QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
[Tabled on the dates shown]
13th January
The Lord Chesham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which reviews and task forces announced since 1st May 1997 have not yet reported; when they were originally due to report; and when they are likely to report. (HL503)
25th February
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what precautions are being taken to prevent the escape of genetically modified (GM) material from the controlled trial areas of GM crops, in particular with respect to the escape of brassica pollen into the natural environment where mutation could be established with brassica weeds. (HL1299)
The Lord Swinfen—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that a six metre barrier of non-genetically modified plants around an area of similar but genetically modified plants is a suitable safety measure to prevent the spread of genetically modified pollen when pollen can be carried much further by insects or wind. (HL1308)
1st March
The Earl of Northesk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what new powers, in the form of statutory instruments, codes of practice and other rules have been conferred upon central Government Departments as a result of legislation enacted since 1st May 1997. (HL1327)
The Lord Beaumont of Whitley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government where in the United Kingdom the genetically modified oilseed hybrid seeds, for which Plant Genetic Systems NV were granted in 1996 a marketing consent for seed production only, have been planted; and, in respect of each year since 1996, what area was planted at what location. (HL1344)
8th March
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the absence of agreement on a Biosafety Protocol under the Biodiversity Convention, the World Trade Organisation may back exporters of products including genetically modified organisms which governments of importing countries wish to subject to “advance informed consent”; and, if so, whether they will seek to halt activities in this field until agreement on the Protocol has been reached. (HL1439)
9th March
The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by the Lord Donoughue on 15th February (WA 63) and 9th March (WA 25), whether, as well as having a duty to act in good faith and being expected to act fairly in the enforcement of their statutory duties, officials of the Meat Hygiene Service and the State Veterinary Service have a common law duty to act fairly. (HL1461)
10th March
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 or any other legislation, they have a duty to assess the risk of genetically modified animals escaping from captivity, cross-breeding or entering the food chain; what is their current practice in this respect; and whether there are adequate penalties for anyone accidentally or intentionally releasing genetically modified animals, including fish. (HL1474)
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last ten years in which responsibility lay with the British Railways Board, what contracts or projects in connection with the maintenance of the Severn rail tunnel were outsourced. (HL1488)
11th March
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the annual petrol consumption in the United Kingdom for each year since 1980. (HL1499)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what tax is levied on petrol in pence per litre in each member state of the European Union, and in the United States. (HL1500)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ascertain from the Government of Turkey whether any lawful political parties are being hindered or prevented by Government action from presenting a full list of candidates for the forthcoming local and general elections. (HL1503)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why 75 per cent of the receipts from the sale of council housing must be used for debt redemption, when similar rules do not apply to the capital receipts of central government. (HL1504)
The Lord Hardy of Wath—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total cost to date of legal action and advice incurred by the British Coal Board or its successors and by Government Departments in respect of compensation for mineworkers and former mineworkers or their dependents who have suffered or suffer from (a) bronchitis and emphysema or (b) vibration white finger. (HL1505)
The Viscount Gormanston—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why, in the Ministerial Foreword to the Consultation Paper Residential Leasehold Reform in England and Wales, they state that leasehold is “totally unsuited to the society of the twentieth, let alone the twenty-first century....the Government believes the leasehold system is fundamentally flawed”, when in the ensuing text of the Consultation Paper they propose retaining and supporting residential long leasehold tenure into the foreseeable future. (HL1508)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the present NATO Command Structure is compatible with an offensive war capability. (HL1512)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the number of council homes empty on 1st March 1999; and what was the comparable number on 1st March 1998. (HL1522)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which rural groups were consulted before recommendations were made concerning the rural representatives to the new Regional Agencies. (HL1527)
15th March
The Viscount Simon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that all traffic signals and traffic control systems such as SCOOT (split cycle optimisation operating technique) are millennium compliant. (HL1535)
The Viscount Simon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance has been given to the police service on the use of enforcement cameras in respect of—
(a) whether to photograph the front or the rear of vehicles; and
(b) measures to ensure anonymity of front seat passengers if a vehicle is photographed from the front. (HL1536)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make new finance available for clearing contaminated land with a view to future development within urban areas which would help to relieve the pressures on building homes on greenfield sites. (HL1537)
The Lord Eames—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider re-opening the 8¼ mile rail link between Armagh and Portadown in the light of the growing significance of Armagh to the political and business development of Northern Ireland. (HL1538)
The Lord Blease—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Policy, Planning and Research Unit (PPRU), which is undertaking a community attitudes survey and which issued a First Results Report (occasional paper no. 26) on 19th May 1994, will now publish the results of its latest findings. (HL1539)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of evidence about the supply of arms to the perpetrators of the genocide in Rwanda, they will ensure that future legislation bringing a United Nations arms embargo into effect covers all British dependencies as well as the United Kingdom. (HL1542)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will introduce legislation making it a criminal offence for any person within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom or British dependencies to procure arms from another country other than in accordance with a licensing procedure, using the same criteria as if the arms were being exported from the United Kingdom. (HL1543)
The Lord Spens—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the estimated costs of the recent proceedings before the Vice-Chancellor, the Rt Hon Sir Richard Scott, against Mr Kevin Maxwell, including the costs of the three Queen’s Counsel, two juniors and thirteen departmental lawyers appearing against Mr Maxwell. (HL1548)
