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Ministerial Committee on Defence and
Overseas Policy
Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the members of the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy and publish the agendas of its meetings; and if he will make a statement on the circumstances under which other Ministers may be invited to participate in its meetings. [71052]
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The Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Midlothian (Mr. Clarke) on 21 October 1998, Official Report, columns 1123-35. Other Ministers are invited to attend meetings as and when business requires.
In accordance with long-standing practice adopted by previous Administrations I do not propose to publish the agendas of the Committee's meetings. These documents fall within the exemption for proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet Committees under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to allow members of the security services to plead a public interest defence in respect of any disclosure they may make. [70903]
The Prime Minister:
The Government naturally keep legislation under review in the light of changing circumstances. However, they have no plans to undertake a formal review of the Official Secrets Act 1911.
The introduction of a public interest defence would mean that an officer in the security and intelligence agencies would be able to disclose sensitive information. Only after the information was released, and any damage done, would anyone else be able to make judgment on whether, in fact, the disclosure was in the public interest. There are clearly difficulties with such a proposal.
Staff of the security and intelligence agencies have, since 1987, been able to raise any concerns they have with the Staff Counsellor.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what contacts took place during his visit to Amman on 8 February between Her Majesty's Government and Members of the Iraqi delegation; and if he will make a statement. [71426]
The Prime Minister:
No contacts took place.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 25 January 1999, Official Report, column 24, on Iraq, when (a) the paper circulated by the Russians and (b) the French proposals will be discussed in the Security Council; and if he will make a statement. [69991]
The Prime Minister:
The French and Russian proposals were discussed in the Security Council on a number of occasions during January.
On 30 January, the Security Council reached consensus on the next steps on Iraq when it agreed to establish panels to consider three crucial issues: weapons of mass destruction; the humanitarian situation; and Prisoners of War and other Kuwaiti property. The panels are expected to report back to the Security Council by mid-April.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Prime Minister what percentage of total EU directives in force is currently under review under the Simpler Legislation for the Internal Market. [71147]
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The Prime Minister:
The Simpler Legislation for the Internal Market programme (SLIM) is aimed, as its name implies, at Single Market legislation. On 31 December 1998, 1193 Single Market Directives had been transposed into the domestic law of all Member States. This figure includes all Single Market Directives adopted and still in force since the beginning of the European Economic Community. Beginning in May 1996, SLIM reviews have covered around 3.25 per cent. of this legislation, in 14 different areas of activity.
The most recent two phases of SLIM have included reviews of electromagnetic compatibility, insurance, social security and company law legislation.
Mr. Cotter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department is undertaking to assess the effects of noise-induced hearing loss on natural hearing deterioration through aging. [67479]
Mr. Hutton:
None. The Department funds research and development to support its work on policy development and evaluation in health and social care. The Department also manages the National Health Service research and development levy which is used to support research and development of relevance to the National Health Service in hospitals, general practice and other health care settings, and to fund the NHS research and development programme. In addition, the Medical Research Council (MRC)--which receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology in the Department of Trade and Industry--funds medical research as part of the Government's funding of the science and engineering base. The MRC also funds basic research including the study of molecules and cells, genetics and infections and immunity (£158 millions per annum) which will inform research in this area.
Details of projects directly funded by the Department or supported through the NHS research and development levy can be found on the National Research Register (NRR). This is available in the Library and most medical libraries on CD Rom, and on the Internet: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nrr.htm. The NRR also contains many details of projects/trials funded by the MRC and other funders.
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his Department's collation and assessment of responses to each of the Government's public consultations. [69773]
Ms Jowell:
The Department carefully analyses the responses to all consultation exercises it undertakes, and decisions are taken in the light of this assessment. We explain how decisions reflect our assessment of responses, but the decision to publish those assessments is made on a case-by-case basis.
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Mr. Viggers:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial provision he has made for the promotion of breast feeding in the current financial year. [70148]
Ms Jowell:
In England, the financial provision for the promotion of breastfeeding during 1998-99 is £140,000. This includes publicity expenditure on promoting breastfeeding and grants awarded under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to voluntary organisations concerned with promoting breastfeeding. It does not include the incidental expenditure of those attending meetings to discuss the promotion of breastfeeding either within the Department or the National Health Service.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) the minutes of meetings, (b) the agendas of meetings and documents for those meetings and (c) a register of members' interests; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69956]
Ms Jowell:
Of the Department's seven executive non-departmental public bodies, the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW), the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (ENB) and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) publish the minutes of meetings. In none of these cases is this under a statutory requirement.
CCETSW and ENB publish the agendas of meetings and documents for those meetings. In neither case is this under a statutory requirement.
CCETSW, ENB, HFEA, the National Biological Standards Board, the National Radiological Protection Board and the Public Health Laboratory Service Board publish registers of members' interests in line with the commitment given in Quangos: Opening the doors (Cabinet Office, July 1998). The Medical Practices Committee will be publishing a register shortly. In none of these cases is this under a statutory requirement.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings, (b) hold public meetings, (c) have lay or consumer representatives on their boards and (d) operate some form of appeal or complaints procedure; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [69974]
Ms Jowell:
Of the Department's seven executive non-Departmental public bodies, the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW) and the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (ENB) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings. In neither case is this under a statutory requirement.
CCETSW, ENB, and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) hold public meetings. In none of these cases is this under a statutory requirement.
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CCETSW, ENB, HFEA and the Medical Practices Committee (MPC) have lay or consumer representatives on their boards. Only HFEA does so under a statutory requirement. We have included those bodies which have members with consumer expertise, even if there is not a dedicated consumer place.
CCETSW, ENB, HFEA, MPC, the National Biological Standards Board, the National Radiological Protection Board and the Public Health Laboratory Service Board all operate some form of appeal or complaints procedure. In none of these cases is this a statutory requirement.
Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and which are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner. [69914]
Ms Jowell:
All of the Department's seven executive non-Departmental public bodies have a statutory base. These are: the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW), the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (ENB), the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the Medical Practices Committee (MPC), the National Biological Standards Board (NBSB), the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) and the Public Health Laboratory Service Board (PHLSB).
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