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Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will name the 10 people referred to in the Official Report on 14 November (HL Deb, col. 564) who are subject to extradition warrants.[HL1507]
Lord Rooker: It is not the policy or practice to list the names of those who are the subject of extradition proceedings.
Detention Centre Rules 2001
Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the Detention Centre Rules, which became law in April, will be implemented at Tinsley House, the detention centre for Gatwick Airport.[HL1581]
Lord Rooker: The Detention Centre Rules 2001 (SI 2001 No. 238) came into force on 2 April 2001 at all designated detention centres, including Tinsley House.
Baroness Williams of Crosby asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the document promised in Rule 4(1) of the Detention Centre Rules, setting out the responsibilities and rights of detainees and their proper channels for request and complaints, will be issued.[HL1582]
Lord Rooker: The document referred to was issued in accordance with Rule 4(1) of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 (SI 2001 No 238) on 2 April 2001.
United States National Missile Defence Policy
Lord Jenkins of Putney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will refuse permission to the United States Government to develop radar facilities in this country to enable the use of their national missile defence policy.[HL1514]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): The US Administration have not yet decided what sort of missile defence system they will ultimately seek to deploy and have made no formal request to Her Majesty's Government for the use of facilities in the UK for missile defence purposes. It therefore remains premature to indicate how we would respond to any specific request. We have, however, made clear that we would wish to be helpful to our closest ally.
Britannia Royal Naval College: Uniform Procurement
Lord Carlile of Berriew asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have any proposals to shorten the delay in providing new entrants to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth with the full range of equipment desirable for them to perform their duties fully.[HL1515]
Lord Bach: There are concerns about the shortages of uniform clothing for young officer entrants to the
Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. The shortage of items are: the tricorn hats worn by female officers, oversize (size 13+) shoes, berets, caps and cap badges.Uniform items are procured through the Defence Textiles and Clothing (Integrated Project Team (DCT (IPT)) which is dependent on sole suppliers for certain items, especially the more traditional ones.
Alternative methods of fulfilling the requirements placed upon the DCT (IPT) have been explored and, to that end, three contracts have been put in place to meet the demands for cap badges. A contract to supply outsize shoes will start to deliver in January 2002, in time for the January intake of new entrants and suppliers are now meeting the demand for tricorn hats, caps and berets.
War Pensions and Allowances
Baroness Nicol asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish the new rates of war pensions and allowances proposed to be introduced from April 2002.[HL1750]
Lord Bach: The information requested is set out in the table below. The annual uprating of war pensions and allowances for 2002 will take place from the week beginning 8 April.
| Rates 2001 | Rates 2002 | |
| Disablement Pension (100 per cent rates) | ||
| Officer (£ per annum) | 6,251.00 | 6,356.00 |
| Other ranks | 119.80 | 121.80 |
| Age Allowances | ||
| 40 per cent–50 per cent | 8.00 | 8.15 |
| over 50 per cent but not over 70 per cent | 12.35 | 12.55 |
| over 70 per cent but not over 90 per cent | 17.55 | 17.85 |
| over 90 per cent | 24.70 | 25.10 |
| Disablement gratuity | ||
| Specified minor injury (min) | 762.00 | 775.00 |
| Specified minor injury (max) | 5,695.00 | 5,792.00 |
| Unspecified minor injury (min) | 316.00 | 321.00 |
| Unspecified minor injury (max) | 7,406.00 | 7,532.00 |
| Unemployability allowance | ||
| Personal | 74.00 | 75.25 |
| Adult dependency increase | 41.75 | 42.45 |
| Increase for first child | 9.70 | 9.85 |
| Increase for subsequent children | 11.35 | 11.55 |
| Invalidity allowance | ||
| Higher rate | 14.65 | 14.90 |
| Middle rate | 9.30 | 9.50 |
| Lower rate | 4.65 | 4.75 |
| Constant attendance allowance | ||
| Exception rate | 90.40 | 92.00 |
| Intermediate rate | 67.80 | 69.00 |
| Full day rate | 45.20 | 46.00 |
| Part day rate | 22.60 | 23.00 |
| Comforts allowance | ||
| Higher rate | 19.40 | 19.70 |
| Lower rate | 9.70 | 9.85 |
| Mobility supplement | 43.10 | 43.85 |
| Allowance for lowered standard of occupation (maximum) | 45.16 | 45.92 |
| Exceptionally severe disablement allowance | 45.20 | 46.00 |
| Severe disablement occupational allowance | 22.60 | 23.00 |
| Clothing allowance (£ per annum) | 154.00 | 157.00 |
