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11 Oct 2006 : Column WA145
Written Answers
Wednesday 11 October 2006
Afghanistan: Opium
Lord Blaker asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the comments made by Antonio Maria Costa, head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, urging NATO forces to take robust action to destroy the opium industry in southern Afghanistan. [HL7448]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan contributes to the Afghan counter-narcotics effort by helping to provide the secure environment in which the rule of law can be applied, reconstruction can take place and legal rural livelihoods can be developed. ISAF forces are also authorised to provide training and operational support to Afghan counter-narcotics forces. But ISAF has not been deployed to take direct action against the drugs trade or to eradicate the opium poppy in the fields. That is a job for the Afghan Government.
Alcohol
Lord Steinberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the research undertaken by Warwick University regarding the spending of child benefit on alcohol; and whether they will take steps to discourage further such misuses of the system. [HL7451]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government are aware of the report, entitled Who Benefits from Child Benefit, which concludes that its findings are,
The report suggests that the relationship between child benefit and adult goods arises because adults would cut back on the consumption of adult goods when there are falls in child benefit, thereby protecting their children from changes in family income.
Recent research by Gregg, Waldfogel and Washbrook1 has also looked at the effect of policy reforms to financial support. If finds that as incomes of low income families have risen,
- “there is clear evidence of how spending is focused on child-related goods such as children's clothing, toys and books”.
Therefore the Government will continue to base financial support for families on the basis of progressive universalism, with support for all families and more support for those that need it most.
1That's the way the money goes, in A More Equal Society?, Hills and Stewart (eds) 2005.
Armed Forces
Lord Garden asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the decline in assessed ability to generate force elements from peacetime to immediate readiness in the last two quarters of 2005-06, as reported in the Ministry of Defence Annual Performance Report 2005/2006 (HC 1394, page 16), has continued; and, if so, what are the latest figures.[HL7276]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The latest data, covering the first quarter of 2006-07, will be published shortly on the MoD's website as part of the department's quarterly public service agreement report.
Commission for Equality and Human Rights
Baroness Greengross asked Her Majesty's Government:
What stakeholder events have been held as part of the transitional arrangements for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights. [HL7189]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): As part of the transitional arrangements for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), the Government have set up a transition team to prepare options for the incoming board. As part of the ongoing consultation process, this team has organised a series of events in England, Scotland and Wales to hear the views of stakeholders on the ground. The events have involved representatives of all communities of interest that will covered by the CEHR. In many instances, the events were co-hosted by regional equality bodies.
This year the events took place at these locations across England: Birmingham (Midlands); York (Yorkshire); Salford (north west); Cornwall (south-west); Bristol (south-west); London; Gatwick (south-east); Peterborough (east of England); and Durham (north-east).
Scotland: Dundee; Inverness; and Glasgow.
Wales: Cardiff; Llandrindod Wells; and Llandudno.
In addition to these events around the country, the CEHR team also engage regularly with stakeholder bodies, such as the existing equality commissions (Disability Rights Commission, Equal Opportunities Commission and Commission for Racial Equality), voluntary and campaigning groups, trade unions, business representations and focus groups made up of members of the public.
Baroness Greengross asked Her Majesty's Government:
What criteria have been established by the regional development agencies for invitations to stakeholder events under the transitional arrangements for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights. [HL7190]
Baroness Andrews: A series of stakeholder events took place between April and July 2006 and form part of a wide range of activities being taken forward by the team responsible for putting in place transitional arrangements for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.
The plan was to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and hear views on how the new commission can have most impact on a national/regional and local level. The events were seen as an opportunity for stakeholders from all strands to meet and understand each other’s views and to begin to share ideas.
We invited individuals or organisations that work in, or across, the following areas: age; race, religion and belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender, and human rights.
We also invited individuals or organisations working in the equality area that cover: trade unions, health, education, transport, public and private employers.
The events were co-ordinated in consultation with the government offices, regional development agencies or their nominated delivery unit as these events were seen as a follow up to the Green and White Paper events originally developed by the DTI Equality Bill team.
Baroness Greengross asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Andrews: The total budget for setting up the Commission for Equality and Human Rights is £24.1 million, spread over four financial years from 2005 to 2009. The budget for 2005-06 is £0.8 million; 2006-07 is £7.1 million; 2007-08 is £11.4 million; and 2008-09 is £4.8 million.
Baroness Greengross asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the budget for setting up the Commission for Equality and Human Rights includes European Union funding intended to help celebrate the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All. [HL7192]
Baroness Andrews: The budget for setting up the Commission for Equality and Human Rights does not include any European Union funding intended to help celebrate the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is the lead department for setting up the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights, which will have responsibility for combating discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender, religion or belief, race and sexual orientation as well as promoting human rights.
DCLG will also co-ordinate the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All. The two initiatives are distinct, but the department will seek to ensure that, given the CEHR will be launched in 2007, the European year celebrations are closely aligned with promotion of the new commission. The year will also be an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission, all of which will be dissolved in 2007 when the CEHR will take over their responsibilities and functions.
Crime: Car Boot Sales
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Although we are aware that many people greatly enjoy attending car boot sales, they are one of the places used by criminals to profit from crime. A number of enforcement agencies, including the police and trading standards, routinely act to tackle crime at car boot sales, but we recognise that it can be difficult to assert consumer and other rights in such informal channels.
In recognition of those difficulties, the Government are seeking to amend the Enterprise Act 2002 which will reinforce consumer rights and enhance the protection of intellectual property rights.
We are also proposing to consult widely on how best to work with traders in second-hand goods to disrupt markets for stolen goods. That consultation will also seek views on how best to work with the organisers of occasional sales such as car boot sales to reduce the opportunities for criminals to benefit from attending such events.
Housing: Domestic Rents
Lord Whitty asked Her Majesty's Government:
By how much domestic rents have increased(a) by sector, to include council, other registered social landlord and private; and (b) by region of England over the latest three years for which figures are available. [HL7460]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): Average weekly rents by region are published for the local authority sector and the registered social landlord sector on the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government in Tables 701 and 703 respectively. The links for these tables are: www.communities.gov.uk/pub/264/Table701Excel32Kb_id1156264.xls and www.communities.gov.uk/pub/267/Table703_id1156267.xls.
The percentage changes in average weekly rent by sector and region are given in the table below. These figures are based on nominal prices.
Israel and Lebanon
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why they did not ask the Government of Israel to contribute funds to the repairs of infrastructure damage in Lebanon. [HL7413]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We have discussed with the Israelis the issue of reconstruction of Lebanon following the conflict. We continue to attach great importance to this and have contributed £22.3 million for humanitarian assistance and early recovery projects in Lebanon. At the Stockholm conference on 31 August, donors pledged more than US $940 million for humanitarian and reconstruction work in Lebanon, well in excess of the US $530 million target required by the Government of Lebanon's early recovery plan.
Lord Turnberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
What actions they are taking to promote future prospects for a peace treaty between Lebanon and Israel. [HL7437]
Lord Triesman: The UK believes that the prospects for peace between Israel and Lebanon are best served by the effective implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which we worked hard with our international partners to secure. The resolution's objectives are to bring about a full cessation of hostilities; to create the space for an urgent humanitarian relief effort; and to begin a process leading to a permanent ceasefire and a durable peace. The UK is now working with our international partners to implement these resolutions, in particular by strengthening the ability of the democratically elected Lebanese Government to exercise control throughout Lebanon, and ensuring that militias, supported and supplied from outside Lebanon, can never again plunge the region into crisis.
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