,930 Unity City Academy, Middlesbrough Amey Construction 2,000 2,000 1,948 Capital City, Brent Sir Frank Lowe 2,000 2,000 1,993 City of London Southwark Corporation of London 2,000 2,000 2,000 City Academy, Bristol John Laycock 2,499 2,499 1,670 West London, Ealing Alec Reed 2,000 2,000 2,000 London Academy, Barnet Peter Shalson 1,500 1,500 1,490 Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney Sir Clive Bourne (Deceased) 2,150 2,150 1,745 Stockley Barry Townsley 2,000 2,000 1,953 St Francis of Assisi Diocese of Liverpool/RC Archdiocese of Liverpool 2,000 2,000 1,187 The Harefield Academy David Meller/Haig Oundjian/ Jonathon Green 1,500 1,200 335 Dixons CTC, Bradford Dixons Academy Trust 651 651 614 David Young, Leeds Church of England 1,500 1,500 1,000 Westminster Exilarch Foundation 2,000 900 900 Thomas Deacon Academy, Peterborough Deacons Trust 2,000 2,000 1,970 St Paul's—Greenwich Archdiocese of Southwark 2,000 200 200 John Madejski, Reading John Madejski 2,000 2,000 2,000 The Bridge, Hackney UBS 2,000 2,000 2,001 Samworth Enterprise Samworth Brothers/Leicester Diocesan Board for Education 2,443 2,063 2,063 The Petchey Academy, Hackney Jack Petchey Foundation 2,000 2,000 2,000 North Liverpool Liverpool University & Granada Learning 1,000 1,000 0 Bradford Cathedral (1) Diocese of Bradford (2) CoFE 1,000 500 0 Macmillan, Middlesbrough Macmillan Academy Trust 1,250 450 450 Djanogly Academy, Nottingham FORMER CTC 0 0 0 St Matthew Lewisham Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark 2,100 2,100 2,100 Slough Langley Martyn Arbib 2,000 1,500 1,500 Leigh Technology, Kent FORMER CTC 2,000 2,275 2,275 St Mary Magdalene—Islington London Diocese Board for Schools 2,000 1,500 1,500 Bristol—Withywood The Society of Merchant Venturers 2,000 1,050 1,050 Newcastle Excelsior Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay 2,000 2,000 2,419 Corby City Academy Weston Foundation/BeeBee Development/Brooke Weston CTC _ 2,000 1,794 1,794 Ashcroft Technology Academy, Wandsworth Prospect Education (Technology) Trust Ltd _ 960 860 860 Landau Forte College, Derby Landau Forte College 460 460 453 Q3—Sandwell Eric Payne 2,000 0 0 Brooke Weston, Northampton Brooke Weston CTC Trust 461 176 176 John Cabot, Bristol John Cabot CTC 378 207 207 Liverpool Belvedere Girls' Day School Trust & HSBC 980 0 0 Islington—COLA (I) (1) Corporation of London (2) City University 2,000 1,359 1,359 Sandwell—RSA RSA 1,500 1,000 0 Darwen Aldridge The Aldridge Foundation 2,000 0 0 Kingshurst, Solihull Kingshurst CTC Company 1,338 0 0 Bacons, Southwark Bacons CTC 0 0 0 Barnet 2 Wren (1) Diocese of London (2) Birkhamsted Collegiate School ** Hereford Steiner Steiner School Fellowship ** St Mark's Academy—Merton (1) Southwark Diocesan Board of Education (2) CfBT Education Trust ** Where there is more than one sponsor the lead sponsor is the first named. Sponsorship pledged is based on reasonable endeavours. ** Pledged amount to be determined pending signing of Part 2 to the Funding Agreement. Endowment Sponsorship Academy Start Date Sponsors Total Pledge Actuals to Date Gateway Academy 01/09/06 Main Sponsor(s): The Ormiston Trust (Peter Murray) 2,000,000 20,000 Barnfield South Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Barnfield College Further Education Corporation 2,000,000 100,000 Barnfield West Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Barnfield College Further Education Corporation 2,000,000 100,000 Eastbourne C of E Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Diocesean Board of Education for Durham David & Anne Crossland 1,500,000 (between both) 0 George Salter Collegiate Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Ormiston Trust/Shireland Learning 1,500,000 0 Havelock Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): The David Ross Foundation 2,000,000 0 Marsh Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Kent County Council 750,000 750,000 Marsh Academy De Haan Charitable Trust 100,000 Marsh Academy Kent County Council (best endeavours by 23/07/12) 150,000 New Line Learning Academy and Cornwallis Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Cornwallis Online Learning/Kent County Council 2,000,000 500,000 Shireland Collegiate Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Ormiston Trust/Shireland Learning 1,500,000 0 St Anne's Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Diocesan Board of Education for Manchester David & Anne Crossland 1,500,000 (between both 500,000 St Michael and All Angels CE Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Southwark Diocesan Board of Education 2,000,000 500,000 Spires Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): The Pack Foundation/Crown Products (Kent) Ltd 500,000 (between both 0 Walworth Academy 01/09/07 Main Sponsor(s): Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) 1,500,000 0 Abraham Darby Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Haberdashers'/Telford and Wrekin Local Council 750,000 0 Academy 360 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Gentoo Group/Sunderland CC 2,250,000 1,000,000 Archbishop Sentamu Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Diocese of York 2,000,000 0 Ark Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) 1,500,000 0 The Hereford Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Hereford Diocesan Board of Education 1,500,000 0 Longfield Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Leigh Technology Academy Trust/Kent CC/University of Kent Deed of Gift to be agreed 0 New Charter Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): New Charter Housing Trust 2,000,000 0 Oasis Academy Bristol Hengrove 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Oasis Community Learning 1,500,000 0 Oasis Academy Media City: UK Salford 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Oasis Community Learning 1,500,000 0 Open Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Grahame Dacre / Bishop of Norwich 2,000,000 0 Oxford Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Diocese of Oxford/Oxford Brookes University/Adrian Beecroft 1,500,000 0 Pimlico 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Future 2,000,000 0 Priory City of Lincoln Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Priory Trust 6,330,000 sponsorship total across all 3 academies 313,000 sponsorship total across all 3 academies Priory LSST Academy 01/09/08 Priory Witham Academy 01/09/08 Richard Rose Central Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Brian Scowcroft/Andrew Tinkler/University of Cumbria 2,000,000 0 Richard Rose Morton Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Brian Scowcroft/Andrew Tinkler/University of Cumbria 2,000,000 0 Samworth Church Academy, Nottingham 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): David Samworth/Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham 1,500,000 500,000 St Lawrence Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Diocese of Lincoln 1,500,000 0 West Lakes Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Sellafield Ltd/University of Lancashire 2,000,000 0 Accrington Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): United Learning Trust 1,500,000 125,000 Trent Valley Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor: Edu Trust 1,500,000 1,500,000 Shelfield Academy, Walsall 01/01/09 Main Sponsor(s): Ormiston Trust 1,500,000 0 Colston Girls' Academy 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Society of Merchant Venturers No sponsorship requirement Bristol Cathedral School 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Bristol Cathedral School No sponsorship requirement Harris Falconwood 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Harris Federation of South London Schools Trust No sponsorship requirement Oasis Academy Coulsdon 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Oasis Community Learning No sponsorship requirement Oasis Academy Brightstowe 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Oasis Community Learning No sponsorship requirement Oasis Academy Mayfield 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Oasis Community Learning No sponsorship requirement Oasis Academy Lords Hill 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Oasis Community Learning No sponsorship requirement Greensward 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Greensward College No sponsorship requirement New Rickstones 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Greensward College No sponsorship requirement The Maltings 01/09/08 Main Sponsor(s): Greensward College No sponsorship requirement Sport: Swimming Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Swimming Forum represents a cross-section of interests in swimming-related matters. Lord Carter of Barnes: The Swimming Forum comprises a wide cross-section of organisations with an interest in the development of swimming. The forum recognises that there are many aspects to swimming as a sport, including recreational swimming, disabled swimming, and swimming's educational aspects, as well as its many associated disciplines. The forum can consider all matters that can influence the delivery of its core objectives, specifically: swimming teaching and coaching, the development of volunteer and professional structures, facility strategy and management, and health and safety. Sport: Swimming Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Swimming Forum's business is conducted so as to ensure that the Amateur Swimming Association only exercises appropriate influence. Lord Carter of Barnes: The Swimming Forum is an independent forum and all member bodies have equal rights. Membership is open to any recognised body in the United Kingdom concerned primarily with the delivery of swimming activities in swimming pools, and which contributes towards the provision of swimming activities for the community. The forum is currently chaired by the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management, with the Amateur Swimming Association providing the secretariat. Turks and Caicos Islands Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, following Hurricane Ike, they plan to install a meteorological station in the Turks and Caicos Islands to give more comprehensive weather forecasts. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: There are no plans to install a meteorological station in the Turks and Caicos Islands. However, there are already three operational meteorological observing stations located at the islands' principal airports; the information from these stations is integrated into the weather forecasts produced for the islands by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology and the regional hurricane warning service provided out of the National Hurricane Centre in Miami. Voluntary Organisations: Grants Baroness Warsi: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the minimum income or turnover that a charity or voluntary group must have in order to be eligible to bid for Empowerment Fund grants. Baroness Andrews: Having ensured that they meet all the relevant criteria specified by the fund, applicants should have a minimum income of £170,000pa. However, third sector organisations with a lower income may still be able to apply through a partnership where the lead applicant meets all the necessary criteria. Voluntary Work: Young People Lord Cope of Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What payments the Government youth volunteering organisation v has made, or is contracted to make, to public relations consultants; and for what purposes. Lord Patel of Bradford: In 2008-09 the Cabinet Office awarded a grant of £2.6 million for marketing to the independent youth volunteering charity v. The purpose of the grant is to promote youth volunteering, making it an accessible, attractive proposition to young people. V's marketing activity drives young people to vinspired.com where they can discover opportunities to volunteer and their local v contact. V has engaged an agency to develop and implement its ongoing communications activity including public relations. They are paid on a project by project basis. Women in Prison Lord Rana: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they will take to reduce the number of women in prison for minor offences, as highlighted by the United Nations Committee on the elimination of discrimination against women in its concluding observations in respect of the United Kingdom on 18 July. Lord Bach: Sentencing and remand decisions in individual cases are entirely a matter for the independent judiciary within the law and any guidance issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council and the Court of Appeal. The law already makes clear that prison sentences should be given only when the offending behaviour is so serious as to make that the only possible punishment. The Government have consistently expressed their view that offenders who are not violent or dangerous do not need to be in custody and their offending can better be addressed with a community order. The Government have been focusing on finding effective, practical ways of diverting resources into community provision. The CEDAW recommendations will be considered in the context of implementation of the commitments set out in the Governments response to the Corston report.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2008-11-19a

Land Registry Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many dwellings have had their prices or values recorded at the Land Registry since 1 April 2000; and what proportion of all dwellings now have a transaction price or value recorded with the Land Registry. Viscount Younger of Leckie: Land Registry holds information on 23.9m title numbers. Title numbers are made up of residential properties, commercial properties and areas of land. Price paid entries on the register were introduced on 1 April 1990 and since then 13.4m title numbers have at some point had a price paid entry on the register. From 1 January 1995 Land Registry also recorded information relating to11.8m residential properties sold for full market value. This equates to 49.8% of residential properties having a transaction price or value stated recorded. Sovereignty: Scotland Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current estimate of the time it will take, in the event of a “yes” vote in the Scottish referendum on 18 September, for the necessary legislative and administrative preparations to be made for the implementation of independence. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: It is not possible to predict the time needed for the preparations that would be necessary in the event of a “yes” vote in the Scottish referendum.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2014-06-27a

WEU Membership Lord Shore of Stepney: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will list separately the member states, the associated states and those that have observer status in the Western European Union (WEU); and whether they will indicate the main differences, in rights and obligations under the treaty, between the three categories of membership. Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: I will write to the noble Lord separately with the information he has requested. Government Computer Network: Protection The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Government's servers and routers are adequately protected from a "pingstorm" attack. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The counter-measures in place have been carefully designed and are adequate. Millennium Dome: Staffing Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the cost of staffing the Millennium Dome on Millennium Eve and on New Year's Day. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The cost of the hosts employed at the Dome on Millennium Eve and New Year's Day were £87,711 and £215,138 respectively. Other staff of the New Millennium Experience Company worked on both days but did not receive any additional payment to their normal monthly salary which would have been paid in any case. Millennium Dome: Staffing Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the cost of staffing the Millennium Dome site between 31 December 1999 and 31 January 2000. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The cost of staffing the Millennium Dome site between 31 December 1999 and 31 January 2000, inclusive, was approximately £6,410,912. New Millennium Experience Company: Payments to Designers Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many designers awarded contracts by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) have received payments that were (a) greater than, (b) the same as, and (c) less than the sum specified under the terms of the contract. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Payments are being made in all cases according to contractual terms. Some invoices are the subject of normal issue resolution procedures. New Millennium Experience Company: Overtime Payments Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total sum that has been paid by the New Millennium Experience Company in overtime payments since the commencement of the Millennium Dome project. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The total sum paid by the New Millennium Experience Company in overtime since the start of the Millennium Experience Project (March 1997) is £677,418. New Millennium Experience Company: Termination Payments Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total sum that has been paid by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) in compensation since the commencement of the Millennium Dome project to contractors and designers whose employment or contract has been terminated by the NMEC. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: No termination payments have been made by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) to contractors or designers. New Millennium Experience Company/Koch Hightex Dispute Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the legal dispute between the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and Koch Hightex (the company involved in the roofing contract) has been resolved; and what have been the legal costs incurred to date by NMEC in connection with this dispute. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The dispute between the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and Koch Hightex remains unresolved. NMEC's legal costs to date have been £170,000. Millennium Dome Displays: Life Expectancy Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the life expectancy of the displays in each of the zones at the Millennium Dome. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The life expectancy of the displays in each zone varies both between and within different zones. The zone infrastructure, for example, conforms to building regulations and therefore meets the normal minimum 25 years' life expectancy. In respect of displays, exhibition equipment or installations within zones the design contracts specified that they should be operational for the entire duration of the Millennium Experience. Millennium Dome: Living Island Zone Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: With respect to the Living Island zone at the Millennium Dome, on how many occasions during January were the machines available for public use out of action for a period of more than one operational day. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is working to ensure that all initial teething problems encountered following the dome's opening in January are dealt with swiftly. The company has in place an ongoing programme to deliver improvements to the zones, including modifying the machines for public use to make them more robust. Although on some occasions the machines in the Living Island zone ("Hit the Target" and the Arcade games) were out of order for more than one operational day, NMEC's dedicated onsite maintenance team aims to repair out-of-action machines on an hour-by-hour basis as well as overnight. Statutory Interpretation Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider that, in the light of the new procedure for the publication of updated notes on clauses (which provide an extrinsic source of statutory interpretation), the disadvantages of judicial recourse to parliamentary debates for the purpose of construing ambiguous legislation outweigh the benefits of the rule in Pepper v Hart [1993] AC 593. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The explanatory notes now provided alongside Bills and Acts are intended to assist the reader of legislation. In introducing them, the Government did not aim to create an "extrinsic source of statutory interpretation". If the notes are successful in the purpose of helping the reader, they may of course be read by judges as well as by others. The Government's view is that it is for the courts to decide what material they should take into account. New Millennium Experience Company: Appointment of M. Gerbeau Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the response they receive from the chairman of the New Millennium Experience Company to their request for a written account of the circumstances surrounding the replacement by Pierre-Yves Gerbeau. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government have not requested such an account from the chairman of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC). I understand however that the Millennium Commission, in approving the financial package offered to Miss Page, asked for further information. The commission's approval was required by virtue of the terms and conditions of its grant to NMEC. 10 Downing Street Website The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: For what reason the search facility on the 10 Downing Street website is restricted to inquiries dating from 1 January 1999. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The 10 Downing Street website allows users to search for material contained in the whole of the website archive without any date restrictions. It also contains a second facility to allow searches within specific parts of the site and between specific dates. Until the process of ensuring that relevant material from the old site has been transferred to the new archive is finished, this second facility only allows dates after 1 January 1999 to be specified. Once the transfer is complete the specific search facility will be extended back to May 1997. 10 Downing Street Website The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why their policy statement Our Information Age: the Government's Vision is no longer available at the 10 Downing Street website. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: This policy statement dates back to 1998 and is not currently contained in the site's archive. It should be added in due course as the archive is extended back to May 1997. 10 Downing Street Website The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they anticipate that hypertext mark-up language (HTML) links from departmental websites to the new 10 Downing Street website will be updated. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Links to the 10 Downing Street website's home page do not require updating since the address of the site remains the same. Where links existed to specific parts of the site, these will need updating. Departments are being asked to check their websites for any such links and to update them as necessary. All links should be updated shortly. Legislation: Compatibility with EU Law Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 3 February (WA 54), whether it is their position that, whereas Parliament needs to be informed as an aid to parliamentary scrutiny (under Section 19 of the Human Rights Act 1998) whether Ministers consider pending legislation to be compatible with convention rights, Parliament does not need to be similarly informed as to the compatibility with European Community law; if so, what is the justification for this difference; and if not, what is their position. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Human Rights Act 1998 has preserved parliamentary sovereignty. UK courts will not be able to set aside primary legislation that is incompatible with the convention rights; instead the higher courts will, by schedule, be able to make a declaration of incompatibility. Section 19 provides for one of two sorts of statements to be made: either a statement to the effect that a Bill is compatible with the convention rights or a statement that the Minister is not able to make such a statement but that the Government nevertheless wish the House to proceed with the Bill. There is no such statutory framework in respect of European Community law. Strategic Communications Unit The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: To what extent the Strategic Communications Unit has editorial control of the 10 Downing Street website. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: A member of the Strategic Communications Unit acts as editor for the site. Material is prepared and sub-edited by two other members of the unit. All three are established civil servants. Strategic Communications Unit The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 17 February, what various reasons other than the improvements to the No. 10 website account for the 35 per cent increase in the running costs of the Strategic Communications Unit. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: I am grateful to the noble Earl for tabling this Question as it allows me to offer my apologies for inaccuracies in the Answer given to him on 31 January (Official Report, col. WA 12) arising from inadequate checking of figures. The correct figures for the total expenditure of the Strategic Communications Unit are as follows: £77,633 in 1997-98 (during which year the SCU was only functioning for approximately three months); £716,672 in 1998-99; and £839,440 in 1999-2000 (budgeted, not actual expenditure). The rise between expenditure in 1998-99 and the budget for 1999-2000 is approximately 17 per cent. Of this, approximately 86 per cent is due to the additional costs of the redesign and relaunch of the No. 10 Internet site, including the replacement of outdated computer equipment and the creation of two additional established Civil Service posts. Excluding website costs, the rise between expenditure in 1998-99 and the budget for 1999-2000 is 2.3 per cent. There are several reasons for this rise, including a rise in other pay costs due to annual pay increases and the upgrading of one post from Band A to SCS; an increase in spending on books and magazines; and an increase in travel and subsistence costs. Strategic Communications Unit The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of the Strategic Communications Unit's annual running costs can be attributed to the input to the unit by special advisers. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: There are two special advisers employed in the Strategic Communications Unit. To provide the information requested by the noble Earl would enable an estimate to be made of their salaries. In line with the practice of previous administrations, the salaries of individual special advisers are not disclosed as this would breach the privacy of the individuals concerned. The only exceptions are the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, the Prime Minister's Chief Press Secretary and the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, whose salaries are outside the special adviser three-band pay structure. Strategic Communications Unit The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the comments made by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 16 February (H.L. Deb., col. 1220), whether the Strategic Communications Unit is bound by the same guidelines that apply to the Government Information and Communications Service. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Strategic Communications Unit is subject to the Guidance on the Work of the Government Information and Communication Service and the Civil Service Code. Strategic Communications Unit The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are satisfied that the Strategic Communications Unit, in common with the Government Information and Communications Service, is an effective and honourable part of the Civil Service (H.L. Deb., 16 February, col. 1220). Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Yes. Strategic Communications Unit The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: What role the Strategic Communications Unit has in respect of the dissemination of government information; and how the role complements the work of the Government Information and Communications Service. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The role of the Strategic Communications Unit and the way in which that role complements the work of the Government Information and Communications Service is set out in the Mountfield report on the Government Information Service, published in November 1997. Immigration Act Detainees Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many persons are held in detention under the immigration Acts; of these how many are held pending deportation; whether as many as 6,000 persons have been detained during any recent 12-month period; how many current detainees are held in HM prisons; and how many of those in prison were asylum-seekers with undecided cases. Lord Bassam of Brighton: I expect to be in a position to send the noble Lord a substantive reply by 14 March. Prison Accommodation Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have for making the best possible use of the 700 or so available places in Category D (open) prisons; and in particular whether they are considering women's wings or complete conversion of some prisons to female use. Lord Bassam of Brighton: In September 1999 the Director General of the Prison Service announced a review of five open prisons. For some time there has been a significant upward trend in the prison population indicating the need to provide more places in secure accommodation, including provision for female prisoners. Also, because of the introduction of home detention curfew, there were indications that fewer open places would be required. The review will take into account the projected need for open places as the prison population continues to rise and the most efficient way of providing the places required. The review is specifically required to evaluate the proposal to rerole Morton Hall male open prison to a female closed prison. The outcome of the review will be known later in the spring. To ensure sufficient female capacity next financial year, four ready-to-use units at existing female establishments are planned. Over the longer term, a new 450-place female prison at Ashford, near Heathrow, and an additional 360 female places as part of the proposed 840-place prison at Peterborough are planned. HM Prison Armley Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have for HM Prison Armley following an adverse report from the Board of Visitors. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The report from the Board of Visitors raised a number of concerns for Ministers and for the Prison Service. Action has already been taken to address these concerns and the governor of Leeds will continue to ensure that further progress continues over the coming months. My right honourable friend the Minister of State at the Home Office (Mr Boateng) wrote to the chairman of the Board of Visitors on 6 January in response to the report outlining the significant progress made at Leeds in improving conditions for prisoners. I will arrange for a copy of this letter to be placed in the Library. Depleted Uranium Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the approximate cost of testing each patient for presence of depleted uranium in their body. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The MoD estimates that the cost of obtaining and testing a sample of urine from each veteran who participates in the testing proposed in the draft protocol to test for depleted uranium will be approximately £3,500, excluding Ministry of Defence overheads. Armed Forces Meat Supply Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Ministry of Defence is buying meat or meat products from France; if so, how many of what type; and whether the meat is produced to the same standards in terms of feed and housing as meat produced in the United Kingdom. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The supply of food to our Armed Forces is contracted out to "3663" (formerly trading as Booker Foodservice). The Ministry of Defence requires the company to seek the best price in the open market consistent with meeting out quality standard. We also require it specifically to give full consideration to British products, which we look to it to buy wherever they are competitive. Currently all beef for consumption by our UK-based service personnel is British. In addition, 100 per cent of our pork and almost 50 per cent of our bacon and gammon are being sourced in the UK. All products must meet our quality standard and must comply with all relevant UK, EC and other legislative requirements, including prescribed welfare standards, which govern home and imported products, and this is regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. Currently our contractor is sourcing the following meat products from French suppliers, on cost grounds: Estimated Annual Volume Commodity Tonnes Chicken 2,100 Turkey 50 Duck 24 Minced/diced beef (for export outside UK) 110 Beefburgers (processed) 250 Bowman Communication System Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the digitised communication system known as Bowman will be installed in troop vehicles; and when it will be in service. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Bowman will be installed in troop vehicles in time to meet the in-service date, which we expect to be in late 2003/early 2004. Healthcare: Administrative Costs Baroness Castle of Blackburn: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of expenditure on healthcare in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the Netherlands is attributable to administrative costs in each case. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The latest available figures (1996-97) reported by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development are 1- per cent for France, 6- per cent for Germany and 4- per cent for the Netherlands. However, these figures are not reported on a consistent basis, so to make direct comparisons would be misleading. Compared to other health systems in developed countries, the National Health Service is efficient with, for example, shorter lengths of stay in hospital and more intensive bed usage. Studies have also shown it enjoys relatively low administrative costs. Management costs are expected to constitute 4.7 per cent of net NHS expenditure in England for 1999-2000. This compares to some 5.5 per cent when the Government came into office. The Government are delivering on their manifesto pledge that a greater proportion of every pound spent on the NHS will go on patient care not bureaucracy. The Government are committed to saving £1 billion from bureaucracy over the five years from 1997-98. We are on course to do so--by the end of 1999-2000 almost £0.5 billion will have been saved from administration for investment in patient care. State Pensions: Backlog Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government: What immediate steps they intend to take to deal with the backlog of state pensions that have not been paid to new pensioners. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: State pensions are being paid to new pensioners within the normal clearance target timescales. However, due to problems relating to the introduction of the NIRS2 computer system, the additional pension component is not being paid immediately in some cases. The Benefits Agency has put in place contingency arrangements to make clearical calculations of the additional pension component to retirement pension where appropriate. Extra staff have been provided for this. Pig Offal Subsidy The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the light of the Prime Minister's address to the National Farmers' Union Annual General Meeting on 1 February and in particular his statement "I do not rule out futher measures to help [the pig industry]", they have plans to reintroduce the subsidy paid to the rendering industry for the disposal of pig offal which was withdrawn in 1998. Baroness Hayman: The Government have no plans to do so. As the Prime Minister also said on 1 February, any investment by government must be linked to long-term change in the structure of the industry and be part of an agreed overall strategy. The re-introduction of the subsidy to the rendering industry would meet neither of those criteria. British Beef: French Ban Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will bring an action in the French courts in order to open up the French market to British beef; and, if not, why not. Baroness Hayman: The French action is in breach of European law. The Commission has a special role and special powers under the EC Treaty to ensure that member states abide by EU law. It has already begun legal proceedings against the French Government for their failure to lift their ban on the import of British beef. The UK Government have made it clear to the Commission that they expect these proceedings to be pursued vigorously. In the light of this, the Government do not intend to bring a separate action in the French courts. To bring an action would add complication, and the French courts would undoubtedly refer the matter to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The Government do not believe that this separate action would bring about an earlier settlement to the dispute. Common Agricultural Policy Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider the common agricultural policy is delivering each of the five objectives contained in Article 33 of the Treaty of Rome, and in particular ensuring a fair standard of living for the agricultural community; and, if the answer is no, what steps they are taking to put right such a failure to ensure a treaty obligation. Baroness Hayman: The common agricultural policy, as currently structured, does not serve farmers, consumers and taxpayers well. That is why the Government pressed for a radical reform of the common agricultural policy throughout the Agenda 2000 negotiations. We continue to push for further reform. IACS Area Aid Applications Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: By what date they will send out the guidance notes for the harvest in the year 2000 on the integrated administration and control system (IACS) of the common agricultural policy. Baroness Hayman: The documentation pack enabling farmers to make their 2000 IACS area aid applications, which includes an information booklet setting out guidance notes, will begin to be sent out to applicants in England by the end of February and to applicants elsewhere in the United Kingdom shortly thereafter. Epichlorohydrin The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the known toxicological effects of epichlorohydrin on the central nervous system, mitochondria, kidneys and liver; and what are its known mutagenci and carcinogenic properties and the effects upon humans of acute and chronic exposure. Baroness Hayman: Epichlorohydrin was evaluated under the International Programme on Chemical Safety and the report (Environmental Health Criteria 33) was published in 1984. Animal studies indicated that the central nervous system did not appear to be the most significant target. The kidney was particularly sensitive to the toxic effects of epichlorohydrin and degenerative changes in the liver were also reported. The degenerative changes of the kidney described in rats and mice were not reported in humans. Epichlorohydrin is mutagenic in most short-term assays and carcinogenic in long-term studies in experimental animals when administered by inhalation, orally or by subcutaneous injection. It can also sensitise the skin. The EHC evaluation concluded that epichlorohydrin is a possible human carcinogen. Epichlorohydrin The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March 1993 (WA 31-32), whether the stabiliser (Swiss Priority Patent 348284 dated 30 November 1956) was epichlorohydrin; and, if so, what was its action in relation to diazinon in sheep dips. Baroness Hayman: The stabiliser was epichlorohydrin, which acted as a water scavenger in diazinon-based sheep dips, preventing the formation of toxic degradation products such as SULPHOTEPP. Epichlorohydrin The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the stabiliser epichlorohydrin is, or has ever been, used in any other products containing diazinon; and, if so, which. Baroness Hayman: No currently authorised diazinon-based veterinary medicinal or pesticide product contains epichlorohydrin and records show that no expired diazinon-based pesticide contained epichlorohydrin. Identifying whether any previously licensed veterinary medicinal product contained epichlorohydrin could only be done at disproportionate cost. UNIDROIT Convention Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have received advice from the National Museums Directors' Conference on the question of the United Kingdom's proposed accession to the UNIDROIT Convention on stolen and illicitly exported artefacts; and, if so, what that advice was. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: In a letter dated 24 June 1998, Dr Alan Borg, the chairman of the Conference of Directors, National Museums and Galleries expressed the conference's support of the UK acceding to the UNIDROIT Convention. Khmer Sculptures Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the light of the Government of the United States' imposition of emergency import restrictions upon Khmer sculptures in view of the ongoing pillage in Cambodia of sites such as Angkor, they will consider the imposition of similar restrictions upon the import of such materials into the United Kingdom; and under what legislation such restrictions could, if found desirable, be imposed. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Her Majesty's Government have no plans to impose import restrictions upon Khmer sculptures. If it was found desirable to do so, such restrictions could be introduced by modifying the open general import licence issued under the Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954 (as amended), a statutory instrument made under the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 as amended by the Import and Export Control Act 1990. Constable Sketches: Theft Investigation Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Victoria and Albert Museum, following the recovery of two oil sketches by John Constable in January, has discovered how the sketches were stolen in November 1998; and whether such an incident could happen again. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The theft and recovery of the two oil sketches by John Constable from the V&A are the subject of police investigation and possible legal action. Until this process is concluded, it would not be right to provide further details. The museum has reviewed security and has taken additional measures to diminish the risks of a future theft. Museums: Security Arrangements Lord Freyberg: asked Her Majesty's Government: How often the security of works of art in the national museums is reviewed; and how their security arrangements compare with other national museums outside the United Kingdom. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The security of works of art in national museums is kept under continuous review as part of the prudent stewardship of such national assets. Expert advice on security matters is available to museums from the Museums and Galleries Commission. The MGC believes that the United Kingdom compares favourably with the rest of Europe and most of the rest of the world as regards the amount of investment in security arrangements. New Opportunities Fund and Non-maintained Special Schools Lord Baker of Dorking: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 3 February (WA 53), why non-maintained special schools which are charities and non-profit-making are not eligible for the Information and Communication Technology Training for Teachers programme of the New Opportunities Fund. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The ICT training for teachers programme is designed specifically to train state primary and secondary school teachers in the use of ICT in their subject teaching under the national curriculum. Non-maintained schools, including non-maintained special schools, do not have to follow the national curriculum and are therefore not within the priority group targeted by the initiative. Football: Supporters Direct Scheme Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to their launch of the Supporters Direct scheme on 27 January, in what circumstances would supporters be able to take a majority stake in a football club as a result of the introduction of the scheme. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Supporters Direct Unit, when fully operational later this year, will provide advice and assistance to those supporters groups in England which would like to establish supporters trusts as a means of taking a financial stake in their football club. The unit will provide assistance in establishing such trusts but will not be involved in the direct purchase of shares, and nor will any funding be provided by the unit for share purchases. Women's Incomes Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the findings of the Women's Unit's research into women's incomes over their lifetime which was commissioned in spring 1999. Baroness Jay of Paddington: A report on women's incomes over their lifetime was published on 21 February. Copies have been placed in the House Library. The research set out to examine the key features of women's incomes, drawing on existing research and undertaking new analysis. While we have information about income comparisons between individuals at particular points in time, these do not tell us about the impact over women's lifetimes of the pattern and level of their earnings, the effect of the tax and benefits systems and the importance to women's incomes of transfers within families. This new report examines these issues and shows the significant income a woman can expect to forgo over her lifetime in comparison with a man with an equivalent level of education, irrespective of motherhood. The report then analyses the further income forgone by women who have children. In both cases the report highlights the significant impact a woman's level of academic achievement will have on her earnings. The Government will be looking at the implications of these findings on future policies.

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lordswrans2000-02-28a

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland Domestic Rates Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether service personnel in Iraq receive payment of £140 towards domestic rates in Northern Ireland on the same basis as those who live in Great Britain. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: All Service personnel, on operational deployment in Iraq and other designated operational areas, who pay rates in Northern Ireland will be eligible to claim council tax relief on the same basis as those deployed personnel who live in Great Britain. Armed Forces: Pay Lord Selkirk of Douglas: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 21 January (WA 2—3), whether they will provide the figures for December 2007. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: There were no overpayments recorded on the Joint Personnel Administration system for December 2007. There were, however, two underpayments of £105.00 and £37.75 respectively, due to a 24-hour delay in the issue of payable orders. Both underpayments were paid the following day. Bail: Northern Ireland Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they propose to issue new guidance on the granting of bail in Northern Ireland. Lord Rooker: The granting of bail is a matter for the courts and it is for the judge or magistrate, acting on the basis of the information before him or her, to make decisions on individual cases. Banking: Proof of Identity Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether financial institutions obliged to seek proof of identity from long-standing customers under money laundering regulations are required to request a counterpart driving licence in addition to a photocard licence, given that the former contains no additional information on the holder's identity. 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. Bloody Sunday: Saville Inquiry Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the cost to date of the Saville inquiry; and when the inquiry expects to report. Lord Rooker: The cost of the Saville inquiry is £181.2 million (as of December 2007). The tribunal are currently engaged in compiling their final report. The tribunal have advised that it is not possible at this stage to give a precise indication of when the report will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, due to the complexity and volume of evidence with which they are dealing. It is our understanding that the submission of the report is not imminent, and that recent media speculation that the report will be concluded in May 2008 has no basis in fact. Children: Fostering Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all local authorities are (a) assessing the suitability of privately arranged fosterings which have been notified; and (b) visiting children so placed every six weeks in their first year of placement, as required under the Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/1533). Lord Adonis: In the year ending 31 March 2007, the last year for which we have data, in England, out of 1,420 new private fostering arrangements, 1,410 initial visits were carried out; in Wales 57 initial visits were made in respect of 60 notified private fostering arrangements. These initial visits form part of the process for assessing the suitability of private fostering arrangements. We do not collect data on the other safeguarding checks local authorities should be conducting. Information is not held centrally, for England or Wales, on the number of visits subsequent to initial visits. These are devolved matters. While similar arrangements operate in Wales, where the Children Act 2004 also applies, there are different arrangements for private fostering in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Data Storage Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which persons outside the United Kingdom have or will have access to their national forensic databases. Lord West of Spithead: Currently, the only access to fingerprint data by persons outside the United Kingdom is through the law enforcement entity of a sovereign state that has signed the accords and protocols of Interpol. Searches are undertaken by prior consent on a case-by-case basis and are managed by the UK National Central Bureau (UK NCB) of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). There are many initiatives to share DNA information internationally, however, no person or organisation outside the UK has, or will have, access to the National DNA Database (NDNAD). Any requests for information have to be processed by staff in the UK and disclosure is governed by strict guidelines. The advent of the Schengen Aquis and the Prüm Treaty may, in due time, allow further access. However, these interfaces are yet to be defined. Duty-free Allowances Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: To what level the duty-free personal travel allowance will rise from £145; and on what date; and What steps they take to enforce the present duty-free personal travel allowance of £145; and how many persons from outside the European Union passing through the green customs channel with up to £1,000 worth of goods who have been stopped in the last 12 months have been (a) warned and made to pay duty; (b) made to pay duty plus penalties; and (c) prosecuted; and What is the amount of customs duty (including VAT) which was collected from travellers entering the United Kingdom from outside the European Union during the last 12 months; and How many customs officers are currently employed at United Kingdom points of entry; and of these how many could be released for other duties if the free personal travel allowance were raised from £145 to £1,000. Lord Davies of Oldham: On 1 December 2008, the tax-free allowance for travellers entering the EU by air and sea will rise to €430. This equates to about £290, which doubles the current allowance. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have around 4,500 officers who cover UK ports and airports. The officers are employed on a multi-functional basis, working on a wide range of duties, and not solely to enforce the duty-free personal allowance. It is therefore not readily possible to assess the direct impact of raising the personal allowance to £1,000, although any increase in the allowance would lead to an overall reduction in the administrative cost in collecting and accounting for duty. To enforce the current duty-free allowance, officers intercept and challenge passengers following risk-based profiles. They also accept payment from passengers at red points. As statistics are not currently collated in respect of activities in relation to personal allowances, figures relating to the number of travellers with up to £1,000 of goods stopped in the green channel in the last 12 months cannot be obtained except at a disproportionate cost. The total amount of revenue collected from travellers entering the UK in 2007 was £12.8 million. However it is not possible to differentiate between customs duty, excise duty and VAT except at a disproportionate cost. EU: Galileo Project Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the debate on 17 January (Official Report, cols. 1416—9), what were the circumstances in which the commercial backers for the European Union's Galileo project declined to proceed. 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. Falkland Islands: Unexploded Ordnance Lord Trefgarne: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Answer by Baroness Crawley on 29 January, whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the feasibility study relating to the removal of unexploded ordnance from the Falkland Islands. Lord Malloch-Brown: On 20 November 2007 the final report of the joint working party for the carrying out of a feasibility study on the clearance of landmines in the Falkland Islands, and its two annexes, were made available on the Ottawa Convention website at www.apminebanconvention.org/meetings-of-the-states-parties/8msp/what-happened/day-1-sunday-18-november/). The Field Survey Report, produced by Cranfield University, was also made available. I will arrange for copies of all these documents to be placed in the Library of the House. Forced Marriage Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What measures they have in place for preventing forced marriages, both in Britain and between British citizens or residents and persons overseas. Lord Malloch-Brown: The Government's Forced Marriage Unit provides advice and assistance to British nationals facing forced marriage both in the UK and overseas. The unit also offers support to non-British nationals in the UK. The unit undertakes an extensive outreach programme to raise awareness of forced marriage issues among potential victims and relevant professionals. The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Justice, will provide legislative safeguards to victims or potential victims within the UK. The Act is expected to be operational by autumn 2008. Under the Act, guidelines produced by the Forced Marriage Unit for police, health professionals, education professionals and social workers will be reissued on a statutory footing. Gift Aid Lord MacKenzie of Culkein: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether their consultation with charities on measures to increase the take-up of Gift Aid is now completed; and when the report of that consultation will be available. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Gift Aid consultation closed on 30 September 2007. A summary of consultation responses is available on the HM Treasury website and a further report on progress will be made in the spring. Health: Drug Tariff Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the healthcare professionals who advised the Department of Health on reclassification of Part IX of the Drug Tariff were informed that this classification would be used as the basis of a proposed pricing system; and Whether the healthcare professionals who advised the Department of Health on reclassification of Part IX of the Drug Tariff will be reconvened to consider correcting the errors, omissions and inaccuracies identified by industry; and How many errors, inaccuracies and omissions were identified by industry within the Department of Health's new Part IX Drug Tariff categories; and What discussions they have had with (a) the British Association of Urology Nurses; (b) the Royal College of Nursing; and (c) the Association for Continence Advice, to assess the impact on the workload of specialist nurses if the Department of Health's proposals relating to Part IX of the Drug Tariff are implemented; and What assessment they have made of the impact on specialist nurses' ability to comply with (a) the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Code of Professional Conduct; (b) national occupational standards outlined in Skills for Health; and (c) Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency standards on the use of medical devices should the Department of Health impose restrictions on follow up visits to stoma and continence patients; and What assessment they have made of the risk of increased patient infections if visits from specialist nurses are capped, as proposed in the Department of Health's consultation on Part IX of the Drug Tariff. Lord Darzi of Denham: The healthcare professionals who advised the department on the classification were asked to focus on whether or not products could meet similar medical need. They were not asked to consider price. The panel will be reconvened but it will be extended to include representatives from industry and patients. Over 5,000 items are listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff. In relation to the proposed classification that was published in September 2007, 478 editorial changes have been requested; the majority could be considered errors, for example incorrect reference codes. In addition, 124 omissions have been identified mainly as a result of companies' change of ownership during the course of this consultation. These will be corrected when the classification is revisited. The role of National Health Service specialist nurses is outside the scope of this review and we do not anticipate that their workload will be affected. However, officials have met with representatives from the NHS, for example representatives from the Royal College of Nurses and the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists. They have also met with a nurse who specialises in childhood incontinence, as such patients have very special needs. Under their terms of service, dispensing appliance contractors are not required to do anything but dispense an appliance. However, many of them employ nurses of their own; these nurses make home visits to patients at the discretion of the contractor. While we recognise the contribution these individuals make to patient care, we believe that their role is to complement the work of NHS specialist nurses. As such, we need to ensure that they are suitably qualified to deal directly with patients. Given this, in the proposed amendments to dispensing appliance contractors' and pharmacists' terms of service it states: "'Specialist nurse' means a person registered in the Nurses' Part or Specialist Community Public Health Nurses' Part of the professional register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Council under article 5 of the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001". Compliance with this proposed amendment would be the responsibility of the employer, ie the dispensing appliance contractor or the pharmacist. As noted, the role of specialist nurses employed by the NHS is not in scope. There are no restrictions on their ability to provide follow-up visits to users of stoma and incontinence appliances. As such, we anticipate that levels of infection should not increase. However, given the role of specialist nurses employed directly by providers to complement the work of NHS specialists, we will discuss this with interested parties when we next meet. Health: Mixed-sex Wards Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 22 January (WA 33), whether they will collect information on the number of NHS trusts which treat patients in mixed-sex wards; and Whether their assurances that mixed-sex wards in NHS hospitals would be phased out have been based on information from NHS trusts on the number of patients in such wards. Lord Darzi of Denham: Guidance issued to the National Health Service requires the provision of single-sex accommodation, not wards. NHS trusts may provide single rooms, single-sex bays within a mixed ward, single-sex wards or combinations of these types. We have never collected information on the number of trusts who have mixed-sex wards per se. Primary care trusts will, under the requirements of the operating framework, set, publish and implement stretching local plans for improvement, but these will again be based on the provision of single-sex accommodation, not wards. Before including this requirement in the operating framework, we considered a range of information sources, including compliance with the department's core Standards for Better Health, Healthcare Commission inpatient survey data, and Patient Environment Action team assessments. Health: Norovirus Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the effects on NHS hospitals of Norovirus; and what arrangements are in place to deal with any worsening of its impact. Lord Darzi of Denham: The National Health Service has preparation, monitoring and intervention processes in place to successfully manage the extra pressures in the system winter always creates, including Norovirus. The NHS has systems in place to identify pressures locally as they arise and respond appropriately. However, these are local arrangements and there is no national data collection measuring Norovirus prevalence or its day-to-day impact on hospital capacity. The Health Protection Agency assessment is that while Norovirus levels rose earlier than usual in the season, overall the pattern of increase in infections is consistent with that of previous years. All strategic health authorities are continuing active local management of their organisations facing the most pressure. Identity Security Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any projects in the Department for Health have been suspended or delayed due to concerns about identity security; if so, which projects have been delayed; and what the impact on the overall performance and work of the department will be. Lord Darzi of Denham: There are no projects in the department which have been suspended or delayed due to concerns about identity security. Identity Security Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any projects in the Department for Children, Schools and Families have been suspended or delayed due to concerns about identity security; if so, which projects have been delayed; and what the impact on the overall performance and work of the department will be. Lord Adonis: No projects in the Department for Children, Schools and Families have been suspended or delayed due to concerns about identity security. Iran: Amputations Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are making representations to the Government of Iran concerning amputations inflicted on five prisoners in Zahedan and the hanging of 23 persons in 10 days in January. Lord Malloch-Brown: We regularly raise concerns about human rights with the Iranian authorities, both bilaterally and through the EU. On 22 January the EU presidency raised a number of human rights concerns in a meeting with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During this meeting, the EU expressed deep concern about the 13 executions which took place on 2 January 2008 and the amputations that took place on 6 January 2008. The EU reiterated its opposition to the death penalty under all circumstances and urged the Iranian Government to abolish the use of cruel and degrading punishments, such as amputations, and give effect to the moratorium on amputations which the Iranians announced in 2003. We monitor the human rights situation in Iran closely and will continue to raise our concerns. Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights Forum Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What process led to the appointment of Chris Sidoti as chairman of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Forum; how many applications there were; and who carried out the interviews. Lord Rooker: The Government's consultation document A Forum on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland (14 November 2006) and subsequent response to the consultation (12 December 2006) discussed the qualities and competences expected of the chair of the Bill of Rights Forum. In view of the non-statutory nature of the post, its short and limited lifespan and the need for a chairman to be in place quickly, the post was not advertised and formal interviews were not held. Potential candidates with relevant backgrounds and experience were identified and their relative merits assessed against the criteria. The Government are confident that Mr Sidoti, who was chosen for the post, fully met the selection criteria, which were: experience and understanding of human rights, including international human rights instruments, particularly the European Convention on Human Rights;a track record of leadership;proven ability to establish consensus among politically and socially divergent group; and proven ability to analyse and make recommendations on complex issues. Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights Forum Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What expenses the Northern Ireland Human Rights Forum has incurred to date; for what purpose; and how they are monitored. Lord Rooker: The Bill of Rights Forum is tasked with producing agreed recommendations, by 31 March 2008, to inform the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's advice to Government on the scope for defining, in Westminster legislation, rights supplementary to those in the European Convention on Human Rights, to reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland. The forum has been provided with a budget of £441,660 directly from the Northern Ireland Office. As such it is subject to normal departmental budgeting and accounting control regimes. This includes budget setting processes, and monthly reviews of its expenditure. Northern Ireland Office: Entertainment Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the Northern Ireland Office has spent each year since 1997 on entertainment. Lord Rooker: Expenditure relating to entertainment is held as part of the Northern Ireland Office's hospitality budgets. A wide range of external organisations use the facilities at Hillsborough Castle for a variety of events, these organisations are then charged for the services they receive. The following table shows how much the Northern Ireland Office (excluding its agencies and NDPBs) spent on hospitality in each financial year since 1997. Year Expenditure 1997-98 £214,473 1998-99 £322,853 1999-00 £320,230 2000-01 £246,517 2001-02 £221,477 2002-03 £300,430 2003-04 £252,158 2004-05 £193,450 2005-06 £210,772 2006-07 £262,633 Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much funding they have made available for the cases to be made in Northern Ireland for (a) the need for a separate bill of rights; (b) the need not to have a separate bill of rights; and (c) the need not to have a bill of rights. Lord Rooker: The Good Friday Agreement tasks the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission with advising the Secretary of State on "the scope for defining, in Westminster legislation, rights supplementary to those in the ECHR, to reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland". The Secretary of State has not yet received this advice and therefore has not reached any conclusions about a Bill of Rights. Pursuant to the Good Friday Agreement, the Government made a commitment at St Andrews to establish a Bill of Rights Forum to inform this advice. The forum is tasked with providing agreed recommendations to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission that will inform its advice to Government, by 31 March 2008. The forum has been given a budget of £441,660 for this purpose. Police Lord Dear: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will answer Lord Dear's Question for Written Answer tabled on 27 November (HL607); and what are the reasons for the delay. Lord West of Spithead: I replied to the noble Lord on 18 January (Official Report, WA 288). While every effort is made to respond to Written Questions tabled by noble Members within the deadlines set it is not always possible to do so and I am sorry that this has happened in relation to the Question tabled on 27 November [HL607]. Police: Databases Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many individuals' data are stored on the National DNA Database; and, of those, how many (a) are convicted criminals; (b) are currently serving a sentence; (c) have not been convicted of a crime; and (d) have never been charged with a recordable offence. Lord West of Spithead: On 31 December 2007, there were 4,264,451 individuals with a DNA profile retained on the National DNA Database (NDNAD). Of these, an estimated 4,011,954 were sampled by police forces in England and Wales. The most recent figures available on the number of convictions of those on the NDNAD were published in an Answer given in another place, (Official Report, 13 December 2007, col. 761W). It is not possible to provide details of people who are currently serving sentences except at disproportionate cost. It is not possible to provide details of those who have never been charged with a recordable offence. Police: Databases Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the past year, how many sets of fingerprints and biological samples have been taken without consent by each police force in England and Wales. Lord West of Spithead: Data on the number of sets of fingerprints taken without consent are not held centrally by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and cannot therefore be provided. Available information relating to DNA samples indicates that approximately 690,000 DNA samples were taken without consent by police forces in England and Wales in 2006-07. The numbers of profiles derived from these samples which were actually loaded to the DNA database, broken down by force, are shown in the attached table. (Three forces did not return data and figures for these have been estimated). The numbers of samples taken and profiles loaded are higher than the number of persons involved, as some persons are sampled more than once. Police Force No. of subject sample profiles loaded to the NDNAD in 2007 Avon and Somerset 13,800 Bedfordshire 5,682 British Transport 7,759 Cambridgeshire 7,343 Cheshire 9,230 City of London Police 2,192 Cleveland 6,460 Cumbria 5,060 Derbyshire 11,361 Devon and Cornwall 13,322 Dorset 5,976 Durham 5,938 Dyfed-Powys 4,824 Essex 16,890 Gloucestershire 4,675 Greater Manchester Police 26,477 Gwent 5,448 Hampshire 19,473 Hertfordshire 9,197 Humberside 7,166 Kent 16,118 Lancashire 14,415 Leicestershire 7,210 Lincolnshire 6,926 Merseyside 17,186 Metropolitan Police 88,935 Norfolk 6,626 North Wales 6,428 North Yorkshire 7,305 Northamptonshire 4,949 Northumbria 19,212 Nottinghamshire 9,839 South Wales Constabulary 10,575 South Yorkshire 13,868 Staffordshire 11,284 Suffolk 5,637 Surrey 7,791 Sussex 15,595 Thames Valley 21,461 Warwickshire Police 5,050 West Mercia 9,106 West Midlands 36,206 West Yorkshire 25,569 Wiltshire 4,868 Total 560,432 Police: Databases Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: For how many individuals aged 10 to 18 they have bioinformation stored. Lord West of Spithead: As at 21 January 2008, the National DNA Database (NDNAD) held 362,812 profiles from individuals between the ages of 10 and 18 (up to their 18th birthday), from all forces in the United Kingdom, (this includes England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands). The number of profiles held on the database is not indicative of the number of individuals. As it is possible for a profile to be loaded onto the NDNAD on more than one occasion, some profiles held on the NDNAD are replicates. This can occur, for example, if the person provided different names, or different versions of their name, on separate arrests. At present, the replication rate is 13.3 per cent, that is, the number of people whose details are loaded is 13.3 per cent fewer than the number of profiles. Therefore, the estimated number of individuals between the ages of 10 and 18 as at 21 January 2008 is 314,558. Individuals who were under 18 at the time that a DNA sample was taken from them, but were over 18 on this date, are not included in the figures. The IDENT1 database, which holds fingerprints records, cannot provide information on the ages of individuals. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been forced to leave their homes due to intimidation in the past six months. Lord Rooker: I have been advised by the PSNI that five police officers have been forced to move home during the past six months compared to 10 officers during the same period in the previous year. Owing to security implications I am unable to provide details on the cases in question. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many terrorist attacks against Police Service of Northern Ireland officers there have been in the past six months. Lord Rooker: The Chief Constable has confirmed that seven terrorist attacks against the Police Service of Northern Ireland have taken place in the past six months. Attacks of this nature are to be deplored and I urge anyone with any information to contact the police.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2008-02-05b

Animals in Scientific Procedures Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to ban the use of animals in the testing of potential new medicines. Earl Howe: The Government's position is clear on minimising the use of animal testing, and on encouraging the development of other in vitro methods in place of animal testing where this is possible. The Government has a coalition agreement to reduce the number of animals used in scientific research. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is working closely with the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research on a number of projects committed to reducing or replacement of animals in safety testing. It is very important to recognise that at present there are no laboratory methods available to totally replace animal testing of medicinal products. Pharmaceutical legislation requires that before a new medicine is granted a licence, a battery of in vitro and in vivo tests are conducted to establish the toxicity profiles for the medicine. Before humans are exposed to a new medicine for the first time, it is required to go through appropriate tests in animal studies to ensure that the toxicity profile is adequately characterised. As a result of adverse findings from animal studies, a large number of drug candidates do not progress to being tested in humans. Animal tests are also crucial for understanding the absorption, distribution and disposition of the medicine by the body and its therapeutic effect on the body and for detecting unforeseen toxic effects. Only on the basis of a full evaluation of all the available data can it be decided whether it is safe to proceed to clinical trials in humans. It would be unacceptable to expose humans to potentially dangerous medicinal products without knowledge of their toxicity profiles. Animals: Pet Custody Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to introduce a scheme to care for domestic animals belonging to those unexpectedly taken into custody. Lord De Mauley: The Government has no such plans. Offenders should make the necessary arrangements for the care of their animals whilst in custody in the same way as any person who may be unexpectedly away from home. Asil Nadir Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Tankerness on 24 June (WA 87), what were the financial implications for Serco Group plc as a result of the Field Monitoring Officer’s serious misconduct; whether a formal apology was issued to Mr Nadir as a consequence of the Field Monitoring Officer's serious misconduct; and whether the Field Monitoring Officer received a severance package. Lord McNally: What were the financial implications for Serco Group PLC as a result of the field monitoring officer’s serious misconduct: There were no financial implications to Serco Group PLC as a result of this incident. Serco Group PLC’s financial expenditure in this case related to Legal Representation only. Whether a formal apology was issued to Mr Nadir as a consequence of the field monitoring officer’s serious misconduct: A formal letter of apology was written by Serco Group PLC and sent to Mr Nadir’s solicitor Giles Bark-Jones of Bark and Co Solicitors, London. Whether the field monitoring officer received a severance package: The field monitoring officer of Serco Group PLC was dismissed as a result of their actions and was not awarded a severance package. Asylum Seekers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were removed from the United Kingdom upon reaching the age of 18 in the years (1) 2010, (2) 2011, (3) 2013, and (4) thus far in 2013. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Details of removals of former unaccompanied asylum seeking children once they have reached the age of 18 are shown in the following table: Removals of UASCs for the period Jan 2010 to Jun 2013 Final Removals Type 2010 2011 2012 2013 Total no. of Removals Assisted Voluntary Return 37 41 51 24 153 Enforced 99 179 94 67 439 Facilitated Returns Scheme 5 - 5 5 6 Voluntary Departure 19 34 26 15 94 Grand Total 159 254 172 107 692 *Data derived using UASC PiDs provided by Liverpool PU Team for ALL UASC cases **Removals data used from historical removals report 2010-2013 ***‘Voluntary Departure' includes ‘Voluntary - Data matching' and ‘Voluntary - Eurodac' ****All numbers below 5 are rounded to nearest 5. Total is sum of actual figures. The figures provided are sourced from a Home Office management information system which is not quality assured under National Statistics protocols and is subject to change due to internal data quality checking. Figures provided from this source do not constitute part of National Statistics and should be treated as provisional. Charity Commissioners Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what oversight they have of the work of the Charity Commissioners. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Cabinet Office Ministers are responsible for the appointment of the Chair of the Charity Commission and its board members. As the independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales, the Charity Commission cannot be directed by Government. The Charity Commission is answerable to the courts and tribunals for its legal decisions. It is also accountable to Parliament. EU: Food Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 6 November (WA 47) regarding European Union food safety directives, what was the justification for conferring such powers on the European Commission; and what is the reason for limiting them to five years in the first instance. Lord De Mauley: The delegated powers conferred on the European Commission by Regulation (EU) No 1021/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013 concern a very limited number of provisions contained in the annexes to the directives referred to by the noble Lord. They relate to technical aspects of the directives which may need to be updated and amended relatively quickly to take account of technological developments or changes to other international standards. In fact, as a result of pressure from Member States, no powers at all were delegated to the Commission for two of the five directives covered by this Regulation. The UK’s preference is that the duration of delegated powers should be for a fixed period capable of being extended by the same period unless the Council of Ministers or the European Parliament objects. This ensures that there is an inbuilt periodic chance for the delegated powers of the Commission to be reviewed, and brought to an end if any concerns are raised. The period of five years is the standard period for which delegated powers are granted in the food information sphere, and the drafting of the provision is, in all other respects, in line with the specimen provision for powers of a fixed duration contained in the Common Understanding for delegated acts under Article 290 agreed by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. Health: Crohn’s Disease Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve access for people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis to (1) psychological, and (2) dietetic support. Earl Howe: Through our Mandate to the National Health Service, we have asked NHS England to make measurable progress towards making our health service among the best in Europe at supporting people with on-going health problems, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, to live healthily and independently, with much better control over the care they receive. To support commissioners to deliver local services for people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published, Crohn's Disease Management in Adults, Children and Young People, in October 2012, and, Ulcerative Colitis Management in Adults, Children and Young People, in June 2013. The NICE Crohn's clinical guideline states that, “Inducing and maintaining remission as well as optimising nutritional status and growth, and minimising psychological concerns and possible side effects of treatment are fundamental to best practice for all people with Crohn's disease, whatever their age”. This could include access to psychological and dietetic support, if appropriate. The full guideline can be found at the following link: www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/13936/61002/61002.pdf. The NICE Ulcerative Colitis clinical guideline states that, “Access to psychologists and counsellors is important for a range of problems and people with ulcerative colitis may benefit from their input at various stages of the disease”. Psychological support is highlighted as being particularly important if a patient is considering surgery for their disease, and post-operatively, when surgery has taken place. Again, the guideline is clear that psychological support can play a part in patient care, if appropriate. In terms of the role of diet, the guideline set out that, “While there is little evidence that diet plays a significant role in ulcerative colitis … Dieticians can help patients understand the need for a balanced diet and can provide nutritional assessment, advice and support for people throughout the disease process”. Although the guidance is clear that the evidence base for the role of diet in the disease is small, it acknowledges that dietary advice and support may be appropriate for some patients. The full guideline can be found at the following link: www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/14189/64218/64218.pdf. Health: Red Tape Challenge Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Statement by Earl Howe on 19 November (HL Deb, col 858–61), what are the implications of their proposal in respect of the Red Tape Challenge; and, in the light of the one-in two-out approach for regulations, which areas of regulation will be removed. Earl Howe: The Department will announce in December the regulations to be scrapped and improved as part of the Government's Red Tape Challenge and will continue to work to try and meet the One-In Two Out rules. The Department is responsible for key areas of public protection. Many of its regulations are therefore essential to protect patients and the public by ensuring essential standards are maintained. The Department has nevertheless actively embraced the Red Tape Challenge and one-in two out agendas, and has actively sought opportunities to reduce burden and to identify alternatives to regulation where appropriate. Immigration Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many checks were undertaken through the United Kingdom Border Agency employer checking service in 2012-13. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There were 62,300 Employer Checking Service check requests undertaken between 1st April 2012 and 31st March 2013. The figures quoted are not National Statistics but are based on local management information. Immigration Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many persons have been granted indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom as the (1) parent, (2) grandparent, or (3) other dependent relative, of a person present and settled in the United Kingdom, under Rule 317 of the Immigration Rules, from the date that Rule came into effect. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Paragraph 317 of the Immigration Rules came into effect on one October 1994. The published statistics on grants of settlement (indefinite leave to enter or remain) to parents and grandparents (combined) and other unspecified dependants of a person present and settled in the United Kingdom are given in the table below. Grants of settlement by selected category of grant Parents and grandparents Other unspecified dependants Year 1994 2,110 .. 1995 2,010 .. 1996 1,610 .. 1997 1,184 943 1998 1,335 2,880 1999 1,079 2,064 2000 2,436 4,998 2001 1,758 4,572 2002 1,748 4,016 2003 3,089 4,998 2004 1,984 4,302 2005 1,449 4,880 2006 1,469 6,326 2007 1,001 4,344 2008 975 4,781 2009 1,003 5,489 2010 1,766 4,616 2011 1,783 3,118 2012 1,389 2,550 2013 Q1 247 329 2013 Q2 291 366 = Not available. 1. Grants of settlement includes indefinite leave to enter and indefinite leave to remain. 2. The data relates to a range of dependants which includes parents, grandparents and other dependent relatives granted under paragraph 317 as well as other dependants who may qualify for indefinite leave to enter or remain such as Gurkhas and their dependants. 3. Other dependent relatives are included in Other unspecified dependants. 4. Decisions may relate to applications made in earlier years or quarters, and include decisions based on various Immigration Rules. Source: Tables se_02 and se_02_q, Immigration Statistics April-June 2013 and Table 5.3 Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2004 The published statistics do not separately identify parents and grandparents of a person present and settled in the UK. Other dependent relatives of a person present and settled in the UK are included in other and unspecified dependants but are not separately identified. Grants made under paragraph 317 are included within the statistics provided but it is not possible to identify them separately. On 9 July 2012 new rules for adult dependent relatives of British citizens and persons settled in the UK were introduced in Appendix FM. This route is now only accessible to applicants applying from outside the UK. The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on grants of settlement within the Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics April — June 2013 is available from the Library of the House and from: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release. Immigration: Registered Travellers Viscount Colville of Culross: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why non-European Union citizens who are resident in the United Kingdom are not allowed to register for the new registered traveller scheme; and how that compares with the conditions for registration (1) by such citizens for the old iris recognition immigration scheme and (2) by non-European Union citizens who are not resident in the United Kingdom. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Registered Traveller was launched in September 2013, as a pilot scheme with a small cohort of potential applicants so that Border Force can test the processes. The cohort for the Registered Traveller pilot consists of those non EEA nationals who were registered for IRIS. The pilot scheme does not currently include those non EEA nationals who are resident in the UK, but does include those non EEA nationals who are visitors and not resident in the UK. This initial approach allows for comprehensive testing and evaluation of the processes and systems, including the IT. The evaluation of the pilot will inform the criteria for the next cohort to be included on the scheme. The eligibility and Terms & Conditions for the pilot scheme are available at https://www.gov.uk/registered-traveller-scheme Legislation Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how many public bills they have introduced since May 2010; and (2) how many pages of primary legislation resulted. Lord Hill of Oareford: In the first (two-year) session of the current Parliament, 34 Government Bills (excluding financial, Law Commission and consolidation Bills) were introduced, resulting in 3,262 pages of legislation. In the second session, 22 new Government Bills were introduced, resulting in 1,092 pages of legislation. In the current session, 17 new Government Bills have been introduced. This information, together with the data for previous sessions and Parliaments, is available in the Sessional Returns at www.publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm/cmsesret.htm. Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to withdraw British citizenship from Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed following the breach of his terrorism prevention and investigation measures notice and absconsion. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Where the Home Secretary considers that it is appropriate and conducive to the public good to do so, she has the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship. However, if an individual would be rendered stateless by such a decision, it would not be possible to deprive him of British citizenship under current law. National Offender Management Service: Volunteers Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the National Offender Management Service intends to publish an evaluation of its volunteering and mentoring project before it is rolled out further; and, if so, when. Lord McNally: The National Offender Management Service mentoring and volunteering project was set up in 2011 to both develop the infrastructure and improve the capability of the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) in providing mentoring services. Following a competed process, NOMS awarded grant funding to eight voluntary sector organisations. The work included mapping existing mentoring services, and development of the “justmentoring” information hub to improve access to good information about both mentoring and quality assurance arrangements. The work also included developing and supplying guidance and toolkits for engaging specific groups of offenders. The project’s objectives meant the work was not set up to be evaluated and consequently there is no evaluation to be shared. The Ministry of Justice has recently published a rapid evidence assessment on intermediate outcomes of mentoring interventions, a summary of which can be found on the gov.uk website. The justmentoring website and assessment can be found via the following links: http://www.justmentoring.org.uk/. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rapid-evidence-assessments-on-intermediate-outcomes-and-reoffending. NHS: Accident and Emergency Services Baroness Scotland of Asthal: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) NHS accident and emergency units, and (2) NHS walk-in centres, existed in 2010; how many general practitioners and nurses staffed them; what are the corresponding numbers currently; and what impact they forecast that the Urgent and Emergency Care Review will have on those numbers. Earl Howe: The Department ceased to collect data on the number of walk-in centres (WICs) in 2008. Therefore, there is also no data on staffing levels for WICs. No data on accident and emergency (A&E) departments has been collected centrally since 2011. There are therefore no recent figures, although in September 2010 there were 605 total A&E departments including 197 type 1s. Data on the number of nurses or general practitioners staffed in A&E departments is not collected in the format requested. It is for hospitals themselves to decide how many nurses they employ, as they are best placed to do this. Figures for consultants in A&E departments are as follows: Year Number of consultants 2010 1,013 2011 1,100 2012 1,230 NHS England’s Urgent and Emergency Care review will help clinical commissioning groups and National Health Service frontline organisations to find the right balance between providing excellent clinical care in serious complex emergencies and maintaining and improving local access to services for less serious problems. NHS: Accident and Emergency Services Baroness Scotland of Asthal: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the difference in average waiting times for patients in NHS accident and emergency units and walk-in centres since 2010. Earl Howe: There are three measures of waiting times in the NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for accident and emergency departments (A&E). These are time to assessment; time to treatment; and time to departure. There are four classifications of A&E departments in the HES data, type 4 being National Health Service walk in centres. The following table shows the average waiting times for all A&E departments, types 1 to 3 combined, type 4 (NHS walk in centres) and for those where the location of the activity is not known. Information for 2012-13 is not yet available. Mean and median duration to assessment, treatment and departure in all A&E departments, type 1, 2 and 3 combined, type 4 (walk in centres) and for those where the location of the activity is not known. Duration to Assessment 1 Duration to Treatment 2 Duration to Departure 3 Mean Median Mean Median Mean Median 2010-11 All 64.5 10 98.4 58 145.7 130 Types 1,2 and 3 4 65.8 9 95.2 57 146.4 130 Type 4 5 11.6 5 48.0 30 94.8 87 Not known 54.8 12 129.8 68 142.3 130 2011-12 All 33.1 8 75.4 52 138.2 125 Types 1, 2 and 3 4 34.0 8 76.0 52 139.5 126 Type 4 5 16.6 10 36.6 25 63.4 52 Not known 15.9 7 80.9 65 141.7 133 Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre. Notes: Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 1 . Duration to assessment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients’ arrival and their initial assessment in the accident and emergency (A&E) department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is initially assessed. 2 . Duration to treatment: This is the total amount of time in minutes between the patients’ arrival and the start of their treatment. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient began treatment. 3 . Duration to departure: This is total amount of time spent in minutes in an A&E department. This is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is discharged from A&E care. This includes being admitted to hospital, dying in the department, discharged with no follow up or discharged and referred to another specialist department. 4 . Type 1: A consultant-led 24-hour service with full resuscitation facilities and designated accommodation for the reception of A&E patients. Type 2: A consultant-led single speciality A&E service – e.g. ophthalmology, dental, children’s A&E with designated accommodation for the reception of A&E patients. Type 3: Other type of A&E/minor injury activity with designated accommodation for the reception of accident and emergency patients. It may be doctor led or nurse led and treats at least minor injuries and illnesses and can be routinely accessed without appointment. A service mainly or entirely appointment based (for example a GP practice or outpatient clinic) is excluded even though it may treat a number of patients with minor illness or injury. Excludes NHS walk-in centres. 5 . Type 4: NHS walk in centres Mean and Median: The mean (average) and median (middle in ranking when all values are sorted in order) duration in minutes to assessment, treatment or duration. Assessing growth through time (A&E): Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care. NHS: Culture Change Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Statement by Earl Howe on 19 November (HL Deb, col 858–61), what steps they are taking to ensure that there is a change of culture within the National Health Service. Earl Howe: The Government published its further response to the report of the public inquiry into Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust on 19 November 2013. The response set out a comprehensive programme that seeks to ensure the National Health Service has a consistently safe, effective and compassionate culture of care. The response, Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First, has already been placed in the Library. NHS: General Practitioners Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what benefits were gained from ending the staggered training sessions of general practitioners that previously existed under primary care trusts in the Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they estimate to be the cost of reverting to the staggered training sessions of general practitioners that previously existed under primary care trusts in the Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they intend to put in place to ensure that sufficient care can be provided for patients via telephone diagnosis whilst general practitioners in the Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group are receiving training. To ask Her Majesty’s Government who are the contractors for the provision of training in the Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group; and what is the cost of that contract. Earl Howe: Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has informed Departmental officials that general practitioner (GP) training has not been outsourced and it is coordinated internally via the CCG's organisational development team. We also understand that staggered training sessions have not ended — whilst one session on 19 November was not staggered, other sessions in February and April 2013 were - with further staggered training sessions being planned for 2014. By holding a CCG-wide event on 19 November the CCG estimates it saved in excess of £12,000 for that event as compared to holding two staggered events on the same issues. Planning for the event on 19 November 2013 started in April, with GP practices being given four months’ notice to plan cover during the afternoon session. When formal planning began in August 2013, NHS 111 was informed and involved from the outset, and took on extra staff on 19 November to cover any extra demand. NHS: Nurses Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider there to be sufficient nurses in NHS hospitals. Earl Howe: Patient safety is paramount and patient safety experts agree that safe staffing levels should be set locally. It is not for the Government to decide whether there are sufficient nurses in National Health Service hospitals, it is for local hospitals themselves to decide how many nurses they employ, and they are best placed to do this. The Government's response to the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry, Hard Truths: The Journey to Putting Patients First, set out the expectation that from April 2014 and by June 2014 at the latest, NHS trusts will publish ward level information on whether they are meeting their staffing requirements and every six months trust boards will be required to undertake a detailed review of staffing using evidence based tools. The Care Quality Commission through its Chief Inspector of Hospitals will monitor this performance and take action where non-compliance puts patients at risk of harm and appropriate staffing levels will be a core element of the Care Quality Commission's registration regime. Alongside the Government's response to the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry, the National Quality Board and the Chief Nursing Officer have published a guidance document that sets out the current evidence on safe staffing, and builds on the Compassion in Practice action area dedicated to ensuring the right staff, at the right time and with the right skills. This clarifies the expectations on all NHS bodies to see to it that every ward and every shift has the staff needed to ensure that patients receive safe care. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the current means of redress for an appeal regarding health provision for special educational needs and disabilities. Earl Howe: The arrangements are the same as for other health service users. The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 allow a complaint to be made to an NHS body about the exercise of its functions. The Children and Families Bill gives a new duty to health services to provide the services set out in an Education, Health and Care Plan, and the National Health Service mandate covering services for children and young people with special educational needs. Syria Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the current situation in Syria, they have considered relaxing the financial criterion for Syrian nationals resident in the United Kingdom who wish to bring their dependants into the country. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Those granted refugee leave or humanitarian protection in the UK can be joined by an existing partner or dependent child under the provisions for pre-flight family members contained in Part 11 of the Immigration Rules. Such applications are not required to meet the minimum income threshold for a non-European Economic Area (non-EEA) national partner or dependent child which applies under the family rules in Appendix FM. Syrian nationals with settled status (Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain) in the UK continue to have to meet the family rules in order to be joined here by their non-EEA national dependants and we have no current plans to change this requirement. Television Licence Fee: Court Proceedings Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prosecutions have been brought for non-payment of the television licence fee in each of the last three years. To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people received prison sentences for non-payment of the television licence fee in each of the last three years. Lord McNally: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates’ courts and found guilty and sentenced at all courts for installing or using a television receiver without paying the appropriate fee, in England and Wales, from 2010 to 2012, can be viewed in the table. Data reported to the Ministry of Justice covers England and Wales. Data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the respective devolved administrations. Defendants proceeded against at magistrates' court and found guilty and sentenced at all courts for offences relating to installing or using a television receiver without the appropriate licence (1), England and Wales, 2010-2012 (2)(3)(4) Outcome 2010 2011 2012 Proceeded against 164,450 170,645 193,049 Found Guilty 142,380 149,236 164,932 Sentenced 142,380 149,236 164,932 Of which: Absolutedischarge 159 215 232 Conditionaldischarge 532 470 531 Fine 141,682 148,539 164,167 Communitysentence - - - Suspended sentences - - - Otherwisedealtwith (6) 7 12 2 Immediatecustody - - - ‘-‘ = Nil (1) An offence under S 363 of the Communications Act 2003 (2) The figures given in the table 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 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) The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. (5) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates' court for April, July and August 2008. (6) The category Otherwise Dealt With (ODW) includes: one day in police cells; disqualification order; restraining order; confiscation order; travel restriction order; disqualification from driving; recommendation for deportation; and other miscellaneous disposals. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice. Ref: PQs HL 3523 & 3524 Terrorism Baroness Scotland of Asthal: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to ensure the strength of the terrorism prevention and investigation measures notice system. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: We have put in place some of the toughest controls we possibly can in a democratic society to protect the public. As the Home Secretary said in Parliament on 4 November 2013, Official Report, column 31, there are regular reviews of the measures attached to each terrorism prevention and investigation measure (TPIM) notice. The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation reported on these review processes in his report of March 2013 on the operation of the Act. The Home Secretary is clear that all the measures available under the TPIM Act should be used to the fullest extent possible to protect the public. Unemployment Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to assist those over 50 who are unemployed. Lord Freud: The Government, through Universal Credit, the Work Programme and Jobcentre Plus flexibilities, is reforming the welfare system to improve incentives and provide more effective support to those without work. Advisers now have the flexibility to offer all claimants, including older people, a comprehensive menu of help which includes skills provision and job search support. All claimants who are long term unemployed can access the tailored, back to work support, on offer from the Work Programme. Young Offenders Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many juvenile prisoners were held overnight in police cells as a lockout for each of the last five years. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: No young person has been held overnight in police cells due to being locked out of the youth secure establishments in the last five years.

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office EU Action: Parliamentary Scrutiny Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for each government department, from January to June 2014, (1) on how many occasions the scrutiny reserve resolution in the House of Lords was overridden, (2) on how many occasions the scrutiny reserve resolution in the House of Commons was overridden, and (3) in respect of how many documents an override occurred in (a) both Houses or (b) either House. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government seeks to avoid breaching the Scrutiny Reserve Resolutions, continuing to account for overrides in writing to the Committees. The European Union Committee’s Report on 2013-14 (House of Lords Paper 6) published on 1 July 2014, recognised that continued positive engagement between the Committee’s secretariat and Departments has seen the number of overrides fall significantly since 2010, noting that many of the overrides that continue to be recorded relate to sensitive and fast-moving foreign policy matters, which cannot be made public beforehand, and where a scrutiny override may be difficult to avoid. That remained the case in the period January-June 2014 where of the 25 overrides across both Houses, 21 were in this category in the House of Lords and 22 in the House of Commons. During this period, 476 Explanatory Memoranda were submitted.The figures requested are set out below:Department(1). House of Lords Override(2). House of Commons override(a). No. of overrides in both Houses(b). Total no. of overridesForeign and Commonwealth Office19211921Department for Business, Innovation and Skills4224Totals23232125 Turkey Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the alleged harassment by armed soldiers of refugees from the Kobane region of Syria at a camp near Suruç, Turkey. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of reports of alleged harassment of Syrian refugees at a camp near Suruç, Turkey. We have not made representations on these specific allegations, but maintain regular dialogue with Turkey on the humanitarian situation in the region. We recognise the challenges facing Turkey because of the conflicts in Syria and Iraq and appreciate the Turkish government’s considerable humanitarian efforts in the region. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Turkey is now hosting more than 1.6 million Syrian refugees and a further 200,000 Iraqi refugees. Gibraltar: Spain The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Foreign Secretary last met the Spanish Foreign Minister to discuss Gibraltar; and whether there are any plans to do so again in the near future. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has regular discussions with his Spanish counterpart. While they have not yet met to discuss Gibraltar directly, the Foreign Secretary made clear the Government’s well-known position on Gibraltar to the Spanish Foreign Minister in writing when he took office last year. The Foreign Secretary hopes to visit Spain soon and would certainly raise Spain’s policy towards Gibraltar when he does. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), frequently raises Gibraltar when he speaks to his Spanish counterpart, as do other Government ministers. The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Mr Fallon), recently raised unlawful incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters when speaking to Spanish Defence Minister, Pedro Morenés. We stand by our commitment never to enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their wishes. And we will not enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content. Ministers and officials continue to make this position clear to the Spanish government. Saudi Arabia Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the state of freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia; whether they have raised with the government of Saudi Arabia the sentence of 1,000 lashes against Raif Badawi; and whether the European Commission has made any representations in the case of Raif Badawi. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to freely discuss and debate issues, peacefully challenge their governments, exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur. We have raised a range of human rights issues with the Saudi authorities including the right to freedom of expression. We are seriously concerned by Raif Badawi’s case. The UK condemns the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment in all circumstances. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon.Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has raised the matter with the Saudi Ambassador. We have previously raised the case at a senior level with the Saudi authorities. Our embassy in Riyadh has supported two EU demarches on the Saudi government about this case. Saudi Arabia Baroness Wheatcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking over the treatment of Raif Badawi. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are seriously concerned by Raif Badawi’s case. The UK condemns the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment in all circumstances. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has raised the matter with the Saudi Ambassador. We have previously raised the case at a senior level with the Saudi authorities.The UK is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to freely discuss and debate issues, peacefully challenge their governments, exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur. Middle East Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 13 January (HL3931), what assessment they have made of progress in the Israeli investigation of the death of Palestinian Cabinet Minister Ziad Abu Ein. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Israeli investigation into the allegations of wrong-doings by Israeli Defence Force soldiers that led to Palestinian Minister Ziad Abu Ein's death is still pending.A team comprised of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian forensic scientists investigated the death of Minister Abu Ein. They differed on the causes of his death, although they agreed that he died from a blockage of the coronary artery. Syria Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they recognise a de facto existence of democratic administrations in the Kurdish cantons of northern Syria; and if so, what communications they have had concerning their basic needs. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK supports the sovereignty, independence, national unity and territorial integrity of Syria. Neither the UK nor the international community recognises the unilateral decision made by the Partiya Yekitiya Demokrat (PYD) to form a temporary administration in the Kurdish areas of Syria. The UK has consistently made it clear to the PYD that they need to demonstrate commitment to pluralism, respecting other political forces within the Kurdish areas rather than linked to the regime, and willingness to co-operate with the National Coalition. It will be for the Syrians to decide the exact nature of the settlement including whether an autonomous region will be created for the Kurds in Syria.We appreciate the difficulty in delivering aid in northern Syria as a result of insecurity. The UK is working closely with our partners and continues to push all parties to allow the safe, unhindered delivery of aid. Syria Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the right of the cantons of northern Syria to negotiate for themselves in any future process for peace within Syria. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: It will be for all Syrians to decide and agree the exact nature of a future political settlement, including the shape of the constitution. Syria Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the Syrian refugee crisis and the ongoing war in that country, they will reconsider their policy of demanding the resignation of President Assad and promoting peace talks between the Assad regime and the officially-recognised opposition. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Assad regime is responsible for the crisis in Syria; there is no realistic prospect of peace while Assad is in power. The only way to end the violence, and counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, is through inclusive governance which can represent all communities, free from Assad. The UK continues to believe that a negotiated political transition in Syria, in line with the Geneva communiqué, is the only way to end the conflict and alleviate Syria’s humanitarian crisis. The UN is best placed to facilitate any talks between the regime and the opposition designed to help bring about a political settlement. South Sudan Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the United Nations Population Fund's estimate that as many as 25,000 women and girls in South Sudan are at risk of sexual violence in refugee camps; and whether they plan to take any action in the light of that estimate. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK is deeply concerned by the prevalence of sexual violence in South Sudan. We have allocated three million pounds to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Additionally, the UK’s contribution to humanitarian programmes helps to support survivors of sexual violence and make refugee camps safer for women and girls. We continue to press the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) to implement its commitment to end sexual violence, as set out in the joint communiqué between the GoSS and the United Nations of October 2014. South Sudan Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the talks which have taken place in Juba between President Kikwete of Tanzania and President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: President Kiir met with President Kikwete and other leaders assembled in Arusha, Tanzania for the intra-Sudanese People Liberation Movement (SPLM) dialogue. The Arusha communiqué was subsequently signed on 21 January. It remains vitally important that South Sudan’s leaders uphold their commitments to secure peace and form a transition government of national unity through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) - led peace process. Nigeria Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the scale of human rights abuses in Nigeria, with particular reference to the activities of Boko Haram; and what assistance they have offered the government of Nigeria in dealing with those responsible for the abuse. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Over the last year, Boko Haram insurgents have committed widespread human rights abuses across north east Nigeria. These have included bombings, killings, abductions and sexual violence, and have resulted in more than 4000 deaths and over 900 kidnaps. Furthermore the UN estimates that the insurgency has led to over 1.5 million people being displaced. To assist the Nigerian authorities in their fight against Boko Haram, we are providing a substantial package of UK military, intelligence and development support. This includes training and advice to Nigerian units deploying against Boko Haram, as well as intelligence support with the Intelligence Fusion Cell in Abuja and assistance to the Nigerians in bringing increased development and prosperity to the North East. We are working closely with international partners supporting their assistance to the large numbers of people displaced by the conflict in the North East. The UK’s contribution to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) programmes to Nigeria in 2014 is £1.7million. The Department for International Development has provided £1million to support the Red Cross to provide humanitarian assistance in the North East of Nigeria. Saudi Arabia Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the scale of human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, with particular reference to corporal punishment, lashes, beheading and hanging; and what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia both in the human rights context and in respect of the fight against extremism. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government’s position on human rights is a matter of public record. Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) country of concern because of the human rights situation in the country, particularly on the death penalty, access to justice, women’s rights, restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. The UK condemns the use of torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. We regularly make our views known including through the UN Universal Periodic Review process and the FCO’s annual Human Rights and Democracy Report. We also raise our human rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities at the highest level.Saudi Arabia is a key partner in our global counter terrorism efforts, particularly within the region. Saudi Arabia has many years of experience in countering radicalisation and extremism. Continued close co-operation between the UK and Saudi Arabia will remain part of work to protect both UK and Saudi Arabian interests from the threat of terrorism. Pakistan Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the scale of the use and proposed use of the death penalty in Pakistan; and what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan in the context of both human rights and the fight against extremism. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are concerned about the resumption of capital punishment in Pakistan for terrorism cases. Pakistan has over 8,000 prisoners on death row. It has been reported that 500 of these may be affected by this change but it is not clear if all of these prisoners face execution. It is our longstanding policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We fully understand Pakistan’s resolve to protect society from terrorism but there is no conclusive evidence that capital punishment is an effective deterrent. The UK remains opposed to the death penalty in all cases and we have consistently pressed Pakistan on this issue. Lebanon Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the support given by the government of Lebanon to the refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria; and what proposals they have to share this burden. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Lebanon, with international assistance, is providing generous support to over 1.1 million registered refugees from Syria. This is placing huge strain on Lebanon’s infrastructure, economy and local communities. Since the start of the Syria crisis, the UK has provided around £160 million to help Lebanon in supporting and managing Syrian refugees in Lebanon and in easing the pressure on the country’s resources. This support is co-ordinated with that provided by other donors in line with the vision set out in the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), discussed the issue of Syrian refugees with the Lebanese Prime Minister and the Speaker for Parliament when he visited Lebanon in December and emphasised that the UK will continue to provide support to Lebanon. Colombia Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical steps they are taking to follow up the visit of the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict to Colombia in 2014; and how they are supporting civil society in Colombia to work on the agenda they set at the Global Summit on ending conflict-related sexual violence. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: I am proud to work with the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on the issue of sexual violence in conflict and see the leadership that the UK is taking on this issue. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working across Government and around the world to ensure that we make significant progress in addressing impunity and supporting conflict affected states in strengthening their responses to these crimes. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and Mr Hague regularly discuss the implementation of the commitments from the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence, which took place in London in June last year.The Colombian government’s efforts internationally and at home have demonstrated a clear commitment to tackling sexual violence. There is still more to do and the UK is supporting three projects in Colombia through the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative:1. Our Embassy is working with two non-governmental organisations (NGOs), LIMPAL and Casa Amazonia, to directly support survivors of sexual violence, train women’s organisations and connect them to government authorities.2. We are working with DeJusticia and the Attorney General’s Office to train prosecutors to investigate sexual violence in armed conflict, in support of efforts to develop new national standards for investigation and prosecution.3. We are working with NGO Casa de la Mujer to adapt and implement in Colombia the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict (launched at the June Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict), with pilots in two municipalities of the Pacific coast most affected by the armed conflict and with high incidence of sexual violence.In 2015 our Embassy will hold an event during the first week of February to support the campaign against sexual violence, Survivors United for Action, led by Jineth Bedoya. Bedoya is one of Colombia’s most respected leaders on this theme and was a speaker at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. Islamic State Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to create a concerted European and Middle-Eastern effort to deny funding to ISIS, in particular from sales of oil and antiquities, but also from ransoms and private gifts. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Denying the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) access to funds and other resources is a key part of our strategy to defeat ISIL. The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to rally wider international support against ISIL, including at the September North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Summit and at the UN. Under our Presidency in August, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2170 to restrict ISIL’s financial, trade and recruitment network, including through the sale of oil and antiquities. To build on this, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), co-hosted, with US Secretary of State John Kerry, a meeting of 21 European and Middle East coalition countries in London on 22 January. The meeting reviewed our efforts to degrade and defeat ISIL, not just through military force but by addressing the underlying factors such as financing. Agreement was reached to further the work in countering all avenues of ISIL’s finances. Radicalism Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are examining with religious scholars and Arab civil society ways to delegitimise the ideology of jihadis and takfiris. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Recent events in the region have demonstrated how terrorist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al Nusra Front are using violence and intimidation to impose extremist ideology on civilians and commit atrocities. Tackling radicalisation and extremist ideologies and their root causes is a priority for the British Government.As the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), made clear at the UN General Assembly in September 2014, failure to meet people’s needs and aspirations can create a breeding ground where extremist and even terrorist insurgency can take root. It is vital that the underlying grievances that stem from lack of political and economic freedoms and opportunities are addressed. These issues and long-term stability are inextricably linked. The UK is supporting countries as they do this, working with governments and civil society including academics and religious experts, to tackle both short term conflict and support longer-term moves to more open and inclusive government. We welcome initiatives such as the Amman message underlining core values of Islam including tolerance and mutual respect – principles which have inspired gatherings by scholars around the world.We are working with regional and coalition allies to counter ISIL’s twisted ideology. Participants at the Counter-ISIL Coalition Small Group meeting in London on 22 January agreed to work more closely to counter ISIL’s narrative and to encourage moderate Islamic voices to speak out against extremism. We have been clear that defeating ISIL will take considerable time, but we have a comprehensive, long-term and well-coordinated strategy in place. Afghanistan The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the presence of ISIL fighters in Helmand Province in Afghanistan since the withdrawal of British troops; and what assessment they have made of expressions of support for ISIL by some groups in Afghanistan. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of recent media reports suggesting that elements of the insurgency in parts of Afghanistan, including Helmand, have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Alongside our international partners we continue to monitor the situation as part of our close cooperation on security matters with the Afghan government. Syria The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on efforts to degrade and defeat ISIL, in the light of recent reports that one third of Syrian territory is now under ISIL's control. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: In the last six months, the global coalition has conducted over two thousand air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq, with Royal Air Force pilots flying over 6700 hours of surveillance, reconnaissance, refueling and strike missions. Our efforts, and those of the coalition as a whole, have helped check ISIL’s advance and assisted the Iraqis in liberating a number of important towns. Coalition airstrikes are also having an effect in Syria, including at Kobane. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), co-hosted, with US Secretary of State John Kerry, a conference on 22 January to push forward other streams of work including disrupting ISIL’s funding streams, tackling foreign fighters, and countering ISIL’s twisted ideology. In Syria, Assad must continue to bear responsibility for the savage civil war and the harrowing impact it is having on his own people. He is a catalyst of terrorism, not its cure. So it is vital that we keep supporting moderate voices and keep pushing for a political settlement that ends the civil war. We have been clear that defeating ISIL will take considerable time, but we have a comprehensive, long-term and well-coordinated strategy in place. Department for International Development Kashmir Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have provided any financial support for the redevelopment of houses destroyed during recent floods in Indian-administered Kashmir. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The UK government has not received a request from the Indian Government for financial assistance. In 2012, DFID announced that it would end our traditional financial grant aid to India in 2015. From this year on, our partnership will be based on sharing skills and expertise, investing in private sector projects that benefit the poor, and working together on global development issues. Department for Education Children: Education Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children in England do not attend primary or secondary school on a full-time basis. Lord Nash: According to the January 2014 school census (see table attached), all children of compulsory school age in primary schools who are on the school roll attend full time. The table can also be found online as Table 1a of the national tables at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014There are 90 pupils in secondary schools of compulsory school age who are taught part time. The Department for Education does not collect data on the number of children receiving elective home education. Number of children at state funded schools (Excel SpreadSheet, 50 KB) The Lord Chairman of Committees Parliament: Correspondence Lord Norton of Louth: To ask the Chairman of Committees how many items of correspondence were received in the Palace of Westminster in 2014; and, of those, what proportion was received in the House of Lords. Lord Sewel: In total, 2,234,763 items of mail were received in the Palace of Westminster in 2014. The Administration does not count which House each item goes to but estimates that approximately 25 per cent (558,691) of these items were destined for the House of Lords. These figures do not include parcels, courier items or internal mail. Ministry of Defence Military Aircraft: Accidents Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the cause of the accident involving a British Royal Air Force Airbus A330-200 (RRR2740) from Royal Air Force Brize Norton at St John’s, Newfoundland; what was the cost of repairing the damage; and what additional costs were incurred while it was out of service. Lord Astor of Hever: The RAF is undertaking an Occurrence Safety Investigation (OSI) into the incident involving Voyager ZZ331 at St John's International Airport on 19 December 2014. Whilst taxiing to its parking bay under the guidance of ground handling staff, the aircraft's wing struck a hangar. It would be inappropriate to comment further on the cause until the OSI is completed.The costs incurred as a result of the incident are still to be finalised, but the damage caused was relatively minor. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Lyme Disease Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent of Lyme disease in the United Kingdom in (1) sheep, (2) other farm animals, (3) domestic animals, and (4) wild animals; and what action they are taking to reduce the number of infected animals. Lord De Mauley: Defra has made no formal assessment of the extent of Lyme disease in the United Kingdom in livestock, domestic or wild animals. However a number of surveillance studies have shown that the main carriers of the Borrelia organism that causes Lyme disease in people and dogs are small wild mammals (for example mice and voles) and ground nesting birds. Other studies have looked at the role of cattle, sheep and deer as hosts for the intermediate tick host, although these species do not maintain infection with the organism. No action is taken to reduce the number of infected wild animals. Action to reduce the number of infected wild animals could only be taken at disproportionate cost. Control of the disease in people is focussed on public awareness of the importance of preventing tick bites. Factsheets on tick bite risk and prevention are produced by Public Health England and Lyme Disease Action, with further information for patients published by NHS Choices. Veterinary advice on the prevention of infection in dogs is widely available through private practitioners and a vaccine for dogs is now licensed. Horses: Animal Welfare Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which government or local government department is responsible for the welfare of horses on (1) an official Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs registered holding, (2) racecourses for the purposes of racing, (3) private land used for training horses, (4) private land used for stabling or holding horses on behalf of others who own them, and (5) moorland or common land. Lord De Mauley: My department is responsible for government policy on the welfare of horses in England. The devolved administrations are responsible for animal welfare policy in their respective jurisdictions. The owner of a horse is legally responsible for the welfare of their horse wherever it is situated. Home Office British Nationals Abroad: Syria Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the 300 United Kingdom citizens who have returned from Syria have been (1) investigated for criminal acts, and (2) charged with terrorism-related offences or other criminal acts. Lord Bates: The number of individuals currently under investigation for criminal acts is a matter for the police and as such, the Government can not comment on current investigations. Numbers of individuals suspected of involvement in acts of terrorism or criminal matters, arrested and then formally charged with terrorism-related offences or other criminal offences is recorded and collated in the Home Office Quarterly Statistical Bulletin (last published 04 December 2014)(www.gov.uk/government/statistics/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000-quarterly-update-to-june-2014 ). Quarterly Statistical Bulletin - 4/12/14 (PDF Document, 125.9 KB) Telecommunications: Databases Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, on 14 January (HC Deb, cols 819–71), that the proposals in the Communications Data Bill were essential, whether the reference was to the draft bill as considered by the Joint Committee or to the revised proposals developed by the Home Office after the Committee reported. Lord Bates: As my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, has made clear, the Government is committed to ensuring that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have the powers they need to investigate crime, preserve national security and protect the public. These agencies need access to communications data, but capabilities continue to diminish due to rapidly changing technology. Both the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill, which the Noble Lord chaired, and the Intelligence and Security Committee, which looked at this issue in detail, concluded that there was a gap in capabilities which needed to be addressed. The Government indicated at the time that we accepted the recommendations of the Joint Committee and were willing to make the changes necessary to give effect to those recommendations.It is vital that this issue is returned to in the next Parliament, when the provisions in the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act 2014 will sunset, and when Parliament will also be able to consider the findings of the current review into investigatory powers that is being conducted by the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, David Anderson QC. Identity Cards Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of introducing identity cards as a means of tracking the use of public services, monitoring anti-social and criminal behaviour, and collecting immigration statistics. Lord Bates: The Government has no plans to introduce an identity card system for British citizens. We abolished the previous administration's expensive and ineffective identity cards scheme in 2010.Biometric Residence Permits are issued to non-EEA nationals staying in the UK for more than six months. These provide evidence of the holders' immigration status in the UK. The Government has also introduced a series of robust new measures through the Immigration Act 2014 to prevent those migrants here illegally from accessing a range of public services to which they are not entitled. Counter-terrorism Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by the Prime Minister on 25 November 2014 (HC Deb, col 749), how much of the extra £130 million allocated to combat terrorism in 2015–16 and 2016–17 is to be provided to the police counter-terrorism network. Lord Bates: The police will receive an allocation from this funding however, for security reasons, the Government never breaks down the counter-terrorism policing budget into individual grants or allocations for reasons of national security. HM Treasury UK Trade with EU Baroness Morgan of Ely: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the volume of trade between the United Kingdom and the European Union, using the latest figures available, and broken down by England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Lord Deighton: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection of data on goods exported from and imported to the United Kingdom. UK trade data are published by HMRC in the Overseas Trade Statistics and Regional Trade Statistics publications, and via their dedicated website[1]. The volume of trade for each trade flow between the United Kingdom and the European Union by country is reported in the table below. Values in £ thousandsCountry2012 (Jan to Dec)2013 (Jan to Dec)2014 (Jan to Sep)1ExportImportExportImportExportImportEngland110,043,053173,156,060108,018,083178,554,06077,777,230133,841,053Northern Ireland3,163,5903,180,6283,479,0973,218,6442,700,3492,493,340Scotland8,137,6355,059,1178,697,1545,321,0426,277,7203,809,783Wales5,916,0303,365,1136,558,1683,479,1674,435,9022,674,741Unknown22,343,97919,754,49923,483,52425,078,68418,902,87719,035,641Grand Total149,604,287204,515,417150,236,026215,651,597110,094,078161,854,558Source: HMRC Regional Trade StatisticsNote: 1) 2014 data is January to September 2014 year to date inclusive and subject to update2) Trade is presented on a General Trade basis3) EU Trade includes Below Threshold Trade Allocation (BTTA)4) Data is allocated to a region based on the address of the VAT Registered UK trader5) Unknown trade refers to data that cannot be allocated to a region. This includes foreign traders registered for VAT in the UK, Electricity and Gas, Channel Island and Isle of Man Trade and Government trade[1] www.uktradeinfo.com Department for Energy and Climate Change European Energy Charter Baroness Falkner of Margravine: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Energy Charter Treaty. Baroness Verma: A key provision of the Energy Charter Treaty lies in the protection it offers to foreign energy investments. It protects foreign investors against non-commercial risks such as discriminatory treatment, direct or indirect expropriation, or the breach of individual investment contracts. It is the only multilateral Treaty providing legally binding cover for energy investment related matters. There is evidence of over sixty known investor-state disputes based on the provisions of the Treaty. Wind Power Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to review the current rate of subsidy offered to suppliers of energy generated from wind farms. Baroness Verma: There are currently three mechanisms through which wind farms can seek support: the renewables obligation (RO), contracts for difference (CFD) and the small-scale feed-in tariff (FIT).No further comprehensive banding review is planned for the RO scheme. The last review, which reported in July 2012, set support rates through to the RO’s closure to new generation on 31 March 2017. The first allocation round for CFDs is currently underway. It is our intention that established technologies (such as onshore wind) will have to compete on price in an auction in order to secure a contract for support, meaning that only the most cost-effective projects will be built and so CFDs will represent better value for money than the RO. EU state aid clearance for the FIT requires a review of the scheme every three years. The next periodic review is scheduled to take place later this year. Department of Health Lyme Disease Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information, advice and training is provided to doctors and nurses on the symptoms and treatment of Lyme disease; what advice is provided to general practitioners on the reference to specialists of patients exhibiting symptoms of Lyme disease; and which centres provide specialist treatment for that disease. Baroness Jolly: Public Health England (PHE) and the National Health Service have detailed information on the recognition, diagnosis, treatment and management of Lyme disease. PHE has also written a guide on how to refer patients for specialist advice, which is attached. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also has an online guide for general practitioners (GP) and other health professionals. PHE issues a letter to all GPs on an annual basis at the beginning of the tick season describing Lyme disease and highlighting the need to be aware and to recognise the condition. The majority of cases are managed by GPs without reference to specialists, but problem cases can be referred to neurology, rheumatology, cardiology and infectious disease clinics depending on the local provision and of services and patient’s symptoms. In addition to the attached guidance, Suggested referral pathway for patients with symptoms related to Lyme disease, PHE offers a telephone helpline for GPs and consultants to discuss particular cases. PHE works closely with the patient group Lyme Disease Action, who will also represent individuals who have trouble obtaining specialist advice, and can thus help in suggesting potential routes of referral. Lyme Disease Referral Pathway (PDF Document, 41.21 KB)

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2015-01-28

Armed Forces: Courts Martial Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any court martial of British prisoners of war took place in prisoner of war camps. Lord Drayson: Although British forces in enemy prisoner of war camps did conduct disciplinary proceedings in several instances during the Second World War, the legal position, reflecting the international convention governing prisoner of war matters, was that these proceedings could not constitute courts martial under British regulations. Energy: Wind Turbines Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the report by Mr David Rose on the public inquiry into the proposal to site 27 wind turbines at Whinash in Cumbria will be received; and when they plan to take a decision on whether or not to approve the proposal. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Mr Rose submitted his report on 3 February 2006. The content of his report is currently being considered and our decision will be announced as soon as practicable. Fishing: Drift Nets Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: What formal approaches have been made to the Government of the Irish Republic about the impact of Irish salmon drift nets on British salmon stocks; and what has been the response. Lord Bach: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Mr Bradshaw) has discussed this issue with the Irish Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources on a number of occasions. He has urged on the Irish Minister the need to take steps to reduce the impact of the salmon drift net fishery on salmon returning to English and Welsh rivers. In response, the Irish Minister recognised the need to take account of scientific advice on the impact of Irish salmon drift net fisheries on riverine stocks, but also stressed the socio-economic importance of the net fishery in areas where other forms of employment are scarce. House of Lords: Foreign Language Courses Lord Harrison: asked the Chairman of Committees: What foreign language courses funded by the House are available to staff of the House of Lords. Lord Brabazon of Tara: French language classes, run by the Institut Franc"ais, are available to staff of the House of Lords, and are aimed primarily at those who require a working knowledge of foreign languages for their duties. These lessons are paid for from House funds as part of the training budget. In the recent past one member of staff has also run Spanish conversation classes for colleagues. House of Lords: Foreign Language Courses Lord Harrison: asked the Chairman of Committees: What percentage of staff of the House participate in foreign language courses funded in whole or in part by the House of Lords. Lord Brabazon of Tara: At present 36 members of staff, comprising 7.9 per cent of the total staff of the House, participate in foreign language courses funded by the House. NHS: Litigation Authority Baroness Barker: asked Her Majesty's Government: What (a) cost-related and (b) financial targets they expect the NHS Litigation Authority to meet each year; and how successful the authority has been in meeting these targets in each of the past five years. Lord Warner: The Department of Health set five performance targets for the NHS Litigation Authority, which are reviewed annually. Two are cost-related: (i) the ratio of costs to damages and (ii) the costs of claims handling. Additionally, the NHSLA is required to manage its budgets within available resource limits. The NHSLA has either achieved or surpassed all the targets set in each year for the past five years. The NHSLA is also contributing to the delivery of cash-releasing savings and efficiency targets set by the arm's-length bodies (ALB) review of 2004. This review will deliver £500 million per annum savings for redistribution to front-line health and social care by 2008 through the rationalisation of the ALB sector from 38 to 20 ALBs and improved procurement frameworks for the NHS. Railways: King's Cross Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the estimated cost of fitting out the King's Cross box for Thameslink services; how the work will be financed; whether the work has been authorised by the Government; and when the work will be carried out. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Secretary of State announced the go-ahead of the fit-out of the new Thameslink station at King's Cross/St Pancras on 8 February 2006. The project is planned to be completed by the end of 2007. The fit-out of the station is estimated to cost £63.5 million at 2003 prices. The work will be undertaken by London and Continental Railways, and then purchased by Network Rail using funds allocated from the regulatory asset base. Waste Management Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many additional inspectors will be needed to enforce the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2005; and How much of the additional waste collected under the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 will be disposed of by (a) recycling, (b) landfill, and (c) incineration; and, of the waste that will be incinerated, what percentage will be used for (i) heating, or (ii) power generation; and Whether a regulatory impact assessment was made of the costs of implementing the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2005; and, if so, what was the outcome; and In light of the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2005, whether they have calculated the impact on carbon emissions of compelling farmers to transport plastic bottles to authorised disposers rather than incinerating them on site; and Given that farmers may no longer incinerate plastic bottles on their farms, whether the same restrictions will apply to householders living within the curtilage of these farms. Lord Bach: A draft of the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 was issued for public consultation but the regulations have not yet been made and laid before Parliament. The consultation paper is available on the department's website at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/agwaste-regs/consultation.pdf. Following that consultation, and an adverse judgment by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on infraction proceedings by the European Commission against the UK, we are now finalising the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2006. The main purpose of the forthcoming regulations is to repeal the exclusion in Section 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and to apply to agricultural waste the national controls that are already in place to comply with the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) and the Landfill Directive. Our aim is to make and lay the regulations before Parliament by 31 March 2006. The regulations will apply to the agricultural industry the controls that already apply to all other sectors of industry. The consultation paper published with the draft regulations included at Annexe 1 a partial regulatory impact assessment (RIA). A full RIA will be published when the final regulations are made and laid before Parliament. The consultation paper set out in Chapter 3 the five basic options available to farmers for the disposal or recovery of their agricultural waste when the regulations come into force. It is a matter for decision by individual farmers which of these options they use. For this reason, the Government have made no estimate of the amounts of agricultural waste which farmers will dispose of by recycling, landfilling or incineration; or, of the agricultural waste that will be incinerated, what percentage will be used for heating or power generation. The environmental and health benefits of ending on-farm disposal practices such as the open burning of non-natural agricultural waste (e.g. plastic bottles) are discussed in Section 3 of the RIA published with the consultation paper. The RIA estimates total agricultural waste arisings of 355,304 tonnes p.a. (England and Wales) and states in paragraph 10.2 that the department's assumptions, for the purposes of estimating the cost of the proposed regulations, are that: None of the farm dumps which are currently used to dispose of agricultural waste will be able to meet the standards required by the Landfill Directive; 98 per cent of farmers will decide to consign their agricultural waste for disposal off-farm; and all such waste will be consigned for disposal at licensed landfill site. Article 13 of the WFD requires establishments or undertakings which operate under the terms of a permit/licence authorising the disposal or recovery of waste, or a registered permit/licence exemption, to be subject to appropriate periodic inspections by the competent authorities (e.g. the Environment Agency). I understand that the Environment Agency intends to fulfil this requirement in relation to agricultural waste through efficiencies gained from its Integrated Inspection of Agriculture project rather than by engaging additional inspectors. Private householders are not "establishments or undertakings" for the purposes of the WFD and are not therefore subject to the directive's permit/licence requirements. However, the ECJ's judgment on the WFD infraction found that the UK had failed to fulfil its obligations in relation to Article 4 of the directive and the disposal of household waste within the curtilage of domestic properties The proposed regulations will therefore amend Section 33(1)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to make it an offence for a householder to dispose of household waste within the curtilage of a domestic property in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health. Waste Management Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government: Under the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 what is the anticipated additional cost to (a) local authorities, and (b) others in cleaning up fly-tipping waste. Lord Bach: A draft of the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 was issued for public consultation but the regulations have not yet been made and laid before Parliament. The main purpose of the proposed regulations is to repeal the exclusion in Section 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and to apply to agricultural waste the national controls that are already in place to comply with the Waste Framework Directive and the Landfill Directive. The regulations have no direct cost implications for local authorities or others in cleaning up fly-tipped waste. Legislative powers are already in place to deal with fly-tipping incidents, including recovering costs involved in clearing the waste. The Government have implemented a range of further measures through the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 as part of their fly-tipping strategy to assist local authorities and the Environment Agency in dealing with fly-tipped waste.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2006-02-10c

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Plants: Northern Ireland Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether any plant in Great Britain may be brought legally into Northern Irelandunder the Windsor Framework, including those with soil from Great Britain remaining on the roots. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have removed the requirement for a phytosanitary certificate on the movement of plants and seeds, meaning there will be no bar to plants with soil attached being able to move between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Plants will move under the framework of the £120 a year UK-wide plant passport regime. Plants: Northern Ireland Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether any plants or trees will be banned from being brought into Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework. Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government which genera of plants that are banned from being brought into Northern Ireland will remain banned after the implementation of the Windsor Framework; and which will no longer be banned. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have paved the way to allow 11 banned plant species to move again by the time of the next planting season. Those were priority cases identified by industry itself, and we will progress further cases wherever there is industry appetite. These have not been able to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland since the Protocol came into force. Two species - Ligustrum japonicum and L. delavayanum - are already able to move following the Windsor Framework. Plants: Northern Ireland Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether a private individual in Northern Ireland can legally be sent plants or trees from Great Britain, under the Windsor Framework, without the need for professional registration. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Plants and seeds will be able to once again move easily within the UK. Plants will now move within the same plant passport regime as applies throughout the UK. As we put these arrangements into practice we will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure gardeners, farmers and growers can access plants and seeds from a wide variety of sources. Kazakhstan: Politics and Government Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Kazakhstan regarding knowledge sharing and capacity building on (1) sanctions compliance, (2) anti-money laundering measures, (3) regulation of cryptocurrencies, and (4) ‘Know Your Customer’ compliance. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has recently had several high-level engagements with the Government of Kazakhstan, including hosting the UK-Kazakhstan Strategic Dialogue in December, the UK-Kazakh Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Investment in February and the Foreign Secretary's visit to Astana on 18 March, meeting President Tokayev and other senior Kazakhs. In our engagements, we continually emphasise the importance of developing and maintaining a quality business environment to support international investment into Kazakhstan. Although senior meetings have not covered the cryptocurrency regulations, the UK successfully ran a pilot project in 2022 on financial compliance to assess different types of training on tackling illicit finance. International Science and Technology Center and Science and Technology Center in Ukraine Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to join (1) the International Science and Technology Center, and (2) the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: His Majesty's Government (HMG) already engages with the International Science and Technology Center and the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine; we have no current plans to join them. HMG aims to ensure that science and technology underpins Ukraine's recovery and is exploring ways to deepen our connections and engagement with a range of institutions in Ukraine. To date, the focus has been on supporting researchers at risk, a twinning programme for UK and Ukrainian universities and supporting the tech sector, which will be a focus for the forthcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference. Commonwealth: Foreign Relations Baroness Adams of Craigielea: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish (1) details, and (2) minutes, of the meeting of Commonwealth foreign ministers in March. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) was organised and hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat on 15 March 2023. The Foreign Secretary made clear the UK's desire to work with partner nations to deliver tangible benefits for Commonwealth countries and citizens, in particular on trade and investment, climate and values. The Commonwealth Secretariat published details of the meeting on their website: https://thecommonwealth.org/news/commonwealth-foreign-affairs-ministers-meet-discuss-responses-global-crises. British Overseas Territories Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 28 March (HL6679), whether theywill (1) break down Governors' reserved powers in each of the Overseas Territories, and (2) identify which government department is responsible for supporting the Governors in exercising each of these powers. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Inhabited Territories have varying powers and responsibilities devolved to them which are set out in their constitutions. In most Overseas Territories the Governor retains responsibility for external affairs, defence, and internal security. Governors work closely with the elected leaders of the Territories to discharge reserved powers. Each UK government Department has responsibility for supporting the Territories within their areas of competence, including supporting the Governors in exercising reserve powers. Falkland Islands: Fossil Fuels Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with the government of the Falkland Islands to assess (1) the biodiversity, and (2) other environmental, risks of any fossil fuel development there. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government regularly discusses development of a Falkland Islands hydrocarbons industry with the Falkland Islands Government and is working with the Falkland Islanders to ensure they can access UK expertise. Policy on hydrocarbons development in the Falkland Islands is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government. With UK Government support, the Falkland Islands Government is ensuring they are able to identify, assess and manage risks, including environmental risks. Falkland Islands: Fossil Fuels Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government, given their policy of not using UK export credits to fund fossil fuel projects, what (1) diplomatic, or (2) other activities, they are planning to ensure other countries do not offer this type of funding for the Falkland Islands. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: As the Falkland Islands Government is a self-governing Overseas Territory, hydrocarbons development in the Falkland Islands is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government, in accordance with all relevant laws. There is no change to His Majesty's Government's policy of not using UK export credits to fund fossil fuel projects and the financing of a future production phase is a commercial decision for the Falkland Islands Government and the companies involved. We continue to engage internationally in pursuit of global environmental targets. Water: Sustainable Development The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take, together with international partners, to ensure global water security and to advance the global sustainable development agenda after the UN 2023 Water Conference on 22–24 March; and whether this will include commitments to the Water Action Agenda, particularly in view of the conclusions of the UN World Water Development Report 2023. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK played a leading role at the UN Water conference. Delivering the UK's key intervention, Lord Goldsmith called on all for greater accountability, political leadership, and finance for water. Lord Goldsmith also announced our Water Action Agenda contributions including: £18.5 million in new support to strengthen Water, Sanitation and Hygiene systems in up to five countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and seed funding for a £38 million water programme. The UK supports the findings of UN World Water Development Report 2023, and agrees partnership and cooperation are key to achieving equitable access to water and sanitation for all. South Sudan: Refugees The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current state of food distribution among South Sudanese refugees in Arua district, northern Uganda; and what steps they have taken in response to the latest World Food Programme appeal for that area. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Fifty-seven percent of Uganda's 1.5 million refugees are from South Sudan, accommodated mostly in settlements in the West Nile region, bordering Arua District. The UK is committed to providing life-saving assistance and protection to all refugees in Uganda, including nutrition and cash support for food security and to build self-reliance. In financial year 2022/23, the UK Government provided £9.1 million for refugee support in Uganda. We are working with the World Food Programme and other partners to ensure limited resources are prioritised for the most vulnerable. South Sudan: Refugees The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the UNHCR 2023 Regional Refugee Response Plan to assist South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries; and what estimate has been made of how many of the refugees are returning to South Sudan through agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is committed to supporting South Sudanese refugees in the region. In financial year 2022/23, the UK Government allocated at least £156 million in humanitarian support to East Africa. Our support is providing essential services and supplies, including food, clean water, nutritional support and healthcare, to millions of people, including South Sudanese refugees. The UNHCR reports that over 500,000 refugees have returned to South Sudan since the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in 2018. A stable, sustained peace in South Sudan will be essential to allow refugees to return home safely - the UK funds peacebuilding programmes and continuously calls on the Government of South Sudan to implement the peace agreement in full, stop the violence and protect its citizens. Department for Work and Pensions State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask His Majesty's Government why British Citizens who are subject to taxation by HM Revenue & Customs and are living in a British Overseas Territoryare not eligible for an uplift in their state pension. Viscount Younger of Leckie: There is no connection between State Pension uprating and taxation. An individual’s UK State Pension is based on the number of qualifying years on their National Insurance record. The Government has a clear position, which has remained a consistent policy of successive Governments for around 70 years. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide and are uprated abroad where we have a legal requirement to do so; for example in the European Economic Area, or countries where we have a reciprocal social security agreement that allows for State Pension uprating which include the British Overseas Territories of Gibraltar and Bermuda. We have no plans to change this policy. Employment: Disability Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan topublish their employment action plan for disabled people. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government will consult on the Disability Action Plan over the summer and will publish it at the end of 2023. Department for Education Overseas Students Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government which countries international students studying in the UK have come from in each of the last three years. Baroness Barran: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes statistics on higher education (HE) at UK HE providers. Latest statistics refer to the 2021/22 academic year, and can be found at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-11.Table 11 of the HESA’s Student Data includes the number of Non-UK HE enrolments broken down by country of domicile between academic years 2014/15 to 2021/22. Domicile refers to the permanent home address of the student prior to entry of the course. Further Education: Care Leavers and Children in Care Baroness Eaton: To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) looked-after children, and (2) care leavers, went on to Key Stage 5 in (a) the latest year for which figures are available, and (b) the three preceding years. Baroness Barran: The department does not hold information on the numbers of all care leavers who went on to key stage 5. The department does hold and publish information on the activities of care leavers aged 17 to 21 who had been looked after by local authorities in England. This includes information on care leavers in education, but not specifically at key stage 5. The latest statistics are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/1db542fc-b38b-4dd6-c132-08daa787e284.The department also publishes information on pupils who were at the end of key stage 4 in 2018/19 and reports on their destinations in the 2019/20 academic year. The figures show in 2019/20, 5,010 looked after children 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. They may not necessarily be studying key stage 5 learning aims. This data can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/271af2fd-b022-402a-076f-08db29e96c41.The latest information on attainment for looked after children is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/outcomes-for-children-in-need-including-children-looked-after-by-local-authorities-in-england.Information on pupils who were at the end of key stage 4 in 2019/20 and their destinations in the 2020/21 academic year was published on 30 March 2023 on the GOV.UK website. Department of Health and Social Care Coronavirus: Medical Treatments Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 7 March 2023 (HL5695), to which body the recommendations on the relevant cohorts for COVID-19 therapeutics are to be made, as discussed by the Chair of the Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel on 2 February; and whether the preparation of these recommendations included reviewing details within the report Qcovid 4 - Predicting risk of death or hospitalisation from COVID-19, published in August 2022. Lord Markham: The Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel met on 31 January 2023 to review most recent evidence on COVID-19 risk, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research rapid study on those who remain vulnerable to poor outcomes from COVID-19 despite vaccination. Advice is then provided to the four United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers. The evidence considered by the Panel was also shared with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Coronavirus: Immunosuppression Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 14 March (HL5699), and as set out in the attachment to the Written Answer NICE nMABs appraisal committee paper, what assessment they have made of the finding that the prioritised list of people with conditions for which it may be clinically advantageous to receive neutralising monoclonal antibodies prophylaxis numbers 1.8 million. Lord Markham: The Independent Advisory Group (IAG) chaired by Prof. Iain McInnes was commissioned by the Department to consider which cohorts should be eligible for treatment for COVID-19. The report was published on 30 May 2022 and has defined the cohort of patient eligible for neutralising monoclonal antibodies and antivirals treatments for COVID-19. In May, our estimate was that this cohort totals around 1.8 million patients in England. The IAG was also commissioned to consider the cohorts that would potentially be eligible for COVID-19 prophylaxis (PrEP). This report formed part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Single Technology Appraisal considerations into Evusheld as prophylaxis. Whilst estimates have been made as to the total size of this cohort, it is unclear who would be prioritised within these groups should a prophylactic treatment become available. An update to this PrEP IAG report will be published on GOV.UK in due course. Evusheld Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 7 February (HL4942) which confirmed that theexpert working group established specifically to review Evusheld pre-exposure prophylaxis only met twice, the last meeting being on 19 May 2022, why the parliamentary Written Answers provided from that dateuntil 4 July 2022 refer to asking clinicians to advise on the most appropriate option; and what other advice was being received during this period. Lord Markham: The National Expert Working Group is one of the sources of clinical opinion to develop clinical policies. During this period the RAPID C-19 cross-agency group was also set up to review COVID-19 therapies in response to the pandemic. They would consider evidence and analysis from a number of sources, including the Prophylaxis Oversight Group and the UK Health Security Agency. In addition, the Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel considered evidence for COVID-19 risk to help prioritise cohorts for prophylaxis. This informed thinking within the Department and was subsequently shared with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. These groups continued to consider emerging evidence, including published evidence from independent researchers and evidence from the company, after the last meeting of the Expert Working Group. NHS 111 Baroness Jolly: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of people using the NHS 111 online service have been recommended self-care in (1) all of England, (2) each NHS England region, and (3) former Clinical Commissioning Groups, in each year since that service was launched in December 2017. Baroness Jolly: To ask His Majesty's Government how many people visited the NHS 111 website in each year since 2017; and of those, what proportion were to pages relating to minor ailments in each year. Lord Markham: The information is not available in the format requested as NHS 111 online was not fully functional and available nationally until early 2019. A copy of information is attached that shows the proportion of people using the NHS 111 online service from 2019 to 2022 that have been recommended self-care in England, by National Health Service region, and by sub-integrated care board level correlating to former clinical commissioning group areas.Data on the number of people visiting the NHS 111 website in each year since 2017 and the proportion that visited pages relating to minor ailments in each year is not held centrally. NHS 111 online does not provide pages for minor ailments, but triages and directs users to appropriate services or care.NHS 111 online self-care recommendations (xlsx, 37.9KB) Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Energy: Business The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toprovide energy bill relief for businesses. Lord Callanan: The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS), worth £7.3billion, provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure that all eligible businesses are protected from high energy costs this winter period. Following a review of the EBRS, a new Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS) starts on 1 April 2023, and all eligible non-domestic customers, except for those experiencing low energy costs, will automatically receive a per unit discount on their bills of up to £19.61/MW for electricity, and £6.97/MW for gas. Renewable Energy: Housing Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to ensure that green incentives and loans for renewable energy efficiency measures for domestic properties are easy to understand and apply. Lord Callanan: Catalysing the market for accessible green finance is a priority for Government. Our Green Home Finance Innovation Fund, which completed last year, was an early step in supporting the piloting of green mortgages.That Fund is followed by the Green Home Finance Accelerator which launched in October 2022. This programme is making £20m available to lenders to develop and pilot a wider range of green loans products, with a focus on simple, straightforward customer journeys and high-quality advice. Learnings from the pilots will be shared with the lending community in due course to inform the design of future products. Heat Pumps: Manufacturing Industries Lord Dobbs: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made (1) of the proportion of heat pumps installed in the UK that have been manufactured in the UK, and (2) of these, the proportion that contain microchips manufactured in China. Lord Callanan: In 2020, the Government published research that showed that around 30 per cent of the heat pumps installed domestically were manufactured in the UK. This research did not consider the proportion of those heat pumps that contain microchips manufactured in China. However, industry data shows that there are a range of manufacturers from different countries that supply electronic circuit boards and semiconductors to the UK consumer appliance market, and the supply chain is not reliant on manufacturers from any one country. Heat Pumps Lord Dobbs: To ask His Majesty's Government whether their target remains to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028; and what estimate they have made of how many heat pumps have been installed (1) in total so far, and (2) in the past 12 months. Lord Callanan: Our target remains to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028 and we are putting in place an ambitious package of policies to achieve this. From 2008 up to the end of February 2023, the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database shows that 184,065 heat pump installations were registered. The number of heat pump installations in the 12 months to the end of February 2023 were 32,234. However, heat pumps installed without Government funding support and those in new buildings are not typically recorded in the database, with industry sources suggesting installations in new homes could make up a significant fraction of overall heat pump deployment. Hydrogen Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they propose to take in response to theHydrogen Champion Report: Recommendations to government and industry to accelerate the development of the UK hydrogen economy, published in March; and in particular, the recommendation that blending of hydrogen with gas of up to 20 per cent for the gas supply should proceed. Lord Callanan: The Government welcomes the Hydrogen Champion Report, and I met the Hydrogen Champion, Ms Toogood, on 21 March to discuss next steps. The Government will continue to work with Ms Toogood and industry to develop the UK Hydrogen economy and realise the potential of hydrogen. The Government is planning to take a strategic policy decision in 2023 on whether to seek to enable blending of hydrogen in the existing gas distribution network. Further details will be provided this year, including through the government response to our consultation on hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure, which we aim to publish in Q2 2023. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Tree Planting: North of England Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government how many new trees have been planted as part of the Northern Forest project in each of the last three years. Lord Benyon: The Northern Forest is an ambitious landscape scale partnership that aims to establish at least 50 million new trees by 2043 in and around the cities of Liverpool, Chester, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Hull. The government supports the Northern Forest as a contributor to levelling up by supporting new and existing jobs, rural economies, fighting climate change, facilitating nature recovery, and encouraging greater private investment in trees and woodlands. So far, the core partnership of the Woodland Trust, Mersey Forest, Manchester City of Trees, White Rose Forest and Humber Forest have established over 5 million new trees since 2018. The Forestry Commission publishes information on new tree planting annually, including in the Northern Forest. These figures can be obtained from its Headline Key Performance Indicators reports, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/forestry-commission-corporate-plan-performance-indicators. The most recent published provisional statistics are shown below (and is attached): YearHectares PlantedEquivalent in number of trees21/22150168,00020/2169159,000Forestry Commission Key Performance Indicators (pdf, 3500.7KB) Hunting Trophy Import (Prohibition) Bill: Northern Ireland Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government why Northern Ireland has been excluded from the proposed provisions of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, given that a number of EU countries such as France and the Netherlands have similar legislation; and what plans they have to amend the Bill to cover Northern Ireland. Lord Benyon: The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill currently going through Parliament will ban the import of hunting trophies to Great Britain from thousands of species.Strict controls on hunting trophy imports are already in place in Northern Ireland. No permits for importing hunting trophies to Northern Ireland have been issued in the past 5 years. We are exploring whether current controls on imports of hunting trophies to Northern Ireland can be tightened. Cabinet Office Rape Lord Dobbs: To ask His Majesty's Government how many rape allegations were made to the police in England and Wales in each of the last five years; and how many of those resulted in (1) prosecution, and (2) conviction. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the Hon gentlemen Parliamentary Question of 22.03 is attached. The Rt Hon. the Lord DobbsHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW30 March 2023Dear Lord Dobbs,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking for the number of rape allegations made to the police in England and Wales for the last five years and how many of those resulted in (a) prosecution, and (b) conviction (HL6736). The two main sources of crime statistics are police recorded crime and the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW). The CSEW only provides estimates of the prevalence of crime and different crime types as experienced by victims, which may not always be reported to the police.The most up to date figures we have published on rape offences recorded by the police can be found in Appendix table A4 [1], published as part of the Crime in England and Wales; year ending September 2022 [2] . This table provides police recorded rape offences back to 2002. Table 1 shows a subset of table A4 providing the number of rape offences back to the year ending March 2017.Our most recent Sexual offences in England and Wales overview: year ending March 2022 [3] publication provides data on the number of rape incidents recorded by the police. These data are provided in Table 12 for the year ending March 2021 and Table 13 for the year ending March 2022 in the associated Sexual offences prevalence and victim characteristics [4] tables.Unfortunately, we do not hold data on how these offences are treated by the criminal justice system. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) are primarily responsible for court statistics so will hold information on prosecutions and convictions. They publish statistics [5] each quarter which might be of help to you. You can contact MoJ via email at ESD@justice.gov.uk. It may also be beneficial to contact the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as they collate information on prosecution by crime type. You can contact them via Enquiries@cps.gov.uk.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Police recorded rape offences, year ending March 2017 to year ending September 2022 England and WalesOffenceApr 2016 to Mar 2017Apr 2017 to Mar 2018Apr 2018 to Mar 2019Apr 2019 to Mar 2020Apr 2020 to Mar 2021Apr 2021 to Mar 2022Oct 2020 to Sep 2021Oct 2021 to Sep 2022Rape42,06355,00459,92159,10455,65269,90562,86670,633Source: Police recorded crime from the Home Office [1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesappendixtables[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingseptember2022[3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/sexualoffencesinenglandandwalesoverview/march2022[4] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/sexualoffencesprevalenceandvictimcharacteristicsenglandandwales[5] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-justice-statistics-quarterly UK Statistics Authority Response (pdf, 127.1KB) Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Internet: Satellites The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 9 February (HL4988), what estimate they have made of the number of people relying on Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites for internet access. Viscount Camrose: Ofcom estimates that as of October 2022, 13,000 customers have opted for a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband service from Starlink. Based on analysis of Starlink’s data, at least some of these customers are based in areas which do not have access to traditional decent broadband services. Premises may also use satellite services in conjunction with other terrestrial services.Ofcom estimated that at the end of 2021, there were 25,500 fixed broadband satellite connections. This data represents data collected from a non-exhaustive list of UK satellite service providers (excluding Starlink), and most likely to be based on Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) services. Voice Over Internet Protocol Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the resumption by BT of the rollout of Digital Voice, what steps they are taking to ensure that BT identifies the residents qualifying under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the resumption by BT of the rollout of Digital Voice, what assessment they have made ofhow residents without broadband will be ‘switched on’  by BT to access Digital Voice services; and at whose cost. Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the resumption by BT of the rollout of Digital Voice, what assessment they have made of how pay phones will be enabled after switch off. Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government, further tothe resumption by BT of the rollout of Digital Voice, what steps they have taken toidentify people who are digitally excluded; and whether they have undertaken an Equalities Impact Study of the Digital Voice rollout. Viscount Camrose: BT’s PSTN migration process is called the Digital Voice Program. Following their decision to pause their residential migrations in March 2022, BT announced this month their intention to restart their Digital Voice Program in Summer 2023. Since pausing, BT has taken several steps to identify and develop solutions for their customers. BT conducted a detailed internal customer analysis to identify at-risk customers which includes the chronically sick and disabled. These cohorts will receive additional support from BT during their migration process. BT’s planned restart will be prioritising customers with existing full fibre broadband services, little or no landline usage and no identified vulnerabilities.Consumers who are landline-only customers won’t be required to take a paid broadband service from BT if they do not wish to. They will be provided with a dedicated internet connection specifically for their landline service at no extra cost. Customers without access to broadband or mobile coverage will still be able to use their landline for calls, but the technology that underpins it will be different. They will not be migrated to Digital Voice until they have the connectivity they need to make the switch.Public call boxes or “pay phones” will also undergo the upgrade process. Pay phones will continue to work in the same way as they do today, but the technology which underpins them will change.BT has created a Digital Phone Advisory Group which comprises charities and representative groups to advise on how best to support and engage with at-risk customer groups including the digitally excluded. When BT will migrate these customers, they will work closely with local authorities and other local stakeholders to help them make the move as effectively as possible. Department for Transport Merchant Shipping: Medals Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 28 March (HL6776),why the Merchant Navy Meritorious Service medal, which is for meritorious service, has been placed in the category of "efficiency and long service". Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service was placed in the category of Efficiency and Long Service Decorations and Medals by the Royal Household, alongside other awards of a similar nature, such as the Armed Forces Meritorious Service Medals. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Parish and Town Councils: Standards The Earl of Lytton: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to celebrate parish and town councils that have received an award through the Local Council Award Scheme. The Earl of Lytton: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Local Government Association's report Local service delivery and place-shaping: A framework to support parish and town councils, published on 11 August 2021; and what plans they have to raise awareness of the report in central and local government. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government recognise that parish and town councils play an important role in improving the quality of life and well-being of their communities. Parish and town councils often have a close understanding of what their communities want and that is why we fully encourage schemes that support their achievements and frameworks that help improve local service delivery.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2023-04-05

EU: Subsidised Food Exports Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are aware of any estimates of the number of people in the developing world who may be dying annually as a result of food subsidised by the European Union's common agricultural policy being released on their local markets; and, if so, whether they agree with those estimates. Baroness Amos: The Government are not currently undertaking any analysis of potential impacts on mortality rates of subsidised European Union food exports to developing countries, nor are we aware of other research on this issue. The Government do, however recognise the damaging economic impact that trade-distorting subsidies in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries have on developing countries and we are committed to securing reductions in these subsidies, through reform of the common agricultural policy and the World Trade Organisation talks. The common agricultural policy reform package agreed by EU Agriculture Ministers on 26 June last year marks a significant shift in the EU's agricultural policy. The decoupling of subsidies from production should increase the market orientation of European farmers, leading to reductions in production and disposal of subsidised surpluses abroad. The Government also fully support the commitment made at the World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting in 2001 "to reduce, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies, and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support". These commitments have been further progressed in the World Trade Organisation through the Framework Agreement reached in August this year. Iraq: Uranium Procurement Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the comprehensive report of the special adviser to the Director of Central Intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction that there was no evidence that Iraq had attempted to import uranium since 1982; and, if not, for what reasons. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Iraq Survey Group (ISG) report concludes that there is no evidence to suggest that Iraq sought to procure uranium from Africa in the 1990s. The Government continue to believe that credible evidence exists to support the assertion made in the September 2002 dossier. Lord Butler of Brockwell's review upheld that belief. The Government have accepted in full the findings of Lord Butler's review. The UK was not in a position to share all the intelligence on this issue with the ISG. Democratic Republic of Congo: MONUC Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are satisfied that the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) has sufficient resources to carry out the tasks given to it in the revised mandate of Security Council Resolution 1565 of 1 October. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Security Council Resolution 1565 of 1 October authorised the deployment of a further 5,900 military personnel with the necessary specialist force enablers. We expect this enhancement of the mission to improve its effectiveness and to enable it to carry out the given tasks. An assessment mission from the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations has recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo where it undertook further detailed planning for the troop increases and looked in detail at the restructuring and reorganisation of the mission to improve its effectiveness. Democratic Republic of Congo: MONUC Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) took to—(a) prevent the armed attack on Kilwa, Ituri province, by forces under the command of Alain Ilunga Mukalyi; (b) to stop the torture and killings of civilians in Kaliko by the People's Armed Forces of Congo under Jérome Kakwavu; and (c) to apprehend the alleged 8,500 Interahamwe génocidaires still sheltering in South Kivu. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: MONUC does not have a military presence in Kilwa which is situated in Katanga. There was no specific information or warning of the attack prior to it taking place. MONUC has a brigade employed in Ituri but in such a large area there is difficulty in identifying or apprehending the militia forces as most come from the local community. MONUC was not made aware of any attacks until after they had been perpetrated. MONUC has already repatriated over 11,000 foreign combatants. UN Resolution 1565 authorised MONUC to undertake voluntary repatriation and to continue to work with the forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo to locate the remaining ex-FAR/Interhamwe and encourage them to enter the Disarmament, Demobilisation, Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration programme. Democratic Republic of Congo: MONUC Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are satisfied that the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the contributing states (including the United Kingdom) between them have sufficiently robust and effective procedures in place to ensure that crimes by their own personnel are brought to court. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: There have been no allegations against UK personnel serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). I can assure the noble Lord that any such allegations would be thoroughly investigated and the appropriate action taken. There is a system in place within the United Nations Mission in the DRC to investigate offences by its personnel. In addition, the UK supports the Security Council's call in its Resoution 1565 for troop contributing countries to take appropriate disciplinary and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of misconduct involving their personnel. Russia: Social Inclusion and Social Services Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have discussed policies of social inclusion and appropriate social services in Russia with the Russian Government; and, if not, whether they will seek the opportunities for such dialogue. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We regularly engage with the Russian authorities on social inclusion. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Bill Rammell, discussed various aspects of social inclusion with the Russian Human Rights Ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, during his visit to Moscow in April this year. This subject was also covered during the official level bilateral UK-Russia human rights talks held at the FCO in September. It is due to be discussed again during Mr Lukin's scheduled visit to the UK later this month. Outside these discussions, the Department for International Development is actively engaged with federal and regional authorities in Russia on a range of programmes and activities designed to support planned reforms in the areas of social inclusion and social services. Similarly, the FCO is spending around £900,000 this financial year on projects in Russia which are aimed at encouraging social inclusion coupled with the protection of individual rights. Afghanistan: Opium Trade Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the estimated value of the opium economy in Afghanistan in 2003; what initiatives the Government have taken to help reduce the cultivation, processing and trade in drugs during 2004; and what reduction in the 2003 figure they expect will be achieved in 2004 and 2005 respectively Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2003 Opium Survey assesses the income of Afghan opium farmers and traffickers in 2003 to be some 2.3 billion dollars, equivalent to 50 per cent of Afghanistan's estimated legitimate GDP. The UK has committed more than £70 million over three years for counternarcotics activity, plus significant development funding and support to develop alternative livelihoods for farmers dependent on opium cultivation. The UK is helping the Afghan Government to build up the institutions which are fundamental to long-term success. In the first year of implementation of the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy, the basic counternarcotics structures have been put in place: drug control legislation, a Counter Narcotics Directorate, the Ministry of Interior's Afghan Special Narcotics Force, the Counter Narcotics Police and a central eradication capability. UNODC will publish its annual survey into the level of opium poppy cultivation and production in Afghanistan later this month. The figures are not yet available. We are working closely with the Afghan Government and the international community to secure a reduction in cultivation over the next year. EU: Prime Minister's Speech toLabour Party Conference Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: To which countries and which historical period the Prime Minister was referring when he spoke of the 25 countries of the European Union as "Europe reunited after centuries of conflict" during his speech to the annual conference of the Labour Party in 2004. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister's speech referred to the many conflicts that have divided Europe's nations throughout previous decades and centuries. For example, in the 20th century alone, two world wars, which saw many of the 25 member states pitted against each other, were followed by the divisions of the Cold War, which were brought to a final conclusion with the accession of the EU of eight former eastern bloc countries in May. Israel: Palestinian Detainees Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What recent discussions have taken place with the Government of Israel about Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, camps and detention centres; what representations they have made about the numbers of detainees and their treatment, and whether Israel has future release dates to notify to the United Nations and the international community. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: On 4 September officials in Tel Aviv raised with the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) a number of our concerns about the demands that inspired the Palestinian prisoners' hunger strike, which ran from 15 August to 2 September. These included: that Israel should meet its obligations towards prisoners; that prisoners, including during the hunger strike, should be treated with dignity; and that juvenile and adult prisoners should be separated, as provided for in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The UN and international community regularly request information on detainess, including about release dates. We are not aware that Israel has given any such dates recently, but Israel does release detainees on a regular basis. We continue to monitor the situation with regard to Israeli treatment of Palestinian prisoners and raise our concerns with the Israeli authorities where it is appropriate to do so. Guantanamo Bay: Detainees Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to discuss with their partners in the European Union the issues arising from the continued detention of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay by United States authorities. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Our primary concern is the British detainees held at Guantanamo Bay. We have therefore focused our attention on resolving their position and safeguarding their welfare. We believe that we have achieved this best through bilateral contact with the US Government. Our hope, however, is that the issues we have raised are reflected in the treatment of other states' nationals held at Guantanamo Bay. Minors with Indian Nationality Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 27 October (WA 126), whether they will explain why an Indian minor who acquires British nationality by registration, not involuntarily by birth, does not lose Indian nationality. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Indian citizens who voluntarily acquire another citizenship lose their Indian citizenship. However, minors are incapable of voluntarily acquiring another citizenship. Making an application for registration is indeed a voluntary act. In the case of minors, however, the application is made by the parents acting on the child's behalf. It is not made by the child. Children who are registered as British nationals have not, therefore, voluntarily acquired another citizenship. It is our understanding that Indian dual nationals would lose their Indian citizenship only if, on reaching the age of majority, they failed to renounce any other nationality then held. UK Sport Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the outcome of the review of the first nine months of the term of the interim chair of UK Sport; and whether they will place a copy of the review in the Library of the House. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The review point for the post of interim chair fell in May 2004. At the April meeting of the Sports Cabinet, the five Ministers responsible for sport in the UK approved the reform programme for UK Sport presented by the interim chair and asked her to take this work forward and report back to the next Meeting of the Sports Cabinet. In the circumstances, therefore, there was no formal review in May. Sterling: Value Against Euro Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 25 October (HL Deb, col. 772) whether, given that sterling has fallen in value against the euro since 2001, they will justify the statement that the United Kingdom has a "serious deterioration in our trade deficit with the European Union. It is matched by an increase in real effective growth in sterling against a basket of currencies". Lord McIntosh of Haringey: While it is true that the value of sterling has fallen against the euro and against a basket of currencies since 2001 in nominal terms, the quoted statement refers to real effective growth in sterling against a basket of currencies. In real terms—that is, adjusted for relative inflation rates—sterling has appreciated in value since 2001. Tourism: American Visitors Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many American tourists arrived at English airports in 2003. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: In 2003, there were 2.8 million arrivals by tourists from the United States of America to English airports. Personal Saving Lord Roberts of Conwy: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to encourage savings. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government provide tax support of £2 billion per year to encourage savings through individual savings accounts (ISAs) and other forms of personal saving. In addition, annual tax relief of more than £11 billion is delivered to individuals and employers for retirement saving. As well as ISAs, the Government are introducing the child trust fund, which will strengthen financial education, promote positive attitudes to saving and ensure assets for all children, regardless of family background. The Government are piloting the saving gateway, where the Government match the savings of low-income families up to a limit. Initial indicators for the interim evaluation are positive. Further, the Government are empowering individuals with financial information, improved access to advice, and savings products that are simple and easy to understand such as the Sandler suite of stakeholder products. This action on incentives, advice and support is underpinned by creating a stable economy, and increasing employment by making work pay. General Optical Council: Reform Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to lay regulations to reform the General Optical Council. Lord Warner: As part of our programme of work with the General Optical Council to strengthen the regulation of opticians, we intend to lay an order before Parliament early in the New Year. Subject to parliamentary approval, we expect the legislation to be enacted by the end of March 2005. Fisheries Action Plans Lord Mason of Barnsley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Fisheries Actions Plans together with the Environment Agency have had any benefits on the general development of fisheries, including bird predation; and what effect they have had on the reduction of cormorants on inland fisheries. Lord Whitty: Fisheries Action Plans (FAPs) provide a new process for fisheries development across England and Wales. These will incorporate Salmon Action Plans (SAPs) and other species-specific plans that may be needed in the future. Their objective is to maximise sustainable development of fisheries and associated ecological, social, economic and recreational benefits. Developed in partnership between the Environment Agency and local angling and fisheries interests, with input from conservation bodies, FAPs will result in realistic deliverable plans for local fisheries. FAPs provide the mechanism by which issues affecting fisheries, including bird predation, can be reviewed and prioritised. Currently there are seven FAPs implemented, or in the process of implementation. A further 12 are in development. There are many actions arising as a consequence of these plans such as the reconnection of Shopham Loop on the Western Rother, the launch of The Broads angling magazine and the installation of fish refuges (to provide protection from cormorants) on the River Lee. Of the seven FAPs completed to date, five identify cormorants as an issue, with three ranking this as a high priority issue and two as a medium priority issue. In the remaining 12 FAPs still under development, cormorants are considered likely to be an issue in at least six cases and a high priority issue in at least three. FAPs have been successful at improving stakeholder involvement and consultation in resolving issues and contributing towards fisheries development at the local level. These plans may include managing predation of fisheries by cormorants through the licensing mechanism. However, it is too early to ascertain whether these licences have had any benefits on reducing the damage to fisheries by cormorants. Scottish Parliament Building Lord Barnett: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Evans of Temple Guiting on 26 October (WA 121), whether the Scottish assigned budget has been determined under the terms of the Barnett formula without any additional funds to meet the costs of the Scottish parliamentary building; and, if additional funds were included, what they are. Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: There has been no variation to the normal method of calculating the Scottish assigned budget to take into account the cost of the Scottish Parliament building. No additional funds have been provided.

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lordswrans2004-11-10a

Autism: Inflammatory Bowel Disease The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: What specialist provision is available for diagnosis and treatment for the sub-group of autistic children who suffer from an inflammatory bowel disease. Lord Warner: Children living with autism have access to the full range of local and specialist healthcare, including the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Carbon Emissions Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What effect a lowering of the overall road speed limit to a maximum of 60 miles per hour would have on carbon emissions from the road transport sector. Lord Davies of Oldham: The national speed limit of 70 miles per hour on dual carriageways and motorways reflects a practical balance between economic, environmental and safety objectives. As part of a review of the UK Climate Change Programme, the Government have looked at the potential carbon savings that might result in 2010 under a range of different policy scenarios. One of these scenarios is a reduction of the speed limit on motorways and dual carriageways from 70 miles per hour to 60 miles per hour. The results of the analysis suggest that, if the new limit was strictly enforced, there could be carbon savings of around 0.84 million tonnes of carbon. However, such strict enforcement would not be easy to achieve in practice and could have significant implications and costs in its own right. Indeed, the analysis suggests that such a policy would not be cost-effective, with the benefits likely to be significantly outweighed by the costs. Court Martial: Sergeant Selman and Others Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the cases of Sergeant Selman and others recently acquitted at court martial, what material was disclosed on discovery by the prosecuting authority to the defence. Lord Goldsmith: The defence was given the following material: All statements that were taken during the investigation; this included audio and video copies of any statement that was recorded.All exhibits that were produced in any of the statements.Videos, photographs and maps of Basra General Hospital, the surrounding area and Bridge 4.Copies of all unused material (material not used as evidence in the case), unless it was sensitive or irrelevant. This material included the "case file diary"—a daily record providing details of every action undertaken by the SIB during its investigation—and documentation relating to the compensation claim brought by the family of the deceased, including letters, statements and claim forms. Drugs: Methamphetamine Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the incidence of illegal drug abuse in the United Kingdom using methamphetamine in each of the years 2001 to 2005; what is the addictive nature of this drug; and what is the incidence of recovery from such addiction. Lord Warner: Information is not collected centrally in the form requested. The 2005 survey Drug Use, Smoking and Drinking Among Young People in England in 2005 reported that 1 per cent of 11 to 15 year-olds had taken speed or amphetamines, the category of drug in which methamphetamine use would be reported, in the last year.1 It is important to note that within this figure will be a number of other drugs within the amphetamine category. The national drug treatment monitoring system, which is used to measure numbers in, and being retained in, drug treatment, reported 11 individuals as being in treatment, with methamphetamine identified as the primary drug of use, in 2005-06. On 14 June this year, the Home Office Minister (Mr Vernon Coaker), announced that methamphetamine, or "crystal meth", would be reclassified from a class B drug to a class A drug. This decision was based on international experience and has been taken on the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, and the well documented dangers associated with production and use of this drug in all its forms, which will now be substantially easier to combat as a result of this reclassification. Over the past few years there has been a substantial increase in the illicit use of methamphetamine in the Far East, parts of Europe and north America, but so far there has been relatively little evidence of misuse in the United Kingdom. While some seizures have been made, there is no evidence of large-scale use or demand for treatment. Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that has potent effects on the central nervous system. It can be smoked, snorted, orally ingested, or injected to achieve a "high". Using methamphetamine by intravenous injecting or by smoking is particularly liable to lead to addiction. We do not hold information on the incidence of recovery from such addiction. 1 A survey carried out for the Health and Social Care Information Centre and the Home Office by the National Centre for Social Research and the National Foundation for Educational Research. More than 9,000 pupils took part in the survey throughout England. Equal Pay Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the percentage average weekly earnings of female full-time employees compared to those of men; and what steps they will take to reduce any gap between the earnings of male and female full-time employees. Baroness Andrews: The gender pay gap is 13.0 per cent, as measured by hourly earnings excluding overtime; this is the preferred measure of the gender pay gap. The gap in weekly median earnings is21.1 per cent less for women than for men1. The reasons for this differential can be explained by the fact that men typically earn more per hour than women and also that women in full-time employment typically work fewer hours per week than their male counterparts. The Women and Work Commission has examined the causes of the pay gap and made practical recommendations to tackle it. The Government are committed to working with key players to tackle the gender pay gap and will issue an action plan later this year. 1 Source: ONS's press release that accompanied the ASHE data in November 2005, and based on employee jobs paid at adult rates and not affected by absence. European Convention on Human Rights Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 25 May (WA 120), whether they have evaluated the jurisprudence of the courts of the other member states of the European Union in interpreting and applying the European Convention on Human Rights; and, if so, whether they will publish this evaluation. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Prime Minister has asked the Home Secretary to consider, "whether primary legislation is needed to address the issue for Court rulings which over-rule the Government in a way that is inconsistent with other EU countries' interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights". This work will include an evaluation of the jurisprudence of the courts of a number of other member states of the European Union in interpreting the convention, particularly in relation to the balancing of the rights of individuals against those of the wider community. This work is under way and will be completed shortly. No decision has yet been taken on publication. European Convention on Human Rights Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 20 June (WA 72), whether they have made an assessment of any cases in which the courts of other member states of the European Union have interpreted and applied Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights more restrictively than British courts but compatibly with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights; and, if so, whether they will publish details of such cases. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: As part of the work that the Prime Minister has requested that both the Home Secretary and the Lord Chancellor undertake in relation to the operation and implementation of the Human Rights Act, the Government are examining the jurisprudence both of the European Court of Human Rights and of the courts of a number of member states of the European Union. This work will include an examination of the ways in which the courts of these member states have interpreted and applied various articles of the convention, including Article 3. No decision has been taken on publication. European Convention on Human Rights Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 20 June (WA 72) regarding the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights, whether they intend (a) to include in their work an evaluation of the relevant case law and legislation of France, Germany and Spain, as European countries particularly affected by terrorism; and (b) to publish the results of this work. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The examination of the case law and legislation of key member states to which I have referred would specifically cover France, Germany and Spain as countries which have been directly affected by terrorism. In addition, I have, in my capacity as Minister with responsibility for human rights, had bilateral discussions with the justice Ministers of the Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany and Austria about the experience of their courts and Governments in applying anti-terrorism law in a way which is compatible with key articles of the European convention, including Article 3. These discussions will further inform the work being undertaken for the Prime Minister by the Home Secretary and the Lord Chancellor. However, no decision has been taken on publication. Goods Vehicles Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a category C or C+E light goods vehicle licence is required to drive a heavy locomotive which was first used after 1970 when it is (a) used solo without a trailer; (b) used with a trailer which is not a goods vehicle; (c) used with a trailer which is a goods vehicle, but is unladen; and (d) used with a trailer which is a goods vehicle and is laden. Lord Davies of Oldham: A heavy locomotive manufactured on or after 1 January 1960 is classified as a large goods vehicle and if it is driven either as a solo unit or drawing a small trailer it requires a category C licence. If the maximum authorised mass (MAM) of the trailer exceeds 750 kilogrammes, a category C+E licence is required. Whether the trailer itself constitutes a goods vehicle, and whether the trailer is laden or unladen, are not relevant considerations. The definition of MAM includes the weight of the trailer plus the maximum load it can carry. Housing: Market Renewal Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the latest actual and estimated outputs for demolitions, refurbishments and new builds in each of the housing market renewal pathfinder areas. Baroness Andrews: Estimated outputs for demolitions, refurbishments and new build paid for by HMR in each pathfinder from the start of the programme until March 2006 are provided in the table below. However, HMR funding accounts for only a proportion of the total activity in these areas. This is particularly the case for new build where it is estimated that more than 8,000 properties have been built within pathfinder areas since 2004. HMR funded outputs to March 2006 Pathfinder New Build Repairs, improvements and refurbishments Demolitions Birmingham Sandwell 123 6,125 377 East Lancashire 0 1,504 869 Hull and East Riding 0 0 147 Manchester Salford 0 7,760 1,228 Merseyside 13 7,836 303 Newcastle Gateshead 2 561 1,302 North Staffordshire 0 2,584 400 Oldham Rochdale 0 1,970 337 South Yorkshire 0 1,900 1,732 Total 138 30,240 6,695 Housing: Tenancy Deposit Scheme Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made towards creating a new tenancy deposit scheme. 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. Iraq and Afghanistan: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to provide assistance to Armed Forces personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental conditions as a result of service in Iraq and Afghanistan. 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 servicemen 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. Israel: Tom Hurndall and James Miller Baroness Northover: asked Her Majesty's Government: What actions will now be taken by the Office of the Attorney General following the Attorney-General's recent meetings with the Israeli Attorney General and other Israeli Ministers and officials in regard to the Tom Hurndall and James Miller cases. Lord Goldsmith: Following the recent inquests into the tragic deaths of James Miller and Thomas Hurndall in Gaza, the coroner wrote to me asking that I consider possible prosecutions in the United Kingdom. Since receiving that request, I met both the families on 5 May to discuss the cases. I also took advantage of a long-standing arrangement to visit Israel in the week commencing 21 May to have a meeting with the Attorney General and the Military Advocate General and the military prosecutors involved in these two cases. I also raised these cases in meetings with the Israeli Foreign Minister and the Minister of Justice and separately held meetings with Israeli lawyers, including the lawyers for the families. The principal purpose was to obtain further information about the cases and the investigations that were undertaken by the Israeli authorities to inform my decision, but I also raised the issue of holding an independent inquiry into the deaths and subsequent investigation and pressed for appropriate compensation to be paid, particularly to Mrs Miller, without delay. The Israeli authorities are now actively considering disciplinary action against a soldier for lying in the course of the field investigation that took place following the death of James Miller. I also understand that the Israeli authorities are keen to make contact with the Miller family to discuss compensation. My office has passed information about my visit to the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police and has also updated the English solicitors acting for the Miller and Hurndall families. As a result of my visit I expect to obtain further information shortly that will assist me in carrying out my independent role in considering prosecutions in the United Kingdom. I will inform the House once I have reached a concluded view. NHS: In Vitro Fertilisation Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government: To what age the National Health Service offers free in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment; what percentage of patients are offered natural IVF and under what circumstances; and how the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority involves patients in its deliberations. Lord Warner: The clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems, produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and issued in February 2004, advises that stimulated cycles of in vitro fertilisation should be offered, if appropriate, where the woman is aged between 23 and 39 years at the time of treatment. Information on the percentage of patients offered in vitro fertilisation without ovarian stimulatory drugs is not collected centrally. However, the information collected by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is that in 2002-04, 1,164 unstimulated cycles took place, with a live birth rate of 18.13 per cent. In the same period there were 55,923 stimulated cycles, with a live birth rate of 22.73 per cent. Patients wishing to consider the option of unstimulated cycles can tell the clinician treating them. The HFEA involves patients in its work in a variety of ways, including regular consultation with an online patients' panel, collection of feedback from patients on their experience of treatment services to inform the authority's inspection process, and close and regular contact with organisations representing patients. The authority also seeks patients' views when it consults publicly on the development of new policies. NHS: Training Budgets Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have received from the British Medical Association about the 29 junior doctors who have had their vocational training placements deferred due to cutbacks in funding by the postgraduate medical deanery in London; and what assistance is being given to those junior doctors to ensure that their training can start in August 2006. Lord Warner: The Government have received representations from Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association, on this matter. The priorities for investment of educational funding are a matter for the local strategic health authority working with their deanery in respect of medical education. This is therefore essentially a local matter for the SHA and the London Deanery to determine. However I am assured by the London Deanery that there has been no reduction in funded training places at the deanery. The deferment of the training places is the result of the number of trainees who could be recruited exceeding the available places on the training scheme. The deanery is confident that places on the scheme will be available for these doctors at the next available start date, in February 2007. In the mean time the deanery will work with the doctors concerned to offer careers advice and support, and to minimise the impact on them. North/South Implementation Bodies Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they propose making any changes to the administration of cross-border implementation bodies between now and 24 November 2006. Lord Rooker: There are no plans to change the administration of cross-border bodies. North/South Implementation Bodies Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 20 June (WA 77) which indicated that the proportion of Protestant employees in cross-border bodies has fallen to 32 per cent, what steps they are taking with regard to levels of confidence in the bodies in the Unionist community. Lord Rooker: I have nothing further to add to my Answer of 22 June (WA 107). Public Bodies: Chairmen Lord Lee of Trafford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the salary and time requirements for all chairmen of public bodies appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Lord Davies of Oldham: Remuneration for chairs of all DCMS public bodies, as of 31 March 2005, is detailed in the published document Public Bodies 2005. This is available at www.civilservice.gov.uk/other/agencies/publications/pdf/pubIic-bodies/public bodies2005.pdf. The following table contains information on the time requirement for chairs of public bodies who are appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Public Body with chair appointed by DCMS Ministers Time requirement information below is as set out in published role specifications, or as provided by the public body, whichever is more recently available Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites c. 5 days per year Advisory Committee on National Historic Ships c. 24 days per year Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection c. 5 days per year Advisory Council on Libraries c. 2 to 3 meetings per year plus other time for preparation Alcohol Education and Research Council c. 52 days per year Architectural Heritage Fund c. 15 days per year Arts Council England c. 3 days per month British Broadcasting Corporation c. 4 days per week British Library c. 2 days per week Casino Advisory Panel c. 4 days per month Churches Conservation Trust c. 15 days per year Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment c. 2 days per week Community Fund c. 2 days per week Culture East Midlands c. 2 days per month Culture North East c. 2 days per month Culture North West c. 2 days per month Culture South East c. 2 days per month Culture South West c. 2 days per month England Marketing Advisory Board c. 1 day per week English Heritage c. 12 days per month Football Licensing Authority c. 4 days per month Gambling Commission c. 4 days per week Geffrye Museum c. 30 days per year Historic Royal Palaces c. 3 days per month Horniman Museum and Gardens c. 14 days per year Horserace Betting Levy Board c. 3 days per week Horserace Betting Levy Tribunal No fixed time requirement; as a tribunal it only sits when called Horserace Totalisator Board (Tote) Up to 4 days per week Legal Deposit Advisory Panel c. 12 days per year Living East c. 2 days per month Museum of Science & Industry Manchester c. 30 days per year Museums, Libraries and Archives Council Up to 2 days per week National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts c. 2 days per week National Heritage Memorial Fund c. 12 days per month National Lottery Commission c. 114 days per year National Museum of Science & Industry c. 36 days per year National Museums Liverpool c. 30 days per year New Opportunities Fund c. 3 days per week Office of Communications * up to 4 days per week Olympic Delivery Authority c. 15 days per month Olympic Lottery Distributor c. 2 days per month Public Lending Right Advisory Committee 2 to 3 meetings per year plus preparation and other duties Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and objects of cultural Interest c. 12 days per year Royal Armouries c. 12 days per year Royal Parks Advisory Board c. 12 days per year S4C c. 3 days per week South Bank Centre Board Ltd 6 meetings per year plus time for sub-committees and some other duties Spoliation Advisory Panel No fixed time requirement—meets as and when required to consider cases Sport England c. 2 days per week Theatres Trust c. 8 meetings per year plus some other duties Treasure Valuation Committee c. 24 days per year UK Film Council c. 1 day per week UK Sport c. 3 days per week/12 days per month Victoria and Albert Museum c. 30 to 40 days per year VisitBritain c. 2 to 3 days per week Wallace Collection c. 25 days per year West Midlands Life c. 2 days per month Yorkshire Culture c. 2 days per month * The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) and the Community Fund (CF) have been operating under the name the Big Lottery Fund since their administrative merger on 1 June 2004. However, they remain distinct legal bodies and will continue to do so until the National Lottery Bill, currently before Parliament, is enacted. Coterminous boards for NOF and CF—a separate board for each body, but the same membership for each board—were appointed on 1 June 2004, under the chairmanship of Sir Clive Booth. They will remain in place until the Big Lottery Fund proper is established later this year. Once appointed, the chair of the Big Lottery Fund will receive remuneration of £36,720 and the time commitment will be circa three days per week. ** The Ofcom chair is appointed jointly by DCMS and DTI Public Bodies: Chairmen Lord Lee of Trafford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the salary and time requirements for all chairmen of public bodies appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Baroness Andrews: Information on remuneration of chairs of public bodies is published in the annual Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies, prepared by the Agencies and Public Bodies Team in the Cabinet Office. The most recent published edition of Public Bodies provides information as at 31 March 2005. Depending on the type of public body and the levels of responsibility, time input varies. All DCLG chairs of public bodies are part time, except one body, where an acting chair is full time on a temporary basis until the new chair is appointed. The time commitment ranges from meeting regularly two or three days per week, for most executive bodies, to meeting four times a year, for one advisory body. Details on appointments made during the financial year, including remuneration and time commitments, are published in the department's annual report. Public Bodies: Chairmen Lord Lee of Trafford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the salary and time requirements for the chairmen of public bodies appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland. Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: The Secretary of State for Scotland does not appoint any chairmen to public bodies. Railways: Late Arrivals Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether in future train operating franchises the penalty regime for late arrivals will apply to intermediate stations, particularly those with advertised connections, and not only to the final destination. Lord Davies of Oldham: Winners of new rail franchises are required to commit to improving train performance by reducing their own train delays, wherever they might arise. The performance of franchised train operators will be judged on how they reduce delays throughout the journey, not just at their destination, in order to improve punctuality for the greatest number of passengers. Regional Development: Northern Way Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: In what ways the recent changes in departmental responsibilities will affect the scope, policy objectives and management arrangements for the Northern Way initiative; which Ministers are now responsible for the Northern Way; and whether they will make any announcements later this year in relation to the Northern Way. Baroness Andrews: As the Northern Way is an independent initiative by the three northern regional development agencies, the creation of the Department for Communities and Local Government will not affect its policy objectives and management arrangements, as they are a matter for the Northern Way itself. The department will continue to co-ordinate Government's engagement with it. My right honourable and honourable friends, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and the Minister for Housing and Planning, pay close attention to the Northern Way and Government's engagement with it, and are regularly updated on its progress. Regional Development: Northern Way Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the costs so far of the Northern Way initiative; on what this money has been spent; what is the budget for the Northern Way for 2006-07; and which department or departments are responsible for spending it. Baroness Andrews: The Northern Way is an independent pan-regional growth strategy taken forward by the three northern regional development agencies and their partners. The Northern Way is not just about money; it is about the added value that a pan-regional strategy can bring to the north. A £100 million Northern Way Growth Fund, match-funded 50:50 by the three regional development agencies and the Department for Communities and Local Government, was established in 2005-06 to kick start the strategy. The Northern Way business plan for 2005-08, published in June 2005, sets out how it will spend the growth fund, providing a work programme for each of its investment priorities. The Northern Way will shortly be publishing its annual report, including a report on the money spent to date and its budget for 2006-07. Roads: A27 Lord Baker of Dorking: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many accidents occurred and how many fatalities were recorded on the A27 between Lewes and Polegate in each of the past 10 months, including the period up to 30 June. Lord Davies of Oldham: The table below lists the reported number of injury accidents validated by the Sussex Police on the A27 between Lewes and Polegate. Aug 05 Sep 05 Oct 05 Nov 05 Dec 05 Jan 06 Feb 06 Mar 06 Apr 06 May 06 Total Personal Injury Accidents 4 3 0 5 1 3 4 1 4 3 28 From September 2005 to June 2006 there was one reported fatality, in April 2006. Although figures for June 2006 are not available, we have no evidence of any fatal accidents during this month. Roads: Improvements Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which local authority major transport schemes currently have departmental approval; and, in each case, (a) whether the schemes have full or provisional approval; (b) what is the scheduled date for the start of construction; (c) what is the scheduled completion date; and (d) what is the capital cost of each scheme. Lord Davies of Oldham: We have placed in the Library a table which sets out the local authority major transport schemes which have approval from the Department for Transport. The table provides information on: what approval stage the scheme is at; date of start of works, where known; expected completion date, where known; and the latest approved contribution to the scheme costs. The timing of start of works and completion of many of the schemes are subject to decisions on the advice we have received from the regions in England on the order of priority for timing and funding they attach to proposed major transport schemes. We hope to announce our response before the Summer Recess. The start of works and completion dates for schemes subject to this announcement are marked as "To be confirmed" in the table. Roads: Improvements Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What schemes are currently listed in the Highways Agency's Targeted Programme of Improvements; and what is (a) the scheduled date for the start of construction; and (b) the scheduled completion date. Lord Davies of Oldham: A table has been placed in the House Libraries which lists all schemes in the current Targeted Programme of Improvements which are being progressed, taken from the published Highways Agency business plan 2006-07, against their respective actual or expected start and completion dates. Trunk-road schemes of regional importance which are due to commence construction after April 2008 have been subject to a regional prioritisation process that is under way. Ministers are considering the advice from the regions on their priorities for major transport schemes in their region within indicative funding allocations. Final decisions by Ministers on the delivery timetable for regional trunk-road schemes due to start construction after April 2008 are expected to be announced before the Summer Recess. Vehicle and Operator Services Agency Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 28 June (HL6469), on how many occasions in the past three years the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency has been required to pay the costs of unsuccessful actions it has brought before the courts; and what was the total value of the costs paid. Lord Davies of Oldham: There have been two occasions in the past three years when costs have been ordered against the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), to the amount of £4,583.75 (£1,233.75+£3,350). Volatile Organic Compounds Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the environmental implications of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs's interpretation of "placing on the market" in the Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/2773) have been considered, given that the only option for compliance will result in the disposal as waste of 16 million litres of volatile organic compounds-compliant paint. Lord Rooker: The implications of the interpretation of "placing on the market" have been part of the consideration throughout negotiations on the proposal that became Directive 2004/42/EC and in relation to the regulations transposing that directive into UK national law. Industry has been aware of the provisions of the directive in respect of the timetable for meeting their obligations since it was adopted in April 2004. The directive includes provisions that allow for stock manufactured before 1 January 2007 to be sold until 31 December 2007. My officials are discussing options with representatives from the paint industry but we do not accept that disposal as waste is the only option for compliance. The industry tells us that 85 per cent to 90 per cent of products expected to be in the supply chain after 31 December 2007 will comply with the directive's requirements on solvent content. These products could be sold by adding a label with the information needed by the regulations. The industry already has experience of undertaking such an exercise when it introduced a voluntary solvent-content labelling scheme for its products. It would be a commercial decision for those holding these stocks to treat them as waste. My officials will continue to work with the industry to help them find the best environmental outcome to meet their obligations arising from the requirements. Volatile Organic Compounds Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions have been emitted as a result of the interpretation of the term "placing on the market" in the Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/2773) and the consequent transport of waste and replacement production activities. Lord Rooker: I am not aware of any emissions of carbon dioxide as a result of the new regulations, as the standards for paint that they introduce do not yet apply, so no paint products would yet have been disposed of in response to the regulations. Officials will continue to work with the industry to help them find the best environmental outcome resulting from implementation of the new product requirements. Volatile Organic Compounds Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government: What interpretation was given to the term "placing on the market" for the purpose of the regulatory impact assessment undertaken on the Volatile Organic Compounds in Paints, Varnishes and Vehicle Refinishing Products Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/2773); and what level of importance was attached to this wording. Lord Rooker: Economic assessments of the potential impact of Directive 2004/42/EC and ofSI 2005/2773 have always assumed an interpretation of "placing on the market" that required obligations to be met at each stage throughout the supply chain, and the regulatory impact assessment was prepared on the basis of that interpretation. The interpretation of the term was recognised as being of high importance, throughout all stages of negotiation, adoption and implementation of the directive. Volatile Organic Compounds Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they agreed to change the original definition of "placing on the market" in Directive 2004/42/CE to the later definition which applies throughout the supply chain. Lord Rooker: We are not aware of any change to the interpretation of "placing on the market" between Directive 2004/42/CE and the regulations (SI 2005/2773) that transpose it into UK law. Water Supply: Consumption Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much water in total and per occupant in cubic metres was consumed in the headquarters of the Department for Transport in each year since its creation. Lord Davies of Oldham: Specific water targets in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate were that departments should reduce water consumption in office buildings to an average of 7.7 cubic metres person per year by 31 March 2004 and 7 cubic metres per person per year for all new buildings/major refurbishment after 2002. The water consumption data for the department's headquarters building since the Department for Transport's creation are shown in the following table. Year Per occupant (cubic metres) Total consumption (cubic metres) 2002-03 8.40 12,308 2003-04 7.25 11,380 2004-05 7.31 10,174 2005-06 7.22 11,270 * The total consumption figures exclude water used in the kitchen and retail units

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2006-07-05b

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. 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. 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. 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.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2006-04-19a

