THURSDAY 2ND JULY
*The Baroness Knight of Collingtree—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take steps to discourage couples in receipt of a joint income of over £200,000 per annum from claiming child benefit.
*The Lord Astor of Hever—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they are considering abolishing the English Tourist Board.
*The Baroness Gardner of Parkes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in view of the publication on 21st May of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions’ consultation paper Limiting Fair Rent Increases, what estimate they have made of the impact of these proposals on future investment in the private rented residential sector.
†*The Earl of Lauderdale—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to support NATO’s reported “Partnership for peace” programme in Kosovo; and whether they intend to contribute troops or aircraft to this project.
†School Standards and Framework Bill—Further consideration on Report [The Baroness Blackstone]
‡Northern Ireland Act 1974 (Interim Period Extension) Order 1998—The Lord Dubs to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 1st June be approved. [36th Report from the Joint Committee]
ROYAL ASSENT
MONDAY 6TH JULY
*The Lord Taverne—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the delays and administrative burden which result from the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 on the international competitiveness of the United Kingdom’s research in the medical sciences and biotechnology.
*The Lord Dean of Beswick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the annual cost of dealing with the number of people applying for entry into the United Kingdom and whether any new measures are being considered to combat illegalities.
*The Lord Bridges—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is in accordance with Government policy for a planning application regarding the creation of a regional airport in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to be determined by a local planning authority without a public inquiry, and before the completion of that authority’s own inquiry into its Local Plan policies.
*The Baroness Castle of Blackburn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to protect the role of community hospitals in the National Health Service.
Registered Establishments (Scotland) Bill—Third Reading [The Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld]
§Northern Ireland (Sentences) Bill—Committee [The Lord Dubs]
‡The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what new help they are considering to promote in-bound tourism to the North West.
TUESDAY 7TH JULY
*The Lord Judd—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to enhance public appreciation of the teaching profession and understanding of the contribution it makes to the wellbeing of the United Kingdom.
*The Earl Russell—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what principles will underlie their review of housing benefit.
*The Earl of Drogheda—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether an alternative site for a garden dedicated to the memory of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, could be found, in view both of the effect on Kensington Gardens of the one currently under discussion and of the need for more parks and gardens in other parts of London.
*The Lord Peyton of Yeovil—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the replacement of Lorne House, the only institution in the country offering residential care to young drug addicts and alcoholics, which has been closed following the withdrawal of grants.
[It is expected that the Report stage of the School Standards and Framework Bill will be concluded this day]
WEDNESDAY 8TH JULY
*The Lord Quirk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with progress on improvements in teacher training.
*The Earl Russell—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider restoring a right to income support and housing benefit during the long vacation to students who are orphaned or estranged from both their parents.
*The Lord Sandberg—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering steps to modify European Union medicine legislation with regard to horses, due to come into effect in January 2000, in light of the tradition of horse welfare in the United Kingdom.
*The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what priority is being given by the Department for International Development, in relation to women’s sexual and reproductive rights, to provide further relevant services, including education, in the poorest countries.
Scotland Bill—Committee [The Lord Sewel] [24th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee]
‡The Lord Inglewood—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the North West of England is not disadvantaged by their proposals for the rail links to the Channel Tunnel.
THURSDAY 9TH JULY
*The Lord Wallace of Saltaire—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they propose to increase resources for the United Kingdom Knowhow Fund, as a means of strengthening links with central and east European states now preparing for future membership of the European Union.
*The Earl of Kinnoull—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made to clean up polluted beaches in England and Wales; what is the role of Water Authorities in the process; and what funds may be available from the European Union.
*The Lord Norton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what form of accountability they consider the Association of Chief Police Officers’ resolutions relating to matters of public interest should be subject.
†‡Draft Appropriation (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998—The Lord Dubs to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 16th June be approved.
[It is expected that the Report stage of the Government of Wales Bill will be concluded this day]
FRIDAY 10TH JULY
[At eleven o’clock]
Pensions (Amendment) Bill [HL]— Second Reading [The Lord Morris of Manchester]
Sexual Orientation Discrimination Bill [HL]— Committee [The Baroness Turner of Camden]
MONDAY 13TH JULY
*The Lord Campbell of Croy—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied that advances in medical science and engineering technology have substantially removed the dangers to health, in particular to lungs, of work in deep mining of coal.
