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Written Answers
Tuesday, 11th December 2001.
British Council Exhibitions: Indemnity Undertakings
Lord Gladwin of Clee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many indemnity undertakings were given by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in respect of loss or damage to works of art loaned to the British Council for exhibition overseas for the six-month period ended 30 September; and what was the value of the contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings which remained outstanding at that date.[HL1965]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): The British Council, although not a government department, receives a substantial grant in aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It regularly organises or sponsors exhibitions overseas of works of art loaned from national galleries and private collections in the United Kingdom. It provides certain assurances or guarantees in respect of loss or damage while these works are on loan.
In the six-month period ended 30 September 2001, the British Council provided such assurances to two national lenders and undertakings to 14 private lenders. The value of the contingent liabilities that remained outstanding as at 30 September 2001 in respect of national lenders was £464,200 and in respect of private lenders was £3,797,125, i.e. a total of £4,261,325.
Immigration Statistics
Lord Renton asked her Majesty's Government:
- How many immigrants were admitted to the United Kingdom in 2000; how many have so far been admitted in 2001; and how many of those immigrants in each year were admitted as asylum seekers.[HL1788]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker): In 2000, 13 million non-European economic area (EEA) passengers were given leave to enter the United Kingdom. Data for 2001 are not currently available; they are due to be published in the statistical bulletin Control of Immigration Statistics United Kingdom 2001 in summer 2002.
In 2000, 25,935 principal applicants applied for asylum at a United Kingdom port. Between January and September 2001, this figure was 19,750. These figures are provisional.
Information on asylum applications is published quarterly on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
National Insurance Contributions
Lord Higgins asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why the pension uprating statement this year did not include any reference to uprating national insurance contributions; and whether they have any intention of increasing national insurance contributions.[HL1753]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given in another place by my honourable friend the Paymaster General on 27 November 2001 (Official Report, columns 863W–866W) to the honourable Member for Stevenage.
Ministerial Briefings: Acoustics
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are planning to take to improve the acoustics of rooms in various ministerial buildings which are used for briefings and consultations.[HL1688]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Individual government departments are responsible for determining any improvements to the accommodation they occupy.
Turkey: Copenhagen Criteria
Lord Harrison asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their response to the European Union Commission's annual report on European union applicant states in respect of Turkey.[HL1625]
The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): Her Majesty's Government welcome the European Commission's report, which recognised Turkey's recent constitutional reforms as an important step towards meeting the EU's Copenhagen political criteria. And we agree that Turkey needs to undertake more work to meet the Copenhagen political criteria, in particular with respect to implementing human rights reforms.
EU/Israel Association Agreement
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What was the response of the European Union General Affairs Council to the alleged breach of Article 2 of the European Union/Israel Association Agreement at its meeting on the 19 November; how this was conveyed to Israel the following day; and what was the United Kingdom's position.[HL1707]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The 19 November General Affairs Council agreed the EU declaration for the 20 November EU/Isreal Association Council. The EU declaration noted that the EU Xhas always recognised Israel's legitimate
security concerns". It noted also that these concerns Xmust however be addressed with full respect for human rights and within the framework of the rule of law, in accordance with Article 2 of our Euro-Mediterranean Agreement".European Union Law-making
Lord Gladwin of Clee asked her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have taken any recent steps to inform people in the United Kingdom about the law-making process in the European Union.[HL1962]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has published a leaflet which summarises the process by which European directives and regulations are made. This is being given a wide distribution and is available on the FCO website at www.fco.gov.uk. Copies are available for collection in the Libraries of both Houses.
European Union Treaties
Lord Gladwin of Clee asked her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have taken any recent steps to inform people in the United Kingdom about the meaning of European Union treaties.[HL1963]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has published a leaflet which summarises the European Union treaties in under 300 words. This is being given a wide distribution and is also available on the FCO websites at www.fco.gov.uk. Copies are available for collection in the Libraries of both Houses.
Renewables Obligation Order
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they intend to implement the Renewables Obligation Order.[HL1700]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The Government intend to lay the necessary order before Parliament in February with a view to its coming into effect on 1 April 2002.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they believe that any further consultation is envisaged prior to the implementation of the Renewables Obligation Order.[HL1701]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government do not propose to undertake any further consultation prior to the implementation of the Renewables Obligation Order.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they expect the European Commission to grant state aid approval for the draft Renewables Obligation Order.[HL1702]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: I understand that the European Commission has granted state aid approval for our proposals for the renewables obligation subject to formal publication in the official journal shortly.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there are inconsistencies between the Renewables Obligation Order and the Renewables Obligation Order (Scotland).[HL1703]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government's intention is that the two orders will be fully consistent with each other.
Shipbuilding
Lord Dixon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many times and at what cost the shipbuilding and ship repair innovation and technology support scheme has been used in each year since 1997.[HL1710]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There is not a dedicated shipbuilding and ship repair innovation and technology support scheme; however, since 1997 under the department's support for innovation theme, grants with an aggregate value of £3,125,031 (three million one hundred and twenty-five thousand and thirty-one pounds) have been made. The details of these grants are shown in the following table:
| Date of Offer | Beneficiary | Purpose and Contribution | Value of Grant £ |
| May 99 | Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association | UK Maritime Industries Netherlands Study Tour and Seminar | 20,000 |
| June 99 | Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association | Benchmarking and Business Improvement Project | 94,245 |
| July 2000 | Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association | Ship Marketing Project | 175,786 |
| Sep 2000 | Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association | LINK-Integrated Technology for Marine Construction | 2,800,000 |
| Oct 2000 | A single shipyard | Studies on Benchmarking and Marketing | 35,000 |
| Total | 3,125,031 |
Lord Dixon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many times and at what cost the shipbuilding credit guarantee scheme has been used in each year since 1997.[HL1711]
Lords Sainsbury of Turville: The Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme (HSCGS) has supported 14 vessels in 1997, seven in 1998, one in 1999, three in 2000 and three to date in 2001.
The net costs of/receipts from the HSCGS have been as follows: in financial year 1997–98 the Government received £223,000; in financial year 1998–99 the Government paid out £1,960,000; in financial year 1999–2000 the Government received £1,991,000; and in financial year 2000–01 the Government received £241,000.
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