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Asbestos
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the current maximum sentence for serious offences relating to asbestos. [81026]
Mr. Meale: At present, the higher courts may impose unlimited fines for Health and Safety at work offences, including those related to asbestos, and may imprison people for breaching asbestos licensing requirements. The lower courts may fine up to £20,000 for certain charges, which may be brought in asbestos-related cases, and up to £5,000 for others. However, within the broad statutory limits set by Parliament, sentences in individual cases are a matter for the Courts alone.
I am concerned that the general level of penalties imposed by the Courts for Health and Safety offences, including those related to asbestos, do not match their seriousness, especially given that lives are being put at risk. The Government are considering what can be done to address this, including consideration of whether the available maximum penalties remain appropriate.
Motor Insurers Bureau
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what organisations and individuals he has (a) consulted,
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(b) received requests for consultation from and (c) received representations from concerning his proposals for changes to the Motor Insurers Bureau arrangements. [82336]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
Representations have been received over the years since the last revision from many applicants, their legal representatives and from solicitors' organisations. Representations have also been received from the European Commission. All of these are taken into consideration in the review of the Agreements. We have recently received and accepted a request from the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers that they be consulted in the review of the Uninsured Drivers Agreement which is nearing completion.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with (a) Great Western Trains and (b) South Wales and West Railway about improving reliability. [81907]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
The Secretary of State had general discussions with both these Train Operating Companies at the November 1998 and February 1999 Rail Summits. OPRAF monitors the performance of franchise agreements by Train Operating Companies and agrees remedial action with them as necessary to ensure compliance with contractual obligations. The reliability and punctuality of Train Operating Companies is reported in OPRAF's Quarterly Bulletins, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he proposes to publish new guidelines on the use of planning obligations. [81908]
Mr. Raynsford:
It is planned to issue a Consultation Paper on Planning Obligations this year. Current guidelines on the use of Planning Obligations are set out in DOE Circular 1/97.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many vacant dwellings there are in each of the unitary authorities in the former county of Avon. [82302]
Mr. Raynsford:
The latest available data are as follows:
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| Unitary authority | Registered social landlords | All other tenures (3) | Total stock | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath and North East Somerset | 133 | 21 | 1,231 | 1,385 |
| Bristol | 679 | 368 | 4,550 | 5,597 |
| North Somerset | 98 | 19 | 3,673 | 3,790 |
| South Gloucestershire | 74 | (4)52 | 2,429 | 2,555 |
(3) All Other Tenures covers "other public" and "other private" sectors as reported on HIP returns
(4) Denotes HIP data not available; Housing Corporation Regulatory and Statistical Return (RSR) information (as at 31 March) used
Source:
DETR Housing Investment Programme OI Returns 1998
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Subsidiarity
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those topics to which subsidiarity cannot apply, being wholly within the sole competence of the European Union. [81430]
Ms Quin: There are two topics which are solely within the competence of the European Community by virtue of the Community Treaties, and to which subsidiarity is therefore not applicable. These are: (a) the Common Commercial Policy; and (b) the Common Fisheries Policy insofar as it relates to conservation of marine resources.
The Community may also acquire implied exclusive competence by enacting legislation which restricts the ability of Member States to act in a particular area as long as that legislation is in force. Examples of such areas are parts of the Single Market and the Common Agricultural Policy. However, before enacting this legislation, the Community would, since entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty, have had to take subsidiarity concerns into account.
Departmental Legal Business
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's policy when (a) conducting legal proceedings and (b) seeking legal advice as to the circumstances in which Queen's Counsel should be instructed; and for each of the last three years (i) on how many occasions his Department instructed Queen's Counsel and (ii) what was the total cost of instructing Queen's Counsel. [81754]
Mr. Robin Cook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer he received from my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General on 26 April 1999, Official Report, column 1. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office conducts very few proceedings in the UK domestic courts. For proceedings in international tribunals, such as the International Court of Justice or the European Court of Human Rights, nominations of Counsel to represent the United Kingdom are always sought from the Attorney-General, bearing in mind the level of national importance of a particular issue and the legal expertise required.
Iran
Mr. Donald Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects diplomatic representation with Iran to be raised to the level of ambassador. [82216]
Mr. Fatchett: The exchange of ambassadors with Iran was part of the agreement between the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and his Iranian counterpart Dr. Kharrazi in New York last September. We remain committed to this and expect that the exchange will take place in the next few weeks.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to continue to make representations to the Iranian Government on the position of followers of the Baha'i faith currently living in Iran; and if he will make a statement. [82155]
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Mr. Fatchett:
We and our EU partners have regularly raised with the Iranian authorities our concerns over certain aspects of their human rights record, and in particular the plight of the Baha'i community in Iran.
An EU sponsored resolution at the recent United Nations Commission on Human Rights, including firm language on the plight of the Baha'is, was adopted on 23 April.
We will continue to raise these matters with the Iranian Government in bilateral and EU contracts.
Mr. Gareth Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Algerian Government on co-operation with the UN (a) Special Rapporteur on Torture, (b) Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions and (c) Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; and what undertakings he has received from the Algerian Government in this regard. [81986]
Mr. Fatchett:
I visited the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva on 31 March to deliver the UK national speech. In it, I mentioned our disappointment at Algeria's continued refusal to grant access to the Special Rapporteurs on Torture and on Extrajudicial Killings. With our support, the EU also urged the Algerian government to cooperate with the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances.
We have received no undertakings from the Algerian government to cooperate with these UN bodies, even though they are obliged to do so by UN rules.
Mr. Gareth Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are proposing to take at this year's UN Commission on Human Rights in respect of human rights abuses in Algeria. [81987]
Mr. Fatchett:
While delivering the UK national speech to this year's UN Commission on Human Rights on 31 March, I expressed our continued disappointment at Algeria's refusal to allow UN human rights bodies access to the country, even though they are obliged to do so.
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