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Written Answers
Wednesday, 30th January 2002.
Prison Officers' Pay and Conditions
Lord Williams of Elvel asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they plan to publish the report of the Prison Service Pay Review Body on prison officers' pay and conditions.[HL2597]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker): The report of the Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSPRB) on the pay of governing governors and operational managers, prison officers and related grades in England and Wales in 2002 has been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.
The PSPRB has recommended a basic rise of 6 per cent over a 15-month period. This is a significant award which I have decided will be implemented in full. The locality allowances to Prison Service staff in eligible areas in London and the south east will be increased immediately by the full amount recommended, with effect from 1 January 2002. The general award will be paid in two steps, 3.5 per cent backdated to 1 January; the remainder in January 2003.
The key recommendations are set out as follows:
A 6 per cent increase to basic pay rates over the 15-month period covered by the report.
Rates of local pay allowance paid to staff in London and parts of the south east will be increased with effect from 1 January:
- By £500 to £3,500 per annum for the top rate.
- By £400 to £2,300 per annum for the middle rate.
- By £200 to £1,000 per annum for the lower rate.
Life Expectancy Rates
Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the current comparative life expectancy rates for men and women once they have reached the age of:
(a) 60; (b) 65; (c) 70; (d) 75; and (e) 80.[HL2449]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The latest information on life expectancy is based on mortality rates experienced in the years 1998 to 2000. The requested information is as follows:
Source:
Government Actuary's Department, Interim Life Tables 1998–2000.
Lord Varley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government do not hold information about annuities purchased by occupational pension schemes. So it is not possible to provide the estimate requested.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): Members of the UK Armed Forces engaged in international armed conflict who are captured by an enemy would be prisoners of war under the terms of the 3rd Geneva Convention 1949 and we would expect them to be treated accordingly. The question of whether or not a person is entitled to prisoner of war status depends on the application of the criteria in Article 4 of that convention to the particular facts and circumstances in the individual case.
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Bach: The Review Conference of the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) was successful in establishing a way ahead for discussions on a number of important and complex issues. By agreeing mandates for a group of governmental experts (GGE) to discuss ways and means to address the issue of explosive remnants of war and to explore the issue of anti-vehicle mines, the CCW has the opportunity to address humanitarian and military considerations in detail. We hope that the work of the GGE will allow the meeting of states parties to the CCW in December 2002 to agree to pursue formal negotiations on these matters.
Our policy towards explosive remnants of war will continue to seek to minimise the post-conflict risk to civilians at the same time as maintaining essential capability for our forces. To this end, we will play an active and positive role in the discussions of the GGE and any subsequent negotiations.
Lord Patel of Blackburn asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Bach: In his statement in another place on 23 January 2002 (Official Report, col. 891–902) my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State estimated the total cost of refunding wrongly taxed Army pensioners at around £30 million. The latest Inland Revenue estimate is that, to date, it has refunded in the order of £6.5 million to eligible pensioners or their spouses. We believe that the majority of these pensioners or their spouses have already been identified but we recognise that there may be some beneficiaries eligible to claim where the pensioner is deceased. It is not easy to establish their number or the cost attached to such claims. Nonetheless, we would not expect the total to exceed £30 million and based on the repayments that have been made to all of the cases that have been identified it is likely to be significantly less. Of those so far identified as having wrongly paid tax, only 14 have not yet had refunds.
Lord Christopher asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): See attached.
February 12—ECOFIN Meeting—Brussels
2. Approval of list of "A" items
3. Preparation for the European Council in Barcelona
6. Commission report on globalisation: challenges and responses
The following are the principal events in the EU between 1 March and July 2002 (certain relevant events are also included: the list is based on the information available at the date of issue).
6–7—Valladolid—Ministerial Seminar on Democracy and Development
9–10—Brussels—Gymnich (Ministerial Informal)
11—Brussels—Eurogroup (Evening)
14—Brussels—Education and Youth Council
14–15—Brussels—Justice and Home Affairs Council (Ministerial Informal)
18–19—Brussels—General Affairs Council
18–19—Brussels—Agriculture Council
22–23—Brussels—Telecoms and Information Society Council (Ministerial Informal)
28—Brussels—Justice and Home Affairs Council
28—Brussels—Inaugural meeting of the Convention on the Future of Europe.