The Lord Spens—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it can be in the public interest for individuals to be subject to court proceedings without legal representation for the respondent, in circumstances comparable to the case of Kevin Maxwell. (HL1549)
The Lord Spens—To ask Her Majesty’s Government who authorised the expenditure on the recent court proceedings against Kevin Maxwell; and whether this expenditure will be examined by the National Audit Office to see whether this expenditure was cost or benefit effective. (HL1550)
The Lord Spens—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Report of the Inspectors in the matter of the Inquiry into Mirror Group Newspapers PLC can now be published; and, if not, whether they will consider an interim report. (HL1551)
The Earl of Caithness—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much taxpayers’ money was given to shipping in each of the last five years, both in cash and in real terms. (HL1553)
The Lord Sefton of Garston—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect that the A5 Hesscliffe bypass will be completed. (HL1554)
The Lord Chesham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the good causes (other than the Millennium Commission) of sports, arts, heritage and charities have had their share of the net lottery proceeds reduced to 5 per cent for 13 weeks; and whether for that 13 week period the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) is to receive 60 per cent of such proceeds. (HL1556)
16th March
The Lord Chesham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to answer Written Question HL503 dated 13th January in the name of Lord Chesham. (HL1564)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish the results of the January count of caravans occupied by gypsies and other travellers. (HL1565)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the recent disruption of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) navigation signals off the coast of North Carolina was deliberate; whether it was part of a NATO exercise or of a purely United States Atlantic Command exercise; what warning was given to GPS users of the disruption; and how long did it last. (HL1566)
The Lord Shore of Stepney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, with reference to Article 14(1) of the Consolidated Version of the European Community Treaty, what proposals have been advanced and what discussions have taken place to agree a new date, other than that of 31st December 1992, by which the Council shall “adopt measures with the aim of progressively establishing the internal market”; and, with reference to Article 14(3) of the European Community Treaty, what proposals the Commission have made to the Council to “determine the guidelines and conditions necessary to ensure balanced progress in all the sectors concerned”. (HL1568)
The Lord Shore of Stepney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, with reference to decisions on Euroland interest rates made by the European Central Bank, whether the Bank’s Governing Council acts by a simple majority vote in which, together with the Executive Board, each governor of the Bank of each state has the same equal vote, regardless of size and wealth of the different member states; or whether bank rate decisions are made by a qualified majority vote or by a vote weighted according to the population and GDP of each member state; and on what decisions made by the Governing Council voting takes place on the basis of the weighting of each country’s vote according to its population size and its GDP. (HL1570)
The Lord Shore of Stepney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, under the provisions of the European Treaties as amended by the Amsterdam Treaty, what will be changed in the procedures for choosing the next President of the European Commission and other Commissioners; and what procedures will be adopted in appointing the Council’s new spokesman, the High Representative on matters covered by the Union’s Common Foreign and Security policy. (HL1571)
The Lord Berkeley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the criteria for drawing up the areas and boundaries for Assisted Area Status and Objective 2 Status; and whether the use of—
(a) travel to work areas; and
is likely to ensure that the assistance is more closely targeted to areas of high unemployment. (HL1573)
The Lord Berkeley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the maps of United Kingdom Assisted Area Status and Objective 2 Status have to be submitted by the Government of the European Commission. (HL1574)
The Lord Spens—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the public interest in their continued efforts to extradite Peter Clarence Foster from Australia when the offences for which he stands charged have already been dropped or dismissed against a colleague with costs. (HL1577)
The Lord Spens—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the National Audit Office will be asked to examine the costs of the extradition proceedings against Peter Clarence Foster to establish whether the costs to date are justified. (HL1578)
The Lord Razzall—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether university students working temporarily in Parliament on “sandwich” courses are exempt from the provisions of the National Minimum Wage. (HL1579)
The Lord Rowallan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many equine viral arteritis (EVA) infected stallions or mares there are in the United Kingdom. (HL1582)
The Lord Rowallan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why there is no equine viral arteritis (EVA) test done on imported stallions and mares from other European Union countries. (HL1583)
The Lord Rowallan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why frozen horse semen is not tested for equine viral arteritis (EVA) when imported from other European Union countries. (HL1584)
The Lord Redesdale—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of the Territorial Army completed—
(a) their annual camp commitments; and
(b) their minimum Man Training Days commitments;
in each of the last three years. (HL1585)
The Earl of Clancarty—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what amount of funding has been allotted to the British Council’s Grants to Artists Scheme for 1999-2000; and how that amount compares with funding for the three previous years. (HL1586)
The Lord Beaumont of Whitley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in respect of the last 10 oil and fibre plant seeds to have received statutory certification, whether they will specify—
(a) the date each seed was entered into the non-statutory provisional seed certification scheme;
(b) the nature and date of each seed’s first non-statutory provisional certification;
(c) the nature and date of each seed’s second non-statutory provisional certification;
(d) the nature and date of any subsequent non-statutory provisional certification (if any) in respect of the seed;
(e) the date that the variety in respect of each seed was entered on the national list or common catalogue;
(f) the nature and date of each seed’s first statutory certification;
(g) the nature and date of each seed’s second statutory certification; and
(h) the nature and date of any subsequent certification in respect of the seed. (HL1587)
17th March
The Baroness Park of Monmouth—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any insurance companies underwrite any part of—
(a) the Civil Service Pension Scheme (in particular section 11-injury benefits); or
(b) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (in particular the injury benefits section):
and, if so, which insurance companies are involved (by Government Department). (HL1590)
The Baroness Mallalieu—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to review the present practice of conducting the trials of children charged with serious offences in the adult courts. (HL1592)
