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Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): In my previous Answer on the 3 April (WA 108-9), I explained that the remit of the network is to chase progress across government on implementation of past SEU reports and to act as an informal sounding board for the unit's future work programme. This has yet to be decided.
My right honourable friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office met with various people during her visit to the Duchy of Lancaster on 25 February 2000. As well as Duchy business, topics discussed included rural issues.
Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: A Cabinet Committee relieves the pressure on the Cabinet itself by settling business in a smaller forum or at a lower level, when possible, or at least by clarifying issues and defining points of disagreement. It acts by implied devolution of authority from the Cabinet and its decisions therefore have the same formal status as decisions by the full Cabinet.
The ministerial network is an informal network of Ministers from departments that work closely with the SEU who chase progress on implementation of previous SEU reports and act as an informal sounding board for the unit's future work programme.
Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Records are kept of gender, age, area of residence, occupation, ethnic background and political views of all candidates appointed in the 26 benches in the Duchy area. In addition, records are kept of each magistrate's attendances in court and any leave of absence which has been granted.
Since 1999 advisory committees, which recommend suitable candidates for appointment to the magistracy to the Chancellor of the Duchy, are required to submit an annual report to the Chancellor giving details of recruitment during the previous year, including numbers of people who have applied, their age breakdown, gender, political views and ethnic breakdown. The annual report also includes magistrates on the active list, their gender, age, politics, occupations, attendances and ethnic breakdown. Number of votes cast in the area for each of the main political parties at the last two general elections is also given.
Monitoring is a continuous process with advisory committees checking to see if any emphasis should be placed on their recruitment strategy. For example if the political balance of the bench needs improving.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many United Kingdom shipbuilders have the capability of constructing a roll-on, roll-off ship of the type required by the Ministry of Defence.[HL1848]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): Most major United Kingdom shipbuilders should be able to design and construct roll-on, roll-off ships (ROROs) of this type.
The MoD is currently assessing bids for the provision of roll-on, roll-off strategic sealift. This would not be a straightforward shipbuilding contract. It would involve contracting under PFI arrangements for a long-term shipping service which would include provision of the crews and the operation and maintenance of the ships, which would be owned by the contractor. The MoD is, however doing all it can, within the bounds of fair competition and its EC obligations, to give UK industry the opportunity to participate in building the ships.
Lord Shore of Stepney asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The information available from our records dates back only to 1950 and is available for financial, rather than calendar, years. The last available year is 1998-99; estimates are given for financial years 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02.
Financial Year | Percentage |
1951-52 | 7.7 |
1956-57 | 7.3 |
1961-62 | 6.2 |
1966-67 | 5.6 |
1971-72 | 4.8 |
1976-77 | 4.8 |
1981-82 | 5.0 |
1986-87 | 4.7 |
1991-92 | 4.2 |
1996-97 | 2.9 |
1998-99 | 2.6 |
1999-00 | 2.6 |
2000-01 | 2.5 |
2001-02 | 2.4 |
Lord Vivian asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean : There are no instances of mixed estates which are contrary to the agreement reached at the time of the sale of the families quarters estate to Annington Homes Ltd (AHL) in November 1996.
It might be helpful to clarify what this means in the context of the sale agreement. There are two definitions of mixed estate: one is where civilian residents are "pepper-potted" among military occupants of service families accommodation (SFA) and the second is where civilians occupy houses adjacent to a military "patch". In recognition of the sensitivity of the "patch" ethos, the terms of the sale agreement precluded the former but allowed for the latter. A condition of the sale is that those SFA, identified by the MoD as surplus to operational requirements, are to be disposed of in discrete blocks. As a result, there are estates where civilians are now residing in former service families' quarters which are situated adjacent to or alongside a military "patch"; hence the term, mixed estate.
Prior to the sale, there were some SFA scattered around big towns occupied by Territorial Army and Careers Information Office staffs and this situation maintains. However, there are no examples of mixed estates where military occupants are "pepper-potted" among civilians.
Over 3,000 properties have been released to AHL throughout England and Wales under the terms of the guaranteed release scheme. The majority of these properties have been sold to private individuals and it is not possible to identify each estate where service families are adjacent to civilians.
Lord Vivian asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean : The information requested is not held centrally. However, I will write to the noble Lord once this information has been collated and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
(The Minister for Science, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury) of Turville: The Stamp Programme is a matter for the Post Office. What it chooses to disclose about the themes selected for the 2002 Stamps Programme is for it to decide.
Lord Pilkington of Oxenford asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone): I am unable to identify the legal advice the noble Lord refers to, but if he would like to write to me with further details I shall look into it.
Foundation or voluntary controlled schools that do have a religious character can teach in accordance with the tenets of the religion or religious denomination which accords with their character, instead of teaching the agreed syllabus. Voluntary aided schools teach in accordance with the tenets of the religion of their character but can choose to follow the agreed syllabus. Community schools and foundation and voluntary schools which do not have a religious character follow the agreed syllabus.
An agreed syllabus for religious education is determined by an agreed syllabus conference in each local education authority. It should satisfy the key requirements of the aims of religious education as defined by the agreed syllabus conference. An agreed syllabus must not "provide for RE to be given by means of any catechism or formulary which is
distinctive of a particular religious denomination". As such, the statement in circular 1/94 that an agreed syllabus should not "urge a particular religion or belief on pupils" is correct.
Section 376(2) is now replicated in paragraph 2(5) of Schedule 19 to the School Standards and Framework Act.
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