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International Independent Commission on Decommissioning: Cost
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much the International Independent Commission on Disarmament has cost since its creation, including this year; and what contribution to this cost has been made by the Government of the Irish Republic.[HL4420]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The total expenditure shared by the British and Irish Governments from the creation of the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning to date is IR £4,131,215. The costs are split on a 50/50 basis shared by the British and Irish Governments.
Northern Ireland: Railway Safety
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why a proportion of the extra funding made available to the railway systems in the United Kingdom to improve safety does not apply to Northern Ireland Railways; and whether railway safety in Northern Ireland has a different priority for them compared with railway safety in other parts of the United Kingdom.[HL4464]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Responsibility for this subject has been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Chief Commissioner
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Chief Commissioner for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is a member of the Committee of the Administration of Justice; and, if so, what is the term of his membership.[HL4484]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is a member of the Committee on the Administration of Justice and has been since 1981.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has fulfilled its statutory duty under Section 69(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 by reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the law and practice in relation to marches by the Loyal Institutions in Northern Ireland.[HL4486]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's statutory duty under Section 69(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is an ongoing duty. The commission submitted advice to Her Majesty's Government earlier this year on whether the Human Rights Act 1998 should be
commenced in relation to some aspects of the law and practice of marches. Her Majesty's Government took account of the commission's views.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission considers that the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill fails to make every effort to recruit from the ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland, as suggested in paragraph 14.6 of the Patten Report; and, if so, what is the Government's response.[HL4519]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has made no representation to Her Majesty's Government regarding the impact of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill on the recruitment of ethnic minorities to the police force in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Policing Plan
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they intend that the annual Policing Plan, described in Clause 26 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill, will include--
and, if so, whether they will set out the above on the face of the Bill.[HL4525]
(a) a statement of the police board's priorities;
(b) the financial resources available to the board;
(c) the proposed allocation of those resources; and
(d) particulars of objectives determined by the Secretary of State and the board, and of performance targets set by the board;
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Policing Plan will include the items mentioned by virtue of regulations to be made under the Bill.
A draft of the proposed regulations was made available during Committee stage in the other place.
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Falconer of Thoroton : The grounds upon which the Chief Constable may refer a board inquiry to the Secretary of State for the latter to overrule are set out in the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill.
The Government believe that these restrictions on the board's inquiry power are at an absolute minimum.
Lord Lamont asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The circumstances of the two cases are very different. Unlike the Omagh bombing, there are no prosecutions outstanding in relation to Bloody Sunday nor are the events of that day the subject of active criminal investigations likely to lead to imminent prosecutions. The existence of the Bloody Sunday inquiry does not, however, prevent the possibility of prosecutions being brought in due course; whether or not that happens will be a matter for the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions on the basis of the available evidence.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: According to current estimates from the European Central Bank, some EUR648.5 billion-worth of notes and some EUR15.5 billion-worth of coins are expected to be produced for the introduction of euro cash in 2002.
Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe asked the Chairman of Committees:
Whether it is their intention to keep to the absolute minimum the grounds upon which the Chief Constable and the Secretary of State may restrict the freedom of the police board to initiate inquiries under Clause 60 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill.[HL4526]
Further to the Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 25 October that a judicial inquiry into the Omagh bombing could jeopardise legal proceedings, whether that means that there cannot be any prosecutions relating to Bloody Sunday now that a judicial inquiry has been set up to investigate those events.[HL4384]
What will be the total value of notes and coins denominated in euros in circulation throughout the European Union at the beginning of 2002.[HL4565]
Whether the painting by Andrew Festing of the House debating the Queen's Speech in November
14 Nov 2000 : Column WA34
- 1995 is intended to be a historical record; and whether he will take steps to ensure that future generations of students and historians are made aware of the decision by some Lords not to appear in the painting because of objections of principle.[HL 4589]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Boston of Faversham): I understand that the painting was intended to be an historical record of the House in November 1995. Every Member of the House was invited to be included in the painting, on payment of a subscription of £150, and it was up to each Member to decide whether or not he or she wished to be included. Future generations of students and historians may well wish to take into account the point the noble Lord makes in his Question.
HM Land Registry: Quinquennial Review
Lord Hughes of Woodside asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How they intend to take forward the Quinquennial Review of HM Land Registry. [HL4602]
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): I announced the launch of the second Quinquennial Review of Her Majesty's Land Registry on 6 September. The review will include an assessment of its performance as well as a thorough consideration of all options for carrying forward its work, including the Better Quality Services approach to delivery. The agreed terms of reference have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Andrew Edwards CB has been appointed to carry out the review, which will include widespread consultation with those who have an interest in the work of the Land Registry. It is expected that the report of the review will be published in Spring 2001.
Northern Ireland: Legal Aid Reform
Lord Dubs asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have published their proposals for Legal Aid Reform in Northern Ireland.[HL4603]
The Lord Chancellor: The White Paper The Way Ahead (CM 4849) was published on 19 September, when a copy was placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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