| Education allowance (£ per annum) (max) | 120.00 | 120.00 |
| War widow's pension | ||
| Widow (private) | 90.45 | 92.00 |
| Widow (NCO) | 90.75 | 92.30 |
| Widow—officer (£ pa max) | 5,594.00 | 5,689.00 |
| Childless widow u-40 (private) | 21.75 | 22.12 |
| Childless widow u-40 (NCO) | 21.75 | 22.12 |
| Childless widow (Officer max £s pa) | 5,594.00 | 5,689.00 |
| Supplementary Pension | 58.95 | 59.95 |
| Age allowance | ||
| (a) age 65 to 69 | 10.35 | 10.55 |
| (b) age 65 to 69 | 19.85 | 20.20 |
| (c) age 80 and over | 29.55 | 30.05 |
| Children's allowance | ||
| Increase for first child | 14.30 | 14.55 |
| Increase for subsequent children | 15.95 | 16.20 |
| Orphan's pension | ||
| Increase for first child | 16.20 | 16.50 |
| Increase for subsequent children | 17.85 | 18.15 |
| Unmarried dependant living as spouse (max) | 88.40 | 89.95 |
| Rent allowance (maximum) | 34.20 | 34.80 |
| Adult orphan's pension (maximum) | 69.75 | 70.95 |
| Widower's pension | ||
| Private (max) | 90.45 | 92.00 |
| Officer (£ per annum) max | 5,594.00 | 5,689.00 |
European Parliamentary Elections 2004: Gibraltarians' Franchise
Lord Grenfell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are taking to ensure that Gibraltarians can vote in the 2004 elections to the European Parliament.[HL1696]
The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): We unequivocally accept the obligation to give effect to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Matthews v UK and we are committed to extending the
European franchise in time for the 2004 elections to the European Parliament. To this end, we will be seeking legislative time in order to bring in the necessary domestic legislation. We will, of course, consult the Government of Gibraltar on the legislative and practical details.ECHR: Report of Evaluation Group
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they agree with the report of the Evaluation Group to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the European Court of Human Rights, of 27 September, that Ximmediate action is indispensable" if the European Court of Human Rights is Xto remain effective and retain its credibility and authority"; and if so, whether they will support such action.[HL1478]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: HMG welcome the Evaluation Group's report and agrees with its contention that immediate action is required to protect the Court's effectiveness. We are therefore pleased that many of the report's recommendations, in particular those about Court processes, are already being acted upon. As for those requiring action by the governments of Council of Europe member states, HMG are currently carrying out an internal and external consultation process before finalising their position on these recommendations.
We recognise the thoroughness of the internal auditor's contribution to the report and are content to accept this as a basis for planning.
The report does not seek responses by individual member states. We are already addressing the report's recommendations collectively with out Council of Europe partners through the Committee of Ministers. Work has been allocated to various specialist groups within the Council of Europe in which the UK is playing a full part. Once our national consultation process is complete, we will make our conclusions known to interested parties in good time for the report back to the Council of Europe Ministerial in November 2002.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they consider the projections made by the Council of Europe's internal auditor, referred to in the report of the Evaluation Group to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the European Court of Human Rights, of 27 September, to be reliable.[HL1479]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: HMG welcome the Evaluation Group's report and agree with its contention that immediate action is required to protect the Court's effectiveness. We are therefore pleased that many of the report's recommendations, in particular those about Court processes, are already being acted
upon. As for those requiring action by the governments of Council of Europe member states, HMG are currently carrying out an internal and external consultation process before finalising their position on these recommendations.We recognise the thoroughness of the internal auditor's contribution to the report and are content to accept this as a basis for planning.
The report does not seek responses by individual member states. We are already addressing the report's recommendations collectively with our Council of Europe partners through the Committee of Ministers. Work has been allocated to various specialist groups within the Council of Europe in which the UK is playing a full part. Once our national consultation process is complete, we will make our conclusions known to interested parties in good time for the report back to the Council of Europe Ministerial in November 2002.
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