The Marquess of Ailesbury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether press reports that legal proceedings were instigated in Argentina with the object of detaining the Prince of Wales were correct. (HL1593)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether a veterinary in Europe is identical to a veterinary surgeon in the United Kingdom; and, if not, what are the differences. (HL1595)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the charges due to begin on 1st April on small abattoirs and their viability. (HL1596)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they balance their concerns for animal welfare, small businesses and rural communities with their policies towards smaller abattoirs. (HL1597)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many abattoirs and cutting plants have been closed but retained their licences since 1st May 1997. (HL1598)
The Earl of Denbigh—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many claims are still outstanding for compensation on handguns under (a) Option A; (b) Option B; and (c) Option C of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997. (HL1599)
The Earl of Denbigh—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when claimants of compensation schemes may reasonably expect payment for complying with Her Majesty’s Government’s demand for surrendering their lawfully held handguns under the compensation scheme. (HL1600)
The Lord Ashbourne—To ask Her Majesty’s Government at what age a child ceases to be the victim of paedophilia (even if consensual) and becomes a responsible sexually active child, entitled to tax-funded contraception. (HL1601)
The Baroness Miller of Hendon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average cost per unit of generating electricity in existing coal fired powered stations and in existing gas fired powered stations. (HL1602)
The Baroness Miller of Hendon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the highest cost per unit and what is the lowest cost per unit of generating electricity in existing coal fired powered stations. (HL1603)
The Baroness Miller of Hendon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is highest cost per unit and what is the lowest cost per unit of generating electricity in existing gas fired powered stations. (HL1604)
The Baroness Miller of Hendon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost of production of electricity in new coal fired power stations currently being erected or being planned.. (HL1605)
The Baroness Miller of Hendon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what limits there are at present or contemplated on the use of foreign coal in existing or future coal fired power stations. (HL1606)
The Baroness Miller of Hendon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, at current prices, what is the cost of imported coal used in coal fired power stations; and what is the cost of coal mined in the United Kingdom. (HL1607)
The Earl Baldwin of Bewdley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether water fluoridation schemes in the United Kingdom have been and will in future be subject to environmental impact assessment under European Council Directive 85/337/EEC, since almost all the hexafluorosilicic acid used for this purpose finds its way into the environment; and, if not, why not. (HL1608)
The Lord McNair—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will restore diplomatic relations with Sudan. (HL1610)
The Lord McNair—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the British Council’s budget for its work in the Sudan. (HL1611)
The Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many places they paid for at the Constitution Unit’s one-day conference entitled “Constitutional Futures” on Thursday 25th February at the Senate House, University of London; which Departments were represented; and by how many people. (HL1612)
The Lord Beaumont of Whitley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of all application forms and accompanying documents and correspondence which they have received, whenever the application was made, in respect of the entry of genetically modified seeds into the non-statutory provisional seed certification scheme. (HL1613)
The Viscount Exmouth—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are now able to inform the farming industry, meat suppliers and consumers when the ban on the sale of beef on the bone is likely to be lifted. (HL1614)
The Lord Selkirk of Douglas—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering changes to the pay of the Gurkhas. (HL1615)
The Lord Selkirk of Douglas—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what would be the cost to public funds to abolish the tolls on—
giving separate figures for each bridge. (HL1616)
The Lord Selkirk of Douglas—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the annual cost of maintenance of—
giving separate figures for each bridge. (HL1617)
The Lord Selkirk of Douglas—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish a graph showing the most optimistic predicted usage of vehicles crossing the Skye Bridge based on current trends and with current arrangements; and what is the earliest time-scale within which the Skye Bridge toll can be ended. (HL1618)
The Lord Windlesham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to table a statutory instrument to bring into force section 4 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997. (HL1619)
The Lord Windlesham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that no administrative arrangements are made to implement the mandatory sentencing provision in section 4 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 until praying time against the statutory instrument to bring it into force has expired. (HL1620)
18th March
The Lord Moynihan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the role of the United Kingdom Parliament would be enhanced by giving the House of Commons the opportunity to approve the appointment of the United Kingdom’s European Commissioners. (HL1624)
The Lord Moynihan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether (a) they consider that the Amsterdam Treaty shifted the balance of power in the European Union away from nation states and intergovernmental control towards a political Commission led by a political President, in which the Commissioners work under the political guidance of the President, who has the power to veto Commissioners nominated by Member States; and (b) if so, whether that is in the United Kingdom’s interest. (HL1625)
The Lord Selkirk of Douglas—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 1st March (WA 162-164), whether they will publish the same information relating to the number of houses sold to sitting tenants in the form of a graph. (HL1626)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they will take on allegations that three Russian firms broke United Nations sanctions on Iraq by selling components for the manufacture of surface-to-surface missiles and navigation equipment for fighters and anti-aircraft missiles. (HL1627)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the number of Chinese missiles targeted on Taiwan has risen from 30-50 in March 1996 to 150-200 at present; and what increase is forecast. (HL1628)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what penalties there are in the £70 million contract with Siemens Business Systems for computer systems at the Immigration and Nationality Department for late delivery and failure to meet specifications; and when it is expected that this system will be fully operative. (HL1629)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they still adhere to the aim announced in paragraph 8.9 of the White Paper Fairer, Faster, Firmer—A Modern Approach to Immigration and Asylum that most initial asylum decisions will be made within two months of receipt of applications; and what is the target for April 2000. (HL1630)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many asylum applications were awaiting decision by the Immigration and Nationality Department on (a) 1st May 1997; (b) 31st December 1997; (c) 31st December 1998 and (d) the latest date for which the information is available. (HL1631)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have evaluated the evidence collected by African Rights, London, of the alleged lead role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide played by Callixte Nzabonimana, who held the position of Minister of Youth in the régime of April-July 1994; whether they will draw this evidence to the attention of the International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda; and whether they are satisfied that investigations by the Tribunal are being conducted with efficiency and speed. (HL1632)