*The Lord Lucas—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take the initiative in trying to bring the various parties in Sri Lanka to the negotiating table.
*The Lord Waddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they propose to take to strengthen the safeguards against a government seeking to extend the duration of a Parliament beyond five years.
*The Lord Campbell of Alloway—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether disproportionate industrial action in the public sector will be proscribed as unlawful unless submitted to mandatory arbitration with binding effect.
TUESDAY 14TH JULY
*The Earl of Carlisle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they believe that the Russian Federation has done all in its power, in accordance with its request for membership of the Council of Europe, “to settle outstanding international border disputes according to the principles of international law, abiding by the existing international treaties”.
*The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans for further reform of the liquor licensing laws.
*The Lord Berkeley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what technical, commercial and frontier control reasons still prevent Eurostar services from operating north of London.
*The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the request of the Royal British Legion that they commission a public enquiry into the way the aftermath of the Gulf War has been handled.
‡The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any proposals for reviving provincial repertory theatres.
WEDNESDAY 15TH JULY
*The Lord Hooson—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the National Museum authorities in Wales resite and rebuild the Industrial Maritime Museum as soon as possible.
*The Lord Northbourne—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to support inexperienced mothers with the care and parenting of their young children.
*The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider labelling all food products which have been exposed to pesticide sprays with a warning similar to that required for raw milk.
*The Lord Burnham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that the persons to be nominated to the Firearms Consultative Committee in August are properly qualified.
The Lord Montagu of Beaulieu—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their reactions to the recommendations of the Countryside Commission for the future management of the New Forest, in the light of the environmental and economic conditions of that area.
THURSDAY 16TH JULY
*The Lord Judd—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking with the European Union and other appropriate multilateral organisations to promote an internationally agreed strategy towards migration and towards respect for, and protection of, the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.
*The Lord Ashley of Stoke—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are proposing to modernise National Health Service hearing aids to close the technological gap between them and privately bought hearing aids.
*The Lord Dean of Beswick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the present rate or number of owner-occupied houses being repossessed by building societies due to the lapse of mortgage repayments.
MONDAY 20TH JULY
*The Lord Randall of St Budeaux—To ask the Chairman of Committees what are the main impediments to providing reasonable accommodation for peers in the Palace by October.
*The Lord Higgins—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the statement made by the Minister of State, Department of Social Security, in a broadcast regarding means-testing of social security benefit on Sunday 31st May represents Government policy.
*The Earl of Longford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the planned expenditure in real terms per prisoner for 1998-99, compared with that in 1995-96.
*The Lord Jenkin of Roding—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the progress of the Global Environmental Facility; and what is their response to the criticism from developing countries that the Facility ignores the most crucial issues affecting the Third World.
TUESDAY 21ST JULY
*The Lord Methuen—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage the rapid introduction of regional Eurostar services through the Channel Tunnel.
*The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they see any early prospect of being able to have the security gates at the entrance to Downing Street removed.
*The Baroness Castle of Blackburn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the leaflet Don’t leave your pension to chance, issued by the Department of Social Security in June, does not refer to the arrangements to make proof against inflation the pension received under SERPS, occupational pension schemes and personal pensions respectively.
*The Lord Jenkins of Putney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether President Clinton’s new Presidential Decision Directive on United States nuclear doctrine contains any proposals for action towards the elimination of nuclear weapons and interim proposals to seek agreement to take nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert; and, if not, whether they will table such proposals for the consideration of the United Nations Security Council.
WEDNESDAY 22ND JULY
*The Earl Baldwin of Bewdley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made to broaden the membership of their scientific advisory committees.
*The Lord Waddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Report of the Advisory Group on Quarantine is due to be published, and how soon after receipt of the Report they plan to announce their decision.
*The Lord Methuen—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what benefits they expect to accrue from the centralisation of magistrates’ courts at four locations in Derbyshire, and how they expect defendants and witnesses to attend, given the paucity of public transport in parts of Derbyshire.
