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Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why they granted an additional £352,000 to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on top of its annual grant of £750,000.[HL1095]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: As with all their sponsored bodies, the Government always made it clear that they were prepared to consider any bid for additional resources from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission provided it was supported by a legitimate business case. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland received such a bid from the commission, and made a further £357,200 available to it to support its extensive consultation on the scope for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they support the suggestion that the chapter on social, economic and environmental rights in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's proposed Bill of Rights should apply in Great Britain.[HL1096]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The social, economic and environmental rights to which the noble Lord refers appear in a consultation document published by the commission on 4 September this year as part of the commission's consultation exercise to enable it to advise the Government on the scope for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. The Government expect to receive formal recommendations from the commission next spring. Any such recommendations will be considered carefully by the Government in respect of the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland, as outlined in the Good Friday agreement.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many (a) organisations, and (b) individuals made submissions to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission either (i) calling for, or (ii) opposing the inclusion of a right to elections by proportional representation in the proposed Bill of Rights. [HL1110]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The Chief Commissioner has been asked to write to the noble Lord. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.
Northern Ireland: Human Rights Provisions
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What would be the consequences for the United Kingdom's international obligations if they directly incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into Northern Ireland law, as recommended by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and amended Section 22(6) of the Human Rights Act 1998, thereby disapplying the Act in Northern Ireland. [HL1098]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The United Kingdom's international obligations under the ECHR are set out in that treaty and not in the Human Rights Act 1998. Accordingly, they would be unaffected by amendment of the Human Rights Act.
Sierra Leone
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the latest situation in Sierra Leone following British military intervention and provision of aid and training; in particular:
(a) what percentage of the territory is fully controlled by the legal government;
(b) whether all or part of the diamond fields are still held by the RUF;
(c) how many weapons have been given up by rebels and militias, and whether these have been destroyed;
(d) where UNAMSIL is deployed, and what is its function;
(e) how many displaced people have so far returned to their original homes;
(f) when elections are expected to be held; and
(g) whether government forces are freeing rebel-held areas, and by when they are expected to have full control.[HL1036]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): The situation in Sierra Leone has improved beyond all expectations since our original intervention in May 2000. Significant challenges remain, but the prospects for peace are now better than at any time since the conflict began. Over 20,000 combatants have disarmed and handed over 3,115 handguns, 11,883 assault weapons, 709 group or crew-served weapons and 518,340 rounds of ammunition since May 2001: 10,800 of these weapons have been destroyed to date. The rebel leadership has renounced violence in favour of transforming the RUF into a political party ahead of elections announced for 14 May 2002.
The UK's engagement, in support of the United Nations, together with that of regional leaders including President Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Konare of Mali, has underpinned the recent progress in the peace process. But the Government of Sierra Leone will need the continued support of the international community to enable them to consolidate the peace and begin to rebuild the country's shattered institutions and infrastructure.
The Government of Sierra Leone have not, so far, had to use their forces to free up territory previously held by the rebels. The government are gradually extending their authority throughout their territory as disarmament progresses: the Sierra Leone police are now present in the nine of Sierra Leone's 13 districts—constituting over 70 per cent of the country—that are
The main diamond-producing area of Kono was one of the first to demobilise. But a sizable presence of RUF ex-combatants remains in the diamond producing areas, which are beginning to come under government control.
UNAMSIL has deployed troops throughout Sierra Leone. Its function is set out in its mandate authorised under Security Council Resolution 1270 (1999) of 22 October 1999, amended by Security Council Resolution 1289 (2000) of 7 February 2000. Its main objectives are to assist the Government of Sierra Leone to extend their authority, restore law and order and stabilise the situation progressively throughout the country, and to help to promote a political process towards disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration and the holding, in due course, of free and fair elections.
Spontaneous returns make it hard to determine a precise figure of displaced persons who have returned to their original homes. UNHCR records indicate that 26,000 resettled between April and June 2001, and plans are in hand to resettle another 18,000 from December 2001. Another 120,000 internally displaced persons now in camps in Sierra Leone await resettlement, and a further 80,000 are being accommodated in host communities. Regionally, Guinea is hosting about 109,500 Sierra Leonean refugees, Liberia 70,000, the Gambia 7,630 and an estimated 9,000 Sierra Leonean nationals are in other West African countries awaiting repatriation.
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker): The new application registration card will replace the standard acknowledgement letter (SAL) that is currently given to asylum seekers and will allow for much more reliable identification of the holders. Once the new smartcards have been introduced, we will replace the voucher system with a more robust but less socially divisive scheme. We are exploring potential mechanisms for achieving this, including automated credit transfer and using the smartcard as a means of providing financial support to asylum seekers.
Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the proposal to provide asylum seekers with smartcards will in any way change the number, range and identity of the shops in which they can be used compared with the current system of vouchers; and, if so, in what ways.[HL1084]
Whether they agree with the recent guidelines that advocate greater leniency for young offenders. [HL1115]
12 Nov 2001 : Column WA56
Lord Rooker: The Youth Court Bench Book does not advocate greater leniency. It reflects the firm, consistent approach to young offenders which the Government have developed in recent years, with the support of Parliament.
Treason Offences: Prosecutions and Penalties
Lord Carlile of Berriew asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which criminal offences, if any, still attract the death penalty; and how many prosecutions for treason have occurred since 1900 other than when the United Kingdom was at war with a foreign sovereign state.[HL1120]
Lord Rooker: The death penalty is no longer available for any criminal offences. Figures show that for the period 1900 to 2000, but excluding 1914 to 1918 and 1939 to 1945, there were 43 prosecutions for treason offences: 32 were for treason felony and the remaining 11 were for high treason and other offences against treason Acts.
Accident and Emergency Departments
Baroness Greengross asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What number and percentage of patients seen at National Health Service accident and emergency departments are
What is the average waiting time in National Health Service accident and emergency departments for
What number and percentage of people admitted to a National Health Service accident and emergency department are either readmitted within 10 days or transferred to the ward, broken down between
Whether they can estimate what number and percentage of people aged over state pension age admitted to a National Health Service accident and emergency department are seen by a geriatric specialist.[HL1015]
(a) aged over the state pension age;
(b) aged 18 to state pension age; and
(c) aged under 18; and[HL1018]
(a) patients aged over the state pension age;
(b) patients aged 18 to state pension age; and
(c) under 18; and[HL1013]
(a) patients aged over the state pension age;
(b) patients aged 18 to state pension age; and
(c) under 18; and[HL1014]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Accident and emergency data are not available by different age bands.
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