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Algeria and Morocco: EU Aid
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the amount of aid given by the European Union annually to Algeria and Morocco; how much is provided by the United Kingdom; and whether the aid is properly, honestly and efficiently administered.[HL2255]
Baroness Amos: The EC, mainly through its Mediterranean Assistance (MEDA) programme 1995-99, provides a significant amount of official development assistance to Algeria and Morocco each year. In 1997 (the latest year for which figures are available) this amounted to £20.8 million for Algeria and £121.5 million for Morocco. The UK's share of this assistance is estimated at £3.1 million for Algeria and £18.2 million for Morocco. 1
We are concerned about the quality of the EC programme to the Mediterranean and have consistently supported measures to improve financial management within the programme. The renewal of the MEDA regulation for 2000-06 will provide an opportunity to streamline EC procedures and promote more rigorous evaluation and quality control.
- 1 Figures are from DAC online database.
Human Rights Act 1998: Judicial Training
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish the budget for the current programme of judicial training about the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998, showing how the moneys allocated to the programme are to be spent.[HL2177]
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): The estimated expenditure on Human Rights Act training for the judiciary in England and Wales will be:
| Full-time judiciary | £1.13 million |
| Lay magistrates | £1.5 million |
| Tribunal members | £0.3 million |
| Court Service costs in providing part-time judicial cover for training judges | £1.5 million |
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the timetable for the current programme of judicial training about the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998; and when the programme is likely to be completed.[HL2176]
The Lord Chancellor: Training on aspects of the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights is already included in Judicial Studies Board induction and continuation courses. Individual judges have also attended other training events. The main programme of human rights training for all the full and part-time judiciary is under preparation. A final decision on the timetable for delivering this programme has not yet been made.
Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many arrests have been made under the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998; and how many prosecutions have been brought.[HL2206]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): Records indicate that, as of 6 May 1999, no cases have come to court in the United Kingdom involving the use of the powers in Sections 1 to 4 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998 (concerning proscribed and specified organisations).
Similarly, we are not aware of any court cases under Sections 5 to 7 of the Act (conspiracy to commit offences outside the United Kingdom). Information on the number of people arrested by type of offence is not recorded centrally.
Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Computerisation
The Earl of Haddington asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Williams of Mostyn on 9 July 1997 (WA 78), whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of all documentation relating to the computerisation of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, the Document Reception Centre, the Public Enquiry Office and the casework programme, in particular in relation to the service provision contract awarded to Siemens Business Services under the private finance initiative, including all pages of the contract with Siemens Business Services previously withheld in the answer on 9 July 1997.[HL2259]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The position with regard to commercial confidentiality remains as set out in my previous answer to which the noble Earl refers. The Home Office is bound by the provisions of the casework programme contract not to disclose aspects of that contract which are the subject of commercial confidentiality, and accordingly we are unable to place in the Library of the House the schedule describing the charging mechanism. The contract with Siemens Business Services governs the computerisation of all the areas to which the Question refers.
"Extreme Right-wing": Definition
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will set out the policy aims which in their view qualify an organisation to be described as "extreme Right-wing", which expression was frequently used by the Home Secretary in BBC broadcasts on 26 April.[HL2227]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The extremists, self-styled as "Right-wing", to which many people referred on that day support racism and intolerance. They promote bigotry, hate and violence.
It is not a technical term but one that is in general use. I am sure that listeners will have understood the description as applying broadly to fringe groups promoting racial and other intolerance, extreme nationalism and bigotry.
Racial Discrimination: Report to UN
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will consult Parliament about the terms of their next report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.[HL2257]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: I refer the noble Lord to the reply given to him on 26 April, Official Report, col. WA 7.
Data Protection Act: Subordinate Legislation
Lord Wedderburn of Charlton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they expect to publish on the Internet drafts of the subordinate legislation to be made under the Data Protection Act.[HL2408]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Drafts of six of the statutory instruments being prepared under the Data Protection Act 1998 will be published on the Internet at www.homeoffice.gov.uk on 11 May 1999. I am also placing copies in the Library of the House. Other drafts will be made available in due course.
London Telephone Boxes: Unauthorised Advertising
The Earl of Bradford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress has been made in preventing unauthorised advertising in London telephone boxes.[HL2279]
The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Simon of Highbury): The Home Office hopes to publish its consultation paper on new measures to tackle the problem of prostitutes' cards in
telephone kiosks later this month. The consultation paper will look at options for changing the law to enable those who put cards in telephone kiosks to be dealt with more effectively.Special Educational Needs: Scotland
Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish data for Scotland showing, for state primary and secondary schools separately, the amount of money spent per pupil, the total amount of money spent and the percentage of the total budget spent on:
(a) pupils with special educational needs and with statements of special educational need; and
(b) pupils with special educational needs but without statements of special educational need;
in each of the years 1983 to 1998 showing data separately for boys, girls and all pupils and including, for each category of school, the number of schools and the number of pupils on roll.[HL2214]
The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): This information is not available centrally in the form requested.
Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The information available on the number of pupils with a record of needs, or with special educational needs but not recorded, in state primary schools in Scotland is shown in the table:
*= Provisional.
Notes:
(1) Separate information for boys and girls is not collected.
(2) Information not collected every year.
(3) Information not collected before 1995.
Whether they will publish data for Scotland showing, for all state primary schools, the percentage of pupils on roll in each of the years 1983 to 1998;
(a) with special educational needs and with statements of special educational need;
(b) with special educational needs but without statements of special educational need,
showing data separately for boys, girls and all pupils and including the number of schools and the total number of pupils on roll.[HL2236]
With Record of Needs (1),(2) Without Record of Needs (3)
Year Number Per cent of total Pupils on Roll Number Per cent of total Pupils on Roll Number of Primary Schools Number of Pupils
1984 455 0.1 n/a n/a 2,444 443,604
1985 n/a n/a n/a n/a 2,426 435,916
1986 n/a n/a n/a n/a 2,418 433,921
1987 498 0.1 n/a n/a 2,419 431,381
1988 609 0.1 n/a n/a 2,386 433,221
1989 703 0.2 n/a n/a 2,379 437,534
1990 1,349 0.3 n/a n/a 2,373 441,052
1991 1,647 0.4 n/a n/a 2,365 441,270
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a 2,348 439,436
1993 2,710 0.6 n/a n/a 2,342 438,863
1994 n/a n/a n/a n/a 2,337 438,472
1995 3,723 0.8 1,198 0.3 2,333 440,615
1996 3,720 0.8 988 0.2 2,313 441,727
1997 3,890 0.9 1,053 0.2 2,300 440,594
1998* 3,863 0.9 1,003 0.2 2,289 435,849
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