Air Quality Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how each of the air quality alert bandings recommended by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants for each air pollutant equate to (a) equivalent maximum exposure levels currently recommended by the World Health Organisation, and (b) the relevant European Union limit values for ambient air quality. Lord Davies of Oldham: The UK Air Pollution Index (API) is currently under review by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP). The outcome of the review is expected in June 2010. The tables below show the following: table 1 details the boundaries between index points for each pollutant (Ozone, NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), SO2 (sulphur dioxide), CO (carbon monoxide) and PM10 (particulate matter)) for the current COMEAP bandings system;table 2 details the UK API health descriptors for people who are sensitive to air pollution;table 3 details the maximum exposure levels recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO); andtable 4 details the EU limit values for air pollution. Please note that the averaging times are different for the data in tables 1, 3, and 4 and are, therefore, not directly comparable. Table 1: Boundaries between index points for each pollutant Band Index Ozone Nitrogen Dioxide Sulphur dioxide Carbon Monoxide PM10 Particles Running 8 hourly or hourly mean* Hourly mean 15 minute mean Running 8 hourly mean Running 24 hour mean micro- pm-3 ppb micro- pm-3 ppb micro- pm-3 ppb mgm-3 ppm micro- pm-3(Grav. Equiv.) micro- pm-3(Ref.Equiv.) Low 1 0-33 0-16 0-95 0-49 0-88 0-32 0-3.8 0.0-3.2 0-21 0-19 2 34-65 17-32 96-190 50-99 89-176 33-66 3.9-7.6 3.3-6.6 22-42 20-40 3 66-99 33-49 191-286 100-149 177-265 67-99 7.7-11.5 6.7-9.9 43-64 41-62 Moderate 4 100-125 50-62 287-381 150-199 266-354 100-132 11.6-13.4 10.0-11.5 65-74 63-72 5 126-153 63-76 382-477 200-249 355-442 133-166 13.5-15.4 11.6-13.2 75-86 73-84 6 154-179 77-89 478-572 250-299 443-531 167-199 15.5-17.3 13.3-14.9 87-96 85-94 High 7 180-239 90-119 573-635 300-332 532-708 200-266 17.4-19.2 15.0-16.5 97-107 95-105 8 240-299 120-149 636-700 333-366 709-886 267-332 19.3-21.2 16.6-18.2 108-118 106-116 9 300-359 150-179 701-763 367-399 887-1063 333-399 21.3-23.1 18.3-19.9 119-129 117-127 Very High 10 360 or more 180 or more 764 or more 400 or more 1064 or more 400 or more 23.2 or more 20 or more 130 or more 128 or more * For ozone, the maximum of the eight-hourly and hourly mean is used to calculate the index value. Table 2: The UK Air Pollution Index health descriptors for people who are sensitive to air pollution Banding Index Health Descriptor Low 1, 2, or 3 Effects are unlikely to be noticed even by individuals who know they are sensitive to air pollutants Moderate 4, 5, or 6 Mild effects, unlikely to require action, may be noticed among sensitive individuals. High 7, 8, or 9 Significant effects may be noticed by sensitive individuals and action to avoid or reduce these effects may be needed (eg, reducing exposure by spending less time in polluted areas outdoors). Asthmatics will find that their "reliever" inhaler is likely to reverse the effects on the lung. Very High 10 The effects on sensitive individuals described for "High" levels of pollution may worsen. Table 3: The maximum exposure levels recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Ozone Nitrogen Dioxide Sulphur Dioxide Carbon Monoxide PM10 Particles Running 8-hourly or hourly mean hourly mean 15-minute mean Running 8- hourly mean Running 24- hour mean 120 micro-pm-3 200 micro-pm-3 No data available for this averaging time. WHO recommends a guideline of 500micro-pm-3 for an averaging time of 10 minutes. 10mgm-3 The available information for short and long- term exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 does not allow a judgment to be made regarding concentrations below which no effects would be expected. Table 4 EU limit values: Source of data http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/standards.htm Pollutant Concentration Averaging period Legal nature Permitted exceedences each year Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 350 microgrammes/m3 1 hour Limit value enters into force 1.1.2005 24 125 microgrammes/m3 24 hours Limit value enters into force 1.1.2005 3 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) 200 microgrammes/m3 1 hour Limit value enters into force 1.1.2010 18 40 microgrammes/m3 1 year Limit value enters into force 1.1.2010* n/a PM10 50 microgrammes/3 24 hours Limit value enters into force 1.1.2005** 35 40 microgrammes/m3 1 year Limit value enters into force 1.1.2005** n/a Carbon monoxide (CO) 10mg/m3 Maximum daily 8-hour mean Limit value enters into force 1.1.2005 n/a Ozone 120microgrammes/m3 Maximum daily 8-hour mean Target value enters into force 1.1.2010 25 days averaged over 3 years *Under the new directive the member state can apply for an extension of up to five years (ie, maximum up to 2015) in a specific zone. Request is subject to assessment by the Commission. In such cases within the time extension period the limit value applies at the level of the limit value + maximum margin of tolerance (48pg/m3 for annual NO2 limit value). **Under the new directive the member state can apply for an extension until three years after the date of entry into force of the new directive (ie, May 2011) in a specific zone. Request is subject to assessment by the Commission. In such cases within the time extension period the limit value applies at the level of the limit value + maximum margin of tolerance (35 days at 75 microgrammes/m3 for daily PM10 limit value, 48 microgrammes/m3 for annual PM10 limit value). Under EU law a limit value is legally binding from the date it enters into force subject to any exceedances permitted by the legislation. A target value is to be attained as far as possible by the attainment date and so is less strict than a limit value. Air Quality Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what short-term action plans to improve air quality have been produced and implemented in Greater London. To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure in Greater London that European Union limit values for air quality once attained are not then exceeded. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Greater London Authority (GLA) provides for the Mayor to prepare an air quality strategy for Greater London. This is in accordance with the Section 80 of the Environment Act 1995, national air quality strategy, prepared and published by the Secretary of State. The Greater London strategy covers the implementation of the policies contained in the national strategy, and for the achievement of the air quality standards and objectives prescribed in regulations made under Section 87(2)(a) and (b) of the Environmental Act. No short-term action plans have been produced or implemented in Greater London. The GLA is responsible for the implementation of measures for the achievement of air quality standards within Greater London. The Government would expect this to include consideration of any necessary steps to ensure air quality standards are not exceeded following attainment. Airports: Gatwick Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will permit the construction of a second runway at Gatwick Airport. Lord Adonis: The Government's policy in respect of Gatwick airport remains as set out in the 2003 Future of Air Transport White Paper. The Government would not support the construction of a second runway there before 2019; and would only support it after 2019 under certain narrowly defined circumstances. The 2003 White Paper sets out a policy framework to guide decisions on future planning applications. Under the terms of the Planning Act 2008, a decision on any planning application for a second runway at Gatwick would be likely to be a matter for the newly established Infrastructure Planning Commission. Armed Forces: Accommodation Baroness Sharples: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether armed services accommodation has been upgraded where necessary. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The provision of good quality living accommodation for both married and single service personnel continues to be a top departmental priority. Decades of underfunding means that the standard of service accommodation has lagged behind the expectations of our people. Some housing stock is old. Investment over the past seven years has begun to correct this, but there is much more to be done. The department plans to spend some £3 billion in accommodation investment programmes over the next decade. Secured and planned funding levels for accommodation are at their highest levels for decades. Since 2001, over £200 million has been spent upgrading some 14,000 service family accommodation (SFA) properties to the top standard for condition. In addition, since 2003, some 35,000 new or improved single living accommodation bed-spaces have been delivered as part of a £1.4 billion programme that will see a further 21,000 delivered by 2013. More remains to be done, but progress is being made and over 90 per cent of SFA is now at the two highest standards for condition. Our aim is to ensure that by March 2013 very little, if any, of the occupied SFA estate should be below standard 2 for condition. Armed Forces: Aircraft Carriers Lord Astor of Hever: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long they envisage that the new aircraft carriers will be able to remain at sea between refits. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The Queen Elizabeth (QE) class in-service support solution is still being developed. Traditional refits will not be undertaken; instead, each ship will undergo an upkeep period approximately every six years. Armed Forces: Aircraft Carriers Lord Astor of Hever: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long they expect refits of the new aircraft carriers will take. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The Queen Elizabeth (QE) class in-service support solution is still being developed, which will include the upkeep cycle. At this stage, it is anticipated that an upkeep period for a QE class carrier will take less time than refits for the current CVS class, which is approximately 18 months. Armed Forces: Aircraft Carriers Lord Astor of Hever: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been spent on the new aircraft carrier project. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: Subject to cost certificate agreement by the MoD's Cost Analysis & Assurance Service (CAAS), around £852 million (CDEL, outturn) has been spent on the QE class to the end of September 2009. The contract for the manufacture of both carriers was signed in July 2008, and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance has already placed £l.1 billion of supply contracts. We are committed to realising the benefits the carriers will bring and achieving value for money from the programme. Banks: Shareholders Lord Roberts of Conwy: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that ordinary shareholders in banks where the taxpayer has a substantial interest are given a return on their investment to restore confidence in such banks as proper places in which to invest in future. Lord Myners: The actions taken by the Government for the banking sector have been designed to ensure that financial stability is maintained and that confidence is restored to the financial system, while properly safeguarding the interests of taxpayers. At the same time, the Government have been careful, in all cases, to respect the proper rights of shareholders. Shareholders formally approved the stakes that the Government took in the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group. The participation of those banks in the asset protection scheme will similarly be subject to shareholder approval. And in other interventions such as Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley, we have put in place a mechanism that will see former shareholders receive proper compensation for their shares—as assessed by an independent valuer. The Government will continue to give proper regard to the rights of shareholders. Indeed, shareholders now have a statutory right to independently assessed compensation if the Government should intervene using any of the special resolution powers available under the Banking Act 2009. Carbons Emissions: Railways Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they use to assess the carbon dioxide emissions of the railway system in comparison to the same volume of traffic on a motorway. Lord Adonis: The Department for Transport uses a timetable-based environmental model to estimate the carbon dioxide emissions of rail services. The model has been calibrated using industry data on rail diesel and electricity consumption. Road transport carbon dioxide emissions are estimated using the department's national transport model. The model uses projections of GDP, population, employment, oil prices and vehicle efficiency to produce estimates of key road traffic metrics, including total vehicle kilometres driven and carbon emissions. Children: Poverty Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for children's well-being and quality of life if both parents have low-paid jobs and long working hours in order to increase their earnings and help the Government to meet their child poverty targets. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: Child and family well-being and quality of life are at the heart of the Government's child poverty strategy. The Government have taken measures to promote parental employment as the best route out of poverty, because there is clear evidence that moving into and progressing in work offers benefits to parents and children alike, including but not restricted to, additional income from earnings—a child's risk of poverty is 61 per cent in a workless household and reduces to 15 per cent if at least one parent is working. Work is also associated with wider benefits, for example in terms of health, well-being and autonomy, aspirations and self-esteem. The introduction of the national minimum wage, as well as working tax credits, has ensured that the minimum income guarantee has increased by almost 30 per cent since April 1999 in real terms. Also Train to Gain, the Government's flagship training service for employers, has enabled employees to develop their skills, which will help them to progress in work. The Government's position is that it aims to help parents into work, and acquire the skills and training they need for well-paid jobs that support children and families, whilst also ensuring that work is family-friendly so that parents can combine employment and parental responsibilities. To support families, the Government have taken action to increase and extend maternity leave and pay, and introduce paid paternity leave. A new right to request flexible working for those with parental responsibility for children under 16 (or 18, if disabled) has been introduced to help parents combine work and family responsibilities. The Government have also taken substantial steps to support parents in work by increasing the number of childcare places that are available—at March 2009, the stock of registered childcare places stood at over 1.5 million places (more than double the 1997 level). Over £25 billion has been invested on early years and childcare in England since 1997, and there are over 3,000 Sure Start Children's Centres now open, providing integrated early years' services (including childcare) to over 2.4 million young children under 5 and their families. These and other measures put in place by the Government have lifted 500,000 children out of poverty since 1997. However, 2.9 million children remain in poverty, 1.5 million of which live in households with at least one person working. The Government are looking at ways to reduce in-work poverty by helping parents move into higher paid work, through skills and training for individuals and promoting the uptake of skills by employers, and also by promoting the availability of high-quality, affordable childcare. Increased working hours can help lift children out of poverty—either by the primary earner increasing hours from part-time to full-time hours, or with the introduction of a second earner into the household. However, the Government's approach is to support and incentivise parents into work, whilst respecting family preferences. By promoting flexible, family-friendly work opportunities and putting in place sufficient, high-quality childcare that supports children's development, we are helping parents make an informed choice about their working arrangements. The Government introduced the Child Poverty Bill into Parliament in June which will enshrine in law the commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020. The Bill will ensure that all levels of government, now and in the future, play a role in tackling child poverty. The Bill also requires the Government to prepare a strategy, to be refreshed every three years, which will set out the policies that will be put in place to meet the child poverty targets. The issue of tackling in-work poverty whilst maintaining a high quality of life for the child and the family will be addressed in the strategy. Council Tax Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the most recent estimate of the costs of requiring councils to freeze council tax for two years and making up the difference in revenue to councils in a higher block grant. Lord Myners: Since each local authority determines the level of council tax at the time of setting its own budget, it is not possible to make an accurate estimate of the difference that would arise from a decision by LAs to freeze council tax. Criminal Records Bureau Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact the requirement for Criminal Records Bureau checks is having on school trips abroad and exchanges for the purpose of modern foreign language education. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: The department does not collect data on the number or purpose of school trips abroad or exchanges undertaken by schools. School staff accompanying pupils on school trips abroad will have had Criminal Records Bureau checks as part of the recruitment process for their employment and do not have to have further checks before taking part in such activity. The department's strong recommendation relating to volunteers who are in unsupervised contact with children, including those accompanying pupils on school trips, and new host families who provide care for students from overseas should be CRB checked. We cannot impose this requirement on host families in other countries who provide care for British children. However schools should satisfy themselves that adequate safeguarding arrangements have been put in place to protect children. Under the new vetting and barring scheme those who provide care and accommodation for children under 18 for reward or by arrangement made outside the family will be engaged in "regulated activity", and this is made clear in interim guidance the Government issued on 12 October 2009 about the new scheme. Cyprus Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reviewed an application from the Greek Cypriot authorities to construct a solid waste management plant at Ormidhia within the Sovereign Base Area (SBA); in what way the SBA will consult local residents; and whether the decision to agree such a request will be made by the SBA authorities or by Her Majesty's Government. Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) Administration has received a request from the Republic of Cyprus Government to build a waste management transfer station in Ormidhia. This request is supported by the elected community council of Ormidhia. The project is now being subjected to planning approval processes, which include formal consultation with local residents. The decision on whether to agree this request will be taken by the administrator of the SBA once the process has been completed. Elections: Local Government Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the votes cast at each of the mayoral elections this year were not counted in the second round due to (1) no second preference being expressed, (2) first and second preferences being given to the same candidate, and (3) second preference being given to a candidate eliminated after the first round. Lord McKenzie of Luton: This information is not held centrally. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 October 2008 (WA 67—68) and Lord Drayson on 5 May 2009 (WA 95—96), what advances have been made in improving the efficiency of somatic cell nuclear transfer with human oocytes, where those advances have been published; and how many fresh or failed-to-fertilise human oocytes have been used in research to pursue such advances since research licence R0152 was originally granted by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. Baroness Thornton: In deciding whether to grant or renew licences for research in this area, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) determines whether the proposed research and the use of embryos is both necessary and desirable. The proposed techniques to be used to perform somatic cell nuclear transfer, and any relevant publications referred to by peer reviewers, may form part of this consideration. The HFEA has provided the following data on the use of fresh and failed-to-fertilise eggs in research under licence R0152: Period (inspection report date) Fresh eggs used Failed-to-fertilise eggs used 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007 (May 2008) 19 56 30 April 2006 to 30 April 2007 (July 2007) 9 26 30 April 2005 to 30 April 2006 (July 2007) 66 593 11 August 2004 to 3 July 2005 (July 2005) 36 (total figure) In deciding whether to grant licences for research in this area, the HFEA ascertains whether the embryo research is both desirable and necessary at the time the assessment is made. Any application for a licence renewal involves a check on whether the particular proposed use of embryos still fulfils these criteria. This is also part of the assessment made by HFEA peer reviewers. Records of publications in this area are not collected centrally by the department or the HFEA. Energy: Tidal Generation Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role the Infrastructure Planning Commission will have in assessing and discovering ways of using the tides for electricity generation, particularly in the Severn river and estuary and in south Wales. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Infrastructure Planning Commission will not have a role in discovering ways of using the tides for electricity generation. From 1 March 2010 our intention is that, for the energy and transport sectors, it will consider applications for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects and, where a relevant national policy statement is in place, determine them. An offshore generating station in England or Wales will require development consent where it is expected to have a generating capacity of more than 100 megawatts. The Severn tidal power feasibility study is looking at whether the Government could support a tidal power project in the Severn and the most appropriate consenting route. We expect to consult on the results of the study in 2010. Energy: Wind Generation Lord Vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the conferences and briefings given by the British Wind Energy Association to local authorities are compatible with the Nolan report recommendations that planners should be impartial and seen to be impartial. Lord McKenzie of Luton: We would expect local authorities in England to be guided by the advice issued by the Local Government Association in May 2009. The guidance from the LGA is intended to avoid bias or the perception of bias in decisions on planning applications while reflecting local authorities' roles as place shapers. The guidance therefore recognises councillors' ability to participate in discussions prior to the receipt of a planning application on behalf of their communities and engage in spatial planning policy formulation. Planning elsewhere in the UK is a matter for the devolved Administrations. Government Initiatives: Advertising Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government which initiatives of the Ministry of Justice or its agencies (and its predecessors) have been advertised in each of the past five years; how much was spent in each case; and which were carried out via the Central Office of Information. Lord Bach: The Ministry of Justice was formed in May 2007 to take forward the work of the Department for Constitutional Affairs together with significant additional responsibilities transferring from the Home Office. These included the National Offender Management Service, which covers the Prison Service and probation service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. The figures below therefore relate to the Department for Constitutional Affairs where the financial years fall prior to 2007-08 and the Ministry of Justice on or after the 2007-08 year. The nature of the Ministry of Justice's activities is such that it does not engage in significant levels of advertising on initiatives. More than 95 per cent of departmental advertising spend is on recruitment, mainly by human resources (HQ and NOMS). To provide information for individual recruitment advertising campaigns would incur disproportionate cost. National Offender Management Service (NOMS) NOMS, which has responsibility for the prison and probation systems, has spent the following non-recruitment-related amounts on advertising, external publicity and broadcasting. Amounts relating to specific advertising initiatives cannot be separately quantified. Year Advertising Expenditure (£'000s) 2004-05* 0 2005-06* 36 2006-07* 17 2007-08* 31 2008-09** 281 *The figure for 2008-09 is for NOMS HQ and HMPS but excludes the 42 local probation boards and trusts within NOMS as this information is held locally and could only be collated at disproportionate cost. The figures obtained for the financial years 2004-05 to 2007-08 are for HM Prison Service (HMPS) agency only. They exclude NOMS HQ (previously a directorate within the parent department, the Home Office) and the National Probation Service (NPS), which are now part of the NOMS agency. ** The 2008-09 figures are therefore not comparable to previous years. It would be disproportionate cost to obtain figures for both NOMS and the NPS for 2004-05 to 2007-08. Furthermore, it would incur disproportionate cost to investigate what advertising initiatives make up the figures in the above table. The expenditure on recruitment for the NOMS agency in 2008-09 is £3,409,968, mainly on recruitment of prison officers. This figure may include other recruitment expenditure not considered to be publicity and advertising. Work to split out publicity and advertising spend from the total recruitment amount would incur disproportionate cost. The stated figure for NOMS excludes expenditure by the 42 local probation boards and trusts whose records are held locally and could only be collated at disproportionate cost. A one-off exercise undertaken in 2007-08 found that expenditure on advertising and promotion by local probation boards and trusts was £58,264. There are no current plans to repeat this information-gathering exercise for 2008-09. Headquarters and other agencies For the rest of the department, the ministry's central accounting records do not distinguish different types of advertising expenditure. To determine what expenditure relates to requires retrieval and examination of individual invoices and records held locally across the organisation. Advertising, publicity and communications expenditure over the last five years is set out below with some of the expenditure for advertising in recruitment. However, not all the expenditure on recruitment advertising is included since it is not separately quantifiable from the accounts. The Criminal Justice Group, which is part of the ministry's headquarters, was formed from various Home Office functions transferred to the ministry in April 2007. It is not possible to extract historical information for the Criminal Justice Group from the Home Office's records prior to 2008-09, meaning that the figures for headquarters below are not directly comparable between the financial years***. Year HQ* (£'000s) HM Courts Service (£'000s) Tribunals Service ('000s) Office of the Public Guardian** (1000s) 2004-05 2,470 65 0 0 2005-06 4,023 1,049 0 0 2006-07 692 450 33 0 2007-08 610 270 127 14 2008-09* ** 1,976 486 41 39 * For 2008-09 and 2007-08, headquarters relates to the Ministry of Justice. Prior to 2007-08, headquarters relates to the Department for Constitutional Affairs. ** The Office of the Public Guardian was established from 1 October 2007. Its predecessor body was the Public Guardianship Office. Business groups have identified the expenditure on specific advertising initiatives detailed below. These figures have already been accounted for in the figures within the table above. Democracy, Constitution and Law (DCL) Total advertising expenditure for all years from 2004-05 to 2008-09 is £573,564 on the following initiatives: Law Commission;Information Commissioner's Office;Elections and Democracy; andInformation Policy. It would incur disproportionate cost to split the expenditure between the four categories. Criminal Justice Group (CJG) The two main advertising initiatives which are continuing are: Victims Support; and Intimidated Witness. The advertising expenditure for these two initiatives is not separately identifiable from the rest of the publicity and advertising expenditure of the CJG and it would be at disproportionate cost to undertake this exercise. Access to Justice The vast majority of advertising expenditure was incurred by HM Courts Service (an agency of Access to Justice) for the Operation Payback initiative. The costs incurred are as follows: 2005-06: £252,000; 2006-07: £21,000 via the Central Office of Information; and 2007-08: £2,110. Tribunals Service 2007-08: £204 was spent on the launch of the Welsh Language Scheme. Central Office of Information The ministry's accounting records identify all amounts paid to the Central Office of Information (COI). They do not, however, separately identify those amounts relating to advertising initiatives and it would be at disproportionate cost to investigate. The Office of the Public Guardian has incurred no expenditure with the COI. Great Scotland Yard Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 5 October (WA 484), when they intend to restore 3—5 Great Scotland Yard so that it is fit for occupation; and how much they expect that work to cost. Lord Myners: In view of the current state of repair and structural integrity of 3-5 Great Scotland Yard, the Crown Estate, which owns the building, believes that occupation could only be achieved through a redevelopment. However, given the current state of the property market, the potential end use of a redevelopment, the options for financing it and the associated costs all remain currently under review and cannot be quantified at present. Higher Education: Staff Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) full-time, and (b) part-time students are educated in colleges of education. Lord Young of Norwood Green: Table 1 shows the number of Learning and Skills Council (LSC) funded learners educated at a college by mode of attendance, in 2007-08, the latest year for which we have full-year information. These figures do not include privately funded learners who are attending a further education college. Table 1: LSC-funded Learners educated at a college by Mode of Attendance, 2007-08 2007-08 Further Education Full-Time Full Year 806,900 Full-Time Part Year 120,000 Part-Time Part Year 1,537,100 Total learners at FE Providers 2,464,100 Work-Based Learning 115,500 Adult Safeguarded Learning 48,200 Train to Gain 208,500 Source: FE, Work-Based Learning and ASL Individualised Learner Records Notes 1) Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred. 2) Further education provision includes general further education colleges including tertiary, sixth form colleges, special colleges—agricultural and horticultural colleges and art and design colleges, specialist colleges and external institutions. 3) Part-time part year includes part-time distance learning, open learning, e-learning and evening learning. 4) FE students classified for statistical purposes as full-time are defined as those enrolled on programmes of at least 450 guided learning hours per year, or for at least 150 guided learning hours per tri-annual period or more than 16 guided learning hours per week for shorter courses. Full-time students who enrol on a programme of at least 450 guided learning hours per year are classified as full-time full-year. This includes those students who withdraw from the programme during the year and actually attend for less than 450 guided learning hours. Also counted as full-time full-year are students who enrol on programmes of less than 450 guided learning hours but stay longer than expected and actually attend for more than 450 guided learning hours. Full-time students who are not classified as full-time full-year are classified as other full-time. All other students are classified as part-time. Table 2 shows the number of enrolments to Higher Education courses at Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges in England in 2007/08. Table 2: Higher Education Enrolments by Mode of Study English Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Colleges Academic Year 2007-08 Full-time Part-time All modes Total Higher Education Institutions 1,218,820 703,365 1,922,185 of which Pre 1992 Universities 566,765 359,805 926,565 Post 1992 Universities 562,860 302,725 865,585 HE Colleges 88,285 40,765 129,045 Independent (2) 910 75 985 Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Notes: Higher education institution figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded to the nearest five so components may not sum to totals. 1) Covers enrolments of all domiciles to all levels of study. 2) Covers only the University of Buckingham. House of Lords: Recycling Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask the Chairman of Committees what arrangements have been made for the subsequent re-use or recycling of computer and other electronic equipment no longer required by Members or staff of the House. Lord Brabazon of Tara: Since December 2005, redundant IT equipment in this House has been donated to charity and, after refurbishment, sent for reuse to countries in Africa. Items not sent to Africa are resold and the proceeds put towards the cost of distributing the donated equipment. Damaged items are recycled and the waste is, where possible, reclaimed and resold. Other electrical waste is sent for recycling. In 2008-09, the Parliamentary Estates Directorate disposed of approximately 2 tonnes of electrical waste, including batteries, refrigerators, air conditioning units, televisions, lamps, fans, kettles, vacuum cleaners, irons, dishwashers, microwaves, electric fires and telephones. Housing Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the shortfall in the supply of housing in England will be by the end of 2010; and what are the implications for waiting lists, overcrowding and homelessness. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Waiting lists, overcrowding and homelessness are indicators of housing need and the department does not produce estimates of the shortfall in housing supply relative to need. However, CLG has commissioned a housing need analytical model from Heriot-Watt University which will improve our understanding of the impact of housing supply on housing need going forward. It is hoped this will be available to the department by the end of the year. Housing Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the estimated number of children living in overcrowded housing conditions (a) currently, (b) forecast for 2010, and (c) forecast for 2011. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The latest estimate is published in Housing Statistics, Live Table 813, Number of Children in Poor Housing (DSO 2.9), which can be downloaded from the CLG website at http://www. communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/table813.xls. This estimate is based on data from the Survey of English Housing. Overcrowding is defined according to the bedroom standard. Forecasts for 2010 and 2011 are not available. Housing: Mortgages Lord Monson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the adult population of the United Kingdom lives in (a) mortgaged owner-occupied property, (b) unencumbered owner-occupied property, and (c) rented or free accommodation. Lord McKenzie of Luton: It is estimated that of the adult (aged 18 or over) population resident in private households in England: 40.7 per cent lives in mortgaged owner-occupied property; 30.2 per cent lives in property which is owned outright; and 29.1 per cent lives in property which is rented or free. This excludes those living in institutional establishments. These estimates are based on data from the ONS Spring 2008 Labour Force Survey. Housing: Supporting People Programme Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ring-fence funding for the supporting people programme, in the light of the conclusion in the report by Capgemini to Communities and Local Government about the programme's net financial benefit. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The supporting people programme is an invest-to-save budget. The Capgemini report findings showed that the best overall estimate of net financial benefits from the supporting people programme is £3.41 billion per annum for the client groups considered against an overall investment of £1.61 billion. The removal of the ring-fence provides local authorities with more freedom and flexibilities to work with partners to deliver innovative and holistic services to meet the needs of the vulnerable clients in their area, and supports the mainstreaming of housing-related support services within local authority service provision. Legislation Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a minister has had to approve formally each new piece of environmental legislation; and, if so, what form have such statements of approval usually taken in each of the past five years. Lord Davies of Oldham: All proposals for legislation are approved by Ministers before being submitted to Parliament. All Bills sponsored by Defra are approved by Defra Ministers before introduction to Parliament and all Defra-sponsored secondary legislation is signed by Ministers personally. These practices have been adhered to throughout the past five years. Licensing: Alcohol Consumption Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many 24-hour opening licences have been granted in each region of England and Wales since changes to licensing arrangements relating to establishments serving alcoholic drinks came into effect. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Alcohol Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Bulletin, which can be found on the internet at http://www.culture. gov. uk/images/research/AE-Statistics-bulletin-2008.pdf, reports the total number of 24-hour alcohol licences in force as at 31 March 2008: South West 1,666 East of England 383 South East 882 West Midlands 343 North West 1,352 North East 149 London 673 East Midlands 277 Yorkshire and the Humber 417 Wales 196 England and Wales 6,338 Data for the period from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 will be available in the near future and I will write to the noble Lord, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses. Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce legislation enabling members of the public to have direct access to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, as well as through their Member of Parliament, in complaining of maladministration. To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will answer Question HL4634, tabled by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 25 June about whether they will introduce legislation enabling members of the public to have direct access to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, as well as through their Member of Parliament, in complaining of maladministration; and what is the reason for the delay. Baroness Crawley: The Government value the role and work of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. They also believe that Members of Parliament have an important role to play in assisting constituents with concerns about their dealings with government departments and public bodies. The policy is kept under review, but the position remains as set in the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967. Pollution: Airborne Particles Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the population in each local authority in Greater London is estimated to have been living in an area that (a) breached one or more European Union limit values for particulate matter (PM10) in 2008, and (b) is expected to breach one or more European Union limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in 2010. Lord Davies of Oldham: Data commissioned by the Greater London Authority are available for 2006 and 2010, and are provided in the form of number of people exposed to 1) Concentrations of NO2 above 40 microgrammes/m3 in 2010—based on three different modelled met years, 2) Concentrations of NO2 above 60 microgrammes/m3 (as an approximation for an exceedence of hourly limit value) in 2010 based on 3 different met years and 3) Concentrations of PM10 above 40 microgrammes/m3 in 2006 and 2010 based on 2003 met year.1 Table 5 Population exposure (number of people) for NO2 (>40 microgrammes/m-3) for the year 2010 for different met years (2003, 2004 and 2006) Borough Name 2003 Total Younger Older 2004 Total Younger Older 2006 Total Younger Older Barking and Dagenham 515 168 47 0 0 0 0 0 0 Barnet 8,379 2,155 1,067 557 137 69 1,141 287 144 Bexley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brent 51,332 13,043 5,490 10,642 2,642 1,176 19,800 4,862 2,171 Bromley Camden 161,514 33,425 15,022 68,952 13,932 6,021 93,742 19,249 8,343 City of London 9,445 1263 1,067 6,365 851 719 6,617 885 748 Croydon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ealing 52,940 12,836 5,649 18,762 4,374 1,967 31,587 7,740 3,307 Enfield 4,693 1,480 485 1,358 436 136 2,045 657 209 Greenwich 6,319 1,262 672 2,288 480 247 3,814 759 407 Hackney 62,003 14,980 5,133 14,466 3,622 1,167 22,419 5,553 1,839 Hammersmith and Fulham 65,400 13,177 5,998 19,238 3,917 1,764 30,825 6,315 2,857 Haringey 15,997 3,547 1,415 1,834 383 158 4,460 915 414 Harrow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Havering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hillingdon 12,839 3,334 1323 1,292 3.34 131 5,881 1,508 632 Hounslow 9,118 2,033 874 841 228 76 2,797 633 266 Islington 106,317 21,087 9219 23,346 4,366 2,041 39,420 7,526 3,426 Kensington and Chelsea 152,776 27,500 17222 54,292 9,753 6,191 85,325 15,364 9,631 Kingston upon Thames 206 43 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lambeth 62,558 14,102 5017 17,873 3,914 1,488 30,772 6,815 2,543 Lewisham 9,116 2,130 645 2,058 459 160 4,689 1,039 340 Merton 844 137 84 0 0 0 526 85 52 Newham 8,272 2,436 611 1,713 479 116 4,350 1,235 327 Redbridge 2,668 569 394 967 183 162 1,244 254 193 Richmond upon Thames 571 146 61 0 0 0 0 0 0 Southwark 90,616 20,913 7,899 43,124 9,697 3,703 59,957 13,649 5,199 Sutton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tower hamlets 75,229 18,783 5,764 28,760 6,946 2,110 4,0206 9,971 3,012 Waltham Forest 5,577 1,516 458 1,367 356 132 2,342 612 203 Wandsworth 34,139 6,389 2,481 7,597 1,490 550 12,944 2,521 918 Westminster 204,308 33,043 2,1561 126,877 19,460 13,175 149,016 23,356 15,535 GLA Total 1213,688 251,496 115,687 454,569 88,439 43,458 655,922 131,790 62,717 1 Data taken from Draft Document: London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory 2006, Air Pollution Modelling for 2006 and 2010. Table 7 Population exposure (number of people) for NO2 (>60 microgrammes/m-3) for the year 2010 for different met years (2003, 2004 and 2006) Borough Name 2003 Total Younger Older 2004 total Younger Older 2006 total Younger Older Westminster 600 62 62 0 0 0 400 40 42 Table 8 Population exposure for PM10 exceedence (> 40 microgrammes/m-3) for the years 2006 and 2010 (met 2003) Borough Name 2006 total Younger Older 2010 total Younger Older Barking and Dagenham 167,660 47,557 21,592 200 56 23 Barnet 324,254 80,841 43,071 856 207 110 Bexley 211,842 53,114 32,480 0 0 0 Brent 274,718 68,594 32,577 3,731 1,041 424 Bromley 203,015 47,229 30,987 0 0 0 Camden 203,884 41,163 20,132 37,031 7,632 3,276 City of London 8,869 1,094 1,006 2,780 372 314 Croydon 277,422 70,914 33,858 0 0 0 Ealing 310,996 76,484 35,495 7,617 1,746 826 Enfield 287,834 74,656 37,016 2,589 862 249 Greenwich 231,009 60,745 27,339 2,581 513 253 Hackney 218,127 59,432 18,685 6,813 1,764 605 Hammersmith and Fulham 176,180 34,803 16,942 10,924 2,205 1,016 Haringey 230,818 56,692 20,456 865 214 87 Harrow 215,216 52,000 29,392 0 0 0 Havering 94,963 22,669 14,465 290 68 47 Hillingdon 234,105 60,662 30,577 608 166 58 Hounslow 222,604 56,941 24,256 1,946 461 177 Islington 189,295 40,035 16,989 5,487 1,041 483 Kensington and Chelsea 166,582 30,076 19,579 15,458 2,638 1,724 Kingston upon Thames 152,464 35,435 18,467 206 43 30 Lambeth 28,6612 65,172 23,999 3,721 773 321 Lewisham 264,092 64,353 25,055 2,025 446 154 Merton 195,210 46,500 23,854 264 43 26 Newham 259,841 77,626 20,659 2,434 684 188 Redbridge 245,947 63,986 31,733 1,351 251 229 Richmond upon Thames 182,317 42,347 22,161 0 0 0 Southwark 267,708 64,096 25,447 9,843 2,162 842 Sutton 181,114 44,730 24,541 0 0 0 Tower Hamlets 221,520 57,565 18,149 17,316 4,128 1,248 Waltham Forest 223,508 60,272 24,946 3,416 901 297 Wandsworth 283,359 54,556 25,894 4,336 828 320 Westminster 210,858 34,206 23,754 58,367 8,453 5,989 GLA Total 7,223,943 1746,546 815,554 203,055 39,697 19,316 Total population figures by borough are as follows: Table 3 Number of people by borough for total, younger (under 20), and older population (ages 65+) Borough Name 2006 total Younger Older 2010 total Younger Older Barking and Dagenham 169,443 48,051 21,841 175,643 51,825 208,88 Barnet 324,597 80,920 43,123 333,176 84,746 42,764 Bexley 218,418 54,766 33,499 218,971 54,114 33,109 Brent 274,718 68,594 32,577 285,069 71,872 34,226 Bromley 300,069 71,298 47,680 304,317 71,624 47,886 Camden 203,884 41,163 20,132 210,192 42,929 19,983 City of London 8,869 1094 1,006 9,445 1,263 1,067 Croydon 335,244 88,059 42,462 344,189 90,123 43,905 Ealing 310,996 76,484 35,495 322,399 80,210 36,223 Enfield 288,502 74,816 37,126 292,950 77,668 37,480 Greenwich 231,009 60,745 27,339 247,243 66,108 27,403 Hackney 218,127 59,432 18,685 230,456 61,246 18,548 Hammersmith and Fulham 176,180 34,803 16,942 183,295 36,585 16,899 Haringey 230,818 56,692 20,456 240,566 58,896 24,281 Harrow 216,475 52,281 29,618 224,008 53,255 29,506 Havering 228,708 54,251 37,637 233,004 53,645 37,149 Hillingdon 248,914 63,959 33,035 254,773 65,604 32,960 Hounslow 222,974 57,016 24,291 235,915 615,005 24,836 Islington 189,295 40,035 16,989 202,771 41,312 17,400 Kensington and Chelsea 166,755 30,102 19,608 173,890 31,543 19,942 Kingston upon Thames 152,464 35,435 18,467 155,759 36,877 18,457 Lambeth 286,612 65,172 23,999 295,981 67,089 23,687 Lewisham 264,092 64,353 25,055 272,458 67,077 24,034 Merton 195,210 46,500 23,854 200,166 49,150 23,744 Newham 259,841 77,626 20,659 284,711 82,436 20,423 Redbridge 248,703 64,681 32,212 257,028 67,702 32,501 Richmond upon Thames 182,317 42,347 22,161 187,603 45,280 22,324 Southwark 267,708 64,096 25,447 282,924 68,075 24,960 Sutton 183,145 45,304 24,800 185,921 45,918 24,896 Tower Hamlets 221,520 57,565 18,149 246,669 60,444 17,914 Waltham Forest 223,508 60,272 24,946 229,379 63,399 25,098 Wandsworth 283,359 54,556 25,894 293,494 58,681 24,280 Westminster 210,858 34,206 23,754 217,847 35,805 23,090 GLA 7,543,333 1,822,673 868,937 7,832,212 1,903,505 8,678,65 Information regarding the exposure of London's population to air pollution is also contained within the technical annexes of the Mayor's draft air quality strategy. http://www.london/gov.uk/mayor/environment/air_quality/docs/AQS09-technical-annex.pdf. Pollution: Airborne Particles Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what harmful air pollutants are likely to be present in ambient air when concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are high; and in what proportions. Lord Davies of Oldham: Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) arises directly and indirectly from combustion processes. Concentrations are generally highest close to their emission sources, primarily road transport followed by the power generation industry and other industrial and commercial sector sources. The nature of the combustion process and fuel used will determine the presence of other pollutants, such as particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. It is not possible to define the proportions that these pollutants may be present in at any particular location at any one time. Proportions will vary with time, the distance from sources, meteorology, and chemistry depending on the type of combustion process and emissions released. Premature Deaths Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total number of life years lost in England and Wales in each of 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 for those dying prematurely for each of: (a) short-, medium- or long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10); (b) alcohol abuse; (c) drug abuse; (d) road traffic accidents; (e) obesity; and (f) smoking. 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 Berkeley, dated October 2009. As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what is the total number of life years lost in England and Wales in each of 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 for those dying prematurely of: (a) short-, medium- or long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10), (b) alcohol abuse, (c) drug abuse, (d) road traffic accidents, (e) obesity, and (f) smoking. (HL5773) The accurate reporting of deaths by specific causes 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 particulate matter or smoking behaviour. It is therefore not possible to provide answers to parts (a) or (f) of the question above, based on information collected at death registration. Calculations done for the review of the Air Quality Strategy1 estimated that, if all man-made fine particulate matter (PM2.5) present in the UK in 2005 were removed for the lifetime of people born in 2005, the average life-expectancy per person would be 7-8 months greater than if the level of man-made PM2.5 had remained at 2005 levels for a lifetime. This calculation represents the effect of long-term exposure to fine particles. A similar calculation has not been done for PM10 since the evidence that it is a good metric for representing the effect of long-term exposure is much weaker2 than for PM2.5. Studies of short-term exposure to PM10 do suggest a link with increased mortality but the studies do not give direct information on the life lost per person. It is thought that those affected are already seriously ill but that many of the deaths are brought forward by several months rather than just days or weeks. There are too few studies of the effects of medium term exposure for calculations such as those above to be made. All information on the estimated impact of particulate matter on life expectancy and mortality has been provided by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Neither ONS nor the HPA are aware of comparable figures to those provided above for 2006-08. ONS publishes annual figures on the number of years of life lost due to a selection of specific causes of death3 , including land transport accidents. Table 1 below presents figures for years of life lost due to land transport accidents, including the number of deaths, mean age at death and years of total life (to age 75) lost, by sex, for 2005 to 2007 (the latest year available). Figures are not readily available for years of life lost due to alcohol abuse, drug abuse or obesity. Figures are available for the number of premature deaths, defined as deaths under the age of 75, for (i) deaths with an alcohol-related cause, (ii) drug misuse deaths, where the underlying cause was drug poisoning and where any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate, and (iii) deaths with obesity as the underlying cause of death, for England and Wales, for 2005 to 2008 (the latest year available), and are provided in Table 2 below. These figures are presented to offer some information on the scale of premature deaths from these conditions, in England and Wales. The figures provided in Table 2 relating to obesity reflect the number of deaths certified as due to obesity conditions. However, these figures are likely to underestimate the actual number of deaths in which this factor is involved since obesity may play an important role in deaths due to other conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, but it is rarely recorded on the death certificate. 1 http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/airquality/publications/stratreview-analysis/index.htm 2 http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/pdfs/finallong termeffectsmort2009report.pdf 3 Latest figures available are for 2007, in the "Mortality statistics: Deaths registered in 2007" publication, available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=15096. Table 1. Years of life lost due to land transport accidents: numbers of deaths, mean age at death and years of total life (to age 75) lost, by sex, 2005-071,2,3,4 Year Sex Deaths Mean age at death Total life (to age 75) years lost 2005 Male 2,023 40 72,000 Female 674 49 19,000 2006 Male 2,256 39 82,000 Female 734 48 21,000 2007 Male 2,191 40 77,000 Female 728 50 19,000 1 Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. 2 Figures for 2005 are for deaths occurring in 2005. Figures for 2006 and 2007 are for deaths registered in each of these years. 3 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes V01 to V89, which includes deaths from all transport accidents with the exception of water, air and space, other and unspecified transport accidents. 4 Figures for years of life lost are extracted from the 'Mortality Statistics' publications for 2005 (Series DH1 no. 38), 2006 (DR_06) and 2007 (DR_07). Of the causes of death mentioned in the question, figures are only available where the underlying cause of death was a land transport accident. Table 2. Number of deaths from alcohol-related conditions, drug misuse, land transport accidents and obesity, England and Wales, 2005-081,2,3,4,5,6 Persons Underlying cause of death 2005 2006 2007 2008 Alcohol-related conditions 5,928 6,288 6,369 6,655 Drug misuse 1,573 1,531 1,575 1,703 Land transport accident 2,606 2,610 2,511 2,256 Obesity 200 228 219 298 1 Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. 2 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 3 Alcohol-related deaths were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes shown in Box 1 below. 4 Drug misuse deaths were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes shown in Box 2 below and where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate. 5 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes V01 to V89, which includes deaths from all transport accidents with the exception of water, air and space, other and unspecified transport accidents. 6 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code E66 (obesity). Box 1. Alcohol-related causes of death—International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) Cause of death description ICD-10 code(s) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy I42.6 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 Alcoholic liver disease K70 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excl. biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5) Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15 Box 2. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define drug-related poisoning deaths by underlying cause Cause of death description ICD-10 Code(s) Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) F11—F16, F18—F19 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X40—X44 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X60—X64 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X85 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent Y10—Y14 Public Services: Staff Lord Smith of Leigh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy, level of value for money and effects on the time of staff of local public services of comprehensive area assessments in the current economic circumstances. Lord McKenzie of Luton: It is too early to have made any in-depth assessment of the new comprehensive area assessment (CAA), since it was only introduced on 1 April 2009. The first CAA reports are expected to be published on 10 December 2009. The Audit Commission, on behalf of the joint inspectorates responsible for CAA, has commissioned an independent evaluation of CAA. The report on the first phase of the evaluation is expected to be completed by the spring so that it can inform the second year of the assessment. Questions for Written Answer Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister has been informed of the fact that the Cabinet Office has not answered Lord Lester of Herne Hill's Question for Written Answer of 25 June (HL4634) by 12 October, in spite of the target of two weeks. Baroness Crawley: A reply has been issued today. Retirement Age Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to abolish the default retirement age; and, if so, when. Lord Young of Norwood Green: When the Government introduced the default retirement age in 2006, a commitment was made to review it in 2011. Subsequently, it was announced in Building a Society for All Ages in July this year that the Government would bring forward the review to 2010. It is important that it is based on robust evidence, which we are now in the process of gathering and we have issued a call for stakeholders to submit evidence to inform the review. Safeguarding Children Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Peers visiting schools as part of the Peers in Schools programme or otherwise will have to register with the Vetting and Barring Scheme run by the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State has written to all honourable Members of Parliament to clarify the circumstances under which the scheme would require an honourable Member to register. This would depend on the nature of the activity to be undertaken. A copy of his letter dated 31 July 2009 has been placed in the House Libraries. Sustainable Communities Act Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to announce the results of the first batch of approvals for local authority bids under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Secretary of State will publish his decision, the reasons for it and a statement of the action he proposes to take with a view to the implementation of shortlisted local authority proposals made under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. The timing of the Secretary of State's decision will be determined by the number and complexity of proposals shortlisted by the selector and must follow the submission of the shortlist by the selector to the Secretary of State. Swine Flu: Air Traffic Controllers Lord Smith of Leigh: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Air Traffic Control staff are considered critical workers and accordingly will be offered anti-swine-flu treatment. Baroness Thornton: We are not prioritising the distribution of antivirals, such as Tamiflu, to professional groups or particular sections of society. We have sufficient stocks of antivirals for anyone reporting symptoms to receive treatment following an assessment through the National Pandemic Flu Service, or general practitioner practices if they have underlying health conditions. Air traffic control staff do not, as a group, meet current criteria for eligibility for the swine flu vaccination campaign although individual members of staff may fall within one or more of the high-risk priority groups in line with Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice. The use of the vaccine in the wider healthy population will depend on the evolution of the pandemic as well as new and emerging clinical data on the use of the vaccine. This will be kept under review by JCVI. Tax Credits Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the most recent estimate of the costs of increasing the couple element in tax credits to ensure that couples do not face a disadvantage when compared to lone parents for each of the next five years. Lord Myners: Tax credits treat couple and lone parent households equally, and are not designed to favour any particular arrangement. Levels of financial support are determined by need, and are based on the number of children in the family and the household's income. Indicative costs of changes to certain rates and thresholds in tax credits were most recently published in November 2008 in table 4 of Tax ready reckoner and tax reliefs, available at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/pbr08_tax readyreckoner_287.pdf. Taxation: Personal Allowance Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the most recent estimate of the costs of making the personal allowance transferable between couples for each of the next five years. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the most recent estimate of the total financial effect on (a) married couples with children, and (b) married couples without children of making the personal allowance transferable for each of the next five years. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the most recent estimate of the proportion of individuals who are married who would benefit from a transferable personal tax allowance for each of the next five years. Lord Myners: Due to the complex nature of these Questions the following estimates should be treated with caution. These estimates exclude any behavioural response to the change, which could be significant given the magnitude of the change. The estimated cost of allowing personal tax allowances to be transferred between married couples and civil partners would be £4.9 billion for 2009-10 and would benefit around 41 per cent of married couples and civil partnerships. Married couples with children will be better off by around £290 per year on average. Those without children will be better off by around £150 per year on average. These estimates have been calculated using HM Treasury's tax and benefit micro-simulation model using Family Resources Survey 2007-08 data. United Nations Children's Fund Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their new Institutional Strategy with the United Nations Children's Fund for 2009-2012, following the public consultation which ended in January. Lord Brett: The United Kingdom's Institutional Strategy (IS) with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) 2009-11 has recently been agreed and finalised. The new IS is available on the Department for International Development's website at www.dfid.gov.uk and will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Working Time Directive Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of imminent agreement on reform of the European Union working time directive and a phased removal of the opt-out provision applicable across the United Kingdom. Lord Young of Norwood Green: Negotiations on revisions to the working time directive collapsed after conciliation failed on 27 April this year. This meant that we were successful in retaining the opt-out as the proposal to amend the directive was withdrawn and with it any suggestion of phasing it out. It is now for the Commission to decide how they wish to proceed. Several member states are keen to see a solution to specific problems caused by ECJ judgments on the treatment of on-call time and compensatory rest, and we would be happy to engage on negotiations on these issues. But 15 member states use the opt-out and we will strongly oppose any future proposal that draws into question the freedom of member states and individuals to use the opt-out. We have made this very clear to the Commission and other member states.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2009-10-27a

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office al-Aqsa Mosque Lord McInnes of Kilwinning: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of (1) Israel, and (2) Jordan, regarding access to the Al-Aqsa mosque for Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank during Ramadan. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK recognises that Jerusalem's holy sites hold particular significance for all Christians, Jews and Muslims around the world. The UK is committed to working with all parties to maintain calm, avoid provocation and uphold the status quo to ensure the safety and the security of the Al Aqsa Mosque and all who worship there. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] emphasised the UK's unwavering support for Jordanian custodianship of the holy sites in East Jerusalem during my visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque on 12 January. The Foreign Secretary and I reaffirmed this in our meetings with Jordanian Foreign Minister Safadi on 22 March. British Embassy Tel Aviv also raises the matter of permits for Palestinians regularly as we approach Ramadan and Easter. Windsor Framework Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what progressthey havemade on refining the specification of goods defined as "at risk" under the Windsor Framework; and what further discussions, if any, they are having on that definition. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Windsor Framework significantly expands the number of businesses able to be classed as internal UK traders and move goods as 'not at risk' of entering the EU through three important changes:· First, businesses throughout the United Kingdom will now be eligible on a permanent basis.· Secondly, we have quadrupled the turnover threshold below which companies involved in processing can move goods under the scheme which they can show stay in Northern Ireland.· Thirdly, we have increased the number of firms eligible to move goods for processing in the animal feed, healthcare, construction and not-for-profit sectors. Inputs into food production will continue to benefit from inclusion in the 'not at risk' definition.The Windsor Framework also expands both the traders that can access the scheme, and the goods they can move, while codifying in legal text a unique arrangement in which UK public health and safety standards will apply for all retail food and drink in the UK internal market.For those in the scheme who can show that their goods will stay in Northern Ireland, we will provide a radically simplified process for goods movements, underpinned by the existing Trader Support Service, as we have set out. Seeds: UK Internal Trade Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government why individuals in Northern Ireland buying vegetable and herb seeds for personal use direct from suppliers in Great Britain are requiredto have a Phytosanitary certificate costing upwards of £250. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Plants and seeds will be able to once again move easily within the UK. Plants will now move within the same plant passport regime as applies throughout the UK. As we put these arrangements into practice we will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure gardeners, farmers and growers can access plants and seeds from a wide variety of sources. Department of Health and Social Care Drugs: Advertising Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 21 March (HL5868),what steps they will take to uphold the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s Blue Guide, which sets out the general rules for advertising medicines to both healthcare workers and the public, and states there is a requirement not to exaggerate the benefits of medicines; and whether the reference in Chapter 4 to section 6.6 “for more information on safety claims” implies that the rules around the use of the word “safe” are applicable to advertising aimed at the general public. Lord Markham: The Department is committed to following the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Blue book and Advertising Standards Agency guidelines. Careful consideration is given to what guidance is applicable to the campaigns that are run. Government campaigns to encourage routine vaccination uptake are considered as public health interventions and therefore sit outside the scope of United Kingdom advertising regulations, which are interpreted in the MHRA Blue Guide. Whether or not specific guidance applies, all campaign messaging is subject to rigorous clinical and policy approvals, to ensure information is communicated accurately. Palantir: Databases Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the process for selecting a company to provide the NHS England data platform; and which other companies they considered bids from before awarding the service to Palantir. Lord Markham: A procurement process for the ‘Provision of Data Management Platform Services’ was carried out by NHS England ahead of the contract award in December 2020, with a route to market evaluation identifying the G-Cloud 11 framework as the optimal route. In line with the G-Cloud process, selection criteria helped to identify 19 suppliers with potential solutions. A process of clarification and evaluation informed by subject matter experts (SMEs) against agreed functional, non-functional, and financial criteria was carried out. The identity of bidders is not made public as this information is commercially sensitive. The nine suppliers who met the minimum technical threshold were invited to give demonstrations in October 2020, following which they were evaluated against a set of criteria agreed by the SMEs. Palantir was subsequently selected as the preferred supplier based on receiving the highest score in the evaluation. General Practitioners: Pharmacy Baroness Cumberlege: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Evans of Rainow on 20 March (HL Deb col 1529), what is the source of their data for saying that six percent of GP services could be provided by pharmacies; and what is the evidence base for those data. Lord Markham: The source of the data that 6% of general practitioner (GP) services could be provided by pharmacies, as referenced by Lord Evans of Rainow on 20 March, is the report Making Time in General Practice, published by the Primary Care Foundation and NHS Alliance in October 2015. This research found that 5.5% of GP appointments were potentially avoidable by being directed instead to self-care/pharmacy. These findings were referenced in the later report General Practice Forward View, published by NHS England in April 2016. In this report the figure was rounded to 6%. Copies of both reports are attached.Making Time in General Practice report (pdf, 1371.8KB)General Practice Forward View report (pdf, 1819.5KB) Integrated Care Boards: Palliative Care Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensurethat integrated care boards fulfil their obligations under the Health and Care Act 2022 to provide palliative care services to meet the needs of their population. Lord Markham: NHS England has actively increased its support to local commissioners to improve the accessibility, quality and sustainability of palliative and end of life care for all. This has included the publication of statutory guidance and service specifications, with further resources available on the FutureNHS Collaboration Platform. Copies of these documents are attached. In addition, NHS England has funded the establishment of a palliative and end of life care Strategic Clinical Network in every NHS England region, which work closely with local commissioners regarding the development of accessible, high quality and sustainable services.Palliative and End of Life Care ICB guidance (pdf, 500.2KB)Child Palliative and End of Life Care ICB guidance (pdf, 372.0KB) Hospices: Hospital Beds Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of hospice beds that have been lost due to shortfalls in the fundingthrough integrated care boards and where no alternative provisionhas been made by local NHS providers. Lord Markham: No specific assessment has been made. Palliative and end of life care is commissioned at a local level by integrated care boards (ICBs) in response to the needs of their local population. NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications to support ICBs in commissioning a range of palliative and end of life services, including inpatient beds, that meet local needs and preferences. In addition, NHS England has funded the establishment of a palliative and end of life care Strategic Clinical Network in every NHS England region to work closely with local commissioners on the development of accessible, high quality and sustainable services. Mental Health: Women Baroness Thornton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their Women’s Health Strategy for England, published on 30 August 2022, what steps they are taking to address the high rates of poor mental health amongst girls and young women. Lord Markham: The NHS Long Term Plan commits an additional £2.3 billion a year for mental health services in England by 2023/24, supporting an additional two million people, including girls and young women, to get the National Health Service-funded mental health support that they need. We also continue to make progress on rolling out mental health support teams to schools and colleges, with 287 in place in over 4,700 schools and colleges across the country, offering support to children experiencing common mental health issues. The number of teams is expected shortly to have increased to 399. We know that girls and women are more likely to experience an eating disorder, so as part of the NHS Long Term Plan investment, we are putting an extra £1 billion into community mental health care for adults with severe mental illness by 2023/24. This will give 370,000 adults and older adults with severe mental illnesses, including eating disorders, greater choice and control over their care and will support them to live well in their communities. Since 2016, extra funding is going into children and young people's community eating disorder services every year, with £54 million per year from 2022/23. This extra funding will enhance the capacity of community eating disorder teams across the country. The NHS Long Term Plan also includes measures to improve safety, quality and continuity of care and a commitment for a further 24,000 women to be able to access specialist perinatal mental health care by 2023/24. This care will also be available from preconception to 24 months after birth, which will provide an extra year of support. This expansion includes 33 new Maternal Mental Health Services, which bring together psychological therapy, maternity services and reproductive health for women who have mental health needs following trauma or loss related to their maternity experience. These will be available across England by March 2024. As outlined in the Women’s Health Strategy, women are one of our priority groups when promoting our Every Mind Matters resource, which includes content to support issues affecting women’s mental health, including life changes such as pregnancy. Home Care Services: Drugs Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ask NHS England to undertake a review into the safety and reliability of homecare medicines services in England. Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made about the impact of delays, workforce shortages, and lack of e-prescribing systems, on the health and well-being of patients receiving homecare medicines services. Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will meet with the British Society for Rheumatology to discuss concerns about the safety and reliability of homecare medicines services in England. Lord Markham: The National Homecare Medicines Committee (NHMC), managed by and including representation from NHS England, and the National Clinical Homecare Association (NCHA) have met with the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) to discuss their concerns about the safety and reliability of homecare medicines services, including delays in treatment. The NCHA have proposed to BSR that they will repurpose their bi-annual NCHA All Members Meeting to commence the wider discussion on the main areas of concern identified. The NCHA have reported that they intend to seek a broad base of stakeholder engagement at this event which will include NCHA full and associate members, the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry, NHMC members and BSR. This represents a high degree of commitment from the NCHA and NHMC to work actively with the BSR and other stakeholders to resolve the concerns and issues which have been raised. The BSR has written to the Department requesting a meeting and the Department will be responding to the BSR shortly. NHMC’s standardisation programme includes an NHS Digital strategy project. Within the NHMC there is a digital sub-group working closely with NHS Digital on the output-based specification for e-prescribing for homecare medicines services to use an Electronic Prescribing System. This work is at an advanced stage in preparation for consultation with NHMC during 2023. NHS England’s Commercial Medicines Unit, which manages four national framework agreements for the provision of homecare medicines services for Home Parenteral Nutrition, Lysosomal Storage Disorders, Pulmonary Hypertension and Clotting Factors, holds regular engagement meetings with providers on the framework and when appropriate will discuss recruitment and retention of staff. NHMC also holds discussions regarding recruitment, retention and vacancies during engagement meetings with providers when appropriate to do so. Coronavirus: Immunosuppression Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 1 March (HL5824), which body will assume responsibility for ensuring that the immunocompromised will continue to be treated as a priority after the disbanding of the Antivirus and Therapeutics Taskforce, and its related programme and strategy boards. Lord Markham: In line with the Government’s strategy of living with COVID-19, as of 31 March 2023 the Antiviral and Therapeutics Taskforce has been stood down. The treatment of COVID-19 patients will continue to be overseen by National Health Service and will operate in line with evidence-based recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, following the established processes in this area. The welfare of immunocompromised patients remains a priority, hence the enhanced protections we continue to offer, including the recently announced spring booster vaccinations, free lateral flow tests and guidance in addition to COVID-19 treatments. Medicine: Higher Education Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of places available at UK universities to study medicine to match demand from applicants. Lord Markham: The Government has funded an additional 1,500 undergraduate medical school places per year for domestic students in England, which represents a 25% increase and takes the total number of medical school places in England to 7,500 each year. This expansion was completed in September 2020 and delivered five new medical schools in England. In addition, the Government temporarily lifted the cap on medical school places for students who completed A-Levels in 2020 and in 2021 and who had an offer from a university in England to study medicine, subject to their grades. As a result of this change, the intakes for 2020/21 and 2021/22 were 8,405 and 8,460 respectively, significantly above the planned cap of 7,500. NHS England has been commissioned to produce a Long Term Workforce Plan. The Government has committed to publishing the plan shortly, and this will include projections for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed in five, 10 and 15 years’ time, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity. The workforce plan is for the whole of the National Health Service workforce. Treasury Trade Barriers: Isle of Wight Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what information and paperwork need to be provided by a manufacturer, supplier or haulier in Southampton when transporting goods to the Isle of Wight, including goods forend use in the Isle of Wight. Baroness Penn: Where a business moves goods from mainland Great Britain to the Isle of Wight, it will typically have to provide ordinary commercial information about what is being moved to the courier, haulier, and/or ferry company moving the goods, which could include, for example, a description of the goods and their destination. Customs Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government whatwere the construction costs of each of the seven Inland Border Facilities; and for what purposes each of them have been used in the last year. Baroness Penn: HMRC work to ensure all build costs associated with inland border facilities represent value for money. Under the bounds of the Public Procurement Regulations, HMRC undertake a stringent tender process within a competitive environment. The total construction cost for the six Inland Border Facilities developed by HMRC is £42 million. This is broken down as follows: Birmingham - £11 millionDover - £3 millionEbbsfleet - £4 millionNorth Weald - £3 millionWarrington - £9 millionHolyhead - £12 million Holyhead remains under construction. The costs detailed reflect the spend on the facility to 28 February 2023. The facilities act as a government office of departure and destination, where hauliers can start and end journeys under the Common Transit Convention. Sevington Inland Border Facility was constructed by the Department for Transport. The total costs were £154 million. It includes £70 million on the Border Control Post (BCP), which is capable of carrying out biosecurity checks on sanitary and phytosanitary goods (SPS). Department for Business and Trade Groceries Code Adjudicator Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the timetable for the review of the role of the Grocery Code adjudicator; and how Parliament will be notified of the outcome. Lord Johnson of Lainston: The Government is currently considering responses to the public consultation and other evidence to inform the third statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator. A report on the findings of the statutory review will be published and laid before Parliament in due course. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Artificial Intelligence Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the letter published by the Future of Life Institute Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter, published on 29 March; andwhat steps they intend to take in response to the recommendation in that letter that there should be "shared safety protocols for AI" which are audited and overseen by independent outside experts". Viscount Camrose: It is important that industry voices are actively engaged in the discourse around responsible AI. British based companies, like Deepmind, are at the forefront of responsible innovation. However, It should be noted that questions have been raised regarding the veracity of some of the signatures of the open letter on Artificial Intelligence published by the Future of Life Institute (FLI). Some of the researchers whose work was cited in the letter have also apparently raised concerns. It is also important to note that the letter is not expressly targeted towards the UK or any other government. Nevertheless,Government recognises the need to act to adapt the way in which we regulate AI as systems become more powerful, and are put to different use. As Sir Patrick Vallance highlighted in his recent regulatory review, there is a small window of opportunity to get this right and build a regulatory regime that enables innovation while addressing the risks. Government agrees that a collaborative approach is fundamental to addressing AI risk and supporting responsible AI development and use for the benefit of society. The AI Regulation White Paper we published on 29 March identifies “trustworthy”, “proportionate” and “collaborative” as key characteristics of the proposed AI regulation framework.The AI Regulation White Paper sets out principles for the responsible development of AI in the UK. These principles such as safety, fairness, and accountability are at the very heart of our approach to ensuring the responsible development and use of AI. We will also establish a central risk function to bring together cutting-edge knowledge from industry, regulators, academia and civil society – including skilled computer scientists with a deep technical understanding of AI - to monitor future risks and adapt our approach if necessary. This is aligned with the calls to action in FLI’s letter.In addition, our recently announced Foundation Model Taskforce has been established to strengthen UK capability - in a way that is aligned with the UK’s values - as this potentially transformative technology develops.The approach to AI regulation outlined in the AI regulation White Paper is also complemented by parallel work on AI Standards, supported by the AI Standards Hub launched in October 2022, and via the Centre for Data Ethics and Innvovation’s AI Assurance Roadmap, published in December 2021. In concert, our holistic approach to AI governance combining regulation with an approach to standards development and AI assurance is in line with efforts to develop shared safety protocols, and will at the same time allow the UK to benefit from AI technologies while protecting people and our fundamental values. Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have received about the impact of the loss of the Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre following its sale. Viscount Camrose: The decision to sell the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre was made by VMIC UK Ltd's Board of Directors. The facility was 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 UK and will continue to do so. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Commonhold Council Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings of the Commonhold Council there have been since its formation; and how many scheduled meetings of the Council were cancelled. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Commonhold Council has met regularly since it was convened in 2021 and no meetings have been cancelled. Liverpool Strategic Futures Panel Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government how theLiverpool Strategic Futures Panel is supported by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has appointed the Mayor of Liverpool Combined Authority, Steve Rotheram, to Chair the Liverpool Strategic Futures Advisory Panel, which is supported by Baroness Judith Blake and Sir Howard Bernstein. It will work with place leaders and stakeholders from across the city region. Officials at DLUHC are providing coordination and analytical support to the Panel during its evidence collection and diagnostic phase. Leasehold: Reform Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to make the leasehold enfranchisement process easier for residential leaseholders. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government has committed to making enfranchisement cheaper for leaseholders by reforming the process of valuation they must follow to calculate the cost of extending their lease or buying their freehold. We will abolish marriage value, cap ground rents in the calculation, prescribe the rates to be used and introduce an online calculator. Visas: British National (Overseas) Lord Leong: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the barriers faced by people from Hong Kong who have come to the UK under the British National Overseas (BNO) visa taking up employment that requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: In April 2021, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched a new UK-wide Welcome Programme to support BN(O) status holders. In November 2022, DLUHC published a letter to BN(O)s and prospective employers on Certificates of No Criminal Conviction (CNCC) from the Hong Kong Police. The letter outlines a revised guidance on how to obtain a CNCC and gives sectoral examples on alternative methods when one cannot be obtained. This letter is available in English and Cantonese and is available on the GOV.UK landing page. We are working closely with FCDO officials to keep the guidance under review to help BN(O)s overcome the barriers they face when seeking employment.Letter on CNCC (pdf, 135.8KB) Department for Education Physical Education The Earl of Effingham: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their response to the House of Lords National Plan for Sport and Recreation Committee's report, A national plan for sport, health, and wellbeing, where they notethe average time teaching PE in primary schools was 90 minutes per week in 2016, what plans they have to increase the average time spent teaching PE in (1) primary schools, and (2) secondary schools. Baroness Barran: The government is prohibited by law in prescribing the exact time a school should allocate to individual subjects in the curriculum. On 8 March, the government made an announcement on physical education (PE) and school sport which included an expectation for both primary and secondary schools to strive for a minimum of two hours of PE and sport in the curriculum time every week. Visas: British National (Overseas) Lord Leong: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are offering to people from Hong Kong who have come to the UK under the British National Overseas (BNO) visa to help them take up teaching positions. Baroness Barran: From 1 February 2023, teachers who are already qualified and recognised as teachers in Hong Kong are able to apply to have their qualification recognised with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England, without additional training. This means that they can apply for teaching roles that require QTS.For those looking to train to teach in physics and languages, bursaries worth up to £27,000 and scholarships worth up to £29,000 are available, including to those with a British National (Overseas) visa.For those who are considering coming to England, we have introduced an international relocation payment worth up to £10,000 to help overseas physics and language teachers and trainees, including those from Hong Kong, to relocate.Schools looking to complete safeguarding checks in order to employ teachers from Hong Kong can currently provide assistance to these individuals with a letter which can be used to apply for a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction from the Hong Kong authorities. Our statutory guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, also sets out alternative safeguarding processes that schools can follow. This can be found attached.HL7002_pdf (pdf, 1212.2KB) Department for Transport Public Transport: Key Workers Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to make special public transport arrangements to enable key workers to travel to work in the event that theNational Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) pay negotiation collapses. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government welcomes the recent cancellation of strikes by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and the restart of discussions with the Rail Delivery Group on the fair and reasonable two-year pay offer. The Government recognises the serious disruption rail industrial action causes passengers. If there are any further rail strikes, operators will continue to strive to provide as many services as they can resource reliably within existing operational constraints. The Government has played its part in helping to facilitate and improve communication between the unions and the rail industry. Where necessary, Ministers will continue to facilitate open and constructive discussions to make progress and help the parties resolve the dispute. High Speed 2 Line Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the current HS2 rolling stock will be leased or purchased; what loading gauge(s) it will be built to; and on which routes a train of greater gauge than W6 will be capable or operating. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: HS2 Ltd is purchasing the rolling stock from a Joint Venture of Hitachi and Alstom. The purchased HS2 rolling stock will be gauge-compatible with its operational routes. Railways: Solar Power Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Swiss Federal Railways regarding its trial of laying solar panels in between railway tracks in order to generate electricity. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Network Rail has had discussions with the Swiss Federal Railways and is aware of their strategic priorities, broadly aligning with its own. The proposed solar panel innovation is interesting, but an initial analysis suggests that the proposal underestimates the challenges of maintaining the solar panels in a dusty, vibrating environment. The business case has also not been proven, noting that the deployment of assets in a safety critical location is necessarily more expensive than using land away from the track. Finally, Network Rail is concerned that the installation would also conceal track fastenings making it more difficult to safely maintain the railway with Network Rail’s video track inspection system. Network Rail is aiming for 100 percent of its non-traction electricity to be from renewable sources by 2030 and has committed to seek to reduce the carbon footprint of traction electricity consumption by directly purchasing renewable electricity from specific new renewable projects. Network Rail is at an early stage in the process of reviewing options for feeding renewable electricity directly into the traction power supply. Through our First of a Kind scheme the Department for Transport has supported various projects looking at feeding renewable electricity into the railway. This includes providing £750,000 to Riding Sunbeams to develop and trial an innovative connection between renewable electricity generation and overhead electrification. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Oil: Poole Baroness Boycott: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to public bodies of the oil spill in Poole. Lord Benyon: The Environment Agency (EA), Natural England (NE), Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) amongst others have been involved in responding to the oil spill in Poole Harbour. Public agencies will be monitoring their excess costs throughout the response and recovery operations following the oil spill. As these operations are on-going, final estimates are not available; however, when possible, costs will be recovered from the polluter. Cats: Animal Welfare Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the draft Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, what consideration they have given to the possibility of that legislation causing further welfare problems through the abandonment of cats caused by people being either (1) unwilling, or (2) unable, (a) to microchip, or (b) to pay fines. Lord Benyon: The introduction of compulsory cat microchipping in England is intended to increase the likelihood that lost or stolen pet cats can be reunited with their keeper, benefitting cat welfare. The cost of microchipping is around £25. Cat keepers will have until 10 June 2024 to comply with the requirements before they come into force. If a keeper is served with a notice, they will have 21 days to microchip their cat and register their details with a compliant database to avoid any fines. Cats and Dogs: Animal Welfare Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the draft Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, what assessment they have made of the necessity of considering cats and dogs together for the purposes of that legislation given the lack of danger to the public caused by cats. Lord Benyon: The introduction of compulsory cat microchipping in England is intended to increase the likelihood that lost or stolen pet cats can be reunited with their keeper, benefitting cat welfare. The extension of compulsory microchipping to pet cats was supported by 99% of respondents to the public consultation exercise. Cats: Animal Welfare Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the draft Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, what consideration they have given to the possibility of that legislation causing further welfare problems through the stress to cats caused by (1) trapping, (2) confinement, and (3) euthanasia. Lord Benyon: Under the draft Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, only owned cats are required to be microchipped. The Regulations will not apply to free living cats that live with little or no human interaction or dependency, such as farm, feral or community cats. Cats: Animal Welfare Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the draft Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, what consideration they have given to providing exemptions for (1) older cats, (2) cats with long-term health issues, and (3) cats fitted with collar trackers. Lord Benyon: The draft Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 permit an exemption from the requirement to be microchipped where a veterinary surgeon certifies that the procedure should not be carried out for animal health reasons. Cats: Animal Welfare Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government, further tothe draft Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, what consideration they have given to the issuessurrounding the data privacy of cat owners in relation to that legislation. Lord Benyon: The draft Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 will require cat keepers to register their details with a database operator which holds itself out as compliant with these Regulations. These operators are all commercial enterprises independent of Government and they have a duty to comply with data protection requirements. Honey: Standards The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the authenticity of British honey, following the investigation by the European Commission's Anti-Fraud Office and the Joint Research Centrein which all British honey samples failed authenticity tests. Lord Benyon: The UK Government takes any type of food fraud very seriously, including honey adulteration. Defra works closely with enforcement authorities, the Food Standards Agency, and the National Food Crime Unit to ensure honey sold in the UK is not subject to adulteration, meets our high standards and maintains a level playing field between honey producers. The UK welcomes the EU’s study assessing adulteration of honey with added sugars. There is no place for adulterated honey which undermines consumer confidence and disadvantages responsible businesses acting within the law. We are working closely with the Food Standards Agency to follow up on the small number of honey samples, exported via the UK, which were flagged as suspicious for adulteration with added sugars. We will need to await the outcome of these enquiries before drawing any definitive conclusions relating to the UK results. We will act immediately if we find any wrongdoing as part of the investigation Honey is a complex natural and variable product, meaning analysis can often be challenging. There are a range of different techniques available to ensure compliance with the Honey (England) Regulations 2015, which are like those in place in the EU. No single test can definitively determine a honey’s authenticity and a weight of evidence approach, including traceability investigation, is often needed regardless of the results of laboratory testing. We support the EU’s call for increased efforts and cooperation in developing harmonised methods for detecting added sugars in honey. The Government has an active programme of research dedicated to honey authenticity, working to support monitoring and enforcement and to protect consumers and legitimate businesses. Ash Dieback Disease: Disease Control The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Benyon on 21 March (HL6421), howmany grants they made to private landowners for support with the costs described in (1) 2022, (2) 2021, (3) 2020, and (4) 2019. Lord Benyon: The Government provides grants for private landowners, to help with costs associated with ecological surveys and felling roadside ash with ash dieback, through the Tree Health Grant Pilot. This scheme provides financial and technical support to facilitators to coordinate the removal of dangerous ash trees along roads and public paths for groups of landowners. Support covers the costs and administration of ecological surveys, felling licences, protected species licences (if needed) and road closure permissions, as well as restocking. Pilots are running in the North West, the South East, London and the West Midlands and landowners are eligible if they have ash with ash dieback along roads or paths. The pilot launched in August 2021 and the full scheme is expected to be launched Nationwide in 2025. The numbers of grants made under this pilot for ash dieback so far are:2022: 4 grants, totalling £157,846.54 Following this low uptake, Defra is working with the Forestry Commission and the Tree Council to review and improve the provision for ash with ash dieback along roads and paths. Defra has also brought together local authorities in the pilot areas to provide feedback on the ash offer and how it can be improved to better suit their needs. Following an independent evaluation report, which included several recommendations from local authorities, Defra has amended the ash offer and this improved offer will be launched across the pilot areas in April. Local authorities can also apply for funds to restore landscapes ecologically degraded by ash dieback and other pressures through the Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LATF), also launched in 2021. Although local authorities must lead applications to this fund, they are able to work with private landowners and other organisations to deliver recovery planting. Since 2021, over £15m has been awarded through this fund, although the number of private landowners receiving funding is determined by the local authorities administering funding, and Defra do not hold data on this. The grant is currently open for 2023 applications. The numbers of grants made to local authorities under LATF so far are:2021: 42 grants, totalling £8.5m2022: 35 grants, totalling £6.7m Rights of Way Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 29 March (HL6810), whether they will provide additional funding for local highway authorities to address (1) the backlog of 4,000 applications for historic rights of way, and (2) the 41,000 miles of potentially unrecorded routes discovered by the Ramblers and its volunteers. Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 29 March (HL6810),what steps they are taking to ensure that the backlog of 4,000 applications for historic rights of way are assessed in a timely manner; and what discussions the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has had with the Department for Levelling-up, Housing and Communities about the funding required by local authorities to consider those applications. Lord Benyon: The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 makes available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, the majority of which is un-ringfenced in recognition of local authorities being best placed to understand local priorities and allocate funding accordingly. The Government is committed to implementing the rights of way reforms package which will reduce bureaucracy and speed up the process for new rights of way to be added to the legal record for everyone to enjoy. The reforms will streamline processes for recording rights of way with landowners, local authorities and users benefitting from a faster, less expensive, less confrontational and less bureaucratic process. Local authorities will have powers to reject weakly evidenced applications, ignore irrelevant objections and agree appropriate modifications directly with landowners. Local authorities will have powers to correct obvious administrative errors on the definitive map via a significantly shortened process. Fishing Vessels: Northern Ireland Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether fishing vessels from (1) Great Britain, and (2) Northern Ireland, landing fishing catches at Northern Ireland, will be treated as vessels from third countries following the provisions of the Windsor Framework. Lord Benyon: There is no change to the requirements that apply regarding the landing of fish into ports in NI. Vessels should continue to operate in line with the status quo. Ministry of Justice Probate Lord Blackwell: To ask His Majesty's Government what is theaverage time taken for His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to process probate applications. Lord Blackwell: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of probate applications to His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) exceed their target time of 16 weeks for processing. Lord Bellamy: Despite record level of receipts in 2022 the average length of time taken for a grant of probate following receipt of the documents required has been maintained at 6 weeks.8.8% of Probate applications exceeded 16 weeks processing time following receipt of the documents required. Cases can be delayed where more information is needed from the applicant, an application to stop a case from an interested party is in place or where cases are complex.HMCTS has increased resources to meet the higher demand following an increased number of estates requiring probate and is further increasing resourcing to further bring down overall timeliness on digital and paper applications.Average waiting times for probate grants, up to December 2022, are routinely published on gov.uk via Family Court Statistics Quarterly.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2023-04-11

Balkans Theatre: Strike Aircraft Commitment Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have for the future United Kingdom force levels in the Balkans. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Following a review by NATO of the Statement of Requirement for aircraft in the Balkans theatre we have agreed new burden-sharing arrangements with the US Air Force. This agreement means that for three months in 12, we will meet the requirement for four strike aircraft, and the US for the remainder of the year. We have now completed our first three-month commitment, allowing us to withdraw four RAF Harriers and some 150 support personnel from Gioia del Colle from 1 April. The RAF will next deploy four aircraft again in early 2002. Fishery Protection Vessels: Replacement Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to replace the ISLAND Class Offshore Patrol Vessels. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are pleased to announce that, following a thorough tender evaluation, Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd have been selected as preferred bidder to provide an offshore patrol capability under a lease arrangement to replace the existing five ISLAND Class Offshore Patrol Vessels employed on patrol and fishery protection duties on behalf of MAFF. Subject to satisfactory conclusion of negotiations, we plan to be able to place the associated contract with Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd in April 2001. Fishing Vessel Licence Transfer and Aggregation Capacity Penalties Baroness Thornton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any plans to change the capacity penalty arrangements applying to the transfer and aggregation of fishing vessel licences. Baroness Hayman: The operation of fishing vessel licensing arrangements has been recently reviewed by a joint industry/departmental working group and a copy of the group's report is being placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The working group has recommended that the existing capacity penalty arrangements should be maintained for the time being but that the penalty relating to the uprating of an existing engine, or to an increase in power following its replacement, should be based on the increase in the vessel's capacity rather than its overall capacity. The Fisheries Departments in the UK agree and arrangements are being made to notify the owners of licensed fishing vessels. As of today a 20 per cent capacity penalty will operate for the uprating or replacement of an existing vessel engine provided the resulting increase in engine power does not exceed 35 per cent. This penalty will be reduced to 10 per cent where an engine is uprated or replaced before 31 December 2001. However, except in the case of pelagic vessels, where vessel capacity units (VCUs) are taken from vessels under 18 metres in overall length and aggregated on to licensed vessels measuring 18 metres or more in overall length, the capacity penalty will be 30 per cent. Provision will also be made for the splitting of fishing vessel licences for the purpose of engine power adjustments. The Fisheries departments, in conjunction with the European Commission, are also prepared to consider, on a case by case basis, waiving capacity penalties and compliance with tonnage rules for vessel improvements which relate exclusively to improved safety and which will not result in an increase in a vessel's fishing effort. Under EU legislation, member states may apply for an increase in tonnage objectives under their relevant Multi Annual Guidance Programme to take account of increases in vessel capacity resulting exclusively from safety improvements. Advantage is now being taken of that facility. In the longer term the Fisheries departments in the UK wish to simplify the present capacity regime and, with the exception of engine power adjustments, plan to return to a situation where a single penalty applies. The present capacity penalties will therefore end on 31 March 2003 and be replaced on 1 April 2003 by a single penalty which will also apply to tonnage and engine power as well as vessel capacity units. Since two years' notice of these changes is being given, no provision will be made for so-called pipeline cases. The views of the fishing industry and other interests are being sought on the level at which the capacity penalty should be fixed and whether this should apply to both licence transfers and aggregations or to aggregations alone. Miss Zainas Hussain Nazir Hammad Lord Ahmed: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether criminal charges are being instigated regarding the allegations of false imprisonment and slavery claimed by Miss Zainas Hussain Nazir Hammad as reported in the Sunday Telegraph on 17 September 2000; and, if not, why no such criminal proceedings have been taken. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police informs me that the police have not received any allegations or complaint in connection with these matters, nor is there any record of a person of that name being reported as missing. Prison Overcrowding Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 5 March (WA 8), how they define prison overcrowding in England and Wales. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Prison Service defines prison overcrowding as the number of prisoners held in excess of the in use Certified Normal Accommodation. Freedom of Information Act 2000: Implementation Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have revised their timetable for the bringing into force of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and, if so, what are their reasons. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 must be implemented across the whole of the public sector by 30 November 2005. However, the Government, as part of their commitment to increasing openness, have stated that they intend to implement the Act much earlier than this. There are ongoing discussions with the Information Commissioner regarding what is a practicable and achievable timetable for implementation. There is a great deal of work required on the Commissioner's part in approving a publication scheme for all public authorities before their implementation date and also in the recruitment and training of staff in order to achieve this. It would be inappropriate to propose a detailed timetable for the implementation process until these discussions are complete. There is, however, a great deal of work under way at the moment to ensure that implementation can be achieved as expeditiously as possible within all public authorities. There will be an announcement of the timetable itself in due course. Football Disorder: Working Group Report Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Working Group on Football Disorder will submit its findings and recommendations. Lord Bassam of Brighton: I have today published the Working Group's report and a copy has been placed in the Library. It contains over 50 recommendations aimed at improving the image of English football, the behaviour of its followers and the role of football in promoting social inclusion. A targeted action plan is included. The report stresses that the need to improve communication and develop productive partnerships will be crucial to enhancing the game's reputation and maximising its vast potential to help deliver an inclusive and tolerant society. Electronic Conveyancing Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to publish proposals for the introduction of electronic conveyancing? Lord Irvine of Lairg: My department has today published a consultation paper, Electronic Conveyancing: A draft order under section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000. This consultation paper has been produced in association with HM Land Registry and the Law Commission. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will outline the methodology behind the creation of an invitation list for a function organised by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and held on 16 February to discuss further powers for the commission, and whether they will ensure that, in future, such functions are representative in equal measure of all sections of the community. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: 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. Millennium Dome: Sale of Contents Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements have been made to postpone the auction sale of items from the Millennium Dome which is due to be carried out by Henry Butcher International Auctioneers and Valuers during the period 27 February to 2 March 2001. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The auction sale of items from the Millennium Dome went ahead as planned between 27 February and 2 March. However, in light of the Government's decision on 15 February to reopen the competition for the future of the Dome, the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and the Government kept under review the range of items included in the auction. I can assure the noble Baroness that no items were included in the sale that would prejudice any potential future use of the Dome as a visitor attraction. Parties who expressed an interest in any items subsequently withheld from the auction will be notified if they become available for sale at a later date. Millennium Dome: Sale of Contents Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What sum of money was raised by the sale of items from the Millennium Dome site; and how much of that total will be paid over to the New Millennium Experience Company after the deduction of the auctioneer's fees and expenses. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: As announced by the New Millennium Experience Company on 3 March, the total value of the hammer price for the items auctioned (that is the price bid by purchasers of individuals items) was approximately £3.5 million. This figure is subject to final reconciliation after completion of payments and collection of items by the purchasers. However, if the total remains at £3.5 million, the auctioneers, under the terms of their contract with the New Millennium Experience Company, will receive commission from NMEC of approximately £173,000. The remainder of the income from the auction will revert to the benefit of NMEC. Prior to the auction itself, the auctioneers provided a range of professional services to NMEC, including the organisation of the auction itself, identification of items to be auctioned, cataloguing, valuing, and marketing. The value of this work, which includes all marketing expenses and which again is subject to final reconciliation, is estimated to be £1.5 million. The auctioneers are continuing to deliver services under their contract, which is currently intended to terminate on 31 March 2001. NMEC: Liquidation Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: On what date the New Millennium Experience Company will go into liquidation. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) will appoint a liquidator as soon as the company has been able to realise the whole of its assets and to discharge its outstanding liabilities. It is important on practical grounds, and in the interests of cost effectiveness, that this process is completed to the fullest possible extent before the appointment of a liquidator. Whilst the intention is that a liquidator will be appointed later this year, at this stage it is not possible to give a definitive date for that appointment. Parliamentary Pay and Allowances: Review Body Report Lord Williams of Elvel: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the Review Body on Senior Salaries' report of parliamentary pay and allowances. Baroness Jay of Paddington: The Government are publishing the Review Body on Senior Salaries' report of parliamentary pay and allowances today. The Government are grateful to Sir Michael Perry and the members of the SSRB for their work and the Government have noted their recommendations. This will be a matter for decision by Parliament. Broadband Services and Optical Wireless Technology The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have considered the adoption of optical wireless technology as a means of delivering broadband connectivity to the Internet within the United Kingdom. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government are aware of optical wireless technology as a means of delivering broadband services, and granted a Public Telecommunications Operator licence to one such operator last November. UK/Eurozone Trade Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the ratio of non-Euroland trade to gross domestic product; and how this ratio compares with each Eurozone country's ratio of non-Euroland trade. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Information on the UK and each Eurozone country's trade in goods with non-Eurozone countries as a percentage of gross domestic product is given in the following table: UK & Eurozone countries' trade in goods with non-Eurozone countries as a percentage of gross domestic product-1999 Exports as % of GDP Imports as % of GDP Total trade as % of GDP UK 8.6 11.3 19.9 Austria 13.4 12.1 25.5 Belgium 26.5 26.9 53.4 Finland 21.1 16.0 37.1 France 10.2 9.7 20.0 Germany 14.3 12.6 26.9 Ireland 45.0 39.1 84.1 Italy 10.8 9.1 19.9 Luxembourg 10.1 10.7 20.9 Netherlands 19.2 25.7 44.9 Portugal 7.4 11.2 18.6 Spain 7.3 10.3 17.6 Note: Total trade equals exports plus imports Source: OECD Series A OECD Main Economic Indicators Anglo-Georgian Trade Lord Biffen: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the trend in Anglo-Georgian trade since 1996; what are the prospects for improvement; and whether Export Credit Guarantee cover will be made available for this business. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The level of UK Trade has grown since 1996 as set out in the table below. Georgia 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 UK imports (£m) 0.579 1.257 3.222 3.67 14.22 UK exports (£m) 3.784 12.10 20.991 14.68 12.20 Total trade (£m) 4.363 13.357 24.113 18.35 26.42 Georgia remains a relatively small market for UK goods. The outlook for trade with Georgia will depend on the economic situation and continued reform in the country. If the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline from Azerbaijan were to proceed, this would be likely to increase the level of UK goods and services to Georgia. ECGD medium/long term cover is not currently available for Georgia. ECGD continues to monitor developments in the economy.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2001-03-16a

Department for Transport SS Richard Montgomery Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers posed by the explosives on board the wreck of SS Richard Montgomery; whether shortening the masts of the vessel willensure the level of safety required on a busy waterway; and whatassessment they have made as to whether complete removal of the explosives is (1) necessary, and (2) feasible. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Managing the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery is a priority for the Department. The wreck is under 24-hour surveillance, and we actively monitor its condition through annual surveys. The results are assessed by an expert group and, following their recommendation, we are progressing a project to investigate removal of the vessel’s masts. We will continue to assess the condition of the wreck and consider expert advice in future to ensure any potential risks are minimised. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Energy Company Obligation Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of including all energy-saving technologies that reduce the cost of heating or hot water into the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). Lord Callanan: The targets for the current iteration of ECO, ECO4, are based on the Home Heating and Cost Reduction Obligation (HHCRO) powers set out in the Electricity Act 1989, Section 41B, and Gas Act 1986, Section 33BD. This allows Government to set a target for the promotion of measures for reducing the cost to individuals of heating their homes. Therefore, measures which do not result in space heating savings are not within scope. ECO4 is focused on installing energy-efficiency and heating measures in lower income and otherwise vulnerable households across Great Britain. The scheme will run from 2022 to 2026 and is valued at £1 billion a year. This is predicted to help an extra 450,000 families with green measures that reduce the cost of heating such as insulation. Water: Conservation Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of water efficiency measures in helping achieve the government’s net zero aims. Lord Callanan: As outlined in the Energy-related Products Policy Framework, the Government estimates 0.9 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent could be saved over Carbon Budget 5 through consumer behaviour change encouraged by a mandatory water label on taps and non-electric showers. Defra has already committed to mandatory water labelling on taps and non-electric showers, among other products, and is working closely with BEIS officials to explore the inclusion of energy efficiency information on the labels in order to best support consumers to make energy- and money-saving purchases. The Government will continue to explore the feasibility of other efficiency measures for these products.Energy-related Products Policy Framework (pdf, 878.7KB) Agriculture: Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the acreage of permanent pasture ploughed up as a result of the Renewable Heat Initiative in England. Lord Callanan: The Government has not undertaken an assessment and does not hold this information. Department of Health and Social Care Mental Illness: Community Care Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support seriously mentally ill people so that they avoid going to prison. Lord Kamall: Liaison and Diversion services operate at police stations and criminal courts in England to identify and assess people with vulnerabilities, such as substance misuse and mental ill-health, to refer them to services and, where appropriate, away from the justice system. Liaison and Diversion services have covered 100% of the population of England since April 2020. The Ministry of Justice, the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities have developed a new protocol to increase the use of community sentence treatment requirements in courts to reduce reoffending. The use of short-term custodial sentences may address the health and social issues of the offender. We have provided £12 million to establish 21 programme sites for mental health treatment requirements. Immunosuppression: Health Services Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of UK care standards for immunocompromised patients; what assessment they have made of these in comparison to international standards; and what assessment they have made of the failure to provide pre-exposure prophylactic treatments to eligible patients. Lord Kamall: The United Kingdom has made treatments available to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death for patients whose immune system means they are at the highest risk from COVID-19. Eligible patients who test positive for COVID-19 will be contacted by a clinician from a COVID Medicines Delivery Unit to discuss treatment suitability. The clinically eligible cohorts have been determined by an independent expert group commissioned by the Department and included in a clinical policy agreed by the UK Chief Medical Officers.The Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce engages with other nations to share learning on the use, deployment and evaluation of therapeutics and antivirals. This includes monitoring whether and how other countries are using pre-exposure prophylactic treatments which may inform our policy on its use.The Department is currently evaluating prophylaxis through the efficacy of the drug Evusheld. Before a decision is made to introduce a prophylactic treatment, it must be clinically cost effective and demonstrate sufficient efficacy against Omicron and new variants. However, no specific assessment has been made of the failure to provide such treatments. The Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel provides advice on the most appropriate patient cohorts for new COVID-19 therapies, including preventative treatments. Final clinical policies and eligibility would be proposed by the National Health Service and agreed by the UK Chief Medical Officers. Ministry of Justice Prison Officers Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent levels of (1) retention, and (2) cumulative experience, of prison officers. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: HMPPS does not have a standard definition of ‘retention rates’ however we do publish information on leaving rates which can be used as a proxy. The leaving rate is the number of staff who have left the department in the previous 12 months divided by the average number of people in post over the same period of time. Figures for leaving rates to 31 December 2021 are available in published workforce statistics here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/her-majestys-prison-and-probation-service-workforce-quarterly-december-2021 Figures for leaving rates by grade can be found in the table 11 of the Excel tables accompanying the publication. The cumulative length of service, in years, held by all Band 3-5 Prison Officer as at 31st December 2021 is 240,501 years, based on a headcount of 23,123 staff or 22,156 Full Time Equivalent. Band 3-5 Officers includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officers (incl specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officers, and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.HL204_table (xlsx, 18.9KB) Prisons: Education Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what comparative assessment they have made of the levels of pay for education staff (1) working in prisons, and (2) not working in prisons. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Education within the prison setting in England is contracted out and teacher pay, therefore, is a matter for the contract suppliers. There is no requirement in the contracts to agree such matters with the Ministry of Justice.Providers of contracted services play an important role in the prison estate and we continue to monitor the delivery of Prisoner Education Services to raise prisoners’ levels of numeracy, literacy, skills and qualifications with the aim of helping them secure jobs or apprenticeships on their release. CAFCASS and Probation Service Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of current workload of staff in (1) the Probation Service; and (2) the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: (1) As of March 2022, 96% of Probation staff (Probation Officers and Probation Service Officers) hold less than 50 cases, with an average caseload of 34 (rounded down to nearest full number). The average caseload for the 4% who hold over 50 cases is 59. The Probation Service is committed to providing a quality service in order to achieve its mission of protecting the public, supporting victims and reducing reoffending. We recruited a total of 1,007 trainees (against a target of 1000) in 2020/21 and 1,522 trainee probation officers (against a target of 1,500) in 2021/2022. Further recruitment is planned in 2022/23. This will ensure that the Service has the resources it needs. (2) The number of open active children’s cases within Cafcass was 34,834 in May 2022. This has reduced from 38,178 in April 2021, but still represents an increase of 15.1% on pre-pandemic levels. Officials at the Ministry of Justice are in regular contact with Cafcass management to ensure it has the resources it needs to manage staff workloads. For 2022/23, the Ministry of Justice has provided Cafcass with a budget increase of £8.4m from its 2021/22 starting position. All public law work continues to be allocated in Cafcass in the usual way and within established timescales. Department for International Trade Supply Chains Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create a cross-industry and government-backed task force to assess the resilience of the UK's supply chains. Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: Supply chain resilience is a priority for HM Government. In October, the Prime Minister appointed Sir Dave Lewis to advise on supply chains and identify both immediate improvements and any necessary long-term changes. We are working to secure the supply chains of the future already, including for critical minerals, by working with like-minded nations around the world. Industry involvement is crucial to enhancing our understanding and the visibility of critical supply chains, and in working to take action to strengthen their resilience. We regularly engage with businesses to better understand vulnerabilities, risks, business impacts and the adaption measures being taken to improve the resilience of supply chains. Exports: Agricultural Products The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the National Farmers UnionGrowing our agri-food exports to 2030 and beyond,published on 27 April, what plans they have to increase the number of agri-food experts in British embassies located in target markets for future free trade agreements. Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Department for International Trade has staff in more than 100 markets across the world who are helping British businesses in the agriculture, food, and drink sector to trade with the world. HM Government additionally has a dedicated agricultural attaché in the United Arab Emirates, which is a member of the Gulf Co-operation Council, with whom we aim to begin negotiations for a free trade agreement soon. We aim to have a total of ten agricultural attachés in growth markets across North and South America, Africa and Asia by the end of 2022. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office China: Solomon Islands The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the security pact between the People's Republic of China and the Solomon Islands. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As set out in the Integrated Review (March 2021), the UK is committed to and strategically focussed on the Indo-Pacific region. As a longstanding partner and friend, the UK works to support peace and prosperity for the people of Solomon Islands and across the Pacific region. Our recent deployment of a UK Emergency Medical Team demonstrates our commitment to Solomon Islands. China: Papua New Guinea The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the People's Republic of China's involvement in Papua New Guinea. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As set out in the Integrated Review (March 2021), the UK is committed to and strategically focussed on the Indo-Pacific region. The UK and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have shared priorities including protecting the environment, security, stability, economic development and tackling climate change. Following PNG's request for assistance, the UK sent an Emergency Medical Team in October 2021, which provided clinical care support to PNG's healthcare workers. China: Pacific Ocean Islands The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Australia to ensure an integrated response to the growing influence of the People's Republic of China in the South Pacific. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As set out in the Integrated Review (March 2021), the UK is committed to and strategically focussed on the Indo-Pacific region. The UK's close partnership with Australia is an important part of this Indo-Pacific focus. As champions of freedom and democracy, the UK and Australia work together to defend our values, in line with the UK's commitment to build a 'network of liberty'. The Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary visited Australia in January 2022 for talks to strengthen economic, diplomatic and security ties. UK officials also regularly meet their Australian counterparts to discuss a wide range of topics, including supporting the development needs of countries in the Pacific. Pacific Ocean Islands: British Overseas Territories The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the UK’s naval capability in supporting British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories in the South Pacific. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government is committed to defending the British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories, in line with our constitutional responsibilities. The Pitcairn Islands are the sole UK Overseas Territory in the Pacific. The Ministry of Defence maintains high-readiness maritime, land and air assets to deter and respond to threats globally, including the appropriate naval capability to support the British Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories. HMS Spey recently visited Pitcairn Island where it delivered COVID-19 vaccines and patrolled the Exclusive Economic Zone. Africa: Food Supply The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take, if any, with international partners to prevent an increase in acute food insecurity in Africa as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Even before the conflict in Ukraine, 273 million people needed humanitarian assistance globally and 43 million people were one step from famine. Russia's invasion is further accelerating this trend through its impact on food, fuel, and fertiliser prices. The UK is stepping up to respond. We have announced a package of emergency humanitarian assistance to address rising food insecurity in Africa, and provided £72.25 million for crises in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan. At the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings in April, the UK and our partners secured the largest ever financial commitment from the World Bank of $170 billion over the next 15 months to support countries impacted by the Russian invasion. We are also calling for all countries to keep food trade flowing; we know from the last global food crisis that this is the best way to keep prices down. Islamic State The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government who represented the UK government at the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Marrakesh on Wednesday 11 May; and what conclusions the meeting reached with regard to Coalition action against ISIS in Africa, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The British Ambassador to Morocco, Simon Martin, represented the UK government at the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh Ministerial meeting in Marrakesh on Wednesday 11 May. I [Lord Ahmad, Minister for South Asia and Central Asia, North Africa, the United Nations and the Commonwealth] was unable to attend. The conclusions regarding Coalition action against Daesh in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Africa are available in the Ministerial Communique. This is available at https://theglobalcoalition.org/en/communique-global-coalition-morocco/ Education: International Cooperation The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential of online learning platforms to improve global access to education; and whichplatforms they consider most appropriate for international use. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Online learning platforms can certainly support children's learning. There are a wide variety of platforms available, and the best one for any context will depend on the availability of infrastructure and, importantly, student, teacher, and content readiness in each country.Well-informed use of education technology (EdTech) has the potential to transform education systems for the most marginalised. Its use was particularly important during the COVID pandemic, when children and their teachers were forced to move to online education. However, EdTech is not a silver bullet and many interventions, particularly those focused on buying new hardware, have failed because of poor support to teachers and children beyond the hardware or weak fit with the specific context. More robust research is needed on impact, cost-effectiveness, and the equity implications of EdTech. Together with the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the FCDO supports the EdTech Hub with £22 million of UK aid for research to help decision-makers take evidence-based decisions on EdTech. UK research has already helped over 85 million learners. Ukraine: Exports Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to create a safe sea channel for (1) agricultural, and (2) other exports, from Ukraine to the outside world, usingsuch military force as may be necessary. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Russia's war against Ukraine is making food insecurity an issue for people everywhere, in particular for the poorest and most vulnerable. Russia's blockage of Ukrainian ports and destruction of civilian infrastructure has further exacerbated the dysfunctionality of in global agricultural supply chains and food systems. President Zelenskyy has called on the international community to take immediate steps to end the Russian blockade and has been followed by repeated calls from the World Food Programme for Russia to allow the re-opening of the ports at Odesa and allow food to flow freely. The UK is working with Ukraine and international partners to find ways, whether by sea or overland, to re-start the export of grain from Ukraine and to the countries that desperately need it. The focus of this effort is on agricultural exports, though it is possible the establishment of a corridor would allow other products to reach global markets. In addition, the UK led a statement on food security at the WTO, supported by nearly 60 countries, committing signatories to keeping their food and agricultural markets open, predictable and transparent by not imposing unjustified trade restrictive measures on agricultural and agri-food products. Sri Lanka: Politics and Government The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current political and security situation in Sri Lanka following the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on 10 May. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are closely monitoring the political, economic and security situation in Sri Lanka. We encourage a peaceful, democratic, and inclusive approach to resolving the current political and economic challenges. We call on all parties to explore constructive and democratic ways of resolving the current situation.The UK Government strongly condemns the violence against peaceful protesters in Sri Lanka. Lord Ahmad, called for accountability for those responsible and for the right to protest peacefully to be protected. Fundamental rights including the right to peaceful protest, must be protected as part of a democratic resolution to current economic & political challenges. Shireen Abu Akleh The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel and the Palestinian authorities on the need for a full, independent, transparent and accountable investigation into the killing of the Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on 11 May. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 11 May, the Minister of State for Asia and the Middle East [Amanda Milling] publicly expressed her sadness upon hearing news of the tragic death of veteran Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, and called for a thorough investigation. The Foreign Secretary also made this clear in a statement on 12 May. Officials from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv have reiterated the importance of an investigation with the Israeli authorities. The safety of journalists across the globe is vital and they must be protected when carrying out their critical work. Tuvalu: Climate Change Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they are providing to the government of Tuvalu to counter the effects of climate change on those islands. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Tuvalu, and other Pacific Island Countries, are amongst the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. As hosts of COP26, the UK brought together tens of thousands of delegates from 196 countries plus the EU to agree The Glasgow Climate Pact. Keeping global temperature rises below 1.5°C is essential for low lying atoll nations, such as Tuvalu, to cope with the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels.Most UK aid in the Pacific is delivered through multilateral institutions such as the Green Climate Fund, which currently has two projects under implementation thatassist Tuvalu to counter the effects of climate change. The Tuvaluan Coastal Adaptation Project aims to protect Tuvalu from the impact of rising sea levels and increasing cyclone events. The second Green Climate Fund project aims to enhance the climate information services in five Pacific countries, including Tuvalu, and support increased climate-resilient sustainable development.The UK has also provided £1.2 million in co-funding to the Pacific to establish the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Hub. By supporting the planning and achievement of climate targets in NDCs, the Hub is contributing to sustainable and resilient development and the transition to a net-zero emissions development pathway in the Pacific. Education: International Cooperation The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to improve global access to education. The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to form partnerships to support the delivery of global education programmes. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The new International Development Strategy and the 2021 Girls' Education Action Plan set out the FCDO's approach to achieving our global targets of 40 million more girls in school, and 20 million more girls reading by age ten, by 2026. This includes using our diplomatic network to scale up efforts to get girls into school and learning; maximising the effectiveness and accountability of international education funds; and delivering high-quality bilateral education programmes. In 2021, as G7 President and hosts of the Global Education Summit and COP26, we led the world in prioritising girls' education in the global COVID recovery.This year we launched the Girls' Education Skills Partnership with the private sector to provide one million adolescent girls and young women with skills and training. We will use the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda in June to encourage more countries to sign the Heads of State declaration on education finance. We are working closely with partners ahead of the UN Secretary General's Transforming Education Summit in September to galvanise action for those most in need. We are building a new Coalition on Learning with like-minded partners to prioritise foundational learning for all as part of COVID recovery, and beyond. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Agriculture: Pollution Control Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards offering 100 per cent coverage for the Catchment Sensitive Farming programme across all farms in England. Lord Benyon: The expansion of Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) to 100% coverage of England was agreed in March 2021 to provide advice and support for farmers and land managers to take action for water, air and flood management priorities. Over the past 12 months CSF has expanded to cover priority areas of England (86% coverage) including the recruitment of new Natural England farm advisers, with plans in place to extend CSF coverage to 100% of England by April 2023. Home Office Police: Pepper Spray and Stun Guns Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government under what circumstances police officers are permitted to be in possession of (1) PAVA spray, and (2) TASER, when they are off duty. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Decisions around the equipping of officers are operational matters for Chief Constables. Asylum: Rwanda The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how members of the Monitoring Committee for the Migration and Economic Partnership Understanding with Rwanda will be appointed; how their independence will be assured; and what consultation will be undertaken for their appointment. Baroness Williams of Trafford: As set out in paragraph 15 of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) governing the Migration and Economic Development Partnership, an independent Monitoring Committee will monitor the entire relocation process and compliance with assurances in the MoU, including the processing of asylum claims and provision of support in Rwanda. More details on this will be set out in due course. Asylum: Rwanda The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in respect of paragraph 9.1.2 of the Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Rwanda for an asylum partnership arrangement signed in Kigali on 13 April, what equivalent standard applies in Rwanda for the Home Office requirement that interpreters are members of the Institute of Translating and Interpreting, The Chartered Institute of Linguists, or if with a company, then the latter is a member of the Association of Translation Companies. The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in respect of paragraph 9.1.2 of the Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Rwanda for an asylum partnership arrangement, what is Rwandan law and practice for the provision of independent legal assistance of asylum seekers; and what assessment they have made of the capacity of the legal profession within Rwanda to take on the additional work relating to the partnership. The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in respect of paragraph 9.1.3 of the Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Rwanda for an asylum partnership arrangement, what assessment they have made of the capacity of Rwanda to expand its appeals process. The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in respect of paragraph 11 of the Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Rwanda for an asylum partnership arrangement, under what circumstances they could make a request to the government of Rwanda to make a Relocated Individual available for return to the UK. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government of Rwanda will process asylum claims in line with its obligations under the Refugee Convention and Rwandan law, both in terms of the provision of translators where needed and access to legal assistance. While Rwanda will accept responsibility for the relocated individuals and processing them under their asylum process, the UK is providing funding to support asylum processing and wider support costs. This includes safe and clean accommodation, food, healthcare and amenities. They will have full access to translators and will be able to access legal support to appeal decisions in Rwanda’s courts. The independent Monitoring Committee will monitor the entire relocation process from the beginning including the initial screening to relocation and settlement in Rwanda.Should the United Kingdom be legally obliged to facilitate a relocated individual’s return, the Memorandum of Understanding provides that Rwanda will take all reasonable steps in accordance with international human rights standards to facilitate this. Asylum: Detainees Lord Carlile of Berriew: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many asylum seekers were detained on (1) 30 April, and (2) the same day in each of the previous three months. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office publishes statistics on people in detention in the 'Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release', which can be found on Gov.uk. The number of people in detention at the end of each year is broken down by asylum and non-asylum in table Det_01, of the ‘Detention summary tables’, which can also be found attached. The latest data goes up to the end of December 2021. Data for January to March 2022 will be published on the 26 May 2022.Asylum-related cases refer to those where there has been an asylum claim at some stage prior or during detention. This will include asylum seekers whose asylum claims have been refused, and who have exhausted any rights of appeal, those retuned under third country provisions, as well as those granted asylum/protection, but detained for other reasons (such as criminality).Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook.Det_01 (xlsx, 14.7KB) Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Local Government: Elections Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following recent local council elections, what assessment they have made of the (1) advantages, and (2) disadvantages, of changing to a proportional system. Lord Greenhalgh: The Government was elected on a manifesto which included a commitment to continue to support use of the First Past the Post voting system. The Government believes the First Past the Post system is a robust and secure way of electing mayors and local councillors in England and provides for direct local accountability. It ensures a clear link between elected representatives and their electors in a manner that other voting systems may not. Treasury Cash Dispensing Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the withdrawal of ATMs ahead of the proposed powers in the Financial Services and Markets Bill coming into effect. Baroness Penn: The Government recognises that cash remains an important part of daily life for millions of people across the UK, and remains committed to legislating to protect access to cash. LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's largest ATM network) has commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs and is held to account against these commitments by the Payment Systems Regulator. LINK has committed to protect free-to-use ATMs more than one kilometre away from the next nearest free ATM or Post Office, and free access to cash on high streets (where there is a cluster of five or more retailers) that do not have a free-to-use ATM or a Post Office counter within one kilometre. Furthermore, LINK operates a scheme to enable communities with poor access to cash to request an ATM. The Government intends to introduce legislation on cash access as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill when Parliamentary time allows. The Government recently published a summary of responses to the Access to Cash consultation, setting out the government’s planned approach to legislating for access to cash. Sequestration of Assets: Russia Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amount of Russian foreign exchange reserves that are held frozen in the UK. Baroness Penn: The Russian government is unable to access any of their foreign exchange reserves held in the UK due to the measures the UK government have put in place that prevent UK persons from providing financial services for the purposes of foreign exchange and asset management to the Russian Ministry of Finance or Russia's Central Bank. No formal assessment has been made of the quantum of Russian foreign exchange reserves. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Dormant Assets Scheme Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have toprovide more capital via the Dormant Assets Act 2022. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Dormant Assets Act 2022 delivers on Her Majesty’s Government's commitment to expand the scheme. Over time, this will unlock an estimated £880 million for good causes across the UK.Her Majesty’s Government will launch a public consultation this summer on the social and/or environmental focus of the English portion. This is an opportunity to consider how future funds can be distributed in England.The Act provides the power to expand the scheme without the need for primary legislation. This will enable Her Majesty’s Government to respond more rapidly to opportunities to broaden the pool of eligible assets as they arise, alongside experience of managing dormant assets which will build over time. Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body Palace of Westminster: Repairs and Maintenance Lord Empey: To ask the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body how much has been spent to date on the proposed decant of the House of Lords to the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre during the Restoration and Renewal works. Lord Best: From the creation of the Sponsor Body in April 2020 and the Delivery Authority in May 2020 to the end of March 2022, £10.9 million was spent on developing the plans for the proposed decant of the House of Lords to the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre, including design team and project management fees, business case work and surveys.This figure does not include costs - which cannot be reliably disaggregated - on work outside of the core House of Lords decant project.

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lordswrans2022-05-26

Agriculture: Farming Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will assess the extent to which the planning system accommodates diversification plans of farmers; and whether they will take action to allow more diversification. Baroness Hanham: National planning policy allows diversification for business purposes that is consistent in scale and environmental impact with its rural location. We will also promote a Home on the Farm scheme to encourage farmers to convert existing building into housing. We will publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development. We will make an announcement on how we propose to take forward the national planning framework and the implications for specific areas of planning policy. Airports: Security Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persons travelling in the United Kingdom have been searched using body scanners or have had their luggage screened at international airports in the United Kingdom in the last (a) three, (b) six, and (c) 12 months. To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persons from ethnic minorities have been searched using body scanners or have had their luggage screened when travelling into the United Kingdom in the last (a) three, (b) six, and (c) 12 months. Earl Attlee: The screening of passengers and baggage flying into the UK takes place at the point of departure and is the responsibility of the departing state. Security (body) scanners have been operationally deployed in the UK since 1 February 2010 for the screening of departing passengers. In the subsequent five months to 1 July 2010, approximately 250,000 people have been screened by security scanners at UK airports. Passengers may be selected for security scanning on a random basis, or if they cause other detection systems to alarm. The Government require that airports ensure that passengers selected for security scanning be afforded an opportunity to provide details of their age, gender, race, ethnic origin and religion or beliefs. Airports are collecting these data by a number of methods. We are considering how best to analyse these data and have also sought the views of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. We will consider this further alongside the responses to the public consultation on the use of security scanners, which closed on 19 July. All departing baggage is subjected to security screening at UK airports. Banking: Levy Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the bank levy to be imposed by the Government of the United States on banks operating there falls within the definition of a tax for the purposes of double taxation agreements between the United States and the United Kingdom; and whether they propose that the United Kingdom bank tax levy should be covered by such agreements. Lord Sassoon: The existing double taxation agreement between the US and the UK covers US federal income taxes and US federal excise taxes on insurance policies. It is unlikely to cover the proposed balance sheet levies in either the US or the UK. However, the Government appreciate the desirability of avoiding double taxation caused by the interaction of the different countries' levies and will discuss possible mechanisms to alleviate that double taxation with other countries that plan to introduce bank balance sheet levies. Banks: Stress Tests Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of using generic assumptions common to assets in all markets on the utility of the European Union bank stress tests. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HM Treasury, the Bank of England or the Financial Services Authority will review and approve data submitted by United Kingdom banks for the European Union bank stress tests; and whether HM Treasury, the Bank of England or the Financial Services Authority will review the results of the tests before they are published. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the pass rate for tier one capital and core tier one capital set by the Committee of European Banking Supervisors for their banking capital stress tests; and whether the Bank of England or the Financial Services Authority were consulted in setting those rates. To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the possibility of United Kingdom banks failing the stress tests by the Committee of European Banking Supervisors. Lord Sassoon: The EU-wide stress test has been expressly designed as an exercise in which commonly agreed scenarios and key assumptions have been applied to institutions across Europe. The stress tests are being co-ordinated by the Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS). This is composed of representatives from the banking supervisory authorities and central banks of the European Union, including the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA is applying the CEBS stress test to UK banks. Details on the results of the stress test will be published on 23 July. British Overseas Territories Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the cost of the Overseas Territories Environment Programme in each territory; and what assessment they have made of the success of the programme. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP), funded jointly by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development, has committed for the current financial year the following amounts, based on project bids made by the respective Overseas Territories (OT): Anguilla: £102,883;British Antarctic Territory: £27,351;Bermuda: £114,800;British Indian Ocean Territory: £20,961;British Virgin Islands: £52,173;Cayman Islands: £61,224;Falkland Islands: £124,730;Montserrat: £56,500;Pitcairn Islands: £18,750;St Helena: £115,348;South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands: £74,687;Tristan da Cunha: £182,785;Turks and Caicos Islands: £122,914; andProjects in two or more Territories: £260,613. Project implementers submit quarterly reports on the progress of, and outcomes from their projects. An independent assessment of OTEP carried out in 2006 concluded: "OTEP has established itself as a highly valued leader in supporting sustainable development in the OTs, particularly in conserving the OTs' rich biodiversity. It has been well run, is well received by both UK and OT stakeholders, and is committed to continuous improvement. There is considerable demand in the OTs for OTEP to continue". Budget Responsibility Committee Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HM Treasury informed Mr Geoffrey Dicks and Mr Graham Parker when they were appointed to the Budget Responsibility Committee on 8 June that Sir Alan Budd only intended to chair that committee for three months. Lord Sassoon: Geoffrey Dicks and Graham Parker were aware when they were appointed that Sir Alan Budd only intended to chair the interim Office for Budget Responsibility Committee for the time taken to produce the forecasts for the Emergency Budget and advise the Chancellor on arrangements for the permanent Office for Budget Responsibility. Burma Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the report Crimes against humanity in Western Burma: the situation of the Rohingyas by the Irish Centre for Human Rights, about Rohingyas in northern Arakan. Lord Howell of Guildford: The report from the Irish Centre for Human Rights adds to our already deep concern about the situation faced by the Rohingya people in Northern Rakhine State. Our embassy in Burma monitors the situation as closely as possible, in consultation with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, International Labour Organisation, and UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights. The Rohingya are denied Burmese citizenship, and we continue to receive credible reports of severe restrictions on their freedom of movement, forced labour and other human rights abuses. We deplore the institutionalised persecution of the Rohingya highlighted by the report. Burma Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will invoke the Responsibility to Protect mechanism to address human rights and humanitarian concerns in the ethnic areas of Burma. Lord Howell of Guildford: The coalition Government's policy towards Burma is consistent with the concept of Responsibility to Protect, which, while not creating any new rights or obligations under international law, underlines that all Governments have a responsibility to protect their citizens from crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide and ethnic cleansing. If they are unable or unwilling to do so, the international community should assist, using humanitarian, diplomatic and all other peaceful means at its disposal. As a last resort, the concept envisages the consideration of more coercive international intervention through the Security Council in accordance with the UN Charter. We are deeply concerned at the widespread abuse of human rights in Burma, and particularly at the suffering of Burma's ethnic groups. We are committed to raising our concerns with Burma's neighbours and other international partners, in all relevant international fora, including the UN Security Council, and directly with the military Government in Burma. With such action we aim to highlight the situation in the country, rally international pressure on the regime, and thereby curtail further human rights abuses. The Government are also committed to helping Burma's long-suffering people through a significant programme of humanitarian aid that makes the UK amongst the largest bilateral donors. Burma Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Governments of Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the situation of the Rohingya people in Burma. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and the Foreign Office Minister of State responsible for South East Asia have expressed the Government's concern over the human rights situation in Burma. My honourable friend the Minister of State responsible for South East Asia discussed the situation faced by ethnic groups in Burma with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers, including the Foreign Ministers of Thailand and Malaysia, at an EU/ASEAN meeting on 27 May 2010 in Madrid, and Burma is on the agenda for his forthcoming visit to South East Asia. My right honourable friend the Minister of State at the Department for International Development, Alan Duncan, discussed the Rohingya with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni on 14 July 2010 and senior FCO officials raised wider Burma human rights concerns with the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 2010. We will continue to seek opportunities to raise the plight of Burma's ethnic groups, including the Rohingya, with neighbouring countries and other international partners likely to have influence on the military Government. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any British companies are investing in Burma; and, if so, which companies. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Burmese Government do not share with the UK the specific information they hold on foreign investment, but our assessment is that there is negligible investment by British companies in Burma. Statistics from 2007 and 2008-the latest available-from the Office for National Statistics show no new foreign investment from the UK into Burma. Burma Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the European Commission to ensure officials adhere to agreed European Union policy on Burma. Lord Howell of Guildford: The EU Council Decision on Burma (formerly EU Common Position) was renewed for a further 12 months at the end of April 2010 with unanimous support. The European Commission is also party to the Council Decision and adheres to EU policy on Burma. EU activity on Burma is further co-ordinated through regular discussion in Asia-Oceania Working Group meetings in Brussels which involves all member states and the European Commission. Businesses: Government Contracts Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to reduce the bureaucracy involved for businesses applying for government contracts. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Government are committed to simplifying and streamlining the public procurement process. We have ongoing work to look into ways to reduce bureaucracy, we have already asked government procurers to use standardised, simpler prequalification questionnaires; and we have published a procurement timeline tool to help shorten timescales. To make it easier for businesses to identify public sector contracting opportunities, the Government are committed to publishing tender documents online and free of charge from September. From December, departments' prime contractors will be encouraged to advertise subcontracting opportunities on a single website. The commitment to centralise government commodity procurement, set out in the Cabinet Office Structural Reform Plan, will also reduce duplication and bureaucracy, and will improve efficiency in government purchasing. Care Services: Malnutrition Baroness Thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government , with reference to the Care Quality Commission's consultation document Assessments of Quality 2010-11, whether they will ask the commission to undertake a special review of the quality of nutrition and hydration care delivered in care settings in England. Earl Howe: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has consulted on its programme of special reviews and will be publishing the programme in due course. This programme of reviews included a proposed review on nutrition and hydration. The commission, as an independent body, will decide based on the responses to its consultation which reviews it undertakes. Although the Secretary of State has the power to require a particular special review, it is not his intention to use this power unless there are particular matters of public concern that are not addressed by CQC's own review programme. Child Abduction Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether judicial protocols on child abduction have been made with Bangladesh or India, similar to the United Kingdom-Pakistan judicial protocol. Lord McNally: There are no judicial protocols with Bangladesh or India. Her Majesty's Government continue to encourage more countries to ratify or accede to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. There are currently 82 contracting states to the convention. India is considering whether to accede. Children: Childminders Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to increase the number of registered childminders in England. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government's coalition document Our Programme for Government makes clear our support for free nursery care for preschool children, and that we want it to be delivered by a diverse range of providers. Childminders are an important group of providers and many families value the home-based care that childminders offer. The Department for Education is providing strategic funding of £1.4 million in 2010-11 to the National Childminding Association (NCMA), which represents home-based childcarers, to help develop and sustain high-quality childminding. Children: Forced Labour Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will discuss with the Government of India the report in the Sunday Times of 11 July on the alleged illegal employment of 50,000 children for companies who manufacture commodities for British companies and the employment of children for long hours and for low pay. Lord Howell of Guildford: We do not intend to discuss the article in the Sunday Times report with the Indian Government. However, child rights remains a high priority in our work to promote equality and tackling discrimination in India. The Government engage on this issue with relevant authorities. We also regularly raise our concerns over human rights issues with the Government of India as part of the ongoing EU-India Human Rights Dialogue. Child rights was raised at the most recent meeting on 25 March 2010 in New Delhi. In addition, the Government strongly support the ethical trading initiative (ETI). We encourage UK businesses to sign up to the ETI to challenge poor labour standards around the world, including the worst forms of child labour, and drive practical measures to improve them. Church of England: Appointments Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what powers the Prime Minister has when names are submitted to him by the Church of England for appointment as a bishop or archbishop to reject both names and request further submissions; and whether any such powers have been exercised in the past 20 years. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The previous Government changed the arrangements for senior church appointments in 2007. The church now provides only one name to the Prime Minister for the appointment of both diocesan bishops and suffragan bishops. The Prime Minister passes this name to Her Majesty the Queen. Civil Service: Trade Unions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many civil servants from each department are seconded to which trade unions; whether their salaries are paid by the Civil Service; and what are the costs involved. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The secondment of civil servants to other organisations is a matter for individual departments. The information requested is not collected centrally. Courts Service: Estates Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what performance and other measures will be considered during the consultation on the proposed closure of Guisborough Magistrates' Court. Lord McNally: In selecting courts on which to consult the following conditions were considered: to ensure that communities have reasonable access to the courts; that people should not have to make excessively long or difficult journeys to attend court; to improve the utilisation of the court estate to at least 80 per cent; and to keep larger courts in the most strategically important locations and with the best facilities. An initial impact assessment has been produced for the consultations on proposals for provision of court services across the HMCS estate. The consultation papers and the initial impact assessment can be found on the Ministry of Justice website at: http://www.justice. gov.uk/consultations/consultations.htm. The impacts, costs and benefits of court closures will be considered more fully during the consultation phase and a full impact assessment will be produced alongside the consultation responses. A post implementation review will be carried out using HMCS financial, performance indicator and utilisation data. Crime: Rape Lord Rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they considered on the anonymity of rape defendants before the recent announcement on that matter. Lord McNally: I refer the noble Lord to the reply given by my right honourable friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Kenneth Clarke) at Justice Oral Questions on 15 June 2010 [Official Report, Commons, col. 724]. Economy: Statistics Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accuracy of data published by the Office for National Statistics on (a) the United Kingdom economy in general, and (b) gross domestic product. Lord Sassoon: HM Treasury provides annual feedback on the performance of the Office for National Statistics as part of its service level agreement on macroeconomic statistics. A summary of this feedback is published in the UK Statistics Authority's Annual Report and Resource Accounts. The annual report for 2008-09 is available at: http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/about-the-authority/what-we-do/annual-report-and-accounts/index. html Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Thornton on 19 January (WA 225) and Earl Howe on 8 July (WA 68-9), why the information held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority on the use of eggs is necessarily limited if records are maintained on the number of eggs collected per patient and the percentage of eggs used to create embryos used in treatment, cryopreserved or donated to research. Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it holds information on the number of eggs donated to research as part of the data it collects on patients' treatment cycles. The HFEA is not legally required to collect data on eggs used in research. Equality Act 2010 Baroness Greengross: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the age discrimination elements of the Equality Act 2010 will be implemented in full in 2012. Baroness Verma: The Government are committed to tackling harmful age discrimination. Given the fast changing demographics as people live longer, it is even more important to ensure that older people are treated fairly when, for example, receiving healthcare, or in being able to access travel insurance. The Government announced on 3 July that the first wave of implementation of the Equality Act starts in October. The Government are considering how the rest of the Act can be implemented in the best way for business. Equality and Human Rights Commission Lord Dholakia: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the Equality and Human Rights Commission to appoint a permanent chief executive. Baroness Verma: In the light of the current spending review and of the review of non-departmental public bodies, Ministers have asked the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to suspend the competition to appoint a permanent chief executive until there is greater clarity about the size and functions of the EHRC later in the year. EU: Economy Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stance they will take on proposals to give the European Systemic Risk Board or the European Supervisory Authorities power to make decisions or give directions which affect the fiscal autonomy of member states. Lord Sassoon: The Government have been very clear that no decisions by the new European Supervisory Authorities should impinge on the fiscal responsibilities of the UK. EU: Legislation Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 6 July (WA 39), whether they intend to re-examine European Union legislation on the statute book to ensure it contains no "gold plating"; and, if so, whether they intend to retranspose any legislation. Baroness Wilcox: The Government have committed to a "one in, one out" rule for new regulation. This requires Ministers who are bringing forward new regulations to identify suitable compensatory savings. Government departments will undertake reviews of their current stock of regulation to identify regulatory savings as part of this process. European directives will be within the scope of these reviews, and consideration will be given to the level and methods of transposition. If less burdensome methods of complying with a directive are identified, suitable amendments to legislation will be made where appropriate. Separately, the Government will seek to influence the European Commission in its reviews of the effectiveness of existing EU legislation. Food: Codex Alimentarius Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their stance on the work of the Codex Alimentarius. Earl Howe: The Government is a member of Codex Alimentarius, which seeks to strengthen food safety systems around the world. The United Kingdom continues to work with other countries through Codex Alimentarius to develop risk-based international food standards that are underpinned by the best available evidence. Former Ministers: Earnings Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government , further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 22 June (WA 167), what percentages of requests for advice by former Ministers to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments were met within the 15-day target in each of the past five years. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments aims to provide its advice to former Ministers within 15 working days of receiving a request. There are a number of factors that need to be considered before a decision is made on a former Minister's application, and complex cases can take longer to process than 15 working days. The information requested for each of the past five years is as follows: Year % of requests where advice was provided within 15 working days 2009-10 88 2008-09 70 2007-08 71 2006-07 73 2005-06 42 Government Departments: Staff Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many government departments have acting permanent secretaries; and what action will be taken to recruit new permanent secretaries from the private sector and local authorities. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Two government departments of the Home Civil Service currently have acting permanent secretaries. They are the Permanent Secretary of Communities and Local Government and the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, which is a permanent secretary level post. These are business-critical roles and are exempt from the Civil Service recruitment freeze. These posts will be filled by external competitions to attract the best possible candidates from the private and public sectors. Government: Ministerial Visits Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many ministerial visits have been made to Brussels by Eurostar using first class since 11 May. Lord Howell of Guildford: There is no first class service on Eurostar. There has been one ministerial trip to Brussels by Eurostar by business class since 11 May 2010. This ticket class was booked as there was only a negligible price difference on that particular occasion between business and economy classes. The only other ministerial journey to Brussels by Eurostar since 11 May has been in economy class. Government: Ministerial Visits Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries the United Kingdom's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment visited in an official capacity in each financial year since 2001; which of those countries he visited more than once in any one year; in which visits a Minister also participated; and which Ministers so participated. Baroness Wilcox: In his role as the UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, and in agreement with and in support of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) objectives, HRH the Duke of York undertook 80 overseas visits taking in 48 countries between 2001 and July 2010. A list of the countries visited in each financial year, including those which were visited more than once, can be seen in the table below. HRH also undertakes visits for other government departments, primarily the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Details of these visits are not held within the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and are not included in this list. Details of occasions when Ministers participated in UKTI-supported visits are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. A list of countries visited by HRH the Duke of York in his role as the UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, in each financial year since 2001, in support of UKTI objectives. Year Countries visited 2001-02 Germany South Africa Switzerland 2002-03 France (visited twice) Greece USA 2003-04 Czech Republic Italy Kazakhstan Kuwait Poland Spain UAE USA 2004-05 Bahrain China Italy Japan Kuwait Malaysia Oman (visited twice) Philippines Qatar (visited twice) Russia (visited twice) Saudi Arabia Singapore Sweden Switzerland Turkey UAE USA 2005-06 Bahrain Egypt France Germany Hungary Japan South Korea Slovakia Spain UAE 2006-07 Bahrain China and Hong Kong Germany India Ireland Kazakhstan Kuwait Oman Philippines Qatar Saudi Arabia Spain Switzerland UAE USA Vietnam 2007-08 Algeria Azerbaijan Belgium Brazil Egypt India Indonesia Japan Kazakhstan Libya Morocco Qatar Singapore Switzerland UAE (visited twice) USA 2008-09 Bahrain China Egypt Italy Jordan Kuwait (visited twice) Mongolia Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Switzerland Turkmenistan UAE Vietnam 2009-10 Algeria Azerbaijan China Dubai Egypt India Mexico Oman Panama Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore Switzerland Thailand Tunisia UAE USA Vietnam 2010-11 Bahrain (1 April 10-12 July 10) Italy Kazakhstan Kuwait Malaysia Russia Saudi Arabia Health: Malnutrition Baroness Thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (a) prevalence, and (b) costs, of malnutrition in England. Earl Howe: The department has made no assessment of the prevalence and cost of malnutrition in England. However, the Care Quality Commission has consulted on its programme of special reviews and will be publishing the programme in due course. This programme of reviews included a proposed review on nutrition and hydration. The commission, as an independent body, will decide, based on the responses to its consultation, which reviews it undertakes. Health: Malnutrition Baroness Thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to improve the quality of data collected on malnutrition. Earl Howe: Data on malnutrition are collected by the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) team, taken from data sent by over 300 primary care trusts and National Health Service trusts. HES data contain information on admissions for malnutrition or where malnutrition is significant to the treatment of the patient. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these NHS organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. This brings about improvement over time. Health: Palliative Care Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to ensure that there is a minimum standard of knowledge for prescribing morphine required of doctors providing out-of-hours service. Earl Howe: The department issues the British National Formulary which is published jointly by the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and provides guidance on prescribing controlled drugs, including morphine. All general practitioners working for out-of-hours providers must be registered with the professional regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC), in order to practise in the United Kingdom. All doctors working in the UK are required by the GMC to keep their knowledge and skills up to date in order to remain on the GMC register. This includes being familiar with guidelines that affect their work. House of Lords Reform Baroness O'Loan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is meant by the term "a grandfathering system for peers" on page 27 of The Coalition: AProgramme for Government. Lord McNally: The Government recognise the need for an orderly transition from the current House of Lords to a reformed second Chamber which makes use of the expertise and knowledge among current peers. The Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, will make proposals for a transitional period where existing Members and newly elected or appointed Members would work together. Immigration Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they considered the impact of any withdrawal of the Migration Impacts Fund on the welfare of migrants. Baroness Hanham: The purpose of the Migration Impacts Fund was to alleviate the impacts of immigration on local public services, rather than to support migrants themselves. In the light of the overall fiscal position and the need for urgent action to tackle the deficit the Government concluded that it was not a priority funding stream. At the same time, the Government have protected core local government spending, reduced ringfencing and ended costly central reporting requirements. These changes mean local authorities themselves will be able in future to decide how best to address the impacts of immigration on their areas. Independent Commission on Banking Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the contracts of the members of the Independent Commission on Banking will be published. Lord Sassoon: Contracts for the chair and commissioners are being finalised. It is anticipated that they will be published in due course. Independent Networks Co-operative Association Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what procedure was used by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in awarding grants to Independent Networks Co-operative Association on 17 December 2009; how many other applications were made for the grants; how they were advertised; when; by whom; and who selected the successful applicant. Baroness Wilcox: I have nothing further to add to previous Answers on this subject, provided at Hansard 9 June (col. WA 46-47), 10 June (col. WA 55), 15 June (col. WA 104), 15 June (col. WA 104), 15 June (col. WA 103-04), 15 June (col. WA 105), 15 June (col. WA 105), 15 June (col. WA 104), 15 June (col. WA 103), 15 June (col. WA 103), and 16 June (col. WA 119). India Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ask Her Majesty's High Commissioner in New Delhi to arrange for a member of his staff to attend the hearing on 3 August in the New Delhi High Court of the application by 62 members of the Mehdi Foundation International for protection against refoulement to Pakistan. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are aware of reports about the case, but we have no plans to attend the hearing on 3 August 2010. This is a matter between the Indian and Pakistani Governments. Inflation Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their interpretation of the forecast in Chart 5.13 of the Bank of England's May inflation report; and what use they have made of the Bank's forecast of future inflation when it has not taken the form of a bell shape distribution curve. Lord Sassoon: The Bank of England has operational responsibility for monetary policy. The contents of the inflation report are therefore a matter for the Bank. Iran Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British citizens are detained in Iranian prisons. Lord Howell of Guildford: We were made aware of one dual Iranian-British national detained in December 2009, who may still be detained. We are only able to provide consular assistance to dual nationals in the country of their other nationality if they request it and if the country of their other nationality agrees. In this case we have been asked by the next of kin not to provide consular assistance or to make representations on their behalf. We therefore cannot confirm if the individual remains in detention. We are aware of no other British detainees in Iran. Justice: Legal Fees Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review (a) the operation of conditional fees, and (b) the advertising of legal services. Lord McNally: The operation of conditional fee agreements has been examined by Lord Justice Jackson in his recent report Review of Civil Litigation Costs (published 14 January 2010). This is a comprehensive report which makes a wide range of significant recommendations for reform to address high costs in the civil justice system in England and Wales, including those associated with conditional fee agreements. The Government are very grateful to Lord Justice Jackson for his report and we are urgently assessing the main proposals. We will announce the way forward on conditional fee agreements as soon as possible. The advertising of legal services is regulated by the relevant regulatory bodies Both the operation of conditional fee agreements and the advertising of legal services are also being considered by Lord Young of Graffham as part of his current review of health and safety law and the compensation culture. The Government will carefully consider Lord Young's recommendations when he reports. National Insurance Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new national insurance numbers have been issued to non-United Kingdom citizens since 11 May. Lord Freud: The department produces a quarterly publication of national statistics entitled National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals Entering the UK on its website at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asdl/niall/nino allocation.asp. The most recent data available are for registrations up to 31 December 2009. Data from 11 May will be contained in the publication for the quarter ending 30 June 2010, due for release in November, and subsequent quarterly publications. NHS: Health Centres Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what powers they have to intervene in relation to the safeguarding of the future of the Finsbury Health Centre, in the event that the Islington Primary Care Trust does not reach agreement with Islington Council's Health and Wellbeing Centre. Earl Howe: The Government have pledged that, in future, all service changes must be led by clinicians and patients, not be driven from the top down. It is the responsibility of local National Health Service organisations to provide safe, accessible care to address the health needs of their local populations. It would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in the local decision-making process, unless the Islington Health and Wellbeing Committee refers the matter to the Secretary of State. NHS: Medical Training Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the training of doctors in caring for the dying; and what proportion of training is dedicated to that purpose. Earl Howe: The General Medical Council (GMC), as the competent authority for medical training in the United Kingdom, is the custodian of quality standards in medical education and practice and consequently is responsible for ensuring that doctors are equipped to deal with the problems they will encounter in practice, including care of the dying. The GMC is an independent professional body. The GMC's Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Continued Practice Boards have the general function of promoting high standards of medical education and co-ordinating all stages of medical education to ensure that students and newly qualified doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for professional practice. The GMC has statutory responsibility to determine the extent and knowledge and skill required for the granting of primary medical qualifications in the UK. Its recommendations on undergraduate medical education are contained in Tomorrow's Doctors (updated version published September 2009) which: provides the framework that UK medical schools use to design detailed curricula and schemes of assessment; andsets out the standards that the GMC uses to judge the quality of undergraduate teaching and assessments at individual medical schools. It is the responsibility of the medical schools to ensure that specialist teaching meets the standards set out in Tomorrow's Doctors in order to retain GMC recognition of their course. Postgraduate medical training curricula are developed by the medical royal colleges and submitted to the GMC for approval. North Korea Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the Government of North Korea about the well-being of Aijalon Mahli Gomes and about securing his early release from prison. Lord Howell of Guildford: We are aware of Mr Gomes's case. The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang is the consular protecting power for US nationals in North Korea and is handling Mr Gomes's case. Northern Ireland Office: Bonuses Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what bonuses are available to staff of the Northern Ireland Office; and what proposals they have to reduce or remove such payments following the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland taking a cut of 5 per cent in his salary. Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) operates non-consolidated performance payments to senior civil servants and staff below senior Civil Service, in line with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury guidance respectively, to reward exceptional performance across the reporting year. The Cabinet Office has frozen the bonus pot for 2009-10 and has advised that it will issue further guidance in relation to payments in respect of performance year 2010-11. At present there are no plans to reduce or remove such payments. Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average Civil Service pension; what is the average length of service on which it is based; and how many people are in receipt of pensions (a) below and (b) above that average. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Based on data relating to the 2008-09 financial year, the average pension payable to former civil servants and their dependants is £5,900 pa. The number of pensioners and total pensions in payment can be found in the Resource Accounts for Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation. Copies of the resource accounts for the years up to and including 2008-09 are in the Library. Information on average length of service is not available centrally. An estimated 62 per cent of the pensioners are in receipt of pensions below the average and 38 per cent are in receipt of pensions above the average. Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 13 July (WA 125), whether the value of employer contributions paid into the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme in the past five years are in the Resource Accounts for Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Yes. Employer contributions are shown in Note 9, Pension contributions receivable, in the Resource Accounts for Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation for the years 2005-06 to 2008-09, and in Note 5 for the Accounts for 2004-05. Planning Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the influence of neighbourhoods in the planning system. Baroness Hanham: The coalition Government are committed to a radical reform of the planning system to give neighbourhoods far more ability to determine the shape of the places in which their inhabitants live. We have already started implementing this by scrapping regional strategies and their centrally imposed building targets, scrapping housing density targets, reclassifying back gardens as not brownfield land, and abolishing the unaccountable Infrastructure Planning Commission. Further proposals to decentralise planning back to neighbourhoods will be set out in the Localism Bill. Price Indexes Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what forecast they have made of the gap between the Consumer Price Index and the Retail Prices Index over the next five years. Lord Sassoon: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) have published their forecast for RPI and CPI inflation in the fourth quarter of each year up to 2015 in Annex C of the Budget document. The relevant part of Table C2 is reproduced below. Extract from Table C2: Detailed summary of central economic forecast Forecast (Percentage change on a year earlier) 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 CPI (Q4) 2.1 2.7 2.4 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0 RPI (Q4) 0.6 3.7 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Prisoners: Voting Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government , further to the answer by Lord McNally on 9 June (Official Report, col. 643), how they have assessed the extent of public support or opposition to the proposed grant of votes to persons serving prison sentences. Lord McNally: The Government have made no formal assessment of the extent of public support or opposition to any proposals to grant votes to persons serving prison sentences. The Government are considering afresh the best way forward on the issue of prisoner voting rights. Public Appointments Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that all major public appointments are based on ability, experience, expertise, suitability and party political independence. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The independent Commissioner for Public Appointments requires all appointments to posts within her remit to be made on merit following an open and transparent selection process. Except for a few bodies where a specific balance is required, political activity plays no part in the appointment process. Racism Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the membership of the bodies in Schedule 1A to the Race Relations Act 1976 in each region are from ethnic minorities. To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the membership of United Kingdom-wide bodies in Schedule 1A to the Race Relations Act 1976 are from ethnic minorities. Baroness Verma: The Government do not hold this information. The public bodies listed in Schedule 1A to the Race Relations Act 1976 are subject to the general statutory duty in Section 71(1) of the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) to have due regard to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups. The Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) Order 2001 sets out specific duties to which some of these public bodies are subject for the purpose of ensuring their better performance of the general statutory duty. These specific duties include duties to monitor, by reference to the racial groups to which they belong, the numbers of staff in post. Under the Equality Act 2006, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has statutory responsibility for assessing compliance with the public sector equality duties. Racism Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the progress made by public bodies in meeting the duty in Section 71(1)(b) of the Race Relations Act 1976, as inserted by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. Baroness Verma: No formal government assessment has been carried out of the progress made by public bodies in meeting the duty in Section 71(1)(b) of the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups. Under the Equality Act 2006, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has statutory responsibility for assessing compliance with the public sector equality duties. (The commission has over the years carried out assessments of the extent to which organisations meet the public sector equality duties in the development and implementation of policies and practices, or whether or not the duties have been breached. Where organisations are found wanting, the commission will assist them in working to alter their practices in order to achieve better compliance). Religious Groups: Funding Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the estimated cost to the Exchequer in the past financial year of allocating funds to the (a) Anglican, (b) Islamic, and (c) Roman Catholic religions. Baroness Hanham: Like the present Government, the previous Government did not fund religion or religious activity, and no funds were allocated to any religion during the last financial year. A wide and diverse range of programmes was run by various departments which affected different faith communities, but a comprehensive list of these is not available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost. Smoking Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to reduce the impact of passive smoking on children. Earl Howe: We remain concerned about the impact that exposure to second-hand smoke has on the health of children, and will continue to encourage people to make their homes and private cars smoke free. We are currently considering how best to tackle this issue in the context of our focus on public health and our priorities given the challenges facing public sector finances. Syria Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made, or intend to make, representations to the Government of Syria about the arrest of the novelist Raghdah Sa'id Hassan, being held by the political branch in the city of Tartus. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government regularly make representations to Syrian Government Ministers and senior officials regarding human rights issues. As my noble friend may be aware, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued public statements on 25 June 2010 deeply regretting the sentencing of human rights defender Muhannad al Hassani, and on 6 July 2010 deploring the sentencing of human rights defender Haitham al Maleh. We are also in contact with EU and US colleagues over what joint action we can take. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Alistair Burt) raised the general issue of human rights with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al Muallem on 11 July 2010 during his visit to Damascus. Taxation Lord Forsyth of Drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to introduce a dynamic model to assess the impact of tax changes on Exchequer revenues. Lord Sassoon: HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs employ a range of models to help inform forecast judgments on the dynamic effects of tax changes. Models are regularly updated in line with new policy or economic developments. Turkey Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed, or intend to discuss, with the Government of Turkey the latter's bar on women applying for judicial positions in the higher courts. Lord Howell of Guildford: There is no bar on women applying for judicial positions in the higher courts in Turkey. Voluntary Sector Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the community-led voluntary sector will provide support, services and facilities to meet the needs of deprived local communities as part of the programme set out in Building the Big Society. Baroness Hanham: The voluntary and community sector has an important role to play in helping people to create the big society in their neighbourhood, by providing local services, running local facilities and helping people to help themselves. The Government are also working with the community-led voluntary sector to identify and remove unnecessary regulation and barriers which hinder its work. Youth Justice Lord Dholakia: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will complete their assessment of arm's-length bodies that operate in the criminal justice system, including the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales; and what account they are taking of Safeguarding the Future: a review of the Youth Justice Board's Governance and Operating Arrangements, published in March, in considering the future role of the Board. Lord McNally: In line with other government departments, MoJ is reviewing all of its arm's-length bodies. This review process includes the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, and Ministers will be considering options over the coming months. As part of this process we will consider all information relevant to each individual arm's-length body. For the Youth Justice Board, this will include the Safeguarding the Future report. Youth Justice Lord Dholakia: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many custodial places for under-18-year-olds have been decommissioned by the Youth Justice Board in the last two years; what is the total saving made from the decommissioning of custodial places; and what plans there are to decommission further places. Lord McNally: Between August 2008 and July 2010, the net total of custodial places which the Youth Justice Board (YJB) decommissioned was 728, realising net annual savings of approximately £34.3 million. The YJB continually monitors demand for places in the under-18 secure estate and reviews its plans regularly to ensure that there is sufficient, but not excessive, capacity in the system to accommodate young people safely. At current occupancy levels there remains a degree of surplus capacity and the YJB is considering what scope there may be to decommission further places.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2010-07-22a

Justice: Interpreting and Translation Services Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the recent report by the National Audit Office on the Ministry of Justice's Language Services Contract, what steps they are taking to monitor the performance of Applied Language Services (ALS) in the supply of interpretation services to the courts; and what sanctions they have applied in relation to ALS' performance to date. Lord McNally: We welcome the NAO's acknowledgement that the department had strong reasons for changing the old interpreter booking system and their recommendation to develop a strategy to fully implement the framework. We monitor the service closely and hold regular meetings with the contractor. Service credits have been applied since May where the contractor has fallen short of the required service levels. Statistics on this area published by the Ministry show that ALS fulfilled 90% of requests in April this year, and we expect to publish further statistics later this year. Figures in the NAO report show that more than 95% of bookings are now being filled, while complaints have fallen. We are continuing to push for further improvement. Justice: Magistracy Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what response they will make to the report by the Magistrates' Association Active, Accessible, Engaged-The Magistracy in the 21st Century. Lord McNally: The Government set out their intention to reform the criminal justice system in the White Paper Swift and Sure Justice: the Government 's Plans for Reform of Criminal Justice. The report by the Magistrates' Association was taken into account in the development of those plans. The Government are not planning any other specific response to the report. Wills Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take forward the Legal Services Board's recommendation to regulate will writing. Lord McNally: The Lord Chancellor will await the Legal Services Board's final recommendations, due in early 2013, before making any decision. Children: Looked-after Children Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to reduce the number of looked-after children from London boroughs who are based in east Kent. Lord Hill of Oareford: We want to see significant improvement in the care and support offered to any looked-after child who is placed away from the authority responsible for their care. On 3 July 2012 we announced in a Written Ministerial Statement urgent work to reform all aspects of children's residential care including the significant difficulties that can arise when looked-after children are placed outside the local authorities responsible for their care, often at a considerable distance from their homes. As part of that work we established a task and finish group that includes a senior official from Kent County Council's children's services, senior children's services managers from London boroughs and other local authorities, children's homes provider representatives and government officials. This group is giving detailed consideration to measures for securing much better planning and assessment of individual children's needs, and of any risks, before a child is placed out of authority. This would include improving arrangements for ensuring that the specific care and support needed by the child will be met, assessing the safety of the environment around the home, and developing far stronger relationships and clearer accountabilities between authorities responsible for placing children and those authorities where the placements are located. Energy: Wind Farms Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the effects of wind farms on the prices of nearby residential property. Baroness Verma: The evidence of the impact on property prices of the presence of a wind farm is mixed. Studies by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and Oxford Brookes University (2007), the Berkeley National Laboratory (2009) and the UK Centre for Sustainable Energy (2011) found no conclusive evidence that house prices have been affected by wind farm development. The evidence of the impact on property prices of the presence of a wind farm is mixed. Studies by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and Oxford Brookes University (2007), the Berkeley National Laboratory (2009) and the UK Centre for Sustainable Energy (2011) found no conclusive evidence that house prices have been affected by wind farm development. Food: Commodity Markets Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for preventing speculation in essential food commodities; and whether they will legislate to limit forward contracts to those between producers and end users. Lord De Mauley: The current available evidence does not indicate that speculation has played a significant role in recent global agricultural commodity price spikes. Therefore the Government do not have plans to prevent speculation or legislate on the issue. In 2010 Defra published an extensive report, Agricultural Price Spikes 2007-08: Causes and Policy Implications, Annex 6 of which considered financial speculation. http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/security/price.htm The Government strongly support the G20 commitment to improve the regulation, functioning and transparency of financial and commodity markets, including position reporting. Making data more comparable across different trading venues will make it easier for regulators to analyse, interpret and act where necessary. The Government also support the global initiative to ensure that, where appropriate, standardised over-the-counter derivatives are traded on exchanges and electronic platforms (including commodities derivatives). The Government support the principle of strong regulatory oversight powers on commodities markets through the application of a position management regime based on strong supervision and market monitoring. Government: Staff Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty's Government which members of the Government are entitled to sit in the Cabinet. Lord Strathclyde: I refer the noble Lord to the list on the No 10 website at http://www.number10.gov.uk/the-coalition/the-cabinet/ which sets out the members of the Cabinet, including those Ministers who attend Cabinet. Groceries Code Adjudicator Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Groceries Code Adjudicator on supermarket policies on supply agreements. Lord Marland: The Groceries Code Adjudicator has not yet been established, as the Bill is still being considered by the House of Commons. Once the adjudicator has been established, he or she will present an annual report to the Secretary of State, who will lay it before Parliament. The annual report will include a summary of cases referred to arbitration, investigations carried out and cases in which the adjudicator has applied enforcement measures. Immigration: Ports Lord Brabazon of Tara: To ask Her Majesty's Government at which continental European ferry ports and railway stations United Kingdom passport controls operate. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: UK passport controls operate at the ferry ports of Calais and Dunkirk. There are UK border passport controls at the Eurostar railway stations at Fréthun, Paris, Brussels and Lille. There is also a UK passport control at Coquelles which is neither a ferry port or railway station but is the French side of the Channel Tunnel. Immigration: Ports Lord Brabazon of Tara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their criteria for deciding whether to operate United Kingdom passport controls at continental European ferry ports. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There are no set criteria for the establishment of UK controls at European ferry ports. The UK passport controls at European ports which exist at present were in response to high level discussions between the governments of the UK and France concerning the significant numbers of illegal migrants in northern France who attempted to gain entry to the UK. These controls were established under the treaty signed at Le Touquet in 2003 and supporting domestic legislation which empowers Border Force officers in a designated UK control zone within those ports. Immigration: Ports Lord Brabazon of Tara: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to install United Kingdom passport controls at Caen (Ouistreham) ferry port. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There are no plans to install United Kingdom passport controls at Caen (Ouistreham) ferry port. Malaysia Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the determination of the Immigration and Asylum First-tier Tribunal in Chee Mun, Seah (Appeal No LA/18249/2012), they will grant British Overseas Citizens who hold no other nationality but have renounced their former citizenship of Malaysia discretionary leave to remain where they produce clear evidence of non-returnability to Malaysia in accordance with paragraph 9.1 of chapter 22, section 2 of the Immigration Directorates Instructions. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: It is not Government policy to grant discretionary leave purely on the basis of nationality. It remains open to Malaysian British Overseas Citizens to make an application for leave to remain under the existing immigration categories including on exceptional grounds, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Milk Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their policy to pay more than the cost of production for milk in all government departments and executive agencies. Lord De Mauley: The former Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, Jim Paice, wrote to all government departments on 27 July 2012 to establish the position in central government on the procurement of milk. Responses were clear that government departments are not directly involved in milk purchasing. Private companies are contracted to provide catering services to staff and each contract must meet the mandatory Government Buying Standards (GBS) for Food and Catering Services. Companies declined to say how much they pay their suppliers for milk on commercial sensitivity grounds. Royal Society Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they will take to assist the activities of the Royal Society. Lord Marland: The Government work closely with the Royal Society to develop and deliver a broad range of science policies. The right honourable Secretary of State for Business delivered a major speech there in July, reflecting the importance the Government attach to science and research as a driver of economic growth. As the UK's national academy of science, the Royal Society is an important source of authoritative, impartial advice. Reports on topics as diverse as the extraction of shale gas; open access to scientific information; and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education help ensure that science policy is based on the best available evidence. The Royal Society currently receives government funding of £47 million pa for specific programmes and projects, principally to support research fellowships, which allow a cadre of the most capable academics to work full-time on research. This helps to maintain excellence in the UK's research base, and secures future economic returns from our investment in science. This funding also enables the Royal Society to work with the Government, and other partner organisations, to promote STEM careers and to support public engagement with science and research. For example, we have asked the Royal Society, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, to lead a four-year government-funded programme to tackle the persistent issue of a lack of diversity in STEM. Schools: Teachers Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen management systems with respect to both best and worst teacher performance in maintained schools. Lord Hill of Oareford: New arrangements for the appraisal of teachers in maintained schools came into force on 1 September 2012. The appraisal process has been strengthened by requiring performance to be assessed against the relevant standards. Under the new arrangements, governing bodies and head teachers have more freedom to design appraisal policies that suit their individual circumstances and there is no longer a limit on classroom observation. We have also published an optional model policy for schools which covers appraisal and capability procedures and allows poorly performing teachers to be removed in about a term. Schools: Teachers Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they propose to improve the retention rate of good teachers, especially in deprived areas. Lord Hill of Oareford: It is vital that all schools, including those in deprived areas, are able to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. In terms of recruitment to the profession, the Teach First training programme has an outstanding record of placing excellent teachers in schools in deprived areas, and the Government are supporting Teach First's expansion, helping to place even more top graduates in challenging schools. Teach First aim to train 1,500 new teachers in 2015-16, more than tripling the number of participants it recruited in 2009-10. We have taken steps to improve completion rates in initial teacher training (ITT) and retention rates of teachers already in service. The Teaching Agency takes the retention rates of trainees and their employability at the end of the course, as well as the quality of course provision, into account when allocating ITT places to providers. The department also monitors teacher movement and wastage rates in the workforce. These movements are taken into account when we set recruitment targets for ITT. Good teachers must be appropriately incentivised, and my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education has asked the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) to consider ways in which greater flexibility in the pay system might help schools-and particularly those facing challenging circumstances-to recruit and retain the best possible teachers. The STRB's recommendations are due to be submitted to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education at the end of October. Schools: Teachers Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the case for regular and full statistics of teacher mobility (1) within the profession, and (2) with respect to those leaving the profession. Lord Hill of Oareford: The department routinely publishes statistics on teacher mobility on an annual basis. The latest data, for publicly funded schools in England, on new entrants to teaching, teacher turnover and those leaving were published in February 2012 as additional tables to the Statistical First Release "School Workforce in England, November 2010". The latest data are accessible through the following web link: http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000997/index.shtml. The published statistics are derived from the Database of Teacher Records which is a by-product of the administration of the teachers' pension scheme. Time series of this data are available back to the early 2000s. The Department of Education is currently looking at the viability of producing statistics on teacher mobility by linking teacher records across years from the annual School Workforce Census (which was introduced in November 2010). The results of this work are likely to be published in 2013 and will include further statistics as the data allow. Schools: Teachers Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to establish a system of career paths for teachers, and (2) to encourage the independent charity Teach First to expand its activity; and what is their assessment of the career path model used in Singapore. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government do not believe that it would be right to establish a centrally prescribed career structure for teachers. Head teachers are best placed to make decisions about the different types of role that are needed in their schools, and to deploy their teaching staff accordingly. The Government are always keen to learn lessons from high-performing education systems around the world, including that of Singapore, but the policies we pursue must be right for schools in this country. We do not have any evidence that a more formalised career structure for teachers, such as that used in Singapore, would bring any appreciable benefits to improving the quality of teaching in England, which remains our priority. The Government have already announced that the number of Teach First participants will increase from 1,000 in 2012-13 to 1,250 in 2013-14. We have also given our support to Teach First's aim to increase this to 1,500 in 2015-16, more than tripling the number of participants it recruited in 2009-10. Teach First has recently expanded into Kent and Medway and will move into the South West region in 2013-14. We are currently considering A Teach First's feasibility study on further geographical expansion and will announce the findings of this shortly. Schools: Teachers Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enhance career professional development programmes for all members of the school teaching profession. Lord Hill of Oareford: High-quality professional development for teachers is important, both to consolidate and improve teaching practice and to attract and retain the best teachers in teaching. Research suggests the most effective professional development includes: collaborative development of practice by groups of teachers, inquiry-based research, reflective practice, and peer-support mechanisms such as coaching and mentoring. The Government believe their efforts are best focused on helping schools identify and access this kind of professional development. We are creating a national network of teaching schools to grow the capacity for schools to do precisely this, by supporting teachers to collaborate and reflect critically on their practice. The new Teachers' Standards, introduced in September 2012, set a clear benchmark for the level of practice expected of all teachers, and will provide a valuable tool to help teachers identify and address their development needs. In addition, we have launched a National Scholarship Fund to encourage more teachers to deepen their subject knowledge.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2012-10-16a

Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Warner on 2 December 2004 (WA 20) and 25 May 2005 (WA 9), whether they will now give details of the independent fund which pays for new schemes to address alcohol misuse. Lord Warner: The Department of Health and the Home Office are considering proposals from the Portman Group on how such a fund could be created and hope to make an announcement in due course. Aviation Health: Contaminated Air The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 25 October (WA 167), how they intend to ensure that all contaminated air events are reported when the British Airline Pilots Association survey of contaminated air events conducted in 2002 revealed that more than 90 per cent. of such events were not reported. Lord Davies of Oldham: The mechanism for the reporting of contaminated air events is well established through the Civil Aviation Authority's mandatory occurrence reporting scheme, the purpose of which is to receive reports of incidents affecting airworthiness. The survey carried out by the British Airline Pilots Association included events that were not safety-related. Aviation Health: Contaminated Air The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 19 October (WA 125), why they propose to wait for a review by an expert toxicology committee of the Department of Health before they decide whether to commission their own study into the nature and extent of air contaminated on commercial aircraft rather than to participate in the United States Federal Aviation Authority-funded research into cabin air quality. Lord Davies of Oldham: The review which the UK Government have commissioned addresses the fundamental question of whether there is evidence of a problem in relation to aircraft cabin air quality. We believe this is a crucial first step. The project funded by the Federal Aviation Authority is a feasibility study of possible measurement techniques and protocols. Aviation Health: Contaminated Air The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 1 November (WA 10), why they consider the confidential report prepared for BAe Systems to be scientifically acceptable when it has not been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal. Lord Davies of Oldham: The work carried out by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), Pyestock (now QinetiQ) for BAe Systems was a private research contract not intended for publication in a scientific journal. The issue of peer review therefore does not arise. The Civil Aviation Authority, the principal regulator of civil aviation in the UK, had no reason to doubt the scientific acceptability of the report, written by a research institution that is widely acknowledged as the UK's foremost independent expert in aero-engine technology. Aviation Health: Contaminated Air The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 1 November (WA 9), whether it is normal practice for aircrew involved in contaminated air events to be contacted by either the Civil Aviation Authority or the Air Accident Investigation Board in all of the reports that are investigated. Lord Davies of Oldham: The investigations carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority following a significant fume event are safety-related and will involve contacting the flight crew only if clarification of the report is needed. The CAA notifies the Air Accident Investigation Branch if there is a report of fumes or smoke in the cockpit. If the AAIB decides it could have been a significant or serious flight safety incident, it will conduct an investigation, which will include correspondence or an interview with the flight crew. Basic Skills Qualifications Baroness Sharp of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of basic skills qualifications achieved in (a) 2003–04, and (b) 2004–05 were completed by young people as part of (i) GCSEs, and (ii) key skills. Lord Adonis: The final 2004 and provisional 2005 results are given in the table below. Number and proportion of 15 year-old pupils1 achieving a basic skills qualification2 who also achieved a GCSE or a key skills qualification2 in 2004 and 20053 2004 2005 Pupils achieving4 Number Percentage Number Percentage Basic skills and GCSE 162 53 4,301 86 Basic skills and key skills 5 2 81 2 Basic skills, but no GCSE or key skills 140 46 632 13 Total 307 100 5,014 100 1 Pupils aged 15 at the beginning of the academic year (i.e. 31 August). 2 Figures include achievements at both level 1 and level 2 for basic skills and key skills. 3 Figures for 2005 are provisional; figures for 2004 are final. 4 Figures are available for achievements, but not attempts, in basic skills and key skills. Birds Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What regulations have been made by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Margaret Beckett, under Section 7(2)(b) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in each year since 1981. Lord Bach: The two regulation amendments specifically affecting Section 7(2)(b) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 since it came into force are Statutory Instrument 1982 No. 1221, Registration and Ringing of Certain Captive Birds Regulations 1982 and Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 1152, Registration and Ringing of Certain Captive Birds (Amendment) Regulations 1994. Ghana: Justice Sector Development Programme Baroness Stern: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in the justice sector development programme, funded by the Department for International Development in Ghana. Baroness Amos: DfID agreed to provide £1,486,000 towards the Ghana Government's justice sector development programme (JSDP) in July 2003. A cross-government steering committee was established to provide advice to a programme secretariat on allocating funds in line with government priorities. However, after 24 months and several attempts by DfID to kick-start the programme, less than 1 per cent. of programme funds had been disbursed. DfID therefore decided to close the JSDP in July 2005 and re-allocate the expenditure to other governance priorities in Ghana, such as public financial management and public service reform. DfID will shortly undertake a review of our Ghana country assistance strategy. We remain open to supporting Ghana's justice sector priorities if asked to do so in the future, preferably working with another donor already involved in the sector. Gypsies and Travellers: Housing Needs Baroness Whitaker: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which parts of their consultative document, Planning for Housing Provision, refer to the housing needs of Gypsies and Travellers. Baroness Andrews: Planning for Housing Provision consulted on proposed changes to Planning Policy Guidance Note 3. It proposed a new approach to land allocation in plans to provide for an appropriate level of housing supply to better meet the needs of the whole community. Those principles apply to housing for everyone. High Hedges Baroness Gardner of Parkes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's guidelines on the high hedges legislation reflect the substance of the debates in Parliament on the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003; and whether the guidelines may inhibit the implementation of that Act. Baroness Andrews: The guidance published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, in High Hedges Complaints: Prevention and Cure, reflects the substance of the high hedges legislation in Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. Government guidance cannot impose restrictions above and beyond those set out in legislation. The Government are aware of concerns that the problems identified in a complaint may not be fully remedied because of advice in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's guidance that councils should not specify remedial works to a hedge which would result in its death or destruction. This constraint arises from Section 69(3) of the 2003 Act, which states that the action specified in a remedial notice cannot involve removal of a hedge. In the Government's view, action that would kill a hedge amounts to the same as removing it altogether. This is about striking an appropriate balance between the rights of the hedge owner and those of the complainant. Indian Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What reasons the Home Office has for assuming that the letter of the under-secretary of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (ref: 26030/20/2005-IC-I) on 2 March misrepresents the applicant's status under Indian nationality law (ref: EM00472). Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have made no such assumption. However, as I explained in my Written Answer of 26 October (WA 185–6), the Director for Immigration and Citizenship of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs conceded at his meeting of 5 August with Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials that some members of the public might have been given incorrect information in respect of Indian citizenship law and advised that we should await a ruling by the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice. Indian Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25 October (WA 169) on Indian citizenship law, whether a distinction was made in seeking the clarifications between British national minors who acquired their British nationality by birth and those who acquired it after applying for registration. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Yes. The request for clarification to which I referred in my Written Answer of 26 October (WA 183–4) was made by means of a Note Verbale, ref. CH342/05, sent on 20 April 2005. A copy of the Note Verbale has been placed in the Library. Indian Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 26 October (WA 183), whether they will publish in the Official Report Sections 1 and 2 of the guidance of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs; and whether they will explain what additional clarification they require before they update paragraphs 3 and 4 of annexe H to chapter 14 of the Home Office Nationality Instructions. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We do not propose to publish Sections 1 and 2 of the guidance of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs in the Official Report. It is not appropriate for guidance issued by other governments to be included in the Official Report of proceedings of this House. The guidance is already freely accessible via the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs website at www.mha.nic.in/citizenship/acquisition.htm. The additional clarification that is needed prior to updating paragraphs 3 and 4 of the annexe H to chapter 14 of the Home Office Nationality Instructions relates to the status, under Indian citizenship law, of a child born outside India to an Indian parent prior to registration with the relevant Indian authorities. Question eight of the Note Verbale sent to the Indian authorities on 20 April 2005, ref. CH342/05, refers. A copy of the Note Verbale has been placed in the Library. Information Security: Department of Trade and Industry Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which Minister has responsibility for information security in the Department of Trade and Industry. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Minister responsible for information security in the Department of Trade and Industry is Barry Gardiner. Licensed Trade and Alcohol Industry: Ministerial Meetings Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: On what occasions Ministers from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have met representatives of the licensed trade or the alcohol industry since 1 January; and in each case who the participants were; which organisations they represented; and what was the purpose of the meeting. Lord Davies of Oldham: Ministers from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have held a number of meetings with representatives of the licensed trade and alcohol industry from 1 January to date. I have included the details of the meetings below and where possible those who participated and the organisation that was represented. With regard to the purpose of the meetings, I can confirm that during the implementation of the Act an important part of the process has been for the DCMS to meet stakeholders to ensure that their views are being taken into account and actioned, where appropriate, pending the second appointed day. Details of meeting On 13 January the Minister for Sport (Richard Caborn) met the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions regarding Licensing. The participants are not listed. On the 9 March the Minister for Sport met Rob Hayward of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) to discuss licensing issues but a list of participants is not available. On 17 May the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism (James Purnell) met Brigid Simmonds of the Tourism Alliance. On 23 May the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group, which included, among others, the following representatives: Rob Hayward (BBPA), Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure), Brigid Simmonds (Tourism Alliance/CCPR), Andrew Opie (BRC). On 25 May the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism met Rob Hayward and Ted Tuppin, the chief executive and the chairman of BBPA. On 27 the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group, which included, among others, the following representatives: Rob Hayward (BBPA), Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure), Brigid Simmonds (Tourism Alliance/CCPR) and Kevin Hawkins (BRC). On 7 July the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism attended a luncheon with the British Hospitality Association, but a list of attendees is not available. On 18 July the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism met Nick Dobson, a representative of wine retailers. On 20 July the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism had a breakfast meeting with the Tourism Alliance. On 8 August the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group, which included, among others, the following representatives: Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Sylvia Brown (ACRE), Kevin Hawkins (British Retail Consortium), Rob Hayward (BBPA), and Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure). On 5 September the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group which included, among others, the following representatives: Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Kevin Hawkins (British Retail Consortium), Rob Hayward (BBPA), and Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure). On 7 September the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism met John Walker of the Federation of Small Businesses. On 13 October the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism chaired the high-level licensing group, which included the following representatives: Mike Bramley (Mitchell and Butler), Kevin Hawkins (British Retail Consortium), Rob Hayward (BBPA), and Paul Kinsey (Nexum Leisure). On 3 November the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism attended the publican conference. A list of participants is not available. Licensing Advisory Group Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who are the members of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's steering group; and what organisations each of them represent. Lord Davies of Oldham: The DCMS licensing advisory group comprises representatives of the following organisations. Alcohol Concern Arts Council Association of Chief Police Officers Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers Association of London Government British Beer and Pub Association Bar, Entertainment and Dance Association British Institute of Innkeeping British Marine Federation British Retail Consortium Business in Sport and Leisure Cinema Exhibitors Association Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Committee of Registered Clubs Associations Editor of Paterson's Licensing Acts Federation of Licensed Victuallers Association Guild of Master Victuallers Justices' Clerks' Society Licensed Victuallers of Wales Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) Local Government Association Magistrates' Association Musicians Union National Parliamentary Committee of the Licensed Victuallers Associations Restaurant Association Society of London Theatre Theatrical Management Association As the advisory group comprises organisations not individuals, representation at each meeting varies. Manchester Airport: Security Measures Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have introduced extra security measures for air passengers travelling from Manchester airport to any part of Ireland; if so, for what reason; at what cost; and whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland special branch is involved in this matter. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Her Majesty's Government have not introduced extra security measures at Manchester airport for passengers travelling to Ireland. Manslaughter Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many individuals have been convicted of manslaughter in England and Wales in consequence of fatalities involving (a) trains; (b) boats and ships; and (c) aircraft in each of the past 20 years; and what penalties were imposed. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The homicide database does not identify cases involving trains, boats, ships and aircraft. The available information for those convicted of common law manslaughter with penalties is provided for those cases where the relationship of the victim to the suspect was (i) a commercial, business or professional relationship, where the suspect killed a customer in the course of carrying out their occupation; or (ii) as a stranger (other than a terrorist or contract killing). Metropolitan Police: Arts and Antiques Unit Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the current strength of the Art and Antiques Unit at Scotland Yard; and whether they and the enforcement steering group consider that it has the resources to counter effectively the illicit traffic in antiquities. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit consists of one detective sergeant, three detective constables and two support staff. The unit is responsible for the collation and dissemination of intelligence pertaining to crime involving art and other cultural items. The intelligence is usually passed on to others to respond to, rather than being dealt with directly by the unit. There are also due diligence officers in many forces whose role it is to deal with the theft of art and antiques. It is not, therefore, just the resources of the Arts and Antiques Unit that are used to counter the illicit trade in cultural items. The role of the enforcement steering group—a group led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and made up of representatives from relevant government departments and enforcement agencies—is to develop a more structured approach to tackling the illicit trade in cultural property. Resourcing the implementation of that approach remains a matter for the police. NHS Pension Scheme Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 9 November (WA 84), whether any increases in the costs of providing pensions to staff who leave accrued pensions rights in the NHS Pension Scheme and which arise after the staff transfer out of the National Health Service are borne by (a) all National Health Service employers; (b) the Government direct; or (c) the National Health Service organisation from which the relevant staff have transferred. Lord Warner: Where a member of staff leaves the National Health Service and opts to defer their pension until their retirement age, they will have their pension increased on an annual basis to reflect cost of living increases. Cost of living increases are borne by all National Health Service employers (as part of the 14 per cent. contribution by NHS employers to the funding of the scheme). NHS: Capital Incentive Payments Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many primary care trusts are unable, within the rules governing the allocation of the "Choose and Book" capital incentive scheme moneys, to use them to provide incentives to primary care; and what estimate the Government have made of the impact of this on clinical management, and the roll-out and uptake of the "Choose and Book" system in primary care; and Whether they will clarify the rules regarding the use of capital incentive payments to make it easier to provide incentives to general practices. Lord Warner: On 19 January 2005, the Department of Health announced a capital incentive scheme to reward primary care trusts (PCTs) for progress in implementing the "Choose and Book" system (C&B) and preparing for choice at referral. Subject to the usual rules relating to the use of capital moneys, PCTs are free to decide how best to use this incentive money. Guidance on the use of capital is available at www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/finman.nsf. Since the incentive scheme was introduced, over 31,000 electronic bookings have been made using the C&B system, and the booking rate is up to 5,000 a week and growing rapidly. More than 28,000 general practitioners (GPs) are registered to use C&B. In terms of choice at referral, nearly all PCTs (99.7 per cent) report that they have plans in place to offer it from January, and 92 per cent. of hospital trusts have described the services that they provide to enable PCTs to determine what to commission on behalf of their GPs. In addition, awareness among GPs of the need to offer patients a choice of at least four providers has increased considerably. NHS: Financial Diagnostic Tools Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the financial diagnostic tools referred to in the Written Statement by the Lord Warner on 7 November (WS 45). Lord Warner: A copy of the Whole Health Community diagnostic tool has been placed in the Library. Powers of Entry Lord Selsdon: asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances officials of the Home Office and of public bodies answerable to the Secretary of State for the Home Department can search and enter the homes or business premises of United Kingdom citizens; and, in each case, what is the statutory authority for that power. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A record of all powers of entry is not maintained centrally. In July 1983 the Prime Minister agreed that the Home Office, together with the then Scottish Home and Health Department and Northern Ireland Office should take responsibility for scrutinising proposals to create or re-enact powers of entry within their home jurisdiction. Any new proposed power of entry is required to be submitted to the respective home department for consideration. Appendix A to the Guide to Legislative Procedure published by the Cabinet Office in June 2001 sets out the criteria for scrutiny of powers of entry. That guidance applies to both public and private legislation for which departments are responsible, including subordinate legislation. In England and Wales, those exercising a power of entry must have regard to Code of Practice B issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 in addition to any requirements set out in the primary legislation granting the power. Prisoners: Licence Conditions Baroness Buscombe: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many prisoners are currently in prisons for breach of their licence conditions. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The total prison population of England and Wales who were recalled from licence was 4,095 at week ending 11 November 2005, as recorded on the central Prison Service IT system. As at 31 October 2005, Scotland had 393 prisoners either recalled from licence or recalled under Section 17 of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993. Northern Ireland had 17 prisoners who were recalled either from life licence or other licences under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 as at 14 November 2005. Prisoners: Mental Health Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Prison Service expects that local National Health Service mental health trusts will provide the relevant services to meet the mental health needs of people held in custody; and Who is responsible for responding to the mental health needs of prisoners and for providing treatment. Lord Warner: Primary care trust responsibility for commissioning healthcare services for the public prisons in England started in April 2004 and will be complete by April 2006. The trusts may commission mental health services from a range of providers, chief of which are the mental health trusts. Primary care trusts and prisons collaborate to determine need. Arrangements for the provision of healthcare, including mental health care, in the contracted prisons are made through appropriate commissioning arrangements. Primary care trusts were allocated funding for mental health in-reach teams in the public and contracted sector prisons. Prisoners: Mental Health Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of the ethnic minority prison population have some form of mental health needs. Lord Warner: In 1997, the Office for National Statistics undertook a survey of mental ill health in the prison population of England and Wales. The report of that survey, Psychiatric morbidity amongst prisoners in England and Wales (1998), a copy of which is available in the Library, included a range of information on the prevalence of specific mental health problems in black and minority ethnic prisoners. Road Traffic Accidents: Alcohol Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many alcohol-related (a) road accidents and (b) deaths in Wales there were in 1950; 1960; 1970; 1980; 1990; 1995; 2000; and 2003. Lord Davies of Oldham: The estimated number of personal injury road traffic accidents involving illegal alcohol levels, and the estimated number of resultant fatalities in Wales for the years 1979 to 2003, are shown in the table. The total number of fatalities resulting from road accidents in Wales for these years is also shown. Estimated number of personal injury road traffic accidents involving illegal alcohol levels in Wales Estimated number of fatalities resulting from alcohol-related road accidents in Wales Number of fatalities resulting from all road accidents in Wales 1979 960 80 314 1980 910 70 268 1981 810 80 275 1982 900 50 300 1983 970 60 245 1984 880 60 250 1985 890 40 245 1986 900 40 235 1987 870 50 220 1988 740 40 226 1989 770 50 231 1990 730 30 244 1991 640 50 227 1992 660 40 220 1993 580 30 187 1994 550 30 210 1995 540 30 218 1996 640 40 216 1997 610 30 221 1998 510 30 202 1999 590 20 192 2000 680 20 168 2001 650 50 187 2002 750 30 147 2003 640 40 173 The information requested is not available for years prior to 1979. Schools: Admissions Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, under new proposals for education in England, secondary schools will be able to determine their own admissions policy. Lord Adonis: Foundation and voluntary aided schools are currently able to set their own admission arrangements. The proposals in the schools White Paper will make it easier for schools to acquire foundation status and will enable all schools to become self-governing trust schools. Trust schools will be able to set their own admission arrangements, but like foundation and voluntary aided schools, must comply with admissions legislation and have regard to the school admissions code of practice. The schools adjudicator will continue to consider objections about arrangements that fail to have regard to the advice given in the code or that do not work in the interests of local parents and children. Where such objections are upheld, the decisions are binding. Social Housing Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of social housing built in London in each of the past eight years has three or more bedrooms. Baroness Andrews: Information is readily available only for 2004–05, in which year the proportion of registered social landlord completions of homes of three or more bedrooms for social renting funded with Housing Corporation grant was 32 per cent. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. St Helena Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: (a) When they expect to publish the results of the tourism strategy report for St Helena; (b) what is the planned timescale for developing the island's tourism potential before the completion of the new airport; and (c) when they expect to appoint a project manager to oversee construction of the airport. Baroness Amos: Consultants engaged to update St Helena's tourism strategy visited the island during September and October this year. Their final report will be published once a tourism strategy has been agreed by the St Helena Government. That is likely to be in the first half of 2006. The pace at which new tourism facilities can be developed will largely be dictated by the private sector, and both the St Helena Government and DfID are aware of the lead times that are required. However, it is important that policy guides investment and that St Helena learns from the good practice elsewhere. DfID is therefore supporting the development of an appropriate investment policy for St Helena that will be attractive to potential investors and safeguard the island's interests. We expect it to be in place in the first half of 2006, allowing St Helena to enter negotiations with potential investors. DfID aims to establish a project management unit on St Helena in mid-2006. In the mean time, DfID has appointed a project manager in its overseas territories department, supported by the full-time access manager in St Helena and appropriate technical assistance, to take forward the procurement phase of the project. Terrorism Act 2000 Lord Morris of Aberavon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether powers of arrest under the Terrorism Act 2000 are being properly exercised. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are continually reviewing the powers in the Act. They are thoroughly reviewed by an independent reviewer, currently Lord Carlile of Berriew QC, to ensure that they are necessary, proportionate and used appropriately by the police. Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 gives the police power to arrest anyone reasonably suspected of being a terrorist or having committed certain offences under the Act. The decision to arrest a person under the Act may be the result of an intelligence-led operation or the result of an officer's judgment in circumstances where he feels an arrest is appropriate. Statistics on arrests made under the Terrorism Act are published on the Home Office website. Many offences relating to terrorist activity, such as explosives, firearms or fraud offences, are dealt with under general criminal legislation. Therefore, not all individuals arrested under the Terrorism Act will necessarily be charged with offences under terrorism legislation. Under the Act, the Secretary of State is required to place a report on the operation of the whole Act before Parliament at least once every 12 months. The use of police powers is an operational matter for chief constables. We have always maintained that counter-terrorism powers need to be used sensitively, and it is particularly important that chief constables are able to demonstrate that they are exercised fairly and proportionately. Terrorism Act 2000: Labour Party Conference Lord Morris of Aberavon: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many arrests were made at the time of the recent Labour Party conference in Brighton under the Terrorism Act 2000; and whether the Home Secretary is satisfied that the discretion to use the powers under Sections 54 and 45 of the Act were properly exercised. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The only detention power exercised under anti-terrorism legislation at any of the party conferences was the power to detain a person while conducting a search authorised by Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The power to detain a person under this provision relates only to the amount of time reasonably required to conduct a search. Numbers of stops and searches under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 are not collected centrally below police force area level. The use of the power is an operational matter for the force concerned. The powers help to deter and disrupt terrorist activity by creating a hostile environment for terrorists to operate in. Law enforcement agencies must have appropriate powers available to them, and they must be used properly, fairly and consistently. We are working with stakeholders with a view to producing nationally agreed guidance for forces on the use of Section 44 stop and search powers. Uganda and Mozambique: Poverty Reduction The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assistance they have given to civil society groups monitoring poverty reduction plans and debt relief in (a) Uganda; and (b) Mozambique. Baroness Amos: The UK Government support civil society in Uganda through a civil society umbrella programme (CSUP), which has been in place since 1999. The programme enables civil society organisations (CSOs) to monitor the implementation of Uganda's poverty eradication action plan and to represent the interests of poor people in policy-making debates. Some of the organisations that benefit from that support, such as the Uganda Debt Network, focus on debt issues. In total, the CSUP has so far provided nearly £4 million of assistance to a wide range of CSOs. A new phase was agreed in 2003 that will provide additional support through to 2008. In Mozambique, the UK Government have been helping civil society to explore how it can engage in poverty monitoring and other policy processes since 2001. DfID has recently committed £190,000 over two years to support the largest civil society network, the G20, to improve civil society's contribution to the development and monitoring of Mozambique's poverty reduction strategy. Specific objectives of the project include increasing the capacity of the G20 to engage in ongoing dialogue on poverty issues with the Government of Mozambique and improving the quality of civil society's contribution to the annual reports on poverty that inform the poverty reduction strategy. The Debt Group, a non-government organisation that monitors the impact of debt relief in Mozambique, is a prominent member of the G20. United Nations Relief and Works Agency: British Contribution Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total British contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the current financial year, both direct and via the Department for International Development. Baroness Amos: The United Kingdom currently provides all of its funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) through the Department for International Development. To date, DfID had spent £13.37 million of the £15 million funding commitment allocated to UNRWA in 2005–06. That expenditure includes a £13 million core funding contribution; £200,000 to help improve UNRWA's refugee records; and approximately £164,000 to support the effective management of the UNRWA education system. United Nations Relief and Works Agency: Palestine Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the effect of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza on the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the territory, in particular on its health, education and sanitation services; and what is being done to co-ordinate the schools run by UNRWA with those maintained by the Palestinian Authority. Baroness Amos: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has maintained its provision of health, education and sanitation services during and since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. Withdrawal has had no significant immediate impact on UNRWA's work or on the socio-economic conditions faced by the refugees. UNRWA has been working with the quartet special envoy for disengagement, James Wolfensohn, and has focused on addressing the immediate needs of refugees through job creation programmes. It has released plans for improving education and upgrading primary health and environmental infrastructure over the next three years. UNRWA co-ordinates with the Palestinian Authority (PA) on education issues, and UNRWA schools follow the PA national curriculum. In some areas, refugees attend schools maintained by the PA, and in others, non-refugees attend schools run by UNRWA. The international community recognises the importance of co-ordination between UNRWA and the PA. Mr Wolfensohn recently facilitated a meeting between both sides on co-ordinating their medium-term plans. DfID supports both sides in moving towards greater strategic co-ordination.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2005-11-23c

