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14 July 2006 : Column WA143
Written Answers
Friday 14 July 2006
Afghanistan: Helmand Province
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many United Kingdom soldiers and personnel are now deployed or employed in the Helmand province of Afghanistan; and how many of these are directly engaged in reconstruction and development, as distinct from security and defence.[HL6705]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Currently, there are around 3,600 UK military personnel in the south of Afghanistan, in addition to civilian staff from a range of other government departments (OGDs) and from other nations. As I announced to the House on 10 July 2006, the Helmand Task Force is to expand to some 4,500 personnel, including around 320 engineers who will engage specifically in reconstruction work. The primary role of UK forces deployed in Helmand will remain to support the Afghan security forces in creating a secure environment that enables others, including the Afghan Government, the United Nations, OGDs and non-governmental organisations, to engage in reconstruction and development work.
Age Concern
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration they have given to the report from Age Concern, Promoting Mental Health and Well-being in Later Life; and whether they will take any action as a result of its conclusions and recommendations.[HL6830]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The Government welcome the publication of the report of Age Concern and the Mental Health Foundation's jointly sponsored Promoting Mental Health and Well-being in Later Life. The inquiry has been instrumental in raising awareness and creating better understanding of mental health promotion in later life.
The Department of Health has been working with Age Concern and the Mental Health Foundationto give prominence and profile to this importantissue. Key themes that emerged from the inquiry’s findings are described in the mental health promotion chapter in Everybody's Business, the department’s new service development guide for older people’s mental health services, which outlines the elements of a comprehensive older people’s mental health service.
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Armed Forces: Allowances
Lord Garden asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which targeted allowances for the Armed Forces are expected to generate savings with the introduction of the joint personnel administration system so that the changes are broadly cost neutral.[HL6804]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): As part of the introduction of joint personnel administration (JPA) a number of new allowances have been introduced and some old allowances have had their policy changed. Both of these actions have, in some instances, generated savings to offset increased provision in other areas and so ensure that the overall allowance package is broadly cost neutral. The new/revised allowances which may produce savings include:
Civilian Clothing Grants (Hot Posts)
Compensation for Lost and Damaged Effects
Northern Ireland Resident's Supplement
Recruitment and Retention Allowance (London)
Northern Ireland Compensatory Food Allowance
Home to Duty Travel (Public) and (Private)
It should be noted that some of the above allowances will be affected by other policy changes which will increase the costs of the allowance package; hence in some instances the net result may be an increase.
Lord Garden asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the new harmonised Armed Forces allowances are broadly cost neutral for each individual service.[HL6805]
Lord Drayson: The harmonised Armed Forces allowances package is broadly cost neutral. However, in the short term across all three services there will be individuals who receive additional financial benefit and those who receive less; indeed, there may well be individuals who see an immediate increase in one allowance that they receive and a reduction in another. The financial effect on individual service
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Lord Garden asked Her Majesty's Government:
What process of consultation with members of the Armed Forces was undertaken before the introduction of the new harmonised allowances; and what surveys are planned to test the success of the new schemes and the new joint personnel administration system.[HL6806]
Lord Drayson: The new harmonised allowances were introduced with the full involvement and agreement of the single service principal personnel officers, and their allowances policy staff.
The extent of administrative savings delivered by the joint personnel administration (JPA) system will be continually assessed through the key performance targets for pay and other services delivered by the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency.The JPA project will also be subject to a formal post-project evaluation.
Armed Forces: Personal Load Carriage Equipment
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the operational effectiveness of the personal load carrying equipment issued to British soldiers; and what plans they have to replace or upgrade it.[HL6818]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The operational effectiveness of the personal load carriage equipment (PLCE) issued to the UK Armed Forces is continually assessed as new equipments are added or integrated into the existing system. Future requirements forland forces are currently being assessed as part of project PECOC (personal equipment and common operational clothing).
Armed Forces: Procurement
Lord Howell of Guildford asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many sections or units of the proposed new merged organisation to cover all military procurement and supplies will be sited in areasof high unemployment or in the north of England.[HL6796]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The organisation of a merged Defence Procurement Agency and Defence Logistics Organisation, proposed in the
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Armed Forces: Unused Buildings
Lord Howell of Guildford asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many acres of the guarded compound containing the Defence Logistics Organisation headquarters at Andover, Hampshire, are occupied by abandoned and boarded-up buildings; how long these buildings have been unused and unoccupied; what plans for the development of these areashave been made; and when they will be implemented.[HL6797]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Approximately 14 acres of land at the Defence Logistics Organisation site at Andover, Hampshire, are unused and segregated from the main site. The majority of buildings within that area have been unoccupied since 1997, although a few remained in use until 2002. These buildings are maintained in a weatherproof state. There are plans to redevelop some 3.5 acres of the area by 2009 in connection with the proposed relocation of the new land forces headquarters to Andover. At present, there are no plans to develop the remainder of the unused area.