*The Lord Cadman—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied that, following their decision to allow the sale of former railway lands to proceed, the land requirements of the rail freight industry will be adequately provided for.
THURSDAY 23RD JULY
*The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the performance of the Radio Authority in consenting to departures from the terms of independent radio licences.
*The Lord Campbell of Croy—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have yet approved upgrading to motorway status, as part of the M6, of the stretch of trunk road now confined to two lanes each way from the Scottish Border to Junction 44 near Carlisle.
*The Lord Dholakia—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people since April 1992 have committed suicide in prisons managed by the commercial sector.
MONDAY 27TH JULY
*The Earl of Sandwich—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the progress made by companies in ensuring internationally agreed minimum labour standards for overseas workers.
*The Lord Jacobs—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they propose to take to ensure that consumers in the United Kingdom do not have to pay as much as twenty per cent more for new cars than consumers in Belgium.
*The Lord Dholakia—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review, in consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers, the use of CS spray by police forces.
†*The Lord Blyth—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to discourage spitting in public, particularly at sporting venues.
TUESDAY 28TH JULY
*The Lord Ashley of Stoke—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that local authorities provide community care for disabled people to match their needs.
*The Lord Chesham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why their treatment of English, Welsh and Northern Irish students at Scottish universities was not part of their election manifesto.
*The Lord Peyton of Yeovil—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are content with the present level of communication between Ministers and leading scientists.
†*The Lord Renton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made since 31st December 1997 in reducing the number of bogus asylum seekers in the United Kingdom.
WEDNESDAY 29TH JULY
*The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the comprehensive spending review will affect the number of overseas diplomatic posts.
*The Lord Hooson—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the arrangements being made for the adequate translation of documents into the Welsh language in time for the first sitting of the Welsh Assembly in 1999.
†*The Lord Dormand of Easington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the progress being made in the training of teachers wishing to become headteachers.
†*The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider it to be in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 487 and 687 that the United States should transfer to Israel 25 strike aircraft capable of reaching Iran.
THURSDAY 30TH JULY
†*The Lord Hardy of Wath—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the responses received in regard to their recent energy review.
NO DAY NAMED
PART I
The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein—To call attention to the opportunities for trade with and investment in Latin America; and to move for papers.
The Lord Ashley of Stoke—To call attention to the need for full, enforceable civil rights for chronically sick and disabled people; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Perry of Southwark—To call attention to the importance of higher education policy for the social, economic and intellectual welfare of the United Kingdom; and to move for papers.
The Lord Barnett—To call attention to the prospects for the United Kingdom joining the EMU in the foreseeable future; and to move for papers.
The Lord Armstrong of Ilminster—To move, That a Select Committee be appointed to undertake an inquiry, and within three calendar months to make recommendations, as to how a procedure might be implemented whereby the House would nominate approximately one hundred peers by succession to be voting peers and whereby the remaining peers by succession would renounce their rights to vote but would retain their rights to speak in the House or Committees of the House.
The Lord Moynihan—To call attention to the current situation in Algeria; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Northesk—To call attention to political and economic developments in the South Atlantic; and to move for papers.
The Lord Stone of Blackheath—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is a need throughout the United Kingdom for a comprehensive and cohesive policy relating to the commercial, business and financial sectors in towns, cities and other urban areas.
The Earl of Carlisle—To call attention to the number of people from ethnic minorities in senior positions in public life; and to move for papers.
The Lord Sandberg—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what effect the financial crisis in the Far East is likely to have on the British economy.
The Lord Hooson—To call attention to plans to restructure the United Nations for the next century; and to move for papers.
The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the use of sanctions to support United Nations’ resolutions.
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that the Charter of the United Nations permits, and the international rule of law can survive, claims by individual member states to a right of unilateral interpretation of UN Security Council Resolutions, and a right to engage in military operations under such unilateral interpretations.
The Earl of Clancarty—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have an overall integrated arts strategy for the United Kingdom and, if so, what it is.
Succession to the Crown—The Lord Alderdice to move, That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to allow that Her undoubted Prerogative and interest may not stand in the way of the consideration of Parliament during the present session of any measure to remove the bar on a person who is not, or who is married to a person who is not, a protestant to succeed to the Crown.
The Baroness Thomas of Walliswood—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to continuing delays in the completion of the Swanwick Air Traffic Control Centre.
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take steps to replace measurements of gross domestic product and gross national product, both within the United Kingdom and in international bodies, with measurements that are being developed by the Office for National Statistics which are able to take into account economically significant unpaid and unrecorded work and the reduction through consumption or otherwise of irreplaceable natural resources.
The Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to promote and support the responsibilities of family life.
The Earl of Carlisle—To call attention to the long-term future of Central and Eastern Europe, with particular reference to the three Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Onslow—To call attention to the science of genetically-modified organisms, and its implications for the breeding of plants and animals; and to move for papers.
The Viscount Hanworth—To call attention to the need to encourage teachers in primary and secondary education, and to the role of OFSTED; and to move for papers.
The Lord Bishop of Oxford—To call attention to the commitment in the Labour Party manifesto to a “fairer, faster and firmer” asylum procedure; and to move for papers.
The Lord Ackner—To call attention to the case for effectively monitoring the operation of conditional fee agreements; and to move for papers.
The Lord Dholakia—To call attention to the need for a national strategy for dealing with paedophiles; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Ludford—To call attention to the need for firm action by the European Union and its international partners to secure peace and justice in Kosovo; and to move for papers.
The Lord Birdwood—To call attention to changes in the duties of back-bench members of both Houses of Parliament in the last thirty years; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Linklater of Butterstone—To call attention to the implications for rural communities of the closure of their local school; and to move for papers.
The Lord Hardy of Wath—To call attention to the apparent increase in cruelty to animals; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Kinnoull—To call attention to the need to retain a viable British fishing industry beyond 2002; and to move for papers.
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will seek to improve the procedures for the election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe so as to ensure that the Parliamentary Assembly is reliably advised about the qualifications of nominated candidates on the basis of a transparent, thorough and fair process of interview by an independent expert committee.
The Earl of Clanwilliam—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the industrialisation of farming practices in the United Kingdom.
The Lord Hylton—To move to resolve, That this House deplores the attempted murder of Mr Akin Birdal, President of the Turkish Human Rights Association, on 12th May; the refusal by the Turkish Government to admit United Nations Rapporteurs on Human Rights, or representatives of the OSCE or ICRC; the imprisonment and exile of members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; and the banning and dissolution in Turkey of numerous bona fide political parties.
The Lord Janner of Braunstone—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ban or restrict smoking in restaurants, other eating places and other public places.
The Lord Rowallan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their long-term policy towards help lines in the field of health services.
The Earl of Longford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are continuing a policy of cutting expenditure in real terms per prisoner, and of cutting the total expenditure in real terms on the probation service and on prisoner education.
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further consideration they are giving to improving Service Pensions and War and War Widows’ Pensions; and when they expect to announce any improvements.
The Lord Rotherwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their intentions for taxing pesticides, and what will be the implications of such a tax for farming and the countryside.
The Lord Hindlip—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they intend to amend the rules on conditional exemption of works of art, and what estimate they make of the impact on the reservoir of works of art remaining in the United Kingdom.
The Lord Tope—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to address the problem of bullying of pupils in secondary schools.
The Baroness Maddock—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they propose to take to improve the quality of the housing stock following the recent publication of the English House Condition Survey for 1996.
The Viscount Chelmsford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied that the link between the United Kingdom’s Balance of Payments and the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) by the nation’s leaders and managers is sufficiently understood.
The Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their view of the economic and business opportunities presented by the information age, which was the subject of a Government paper published in April by the Central Office of Information.
The Lord Vinson—To call attention to the case for using nuclear energy to meet the United Kingdom’s Kyoto Conference obligations for the reduction of CO2 emissions; and to move for papers.
The Lord Campbell of Alloway—To move to resolve, That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that Her Majesty should exercise the Prerogative of Mercy to release Guardsmen Fisher and Wright from mandatory life imprisonment in exceptional circumstances as other available mechanisms would unduly delay their release.