Department for Transport Cycling: Road Traffic Offences Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to make causing death by dangerous cycling a criminal offence. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport is working on addressing dangerous cycling and will publish conclusions in due course. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Housing: Heating Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of infrared heating to support their aim of decarbonising homes. Lord Callanan: The Government anticipates that heat pumps will be the principal means of decarbonising heat in buildings through electrification over the next decade and beyond. Evidence to date suggests that there may be a role for alternative electric heating technologies, such as infrared heating, but this should be limited to specific use cases, such as small flats with low heat demand. Companies House: Maladministration Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checkswere made by Companies House to establish the authenticity of a director or secretary of MI5ER SCR00GE SPYPRIEST THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE LTD who gave his name as “Lord Truman Hell Christ”; and whether they have taken any action against this company or individuals associated with it for filing incorrect information at Companies House. Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofpermitting the directors of Spypriest Limited to file annual accounts at Companies House on 29 October 2021 under the name of War Trumpet Limited for the accounting period ending 31 January 2021. Lord Callanan: We announced plans to reform Companies House in September 2020. In 2021, we consulted on more detailed aspects of the reforms, and we will respond soon.The Government’s plans will deliver significant improvements to the integrity of the UK’s register of companies and assist greatly in the fight against economic crime. These reforms will include the identity verification of directors, People with Significant Control and those filing on behalf of a company, and new powers for the registrar to query and check information. It will also include the requirement that the accounts filed with the Registrar must be the most detailed set of accounts that has been prepared for the company’s members. We will bring forward legislation on these reforms when Parliamentary time allows. Companies House: Maladministration Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks were made by Companies House to establish the authenticity of a director of Spypriest Limited whoregistered his name as "Lord Truman Michael Spypriest", and who listed a succession of implausible occupations in association with his registration; and whether they have taken any action against this individual for filing incorrect information. Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks were made by Companies House to establish the authenticity of a secretary of Spypriest Limited who gave his name as "Mr Adolf Tooth Fairy Hitler"; and whether they have taken any action against (1) this company, or (2) individuals associated with it, for filing incorrect information. Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks were made by Companies House to establish the authenticity of a secretary of Spypriest Limited who gave his name as "Victor Les-Appy Hugo"; and whether they have taken any action against (1) the company, or (2) individuals associated with the company, for filing incorrect information at Companies House. Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks were made by Companies House to establish the authenticity of a director of Spypriest Limited who gave his name as "Joseph Smith Jr" and listed a number of implausible occupations in association with the company registration; and whether they have taken any action against the company, or individuals associated with it, for incorrect filing at Companies House. Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks were made by Companies House to establish the authenticity of a director or secretary of the company MI5ER SCR00GE SPYPRIEST THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE LTD, who gave his name as "James Bond" and stated his occupation to be "Security Controller". Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks were made by Companies House to establish the authenticity of a director or secretary of MI5ER SCR00GE SPYPRIEST THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE LTD who gave his name as "Judas Superadio Iskariot"; and whether they have taken any action against this company or individuals associated with it for filing incorrect information at Companies House. Lord Callanan: We are unable to comment on individual cases. We announced plans to reform Companies House in September 2020, and in 2021 we consulted on more detailed aspects of the reforms, and we will respond soon. The Government’s plans will deliver significant improvements to the integrity of the UK’s register of companies and assist greatly in the fight against economic crime. When parliamentary time allows, the Government intends to bring forward legislation to give the Registrar greater powers to check information before it is registered and to verify the identity of directors, People with Significant Control and those filing on behalf of a company. Land Registry: Databases Lord Allan of Hallam: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 29 December 2020 (HL11381), when HM Land Registry will add Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) identifiers to its public datasets of property transactions and titles in corporate ownership. Lord Callanan: HM Land Registry remains committed to opening its data where possible and in line with the National Data Strategy. It continues to consider incorporation of Unique Property Reference Numbers in future publishable datasets to align with its already published Leasehold property data set and as part of its National Polygon Service. Department of Health and Social Care Schools: Nutrition Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Kamall on 24 January (HL Deb, col 5) where he stated that they are "looking at how we change diets in schools and across the public sector", how that work is being conducted; in which department it is being conducted; with what deadlines; and when the (1) recommendations, and (2) implementation, are expected. Lord Kamall: In early 2022, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will lead on a consultation on proposed changes to public sector food procurement policy, including the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF). The consultation will seek views on promoting local, sustainable, healthier food in the public sector, opening public sector procurement to a wider range of businesses and increasing the transparency of food supply chains. Specific dates for the recommendations of this consultation and their implementation will be announced in due course.On 15 July 2021, the nutrition standards in the GBSF were updated to reflect the latest scientific nutritional evidence. On 18 August 2021, the Government Buying Standards for food and catering services: nutrition standards: Technical guidance was published to provide catering establishments with practical advice to implement the GBSF standards. A copy of the guidance is attached. We recognise that catering establishments will need to plan menus to include products that meet the revised guidelines. There will be an implementation period of 12 months to ensure compliance, with an extension of three years for the Reducing Salt standard and the sandwich component of the Reducing Saturated Fat Standard.Government Buying Standards for food and catering (pdf, 676.6KB) Coronavirus: Vaccination Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need for further COVID-19 boosters beyond the third vaccination; and what steps they plan to take as a result of this assessment. Lord Kamall: On 7 January 2022 the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised that the priority for the COVID-19 booster programme remains to increase coverage of the first booster dose across the adult population, particularly in older adults and those in clinical risk groups. A second booster dose was not advised at this time as there is evidence of continued high vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation due to the Omicron variant following a first booster dose.The JCVI continues to consider the latest available data and will review the booster programme, particularly in relation to the timing and value of any second booster doses for the most vulnerable. Department for Education Skilled Workers: Environment Protection Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Green AllianceClosing the UK's green skills gap, published on 11 January; and what plans they have to develop a national framework for green jobs which (1) is regularly updated, and (2) outlines the skills required for the transition. Baroness Barran: ​​We welcome the Green Alliance’s report on closing the UK’s skills gap. The government is committed to supporting green skills across the country and a number of measures are in place to ensure we are supporting the labour market transition to net zero.At the recent Spending Review, we set out investment of £3.8 billion in further education and skills over the course of the parliament as a whole, to ensure people can access high-quality training and education that leads to good jobs, addresses skills gaps, boosts productivity and supports levelling up. This includes funding for programmes to support green skills crucial to the net zero transition.In November 2020, we launched the Green Jobs Taskforce, working in partnership with business, local areas, skills providers, and unions, to ensure we have the skilled workforce to deliver net zero and our Ten Point Plan. Following that, and building on the Skills for Jobs White Paper, the Net Zero Strategy was published in October 2021 and set out how the government’s skills reforms will support teachers understanding of sustainability, strengthen links between employers and providers, support workers in high carbon sectors with the transition, and help to build a pipeline of future talent.Through the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, we are supporting workers to gain the skills they need to transition to the green economy, including through targeted support for retraining. As part of this and through the National Skills Fund investment, we are delivering Skills Bootcamps, which are short, flexible courses covering digital, technical and green skills. Green Skills Bootcamps are available in areas such as housing retrofit, solar, nuclear energy and vehicle electrification.The Free Courses for Jobs offer has, since April 2021, been supporting adults who do not have a qualification at Level 3 or higher to access over 400 Level 3 courses for free. The offer currently includes qualifications linked to green sectors such as Agriculture, Building and Construction, Engineering, Environmental Conservation, Horticulture and Forestry and Science. This offer replaces loan funding with grant funding for any adult over the age of 23 looking to achieve their first level 3 qualification. In addition, we have recently announced that, from April this year, any adult in England who is earning under the National Living Wage annually (£18,525) or unemployed will also be able to access these qualifications for free, regardless of their prior qualification level.At post-16 level, we will continue to build on our apprenticeship reforms, to align the majority of post-16 technical education and training with employer-led standards by 2030. A strengthened system of employer-led standards, underpinning apprenticeships, T Levels and new higher technical qualifications will ensure employers, including in low carbon sectors, have a central role in designing and developing qualifications and training.We are also introducing Local Skills Improvement Plans, which will be developed by employer representative bodies working closely with employers, post-16 education and training providers and key local stakeholders. These Plans will articulate unmet and future skills needs and key changes needed to ensure technical skills provision is responsive to local labour market skills needs. Through the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, we are legislating to put the employer leadership of these plans on a statutory footing and ensure they consider skills needed to help deliver on our net zero target, adaptation to climate change, and other environmental goals.Going forward, a new Green Jobs Delivery Group will be the central forum through which government, industry and other key stakeholders work together to ensure that the UK has the workforce needed to deliver a green industrial revolution.The Group will include ministerial representation from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Education, the Department for Work and Pensions, and other departments as required. It will also importantly be co-chaired by an industry representative to ensure an inclusive view of the action on green jobs needed for net zero and wider environmental goals.The Group will be active for the duration of this parliament and will aim to drive forward industry and government action across a range of topics, which might include: ensuring we have the skilled workforce to deliver net zero and wider environmental goals in line with the UK’s levelling up agenda; ensuring workers and communities in high carbon sectors are supported with the transition in the wider context of the UK’s levelling up agenda; better understanding and addressing barriers to recruitment, retention and progression in green jobs (including quality of work, pay, conditions, image, etc); ensuring green jobs are open to all; building on the work of the Green Jobs Taskforce to develop a clearer understanding of the green economy and how to define and measure it.Taken together, and alongside the wider suite of reforms to the skills system being implemented by government in partnership with industry, these measures will help to ensure more people can get the skills they need to enter and progress within green jobs. Physical Education and Sports Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reportSchool Recovery Strategies: Year 1 findings, published on 11 January, when they plan to re-introduce sports and physical education at the daily recommended activity levels of at least 60 minutes. Baroness Barran: The department’s COVID-19 guidance has supported schools to continue to provide physical education (PE), sport and physical activity through COVID-19 restrictions. Schools have the flexibility to decide how PE, sport and physical activity will be provided to pupils while following the measures in their system of controls.It is this government’s ambition that 30 minutes of the 60 minutes of physical activity a day recommended by the Chief Medical Officers should be done at school. This can include all forms of activity such as PE, active travel, after-school activities, play and sports. The School Sport and Activity Action Plan, which aims to make sport and physical activity an integral part of both the school day and after-school activities, enabling all children have the opportunity to take part in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day, will be updated this year. Primary schools have also continued to receive the £320 million PE and sport premium, supporting improvements in the quality of the PE, sport and physical activity which they offer.In October 2021 the government also announced nearly £30 million a year will go towards improving the teaching of PE at primary school, as well as to improve and opening up school sport facilities in England. Vocational Education Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase offerings of (1) vocational, and (2) technical, courses throughout the school system, to help better prepare students for the working world. Baroness Barran: The department is streamlining and improving the quality of the post-16 qualifications system at level 3 and below.We are reforming technical education to ensure that all post-16 students have access to vocational and technical options that support progression and meet employer needs. This includes the introduction of new T Levels which have been designed with employers and will increase the options for learners to take post-16. We are also reviewing all other technical qualifications at level 3 and below and introducing new higher technical qualifications which will improve the quality of the future technical landscape. Ministry of Justice Prisoners: Death Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals sentenced to Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) since 2005 died whilst (1) serving their sentence, or (2) whilst out on licence in the community; and what were the causes of death in each case. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: A total of 231 prisoners have died in custody while serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection sentence. Their causes of death are set out in the attached table. This data runs from January 2005 to December 2021. The Government does not hold collated data about the deaths of offenders on licence in the community. I regret that the data requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Every death in prison custody and the community is a tragedy that deeply affects families, staff and other prisoners. We are committed to doing all we can to prevent deaths in prison custody and of offenders under supervision.HL5611_table (docx, 41.5KB) Solicitors: Assessments Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to close the attainment gap between white students and ethnic minority students who pass the Solicitors Qualifying Exam. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) introduced the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), as a new assessment for all individuals seeking to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales. The first sitting of the first part of the exam (SQE1) was held in November 2021, and the results were published on 20 January 2022.In light of experience from the former Legal Practice Course and the SQE pilots, the SRA has commissioned the University of Exeter to look at the possible causes of attainment gap in professional legal assessment. They will look widely at evidence from other regulated professions, from within universities as well as patterns of attainment at earlier stages of education. The SRA is expecting interim findings towards the end of this year and a final report towards the end of 2023. We will continue to engage with the SRA as it monitors performance in the assessments by individuals with certain protected characteristics and addresses any future negative trends in attainment. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Afghanistan: Humanitarian Situation Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to convene a multi-nation conference to respond (1) practically, and (2) financially, to the humanitarian issue in Afghanistan. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We welcome the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan. We understand that the UN will be organising an international pledging conference in the coming months, which we fully support. It is important that donors across the world step up to this challenge, including by responding to the UN's call for additional funding. Development Aid: HIV Infection Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on HIV/AIDS Jeopardising Progress: Impact of the UK Government's aid cuts on HIV/AIDS worldwide, published on 21 September 2021; and what steps they are taking to mitigate the impact of the Overseas Development Assistance target spending reduction on efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The All-Party Parliamentary Group Report outlines the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global HIV/AIDS response based on surveys conducted by the Global Fund. The report highlights the support to the global HIV/AIDS through UK investments but does not attempt to attribute changes in global progress to UK funding levels. The report makes four recommendations for UK consideration, including making supplementary allocations to organisations working on the HIV response, community-led responses and research and development. The UK remains committed to addressing HIV and AIDS through our development programming. This currently includes our funding of £1.4 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and funding for UNAIDS, Unitaid and the Robert Carr Fund. Future funding, beyond our current commitments, will be determined as part of departmental business planning in line with departmental allocations announced in last year's Spending Review and guided by the approaches set out in the Health Systems Strengthening Position Paper and Ending Preventable Deaths approach. Islamic State: Criminal Investigation Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of (1) France, and (2) Sweden, about the new joint investigation team to assist in the prosecution of former Daesh soldiers; and whether they plan to join the initiative. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against civilians in Syria and Iraq and welcome efforts to bring Daesh to justice. We continue to champion, and are committed to, the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Daesh/ISIL (UNITAD), to gather evidence of Daesh crimes in Iraq, and the work of the IIIM (International, Impartial and Independent mechanism) for their assistance on the investigation of the most serious crimes under international law committed in Syria. Genocide Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to (1) the remarks by the Minister for Asia on 20 January (HC Deb, col 563), and (2) the judgment of the International Court of Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro in 2007, when they last reviewed the lawfulness of their policy on genocide. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. It should be decided after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process. Whether or not a determination of genocide is made, the UK is committed to seeking an end to serious violations of international human rights law; preventing the escalation of any such violations; and alleviating the suffering of those who are affected. The UK's position is legally robust and does not prevent us from fulfilling our legal obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute. HIV Infection: International Cooperation Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to accelerate progress to deliver on the UN 2021 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains committed to addressing HIV and AIDS through our development programming. This currently includes our funding to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, for UNAIDS, Unitaid and the Robert Carr Fund. These UK investments help countries to implement actions under the political declaration to prevent new HIV infections and stop AIDS related deaths. This June, the UK will host the Safe To Be Me conference in London. One of the key aims will be ensuring inclusive access to healthcare for LGBT+ people. The conference will bring together governments, businesses, civil society and international parliamentarians from around the world to share lessons and agree plans for action. Israel: Sanctions Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to impose sanctions on Israel for continued breaches of international law. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The British Government has made its position on sanctions clear. While we do not hesitate to hold Israel to account where necessary, we are firmly opposed to sanctions. We believe that open and honest discussions, rather than imposing sanctions or supporting anti-Israel boycotts, best supports our efforts to help progress in the peace process and achieve a negotiated solution. Israel: Palestinians Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect Palestinians in territories occupied by Israel from damage to olive groves and crops by Israeli settlers. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We understand the particular significance of olive trees given their status as a national symbol and the sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers. We have repeatedly raised the issue of incidents of settler violence, including the destruction of olive trees, with the Israeli authorities. Crimes against Humanity Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what team within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is responsible for identifying early warning signs of atrocity crimes; and whether they will publish the criteria they use to make such an assessment. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The team leading on atrocity prevention in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's United Nations and Multilateral Department shares the following with their geographic departments to help them formulate policy in response to atrocity risks:Reporting from the United Nations (UN). Non-sensitive reports are available on the internet;Countries at Risk of Instability (CRI);US Holocaust Memorial Museum Early Warning Project and other reports available in the public domain from Non-Governmental Organisations;Analysis and assessments shared between Member States, at the UN and international fora.The CRI process involves a quantitative and qualitative process to calculate a country's risk of instability by assessing the pressure on a country's government and the resilience of its institutions to withstand further pressures. It uses over 80 indicators including respect for human rights, respect for the law, displacement and political stability. It is an internal document for HMG use and there are no plans to publish the criteria. Israel: Palestinians Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on1 April 2021 (HL14507), what plans they have to address recent reports concerning the violent eviction of a Palestinian family and the demolition of their home on 19 January; and what plans they have to provide protection for remaining families under threat. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. On 19 January, Minister Cleverly urged the Government of Israel to stop these practices. Israel: Palestinians Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect (1) Palestinians in territory occupied by Israel, and (2) human rights activists, from violent attacks by Israeli settlers. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly raises the issue of settler violence with the Government of Israel, most recently with Israel's Ministry of Defence on 20 January. We welcome discussion by the Israeli authorities on how to address this issue, and urge Israel to bring those responsible to justice. Ethiopia 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 Ethiopia was last conducted;and what is their assessment of the situation in Ethiopia, with particular reference to themistreatment of the ethnic Tigrayan people. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: HMG undertakes regular contextual analysis of the changing situation in Ethiopia, including of the drivers of conflict and the changing political settlement. This analysis, undertaken routinely by our own staff and by a broad range of external experts informs our policy and programmatic approaches.We are deeply concerned by the growing humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia. The humanitarian response in Tigray is now at standstill owing to the de facto blockade of the region imposed by the Government of Ethiopia since July 2021 and also due to recent military action by Tigrinyan defence forces along the Tigray-Afar border disrupting a potential buffer zone to transfer humanitarian deliveries. The Minister for Africa raised our concerns about humanitarian access and ethnically targeted arrests with Minister Redwan in Addis Ababa on 20 January. It is vital that both sides put down their arms and come to the negotiating table. The protection of all civilians needs to be prioritised, human rights respected and those responsible for human rights abuses and violations held to account. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Pesticides: Bees Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the use of all pesticides in the UK is not detrimental to bees. Lord Benyon: Decisions on whether to authorise the use of individual pesticides always take account of environmental risks, including the potential for harm to bees. In 2021, the Government consulted on the draft National Action Plan for the sustainable use of pesticides which sets out the ambition to minimise the risks and impacts of pesticides to human health and the environment. The draft NAP aims to increase uptake of Integrated Pest Management and sustainable crop protection. Integrated Pest Management emphasises crop health with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms, therefore playing a critical role in supporting and enhancing biodiversity, whilst improving soil heath and water quality. The final NAP is due to be published in spring 2022. We have funded research into the exposure of honeybees to pesticides, both over time and at national scale, through chemical analysis of pesticide residues found in honey samples. Using genetic techniques, such as DNA metabarcoding, this research can assess the plants foraged by exposed bees and highlight common pesticide exposure routes for this key pollinator species. We expect the results of this work to be published in the coming months. Food Supply Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the stability of the food supply chain; and what plans they have to ensure that (1) food, and (2) other perishable items, are not blocked in warehouses due to a shortage of lorry drivers. Lord Benyon: In December 2021, the Government published the UK Food Security Report, an analysis of statistical data on food security. This is the first in a series of reports to be published triennially. This landmark report shows we have a resilient and stable food supply-chain which adapted quickly throughout the pandemic. Perishable products across the food supply chain have continued to be delivered to meet demand.Defra has well established ways of working with the industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.We are engaging with the food industry to collect evidence to devise appropriate solutions to alleviate supply chain bottlenecks.Some of these Government-led key measures include: the Driver and Vehicle Standard Agency's action to increase HGV tests to 3,000 per week; the Department for Transport's 16-week skills bootcamps to train new and returning drivers; and the streamlining of the HGV testing regulatory framework, increasing testing capacity by around 50,000.In addition, the Transport Secretary has relaxed driver hours regulation, allowing more flexibility in response to supply disruptions from the Omicron variant. This relaxation will last until 10 February 2022 in England, Scotland, and Wales. Home Office Visas: Afghanistan Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are making special provision for visas to the UK for Afghan doctors and nurses who wish to be evacuated, to help address the NHS staffing gap in the UK. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government responded swiftly to the fast-moving and challenging events in Afghanistan, including supporting the largest and fastest evacuation in recent history. We can be proud as a country we helped over 15,000 people to safety from Afghanistan in August 2021 and we continue to do all we can to enable those who are eligible to relocate to the UK through the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy and Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.The Department of Health and Social Care is also working with DWP to develop pathways to support Afghans who are already in the UK to access roles in the health and social care sector.On the issue of NHS staffing gaps, the Government has done a number of things to ensure the NHS has suitable resources. We are on schedule to deliver 50,000 more nurses by the end of this Parliament to deliver a sustainable long term workforce supply. With the National Health Service and Health Education England, we have established a programme to improve retention and support return to practice, invest in and diversify training and increase ethical and sustainable international recruitment. We have also made £2 billion made available in 2021/22 and a further £8 billion from 2022 to 2025 to increase activity, tackle backlogs in elective care and reduce waiting times for patients.In August 2020, the Government launched the Health and Care Visa which provides for fast-track entry, reduced application fees and dedicated support. Health and Care Visa applicants are also exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. These benefits also extend to Health and Care Visa applicants dependents. Hate Crime Lord Singh of Wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of(1) the articleby Dr Richard Norrie and Hardeep Singh 'Meet the SAGE of hate crime', published in The Critic on 13 January, and (2) the transparency and impartiality of their Independent Advisory Group on hate crime. Lord Singh of Wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the full details and minutes of the meetings of the Independent Advisory Group on hate crime held on (1) 17 September 2019, and (2) 17 January 2020, including the details already disclosed in response to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Baroness Williams of Trafford: In April 2020, the Home Office briefly took over full responsibility from the Ministry of Justice for the oversight of the Independent Advisory Group on hate crime.The Home Office had some concerns about the transparency and impartiality of the IAG, and planned to work with the group to resolve these issues. However, during the summer of 2021, the IAG moved under the oversight of the NPCC and is consequently no longer a Government-affiliated body. The IAG now serves as a body solely to inform and support policing requirements on hate crime.The minutes of the meetings have been made available in response to a freedom of information request. I will send a copy to the Noble Lord. Hong Kong: Immigration Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend paragraphs (1) HK 26.2, (2) HK 26.3, (3) HK 31.1, and (4) HK 31.2, of the Appendix to the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) Immigration Rules, to allow Hong Kong citizens born on or after 1997 with British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) parents to register for the UK BN(O) Visa Scheme independently of their parents. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The BN(O) route is an unprecedented and generous offer reflecting the UK’s historic and moral commitment to the people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status. We are sympathetic to the circumstances of children born on or after 1 July 1997 with BN(O) parents and are considering what more can be done to support this cohort where they wish to build a permanent life in the UK. We will inform the House once a way forward has been established. Slavery Baroness Young of Hornsey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the then Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 12 January 2021 (HC Deb, col 160) that they will "introduce fines for businesses that do not comply" with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, when they plan to bring forward these changes. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The landmark transparency provisions contained in section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 made the UK the first country in the world to require businesses with a turnover of £36m or more to report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.To enhance the impact of transparency and accelerate action to prevent modern slavery, the Government committed to strengthening the reporting requirements contained in section 54 and introduce new measures including financial penalties for organisations that fail to meet their statutory obligation to publish modern slavery statements. These measures require primary legislation and will be introduced when parliamentary time allows. The Government will publish guidance to help organisations prepare for the new reporting requirements when timings of legislation is clear. Radicalism: Islam Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Barran on 18 January (HL5056 and HL5057), what steps they take to ensurethat radical Islamism is not being promoted in mosques in the UK; whether they have any evidence that radical Islamism is being promoted in mosques;and if not, what further steps they intend to take. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Muslims make an enormous contribution to British Society and have done for centuries. Islam is a religion observed peacefully by over a billion people worldwide and we remain clear that Islamist extremism is not true Islam. Whether through Islamism or any other ideology, the Government is committed to tackling those who spread views that promote violence and hatred against individuals and communities in our society, and that radicalise others into terrorism.We assess all evidence of those that radicalise others though their support for or justification of violence and will not tolerate those who spread divisive and harmful narratives.We continue to work with law enforcement agencies and multi-agency partners to increase our understanding of new and emerging radicalising threats to society. Any violent threat is assessed and managed by the police and security services based on the threat that it is deemed to pose. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Levelling Up Fund Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the criteria for the administration of monies under the Levelling Up Funds. Lord Greenhalgh: We have used a range of criteria and approaches to ensure all Levelling Up funds are distributed fairly and equitably around the UK. We have been transparent throughout, publishing our criteria, assessment methodology and decisions on GOV.UK. Where unsuccessful, bidders receive feedback so they can refine bids and resubmit in the next funding round.Our ambitious plans for levelling up will transform the economic geography of every corner of the UK, helping places reach their productivity potential and improving people’s lives. Overseas Investment Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make it a criminal offence for foreign governments to channel funds in excess of a limit of £5,000 into the (1) personal, or (2) business, accounts of individual parliamentarians. Lord Greenhalgh: There are rules in place to ensure that only those with a legitimate interest can make political donations. All MPs and members of political parties are regulated donees and can only accept donations of more than £500 made to them in connection with their political activities if it is from a permissible donor. Donations from individuals not on the UK electoral register, such as foreign donors, are not allowed.In addition, Members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords must provide information on any financial or non-financial benefit which might reasonably be thought by others to influence their actions or words as Members of Parliament.However, we know that in very rare instances, malign actors disguise their links to foreign Governments. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. The Government has structures in place to identify foreign interference or any potential threats to democracy and, where necessary, take proportionate action to mitigate them.As set out in the Queen’s Speech, the Government is bringing forward new Counter State Threats legislation to give the intelligence agencies and law enforcement the tools they need to tackle the diversifying and evolving threats we face. Levelling Up Fund Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money isearmarked for Levelling Up Funds for (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland. Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to levelling up all areas of the UK. Since October 2021 the Government has allocated around £1.9 billion throughout the UK through the Levelling Up Fund, Community Renewal Fund and Community Ownership Fund. This equates to almost £1.48 billion in England, £191 million in Scotland, £169 million in Wales and £61 million in Northern Ireland. Over its lifetime, the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund will invest at least £800 million across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Further details of round two of the Levelling Up Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be announced in due course. Cabinet Office 10 Downing Street Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Evans of Bowes Park on 31 January (HL Deb col 685) regarding the Sue Gray report, what steps they have taken in response to its publication; and what plans they have, if any, to remove the 34-bottle capacity wine cooler from the Downing Street offices. Lord True: I would refer the noble Lady to the Prime Minister’s statement of 31 January 2022. It would not be appropriate to comment further while the Metropolitan Police Service’s investigation is ongoing. The Government has accepted the Second Permanent Secretary’s general findings in full. Further details will be announced in due course. Property and Roads: Databases Lord Allan of Hallam: To ask Her Majesty's Government what metrics they are using to monitor and evaluate progress towards achieving their goal for the adoption of Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) identifiers, following the Cabinet Office guidance Identifying property and street information, published on 4 December 2020. Lord True: The Geospatial Commission worked with GeoPlace, the Local Government Association, the Improvement Service, and Ordnance Survey to provide access to Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) and Unique Street Reference Numbers (USRNs) data under an Open Government Licence, as part of the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement held between the Geospatial Commission and Ordnance Survey. Following this, the Open Standards Board, convened by the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), mandated the use of UPRN for gathering and storing address data in Government systems. This was published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-standards-for-government/identifying-property-and-street-information. The Data Standards Authority in the CDDO also published guidance on the use of UPRN at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/access-free-address-data-using-addressbase. The Geospatial Commission is now working with its public sector partners to develop a standardised approach to benchmarking and measuring location data quality and improvement, applying a FAIR data methodology to ensure that location data, including UPRNs and USRNs, are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. Further information will be published in early 2022. Treasury Economic Situation Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the strength of the UK economy. Baroness Penn: Last year we saw a faster-than-previously-expected economic recovery, with output in November above pre-crisis levels for the first time, and, in their latest forecast, the IMF expect the UK to be the fastest growing G7 economy this year. Our Plan for Jobs is working. However, global supply chain disruptions and higher energy prices represent challenges that are driving higher inflation. These are global problems which we are working with our international partners on, and we are supporting households with the cost of living, providing support worth around £12bn this financial year and next alongside an announced £9.1bn package to help households with rising energy bills in 2022-23. Debts Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment the Financial Conduct Authority has made of the reasons for the high levels of personal debt in the UK; and what independent evidential basis informs that assessment. Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment the Financial Conduct Authority has made for the levels of over-indebtedness in the UK; and what independent evidential basis informs that assessment. Baroness Penn: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is an independent public body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry. As such, the Government is unable to comment on the FCA’s assessment of their consumer research work and the evidence base that impacts their assessment. The Government has therefore passed this enquiry on to them directly and they will respond to the noble Lord by letter. Cryptocurrencies Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any recent assessment of the future of digital currencies; and whether they have any plans to trade digital currencies. Baroness Penn: Certain cryptoassets, offering new ways to transact and invest, are part of a trend of rapid innovation in financial technology. However, these developments also present new challenges and risks – including risks to consumers and to financial system. The Government established a Cryptoassets Taskforce in 2018, consisting of HM Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). HM Treasury and UK authorities have taken a series of actions to support innovation while mitigating risks to stability and market integrity. These include launching a new anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime for cryptoassets in 2020; confirming an intention to legislate to regulate cryptoasset promotions, ensuring they are fair, clear and not misleading; and consulting on a proposal to ensure cryptoassets known as ‘stablecoins’ meet the same high standards expected of other payment methods. The Government will issue a response to this consultation shortly. The Government is carefully considering what, if any, regulation might need to follow as the cryptoasset market grows and evolves in the UK. The Government has adopted a staged and proportionate approach to cryptoassets regulation, which is sensitive to risks posed, and responsive to new developments in the market. The UK, like many countries globally, is actively exploring the potential role of central bank digital currency (CBDC): an electronic form of central bank money that could be used by households and businesses to make payments. The Government has taken several actions to signal its commitment to leading the global conversation on the opportunities and risks of a potential CBDC, including: the creation of a new Taskforce led by HM Treasury and the Bank of England to lead exploration of a CBDC, with separate forums to engage civil society and technology experts; a public commitment to issue a joint consultation on the use cases for a UK CBDC in 2022, followed by the publication of a technical specification; and, at the international level, using our G7 Presidency last year to develop and agree a set of public policy principles for CBDC, which are intended to support and inform exploration of CBDCs in the G7 and beyond.The Government and the Bank of England have not yet made a decision on whether to introduce a central bank digital currency in the UK, and will engage widely with stakeholders on the benefits, risks and practicalities of doing so.The Government has not set out any proposals to trade cryptoassets or other digital currencies. Cryptocurrencies Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Bitcoin accounts for 0.5 per cent global electricity production; and what plans they have to prohibit crypto currency mining in the UK. Baroness Penn: The Government has been monitoring developments within the cryptoasset industry, including rising energy usage. The Cryptoasset Taskforce, comprising HM Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Bank of England, considers the impact of cryptoassets and assesses what, if any, regulation is required in response. The Government stands ready to respond to emerging risks or changes in the market and will continue to monitor developments in cryptoassets. The Government has taken a variety of actions to position the UK at the forefront of green finance initiatives. In November 2020, the Chancellor announced that the UK will implement a green taxonomy – a common framework for determining which activities can be defined as environmentally sustainable – which will improve understanding of the impact of firms’ activities and investments on the environment and support our transition to a sustainable economy. More details on the green taxonomy will be announced in due course. The Government has already taken action to ensure the UK is the world-leading centre for green finance including through announcing an intention to make disclosures aligned with the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) fully mandatory across the economy by 2025, making the UK the first country to do so. The Government is committed to upholding its pledge relating to the Paris Climate Agreement and have enacted a legally binding target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Between 1990 and 2018, the UK reduced its emissions by 43% while growing the economy by 75% – the best performance in the G7 on a per person basis and will continually assess any emerging environmental threats. Red Diesel Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of (1) the amount of red diesel used in theUK, and (2) the duty derived from red diesel. Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of duty lost because of the fraudulent use of red diesel in the UK. Baroness Penn: As set out in the Hydrocarbon Oils Bulletin published by HMRC, the taxation of 4,710 million litres of gas oil (i.e. red diesel) raised £522 million in 2020-21, and the taxation of 5,065 million litres of red diesel raised £559 million in 2019-20. The Measuring Tax Gaps 2021 report published by HMRC sets out that the oils tax gap, which includes Great Britain and Northern Ireland diesel, is estimated at 1% (£190 million) in 2019-20, of which £150 million was in duty and a further £40 million in VAT. As set out in the annex of this report, the tax gap is driven by the misuse of rebated fuel, which is subject to a lower duty rate. The Chancellor confirmed at Spring Budget 2021 that the Government will remove the entitlement to use red diesel from most sectors from April 2022. This will help to ensure fairness between the different users of diesel fuels and that the tax system incentivises the development and adoption of greener alternative technologies. The reduction in legitimate red diesel usage following these reforms coming into effect is expected to reduce the level of illegitimate use overall, as it will be harder to obtain red diesel for deliberate misuse in road vehicles due to there being less red diesel in circulation. Foreign Companies: Money Laundering Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent estimate they have made of the number of foreign-owned companies that are involved in money laundering in the UK's financial services sector. Baroness Penn: HM Treasury does not hold an assessment of the number of foreign-owned financial services companies involved in money laundering in the UK and is not responsible for collecting such data. However, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) does collect information on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) investigations opened into firms and individuals where entities may have breached their obligations under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) or the Money Laundering Regulations (MLRs). The FCA currently has forty-one AML investigations opened into firms and individuals, the number of foreign owned firms under investigation is eight. These investigations are regulatory, civil and criminal in nature covering a wide range of potential breaches of systems and controls covered under the MLRs and the requirements under FSMA. It is important to keep in mind, that when the FCA opens an investigation, it is fact finding in nature and does not in itself mean any misconduct has occurred. Where the FCA has evidence of ongoing breaches of AML regulations, it will take intervention action to prevent and/or contain ongoing harm. As a result of the FCA’s investigations, since 2018 the total of financial penalties issued is £970,067,419 (before settlement discounts). The FCA also secured its first criminal conviction against a body corporate for breaches of the MLRs in October 2021. Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact the proposed alcohol duty system will have on the trend of increasing alcohol deaths; and whether their impact assessment has modelled the potential cost savings to the NHS. Baroness Penn: The Government intends to move to a new system that taxes all products in reference to their alcohol content for the first time. This will help to target problem drinking by taxing higher-strength products associated with alcohol-related harm a higher rate of duty. The Government is continuing to engage with interested stakeholders, including public health professionals, on these reforms. A consultation ran from 27 October 2021 to 30 January 2022, and the Government is now in the process of analysing responses. A tax information and impact note will be published following the consultation when the policy is final, or near final, in the usual way. Actuaries Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their proposals to reform the regulation of the actuarial profession. Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with stakeholders to ensure the future governance of the proposed model for the Auditing, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA) takes account of the distinctness of the actuarial professional from the audit and accountancy profession. Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a separate assessment has been made of the (1) proportionality, and (2) cost, of proposed reforms to actuarial regulation, distinct from the audit profession, in the transition from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to the Auditing, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA). Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the (1) definition, and (2) scope, of actuarial activities to be subject to proposed statutory regulation by the Auditing, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA) does not lead to regulatory duplication and regulatory arbitrage. Baroness Penn: HM Government consulted publicly on its proposals to reform the regulation of the actuarial profession in chapter 11.2 of its White Paper ‘Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance’. As part of the consultation process, the Government has held discussions with a range of actuarial stakeholders.The Government is considering the responses to its consultation and will respond in due course. Economic Situation: Scotland Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to help support the Scottish economy. Baroness Penn: The UK government is committed to building back better and levelling up in Scotland, as it is to all parts of the UK. Our economic response to the pandemic has been UK-wide and continues to be one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. £400 billion of direct economic support has protected millions of people’s livelihoods in every part of the United Kingdom. Furlough and Self Employment Income Support schemes safeguarded, in Scotland alone, over 1 million jobs and livelihoods. The UK government continues to support economic growth across Scotland through our Plan for Growth and multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs and increasing wages through the National Living Wage rise in April 2022. We are improving productivity by investing in infrastructure through the UK Infrastructure Bank and providing £150 million for British Business Bank investment in Scotland. Plus there is Scotland’s share of our £5 billion Project Gigabit, where Central Scotland is one of the first areas to get funding for next generation broadband. In Scotland, the UK government is also investing £1.49 billion in 12 City and Growth Deals, stimulating local economic growth and jobs. Further, £172 million will be allocated to 8 projects in round one of the Levelling Up Fund, including to the redevelopment of Inverness Castle, the renovation of the Westfield Roundabout in Falkirk, and a new marketplace in Aberdeen City Centre. In addition, the UK government is providing the Scottish Government with an additional £4.6 billion per year on average through the Barnett formula over the Spending Review period, on top of its annual baseline funding of £36.7 billion. This funding is enabling the Scottish Government to support economic recovery and growth in Scotland and to provide additional investments in areas such as health, social care, environment and education. Remittances Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of annual remittances sent abroad for the years (1) 2015, (2) 2020, and (3) 2021. Baroness Penn: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) do not publish estimates of remittance flows as part of their Balance of Payments publications. No other estimates of Balance of Payments components are made beyond the official statistics as provided by the ONS. The World Bank estimates that remittance flows out of the UK were $10.7bn in 2015 and $9.3bn in 2020, with the estimate for 2021 yet to be released. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Social Media: Safety Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce measures in the Online Safety Bill that grant Ofcom powers to scrutinise social media companies' algorithms. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Online Safety Bill will give Ofcom a range of powers to understand how and to what extent companies are operating their algorithms in ways that comply with their duties in the Bill. Ofcom will have the power to request information from providers which could, for instance, be used to require from a provider information about its assessment of the risks associated with its algorithms or about how its algorithms operate.Ofcom will have the power to require a company to undergo, and pay for, a skilled person’s report which could be used to assess potential non-compliance, and/or to build an understanding of the risks associated with the operation of a service’s algorithms.Ofcom will also have the power to enter and inspect premises, documentation, and equipment. Where there are reasonable grounds to suspect non-compliance, Ofcom will be able to seek a warrant which would allow it to inspect and seize information and equipment. These powers could also be used in relation to the operation of companies’ algorithms.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2022-02-07

Ministry of Justice Prisoners' Release Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that, under their new arrangements whereby prisoners will not be released on Fridays, prisoners’ sentences will be shortened to end on the Thursday rather than extended through to the following Monday. Lord Bellamy: The Government is supporting the Offenders (Day of Release from Detention) Bill. This Private Members’ Bill was introduced to the House of Lords on 6 March 2023, sponsored by Lord Bird, following passage through the House of Commons. If it gains Royal Assent, the Bill will enable offenders who are at risk of reoffending to have their release date moved 1-2 days earlier, where their release falls on a Friday, or before a bank/public holiday.It would be unlawful detention to detain an offender beyond their release date. Prisoners' Release: Temporary Accommodation Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of prisoners who, on the day of their release, have a bed to go to that night; and what percentage of those released that represents. Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship, if any, of the rate of reoffending with the availability of a place for prisoners to stay upon release. Lord Bellamy: The number of prison leavers housed upon release from prison in 2021-22 was 43,521 and this represents 86.8% of the total number of prison leavers for the period where the destination is known*. This is an improvement of approximately 6.6 percentage points on 2019-20.*Cases are not included when the accommodation status is unknown (for a reason other than awaiting assessment) or provided by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Service.Prison leavers without settled accommodation are 50% more likely to reoffend than those who have stable accommodation. A settled place to live is key to reducing reoffending, cutting crime and protecting the public. Probation practitioners are better able to robustly supervise an offender and protect the public when they know where they are living. The government is committed to end rough sleeping and tackling offender homelessness. Our Prisons Strategy White Paper set out our plans to reduce reoffending, including improving prison leavers’ access to accommodation. This includes expanding nationally the transitional Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS3) to all probation regions, so that prison leavers who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness, can access temporary accommodation for up to 12 weeks. Department for Work and Pensions Childcare and Occupational Health Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to expand the workforce by improving access to (1) affordable childcare, and (2) occupational health services. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government clearly recognises that high childcare costs can affect parents’ decisions to take up paid work or increase their working hours which is why the changes to the UC childcare element announced in the Spring Budget 2023 will provide generous additional financial support to parents moving into work and/or increasing their working hours. The Department will address the issue of ‘upfront’ childcare costs by exempting any Flexible Support Fund (FSF) payment for upfront childcare costs made to childcare providers from the UC childcare cost calculation when parents move into work or significantly increase their working hours. In practice, this means that the parent will be reimbursed for up to 85% of that FSF payment, as if they had paid it themselves. This provides parents with a significant payment of childcare costs, upfront, to use for their next set of childcare costs, thereby easing UC claimants into the UC childcare costs payment cycle. The Department will also increase the generosity of the UC childcare costs ‘caps’ (maximum amounts) - Allowing parents to claim back over £300 more for one child or over £500 for two or more children of their childcare costs per month. This will increase the caps from £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for two or more children to £950.92 and £1,630.15 respectively. By September 2025, eligible working parents of children aged 9 months to when they start school will be able to get 30 hours of free childcare in England. As set out in the Spring Budget, and the health is everyone’s business consultation response, increasing access to quality occupational health (OH) services can support disabled people and people with health conditions to remain in and thrive in work. This can contribute to reducing health-related inactivity. To increase access to OH the government is delivering a range of actions including: proposals to consult on tax incentives to encourage greater take-up of OH and new ways to boost OH coverage; an expanded trial of a subsidy for SMEs and the Self Employed to purchase OH services; a £1m fund to stimulate innovation in the OH market focussed on new models of service delivery and better use of technology; and plans to develop the multidisciplinary OH workforce needed to deliver services. State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to annually uprate the UK basic state pension to qualifying individuals on the same basis regardless of the state or territory in which they are currently resident; and what reciprocal agreements they have made, if any, with other countries in respect of pension uprating. Viscount Younger of Leckie: UK State Pensions are payable worldwide and up-rated overseas where there is a legal requirement to do so – for example where there is a reciprocal agreement in place that allows for up-rating. The policy on up-rating is longstanding and has been supported by successive Governments for over 70 years. The Government has no plans to change this policy. The UK has reciprocal social security agreements, which provide State Pension up-rating, with the following authorities: BarbadosBermudaBosnia-HerzegovinaGibraltarGuernseythe Isle of ManIsraelJamaicaJerseyKosovoMauritiusMontenegroNorth Macedoniathe PhilippinesSerbiaTurkeyUSA The UK also has agreements in place with the European Economic Area and Switzerland which provide for State Pension up-rating. State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what research they have undertaken of the impact of their decision not to uprate the UK state pension upon (1) British citizens resident in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and (2) Commonwealth citizens who have retired to a country in the Caribbean with a UK state pension entitlement. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Department has not undertaken such research. The UK State Pension is payable worldwide to those who meet the qualifying conditions. Entitlement is based on an individual’s national insurance record. The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions overseas is long-standing and has been supported by successive post-war Governments for over 70 years. We continue to up-rate UK State Pensions abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so – for example where there is a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating. There are no plans to change this policy. State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the annual cost of uprating the UK basic state pension to UK pensioners living abroad, regardless of any reciprocal agreements on pensions uprating. Viscount Younger of Leckie: UK State Pensions are payable worldwide and up-rated overseas where there is a legal requirement to do so. The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions overseas is long-standing and has been supported by successive post-war Governments for over 70 years. No recent assessment has been made of the annual cost of up-rating the UK basic State Pension to UK pensioners living abroad, regardless of any reciprocal agreements on pensions up-rating. State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what stagethey have reached in negotiations with (1) the government of Canada, (2) the government of Australia, and (3) the government of New Zealand, on the annual uprating and payment of the UK state pension to beneficiaries resident in those countries. The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have received from, or on behalf of the governments of (1) Canada, (2) Australia, and (3) New Zealand, in the past 12 months on the subject of UK state pensions paid to individuals resident in their territories, and their annual uprating in line with those paid in the United Kingdom; and what representations have they received from non-governmental groups on the same subject. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The government does not have a policy to increase the number of countries with which the UK has reciprocal agreements on state pensions. The government has no plans to change its social security relationship with these countries on state pensions. Requests for social security agreements may be raised in formal and informal meetings and in correspondence at both ministerial and official level. The Department for Work and Pensions does not, as a matter of routine, maintain full records of such requests. The department can, however, confirm that a response was provided to the government of Canada in August 2022 on its request to conclude a reciprocal agreement to include state pension uprating, where the department outlined its longstanding position as stated above. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Animals: Antibiotics Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of trends in the use of antibiotics across different food-producing animal species. Lord Benyon: The UK Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals while safeguarding animal welfare. In the UK, collaborative working between government, the veterinary profession and the agriculture sectors has resulted in a 55% reduction in the sales of antibiotics for food producing animals between 2014 and 2021 to the lowest levels ever recorded (28.3 mg/kg). This, and other trends are reported in the UK’s Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance and Sales Surveillance Report 2021. Since data was first published for each sector, veterinary antibiotic prescribing has reduced by 69% in the pig sector, 81% in the turkey sector, 72% in the broiler sector, 89% in the duck sector, 50% in the laying hen sector, 55% in the gamebird sector and 69% in the trout sector. These reductions throughout the livestock sectors demonstrate how antibiotic stewardship has become an important feature of UK farm management. Meat: Labelling Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask His Majesty's Government what checks are carried out on the labelling of meat products at the time of (1) production, (2) processing, (3) distribution, and (4) retail, in England. Lord Benyon: It is the responsibility of a food business to ensure that labelling on food is accurate, clear and complies with the relevant legislation. Establishments producing meat products require to be approved in accordance with Retained Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004, unless a relevant exemption applies. Part of this approval requirement is to apply an ID mark to all approvable meat products leaving the establishment. Meat product manufacturers may be approved by the FSA or the local authority. Local authority approved establishments will be inspected regularly in accordance with a risk-based frequency. At the time of inspection, local authority officers will make checks to ensure the ID mark is being applied to all approvable products leaving the establishment, that it contains the approval number issued to the establishment and that it is in the format prescribed by the legislation. The ID mark provides traceability and is applied to packaging intended for the final consumer and retail sale. Retail food outlets are required to register with and be inspected by local authorities. Local authorities will inspect retailers regularly, in accordance with a risk-based frequency. As part of these checks, they will examine items displayed for sale and in the case of meat products, they will ensure an ID mark is displayed. Meat is also subject to the overarching food labelling rules which covers all foods and which are enforceable from the moment a food is placed on the market. While food is subject to these regulations it is the responsibility of a food authority, usually the Trading Standards Office attached to a local authority, to enforce these laws. This is done through a range of enforcement activities including both proactive, risk-led inspection activity and reactive enforcement following intelligence. Effective routine sampling is an essential part of local authority activity, with the Food Law Code of Practice and the Food Safety Act 1990 providing a framework to support sampling activity in addition to any enforcement action. Food samples submitted for analysis will also have a label check carried out which involves visually checking their labels against the mandatory requirements set out in the legislation. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Sanctions Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what support they provide to British companies seeking to navigate international sanctions regimes and to find out, quickly and cost-effectively, which people and entities are subject to sanctions imposed by the (1) UK, (2) EU, (3) USA, and (4) UN. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government publishes the UK Sanctions List, sanctions legislation and guidance on gov.uk to support businesses in understanding their obligations under the UK's sanctions regimes. This includes information in relation to all UN sanctions regimes, which the UK implements. It is important for businesses to do their own due diligence.The UK coordinates with the US and EU on designing sanctions. The US and the US provide their own guidance to businesses on how to comply with their legislation. Iran: Poisoning Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will taketo work with international partners to establish a UN investigation into the mass poisoning of school children in Iran. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to monitor closely reports of mass poisonings of school girls across Iran. On 3 March 2023 I, as Minister for the Middle East, called on the Iranian authorities to investigate these incidents urgently. I underlined it is essential that all girls can exercise their human right to education without fear. The authorities have announced a number of arrests in connection the incidents; we expect Iran to now be transparent about what has happened and show it is holding those genuinely responsible to account. The UK will continue working alongside our international partners to ensure the facts are established. Department of Health and Social Care Public Health: Finance Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the reasons for the delay in the publication of the Public Health Grant Allocation for 2023/24; and what assessment they have made of the impact of this delay on councils and their ability to plan effectively for the new financial year. Lord Markham: Local Authority Public Health Grant allocations are not required to be published by a specific date. The Public Health Grant allocations for 2023/24 were published on 14 March 2023. Publication dates for allocations in the three previous years were 17 March 2020, 16 March 2021, and 7 February 2022. In recognition of the need to offer local authorities as much certainty as possible, we have also published the indicative allocations for 2024/25 and aim to confirm these by the end of the calendar year. Mental Health Services: Equality Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whether allstaff working in mental health services are given equality and diversity training. Lord Markham: All substantively employed staff working in the National Health Service are expected to carry out equality and diversity training as part of their mandatory training requirements. As statutory employers, NHS trusts may choose to enhance the training made available to their staff to address specific workforce needs or those of the population that they serve. Coronavirus: Medical Treatments Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Markham on 2 February (HL4910), 8 February (HL4944) and 7 March (HL5695 and HL5938), why the Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel (TCRP) did not review the report Qcovid 4 - Predicting risk of death or hospitalisation from COVID-19, published in August 2022, when it met in January; why this report was not provided by the TCRP to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence; and when the TCRP will meet to review this report. Lord Markham: The Therapeutics Clinical Review Panel met on 31 January 2023 to review the most recent evidence on COVID-19 risk, including QCovid 4. The evidence considered by the Panel was shared with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The report entitled QCovid 4 - Predicting risk of death or hospitalisation from COVID-19 is also in the public domain in an online-only format and available to NICE. Pharmacy: Standards Baroness Wheeler: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of (1) reduced pharmacy opening hours, (2) over-capacity pharmacy services, and (3) pharmacists’ staff shortages, on (a) GP, and (b) A&E, services. Baroness Wheeler: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to build and expand essential community pharmacy services, and (2) to prevent further closures of both large and small high street pharmacies. Baroness Wheeler: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding by the Company Chemists’ Association that 720 pharmacies had closed permanently since 2015, 41 per cent of which were in England’s most deprived areas; and what steps they are taking to reverse this trend. Lord Markham: No specific assessment has been made. However, the Department closely monitors the market. In England, access to National Health Service pharmaceutical services remains good with a similar number of community pharmacies as a decade ago and 80% of the population living within 20 minutes walking distance of a community pharmacy. The Pharmacy Access Scheme supports patient access and provision in areas where there are fewer community pharmacies by providing additional funding to those pharmacies. The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-24 five-year deal committed £2.592 billion per year to the sector and outlined a joint vision for how community pharmacy would become more integrated into the NHS, deliver more clinical services, and become the first port of call for minor illnesses. The Government continues to implement this deal and has invested a further £100 million across 2022/23 and 2023/24 to support community pharmacies. Pharmacy: Standards Baroness Wheeler: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply ofessential services provided by pharmacies, particularly the assembly of blister medication packs to support the safe administration of medicines at home by patients, care workers and unpaid carers. Baroness Wheeler: To ask His Majesty's Government how many blister medication packs per year are assembled by pharmacies for patients in England. Lord Markham: Compliance support services, for example the dispensing of medicines in blister medication packs, are not nationally commissioned and therefore no data is available on how many compliance aids are assembled every year in England. Under the Equality Act 2010, pharmacies must make reasonable adjustments to their services to help patients covered by the Act which could include compliance aids where appropriate. Ministry of Defence Veterans: Homosexuality Baroness Barker: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have forHIV be part of the LGBT Veterans Independent Review; and if none, why. Baroness Goldie: While HIV is not an issue exclusive to the LGBT+ community and, therefore, was not specified in the Terms of Reference for the LGBT Veterans Independent Review, Defence recognises the importance of the subject to the community. The Ministry of Defence, jointly with the Office for Veterans Affairs in the Cabinet Office, commissioned the Review to gain further insight into the lived experience of our LGBT+ veterans and facilitate the creation of a more inclusive future for all. The broad Terms of Reference enable the Review to consider the lived experience of LGBT+ personnel who also had HIV. The full terms of reference are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terms-of-reference-for-the-lgbt-veterans-independent-review/terms-of-reference-independent-review-into-service-and-experience-of-lgbt-veterans-who-served-prior-to-2000 It is important to note that, regardless of sexuality, under policies in place at the time anyone with HIV would have been prevented from serving or medically discharged. Contemporary policy was based on specialist medical opinion and included consideration of the risk to the individual if operational circumstances precluded access to essential medication or specialist services; and the cost-benefit of training an individual with a chronic medical condition in a fixed liability organisation. How the virus was contracted was not relevant; simply having HIV disqualified individuals from Service until 21 June 2022. Veterans: HIV Infection Baroness Barker: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany veterans were discharged due to their HIV status between 1982 and 2020. Baroness Goldie: Between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2022, 44 UK Regular Armed Forces personnel were medically discharged with HIV cited as the principal or contributory cause. Both principal and contributory causes have been included as it is possible for personnel to be medically discharged for multiple medical reasons. Medical discharges for personnel leaving the Services between 1982 and 1995 are held in individual's service records and are not centrally compiled by the Ministry of Defence. Department for Business and Trade Investment: Environment Protection Lord Leong: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they plan to take to ensure that business shareholder and pension investments are made in ways that support the environment; and what plans they have to amend section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 to set requirements in this regard. Lord Johnson of Lainston: In October 2021, the Government published the Greening Finance Roadmap, which set out its intention to deliver new Sustainability Disclosures Requirements for companies, pension schemes and the financial services industry. These requirements will ensure that investment decisions take better account of sustainability matters. Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 already requires directors to have regard to the environment (among other matters), and directors of large companies must make an annual statement on how they are meeting their Section 172 duty. Cabinet Office Government Departments: Disclosure of Information Lord Wills: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 9 March (HL6179), how many of the whistleblowing cases formally raised and investigated in each of the last three years fell into each of the following categories (or similar categories): (1) financial wrong-doing, (2) sexual misconduct, (3) national security, (4) misleading Parliament or the public, and (5) other. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: CSHR commissions departments annually to provide an overview of cases investigated formally through their whistleblowing procedures. Data is provided based on a number of categories set out in the Civil Service annual data return and so does not align directly with the categories set out in the question; financial wrongdoing, sexual misconduct, national security, misleading Parliament and other. Please note the caveat that national security whistleblowing data is a matter for the United Kingdom Security & Vetting team and is therefore not captured in these summaries. 2019/2020 - 383 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments, with the concern upheld in 33 cases. They fell into the following categories:Breach of Civil Service code - 23Breach of security / information policy - 23Bullying and harassment - 4Danger to environment/health and safety - 13Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 2Discrimination - 11Failure to comply with legal obligations - 22Fraud - 148Frustrating implementation of policy - 7Influence by improper pressure/personal gain - 14Misuse of official position - 39Other/Blank - 77 2020/2021 - 245 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments, with the concern upheld in 13 cases. They fell into the following categories:Breach of Civil Service code - 14Breach of security / information policy - 8Bullying and harassment - 1Danger to environment/health and safety - 44Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 4Discrimination - 7Failure to comply with legal obligations - 12Fraud - 96Frustrating implementation of policy - 9Influence by improper pressure/personal gain - 6Misuse of official position - 19Other - 25 2021/2022 - 311 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments, with the concern upheld in 30 cases. They fell into the following categories:Breach of Civil Service code - 0Breach of Security / information policy - 14Bullying and harassment - 4Danger to environment/health and safety - 23Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 13Discrimination - 5Failure to comply with legal obligations - 19Fraud - 131Frustrating implementation of policy - 4Influence by improper pressure/personal gain -10Misuse of official position - 38Other - 50 Government Departments: Disclosure of Information Lord Wills: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Neville-Rolfe on 9 March (HL6179), how many of the whistleblowing cases formally raised, investigated and upheld in each of the last three years fell into each of the following categories (or similar categories): (1) financial wrongdoing, (2) sexual misconduct, (3) national security, (4) misleading Parliament or the public, and (5) other. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: CSHR commissions departments annually to provide an overview of cases investigated formally through their whistleblowing procedures.Data is provided based on a number of categories set out in the Civil Service annual data return and so does not align directly with the categories set out in the question; financial wrongdoing, sexual misconduct, national security, misleading Parliament and other.Please note the caveat that national security whistleblowing data is a matter for the United Kingdom Security & Vetting team and is therefore not captured in these summaries. 2019/2020 - 33 cases were formally raised, investigated and upheld in government departments, falling into the following categories:Breach of Civil Service code - 3Breach of security / information policy - 4Bullying and harassment - 1Danger to environment/health and safety - 1Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 0Discrimination - 1Failure to comply with legal obligations - 3Fraud - 12Frustrating implementation of policy -0Influence by improper pressure/personal gain - 1Misuse of official position - 0Other/Blank - 7 2020/2021 - 13 cases were formally raised, investigated and upheld in government departments, falling into the following categories:Breach of Civil Service code - 1Breach of security / Information Policy - 0Bullying and harassment - 0Danger to environment/health and safety - 6Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 0Discrimination - 1Failure to comply with legal obligations - 0Fraud - 1Frustrating implementation of policy - 1Influence by improper pressure/personal gain - 0Misuse of official position - 1Other - 2 2021/2022 - 30 cases were formally raised, investigated and upheld in government departments, falling into the following categories:Breach of Civil Service code - 0Breach of Security / Information Policy- 2Bullying and harassment - 0Danger to environment/health and safety - 3Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 3Discrimination - 1Failure to comply with legal obligations - 5Fraud - 6Frustrating implementation of policy - 1Influence by improper pressure/personal gain -0Misuse of official position - 4Other - 5 Home Office Refugees: Afghanistan The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the 22 individuals granted resettlement through the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 2 in 2022 are currently residing in the UK. Lord Murray of Blidworth: We are pleased to have now welcomed the first arrivals to the UK under ACRS Pathway 2, and we will continue to welcome many more people as we receive further UNHCR referrals.At 23 February 2023, we have brought c.24,500 Afghans to safety in the UK. More information on arrivals can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-resettlement-programme-operational-data/afghan-resettlement-programme-operational-data All the 22 individuals granted resettlement through ACRS2 are residing in the UK – under pathway 2 individuals are granted leave once they arrive in the UK. Statistics on individuals resettled or relocated under the Afghan schemes is available in the Immigration System Statistics, year ending December 2022 release. (NB. Data correct as of 31st December 2022 and was released 23rd February 2023). Department for Transport Bus Services: Rural Areas Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support sustainable rural bus services. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government provides Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) with £42 million annually through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) for the purpose of subsidising socially necessary services that would otherwise be commercially unviable. The Government also provides over £200 million directly to bus operators every year through the BSOG to keep fares down and help them maintain an extensive network. The Government initially provided £60 million to help bus operators cap single fares at £2 on services in England outside London from 1 January to 31 March 2023. In addition to this, we will provide up to £75 million to continue to cap single bus fares at £2 in England outside London for a further three months until the end of June 2023. Over 140 operators covering more than 4,600 routes throughout England are participating in the scheme, including in rural areas, which will help increase patronage on buses and help millions save on their regular travel costs.Our £20 million Rural Mobility Fund (RMF) is supporting 16 innovative, demand-led minibus trials in rural and suburban areas across 15 local authorities in England. These pilots are exploring whether Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) can serve these communities more effectively than traditional public transport solutions alone. Department for Education Relationships and Sex Education Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they haveto legislate to give parents and guardians the right to view all material used in teaching Relationship, Health and Sex Education curricula, including lessons and activities delivered by external contractors or partners. Baroness Barran: The existing statutory guidance for relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) already places clear responsibilities on schools to engage parents about the content of lessons so that they know what their children are being taught. The department is clear that parents have a right to view teaching materials and that copyright law does not prevent a parent from viewing external resources on school premises. The department will be writing to schools shortly to confirm this position and that schools should not use external providers who would restrict their ability to do this.On 8 March, the Prime Minister announced that the government had brought forward the review of the RSHE statutory guidance. This will enable the Department to consider the evidence and decide whether the provisions in the guidance need to be strengthened further to ensure that schools are fully transparent with parents. Vocational Education: Qualifications Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence the Department for Education has to support the estimate made in their impact assessmentReview of post-16 qualifications at level 3 in England, published in July 2022, that "4 per cent of 16 to 19 year olds currently studying at level 3 may not be able to progress directly to level 3 study following the reforms". Baroness Barran: The department’s estimate of the proportion of students who may not be able to move straight to level 3 at age 16 was published in the impact assessment that accompanied the second stage consultation on qualifications reform. This can be found here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/post-16-qualifications-review-team/review-of-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3/supporting_documents/Impact%20Assessment%20%20Review%20of%20post16%20qualifications%20at%20level%203_.pdf.The department’s estimate that 4% of the level 3 cohort may not be able to move directly to level 3 in future following the reforms to post-16 qualifications was based on 16-19 year old enrolments in 2019/20. There were 2.88 million in total, of which around 115,200 enrolments, or 4%, were assessed as potentially impacted. This was based on a prior attainment threshold of five passing GCSEs of grade 4 or above, or a full level 2 and an estimate of the number of qualifications that would remain in future. It is important to note that many students who do not move directly to level 3 do achieve that level after further intervention.Where students are unable to move directly to level 3, they will be able to choose from a range of high quality options. This includes the T level transition programme, from which 49% of students progressed to level 3 from the first cohort. In future, it will also include reformed level 2 technical and academic progression qualifications that are designed to support progression to apprenticeships, further academic and technical study and employment. Reformed technical qualifications will be based on employer led occupational standards and will provide young people with the skills that employers need. Assessments: Artificial Intelligence Lord Hampton: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage Ofqual to adopt the stance of Dr Matthew Glanville, Head of Assessment Principles and Practice at the International Baccalaureate, that the use of artificial intelligence by pupils should be "embraced" as "an extraordinary opportunity". Baroness Barran: Ofqual is the independent regulator of qualifications and assessments for England and is accountable to Parliament and not to Ministers. Ofqual has statutory objectives to maintain standards and promote public confidence in qualifications.As part of this remit, we know Ofqual is working closely with awarding organisations to consider the implications of pupils’ use of artificial intelligence (AI), including the opportunities and risks it may bring. We will continue to work closely with them on this going forward.The International Baccalaureate Organisation has confirmed it will not allow pupils to pass off AI-generated work as their own in their assessments. Ofqual’s rules, to which they are subject, require that grades must accurately reflect pupils’ attainment. T-levels: Childcare and Pre-school Education Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government how many studentswill be onT Level courses commencing September 2023 which will lead to early years, nursery education,or childcare qualifications. Baroness Barran: T Levels are being rolled out in a phased approach to ensure high quality. The number of providers will increase year on year and the department expects student numbers to grow significantly over the next few years.In September 2022, over 2,000 students started a T Level in Education and Childcare, and while the majority are expected to study the Early Years occupational specialism, students do not need to make their final decision until the end of their first year of learning.These students will move into their second year of learning in September, when the department also expects providers to enrol significantly more new students onto the Education T Level. Providers have set their own expectations for students they hope to recruit to each of their T Levels and are in the process of marketing their courses and interviewing and providing information, advice and guidance to students on the options available to them. The department will not have any information on new students until after the point they are enrolled.T Levels are equivalent in size to 3 A levels and are designed to support progression to skilled employment, further study (including higher education and Higher Technical Qualifications) and degree apprenticeships. Childcare: Finance Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the additional capital resources the childcare sector will require to enable it to implement fully the expansion of childcare provision announced in the Spring Budget on 15 March; and what capital funding support they will provide. Baroness Barran: In the Spring Budget 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children, and the economy. By 2027/28, the department expects to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.Our reforms include:Providing over £4.1 billion by 2027/28 to fund 30 hours of free childcare for children over the age of nine months.Investing £204 million from September 2023, rising to £288 million in 2024/25 to uplift the rates for existing entitlements.Increasing the supply of wraparound care through £289 million startup funding.Attracting more people to childminding through an maximum £7.2 million startup grant fund.Giving providers more flexibility by changing staff-to-child ratios to 1:5 for two year olds in England.Launching a consultation on further measures to support reform of the childcare market, to explore further flexibilities for providers.The department will continue to work closely with the sector on the implementation of these reforms, and explore how we can support the sector to deliver the additional places that will be required.The department will work closely with local authorities and providers to identify what needs to be in place to support this significant expansion in childcare provision, including capital requirements as well as workforce.We will set out further details in due course. T-levels Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) what proportion of, students enrolled on the T level Transition Programme in the (a) 2020/21, and (b) 2021/22, academic year went on to start a T level. Baroness Barran: In the 2020/21 academic year, an estimated 14% (118 students) progressed onto a T Level out of 847 students who were recorded as starting a T Level Transition Programme. In total, 49% progressed to level 3 or higher outcomes (414 students), significantly higher than a provisional estimate of 37% progression to level 3 or above for all 16 year old students with a level 2 core learning aim. In the 2021/22 academic year, 3,348 students were recorded as starting a T Level Transition Programme and progression data for this cohort is not yet available. Women and Equalities UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government when they will submit their report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women this year. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: We will not be submitting a report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women this year. Since we last went through the reporting cycle there has been a change in process, and we now follow the simplified reporting procedure.Under the simplified reporting procedure, the Committee sends a list of issues to the state party, to which the state party sends a reply. This reply constitutes the periodic report. This change came into effect after the Committee issued their concluding observations on our eighth periodic report in 2019.The Committee has not yet indicated when they will send the list of issues. UN Commission on the Status of Women Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government whether civil society and youth representatives were included in the UK delegation at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meeting as requested by UN Women; and if so, (1) how they were selected, and (2) how they liaised with and reflected the views of the other UK civil society representatives at CSW. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The UK delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) was led by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon. Officials from FCDO and the Cabinet Office were also part of the delegation. The UK does not include civil society and youth representatives on the delegation, instead we hold regular briefing sessions with them to keep them updated. The relationship that the Government delegation has with civil society representatives at CSW is often held up as a model of good practice.Some other visitors to CSW from the UK are allowed to attend and are thus provided with delegate passes for the purpose of access to the UN building. This year this included a number of parliamentarians, a civil society speaker at one of our side events and a UN Women Youth delegate. We do not, though, consider them members of the official HMG delegation. UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government what factors they will consider when deciding whether to nominate a UK candidate for election to theCommittee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Ministers consider a range of factors when deciding whether to nominate a UK candidate for election to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, including the time and resources to mount a campaign, the potential benefits and the impact on other international elections. Treasury UK Infrastructure Bank Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what projects the UK Infrastructure Bank has considered in the last 13 months; what lending the Bank has provided to local government for large and complex projects since its incorporation; whether the Bank has been administratively classified; and if so, by what criteria this has been effected. Baroness Penn: The UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) was launched in June 2021 to provide infrastructure finance to tackle climate change and support regional and local economic growth across the UK. The Bank is an operationally independent institution and responsible for making its own investment decisions within the scope of its remit. The disclosure of information related to the projects the Bank has considered is market sensitive and therefore not shared publicly. The UKIB has made two loans to local authorities since 2021, including a £107 million loan to Tees Valley Combined Authority for the construction of the South Bank Quay and a £10 million loan to the West Midlands Combined Authority for green sprint bus infrastructure. The UKIB also supports local authorities through the continued rollout of its advisory service which has pilots underway in Bristol, Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire. In April 2022, the Cabinet Office approved the administrative classification of UKIB as a Non-Departmental Public Body, sponsored by HM Treasury, with effect from June 2021. The UKIB Framework Document will be updated to reflect this classification after the UKIB Bill receives Royal Assent. Electronic Government: Complaints Lord Lipsey: To ask His Majesty's Government how many complaints they have received about difficulty accessing the Government Gateway. Baroness Penn: The HMRC Technical help desk received 508 complaints for the period March 2022 to March 2023. Local Housing Allowance Lord Bird: To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they received from local authorities about the impact of Local Housing Allowance shortfalls on (1) homelessness levels, and (2) temporary accommodation costs, in the lead up to the Spring Budget 2023. Baroness Penn: The Government engages with a range of stakeholders on issues relating to the Local Housing Allowance, homelessness and temporary accommodation.In April 2020, in response to the pandemic, Local Housing Allowance rates were raised to the 30th percentile of market rates. As a result of this increase, over 1.5 million households gained just over £600 per year on average in 2020/21. We have maintained rates at this elevated cash level and will continue to review rates annually.Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are also available from local authorities for tenants who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. Since 2011 the Government has provided nearly £1.6 billion in DHP funding to local authorities.The Government is committed to preventing homelessness where possible. We have allocated £654 million through the Homelessness Prevention Grant which provides funding to enable Local Authorities to invest in prevention activities and helps meet their temporary accommodation costs. This is in addition to the £50m top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2022/23 announced in December.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2023-03-30

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Coronavirus: Loans Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimates they have made of the (1) number, and (2) value, of loans under the various coronavirus schemes which are deemed irrecoverable; and what are the reasons for them being irrecoverable. Lord Callanan: Estimates can be found in the Department’s latest Annual Report and Accounts (copy attached). The Department has set out its estimates of losses expected through the three COVID-19 loan schemes and associated guarantees in note 19 to the accounts. While it is too early to give a definitive view of what the final level of irrecoverable debt will be, early repayment data is encouraging compared against the worst-case scenarios described in some published estimates.BEIS Annual Reports and Accounts 2020-21 (pdf, 7065.3KB) UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government which parts of the Subsidy Control Bill are not intended to apply to Northern Ireland because of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. Lord Callanan: Clause 48(2)(a) provides that the subsidy control requirements contained in the Bill do not apply to subsidies given, or schemes made, in accordance with Article 10 of the Northern Ireland Protocol.Article 10 of the Northern Ireland Protocol provides that EU State aid rules continue to apply to aid which affects trade in goods and electricity between NI and the EU.All parts of the Subsidy Control Bill apply to subsidies for services in Northern Ireland.The Government is currently in intensive discussions with the EU, with the aim of delivering significant changes to the Protocol. As outlined in the Command Paper of 21 July 2021, the UK’s proposal is that all types of subsidy would in the future be within scope of the domestic regime, with some enhanced arrangements for subsidies of significant scale in Northern Ireland. Ministry of Justice Prisons: Smuggling Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many successful prosecutions there have been in the last 12 months for smuggling illegal substances into prisons in England. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the number of successful prosecutions for the smuggling of illegal substances into prisons. These offences are dealt with under section 40 of the Prison Act 1952 which deals with someone who brings, throws or otherwise conveys a List A article into or out of a prison. List A includes controlled drugs, but it also includes other articles including offensive weapons, explosives and firearms or ammunition. The offence code used by HM Courts and Tribunals Service is not specific enough to establish the number of offences that are related only to conveying illegal substances.The most up to date 12 month data held for List A conveyance successful prosecutions is for 12 months up to December 2020 and there were 345 successful prosecutions in this timeframe. Courts Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide extra Nightingale court capacity in order to address the backlog of legal cases. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: As part of the Spending Review we announced that we will be investing £477 million in the Criminal Justice System over the next three years. This will help to meet the increased demand from the additional police officers, reduce the backlog and deliver the swift access to justice that victims deserve. Analysis suggests this new investment could both improve waiting times and significantly reduce the number of outstanding cases by the end of the spending review period, ensuring that we do right by victims of crime. The Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunals Service are working together to determine the optimal allocation of funding secured at the Spending Review for 2022/23 and beyond, including the spend on physical capacity to support the continuing recovery of court performance. This process is set to conclude in early 2022. Our decisive action in the courts kept justice moving during the pandemic. We allocated over a quarter of a billion pounds to support recovery in the last financial year, making court buildings safe, rolling out new technology for remote hearings, recruiting additional staff, and opening Nightingale courtrooms, including retaining 32 Crown jury courtrooms until the end of March 2022. These measures are already working. The caseload in the Crown court has stabilised at around 60,000 cases, and we are listing over a thousand cases each week. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Peers: Correspondence Lord Hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to respond to the letter sent by Lord Hain to the Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office sent on 1 December 2021 and 3 December 2021. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Officials have subsequently responded to the emails from the Noble Lord dated 1 and 3 December. Egypt: Prisons Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they intend to have with the government of Egypt on reports concerning the prohibition of books and exercise to prisoners in maximum security prisons in that country. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As part of our human rights work in Egypt, we focus on lobbying to end pre-trial detention and improving prison conditions in Egypt. On human rights more broadly, the Foreign Secretary raised human rights in her first meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry in New York on 20 September. Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly, also raised human rights with Foreign Minister Shoukry and met human rights activists during his recent visit to Cairo. We welcome Egypt's new human rights strategy. Genocide Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice regarding state responsibility to prevent and punish mass atrocity crimes, what assessment have they made of a “serious risk” of genocide in (1) Xinjiang, China, (2) Tigray, Ethiopia, and (3) Myanmar. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. It should be decided after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process. We seek an end to all violations of international law, and to prevent their further escalation, irrespective of whether these violations fit the definition of specific international crimes.We are seriously concerned about the gross violations of human rights in Xinjiang and atrocities in Ethiopia and Myanmar. We are taking action in all three situations including taking steps to hold the Government of Myanmar accountable though the UN, where we coordinated a joint statement on 26 November acknowledging the risk of mass atrocities in Myanmar which called for an immediate end to the violence; undertaking diplomatic and programmatic efforts to enable a resolution to the conflict and build lasting peace in Ethiopia; and imposing sanctions, including against senior Chinese Government officials and the regime in Myanmar. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Peacekeeping Operations The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the international community to invite Bosnia and Herzegovina's adjacent states to join NATO interventions, particularly (1) Croatia, and (2) Slovenia. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK remains committed to ensuring peace and upholding international law in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Slovenia is a member of EUFOR, has personnel at NATO HQ in Sarajevo, and contributes to NATO's KFOR mission in Kosovo. Croatia also has military personnel in KFOR. In recent weeks, there have been a range of productive discussions on the Western Balkans in multilateral fora, including at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Riga, which the Foreign Secretary attended. Department for Work and Pensions Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus Lord Stunell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow jobseekers to establish their benefit status online rather than in person to reduce their risk of exposure to COVID-19. Baroness Stedman-Scott: Customers claiming Universal Credit, New Style JSA and ESA already do so online. Many parts of the verification process, which is essential to check an individual’s eligibility to claim, is also carried out online. To protect Universal Credit from the risk of fraud, in some cases we require face to face verification activity in a COVID secure environment.Key workers will continue to deliver essential services, including in jobcentres, across the UK. Anyone who needs to get support or other vital services from our jobcentres will be able to continue to do so in an environment that is safe and compliant with COVID regulations. Telephone appointments can be arranged for customers who prefer to receive support virtually. We ask customers who do come in-person to take a lateral flow test and follow all the safety measures to help reduce the spread of COVID. Children: Poverty Baroness Primarolo: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the impact of the benefit cap on levels of child poverty. Baroness Stedman-Scott: It is not possible to produce a robust estimate of the impact of the benefit cap policy on levels of child poverty. The benefit cap provides a strong work incentive, which reflects our long-term focus of continuing to support parents into, and to progress in, work. Our multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs, which has recently been expanded by £500 million, will help people across the UK to find work and to boost their wages and prospects. Official child poverty statistics, covering the period 2020/21 will be published in March 2022, as part of the Department’s (a) ‘Children In Low Income Families’ and (b) ‘Households Below Average Income’ publications, subject to the usual checks on data quality. Violence and Harassment Convention Baroness Primarolo: To ask Her Majesty's Government what objections they have received, if any, to their Command Paper declaring their intention to ratify the International Labour Organisation Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No.190). Baroness Primarolo: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for the ratification of International Labour Organisation Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No.190). Baroness Stedman-Scott: As of 15 December 2021, the Violence and Harassment Convention Command Paper has cleared without objection which indicates that the Government can proceed to ratification. The Instrument of Ratification will be drawn up for signature by the Foreign Secretary and deposited at the International Labour Organization as soon as is practicable in the new year. The Convention would enter into force for the UK one year after the date of the UK’s ratification. Universal Credit: Self-employed Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) number, and (2) percentage, of Universal Credit recipients whose payments are affected by the minimum income floor for self-employed people. Baroness Stedman-Scott: In September 2021, the latest month for which there is available data, there were around 4,000 gainfully self-employed Universal Credit (UC) recipients not in a start-up period and earning below the minimum income floor. This is 1% of all self-employed UC recipients, and 0.1% of all UC claimants. This number will likely change significantly over the coming year as we gradually reintroduce our pre-pandemic processes for the self-employed, many of whom claimed while the minimum income floor was suspend Unemployment: Young People Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Evening Standard and Independent's £1 million Skill Up Step Up campaign tohelp address youth joblessness; and what plans they have, if any, to match-fund the newspapers' campaign. Baroness Stedman-Scott: Campaigns that encourage employers to create more opportunities and to invest in the skills of their future workforce, can make an important contribution to helping young people thrive in the labour market. The Government welcomes the opportunity to work with partners (existing and new) who share our commitment to supporting young people to fulfil their potential for their benefit, as well as that of wider society. The Government’s Plan for Jobs offers a strong foundation of employment and skills support so young unemployed people can move in to work. Through the face to face support offered in our jobcentres and Youth Hubs, we see the potential of young Londoners every day and it’s vital for business to be a partner in opening up opportunities for them. We know it changes lives, with 21,000 young people in the city having secured jobs for employers of all sizes through our Kickstart Scheme. There is huge strength in coming together as we unleash the talent of the next generation. Employment and Training: Ethnic Groups Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide (1) training, and (2) job opportunities, for members of the black community in London, aged 16–24, who are currently unemployed. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Government is committed to levelling up and building back better by helping our young people from all backgrounds to boost their skills and get into work. There were a record high 4.22 million individuals from an ethnic minority background in employment in September 2021, an increase of 110,000 on the year. We continue to support young people from all backgrounds through our Youth Offer which is now available for all 16 to 24-year olds making a claim for Universal Credit and in the intensive work search group. It provides wrap-around support through the 13-week Youth Employment Programme, Youth Hubs where young people can access a range of services in one location, and specialist Youth Employability Coaches. These are helping all young people move into work-related provision such as access to education, training or employment programmes that will ultimately lead to sustained employment opportunities and career progression. For example, The Department for Work and Pensions are working with the Black Training Enterprise Group in Brent and Newham, improving opportunities for young black men to secure skilled jobs in higher-earning sectors including Construction, Financial Services, and Information Technology. The largest ever expansion of traineeships, and extension of the apprenticeship and traineeship incentive payments to employers in England, will also help young people from all backgrounds to access high quality training and apprenticeship opportunities. The Youth Offer, and other support such as our Kickstart programme, is part of our £2 billion Plan for Jobs, which was boosted by a further £500 million in October 2021. This is giving all young people the right support that will ultimately lead to sustained employment opportunities and career progression. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Landfill: Health Hazards Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on public health of toxic air from landfill sites. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Operators of landfill sites are required to apply to the Environment Agency (EA) for an Environmental Permit before operations can commence. During the application process the EA assesses the impact of emissions to air from landfills on the environment and human health. The EA also assesses emissions during routine check monitoring and in response to specific incidents. Whenever there are concerns over potential impacts on human health the relevant data is forwarded to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) as the Government body responsible for protecting the health of communities. The predecessor to UKHSA, the Health Protection Agency, published advice in 2011 on the impacts on health of emissions from landfill sites. The report concluded that a well-managed modern landfill site does not pose a significant risk to human health. This advice remains consistent with the research sponsored by Defra in 2004, which was reviewed by the Royal Society. The UKHSA works with the EA to ensure that individual landfill sites do not contribute significantly to ill-health. Trapping Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the consultation on the use of snares will be launched that was announced in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare on 12 May. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: When used improperly, snares can cause immense suffering and we are looking at whether changes are needed to address these concerns. The call for evidence on the use of snares will be launched in due course, and this is an issue we are looking at closely as part of our continued drive to maintain the highest animal welfare standards in the world. Inland Waterways: Sewage Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what penalties can be applied against individual directors of water companies who recklessly or repeatedly discharge unpermitted sewage into waterways. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: There is a range of legal powers available to Defra and its regulators, such as the Environment Agency, to hold company directors to account when they cause or knowingly permit a breach of environmental regulations. These powers are used regularly to hold directors to account, including where necessary bringing forward criminal proceedings.If successful, prosecution can lead to company director(s) being fined, imprisoned, handed a suspended sentence, ordered to do unpaid community work, and disqualified from holding office as a director for a fixed period of up to fifteen years. Food: Production The Earl of Caithness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 15 November (HL Deb, col 49GC),what are the reasons for the minister's view that the Earl of Caithness has argued that "the choice is between food production andecological restoration". Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: My remark referred to comments made by my noble Friend during the passage of the Environment Bill, where he implied a focus on the environment could conflict with the need to produce food. The remark did not refer to the speech delivered by my noble Friend during the Beyond Brexit Debate (15 November 2021). The Government is committed to rewarding farmers and land managers for their role as environmental stewards and investing in productivity, through our future environmental land management schemes and current schemes like the recently launched Farming Investment Fund. A healthy environment is crucial to providing the ecosystem services which underpin a thriving agricultural sector, through fertile soils, clean water and pollination. Tree Planting Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, of the target of 5,000 hectares of trees planted, what proportion were planted in (1) 2020, and (2) 2021; and what the delivery target will be for 2022. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government committed to trebling woodland creation rates to 30,000 hectares per year in the UK by the end of this Parliament. The Government aims to at least treble woodland creation in England over that time period to contribute to that target and will maintain new planting at least at this level from 2025 onwards.After centuries of deforestation, tree cover in the UK reached its low point in 1924, with only 5% of the UK forested after the First World War. Now, after a century of effort, we have brought woodland cover back up to 13% of our land. The areas of new planting (woodland creation) taken from the Forestry Commission’s Forestry Statistics are shown below: Year (ending 31 March)New planting in England (thousand hectares)2019-202.342020-212.06 Since 2020-21 there are also quarterly interim reports (provisional statistics) on new planting of woodland published in the Forestry Commission Key Performance Indicators. In the first half of 2021-22 there were 856 hectares of new planting of woodland in England. We expect further trees to be planted throughout this tree planting season which ends in March 2022, and our projections show we are currently on the right trajectory to meet our commitments.In England, we are boosting the existing £640 million Nature for Climate Fund with a further £124 million of new money, ensuring total spend of more than £750 million by 2025 on peat restoration, woodland creation and management - above and beyond what was promised in the manifesto. Forests: Commodities Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide translations of the consultation document and online survey on implementing due diligence on forest risk commodities, in order to aid those responding from source countries. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government published a consultation on 3 December 2021 to seek views on how the world-leading due diligence provisions introduced in the Environment Act should be implemented. The consultation will be open until 11 March 2022 and is available at: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/international-biodiversity-and-climate/implementing-due-diligence-forest-risk-commodities/ Although the legislation will only apply to relevant businesses operating in the UK, the consultation is open to respondents across the world. We want to hear from a wide range of stakeholders in the UK and internationally on the principles of our proposal, and to use their feedback to ensure that we design secondary legislation in the most effective way. Whilst we do not have plans to issue translations of the technical consultation document and online survey, Defra will continue to work closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office to help ensure relevant stakeholders in other countries can engage effectively in the consultation. Home Office Refugees: Resettlement Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Transnational Resettlement Project UK and Ireland. Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government why Northern Ireland was not considered for the resettlement of refugees as part of the Transnational Resettlement Project UK and Ireland. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Trans-national Resettlement Project UK (TRUKI) was funded by the European Commission and closed in 2010. A report commissioned by UK Border Agency (UKBA) providing an evaluation of the scheme can be found on the Sheffield Hallam University website under 'publications'. The TRUKI does not form part of current policy development.Since 2015, we have resettled more than 25,000 refugees through safe and legal routes. Refugees: Resettlement Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government who are the support providers for the Gateway Protection Programme. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Gateway Protection Programme ran between 2004 and 2020, supporting UNHCR’s global effort to provide durable solutions to the plight of refugees. Since the first arrivals in March 2004, the UK resettled nearly 10,000 refugees under the programme; generally those in protracted situations.Refugees who arrived under the programme were provided with a twelve-month package of housing and integration support, delivered by support providers, including Horton Housing Association, Sheffield City Council (in partnership with Hull City Council) and the North West Gateway Resettlement Partnership. All costs of the refugees (including health, education and social benefits) for the first 12 months after their arrival were funded. In addition, all refugees in the UK are immediately granted access to mainstream benefits and services to enable their integration. Human Trafficking: Organised Crime Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the European Commission’s proposed regulation 2021/0387 on measures against transport operators that facilitate or engage in trafficking in persons or smuggling of migrants, what assessment they have made of the effect the regulations could have on (1) air, (2) sea, (3) road, and (4) rail operators between the UK and the EU, particularly on the island of Ireland. Baroness Williams of Trafford: There is a high level of cooperation on border security between both the UK and Irish Governments to ensure we are taking all the necessary measures to protect and secure the Common Travel Area, this includes people travelling from Ireland to the UK.The Home Office, Ireland’s Garda National Immigration Bureau and Border Management Unit, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other police forces work together to tackle abuse of the CTA by conducting intelligence-led checks and enforcement operations.We continue to take a whole route approach in pursuing the crime groups who facilitate people smuggling to the UK and who exploit vulnerable migrants, knowingly putting people in life-threatening situations. Visas: British National (Overseas) The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people from Hong Kong have (1) applied to relocate to the UK under the British Nationals (Overseas) (BNO) visa scheme since January, and (2) arrived in the UK under the BNO visa scheme since January; and what steps they have taken to help such people settle within local communities. Baroness Williams of Trafford: (1) The Home Office publishes data on visas and the British National Overseas (BN(O)) route in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’ which can be found on Gov.uk The data relates to the first three quarters of 2021, January to September, and are derived from management information. These statistics include data on main applicants and dependants and some data are rounded to the nearest hundred. Data for Q4 2021 will be published on 24 February 2022. (2) At present it is not possible from the data to say how many of those issued with a visa have arrived in the UK. (3) In April 2021, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched a new UK-wide Welcome Programme to support Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders with a package worth £43.1 million for this financial year. Police: Equality Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the recruitment of black police officers. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government is clear that the police uplift is a once in a generation opportunity to increase the diversity of police officers in England and Wales. This includes increasing the proportion of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic recruits. It is encouraging to see that the proportion of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic officers is growing and is at its highest since comparable records began. There are now over 10,000 officers from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background in forces across England and Wales however there is much more to be done and forces cannot be complacent. Through the Police Uplift Programme, we are supporting all forces with a variety of attraction and recruitment strategies, whilst delivering a national campaign designed to reach diverse audiences. Sharing best practice, engagement with police staff associations, upskilling recruitment teams and enhanced data capture are just some of the efforts being made to improve police diversity. Crimes of Violence: Coronavirus Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a person knowing that they are carrying COVID-19, and knowing that they may be at risk of transmitting the virus to another person with or without the intention to cause harm, could be charged with assault. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Self-isolation is a vitally important weapon in the battle against the spread of the virus, it ensures that friends, family, community, and NHS are protected. Therefore, a new legal duty was introduced in September 2020 requiring a person in England to self-isolate for 10 days if they tested positive for the COVID-19. To increase compliance and ensure our domestic self-isolation regime is effective failure to self-isolate can result in an FPN of £1000 for the first offence. This increases to £2000 for a second offence, £4000 for a third offence and £10,000 for a fourth and any subsequent offence. Failure to pay a Domestic Self-Isolation Fixed Penalty Notice can be subject to criminal proceedings. There may be some circumstances where someone could be charged with assault by risking harm to others in passing on COVID-19 but such charging decisions would be for the Crown Prosecution Service to consider. PKK Baroness Greengross: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made as to whether the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) poses a terrorist threat to the UK; and what assessment they have made of the ruling by the Court of Cassation in Belgium that the PKK is not a terrorist organisation. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Partiya Karkeren Kurdistani (PKK) has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK since 2001. The Government does not routinely comment on intelligence matters, including the threat posed by specific proscribed organisations.The Terrorism Act 2000 allows the Home Secretary to proscribe a group if she has a reasonable belief that it is currently concerned in terrorism and proscription is proportionate action to take. It is this statutory test which the Government applies when considering whether to proscribe an organisation or maintain an extant listing. Napier Barracks: Coronavirus and Tuberculosis Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Home Secretary has (1) received, and (2) is complying with, advice from the UK Health Security Agency, regarding (a) the ongoing use of Napier Barracks, (b) the current COVID-19 outbreak in Napier Barracks, and (c) the current cases of active tuberculosis in Napier Barracks. Baroness Williams of Trafford: We have not received any advice from UK Health Security Agency on the ongoing use of Napier however we continue to engage with UK Health Security Agency to ensure that COVID 19 is managed effectively on site.I am not aware of any known COVID positive people at Napier.There are no known cases of active tuberculosis at Napier, the one person identified by the NHS with active TB was, on the advice of UK Health Security Agency, moved to alternative accommodation on 14 December 21. Asylum: Napier Barracks Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals are currently accommodated in Napier Barracks who indicated in their asylum screening interview or ASF1 form that they are (1) a victim of trafficking, (2) torture, or (3) suffering from mental health problems; and what is the total number of people who have been accommodated in Napier Barracks since April. Baroness Williams of Trafford: All individuals accommodated at Napier meet the suitability criteria. This is assessed via service user’s asylum screening interview, ASF1’s and any supporting evidence submitted by the service user or their representative.Individuals considered vulnerable under the Asylum Seekers (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2005 regulation 4(3) and/or those who have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism as potential victims of trafficking are not suitable to be accommodated at Napier. Further suitability criteria can be found at: Allocation of accommodation policy, on gov.uk. Asylum seekers allocated to the accommodation have full access to the advisory services provided by Migrant Help and are able to raise issues about their suitability to be accommodated at the site.According to local data held by Clearsprings Ready Homes, 1033 service users have been accommodated at Napier Barracks since 9th of April 2021. Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Sharpe of Epsom on 8 December (HL Deb col 1976) that draft guidance issued under Clause 65 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is "open to anyone who wishes to comment", whether there is a formal consultation on the draft guidance; to whom comments should be made; and what is the deadline for such comments. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The draft statutory guidance was published on gov.uk on 20 October to inform parliamentary debate of the new measures before votes on them were taken. The Government also carried out two full public consultations on the measures in 2018 and 2019. All responses to these consultations were taken into account when the measures were designed, and the guidance drafted. Clause 65 of the Bill does not require further formal consultation on the statutory guidance. Refugees: Afghanistan Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme; and when the scheme will open. Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme places have been allocated to those who have already evacuated to EU member states. Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) international organisations, and (2) NGOs, they are working with as part of theAfghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme. Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are working across government and with partners such as UNHCR to design the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), amidst a complex and changing picture. We are committed to working in step with the international community to get this right, and we will set out more details soon.The first to be resettled through the ACRS will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.The ACRS will be focused on people affected by events in Afghanistan, who are located in Afghanistan or in the region.Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September. Treasury Mortgages: Misrepresentation Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government what independent information resource is available to consumers to check that representative APRs are fairly stated; and what action the Financial Conduct Authority advises customers to take where they are concerned they have been mis-sold under a representative APR that was not fairly stated. Lord Agnew of Oulton: Firms are required by FCA rules to include a representative APR in certain circumstances. The FCA’s handbook provides further rules and guidance on when a representative APR must be shown, how it should be denoted and the level of prominence it must be given. If an advertisement includes an interest rate or any amount relating to the cost of credit, it must also include a representative example. This must contain certain standard information including a representative APR. The example must be clear and concise and must be no less prominent than the information that triggered the inclusion of the example. If a customer is concerned that they have been mis-sold a credit agreement, the customer can make a formal complaint to the firm in question in the first instance. If they feel that their complaint has not been dealt with satisfactorily, they are able to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) – an independent body set up to provide arbitration in such cases. Plastics: Waste Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toreinvest Plastic Packaging Tax revenue to help achieve their target of eliminating avoidable plastic waste by 2042. Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Plastic Packaging Tax will provide a clear economic incentive to use recycled material in the production of plastic packaging. This will create greater demand for recycled material and, in turn, stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste. As set out at Budget 2018 when the tax was first announced, future revenues raised from the tax will enable investment to address single-use plastics, waste and litter. Alongside this, the government’s commitments in the Resources and Waste Strategy will help to stimulate private investment in reprocessing and recycling infrastructure. The introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers alongside Collection and Packaging Reforms such as Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and consistency in household and business recycling in England are expected to increase and incentivise appetite for commercial infrastructure investment. Mortgages: Misrepresentation Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many skilled persons reports under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 section 166 the Financial Conduct Authority has commissioned where the issue of representative APR has been the matter concerned, in each of the last six years. Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Financial Conduct Authority has decided not to make independent periodic checks on the compliance of Financial Conduct Authority regulations by authorised firms, particularly the accuracy of key consumer protection information such as representative APR. Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has requested a firm to outline how it calculates its APR in the last six years, other than at the point granting authorisation; in any cases of representative APR breaches discovered, how many times the FCA has required changes to the firm’s website and product literature; and how many firms have been referred to the enforcement department for resolution. Lord Agnew of Oulton: This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply directly to the noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reintroduce a limited version of the furlough scheme to (1) vulnerable households, and (2) small businesses. Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government recognises that the impact of the Omicron variant means some businesses are likely to struggle over the coming weeks. In response, we have announced £1 billion of new grant support for hospitality, leisure and cultural sectors to protect jobs and businesses through this period of uncertainty. We are bolstering our package of existing support with:New one-off cash grants of up to £6,000 to support eligible businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors, totalling nearly £700 million.Over £100m of new discretionary funding to local authorities to support other impacted businesses, particularly those in the supply chain. This is on top of the circa £250 million that Local Authorities already have available to distribute at their discretion.£30 million will be made available through the Culture Recovery Fund, to support theatres, museums and other vital cultural institutions through the temporary disruption this winter.The reintroduction of the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS) to help small and medium-sized employers cover the cost of Covid-related sick absences, covering up to two weeks per employee.HMRC also stand ready to support any business affected by the coronavirus pandemic through its Time to Pay arrangement. As part of this, businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors in particular will be offered the option of a short delay, and payment in instalments, on a case by case basis. This additional funding is on top of the generous and wide-ranging support package already in place, which the Chancellor announced at the Spring and Autumn Budgets. Small and medium-sized businesses can access Government-guaranteed finance through the extended Recovery Loans scheme until next June. Businesses will also be protected from eviction if they are behind on rent on their premises, thanks to the moratorium in place until March 2022. In addition, business rates relief for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses in England is available until March 2022. Hospitality and tourism businesses will continue to benefit from a VAT reduction, paying only 12.5 per cent until March 2022. To support vulnerable households, the Government continues to provide funding to enable local authorities to offer practical and financial support to those who are eligible and require assistance to self-isolate. This includes a £500 Test and Trace Self-Isolation payment available to people on low incomes who are required to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, cannot work from home, and in turn will lose income as a result of self-isolation. In March 2021, the Government increased funding to local authorities for the discretionary scheme to £20 million a month to enable local authorities to widen eligibility criteria and support more people to isolate. The scheme is in place until March 2022. As we have done throughout the pandemic, we are closely monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on the economy. We will continue to respond appropriately and proportionately to the changing path of the virus. Women and Equalities Safe to Be Me Conference Baroness Jenkin of Kennington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the projected budget for the Safe To Be Me: a Global Equality Conference to be held in London on 27–28 June 2022; and how many staff are expected to work on it. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Government looks forward to hosting Safe to Be Me: A Global Equality Conference which will bring together government representatives, businesses, civil society and international parliamentarians on 29 June - 1 July 2022 to address important issues around the safety of LGBT+ people at home and abroad. The Conference will explore four key themes: making progress towards legislative reform that advances equality and legal protections for LGBT+ people globally, including decriminalisation; tackling violence and discrimination; improving access to public services; and working with businesses to strengthen the economic case for LGBT+ inclusion. This will be the UK’s first global LGBT+ Conference, and we will work closely with Lord Herbert of South Downs as Chair of the Conference, and in his role as Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on LGBT+ rights to ensure this event is ambitious.The overall budget allocated to the delivery of the Conference is still being finalised. As of December 2021, there are 8.25 FTE staff within the international LGBT+ team in the Cabinet Office who are working on the Conference with oversight from a Deputy Director. Additionally, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office currently has 8.25 FTE staff within the international LGBT+ rights team whose work includes the Conference, as well as substantial oversight from the relevant Director General. We expect resourcing to increase in the run up to the Conference.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2021-12-22

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: 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 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

lordswrans2007-02-23a

Firearms Act and Violent Crime Involving Handguns The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government: By how much violent crime involving handguns has decreased since Royal Assent was given to the Firearms Act 1997. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Violent crime involving handguns includes the offence groups of violence against the person and robbery. The total numbers of these offences involving handguns in England and Wales and Scotland for the years ending December 1996 and 1997 and March 1998 and 1999 are given in the table. England and Wales Scotland 1996 3,075 148 1997 2,376 116 1997-98 2,361 101 1998-99 2,417 116 The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 does not apply in Northern Ireland. Young Offender Institutions: Self-harm by Inmates The Earl of Listowel: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many inmates of young offender institutions committed or attempted suicide in each year since 1997; and How many cases of self-harm by inmates of young offender institutions took place in each year since 1997. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information is given in the tables. Information about attempted suicides is not recorded separately but is incorporated into figures on self-harm. Self-inflicted Deaths at HMP Young Offenders Institutions 1997-2000 Calendar Year No. of Deaths 19975 1998 5 1999 8 2000* 1 *As at 5th July 2000 Incidents of Self-harm at HMP Young Offenders Institutions 1997-2000 Financial Year Incidents of Self-harm 1996-1997793 1997-1998 879 1998-1999 944 1999-2000* N/A *Not yet available (i) Establishments have been categorised according to their primary role. However, it should be noted that there are a number of other prisons that hold young offenders (eg male remand centres) which are not included. (ii) Not all self-inflicted deaths conclude with a verdict of suicide. (iii) Incidents of self-harm do not equate to numbers of prisoners, as an individual prisoner may self-harm more than once. (iv) Self-harm data are derived from information provided by establishments to the Prison Health Policy Unit. These data include information on all attempted suicides. Brixton Prison Lord Graham of Edmonton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to allow private sector organisations to bid for the contract to run Brixton Prison. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Last November my right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Home Office (Mr Boateng) anounced in the wake of serious concern about conditions at Brixton Prison that it must be regarded as a failing institution and that there must be rapid and fundamental improvement. He made it clear that unless big improvements were made quickly Brixon could be subject to market testing. It is now over eight months since then and progress at the prison has been kept under close review. He is not satisfied with the rate of progress being made, nor that the necessary improvements will be in place within 12 months. In particular, there has not been adequate improvement in compliance with standards, the quality of regime remains poor, there are serious concerns about commitment to equal opportunities within the prison, costs remain high and there is a lack of commitment to changes to free up resources to improve the regime. This judgment, accepted by the director general, has been confirmed in a recent visit by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, who found that, although certain improvements have been made in many areas, basic conditions, including cleanliness in the healthcare centre, were still unacceptable. He has, therefore, reviewed the position and is clear that he would be failing in his public duty to all those at the prison, staff and prisoners alike, if we did not set a new path for the establishment. The director general agrees with him that there should be a market test of Brixton Prison. The new management team will be responsible for quickening the pace of improvement and for putting together an in-house bid, which will be judged alongside bids which will be invited from private sector operators. Emergency Calls: Police Response Time The Duke of Montrose: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the target response time to emergency calls for Metropolitan Police Forces. Lord Bassam of Brighton: I refer the noble Duke to the Answer I gave him on 7 July (Offical Report, WA 166). The table, which should have accompanied my answer of 7 July, gives information for 1998-99 on police target response times for England and Wales. Performance in responding to emergencies Target Performance Number of incidents 1998-99 Local target time for responding to incidents requiring immediate response 1997-98 Local target time for responding to incidents requiring immediate response compared with 1998-99 1994-95 Local target time for responding to incidents requiring immediate response compared with 1998-99 Performance 1989-99 Difference in percentage points between 1997-98 and 1998-99 Difference in percentage points between 1994-95 and 1998-99 1998-99 The number of incidents The number of incidents percentage change from 1997-98 to 1998-99 The number of incidents percentage change from 1994-95 to 1998-99 Avon and Somerset 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 94% down 2 down 1 34.619 32% -5% Bedfordshire 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 89% 0 up 1 19.946 4% 843% Cambridgeshire 10 minutes for urban areas and 18 minutes for rural areas same target same target 78% down 4 up 2 29,987 11% -10% Cheshire 90% within 15 minutes same target same target 92% 0 not monitored for 94-95 57,362 -1% not monitored for 94-95 Cleveland 90% within 10 minutes in urban areas and 90% within 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 89% down 5 down 3 22,743 4% 139% Cumbria 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 93% up 2 0 20,274 -6% -30% Derbyshire 10 minutes within urban areas and 20 minutes within rural areas and motorways same target same target 87% 0 0 56,688 -2% 17% Devon and Cornwall 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 88% up 1 up 5 98,655 -10% 7% Dorset 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 80% 0 up 21 24,786 3% -62% Durham 10 minutes same target same target 92% 0 down 1 14,353 -6% -8% Essex 12 minutes in urban areas and 16 minutes in rural areas same target same target 84% down 2 down 2 67,490 -11% -21% Gloucestershire 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 91% down 2 up 10 34,296 12% -8% Hampshire 15 minutes same target same target 95% up 3 up 9 23,934 -75% -88% Hertfordshire An officer to reach you within 15 minutes in response to emergencies. Priority to be given to vulnerable members of our community same target Changed target 87% up 1 changed target 24,783 9% 153% Humberside To attend 87% of immediate response calls within 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target Changed target 90% up 3 changed target 3,024 -54% -95% Kent Urban areas in 10 minutes and rural areas in 20 minutes. Strategic Road Network 20 minutes same target same target 97% 0 up 2 49,505 7% 14% Lancashire To attend the scene of all immediate response incidents within 15 minutes same target same target 97% down 1 up 1 80,663 -9% -3% Leicestershire 15 minutes same target same target 82% up 2 up 12 35,814 1% -64% Lincolnshire 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 88% up 1 up 3 39,193 -3% 5% Norfolk 10 minutes in urban areas and 15 minutes in rural areas same target same target 76% up 8 down 1 33,665 -27% -23% Northamptonshire 10 minutes in urban areas and 17 minutes in rural areas same target Changed target 89% down 2 changed target 20,497 -4% -44% North Yorkshire 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 98% up 2* up 1 4,626 4% 26% Nottinghamshire 10 minutes in urban areas and 15 minutes in rural areas same target same target 84% up 11 up 2 42,368 -34% -54% Staffordshire 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 90% down 1 up 1 37,958 52% 84% Suffolk 10 minutes in urban areas 18 minutes in rural areas same target same target 91% up 1 up 7 38,011 -1% 46% Surrey 10 minutes in urban areas, 20 minutes in rural areas, on motorways 20 minutes same target Changed target 82% down 1 changed target 37,135 -2% 226% Sussex 90% within 10 minutes for the larger towns, and 20 minutes elsewhere same target same target 89% down 1 up 1 55,645 -4% -5% Thames Valley To respond to immediate incidents within 15 minutes, 85% of the time same target Changed target 87% down 1 changed target 86,467 -4% 65% Warwickshire 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 79% 0 down 2 15,972 3% 0% West Mercia 85% within 10 minutes in urban areas and 85% within 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 92% up 2 up 7 51,555 -12% -34% Wiltshire 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 91% up 3 up 3 22,731 -20% -40% Welsh Police Authorities Dyfed-Powys In 85% of cases, response within 15 minutes same target same target 87% changed target changed target 17,617 7% 25% Gwent 20 minutes same target same target 95% up 1 up 3 37,996 -3% 0% North Wales 20 minutes same target same target 84% down 1 down 15 50,119 -15% 55% South Wales Our aim is to attend immediate response incidents within 15 minutes of receiving the call same target same target 89% down 1 0 83,795 7% 1% English Metropolitan Police Forces Greater Manchester 85% within 10 minutes same target same target 85% up 1 up 3 133,141 -10% -24% Merseyside 10 minutes same target same target 91% up 2 up 22 45,416 4% -22% Northumbria 10 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas same target same target 93% down 1 up 10 41,399 -13% -56% South Yorkshire 78% in 10 minutes same target Changed target 80% 0 changed target 41,550 7% -13% West Midlands 10 minutes in urban areas and 15 minutes in rural areas same target same target 93% down 1 up 10 102,939 -19% -29% West Yorkshire 15 minutes same target same target 95% 0 up 2 95,912 29% 14% Metropolitan Police To arrive within 12 minutes 85% of the time same target same target 88% down 1 down 3 593,556 1% 65% £ indicates the requested information was not provided by the force. * indicates that doubt was expressed about the force's arrangements for producing the requested information. Crime Statistics and Comparison of Police Detection Performance Baroness Wilkins: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have for the publication of crime statistics to assist comparison of police detection performance at a local level. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The next publication of crime statistics is due on July 18. As in January, an annex to the publication will give crime and detection figures for police basic command units for six types of crime which are of particular public concern. But for the first time my department will also be publishing these crime figures in relation to crime and disorder reduction partnerships. The partnership data will be published in 13 groups, or families, of partnerships. The families draw together areas with similar policing and crime reduction characteristics to assist comparison between the areas. There are 376 partnerships. The Home Office will today publish a policing and reducing crime unit briefing note to provide a description of how the family groups have been devised, which includes the list of the family groups. I have placed a copy of this briefing note in the Library. Telegram from HM Ambassador to Japan Viscount Goschen: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have instituted an inquiry into how the contents of a telegram from HM Ambassador to Japan came to be disclosed to the media, as reported in The Times of 4 July. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Yes. Tobacco-related Taxes Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much money was raised in the last financial year from tobacco-related taxes. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Excise duty receipts on tobacco products for the financial year 1999-2000 can be found in Table 2.1D of the national statistics publication Financial Statistics. The amount of VAT raised on tobacco can be estimated from the amount of household expenditure on tobacco. This is shown in Table 4.1 of Consumer Trends, published by the Office for National Statistics. Mull of Kintyre Helicopter Crash Lord Jacobs: asked Her Majesty's Government: Regarding the inquiry into the crash of a Chinook helicopter on the Mull of Kintyre in June 1984: (a) whether the board of inquiry concluded that there were three possible causes of the accident; (b) whether the board attempted to establish the most probable cause and concluded that of the three possible causes that the crew could be blamed for two of them; (c) whether the board ruled that one of the two causes was the most probable cause of the accident; (d) how a decision upon the most probable cause of the accident can be reconciled with the requirement that a finding of negligence must only be made "where there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever"; and (e) whether the words "probable" and "absolutely no doubt whatsoever" are in contradition with one another. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The board of inquiry considered all the possible causes of the accident and attempted to establish the most probable. The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief said, in concluding the report, "without the irrefutable evidence which is provided by an Accident Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder there is inevitably a degree of speculation as to the precise detail of the sequence of events in the minutes and seconds immediately prior to impact. What does emerge from the inquiry, however, is that there is no evidence whatever of any combination of possible minor problems, or of any major difficulty, which would have so taxed the skills of the crew that they had no option other than to keep flying towards high ground at speed at low level in deteriorating conditions of cloud and visibility. From this I am reluctantly drawn to the conclusion that the operating pilots could and would have avoided this accident had they followed a different course of action from the one they chose to pursue". Transport of Military Equipment Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 6 June (WA 149), in considering whether road or rail transport is used for the movement of military equipment within the United Kingdom, what monetary value is applied in the calculation to cover (a) congestion and delays to other road users; (b) emissions; (c) noise; (d) speed of overall journey; and (e) training needs. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Ministry of Defence is only funded for the movement of military stores and equipment by the most cost-effective means. The MoD's budget is not intended to fund reductions in traffic congestion, delays, emissions and noise, and the selection of the best value for money option does not take these factors into account in monetary terms. None of them can be costed realistically and objectively, though they are taken into consideration when making a decision. The selection process does allow for the practical effects of speed and other capability factors, and close liaison is always maintained with civil police and local authorities to minimise any impact on other road users, However, training in each mode of transportation is also an important aspect of defence capability and will, therefore, dictate the mode to be used on many occasions. Smoking-related Illnesses: Cost to NHS Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the National Health Service in the whole of the United Kingdom spent during the last financial year on smoking-related illnesses. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information requested is not available. However a study Cost Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Interventions by the Health Education Authority, in collaboration with the University of York, published in 1997, estimated the annual cost to the National Health Service of treating smoking related disease caused by smoking was between £1.4 billion and £1.7 billion for England, This is the most recent available estimate. Smoking in Public Places Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they propose to ban smoking in public places. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government have supported the licensed hospitality trade's Public Places Charter to increase the provision of non-smoking facilities in pubs, hotels and restaurants. The Health and Safety Commission has consulted on introducing an approved code of practice on smoking in the workplace. Tobacco Advertising and Marketing Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they propose to restrict further the advertising and marketing of tobacco. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The ban on advertising was to be introduced on 10 December 1999 but the tobacco companies succeeded in the High Court in winning a stay on the Government implementing the regulations, pending the decision of the European Court of Justice on the validity of the Directive 98/43/EC. The Government appealed the High Court's decision successfully, but the companies have appealed to the House of Lords and the stay on implementation remains in force pending the outcome of that appeal. On 15 June the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice delivered his opinion that the legal base of the EU directive which seeks to ban tobacco advertising was invalid and the directive should, therefore, be annulled. The Advocate General's opinion is not binding on the European Court. However, in the light of the opinion we are preparing primary legislation to deliver our manifesto commitment to ban tobacco advertising. We will bring forward this legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows, as the Government attach a high priority to it. "Do Not Resuscitate" Instructions: Monitoring Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 3 July (WA 121-22), whether they have any plans for "do not resuscitate" decisions made in National Health Service hospitals to be collected centrally. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: I refer my noble friend to the reply I gave on 6 July 2000 at col. WA 156. Nurse Recruitment Baroness Uddin: asked Her Majesty's Government: What initiatives are in place to recruit nurses from the ethnic and religious communities in the United Kingdom. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The new equalities framework for the National Health Service The Vital Connection reinforces the Human Resource Framework Working Together which sets out that NHS employers must demonstrate progress towards a workforce that year on year becomes more representative of the community it serves at all levels of the organisation. National examples include the Positively Diverse scheme and the Mary Seacole Bursary awards. Local examples include the Healthcare Apprenticeship Scheme at Bradford Community Trust and the Pathways to Access Project in Tower Hamlets. The number of applicants to nurse training from Black and Asian backgrounds doubled between 1997-98 and 1998-99 (from 1,300 to 2,716). In 1998-99 about 8 per cent of domestic applicants to nursing providing ethnicity data described themselves as Black or Asian. Nurse Recruitment Baroness Uddin: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are recruiting nurses from the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East; and, if so, what are the numbers in the National Health Service in comparison to the numbers recruited from China, Thailand and African countries. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: This information is not held centrally. Information on applications from nurses outside the United Kingdom for registration to the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) can be found in the UKCC annual statistical analysis of the UKCC professional register. Information on the number of work permits issued to employers is available from the Overseas Labour Service. The National Health Service Executive issued guidance on international recruitment to the service in November last year. The guidance gives NHS employers clear and authoritative policy on how they should pursue international recruitment and states that NHS employers should consider international recruitment only when its professional and service value can be clearly demonstrated and when it will have no adverse effects upon the recruit's home healthcare system. Copies are available in the Library. 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 Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not directly own any cars but leases those that it uses from the Government Car and Dispatch Agency. These are not included in this Answer. For the details I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, on 6 July, Official Report, (WA 148-49). The Royal Parks Agency does not own any cars but leases them. They are Ford Escorts, Renault Laguna Estates, Subaru Estates and Vauxhall Astra Estates. Historic Ships Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are their plans to provide statutory safeguards for those ships which are listed by the National Historic Ships Project as either of "core collection" or "designated" status; and What are their plans to provide financial support for the conservation of those ships which are listed by the National Historic Ships Project as either of "core collection" or "designated" status. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: There are no plans to provide statutory safeguards for those ships which are listed by the National Historic Ships Project as either of "core collection" or "designated" status. While the Government recognise the importance of historic ships to our heritage, we are not convinced that the extension of statutory protection to them is either necessary or appropriate. Her Majesty's Government do not provide direct financial support for the conservation of historic ships other than through the provision of grant-in-aid to those museums, funded by my department, which hold historic vessels as part of their collections. However, since 1995 the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded grants totalling nearly £7 million for the support of historic ships. UK Dog Owners in Germany Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government: What they are doing to assist United Kingdom citizens in Germany who, in the light of a media campaign against certain breeds of dog, are seeking to bring their dogs back to the United Kingdom in order to protect them. Baroness Hayman: Pet owners in Europe are free to bring their dogs to the UK if they wish. Those dogs which meet the conditions of the Pet Travel Scheme may enter the UK without going into quarantine; other dogs will have to undergo six months' quarantine. Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 the following types of dog may not be brought into the country: pit bull terrier; Japanese tosa; Dogo Argentino; and Fila Braziliero. Joint Committee on Human Rights Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to propose to both Houses of Parliament the terms of reference of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. Baroness Jay of Paddington: We are currently consulting on the proposed joint committee through the usual channels. We will table the proposed terms of reference as soon as those consultations are complete. Legislative Programme The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the context of the current Session of Parliament, they consider that the Legislative Programme Committee of the Cabinet has performed satisfactorily. Baroness Jay of Paddington: It is a longstanding policy of this and previous administrations not to comment on the operation of Cabinet or its committees. Council of Europe and WEU: Changes in Composition of Delegation Viscount Simon: 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: The honourable Member for Ruislip Northwood (Mr Wilkinson) has been appointed as a representative in place of the late Michael Colvin. NMEC: Advice of Accounting Officer Baroness Blatch: asked Her Majesty's Government: When and by whom the sole shareholder of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) was made aware of the advice of the Accounting Officer to the Millennium Commission that a further grant to the NMEC would not represent value for money; and what representations, if any, the sole shareholder made about the further use of lottery money. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: While officials at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) who support me in my role as sole shareholder of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) had been informed about the advice the Millennium Commission might give to the Millennium Commissioners, I did not know what the advice from the accounting officer was to be before the meeting on 21 May. After the meeting I was told by officials of the DCMS what advice had been given and what decision had been taken. I made no representation to the Millennium Commission about the use of lottery money in connection with the application, though I had discussed the subject informally with individual commissioners. Strategic Communications Unit The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the use of party political slogans in the communications of the Strategic Communications Unit to government departments would (a) affect the unit's political impartiality; and (b) represent an appropriate use of taxpayers' money. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: All communications from the Strategic Communications Unit comply with Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service. Millennium Dome: Distributionof Sale Proceeds Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 23 June (WA 49) about the proportion of the proceeds of sale from the Millennium Dome site that will be split between the New Millennium Company and English Partnerships, what factors will be taken into consideration when determining the division of proceeds; and what priority will be given to those factors. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The recommended decision on the division of proceeds will be taken by Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), HM Treasury, and myself. In taking this decision Ministers will receive information and advice from the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC), English Partnerships, the Millennium Commission, and officials in their respective Departments. This will include information about the nature of the preferred bid, including the associated financial offer and the land and other assets required. Such information will be taken into account in deciding how the proceeds of the sale will be divided between NMEC and EP. Welsh Assembly: Draft Protocolon Primary Legislation Lord Roberts of Conwy: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 8 May (WA 216), what is the latest position with regard to the draft protocol on primary legislative procedure discussed at the National Assembly for Wales on 2 February; and whether they will place a copy of the protocol in the Library of the House. Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton: The protocol is still being considered in the light of the experience of this Session. When it is agreed with the Assembly, Her Majesty's Government will place a copy in the Library of the House. Departmental Cars Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 14 June (WA 203) on the type and make of cars used by the Welsh Office, what types, makes and number of cars are supplied to the Welsh Office by the Government Car and Despatch Agency. Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton: I refer the noble Lord to the response given by Lord Falconer on 6 July 2000 (col. WA 148). Further details of the cars supplied by the Government Car and Despatch Agency to the Wales Office cannot be disclosed for security reasons.

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lordswrans2000-07-11a

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the standard percentage of emergency calls answered within eight minutes by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service; and what is the comparable figure for England. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has a target to respond to 50 per cent of all emergency calls within eight minutes. In the year ended 31 March 2002, it achieved this response time for 59 per cent of all emergency calls in the Eastern Board area, 47 per cent Northern, 43 per cent Southern and 57 per cent Western. Different targets apply in England, where ambulance services are required to respond to 75 per cent of all Category A (Life Threatening) calls within eight minutes. In 2001-02, 14 of the 32 ambulance services in England achieved this target. Northern Ireland: Primary and Post-primary School Funding Lord Rogan: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in reducing disparity of funding between primary schools and post-primary schools in Northern Ireland; and whether they have any plans to provide equality of funding for the primary school children of Northern Ireland. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Government are committed to narrowing the funding differential between primary and post-primary schools and have introduced a number of measures to provide additional resources for the primary sector; for example, the "Making a Good Start" initiative, (P1 and P2 classes), assistance to schools to limit class sizes at Key Stage 1 and the budget addition for schools. Legislation is being prepared which will provide for the introduction of a single common LMS formula. This will allow progress to be made in narrowing the gap through formula allocations and though this must be gradual because of the need to keep the process manageable. The nature of post-primary curriculum, its mode of delivery and the extent of support arrangements (staffing, equipment and resource materials) are quite different from that of the primary sector and generally more expensive. Thus while the Government are satisfied that primary schools should receive a greater share of available resources, they do not feel that equal funding would be appropriate. Post-primary pupils will therefore continue to require additional funding and as such a differential will remain. Northern Ireland Assembly Suspension: Implementation Bodies Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there is a draft international agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland regarding the six implementation bodies in the eventuality of suspension lasting for a certain period of time; why such an agreement was not signed; whether it has been discussed in London/Dublin talks since 14 October; and whether they will publish the draft international agreement. Lord Williams of Mostyn: In an exchange of notes on 19 November the British and Irish Governments agreed a mechanism so that during the period of temporary suspension of the Assembly, decisions (of the North/South Ministerial Council) on policies and actions relating to the implementation bodies, Tourism Ireland (a publicly owned company established as an area of co-operation by NSMC) or their respective functions could be taken. The agreement was made to ensure the continuation during suspension of the necessary public functions performed by the implementation bodies. The agreement, which came into force on 3 December, also provided that no new functions would be conferred on the implementation bodies during suspension. The exchange of notes will be laid before both Houses of Parliament. Northern Ireland Assembly Suspension: NSMC Lord Laird: asked her Majesty's Government: Whether, following the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly on 14 October, the North/South Ministerial Council created by an agreement of 8 March 1999 following the Belfast Agreement was also effectively suspended, given paragraph 13 of Strand Two of the Belfast agreement. Lord Williams of Mostyn: Section 1 of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 makes clear that the functions conferred by Section 52 or 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (North-South Ministerial Council and British Irish Council) are not to be exercised during the suspension of the Assembly. Northern Ireland: Criminal Justice Review Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government: What decisions have been made on the proposal to appoint an Oversight Commissioner for the Criminal Justice Review in Northern Ireland. Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Government have decided to appoint an Oversight Commissioner to monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Criminal Justice Review in Northern Ireland. A written Parliamentary Statement on the matter is being made today in another place. The Commissioner will be a person of standing, with appropriate experience of the UK criminal justice system, and will be appointed by open competition. We expect the Oversight Commissioner to make a significant contribution to the full and effective implementation of the Criminal Justice Review. It is our expectation that the work of the Justice Oversight Commissioner will play a pivotal role in the creation of a criminal justice system which delivers justice effectively and efficiently, and enjoys the support and confidence of all parts of the community. A copy of the terms of reference for the Oversight Commissioner has been placed in the Library. Members of the House of Lords: Congestion Charge Payments Lord Brougham and Vaux: asked the Chairman of Committees: What will be the arrangements for the payment of congestion charges by Members of the House driving into central London in pursuit of their parliamentary duties. Lord Brabazon of Tara: From 17 February 2003 anyone who drives into the congestion charging zone in central London between 7.00 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays will have to pay a congestion charge. The House Committee decided on 10 December that no additional reimbursement would be available to assist Members in meeting the costs of congestion charging. In the new year, the Administration and Works Committee will consider ways to facilitate payment of the charge within the Palace of Westminster by Members and staff. Shareholder Executive Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which public enterprises will fall under the remit of the new Shareholder Executive; and to which Minister it will report. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: I am answering this Question as Minister reponsible for the Shareholder Executive. The Treasury and the Cabinet Office are currently working with departments to establish in detail how the Shareholder Executive will help government become a more effective shareholder. The Shareholder Executive will define certain common standards and procedures for departments in their role as shareholder and will develop for individual departments plans to define the relationship with the entities, assess resource requirements of the departments to fulfil the role, assist in improving departments' capabilities and advise on specific management, corporate governance, performance monitoring and financing issues. The precise scope of the Shareholder Executive is part of the detailed work being taken forward with departments. However, it is envisaged that the Shareholder Executive will extend to a range of government shareholdings in companies in the public and private sectors as well as some of the more commercially orientated trading funds. Biodiesel: Vegetable Oils The Earl of Mar and Kellie: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the use of new and used vegetable oils as fuel for compression ignition engines will have any negative effects on the engines, the environment or the development of a viable, high quality processed biodiesel market. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: On the environmental performance of the fuel, vegetable oils have a superior carbon life-cycle balance compared to conventional fuels. The Department for Transport is currently considering the options for further research on the local air quality emissions performance of this fuel to supplement the limited publicly available data available in this area. As with all fuels, any producer of diesel fuels from vegetable oils for sale to the public has a responsibility to the consumer to ensure that the fuel is fit for purpose and, as such, does not damage engines when used. Producers should also ensure that all relevant excise duties are paid. Subject to these provisos, the use of new and used vegetable oils should be complementary to the development of a viable, high quality processed biodiesel market. Strategic Rail Authority Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish an organisation chart of the senior management at the Strategic Rail Authority down to assistant director level. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: I am placing in the Library of the House a series of charts showing the authority's senior level structure including all posts reporting directly to its executive directors. Strategic Rail Authority Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: With respect to each rail passenger franchise, what changes there have been in financial support agreed by the Strategic Rail Authority in the past year, both in respect of this financial year and future ones. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Subsidy profiles for each train operating company are published in the Strategic Rail Authority's annual report, copies of which are placed in the Library of the House. Changes in financial support can arise for a variety of reasons—for instance, when franchises are replaced or extended. All changes to franchise agreements—or new agreements themselves—are placed on the authority's public register. Rail Freight Grants and Rail Network Enhancements Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much public sector money has been allocated in each of the past five years to (a) rail freight grants and (b) rail network enhancements. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The table below shows, for each of the five years from 1997–98 to 2001–02, the amount of public expenditure on rail freight grants. £ million cash prices 1997–98 29.5 1998–99 28.7 1999–00 27.5 2000–01 34.8 2001–02 60.2 No public sector money was allocated for rail network enhancements in any of the four years from 1997–98 to 2000–01. In 2001–02 there was £351 million capital expenditure on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and £59.2 million of expenditure on project development, which includes feasibility and design and development work on infrastructure projects. Road Bridges Crossing Railway Lines Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 21 November (WA 9), which organisation is responsible for the current programme of strengthening the parapets and crash barriers of road bridges which cross over railway lines; what is the total cost; and what is the purpose of this work. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The responsibility lies with the owner of the bridge, which is normally the highway authority or Network Rail. The purpose of the work is to prevent incursions of road vehicles from overbridges on to railway lines. Until inspections of relevant bridges are completed, the total cost cannot be estimated accurately. London: Roadworks Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which public authority is responsible for ensuring that roadworks in London are carried out with reasonable speed, with respect for the needs of road users and residents, and in accordance with an overall plan for London road transport. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Mayor of London has a general duty under Section 141 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 to develop and implement policies for the promotion and encouragement of safe, integrated, efficient and economic transport facilities and services to, from and within Greater London. His transport strategy published under Section 142 of the Act contains proposals to achieve better control of utilities street works and works by highway authorities. The Government have made it clear that better management of our roads is essential and that the present legislation can be improved. It is vital that someone is responsible for minimising disruption across London as whole. We are holding urgent discussions with the key players about the way forward. London: Roadworks Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the safeguards to ensure that contractors are permitted to carry out roadworks in London with reasonable speed and with respect for the needs of road users and residents. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Utilities' street works have to be carried out in accordance with codes of practice under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. There is a non-statutory Code of Practice for Maintenance Management which the Department for Transport has strongly recommended to highway authorities. Both utilities' street works and works by highway authorities are subject to the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. EC Draft Directive on Road Tunnel Safety: Consultation Lord Howie of Troon: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which department is responsible for consulting stakeholders on draft proposals from the European Commission for a directive on safety in vehicle tunnels; and what steps have been taken to consult fire safety interests. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: A draft directive on road tunnel safety is expected to be presented by the European Commission in the near future. Once the text is available the Department for Transport will consult widely with interested organisations including the Fire Safety Advisory Board. Army Training and Welfare Policy Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any progress has been made on the forthcoming reports on tri-service and armed training establishments and Army training and welfare policy. Lord Bach: On 17 October (Official Report, col. 887W) we announced in another place that a special appraisal of the initial training of non-officer recruits of all three services would take place. This review was to be conducted independent of service and commands and to report directly to Ministers. The work is nearing completion and we now plan to make findings public in January next year. Surrey Police continues its investigation into deaths at Deepcut and it would be inappropriate to comment on this area until its inquiry is complete. Royal Air Force: Battle Honour "Kosovo" Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Royal Air Force has recently been awarded battle honours. Lord Bach: Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the battle honour "Kosovo" to the Royal Air Force as listed below. Squadrons which were required to operate under constant threat of attack and had demonstrated gallantry and spirit during the allied air campaign over Kosovo during the period 24 March and 20 June 1999 have been awarded the battle honour "Kosovo" with the right to emblazon the honour on their Squadron Standards. Squadrons which provided direct support to the air campaign have been awarded the honour "Kosovo" without the right to emblazon the honour on their Standards. With the Right to Emblazon "Kosovo" on Squadron Standards Number 1 (Fighter) Squadron Harrier GR7 Number 9 Squadron Tornado GR1 Number 14 Squadron Tornado GR1 Number 31 Squadron Tornado GR1 Without the Right to Emblazonment Number 7 Squadron Chinook Number 8 Squadron E3D Number 23 Squadron E3D Number 51 Squadron Nimrod Number 101 Squadron VC10 Number 216 Squadron Tristar Single Living Accommodation Modernisation Programme Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a contract for the first phase of the Single Living Accommodation Modernisation programme has been awarded Lord Bach: The contract for the first phase of the £1 billion Single Living Accommodation Modernisation (SLAM) programme was awarded today. The contract is being awarded to Debut services, a Birmingham-based consortium led by Bovis Lend Lease and Babcock Support Services, which will work in close co-operation with Defence Estates (an agency of MOD) and service client representatives to achieve the delivery of the project. The contract comprises new-build and refurbishment projects across the country and will deliver primarily single room en-suite accommodation. This will meet the aspirations of our single services men and women for improved living conditions that meet modern standards and is the result of extensive consultation of service personnel. This is particularly relevant, as one of the main reasons for personnel leaving the services is the current poor quality of living accommodation. The project is planned to upgrade progessively the worst accommodation to Grade 1 physical condition over a five-year period. This will involve in the region of 16,000 bedspaces and ancilliary accommodation across all ranks of single servicemen and women in the three services. The contract is being awarded on Smart Procurement principles and contains an innovative incentivised condition to encourage the prime contractor to work more efficiently. Review Board of Government Contracts: Report Lord Tomlinson: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made on the report by the Review Board of Government Contracts on its 2002 annual review of the profit formula for non-competitive government contracts. Lord Bach: We are pleased to announce that the Government have accepted the findings of the review board report that the existing profit formula should be retained pending the outcome of the next general review which is expected in the second half of 2003. We are arranging for copies of the report to be placed in the Library of the House. Benefit Claimants: Bank and Post Office Accounts Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Department for Work and Pensions is within its right to encourage claimants to open accounts with high street banks, rather than the Post Office card account; and Whether they still plan to offer the Post Office card account, which used to be called the universal bank, or whether they plan to close this proposed scheme. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The Post Office tells us that it is on schedule to introduce universal banking services (consisting of access to the banks' basic bank accounts at Post Office branches and the Post Office card account) in April 2003. There are no plans to cancel or delay its introduction. Customers are being supplied with all the information they need to choose the account option (current account, basic bank account or Post Office card account) which best meets their needs and circumstances. All of our information material mentions Post Office access and the availability of the Post Office card account. Which account option customers choose will be entirely up to them. It is not the job of the Government or the Post Office to choose an account for them. But it is also true to say that the Post Office card account will not be the best option for many people as it only has very limited features—for example, it will not be able to receive payments of wages, it has no direct debit facility, and can only be used when Post Office brances are open. The Government are keen to encourage financial inclusion, by giving people access to the wider financial benefits of having a bank account—the card account does little to help achieve this. Benefit Claimants: Bank and Post Office Accounts Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are concerned that benefit claimants may be refused basic high street accounts Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The Government believe that the availability of basic financial products is essential to ensure access to wider, mainstream services and is an important component in tackling financial exclusion both for benefit customers and others currently without access to bank accounts. Basic bank accounts have an important role to play in providing this access. The Government support initiatives by banks and other institutions to promote greater availability and knowledge of the benefits of basic accounts, and is working with the British Bankers' Association and others to ensure that banks are well prepared to deal with benefit customers who want to open basic accounts. Our information campaign will take customers through the changes. Customers are being supplied with all the information they need to choose the account option (current account, basic account or Post Office card account) which best meets their needs and circumstances. Customers do not need to take any action until they receive a letter from us about the change. DWP Correspondence Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government: To what address the Department for Work and Pensions writes with information regarding pensions and benefit when a person has been in hospital for more than six weeks. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: During a period of hospitalisation the Department for Work and Pensions would continue to send correspondence regarding state pensions and benefits to the customer's home address. If the customer has an appointee or someone who holds power of attorney, any correspondence would be sent directly to their address, not the customer's. EU Employment and Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: What the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council held in Brussels on 3 December; and what their stance was on the issues discussed including its voting record. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: This was a very busy Council with business split over two days. My right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Andrew Smith) attended the Employment and Social Policy part, held on 3 December, accompanied by my honourable friend the Minister for Employment Relations and the Regions (Alan Johnson). The agenda covered a wide range of employment and social policy issues. Council agreed an orientation toward political agreement on a regulation to replace Regulation 1408/71 which co-ordinates social security for people moving within the EU. The issues covered at this Council were sickness benefits, benefits for work injury and illness, and death grants. Work will continue on simplification of this regulation under the forthcoming Greek Presidency. Council reached political agreement on a regulation extending provisions of Regulation 1408/71 to nationals of third countries. This regulation will be adopted at a future Council. The Council also agreed to minor revisions to the objectives agreed at Nice in 2000 for the next round of national action plans on social inclusion. The Council agreed a number of resolutions: on e-accessibility for disabled people, ahead of the European year for disabled people in 2003; on social inclusion through social dialogue; and on corporate social responsibility. This Council also produced conclusions on gender mainstreaming within the Council and Council Conclusions on a series of indicators concerning violence against women. There were three substantive discussions at this Council. Council adopted a joint report with ECOFIN on the streamlining of the annual co-ordination of economic and employment policies after some discussion. The report is in line with the UK's desire to see reform of the employment processes to emphasise outcomes and ensure that all work is geared to achieving the Lisbon objectives. There was also an orientation debate on the Commission's proposed directive on improving working conditions for temporary agency workes. Among other issues, the UK continued to argue for a longr derogation than the six weeks proposed in the Commission paper. The Greek Presidency will continue to seek a compromise on this dossier when it takes over the Presidency next year. The Council agreed a decision establishing a tripartite social summit after discussion. This will be forwarded as a report from the ESPHCA to the General Affairs and External Relations Council, and recommends continuing the current informal arrangements. The Council adopted joint conclusions with ECOFIN on the structural indictors for the 2003 synthesis report. The Commission presented its draft of the Joint Employment Report at this Council. The draft was remitted to the Employment Committee for consideration. The Presidency announced that it would shortly be bringing forward a revised proposal for a directive protecting workers from the risks of exposure to electromagnetic fields and waves. No votes were taken on any of these issues. Hydrogen Oils Duties Act 1979: Form EX 103 The Earl of Mar and Kellie: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are satisfied with the availability to members of the public of Hydrogen Oils Duties Act 1979 form EX 103; and where these forms are available. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government are satisfied with the availability of form EX 103. These can be obtained from the HM Customs and Excise National Advice Service on telephone number 0845 010 9000. Biodiesel Duty Rebate: Modified Waste Vegetable Fat The Earl of Mar and Kellie: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the sustainable waste fuel for compression ignition engines derived from waste cooking oil and called modified waste vegetable fat (MWVF) is eligible for the 20 pence per litre duty rebate for biofuels Lord McIntosh of Haringey: In order to obtain the 20 pence per litre duty reduction, fuels must meet the legal definition of biodiesel. Biodiesel is diesel-quality road fuel produced from biomass or vegetable oils (including recovered vegetable oils) which meets certain criteria relating to sulphur and ester content. If these criteria are met the fuel will qualify for the reduction. Human Eggs Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have launched an investigation into recent disclosure that human eggs are being shared or traded in at least one London fertility clinic; and Whether the sharing or trading of human eggs is legal. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: A woman may donate eggs to another woman to help her to carry a child. In some licensed centres a woman needing treatment involving in vitro fertilisation may be offered this at reduced cost in return for sharing the eggs she produces with another woman receiving in vitro fertilisation. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority considered egg sharing in 1998 and has kept it under review since then, issuing guidance in 2000 on the provision of consent and the preparation of formal agreements between the parties involved. The HFEA's Ethics Committee is currently considering the arrangements reported at one clinic where a woman gives all the eggs from one cycle in return for later treatment for herself. The conclusions of the committee, and of the authority as a whole, will be communicated to the House and placed in the Library. General Dental Service Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the cost to the General Dental Service in 1999, 2000 and 2001 for: (a) the total number of fillings placed; (b) the total number of permanent teeth that were filled for the first time; (c) the total number of deciduous teeth that were filled; and (d) the total number of existing fillings that were replaced. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The fee cost of fillings given in the General Dental Service (GDS) is shown in the table for all fillings and for deciduous fillings for the years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 for England. Also is shown in the table for all fillings is net fee cost that is cost after deducting patient charges. For fillings in deciduous teeth there is no patient charge, gross and net costs are the same. A breakdown of these costs between first fillings in teeth and replacement fillings is not available. General Dental Service: Fee cost of dental fillings in the GDS for 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 -- England£ million Year All fillings1 Deciduous teeth fillings2 1998–99 218.6 (126) 9.3 1999–2000 222.2 (127) 9.7 2000–01 220.6 (125) 10.1 1. Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR) items; 14, 58 (apart from f and g), 4401, 4405 and 6001. Net cost estimates, ie gross fee costs after deducting patient charges are in brackets. 2. Deciduous teeth fillings covers SDR items 4401, 4405 and 6001. General Dental Service Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of the total number of fillings placed in 1999, 2000 and 2001 were: (a) one surface; (b) two surfaces; (c) three surfaces or more; and (d) root lesions. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information which is available for fillings in the General Dental Service is for expenditure claims for the fee items in the statement of dental remuneration (SDR). The number of fillings by SDR fee item is shown in the table for England for the years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02. Most fee items do not specify precisely the number of tooth surfaces so a breakdown of the total number of claims for fillings by the number of tooth surfaces is not available. Root lesions are usually treated with glass ionomer fillings and account for most of the treatment under fee items 1426 or 5826 although these fee items can also cover other treatments. General Dental Services: Expenditure claims for fillings by Statement of Dental Remuneration fee item for the years 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001–02:England -- Thousands SDR Item Code Treatment description 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 1401,5811 Amalgam filling–1 surface 2,423 2,335 2,197 1402,5812 Amalgam filling–2 or more surfaces 498 477 456 1403,5813 1 MO or DO filling–2 or more surfaces 4,138 4,050 3,879 1404,5814 1 MOD filling–3 or more surfaces 1,586 1,513 1,411 1421,5821 Composite synthetic resin filling–1 filling 4,173 4,280 4,271 Composite/synthetic resin filling–2 or more fillings 357 370 362 1426,5826 Glass ionomer filling–1 filling 1,877 1,827 1,779 Glass ionomer filling–2 or more fillings 79 77 79 4401,6001 Filling in a deciduous tooth 1,479 1,482 1,476 4405 Treatment on referral: a deciduous filling 62 72 71 Notes: MO=Mesio-occlusal filling which involves the biting surface and front (mesial) contact point. DO=Disto-occlusal which involves the biting surface and back (distal) contact point. General Dental Service Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the total number of referrals from the General Dental Service to community care or hospital care for patients who needed specialist treatment and care.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Information on referrals from the General Dental Service to community care or hospital care is not available centrally. 100,400 episodes of care carried out by the Community Dental Service had been referred from other dentists. Other dentists include GDS dentists. The total number of in-patient admissions to hospital for treatment which included oral surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics and dental medicine are included in the table. These admissions include referrals originating from the GDS. Treatment of outpatients is not included. Hospital admissions for treatment for oral surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics and dental medicine, 2001–02: England -- thousand Dental Speciality Number of Admissions Oral Surgery 191.5 Restorative Dentistry 2.2 Paediatric Dentistry 9.3 Orthodontics 0.6 Dental Medicine 1.0 All Dental Specialities 204.6 Source: Hospital Episode Statistics Acrophobia Lord Norton of Louth: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, and in what circumstances, people suffering from acrophobia are treated as disabled. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The question of the definition of disability is a complex one. The Department of Health does not maintain a definitive list of conditions that it recognises as disabilities. There are two main definitions in current legislation which the department uses. The National Assistance Act 1948 defines disability as "persons who are blind, deaf, or dumb, or who suffer from mental disorder of any description, and other persons aged 18 or over who are substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity . . ". Councils usually rely on this definition when providing services under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. The other definition of disability is within the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which defines a disabled person as someone "with a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out day-to-day activities." Whether or not an individual suffering from acrophobia would be regarded as being disabled under either or both of these legal definitions would depend on the severity of the condition and the way in which it manifested itself. Access to other elements of support for disabled people, for example benefits or transport concessions, may rely on different criteria, being specific to those benefits or concessions. Public Health Laboratory Service Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many public health laboratories are scheduled to be transferred (a) to the Health Protection Agency; and (b) to their local National Health Service trust; and what is the rationale underlying these decisions. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Some 31 laboratories of the Public Health Laboratory Service are to be transferred to National Health Service trusts and 10 to the Health Protection Agency. The rationale underlying these decisions, as described in detail in the Chief Medical Officer's strategy for combating infectious diseases, Getting ahead of the Curve, is that the proposed Health Protection Agency is intended to be a specialist body fulfilling a health protection role, as distinct from an operational clinical role. To this end, the laboratories of the PHLS that provide a general clinical diagnostic service are to be transferred to the NHS, while those that provide a specialist or reference function are to transfer to the proposed Health Protection Agency. The public health role of all the laboratories is to be maintained and we intend that the move will strengthen public health microbiology throughout the NHS. Public Health Laboratory Service Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been achieved as a result of the strategic review of the Public Health Laboratory Service conducted in 1994. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The report of the strategic review group was presented to the Public Health Laboratory Service board in Autumn 1994. After consultation, the board accepted all the conclusions and recommendations in the report. The board's decisions on its new strategy were endorsed by the Department of Health and the Welsh Office. The report recommended that the service should take steps to enhance all aspects of its scientific, technological and managerial capacity, so that it could respond even more effectively to the challenges posed by new and emerging infections, by technological and scientific development, and by the changes occurring in the National Health Service. The steps which were taken by the board at the time have resulted in a service which has proved its effectiveness in responding to many challenges from new and emerging infections since 1994 and which continues to do so. They included a service development programme to strengthen its public health functions; a restructuring of the network of area and regional public health laboratories into groups, to enhance their management and effectiveness and to provide a defined level and quality of services to local populations, hospital/NHS trusts, general practitioners, consultants in communicable disease control, local authority environmental health departments and other customers; and a service-wide drive to make better use of resources and to increase the value for money provided for all its customers. Stem Cell Research Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they propose to commission an independent annual review of embryonic stem cell research.[HL Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government stated in July 2002 in response to the House of Lords Select Committee report on stem cell research that it agreed with the committee's recommendation that it should undertake a further review of stem cell research towards the end of this decade. Although we have no plans to commission an annual review, we continue to keep developments under review through the Research Councils' Stem Cell Initiative. GP Prescribing Lord Lipsey: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have taken to encourage general practitioners regularly to review the prescriptions which they give to their patients. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Primary care trusts employ professional advisers whose main role is to advise general practitioners on the development of services that are efficient, effective, safe and convenient for patients. The National Prescribing Centre is currently working with the General Practitioners' Committee and the Royal College of General Practitioners on the development of a good practice guide. Plasma Supplies Lord Burlison: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will announce plans to secure plasma supplies. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: On the evening of Monday 16 December, the Department of Health completed its purchase of the largest remaining independent US plasma collector, Life Resources Incorporated. This will secure long-term supplies of non-UK blood plasma for the benefit of NHS patients, and ensure that the current global plasma shortage will not reduce the availability to National Health Service patients of life-saving plasma products. An independent option appraisal conducted by KPMG concluded that this purchase was the most cost-effective way of achieving these objectives. Plasma is used to manufacture products for the treatment of a wide range of conditions. Every year the NHS uses: 5,000 kilos of albumin for the tens of thousands of patients treated for burns, shock and major trauma. 2,000 kilos of intravenous immunoglobulin for patients with immune disorders. This includes 1,800 patients with primary immune deficiency who require an injection every two to three weeks throughout their lives to protect them against infection. Thousands more patients are given intravenous immunoglobulin to treat neurological and other conditions. 120,000 bottles of Anti-D immunoglobulin to protect unborn children suffering from haemolytic diseases of the newborn. This affects roughly 64,000 pregnancies a year and, in a small number of cases, can cause stillbirth, severe disability or death after birth from anaemia or jaundice. 400,000 bottles of Factor VIII to treat around 3,000 haemophilia patients, Around 45 per cent of the plasma products needed by the NHS in England and Wales are manufactured by the NHS-owned Bio Products Laboratory. The remainder are purchased by the NHS on the open market from third party commercial suppliers. In 1998, the Government instructed BPL to stop using UK plasma to make these products because of concerns about the theoretical risk from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Since then, BPL has purchased plasma from the United States. The US has no reported cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and is the only country able to supply the quality of plasma that BPL needs in sufficient quantity. The US collects 60 per cent of the world's plasma and supplies between 35 and 45 per cent of the plasma products used in Europe alone. Up to now these supplies have been dependent on contracts with US plasma collection companies. Over the past two years most of these companies have been purchased by commercial manufacturers wishing to secure their own plasma supplies. This radically reduced the amount of US plasma that BPL could buy under contract and threatened our ability to supply sufficient non-UK plasma products to NHS patients. Without continuing, secure supplies of US plasma, BPL faced shutdown by 2004 with a consequent removal of massive volumes of plasma products from the NHS market. Independent market analysis by KPMG demonstrated that commercial suppliers would not be able to provide sufficient, secure supplies of plasma products to the NHS if BPL closed. Immediate action was therefore needed to secure long-term supplies of high quality, US plasma for BPL. The Department of Health has purchased the trade and assets of Life Resources for an up-front payment of £48.8 million with a further £21 million tied into the performance of the company up until the end of 2006. The department has paid a commercial price for the business assets based on same analysis as a private sector purchaser would have undertaken. Life Resources has supplied BPL with plasma since 1999. It has extremely high quality and safety standards overseen by the US Food and Drugs Administration and the UK Medicines Control Agency. All the company's collection centres are inspected by BPL on a rolling two-year programme. BPL's team also inspected every centre prior to the purchase. An effective corporate governance regime has been established for the ongoing management of Life Resources. The company will be run by its existing US management team and report to a US parent company, DCI Biologicals Incorporated. DCI Biologicals will report to a UK parent company, Plasma Resources Ltd. The board of Plasma Resources Ltd is chaired by Richard Douglas, the Department of Health's director of finance and investment. The Government have appointed Mr Philip Cushing as non-executive chair of DCI Biologicals. Mr Cushing is highly qualified for this role. His previous positions include chief executive of Inchcape (1996–99) and chief executive of Vitec Group PLC (2000–01). He is also currently chairman of Paragon Print and Packaging Limited, Spalding, Lincs, and a non-executive director of Ikon Office Solutions Inc, Philadelphia, USA. He was appointed to chair DCI because of his extensive international business experience, including a career involving American operations since 1977. He also has extensive international acquisitions experience built up over 20 years. This deal is a logical extension of the existing relationship between the NHS and an established US plasma supplier, Life Resources, and is a pragmatic solution to the problem of securing supply. Afghanistan Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the progress made in the reconstruction of the basic infrastructure of Afghanistan during 2002 is satisfactory. Baroness Amos: The progress on reconstruction in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban has been impressive but there is more to be done. The immediate priority was to meet humanitarian needs (food, water and shelter), including those of returning refugees and internally displaced people. Almost 2 million Afghans have returned home from Pakistan, Iran and Central Asia. Over 3 million children have returned to schooling. Most infrastructure projects implemented since September 2001 have been designed for quick impact. The Afghan Government, UN and international community are also planning how to deliver longer-term reconstruction in a secure and co-ordinated way. The UK is working to ensure the World Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Fund (ARTF) is a major channel for pooling bilateral funding for Afghanistan. The UK has pledged £200 million over the next five years for both reconstruction and humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, supporting a mix of technical assistance, projects implemented by NGOs and UN agencies, and through the ARTF. Ultimately, it will be important to ensure that Afghanistan has the administrative capacity to take ownership of the overall reconstruction process. China: North Korean Refugees Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the Government of the Republic of China and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about the forced repatriation of North Korean refugees from China to North Korea. Baroness Amos: We regularly raise the issue of North Korean refugees at the biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. At the last round of the dialogue, on 21 November, we urged China to observe its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and allow the UNHCR access to the border areas. We have made no representations to the UNHCR on this issue. China: North Korean Refugees Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many North Korean refugees there are in China; when they fled there; and what efforts have been made by the international community on their behalf. Baroness Amos: The Ministry of Reunification in South Korea estimates there are 10,000 long-term North Korean migrants in China. Some NGOs believe the numbers are higher. North Koreans have been crossing into China for many years. We believe that numbers rose significantly after the famine in North Korea in 1994–95. The UK and EU regularly raise this issue in bilateral human rights dialogues. Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance Refusals: Annual Report Lord Gladwin of Clee: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the second annual report by the Inedpendent Monitor for Entry Clearance Refusals will be laid before the House. Baroness Amos: My honourable friend the Parlimentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr Bill Rammell, has arranged for copies of the second annual report by Rabinder Singh QC, the Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance Refusals, to be laid before the House today. Her Majesty's Government welcomes Mr Singh's report and notes his comments and suggestions, which will receive careful consideration. Mr Singh has not sought to extend his appointment beyond 30 November 2002 and the Minister thanks Mr Singh for all his hard work and dedication during his two years as Independent Monitor for Entry Clearance. Ian Stillman Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was done to help secure the release of Ian Stillman from imprisonment in India. Baroness Amos: Ian Stillman was arrested in India on 28 August 2000 and charged with possessing approximately 20 kilogrammes of drugs. He was convicted on 2 June 2001 and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. The Indian Government offered Mr Stillman clemency and he was released on compassionate and health grounds on 7 December 2002. A condition of his early release was that he leaves India. It is a matter for the Indian Government whether he is allowed to return. We have been extremely active on Mr Stillman's case and raised it with the Indian Government at every available opportunity. Over the last year my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary discussed his case with the Indian Ministers on at least six occasions. Recently he raised it with the Indian Deputy Prime Minister, L K Advani on 21 August 2002 and the Indian Foreign Minister on 31 October 2002. Mr Advani said that if Mr Stillman submitted a clemency plea he would consider it sympathetically. The Foreign Secretary met members of Mr Stillman's family to discuss next steps in the case on 19 November 2002. My right honourable friends the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and my honourable friend Mike O'Brien (FCO Minister responsible for India) have also raised Mr Stillman's case with the Indian Government. Recently the Prime Minister discussed Mr Stillman's case with Prime Minister Vajpayee on 12 October 2002 and subsequently wrote to him expressing the hope that Mr Stillman be released soon. Our consular staff in New Delhi and London have done all they can to help Mr Stillman and his family. We have been in close contact with the latter both in the UK and from time to time in India. As Foreign Office Minister responsible for consular matters I also took a close interest in the case and met members of Mr Stillman's family twice this year. We took all proper measures to ensure that the Indian authorities were meeting Mr Stillman's welfare requirements during his imprisonment. Consular staff monitored his welfare closely through consular visits (generally every 3 months) and by keeping in regular touch with his family. We were instrumental in ensuring improvements to many aspects of his detention. These included helping him to be transferred to a prison with better conditions and facilities, ensuring that he was provided with a wheelchair and had better lighting in his cell. Consular staff arranged for a board of medical consultants to examine him at a hospital in May 2002 and also helped secure permission from the prison authorities for medical and prosthetic specialists to visit him in prison. Recently they helped arrange for a diabetic specialist to visit Mr Stillman on 4 November. We are very glad that Mr Stillman's case has been resolved. We hope his early release will result in a significant improvement in his health. The Foreign Secretary met the Indian Foreign Minister, Yashwant Sinha, in London on 11 December, and expressed his thanks to Mr Sinha and his colleagues in the Government of India for the compassionate action they had taken in securing Mr Stillman's release. Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art: Annual Report Lord Desai: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art will be publishing its report. Baroness Blackstone: The reviewing committee's annual report for 2001–02 has been published today and copies have been laid before Parliament. Hate Crimes: Protection of Homosexual People Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What measures they have taken, and intend to take, to strengthen the protection of homosexual people against crimes motivated by hatred and, in particular, incitement to violence against homosexual people in song lyrics and the public broadcasting of those songs. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government are committed to tackling all hate crime regardless of what form it takes. The criminal law already contains a wide range of powers to deal with violent behaviour and harassment. This includes, under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the ability for courts to issue higher sentences to perpetrators of crimes motivated by hate. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), working with the Government, have developed guidance for police forces in dealing with these types of crime. This guidance is entitled Identifying and Combating Hate Crime and was last updated in April 2002. To solicit or incite another to commit a crime (through, for example, homophobic song lyrics) is indictable under common law, even if the solicitation or incitement has no effect. Therefore a crime would not actually need to be committed to convict people of incitement to violence against homosexual people. Under broadcasting arrangements, responsibilty for what is broadcast on television and radio rests with the broadcasters and the broadcasting regulatory bodies - the Governors of the BBC, the Independent Television Commission (ITC), the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority (S4C) and the Radio Authority (RAu). They are independent of the Government and accountable for safeguarding the public interests in broadcasting. They also maintain guidelines for programme makers on the standards which should be observed. In respect of song lyrics, the RAu code makes specific reference to song lyrics and the need for considered judgments to be made by licencees with regard to scheduling certain tracks. The code rules involving the portrayal of violence, in that it must never be glorified or applauded, apply to programming generally as does the 1990 Act requirement that nothing shall be included that is likely to encourage or incite to crime or lead to disorder. Sentencing Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the statement by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton (The Times, Tuesday 3 December) that it is their intention that the sentencing council should consult Parliament, probably through the Home Affairs Select Committee, what steps they will take to ensure that consultation with Members of the House of Lords also takes place. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government are committed to involving Parliament more formally in the process of creating sentencing guidelines than in the past, while leaving the final decision on the content of these guidelines to the proposed Sentencing Guidelines Council. The enabling legislation will be phrased in a way that allows the Lord Chancellor to designate an appropriate parliamentary body. It is recognised that the House of Lords may well wish to debate draft guidelines and it will be for the House to make its own arangements for doing so. Prison Service: Retired Governors Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in order to avoid leaving prisons without a governor, they will ask the Prison Service to call experienced governors back from retirement on a locum basis. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Deputy governors are appointed with the responsibilty to manage a prison in the governor's absence. Although occasionally in 2002 there have been gaps between the departure of a governor and the appointment of a successor, I believe there has been, at most, a negligible effect on the regime during these periods. The Prison Service has no plan to re-employ retired governors to manage establishments. However, the Prison Service has been using the skills of several retired governors to act as mentors, providing guidance and advice for operational senior managers. Speeding fines: Lancashire and Merseyside Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total number of speeding fines imposed by Lancashire Police Force in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 to date; and What is the total number of speeding fines imposed by Merseyside Police Force in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 to date. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The table shows the total number of fines ordered to be paid following conviction for speeding offences within Lancashire and Merseyside police forces for 2000. As the majority of such offences are dealt with by the issue of a fixed penalty, the table also shows the total number of fixed penalty notices issued. Information for 2001 will be available early in 2003. Fines and fixed penalties data for speeding offences, Lancashire and Merseyside police force areas, 2000 Court Proceedings–Number of Fines Fixed Penalties–Number of Tickets Lancashire 5,170 29,680 Merseyside 1,320 7,390 Prison Inmates: Dental Treatment Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the integration of the management of prison dental services into health care, through joint working with the Dental Practice Board and healthcare managers in prison, has reduced the average waiting time for treatment of dental patient inmates. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Prison Health has recently begun to collect data on waiting times for urgent and routine dental treatment in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales. However, it does not yet have sufficient information to show whether the improvements in prison dentistry now being introduced have yet led to any reduction in average waiting times across the prison estate. Youth Offending Teams Baroness Whitaker: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements they intend to make for the inspection of youth offending teams. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: To provide regular external scrutiny of youth offending teams (YOTs) a new joint inspection programme has been developed by Her Majesty's Inspectorates of Probation, Constabulary and Prisons, the Social Services Inspectorate (England and Wales) and the education inspectorates, (OFSTED for England and ESTYN for Wales) in consultation with the Home Office and the Youth Justice Board. The programme is expected to start in April 2003. Its purpose will be to: "report to the Secretary of State and through him, Parliament and the public, on the effectiveness of YOTs in fulfilling their statutory duties to prevent offending by children and young people and thereby protect the public, whilst safeguarding their rights and promoting their welfare". It will assess the impact YOTs and partner organisations have on offending, help to improve their performance and inform the further development of the YJB's effective practice and quality assurance strategy. Led by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation, the inspection team will include representatives from the full range of inspectorates concerned with YOTs work. They will aim to inspect all YOTs in England and Wales over a five to six-year cycle. Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: Appointed Person under Section 29 Baroness Gale: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to appoint the appointed person under Section 290 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has appointed Mr Andrew Clarke as the Appointed Person under Section 290 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. He will act as an independent person to oversee searches conducted under new cash seizure powers where no prior judicial authority is obtained. He will also prepare and submit an annual report on the operation of the search power to the Secretary of State, a copy of which will be laid before Parliament. Mr Clarke's appointment will commence on 30 December 2002 to coincide with the introduction of the cash seizure powers under the Act. Independent Schools: Charitable Status Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: In view of paragraph 4.26 of the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit report Private Action, Public Benefit: A Review of Charities and the Wider Not-For-Profit Sector (September 2002) which states that "to maintain their charitable status, independent schools which charge high fees have to make significant provision for those who cannot pay full fees", what is meant by (i) "high fees"; and (ii)"significant provision". Lord Filkin: The Strategy Unit report, Private Action, Public Benefit, was published on 25 September 2002 as a consultation document. Its 61 recommendations set out a package of measures which aim to modernise the law and enable a wide range of organisations to be more effective and innovative. Paragraph 4.26 describes what happens now when those charities that charge fees which serve to exclude large sections of the population have to make provision for wider access for those who would be excluded because of the fees. At present there is no systematic programme in place to check the public character of charities. The report recommends that an on-going review programme run by the Charity Commission should check the public character of such organisations. It proposes that the commission would identify charities likely to charge high fees and undertake a rolling programme to check that provision was made for wider access. This programme, it suggests, would be designed to minimise red tape and would not focus on any particular sector. Short returns would be issued which ask charities what they do in terms of widening access, such as making provision for sharing facilities. It is envisaged that for the majority of cases no further inquiry would be necessary beyond the initial return. The report proposes that the Charity Commission, in consultation with charities likely to be affected and their umbrella bodies, would issue guidelines as to the level of access appropriate in particular circumstances. Of course at the moment these are only proposals. The report is out for consultation until 31 December 2002, and we shall consider the responses to this, and all the other matters addressed in the report, very carefully. Racial Incidents Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many racist incidents were reported to third party reporting centres before being reported to the police within the past 12 months. Lord Filkin: No information is collected centrally on racial incidents being reported to third party reporting centres. Prison Service: CRE Report Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the timetable for the publication of the Commission for Racial Equality's formal investigation of the Prison Service. Lord Filkin: The draft report on the formal investigation into HM Prison Service was served on the respondent under the provisons of Section 58 of the Race Relations Act 1976 on Monday 9 December. The Commission for Racial Equality will publish the final report early in the New Year. Biodiesel Processing Plants The Earl of Mar and Kellie: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much public money has been spent in 2002 to date by way of grants to establish biodiesel processing plants; and how many grants were made. Lord Whitty: No such grants were issued in 2002 by government departments in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland's Department of Environment, Environmental Heritage Service set aside £1 million and, in conjunction with InvestNI, launched a Waste Industry Fund. This has been set up to help establish waste infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Two projects in the biodiesel sector have been awarded funding in principle: £120,000 in principle to Capital Oils Ltd for the manufacture of biodiesel using waste from cooking oils and fats; £11,000 in principle to Grease Trap Services for the manufacture of biodiesel from waste food/fat, oil and grease collected from catering drainage systems. Funding may be available from regional or local funding bodies, such as the regional development agencies in England, depending on the priorities they identify for the use of their resources. Central records are not kept of the grants issued. Waste Incinerators Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have to make it possible for people adversely affected by centralised waste recycling facilities to be offered compensating benefits, such as cheaper electricity from a power-generating incinerator. Lord Whitty: Waste Strategy 2000 states that developers of proposed waste incinerators should consider the potential for incorporating combined heat and power technology, which would provide heating to the local community. Any electricity produced by such plants feeds into the National Grid and since the opening up of the electricity supply market householders in a specific community could potentially be receiving their electricity from any number of suppliers. It is not government policy to determine what those suppliers should be charging their customers. Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy Lord Gladwin of Clee: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will report progress on the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy. Lord Whitty: I am pleased to report to the House that the Government launched a Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food on Thursday 12th December. My right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs met farmers and leaders of the food industry, rural, environmental and consumer bodies to discuss the new strategy and hear examples of good practice from across the food chain after the launch. The strategy is further evidence of this Government's commitment to help to deliver innovative and practical solutions to the challenges faced by those involved in the food chain. We do not underestimate the scale of these challenges: farm incomes remain under pressure and the foot and mouth disease outbreak also added to the momentum for change. This strategy builds on the invaluable work conducted by the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food to chart a way through these challenges. It sets out how industry, government and consumers can work together to secure a profitable and internationally competitive future for our industries, whilst contributing to a better environment, improving nutrition and public health and prosperous communities. The strategy is backed by £500 million from government over the next three years. Subject to clearance under the usual EU procedures, this will provide: a new entry-level agri-environment scheme: developing a simple scheme, suitable for all farmers which will pay them to farm in a more sustainable way, a core Curry Commission recommendation. Subject to successful piloting, this would be rolled out nationally in 2005; continued expansion of premium rural and environmental schemes like Countryside Stewardship: further work to improve the targeting of these schemes and make them simpler to applicants; a new "whole farm" approach to management and regulation: helping farmers to plan their business as a whole to meet commercial and regulatory needs. The Government also plan to develop an audit-based approach to identify a farm's strengths and weaknesses as a basis for cutting red tape and the number of inspections required; the new agricultural development scheme: to improve competitiveness and marketing, including the priority areas of co-operation, farm assurance and spreading best practice; new funding to assist small regional food producers: extra money chanelled through Food from Britain will enable it to work with regional development agencies and the regional food groups to expand this sector; more money for skills and training: knowing how to make a profit is fundamental, but respecting the environment and marketing require different skills and knowledge. We are reviewing training and advice services to help farmers develop and to exploit new opportunities; a Food and Health Action Plan: led by the Department of Health, to build on existing work to improve diet and nutrition, working with industry and consumers. The plan will address food production and access as well as consumer information. A network of demonstration farms: in early 2003 a pilot network of farms will open their doors to share best practice and experiences. Improving animal health and combating diseases: government is drawing up a new animal health and welfare strategy, has strengthened our emergency preparations and efforts to combat illegal meat imports. In addition, the Government will ask the Institute of Grocery Distribution, in conjunction with the Food Chain Centre, to undertake analysis of the impact of nutrition initiatives such as the National School Fruit Scheme and the five-a-day programme, on the food chain. This will highlight the commercial opportunities for English farmers and growers and other sectors of the food industry. The strategy, which builds on the work of the Curry commission, also underlines the need for farming to reconnect with its markets, better co-operation with the food chain, investment in people and technology and the adoption of environmental best practice. There are many examples of good practice to build upon: more than 25,000 farm holdings in existing government environmental schemes; more than 400 farmers' markets offering producers the opportunity to sell direct to their markets; over 78,000 farmers and growers are already members of farm assurance schemes with their produce branded under logos such as the "red tractor" and a number of industry initiatives being taken forward as part of the strategy: The Food Chain Centre is working to improve the efficiency of the food chain through the provision of information, analysis and training and promotion of benchmarking and best practice. The Red Meat Industry Forum is working to improve efficiency and information flow in the red meat supply chain. English Farming and Food Partnerships, established by the industry with Defra support, will promote co-operation between farmers and between farmers and the rest of the food chain. Assured Food Standards is working to broaden support for farm assurance within the food chain and to consolidate and develop assurance standards. The Government have already announced that an independent implementation group, led by Sir Don Curry, will oversee the delivery of the strategy by both government and industry. Across England, regional delivery plans will be drawn up between government offices, regional development agencies, local farmers, rural affairs forums, regional chambers and a range of stakeholders, assisted by Sir Don Curry's implementation group. The strategy was laid before Parliament on 12 December and copies of this and the strategy-related documents are available in the Vote Office and the Libraries of the House.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2002-12-18a

