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European Convention on Human Rights, Protocol 12

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government's reasons for declining to sign and ratify Protocol 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights were summarised in my Written Answer of 11 October (WA 37) and are set out in greater detail in my Answers to the noble Lord's related Questions of 23 October (WA 13-14). New rights are not necessarily cost free (especially when they are economic, social and cultural rights) and may affect the rights of others, as many rights have to be balanced against each other.

Lieutenant Governors

Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Bassam of Brighton: There are no plans to take further steps. The field is already open to service personnel or diplomats who meet the criteria for appointment.

Corpus Juris Project

Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Bassam of Brighton: I refer the noble Lord to the reply given by my honourable friend the Minister of State for the Home Department (Mr Clarke) in another place, Official Report, col. 51W, 15 May 2000).

A follow-up study to the original Corpus Juris paper has been published. Having studied the potential impact of the original Corpus Juris proposals on the national law of each of the member states, the authors proposed a number of changes designed to meet some of the criticisms which had been expressed. Key elements of the original Corpus Juris paper--in particular the creation of a European Public Prosecutor--have been retained, but there are a number of changes in the proposals concerning

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substantive law and procedure. The Government remain unconvinced of the need for a European Public Prosecutor.

Road Deaths and Injuries: Reduction Strategy

Viscount Simon asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether their commitment to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads by 40 per cent by 2010 is compatible with the increase in the cost of a fixed penalty for some serious and endorsable offences to only £60.[HL4223]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government are satisfied that the increase in the level of the fixed penalty is compatible with their road casualty reduction targets. The increase is 50 per cent from 1 November and, as before, it also carries three penalty points. Drivers face disqualification if they acquire 12 points. In addition, the level and effectiveness of enforcement of endorsable offences is being increased through the use of camera technology.

Viscount Simon asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What advice and encouragement they will be giving to Chief Police Officers to achieve a reduction of 40 per cent by 2010 in the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads, given that most constabularies are reducing their traffic departments.[HL4224]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: We have made it clear that we consider it essential to work in partnership with all those with a stake in improving road safety, including the police, in order to achieve the Government's targets for reducing road casualties. The Association of Chief Police Officers supports us in that aim. Our Road Safety Strategy details a number of measures we are taking forward to improve the police's enforcement powers and to make it easier for them to combat illegal and irresponsible driving. These include the greater use of technology. We have already provided some special funding to enhance the use of speed cameras in eight police forces. The size of a "traffic department" in a force is not a good indicator of the level of road policing that is carried out.

National Probation Service Local Boards

Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether each of the local boards which are to be created under the Criminal Justice and Courts Services Bill will be non-departmental public bodies[HL4161]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The new local boards which will be established under the Bill currently before Parliament will be bodies corporate which, together with the National Directorate, will form the new National Probation Service. They will not be non-departmental public bodies.

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Jobrotation Scheme

Lord Harrison asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the Jobrotation initiative, associated with the New Deal Scheme and supported financially by the European Social Fund ADAPT programme, which seeks to recruit staff from marginalised groups to the tourism and hospitality industries, has been a success; and whether they will expand the scheme beyond the South East and South West.[HL4221]

The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone): The ADAPT-funded Jobrotation pilot is providing additional training, leading to National Vocational Qualifications, for 120 unemployed people on New Deal and 600 employed people in the South East and South West. It benefits hotel staff at eight centres and 80 per cent of the New Deal trainees have remained in sustainable employment after one year.

Funding is available from the European Social Fund Objective 3 programme to enable other organisations to develop this idea in other parts of Great Britain.

National Lottery

Lord Luke asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When the Prime Minister was informed of the decision to exclude Camelot from the shortlist for the award of the next National Lottery licence.[HL4146]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Prime Minister was informed of the National Lottery Commission's decision not to award the next National Lottery licence to either bidder and to negotiate exclusively with The People's Lottery to rectify its bid on the morning of 23 August. The Commission's decision was publicly announced later that day.

Lord Luke asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the Prime Minister has met Sir Richard Branson since the passage of the National Lottery Act 1998; and whether the question of the National Lottery has arisen in any discussion between them.[HL4147]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My right honourable friend has meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to provide details of all such meetings.

Lord Luke asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the Prime Minister has any plans to meet Sir Richard Branson.[HL4144]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I am advised that my right honourable friend has no plans to do so.

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Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport became aware that some members of the National Lottery Commission had links with Sir Richard Branson.[HL4126]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Before appointing members of the National Lottery Commission, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport ensured that they had no conflicts of interest. Commissioners are also required to declare any other relevant interests on the commission's register of interests. This register is publicly available and is sent to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

All links of any kind, between commissioners and Sir Richard Branson, The Peoples Lottery, or Camelot Group plc, are openly recorded and publicly available on the register.

Holidays: British National Tourism Survey

Lord Harrison asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they consider the finding in the British National Tourism Survey 1998 that 40 per cent of the adult population do not take a proper holiday to be a cause for concern; and what measures they will take to help those who, by reason of poverty or family commitments, do not take an annual holiday.[HL4222]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The 1998 British National Tourism Survey found that 40 per cent of adults had not taken a holidy of more than four nights in the previous year. These findings did give cause for concern and led to the commitment in Tomorrow's Tourism to widen access to tourism for the 40 per cent of people who do not take a long holiday. The English Tourism Council was asked to investigate the BNTS findings. Its research revealed that a major factor is the continuing market trend towards short breaks (with 86 per cent of people having taken at least one in the past three years). They also found that only 14 per cent of adults do not take any holiday for a variety of reasons, many of which are not connected with poverty or family commitments. Some are just too busy to take holidays. The English Tourism Council will continue to work with the industry and other bodies, such as the LGA, to publicise what is already available and to develop new products for untapped markets such as those on low incomes or with caring responsibilities.


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