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Church of England Curates: Protection against Sex Discrimination
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they consider that the curates of the Church of England are protected against sex discrimination in employment by European Community law, even though they are not in a contractual relationship with the Church of England.
Baroness Blackstone: The noble and learned Lord will be aware that this is a complex matter and that it is ultimately for the European Court of Justice to rule on the interpretation of European Community law. The directives covering sex discrimination are worded in very general terms. The Court of Appeal has recently confirmed that a curate holds an ecclesiastical office under the law of the Church of England and has no contract of any kind. On balance, therefore, the Government consider it likely on the current state of the law that a curate is not a worker falling within the Equal Treatment Directive (76/207/EEC).
Dental Students: Tuition Fees
Lord Tope asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will consider the inclusion of dental students in any bursary scheme that they establish to lessen the impact of tuition fees.
Baroness Blackstone: The Government are considering carefully the need for appropriate measures for some health care professional courses. We intend to make a fuller statement in the autumn about our proposals for the funding of higher education.
Disability Benefit Recipients: Position in Income Distribution Table
Lord Morris of Castle Morris asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Where recipients of disability living allowance or attendance allowance appear in calculations of income distribution across the United Kingdom population.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham): The information is not available in the format requested. The latest available information is in the table.
| Benefit | 0 to 30 | 30 to 50 | 50 to 70 | 70 to 100 |
| Disability Living Allowance (DLA) | 25 | 37 | 22 | 16 |
| Attendance Allowance (AA) | 18 | 38 | 29 | 15 |
Source:
Households Below Average Income dataset, based on Family Resources Survey (FRS) 1994-95.
Notes:
1. The measure of income used is household equivalised net income before housing costs (BHC). Measured income will include the value of the AA and DLA received.
2. Incomes are equivalised to adjust for household size and composition. No adjustment is made to household income to reflect any additional needs that people with disabilities might have.
3. Recipients in institutions are not covered by the FRS.
4. The FRS is a sample survey and all estimates must be treated as approximate.
5. Up to date estimates are only available for Great Britain as neither the FRS, nor any other equivalent survey, covers
Northern Ireland.
Lord Morris of Castle Morris asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the latest figure for the number of recipients of (a) Disability Living Allowance; and
(b) Attendance Allowance.
14 Oct 1997 : Column WA178
Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information requested is in the table:
| Number | |
| Disability Living Allowance | 1,998,000 |
| Attendance Allowance | 1,243,000 |
Source:
5 per cent. data for Great Britain and 100 per cent. data for Northern Ireland.
Note:
Figures rounded to the nearest thousand and relate to the position as at 31 May 1997.
Lord Milverton asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): Any secession by Quebec, and the terms for it, are hypothetical.
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
What impact they anticipate that their proposed women's "citizens' juries" will have upon the framing and determination of government policy.
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Women's Citizens' juries are just one of a number of options we are considering for opening up a new dialogue with women. Any panels of this kind that are set up by Government would be funded with money voted by Parliament in the usual way. Our thinking is still at a preliminary stage and we are costing various alternatives. No annual budget has been set.
Panels including members of the public have already been used by health authorities to find out people's priorities for hospital spending and other health issues. The role of Womens' Citizens' juries would be to assess the impact of proposals and legislation on women
and help to create a bond of trust between women and Government. We want to ensure that the views and experiences of women are taken into account when drawing up legislation.
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The mandate of the NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) allows troops to detain indicted persons with whom they come into contact in the course of their duties, provided the tactical situation permits. This applies to any indictee, including Karadzic and Mladic.
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The creation of the Deputy Secretary-General slot was announced by the Secretary-General on 16 July as part of his track two reforms. We await the Secretary-General's detailed proposals on what functions the Deputy Secretary- General should perform. We would expect the Secretary-General to consult member states on the qualities and skills required for the position.
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The arrangements for the proposed International Criminal Court are being discussed in the Preparatory Committee in New York, the next meeting of which begins on 4 August. Our delegation will be taking an active part in the discussions.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in the event of the secession of Quebec from Canada, they would make representations to protect the position of the Inuit population of Quebec.
From what source their proposed women's "citizens' juries" will be funded and what will be their estimated annual budget; and
What action they are now pursuing together
with NATO allies towards the arrest and trial of
Mr. Radovan Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic for their alleged abuse of human rights and war crimes.
Whether a job description will be drawn up before any selection process begins for a Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; and what criteria will be used for choosing the best possible candidate.
What progress is being made at the United Nations on the development of operational arrangements for an International Criminal Court; and what are their own recommendations for such arrangements.
How they intend to mark in Parliament the passing of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service (the former Colonial Service), which ceased to exist on 30 June 1997, in view of the part it played in the political and economic development of Britain's former overseas territories.
14 Oct 1997 : Column WA180
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are aware of plans by the Overseas Service Pensioners' Association, and others, to mark the end of the HMOCS with commemorative events in 1999. We will wish to be associated with these events.
UNITA
Lord Hooson asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are instigating any of the following preparatory measures in the event of a second package of sanctions against UNITA: (a) the investigation of uses being made by UNITA of their office in London, with a view to its closure; (b) the investigation of uses of UNITA bank accounts in the United Kingdom; and (c) the monitoring of requests for entry to the United Kingdom by UNITA officials.
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: As a Permanent Member of the Security Council and in line with the Presidential Statement made on 23 July, we are ready to consider further measures against UNITA, including trade measures and travel restrictions, as set out in paragraph 26 in United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 864 (1993).
Lord Hooson asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are prepared to consider support for the second package of sanctions against UNITA, as mooted earlier by the United Nations Security Council.
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave on 30 July.
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