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Written Answers
Monday, 20th July 1998.
EU Tobacco Subsidy
Baroness Jeger asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the present annual subsidy being paid from the common agricultural policy funds to tobacco growers in the European Union; and what proportion of this is paid by United Kingdom taxpayers.[HL2727]
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue): In 1997, the EU spent 998 million ecu (£670 million*) on subsidies under the EU tobacco regime.
Member states contribute to the EU budget as a whole and not to any particular part. Our contribution is about 17 per cent before our Fontainebleau abatement is taken into account. Note: * using an exchange rate of 1 ecu = £0.67128.
E.coli 0157 and Zoonoses Order
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What powers the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has to investigate animals potentially infected with E.coli; and, if there are none, whether they intend to amend the Zoonoses Order to include E.coli 0157.[HL2656]
Lord Donoughue: In circumstances where there is suspicion of E.coli 0157 in food, powers already exist in the Food Safety Act 1990 not only to investigate the food business concerned but also to trace back to collect evidence of its presence on farm whether in the animals or elsewhere.
In practice, the farming community generally co-operate fully with staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food where on-farm investigations are needed. However, the Government will amend the Zoonoses Order 1989 to include E.coli 0157, or any other zoonotic organism, should it become necessary.
Vitamin B6
Baroness Wharton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they expect to reach a final conclusion on the consultation exercise which they have recently conducted in relation to the proposed new restrictions on the retail sale of Vitamin B6 supplements; and[HL2724]
When they expect to be able to respond to the recent report of the House of Commons Agriculture Committee on Vitamin B6.[HL2726]
Lord Donoughue: The Government will consider the results of the consultation exercise on its proposals on restrictions on the sale of Vitamin B6, together with the report of the Agriculture Select Committee, before deciding how to proceed. An announcement on the Government's policy will be made as soon as we are in a position to do so.
Baroness Wharton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many submissions they received in response to their recent consultation exercise on the proposed new restrictions on the retail sale of Vitamin B6 supplements: and how many, and what percentage of those submissions (a) broadly supported and
(b) broadly opposed the proposed restrictions[HL2725]
Lord Donoughue: The Government received 50 responses to its consultation exercise on its proposals on dietary supplements containing Vitamin B6. The responses are currently being analysed and summarised. Copies of those from respondees who have not requested confidentiality will be placed in the Library in due course.
East Timor
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will reiterate their commitment to the self-determination of East Timor as set out in the European Union Common Position of 1998.[HL2538]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): Her Majesty's Government remain committed to the 1996 EU Common Position on East Timor: the EU's aim is to contribute to the achievement by dialogue of a fair, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the question of East Timor, which fully respects the interests and legitimate aspirations of the Timorese people, in accordance with international law.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What representations the British Government has made to the Indian Government to facilitate the release of Xanana Gusmao and to allow him to return to East Timor to participate in negotiations between East Timor and Indonesia.[HL2537]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government have on a number of occasions, most recently at the European Council in Cardiff on 15-16 June, called for the release of Xanana Gusmao. In his capacity as representative of the Presidency of the European Union, the Minister of State, Mr. Fatchett,
visited him in prison in Jakarta on 28 May. He also stressed to the Indonesian Government the importance of Gusmao's early release, which would allow the dialogue on East Timor to be taken forward.
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are taking to engage the Portuguese Government and the United Nations
in an active role to seek a just political solution in
East Timor.[HL2539]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Under our Presidency of the EU, Troika Ambassadors in Jakarta visited East Timor (27-30 June). This mission was in support of the UN process of searching for a fair, comprehensive and internationally acceptable solution to the problem. The outcome of the visit is being discussed with EU partners under the Austrian Presidency of the EU. We remain in close contact with the UN, particularly the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for East Timor, Ambassador Marker, and the government of Portugal on this issue.
EU/Iran Dialogue
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will insist that in any dialogue between the European Union and Iran the questions of human rights, terrorism and the Middle East peace process be included in the agenda.[HL2526]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The new EU/Iran dialogue will be comprehensive, covering issues of both mutual interest and areas of concern. The 23 February General Affairs Council conclusions defined these concerns as weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, human rights and Iran's attitude to the Middle East peace process.
Children and Young People: Protection from Abuse
Lord Graham of Edmonton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What further plans they have to tackle the issue of preventing unsuitable people from working with children and to protect young people from abuse by those in positions of trust following the debate on lowering the homosexual age of consent from
18 to 16, in another place, on 22 June HC Deb,
col. 754-804.[HL2921]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): During the debate in another place on 22 June, my honourable friend the Minister of State (Mr. Michael) referred to the interdepartmental working group set up to look as a matter of priority at further safeguards needed to prevent those unsuitable from working with children and to
protect young people from abuse by those in positions of trust. This group is due to meet on 30 July.The need to protect vulnerable 16 and 17 year-olds from abuse of trust was discussed at length in the debate on 22 June. The working group will look carefully at the concerns expressed. Issues to be considered will include: the definition of a position of trust; the scope of occupations to be covered; the definition of those to be protected; the kind of behaviour to be prohibited; existing safeguards and possible new mechanisms for prohibiting such behaviour, including a possible new criminal offence. Any proposals will relate to the need to protect both boys and girls and will take account of issues such as avoiding the criminalisation of the younger partner in a relationship based on abuse of trust.
On the issue of preventing those unsuitable from working with children, the working group's programme of work will include: how working with children can be defined; how to define those unsuitable to work with children; existing and potential safeguards to prevent unsuitable people working with children; a possible new offence to support the safeguards; and the possible establishment of a central register of those unsuitable to work with children, including questions of quality assurance, access, scope and cost.
The working group will also take into account the report of Sir William Utting's review of safeguards for children living away from home and the Government's response to this review, which is expected to be published by the Ministerial Task Force later this year. In particular, consideration will be given to those recommendations dealing with choosing the right staff.
The working group, which will be led by the Home Office, will hold regular meetings during the autumn and is tasked to make recommendations by the end of December. Other departments involved include: the Department for Education and Employment; the Department of Health; the Welsh Office; the Charity Commission; the Crown Prosecution Service; and the Lord Chancellor's Department. The group will also look at how best to involve outside organisations in the work. The group's recommendations will relate to England and Wales, but representatives from the Scottish and Northern Ireland Offices will also be involved.
Asylum and Immigration Appeals: Presenting Officers
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many Home Office Presenting Officers are employed for the hearing of asylum and immigration appeals; and [HL2638]
Whether they consider that a sufficient number of Home Office Presenting Officers are employed to meet the demands of the appeal system for immigration and asylum cases.[HL2640]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: On 10 July 1998, 96.6 staff were employed. There is a temporary shortage of Presenting Officers in London and the South East, which has arisen as a result of recruitment constraints within the Home Office. This is now being actively addressed.
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