British Citizenship
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Under what circumstances a consular officer at a British post abroad can refuse to accept an application for British nationality.[HL6900]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): Consular sections in posts overseas act only as a “forwarding post box” for applications for British nationality that are processed by the Home Office. The application is refused only if the application form has not been completed in full or the correct fee has not been paid.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why there is no system to track British nationality applications made at British consular posts abroad and forwarded to the Home Office for processing; and whether there is a procedure for British consular posts abroad to make inquiries on the status of an outstanding British nationality application made at that post.[HL6901]
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Lord Triesman: There is no obligation for British posts overseas to check the status of nationality applications that are processed by the Home Office. However, if the applicant requests an update, there is a dedicated email address where our consular staff overseas can obtain this information from the Home Office. There is also a dedicated caseworker in the Home Office where members of the nationality section in the Consular Directorate in London can direct inquiries. Applicants themselves are also able to contact the Home Office nationality directorate inquiry line themselves for any updates.
Children: Use of Restraint
Baroness Stern asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether medically trained personnel are involved when oxygen is used in the course of restraint of children in secure training centres; and, if so, what level of medical training those personnel have.[HL6432]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: If for any reason it is necessary to administer oxygen to a trainee, it is done only by a qualified nurse. However, oxygen is never used in the course of restraint of children.
Cyprus
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
In what way the isolation of northern Cyprus has been reduced since Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of the Annan plan for a settlement in Cyprus; and what steps the European Union has taken to reduce this isolation.[HL6752]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): In recognition of their support for reunification in the 2004 referenda, EU Foreign Ministers agreed to lift the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. Since then, the EU has agreed €139 million of financial aid to bring them closer to the EU in pursuit of a settlement. Financial aid is only a first step and we are supporting the Commission and the presidency in their attempts to find a mechanism for the Turkish Cypriots to trade directly with the EU.
We also welcome the opening of new crossing points on the green line and amendments to the green line regulation that better facilitate trade between the two sides.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Election
Viscount Waverley asked Her Majesty's Government:
In the light of funding provided by the Department for International Development for the presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo, what is their assessment of the current state of the pre-election preparations.[HL6864]
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The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): Organising the elections in the DRC is a difficult task in a country the size of Western Europe and with few roads or other transport infrastructure. Despite the immense technical and logistical challenges, the plans of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), supported by the UN and international community, are on track, and we are confident that the IEC will be ready to administer presidential and parliamentary elections on 30 July. The final electoral list will be published this week. With assistance from the international community, the IEC is training staff for over 40,000 polling stations; and printing and deploying ballot papers across the country.
DfID, working with the South African police service, is supporting the Congolese police to prepare for providing a safe environment for voting. Essential communications equipment will be fully deployed and police trained in its use. Knowledge of the elections remains limited in many areas. We are also supporting a national multi-faith coalition to deliver civic and voter education to help address this but lack of knowledge about the electoral process will be an issue on polling day.
Presidential candidates and parliamentary candidates, started campaigning on 29 June. DRC's media authority is overseeing the organisation of radio and TV debates. The UK, in concert with other international partners is closely monitoring the campaign and has called for the authorities to respect the freedoms of all candidates.
Observers are crucial to giving the people of DRC confidence in the electoral process. DfID is supporting up to 50,000 national observers, and observers from the Carter Center. The UK will participate in the 300-plus EU observer mission, and an observer mission from the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa. Further missions are expected from the African Union and SADC.
The UK is the largest bilateral donor to the elections in DRC, providing £25 million for the elections process and elections security. The Government are also heavily engaged politically in supporting preparations for credible, fair elections in DRC.
Equal Opportunities Commission
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): All government departments are under financial pressure and this has resulted in some non-departmental public bodies facing a reduced funding allocation. However the Equal Opportunities Commission baseline budget allocation of just over £8 million (£8,005,000) for 2006-07 has not been reduced. Additional funding of £1 million has been promised, of which £500,000 is ring fenced for gender equality duty.
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Last year 2005-06 the Department of Trade and Industry provided additional funding of £1.75 million to cover specific one-off items including genderduty, transition to the Commission for Equalityand Human Rights and a new general formal investigation.
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