The Lord Onslow of Woking—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements they have made to monitor the pollution threat from synthetic pyrethroid sheepdip; and when these were last reviewed. (HL1633)
The Lord Onslow of Woking—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what studies have been made of the time that can be expected to elapse between the pollution of a watercourse and the recovery of invertebrate life in the case of (a) synthetic pyrethroid sheepdip; and (b) other comparable pollutants. (HL1634)
The Earl of Clancarty—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 17th March (WA 102), what are the six library authorities which are considering service cuts and from which they are seeking information to establish the details of, and rationale behind, these proposals. (HL1635)
The Lord Walton of Detchant—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they accept the case for children to be treated as a specific client group in the NHS; and whether their needs and interests will receive specific attention in the current review of NHS priorities for research and development. (HL1637)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the outcome of the recent discussions between the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Georgyi Mamedov, and Mr David Manning of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the relation between the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and a possible non-strategic anti-ballistic missile system for Western Europe. (HL1638)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any leak about the deliberations of judges to a newspaper, in advance of a judgment by those judges, is in the interests of justice. (HL1643)
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the effect of European Single Market legislation upon net United Kingdom job creation figures between 1993 and 1997 in each of the three sectors of the British economy most affected by that legislation. (HL1644)
22nd March
The Baroness David—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Lord Chancellor will be considering the recommendations made by the Law Commission in its 1994 report “Administering Law: Judicial Review and Statutory Appeals”, and by Lord Woolf in Chapter 18 of his 1996 Report “Access to Justice”. (HL1652)
The Lord Monkswell—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many British personnel are currently deployed in the Balkans. (HL1653)
The Lord Hardy of Wath—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from shellfish interests about measures to protect lobsters and crawfish. (HL1654)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place a copy of the report by Dr Helena Ranta on the killings at Recak, Kosovo, in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament; and what steps they consider should be taken to bring to trial those responsible, according to Dr Ranta, for a crime against humanity. (HL1656)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, with reference to the person whose Home Office reference is B538623/3(S), who was recognised as a refugee on 15th May 1998 and whose wife and five children arrived to join him in August 1998 with valid entry certificates, why they have refused to provide him with documentation confirming their eligibility for social security payments; and whether it is possible to feed, clothe and house a family of seven people on social security benefits for a single person. (HL1657)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will put in place arrangements for the payment of emergency benefits to the spouse and children of refugees, pending the confirmation of their status by the Immigration and Nationality Department. (HL1658)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the “MP’s hotline”, for queries about asylum and immigration casework, is permanently engaged. (HL1659)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Trade and Industry took part in a visit to Iran during February; what was the purpose of their visit; whether any of them raised human rights concerns; if so, which ones; and whether any of these officials or officials from the British Embassy in Tehran asked at any time to visit prisoners in Evin or any other prison. (HL1660)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the Report on Latchmere House by the Chief Inspector of Prisons (1996), what action they are taking on temporary and early release from prison to participate in employment. (HL1661)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest information from Kosovo regarding the numbers of refugees outside the country, of those internally displaced and of villages, houses and schools destroyed. (HL1662)
The Earl of Clancarty—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 17th March (WA 102), when they will report their response to the information currently sought from the six library authorities which are considering service cuts; and what form this response will take. (HL1663)
The Lord Berkeley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 22nd February (WA 104-5), whether they will place in the Library of the House the list of sites which the Government has allowed British Rail to release for sale comprising—
(a) the 35 sites on which the Board has exchanged contracts prior to the announcement of the suspension of sales;
(b) the 65-70 sites released on the grounds of urgency; and
(c) the 40 sites being processed for sale for transport use. (HL1664)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to bring the Human Rights Act 1998 into force during the year 2000. (HL1665)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will decide to bring the Human Rights Act 1998 into force. (HL1666)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to introduce legislation to fill the gap in the Race Relations Act 1976, identified by the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Arthur v. Attorney General, so as to enable an alleged victim of racial discrimination by an Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace to obtain an effective legal remedy following its failure to recommend his or her appointment as a lay magistrate. (HL1667)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to consult the public about the proposals for a possible Judicial Appointments Commission to advise the Lord Chancellor on selecting judges. (HL1668)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, as alleged in a report in The Mail on Sunday on 21st March, the present Home Secretary met Salvador Allende in Chile in 1966. (HL1669)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, as alleged in a report in The Mail on Sunday on 21st March, the present Home Secretary has participated in London in protest marches against General Pinochet. (HL1670)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is their policy on forestry in England that there should be no further new planting of conifers in England. (HL1671)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the production of timber from English conifer plantations