| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Written Answers
Wednesday, 13th November 1996.
European Parliament Members: US Presidential Election
Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether any Members of the European Parliament visited the United States of America to observe the Presidential election with funds provided from the EC Budget; and if so, whether they were accompanied by spouses and/or staff at the expense of the EC Budget.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): There is no readily available record of travel undertaken by Members of the European Parliament.
An allowance of 3000 ecu (£2,142) per year is available to Members of the European Parliament to refund the cost of journeys made in the performance of their parliamentary duties, other than to attend official European Parliament meetings. To claim the allowance, they must make a declaration that the journey was made in pursuit of their duties and provide supporting documentation in the form of an invitation or programme of the visit. The European Parliament's guidelines require Members to produce tickets before costs are refunded.
Outer Space: Definition
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the definitions of "outer space" currently in use, whose definitions they are, whether the military satellites of the United States, Russia and other countries are now operating in "outer space", and if not where, in international law, they are operating.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: There is no internationally agreed definition of outer space. We do not consider it necessary to take a legal view on the question raised by the noble Lord in the absence of a specific challenge based on the relevant UN treaties.
President of Israel: State Visit
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they anticipate that Israel will be in full conformity with relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, the Oslo Agreements, and international law in general, by the time that the President of Israel comes on a State Visit.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We hope that further progress in the Middle East peace process, in particular the implementation of the Oslo Accords, will be made between now and the state visit by President Weizman in February 1997.
Israel: Settlements in the Occupied Territories
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, in discussing co-operation on combating terrorism shortly with the Israeli Defence Minister, they will draw his attention to the encouragement of terrorism implicit in unlawfully building a settlement block of 8,000 housing units, specifically for "ultra-Orthodox" (i.e. fundamentalist) families, in a Palestinian area, in the Occupied Territories (SWB ME/2756 MED/1,30-10-96), at the same time as relaxing controls over the possession of weapons by Israeli citizens; and
Whether, in discussing co-operation on combating terrorism shortly with the Israeli Defence Minister, they will draw his attention to the encouragement of terrorism implicit in unlawfully building settlements for ultra-Orthodox families from "Western countries" on the Golan Heights (SWB MB/2762 MED/3 6-11-96).
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: I expect that the subject of settlements will be raised by my right honourable and learned friend the Foreign Secretary when he meets the Israeli Defence Minister. The Foreign Secretary has made clear on a number of occasions, most recently on his visit to Israel, Hebron and Gaza on 3rd November, that we consider settlements to be illegal and an obstacle to peace.
PC Andrew Hamilton
Lord Rankeillour asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are satisfied that all the relevant evidence was before the court in the case of Metropolitan Police Constable Andrew Hamilton, recently imprisoned following a traffic incident, and whether, in the light of this, they are satisfied that his conviction is safe.
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern): The Government are unable to comment on any case that has come before the courts.
Parliamentary Privilege
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, in the light of the discontinuance of Mr. Neil Hamilton MP's libel action against the Guardian newspaper, they will introduce amending legislation to the Defamation Act 1996 so as to restore parliamentary privilege to its previous position.
National Health Service: Future Plans
Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are their plans for the future of the National Health Service.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege): We have today published a White Paper on the way forward for the National Health Service, entitled The National Health Service: A Service with Ambitions. Copies will be available in the Printed Paper Office and Library. It sets out the Government's commitment to a universal, high quality service, available on the basis of clinical need, and one that is responsive to the needs and wishes of patients and carers. It also launches three initiatives designed to improve the use of information in the NHS; to strengthen its commitment to effective management of quality; and to ensure that our policies for education, training and development produce well-qualified staff who will meet the needs of a changing NHS.
