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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 16 November 1995
NORTHERN IRELAND
Terrorist Suspects (Interviews)
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will amend the terms of reference for the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres to permit the deputy commissioner to be present at interviews with terrorist suspects in the police offices. [309]
Sir John Wheeler: Following discussions with the Royal Ulster Constabulary, I have today placed in the Library of the House revised terms of reference for the Independent commissioner for the Holding Centres to permit his deputy to be present at interviews with terrorist suspects in the police offices, subject to certain caveats agreed by both the commissioner and the RUC. The change will come into effect on 1 December 1995.
This change in the role of the deputy commissioner will further assure the public that those persons detained in the holding centres continue to be properly treated in accordance with their legal rights and the standards required by the relevant codes of practice.
TRANSPORT
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Dame Peggy Fenner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if an addendum to the outline railway safety case for the channel tunnel rail link has been prepared for the additional provisions to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill deposited in the House last week. [4]
Mr. Watts: Union Railways has, in consultation with the Health and Safety Executive, prepared an addendum to the outline railway safety case for the channel tunnel rail link for the additional provisions to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill that were deposited last week. The addendum covers the additional provisions for the Barking extended tunnel; A13 services diversions; Mardyke Park realignment; and the Eurotunnel railway connection. It also covers a prospective additional provision for access arrangements between Northfleet station and the proposed station at Ebbsfleet. That additional provision may be deposited next month. I am arranging for copies of the addendum to be placed in the House Library.
Similar documentation will also be prepared for the additional provisions that I hope will be deposited in Parliament next month. I will ensure that that material is also placed in the House Library.
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Medicines Control Agency
Mr. Deva: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the outcome of the review of the Medicines Control Agency; and if will make a statement. [360]
Mr. Sackville: The first evaluation study of the work of the Medicines Control Agency since its establishment as an agency, and the prior options study for its future operation, have recently been completed.
The evaluation study concludes that the MCA has been successful in safeguarding public health through the effective control of the sale and supply of pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom. While maintaining the high level of public protection required for pharmaceuticals licensed for use in the UK, the MCA has provided a much improved service to the pharmaceutical industry and is now acknowledged as the fastest licensing authority in the world.
The prior options study concluded that abolition, privatisation and the contracting out of the MCA's core function are neither practical nor feasible. It notes, however, that some support functions might beneficially be placed on a contractual basis. It confirms the practical and legal requirement for a UK regulatory authority and proposes that UK Ministers should remain responsible for its core work. The work and the workload of the agency are expected to change over the coming years because of the implications of the new European systems for the regulation of pharmaceuticals. Until the impact of these new systems can be properly assessed, the report confirms that the executive agency model operating as a trading fund continues to represent the best organisational framework for the MCA.
I support the findings of the evaluation study and the prior options study, the results of which will feed into the revision of the agency's framework document which is now in hand.
I have today placed a summary of the reviews' findings in the Library.
Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the Government's response to the report of the enforcement working group "Wildlife Law Enforcement". [1]
Mr. Clappison:
Following our review of secondary wildlife controls last year, the Government gave a commitment to improving the enforcement of domestic wildlife controls. The enforcement working group was set up to look at what practical steps might be taken to achieve this. I welcome the main recommendations in the enforcement working group's report.
We are today launching the next phase of our crackdown on wildlife crime by setting up a new "Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime". The first meeting of the partnership's steering group is taking place today. The main task of this new forum will be to provide
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a strategic overview of wildlife law enforcement activity in England and Wales, and to improve co-ordination and communication between all the organisations involved. It will be responsible for following up the recommendations in the enforcement working group report, and by providing expertise, experience and advice, should make a valuable contribution to the development of wildlife law enforcement policy.
The police have agreed to continue to chair the group jointly with my Department. The group will also need to respond to other interests and opinions. I have therefore invited the founder members to co- opt other members, including those representing countryside and sporting interests.
One of the main objectives of the group will be to support the network of police wildlife liaison officers, which is the cornerstone of wildlife law enforcement activity. The network has grown steadily since its inception in the early 1980s, with virtually all police forces in the UK now having one or more police wildlife liaison officers. Few of these officers are engaged full time on this work and many are volunteers performing wildlife duties in addition to their many other tasks. It is important for the network to be retained and, where necessary, strengthened.
DNA testing and other forensic techniques have an important part to play in combating wildlife crime. There have recently been a number of successful prosecutions based on DNA blood sampling evidence, and we will continue to promote and support the use of forensic techniques in wildlife cases.
The enforcement working group identified a number of weaknesses in the powers of the police to investigate wildlife offences, and sought tougher and more consistent penalties for wildlife crime. We will seek to identify legal remedies which will command general support within the next 12 months.
I can also make further announcements today about practical actions which I am taking against wildlife crime.
First, we have appointed the Laboratory of the Government Chemist to prepare practical advice for all police and other enforcement authorities about the application of DNA techniques to wildlife crime. This will include sampling kits, and we expect to issue the full package in May next year.
Secondly, over the next three years, we shall be sponsoring further innovative research into DNA and wildlife crime. This will be aimed at projects which can establish tests for further species--such as tigers--or for different materials such as feathers and hair.
Thirdly, my Department is making resources available immediately to finance a practitioners' guide to wildlife law. This is a key recommendation of the enforcement working group, and will be of particular use to the police and other agencies in their fight against wildlife crime.
Those involved in wildlife crime should be in no doubt that we are determined to do everything possible to ensure that they are vigorously pursued and properly punished.
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Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue the proposed statement of policy guidelines for the coast. [2]
Mr. Clappison:
Reflecting the importance of promoting effective management of the coastal zone, the Department of the Environment is today making available "Policy Guidelines for the Coast", which draws together in concise form a wider range of guidance and other information on coast-related issues in England. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of the House, and the guidelines will be extensively distributed to interested organisations and individuals.
Mr. Barry Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has come to concerning the review of licensing arrangements for mineral dredging in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [3]
Mr. Robert B. Jones:
My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that we have today published our conclusions on the review. After consideration of all the representations and consultation with other Government Departments, we have decided that the way forward is to introduce statutory procedures to replace the non-statutory "Government View" procedure. The decision follows our conclusions that:
A summary of the responses to the consultation paper and an outline of the proposed statutory procedures have been placed in the House Library. Until we can introduce proposals for legislation to this House, we propose to introduce similar non-statutory procedures as an interim measure. A further announcement will be made about this.
a statutory system, which will draw on procedures in the town and country planning Acts, should be introduced, with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales as regulatory and enforcement authorities. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will be consulted in the decision-making process and will have responsibility for overseeing the monitoring of the effects of the dredging activities;
the costs of administering the new statutory procedures should be recovered from dredging application fees;
in general, new dredging permissions should be valid for 15 years with substantive reviews at five- year intervals to determine renewal;
the statutory procedures should subsume sections 18 and 34 consents under the Coast Protection Act 1949; and
all areas of the sea bed below the low-water mark will be covered regardless of ownership.
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