| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Foreign Armed Forces (UK Citizens)
Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what statutory powers govern the rights of UK citizens to serve with foreign armed forces; [11972]
- (2) what statutory powers he has to take action against British citizens serving with foreign armed forces. [11980]
Mr. Denham: There are a number of offences for which a person serving with a foreign armed force could be prosecuted. Whether an offence has been committed and a prosecution is justified in an individual case, and, if so, what the appropriate charge is, are matters for the Crown Prosecution Service to decide after a full police investigation.
There are a number of protections under international instruments for those serving with armed forces, whether foreign or United Kingdom.
Police Reform
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the level of support within ACPO for his police reform programme, with particular reference to proposals relating to the responsibility for charging suspects. [12002]
Mr. Denham: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I have regular discussions with members of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on a variety of policing issues. It is evident from those meetings that there is broad support within the Association for the police reform programme.
2 Nov 2001 : Column: 865W
The proposal that responsibility for charging suspects should be transferred from the police to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was made by Sir Robin Auld in his Review of Criminal Courts, the report of which is now out to consultation. The views of the ACPO on this and other recommendations in the report are awaited.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Commissioner for Standards
Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission (1) when the Commission (a) decided and (b) announced that a Commissioner for Standards would not necessarily be invited to accept a first re-appointment without open competition; [11111]
- (2) when the conclusions of the studies of staff overloading in the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner were sent to the (a) Commission and (b) the Select Committee on Standards and Privileges. [11109]
Mr. Kirkwood: On (a) I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 May 2001, Official Report, columns 640–41W. On (b) staffing issues are a matter for the House of Commons Commission: no official report on the staffing of the Commissioner's office has been made to the Select Committee on Standards and Privileges.
Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commissioner will seek the views of the Commissioner for Public Appointments on the timing and substance of their decisions on open competition for the post of Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. [11112]
Mr. Kirkwood: The appointment of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is not within the remit of the Commission for Public Appointments. However, the House of Commons Commission is applying the general principles set out by the Commission for Public Appointments, so far as they are applicable to the circumstances of this appointment.
Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, when the advertisement for the post of Commissioner for Standards will be published; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [11177]
Mr. Kirkwood: The House of Commons Commission has agreed that an advertisement should appear in the national press on Sunday 4 November. A copy will be placed in the Library.
Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, when the Commission (a) decided and (b) told the Commissioner for Standards that she would be invited to re-apply for her post. [11110]
Mr. Kirkwood: The matter was considered by the Commission on 15 October. The Commissioner was told of its decision the next day.
2 Nov 2001 : Column: 866W
Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, when, and by what means, the former Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards was consulted about possible re-appointment; and what advice he was given about the nature of the competition. [11495]
Mr. Kirkwood: The first Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Sir Gordon Downey, indicated before the expiration of his term that he intended to retire. The matter did not therefore arise.
House of Commons Commission
Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make available to hon. Members the (a) agendas and (b) minutes of proceedings of the Commission. [11105]
Mr. Kirkwood: The Commission meetings are deliberative and its papers are not published. The Commission publishes considerable details about management and services in its annual report, the last of which was published on 18 July 2001. The Commission is at present considering what information it could usefully place on the parliamentary intranet.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Religious Broadcasting (Digital Licences)
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his policy is on the renewal of Premier Christian Radio's analogue licence and its replacement by a digital licence. [1575]
Dr. Howells: Premier Christian Radio has now withdrawn its judicial review proceedings challenging the Radio Authority's decision that it is disqualified from holding a digital multiplex licence and/or a digital sound programme licence.
The Radio Authority advertised Premier's local analogue licence on 18 September with a closing date for applications on 8 January. All MPs with constituencies in Greater London (111 of them) have been written to inviting their comments. The date of the award will depend on whether or not the Authority receives any competition for the licence, but will probably be in March or April.
Under the current legislation, the Radio Authority is prevented from awarding religious bodies a local digital sound programme licence. The Government are committed to bringing forward legislation in the forthcoming Communications Bill which would remove this prohibition. The position in relation to local multiplex licences is still under consideration.
Departmental Spending (Deprived Areas)
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much of the expenditure by her Department in each of the years (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000, (e) 2000–01, (f) 2001–02 and (g) 2002–03 (estimated) was allocated with reference to the Index of Multiple Deprivation; which expenditure
2 Nov 2001 : Column: 867W
programmes are allocated with respect to this Index and other measures of relative geographic deprivation; and if she will make a statement. [8937]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 25 October 2001]: There are two major schemes for which my Department has made expenditure allocations during the period with reference to the Index of Multiple Deprivation.
The Department allocated £75 million from the Capital Modernisation Fund for Space for Sport and Arts. Expenditure will start this year and extend into 2003–04. This scheme, sponsored with the Department for Education and Skills, seeks to provide in the areas of greatest need around 300 new sports and arts facilities in primary schools for use by both pupils and the wider community. This funding is being supplemented by Lottery funding of £25 million from Sport England, £25 million from the New Opportunities Fund and £5 million from the Arts Council of England. The Department invited 65 local education authorities to participate in the scheme. These were selected using a number of indices of educational, socio-economic, sporting and cultural deprivation—including the DTLR's indices of deprivation 2000; meeting the criteria for other programmes such as Education Action Zones, Excellence in Cities, Sports Action Zones and Health Action Zones; nomination by Regional Arts Boards; and being within the Arts Council of England's priority regions.
The Department has also allocated £40 million (£15 million in 2002–03 and £25 million in 2003–04) to the Arts Council of England for the establishment of 16 pilot Creative Partnerships in deprived areas to provide exciting and challenging opportunities for young people to experience, learn from and enjoy artistic and creative activities. The partnerships, which will be run by the Arts Council, will focus on bringing together schools, arts and other creative organisations and commercial creative industries to provide enhanced opportunities for every school child in the chosen areas of deprivation. DTLR's Index of Multiple Deprivation, was used in determining these areas. Other measures of economic and educational deprivation and an assessment of cultural deprivation were also taken into account. The Department also considered the capacity of the areas selected to deliver Creative Partnerships, the need for balanced geographical spread and the inclusion of rural and coastal areas as well as urban ones.
In addition, many programmes and initiatives run by Lottery distributors are targeted at deprived areas, using the Index of Multiple Deprivation and a variety of other indicators.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |