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Written Answers
Thursday, 12th November 1998.
Sovereign Immunity
Lord Renton of Mount Harry asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there have been recent cases in United Kingdom courts involving claims of sovereign immunity which have led them to consider making changes to the law.[HL3661]
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): No. Her Majesty's Government have no present plans to amend the existing law on sovereign immunity, in particular the State Immunity Act 1978. However, this law is kept under continual review in the light of recent case law both here and abroad and recent studies of the International Law Commission of the United Nations.
Parliamentary Scrutiny of European Business
Baroness Hilton of Eggardon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When will the Government publish their proposals for improving the arrangements for the parliamentary scrutiny of European business.[HL3854]
The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Jay of Paddington): The Government have today published a White Paper entitled The Scrutiny of European Business (Cm 4095). This document confirms the Government's commitment to effective scrutiny by Parliament of business across all three pillars of European Union activity, and sets out the key elements for an enhanced system. The Government hope that the new arrangements can be introduced from the beginning of the next Parliamentary Session.
Airline Passengers: Disruptive Behaviour
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are considering, in consultation with the airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority, to deal with the hazards arising from violent and disruptive conduct by passengers.[HL3673]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty): The civil aviation industry, the Civil Aviation Authority and the police are actively engaged in addressing the problem of disruptive and violent behaviour by airline passengers. My honourable friend the Minister of Transport is to meet representatives of the industry, the CAA and the police to review the measures they are taking to see if there are any further steps that might be taken.
Railtrack: Diversionary Routes
Baroness Thomas of Walliswood asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether Railtrack is giving sufficient attention to the need of businesses such as the Post Office for access to adequate diversionary routes while repairs and renewals on the West Coast Main Line are carried out.[HL3746]
Lord Whitty: This is an operational matter for Railtrack.
West Coast Main Line: Tilting Trains
Baroness Thomas of Walliswood asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are aware of any plans on the part of Railtrack to exclude trains other than those with tilt mechanism for the fast lines on the West Coast Main Line after the year 2005; and if so, what the implications of such plans might be:
(a) in terms of the availability to compete of operators using conventional trains; and
(b) for train services to Northampton.[HL3745]
Lord Whitty: The Passenger Upgrade 2 (PUG2) agreement requires Railtrack to carry out works on the West Coast Main Line which will enable tilting trains to travel at speeds of up to 140 mph. Even when the project is complete, conventional trains will not be able to negotiate curves on the route at speeds above
110 mph without causing discomfort to passengers.
The original draft agreement proposed exclusivity (with some specified exceptions) in the daytime for use by high speed operators. In his conclusions on PUG2, the Regulator required all such references to be removed. However, it is likely that there would be operational problems if more than a very small number of conventional, common, non-tilting trains were to be run on the same lines as faster, tilting trains. In terms of the specific questions:
(a) Regardless of which line they run on, conventional trains will be slower than equivalent tilting trains on lines with significant curvature. Depending on the market they serve, this may affect their ability to compete;
(b) The approval process carried out by the Regulator for PUG2 involved an agreement by Railtrack to specific commitments to capacity and service characteristics for trains to Northampton as well as on other affected sections of the route.
Baroness Thomas of Walliswood asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many tracks for freight trains will be available on the West Coast Main Line between Rugby and
12 Nov 1998 : Column WA109
- London during the daytime, 0700-2100 hours, when the upgrading of the railway is completed in 2002.[HL3741]
Lord Whitty: Use of the capacity available on the West Coast Main Line is determined by the outcome of the bidding process by passenger and freight operators. The take up of capacity by any particular operator, be it passenger or freight, will, therefore, depend on access rights held and bids made. Given this mechanism it would be inappropriate to pre-determine allocation of train paths by business type.
West Coast Main Line: Modernisation
Baroness Thomas of Walliswood asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the aspirations of the freight train operating companies and the Government to treble freight in 10 years have been accommodated in the agreement between Railtrack and Virgin Trains for the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line.[HL3742]
Lord Whitty: In approving the agreement between Railtrack and Virgin Trains the Rail Regulator took account of concerns expressed by others and ensured that provision was made to preserve capacity for existing non-Virgin freight and passenger services and, over and above that, to create some 42 additional paths on the slow lines which may be used for services not now running, including any proposed by freight operators.
Video Recording Act 1984
Baroness Rendell of Babergh asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they propose to make any changes to the authority responsible for making arrangements for the classification of video works under the Video Recording Act 1984.[HL3852]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has today laid before both Houses details of his proposal to designate Lord Taylor of Warwick and Ms Janet Lewis Jones under Section 4(4) of the Video Recordings Act 1984. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) earlier today announced their intention to appoint Lord Taylor and Janet Lewis Jones, subject to parliamentary approval under Section 4(4), as their Vice-Presidents. My right honourable friend proposes to designate them, in that capacity, to replace Monica Sims.
Copies of the proposal of designation and the text of a letter my right honourable friend intends to send at the time of designation to Lord Taylor and Janet Lewis Jones have been placed in the Library.