in each of the last ten years; and what is the estimate of such production in each of the next twenty years. (HL1672)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the demand for softwood by English timber users in each of the last ten years; and what is the estimate of such demand over the next twenty years. (HL1673)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what have been the quantity and value of softwood and softwood timber products imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last ten years; and what are the estimates in each of the next twenty years. (HL1674)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the comments by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 17th March (HL Deb, cols. 792 and 793), whether they propose to legislate for the recommendations made by the Committee chaired by Lord Nolan on the conduct of referendums before any further referendums are held. (HL1675)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have reason to doubt the reports of statements by HRH Prince Sultan Bin Abdullah Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence and Aviation and Inspector General of Saudi Arabia, that “Neither Kuwait nor any other Gulf Co-operation Council Member State now fears Iraq” and “We do not believe in the toppling of the Iraq regime under any form”. (HL1676)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have now been able to examine the evidence that the Al-Shifa plant in Sudan was being used for the production of chemical weapons material; and whether the evidence they have is limited to statements made to them by the United States Administration. (HL1677)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the situation regarding the rescheduling of the Yamamah Deal, for the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia; and whether compensation is being paid to the British firms involved by the British taxpayer; and, if so, how much. (HL1678)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what, in international law, is the status (a) of Iraqi airspace and (b) of the air defence systems which American and British aircraft have been attacking. (HL1679)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they accept (a) the opinion expressed by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency that “Iraq is completely free of nuclear weapons and that it does not at present have the practical and technical ability or the materials to make nuclear weapons” and (b) his statement that Israel has “the biggest nuclear reactors for making atomic weapons which the IAEA doesn’t have the authority to control”. (HL1680)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 17th March (WA 98) that “the United Kingdom is unaware of any stocks of the [smallpox] virus located in other countries”, whether they will discuss with the Israeli Government reports that it is maintaining stocks of the virus. (HL1681)
The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in respect of the Prime Minister—
(a) since 1st May 1997 which heads of government, foreign or trade ministers from outside the European Union have requested through their High Commissioners or Ambassadors a meeting;
(b) what meetings have taken place; and
(c) what further meetings have been arranged;
giving in each case in (b) and (c) the date of the meeting and the Minister involved. (HL1682)
The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in respect of the Department of Trade and Industry—
(a) since 1st May 1997 which heads of government, foreign or trade ministers from outside the European Union have requested through their High Commissioners or Ambassadors a meeting;
(b) what meetings have taken place; and
(c) what further meetings have been arranged;
giving in each case in (b) and (c) the date of the meeting and the Minister involved. (HL1683)
The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in respect of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office—
(a) since 1st May 1997 which heads of government, foreign or trade ministers from outside the European Union have requested through their High Commissioners or Ambassadors a meeting;
(b) what meetings have taken place; and
(c) what further meetings have been arranged;
giving in each case in (b) and (c) the date of the meeting and the Minister involved. (HL1684)
23rd March
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the drafting of the Charter of European Security Co-operation, under Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe auspices, which was referred to in the joint statement made by Mr Yeltsin, Mr Schroeder and Mr Santer on 18th February, is progressing. (HL1692)
The Lord Kennet—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which are the other parties in any coalition against Iraq of which the United Kingdom is a member. (HL1693)
The Baroness Gardner of Parkes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are in favour of codes of practice and standards to regulate the activities of charities and fundraising organisations such as the corporate sector’s ISO 9000 or the standards for international fundraising organisations as promoted by the Accrediting Bureau for Fundraising Organisations (ABFO). (HL1694)
The Lord Marlesford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will give, for the most recent year for which figures are available, the number of United Kingdom taxpayers whose personal taxable income exceeded £100,000, £500,000, £1 million, £5 million and £10 million respectively. (HL1695)
The Lord Marlesford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will give the names of the firms, together with the name and telephone number of the senior executive responsible within the firm, under contract to the Highways Agency for keeping the following roads litter free: M25, M11, A14, A13, A12. (HL1696)
The Lord Marlesford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the working group set up by the Association of Chief Police Officers to finalise the detailed database needed to fulfil the statutory obligation to establish a central register of firearms and shot gun certificates has submitted the requirement to the ACPO Police National Computer Steering Committee; if so, whether they will arrange for a copy of it to be placed in the Library of the House; and, if not, when it is now expected that it will be submitted. (HL1697)
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have on the cause of (a) the rise in height of the Indian Ocean; and (b) the destruction of coral reefs in that area and elsewhere; and what representations they are making to overseas governments on the basis of this knowledge. (HL1698)
The Baroness Uddin—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the OFSTED report into critical under-achievement of Bangladeshi children, which of the recommendations with reference to education in the House of Commons Home Affairs Sub-Committee Report (HC 96 (Session 1986-87)) have been implemented. (HL1699)
The Baroness Uddin—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, with reference to Bangladeshi children, what measures they are taking in the light of the OFSTED report into under-achievement of ethnic minorities. (HL1700)
The Lord Dholakia—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to monitor the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 on an ethnic basis. (HL1701)
The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research is being undertaken to assess the risks to human health from radiation given off by mobile telephones, microwave ovens and television sets; whether there is any discernible link between the number of cancer cases today and in 1950 when television was in its infancy; and what steps are being taken to warn or advise the general public about any necessary precautions. (HL1702)
The Earl of Carlisle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that there should be greater transparency over the appointment of trustees to the national museums and galleries. (HL1703)
