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We have also brought into force a package of offences in the Electoral Administration Act that aim to improve the security and confidence of the electoral process. These will come into force on 11 September 2006 and relate to the application for postal and proxy votes as well as to offences around the conduct of elections. We believe that it is vital that we tackle potential problems of fraud in relation to elections. Along with other provisions in the Act that will be brought into force in time for the May 2007 elections, we believe that this represents a comprehensive set of legislative changes that will improve the confidence in the electoral system.
The Government are also committed to improving the accuracy of the register and to tackling potential registration fraud at the earliest opportunity. We have therefore commenced those provisions in the Act that relate to the annual canvass process so that they can be in place for the 2006 annual canvass. This includes the new duty on electoral registration officers (EROS) to carry out necessary steps to maintain the register and the new registration offence of supplying false information in connection with registration. Both these provisions will come into force on 11 September 2006.
In addition, the Electoral Administration Act contains miscellaneous provisions in Part 7 that are designed to simplify and streamline procedures for the regulation of political parties. Many of these will come into force on 11 September 2006.
The power for the Electoral Commission to set performance standards in relation to electoral activity will also come into force on 11 September. This will allow the Electoral Commission to carry out the important preparatory work in relation to the performance standards scheme.
We aim for the Electoral Administration Act to be implemented in full, where possible, for the May 2007 elections. We will therefore be making subsequent commencement orders to commence the remaining provisions in the Act.
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EU: Finnish Presidency
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): My right honourable friend the Minister for Europe (Mr Geoff Hoon) will today lay before the House Foreign and Commonwealth Office Command Paper 6896 on prospects for the European Union 2006. This is the latest in a series of forward looks to the work programmes of the respective European Union presidencies.
Copies will be placed in the Library of the House. Additional copies can also be obtained from the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office. A copy will also be available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website (www.fco.gov.uk).
The last White Paper was published in January at the conclusion of the UK presidency of the EU. This was a retrospective of our presidency as well as a forward look to the year ahead. The White Paper that I am laying before the House today is an update to the spring paper and sets out in more detail the priorities of the Finnish presidency over the next six months.
The Finnish presidency began on 1 July. The Finns have presented an ambitious programme for the next six months, which builds on the work of previous presidencies and addresses many important challenges for the European Union. We agree with the challenges identified by the Finns and welcome their proposed priority actions. In particular, we welcome the focus on follow-up to the Hampton Court agenda initiated under the UK presidency in October 2005. The informal meeting of the European Council in Lahti on 20 October will focus on innovation and energy and will be an opportunity to look at the next steps that we collectively need to take to meet Europe's needs in the 21st century.
The Finnish presidency also plans to take forward work in key areas such as tackling climate change, enlargement, competitiveness, security and migration. For example, we will see an open dialogue on the best way to drive international action on tackling climate change. This presidency will host a discussion on the Commission report on enlargement progress in the autumn. It will also oversee the mid-term review of the 2004 Hague programme, which will, among other issues, look at stronger EU co-operation to tackle illegal migration. The Finns hope to reach agreement on a number of important measures to boost European competitiveness, including final adoption of the services directive and increased investment in research and development.
This agenda demonstrates the EU's commitment to delivering on issues of concern to our citizens. We welcome these priorities and look forward to working with the Finnish presidency over an important six months.
EU: Justice and Home Affairs Council
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): My honourable friend the
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The Justice and Home Affairs Council will be held today, 24 July 2006, in Brussels. I am attending on behalf of the Home Office. I thought that it would be useful if I were to outline the main issues that I expect to be discussed.
The Council will take an initial presentation by the Commission on The Hague programme review. There will also be discussion of migration issues and, in the mixed committee format, the second generation Schengen information system. On the first of these, the Commission will present four communications: the future direction of The Hague programme, which includes a proposed use of Article 42 TEU (the passerelle clause); reviewing the implementation of The Hague programme to date (the scorecard); options for better evaluation of the impact of EU policies in the area of justice and home affairs (JHA); and a legislative proposal based on Article 67(2) TEC adapting the provisions of the European Court of Justice under Title IV (immigration, asylum and civil law matters). The presidency has indicated that it will focus on procedure and handling and is not looking for substantive discussion on these items at this Council. Detailed discussion, including in relation to the more controversial aspects, such as the possible use of Article 42 TEU (the passerelle clause) and Article 67(2) TEC (adapting the remit of the ECJ in Title IV) will take place later in the year, including at the September informal JHA Council in Finland. Those aspects aside, the Government’s initial view is to welcome the focus on implementation and more effective evaluation contained in the communications.