The Lord Jenkins of Putney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will sign the Irish Government’s Nuclear Disarmament initiative which has been signed by Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, South Africa, Slovenia and Sweden.
The Lord Borrie—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to modernise the regulation of the utility industries so as to provide a fair deal for consumers in general and vulnerable consumers in particular.
PART II
SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS
[The date in brackets is that on which the Report was published]
The Lord Kingsland—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the European Communities Committee on Enhancing Parliamentary Scrutiny of the Third Pillar (6th Report, HL Paper 25). [12th September]
The Lord Slynn of Hadley—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the Select Committee on the Public Service (HL Paper 55). [19th January]
The Baroness Hilton of Eggardon—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the European Communities Committee on Sustainable Landfill (17th Report, HL Paper 83). [7th April]
The Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the Science and Technology Committee, Resistance to Antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents (7th Report, HL Paper 81). [23rd April]
The Lord Hoffmann—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the European Communities Committee on Acquired Rights Revisited (22nd Report, HL Paper 98). [18th May]
The Lord Barnett—To move, That this House take note of the Report of the European Communities Committee on the European Central Bank (24th Report, HL Paper 112). [9th June]
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
[Tabled or amended on 30th June]
The Lord Dean of Beswick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what response has been received to the consultation paper Opening up Quangos. (HL2500)
The Lord Dean of Beswick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to announce the outcome of the prior options study of the Local Government Commission for England. (HL2501)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they agree with the Chief Inspector of Prisons that there is erosion of standards endorsed by Parliament, leading to treatment of prisoners that is contrary to the Mission Statement of the Prison Service; and whether they agree with his opinion that conditions “can only get worse as more cuts are imposed”. (HL2502)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will employ prisoners at Lincoln Prison to clean the walls and give the ground floor of A Wing a fresh coat of paint. (HL2503)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that prisoners have access to a range of reading material when undergoing cellular punishment. (HL2504)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will investigate the allegation made to the Chief Inspector of Prisons that prisoners in Lincoln Prison A Wing switched from cannabis to heroin use following the introduction of mandatory drug testing. (HL2505)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will arrange for the publication of lists of names of members of the Boards of Visitors of England and Wales. (HL2506)
The Lord Peyton of Yeovil—To ask Her Majesty’s Government in which institutions purely clinical researches are being carried out into the effects of organophosphates upon human beings; and by whom they are being conducted. (HL2507)
The Viscount Brentford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many employees of the Ambulance Service have been attacked, both physically and verbally, in the course of their duties during the past ten years. (HL2508)
The Viscount Brentford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of Ambulance Service staff have retired for medical reasons under the age of 65 during the past year; and how many people that involved. (HL2509)
The Viscount Brentford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are giving any consideration to lowering the retirement age of 65 for Ambulance Service staff as is the case with other stress-related occupations. (HL2510)
The Earl of Carlisle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Secretary of State for Defence postponed his visit to Latvia scheduled for November 1997 and sent the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in his place; and when the Secretary of State will visit the Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. (HL2511)
The Earl of Carlisle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the latest date by which they envisage the three Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joining NATO as full members. (HL2512)
The Baroness Anelay of St Johns—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to their commitment to subject every piece of available evidence on organophosphates to rigorous and transparent scrutiny, what is their estimate of the number of documents which will be scrutinised; how they have calculated that number; how they propose to make the scrutiny “transparent”; and what estimate they have made of the staff, time and budget required to fulfil their commitment. (HL2513)
The Lord Mackay of Drumadoon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Williams of Mostyn on 8th June (WA 73-76) that the Justice and Home Affairs Council held on 28th and 29th May had failed to reach political agreement on the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance, when they anticipate that such agreement will be achieved. (HL2514)