BBC Trust Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that the next Chairman of the BBC Trust has significant business experience as well as a knowledge of broadcasting itself. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Appointments to the BBC Trust are made by Her Majesty The Queen by Order in Council as set out under article 13 (Composition of the Trust) of the BBC Charter. The BBC Chairman is appointed by The Queen on advice from DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) ministers through the Prime Minister. The post of Chairman is publically advertised and requires a broad range of skills. The Chairman is chosen on merit and the process is regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Child Maintenance Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the latest ten-year forecast of the investment costs for the Department for Work and Pensions associated with the closure of all existing Child Support Agency cases and the running of the new 2012 statutory child maintenance scheme; and whether the ten-year operational cost savings figure of £413 million given by Lord Freud on 10 December 2013 (WA 97–8) takes account of those investment costs when making a comparison with the cost of running the existing child support schemes. Lord Freud: The Impact Assessment for case closure and the introduction of charging sets out the costs and benefits of introducing those specific measures on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), as well as on other government Departments and on third parties such as parents and employers. Operational cost savings for DWP as a result of these measures total £413m between 2013/14 and 2022/23. Savings continue beyond this window at around £25m per annum. As previously stated, fee revenues over the same period are estimated at £1,199m making a total benefit of £1,612m. Fee revenues of £170m per annum accrue beyond this point. These figures do not include the investment costs associated with the closure of all existing Child Support Agency cases. Investment cost to deliver this totals £416m including: supported closure of around 900,000 cases on the 1993 and 2003 schemes, information and support for all parents in making their choice between a family based arrangement or an application to the 2012 statutory scheme (estimated at around 600,000), activity to cleanse all existing schemes cases arrears balances and establish these on the 2012 scheme, and the cost of the additional IT development to deliver charging and case closure functionality. These investment costs should be compared to the total benefit including fee revenues (£1612m) as without case closure the volume of 2012 cases would be significantly lower and important changes to client behaviours (supported to make family based arrangement, paying directly between parents within the state scheme) would not be delivered. They additionally deliver the ongoing benefits and fee revenues of almost £200m per annum beyond 2022/23. The impact assessment can be seen at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/259694/cm-case-closure-and-charges-regs-ia-final.pdf. Figures are taken from annex 4a. Dentistry Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy advice to dentist schools in relation to undergraduate and postgraduate training, in the light of the remarks by the Chief Dental Officer for England, Dr Barry Cockcroft CBE, that this should increasingly happen in local community settings. Earl Howe: The Government has established Health Education England (HEE) to ensure that medical and dental education, which it funds from its E5 billion budget, reflects the current practice and local needs, including teaching, learning and assessment. HEE has no current plans to review how dental training is provided. Education: Foreign Languages Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to encourage the teaching of foreign languages. Lord Nash: Learning a foreign language provides an opening to other cultures, fostering pupils’ curiosity and deepening their understanding of the world. It also equips pupils to study and work in other countries. That is why a modern or ancient language forms part of the English Baccalaureate, which is already encouraging more young people to take a language at GCSE level. Take up by key stage 4 pupils in England of a modern foreign language increased by over 20% between 2012 and 2013. We have also introduced a foreign language at key stage 2 (ages 7-11) as part of the new national curriculum, which comes into force from September 2014. By starting languages earlier, pupils will have longer to develop their skills to a high level before continuing with language learning in secondary school. Embryology: Animal Testing Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 15 July 2013 (WA 82), what assessment they have made of the view that monkeys have “a uniquely important role in research into human reproduction”, as described by the Medical Research Council in its document “Primates in Medical Research”; and what assessment they have made of the view that “rodents and other non-primates have only limited usefulness as models of human reproductive physiology”, as described in the report of the independent working group on the use of non-human primates in research, chaired by Sir David Weatherall. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Weatherall Report, sponsored by the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Society, the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council (MRC), was published in 2006 and identified a strong case for maintaining research involving Non-Human Primates (NHP) for defined questions of biological or medical importance. The potential of different models was acknowledged in the report and the benefits of the NHP model for certain conditions such as endometriosis were identified. The report stated that: “Humans and non-human primates share many features of reproductive biology that are not present in other mammals, including mechanisms of gametogenesis, fertilisation, implantation of embryos into the uterus and maintenance of early pregnancy. Similarly, only human and some non-human primate females menstruate (a cycle of 28 days in macaques) and undergo the menopause. Hence, rodents and other non-human primates have only limited usefulness as models of human reproductive physiology.” The document ‘Primates in Medical Research’ was published by the MRC and the Wellcome Trust, also in 2006, and aimed to explain how and why non-human primates are used in research; it presented some of the crucial work that was underway at that time, highlighted some of the medical advances that would not have been achieved without non-human primates, and looked at the efforts to find alternatives to the use of non-human primates. As the noble Lord is aware, the expert panel, convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to conduct a scientific review of the safety and efficacy of methods to avoid mitochondrial disease through assisted conception, gave its view on using a primate model in the research in its March 2013 advice to Government. The Panel’s advice can be found on the HFEA’s website at: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/6372.html The Government is committed to working to reduce the use of animals in research. However, there is a strong scientific case for the carefully regulated use of non-human primates where no practicable alternatives, including other mammalian species, are available. Rodents remain suitable for certain aspects of research into reproduction and development. Scientific advances and innovation will continue to present significant opportunities to replace animal use. However, where animal use is currently unavoidable, scientific advances can also help reduce the number of animals used, and refine procedures involved so as to minimise suffering. Energy: Costs Lord German: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their comparative analysis of the differentials between the costs of energy for business enterprises in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Baroness Verma: Data on business costs of energy (electricity and gas) for the UK and Republic of Ireland are collected by Eurostat, the European Statistical Agency, and re-published by DECC in Table 5.4 of Quarterly Energy Prices, available on the DECC website: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/261175/qep541.xls. Data is not separately available for GB and Northern Ireland. Energy: Electricity Lord German: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list all existing and proposed energy interconnectors between Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Baroness Verma: Existing and proposed electricity interconnectors (with connection agreements) linking the electricity markets of the jurisdictions in question are listed in the GB System Operator's Interconnector Register. There are also proposed electricity generation and storage projects in the Republic of Ireland with connection agreements that would involve electric lines conveying electricity to Great Britain. These proposed projects are listed in the GB System Operator's Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) Register under the project names of: Greenwire Wind Farm; Codling Park Wind Farm; Energy Bridge; and Marex. Both the Interconnector and TEC Registers can be found at the following link: http://www2.nationalgrid .com/UK/Services/Electricity-connections/Industry-products/TEC-Register/ There are four gas interconnectors between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. There are no proposals for any additional gas interconnectors to be built between the three jurisdictions. Three of the gas interconnectors are between Great Britain and the island of Ireland: • The Scotland to Northern Ireland Pipeline (SNIP) which connects Northern Ireland to the gas transmission network in Scotland.• Interconnector 1 and Interconnector 2 (IC1 and IC2) which both originate in Moffat, Scotland and connect to the Republic of Ireland. There is also a gas interconnector within the island of Ireland: • The South North Pipeline which runs from Co. Antrim in Northern Ireland to Gormanstown in Co. Meath, Republic of Ireland. Energy: Gas-fired Power Stations Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have received or been made aware of for a gas-fired power station and associated sub-station near Eye, Suffolk; how far advanced any plans are; and what stages remain in the planning process before any construction may commence. Baroness Verma: Progress Power Ltd has informed the Planning Inspectorate of their intention to submit a planning application under the Planning Act 2008 (amended by the Localism Act 2011) for a gas-fired power station at Eye Airfield Industrial Estate, Suffolk, with a nominal generating capacity of up to 299 MW. It is our understanding that the application will include proposals for grid connection. According to the Planning Inspectorate's website, the current estimated date for the application to be submitted is during the first quarter of 2014. Details can be found at: http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/eastern/progress-power-station/?ipcsection=overview If an application is submitted, the Planning Inspectorate will have 28 days to decide whether or not the application meets the standard required to be formally accepted for examination. Should the application be accepted, the pre-examination stage will follow which allows the public to register and make relevant representations. There is no statutory timescale for this stage. The Planning Inspectorate will then proceed with examination of the application which takes up to 6 months, before submitting their recommendation to my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change (within 3 months of end of examination). The Secretary of State will then have another 3 months in which a decision on the application must be published. Should the Secretary of State grant development consent, he may do so with requirements that may need to be complied with before construction could commence. Further details on the planning process can be found at the Planning Inspectorate's website at: http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/application-process/the-process/ Energy: Gas-fired Power Stations Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations they have held with residents local to Eye, Suffolk, or have responded to, regarding the construction of a gas-fired power station there; and whether any further consultation is planned. Baroness Verma: Her Majesty's Government has held no consultations with local residents with regard to the proposed Progress Power Station project located at Eye, Suffolk. Under the Planning Act 2008 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011), it is the responsibility of developers to conduct thorough local consultations. Further details on the requirements for developers to carry out consultation within the local community can be found at: http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Advice-note-16.pdf The Planning Inspectorate have published a Scoping Opinion in respect of the content of the Environmental Statement for the proposed Progress Power Station following consultation with the statutory consultees in respect of Progress Power Limited’s report entitled “Progress Power Project, Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report (May 2013)”. Both documents are available at: http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/eastern/progress-power-station/?ipcsection=docs Energy: Gas-fired Power Stations Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information regarding the construction of a gas-fired power station near Eye, Suffolk, they have made available to the public; and where it may be found. Baroness Verma: Details of the proposed Progress Power Station near Eye, Suffolk, have been made available on the Planning Inspectorate's website at: http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/eastern/progress-power-station/?ipcsection=overview The Planning Inspectorate publishes all documents submitted to them in connection with applications with the exception of any draft or working documents which are incomplete. For the Progress Power station proposal, such published documents are available via the above hyperlink. Energy: Nuclear Power Stations Lord Hollick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 16 December 2013 (WA 152), whether they will quantify the level of return on EDF's investment in the Hinkley Point nuclear programme which they judge to be a fair return. Baroness Verma: Should an investment contract be agreed for Hinkley Point C, it would be laid before Parliament subject to the redaction of confidential data in accordance with the provisions set out in the Energy Act. The Government also has committed to publish summaries of reports from expert technical and financial advisers, including a value for money assessment. This would include the extent to which the strike price would provide a reasonable return to the developer whilst being affordable and representing value for money. Energy: Prices Lord Jenkin of Roding: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to respond to the suggestion in the Department of Energy and Climate Change's December 2013 Impact Assessment that the Department has underestimated the extent to which wholesale prices will rise in response to tight capacity margins. Baroness Verma: The Impact Assessment (IA) notes that DECC's modelling could underestimate the impact on wholesale prices if the Capacity Market is not introduced. However, the Energy Act was passed by Parliament in December and the first capacity auction is scheduled to take place at the end of this year. The Capacity Market will ensure there is sufficient investment to keep the lights on and protects consumers against the risk of high wholesale prices for energy. As the IA noted, we are seeking to improve the capability of the Department's Dynamic Dispatch Model. In particular we are exploring the use of stochastic modelling to assess the impact of unpredictability in plant outages and demand, as well as the modelling of investor decisions in response to expectations of future prices. Flags Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 7 January (WA 260), what criteria the Ministry of Defence uses to determine on what occasions and where to fly flags from other nations. Lord Astor of Hever: Decisions on the flying of foreign flags are delegated to Commanding Officers, who may choose to do so when deemed appropriate. Foreign flags are normally flown over Main Building (MOD Headquarters in London) for arrival parades during a state visit, and over NATO and US bases on UK soil, such as HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. Flags Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 7 January (WA 260), what criteria the Wales Office uses to determine on what occasions and where to fly flags from other nations. Baroness Randerson: The Wales Office does not fly flags from other nations. Government Departments: Administrative Costs and Salaries Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the administrative costs, including salaries, of the private offices of each Minister in the Department of Energy and Climate Change for the last year for which figures are available. Baroness Verma: The costs of all DECC staff are published online together with an organogram at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/decc-junior-staff-datasets This includes the Private Office group. For access to the information at the above link: • Click on “Interactive structure chart for DECC”• Once the page has loaded, click on “Principal Private Secretary — Private Office Group.” Government Departments: Administrative Costs and Salaries Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the administrative costs, including salaries, of the private offices of each Minister in the Scotland Office for the last year for which figures are available. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The Scotland Office operates one private office function for cost and efficiency purposes, which supports the Secretary of State and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. The administrative cost, including salaries, of running the ministerial private office in 2012-13 was £535,559. The figure does not include accommodation costs. Government Departments: Administrative Costs and Salaries Lord Morris of Aberavon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the administrative costs, including salaries, of the private offices of each Minister in the Wales Office for the last year for which figures are available. Baroness Randerson: The Wales Office has sought to reduce costs since May 2010 by having a combined private office for all three of its Ministers. This allows the Department to make the most efficient use of its resources, by ensuring flexible support for Ministers and avoiding duplication of work. Further efficiencies have been made by sharing a Parliamentary Team with the Northern Ireland Office and the Scotland Office, and recently by piloting a shared service with Northern Ireland Office for correspondence relating to Freedom of Information. The total cost of private office salaries and travel and subsistence in 2012-13 was £419,641 some 19% lower than equivalent cost in 2010-11. Government Departments: Management Information Reports Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 18 December 2013 relating to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (WA 211–12), whether any performance data are collated on a daily or weekly basis for Ministers or the Permanent Secretary; and, if so, what. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The reporting of performance data to Ministers and the Permanent Secretary on both corporate and policy issues is aligned with the Department's objectives and governance structures and on the basis of an analysis of risk. For example, performance data is reported for Ministerial correspondence and Parliamentary Questions daily, for Freedom of Information requests, and financial management accounts data are reported monthly. For major projects, key performance data are reported depending on an assessment of priority and risk. Performance data are reported publicly via www.data.gov.uk. Government Departments: Management Information Reports Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 18 December 2013 relating to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (WA 211–12), what key performance indicators are used to review progress against the overall performance targets and objectives of the Department. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Department publishes an annual Business Plan setting out its Objectives, planned structural reform actions and performance indicators used to measure progress. Performance data for these indicators are available on www.data.gov.uk. The Department also provided an update on progress against objectives and performance measures in the BIS Mid-year Report which is available on www.gov.uk. Government Departments: Research and Development Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the Department of Energy and Climate Change spent in total in (1) 2010–11, (2) 2011–12, (3) 2012–13, and (4) 2013–14; how much the Department spent on research and development in each of those years; and how much the Department spent on the Small Business Research Initiative in each of those years. Baroness Verma: The Department of Energy and Climate Change incurred the following expenditure in total, on research and development and on the Small Business Research Initiative from 2010-11 to 31st December 2013. 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 £(m) £(m) £(m) £(m) Total spend 4,111 3,584 4,345 N/A* Spend on R&D 69 20 28 N/A* Spend on SBRI 0 0 1 6** * Figures not available ** Spend up to 31 December 2013 Health: Vaccinations The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any arrangement under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for compensating individuals with proven disability arising from commonly administered vaccines. Lord Freud: The Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme provides a one-off lump sum payment to those who are severely disabled as a result of vaccination against diseases listed in the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979. The scheme is designed to cover those diseases that are or have been vaccinated against as part of the Department of Health's routine childhood immunisation programme. The payment is not compensation and an award does not prejudice the right of the disabled person to pursue a claim for damages through the courts if they wish. There is no facility to accept a claim in respect of a disease that is not listed in the Act. Israel and Palestine Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the Israel–Palestine peace process of reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah; and what action they will take to encourage such a reconciliation. Baroness Warsi: We continue to follow closely developments regarding the issue of reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. The British Government's position, and that of the EU, remains that Palestinian reconciliation, if agreed on the basis of the principles set out by President Abbas in his speech of 4 May 2011, would be a positive step for the unity of a future Palestinian state and for reaching a two state solution. We do not presently plan to take any action, as this is a matter for the Palestinians. Israel and Palestine Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they have taken to discourage JCB from supplying equipment to the Israeli authorities for the construction of illegal settlements and destruction of Palestinian property. Baroness Warsi: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has online advice to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which UK businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). This includes guidance on Israeli settlements. We are advising British businesses to bear in mind the Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region. This is voluntary guidance to British businesses on doing business in Israel and OPTs. Ultimately it will be the decision of an individual or company whether to operate in settlements in the Occupied Territories, but the Government would neither encourage nor offer support to such activity. Israel and Palestine Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have invited Sir Stephen Sedley to review progress on the recommendations of the Children in Military Custody report; and, if so, when his review is expected. Baroness Warsi: The Government is in discussion with the delegation who compiled the Children in Military Custody report about a possible return visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the near future. Low Pay Commission Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the submissions made to the Low Pay Commission by HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Skills and Innovation. Viscount Younger of Leckie: Copies of “National minimum wage: final government evidence for the Low Pay Commission 2014 report” and “National minimum wage: government evidence for the Low Pay Commission additional assessment” have been placed in the Library. Natural Environment Research Council Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the proposed privatisation of parts of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), what will be their policy about the availability to the public and private sector of research data and monitoring data, past, present and future, obtained by NERC institutions and university programmes funded by NERC. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is considering how to secure the long-term future of its Research Centres and the national interests they serve. No decision has been made to privatise the centres. NERC Council is examining alternative options, within and outside the public sector, alongside a continuation of the present arrangements. NERC has consulted widely on the potential benefits and risks of alternative arrangements through its open 'Call for Evidence', and will ensure that the on-going, national interest is retained in any alternative option. NERC is committed to maintain and curate environmental data records, and ensure their widest possible use for research and wider societal benefit. This is an important consideration in evaluating potential options for the centres. NERC places uniform requirements on all those benefitting from its funding, be they wholly-owned NERC Centres, universities or charities, to ensure that data is lodged within a recognised NERC or other data centre with responsibility for the long-term curation of environmental data. There are no plans to change NERC's policy in this respect. NHS Property Services Limited Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many contracts NHS Property Ltd entered into since April 2013 for the provision of primary care premises. Earl Howe: Since 1 April 2013, NHS Property Services Ltd (NHS PS) has entered into a total of 18 contracts that relate to the provision of primary care premises. These contracts are grouped as follows: — Two sale agreements;— 14 primary care lease contracts; and— Two construction build contracts. These contracts relate solely to property in the ownership of NHS PS. NHS England has responsibility for contracts relating to other primary care premises development. Official Secrets Act Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what obligations are placed upon a member or former member of the armed forces who signed the Official Secrets Act if they become the subject of legal proceedings or inquiries in connection with their activities during their time of service. Lord Astor of Hever: If a member or former member of the Armed Forces has information relating to their Crown service which is potentially subject to disclosure in legal proceedings, they are obliged to seek authorisation from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) before disclosing the information. It is an offence, under section 2(1) of the Official Secrets Act 1989, for a person who is or has been a Crown servant if without lawful authority he or she makes a damaging disclosure of any information, document or other article relating to defence which is or has been in his possession by virtue of his or her position as such. The declaration that members of the Armed Forces and other Crown servants sign on appointment to the MOD states that the signatory is aware of the duty of confidentiality owed to the MOD and that the obligations to protect the confidentiality of official information entrusted during Crown service continue after termination of Crown service and are lifelong. Police: Black and Ethnic Minority Officers Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase the number of black and ethnic minority police officers across England, Wales and Scotland; and what contributory roles HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the College of Policing will play. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: It is important police forces reflect the communities they serve. While progress has been made to increase diversity of the workforce, the Government has said that there is still more for forces to do. This Government's reforms have already made improvements, for example we set up the College of Policing which has embarked on a major programme looking at recruitment, retention and progression of black and minority ethnic officers. Locally Police and Crime Commissioners will ensure that the public's priorities on crime and community safety are acted upon, that victims are consulted, and that the most vulnerable groups' and individuals' needs are heard and understood. The Home Office is actively engaged with the College and forces to ensure that this work is given appropriate priority and that learning, best practice and opportunities are identified and shared. Recruitment in Scotland is a matter for the Devolved Administration and Police Scotland. Police: Missing Persons Lord Morrow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will provide the protocol used by police in England in 2004 as to (1) the reporting of a missing person, (2) the definition of a vulnerable person, (3) the definition of a person with severe learning disabilities, and (4) the logging mechanisms for a missing person report; and when and if such protocols have been updated since 2004 to date. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: In 2004 the relevant protocol for the investigation of incidents of missing persons was the 'Police Officers Guide to the Investigation of Missing Persons', published in 2002. The police receive missing persons reports from a number of sources and the protocol sets out guidance for forces on how to respond to those reports. The definition of a vulnerable person and of a person with severe learning disabilities was not included within the protocol. With regards to recording of information, the 2002 guidance states that: “This must be done clearly and in a way that can easily be reviewed. It is apparent that lack of clarity means that enquiries are overlooked or time is wasted double-checking the outcome of others. Make sure that the enquiries are set out so that the results can be entered nearby to show the outcome.” No specific system or means of logging the report were set within the protocol/guidance. Guidance on police handling of missing persons cases was updated in 2005, 2010 and 2013. There are plans for a further update in Autumn 2014. The documents are available for reference in the National Crime Agency's UK Missing Persons Bureau, the more recent guidance is available online Roads: Rubbish Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which body has overall responsibility for ensuring that rubbish is not ejected from passing cars within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; and what practical steps they intend to take to prevent such action. Lord De Mauley: It is everyone’s individual responsibility not to drop or throw litter, whether they are in a car or not. Local authorities have a legal duty to keep their land clear of litter and refuse, and they have powers to fine people who make this difficult by dropping litter. It is up to local authorities to decide how best to do this in their areas. The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) includes or crosses a number of different local authority areas, and the Government does not hold details of their individual strategies to tackle littering from vehicles within the AONB. Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will commission research on the number of small scrap dealers who have gone out of business and are now claiming benefits as a result of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There are no plans to commission such research and I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 21 November 2013, Column WA234. Sellafield Lord Lewis of Newnham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the summit the week of 9 December 2013 concerning tier 1½ work on the decommissioning of Sellafield, reportedly announced by Mark Lesinski, then Chief Operating Officer at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, at the Weapons Complex Monitor Decisionmakers’ Forum on 22 October 2013, took place; if so, with what result; if not, whether any such summit is planned to take place, and when; and how any subsequent procurements will be integrated with the second five-year tier one contract term with the existing Sellafield consortium which is scheduled to be extended from April 2014 to March 2019. Baroness Verma: The summit in question did not take place on 9 December 2013. Sellafield are currently developing their site strategy which will consider how SL works with its programme partners. Responsibility for the contracting strategy between Sellafield Ltd and its supply chain sits with Sellafield Ltd. The NDA, as owner of the Sellafield site and the client for the Sellafield contract, works closely with Sellafield Ltd on its plans including scrutinising its decisions on the most appropriate procurement routes to enhance the capability of Sellafield Ltd to deliver its plans. Sellafield Ltd has identified a number of areas in which it is seeking to improve its contracting arrangements, including the use of organisations which can provide high level capability to support a range of activities. A range of options are currently being explored in order to determine the most appropriate way forward. Shipbuilding Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new Minister for Portsmouth will be able to allocate funding to assist the maintenance of a shipbuilding capacity in Portsmouth. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The government is confident that Portsmouth has a strong maritime future and can emerge stronger from the recent decision taken by BAE. We have already allocated funding to support the sector, through the Solent Futures Regional Growth Fund (RGF) scheme worth a total of £13m. And we have established the Solent Maritime Forum to identify what further steps need to be taken to secure sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors locally. State Aid Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many applications to the European Union for permission to give state aid to United Kingdom undertakings are at present under consideration; and whether the power to make decisions about state aid is one of those which they consider should be returned to member states. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The UK currently has 26 State Aid cases before the Commission for approval. This figure includes notified cases and cases at pre-notification stage. The Review of Balance of Competences: Competition and Consumer policy report will cover State Aid and will look at the advantages and disadvantages of EU competence in this area, but the report will not make specific recommendations about where competence should lie. United Nations Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the policy and technical objectives they will be promoting at the United Nations Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction in 2015; and what consultations are planned in preparation for the Conference with scientific and engineering institutions, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Cabinet Office and the Department for International Development (DFID) are jointly leading work to develop the Government’s negotiating position ahead of the 3rd United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, in March 2015. At the May 2013 Global Platform meeting in Geneva, the UK’s representative shared the Government’s initial thoughts on issues for further exploration under the new framework, namely: improving accountability; ensuring that disaster risk reduction is both a humanitarian and development priority; tackling the root causes of vulnerability; focusing on the most vulnerable; and moving the focus from the national to the local and community level to encourage a more inclusive approach. Responding to the UN’s request for countries to conduct national dialogues on the new framework, DFID and Cabinet Office organised two national events in October and December 2013. These well-attended events included representatives from civil society, academia, science and technology, local responders, government departments, INGOs, NGOs, and the private sector, as well as representatives the UN and other international partners who shared their views on priority areas for the post-2015 framework. A report of these events is currently being prepared and will be submitted to the UN for publication on the UN’s website for disaster risk reduction. The events will also inform the ongoing development of the UK’s negotiating position. Universal Credit Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what analysis has been undertaken of the impact of the freeze in work allowances, announced in the Autumn Statement, on the living standards and work incentives of low income workers. Lord Freud: Once fully rolled out, 3 million households gain on average £174 per month (in 2012/13 prices) from Universal Credit after taking account of the Work Allowance freeze. Around 75% of the households that gain are in the bottom 40% of the income distribution. Transitional Protection will ensure that there will be no cash losers under Universal Credit, providing their circumstances remain the same. Universal Credit will encourage claimants to move into employment and to work more by introducing a smoother and more transparent reduction of benefits when they increase their earnings. Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out, the number of households losing more than 70% of their earnings when starting work of ten hours per week will fall by 800,000. Visas Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will reconsider their refusal to grant a temporary visa for travel to the United Kingdom for the Russian journalist working for Novaya Gazeta, who applied to the United Kingdom embassy in Moscow. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: UK visa applications are assessed against the UK Immigration Rules and where an application does not meet these rules it must be refused. The decision to refuse an application is not taken lightly by Entry Clearance staff and is made on consideration of the information provided at the time of the application. Where the Immigration Rules permit, and on receipt of further documentation, it may be possible to review the application and where appropriate the decision will be overturned. If a right of appeal is not permitted under the Immigration Rules, the applicant is free to apply at any time and should be mindful to address the reasons for the previous refusal in the new application. We are not able to comment publically on individual immigration cases. Waste Management: Export Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the exportation of waste from the United Kingdom; when the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will publish its consultation into waste export; what is the deadline for responses to the consultation; and when their recommendations following the consultation will be published. Lord De Mauley: All waste exports must comply with the requirements of the EU Waste Shipments Regulation. This does not allow the export of waste that is contaminated to the extent that it could not be managed in an environmentally sound manner. The Waste Shipments Regulation applies directly in the UK and is supplemented by a set of domestic regulations, the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations, which we are currently amending. We consulted on these regulations between March and May last year and aim to publish the Government’s response at the end of February.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2014-01-23a

Department of Health Surrogate Motherhood: Lone Parents baroness barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 19 September (HL1420), whether, under the proposed remedial order relating to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008,single people who are unable to provide their own genetic material will be permitted to apply for a parental order following a surrogacy arrangement; and if not, what consideration they havetaken of the potential discriminatory effects of this, in particular against infertile single women. lord o'shaughnessy: Remedial orders have a very limited purpose, to correct incompatibilities identified in Human Rights legislation. In this case the remedial order is intended to correct the provision in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 that currently only permits couples to apply for a parental order following a surrogacy arrangement, which the High Court ruled was incompatible with Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The provision of the Act which requires an applicant to have provided their own gametes to bring about the pregnancy is unchanged by the ruling of the High Court. Tobacco: Counterfeit Manufacturing lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there has been any assessment made of the health hazards from illicit tobacco products compared with those that are legally produced; and if so, what future impact such hazards are likely to have on the health of smokers under 25 years old. lord o'shaughnessy: There are no separate assessments made by the Government on the health hazards of illicit tobacco as all tobacco products are harmful. Considerable progress has been made in addressing tobacco smuggling and the reductions we have seen have been achieved through regulatory changes, new sanctions, detection technology and partnership working across government and internationally. The Tobacco Control Plan for England, published in July 2017, set out the continued government commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, including the United Kingdom international obligation to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Protocol on Illicit Tobacco as soon as the required legislation has been approved by Parliament. Tobacco lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of any positive impact in the overall health of under 35 year old smokers arising from tax and packaging measures that they have imposed. lord o'shaughnessy: Tobacco taxation is a proven and effective means to reduce smoking and a disincentive for young people to take up smoking in the first place. The Government consulted on the introduction of standardised packaging and published an impact assessment, which included benefits to public health. For the purposes of this impact assessment, the conservative assumption was made that no harm is incurred by smoking under the age of 35, due to the lack of precise data to quantify benefits from not smoking under this age. That said, the impact assessment notes that for every young person who no longer starts smoking for example, life expectancy improves by 2.1 years. The Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015 came into force on 20 May 2016; the Government has a commitment to review these regulations by 2020. Abortion: Northern Ireland baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to provide any additional support to women travelling from Northern Ireland to access abortions in England; and if so, (1) whether financial support will be available, and (2) what expenses any financial support will cover. lord o'shaughnessy: On 29 June 2017 the Government announced that it will fund, via the Government Equalities Office, abortions in England for women usually resident in Northern Ireland. We are currently finalising details of the scheme and a further announcement will be made in due course. Mental Health Services: Children and Young People baroness walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reduce the waiting time for treatment by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. lord o'shaughnessy: We have introduced a new waiting time standard for treatment of children and young people with eating disorders, setting an expectation that by 2020, 95% of those referred will start treatment within one week if the case is urgent and four weeks if the case is non-urgent. National data on the number of young people receiving treatment within this timeframe in England shows that over 73% of patients started urgent treatment within one week in Quarter 1 2017-18 (206 out of 281 patients started treatment within one week) and nearly 78.9% of patients started routine treatment within four weeks in Quarter 1 2017-18 (1,067 out of 1,355 patients started treatment within four weeks). This is positive initial progress some three years before the 95% level of the standard comes into force. We are also currently exceeding the waiting time standard for Early Intervention in Psychosis, with nearly 75% of patients starting treatment within two weeks in July 2017. The upcoming children and young people’s mental health Green Paper, which will be published by the end of the year, will include plans to improve timely access to specialist mental health services for those children and young people who need it most. First Aid: Mental Health baroness walmsley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many schools have received mental health first aid training. lord o'shaughnessy: To date, 280 schools have received training during June, July and September (262 secondaries and 18 primaries) with a total of 401 people trained. We anticipate that over 1,000 schools will receive training by the end of 2017. Cabinet Office Non-governmental Organisations baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government which non-governmental organisations have been established by secondary legislation in the last 30 years. lord young of cookham: A list of non-governmental organisations established by secondary legislation is not held centrally and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. Ministry of Defence Iraq: Armed Conflict the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number ofcivilians killed during the liberation of Mosul. the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to investigate unintended civilian casualties arising from UK participation in the US led coalition airstrikes to liberate Mosul; and if so, what resources they (1) have committed, and (2) intend to commit, to that investigation. the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to evaluate the deployment of airpower in heavily populated areas following the liberation of Mosul. earl howe: UK airstrikes always follow the principles of international humanitarian law: necessity, proportionality, distinction between combatants and non-combatant civilians, and the prevention of unnecessary suffering. The complex and congested urban environment of Mosul presented particular challenges for those undertaking airstrikes as part of the Coalition support to forces on the ground against Daesh. Our rigorous targeting processes take into account the conditions on the ground, including the potential presence of a civilian population. We undertake a battle damage assessment after every airstrike. This assessment examines all the available records including video, and one of its roles is the identification of any collateral damage, including civilian casualties. If any such assessment indicated anything that should be scrutinised further, a full investigation would be undertaken, with appropriate resources allocated to it. Thus there is no requirement for a further evaluation of the deployment of UK airpower in the campaign against Daesh. Mike Walliker: Gibraltar baroness harris of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many meetings the Commander of the British Forces, Commodore Mike Walliker, has had with (1) the Chief Police Officer of Gibraltar, (2) the Chairman of the Gibraltar Defence Police Federation, and (3) the Committee of the Gibraltar Defence Police Federation, since taking up his position inAugust. earl howe: Since he took up his position, Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore Mike Walliker, has had 20 formal meetings with the Chief Police Officer of Gibraltar Defence Police and four formal meetings with the Chairman of the Gibraltar Defence Police Federation. He has met with both in other forums, in wider meetings with others and informally. He has not had a meeting with the full Committee of the Gibraltar Defence Police Federation.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2017-10-12

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Middle East and North Africa: Refugees Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are actively discussing with international partners the creation of safe havens in North Africa and in the Middle East to provide refugees with humanitarian support and assessment for resettlement or return to their home. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have provided £800m of humanitarian support for Syrian refugees, as well as significant support for refugees in Africa. We participate in the EU’s Middle East Regional Development and Protection Programme, which aims to create a sustainable framework for protection in countries neighbouring Syria, and are considering how we might participate in similar programmes in North Africa and the Horn of Africa. Middle East and North Africa: Refugees Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many migrants from the Middle East or North Africa are thought to have died in the past 12 months; how many are being held within the European Union; what progress is being made in deterring human traffickers from exploiting and endangering such migrants; and what are their short- and long-term policies regarding such migrants. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that 3,500 people died attempting to cross the Mediterranean in 2014. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that by the end of April, over 1,700 migrants had died crossing the Mediterranean this year. The numbers of illegal migrants detected entering the EU sea border in 2014 was 220,000, of which about 170,000 crossed the Central Mediterranean.At the Extraordinary European Council in April, EU Member States agreed to establish a military Common Security and Defence Policy operation to disrupt trafficking and smuggling networks. We are working with EU partners to address long-term flows through initiatives in source and transit countries to address the underlying causes. We are increasing our work in and with transit countries to ensure migrants are protected, smuggling networks are closed down, that border management is improved, and to ensure that there is increased awareness of the risks of attempting a perilous journey to reach Europe. Armed Conflict: Interpreters Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to table a Resolution at the United Nations Security Council on the protection of interpreters and translators working in conflict zones, similar to the Resolution on the protection of journalists. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: All civilians are entitled to protection during armed conflict under international humanitarian law (IHL). The British Government works through the UN Security Council (UNSC) to increase the protection of civilians in conflict situations. The unanimous adoption of UNSC Resolution 2222 in May on the protection of journalists provided welcome recognition, not only of the contribution journalists make through the unique role they play in building open and democratic societies, but also the increased dangers they face as a consequence.The UK has no current plans to table a UNSC resolution on the protection of interpreters and translators. The Government acknowledges that interpreters and translators it employs in conflict zones may face additional threats. We take the security and safety of all members of our staff very seriously and have put in place measures to reduce the risks they face. Pakistan: Christianity Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan following the attacks on 24 May on a church and the homes of Christians in the Sandya district of Lahore; and what representations they have made concerning the declaration by doctors that Humayun Masih is unfit to plead. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We remain deeply concerned by the violent persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan and by misuse of the blasphemy law. We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to protect the human rights of all its citizens as laid down in the Pakistan Constitution and take concrete action to deliver on commitments to protect minorities. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed Pakistan’s misuse of the blasphemy laws with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2014. In December the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), also stressed our concerns about Pakistan’s blasphemy law with Prime Minister Sharif. United Arab Emirates: Human Rights Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United Arab Emirates regarding that country's refusal to allow entry to James Lynch, a British citizen, and other professionals working for human rights organisations. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), raised the Amnesty International case with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to the UK on 4 June. The UAE Ambassador has agreed to take forward this case with the UAE authorities. Football: Qatar Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Qatar and FIFA about the health and safety of construction workers building stadiums for the World Cup; and what responses they have received. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government takes seriously the issue of health and safety of construction workers building all infrastructure projects in the Gulf, including Qatar. We expect FIFA to do the same with regard to specific World Cup related projects. British officials promote the importance of local construction projects meeting international safety standards with their Qatari counterparts. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), raised our concerns about the wider treatment of foreign workers with the Qatari government during bilateral exchanges in Doha on 26 February. The Government welcomes the Qatari government's announcement of a series of measures to improve regulations governing the treatment of workers. We stand ready to support these efforts where we can. Israel: Palestinians Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken in the light of their "serious concern" at the imminent destruction of the village of Susiya. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have raised these issues with the Head of Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories’ (COGAT) Civil Administration division. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C for the benefit of the Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes. We are providing £1.1 million of technical assistance to support Palestinian villages currently threatened with demolition action to meet the requirements of the Israeli planning system. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), raised the issue with National Security Advisor Yossi Cohen on 3 June. In addition we continue to support Bedouin communities and Palestinians in Area C facing demolition or eviction through support to the Norwegian Refugee Council legal aid programme which helps individuals to challenge these decisions in the Israeli legal system. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with the government of Israel concerning the recent economic monitoring report by the World Bank regarding the economy of Gaza; and what steps they are taking to address the high level of youth unemployment in Gaza. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While we have not discussed this specific report by the World Bank with the Government of Israel, we continue to stress to the Israeli authorities the damage that their restrictions are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians in Gaza and that supporting legal trade for Gazans is firmly in Israel’s long-term interests. The Department for International Development’s current work on Gaza addresses the key access constraints, promotes economic growth and provides support to the poorest and most vulnerable parts of society. Israel: Palestinians Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the 74 Palestinians injured during the week ending 25 May, in particular an eight-year-old shot in the eye with a rubber bullet outside Shu'fat refugee camp. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While our officials in Tel Aviv have not raised these specific cases with the Israeli authorities, we do, however, raise our concerns with them about the manner in which the Israel Defence Forces police non-violent protests, including the use of lethal and non-lethal ammunition. Syria Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the circumstances of the more than 230 Assyrian Christian hostages taken by Da'esh in the north of Syria in February; (2) the capture by Da'esh of around 35 predominantly Assyrian villages along the Khabur river in the Hassake Governorate; and (3) how many people remain unaccounted for following those captures. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We understand that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) are still holding more than 200 Assyrian Christians who were abducted in February from villages along the Khabour river in Hassakeh Province of North-East Syria. We believe that, in another act of appalling barbarity, ISIL executed at least 15 of the hostages, and that 23 Assyrian Christians have since been released following the payment of ransom money by the families, and another two freed when the area was liberated at the end of May. We remain concerned for the remaining hostages, most of whom are women, children and elderly people. We support the UN Security Council Statement condemning the abductions and demanding the Christians immediate release.The UK is committed to defeating ISIL, an organisation that has no place in today’s world. We will continue to work with the Global Coalition of more than sixty countries to ensure that ISIL no longer poses a threat to the people of the region, to international stability or to our own national security. Syria Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the successful removal of Da'esh from the 35 villages along the Khabur river that had previously been captured, what steps they are taking to assist the clearing of mines and unexploded ordnance, to consolidate stability, and to create safe havens to enable the return of residents. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While the UK is not carrying out any mine clearance operations in Syria, we fully recognise the widespread and severe civilian suffering caused by the conflict. The UK has given over £800m to the humanitarian response, more than we have given to any previous humanitarian crisis. Some of this has been targeted to provide humanitarian support to the Hasakah Governorate as and where security constraints have allowed.Although safe havens can be effective in some situations, they are not currently feasible in Syria. Without all parties agreeing on their establishment there would need to be sufficient military capability to guarantee the safety of individuals. That is not currently present in Syria. Africa: Refugees Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps the European Union has taken to ensure that its strategic partners in Africa (1) warn their citizens of the dangers of making trans-Saharan and Mediterranean voyages for the purposes of irregular migration, (2) deter those seeking to embark on such a journey, and (3) strengthen law enforcement against human trafficking in such migrants' countries of origin; and what position they have taken in discussions with other European Union member states regarding such steps. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We believe it is essential to have a comprehensive approach to deal with irregular migration. This should involve work in source and transit countries to ensure migrants are protected, smuggling networks are closed down, that border management is improved, and to ensure that there is increased awareness of the risks of attempting a perilous journey to reach Europe. We are working with EU partners to ensure these elements are included in the EU’s response to tackling the problems in the Mediterranean. For example, we are members of the Core Group of the Khartoum Process, an EU- African Union initiative to tackle trafficking and smuggling of migrants between the Horn of Africa and Europe. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Universities Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Higher Education Academy recommending that United Kingdom universities should adopt the grade point average system. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Higher Education Academy (HEA) report ‘Grade Point Average: Report of the GPA pilot project 2013-14’, published on 28 May 2015, was a result of a review undertaken by HEA’s national Grade Point Average Advisory Group. The Department has noted the report. However, higher education institutions with degree awarding powers are responsible for their own academic awards. It is a matter for institutions to consider the recommendation as independent and autonomous bodies. Department for International Development Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of President Carter’s failed attempt to enter Gaza, what support they will give to United Kingdom Ministers who wish to assess the humanitarian situation in Gaza first-hand. Baroness Verma: The safety of British Nationals is of paramount importance and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s travel advice for British nationals is clear; we advise against all travel to Gaza. Decisions on approval for official and ministerial visits to Gaza are taken on a case by case basis in light of the security and political situation at the time. Nepal: Earthquakes The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they have given to the government of Nepal following the earthquake there on 25 April. Baroness Verma: The UK is providing more than £33 million to the earthquake response in Nepal – making us the largest donor to the relief operation. Assistance from the UK Government has provided thousands of needy people and affected communities with water purification jerrycans and essential shelter, and has transported a huge volume of boxes of food rations and lanterns. A new health programme, announced by the Secretary of State during her visit in May, will ensure that children can continue to be immunised, women can deliver babies safely and work can commence on rebuilding up to 1,000 damaged health facilities. Our pre-positioned water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies have also reached thousands of people. Palestinians: Refugees Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government steps they are taking to support Palestinian refugees from Syria living in Lebanon following the suspension of cash assistance from the UN Relief and Works Agency for housing owing to lack of funds. Baroness Verma: The UK has been supporting the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to ensure that the needs of highly vulnerable Palestinians are addressed inside Syria and in neighbouring countries, including Lebanon. To date, the UK has allocated £38.75 million to provide cash assistance, food parcels, relief items, hygiene packs and education for Palestinian refugees affected by the violence in Syria and the region. The UK’s expected contribution to UNRWA’s 2015 Syria emergency appeal is £8 million, which includes £2 million towards support for Palestinian refugees from Syria in Lebanon. This is in addition to the UK’s contribution of £30 million towards UNRWA’s General Fund, which supports services provided to Palestinian refugees in the region. The UK remains deeply concerned about the wellbeing of Palestinian refugees from Syria in Lebanon, and recognises the funding shortfalls across UNRWA’s funds and appeals. The UK continues to play a leading role in encouraging the international community to make generous pledges in response to the humanitarian crisis. The UK also welcomes UNRWA’s efforts to take forward important reforms to achieve greater cost efficiencies, whilst prioritising the needs of the most vulnerable. Department for Education Church Schools Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Freud on 3 June (HL Deb, col 508), what form the engagement with the church will take, and whether it will take place before the Education and Adoption Bill is introduced. Lord Nash: Department for Education officials meet with representatives of the Church of England and Catholic Church on a regular basis to discuss the impact of Government policy on their schools. They will continue such engagement during the passage of the Education and Adoption Bill. Faith Schools: Admissions Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the 50 per cent cap on faith-based admissions to free schools. Lord Nash: The government has no plans to review the 50 per cent limit of faith based admissions to free schools and new provision academies. Ministry of Defence Trident Submarines Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the planned build time for the first and second replacement Trident submarines. Earl Howe: Planned build times have been withheld as they relate to the formation of government policy. While the department will consider a number of planning assumptions for build times when conducting Concept and Assessment studies on projects, build times are not confirmed until projects achieve or reach their Main Gate approval. Department for Work and Pensions Housing Benefit Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make a statement on the adequacy of existing levels of Discretionary Housing Payments, and if so, when. Lord Freud: There are no plans for Her Majesty’s Government to make any statement on Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) at this time as the financial and monitoring returns analysis for 2014/15 will be published on the morning of 25th June 2015, on the GOV.UK website. The Department is committed to monitoring the allocation and use of DHPs and has published mid-year and annual reports using data provided by Local Authorities (LAs) which highlight over and under-spending LAs. The release of this analysis into the public domain demonstrates the Department’s continuing commitment to supporting LAs efforts to use existing housing stock more effectively as, since 2013, the Department has made available £470 million in Discretionary Housing Payment funding, of which a significant sum is returned by LAs each year. Department for Communities and Local Government Housing: Construction Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much brownfield land they have identified as being suitable for house building, and in particular for building social housing; and what proportion of the total is situated in areas with a current housing shortage. Baroness Williams of Trafford: We estimate that capacity exists for around 200,000 homes on brownfield sites that are suitable and viable for housing, in areas where sufficient demand exists, and irrespective of tenure. To improve the availability and transparency of data on brownfield land, we have announced our intention to require local authorities to maintain a register of brownfield land suitable for housing. HM Treasury Debts Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to address United Kingdom household debt and to make domestic finances more sustainable. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The personal financial position of households is improving. Household debt as a proportion of income has fallen from a peak of 169 per cent in 2008 Q1 to 146 per cent in 2014 Q4, as households have reduced borrowing and repaid debt. The government has introduced a number of measures to support domestic finances including the New ISA, abolishing the starting rate of tax on savings income, NS&I pensioner bonds and now the Help to Buy ISA. Northern Ireland Executive: Finance Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the failure by the Northern Ireland Assembly to pass the Welfare Reform Bill, whether they will continue to make additional finance available to the Northern Ireland Executive as set out in the Stormont House agreement. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Stormont House Agreement, if fully implemented, would pave the way for a more stable and prosperous Northern Ireland. Welfare reform is a central component, and failure to deliver it calls into question the availability of the significant financial package put forward by the Government in support of the wider Agreement. As the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has been clear, it is vital that the Northern Ireland parties get on with the job of honouring their commitments. Borrowing Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the respective borrowing limits for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Northern Ireland Executive has a statutory borrowing limit of £3 billion for capital purposes as set out in the Northern Ireland (loans) Act 1975 and as amended by the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006. The Scotland Act 2012 permits the Scottish Government to borrow up to £2.2 billion for capital purposes and £500 million to cover shortfalls in cash receipts. The Welsh Government may borrow up to £500 million to cover shortfalls in the Welsh Consolidated Fund as set out in the Government of Wales Act 2006. The Wales Act 2014 confers capital borrowing powers of up to £500 million on the Welsh Government which take effect from 2018-19. The annual amounts that each Devolved Administration may borrow are agreed between the Treasury and the respective Devolved Administration. Block Grant Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their latest estimates of the block grant amounts transferred to (1) Wales, (2) Scotland, and (3) Northern Ireland in each of the three most recent financial years. Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The combined Resource and Capital Departmental Expenditure Limits for each of the Devolved Administrations for the years in question is as follows: £ million2013-142014-152015-16Scottish Government29,00830,22030,090Welsh Government15,79115,89615,935Northern Ireland Executive11,10511,36511,193 These data do not include the changes made for 2015-16 as part of the Main Estimates round or the estimated outturn for 2014-15. Updated information will be published in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses later this summer. Department for Energy and Climate Change Nuclear Power Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any reasons why marine nuclear propulsion engines such as the A1B could not be used on land to generate nuclear power if connected in series; and if so, what those reasons are. Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for using PWR3 nuclear reactors, mounted on floating barges, as a potential power source for electricity generation in the United Kingdom. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: There are a number of factors that are considered to make marine nuclear propulsion reactors unattractive for landside electricity generation, when compared to a conventional reactor that has been designed specifically for this purpose. All of these are likely to add to the levelised cost of electricity generation from a propulsion reactor used for electricity generation purposes for the national grid, compared to a dedicated land-based reactor. These include the following:1) Propulsion reactors are designed for more rapid power cycling than is currently demanded from landside reactors.2) The power density of a propulsion reactor is much higher than one would need for a landside power reactor.3) The serviceable lifetime for a propulsion reactor is shorter than for a power reactor.4) Propulsion reactors are smaller than most reactor designs, varying between a few tens of MW to about 150 MW, resulting in relatively little capacity per unit.5) Propulsion reactors’ design would result in the regulatory compliance costs of their landside use for electricity generation being greater than those for a dedicated landside reactor.The first two issues add to capital costs of design and construction, the second two to operational costs and the final to regulatory costs. Cabinet Office General Election 2015: Absent Voting Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, prior to the general election, what were the total and percentage figures for (1) the number of postal voters registered in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) England, (c) Scotland, (d) Wales, and (e) Northern Ireland; and (2) the number of postal votes cast in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) England, (c) Scotland, (d) Wales, and (e) Northern Ireland. Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which 20 constituencies had the highest number of postal votes in the United Kingdom during the general election; which five constituencies in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales and (4) Northern Ireland had the highest number of postal votes; and what percentage of the total number of postal voters these figures represent in each case. Lord Bridges of Headley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. UK Statistics Reply (PDF Document, 64.09 KB) Emergencies Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current equivalent of the Cabinet Office’s Central Government War Book of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, if any. Lord Bridges of Headley: With the end of the cold war, separate arrangements for civil defence and emergency planning were combined and underpinned by the Civil Contingencies Act (CCA). The traditional Government War Books were archived.Details of specific plans and arrangements are not held together in one compendium. The National Security Secretariat retains an overview to ensure that relevant material can be accessed quickly if needed.The Strategic Defence and Security Review will, among other things, consider the changing risk picture and whether changes are needed to our current posture and arrangements. Iraq Committee of Inquiry Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Chairman of the Chilcot Inquiry regarding the early publication of the final report. Lord Bridges of Headley: I refer the Noble Lord to the exchange of letters between the Prime Minister and Sir John Chilcot from January 2015 regarding the progress of the Inquiry. I have attached a copy for reference. Letter from Sir John Chilcot to Prime Minister (PDF Document, 241.08 KB) Letter from Prime Minister to Sir John Chilcot (PDF Document, 198.08 KB) National Income Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest figures for gross value added per capita for (1) England, (2) Northern Ireland, (3) Scotland and (4) Wales. Lord Bridges of Headley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. UK Statistics Reply (PDF Document, 79.5 KB) Department of Health Health Services: Children Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was spent on emergency and urgent care for children and young people as a proportion of the total 2013–14 budget for emergency and urgent care. Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was spent on acute care in hospitals for children and young people as a proportion of the total 2013–14 budget for acute care in hospitals. Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was spent on general practitioner and community services for children and young people as a proportion of the total 2013–14 budget for general practitioner and community services. Lord Prior of Brampton: This information is not held centrally. NHS England and the Department do not monitor the proportion of expenditure on emergency and urgent care, acute care in hospitals and general practitioner and community services for children and young people, as a proportion of the overall National Health Service expenditure on these services. Health Professions and Social Workers: Regulation Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to bring forward the draft Law Commission bill on medical regulation for parliamentary consideration. Lord Prior of Brampton: This Government is grateful for the work of the Law Commissions of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in reviewing the regulation of health and (in England) social care professionals. The Law Commissions made 125 recommendations to reform the existing complex and burdensome regulatory system. The joint four United Kingdom country response to the Law Commission was published on 29 January 2015 which accepted wholly or in part the vast majority of its recommendations. The recommendations focussed on modernising and simplifying the legislation to enable the regulators to respond more quickly to emerging risks to patient safety and deal with poor professional practice swiftly and proportionately. This Government remains committed to bringing forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows. This will be a substantial Bill and it is important that Parliament has sufficient time to give it the consideration it requires. Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to monitor the adoption across England of the pilot fast-track clinical pathway for polymyalgia rheumatica and giant-cell arteritis being developed in Southend University Hospital. Lord Prior of Brampton: Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for the provision of services for people with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis (GCA). Whilst it would not be appropriate for NHS England to direct CCGs to adopt a particular clinical pathway, it continues to ensure that the innovative approach developed in Southend University Hospital is shared and made available to clinicians. The Specialised Rheumatology Clinical Reference Group at NHS England has been developing proposals to establish local rheumatology networks. The aim of these would be to share good and innovative practice across the country and an indication has been proposed for GCA. In addition, NHS England’s innovation team has invited Professor Dasgupta, who developed the GCA pathway, to contribute to the NHS Innovation Exchange Portal to ensure that this knowledge is shared. Mesothelioma: Research Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase the United Kingdom’s capacity to conduct research into mesothelioma and associated diseases. Lord Prior of Brampton: The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has invited researchers to apply for mesothelioma research funding, in particular to address the research questions identified through the Mesothelioma Priority Setting Partnership and published in December 2014. Eight NIHR programmes are participating in this themed call, including the NIHR fellowships programme which supports outstanding individuals to become the health research leaders of the future. The NIHR funds infrastructure capacity for experimental medicine to translate scientific developments into benefits for patients. Such infrastructure supporting studies in mesothelioma includes biomedical research centres and units, clinical research facilities, and experimental cancer medicine centres. The NIHR funds infrastructure capacity for later phase trials and studies through the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN). The CRN is currently recruiting to seven studies in mesothelioma. Health Services: Staffordshire Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG into the long-term affordability of the Staffordshire local health economy. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which public bodies commissioned the report by KPMG into the long-term affordability of the Staffordshire local health economy. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the cost to public funds of the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the report commissioned on the Staffordshire local health economy by KPMG has not been published. Lord Prior of Brampton: In 2014, NHS England, Monitor and the Trust Development Authority (TDA) commissioned research from four consultancies including KPMG to support 11 challenged local health economies, including Staffordshire, with the development and strengthening of their strategic plans. An overarching summary, Making Local Health Economies Work Better For Patients, was published by NHS England, Monitor and TDA in December 2014. We are advised that consultancy firms (including the case of KPMG in Staffordshire), were not commissioned to produce a report as described in the question, but to support the local health economies (LHEs) with the development and strengthening of their strategic plans. Work based on this support is ongoing, and a number of steps have to be taken in each of the LHEs. These include the consideration of strategic plans, consultations on possible reforms and the implementation of recommendations flowing from this. To release information ahead of these steps could prejudice the outcome. Health Services: Staffordshire Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they agree with the assessment of the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG into the Staffordshire local health economy that the annual financial deficit across the NHS providers and commissioners in Staffordshire could reach £216.8m by 2018–19. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure the financial viability of the Staffordshire local health economy. Lord Prior of Brampton: There are significant financial issues within Staffordshire which present a challenge for the local leaders. The financial challenge is being addressed by the Transformation Strategy which will drive the service redesign of the Staffordshire health and social care economy to secure financial and clinically sustainable services in the long term. This work is being led by the Clinical Commissioning Congress - a joint body of clinical commissioning Groups and local authority commissioners. Health Services: Staffordshire Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure the viability of comprehensive patient services in the Staffordshire local health economy. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the conclusion drawn in the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG that there is a lack of collaborative working across the six Clinical Commissioning Groups in Staffordshire to maximise leadership capabilities. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG, what assessment they have made of whether NHS England has appropriately held the six Clinical Commissioning Groups in Staffordshire to account for their performance. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether there is alignment between all commissioner and provider plans in the Staffordshire local health economy. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is an agreed single strategic plan across the Staffordshire local health economy. Lord Prior of Brampton: NHS England has identified the Staffordshire clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) as high risk, and as such is monitoring their performance on a monthly basis with a full quarterly review of finance and performance. NHS England increases the intensity of performance reviews where there are significant shortfalls. This includes weekly meetings with CCGs where appropriate. Collaborative working relationships are a critical factor in securing sustainable services in any local health economy. The Commissioning Congress has been set up in Staffordshire to bring together both CCGs and local authority commissioners. The Congress will lead the Transformation Strategy which will drive the service redesign of the Staffordshire Health and Social Care economy to secure financial and clinically sustainable services in the long term. The Congress will engage with local providers in developing these plans to ensure that there is a single five-year plan for the local health economy. This work will lead to a full public consultation on those services during the autumn of 2015. The Congress brings together the combined skills, knowledge and expertise of commissioners to work the provider sector on defining the range, scale and scope of services changes to ensure Staffordshire is both clinically and financially sustainable in the long term. Community Hospitals: Staffordshire Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation made by KPMG in the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report that beds in community hospitals in Tamworth, Longton and Cheadle be reduced. Lord Prior of Brampton: Both North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups have been working to develop community models of care, so that their populations, particularly frail older people who use community hospitals, are receiving rehabilitation care through effective step down services and that where a patient has an exacerbation they can have access to a community bed. Palliative Care Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to enable the highest possible proportion of terminally ill patients to die at home, or in a hospice. Lord Prior of Brampton: What’s important to me: A Review of Choice in End of Life Care, published in February 2015, provided advice to Government on how end of life care services could be supported to enable people’s choices to be delivered. The Government is considering the report and its recommendations and will respond in full later this year. NHS: Greater London Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for each NHS Trust in London, how much of the deficit from 2014–15 was carried forward into 2015–16. Lord Prior of Brampton: National Health Service trusts do not carry forward deficits from one year to the next. A surplus or deficit is simply the difference between income received and expenditure incurred during that year. Health and Wellbeing Boards: Staffordshire Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the two Health and Wellbeing Boards in Staffordshire have created a single executive group to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG and hold the organisations in the Staffordshire Local Health Economy to account. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the recommendations of the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG have been subject to public consultation and scrutiny. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the recommendations of the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG have been discussed in open session meetings of the six Clinical Commissioning Groups in Staffordshire. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of NHS England's stewardship and oversight of the Staffordshire local health economy; and what criteria they have used to make this assessment. Lord Prior of Brampton: One of the key functions of the Health and Wellbeing Boards is to promote greater integration and partnership, including joint commissioning, so it is for them to decide how they collaborate to achieve the best outcomes for their population. The Commissioning Congress has been set up in Staffordshire to bring together both clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and local authority commissioners. The six CCGs have a line of accountability to Health and Wellbeing Boards to deliver the health and wellbeing strategies as part of the transformation programme. The Congress will lead the Transformation Strategy which will drive the service redesign of the Staffordshire Health and Social Care economy to secure financially and clinically sustainable services in the long term. The Congress will engage with local providers in developing these plans to ensure that there is a single five-year plan for the local health economy. In order to produce a single plan there are a number of steps have to be taken, following on from the work to date by KPMG. These include the consideration of strategic plans, consultations on possible reforms and the implementation of recommendations flowing from this. To release information ahead of these steps could possibly prejudice the outcome. There will be a full public consultation on the resulting plans during the autumn of 2015. NHS England has identified the Staffordshire CCGs as high risk, and as such is monitoring their performance on a monthly basis with a full quarterly review of finance and performance. NHS England increases the intensity of performance reviews where there are significant shortfalls, and this includes weekly meetings with CCGs where appropriate. Health Services: Staffordshire Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Staffordshire Distressed Health Economy report by KPMG, what is their assessment of the ability of the Clinical Commissioning Groups to manage the risks posed by outsourcing to the cancer and end-of-life programme in Staffordshire for a 10-year period. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Groups stipulated that private-sector providers should be part of the successful consortium in order to manage the risk posed by outsourcing to the cancer and end-of-life programme in Staffordshire for a 10-year period; and if so, why. Lord Prior of Brampton: NHS England advises that the Transforming Cancer and End of Life Programme in Staffordshire is a partnership between four clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), two local authorities, NHS England and Macmillan Cancer Support. Resources and expertise have been provided over and above current CCG resource by Macmillan Cancer Support to mitigate any risks to delivery from capacity and capability gaps. Staffordshire CCGs did not stipulate that private sector providers should be part of the successful consortium. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust: Dermatology Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the independent investigation into the loss of dermatology specialist services at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to hold Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group to account for the failures in the commissioning of dermatology specialist services at the Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, described in a report of the independent investigation as an "unmitigated disaster". Lord Prior of Brampton: The independent service review of dermatology services in Nottingham was initiated by Rushcliffe Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), as the co-ordinating commissioner for Circle Nottingham services on behalf of the four Nottinghamshire CCGs. The review reported on 4 June 2015, finding that no one person or organisation is to blame for the current problems faced by dermatology services in Nottingham. The review panel made recommendations for joint action by Rushcliffe CCG, Circle and Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust to address the immediate local situation. It also made a national recommendation for consideration by Health Education England.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2015-06-09

Cabinet Office Civil Servants: Languages Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to conduct a language skills audit across the whole civil service; and if so, whether they will publish the results. Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen: There are no plans to carry out a language skills audit of the civil service. Muslim Brotherhood Review Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to publish evidence given to the Muslim Brotherhood Review; and if so, when, and whether they will state which items are omitted. Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen: The Government does not intend to publish evidence given to its internal Review of the Muslim Brotherhood. A Written Ministerial Statement outlining the Review’s main findings was issued on 17 December 2015.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2016-11-25

Animals: Slaughter Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many abattoirs are licensed to carry out animal slaughter without stunning the animal first. Lord Henley: There are currently 346 approved slaughterhouses operating in Great Britain. There is no separate approval of slaughterhouses carrying out animal slaughter without prior stunning. However, where bovine animals are slaughtered by a religious method the restraining pen used must be approved by the Minister as required under Schedule 12 of the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (as amended). Eight restraining pens have been approved in England and Wales and are currently operational. Animals: Slaughter Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the European Commission and the Agriculture Council about changing the regulations in respect of animal slaughtering without stunning the animal first. Lord Henley: We have made no recent representations to the European Commission or the Agriculture Council about changing regulations in respect of animal slaughtering without prior stunning. We were involved in discussions on the new EU Regulation (Number 1099/2009) on the protection of animals at the time of killing which was agreed on 24 September 2009 and comes into effect on 1 January 2013. This regulation permits the use of additional national rules to improve welfare protection in relation to the slaughter of animals without prior stunning. Detailed consideration of this issue will take place over the next year as we decide how to implement the new regulation. We will consult widely on our approach before final decisions are taken. Animals: Slaughter Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of domesticated animals and birds slaughtered in 2010 without being stunned first. Lord Henley: The most recent data on the slaughter of animals without prior stunning was published in March 2004 by the Meat Hygiene Service in its Animal Welfare Review. The data was collected through a survey of meat plants between 1 and 7 September 2003. The table below shows the number of animals killed over that period without prior stunning for the production of Kosher and Halal meat: Species Not Stunned Cattle 365 Calves 8 Young lambs 6,845 Other sheep 11,454 Goats 62 Broilers 167,745 Hens 15,900 Turkeys 749 Ducks 610 More recent data collected by the EU Dialrel project (see http://www.dialrel.eu/images/factsheet-assesment-practices.pdf) shows that, of the UK abattoirs surveyed, 100 per cent of the animals and birds slaughtered for the production of Kosher meat were slaughtered without prior stunning. For Halal meat, 25 per cent of cattle and 7 per cent of sheep were slaughtered without prior stunning. The Dialrel data also indicates that no poultry were slaughtered for Halal production without stunning. Bank of England Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report in the Financial Times about the declining confidence of academic economists in the accuracy of the Bank of England's inflation forecasting; and whether they plan to take any action or require the Bank of England to re-examine its methodologies. Lord Sassoon: The independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) have emphasised that the outlook for inflation remains highly uncertain. The OBR's November 2010 inflation forecast is broadly consistent with that of the Bank of England and with HM Treasury's latest average of independent forecasts. Banking Lord Willoughby de Broke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the financial exposure of Lloyds banking group to Irish banks and Irish mortgage-backed loans. Lord Sassoon: Lloyds Banking Group's (LBG) Interim Results, published on 5 August 2010, provides the latest exposures to Ireland. As at 30 June 2010, LBG had £26,682 million in loans and advances to Irish customers, with impaired loans totalling £11,689 million. Loans and advances to customers (£m) Impaired loans (£m) Impaired loans as % of closing advances (%) Impairment provisions (£m) Impairment provisions as % of impaired loans (%) As at 30 June 2010 26,682 11,689 43.8 4,857 41.6 As at 31 December 2009 29,104 9,712 33.4 3,601 37.1 LBG also gave an update on its Irish portfolio on 17 December 2010, announcing that the board anticipated that, compared to 30 June 2010, approximately a further 10 per cent of the Irish portfolio will become impaired by the 2010 year end: (www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/pdfs/investors/2010/2010Dec17_LBG_Irish_Portfolio_Update.pdf). Banking Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Sassoon on 11 January on banking bonuses (Official Report, col. 1331), how they propose to establish the amount banks will have lent in 2011 in the absence of any settlement reached by the Government on lending targets. Lord Sassoon: There are a number of data sources which provide information on how much the banks lend. This includes the Bank of England's Trends in Lending report, the inflation report and the financial stability report. Banks: Lending Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to take any action in respect of the widening in the cost of bank lending to small businesses, as reported in the Bank of England's Credit Conditions Survey for quarter four of 2010. Lord Sassoon: The Government are taking action to ensure that small businesses get access to the finance they need. The Government are providing additional support for the enterprise finance guarantee over the next four years which will enable over £2 billion of lending to viable small businesses that lack collateral or a track record. The Government are also helping to increase equity finance, through initiating a £1.5 billion industry-led business growth fund and through £200 million of additional funding for the Enterprise Capital Funds programme. Education: Achievement Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of socio-economic factors on deficiencies in educational achievement. Lord Hill of Oareford: There is overwhelming evidence that, after prior attainment, poverty is the single most important factor in predicting a child's future life chances. In secondary education, a child eligible for free school meals is half as likely to achieve five or more GCSEs at grade A*-C, including English and mathematics, than a child from a wealthier background. EU: Contract Law Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the European Commission's initiative to introduce a single European contract law on United Kingdom businesses and individuals. Lord McNally: The European Commission has not made any legislative proposal to introduce a single European contract law. Rather, on 1 July 2010, the European Commission issued a Green Paper setting out seven main possible options which it invited everyone to consider as possible ways to reduce any problems stemming from the current divergence of national contract laws. The European Commission's public consultation on this document continues until 31 January 2011. The UK Government issued a public call for evidence on the Commission's Green Paper after it was published, which asked for views and evidence on the Commission's Green Paper. This exercise concluded in early December 2010 and the Government are currently considering the evidence gathered and will respond to the Commission in due course. The Commission has not produced an impact assessment on any of the options due to the wide ranging and consultative nature of them, which at this stage lack the detail needed to make sound assessments of impacts. The Government have not produced a formal impact assessment at this stage for the same reasons. If the European Commission were at some point to produce a legislative proposal then that would need to be accompanied by a full impact assessment. The Commission has already undertaken to make sure this is done and the Government will make this requirement clear in their response. Freedom of Information Act 2000 Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to amend the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to include the Commissioners for Irish Lights and Trinity House within the provisions of the Act. Lord McNally: The Government announced on 7 January that they intend to consult Trinity House Lighthouse Service regarding its possible inclusion in the Freedom of Information Act. We do not have any plans to consult the Commissioners for Irish Lights as they mainly operate in another jurisdiction. Olympic Games 2012 Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Garden of Frognal on 15 December (Official Report, col. 605-7), what mechanism they have to collate and evaluate ideas for implementing the Olympic truce at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Baroness Garden of Frognal: Suggestions on how the Olympic truce could be promoted can be addressed to Ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Such suggestions will be considered as they are received. Police: Crime Levels Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware of any research demonstrating a connection between police numbers and crime levels. Baroness Neville-Jones: Research indicates there is no simple link between officer numbers and crime levels. The Government believe that police forces can make savings while protecting the frontline. We do not accept that reducing costs will cause an increase in crime. What matters is how resources are used and how officers are deployed. Police: Demonstrators Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will require chief constables to allow peaceful demonstrators to leave public demonstrations, when they wish to do so. Baroness Neville-Jones: The use of tactics in demonstrations is an operational matter for police chief officers working within the relevant legal framework. The courts have found that the use of containment at public demonstrations is lawful if used proportionately. Police: Expenditure Cuts Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of police funding cuts on the amount of contact time between police forces and members of the public. Baroness Neville-Jones: The Government believe that police forces can make savings while protecting the frontline. We do not accept that reducing costs will lead to any reductions in police officers visible on the streets. What matters is how resources are used and how officers are deployed. Decisions on the number of officers, police support staff and PCSOs and how they are deployed remain a matter for chief constables and police authorities to determine and from 2012 for police and crime commissioners. Police: West Midlands Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of why the West Midlands Police Force has decided to reduce the number of police officers allocated to the Ladywood and Perry Barr wards in Birmingham. Baroness Neville-Jones: Decisions about the number of police officers and other police staff engaged by the West Midlands Police, including the numbers to be deployed to Ladywood and Perry Bar, are a matter for the chief constable and the police authority to determine as they are best placed to manage their resources. Schools: Mathematics Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage pupils to study mathematics beyond the age of 16. Lord Hill of Oareford: The schools White Paper The Importance of Teaching underlines the importance the Government attach to mathematics education and the need to increase uptake at all levels including post-16. Key to increasing the study of maths post-16 is good teaching and we will continue to support initiatives to increase the number of specialist mathematics teachers and improve the skills of existing teachers. Our plans to reform the national curriculum and qualifications will ensure that children gain the knowledge they need in mathematics in order to develop their understanding and progress further. The inclusion of GCSE mathematics in the English Baccalaureate will also help to drive up engagement and attainment in mathematics. We will also invest in programmes to support the teaching of A-level mathematics such as the further mathematics support programme. Taxation: VAT Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the 21/2 per cent increase in VAT will automatically lead to an increase in the United Kingdom's contribution to the European Union budget through own resources; and if so, by how much. Lord Sassoon: The increase in VAT will not lead to an automatic increase in the United Kingdom's VAT-based contribution to the EU Budget. Taxation: VAT Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are monitoring the price of retail products to determine whether prices are being increased by more than necessary to cover the increase in VAT. 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 Office for National Statistics, to Lord Myners, dated January 2011 As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking Her Majesty's Government whether they are monitoring the price of retail products to determine whether prices are being increased by more than necessary to cover the increase in VAT. (HL5721) Price changes are measured in compiling the Consumer Prices Index and the data collected in that process will be used by the Office for National Statistics to produce an estimate of the impact of retailers and service providers passing on the VAT increase. The results of the analysis will be published on the National Statistics website. Similar analyses of the effects of previous VAT changes have been published at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/article.asp?1D=22588(Pos=1&ColRank=l&Rank=1 and http://www.statistics.gov.uk/elmr/04_10/downloads/elmr-Apr10.pdf. UK Investment: Foundation X Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 10 January (WA 420), whether HM Treasury officials have had any meetings, conversations or correspondence with an organisation referred to by Lord James of Blackheath as Foundation X, or with its representatives or agents; and, if so, when those engagements took place; and who attended. Lord Sassoon: HM Treasury officials have had no meetings, conversations, or correspondence, with the organisation referred to by Lord James of Blackheath as Foundation X, or its representatives or agents.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2011-01-18a

Home Office Vagrancy Act 1824 Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan 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. Asylum: Children Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Greater Manchester Police concerning any evidence of instances of unaccompanied children seeking asylum who have gone missing while staying in hotels, and who may have been taken by gangs involved in crime. Lord Murray of Blidworth: We have no unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) hotels in Greater Manchester. The Home Office can confirm that those responsible for the care of UASC in temporary accomodation have not had discussions with Greater Manchester Police.The Home Office takes the wellbeing, welfare and security of children and minors in our care extremely seriously. Robust safeguarding procedures are in place to ensure all children and minors are safe and supported as we seek urgent placements with local authorities.When a young person who has previously gone missing from an emergency interim UASC Hotel is encountered or located, the Police force where the young person is missing from should be notified. If the young person was located by another Police force in a different area then the force dealing with the missing persons case will liaise with them regarding the circumstances of the encounter and how they came to locate the young person. This will assist both forces with identifying whether there are any concerns regarding possible trafficking; exploitation or other potential criminal activities that may require investigation.The Department for Education’s statutory guidance on any children who run away or go missing from home or care home, states that young people who go missing should be offered a Return Home Interview. This can help understand why the young person went missing as well as identify any harm that may have occurred to them as well as possible risks that might need to be addressed. Human Trafficking Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany individuals arrived in the UK across the English channel in small boats and entered the National Referral Mechanism between 2018 and 2022; and what was the breakdown of these individuals by (1) gender, (2) age, (3) nationality, and (4) location of claimed exploitation, where such a claim was made. Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes statistics on small boat arrivals to the UK in the ‘Irregular Migration to the UK statistics’ report on GOV.uk. Data on NRM referrals from small boat arrivals are published in the ‘Potential victims of modern slavery’ section of the ‘Irregular migration to the UK’ publication. The latest data relates to the end of December 2022. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’ on GOV.ukThe Home Office does not publish data on NRM referrals from small boat arrivals by gender, age, nationality, or location of claimed exploitation. Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, as well as quality and availability of data. Human Trafficking Lord McColl of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average wait for a person entering the National Referral Mechanism to receive a reasonable grounds decision (1) before the updated statutory guidance came into effect on 30 January, and (2) since the introduction of that updated guidance. Lord Murray of Blidworth: Reasonable Grounds decisions will be made as soon as possible following referral. Statistics on the timescales of Reasonable Grounds decisions for victims of modern slavery are not currently published Asylum The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compliance of the Illegal Migration Bill withthe UN 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. Lord Murray of Blidworth: Those who come to the UK illegally who cannot be returned home will be relocated to a safe third country such as Rwanda, where they will have the opportunity to claim asylum and rebuild their lives.In December, the High Court ruled that the Government’s Migration Partnership with Rwanda is lawful and that it complies with the Refugee Convention.We are satisfied that the provisions of the Illegal Migration Bill are compatible with the UK’s international obligations. Asylum: Rwanda Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals seeking asylum in the UK the government of Rwanda have agreed to receive and process in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025. Lord Murray of Blidworth: We have been discussing a range of scenarios with the Government of Rwanda around volumes of relocations. The current planning envisages several thousand people being relocated to Rwanda each year.It should be noted that the arrangement is uncapped, and Rwanda has plans in place to scale up their ability to support more relocations if needed. Asylum: Applications Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have signed agreements with any countries, other than Rwanda, to remove those seeking asylum in the UK and to process their asylum applications; andif so, what are those countries. Lord Murray of Blidworth: We are unable to comment on discussions that may be being held with other countries. We are, however, committed to working closely with international partners as we act on fixing our broken asylum system.This ground-breaking Partnership is a model that could be replicated elsewhere, and we are always willing to work with partners around the world to tackle this joint challenge. Department for Education Apprentices: Finance Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the totalapprenticeship budget allocated by HM Treasury to the Department for Education in each of the financial years (1) 2016–17, (2) 2017–18, (3) 2018–19, (4) 2019–20, (5) 2020–21, and (6) 2021–22. Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government how much they spent on apprenticeships in total in each of the financial years (1) 2016–17, (2) 2017–18, (3) 2018–19, (4) 2019–20, (5) 2020–21, and (6) 2021–22. Baroness Barran: The apprenticeships budget is used to fund training and assessment for new apprenticeship starts for all employers in England, to cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already in training and any additional payments made to employers, providers, and apprentices.The annual apprenticeship budget is set by HM Treasury (HMT). The table below shows the department’s ring-fenced apprenticeships budget, and the total apprenticeships spend in England from the 2016/17 financial year to the 2021/22 financial year. This reflects the impact of the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in April 2017 on increasing investment in apprenticeships and shows that in the 2021/22 financial year, 99.6% of the budget in England was spent, with only £11 million unspent. Apprenticeships are an employer-led programme, and as is usual practice, any underspends in overall departmental budgets by the end of the financial year are first returned to HMT, as per the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance.The Department’s ring-fenced apprenticeships budget and total apprenticeships spend for the 2016/17 to 2021/22 financial years: Year2016/172017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22Department’s ring-fenced apprenticeships budget (£million)1,8082,0102,2312,4692,4672,466Total ring-fenced apprenticeships spend (£million)1,6491,5861,7381,9191,8632,455 Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Leisure and Sports: Energy Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many sport and recreation (1) facilities, and (2) clubs, are at risk of (a) permanent closure, or (b) reduced services, as a result of sustained high energy bills. Lord Callanan: The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure all eligible businesses and non-domestic customers, including the leisure sector, who receive their energy from licensed suppliers, are protected from excessively high energy costs over the winter period.The EBRS discount is applied directly to the energy bills of eligible businesses by their energy providers and therefore we do not have a breakdown of support received by sectors. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has not made an assessment of how many sports and recreation facilities are at risk of closure. Leisure and Swimming Pools: Energy Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take tosupport (1) swimming pools, (2) leisure centres, (3) community facilities, and (4) gyms, after the energy costs relief scheme ends on 31 March. Lord Callanan: The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) provides a discount on the wholesale element of gas and electricity bills to ensure that all eligible businesses, including leisure sector and community facilities, are protected from high energy costs this winter period.Following an HMT-led review, the new Energy Bill Discount Scheme will run from April until March 2024, and will continue to provide a discount to eligible non-domestic customers, including the leisure sector and community facilities.The Government will also provide over £60 million of new funding for public swimming pools in England for 2023/24. Department of Health and Social Care Medical Treatments: Northern Ireland Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Spring Budget of 15 March commitment that the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will explore partnerships with trusted international agencies to provide rapid approvals for medicines and technologies that have received their approval from 2024, whether such approvals willapply in Northern Ireland; if so under what legal provisions; and how this complies with the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. Lord Markham: Under the Windsor Framework, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s international recognition framework, alongside wider regulatory processes for novel medicines, will apply across the United Kingdom. For the transitional period until then, novel medicines will continue to be supplied to Northern Ireland under existing arrangements. Medical technologies will continue to be supplied to Northern Ireland as they are now. Hospices: Finance Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the findings in the report The Lasting Impact of COVID-19 on Death, Dying and Bereavement by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care, published on 1 March, what plans they have to conduct a review of hospice funding in England. Lord Markham: There are no current plans by NHS England to conduct a review of hospice funding. Integrated care boards have a legal duty to consider the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services that meet the needs of their population. Hospital Wards: Gender Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current status oftheirreview of Annex B to their Delivering same-sex accommodation guidance. Lord Markham: NHS England is in the process of reviewing its guidance on the provision of same-sex hospital accommodation. Revised guidance will be published in due course. Social Services: Pay Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that staff in the adult social care sector (1) are all paid at above the legal minimum wage, and (2) have their pay brought in line with staff undertaking similar roles in the NHS. Lord Markham: All businesses irrespective of their size or business sector are responsible for paying the correct National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage to their staff. If any care worker is concerned that they are being underpaid, we strongly urge them to call the the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) helpline for free, impartial and confidential advice about their rights and entitlements. Acas officers will pass on cases to HM Revenue & Customs for further consideration where appropriate. The Department has no plans to align the pay progression of adult social care workers to National Health Service pay scales. Social Services: Finance Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government whether budgets for adult social care for 2023–23 and 2023–24 were adjusted to take account of(1) increased energy and fuel costs, and (2) the need to make greater use of agency staff due to high vacancy rates. Lord Markham: Local authorities are responsible for setting budgets for adult social care. They are best placed to assess local resources and need. The funding we have made available gives them the flexibility to do so in their local budgets. Social Services: Vacancies Lord Warner: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of vacant posts in the adult social care sector from their current high level. Lord Markham: We are running a national recruitment campaign until 31 March 2023 to encourage more people to consider a rewarding role in care. In February 2022, we made care workers eligible for the Health and Care Visa and added them to the Shortage Occupation list. We are making available £15 million in 2023/24 to help local areas establish support arrangements for international recruitment and improve workforce capacity in adult social care. In addition, the £500 million adult social care discharge fund announced last September can be used by local authorities for the recruitment and retention of the social care workforce. Palliative Care: Drugs Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, furtherto the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life CareThe Lasting Impact of COVID-19 on Death, Dying and Bereavement, published on 1 March,what assessment they have made of innovations in the administration of palliative care medication that were developed during the COVID-19 pandemic; and what plans they have to roll out any of these innovations more widely. Lord Markham: While no specific assessment of the innovations in the administration of palliative care medication has been made, the Government and NHS England both recognise the importance of timely access to palliative and end of life care medicines for patients and those important to them. Clinicians should provide details of who can administer the medicine, ensuring they follow local guidance and consider national best practice. Department for Culture, Media and Sport BBC: Music The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had any discussions with (1) the Musicians’ Union, or (2) the BBC, in regard to the BBC’s new strategy for classical music announced on 7 March, which included a reduction of roles in the BBC's Symphony, Concert and Philharmonic orchestras and the closure of the BBC Singers. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Operational and editorial decisions are independent of Government and are a matter for the BBC.DCMS Ministers met the BBC on 22 March to discuss a range of issues, including latest developments regarding the BBC’s classical music strategy, announced on 7 March.The BBC has today announced that it will suspend the proposal to close the BBC Singers, and will continue to engage with the Musicians' Union and the other BBC Unions about its proposals regarding the BBC's English Orchestras. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Elections: Proof of Identity Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: 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 answer given to Question UIN 165271 (attached) on 20 March 2023. UIN 165271 (pdf, 92.8KB) Landlords: Databases Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government how many landlords are on the rogue landlords database. Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government when they will allow the public access to the rogue landlords database. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Local authorities are responsible for uploading records on the existing Database and removing entries when they have expired. The Database does not distinguish between landlord and property agents' entries. There are currently 56 entries.The Government will bring forward legislation to reform the private rented sector, this will include – as set out in the Government’s white paper – a Rented Property Portal which will make certain details relating to landlord offences viewable to tenants and prospective tenants. National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will list the bodies who are supportive of the planned siting of the Holocaust Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre at Victoria Tower Gardens has cross-party support and the endorsement of every living Prime Minister.As an indication of wider support 31 oral representations were made in favour of the proposal at the 2020 public inquiry, including from Holocaust survivors and their families, Rt Hon David Cameron, Rt Hon Gordon Brown, the Chief Rabbi, the President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Archbishop of Canterbury, academics, educators and others. A full list of witnesses is available from the Planning Inspector’s Report on the Gov.UK website. More than 3,000 individuals expressed their support through the local community engagement exercise run by the Big Ideas community interest company. Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by theParliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 18 October 2022 (PBC Deb 18 October 2022 col 789) where he stated that "the Government and I will engage in discussion with RICS about this in the coming weeks before further stages of the Bill", how many meetings have taken place between ministers and the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors (RICS); whatsubjects were discussed at those meetings; and what steps they took as a result of those discussions. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Details of ministerial meetings are set out quarterly on gov.uk.Further to those publications, senior officials and I met with the Earl of Lytton, the Chief Executive and the Chair of RICS on 7 February 2023 to discuss RICS' concerns regarding the clause.Subsequently senior officials have met with RICS to discuss this further.The Secretary of State also met with the CEO of RICS on 23 November 2022 as part of a wider meeting which included mortgage lenders. This meeting related to opening up the mortgage market for property affected by building safety.I am happy to meet with the noble Baroness to discuss this further. Leasehold: Reform Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a bill to reform or abolish leasehold as a residential tenure in the next session of parliament. Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure freeholders and managing agents of residential property are transparent with leaseholders on the makeup of fees and charges they levy. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Announcements of future legislation and policy will be made in the usual way.I refer the noble Lord to the Secretary of State’s comments on leasehold reform (attached) here. SoS comments on leasehold (pdf, 142.2KB) Treasury Theatres: Tax Allowances Baroness Bull: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Penn on 9 March (HL Deb col 886), whether they will include 50 per centof marketing spend in the qualifying expenditure for Theatre Tax Relief tomatch the level of the equivalent scheme in the United States of America. Baroness Penn: Whilst the Government keeps all tax reliefs under review, the Government is not planning to expand the scope of Theatre Tax Relief (TTR) to include 50 per cent of marketing spend. The objective of theatre tax relief is to support and incentivise production and that is why eligible expenditure is focussed on the costs that are incurred producing and closing the theatrical production, rather than marketing. The Government assesses that the equivalent scheme in New York is less generous overall than the UK relief: the amount of relief a production can receive is capped at $3 million and there are additional eligibility criteria and a more limited scope (for example, ballet and opera will not qualify). Whilst the UK scheme excludes marketing, it is uncapped and more generous in scope. At Spring Budget 2023, the Government went further to support theatres by extending the 45 per cent (for non-touring productions) and 50 per cent (for touring productions) rates of TTR for a further 2 years. The rates will taper to 30 per cent /35 per cent on 1 April 2025 and return to 20 per cent /25 per cent on 1 April 2026. The extension will continue to offset ongoing pressures and boost investment in our cultural sectors. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Dredging: Environment Protection Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to carry out independent environmental impact studies in advance of significant dredging work in England. Lord Benyon: Dredging and disposal of dredge material in the UK marine licensing area (as per Section 66 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA) require a marine licence, unless exempt under Section 75 of the MCAA. Before a licence is granted for dredging or disposal, an assessment of the potential impact on the environment must be undertaken. The MMO, as the licensing authority for English (and Northern Irish offshore) marine waters, are responsible for issuing marine licences. Plants and Seeds: Imports Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Benyon on 10 March (HL6037 and HL6038), what steps they will take to enable individuals to send plants and seeds from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, given that the current arrangements impose bureaucratic hurdles that make this impractical. Lord Benyon: As we put the new Windsor Framework arrangements into practice, we will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure gardeners, farmers and growers can access plants and seeds from a wide variety of sources. Defra will work with industry in the coming months to ensure that plant and seed movement schemes are as beneficial as possible. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Broadband: Rural Areas The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to use 4G coverage, which covers 99 per cent of the country,as an alternative to fibre to provide access to broadband in remote rural areas. Viscount Camrose: Project Gigabit is the Government’s £5 billion mission to deliver fast, reliable broadband across the UK. Over 74% of UK premises can now access a gigabit-capable broadband connection, up from just 6% in January 2019. As part of Project Gigabit, we are targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025, and then seek to get as close to 100% as possible.Project Gigabit is technology neutral and therefore can use a Fixed Wireless Access solution such as 4G subject to the relevant eligibility criteria and performance requirements being met.Ofcom estimates that at least 95% of premises are already able to access a 4G Fixed Wireless Access solution from a commercial provider, with some wireless technologies already able to offer an ultrafast, or gigabit-capable, connection that offers substantial capacity and low latency. Ofcom also assesses with high confidence that 5G data services from at least one provider are available to at least 77% of UK premises.The government believes that a small proportion of premises, likely less than 100,000, may require an alternative solution to gigabit-capable connectivity and are therefore considered ‘Very Hard to Reach’.The government is therefore exploring with industry all possible options for improving broadband connectivity in remote rural areas and is considering all available technology types, including 4G and 5G Fixed Wireless Access solutions, to address premises in these areas. Broadband: Universal Service Obligation The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the £3,400 limit per property to install broadband as set out in theUniversal Service Obligation for Broadband, launched in March 2020, given the widening digital divide. Viscount Camrose: The technical specifications and cost thresholds of the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) aim to ensure that it remains relevant over time to meet the rising needs of consumers' expectations and demands, providing them with a safety net of provision to ensure effective participation in society and the economy.The Communications Act 2003 includes an automatic request for the Secretary of State to give direction to Ofcom to review the USO once at least 75% of premises in the UK subscribe to a broadband service that provides download speeds of at least 30 Mbps. As of September 2022, Ofcom reports that 70% of premises are subscribed to such a service. We continue to liaise with Ofcom on uptake relative to the trigger, and on the broadband USO.Under S72A Communication Act 2003, it is the responsibility of Ofcom, upon such direction, to ‘review and report...on any provision made, or that may be made, by the universal service order’ including the cost of a broadband connection. Broadband: Standards The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the 500,000 properties currently unable toaccess a broadband service running at a minimum of 10Mbps via a fixed line will be able to access broadband. Viscount Camrose: The Government has set out its plan to deliver Project Gigabit, our £5 billion mission to deliver fast, reliable broadband across the UK, and we are making good progress. Our target is for 85% of UK premises to have access to gigabit-capable broadband by 2025, and over 99% by 2030. This will include some premises currently unable to access more than 10Mbps.More than £1 billion of public subsidy has been made available to broadband suppliers to extend their gigabit-capable networks to rural and hard to reach parts of the country. To date, we have awarded six contracts in locations from Cornwall to Cumbria, and we have launched a further 15 procurements, which combined will deliver fast, reliable broadband to up to 748,000 premises that would have otherwise missed out.Furthermore, while approximately 500,000 premises do not currently have access to a decent broadband connection of 10mbps download and 1mbps upload, of these approximately 420,000 have access to a Fixed Wireless Access connection offering at least this level of connectivity. A further 15,000 of the remaining 80,000 premises are due to receive an upgrade within the next 12 months from a government funded rollout.For the remaining 65,000 premises, the broadband Universal Service Obligation, which came into effect on 20 March 2020, provides consumers with a right to request a decent broadband service, where they cannot access a service of at least 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload via either a fixed line or fixed wireless access connection. As of September 2022, BT has built USO connections to over 5,900 premises, with more than 2,000 further builds in progress.For the small number of premises that will not receive a gigabit-capable connection and are considered Very Hard to Reach, the government is assessing alternative ways to improve their broadband connection and help address the challenges that these areas face in their broadband connectivity.In December 2022 we announced the first four locations in our Alpha Trial programme to test the technical capability of, and user response to, new low-latency Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in some of the hardest to reach locations in the UK and we are working to finalise further locations soon. Broadband: Rural Areas The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to offer financial incentives to enable the use of4G coverage to provide access to broadband in remote rural areas. Viscount Camrose: Project Gigabit is the Government’s £5 billion mission to deliver fast, reliable broadband across the UK. Over 74% of UK premises can now access a gigabit-capable broadband connection, up from just 6% in January 2019. As part of Project Gigabit, we are targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage by 2025, and then seek to get as close to 100% as possible.Project Gigabit is technology neutral and therefore can use a Fixed Wireless Access solution, including those based on 4G or 5G, subject to the relevant eligibility criteria and performance requirements being met.Support is also available for homes and businesses in rural areas through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. The scheme provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband. To date, almost 84,000 vouchers have been used to connect premises to gigabit-capable broadband. Vouchers can be used for projects incorporating a wireless element, subject to them meeting the defined performance criteria.The broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) is also technology neutral so BT and KCOM, as the Universal Service Providers, can offer customers who are eligible for the USO a 4G or 5G Fixed Wireless Access solution if one is presently available. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office European Court of Justice: Northern Ireland Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the European Court of Justice will remain the final arbiter of EU law as it applies in Northern Ireland in the event that the Windsor Framework is implemented. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government has acknowledged, as the Prime Minister did in his statement of 27 February, that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is the final arbiter on matters of EU law. But by the EU's own calculations, less than 3 percent of EU rules with ECJ oversight apply under the Windsor Framework, with those that remain only applying to maintain maximum free trade and market access for NI firms. And the Windsor Framework narrows the application of EU rules in Northern Ireland, removing 1,700 pages of EU law, and takes with it any European Court of Justice interpretation and oversight in those areas. The agreement also introduces the Stormont Brake, which would enable a sovereign UK Government decision to veto the application of new EU laws and accompanying ECJ oversight within Northern Ireland. This safeguard in the treaty itself is not subject to ECJ oversight, and any dispute on this issue would be resolved through subsequent independent arbitration according to international, not EU law. Turkey: Earthquakes Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 13 March (HL5891), whether they haveassessed the effectiveness of the global humanitarian response following the recent earthquake in Turkey. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government's priority was to provide life-saving support to those in need in Turkey and Syria. The Government is committed to learning from its own experience and that of others as part of its constant review of global humanitarian responses. The Government looks forward to hearing the needs assessment of the UN, World Bank and other partners at the 20 March International Donors' Conference. EU Law: Northern Ireland Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how the three per cent of EU laws proposed to still be applicable to Northern Ireland compares as a percentage of EU laws applicable to Northern Ireland prior to the Windsor Framework. Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will list (1) the areas of law, and (2) the specific EU laws or regulations, from the1,700 pages of EU law proposed to be disapplied to Northern Ireland through the Windsor Framework. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Windsor Agreement disapplies swathes of EU rules to support internal UK trade. It completely carves out whole areas of EU law on issues such as VAT, medicines and food, in a way that the EU has never done before. By the EU's own calculations, less than 3 percent of EU rules apply - with those that remain only applying to secure Northern Irish access to the EU market. 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 the legal texts making up the Framework set out how EU rules are disapplied in the relevant area, such as the Sanitary and Phytosanitary text which lists the 67 rules on food and drink safety that do not apply in the green lane.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2023-03-24

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage lord lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in those countries that have ratified it. lord ashton of hyde: We have made no such assessment. Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage lord lingfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide additional funds to monitor and protect shipwrecks in the Exclusive Economic Zone as required by Article 9 of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. lord ashton of hyde: The United Kingdom has not ratified the Convention and it is not obliged to comply with its Articles. Government has however adopted the principles set out in its Annex as best practice in the archaeological and cultural management of underwater sites and artefacts. The National Maritime Information Service also actively monitors maritime activity around the UK and can track or monitor suspicious activity around wreck sites, if there is a need to do so. Department for International Development Developing Countries: Ports baroness blood: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Brexit referendum result, what assessment they have made of the case for training overseas port health officers to UK standards, especially those in developing countries; andwhat partthe Association of Port Health Authoritieswill play in delivering such training. lord bates: The International Health Regulations (IHRs) (2005), agreed by all WHO member states, include the standards required for port health authorities internationally. WHO has oversight of IHR assessment and capacity building, including through the external evaluation approach introduced in 2016. The UK Government, through the WHO, assists countries to carry out assessments and implement the IHRs. As part of this, the UK deploys (a) subject matter experts to support WHO monitoring of IHR capacity in 20 low and middle-income countries, including in points of entry such as ports, and (b) implements programmes to strengthen IHR capabilities in five countries in Africa and Asia, plus the UK Overseas Territories. We will always consider the most appropriate subject matter experts to support our global health security interventions. UN High Commissioner for Refugees: Finance lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have for international cooperation to make good the deficit on the current budget of the UN High Commissioner For Refugees; and in particular, how they intend to ensure that measures are taken to prevent deaths of refugees in Lebanon, from cold or starvation, this winter. lord bates: The UK remains a leading supporter of the work of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In 2017, the UK provided $141 million to help support millions of refugees and those forcibly displaced across the world. In the same year, UNHCR received $36.6 million from the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), the rapid response fund for humanitarian emergencies, to which the UK remains the largest donor.Since the start of the Syria crisis in 2012, DFID has provided £181 million to UNHCR for Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons inside Syria. Of this, £87.5 million has been provided to UNHCR in Lebanon to provide relief items (including throughout winter), cash support, as well as medicines, water and support to acquire civil documentation. Overall, DFID has allocated £543 million in humanitarian and development funding to Lebanon, including for improving sub-standard shelters so refugees have a warm and secure roof over their heads. This also includes a £77 million programme with the World Food Programme to provide the most in-need refugee families in Lebanon with monthly cash transfers to meet their food and basic needs. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Fracking: Licensing baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether responsibility for the procedure for issuing Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences for hydraulic fracturing was removed from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and passed to the Oil and Gas Authority; and, if so, why. lord henley: In June 2013 the then Secretary of State for Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) asked Sir Ian Wood to conduct an independently led review of UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) oil and gas recovery, specifically looking at how economic recovery could be maximised. A key recommendation of the Wood Review was the creation of a new independent body, responsible for operational regulation of the UKCS, focused on supervising the licensing process and maximising economic recovery of the UK’s offshore oil and gas reserves in the short, medium and long terms. Given the many synergies with aspects of the regulation of onshore oil and gas activities (including shale gas) the Review also highlighted the strong rationale for a single regulator to manage the licensing regime for onshore reserves as well. On the basis of these recommendations, the Oil and Gas Authority assumed responsibility for all licensing functions related to offshore and onshore oil and gas in October 2016. In accordance with the Smith Commission Agreement and St David’s Day Agreement and the resulting Scotland Act 2016 and Wales Act 2017, we are currently in the process of making and laying regulations, which will transfer powers for onshore oil and gas licensing within Scotland and Wales to the Scottish and Welsh Governments respectively. The responsibility for onshore oil and gas licensing in England will remain with the Oil and Gas Authority. Fracking: Licensing baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria the Oil and Gas Authorityusesin granting Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences for hydraulic fracturing. lord henley: Before a company can carry out exploration for oil and gas onshore it needs to apply to the Oil and Gas Authority for a Petroleum Exploration & Development Licence (PEDL). PEDLs do not give permission for operations. Rather, they grant exclusivity to licensees, in relation to hydrocarbon exploration and extraction (including for shale gas but also for other forms), within a defined area. The key criteria considered when assessing licence applications are the proposed operator’s competency, financial viability and financial capacity. Furniture: Fire Resistant Materials the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of Professor Richard Hull, published in Chemosphere, that the application of flame retardants "makes furniture burn more quickly, reaching higher temperatures and producing vastly more toxic smoke" when tested in real life environments; and whether theyintend topromote the use of flame retardant-free materials. lord henley: Public protection remains the Government’s priority and it is committed to improving both fire safety and environmental outcomes. We are aware of the findings of Professor Hull’s paper and they are being considered alongside the evidence from the public consultation and the advice of an Advisory Panel, comprising leading fire safety experts and departmental Chief Scientific Advisors. The Government response to the consultation on the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations will be published in due course. Audit lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 22 December 2017 (HL4283), what assessment they have made of (1) the sufficiency of the independence of the Financial Reporting Council from the accounting industry to monitor the provision of auditing services in accordance with the EU Audit Regulation, and (2) whether conflicts of interest are managed in a way that encourages confidence in audit quality. lord henley: The Government regularly reviews the governance arrangements of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) prior to any additional delegation of the Secretary of State’s functions or as part of implementing regulatory changes. Most recently in preparation for the implementation of the new EU Audit Directive and Regulation, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) made changes to make sure that its governance arrangements met the enhanced requirements of the new Directive and Regulation. The FRC has implemented a number of the recommendations made by the Competition Commission in 2013 on the reporting of its audit inspection findings and has made other changes to improve the transparency of that process. These changes contribute to confidence in the quality of the audit regulatory system and therefore in the quality of the audits as a whole. Innovation lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Professor Mariana Mazzucato's recent evaluation of innovation-led growth and strategic public investment. lord henley: Government does not tend to undertake assessments or comment on independent work such as that undertaken by Professor Mazzucato.Innovation is about new ideas, new ways of doing things, new goods and services and new technologies that are central to driving productivity and a key driver of our modern Industrial Strategy.Our Industrial Strategy will enable the UK to work more productively and boost earning power of people, businesses and places and the nation as a whole. To support UK priorities in key areas of innovation we will invest a further £725m in a second wave of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, turning our research into global industrial and commercial leads. We will ensure that the UK is the best pace for innovators and through our Grand Challenges we will invite business, academia and civil society to work together to innovate and develop new technologies.We have committed to raise investment in R&D to 2.4% of GDP by 2027; we will invest an additional £2.3bn in 2021, raising total public investment in R&D to approximately £12.5bn. Increasing public R&D spending as a share of GDP each year and making a total increase of £7bn over five years. This will be the biggest ever increase in public funding R&D. UK Trade with EU lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to offer any assurances to those industries that received notification from the European Commission, in December 2017, of the lack of an automatic right to operate in the single market, and the potential termination of operating licences, following Brexit. lord henley: The UK Government is confident that a future partnership between the UK and EU is in the interests of both sides, and approaches negotiations anticipating success. A no deal outcome is not sought or expected. However, a responsible government should prepare for all potential outcomes, including the unlikely scenario in which no mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached. Plans have been developed and designed to provide flexibility to respond to a negotiated agreement as well as preparing us if we leave without a deal.So the Government is working with businesses across the economy to provide the information they need to understand the challenges and opportunities they may face in the coming months and years. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Islamic State: Crimes against Humanity lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter published by the government of the Netherlands on 22 December 2017 stating that Daesh has, in all likelihood, committed genocide and crimes against humanity, and that, in the absence of any international determination of genocide, governments and Parliaments should determine its actions as such. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government condemns Daesh crimes. The Government maintains that genocide should be a matter for judicial authorities rather than a political decision, and agrees with the Netherlands Government which has stated its full support for the need to focus on prevention. The UK has led the international campaign to bring Daesh to justice through UN Security Council Resolution 2379, which mandates a special advisor to set up a team to investigate and collect evidence of Daesh crimes, starting in Iraq. Israel: USA lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what communications they have had with Mahmoud Abbas since the announcement by the government of the United States of its intention to relocate the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary and the Minister for the Middle East reaffirmed the UK’s long-standing position on Jerusalem when they met Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki on 8 January. Syria: Peace Negotiations baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, also known as Rojava, is represented at future peace talks on Syria. lord ahmad of wimbledon: There is Kurdish representation at Syrian peace negotiations in Geneva through the Kurdish National Council, which has a role within the opposition Syrian Negotiations Commission. Invitations for any other groups to the Geneva peace negotiations are a matter for the UN Special Envoy for Syria. The UN Envoy has involved Kurdish and other minority groups in civil society discussions alongside formal negotiations in Geneva.We maintain that any political settlement must be inclusive. All Syrian constituencies must ultimately be represented in discussion on Syria's future – this is a key principle in the 2012 Geneva communique and UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Syria: Politics and Government baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) diplomatic, (2) military, and (3) humanitarian,training and supportthey have provided to the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, also known as Rojava,in the last two years. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We maintain political and diplomatic contact with a number of Kurdish groups to influence their policy and work towards a political solution to the conflict, encouraging commitment to pluralism and pressing for cooperation with the wider Syrian opposition. We have used our occasional contact with the PYD to express concern over reports of human rights abuses by its associated security forces and over links with both the Assad regime and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).The UK does not provide any direct assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq (YPG) or the Democratic Union Party (PYD). As part of the Global Coalition, we have provided military support including airstrikes to the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which the YPG are a contingent part, in the campaign to remove Daesh from Eastern Syria. We have also provided humanitarian and limited stabilisation support to address the immediate needs of the local population in Eastern Syria. Pakistan: Churches lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan following the attack on the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta on 17 December 2017; and what response they have received to anysuch representations. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government strongly condemns all terrorist attacks. The attack on the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta last month was a sad reminder of the terrorist threat confronting the people of Pakistan and minority communities in particular. I expressed my condolences to all those affected by this abhorrent attack at the time. We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of minority communities with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. The UK continues to stand with Pakistan in tackling the shared threat from terrorism and extremism and addressing the root causes. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of a report by the Palestine Red Cross Crescent Society and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights that the Israeli military aremaking "indiscriminate use of excessive and disproportionate force against Palestinian civilians" following the announcement by the government of the United States that it would move its Israeli Embassy to Jerusalem. lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not made any assessment of this specific report, we repeatedly make clear to the Israeli authorities our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we have advocated swift, transparent investigations. Jerusalem baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the legislation before the Parliament of Israel that would set a high threshold for any future vote on ceding parts of Jerusalem to Palestinians. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned that the recently passed amendment to the Basic Law makes the prospects of meaningful and peaceful progress towards a two-state solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, more difficult. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the conditions necessaryto enable a viable and secure Palestine to exist alongside a secure Israel, following recent developments. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our longstanding policy in support of a two-state solution remains clear. We support a negotiated settlement based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees. Government Communications Centre lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the management of HM Government Communications Centre, in particular of whether (1) clear management guidelines and objectives are issued, (2) employees are enabled to work towards those objectives without undue bureaucracy, (3) financial management is adequate and ensures minimal waste of public money, and (4) resources are fully utilised. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the recent announcement by the Ethiopian Prime Minister on reforms to open up political dialogue, including the planned release of some imprisoned politicians. The British Government is in close contact with the Ethiopian authorities to seek more information on what this will mean in practice, including for British nationals currently imprisoned in Ethiopia. The UK has repeatedly raised human rights concerns with the Ethiopian government, including around the arrest and imprisonment of people for their political views. Ministry of Defence Armed Forces: Officers lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 30 November 2017 (HL3468), 12 December 2017 (HL3864), and 19 December 2017 (HL4126), what other changes have been made to the agreed five-star privileges accorded to former Heads of Service; and whether those changes weremade through an Order in Council. earl howe: We have made no changes to the agreed five-star privileges accorded to the former Heads of Service, further to those I provided in my Written Answers on 30 November 2017 (HL3468), 12 December 2017 (HL3864), and 19 December 2017 (HL4126). HL3468 - Military Decorations (Word Document, 12.84 KB) HL3864 - Armed Forces Officers (Word Document, 12.79 KB) HL4126 - Military Decorations (Word Document, 13.06 KB) HMS Ocean lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a decision regarding the future of HMS Ocean has been put on hold until the work of the National Security Adviser is complete. earl howe: HMS OCEAN entered service in 1998 with a specific service life of 20 years. In the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, the decision was taken not to extend her service life and she would, therefore, decommission during 2018 as planned.Discussions with the Government of Brazil about the sale of OCEAN are ongoing, but no decisions have been made. Navy: Recruitment lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to remove the statement for the Royal Navy to "Fight and Win" found in naval recruitment literature. earl howe: Ready to 'Fight and Win' remains a key ethos of the Naval Service and there are no plans to change that.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2018-01-17

The Senior Deputy Speaker Bullying and Harassment in the House of Lords Independent Inquiry lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how much has been paid to date to Naomi Ellenbogen QC in connection with the Independent Inquiry into Bullying and Harassment in the House of Lords. lord mcfall of alcluith: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 23 July 2019.The correct answer should have been: As at 15 July, the Inquiry costs incurred so far were £137,045.86£143,261.49, including £122,873.50 for the work of Naomi Ellenbogen QC. Some invoices remain outstanding and so the overall cost of the Inquiry will be higher. lord mcfall of alcluith: As at 15 July, the Inquiry costs incurred so far were £137,045.86£143,261.49, including £122,873.50 for the work of Naomi Ellenbogen QC. Some invoices remain outstanding and so the overall cost of the Inquiry will be higher.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2019-09-04

Department for Education Universities: Antisemitism lord leigh of hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government which universities have replied to the lettersent by the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation on 17 May asking them to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism. lord leigh of hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take, if any, in respect of those universities which refuse to adopt theInternational Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism. lord agnew of oulton: On 16 May 2019, the former Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation (Chris Skidmore), my hon. Friend for Kingswood, wrote to higher education providers on the importance of tackling antisemitism in universities. This letter urged them to consider adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition and set out his view that, although legally non-binding, it is a useful tool which will help front-line services better understand and recognise instances of antisemitism.This government believes that adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism sends a clear message that antisemitic behaviour will not be tolerated, and that any instances of antisemitism will be taken very seriously. It is for public bodies and agencies to implement the definition and embed it within operational guidance as relevant. As autonomous organisations, it is for each higher education provider to decide if and how they wish to implement the IHRA definition. The government will continue to call on providers to demonstrate their commitment to Jewish students on campus by adopting this definition in its entirety.In this letter, the former Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation (Chris Skidmore), my hon. Friend for Kingswood, communicated to providers that the department would be keen to hear more regarding the initiatives taken by providers to address antisemitism and all forms of intolerance, harassment and hate-crime. The following institutions have so far responded to the letter: University of Cambridge, University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, University of Oxford, University of Worcester, SOAS University of London and University of Southampton. Children in Care: Foreign Nationals baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) looked after children, and (2) care leavers, who are from the European Economic Area or Switzerland are currently supported in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, and (d) Northern Ireland. baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) looked after children, and (2) care leavers,who are from the European Economic Area or Switzerland are currently supported in England, broken down by region. lord agnew of oulton: The information requested on looked after children and care leavers in England is not held centrally by the department. The devolved administrations are responsible for collecting and publishing information on looked after children and care leavers in their constituent countries. Schools: Finance lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they postponed this week’s announcement on schools funding; and when they will make such an announcement in order that schools can plan their budgets in good time for the new academic year. lord agnew of oulton: No announcement on school funding was planned for the week commencing 15 July. At the 2015 Spending Review the government set out planned spending on education up to 2019-20. Spending plans beyond 2019-20 will be set at the next Spending Review, and we cannot pre-empt these decisions. Children's Centres: Closures baroness mcdonagh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the closure of Sure Start centres. lord agnew of oulton: Since 18 September 2017, data on Sure Start children’s centres has been supplied by local authorities via the department’s Get Information about Schools database portal, which can be found at the following link: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.Based on information supplied by local authorities as at 30 June 2019, 587 Sure Start children’s centres had closed since April 2010[1]. However, councils are reconfiguring services to deliver them more efficiently. If a council decides to close a Sure Start children’s centre, statutory guidance requires them to demonstrate that local children and families will not be adversely affected. There were more children's centres open in spring 2019 than at any time under Tony Blair's premiership.Since 2010, the government has extended the entitlement to free early years education so that more children than ever can benefit from this. We introduced an entitlement to 15 hours a week of free early education for the most disadvantaged 2-year-olds (a programme that was not available before 2010). More than 850,000 disadvantaged 2-year-olds have benefitted from free early education places since the introduction of the programme in 2013. There are now more than 22,000 providers delivering places for disadvantaged 2-year-olds.The department is already starting to see progress. Take-up of places for disadvantaged 2-year-olds has risen from 58% in 2015 to 68% in 2019. The department remains committed to increasing take up. In addition, the 2017/18 Early Years Foundation Stage Profile results show that the proportion of all children achieving a ‘good level of development’ improved in 2018, with 71.5% of children achieving a good level of development, up from 51.7% in 2013. [1] Based on information supplied by local authorities as at 1 July 2019. These figures may be different to previous answers, and could change again in the future, as local authorities may update the database at any time. Apprentices: Tourism baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many apprenticeships were created in the tourism sector in (1) 2014–15, (2) 2016–17, and (3) 2017–18. lord agnew of oulton: The table below shows the number of apprenticeship starts in the travel and tourism sector subject area for each full academic year since 2014/15.[1],[2]Academic year2014/152015/162016/172017/18Travel and tourism apprenticeship starts580610650780 Notes1. Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.2. The data source is the individualised learner record (ILR). Apprenticeship starts include all funded and unfunded learners reported on the ILR.3. Numbers are a count of the number of starts at any point during the period. Learners starting more than one apprenticeship will appear more than once.4. Numbers are counted for the full, final academic year (August – July). [1] Figures for 2017/18 are available here (which also includes provisional figures for the first three quarters of 2018/19): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/814997/Apprenticeship-starts-ach-framework-standard-tool_201718_Q3-201819_July2019.xlsx.[2] Figures for 2014/15 to 2016/17 are available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/694622/201415_201617_sector-subject-area-T2_age_level_demography.xlsx. Apprentices: Taxation lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the apprenticeship levy to (1) ensure companies spend more on training, and(2) broaden the levy to include a greater number of companies. lord agnew of oulton: The former Chancellor of the Exchequer (Philip Hammond), my right hon. Friend for Runnymede and Weybridge, announced in his budget speech in October 2018, that we have been seeking views from a range of employers on the operation of the levy after 2020.Over the past few months, we have used a number of channels, including a survey and regional roundtables across England, to work with a range of different employers, providers and representative organisations. We will continue to listen to the views of employers and providers, and use this evidence to support our planning for the forthcoming Spending Review.To further support employers to make a long-term, sustainable investment in training, we have increased the amount that levy-paying employers can transfer to other employers from 10% to 25%. Almost 480 high-quality apprenticeship standards are now approved for delivery at a range of levels and sectors, giving employers more choice than ever over the training that meets their skills needs.There are no current plans to broaden the apprenticeship levy to include more companies but we continue to keep this policy under review. Northern Ireland Office Education: Northern Ireland lord adonis: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the absence of the Northern Ireland Executive on the provision of (1) higher, (2) further, and (3) secondary, education in Northern Ireland; and in particular, variation of such provision between Belfast and Londonderry. lord duncan of springbank: It is important that we deliver excellent education for our children and young people across the United Kingdom. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland understands the pressures and decisions facing education centres across Northern Ireland. The Government has committed to publishing a report on or before 4 September 2019 on higher education provision in Northern Ireland. As education is devolved these matters are of course for an incoming NI Executive to consider. That is why securing a successful outcome to the talks process, so that a functioning NI Executive can be restored, is the Secretary of State’s absolute priority. In the meantime, I will pass on the Noble Lord’s concerns to the Department of Education.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2019-07-29

Abdel Hakim Belhadj Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether British intelligence officials were involved in the rendition of Abdel Hakim Belhadj to Tripoli in 2004. Lord Howell of Guildford: This issue is the subject of an ongoing police investigation. It is also government policy not to comment on matters of intelligence and national security Afghanistan Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the numbers of British troops fighting in Afghanistan, they are directly involved in peace talks between the Taliban, the United States and the Government of Afghanistan; and, if not, why not. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK has always supported an Afghan-led political process to help bring peace and stability to Afghanistan. At the start of the year, the Taliban issued a statement expressing a willingness to participate in a political office in Qatar. President Karzai recently publicly endorsed the idea of an office in Qatar. We are supporting the Government of Afghanistan in its efforts to take this process forward. Armed Forces: Medals Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider proposing that the Military Cross awarded to Captain John Hamilton during the 1982 Falklands conflict should be upgraded to a Victoria Cross. Lord Astor of Hever: No. At this distance from the event it would be wrong to question the assessments made at the time by the commanders intimately involved in reaching the decisions as to what honour Captain Hamilton should be awarded. CAFCASS Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to including an assessment of whether children have been seen by an officer of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) in the key performance indicators for CAFCASS. Lord Hill of Oareford: The Secretary of State for Education does not plan to set such a measure as part of the key performance indicators for CAFCASS as it is for the CAFCASS board to make decisions about the most effective social work practice to deliver the service's statutory duties. Coastal Pathways Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 8 February (WA 65), why the lengths of coastal paths were given in kilometres rather than in miles. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: It has been accepted practice to use kilometres for such matters since 1965. The length of England's coastline is 2,748 miles. Egypt Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they have raised with the Government of Egypt access in that country to fair reviews and justice for those in administrative detention, held without charge or brought before a military court. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and the Deputy Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Sheffield Hallam (Mr Clegg) all called upon the Egyptian authorities to end the state of emergency during their visits to Egypt in 2011. Through discussions with Egyptian counterparts and in public statements, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have urged the authorities to end the use of military courts in trials against civilians, and raised their concerns about the treatment of those detained for peacefully expressing their views. We will continue to urge the Egyptian authorities to put in place legislation that complies with international standards on human rights and fundamental freedoms including in dealing with public order issues. We will also continue to advocate for the right to a fair trial for all suspects. Energy Act 2011 Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the statutory instrument to implement the private rented sector compulsion provisions for energy efficiency under the Energy Act 2011. Lord Marland: Our emphasis is currently on finalising the details of the Green Deal in time for its launch later this year, and we intend to turn our attention to the private rented sector regulations after we have put the Green Deal framework in place. Energy: Fracking Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to make a decision on whether or not to resume fracking tests. Lord Marland: Following the seismic tremors experienced in Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire in April and May last year, DECC asked Cuadrilla to carry out a geomechanical study. The study, which confirms a connection between the hydraulic fracturing at the Preese Hall-1 well and the seismic activity which took place on 1 April and 27 May 2011, was submitted to DECC, and published by the company, on 2 November 2011. It is currently being reviewed by DECC, in consultation with the British Geological Survey and other independent experts. No decision on the resumption of these hydraulic fracture operations will be made until the implications of this report, together with further information which has been submitted by the company, 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 expect to be in a position to make a decision within the next few months. Energy: Oil Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the production figures for North Sea oil in each year from 1974. Lord Marland: Data on UK production of oil from 1970 to 2010 are available in DUKES table 3.1.1 on the DECC website at: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/source/oil/oil.aspx. The provisional figure for 2011 was 51,980 thousand tonnes. The data cover all UK oil production. They thus cover production of crude oil and natural gas liquids and include oil fields onshore, in the Irish Sea and west of Shetland as well as in the UK sector of the North Sea. Energy: Oil Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many oil exploration wells have been established in the North Sea in each year since 1974. Lord Marland: The number of offshore oil and gas exploration wells drilled in the UK each year since 1974 can be found on DECC's website via the following link: http://og.decc.uk/en/olgs/cms/explorationpro/wells/ dril_activity/dril_activity.aspx and is also set out below. The low level of exploration drilling during 2011 was due to a number of factors including complex geology (which meant longer drilling timescales for particular wells-affecting rig availability), a number of rigs concentrating on development rather than exploration drilling, and very bad weather during the latter part of the year. We hope to see improvements in exploration drilling levels during this year. Year Exploration Appraisal 1974 66 34 1975 75 36 1976 61 30 1977 67 42 1978 35 26 1979 35 15 1980 32 22 1981 47 26 1982 68 48 1983 79 56 1984 107 84 1985 91 63 1986 75 43 1987 74 69 1988 93 79 1989 94 83 1990 157 67 1991 103 78 1992 77 55 1993 51 60 1994 61 39 1995 60 34 1996 71 42 1997 59 36 1998 46 32 1999 18 17 2000 27 34 2001 24 35 2002 16 29 2003 26 19 2004 30 34 2005 41 37 2006 29 41 2007 34 77 2008 44 61 2009 23 41 2010 28 34 2011 14 28 Energy: Smart Meters Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they foresee for local authorities in the roll-out of smart metering. Lord Marland: The smart meter programme is backed by the Government, but it is the energy suppliers who will be responsible for supplying and installing the estimated 53 million gas and electricity meters for domestic and smaller non-domestic properties. The rollout will be supported by a consumer engagement strategy, which is likely to use third parties such as community groups, charities and local authorities to reassure consumers and to help households use smart meters to reduce their energy consumption. There is therefore potentially a role for local authorities in consumer engagement. We are planning to consult on our approach to consumer engagement shortly. Energy: Wind Farms Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of how many gigawatts of power will be generated by wind farms in the United Kingdom in 2020. Lord Marland: Our central scenario in the Renewable Energy Roadmap, published in July 2011, suggests that onshore wind could generate 24 to 32 terawatt hours (TWh) and offshore wind 33 to 58 TWh in 2020. These ranges represent respectively approximately 7% to 9% from onshore wind and 9% to 16% from offshore wind of the estimated 364TWh of total electricity generated in the UK in 2020. The renewables roadmap sets out a targeted plan of actions for eight key technologies, including onshore and offshore wind, in order to meet our 15% renewable energy target. The roadmap includes illustrative "central ranges" for these key technologies and while they do not represent technology specific targets or the level of our ambition, they do show what could be deployed by 2020. Finance: Guarantee Schemes Lord Roberts of Conwy: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many loans, with what total value, have been made to small and medium-sized enterprises in Wales under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. Baroness Wilcox: As of January 2012, 727 small and medium-sized businesses in Wales had been offered loans under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme with a total value of £64.74 million. Of these, 637 loans have been drawn down, with a total value of £56.53 million. Finance: Guarantee Schemes Lord Roberts of Conwy: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent the Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme and the continuation of the Enterprise Capital Funds programme have been applied to Wales, and have promoted investments there. Baroness Wilcox: The pilot Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme and the Enterprise Capital Funds programme are available to eligible businesses throughout the UK. The Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme was introduced in April 2011 to facilitate short-term export finance to viable businesses lacking collateral or track record to secure commercial facilities. As of February 2012, no business in Wales has used the scheme. The Government have committed £200 million to the Enterprise Capital Funds programme over the next four years. As of September 2011, there have been three investments in businesses in Wales since 2006, with a total value of £3.7 million. Government Departments: Running Costs Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost of running the Department for Education in each of the past three years. Lord Hill of Oareford: The cost of running the department for the past three financial years is as follows: Financial Year Outturn (£m) 2008-09 185 2009-10 184 2010-11 172 Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the management structure of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and each of its agencies; how many managers are at each level in each body; and what is the cost per year of their salaries and expenses. Lord Marland: The management structure for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and each of its non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) are published on data.gov.uk and their own individual websites as part of the Coalition Government's transparency agenda. The data are reviewed and updated on a six-monthly basis. The next review is due in May 2012. The structure, which is in organogram form, can be viewed by following the links in the table below. Department URL DECC http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organograrn/?dept=decc&post=1 Coal Authority http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?pubbod=the-coal-authority&post=1 Committee for Climate Change http://www.theccc.org.uk/about-the-ccc/transparency Civil Nuclear Police Authority http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?pubbod=cnpacivil-nuclear-constabulary&post=CC Nuclear Decommissioning Authority http://reference.data.gov.uk/gov-structure/organogram/?pubbod=nda&post=A Managerial grades are executive officer grade (or equivalent) or above. Not all people working in these grades will be a line manager. The data on individuals in those grades are published and updated for DECC and all of its NDPBs on a monthly basis on the department's website and can be viewed at: http://www.decc.gov.uk/media/viewfile.ashx?filetype= 4&filepath=11/access-information/3344-decc-workforce-management-information.xls& minwidth=true. In the case of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the number of people working at executive officer grade (or equivalent) or above as at 30 September 2011 is 300. The salaries for those in management grades (or equivalent) working in DECC and its NDPBs is shown in the table below and represents the annualised salary costs as at 30 September 2011. These data are consistent with the organogram structure referred to in the first paragraph. Department Salary costs DECC £52,640,624 Coal Authority £4,790,191 Committee for Climate Change £290,342 Civil Nuclear Police Authority £12,141,441 Nuclear Decommissioning Authority £6,192,415 The expenses claimed by managers are recorded electronically by the type of expense and the team or group to which they are assigned and not to each individual person or grade. Therefore, to identify which expenses which relate to managers would involve searching all paper records and would incur disproportionate costs. Details of all expenses in excess of £500 are published on a monthly basis and can be viewed at: http://www. decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/expenditure /spend_over_500/spend_over_500.aspx. Iraq: Camp Liberty Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 27 February (HL15532), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the memorandum of understanding signed by the Government of Iraq in respect of Camp Liberty infrastructure and facilities. Lord Howell of Guildford: The memorandum of understanding governing the voluntary transfer of residents of Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty is a document between the United Nations (UN) and the Government of Iraq. It has not been made publicly available and I regret that the Government are not in a position to place a copy of this memorandum in the Library of the House. The UN has said publicly, however, that under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, conditions at Camp Liberty would meet basic humanitarian standards including: adequate accommodation; dining and food preparation facilities; hygiene infrastructure (water and sanitation); medical care; community spaces; separate accommodation and spaces for women; and facilities for religious observance. The UN conducted a thorough assessment of the conditions at the camp before the relocation of the first residents from Ashraf to Liberty. The residents can also use contractors to further improve conditions at Camp Liberty. Regarding access to lawyers and families, we would hope that the Government of Iraq would adhere to the undertakings we understand they have made to allow such access. With regard to personal belongings, we understand that those transferring from Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty would be able to take personal belongings with them. Iraqi authorities and representatives of the residents have discussed what this includes. The UN continues to monitor the situation at Camp Liberty on a daily basis, and officials at our embassy in Baghdad are in close touch with the UN. We continue to support the UN in its efforts to find a durable and peaceful solution to the issue of the future of the residents of Camp Ashraf. Iraq: Camp Liberty Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 27 February (HL15532), whether, under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government of Iraq in respect of Camp Liberty, it was agreed that there should be a fresh water supply available to those who moved from Camp Ashraf. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to Parliamentary Question HL15981 Iraq: Camp Liberty Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 27 February (HL15532), whether, under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government of Iraq in respect of Camp Liberty, it was agreed that there should be free movement and communication between the refugees' families and lawyers within the Camp. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to Parliamentary Question HL15981. Iraq: Camp Liberty Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 27 February (HL15532), whether, under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government of Iraq in respect of Camp Liberty, there are to be reasonable medical services provided; and what has been achieved in this respect. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to Parliamentary Question HL15981. Iraq: Camp Liberty Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 27 February (HL15532), whether, under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government of Iraq in respect of Camp Liberty, there were arrangements for United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representatives (1) to be accommodated within the Camp, or (2) to be able to visit the Camp freely. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to Parliamentary Question HL15981. Iraq: Camp Liberty Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 27 February (HL15532), whether, under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government of Iraq in respect of Camp Liberty, it was agreed that refugees transferring from Camp Ashraf would have access to their property and belongings. Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to Parliamentary Question HL15981. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they have raised with the Government of Israel access in that country to fair reviews and justice for those in administrative detention, held without charge or brought before a military court. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), raised Israel's extensive use of administrative detention with the Israeli ambassador on 23 February. Our ambassador to Israel also raised these issues with the Israeli Attorney-General on 24 February. Our officials in Tel Aviv have raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities about the broader questions of administrative detention and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, including in the context of the Khader Adnan case. We continue to encourage the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law, including in their own policies on detention and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners. We are in regular touch with the International Committee of the Red Cross, which monitors the situation closely. Israel and Palestine Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they evaluate the success of their ongoing representations to the Government of Israel with regard to securing a two-state solution; and whether talks with other European Union member states have produced any different approaches to negotiation. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK continues to make high-level representations to the Government of Israel and to the Palestinians on the urgency of making progress towards a two-state solution. In pursuit of this aim, we view as a positive development the efforts of King Abdullah of Jordan and the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Nasser Judeh, to bring the parties together under the framework of the quartet statement of 23 September 2011. There is European Union consensus on the need for both parties to engage in actions that build confidence and create the environment of trust necessary to ensure meaningful negotiations, leading to a comprehensive and lasting peace. The UK fully supports the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council on the Middle East Peace Process on 23 January 2012: http://www. consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/127466.pdf. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they and the quartet are making representations to the Government of Israel about recent uprootings of olive trees on land at Turmus Aya, north of Ramallah. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government fully appreciate that attacks on olive groves are particularly painful to Palestinians, as the olive tree is both a national symbol and the sole source of income for many subsistence farmers. We have raised our concerns about the impact of this type of action by Israeli settlers with the Israeli Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and with the Israeli Defence Force. Staff at our consulate-general in Jerusalem and our embassy in Tel Aviv will continue to raise these issues as appropriate. We view any attempts to change the facts on the ground as a serious provocation likely to raise tensions and cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians, as well as being harmful to the peace process and in contravention of international law. We will continue to monitor the situation closely. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they and the quartet are making representations to the Government of Israel about the arrest by Israeli soldiers in January 2011 of Islam Dar Ayyoub from the village of Nabi Saleh, and his treatment and interrogation; and whether they are co-operating with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment regarding this case. Lord Howell of Guildford: Our officials in Tel Aviv are aware of this case, but they have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities or had discussions with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), raised Israel's extensive use of administrative detention with the Israeli Ambassador to London on 23 February and Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon on 27 February. Our ambassador to Tel Aviv also raised these issues with the Israeli Attorney-General on 24 February. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they and the quartet are making representations to the Government of Israel about recent alleged attempts by settlers to storm the al-Haram al-Sharif compound. Lord Howell of Guildford: Our officials in Tel Aviv discussed the violence that happened in, and around, Jerusalem during 24 February with the Israeli authorities on 27 February. We are in touch with the office of the quartet representative on this issue. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they and the quartet are making representations to the Government of Israel about any encroachment by the outpost of Amona, near Ofra, onto land in Zone B. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), most recently raised our concerns over settlement building with the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister on 27 February. Our ambassador and officials in Tel Aviv have also raised our concerns on these issues recently with the Co-ordinator of Government Activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We are clear that the existence of Israeli outposts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and their expansion including in Area B, is illegal under international law and Israel's commitments under the road map. Israel and Palestine Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel concerning its treatment of detainees in prisons, in the light of the report by Physicians for Human Rights Israel and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), raised Israel's extensive use of administrative detention with the Israeli ambassador to London on 23 February and Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon on 27 February. Our ambassador also raised these issues with the Israeli Attorney-General on 24 February. Our officials in Tel Aviv have raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities about the broader questions of the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, including in the context of the case of Mr Khader Adnan. We continue to encourage the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law, including in their own policies on detention and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners. We are in regular touch with the International Committee of the Red Cross, which monitors the situation closely. Libya Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they have raised with the Government of Libya access in that country to fair reviews and justice for those in administrative detention, held without charge or brought before a military court. Lord Howell of Guildford: We have raised consistently with the Libyan authorities the importance of providing fair treatment to all those held in detention. Immediately following the reports of mistreatment in Misrata in January, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), raised our concerns with the Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister in early February. The Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Burt) and the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for Taunton Dean (Mr Browne), reiterated these concerns to the Libyan Interior Minister. Wider transitional justice issues, including the need for fair trials and due process for those held without charge, remain a regular feature of our dialogue with the Libyans. Our ambassador is in close contact with Libyan officials on these issues. The Libyan Deputy Prime Minister announced on 31 January that officials from the Ministries of Justice and Interior would visit detention centres and begin the process of bringing all detention facilities under central government control. The UK has already provided training to Libyan judges and legal professionals and is providing further support, including on prison reform. The UK will continue to follow closely the situation and provide support and assistance to the transitional Government to help the Libyan authorities ensure justice for all members of Libyan society Railways: Electrification Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to the business case for (1) electrification of the line between Swansea and Cardiff, and of the Cardiff Valley network, with electric Intercity Express Programme trains, and (2) electrification of the Cardiff Valley network and bimodal Intercity Express Programme trains; and what are the differences between each business case. Earl Attlee: The Government's assessment is set out in the document Railway Investment on the Great Western Main Line and in Wales, which has been deposited in the House of Commons Library. The assessment concluded that electrification to Cardiff with bi-mode trains to Swansea delivered a benefit-cost ratio of two. Electrification from Cardiff to Swansea remains under consideration but the benefit-cost ratio was much lower. The Welsh Government have submitted a business case to the Department for Transport on the electrification of the Cardiff Valley lines, which is under consideration by the department. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Wales has also made representations to the department on this matter. Railways: Fares Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Atlee on 28 February (WA 347), how many times they have found breaches in the price of regulated fares in each of the past five years; and what enforcement action was taken in each instance. Earl Attlee: There has been one breach identified involving the price of regulated fares in the past five years on Southeastern in 2010. This, and a number of other issues, led to Southeastern introducing a new passenger's charter including Delay Repay compensation in 2011. Railways: Procurement Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their timetable for the delivery of new carriages for rail franchises based outside London and the south-east which are suffering from overcrowding. Earl Attlee: The 106 new-build Pendolino carriages which are planned for the InterCity West Coast franchise are on schedule to be delivered by 31 December 2012 (with some already in use). The Department for Transport announced on 29 February 2012 that an agreement has been reached with London Midland and First TransPennine Express for the procurement of new-build electric multiple carriages. This procurement will help address crowding on routes into Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle as well as London Euston. It is intended that these new-build carriages will be in service by December 2014. The department is also expecting to introduce around 600 new-build carriages through the Intercity Express Programme, where additional capacity will be provided into south Wales, the west of England, Yorkshire, the north-east and Scotland. These carriages are expected to be introduced between 2017 and 2019. In addition, major orders will be placed for Thameslink and Crossrail in the coming years. We are also negotiating with another train operator in relation to additional carriages cascaded from other routes. Renewable Heat Incentive Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the second stage of the Renewable Heat Incentive to be implemented. Lord Marland: We are developing options for longer-term support for renewable heat in the domestic sector and details on timing for development and introduction of support will be published in the near future. Renewable Heat Incentive Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the potential contribution of the second phase of the Renewable Heat Incentive to reducing fuel poverty in rural households. Lord Marland: Rural areas lacking access to the gas grid face higher heating costs through their use of more expensive fuels and consequently are likely to have the greatest potential to benefit from changing their heating source to renewable sources. We are developing options for longer term support for renewable heat in the domestic sector and details on timing for development and introduction of support will be published in the near future. Somalia Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the outcome of the recent London conference on Somalia; what were the positive results; and which of their objectives were not met. Lord Howell of Guildford: The London conference on Somalia was primarily aimed at reinvigorating the international approach to Somalia. As the Prime Minister set out in his speech of 14 November announcing the conference, our aims were: "to tackle the underlying causes of these issues [of piracy and terrorism] and deliver a new international approach to Somalia. It will form the basis for co-ordinated and sustained international leadership on Somalia, bringing together international partners and key institutions like the United Nations and the African Union. It aims to generate agreement on how to tackle the shared threats, and support a broader, more inclusive political process to bring security and stability to Somalia". We believe that we have met all of these objectives. Britain and the international community agreed at the conference: to inject new momentum into the political process, and ensure an inclusive process to end the transition in August; to strengthen AMISOM (the African Union Mission in Somalia) and help Somalia develop its own security forces; to help build stability at a local level; and to step up action to tackle pirates and terrorists. These are all positive results. For the full details of the agreements reached I refer you to the Written Ministerial Statement, the conference communiqué, and the conclusions of the separate humanitarian meeting, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. Turkey Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will discuss with the Government of Turkey the arrest on 20 February of Ms Arzu Mucu and Ms Çimen Altürk, both members of the Peace and Democracy Party, and the arrests in Istanbul of 10 persons connected with the Kurdistan Communities Union. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government do not plan to discuss the arrests of Ms Arzu Mucu and Ms Çimen Altürk, or the arrests in Istanbul of 10 persons connected with the Kurdistan Communities Union with the Government of Turkey. We expect high legal and judicial standards to be observed in line with Turkey's responsibilities as a member of the Council of Europe, the Office for Security and Co-operation in Europe and also in line with international law. Our embassy in Ankara will continue to monitor the situation. UK Trade and Investment Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint on 29 November 2011 (WA 65-6), whether they will publish the analysis undertaken by UK Trade and Investment and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to identify their 20 priority high-growth markets in Britain Open for Business. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: UKTI, working with the FCO, deployed a range of criteria to prioritise its focus on emerging and high growth markets, including: market size and potential for growth; the Government's assessment of their strategic political and economic importance; an assessment of the security situation; strength of scientific, technical and research base; performance of UK businesses relative to competitors; market match with UK capability; and the presence of active local partners keen to strengthen trading links with the UK. These criteria enabled us to assess the importance of specific markets, their potential for growth, and the need for the Government to help British business interests. Further details of the economic analysis that underpinned the selection of markets identified in Britain Open for Business can be found in the following Department for Business Economics papers: BIS Economics paper No. 8: UK Trade Performance: Patterns in UK and Global Trade Growth (November 2010); BIS Economics paper No. 13: International Trade and Investment-the Economic Rationale for Government Support (May 2011); and BIS Economics paper No. 17: UK Trade Performance across Markets and Sectors (February 2012). Available at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/analysis/economics /main-economics-papers. UK Trade and Investment Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint on 29 November 2011 (WA 65-6), how they ascertain and evaluate the demand from United Kingdom businesses for the services of UK Trade and Investment abroad. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: Evidence about the potential demand from UK businesses for the services of UK Trade and Investment abroad is obtained from regular independent surveys of UK businesses which are either currently internationalising, or thinking of doing so in the near future, both users and non-users of UKTI trade services. Results from these surveys are published in full on the UKTI web site at: http://www.ukti. gov.uk/uktihome/aboutukti/ourperformance/research/barrierstointernationalisation.html. The surveys provide evidence both about the nature and extent of business need for services of this type, and about the characteristics of businesses which are most likely to benefit from using the services. The surveys identify the different types of issues, including potential barriers to entering new markets, which are faced by different types of businesses in different circumstances and markets. Evidence about the demand from UK businesses for these services is also available from UKTI's Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS), which tracks take-up by UK businesses with different characteristics, as well as quality and impact of the services, and the benefits which result. Full reports are available at: http://www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/aboutukti /ourperformance/performanceimpactandmonitorings urvey.html. In addition to these surveys, UKTI draws on a wide range of other research to inform its assessment of business need. This evidence is reviewed in two recent BIS economics papers, which also draw out policy implications of the evidence: BIS Economics Paper No 5: Internationalisation of Innovative and High Growth SMEs (March 2010); andBIS Economics Paper No 13: International Trade and Investment-the Economic Rationale for Government Support (May 2011). Both papers are available on the BIS website at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/analysis/economics/main-economics-papers. Water Supply: Waste Water The Earl of Selborne: To ask Her Majesty's Government which were the tidal combined sewer overflows which released over 900,000 tonnes of storm sewage into the River Thames on 5 and 6 June 2011, as noted in paragraph 2.6.18 of the National Policy Statement for Waste Water; and what are their estimates of the tonnage attributable to each tidal combined sewer overflow. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Below are the figures for the tidal combined sewer overflows on 5 and 6 June 2011, derived from data submitted by Thames Water to the Environment Agency: Date Outfall Volume (m3) 05-Jun-11 Greenwich 114,156 Lots Road 27,720 Western 85,590 Hammersmith 12,000 Abbey Mills 99,000 06-Jun-11 Abbey Mills 476,600 Lots Road 47,700 Western 72,300 Total 935,066 Also: 06-Jun-11 MOGDEN STW storm tanks 233,000 storm tanks Waterways: Canals Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 13 February (WA 142), why canal lengths were given in kilometres rather than in miles. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: It has been accepted practice to use kilometres as a measure since 1965. It may be helpful to clarify that British Waterways is responsible for about 1,485 miles of navigable canals in England, all of which are open for tourism except when closed for maintenance and repairs. The Environment Agency has one canal, and that is open to tourists. There are at least 143 miles of navigable canals managed by a wide range of other bodies, including local authorities, port authorities and charitable trusts. Some canals under restoration by canal trusts/societies may still be open to tourists.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2012-03-06a

Lord Drayson: The deployment of UK Forces to Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led international security assistance force is expected to peek at around 5,700, before reducing to around 5,000 in the autumn. As with all operational commitments, we will continue to review requirements as circumstances change. Lord Rooker: Aquaculture in England consists largely of the cultivation of trout in freshwater and bivalve molluscs (eg oysters and mussels) in marine sites, although production is relatively small in relation to the UK as a whole and to other member states. Defra has sponsored projects investigating the nature and extent of the impact of aquatic contaminants (effluents, pesticides, antibiotics and hormones), arising from intensive aquaculture, on the reproduction, migration and survival of wild salmonids, as well as an investigation into the impact of non-native fish species on indigenous stocks. In addition, and related to shellfish aquaculture, the department has sponsored a research project assessing the ecological impact of using wild mussel seed in mussel culture. We have also commissioned a project which aims to develop best practice in movements of shellfish stock for aquaculture (to avoid further distribution of introduced pests). Lord Triesman: The Government are fully committed to securing an international treaty on the trade in all conventional arms. We are working with a range of partners to bring forward a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly first committee this autumn, which will start a formal UN process. We want to make good progress, but this must be at a pace that will take other countries with us. Our latest round of global lobbying clearly indicated that, while there is good support for the start of a UN process beginning with the formation of group of governmental experts, there is at this stage only very limited support for moving straight to an open-ended working group. We shall continue to work closely with a wide variety of partners in the run-up to first committee. 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. Lord Rooker: European legislation states that each competent control authority shall, with regard to the requirements or standards for which it is responsible, carry out checks on at least 1 per cent. of all farmers submitting aid applications. It goes on to say, where the legislation applicable to the act and standards already fix minimum control rates, those rates shall in so far be applied instead of this minimum rate. In England, cross compliance is checked by three competent control authorities: the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the State Veterinary Service and the Rural Payments Agency. The cross compliance legislation requires reductions to be made from single payment scheme (SPS) claims when non-compliances are discovered. The legislation requires reductions to be applied in the calendar year of finding. Where the payment has not yet been made then reductions will be applied directly to the SPS claim. Where the SPS payment has already been made then recovery action will be taken. Lord Rooker: The Countryside Agency's Omnibus Tracking Survey to monitor public awareness and understanding of the Countryside Code and the right of open access commenced in August 2004. Between the first wave of the survey in August 2004, and the start of the third wave which began in August 2005, the agency's open access project expenditure, funded by Defra, totalled just under £12.4 million. In addition, Defra has funded national park authorities and the Planning Inspectorate to implement Part I of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. In the two financial years covered by the survey, national park authorities were allocated £1.85 million in 2004–05 and £2.875 million in 2005–06. The Planning Inspectorate was also funded £1.47 million in 2004–05 and £0.44 million in 2005–06 to deal with appeals against the inclusion of land on provisional maps and restriction appeals. We do not hold information on the expenditure by local highway authorities on open access between August 2004 and August 2005 in addition to those costs which are funded centrally. Lord Rooker: The Countryside Agency's four-year monitoring programme commenced in 2004–05. The pilot year has been completed with 2005–06 being the first full monitoring year. Findings from the England Day Visitor Survey and the Omnibus Tracking Survey will be made available later this year and we expect the results of the first years of monitoring to be made available towards the end of 2007. The monitoring programme will include the 2006 summer holiday period. Lord Rooker: The Natural England partnership's initial evidence, fact-finding and research work has been financed from within the Countryside Agency's existing Open Access Programme budget, with additional support from English Nature and Rural Development Service staff. Defra will finance the eventual consultation from within its departmental expenditure allocation. Lord Goldsmith: Guardsman McGing provided two written witness statements to the Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch (11/02/04 and 19/04/04); he was later arrested and interviewed under caution (13/05/04). Guardsman McCleary was arrested and interviewed under caution (27/04/04). Lance Corporal Cooke provided a written witness statement during which he became a suspect and was immediately arrested and interviewed under caution. (27/04/04). Colour Sergeant Selman made a written witness statement (21/03/04) and was subsequently arrested and interviewed under caution (14/05/04). Copies of the statements and transcripts of the interviews under caution (along with copies of the tapes) were provided to the Army Prosecuting Authority. Edited versions of the interviews under caution and the witness statements were read out during the trial, apart from those of Colour Sergeant Selman which, following legal argument, were excluded from evidence and did not go before the court. Transcripts of the evidence given to the court martial are available. Lord Goldsmith: Four Iraqis were alleged to have been made to walk into the Shatt Al Basra Canal; the deceased, Mr Hanoun and two others who appear not to have been known to Mr Hanoun and did not come forward as witnesses. Mr Hanoun provided an initial statement to the Royal Military Police, which was recorded in English with the aid of an interpreter. The statement had the usual declaration on it that the statement was true to the knowledge and belief of the witness and that he made it knowing that if it was tendered in evidence he would be liable for prosecution if he wilfully stated in it anything that he knew to be false or did not believe to be true. It was unclear, following evidence at the trial, whether the statement was ever read back to him before he signed it and there was no addendum at the bottom of the statement that had been signed by the interpreter to indicate that this had been done. The Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch (SIB) then took over the case and video interviewed Mr Hanoun, assisted by a locally employed SIB interpreter. In the UK a detailed examination of the translation took place when a written transcript of the interview was prepared (it became apparent that there were significant inaccuracies with the interpretation that had taken place at the time the interview was conducted). Further written statements were taken from Mr Hanoun with the benefit of an interpreter and this process was recorded onto tape and the translations checked. All recordings and videos were provided to the Army Prosecuting Authority together with transcripts. The tape recordings and video of Mr Hanoun's witness interviews were not played to the court other than very small excerpts. While a full transcript of those interviews was available and used in cross-examination it was not produced to the court. Lord Goldsmith: In reaching its decision to prosecute the Army Prosecuting Authority gave consideration to the following: The evidence set out in the statements and interviews of Mr Hanoun and the deceased's father. The accounts provided by the accused either by way of the statements that had made or the interviews that had been undertaken. Statements taken from other members of the accused's section. Statements taken from No 1 Platoon and No 1 Company the Irish Guards. The medical evidence. Statements provided by the investigators. Expert evidence regarding the canal. Two experienced Queen's Counsel also separately considered the evidence and advised the Army Prosecuting Authority that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the case. The judge advocate in the court martial himself held that there was evidence on which a properly directed jury could convict the accused by throwing out a defence submission that there was insufficient evidence for three out of the four guardsmen to proceed with the trial. Lord Rooker: All four health boards currently provide retinal screening services for people with diabetes through a range of health professionals including hospital ophthalmologists, diabetologists, GPs, optometrists and the Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Service (DRSS). Using retinal digital photography, the DRSS is currently being extended to include all people with diabetes from age 12. The following table shows the number of people with diabetes in each health and social services board area and the number and percentage in each board area who received retinal screening between 1 January 2005 and 31 March 2006 (1 April 2005–31 March 2006 for the Western Board). Health Board ofresidence Number* of people with diabetes (aged 16 years and over) registered in 2005–06 Number (percentage) that received retinal screening (aged 12 years and over) Northern 13,260 11,044 (83.3) Eastern 22,656 18,469 (81.5) Southern 10,175 7,919 (77.8) Western 8,715 5,972 (68.5) Source: Health and Social Service Boards. *Note: The number of people with diabetes are those known cases, aged 16 years and over, registered in primary care. Retinal screening includes people with diabetes who have been screened using digital retinal photography by the DRSS and those who have had their retinas examined by other methods. The number of people with diabetes who received retinal screening is available only for 1 January 2005–31 March 2006 period for the Eastern, Southern and Northern Health Boards. Western Board figures represent those that were screened between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2006. Baroness Andrews: Statistics on family breakdown are currently not available at neighbourhood level and as the index includes only indicators that measure a major feature of deprivation (ie not conditions experienced by a small number of people or areas), it is unlikely that a measure of family breakdown would be suitable for inclusion in the index. Baroness Andrews: It is estimated that the number of home inspectors required in England and Wales by 1 June 2007 will be between 5,000 and 7,400. The replacement rate for inspectors is estimated to be around 10 per cent. per year. Lord Triesman: The UK works closely with the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the Kosovo Government and other international organisations seeking to improve the judicial system and tackle organised crime and corruption. The UK provides around 65 police officers to UNMIK to assist with law enforcement in Kosovo and provided expertise and equipment to increase the effectiveness of the Kosovo Organised Crime Unit (now called the Directorate of Organised Crime). We have provided witness protection equipment to the local district courts in order to enable them to secure a victim's testimony and also specialist IT training for the Kosovo Police Service. In addition, the Department for International Development is working to strengthen the new Ministries of Justice and Interior. Our contribution in supplying the witness protection equipment was recognised by Soren Jessen-Petersen, UN special representative in Kosovo, in his recent report to the UN Security Council. We also contribute almost 19 per cent. of the funding to the EU's external assistance programme to the western Balkans—the Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS) programme. Between 2005 and 2006, CARDS has allocated €143.5 million to Kosovo, €11.6 million is devoted to justice and home affairs issues. The instrument for pre-accession replaces CARDS from 2007 as the EU's financial instrument which streamlines all pre-accession assistance within a single framework. The EU has not yet reached a decision on the financial allocations for any of the countries covered by the instrument. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also paid for an official from the Department for Constitutional Affairs to go to Kosovo last December to carry out an assessment on the Kosovo judicial system. The findings acknowledged progress that UNMIK has made in setting up a judicial system in Kosovo, and also highlighted the challenges that this fledgling structure still faces. We will continue to look for other opportunities to support the Kosovo Government. Northern Ireland: Peace II Funding Lord Rooker: Consultation on the Peace II extension attracted some 500 participants and 70 written responses. Many highlighted the need for an increased focus on reconciliation. The consultation committee therefore recommended integrating the Brandon Hamber/Grainne Kelly proposals into project selection and making reconciliation count for 20 per cent. of a project's overall score, not 6 per cent. as previously. The SEUPB's consultation document, which includes a list of the members of the consultation committee, will be placed in the Library of the House. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Precise comparisons between the cost of the European Parliament and the Houses of Parliament are difficult. The requested information is set out below. As with last year's answers to similar questions, the House of Commons and House of Lords have provided data relating to costs on a resource basis, consistent with their resource accounts. The European Parliament has not adopted resource accounting and budgeting and all its cost figures have been presented on a cash basis. Per capita cost per member(£'000s) 2005–06 unaudited provisionalfigures House of Commons (1) (2) 726 House of Lords (2) 149 Figures for 2000–01, to 2004–05 for the House of Commons and House of Lords can be found in the relevant year's resource accounts (6) (7). European Parliament figures are available on their website (8). Annual Costs European Parliament The European Parliament outturn figures for calendar years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and budget figures for 2005 and 2006 can be found on the European Parliament website (8). House of Commons -- £ millions 2005–06 provisional unaudited outturn Members salaries, pensions travel andallowances (3) 146.2 Salaries and pensions for administrativestaff (4) 61.0 Accommodation costs, including rent,operating costs and security 93.5 Other administration costs (5) 168.1 Total 468.8 Details of previous years' expenditure by the House of Commons can be found in the Members and administration resource accounts (6). House of Lords -- £ millions 2005–06 provisionalunaudited outturn Members expenses 15.2 House of Lords staff costs 16.4 Accommodation costs (2) 56.3 Other administration costs 17.9 Total 105.8 Details of previous years' expenditure by the House of Lords can be found in their resource accounts(7). Number of Sitting Days Sitting Days 2004–05 Session CalendarYear 2005 2005–06 Financial Year European ParliamentPlenary Session (8) (9) 38 48 51.5 House Of CommonsChamber 65 133 137 House Of Commons,Westminster Hall 39 83 86 House Of Lords Chamber 63 126 132 House Of Lords, GrandCommittee 29 55 60 (1) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 659 Members. (2) From 2004-05 onwards the figures are based on the capital charge reducing from 6 per cent. to 3.5 per cent. (3) The 2005 General Election saw additional Member salary costs of £5.4 million arising from the payment of resettlement grants, as well as the winding-up allowance costs of £3.5 million payable to those Members who stood down. (4) Higher salary costs in 2005–06 represent an increase in the employer pension contribution from 18.7 per cent. to 22.6 per cent. (5) The other administration costs include a one-off technical accounting adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS117. (6) House of Commons Resource Accounts can be found on their website (HC419, HC420, HC67, HC68, HC1239, HC1240) at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhocpap.htm£resource. (7) House of Lords Resource Accounts can be found on their website (HL23, HL44, HLI 1, HL197) at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldres.htm. (8) European Parliament budget information and number of members can be found on its website at www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index-en.htm and www.europarl.org.uk/. (9) 2004 being an election year, had fewer meeting days than a normal year. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and the European Union are in progress. It will not be possible fully to assess what protection has been secured for these countries until those negotiations are finalised by the end of 2007. However, on 10 April the General Affairs and External Relations Council agreed conclusions, which highlighted the need for the EPAs to be "development instruments complementary to the overall development efforts in order to eradicate poverty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals". These conclusions also emphasised the need for EPAs to take into account "all parties' respective political choices" and stressed the importance of the scheduled review of EPAs, as outlined in the Cotonou agreement, scheduled to take place later this year. The conclusions make clear that this review should be full and comprehensive with participation by the ACP and, as supported by the UK, it should determine whether the development needs of the ACP are being addressed. The UK has been instrumental in engaging other EU member states on EPAs through various fora established during our presidency of the EU; we believe that without this engagement these council conclusions may not have happened. The UK will work to ensure that the development commitments in these conclusions and set out in the Cotonou agreement are taken forward. Baroness Amos: The cornerstone of preventing obstetric fistulae is prompt access to good quality healthcare when needed. DfID is committed to helping countries expand access to healthcare, including family planning, safe abortion services, antenatal and obstetric services. DfID is the only major bilateral donor to have a strategy focused on reducing maternal mortality. Copies of the first progress report on the strategy have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The effects of fistula can be devastating for the lives of girls and women, whose babies often die. Rendered incontinent, they are often rejected by their husbands, thrown out of their homes and excluded from community life. DfID is therefore committed to promoting the rights of girls and women, particularly their sexual and reproductive rights. DfID is also committed to the elimination of harmful practices such as early marriage and female genital mutilation which can significantly increase the risk of fistula. DfID bilateral expenditure on maternal and reproductive health has increased by 42 per cent. over the past three years to £243 million. DfID targets some funding through NGOs to tackle obstetric fistula. For example, DfID has provided a grant of £558,000 to the Engender Health and Women's Dignity Project to combat obstetric fistula in Tanzania and Uganda, and £140,000 to the Obstetric Fistula in Africa Project. To complement our country level support, DfID channels funds through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). DfID provides £20 million a year core funding and in 2004, £10 million specifically for reproductive health supplies. DfID also provides an annual contribution of £19 million to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and £12.5 million to the World Health Organisation (WHO), whose programmes support work on women's empowerment and maternal and reproductive health. On 27 June 2006, the UNFPA will be launching a high-profile media campaign on obstetric fistula. I will attend this event on behalf of the Secretary of State for International Development. The UNFPA has chosen to locate the campaign in the UK to maximise the political commitment of the UK to addressing the millennium development goal targeted at improving maternal health.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2006-06-28b

Department for International Development Middle East: Refugees lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their analysis of the plight of the displaced people at Rakban, on the frontiers of Syria, Iraq and Jordan; what is their best estimate of the population there; and whether they intend to convene a meeting of all concerned parties to make possible access for urgent supplies and to assess longer-term needs. lord bates: The UK remains deeply concerned about the extremely difficult situation facing the population of approximately 50,000 at Rukban.The UK government regularly engages with UN agencies, other members of the international community and with the Government of Jordan on the situation at Rukban.We welcome news that an agreement in principle has been reached with the Government of Jordan to provide further essential aid to the people at Rukban. However, we will continue to press for a better understanding of the specific needs of the population at Rukban and for full humanitarian access that will enable regular aid deliveries to take place in line with International Humanitarian Law. Syria: International Assistance lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the WHO and UNICEF have access to eastern Ghouta in Syria; and whether they will call for the prompt evacuation of urgent medical cases. lord bates: Humanitarian access to Eastern Ghouta remains severely constrained by the Assad regime. Where access allows, our partners including WHO and UNICEF are providing life-saving healthcare and protection. The UK continues to to demand full and sustained humanitarian access in order to allow medical evacuations to take place. Iraq: Reconstruction lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the reconstruction of Yazidi and Christian villages, especially on the Plains of Nineveh, and in facilitating the safe return of these communities; and the practical steps they have taken to enable those minorities return to their homes lord bates: The UK supports UNDP’s Funding Facility For Stabilisation (FFS), which is providing funding to support immediate repairs to housing, schools and utilities in the Nineveh Plains as well as other liberated areas. This has helped to create the conditions for the return of almost 2 million Iraqis - including Christian, Yazidi and other minorities - to their homes. The FFS has currently 1,000 projects underway that support the Government of Iraq's efforts to stabilize 23 newly liberated areas including predominantly Christian, Yazidi or other minority areas. The long-term reconstruction of the Nineveh Plains and other liberated areas is the responsibility of the Government of Iraq who will set out their plans at a conference in Kuwait in February. Ministry of Justice Prisons: Unmanned Air Vehicles baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many drone drops outside prisons have been intercepted by the authorities in the last two years. lord keen of elie: Last year we launched Operation Trenton, a specialist team of Police and Prison Service investigators, to work together to intercept drones and track down the criminals behind them. Publishing all data on drone activity could undermine safety and security within our prisons, and compromise ongoing investigations into drone incidents. The specialist squad has, however, recovered or seized more than 150 drones from 2015 up until 1 September 2017 across the prison estate in England and Wales. We have also achieved 28 convictions and combined sentences of more than 82 years for those involved in drone use against prisons. That includes 11 gang members convicted only last month to a total of 32 years between them for using drones to smuggle drugs, phones and weapons into prisons. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Commonwealth: Brexit baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking in talks with the EU to address any negative consequences of Brexit for developing Commonwealth countries. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The PM has made clear that the UK has a longstanding and firm commitment to the Commonwealth and to the values it upholds, of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The UK remains committed to its 0.7% GNI ODA target for development spending. At present, some of this development assistance is spent through the EU and some bilaterally. Leaving the EU means that we will take our own decisions about how to spend development assistance. The UK wants to continue working with the EU and its Member States to effectively tackle development challenges in countries around the world and we remain clear about the importance of continued UK support to commonwealth countries. The UK has also committed to extending the non-reciprocal duty free access granted to LDCs under the EU’s current Everything But Arms initiative, to ensure the world’s poorest keep their existing duty-free access to UK markets and providing new opportunities to increase trade links. Department for Exiting the European Union Brexit lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take to safeguard the rights of Irish citizens in the UK both before and after Brexit; and whether they will discuss with the government of the Republic of Ireland the rights of British residents in the Republic. lord callanan: The UK Government has been clear that it wants to maintain the Common Travel Area (CTA) and protect associated rights enjoyed by British and Irish citizens. The right to work, study, and access social security and public services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis for UK and Irish nationals. The UK Government, Irish Government, and European Union all agree that the UK and Ireland can maintain these arrangements and this has been reflected in the Joint Report between the UK and the EU. I have written to Lord Alton of Liverpool setting out the detail of these arrangements and this letter has been placed in the library of the house. EU Institutions lord lester of herne hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government with which EU agencies they intend to remain involved afterBrexit; and in each case, on what terms. lord callanan: We are seeking a deep and special partnership with the European Union. No final decisions have yet been made on our future relationship with the EU's agencies and bodies after leaving the EU. Where there is a demonstrable national interest in pursuing a continued relationship with an agency or other EU body the Government will carefully examine whether we should pursue this. Our future relationship with the EU's agencies will ultimately be a matter for negotiations in the next phase. Overseas Trade: Republic of Ireland lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they propose to safeguard trade between (1) Fishguard, (2) Pembroke, and (3) Holyhead, and Ireland following Brexit. lord callanan: In assessing our options for a new customs arrangement with the EU, the Government will be guided by what delivers the greatest economic advantage to the UK, and by three strategic objectives: Ensuring UK-EU trade is as frictionless as possible;Avoiding a ‘hard border’ between Ireland and Northern Ireland; andEstablishing an independent international trade policy. The Government’s Future Partnership Paper on customs, published in August 2017, set out two approaches to our future customs relationship with the EU that most closely meet these objectives. Brexit baroness suttie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the context of the negotiations on leaving the EU, on what date they expect the negotiations dealing with issues relating to the UK's future relations with the EU on matters relating to (1)the Common Foreign and Security Policy, and (2) the Common Security and Defence Policy, to begin. lord callanan: On 15 December the European Council formally confirmed that sufficient progress had been made to move onto the second phase of negotiations. The Council has also confirmed that discussions will now begin on trade and our future security partnership, including foreign and defence policy cooperation. As the Prime Minister has stated, the UK is unconditionally committed to maintaining Europe’s security. The UK seeks to develop a deep and special security partnership with the EU that goes beyond any existing third country arrangements, and which builds on the breadth and depth of our shared interests and values.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2018-01-03

Zimbabwe The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether in Zimbabwe they think it essential that independent observers oversee the registration process before the presidential elections. Baroness Amos: Independent observers should ideally be present during the entire electoral process if they are to be fully effective. Zimbabwe The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government: What benefits have arisen from the Abuja agreement on Zimbabwe; what benefits they expect in the future; and whether, considering Zimbabwe's failure to honour commitments from it, it is now of any value. Baroness Amos: The Abuja agreement set out a clear and objective framework for the Government of Zimbabwe to return to international respectability and to secure international support for just and sustainable land reform. The UK Government and others went the extra mile at Abuja to reach agreement. The Abuja text sets out clear benchmarks on the rule of law, ending political violence and intimidation and promoting basic human rights. The Government of Zimbabwe's scant regard for their commitments have damaged Abuja's credibility. But the continued engagement of the UN development programme on land reform—a key element of Abuja—is important. We continue to support UNDP's efforts and to honour our Abuja commitments. Zimbabwe The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will recognise the result of the forthcoming presidential election in Zimbabwe if there are no international observers of the European Union's choice monitoring and evaluating the results. Baroness Amos: We are currently discussing with EU partners and others what benchmarks we will use to judge the outcome of the forthcoming presidential election in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will acquiesce in President Mugabe's choosing the countries from which international observers for the presidential election in Zimbabwe will come. Baroness Amos: As head of a sovereign state, President Mugabe is entitled to decide whom he invites to observe the election and when. But he will also be aware that international confidence in the process and outcome of the presidential election may depend on the early and effective deployment of a range of independent international election observers. Zimbabwe The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the standards on which they will judge the forthcoming presidential elections in Zimbabwe. Baroness Amos: We are currently discussing with EU and other partners what benchmarks the international community will use to judge the forthcoming presidential election in Zimbabwe. It is important that in due course these are widely recognised. Zimbabwe The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the European Union will follow the United States' lead on providing legislation for sanctions against Zimbabwe. Baroness Amos: The United States Congress has recently passed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act. This has not yet been signed into law by President Bush. The European Union does not have an equivalent law-making body. Any similar measures by the EU would be a political decision for the Council of Ministers. The EU has already initiated formal consultations with Zimbabwe under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement. If there is no progress on EU concerns, "appropriate measures" may be taken. Stolen Tractors and Excavators Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will use Europol to tackle the increasing trade in stolen tractors and excavators; and how much these crimes are costing the European Union annually. Lord Rooker: Our National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) is considering the further sharing of intelligence on the trade in stolen tractors and excavators with Europol in the light of its continuing assessment of organised crime threats. Europol can support member states' competent authorities in preventing and combating the theft of agricultural vehicles and construction plant where there is an organised criminal structure involved. We do not know how much these crimes are costing the European Union annually but we estimate that in the United Kingdom in 1999 the insurance costs of these crimes was some £115 million. Protective and Preventive Security Group Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: (a) how many times the Ministerial Group on Protective and Preventative Security chaired by the Home Secretary has met; (b) how many of the 10 Ministers on the committee attended each meeting; and (c) how often the group is expected to meet in the future. Lord Rooker: Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committee business is not disclosed under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Illegal Firearms The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many illegal firearms have been seized by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Trident; and How many of the illegal firearms seized by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Trident were capable of lethal discharge at the time they were taken; and What were the calibre, class or type, maker and model of the illegal firearms seized by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Trident; and How many of the illegal firearms seized by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Trident were: (a) imitation or replica firearms capable of discharging blank ammunition; (b) imitation or replica firearms not capable of discharging blank ammunition; (c) air weapons not subject to certificate control; (d) non-functional de-activated firearms; (e) de-activated firearms which have been re-activated; (f) home made firearms; (g) imitation or replica firearms converted to discharge live ammunition; or (h) antique firearms. Lord Rooker: I understand that 62 complete firearms (including three replicas) have been siezed so far by the Metropolitan Police in connection with Operation Trident. Details of the weapons concerned are not readily available in the form requested. The firearms seized comprised 53 handguns (including three replicas), five shotguns and four machine pistols, as well as a number of component parts. Race Riots Reports Lord Chan: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will respond to the Cantle and Ritchie reports on the racial riots in Oldham, Burnley and Blackburn. Lord Rooker: The response to the key recommendations of the Cantle and Ritchie reports and our proposals on how to take these forward are given in the report of the interdepartmental Public Order and Community Cohesion Ministerial Group which was also published on 11 December. We have already given an undertaking to look at the remaining recommendations and to provide a timely response. House of Lords Reform Lord Northbrook: asked Her Majesty's Government: What considerations and criteria will govern the decision of the Lord Chancellor's Department whether or not to publish in due course all or any of the submissions made in response to the proposals in The House of Lords: Completing the Reform (Cm 5291) for which confidentiality has not been requested; and whether, in order to foster open public debate and the informed consideration of such proposals, they will publish all such responses on the Internet when they are received. Lord Irvine of Lairg: At the close of the consultation period the responses will be analysed and in due course all responses (other than any where confidentiality was requested) will be published. A400M Military Transport Aircraft Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the present proposals for the production of the A400M military transport aircraft; and whether they have received any representations from the Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation en matiere d'Armement (OCCAR) on the United Kingdom approach. Lord Bach: On 18 December we signed an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding to allow the A400M contract to be placed. The contract itself was signed on the same day by the Organisation for Joint Armaments Co-operation (OCCAR), on behalf of the partner nations, and by the contractor Airbus Military. It provides for the development and manufacture of 196 aircraft in a single launch order. The UK's share is 25 aircraft. OCCAR will manage the programme to standards agreed by the partner nations. The A400M contract will enter into force once final Bundestag approval has been given to the German commitment. The agreement of other nations, including the UK, is subject to the German signature becoming effective. If this has not happened by the end of January 2002, these authorisations will lapse, providing a further opportunity to review the position. We are content that the programme now agreed with Airbus Military satisfies the conditions that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced in another place on 16 May 2000 for our participation in the A400M programme. Specifically: Programme commitments now total 196, well above the notional level of viability of 180 aircraft. The price negotiated with Airbus Military is affordable and represents value for money. Achievement of contract signature on 18 December is consistent with the UK's in-service date. This is planned to be 2010. The commercial terms and conditions of the contract are acceptable. Statistical Information Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether in Parliamentary Answers they are prepared to give statistical information relating to the whole of the United Kingdom, split between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, when requested to do so; if not, why not. 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 December 2001. As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the provision of statistical information relating to the whole of the United Kingdom. When asked in a Parliamentary question and where such information is readily available, the Office for National Statistics will itself continue to give statistical information for the whole of the United Kingdom, split between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Where statistical information to answer such a question requires a special analysis by officials of a devolved administration, that contribution will be dependent on the agreement of the devolved administration. Landfill Tax Lord Northbrook: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of the proceeds of landfill tax so far received has been spent on (a) community projects within a 10-mile radius; (b) recycling education projects; and (c) other purposes. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Around £346 million, or 17 per cent, of landfill tax has been claimed as tax credits under the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme since the tax was introduced on 1 October 1996. This represents 90 per cent of the total amount contributed to environmental bodies. Of the total money contributed, £251 million has so far been spent by the environmental bodies. This spend is apportioned as follows: Project % of total spend to October 2001 Enhance local environment around a landfill site 59.5 Contribute to sustainable waste management (including recycling education projects) 33.2 Other 7.3 Private Finance Initiative Baroness Hooper: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have commissioned research into the use made of the private finance initiative by central and local government; and, if so, when results of any such research will be published. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government keep the implementation of PFI under constant review, drawing on relevant information from a number of sources, including the work of the Public Accounts Committee, National Audit Office, Office of Government Commerce and Partnerships UK. Research is commissioned from time to time into various topics relevant to PFI. Where appropriate, as in the case of the two reports by Sir Malcolm Bates and the Arthur Andersen/LSE Report on Value for Money Drivers in PFI Projects, these are placed in the Library of the House and made available on the OGC website. Belfast International Airport Lord Glentoran: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any plans to ensure that Belfast International Airport remains viable. Lord Williams of Mostyn: Details of discussions between the Government and commercial undertakings on requests of financial assistance are confidential and cannot be disclosed in accordance with exemption 13 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Northern Ireland: Parity of Esteem Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's comments in Liverpool on 21 November that "Unionists have still to be convinced that their culture is really understood, let alone respected in the Republic of Ireland" represent government policy; and Whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's comments in Liverpool on 21 November that "the Unionist community feels itself isolated with its foundations eroded and victims of violence who are witnesses to a stream of concessions to the other side" represent government policy; and Whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's comments in Liverpool on 21 November that "Northern Ireland must not become a cold place for protestants, or we will have failed" represent government policy. Lord Williams of Mostyn: Quotations taken out of context rarely give the whole picture. In his speech in Liverpool on 21 November, the Secretary of State drew attention to the fact that despite the very many gains achieved for all sides through the implementation of the Belfast Agreement, there is still a perception among many unionists that their traditions, needs and aspirations are somehow respected less than those of the nationalist side of the community. As explained by the Secretary of State, the Government do not believe this to be the case. The Belfast Agreement addresses many of the deep-seated concerns of both sides of the community in a balanced way, taking parity of esteem as one of its guiding principles. However, as a consequence of its implementation many fundamental changes have been instigated in a relatively short space of time; and change can be a very unsettling experience. The Secretary of State's intention in making this speech was to acknowledge that both communities in Northern Ireland are in need of persuasion. He expressed the Government's desire to work towards reversing negative perceptions of the political process and encouraging unionism and nationalism to embrace the changes which are being brought about; to encourage all sections of the community to feel that they belong to the new Northern Ireland. He also called on political and community leaders in Northern Ireland to take an active role in achieving this goal. Taken in its entirety, the speech is a reflection of government policy. Northern Ireland: Terrorist Incidents Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many incidents have occurred in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain which they believe are the responsibility of (i) the Real IRA, (ii) the Continuity IRA, (iii) the Provisional IRA and (iv) other republican groups in each of the years since 1993. Lord Williams of Mostyn: Security statistics do not assign attribution for terrorist incidents to specific paramilitary groupings. Therefore, it has not been possible to supply the level of detail asked. However, I have attached separate statistics for terrorist incidents attributed to republican paramilitary groups for Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Northern Ireland security statistics for loyalist terrorist incidents have also been provided for comparison. Northern Ireland Security Statistics 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 (to 3 Dec) Murders By Republican 35 24 7 9 5 37 4 4 3 By Loyalist 47 37 2 5 15 17 3 14 11 Shooting incidents By Republican 166 103 15 34 79 62 43 71 93 By Loyalist 202 191 10 50 90 103 65 183 219 Bombing incidents By Republican 201 140 2 11 59 33 0 18 40 By Loyalist 56 65 0 3 18 88 74 94 278 Casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings By Republican 25 54 0 3 26 38 26 50 63 By Loyalist 60 68 3 21 46 34 47 86 114 Casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults By Republican 6 141 141 172 78 55 44 52 49 By Loyalist 35 38 76 130 78 89 90 76 85 Note: Statistics for 2001 are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment at a later date. Great Britain Security Statistics for Republican Groups 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 (to 3 Dec) Bombing incidents 23 31 2 7 5 — — 3 5 Shooting incidents 3 1 — — – — 1 — — Finds 1 4 1 6 2 3 6 — 1 Other 1 — — — — — — — — Note: Statistics for 2001 are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment at a later date. Northern Ireland: Policing Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 5 December (WA 139), whether it is appropriate to co-operate with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on policing when the Garda Sochana is required to "render good and true service and obedience to the constitution and government of the Republic". Lord Williams of Mostyn: Yes. The Government believe that it is entirely appropriate to work with the Irish Government to take forward the Patten recommendations concerning north/south co-operation on policing matters. Indeed, a recent joint operation between law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border resulted in 10 arrests, with nine people charged for a variety of offences linked to smuggling and laundering of fuel, and there have also been a number of very significant seizures of illegal cigarettes on both sides of the border. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 26 November (WA 18) about the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, when they expect to receive the accounts of the commission for 2001–02. Lord Williams of Mostyn: In accordance with a direction issued on behalf of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under paragraph 7(2)(a) of Schedule 7 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will be required to submit to the Secretary of State and the Comptroller and Auditor General copies of its statement of accounts for the financial period ended 31 March 2002 by 31 July 2002. Crops Conference Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Who made the decision that no one from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should attend the 2001 Annual Crops Conference held at Linton; and why the decision not to attend was made. Lord Whitty: Crops magazine, which was the organiser of the conference, originally invited my right honourable friend the Secretary of State to give a keynote speech. Diary commitments did not permit her or any other member of the Defra ministerial team to do so. Employment and Social Policy Council, 3 December Baroness Gale: asked Her Majesty's Government: What the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy Council held in Brussels on 3 December; what the government position was on each issue discussed, including their voting record; and if they will make a statement. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State represented the United Kingdom at the Employment and Social Policy Council in Brussels on 3 December, together with the Minister of State for Employment Relations and the regions, my honourable friend the Member for Hull West and Hessle (Alan Johnson). The Council agreed parameters for the simplification of the co-ordination of social security schemes under Regulation 1408/71. The United Kingdom was able to accept the parameters, subject to detailed scrutiny, further negotiations and correction of linguistic points. The parameters will be forwarded to the Laeken European Council. The United Kingdom was also able to endorse the Council's Conclusions indentifying the appropriate legal base for extending co-ordination of social security schemes to nationals of third countries. The Council reached political agreement on the autumn package of employment measures, comprising the employment guidelines for 2002; recommendations on the implementation of member states' employment policies; and the adoption of the Joint Employment Report for 2001: the package will go to the Laeken European Council for endorsement. The Council adopted conclusions on indicators on quality in work which will be presented to the Laeken European Council, thus fulfilling the remit from the Stockholm European Council. The Council adopted a report on indicators of poverty and social exclusion for Laeken; a joint Commission and Council report on social inclusion and a joint report from the Social Protection Committee and the Economic Policy Committee on objectives and working methods in the area of pensions. All three documents will go the the Laeken European Council for adoption. The Council agreed a common position on amending the Insolvency (worker protection) Directive, to bring it in line with recent jurisprudence. The Council also agreed to adopt 2003 as the European Year of People with Disabilities. The Council adopted conclusions on structural indicators, which will be forwarded to the General Affairs Council; indicators on the gender pay gap, and on an EU-level mechanism to help resolve transnational employment disputes. The Belgian presidency presented a progress report on a Directive on Employee Involvement in the European Co-operative. The presidency reported progress on the Asbestos (worker protection) Directive. A common position is expected to be finalised under the forthcoming Spanish presidency. The Council noted two presidency reports on gender mainstreaming in Council formations and agreed a contribution to work on the broad economic guidelines for 2002, to be forwarded to ECOFIN. The Council adopted a resolution on the Commission's Green Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility and requested that the outcomes of the current debates at national level be incorporated in the Commission's next communication on this subject. The Commission gave an overview of its communication on increased labour force participation and active ageing. The Commission presented its communication on lifelong learning. No votes were taken at this Council. Patient's Charter Standards Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish performance against key Patient's Charter standards for the quarters to 30 June 2001 and 30 September 2001. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Patient's Charter was replaced in January this year with Your Guide to the NHS. The core standards contained in Your Guide to the NHS will be monitored as part of the implementation of the NHS Plan. Three of the original four key Patient's Charter standards are routinely published in the Treating Patients section of the NHS Quarterly Review, which can be found on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsquarterlyreview. Performance data on urgent and routine transfers of GP medical records is no longer collected centrally.