There will be information items on the EU preparations for the UN high-level dialogue on international migration and development and the report on the outcome of the Euro-African ministerial conference on migration and development held in Rabat on 10 and 11 July 2006. The Government welcome the adoption of the EU common position at the General Affairs and External Relations Council last week, on 13 July; we will continue to feed into preparations for the UN high-level dialogue on international migration and development, which takes place in September. There will also be a presentation by the Commission and Frontex (EU border agency) on the situation in the Mediterranean and Africa. We expect there to be a focus on the continuing influx of illegal immigrants to the Canaries and Malta. The UK strongly supports EU joint operational activity in the Mediterranean and has offered technical assistance to the Spanish and Maltese authorities.
There will be discussion on the management of migration flows, specifically on the two Commission communications on a policy plan for legal migration and a common policy on illegal immigration. The presidency will be seeking a first exchange of views on both items. The UK will be encouraging solutions of sharing best practice and establishing common principles, while advising against inflexible, detailed
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In the mixed committee format, the presidency will be hoping to agree a general approach on the key outstanding issues in the three legal instruments establishing SIS II—a regulation covering immigration aspects, a Council decision covering law enforcement aspects and a regulation covering access by vehicle registration authorities—with a view to reaching a First Reading deal with the European Parliament in September. This is the last opportunity to resolve the major outstanding issues within the Council before the expected EP vote in September. The UK will not participate in the regulation covering immigration but will participate in the other two legal instruments.
Two further presentations by the Commission are expected in the margins of the meeting. These are on (i) a proposal for a regulation setting up the powers and the financing of teams of national border control experts of member states (rapid border intervention teams) to provide joint EU technical and operational assistance at the external EU border, co-ordinated by Frontex; and (ii) a proposal for a Community code on visas—a Schengen measure in which the UK will not participate. Although the UK will not participate in the first proposal, we support the concept of nominated experts deployed at short notice to respond to emergencies to help to enhance the security of the EU external border, but will wish to look carefully at the detail.
Finally, there is likely to be a lunchtime presentation by Commissioner Franco Frattini on the issue of CIA rendition flights.
Fire Safety: Reduced Ignition Propensity Cigarettes
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
Careless handling of smokers' materials continues to be one of the major causes of UK accidental fire deaths in the home. Evidence has shown that reduced ignition propensity (RIP) cigarettes decrease the risk of inducing ignition or progressive smouldering in materials, therefore reducing the number of accidental fire deaths in the home.
RIP cigarettes have been legislated for in New York State, California, Vermont, Illinois, New Hampshire and Massachusetts and are all now in place, as well as in Canada. The legislation requires that all cigarettes conform to American Society for Testing and Materials Standards (ASTM International).
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At the request of the UK, supported by Sweden, the European Commission undertook to look into the case for developing an appropriate technical standard for RIP cigarettes. The Department for Communities and Local Government will be working very closely with the Department of Health, which has led government work on tobacco regulation, and the Department of Trade and Industry, which leads on consumer product safety. It is expected that further discussion on the case for developing a European technical standard for RIP cigarettes will take place at the next general product committee meeting in Brussels this September.
Fraud Review
The Attorney-General (Lord Goldsmith): The final report of the fraud review is published today and I have placed copies in the Libraries of both Houses. The Government are issuing it for consultation and seek responses by 27 October 2006.
The report outlines current arrangements for dealing with fraud, identifies gaps and shortcomings in the system and makes recommendations for dealing with them. The recommendations are wide-ranging and are aimed at improving fraud deterrence, prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution and penalties. Benefits will include reduction of fraud losses to taxpayers, consumers and businesses, and a reduction in the harm that fraud causes to individuals and communities.
The Government accept the analysis of the report and are sympathetic to the broad conclusions and recommendations, but we believe that the report would benefit from a wider public consultation. Implementation of the recommendations will be considered in the light of consultation responses and after further evaluation of the funding and legislative implications.
Government Departments: Payment Performance
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Industry and the Regions (Margaret Hodge) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
The overall payment performance of Government is 96.87 per cent. Figures for the financial year 2005-06 show that there has been a slight fall compared to last year's figure of 97.09 per cent. Some 54 per cent of departments improved on their performance of last year.
Government departments and their agencies are required to monitor their payment performance and to publish the results in their departmental or annual
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The Government take this issue very seriously and are committed to improving the payment culture in the UK in order to create fair and stable business transactions. The Government's own payment performance is an important element in this policy.
| Main Departments 2005-06 | Paid on Time |
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Department for Constitutional Affairs (Lord Chancellor’s Department) | |
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