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Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Although the Commission indicates the new legislative initiatives it will be pursuing each year in its Annual Work Programme, there is no exhaustive list of proposals likely to come before the Council in any given period. Moreover, the negotiating period for individual proposals varies enormously. Whether or not the Government support a particular proposal depends on its content. This may well change during the course of negotiations. For that reason, it is also extremely difficult to predict whether a proposal will be supported by other member states.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are examining a number of options for national domestic regulation of so-called private military companies operating out of the United Kingdom. As part of this process, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently looking at measures taken by other governments, including recent South African legislation.
Lord Davies of Oldham asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We have today submitted to the Council Secretariat details of the United Kingdom's 24 nominees for membership of the Economic and Social Committee, along with 24 reserve nominees.
Baroness Pitkeathley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: From a diplomatic community of over 17,000 persons, 17 alleged serious offences by persons entitled to immunity were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. "Serious offences" are defined in accordance with the report to the Foreign Affairs Committee, The Abuse of Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges (1985), as offences which fall into the category which in certain circumstances attract a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment or more: the majority involved drinking and driving and shoplifting.
In relation to this Question, I refer my noble friend to the Answer I gave to the noble Lord, Lord Marlesford, on 1 June (WA15-16) that one diplomat was withdrawn at the department's request from his post in the United Kingdom as a result of alleged offences, compared with six the previous year.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): The total cost of computers and IT equipment delivered to Taylor House in March 1998 was £102,410.43. This figure includes all hardware, software and licences delivered and paid for during the month for the centre as a whole. The terms of contract are those normally applied in the public sector between contractor and supplier. Delays in the realignment of some IT support service functions while those services were contracted out to the private sector meant the support services were unable to install the equipment until a number of outstanding issues had been resolved. It was decided the training programme should not be put on hold, although it would have been more desirable to train staff and judiciary on their own computers had they been available for use at the time. The difficulties have now been resolved and the equipment is timetabled to be installed during July, when checks will be made to ensure the software meets the requirements for which it was intended.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Lord Chancellor: As at the end of May 1998 there were 21,255 asylum and 6,429 non-asylum adjudicator appeals outstanding. These are being disposed of at a rate of 1,600 asylum appeals per month. At the same time there were 1,006 asylum applications and 1,378 asylum tribunal appeals outstanding. There were an additional 844 and 1,460 non-asylum applications and appeals outstanding respectively. These are being disposed of at an average rate of nearly 1,200 per month.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Lord Chancellor: There were 2,435 tribunal appeals (not applications) heard during 1997-98, 1,957 during 1996-97 (estimated figure) and 1,230 during 1995-96. There are no reliable data currently available to distinguish the number, or proportion, of appeals returned to adjudicators de novo from the tribunal.
Baroness Pitkeathley asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Lord Chancellor: The Legal Services Ombudsman has today published her seventh annual report, and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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