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Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential of the European Union, as Israel’s main trading partner, to press for serious peace negotiations in that country. Baroness Warsi: The position of the European Union is that now is the time to take real steps towards peace and all parties including Israel must engage in direct and substantial negotiations in order to achieve a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As set out at the December EU Foreign Affairs Council, the European Union understands the urgency of renewed, structured and substantial peace efforts in 2013 and is working with the US, the parties, and other international partners to achieve a negotiated peace based on the two-state solution. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington) will be discussing the Middle East Peace Process at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council on 24 June. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent discussions they have held with the government of Israel concerning West Bank and Israeli markets re-opening to Gazan produce. Baroness Warsi: We agree on the importance of re-opening access to West Bank and Israeli markets for Gazan products. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt) saw again the effect of the continued restrictions when he visited Gaza during his visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories from 11-13 June. We continue to press the Israeli Government to ease those restrictions, particularly on access to West Bank and Israeli markets. Middle East Peace Process Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the continuing role of the Quartet in the Middle East Peace Process. Baroness Warsi: The Government supports the aims and objectives of the Quartet. The Quartet has an important role to play in bringing Israelis and Palestinians together as we urgently seek to move the peace process forward. We strongly support Secretary Kerry’s current work in this context. Middle East Peace Process Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what framework of accountability has been built into Tony Blair’s role as Quartet Representative. Baroness Warsi: The Quartet Representative is charged with supporting Palestinian state building and promoting economic growth in the West Bank in line with the Quartet's mandate, and reports directly to the Quartet. The UK works closely with Tony Blair as the Quartet’s Special Representative in our joint efforts to support current US engagement on the peace process. Israel and Palestine: West Bank and Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on economic growth in the West Bank and Gaza of Palestinian independence and freedom to trade. Baroness Warsi: The Government continues to assess that Israeli restrictions on movement and access in the West Bank and Gaza are the single biggest obstacle to trade and economic development, and hence one of the most important causes of the current financial difficulties of the Palestinian Authority. This is in line with the assessment of the World Bank's Economic Monitoring Report to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) on 19 March 2013. An easing of these restrictions is vital for the Palestinian economy to flourish. As the International Monetary Fund's report to the AHLC noted, the limited progress in reducing restrictions has led to a rise in unemployment (up to 22.9 percent in the last quarter of 2012 from 21.0 percent during the same period in 2011), a decline in public services and the halving of growth in the West Bank and Gaza (from 12.2 percent in 2011 to six percent in 2012). Exports of goods are seven percent of Gross Domestic Product which is among the lowest in the world. The result is harm to the long term competitiveness of the Palestinian economy. It is also deeply counterproductive for progress towards a negotiated two state solution. We continue to lobby the Israeli government to ease its restrictions on movement and access and would like to see increased movement of goods between the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and beyond. Gaza Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held recently with European ministers with regard to protecting the lives and livelihoods of Gazan fishermen. Baroness Warsi: The Political and Security Committee of the Council of EU has discussed the issue of Gaza a number of times; the last time Gaza was raised was on 24 April. Officials from the UK representative to the EU and our Consulate-General in Jerusalem regularly discuss the situation in Gaza with their European counterparts. Those discussions cover the security and human rights of Palestinians living in Gaza. Our Consul-General visited Gaza with other EU heads of missions on 26 February. The situation in Gaza was also addressed in the last EU Foreign Affairs Council conclusions to be agreed on the Middle East peace process in December 2012. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), also met Gazan fishermen to hear about the challenges facing them in Gaza on 13 June. EU: Roma Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of Amnesty International UK’s briefing, Human rights on the margins: Roma in Europe, what action they are taking to guarantee the compliance of fellow member states with European Union anti-discrimination law and human rights standards with regard to Roma; and whether they will make representations to the European Union Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship in that regard. Baroness Warsi: The Government has noted Amnesty International UK's briefing, Human rights on the margins; Roma in Europe. The Government agrees that, in many parts of Europe, Roma experience high levels of poverty, discrimination and exclusion. We think it is important that countries with large and disadvantaged Roma populations take effective action to improve the situation of their Roma nationals. The UK plays a full and constructive part in discussions on Roma integration in international organisations, such as the European Union, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We are committed to working with our European partners to improve the social and economic situation of the Roma, and British embassies are active on Roma issues in a number of European countries with large Roma populations. EU: Roma Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what lessons for the United Kingdom they have learnt from the World Bank report Reducing Vulnerability and Promoting the Self-employment of Roma in Eastern Europe Through Financial Inclusion. Baroness Warsi: The Government has noted the World Bank's report Reducing Vulnerability and Promoting the Self-employment of Roma in Eastern Europe though Financial Inclusion. The Government agrees that, in many parts of Europe, Roma experience high levels of poverty, discrimination and exclusion. We think it is important that countries with large and disadvantaged Roma populations take effective action to improve the situation of their Roma nationals. The UK plays a full and constructive part in discussions on Roma integration in international organisations, such as the EU, Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We are committed to working with our European partners to improve the social and economic situation of the Roma, and our Embassies are active on Roma issues in a number of European countries with large Roma populations, such as those featured in the World Bank's report. In 2013, our Embassy in Bucharest facilitated a twinning partnership between local authorities in Rotherham and Craiova (SW Romania) on Roma social inclusion issues. The partnership focuses principally on sharing expertise on early-years education, but also on health, social housing and employment. North Korea Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they made to the government of Laos regarding the repatriation of nine North Korean orphans from Laotian custody to the government of North Korea; what assessment they have made of the fate of those minors; and whether the United Kingdom Ambassador to North Korea has made any representations about the wellbeing of the repatriated children to the government of North Korea. Baroness Warsi: Our Ambassador to Laos raised this issue with the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Laos on 30 May. The Ambassador urged the Laotian authorities to allow North Korean defectors safe passage to South Korea. Our Ambassador also accompanied representatives from the EU delegation in Laos to a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 19 June to express concern about the repatriation. On 18 June, Leaders at the G8 Summit in Lough Erne urged North Korea to address the concerns of the international community over its human rights violations, including the repatriation of refugees to North Korea. On 6 June, our Ambassadors in Pyongyang and Seoul, accompanied by a senior official from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, raised both the treatment of this specific group and the general treatment of repatriated refugees with North Korean Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kung Sok Ung. They suggested that North Korea should allow international observers access to the returned defectors. On 20 June, the Korean Central News Agency broadcasted a news report on North Korean television showing the 9 North Korean defectors were safe and well. However, we have no independent confirmation of their treatment. There is a substantial body of evidence which suggests that defectors repatriated to North Korea are at risk of torture, imprisonment or death upon return. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the destruction of houses in al-Nuweima in Zone A near Jericho. Baroness Warsi: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly make clear, publicly and privately, to the Israeli authorities our serious concerns about the demolition of Palestinian homes and infrastructure. Such acts are contrary to international humanitarian law in all but the most limited cases, as well as causing unnecessary suffering to Palestinians and damaging the search for peace. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt) both raised their concerns over demolitions with the Israeli authorities during their recent visits to the region. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about civilian access and trade between the Abu Dis Township and Jerusalem. Baroness Warsi: We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement between the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It remains difficult for Palestinians to enter East Jerusalem for work, education, medical treatment or religious worship. Through our Embassy in Tel Aviv, we have lobbied the appropriate authorities on the issue of movement and access. There is no obligation under international law for free movement between Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We nevertheless encourage both sides to show a constructive approach to this issue. Egypt Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of persons in Egypt held without trial or pending trial; whether any of them have been charged; and whether they are making representations to the government of Egypt about the situation. Baroness Warsi: We do not hold records of the number of persons in Egypt held without trial or pending trial. However, we continue to raise with the Egyptian authorities the importance of transparency and access to justice as a crucial part of the democratic process. The human rights situation in Egypt has been a key focus of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt)'s two visits to Cairo this year. He met a range of representatives from local and international human rights groups to hear their concerns at first hand and to find out what more the UK can do to support their activities. Mr Burt also discussed the human rights situation in Egypt with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Mohammed Kamel Amr, on several occasions. On 10 April Mr Burt discussed a range of human rights issues with a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood's political party, the Freedom and Justice Party by telephone. We will continue to raise human rights issues as part of our ongoing dialogue with the authorities in Egypt. Airports: Racial Profiling Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many United Kingdom citizens of Pakistani origin were profiled at United Kingdom airports; and how that figure compares to that for other United Kingdom citizens. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: We do not profile by race or ethnicity. Airports: Racial Profiling Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many international flights are targeted for profiling purposes each year; and which destinations and airlines have been prioritised in this regard over the last five years. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: All international flights are subject to checks at the border. Border Force uses intelligence and risk based criteria to inform targeted operations and the identification of persons on both inbound and outbound flights who may present a risk to Border Security. Airports: Racial Profiling Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what statistics they maintain regarding profiling of different racial and ethnic groups at United Kingdom airports; and whether they will publish figures for each of the last five years. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: We do not profile by race or ethnicity. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Council for Science and Technology on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body and has no employees. The staff in the secretariat to CST are employees of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Export Guarantees Advisory Council on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Export Guarantees Advisory Council (EGAC) is a Non-Departmental Public Body whose statutory function is to provide advice to the Secretary of State at his request on matters relating to the work of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (operating as UK Export Finance). Ministers appoint the Council’s members in accordance with the guidelines of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. All of its members are unpaid and they are not classed as employees. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Industrial Development Advisory Board on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Industrial Development Advisory Board has no employees. It comprises a maximum of 13 members, including the chairman, who provide advice to Ministers on large investment projects on an unremunerated and part-time basis. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Land Registration Rule Committee on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: On 1 May 2013 there were 7 members of the Land Registry Rule Committee, none of whom were either apprentices or under 21. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Low Pay Commission on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: At 1 May 2013 the total number of staff employed by the Low Pay Commission was 7 people, none of whom were either apprentices or under 21. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Regulatory Policy Committee on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: On 1 May 2013, the Regulatory Policy Committee was supported by thirteen civil servants, none of whom were either under the age of 21 or apprentices. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Central Arbitration Committee on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: There are nine members of staff who support the work of the Central Arbitration Committee. None of them is under the age of 21 or an apprentice. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Competition Appeal Tribunal on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Competition Appeal Tribunal (Tribunal) does not employ any members of staff. The membership of the Tribunal comprises: the President, the Honourable Mr Justice Gerald Barling; the panel of Chairmen (comprising Judges of the Chancery Division of the High Court and six other members, namely Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE QC, Marcus Smith QC, Heriot Currie QC, Peter Freeman CBE QC (Hon), Andrew Lenon QC and Hodge Malek QC); the panel of Ordinary Members; and the Registrar, Charles Dhanowa OBE QC. The President and Chairmen are appointed by the Lord Chancellor for a fixed term upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointment Commission and by open competition as appropriate. Ordinary Members are recruited in open competition according to the guidelines of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment and are appointed by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Registrar is also appointed by the Secretary of State. The administrative functions required by the Tribunal to carry out its duties (i.e. finance, accommodation, administrative staff) are carried out by the Competition Service. As mentioned in my answer given on 26 June to the noble Lord’s question (official report column WA 132), the Competition Service had 16 employees on 1 May 2013. None of these were under the age of 21 and the organisation had no apprentices. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Copyright Tribunal on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: As of 1 May 2013 administrative support for the Copyright Tribunal was provided by one part time member of staff working at the Intellectual Property Office. There were no apprentices or anyone under the age of 21 working for the Copyright Tribunal on this date. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Insolvency Practitioners’ Tribunal on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Insolvency Practitioners Tribunal is part of the regulatory regime for insolvency practitioners under the Insolvency Act 1986. The Insolvency Practitioners Tribunal is not a permanent body; and, as such, does not have any permanent staff. A discrete tribunal is established each time an individual case is referred to the Tribunal and a member of staff from The Insolvency Service will provide support and assistance to each discrete Tribunal as required. The Insolvency Practitioners Tribunal has not received any referrals for a number of years. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Certification Office on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: There are seven members of staff who are employed within the Certification Office. None of them is under the age of 21 or an apprentice. Apprenticeships Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the Office of Manpower Economics on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Office of Manpower Economics (OME) is a non-departmental public body, staffed by civil servants. It provides an independent Secretariat to the Review Bodies and Police Boards, free from Government direction as to the advice and support we offer. Our aim is to provide high quality analytical, administrative and technical support. The total number of staff employed on 1 May 2013 in OME was 26, none of whom were either apprentices or under 21. Aviation: Air Passenger Duty Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many communications they have received from overseas travellers concerning Air Passenger Duty in the last 12 months. To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many and which foreign governments have raised the impact of Air Passenger Duty as a barrier to economic and cultural ties. Lord Deighton: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and receive representations from a wide variety of individuals and authorities as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Records are not broken down to allow the number of communications specifically from overseas travellers to be determined. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide specific details of all such meetings and discussions. However, the Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations1. In 2011, the Government undertook an extensive consultation on air passenger duty. Around 500 stakeholders responded, including most airlines and airports, representative bodies, local councils, and Lords and MPs. A list of those who responded to the consultation is available within the Government's response, found online 2 . 1 https://www.gov.uk/govemment/organisations/hm-treasury/ series/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel 2 http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130129110402/ http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011_budget airpassenger.htm Banking Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering requiring bank holding companies to issue a minimum amount of bail-in exposed debt capital. Lord Deighton: The Government agrees with the Independent Commission on Banking’s (ICB) recommendation that ring-fenced banks and UK-headquartered globally systemically important banks, should be required to hold sufficient loss-absorbing capacity (primary loss-absorbing capacity or PLAC), comprising regulatory capital and the highest quality debt, up to a core requirement of 17 per cent of risk-weighted assets for the largest banks. This is to ensure that banks are more resilient to shocks and that, if they do fail, losses can be borne by their shareholders and unsecured creditors rather than falling on the taxpayer. A bail-in tool will be most credible if there is a consistent framework across borders. The Government has, therefore, been pressing for the inclusion of credible and effective bail-in as part of the European Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD), including a framework for a minimum PLAC requirement. The details of exactly how bail-inable debt is issued will be considered in resolution strategies prepared for each bank by the Bank of England and in light of any forthcoming BRRD requirements. Banks: Co-operative Bank Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the proposed recapitalisation of the Co-operative Bank, what assessment they have made of the impact in terms of loss burden of ranking private investors in preference shares ahead of other shareholders. Lord Deighton: This is a matter for Co-operative bank in discussion with its bondholders. The detail of the proposal is yet to be finalised. The Co-operative has stated that the exercise is intended to ensure the group and investors in the bank’s subordinated capital securities make a joint contribution to the recapitalisation of the bank. Banks: Co-operative Bank Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that retail investors in the Co-operative Bank subordinated securities receive advice independent from that provided to the boards of the Co-operative Bank and Co-operative Group in relation to the proposed flotation; and what steps they will take to ensure that those investors’ position in the Bank’s capital structure will be reflected in the decision-making process. Lord Deighton: The Co-operative bank's liability management exercise, announced on Monday 17 June 2013, is a matter for the bank itself in discussion with its bondholders. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for ensuring that Co-operative bank acts to protect the interests of its consumers and as part of its supervisory work continues to ensure retail customers are given full consideration in the liability management exercise. The UK Listing Authority is responsible for ensuring that Co-op complies with relevant listing requirements. Britannia Building Society Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which financial regulator approved the purchase by the Co-operative Bank of the Britannia Building Society. Lord Deighton: The purchase of the Britannia Building Society by the Co-operative Bank was approved by the Financial Services Authority. Children: Digital Exclusion Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of children living in poverty who are experiencing digital exclusion. Lord Nash: We have not made any such assessment. However, the Government is continuing to champion digital inclusion. As announced in the Information Economy Industrial Strategy on 14 June, a new team is being set up, based in the Government Digital Service, part of Cabinet Office, to lead and co-ordinate Government activity on digital inclusion. Children: Food and Nutrition Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of school holidays upon the nutrition of children who receive free school meals during term time. Lord Nash: The Department has not assessed the impact of school holidays upon the nutrition of children who receive free school meals during term time. Free school meals are only available to eligible pupils during term time. When children are not in school, it is the responsibility of their parents or carers to ensure that they have nutritious meals. Children: Food and Nutrition Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the cost of funding meals during school holidays for all children who are eligible for free school meals. Lord Nash: The cost of school meals is met by schools from their overall budget (which is determined by the local authority in consultation with its School Forum). As autonomous institutions, schools have the freedom to decide how much to spend on free school meals. There would also be additional costs involved in opening schools during the holidays including staff costs and energy bills which we are not able to estimate accurately. The Government has asked Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent, the co-founders of Leon restaurants, to lead an independent review of school food across the country. Further details on the school food review can be found on the Departmental website(1). (1) http://www.education.gov.uk/schoolfoodplan Children: Sexually Explicit Material Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they provide to schools to ensure that children cannot circumvent systems in place to prevent access to sexually explicit content on school premises. Lord Nash: It is essential that schools have robust systems in place to prevent children from accessing sexually explicit content on their premises. The Department for Education’s guidance to schools on purchasing broadband is clear that schools need adequate monitoring, filtering, firewalls and other network security to ensure that children are protected. The government also recommends that schools access the guidance available from organisations with considerable expertise in this area, including the National Education Network and Childnet International. Internet safety and responsibility is part of the National Curriculum, and the Ofsted school inspection handbook states that inspectors should consider the effectiveness of internet safety arrangements to ensure that pupils are protected while online. Furthermore, a Department for Education ICT specification outlines e-safety standards for IT infrastructure and services, particularly in relation to content, filtering and security. Broadband and ICT service providers work closely with expert bodies such as the Internet Watch Foundation to ensure that high standards are met. Many pupils have access to internet-enabled phones that operate independently of school ICT systems. Whilst it is the responsibility of schools to decide how they approach this issue, Department of Education guidance requires schools to enforce acceptable use policies linked to the broader school behaviour policy. Dogs: Dangerous Dogs Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many dog owners have (1) been ordered to muzzle their dog, (2) received a custodial sentence for possession of a prohibited dog, (3) received a community sentence for an out of control dog, and (4) been banned from keeping a dog in (a) Liverpool, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West, and (d) England, in each of the last five years. Lord McNally: The number of offenders sentenced at all courts to immediate custody for possession of a prohibited dog, in Liverpool, in the North West region (split by police force area, including Merseyside) and in England, from 2008 to 2012, can be viewed in Table 1. The number of offenders sentenced at all courts to a community sentence for offences relating to out of control dogs, in Liverpool, in the North West region (split by police force area, including Merseyside) and in England, from 2008 to 2012, can be viewed in Table 2. Information on offenders ordered to muzzle their dog, or where a ban from keeping a dog is part of their sentence, is not collated centrally. This information may be held on court files, which could only be collated at disproportionate cost. Offenders sentenced at all courts to immediate custody for possession of a prohibited dog(1), in Liverpool, the North West region (split by police force area) and England, 2008 to 2012(2)(3) Area 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Liverpool(4) 1 2 2 - - North West (by police force area) Cheshire 1 1 - - - Cumbria - - - 1 - Greater Manchester - - - - - Lancashire - - - - - Merseyside 1 2 2 - - England 5 5 3 5 4 '-' = Nil (1) An offence under S.1(3) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. (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) Includes Liverpool local justice area and Liverpool Crown Court. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice. Ref: PQ HL710 Offenders sentenced at all courts to a community sentence for offences relating to out of control dogs, in Liverpool, the North West region (split by police force area) and England, 2008 to 2012(1)(2) Area 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Liverpool(3) Allowing dog to be out of control in a public place injuring any person(4) 5 2 4 4 - Allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injuring any person(5) - 1 - - - North West (by police force area) Allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place injuring any person(4) Cheshire 4 2 - 4 3 Cumbria - 2 3 - - Greater Manchester 9 5 10 17 17 Lancashire 6 3 1 7 5 Merseyside 8 4 10 7 6 Allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injuring any person(5) Cheshire - - - - - Cumbria - - - - - Greater Manchester 1 - 2 - - Lancashire - - - - - Merseyside - 2 1 - - England Allowing dog to be out of control in a public place injuring any person(4) 95 83 138 126 159 Allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injuring any person(5) 5 8 14 3 5 '-' = Nil (1) 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. (2) 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. (3) Includes Liverpool local justice area and Liverpool Crown Court. (4) An offence under S.3(1) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. (5) An offence under S.3(3) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice. Ref: PQ HL710 Education: Japanese Viscount Trenchard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they applied in selecting the list of languages which may be offered at Key Stage 2; and why Japanese is not included in that list. Lord Nash: The rationale for the proposed list of seven languages which would meet the new statutory requirement to teach a foreign language at key stage 2 is set out in the report of the Government’s consultation on this issue, which can be found on the Department’s website1. We have received a number of representations about the absence of Japanese in particular from the list, and my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education is currently considering those representations. He will announce his final decision shortly. 1 http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/c/ ks2%20choice%20of%20languages%20consultation%20report%20 final%2005-02-13.pdf Employment: Work Capability Assessments Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the value of the work capability assessment contracts awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions to (1) Atos, and (2) Capita, in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, and (d) 2013. Lord Freud: The Department’s spend on the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) contracts including IIDB, DLA/AA etc are as follows: (a) 09/10 - £99.1m(b) 10/11 - £112.8m(c) 1/12 - £112.4m(d) 12/13 - £114.3m There are no spend figures to report for Capita as the Department has no WCA contract with them. Employment: Youth Employment Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Freud on 18 June (HL Deb, col 385), whether the Minister for Employment discussed (1) which United Kingdom regions will be eligible for support from the Youth Employment Initiative, and (2) how such funding will be used so as to add value to United Kingdom efforts to tackle youth unemployment, at the ministerial meeting on youth unemployment in Madrid on 19 June; and whether those issues will be raised at (a) the follow-up meeting in Berlin on 3 July, and (b) subsequent employment and social policy European Council meetings. Lord Freud: The Minister for Employment did not discuss which UK regions will be eligible for support from the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) at the meeting in Madrid on 19 June or at the European Employment and Social Policy Council (EPSCO) in Luxembourg on the 20 June. The Government does not expect to discuss the regional division of funds in the UK under the YEI at the Berlin meeting or at future EPSCOs. The Minister did not raise UK efforts to tackle youth employment under the YEI at the meeting in Madrid, or at the EPSCO in Luxembourg on the 20 June and there are no current plans to discuss this at future EPSCOs. EU: Women on Boards Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Northover on 17 June (HL Deb, col 8), what is the progress of European Union legislation on women on boards against which the House of Lords and seven other European houses of parliament issued a “yellow card” under the Lisbon Treaty. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The number of national parliaments that issued a “yellow card” under the Lisbon Treaty was less than the number needed to require the European Commission to reconsider and the draft Directive is therefore progressing through the European legislative process. The legislation is being considered jointly by two committees of the European Parliament, covering Legal Affairs and Women’s Rights and Gender Equality. Their final report is expected in the autumn and will be followed by a plenary vote in the European Parliament. The legislation was considered at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting that took place in Luxembourg on 20 June 2013. Finance: Interest Rates Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the systemic risk as a consequence of bank balance sheet sensitivity to rising interest rates. Lord Deighton: The Financial Policy Committee (FPC) at the Bank of England has the primary objective of identifying, monitoring and taking action to remove or reduce systemic risks to the UK financial system. The FPC considers a diverse spectrum of risks to the financial system as part of its deliberations, and is presented with a broad array of data and market intelligence. In the FPC’s Financial Stability Report, published on 26 June 2013, the FPC made the following recommendation: “The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), with other Bank staff, should provide an assessment to the FPC of the vulnerability of borrowers and financial institutions to sharp upward movements in long-term interest rates and credit spreads in the current low interest rate environment. They should each report back to the FPC in September 2013”. Finance: Payday Loans Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they, or any of their agencies, track the total amount of outstanding loans resulting from payday lending; and, if so, in what detail. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) recently cited estimates that the payday lending market was worth £2.0 to £2.2 billion in 2011/12, which corresponds to between 7.4 and 8.2 million new loans; up from an estimated £900 million in 2008/09. Government has announced that from 1 April 2014 responsibility for the consumer credit regime will transfer to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Under the FCA, firms will be required to report key information on a regular basis and submit a report annually. The FCA will have more access to information from firms, including those authorised to provide payday loans, through their more comprehensive reporting requirements. Health: Birth Defects Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 8 January (WA 43–4), whether Ministers have yet received the peer-reviewed advice regarding the use of folic acid to counter neural tube defects referred to in that Written Answer. Earl Howe: My Written Answer on 8 January 2013 referred to advice on folic acid and cancer risk provided by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) to the then Chief Medical Officer in 2009, as part of considerations on fortification options to reduce the risk of pregnancies being affected by neural tube defects. The scientific papers considered by SACN as part of its scrutiny had not, at that time, all been peer reviewed and published in a scientific journal. The remaining evidence was published by Vollset et al. in The Lancet in March 2013. Ministers committed to consider the issue of folic acid fortification further once all the evidence was in the public domain. As this is now the case, we are taking stock of the issue. Health: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is the author of the material on chronic fatigue syndrome issued by Capita for training purposes under its responsibilities as a personal independence payment assessor under chapter 4.2 of the PIP Assessment Guide. Lord Freud: Capita have produced the training material for their health professionals undertaking PIP assessments. It was developed in-house by qualified doctors, in line with current clinical guidelines, and includes some condition-specific information such as the material on chronic fatigue syndrome. This material forms part of an overall training package, approved by DWP, which builds on health professionals’ existing knowledge. This enables them to consider an individual's claim against the PIP assessment criteria and produce a holistic assessment of how their health condition or impairment impacts upon daily living and mobility. Homelessness: Migrant Rough Sleepers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to co-ordinate action with foreign embassies and others (1) to establish whether migrant rough sleepers from (a) non-European Union, and (b) non-European Economic Area, member states should be granted specific categories of leave to remain in the United Kingdom, and (2) to assist migrant rough sleepers from (a) non-European Union, and (b) non-European Economic Area, member states (i) to return home, and (ii) to seek leave to remain in the United Kingdom. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Home Office constantly liaises with foreign embassies and this is an important element of border and immigration policy. When a rough sleeper is encountered all relevant checks are made by the Home Office to verify if they qualify for leave to remain in the United Kingdom. If they do not qualify then the Home Office seeks to take appropriate action to return the subject to their country of origin. A number of issues are discussed on a bilateral basis including documentation of immigration offenders in the United Kingdom. Multi lateral relationships include participation in Frontex and a number of other initiatives involving the enforced return of immigration offenders from other EU countries on joint charter flights. More recently Romanian police officers have been seconded to United Kingdom police forces and Home Office Immigration Enforcement is closely engaged with this work. The Home Office is in constant engagement with Homeless Charities to encourage migrant rough sleepers to return to their country of origin. The Home Office also works with key local authorities such as Westminster Council and the police to assist migrant rough sleepers to return to their country of origin on a voluntary basis. This has included assistance with travel documentation and occasionally assistance with the cost of travel tickets. Homelessness: Migrant Rough Sleepers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to improve coordination with foreign embassies in order to collect citizenship information about migrant rough sleepers from (1) non-European Union, and (2) non-European Economic Area, member states. To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they will take to encourage foreign embassies promptly to re-issue (1) passports and (2) any other necessary identification, to migrant rough sleepers from (a) non-European Union, and (b) non-European Economic Area, member states in cases where such identification may have been lost or destroyed. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: If a rough sleeper is found not to have a right to remain in the UK, the Home Office will take appropriate action to return the subject to their country of origin. The Home Office works very closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to engage with foreign governments, both in London and abroad, to promote their cooperation in providing travel documents for EU and non-EU individuals (including rough sleepers) to enable their return. This activity includes close liaison to ensure access to information to support identification, including biometric checks against national databases, and schemes for embassy and overseas officials to interview to confirm nationality. Housing: Mortgages Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the risk to (1) banks, and (2) consumer borrowers, of interest-only residential mortgages; and what action they have taken to date to manage the consequences of rising interest rates for those groups. Lord Deighton: The independent Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for overseeing the conduct of firms' first-charge residential mortgage lending, including for interest-only mortgages. The FCA published a review into interest-only mortgage customers in May. The findings in that review show that many people should be in a good position to repay their mortgage when it is due for repayment. More information on the review is available online on the FCA's websitel. The independent Financial Policy Committee (FPC) at the Bank of England has the primary objective of identifying, monitoring and taking action to remove or reduce systemic risks to the UK financial system. The FPC considers a diverse spectrum of risks to the financial system as part of its deliberations, and is presented with a broad array of data and market intelligence. Should the FPC identify a specific systemic risk to the financial system, it will report and explain that risk in its six-monthly financial stability report. Where the FPC has identified risks, it is able to offer advice and recommendations to relevant bodies to address these risks. http://www.fca.org.uk/news/interest-only-mortgages Israel: Weapons Technology Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the dependence of (1) the United Kingdom, and (2) other European countries, on Israeli weapons technology. Lord Astor of Hever: No specific assessment has been made on the dependence of the UK or other European countries on Israeli weapons technology. Limited Liability Partnerships Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of limited liability partnerships registered at Companies House are also listed as directors of companies at Companies House. Viscount Younger of Leckie: There are 58,501 members of limited liability partnerships registered at Companies House who are also listed as directors of companies. Limited Liability Partnerships Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the top ten addresses where the greatest number of (a) companies, and (b) limited liability partnerships, are registered at Companies House. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The top ten addresses where the greatest number of (a) companies and (b) limited liability partnerships is as follows: Companies Address Number 145-147, St John Street, London, EC1V 4PW 21,302 69 Great Hampton Street, Birmingham, B18 6EW 8,995 Brunel House, 340 Firecrest Court, Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1RG 7,498 Stron House, 100 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5EA 6,667 123 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7HR 5,685 Carpenter Court, 1 Maple Road, Bramhall, Stockport, SK7 2DH 3,405 First Floor, 2 Woodberry Grove, London, N12 0DR 3,074 Unit 11, Hove Business Centre, Hove, BN3 6HA 2,919 3rd Floor, 207 Regent Street, London, W1B 3HH 2,279 Unit 4, Vista Place, Ingworth Road, Poole, BH12 1JY 2,207 Limited Liability Partnerships Address Number Cornwall Buildings, 45 Newhall Street, Suite 211, Birmingham, B3 3QR 1,340 175 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 1BW 1,023 Enterprise House, 82 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff, CF14 3LX 608 85 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0AA 391 Suite 1, The Studio, St Nicholas Close, Elstree, Boreham, WD6 3EW 360 Suite 2, 23-24 Great James Street, London, WC1N 3ES 304 Kings Lodge, London Road, West Kingsdown, Sevenoaks, TN15 6AR 263 Unit W17 MK, Two Business Centre, Barton Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 3HU 196 10 Old Burlington Street, London, W1S 3AG 169 Winnington House, 2 Woodberry Grove, London, N12 0DR 164 Migrant Workers Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to their response to the ad hoc query from the European Migration Network (EMN) on 9 January regarding legislative or practical changes on the issue of labour market access for asylum-seekers, that the United Kingdom was “awaiting the outcome of litigation on this issue and will review our policy on this issue in line with the court’s decision”, (1) whether they are currently reviewing their policy, and (2) whether they plan to submit an updated answer to the EMN. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: On 7 June 2013 the Government’s policy on permission to work for asylum seekers was upheld in the High Court. It found that the policy is lawful and does not breach EU law. (1) The policy is not therefore being reviewed; and (2) any future European Migration Network ad hoc queries will reflect the policy at that time; it is not normal procedure to update previous ad hoc queries. Migration Advisory Committee Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 3 June (WA 140–1), whether they intend to direct investment and heighten student numbers in those areas of medicine currently on the Migration Advisory Committee's shortage occupation list; how the dynamic model of workforce supply and demand of the Centre for Workforce Intelligence took account of the numbers of foreign doctors registering to work in the United Kingdom; and whether they will review their consequent decision to reduce medical school intakes. Earl Howe: The Government mandate to Health Education England (HEE) charges HEE with delivering a significant reduction in the number of roles on the shortage occupation list. HEE will take this forward through their annual planning cycle making adjustments to investment as appropriate to this mandate requirement. The Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI) review of medical and dental student intakes in 2012, for the Health and Education National Strategic Exchange (HENSE), involved wide consultation with stakeholders to horizon scan and develop workforce scenarios to support longer term planning, up to 2040. CfWI took into account a wide range of factors that would influence both demand for, and supply of, doctors, including the impact of overseas doctors working in the National Health Service. HENSE recognised the need for regular reviews of medical and dental student intakes and recommended a further review in 2014. This review will be led by HEE. NHS: Clinical Commissioning Groups Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to uphold assurances given to Parliament that Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) would be free to make independent decisions about commissioning support arrangements, in the light of reports that NHS England has sought to influence CCGs to outsource commissioning support services. Earl Howe: The Government's Mandate to NHS England states that “clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be in full control over where they source their commissioning support”. The Secretary of State will keep NHS England's performance in achieving its commitments in the Mandate under review. NHS England is responsible for supporting CCGs and has recently published, Towards commissioning excellence: A strategy for commissioning support services, which is designed to enable CCGs and other commissioners to access high quality and affordable commissioning support, whether sourced in-house, shared with other commissioners or bought in from external providers. A copy has been placed in the Library. Northern Ireland Assembly Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to devolve any fiscal powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly; and, if so, which powers. To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received any request from the Northern Ireland Executive for fiscal powers to be devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly; and, if so, which powers. Baroness Randerson: As set out in the joint economic package for Northern Ireland launched by the Prime Minister and the First and deputy First Ministers on 14 June, the Government recognise that there is a need to give careful consideration to the potential to devolve additional fiscal powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Following detailed evaluation and analysis, recommendations on the devolution of further fiscal powers will be put to Government Ministers and the Executive by Autumn 2014. A decision on whether to devolve corporation tax rates to the Northern Ireland Executive will be taken no later than the 2014 Autumn Statement. Schools: Sex and Relationship Education Baroness Gould of Potternewton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the finding in Ofsted's 2013 report that a third of schools need to improve their sex and relationship education, what steps the Secretary of State for Health is taking to monitor the progress of the Department of Health's ambition to ensure that “all children and young people receive good-quality sex and relationship education at home, at school and in the community” as part of the Framework for Sexual Health Improvement. Earl Howe: The Framework for Sexual Health Improvement notes that young people need robust and accurate information to build the knowledge and resilience they need to enable them to make informed decisions about their sexual health and that sex and relationships education is a key source of this information. The Department will be developing a means of tracking progress in relation to the ambitions set out in the Framework. Wales and Scotland: Devolution Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received requests from the Scottish Government or the Welsh Assembly Government for the devolution of any fiscal powers; and, if so, which powers. Lord Deighton: Treasury Ministers and officials have regular discussions with the Welsh and Scottish Governments on a wide variety of topics, including in relation to fiscal devolution.

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Airports Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the aviation industry regarding capacity at airports around London in the past six months. Earl Attlee: The Government have regular discussions with the aviation industry and other stakeholders on a range of aviation issues. Armed Forces: Aircraft Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when it is expected that the last aircraft carrier currently planned will be commissioned; what will be the interim capacity arrangements; and if no interim capacity arrangements are to be put in place, why aircraft carrier capability is considered necessary. Lord Astor of Hever: Before the strategic defence and security review (SDSR), the planned in-service dates for HMS "Queen Elizabeth" and HMS "Prince of Wales" were quarter 4 of 2016 and quarter 4 of 2018 respectively. The SDSR called for one operational "Queen Elizabeth"-class carrier to be converted with catapults and arrestor gear to enable it to operate the more capable carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, with the other being held at extended readiness pending a further decision on its future at the next SDSR in 2015. We are currently investigating the optimum solution to meet that requirement including the delivery timescales. There is a strategic requirement for a future carrier-strike capability. The "Invincible"-class carriers were designed principally to meet Cold War threats on the high seas, with short-range jets providing air defence for a naval task group. It is assessed that expeditionary airpower can be delivered through other means in the short term, but the period after 2020 remains far less certain, which is why the Government have decided that a modern carrier capability will be required to protect the full range of UK strategic interests. This capability will give the UK long-term political flexibility to act without depending, at times of regional tension, on agreement from other countries to use their bases for any mission we want to undertake. It will also give us in-built military flexibility to adapt our approach over the 50 years of the carrier's working life. In particular, it provides options for a coercive response to crises, as a complement or alternative to ground engagements. It contributes to an overall force structure geared towards helping deter or contain threats from relatively well equipped regional powers, as well as dealing with insurgencies and non-state actors in failing states. Asylum Seekers Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many asylum seekers have arrived from Eritrea in each of the past five years and in total over those years; what are the major reasons given by them for seeking asylum; what are the routes of entry to the United Kingdom used by such nationals; and how many had been granted an entry visa before arrival. Lord Henley: The following table contains the number of main asylum applicants who are nationals of Eritrea who have applied for asylum between 2006 and 2010. It also shows the number of nationals of Eritrea who, through matching of the databases used for the processing of asylum and visa applications, have been identified as being issued with an entry clearance visa and subsequently applying for asylum. Asylum applications for main applicants, nationals of Eritrea Year Total asylum applications Main asylum applicants who can be identified as issued with an entry clearance visa 2006 2,583 35 2007 1,809 38 2008 2,257 53 2009 1,349 48 2010 711 50 Total 8,709 224 Note 2010 asylum data are provisional Total asylum applications are National Statistics Numbers of asylum applicants who can be identified as issued with an entry clearance visa are management information and have not been quality assured to the level of National Statistics. Data on individuals applying for asylum who have had a visa issued have been produced by data matching of the databases used for visa and asylum application processing. This process may not capture all individuals applying for asylum who have been issued with a visa. This may give variable results as it may not capture all individuals. Information on the reasons given for the asylum application could only be obtained by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost. Information on the routes of entry to the UK used by Eritrean nationals who apply for asylum is not available for most individuals and partial information could only be obtained by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost. Data on asylum and visa applications are available in the asylum and before entry tables of the quarterly immigration statistics. The latest release, Immigration Statistics July-September 2011, is available in the Library of the House and the Home Office Science website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/. Banking: Levy Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have carried out an assessment of how much of the bank levy will be absorbed by banks, and how much will be passed on to customers. Lord Sassoon: Information on the expected impacts of the bank levy was published as part of the March Budget, in the relevant tax information and impact note. A link to the document is given here: http://www.hmrc. gov.uk/budget2011/tiin6123.pdf. Businesses: Rural Areas Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many businesses registered in a rural area for the first time in each year from 2000; how many of those were new start-ups; and how many were relocations from an urban area. 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 Baroness Byford, dated December 2011. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many businesses registered in a rural area for the first time in each year from 2000; how many of those were new start-ups; and how many were relocations from an urban area. (HL13946) Annual statistics on the number of enterprise births are available from the ONS release on business demography at www.statistics.gov.uk. However, unfortunately statistics on registration by rural area and relocation are not available. Credit Cards: Fraud Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 15 November (WA 125), what assessment they have made of the contribution of chip and PIN technology in reducing credit and debit card fraud. Lord Henley: Chip and PIN was introduced by the banking and retail sectors to tackle fraud on lost or stolen cards, and fraud on counterfeit cards. Figures released by the payments industry in March 2011 showed that lost and stolen card fraud had fallen in six consecutive years and was standing at £44.4 million, the lowest level since the industry began collating fraud figures. Counterfeit card fraud had also fallen and was at its lowest level since 1999. The industry suggests that there will have been a number of contributory factors to these falls, one of which is the effect of chip and PIN. Democracy Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take while holding the chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to encourage the development and extension of the Partnerships for Democracy programme of that organisation to involve adjacent states emerging from non-democratic government. Lord Howell of Guildford: Partners for Democracy is a programme recently established by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and is a valuable tool for spreading Council of Europe values and standards. PACE has so far accorded Partner for Democracy status to Morocco and the Palestinian National Council. We will continue to support the Council of Europe's policy towards its neighbouring regions during our chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. Democracy Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role a country having a democratic process has in the decision to recognise it. Lord Howell of Guildford: My Written Answer of 2 February (Official Report, col. WA266) set out the criteria for recognition of states. This is separate from the question of whether a country has a democratic process. Egypt Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are making representations to the Government of Egypt in favour of presidential elections on the earliest possible date, and civilian control over the Egyptian defence forces. Lord Howell of Guildford: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), spoke to the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 24 November and indicated that we wished to see a democratically elected civilian-led Government as soon as possible. We believe that the parliamentary elections must be followed swiftly by a new constitution and presidential elections, in line with the wishes of the Egyptian people. The Supreme Council for the Armed Forces has announced that presidential elections will take place in June 2012. We have not raised the issue of control of the Egyptian defence forces. EU: Interest Rate Swaps Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they propose to respond to the proposal from the European Central Bank that clearance of euro-denominated over-the-counter interest rate swaps must take place through a central counter-party in the eurozone rather than elsewhere in the European Union. Lord Sassoon: The European Central Bank's (ECB) Standards for the Use of Central Counterparties in Eurosystem Foreign Reserve Management Operations (November 2011) does not require that all over-the-counter (OTC) interest rate swaps must be cleared through central clearing counterparties (CCPs) located in the euro area. Instead, it sets out standards that CCPs need to meet in order for the ECB/Eurosystem to consider them eligible to support the ECB/Eurosystem's OTC derivative transactions (in particular interest rate swaps) in their foreign reserve management operations. These standards potentially entail that only CCPs located in the euro area will be eligible to support such ECB/Euroystem transactions. The Government are currently considering how to respond to the ECB's Standards for the Use of Central Counterparties in Eurosystem Foreign Reserve Management Operations (November 2011). Finance: Discount Rate Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what rate of interest they use to discount future revenues and benefits from capital projects and in infrastructure expenditure evaluation; and what is the current cost of capital to the United Kingdom. Lord Sassoon: The Green Book discount rate remains at 3.5 per cent as set in 2003. This is the social time preference rate and does not equate to the Government's market cost of capital. The Government's cost of capital varies over time and according to the means of financing used. The Debt Management Office publishes the average yield of gilt issuance on an annual basis. The average yield of gilt issuance in 2010-11 was 3.340 per cent. More information on discount rates can be found in the Green Book at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/data_greenbook_index.htm. Finance: Fraud Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what work they are undertaking with the banking and financial services industry to reduce instances of fraud at cash machines. Lord Henley: The Government work closely with industry bodies on fraud issues. Home Office Ministers and officials meet routinely with representatives from the payment card industry. The banking industry, machine suppliers and the police all work to tackle cash machine fraud through enhanced technical solutions and enforcement activity against criminal groups who are responsible for this type of fraud. Industry figures show that cash machine fraud has fallen by 56 per cent since 2004. Finance: Fraud Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of preventative measures put in place by the banking and financial services industry to combat fraud in relation to the non-receipt of mail. Lord Henley: The Government have not assessed industry measures to combat mail non-receipt fraud but work closely with industry bodies on fraud issues overall. Home Office Ministers and officials meet routinely with representatives from the payment card industry. Industry figures show that mail non-receipt fraud increased in 2010 by 22 per cent over the previous year. It is 88 per cent lower than at its height in 2004. The payments industry assesses that it is likely that the increase in 2010 was caused by a particularly high level of new and replacement cards being issued. Firearms: Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group Lord Dear: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group last met, and when it is next expected to meet. Lord Henley: The working group last met formally on 16 March 2010 when a number of changes were proposed ahead of the application forms being trialled. As a result of the trials a number of other changes have been suggested and it is hoped to arrange a meeting in January to agree the final format. 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 Wales Office. Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The Wales Office occupies a grade 2* listed building on Whitehall and leases office space in Cardiff, and it is not practicable to install photovoltaic solar systems on these buildings. Government Departments: Buildings Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are sufficient work stations and telephone extensions for all Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff stationed in King Charles Street and the Old Admiralty Building; and, if not, what percentage of staff are catered for. Lord Howell of Guildford: All Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff have access to workstations (desktop computers and/or laptops) and telephone extensions. Recent enhancements of the FCO's Firecrest IT system and increasing use of Firecrest BlackBerry has meant that a growing number of FCO staff have the opportunity to work more flexibly. The FCO will continue to promote flexible and remote working through better use of existing IT and faster and better global telephony and video conferencing services. Government Departments: Procurement Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportions, in terms of value, of Government Procurement Service contracts have been awarded to small businesses in the past year. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: As of 30 September 2011, 469 small businesses were appointed prime suppliers on the Government Procurement Service's framework agreements. Spend attributed to these small businesses so far for the financial year 2011-12 was £96,146,200.71. 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 Ministry of Defence using the Government procurement card in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09, (d) 2009-10, and (e) 2010-11. Lord Astor of Hever: 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 Ministry of Defence on our website and will continue to do so, on a monthly basis: http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/ AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/FinancialReports/ModSpend/. Information on transactions over £500 for 2010-11 will be published by the end of March 2012. The cost of 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. Government Departments: Staff Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government 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 what was the cost in each of those departments in terms of pay, time off and facilities for those staff last year. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Cabinet Office did not collect centrally the information requested for the last financial year. However, the Government intend to commence consultation shortly with the nationally recognised Civil Service trade unions on facility time. The aim of the consultation is to introduce a new framework for the provision of facility time and time off for trade union activities in the Civil Service. To ensure transparency about the union facility time for which government departments are paying, we will also 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 this accounts for. Higher Education: Overseas Students Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 28 November (WA 23), why non-European Union students coming to United Kingdom higher educational institutions and publicly funded further education colleges to study below university level are not considered likely to be motivated by the opportunity to continue in work; what assessment they have made of the number of unemployed young British people who would take up the positions vacated by such students if permission were withdrawn; and how many non-European Union students were granted visas last year. Lord Henley: There are high rates of compliance among students at higher educational institutions and publicly funded further education colleges so the Government are satisfied that their primary motivation is to study not work. The assumption made in the impact assessment is that there is zero replacement. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is undertaking a review of the impact; this may enable revised estimates. 253,993 non-European Union students were granted visas in 2010. Housing Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be the effect on the pool of social housing of increasing the discounts for purchases by sitting tenants; whether the pool will be reduced; and why they are taking that action. To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis they expect to be able to replace each social housing unit sold with a new one elsewhere. Baroness Hanham: This Government want to help people to meet their aspiration for home ownership by making right-to-buy discounts more attractive to tenants across England. Unlike the previous right-to-buy scheme, the receipts generated by the sales will be used not only to pay down the debt associated with that property but also to fund the delivery of new affordable homes on a one-for-one basis. We will be consulting shortly on the best way to ensure delivery of replacement homes across England. Infrastructure Investment Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have estimated the cost of capital used by private sector financiers of infrastructure projects against the cost to them of capital for infrastructure projects; and what were the results. Lord Sassoon: Table A.1 on page 45 of the National Infrastructure Plan 2010 set out estimates of the cost of capital for various infrastructure funding models. This is available on the HM Treasury website at the link below: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/ nationalinfrastructureplan251010.pdf. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the International Court of Justice is able to take cognisance of any future withholding of Palestinian taxes and customs receipts by Israel. Lord Howell of Guildford: The United Nations (UN) Security Council or UN General Assembly may ask the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on any legal question. It is therefore possible that the court may be asked a legal question relating to this issue. Justice: Legal Fees Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will seek to deduct the court costs involved in Mr Joseph Memer's 20 convictions for criminal offences and any legitimate imprisonment costs from the damages awarded in the High Court and due to be paid to him for unlawful imprisonment between January and May 2011; and whether they have ascertained his real name and country of origin. Lord Henley: Under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 the court can order that a convicted defendant pay the costs of the prosecution where it is "just and reasonable to do so". However any such order would require costs to be paid to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is legally separate from the UK Border Agency (UKBA). As a result it is not possible to deduct amounts that are owed to the CPS from the amount that the UKBA is required to pay in damages as a result of the successful legal challenge to detention. It is possible to offset, against any award of damages, any outstanding debts an individual may otherwise owe the person paying the damages. However, the legislation governing immigration detention makes no provision for the payment by the detained persons of any of the costs of detention. Accordingly, the individual has no debt owing to UKBA in respect of that detention. The UKBA will continue its efforts to identify and deport this individual. 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 Culture, Media and Sport and has yet to be brought into force, either in full or in part. Baroness Rawlings: The following table shows the primary legislation passed during the 2005-10 Parliament for which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport was responsible. It indicates that half the Bills passed are now fully in force and half in part. Primary Legislation passed during the 2005-10 Parliament In force in full or in part? Gambling Act 2005 (c.19) In part London Olympic and Paralympic Games Act 2006 (c.12) In part (but the only provisions not in force have been rendered nugatory by subsequent legislation) National Lottery Act 2006 (c.23) In part Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (c.36) In full Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Act 2007 (c.8) In full Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Act 2009 (c.16) [NB Private Members' Bill] In full Video Recordings Act 2010 (c.1) In full Digital Economy Act 2010 (c.24) In part Libya Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government which member states of the European Union provided military forces to ensure the no-fly zone over Libya in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolution 1973. Lord Howell of Guildford: Eight European Union member states provided military forces to enforce the no-fly-zone over Libya in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. The UK, France, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden all contributed strike aircraft. In addition, Greece provided support including the use of air bases and a frigate for the arms embargo, and Romania contributed a frigate to help enforce the arms embargo, but was not involved in enforcing the no-fly zone. In total 17 countries were involved in military operations in Libya. The non-European Union countries which contributed assets to enforce the no-fly zone were the United States of America, Canada, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Norway. Turkey also provided assets specifically to enforce the arms embargo. Local Enterprise Partnerships Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration has been given to gender and ethnic balance on local enterprise partnerships. Baroness Hanham: We respect the right of local enterprise partnerships to determine the make-up of their own boards. However, there is increasing evidence that diverse perspectives are critical to good governance. The Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities has written to partnerships encouraging them to give due consideration to issues of diversity in any board nomination process. Local Enterprise Partnerships Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether research or appraisal has been or is planned to be undertaken on the economic impact of local enterprise partnerships. Baroness Hanham: Local enterprise partnerships will be directly accountable to local partners, businesses and communities 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. Where local enterprise partnerships receive funding from the Government, grant conditions will be used to ensure proper accountability for those funds including appropriate appraisal and evaluation processes. Patrick Finucane Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made payments to Madden and Finucane Solicitors in relation to the proposed Patrick Finucane inquiry; and, if so, what amount they have paid in the past five years. Lord Shutt of Greetland: No payments have been made to Madden and Finucane Solicitors in relation to the Pat Finucane review. Railways: High Speed 2 Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 28 November (WA 30), how many of the 55,000 submissions included in the analysis undertaken by the Department of Transport were supportive of their plans for High Speed 2. Earl Attlee: The results of the high-speed rail consultation analysis will be published shortly, when the Secretary of State for Transport announces her decisions on high-speed rail. Railways: High Speed 2 Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 28 November (WA 30), whether they will place a copy of the analysis undertaken by the Department of Transport in the Library of the House. Earl Attlee: Yes; a copy of the high-speed rail consultation response analysis, which has been undertaken by an independent company, Dialogue by Design, will be placed in the Library of the House once published. Riot (Damages) Act 1886 Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many payments have been made to claimants under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 following the riots in August 2011. Lord Henley: Under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886, applications for compensation are made directly to police authorities. There is no requirement for them to provide this information to the Home Office. Therefore, the precise figures of payments that have already been made to claimants will be held locally by each police authority. State Recognition Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role the Montevideo Convention of 1933 has in the decision-making process on whether to recognise a state or country. Lord Howell of Guildford: My Written Answer of 2 February (Official Report, col. WA 266) set out the criteria for recognition of states. While the UK has not signed or ratified the Montevideo Convention, the criteria that we use for recognition of states reflect those set out in the Montevideo Convention. Unemployment Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the unemployment rate for young people and the number of unemployed young people would have been in the last eight quarters if full-time students were excluded from the figures; and why such students are counted as unemployed. 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 December 2011. As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the unemployment rate for young people and the number of unemployed young people would have been in the last eight quarters if full-time students were excluded from the figures; and why such students are counted as unemployed (HL13996). The requested information is in the attached table. Estimates for unemployment are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. ONS publishes unemployment figures using an internationally agreed definition as prescribed by the International Labour Organisation. Under this, full-time students count as unemployed if they are actively seeking work and are available to start a job-for example, if they are looking for part-time jobs. The Labour Market Statistical Bulletin gives figures every month on how many unemployed 16 to 24 year-olds are in, or are not in, full-time education. Unemployment levels and rates for people aged 16 to 24, not in full-time education1 United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted Unemployment rate (%) Unemployment level ('000s) 2009 Q4 18.4 646 2010 Q1 19.1 667 2010 Q2 17.9 630 2010 Q3 18.2 650 2010 Q4 19.4 686 2011 Q1 18.3 646 2011 Q2 18.8 671 2011 Q3 20.6 730 Source: Labour Force Survey 1 Includes people in part-time education and/or some form of training Water Management: Overseas Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will co-ordinate their support for international water programmes with their objective of improving public health and food supply and meeting the millennium goals. Baroness Northover: The UK Government are committed to supporting the achievement of all the millennium development goals (MDGs). Our investment in providing poor people with access to improved drinking water supplies and sanitation, and promoting better hygiene make an important contribution towards the water and sanitation MDG target. However, this investment also contributes to several additional MDGs, including improving nutrition, reducing mother and child mortality and empowering women. We see it as crucial to ensure that our water and sanitation interventions have a demonstrable impact on health outcomes, particularly in terms of reducing morbidity and mortality associated with diarrhoeal diseases, which are the biggest cause of death of children in Africa. In all countries where we work on water and sanitation, we also support the health sector. We will continue to take an integrated approach to ensure our investment delivers across these closely related sectors.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2011-12-08a

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Regulation baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) public, (2) private, (3) self-regulatory, and (4) other bodies haveregulatory responsibility for companies, company law, corporate governance, accounting standards, audit and auditors. lord henley: The following UK bodies have regulatory responsibility for companies, company law, corporate governance, accounting standards, audit and auditors: Public Bodies (under the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000):Bank of England (including the Prudential Regulation Authority)Companies HouseFinancial Conduct AuthorityFinancial Reporting CouncilInsolvency Service Other:Association of Chartered Certified AccountantsAssociation of International AccountantsChartered Accountants IrelandInstitute of Chartered Accountants in England and WalesInstitute of Chartered Accountants of ScotlandTakeover Appeal BoardTakeover Panel This answer does not consider obligations on companies and other businesses generally such as employment regulation, environmental regulation or for reasons of public safety, or those bodies that have general responsibilities in respect of criminal investigations and prosecutions. The categorisation of bodies reflects the categorisation used for government accounting purposes and the application of the requirements of managing public money. Regulation baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government which non-statutory bodies, including the Takeover Panel and Financial Reporting Council, have been given statutory powers under the Companies Act 2006 and other financial services legislation; andwhich bodies perform comparable functions voluntarily. lord henley: In addition to the Takeover Panel and the Financial Reporting Council, the following non-statutory bodies have statutory powers or functions under the Companies Act 2006 or perform comparable voluntary functions: Association of Chartered Certified AccountantsAssociation of International AccountantsChartered Accountants IrelandInstitute for Chartered Accountants in England and WalesInstitute of Chartered Accountants of ScotlandTakeover Appeals Board There are no non-statutory bodies that have powers under financial services legislation. New Businesses: Females lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to make it easier for female entrepreneurs to secure capital. 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-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. Rolls-Royce: Redundancy lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will support people affected by the recent decision by Rolls-Royce to cut 4,600 jobs across the UK over the next two years. lord henley: The Government is in regular contact with Rolls-Royce on its plans to reduce its back office and support functions workforce as a result of its restructuring programme. This is clearly an uncertain time for affected employees and their families and Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response stands ready to help people back into employment as soon as possible. In addition, we will work closely with the action group, in which the company is collaborating with the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, to engage with councils, unions, local MPs and other partners to ensure that support is available for each and every worker to find new work and training opportunities. The LEP will be holding the first meeting of this action group as soon as possible and Government will be fully engaged. Cabinet Office Absent Parents: Suicide lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of suicides since 2000 of separated fathers compared to those of separated mothers. lord young of cookham: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 20 June 2018.The correct answer should have been: ​The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. and I will place the response in the Library of both houses. Letter from John Pullinger CB, National Statistician, to The Lord Pearson of Rannoch, dated 15 June 2018.Dear Lord Pearson, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking about the number of suicides since 2000 of separated fathers compared to those of separated mothers (HL8615).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes suicide rates for the UK, constituent countries, regions and local authorities in England and Wales in an annual bulletin[1].The information we hold on deaths is limited to what is recorded on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death by a doctor, provided to the registrar by the informant at the time of death registration, or recorded by a coroner following their inquest into the cause and circumstances of the death. We can provide the number of suicides per year by legal marital status, but we have no available information on whether the deceased was (a) separated at the time of death, that is, living apart from their partner; or (b) was a father or mother. Table 1 attached provides the numbers and crude rates per 100,00 persons of deaths due to suicide, by sex, for each year between 2000 and 2016 in England and Wales. The rates are broken down by marital status recorded at death. A copy has been placed in the House of Lords Library. Yours sincerely, John Pullinger[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2016registrations lord young of cookham: ​The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. and I will place the response in the Library of both houses. Letter from John Pullinger CB, National Statistician, to The Lord Pearson of Rannoch, dated 15 June 2018.Dear Lord Pearson, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking about the number of suicides since 2000 of separated fathers compared to those of separated mothers (HL8615).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes suicide rates for the UK, constituent countries, regions and local authorities in England and Wales in an annual bulletin[1].The information we hold on deaths is limited to what is recorded on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death by a doctor, provided to the registrar by the informant at the time of death registration, or recorded by a coroner following their inquest into the cause and circumstances of the death. We can provide the number of suicides per year by legal marital status, but we have no available information on whether the deceased was (a) separated at the time of death, that is, living apart from their partner; or (b) was a father or mother. Table 1 attached provides the numbers and crude rates per 100,00 persons of deaths due to suicide, by sex, for each year between 2000 and 2016 in England and Wales. The rates are broken down by marital status recorded at death. A copy has been placed in the House of Lords Library. Yours sincerely, John Pullinger[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2016registrations Department for Exiting the European Union Railways lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why their Framework for the UK–EU Partnership: Transport, published on 7 June,does not cover the rail sector to the same level of detailas the air and road sectors; and what action they intend to take to remedy this omission. lord callanan: As the UK slides on the Framework for the UK-EU Partnership on Transport make clear, we will pursue bilateral agreements with the relevant Member States to facilitate the continued smooth functioning of cross-border rail services operating through the Channel Tunnel and on the island of Ireland.The cross-border services that link us with the EU have greatly benefited citizens and businesses in both the UK and the EU. We want to see these services continue without disruption, and it is in the interests of all parties to ensure this through these bilateral agreements.The government is considering the full range of rail issues as we further discuss the shape of our future economic partnership with the EU. We will continue to work closely with the rail industry and passengers to ensure that we secure an agreement that works for the entire UK rail sector. EU Budget: Contributions lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they anticipate that any disputeregarding the UK's payment of its share of EU liabilities upon departure from the EUwill be adjudicated upon by the European Court of Justice. lord callanan: We have made rapid progress in reaching agreement on the financial settlement text of the Withdrawal Agreement. As part of this agreement, the UK will continue to participate in the current budget plan up to 2020, and pay its fair share of liabilities, principally EU pensions, accrued by the end of that period. In return, the UK will receive a share of funds paid into the EU budget, and benefit from its share of relevant EU assets.For specific areas of the financial settlement, existing enforcement mechanisms will apply, namely to our participation in programmes funded by the 2014-20 EU budget plan and to our contributions to the 2019-2020 budgets which are subject to the applicable EU rules.Any disputes concerning the Withdrawal Agreement will be dealt with through the dispute resolution provisions agreed as part of that Withdrawal Agreement. These are subject to ongoing negotiation.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2018-06-22

Department for Transport Roads: Accidents baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what statistics they have on accidents caused by litter or debris on roads in the UK. baroness vere of norbiton: The department does not collect data specifically on litter and debris causing road accidents. The department collects data on personal injury road accidents reported to the police, including contributory factors which the police select when they attend the scene. This does not assign blame for the accident but gives an indication of factors the attending officer thought contributed to the accident. This includes the contributory factors of ‘Deposit on road’ and ‘Animal or object in carriageway’, which might be used to record litter and debris. ‘Deposit on road’ includes any deposit arising from human (or animal) activity which has made sections of the road surface slippery or which has caused traction control problems for a vehicle. ‘Animal or object in carriageway’ includes any object which the driver would not expect to find in the carriageway (e.g. dislodged vehicle load, fallen tree) and which caused or contributed to the accident. There were 1,058 road accidents with a contributory factor of ‘Deposit on road’ and 802 road accidents with a contributory factor of ‘Animal or object in carriageway’ in Great Britain in 2017. Statistics on the number and proportion of accidents by contributory factor reported are available online in table RAS50001. All published tables on contributory factors are available in the RAS50 series on gov.uk. The data we hold only covers reported personal injury road accidents in Great Britain, we do not have data for Northern Ireland. Tyres: Safety earl attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statistical risk of a heavy goods vehicle or coach tyre having a "blow out" for each of the first20 years after manufacture; whether that assessment is based on any scientific study; and if so, what study. baroness vere of norbiton: In June 2019 the Department launched a public consultation seeking views on a proposed ban on tyres aged 10 years and older from heavy goods vehicles, heavy trailers, buses, coaches and minibuses. At the same time, the Department published research that explores the link between age and tyre integrity. Although the research is not statistically conclusive, it suggests that corrosion, which can affect the tyre’s structure, is more likely to be found in older tyres. Investigations into two fatal collisions involving heavy vehicles concluded that tyre failure occurred as a result of structural deterioration due to age. We are not aware of any scientific studies that specifically explore the statistical risk of tyre blow-outs for heavy goods vehicles or coaches in each year after manufacture. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Directors: Females lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to require businesses to appoint equal numbers of men and women at board level. lord henley: The Government is committed to working with the business community to create more inclusive workplaces from the shop floor to the boardroom. The Government has commissioned and supports several business-led, independent reviews on promoting diversity, including the Hampton-Alexander Review to increase the representation of women on boards and in senior leadership positions in FTSE 350 companies to 33% by 2020 and the Parker Review to increase the ethnic diversity of FTSE 350 boards by 2024.These reviews form part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy which aims to build an economy that works for all.The statistics recently published by the Hampton-Alexander Review on 1st July, show that the business-led approach to creating more balanced boards is working, as the representation of women on FTSE 100 boards has risen to 32.1% from 12.5% in 2011. The number of all-male boards across the FTSE 350 is also down to four from 152 in 2011. The Government has no plans to introduce legislation to require equal numbers of men and women at board level. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Pakistan: Royal Visits lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, during their forthcoming visit to Pakistan, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit (1) the slums inhabited by the minority Christian community, and (2) members of Shahbaz Bhatti’s family. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The details of the programme for the visit by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Pakistan have not yet been agreed. For security reasons, we would not in any case comment on details in advance of the visit. Pakistan: Minority Groups lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised the plight of minorities in Pakistan with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth; what response they received; and whether they asked the Secretary-General to raise continued human rights violations with the government of Pakistan. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to be in close contact with the Commonwealth Secretariat on its support to member states to live up to the commitments to tolerance, to human rights, good governance and the rule of law set out in the Commonwealth Charter.In addition, the British Government will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law. Pakistan: Blasphemy lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sentencing of Shagufta Kauser and her husband to death in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy; what assessment they have made of whether Shagufta Kauser is (1) from a Christian minority, and (2) illiterate; what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan on her behalf; what response they have received to these representations; and what estimate they have made of the number of people currently facing the death sentence in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to monitor the case of Shagufta Kauser and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel who were sentenced to death in April 2014. We understand that Shagufta Kauser is of the Christian faith and we are aware of media reports stating that she and her husband are both illiterate.We regularly raise our concerns about the misuse of the blasphemy laws with the government of Pakistan at a senior level. The harsh penalties for blasphemy, including the death penalty, add to these concerns. We remain firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. We have repeatedly called upon the Government of Pakistan to end capital punishment and, as a minimum, commit to publicly renewing the previously imposed moratorium on the death penalty. Concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities were raised with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during a ministerial visit to Islamabad in February.We do not hold figures for individuals on specific charges overseas. According to the US State Department 2018 Report on Freedom of Religion or Belief, at the time of publication, 77 individuals were imprisoned in Pakistan on blasphemy charges, 28 of whom had received death sentences. China: Prisoners lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, theyhave given to updating their travel advice for China to include the findings of the Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting from Prisoners of Conscience from China, published on 17 June. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We do not intend to update our travel advice to include the findings of the recent report by the pressure group “The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China”. We have reviewed the report and at present, our assessment remains that there is not a strong enough evidential base to substantiate the claim that systematic state-sponsored or sanctioned organ harvesting is taking place in China. We continue to keep this issue under review. Christian Michel baroness couttie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India to ensure that a trial date is set for Christian Michel following his arrest in July 2018 and subsequent extradition to India in December 2018. baroness couttie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) Christian Michel receives a fair trail when such a date is set, and (2) that any evidence used in such a trial is accurate; and what representations they have made, if any, to the government of India about the impact of remarks made by Prime Minister Modi during the recent elections about Christian Michel’s case. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Mr Michel's case is currently working its way through the Indian judiciary system. The British Government cannot interfere in the judicial process of another country, just as we would expect India to respect the UK's legal process. That said, we encourage all states to ensure that their domestic laws meet international human rights standards.It is the responsibility of Mr Michel's legal team to ensure that a trial date is set. We have not made any representation to the Government of India about remarks made by Prime Minister Modi, but we have encouraged Mr Michel to seek advice from his legal team on this issue. Our staff in India continue to visit him and check his welfare. We are also supporting the family and in contact with the Indian authorities regarding his case. China: Prisoners the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Final Judgment of the Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting, published on 17 June; and what actions they plan to take in response to that Judgment. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have noted the recent report by the pressure group “The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China”. Officials attended public hearings organised by the group, and its report is one of a number of sources of information that we are taking into account when considering this issue.If true, the practice of systematic, state-sponsored organ harvesting would be truly horrifying. As such, we continue to monitor the allegations and consider carefully all evidence presented on this issue. We have also recently consulted the World Health Organization in both Geneva and Beijing. Their view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, though they do have concerns about overall transparency.There is credible evidence that practitioners of Falun Gong are subjected to serious mistreatment. We regularly raise concerns with China, including on the extensive use of the death penalty and the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities. We continue to keep this issue under review. Middle East: British Nationals Abroad the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the recent statementby the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on 24 June, what plans they have to repatriate the children of British citizens now held in Iraq and Syria as a result of their parents' involvement with Daesh. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The situation that young children are facing in north-east Syria through no fault of their own is tragic. The UK has no consular presence within Syria from which to provide assistance to British Nationals there. This makes it difficult to help but we look at every single case where we are asked for consular assistance. We are not aware of any British children in camps in Iraq.Our advice to any British national abroad who needs emergency help from the British Government is to contact the nearest British Embassy or Consulate, which in this case will be outside Syria. If a minor is unable to do so, those with parental responsibility can make the request on their behalf. British nationals can also call the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The number is clearly advertised on FCO Travel Advice pages. Pakistan: Royal Visits lord forsyth of drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek assurances from the government of Pakistan about measures being taken to protect Christian minorities before confirming any visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to that country. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be visiting Pakistan at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The FCO will be working with the Royal Household to ensure that the visit is aligned with Her Majesty's Government objectives. South America: Roman Catholic Church lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the forthcomingRoman Catholic Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazonian Region for (1) the survival of indigenous people, (2) the conservation of the tropical rainforest, (3) bio-diversity, and (4) responsible human development, across state frontiers in that region. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the Catholic Church's focus on cultural, environmental, economic and social issues in the Amazon, and will consider the outcome of the Synod with interest. The UK is working with Brazil to help ensure it continues to protect the Amazon and has invested nearly £120 million through the International Climate Fund on projects to limit deforestation, prevent forest fires and implement the Forestry Code in the Amazon, Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes.We are also committed to promoting and defending the human rights of all individuals and regularly participate in discussions regarding human rights in various United Nations fora, including the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. Northern Cyprus: Guided Weapons lord maginnis of drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they still have guarantor responsibilities in Cyprus under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee; what assessment they have made of reports thata Russian-made S-200 missile was fired from Syria and exploded in theTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus;andwhat steps they intend to take in response to that incident. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK remains one of the three Guarantor powers as set out in the Treaty of Guarantee (1960). We are aware that debris from a projectile landed in the north of Cyprus on 1 July: we believe they resulted from an S200 missile fired from Syria which missed its intended target and which may subsequently have exploded mid-air. There were no casualties. The UK enjoys excellent relations with Cyprus, including in the fields of defence and security, based on strong bonds of friendship and historical ties. We continuously assess possible threats to the island to ensure that the necessary precautions are in place. Israeli Settlements baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether settlement expansion on Palestinian lands in the West Bank is higher than population growth in Israel; and what assessment they have made of the impact of any such increase on the viability of a two-state solution using land swaps. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware of media and UN reports that settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has surpassed population growth in Israel. At the UN Security Council on 20 June, the UK Permanent Representative to the UN expressed concern about continuing Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, which is contrary to international law and makes a two-state solution harder to achieve. We regularly raise our grave concerns on this issue with the Government of Israel and urge it to reverse its policy of settlement expansion. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that a seven month old Palestinian infant was shot whilst sitting on her mothers’ lap by an Israeli sniper near Ramallah. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whilst we are aware of media reports, we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. We are concerned by any reports of Palestinian children being killed or injured in the West Bank and Gaza. We regularly raise our concerns over use of live fire, particularly against children. Gaza: Poisoning baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers of lead poisoning for children living in Gaza. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​While we are aware of reports, which are worrying, we have not made an assessment of this issue. We regularly stress our concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Embassies: Surveillance viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the recording of events surrounding the death of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, what assessment they have made of the adequacy of security measures to prevent surveillance of UK embassies and consulates. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​It is our policy not to comment publicly on the security measures that protect our people, properties and information. Syria: Chemical Weapons baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda, and MediaHow the OPCW's investigation of the Douma incident was nobbled, published on 26 June. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK has full confidence in the expertise and methodology of the Organization for the Prohibition or Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Fact Finding Mission (FFM). The OPCW Director General has confirmed that all evidence and views were considered by the FFM in reaching its conclusion on the incident in Douma on 7 April 2018. The final FFM report of 1 March 2019 concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe a chemical weapons attack took place. Syria: Chemical Weapons baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons'Remarks of the Director-General at the Briefing for States Parties on Syrian Arab Republic: Update on IIT-FFM-SSRC-DAT, published on 28 May, which stated that the ballistics data collected by the Fact-Finding Mission in relation to the Douma incident were analysed by three external experts; whether they have seen these expert analyses; and if so, whether they will make them available. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​On 28 May Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Director General confirmed all evidence and views were considered in preparing the Fact finding Mission (FFM) report and that the Technical Secretariat stands by the findings. We have full confidence in both our own and the FFM's conclusions on the use of a chemical weapon in Douma on 7 April 2018. The Fact-Finding Mission draws on internal and independent external expertise as required in reaching its conclusions. The UK is not involved in that process and would not expect the Director-General to make such information publicly available. Syria: Chemical Weapons baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have employed, or made any direct or indirect payment to, Len Phillips, a former official of theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, since 2003. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Under our data protection policy we are neither able to confirm whether Mr Phillips has been an employee of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, nor whether we have made any direct or in-direct payments to Mr Phillips. South African Revenue Service: Bain and Company lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to instruct Her Majesty's High Commissioner to South Africa to compile a report to the Prime Minister on the probity and quality of Bain & Company’s consultancy work for the South African Revenue Service; and if so, whether they will place a copyof any such report in theLibrary of the House of Lords. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have no plans to instruct the High Commissioner to South Africa to compile a report on Bain & Company. This is a matter for the South African Government and we note the various Commissions appointed to investigate this and related issues. Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences lord collins of highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyintend to take to include the presence of survivors of sexual violence from conflict zones at the Preventing Sexual Violence In Conflict Initiative Conference in November; and whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will liaise with the Home Office to ensure that such people are not prevented from entering the UK to attend that conference. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The PSVI conference 'Time For Justice: Putting Survivors First' will take a survivor-centred approach, focusing on tangible next steps and enabling survivors to contribute to policy debates and outcomes. The newly created role of PSVI Survivor Champion will help ensure that survivors' needs, concerns and priorities are at the forefront of our policy and programming, including for the conference.The UK Government is working closely with stakeholders, including international survivor networks, to ensure survivors of conflict-related sexual violence from a range of countries and communities are involved in and can attend the PSVI conference on 18-20 November 2019. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is coordinating across Government departments, including with the Home Office, on preparations for the conference. This includes planning on policy deliverables, logistics and attendance. Abdel Moneim Aboul Foutouh lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatrepresentations they intend to make to the government of Egypt about the case for transferring Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh from prison to hospital for urgent medical treatment. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have been closely engaged on the case of Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh. Officials raised his case with Egyptian authorities on 4 July in London and on 7 July in Cairo. We will continue to urge the Egyptian authorities to ensure all detainees are treated in accordance with relevant international human right standards and continue to raise the importance of access to medical care. Northern Ireland Office Offences against Children: Northern Ireland lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe reply by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 20 June (HL Deb, col 835), whether the issues relating to institutional child abuse in Northern Ireland have been resolved; and if so, when legislation will be introduced to provide compensation for the victims and their families. lord duncan of springbank: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 10 July 2019.The correct answer should have been: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made it very clear that she is determined to see redress for victims of historical institutional abuse as soon as possible. That is why she asked the NI parties to assist her in critical decisions that needed to be taken with regard to the redress scheme and other matters. The parties addressed those outstanding issues, and the Executive Office is currently working with the Office of the Legislative Council Counsel to redraft the legislation in light of the parties’ recommendations. When the legislation has been revised, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will consider the best way forward and the next steps as a matter of urgency. lord duncan of springbank: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made it very clear that she is determined to see redress for victims of historical institutional abuse as soon as possible. That is why she asked the NI parties to assist her in critical decisions that needed to be taken with regard to the redress scheme and other matters. The parties addressed those outstanding issues, and the Executive Office is currently working with the Office of the Legislative Council Counsel to redraft the legislation in light of the parties’ recommendations. When the legislation has been revised, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will consider the best way forward and the next steps as a matter of urgency. Department of Health and Social Care Continuing Care: Finance baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of applications received for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding in England in each of the last three years. baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of applications for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding in England were accepted in each of the last three years. baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of rejected applications for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding in England were then granted on (1) first, and (2) second, appeal in each of the last three years. baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of applications for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding in England were accepted (1) within less thanone month, (2) within less than three months, (3) within three to six months, (4) within six to 12 months, and (5) after 12 months,of thedate of application. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The following table provides the total number of referrals received for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) for both Standard and Fast Track NHS CHC, for the years 2016/17 to 2018/19.Number of Referrals ReceivedPeriodStandard NHS CHCFast TrackTotal NHS CHC2016/1776,94588,420165,3652017/1875,32294,175169,4972018/1973,47597,273170,748 NHS England collects and publishes data regarding the number of referrals completed, and of those, how many were assessed as eligible (as a percentage). A table showing these figures is attached due to the size of the data. The percentage of referrals agreed as eligible is based on the number of referrals ‘completed’ (rather than ‘referrals received’). Pre 2017/18 data did not use this counting methodology and therefore is not comparable. 2016/17 figures have therefore not been included.The NHS CHC appeals process consists of clinical commissioning group local resolution and NHS England Independent Review. It is not possible to provide data on cases found eligible at local review or Independent Review as a percentage of applications initially assessed as not eligible.We do not hold information on the percentage of NHS CHC referrals which were assessed as eligible within the requested time periods. NHS England does, however, hold information on the percentage of referrals completed within 28 days, and the latest annual information on this is included in the following table. This relates to Standard NHS CHC and not Fast Track NHS CHC. % referrals within 28 daysPeriodStandard NHS CHC Referrals completedReferrals completed in 28 days% completed in 28 days2018/1976,80353,50470% NHS CHC Referrals completed (Word Document, 19.05 KB) Continuing Care: Finance lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manypatients were in receipt of continuing healthcare paymentsin England in (1)2010, (2) 2015, (3) 2016, (4) 2017, (5) 2018, and (6) 2019. lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients were in receipt of continuing healthcare payments fromSomerset Health Authority in (1) 2010, (2) 2015, (3) 2016, (4) 2017, (5) 2018, and (6) 2019. lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manypatients were in receipt ofcontinuinghealthcare paymentsin England, broken down by category of payment, in (1)2010, (2) 2015, (3) 2016, (4) 2017, (5) 2018, and (6) 2019. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Data on NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) payments is not held currently, but NHS England collects data on the total number of cases eligible for NHS CHC during each year. This includes newly eligible individuals and individuals who were already eligible at the start of the period. The following table provides the total numbers eligible for both Standard and Fast Track NHS CHC for the years 2015/16 to 2018/19. ‘Category of payment’ has been interpreted to mean the split of total NHS CHC by Standard NHS CHC and Fast Track.Data relating to 2010/11 has not been included as formal mandatory data collection was not in place at this time and is therefore not comparable to the more robust data collected subsequently. Number eligible year to datePeriodStandard NHS CHCFast TrackTotal NHS CHC2015/1667,77491,791159,5652016/1763,47496,353159,8272017/1859,91699,706159,6222018/1956,395104,461160,856 ‘Somerset Health Authority’ is not a recognised organisation. Data is therefore provided for Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for the years 2015/16 to 2018/19. Somerset CCG Number eligible year to datePeriodStandard NHS CHCFast TrackTotal NHS CHC2015/168351,2772,1122016/175111,4952,0062017/183501,5721,9222018/193301,6261,956 Data relating to 2010/11 has not been included as formal mandatory data collection was not in place at this time and is therefore not comparable to the more robust data collected subsequently. In addition, 2010/11 data pre-dates the existence of CCGs and relates to primary care trusts, meaning that comparison at organisational level is not possible. Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place a copy of the World Health Organisation Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety 2019 review of HPV vaccine safety in the Library of the House. baroness blackwood of north oxford: A meeting was held by the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) on 5 to 6 June 2019. However, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is not aware of any formal review of human papillomavirus vaccine safety published by GACVS in 2019. Furniture: Fire Resistant Materials the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to the neurological development of (1) foetuses, and (2) new-born children, of exposure to polyurethane mattresses treated with chlorinated phosphate flame retardants. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has considered the evidence on the potential effects of chlorinated and non-chlorinated phosphate flame retardants from all exposure sources, in general. The Committee is preparing a statement on phosphate-based flame retardants and the potential for neurodevelopmental toxicity. It is expected that the statement will be published in summer 2019.Chlorinated organophosphorous flame retardants are regulated under the European Union REACH (Restriction, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regime. The United Kingdom has been proactive in supporting the regulation of flame retardants through REACH. The European Chemicals Agency has announced an intention to restrict a number of chlorinated flame retardants. It is expected that the restriction proposal will be submitted in July 2019, followed by a public consultation. Medicine: Research lord willis of knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty's Government what governance arrangements they have proposed for the newly designated Academic Research Collaborations. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Following, a new, open competition, the Government has recently announced National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) designation and funding for 15 Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs), with total funding of £135 million over five years from 1 October 2019.Each NIHR ARC will have its own local governance arrangements in place, with the named Director of each NIHR ARC having responsibility, and authority over, the NIHR funding awarded to their National Health Service organisations through the scheme. Under the terms of the NIHR contract, the NIHR ARCs will be required to submit annual progress reports and can be subject site visits to evaluate progress, performance and identify key issues.All NIHR ARCs are required to ensure that research is conducted in accordance with the United Kingdom Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research and the Concordat to Support Research Integrity and the Governance Arrangements for Research Ethics Committees. Prescriptions: Fees and Charges lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theanswer by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 3 July (HL Deb, col 1435), what assessment they have made of the finding of the House of Commons Health Committee in its report NHS Charges (HC815–1), published on 18 July 2006,that the list of exemptions for prescription charges was “inconsistent and anomalous”; and what plans they have, in any future meetings with Asthma UK, to discuss the current list of exemptions for prescription charges in regard to those who have asthma. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has made no formal assessment of the finding of the House of Commons Health Committee in its report NHS Charges (HC815–1), published on 18 July 2006, that the list of exemptions for prescription charges was “inconsistent and anomalous”. The Department has no current plans to review the existing National Health Service prescription charging exemption arrangements. Prescriptions: Fees and Charges lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have received about prescription charges for people with lifetime health conditions in the last two years; whether they record the healthconditions each such representation related to;and how many people in Englandthey estimateare subject to prescription chargesfor such conditions. baroness blackwood of north oxford: We have received a number of representations from Parliamentarians, stakeholders, individuals and other interested parties on prescription exemptions for people with long term health conditions. Whether any specific health condition was mentioned in each such representation is not recorded centrally and to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost. Furthermore, the Department has made no estimate of the number of people in England that are subject to prescription exemptions for such conditions. However, around 89% of National Health Service prescription items are dispensed in the community free of charge. Prescriptions: Fees and Charges lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the annual cost to the NHS of providing free prescriptions tothose with (1) asthma, and (2) long-term health conditions. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has made no such estimate. Extensive arrangements are already in place to help people access National Health Service prescriptions. These include a broad range of NHS prescription charge exemptions.To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, cost of the prescription pre-payment certificates were frozen for another year. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week. Prescriptions: Fees and Charges lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much it costs NHS Englandannually to (1) collect payments for free prescriptions, (2) administer the system of medical exemption certificates, and (3)provide prescription prepayment certificates. baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS England and NHS Improvement do not collect any payment for free prescriptions.The costs to administer the system of medical exemption certificates is around £1 million. The costs to provide prescription prepayment certificates is around £4.8 million. These figures have been provided by the NHS Business Services Authority and are for the financial period 2018/19. Prescriptions: Fees and Charges lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any savings made by the NHS in Scotland, Wales and Northern Irelandas a result of not charging for prescriptions. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has made no such assessment. All issues relating to healthcare provision are a matter for the devolved administrations. Prescriptions: Fees and Charges lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimatethey have made of the annual cost to NHS England ofGP appointments and hospital admissions arising from people with asthma and other long-term health conditions who do not take prescription medications because theycannot afford them. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has made no such estimate. 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 asthma and other long-term health conditions may qualify.To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption, cost of the prescription pre-payment certificates were frozen for another year. A holder of a 12-month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week. Orkambi baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a date has been set for Vertex pharmaceuticals, NICE and NHS England to convene a further meeting to discuss how the cystic fibrosisdrug Orkambi can be made available to patients. baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the lack of availability of Orkambi on patients with cystic fibrosis; and what plans they have to discuss this issue with (1) patients, and (2) other interested parties. baroness morgan of huyton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has to intervene in the ongoing negotiations between Vertex pharmaceuticals, NICE and NHS England on the price of the cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi to ensure that it is made available to patients as soon as possible. baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS England and NHS Improvement is leading the negotiations with Vertex and has made a revised and improved offer to Vertex that would provide immediate funding for Orkambi and Symkevi in advance of a positive assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), in addition to expanded access to Kalydeco which is already funded by the National Health Service for certain patients. No date has been agreed for a further meeting as of yet, however negotiations are ongoing between Vertex, NHS England and NHS Improvement and NICE.Cystic fibrosis can have a devastating effect on the lives of those who suffer from it, and those close to them, and the Government wants to see patients access innovative treatments at a cost-effective price for the NHS. The Government fully supports NICE and NHS England in seeking to ensure access for patients to effective and innovative medicines at a price that represents value to the NHS, and it is not for Ministers to intervene in this process. The Department’s approach remains to strongly urge Vertex to accept NHS England and NHS Improvement’s generous offer, but in the absence of a deal, we have asked NHS England and NHS Improvement to continue to explore all options to ensure patients can access treatments as soon as possible. Department for International Development Gaza: Recycling baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they intend to provide to Palestinians in Gaza to create the means to recycle materials in order to reduce the amount of waste and increase the viability of industry. baroness sugg: The UK does not currently intend to provide direct support in this area. We remain committed to alleviating the humanitarian situation in Gaza and our assistance continues to be focused on meeting the basic needs of Gazans. To that end, DFID have recently provided £5m to UNRWA’s Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) emergency appeal which will help UNRWA provide food aid to one million people in Gaza. Through our support to UNRWA’s programme budget, the UK also supports UNRWA’s delivery of core services, including health services and basic education, to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East, and the collection of solid waste. In the medium term, DFID are working to address the underlying causes of humanitarian need in Gaza through an economic development programme which aims to lift the overall standard of living in Gaza and the West Bank by increasing trade and job creation, enabling greater movement and access for people and goods, and enhancing the supply of electricity and clean water, especially in Gaza. Developing Countries: Health Services baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights in countries receiving Department for International Development Official Development Assistance in relation to (1) contraceptive prevalence, (2) maternal mortality, (3) maternal morbidity, (4) safe and unsafe abortions, (5) female genital mutilation, (6) child marriage, (7) menstrual hygiene, (8) schooling for girls, (9) toilet facilities in refugee camps, and (10) universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights. baroness sugg: DFID takes an integrated approach to our programming on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The UK Government is delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting them in its programme of work and integrating them into the Single Departmental Plan process. DFID reports annually on its progress on planned activities in meeting these objectives in its annual report and online results pages. For example between April 2018 and March 2019 alone, at least 23.5 million total women and girls were reached with modern methods of family planning through our programmes, preventing 7.3 million unintended pregnancies, 2 million unsafe abortions, saving 8,300 women’s lives and preventing the trauma of 89,900 stillbirths and 52,900 new-born deaths. DFID also ensures our water and sanitation programmes address the rights of women and girls to access safe, private, hygienic and convenient sanitation facilities, including in humanitarian responses. DFID’s project-specific information (including all the annual reviews for our projects in these areas) is available on the Development Tracker website. Developing Countries: Health Services baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of the Department for International Development's total overseas development aid was spent on sexual and reproductive health and rights in (1) 2016–17, (2) 2017–18, and (3) 2018–19. baroness sugg: Based on internationally agreed methodology, we estimate DFID spent at least 10.3 percent of its overseas development aid on sexual reproductive health and rights in 2016-17. Comparable figures beyond March 2017 are not yet available, estimates for 2017-18 spending will be available in autumn 2019. Developing Countries: Health Services baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department for International Development spent directly targeting reproductive health under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee codes (1) 13010, (2) 13021, (3) 13022, (4) 13030, and (5) 13081, in total in the (a) 2016–17, (b) 2017–18, and (c) 2018–19, financial years. baroness sugg: DFID spent the following directly targeting reproductive health under the OECD Development codes 13010, 13021, 13022, 13030, and 13081:2016/17: £307.2m. This data does not capture spend on our substantial multilateral contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, UNFPA, WHO, Unitaid and UNAIDS.Data for all sector codes and spend are available on the Statistics on International Development website. Comparable figures beyond March 2017 are not yet available, estimates for 2017-18 spending will be available in autumn 2019. Developing Countries: HIV Infection baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department for International Development spent directly targeting HIV and AIDS under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee codes (1) 13041, and (2) 13042, in total in the (a) 2016–17, (b) 2017–18, and (c) 2018–19, financial years. baroness sugg: DFID spent the following directly targeting HIV and AIDS under the two OECD Development codes 13041 and 13042: 2016/17 = £27.1m. This data does not capture spend on related programming that complements our wider work on comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, including research and health systems strengthening. Data for all sector codes and spend are available on the Statistics on International Development website. Comparable figures beyond March 2017 are not yet available, estimates for 2017-18 spending will be available in autumn 2019. UN Population Fund: Finance baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution they made to (1) the core, and (2) non-core, funding of the UN Population Fund in (a) 2016–17, (b) 2017–18, and (c) 2018–19. baroness sugg: Details of Her Majesty's Government (HMG) spending on international development is available online on the Statistics on International Development website. Please note that data is published by calendar year and not HMG financial year.The report shows that the UN Population fund received the following funding: 20162017Core£20m£20mNon-Core£87.5m£120.5m 2018 data on non-core funding will be published later this year. Core funding for 2018 remained steady at £20m. Department for Education Disabled Students' Allowances lord low of dalston: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the combining of the Disabled Students’ Allowance budget for specialist equipment and non-medical helpers in relation to postgraduate students, whether they intend to adopt the same approach in relation to undergraduate students. viscount younger of leckie: The postgraduate Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA) has always been available as a single allowance since its introduction in academic year 2000/2001. The maximum amount of DSAs available to postgraduate students starting their course in September 2019 or after has been increased from £10,993 a year to £20,000 a year. The department has no plans to merge the 4 DSAs currently available to undergraduate students. Department for International Trade Trade Agreements: Mercosur lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to secure a free trade agreement with the Mercosur trade bloc; and whetherany such agreement would include measures to support sustainable growth. viscount younger of leckie: We welcome the news of political conclusion between the EU and Mercosur on a Free Trade Agreement. As a global champion of trade, the UK has been a strong advocate for these negotiations. The UK has longstanding positive bilateral relationships with individual Mercosur countries and we look forward to deepening our trading ties as we leave the EU. We will be working with our Mercosur partners to develop our future trade relationship in due course. The EU-Mercosur agreement contains a number of ambitious provisions on promoting sustainable development. As we leave the EU, and in line with our international obligations, the Government will continue to ensure a high level of protection of the environment and employees in new trade agreements. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Housing lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase growth in the UK housing market after Brexit. lord bourne of aberystwyth: We are committed to delivering safe, secure and affordable housing to people across the country, and Brexit will not change this. After we leave the EU, as now, we will work closely with industry and all levels of government and take end-to-end action across the housing market to deliver the right homes in the right places and achieve our ambition of delivering 300,000 homes a year by the mid 2020s.We set out our plan for long-term reform to make the housing market work better in our Housing White Paper, and have since built on this with further measures, including planning reforms, lifting Housing Revenue Account borrowing caps, and progressively increasing the Government’s 2016-21 Affordable Homes Programme in England to more than £9 billion, as well as more than doubling the Housing Infrastructure Fund to £5.5 billion to unlock up to 650,000 homes. We’ve committed over £22 billion Help to Buy Equity Loan funding to 2021, and announced at last year’s Autumn Budget a new scheme with £7.2 billion funding to 2023. The measures we have announced will boost the delivery of housing and use funds flexibly to unblock the barriers to more housebuilding. Department for Work and Pensions Pension Credit lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that those who are entitled to claim (1) pension credit, and (2) a TV licence from June 2020, but currently do not, take up those benefits. baroness buscombe: In the 2015 funding settlement, the Government agreed with the BBC that responsibility for the concession would transfer to the BBC. The implementation of the licence fee and the concession from June 2020 is a matter for the BBC and TV Licensing, which are independent of Government. However, we expect the BBC to put in place robust plans to support those who might be affected. The BBC has said it will write to all over 75 TV licence holders advising them of how the new policy will work and when they need to act. Irrespective of this, the Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential claimants; including information on gov.uk, in leaflets and by telephone. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit. Potential claimants can use the Pension Credit calculator to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234. One of the best ways to reach eligible claimants is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits. Most recently we have provided to relevant stakeholders a fact sheet about Pension Credit and the changes introduced on 15 May for mixed age couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information. Pension Credit baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they provided to charities that work with older people to support the take-up of Pension Credit in (1) 2015–16,(2) 2016–17, and (3) 2017–18. baroness buscombe: The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to. We work with a wide range of stakeholders, including charities to ensure that accurate information about benefits including Pension Credit is available in the places where people are most likely to go to seek information. The DWP knows that one of the best ways to reach eligible claimants is through trusted stakeholder organisations working in the community and that is why we have developed and resourced the Pension Credit on line toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits. Stakeholders and potential claimants alike can use the online Pension Credit calculator to check if they are likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive. Most recently we have provided to relevant stakeholders a fact sheet about Pension Credit and the changes introduced on 15 May for mixed age couples to ensure they are able to communicate the most up-to-date information to potential claimants. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Lions: Hunting lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider banning the importation of lion trophies to the UK, following the decision by Australia, France, and the Netherlands to ban such imports. lord gardiner of kimble: In May 2019 the Government hosted a stakeholder roundtable to hear views from all sides of the debate. We are reviewing existing evidence surrounding trophy hunting and its impact on conservation. Home Office Immigrants: Detainees lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of a petition signed by 100,000peopleopposing indefinite immigration detention presented to the Home Secretary in May; and what plans they have to put a time limit on immigration detention. baroness williams of trafford: The petition was received by the Home Office on 8 May, and its contents have been noted.As Stephen Shaw noted in his follow up review of the welfare of vulnerable people in immigration detention, the debate on a time limit for immigration detention rests mainly on slogans rather than evidence. The Home Secretary commissioned an internal review of how time limits work in other countries and how these relate to any other protections within the detention systems in those countries. This has shown that few other countries adopt very short time limits and that many countries face similar challenges to the United Kingdom when it comes to returning those who have no right to remain but refuse to leave voluntarily.No one is detained indefinitely. Most people detained under immigration powers spend only short periods in detention. In 2018, 92 per cent of those detained were removed or released from detention within four months, and 69 per cent in less than 29 days.We are continuously seeking ways to improve the immigration detention system to ensure that it is fair to those who may be detained, upholds our immigration policies, and acts as a deterrent to those who might seek to frustrate those policies. Immigrants: Detainees lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual cost of immigration detention lasting more than four months in (1) detention centres, and (2) prisons. baroness williams of trafford: The average cost to detain an individual in immigration detention (including in prison) is provided on a per day basis. The current daily cost per detainee is £88.68, which corresponds to an annual cost of £32,368 (£88.68 multiplied by 365 days). Published data on the cost of detention can be found at the link below:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-enforcement-data-may-2019 Immigration: Children the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether children applying for settled status are subject to automatic criminal records checks;and whethersuch children are required to declare (1) if they have been convicted of an offence, and (2) thatthey are subject to criminal proceedings. the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) the suitability requirements, and (2) the threshold of criminality, for the EU Settlement Scheme apply to children; and if so, (a) how, and (b) what type of offences will be taken into account. baroness williams of trafford: Applicants to the EU Settlement Scheme under the age of 18 are not required to answer questions relating to suitability. Applicants under the age of 10 are not subject to the automated criminal record check.The suitability requirements for the scheme apply to all applicants under the age of 18. However, under the relevant provisions of the Immigration (European Economic Area Regulations) 2016, children under the age of 18 benefit from a higher level of protection and can only be deported on imperative grounds of public security.There is no single definition of the type of offences likely to satisfy this higher threshold, but offences with a cross-border dimension which disclose particularly serious characteristics are more likely to do so. Cannabis: Misuse lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review policy surrounding the use of cannabis, including the implementation of tougher sentences and penalties for drug use. baroness williams of trafford: As set out in the Drug Strategy 2017, the government has no plans to decriminalise cannabis. Tough enforcement is a fundamental part of our drug strategy. The possession of any amount of a controlled drug is a criminal offence and the supply of a controlled drug is an even more serious offence. We are taking a smarter approach to restricting the supply of drugs: adapting our approach to reflect changes in criminal activity; using innovative data and technology; and taking coordinated partnership action to tackle drugs alongside other criminal activity. Riot Control Weapons: Health Hazards baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any long-term health effects of the frequent use of tear gas on civilian populations. baroness williams of trafford: The Home Secretary is determined to give the police the powers and tools they need to cut crime and tackle disorder on our streets. Irritant sprays are thoroughly tested before they can be adopted for use by law enforcement.CS spray has been approved for police use in the UK following robust medical assessment by the Department of Health Committee on Toxicity. The Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) published a standard for irritant sprays based on the NPCC Operational Requirement:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cast-standard-for-police-chemical-irritant-sprays-cs-and-pava Cabinet Office Government Departments: Bain and Company lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many consultancy contracts they have with Bain & Company, broken down by each government department. lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any government department has used Bain & Company for any consultancy or advisory worksince 2010. lord young of cookham: In order to enable government departments to quickly secure resource for critical work on preparations and implementation of EU exit at pace, the Cabinet Office have put in place a set of contracts for all government departments to access. This includes a contract with Bain and Co. The contracts have been published on contracts finder and spend under this arrangement is published monthly on GOV.UK titled ‘Central EU Exit Consultancy’. Government Departments: Bain and Company lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to the probity and quality of Bain & Company's consultancy work for the South African Revenue Service in regard to any work by that consultancy for government departments. lord young of cookham: The Government is aware of this situation and is monitoring it. Assessments on the probity and quality of work on individual UK Government contracts are undertaken on a department by department basis.A UK Government department seeking bids for contracts covered by the Public Contracts Regulations would need to follow the rules on exclusions as defined within Regulation 57. Legislation lord norton of louth: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many post-legislative reviews by Government departments have been completed and published since 1 January 2018; and in what form they were published. lord young of cookham: Effective post-legislative scrutiny is fundamental to driving up standards of legislation. The Government is committed to providing Parliament with information to assist in this vital role through the submission of a memorandum to the relevant departmental select committee with a preliminary assessment of how the act has worked in practice within five years of Royal Assent.The Government does not centrally hold information on the post-legislative reviews completed by Departments and published since 1 January 2018; the optimum moment for post legislative memoranda to be submitted is a matter for individual departments in discussion with the relevant departmental select committee. Memoranda are laid before Parliament as command papers and published on gov.uk. It is of course for the relevant committee to decide whether it wishes to conduct further post-legislative scrutiny but the Government would welcome further scrutiny of these memoranda. Whitehall History Publishing lord rodgers of quarry bank: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Whitehall History Publishing still exists; if so, (1) what is its role, and (2) how is it managed and by whom; and if not, who is responsible for the publication of material it previously produced. lord young of cookham: The Whitehall History Publishing, comprised of several historical branches of government departments and led by the Cabinet Office, produces material on historical matters and themes to meet individual departmental requirements. The next publication is due out in autumn 2019. History: Publications lord rodgers of quarry bank: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last reviewed the possible resumption of producing official histories. lord young of cookham: The Government’s official history series is intended to provide authoritative histories in their own right.Two volumes of Criminal Justice history were published earlier this year. The next publication is due out in autumn 2019. Treasury Income Tax: Pensioners baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of pensioners paid tax at (1) the 40per cent, and (2) the 45per cent, rate in each of the last three years. baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is (1) the total number, and (2) the percentage, of pensioners who had an annual income above £50,000 in each of the last three years; and whetherthey have a gender breakdown for those data. baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the number and percentage of pensioners with annual incomes above £50,000, broken down by age, in each of the last three years. lord young of cookham: For this answer pensioners have been defined as those over State Pension Age (SPA). The definition used is consistent with average SPAs from HMRC’s published Income Tax Liabilities Statistics. The average female SPA for the purposes of this are 63.75 years in 2016-17 and 64.5 years in 2017-18 (the male SPA is 65 in both). The average male and female SPA in 2018-19 is 65.25. i)Estimates of the number of pensioners who had tax liabilities at the 40% and 45% rates of income tax: Numbers: thousands 2016-172017-182018-1940%53751450845%343537 i)Estimates of the number of pensioners who had an annual income above £50,000 as:Numbers: thousands 2016-172017-182018-19Male311342361Female107110113Total418451474 ii)Of these pensioners with income above £50,000, the age ranges are:Numbers: thousands 2016-172017-182018-1960-6495 65-6917017117070-7410813114575+131143158 The number of 60-64 year old Pensioners reduces to zero by 2018-19 reflecting the increasing SPA for females over the time period shown. The figures for 2016-17 are based on the latest outturn data from the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI), 2017-18 and 2018-19 are projections based on the 2016-17 SPI, which are projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) March 2019 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. For comparison to the total population of pensioners, Office of National Statistics (ONS) estimates of the population of the UK give the number of individuals by age. The number of pensioners in the UK can also be estimated using the average state pension age in each tax year: 12.3 million in 2016-1712.2 million in 2017-1812.0 million in 2018-19 Married People: Tax Allowances baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people claimed theMarriage Allowance in the 2018–19 financial year; and what stepsthey are taking to increase the uptake of thatallowance. lord young of cookham: The Marriage Allowance was introduced in April 2015 to recognise the importance of marriage and civil partnerships through the tax system, and support those on low incomes by helping them keep more of the money they earn. There were 1.78m claimants for the Marriage Allowance in 2018-19. The Government has taken significant steps to encourage people to claim for the Marriage Allowance. HM Revenue and Customs ran a series of both free and paid-for marketing campaigns, which ran between October 2015 and March 2017, and continue to raise awareness through ongoing communication on social media and on GOV.UK. Marriage Allowance can be claimed through the Personal Tax Account on GOV.UK or by phone to HMRC. The Marriage Allowance can be backdated to 2015-16 when it was introduced. This means eligible couples can claim a total of £1,150 if not claimed before. Married People: Tax Allowances baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Marriage Allowance; andwhat plans they have to review that allowance. lord young of cookham: The Marriage Allowance was introduced in April 2015 to recognise the importance of marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system, and support those on low incomes by helping them keep more of the money they earn. The Marriage Allowance is effective as it gives extra financial support to those couples eligible for it. In 2018/19, 1.78m couples benefitted from the Marriage Allowance which is worth up to £250 a year. The Marriage Allowance can be backdated to 2015-16 when it was introduced. This means eligible couples can claim a total of £1,150 if not claimed before. As with all aspects of Government policy, the Marriage Allowance will be kept under review and any decisions on future changes will be taken as part of the annual Budget process in the context of the wider public finances. Freezing of Assets: Libya lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much revenue has been raised fromfrozen Libyan assets in London in each of the last five years for which figures are available. lord young of cookham: The Government’s response of 24 June to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report (into Government support for UK victims of IRA attacks that used Qadhafi-supplied Semtex and weapons) set out the information the Government had obtained about tax receipts on frozen Libyan assets held in UK banks. The response states: “Around £17 million has been received in total since the start of the 2016-17 tax year. HMRC currently receives around £5 million each year.” Facebook: Cryptocurrencies lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of Facebook’s proposed Libra cryptocurrency on the management of monetary and financial stability mechanisms and policies. lord young of cookham: The Government does not comment on details of the proposed business models of individual companies. However, this proposal raises wider questions for policy and financial regulation. The Government is working with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority and international counterparts to consider these issues. More broadly, the Government established the Cryptoassets Taskforce – comprised of HM Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of England - to explore the risks and potential benefits of cryptoassets and consider the appropriate response. The Taskforce’s response set out commitments to further consider the regulatory approach to cryptoassets. The Government will consult on its approach to unregulated cryptoassets later this year. The Taskforce’s final report, found that cryptoassets do not currently pose a material threat to UK or global financial stability, however this could change in the future, and the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee will continue to monitor the situation. H2O Asset Management lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to conduct, or commission, an investigation into the management of investment portfolios by H2O Asset Management with particular reference to (1) the valuation of unlisted investments, and (2) the accuracy and completeness of statements by that firm’s management of the "gating" of future redemptions. lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether H20 Asset Management consulted (1) them, or (2) the Financial Conduct Authority, before that company indicated that it would never "gate" redemptions for its funds; what assessment they have made of the accuracy of that statement; and whether H2OAsset Management has been required to back that statement up with a guarantee or credit line. lord young of cookham: There is no requirement for asset management firms to discuss their specific investment strategies with either HM Treasury or the FCA. The overarching regulatory framework for UK UCITS funds comprises EU and UK legislation and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. The FCA is responsible for the supervision of UK funds including UCITS, and have a broad suite of supervisory and investigative powers. For example, the FCA is required to approve the investment objective and policy of UK domiciled funds, as well as statements in the prospectus about the application of investment limits, and firms are required to treat customers fairly. In circumstances where a UCITS fund is domiciled outside of the UK, the supervision of its compliance with applicable UCITS investment restrictions is a matter for the home state regulator. If individuals have concerns about their investments, they should speak to their advisor or platform. If individuals have purchased units in a fund directly, they should speak with the relevant firm.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2019-07-15

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Consumers: Protection lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to place a cap on the price paid in markets where there are rolling contracts for consumers. lord henley: The setting of prices is a commercial decision for the companies concerned, provided they comply with general consumer law, which requires that consumers are treated fairly, are not misled and are able to make properly informed choices, between products and between businesses. We have a robust legal framework that provides strong protections for consumers. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out in his recent letter to the Competition and Markets Authority, that we want to see greater enforcement against subscription traps and that ultimately roll-over contracts should be as easy to exit as they are to enter. In the Consumer White Paper, we will consider proposals to strengthen our system of public enforcement of consumer law while maintaining the benefits of the current landscape. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Burma: Dams lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Myanmar about the Myitsone dam project in Kachin State, Burma, published on 8 June, in particular that that dam project would “provoke a humanitarian catastrophe” of forcible displacement, migration and natural disasters; and what representations they are making about the impact of the project with the governments of Burma and China. baroness goldie: ​The British Government remains concerned about potential risks attached to the Myitsone Dam project. We urge both the Chinese and Burmese governments to ensure that infrastructure projects comply with international norms and standards, including environmental and socials standards and the necessity of consultations with affected communities. It is vital that much needed infrastructure investments deliver sustainable and equitable development impacts for the people of Burma. We have raised this issue with the both the Government of Burma and the Chinese Ambassador to Burma. Pakistan: Indigenous Peoples lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure (1) the survival of the culture and religion of the Kalash people in Pakistan, and (2) that the members of that community are not forced to convert their religious beliefs. baroness goldie: The Government continues to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, particularly the most vulnerable including minority groups as laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan and in accordance with international standards.The Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Foreign Minister and Human Rights Minister during his visit to Pakistan in February.We strongly condemn forced conversion of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan and we engage at a senior level on the mistreatment of religious and ethnic groups. Burma: Christianity lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what assessment they have made of,and (2) what representations they made to the government of Burma about, reports from Chin State, Burma, that on 24 and 25 May three Christians in Padekyaw village were forced to sign documents by village officials and local monks verifying their conversion to Buddhism after being threatened with eviction if they refused;that Christians were told they could not live in Hmwar Village Tract; andapublic announcement made in eight villages threatening residents that communicating or trading with Christians would result in a fine. baroness goldie: ​The British Government has noted the recent report from the China Human Rights Organisation and continues to be concerned by restrictions on freedom of religion and belief, including reports of forced conversions, in Burma. The UK, working with the EU and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September 2018 that called for the amending or repealing of discriminatory provisions of the "protection of race and religion laws" in Burma covering religious conversion, interfaith marriage, monogamy and population control. Our Ambassador met the Burmese Minister for Religious Affairs on 9 August 2018, and underlined the importance of interfaith dialogue. Sudan: Demonstrations lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following reports of the role played by the Rapid Support Forces in dispersing protesters in Sudan resulting in deaths in Khartoum and Darfur, what plans they have to reassess the UK’s role on the Steering Committee of the European Commission’s Khartoum Process, including their financial contribution to that Process. baroness goldie: The purpose of the Khartoum Process is to facilitate an EU-Africa dialogue on managing migration, combatting organised immigration crime and addressing the devastating 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. It is a regional mechanism for European and Horn of Africa countries to cooperate that is currently Chaired by Eritrea. The UK remains a member of the Steering Committee, which is vital to helping steer this important work.Part of the EU-African joint efforts to tackle organised immigration crime in the Horn of Africa is delivered through the 'Regional Operations Centre Khartoum' (ROCK), to which the UK has contributed funding for a specialist expert in the past. However, due to recent events in Sudan, EU funded work on the ROCK is suspended. Our officials in London, the region and Brussels are in frequent contact with EU partners to ensure that all work in Sudan reflects the current situation, in line with our human rights priorities. Hong Kong: British Nationals Abroad baroness finlay of llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British passport holders are in Hong Kong; and what are their obligations to the holders of such passports. baroness goldie: ​We do not hold information regarding the number of British passport holders in Hong Kong. Our obligation to all British nationals abroad is set out in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's publically available guide: 'Support for British nationals abroad'. Some examples of the support we provide to all British nationals abroad include: issuing emergency travel documents, providing local information (details of local lawyers interpreters and doctors), and providing notarial and documentary services. Press Freedom baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to invite the families of Jamal Khashoggi and Daphne Caruana Galizia to the Global Conference for Media Freedom in July. baroness goldie: ​As this is the first ever Ministerial gathering on the issue of media freedom we want to make sure that the personal stories of journalists targeted for their work form the centre of the conference. We are therefore making sure that most panels include a journalist with a personal story, or a member of their family. High profile cases, like those of Jamal Khashoggi and Daphne Caruana Galizia will feature, but there are other cases that are less high profile but whose victims also deserve justice. Press Freedom baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Foreign Secretary at the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day in Addis Ababa on 2 May, what action they have taken to (1) "shine a spotlight on abuses" of media freedom in (a) Malta, and (b) Saudi Arabia, and (2) "raise the price for those who would murder, arrest or detain journalists just for doing their jobs" as part of their Media Freedom campaign. baroness goldie: ​As part of our Media Freedom Campaign we have been working to raise the profile of media freedom across the globe. As an example, many of our posts held events to mark World Press Freedom Day on 3 May. We created a new Chevening Africa Media Freedom Fellowship, enabling 60 African journalists over the next 5 years to gain experience in the newsrooms of Britain's leading media organisations. The Foreign Secretary has appointed Amal Clooney as his Special Envoy on Media Freedom and she is convening a High Level Panel of Legal Experts who will generate increased momentum around the need to amend outdated legislation. We are also building an alliance of likeminded partners who will lobby with us on individual cases.With regards to Malta, we have made clear our position on the tragic death of Daphne Caruana Galizia in October 2017, that all those responsible must be held to account. We continue to raise this case with the Maltese government and have encouraged engagement with the Media Freedom campaign and its aim to increase the protection of journalists worldwide. On Saudi Arabia, we remain concerned about deterioration in freedom of expression and freedom of the press. We work closely with the Saudi Arabian government on issues related to media freedom. We also raise individual cases of detained journalists with Saudi counterparts. The UK has condemned Jamal Khashoggi's killing in the strongest possible terms. Anyone found responsible for any offence must be held fully accountable. Philippines: Press Freedom lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to make representations to the government of the Philippines on (1) establishing an independent investigation into the killing of Adam Moraleta in Quezon City, on 6 June, and (2) the number of journalists who have been killed in that country since 1986; and what assessment they have made of the number of journalists killed in that country. baroness goldie: We have not made representations on the case of the death of Adam Moraleta due to the ongoing investigation by the Philippines authorities.Accurate historical figures for the number of journalists killed in the Philippines are difficult to ascertain. Estimates from NGOs vary between 82 killings since 1992 and 185 killings since 1986.In recognition of the threat journalists face globally, the Foreign Secretary launched a Global Media Freedom campaign to shine a spotlight on the issue and raise the cost to those who target journalists.The UK remains concerned about reports of human rights abuses in the Philippines, including the treatment of journalists and land rights campaigners. The Rt Hon Mark Field MP raised these concerns with Philippines Ministers, including the then Minister for Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano, during his visit to Manila in August 2018. Developing Countries: Prostitution lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to share best practice on reducing sex tourism in developing countries, and in addressing corruption linked to sex work and slavery. baroness goldie: ​The illicit sex trade is closely linked to modern slavery, and the fight against modern slavery is one of the foreign policy priorities of this government. The UK is in the forefront of the international efforts to combat modern slavery, including sexual exploitation, and this government has committed over £200 million of UK Aid to this end. We work in partnership with host governments, where appropriate, to help them strengthen their domestic legislation, to build capacity in their law enforcement authorities, and to raise awareness among vulnerable communities.We take the question of illegal sex tourism by UK nationals overseas very seriously, and Section 72 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 also allows for the prosecution of UK nationals/residents who sexually abuse or exploit children, wherever in the world they commit these acts. Combatting criminal offending and safeguarding of victims is almost always best achieved through local intervention and local support mechanisms. However, where there is a safeguarding issue or an ongoing risk to children, proceedings can be brought in England and Wales against the individual, regardless of whether the local authorities have sought to bring such action.Our network of tri-departmental Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office and the Department For International Development Serious and Organised Crime Regional Coordinators, and National Crime Agency officers posted overseas, work closely with their host governments in the fight against all forms of organised crime, including child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). The network's aim is to fuse and enhance the response to transnational serious and organised crime. The Government is also enhancing its understanding of the nature and impact of international illicit finance (including corruption), demonstrating the UK's global leadership in tackling it. We will engage with partner governments to build both the political will and the capability to tackle this threat. In addition, as part of the UK Anti-Corruption Strategy 2017-2022, we are taking forward a wide range of programmes and initiatives to tackle corruption internationally. Mauritius: Diplomatic Service lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the lunch traditionally hosted by the British High Commissioner in Mauritiusto celebrate the birthday of Her Majesty the Queen did not take place this year. baroness goldie: ​Queen's Birthday Parties are a celebration of Her Majesty The Queen's Birthday. They are an opportunity to celebrate the relationships between the UK and other countries. Coming so soon after the unjustified and incendiary remarks made about the UK by the Mauritian Prime Minister, it did not feel appropriate to hold an event in Mauritius this year. British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to reach an agreement with the government of Mauritius over the future of the Chagos Archipelago; and what consideration they have given to appointing an independent panel to lead exploratory negotiations about any such agreement. baroness goldie: ​We remain disappointed that this matter was referred to the International Court of Justice and the UN General Assembly. We have no doubt about our sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory, which has been under continuous British sovereignty since 1814. The UK values its long standing relationship with Mauritius and is keen to continue to engage productively on this issue. Palestinians: Cemeteries lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority is annexing land in the Palestinian Bab Al-Rahma cemetery and is digging up Palestinian graves in preparation for building a national park; and what representations they have made to the government of Israel about this. baroness goldie: ​Whilst we have not made any assessment and have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we continue to encourage all parties to work together to uphold the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem, including Bab Al-Rahma. Sudan: Demonstrations the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, together with international partners, to call for urgent action to bring the current violence in Sudan to an end and to protect the Sudanese civilian population and to establish an independent, international investigation into the use of force against protesters by the State Security Forces, and in particular the Rapid Support Forces. baroness goldie: The UK continues to engage with a range of opposition, members of the protest movement as well as the Transitional Military Council (TMC). The UK, alongside Troika partners Norway and the US, has called for all sides to engage in an inclusive dialogue that leads to a swift, orderly and peaceful transition to civilian rule.On 4 June in a joint Troika statement, we condemned the recent violent attacks by Sudanese security forces against peaceful protestors in Sudan which left many civilians dead or injured. We also expressed serious concern over TMC's announcement that it would cease negotiations and called for an agreed transfer of power to a civilian-led government. Our Embassy in Khartoum calls on members of the TMC both in public and directly, the steps that are needed to be taken to improve the situation in Sudan, including the release of all political detainees.We have expressed concerns at the past role of the Rapid Support Forces, along with other forces. We have been consistent in public and in private that there must be accountability for the crimes committed by members of the former regime. We condemn the recent violent attacks by Sudanese security forces against peaceful protestors in Sudan, which left many dead or injured. The TMC bears full responsibility. The UK, through the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) issued a statement on 17 June, which called for all human rights violations and abuses committed to be investigated in an independent and transparent manner, and perpetrators held accountable for their acts.On 6 June, the Minister for Africa summoned the Sudanese Ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to express our grave concerns at the use of violence against civilians by the Sudanese authorities. The UK has called for the human rights of all Sudanese people to be respected, the resumption of the political process leading to an agreed peaceful transfer of power to a civilian-led government, as demanded by the Sudanese people. We will continue to engage with all sides to support a settlement that works for all Sudanese people. Sudan: Radicalism the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have on the number of Islamist extremists, including supporters of IS, who are now located in Sudan; and what strategy they have to ensure that Sudan does not become a base for violent Islamist extremist activity. baroness goldie: We do not hold information on the number of Islamist extremists located and operating in Sudan. The British Government will continue to work with international partners to seek a sustainable long-term solution to the complex issue of suspected Daesh terrorists. We remain strongly committed to the objective of ensuring Daesh's enduring defeat. In addition we fully support the mediation efforts led by the African Union to secure a transition to a civilian-led authority in Sudan, which is vital to long term stability and to the building of democracy, which will in turn help prevent the proliferation of extremist groups and their ideology. Israel: Arms Trade baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter from European researchers and academics on 4 June asking the European Union to impose a comprehensive military embargo on Israel as long as that country continues to violate human rights; whether they have responded to that letter; and if so, what was that response. baroness goldie: ​We are aware of the letter that was sent to Federica Mogherini in June. Israel faces very real security threats. All countries, including Israel, have a legitimate right to self-defence, and the right to defend their citizens from attack. We do not believe that imposing a blanket arms embargo would lead to progress in the peace process. The British Government takes its defence exports responsibilities extremely seriously and operates some of the most robust export controls in the world. All applications for export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis against strict criteria. We only approve equipment which is for Israel's legitimate self-defence. Israel: West Bank baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the ambassador of the USA in Jerusalem that Israel has the right to retain parts, but not all, of the West Bank. baroness goldie: Our position is well-known and has not changed. In line with international law, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, notably Resolutions 242 and 497, we do not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967. Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law. The UK has also reiterated our position at the UN Security Council, including with our Belgian, French, German and Polish colleagues on 26 March, and in the UN Security Council Chamber on 27 March. On 2 April, the Foreign Secretary also made clear the UK's position in the House of Commons confirming we view the annexation of territory by force as prohibited under international law. Department of Health and Social Care Health Professions: Regulation lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord O'Shaughnessy on 13 June 2018 (HL8293) andBaroness Manzoor on 29 January (HL12896), whether they have published a response to the consultationPromoting professionalism, reforming regulation. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The United Kingdom Government, along with the Governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, consulted on high-level proposals to reform professional regulation of healthcare professions in the UK. Promoting professionalism, reforming regulation ran from 31 October 2017 to 23 January 2018.A response will be published shortly. Department for International Development Pakistan: Indigenous Peoples lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Department for International Development has to support the training of Kalash teachers in Pakistan to teach Kalash children their own history and culture. baroness sugg: DFID Pakistan provides funding to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for education through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Support Programme (KESP). This includes different teacher professional development programmes (both pre and in-service). Three new teachers working in the Kalash area have participated in the KESP supported pre-service teacher professional development programme, and one of these teachers is Kalash. From April 2020, all teachers in Chitral will participate in the in-service continuous professional development programme, including those who work in schools in Kalash areas. The content of these training programmes is focused on pedagogy, classroom management, curriculum, and equity but does not specifically include teaching Kalash children their own history and culture. DFID Pakistan are in the process of designing a new programme for education support in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which will have an inclusive education focus. One of the outcomes of the new programme will be to deliver equitable education for all children to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4. There will be an increased focus on marginalised children such as girls, children with disabilities and ethnic minorities. The programme will aim to provide inclusive and equitable education for all, and an improved learning environment for marginalised children. The programme will also set up model inclusive schools in pilot districts to cater to the needs of ethnic and religious minorities. Burma: Armed Conflict lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in Kachin and Northern Shan States in Burma and the impact of the ongoing conflict in those states; and what representations they are making to the government of Burma to seek unconditional and unrestricted access to all areas for humanitarian aid and human rights monitoring organisations. baroness sugg: The UK remains deeply concerned by the ongoing violence and continued lack of access in Kachin and Northern Shan States. Over 110,000 people remain displaced by conflict and within camps. We have committed £17 million to support the livelihoods of the most vulnerable and displaced in Kachin and Northern Shan through the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT). We have also committed a further £37 million to support live-saving interventions reaching over 350,000 people since 2012.The UK continues to raise our concerns with both the military and the civilian Government of Burma at every opportunity. The British Ambassador in Burma raised issues around access with U Kyaw Tin (Minister for International Cooperation) on 27 May. Department for Education English Language: Education baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the integration benefits to communities particularly in terms of integration of allowing asylum seekers to have access to free English language classes. lord agnew of oulton: Through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), asylum seekers aged 19 or over are currently eligible to receive funding after they have lived in the UK for 6 months or longer and while their claim is being considered by the Home Office or are in the care of the local authority. If they have failed in their claim but are in appeal or have been granted support under the Immigration and Asylum Act (1999), they can still receive funding.Asylum seekers are not entitled to the same work-related benefits as those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection and therefore cannot access full funding for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses through the AEB. If they meet the criteria set out above, they will instead be co-funded 50% of the course cost. This is because not all those who make their own way to the UK to seek asylum will be found to be refugees and nearly all will have travelled through other safe countries to get to the UK. The government will continue to consider any new evidence put forward on this issue.From the start of the 2019/20 academic year approximately 50% of the AEB will be devolved to 6 Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and the Greater London Authority (GLA). The MCAs and GLA will be responsible for commissioning and funding AEB provision, including ESOL, for learners that are resident in their areas who meet basic eligibility criteria. The Education and Skills Funding Agency will be responsible for funding AEB learners that are resident in non-devolved areas. Free School Meals lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of children of working parents who qualify for free school meals. lord agnew of oulton: The information requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Free school meals are aimed at families who are out of work, and those in work with low earnings. For further information on the qualifying criteria, I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 18 June 2019 to Question HL15975, as attached. HL16486_Reference_PQ_HL15975 (PDF Document, 77.17 KB) Ministry of Justice National Preventive Mechanism baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 4 June (HL15680), what is their response to the recommendations on the National Preventive Mechanism, made in the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee against Torture following its most recent periodic review of the UK. lord keen of elie: The Government continues to comply with its obligations under the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, under which we established the independent National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) in 2009. We note the recommendations made by the UN Committee Against Torture in relation to the NPM. We expect to provide a response on those issues as part of the next periodic report to the Committee Against Torture in May 2023. We will explore with the NPM how the issues raised by the Committee may be addressed. The department facilitates the laying in Parliament of the annual report of the NPM and acknowledges the helpful recommendations that it contains. The latest Written Ministerial Statement to this effect was laid before Parliament on 29 January 2019 (HLWS1249). Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Buildings: Inspections lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to address the availability of professional indemnity insurance for building safety inspectors. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Professional indemnity insurance for Approved Inspectors is principally a matter for the firms concerned and their insurers. We are aware that some firms are struggling to secure insurance, and we are working with Approved Inspectors and insurers to understand the issue and to consider whether and how we can help to overcome it. Help to Buy Scheme lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the comments of Peter Redfern, Chief Executive of Taylor Wimpey, about the Help to Buy Scheme. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Help to Buy: Equity Loan transactions are now around a third of new-build sales, yet they remain a small proportion of overall housing sales (less than 4%), so the scheme is unlikely to have a significant effect on house prices more generally.The latest independent evaluation of Help to Buy: Equity Loan (of 2015-17) found no evidence of a significant impact on prices overall.Since the launch of Help to Buy Equity Loan in April 2013, private housing starts are up by 52%.Help to Buy: Equity Loan has helped over 210,000 households buy a new-build home from its launch in spring 2013 until December 2018. All homes have been new–build, and 81% of sales have been to first-time buyers. Department for Work and Pensions Universal Credit baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 6 June (HL15922), whether the information provided about deductions in the Universal Credit statement includes information about how much debt is left to pay and the recovery rate being applied. baroness buscombe: This information is not currently included on a claimant’s Universal Credit statement. Under Universal Credit there is a structured and simplified approach to deductions from benefit. Claimants can view their Universal credit statement online to see how their award is calculated and a breakdown of what deductions are being made, supporting them to manage their financial obligations. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Plastic Bags lord hayward: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of plastic bags which are supplied daily to customers by retail outlets in England not covered by the current single-use plastic bag charge. lord hayward: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the number of plastic bags which would be supplied daily to customers by retail outlets in England if a 10p single-use plastic bag charge was introduced on all retail outlets not currently covered; and whether any such number represents a decline in the number of such bags supplied. lord gardiner of kimble: The single use carrier bag (SUCB) policy has successfully contributed to a more than 80% reduction in the usage of SUCBs by large retailers. The policy excludes retailers with fewer than 250 employees from the charge. The Government estimates that 3.6 billion SUCBs were supplied by micro and small businesses (MSMEs) not covered by the charge in 2017 alone. We estimate that the policy to increase the charge to 10p would cause a decline in consumption of SUCBs in MSMEs (assumed to be 23% in the first year of change and 80% within three years (2020-2022)). Plastic Bags lord hayward: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many other countries operate (1) a ban, or (2) a partial ban or charge, on the use of single-use plastic bags. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government does not collect or hold this information. However, a summary of publicly available information is here:https://study.com/blog/which-countries-have-banned-plastic-bags.htmlhttp://www.bigfatbags.co.uk/bans-taxes-charges-plastic-bags/ Air Pollution: Health Hazards the earl of dundee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of air pollution on public health; and whether they will legislate to introduce World Health Organisation air quality standards for fine particulate matter to protect thehealth of vulnerable people in the UK. lord gardiner of kimble: Our Clean Air Strategy (CAS) recognised the impacts that air pollution has on health, and proposed a range of actions to meet our existing emissions reduction commitments to 2020 and 2030 in order to reduce these impacts. The CAS also committed to the setting of an ambitious long term air quality target to reduce the population’s exposure to PM2.5, and committed to publishing evidence on the feasibility of meeting World Health Organisation air quality guideline levels of PM2.5. This work is ongoing and will be published in due course. Home Office Forced Marriage the lord bishop of st albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 16 May (HL15521), how many cases were dealt with by the Forced Marriage Unit in 2018. baroness williams of trafford: Statistics on the number of cases dealt with by the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU), including a breakdown by region and age, are published annually and available online at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/forced-marriage#statistics-on-forced-marriageFigures for 2018 were published on 24 May. In 2018, the FMU gave advice or support related to a possible forced marriage in 1,764 cases via its public helpline and email inbox. FGM Report-Stats 2018 (PDF Document, 678.49 KB) Cabinet Office Honours lord blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of each category of honours were awarded in the Queen's Birthday Honours List to people in (1) Wales, (2) Scotland, (3) Northern Ireland, and (4) each of the regions of England, as a (a) number, and (b)percentage, of that country or region's population. lord young of cookham: Statistical information held in relation to The Queen’s Birthday List 2019 can be found below. Information on the number of nominations by mayoral region is not captured, as we are not able to break down the data in that way. RegionK LevelC LevelOBEMBEBEMTotal% of overall List% of the UK’s populationWales3352812514.75%4.8%Scotland21429413011610.81%8.2%Northern Ireland1241740645.96%2.9%East39163422847.83%9.3%East Midlands0232019444.10%7.2%London154156582919918.55%12.9%North East0121313292.70%4.1%North West14113332817.55%11.2%South East32135484415114.07%13.7&South West182642271049.69%8.4%West Midlands07131828666.15%8.9%Yorkshire and Humberside1653019615.68%8.4% Honours lord blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many honours were awarded in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List to people in (1) London, and (2) each English city region that has a mayor, per head of populationof that city or region. lord young of cookham: Statistical information held in relation to The Queen’s Birthday List 2019 can be found below. Information on the number of nominations by mayoral region is not captured, as we are not able to break down the data in that way. RegionK LevelC LevelOBEMBEBEMTotal% of overall List% of the UK’s populationWales3352812514.75%4.8%Scotland21429413011610.81%8.2%Northern Ireland1241740645.96%2.9%East39163422847.83%9.3%East Midlands0232019444.10%7.2%London154156582919918.55%12.9%North East0121313292.70%4.1%North West14113332817.55%11.2%South East32135484415114.07%13.7&South West182642271049.69%8.4%West Midlands07131828666.15%8.9%Yorkshire and Humberside1653019615.68%8.4% Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Festival of Great Britain and Northern Ireland lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with preparations for the Festival of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2022. lord ashton of hyde: We are in the early stages of planning the Festival 2022 which will be led by a Festival Director who, once appointed, will work with their team and collaborate across the sectors to create a range of exciting events across the UK. The department is currently working through the delivery options, and we expect to share more details on the Festival later in the year.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2019-07-01

Armed Forces: Convicted Personnel Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the ranks of each of the British security forces personnel convicted since 1981 for crimes committed while on active service in Northern Ireland; and what offences they were convicted of. Lord Shutt of Greetland: The information requested is only partially available. Data on British Army personnel convicted of offences while on active service in Northern Ireland are available only for the period 1986-2006 (with no data available for 1987). Furthermore, the noble Lord should note that this data reflect only offences committed while off duty. This information has been placed in the Library of the House. Data relating to the number of RUC or PSNI officers convicted during the time period are not held by central government; the noble Lord may wish to write to the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland on this matter. Aviation: Air Quality The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many airline pilots have been grounded by the Civil Aviation Authority as a result of exposure to toxic fumes on aircraft. Earl Attlee: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advises that pilots are typically grounded (have their medical certificates suspended) on the basis of their own reports, or their doctors reports. The CAA initially records the cause of the grounding in the same terms used by the pilot or their doctor, which may not be a standard or internationally recognised diagnosis. In the past 10 years, there have been approximately 30 initial reports which might be relevant. After medical investigation, many cases are classified with specific recognised diagnoses, others fully recover. To the CAA's knowledge, no cases have been unequivocally attributed to exposure to toxic fumes on aircraft. The CAA website is due to be updated to reflect these developments. Aviation: Aviation Health Working Group The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 21 December (WA 272), why the Civil Aviation Authority website states: "The Aviation Health Working Group is an interdepartmental organisation, chaired by the Department for Transport with representatives from the CAA, Health and Safety Executive and the Department of Health. It meets every two months to discuss issues relevant to aviation health and was instrumental in the decision to form the AHU. At alternate meetings industry and passenger representatives attend", when no meetings have been held since 18 February 2010; and what is the reason for the differences between the website and the Written Answer. Earl Attlee: The notes of the Aviation Health Working Group (AHWG) meeting on 23 April 2007 show that the group decided then to meet three times a year. However, my right honourable friend the Minister of State has recently written to the Chair of the Science and Technology Committee to communicate the Government's decision to discontinue the AHWG. The Department for Transport, like other public sector bodies, is prioritising its research and administrative expenditure. The Aviation Health Unit (AHU) in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will now be the main forum for aviation health issues. In future we would expect greater international co-operation in respect of researching any aviation health issues which are common to air travellers and airlines of all nationalities. The CAA website is due to be updated to reflect these developments. Barnett Formula Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reviewed the Barnett formula to assess the adjustments required to maintain a level of public services in Wales comparable to other parts of the United Kingdom; and, if so, when such a review was last carried out. Lord Sassoon: Changes in the Welsh Assembly Government's overall budget were determined in the spending review in the normal way though the Barnett formula. The Government recognise the concerns expressed by the Holtham Commission on the system of devolution funding. However, at this time the priority must be to reduce the deficit and therefore any change to the system must await the stabilisation of the public finances. Benefits Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 24 January (WA 88-9), whether people residing in non-European Economic Area countries without social security reciprocal agreements are paid (a) contributory employment and support allowance, (b) long-term incapacity benefit, (c) winter fuel payment, (d) disability living allowance (care component), (e) attendance allowance, (f) carer's allowance, (g) maternity and paternity benefits, (h) child benefit, and (i) child tax credit. Lord Freud: Contributory employment and support allowance, long-term incapacity benefit, disability living allowance, attendance allowance, carer's allowance and maternity allowance are not payable to people who live permanently outside the EEA or in countries without a reciprocal agreement. However, these benefits may be paid in certain circumstances for temporary absence from Great Britain. Winter fuel payments are not payable to people who live permanently outside the EEA and Switzerland. Statutory maternity pay, ordinary statutory paternity pay and additional statutory paternity pay are payable by employers to qualifying employees in any country provided that employer is liable to pay the employers share of UK national insurance contributions in respect of that employee. As outlined in my previous reply of 24 January 2011 (Official Report, col. WA 89), child benefit and child tax credit are only paid to persons outside the UK in limited circumstances, principally to meet our obligations under European Community law. Benefits Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Freud on 25 January (WS 31-2), why benefit claimants are described as customers. Lord Freud: The Department for Work and Pensions provides a range of services to people of working age including lone parents, jobseekers and disabled people, and to pensioners. The term customer was introduced with the establishment of the then Benefits Agency (formerly part of the Department of Social Security), to encourage an understanding that service we provided to citizens in need of our service could be and should be improved. It resulted in a change of culture in the way people who use our services were treated. The current Government considered changing the term but decided that it was not a priority in the midst of wider departmental changes. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the research by J Newton and others in The Newcastle NHS Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service: not all fatigue is the same (J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2010; 40:304-7), they will establish referral networks for fatigue evaluation and management specifically for departments that commonly manage chronic diseases. Earl Howe: We have no plans to establish referral networks for fatigue evaluation and management. It is the responsibility of primary care trusts to commission services to meet the needs of their local population living with fatigue, and based on assessment of population need and clinical evidence. Community Relations: New Cross Fire Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make available for publication all the papers on the New Cross fire and the death of 13 young Afro-Caribbean people on that occasion. Baroness Neville-Jones: The Home Office holds a small amount of material relating to the New Cross tragedy of 1981. this does not relate to the fire itself or actions immediately following the fire as the related functions and records are now, following Machinery of Government changes, with the Department for Communities and Local Government. The remaining material with the Home Office relates to police liaison activities associated with requests for further investigation which led to the second inquest in 2004. Of this material, the Home Office cannot see any objection, subject to usual sensitivity review, to this information being disclosed on request. Cybercrime Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in recent years to deter cyberattacks on United Kingdom internet facilities. Baroness Neville-Jones: Cyber security is a key priority for the Government and was recognised as a tier one risk in the National Security Strategy. Her Majesty's Government announced, as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, a £650 million transformative National Cyber Security Programme. The Government are also working closely with our international partners to establish norms of behaviour in cyberspace. At the Munich Security Conference on 4 February 2011, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary gave a speech "Security and freedom in the cyber age-seeking the rules of the road", which set out the emerging UK vision of a future cyberspace which upholds freedom and democratic values while determining cyberattack. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what ministerial responsibility the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has for (a) embryo research, (b) embryonic stem cell research, and (c) adult stem cell research. Baroness Wilcox: The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Technology Strategy Board receive their grant-in-aid from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. BBSRC funds fundamental bioscience research, including work to understand the basic biology of stem cells. The MRC supports the full spectrum of biomedical research, including stem cell science. The Technology Strategy Board has a number of strategic programmes to incentivise technology innovation by UK business including in the area of stratified medicine and regenerative medicine. In keeping with the Haldane principle, prioritisation of an individual Research Council's spending within its allocation is not a decision for Ministers. Similarly, the Technology Strategy Board operates at arm's-length from government with support for research and development directed to those areas which offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity on the basis of business and academic strength. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has had since his appointment with the Secretary of State for Health about (a) embryo research, (b) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, and (c) stem cell research. Baroness Wilcox: Ministers from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Health speak regularly about public health issues, including matters concerning research and regulation. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Ministers have policy responsibility for stem cell research. Baroness Wilcox: The Minister of State for Universities and Science is responsible for innovation and science and research policy and funding for the Research Councils and for the Technology Strategy Board. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Technology Strategy Board receive their grant-in-aid from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. BBSRC funds fundamental bioscience research, including work to understand the basic biology of stem cells. The MRC supports the full spectrum of biomedical research, including stem cell science. The Technology Strategy Board has a number of strategic programmes to incentivise technology innovation by UK business including in the area of stratified medicine and regenerative medicine. In keeping with the long-standing Haldane principle, prioritisation of an individual research council's spending within its allocation is not a decision for Ministers. Similarly, the Technology Strategy Board operates at arm's-length from Government with support for research and development directed to those areas which offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity on the basis of business and academic strength. The Secretary of State for Health has overall responsibility for health strategy and policy and has duties and powers under relevant legislation. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Public Health has policy responsibility for matters relating to biotechnology, which includes haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, stem cell research and its regulation through the relevant regulators such as the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the Human Tissue Authority and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Quality has policy responsibility for health-related research and development. Energy: Non-nuclear Power Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the savings in public expenditure that would arise from the United Kingdom becoming a non-nuclear power. Lord Astor of Hever: Successive Governments have maintained their commitment to the UK remaining a nuclear power. The Government have therefore not made any estimates of the changes to public expenditure that would arise from the United Kingdom becoming a non-nuclear power. EU: Powers Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any powers formerly exercised by the European Union have ceased to be so exercised. Lord Howell of Guildford: This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. There have been no treaty changes which have resulted in a repatriation of competence to the member states. There is a distinction to be made between repatriation of competence and the situation where the EU repeals or terminates action taken under secondary legislation such as a directive or regulation. EU: UK Membership Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 19 January (WA 34), on what evidence they base their assessment that United Kingdom membership of the European Union is in the national interest; and whether they plan to conduct an analysis of the costs and benefits of United Kingdom membership. Lord Howell of Guildford: This Government believe that EU membership is in our interests. The Single Market is the world's most important trading zone, generating total GDP of over £10.5 trillion in 2009 and giving us access to 500 million consumers without the barriers of customs or tariffs. The resultant economic benefits for individuals are very real with approximately 3.5 million jobs, ie 10 per cent of the UK workforce, benefiting from exports to EU member states. The beneficial effect of EU trade on UK households is estimated at between £1,100 and £3,300 per year. EU membership also gives us better leverage internationally. Collective action gives us more negotiating power and allows us to better achieve our international security objectives on issues such as conflict prevention, stabilisation, climate change, human rights and development. For British citizens, the benefits of EU membership are many and varied, from free movement across EU member states, to the option to study and work within the EU without requiring a work permit, to the European Health Card (EHIC), which enables UK holiday-makers and travellers to receive free or reduced cost healthcare on temporary visits to EU member states. On this basis, and given the complexity and cost of measuring the many variables involved, the Government do not consider it appropriate to conduct their own cost benefit analysis of UK EU membership. Government Departments: Websites Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Jones on 15 December 2010 (WA 186-7), whether government websites will, when publishing ministerial speeches with political content removed, or when a whole ministerial speech is deemed essentially party political and not posted on the relevant website, provide a link to where the speech is published in full. Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Government websites should not provide links to political content. I refer the noble Lord to the response to his previous Question by Baroness Neville-Jones on 15 December for further detail on this matter. Gulf War Illnesses Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 20 January (WA 64), how spending by the Ministry of Defence on research into Gulf War illnesses compares with the $402,172,122 spent on such research by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Lord Astor of Hever: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave on 20 December 2010 (Official Report, col. WA251). Houses of Parliament: Members Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all Members of both Houses of Parliament are paying direct taxes in the United Kingdom. Lord Sassoon: Members of both Houses of Parliament are subject to the same scrutiny by HM Revenue and Customs as other United Kingdom taxpayers. Housing Benefit Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 31 January (WA 229), which stakeholders have been, are being, and will be consulted on the changes to the local authority good practice guidance for discretionary housing payments. To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 31 January (WA 229), whether they propose that Appendix A of the discretionary housing payments good practice guidance will be amended. Lord Freud: We are making amendments to the discretionary housing payments good practice guidance, which include an addition to Appendix A to specifically cover assistance for customers affected by reductions in local housing allowance rates. We have invited representatives from local authorities, welfare rights and homelessness charities, other government departments and the devolved Administrations to comment on and contribute to a draft of the guidance. Human Rights Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the consequences of rulings by the European Court of Human Rights for United Kingdom businesses, individuals, government and other public authorities and the sovereignty of Parliament. Lord McNally: The responsibility for responding to judgments of the European Court of Human Rights falls primarily to the government department responsible for the policy area to which it relates. Where it may be necessary to determine how to provide a remedy the Government would assess the impact in the usual way. For example, were the remedy to require legislation, an impact assessment would be carried out ahead of that legislation being introduced. The Government periodically provide information to the Joint Committee on Human Rights on the response to human rights judgments. The Government most recently responded to a Joint Committee report on this subject in July 2010. This is available on the Ministry of Justice website at: www.justice.gov.uk/publications/responding-human-rights-judgements.htm. Human Trafficking Baroness Butler-Sloss: To ask Her Majesty's Government which non-governmental organisations they have consulted or will consult prior to the publication of the forthcoming strategy on human trafficking; and whether they plan to consult the All-party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking. Baroness Neville-Jones: We are strongly supportive of the role played by the voluntary sector and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in working with us to reduce the incidence of human trafficking. Home Office officials will meet non-governmental organisations and the APPG on Human Trafficking and take account of their expertise in developing the forthcoming strategy. Met Office Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual cost of the Met Office. Lord Astor of Hever: The Met Office is a trading fund and provides weather and climate services under contract to a range of government and commercial customers. In 2009-10, revenue from these services, including maintenance of the underpinning infrastructure, amounted to £192 million, of which £157.4 million was from government customers. The Met Office returned a dividend of £4.5 million to the Ministry of Defence in relation to this period. Parking and Traffic Restrictions Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent local authorities granting permission within their traffic orders to their enforcement officers, agents or contractors to contravene parking and traffic restrictions in the course of enforcing those restrictions. Earl Attlee: Local authorities are best placed to determine the detail of restrictions within a traffic order to suit particular circumstances, including whether there should be any provisions for enforcing those restrictions. Pensions Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 24 January (WA 88), what are the high-risk cohorts based on age of recipients of the state pension living abroad; and in which countries they live. Lord Freud: Under the life certificate programme, we target those pensioners abroad who are aged 80 and over and living in all countries where they are not covered by our data-matching agreements. Police Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their definition of "front line police services". Baroness Neville-Jones: There is no formally agreed definition of frontline police services. Consideration is being given, with the police service, to the establishment of a common definition. Although no fixed definition exists, frontline officers and staff are generally those directly involved in the public crime fighting face of the force. This includes neighbourhood policing, response policing and criminal investigation. Forces should focus on maintaining and improving frontline services, while reducing costs as much as possible in middle and back office support functions, consistent with supporting frontline services. Police forces can also maintain and improve frontline services by enabling frontline officers and staff to work more efficiently and effectively. Police: Funding Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what moneys from (a) the Home Office, and (b) police authorities, have been allocated to the Police Federation nationally and locally in each of the past five financial years. To ask Her Majesty's Government what moneys from (a) the Home Office, and (b) police authorities, have been allocated to the Police Superintendents' Association nationally and locally in each of the past five financial years. Baroness Neville-Jones: Figures for Home Office funding to the Police Federation of England and Wales and the Superintendents' Association of England and Wales in the last five full financial years are given in the table attached. Any police authority funding is a matter for individual authorities. Payments to Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales 2005-06-2009-10 Total 2005-06 618,139.00 2006-07 711,022.74 2007-08 826,207 27 2008-09 703,991.00 2009-10 700,731.00 Payments to the Police Federation of England and Wales 2005-06-2009-10 Total 2005-06 149,843.00 2006-07 155,105.04 2007-08 263,693.26 2008-09 208,270.00 2009-10 208,205.00 Prisoners: Sanitation Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions in the past six months of 2010 prisoners in HMP Bullwood Hall were required to use chamber pots at night because of the failure of the night sanitation arrangements. Lord McNally: In the past six months of 2010 the night sanitation system at Bullwood Hall prison malfunctioned on three occasions. In each instance only one wing within the prison, holding 34 prisoners, was affected. Night staff were deployed to the wing and all prisoners had the opportunity to leave their cell to access sanitation. The prison does not record prisoners' use of chamber pots. Prisons: Refurbishment Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been spent at HM Prison Ashwell on refurbishment in the past two years. Lord McNally: Over the past two years (between January 2009 and January 2011), £969,183 has been spent on refurbishment at Ashwell prison. This includes maintenance and repair but excludes professional fees and contractor escort costs. Railways: Northern Rail Franchise Lord Shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of future passenger numbers on the Northern Rail franchise; and what plans they have for the number and quality of new and existing rolling stock to meet that future demand. Earl Attlee: Demand forecasting will inform commercial negotiations between the Department for Transport and the current operator to implement additional capacity. It will also inform the specification for the new Northern franchise, which is due to begin in September 2013. In October 2010, the Chancellor confirmed government support for significant electrification in the north west. This will allow for the introduction of additional electric vehicles to the Northern franchise. This in turn will release diesel units, which could potentially be retained for use within the Northern franchise. The specific number and quality of vehicles will depend on bidder proposals. Railways: Passenger Compensation Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the passenger compensation scheme in new rail franchises. Earl Attlee: The Passenger Charter mechanism is still in use on some older franchises. More recent franchises have included a different mechanism, whereby passengers can claim monetary compensation from a train operator in the event of substantial delays. The mechanisms for incentivising good performance, and for ensuring passengers are dealt with fairly for future franchises are still under consideration. Transport: Motoring Costs Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost of motoring for car drivers doing average mileage in each of the past three years. Earl Attlee: The average annual motoring cost to households in the United Kingdom, including purchase of vehicle, tax and insurance, for the most recent three years for which data are available is given in the table below: £ per annum 2007 2008 2009 £3,230 £3,320 £3,130 Source:Living Costs and Food Survey, Office for National Statistics War of Aggression Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in investigating suspects for the crime of waging a war of aggression, they follow the definition of the offence adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 3314 of 14 December 1974. Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK has no specific statutory provision for crimes of aggression in domestic law, although depending on the details the conduct may be covered by other offences.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2011-02-08a

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. 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 Auq-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. 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. 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. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government are committed to promoting equality of opportunity in sport for men and women, and is 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. 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. 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 last 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 last 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 last 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

lordswrans2005-06-07a

Armagh: Schools Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which schools in Armagh city were consulted about the proposal to develop an integrated secondary school in Armagh; how many pupils at the Armagh College of Further Education (CFE) were enrolled for the A-level examination last year; what is the proportion of Roman Catholics to Protestants in the Armagh CFE; and whether the Armagh CFE was consulted about the proposed integrated college in Armagh. Baroness Amos: The proposal to establish a new integrated school in Armagh was published on 8 October 2003. This initiated a two-month consultation period for comments. While there is no statutory requirement for the education and library boards to consult individual schools regarding the establishment of new grant-maintained integrated schools, the Southern Education and Library Board also carried out its own consultation with the following schools in Armagh: City of Armagh High; St Brigid's High; St Catherine's College; St Patrick's Grammar; The Royal School; Saints and Scholars Integrated Primary. Armagh College of Further Education was not consulted by the board. In the 2002–03 academic year there were 415 (of which 381 were full-time) enrolments 1 on A-level (AS and A2) programmes at the college. An analysis of the community background within the college found: 50 per cent 'Roman Catholic', 38 per cent 'Protestant', 2 per cent 'other religion' and 10 per cent 'not stated or unknown'. 1 The figures quoted relate to a snapshot of enrolments at 1 November 2002. Northern Ireland: Conservation Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many conservation officers the Department of Environment in Northern Ireland employs; and whether that number is sufficient. Baroness Amos: The department employs six officers, three full-time and three part-time, on conservation area work. In addition, the department operates a call-off contract with local architects, who also provide advice on conservation area matters. The Minister of the Environment is currently reviewing the level of resources devoted to this important work. Northern Ireland: Conservation Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to make any change in the responsibilities of conservation areas in Northern Ireland; and whether they envisage an increase in funding in the near future. Baroness Amos: The Minister of the Environment is currently reviewing the arrangements for, and funding of, the administration of conservation area work within the Department of the Environment. Belfast and Moyle: Population Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the population of Belfast and Moyle council areas. Baroness Amos: The 2002 mid-year estimates of population for Belfast and Moyle local government district areas are, respectively, 274,100 and 16,200. Sudan: Human Rights Baroness Williams of Crosby: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are in favour of establishing an independent body to monitor human rights in Sudan, including the proposal to establish such a body through the United Nations Commission for Human Rights; and whether they would provide additional resources in order to fund such a body. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We recognise the need to monitor the human rights situation in Sudan closely and we raise human rights issues on a regular basis, both bilaterally and as part of the EU-Sudan dialogue. We were disappointed that, despite our hard work and that of our EU partners, the EU-sponsored resolution on Sudan at the UN Commission on Human Rights was lost on 16 April. The result of the vote (24 in favour, 26 against and three abstentions) was the first defeat of this resolution in 10 years and meant the termination of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. We are currently considering how to approach the 2004 UN Commission on Human Rights. Through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Human Rights Project Fund we have provided £50,000 to the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights for work in Sudan for 2003–04 and we are also helping to fund the work of the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT) which documents human rights abuses. We will consider further requests for funding as appropriate. Iraq: Captured Prisoners and British Indian Ocean Territory Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any prisoners captured in Iraq have been held within 100 miles of Diego Garcia; if so, when were they held there; and by whom. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: No prisoners captured in Iraq are, or ever have been, under detention either on Diego Garcia or on any of the islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), or anywhere in the territorial waters belonging to BIOT. Nor have any such prisoners been detained on board any vessel, wherever it may be, after it has in some way transited through any place in BIOT. Pakistan: Sharia Law in North West Frontier Province Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have discussed or will discuss with the Government of Pakistan the adoption of Sharia law by the North West Frontier Province; its likely effect on minorities; and the possibility that it may conflict with Pakistan's international obligations. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are aware that the Sharia Bill passed by the Assembly of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) commits the provincial government to review laws in the province and introduce any amendments required to bring them into line with Islamic injunctions. We understand the Bill is awaiting the signature of the provincial governor, before it becomes law. The Government of the NWFP have repeatedly given assurances of their intention to safeguard minority rights. We have been advised that nothing within the legislation so far tabled alters the status of minorities in NWFP. We constantly advocate that any further moves should also protect minority rights. We have raised this issue with the Pakistani authorities together with our EU colleagues, and my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns with President Musharraf in June this year and related issues with Foreign Minister Kasuri in November. My honourable friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mike O'Brien) discussed it with the Pakistani High Commissioner when he met her in September. Saddam Hussein Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they were consulted in advance about the release of photographs of Saddam Hussein's medical examination; and whether they have made representations to the United States Government about the appropriateness of such publication. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: UK representatives in the Coalition Provisional Authority were involved in discussions about the release of the images of Saddam Hussein. The view was taken that it was in Iraqi public interest that such images should be released. The aims were to remove any doubt that he was in coalition custody and to reassure Iraqis that they no longer faced the possibility that Saddam would return to terrorise them. Prisoners of War Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider that the treatment of prisoners of war and terrorist suspects, by all allied states, should reflect their commitment to due process of law, impartial justice and democratic values. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Yes. We expect all states to abide by their international legal obligations. Northern Cyprus: Parliamentary Election Results Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: 222Whether, in their capacity as guarantor, they will give an assessment of the recent parliamentary election results in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The elections in the north of Cyprus came at a critical time for the future of Cyprus and the prospects for a lasting and comprehensive settlement. We note the widespread concerns expressed by many Turkish Cypriots about the way in which the campaign was conducted. Notwithstanding those concerns, the majority of Turkish Cypriots have voted for a settlement to the Cyprus problem and for accession to the European Union. It is important that this desire is fully respected. We hope that a new administration will be in place as soon as possible to allow Turkish Cypriots to grasp the opportunity available to reach a settlement to the Cyprus problem before 1 May 2004. We call on all sides to signal their willingness to meet the United Nations Secretary-General's criteria for the resumption of negotiations without delay. Prisons: Workshop Instructors Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What changes have been made to the conditions of employment and remuneration of workshop instructors in HM Prisons, which are to be transferred to local education providers; how many of these instructors have so far handed in their notice; and what steps they will take to ensure that craft training hours in the prisons are maintained. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: At present, no changes have been made to the terms and conditions of workshop instructors in HM Prisons. We expect staff who are currently delivering vocational training to transfer to the successful contractor for learning and skills in prisons on 1 September 2004. Staff transferring to the new learning and skills contractors will do so under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE). TUPE protects employees by giving them the right to transfer from the existing employer to a new employer with their existing contractual terms and conditions of service, which the new employer will be obliged to replicate. Data are not held centrally on those instructors who may have handed in their notice or transferred to roles outside of the scope of the new contracts, and to collect this information would be at disproportionate cost. The provision of craft training hours is a matter that will be addressed locally through annual planning based on needs analysis. Proscribed or Racist Organisations: CRE Investigations Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any organisation proscribed by law or any known racist organisation has been investigated and found to be in breach of the Race Relations Act 1976 or the Human Rights Act 1998. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A list of the organisations proscribed by law was set out in my right honourable friend the Home Secretary's Written Answer of 8 December 2003 (col. 238W) in another place. The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) is empowered to carry out formal investigations (FIs) under Section 48 of the Race Relations Act 1976. There are two types of FI: general—which can look into a particular sector of activity such as English police forces and training establishments or a particular geographical area; and "belief" or named—which looks into a named organisation or named organisations. In order to carry out an investigation into a particular organisation or particular organisations, the CRE must believe (and have some ground to sustain that belief) that the organisation or organisations in question have committed acts made unlawful under the RRA. The CRE has not carried out any FIs into a proscribed organisation. It is not likely that the CRE would seek to investigate a proscribed organisation, though the activities of such an organisation could be a matter for the criminal justice agencies. There is no central list of "racist" organisations. It is not therefore possible to comment on whether any investigations have been carried out in this area. The Human Rights Act 1998 does not contain any investigatory powers. Irish Republican Incidents Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many incidents have occurred in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain, which they consider are the responsibility of (i) the Real IRA; (ii) the Continuity IRA; (iii) the Provisional IRA; and (iv) other republican groups in each of the years since 1993. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The table details the number of incidents occurring in Great Britain since 1993 that are considered the responsibility of republican groups. Incidents include bomb attacks (including letter bombs), finds of improvised explosive devices, arrests, shooting incidents and hoaxes. Incidents in Ireland are matter for the Northern Ireland Office. Great Britain Year Irish Republican Incidents 1993 44 1994 24 1995 2 1996 9 1997 8 1998 1 1999 0 2000 5 2001 4 2002 0 2003 1 Russia: Mutual Visa Arrangements with UK Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are negotiating improvements in mutual visa arrangements with Russia. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are not engaged in any negotiations with Russia with a view to concluding an agreement to improve mutual visa arrangements. Afghan Failed Asylum Seekers: Repatriation Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are compelling Afghan asylum seekers who no longer have any right of appeal to return to Afghanistan; and whether any exception is made for those of Sikh or Hindu origin. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Our preferred option for repatriating unsuccessful Afghan asylum seekers is by assisted voluntary return. However for those who do not leave voluntarily—including those of Sikh or Hindu origin—appropriate enforcement action will be considered. In April 2003 we began enforcing the return to Afghanistan of those who have exhausted their appeal rights and have been found not to be in need of international protection. Returns are only enforced to those areas of Afghanistan with adequate security and infrastructure. Best Value Performance Plans: Audit Arrangements Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will legislate to remove the statutory requirement for Best Value performance plans of parish councils to be audited following the Audit Commission report on minimising the burden of strategic regulation; and whether the "lighter touch" audits will be reduced so that they are lower in total cost over three years than the triennial audit which they replaced. Lord Rooker: The Government are keen to explore opportunities to minimise any burden that may be associated with the audit of the Best Value performance plans prepared by the 41 Best Value town and parish councils. We intend to discuss the detailed implications of this proposal with the Audit Commission shortly. Each Best Value town and parish council receives a grant of £30,000 per annum towards the cost of auditing their performance plans and carrying out other Best Value requirements. Regarding the non-statutory triennial audit in respect of other parish councils, we understand that the commission does not hold details of individual councils that participated in the scheme, hence it is not possible to make a direct comparison with current audit costs. However, overall, the external audit fees for all parish councils have reduced from £2.4 million in 2001 to £1.4 million in 2002. Gulf War 1990–91: Vaccines Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the difference in the level of protection against inhaled anthrax provided to veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict for those who received the first anthrax-pertussis injection only, as compared to those who received the first and second, and as compared to those who received the first, the second and the third. Lord Bach: No studies of the efficacy of United Kingdom anthrax vaccine against inhalation anthrax have been undertaken in humans. Animal studies with the UK vaccine suggest that although a single immunisation will induce a response, optimum protective immunity is achieved by administering booster doses. Most vaccines require several doses to achieve and maintain protective immunity and the anthrax vaccine is not expected to be different. In 1991, anthrax vaccine and pertussis vaccine were co-administered, rather than being combined and given in one injection. In February 1991, the decision was taken to drop pertussis from the anti-biological warfare programme. United Kingdom Devolved Administrations Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the population of (a) Scotland; (b) Wales; (c) Northern Ireland; and how many Members are elected to each of their devolved parliamentary institutions. Lord Filkin: The population of Scotland is 5,062,011; Wales 2,903,085; and Northern Ireland 1,687,267. These figures are taken from the 2001 census. Scotland has 129 MSPs of which 73 are constituency members and 56 list members; Wales has 60 AMs of which 40 are constituency members and 20 list members; and Northern Ireland has 108 members, six from each of the 18 constituencies. The size of the membership of each of the devolved administrations reflects the responsibilities of the respective institutions, not just the size of the population. The electoral arrangements for each of the devolved administrations are set out respectively in the Scotland Act 1998, the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and the Government of Wales Act 1998. Housing Benefit: Allerdale Borough Council Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the cost of housing benefit paid to tenants of (a) housing associations; (b) local authorities; and (c) private landlords in each of the last three years in the Allerdale Borough Council area of Cumbria. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information is in the table. Estimate of housing benefit expenditure of Allerdale Borough Council Rent allowance paid to tenants of housing associations Rent allowance paid to tenants of private landlords Total housing benefit expenditure £ millions £ millions £ millions 2000–01 12.2 3.3 15.5 2001–02 12.8 3.2 16.0 2002–03 13.1 3.1 16.2 Source: Subsidy returns from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Notes: 1. Expenditure is in £ million shown to the nearest £0.1 million. 2. Allerdale recorded rent rebate (housing benefit (HB) paid to local authority (LA) tenants) expenditure of £6,396 in 2000–01, £2,538 in 2001–02, and an estimated rent rebate expenditure of £2,586 in 2002–03. 3. Total rent allowance expenditure (HB paid to non-LA tenants) information for 2002–03 is taken from "initial final" audited subsidy returns provided to ODPM by the local authority. This total is subject to revision in the "final" audited subsidy return. 4. A split in rent allowance expenditure by tenancy type is not provided on the subsidy returns from the local authority. However, the split of expenditure on tenants of registered social landlords (housing associations) and private landlords has been estimated using quarterly administrative data, which provide average award and caseload information by tenancy type. Rent Allowance Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total cost of rent allowance payable to tenants of housing associations in each local authority area or other defined sub-region in the financial year 2002–03; and What is the total cost of rent allowance payable to tenants of private landlords, excluding housing associations, in each local authority area or other defined sub-region in the financial year 2002–03. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information has been placed in the Library. Jobcentre Closures Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: As part of the rationalisation programme, how many Jobcentres have been shut in smaller towns in 2003; how many are due to be shut in future; and where thereafter the administration of the social fund will be carried out for each closure. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Through the introduction of Jobcentre Plus we are seeking to improve access to our services for all people of working age. Each district is different and local managers are best placed to determine how to meet the needs of the local community. As each of our 90 Jobcentre Plus districts develops its plans for introducing the new service, local MPs, stakeholders and organisations representing our customers are fully consulted. We are using the opportunity afforded through this modernisation programme to review where we need to locate offices, taking into account the new processes we are introducing, demographic change, transport links and many other factors. In many cases Jobcentres and social security offices are located in close proximity, and we must carefully determine which buildings to retain and refurbish. A full list of all the office closures so far, including social security offices, and their impact on the delivery of social fund has been placed in the Library. Jobcentre Plus is currently looking at plans for the remainder of the rollout period, up to March 2006. I am sorry that I cannot provide details of future planned closures until this work has been completed. Sports Clubs Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: What estimate has been made of the example of the additional cost to the Exchequer arising from the Chancellor's announcement of the doubling of the thresholds at which community amateur sports clubs are exempt from corporation tax to a new rate of £50,000. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: This deregulatory measure was estimated to have a negligible annual cost to the Exchequer for the purposes of the 2003 Pre-Budget Report (Cm6042). All eligible amateur sports clubs are encouraged to register for CASC status so that they can take full advantage of the tax reliefs available. Olympic Games 2012: London Bid Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9 December (HC Deb, 425W), how many briefings on the London 2012 Olympic bid have been distributed to Ministers on overseas visits; and whether they will place a copy of the briefings in the Library of the House. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: A general briefing containing advice for Ministers on what they could do in support of the London 2012 bid in the course of their official duties was circulated in July 2003. This briefing was based on the rules of conduct issued by the International Olympic Committee to all cities wishing to organise the Olympic Games. We would need IOC permission to place a copy of this document in the Library of the House; meanwhile it can be viewed on the IOC website at http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en–report 696.pdf. More specific briefing has been provided for four ministerial overseas visits. It would not be appropriate to deposit those briefings in the Library of the House, as they contain information that could prejudice the competitive advantage of the bid. M6 Toll Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their current estimate of the capital cost of the Birmingham northern relief road. Lord Davies of Oldham: The M6 Toll (formerly known as the Birmingham northern relief road) has been privately financed by Midland Expressway Limited (MEL) under a 53-year concession agreement awarded by the Government. The construction costs awarded by MEL to its contractor at tender stage were £485.5 million. The overall costs are a matter for MEL but it is believed that the development cost incurred is in the region of £900 million. This includes the cost of land, interest on loans, consultancy, management and legal fees. Information Technology Strategy and UK Rankings The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the figures from the World Economic Forum's Global Information Technology Report, which show that the United Kingdom is fifth in the rankings in scientific research but thirty-seventh in the availability of scientists and engineers, are satisfactory; and what implications this has for their information technology targets. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government recognise the critical importance of having highly trained scientists and engineers to help meet their information technology targets. The 2002 spending review settlement saw £100 million per year added to the science budget, from 2005–06, to implement the key recommendations of the Sir Gareth Roberts review of the supply of scientists and engineers. This money will create 1,000 new academic fellowships, substantially increase postdoctoral salaries and improve the training opportunities available to postdoctoral researchers. Additionally, the UK research base has a strong relative international performance in terms of achievement, productivity and efficiency. On many indicators, we rank second only to the USA in the world. The Government are aware of the challenge in making the UK a world leader in the use of ICT. By learning from the overall pool of evidence, to which the World Economic Forum report can contribute, we will continue to develop information technology policies to provide a favourable environment for ICT usage in the UK. Employment Tribunals Lord McCarthy: asked Her Majesty's Government: On which dates the different types of claims listed in Table 1 of the 2002–03 annual report of the Employment Tribunals Service formed the basis for applications to be registered with tribunals. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The attached table shows the different types of claim listed in Table 1 of the 2002–03 annual report of the Employment Tribunals Service. Reference is made to the legislative provision under which such claims are currently presented to an employment tribunal and the dates when those respective provisions came into force. A number of the legislative provisions listed are re-enactments of earlier legislation. Current legislation for the natures of claim tabulated in the Employment Tribunals Service annual report for 2002–03 Nature of Claim Current Legislation Commencement Date Unfair dismissal Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 111 22/8/96 Wages Act Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 23 22/8/96 Breach of contract Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (England and Wales) Order 1994 SI 1623 and Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (Scotland) Order 1994 SI 1624 12/7/94 Sex discrimination Sex Discrimination Act 1975 Section 63 12/11/75 Redundancy pay Employment Rights Act 1996 Sections 163–164 22/8/96 Working time directive Working Time Regulations 1998 1/10/98 Disability discrimination Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Section 8 8/11/95 Equal pay Equal Pay Act 1970 Section 2(1) 29/12/75 Race discrimination Race Relations Act 1976 Sections 54 and 64 13/6/77 Redundancy—failure to inform and consult Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 Section 189 16/10/92 Written statement of terms and conditions Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 11 22/8/96 Written statement of reasons for dismissal Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 93 22/8/96 Unfair dismissal—transfer of an undertaking Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 1/5/82 Written pay statement Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 11 22/8/96 Transfer of an undertaking—failure to inform and consult Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 Regulation 10a 1/2/82 1/11/99 Unfair dismissal—pregnancy Employment Rights Act 1996 Section 111 15/12/99 National minimum wage National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 National Minimum Wage Act 1998 Section 24 1/4/99 1/4/99 Part-time workers regulations Part Time Worker (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 1/7/2000 Salmonella, E.coli and Listeria Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many cases there have been of salmonella, e-coli and listeria recorded in England and Wales over each of the past 10 years. Lord Warner: The following tables provide details of laboratory confirmed salmonella, verocytotoxin-producing e.coli O157, and listeria monocytogenes infections in humans in England and Wales 1993–2003. Laboratory confirmed cases of Salmonella infection in humans—Faecal and unknown reports excluding S.Typhi and S.Paratyphi—England and Wales 1993–2003 Year S.Typhimurium S.Enteritidis Other Serotypes Total Salmonellas 1993 4,778 20,254 5,618 30,650 1994 5,522 17,371 7,518 30,411 1995 6,743 16,044 6,527 29,314 1996 5,542 18,256 5,185 28,983 1997 4,778 23,008 4,810 32,596 1998 3,039 16,397 4,292 23,728 1999 2,424 10,775 4,333 17,532 2000 2,651 8,468 3,725 14,844 2001* 2,085 10,755 3,625 16,465 2002* 1,886 9,733 3,119 14,738 2003**13,775 *Provisional data. **Data to end of week 48, data breakdown by serotype unavailable. Source: Health Protection Agency Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre. Verocytotoxin—producing E.Coli O157—Isolations from humans examined by the Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens—England and Wales 1993–2003. Year Total 1993 385 1994 411 1995 792 1996 660 1997 1,087 1998 890 1999 1,084 2000 898 2001* 768 2002* 595 2003** 613 *Provisional data. **Data to end of week 48 Source: Health Protection Agency Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Laboratory confirmed isolates of Listeria monocytogenes from human cases of listeriosis in England and Wales 1993–2003. Year Total cases 1993 107 1994 116 1995 91 1996 119 1997 127 1998 109 1999 106 2000 100 2001 136 2002* 128 2003** 202 *Provisional data. **Cases up to 18 December 2003. Source: Health Protection Agency Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Salmonella, E.coli and Listeria Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Of the cases of salmonella, e.coli and listeria recorded in each year since 1993, what percentage were found to be a result of: (a) on-farm practice; (b) processing practice; (c) home preparation; (d) catering establishment preparation; and (e) retail practices. Lord Warner: This information is not available. The source of illness can generally be determined only when two or more cases are linked (an outbreak). The vast majority of cases of infection due to salmonella, e.coli and listeria do not occur as part of an outbreak and it is impossible to determine how they arose, or indeed whether they were food-borne. Farming: Pilot Entry Level Schemes Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many pilot entry level schemes have been made available to farmers across England; whether any such schemes have been wound up; if so, why; whether there are any plans to open any further schemes; and when the results of the pilot schemes will be assessed and the results published. Lord Whitty: The entry level scheme pilot was launched in February 2003, and is running in four pilot areas. These pilot areas were chosen to represent different farming systems to make sure that we tested the scheme on a range of farm types (upland, arable, mixed and dairying). The pilot scheme was open to applications from farmers within the pilot areas between February and May 2003. 274 farmers have joined the scheme, and their agreements run for five years from 1 August 2003. The scheme is being evaluated and the results will be published next year. Early feedback suggests that the scheme has potential to deliver significant environmental benefits, but refinement of the design will improve this further. There are no plans to run any more pilots, but it is hoped to roll out the scheme nationally in 2005. Farming: Advice to Potential Entrants Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What advice they offer to potential entrants into farming on the minimum size of farm holdings that are economically viable for (a) dairy; (b) arable; (c) lowland livestock; and (d) hill farms. Lord Whitty: This is a matter for the judgment of those concerned, but government facilitate access to advice to assist individuals making those sort of choices. New entrant farmers can access a range of business advice for start-up businesses through the business links network and the Small Business Service. For full-time farmers this includes access to the Farm Business Advice Service. Conservation of Natural Habitats: Consultation on Amendment Regulations Lord Donoughue: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which organisations were named consultees on the consultation on the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003; and which of these consultees represent the interests of (a) private rural landowners; and (b) country sports. Lord Whitty: One hundred and twenty organisations were initially consulted on the draft amendment regulations. They are named in Annex C of the consultation document published on 6 August 2003. On 23 November 2003, my department wrote to 11 further organisations to invite their comments, in order to ensure that their interests, including those which my noble friend identifies, are taken into account. No decisions will be taken until after they have had an opportunity to comment. The organisations were: Association of National Parks Countryside Alliance Buglife Butterfly Conservation Countryside Agency CPRE Forestry Commission Magistrate's Association National Farmers Union Ornamental and Aquatic Trade Association UK Guild of Taxidermists The British Association of Shooting and Conservation, the Country Land and Business Association, Lord Crewe's Charity, the Moorland Association and the National Gamekeepers' Organisation have already responded to the consultation, for which we are grateful. Conservation of Natural Habitats: Consultation on Amendment Regulations Lord Donoughue: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has any plans to consult with organisations representing private rural land managers concerning the consultation on the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003. Lord Whitty: The department is consulting with a number of organisations representing private rural land managers and has already received comments on the draft regulations from five. Conservation of Natural Habitats: Consultation on Amendment Regulations Lord Donoughue: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs intends to announce the outcome of the consultation on the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003. Lord Whitty: Subject to consideration of consultation responses, we expect amendment regulations to be laid in Parliament by July 2004.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2004-01-06a

Lord Drayson: The information is in the tables. UK Regular Forces trained strength at 1 October 2006 Naval Service Army RAF UK Regular Forces1 34,590 95,760 44,240p Source: DASA 1 Figures are for UK Regular Forces trained personnel, and therefore exclude Gurkhas, full-time reserve service personnel, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists. Regular and volunteer reserve strength at 1 October 2006 is as below Naval Service1,2 Army3,4,5 RAF6,7,8 Regular Reserve 10,330 33,390 360p Volunteer Reserve 2,110 35,300 1,460 p 1 Source of naval service regular reserve data is Director Naval Career Management (DNCM)-Reserves. Source of naval service volunteer reserve data is Fleet Commander Maritime Reserves (CMR). 2 Naval service regular reserve figure includes personnel serving on full-time reserve service (FTRS). Naval service volunteer reserve figure excludes FTRS. 3 Army volunteer reserve figure includes group A & B, mobilised TA and Officer Training Corps, but excludes non-regular permanent staff (NRPS) and FTRS. 4 Army reserves figures are for trained and untrained personnel. This is to ensure consistency with official reserve national statistics and for ease of comparison with the TA requirement which comprises both trained and untrained personnel. 5 Army regular reserve figure includes mobilised regular reserve, but excludes long-term reserve, pensioners and Regular Army reserve of officers (RARO). 6 RAF reserve figures are for trained and untrained personnel, as it is currently not possible to split RAF reserve personnel by training indicator. 7 RAF reserve (RAFR) figure is for active RAFR only; it does not include those who have left the service and have reserve liability. The figure comprises FTRS, additional duties commitment (ADC) personnel, part-time personnel and sponsored reserves. The latest available figure including non-active RAFR personnel is 7,790; this is based on data at the 1 April 2006 situation date. 8 RAF volunteer reserve figure includes mobilised volunteer reserve and FTRS. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. p denotes provisional. Due to the introduction of a new personnel administration system for RAF, UK Regular Forces and FTRS, RAF data are provisional and subject to review. In the process of answering this Question, it was found that a previous Answer which I gave on 8 November 2006 (Official Report, col. WA 164) to a similar Question was incorrect, for which I apologise. The correct figure for the naval service regular reserve for 1 September 2006 was 10,390. It should also be noted that the Army and RAF figures included in that Answer were for both trained and untrained strength. Due to the deployment and movement of personnel changing continuously, it is not possible to say how many personnel will be abroad on 15 December. Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many persons who have completed a sentence for rape have been exonerated following new evidence being accepted as to the original allegation in each of the last five years. Lord Campbell-Savours: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many persons imprisoned for rape have been released from prison following the withdrawal of accusations of rape by their accuser in each of the last five years. Lord Warner: This information, collected since 2001-02 for the NHS in England, is shown in the table. 1998-99 (£) 1999-2000 (£) 2000-01 (£) 2001-02 (£) 2002-03 (£) 2003-04 (£) 2004-05 (£) Dental 21,642,531 25,211,460 23,621,857 27,368,585 32,656,449 31,760,839 33,536,000 Nurse - - - 14,310,887 14,660,935 24,822,813 25,303,000 England 21,642,531 25,211,460 23,621,857 41,679,472 47,317,384 56,583,652 58,839,000 Source: Annual financial returns from 1998-99 to 2004-05 Baroness Andrews: Any application for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The unlawful destruction of protected trees does not automatically render land suitable for development. Under section 206 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the landowner is under a duty to plant replacement trees at the same place. These trees are automatically protected by the original tree preservation order. This duty to replace the trees, if enforced by the local planning authority, would be material to its consideration of a separate application to develop the land.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2006-12-06c