The Earl of Carlisle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what trustee appointments are made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to each of the national museums and galleries. (HL1704)
The Earl of Carlisle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to review trustee appointments to the national museums and galleries. (HL1705)
The Earl of Carlisle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the managing director of the British Museum, when appointed, will be responsible, in any way, to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. (HL1706)
The Lord Mason of Barnsley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in the introduction of a Drivers Photo Identity Card. (HL1707)
The Lord Mason of Barnsley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent the Proof of Age Card has been introduced to cover age restricted products such as alcohol, tobacco and fireworks; to what extent the industries concerned have been prepared to develop a multi-purpose card; and what is the Government’s involvement in this matter. (HL1708)
The Lord Mason of Barnsley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further consideration has been given to the introduction of a National Identity Card Scheme, voluntary or mandatory, following the issue of the 1995 Green Paper, Identity Cards: a consultation document (Cm 2879) and the Report of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee in 1996 (HC 172 (Session 1995-96)). (HL1709)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current estimated yield of one penny in the £ on the standard rate of income tax for Scottish taxpayers as provided for in the Scotland Act 1998. (HL1710)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the yield of one penny in the £ on the standard rate of income tax for Scottish taxpayers as provided for in the Scotland Act 1998 after the 20 pence rate has been abolished. (HL1711)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what would be the cost to a Scottish taxpayer who pays tax on the full tax band at the standard rate of the one penny in the £ on the standard rate of income tax as provided for in the Scotland Act 1998. (HL1712)
The Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the cost to a Scottish taxpayer who pays tax on the full standard rate tax band of the one penny in the £ on the standard rate of income tax as provided for in the Scotland Act 1998 after the 20 pence rate has been abolished. (HL1713)
The Lord Jopling—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether a retailer offering foods which are free of genetically modified ingredients would face prosecution if minute residues of such ingredients were found in the food; and, if a prosecution was not a possibility under current rules, at what level of genetically modified content could a prosecution be brought. (HL1714)
The Lord Shore of Stepney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total net sum of the United Kingdom’s payments to the European Community Budget since 1973; what was the net sum paid in the last financial year; and what is the estimated payment in the current year. (HL1715)
The Lord Janner of Braunstone—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the Next Steps Review of the Intervention Board. (HL1717)
The Lord Brooks of Tremorfa—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the next areas to be brought into the randomised badger culling trial. (HL1718)
The Lord Thomas of Gresford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Malaysia to ensure that its international reputation will not be damaged if its commitment to the rule of law, in particular the independence of the Malaysian Bar, is seen to be weakened by the conduct of the Anwar Ibrahim trial. (HL1719)
24th March
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have undertaken a review of the financial regulatory regime in Gibraltar; and whether they consider the regime satisfactory. (HL1726)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to urge change to the financial regulatory regime in Gibraltar. (HL1727)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether measures to achieve full political integration of Gibraltar into the United Kingdom would offer a solution to the border disputes between Spain and Gibraltar. (HL1728)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether measures to achieve full political integration of Gibraltar into the United Kingdom would be contrary to the Treaty of Utrecht. (HL1729)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the time-scale for entering discussions with the European Union on amending the European Parliamentary Elections Act 1978 to secure the right of Gibraltarians to vote in European elections. (HL1730)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have held discussions with representatives of the Spanish Government regarding allegations made by Spanish politicians of criminal activity in Gibraltar. (HL1731)
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 30th November 1998 (HL Deb, col. 232) and to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 11th January (WA 12-13), whether any relevant authorities are proceeding toward prosecution of any officials or staff of the European Union; and, if not, why not. (HL1732)
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 3rd December 1998 (WA 56), what degree of autonomy in foreign policy is retained by the United Kingdom in the areas and subjects covered by the European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy working groups mentioned in that Answer. (HL1733)
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 18th January (WA 89-90), what proportion of the 14.4 per cent of the United Kingdom gross domestic product (GDP) which went to the European Union (EU) continued to a final destination outside the EU, particularly via the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. (HL1734)
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply given by the Leader of the House on 14th December 1998 (HL Deb, col. 1138) and to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 18th January (WA 89-90), why it would be “profoundly damaging” for the United Kingdom to stay in the European Common Market but to leave the rest of the Treaty of Rome. (HL1735)
The Lord Luke—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have drawn up in association with English Partnerships regarding any possible developments on the North Greenwich peninsula adjacent to the Millennium Dome. (HL1736)
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the spending commitments from the proportion of £19 billion announced in the budget in 1998 for spending on education which is allocated for 1999-2000. (HL1737)
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the spending commitments announced so far and planned from the proportion of £19 billion announced in the budget in 1998 for spending on education which is allocated for 2000-01. (HL1738)
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the spending commitments announced so far and planned from the proportion of £19 billion announced in the budget in 1998 for spending on education which is allocated for 2001-02. (HL1739)
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what method will be used to select able children for specialist provision; and how such provision will be funded. (HL1740)
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government who will employ the mentors referred to in the statement “Excellence in Cities”; how they will be funded; what their pay scales will be; and on what basis they will be deployed. (HL1741)
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many learning units will be provided under the “Excellence in Cities” policy in 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02; and at what cost. (HL1742)
