Written Ministerial Statements
Monday 22 June 2009
Children, Schools and Families
Dyslexia
The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (Ed Balls): Today, I welcome the publication of Sir Jim Rose’s report on identifying and teaching children with dyslexia or literacy difficulties.
In May 2008, I asked Sir Jim Rose to make recommendations on the identification and teaching of children with dyslexia and on how best to take forward the commitment in the Children’s Plan to establish a pilot scheme in which children with dyslexia would receive reading recovery support or one-to-one tuition from specialist dyslexia teachers.
Sir Jim’s final report makes 19 recommendations for the Government, local authorities and schools on assessing and advancing children’s progress, improving support to schools, strengthening teaching expertise, strengthening intervention programmes, assuring the quality of provision and providing guidance for parents and others.
We accept all those recommendations requiring action from my Department and also we endorse the recommendations requiring action from delivery partners.
My officials will look with the Dyslexia-Specific Learning Difficulties Trust at how they might best work with us at implementing the recommendations. I have set out our initial plans in my response to Sir Jim and we will provide further details in the autumn. We will make up to £10 million available over this and the next financial years, to support the implementation of Sir Jim’s recommendations and on other projects—including those taken forward by the Dyslexia-Specific Learning Difficulties Trust—to improve outcomes for children with literacy difficulties and dyslexia. We plan to invest most of this in specialist training.
Copies of the report and our initial response will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Marine and Fisheries Agency (Performance Targets)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Huw Irranca-Davies): I have set the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) the following performance targets for 2009-10.
Licensing and monitoring of coastal and marine developments and activities to protect the marine environment and secure benefits from its use.
Provide an initial response to 75 per cent. of applications within 12 weeks of the receipt of complete applications(1), summarising the responses to the consultation process and listing any replies still outstanding for which an extended response date has been agreed.
Issue a screening determination on 80 per cent. of marine minerals applications within six weeks of receipt of the application.
Confirm with applicants, in writing, when the negotiation stage of the renewables FEPA licensing progress has concluded and inform them of the licence decision within six weeks of the correspondence date.
Effective management and regulation of sea fisheries to secure a sustainable future.
Issue 100 per cent. of over 10 metre licences biennially by 23 March and 100 per cent. of under 10 metre licences biennially by 30 June.
No overfishing of quota stocks by vessels or groups for which the agency has management responsibilities and which results in EU deduction or infraction proceedings against the UK.
Deploy enforcement and inspection resources in line with risk weightings and undertake monitoring, control and surveillance activities leading to inspection based on risk and intelligence.
Deliver the MFA transition programme and relocation within the resources allocated working in collaboration as appropriate with DEFRA and other network delivery partners.
Ensure that agency maintains capacity to deliver its services during the relocation of the HQ to Tyneside and to develop its new and existing people through a comprehensive training and development programme working as appropriate in collaboration with DEFRA and other network delivery partners.
Further details are given in the MFA business plan for 2009-10, copies of which will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
(1)( )Include plans, charts, technical drawings, method statement and any environmental statement that may be required.
“Appraisal of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management”
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Hilary Benn): I would like to inform the House that the Defra policy statement: “Appraisal of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management” was published on Friday. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
This policy statement sets out guiding principles for the appraisal of plans and projects to manage flood and coastal erosion in England. It promotes a strategic, risk-based approach to assessing the costs and benefits of investment. The policy applies to operating authorities in England (the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards) when considering investing public money in flood and coastal erosion risk management.
The Environment Agency will publish more detailed best practice guidance in support.
The intended benefits of the new policy statement include:
A greater focus on early involvement with the community and social factors; including better assessment of impacts on health, community well-being and social justice. It seeks to support the development of options that attract other sources of funding, to leverage Government investment and increase local and regional benefit.
A more thorough appraisal of a wider range of possible approaches including adaptation where it is not feasible to reduce the probability of flooding and coastal erosion from occurring.
A transparent framework for decision making to ensure that public investment represents good value for money.
A greater emphasis on flexibility in future, such as being able to adapt solutions over time as the climate changes. This supports Defra's coastal change policy which is currently being consulted on.
The statement follows on from the public consultation held in summer 2008. The draft statement received broad support and the final document published takes account of the main issues raised during the consultation. To build on this, I will review ahead of the next spending review what we want to achieve from Government investment, including whether there is a case for establishing outcome measures for agricultural land and commercial property, to broaden the existing focus beyond households, deprived areas, the economy, and the environment if the benefits justify the additional costs. I will also review the local government national indicator 189, to ensure that it encourages a partnership in tackling flood and coastal erosion through local and multi-area agreements.
The Environment Agency has also published “Investing for the future: a long term investment strategy” (a key recommendation of Sir Michael Pitt’s review and from the EFRA Select Committee), a new external contributions policy, and “Flooding in England”, a national assessment of flood risks as they currently stand.
Sir Michael Pitt concluded that long-term approaches to flood and coastal erosion risk management should not assume all costs should be met centrally, and recommended that local areas be encouraged to invest more in their own protection given the private as well as public benefits involved. I hope these publications, taken together with the new UK climate projections, will inform a public debate on what long-term goals society should seek in managing the risk of flooding and coastal erosion given climate change, and how investment needs should be met. This will enable us to face up to the choices ahead, to take appropriate decisions based on the best evidence available, and to deliver sustainable flood and coastal risk management now and into the future.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
General Affairs and External Relations Council
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Chris Bryant):
The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) was held on 15 June in Luxembourg. My right hon. Friend
the Foreign Secretary and the Minister of State for Europe represented the UK. The agenda items covered were as follows:
The full text of conclusions adopted, including ‘A’ points, can be found at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/NewsRoom/loadDocument.aspx?id=349&;lang= EN&directory=en/gena/&fileName=108527.pdf
Preparation of the 18-19 June European Council
The GAERC discussed the presidency’s agenda for the June European Council. The European Council will focus on EU institutional issues; financial supervision and regulation; climate change funding mechanisms; employment; illegal migration across the Mediterranean; and external relations.