The Lord Dholakia—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the relationship between local authority Housing Departments and the Immigration Service; and whether they will discontinue the practice of Housing Departments contacting the Immigration Service about the immigration status of applicants on the waiting list. (HL2515)
The Lord Dholakia—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will set up an enquiry into allegations that women prisoners are being put under pressure to have abortions in exchange for being moved to open prisons. (HL2516)
The Lord Dholakia—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cases are currently being considered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission; what is the average time taken in reaching a decision; and how long it would take to clear the backlog. (HL2517)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they have a bilateral debt agreement for £1.576 billion with Poland when no outstanding export credit loan to any other country exceeds £0.5 billion; what transactions this debt covers; and what are its implications for Poland’s entry into the European Union and NATO, and consequent need to meet extra expenditure. (HL2518)
The Lord Alton of Liverpool—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funds have been allocated to organisations or companies involved in the development of cloning by the Department of Trade and Industry; what were the amounts given and who were the recipients; what account has been taken of the current debate on the ethics of cloning before allocating this money; and what is the Government’s policy in respect of human cloning. (HL2519)
The Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish their response to the recommendations on strategic export controls contained in Sir Richard Scott’s Report of the Inquiry into the Export of Defence Equipment and Dual-Use Goods to Iraq and Related Prosecutions. (HL2520)
BILLS IN PROGRESS
[The date in brackets is the date for which the bill is set down]
Waiting for Second Reading
Prime Minister (Ecclesiastical Functions) [HL]
Pensions (Amendment) [HL] [10th July]
Committed to an Unopposed Bill Committee
Recommitted to an Unopposed Bill Committee
London Local Authorities [HL]
Committed to a Select Committee
Committed to a Committee of the Whole House
Pharmacists [HL]
Regional Development Agencies
Sexual Orientation Discrimination [HL] [10th July]
Scotland [8th July]
Northern Ireland (Sentences) [6th July]
Recommitted to a Committee of the Whole House
Waiting for Report
Lord Chancellor (Tenure of Office) (Amendment) [HL]
Government of Wales [1st July]
School Standards and Framework [2nd July]
National Minimum Wage
European Parliamentary Elections
Waiting for Third Reading
Registered Establishments (Scotland) [6th July]
Police (Northern Ireland)
Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) [1st July]
Sent to the Commons
Coordinated Universal Time [HL]
Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Amendment) [HL]
Geneva Conventions (Amendment) [HL]
British Nationality (St. Helena) [HL]
Human Rights [HL]
Local Government (Experimental Arrangements) [HL]
Competition [HL]
Data Protection [HL]
Business Improvement Districts [HL]
Electricity Generation [HL]
Mental Health (Amendment) (No. 2) [HL]
Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) (Amendment) [HL]
Building Regulations (Energy Rating Information) (Amendment) [HL]
Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) (Amendment) [HL]
Bodmin Moor Commons [HL]
Lloyds TSB [HL]
Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council [HL]
Alliance & Leicester plc (Group Reorganisation) [HL]
Waiting for consideration of Commons amendments
Returned to the Commons amended
Returned to the Commons with a reason
Teaching and Higher Education [HL]
Waiting for Royal Assent
National Lottery [HL]
Public Interest Disclosure
MEASURE IN PROGRESS
Waiting for Royal Assent
AFFIRMATIVE INSTRUMENTS IN PROGRESS
Waiting for consideration by the Joint Committee
Draft Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (Amendment) Regulations 1998
Draft Security for Private Road Works (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1998
Waiting for Affirmative Resolution
Draft Welfare of Livestock (Amendment) Regulations 1998
Draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
Draft Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
Draft Northern Ireland Act 1974 (Interim Period Extension) Order 1998
Draft Appropriation (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
Draft Air Carrier Liability Order 1998
Draft Houses in Multiple Occupation (Charges for Registration Schemes) Regulations 1998
Draft Community Drivers’ Hours and Recording Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 1998
DEREGULATION PROPOSALS IN PROGRESS
Proposal laid under s.3(3) referred to the Deregulation Committee
Draft Deregulation (Weights and Measures) Order 1998
Draft Deregulation (Pipe-lines) Order 1998
Waiting for Affirmative Resolution
Draft Deregulation (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles) Order 1998 [23rd Report]
Order laid under s.1(4) referred to the Deregulation Committee
Draft Deregulation (Exchangeable Driving Licences) Order 1998
COMMITTEES
[Unless otherwise indicated, Committees meet in the Lords’ rooms
in the Committee Corridor as indicated in the daily broadsheets]
WEDNESDAY 1ST JULY