Department for Transport Railways: North of England Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government what additional steps they are planning to take to deal with (1) poor performance by TransPennine Express trains, and (2) any health and safety issues that arise due to overcrowding on the services that are operated. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department’s Rail North Partnership with Transport for the North continues to work with TransPennine Express on plans for how and when the operator will introduce originally-planned services that are reliable, punctual and predictable for passengers. Railways: Tickets Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposed closures of railway ticket offices on people who are (1) elderly, (2) deaf, or (3) blind or partially sighted; and what steps they will take in response to any such assessment. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: If a train operating company (TOC) proposes the closure of ticket offices, they must follow the process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSA). This sets out how TOCs must consider the needs of all passengers when proposing alternative arrangements.Together with industry we want to improve and modernise the experience for all passengers, giving staff more flexible roles allows them to better support the overall needs of elderly, deaf, blind or partially sighted passengers.If called upon to make a determination on a specific ticket office proposal, the Secretary of State will follow the TSA process and comply with his own Public Sector Equality Duty by taking equality implications into account. Leader of the House of Lords Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Written Questions Lord Rogan: To ask the Leader of the House when they expect to answer the Written Question tabled by Lord Rogan on 17 November (HL3519) and due for answer on 1 December. Lord True: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has confirmed a response to your written question was initially issued on time, but a technical error prevented it from being published by the 1 December deadline.The FCDO has assured my office that a new response will be issued in the week commencing 9 January 2023 and the Department will write to you directly with an explanation for the delayed response.My office will continue to work closely with all departments, including the FCDO, to ensure they conduct regular reviews of their systems and processes to prevent future incidents.I regret the error and I will be reminding all colleagues at Front Bench of their duty to provide prompt responses to written questions in the House within the 10 day target, as stipulated in the Companion. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Industrial Energy Transformation Fund Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to confirm the budget allocated to the Energy Investment Fund in (1) 2021–22, and (2) 2022–23. Lord Callanan: The Energy Investment Fund is a Scottish Government initiative. Its budget is not a matter for the UK Government. Energy Bills Rebate: Northern Ireland Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to complete the process of delivering £600 in energy support payments to all households in Northern Ireland. Lord Callanan: On 19th December, the Government announced that all households in Northern Ireland will receive support with their energy bills this winter through a single payment of £600. This is made up of £400 of the Energy Bills Support Scheme and £200 of the Alternative Fuel Payment. This will be delivered through electricity suppliers, with payments starting in January and concluding as soon as is reasonably practicable. Mathematics: Postgraduate Education Lord Clement-Jones: To ask His Majesty's Government how many PhDs in mathematics (1) were funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) from 2019–22, and (2) will be funded by UKRI in 2022–25. Lord Callanan: The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), within UK Research and Innovation, funds Mathematical Sciences from its core budget, typically spending c£25-30 million/per annum for grants, fellowships, and studentships. In addition, they have committed a further £124 million which will spend out to 2028-29 as part of the Additional Funding Programme for Mathematic Sciences (AFPMS) commitment. The main route through which EPSRC usually funds PhD students is through a doctoral training block grant, allocated to Universities who then allocate funds as appropriate. In addition, the discipline received funding for approximately an additional 400 PhD positions through the AFPMS. Department for Education Gambling: Education The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the statutory guidance Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education to provide further clarification on what pupils should know about online gambling. The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the statutory guidance Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education in preventing harmful gambling by school pupils. Baroness Barran: The statutory curriculum for relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) covers the risks relating to gambling, including the accumulation of debt. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.Teaching about gambling and financial risks is also reinforced by other curriculum areas, including teaching financial literacy in citizenship and relevant topics in mathematics.To support teachers to deliver these topics safely and with confidence, we have produced RSHE teacher training modules that are free to download from GOV.UK and include the dangers associated with gambling. These can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health.The department is monitoring the implementation of RSHE, including measuring teacher confidence in teaching the statutory requirements. The department has contracted with IFF Research to undertake a national survey of headteachers, RSHE leads and RSHE teachers, supported by qualitative research with school staff and pupils.The research will assess whether schools are teaching the subjects effectively and how good teaching of different topics can affect wider outcomes. It will also seek evidence on how to deliver high-quality teaching which the department will use to inform any further support. The research will provide emerging findings to inform decisions about our review of the RSHE statutory guidance. The department anticipates the final report of this research will be published in early 2024. Schools: Weather Baroness Berridge: To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the schools in England that had days of closure due to weather conditions in the last 12 months provided vouchers to replace Free School Meals to their pupils. Baroness Berridge: To ask His Majesty's Government how many children entitled to free school meals were not provided with a meal or its equivalent when their school was closed due to adverse weather conditions in the last 12 months. Baroness Berridge: To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools in England have a voucher system in operation that can be used to replace free school meals in the event of unexpected school closure. Baroness Barran: Schools have a duty to provide Free School Meals (FSM) for registered pupils, either on school premises or at any other place where education is being provided. If the school is closed due to extreme weather and/or extenuating circumstances, and education is not being provided for pupils elsewhere, then the school would not be expected to provide free school meals.Where meals are provided, our guidance advises schools to work with their school catering team or food provider to provide good quality lunch parcels. Where this is not practicable, schools may make local arrangements to supply vouchers.The Department does not keep records of which schools make meal or voucher provision during periods of closure, nor the number of pupils supported under such arrangements.Around 1.9 million pupils are claiming FSM. Together with a further 1.25 million infants supported through UIFSM policy, over one third of school children are now provided with a free meal, at a cost of over £1 billion a year. The department currently has generous protections in place, ensuring that eligible pupils keep their FSM entitlement even if their household circumstances improve. Students: Loans Baroness Chapman of Darlington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of maintenance loans rising by 2.3 per cent on (1) ethnic minority, and (2) disadvantaged, students. Baroness Barran: Decisions on student support are taken on an annual basis. The department has continued to increase student living costs support each year with a 2.3% increase to maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2022/23 academic year. Students who have been awarded a loan for living costs for the 2022/23 academic year that is lower than the maximum, and whose household income for the tax year 2022/23 has dropped by at least 15% compared to the income provided for their original assessment, can apply for their entitlement to be reassessed.An Equality Impact Assessment was undertaken prior to a decision being taken on increases to maintenance loans and grants by 2.3%. The overall assessment was that the changes would have a marginally positive impact for those with and without protected characteristics. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-student-finance-2022-to-2023-equality-analysis.The UCAS end of cycle report shows that in 2022 there were record numbers of 18-year-olds getting into 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 in 2010.The department’s widening participation publication from 2022 shows that progression to higher education has increased across all students, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Black pupils have seen the greatest increase in the proportion entering HE by age 19, increasing from 44.1% in 2009/10 to 62.1% in 2020/21.The department recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year which have affected students. Decisions on student finance will have to be taken alongside other spending priorities to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and the costs of higher education (HE) are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university.Many HE providers have hardship funds that students can apply to for assistance. There is £261 million of student premium funding available this academic year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help. The department works alongside the Office for Students to ensure that universities support students in hardship, using both hardship funds and drawing on the student premium.In addition, all households will save on their energy bills through the Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount. Students who buy their energy from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount. The Energy Prices Act, passed on 25 October 2022, includes the provision to require landlords to pass benefits they receive from energy price support, as appropriate, onto end users. Further details of the requirements under this Act are set out in the legislation. Students: Cost of Living Baroness Chapman of Darlington: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support students with the cost of living. Baroness Chapman of Darlington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of increases in the cost of living on access to higher education for students from (1) ethnic minority, and (2) disadvantaged, backgrounds. Baroness Barran: The department recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year and that have impacted students. Many higher education (HE) providers have hardship funds that students can apply to for assistance. There is £261 million of student premium funding available this academic year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help. The department is working with with the Office for Students (OfS) to ensure universities support students in hardship using both hardship funds and drawing on the student premium.All households will save on their energy bills through the Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount. Students who buy their energy from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount. The Energy Prices Act passed on 25th October includes the provision to require landlords to pass benefits they receive from energy price support, as appropriate, onto end users. Further details of the requirements under this act are set out in the legislation.A HM Treasury-led review is being undertaken to consider how to support households and businesses with energy bills after April 2023.Decisions on student support for HE courses are taken on an annual basis and changes for the current 2022/23 academic year were made through Regulations laid in December 2021.The government is currently considering options for changes to loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2023/24 academic year starting in August 2023 and an announcement will follow in due course.The UCAS end of cycle report shows that in 2022 there were record numbers of 18-year-olds getting into 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 in 2010.The department’s widening participation publication from 2022 shows that progression to higher education has increased across all students, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds. Black pupils have seen the greatest increase in the proportion entering HE by age 19, increasing from 44.1% in 2009/10 to 62.1% in 2020/21. Schools: Weather Baroness Berridge: To ask His Majesty's Government how many school days in England were lost in the last 12 months due to school closures caused by adverse weather conditions. Baroness Barran: The requested information is not held by the department. Data on sessions missed due to exceptional circumstances is collected, but it is not possible to determine which were missed as a result of adverse weather conditions. Teachers: Pay Baroness Garden of Frognal: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reach a negotiated settlement with trade unions representing the teaching profession in the ongoing industrial dispute over teacher pay and conditions. Baroness Barran: The department thoroughly appreciates the work the teaching profession does to build a world class education system and offer an excellent education to all. The department acknowledges the dedication and passion of those within the sector.By 2024/25 school funding will reach £58.8 billion. This investment will be funding schools, in real terms per pupil, at the highest ever level in history. In 2023/24 mainstream school funding will increase, on average, by 5.6% per pupil. The department implemented the School Teacher Review Body’s recommendation of a significant 8.9% pay uplift to teacher starting salaries outside London, keeping us on track to deliver the manifesto commitment of £30,000 starting salaries. We also implemented a 5% uplift for experienced teachers. This is the highest pay award for experienced teachers in 30 years and underlines the importance this government attaches to schools. On top of this, around 40% of teachers will get pay increases through progression or promotion of up to 15.9%.Department officials and Ministers meet regularly with teaching unions and other representative bodies to discuss a wide range of school and college policy issues, including actions to improve the daily working lives of teachers. Since confirmation of a formal trade dispute, Ministers have met with unions on multiple occasions. The department will continue to engage going forwards. Special Educational Needs Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of theproportion of children with Special Educational Needs statements in England compared with other parts of the UK. Baroness Barran: The numbers of education, health and care (EHC) plans in England for those aged 0-25-years-old, and the proportions of pupils in schools with such plans are published at SEN2, which can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans, and SEN in England, which can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england. This system of issuing EHC plans has replaced that for issuing statements of special educational need.Education is a devolved matter and there are different systems for supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The statutory criteria for eligibility for EHC plans in England are not replicated in the other parts of the United Kingdom. Although there are some similarities over the approach to supporting pupils with SEND across the four nations, any direct comparison of the relevant data should be treated with caution. Special Educational Needs: Qualifications Lord Addington: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the advantage for pupils of moving from the current qualification for a Special Educational Needs Coordinator requiring 600 hours training and a Masters qualification, to the proposed 75 hour National Professional Qualification. Lord Addington: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the proposedreduction in training hoursfor Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators by 525 hours, whether the resources previously allocated to training will be used to provide more specialist support in schools. Baroness Barran: In March 2022, the Department published the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Green Paper. This included the proposal to replace the current mandatory qualification for Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), the National Award for SEN Co-ordination (NASENCO), with a new leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ). The NASENCO is a Level 7 postgraduate qualification funded from school budgets, typically equivalent to a third of a full Masters’ degree, taking approximately 225 hours to complete. The time commitment required for leadership NPQs varies between courses and providers.The proposal seeks to improve the level of expertise and leadership amongst SENCOs and ensure they have the knowledge and skills for the role at the earliest opportunity, enabling them to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND. NPQs are underpinned by the latest and best evidence. This would bring the SENCO qualification in line with wider teacher development reforms, with content and delivery quality assured by the Education Endowment Foundation and Ofsted.The Department is now carefully considering the feedback received through the 16-week consultation period. The Department is committed to publishing a full response to the SEND and AP Green Paper, including the proposals on SENCOs, in an Improvement Plan early in the new year. If the proposed SENCO NPQ is to be introduced, the Department will communicate the arrangements around the funding for NPQs in due course. The Senior Deputy Speaker House of Lords: Select Committees Lord Berkeley: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what are the criteria for the eligibility of members of the House of Lords to be appointed to a select committee on a hybrid Bill; whether comments they have expressed about the merits or otherwise of the Bill are taken into account when considering those appointments; and what plans he has to change the process for appointing members. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Committee of Selection considers nominations for memberships of select committees, including hybrid bill committees, and makes recommendations to the House. Nominations are submitted by the usual channels and the choice of nominations is up to each party or group.Hybrid bill committees are unlike other select committees in that they perform a quasi-judicial function. There is an expectation that the choice of nominations will consider the importance of ensuring that the committee is perceived as enabling parties to the proceedings to receive a fair adjudication. In addition, Private Business Standing Order 96 provides that a member with an interest in the outcome of a private bill may not serve on the committee on the bill. This is set out in the footnote on page 11 of the Guide to the Code of Conduct (Twelfth Edition: June 2022). Private Business Standing Orders apply to the private bill procedure element of hybrid bills. The usual channels and the Committee of Selection are cognisant of the requirement under Standing Order 96 when formulating nominations and recommending final nominations to the House respectively.The decision on the membership of a select committee on a hybrid bill rests ultimately with the House, which is invited to agree to the proposed membership by way of an appointment motion. There are no plans to change the way in which members of select committees on hybrid bills are appointed. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office China: Diplomatic Service Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government how many diplomats from China are based in the UK; and in which locations. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office publishes details of foreign embassies, high commissions and consular posts in the UK on gov.uk, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-embassies-in-the-uk. This page includes the London Diplomatic List which contains the addresses and contact details of all embassies and high commissions, as well as the names of heads of mission and other diplomatic agents appointed in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961. The entry for the People's Republic of China, as of December 2022, lists 127 diplomatic agents in the locations set out below. In addition, consular officials are appointed to the Consulates General of the People's Republic of China in Edinburgh, Manchester and Belfast.Embassy of the People's Republic of China49-51 Portland Place W1B 1JLConsular Section31 Portland Place W1B 1QDDefence Section25 Lyndhurst Road NW3 5PAEconomic and Commercial Office16 Lancaster Gate W2 3LHCultural Section11 West Heath Road NW3 7UXEducation Section50 Portland Place W1B 1NQScience & Technology Section10 Greville Place NW6 5JN Ministry of Defence Military Aid Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they haveto involve the military in replacing the nurses, paramedics and border force during the strike action. Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence has no plans to provide military personnel to ‘replace’ nurses and paramedics during the upcoming strike action. Defence will, however, make 500 military personnel available for ambulance driving tasks to support NHS Trusts during January 2023. A further 600 military personnel were made available to support Border Force during the industrial action on the 23-26 and 28-31 December 2022. Ukraine: Antitank Missiles Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government how many NLAW anti-tankmissiles (1) have been, and (2) are planned to be, provided to Ukraine; and how many (a) have been, and (b) will be, delivered from the manufacturers to the UK Army in (i) 2022, and (ii) 2023. Baroness Goldie: As of 21 December 2022, we have delivered approximately 5,500 NLAW anti-tank missiles to Ukraine. We do not comment on future plans for donations of military aid for operational security reasons.No new NLAW missiles were delivered to the British Army in 2022. However, as announced by the Defence Secretary on 7 December 2022, the UK signed a contract with Saab and Thales for several thousand NLAW units which will be delivered to the UK between 2024-2026. This is in addition to an earlier delivery of around 500 units to be delivered in 2023. Undocumented Migrants: English Channel Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask His Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) what class, of naval ships will be required in the Channel to tackle illegal migrant crossings. Baroness Goldie: The Royal Navy currently utilises one Class One Offshore Patrol Vessels (from three on rotation), six Archer Class P2000 Patrol Boats, three held at Ramsgate and three held at Portsmouth and a pair of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) in support of Defence primacy for responding to small boat migration in the channel. As announced by the Prime Minister, primacy will transfer back to the Home Office from 31 January 2023. In anticipation of this, the Home Office will procure a number of Crew Transfer Vessels to replace the capacity provided by Royal Navy assets. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Birds: Conservation Lord Robathan: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to either (1) encourage, or (2) mandate,the installation of “swift bricks” in new build or refurbished buildings, to assist conservation by providing nesting cavities for swifts and other birds. Lord Benyon: All local authorities have a duty to have regard to conserving biodiversity as part of their policy or decision making. As well as this duty, national planning policy states that the planning system should minimise impacts on biodiversity and provide net gains in biodiversity where possible. Planning Practice Guidance published to help implement planning policy makes clear that relatively small features can often achieve important benefits for wildlife, such as incorporating ‘swift bricks’ and bat boxes in developments and providing safe routes for hedgehogs between different areas of habitat. Specific biodiversity features, such as swift bricks, would normally be required of developments through either the relevant local plan or the local authority’s development control team. Through the Environment Act 2021 we have introduced a mandatory duty for developers to deliver a ‘biodiversity net gain’, which will mean that habitats for wildlife must be left in a measurably better state than they were before any development. Home Office Isabel Vaughan-Spruce Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the arrest of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce by police in Birmingham in December; and what steps they intend to take to ensure that the rights of (1) freedom of religion, and (2) freedom of thought, are upheld. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Government supports Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights that provides everyone with a right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.The imposition of Public Space Prevention Orders is a matter for the local authorities who are required to consider European Convention rights, including Article 8 that provides a right to respect private and family life. Operational matters and charging are matters for the police. Refugees: China Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide reassurance to the Uyghur, Tibetan, Hong Kong and other Chinese refugee communities in the UK about their security, following the 16 October attack on protesters outside the Chinese consulate. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: As the Minister for Security stated to the House of Commons on 1 November, the Home Office works closely with Departments across Whitehall and with devolved Administrations to ensure that our national security is protected and that, in particular, those who have chosen to settle here are free to engage in our democratic society without fear of the regimes that they have tried to leave behind.Through our excellent police forces and the agencies that work with them, we take a proactive approach to protecting individuals and communities from all manner of threats. Where we identify individuals who may be at heightened risk, we are front-footed in deploying protective security guidance and other measures where necessary.The upcoming National Security Bill will strengthen our legal powers to deal with transnational repression. Coercion, harassment or intimidation linked to a foreign power that interfere with the freedoms of individuals will be criminalised under the new foreign interference offence in the Bill.Home Office Ministers have asked officials to step up the work to ensure that our approach to transnational repression is robust, and the Security Minister has asked our Department to review our approach to transnational repression as a matter of urgency. The Security Minister will provide an update on that work to the House in due course. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Buildings: Safety Baroness Pinnock: To ask His Majesty's Government how they expect the provisions of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, if passed, will interact with the Building Safety Act 2022; and what steps they will take to ensure provisions in the Act concerning building safety standards are not undermined by the revocation of retained EU law. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given (attached) to PQ 105305 on 12 December 2022.PQ 105305 (pdf, 87.6KB) Homelessness Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of households at risk of being made homeless over the coming year by landlords who cannot meet their costs at current levels of rent given the increase in interest rates; and what steps they intend to take to protect such households. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: No such assessment has been made. The causes of homelessness are complex, and it is driven by a range of factors, both personal and structural.Government is committed to preventing homelessness where possible. We have announced the allocation of £654 million in funding through the Homelessness Prevention Grant that will be made available to local authorities in 2023/24 and 2024/25. This is in addition to the £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2022/23 announced earlier in December.This is on top of the action Government has taken to support households with the cost of living. At Autumn statement, the Chancellor announced further support for 2023/24. This included a 10.1% increase in benefits from April 2023, and extra support provided to all households with the Energy Price Guarantee which will save the average UK household £500 in 2023-24. Elections: Proof of Identity Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask His Majesty's Government when the website for people to apply for a free voter ID will be available to use. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Electoral Commission about when the publicity campaign for the Voter ID website will commence. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide extra funding to the Electoral Commission to enable a bigger publicity campaign to be run over a shorter timescale to highlight the requirement to present photo voter ID. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there will be publicly available statistics showing how many people have applied for an ID on the Voter ID website. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to delaying the implementation of Voter ID, given the concerns expressed by the Association of Election Administrators, the Local Government Association, and Electoral Commission. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the number of voters turned away from polling stations at the elections in May 2023 is recorded and published. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government is working closely with the Electoral Commission and local authorities to introduce voter identification at elections from May 2023.The Electoral Commission is a body independent of the Government and is accountable to the UK Parliament. Funding of its duties including public awareness raising campaigns is a matter for the Speaker's Committee of the House of Commons.The Voter Authority Certificate Application Service will go live on 16 January 2023 and updates on applications will be provided in due course.Data will be collected by Returning Officers, including on incidences of electors not providing acceptable voter identification in polling stations, to inform the Electoral Commission and DLUHC evaluations of polls in May and the two future UK Parliamentary General Elections.The department has an extensive change network including local authorities, Valuation Joint Boards, and electoral organisations which is supporting the implementation of voter identification in May 2023 and beyond. Absent Voting: Fraud Baroness Pinnock: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the levels of fraud in the operation of postal voting; and what plans they have, if any, to introduce photo identification requirements for postal voting. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Electoral Commission publishes a report annually on electoral fraud. I also refer the noble peer to the report by (then) Sir Eric Pickles on electoral fraud, which identified a series of weaknesses in the postal vote process (attached). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/securing-the-ballot-review-into-electoral-fraud.That report was commissioned following the 2015 Election Court ruling on electoral corruption in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.There are longstanding security measures which enhance the security of the postal voting process, including requiring postal voters to provide personal identifiers at the time of applying for a postal vote and which are checked at the time of a poll. The Elections Act 2022 introduces a package of sensible measures to enhance the security around absent voting including an identity check at the point of application for a postal vote, whereby an applicant will need to provide their National Insurance number to be checked against Government records. This process mirrors the current practice for Registering to Vote.As is usual, the Government will keep this area of policy under review in the future.Electoral fraud (pdf, 673.1KB) Electoral Register: British Nationals Abroad Baroness Pinnock: To ask His Majesty's Government what identifying information is required for residents not living in the UK to register to vote in UK elections. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Currently an overseas elector must be a British citizen who was previously registered within the UK within the last 15 years. Overseas electors are subject to identity checks when registering to vote in the same way as domestic electors.They are required to provide their full name, date of birth and National Insurance number to be checked against DWP data. If an overseas applicant’s identity cannot be verified via the National Insurance number check, they can be required to provide an attestation of identity from a registered overseas elector who is not a close family member. Overseas electors are also subject to checks to demonstrate their connection to the address at which they are registering. Regional Planning and Development Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government whether a proportion of the additional £400 million added to round two of the Levelling Up Fund will be allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales in line with the Barnett Formula. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: We received a large number of high-quality applications to the Levelling Up Fund and as such made the decision to allocate additional funds for this round.This means that up to £2.1 billion will be granted to successful bids in this round across the UK - up to £400 million more than last time.Over the first and second round of the Fund, we have committed that at least 9% of total UK allocations will be set aside for Scotland, 5% for Wales, and 3% for Northern Ireland, subject to a suitable number of high-quality bids coming forward. This is at least as much as would have been received through Barnett consequentials. Cabinet Office Foreign Investment in UK Lord Monks: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the approximate value of Foreign Direct Investment in the UK in (1) the six years preceding the EU referendum in 2016, and (2) the six years since. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question: HL4423 is attached. Response to Lord Monks (pdf, 115.9KB) Intelligence Services Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to place the Fulford Principles relating to the detention and interviewing of detainees overseas on a statutory basis. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government has no plans to place The Principles on a statutory basis. Treasury Commodity Markets Baroness Worthington: To ask His Majesty's Government what consumer protections are in place for consumers directly or indirectly investing in commodity derivatives. Baroness Penn: Most commodity derivatives are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who have an operational objective to secure appropriate protection for consumers of regulated financial services. The protections the FCA have in place to protect consumers include requiring firms to provide clients with a general description of the nature and risks of financial instruments, and a warning that people usually lose money when trading speculative instruments with commodities as an underlying asset. These protections apply when consumers participate in the market directly and indirectly and enables them to make investment decisions on an informed basis. Depending on the circumstances, consumers may also be able to qualify for Financial Services Compensation Scheme protection when dealing indirectly with commodity markets. Cryptocurrencies: Advertising Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of cryptocurrency advertisements being targeted at (1) young people, and (2) people from minority communities, including with the involvement of celebrities, sports stars and sports teams; and what plans they have, if any, to place restrictions on such advertising. Baroness Penn: The government’s ambition is to make the UK a global hub for cryptoasset technology and investment. In April, previous Ministers set out a number of reforms which will see the regulation and aspects of tax treatment of cryptoassets evolve. The government will also consult on its approach to regulating wider cryptoasset activities in the coming weeks. Recent events in cryptoasset markets have highlighted the importance of establishing regulation which supports safe innovation and protects consumers and stability. As the cryptoasset market has developed rapidly, HMT and the FCA have been working at pace to adapt existing regulation to the challenges – and opportunities – posed by unique cryptoassets. For instance, to protect consumers, the FCA has banned the sale of cryptoasset derivatives to retail consumers and in January 2022 the government published a response to a consultation on a proposal to bring certain cryptoassets into the scope of financial promotions regulation. The forthcoming legislation on cryptoasset promotions, and supporting FCA rules, will regulate in-scope cryptoasset financial promotions, requiring them to be fair, clear and not misleading. This is aimed at improving consumers’ understanding of the risks and benefits associated with cryptoasset purchases and ensuring that cryptoasset promotions are held to the same standards as similar risk financial services products. The government also draws attention to and restates the FCA’s warnings to consumers that buyers of most cryptoassets should be prepared to lose all of the money they invest. The government and the Cryptoassets Taskforce continue to closely monitor the wider cryptoasset market and will stand ready to take further regulatory action if required. Commodity Markets Baroness Worthington: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the value of commodity derivatives or economically equivalent contracts which were traded (1) over the counter, and (2) in trading venues in the UK, by FCA-regulated firms in respect of (a) oil, (b) gas, (c) coal, (d) electricity, and (e) soft commodities, in the past 12 months. Baroness Worthington: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many consumers have directly invested in commodity derivatives for (1) oil, (2) gas, (3) coal, (4) electricity, and (5) soft commodities, in the past 12 months. Baroness Worthington: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how many consumers have invested in commodity derivatives for (1) oil, (2) gas, (3) coal, (4) electricity, and (5) soft commodities, via automatic enrolment in workplace pensions over the past 12 months. Baroness Worthington: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the revenue and earnings attributable to UK listed firms from (1) trading commodity derivatives, and (2) economically equivalent over the counter contracts. Baroness Penn: HM Treasury does not hold this data. However, such data may be provided publicly by certain financial markets data companies. Ministry of Justice Family Courts Baroness Pitkeathley: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of children who have been moved from one parental residence to another, as a result of emotional harm or parental alienation findings in Family Court Proceedings. Lord Bellamy: Incidences of children who have been moved from one parental residence to another, as a result of findings of emotional harm, parental alienation or alienating behaviours in family court proceedings are not recorded centrally. Such information can only be obtained from individual case files at disproportionate cost.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2023-01-09

BBC Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the editorial independence of the BBC would be compromised if the National Audit Office were to be given access to its accounts; and, if so, in what way. Lord Davies of Oldham: This Government, like their predecessors, take the view that to bring the BBC fully within the remit of the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee would risk undermining the corporation's editorial independence. While NAO and PAC scrutiny might formally be confined to financial and value-for-money issues, it would in practice be impossible to preserve a clear distinction between such matters and decisions involving editorial or artistic judgment. BBC Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government: How the BBC is to be made directly accountable to the licence fee payer. Lord Davies of Oldham: The BBC Trust will set out its plans for direct public engagement in a new contract of accountability with licence fee payers. The trust will ensure that its programme of engagement includes a wide range of contact methods to enable it to represent the interests of the full scope of licence fee payers across the country. Examples of engagement techniques can be found in the Green Paper A Strong BBC, Independent of Government and the White Paper A public service for all: the BBC in the digital age. British Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why Ms NHK (ref: EM02834) has received no response to her letter to the Home Office Nationality Policy and Special Cases Unit dated 22 July 2005; and why she has not yet received a British citizenship certificate when it was known in January 2006 that her application was wrongly refused. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The lack of response to Ms NHK's letter is regretted and was due to oversight. There has been difficulty locating her papers because the reference she supplied was incorrect. A British citizenship certificate and a letter of apology have been sent to her. British Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will amend paragraph 14.18.5 of Chapter 14 of the Home Office Nationality Instructions to reflect the provisions of Section 1(6) of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997, which does not disqualify a person from registering if he or she has acquired another nationality on or after the relevant date. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: One effect of subsections (2) and (3) of Section 1 of the 1997 Act is that a person who had one of the specified forms of British nationality immediately before the relevant date can qualify for registration only if he or she would otherwise have been stateless. Since that would not be the case where a person already had another nationality or citizenship, it follows that subsection (6) can be referring only to the giving up of another nationality or citizenship acquired on or after that date. That is why the instructions say that a person will be disqualified if, on or after the relevant date, he or she has, "acquired and renounced, or otherwise voluntarily relinquished, the nationality or citizenship of another country or territory". The noble Lord rightly points out that acquisition of another nationality or citizenship on or after the relevant date will not, in itself, operate to disqualify the person concerned. We shall look at the relevant paragraph again and consider whether the drafting might be improved so as to avoid possible misunderstanding. British Citizenship Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 28 June (WA 146), and having regard to paragraph 3.4 of Annex D to Chapter 12 of the Home Office Nationality Instructions, on what basis a British Overseas citizen minor who has had another citizenship or nationality taken away from him due to no act, or failure to act, of his own is considered by the Home Office tohave renounced, voluntarily relinquished or lost through action or inaction that citizenship or nationality. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Section 4B(2)(c) of the British Nationality Act 1981 does not specify that the "action or inaction" that brought about the loss of the person's non-British nationality or citizenship must have been that of the person himself. It therefore seems to us unnecessary to inquire into the extent to which the person was cognisant of an action taken on his behalf (in this instance, an application by a parent for him to have a British passport). The actions specified in paragraph 3.4 of Annexe D to Chapter 12 of the Nationality Instructions, which relate to deprivation and nullity of citizenship, are of a different order in that they are taken neither by nor on behalf of the person concerned. Extradition: United States Lord Jacobs: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why their obligations under the extradition treaty with the Government of the United States have become effective before the reciprocal obligations of the United States commenced. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The extradition treaty with the US of 2003 is not yet in force. However, certain elements of the treaty, which also apply to many other extradition partners, were given effect by the Extradition Act 2003 and secondary legislation under it. Inclusion of the US in this way was done in advance of the coming into force of the 2003 treaty because the Government considered it right to treat the US in the same way as other trusted extradition partners. To change the designation of the US under secondary legislation would be a retrograde step. Ministerial Accountability Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 20 June (HL5991), whether Ministers are accountable to Parliament and to the courts for the acts and omissions of their civil servants. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The responsibilities of Ministers and civil servants are set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code. NHS: New Treatments Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are planning to revise the Health Service Circular HSC/1999/176; if so, when a revised circular will be issued; and whether it will include new guidance for strategic health authorities and primary care trusts regarding the funding of licensed treatments or new technologies that have not been considered by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. 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. NHS: New Treatments Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What sources of advice and information they provide on how primary care trusts and health authorities should make funding decisions for licensed pharmaceutical treatments or technologies which have not been considered by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. 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. Official Travel: Carbon Emission Offsets Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 15 June (WA 41), whether they will describe, including the measurable element, the Department for Transport's scheme to offset carbon emissions generated by its Ministers and officials while undertaking official travel; whether the scheme includes forms of transport other than air travel; how and on what date the details of the scheme were communicated to officials within the department likely to use it; and how many times the scheme has been used since its introduction. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Transport is participating in, and contributed to, the development of a scheme to enable government departments to offset the carbon impacts of their air travel from April 2006. Investment through a Government Carbon Offsetting Fund will replace or reduce the use of fossil fuels and the subsequent emissions of carbon dioxide and compensate for the carbon dioxide released by air travel. The department will calculate its annual offset requirements based upon air travel cost and distance data for the year, multiplied by a factor of two to reflect the fact that the impact of aviation on climate change is increased over that of direct carbon dioxide emissions alone by some of the other emissions released and their specific effects at altitude. The scheme covers air travel from April 2006. Staff were notified in May through the department's in-house magazine. Railways: Bridges Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many rail bridges in north-west England have been rebuilt or renewed in each of the years 2001-05. Lord Davies of Oldham: These are operational matters for Network Rail, the owner and operator of the national rail network. The noble Lord should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the address below for a response to his questions. John Armitt, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 40 Melton Street, London NW1 2EE Rights of Way Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many rights of way have been reopened or established in the past five years in north-west England. Lord Rooker: Responsibility for improving the rights of way network and ensuring that routes are properly recorded and maintained rests with individual local highway authorities. Data on new routes created in the north-west or anywhere else in England are not collected centrally. They could be collected only at disproportionate cost. Roads: A27 Lord Baker of Dorking: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many accidents have occurred on the A27 between Lewes and Polegate; and how many involved fatalities in each of the past 10 years. Lord Davies of Oldham: The number of injury accidents including those involving fatalities, and validated by Sussex Police, on the A27 between Lewes and Polegate are as follows. 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Total Total Accidents 54 66 52 43 55 56 51 50 50 39 516 Fatal Accidents 1 2 3 1 3 1 3 2 2 0 18

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2006-07-13b

Abortion Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 26 January (WA 193) indicating that data on babies born alive following an abortion are not collected by the Department of Health, on what basis they state in their Written Answer on 19 December 2005 (WA 197) that "it is rare for a baby to be born alive following the termination of a pregnancy". Lord Warner: The Government's understanding that it is rare for a baby to be born alive following a termination of pregnancy is based on the fact that we have been made aware of only a few cases where this has occurred and we have not been approached by any professional bodies expressing concern. We await the outcome of the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health's investigation, which should provide better information on the current position. Armed Forces: Combined Aircraft Carrier Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to follow up the Franco-British outline contract for the pre-construction stages of the combined aircraft carrier with further major defence equipment projects with France; and, if so, what specific projects will be involved. Lord Drayson: The UK and France are partners in some 30 bilateral or multilateral co-operative equipment programmes. We both recognise the benefits that defence equipment co-operation can bring; this is specifically acknowledged in the UK's defence industrial strategy. We therefore meet regularly to consider potential new areas of interest. Although no further major defence equipment projects are currently planned, we are examining a number of promising technology areas—such as guided weapons enablers and missile technology—which may have the potential to become co-operative projects in due course. On 24 January we announced a potential joint project on technology for lightweight radars. This month will also see the first meeting of a new UK/France steering board designed to give added impetus to identifying, and taking forward, new bilateral defence technology co-operation. We will continue to be open to the possibilities of new co-operation with France (as with our other allies), and will engage in further major projects with France when it is in our mutual interests to do so. Budget Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to consult finance ministry officials in France and Germany on the need for countermeasures in the United Kingdom, following the request by the European Commission that Britain should redress its current budget deficit from the present 3.4 per cent to below the agreed maximum of 3 per cent. Lord McKenzie of Luton: In line with the treaty, the ECOFIN Council of EU Finance Ministers, as well as its preparatory committees, provides the forums for multilateral discussions between all EU member states on budgetary policy issues. Against this background, and on the basis of recommendations from the Commission, the council discussed and adopted on 24 January 2006 a decision under Article 104(6) of the treaty and a recommendation under Article 104(7). Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Baroness Hilton of Eggardon: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the likely impact on programmes for science delivery in biodiversity and freshwater ecology if the National Environment Research Council's proposals to reduce staff and to close four of the research establishments at the centre for Ecology and Hydrology are implemented. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government are fully committed to maintaining the quality of environmental science in the UK and provide funding to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) for this purpose. NERC is currently consulting widely with stakeholders on proposals on how best the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) can contribute on a sustainable basis to this. NERC funds research in biodiversity and freshwater ecology both in CEH and through blue-skies grants and in directed programmes. NERC would not expect its overall investment in this research area to be substantively altered by the proposed reshaping of CEH. CEH will continue to deliver its contractual commitments to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and other government departments and agencies. Children Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, as reported in the Daily Post on 28 December 2005, more than 230 unaccompanied children have been found on the streets of Liverpool; if so, over what period of time; where such children have been placed; whether some have subsequently disappeared; and, if so, how many. Lord Adonis: I understand from Liverpool Council that the article in the Daily Post on 28 December 2005 is inaccurate. The council is not aware of widespread evidence of children being trafficked or exploited. The council further reports that its specialist social work staff are well aware of the risks that may be faced by such children. Any information which comes to the council's attention suggesting that an unaccompanied child or young person has been harmed or may be at risk of harm is taken seriously and acted on immediately. Defence Industrial Strategy Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have adopted in their White Paper Defence Industrial Strategy all the recommendations made by the National Audit Office in the report Driving the Successful Delivery of Major Defence Projects; and, if not, what are their reasons for not doing so. Lord Drayson: The National Audit Office (NAO) assessed that some of the defence projects it examined compared favourably with its "gold standard", and with a number at the forefront of good project control. We welcomed the recommendations of the report and have in place an action plan to implement them. That plan was developed prior to publication of Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), and three-quarters of the recommendations have already been implemented, with action ongoing against those outstanding. In the DIS, the Ministry of Defence commits to continue to drive toward the NAO "gold standard" and toward professional procurement practices in public and private sector organisations worldwide. Disability: Centres for Independent Living Lord Ashley of Stoke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the capacity of local centres for independent living should be increased, as recommended in the report Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People; and what measures they consider necessary to ensure the continued survival and development of these centres. Lord Warner: We are considering how to take forward the recommendation in Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People about user-led organisations. Disability: Third Sector Task Force Lord Ashley of Stoke: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to ensure the representation of disabled people on the third sector task force. Lord Warner: A disabled person nominated by the Disability Rights Commission represents patients and the public on the third sector task force. Third-sector members of the task force also represent disabled people through the work of their organisations. EU: Growth and Output Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What conclusions they have drawn from the recent remarks of Commission President José Barroso that the highest recent growth and output performances among European Union member states has come from high-tax countries such as Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Lord McKenzie of Luton: Different countries favour different policy mixes reflecting, among other things, their national circumstances and preferences. The UK Government's approach to taxation balances the need to finance better quality public services, deliver fairness and promote sustainable development and economic activity while ensuring that the UK benefits from the advantages of being a lightly taxed economy. Indeed since 1997, average GDP growth in the UK, Sweden and Finland has been substantially higher than that of the EU15. Freedom of Information Act 2000 Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Freedom of Information Act 2000 can be used to obtain information that has been declared to be confidential, as exempt information, under the Local Government Act 1972; and, if so, in what circumstances. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Local Government Act 1972 are separate access regimes. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FoIA) gives a general right of access to information held by a public authority. The Local Government Act 1972 (LGA1972) gives greater public access to local authority meetings, reports and documents subject to specified confidentiality provisions, and imposes on local authorities duties to publish certain information. A request can be made under the FoIA for any information held by a public authority, including for that exempt under the LGA1972. Information may be withheld only under one of the exemptions within the FoIA. The exemptions to the requirement to make information available under the LGA1972 are not currently in complete alignment with the exemptions to the release of information in the FoIA. It is therefore possible that information exempt from publication under the LGA1972 must be released if requested under the FoIA. An order was laid before Parliament on 26 January to amend in England Schedule 12A to the LGA1972, which provides descriptions of information which is exempt for the purposes of Part VA (Access to Meetings and Documents of Certain Authorities, Committees and Sub-Committees) of the LGA1972. This order will come into force on 1 March. The amendments, which follow consultation with key stakeholders, will have the effect of simplifying the exemptions in the schedule, and harmonising them with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the list of exemptions contained in the FoIA. Housing: Arm's-length Management Organisations Lord Whitty: asked Her Majesty's Government: What redress for failure of service, contractual commitment or consultation responsibilities is available to tenants or lessees in council-owned property managed by arm's-length management organisations outside the point of review of contract. Baroness Andrews: If tenants or lessees are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service provided by an arm's-length management organisation (ALMO) they should take this up through the ALMO's formal complaints procedure. Ultimately, the local authority is responsible for the provision of the housing service and can terminate its management agreement with the ALMO if the ALMO's performance is unsatisfactory. Local Government: Islington Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: What were the reasons for the length of time (three and a half years) taken by the recent Standards Board for England case against five Liberal Democrat councillors in Islington (case references APE 0211, 0212, 0213, 0214 and 0215) between the events which were the subject of the complaint and the decision of the Adjudication Panel for England. Baroness Andrews: The Standards Board for England is an independent body. Management of individual cases is entirely a matter for the board itself. I have asked the board's chairman to write to you directly in response to your Question, setting out the circumstances in which the investigation and determination of these cases took place, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library. I regret the delays in these cases, but I understand that there were special circumstances. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has agreed with the board the performance targets of completing 40 per cent of investigations within four months and 90 per cent within six months. The board is currently meeting its four-month target and is completing 82 per cent of investigations within six months. Wildlife: Bird Imports Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are examining the impacts of the United States Wild Bird Conservation Act 1992 on the legal and illegal import of wild birds into that country; and, if so, whether there are any lessons for the United Kingdom from this legislation. Lord Bach: We are in close contact with colleagues in the US Fish and Wildlife Service and have sought their views regarding the impact of the US Wild Bird Conservation Act 1992 on legal and illegal imports of wild birds. It is too early to say what lessons the United Kingdom might draw from this legislation but my officials will take this information into account in forthcoming round-table discussions with key stakeholders on this matter. World War I: Pardons Lord Brightman: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will introduce a Bill to pardon members of the British forces in World War I who were shot for alleged cowardice and similar breaches of duty. Lord Drayson: The Government's position was reached after the detailed review whose findings were announced in 1998. This examined with great care and sympathy the issues and the cases of those executed. It recognised that the test for a pardon under the Royal prerogative sets a very high threshold and concluded that it would not be fair to put these cases to this test, just to see most and possibly all of them fail because we lack the required level of evidence. However, all these men are now recognised as victims of a terrible war and honoured among their fallen comrades, the stigma of their execution removed.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2006-02-06c

CPS: Pre-trial Witness Interviews Lord Clarke of Hampstead: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Attorney-General's consultation paper on pre-trial witness interviews by prosecutors is to be published. Lord Goldsmith: In April 2002 there was acute public concern about the outcome of the Damilola Taylor murder case. I therefore asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to look into the Crown Prosecution Service's handling of the case, to consider whether there were implications for the conduct of future cases. I asked him particularly to consider whether the time had come to introduce a system where, before trial, key witnesses could, in appropriate cases, be interviewed by the prosecutor, as this might be a useful mechanism for assessing the credibility and reliability of witnesses at an early stage in the proceedings. The consultation paper on pre-trial witness interviews by prosecutors has been published today and lodged in the Libraries of both Houses. It will be accessible via the net on the CPS web site at www.cps.gov.uk. The paper will be a valuable springboard for comment, both from within and outside the legal profession, and will be circulated widely. The final date for comments is 21 July 2003. CPS: Early Legal Advice and Charging Pilot Lord Orme: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the results will be known of the pilot scheme implementing the recommendation of Sir Robin Auld that the Crown Prosecution Service should take responsibility for determining the charge from the outset of the case. Lord Goldsmith: The independent evaluation of the early legal advice and charging pilot was published in a series of reports, the final version being released in April 2003. The results have been very positive. The number of cases discontinued in the pilot sites was down, dramatically in some areas; more defendants pleaded guilty at first hearing; cracked and ineffective trials were significantly reduced and the number of convictions increased. The pilot demonstrated that the early input of a Crown Prosecutor's legal expertise into police investigations helps to build watertight cases. Getting cases right from the start means fewer abandoned prosecutions, less delay, more cases being brought to justice and a better deal for victims and witnesses. The Crown Prosecution Service is working up a shadow-charging scheme to prepare for a seamless transition to the full statutory scheme when the Criminal Justice Bill is enacted. Maladministration Complaints Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider the principles of good administration require them to deal within reasonable time with complaints of maladministration under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information submitted to them by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government endeavour to deal with all complaints submitted by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration within reasonable time in line with the principles laid down in the code itself and in the Guidance on Interpretation of the Code. Azerbaijan and Armenia: Arms Embargoand UK Exports Lord Carter: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any goods subject to the OSCE arms embargo have recently been approved for export to Azerbaijan and Armenia. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government remain committed to the OSCE arms embargo against both Azerbaijan and Armenia, which we interpret as covering all goods and technology controlled under entries in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 (commonly known as the military list). In December 2002, the Government approved an export licence application for demining equipment for the HALO Trust for demining operations in Armenia and Azerbaijan. The decision was made in accordance with our practice occasionally to make an exemption to our interpretation of the embargo by approving exports of non-lethal military goods to humanitarian, media or peacekeeping organisations where it is clear that the embargo was not intended to prevent those exports and there is a strong humanitarian case for them. G8 Summit: Government's Objectives Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What will be their specific objectives at the G8 Summit in June 2003 with respect to economic and social support for the people of Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Zimbabwe. Baroness Amos: The G8 has actively supported African efforts to achieve and consolidate peace and security throughout Africa but particularly in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone and Sudan. At the summit in Evian G8 leaders reaffirmed their commitment to achieve the objectives set out in the Doha Development Agenda and reported on progress made on the Africa Action Plan since the summit in Kananaskis in June 2002. Beyond Evian, DfID's development assistance programme in Africa will rise to £1 billion by 2005–06. The Africa Action Plan focuses on conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction in Africa, including in Sudan, the DRC, Angola and Sierra Leone. The UK supports humanitarian and peace building work in Sudan. With others in the international community, we are now planning for the hard work of recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction when there is peace. In the DRC we are working actively within the international community supporting implementation of the proposed new transitional national government and a sustainable settlement of the long-running DRC conflict. We have committed ourselves to a significant increase in development assistance once the new government is established. The UK has also committed to a contribution to the rapid deployment multinational force which will help to stabilise the current crisis situation in Ituri region. In order to cement the Angolan peace process, we are contributing to the multi-donor demobilisation and reintegration programme, and are continuing our support to meet urgent humanitarian needs. With others we are also helping the government to focus on longer-term reconstruction and poverty needs, including work on a proposed national poverty reduction strategy. In Sierra Leone our key objectives are resolving conflict, improving standards of governance and combating corruption, reforming the security sector, reducing poverty, ensuring macro-economic stability and developing human resources. These are shaped by our 10-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Sierra Leone. In Zimbabwe our programme is entirely focused on the humanitarian crisis and mitigating the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Other activities are limited by the difficult policy environment. We expect to remain one of the three largest donors along with the USA, and European Commission with which we share similar objectives and co-ordinate our efforts. In Evian the G8 expressed concern about the reports of further violence by the authorities in Zimbabwe and called on the Government of Zimbabwe to respect the right to peaceful demonstration. The UK does not have a bilaterial programme with Liberia, although we provide humanitarian assistance when the need arises. G8 Summit: Government's Objectives Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What will be their specific objectives at the G8 Summit in June 2003 with reference to: (a) the fulfilment of NePAD (the New Partnership for Africa's Development) objectives on conflict prevention, management and resolution and on peacemaking, peacekeeping, peace enforcement, post-conflict resolution rehabilitation and reconstruction; (b) the establishment of a G8/African Joint Task Team on Peace Support Operations; and (c) support for the African Peace and Security Agenda. Baroness Amos: The objectives achieved at the G8 June Evian Summit included the following commitments to support the African peace and security agenda, in line with the G8 Africa Action Plan, support to NePAD and the African Union (AU). These commitments are set out in the Implementation Report by Africa Personal Representatives on the G8 African Action Plan as follows; Conflict Resolution: the G8 has actively supported African efforts to achieve and consolidate peace and security throughout Africa but particularly in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan and in other countries such as Burundi, Central African Republic and Cote d'Ivoire. The G8 remains committed to continuing this support. In particular it has invited the international financial institutions to strengthen significantly their instruments for the consolidation of peace and post-conflict reconstruction and will work to this end in their governing bodies. Development of peace support capacity in Africa: the G8 is taking the following steps in pursuit of this objective: A joint Africa/G8 plan to enhance African peace support operations, developed through the Berlin Process, that aims to mobilise technical and financial assistance so that, by 2010, African partners are able to engage more effectively to prevent and resolve violent conflict on the continent, and undertake peace support operations in accordance with the United Nations Charter. Initial steps in implementation will include the following: the establishment, equipping and training by 2010 of coherent, multinational, multi-disciplinary standby brigade capabilities including civilian components, at the AU and regional level, in particular integrated mission planning capability, mission field headquarters and strategic headquarters which would be available for UN-endorsed missions undertaken under the auspices of the UN, AU or an African regional organisation; the development of capacities to provide humanitarian, security and reconstruction support in the context of complex peace support operations; and, the development of institutional capacities at the continental and sub-regional level to prevent conflict through mediation, facilitation, observation and other strategies. G8 Summit: Government's Objectives Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What will be their specific objectives at the G8 Summit in June 2003 with reference to: (a) combating the illicit proliferation of small arms, light weapons and landmines; and (b) curbing the activities of arms brokers wherever they operate. Baroness Amos: The UK played a significant role in promoting small arms issues at the G8 Summit in June. Our aims at the summit were to: (1) highlight the need to reinforce the fight against illicit trafficking of arms and promote the adoption of stringent controls and careful scrutiny of arms transfers by all exporting states; (2) reaffirm our commitment to tackle the problem of small arms and light weapons, by maintaining and strengthening the momentum created by the adoption in 2001 of the UN Programme of Action to Combat Eradicate and Prevent the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects; and (3) to agree to work jointly to promote strict implementation of national legislation and guidelines. At the summit itself, the volume of issues under consideration prevented the full discussion of small arms issues that the UK would have liked. The final statement notes that G8 States "welcomed the upcoming meeting of States on the illicit traffic in small arms to be held at the United Nations in New York in July 2003". Her Majesty's Government will hold further discussions with partners at the United Nations Biennial Meeting of States on the importance of strengthening international controls on the illicit trade in small arms, including on arms exports. The Government will also emphasise the importance of effective and co-ordinated international assistance to affected countries, particularly those in Africa. Olympics 2012: Safety and Security Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the event that London secures the 2012 Olympic Games, what assurances will be given to competitors in the 2012 Olympic Games about their personal safety; and whether they will estimate the number of troops and police who will be deployed around the Olympic village and Games sites, together with estimates of the proportion which will be armed. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: If successful, the International Olympic Committee will require London to provide a range of safety and security assurances. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), which has a high degree of expertise in policing and countering the threat of terrorism at major events, will develop comprehensive security arrangements. It would be premature to speculate on the detail at this stage. Fixed Penalty Notices: Disorder Offences Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they propose to extend the fixed penalty notice system to drunkenness and other anti-social behaviour. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Provisions in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 allow police officers to issue fixed penalty notices for specified offences of disorder, which penalise a variety of anti-social behaviours including drunkenness. These provisions have been piloted and my right honourable friend the Home Secretary announced on 14 May that they are now to be extended to all forces in England and Wales. Community support officers will also be able to issue these penalty notices and the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill seeks to allow persons accredited by chief constables to issue them for some anti-social offending. The Bill also seeks to include 16 and 17 year-olds in the scheme through a pilot at first. The Government hope to add additional offences involving anti-social behaviour to the scheme later this year. Communications Data The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they confirm the accuracy of Privacy International's calculation that a billion individual pieces of data (comprising e-mail logs and logs of Internet activity), representing requests to communications providers for access to around a million customer records, are released to the police and other official bodies in each year; and, if not, what is the true figure. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: In the consultation paper, Access to communications data—respecting privacy and protecting the public from crime, the Government estimated that around half a million requests for communications data are made annually by law enforcement agencies, the intelligence services and other public authorities with functions to investigate specific criminal offences and conduct. No records are currently required to be kept, but the Government are consulting on the implementation of a regulatory framework for access to communications data (under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000) that would require retention of records. Criminal Convictions: Humberside Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have to improve the conviction rate for all crimes notified to the police in Humberside. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We have set a Public Service Agreement target to bring 1.2 million recorded offences to justice by 2005–06. As a first step to delivering that target, each local criminal justice board has been set a "Narrowing the Justice Gap" target for 2003–04 to increase the number of offences brought to justice in its area by five per cent, compared with the area's performance in 2001–02. We are working closely with all local criminal justice boards, including Humberside, to develop and execute initiatives which address weaknesses at specific points in the criminal justice system (for example, witness and defendant attendance at court), in the process as a whole (for example, through better joined-up working between the police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)) and by targeting persistent offenders. Firearms: Record-keeping and Marking Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have taken to ensure that United Kingdom practice complies with the record-keeping and marking firearms requirements as set out in the United Nations Firearms Protocol, and to encourage other governments to meet the same standards of record-keeping and marking of firearms. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We are currently working towards ratification of the Firearms Protocol in conjunction with the European Commission, with particular regard to the length of time for which records must be kept. The marking of weapons is a key requirement of the protocol where further international consensus is needed. We are actively involved in the UN Panel of Governmental Experts which is examining an international instrument on the marking and tracing of small arms. Firearms Amnesty The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will provide a breakdown of the numbers and types of items handed in during the recent firearms amnesty, including those items which are defined in the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1997 as prohibited weapons; and Whether they will provide a breakdown of those items handed in during the recent amnesty which are non functional firearms or ammunition, or those which are listed as obsolete calibres. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Final figures from police forces will be available shortly. We will use these to publish a detailed breakdown of the items handed in. Latest police estimates indicate that over 40,000 guns were handed in during the amnesty, along with nearly a million rounds of ammunition. Extradition Bill: Police Powers Draft Code of Practice Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the draft code of practice on the use of police powers under the Extradition Bill. Lord Filkin: I am today publishing a draft code of practice which sets out the application and operation of police powers in extradition cases, under Part 4 of the Extradition Bill. Copies of the draft code of practice, and the covering consultation paper, are available in the Libraries of both Houses and the document can also be viewed on the Home Office website. Interested parties are invited to submit their comments and views on the content, structure and format of the draft, by Monday 8 September, to: Code of Practice Consultation, Extradition Bill Team, Room 1021, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AT, from which further copies of the document are available. All replies that are received will be made public unless the author explicitly requests that this should not happen. Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 Baroness Massey of Darwen: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the leasehold provisions of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 will be implemented. Lord Rooker: The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 gained Royal Assent last year (1 May). The leasehold provisions of this Act are being phased in over a period of time. A first commencement order on 26 July last year brought in most of the changes to the rules for enfranchisement and lease renewal for flats and houses. We are now in the process of implementing the remaining leasehold provisions in two more stages. By the end of September 2003 we expect to bring the main package into force: the provisions relating to the new right to manage, the requirement to use a right to enfranchise company in collective enfranchisement cases, the new requirements for consulting leaseholders about major works and the widening of the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal jurisdiction. Domiciliary Oxygen Services Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will announce the results of the review of domiciliary oxygen services, initiated in March 2000; what conclusions they have reached concerning the provision of ambulatory oxygen for domiciliary use; and whether scope exists to improve the efficiency of domiciliary oxygen through the prescription of conserving devices. Baroness Andrews: The review of the domiciliary oxygen service is at an advanced stage. It has considered the provision of ambulatory oxygen for domiciliary use and the use of technologies such as conserving devices. We expect to announce our conclusions shortly. NHS: Management Costs Exclusions Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their estimate of the costs of headquarters and infrastructure directly and indirectly related to the staff that are included within management costs which have been excluded from National Health Service management costs for each of the last three years ended 31 March 2003; and What is their estimate of the costs that have been excluded from the definition of management costs for 2001–02 and 2002–03 for each of the following: (a) clinical excellence; (b) shared services; (c) health informatics services; (d) national booked admissions services pilots; (e) NHS Direct; and (f) NHS Beacons; and What is their estimate of the costs that have been excluded from the definition of management costs for 2001–02 and 2002–03 for each of the following: (a) central funding for NHS LIFT; (b) development support and central funding for Health Action Zone evaluation; (c) central funding for Primary Care Act pilots; (d) counter fraud operation service; (e) NHS Walk-In Centre pilots; (f) pay modernisation implementation; and (g) salary costs that have been paid for from capital; and How many staff have been excluded from the calculations of management costs for 2001–02 and 2002–03 on the basis that their salaries fell below the "salary threshold". Baroness Andrews: Details of the costs that are excluded from management costs definitions and the number of staff whose salaries fell below the "salary threshold" are not collected centrally. Beta Interferon Risk-sharing Scheme for Multiple Sclerosis Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government: Of the 9,000 patients who may be eligible to participate in the beta interferon risk-sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis: (a) how many were on waiting lists for treatment when the scheme started on 6 May 2002; and (b) how many are now receiving treatment; and To whom, figures for the number of patients currently: (a) on the waiting list for the beta interferon risk-sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis; and (b) receiving treatment on the beta interferon risk-sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis, are being reported by primary care trusts; and What action they are taking to encourage primary care trusts to implement the beta interferon risk-sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis; and What specific activities the steering group set up to oversee the implementation of the beta interferon risk-sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis is undertaking, and how its work will be passed down to Primary Care Trust for implementation; and Why there are no plans to publish a progress report on the implementation of the beta interferon risk-sharing scheme for multiple sclerosis, and how they will ensure that an update on progress is made available. Baroness Andrews: We estimate there are around 5,000 patients now receiving treatment with a disease-modifying drug for their multiple sclerosis. About 300 new patients each month are being initiated on treatment. We do not have information about numbers waiting to be assessed. The project is administered by the scheme steering group which is composed of representatives from all participating companies, the MS Society and the MS Trust, the Association of British Neurologists, the Royal College of Nurses/Association of MS Nurses, and the four UK health departments. In broad terms, the steering group's role is to oversee implementation of the scheme and to advise the scheme co-ordinator and participants on any actions which could help to ensure the smooth and effective entry of patients into the scheme. For day-to-day purposes the scheme steering group has delegated its authority to a project monitoring group which works closely with the Sheffield School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR). ScHARR is co-ordinating the initiation of the project and the collection, capture and analysis of data relating to the scheme. ScHARR manages the consortium which is responsible for monitoring the health outcomes of patients entered into the scheme. To do so, they need to establish and maintain links with all the specialist centres which are assessing and prescribing treatment for MS patients. It is envisaged that the formal patient monitoring process for assessing cost effectiveness and pricing adjustments will continue for up to 10 years. Within this period there will be two yearly reviews of the reimbursement arrangements. It is intended that valid findings arising out of the data monitoring and analysis of the scheme will be published, if possible in peer-reviewed journals. We do not hold precise details about the way in which primary care trusts (PCTs) are implementing the scheme but following earlier reports of slow progress we asked strategic health authorities (SHAs) to adopt a proactive role with their PCTs to meet their statutory responsibilities. SHAs and PCTs have previously been reminded of their responsibilities to implement the scheme in the chief executive's bulletin dated 17 July 2002. Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation: Indemnity Insurance for Nurses Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether National Health Service community nursing staff, including district nurses, have indemnity cover to manage non-invasive positive pressure ventilation devices for patients, such as those with motor neurone disease, who are ventilated at home. Baroness Andrews: Registered nurses are required to work within the nurses' and midwives' Code of professional conduct, as set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and are personally accountable to the NMC for their practice. The code states that, "you have a duty of care to your patients and clients, who are entitled to receive safe and competent care". Nurses usually have their own indemnity insurance through membership of a professional organisation, which if they are trained in non-invasive positive pressure ventilation, would provide cover. Employers, such as National Health Service trusts, primary care trusts or general practitioners, also have vicarious liability for the actions of nurses as their employees, and their indemnity scheme would provide cover, providing that the nurse was working within the role agreed with their employer. Technetium-99: Discharge into Irish Sea Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: When was the most recent discharge of technetium-99 into the Irish Sea from Sellafield. Lord Whitty: Technetium-99 is discharged into the Irish Sea from Sellafield primarily as the result of treating Medium Active Concentrate (MAC), a liquid waste arising from the reprocessing of spent Magnox fuel. Batches of MAC are treated in "campaigns" at the Enhanced Actinide Removal Plant (EARP) which removes the most radiotoxic components of the MAC mixture. The latest treatment campaign, and hence the most recent discharges, were in February and March of this year. Technetium-99: Discharge into Irish Sea Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they intend to respond to the letter of 1 April from the Norwegian Minister of the Environment regarding the discharge of technetium-99 into the Irish Sea from Sellafield. Lord Whitty: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Environment (Mr Michael Meacher) met the Norwegian Environment Minister, Borge Brende, on 15 May. A discussion took place for two hours during which expert advisers from both countries were able to address the complex technical issues that surround technetium-99 discharges. My right honourable friend emphasised that even though technetium-99 at the levels currently discharged does not pose a risk to human health or the environment, we do take very seriously Norwegian concerns about its presence in their coastal waters. Norway is concerned that the fact that technetium may be detected in seaweed and crustaceans in their coastal waters might lead to a perception of contamination for their fishing industry. The Government are sympathetic to these concerns, but when making decisions on how best to manage the backlog of liquid waste that contains a mixture of radiotoxic components along with the technetium-99, they must judge that against the possibility of increasing the radiation dose to workers at Sellafield and the safety hazards on the site. We have already taken action to reduce the technetium-99 discharge limit to 45 per cent of its 1999 level, and further action, currently being implemented, will reduce the discharge limit to 50 per cent of this level by 2006. There is no simple way forward that would allow us to manage the waste effectively and safely and reduce the discharges more quickly, but further scientific analysis is being carried out, and we are working hard to address Norwegian concerns as fully as we can. Badgers: Krebs Trials Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the cost of the Krebs badgers trials to date; and when the final report of these trials will be published. Lord Whitty: The cost to date of the randomised badger culling trial (the "Krebs" trial) is about £30 million. The final report will be published after the trial is completed in 2006. Abattoirs Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the answer by Mr Alun Michael MP, on 15 May (HC Deb, cols. 450–2), what they consider to be the "acceptable" number of abattoirs for the United Kingdom livestock industry; and What percentage of overcapacity there is within the abattoir industry compared with the Meat Livestock Commission's figures for 1999 which showed 49 per cent for cattle, 55 per cent for sheep and 27 per cent for pigs; and How many abattoirs have closed since 1999; and how many of these fall into small, medium or large band groups; and Whether, in making their assumptions of overcapacity within the abattoir industry, they have taken into account the number of animals lost during the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak. Lord Whitty: The Government do not attempt to manage the numbers and location of abattoirs in a dirigiste way: slaughtering is a commercial activity provided in response to the market. We do not intend to recreate the network of municipal abattoirs provided by local authorities prior to 1972, and have no firm view of the number of abattoirs that is "acceptable" at the national level. It follows that we do not as a matter of course monitor the level of overcapacity in the industry; from time to time, however, the Meat and Livestock Commission does produce a snapshot analysis of overcapacity according to species but it has not updated those calculations since 1999. Overcapacity, however, is a complicated issue to analyse as some species—notably lambs—have marked seasonality in slaughtering throughout, and the slaughtering industry has rationalised into large abattoirs serving the major multiple retailers and smaller abattoirs serving more local or specialised markets. We are concerned that in some regions the availability of abattoirs serving more specialist outlets has declined. We are keen for producers and processors to add value by developing regionally branded and other specialist types of meat. We will work closely with the regional development agencies to identify where assistance to small and medium abattoirs is needed to encourage innovation and investment in the meat supply chain. In addition, where appropriate we will also offer direct support for new or expanded facilities through the processing and marketing grant and for the associated marketing of quality products through the Rural Enterprise Scheme. The analysis of need and capacity is best carried out at the regional or sub-regional level. Abattoirs are classified as either full or low throughput and there is no separate classification for medium-sized abattoirs. A licence may be revoked or surrendered for a number of reasons: these include where premises fail to comply with the requirements of regulations or cease operating for commercial reasons. Some premises which have ceased operating may still hold a licence, for example, while a buyer is found. Between 1999 and May 2003, in England, 85 red meat abattoirs have ceased to be licensed to operate (53 low throughput and 32 full throughput); and 39 white meat abattoirs have ceased to be licensed to operate (12 low throughput and 27 full throughput). However, during the same period, 15 red meat abattoirs have gained a licence (seven low throughput and eight full throughput; and 15 white meat abattoirs have gained a licence (nine low throughput and six full throughput). In the UK in 1999, there were 263 full throughput red meat abattoirs and 190 low throughput, compared with 238 and 141 respectively in 2003. Comparable figures for white meat abattoirs were 106 full and 64 low throughput in 1999 and 89 full and 52 low in 2003. Fallen Stock Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: How often approved contractors will be contracted to collect fallen stock from each farm under the new rules on the disposal of fallen stock. Lord Whitty: We would envisage that fallen stock will, once an approved collector has been notified, normally be collected within 24 hours and not more than 48 hours. This would be consistent with existing contractual arrangements where collectors are expected to carry out the collection of fallen bovines and ovines within 24 hours for TSE testing purposes. Fallen Stock Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the new rules on disposal of fallen stock will provide storage containers or whether farmers need to provide them; and What a farmer is expected to do with any decomposing carcasses if, under the new rules on disposal of fallen stock, a contractor takes over three days to collect them from a farm. Lord Whitty: Under most circumstances collectors will be expected to collect carcasses within 24 hours of reporting. However, if carcasses do have to be held pending collection, they must be held in such a way that domestic animals, including farmed livestock and wild animals cannot gain access to them. In practice, it would be reasonable to expect them to be held securely, such as in an enclosed building, or an area away from livestock under a suitable cover, such as a tarpaulin. There are no plans to provide farmers with storage containers under the subscription scheme. Some farmers may wish to provide their own storage containers, which must remain on the farm pending collection. Any such container must prevent animals/birds gaining access to the carcasses and must be both leak-proof, capable of cleansing and disinfecting and maintained in a clean condition. Fallen Stock Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the new rules on disposal of fallen stock do not allow farmers to share a small capacity incinerator unless they take out a waste management licence, provided that the incinerator remains small scale. Lord Whitty: Fallen stock are considered to be agricultural waste and currently are not controlled by the Waste Management Licensing Regulations. However, this situation is expected to change in 2004. At that time, shared low capacity incinerators which operate at below 50 kg/hour will additionally require a waste management licence issued by the Environment Agency or SEPA. This is because the exemption from licensing only applies where the waste is disposed of at the point of production. Those above 50 kg/hour will require licensing by the local authority, as at present. Fallen Stock Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What monitoring of any increase in the fly-tipping of carcasses they will undertake. Lord Whitty: Monitoring of any increase in the fly-tipping of carcasses is a matter for local authorities, usually trading standards, which will enforce the EU Animal By-Products Regulation. Defra: Responses to Queries about Fallen Stock Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: How long the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is taking to reply to written queries about the operation of the new rules on disposal of fallen stock. Lord Whitty: The Department endeavours to reply to all correspondence within the Service First deadline of 15 working days. Due to the way our database is arranged it is not possible to provide separately identifiable information for fallen stock. However, for the period from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 the Department has responded to 88 per cent of all BSE-related correspondence, including fallen stock, within the 15 working day deadline.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2003-06-09a

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom: Finance The Lord Bishop of Leicester: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the value of the Inter-Faith Network, and (2) the risks of withdrawing funding from the Network. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: This department has provided funding to the Inter Faith Network since 2006/07 and is grateful to the Inter Faith Network for its work to promote understanding between different faiths and none. The department monitors all funded organisations throughout the lifecycle of their project for the purposes of assessing delivery against workplan targets, compliance and evaluation, in line with best practice for the management of public funding and to ensure value is demonstrated. When making funding decisions, the Government considers a wide range of factors, including government priorities and current budgetary pressures. Grenfell Tower: Monuments Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect a decision to be reached about the delivery of a permanent fitting memorial to those who lost their lives in the Grenfell fire tragedy. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The government is unequivocally committed to supporting the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission and the community, in their creation of a lasting memorial to honour those who lost their lives in the tragedy.The Commission published its first report in May 2022, which can be found on its website. The Commission is continuing to engage with the community to develop a proposal for a memorial, and is working towards its final report, which is expected to be published in autumn 2023. Affordable Housing Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have to increase the development of affordable homes in order to address the decline in home ownership. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: This Government is committed to helping aspiring home owners to take their first steps onto the housing ladder.That is why home ownership forms a core part of the Government's £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme, which using our shared Ownership tenure, will deliver thousands of homes for affordable ownership right across the country.Since 2010 we have delivered over 632,000 affordable homes of all tenures and an estimated 136,000 homes for Shared Ownership. Help to Buy Scheme Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to relaunch the Help to Buy scheme. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Help to Buy scheme was implemented to boost housing supply and help people into home ownership, which it has done very successfully. However, it was always going to be a time-limited intervention, hence the announcement at Budget 2018 that the current scheme would run from April 2021 until March 2023, thereby giving the market and potential customers plenty of notice.The Government has brought forward a range of interventions in recent years to promote home ownership and will continue to keep other opportunities under review. Details of schemes including the First Homes, Mortgage Guarantee and Shared Ownership schemes can be found at: https://www.ownyourhome.gov.uk/.Own your Home (pdf, 116.2KB) Housing: Planning Permission Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reform the planning system to increase the supply of houses. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: To get enough homes built in the places where people and communities need them, a crucial first step is to plan for the right number of homes. That is why we remain committed to our ambition of delivering 300,000 homes per year in England and to retaining a clear starting point for calculating local housing needs. We know the best way to get more homes is having more up-to-date local plans in place. Therefore, we are also introducing new-style local plans which will be streamlined and put in place more quickly, with a requirement for these to be updated at least every 5 years, or earlier in certain circumstances. The most recent statistics show that we saw 232,820 new dwellings, which is over 75% of the way towards our goal of 300,000. Department of Health and Social Care Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation: Disclosure of Information Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 12 April (HL6942), when the minutes from the 24 January and 14 February meetings of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will be made available to the public. Lord Markham: The minutes of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation COVID-19 meetings which took place on 24 January and 14 February were uploaded to the JCVI GOV.UK website on 9 June 2023. Artificial Sweeteners Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the implications of the World Health Organization guideline on the use of non-sugar sweeteners, published on 15 May 2023,for dietary guidelines in England. Lord Markham: No assessment has been made. Policy officials have noted the report, its findings and the evidence used by World Health Organization (WHO) to inform their conclusions.The United Kingdom’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition keeps a watching brief on the evidence around non-sugar sweeteners and health. The Government continues to recommend that the population’s average sugars intake should be reduced to no more than 5% of daily energy intake. Electronic Cigarettes Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government when the illicit vaping enforcement squad will commence work. Lord Markham: National Trading Standards, who are delivering the vaping enforcement work, have already commenced work on data collection and intelligence analysis of the illicit vaping market. Other activity, for example at the border, test purchasing and testing of illicit products, is likely to commence in the Autumn. Health Centres: Greenwich The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reconsider the proposed closure of the Clover Health Centre in Greenwich which serves Nepalese and other minorities suffering from severe health problems and language difficulties; and what assessment they have made of whether other local health centres have the capacity to take on these patients. Lord Markham: NHS England has no plans to reconsider the closure of the Clover Health Centre in Greenwich, NHS England is assured there is capacity in local general practitioner (GP) surgeries to support patients registered at Clover Health Centre. NHS England is carefully managing the dispersal of the patient list to other local GP surgeries to ensure that patients receive continuity of care. NHS England is supporting all patients to register with an alternative GP surgery and is providing additional support, including translation and interpretation services, for those who need it. NHS England is also working with community representatives to ensure patients from minority groups receive the support they need. Food Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what funding they have allocated to support initiatives aimed at (1) reducing the consumption of high fat, salt and sugar foods, and (2) improving the overall dietary habits of the population. Lord Markham: The Department has allocated funding to support enforcement of current regulatory measures to reduce consumption of products high in fat, salt, or sugar, and improve dietary habits. This will include enforcement of promotions restrictions, mandatory calorie labelling in the out-of-home sector and restrictions on advertising of less healthy food (on television and online). In March 2021, the Department committed to develop a new approach to health incentives that aims to support people to eat better and move more. The Better Health: Rewards pilot launched on 17 February 2023 to adults who live in Wolverhampton and includes a £3 million investment for rewards in Wolverhampton. In addition, approximately £500,000 will be spent on promotion of healthy weaning and breastfeeding support and advice to parents. This is delivered through Start for Life which is the Department’s national communications programme, supporting families to better health. Food: Dietary Supplements Lord Rooker: To ask His Majesty's Government why they did not join Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the 27 European Union member states, Israel, Malaysia and Paraguay in putting forward to the 76th World Health Assembly, held on 21–30 May 2023, the resolution to accelerate efforts on food micronutrient fortification. Lord Markham: The United Kingdom actively participated during negotiations and supported the World Health Organization (WHO) Resolution on, ‘Accelerating efforts for preventing micronutrient deficiencies and their consequences, including spina bifida and other neural tube defects, through safe and effective food fortification’, initiated by Colombia and brought to the 152nd WHO Executive Board, which recommended adoption of the Resolution to the World Health Assembly.During the 76th World Health Assembly, the UK intervened to welcome the Resolution and called on the WHO to release updated child wasting guidelines and commence their operationalisation in the countries of most concern. The Resolution was subsequently adopted by all WHO Member States, including the UK, at the 76th World Health Assembly. Hereditary Diseases Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byEarl Howe on 15 July 2013 (HL1303), what progress the Humanand Embryology Authority is able to report that may correspond to previous estimates that mitochondria replacement techniques could "save the lives of up to 10 babies who are born every year with a severe form of the disease, such as those with high levels of mutations". Lord Markham: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it has made no assessment of the estimates previously made by the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, as the number of treatments to date in the United Kingdom is so low. Department for Transport Bus Services: Finance Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government which councils in Englandhave withdrawn all financial support for subsidised bus services in each of the past five years. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport does not hold this information in this format. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Cybercrime Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent cybercriminals from exploiting vulnerabilities in UK firms' cybersecurity software. Viscount Camrose: Software is a key driver of growth across the UK, and a fundamental building block of the digital economy. However, this has also increased its appeal to malicious actors. The Government is committed to strengthening the resilience of UK businesses and organisations, and it is a key pillar of the 2022 National Cyber Security Strategy.The UK is already making significant progress in the area of cybersecurity. The UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act is raising standards of device security for consumers and organisations and the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations are being updated to ensure that critical digital service providers have thorough security practices. These complement ongoing work by the National Cyber Security Centre to provide technical advice to the Government, critical national infrastructure and organisations across the UK.In February, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology published a call for views on software resilience and security for businesses and organisations. This sought views on the key risks and challenges around software security, and where the Government should focus on mitigating them.The call for views closed on 1 May, and the department is currently analysing the responses. These will inform the design of a set of policies to further address risks linked to software. The Government will be setting out its next steps in the summer. Department for Work and Pensions Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations Baroness Browning: To ask His Majesty's Government what training in customer mental health they give to contractors providing assessments of benefits claimants. Viscount Younger of Leckie: We are fully committed to supporting those with mental health conditions. The assessment of mental, cognitive, and intellectual function is an integral part of the assessment process. All healthcare professionals (HPs) undertaking assessments on behalf of the department must be registered practitioners who have undergone comprehensive training in the functional assessment of disability, and mental health conditions. HPs continue to keep this knowledge up to date through continuous professional development. In addition, mental health function champions support HPs by providing additional expertise about mental health, cognitive, developmental, and learning disabilities, and can be referred to at any time during the assessment process.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2023-06-14

Department for Transport Freight Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 12 October (HL2828), how much of the £20 millionallocated to themode shift freight grant schemes has been (1) allocated, and (2) allocated and spent; how many grant applications have been turned down; and what plans they have, if any, to increase the grant allocation in future. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Mode Shift Revenue Support (MSRS) budget for 2021/22 is £20m. The budget has been allocated. By September 2021 the Department accepted 56 grant applications for funding. Four grant applications were rejected as they did not meet the minimum criteria in relation to securing value for money. The Government continues to be strongly supportive of the MSRS grant to encourage modal shift from road to rail. There are no specific, current plans to increase the levels of the MSRS grant, however the Government keeps this under review. Freight Facilities Grant Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to re-instate the Freight Facilities Grant in England to help reduce heavy goods road traffic. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport currently has no plans to re-instate the Freight Facilities Grant in England. However, Government remains strongly committed to modal shift and continues to operate two freight revenue grant schemes (£20m allocated in 2021/22). This supports the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme for modal shift to rail and inland waterways; and Waterborne Freight Grants for coastal and short sea shipping. Government has also announced in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail its intention to set a rail freight growth target and will continue to consider further incentives – working closely with the rail freight industry - to encourage modal shift from road to rail. Electric Scooters: Hire Services Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why people hiring an e-scooter are required to have a valid driving licence for a motor vehicle. Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why people hiring an e-scooter are required to show (1) a passport, or (2) other approved identity, when this is not a requirement for those hiring electric cycles. Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the difference between (1) the locations where e-scooters are permitted to be ridden, and (2) locations where electric or non-electric cycles are allowed to be ridden. Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cyclists who do not have a vehicle driving licence participate in e-scooter trials. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In the UK, e-scooters are classed in law as a type of motor vehicle, therefore, all users of e-scooters in approved rental trial areas are required to hold a driving licence (a provisional as a minimum).When hiring an e-scooter, the user is required to demonstrate that they are eligible to ride and do so by showing relevant identification.E-scooters in approved rental trial areas are permitted in geographical areas agreed between the local authority, operator and the Department. They are permitted on roads and in cycle lanes within that area but not on the pavement. Local authorities and operators are able to add additional local controls, using geofencing technology, to exclude e-scooters from places considered inappropriate for their use, such as pedestrianised areas. Shared bike and electric bike schemes in England are largely unregulated and are able to operate across a larger geographical area. A303: Stonehenge Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 12 October (HL2847), what area of inalienable land vested in the National Trust following a national appeal for public subscriptions in 1927 would need to be acquired for constructing and operating the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down dual carriageway and tunnel across the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites UNESCO World Heritage Site; and what would be (1) the terms, and (2) the costs of such acquisition. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Within the World Heritage Site, there is 41.62 hectares of inalienable land owned by the National Trust that is being acquired; 1.75 hectares subject to outright acquisition and 39.87 hectares subject to subsoil rights acquisition for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme. The terms of the acquisition of inalienable National Trust land are the same as for all land interests and rights that are subject to Compulsory Acquisition. If granted, the Development Consent Order (DCO) gives National Highways Compulsory Acquisition powers to purchase land that is required to build and maintain the scheme, which includes National Trust land declared as inalienable. The National Trust land will be acquired through the General Vesting Declaration (GVD) process, which would vest the required land or rights to National Highways, including subsoil rights to construct and maintain the Tunnel. Where National Highways are taking subsoil rights only, the amenity of the surface land above will remain, including the surface lands inalienability. This applies to 39.87 hectares. Those rights and interests in land that are extinguished or changed through the above process, such as those belonging to The National Trust, would enable a right to compensation. This compensation would be negotiated and paid following the making of the GVD. A key principle of compensation is that of “equivalence”, meaning that a claimant should be placed in no better or worse position, financially, after the acquisition than they were before the acquisition. Therefore, until a time in which the land has vested through the GVD process and a claim received, it would be inappropriate to prejudice a live negotiation through speculating on potential costs. Shipping: Carbon Emissions Lord Mountevans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing todecarbonise the UK’s maritime sector. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: To date the Department for Transport has funded a £1.5 million competition for innovation in clean maritime and provided £93,897 in grant support through the 2019 Department’s Transport Technology Research Innovation Grant (TRIG) Programme, to early stage research projects related to clean maritime. In 2020 the TRIG programme provided almost £90,000 to clean maritime projects. Under this programme the Department allocated £400,000 this year to 13 projects in zero emission shipping.In March this year Government launched a Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) to decarbonise the maritime sector. The CMDC will allocate up to £23 million in R&D funding to 55 projects comprising of feasibility studies and trials in zero emission shipping technologies, accelerating the development of zero emission technology and infrastructure in the UK. Shipping: Carbon Emissions Lord Mountevans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Maritime UK’s proposal for investment in maritime decarbonisation as part of the upcoming Spending Review. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has carefully considered all industry submissions, including the proposals published by Maritime UK. The Spending review launched on 7 September by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will conclude alongside an Autumn Budget on 27 October. It would be premature for me to comment on any plans for further investment in maritime decarbonisation before a settlement has been agreed. Railways: Freight Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Rail Freight Group and other freight operators who have stopped using electric trains and have returned to using diesel trains because of the rising price of energy. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government fully recognises business concerns around increasing energy prices and we are regularly engaging with the rail freight industry on this issue. The commercial decision to use electric or diesel traction for freight haulage is a matter for individual private sector freight operators. We continue to support the rail freight sector strongly and recognise that rail freight remains one of the most carbon efficient ways of moving goods over long distances as on average, rail freight trains currently emit around a quarter of the CO2e emissions of HGVs per tonne km travelled. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Heating: Hydrogen Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government which villages they have identified as suitable for whole village trials of hydrogen heating; and when they will announce which villages will be taking part in the trials. Lord Callanan: As set out in my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, the Government is supporting industry to deliver community trials of 100% hydrogen heating. The first trial will be a neighbourhood trial in Levenmouth, Fife, which is due to start in 2023. BEIS and Ofgem have also invited Gas Network Operators to submit outline proposals for a larger village trial by December 2021. The Government is expecting that one or more of these proposals will require detailed planning during 2022, before location selection in 2023. Government’s intention is that the village trial will begin by 2025. Manufacturing Industries: Energy Supply Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the increase in energy prices on the UK's manufacturing base; and what plans they have, if any, to assist industries to meet these additional costs. Lord Callanan: The Government is determined to secure a competitive future for our energy intensive industries and in recent years have provided them with extensive support, including more than £2bn to help with the costs of electricity and to protect jobs. This includes electricity price relief schemes for eligible energy intensive industries in sectors such as steel, chemicals, cement, ceramics, paper and glass. Various funds are in place to support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and reduce their carbon emissions, including the £315m Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. Oil: Exploration Baroness Grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new oil drilling extraction sites have been approved in England in the last two years; and where any such sites (1) are, or (2) are proposed to be, located. Lord Callanan: One new oil field has been granted production consent in the last two years – Horse Hill (in Surrey). Oil: Exploration Baroness Grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many oil drilling extraction sites there are in England. Lord Callanan: There are currently 47 oil and gas extraction sites in England. Department of Health and Social Care Home Care Services Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the proposed reforms to adult social care announced in September, what steps they are taking to ensure that as many people as possible can remain in their own homes for as long as reasonably possible. Lord Kamall: We recognise the important role of housing in providing care and support to people in the community. There is clear evidence that the right housing arrangements can deliver improved outcomes and meet people’s preferences to remain in their own home. The Government will invest in the Disabled Facilities Grant and supported housing, as well as exploring other innovative housing solutions to allow more people to live independently at home for longer with personalised care and support. We will continue to work closely with the sector, including as part of the white paper on adult social care which will be published later this year. Social Services: Older People Lord Lipsey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of care recipients aged 65 or over are funded (1) wholly, or (2) partly, by local authorities. Lord Kamall: This information is not collected in the format requested. NHS Digital collects data on recipients of long-term care aged 65 years old and over who are supported by local authorities. However, its data collection does not differentiate between those who are funded in whole and those who are funded in part by their local authority. Undocumented Migrants: Suicide Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter dated 16 July from46 charities concerned about the incidence of suicides among young asylum seekers, (1) what assessment they have made of such suicides,and (2) what steps they will taketo address their underlying causes. Lord Kamall: Each and every suicide is a tragedy, with a devastating impact on families and communities. The Department for Health and Social Care, the Home Office, the Department for Education and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities are working with the Da’Aro Youth Project to better understand and address the concerns raised in the letter dated 16 July.The National Suicide Prevention Strategy Preventing suicide in England: A cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives, highlights groups which require tailored approaches to address their mental health needs, including asylum seekers. Every local authority has a multi-agency suicide prevention plan in place, tailored to the needs of local communities and work with local partners to implement these plans based on the National Strategy and local data. A copy of the Strategy is attached.The Government will also continue to use our safeguarding networks to identify the most vulnerable users of the asylum system and engage with the appropriate statutory agencies to provide the support they need.Preventing Suicide (pdf, 973.3KB) National Insurance: Social Services Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether those with an incomplete record of National Insurance contributions will in future have full access to social support and care. Lord Kamall: Local authorities are responsible for assessing an individual’s eligibility for care and support as set out in the Care Act 2014 and for meeting their eligible needs. A person’s National Insurance Contributions does not impact upon this. Anaesthetics: Training Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to fund additional higher anaesthetic training places as part of this year’s Spending Review. Lord Kamall: The forthcoming Spending Review will set out our plans for future investment in the National Health Service workforce.The number of anaesthetists has increased by over 26% since 2010. In 2020 Health Education England recruited 410 anaesthetic trainees across England with a 100% fill rate nationally. We continue to monitor the effectiveness of the current arrangements and consider the further expansion of specialty training places, including anaesthesia. Hernias: Surgery Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the average waiting time is for a hernia operation on the NHS. Lord Kamall: The average waiting time for a hernia operation in England is 191 days. Coronavirus: Vaccination Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government which data sets were used to compile the lists of those eligible for COVID-19 booster vaccines in England; and who is responsible for (1) managing, and (2) updating, the lists of those who are vulnerable. Lord Kamall: The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation has advised that boosters are offered to individuals who received vaccination in phase one of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and the Government has accepted this advice. This includes those aged 50 years old and over and those aged 16 to 49 years old with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19,For age-based cohorts, NHS Digital holds demographic information regarding English citizens and their dates of birth. NHS Digital identify those who fall into an age-based booster cohort. NHS Digital manage and update this information. Where a person is included due to a clinical condition, general practitioners (GPs) are ultimately responsible for diagnosing people that have those conditions. NHS Digital receive notifications from GP systems to include patients in the ‘at risk’ cohort and are then responsible for managing and updating this information as it is received. Vaccination: Publicity Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding they are providing to promote vaccinations across England against diseases in the current financial year; and how muchthey plan to spend on promoting vaccinations in the next three financial years. Lord Kamall: In 2021/22 the Department forecasts it will spend approximately £6 million on the promotion of vaccinations. The forthcoming Spending Review will set out the Government’s spending plans for future years. Ministry of Justice Prisons: Church Services Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that all HM Prisons provide a weekly chapel service. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Prison Service Instruction 05/2016, Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners, states that all prisoners may participate in the main religious observance of the week for the faith in which they are registered should they wish to - safety, security and other concerns permitting. This requirement was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic because of infection prevention and control measures. Alternative arrangements were put in place, including making available in-cell faith resources and the use of technology. Chaplains continued to make themselves available to prisoners on a daily basis and chapels have remained open for individual worship and pastoral care throughout the pandemic. Establishments are reintroducing weekly collective worship or meditation taking into account Covid safety measures and security considerations, as well as other factors, such as available staffing in multi-faith chaplaincy teams and the physical space available. Interpreters: Courts and Tribunals Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how often each year between 2017 and 2020 interpreters wereused in courts or tribunals in each of the following case categories, as specified bythe Ministry of Justice's language services contract: (1) complex written, (2) complex, and (3) standard. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: A table with the answer to the question is below: HMCTS - Volume By Complexity & Calendar YearYearComplexityVolume2017Standard25,8992017Complex104,3822017Complex Written3,7662018Standard26,2302018Complex101,5392018Complex Written4,1252019Standard27,5202019Complex100,7202019Complex Written5,6872020Standard27,1132020Complex69,0582020Complex Written4,046 Please note this data includes fulfilled Face to Face bookings only due to the enquiry referring to instances where HMCTS has ‘engaged individuals’ Juries: Exemptions Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether teachers and school staff may be exempted from jury service because of pressures on schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has not expected key workers, including those working in education, to serve on a jury. Anyone who is summoned for jury service and who cannot serve should contact the Jury Central Summoning Bureau (JCSB). While by law we cannot automatically defer jurors, during the pandemic HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) issued guidance to help staff deal sympathetically with all requests from the public who wish to be released or deferred from jury service as a result of COVID-19. Each application for deferral/excusal is considered on its own merit, in a way that is both fair to the individual and consistent with the needs of the court in providing a representative jury. Judiciary: Hong Kong Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to institute a further review into the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary, and (2) to assess the viability of UK judges continuing to serve on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The National Security Law poses real questions for the rule of law in Hong Kong and the protection of rights and freedoms promised by China in the Joint Declaration. The UK Government remains committed to supporting the principles of the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in Hong Kong. That is why the government and the serving UK judges who sit on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal continue to assess the situation closely.In line with our most recent assessment, the agreement under which the UK judges have served in Hong Kong since 1997 continues to have our full support. Prisoners: Pregnancy Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement a national policy and pathway for pregnant women in prison. Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of grade 3 prison officers being put in charge of pregnant women's healthcare. Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Pregnant women in prison are entitled to the same quality and range of healthcare services as they have access to in the community. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) published a new policy on pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and maternal separation from Children up to the Age of Two in Women’s Prisons on 20 September. This delivers a range of improvements to the care of pregnant women in prison. Prisons are in the process of implementing new requirements and are expected to have this in place by 20 March 2022.Healthcare in women’s prisons, including perinatal services, are commissioned by NHS England & Improvement. The role of HMPPS is to work in partnership with local healthcare providers to secure access to these services. The new policy introduces enhanced Band 3 Pregnancy and Mother and Baby Liaison Officers across the women’s estate. This is an operational prison role designed to enable early identification, contact and signposting to support services, including perinatal healthcare services. It is not a clinical role – provision of clinical services is the responsibility of NHS England and NHS Improvement. Treasury UK Infrastructure Bank Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what loans they have made available to (1) local authorities, and (2) mayoral authorities, through the UK Infrastructure Bank. Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) is open in interim form and can support lending of £4 billion in total to local authorities. The UKIB is in discussion with several local authorities about potential opportunities and is open to further proposals. The UKIB is operationally independent and assesses deals in line with its investment principles. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Philippines: Drugs The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what steps they have taken to urge President Roderigo Duterte to cooperate with the ICC’s investigation into crimes allegedly committed in the Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’ between 2011 and 2019, and (2) what steps they have taken to urge President Duterte to allow ICC investigators into the country. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains concerned about reports of human rights abuses in the Philippines, particularly the conduct of the "war on drugs" campaign and the treatment of some human and land rights defenders and journalists. We are aware of the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation and urge the Philippines to cooperate. My Right Honourable Friend, the Minister for Asia, visited the Philippines on 7 to 10 October, where she raised our human rights concerns with the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Teodoro Locsin on 9 October. The former Foreign Secretary raised human rights concerns with Secretary Locsin on 20 July. Land Mines The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) why they have reduced funding for mine clearance and unexploded bombs, (2) by how much this funding has reduced, and (3) what assessment they have made of the impact of these funding reductions. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are prioritising our aid to be more strategic and remain a force for good across the world, and are working towards finalising funding and country allocation for GMAP3. We have welcomed feedback from our partners in the mine action sector. The UK remains committed to our international treaty obligations and our mine action work will continue to promote peace and conflict recovery while saving the lives of those most in need. British Indian Ocean Territory: Postage Stamps Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to Resolution C15/2021 of the Universal Postal Union that stamps from the Chagos Islands must be issued by the government of Mauritius to be valid, what assessment they have made of the continued sale of British Indian Ocean Territory postage stamps. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are disappointed by the Universal Postal Union's resolution C15/2021. The UK has no doubt as to our sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory, which has been under continuous British sovereignty since 1814. Adoption of this resolution means that the Universal Postal Union will no longer register, distribute, or forward BIOT stamps issued by the Territory. However UK stamps continue to be used for the UK military postal service, accessible to UK military and civilian contractors. British Indian Ocean Territory: Military Bases and Sovereignty Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to hold discussions with the government of Mauritius in relation to a settlement concerning the future of the Chagos Islands which will (1) allow Chagossians to return to the islands, and (2) safeguard the future of the UK military base on Diego Garcia. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: There are no current plans for discussions with the Government of Mauritius on the future of BIOT which will allow Chagossians to return to the islands. We remain open to dialogue with Mauritius on matters of shared interest, including BIOT and its Marine Protected Area (MPA). The defence facilities on BIOT help to keep people here in the United Kingdom and around the world safe. The UK will cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius when it is no longer required for defence purposes. Tigray: Crimes against Humanity Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify whether there is evidence of ethnic cleansing, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide being committed in the Tigray region. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are extremely concerned by reports of widespread human rights abuses in Ethiopia. Civilians must be protected and the violence must stop. The UK is supporting the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to ensure that their joint investigation into atrocities in Tigray, with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, is independent, transparent and impartial and holds the parties to this conflict directly responsible for their actions. We are also examining how we can best support institutions undertaking investigations into Human Rights abuses and violations. The UK's longstanding position is that determining whether a situation amounts to genocide is an issue for competent national and international courts, not governments. The Foreign Secretary, the Minister for Africa and our Ambassador in Addis continue to raise human rights issues in their discussions with the Ethiopian Government. Latin America: Environment Protection Lord Mountevans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the challenges faced by environmental defenders in (1) Colombia, and (2) other Latin American countries; and what guidance is available to British companies involved in sensitive sectors, such as mining. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The British Government remain committed to delivering a broad human rights agenda across Latin America. Our programming across the region has included projects to strengthen democracy, protect civil society space by fostering freedom of expression and build capacity for local human rights defenders, which includes environmental activists.As set out in the FCDO Annual Human Rights Report, we expect British businesses to respect local and international law wherever they operate. The UK was the first country to create a National Action Plan to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This plan sets out what is expected of the conduct of UK businesses, including compliance with relevant laws and respect for human rights; treating the risk of causing human rights abuses as a legal compliance issue; adopting appropriate due diligence policies; and consulting those who could potentially be affected.We remain concerned about the persistent level of violence and threats towards environmental defenders in Colombia and elsewhere in Latin America and we regularly raise human rights issues with the Colombian Government and in multilateral fora. Most recently, the UK's Minister for the Environment, Lord Goldsmith, visited Colombia and raised our concerns around violence and threats toward environmental defenders on 5-8 October and discussed ways in which the UK can support the Colombian Government’s efforts to tackle that violence. Coronavirus: Disease Control Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, (1) to encourage countries with surplus vaccines to make these available to COVAX, and (2) to seek improved cooperation between health and finance ministers in other countries in relation to (a) the COVID-19 pandemic, and (b) future pandemics. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Our G7 Presidency has championed equitable access to vaccines, treatments and tests, and the importance of future funding for COVAX. We secured commitments to share or finance up to 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by mid-2022. The Prime Minister has committed the UK to donating 100 million doses by June 2022. To date, we have donated 10.5 million doses and we are on track to meet our target of 30 million doses by the end of 2021. Ministers and officials continue to encourage other countries, including in G7 and G20 forums, to donate.The government is committed to continuing to improve global health and finance coordination to prepare for and respond to future pandemics. We are supporting G20 proposals to improve international governance and coordination between global health and finance policy makers. Kosovo: Serbia The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have held bilateral discussions with the governments of Kosovo and Serbia to help de-escalate tensions between the two countries. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK supports the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, with the aim of a comprehensive and sustainable normalisation agreement to the benefit of both countries' people. During the recent period of heightened tension, the UK, alongside international partners, held bilateral discussions with the Governments of Kosovo and Serbia to help de-escalate tensions and encourage the resolution of issues through the EU-facilitated process. We welcome the news of an interim agreement on the licence plate issue and encourage both sides to find a permanent solution that ensures freedom of movement. Iran: Uranium Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Institute for Science and International Security Analysis of IAEA Iran Verification and Monitoring Report, published on 13 September, and in particular the finding that Iran is only one month away from producingweapons-grade uranium for an atomic bomb. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The information in the International Atomic Energy Authority's report of 13 September shows that Iran's nuclear programme has never been more advanced or more worrying than it is today. This includes Iran's continued efforts to increase its stockpile of enriched uranium, including at 60% and 20%; and developing and operating powerful advanced centrifuges, permanently improving its enrichment capabilities. Our priority continues to be to find a diplomatic solution to bring Iran back into compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments. Iran urgently needs to return to talks in Vienna and to conclude the deal on the table. Department for Work and Pensions Housing Benefit Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average level of housing benefit paid to people renting (1) one bedroom, (2) two bedroom, (3) three bedroom, and (4) four bedroom, accommodation in the (a) private, (b) housing association, and (c) council, sector. Baroness Stedman-Scott: For the information requested on the average level of Housing Benefit in Great Britain paid by bedroom number and tenure, the following averages have been produced using departmental administrative data, the latest of which is from May 2021. SectorNumber of Bedrooms1234Private Rented£526£549£606£788Social Rented Sector Housing Association£552£407£414£500Local Authority£372£353£367£419 Notes:1) Does not include those in Private Rented Shared Accommodation.2) Does not include those on housing element of Universal Credit.3) Figures for 2+ bedrooms allow for Reduction in Spare Room Subsidy where appropriate. Housing Benefit Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was paid in housing benefit to (1) tenants of private landlords, (2) tenants of housing associations, (3) councils, in each of the last three financial years. Baroness Stedman-Scott: For the information requested on Housing Benefit expenditure this is available in the benefit expenditure and caseload tables produced by the department, the latest of which was published on gov.uk in March 2021. For the tenure types requested, we advise that Local Authority Tenants (Rent Rebate) figures are suitable for (3) councils, Registered Social Landlord Tenants are suitable for (2) housing associations, and Private Rented Sector tenants are suitable for (1) private landlords. Housing benefits expenditure £ million, nominal terms By Tenure2017/182018/192019/20of which Local Authority Tenants (Rent Rebate)5,4855,1784,788of which Registered Social Landlord Tenants9,1078,6817,967of which Private Rented Sector tenants7,7096,8715,609 Notes:(1) Does not include expenditure on the housing element of Universal Credit. Home Office Police: Misconduct Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to investigatethe issue of transparency in police misconduct hearings during the public inquiry into issues raised by the murder of Sarah Everard. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Since 2016, misconduct hearings have been chaired independently of forces by Legally Qualified Chairs.The Police (Conduct) Regulations set out that the presumption is for misconduct hearings to be heard in public. There are however a number of legitimate reasons why Legally Qualified Chairs may decide to hold a hearing in private. These decisions are taken independently and following consideration of representations by all interested parties, including the force, the officer, witnesses and the media. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Homelessness: Government Assistance Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support people at risk of homelessness. Lord Greenhalgh: The Government is committed to ending rough sleeping and preventing homelessness. The Homelessness Reduction Act, the most ambitious reform to homelessness legislation in decades, came into force in April 2018. It places duties on local housing authorities to take reasonable steps to try to prevent and relieve a person's homelessness. For the first time, local authorities and other public bodies must work together to prevent homelessness for people at risk.Acting earlier and for a broader range of people means more people will get the help they need before they face a homelessness crisis. Since the Act came into force, over 375,000 households have had their homelessness successfully prevented or relieved through securing accommodation for more than 6 months.We have provided local authorities with £375 million this year through the Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG), which represents a £112 million increase on the previous year's funding, to give them the funding they need to prevent homelessness and help more people sooner. This includes an exceptional top up to the HPG for this financial year with an additional £65 million for local authorities to help vulnerable households with rent arrears to reduce the risk of them being evicted and becoming homeless. This is part of more than £750 million being spent on tackling homelessness and rough sleeping in 2021/22. Cabinet Office Urban Areas: Royal Charters Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the criteria for a town being considered for City status. Lord True: City status is a rare distinction conferred by The Queen acting on the advice of Ministers. Every application for city status is judged on its merits. Guidance for local authorities on the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Competition, which closes on 8 December, is published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/platinum-jubilee-civic-honours-competition.On Monday 18 October, the Prime Minister announced that Southend-on-Sea would be accorded city status in honour of Sir David Amess. This was made in exceptional circumstances and outside of the ongoing competition. Coronavirus: Death Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total number of COVID-19 deaths in England since 1 July; and how many of those deaths were people who were either (1) unvaccinated, or (2) had underlying health conditions. 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 Lord West of SpitheadHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW27 October 2021 Dear Lord West of Spithead, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking the total number of COVID-19 deaths in England since 1 July; and how many of those deaths were people who were either (1) unvaccinated, or (2) had underlying health conditions (HL3191). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes mortality statistics for England and Wales compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. Based on the latest data in the bulletin ‘Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional: 15 October 2021’1, there were 7,673 deaths involving COVID-19 registered between 1 July 2021 and 8 October 2021 in England. Information provided at death registration can be used to identify the presence of pre-existing health conditions. The data are published quarterly in the ‘Pre-existing conditions of people who died due to COVID-19, England and Wales’ dataset2. These are currently available until the end of June 2021. In the second quarter of 2021 (April to June), 18.8% of people who died due to COVID-19 in England and Wales had no pre-existing condition. The data for the third quarter (July to September) will be published on 23 November 2021. The vaccination status of the deceased is not recorded at death registration unless the certifying doctor or coroner considered it to be relevant to the cause of death. To produce statistics on deaths by COVID-19 vaccination status the ONS has created a linked dataset which includes death registrations, vaccination data from the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) and Test and Trace data on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results. The methods are described in ‘Deaths involving COVID-19 by vaccination status, England: deaths occurring between 2 January and 2 July 2021’3. Unfortunately, this publication only covered deaths that occurred up to 2 July 2021. However, an update of this publication, covering deaths that occurred up to 24 September 2021, will be published on 1 November. Of the 51,281 deaths involving Covid-19 that occurred between 2 January and 2 July 2021, 38,964 (76.0%) occurred in unvaccinated individuals. Please note, however, that this proportion is likely to change in the most recent period, as an increasing number of people are now vaccinated. Yours sincerely, Professor Sir Ian Diamond 1 Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, provisional: 15 October 20212 Pre-existing conditions of people who died due to COVID-19, England and Wales3 Deaths involving COVID-19 by vaccination status, England: deaths occurring between 2 January and 2 July 2021. 13 September 2021 Ministers: Pay Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 20 October (HL3106), whetherthey will now answer the question put, namely, what criteria are used in deciding which Ministers are not in receipt of a ministerial salary. Lord True: The recommendation of Ministerial appointments to the Sovereign is a matter for the Prime Minister, taking into account such factors as the Prime Minister sees fit. The main determinant will be whether or not there are salaries available within the limits set out in the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975. Department for International Trade Trade Agreements Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many continuity trade agreements have been found to contain drafting errors after ratification; (2) which of those errors involve provisions that are no longer applicable to the UK now it has left the EU; and (3) what are the titles of the agreements affected by drafting errors. Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what drafting errors have been found in the continuity trade agreement with Ukraine; and what are the implications of those errors. Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what countries the UK has launched new trade negotiations with after (1) problems, and (2) drafting errors, have been found in continuity trade agreements. Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government has secured trade deals with 69 non-EU countries, many of which sought to replicate the effect of EU trade agreements. This meant that, when rolling over these agreements, the majority of EU texts remained unchanged and some language was retained with the understanding that it may require modifications once we had taken back control of our trade policy. When implementing agreements, it is standard practice to amend, correct or update them over time depending upon the circumstances, and this can be achieved without launching new trade negotiations. This principle applies to the agreement with Ukraine and to other trade deals. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges Lord Bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 12 October 2021 (HL2827), (1) when was the last occasion that they met with mobile network operators to discuss roaming charges, and (2) what steps, through legislation or otherwise, they are taking to prevent the reintroduction of roaming charges. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Ministers and officials have had recent discussions with senior representatives of mobile operators on a range of issues, including on the issue of mobile roaming. The last Ministerial-level meeting with mobile operators was in September 2021.During negotiations for the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, the UK proposed the continuation of reciprocal agreements between the UK and EU to enable surcharge-free roaming. The EU did not agree. The decision on whether to impose a surcharge on consumers travelling abroad to the EU for their mobile phone usage is one for operators. We advise that consumers check with their operators before travelling. Channel Four: Hearing Impairment Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impacts of the loss of the subtitling service on Channel 4 on those with hearing loss. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The government recognises the importance of ensuring that television content is accessible for all UK audiences. All public service broadcasters, including Channel 4, are required to ensure adequate provision of access services, including subtitling for their broadcast channels. Ofcom, as the independent regulator, is closely monitoring the situation regarding the loss of the subtitling service on Channel 4, including the actions being taken by them to restore normal service as quickly as possible and to keep viewers informed. Music: Coronavirus Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK Music report This is Music 2021,published 19 October; and what steps they intend to take to (1) support the music industry, and (2) compensate those who were ineligible for financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We have noted the publication of UK Music’s ‘This Is Music’ report with interest, and the Secretary of State’s contribute the foreword to it. We note the significant challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the music sector and recognise that this report proposes a possible path towards recovery. DCMS works closely with UK Music and officials regularly engage with the team there across a number of areas.Many organisations in the music industry have benefitted from the significant cross-economy and sector-specific support, the government has made available throughout this pandemic, including the generous employment schemes, grants, loans, a reduction in VAT to 5%, business rates relief, and the extension of the moratorium on commercial evictions for business tenants.The unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, of almost £2 billion, has been the biggest arts funding package in our history. Awards have been made to over 800 music-based organisations, totalling over £200 million, including more than £21 million alone having been awarded to music festivals and £3.36 million to grassroots music venues. 52,000 full time staff and almost 100,000 freelancers were supported until the end of June 2021 as part of the second round of the Fund (as reported by applicants).The Live Events Reinsurance Scheme was also launched on 22 September, which will continue to support live events across the country - such as music festivals, conferences and business events - which are at risk of being halted or delayed due to an inability to obtain COVID-19 cancellation insurance. The scheme will support the UK’s economic recovery from COVID-19 by giving events the confidence they need to plan for the future, whilst also ensuring that we deliver value for money for taxpayers. Internet: Privacy Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to legislate (1) to limit the social media abuse of public figures, and (2) to end online anonymity. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Everybody should be able to be safe online. Under the Online Safety Bill, which was published in draft in May 2021 for pre-legislative scrutiny, companies in scope will need to minimise and remove illegal content including criminal online abuse targeted at public figures and illegal anonymous abuse.Major platforms will also need to address legal but harmful content for adults. These companies will have to set out clearly what content is acceptable on their platforms and enforce their terms and conditions consistently and transparently.The Bill also places new requirements on tech companies in relation to anonymity online. It requires companies to identify, mitigate and effectively manage the risk of online anonymous abuse. Ofcom will set out the steps that companies must take to address online abuse in codes of practice.If companies do not comply with their legal duties, they could face tough enforcement penalties of up to £18 million or ten percent of annual global qualifying turnover. The Senior Deputy Speaker House of Lords: Times of Sittings Lord Storey: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment they have made of the(1) safety, and (2) wellbeing, of (a) members, and (b) members of staff, particularly women, leaving the House of Lords late to travel home on occasions when it sits later than 10pm. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Parliament benefits from a significant layered security and policing presence, and is within the Government Secure Zone which also has a substantial policing footprint strengthened by additional protective and deterrent measures. Personal security advice is available for all Members and staff, and the Director of Security for Parliament is content to meet with any Members who wish to discuss specific concerns. In respect of staff of the Administration, their safety and wellbeing is important and a late night transport policy provides taxis home for those who are required to work beyond 10.40pm. The House Administration keeps issues of staff safety under constant review, engaging with work place equality networks and others to ensure staff concerns are heard. Private Members' Bills Lord Grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many Private Members’ Bills in each of the last five sessions were introduced in the House of Lords; and, for each session, how many of them received Royal Assent. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The figures for private members’ bills that started in the House of Lords are set out below. Figures are provided from the 2014–15 session, as the 2019 session lasted less than a month, up to and including the present session to date.Session2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–19 2019 2019–21 2021–22 to datePMBs introduced in the House of Lords34485174408630Lords-starting PMBs receiving Royal Assent2001000

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2021-10-27

Department of Health and Social Care Strokes: Mechanical Thrombectomy Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the speed of Category 2 ambulance response times on (1) outcomes for stroke survivors and (2) access to thrombectomy treatment. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: Category 2 calls are ‘emergency’ calls which include serious time-sensitive incidents such as strokes and heart attacks. NHS England has allocated an additional £150 million for ambulance service pressures in 2022/23, supporting improvements to response times through additional call handler recruitment, retention and other funding requirements.NHS England is providing targeted support to some hospitals which face the greatest delays in the handover of ambulance patients to identify short and longer-term interventions. NHS England is also implementing pre-hospital video triage in ambulances for patients with suspected stroke in specific areas in England. These patients will receive a video consultation from their home or in an ambulance with a hospital-based stroke clinician, who will advise the paramedics on the best course of action for the patient, such as whether thrombectomy is required or to which hospital they should be conveyed. Cannabis: Prescriptions Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Kamall on 22 July (HL1593),how many (1)NHS, and(2) private, (a) licensed, and (b) unlicensed, prescriptions for cannabis medicines were made for severe treatment-resistant epilepsy in 2022. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: This information is not held in the format requested. The NHS Business Services Authority collects data relating to drugs prescribed in the National Health Service in England and dispensed within a community setting and private prescriptions concerning controlled drugs dispensed in the community. However, information on the condition for which a prescription has been issued is not held centrally.We are unable to provide the information requested on NHS prescriptions for unlicensed cannabis-based medicines as the number of items is attributed to fewer than five patients and the data could potentially identify individuals. Babies: Health Services Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have received on foetal viability from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Neonatal Nurses Association and the British Maternal and Foetal Medicine Society, who published joint guidelines in 2019 on caring for premature babies born from the 22nd week of gestation. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: While the Department monitors new evidence on viability, we have not received any such advice from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Neonatal Nurses Association and the British Maternal and Foetal Medicine Society. NHS: Negligence Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, withreference to figure 8 in the NHS Resolution annual report and accounts 2021/22,whether they will specify the number of clinical negligence claims settled inthe year 2021/22. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: The following table shows the number of clinical negligence claims settled in 2021/22, whether damages were paid and the status of the proceedings of these claims. No proceedingsProceedings with no trialTrialDamages paid4,555 claims2,207 claims11 claimsNil damages5,539 claims739 Claims19 claims Source: NHS ResolutionNotes:The percentage figures in the table may not add to exactly 100% due to rounding.NHS Resolution has identified that the text accompanying figure 8 of the Annual Reports and Accounts refers to the percentage of clinical negligence claims that have resolved without damages in 2021/22 as 48.5%. The correct figure is 48.2%. NHS Resolution is arranging for an update to the amendments section of its annual report and accounts. Health Professions: Training Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy intention incapping the number of trainee medical professionals in the UK. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: Decisions on the number of trainee medical professionals in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter. While the Government currently has no plans to increase the cap on medical school places in England, we continue to keep this under review. Prostate Cancer: Screening Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to introduce an NHS national screening programme for prostate cancer. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: There are currently no plans to do so. However, the UK National Screening Committee is due to review the evidence for prostate cancer screening in 2023. Dementia: Health Services Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government when theywill publish the terms of reference for the National Dementia Mission. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: Since its launch, we have commenced the recruitment process for the Chair of the Mission. Once the Chair has been appointed, governance structures and terms of reference will be developed. Dementia: Research Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government when theywill set out their spending plan to meet the target to increase dementia research funding to £160 million per year by 2024. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: There is no intention to set out a specific spending plan. Dementia: Health Services Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government how civil servants will support the delivery of the National Dementia Mission. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: Civil servants from the Office for Life Sciences, Department for Health and Social Care and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have been developing the Mission and will continue to be represented in any new governance structures and in supporting the Chair, once recruited. The Senior Responsible Officer for the mission will also be a civil servant. Social Services: Standards Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the delays to discharge from hospitals owing to the lack of availability of social care; and what steps they intend to take to address this. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: We are working with NHS England and local government to monitor and address discharge delays. NHS England’s data shows that on 31 August there were 13,195 patients in hospital in England who no longer meet the criteria to reside. However, this data does not record whether those patients are awaiting a care home placement or care at home.In December 2021, the Department established the National Hospital Discharge Taskforce with membership from local and central government, the National Health Service to identify long-term, sustainable measures to reduce delayed discharges. The Taskforce launched a ‘100-day discharge challenge’ in July 2022, focusing on 10 best practices for use in hospitals. Integrated care systems and local areas have been invited to submit expressions of interest to become ‘discharge frontrunners’ to facilitate the sharing of good practice and ideas to ease discharge pressures. In addition, we are simplifying the recruitment of eligible workers from overseas to allow social care employers to fill vacancies. Clinical Commissioning Groups: Integrated Care Boards Baroness Redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the challenges of the transition from Clinical Care Commissioning Groups to Integrated Care Boards, and (2) the risk of established ways of working being recreated within the new structures. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: NHS England led a transition programme to design integrated care boards (ICBs) and support the transfer of staff, property and liabilities from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). Through joint planning and progress monitoring between NHS England and the Department, all 42 ICBs were legally established and no significant transition issues reported. Whilst CCG functions have been conferred to ICBs and some continuity will remain where appropriate, ICBs are designed to work differently from CCGs. ICBs have new duties under the Health and Care Act 2022. This includes wider and more integrated care pathways, accelerated work on prevention and the determinants of health, new leadership in the National Health Service and new governance arrangements. The new ICB geographies will adopt new ways of working to ensure that the needs of local populations are responded to. Community Diagnostic Centres: Finance Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding was allocated at the start of this financial year for NHS diagnostic centres; and how much of this funding has since been diverted to other NHS services. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: The Spending Review in 2021 provided £2.3 billion in capital funding for diagnostic services over the next three years. The majority of this funding will be allocated increase the number of community diagnostic centres (CDCs) to 160 by March 2025 and to expand planned elective diagnostic services. In 2022/23, £900 million has been allocated to the CDC programme and to increase capacity for imaging, endoscopy, lung and mammography screening and improving digital diagnostics. The capital allocation has not been diverted to other services. Revenue funding may be lower than originally envisaged in order to meet the cost of the 2022/23 National Health Service pay settlement. Coronavirus: Vaccination Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, for further COVID-19 vaccination programmes during the autumn of 2022. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: The Government continues to be guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on COVID-19 vaccinations. On 15 July 2022, the Government accepted the JCVI’s advice to offer a booster dose in the autumn to those at higher risk from severe COVID-19 in winter 2022/23. The booster dose will be offered to residents and staff in care homes for older adults; frontline health and social care workers; carers aged 16 years old and over; all adults aged 50 years old and over; and those aged five to 49 years old in a clinical risk group or who are household contacts of someone with immunosuppression. Coronavirus: Vaccination Baroness Taylor of Bolton: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have removed Covid vaccine access for five to 11 year olds given that recent rates of reported cases in children have exceeded those in adults. Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist: There has been no change to the offer of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged five to 11 years old. In February 2022, the Government accepted advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for a one-off, non-urgent vaccine offer for children aged five to 11 years old not in clinical risk groups. This offer has been applicable to children aged five years old by 31 August 2022 and eligible children may still receive this vaccination.On 15 July 2022, the Government accepted the advice of the JCVI to offer a booster vaccination in autumn 2022 for those at higher risk of severe COVID-19. All children aged five years old and over in a clinical risk group are eligible for a booster dose in the autumn campaign. Cabinet Office Senior Civil Servants Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have ceased publishing the responsibilities and names of all senior civil servants, including those at the SCS1 grade, in all departments of central government. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether Freedom of Information principles require the release of the responsibilities and names of all senior civil servants. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The guidance for departments to publish their SCS transparency data remains in place, and all departments have published at least once since 1st April 2022.Each department publishes its departmental organograms on data.gov.uk as part of the Government’s commitment to transparency. In order to do so, departments individually collect and present data including names, grades, job titles, and annual pay ranges from Permanent Secretary through to SCS2. Information for those at SCS1 is anonymised.The decision to only publish names for SCS2 and above dates back to 2010, and was made on the grounds of proportionality and reasonable expectations of privacy. The guidance for publication of SCS transparency data was reconfirmed in 2017, and has been reviewed regularly to ensure that it is still appropriate and provides the information that the public might reasonably need. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Waste Disposal Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health risks, if any, posed by three-weekly rubbish collections during hot weather. Lord Benyon: The Government has not made an assessment of the health risks of three-weekly collections. Currently only a small minority of local authorities in England provide a three-weekly residual waste collection. The Government supports frequent and comprehensive rubbish and recycling collections. We want to ensure that householders are not inconvenienced by being unable to get rid of putrescent or smelly waste weekly or having insufficient capacity to recycle or to remove residual waste.Through new powers in the Environment Act 2021, local authorities will be required to provide a separate food waste collection to every household in England. Local authorities must implement at least weekly food waste collections and should continue to provide residual waste collections at an appropriate frequency, to ensure they are meeting their legal duty and to prevent any build-up of waste that could be harmful to public health. Kielder Water Lord Goddard of Stockport: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for water, forestry, rural affairs and resource management on 30 June 2014 (202032), what recent assessment they have made of using Kielder Water as a water source linked to a national water grid; and what directives, if any, have been issued to water companies to ensure the subject is included in their Water Resources Management Plans. Lord Benyon: In its 2019 Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP), Northumbrian Water identified a water surplus available for trading from the Kielder Water Resources Zone. However, no other water company took this forward, due to the costs of the project compared with alternate solutions to secure water supplies.In line with the aims of the National Framework for Water Resources, the Water Resources North regional planning group is assessing how Kielder might be able to support national water resources resilience in the future. In the autumn of this year, we will see draft regional plans and 2024 WRMPs consulted on publicly, and we expect to see water transfers, bulk supplies and connections considered against all other options.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2022-09-26

Age-friendly Cities Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements they will put in place to take forward the World Health Organisation age-friendly cities guide. Baroness Andrews: The Government have taken steps to promote the World Health Organisation age-friendly cities guide. The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Communities and Local Government will continue to promote the guide through their communications on ageing. The Department for Communities and Local Government will ensure that the analysis in this important report is built into the development of the forthcoming national strategy for housing in an ageing society. Alcohol Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will respond to the recent recommendations of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK on increasing alcohol taxation, the regulation of the drinks industry and the funding of alcohol treatment and prevention programme. Lord Darzi of Denham: The Government have signalled their intention to give greater priority to alcohol prevention and treatment. From April 2008, the National Health Service will have a new indicator, for the rate of alcohol-related hospital admissions, linked to the new Home Office Alcohol and Drugs Public Service Agreement. We believe that this new priority, coupled with work during 2008 to identify the cost of alcohol-related ill health to the NHS, with the opportunities to reduce this, will give a strong incentive for primary care trusts to invest in alcohol prevention as well as treatment. Controls on alcohol advertising are a mix of the statutory and voluntary. The Licensing Act 2003 has given additional powers to licensing authorities to set conditions which ensure that licensees exercise responsibility. The renewed national alcohol strategy, Safe, Sensible, Social, has committed the Home Office to commission a full scrutiny of how far the industry's own social responsibility standards are effective in preventing harm. The department will shortly commission an independent review of alcohol pricing, promotion and harm. This will begin in December 2007 and report in July 2008, covering the full range of issues around advertising, price discounting and its promotion, and links between these and harm to young drinkers and other groups. The voluntary agreement we have made with the alcohol industry for inclusion of alcohol unit content and health information on labels will be subject to independent monitoring. We have made clear that, in each of these areas, if the evidence justifies it, we will be ready to consult next year on the need for regulatory change, including possible legislation. Decisions on taxation are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, taking account of health, economic and other issues. Building Regulations: Energy Performance Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 21 March 2007 (WA 199), what progress has been made towards improving the building regulations energy performance standards. Baroness Andrews: On 23 July 2007, the Government confirmed, through the housing Green Paper, their timetable for moving to zero-carbon new dwellings and the role that the building regulations will play in this. To deliver this timetable, Part L of the building regulations which sets energy performance standards will be amended in 2010, 2013 and 2016. The standards that will be set for new dwellings at each of these milestones has already been announced (25 per cent improvement in 2010; 44 per cent in 2013; and zero-carbon in 2016). The performance standards for existing dwellings and for other types of buildings will be considered in the run-up to the 2010 amendment of Part L and will be consulted on in the normal way. Buses Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many school buses failed their MoT or safety test in the last year for which figures are available. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) does not record this specific information. VOSA publishes figures of how many PSV annual safety tests were conducted in each financial year in its effectiveness report. This is available online at www.vosa.gov.uk or in the House of Commons Library, business and transport section. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 23 October (WA 100), why they will not protect women's health and welfare by similarly restricting the types of human eggs that may be used in embryo research in either any future human fertilisation and embryology Bill or the Government's response to the report from the Joint Committee on the Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill. Lord Darzi of Denham: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) undertook a consultation in 2006 on the donation of eggs for HFEA licensed research projects. The HFEA concluded that the donation of eggs for research where the donor is not undergoing treatment herself, or where she is a patient who agrees to share some eggs for research, is acceptable provided that donation is with fully informed consent. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 29 October (WA 144-5), whether use of tissue other than umbilical cord blood following tissue typing of embryos will be restricted to just bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells of the resulting children, or whether this might include other organs; whether this distinction will be reflected in any future human tissue and embryos Bill; and how the extraction of bone marrow to treat conditions that are not life-threatening might be permitted if this is likely to require intrusive or repeated surgery. Lord Darzi of Denham: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill contains provision (Schedule 2 paragraph 3) that will allow the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to license embryo testing where the sick sibling could be treated with umbilical cord blood stem cells, bone marrow or other tissue of any resulting child. The Bill introduces a new paragraph 1ZA(1)(d) into Schedule 2 to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, which refers specifically to the tissue types: "In a case where a person ('the sibling') who is the child of the persons whose gametes are used to bring about the creation of the embryo (or of either of those persons) suffers from a serious medical condition which could be treated by umbilical cord blood stem cells, bone marrow or other tissue of any resulting child, establishing whether the tissue of any resulting child would be compatible with that of the sibling". The HEFA issues guidance in its code of practice on tissue typing. Following licensing of the creation and transfer of a saviour sibling embryo, this issue falls outside the remit of the HFEA. However, the Human Tissue Act 2004 requires that the Human Tissue Authority must approve any transplants involving organs from living donors. In the case of adults who lack the capacity to consent and children who are not competent to consent, this extends to bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 28 June (WA 157—8), Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 12 July (WA 240—1) and Lord Darzi of Denham on 23 October (WA 101), whether the reference under the proposed Section 4A(5)(e) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as proposed to be inserted under Clause 4(2) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill) to "such other thing as may be specified in regulations" will cover any predominantly or substantially human organism that conceivably may be created by injecting human embryonic stem cells into an embryo of another species in which the animal cells primarily produce extra-embryonic tissues. Lord Darzi of Denham: The reference to "such other thing as may be specified in regulations" as proposed to be inserted under Clause 4(2) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, has the scope to cover any predominantly or substantially human organism that conceivably may be created by injecting human embryonic stem cells into an embryo of another species in which the animal cells primarily produce extra-embryonic tissues. Such delegated legislation would be subject to affirmative resolution, requiring approval by resolution of both Houses. Embryology Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 8 May (WA 248), how much government funding has been allocated towards research into direct reprogramming of differentiated cells to a pluripotent state without the creation of embryos, in the light of findings reported in the journal Cell on 25 August 2006 (126:663-676), in the journal Nature on 19 July (448:313-324) and in the journal Cell Stem Cell on 7 June (1:55-70). Lord Darzi of Denham: The Government support research into all approaches to harness the potential of stem cells to treat human disease. While the Medical Research Council has not yet received any applications to pursue the induced pluripotent stem cell approach, it has supported three projects over the past three years directly related to efforts to reprogramme differentiated adult stem cells. The total value of these awards is £4.2 million. In 2005, the Department for Trade and Industry, as was, funded two projects involved in methods for the differentiation of stem cells. The funding for the projects was a total value of £1.58 million and was part of an open competition for the award of £10 million in research funding. No projects from this competition looked at the direct reprogramming process. Food: Supplements Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the European Commission anticipates bringing forward figures for the permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements; and Who is representing the United Kingdom in the European working group discussions on the process of setting the permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements; and What discussions they are holding with other European Union member state Governments on the issue of permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements other than as part of the working group meetings; and When Ministers last met the European Commissioner to discuss the permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements; and What were the conclusions of the Food Standards Agency and Better Regulation Executive assessment of the regulatory impact on (a) specialist manufacturers of food supplements, (b) specialist retailers and (c) other businesses of the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; and what plans they have to compensate small and medium-sized enterprises that suffer adversely as a result of the directive; and What further actions they anticipate being taken by the Food Standards Agency and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in relation to the trade in food supplements and herbal medicines from the Channel Islands. Lord Darzi of Denham: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is responsible for food supplements issues and is representing the United Kingdom in working group discussions relating to the EC Food Supplements Directive. The European Commission has indicated its intention to produce proposals for setting maximum levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements in the form of draft amending legislation to go forward to the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health for consideration in early 2009. I am advised by the FSA that there have been no meetings between its officials and their counterparts of other member states aside from those during, and in the margins of, the first working group meeting held on 24 September, and that no such meetings have been arranged. No recent meetings have been held between health Ministers and the European Commissioner concerning setting maximum permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements under the directive. The FSA is continuing its work on determining the potential economic impact of setting maximum levels to support future negotiations. In the absence of proposals from the Commission, a range of possible options is being considered. Until proposals are received and this work completed, the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises of setting levels is unknown. I cannot, therefore, comment on the matter of compensation. The FSA has written to the Governments of Jersey and Guernsey suggesting a collective meeting where the application of the EC Food Supplements Directive and the associated implications for trade will be discussed, and it is awaiting replies to this correspondence. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has begun discussions about the implementation of the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive, as part of discussions on the implementation of the Pharmaceutical Directive, with the Government of Guernsey and wrote on 28 June 2007 to the Government of Jersey to open similar discussions. The discussions with Guernsey are ongoing. Government: Draft Bills Lord Goodlad: asked Her Majesty's Government: In each Session since 1997-98, how many Bills were published in draft; how many Bills were partially published in draft; how many other sets of draft clauses were published; and how many government Bills, not including draft Bills, were published. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The numbers of government Bills and government draft Bills published is given in the table below. Full information is not available on the few cases where the draft Bill was substantially but not completely the proposed Bill. A Bill as introduced may anyway differ in a number of respects from a draft Bill, including in respect of the addition of new material, so there is no firm distinction between a draft Bill and a partial draft Bill. There will be other cases where clauses have been published in draft (including for example most Finance Bills), but no systematic records are available of such cases. Session Number of Bills introduced into at least one House 1 Number of draft Bills published 1997-98 53 3 1998-99 31 6 1999-00 41 6 2000-01 28 2 2001-02 39 7 2002-03 36 92 2003-04 37 12 2004-05 34 5 2005-06 58 43 2006-07 36 4 1 Figures include tax law rewrite Bills, Law Commission Bills and Consolidation Bills (all of which will have been published in various kinds of draft form or are pre-existing legislation, but are not included in the list of draft Bills in column 3) and Consolidated Fund Bills. Some Bills are carried over from one Session to the next and therefore appear in figures for both Sessions. 2 Excludes draft clauses on the Gambling Bill published in this Session, for which the main draft Bill was published in the 2003-04 Session. 3 Excludes draft clauses on the Company Law Reform Bill published in this Session, for which the first substantial body of draft clauses was published in the 2004-05 Session. Health: MRSA Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many examples have been found in humans in England and Wales of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus which is non-typeable by pulsed field gel electrophoresis; and how this figure compares with the situation in Scotland and in Northern Ireland. Lord Darzi of Denham: The Health Protection Agency's staphylococcus reference laboratory has not, so far, identified any methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which have been non-typeable by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The Scottish reference laboratory has done PFGE typing on all patient isolates of MRSA referred in the past three years—about 7,000 isolates a year. Two patient isolates, both referred in 2007, have been non-typeable by standard PFGE methods. Health: MRSA Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Approximately how many community-acquired strains of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus have been analysed by the national staphylococcus reference laboratories in the United Kingdom during the past year. Lord Darzi of Denham: Community-associated methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are more likely to produce panton-valentine leukocidin (PVL) than hospital-associated MRSA, and this is used as a proxy for community infections. The Health Protection Agency's staphylococcus reference laboratory (SRL) has been actively screening isolates for PVL in England and Wale s since 2005. In 2005, 1,281 were tested and 117 were identified as PVL-MRSA. In 2006, 1,755 were tested and 159 were identified as PVL-MRSA. The Scottish reference laboratory looks for the PVL gene in all MRSA isolates which have antibiotic susceptibility patterns suggesting that they might be of community-type (and in a few others). In 2005, 300 were tested and 71 were positive. In 2006, 481 were tested and 93 were positive. So far in 2007, 483 have been tested and 116 have been positive. Duplicates have not been excluded from theses figures. Health: Sexually Transmitted Infections Lord Fowler: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people were estimated to be living with HIV in the United Kingdom in 1998; and how many in the latest available year; and How many new diagnoses of HIV there were in the United Kingdom in 1998; and how many in the latest available year; and How many new cases of chlamydia were reported in the United Kingdom in 1998; and how many in the latest available year; and How many new cases of syphilis were reported in the United Kingdom in 1998; and how many in the latest available year; and How many patients were treated in genito-urinary medicine clinics in the United Kingdom; and how many in the latest available year. Lord Darzi of Denham: The information on the number of people living with HIV and new diagnoses of HIV in the United Kingdom is shown in the following table. Year Estimated total number of adults (aged 15 to 59) living with HIV in the United Kingdom (diagnosed and undiagnosed) New HIV diagnoses in the United Kingdom 1998 29,700 2,863 20061 69,4002 7,8003 Source: Health Protection Agency Notes 1. 2006 is the latest year for which data are available. 2. In 2006, the HPA also estimated that there were 73,000 people of all ages living with HIV in the United Kingdom. 3. The 2006 figure is an estimate based on the number of reports of new HIV diagnoses in 2006 received by the Health Protection Agency by the end of June 2007 (7,093) adjusted for new HIV diagnoses made in 2006 that are still expected to be reported. The increase in the number of people living with HIV and in the number of new HIV diagnoses has occurred for several reasons including: increased testing for HIV of groups at risk of infection;the introduction of HIV antenatal screening;diagnosis of infections in the United Kingdom that were acquired abroad in countries of HIV prevalence; continuing transmission of HIV in the United Kingdom, sexually transmitted between men; andthe introduction of effective antiretroviral drug therapies in the mid-1990s, which has resulted in a marked reduction in the number of AIDS diagnoses and deaths and may have led to an increase in HIV testing. Information on the number of diagnoses of chlamydia, syphilis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in genito-urinary clinics (GUM) in the United Kingdom in 1998 and 2006, the latest date for which figures are available, are shown in the following table: 1998 2006 Uncomplicated chlamydial infection 48,726 113,585 Primary and secondary infectious syphilis 139 2,766 New STI diagnoses 244,282 376,508 Other STI diagnoses* 145,544 244,804 Other GUM clinical diagnoses** 297,618 334,314 Source: Health Protection Agency, KC60 returns and STI Surveillance Scotland (STISS) data. Notes: * Includes recurrent and follow-up presentations. ** Includes other conditions requiring treatment, such as candidiasis and urinary-tract infections. 1. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns and STISS are for diagnoses made in GUM clinics only. Diagnoses made in other clinical settings, such as general practice, are not recorded in the dataset. 2. The data available from the KC60 statutory returns are the number of diagnoses made, not the number of patients diagnosed. Individual patients may have more than one diagnosis in a year. 3. The information provided has been adjusted for missing clinic data. 4. The figures include data from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. In addition to diagnoses made in GUM clinics, the national chlamydia screening programme has been running since 2003 in England. The number of people diagnosed with chlamydia under the age of 25, in 2003-04 and 2006-07, are shown in the following table. 2003-04 2006-07 Chlamydial infection 1,753 14,950 Source: national chlamydia screening programme. Notes: 1. The data from the NCSP are for diagnoses made outside of GUM clinics only and do not include diagnoses made by the Boots pathfinder project. 2. The data available from the NCSP are the number of diagnoses made and not the number of patients diagnosed. 3. The NCSP was launched in 2003. Therefore data are not available for 1998. 4. The NCSP follows the financial year. In England, the rate of increase in STIs has slowed and we consider this reflects the impact of the work that has been undertaken to date to implement the sexual health and HIV strategy. For example, our target is to offer everyone who needs it an appointment at a GUM clinic within 48 hours by March 2008. In September 2007, 88 per cent of patients were offered an appointment to be seen and 78 per cent were seen within 48 hours. In May 2005, only 45 per cent were offered an appointment to be seen within 48 hours. This is helping to speed up detection and reducing onward transmission. We are keen to improve access to a wide range of sexual-health services—offering people more convenient options for getting screening and testing, including further education colleges and private pharmacies. That is why we are rolling out the national chlamydia screening programme and working with Boots the Chemist to pilot a two-year chlamydia testing service in high street pharmacies across the capital for 16 to 24 year-olds. Housing: Market Renewal Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: When and how they will respond to the report of the National Audit Office on housing market renewal published on 9 November. Baroness Andrews: The National Audit Office report has now been considered by the Public Accounts Committee, which will report in due course. The Government will then respond to its recommendations. Immigration: Removals Baroness Stern: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the initial and refresher training provided to staff engaged by private contractors to deliver in-country and out-of-country escorting and holding-room facilities for those individuals being removed from the United Kingdom by the Borders and Immigration Agency. Lord West of Spithead: The training provided to all immigration escorting and holding-room staff is approved by the relevant contract monitor, a Crown servant who closely reviews and audits the contractors' performance. Licensing: Live Music Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 1 October (WA 186), whether it remains their intention to publish the result of the British Market Research Bureau's live music survey in November 2007. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government intend to publish the survey's results in December. The earlier publication date was changed in order to ensure that the methodology was as consistent as possible with that for the 2004 survey. The revised date was announced on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's website on 5 November. Passports Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether passports issued through Dublin are stamped as issued through the London office. Lord West of Spithead: British passports are not stamped to show the office of issue. However, the personal details page includes an entry to show the issuing authority. In the case of passports issued at the British embassy in Dublin, and at all other Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts outside the UK, this is shown as FCO. Passports Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Under what conditions residents of the Irish Republic can receive British passports. Lord West of Spithead: British passports are issued only to those who hold British nationality, as defined principally in the British Nationality Act 1981, and residence in the Irish Republic does not of itself qualify a person to hold a British passport. The British embassy in Dublin issues passports to British nationals who reside in the Irish Republic. Passports Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, as a result of the granting of equality under the Belfast agreement 1998, anyone in the Irish Republic can consider themselves to be British and receive a British passport. Lord West of Spithead: No. British nationality depends on specified connections with either the United Kingdom or with a British Overseas Territory. The necessary connections are defined principally in the British Nationality Act 1981. Nationality law was not affected by the Belfast agreement. Planning: Environment Agency Advice Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: On how many occasions the Secretary of State has called in a planning application where the local planning authority has ignored Environment Agency advice as a statutory consultee in opposing approval of such application. Baroness Andrews: Since the flooding direction, which covers major developments in flood-risk areas, came into force on 1 January 2007, 12 planning applications have been referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government under it. Three have been called in and two are under consideration. The remaining seven have not been called in, as objections from the Environment Agency have been resolved because of the pressure imposed by the direction. Planning: Flood Plains Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many building applications have been (a) received, and (b) approved for building on flood plains despite opposition from the Environment Agency in each of the past five years. Baroness Andrews: The Environment Agency is best placed to collect statistics on planning applications made and approved against its advice in flood plain areas. Its HLT5* report to the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Food and Rural Affairs, from which the table below is drawn, shows a year-on-year decline in the number of planning applications that are approved against Environment Agency advice. 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Number of applications on which the EA was consulted on flood-risk grounds 20,452 22,067 13,937 11,403 10,854 Number of applications on which the EA objected on flood-risk grounds 4,523 5,077 4,634 4,201 4,750 Number of applications approved contrary to EA advice 221 323 248 136 110 * The Environment Agency's High Level Target 5 Development and Flood Risk in England 2006-07 report to CLG and Defra, which covers all planning applications (ie major and minor). Planning: Flood Plains Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the effect of housing targets on the number of planning applications that have been (a) received, and (b) approved for building on flood plains despite opposition from the Environment Agency in each of the past five years. Baroness Andrews: No such assessment has been made. The Environment Agency has been given a greater role in spatial planning, including commenting on planning applications in flood-risk areas. This has been reinforced by the planning direction issued in January 2007 with respect to major developments, as part of the wider delivery of Planning Policy Statement 25 Development and Flood Risk. Prisoners: Christmas Leave Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many prisoners in Northern Ireland have been granted Christmas leave each year since 2000; and, of those, how many have failed to return. Lord Rooker: The following table provides the information 2000 for which details are not readily available. The only prisoner granted home leave at Christmas in the past six years who remains unlawfully at large, is Paul Andrew Kervein, a Magilligan prisoner who was granted leave at Christmas 2006 and was due to be discharged eight weeks later. Year Prisoners granted Christmas home leave Prisoners who failed to return to prison on time and became unlawfully at large Prisoners still unlawfully at large on 23 November 2007 2001 187 4* 0 2002 184 5 0 2003 127 1 0 2004 99 3 0 2005 116 1 0 2006 100 2 1 * A further inmate sustained fatal injuries in a stolen car which was involved in an accident on 23 December 2001. Terrorism: Proscribed Organisations Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances they would favourably consider removing the Kurdish Workers Party from their list of proscribed organisations. Lord West of Spithead: Each case is considered on its merits. UN: International Agreements Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is in the interest of those within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom to have recourse to the international complaints mechanisms under the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; and, if not, what is the reason. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government remain to be convinced of the practical value to people in the United Kingdom of rights of individual petition to the United Nations. The United Nations committees that consider petitions are not courts, and they cannot award damages or produce a legal ruling on the meaning of the law, whereas the United Kingdom has strong and effective laws against discrimination under which individuals may seek remedies in the courts or employment tribunals.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2007-11-29b

Department for Business and Trade Economic Cooperation: Saudi Arabia Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatplans they have for promoting economic cooperation between the UK and Saudi Arabia. Lord Offord of Garvel: Saudi Arabia is an important trading partner for the UK, with total bilateral trade at £18.5 billion in the four quarters to Q1 2023, and as underpinned by our joint Strategic Partnership Council. To further promote two-way trade and investment, the UK is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Saudi Arabia. An FTA will boost UK exports, create new opportunities and drive greater investment. It is also expected to increase UK-GCC trade by 16% and contribute an additional £600m (compared to 2019 levels) to UK workers’ annual wages in the long run.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2023-08-11

Department for Transport High Speed 2 Railway Line Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 13 October (HLWS503), what plans they have to produce a revised plan for the remainder of HS2 encompassing (1) a revised estimated total cost, (2) revised estimated passenger demand reflecting changes in travel behaviour due to COVID-19, (3) a revised design for Euston Station reflecting maximum number of trains per hour, (4) an option for the permanent termination of HS2 at Old Oak Common, and (5) a revised cost-benefit analysis. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Full Business Case for Phase One was approved in April this year and included a robust cost-benefit analysis using the latest cost and schedule estimates. The Government has also committed to keeping Parliament regularly updated on HS2 delivery against those cost and schedule estimates, and the first Parliamentary Report published in October provides the latest figures. The Department is working with colleagues across Government to understand and assess the pandemic’s impact on transport demand and on the wider economy, and how this will affect existing and future business cases for transport infrastructure investment. In response to the Oakervee Review conclusions, the Department for Transport has commissioned a study looking into the design and construction efficiency of the future Euston station as a whole. A further update on the outcomes of this work will be reported in the next HS2 Parliamentary Report. There are no current plans to permanently terminate HS2 services at Old Oak Common. HS2 Ltd’s latest advice indicates that no more than 6 trains per hour can reliably be operated from Old Oak Common as a temporary terminus, whilst Euston is being completed, under the current Old Oak Common station design. Tolls: Greater London Baroness Neville-Rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Transport for London about ensuring that residents in London receive a discount on the charge for driving within the congestion charging zone. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As part of the recent funding package provided to TfL, the Mayor agreed to maintain the current temporary changes to the daily charge, operating hours and days of the Congestion Charge as a continuing response to the coronavirus pandemic and ensure that London’s recovery is not restricted by traffic and congestion. Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and TfL, including any policy on resident discounts for the congestion charge. Electric Scooters: Pilot Schemes Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government which firms have been selected to run electric scooter trials in areas where trials are being undertaken. Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that electric scooter trials test a range of (1) models, (2) providers, and (3) local circumstances. Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of firms that would need to be involved in electric scooter trials for an evidence based policy decision to be made. Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that firms providing electric scooters under the current trials can meet their undertakings; and what requirements must local and combined authorities operating such trials meet. Lord Moylan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any firms that were successful in bidding to run an electric scooter trial are, as part of the contractual arrangement, providing additional infrastructure or other benefits. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: 11 different companies are operating across the live trial areas. These are: Ginger, Spin, Lime, Beryl, Tier, Zwings, Voi, Bird, Neuron, Zipp, and Wind. Many of these companies have their own model of scooter which meets the minimum requirements set by the Department. Trials include both short- and long-term rental. The range of trial areas provide a diverse range of local environments in which to assess e-scooter use. The key areas we are seeking evidence of are the safety of e-scooters, what mode shift they cause, and what impacts they have on other road users. There is no minimum number of operators who need to participate in trials to assess this, but we will additionally seek to learn and share lessons on how different e-scooter providers operate. The local authorities hosting the trials have selected the operators they wish to work with. They have undertaken their own procurement processes, ensuring that the operators meet both the Department’s and their own requirements for the trial. We have set out these requirements in our guidance for local authorities and have only approved trials where these are met. The requirements include that the operator has geofencing and driving licence checks in place, that local areas have engaged with local police and disability groups, and that data generated will be shared with the Department. Many of the operators are going beyond these minimum requirements, including providing free helmets to users and offering online or in-person training to use the scooters. Aviation: Cyprus Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the lack ofdirect flights from the UK to Ercan International Airport, and (2) the reasons why there are no such flights; and what discussions they have had with airline operators about how long it is intended to divert such flights via Turkey. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: In accordance with the rest of the international community, the UK does not recognise the self-declared ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ as an independent state. Additionally, direct flights to and from the UK and the northern part of Cyprus would breach the UK’s international obligation under the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. As a result, it would be illegal, as a matter of domestic law, for the UK Government to support direct flights to the northern part of Cyprus. Aircraft: Standards Baroness Harris of Richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reach an agreement with the EU on aircraft certification standards. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The UK has now entered a period of intensive negotiations with the EU. We approach this intensified process with a determination to get a deal, which respects our status as an independent sovereign state and allows us to control our own laws. We are seeking to agree arrangements on aviation safety with the EU. This will facilitate the recognition of aviation safety standards, maintain high safety outcomes and enable continued regulatory cooperation between the UK and EU. Department of Health and Social Care Coronavirus: Disease Control Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) feasibility, and (2) benefits, of promoting the use of digital identification in retail and hospitality settings to help address the spread of COVID-19. Lord Bethell: Having a more open economy is reliant on having measures in place to minimise transmission of the virus and keep the public safe. Where someone who has visited a venue in the hospitality sector or other designated sectors tests positive, NHS Test and Trace or local public health officials may request the records maintained by that venue of staff, customers and visitors. This will help them to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus and provide the necessary public health advice. Since 18 September 2020, the Test and Trace strategy has included mandatory requirements for designated venues, including displaying an official National Health Service QR code poster from 24 September, so that customers and visitors can ‘check in’ using the NHS COVID-19 app as an alternative to providing their contact details. Contact Tracing: Sheffield City Council Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they have allocated to Sheffield City Council to support the local NHS Test and Trace scheme. Lord Bethell: Sheffield City Council received £3,101,989.00 under the £300 million allocated to local authorities to develop and implement action plans, tailored outbreak control plans and working with local National Health Service and other stakeholders to reduce the spread of coronavirus in their area. Following the additional £465 million that was made available by the Government to support all local authorities, they have this week been sent a further £4,678,824.00 to support them as they moved into local Covid alert level 3. This money will clear with Sheffield in the next three to five working days. Influenza: Vaccination Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the level of demand for flu jabs, and (2) reports that pharmacies and GPs have not had sufficient stock to meet demand; and what steps they are taking to ensure that pharmacies and GPs are supplied with enough vaccines to meet community need. Lord Bethell: Overall, there are sufficient vaccine for up to 30 million people to be vaccinated in England this winter. We have seen huge early demand for vaccinations and latest figures show that uptake is higher for all cohorts compared to last year.General practitioners, community pharmacies, and trusts are directly responsible for ordering flu vaccine from suppliers which are used to deliver the national flu programme to adults, with deliveries phased through the season. Urology: Health Education Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been their involvementin Urology Awareness Month 2020; and what steps they are taking to raise awareness around urological health and diseases. Lord Bethell: The Department recognises that The Urology Foundation has designated September 2020 as Urology Awareness Month.To raise awareness of urological health and diseases, National Health Service trusts and commissioners are sharing patient stories and carrying out social media activity and webinars.NHS England and NHS Improvement have established the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project to improve continence care across the whole public health and care system. It has also published ‘Excellence in Continence Care’ a practical guide for leaders and commissioners. This guidance is currently being updated and a revised version will be published in due course. Protective Clothing: Procurement Lord Tyler: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 26 October (HL8435), why the need to act with “extreme urgency” did not lead them to award a personal protective equipment (PPE) contract directly to the Chinese PPE manufacturers instead of to a company with no experience of an import on this scale, substantial losses in its most recently reported accounts, and significant net monetary liabilities at the time of the contract award. Lord Bethell: The Government issued a public call to action to support the increased requirements of personal protective equipment (PPE). The aim was to reach these suppliers ie who had experience of supplying PPE and also those who had no prior experience but who had access to sources of PPE through their business contacts. This has resulted in 15,000 suppliers offering their help and support. All offers were prioritised based on volume, price, clinical acceptability and lead time – this is the time from an offer being accepted by the Department to the supplier delivering those items. These were often established private businesses whose net asset position is only one factor in evaluating their offer. Coronavirus: Vaccination Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI) JCVI: updated interim advice on priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination, published on 25 September, how theJCVI will define which underlying health conditions present the greatest risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19; and what evidence it will take into account. Lord Bethell: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), and the JCVI sub-committee on COVID-19 are currently reviewing evidence on clinical risk factors associated with serious disease and mortality from COVID-19. Following a review of the evidence the Committee will develop advice on risk groups for any future COVID-19 vaccination programme. The evidence the JCVI will consider include data from Public Health England, OpenSAFELY and QCOVID.The minutes of the JCVI committee meetings and statements on COVID-19 vaccination are published online. Protective Clothing: Procurement Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they used the services of ADM Group to procure personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic; if so, (1) what equipment they purchased, and (2) how much that equipment cost; and whether any such equipment was procured by that company fromHubei Haixin Protective Products Group Co., Ltd. Lord Bethell: The Department holds no contract with ADM Group for the supply of personal protective equipment. Health Professions: Pay Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to bring forward pay reviews for those nurses and other medical staff who were not included in the pay award for some public sector workers from 2021 to the end of this year. Lord Bethell: Pay in 2020/21 for Agenda for Change staff and doctors and dentists in training had already been determined due to existing multi-year deals agreed in partnership with the National Health Service trades unions.We will to ask the independent NHS Pay Review Body for recommendations on pay for Agenda for Change staff including nurses for 2021/22, and the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration for pay recommendations for medical and dental staff not already within a multi-year deal.As per the established process, the Government will begin the pay round with a remit letter to the Pay Review Bodies, which we expect to issue in the coming weeks. We then expect both Pay Review Bodies to report to Government in the coming spring and as ever, the Government will carefully consider the Review Bodies’ recommendations, taking into account value for the taxpayer and affordability whilst also ensuring we can recruit, retain and motivate the dedicated and compassionate staff the NHS needs. NHS: Labour Turnover Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the turnover rate of NHS medical staff; and what steps they are taking in response. Lord Bethell: NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics, including information on staff turnover. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care, local authorities or other providers.The following table shows the annual numbers and rates of leavers for doctors, including staff who left the National Health Service. Leavers data includes people leaving active service temporarily, this would include those going on maternity leave or career break. HCHS Doctors (excluding junior doctors) LeaversLeaver RateStability IndexJune 2010 to June 20114,4158.3%91.6%June 2011 to June 20124,6308.6%91.4%June 2012 to June 20134,7208.7%91.3%June 2013 to June 20144,1897.6%92.3%June 2014 to June 20154,1297.3%92.6%June 2015 to June 20164,3137.4%92.5%June 2016 to June 20174,2427.1%92.8%June 2017 to June 20184,4317.2%92.7%June 2018 to June 20194,2636.7%93.2%June 2019 to June 20204,2726.5%93.4%Source: NHS Digital Workforce Statistics – Annual HCHS doctor leavers from the staff group, in NHS trusts and CCGs in England, June to June each year, 2010 to 2020, headcount and rates.The retention rate has increased from 91.6% to 93.4% between June 2010 and June 2020.We are nonetheless taking action to improve the experience of doctors and further increase retention. For example, the Enhancing Junior Doctors’ Working Lives programme, led by Health Education England, is delivering a range of initiatives to improve the quality of life of doctors in training. Contraceptives Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they recommend that a client has a consultation with a clinician prior to the purchase of emergency contraception. Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pharmacies in England are unable to provide emergency contraception in (1) a confidential, and (2) a COVID-19 secure, way. Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of confidentiality in pharmacies for women whorequest emergency contraception. Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, what plans they have to reclassify emergency hormonal contraception as a general sales list medication. Lord Bethell: It is a legal requirement that pharmacy (P) medicines, which include emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) products, can only be sold or supplied, or offered for sale or supply, from a registered pharmacy. The sale or supply must be undertaken by, or under the supervision of, a pharmacist. Information on the number of pharmacies in England that are unable to provide EHC in a confidential and a COVID-19 secure way is not collected centrally.No assessment has been made centrally of the level of confidentiality in pharmacies for women who request EHC. However, most pharmacies now have a private consultation room where discussions with pharmacy staff can take place without being overheard. The Government has no specific plans to reclassify emergency contraceptive pills as a general sales list medication. Emergency contraceptive pills are currently available without prescription from pharmacies. Any applications to make them available on general sale from other retail outlets would be considered in accordance with the Government’s usual procedures by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Department for Education Education: Disadvantaged Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking toclose the educational attainment gap between wealthy anddeprived areas. Baroness Berridge: The government established the Opportunity Areas programme in 2017 to focus resources on transforming the life chances of children and young people in 12 areas of the country with low social mobility. We are investing £90 million to tackle regional inequality, convene resources, test new approaches and unlock barriers in those geographic areas where educational challenges are greatest.Nationally, the department’s pupil premium grant provides additional funding to schools based on the number of disadvantaged pupils on roll. We have invested more than £18 billion since 2011, and another £2.4 billion this year, to enable schools to arrange extra support for their pupils. This is accelerating their progress and narrowing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. The attainment gap index shows the attainment gap has narrowed by 9% at age 16 and 13% at age 11 since 2011. We established the Education Endowment Foundation with £137 million to research and promote the most effective ways of using pupil premium, so that all schools can make a difference to their disadvantaged pupils’ futures. Schools should consult their pupil premium guide when arranging support for their pupils.We are aware that all pupils, irrespective of where they live, have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.The £1 billion COVID-19 catch-up package will give additional funding to schools to support pupils whose education has been negatively affected by the outbreak. As part of this package, the National Tutoring Programme will target £350 million to boost the progress of disadvantaged pupils through providing access to subsidised tuition supplied by approved tuition partners. Schools in the most deprived areas will also be supported to use in-house academic mentors to provide intensive catch-up support to their pupils in small groups. This sits alongside our £650 million universal catch-up premium, which will enable schools to prioritise support for pupils in line with their levels of need. The Education Endowment Foundation has published guidance to help schools make the most of this catch-up funding, which is available here: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/national-tutoring-programme/covid-19-support-guide-for-schools/#nav-covid-19-support-guide-for-schools1. National Tutoring Programme Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many National Tutoring Programme Academic Mentors they estimatewillbe working in schools from2 November. Baroness Berridge: The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) is an ambitious scheme that will provide additional, targeted support for those children and young people who need the most help to catch-up. The NTP will spend up to £350 million to provide targeted support for children who have been hardest hit from disruption to their education as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The NTP for 5-16 year olds will increase access to high-quality tuition for pupils this academic year. The programme has two pillars:1) Approved Tuition Partners will offer high quality, subsidised tuition to schools.2) Schools in the most disadvantaged areas will be supported to employ in-house Academic Mentors to provide tuition to their pupils.Further information on both pillars can be found here: https://nationaltutoring.org.uk/faqs.NTP Academic Mentors will be employed in schools to provide intensive and frequent support for those pupils who need it most. Academic Mentors will provide support tailored to their school, but most Academic Mentors will support subject-specific work (both one-to-one and in small-groups), revision lessons, and provide additional support for those shielding or not in school. Academic Mentors will be a part of their school’s staff team, supporting and managing them to deliver mentoring that is linked to the curriculum.We expect the first cohort of tutors to be supporting schools from November, and we will be able to provide final numbers placed for this initial wave in due course. We plan to increase provision through the remainder of the autumn term and into the spring term. Apprentices: Ethnic Groups Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase BAME representation on apprenticeship schemes. Baroness Berridge: Apprenticeships benefit people of all ages and backgrounds and we want to ensure that more people from underrepresented backgrounds can undertake them, particularly those that offer higher wage returns and progression opportunities. We are pleased to have seen positive outcomes in the representation of black and minority ethnic (BAME) people in apprenticeships, with a particular increase in higher-level apprenticeship starts.We have worked with some of the country’s most influential employers through our Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network to promote best practice in recruiting and supporting apprentices from diverse backgrounds. We are building on this work to ensure that we continue to see improved representation of BAME people starting apprenticeships, especially in sectors that carry historic under-representation. We will work closely with these sectors to understand why this is the case, and to co-develop targeted solutions. We will also be working extensively with employers, with a particular focus on small and medium enterprises, to understand what barriers they face in taking on apprentices and how they can improve the diversity profile of their apprentices. Teachers: Males Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of male teachers; and what plans they have to encourage men to enter the teaching profession. Baroness Berridge: As of November 2019, there were over 117,000 full time equivalent male teachers in the state funded sector.One of our top priorities is to ensure that we continue to attract the high-quality teachers we need, regardless of their gender. We have announced plans for salaries for new teachers to rise to £30,000 by academic year 2022/23. This will make starting salaries significantly more competitive in the graduate labour market.In addition, we are continuing to offer bursaries, worth up to £24,000, to encourage graduates to train to teach high priority subjects, such as chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics. Candidates with (or expecting) a 2:2 or above, in all subjects, can also access free one-to-one support throughout their journey into teaching from our Teacher Training Advisers.Our ‘Teaching – Every Lesson Shapes A Life’ recruitment campaign is targeted at audiences of students, recent graduates and potential career changers inclusive of all genders, and the department takes every effort to ensure that our advertising is fully reflective of this across the full range of marketing materials we use.We are also working to increase the diversity of the existing teaching workforce. That is why, in October 2018, we published our Statement of Intent, setting out our commitment to increasing the diversity of the teaching workforce alongside ten key sector co-signatories who also pledged supporting activity. Sex and Relationship Education Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the intended educational outcomes for the pupils of the sexual aspects to be included in relationships education in primary schools; whether parents have the right to withdraw their children from any such classes; and what discretion head teachers have about permitting the teaching of relationships education. Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there is any increased risk of primary school-aged children being targeted for child abuse as the outcome of discussions outside of the classroom about sexual behaviour arising from relationship education being taught in primary schools. Baroness Berridge: We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. That is why we made Relationships Education compulsory for primary school pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school pupils, and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools.There is no requirement for primary schools to cover sex education. If a primary school chooses to teach sex education, it must be covered in the school’s RSE policy. Schools are required to consult parents on a draft of their policy. The statutory guidance states that when schools consult with parents on their policy, they should also ensure that they provide examples of the resources that they plan to use in teaching the new subjects as this can be reassuring for parents and enables them to continue the conversations started in class at home. This will also reassure parents that the resources schools choose to use are age appropriate and do not contain oversexualised content.The department remains committed to supporting all schools in their preparations to deliver the content of these subjects. On 24 September 2020 the department published the ‘Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum’ implementation guidance to support schools to choose appropriate resources. Training resources were also published alongside the guidance and will equip all schools to provide comprehensive teaching in these areas in an age-appropriate way. These materials should give schools the confidence to construct a curriculum that reflects diversity of views and backgrounds, whilst fostering all pupils’ respect for others, understanding of healthy relationships, and ability to look after their own safety and wellbeing. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health.In primary schools, age-appropriate relationships education will involve supporting children to learn about what healthy relationships are and their importance, as well as how to develop mutually respectful relationships in all contexts, including online. This will then provide a foundation for RSE at secondary school. Children will also be taught the importance of permission-seeking and giving in relationships with friends, peers and adults, as the building blocks for consent in secondary school.Where sex education is covered in primary schools, parents have an automatic right to withdraw their child from this part of the curriculum, although not from any sex education in the science curriculum. Head teachers must comply with these requests from parents.The findings of the impact assessment published in January 2019 refer to the importance of teaching children and young people about healthy relationships as an element in the approach to contributing to reducing child sexual exploitation. These findings can be viewed at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/924/impacts. Financial Services: Primary Education Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ideal age range to begin financial education in schools; and what plans they have to support the delivery of financial education to primary children. Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of the importance of financial education at primary level in the light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household finances; and what plans they have to provide additional support to schoolsto offer high-quality financial education. Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to integrate financial education and money management skills more widely into the national primary curriculum. Baroness Berridge: Education on financial matters helps to ensure that young people are prepared to manage their money well, make sound financial decisions and know where to seek further information when needed. In 2014, for the first time, financial literacy was made statutory within the national curriculum as part of the citizenship curriculum for 11 to 16 year olds.We also introduced a rigorous mathematics curriculum, which provides young people with the knowledge and mathematical skills to make important financial decisions. The government has published statutory programmes of study for mathematics and citizenship that outline what pupils should learn about financial education from key stages one to four.In the primary mathematics curriculum, there is a strong emphasis on essential arithmetic. This is vital, as a strong understanding of numeracy and numbers will underpin pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money, including, for example, percentages. There is also some specific content about financial education such as calculations with money.We trust schools to use their professional judgement and understanding of their pupils to develop the right teaching approach for their particular school, drawing on the expertise of subject associations and organisations such as Young Money.Schools should have resumed teaching an ambitious and broad curriculum in all subjects from the start of the autumn term. This means that all pupils will be taught a wide range of subjects so they can maintain their choices for further study and employment. Our latest guidance on teaching to support children is set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.Our £1 billion COVID-19 “catch-up” package with £650 million shared across schools over the 2020/21 academic year will support schools to put the right catch-up support in place. Details of the catch up package can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/billion-pound-covid-catch-up-plan-to-tackle-impact-of-lost-teaching-time.The Education Endowment Foundation have published a COVID-19 support guide to support schools to direct this funding. This is available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/national-tutoring-programme/covid-19-support-guide-for-schools/#closeSignup.For the longer term, the department will continue to work closely with The Money and Pension Service and Her Majesty's Treasury, to consider how to provide further support for the teaching of financial education in schools. Schools: Computers Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to providelaptopstoschools in deprived areas. Baroness Berridge: The government wants to do everything it can to support schools to deliver remote education. The department has invested over £195 million to support remote education and access to online social care, delivering over 220,000 laptops and tablets during the summer term for disadvantaged children who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.The department is adding to this support by making over 340,000 additional laptops and tablets available to support disadvantaged children that might face disruption to their education. Since September, over 100,000 of these have been delivered to schools.This scheme is intended to enable schools to support disadvantaged children in years 3 to 11 who cannot afford their own laptops and tablets. Schools will also be able to order laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children across all year groups who are shielding as a result of official or medical advice, all year groups who attend hospital schools and those completing their key stage 4 at a further education college. Universities: Finance Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sustainability of the current university funding model. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We have a progressive student finance system which delivers a fair balance of costs between graduates and taxpayers, while ensuring going to university is affordable for all who choose to do so. The government subsidises around 50% of the cost of higher education. This level of subsidy is an important and conscious investment in the long-term skills of the nation and ensures access to university for all with the potential to benefit from it.An independent panel, chaired by Philip Augar, undertook a review of post-18 education and funding at the behest of the government in 2018–19. This included an extensive programme of engagement and a call for evidence.The government is carefully examining the Augar Report and its recommendations as part of the wider Post-18 Education Review. We are considering a response alongside the Spending Review, with a view to providing certainty to providers and students. Universities: Staff Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies Ethnic diversity in UK economics, published on 26 October; and whatdiscussions they have had with universities about the diversity of academic staff. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies makes an interesting contribution to understanding ethnic diversity in the academic discipline of economics. We welcome the findings which show ethnic diversity among academic economists and economics students is increasing over time. We also note that economics as a discipline faces similar issues to the higher education sector more widely.Universities are independent institutions and are responsible for their own decisions on employment issues. We expect universities, like all employers, to give due consideration to their obligations under the Equality Act (2010) and the way their employment practices affect different people at different stages of their careers. Young People: Unemployment Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many(1) 16, and (2) 17, year olds are not in education, employment or training. Baroness Berridge: At the end of 2019 (latest figures available), the number of 16 and 17 year olds not in education, employment or training in England was (1) 23,500, at age 16 (representing 3.8% of all 16 year olds) and (2) 28,000, at age 17 (representing 4.7% of all 17 year olds). Ministry of Justice Prisoners: Gender Recognition Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 27 October (HL9110 and HL9111), how many transgender prisoners who have obtained a gender recognition certificate there are in each women’s prison; how many of those were sentenced to that prison term because of an assault against a woman; and what risk assessment they have carried out of the potential impact of those prisoners being held in women’s prison units. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: We are committed to ensuring that transgender individuals are treated fairly, lawfully and decently, with their rights and safety properly respected. Regardless of where a transgender individual is being held, we expect that they will be respected and addressed in the gender with which they identify.Data is not held on the number of prisoners with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs) within the prison estate. There is no legal obligation for an individual with a GRC to disclose this as, under the Gender Recognition Act 2004, once an individual obtains a GRC, their acquired gender becomes legally recognised and they are entitled to the rights appropriate to anyone else of that gender.Where it is known that an individual is transgender, a Local Case Board is held, as per our ‘Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender’ policy framework, to consider what support should be provided and to consider any risks posed to, or from, the individual. Cases can then be referred to a centrally managed Complex Case Board (CCB), chaired by a senior prison manager, where the referral criteria are met. However, thorough and appropriate assessment of risk is of paramount importance for all those in our care, regardless of an individual’s gender or any protected characteristic they may or may not have.Further information on the policy framework, the CCB referral criteria and the risk factors considered by CCBs can be found on the following link:- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-care-and-management-of-individuals-who-are-transgender. Prisoners: Children Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to update the study by the Home Office Research DirectorateImprisoned Women and Mothers, published in 1997; and what assessment they have made of the finding in that report that only five per cent of female offenders’ children remain in the family home while their mother is in prison. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Although responsibility for the children of offenders sits with the Secretary of State for Education, we are actively committed to joined-up working across Government and, in our Female Offender Strategy 2018, encouraged a partnership-focused approach to addressing the needs of both imprisoned mothers and children affected by maternal imprisonment.The Female Offender Strategy, published in June 2018, sets out our commitment to improving outcomes for women at all stages of the justice system, and this includes supporting those who have children. We know that female prisoners are more likely than male prisoners to be a primary carer and imprisoned mothers are more likely to be living with their children prior to custody – around 60% of women compared with about 45% of men in prison who have children.We recognise that maternal imprisonment can have particularly detrimental impact on family life, and that children whose mothers are in prison are a vulnerable group and may need additional help to address both the short and long-term impacts that maternal imprisonment can have.We have accepted the recommendations made in your secondary report on women, which demonstrated that supporting women to build and maintain health family ties is one of the many important factors to successful rehabilitation. We are making good progress with implementation of the Review and where needed we are working across Government to deliver the recommendations to their best effect. Going forward, we acknowledge the need for improved collection and transparency of data on primary carers in prison and their dependents in the community.At the moment, information on a prisoner’s caring responsibilities and children living in the community is monitored locally by prison Governors/Directors to ensure the appropriate support can be provided to women and their families. On reception into custody, all prisoners are asked if they have any children living at home and what their ages are. Currently, this information is not captured in a way that can be centrally monitored, and we know that there are challenges around parents being reluctant to disclose this information due to fear of involvement from social services. However, we are considering how to monitor and publish this information. Prisoners: Children Lord Farmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children who were living with people now in prison, are currently living with the prisoners' partners. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The information requested is not held centrally and could not be collated without incurring disproportionate cost as individual records would need to be analysed. Prisoners' Transfers: Northern Ireland Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many offenders were transferred from prisons in England and Wales to prisons in Northern Ireland in (1) 2019, and (2) 2020 to date. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Eight offenders were transferred from prisons in England and Wales to prisons in Northern Ireland in 2019. There have been no such transfers in 2020 as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. Counterfeit Manufacturing: Drugs Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many convictions for the sale or distribution of counterfeit pharmaceutical products there were in each of the last four years. Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Ministry of Justice publishes information on prosecutions and convictions by detailed offence and figures relating to the offence “Sell or supply adulterated medicinal products or falsifying medical products” can be found in the Principal offence proceedings and outcomes by Home Office offence code data tool available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888344/HO-code-tool-principal-offence-2019.xlsx The data tool can be filtered by ‘Detailed offence’, for the above offence. Filter to the following: “Sell or supply adulterated medicinal products or falsifying medical products (triable either way offences)” In 2016 there were 4 convictions for the offence of selling or supplying adulterated medicinal products or falsifying medical products. In 2017 and 2018 there were 0 convictions for this offence; and there was 1 conviction in 2019. Please note that prosecutions and convictions relating to the offence of the sale or distribution of counterfeit pharmaceutical products may fall under some separate summary offences other than the one mentioned above, but these cannot be separately identified. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Government Departments: Overseas Aid Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 May (HL4189), which Government departments applied to the Integrated Activity Fund for funding during the 2016/17 financial year; and which of those applications were granted. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: During the 2016/17 financial year the Integrated Activity Fund was administered by the Cabinet Office and this information is not held by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. USA: Non-governmental Organisations The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofreports that thegovernment of the United States is considering (1) declaring a number of humanitarian organisations who have criticised the government of Israel over its policies toward Palestinians anti-Semitic, and (2) discouraging governments from supporting those organisations' work; andwhat representations they have received from any potentially affected human rights group about that issue. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to combatting the rise of anti-Semitism in all its forms, and we have a regular, frank and open dialogue with international partners on this issue. The UK also respects the rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations. They must be able to operate freely, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Syria: Coronavirus The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have madeof the impact of the COVID-19 pandemicon the Syrian refugee camps in Idlib; and what action they are taking to prevent a humanitarian crisis amongst the inhabitantsin those camps. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Refugees and other forcibly displaced people are amongst the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1.2 million people in Idlib live in overcrowded camps and unable to practice social distancing or access proper healthcare or shelter.The UK has pledged at least £300 million to the Syria Crisis for 2020, to support refugees and host communities in the region as well as humanitarian needs in Syria, including specific activities to help tackle Coronavirus in North West Syria. Funding through UN and INGO partners has already provided over 375,000 IDPs daily access to 35 litres of clean water, access to safe sanitation across 38 camps and distributed over 23,000 family hygiene kits. Our funding also includes cash assistance for refugees and IDPs. The UK is monitoring the situation in Idlib and across the whole of Syria closely, working with the UN and our humanitarian partners to respond to the outbreak and to sustain life-saving services. Hong Kong: National Security Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the Hong Kong police toestablish a multiplatform hotline to encourage the public to report potential breaches ofnational security. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have made clear our concerns about the National Security Law, which is a clear and serious breach of the Joint Declaration. We continue to be concerned by the targeting of law-makers and activists, which is further evidence of efforts to silence opposition. We expect any arrests and judicial processes to be conducted in a fair and transparent manner. It is essential that due process is followed and that the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong are respected in full. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken in response to reports that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe will face new charges in court on 2 November; whether they have secured consular access to her; and what assessment they have made of any correlation between her summons and the postponement of the hearingon a financial dispute between theUK and Iran by six months. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: It is indefensible that Iran has brought new charges against Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe. We made a formal request to the Iran Government for the UK Government to attend her hearing. We have consistently called for her full and permanent release and continue to raise her case at the most senior levels. The Foreign Secretary has done so repeatedly with Foreign Minister Zarif. Senior FCDO officials summoned the Iranian Ambassador to London on 29 October to raise concerns over her treatment. The Iranian Ministry of Defence requested the adjournment of the November hearings. It would be inappropriate to comment further on ongoing legal proceedings, but we continue to explore all options to resolve this dispute. Iraq: Foreign Relations The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Prime Minister’s meeting with the Prime Minister of Iraq on 22 October, whether they have raised concerns over the competing influence of the governments of Iran and the United States in Iraq with the governments of those countries. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK remains committed to Iraq's sovereignty and ensuring that Iraq is able to govern effectively in the interests of its people. The Prime Minister underlined this support during his meeting with Prime Minister Kadhimi on 22 October. The UK regularly engages with all partners of Iraq, including Iran and the United States, in order to support stability in Iraq and the wider region. Yemen: Peace Negotiations The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are pursuing any new approaches to mediation in order (1) to make diplomatic progress, and (2) to end the civil war, in Yemen. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to provide diplomatic and programmatic support to the UN Special Envoy to help achieve the necessary political progress to end the conflict in Yemen. Alongside our diplomacy, we are championing and supporting the important role that women, youth and civil society can play in ending the conflict. For example, we are currently funding the Senior Gender Advisor and Senior Inclusion Advisor positions in the office of the UN Special Envoy. We will continue to support Yemeni women, youth and civil society at all levels to help create the conditions for an inclusive and durable peace in Yemen. Syria: White Phosphorous Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan (1) to investigate, and (2) to report on, on whether white phosphorous was used as a result of considering samples of skin tissue from victims of Turkish military operations in east and north east Syria in 2019 to 2020; and if not, why not. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Her Majesty's Government strongly supports efforts to pursue accountability for the most serious crimes committed in Syria, including the UN Commission of Inquiry and the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism. These mechanisms provide a more appropriate channel to investigate and report on allegations of violations or breaches of international law in Syria. Zimbabwe: Press Freedom Baroness Anelay of St Johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their hosting of the Global Conference for Media Freedom in 2019, what project work they have (1) undertaken, or (2) supported, to address issues with media freedom in Zimbabwe. Baroness Sugg: The UK is committed to the promotion of media freedom and the protection of journalists in Zimbabwe, both through direct engagement with the Zimbabwean Government, civil society and opposition, and through programmatic work. We have supported the work of the High Level Legal Panel of Experts following the London Global Conference for Media Freedom in 2019. This included the production of independent advice on meeting international norms in media legislation, which we have shared with the Zimbabwean Government and civil society organisations. The UK provides extensive financial and technical assistance to civil society organisations working to promote media freedoms and support journalists. We do not publicly name our civil society partners to protect them. Zimbabwe: Coronavirus Baroness Anelay of St Johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by their Ambassador to the WTO and UN in Geneva at the WTO Trade Policy Review of Zimbabwe on 30 September that "the UK has rapidly reprogrammed £21.24 million to respond to the outbreak of COVID-19" in Zimbabwe,which Departmental budget has been used to fund the reprogrammed £21.24 million; and which organisations will be the recipients of that funding. Baroness Sugg: In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, in April of this year, before the creation of the FCDO, the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) rapidly reprogrammed £21.24 million from our bilateral aid budget to provide critical support to primary health care in Zimbabwe during COVID-19. Through UK aid funding provided to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) we ensured vital services continued such as immunisations, pre and post-natal care and treatment for malnutrition. This COVID-19 support has also provided community messaging, support for frontline workers, water sanitation and hygiene improvement in schools and health facilities, and humanitarian food and cash aid to help mitigate the impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable. We will continue to work closely with partners to track resource mobilisation and advocate for appropriate prioritisation. Canary Islands and West Africa: Undocumented Migrants Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of migrants arriving in the Canary Islands from West Africa, and (2) the case for agreed European policies. Baroness Sugg: According to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, 8,102 people have arrived in the Canary Islands via sea so far this year, representing a significant increase on 2019. The dangers have been highlighted before, with an estimated 140 fatalities during an attempted crossing from Senegal to the Canary Islands on 24 October.The EU Commission published proposals for a new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum on 24 September. This will be for EU Member States to agree. We will welcome balanced and holistic European approaches that mirror the UK's commitment to a 'whole of route' approach. Special Envoy for Gender Equality: Public Appointments Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to appoint another Special Envoy for Gender Equality; and, if so, when any suchappointmentwill be announced. Baroness Sugg: Gender equality is a core part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's work as a force for good in the world. Promoting gender equality and advancing women and girls' rights on the international stage remains a priority for the UK Government including fulfilling every girl's right to 12 years of quality education.I was appointed by the Prime Minister as the UK Special Envoy for Girls' Education in March 2020. I am committed, in my role, to promoting every girl’s right to attend and stay in school, and to receive a quality education, I am driving the issue forward internationally, pushing for increased coordination and investment in girls education, and for greater global ambition. The UK Government continues to build on our Strategic Vision for Gender Equality alongside our National Action Plan (NAP) on Women Peace and Security. Department for Work and Pensions Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many reported breaches of the COVID-secure workplace guidance have been received by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE);what proportion of those were investigated by the HSE; and what proportion of such investigations triggered formal advice to the relevant employer. Baroness Stedman-Scott: To date, 14817 COVID-related workplace concerns have been reported to HSE. 4895 (approximately 33%) have been assigned to inspectors for investigation. The remainder have been dealt with by HSE’s Concerns and Advice Team. Of the 4895 concerns assigned to inspectors, 4284 have had a recorded outcome to date.Of these, 22 (approx. 0.5 %) required formal enforcement notices, 220 (approx. 5.1%) written correspondence indicating there was a breach of the law and confirming the action required to make the workplace safe and 1118 (approx. 26.1%) verbal advice to secure compliance with health and safety at work law. The remainder required no action. Note: The figures were extracted from HSE’s live operational database and provide the picture on the date of extraction (27th October 2020). Any new cases yet to be added to the system will not be included. Kickstart Scheme Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) 16, and (2) 17, year olds are participating in the Kickstart Scheme. Baroness Stedman-Scott: As of September 2020, there were 10,394 16-17 year olds claiming Universal Credit. DWP Work Coaches are starting to refer suitable young people to employers who are offering Kickstart job placements – this will include young people aged 16 and 17 at risk of long term unemployment. NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme 2020 Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have had benefit claims rejected due toreceipt of payments from the NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The information requested is not available. Universal Credit Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scotton 16 October (HL 8845), what are the Universal Credit earnings for a claimant earning £1,000 a month and paying £100 a month in relievable pension contributions into (1) a net pay arrangement pension scheme, and (2) a relief at source pension scheme. Baroness Stedman-Scott: Pension contributions are not used in the calculation of earnings. The earnings figure used in the calculation of UC entitlement is gross earnings less any occupational or personal pension contributions, tax and National Insurance contributions. From this figure any applicable work allowance and the earnings taper is applied to establish the amount of earnings to be used for a claimant in the calculation of their UC award. Universal Credit: Young People Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) 16, and (2) 17, year olds are unemployed and claiming Universal Credit. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The latest available information, showing the number of 16 and 17 year olds who are claiming Universal Credit and are not in employment, is given in the table below. Number of 16 and 17 year olds claiming Universal Credit by Employment indicator, Great Britain, August 2020: AgeNot in employmentIn employmentTotal161,499641,560177,9098918,799 Source: People on Universal Credit, Stat-Xplore, Department for Work and Pensions Notes:Statistical disclosure control has been applied to this table to avoid the release of confidential data. Totals may not sum due to the disclosure control applied.A count date of the second Thursday of the month is used when calculating the statistics for the people on Universal Credit.The employment indicator is available from November 2013 onwards. To allow sufficient time for earnings information to be gathered on all claimants, figures for the latest month in the series will not be available until the next release. Food Banks Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish their evidence review of the drivers of food bank use, commissioned in August 2018. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department reallocated resources to prioritise work to helping the COVID-19 effort. As such, we will update on literature reviews in due course. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Protective Clothing: Waste Disposal Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have conducted an environmental impact assessment of the disposal of single use face masks; and if so, what was the outcome of any such assessment. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We have not carried out an assessment on the environmental impact of the disposal of single-use face masks. Face coverings required indoors are not the same as the single-use surgical masks or respirators used by healthcare and other workers as part of their PPE. These should continue to be reserved for those who need them to protect against risks in their workplace. Instead, the latest Government advice on face coverings provides instructions on how people can make and care for reusable face coverings at home using scarves or other washable textiles. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering Reusable cloth face coverings are also available to buy from a wide range of retail outlets, including online. The Government has published guidance on the disposal of face coverings and other PPE during the coronavirus pandemic. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-disposing-of-wasteHow to make a cloth face covering - GOV.UK (pdf, 604.9KB)Coronavirus (COVID-19) disposing of waste - GOV.UK (pdf, 126.0KB) Forests: North of England Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the target date for the completion of the planting for the Northern Forest; and whether they are on target to meet that date. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: As part of the 25 Year Environment Plan, we provided a kick-start investment of £5.7 million to support the Northern Forest Partnership (NFP) of the Community Forests and the Woodland Trust. The partnership’s long-term ambition is to plant 50 million trees across the North. Our initial investment is funding at least 1.8 million new trees by 2022, and through further investment in tree planting in this parliament we will go above and beyond that. We continue to work with the NFP to identify, develop and implement delivery plans to ensure new trees are planted in the places of greatest need and that these trees are well managed and maintained for current and future generations to enjoy. Water Companies: Standards Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publishannual league tables of the performance of water companies in tackling leakage. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Water company performance data is already published annually on the Discover Water website at www.discoverwater.co.uk, including leakage, and companies provide data to the Environment Agency on water losses. Our 2018 Water Conservation Report sets an ambitious target of 50% reduction in leakage by 2050, endorsing the industry’s existing commitment to this reduction. We will continue to hold the water industry to account on this and to support measures taken to reduce leakage. Fishing Vessels Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many fishing vessels, registered in England, are currently in operation in theUK. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: As of 1 October 2020, Marine Management Organisation statistics show that there are 2,613 English registered and licenced fishing vessels. Home Office Domestic Abuse: Coronavirus Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £27million of COVID-19 related funding allocated to domestic abuse services has so far been paid out; andhow much they have allocatedfor use by such services in each(1) region, and (2) local authority. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Of the £27 million of funds which were earmarked for domestic abuse services affected by COVID-19, government departments have as of 28 October 2020 paid out £25,129,341.Within the £27 million, of the £15 million earmarked for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to distribute to local domestic abuse services through Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), the breakdown by UK region of the funds is as follows:UK regionSum distributed to PCCs in the region in question to distribute to domestic abuse services in their area/£East1,465,536East Midlands1,297,433London2,217,191North-East1,001,315North-West1,779,688South-East2,275,251South-West1,199,098Wales940,479West Midlands1,166,225Yorkshire and the Humber1,067,868 The above funds were distributed to the following PCCs:PCCSum allocated/£Avon and Somerset365,583Bedfordshire214,654Cambridgeshire209,068Cheshire222,793Cleveland354,331Cumbria152,784Derbyshire365,080Devon and Cornwall320,775Dorset170,710Durham303,238Dyfed-Powys96,416Essex462,273Gloucestershire113,933Greater Manchester645,461Gwent152,199Hampshire433,854Hertfordshire226,923Humberside116,022Kent484,381Lancashire380,264Leicestershire352,997Lincolnshire74,881Merseyside378,386MOPAC (London)2,217,191Norfolk191,926North Wales178,500North Yorkshire203,407Northamptonshire188,331Northumbria343,746Nottinghamshire316,144South Wales513,364South Yorkshire405,664Staffordshire284,632Suffolk160,692Surrey277,865Sussex474,728Thames Valley604,423Warwickshire153,308West Mercia235,586West Midlands492,699West Yorkshire342,775Wiltshire228,098 Of the £2 million earmarked for the Home Office to distribute to national and regional domestic abuse services, most of the recipients cover more than one UK region and so it is not possible to delineate the funding by region. The exceptions are one organisation which covers only the South-East, which was allocated £5,000, and three organisations which cover only Wales, which collectively were allocated £192,206.Of the £10 million earmarked for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to distribute to safe accommodation services in England, information is not available on the UK regions to which funds were distributed. This is because the exact locations of refuge and safe accommodation services are not revealed for safety reasons, and so may not match the charity’s registered address.It is not possible to break any of the three departments’ allocations down to local authority level. Asylum: Interviews The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of the benefits of consulting with civil society groups, and those who are engaged in supporting asylum seekers through interview processes, before establishing the system for the proof of concept pilot for the outsourcing of asylum interviews without such a consultation. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Asylum Operations regularly engage with civil society groups via stakeholder forums and often consult with civil society groups on asylum processes.Asylum Operations first communicated with civil society groups on the proof of concept for asylum interviews on 22 September 2020. We further engaged on the 6 October 2020 and continue to gather feedback to support the development of the proof of concept. We are in the process of responding in writing to further questions already submitted from civil society groups.The proof of concept will help establish if there is a longer-term viability. Once the proof of concept phase is complete, we will evaluate as part of ongoing engagement with civil society groups to support further development Asylum: Interviews The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will evaluate the success of the proof of concept pilot for the outsourcing of asylum interviews. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Asylum Operations are exploring many options to reduce the number of outstanding asylum claims. Alongside seeking temporary resource from within the Home Office and other government departments, we are also exploring with third-party suppliers, through a proof of concept, to test the viability of whether they can deliver the support required as a temporary, short term measure. An eight-week controlled mobilisation of testing has been confirmed. Once we have completed the proof of concept exercise, an evaluation will be completed, and this will inform any further recommendations or actions. Asylum interviews have not been outsourced, and at this stage we are only exploring the potential feasibility. The increased interview throughput will help rebalance the system, but also speed up decision making, reduce the number of outstanding cases and support costs. Asylum Operations will be looking to source resource with the right competency and recent experience in conducting sensitive interviews. To ensure external suppliers are suitably equipped to carry out the role, third-party interviewing officers will complete a bespoke training package, delivered by the qualified asylum operations training team, that has been designed specifically to meet their needs. Anyone who conducts asylum interviews receives thorough training to ensure they are fully equipped for the role. To guarantee governance and accountability, mechanisms are in place for the oversight of third-party interviews, the department has a quality assurance process which assesses the quality of decisions, interviews and the application of Home Office policy. Fire and Rescue Services: Staff Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 October (HL9091), how many of the 33 full and part-time BAME staff employed by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services are (1) Black, (2) Asian and (3) Minority Ethnic. Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 October (HL9090),how many of the 60 full and part-time BAME staff employed by the College of Policing are (1) Black, (2) Asian, and (3) Minority Ethnic. Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 October (HL9092), how many of the 168 full and part-time BAME staff employed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct are (1) Black, (2) Asian and (3) Minority Ethnic. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Of the 33 full-time and part-time BAME members of staff the Home Office employed to work at HMICFRS as at 31 March 2020, 5 were Black, 21 were Asian and 7 were from a mixed / other minority ethnic background.Of the 168 full-time and part-time BAME staff employed by the IOPC as at 31 March 2020, 51 were Black, 85 were Asian and 32 were from a mixed / other minority ethnic background.The 60 BAME staff referenced in the answer to your original parliamentary question covered the number of full-time BAME staff at the College of Policing. Including part-time BAME staff members increases that number to 78. Of those 78 BAME staff employed by the College of Policing as at 31 March 2020, 12 were Black, 36 were Asian, 30 were from a mixed / other minority ethnic background.These figures will not include BAME staff who have not declared their ethnicity or those who have selected the ‘prefer not to say’ option. Police and Crime Commissioners: Reviews Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many written submissions they have received in connection with the first part of their internal review of Police and Crime Commissioners; and what plans they have to publish those submissions. Baroness Williams of Trafford: We received 102 written submissions in respect of part one of the Review, from organisations, bodies and individuals in the policing, fire and local government sectors. This was an internal Review and, as such, there are no plans to publish these written submissions. Asylum The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 21 October (HL Deb, col 1598), when the review into "safe and legal routes to the UK for asylum seekers, refugees and their families" will be completed; and whether that review will be published. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Safe and legal routes are a core part of our proposed reforms to the asylum system to ensure it is both firm and fair. As made clear in the answer on 21 October (HL Deb, col 1598), as an integral part of that work the Government will conduct a review of safe and legal routes to the UK for asylum seekers, refugees and their families, which will include reviewing routes for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to reunite with their family members in the UK.This government intends to bring forward legislation next year that will deliver some of our much-needed reforms. Drugs: Misuse Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions theyhave had with (1) the devolved administrations, and (2) the government of the Republic of Ireland, about legal high psychoactive substances. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 (“the 2016 Act”) made it an offence (with limited exceptions) to supply, possess with intent to supply, produce, import or export psychoactive substances. Substances that were previously referred to informally as “legal highs” have been subject to these provisions since the 2016 Act came into force, provided they satisfy the definition of a psychoactive substance and are not exempt under the 2016 Act.The Home Office regularly engages with the government of the Republic of Ireland on a wide range of topics and we continue to engage with Devolved Administrations on drugs policy. In February this year, the Crime and Policing Minister, Kit Malthouse, held a UK Drugs Summit, bringing together experts and Ministers from all four nations of the United Kingdom. A follow up UK Drugs Ministerial took place in September, continuing the conversation on drug misuse with Ministers and eminent experts from across the UK Asylum: Interviews The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the proof of concept pilot for the outsourcing of asylum interviews, whether the claimants will be informed that they are being interviewed by a third party rather than a Home Office employee; and if not, whether this information will be available upon request. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office is not planning to disclose to a claimant if they have been interviewed by a third party rather than a Home Office employee. We do not ask staff to disclosure their employee status prior to interview.Third party interviewing officers will complete a bespoke training package, delivered by the qualified asylum operations training team, that has been designed specifically to meet their needs. The course will include training specifically about modern slavery and safeguarding awareness. Anyone who conducts asylum interviews receives thorough training to ensure they are fully equipped for the role. We expect the experience to equal the existing high standards already in place.To guarantee governance and accountability, mechanisms are in place for the oversight of third-party interviews and the department has a quality assurance process which assesses the quality of decisions, interviews and the application of Home Office policy. Interpol Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to Interpol forreforms that would prevent member states misusingInterpol procedures for political purposes. Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to Interpol to seek sanctions for member states that misuse Interpol procedures for political purposes. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government views any allegation of misuse of Interpol’s systems very seriously and continues to work closely with Interpol to ensure the integrity of its systems. In November 2019, a senior UK lawyer was seconded to Interpol to support the work of its Notices and Diffusions Taskforce, a multidisciplinary unit which ensures legal compliance and prevents abuse of Interpol systems.We continue to monitor the effectiveness of existing safeguards and will not hesitate to recommend further reforms to Interpol as necessary.Interpol also has an independent review body, the Commission for the Control of Files (CFF), which seeks to ensure that the processing of personal information by Interpol is in compliance with Interpol’s regulations. Immigrants: Hong Kong Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposalfor a new charter city in the north of England for persons with Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) status arriving in the UK; and if they have not made such an assessment, what plans they have to do so. Baroness Williams of Trafford: There are currently no plans with regards to a new charter city in North of England for Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) citizens arriving in the UK.We are working across Government to ensure appropriate plans are in place for when the route opens. British Nationality Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether British Nationals (Overseas) can include any years they have spent residing in the UK under a Tier 4 or Tier 5 visa towards the residency criteria in an application for indefinite leave to remain under the new pathway to citizenship. Baroness Williams of Trafford: Under the new Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) Visa route, individuals will be able to apply for settlement, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain, after five years in the UK, subject to meeting the necessary requirements. Time previously spent in the UK on another route to settlement will count towards the five years. Domestic Abuse: Victim Support Schemes Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the implementation of theircodeword scheme for domestic abuse victims, announced on 21 May; and what assessment they have made of the success of that scheme so far. Baroness Williams of Trafford: We have been working closely with the domestic abuse sector, pharmacies, retailers and the police to develop a codeword scheme that will enable victims of domestic abuse to access emergency support in their community. To ensure that the scheme provides a safe and effective response to victims, we have worked with domestic abuse specialist organisations to develop training and guidance for retail staff delivering the scheme and are preparing to roll out these materials prior to public launch. An external evaluation will be carried out to assess of the effectiveness of the scheme. Domestic Abuse: Victim Support Schemes Lord Walney: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they estimate the total spend on the #YouAreNotAlone domestic abuse campaign to be; and which media channels they intend to use to disseminatethat campaign. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The #YouAreNotAlone campaign signposts victims of domestic abuse to support over the lockdown period with paid media running from mid-April until end of September and via key partners including charities, retailers, employers, banks and post offices. The Home Office has, so far, committed over £850k to cover COVID-19 related communications on domestic abuse up until the end of September 2020. Online channels, including social media, search advertising and digital display, have played an important role in reaching victims discreetly, to increase confidence that support is available and raise awareness of where and how to get help. Podcast advertising and PR have supplemented the digital activity with community engagement outreach reaching diverse communities who may be less likely to seek support for domestic abuse. The Home Office has also worked with partners and the sector to help disseminate messages via their channels. Since campaign launch (Apr-Aug), traffic to the gov.uk domestic abuse page has increased by over three times compared to the same period the previous year, which demonstrates that communications are required to continue to help signpost and direct victims and those concerned to help and support. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Allotments: Coronavirus Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the demand for allotments since the start of theCOVID-19pandemic; and what assistance they intend to provide to local authorities, including parish councils, to increase the provision of allotments. Lord Greenhalgh: Local authorities are responsible for allotments in their area. It is for them to consider issues around local demand and supply. To support immediate and on-going pressures during the pandemic, the government has provided £4.6 billion of un-ringfenced funding to principal councils. We will continue to support local government in managing the pandemic and will keep financial support under review. Housing: Construction The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Greenhalgh on 1 October (HL8296), 6 October (HL8828), and 28 October (HL9442), what assessment they have made of whether diversification will be sufficient to tackle developments which are currently stalled due to ‘land banking’ and ‘intentional delay’. Lord Greenhalgh: Sir Oliver Letwin’s 2018 Review of Build Out provided a comprehensive assessment of build out of sites and recommended that a greater diversity of housing products on residential developments was a key way to overcome issues associated with low market absorption rates. Our Planning White Paper consulted on proposals to amend national policy to encourage more variety of development types by different builders, and we are now in the process of analysing the responses. We will be publishing our response in due course Treasury Customs Officers: Northern Ireland Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of training HM Revenue and Customs officers in Northern Ireland in the use of vehicle stop and search powers since January 2019. Lord Agnew of Oulton: Since January 2019, HM Revenue & Customs have spent £1,440 in training officers in Northern Ireland in the use of vehicle stop and search powers. Self-employed: Coronavirus Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support creative freelancers who do not qualify for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. Lord Agnew of Oulton: Those not eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) may still be eligible for other elements of the unprecedented package of financial support available. This package includes Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, and other business support grants. The Government has also extended the temporary reduced VAT rate for hospitality and tourism to 31 March 2021. This will continue to apply to admission to attractions across the UK, including concerts, theatres, exhibitions and similar events. Furthermore, the Government has announced a £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund to protect the cultural sector through the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, £409 million in grant funding has been awarded to over 2,000 cultural organisations in England including orchestras, music venues, galleries, theatres, museums and festivals. This funding will help to enable performances to restart, protect jobs and create opportunities for freelancers. Protective Clothing: VAT Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they estimate wll be raised through the imposition of value added tax on face masks and personal protective equipment. Lord Agnew of Oulton: On 1 May the Government introduced a temporary VAT zero rate on personal protective equipment (PPE) that meets the standard set out in guidance from Public Health England in order to ensure that affected sectors (such as hospitals and care homes) were able to have access to PPE as required. The Government has put in place new measures that will ensure the supply of PPE to these sectors from 1 November. The zero rate therefore ended on 31 October (as legislated), and the costing of this measure will be subject to scrutiny by the Office for Budget Responsibility and will be set out at the next fiscal event. An estimate of the revenue raised from VAT on other types of face masks or PPE that have never been subject to the zero rate is not available. HMRC do not hold information on VAT revenue from specific products or services because businesses are not required to provide figures at a product level in their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden. In July, the Government announced in the Plan for Jobs additional expenditure of over £15 billion for PPE procurement. Gambling: VAT Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much value-added tax was collected from adult gaming centres in England and Wales in (1) 2019, and (2) 2020 to date. Lord Agnew of Oulton: HM Revenue and Customs do not hold data on VAT collected specifically from adult gaming centres. HMRC record and publish annually details of VAT receipts and liabilities across trade sectors and subsectors, but not at this level of detail. The provision of facilities for betting and gaming is usually exempt from VAT. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Gambling The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofNatWest’s announcement of a 48-hour gambling block for debit cards to reduce gambling-related harm; and what action they are takingto encourage other companies in the banking sector to adopt similar policies. Baroness Barran: The government recognises the important role banks can play in helping their customers monitor and manage their gambling spend. Last year the then Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport convened a roundtable of banks and other stakeholders in the financial sector to encourage them to do more in this regard and ministers have since corresponded with industry leaders on this issue. I am pleased that many banks have acted to offer their customers the option to block gambling transactions from their accounts and welcome NatWest’s introduction of a 48 hour gambling block.Research published by the University of Bristol in July this year estimated that debit card gambling blocks are available for roughly 63% of UK current accounts but we encourage those banks that have not yet developed these kinds of services to do so. We also encourage banks to follow best practice in the design of their blocks, for instance including a sufficient 'cooling off' period. Events Industry: Insurance and Non-domestic Rates Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to introduce (1) new business rate relief, and (2) an indemnity insurance scheme, for the events industry. Baroness Barran: We are aware that the events and exhibition industry, as well as other sectors, have been severely impacted by Government measures to control the spread of Covid-19.My Department regularly engages with events stakeholders to assess the issues being faced and to develop means of offering support, including on the issue of insurance provision. The Government is also in continual dialogue with the insurance sector on its response to COVID-19.We encourage events businesses and suppliers, including those ineligible for schemes related to business rates relief, to explore the Government’s full support package.Events businesses can access support such as the various government-backed loans, as well as the extended furlough and self-employed support schemes. We are also giving £1.1bn of discretionary funding to Local Authorities to help businesses through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).We are continuing to engage with stakeholders, including through the Tourism Industry Council and the Events Industry Senior Leaders Advisory Panel, to monitor the situation facing the events industry. Music: Coronavirus The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to update their COVID-19 guidelines to include professional musicians within the list of jobs qualifying for travel exemptions. Baroness Barran: At present there are no such exemptions available for musicians coming to the UK.We continue to work with the cultural and creative sectors to explore all options to support them through this challenging period, including on proposals for exemptions from quarantine. We are continuing to work with the Department for Transport on proposals for an exemption for Performing Arts professionals.All decisions about exemptions and other measures will need to be considered in light of the wider public health context and the bar for exemptions remains very high. Infrastructure: Technology The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the use of Pyronix-Hikvision technology in UK infrastructure in the light of reports of the alleged use of that company’s technology in Uighur detention facilities. Baroness Barran: We are aware of reports that Hikvision's technology has been used in Xinjiang. The UK has repeatedly taken a leading international role in holding China to account for the situation in Xinjiang, including by leading statements at the UN Human Rights Council in June and the UN Third Committee in October. We are actively considering the implications for the UK and continue to encourage human rights to be at the centre of all business that takes place in this country. Performing Arts: Coronavirus Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport CommitteeImpact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report (HC 291), published on 20 July, what plans they have, if any, to establish a Creators Council to engage with representatives of the creative workforce. Baroness Barran: Industry and Government engage regularly with a wide range of leading experts in the creative industries through the Creative Industries Council (CIC), a forum for Government and Industry to convene and share information, discuss concerns and opportunities and muster action. The CIC is formed of a broad range of representative bodies across the sub-sectors of the creative industries.As outlined in our response to the above named report, we would need clear and robust evidence from the sector as to the purpose of the Creator’s Council and why it would be different from the existing CIC.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2020-11-10

