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Northern Ireland: Law Officers' Meetings
Lord Rawlinson of Ewell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- On how many occasions during the calendar year 2000 (i) the Attorney-General and (ii) the Solicitor-General:
(a) visited Northern Ireland and met the Director of Public Prosecutions Northern Ireland; and
(b) attended meetings of the Bar Council, apart from the Annual General Meeting of the Bar.[HL538]
The Attorney-General (Lord Williams of Mostyn): During the calendar year 2000:
Lord Rawlinson of Ewell asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Williams of Mostyn: During the calendar year 2000:
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister for Science, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): By accepting all 24 recommendations of the Performance and Innovation Unit's (PIU) report on the future of the post office network, the Government have demonstrated their continuing commitment to maintenance of a nationwide network. We are working closely with the Post Office, the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters and other stakeholders to implement the PIU recommendations. These measures are designed to modernise and improve post office services and to strengthen confidence in the future of the network. The Post Office has also accepted a formal requirement, placed on it by the Government, to maintain the rural network and to prevent any avoidable closures of rural post offices.
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: BT has handed over facilities enabling local loop unbundling at four trial exchanges and services are being provided over BT's exchange lines by other operators at two of them. In preparation for further local loop unbundling, nearly 700 exchanges have been surveyed by BT, though it is ultimately up to individual operators where they place orders for unbundling facilities. It was agreed last month that BT would bring forward work on unbundling at the most popular exchanges and building work at the first of those exchanges should start before Easter. Requests for "distant location", where an operator locates its equipment outside the local exchange, are going forward on a business as usual basis with BT.
Comprehensive current data on unbundling in other European Union states are not available. Germany is the only country with a significant amount of unbundling and achieved around 150,000 lines in nearly three years from January 1998.
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Good progress is being made with the development of Universal Banking Services. Agreement in principle was reached on
20 December 2000 with six banks (Barclays, Lloyds TSB Ltd, RBS/NatWest, HSBC, Abbey National and the Halifax) to contribute towards Universal Banking Services at the Post Office. Discussions continue with other banks and building societies to examine what contributions they can make. The intention is for the banks to sign a memorandum of understanding within the next few weeks.
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton): It is entirely a matter for managers of a neighbourhood warden scheme to decide the qualifications that are required in recruiting people for that scheme. The qualifications will depend on the functions of the particular scheme. There is no centrally prescribed age limit. Some schemes will be recruiting from the intermediate labour market, providing jobs and training for the long-term unemployed.
The Neighbourhood Wardens' Unit supports schemes with guidance and training for wardens and their managers. Wardens are encouraged to undertake accredited training.
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
(a)(i) The Attorney-General visited Northern Ireland seven times and met the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland on six of those occasions. In addition, the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland has travelled to London to meet the Attorney-General on eight occasions. (ii) The Solicitor-General visited Northern Ireland once and met the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.
(b)(i) The Attorney-General has attended two meetings of the Bar Council and one meeting of the Bar Council in Northern Ireland. (ii) The Solicitor-General has attended three meetings of the Bar Council.
On how many occasions during the calendar year 2000 (i) the Attorney-General and (ii) the Solicitor-General:
(a) appeared in court to prosecute in criminal proceedings in England and Wales;
(b) appeared in court representing the Crown or a Department of State in civil proceedings in England and Wales;
(c) attended a Committee of either House of Parliament, either as a member of that Committee or at the invitation of that Committee.[HL537]
(a)(i)(ii) neither the Attorney-General nor the Solicitor-General has appeared in court to prosecute in criminal proceedings in England and Wales;
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(b)(i) the Attorney-General appeared for the Inquiry at the opening of both the re-opening of the Formal Investigation into the loss of the M-V "Derbyshire" and the Formal Investigation into the collision between the "Marchioness"/"Bowbell".
(ii) the Solicitor-General has represented the Crown or a Department of State on five occasions in civil proceedings in England and Wales.
(c)(i)(ii) neither the Attorney-General nor the Solicitor-General has attended a Committee of either House of Parliament, either as a member of that Committee or at the invitation of that Committee.
What steps they have taken to stem the numbers of sub-postmasters leaving their businesses.[HL611]
In how many local exchanges local loop unbundling is currently taking place; and how this compares with the situation amongst other European Union states.[HL563]
When they expect to receive the conclusions of the negotiations on the proposed establishment of the Universal Bank.[HL610]
What qualifications the members of the proposed police neighbourhood warden scheme will require; and whether there will be an upper age limit.[HL609]
How many persons seeking asylum in the United Kingdom since 1 April 2000 have lived in initial emergency accommodation for (a) more than seven days, (b) more than 14 days, (c) more than 28 days, and (d) more than three months; and how many of them were under 18 years of age in each case.[HL555]
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Lord Bassam of Brighton: This information is not readily available and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. As at 26 January this year there were 5,900 people in emergency accommodation in England and Scotland.
Immigration Clearance Times, Heathrow
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the target time for passengers arriving at London Airport (Heathrow) between entering the immigration hall and being seen by an immigration officer; and whether they are satisfied with the current average waiting time. [HL570]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Current target clearance times for non-European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EAA) nationals not requiring further examination at the four Heathrow Terminals are:
- Terminal 1: 95 per cent in less than 30 minutes
- Terminal 2: 90 per cent in less than 30 minutes
- Terminal 3: 85 per cent in less than 30 minutes
- Terminal 4: 85 per cent in less than 30 minutes
Regular independent surveys (conducted by BAA) of arriving passengers demonstrates a high level of satisfaction with all aspects of the service provided by the Immigration Service. The Immigration Service is, nevertheless, constantly striving to achieve further improvements.
Migrants' Fiscal Contribution to UK Economy
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish the methodology and calculations which led the Home Office to conclude that Britain's foreign born population pays 10 per cent more than it receives from government, as reported in the Daily Telegraph of Tuesday 23 January; and how this compares with the generality of the population. [HL616]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The figures quoted in the Daily Telegraph are taken from the recently published Home Office study Migration: An economic and social analysis. These figures represent an initial estimate of the fiscal contribution that migrants make to the economy--that is the value of the taxes they pay over and above what they consume in benefits and other public services. However, as noted in the Home Office study, there are a wide range of possible assumptions that affect estimates of the contributions of both migrants and the UK-born population. Work is under way to refine these assumptions and it is the intention to publish the findings from this analysis, which will include details of the methodology used and the calculations.
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