Age Males Females
60 19.2 22.8
65 15.4 18.7
70 12.1 14.9
75 9.2 11.5
80 6.9 8.6
What is their estimate of the tax revenue the Exchequer will forego in the current financial year as a result of the Inland Revenue imposing limits on the payments of annuities which were purchased in previous years by the trustees of some occupational pension schemes for the benefit on retirement of individual pension scheme members, and in particular where the annuity contracts stipulated that there would be an annual uprating of 5 per cent paid to the annuitant.[HL2467]
Whether, if the Geneva Conventions are interpreted so as to restrict the rights of Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants to prisoner of war status, members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces would risk being denied their prisoner of war status if they were captured.[HL2363]
What is their evaluation of the outcome of the Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) (or Inhumane Weapons) Convention Second Review Conference in Geneva; what implications this conference has for future British policy towards explosive remnants of war and other matters; and what action they will be taking in response to the conference.[HL2487]
What is the latest estimate of the total cost of refunding tax to those retired Army personnel or their widows and widowers who are or were in receipt of a service invalid pension.[HL2532]
What the forthcoming business is in the Council of the European Union for February; and what are the major European Union events for the period between 31 January and July 2002.[HL2552]
Commission report on the functioning of product and capital markets (Cardiff report)
(Poss.) Report on increasing employment levels and prolonging working life
Broad Economic Policy Guidelines
Policy debate (on basis of, amongst other things, the Commission's summary report and contributions from other Councils)
4. Stability and growth pact
Examination of updated stability and convergence programmes
5. (Poss.) Update on the euro changeover
VAT: Electronic commerce
8. Progress report on the procedures for the ratification of the Council Decision of 29 September 2000 on the system of own resources (OJ L 253, 7.10.2000, p42)
Date Location Event
March
1 Brussels Justice and Home Affairs Council (Evening)
1 Brussels Internal Market, Consumers and Tourism Council
4 Brussels Eurogroup (Evening)
4 Brussels Environment Council
5 Brussels ECOFIN
7 Brussels Employment and Social Affairs Council
11 Brussels Research Council
11–12 Brussels General Affairs Council
15–16 Barcelona European Council
18 Toledo Trade Ministers Meeting (Ministerial Informal)
18 Toledo EUROMED Trade Ministers Meeting
18–19 Brussels Agriculture Council
23–24 Brussels Defence Ministers Meeting (Ministerial Informal)
25–26 Brussels Transport and Telecom Council
27–28 Monterrey, Mexico Financing and Development Conference
April
5–6 Luxembourg Migrations Council (ASEM Ministerial Informal)
8 Luxembourg Fisheries Council
13–14 Luxembourg ECOFIN (Ministerial Informal)
15–16 Luxembourg General Affairs Council
22–23 Valencia Euromed Conference
22–23 Luxembourg Agriculture Council
May
25–26 Luxembourg Justice and Home Affairs Council
27–30 Luxembourg Agriculture Council (Ministerial Informal)
3–4 Brussels Tourism Council (Ministerial Informal)
6 Brussels Eurogroup (Evening)
7 Brussels ECOFIN
9 Europe Day
13 Brussels General Affairs Council and Defence Ministers meeting
17–18 Madrid EU-Latin America and Caribbean Summit
21 Brussels Internal Market, Consumers and Tourism Council
23 Brussels Culture and Audio-visual Council
24–26 Brussels Environment Council (Ministerial Informal)
27–28 Brussels Agriculture Council
30 Brussels Development Council
30 Brussels Education and Youth Council
31–1 June Brussels Transport Council (Ministerial Informal)
June
3 Brussels Employment and Social Affairs Council
3 Brussels Eurogroup (Evening)
4 Luxembourg ECOFIN
6–8 Brussels Foreign Affairs Council (ASEM Ministers)
6–7 Brussels Industry and Energy Council
10–11 Brussels General Affairs Council
10–11 Brussels Agriculture Council
11 Brussels Fisheries Council
13–14 Brussels Justice and Home Affairs Council
17–18 Brussels Transport and Telecoms Council
17–18 Brussels General Affairs Council
21–22 Seville European Council
24 Brussels General Affairs Council (Possible)
24–25 Brussels Environment Council
25 Luxembourg ECOFIN
26 Brussels Health Council
July
6 Copenhagen ASEM Ministers for Finance
12 Brussels ECOFIN
12–13 Kolding Meeting of Employment and Social Policy Ministers (Informal)
15–16 Brussels Agriculture Council
19 Brussels Budget Meeting
19–21 Arhus Environment Ministers meeting (Informal)
22–23 Brussels General Affairs Council
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