Drink Driving Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many individuals aged (a) under 18; and (b) over 18, were convicted of drink driving in London in each of the past eight years. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The available information is contained in the table and gives the number of persons proceeded against and found guilty at all courts in the London area, 1996 to 2003 for offences related to drink driving. Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn. Number of persons proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for offences relating to drink driving 1 , London 1996 to 2003. 2 Aged 10–17 Aged 18 and over All ages Offence description Year Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 3 1996 121 110 15,633 13,958 15,754 14,068 1997 114 103 16,587 15,102 16,701 15,205 1998 99 83 14,244 12,854 14,343 12,937 1999 99 92 12,659 11,433 12,758 11,525 2000 123 110 12,085 10,849 12,208 10,959 2001 118 108 11,748 10,413 11,866 10,521 2002 150 135 13,268 11,931 13,418 12,066 2003 111 100 12,834 11,513 12,945 11,613 1 These data are on the principal offence basis. 2 Combines Metropolitan and City of London Police force areas. 3 Offences under Road Traffic Act 1988, Sections 4(1), 4(2), 5(1)(a), 5(1)(b), 6(4) and 7(6). Prisoners: Secretarial Support Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many prisoners either convicted, on bail or on remand, have access to secretarial support or have been provided with a personal laptop, and at what cost. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The information cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. No central records are held of the numbers of prisoners who are currently given secretarial support or issued with laptops, except for those issued with laptops for access to justice. Each prison governor has the discretion to allow prisoners access to information technology or secretarial support on application, which must be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account need, benefits, relevant local security and resource management issues, to ensure that sufficient controls are in place. However, 79 prisoners currently have access to a laptop in possession in-cell to assist with their legal defences, appeals or other legal work. The total cost for providing this facility for 2004-05 was about £60,000. Gulf War Illnesses Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 21 February (HL1083), what is the cost of informing Parliament of the legal and other costs they have incurred, year by year, in contesting war pension claims from veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict, inclusive of costs of staff time; whether the decision to deem it "disproportionate" was taken by the Ministry of Defence alone or in consultation with the Gulf War veterans' organisations; and what elements of their total spending on contesting such claims could be provided to Parliament at proportionate cost. Lord Bach: The cost of providing the information requested has been estimated at over £25,000. In reaching this decision it was unnecessary to consult with Gulf War veterans' organisations. Armed Forces: Transport Aircraft Airworthiness Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What systematic assessment they have made of prospective metal fatigue as a determinant of safe in-service lives for military transport aircraft. Lord Bach: Transport aircraft in service with the UK Armed Forces are designed and certified to strict airworthiness standards. These require the aircraft designer to specify the safe "in-service" life of each aircraft prior to the aircraft being released into service. The structural integrity of the aircraft, which includes the fatigue life of the aircraft structure, is maintained by adherence to the procedures detailed within military airworthiness regulations. Devolution and Regional Assemblies: Electors in England Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 23 February (WA 207) and the Lord Filkin on 23 February 2004 (WA 10), whether the absence or otherwise of a democratic deficit was a factor in their decision no longer to pursue elected regional assemblies. Lord Rooker: The reasons why the Government decided not to introduce the Regional Assemblies Bill nor lay orders calling referendums in Yorkshire and the Humber and the north-west were set out in an oral Statement on 8 November 2004, (Official Report, col. 674-76), and the oral Statement made by my right honourable friend the Deputy Prime Minister in the other place on 8 November 2004, (Official Report, Commons, col. 588-89). Schools: Truancy in London Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many pupils they estimate on average are truant from schools in London each day. Lord Filkin: We estimate that in 2003-04 on average on any one day, about 8,900 pupils were absent without prior approval from London schools. This equates to an unauthorised absence rate of 0.99 per cent. Schools: Ofsted Report Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they intend to take following the publication on 22 February of an Ofsted report into literacy and numeracy standards at key stage 2 which found that schools were struggling to implement the wider aims of the primary national strategy, and that one in three lessons in mathematics and literacy were still no better than satisfactory. Lord Filkin: Ofsted's report into literacy and numeracy standards published on the 22 February found a great deal to celebrate in our primary schools. The report draws attention to the significant improvements in attainment since the introduction of the national literacy and numeracy strategies, and makes clear that last year the quality of teaching and school leadership continued to improve. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector's annual report found that around three quarters of primary teaching in mathematics is excellent or good, which compares to just half in 1997-98. The support offered to teachers through the primary national strategy (formerly the national literacy and numeracy strategies) has been critical in enabling this transformation. Of course we remain absolutely committed to providing every teacher with the knowledge and skills to ensure that their teaching progresses from satisfactory to good and excellent. Next year the national strategies will offer training in core aspects of literacy and numeracy through local authorities to around 12,000 teachers in English and 15,000 teachers in mathematics. We also remain committed to supporting schools to implement fully the primary national strategy. We are providing targeted and intensive support to around 850 lower performing schools across the country, and 10 per cent of our most successful headteachers are supporting a further 4,700 schools on leadership and raising standards. The improvements in the past year in standards to the highest ever levels show the success of our approach. University for Industry Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much money has been spent to date on the University for Industry, including its operating arm learndirect, since its establishment. Lord Filkin: Since its establishment in 1999 UfI, with its 7,000 learndirect and UK online centres, has firmly established itself as one of the biggest e-learning networks in the world, and is successfully making learning more accessible to individuals and businesses. A total of £326.1 million has been invested in creating and supporting this network to 31 July 2004. On the basis of information provided by UfI, over 1.5 million learners have enrolled on learndirect courses and over 21 million people in the UK have received free, confidential and impartial advice on learning opportunities and career planning. Universities Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements exist for citizens of (a) Gibraltar, and (b) the Falkland Islands to attend universities in the United Kingdom; what is the reason for any differences in these arrangements; and whether they will take steps to give the students from the two areas equal status. Lord Filkin: Students from Gibraltar who have been ordinarily resident there for three years before their course starts, and who have British citizenship, are eligible to pay "home" tuition fees in the same way as UK students. Students from the Falkland Islands would be expected to pay the overseas rate of tuition fees. The difference is because Gibraltar is the only overseas territory formally considered part of the United Kingdom in terms of the UK's membership of the European Union (EU), and so entitled to the benefits of EU membership, including home tuition fees for their students. There are no plans to change the status of the Falkland Islands or other overseas territories vis à vis the EU. Sport: Funding Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will provide additional funds for those sports failing to meet their potential. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Sport England has announced plans to invest £315 million in the development of 32 sports over the next four years. The purpose of this funding is to help national governing bodies to realise their sports' potential by delivering their own objectives and those of Sport England. In practice, this will entail increasing participation and achieving greater success in international competition. Moreover, UK Sport has endorsed a new investment strategy to reinforce the best performing sports, support those that are developing and provoke change in those that are underperforming. There is a sharpened focus on those sports and individuals who demonstrate the potential to deliver on the biggest stage. Seventy-five per cent of available resources will be allocated on the basis of proven performance at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and 25 per cent based on a sport's future potential for improved performance. As a result, 14 Olympic sports will receive enhanced funding between 2005 and 2009 from a total summer Olympic investment of £75 million. Benefit Offices Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider allowing certain councils to administer local benefit offices of the Department for Work and Pensions to achieve greater efficiency and improvement in the take up of benefits. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The department aims to work closely with local authorities, where appropriate, in order to reduce duplication and improve the service offered to customers. There are, however, no plans to allow local authorities to administer local benefit offices on behalf of the department. Lancaster House: Government Hospitality Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the estimated cost of the Lancaster House reception on 28 February arranged by the Department of Trade and Industry to say farewell to Sir Robin Young and introduce his successor as Permanent Secretary; and how many invitations have been issued. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: In total 339 invitations were issued to a range of key departmental stakeholders. Government hospitality has not yet prepared the final invoice for the Department of Trade and Industry. NHS: Appointments Lord Wedderburn of Charlton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in the light of their advice in 2003–04 on ways to introduce better systems of booking National Health Service appointments and their definition of partial booking, they are satisfied with the methods of partial booking used in London for National Health Service patients referred to consultants by general practitioners, in particular when such patients are given a non-definite waiting time, such as three months or more. Lord Warner: The Department of Health is not aware of any methods of partial booking in London that are inconsistent with national policy. Partial booking was introduced as an interim measure, which recognised that, for some specialties, there were long waits that made it impractical for both the National Health Service and the patient to book an appointment at the time of the referral decision. Under partial booking systems, patients are advised of the approximate waiting time at the time of referral and are then contacted approximately four to six weeks in advance to choose a time and date for their appointment or admission. As waiting times continue to fall, we expect more appointments to be booked at the time of the referral decision. With the introduction of the electronic choose and book system, all patients referred by their general practitioner for an outpatient appointment will have the opportunity to make an appointment at the time of referral. Ouse Washes Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have taken to address the deterioration in the ecological condition of the Ouse Washes Special Protection Area Ramsar site since it was placed on the Montreux record of sites undergoing adverse ecological change in October 2000. Lord Whitty: Since the Ouse Washes was listed by the UK on the convention's Montreux record a Ramsar advisory mission (RAM) took place in November 2001 resulting in a RAM report being submitted to Defra in January 2003. The report recognised that the complexity of problems means that there is no quick fix solution, and highlighted that long-term integrated solutions will be necessary for the Ouse Washes to be restored to a favourable condition. The report also recognised that impressive efforts had already been made by stakeholders to solve the problems on the Ouse Washes. Defra and its agencies have continued efforts to work with stakeholders to identify and develop lasting solutions to the problems, considering the recommendations of the RAM and taking account of other studies. The Environment Agency has invested considerable sums in new sluices to help control flood water on the washes, and has been leading a working group to consider technical solutions to the problems. It has also been necessary to undertake further studies to establish the hydro-ecological requirements for the site, and to identify the long-term remedies as acknowledged by the RAM. Fish Stocks: Azores Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the waters between 100 and 200 nautical miles around the Azores were opened up to European Union trawlers; and what assessment of fish stocks in these waters was undertaken prior to this extension of the fishing zone, and subsequently. Lord Whitty: New arrangements on effort restrictions in Western Waters were decided in November 2003 and came into effect in August 2004. This department does not hold data on any stock assessments that may have been carried out in respect of the Azores. Government Agencies: Retirement Age Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 23 February (WA 211–12), whether they will establish a central record of the age at which individual government agencies require their staff to retire; and whether they will place this information in the Library of the House. Lord Bassam of Brighton: There are no plans to establish a central record of the age at which individual government agencies require their staff to retire.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2005-03-08c

GM Trial Crops: Effects on Bees, Honey and Fruit Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 6 June (WA 146), by what methods the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment ascertained that genetically modified (GM) trial crops would have no adverse effects on bees or honey or fruit containing GM pollen; and whether they consider such methods to be valid and trustworthy. Lord Whitty: When making the applications for deliberate release consent, the applicants submitted data using a variety of multidisciplinary approaches to assess the possible effects on bees and impact of GM pollen on human health. These included observations on bees and other organisms in the field, toxicological tests, allergenicity tests, information on the biochemical properties of the transgenic proteins expressed in these plants and comparison of transgenic proteins with sequences in scientific databases of known toxins and allergens. The experts on ACRE considered this data in the light of their own knowledge and experience and in the light of the body of scientific understanding at the time before reaching a decision. The committee agreed that the risks posed to human health and the environment from these releases were very low. Details of the methods and assessments are held on the public register at Ashdown House. Further consideration has been given to GM pollen in honey by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP), an independent body of experts that advises the Government on the safety of novel (including GM) foods. ACRE was aware that ACNFP hosted a workshop in 1991 to consider the safety aspects of GM pollen in honey. It concluded that the levels of pollen in honey would be so low as not to be a health issue. Results from three research projects commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) support this conclusion. Dartford River Crossings: Tolls Baroness Howells of St Davids: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will announce their plans for charging at the Dartford river crossings. Lord Whitty: The current legislation authorising the collection of tolls at the Dartford river crossings is forecast to expire in June 2002. The cessation of tolling would be likely to have the effect of significantly increasing demand on the eastern sector of the M25, which would further increase the level of congestion at the crossings and elsewhere and have associated environmental and safety implications. The Government are therefore minded to continue to charge for the use of the Dartford river crossings when the current legislation expires. Subject to the consent of Parliament, we will consult next year on detailed proposals. Revenues from charging would be hypothecated for spending on transport. Migration and Climate Change Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: What studies they are making of the effect of future climate change on migration; and what forecasts are now available on the basis of such studies. Lord Whitty: The Government are supporting several ongoing studies that are making an initial assessment of the effects of climate change on the migration of plant and animal species and the implications of climate change for UK habitats, species and nature conservation policy. These studies will give a first view of some potential migration patterns as they report over the next twelve months. The Government have also commissioned work on the global impacts of climate change by sectors, which has made a provisional assessment of the number of people likely to be affected--but has not assessed the likelihood of human migration. This research has been published and presented to the fourth and fifth Conferences of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The possibility of human migration was discussed in the Second Assessment Report of the Intergovenmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in 1995. This report noted that sudden human migration may occur as a result of the projected climate changes and sea level rise, and that millions may be displaced by shoreline erosion, river and coastal flooding, or severe drought. Further assessment of this issue will be made in the IPCC's Third Assessment Report, to be published in 2001. The UK is participating actively in the development of this report. London Underground: Performance Targets Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress they have made in devising performance targets for London Underground; and when they expect to make an announcement. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The performance targets set for London Underground in respect of the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01 were announced to the House of Commons in response to a Question from Tom Brake (Lib. Dem--Carshalton and Wallington) on Tuesday, 4 April 2000 (Hansard, Volume 347, Col. 309w-310w). The targets, which are to be met by the end of 2000-01 are as follows: Measure Target Capacity (train kms run): 10% increase on 1998-9 performance Reliability (unweighted excess journey time--minutes) 4 per cent improvement on 1998-9 level Customer satisfaction measures (measured through LT's Customer Satisfaction Survey): Average score (out of 100) Train service 77 Information 77 Customer safety and security 83 Staff helpfulness and availability 70 Cleanliness 69 The Lord Chancellor: Participation in Lords Debates and Appeals Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Statement by the Lord Bingham of Cornhill on behalf of the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary on 22 June, whether it is intended that the Lord Chancellor, as a Lord of Appeal, will be guided by the principles contained in the statement when deciding (a) whether to participate in debates and votes in the House of Lords and (b) his eligibility to sit as a Lord of Appeal in particular cases or categories of case. Lord Irvine of Lairg: Special considerations apply to the Lord Chancellor, which have already been set out in oral and written Answers and in debate in the House. I refer the noble Lord to the Official Report, col. 710-739 on 17 February 1999; col. 1060-1063 on 24 June 1999; WA 33 on 23 February 2000; and col. 655-657 on 2 March 2000. The Lord Chancellor, in common with the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, will bear in mind that he might render himself ineligible to sit judicially if he were to express an opinion on a matter which might later be relevant to an appeal to the House. Likewise, in deciding whether he is eligible to sit on an appeal, in common with the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, he will be guided by the same principles as apply to all judges. These principles were restated by the Court of Appeal in the case of Locabail (UK) Ltd v. Bayfield Properties Ltd and others and four other actions [2000 1 All E.R. (CA)]. NMEC: Accounts to 31 December 1999 Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the accounts for the New Millennium Experience Company have been signed for the period ended 31 December 1999; if not, why not. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The accounts for the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) for the period ended 31 December 1999 were signed off at its board meeting on 5 July 2000. Northern Ireland: Designation of Public Authorities Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they accept the principle that non-designation of public authorities should be the exception rather than the rule, under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government are committed to a maximalist approach to designation and want to see the statutory duty embracing as wide a range of bodies as possible. The vast majority of organisations carrying out public functions in Northern Ireland are already designated under Section 75(3)(b) and (c) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. A further list of bodies was designated under Section 75(3)(a) by the Northern Ireland Act 1998. (Designation of Public Authorities) Order 2000. The list is not exhaustive but represents the first tranche of additional public authorities under this power. In the weeks and months ahead, we will continue our consideration of what other bodies might need to be designated under this power or the power in Section 75(3)(d). Further orders will be made as required. Northern Ireland: Designation of Public Authorities Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why there have been delays in publishing a full list of authorities to be designated under Section 75(3)(a) and (d) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998; and when the full list will be available to Parliament. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The list of public authorities is an evolving one. Many bodies are automatically brought within the definition of "public authority" for the purposes of Section 75. Section 75(3)(b) and (c) designates all bodies that are subject to investigation by either the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints or the Northern Ireland Ombudsman. Full lists of these bodies can be found respectively in Schedule 2 to the Commissioner for Complaints (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 or Schedule 2 to the Ombudsman (Northern Ireland) Order 1996. The Act also provides the power for the Secretary of State to designate other organisations as public authorities for the purposes of Section 75. The recent Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Designation of Public Authorities) Order 2000 is an example of such additional designation. Further orders will be made as required. IRA Arms Dumps Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is the case that the police in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom will take all possible steps using information from all sources to identify IRA arms dumps; and, where they are in another country, whether they will draw them to the attention of the authorities of that country. Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The possession of paramilitary arms is a severe offence. Security forces continue to take steps to locate dumps and seize weapons. Cross-border security co-operation is good and there has been a large number of finds in recent months. Departmental Cars Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 28 June (WA82) on the type and make of cars used by the Department of Trade and Industry, whether the list includes cars supplied by the Government Car and Despatch Agency for the use of Ministers and senior officials. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Yes. Business Closures The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many businesses failed in England and Wales during the first three months of this year; what change this represents compared with the same quarter in 1999; and whether the stock of 2.8 million full-time businesses is higher or lower than a decade ago. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There were 11,070 insolvencies in England and Wales during the first three months of this year, a rise of 535, or 5 per cent, on the same quarter in 1999. Barclays Bank estimates that in total there were 108,000 business closures in England and Wales during the first three months of this year, a rise of 8,000, or 8 per cent, on the same quarter in 1999. Barclays Bank estimates that there were 3.1 million full-time businesses in England and Wales at the start of 1990. At the start of this year there were 2.8 million, the highest level since 1993 and an increase of 154,000 since the start of 1997. Emergency Calls: Police Response Times The Duke of Montrose: asked Her Majesty's Government: What were the best and worst and the worst average police response times to emergency calls in each of the 16 non-metropolitan police forces for each of the last five years. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Information on the average police response times to emergency calls is not collected centrally. However, each police force sets its own target response time and performance against this is measured by the Audit Commission, which publishes the data in the Council Services Compendium for England, The Local Authority Performance Indicators. The information for 1998-99 is set out in the table. This relates to all the police forces in England and Wales. Similar data, from 1993-94 onwards, can be found on the Audit Commission website, www.audit-commission.gov.uk/ac2/PIfirst.htm.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2000-07-07a

Department for Transport Great Western Railway Line Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the electrification of Thames Valley railways is likely to be completed on time and at the original cost; and if not, why not. Baroness Kramer: I have been advised by Network Rail that work on the Thames Valley railways is progressing well and they are aiming for completion at the end of 2016. However, the programme is subject to change and alteration as the scope and needs of the overall project change. Rolling Stock: Procurement Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 24 February (HL4951), whether, before delivery of the Intercity Express Programme, the operators will be able to specify the interior layouts to optimise their appeal to the passenger market. Baroness Kramer: Train operators have already helped to specify the interior of the new Inter City Express trains. The Department for Transport, Hitachi and Agility Trains continue to work very closely with them. Railways: Wales Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to devolve responsibility for the Wales and Borders rail franchise to the Welsh Government; and how the interests of stakeholders and customers in England would be protected under such a change. Baroness Kramer: The UK Government is proposing to devolve executive franchising functions to the Welsh Government, to enable them to lead on the procurement and management of the next Wales and Borders franchise. We continue to work with the Welsh Government on the details of the devolved franchise, including how cross-border routes are procured and managed. Cross-border routes are vital for passengers on both sides of the border; having sufficient safeguards in place to protect all cross-border rail users is extremely important. In order for the Secretary of State for Transport to ensure proper accountability, it is likely that services primarily serving English markets will be placed into other franchises for which the Secretary of State for Transport is the franchising authority. No final decision has been made at this stage on which services would be affected and specific proposals will be consulted on in due course as is normal practice. It should also be noted that any transfer of executive franchising functions to Welsh Ministers will be subject to parliamentary process in due course. Department for Education Schools: Vetting Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that both teachers and other members of staff in early and later years provision are not adversely affected by the current childcare disqualification regime which originally covered only child minders and day care providers. Lord Nash: On 26 February we published ‘Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006’ statutory guidance for schools: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disqualification-under-the-childcare-act-2006. This new guidance clarifies the circumstances in which the provisions of the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009 apply to school staff. It also supports schools to take appropriate action to ensure that school staff do not work in circumstances that are in breach of those Regulations. It makes clear that where staff are disqualified schools may redeploy them or make changes to their duties. This discretion allows many of those staff affected by the Regulations to continue to work in schools while an application is made to Ofsted for a waiver of disqualification. The childcare disqualification arrangements are not new and have never applied exclusively to child-minders and day care providers. They apply to all staff providing childcare, including in schools. These arrangements help to ensure that children in the most vulnerable age groups, those who are potentially at greatest risk, are protected regardless of the setting in which childcare is provided.In schools they prevent staff who have been cautioned or convicted for certain serious offences, from providing childcare: for children up to the age of five years before, during, or after school hours; andfor children aged up to eight years of age before and after school hours. School staff are also prevented from providing childcare if they reside in a household where another person who has been cautioned or convicted for such an offence lives or is employed. The new statutory guidance replaces the Department’s earlier advice on this subject, published in October 2014 as a supplement to ‘Keeping children safe in education’, and is a direct response to requests for additional information to help schools make appropriate and robust decisions should these matters arise. The guidance has been developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders who have expertise and experience in child safeguarding matters, including children’s safeguarding organisations, employer representative bodies, trade unions and local authorities. Social Services: Privatisation Baroness Donaghy: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any local authorities have been instructed to privatise social work services; and if so, by which Department. Lord Nash: No local authorities have been instructed to privatise social work. Where a local authority is judged to be failing in its provision and delivery of children’s services, the Secretary of State has a discretionary power to intervene under the Education Act 1996, as applied by section 50 of the Children Act 2004. This may include directing the local authority to review its children’s services operations and commissioning procedures, and this may include the delivery of specified functions by another body. The powers under Part 1 of the 2008 Children and Young Persons Act and associated regulations are quite different and provide for local authorities to delegate children’s social care functions to third parties on a voluntary basis. We have not instructed any local authorities to delegate their functions under these provisions. University Technical Colleges Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which university technical colleges were operating in the 2014–15 academic year; and how many year 10, 11, 12 and 13 pupils were (1) enrolled in each of them at the date of the October 2014 school census, and (2) included in the budget forecast return submitted by each college to the Education Funding Agency in June 2014. Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which studio schools were operating in the 2014–15 academic year; and how many year 10, 11, 12 and 13 pupils were (1) enrolled in each of them at the date of the October 2014 school census, and (2) included in the budget forecast return submitted by each school to the Education Funding Agency in June 2014. Lord Nash: Thirty university technical colleges (UTCs) and 37 studio schools are open in the 2014-15 academic year and listed in the attached table, with the exception of 4 studio schools that are schools within schools and do not have separate pupil census data. The numbers of year 10, 11, 12 and 13 pupils enrolled in each institution at the date of the October 2014 school census are also in the table below, alongside the number of students each institution has been funded for. These ‘funded for’ numbers are only available at pre-16 and post-16 level. Where the funded number has been based on an estimate but the actual number of pupils on roll as per the October census is higher the school will receive additional funding later that year. Where the actual number is lower than the estimate the funding is re-paid to the Department in the following academic year. Some UTC and studio schools also report pupils in year 9, 14 and X (pupils not assigned to a particular year group). These have been included for completeness. ‘Supp’ denotes supressed low pupil counts (of less than 3). Most UTCs and studio schools that opened in September 2014 will have year 10 (or 9) and year 12 pupils only. Number of pupils at UTCs and studio schools Oct14 (Word Document, 121 KB) University Technical Colleges Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many university technical colleges have closed since such colleges were established in 2010 or are expected to close or merge with other institutions. Lord Nash: No university technical colleges (UTCs) have closed or merged with other institutions. One UTC will be closing in August 2015. The performance of open UTCs, as for all academies, is monitored on an ongoing basis and if there are significant concerns, the government will take appropriate action which could potentially include closure. Studio Schools Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many studio schools have closed since such schools were established in 2010 or are expected to close or merge with other institutions. Lord Nash: Four studio schools have closed since 2010 and one further studio school is due to close in August 2015. No studio schools have been merged or are expected to merge with other institutions. The performance of open studio schools, as for all academies, is monitored on an ongoing basis and if there are significant concerns, the government will take appropriate action which could potentially include closure. Ministry of Justice Prisoners: Voting Rights Lord Norton of Louth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect to publish their response to the report of the Joint Committee on the Draft Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Bill (HL Paper 103, Session 2013–14) published in December 2013, before the end of the current Parliament. Lord Faulks: The Secretary of State for Justice wrote to the Joint Committee on 25 February 2014, thanking them for their recommendations. Despite continued consideration of the issues it is clear that a consensus will not be reached in this Parliament given the strongly held views across both Houses. Therefore the Government will not introduce legislation on prisoner voting rights in this Parliament, so there is nothing further the Government can report to the Joint Committee at this stage. Department for Work and Pensions Employment and Support Allowance The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the written statement by Lord Freud on 27 November 2014 (HLWS32), when they plan to bring forward the measure to prevent claimants being paid the Employment Support Allowance assessment rate if they have already been found fit for work but have made a repeat claim, and what consideration they have given to the implications this will have for disabled people and those with fluctuating conditions. The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the scoring for Work Capability Assessment applicants with mental health problems has been loaded to make it more difficult for women to qualify for the support group than it is for men; and, if so, why. Lord Freud: The Regulations that implement the measure making changes to how repeat claims for Employment and Support Allowance are dealt with were laid before Parliament on 5th March. The Regulations can be found at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2015/437. The criteria for eligibility for the support group in Employment and Support Allowance remains the same for men and women. The updated guidance for healthcare professionals on the assessment of risk in claimants with a Mental Health condition was developed with input from senior psychiatrists. It differentiates between men and women in relation to suicide risk because the suicide rate in men is significantly higher than in women. The guidance makes clear that the assessment of risk needs to focus both on the claimant’s health and whether the claimant could cope with work-related activity. Personal Independence Payment Lord Kinnock: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many personal independence payments have been claimed since introduction; how many of those claims have been processed; and, of those, how many are being paid to recipients of the disability living allowance which preceded personal independence payments. Lord Freud: The requested information is in the table below. These statistics are available from the Personal Independence Payment statistics home page and will next be updated on 18 March 2015.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/personal-independence-payment-statistics Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims registered, cleared and awards in payment – at 31 October 2014 All PIP claims registered, of which:669,200New claims592,900Reassessment Claims76,300All PIP claims cleared, of which:382,000 New claims352,100 Reassessment claims29,900All PIP awards in payment, of which:207,500 New Claims184,500 Reassessment claims23,000Notes:Source, DWP statistical release, published 17 December 2014 and Stat-Xplore.Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.Figures are for claims from people under the normal rules and special rules for those who are terminally ill.“Reassessment claims” are claims to PIP from those who were entitled to Disability Living Allowance. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs European Union Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total cost of the Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its associated agencies, broken down by (1) staff time, (2) printing costs, (3) running of engagement events, (4) witness expenses, (5) publicity of the reports, and (6) any and all other associated costs. Lord De Mauley: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 23 February 2015.The correct answer should have been: Defra was responsible for the following reports as part of the Balance of Competences Review:Animal Health and Welfare and Food Safety (which was produced jointly with the Food Standards Agency);Environment and Climate Change (which was produced jointly with DECC);Agriculture; andFisheries. 1) Staff costsThe cost of the Defra team which led on producing the four reports between 2012 and 2014 was approximately £500,000. The team drew on expert advice from staff across the Department. Providing a full breakdown of all staff time and costs would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold. 2) Printing costsDefra paid approximately £130,000 to print and publish the four reports. 3) Running engagement eventsEngagement events were held in Brussels, various locations in all parts of the UK, and at Defra’s London and York offices. The total cost of events, including refreshments and Defra staff travel, was approximately £4,000. To provide a full breakdown of staff time and costs would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold. 4) Witness expensesDefra did not incur any expenses for witnesses.5) PublicityDefra did not incur expenses for publicity of the reports. 6) All other associated costsThere were no other associated costs. Lord De Mauley: Defra was responsible for the following reports as part of the Balance of Competences Review:Animal Health and Welfare and Food Safety (which was produced jointly with the Food Standards Agency);Environment and Climate Change (which was produced jointly with DECC);Agriculture; andFisheries. 1) Staff costsThe cost of the Defra team which led on producing the four reports between 2012 and 2014 was approximately £500,000. The team drew on expert advice from staff across the Department. Providing a full breakdown of all staff time and costs would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold. 2) Printing costsDefra paid approximately £130,000 to print and publish the four reports. 3) Running engagement eventsEngagement events were held in Brussels, various locations in all parts of the UK, and at Defra’s London and York offices. The total cost of events, including refreshments and Defra staff travel, was approximately £4,000. To provide a full breakdown of staff time and costs would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold. 4) Witness expensesDefra did not incur any expenses for witnesses.5) PublicityDefra did not incur expenses for publicity of the reports. 6) All other associated costsThere were no other associated costs. Lake District National Park Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to ask the Lake District National Park Authority to defer the sale of any sites of land where an application has been made to register the site as an asset of community value for a sufficient length of time to allow the application to be determined. Lord De Mauley: Central Government has no powers to require a National Parks Authority to sell or not to sell land. It would be inappropriate for it to interfere in such a process. Regardless of sale, the regulations require the responsible authority to make a decision on listing as an asset of community value within 8 weeks of nomination. National Parks Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what powers they have to direct a National Park Authority to dispose or not to dispose of land or a particular piece of land. Lord De Mauley: Her Majesty’s Government has no powers to direct a national park authority to dispose or not to dispose of land or a particular piece of land. Lake District National Park Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultation took place with (1) local authorities, (2) local voluntary bodies, (3) other local bodies involved with amenity and tourism, and (4) national voluntary and campaigning bodies concerned with National Parks, outdoor activities and access, before taking the 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: National park authorities are independent bodies provided with the power, under the 1972 Local Government Act, to dispose of land. The Government has no role in consultation on disposal decisions. The Lake District National Park Authority has voluntarily provided information regarding the consultation they have undertaken, including liaison with parish councils, public notices advertising their intention to invite offers for some properties and direct consultation with a number of neighbouring landowners and strategic partners. The Authority has committed to continue to consult and respond to any queries and concerns they receive throughout the formal tender process. Lake District National Park Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to bring before Parliament current proposals by the Lake District National Park Authority to sell land in the Lake District. Lord De Mauley: National park authorities are independent bodies, provided with their powers to dispose of land under the 1972 Local Government Act. Government has no powers to direct a national park authority to dispose or not to dispose of land or a particular piece of land and has no plans to bring before Parliament the Lake District National Park Authority proposals for land sale. National Parks Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make their decision on the future boundaries of the Lake District and West Yorkshire national parks before the forthcoming general election. Lord De Mauley: Following the public enquiry into Natural England’s proposals to extend the boundaries of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, the inspector’s report has been submitted to Defra and is now being considered. The Secretary of State will issue her decisions in due course. Department for Communities and Local Government Parks: Sales Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they take in respect of the sale of local park land by councils; and whether the requirements in the Localism Act 2011 enable such sales to be prevented. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: My Department has no specific role in relation to council-owned park land. My answer of 29 January 2015, HL4224, outlined the broader legal framework for the disposal of property assets by local authorities. The sale of park land is not something we have encouraged – rather, councils should be disposing of brownfield land and redundant buildings. The Localism Act 2011 has introduced a Community Right to Bid, and parks and green spaces are good examples of sites that could be nominated as an asset of community value. This Government has also introduced a new local planning designation for local green spaces. This could be designated by a local planning authority in its Local Plan or by a local neighbourhood through a neighbourhood plan. This could include park land. Of course, local elections provide a mechanism for decisions and policies of councils to be challenged by local residents. HM Treasury LIBOR Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was received by HM Treasury from the banks in penalties for the manipulation of Libor. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the money received in penalties for the manipulation of Libor has been distributed to charities. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the names of those people and organisations represented on the Advisory Board in respect of the money received in penalties for the manipulation of Libor. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether all money received in penalties for the manipulation of Libor is subject to the advice of the Advisory Board appointed by HM Treasury; and if not, what is the amount distributed outwith the recommendations. Lord Deighton: Since June 2012, the Treasury has received LIBOR fines from the FCA; to date, they have imposed total fines in excess of £450 million relating to its investigations of LIBOR manipulation. This Government promised that this policy would reflect that those who have paid fines in our financial sector, because they demonstrated the very worst of British values, are paying to support those in our Armed Forces and emergency services who demonstrate the very best of British values. We are working with OGDs and relevant charities to ensure that all LIBOR fines received to date will be committed within the life of this Parliament. The administration of LIBOR fines varies according to the type of organisation applying and receiving the money. In particular, where a Government Department, such as the MoD has been identified as the organisation best suited to deliver the outcome – for example, support for childcare at military establishments – normal Departmental processes have applied. In other circumstances – such as those in support of the Armed Forces Covenant, the Covenant Reference Group – a cross-Whitehall representative body which includes charity representation, provides the guidance on those areas where LIBOR funds could be used to best effect. Inheritance Tax Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the gain to the Exchequer of ending relief against tax to gifts made up to seven years prior to death. Lord Deighton: HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) most recent estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of providing Taper Relief on transfers made between three and seven years before death was that this relief cost £25 million in 2013-14 and will cost £25 million in 2014-15[1].[1] This information was published in December 2014 at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389545/20141231_minorallowances_reliefs_v0.4.pdf Public Sector: Pay Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 24 February (HL4914) concerning public sector pay, whether they plan to revert to free collective bargaining in the public sector after 2015–16; and if not, why not. Lord Deighton: Pay awards in the main public sector workforces are set following recommendations made by independent Pay Review Bodies to the government. The Pay Review Bodies take written and oral evidence from the government, employers and trade unions in making their recommendations on pay. The Review Bodies operate in the public interest by offering a transparent, independent mechanism to inform pay setting for key workforces in the public sector. All parties can put forward their views on pay and independent recommendations are then publicly offered to government. Different mechanisms are always possible, and have been used in the past, but the Review Body system has proved its value over decades in balancing the interests of all the different parties – notably workforce, employers and government – for workforces where there is a strong and continuing public interest in the outcomes. Department for Energy and Climate Change Natural Gas: Russia Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of natural gas currently being consumed in the United Kingdom is sourced from Russia. Baroness Verma: The United Kingdom does not physically import any gas directly from Russia. A small amount of Russian gas may be imported through our interconnector pipelines with the Netherlands and Belgium, which amounts to around 1% of the United Kingdom’s demand. Natural Gas: Russia Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contingency arrangements are in place to secure natural gas supplies in the event of a termination of supplies coming from Russia. Baroness Verma: Our Stress Test that we concluded as part of an EU-wide exercise found that the UK has a robust market which is likely to cope with a range of scenarios involving disruptions to Russian gas supplies, including the very unlikely and extreme case of full Russian disruption and severe winter weather. This is thanks largely to the UK’s robust gas market, a diverse range of gas supply options and extensive gas supply infrastructure. This includes domestic production, supply pipelines from Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands, liquefied natural gas terminals which can import gas from world markets and storage facilities. Natural Gas: Russia Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with other European governments to secure natural gas supplies to Western Europe. Baroness Verma: During the Commission exercise on stress tests last summer when all Member States were asked to consider the impact of one and six month winter disruptions of Russian gas to the EU under two scenarios (total cessation of Russian gas supplies by all routes and cessation of all transit gas to the EU via Ukraine), the UK had detailed discussions with immediate neighbours, including with Belgium and the Netherlands, on security of supply assumptions and preparedness. Those discussions confirmed general alignment as regards our respective security of supply positions and relative demand, supply and import profile assumptions, including any impact on possible flows through the interconnectors. Indeed the Commission stress test analysis last Autumn on the pan-European situation acknowledged the relative robustness of western states to a disruption given its diversity of supply sources and routes and the efficient functioning of the liberalised western and north western markets, which are more liquid and price responsive than other regions of the EU.Notwithstanding this there is a need for strengthened co-operation amongst all Member States to increase resilience throughout the EU and to urgently reduce dependence of some Member States on a single or major third country supplier, particularly in the South East and Baltic regions. We strongly support the Commission taking an active role in those regions to help achieve that. Security of supply is a key priority of the Energy Union, which the UK endorses.The UK has also been very actively engaged in supporting the process for selecting Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) whereby key cross-border infrastructure projects are accorded PCI status and can benefit from streamlined ‘one stop shop’ planning regimes, regulatory certainty for higher risk projects, a mechanism for agreeing cross-border cost allocations for projects and possible funding from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).Increased interconnection and the supply diversity that it will facilitate, together with a sustained push to ensure full implementation of the internal market legislation and co-operation on a regional basis in emergencies will enhance security of supply for all Member States. Strong energy efficiency and demand reduction measures and increased use of indigenous low carbon energy resources are also essential and will play a key part in the drive for a secure Energy Union. Natural Gas: Russia Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the United Kingdom's natural gas supplies have originated from Russia in the last three years for which figures are available. Baroness Verma: The physical origins of the gas that the United Kingdom receives through the two interconnector pipelines to the Continent are not known as gas can be traded between production at source and final consumption. Due to the interconnectedness of the European gas system, it is possible that some gas produced in Russia ultimately arrives in the United Kingdom. We estimate that these are small volumes, around 1 percent of total supply. Natural Gas: Storage Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that natural gas storage capacity is sufficient to ensure energy security in the United Kingdom. Baroness Verma: Gas storage is an important aspect of our energy security, but it is only one part of the overall gas infrastructure picture. Our security lies in diversity of sources and routes and the UK has significant levels of domestic production; pipelines to Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium; four liquefied natural gas terminals connecting us to global markets; and eight gas storage sites with two more currently under construction.Within the context of this overall diversity of infrastructure, we consider the current levels of gas storage to be sufficient for energy security. We recognise the potential cost implications of intervention and so have a market-led approach to investment in this country and if there is need the market will respond, as it has done with new sites at both Hill Top Farm and Stublach in Cheshire. Radioactive Waste Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for storing or transforming the United Kingdom's stockpile of highly reactive nuclear waste, including plutonium; what is the timetable for those plans; and whether those plans involve collaboration with European countries and agencies. Baroness Verma: The majority of high activity radioactive wastes are unsuitable for disposal at existing waste management facilities. The Government’s policy is for these wastes to be stored safely and securely until a suitable disposal facility is available. The Government’s policy, following the recommendations of the independent Committee on Radioactive Waste Management in 2006, is to manage these wastes in the longer term through geological disposal.On 24 July 2014 the Government published a White Paper setting out a revised plan to implement geological disposal. The Government has listened to the public and will work with communities and experts to address people’s concerns on issues like the planning process and environmental impacts. There is no fixed timetable for delivering a geological disposal facility. The Government understands that a community that engages in the site selection process will want to progress at a pace acceptable to them, not one imposed by Government.Geological disposal is internationally recognised as the safest and most secure way of dealing with radioactive waste on a long-term basis.Radioactive Waste Management Ltd (RWM), as the developer for geological disposal, has bilateral agreements with various international organisations. RWM engage at a high level with: the International Atomic Energy Agency; the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency; and the European Commission. RWM also take part in relevant internationally coordinated joint research and development, working groups and other collaborative mechanisms.All options for plutonium management require further work to be carried out to better understand their technical and commercial details. DECC asked the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to undertake this work with the technology suppliers with the aim of establishing a consistent level of understanding of each option. DECC expects that NDA will provide this advice in Spring 2015. The report will give a view on the balance of attractiveness and risk for each option, which will enable DECC to consider options for the way forward. Northern Ireland Office Northern Ireland Government Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which strand talk sessions representatives of the government of the Republic of Ireland attended in the course of the Stormont House talks; on what dates those sessions occurred; and at whose invitation they were included. Baroness Randerson: I have nothing to add to my previous replies of 19 January (HL3949), 27 January (HL4283), 4 February (HL4532), 12 February (HL4726) and 2 March (HL5201 & HL5202) to the Noble Lord. Department of Health In Vitro Fertilisation Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 24 February (HL4890), whether it was Professor Grifo with whom a member of the Expert Panel convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) had corresponded; and whether a copy of the correspondence that was shared with other members of the HFEA’s Expert Panel in September 2014 was provided to anyone who was not concurrently a member of either the HFEA or its Expert Panel. Earl Howe: I have nothing further to add to the answers given previously on the subject of the published abstract of the Zhang research group. NHS: Private Sector Lord Hughes of Woodside: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was paid by NHS England to private health providers for treatments for National Health Service patients in each of the last five years; and how those figures compare to costs in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, and (3) Northern Ireland. Earl Howe: Commissioner spending on private providers for NHS health care services in each of the last five years is outlined in the table below: YearSpend (£ million)2009-104,1442010-114,7572011-125,3202012-135,6692013-146,390 For financial years 2009-10 to 2012-13, this covers spending by Primary Care Trusts. For financial year 2013-14, this covers spending by NHS England and local clinical commissioning groups, over which NHS England has financial oversight. The Department only holds information on spending on NHS services in England, as health is a devolved matter.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2015-03-11

Aviation: Contaminated Air The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether United Kingdom airlines are required to produce risk assessments relating to exposures of passengers and crew to contaminated air in aircraft under health and safety legislation; if so, by which official body these are examined and approved; and whether the risk assessments are publicly available. Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require UK-based airlines to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees and of others, such as passengers, affected by their work. There is no requirement to submit risk assessments for examination and approval by an official body or make them publicly available. Employers may, however, be asked to produce risk assessments for scrutiny in the course of specific inspection or enforcement activity by an official body. The official bodies concerned with the application of general health and safety duties on aircraft in the UK are the Civil Aviation Authority and the Health and Safety Executive (or the Health and Safety Executive (Northern Ireland)). Climate Change 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. Committee on Toxicity The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the constraints on permitting attendance of members of the public at, and participation in, open meetings of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Members of the public are able to apply to attend, as observers, meetings of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) subject to constraints of space. Members of the public attending COT meetings are asked to abide by a code of conduct for observers. Committee on Toxicity The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is complying with its code of conduct by not responding to a complaint dated 3 July 2006 from Dr Leonie Coxon that her evidence to the committee had been misrepresented by it. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The deputy chairman of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) responded, in accordance with the committee's code of conduct, to a complaint dated 3 July 2006 from Dr Leonie Coxon on 5 July 2006. Committee on Toxicity The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has members with occupational health or clinical expertise; and, if not, whether they have concluded that such expertise is unnecessary for the effective evaluation of the clinical effects on humans and animals of exposure to toxic chemicals. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has several members with clinical expertise and one member with expertise in assessment of occupational health. Constitution Lord Norton of Louth: asked Her Majesty's Government: What courses are provided by the National School of Government on the constitution and constitutional law; and how many officials of the Department for Constitutional Affairs have been on such courses in the past six months. Lord Davies of Oldham: This is a matter for the National School of Government. The national school's principal and chief executive will write to the noble Lord and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library for the reference of noble Lords. Dyslexia Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which body provides government funding in Northern Ireland to groups offering help and support to dyslexia sufferers; and how much has been paid to these groups in each of the past five years. Lord Rooker: There is no specific body that provides government funding in Northern Ireland to groups offering help and support to people with dyslexia. However, during the past five years Northern Ireland departments have provided the following funding to dyslexia organisations. Financial Year Amount (£) Name of Organisation/Comments 2001-02 0 2002-03 0 2003-04 5,697.67 Dyslexia support—Funding provided by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to assist with a conference, which outlined how the Department of Education, the Law, the Psychology Service and parents can work together to improve access to education and training for people who suffer from dyslexia 2004-05 1978.12 British Dyslexia Association—Funding provided by Department of Employment and Learning to deliver awareness training to relevant training organisations 2005-06 0 Energy: Efficiency Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have made an assessment of the effects of recent public campaigns to switch off electric lights and appliances to reduce electricity bills. 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). Energy: Retrofitted Systems Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will take steps to encourage greater use of retrofitted energy saving systems in old domestic buildings. Lord Rooker: Through the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC), we require energy suppliers to meet targets for the promotion of improvements in household energy efficiency in Great Britain. They do this by encouraging and assisting consumers to take up energy efficiency measures like insulation. For the most vulnerable members of society in private sector housing, the Government's Warm Front scheme provides a grant for the installation of energy efficiency measures. An evaluation of various options for further help for older, harder to treat, properties is underway. Detail of grants and offers for energy efficiency measures, including under EEC and Warm Front, are available, by postcode, on the Energy Saving Trust (EST) website. The EST is funded by Defra to promote and support energy efficiency in the household sector. Environmental Management Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the current Eco-Management and Audit Scheme logo system for United Kingdom and European companies' products is an efficient way of indicating effective environmental best practice to customers. Lord Rooker: The European Union (EU) Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a voluntary environmental registration scheme that aims to encourage organisations to improve their environmental performance. Organisations are encouraged to implement an environmental management system and to issue a public statement on their performance. EMAS is not designed to apply to products and, with very few exceptions, the scheme's logo does not appear on products. There is, however, a separate EU scheme—the ecolabel—which has been designed for that purpose and which is currently available for more than 20 different categories of product. EU: Armed Forces Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the European Union is considering any plans to form an air force or a navy. Lord Triesman: The EU is not considering any plans to form a European air force or navy. Forces for EU crisis management operations are provided by member states on a voluntary basis. EU: Initiatives Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the undertaking given on 18 December 2006 by Lord Rooker (HL Deb, col. 1878), when they will place in the Library of the House a list of the current European Union initiatives which depend for their legal base on Article 308 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community. Lord Triesman: A list of current European Union proposals which depend on Article 308 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community as a legal base has now been placed in the Library of the House. EU: Police Powers Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to the proposal from the German presidency of the European Union that police forces in the European Union should have the power to pursue criminals across borders and to have access to each others confidential records, including DNA information; whether Parliament will be consulted before such a proposal is agreed; and, if so, by what method. 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 and 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 on 18 December 2006. Flooding: Enniskillen Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 17 January (WA 156) concerning flooding in Enniskillen, whether any damage occurred in the incidents of water ponding; and, if so, to whom, and from what source, compensation was paid as a result. Lord Rooker: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the noble Lord in response to this question. Letter from Dr Malcolm McKibbin to Lord Laird You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 17 January (WA 156) concerning flooding in Enniskillen, whether any damage occurred in the incidents of water ponding; and, if so, to whom, and from what source, compensation was paid as a result. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply. I am advised that there are no records of damage resulting from the isolated incidents of water ponding in the Queen Elizabeth Road, Enniskillen. The issue of compensation has, therefore, not arisen. Food: Bowland Dairy Products 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 Ltd. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In accordance with Commission decision 2006/694/EC, all the curd cheese held at Bowland Dairy Products Ltd was designated either as category 2 or category 3 animal by-product depending on the nature of the milk from which it was made, and has been disposed of in accordance with animal by-products legislation under the control of the local authority. There is now no curd cheese on the premises. Food: Labelling Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations the Food Standards Agency has received about its proposals to label food with traffic light colours; and, in particular, whether it has received representations from the makers of specialist food products on the possibility that the traffic light system could result in arbitrary criticism of products. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Food Standards Agency received 121 responses to public consultations on front-of-pack nutritional signposting. Summaries of these responses can be found on the agency's website. In addition, more than 332 small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 50 employees were contacted to find out how the agency's proposals would affect their businesses. A small number of responses were received; these did not highlight any concerns about arbitrary criticism of products. No representations have been received from makers of speciality food products. Gambling: Overseas Regulation Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will ensure that gambling jurisdictions in the European Union and European Economic Area exercise the same degree of regulatory control over online gambling as that envisaged for the United Kingdom by the Gambling Commission. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Gambling Act 2005 puts in place the strongest ever regulatory regime for the UK gambling industry. Although it is outside the Government's power to ensure that other jurisdictions exercise the same degree of regulatory control as the UK, we intend to lead the way in raising standards in remote gambling worldwide and in protecting consumers. To this end, on 31 October 2006, the Government hosted an international summit for more than 30 jurisdictions and the process of establishing international standards in now underway. The Gambling Commission will continue to share the UK Government's approach with their equivalent organisations abroad through its membership of the International Association of Gambling Regulators. Gambling: Overseas Regulation Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make representations to the Gambling Commission to hold talks with gambling regulators in Gibraltar and Malta to ensure that the standards of online gambling regulation in those jurisdictions are comparable to those in the United Kingdom. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government work very closely with the Gambling Commission on all issues relating to online gambling. Representatives from both Gibraltar and Malta attended the Government's international remote gambling summit held on 31 October 2006 where they, along with many other jurisdictions, indicated that they fully support the UK Government's intention to raise standards in online gambling regulation. Following the summit, we will continue to involve Malta and Gibraltar in the process for establishing international standards, which is now underway. The Gambling Commission will also continue to meet representatives of Gibraltar and Malta through their membership of the International Association of Gambling Regulators. Government Offices of the Regions: Costs Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much each of the Government Offices for the Regions spends annually on internal administration; and what is this figure expressed as a percentage of the total annual budget of each government office. 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 Health: Alfred Morris House, Taunton Lord Tyler: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Warner on 18 December 2006 (WA 243) concerning Alfred Morris House, the rehabilitation unit at Taunton, what consultation the Secretary of State for Health had with patients and their families before acting on Mr Jeremy Bell's formal request to her to undertake a review of the Taunton and Somerset National Health Service Trust's proposals. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: This is a local matter for Taunton and Somerset National Health Service Trust. It is the responsibility of local NHS organisations to plan and develop services in order to meet the needs of their health economy. South West Strategic Health Authority has advised officials that the trust consulted widely with staff on plans to relocate the neurological rehabilitation service from the Alfred Morris House to the Duchess Building. NHS bodies are under a duty to consult overview and scrutiny committees on any plans to make substantial variations to NHS services. These committees have the power to refer any proposal to the Secretary of State for Health if they believe that the plans are not in the interest of the health service. The SHA reports that the Somerset Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee was kept fully informed of the plans, and its view was that the service reorganisation did not constitute a significant variation in service and so did not require the full consultation periods. The service is being relocated, not closed, and the SHA provides further assurances that the trust will continue to provide a specialist neurological rehabilitation service, which will continue to be delivered by staff with the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience. Health: C Difficile Lord Goodlad: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many cases of clostridium difficile were reported in National Health Service mental illness hospitals in (a) 2005, and (b) 2006. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: These data are not collected centrally. NHS mental health trusts are not included in the mandatory surveillance schemes for healthcare associated infections, including clostridium difficile. Health: Respiratory Diseases Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the number of recorded cases of childhood asthma in each of the past 10 years in each parliamentary constituency in (a) Kent, and (b) Essex; and What are the number of recorded cases of adult respiratory diseases in each of the past 10 years in each parliamentary constituency in (a) Kent, and (b) Essex. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Information on the number of cases of adult respiratory disease and childhood asthma is not collected centrally. Health: Stroke Patients Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank: asked Her Majesty's Government: For each National Health Service acute hospital in the last convenient period, how many stroke patients out of the total were scanned (a) within three hours of admission, and (b) within 24 hours of admission; and whether each acute hospital is able routinely to scan patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 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 Immigration: Special Envoy on Returns Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the terms of reference for Lord Triesman's role as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Returns; and whether it is intended that Lord Triesman will make Statements to the House of Lords on any of his work in that capacity. Lord Triesman: I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister's letter of appointment which outlines the terms of reference for my role. I will make Statements to the House as and when it is necessary. InterTradeIreland Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 13 December (WA 208) concerning InterTradeIreland, whether they will place the minutes of the review meetings between the body and its sponsor departments in the Library of the House. Lord Rooker: I have arranged for the minutes of meetings which have taken place from 1 January 2005 to be placed in the Library of the House. Inward Investment: County Fermanagh Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have to attract investment to County Fermanagh. Lord Rooker: The Government, through Invest NI, promote Northern Ireland as an attractive and viable location for foreign direct investment. They also work to stimulate the development and growth of local businesses and entrepreneurial activity. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITS) works to secure investment in tourism. Invest NI works closely with local stakeholders to encourage them to develop regional propositions to maximise the attractiveness of their area for potential investors. This strategy has resulted in more than £4.2 million of assistance being offered towards total planned inward investment of £15.4 million in the Fermanagh District Council area in the four years to March 2006. Through its Accelerating Entrepreneurship Strategy, Invest NI has also assisted the creation of more than 670 new enterprises which have generated around £20 million of additional turnover in Fermanagh businesses. Invest NI has offered assistance of £3.5 million towards the £20.5 million golf resort development at Castle Hume. This project, in its first five years alone, is forecast to deliver £18 million of out of state tourism spend and 122 jobs to the Fermanagh area. The NITB has also secured £623,000 of support for Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism through the Peace II programme and £3 million under the Natural Rural Resource Tourism Initiative. Under the Tourism Development Scheme 2006-08, five projects in Fermanagh have been shortlisted for financial assistance support totalling around £642,000. The "Destination Fermanagh" initiative provides the basis for investing in Fermanagh's tourism product in the long term. This unique partnership between NITB, Fermanagh District Council and the industry in the county will play a key role in helping Fermanagh secure its place as one of Ireland's premier visitor destinations. Iraq: Muqtada al-Sadr Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many Ministers in the Government of Iraq are supporters of Hojatoleslam Muqtada Al-Sadr; and what are their portfolios. Lord Triesman: There are six Sadrist Ministers, three Cabinet Ministers, and three Ministers of State, in the Iraqi Government: Dr Yua'arab Nathim Al-Ubaidi (Agriculture) Dr Ali al-Shammari (Health) Dr Karim Mahdi Salih (Transport) Dr Liwa Sumaysim (Minister of State, Tourism and Antiquities) Dr Sa'ad Tahir Abd Khalaf al-Hashimi (Minister of State, Governorate Affairs) Engineer Adil al-Asadi (Minister of State for Civil Society Affairs). Following their self-imposed suspension from government and Parliament in protest at Prime Minister Maliki's meeting with President Bush in Amman in November 2006, the Sadrist members returned to Parliament on 21 January 2007. However, the return of the Sadrist Ministers to their previous positions is not yet resolved. Iraq: Study Group Recommendations Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to the recent Government of the United States references to Iran and Syria, following the suggestion by the Iraq Study Group that these two countries should be more actively involved in giving advice on how to resolve the problems in Iraq. Lord Triesman: As my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary told the Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committees on 11 January, the UK continues to have greater direct engagement with Iran and Syria than the US, but the messages we are conveying are not different. As my right honourable friend the Prime Minister has said, Syria and Iran face a strategic choice between whether to play a constructive role in the region or face isolation. We welcome the direct engagement that the Iraqi Government have pushed with both countries in recent months. Israel and Lebanon: Shebaa Farms Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will propose that the Shebaa Farms near the border between Lebanon and Israel be placed under United Nations jurisdiction until their exact status can be determined. Lord Triesman: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have had wide ranging discussions with the UN Secretary-General and other UN officials about the situation in Lebanon, including the Shebaa Farms. The UK supports UN Security Council Resolutions 1680 and 1701 which both call for action by Lebanon and Syria to delineate their common border, especially where the border is uncertain or disputed. The UN has now confirmed that it is working to establish the cartographic, legal and political implications of Lebanon's proposal to place the Shebaa Farms under UN jurisdiction until border delineation and Lebanese sovereignty over them are fully settled. Israel and Palestine Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they and the European Union are in touch with the Arab League and with the Governments of Egypt and Jordan on the appropriate measures to advance a comprehensive Middle Eastern peace settlement. Lord Triesman: The UK and our European partners are in regular contact with the Arab League and the Governments of Egypt and Jordan. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has visited the region twice in recent months, and met King Abdullah of Jordan on 6 November 2006, and President Mubarak of Egypt on 16 December 2006. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary met President Mubarak and the Arab League Secretary-General on 7 September 2006, and also hopes to visit the region soon. We continue to engage closely with the parties, and regional and international partners, on how to advance the Middle East peace process. Israel and Palestine: Customs and VAT Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have made, or will make, representations to the Government of Israel about the proposal that withheld customs and VAT moneys should be paid into an escrow account, against which the Palestinian presidency would have the right to borrow. Lord Triesman: We welcome Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas's meeting on 23 December 2006 and the resulting release of US$ 100 million in Palestinian tax revenues. We continue to call on Israel to release all revenues withheld since 18 February 2006. Israel and Palestine: Gaza Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the impact that the reopening of Gaza airport, and the short-haul airport at Kalandia, would have on the Middle East peace process; and whether they have assessed the probable costs or made proposals as regards the re-opening of these airports. Lord Triesman: The UK has recently funded the World Bank to carry out an investment climate assessment of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Its main finding is that shrinking market access and lack of free movement are the main constraints to growth. Palestinian firms must have secure and predictable access to international markets to be able to grow. The economic impact of providing access through airports or other transit routes would therefore be very large. However, we have made no recent assessment of the probable costs of re-opening these airports, but we have noted the assessments made by international financial institutions. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv and our consul-general in Jerusalem regularly raise our concerns about a wide range of issues, including access to markets, with the Israeli Government and Palestinian President Abbas. Together with our international partners, we continue to call for both sides to implement the November 2005 agreement on movement and access, which recognises the importance of re-opening Gaza airport. My right honourable friends the Secretary of State for International Development and the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about freedom of movement and economic access with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni, on 13 December 2006 and 2 January respectively. Israel and Palestine: Settlements 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: We are concerned about the announcement of new housing units in Ma'aleh Adumim. Settlements are illegal under international law and settlement construction is an obstacle to peace. The road map is clear that Israel should freeze all settlement construction, including the "natural growth" of existing settlements, and dismantle all outposts built since 2001. We are working closely with the US to re-launch the political process and move the peace process forward. My right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary discussed this with US Secretary of State Rice on 18 January. Name Changes Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements exist for notifying appropriate government departments and law enforcement agencies of individuals who change their names; and Which government agency is responsible for registering the name change of an individual so that the name change becomes lawful. Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply. Letter to Lord Marlesford from the National Statistician, dated January 2007. As Registrar-General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking which government agency is responsible for registering the name change of an individual so that the name change becomes lawful, and what arrangements exist for notifying appropriate government departments and law enforcement agencies of individuals who change their names. (HL1413 & HL1411) There is no government agency that is responsible for registering the change of name of individuals. There is no requirement to register a name change in order for it to become lawful. An individual may choose to make a statutory declaration or deed poll in order to provide evidence of their change of name. There is no central record of all name changes. Individuals are responsible for notifying relevant agencies that they have changed their names. National Lottery: Taxation Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have considered a reduction or abolition of the 12 per cent tax on purchase of a National Lottery ticket in order to meet any costs associated with the raising of funds for the 2012 Olympic Games in addition to the £1.5 billion already committed; and Why there is a 12 per cent tax on purchasing a ticket to play the National Lottery; and in what ways the money raised by this tax is utilised. Lord Davies of Oldham: The taxation of the lottery is a principle that has been accepted by Parliament since the lottery was established in 1994. The lottery is a mainstream gambling activity and should, like other gambling activities, make a contribution to revenues for the funding of essential public services. NHS: Deficit Lord James of Blackheath: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Warner on 8 January (WA 32—3) whether, without the writing back of the £350 million contingency established by strategic health authorities, the actual National Health Service cash deficit for the current fiscal year is £444 million; and Further to the Written Answer by Lord Warner on 8 January (WA 32—3), whether the £350 million contingency established by the strategic health authorities is separate from the £350 million contingency released to secure the net deficit forecast of £94 million for the current financial year; and Further to the Written Answer by Lord Warner on 8 January (WA 32—3) that the £350 million contingency "has not been created from new funding provided by the department" in the current financial year, whether the contingency was provided as a charge against National Health Service funding included for the previous fiscal year; and Further to the Written Answer by Lord Warner on 8 January (WA 32—3), whether all or any of the two contingencies of £350 million from either 2005—06 or 2006—07 were charged to the closing accounts for the financial year 2005—06. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The £94 million net deficit reported at quarter two, 2006-07, reflects the financial position of the NHS overall, including the impact of the £350 million contingency established by SHAs through their prudent management of NHS central budget programme funding devolved to them by the department. SHAs have created one contingency through their management of central budgets. This contingency currently stands at £350 million and has been set against the overall financial position of the NHS, though at quarter two, SHAs reported their ability to create an additional £100 million through their continued management of the central budget programme. The contingency is not related to previous financial years, either as a charge to NHS funding or as a charge to the final accounts. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: With reference to the visit of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the offices of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on 16 January, whether he indicated that he would remove the safeguards on new powers for the commission by amending the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill, currently before Parliament. Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland met the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on 16 January. During discussions of the work of the commission, the commissioners raised a number of concerns about the new powers for the commission, which are set out in the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill. The Secretary of State was interested to hear the views of the commission. He did not indicate that he would remove the safeguards on the new powers. He did confirm that the Government would consider any amendments proposed as the Bill passes through Parliament. Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights Forum Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Under what standing orders the Bill of Rights Forum which met in Northern Ireland on 18 December 2006 operates; and on what basis the voting is operated. Lord Rooker: The Minister of State for Northern Ireland (David Hanson) chaired the inaugural meeting of the forum on 18 December as an interim arrangement. The Government's clear view is that it should be for the independent chair and the forum members themselves to determine the forum's own procedures, including how voting is operated. Official Documents: Translation Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the cost to the Northern Ireland departments and the Northern Ireland Office of the translation of documents from English into Irish. Lord Rooker: The average cost to the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Northern Ireland Office for the translation of documents from English to Irish is 14 pence per word. Recycling Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will take further steps to encourage product life cycle research into an expansion of inputs from recyclable and renewable items to reduce the incidence of unnecessary waste in finished industrial and commercial products. Lord Rooker: Defra is developing a holistic approach to tackling the most significant environmental impacts of products across their whole life cycle. This includes, but is not restricted to, addressing the waste impacts of products. The Market Transformation Programme (MTP) supports government policy on sustainable products. The Government are funding the MTP through the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) Programme to do more work aimed at reducing waste impacts through action taken at the design stage of the supply chain. In addition, the Department of Trade and Industry Technology Programme funds research and development into new technologies. Funds provided via the BREW Programme are helping to encourage more innovative approaches to product design to reduce unnecessary waste in their manufacture and use. Remanufacture involves re-engineering end-of-life goods into as-new condition. It offers potential for improving business resource efficiency and profitability. An on-going pilot project under the BREW Programme is helping to expand knowledge in this area. We are currently discussing, with managers of the pilot project, how this work can be taken forward. The government-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has also been established to create stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products, removing the barriers to waste minimisation, re-use and recycling. WRAP's market development work includes developing new uses for recycled materials. For example, in its Manufacturing Programme, WRAP has committed to deliver three major projects over the next two years which aim to switch significant manufacturing processes from using virgin material to recycled material input. WRAP is also undertaking research and feasibility studies to identify further opportunities for manufacturers to use production based on recycled, rather than virgin, materials. The Innovation Fund established under WRAP's Retail Programme aims to stimulate innovation in packaging and product design. Examples of innovation have included new technologies, reducing the weight of packaging and incorporating recycled content into packaging. The Review of England's Waste Strategy will discuss further the Government's approach in these areas. Roads: Northern Ireland Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will take steps to improve traffic flow at peak times at the Knocknagoney roundabout in East Belfast. Lord Rooker: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the noble Lord in response to this Question. Letter from Dr Malcolm McKibbin to Lord Laird. You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question about whether they will take steps to improve traffic flow at peak times at the Knocknagoney roundabout in East Belfast. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply. As you will be aware, the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP), published in November 2004, takes forward the strategic initiatives of the Regional Transportation Strategy for Northern Ireland, which was accepted by the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2002. The BMTP sets out transport proposals for the Belfast metropolitan area to be implemented or commenced by 2015. It also supports the development proposals contained in the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan, which was published by the Department of the Environment in 2004. The BMTP identified a number of road improvement schemes considered necessary to remove existing bottlenecks and improve traffic flows on the road network. Although none of the improvement schemes directly affects the Tillysburn/Knocknagoney junction, there are proposals to widen the Sydenham bypass that will assist traffic flows in this area. Details of the proposals in the BMTP can be obtained from the BMTP website https://pronet.wsatkins.co.uk/bmtp/. In the more immediate future, Roads Service has approved road modifications, as part of a planning application submitted by Tesco, which will amend the A2 approach to the junction from the Holywood direction and provide additional capacity at the A2/Knocknagoney Road junction. Subject to the availability of funding, Roads Service is also considering improvements to the road layout at the A55 Outer Ring/Holywood Road junction and the lane configuration between this junction and Tillysburn, as part of our 2007-08 traffic management works programme. When completed, it is anticipated that these schemes will contribute to an improvement of traffic conditions in and around the Tillysburn junction and help reduce congestion in the area. Roads: Northern Ireland Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have to improve traffic flow in Donemana, County Tyrone. Lord Rooker: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the noble Lord in response to this Question. Letter from Dr Malcolm McKibbin to Lord Laird. You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question regarding what proposals they have to improve traffic flow in Donemana, County Tyrone. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply. The traffic problems encountered in the village of Donemana are relatively minor, when compared with traffic problems generated in the larger towns and cities across Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, it is recognised that problems are occasionally experienced within the village. It is also noted that, although some waiting restrictions are in place in the village, a lack of enforcement has resulted in these being abused. You will be aware that Roads Service has recently taken over responsibility for enforcement of waiting restrictions across Northern Ireland. I am pleased to confirm that, as a result of this, villages such as Donemana will be given increased levels of enforcement. Given the rural nature of the village and the relative lack of traffic problems, future enforcement action will not be on a full-time basis, but it should be sufficient to encourage those currently ignoring the waiting restrictions to use the adjacent car park, where there is clearly adequate capacity to meet the village's needs. Saudi Arabia: Ahmadiyya Community Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the Government of Saudi Arabia following the arrest and deportation of 49 members of the Ahmadiyya community, including an eight-month old child. Lord Triesman: Our embassy in Riyadh found no evidence to support the claim of illegal detention and deportation of 49 members of the Ahmadiyya community. Schools: Sport Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the mandate for the Youth Sport Trust initiative to establish the National Council for School Sport Secondment; what is the membership of the council; what is its annual budget; what outcomes it has delivered; and what was the tender process which led to the award of this initiative by the Government. Lord Davies of Oldham: The National Council for School Sport (NCSS) is not a government body. Requests for details regarding the membership of its council, its annual budget and the outcomes it has delivered should be addressed directly to the NCSS, 1st Floor, Sir John Beckwith Building, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE1 1 3TU. The Youth Sport Trust (YST) is a registered charity that supports the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) in delivering the National School Sport Strategy. This work includes the modernisation of competitive sport in schools, through the introduction of competition managers into school sport partnerships and the local implementation of the national schools competition framework. The YST agreed to second a member of its staff to work with the NCSS on the competitive sport element of the strategy. Since 2002-03, DfES has allocated the following grants to the YST from the National School Sport budget to support this secondment. Year DfES grant 2002-03 £2,000 2003-04 £22,500 2004-05 £30,000 2005-06 £50,000 2006-07 £50,000 2007-08 (Projected) £50,000 Total £204,500 Secret Services Baroness D'Souza: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have taken to further the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe's recommendation to create an ad hoc committee of experts to consider in depth the subjects of secret services, air traffic and state immunity. Lord Triesman: We have carefully considered the recommendations made by the secretary-general. However, as stated in the Written Answer my honourable friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Kim Howells, gave to the honourable Member for Chichester (Mr Andrew Tyrie) in another place on 23 November 2006 (Official Report, col. 245W), the Government believe that domestic legislation and international legal instruments already exist to deal satisfactorily with the concerns he has raised. We stand by this statement and continue to believe that there is no need to create new mechanisms such as those the secretary-general proposes. My honourable friend the Minister of State, Kim Howells, sent a letter to the secretary-general on 23 January outlining the Government's position in detail. Sport: Discounted Travel Scheme Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much of the £1 million per annum six-year discounted travel scheme announced by UK Sport on 2 June 2006 has been spent so far by the Olympic governing bodies of sport; and how much has been claimed by each of the 35 Olympic governing bodies for the 450 athletes announced to be beneficiaries of this scheme. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Flying Start scheme announced on 2 June 2006 is a partnership between UK Sport and Virgin Atlantic to offer discounted flights and other in-kind benefits to Olympic and Paralympic athletes on the UK Sport Podium Programme, their coaches and support staff. Initially launched for one year only, Virgin considered the total value of the scheme overall to be £1 million per annum. In the time since launch, more than 650 flights have been booked under the scheme. Virgin estimates the combined value of the flight discounts and other in-kind benefits taken so far to be £290,000. Fifteen sports have benefited from the scheme, which are as follows: Archery Athletics Badminton Bob Skeleton Canoeing Disability Athletics Disability Sailing Disability Tennis Diving Equestrian Modern Pentathlon Ice Skating Sailing Shooting Triathlon Sport: Discounted Travel Scheme Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any employees of UK Sport or the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have benefited from the discounted travel scheme announced by UK Sport on 2 June 2006. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Virgin Flying Start scheme announced on 2 June 2006 is not open to any employees of UK Sport or the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It is provided solely for podium-level athletes on UK Sport's World Class Performance Programme, together with the chief executive, performance director and up to three nominated coaches or managers from the Olympic and Paralympic governing bodies. Sport: Discounted Travel Scheme Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the value of the discounted travel scheme received by the 12 "future champs" identified by UK Sport in the first six months since the launch of the scheme; and who are the recipients of the allowances. Lord Davies of Oldham: The 12 athletes were selected independently by Virgin Atlantic and are not part of the joint partnership with UK Sport. There is therefore no information available on the value of the scheme to them. The 12 athletes selected independently by Virgin Atlantic are: Caitlin McClatchey, David Carry, Mark Cavendish, Oliver Freeman, Emily Pidgeon, Rachael Gatford, Nathan Stephens, Shelly Woods, Giles Scott, Martyn Rooney, Jane Campbell and Wade Bennett-Jackson. Sudan: 2005 Agreement Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have evidence of violations of the 2005 agreement concerning southern Sudan; and, if so, what action they will propose. 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 redeploy 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. Terrorism Baroness D'Souza: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have taken to implement the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe's recommendations on the issue of secret detention and transport of detainees suspected of terrorist acts. Lord Triesman: We have carefully considered the recommendations made by the secretary-general. However, as stated in the Written Answer my honourable friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Kim Howells, gave to the honourable Member for Chichester (Mr Andrew Tyrie) in another place on 23 November 2006 (Official Report, col. 245W), the Government believe that domestic legislation and international legal instruments already exist to deal satisfactorily with the concerns he has raised. We stand by this statement and continue to believe that there is no need to create new mechanisms such as those the secretary-general proposes. My honourable friend the Minister of State, Kim Howells, sent a letter to the secretary-general on 23 January outlining the Government's position in detail. Ulster-Scots Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: What discussions they have had since 2004 with the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning the status of the Ulster Scots language. Lord Rooker: On-going discussions take place between Northern Ireland civil servants and Irish Government officials about the operations of the North/South Language Body which may include matters relating to the Ulster-Scots language. Waste Management: Fly Tipping Lord Rana: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the extent of fly-tipping in Northern Ireland by county; what are the costs incurred in cleaning up fly-tipping; what steps have been taken to counter the problem; what is the extent of fly-tipping in Northern Ireland emanating from the Republic of Ireland; and what representations have been made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland on this issue. Lord Rooker: Fly-tipping tends to be casual, occasional dumping by householders but not all councils maintain the necessary data on its prevalence. The Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) is seeking councils' agreement to the operation of a database used successfully throughout Great Britain into which all councils and regulatory bodies can input details of fly-tipping incidents. As regards large-scale, illegal dumping, since EHS took over responsibility for waste management in December 2003, it has received almost 4,000 reports of such incidents. EHS has taken 173 successful prosecutions against illegal operators, generating more than £200,000 in fines to date. Clean-up costs are not known but it is estimated that 250,000 tonnes of illegally disposed waste from the Republic of Ireland are likely to cost more than £25 million to clean up. Under EC legislation, RoI has primary responsibility for dealing with any of its waste illegally deposited in Northern Ireland. Officials from Northern Ireland and the Republic have agreed actions designed to strengthen the response in both jurisdictions to any existing or future illegal movements. EHS has set up a dedicated environment crime team, which is working closely with its counterparts in other regulatory bodies such as the PSNI and district councils and in the Republic of Ireland. New legislation will be introduced in spring 2007 and will provide stronger investigative powers and greater financial penalties.

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Afghanistan: Reconstruction The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the current concentration of British troops in Helmand province has diverted attention from reconstruction and development throughout the country; and, if so, how this can be rectified under the revised strategy. 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. Africa: G8 Investment Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they intend to present to the G8 countries to bring about increased investment and development in African Union countries. 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. Agriculture: Tractors Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any plans to require that agricultural tractors be subject to MoT testing. Lord Bassam of Brighton: We have no plans to include agricultural vehicles within the MoT scheme. Animal Welfare: Wild Birds Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 20 February (WA 213), which stated that the Government could not press for a ban on the importation of wild caught birds, how this is compatible with the Prime Minister's letter to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which stated that the United Kingdom intended to press the European Union to extend indefinitely the ban on the commercial importation of wild birds. Lord Rooker: The UK Government did press other member states and the European Commission to extend indefinitely the ban on the commercial importation of wild birds, 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. Armed Forces: Friendly Fire Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the Government of the United States regarding necessary standards of military training in order to avoid further United Kingdom Armed Forces deaths and injuries from friendly fire incidents. Lord Triesman: We have frequent exchanges on military channels concerning defence-related issues, including training, better collaboration on the ground and reducing friendly fire incidents. We have made regular representations to the US to encourage closer co-operation with UK inquests into deaths of British citizens in friendly fire incidents where there may have been US involvement, most recently on 8 March 2007. Bahrain: Human Rights 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 of a 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. Lord Triesman: Mohammed Saeed Al Sahlawi and Hussain Al Habashi were convicted in January 2007 on the grounds of possessing leaflets calling on people not to vote in the November 2006 Bahraini elections. They were sentenced to custodial sentences of one year and of six months respectively. On 25 February 2007, the two men were released, following a royal pardon by the king. The circumstances in which a prosecution can be challenged within a country depend on the laws of that country. Individuals claiming that a state has breached their rights under the covenant may submit written complaints to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, having first exhausted domestic remedies, if the state in question has signed up to this complaints mechanism. Bahrain has not done so. British Citizenship Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether children of British mothers born overseas before 1961 are excluded from British citizenship, whereas those born subsequently have rights of citizenship equal to those of the children of British fathers; and, if so, whether they have any plans to change this policy. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Since 1 January 1983, women have been able to pass on their citizenship to their children born overseas in the same way as men. Prior to that date, citizenship could be transmitted only through a British father. It was announced on 7 February 1979 that children aged under 18 of UK-born mothers could be registered as British citizens. In recognition of this, there is provision within the current nationality legislation for the registration of all such children born between 7 February 1961 and 1 January 1983. There are no plans to extend this provision to those born before that date. Buses Lord Bradley: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have made an assessment of how long it would take for a quality contract for bus services to go from proposal to implementation under the process set out in Putting Passengers First; if so, whether they will set out the stages and likely timescale for each stage; and whether they will place a copy of any material in support of these assessments in the Library of the House. Lord Bassam of Brighton: Initial estimates informing our proposals contained within Putting Passengers First are that it might take between 14 and 20 months from consultation on a proposed quality contracts scheme to the scheme coming into operation. This is dependent on a number of variables, which are currently being discussed and developed further with stakeholders, including the traffic commissioners. The Government will publish an indicative timetable alongside the draft Road Transport Bill. Chevening Scholarships Lord Goodlad: asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have for the future allocation and funding of the Chevening scholarships. Lord Triesman: Following a review of the Chevening scholarship programme last year, we have established as the objective of the programme building influence for the UK among the leaders of the future in support of the Government's international strategic priorities. Future decisions on allocations and funding will be taken in the context of the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review, but will be made against this objective. The programme will continue to operate worldwide, but with allocation weighted towards countries where we believe the Chevening programme can contribute most to support for delivery of the international strategic priorities. Children: Physical Restraint Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will take steps to ensure that uniform records are kept of the use of restraint, including the age, gender and ethnicity of each subject, at young offender institutions, secure training centres and secure children's homes. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Youth Justice Board has been working with secure accommodation providers to develop common standards for recording and reporting restraint information. It has issued new counting rules and guidance to improve the comparability of data. The revised data collection framework will include a breakdown by sex and ethnicity. Age has not been identified as a factor influencing the use of restraint. The Youth Justice Board plans to collect data under the new rules from April 2007. Children: UN Conventions Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will withdraw their reservation under Article 37(c) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We are currently reviewing the need for the reservation and will announce our conclusion in due course. Consultants Lord Howard of Rising: asked Her Majesty's Government: To which items of expenditure the consultancy fee of £400 million, announced by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on 21 November 2006, will apply. Lord Davies of Oldham: Within the £400 million costs outlined at the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee hearing on 21 November 2006 are not only the costs of the delivery partner but the costs of site mobilisation; that is, the costs of getting the team on site, including site accommodation, of IT provision, and of new teams required by the ODA itself. The use of the delivery partner will help to ensure the highest levels of programme management and cost control. Crime: EU Nationals Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 1 February (WA 72), how the Statements made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the House of Commons on 10 and 16 January and the press statement issued on 13 January provide information relating to the number of offences committed in England and Wales by individuals from other member states of the European Union. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Written Answer on 1 February referred to the general information available about the overseas crimes issue. Comprehensive details of offences committed in England and Wales by individuals from other member states of the European Union are not collected. Crime: EU Nationals Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they collect details of the number and type of offences committed in England and Wales by individuals from other member states of the European Union. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Comprehensive details are not collected. All recordable offences will be entered on the police national computer, but not all these records will include nationality. Director of Public Prosecutions Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether those responsible for the appointment of Sir Ken Macdonald as Director of Public Prosecutions were aware, when the appointment was made, of his conviction for a drug-related offence whilst a student. Lord Goldsmith: Yes, as stated publicly by my office shortly after the appointment was announced in 2003. Drivers: Working Hours Regulations Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 6 March (WA 29), how are offences brought to the notice of the administration concerned if the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency makes no record of foreign drivers breaking regulations. Lord Bassam of Brighton: All offences relating to the use of heavy commercial vehicles from other member states are reported to the competent authority in the home state on a monthly basis. This is in relation to the company responsible for the operation of the vehicle, not specifically the driver. Few other member states have a driving licence endorsement system like our own. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) does not record the nationality of drivers prosecuted. VOSA does not generally prosecute non-UK resident offenders, as it cannot require the defendant to attend court, nor can any penalty given in their absence be enforced. The Road Safety Act includes powers for the introduction of immediate financial deposits against penalties in relation to offences detected. VOSA and the Department for Transport are working to introduce these new powers by the end of 2007. Environmental Information Regulations Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether port authorities are obliged to disclose information under the Environmental Information Regulations. Lord Rooker: Port authorities may be obliged to consider disclosure of information under the Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) only if they are listed in Schedule 1 to the Freedom of Information Act or fall within the definition of "public authority" set out in the EIRs because they carry out functions of public administration or otherwise meet the definition of a public authority for EIR purposes. Environmental Justice Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many cases involving the public interest in environmental law have had orders for no costs since the Aarhus Convention was ratified; and what has been the net change since 2000 in (a) the money spent on legal aid; (b) the average legal costs in court cases involving environmental public law; and (c) the income threshold for legal aid. 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. Environmental Justice Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: In the last two years, what proportion of environmental law judicial review challenges received public funding. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. EU: Development Policy Funds Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What specific measures they will take to help the European Union to increase its development policy funds in the period to 2015 so as to reach the United Nations goal of 0.7 per cent of gross national product, both within the United Kingdom and within the European Union. Baroness Amos: The UK is on track to deliver on its official development assistance (ODA) commitments and reach 0.7 per cent GNI. The delivery of EU commitments will be formally monitored by the EU and by the OECD DAC. We are working with other partners to encourage all the EU member states to have plans in place to reach their respective aid volume targets. The General Affairs External Relations Council (GAERC) in May and the June European Council will provide opportunities to highlight the progress towards the 2010 target. We are working with civil society groups in the UK and internationally to create support for accountability to the EU processes and to create domestic pressure in member states. The UK will focus on the key aid deliverables such as education, health and aid for trade to encourage EU states to increase their ODA and reach the 0.7 per cent target. Fishing: Drift Nets Lord Kimball: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they have allowed drift-net fishing off Strathy Point to continue. 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, who own the fishing rights at Strathy, have decided not to renew the lease. Immigration: New Asylum Model Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the target percentages for the proportion of asylum cases to be dealt with within six months at specified future dates, under the Home Office's new asylum model. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Our targets are to conclude (grant or remove) within six months of application: 35 per cent of new asylum applications by April 2007; 40 per cent by December 2007; 60 per cent by December 2008; 75 per cent by December 2009; and 90 per cent by December 2011. Immigration: Treatment of Claimants Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish their evaluation of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 Section 9 pilot scheme. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We intend that the report will be published in the next few months. Immigration: Treatment of Claimants Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have considered alternatives to the provisions in Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We continue to explore ways to encourage unsuccessful asylum-seeking families to return home as we implement our new asylum model and new regional structures. Voluntary returns are preferable to enforced returns. However, if people do not leave voluntarily, we will seek to enforce their return. Immigration: Treatment of Claimants Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many families have been returned as a direct result of the implementation of Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information will be included in the Section 9 pilot evaluation report when it is published. Immigration: Treatment of Claimants Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many families have disappeared in the areas covered by Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information will be included in the Section 9 pilot evaluation report when it is published. Immigration: Treatment of Claimants Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many families have been denied any support in the pilot areas under Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004. 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 Schedule 3 to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Immigration: Treatment of Claimants Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 is compatible with the United Kingdom's child welfare legislation and the Human Rights Act 1998. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Yes. Sections 17 or 20 of the Children Act 1989 provide a legal framework for a local authority to support children if parents fail to take appropriate steps to leave the United Kingdom, and if necessary to avoid a breach of a person's European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) rights. Immigration: Treatment of Claimants Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have considered the healthcare needs of children who are being returned under Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The cohort of families on whom the Section 9 provision was tested had been unsuccessful in their asylum claims and had been found not to be in need of international protection. Were IND to be informed of any healthcare issues at the time of removal, these would be considered on a case-by-case basis. Information Systems: DfID Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: In respect of the Department for International Development, (a) on how many occasions in the last year malicious programs have compromised departmental computer systems; and, for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what was the impact on the department's activities; (b) what penetration tests have been carried out of information systems over the last year and what were the results, indicating in each instance whether the tests were carried out independently of the providers of the system concerned; and (c) on how many occasions in the last year the departmental management team has considered information risk. Baroness Amos: Malicious code has been identified on DfID computers on 10 different occasions in the last year, affecting one computer in each case. It took between 10 and 90 minutes to remove the programs concerned. In all cases, the users could sign on to another machine and continue working, so the impact on DfID's activities was low. DfID does not publish information about penetration tests, on grounds of security. DfID's management board has considered the corporate risk register on three occasions in the past year and has been satisfied that there are currently no information risks among DfID's top risks. Information risks are monitored at regular meetings of the appropriate board sub-committee. Information Systems: Treasury Lord Harris of Haringey: asked Her Majesty's Government: In respect of HM Treasury, (a) on how many occasions in the last year malicious programs have compromised departmental computer systems; and, for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what was the impact on the department's activities; (b) what penetration tests have been carried out of information systems over the last year and what were the results, indicating in each instance whether the tests were carried out independently of the providers of the system concerned; and (c) on how many occasions in the last year the departmental management team has considered information risk. Lord Davies of Oldham: On no occasion in the last year have malicious programmes compromised Treasury computer systems. In the calendar year 2006, every information system was independently tested at least once. It would not be appropriate on grounds of security to publish the results. Information risk is considered by the Treasury's audit committee at quarterly intervals. International Development: Azad Kashmir Earthquake Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What assistance they have provided to families whose homes were destroyed in the Azad Kashmir earthquake; and whether they have made an assessment of (a) what proportion of the families whose homes were destroyed have been rehoused in new permanent structures; (b) the number of families sharing accommodation; (c) the number living in temporary structures; (d) the number living in tents; and (e) the number of families who have left Azad Kashmir. Baroness Amos: DfID committed £54 million in rapid humanitarian relief, including on essential supplies for shelter, health, and water and sanitation for families affected by the earthquake. A further £70 million for reconstruction and rehabilitation has been committed. Most of this will be direct support for the highest priorities outlined by the Government of Pakistan, such as housing, social protection, health, education and livelihoods. DfID is supporting programmes through international organisations, including a disease early warning system (DEWS) to minimise the risks of any epidemics for earthquake-affected families, and work to strengthen social protection services for the most vulnerable families and individuals. Precise figures are difficult to obtain in the post-disaster context, but estimates from the Government of Pakistan and international organisations are, for the earthquake areas as a whole, as follows: (a) approximately 72,046 families (out of an anticipated total of 431,640) have now received the final tranche of compensation from the Government, which indicates that this number of people have completed or nearly completed the building of their homes;(b) according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN, there are no accurate figures on the number of families sharing accommodation;(c) and (d) on the number living in temporary structures, IOM and the UN report that there are approximately 34,000 people currently residing in camps, either in tents or semi-permanent structures; and(e) IOM states that the number of people who have migrated from Pakistan-administered Kashmir is approximately 10 per cent of the 116,572 affected families. This information is, to the best of our knowledge, an accurate assessment. IRA Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have received any assurances that the Irish Republican Army Council has ceased to exist. Lord Rooker: The Independent Monitoring Commission's 14th report is unequivocal and makes it clear that, while some of the structures remain in place, the Provisional IRA has abandoned terrorism and violence, and the deterioration of terrorist capability continues. Iraq: Airbridge Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress they have made in providing a reliable airbridge to and from Iraq to prevent the disruption of leave for service personnel; and How the serviceability of Royal Air Force air transport aircraft has impacted on the airbridge to and from Iraq . Lord Drayson: The Iraq airbridge is conducted by a combination of civilian charter and RAF air transport aircraft, with the RAF aircraft completing the final sector into Iraq. There has been disruption to both the charter and military sectors of the Iraq airbridge. Senior stakeholders drawn from MoD Headquarters, Permanent Joint Headquarters, Defence Supply Chain Operations and Movements and the front-line commands are actively engaged in making improvements to the airbridge. Israel and Palestine: Abu Dis Boys School Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the Government of Israel following events at Abu Dis Boys School on 14 February when many pupils were assaulted. Lord Triesman: We are concerned about the impact of Israel's military operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Israel, like all states, has the right to defend itself against terrorism. The UK condemns all forms of terrorism. However, Israel must ensure that its actions comply with international humanitarian law and minimise the impact on civilians. Our embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises our concerns regarding the impact of military incursions in the West Bank with the Israeli Defence Forces. We have not yet made a representation to the Government of Israel regarding events at the Abu Dis Boys School. Officials at our consulate-general in Jerusalem have arranged to visit the school in the coming weeks. Legal Aid Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of cases in which legal aid is disbursed are non-criminal cases; how much money has been disbursed in legal aid in non-criminal cases since 2000; and what proportion of this money was of overall spending on legal aid in each of the years since 2000. Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Legal Services Commission does not record cases; it records acts of assistance. These represent the various stages that a person may go through under legal aid, such as initial advice and assistance followed by representation in a civil court; this would score as two acts of assistance. Currently, around 38 per cent of acts of assistance are non-criminal. The amount spent on non-criminal legal aid (including immigration) and the proportion of total legal aid spend that this represented since 2000 are set out below: Expenditure (£m) Proportion of total legal aid spend 2000-01 791 48% 2001-02 734 43% 2002-03 813 43% 2003-04 898 43% 2004-05 846 42% 2005-06 831 41% The figures given are expressed in cash terms for the sake of consistency, since prior to 2004 resource figures are not available. Current estimates suggest that resource expenditure on non-criminal legal aid will be around 20 per cent higher in 2006-07 than in 2004-05. The cash consequences of that increase in resources follow later. Muslims Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their estimate of the proportions of Sunni and Shia Muslims respectively who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom. Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply. Letter from Karen Dunnell, National Statistician, dated 14 March 2007. As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for an estimate of the proportions of Sunni and Shia Muslims respectively who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom. [HL2454] The information requested is not available. The number of persons who gave their religion as Muslim in the 2001 census in Great Britain was 1,588,890. Figures are not available for Northern Ireland because a separate tick-box for Muslims was not included on its version of the 2001 census form. Nepal: UN Mission The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to reductions in the United States budget for assistance to the United Nations Mission in Nepal. 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 and is likely to be in the range of US$38 million to US$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. NHS: Primary Care Trust Finance Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much each primary care trust currently owes its respective local authority in the east of England region; and How many local authorities currently, or in the last year, have lent their respective primary care trust money. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Primary care trusts do not have the legal powers to borrow from local authorities or elsewhere. Olympic Games 2012: Construction Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have made an assessment of the report published on 16 February in Building magazine on construction work for the 2012 Olympic Games and the availability of quantity surveyors and project managers. Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government are committed to ensuring that the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games maximise the potential for job creation, training and business growth so that the Games leave a lasting social and economic, as well as physical, legacy for London and the UK. The Government are aware of evidence, as outlined in Building magazine, to suggest a shortage of quantity surveying skills in the UK, and the DTI is working with Work Permits UK and industry bodies to establish a clear picture of the recruitment (skills) position in a number of construction sectors. The Public Sector Construction Clients' Forum and the Strategic Forum for Construction are also looking at supply and demand for project management skills and driving through improvements. The London Employment and Skills Taskforce action plan (2006) highlighted that the construction skills needs of the Games would represent only a fraction of the overall requirements in the region. The Olympic Delivery Authority is determined to ensure that requirements for construction and project management skills are met for the 2012 Games. Parliament Square: Tents Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: By what authority tents have been erected on the grass in Parliament Square; how many people they are intended to accommodate; what rental charge is being levied for the use of the site; what conditions have been written into any agreement; and when the consent for these tents will expire; and To whom application should be made for consent to erect tents, or other methods of camping, on the grass in Parliament Square; and what categories of persons are qualified to apply. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Parliament Square Garden is managed by the Greater London Authority (GLA) under the GLA Act 1999. The perimeter pavements to the east and south of the square are managed by Westminster City Council. We understand that the tents erected on the grass area of Parliament Square Garden have been erected without the permission that is required under the Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square Garden Byelaws 1999. Passports Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government: What secure delivery service is used for the issue of new passports; and how many of the 298,172 replacement passports issued during 2006 related to the failure of the original passport to reach the applicant. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Delivery of new passports is carried out by Secure Mail Services. This company replaced services previously provided by the Royal Mail after a competitive tendering exercise in 2003. These new arrangements commenced in February 2004. Under these arrangements, passports can be tracked throughout the delivery process, and in high-risk areas signatures are collected as proof of delivery. Losses have reduced from 3,593 in the last year of the Royal Mail contract to an estimated 740 for 2006. This represents a reduction of over 80 per cent in the rate of loss. The figure of 740 is an estimate, as investigations into reported losses for the end of last year are still ongoing. This figure comprises 635 passports reported by customers as not received where the audit trail shows a delivery, and 105 instances of passports being stolen from couriers or from their vehicles. Where passports are lost or stolen during delivery, the original passports are cancelled and replacements are issued, which are included in the total number of replacement passports issued. People Trafficking Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consult the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women about measures to prevent trafficking; and whether they will make the coalition's resource pack widely available. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government published a consultation paper on proposals for a UK action plan on tackling human trafficking in January 2006, which included a chapter on prevention work. A wide range of organisations responded to the consultation, but the list of respondents does not include the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. The Government are in the process of finalising a UK action plan on human trafficking, which includes measures specifically designed to prevent human trafficking and actively engages with non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders with expertise in this area. Police: Northern Ireland Lord Kilclooney: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the investigatory powers of the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman extend to matters of United Kingdom national security; and, if so, what are the implications of this for the war against international terrorism. Lord Rooker: The investigatory powers of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland do not extend to matters of United Kingdom national security except in so far as the powers relate to the conduct of police officers. Police: Paddington Green Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Metropolitan Police will facilitate the request for a visit by the Joint Committee on Human Rights to Paddington Green police station. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The originally scheduled visit had to be cancelled for operational reasons and a new date is to be arranged between the Metropolitan Police and the office of the JCHR. Railways: Great North Eastern Franchise Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 20 February (WA 235), whether they will accept bids from new operators offering lower standards of on-board service than those currently offered by the Great North Eastern Railway. Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Department for Transport will review the bids submitted from the four pre-qualified bidders with respect to the level of on-board service. Bidders are entitled to propose the level of on-board service that they consider appropriate, and this will form part of their overall bid. The department believes that the market is best placed to determine this aspect of the InterCity East Coast business. The Department for Transport did not specify the standard of on-board services for the last franchise and has not done so for the new franchise. Railways: High-speed Train Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: How fuel efficiency and emissions are factored into the procurement process for the replacement high-speed train, for which they are now responsible. Lord Bassam of Brighton: One of the objectives of the InterCity Express Programme to procure the replacement of the high-speed train is to achieve an environmentally sustainable solution in support of the Department for Transport's policy of reducing the impact of travel on the environment. To this end, the technical specification will include the following: a realistic target weight for the train which would deliver the objectives of better energy efficiency, reduced emissions and improved performance;a more demanding desirable target train weight which, if provided, would further enhance delivery of such objectives;proposals for the use of diesel-powered trains as part of the solution must fully comply with the Class IIIB emission requirements set out in European Directive 2004/26/EC;any self-powered train sets are to demonstrate a reduction in CO2 emissions per seat km;trains are to be required to be fitted with a braking system which, when obtaining power from the overhead supply, shall be capable of regenerating energy back into the overhead line; a desirable requirement is that the self-powered train set shall employ energy recovery systems; and the fitting of energy metering systems are to provide real-time advice to the driver to allow him to optimise energy consumption, consistent with maintaining punctuality. As part of the pre-qualification process, the accreditation questionnaire will test suppliers' ability to address these environmental and fuel economy issues. Their responses will be scored and will be part of the process for the selection both of potential suppliers and, following evaluation of final bids, of the winning tender. Railways: Passenger Numbers Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 7 March (WA 58), whether they will alter their assessment of the annual passenger growth rate over the next 10 years, bearing in mind that the train operating companies operating long-distance services increased their carryings by 9.7 per cent in 2006. Lord Bassam of Brighton: We are continuing to evaluate projected growth in passenger numbers as part of the preparation of the forthcoming high-level output specification. This evaluation will take account of evidence provided from recent trends in numbers of passengers carried. Railways: Removal of Trees Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the powers of Network Rail to remove trees or other potential obstructions to railway lines extend beyond the boundaries of the railway or whether it is the responsibility of the relevant landowner to remove such obstructions. Lord Bassam of Brighton: This is an operational matter for Network Rail, as the owner and operator of the national rail network. The noble Lord should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his question: John Armitt, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 40 Melton Street, London, NW1 2EE. Secure Training Centres: Hassockfield Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government: What the reasons were for the lapse of 18 months between the inspection by the Commission for Social Care Inspection of Hassockfield secure training centre and the publication of the commission's report in February 2007. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The time that elapsed between the inspection and publication of the report was taken up with preparing the draft report, discussions between the commission, the operator of Hassockfield and the Youth Justice Board to establish its factual accuracy—that is standard practice and is provided for in the commission's protocol with the board—and some subsequent processing delay in the Home Office. The commission, the Home Office and the Youth Justice Board are drawing up a new protocol, which we believe will expedite the process of publishing inspection reports. Our primary concern is to ensure that the inspection process is rigorous and accurate. Security Services Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether members of the security services routinely monitor the movements of senior public officials. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Security Service only investigates individuals whose activities fall within the statutory provisions of Section 1 of the Security Service Act 1989. Sport: Football Hooligans Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any proposals to bring the legislation in Northern Ireland on football hooligans inside football stadia in line with that for the rest of the United Kingdom. Lord Rooker: Officials from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and the NIO have prepared a range of proposals on sports grounds-related public order issues, which include football hooliganism inside football grounds. These proposals are currently being considered by Ministers. Sudan: Darfur Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government: What factors underlay the finding of the Home Office position paper, published in May 2006, that "ordinary non-Arab ethnic Darfuris are not at risk of persecution outside the Darfur States and ... it is not unduly harsh to expect them to relocate to an area within Sudan in which they will be safe". Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The country information element of the Sudan operational guidance note (OGN) is drawn from a wide range of publicly available governmental and non-governmental sources cited in the Home Office Sudan country of origin information (COI) report. The information in the Sudan COI report, as well as the leading tribunal case law, indicates that tribal leaders, prominent activists and intellectuals of non-Arab ethnic Darfuri origin are at increasing risk of treatment amounting to persecution outside of the Darfur regions. While we consider that in these cases the grant of asylum will normally be appropriate, the information does not indicate that ordinary non-Arab ethnic Darfuris are likely to be at risk of treatment amounting to persecution outside Darfur. In these cases, therefore, the grant of asylum will not normally be appropriate. The Sudan OGN was reviewed in November 2006 to reflect the updated Sudan COI report issued in October 2006. The overall guidance for the non-Arab ethnic Darfuri category of claim remains unchanged. Taxation: Immigrants Lord Barnett: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether immigrants to the United Kingdom pay income tax and national insurance on earned income in their first full year; and, if not, under which Act they qualify for this exemption. Lord Davies of Oldham: If an immigrant comes to the UK to work, tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) should be deducted from their pay from when they start work. Taxation: VAT Carousel Fraud Lord Steinberg: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are aware of any missing trader and carousel fraud outside the mobile phone industry; and Whether HM Revenue and Customs have withheld VAT repayments to the majority of mobile phone traders since March 2006; and How many mobile phone traders have sought judicial review of the withholding of VAT payments; how many cases have been initiated; and how many are pending; and Whether they have taken action in respect of missing trader and carousel fraud against any mobile phone traders; and, if so, in respect of how many traders. Lord Davies of Oldham: Although the majority of all MTIC fraud seen so far has been perpetrated using mobile phones and computer chips, a wide range of other goods have been, and continue to be, used. HMRC has also seen evidence of traders historically linked with the mobile phone sector diversifying their trading into goods as disparate as cosmetics and soft drinks. HMRC has a duty to protect tax revenues, and does so through a multi-faceted strategy using a range of interventions, including taking steps to counter inaccurate, fraudulent or abusive repayment claims. HMRC is entitled to verify VAT repayment claims to ensure that they are properly payable. Decisions to verify repayment claims or to take other action to improve taxpayer compliance are made on the basis of perceived risk and are applied across the whole VAT register. Last year, the level of VAT repayment claims from those suspected of trading in supply chains associated with MTIC fraud rose very rapidly, without known economic or commercial reason. As a result, HMRC is verifying a greater proportion of VAT repayment claims from such traders, regardless of the nature of their trading activity. In order to ensure that its action is proportionate, HMRC has deployed an additional 700 staff to enable these verification checks to be carried out efficiently and effectively. However, HMRC does not collate information by specific products, and to do so would incur disproportionate costs. HMRC has received a number of challenges to its in-depth verification of repayment claims from those suspected of trading in transaction chains affected by MTIC fraud. HMRC has received over 170 letters before claim, the first stage in the judicial review process. Subsequently, HMRC has been served with 42 judicial review claim forms. Of these, 19 cases are awaiting a decision from the administrative court as to permission, and two substantive and two permission renewal hearings are pending. The courts, to date, have supported HMRC's policy and practice. Terrorism Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to ensure that the rule of law will be applied in all terrorist suspect cases and that detainees will not be held indefinitely without charge. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: There are no terrorist suspects detained indefinitely without charge in the UK. Prosecution is the Government's preferred way of dealing with terrorist suspects. Individuals detained under immigration powers for reasons of national security are subject to deportation proceedings and the timeframes that this entails. The individuals subject to control orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 are not in detention. Wales Office: Translation Costs Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much it costs per word for the Wales Office to translate English into Welsh. Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: The Wales Office pays for translation from English into Welsh at a rate of £80 plus VAT for each 1,000 words or part thereof, with a minimum charge of £35 plus VAT for shorter documents. Waterways: Royal Canal Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the repairs to the Royal Canal Longford and Begnagh bridges have cost; who carried out the work; and after what selection process. Lord Rooker: I understand from Waterways Ireland that both bridges were publicly advertised for tenders. In each case, the tenders were assessed from a suitability questionnaire first and, having been judged suitable, contracts were then awarded on price. Jons Civil Engineering Co Ltd won both contracts. The tender price, including VAT, for Longford Bridge is €2,754,186.85. The scheme is now substantially complete, but the final cost is not yet available. The tender price, including VAT, for Begnagh Bridge is €2,197,533.00. The scheme is expected to be completed in April 2007 and the final cost will not be available until after that date. Waterways: Royal Canal Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the work on the Royal Canal bridges at Lyneen and Mosstown and Lock 45 and associated culverts has cost; who carried out the work; and after what selection process. Lord Rooker: I understand from Waterways Ireland that works have not yet commenced on the three projects. Therefore, the cost is not yet available. Proposals for both Lyneen and Mosstown bridges have been submitted to Longford County Council for planning permission. Detailed design is ongoing and, on receipt of planning permission, Waterways Ireland's intention is to publicly advertise the tenders as separate schemes. Lock 45 was publicly advertised and tenders were received on Wednesday 28 February 2007. They are currently being assessed, and it would not be appropriate to comment further until this process has been completed and the contract awarded. Young Offender Institutions: Personal Officers The Earl of Listowel: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to ensure the role of personal officer in young offender institutions is effectively implemented. Baroness Scotland of Asthal: All young offender institutions operate a personal officer scheme. A key audit baseline requires that prisoners have support from a specified member of staff for advice and guidance, and help with personal problems.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2007-03-14b

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Palestinians Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the situation in Gaza of issues relating to the control of Gaza’s off-shore gas; and whether it is United Kingdom foreign policy to back Israeli control of that resource. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The exploitation of the Gaza gas fields would be hugely beneficial to Gazans. Gaza is currently suffering from acute shortages of energy; Gaza needs reliable sources of energy. More widely, exploiting the gas would also be hugely beneficial to the Palestinian economy, enabling the Occupied Palestinian Territories to meet their energy needs and generating revenues for the Palestinian Authority.The UK strongly supports the development of the Gazan gas fields. Over the past years, we have had extensive discussions with the Palestinian authorities on the development of the gas fields for the benefit of the Palestinian economy. The UK is not backing Israeli control of the gas fields. We have, however, been in discussions with the Israeli authorities to encourage them to enable the exploitation of these fields. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to prevent the Israeli demolition of the Arab village of Hiran in the Negev in order to replace it with an Israeli settler village. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv continue to follow the cases of Um Il Hiran and Ateer closely. They have been in contact with the Adalah Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (who wrote the report ‘Nomads Against their Will’, issued in 2011) and they have briefed us on the legal updates since then. We understand the hardships facing the Bedouins of Um il Hiran and Ateer and continue to study the situation in order to inform any future lobbying.Officials have also been in contact with several other organisations that work within the Bedouin community, such as Itach-Maaki and the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation – Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development (AJEEC-NISPED), to evaluate the best sort of support we can offer the Bedouin community in the Naqab/Negev. Israel Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the destruction by Israeli forces of a pipeline in the northern Jordan valley built to provide water to Palestinian communities. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have not made representations on this particular case. However, the UK regularly raises issues of water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities, including stressing the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current unacceptable situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza. We also regularly make clear, publicly and privately, to the Israeli authorities our serious concerns about the actual or threatened demolition of Palestinian infrastructure. Demolitions are harmful to the peace process; and are contrary to international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that the destruction of any real or personal property in Occupied Territory is not justified unless it is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations. Palestinians Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they and other European Union governments plan to discuss Mr Blair’s call for a "radical change of approach" from Israel in respect of Gaza; and whether there are plans for a joint European Union visit to Gaza at ministerial level. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK and EU are clear that there is an urgent need to address the situation in Gaza and for an agreement to address the underlying causes of the conflict. This should ensure that Hamas and other militant groups permanently end rocket fire and other attacks against Israel; the Palestinian Authority resumes control of Gaza and restores effective and accountable governance; and that Israel lifts its restrictions in order to ease the suffering of ordinary Palestinians and allow the Gazan economy to grow. There are currently no plans for a joint EU visit to Gaza at ministerial level, although ministers from several EU Member States have visited Gaza recently. War Memorials Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 23 February (HL4962), what maintenance has been done on the Royal Naval Division memorial; and how many water leaks there are in the monument. Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 23 February (HL4962), what is the procedure if the Committee for the Royal Naval Division memorial has no funds to refurbish the memorial. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Memorial Committee has recently commissioned a condition survey and a Report of its findings, together with estimates of costs for any suggested remedial works. Once the Report is available, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Memorial Committee will jointly discuss appropriate funding and timelines for the essential maintenance of the monument. Israel Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the listing by the government of Israel of Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem for demolition. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem closely monitor demolitions in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, working with the EU and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. We regularly make clear, publicly and privately, to the Israeli authorities our serious concerns about the actual or threatened demolition of Palestinian homes and infrastructure in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are contrary to international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that the destruction of any real or personal property in Occupied Territory is not justified unless it is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.In addition we continue to support Palestinians facing demolition or eviction through support to the Norwegian Refugee Council legal aid programme which helps individuals to challenge these decisions in the Israeli legal system. We are also funding the International Peace and Cooperation Centre (IPCC), an independent Palestinian non-profit organisation, to support long-term planning for Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Israel Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the disqualification of Hanin Zoabi as a candidate in the forthcoming elections in Israel. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: On 18 February the Israeli High Court of Justice overturned the decision to disqualify lawmakers Haneen Zoabi and Baruch Marzel from running in the elections. They will now be running on the Joint Arab List. Middle East Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reported wounding of Palestinian photo-journalists by the Israeli Defence Force. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials in our Embassy in Tel Aviv have registered our concerns with the Israel Defence Forces about the reported wounding of Palestinian photo-journalists. Protection of the freedom of the media is an important attribute of human rights. We will continue to raise individual cases in which Palestinian journalists have been shot with the Israeli authorities. Egypt The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Egypt about breaches of civil and human rights in Egypt. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government is committed to supporting the Egyptian people’s aspiration for a full and functioning democracy. We continue to believe that stability and prosperity in Egypt is dependent on open and inclusive politics and on full respect for the rights contained in the Egyptian constitution. That is why in recent months Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have asked the Egyptian authorities to take action to release journalists and political detainees who remain imprisoned, to review mass judicial decisions, and to remove restrictions on civil society.I personally raised human rights concerns with Egyptian Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights, Dr Mahy Abdel Latif on 14 January. We discussed the importance of women’s rights and the case of the imprisoned international journalists, who have since been deported or released pending a retrial. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), raised the need for political reform during his visit to Egypt on 13-15 January. He stressed the importance of upholding the fundamental human rights guaranteed in the Egyptian constitution. Along with discussing human rights in our conversations with the Egyptian government, at the UN’s Universal Periodic Review of Egypt’s human rights situation on 5 November 2014, the UK made recommendations focussing on the ability of civil society to operate freely and the protection of women’s rights. Israel Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel and what response they have received concerning the second update by UNICEF issued in February 2015 on its report of March 2013 entitled "Children in Military Detention", with reference to the alleged ill-treatment of children during arrest, transfer, interrogation and detention. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Since the publication of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-funded independent report on Children in Military Custody in June 2012, there has been some progress on the issue of children held in military detention. This includes a pilot to use summons instead of night-time arrests, and steps to reduce the amount of time a child can be detained before seeing a judge. We have welcomed the steps taken to date, but we have called for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. We continue to have concerns about mistreatment of Palestinian detainees, including during arrest, transfer, interrogation and detention and about Israel’s respect of its obligations in this regard as an Occupying Power under applicable international law. We have raised concerns over treatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including at Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser levels. We have not made representations to the Government of Israel specifically concerning the second update by the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on its report, “Children in Military Detention”. Israel Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reported use in Israel of solitary confinement for children held in military detention. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Both the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have told us that there has been a drastic decrease in the use of solitary confinement of children over the past year. Israeli officials tell us that solitary confinement does not take place, but that children are held in isolation during the time of their interrogation to avoid them from collaborating their stories. We are following up on this point and have asked for statistics on the use of isolation. We have raised concerns over solitary confinement with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including with the Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser, and most recently with the Director of Human Rights. Israel Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reported methods of transportation used in Israel for children held in military detention. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Since the publication of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-funded independent report on Children in Military Custody in June 2012, there has been some progress on the issue of children held in military detention. This includes a pilot to use summons instead of night-time arrests, and steps to reduce the amount of time a child can be detained before seeing a judge. We have welcomed the steps taken to date, but we have called for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. We continue to have concerns about mistreatment of Palestinian detainees on various issues but have not yet addressed methods of transportation. We continue to raise concerns over treatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including at Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser levels. Israel Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports by UNICEF that children in military detention in Israel have been made to sign untranslated written confessions in Hebrew. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Since the publication of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-funded independent report on Children in Military Custody in June 2012, there has been some progress on the issue of children held in military detention. This includes a pilot to use summons instead of night-time arrests, and steps to reduce the amount of time a child can be detained before seeing a judge. We have welcomed the steps taken to date, but we have called for further measures, including the mandatory use of audio-visual recording of interrogations, investigation into continued reports of single hand ties being used, and an end to solitary confinement for children. We continue to have concerns about mistreatment of Palestinian detainees including that children in military detention in Israel have been made to sign un-translated written confessions in Hebrew, and about Israel’s respect of its obligations in this regard as an Occupying Power under applicable international law. Israeli interlocutors at the Ministry of Justice have told us that the security orders mandate that all documents must be written in both Hebrew and Arabic – including any information added by hand. We have raised concerns over treatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including at Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser levels. We will continue to follow up on these allegations and raise this issue as a serious concern. Palestinians Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact of the closure of the Rafah crossing by the government of Egypt on the reconstruction programme in Gaza. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism is now working. Over 52,000 people have been able to buy materials to repair their homes. Part of the UK pledge at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference in October 2014 is support for the Mechanism and materials entering through Gaza/Israel crossings. We are, however, concerned about the closure of the Rafah Crossing and the impact that this has on urgent medical and other priority cases in Gaza. We have raised this with our contacts with the Egyptian government and asked the Egyptian authorities to show flexibility in opening the crossing. Iran Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the P5+1 nuclear talks on Iran. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have made some progress in recent weeks in negotiations but we are still a long way off an agreement: a lot of complex and difficult issues remain to be resolved before we can reach a comprehensive deal which addresses our proliferation concerns. Nevertheless, we are working hard to achieve this. Iran Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of reports about the Supreme Leader of Iran's nine-point plan for the destruction of Israel. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We strongly condemn any suggestions from Iran’s leaders that Israel should be eliminated. We similarly strongly condemn any politically or racially motivated attempts to deny or question the Holocaust, and all anti-Semitic language. Bahrain Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about Dr Masaud Jahromi. Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government has not specifically raised Dr Masaud Jahromi’s case but we are aware that he was arrested in 2011 and charged with illegal gathering. An official from our Embassy in Bahrain attended his court hearing in January 2012. In January 2015, Masaud was one of 72 individuals who had their nationalities revoked. Our Ambassador to Bahrain has raised these revocations at Ministerial level with the Government of Bahrain. All of the individuals affected have the right to appeal. Our Embassy in Bahrain will continue to follow these cases closely. Northern Ireland Office Northern Ireland Office Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 24 February (HL4954) concerning the Northern Ireland Office, what are the responsibilities of each of the Northern Ireland Office business groups. Baroness Randerson: The structure and functions of the Northern Ireland Office, including the responsibilities of its individual business groups are published annually in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.A copy of the latest annual report is available in the Library of the House. Wales Office European Union Lord Tugendhat: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 23 February (HL4848), what they estimate to have been the total cost to the Wales Office and its associated agencies of the Balance of Competences Review. Baroness Randerson: I refer the Noble Lord to the answer I gave on 12 February (HL4848). Ministry of Justice Secure Colleges Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on which dates the bidding process for the contract to manage the proposed Secure College will be launched; and by which dates bids must be received. Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on which dates the bidding process for the contract to provide education at the proposed Secure College will be launched; and by which dates bids must be received. Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on which date the winning bids from the contracts to manage and provide education at the proposed Secure College will be decided. Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on which date the names of the winning bidders for the contracts to manage and provide education at the proposed Secure College will be published. Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government on which date the criteria will be published by which the winning bids for the contracts to manage and provide education at the proposed Secure College will be evaluated. Lord Faulks: The Ministry of Justice intends to launch the competition for the operational contract for the Secure College Pathfinder this year and education provision will form part of this overall contract. The Ministry of Justice expects potential providers to put forward innovative solutions that address the individual needs of the young people in the Secure College. The timetable for the competition, which will determine dates for the tender period and contract award, is under consideration. The competition will ensure that sufficient time is allowed to enable potential providers to fully understand a new specification, the needs and complexities of these young people and the challenging environment in which they will be required to work. The timetable will be made available on the launch of competition. Evaluation criteria against which bids will be assessed will be shared with bidders at the tender stage. Department for Work and Pensions European Union Baroness Prashar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 23 February (HL4837), what they estimate to have been the total cost to the Department for Work and Pensions and its associated agencies of the Balance of Competences Review. Lord Freud: The Department for Work and Pensions contributed to two Balance of Competences Review reports, the Social and Employment Report, led by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Single Market: Free Movement of Persons Report, led by the Home Office. As such, the Department for Work and Pensions did not directly incur any costs. The Department did make a financial contribution to the Home Office in respect of their printing costs. Home Office Terrorism Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the agreement between the Metropolitan Police Service and the Independent Police Complaints Commission and others regarding the investigation of public complaints relating to Schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000, when they expect that complainants will receive an answer to their complaints. Lord Bates: The Independent Police Complaints Commission is awaiting receipt of the draft investigation reports from the Metropolitan Police Service and will write to the Noble Lord shortly. Driving Offences: Speed Limits Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with police forces in England about the priority given to the enforcement of traffic speed in 30 mph and 20 mph areas. Lord Bates: The Home Office has not had any such discussions. Enforcement of speed limits is an operational matter for the police. Driving Offences: Speed Limits Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many fixed penalty fines have been issued, and how many prosecutions have been initiated, for exceeding 30 mph or 20 mph speed limits in each of the police forces areas in England; and how that compares with estimates of the actual number of times speed limits are exceeded in 30 mph and 20 mph areas. Lord Bates: The Home Office does not hold the data requested. The Home Office collects data on the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued to motorists for all speeding offences, but cannot separately identify whether an individual was caught exceeding the speed limit in a 20mph zone or a 30mph zone.The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. However, unless stipulated in statute, the location of an offence cannot be separately analysed. Hence it is not possible to identify whether a defendant proceeded against for a speeding offence has been caught exceeding the speed limit in a 20mph zone, or a 30mph zone. This information may be held by the individual courts in England and as such it can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Cabinet Office Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint disclosed an interest in, and knowledge about, HSBC before he was appointed as a member of HM Treasury’s Banking Reform Committee; and when he joined and left that Committee. Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint was appointed as an adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on banking issues; when he was appointed to the Cabinet Committee on banking reform; how many meetings of that committee he attended; and when he ceased to be a member of that committee. Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Lord Green was a member of the Banking Reform Committee for the period 11 January 2011 to 11 December 2013. His interest in HSBC is a matter of public record. As was the case under previous administrations, information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when and how often they meet and which Ministers have attended, is generally not disclosed. Department of Health Genetics: Screening Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures NHS England is putting in place to ensure the development of a national policy for molecular diagnostic testing before existing legacy arrangements expire in 2016; who will lead those plans; when they will begin; and when progress will be reported. Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what commissioning policies and interventions are in place to ensure uninterrupted access to molecular diagnostics from 1 April 2015 whilst a more robust system is being developed. Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which pharmaceutical companies have informed NHS England about the withdrawal of their funding for molecular testing; and what plans NHS England has in place to ensure continuity of funding and access for affected patients. Earl Howe: NHS England is leading a range of activities relating to the future of molecular diagnostics which over time will begin to inform new approaches to the prediction and prevention of disease as well as the application of new targeted therapies, in support of delivering the ambitions set out in the 5 Year Forward View. These include: the re-procurement of Genomics Local Laboratory Hubs; the establishment of a Task Force to oversee development of a new national strategy for cancer; and the coordination of the NHS contribution to the 100,000 Genomes Project which includes the building of a new molecular pathology network. In addition to this, NHS England is conducting analysis to clarify legacy arrangements for commissioning molecular diagnostics and identify future commissioning mechanisms. Chemicals Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Mr George Freeman, on 14 January (HC220047), what are the necessary steps that would be required for laboratory reagents to be licensed for use as medicinal products. Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Mr George Freeman, on 14 January (HC220047), what are the necessary steps that would be required for medicinal products to be licensed for use in clinical practice when the products concerned do not yet have CE marking; and how the prior use of such materials in clinical practice within other European Union Member States would affect regulation of their potential use in the United Kingdom. Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Mr George Freeman, on 14 January (HC220047), to what extent toxic materials that are not licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency could be authorised for use in patient treatments in the absence of safety data from phase 1 clinical trials. Earl Howe: A laboratory reagent that does not make medicinal claims is not a medicinal product per se ; however, if a company wishes to apply for a licence to use a laboratory reagent - as a medicinal product as defined in Directive 2001/83 EC they would need to submit an application for a marketing authorisation to the Licensing Authority, supported by the appropriate safety, efficacy and quality data set out in that Directive. CE marking applies to medical devices. Products meeting the definition of a medicinal product are required to obtain a marketing authorisation before they can be placed on the market. In order to obtain a marketing authorisation, all data related to quality, safety and efficacy of the product, including prior use in the relevant population should be submitted and will be evaluated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on behalf of the Licensing Authority. If a product already has a marketing authorisation and is in clinical use in another EU member state, the licence holder is eligible to apply for an authorisation in the United Kingdom through a Mutual Recognition procedure where the data supporting the product’s use and the evaluation report of the Member State that has approved the product will be submitted to the MHRA for a decision on approval of a UK marketing authorisation to be reached within the defined timelines of the procedure. Medicines legislation contains a provision for the use of an unlicensed medicinal product which is provided for by way of an exemption from the requirement for a marketing authorisation. In the interests of public health this exemption is narrowly drawn because these products, unlike products holding a marketing authorisation, will not have been assessed and approved against the criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. Under their terms of service, general practitioners and hospital doctors are allowed to prescribe any medicinal product, including any unlicensed medicinal product which they consider necessary to meet the clinical needs of their patients and under their clinical responsibility. They should always satisfy themselves that the medicinal products or other substances they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed, that patients are adequately monitored and that, where necessary, expert hospital supervision is available. Care Homes Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the application of the "triple lock" policy used in regard to state retirement pensions to the Personal Allowance element from local authorities for retired people living in residential homes; and whether it is their intention to apply it. Earl Howe: All local authority supported care home residents retain an amount of their own income, the Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA), for personal expenses. A significant number of these are below pension credit qualifying age. It would not, therefore, be appropriate to apply the triple lock to the PEA and it would be inequitable to only apply it to the PEA retained by people above pension credit qualifying age. Local authorities have discretion to allow people to keep a larger PEA where they have a family member to support or a property to maintain. We are committed to uprating the PEA regularly to ensure that it maintains its value. Care Homes Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish figures as to how many local authorities have used their discretion in permitting a higher level of Personal Allowance than that published by the Department of Health. Earl Howe: Local authorities have discretion to allow a higher level of Personal Expenses Allowance. It is for each local authority to consider all the evidence presented and to make the appropriate decision. Information about how often local authorities exercise this discretion is not collected centrally. Cancer: Drugs Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 13 February (HL4626), which patient organisations were consulted in October 2014 on proposed changes to the Cancer Drugs fund re-evaluation process. Earl Howe: NHS England has advised that its proposals for changes to the operation of the Cancer Drugs Fund in 2014-15 and 2015-16 went out to public consultation for a four week period from 3 October 2014. A direct mail regarding the consultation was sent for onward cascading to the following charities and patient organisations: Healthwatch England National Voices Help and Care National Association for Patient Participation National Association for Voluntary & Community Action National Care Forum Patient Concern Patients Association Patient Opinion Patient Information Forum Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations Action on Smoking & Health Age UK Alzheimer’s Society Anthony Nolan Trust Association of Medical Research Charities Breakthrough Breast Cancer British Heart Foundation British Kidney Patient Association British Red Cross Cancer Research UK Carers Trust Carers UK Citizens Advice Bureau Kidney Cancer Support Network Kidney Research UK Macmillan Cancer Support Marie Curie Cancer Care Men's Health Forum National Council for Palliative Care National Council for Voluntary Organisations Cancer 52 Prostate Cancer UK Myeloma UK Rarer Cancers Foundation Roy Castle Lung Foundation Beating Bowel Cancer Clicsargent UK Health Forum Leukaemia Care Brain Tumour UK Breast Cancer Care Children with Cancer UK Bowel Cancer UK The information was also sent directly to over 300 registered stakeholders of the NHS England Chemotherapy Clinical Reference Group (CRG) which includes many patient organisations. In addition, the following organisations attended a patient organisations and charities consultation event: Beating Bowel Cancer Breast Cancer Campaign Breakthrough Breast Cancer GIST Support UK Transforming Cancer Services for London Team MHP Health Target Ovarian Cancer Cancer 52 Pancreatic Cancer UK James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer Cancer Research UK Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust Lymphoma Association Macmillan Cancer Support The Brain Tumour Charity Prostate Cancer UK Rarer Cancers Foundation MDS UK Patient Support Group Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which organisations, in each of the last five years, have received funding under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968; and whether they will set out the name and amount of funding given to each organisation and any attached conditions or restrictions on its use. Earl Howe: Tables have been attached which provide information on awards made under Section 64 of the Health and Public Health Act 1968 for the financial years 2010-11 to 2014-15 in relation to the following; - Innovation, Excellence and Service Development Fund; - Strategic Partner Programme; - Financial Assistance Fund; - Children’s Hospice and Hospice at Home Grants; - Homeless Hospital Discharge Fund (HHDF); and - Other grants awarded under Section 64 outside the main schemes (for the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 only). Information on Section 64 grants made outside the main schemes for the years 2010-11 to 2012-13 is not available in the format requested from central records and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Standard conditions are included in the award letters for all Section 64 grants. These are reviewed on a regular basis. The current standard template used for grant awards made under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 has also been attached. In addition to the standard terms and conditions of award, individual grant awards may include additional conditions. These are not collated centrally and would require examination of every grant awarded during the last five years. Therefore this could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Section 64 Awards (Excel SpreadSheet, 688.74 KB) Section 64 Award Letter (Word Document, 147.5 KB)

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2015-03-05

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made in relation to a vaccine against bovine tuberculosis. Lord Benyon: Developing a vaccine against TB in cattle is one of the Government’s top priorities and will complement the already existing use of BadgerBCG. Defra aims to have a deployable cattle TB vaccine (CattleBCG) in the next few years. In 2021, world-leading cattle TB vaccination field trials began as a result of a major breakthrough by Government scientists on the development of a new DIVA skin test to Detect Infected among Vaccinated Animals. The UK is closer to being able to vaccinate cattle than we have ever been before, but there is still a lot of work to do. Final deployment will rely on the success of the ongoing field trials, achieving Marketing Authorisations from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (for both CattleBCG and the companion DIVA skin test), gaining international recognition for both products, an IT system to record and trace vaccinated cattle, and acceptance of vaccination from across the range of stakeholders. A Government-industry collaborative working group has been established to co-design initial deployment policy proposals which will inform a public consultation. Vaccinating cattle against bTB will be a valuable addition to the toolbox but will not replace existing control measures. Maintaining biosecurity measures on farm, avoiding risky movements of cattle and complying with testing protocols remain as important as ever in the fight against bovine TB. Consumer Goods and Food: Prices Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce price controls for food and other consumer products. Lord Benyon: The Government has no plans to introduce price controls for food. Bracken: Asulam Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1)ecological, and (2) human health, impacts of continuing to allow emergency use of asulam to control growth of bracken after such use was denied in Wales and Scotland; and whether they have a (a) plan, or (b) timescale, for ending such authorisations. Lord Benyon: Decisions on the regulation of pesticides are devolved. The decision to grant an emergency authorisation for the limited and controlled use of Asuloxin in England in 2023 was taken after careful consideration of the potential impacts on human and animal health and the environment. To minimise risks to human health and the environment, strict conditions have been applied to its use. These include, but are not limited to, the use of protective equipment for those applying the pesticide, unsprayed buffer zones to protect non-target terrestrial plants and aquatic organisms, and restrictions on when and where the herbicide can be sprayed to protect mammals and nesting birds. All applications for emergency authorisation are considered on their individual merits, However, emergency authorisation is not a permanent solution. The Bracken Control Group, as the Applicant for emergency authorisation, has carried out work on alternatives and the owners of Asulox are working towards standard authorisation of the product. The Minister for Food, Mark Spencer, plans to meet the company in the near future to assess progress towards a long-term solution. Department for Work and Pensions Universal Credit: Deductions Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask His Majesty's Government how many, and what proportion, of Universal Credit claims were subject to deductions in the most recent month for which data is available, broken down by parliamentary constituency; how much was the (1) total, and (2) average, sum of deductions in each constituency; and what proportion of those sums was deducted to repay advance payments. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government recognises the importance of supporting the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt. We seek to balance recovery of debt against not causing hardship for claimants and their families. Processes are in place to ensure deductions are manageable, and customers can contact the DWP Debt Management Team if they are experiencing financial hardship, to discuss a reduction in their rate of repayment, or a temporary suspension, depending on their financial circumstances. Since April 2021, we have reduced the normal maximum rate of deductions in Universal Credit from 40% to 25% of a claimant’s Standard Allowance. These positive measures were put in place to support claimants to manage financial difficulties. Advances are a claimant’s benefit entitlement paid early, allowing claimants to access 100% of their estimated Universal Credit payment upfront. They ensure nobody has to wait for a payment in Universal Credit, and those who need it are able to receive financial support as soon as possible. Claimants can receive up to 100% of their estimated Universal Credit award if required, resulting in 25 payments over a 24-month period. This is not a debt. The requested analysis of Universal Credit claims with a deduction in February 2023 by parliamentary constituency in Great Britain (GB) is provided in the separate spreadsheet. Data for February 2023 has been provided in line with the latest available Universal Credit Household Statistics.HL8486 data table (xlsx, 62.6KB) Social Security Benefits: Disqualification Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current status of the two local pilots of early warning systems instead of immediate benefit sanctions that they launched in 2019. Viscount Younger of Leckie: Evidence from a previous Early Warning trial in 2016 showed the cost of the warning system outweighed the benefits. Since then, we have completed two small-scale proofs of concept to test a simple warning process and currently have no plans to run another test. Department of Health and Social Care Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total number of radiotherapy machines for NHS patient use in England, and how many of those have exceeded their recommended 10-year lifespan; what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of radiotherapy machines that have exceeded their recommended 10-year lifespan; and what guidance they have issued to local procurement systems for replacing radiotherapy machines that have exceeded their recommended 10-year lifespan. Lord Markham: The total number of radiotherapy machines for National Health Service patient use in England is not held. NHS England is currently undertaking a stocktake of Linear Accelerator (LINAC) age, which will be completed in summer 2023 and is working with partners to undertake a demand and capacity review which will complete in 2023/24. The output of this work will support local systems to plan for equipment replacement. All radiotherapy equipment is subject to regular servicing, calibration, and quality assurance checks which is the responsibility of individual NHS trusts that deliver radiotherapy.The Capital Planning Guidance, published April 2022, states that integrated care systems will need to develop replacement plans as part of their multi-year capital plans, in partnership with specialised commissioners, Cancer Alliances and Radiotherapy Operational Delivery Networks, based on an assessment of equipment age, capacity and demand, opportunities to improve access and service risk. Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust: Staff Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government how many staff currently or previously employed at the Tavistock Centre have applied to, or are expected to, move to either of the two new clinics. Lord Markham: This information is not held centrally. It is the responsibility of the trusts providing the new services to undertake staff recruitment. They will need to include expertise in treating gender dysphoria in children, alongside other clinical disciplines, of which there is nationally a small pool of specialists. The new services will be delivered in line with the NHS England’s new interim service specification, which reflects the new clinical model set out by Dr Cass. As such, any staff that move from the Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust will be fully signed up to this approach. An oversight group will ensure any training delivered to staff is in line with the new clinical approach. Tobacco Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect public policy being influenced by the commercial interests of the tobacco industry. Lord Markham: The Government takes obligations to protect public policy from the commercial interests of the tobacco industry under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control very seriously. The ‘Guidance for government engagement with the tobacco industry’ was published on 19 June 2023 to support Government Departments and public bodies to adhere to Article 5.3 and remind them of their commitments. This document builds on established measures that the Department has put in place internally to limit interactions with the tobacco industry and ensure the transparency of the interactions that do occur. A copy is attached.Attachment (pdf, 264.2KB) Coronavirus Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what measuresthey are taking to ensure that those with vulnerabilities can access COVID-19 treatments in a timely manner, given the transition of COVID-19 treatment to routine pathways and the removal of important support systems such as digital enablers. Lord Markham: Following positive National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommendations for community-based COVID-19 treatments, integrated care boards (ICBs) will have a statutory responsibility for providing access from 27 June. As with other treatments, it will be for ICBs, who are closer to their local population, to determine the appropriate access arrangements within the treatment window. NHS England has written to highest-risk patients who can be digitally identified to advise them of the changes in the pathway and to advise them to contact local services as per local pathways. UK Health Security Agency, the Department and NHS England have also been working with patient groups to raise awareness of the changes as we move out of pandemic-specific arrangements. NHS England has also been working with local systems to support the development of the new pathways, and provide assurance that new arrangements will be in place to ensure access for patients, NHS England will continue to monitor the transition to routine pathways. Patients newly diagnosed with a qualifying condition or treatment regime should be advised by their treating clinician at that point that they may be eligible, and how to access services if they test positive for COVID-19. Clinicians will then consider COVID-19 as a potential diagnosis when assessing patients, determine whether the individual is at highest risk and act accordingly, in line with their clinical judgement. IVF Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byEarl Howe on 1 April 2014 (HL6103 and HL6104) and byLord Markham on 13 June (HL8181) and 14 June (HL8241), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has made any assessment of the revised estimate that 10–20 families per year might be assisted by mitochondrial donation techniques; what assessment they have made of the HFEA decision to continue to license the use of such techniques; and whether the number of embryos used in treatments to date in the UK might reasonably be described as low in comparison with other licensed treatments. Lord Markham: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it has made no assessment of the revised estimate previously made by the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, on the number of embryos used in treatment to date in the United Kingdom in comparison with other licensed treatments, as the number of treatments to date in the UK is low. Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government when the minutes of the JointCommittee on Vaccinations and Immunisations meeting on 7 June will be published. Lord Markham: The draft minutes of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) meeting which took place on 7 June 2023 are planned to be published via the GOV.UK website within six weeks of the meeting. Coronavirus Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to support integrated care boards during the transition of COVID-19 treatments to routine pathways and to ensure equitable access across England. Lord Markham: The Government has made available a range of treatment options for eligible hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19 and the NHS will continue to deliver treatment for COVID-19 patients in line with evidence-based recommendations from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the continued delivery of COVID-19 treatments, including where appropriate transitioning the delivery of community-based COVID-19 treatments away from COVID-19 Medicine Delivery Units to routine care pathways by the end of this month. ICBs have the flexibility to create a routine patient access pathway that best meets local needs and circumstances, including for immunocompromised patients. NHS England is working closely with local health systems and supporting ICBs to develop service delivery plans. Coronavirus Lord Mendelsohn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the UKis out of step with other countries in itseligibility restrictions for COVID-19 antiviral treatments, such as precluding those over 70 and with COVID-19 symptoms from accessing them. Lord Markham: Here in the United Kingdom, the Government has made available a range of treatment options for eligible hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19. These are being used to treat UK patients in line with evidence-based recommendations from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), following the established processes in this area.NICE has determined eligibility of access following a review of the available evidence and taking into consideration reports such as the Independent Advisory Group’s report on higher-risk patients eligible for COVID-19 treatments.The UK’s guidance, as with the World Health Organization living guideline, have been published in MAGICapp, a global evidence ecosystem used by global partners to help formulate local access policies. Coronavirus Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) inequalities in health, and (2) any increase in structural racism, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and what steps they are taking in response. Lord Markham: The gap in the number of years different groups of people live in good health is stark and unacceptable. Health disparities exist across a variety of conditions and contribute to variations in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.In July 2020, the then Prime Minister appointed the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities to consider the causes of persistent disparities and barriers that different ethnic minority groups face, including the role of racism. The Commission published its report in March 2021, and the Government's response, ‘Inclusive Britain’, was published in March 2022.In June 2020, Public Health England published the ‘COVID-19: review of disparities in risks and outcomes’ report, outlining the impact of COVID-19 on health inequalities. In response, the then Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care asked the Minister for Equalities, with support from the Cabinet Office Race Disparity Unit (RDU), to lead cross-government work to look at why COVID-19 was having a disproportionate impact on ethnic minority groups and to consider how the government response to this could be improved. The ‘Final report on progress to address COVID-19 health inequalities’ was published in December 2021.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities was established in October 2021 to work across the Department, the rest of Government, the healthcare system, local Government and industry to be creative about how we shift our focus towards preventing ill health, in particular in the places and communities where there are the most significant disparities.In the white paper ‘Levelling Up the United Kingdom’, published in February 2022, the government set out a levelling up health mission to narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest by 2030, and increase HLE by five years by 2035. A range of action is being taken forward which will support progress on the health mission, including the development of a Major Conditions Strategy on which an interim report will be published in the summer. Down Syndrome Act 2022 Lord Farmer: To ask His Majesty's Government how they will ensure guidance for the Down Syndrome Act 2022 is compliant with the Equality Act 2010 in respect of other genetic conditions similarly profound in their impact, such as 22q deletion and duplication syndromes. Lord Markham: The Down Syndrome Act does not remove the duties under the Equality Act 2010 for services to assess all the needs of people they provide support to, including those with genetic conditions such as 22q deletion and duplication syndromes. We are clear that prioritising funding or resources for people with Down syndrome above other groups without proper assessment of people’s needs would be unlawful.We recognise that there are overlaps between the services that support people with Down syndrome and those that support people with other genetic conditions and/or a learning disability. The Down Syndrome Act guidance will focus on the unique support needs of people with Down syndrome. We will, however, highlight where best practice in service delivery would also be applicable to those with another genetic condition and/or a learning disability, including DiGeorge syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome) and duplication syndromes.An Equality Impact Assessment will be carried out on the draft guidance once produced to ensure it does not disadvantage certain groups relative to others. There will be a full public consultation on the draft guidance. The guidance will make clear the requirements on relevant authorities in respect of the Equality Act. HIV Infection Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement byLord Markham on 8 June (HLWS826), what estimate they have made of the number of people who have previously been diagnosed with HIV but who are not currently receiving treatment for it; and what steps they are taking to find and support those people. Lord Markham: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) HIV Action Plan monitoring and evaluation framework showed in 2021, 147 people were diagnosed and not yet linked to specialist human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care, 4,444 people had not attended care for at least 15 months and 1,195 had been seen for HIV care but were not on treatment, corresponding to a lower estimate of 5,786 people diagnosed and not receiving treatment in 2021. UKHSA also estimate that there could be an additional 18,226 people seen for care since January 2015, with at least a 15 months gap in HIV care and not seen again by end of 2021, corresponding to an upper estimate of 24,012 people diagnosed but not on antiretroviral treatment.As part of the HIV Action Plan, we committed to ensure everyone with an HIV positive status receives adequate treatment and to optimise access, retention and re-engagement in HIV care. Therefore, we established a sub group of the HIV Action Plan implementation Steering Group, which includes UKHSA, the British HIV Association and other organisations who will provide advice on increasing the number of people retained and re-engaged in care and receiving effective medical care. Hospital Beds Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Markham on 21 June (HL7941, HL7942 and HL7945), how they define "bed equivalents from patient flow initiatives". Lord Markham: NHS England defines bed equivalents as beds freed up through steps taken to avoid an admission to a general and acute bed in hospital, or to support a patient to leave a general and acute bed when they are medically fit to do so. This could include for example capacity within virtual wards or hospital at home schemes. Abortion: Drugs Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure abortion providers are accountable for verifying that abortion pills sent by post are issued only to women within the legal time limit for such pills. Lord Markham: The Abortion Act now requires that, in relation to early medical abortion, the doctor terminating a pregnancy must be of the opinion, formed in good faith, that the pregnancy is not beyond 10 weeks. This opinion is formed following a consultation with the woman concerned. If a woman is not sure of her gestation, or if the doctor is concerned about health issues, she will be asked to attend a clinic. This certification must be recorded on form EMA1 or a similar certificate and must be kept for three years from the date on which the medicine for the treatment of the pregnancy is prescribed. IVF Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 13 June (HL8182), how patientconfidentiality might be compromised if no adverse outcomes were reported. Lord Markham: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that, due to the limited number of mitochondrial donation treatment outcomes to date in the United Kingdom, there is a significant possibility that when combined with other information, which may be reasonably accessed, it could lead to the identification of a person to whom the HFEA owes a duty of confidentiality. Medical Treatments Abroad: Regulation Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify and prosecute unregulated overseas prescribers. Lord Markham: The Government has no powers to prosecute unregulated overseas prescribers, but arrangements are in place to safeguard patients as follows. The UK currently recognises prescriptions from countries on an approved list. A prescription from a country not on the list would not be recognised. We will only recognise prescriptions issued by prescribers of equivalent professional status to those eligible to prescribe in the UK. We would expect all registered pharmacies and pharmacists to meet the regulatory standards set by the General Pharmaceutical Council or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland when considering dispensing any lawfully valid prescription. Any registered pharmacy or pharmacist failing to meet the relevant regulatory standards may be subject to action by the regulator. Health Services: Screening Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to improvethe uptake of NHS health checks in England to spot early signs of a stroke, such as atrial fibrillation. Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reviewPreventing illness and improving health for all: a review of the NHS Health Check programme and recommendations, published in December 2021, what progress they have made in bringing forward the recommendations for the NHS Health Check contained in that review. Lord Markham: Following publication of the 2021 evidence-based review, the Department is taking forward a programme of work to modernise the NHS Health Check and deliver recommendations from the review. So far this has included, investing nearly £17 million for the development of an innovative digital NHS Health Check to bolster current local authority delivery of the programme. The digital health check, will be rolled out from Spring 2024, which will give users choice about where and when to have a check and enable increased overall uptake and improved efficiency of the programme. We are also improving uptake by supporting local authorities with the recovery of the programme following the COVID-19 pandemic by launching a training hub, showcasing innovative local delivery models and facilitating communities of practice, with activity reaching over 91% of pre-pandemic levels at the end of December 2022. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Council of Europe: Elections Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by John Howell MP on 8 June (HC Deb cols 925–29), what assessment they have made of the Council of Europe's role in election monitoring and observation. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK government values the outstanding work the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe does to champion our democratic values across the continent. We are proud of the leading role the UK Parliamentary Assembly delegates play in this vital work to observe elections and to strengthen democratic electoral processes. The UK acknowledges the value of the reports promoted at the Parliamentary Assembly in scrutinising countries who fall behind in their obligations, and look forward to their adoption under the Committee of Ministers. Belarus: Political Prisoners Baroness Crawley: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to take any further action against the worsening situation for political prisoners in Belarus; and if so, when. Baroness Crawley: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to raise the issue of human rights abuses against political prisoners in Belarus in international forums; and if so, which forums. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government is appalled by the brutal and ongoing repression that the Lukashenko regime conducts against its own people. We have already applied wide-ranging sanctions to Belarus in response to the regime's continued human rights violations, and are supporting further accountability measures including the International Accountability Platform for Belarus. The UK makes our solidarity with political prisoners clear, when possible attending trials and engaging with their families. We have raised political prisoners at the UN and OSCE and will continue to take every opportunity, both publicly and privately, to urge the Belarusian regime to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and protect the human rights of its citizens. China: Palestinian Authority The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ‘strategic partnership’ signed between government of China and the Palestinian Authority during President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Beijing on 14 June and whether it will affect UK policy in the region; and what assessment they have made of the impact the ‘strategic partnership’ will have on the role of international mediators in the Middle East peace process, including the UK. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We closely monitor the security situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and are aware of the strategic partnership signed between China and the Palestinian Authority (PA). The UK continues to urge the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to engage in meaningful dialogue to further the cause of peace at every opportunity. I, as Minister for the Middle East, met with Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riad Malki on 5 May. I reaffirmed the UK's commitment to the Middle East peace process and the two state solution. The UK engages with the Palestinian Authority at the highest levels through the British Consulate General Jerusalem and at ministerial level. Israel: Palestinians The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Amnesty International public statement, ‘Israel/OPT: Investigate Possible War Crimes During Israel’s Military Offensive on Gaza in May 2023’, issued on 13 June; and what plans they have, if any, to take action with international partners in relation to Amnesty’s statement. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK draws on a wide range of sources when assessing human rights issues in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We regularly raise the issue of the numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities. Whenever there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we raise these matters with the Israeli Government and the need for swift, transparent, and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We make it clear to Israel that it is important that the security forces provide appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire. The Foreign Secretary contacted his Israeli counterpart at the time of the military action alluded to in the Amnesty report to urge that all actions taken were proportionate, calibrated to avoid civilian casualties, and in line with international humanitarian law. He also called for the facilitation of humanitarian access. Syria: Development Aid The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the UK was represented at the Seventh Brussels Conference on ‘Supporting the future of Syria and the region’ hosted by the EU on 14–15 June. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's Special Representative for Syria, Ann Snow, represented the Government at the Brussels conference. We pledged up to £150 million to support Syria and the region, in addition to the £43 million we committed to support those affected by February's earthquakes. The UK is the third largest bilateral donor to the Syria crisis. The funding will enable around 65,000 Syrians per year to be less dependent on emergency aid through receiving livelihoods support, provide access to high-quality primary education in Northwest Syria and continue to support Syria's neighbours to deal with the impact of the conflict, helping mitigate the significant challenges they face and ensuring Syrian refugees are protected. Iran: USA The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government, whether the UK was involved in the reported indirect talks between the US and Iran in Oman in May. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK did not participate in any such indirect talks in Oman in May. We remain in close contact with E3 (UK, France, Germany) and US partners to establish next steps in nuclear diplomacy with Iran. E3 Political Directors met their Iranian counterpart in Abu Dhabi on 12 June to discuss a range of issues. Iran's actions over the past month have made progress towards a diplomatic solution much more difficult. United Nations: Reform Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need for reform of the United Nations organisation. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a strong proponent of UN reform to make it inclusive, dynamic and reinvigorated. The UN Security Council (UNSC) must become more representative of the world today and the UK has long called for its expansion, in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. Beyond the UNSC, we support the UN Secretary-General's vision for Our Common Agenda (OCA), including its goal of a UN 2.0, better adapted to the challenges of the 21st century. We are engaging to shape the OCA initiatives in order to accelerate the delivery of the Sustainable Developments Goals, and support the recipients of the UN System. Ukraine: Chelsea Football Club Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the EU has prevented the use of proceeds from the sale of Chelsea football club to support victims of the war in Ukraine and its wider consequences; and if so, what assessment they have made of the legal basis for the EU to exercise a veto over the use of UK-based assets. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: No, the EU has not prevented the use of proceeds. An independent charitable foundation is being established to manage the proceeds from the sale. Once it has been established, a licence from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation will be required to move the proceeds to the foundation. As set out in the unilateral declaration on 30 May 2022, the government is committed to only issuing a licence which ensures that the proceeds are used for exclusively humanitarian purposes in Ukraine, and to working closely with the Portuguese Government and the European Commission on this. Home Office Anti-social Behaviour Orders: Football Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask His Majesty's Government how many football banning orders have been issued in each year since 2010. Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask His Majesty's Government how many arrests have been made following pitch invasions in each year since 2010. Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask His Majesty's Government how many arrests for the offence of entering the playing areas at football grounds have led to football banning orders in the past three football seasons. Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Office publishes annual figures on the number of football banning orders issued and the number of football-related arrests in England and Wales in the ‘Football-related arrests and banning orders, England and Wales’ Official Statistics publication. The latest data cover the 2021 to 2022 football season and are available here: Football-related arrests and banning orders, England and Wales: 2021 to 2022 season - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Data on the number of football banning orders issued and the number of football-related arrests for pitch incursion since the 2010 to 2011 season are published in tables 1 and 5 of the accompanying data tables.There were 516 new banning orders issued in the 2021 to 2022 football season, down by 46% since the 2010 to 2011 season.There were 313 football-related arrests for pitch incursion in the 2021 to 2022 football season, up by 30% since the 2010 to 2011 season.Data on arrests for the offence of entering the playing area at a designated football match that have led to the imposition of football banning orders is not held. A football banning order is a preventative measure which is not issued as part of a sentence, or solely based on an individual’s conviction offence. In deciding whether to make a banning order, a court may consider a range of prosecution evidence in support of a banning order application. British Nationality: British Overseas Territories Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the reasons for delays in scheduling citizenship ceremonies and issuing certificates to British Overseas Territories citizens approved for British citizenship under the BOTC(F) process. Lord Murray of Blidworth: For applicants in the UK, we are amending the British Nationality (Overseas Territories) Regulations 2007 so that registrars in the UK can administer the oath and pledge for British overseas territories citizenship. In the interim, Governors of overseas territories can waive the need for a citizenship ceremony on a case by case basis. We will shortly be holding citizenship ceremonies where applicants can receive both certificates.For applications made outside the UK, Governors and FCDO staff are permitted to conduct ceremonies for both British overseas territories citizenship and British citizenship. Customers in these territories, which represent the majority of cases, are unaffected. Asylum: Housing Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what guidelines they provide to those providing accommodation to asylum-seekers to ensure that their privacy is respected and safety ensured; and whether any such guidance includes preventing unannounced visits to such accommodation, particularly in relation to accommodation for women and children. Lord Murray of Blidworth: Asylum seekers receive full induction briefings when arriving at Home Office accommodation. This briefing will include health & safety awareness, security and how access to local supporting organisations is facilitated. Whilst sites have 24/7 security, asylum seeker are permitted to come and go and are able to receive visitors. Asylum: Children Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government, of the unaccompanied children seeking asylum whowere housed in hotels and went missingbut were subsequently found,how manywere reported to, or were found to, have been involved in (1) organised crime, and (2) county lines drug activity, during the period they were missing. Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office takes the wellbeing, welfare and security of children and minors in our care extremely seriously. Robust safeguarding procedures are in place to ensure all children and minors are safe and supported as we seek urgent placements with local authorities. All cases of missing children remain open, with police forces completing investigations and following any new evidence. When any young person goes missing the 'missing persons protocol' is followed and led by our directly engaged social workers. A multi-agency, missing persons protocol is mobilised involving the police and the local authority, who have a shared statutory responsibility to safeguard all children, including missing migrant children, in order to establish their whereabouts and to ensure that they are safe. Ministry of Justice Harassment: Internet Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government how many people, in each of the past three years, have been prosecutedunder section 127(1) or (2) of the Communications Act 2003. Lord Bellamy: The Ministry of Justice publishes information on the number of prosecutions for offences under section 127(1) or (2) of the Communications Act 2003, in England and Wales, in the Outcomes by Offence tool, available via the following link: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: December 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).Using the Offence filter, select ‘196 Communications Act 2003 S.127 - Sending grossly offensive message/matter by electronic communications network’.The data requested is also provided in the table below.Total number of defendants prosecuted for offences under section 127(1) or (2) of the Communications Act 2003, England and Wales, 2020 to 2022:YearCount20201,10020211,34320221,272Source: Court Proceedings DatabaseNotes:1) 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. 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.2) The figures given in the table relate to defendants 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) The figures given in the table relate to the following offence under section 127(1) or (2) of the Communications Act 2003: '19607 - Improper use of public electronic communications network'. Driving under Influence: Alternatives to Prison Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to launch a consultation into the efficacy of alternatives to the standard punitive sentences, such as rehabilitation, for those convicted of drug driving offences. Lord Bellamy: The Government intends to conduct a call for evidence on parts of the Road Traffic Act which would be expected to include issues around drink and drug driving, and the offence of failure to stop and report.We are committed to making the best use of community sentences to ensure that more offenders with drugs needs are diverted into treatment into the community rather than custody where appropriate.We have an extensive programme of work to get offenders off drugs and into recovery. This includes piloting three Intensive Supervision Courts from 26 June, two with a focus on substance misuse, which will divert offenders from short custodial sentences into enhanced community-based sentences for those whose offending behaviour is driven by substance misuse and other complex needs. These sentences will involve treatment requirements, frequent random drug testing and a broad package of wraparound support to tackle the root causes of offending.More widely, we want to increase the use of Drug Rehabilitation Requirements (DRRs) which require individuals to engage in treatment in the community with their consent, as well as undergo regular drug testing to ensure compliance. We are investing additional resource to increase drug testing of offenders to enable probation to more effectively monitor compliance with these requirements. Our recruitment of over 50 new Health and Justice Co-ordinators in every probation region will also support the delivery of DRRs by working with health partners to improve access to treatment. Treasury Iron and Steel: Exports Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether not implementing a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in the UK will pose any risk to the steel industry's ability to export. Baroness Penn: Carbon leakage risk is currently managed by at-risk sectors, including steel, receiving a proportion of carbon allowances free of charge (free allocation) in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. The UK ETS Authority has committed to maintain current levels of free allocation for industrial sectors until 2026. There is a further consultation at the end of 2023 to better target the remaining free allocations toward sectors considered to be at risk of carbon leakage, due to be implemented in 2026. The government has recently consulted on potential future measures to mitigate carbon leakage risks, including the potential for a UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The consultation closed on 22 June 2023, and the government is considering a wide range of stakeholder responses before taking any decisions. The government will respond to the consultation in due course. Bank Services: Interest Rates Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Penn on 13 June (HL8243), what assessment they have made of whether or not banks are passing on higher interest rates to savers; and what discussions they have had with banks on this matter. Baroness Penn: The Treasury is committed to ensuring people are supported to save, and can access a wide range of competitive savings products. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) monitors the speed and extent of banks’ pass-through of interest rate rises to their savings products, and has made clear that firms should be able to justify these decisions. Banks are expected to pass through higher interest rates to savers as they do to mortgage holders, and we are working closely with the FCA on this important issue. Department for Culture, Media and Sport Television Licences: Non-payment Lord Smith of Hindhead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to de-criminalise the non-payment oftelevision licence fees. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: In February 2020, HM Government launched a public consultation on decriminalising TV licence evasion. The responses highlighted the considerable stress and anxiety the criminal sanction can cause for people, including the most vulnerable in society. HM Government remains concerned that a criminal sanction for TV licence evasion is increasingly disproportionate and unfair in a modern public service broadcasting system.We will be looking at ways to ensure the BBC’s funding model is sustainable in the long-term, which will include asking whether a mandatory licence fee with criminal penalties for individual households is still appropriate.HM Government has also taken steps to support licence fee payers, introducing the Simple Payment Plan in April 2020, a flexible payment instalment scheme which allows customers to pay in fortnightly or monthly instalments throughout the year. This is available to certain customers who currently struggle to pay the TV licence fee. More information on the Simple Payment Plan and its eligibility criteria can be found on tvlicensing.co.uk.The BBC has recently published the findings of its Gender Disparity Review into TV Licence Fee evasion and set out a ten-point plan of action. It is important that the BBC make progress on that plan. Disability: Sports Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to develop specific sport and activity action plans for disabled people as part of their work on tackling loneliness. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting people at risk of loneliness and social isolation, including people with disabilities. Having strong social relationships play an important role in our physical and mental wellbeing, and sport has an incredible ability to reach into the places we live, reduce loneliness, and build a sense of pride and belonging.HM Government’s Tackling Loneliness Strategy set out a number of measures we will take to support those at risk of loneliness and social isolation. This includes publishing our new sport strategy, which will make sport and physical activity a core part of everyone’s daily life with a focus on supporting under-represented groups, including people with disabilities, to be more active and to participate in sport. We will also consult on and publish a new Disability Action Plan in 2023, which will include participation in social and physical activities for people with disabilities as a priority. Employment and Sports: Disability Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to announce measures in the forthcoming Sports Strategy to address some of the challenges faced by disabled people in sport, activity and employment. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: His Majesty’s Government is committed to tackling barriers which prevent people with disabilities from taking part in sport and physical activity, and from enjoying the physical and mental health benefits that it provides.HM Government’s Tackling Loneliness Strategy set out a number of measures we will take to support those at risk of loneliness and social isolation. This includes publishing our new sport strategy, which will make sport and physical activity a core part of everyone’s daily life with a focus on supporting under-represented groups, including people with disabilities, to be more active and to participate in sport. We will also consult on and publish a new Disability Action Plan in 2023, which will include participation in social and physical activities for people with disabilities as a priority.We will continue to work with our arm’s-length bodies, Sport England and UK Sport, and sector partners to encourage sport bodies to make sport more accessible. Disability: Departmental Coordination Lord Moynihan: To ask His Majesty's Government what cross-departmental plans they have to close the gap between the level of activity of disabled people and that of non-disabled people. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: His Majesty’s Government is committed to tackling barriers which prevent people with disabilities from taking part in sport and physical activity, and from enjoying the physical and mental health benefits that it provides.HM Government’s Tackling Loneliness Strategy set out a number of measures we will take to support those at risk of loneliness and social isolation. This includes publishing our new sport strategy, which will make sport and physical activity a core part of everyone’s daily life with a focus on supporting under-represented groups, including people with disabilities, to be more active and to participate in sport. We will also consult on and publish a new Disability Action Plan in 2023, which will include participation in social and physical activities for people with disabilities as a priority.We will continue to work with our arm’s-length bodies, Sport England and UK Sport, and sector partners to encourage sport bodies to make sport more accessible. Football: Turkey Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the recommendations of the Rodrigues inquiry into events at the 2022 Champions League Final were applied by UEFA and the Turkish authorities ahead of and during the 2023 final in Istanbul. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government has always been clear that an independent investigation was needed to establish what happened on the night of the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final.The Government welcomed the outcome of the independent review, which reflected the experiences of fans that evening, and the action plan published by UEFA to implement the recommendations of that review.The Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society was in Istanbul to observe the delivery of this year’s Champions League Final by UEFA and the Turkish authorities.Discussions with fan representatives and others indicate that UEFA’s engagement has improved from last year. We continue to consult UEFA, the FA, fan representatives and others to ensure that we can continue to learn lessons for next year’s final at Wembley, as well as the UK and Ireland bid to host EURO 2028. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Solar Power Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England’s report Shout from the rooftops, published on 23 May, regarding the recommendation for a target for 60 per cent of solar energy to come from rooftop, brownfield, and grey spaces; and whether they plan to set such a target. Lord Callanan: The Government is aiming for 70 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2035 which will require significant increases in deployment of all types of solar – rooftop on domestic, industrial, and commercial buildings; and ground-mount mainly on brownfield, industrial and low and medium grade agricultural land. The Government has no plans to set sub targets for solar as flexibility is needed to allow for technology changes and emerging opportunities out to 2035. Fertilisers: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Lord Ravensdale: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the rise of greenhouse gas emissions associated with fertiliser productionsince 1990; and whatplans they have for lowering such emissions. Lord Callanan: UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions from the fertiliser manufacturing industry between 1990 and 2020 (the latest available year data) have fluctuated between 525 and 812 thousand tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, with no clear trend. To reduce future emissions the Government is promoting better nutrient use efficiency through the Sustainable Farming Incentive. The Government is supporting the development of new technologies to manufacture less environmentally damaging fertiliser products through the Farming Innovation Programme and plans to reform the fertiliser regulatory regime. Geothermal Power Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to support any deep geothermal pilot projects to provide power and heating, whether by tax relief, indirect investment or otherwise. Lord Callanan: Geothermal technologies that generate electricity are eligible for the Contracts for Difference scheme, which is the Government’s main mechanism for supporting low carbon electricity generation. The application window for the next Allocation Round opened on 30th March 2023 and concludes in Summer. Funding support is available for heat network projects using deep geothermal from The Green Heat Network Fund which offers capital grants to support the commercialisation and construction of new low and zero carbon heat networks. It has recently awarded Cornwall Council £22 million for the Langarth Deep Geothermal Heat Network which is the UK’s first deep geothermal project. Iron and Steel: Electricity Baroness Redfern: To ask His Majesty's Government which options they are considering to provide competitive wholesale electricity prices to the steel industry. Lord Callanan: Powering Up Britain – Energy Security Plan sets out the steps the Government is taking to ensure the UK is more energy independent, secure and resilient as well as our goal for Britain to have among the cheapest wholesale electricity prices in Europe by 2035. The Government has also announced new measures to support Britain’s Energy Intensive Industries (EIIs) faced with high electricity prices. The British Industry Supercharger will reduce policy costs by exempting eligible firms from the costs of renewable energy obligations and the GB Capacity Market. It will offer support with network charges and bring an increase in the capacity market exemption, for which we are currently carrying out a public consultation. This is in addition to other ongoing support providing compensation for the indirect costs of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and the Carbon Price Support mechanism. Cabinet Office Covid-19 Inquiry Lord Cruddas: To ask His Majesty's Government when the UK COVID-19inquiry will complete; and whether they will put a cap on the (1) time frame, and (2) cost, permitted. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Under the Inquiries Act 2005, the process, timing and procedure of the Inquiry are decisions for the Inquiry’s independent Chair, Baroness Hallett. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work and she has been clear that she intends to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible. History: Publications Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants are allocated to the Official History Programme; and what are their responsibilities. Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the titles and authors of works commissioned under the Official History Programme but not yet published; when these titles were commissioned; and when they are due to be published. Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government when the last 10 Official History titles published by Routledge were commissioned by the Official History Programme. Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Histories, Openness and Records Unit at the Cabinet Office still exists; if not, when and in what manner it ceased to exist; and where its former responsibilities and functions now lie. Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government when Tessa Stirling left her role as Head of the Histories, Openness and Records Unit at the Cabinet Office. Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government what its response was to the 2009 review of the Official History Programme led by Sir Joe Pilling. Baroness Neville-Rolfe: There are currently no Civil Servants allocated to the Official Histories Programme. Works commissioned under the Official History Programme but not yet published are the fifth and final volume of the Official History of the Criminal Justice System and the second and final volume of the Official History of the Joint Intelligence Organisation. It would not be possible to answer when titles were commissioned without disproportionate effort. However, this would have been well in excess of 10 years ago. We do not have any further prospective publishing dates at this time. The Histories, Openness and Records Unit (HORU) was absorbed into the Knowledge and Information Management Unit (KIMU) in 2008. This is now known as the Cabinet Office Public Records and Archives (COPRA) Unit. The last Head of the Official History Programme retired from the Cabinet Office over 7 years ago. The Government did not publish a response to the 2009 review of the Official History Programme led by Sir Joseph Pilling. Department for Education Children and Young People: Asylum Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what restrictions there are on the provision of free school, and other public, transport to children and young people who are from asylum-seeking families. Baroness Barran: The department’s school travel policy aims to ensure that no child of compulsory school age is unable to access education because of a lack of transport. Children of families seeking asylum in the UK are eligible for free home to school travel on the same basis as UK citizens. Their immigration status is not taken into account.Local authorities must arrange free travel to school for children aged 5 to 16 who attend their nearest school and cannot walk there due to the distance, route safety, or as a result of special educational needs, disability or mobility problems. There are additional rights to free travel for low-income families aimed at helping them exercise school choice.Fares, concessions and operating criteria for public transport are set by transport operators themselves. The criteria, including the age at which any discount or concessions are made available for children and young people, are decided locally.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2023-06-28

