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5 July 2006 : Column WA43
Written Answers
Wednesday 5 July 2006
Autism: Inflammatory Bowel Disease
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
What specialist provision is available for diagnosis and treatment for the sub-group of autistic children who suffer from an inflammatory bowel disease.[HL6650]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): Children living with autism have access to the full range of local and specialist healthcare, including the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
Carbon Emissions
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What effect a lowering of the overall road speed limit to a maximum of 60 miles per hour would have on carbon emissions from the road transport sector.[HL6548]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The national speed limit of 70 miles per hour on dual carriageways and motorways reflects a practical balance between economic, environmental and safety objectives.
As part of a review of the UK Climate Change Programme, the Government have looked at the potential carbon savings that might result in 2010 under a range of different policy scenarios. One of these scenarios is a reduction of the speed limit on motorways and dual carriageways from 70 miles per hour to 60 miles per hour. The results of the analysis suggest that, if the new limit was strictly enforced, there could be carbon savings of around 0.84 million tonnes of carbon. However, such strict enforcement would not be easy to achieve in practice and could have significant implications and costs in its own right. Indeed, the analysis suggests that such a policy would not be cost-effective, with the benefits likely to be significantly outweighed by the costs.
Court Martial: Sergeant Selman and Others
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
In the cases of Sergeant Selman and others recently acquitted at court martial, what material was disclosed on discovery by the prosecuting authority to the defence.[HL6213]
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The Attorney-General (Lord Goldsmith): The defence was given the following material:
All statements that were taken during the investigation; this included audio and video copies of any statement that was recorded.All exhibits that were produced in any of the statements.Videos, photographs and maps of Basra General Hospital, the surrounding area and Bridge 4.Copies of all unused material (material not used as evidence in the case), unless it was sensitive or irrelevant. This material included the “case file diary”—a daily record providing details of every action undertaken by the SIB during its investigation—and documentation relating to the compensation claim brought by the family of the deceased, including letters, statements and claim forms.Drugs: Methamphetamine
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the incidence of illegal drug abuse in the United Kingdom using methamphetamine in each of the years 2001 to 2005; what is the addictive nature of this drug; and what is the incidence of recovery from such addiction.[HL6581]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): Information is not collected centrally in the form requested.
The 2005 survey Drug Use, Smoking and Drinking Among Young People in England in 2005 reported that 1 per cent of 11 to 15 year-olds had taken speed or amphetamines, the category of drug in which methamphetamine use would be reported, in the last year.1 It is important to note that within this figure will be a number of other drugs within the amphetamine category.
The national drug treatment monitoring system, which is used to measure numbers in, and being retained in, drug treatment, reported 11 individuals as being in treatment, with methamphetamine identified as the primary drug of use, in 2005-06.
On 14 June this year, the Home Office Minister (Mr Vernon Coaker), announced that methamphetamine, or “crystal meth”, would be reclassified from a class B drug to a class A drug. This decision was based on international experience and has been taken on the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, and the well documented dangers associated with production and use of this drug in all its forms, which will now be substantially easier to combat as a result of this reclassification.
Over the past few years there has been a substantial increase in the illicit use of methamphetamine in the Far East, parts of Europe and north America, but so far there has been relatively little evidence of misuse in the United
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Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that has potent effects on the central nervous system. It can be smoked, snorted, orally ingested, or injected to achieve a “high”. Using methamphetamine by intravenous injecting or by smoking is particularly liable to lead to addiction. We do not hold information on the incidence of recovery from such addiction.
1 A survey carried out for the Health and Social Care Information Centre and the Home Office by the National Centre for Social Research and the National Foundation for Educational Research. More than 9,000 pupils took part in the survey throughout England.
Equal Pay
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the percentage average weekly earnings of female full-time employees compared to those of men; and what steps they will take to reduce any gap between the earnings of male and female full-time employees.[HL6114]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The gender pay gap is 13.0 per cent, as measured by hourly earnings excluding overtime; this is the preferred measure of the gender pay gap. The gap in weekly median earnings is21.1 per cent less for women than for men1. The reasons for this differential can be explained by the fact that men typically earn more per hour than women and also that women in full-time employment typically work fewer hours per week than their male counterparts.
The Women and Work Commission has examined the causes of the pay gap and made practical recommendations to tackle it. The Government are committed to working with key players to tackle the gender pay gap and will issue an action plan later this year.
1 Source: ONS’s press release that accompanied the ASHE data in November 2005, and based on employee jobs paid at adult rates and not affected by absence.
European Convention on Human Rights
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 25 May (WA 120), whether they have evaluated the jurisprudence of the courts of the other member states of the
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The Prime Minister has asked the Home Secretary to consider,
- “whether primary legislation is needed to address the issue for Court rulings which over-rule the Government in a way that is inconsistent with other EU countries’ interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights”.
This work will include an evaluation of the jurisprudence of the courts of a number of other member states of the European Union in interpreting the convention, particularly in relation to the balancing of the rights of individuals against those of the wider community. This work is under way and will be completed shortly. No decision has yet been taken on publication.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 20 June (WA 72), whether they have made an assessment of any cases in which the courts of other member states of the European Union have interpreted and applied Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights more restrictively than British courts but compatibly with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights; and, if so, whether they will publish details of such cases.[HL6726]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: As part of the work that the Prime Minister has requested that both the Home Secretary and the Lord Chancellor undertake in relation to the operation and implementation of the Human Rights Act, the Government are examining the jurisprudence both of the European Court of Human Rights and of the courts of a number of member states of the European Union. This work will include an examination of the ways in which the courts of these member states have interpreted and applied various articles of the convention, including Article 3. No decision has been taken on publication.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 20 June (WA 72) regarding the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights, whether they intend (a) to include in their work an evaluation of the relevant case law and legislation of France, Germany and Spain, as European countries particularly affected by terrorism; and (b) to publish the results of this work.[HL6727]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The examination of the case law and legislation of key member states to which I have referred would specifically cover France,
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Goods Vehicles
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a category C or C+E light goods vehicle licence is required to drive a heavy locomotive which was first used after 1970 when it is (a) used solo without a trailer; (b) used with a trailer which is not a goods vehicle; (c) used with a trailer which is a goods vehicle, but is unladen; and (d) used with a trailer which is a goods vehicle and is laden.[HL6593]
Lord Davies of Oldham: A heavy locomotive manufactured on or after 1 January 1960 is classified as a large goods vehicle and if it is driven either as a solo unit or drawing a small trailer it requires a category C licence. If the maximum authorised mass (MAM) of the trailer exceeds 750 kilogrammes, a category C+E licence is required.
Whether the trailer itself constitutes a goods vehicle, and whether the trailer is laden or unladen, are not relevant considerations. The definition of MAM includes the weight of the trailer plus the maximum load it can carry.
Housing: Market Renewal
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the latest actual and estimated outputs for demolitions, refurbishments and new builds in each of the housing market renewal pathfinder areas.[HL6343]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): Estimated outputs for demolitions, refurbishments and new build paid for by HMR in each pathfinder from the start of the programme until March 2006 are provided in the table below. However, HMR funding accounts for only a proportion of the total activity in these areas. This is particularly the case for new build where it is estimated that more than 8,000 properties have been built within pathfinder areas since 2004.
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| HMR funded outputs to March 2006 | |||
| Pathfinder | New Build | Repairs, improvements and refurbishments | Demolitions |
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