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2 Nov 2006 : Column WA47
Written Answers
Thursday 2 November 2006
[The first Written Answer should have been printed in the Official Report of 16 October 2006]
House of Lords: Water
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked the Chairman of Committees:
Whether he will consider changing the water offered in committee rooms to jugs of tap water, bearing in mind reports of the level of carbon dioxide emissions generated by the bottled water industry through transport.[HL7598]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): The House began to use bottled water following a number of breakages of carafes and glasses which caused minor cuts, and injuries to staff. Given the limited time available for Committee Rooms to be prepared between meetings, the provision of bottled water is quicker and more sanitary than the filling and washing of carafes.
“Titanic”: World Convention
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What support they propose to give to the world convention on the “Titanic” scheduled for Belfast in April 2007.[HL7675]
Lord Rooker: Central Government are not directly involved in the funding of the world convention on the “Titanic”. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board, however, will support the “Titanic” convention team by assembling and distributing information packs on Belfast's “Titanic” sites and by promoting public relations. The tourist board will also seek to secure discounted hotel rates for delegates attending the event.
Armed Forces
Lord Trefgarne asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the present strength of: (a) the Royal Navy; (b) the Army; (c) the Royal Air Force; and (d) the Royal Marines; and how these figures compare with the same figures three years ago.[HL7779]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Figures showing the strength of the UK Regular Forces on the 1 September 2003 and 2006 are shown in the table below.
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Armed Forces: Royal Military Police Investigations
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many shooting incidents involving United Kingdom military personnel have been investigated by the Royal Military Police to date; and how many of these have been successfully prosecuted. [HL7424]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): As the question does not specify timeframes or location, it has been assumed that the question refers to the main operational theatres of Op TELIC and Op HERRICK. The following information covers the period from 2003 to the present.
| Op TELIC | Op HERRICK | |
RMP investigations are instigated to determine the circumstances of a shooting incident and whether there is a case to answer. In the vast majority of these cases the investigation has determined that the action fell within the rules of engagement. 149 cases were closed with no further action recommended.
[1] “Shooting incidents” is defined as shootings by UK personnel which may have resulted in the injury or death of other people and which may be contrary to the rules of engagement.
[2] The prosecution of an individual that has resulted in a conviction at court martial or through summary dealing.
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Bankruptcy
Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the review by the Insolvency Service of the effectiveness of the Bankruptcy Restriction Order introduced by the Enterprise Act 2002 is expected to be completed.[HL7572]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The final report concerning the evaluation of the personal provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002, including the bankruptcy restriction order regime, is due to be published in autumn 2007. The first interim evaluation report was published in March 2005 and the second in March 2006.
British Citizenship
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the waiting times for the processing of British nationality applications made under Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981 and the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 respectively on the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate “Applying for British nationality” website.[HL7642]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The average waiting time for processing applications under Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981 currently stands at 11 weeks. It is not possible to obtain this information in respect of applications under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 except by examining individual case records at disproportionate cost.
The information on waiting times shown on the Home Office IND website does not discriminate between applications made under different sections of the British Nationality Act 1981 and does not currently include applications made under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make inquiries into the reasons for any mistakes made in British citizenship certificates recently issued under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997.[HL7645]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I refer the noble Lord to the reply I gave him in HL7531.
Civil Service: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the community background of Northern Ireland civil servants who work in the North/South Ministerial Secretariat in Armagh.[HL7918]
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Lord Rooker: Fourteen NI civil servants work in the NSMC in Armagh. To provide a breakdown by community background of such a small group of staff would risk breaching the statutory requirement for confidentiality in fair employment monitoring legislation and would be contrary to the Data Protection Act.
Closed Circuit Television Cameras
Lord Selsdon asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many closed circuit television cameras operating in the Greater London area are under the control of government departments or government agencies.[HL7852]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): No exact data on the number of CCTV cameras operating in the London area under the control of government departments or government agencies is held. There is currently no central database holding information of that kind.
This issue has been highlighted in the Home Office/ACPO report on a national CCTV strategy, which is currently under development. The figure is likely to be quite small in comparison with the total number of cameras in operation in London.
Lord Selsdon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made an assessment of the number of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras surveying public walkways or places in the Greater London area under the control of the private sector; and what regulations apply to the installation and operation of CCTV cameras.[HL7853]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: No estimates of the number of CCTV cameras controlled by the private sector have been made centrally. An estimate of 4.2 million CCTV public space cameras was made in 2003 in the UK as a whole, and 400,000 for London. Plans for the installation of any CCTV systems whether or not they are to be used to survey public walkways or places, should be registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Common Agricultural Policy: Single Farm Payment
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many farmers have applied to receive the single farm payment in the current year; and what is their estimate of the number of applicants who have the equipment and skills to access the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website.[HL7880]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): For the 2006 scheme year, 110,841 applications were received for the single payment scheme (SPS) of which 279 applications were received after the final
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There are no figures specifically relating to SPS applicants and access to computers. However, Defra’s whole farm approach reviewed English farmers’ access to computers in 2005. The best data found were in the December 2003 Survey of Agriculture, stating that 66 per cent of farmers had access to a computer, of whom 91 per cent had access to the internet. Regarding IT skills, the best data found was a 2003 Farm Business Survey that reported that 55 per cent of farm businesses in England used a computer for business.
Compensation: Home Office
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much the Home Office has paid out in compensation to former employees in each of the past 10 years.[HL7820]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Consultation: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Regarding Section 75 groups recognised by paragraphs 4 and 5 of Schedule 9 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, how many consultations the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland has arranged in each year since 1999; what those consultations were; and what groups they consulted.[HL7587]
Lord Rooker: DETI commenced equality-related consultations in line with its obligations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 once the department's equality scheme had been approved by the Equality Commission in April 2001. Between 2001-02 and 2005-06, DETI carried out eight such consultations. They were as follows:
2001-02Industrial Development Act (Northern Ireland) 2002.2002-03Equality impact assessment on DETI policies in relation to support for existing industry and for the attraction of new inward investment. Equality impact assessment on DETI policies in relation to support for companies to undertake research and development activity.Equality impact assessment on DETI policies to assist companies to increase international competitiveness by promoting management development and encouraging employers to develop the skills and versatility of those in employment.2 Nov 2006 : Column WA52
For each of the above, DETI consulted with those groups and individuals who had requested that they be included on the consultation list which was established as part of the department's equality scheme for this purpose. A copy of this list will be placed in the Library.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Regarding Section 75 groups recognised by paragraphs 4 and 5 of Schedule 9 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, whether the groups consulted by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland responded to any consultation; to what extent and in what form they addressed equality of opportunity issues; and whether any suggestions were made leading to a change in proposed policies.[HL7588]
Lord Rooker: Summary details on responses to DETI equality-related consultation exercises are already in the public domain and can be accessed on the DETI website.
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