Local Government Act 1996: Section 11 Grants
Lord Dean of Harptree asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are in a position to issue guidance to local authorities about funding from April 1997 under Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1996.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch): We attach great importance to the valuable work performed by teachers and others funded under Section 11 in helping members of ethnic minorities to overcome barriers of language or culture. Despite other pressures on public expenditure generally, we can now announce that the current level of Section 11 grant will be maintained until August 1998. Grant recipients are being advised accordingly.
Quadrilateral Armaments Agency
Lord Monteagle of Brandon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress they have made on the quadrilateral armaments structure with France, Germany and Italy.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe): I am pleased to announce that, yesterday, the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a Quadrilateral Armaments Agency with France, Germany and Italy. The UK are now fully involved, on an equal basis, in the agency's formation, operation and subsequent development. This important initiative will lead to a more efficient, effective approach to the management of collaborative defence programmes.
Gulf War Illness Syndrome
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Who are the members of the Medical Research Council Gulf War Illness Syndrome Research Committee, and what are their interests and affiliations.
Earl Howe: The disclosure of personal information about members of the scientific advisory committee on Gulf War illness research is a matter for the Medical Research Council.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the specialties for which proposals for research into the Gulf War Illness Syndrome are being sought.
Earl Howe: The call for research proposals issued by the Medical Research Council earlier this year on behalf of the Ministry of Defence invited epidemiological studies into two specific topics: whether UK veterans are suffering more ill-health than they would have done had they not served in the Gulf and, if so, the nature and magnitude of the risk; and whether there is an excess of adverse reproductive health outcomes in UK Gulf War veterans and, if so, the nature and magnitude of the excess. In addition to the epidemiology programme, proposals addressing other issues relevant to the reported illnesses were also invited.
Ministers: Disclosure to Parliament
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they consider that Ministers are under a duty to take special care to provide information that is full and accurate to Parliament and, in all their dealings with Parliament, to conduct themselves frankly and with candour; and
Whether they will amend Questions of Procedure for Ministers so as to ensure that Ministers are under a duty to take special care to provide information that is full and accurate to Parliament and, in all their dealings with Parliament, to conduct themselves frankly and with candour.
Earl Howe: The Government made clear in their responses to the Reports from the Public Service and Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration Select Committees on Ministerial Accountability and Responsibility and Open Government published on 7 November, that they attach the highest importance to the duty of Ministers to provide as full and accurate information as possible to Parliament. This point is stressed in Questions of Procedure for Ministers, and
the new Guidance to Officials on Drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions which is reproduced below.Never forget Ministers' obligations to Parliament which are set out in "Questions of Procedure for Ministers":
- "Ministers must not knowingly mislead Parliament and the public and should correct any inadvertent errors at the earliest opportunity. They must be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, withholding information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest, which should be decided in accordance with relevant statute and the Government's Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
- "Ministers...have a duty...to give Parliament...and the public as full information as possible about the policies, decisions and actions of the Government, and not to deceive or mislead Parliament and the public."
3. Approach every question predisposed to give relevant information fully, as concisely as possible and in accordance with guidance on disproportionate cost. If there appears to be a conflict between the requirement to be as open as possible and the requirement to protect information whose disclosure would not be in the public interest, you should check to see whether it should be omitted in accordance with statute (which takes precedence) or the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, about which you should consult your departmental openness liaison officer if necessary.
5. Do not omit information sought merely because disclosure could lead to political embarrassment or administrative inconvenience.
6. Where there is a particularly fine balance between openness and non-disclosure, and when the draft answer takes the latter course, this should be explicitly drawn to the Minister's attention. Similarly, if it is proposed to reveal information of a sort which is not normally disclosed, this should be explicitly drawn to Ministers' attention.
7. If you conclude that material information must be withheld and the PQ cannot be fully answered as a result, draft an answer which makes this clear and which explains the reasons in equivalent terms to those in the Code of Practice, or because of disproportionate cost or the information not being available. Take care to avoid draft answers which are literally true but likely to give rise to misleading inferences.
Next Section
Back to Table of Contents
Lords Hansard Home Page