The Earl of Carlisle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have completed their review of the Chevening Scholarships; and how many and of what value will be awarded, in 1999-2000, to the three Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. (HL1743)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend that the proposed Joint Committee on Human Rights should be empowered to scrutinise proposed legislation for its compatibility with human rights. (HL1744)
The Lord Ironside—To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent the Ministry of Defence, in conjunction with the United States Department of Defense, have examined the possible health hazards attributable to exposure of personnel to the effects of using depleted uranium in battlefield weaponry; and whether they will place their reported findings in the Library of the House. (HL1745)
The Lord Ironside—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members and ex-members of the armed forces taking part in the Ministry of Defence Medical Assessment Programme have undergone tests for health hazards related to the alleged exposure to depleted uranium during Gulf War service; and how many have tested positive to the presence of uranium or its derivatives in the samples taken. (HL1746)
The Lord Palmer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the members of the Royal Commission on House of Lords reform receive payment or other remuneration for their services. (HL1747)
The Lord Swinfen—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Donoughue on 23rd March (WA 155-156), what plans they have to label food containing genetically modified soya or maize for animal consumption, particularly where those animals or their products (for example, eggs or milk) enter or may potentially enter the food chain. (HL1748)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Iraq is contributing financially to the cost of removing the estimated five million mines laid by its forces in Kuwait during their occupation. (HL1749)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are supporting Egypt in efforts to locate the surviving Kuwaiti prisoners of war in Iraq. (HL1750)
The Viscount Long—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many notifications of human tuberculosis were made in (a) 1995; (b) 1996; (c) 1997 and (d) 1998. (HL1751)
The Viscount Long—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many human deaths in the United Kingdom were attributable to tuberculosis in (a) 1995; (b) 1996; (c) 1997 and (d) 1998. (HL1752)
The Viscount Long—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they propose to take to combat the incidence of human tuberculosis. (HL1753)
The Viscount Long—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average cost of treatment for (a) an individual suffering from ordinary tuberculosis; and (b) an individual suffering from multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. (HL1754)
The Earl of Clancarty—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will intervene to ensure that the admission charges (including charges to school children) recently introduced by the British Museum for some displays drawn wholly from its permanent collection will be dropped. (HL1755)
The Earl of Clancarty—To ask Her Majesty’s Government where members of the public can see displays of the nation’s old master collection of prints and drawings in the British Museum without prior appointment free of charge. (HL1756)
[As amended on 25th March]
The Baroness Macleod of Borve—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how long the organisers of the national lottery take to disburse money to charities. (HL1757)
25th March
The Lord Acton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the remaining parts of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions study of Business Aviation in the South East will be published. (HL1760)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made towards the adoption of the Schengen Agreement across the European Union with regard to border controls. (HL1761)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have held discussions with their European Union counterparts over the adoption of the Schengen Agreement across the European Union. (HL1762)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what effect the adoption of the Schengen Agreement across the European Union with regard to border controls will have on the resolution of the frontier dispute between Spain and Gibraltar. (HL1763)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to ensure that the recent delays and disruption at the land frontier between Gibraltar and Spain are not repeated. (HL1764)
The Earl of Dundonald—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to prevent illegal fishing in Gibraltar waters. (HL1765)
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty (HL 1299), whether the precautions taken to prevent the escape or transportation of pollen by any means from genetically modified crop trial areas are sufficient, and what are the mesh sizes of netting used to enclose such crops. (HL1766)
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 16th March (WA 95), whether they will place copies in the Library of all reports of (a) weekend surveys; (b) detailed quarterly surveys; and (c) annual reviews of the Severn rail tunnel in each of the last fifteen years, and which reports and inspections have been made by an independent structural engineer. (HL1767)
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 16th March (WA 95), whether the Health and Safety Executive will request test borings into (a) the wall linings and (b) the strata and detritus behind the walls of the Severn rail tunnel. (HL1768)
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered or will consider “listing” the Severn rail tunnel as a building or structure of historic importance. (HL1769)
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 4th March (WA 194), whether, following the proposed closures of the Severn rail tunnel for maintenance purposes, they will list the total journey times of all trains diverted via Gloucester on each occasion when diversions occur; whether passengers are transported by any other means; and, if so, by what means. (HL1770)
The Earl of Haddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list the total journey times for all intercity trains from or via Cardiff to Paddington rail terminal which have been diverted via Gloucester as a result of closure of the Severn rail tunnel in each of the last three years. (HL1771)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which organisations were consulted before the appointment of a member representing rural interests to each regional development agency was made as required by section 2(3)(d) of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. (HL1772)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government who has been appointed as rural representative to each of the regional development agencies. (HL1773)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 15th March (WA 59), to what extent the determination of cases by the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary is being affected by the fact that two Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are chairing enquiries. (HL1774)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 23rd March (WA 145), whether they will identify—
(a) the three minor rules of law in England and Wales which treat husbands and wives unequally;
(b) the similar rules in Northern Ireland; and
(c) the minor rule of law in Scotland,
