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9 Jan 2002 : Column: 819W

Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 9 January 2002

PRIME MINISTER

Euro

Mr. Weir: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 624W, on the euro, whether the results of a future referendum on UK membership of the euro will be broken down and available by each nation and region of the UK. [25022]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to my previous answer.

International Criminal Court

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his letter of 11 December to the hon. Member for Linlithgow in relation to the letter from the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, what encouragement Her Majesty's Government have given the US Government to ratify the Statute of the International Criminal Court. [23646]

The Prime Minister: The issue has been discussed bilaterally with Secretary of State Powell as well as with officials in the US Administration. The EU, as part of its Common Policy towards the ICC, has expressed concern at the proposed introduction of legal measures which might in any way impede or delay the USA's ultimate ratification of the Rome Statute or future relations with the Court.

Honours

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Prime Minister in what circumstances he would recommend the removal of the honour of OBE; and if he will make a statement. [25392]

The Prime Minister: Holders of honours who have committed offences which bring the honours system into disrepute may be considered for forfeiture. It is Government policy not to discuss individual cases.

Missile Defence

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the President of the United States concerning missile defence; and if he will make a statement. [25628]

The Prime Minister: I last discussed missile defence with President Bush in early December.

We share US concerns about the threats stemming from the proliferation of missiles and weapons of mass destruction and understand the role that missile defences can play as part of a comprehensive strategy to tackle

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these threats. I welcome the commitment of both Russia and the US to continue discussions on a new strategic framework including issues related to missile defence.

Members' Communications

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister what rules govern the approval of monitoring of communications of hon. Members. [25291]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 367W.

Renewable Energy

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister what the impact of the Performance and Innovation Unit's review of energy needs will be on renewable energy generation. [23442]

The Prime Minister: The PIU energy review will make recommendations on a range of issues and will be published in due course.

Max Mosley

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Prime Minister on what dates he has (a) met, (b) spoken by telephone to and (c) written to the President of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile; and if he will place a copy of the notes of such communications in the Library. [25618]

The Prime Minister: I have contact and meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

House of Lords Appointments Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the future of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. [26093]

The Prime Minister: The Appointments Commission brought new standards of transparency, professionalism and rigour into the selection of independent peers. The Commission has, as required, published criteria for appointing peers on the basis that individuals should have a record of outstanding achievement, political independence, integrity and the ability to contribute to the House.

The 15 new independent peers were appointed because they have skills and qualities that will benefit the legislative scrutiny and revising work of the second Chamber. They included a world authority on palliative care, an expert on youth and social exclusion, a top British businessman and a leading educationist. Their expertise is already contributing to debates in the House.

As my hon. Friend knows, the White Paper on Lords Reform published last year proposes a statutory Appointments Commission to appoint independent members and to continue an open and transparent process of appointing independent members to the House of Lords. In the meantime the Appointments Commission will continue its role.

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CABINET OFFICE

Civil Emergencies

8. Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Minister of State for Cabinet Office how his Department co-ordinates with other Government Departments in planning for civil emergencies. [23450]

Mr. Leslie: The Cabinet Office is responsible for co-ordinating departmental strategies for civil contingencies across Government, and is conducting a review of emergency planning at present.

Regional Governance

9. Joyce Quin: To ask the Minister of State for Cabinet Office what recent discussions he has had with (a) regional development agencies and (b) regional authorities and chambers about his Department's responsibilities for regional governance in England. [23451]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: Over the past few months, my ministerial colleagues and I have met a wide range of regional leaders, including representatives of regional development agencies, regional chambers, local authorities and other stakeholders across England to discuss regional governance. As we prepare the White Paper we have been encouraging a wider public debate on the issues. Ministers are actively encouraging views from all concerned.

10. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Minister of State for Cabinet Office when he last met Ministers of the devolved institutions to discuss issues relevant to regional government in England. [23452]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: I reported on progress on our White Paper on English regional governance to the annual plenary meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on 30 October 2001. The devolved Administrations expressed their support for extending the benefits of devolution where there was a regional demand for it, and offered to assist the process based on their own experience of devolution to date.

The territorial Secretaries of State are members of the Committee on the Nations and Regions which has been meeting regularly under my chairmanship to oversee the development of the White Paper.

18. Mr. Lansley: To ask the Minister of State for Cabinet Office what plans he has to change the function of Government offices in the regions. [23462]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: We are continuing to develop the role of the Government Offices so that they can operate across the full range of Departments whose policies and programmes have a local or regional impact.

22. Mr. Fallon: To ask the Minister of State for Cabinet Office how many of the Government offices of the regions the Deputy Prime Minister has visited since June. [23466]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: Since June, I have visited three Government offices. My hon. Friend the Minister of State Cabinet Office has visited five Government offices.

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Special Advisers

11. Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister of State for Cabinet Office what his policy is on setting a maximum limit to the number of special advisers employed by Government Departments. [23453]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: The rules on the appointment of special advisers are set in the Ministerial Code. In addition, in response to reports from the Committee on Standards in Public Life and the Public Administration Select Committee, the Government have committed themselves to a limit on the number of special advisers which will form part of the package of Civil Service legislation.

Regulations

12. Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State for Cabinet Office what steps are being taken to ensure that assessments of the impact of regulations are consistent between Government Departments. [23454]

Mr. Leslie: The Government are determined that regulations should not be introduced unless they are necessary and the benefits justify the costs.

In accordance with this, all regulatory proposals likely to have a significant cost to business, charities and the voluntary sector require a Regulatory Impact Assessment.

Rural Policy

13. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State for Cabinet Office what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and others on the co-ordination of rural policy. [23456]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office gave on 28 November 2001, Official Report, column 898W.

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