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Fish Catches: Discarding
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Answer given to Lord Williams of Elvel on 4 November (WA282) on the outcome of the European Fisheries Council of 30 October, whether they will specify how the present rules on discarding will change, and when the new rules will come into effect.
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue): The present EC technical conservation regulation requires sorting of fish to be carried out immediately after nets have been hauled. The regulation requires protected species (defined in the regulation) in excess of catch composition percentages laid down to be discarded immediately into the sea. Other provisions
require undersized fish, shellfish and crustaceans to be discarded immediately.The new EC Regulation agreed at the Fisheries Council on 30 October to come into effect on 1 January 2000 alters these rules so that:
- for all vessels at all times the percentage of target species retained on board must be at least half that required by the regulation;
in addition, for those vessels required to complete logbooks, after the first 24 hours of a trip the catch composition percentages must be correct at time of the daily completion of the logbooks;
in all cases, the catch composition percentages must be correct at time of return to port.
Common Fisheries Policy: Reform
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How and when they intend to implement the promise made in their election manifesto to "reform the common fisheries policy".
Lord Donoughue: The Government are currently pursuing wide ranging improvements to the common fisheries policy, including strengthening the economic benefits that countries derive from their quotas, applying effective controls on fishing effort, improving enforcement measures, agreeing more effective conservation measures, improving the way that UK quotas are managed and introducing a greater regional dimension into the CFP.
Company Takeovers: Directive
Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the latest position with regard to the proposed EC directive on company takeovers, and whether they believe that the eventual directive will prove beneficial to the City of London and if so, why.
The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Simon of Highbury): Following consideration of the European Commission's original proposal by the European Parliament, the Commission has recently adopted a revised text. The revised text--which has yet to be published--will form the basis of any discussions in the Council. The first meeting has been scheduled by the Luxembourg Presidency for 1 December.
The Government do not believe that the directive, as presently drafted, would necessarily prove beneficial to the City of London, since it could risk disrupting the present process by introducing the possibility of tactical litigation.
Guinness plc: Costs of Inspectors' Report
Lord Spens asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will provide a breakdown of the costs of the report of the inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of Guinness plc, including the costs of the secretaries to the inspectors, fees paid to counsel instructed by the Department of Trade and Industry and the costs of producing the interim and subsequent reports.
Lord Simon of Highbury: The cost of the Guinness inspection to date is £3.15 million. The cost of the inspection at the time that the interim report was produced was £1.55 million. The separate costs of the secretaries to the inspectors and fees paid to counsel instructed by the department are not available.
Guinness plc: Inspectors' Brief
Lord Spens asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the terms of the original "widely drawn" brief to the inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of the Guinness plc were intended to include an examination of the sales of Guinness shares by supporters of Argyll Group plc during the course of the bid for Distillers Group plc as well as the purchases of Guinness shares by supporters of Guinness plc; and
Whether the original brief to the inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of Guinness plc was subsequently "less formally" amended by the Department of Trade and Industry to restrict the investigation to certain individuals and advisers acting for Guinness plc.
Lord Simon of Highbury: The inspectors were appointed to investigate and report on the affairs and membership of Guinness plc. As the press notice announcing their appointment made clear, the purpose of the investigation was to examine circumstances suggesting misconduct of the affairs of Guinness in connection with its membership.
Feral Pigeons and Meningitis
The Earl of Haddington asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What research they have conducted into the infectious viruses and bacteria carried by feral pigeons in inner city areas; how many cases of meningitis have been recorded in such pigeons; what research they are aware of that has been carried out by breweries and distilleries or by the relevant environmental agencies; and whether such tests have been carried out around university campuses.
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Baroness Jay of Paddington): Outbreaks of human meningitis are caused by person-to-person spread, and the viruses and bacteria that cause such outbreaks are
not carried by pigeons or other birds. Pigeons may carry cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal organism which can cause a sub-acute type of meningitis in certain susceptible people such as the elderly and immuno-compromised.The Government have not conducted any research into the infectious viruses or bacteria carried by feral pigeons in inner city areas in the last 10 years, and are not aware of any such research carried out by breweries, distilleries or others.
Local Authority Secure Accommodation
Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 5 November (WA 292-3), when they expect that the building programme of 170 new secure places in local authority accommodation will be completed; and where they will be located.
Baroness Jay of Paddington: Only 10 of the 170 new places remain to be provided; these will be completed in August 1998. The location of the 170 new places is shown in the table.
| Local Authority | Secure Unit | New places from within the 170 place supply plan |
| Northumberland CC | Kyloe House | 7 |
| Lancashire CC | Dales House | 8 |
| Salford City Council | Barton Moss | 12 |
| Leeds City Council | Eastmoor | 9 |
| Sheffield City Council | Aldine House | 8 |
| Coventry City Council | Stoke House | 8 |
| Staffordshire CC | Watling House | 12 |
| Derbyshire CC | Brunel | 3 |
| Lincolnshire CC | Lincolnshire Secure Unit | 4 |
| Nottinghamshire CC | Clayfields | 10 |
| Cambridgeshire CC | Clare Lodge | 10 |
| Essex CC | Leverton Hall | 16 |
| Northamptonshire CC | St. Johns, Tiffield | 16 |
| Southwark London Borough | Orchard Lodge | 16 |
| Hampshire CC | Swanwick Lodge | 5 |
| Devon CC | Atkinson | 4 |
| S. Gloucestershire CC | Vinney Green | 6 |
| Neath/Port Talbot | Hillside--Welsh unit | 6 |
| Hammersmith & Fulham London Borough | Stamford House | 10--available summer 1998 |
Mobile Telephones: Use While Driving
Lord Dormand of Easington asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What assessment they have made of the research evidence relating to the dangers of using a mobile phone whilst driving.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Baroness Hayman): There has been much concern about the road safety implications of using mobile phones while driving. We therefore asked the
Transport Research Laboratory to look at the evidence currently available and the report they have prepared is being published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.The report concludes that the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving is widely regarded as unsafe. Most regard this as so self-evident that there have been few specific studies. Hands-free phones have received the greatest attention and the debate in the research community centres on the extent to which hands-free conversations impact on driving performance. Studies suggest that the distraction effect of phones reduces as they are made easier to use. However, the distraction caused by the mental effort of telephone conversation is present, even with advanced devices.
Manual dialling and intense telephone conversations have been shown to cause considerable distraction and it is thought that this may impact on safety. Although the evidence is largely circumstantial, it all points in the same direction--that there is an association between telephone use and increased accident risk. Furthermore, there is evidence that phone conversations are more stressful than equivalent conversations with passengers.
The results of this research are reflected in the revised draft of the Highway Code on which we invited public comments last week and which we hope to put before Parliament next year. It is also reflected in the draft Code of Practice on the use of mobile phones in vehicles, which we are discussing with the mobile phone companies and motoring interests.
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