referred to therein. (HL1775)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is an element of their foreign policy to encourage the governments of the new democratic member states of the Council of Europe to accept the competence of the Committee Against Torture, the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the United Nations Human Rights Committee to receive complaints from individuals of breaches of the relevant international human rights treaties. (HL1776)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they recognise that there are additional rights in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which are not contained in the European Convention on Human Rights. (HL1777)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the acceptance of the right of individual petition under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights, the Covenant against Torture, and the Convention for the Elimination for all Forms of Racial Discrimination, will interfere with the implementation of the Human Rights Act 1998. (HL1778)
The Lord Selkirk of Douglas—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the letter to the Secretary of State for Scotland from Lord Selkirk of Douglas, of 2nd January, calling for a Disability Task Force will be answered. (HL1779)
The Lord Selkirk of Douglas—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the latest estimate of the total number of empty homes in Scotland; and what plans they have to bring them back into use. (HL1780)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask the Lord Chancellor whether he will mount an enquiry into whether the conclusions of the Law Lords’ Opinions on General Pinochet were leaked to The Times, and, if so, how. (HL1781)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the police officers, who arrested General Pinochet while he was still partially affected by anaesthetic, did so with drawn revolvers; and, if so, why. (HL1782)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list the names of all the people whom the representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service met when they visited Madrid prior to the issue of the first warrant for the arrest of General Pinochet. (HL1783)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how often the Prime Minister has met Isabel Allende; and what comments he has made in her presence about Salvador Allende. (HL1784)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Crown Prosecution Service representative who visited Madrid prior to the issue of the final warrant for the arrest of General Pinochet met representatives of any Spanish political party. (HL1785)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Yasser Arafat enjoys Sovereign Immunity when visiting the United Kingdom. (HL1786)
The Lord Harris of Haringey—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further information can be provided about the proposed independent panel which will renew preliminary decisions on advertising under Regulation 13 of the Medicines (Advertising and Monitoring of Advertising) Amendment Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 267). (HL1787)
The Lord Moran—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of statements given in December that the conclusions of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions’ three year study on piscivorous birds would be postponed until spring 1999, whether they will now give a date for the release of the conclusions; and whether the conclusions will be considered by the Review Group on Freshwater Fisheries. (HL1788)
The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many food hazard warnings, by category of food and type of warning, have been issued since the Food Safety Act 1990 came into effect. (HL1789)
The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the most appropriate strategy for reducing contamination episodes in primary agricultural produce and its derivatives would be to prevent infection of production animals rather than to rely upon secondary technical measures such as pasteurisation to render innocuous contamination which should not occur. (HL1790)
The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in view of the number of incidents of contamination of primary agricultural produce by E coli 0157, what measures they are taking to identify the sources from which the animals involved have become infected. (HL1791)
The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether E coli 0157 is endemic in any animals from which products are used for human consumption in the United Kingdom. (HL1792)
The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government on how many occasions samples of raw goats’ milk or cheese made from raw goats’ milk have been found to contain infective toxoplasmosis organisms. (HL1793)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criticisms were made, in the public consultation which ended on 24th March, of the proposal in the draft bill for a Food Standards Agency to impose an annual levy of £90 on all food outlets; and what action they will be taking. (HL1794)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations were received from the Co-operative Movement, during the public consultation on the draft bill for a Food Standards Agency, on the proposal for an annual levy of £90 on all food outlets. (HL1795)
The Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will draw their statement Education: Excellence in Cities of 22nd March to the attention of Bristol Education Authority, in the context of their plans for Merrywood School and Pen Park School. (HL1796)
BILLS IN PROGRESS
[The date in brackets is the date for which the bill is set down]
Waiting for Second Reading
Genetically Modified Crops [HL]
Sexual Offences (Amendment) [13th April]
Further and Higher Education (Scotland) (Amendment) [HL]
Parliamentary Government [HL]
House of Lords [29th March]
Tax Credits [12th April]
European Tax Harmonisation [HL]
Local Government [12th April]
Committed to a Select Committee
City of Newcastle upon Tyne [HL]
Kent County Council [HL]
Committed to an Unopposed Bill Committee
Medway Council [HL]
Baxi Partnership Limited Trusts [HL]
United Reformed Church [HL]
Committed to a Committee of the Whole House
Freedom of Information [HL]
Water Industry
Obscenity [HL]
Rating (Valuation)
Scottish Enterprise [13th April]
Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies [HL] [13th April]
Criminal Cases Review (Insanity) [HL] [13th April]
European Parliamentary Elections (Gibraltar) [HL]
Waiting for Report
Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) [HL]
Pollution Prevention and Control [HL]
Waiting for Third Reading
Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) [HL] [13th April]
Sent to the Commons
Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) (Amendment) [HL]
Trustee Delegation [HL]
Commonwealth Development Corporation [HL]
Access to Justice [HL]
Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence [HL]
Disability Rights Commission [HL]
Health [HL]
Alliance & Leicester plc (Group Reorganisation) [HL]
London Local Authorities [HL]
MEASURE IN PROGRESS
Waiting for Affirmative Resolution
AFFIRMATIVE INSTRUMENTS IN PROGRESS
Waiting for consideration by the Joint Committee
Draft General Teaching Council for England (Constitution) Regulations 1999
Draft General Teaching Council for Wales (Constitution) Regulations 1999
Draft European Parliamentary Elections Regulations 1999
Draft Alterations to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
Waiting for Affirmative Resolution
Draft European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (Euro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an Association between the European Communities and their Member States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) Order 1999
Traffic Areas (Reorganisation) (Wales) Order 1999
Draft Carriage by Air Acts (Implementation of Protocol No. 4 of Montreal, 1975) Order 1999
Draft Carriage by Air Acts (Application of Provisions) (Fifth Amendment) Order 1999
COMMITTEES
[Unless otherwise indicated, Committees meet in the Lords’ rooms
in the Committee Corridor as indicated in the daily broadsheets]
TUESDAY 30TH MARCH
