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7 Mar 2003 : Column 1249W—continued
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Cyprus
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will put a copy of the Annan 3, proposals for a Cyprus Summit in the Library. [R] [101248]
Mr. MacShane [holding answer 6 March 2003]: We have received a copy of the UN proposals for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement in Cyprus, in our capacity as Guarantor Power. However, we continue to abide by the UN Secretary-General's request for confidentiality while the settlement process is
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ongoing. As soon as the UN Secretary-General makes his proposals public, we will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.
Economic Reform
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government has made of whether the EU is on course to meet the Lisbon target of making the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion by 2010; what method of assessment is being employed; and if he will make a statement; [101480]
- (2) what evaluation the Government has made of the state of the Lisbon process; and if he will make a statement; [101478]
(3) what assessment the Government has made of enlargement's effect on the Lisbon strategic goal of making the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion by 2010; and if he will make a statement. [101607]
Mr. MacShane: On 17 February 2003 HM Treasury published a detailed report entitled Meeting the Challenge: Economic reform in Europe. This report updates last year's White Paper Realising Europe's potential, evaluates progress on economic reform and identifies priorities for action in the short and medium term. It also considers the Lisbon process in the light of enlargement. The report finds that there has been clear progress towards the Lisbon goal in a number of areas. Nevertheless, there remains a great deal to be done. Copies of the Treasury report have been placed in the libraries of the House.
Convention on the Future of Europe
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the Government's welcome for the Franco-German contribution to the debate on Europe's future. [101604]
Mr. MacShane: The Government welcomes the Franco-German contribution to the debate on Europe's future. Strong French and German engagement is essential to take the debate on the future of the EU forward towards a more democratic, accountable and effective European Union. The paper is good for the UK. It contains important proposals which the UK has advocated, such as a full-time Chair of the European Council. The UK will continue to engage with confidence in the debate on the Future of Europe.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the status accession countries due to join the EU in 2004 should have at the Inter Governmental Conference convened to agree any draft emerging from the Convention on the Future of Europe; and if he will make a statement. [101608]
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Mr. MacShane: We warmly welcomed confirmation in the Copenhagen European Council conclusions that the new Member States will participate fully in the work of the next IGC.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Council Tax
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the effect on England of having different council tax bands in Scotland, England and Wales. [101367]
Mr. Leslie: Since the inception of the council tax, the bands have been different in Scotland, England and Wales. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made any assessment of the effect of this.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will bring forward legislation to make provision for differential regional council tax bands between London and the rest of the country. [101368]
Mr. Leslie: The existing powers in the Local Government Finance Act 1992 allows the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to create regionally different council tax bands. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that work will commence on a council tax revaluation in April 2005 coming into effect on 1 April 2007 and the banding structure will be decided nearer to the revaluation. No decisions have yet been taken.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on the capping of police authority council tax precepts for 2003–04. [100732]
Mr. Raynsford: Individual authorities, not central Government, set council tax levels. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be looking very carefully at the level of council tax this year on a case by case basis when all the figures from local government have been received. The Office of the Deputy Prime does not rule out using our reserve capping powers to protect local council taxpayers.
Fire Services Act
John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what reasons underlie (a) his proposal to remove his functions under section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947 and (b) his decision not to seek to amend section 19. [100716]
Mr. Raynsford: The proposed amendment of section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947—subsections 19(1) and (2) will be retained—is an essential element of the new framework for a modern fire service set out by the Independent Review of the Fire Service, chaired by Professor Sir George Bain. As the Review identified, the primary objective must be to make the service more responsive to local needs and better placed to deliver community safety. Moving to a flexible risk-based approach to fire cover, as part of a new integrated risk management planning process, offers a real prospect of reducing the incidence of fire, and deaths and injuries from fire, as well as from other threats to community
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safety. The repeal, rather than amendment, of part of section 19 will assist the early implementation of this approach.
The proposed repeal is also consistent with the principle of cutting back on consent regimes and red tape set out in the White Paper ''Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services'', published in December 2001. Repeal will place responsibility for decisions on local fire cover with democratically accountable local authorities, after consultation with their local communities.
Women's Unit
Mr. Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the annual cost of the Women's Unit was for each of the past three years; what the projected cost is for 2003–04; and if she will make a statement. [99894]
Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
The budgets for the financial years specified were:
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1999–00 | 1,689,575 |
| 2000–01 | 1,742,557 |
| 2001–02 | 1,996,000 |
| 2002–03 | 2,631,000 |
For the financial year 2003–04, the budget figures are yet to be confirmed by DTI.
The Women and Equality Unit supports the Ministers for Women to bring about measurable improvements in the position of women which benefit society more generally and to promote equality for all.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Chorley Magistrates Court
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what categories of benches there are at Chorley Magistrates' Court. [100841]
Yvette Cooper: Family Panel, Youth Panel, Drug Testing and Treatment Order Panel, Out of Hours Applications Panel, Licensing and Betting Committee and the General Purpose Committee.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates operate on the bench at Chorley. [100840]
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many courtrooms are available in Chorley. [100837]
Smoking
Chris Grayling: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what policy the Department has adopted on smoking in the workplace. [100953]
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Ms Rosie Winterton: My Department's smoking policies aim to provide smoke-free working conditions for those staff who want them, while offering limited facilities for smokers, and help for those who wish to stop smoking. Local arrangements may differ, but in general, those offices and courts with a smoking policy will enforce ''no smoking'' in staff corridors, toilets, lifts and other common areas, and at meetings and seminars. Before local arrangements are introduced the views of smokers and non-smokers are sought and any differences resolved by agreement.
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