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Museums: Long-term Loan of Exhibits
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What criteria are applied by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to applications by national museums and galleries which wish to lend exhibits to individuals or museums and galleries overseas on a long-term basis in exchange for payment; and[HL2082]
Whether they have received an application from the Royal Armouries Museum, or from any other national museum or gallery, to lend exhibits overseas on a long-term basis in exchange for payment; if so, what applications have been received; and when they were lodged. [HL2083]
Baroness Blackstone: My department is waiting to receive a business case from the Royal Armouries setting out its plans for an arrangement with the Owsley Brown Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The proposal involves the long-term loan of items from the Royal Armouries under Section 21 of the National Heritage Act 1983 in exchange for payments. No similar proposals to lend exhibits overseas on a long-term basis in exchange for payment have been received from other bodies sponsored by my department.
National museums and galleries which wish to lend exhibits overseas are required to comply with the relevant legislation on the lending of exhibits. My department may call in for approval novel proposals, for example lending exhibits on a long-term basis in exchange for payment, to ensure that there is no risk to the collection and that value for money has been properly assessed.
Parliamentary Questions
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the average length of time over the last month for Answers to be given to Written Questions from the time the Questions were put down, comparing the House of Lords and the House of Commons; and[HL1404]
What since May 1997 is the longest period between the tabling of a Question for Written Answer and its being answered by a Minister, giving the relevant dates; and[HL1681]
Whether the time within which Questions for Written Answer are to be answered is the same for the House of Commons and the House of Lords; and if not, what is the difference and justification; and[HL1682]
What instructions have been issued to civil servants with regard to the urgency given to answering Questions for Written Answer tabled by members of the House of Lords compared with members of the House of Commons.[HL1683]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): Information on the average length of time for Answers to be given to Written Questions, comparing the House of Lords and the House of Commons, is not available, which I regret. My office has commissioned a new computer database to help track and monitor performance on Answers to Written Questions tabled by noble Lords. The database should be in operation early in the new year and will help my office to chase progress on late Answers and provide more helpful replies in future to the Questions raised on this occasion.
On the question of the longest period between the tabling of a Question for Written Answer and it being answered, the Minute Room has advised that a Question tabled by Lord Waverley in 1998 took eight months for the Government to issue a reply.
On the issue of timescales for answering Questions in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the systems are of course very different. Written Questions in the House of Commons are tabled to individual Ministers for answer either on a Named Day or Ordinary Written where the aim is to reply within seven days. In the House of Lords, Questions are tabled to "Her Majesty's Government" and are expected to be answered within 14 days. The reason for the longer deadline in the House of Lords is to reflect the fact that Questions can be more wide ranging in the Lords as they are tabled to Her Majesty's Government rather than a specific Minister.
The time taken to reply to Parliamentary Questions is an issue that concerns me and my ministerial colleagues. I have reminded colleagues that Questions in the House of Lords are expected to be answered within a fortnight. In addition, Sir Richard Wilson has written to departments reminding them of the need for timely and helpful answers to Parliamentary Questions in both Houses.
Northern Ireland Bill of Rights
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What their response is to the remarks of the Chief Commissoner, Professor Brice Dickson, for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission at a conference on human rights at Queen's University Belfast on Saturday 8 December when he said the current draft Human Rights Bill, as devised by the commission, needed to be considerably changed, with many sections left out, and that much more time for consultation was required. [HL1970]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The way the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission carries out its consultation on the scope for a Bill of Rights is a matter for the commission.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy seal on 26 November (WA 18) about the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, what they understand by consultation conducted by a public body; and whether "education and awareness-raising" are normal practices for public bodies consulting the public. [HL1998]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The way the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission carries out any consultation is a matter for the commission itself.
Section 69(6) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 places a specific duty on that commission to promote
understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern Ireland; and for this purpose it may, among other things, undertake educational activities.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer [HL1765 by the Lord Privy Seal on 11 December (WA 199–200), whether the commission represents the entire community in Northern Ireland. [HL2037]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: In terms of its scope and purpose, the commission's remit extends to the entire community in Northern Ireland. In terms of its membership, the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland "as far as practicable [to] secure that the Commissioners, as a group, are representative of the community in Northern Ireland". The Government remain satisfied that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has fulfilled that statutory requirement.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 11 December (WA 198–199) which indicated that five of the commissioners appointed to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission are appointed for three years and three are appointed for two years, whether they will indicate which commissioners fall into each appointment period, and why.[HL2038]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Of the commissioners who sought reappointment to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, those appointed for three years were Professor Brice Dickson, Mrs Margaret-Ann Dinsmore, Mr Tom Donnelly, Professor Tom Hadden and Ms Paddy Kelly. Those appointed for two years were the Reverend Harold Good, Ms Inez McCormack and Mr Frank McGuinness. A decision on the position of Professor Christine Bell has, at her own request, been deferred until the new year.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland decided to vary the length of the various appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to stagger the times at which the commissioners would need to be replaced or reappointed in future. He wanted to ensure both an element of continuity within the commission and a regular turnover in membership.
Northern Ireland: Baton Rounds
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 3 December (WA 77–78), whether the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has now stated that they accept the statement of the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland that baton rounds are not used for the purposes of crowd control.[HL2001]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: I refer the noble Lord to the letter sent to him by the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission dated 5 December in reply to a previous Question (WA 77–78), a copy of which was also placed in the Library of the House of Lords.
Northern Ireland Police Service Recruitment
Lord Rogan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which publications in Great Britain carried advertisements for (a) the first and (b) the second recruitment competitions to the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and[HL1869]
Which (i) terrestrial and (ii) satellite television channels carried advertisements for (a) the first and (b) the second recruitment competitions to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.[HL1870]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The following publications in Great Britain carried recruitment advertisements for the Police Service of Northern Ireland recruitment competitions:
- First Competition: Glasgow Evening Herald, Edinburgh Evening News, Manchester Evening News,
- Second Competition: The Universe,
The advertisement has featured on the following television channels:
- First Competition: Ulster Television, Channel 4, Channel 9 (North West Ireland), Tara Television (Satellite).
- Second Competition: Ulster Television, Channel 4,
(North West Ireland), Radio Telefis Eireann 1, Network 2.
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