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11 Oct 2007 : Column 697W—continued
Other less seriously injured patients may be seen at other NHS facilities, but no central records are held and accurate information could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, on average, the total number of military in-patients in NHS hospitals across the UK is, typically, about 60 to 75 for all illnesses and injuries, however sustained.
The MOD does not normally use the NHS for treatment of psychological injuries. Military patients suffering from psychological injuries are treated either by mental health professionals deployed in theatre or at one of 15 MOD Military Departments of Community Mental Health or, for those requiring in-patient treatment, at private facilities under contract from the Priory Group.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what location the 500 British armed forces logistics personnel mentioned in the Prime Minister’s statement on Iraq of 8 October 2007, Official Report, columns 21-38, will be stationed. [157148]
Des Browne: I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in response to the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) on 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 27.
Duchy of Lancaster
Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what role Gila Sacks holds in his Department. [153381]
Edward Miliband: Gila Sacks is a permanent civil servant.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Birds: Smuggling
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when officials in his Department last discussed measures to prevent the illegal importation of wild birds into the EU with the relevant European agency. [156832]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 10 October 2007]: DEFRA officials hold regular discussions, on this and a range of other issues, with colleagues in the EU.
Eggs: EC Action
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) European counterparts and (b) UK egg producers on the 1999 EU Laying Hens Directive. [156831]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 10 October 2007]: DEFRA officials hold regular discussions, on this and a range of other issues, with stakeholders and colleagues in the EU.
Energy: Conservation
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to exercise his powers pursuant to section 4(3) of the Sustainable Energy Act 2003 to give an energy efficiency direction to some or all of the energy conservation authorities that have achieved energy efficiency improvements in their domestic housing stock of less than 20 per cent. for the period 1 April 1996 to 31 March 2006; and if he will make a statement. [154082]
Mr. Woolas: Government policy to support and incentivise increased local authority action on climate change is outlined in the 2006 UK Climate Change Programme and the 2006 Local Government White Paper. In addition, the Government have undertaken a review of the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) to assess its success in delivering improvements in energy efficiency in the household sector over the last 10 years. DEFRA has published its review and is seeking the views of stakeholders on its findings and options for the future of the HECA.
Paper: Waste Disposal
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his timetable is for issuing guidance to local authorities with regard to strategies for dealing with waste paper. [155746]
Joan Ruddock: The Government’s “Waste Strategy for England 2007” set a new national target for reducing the amount of household waste not reused, recycled or composted, and increased national targets for the percentage of household waste recycled and composted. It also set a target for the amount of municipal waste recovered.
Local authorities also have limits on the amount of biodegradable municipal waste, including waste paper, that they may collectively landfill.
The Waste and Resources and Action Programme (WRAP) works closely with local authorities to provide advice on recycling practice, including paper and other recyclates.
In addition, the British Standards Institution, working jointly with WRAP, the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee, the Confederation of Paper Industries, and the Environmental Services Association, has created a Publicly Available Specification (BSI PAS 105) entitled “Recovered Paper
Sourcing and Quality for UK End Markets”. Published in July 2007, this is designed to boost the market for recovered paper by improving standards of production, and increasing confidence and understanding between local authorities, reprocessors, and potential end users.
A copy of BSI PAS 105 has been sent to every local authority in the UK. It will also be placed in the Library of the House.
Pirbright Laboratory: Inspections
Mr. Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times the Institute for Animal Health sites at Pirbright and Compton were inspected in each of the last five years; who carried out these inspections; what results and recommendations were made following each of these visits; and whether either of the sites has suffered flooding which resulted in the deliberate or accidental release of hazardous waste during that period. [156932]
Jonathan Shaw: During the last five years, the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) in Pirbright was inspected by DEFRA in November 2003, August 2004, September 2005 and December 2006. Inspections were carried out by senior DEFRA veterinarians with specialist knowledge of laboratory containment, exotic animal diseases and the requirements for licensing laboratories under the Specified Animal Pathogens Order (SAPO) 1998. The inspections were designed to provide an overview of general biosecurity, and to focus on new or refurbished areas, particular areas where changes are proposed or areas where particular biosecurity issues had been identified. Where any particular biosecurity issues were identified, the laboratory was required to submit action plans addressing the issues identified and, once they were agreed, implement them. These action plans addressed minor issues including management and personnel, site security, ventilation, waste handling, storage of pathogens and documentation. The progress of these plans was closely monitored. No major biosecurity issues were identified during the inspections.
At IAH Compton, DEFRA works with other enforcement authorities and liaison with these authorities ensures that DEFRA is aware of any significant issues. We are aware that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has undertaken two inspections at IAH Compton this year, one of which resulted in an improvement notice for the ventilation system. Reports from inspections at Compton, undertaken by DEFRA during the last five years, are not held centrally. I have asked officials to gather the information and I will write to the hon. Member when it is available. I will also arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
DEFRA was not notified of any issues in relation to flooding at either site which resulted in the deliberate or accidental release of hazardous waste. A HSE-led investigation into potential breaches of biosecurity at Pirbright following the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Surrey, included an assessment of the potential role of flooding in the release of the live virus. This report is available from the DEFRA website and the Libraries of the House.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
African Union: EU External Relations
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 26 July 2007, Official Report, column 1464W, on African Union: EU external relations, when invitations will be issued to the EU-AU Summit in Portugal; and what UK Government policy is on the attendance will be issued of the President of Zimbabwe. [155370]
David Miliband [ holding answer 17 September 2007]: The EU Presidency has not yet confirmed when invitations to the EU-Africa Summit will be issued.
Our policy on the attendance of President Mugabe has been made clear to the Presidency and to our European and African partners. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has publicly stated that he will not attend the summit if President Mugabe goes. We believe the EU-Africa summit can and should deliver progress on peace and security, growth, development, governance, climate change and the Millennium Development Goals. If President Mugabe were to attend, his presence would overshadow the summit, undermining the substantive business and dominating the media profile of the event. We are working with the Presidency and African partners to find an alternative solution.
British Overseas Territories
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average annual cost falling on UK funds has been of running the Governor's residence in each overseas territory over the last five years; how much of each figure was accounted for by (a) rent, (b) other running costs, (c) staffing and (d) entertainment and hospitality; and if he will make a statement. [155810]
Meg Munn: It is the responsibility of overseas territories Governments to provide and maintain accommodation for Governors. However, depending on local circumstances, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) pays for some maintenance and other costs, e.g. FCO required security enhancements. The approximate average annual running costs falling to the FCO for governors’ residences in each territory are listed in the following table:
| £ | ||||
| Territory | Rent | Other running costs | Staffing | Entertainment and hospitality |
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the human rights conventions with which each UK overseas territory is expected to comply. [155815]
Meg Munn: The UK's objective is to see the six core UN Human Rights Conventions and the European Convention on Human Rights extended to the populated Overseas Territories (OTs) We recognise that in some cases OTs have to implement or amend legislation before the extension of some of these Conventions can take place, which takes time. But it is important that the OTs are able to comply with the obligations under the relevant Human Rights Conventions once they have been extended to them. Listed in the table are the conventions and the Territories they apply to so far.
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