My right honourable friend believes that Lord Taylor and Janet Lewis Jones have the necessary understanding
of the issues relating to the responsibility of a designated authority and he expects them, along with the President, Andreas Whittam Smith, to provide strong leadership for the BBFC.Senator Pinochet: Extradition
Baroness Rendell of Babergh asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have received a formal extradition request for Senator Pinochet via diplomatic channels.[HL3853]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: We received a formal request for the extradition of Senator Pinochet from the Spanish Government on 11 November. The request was submitted through diplomatic channels.
Private Individuals: Firearm Certificates
Lord Hardy of Wath asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In how many cases have private individuals been given permission to employ security staff and bodyguards equipped with firearms; which public organisations or authorities have given consent to such employment; and whether Ministers have been consulted or have given approval to such consent.[HL3687]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: It has long been the policy in mainland Britain for the police not to issue firearm certificates to individuals who wish to possess firearms for personal protection, or for the protection of their employers or other individuals. Handguns are now prohibited weapons which may only be possessed by virtue of the express authority of the Secretary of State. That authority has not been granted for the protection of private citizens or property.
In Northern Ireland, because of the particular circumstances in the Province, the legislation does allow the Chief Officer of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to issue permits for firearms for self-protection. Such weapons are allowed solely for the protection of the holder and permits are never issued to personal bodyguards or private security staff. At present, there are some 9,500 personal protection weapons held on permit in Northern Ireland.
GCSE Results: Wales
Lord Pilkington of Oxenford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish data for Wales showing for all state schools, independent schools and all schools separately, the percentage of all 16-year old pupils in each of the years 1994 to 1997 obtaining one or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C and one or more passes at grades A* to G, showing data separately for boys, girls and all pupils and including,
- for each category of school, the number of schools and the number of 16-year old pupils.[HL3714]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Information on GCSE results is usually given for those pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year (i.e., those that become 16 during the school year). Information for these pupils, for schools in Wales, is given in the following tables.
| Year | ||||||||
| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |||||
| Maintained schools(2) | ||||||||
| Number of schools with 15-year old pupils | 273 | 273 | 280 | 280 | ||||
| Number of 15-year old boys | 15,966 | 18,108 | 18,600 | 17,808 | ||||
| Percentage of 15-year old boys achieving: | ||||||||
| 1 or more GCSE grades A* to C | 58 | 58 | 60 | 61 | ||||
| 1 or more GCSE grades A* to G | 88 | 87 | 87 | 88 | ||||
| Independent schools | ||||||||
| Number of schools with 15-year old pupils | 38 | 38 | 38 | 37 | ||||
| Number of 15-year old boys | 532 | 493 | 507 | 434 | ||||
| Percentage of 15-year old boys achieving: | ||||||||
| 1 or more GCSE grades A* to C | 83 | 90 | 90 | 89 | ||||
| 1 or more GCSE grades A* to G | 87 | 92 | 92 | 92 | ||||
| All schools | ||||||||
| Number of schools with 15-year old pupils | 311 | 311 | 318 | 317 | ||||
| Number of 15-year old boys | 16,498 | 18,601 | 19,107 | 18,242 | ||||
| Percentage of 15-year old boys achieving: | ||||||||
| 1 or more GCSE grades A* to C | 59 | 59 | 61 | 61 | ||||
| 1 or more GCSE grades A* to G | 88 | 87 | 87 | 88 | ||||
(1)Age given is the age at the start of the academic year.
(2)Local Education Authority and grant maintained secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.
(3)Age given is the age at the start of the academic year.
(4)LEA and grant maintained secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.
(5)Age given is the age at the start of the academic year.
(6)LEA and grant maintained secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.
Year
1994 1995 1996 1997
Maintained schools(4)
Number of schools with 15-year old pupils 273 273 280 280
Number of 15-year old girls 15,414 16,856 17,529 17,293
Percentage of 15-year old girls achieving:
1 or more GCSE grades A* to C 69 70 71 72
1 or more GCSE grades A* to G 92 92 91 91
Independent schools
Number of schools with 15-year old pupils 38 38 38 37
Number of 15 year-old girls 424 477 486 446
Percentage of 15-year old girls achieving:
1 or more GCSE grades A* to C 99 96 98 95
1 or more GCSE grades A* to G 100 96 100 96
All schools
Number of schools with 15-year old pupils 311 311 318 317
Number of 15-year old girls 15,838 17,333 18,015 17,739
Percentage of 15-year old girls achieving:
1 or more GCSE grades A* to C 70 71 71 72
1 or more GCSE grades A* to G 92 92 91 91
Year
1994 1995 1996 1997
Maintained schools(6)
Number of schools with 15-year old pupils 273 273 280 280
Number of 15-year old pupils 31,380 34,952 36,034 35,101
Percentage of 15-year old pupils achieving:
1 or more GCSE grades A* to C 64 64 65 66
1 or more GCSE grades A* to G 90 89 89 90
Independent schools
Number of schools with 15-year old pupils 38 38 38 37
Number of 15-year old pupils 956 970 993 880
Percentage of 15-year old pupils achieving:
1 or more GCSE grades A* to C 90 93 94 92
1 or more GCSE grades A* to G 93 94 96 94
All schools
Number of schools with 15-year old pupils 311 311 318 317
Number of 15-year old pupils 32,336 35,922 37,027 35,981
Percentage of 15-year old pupils achieving:
1 or more GCSE grades A* to C 64 65 66 67
1 or more GCSE grades A* to G 90 89 89 90
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