On institutional issues, there was widespread support for a positive outcome from the June European Council on Irish legal guarantees, with a view to securing the entry into force of the Lisbon treaty.
On financial supervision and regulation, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary agreed the system for micro-prudential supervision needed to be reformed; however, the new supervisory authorities should not have the power to impose decisions on national supervisors or firms, where those decisions would require member states to take fiscal action. On macro-prudential supervision, he agreed with the establishment of a European systemic risk board, but made clear that its chairmanship should be representative of the EU as a whole, not only the eurozone. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also noted the importance of G20 summit follow-up and preparation.
On employment, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear that any accelerated mobilisation of the social fund should remain within the existing financial perspective ceilings. He also suggested that June European Council conclusions should call for increased EIB lending, particularly to business and critical infrastructure projects, in order to accelerate economic recovery.
On climate change, the presidency said that the conclusions language would go forward to the June European Council, an outcome that the Government support.
On illegal migration, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Malta emphasised the scale of the problem in the Mediterranean and its disproportionate impact upon them; they were looking for other member states to help share the burden. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary agreed with the need to address the issue at its roots — it was not enough just to deal with migrants when they arrived, we needed to take a more long-term approach, which prevents the migrants from travelling to the EU in the first place.
On external relations, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary welcomed the inclusion of an Afghanistan/Pakistan declaration in the European Council conclusions, and looked forward to the Pakistan summit on 17 June. He also noted that Aung Sung Suu Kyi’s birthday would coincide with the European Council; even before a verdict in her trial, it would be appropriate for EU heads to send a message of support from the Council to her, and to demonstrate commitment to democracy in
Burma. The presidency confirmed that there would be European Council conclusions on Burma, which would send a clear message of the EU’s intention to act.
The Government support these discussions at the June European Council. In particular, we welcome the continued co-ordinated EU response to the economic and financial situation.
The presidency decided to drop this item from the GAERC agenda.
The full text of all conclusions adopted can be found at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/App/NewsRoom/loadDocument.aspx?id=349&;lang=EN&directory=en/gena/&fileName=108525.pdf
High Representative Solana debriefed Ministers on his recent visit to the region and noted that continued EU-US co-operation would be vital, especially over the next few weeks. There was widespread agreement on the importance of further EU-US co-operation, addressing settlements, securing access to Gaza, and supporting a comprehensive, regional approach. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary agreed and urged the EU to encourage support for the Arab peace initiative.
Ministers agreed conclusions on the MEPP, welcoming the US Administration’s commitment to pursuing a two-state solution and a comprehensive peace. They also confirmed the EU’s readiness to work actively with the US and other Quartet members to achieve this goal and contribute substantially to post-conflict arrangements aimed at ensuring the sustainability of peace agreements.
Following the outcome of the elections in Iran, Ministers agreed conclusions without discussion, based on a UK text, setting out the EU’s concerns about the post-election situation, focusing on the need to respect freedom of expression and, while underlining the EU’s willingness to engage with Iran, stressing the need for Iran to meet its own responsibilities.
Ministers spoke positively about the conduct of elections in Lebanon, noting the longstanding EU contribution to help stabilise the situation there, and adopted conclusions that congratulated the people of Lebanon and encouraged all parties to co-operate with President Sleiman.
The Council adopted conclusions, which renewed the EU’s commitment to the common position and extended the EU-Cuba political dialogue for a further 12 months. The Council undertook to review these in June 2010, based on an assessment of progress on issues raised in the conclusions, in particular human rights and political reforms. The conclusions called for the Cuban Government to allow unimpeded contacts with civil society in the margin of high level EU visits. The presidency commented that practically no progress had been made by Cuba on human rights and civil liberties, however the EU would continue its two-track approach and keep open the door for continued dialogue. Developments would be closely monitored with a view to reporting back to the Council by the end of 2009.
Discussion of Burma in the context of the June European Council is recorded in the section “Preparation of the 18-19 June European Council”.
The presidency noted that member states were united in their condemnation of the trial of Aung Sung Suu Kyi and in their desire for a robust response to the verdict. They underscored the importance of engaging Asian partners, of working to address circumvention of the existing measures and working through EU special envoy Fassino.
In terms of additional measures against the regime, there was consensus around the need to keep these under further consideration, pending the verdict of the trial.
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Chief Prosecutor Brammertz briefed Ministers on the co-operation of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia with the ICTY. Following an exchange of views on implementation of Serbia’s Interim Agreement and following Brammertz’s report on Serbia, Ministers noted that Heads of Government would discuss the issue at the June European Council.
The Council adopted conclusions on visa liberalisation, regional co-operation and Bosnia and Herzegovina — all of which the Government support.
The Netherlands highlighted the need for a discussion in the autumn. Sweden, as incoming presidency, confirmed that this was in their plans.
EU attendance at international meetings
Sweden voiced its concern at the level of EU attendance at the recent ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Ministerial and EU-ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers meetings; they urged the EU to plan meetings carefully and ensure proper attendance to deliver impact. The Commission supported.
Ministers discussed this issue in the context of preparations for the June European Council, as reported above.
The presidency decided to drop this item from the GAERC agenda.
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