Department for Transport High Speed 2 Railway Line: Jones Hill Wood Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the actions of HS2 Ltd in the Jones’ Hill Wood area on protected species in that area; what discussions they have had with HS2 Ltd about ceasing any such further actions until a full presence and absence survey of all moderate and high potential bat roost trees at the site has been (1) undertaken, and (2) published for peer review; and what plans they have to ensure that work on HS2 in the Jones’ Hill Wood area complies with guidance issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on bat protection and licences. Baroness Vere of Norbiton: HS2 Ltd has not commenced works in Jones Hill Wood, and to date no bat roosts (breeding, resting or sheltering places) have been confirmed within the trees in the area. The presence of illegal trespassers on HS2 Ltd land in recent weeks at Jones Hill Wood has meant that HS2 Ltd has not been able to undertake comprehensive bat surveys in order to confirm whether bats are present. With the trespassers now evicted, HS2 Ltd has commenced bat surveys, and should they be identified, then HS2 Ltd will apply for the appropriate licences and put mitigation measures in place. HS2 Ltd undertook an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to support the production of the Phase One Environmental Statement. The EIA was also supported by ecological/ environmental information obtained from local environment records centres (and local groups). The EIA accompanied the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill which Parliament considered in detail and gave its consent, with Royal Assent granted on 23 February 2017. HS2 Ltd is currently undertaking ecological surveys at many locations, including Jones Hill Wood. Where protected species are identified from such surveys, specific mitigation measures will be implemented, which are covered under a licence from Natural England, where required. Works which are relevant to requiring licence will only take place when those licenses and permissions have been provided. HS2 Ltd takes its legal obligations seriously, and all its ecology work is carried out in accordance with the law. Licenses from Natural England ensure that HS2 Ltd has the right safeguarding in place to protect wildlife species, including bats, and that all protections are met. Northern Ireland Office Coronavirus: Northern Ireland Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the provision of additional financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Viscount Younger of Leckie: The UK Government has taken unprecedented action to support Northern Ireland, including the provision of an additional £2.4bn in spending to the Northern Ireland Executive. Further to this, we have provided more than £1.3bn in government-backed loans to protect and support jobs across the region. Businesses in Northern Ireland will be able to benefit from the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme into November, and the Self Employment Income Support Scheme has benefitted business people across all sectors, with 56,000 people in Northern Ireland benefitting from SEISS, with an average claim of £2,500 per month. The Government is in regular contact with the Northern Ireland Executive to support the response to the COVID-19 crisis. We will continue to work closely with the Executive to get the economy back up and running, and to lay the foundations for economic growth. Department for Education Pupils: Quarantine Lord Baker of Dorking: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many students at (1) secondary schools, (2) sixth forms, and (3) University Technical Colleges, did not attend in the week ending 9 October because they were isolating or quarantined; and how many of those students had access to a computer and an internet connection to facilitate remote learning. Baroness Berridge: Keeping close track of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases in schools is a priority for the government. Public Health England (PHE) leads in holding data on infection, incidence and COVID-19 cases overall. PHE have published data on COVID-19 incidents by institution, including educational settings. This data is updated weekly and the most recent data can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-covid-19-surveillance-reports.The department is currently collecting data from schools on a daily basis, as well as gathering information from local areas and following up with individual settings to confirm that procedures for requiring pupils to isolate are well understood and that necessary decisions are made on the basis of public health advice.The department collects data on the number of schools that have indicated that they have sent children home due to COVID-19 containment measures. We are currently looking at the quality of that data with a view to publishing it as part of the official statistics series. The series includes published data on school openings and attendance, which shows that at a national level approximately 99.3% of state-funded schools were fully open on 22 October (excluding schools on half term or inset days). Of the small proportion (0.7%) of schools that were closed, almost all were due to COVID-19 related reasons. Approximately 86% of all children on roll in all state-funded schools not on half term or inset days were in attendance on 22 October. This data is updated weekly and the most recent data can be found online at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.During the summer term, the department provided over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers for disadvantaged pupils in year 10, children with a social worker and care leavers. The department has spent over £195 million on support for disadvantaged children and young people to access remote education through laptops and tablets, internet connectivity support, and access to online education platforms. We have delivered over 100,000 laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children during the autumn term. This is in addition to the over 220,000 delivered earlier this year.We are also working with the major telecommunications companies to improve internet connectivity for disadvantaged and vulnerable families who rely on a mobile internet connection.Young people aged 16 to 19 without suitable laptops and tablets for education may be eligible for support through the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund. Providers make decisions as to who receives a bursary, based on their own criteria.The department does not hold data on the number of students self-isolating who do not have access to a computer and internet connection. Covid-19 Response School Stakeholder Advisory Group Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Berridge on 20 October (HL8957), whether they will list the members of the Department for Education's COVID-19 Recovery Advisory Group. Baroness Berridge: There are currently 12 members of the Department’s COVID-19 Recovery Advisory Group. They are:Sir Jon Coles – CEO United Learning GroupMartyn Oliver – CEO Outward GrangeIan Bauckham – CEO of Tenax Schools TrustRichard Gill – CEO of Arthur Terry Learning PartnershipEd Vainker – Co founder and Principal of REACH Academy FelthamBecky Francis – CEO of Education Endowment FoundationJonathan Simons – Director at Public FirstMartin Pratt – Executive Director of Supporting People, Camden and Chair of ADCS Greater London RegionAngela Cox – Director of Education, Diocese of LeedsRowena Hackwood – Chief Executive, Astrea Academy TrustMrunal Sisodia – East of England representative of the National Network of Parent Carer ForumsSusan Douglas – CEO Eden Academy Trust School Meals: Per Capita Costs Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the annual cost (1) in total, and (2) per pupil, of providing lunches to pupils in (a) primary, and (b) secondary, schools. Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the annual cost (1) in total, and (2) per pupil, of breakfast clubs in (a) primary, and (b) secondary, schools. Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements are in place to ensure that meals provided to pupils in (1) primary, and (2) secondary, schools meet national standards for nutritional value. Baroness Berridge: The government spends over £550 million a year on in England, through the National Funding Formula, to ensure that 1.4 million disadvantaged children benefit from free school meals. A further 1.4 million infant pupils are also supported through universal infant free school meals.The National School Breakfast Programme, running from March 2018 to March 2021, is supporting up to 2,450 schools in disadvantaged areas, at an overall cost to the government of approximately £35 million. Unit costs are commercially sensitive and therefore cannot be made available. Many schools operate their own breakfast club arrangements.There is legislation in place that ensures schools provide meals to all pupils who want them, which should be provided free to those eligible for benefits-related free school meals or universal infant free school meals.The Schools Food Standards provide the legislative framework to ensure schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day.The standards define the foods and drinks that must be provided, which foods are restricted, and those, which must not be provided. They apply to all food and drink provided to pupils on and off school premises and during an extended school day (up to 6pm), including school trips, breakfast clubs, tuck shops, mid-morning break, vending and after school clubs. The department’s advice is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england.A summary of the standards and a practical guide are available from the school food plan website at: http://www.schoolfoodplan.com/resources.I believe that the School Food Standards have been transformational in the way schools operate their meal services. We will be updating these standards to bring them into line with revised nutritional recommendations in due course, this work is currently paused due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Assessments: Coronavirus Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential health risk posed by students sitting exams in 2021; andwhat plans they have to prepare alternative arrangements. Baroness Berridge: We have worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Public Health England (PHE) to develop specific guidance for school settings. Where schools implement the system of controls outlined in our September reopening guidance, in line with their own workplace risk assessment, PHE and DHSC confirm that they create an inherently safer environment for children and staff where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced.The autumn series of exams is currently in progress. A Level exams have concluded without incident and GCSE exams started on 2 November. We have worked with PHE to develop public health guidance to support autumn exams. The guidance sets out arrangements that schools, colleges and other exam centers should implement when delivering exams in autumn 2020 to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This guidance will be updated as necessary to support 2021 exams and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/responsibility-for-autumn-gcse-as-and-a-level-exam-series/public-health-arrangements-for-autumn-exams.In terms of wider contingency planning, we are planning for every eventuality. More detail will be published later in the autumn to ensure students have confidence that they will be treated fairly in 2021 assessments.We are working closely with Ofqual to engage widely with school and further education leaders, exam boards, unions and the higher education sector over the coming weeks to identify any risks to exams at a national, local, and individual student level, and consider measures needed to address any potential disruption. Breakfast Clubs Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to fund free breakfast provision during school holidays. Baroness Berridge: The department is investing up to £35 million in the National School Breakfast Programme, using funds from Soft Drinks Industry Levy revenues. This includes an extension by a further year until March 2021.While the programme is designed to support schools during term time, during the summer holidays this year we provided extra provision using existing funds for breakfast meals to participating schools. The support was put in place, while schools were largely closed, to help pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to healthy nutritious breakfast meals. These schools were able to support children in the way which worked best for them, including food parcels collected by parents from open schools or breakfast food ‘drop-offs’.Future departmental spending decisions about the programme are subject to the Spending Review. Further details of this are yet to be determined. National Tutoring Programme Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote take-up of national tutoring programme funding. Baroness Berridge: There is extensive evidence that tutoring is one of the most effective ways to accelerate pupil progress, and we want to extend this opportunity to disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils. The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) is an ambitious scheme that will provide additional, targeted support for those children and young people who need the most help to catch-up.We are committed to ensuring that there is a strong take-up of the programme and in particular, supporting those schools with the most need to access tutoring provision. We have undertaken a range of communications and engagement activities to ensure that schools are aware of the support offered by the NTP, and over 7,000 schools have already registered their interest in the programme. Our activities include offering school-focused webinars throughout the academic year, to provide more information about the programme, and over 1,000 schools have already signed up for the first available sessions. The webinars are advertised through social media, websites, newsletters and the department’s school networks.We have also been working with a range of key stakeholders to increase awareness and interest in the programme in areas that need it most, for example, through Opportunity Areas, Multi Academy Trusts and Regions Schools Commissioners. Utilising these networks, we are looking to ensure that school leaders have a strong understanding of the programme and we can engage schools that would benefit most from tutoring support. In addition, we have also been communicating with Local Authority Groups and Teaching Unions to disseminate the information.The NTP is providing regular newsletters, schools focused blogs and other social media content direct to schools. As the programme goes live in November, we will continue to share case studies and good practice to show how tuition can support pupils effectively and help catch-up any lost learning due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. We will continue to monitor take-up throughout the course of this academic year and ensure further communication is directed towards areas of low take-up. Vocational Education: Remote Education Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofreports that training providers have struggledto offerremote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic;and what steps they are taking to assistsuch providers. Baroness Berridge: Since March, the Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills and department officials have worked closely with further education (FE) providers and their representative organisations to discuss the key issues facing training providers during the pandemic.Provider returns to the department, surveys undertaken by sector organisations and qualitative feedback suggested that the vast majority of Education and Skills Funding Agency funded FE providers rapidly shifted to remote learning following the national restrictions introduced in March. A survey undertaken by the Association of Colleges in July 2020 found that 90% of colleges considered that all or the majority of students under 19 have continued their learning remotely in the summer term. For students over 19, the proportion was 74%. This survey can be found here: https://www.aoc.co.uk/sites/default/files/AoC%20summer%20survey%20July%202020%20FINAL_.pdf.In September, we required all FE providers to resume delivery on site so that students of all ages can benefit from their education and training in full. FE providers were also required to develop a strong contingency plan for remote education provision by the end of September to ensure that providers could rapidly shift to blended, or if necessary remote education should the need arise.Support from the department to assist providers in delivering high quality remote learning includes:16 to 19 Bursary Funding which provides financial support to help students overcome specific financial barriers to participation in education (including for devices and connectivity support).Amendments to the adult education budget (AEB) funding rules for the 2020/2021 academic year so that learner support funds can be used to purchase IT for students aged 19+. In areas where the AEB budget is devolved, mayoral authorities determine adult student support arrangements.A professional development programme for teachers to develop their online teaching skills, provided by the Education and Training Foundation.Peer-to-peer advice and training through the EdTech demonstrator programme which provides support for remote learning.New grants for FE providers across England to provide additional training and support for mentors and coaches specialising in assisting teachers with remote education. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office International Finance Corporation: Animal Feed Baroness Fookes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the International Finance Corporation about the impact on (1) deforestation, (2) biodiversity, (3) water, and (4) soils, of producing feed for animals farmed in the projects which they fund. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government monitors the International Finance Corporation (IFC)'s application of the Social and Environmental Performance Standards which apply to all IFC projects. Performance Standard 6 covers Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources. For each proposed project, IFC publicly discloses summary project information, environmental and social implications, and expected development impact. Where projects present particular environmental and social risks, IFC sets out a time-limited Action Plan that the project must deliver. The UK Government uses its seat on the IFC Board to ensure that these procedures are followed. International Finance Corporation: Livestock Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the International Finance Corporation concerning the farm animal welfare standards of livestock projects that it funds. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government monitors the International Finance Corporation (IFC)'s application of the Social and Environmental Performance Standards which apply to all IFC projects. Performance Standard 6 covers Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources. This includes guidance on animal welfare in livestock projects. For each proposed project, IFC publicly discloses summary project information, environmental and social implications, and expected development impact. Where projects present particular environmental and social risks, IFC sets out a time-limited Action Plan that the project must deliver. The UK Government uses its seat on the IFC Board to ensure that these procedures are followed. Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representation they have made to the government of Azerbaijan to desist from targeting civilian infrastructure and cultural and religious sites in its military offensive in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Baroness Sugg: The Minister for the European Neighbourhood spoke to the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers on 28 October and urged both parties to abide by the humanitarian ceasefire. She strongly condemned all targeting of civilian infrastructure and the increasing number of civilian casualties. Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) missile attacks on the Azeri town of Barda, and (2)who was responsible for those attacks; and what representations they have made to the governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia about such attacks. Baroness Sugg: The UK Government is aware of reports of attacks on Barda although we have not yet made an assessment on responsibility. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood spoke to the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 October. She urged both parties to abide by the humanitarian ceasefires and condemned the continued targeting of civilian settlements and infrastructure. Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threat of mass atrocities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Baroness Sugg: The UK Government has not made an assessment of a threat of mass atrocities in and around Nagorno-Karabakh. We continue to urge both parties to abide by the humanitarian ceasefires. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood spoke to the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 October and condemned shelling of civilian settlements. Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate the return of prisoners of war and bodies from the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Baroness Sugg: The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas spoke to the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 October. She highlighted the importance of ensuring the International Committee of the Red Cross were able to access the conflict zone to provide emergency humanitarian assistance. She also urged both Foreign Ministers to abide by the recent ceasefire agreements to allow for the facilitation of return of prisoners of war and the remains of the deceased. Cyprus: Beaches Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the progress of securing a lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatdiscussions they have had withthe government of Cyprus on the long-term future of Cyprus. Baroness Sugg: The UK is a strong supporter of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on the internationally accepted model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. We welcome the UN Secretary General's commitment to explore convening an informal five-plus-UN meeting with the parties.We continue to discuss the Settlement process with the parties, including the leaders of the Cypriot communities and the Guarantor Powers as well as with the UN. On 27 October, the Prime Minister spoke to President Anastasiades and emphasised the UK's willingness to play a more active, supportive role in the settlement process. He also discussed the Cyprus Settlement with President Erdogan on 28 September and Prime Minister Mitsotakis on 20 October. The Foreign Secretary also discussed the Settlement process with Foreign Minister Christodoulides on 7 October and Foreign Minister Cavusoglu on 19 October. We continue to encourage all sides to engage constructively and demonstrate they are committed to making progress towards a settlement. Ultimately, it is for the sides to agree on the details of any final deal; this will require the agreement of the two Cypriot leaders, their respective communities and the support of Greece and Turkey. Nagorno Karabakh: Humanitarian Aid The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region; and what financial assistance they have provided in response. Baroness Sugg: We are increasingly concerned about the humanitarian impact of the fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood spoke to both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 October and condemned shelling of civilian settlements. On 31 October we announced an additional £1 million in funding for the International Committee for the Red Cross to provide further support for those worst affected by the conflict. Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports of breaches of ceasefires, what assessment they have made of the conflict betweenAzerbaijan and Armenia. Baroness Sugg: The UK Government is clear that there can be no military solution to the current conflict. We are deeply concerned that three humanitarian ceasefires have failed to hold. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood spoke to the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 October. She urged both parties to abide by the humanitarian ceasefires and condemned the continued targeting of civilian settlements and infrastructure. The UK Government continues to urge both parties to undertake substantive negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group. Ministry of Defence Armed Forces: Empty Property Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many former military sites are currently vacant in theUK. Baroness Goldie: A copy of the list showing the land and buildings that are in the process of being disposed of by the Ministry of Defence has been placed in the Library of the House. The majority of these sites are still occupied whilst being prepared for disposal. However, 25 part or whole sites are currently vacant and have been physically handed over to Defence Infrastructure Organisation for disposal.List of MOD Sites Currently Vacant in the UK (xlsx, 24.4KB) Department for Work and Pensions Pesticides: Industrial Health and Safety Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many incidents of adverse impacts from exposure to pesticides have been considered by the Health and Safety Executive, in each of the last three years. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Health and Safety Executive has investigated a number of cases related to the use of plant protection products notified to their Concerns and Advice Team or through the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. YearNumber of cases investigated by HSE2019-20232018-19472017-1849 Ventilation: Coronavirus Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Greenhalgh on 20 October (HL8966), whatguidance they will provide on the operation and adaptation of ventilation provision in existing buildings, including (1) schools, (2) fitness facilities, and (3) retail premises and offices,in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced the following website-based advice on air conditioning and ventilation in the workplace for existing buildings during the pandemichttps://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation.htm HSE is carrying out a review of this guidance in light of SAGE’s (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) consideration of evidence on aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2. If required as a result of this review HSE will update the advice provided on their website. This will also be communicated to stakeholders across all sectors via HSE’s e-bulletin subscription service. Poverty: Children Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessmentthey have made of the impact of the migration to Universal Credit on child poverty. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Government made a commitment that no eligible claimants’ existing benefits, whose circumstances remain unchanged and who are moved to Universal Credit (UC), will have a lower entitlement at the point of their move to UC than they had entitlement to their existing benefits. Universal Credit Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publicise and promote the Alternative Payment Arrangements for Universal Credit. Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Department for Work and Pensions recognises that vulnerable claimants may need additional support managing their money. Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs) are available to help Universal Credit (UC) claimants have their award paid differently. This can involve housing costs being paid directly to a claimant’s landlord, receiving twice monthly instead of monthly payments and/or having the UC award split between two members of a couple. APAs can be considered at any point during the UC claim. Crucially, these arrangements are intended only for vulnerable claimants who need targeted, additional support in managing their money – for example, claimants with dependency issues, learning difficulties, significant debts and/or victims of domestic abuse. The Department already publicises APAs. UC work coaches have clear guidance to help them identify when an APA may be appropriate and will always consider any APA that would best support the claimant. Identifying vulnerabilities is a key element of the work coach role and allows the Department to tailor the support it offers to each claimant. In addition, landlords and support organisations are aware of this provision and can request an APA be considered at any time for claimants they are supporting. GOV.UK also includes APAs as part of the additional financial support available to UC claimants Social Security Benefits Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) which types of, algorithms they use to decide access or eligibility for welfare payment or services. Baroness Stedman-Scott: Decisions on applications for welfare payments and services are made by the Department colleagues. The Department does not use algorithms to make decisions in this way. The Department does use business rules, some of which are automated and focus on everyday repetitive processing tasks so that colleagues can spend more time supporting vulnerable claimants. All entitlement and calculation rules are an implementation of welfare policies, which are delivered in accordance with relevant legislation. Universal Credit: Housing Lord Bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the Universal Credit housing allocation adequately supports recipients to pay their rent. Baroness Stedman-Scott: In April we increased Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates so that they cover 30 per cent of local rents in the Private Rented Sector. This significant investment of almost £1 billion will mean over one million households will see an increase, on average, of £600 this year. A decision on LHA rates from April 2021 will be taken prior to the start of the financial year. For those living in the Social Rented Sector, maximum housing costs support is based on actual rent and eligible service charges less any deductions for under-occupation. For those who require additional support Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available.? We have already provided £180 million in DHP funding to Local Authorities to support vulnerable claimants with housing costs in the private and social rented sector in England and Wales for 2020/21. This includes an extra £40 million as announced at last year’s fiscal event Social Security Benefits: Coronavirus Lord Bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (a) single parent families, (b) low-income workers, and (c) young people, and (2) the adequacy ofthe support provided tothose groups through the welfare system to address COVID-19 issues. Baroness Stedman-Scott: This Government has taken unprecedented action to support people financially and protect jobs, with over 9.5 million people being supported through the furlough scheme alone since the start of the pandemic. We have injected £9.3 billion of additional support to the welfare system including increases to the Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit standard allowances that will benefit four million of the most vulnerable households by up to £1040 this financial year, as well as permanent uplifts to the Local Housing Allowance rates to cover the lowest 30 per cent of market rents. A direct assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on specific groups has not been undertaken. However, HM Treasury’s distributional analysis of COVID-19’s impact on working households published in July, showed that the actions this Government has taken to date have supported poorest working households the most, with those in the bottom ten per cent seeing no income reduction.Our long-term ambition remains to build an economy that will support work, and ensure everyone has the opportunity to enter and progress in work where possible. Our £30 billion Plan for Jobs is the first step on the ladder to achieving this, as well as new schemes such as Kickstart, Job Entry Targeted Support and Job Finding Support. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Agriculture: Animal Welfare Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they insist on animals being raised in a way that conforms to animal welfare standards in the UKwhen they fund international projects involving farming. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government closely monitors the application of environmental, social and governance standards in the multilateral institutions in which it is a shareholder. We are committed to upholding high animal welfare, food safety and environmental standards in all our international projects involving farming. The policies implemented are bespoke to each country, but we are clear that we will seek to raise animal welfare standards wherever possible.The Government also plays an important role in ensuring that multilateral institutions focus on animal welfare in their work. For example, the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office has worked with the World Bank's International Finance Corporation on its "IFC Good Practice Note on improving animal welfare", which is now being used by many development finance and private sector investors. Nappies: Waste Disposal Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a further update to the report by the Environment Agency, An updated lifecycle assessment for disposable and reusable nappies. Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the impact of disposable nappy waste on the environment. Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the use of reusable nappies. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In line with our Resources and Waste Strategy, we are considering the best approach to minimise the environmental impact of a range of products, including nappies. Policy measures under consideration include standards and consumer information. We are?seeking powers, through the Environment Bill, that will enable us, where appropriate and subject to consultation, to introduce ecodesign and consumer information requirements. Work is taking place to commission an updated lifecycle assessment for washable and disposable?nappies which will look at the waste and energy impacts of washable products, disposal to landfill, and recycling options. This will help us decide on the best course of action for the future and in terms of Government support. Officials are working with representatives of the nappy industry to help inform policy development in this area and last met with representatives from the Nappy Alliance on 26 October. Pesticides Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides has conducted a review into the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement of pesticide spraying in fields adjoining residential areas. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) has not conducted such a review. Pesticides are only authorised for use in situations where scientific assessment finds that this will not harm human health, including that of local residents, and will not pose unacceptable risks to the environment. Those using pesticides are required to take all reasonable precautions to protect human health and the environment and to confine the application of the pesticide to the area intended to be treated. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) considers reports of non-compliance in line with its published enforcement policy. Incidents in which people may have been affected by pesticides are monitored, including through work carried out by the National Poisons Information Service. HSE uses the intelligence gathered to inform decisions on enforcement priorities and the ECP regularly reviews the data produced. Pesticides: Sustainable Development Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Gardiner of Kimble on 20 October (HL Deb, col 1471), what is the timetable for theconsultation on the update to the UK National Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides. Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The revised UK National Action Plan or the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (NAP) is currently under ministerial review. The public consultation is due to be published in November. This will be a full public consultation lasting 12 weeks and we are actively encouraging a range of stakeholders to provide their views. All responses will be carefully considered. Home Office Counter Terrorism Advisory Network Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Counter Terrorism Advisory Network last met to discuss concerns about the terminology used to describe faith-claimed terrorism; and how many organisations (1) were invited to attend that meeting, and (2) attended. Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Counter Terrorism Advisory Network is a national stakeholder forum formed by Counter Terrorism Policing. Membership comprises of survivors of terrorism, academics and researchers, a variety of faith leaders, and community members.The network met to discuss terminology on Thursday 18th June 2020. 154 individuals were invited of whom 61 attended. Cabinet Office Viral Diseases: Planning Lord Bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that the UK is prepared for pandemics and other threats in the future. Lord True: The Government regularly undertakes lessons learned reviews following civil emergencies. COVID-19 is the biggest challenge that the UK, together with nations around the world, has faced in decades. The Government has always been clear that there will be opportunities to look back, analyse and reflect on all aspects of the response to COVID-19. As the Prime Minister has said, this will include an independent inquiry at the appropriate time. We are still at a critical phase in our ongoing response to the pandemic. Coronavirus: Death Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths in Englandhad COVID-19 listed as the primary cause of death on the death certificate in 2020 in the months of (1) March, (2) April, (3) May, (4) June, (5) July, (6) August, and (7) September. Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Naseby, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many deaths in England had COVID-19 listed as the primary cause of death on the death certificate in 2020 in the months of (1) March, (2) April, (3) May, (4) June, (5) July, (6) August, and (7) September (HL9433).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes statistics on deaths in England and Wales and produces a weekly report[1] on provisional numbers of deaths involving COVID-19. Mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. National Records for Scotland[2] and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency[3] are responsible for publishing statistics on deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.Table 1 provides the number of deaths registered with COVID-19 as the underlying cause of death between 1 March 2020 and 30 September 2020, in England, by month. Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Number of deaths registered where COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death, 1 March 2020 to 30 September 2020, England, by month[4][5][6][7]MonthNumber of deathsMarch1,568April28,013May11,404June3,442July1,008August363September572 Source: ONS [1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest[2]https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/[3]https://www.nisra.gov.uk/[4]Figures include deaths of non-residents.[5]Based on date a death was registered rather than occurred.[6]All figures for 2020 are provisional.[7]The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) definitions are as follows: coronavirus (COVID-19) (U07.1 and U07.2). Treasury Employee Ownership Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing auto-enrolment for employee share schemes. Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government believes it is appropriate to allow employers and employees to decide whether to offer and participate in employee share schemes based on their business and individual needs. Companies can offer shares to their employees in various ways. To encourage wider employee share ownership, the Government offers four tax advantaged share schemes: Save As You Earn (SAYE), Share Incentive Plans (SIPs), Company Share Option Plans (CSOP) and Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI). Where offered, these schemes provide a range of tax advantages for employees who wish to acquire shares in the company for which they work. Companies offering SAYE and SIPs are required to open the schemes to all employees. CSOP and EMI are discretionary schemes, which means options can be offered to select employees to help recruitment and retention. The Government keeps all taxes and reliefs under review. Job Support Scheme Lord Bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent job losses once the Job Support Scheme replaces the furlough scheme in November. Lord Agnew of Oulton: In light of recent developments in the path of the virus, and the new temporary restrictions announced by the Prime Minister, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be extended until 2 December 2020. For hours not worked by the employee, the government will pay 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500. The extension will apply UK-wise and eligible employers across the UK, small or large, including charitable or non-profit, will be able to claim for the extended CJRS. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Data Protection: USA Lord Allan of Hallam: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop new bilateral agreements to facilitate transfers of personal data between businesses in the UK and the United States after 31 December. Baroness Barran: International data transfers are vitally important to global economies and societies and we look forward to developing and supporting mechanisms in the future that can best facilitate international data transfers. The UK Government is committed to ensuring high data protection standards and supporting UK organisations on international data transfer issues. The UK Government is working with international partners, including the United States and other stakeholders on initiatives that reduce the burdens and barriers on organisations transferring personal data (especially in priority sectors such as tech, manufacturing, finance and health, which are particularly reliant on data flows). This is so that we can unlock the value of data while also providing trust and confidence that personal data is protected. From the end of the transition period, the UK will have an independent policy on data protection and data transfers, including the ability to conclude its own data adequacy agreements. Sports: Drugs Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK Anti-Doping has refused requests to share information or samples with any national anti-dopingagencyor international federation seeking to access samples for analysis relating to any British Olympic athletes since 2012. Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether UK Anti-Doping has ever refused to provide samples requested by (1) the World Anti-Doping Agency, or (2) the United States Anti-Doping Agency, from British athletes whose training was overseen at any time by Alberto Salazar or his colleagues at the Nike Oregon Project. Baroness Barran: Any information which UK Anti-Doping receives is handled with the strictest data protection compliance. Therefore, it is not always possible for UK Anti-Doping to share information or samples from British athletes with third parties when this breaches data handling requirements.UK Anti-Doping has already publicly set out its position on sending samples related to the investigation of Alberto Salazar to the United States Anti-Doping Agency. To date, the World Anti-Doping Agency has not requested to reanalyse any of UK Anti-Doping’s samples of British athletes overseen at any time by Alberto Salazar.UK Anti-Doping has always supported the work of other anti-doping organisations and the World Anti-Doping Agency. When UK Anti-Doping cannot share information or samples, it always works for a constructive outcome to progress cases where there is a joint interest. Loneliness Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address loneliness this winter. Baroness Barran: Government is addressing the impact of loneliness this winter by providing millions of pounds in funding, inspiring organisations to take action and encouraging people to reach out through our campaign ‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’.As part of the £750 million charity funding package announced in the spring, £18 million has been provided to charities at the forefront of tackling loneliness. This funding is directly benefiting people at increased risk of loneliness, including young carers, veterans, new parents, people living with disabilities and many more.We have set up a new Tackling Loneliness Network that brings together over 65 private, public and voluntary organisations. These organisations are sharing expertise and developing innovative ways to tackle loneliness.The ‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’ campaign continues to share practical tips and signpost support via social media and through our website, so that no one needs to feel lonely this winter.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2020-11-04

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Petrol lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many days of reserve petrol stock are currently held by the UK, both inside and outside its borders; and how many days of stock will be held within the UK post-Brexit. lord henley: The UK currently holds 39 days of petrol stocks. The UK is also currently a net exporter of petrol as our refineries produce more than the UK consumes. The UK has two international obligations to hold emergency oil stocks that can be released in response to disruptions to the oil market, as required by the EU Oil Stocking Directive (2009/119/EC) and under International Energy Agency (IEA) rules. The EU Oil Stocking Directive requires Member States to maintain stocks at the higher of 90 days of net imports or 61 days of inland consumption. The IEA obligation requires 90 days of net oil imports. UK oil stocking obligations after we exit the European Union will depend on the terms of our exit, including whether there is a transition period. Under any scenario, the UK will continue to be bound by the IEA requirement to hold oil stocks equal to 90 days of net imports. Many countries around the world subscribe to the same obligation, a level widely considered appropriate to protect against oil disruption. Company Accounts baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) is the composition, and (2) are the terms of reference of the working group that has been set up to look at requirements for companies to disclose distributable reserves. lord henley: The Government has not established a working group to look at this matter. In its response to the Insolvency and Corporate Governance consultation last year the Government said that it would explore the strength of the case for a comprehensive review of the UK’s dividend regime, including whether any such review should consider the option of requiring companies to disclose their distributable reserves. That consideration is ongoing. Fuel Poverty lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations of the Committee on Fuel Poverty annual report 2018, published on 7 November 2018; what steps they are taking, if any, to implement those recommendations in advance of (1) the Comprehensive Spending Review, and (2) the revisions to the current Fuel Poverty Strategy for England; and what assessment they have made of (a) the case for, and (b) the potential benefits which might arise for the UK of, increasing investment in energy efficiency improvements to ensure statutory requirements are met. lord henley: Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty and we welcome the advice of the Committee on Fuel Poverty. We recognise the environmental, social and health benefits of energy efficiency. The Clean Growth Strategy reiterated our commitment to improving the energy performance of as many fuel poor homes as reasonably practicable to Band C by 2030.The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) now focuses exclusively on low income households with funding of £640m per year. In November, the Committee recommended new guidance on the ECO Flexible Eligibility scheme; and new guidance was published earlier this month. In line with the Committee’s annual report, BEIS has also published new analysis on the churn of households in and out of fuel poverty to better understand this issue and will soon be publishing a policy plan for improving Private Rented Sector energy efficiency. Government remains committed to the Buildings Mission announced in 2018 to halve the cost of retrofitting buildings to use half the energy of current new builds. We are considering the Committee’s other recommendations as part of our work this year to update the Fuel Poverty Strategy for England and they will also be relevant to Spending Review considerations. Foreign and Commonwealth Office China: Ethnic Groups lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with other governments about the potential to make joint representations to the government of China on the treatment of the Uighur population. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the Chinese Government’s deepening crackdown; including credible reports that over one million Uighur Muslims have been held in re-education camps, and reports of widespread surveillance and restrictions targeted at ethnic minorities.We work closely and strategically with a wide range of international partners – including countries in and out of the EU – and will continue to do so. China: Religious Freedom lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of different religious groups by the government of China, including the treatment of Uighur Muslims, Christians, Falun Gong and Tibetan Buddhists; and what assessment they have made of whether the treatment of those groups is part of a wider effort by the government of China to suppress religious groups. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity, Uighur Muslims and other religions in China, that include individuals being harassed or detained for their beliefs. The freedom to practice, change or share ones faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. We believe that societies which aim to guarantee freedom of religion or belief are more stable, prosperous and resilient against violent extremism.We are robust in raising the full range of our human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. We raised our concerns over restriction of freedom of religion or belief as part of China’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2018, and in our 27 June 2018 statement at the UN Human Rights Council. The prohibition of some religious groups, and the legal restrictions and harassment aimed at others, undermines freedom of religion or belief in China. China: Human Rights lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Uighur Muslims detained in China have undergone unwanted blood, tissue and DNA tests; what they believe to be the purpose of any such tests; and whether there is evidence of state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting religious prisoners of conscience, including Uighur Muslims. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and reports of the Chinese Government's deepening crackdown; including credible reports of re-education camps and widespread surveillance and restrictions targeted at ethnic minorities. We are aware of media reports that some Uyghurs may have been subject to unwanted DNA tests.More broadly, we are aware of reports that allege a process of involuntary organ removal is taking place in China and that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. My officials attended the final day of the recent tribunal into organ harvesting allegations, chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice, QC. We are aware of the preliminary findings and await the final outcome of the tribunal in spring with interest. With the evidence currently available we cannot substantiate the claims that state-sanctioned organ harvesting is happening in China. China: Ethnic Groups lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the government of Turkey calling on China to end the internment and persecution of Uighur Muslims; and what further steps they will take to engage with the government of China on this issue. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the Chinese Government’s deepening crackdown; including credible reports that over one million Uighur Muslims have been held in re-education camps, and reports of widespread surveillance and restrictions targeted at ethnic minorities. We work closely and strategically with a wide range of international partners – including countries in and out of the EU – and will continue to do so. Israel: Elbit Systems baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on human rights of Elbit Systems UK's sale of drones subsequently used in attacks in Palestine. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Export licence applications to all countries, including Israel, are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Our key test for licensing to Israel is Criterion 2 – whether there is a clear risk that exports might be used for internal repression or in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. We continue to monitor the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories closely, and if extant licences are found to be no longer consistent with the Criteria, those licences will be revoked. Overseas Trade: Israel baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to update their advice to those wishing to do business in Israel following research by Rabbis for Human Rights, published on 29 January, which found that “Israel’s rule over the West Bank is a unique and severely discriminatory regime”. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We routinely update our guidance to British businesses on the Overseas Business Risk website. We advise British businesses to bear in mind the British Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, or intend to make, to the government of Israel about the conditions for Palestinian prisoners following the death of Fares Mohammad Baroud. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly raise the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons with the Israeli authorities. Gaza: Israel baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 5 February (HL13138), whether they will now raise with the government of Israel the matter of the spraying of herbicides in Gaza. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We will raise this matter with the Israeli authorities in due course. Palestinians: Elections baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Palestinian Authorityabout elections for theassembly. lord ahmad of wimbledon: While they did not discuss elections, the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, discussed the resignation of the Palestinian Administration with the Palestinian Foreign Minister on 4 February. Along with EU partners, we have encouraged the Palestinian leadership to continue their work towards genuine and democratic elections for Palestinians. Northern Ireland Office Golf: Portrush lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an estimate of the total value to the Northern Ireland economy of the 2019 Open Championship being hosted at Royal Portrush Golf Club in July. lord duncan of springbank: Tourism in Northern Ireland is going from strength to strength, with more visitors who stayed longer and spend more than ever before. Tourism Northern Ireland expects up to 190,000 spectators will attend the 2019 Open Championship and estimate the benefit to the Northern Ireland economy from hosting this highly prestigious event will be £80m. Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland: Finance lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reached agreement with the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland on its long-term budget; andwhat is the amount of that budget. lord duncan of springbank: Northern Ireland Office officials continue to work with the Chief Electoral Officer to confirm the final allocation for the next financial year. I expect that this will be determined in Spring 2019. Department of Health and Social Care NHS: Crimes of Violence lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 7 February (HL13091), how many of those assaults occurred in (1) accident and emergency departments , (2) general mental health wards, (3) forensic mental health wards, and (4) other departments or wards; and whether they have categorised such assaults by the seriousness of injuries sustained. baroness blackwood of north oxford: This information is not available centrally.National figures for physical assaults did not include information on the wards or departments within organisations where the assaults occurred nor the seriousness of any injuries sustained.There are plans as the New Violence Reduction Strategy is implemented, to introduce a new data collection for physical assaults which will be aimed at helping trusts benchmark their progress against their peers and learn from good practice. NHS: Drugs lord hunt of chesterton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure (1) UK residents, and (2) medical organisations are aware of the guidance that has been issued on access to medicine in the case of a no-deal Brexit. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department has been working closely with the National Health Service, pharmaceutical companies and others in supply chains to make sure medicines continue to be available for the NHS, if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union without a deal.The Department and NHS England published guidance on their websites for patients, including the online only policy paper, Getting Medication, on 18 January 2019. We have also been engaging with patient groups, trade associations and health care providers about messaging regarding access to medicines in a ‘no deal’ scenario.The Department has issued guidance to all NHS trusts, pharmacies and general practices informing them of the Government’s plans for ensuring continuity of supply of medicines and advising them that they can expect to be able to continue accessing medicines through their existing supply routes in the event of a ‘no deal’ EU exit on 29 March. This guidance explained how hospitals, general practitioners and community pharmacies throughout the UK do not need to take any steps to stockpile additional medicines, beyond their business as usual stock levels. There is also no need for clinicians to write NHS prescriptions for larger quantities of medicines than usual. A copy of the Department’s letter of 7 December 2018 to the NHS in England is attached. 7 December letter to the NHS (PDF Document, 396.54 KB) NHS: Buildings lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plansthey have, if any, to increase the awareness of the applicable sentencing guidelines in relation to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 amongst NHS Estates Managers. lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey havehad with the Construction Industry Training Boardabout the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, in relation to the NHS Estate, specifically in relation to facilities management. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015 apply to all National Health Service construction and design work and as such are implemented across all capital investment, including the responsibilities of specific professionals employed. There are no current plans to increase awareness of these regulations. The relevant National Health Service staff are aware of the contents of the Regulations including the sentencing guidelines. No recent discussions have taken place with the Construction Industry Training Board by NHS Improvement and the Department. Cancer: Diagnosis baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of rapid diagnosis and assessment centres in improving cancer diagnosis rates. baroness jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cancer diagnoses were made at each rapid diagnosis and assessment centre in 2018, broken down by cancer type. baroness blackwood of north oxford: Ten multi-disciplinary diagnostic centres are being piloted through the Accelerate, Co-ordinate, Evaluate (ACE) partnership between Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and NHS England. This pilot programme will end in March 2019. Early findings from those sites informed the plans for roll out of the Rapid Diagnostic Centres as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. During 2019/20, the ACE Programme will share further evaluation from the pilot centres. The findings will continue to inform plans for expansion of the Rapid Diagnostic Centres, alongside work being led by Cancer Alliances to improve early diagnosis.Data covering the pilot period will be available later in 2019. NHS: Drugs lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact a no-deal Brexit would have on access to new medicines. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government continues to prepare for the outcome that we leave the European Union without a deal in March 2019.Regarding access to medicines, the Department and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry have a voluntary agreement to control the prices of branded drugs sold to the National Health Service. The 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access will bring benefits to patients, the NHS and the life sciences industry. Patients will benefit from faster adoption of cutting-edge and best value drugs, so they can gain access to them up to six months earlier. We do not anticipate any need to make changes to the Voluntary Scheme in light of EU exit, whatever the outcome of negotiations.Regarding the United Kingdom’s regulatory system, in a ‘no deal’ scenario the UK’s participation in the European medicines regulatory network would cease and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) would take on the functions currently undertaken by the EU for human medicines on the UK market. On 4 January the Government published an online-only detailed proposal for how the MHRA would regulate medicines in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario, which included the new licensing routes that we would offer in order to make sure UK patients are still able to access the best and most innovative medicines.The Government values the strong collaborative partnerships that we have across the European Union in the areas of science, research and innovation, and as part of Exit negotiations is working to ensure that we have the best possible environment in which to support access to new medicines after we leave the EU. NHS: Migrant Workers lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with (1) EU member states in general, and (2) Spain in particular, to ensure the UK is able to fill staff vacancies in the NHS after Brexit. baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government is committed to ensuring that the National Health Service is able to recruit as many doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals from abroad, as it needs, once the United Kingdom has left the European Union. Our future immigration system will prioritise high and medium-skilled workers and the Tier 2 visa cap will be abolished. Aside from the salary threshold, which is the subject of ongoing engagement with employers, there will be no cap on numbers and the Government will also be removing the Resident Labour Market Test for skilled workers – this will remove a month from the process of recruiting a migrant. As we bring the EU into a new single immigration system we will make the existing sponsorship system more streamlined.Additionally, the Government has introduced legislation that will largely maintain existing arrangements for the recognition of European health and care qualifications. European qualifications that are currently recognised automatically by UK regulators (doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists and pharmacists), will continue to be recognised after the UK leaves the EU. European qualifications that are not accepted automatically will continue to be assessed against the standard of UK qualifications, as is currently the case.The future arrangement for the recognition of European health and care qualifications, including Spanish qualifications, is subject to the outcome of negotiations on the UK’s future economic partnership with the EU. Department for Education T-levels baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support theyplan to offer to students undertaking T-Levels to help them meet the cost of transport to work placements. baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support theyplan to offer to students who qualify for free school meals and who are undertaking T-Levels to help them meet their food costs during work placements. lord agnew of oulton: The department is keen for students not to be prevented from undertaking T level industry placements due to travel and subsistence costs. We are providing significant funding to help education providers to put in place the infrastructure needed to deliver high quality industry placements in preparation for T levels. This funding can be used to support the students’ travel and subsistence costs. In addition to this, providers are receiving additional discretionary bursary funding of just under £2.5 million in 2018-19 to support students’ access to industry placements and other associated costs. We have recently announced further funding for 2019-20. Where students are eligible to receive Further Education Free Meals, providers must make sure that students are provided with a meal on days when they are off-site as part of their study programme. This responsibility will apply to industry placements. We have also advised that employers may also support students with their travel and subsistence costs if they wish. Pre-school Education: Finance lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review funding levels for early entitlements to ensure that childcare providers are able to continue providing high quality early education. lord agnew of oulton: We will be spending around £6 billion on childcare support in 2019-20 – a record amount. That will include funding for our early education entitlements, on which we plan to spend around £3.5 billion this year alone. Our average funding rates are based on the department’s ‘Review of Childcare Costs’ (attached) which was described as “thorough and wide ranging” by the National Audit Office. The review looked at both current and future cost pressures. The government recognises the need to keep the evidence base on costs up to date. We continue to monitor the provider market closely through a range of regular and one-off research projects which provide insight into various aspects of the provider market. Future spending decisions will be a matter for the Spending Review. HL13604_Review_of_childcare_costs (PDF Document, 960.52 KB) Private Education: LGBT People lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration is being given to revising the advice given to independent schools about teaching respect for LGBT people; and what are the implications of such teaching for safeguarding young LGBT people who are subjected to homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. lord agnew of oulton: A public consultation was held by the Department for Education from 14 March to 2 June 2018 on proposed guidance on the independent school standards, including those relating to the promotion of respect for other people. Responses to the consultation are still being considered. The finalised version of the guidance will be published soon. The draft guidance issued with the consultation included advice that schools’ anti-bullying policies should refer to prejudice-based bullying. The Senior Deputy Speaker House of Lords: Disability lord trefgarne: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether he is satisfied that the present arrangements in the Chamber and Committee Rooms meet the needs of those with hearing or visual impairments. lord mcfall of alcluith: The House of Lords provides support for Members, staff and visitors to Parliament affected by hearing loss through the use of audio loop and infrared systems that help to amplify sound for hearing aid users. Loop systems are installed in the Chamber and all Committee rooms, with infrared systems additionally available within Committee rooms 1 to 4, 2A, 3A and the Moses Room. Handheld radio transmitters are also available to hearing-aid users when in the Chamber, to reduce interference from electrical equipment and improve the quality of sound provided by the audio loop. We are currently exploring options to provide an audio description service for Chamber and Committee proceedings. This will provide blind and partially sighted members, committee witnesses and members of the public with a voiced description of which member or witness is currently speaking, transmitted directly via an audio service. A feasibility study was commissioned in January 2019 and will report back later this year. Further microphones are due to be added to the Chamber this year, which will improve the quality of service provided to hearing aid users. A greater number of microphones situated closer to the people speaking minimises background noise and gives a cleaner sound on the audio which is sent directly to hearing aids via the loop system. The large number of microphones used in Committee meetings, whether automated or operated by an engineer, help to keep the sound clear and maximise the quality of sound experienced by hearing aid users. For those with hearing impairments which do not require the use of a hearing aid, overall audibility in Committee Rooms 2A, 3A and 4A is generally good. In Committee rooms 1 to 4, however, factors such as high ceilings and furniture arrangements mean that the current acoustic set-up is sub-optimal. A facilities upgrade is currently being trialled in House of Commons Committee Room 6 and, subject to approval, House of Lords Committee rooms will also benefit from these improvements in due course. There are also plans to replace the speakers embedded in the benches within the Chamber next year, which should deliver improvements to general levels of audibility.The business of the House is of course dependent upon Members, staff and visitors such as committee witnesses being able to hear and be heard, although the capacity to deliver improvements can sometimes be limited by the nature of operations in a building with heritage restrictions. Equality Impact Assessments will be carried out as part of the Restoration and Renewal process, during which extensive works are likely to offer the potential for further improvements to facilities. In the interim, the Director of Facilities would be happy to speak to any member with specific suggestions for improvement. Peers: Bullying lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many formal complaints of bullying or harassment by any member of the House of Lords he has received from (1) members, (2) their staff, or (3) House staff since he launched the consultation on the implementation of a new process for investigating complaints of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct on 11 February. lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many formal complaints of bullying or harassment by any member of the House of Lords were being investigated from (1) members, (2) their staff, or (3) House staff at the time he launched the consultation on the implementation of a new process for investigating complaints of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct on 11 February. lord mcfall of alcluith: I have not received any formal complaints from members, their staff or House staff but under neither the current system nor the proposed future system would complaints come to me. Currently complaints may be received by the House Administration, the Commissioner for Standards, any of the political parties or whips, or the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers. Complaints of bullying or harassment by members of the House of Lords may be made to the Commissioner for Standards. Consideration of complaints by the Commissioner follows a two stage process. The Commissioner conducts a preliminary assessment to determine whether there is evidence sufficient to establish a prima facie case that the Code has been breached. This stage of the process is confidential, known only to the Commissioner, complainant and respondent. Basic details of cases are made public only if a complaint proceeds to the second stage, which is a formal investigation. When I launched the consultation on 11 February there were no live formal investigations by the Commissioner solely in relation to the Code’s personal honour provision, which is the only aspect of the Code likely to be engaged by complaints of bullying and harassment. No such investigations have been initiated since the consultation was launched. Furthermore, no formal complaints relating to the behaviour of House of Lords members were being dealt with by the Administration when the consultation was launched, and none have been initiated since. Treasury National Savings Certificates lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are changing the index on NS&I Index-linked Savings Certificates bought between 2 June 1975 and 7 October 1996 from RPI to CPI; and what is the legal base that enables this change to be made. lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the benefit that will accruetoHMTreasuryfrom the change in the index from RPI to CPI of NS&I Index-linked Savings Certificates bought between 2 June 1975 and 7 October 1996. lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total outstanding value of, and interest credited on, NS&I Index-linked Savings Certificates bought between 2 June 1975 and 7 October 1996 for each of the last 10 years; and what projections have been made for outstanding value and interest credited for each of the next 10 years. lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the last 10 years, how many individuals owned NS&I Index-linked Savings Certificates bought between 2 June 1975 and 7 October 1996 and what projections they have made for the number of future owners in the next 10 years. lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what HMTreasury-backed interest bearing and index linked financial instruments have had, in the last 10 years, the index changed from (1) RPI to CPI, and (2) CPI to RPI; and what the rationale was for those changes. lord sharkey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the changes to NS&I Index-linked Savings Certificates bought between 2 June 1975 and 7 October 1996, whether they plan to change to CPI the index on those index-linked gilts currently using RPI; and if not, why not. lord bates: Index-linked Savings Certificates (ILSCs) have not been on sale since 2011. Customers who purchased ILSCs between 2 June 1975 and 7 October 1996 (Issues 1-9), and who did not provide instructions at maturity to withdraw their funds, subsequently had their funds mature into ‘Index-linked Extension Terms’ (ILETs). ILETs act as a holding account for customers until they request the return of their investment. The number of ILET holders and total value of ILETs since 2012 and forecasts for the next 10 years are provided in the first attachment.. NS&I undertook a data migration in 2012 therefore data is provided from that point forward. Interest earned on ILETs is normally held separately to the investment and paid out when customers claim their funds. However, in 2012 NS&I capitalised interest into accounts. Therefore, the figures in the table do not include interest earned since 2012 (totalling c£30 million). ILETs currently earn interest equal to RPI. Starting 1 May 2019, from the day and month the original investment was made (the ‘anniversary date’), each ILET will earn interest based on CPI. On this day, outstanding interest will be capitalised into the account, with interest earned after this date continuing to be held separately. NS&I does not hold an anniversary date for the oldest investments (Issues 1 and 2). For these issues, an anniversary date of 11 November has been set. This corresponds with the date in 2012 that NS&I last capitalised interest into these accounts. NS&I has the right to change the terms and conditions of ILETs at any time after the expiration of the original term. Customers are being notified at least 60 days in advance of the change taking effect, via correspondence and public notices published in the Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph and The Times on 8 February 2019. The forecast reduction in interest payments caused by the change in the index from RPI to CPI of Index-linked Extension Terms is provided in the second attachment.As NS&I announced at Budget 2018, from 1 May 2019 holders of ILSCs who chose to renew their investments into a new term would also receive interest based on CPI rather than RPI. The changes to ILETs and ILSCs recognise the reduced use of RPI by successive governments and is in line with NS&I’s need to balance the interests of its savers, the cost to the taxpayer, and the stability of the broader financial services sector. The Government issues wholesale gilts through the Debt Management Office. In the past 10 years, the only index-linked products issued by the Debt Management Office have been Index Linked Gilts, which are linked to RPI. The Government recognises the flaws in the way RPI is measured and have made progress in moving away from using it. However, given the extensive use of RPI across the public and private sectors, further moves away from the measure are complex and potentially costly. As set out at Budget, the government’s objective is that it will reduce the use of RPI when and where practicable. At the present time there are no current plans to stop issuing RPI-linked gilts. Attachment 1 (Word Document, 12.67 KB) Attachment 2 (Word Document, 12.12 KB) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Empty Property: Security baroness grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk to property guardians in buildings owned by (1) the government, (2) local government, and (3) statutory bodies. baroness grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government what risk assessment has been conducted on the dangers of breaches of (1) electrical safety, (2) gas safety, and (3) fire safety regulations for people living as property guardians. baroness grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relevance of the Housing Act 2004 and its application to premises occupied by a property guardian. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Housing Act 2004 is applicable to premises occupied as a dwelling by property guardians. Under the Housing Act 2004, local authorities have a legal duty to keep the housing conditions in their area under review and identify any action that may need to be taken. If local authorities are aware of properties in their area occupied by property guardians, they should consider inspecting these properties proactively to identify potential health and safety hazards. The Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS) applies across all premises occupied as a dwelling, including guardian properties. If hazards are present, local authorities have tough enforcement powers.Electrical safety, gas safety and fire safety requirements apply to all private rented sector properties including guardian properties when they are residential or used as a dwelling. Fire safety in all non-domestic premises, including the common parts of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), is covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.The Government has not carried out a specific assessment of the risks to property guardians in buildings under different ownership. It is the role of local authorities to inspect and take action as required. The Government is reviewing information available to guardians and local authorities about their enforcement powers to make sure this happens. Empty Property: Security baroness grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 15 October 2018 (HL Deb, cols 366–8), what progress they have made in establishing whether someone who has a licence as a property guardian is living in what can be defined as a “dwelling". lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Housing Act 2004 defines a “dwelling” as a building or part of a building occupied or intended to be occupied as a separate dwelling.  Whether a building occupied by a property guardian is in fact a dwelling would be dependent on the particular facts of the case. Local Government: Devolution baroness pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the criteria for the selection of successful bids for devolution deals that include a Metro Mayor (1) have been published, and (2) are available for public scrutiny. lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government's consistent approach to devolution is that powers and budgets are devolved to a functional economic area and that there must be strong and accountable governance proportionate to the powers and budgets being devolved. These criteria were described in the Department’s written evidence to the Communities and Local Government Committee which was published on the inquiry page of the Committee’s website along with its report “Devolution: the next five years and beyond. First Report of Session 2015-16” (HC 369). Local Government: Devolution baroness pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the statement, made on 8 June 2015 during consideration of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill by the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department forCommunities and Local Government, Baroness Williams of Trafford (HL Deb, cols 652–3), that “Any one-size-fits-all model is destined to failure. Every city and council is different. Through the decentralisation that the Bill will enable, each city will be empowered to forge its own path, to play to its own strengths and to find its own creative solutions to the particular challenges that they face" remains government policy. lord bourne of aberystwyth: Those comments of the noble Baroness set out one of the four key characteristics of the Government’s approach to devolution described in the Department’s written evidence to the Communities and Local Government Committee which was published on the inquiry page of the Committee’s web site along with its report “Devolution: the next five years and beyond. First Report of Session 2015-16” (HC 369). Ministry of Defence Defence: Expenditure lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the extra funding settlement given to the Ministry of Defence for nuclear and anti-submarine warfare in October 2018 was allocated and spent. earl howe: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 9 November 2018 to Question number HL11304. Trident Submarines (Word Document, 26.92 KB) Defence: Procurement lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Ministry of Defence considers wider employment, industrial and economic factors in its value for money assessments of where to procure defence systems. earl howe: This Government is committed to ensuring that defence procurement contributes to a more dynamic and productive economy. We therefore strive to obtain the capabilities we need at the best value for the taxpayer, in a way that strengthens our economy and bolsters long-term prosperity.Ministry of Defence procurement consider all relevant costs and benefits to UK society in making value for money assessments. These assessments are made in accordance with the HM Treasury Green Book, and without hampering open competition when relevant for procurement decisions. Armed Forces: Casualties lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byEarl Howe on 7 February (HL13095), whether a Fatal Accident Inquiry was carried out into any of those deaths; and if so, which. earl howe: There was a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) carried out following the crash of a Chinook in June 1994 on the Mull of Kintyre which concluded it was impossible to establish the exact cause of the crash. Since the formation of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Inquest Unit (DIU) in 2008 there have been no FAIs. Before the formation of the DIU, Inquests were dealt with by the individual Services (Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force), the DIU does not have access to any records that may have been retained from this period. It is, however, unlikely that these records have been retained under the MOD records retention policy which is normally five years from date of opening. We have held discussions with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscals Service (COPFS), to determine if there any other FAIs have been held. COPFS have advised it is not possible to confirm how many FAIs have taken place into military deaths in Scotland since 1990. The COPFS database is based on individual specific information i.e. name, date of birth, date of death and not on occupation. It is not searchable on occupation and we are advised that any search would also return deaths of individuals from natural causes, which could amount to many hundreds of records and would need to be manually searched. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Gibraltar: Navy lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to increase UK naval defences in Gibraltar after Brexit. earl howe: The Ministry of Defence continually reassesses the Royal Navy's mission in the Strait of Gibraltar, and the assets and people required to deliver it, to ensure that the UK Government's responsibilities can be carried out effectively to meet evolving threats and future needs.Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships continue to visit Gibraltar, in addition to the Royal Navy's Gibraltar Squadron that is permanently stationed there. ​The base infrastructure and the Gibraltar Squadron will also continue to be modernised in line with the rest of the Royal Navy. HMS Queen Elizabeth lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to opening HMS Queen Elizabeth to the public for a day. earl howe: The opening of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH is under consideration, as ships are routinely opened to the public during HM Naval Base open days and during visits to their affiliated cities.Due to operational scheduling, a date is still to be decided. HMS Ocean lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider buying back HMS Ocean from Brazil to be the first of the UK's Littoral Strike Ships. earl howe: The procurement strategy for the Littoral Strike Ship has yet to be determined. However, we have no intention of buying back HMS OCEAN which is now in service with the Brazilian Navy. Department for Work and Pensions Occupational Pensions baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to ensure the pensions industry routinely checks for auto-enrolment contribution data errors; and what reportingthey require from (1) pension providers, (2) employers, and (3) payroll operators to verify the accuracy of contributions. baroness buscombe: I refer the noble Baroness to my answers of 7 January 2019 and 18 December 2018. The regulatory regime is designed so that errors can be identified and material failures can be reported. The Pensions Regulator can then require restitution; and, where necessary, make use of its enforcement powers.The Government keeps all aspects of automatic enrolment under regular review but has no plans to make changes to the compliance framework at this time. Universal Credit the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Social Metrics CommissionA new measure for poverty for the UK, published in September 2018, what steps they are taking to ensure working parents with more than two children and who are claiming Universal Credit are not being pushed further into poverty due to the cost of childcare. baroness buscombe: The Government is committed to supporting parents with moving into work, and as part of this we have increased the level of support for childcare costs from 70% in legacy benefits to up to 85% in Universal Credit. This means that working families claiming Universal Credit can reclaim up to 85% of their eligible childcare costs each month up to £646.35 for one child and £1,108.04 for two or more children. The Universal Credit childcare policy aligns with the wider government childcare offer, which includes free childcare hours and tax free childcare. This offer means that reasonable childcare costs should not form a barrier to work. Where upfront childcare costs or deposits may prevent a claimant from starting work, jobcentres have been instructed to use the Flexible Support Fund to support the transition into work. When parents have good reason for late reporting of their childcare costs, the Department is piloting a more flexible approach to enable parents to be reimbursed at a later point. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Plastic Bags: Fees and Charges baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what steps they are taking to monitor the use of funds derived from the introduction of the charge on single-use plastic carrier bags, and (2) whether individual businesses are required to report on the amounts raised and donated from this source. baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the introduction of the charge on single-use plastic carrier bags has resulted in a reduction of bags used; and if so, by how much. lord gardiner of kimble: In October 2015, the Government introduced the mandatory minimum 5p charge for single use carrier bags (SUCBs) in England on all large retailers to tackle the negative impacts associated with their use on the environment, wildlife and society. The policy has resulted in an 86% reduction in the usage of SUCBs by large retailers. This represents approximately 15.6 billion fewer bags in circulation. The Regulations require retailers with more than 250 staff to charge a minimum of 5p and report data on their annual sales of SUCBs. Those retailers are encouraged to donate the proceeds of the charge (after deducting VAT and other reasonable costs) to good causes such as charities or community groups and to voluntarily report that data. Our analysis shows that since the charge was introduced approximately £146 million has been donated to a variety of good causes covering the arts, education, environment, health, heritage and sports as well as local causes chosen by customers or staff. The Government is currently consulting on extending the charge to all retailers and increasing the minimum charge to 10p. Plastics: Recycling baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include all sizes of plastic bottles in their proposed deposit return scheme. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government has confirmed that it will introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in England, subject to consultation, aimed at boosting recycling rates and reducing littering. We are consulting on two options for a DRS relating to size of containers: an ‘all-in’ DRS which would include containers of any size, and an ‘on-the-go’ DRS that would include containers smaller than 750ml. The scope of a DRS, including the size of drinks containers included in such a scheme, will be dependent on the results of the consultation. Plastics: Packaging lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the producers of plastic packaging pay for the entire lifecycle of the materials used. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government set out its commitment to reform the packaging producer responsibility system in the 25 Year Environment Plan, published in January 2018. Our Resources and Waste Strategy was published in December 2018 and contains details on how we will do this, including measures to incentivise packaging producers to make better, more sustainable decisions at the design stage and point of manufacture. Through reform of the current system we will require producers to fund the full net cost of managing the packaging they place on the market, once it becomes waste. These proposals are subject to a consultation, “Reforming the UK Packaging Producer Responsibility System”, which was published on 18 February 2019. The Government has also confirmed that it will introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England, subject to consultation. Producers of drink beverage products that would fall within the scope of a deposit return scheme would be required to fund the system. The consultation, “Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland”, was published on 18 February 2019 and sets out our proposals in detail. Recycling lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their Resources and Waste Strategy for England, published on 18 December 2018, what plansthey have to move from a weight-based target system for recycling towards an impact-based system; and what supportthey will provide to local authorities to achieve this. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is seeking views on alternatives to weight based targets as part of its consultation on Consistency in Household and Business Recycling Collections in England. This consultation ends on 13 May. Home Office Immigration: EU Nationals lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many full-time equivalent staff are working on the EU Settlement Schemeand, of these, how many were recruited from (1) within the Home Office, (2) other government departments, and (3) elsewhere; and how many extra staff they intend to recruit for this purpose (a) before 29 March 2019 and (b) subsequently. baroness williams of trafford: We currently have over 1,200 UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) European Casework staff in post to quickly process EU Settlement Scheme applications. This number will increase to 1,500 staff before the scheme fully launches by 30 March 2019. In addition to this, we are recruiting a further 300 staff for the new customer resolution centre which will proactively support EU citizens through the application process.We are committed to ensuring that our operational teams have the resources they need to run an efficient and effective system, and we actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand.All recruitment has been through fair and open competition, and has encompassed existing Home Office staff, Other Government Department employees, and external recruits. We do not have a breakdown of where staff were previously employed. More detailed information about the previous roles of staff is not available within reasonable costs. Immigration: EU Nationals lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total cost of theEU Settlement Scheme to date; and what is the estimated total cost up to the deadline for applications on 30 June 2021. baroness williams of trafford: For the 2018/19 financial year, HM Treasury provided EU Exit funding allocation of £395 million to Home Office. £170 million has been reserved for the development and delivery of the EU Settlement Scheme. This includes building a simple, user-friendly digital application system, communications campaign and caseworkers to process applications. Remittances viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government under which circumstances, if any, they intervene to block requests for assets to be remitted to foreign government organisations either from the UK or British overseas territories. baroness williams of trafford: Under proceeds of crime legislation, asset sharing and repatriation is ultimately the Government’s decision following the recovery of assets/money under a court order it is a matter of how to then dispose of those recovered moneys. In confiscation cases, the UN Convention Against Corruption requires a full return to victim States and the EU Framework Decision on confiscation orders requires a 50% share in cases in excess of 10,000 Euros.There are other bilateral and multilateral international agreements that encourage the sharing of recovered assets. The UK does not require an international agreement to share or repatriate assets and does so on request on an ad hoc basis. The presumption is that 50% is shared with the requesting country. There are few cases so far, but none have been refused.The Government does not intervene with similar cases involving the Overseas Territories or Crown Dependencies. Department for Exiting the European Union Manufacturing Industries: UK Trade with EU lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, as part of the Brexit negotiations, of the number of(1) UK manufacturing jobs which depend on exports to customers in EU member states, and (2)manufacturing jobs in EU member states which depend on exports to customers in the UK. lord callanan: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that in 2011 around 520,000 manufacturing jobs in the UK were linked to exports to the EU, and around 1,090,000 manufacturing jobs in the EU were linked to exports to the UK. The dataset can be found at the following link: https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TIM2015_C1The Political Declaration sets out the framework for a future relationship with the European Union that delivers in our national interest, including protecting jobs in the United Kingdom. Both the UK and the EU envisage comprehensive arrangements that would create a free trade area, combining deep regulatory and customs cooperation with zero tariffs, no fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all goods sectors. Department for International Trade Trade Agreements lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries have free trade agreements with the EU but have not yet signed such agreements with the UK. baroness fairhead: The Government recently updated the House on our progress to achieve continuity of our existing free trade agreements, and I refer the noble Lord to the Government’s written statement published on 21 February 2019.We will continue to inform the House as soon as further agreements are signed. You can find a list of all the EU’s Free Trade Agreements here: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/negotiations-and-agreements/ Ministry of Justice Magistrates lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the adequate provision of magistrates in the UK justice system. lord keen of elie: We work with the judiciary to analyse both current and future judicial, including magistrates, supply and demand across our courts and tribunals, factoring in planned recruitment, retirements and other departures.Recruitment of magistrates in England and Wales is reviewed annually and in 2018/19 we plan to have recruited 1,018 new magistrates. We are developing a three-year strategy, focusing on increasing diversity and social mobility, to support the recruitment of sufficient numbers to manage workloads.We are continuing to analyse the net impact of current and future reform on the requirement for magistrates in the longer term.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2019-02-25

Department for Transport European Rail Traffic Management System lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey are requiring all new-build passenger coaches to be equipped with compatible European Train Control System equipment to reduce the delays and costs of retrofitting. baroness sugg: The Department for Transport’s current policy is to require that all newly-built rolling stock meet the industry standards either for full fitment or to be made ready for European Train Control System (ETCS) fitment. Full fitment is appropriate where trains will be operating over routes fitted with ETCS signalling. ‘Made ready’ is appropriate to reduce the delays and costs of retrofitting once a route has been identified as being part of a fully funded ETCS deployment plan. This ensures that, when fitted, the trains will have the latest version of software compatible with the infrastructure equipment being deployed and that costly upgrades to trains fitted with out-of-date software are avoided. Railways: Leeds lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals to increase the capacity of the railway line east of Leeds station by building two more tracks or in other ways. baroness sugg: We are committed to improving journeys on the Transpennine route between Manchester, Leeds and York, bringing in state of the art trains, longer carriages and more frequent services for passengers by 2020. But we want to go further. We expect to spend around £3 billion to upgrade this key route as soon as possible. Improvements we are targeting include journey times of around 62 minutes between Manchester and York, as well as the ability to run more frequent and longer trains, and improvements to reliability. We are working with Network Rail and Rail North to determine the best way to achieve these major improvements for passengers, through a rolling programme of upgrades. To support this, Network Rail has now established options for infrastructure works that could deliver these improved journeys. We will now consider these before making further decisions later this year. The Government is also supporting the development of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) which aims to improve connectivity between the main cities of the North, including Leeds. We are providing Transport for the North with £60 million of funding from the Transport Development Fund to develop the business case. Furthermore, In October the Chancellor announced £300 million of funding to futureproof HS2 to accommodate future NPR junctions. One of these junctions would directly enable enhanced services between Leeds and York. Railways: North of England lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is (1) the process, and (2) the timetable, for taking decisions on the electrification of all or part of the railway line between Stalybridge and Leeds. baroness sugg: Network Rail has now established options for infrastructure works that could deliver passenger improvements. We are considering these before making further decisions later this year. We are committed to improving journeys on the Transpennine route, bringing in state of the art trains, longer carriages and more frequent services for passengers. Railways: North of England lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisations are responsible for drawing up proposals for a new high-speed railway line between Leeds, Bradford and Manchester; and what is (1) the timetable, and (2) the budget, for that work. baroness sugg: The Department for Transport and Transport for the North (TfN) are working in partnership to develop proposals for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), to improve connectivity between the main cities of the North, including between Manchester and Leeds. A range of proposals are being considered which will form the basis of the business case for NPR, which is due at the end of 2018. Throughout this work, TfN are engaging with Local Authority Partners across the North including the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. The Government is supporting TfN throughout this phase of the work with £60 million of funding from the Transport Development Fund. M6 lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to provide northbound access to the M6 motorway at Junction 31A. baroness sugg: Her Majesty’s Government has no plans to introduce additional slip roads at Junction 31A of the M6. North facing slip roads here would introduce additional lane changing manoeuvres by vehicles on the short busy length of the M6 between Junctions 31A and 32. This represents an unacceptable risk to the road safety performance of the motorway. Motorcycles: Delivery Services lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what health and safety requirements must be met by motor cycle delivery drivers. baroness sugg: All persons who use our roads must comply with road traffic legislation and have a duty to comply with the rules in the Highway Code. Road traffic legislation includes the requirement that all drivers must hold an appropriate driving licence (holders of provisional motorcycle licences must complete compulsory basic training) and the obligation to provide documentation if required to do so by an officer of the law. All drivers using roads in the UK must also be in possession of third party insurance covering the use of that vehicle and all vehicles in the UK must also meet set roadworthiness standards, including in relation to emissions levels, at all times. Regulations 16 and 17 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Rule 83 of the Highway Code states that an approved helmet must be worn on two wheeled motorcycles. Kenilworth Station baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the refurbished Kenilworth Station will reopen; and why the opening has been deferred on several occasions. baroness sugg: We are advised by Warwickshire County Council, who are responsible for the design and construction of the new station, and for setting the opening date, that the station will be opening shortly. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Developing Countries: Rule of Law lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following their grant to Tunisia, they plan to provide support, either in the form offunding or professional help, to assist with (1) upholding the rule of law, (2) ensuring the independence of the judiciary, (3) due process in criminal investigations and the prosecution of suspects, and (4) the establishment of land registers and adequate title to properties, in post-conflict and developing states. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Strengthening justice systems around the world, particularly in developing countries and those affected by conflict, is essential to combating global poverty and addresses a root cause of instability, thereby building safer communities.The UK is providing over £10 million in programme support to Tunisia this financial year. We plan to deliver more next year. The rule of law and protection of human rights are central to that work. The Crown Prosecution Service has deployed a Criminal Justice Advisor to Tunis to help build the capacity of prosecutors, investigators and the judiciary. We also fund projects to help the Tunisian authorities translate commitments in their constitution into effective legislation. We are not currently funding work on property rights in Tunisia, though we recognise the importance of making progress in this area. EU Countries: Diplomatic Service baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 February (HL5413),whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will receive additional funds from HM Treasury to offset the £4.2 million cost of creating 50 new diplomatic posts in Europe. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The 50 new diplomatic positions we have created in Europe are being funded through internal reprioritisation. Our revised estimate for the cost of these positions is £4.1 million. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has secured additional funding from HM Treasury for EU Exit preparations and with this funding we are now in the process of creating more than 150 additional positions in London and the overseas network to support EU Exit. At the 2017 Autumn Budget, HM Treasury made another £1.5 billion of funding available for EU Exit preparations in 2018/19. We are currently working with the Treasury to determine our allocation for 2018/19 with the aim to agree this soon. The Treasury has committed to informing Parliament of these allocations once they are made. EU Countries: Diplomatic Service baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 February (HL5413), what arethe 50 new diplomatic posts being created in Europe, broken down by (1) country, (2) diplomatic post, (3) grade of post holder, and (4) whether the post is currently filled or vacant. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The 50 new diplomatic positions we have created in Europe are to support the EU Exit process and to strengthen bilateral relationships with our European partners as we prepare for life outside of the EU. These positions are being deployed to our missions in Athens, Belgrade, Berlin, Berne, Bratislava, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Istanbul, Lisbon, Ljubljana, Luxembourg, Madrid, Oslo, Paris, Prague, Riga, Rome, Skopje, Sofia, Stockholm, Tallinn, The Hague, Tirana, Valletta, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw and Zagreb, as well as to the UK's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. Two positions are at SMS level, eight are at Band D level, and the remaining positions are at Band C level. These positions have been filled and all but two officers have now arrived at post. In addition to creating these new positions we have also upgraded 7 of our Ambassadors so that all of our Ambassadors in EU Member States are at the SMS level. We keep the size and structure of our diplomatic network under constant review to ensure it is appropriate for delivering UK objectives, and the number and grades of staff in particular locations may change over time as required. Nabeel Rajab lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the statement issued by the Minister for the Middle East on the sentencing of Nabeel Rajab on 21 February, whether they consider the case and sentencing a breach of Mr Rajab’s freedom of expression; and, if so, whether they will call for his immediateand unconditional release. lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the statement released on 21 February by the Minister for the Middle East (Mr Burt) made clear, we are concerned by the five year sentence handed to Mr Rajab, in addition to the two year sentence that he received in 2017. We have raised the case at the highest levels with the Government of Bahrain. We understand that Mr Rajab now has a right of appeal in this particular case and we will continue to closely monitor proceedings.We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to protect freedom of expression for all of its citizens, in line with its international obligations. Nabeel Rajab lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the statement issued by the Bahraini Embassy in the UK on the sentencing of Nabeel Rajab on 21 February, what is their response to the Embassy’s view that Mr Rajab’s cases "do not relate to political views or political expression". lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the statement released on 21 February by the Minister for the Middle East (Mr Burt) made clear, we are concerned by the five year sentence handed to Mr Rajab, in addition to the two year sentence he received in 2017. We have raised the case at senior levels with the Government of Bahrain. We understand that Mr Rajab now has a right of appeal in this particular case and we will continue to closely monitor proceedings.We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to protect freedom of expression for all of its citizens, in line with its international obligations. Bahrain: Politics and Government lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatrepresentations they have made to the government of Bahrain regarding the fairness of trials offemale pro-democracy activists on 21 February and the three-year prison sentences handed down by the Bahraini High Criminal Court. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We understand that the prison sentences relate to charges of harbouring wanted criminals and were given to six individuals. We understand that all six people have the right to appeal before the Court of Appeal and then the Court of Cassation. We will monitor proceedings. Bahrain: Capital Punishment lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain regarding the decision of the Bahraini High Military Court of Appeals to uphold the death sentences issued to six civilians in December 2017 for planning to target Bahraini security forces;and what assessment they have made of the case and the Court’s decision to reject the appeal. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The United Kingdom is firmly opposed to the use of the death penalty. It is the Government's longstanding position to oppose capital sentences in all circumstances and countries. We continue to make this clear to the Government of Bahrain and have raised these particular cases at senior levels.We understand that those handed the death sentence in these cases now have a further right of appeal. Gibraltar: Airports lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reports that the government of Spain is seeking joint management of the airport in Gibraltar after Brexit. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK and Gibraltar continue to support the 2006 Cordoba Agreement on Gibraltar Airport which already provides for its enhanced use to benefit communities in both Gibraltar and Spain. We believe that a thriving Gibraltar airport can help deliver shared prosperity for the wider region. Salih Muslim lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of a European Arrest Warrant by Turkey to arrest Salih Muslim. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We understand from reporting from Prague, where Mr Muslim was arrested on 24 February, that the arrest was made under a "red notice" submitted to the Czech authorities via Interpol by the Turkish government, rather than through a European Arrest Warrant. We note that Mr Muslim was released without charge on 27 February and is free to carry on his travels. Syria: Armed Conflict lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional steps they have taken in the last six months to respond to the escalating violence in Syria. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is gravely concerned by the escalation of airstrikes and violence in Syria, particularly in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib, which has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation. The UK joined our close partners in mobilising the Security Council to demand a ceasefire across the whole of Syria and the immediate delivery of emergency aid to all in need through UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2401. The resolution was unanimously adopted on 24 February. On 27 February, the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas, Sir Alan Duncan, met the Russian Ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, to stress UK concern at the current situation in Syria, particularly the crisis in Eastern Ghouta. He urged Russia to use its influence to ensure the Syrian regime adhered to the ceasefire to allow rapid, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access and non-conditional medical evacuations. On 5 March, the UN Human Rights Council passed a UK-led resolution on the human rights situation in Eastern Ghouta.Through our position on the UN Security Council and International Syria Support Group, the UK continues to urge all parties to engage in the UN-led Geneva process, as mandated by UNSCR 2254, whose aim is a national political settlement that would end the conflict. The UK is the third largest bilateral humanitarian donor to the Syrian crisis and has committed £2.46 billion to date. In addition, we have provided over £200 million through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund to support Syrians to help save lives, bolster civil society, counter extremism, promote human rights and accountability, and lay the foundations for a more peaceful future. This includes support to the White Helmets who have saved over 100,000 lives in the Syrian conflict. In December, we supported and lobbied for UNSCR 2393 which provides for humanitarian aid to be delivered cross-border into Syria. The UK will continue to use all diplomatic tools to work for a political settlement that ends the war and suffering, and provides stability for all Syrians and the wider region. Colombia: Politics and Government the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the political situation in Colombia, following the government of Colombia’s announcement of the suspension of peace talks with the National Liberation Army. lord ahmad of wimbledon: A temporary ceasefire between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group ended on 9 January. The ELN launched new attacks on 10 January, following which the Colombian Government decided to suspend negotiations in Quito. On 28 February, President Santos announced he was contemplating breaking peace talks with the ELN after five police officers were killed in a bomb attack on 26 February. It is clear that trust needs to be re-established before talks can resume. Cabinet Office Peers: Correspondence lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to ensure that letters from Members addressed to ministers are sent straight to the Minister's Private Office and not to the general correspondence section of Departments. lord young of cookham: Letters from members of parliament and peers are given priority over correspondence from the general public. Performance tables are published to show how promptly they reply. Department of Health and Social Care Social Services: Finance lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 31 January (HL5313), whether the funding that was set aside to implement the cap on care costs and other adult social care reforms will be released to local governmentimmediately following publication ofthe Social Care Green Paper; and when an announcement on changes to spending decisionsis expected. lord o'shaughnessy: As stated in my earlier answer to Written Question HL5313, any decisions on funding will be set out in due course. Vitamin D baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of proposals to restrict access to prescription-based vitamin D maintenance,whether they will undertake a study into how such proposals might affect at-risk groups, as set out in NICE Guidelines 56-2, and in particular those in the at-risk groups on low or fixed incomes. lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England undertook a study into how the proposals in the consultation Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: A Consultation on guidance for CCGs might affect at-risk groups by accompanying the consultation with a full Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment. The Impact Assessment, Equality and Health Inequalities – Full Analysis Form – Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care sets out how the proposals may affect groups protected by the Equality Act 2010 and those people on low income and ethnic minorities, including those at-risk groups, as set out in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. Copies of the consultation and Impact Assessment are attached.In the summer months most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight on the skin. It is also found in some foods – oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods – such as most fat spreads and some breakfast cereals.The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances states that vitamins and minerals should be prescribed only in the management of actual or potential vitamin or mineral deficiency, and are not to be prescribed as dietary supplements. We understand that NHS England’s current consultation is in line with this. Prescribing vitamin D for maintenance would be classed as a treatment for prevention or as a dietary supplement. NHS England consultation on guidance for CCGs (PDF Document, 589.82 KB) Equality Impact Assessment (PDF Document, 932.6 KB) Department for International Development Developing Countries: Sustainable Development the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 12 February (HL5337), how the Department for International Development will monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in the poorest developing countries; and whether this will require any additional staff. lord bates: Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals is reported through various means, including the UN’s SDG indicators website, https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/database/, which captures data reported to the UN by Member States under the global indicator framework for the 2030 Agenda. In addition, Member States are expected to complete voluntary national reviews of progress towards the Goals at least once in the period to 2030. The reviews are presented to the annual UN High Level Political Forum each July.We will continue to use these sources to monitor progress towards the SDGs by Least Developed Countries. We will not require additional staff to do so. Developing Countries: Sustainable Development the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to provide in-country training for government officials and others engaged in (1) monitoring theSustainable Development Goals, and(2) data collection, following United Nations guidelines; and to what extent the Commonwealth could provide this training. lord bates: DFID provides a range of support and training to National Statistics Offices in developing countries to gather, analyse and use a wide range of information, including data relevant to the SDGs. For example, through the UN Statistics Department, we are supporting 20 developing countries to disseminate SDG data through National Reporting Platforms, including technical assistance and training. We are also funding such support through the World Bank, the IMF and UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) is also planning to host a meeting of Commonwealth heads of National Statistics Institutes (NSI) later this year. The ONS is proposing including in the agenda a focus on data gaps for global SDG indicators. This will build on publication on 19 March of a report on UK data gaps, including our initial Inclusive Data Action Plan. Department for Education Armed Forces: Cadets lord de mauley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherOfsted recognises the contribution of an in-school cadet movement when reporting on its inspection of a school; and if so, how. lord agnew of oulton: This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to my noble Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Ministry of Justice Community Orders lord swinfen: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether community service sentences may include picking up litter in (1) rural, and (2) urban, areas. lord keen of elie: Where a court imposes an unpaid work requirement as part of a community sentence or suspended sentence order, the local Community Rehabilitation Company provides work placements in accordance with a range of criteria including: that the work benefits the local community;that the work undertaken is not a direct substitution for paid employment; andthe views of local people and community stakeholders such as the police are taken into account. Any proposal for unpaid work involving litter collection would have to be considered with reference to the requirements for unpaid work placements which form part of the service specifications and can be found at https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/offenders/probation-instructions/pi_02_2010_unpaid_work_community_payback_service_specification.pdf. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Coastal Areas: Environment Protection lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of calls from the Maritime Foundation for urgent action to institute measures to protect the UK's maritime littoral zone post-Brexit. lord gardiner of kimble: The Marine Maritime Organisation [Defra] has made an assessment of the measures needed, from a fisheries perspective, to protect England’s Exclusive Economic Zone which includes the maritime littoral zone referenced by the Maritime Foundation.We are working with the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities and the Marine Management Organisation, which together are responsible for enforcement in England’s Exclusive Economic Zone out to 200 nautical miles, as well as the Royal Navy, Border Force, and other organisations to make sure the appropriate arrangements to enforce fisheries regulations are in place to protect our waters when we leave the EU. Special Protection Areas: Isles of Scilly lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what restrictions or changes to air and sea transport services are required on any operation within the Special Protection Area of the Isles of Scilly. lord gardiner of kimble: The UK has a long history of environmental protection and we will safeguard and improve on this record. The Isles of Scilly Special Protection Area (SPA) was classified in 2001 under the EU Wild Birds Directive. Natural England is preparing advice to government on a proposed extension to the existing SPA and the addition of new features. Any plans or projects that are likely to have a significant effect on a SPA are subject to a Habitats Regulations Assessment by the relevant competent authorities in order to make sure that any potential impacts are avoided or mitigated. Where such impacts cannot be ruled out, planning proposals may nevertheless be approved provided certain tests are met: no feasible alternatives; imperative reasons of overriding public interest; and compensatory measures secured. Meat: Animal Feed baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of (1) the safety of feeding food waste containing meat unsuitable for human consumption from all stages of the supply chain to omnivorous animals, and (2) the contribution that lifting restrictions on feeding such food waste to omnivores could make to food security when the UK leaves the EU. lord gardiner of kimble: The EU-wide Animal By-Product (ABP) legislation bans the feeding of farmed animals with catering waste or feed material containing, or derived from catering waste. The purpose of the legislation is to reduce the risk of major exotic notifiable diseases in Member States of the EU, including the UK, through illegally imported meat and other products of animal origin. It can be argued that cooking to sufficient temperatures for a sufficient time period can kill viruses responsible for these diseases. However, experience has shown that the requirements for heat treatment and storage cannot be consistently guaranteed in certain environments such as commercial and household kitchens. It is already possible to feed certain food waste originating from food producers, manufacturers and retailers under the regulations, provided operators can demonstrate there are no prohibited animal by-products, which may present a risk of spreading diseases. Defra has looked at the evidence underpinning the ban and undertaken studies which have shown that a wider range of food waste could be safely fed to livestock if there was proper segregation of ABPs from other material but that non-segregated material still presented an unacceptable disease risk. The degree of risk associated with the former would be dependent on the specific method of production, distribution, and the effectiveness of risk management measures put in place. However, it is inherently difficult to sort catering waste to remove ABPs which could present a disease risk and it is unlikely to be economically viable for operators to comply with the controls that we would consider necessary to ensure protection of livestock from serious diseases. Given that it is unlikely that operators would pursue this activity, Defra has not assessed any likely impacts on food security. Hedgehogs: Conservation the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to preventfurther decline in hedgehog numbers, particularly in rural areas. lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is taking action to support the hedgehog. Our 25 Year Environment Plan is committed to creating or restoring 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside the protected site network, focusing on priority habitats as part of a wider set of land management changes providing extensive benefits for species such as the hedgehog. Agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship provide funding to restore, extend and link important habitats and boost food resources for a range of species including hedgehogs. Over 100,000 hectares of new priority habitat have been created since 2011. The scheme’s Wild Pollinators and Farm Wildlife Package funds specific management focused on improving farmland biodiversity across most farming systems. The management options for grassland, the conservation and enhancement of hedgerows and the creation and maintenance of field margins will help to provide suitable habitat for a range of species including hedgehogs. In addition we recognise and support the work being undertaken by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, such as the Hedgehog Street campaign and the 10 year hedgehog strategy. Natural England is taking action that seeks to address some of the objectives of the 10 year strategy through actions identified in the work of the Species Taxon Action Groups, which underpins Biodiversity 2020. Fisheries lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the future of the fishing industry in upcoming negotiations with the EU. lord gardiner of kimble: Leaving the EU provides an opportunity through negotiations with the EU and coastal states and through domestic reform, to develop arrangements for fishing that can create a more financially self-sufficient, profitable and responsive seafood sector, as well as delivering a cleaner, healthier and more productive marine environment. We will publish a fisheries White Paper shortly before the introduction of the Fisheries Bill. As well as preparing for the Fisheries Bill, it will set out our medium term vision for sustainable fisheries management. Home Office Police: Firearms lord hogan-howe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what considerationthey have given to the outcome of the review into the use of guns bypolice officers in the UK, initiated by the then Prime Minister David Cameron on 20 December 2015. baroness williams of trafford: It is important that firearms officers are supported to make the difficult decisions necessary to protect the public, and are able to carry out their duties without fearing that a justified use of force will damage their careers. It is also essential that decisions by the police to use force of any kind are subject to proper scrutiny.This is why the former Home Secretary commissioned officials to review the legal and procedural framework governing police use of firearms and post-incident investigation. The review is ongoing. Undocumented Migrants: Greece lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 26 February (HL5626), how many (1) British personnel, and (2) non-British persons employed by HM Government and British agencies, including interpreters, are now working in Greece for the purposes set out in that Answer; and how many of those personnelare regularly present in the Aegean islands. baroness williams of trafford: Further to the response to written question HL5626, between May 2016 and March 2017 the Home Office provided 115 experts to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Greece, primarily to support implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement. The exact number of UK staff deployed at any given time varies but since March 2017 we have continued to provide expert support to Greece in line with the particular needs identified by EASO. Our experts work on the Greek islands to interview arriving migrants, act as interpreters, advise on information provision and flow management and support coordination through the EU Commission team in Athens.The majority of the interpreters are deployed via EASO on a needs basis but following a recent urgent bilateral request from the Greek government, the Home Office has also provided additional interpreters to help process migrant arrivals on the island hotspots.We also have a Border Force cutter, HMC Valiant, based in the Aegean and provide debriefers, screeners and interpreters to support the Hellenic Coastguard and Frontex Operation Poseidon and tackle Organised Immigration Crime. Refugees: Syria lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the 20,000 refugees that the UK pledged to receive from Syria by 2020 have arrived. baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office is committed to publishing data in an orderly way as part of the regular quarterly Immigration Statistics, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Latest statistics published on 22 February confirmed that a total of 10,538 vulnerable people have been resettled under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) since the start of the scheme.The statistics are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release. Asylum: North of England the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manybedrooms in accommodation allocated to asylum seekers in (1) the North East of England, and (2) Yorkshire, under Home Office COMPASS contracts, are shared by two or more unrelated individuals; and what proportion of the total number of bedrooms available in those areas that figure represents. the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how are "vulnerable people" defined when allocating shared bedrooms to unrelated asylum seekers under Home Office COMPASS contracts. baroness williams of trafford: Asylum accommodation Providers are contractually required to take account of any particular circumstances and vulnerability of those that they accommodate to ensure that destitute asylum seekers are housed safely and securely. Such an assessment is made on a case-by-case basis depending on the specific needs of that individual. There are strict criteria set out in the contract around when room sharing can take place and who can share a room. Providers must also comply with local regulations including advice from social services and primary and secondary care bodies on whether room sharing is inappropriate.The use of individual properties across provider’s portfolios changes daily subject to demand. Information on the current number of bedrooms shared between unrelated individuals could only be provided at disproportionate cost by examination of individual provider property records. Arrest Warrants: Turkey lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received evidence showing that Turkey has used Interpol or Europol notices to harass politically active Turks and non-Turks whohave no connection to crimes or terrorism. baroness williams of trafford: Interpol has an independent review body, the Commission for the Control of Files, which seeks to ensure that the processing of personal information by Interpol is in compliance with the Interpol’s regulations. This minimises scope for abuse of Interpol procedures, and we are not aware of successful abuse of Interpol procedures that are outside of the organisation’s framework by any member country.Whilst Turkey has a strategic cooperation agreement with Europol, the agreement does not authorise the transmission of data related to an identified individual or identifiable individuals. Turkey therefore does not have access to any personal data held by Europol. Marcos Amaral Gourgel lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Portuguese citizen, Marcos Amaral Gourgel, who died in Westminster Underground station on 14 February and who had been deported from the UK after his release from serving a custodial sentence for child sex offences, was able on two occasions to re-enter the UK. baroness williams of trafford: We do not routinely comment on individual cases.We conduct border security checks on all passengers arriving in the UK at passport control. Where we are aware of individuals who pose a risk, Border Force officers can - and do - refuse them entry. Islamic State: British Nationals Abroad lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British citizens who travelled to the Middle East to join the armed forces of the Islamic State are known to have returned to the UK; and how many of those are currently held in custody in the UK. baroness williams of trafford: Approximately 400 UK-linked individuals of security concern have returned from the conflict in Syria. While it would not be appropriate to provide a breakdown of the investigation status of returners, a significant proportion of the individuals who have already returned have been assessed as posing little or no national security concern.The Home Office Statistical Bulletin publishes data about convictions quarterly but does not distinguish those which relate to Syria and Daesh. People who are investigated and charged with offences relating to the conflict in Syria and Iraq are prosecuted in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.Although official figures do not show how many were Syria or Daesh related, of the 97 persons charged with a terrorism-related offence in the year ending September 2017, 30 had been prosecuted (as at the time of data provision to the Home Office, 6 November 2017), 30 of which were found guilty. A further 65 were awaiting prosecution. Immigration Controls lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they routinely inform the government of the Republic of Ireland of the details of all persons who have been deported from the UK or who are subject to exclusion orders from the UK. baroness williams of trafford: The Common Travel Area (CTA) is a special border-free zone encompassing the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. To protect this arrangement there is a high level of collaboration between the UK and Ireland to strengthen the external border of the CTA.A joint programme of work includes the sharing and use of data to inform immigration and border security decisions, as well as the sharing of information to increase understanding of respective border arrangements.To protect the UK’s border operations and CTA arrangements, the UK does not provide detailed information on the data shared with Ireland to help protect the CTA. Muslim Council of Britain lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 February (HL5196), what were the names of those members of the Muslim Council of Britain who met most recently with Home Office officials; whether that meeting was approved by a minister in advance; and if so, by which minister. baroness williams of trafford: The Government has been clear through its work to tackle extremism and prevent people from becoming radicalised, the Government meets with a wide range of organisations. These organisations must be prepared to show leadership, point to solutions and challenge and confront extremist and terrorist ideologies and narratives whatever form they take.The Government will not provide a running commentary on the private meetings it holds. Asylum: LGBT People lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action theyintend totake to protect LGBTI asylum seekers facing discrimination and violence in asylum accommodation managed by private companies on behalf of the Home Office. baroness williams of trafford: Housing providers are contractually required to take account of any particular circumstances and vulnerabilities of those that they accommodate, including sexual orientation or gender identity. The Home Office and our accommodation providers take complaints extremely seriously and have robust procedures in place to inspect, investigate and resolve any complaints raised, where specific information is provided.We urgently investigate any complaints we receive where standards have fallen short of what we would expect. When there is clear evidence of this we work with our providers to ensure issues are quickly addressed and when they are not, we can and do impose sanctions. HM Treasury Tax Yields lord inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made on the effect on tax revenues of a one per cent (1) increase, and (2) decrease, in GNP. lord bates: The effect of changes in total economic output on tax revenues will depend upon the composition of any aggregate change, since the underlying tax bases (earnings, profits, consumption and so on) will be affected in different ways by different components of total output. For this reason, the Government does not hold a single estimate of the effects that changes to GNP (Gross National Product) would have on tax revenues. The Office for Budget Responsibility publishes tax and spending ready reckoners. These ready reckoners show how changes to components of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) would affect tax receipts, alongside the effects of other economic variables. For example, a one percent increase in employment in 2018-19 is expected to increase tax revenues by £2.7bn in that year. Department for Exiting the European Union UK Trade with EU lord inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement byBaroness Evans of Bowes Park on 29 March 2017 (HL Deb, col 611), what is their definition of "frictionless trade". lord callanan: We are seeking a bold and ambitious economic partnership that is of greater scope and ambition than any such existing agreement. We want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, as well as being able to negotiate our own trade agreements around the world. That means, for goods, we want a customs trading relationship and agreement on non-tariff barriers that enables as frictionless trade as possible between the UK and the EU. With regards to services trade, we will be seeking the broadest ever agreement that limits the number of barriers that could prevent UK firms from setting up in the EU and vice versa and avoids discrimination of each other's service providers. We also want to agree an appropriate labour mobility framework that enables UK and EU businesses and self-employed professionals to travel in order to provide services to clients in person. We want to ensure that UK companies have the maximum possible freedom to trade with and operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same in the UK.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2018-03-12

North/South Implementation Bodies Lord Laird: asked her Majesty's Government: Whether the domestic law governing the activities of cross-border bodies depends on whether they are located in Eire or Northern Ireland. Baroness Amos: The North/South implementation bodies carry out their functions on an all-island basis. Which body of domestic law applies is dependent on where the activity in question takes place, rather than where a body is located. Northern Ireland: Sports Council Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: In view of their policy of improving public health through "Investing in Health", why has the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure proposed to cut the Northern Ireland Sports Council budgets for the next three years. Baroness Amos: The draft priorities and budget 2005–08 was available for consultation and comment from October 2004 until 7 December. Final decisions have not yet been taken. It is planned that the final budget will be published in late December. Northern Ireland: Pre-school Children Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government: How, with reference to the Northern Ireland Office consultative document, making it r wrld 2—Consultation on a Draft Strategy for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland, published by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, consultations were carried out with children "As young as three years old". Baroness Amos: Officials in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister engaged the NIPPA—the early years organisation—to organise a tailored consultation event for pre-school children on 27th November 2002 as part of the research of issues to be included in the draft strategy. Activities were designed to draw out information on specific issues that affect this group. The output produced by the children was interpreted by early years professionals in NIPPA and included as a consultation response. A figure depicting some of the issues that they raised is illustrated on page 19 of the draft strategy, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Northern Ireland: Departmental Budgets Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 1st December (WA 5) concerning underspending by the Northern Ireland Departments for 2003–04, why the Department of Social Development underspent by £31.4 million in that period. Baroness Amos: The figure of £31.4 million relates to the underspend position based on provisional information provided by the department. Details of underspend are set out in the following table. In some cases projects cost less than anticipated; in others expenditure has slipped to the following year. Underspend (£m) Explanation Resource £15.5 million 1 Slippage in social security welfare reform and modernisation programme and lower than expected IT costs in current year 2 Delays in implementation of child support reforms due to the new UK wide IT systems not working properly 3 Non-completion os several NIHE special purchase of evacuated dwellings (SPED) acquisitions which were expected to be completed in 2003–04 4 Spend on NIHE supporting people programme, which is a new scheme that commenced in April 2003,less than anticipated 5 Delays in uptake in the urban regeneration and community development grant aid by applicants who had anticipated incurring expenditure in financial year 6 Delays in commencement and uptake of grant in relation to EU community initiatives such as Interreg III and Urban II 7 Non-cash costs i.e. depreciation, cost of capital, less than anticipated Investment £15.9 million 1 Slippage in social security welfare reform and modernisation programme and lower than expected IT costs in current year 2 Spend less than estimate due to slippage in the commencement and completion of schemes by housing associations. The later a scheme commences in the year means less spend incurred in current year with cost shifted to future years 3 Delays in uptake in Urban Regeneration and Community Development grant aid by applicants who had anticipated incurring expenditure in financial year Northern Ireland Department of Education Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many civil servants employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Education were barred from attending interviews for promotion on the grounds of their sick leave records in the 10 years ending on 31 December 2003; and what is the proportion of men and women. Baroness Amos: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Northern Ireland Department of Education Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many civil servants employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Education were found guilty of unintentional harassment in the 10 years ending 31 December 2003. Baroness Amos: The Department of Education has made no findings of "unintentional harassment". However, in two cases, where the complaint of harassment was substantiated, it was taken into account, in considering the disciplinary penalty, that in one case harassment occurred "without malicious intent" and in the other that harassment occurred with no "deliberate intent". Palace of Westminster: Health Screening Baroness Massey of Darwen: asked the Chairman of Committees: What health screening and support are available in the Palace of Westminster for Members of the House and staff; and what steps he is taking to ensure that Members and staff are aware of these facilities. Lord Brabazon of Tara: The Occupational Health and Welfare Service (OHWS) provides a wide range of health protection and promotion services to Members and staff. Members, for example, may use the acute GP emergency service and are entitled to a free medical screening every three years. Staff receive basic health and safety training as part of the staff induction course when they join, and further training as appropriate to their work; permanent staff over 55 are also entitled to health checks. In addition, a nurse is available for consultation in the medical room off the Lower Waiting Hall. The services provided by OHWS are listed in the Members' Handbook, and the Staff Handbook. OHWS has a website on the parliamentary network, distributes leaflets outlining the services it provides, and uses e-mail to draw attention to, for example, molewatch and blood donor clinics. Personal invitations ae issued to those entitled to health screening. Casinos Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: What contact they have had with casino operators based outside the United Kingdom in relation to the Gambling Bill; and what were the main points raised in any relevant correspondence. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: As part of policy development and analysis, government Ministers and officials receive representations from, and have meetings with, a wide range of organisations and individuals, including those in the gambling industry, about all aspects of the Gambling Bill. International Finance Facility The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What conversations they have held with the United States Government about the proposed international finance facility; and what response, if any, they received regarding United States participation. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: We are engaged in ongoing discussion with the US, and other G8 partners, on the IFF. Our aim is to secure progress during our 2005 presidencies of the G7/8 and EU. Consultancies: Government Departments Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which companies are currently employed on a consultancy basis by each government department; what is the financial value of each contract; and what is the purpose of each contract. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Universities: Chemistry Departments Lord Watson of Richmond: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are considering to halt and reverse the decline in the numbers of chemistry departments in universities. Lord Filkin: The Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004–2014 sets out the Government's vision for science teaching and learning at every stage, including detailed proposals to stimulate demand from students and supply of excellent teaching. The Secretary of State for Education and Skills has also asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to advise him on subjects of national strategic importance, including chemistry, where intervention might be appropriate to strengthen or secure them. Schools Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether teachers in foundation schools are eligible to stand for election to the local education authority in which their school is situated. Lord Filkin: Teachers in foundation schools are not eligible to stand for election to the local education authority in which their school is situated. The Education (Transition to New Framework) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1999 provide that in this respect they are in the same position as teachers employed directly by the local education authority. Schools Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government: What were the running costs for Ofsted and HM Inspectorate of Schools in the last financial year; and what, if any, savings will follow implementation of the Education Bill. Lord Filkin: The running costs for Ofsted in 2003–04 were £208.6 million. The Education Bill makes changes to school inspections and the inspection of early years education provision. Ofsted anticipates direct savings of at least £10 million per annum in the cost of school inspections and £4.7 million per annum in the cost of early years inspections as a consequence of these changes. In addition, Ofsted expects to make substantial savings in running costs as a result of structural changes to the organisation, facilitated by the provisions in the Bill. In total, these changes will deliver reductions of 20 per cent in the overall costs of Ofsted by March 2008. Schools Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the open letter dated 6 December to the Prime Minister by the Chair of the Central Council for Physical Recreation, on when they intend to make an announcement on the amount of time devoted to physical education in schools; and Whether they support the "Club2School Sports Initiative" which includes the target of two hours high quality physical education in schools and two hours sport for every child provided by sports clubs outside the school curriculum. Lord Filkin: On Tuesday 14 December, the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced a further investment of £519 million from 2006–07 to 2007–08 for physical education and school sport. We are well on the way to delivering the school sport public service agreement target that we share with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that 75 per cent of pupils by 2006 and 85 per cent of pupils by 2008 should receive at least two hours each week of high quality PE and school sport. However, we want to do more. By 2010, our ambition is for all children to be offered at least four hours of sport every week. This will comprise at least two hours of high quality PE and sport at school and, in addition, the opportunity for at least a further two to three hours beyond the school day, delivered by a range of school, community and club providers. Aerospace Industry Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: Following an independent report on the future of the United Kingdom aerospace industry by the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team, have they implemented a national aerospace plan. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team (AeIGT) implementation of the 20-year vision for the aerospace industry began in August 2003. Sir Richard Evans leads the AeIGT executive board overseeing its implementation. Progress is being made on all five themes of the AeIGT report. The national aerospace technology strategy was launched in July 2004. The implementation of the plan to gain funding from government departments, regional development agencies, devolved administrations and research councils is being co-ordinated by the DTI; £15 million was secured for the aerospace industry from the first call for research and technology. Aerospace Industry Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: What were the funds set aside for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 for research and technology in the aerospace industry. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There was a rolling annual programme of about £20 million for research and technology demonstration in support of civil aeronautics, for collaboration projects undertaken by industry and universities, through the Aeronautics Research Programme (ARP). Actual disbursements were: Financial year Amount (millions) 1999–2000 £19,993 2000–01 £19,997 2001–02 £18,666 2002–03 £21,266 2003–04 £19,694 The DTI has moved away from sectoral funding and closed the ARP to new projects in March 2004; existing projects will be funded until 2008. In April 2004 the DTI launched a new product to support a partnership approach to research and technology. The aerospace industry secured £15 million of the £50 million available from the first call. Aerospace Industry Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the value of United Kingdom aerospace exports for the years 2000 and 2003; and what is the percentage broken down in civil and military terms. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: 2000 2003 Value of exports £11.0 billion £10.9 billion Civil share 49 per cent 59 per cent Military share 51 per cent 42 per cent The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these figures. Aerospace Industry Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people are employed (a) directly; and (b) indirectly, in the United Kingdom aerospace industry. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: In 2003, 121,979 were directly employed and around 150,000 were indirectly employed by the aerospace industry. The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these figures. Aerospace Industry Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many aerospace jobs were lost in the United Kingdom in the year 2003. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There was a net increase of 4 per cent of aerospace jobs in the UK to 121,979. The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these figures.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2004-12-16a

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 they 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 Sainsbury of Turville: The Ministry of Defence has placed copies of the regulatory impact assessment in the Libraries of the House. 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. 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 advisors 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. 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. 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 closes the Guantanamo Bay facility for terrorist suspects, following the request by the Attorney-General. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: In 2005, 1.6 million cars and more than 200,000 commercial vehicles were produced in the UK, compared with less 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 them 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. 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. 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

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2006-05-22a

Department for Transport High Speed 2 Railway Line: Chilterns lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when HS2 phase one construction plans and timetables for the Chilterns will be published. baroness sugg: Since July 2017 HS2 Ltd has been working with CEK (now EK) and Align, the main works civils contractors, to develop scheme designs and the construction programme for the line of route works that includes the Chilterns. During Spring and Summer 2018 HS2 Ltd will be engaging with the local communities with an increasing level of information as the designs mature. Scheme Design will continue until the end of 2018 when HS2 Ltd expects to agree construction plans and programmes with the main works contractors, with a view to commencing construction works in 2019 in the Chilterns. Enabling works will continue in the Chilterns throughout 2018 along with Highways England and utility company works near the M25 at West Hyde and HS2 Ltd will continue to engage with the communities local on these works. High Speed 2 Railway Line lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they have set aside for HS2 phase one enabling works, design and pre-construction activity; andhow much ofthat funding has already been spent and on what. baroness sugg: Spending Review 2015 established a long term funding envelope for Phase 1 of £27.18bn in 2015 prices. HS2 Ltd is expected to manage all elements of the delivery of Phase 1 from within the overall funding provision. In November 2016, HS2 Ltd awarded three Enabling Works Contracts. These are structured as framework contracts, with a total combined value of up to £900m (in 2015 prices). These contractors in place in advance of the main works contracts are delivering a range of activities including archaeology, site clearance, establishing site compounds, utility diversions, ecology surveys, demolition, ground remediation, watercourse activities, highways realignments, monitoring and instrumentation, structural reinforcements and drainage work. Government spending on HS2 Ltd is detailed in the Department for Transport’s annual report and accounts. Carillion: Insolvency lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the collapse of Carillion Construction Limited on the timetable and budget for HS2 phase one enabling works, design and pre-construction activity. lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of any additional expenditure onHS2 phase one enabling works, design and pre-construction activity required because of the collapse of Carillion Construction Limited. baroness sugg: Carillion were not awarded contracts for the Phase One enabling works (termed the Enabling Works Contracts or EWC). Carillion were originally part of the joint venture CEK that was awarded two of the main work civils contracts. These contracts are being taken forward by Kier and Eiffage, the other parties to the CEK joint venture. Each company's Boards have both given that assurance and confirmed that they underwrite the performance of each other and have the capacity to deliver the HS2 contracts under the same terms, including cost and schedule. Carillion: Insolvency lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional costs have been incurred by HS2 phase one contractors working on the C2 North Portal Chiltern Tunnels to Brackley section because of the collapse of Carillion Construction Limited. baroness sugg: Following the collapse of Carillion, Kier and Eiffage are now 50/50 joint venture partners and will deliver the HS2 contracts under the same terms, including cost and schedule. Large Goods Vehicles: EU Countries lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made, or are making, to ensure that the 75,000 UK road freight trucks which currently undertake commercial journeys within the other 27 member states of the EU are able to continue with their operations after Brexit, and are not limited by EU permit restrictions on third country operations. baroness sugg: The Government’s overall aim is to seek a liberalised access for commercial haulage through the negotiations with the EU. In order to be prepared for all eventualities, the Government has introduced the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill into Parliament, to provide a flexible framework for any system that is needed as part of our deal with the EU, without placing any undue regulatory or financial burden on the industry. The permit elements within the Bill will come into effect only if our international agreements require it. Driving: Licensing lord lipsey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average timetaken by customers to fill out the online application for people over 70 to renew their driving licence. baroness sugg: The average time taken to complete a fully completed online application to renew a driving licence at the age of 70 and above is 17 minutes and 47 seconds. Some customers may be unable to complete the application in full online because further information (usually medical or identity information) may be needed. Driving: Licensing lord lipsey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the online application system for people over 70 to renew their driving licences was piloted. baroness sugg: The online service enabling motorists to renew their driving licence when they reach the age of 70 has been in place since June 2007. Unlike newer digital services, this system was not piloted with users before it was introduced.As part of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s plans to transform its IT estate, the majority of its existing online driver licensing services will be replaced over time. The DVLA will use service standard assessments and its user experience testing laboratory to help ensure that its online services meet the needs of users. This testing will be nationwide and include all demographics in line with research standards. Driving: Licensing lord lipsey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they hold on the number of failed attempts by people over 70 to renew their driving licences online. baroness sugg: Over the last year, 77.6% of online applications to renew a driving licence made by customers over the age of 70 were completed successfully.General information is not available on why applications were not completed. However, some applications (2.8%) could not be completed online as further information (usually medical or identity information) was required. High Speed 2 Railway Line lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HS2 phase one contractors delivering design and construction preparation works for (1) Area South, (2) Area Central, and (3) Area North, are (a) within budget, and (b) on schedule. baroness sugg: The Phase One Main Works Civils contractors delivering design and construction preparation works for Area South, Area Central and Area North are currently on time and on budget. High Speed 2 Railway Line lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the performance of HS2 Ltd and HS2 phase one contractors following the awarding of stage one contracts in July 2017. baroness sugg: The evaluation process and outcome of the Main Works Civil Contracts were subject to HS2 Ltd’s robust assurance processes and additional in-house and independent assurance. The Department for Transport (DfT) assessed HS2 Ltd capability to successfully manage Stage 1 of the Main Works Civils Contracts prior to the award of these contracts in July 2017. DfT receives and reviews regular information regarding the progress of all of the HS2 programme. HS2 Ltd provides a rigorous oversight of all their direct contractors to ensure that costs are kept within budget and work is delivered on time. HS2 Ltd considers that the performance to date of Stage One Main Works Civils contractors is consistent with obligations and expectations. High Speed 2 Railway Line lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what incentives are in place for contractors to introduce innovative proposals to reduce (1) time, and (2) costs, of the stage two construction phase of the HS2 phase one route. baroness sugg: The Main Works Civil Contracts contain financial incentivisation provisions that encourage contractors to introduce innovations that will reduce the schedule and cost of construction activity in Stage Two. High Speed 2 Railway Line lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had with contractors regarding new design-ready schemes intended to reduce the construction time and costs of the HS2 phase one stage two construction phase. baroness sugg: The Main Works Civils Contract Stage One period is focussed on design development and preparation for construction. During this period, HS2 Ltd is working with the Main Works Civil Contractors to look at opportunities to reduce construction time and costs prior to the confirmation of the delivery stage (Stage Two) of the Main Works Civils Contracts. Large Goods Vehicles: EU Countries lord radice: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which UK lorry drivers will be subject to third country permit restrictions applied by the remaining 27 EU member states following Brexit; and in which EU member states such restrictions would apply. baroness sugg: The Government’s overall aim is to seek a liberalised access for commercial haulage through the negotiations with the EU. The arrangements that apply to UK hauliers once the UK leaves the European Union will depend on the withdrawal deal we negotiate. The Government has introduced the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill, to provide a flexible framework for any system that may be is needed as part of our deal with the EU. We are confident that any such arrangement will cover all EU countries. Transport for London: Finance baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received fromthe Mayor of London regarding the cessation of Her Majesty's Government’s operating grant to Transport for London. baroness sugg: Ministers at the Department for Transport and other Government Departments regularly meet the Mayor of London to discuss a range of issues including financial matters. Cycleways the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the use of cycle lanes in English cities since 2010; andhow this compares to projected usage. baroness sugg: The Government has not carried out an assessment of, or made projections about the use of, cycle lanes in English cities: this is a matter for local highways authorities. The Department’s statistics on cycling and walking, published most recently on 18 January 2018, contain information on national cycling trends over time and include some information at a local authority level, but do not cover the use of cycle lanes in individual cities. Similarly, the Department’s regular road traffic statistics provide estimates of the vehicle miles travelled each year in Great Britain, by vehicle type, including pedal cycles, but do not distinguish between cycling on cycle lanes and cycling on the main carriageway. The Department for Transport has made funds available to eight cities through the Cycle Ambition programme to improve or expand cycle routes in line with local priorities, and will monitor and evaluate the impact of this funding over time. Other organisations have produced reports which contain some information on this. Sustrans, for example, has recently published “Bike Life” reports for several cities which are available online and which cover matters such as cycle infrastructure provision, travel habits, and attitudes towards cycling in the cities in question. Foreign and Commonwealth Office European External Action Service lord balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British nationals serve as EU Ambassadors or heads of mission in the European External Action Service; and how many of themare employed (1) directly, and (2) on secondment, from Her Majesty’s Government. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​In October 2017 the European External Action Service (EEAS) informed us that there were four British Heads of Delegations. Of these, one was posted from the UK civil service on a temporary agent contract, and three were permanent officials of the EEAS. Palestinians: Domestic Violence baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Palestinian National Authority regarding the incidence of "honour killings" and domestic violence in the Palestinian Territories reported by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences in 2017. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Special Envoy for Gender Equality visited the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) in November 2017, focusing on violence against women and girls. The UK continues to lobby for the adoption of a Family Protection Bill that would address some of our concerns around gender based violence. The FCO also works closely with other government departments, including the Department for International Development (DFID), and with the Palestinian Authority to enhance gender equality in the OPTs. DFID has supported interventions to tackle violence against women and girls by working with the Palestinian security and justice sectors. This has included the development of Police Family Protection and Juvenile Units, the specialisation of public prosecutors to work on cases of violence against women and the development of a gender strategy for the Palestinian Civil Police. Gaza: Television Channels baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Palestinian National Authority regarding the reported banning of a new women's television station in Gaza by the Ministry of Information there. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not discussed this issue with the Palestinian Authority (PA). The UK does not have any contact with the administration in Gaza. The UK retains a policy of no contact with Hamas in its entirety. We encourage the PA to fully resume its government functions in Gaza, and ensure that the reconciliation process is compliant with the Quartet Principles. Ahed Tamimi lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Minister of State for the Middle East on 7 February (HC Deb, col WH604), when they last discussed the detention of Ahed Tamimi with the government of Israel; and what assessment they have made of any progress being made to implement the recommendations of the reportChildren in Military Custodypublished by a delegation of nine UK lawyers in June 2012. lord ahmad of wimbledon: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv most recently raised the case of Ahed Tamimi with the Israeli authorities on 7 February. While we welcome progress made by Israel following the recommendations of the Children in Military Custody Report, we remain particularly concerned by reports of the continued heavy use of painful restraints and the high number of Palestinian children who are not informed of their legal rights, in contravention to Israel’s own regulations. We will continue to push for the implementation of the recommendations in full, and we continue to offer support to Israel through expert level talks. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting lord loomba: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure women's participation in, and that the views of the women are adequately heard at, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April. lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are working closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, member states and women's associations to ensure that women and women's rights issues feature throughout the week of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April and across all policy areas. The Women's Forum in particular will consider a range of issues related to women's empowerment such as political participation, gender parity in education, tackling violence against women and girls and diversity in economic empowerment. The three other forums are for youth, civil society and business. We are encouraging all forums to have speakers that reflect the diversity of the Commonwealth. The forums, including civil society and women-led organisations, will have the opportunity to feed into the Heads of Government discussions. Support will be provided to members of civil society organisations, including women-led organisations and youth representatives, to attend the four forums. Qatar: Diplomatic Relations baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to help resolve the Gulf Crisis. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains very concerned by the ongoing tensions in the Gulf. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and other Ministers continue to engage with our Gulf friends to encourage de-escalation and for all to get firmly behind Kuwait’s mediation efforts to resolve the dispute. We continue to make it clear that Gulf unity matters to the security and stability of the region. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Yesh Din's December 2017 annual data sheet on law enforcement on Israeli civilians suspected of ideologically motivated crime against Palestinians in the West Bank, particularly with regard to the finding that only three per cent of investigations of such crimes have resulted in a conviction. lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not made an assessment of this issue, the UK strongly condemns all forms of violence, including any incidence of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians. We also deplore incitement and comments that could stir up hatred and prejudice. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to tackle settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance, and bring those responsible to justice. We have also stressed the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. We have a regular dialogue with both the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel in which we reiterate the need for both sides to prepare their populations for peaceful coexistence, including by promoting a more positive portrayal of each other. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the payment of compensation to Palestinians whose homes were officially demolished in 2017. lord ahmad of wimbledon: I refer the noble Lady to my answer of 22 January 2018 to question HL4933. Israel: Palestinians baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the criteria necessary to achieve a two-state solution with a contiguous, economically viable, and independent Palestinian state. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Our longstanding policy in support of a two-state solution remains clear. We support a negotiated settlement based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees. The Palestinian Authority has made important progress on state-building which has been recognised by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. We see negotiations towards a two-state solution as the best way to achieve a contiguous, economically viable, and independent Palestinian state. Israel: Sanctions baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government with regard to human rights and international law violations, under what circumstances they would consider imposing selective trade sanctions on Israel. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government is firmly opposed to sanctions or boycotts against Israel. Such moves would not support the progress we need towards resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Electronic Warfare viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government which state actors they originally identified to have levied cyber-attacks against UK institutions in the past five years; and whether their assessment of the origins of those attacks has subsequently altered. lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​There are several established, capable states seeking to exploit computers and communications networks to gather intelligence and intellectual property from British Government, military, industrial and economic targets. We attribute malicious cyber activity where we believe it is in the best interests of the UK to do so. Sometimes this is in public, and sometimes we have private conversations with the country concerned. The Government has publicly stated that the Russian government, specifically the Russian military, was responsible for the destructive NotPetya cyber-attack that affected some UK companies. It has also publicly stated that it is highly likely that North Korean actors known as the Lazarus Group were behind the WannaCry ransomware campaign. The Government's view on both has not changed. Electronic Warfare viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use to determine whether cyber aggression constitutes an act of war; andin such cases, whatplansthey have to allow for Parliamentary scrutiny of any evidence. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UN Charter applies in its entirety to state actions in cyberspace, including the prohibition of the use of force (Article 2(4)). The Government considers that a cyber-operation may constitute an “armed attack” if its scale and physical effects are equivalent to those achieved by a conventional attack which would meet the same threshold. Whether a particular cyber operation constituted an “armed attack” would need to be considered in light of all the relevant facts and circumstances. Russia: Electronic Warfare viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they havemade formal representations to the government of Russia regarding recent accusations by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of cyber-attacks originating in Russia; whether they plan to presentevidence in support of their accusations; and whether they consider that the government ofRussia was instrumental in these cyber-attacks. lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK's National Cyber Security Centre assesses that the Russian military was almost certainly responsible for the destructive NotPetya cyber-attack of June 2017. Given the high confidence assessment and the broader context, the British Government has made the judgement that the Russian government was responsible for this cyber-attack. The Prime Minister has been clear about UK concerns that Russia is seeking to weaponise information and that the UK will defend its interests when threatened, this includes identifying activity which seeks to do us harm. The Government set out the UK's assessment, and concerns, directly with Russian Government representatives on 15 February 2018 in both the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow and the Russian Embassy in London. Department for Exiting the European Union Brexit viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have sought legal advice on whether the withdrawal of the UK from the EU automatically leads to the loss by British nationals of EU citizenship and the consequent loss of the rights and freedoms deriving from that citizenship; and if so, what was that advice. lord callanan: The Government has considered this matter carefully. The EU treaty provisions state 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. Brexit lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof proposed European Court of Justice involvement in providing oversight over the withdrawal treaty. lord callanan: The UK recognises that there needs to be a clear mechanism for governing and enforcing our Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, as there is in any international agreement, and we will continue to engage constructively on this in the negotiations. However, we have been clear that this cannot mean continuing the direct jurisdiction of the CJEU after the UK has left the EU. In our paper last summer, we set out the principles underpinning our approach to enforcement and dispute resolution which included respect for the autonomy of both the UK and EU. Brexit lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK is on target to meet the March 2019 deadline forwithdrawal from the EU. lord callanan: The Government has been clear that we will leave the EU in March 2019. We are working intensely with our EU counterparts in order to agree an implementation period, turn the Joint Report into legal text and to reach agreement on the entire Withdrawal Agreement by October. We are fully confident that we will reach a final deal which is in the interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union. Department of Health and Social Care Stem Cells: EU Law lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Foreign Secretary on 14 February, which provisions in the current regulatory framework of the EU inhibit the development of new stem cell technology in the UK. lord o'shaughnessy: Provisions in the current regulatory framework of the European Union do not specifically inhibit our present requirements for the development of new stem cell technology.The United Kingdom and the EU start from a position of close regulatory alignment. As part of exit negotiations, the UK Government will discuss with the EU and Member States on how best to continue cooperation in the field of research, including clinical trials, medicines and medical devices, and data sharing, to ensure patient safety and public health.As my Rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister stated in her speech on our future economic partnership with the European Union last Friday, the UK will need to make a strong commitment that its regulatory standards will remain as high as the EU’s. That commitment, in practice, will mean that UK and EU regulatory standards will remain substantially similar in the future. Our default is that UK law may not necessarily be identical to EU law, but it should achieve the same outcomes.As my Rt. hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have stated previously, we have three principles which will help us rise to the challenge of developing a new regulatory system post Brexit:- patients should not be disadvantaged;- innovators should be able to get their products into the UK market as quickly and simply as possible; and- the UK continues to play a leading role promoting public health. World Encephalitis Day baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to celebrate World Encephalitis Day on 22 February. lord o'shaughnessy: There are no specific plans. NHS England works with partners such as voluntary sector organisations to synchronise communications activity in line with many annual awareness days. The NHS England communications team may also provide support to maximise the reach of established campaigns. Social Services: Finance lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the long-term impact of the £150 million in additional funding granted to the Adult Social Care Support Grant, administered by local authorities, announced in the local government finance settlement 2018–19. lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from (1) local authorities, (2) carer organisations, (3) private providers, and (4) affected individuals, regarding the funding of adult social care. lord o'shaughnessy: The additional £150 million for the Adult Social Care Support Grant in 2018/19 has been provided as a further resource for local authorities to support the care market in their areas.We are in regular contact with stakeholders in the sector including national representation from the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, as well as local authorities and providers, on a wide range of issues.We are inviting representation from all interested parties on the upcoming Green Paper and will be holding further roundtables and consultation throughout the year. 2gether NHS Foundation Trust: Parking lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to intervene in the dispute over parking charges for NHS staff at Weavers Croft Mental Health Unit in Stroud. lord o'shaughnessy: National Health Service organisations are responsible locally for their own policy on car parking, taking into account operational circumstances and community interests. Therefore there are no plans to intervene in any local disputes.Hospitals should put concessions in place for those who most need help including disabled people, carers and staff who work shifts. The NHS itself is responsible for ensuring that charges are fairly applied. The Department published clear online only guidelines (the car parking principles) for NHS organisations that they are expected to follow. Fit for Work Programme lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to extend the authority of GPs to refer patients on the Fit for Work scheme to other healthcare professionals such as nurses and physiotherapists. lord o'shaughnessy: There are no plans to extend the authority to refer patients to the Fit for Work service to other healthcare professionals, since employees can no longer be referred to the assessment service in England and Wales, and no further referrals will be taken to the assessment service in Scotland from 1 March 2018.We recently published Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability, in which we outlined our intention to work closely with partners and stakeholders to find robust and lasting solutions to the issues associated with work-related illness and sickness absence, in particular through reform of occupational health. A copy of Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability is attached. We have commissioned further research to better understand the current market supply and delivery structures of occupational health provision and its operation. We will shortly appoint an expert working group to champion, shape and drive the work and to inform proposals by 2019/2020. Improving Lives (PDF Document, 2.12 MB) Department for International Development Syria: Refugees lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conclusions of the report by variousorganisationsDangerous Ground: Syria's refugees face an uncertain futurepublished on 5 February. lord bates: DFID welcomes the analysis in this report. The UK is committed to ensuring that any refugee returns to Syria take place voluntarily in safety and dignity, in line with international law, when conditions allow. We do not support forced returns, and will not support any returns before Syria or parts of Syria are declared safe by the UN.In the meantime, we are supporting the governments of Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to cope with a protracted refugee presence, and enable Syrian refugees to remain in the region until they can return safely to Syria. St Helena: Aviation lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the introduction of a regular air service to St Helena. lord bates: A scheduled air service to St Helena has been operated weekly by SA Airlink since 14th October 2017, with 20 return flights carrying over 2000 passengers.Officials from both the UK and St Helena Governments are monitoring progress with the service through regular passenger and booking data. Regular meetings with SA Airlink are taking place to review the service’s progress. Progress with the St Helena Airport project is also subject to systematic review under DFID’s internal project review processes. Department for Education Schools: Assessments lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for pupils who have done most of their schoolwork on a laptop, not for reasons of disability, to be permitted to use a laptop for (1) GCSE, and (2) A-level examinations. lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportionof pupils who have done most of their schoolwork on a laptop, not for reasons of disability, are permitted to use a laptop for (1) GCSE and (2) A-level examinations. lord agnew of oulton: This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write to my noble Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The Senior Deputy Speaker Legislatures lord jopling: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the Written Answers by Lord McFall of Alcluith on 8 February (HL5378) and by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 February (HL5379), what was the percentage of the total costs for the UK delegations represented by members of the House of Lords attending (1) the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, (2) the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and (3) the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly. lord mcfall of alcluith: The percentage for the total cost for the UK delegation represented by Members of the House of Lords in the last financial year was (1) 50.58% for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, (2) 35.01% for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and (3) 14.41% for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly. The percentage of the total cost across the three delegations represented by Peers in the last financial year was 41.13%. The secretariat support for all three delegations is supplied by the House of Commons on a cost sharing basis. The House of Lords provides 30% of the total cost, and the House of Commons 70%. Peers' Interests lord hoyle: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether he intends to review whether Peers should declare their membership of the Freemasons and other similar organisations with secret ceremonies. lord mcfall of alcluith: While the House of Lords Code of Conduct does not require members to register membership of the Freemasons or similar societies, it may in some circumstances be necessary for them to declare it in the course of proceedings. This is the same position as in the House of Commons. There are currently no plans to review the matter. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Planning: EU Law lord kinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the speechby the Foreign Secretary on 14 February,which current EU regulations or directives complicate planning and inhibit housebuilding in the UK. lord bourne of aberystwyth: This Government is clear that building more of the right homes, in the right places, is central to our vision. My department is working hard with the house-building sector to understand the opportunities that leaving the EU has for our housing objectives. Department for Work and Pensions Poverty lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 12 December 2017 (HL3812), which (1) ministers, (2) departments, (3) agencies, and (4) arm’s length government bodies, including non-ministerial departments, executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and public corporations, have responsibility for poverty, and issues relating to poverty. baroness buscombe: This Government is committed to collective action that tackles the root causes of poverty and disadvantage through a range of policies, such as Universal Credit, the National Living Wage, tax changes, and up to 30 hours of free childcare a week to incentivise employment as the best opportunity for families to get out of poverty and become self-reliant. In Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families, we set out a framework for a continued focus on improving children’s long-term outcomes. This includes nine national indicators to track progress across a number of departments in tackling the disadvantages that can affect families and their children. The Government has a statutory duty to report annually against two of these indicators - parental employment, and children’s educational attainment. The relevant departments and agencies - Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, HM Treasury and Department for Work and Pensions – all aim to publish data on the other, non-statutory indicators by the end of March. Poverty lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of their preventative approach with regard to addressing the root causes of poverty in the long term. baroness buscombe: This Government is committed to action that tackles the root causes of poverty and disadvantage. We are undertaking the most ambitious reform to the welfare system in decades to ensure that it supports people to find and progress in work. This is because we have clear evidence that work offers families the best opportunity to get out of poverty and to become self-reliant. Adults in workless families are 4 times more likely to be in poverty than those in working families. We also know that children living in workless households are 5 times more likely to be in poverty than those where all adults work. We are making good progress. Nationally, there are now 954,000 fewer workless households, and 608,000 fewer children living in such households compared with 2010. In Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families, we set out a framework for a continued focus on improving children’s long-term outcomes. This includes nine national indicators to track progress across government in tackling the disadvantages that can affect families and their children. The Government has a statutory duty to report annually against two of these indicators - parental employment, and children’s educational attainment. Poverty: Children lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children were living in poverty in working families in each year since 2010. baroness buscombe: National statistics on the number of children, in a family with at least one adult in work, in relative low income can be calculated from figures published in the annual "Households Below Average Income" publication. YearNumber of children living in relative low income before housing costs in a family with at least one adult in work2009/101.4m2010/111.4m2011/121.5m2012/131.5m2013/141.5m2014/151.7m2015/161.8m The increase is partly driven by more families being in employment. The number of children in a family with at least one adult in work has increased by 800,000 since 2009/10. The chances of a child being in relative low income (before housing costs) when living in a family with at least one adult in work was 15% in 2015/16, which is the same as before the financial crisis (e.g. 2007/08). This publication also shows that the chances of a child being in relative low income are diminished when work is the norm. The figures show that children in households where all adults work are five times less likely to be in relative low income before housing costs than children in workless households. Pensions baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation, The Dependency Trap—are we fit to face the future, published in January, in particular its proposal that working partners should be able to contribute to the pension funds of non-working partners in order to help tackle the gender pay gap in pensions. baroness buscombe: The report by the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation raises issues concerning differences in earnings between genders that cannot be tackled by the pensions system alone. The Government remains committed to minimising the gender pay gap. Certain choices are available within an individualised UK tax and pensions system; subject to tax rules, households can plan for retirements by using household income to make payments to a personal pension for a non-working spouse. In terms of pension savings, through automatic enrolment we are helping those who were historically underrepresented in workplace pension saving – including women and lower earners – build up retirement savings for their later life. Since the introduction of automatic enrolment the proportion of women employed full-time in the private sector who did not have a workplace pension has decreased from 65 per cent in 2012 to 31 per cent in 2016. It is also equalising workplace pension participation among eligible men and women. In 2016, 73 per cent of eligible men and women in the private sector were saving into a workplace pension compared with 43 per cent and 40 per cent of eligible men and women respectively in the private sector in 2012. Our aim is to continue to normalise retirement saving for all groups. The recent review of automatic enrolment sets out our medium term vision for strengthening existing framework of workplace pension saving for lower paid workers (including women) alongside proposals to test interventions for the self-employed. State Pension Age Independent Review baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal in the Cridland review, published in March 2017, that couples should be able to combine their pension savings. baroness buscombe: John Cridland raised an option related to married couples that appears to work well in Switzerland. However, the report recognised the UK system is different, and there are different challenges, including different delivery challenges. Within an individualised UK tax system, subject to tax rules, households can plan for retirement by making voluntary payments into a personal pension. Automatic enrolment is part of a wider set of pension reforms designed to ensure that the UK has a pension system that enables individuals, with the help of their employers, to save towards achieving the lifestyle to which they aspire to in retirement. It has been a great success to date with over 9 million employees automatically enrolled into a workplace pension by nearly 1 million employers. It has already reversed the decline in private pension saving seen in the decade prior to its introduction. Additionally, we have seen positive progress for other under-represented groups in pension saving, and a correlated increase in women’s participation since its introduction. The proportion of women employed full-time in the private sector who did not have a workplace pension has decreased from 65 per cent in 2012 to 31 per cent in 2016. However, we cannot be complacent which is why the Government has set out its vision going forwards to build on the success to date. HM Treasury UK Trade with EU lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments made by Robert Chote, Chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility, in the New Statesman on 24 January, that most of the work that trade economists have doneshows that the costs of leaving the single market and the customs union are greater than the benefits. lord bates: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is an independent fiscal institution. Robert Chote’s comments in the New Statesman relate to an OBR judgement set out in their November 2017 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. The Government adopts the OBR’s independent forecasts as the official forecasts for the UK and as such, it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on Robert Chote’s comments. Foreign Companies: Japan lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of (1) the potential impact on the UK economy if Japanese companies decided to relocate away from the UK following the UK’s exit from the EU, and (2) any comments by the Japanese Ambassador on this issue. lord bates: The United Kingdom and Japan have a strong existing bilateral trade and investment relationship. We have agreed that as the United Kingdom leaves the European Union we will work quickly to establish a new economic partnership between Japan and the UK based on the final terms of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement. The UK is clear that it wants a smooth and orderly transition to its new relationship with the EU and our key partners, including Japan. The UK welcomes the many high value and high profile Japanese investments in the UK, and will work closely with Japanese business and government to build on these investments in future The Government is undertaking a wide range of analysis looking at the implications of UK withdrawal from the EU. Our programme of analysis is constantly developing and evolving, and included sectoral analysis. Metals: VAT lord faulkner of worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government why reverse charge VAT has been applied to products such as mobile phones and gold, but not to scrap metal. lord bates: HMRC uses a wide range of risk assessment and compliance responses to identify and tackle non-compliance. The introduction of a reverse charge can be effective in preventing certain types of VAT fraud. It is used selectively and targeted at the highest risks such as mobile phones and, most recently, telecommunications. Metals: VAT lord faulkner of worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps HMRC is taking to tackle carousel or missing trader intra-community fraud in the scrap metal sector. lord bates: HMRC has identified metals as a common commodity used to perpetrate Missing Trader Intra Community (MTIC) fraud and will take all necessary and proportionate steps to tackle it. HMRC is committed to tackling tax fraud through the most effective means possible, and has successfully reduced fraud levels by a significant amount. HMRC works closely with businesses to raise their awareness and understanding of risks, promoting good governance and risk assessment, in order to minimise the likelihood of them becoming involved in fraudulent supply chains.One of HMRC’s approaches for tackling MTIC fraud is to continuously monitor traders in risk sectors. This enables HMRC to quickly identify suspect activity and make early interventions.HMRC also carries out criminal investigations and prosecutions in line with its published criminal investigation policy as part of this wide ranging programme of interventions to combat MTIC fraud. Metals: VAT lord faulkner of worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had with scrap metal trade bodies about reverse charge VAT. lord bates: HMRC meets with a variety of trade bodies as part of its general approach to assessing and tackling non-compliance, including the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA). This has included discussing ways in which HMRC can provide guidance to BMRA members about spotting VAT fraud. VAT: Tax Evasion lord faulkner of worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how muchpotential revenue they estimatethe Governmentis losing each yearthrough carousel or missing trader intra-community fraud. lord bates: I refer the Hon Member to the answer that I gave on 4 December to the Rt Hon. Baroness Primarolo (HL3403). The information is also available in Chapter 2 of the ‘Measuring Tax Gaps’ publication.[1] [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/measuring-tax-gaps Capital Investment lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether assessments produced by HM Treasury economists concur with the Bank of England’s assessment of the impact of Brexit on capital investment. lord bates: Before the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, the UK government published short-term and long-term assessments of the likely impact on the economy of the UK leaving the EU, which noted that heightened uncertainty would affect capital investment. The Bank of England published analysis on this issue as part of its February 2018 Inflation Report. Business investment grew by 2.2% in 2017 and the OBR expect growth to remain over 2% per annum on average over the next five years. Regional Planning and Development lord radice: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to provideany additional helpto any regions that experience negative economic impacts due to Brexit. lord bates: The government has committed to create a United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund following Brexit. The fund will support regions across the UK to achieve sustainable, inclusive growth, based on our modern industrial strategy. Further details on the fund will be set out in due course. British Overseas Territories: Biodiversity baroness scott of needham market: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a decision has been made on whether the £1 million received by the UK Overseas Territories per year from the EU’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories of Europe Overseas Fund will be replaced after the UK leaves the EU. lord bates: Decisions on the replacement of EU funding have not yet been taken and will be taken in light of wider UK strategic priorities and other domestic spending decisions. As we start to take our own decisions in these areas, we will of course make sure all parts of the UK, including the Overseas Territories, are treated fairly. VAT baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government why VAT is payable on the provision of British Sign Language interpreters for deaf people and people with hearing loss in full-time employment. baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government why VAT is payable on the provision of palantypists for deaf people and people with hearing loss in full time employment. lord bates: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the standard rate of twenty percent applies to most goods and services, including the supply of sign language interpreters and palantypists by VAT-registered suppliers. Exceptions to the standard rate are strictly limited under domestic and international law. However, VAT-registered employers are able to deduct VAT incurred on such services to the extent that they relate to VAT-able supplies. Credit Unions lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action have they taken to support credit unions in the last two years. lord bates: The government is committed to supporting credit unions, which provide vital services to financially under-served communities and contribute to the diversity of the UK’s financial services sector. Over the last two financial years, the government has done this by: Announcing at Autumn Budget 2017, that where a credit union’s membership conditions are based on locality, a credit union will be able to increase the number of potential members it can have to from 2 to 3 million. The legislation to make this change was laid in November 2017 and comes into force in April 2018.Announcing at Autumn Statement 2016 that, from 2018, an existing scheme which incentivises credit union membership in communities at risk of being targeted by loan sharks, will be expanded. This uses funds recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act from convicted loan sharks.Contributing £600,000 to an initiative developed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Young Enterprise, to start savings clubs in primary schools and educate young children in the benefits of saving. Lifesavers works with local credit unions to help run savings clubs with schoolchildren, and is currently being piloted in six primary schools.Providing funding for the Credit Union Expansion Project, delivered by the Association of British Credit Unions Ltd, with an aim to modernise and grow the sector. Over the past year, credit unions with a total membership of 16,500 have begun using an online banking platform provided by this project. Social Security Benefits: Children the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Bates on 25 January (HL4633) and 19 February (HL5367), whether they have collected statistics on the number of families affected by the two-child limit policy in the child element of Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit since its introduction in April 2017. the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Bates on 25 January (HL4633) and 19 February (HL5367), (1) how many families have had their tax credits reduced as a result of the two-child limit policy in the child element of Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit, in each month since its introduction in April 2017; and (2) how many children the families had in each case. the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Bates on 25 January (HL4633) and 19 February (HL5367), of those families affected by the two-child limit policy in the child element of Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit since its introduction in April 2017, how many (1) had one or more parents in work, (2) were single parent families, and (3) were two-parent families. lord bates: No family has seen a cash reduction in their tax credit award as a consequence of the decision to limit support to two children in Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit. The number of Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit claimants who were expected to be affected by the policy over the next five years were published in the Impact Assessment relating to the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.The government continues to monitor the impact of its welfare policy decisions, including reviewing available statistical information. Northern Ireland Office Northern Ireland Government lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, resources they made available to (1) the Democratic Unionist Party, and (2) Sinn Fein, to support the recent unsuccessful negotiations to re-establish devolved government in Northern Ireland. lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any drafting or legislative assistance was offered to, or accepted by, (1) the Democratic Unionist Party, and (2) Sinn Fein, during the recent unsuccessful negotiations to re-establish devolved government in Northern Ireland. lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they had sight of any draft proposed agreement between the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein during the last 13 months; if so, when they saw such drafts; and with whom those drafts were shared. lord duncan of springbank: Beyond the UK Government facilitating and supporting the recent intensive negotiations, including responding to requests for information from the parties, it did not provide any resources to either the DUP or Sinn Féin. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or representatives of the UK Government were not present at the private political discussions between the DUP and Sinn Féin. I provided the House with an update on the Talks on the 20 February and would refer the Noble Lord to that statement. It would not be appropriate to comment further on those discussions or any draft agreement. The parties had access to the services of the Office of the Legislative Counsel at Stormont during the course of the discussions. Department for International Trade Trade Agreements lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their plans for parliamentary scrutiny of post-Brexit trade deals. baroness fairhead: As outlined in the Government’s White Paper – ‘Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy’, parliament will play a vital role in the scrutiny of future trade agreements, as it always has. The UK remains committed to a transparent, fair, and inclusive approach to international trade and has invited views on the UK’s approach to its future trade policy, including future trade agreements.The Department for International Trade continues to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, to gather views that will help to inform decisions on the future approach to the scrutiny of future trade agreements. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Channel Four Television: Location lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made on the relocation of asubstantial part of Channel 4 outside of London. lord ashton of hyde: We have made it clear that Channel 4 must have a major presence outside London. As a publicly owned broadcaster, it is essential that it reflects and provides for the country as a whole. The government is working with Channel 4 on how best it can increase its regional impact, and we will set out next steps in due course.

uk-hansard-lords-written-answers

lordswrans2018-03-06

United Nations Relief and Works Agency The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government: What response they have made to the latest United Nations Relief and Works Agency appeal for the West Bank and Gaza; and how this compares to the contributions of other European Union member states and the United States. Baroness Amos: The UK has contributed 2.9 million dollars to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's (UNRWA) fifth emergency appeal, covering the period 1 January to 30 June 2003. This brings the total UK support for UNRWA's emergency appeals to 35.5 million dollars since December 2000. Current contributions from other EC member states and the USA to UNRWA's fifth appeal are: $ million Denmark 1.2 Italy 1.1 Sweden 3.3 USA 15.0 Figures as of 30 March 2003 Occupied Territories: Shootings of Britons Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Government of Israel are offering compensation to the next of kin or personal representatives of the unarmed British citizens Thomas Hurndall, who was shot on 12 April near Gaza, and Iain Hook, United Nations employee, who was shot in October 2002 in Jenin; and whether they have received information about comparable cases of United States citizens. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Any offer of compensation by the Israeli Government would be a private issue between them and the families concerned. We deal with any consular case on an individual basis, and would not normally speak to US colleagues about comparable cases. Occupied Territories: Shootings of Britons Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their position on the recent shootings of Britons in the Occupied Territories. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I am deeply shocked that three British nationals have been shot in the Occupied Territories in recent months. Since the shooting of Iain Hook by the Israel defence forces on 22 November 2002, Thomas Hurndall was seriously injured on 11 April and James Miller was killed on 2 May. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims. Her Majesty's Government welcome the co-operation the Israeli Government have provided in investigating the death of Mr Hook and hope for similar co-operation into the incidents involving Mr Hurndall and Mr Miller also. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has asked the Israeli Government for full and transparent investigations into these incidents. Her Majesty's Government are deeply concerned about the number of incidents in which civilians, both Palestinian and foreign, have been killed or injured as a result of encounters with the Israel defence forces. We have urged the Israeli Government to take steps to revise their tactics in the Occupied Territories in order to reduce the likelihood of such incidents happening again. Iraq: Prisoners of War Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many Iraqi prisoners of war are now held; how many persons are in long-term detention; and whether it is intended to bring some arrested persons to court. Lord Bach: As at 15 May, 58 enemy prisoners of war are being administered by United Kingdom forces and held in US theatre internment facilities. UK forces are holding some 90 Iraqi citizens who are assessed to pose a threat to security or who are suspected of having committed a criminal offence pending a formal investigation and possible trial under Iraqi law. Iraq: Looting Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why coalition forces failed to protect the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad against looting despite the earlier warning given to the United States Defense Department by Professor McGuire Gibson of the University of Chicago in a meeting with officials on 24 January, and to the Prime Minister by officers of the All Party Parliamentary Group in a letter dated 11 February. Lord Bach: Throughout the military campaign, coalition forces have taken great care to ensure that damage to sites of historic, archaelogical or cultural importance has been minimised. However, at the time of the looting of the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad, coalition forces were engaged in other higher priority tasks, including warfighting operations and activity to stabilise the security situation throughout Iraq. Justice and Home Affairs Council Lord Donoughue: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held on 8 May and what their stance was on the issues discussed, including their voting record. Lord Filkin: I represented the United Kingdom at the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council in Brussels on 8 May. The A points were approved as in document PTS A 21 (8922/03) (a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House). This included adoption of the protocol amending the convention on the use of information technology for customs purposes as regards the creation of a customs files identification database (known as FIDE) which Ministers subsequently signed in the margins of the Council. Ministers discussed the directive on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third-country nationals and stateless persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise need international protection with a view to resolving the outstanding reservations. However, one member state in particular maintained reservations on the text, including the definition of a refugee and on the rights and benefits to be accorded to those with subsidiary protection status. The presidency reiterated its intention to seek agreement to the directive at the June JHA Council. The Council agreed to exclude refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection from the scope of the directive concerning the status of third country nationals who are long-term residents. This followed confirmation by the Commission that it would table by early 2004 a separate proposal for a directive addressing the needs of those groups. The presidency summarised progress on the follow-up to the Seville European Council in view of the report to be submitted to the Thessaloniki European Council. The Commission reported on the implementation of the Afghan Returns Programme and the feasibility study on the Visa Information System which would be discussed at the June JHA Council. The Commission also confirmed that a communication on international protection regimes would be prepared in time for that meeting. I urged member states to consider future priorities, asylum (including recent UK ideas); reduction in flows of illegal migrants into the EU; more effective co-operation with source countries on returns; and better financing for JHA external action, including proper integration of JHA needs into other EU programmes. The presidency and Commission reported on the negotiations with Switzerland on participation in the Schengen acquis and asylum measures, noting that they would be remitted to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) and then discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The presidency reaffirmed its intention to seek adoption at the June JHA Council of the Council decision authorising signature of the agreements between the EU and USA on extradition and mutual legal assistance, with signature to take place at the EU-US Summit on 25 June. However, it noted that domestic parliamentary scrutiny was ongoing for several member states, including the UK. A number of member states, including the UK, also indicated that they were considering the need to make constitutional statements in accordance with Article 24 TEU. One member state sought further amendments to the Extradition Agreement. The Council reached a general approach on the framework decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties. The presidency said that the European Parliament would need to be re-consulted on the text and further discussions were required on the recitals and accompanying certificate. Five member states, including the UK, maintained parliamentary scrutiny reservations. The Council agreed the appointment of two Europol deputy directors, including a UK candidate. Under any other business, Ministers also took note of the Commission's proposals for a common position on notifying the Council of Europe of the forthcoming application of the framework decision establishing the European arrest warrant between the member states. The Council received an update on recent discussions in the G8 which had reviewed progress made in the fight against terrorism and organised crime. Finally, the Netherlands drew the Council's attention to its contribution to the discussions on judicial co-operation in the Future of Europe Convention. Home Office Departmental Report 2003 Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government: When the Home Office will publish their annual report for 2002–03. Lord Filkin: The Home Secretary has today, with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, laid before Parliament the Home Office's departmental report 2002–03 (Cm 5908). Copies are available in the Vote Office, Library and on the Home Office website. The report describes the work of the Home Office to build a safe, just and tolerant society. It sets out our public service agreement targets and describes performance against them. The report explains how we are delivering better public services, sets out how the Home Office is organised to deliver and provides performance information. It provides financial data for the years 1998–99 to 2005–06 and summarises the Home Office's response to PAC reports over the past year. "Adopter": Definition Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the significance of the difference between the definition of "adopter" in the Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (General) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2822) and that in the Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay (Administration) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2820). Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There is no significance in the difference between the definitions in the two regulations. The wording is slightly different but this had no effect in practice. Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) (No. 2) Order 2002 Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why, given that any increases under the Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) (No. 2) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/2927) are only supposed to reflect increases in the index, the proposed increases vary between 1.7 per cent and 4 per cent. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The variations in increases occur because Section 34(3) of the Employment Relations Act 1999 provides that, in making the calculation to apply the relevant percentage increase (or decrease) the Secretary of State shall round up the new sums variously to the nearest 10 pence, £10 or £100. Patent Office: Electronic Communications Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the intent specified in paragraph 2(13) of the Patents Act 1977 (Electronic Communications) Order 2002 (S.I. 2003/512) does not also apply in paragraph 2(6). Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Subsections (6) and (13) of Section 124A, which is inserted in the Patents Act 1977 by paragraph 2 of Order S.I. 2003 No. 512, deal with electronic communications respectively incoming to and outgoing from the Patent Office. There are several considerations which require these two classes of communication to be treated differently in this order. For communications coming into the Patent Office, it is frequently the case that their time and date of receipt is critical to the establishment and maintenance of patent rights or to the compliance with time-critical requirements of the patents legislation. This justifies a level of technical precision whereby senders can be assured that the Patent Office electronic receiving system has operated satisfactorily, and they gain this assurance if they receive an acknowledgement from that system. The Patent Office intends to provide such acknowledgement, and may wish to rely on it to the extent that a delivery cannot be treated as made if the acknowledgement has not been issued. The purpose of Section 124A(6) is specifically to give legal powers to the Comptroller of the Patent Office to make a future direction which places such importance on the acknowledgement, and will thereby provide a safeguard to senders that Patent Office systems are working to the customary high standard. For outgoing electronic communications from the Patent Office the same criteria do not apply. In striving for legal certainty as to whether such outgoing delivery can be deemed to be effected, the view was taken that the obligations on the office must be limited to properly addressing and transmitting the electronic communication. Satisfactory receipt of these outgoing communications depends, among other things, on the functionality of the various electronic systems installed in different users' offices. It may be that users' systems will provide an acknowledgement of receipt to the Patent Office, but the Patent Office should make no assumptions and should not be entitled to rely on it. Section 124A(13) presents this approach as the default situation, but also allows the comptroller to override that default situation by specifying "contrary intention", should that be appropriate. This wording is based upon the established drafting used in Section 7 of the Interpretation Act 1978 in connection with service by post. This "intention" would be applicable only in the context of outgoing communications from the Patent Office and has no application to the provisions for communications coming into it. Thiomersal Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: Which organisation set the safety limit for thiomersal laid down in the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/835). Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Decisions regarding the imposition of safety limits, or restrictions to be placed on their use in cosmetics, are taken by member states following opinions given by the European independent Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products intended for Consumers (SCCNFP). The Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 2003 revoke and re-enact a number of national regulations which were made to implement amendments to Council Directive 76/768/EEC on the safety of cosmetic products. Thiomersal has not been newly regulated under the 2003 regulations; it has been regulated since 1982. However, I understand that the use of thiomersal in decorative cosmetic products is very limited. Electricity Meters Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: asked Her Majesty's Government: Why in the Electricity (Approval of Pattern on Construction and Installation and Certification) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2139) the sum charged by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority for meter examiners is under £45 an hour while that for inspectors is £110 an hour. Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Statutory Instrument S.I. 2002/3129 makes provision for the amendment to the Meters (Certification) Regulations 1998 and the Meters (Approval of Pattern or Construction and Manner of Installation) Regulations 1998. These regulations were amended, in part, to facilitate the outsourcing of Ofgem's operational meter testing and examination services to a private contractor. For the examination, testing and certification of meters, the £45 hourly rate does not necessarily represent the entirety of the fee that may be incurred. The Meters (Certification) Regulation 1998 provides that the fee payable to the authority for examination testing and certification of meters by a meter examiner (who is a member of the authority's staff) or by a meter examiner instructed by the authority (but not a member of the authority's staff) can include £45 per hour for time spent examining or testing or procuring the testing of a meter; any reasonable expenses (including incidental expenses) in accordance with the provisions of the SI; a sum equal to the costs incurred by the authority (other than the cost of employing the meter examiner, referred to above) attributable to procuring from any person the provision of premises, equipment, or personnel (including a meter examiner) for the purpose of examining or carrying out any test on the meter. The fee is intended to cover the administrative costs of an Ofgem meter examiner. Members' and Peers' Correspondence Lord Acton: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish departmental and agency correspondence figures for 2002. Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: My honourable friend the Member for Paisley South in a Written Ministerial Statement on 15 May (Official Report, col. 18WS) published a report on departments' and agencies' performance in handling Members' and Peers' correspondence during the 2002 calendar year. Details are set out in the attached table. Departmental figures, where possible, are based on substantive replies. For the first time, the report includes performance on handling correspondence received from Members of the House of Lords across all departments since 1 June 2002. The footnotes to the table provide general background information on how the figures have been compiled. Correspondence from MPs/Peers to Ministers and Agency Chief Executives(1) Department or Agency 2001 Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received % of replies within target 2002 Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received % of replies within target Cabinet Office(2) 15 599 90 15 475 73 Leader of the House of Lords 15 53 80 15 155 96 Crown Prosecution Service(3) 15 97 94 15 366 85 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 18 4,416 90 18 4,767 83 HM Customs and Excise (4) 18 2,452 62 18 1,616 59 Ministry of Defence(4) 15 5,350 85 15 5,381 83 Armed Forces Personnel — — — 15 18 100 Administration Agency Defence Aviation Repair Agency — — — 10 14 100 Met Office 15 20 80 15 14 100 Veterans Agency 20 279 99 15 265 99 Department for Education and Skills(4) 15 18,237 76 15 15,595 84 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs(5) 15 9,905 34 15 11,241 47 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 20 10,275 79 20 15,535 83 UK Visas 15 8,276 78 15 10,322 98 Department of Health(6) 20 19,665 60 20 17,942 29 NHS Pensions Agency 15 65 98 15 65 95 Medicines Control Agency 10 17 82 15 36 89 Home Office(7) *Non Prison Service correspondence 15 *16,251 35 15 *26,053 35 **Prison Service correspondence 20 **1,210 78 20 **1,267 86 Criminal Records Bureau(8) — — — 5 632 N/A HM Prison Service 20 1,272 75 20 942 77 UK Passport Service 10 279 87 10 132 97 Inland Revenue (4) *Local Tax Office delegated figures 18 3,356 77 18 3,157 71 (where local tax offices have replied to direct to MPs) 18 382 75 18 *439 80 Valuation Office 23 30 90 18 20 75 Department for International Development(4) 15 1,740 87 15 2,612 96 Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers(2) 15 284 96 15 378 63 Lord Chancellor's Department 20 1,737 74 20 2,577 54 Court Service 15 591 68 20 230 84 *15 593 78 HM Land Registry 20 24 79 20 32 100 Public Records Office 10 11 100 15 166 98 **10 61 98 Public Guardianship Office(9) 15 120 62 15 261 31 *Target for correspondence sent direct to Agency Chief Executive **Target for correspondence sent direct to Agency Chief Executive Northern Ireland Office 10 358 49 10 501 59 Compensation Agency for NI 7 27 93 — — — Northern Ireland Prison Service 10 27 78 10 33 91 National Savings and Investments(4) 15 63 62 15 44 66 National Statistics(4) *Letters where Chief Executive 15 192 77 20 212 82 replied on Minister's behalf. 10 *154 63 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister(3) — — — 15 5,523 76 Planning Inspectorate 8 364 94 8 291 90 Privy Council Office 15 237 74 15 488 95 Scotland Office 15 96 75 15 115 73 Department of Trade and Industry (10) 10 9,260 49 10 11,565 41 10 Companies House* 10 50 100 10 45 100 Employment Tribunals Service** 15 12 100 6 46 93 Insolvency Service 10 292 80 10 398 96 Patent Office 10 154 95 10 367 98 Radiocommunication Agency 15 15 100 10 44 89 Small Business Service*** 10 47 96 — — — *Letters sent direct to Agency Chief Executive. **Target date for letters sent direct to Agency=15 working days. ***Figures included in main DTI return. Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions(3) 15 14,375 84 15 7,671 83 Department for Transport(3) — — — 15 6,505 84 Driving Standards Agency(3) 15 82 100 15 56 98 DVLA 10 915 98 10 729 99 Highways Agency(3) 15 322 96 15 273 96 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 15 21 95 15 27 100 Vehicle Inspectorate 15 32 94 15 27 100 HM Treasury(3) 15 4,039 78 15 4,647 78 Treasury Solicitor's Department 10 39 100 10 26 100 Wales Office(3) 15 91 63 15 118 97 Department for Work and Pensions 20 12,698 66 20 14,297 65 Appeals Service 15 87 64 15 52 88 Benefits Agency 20 2,529 90 20 504 87 Child Support Agency 20 3,293 58 20 3,194 51 Employment Service 15 520 94 15 72 95 Jobcentre Plus — — — 15 1,103 57 The Pension Service — — — 15 511 71 Disability and Carers Service — — — 15 749 100 Debt Management — — — 15 30 86 Child Benefit Centre — — — 20 20 95 (1) Departments and Agencies who received a total of 10 MPs/Peers letters or less during 2002 are not shown in this table. Holding or interim replies are not included unless otherwise indicated. (2) 2002 statistics no longer include interim or holding replies details of which had been included in previous annual reports. (3) Includes interim or holding replies. (4) Includes all Ministerial correspondence eg letters from MEPs, Members of devolved legislatures etc. (5) The performance reflects problems in early part of 2002. DEFRA has taken steps to improve performance. Currently answering 74 per cent. correspondence within targets. (6) Poor performance was partly due to problems with a new internal tracking system and problems interfacing with the Agencies. Robust action is now taking place to address these problems including the setting up of a new Customer Service Centre to ensure that problems that occurred in 2002 do not happen again. Also includes figures for the Food Standards Agency as such correspondence is replied to by Department of Health Ministers. (7) The large increase in letters received relating to immigration matters has affected the overall performance. Home Office has made the improvement of performance a high priority with more robust systems being put in place to monitor the progress of correspondence and provide early indications of any outstanding or newly emerging problems, this includes the introduction of a new IT tracking system. (8) Figures for 2002 are not currently available. (9) A major restructuring programme has led to a large backlog of correspondence. There has also been a substantial increase in complaints to Ministers. A major recovery programme was launched to deal with this. 89 per cent. of Ministerial correspondence was answered within target by the end of 2002. (10) Due to problems in meeting the 10 working days target, DTI have raised their target for reply from 10 to 15 working days (in line with majority of other government departments) for correspondence received in 2003. Raising the level to 15 working days will help improve performance to a more acceptable level. Access Radio Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale: asked Her Majesty's Government: How they propose to respond to Professor Anthony Everitt's Report on the Radio Authority's access radio experiments. Baroness Blackstone: The Government have considered Professor Everitt's report (New Voices: an evaluation of 15 access radio stations) and are minded to bring forward a draft order which would introduce a new tier of access radio stations once the Communications Bill becomes law. Before beginning to draft an order, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will write to the Radio Authority, the Commercial Radio Companies Association and the Community Media Association so that they have an opportunity to express their views at this stage. The Government intend to produce a draft order for formal consultation in the autumn. No decisions have yet been taken on government funding. Incapacity Benefit Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the breakdown of incapacity benefit by region. Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information is in the table. Incapacity benefit (IB) beneficiaries as at November 2002 by government office region -- Thousands Government Office Region Number of IB beneficiaries England 1,172.1 North East 110.4 North West 250.5 Yorkshire & Humber 140.0 East Midlands 106.8 West Midlands 143.6 South West 97.4 Eastern 91.9 London 116.7 South East 114.8 Wales 137.5 Scotland 187.1 Overseas 9.1 All 1,505.8 Source: The figures are based on a 5 per cent sample of the incapacity benefit computer system and will exclude a small number of clerically held cases. Notes: 1. Figures are expressed in thousands, and rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Figures exclude incapacity benefit credits only cases. Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee Lord Lea of Crondall: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee has been abolished. Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee has never been a standing committee; it was a group convened from time to time under previous administrations to make recommendations to the Chancellor on proposed changes to the construction of the RPI. General Practitioners: Child Protection Lord Laming: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the new contract for general practitioners refers to general practitioners' responsibilities for child protection; and, if not, why not. Baroness Andrews: Yes. The new contract, if accepted by the profession, will require individual healthcare professionals to be able to demonstrate that they comply with the national child protection guidance and, if appropriate, can provide at least one critical event analysis regarding concerns about a child's welfare. Primary Care Trusts: Commissioning Consortiums Baroness Masham of Ilton: asked Her Majesty's Government: What happens if a primary care trust declines to join a commissioning consortium as recommended in the recent guidelines on specialised commissioning; and Whether the decisions of a commissioning consortium for specialised services will be binding on a primary care trust which declines to join the consortium. Baroness Andrews: The remit, powers and rules of engagement of collaborative specialised services commissioning groups are agreed by the member primary care trusts and the decisions of these groups are binding on all members. Strategic health authorities performance manage such arrangements and ensure all PCTs belong to an appropriate collaborative commissioning group. It is up to the collaborative commissioning group to decide whether to set up service—specific consortia and what form these will take. Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration Lord Desai: asked Her Majesty's Government: When will they respond to the report and recommendations of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body published today. Baroness Andrews: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health is responding on behalf of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister to the 32nd report of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) which is published today. Copies of the report are available in the Library. The report covers career grade hospital doctors and dentists (including doctors in public health and the community health service), doctors and dentists in training (excluding general practice registrars) and ophthalmic medical practitioners. The DDRB will report later on general dental practitioners and those in the salaried primary dental care services and is awaiting further developments on the proposed new contract for general medical practitioners. We are grateful to the chairman and members of the review body for their hard work and for the action they have taken to deal with each of their remit groups with the least possible delay. The review body has recommended general increases in remuneration of 3.225 per cent for career grade hospital doctors and dentists, and doctors and dentists in training with effect from April 2003. In addition, the DDRB has recommended adjustments to the pay scales for associate specialists and staff grade practitioners. The review body's pay recommendations are being accepted in full by the Government and without staging.

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