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Sterling Area
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the sterling area ceased to be viable and why.
The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Simon of Highbury): The sterling area ceased to be viable in 1979, when exchange controls were abolished.
Eurostat Report on Poverty in Britain
Earl Russell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have any plans to publish the Eurostat Report on poverty in Britain referred to in the Guardian of 28 April 1997.
Lord Simon of Highbury: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics who has been asked to reply.
Letter to Earl Russell from the Director of the Office for National Statistics, Mr. Tim Holt, dated 30 May 1997.
I have been asked to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question asking about plans to publish the Eurostat Report on poverty in Britain referred to in the Guardian of 28 April 1997.
The report, Income Distribution and Poverty in EU12--1993, was released by Eurostat on 14 May 1997. The report is number 6 in the Statistics in Focus--Population and social conditions 1997 series. A copy of the report is available from the House of Lords library.
Unemployment Rates
Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the current rates of unemployment in
(a) the United Kingdom; (b) the United States of America; and (c) Japan.
Lord Simon of Highbury: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics who has been asked to reply.
Letter to Lord Acton from the Director of the Office for National Statistics, Mr. Tim Holt, dated 30 May 1997.
I have been asked to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question regarding unemployment in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Japan.
Figures based on the internationally recognised International Labour Office (ILO) definition of unemployment provide an appropriate basis for international comparisons. The ILO measure of unemployment, as derived from the Labour Force Survey, defines somebody as unemployed if they are without a job at the time of interview, were available to start work in the two weeks following their interview and had either looked for work in the four weeks prior to interview or were waiting to start a job they had already obtained. The ILO unemployment rate gives the number of the ILO unemployed as a percentage of the economically active.
The latest available ILO unemployment rates are published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. These show that the ILO unemployment rates in February 1997 were 7.1 per cent. for the UK, 5.3 per cent. for the USA and 3.3 per cent. for Japan.
Volunteers Week
Lord Monkswell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What support they will be giving to Volunteers Week.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): Volunteers Week, which my honourable friend the Minister of State
was pleased to help launch this morning and which will run until 7 June, is a great opportunity to celebrate the enormous commitment made by volunteers to the life of our communities, and to encourage the involvement of others. The National Centre for Volunteering co-ordinates this annual event and receives financial support from the Home Office to do so.My honourable friend, the Minister of State is delighted to be able to participate in the week by taking up the challenge issued by the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) to honourable Members and noble Lords to give up an hour of their time to volunteer on a WRVS project. I hope that all noble Lords will join my honourable friend in participating in Volunteers Week to acknowledge the achievements of volunteers, who give freely of their time and talents throughout the year and whose involvement makes such a difference to so many people.
Surrender of Prohibited Weapons: Record of Payments
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether records will continue to be maintained of compensation or ex gratia payments made under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 and any other firearms legislation which may be enacted this Session; and, if so, whether those records will differentiate between payments made to dealers and those made to individuals and wether they will include the following categories: (a) large calibre pistols; (b) large calibre pistol ancillary equipment (which includes ammunition); (c) small calibre pistols; and (d) small calibre pistol ancillary equipment (which includes ammunition).
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Records will be maintained of payments made in relation to the surrender of prohibited weapons, expanding ammunition and ancillary equipment under any scheme operated under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 or as a result of new legislation that may extend the ban on handguns to small-calibre pistols. Such records will differentiate between payments made to dealers and those made to individuals and will include the following categories: (i) large calibre pistols; (ii) expanding ammunition; (iii) small calibre pistols; and (iv) ancillary equipment.
Scarman Trust: Inquiry Details
Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In relation to the Charities Commission inquiry into the Scarman Trust (formerly the Charter 88 Trust), how many people were assigned to the inquiry, over what period of time, and what was the total cost of the inquiry.
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Commission's inquiry lasted seven months and was conducted chiefly
by one case officer, as part of other duties, with advice from lawyers and other officers as appropriate. The Commission does not keep records of the cost of individual cases.Electoral Registration: Procedure
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will consider taking steps to update British electoral law along the lines suggested in The Economist of 29 March 1997; and, if not, why not.
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Further research would be required into the detailed arrangements necessary to support a system of "rolling registration" as proposed in The Economist article of 29 March before a sensible assessment could be made of the costs and any benefits which would follow from a change such as the article proposes. We have no immediate plans to amend the registration procedure but will keep the matter under review.
Mr. and Mrs. R. O. Hill
Lord Spens asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the current status in the United Kingdom and nationality of Robert Oliver Hill (HMP Brixton--RW 0595) and his wife, Mrs. Lynne Hill.
Lord Williams of Mostyn: It is not our practice to comment on immigration or nationality status without the consent of those concerned.
Lord Spens asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are satisfied with the health of Robert Oliver Hill (HMP Brixton--RW 0595).
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Mr. Hill is receiving treatment appropriate to his needs and medical staff at Brixton are satisfied with the level of this case.
Secure Training Centres: Plans
Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they intend to abandon the plans of the previous government to establish five secure training centres for 12 to 14 year old persistent offenders.
Lord Williams of Mostyn: No decisions have been taken in respect of the secure training centre programme. A contract for a secure training centre at Cookham Wood was signed on 3 March 1997. We are currently considering how that secure training centre should be used.
European Parliament: Voting System
Baroness Rawlings asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are their plans for the introduction of proportional representation for the 1999 European Parliamentary elections.
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Government are committed to the introduction of a proportional voting system for elections to the European Parliament but the timetable for making such a change has yet to be determined.
UK: Radioactive Waste Levels
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the amount of radioactive nuclear waste in this country has increased in recent years and if so by how much in each year and whether they have plans to bring about an immediate and continuing decrease.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for the Environment and Transport (Baroness Hayman): The latest figures available show that total stocks of radioactive waste within the UK rose from 59,000 to 71,000 cubic metres between 1991 and 1994. This increase arose primarily as a result of the day to day operation of the nuclear industry. Every effort is made to ensure that radioactive waste is not unnecessarily created.
Wild Boar: Indiscriminate Release
Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether and why they welcome or deplore the successful if unintended reintroduction of wild boar to large areas of Kent and East Sussex.
Baroness Hayman: The indiscriminate release of animals not ordinarily resident in Great Britain in a wild state and of uncertain genetic origin is not welcome. Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits such releases. The impacts of an unmanaged wild boar population are uncertain but may result in damage to features of nature conservation interest. While there have been sporadic sightings of wild boar in the wild, many of these have not been substantiated, and there is no confirmed evidence of established breeding populations in the wild.
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