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Asylum Seekers: Accommodation Centres
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Which sites they are considering for use as accommodation centres for asylum seekers. [HL2300]
Lord Rooker: We have identified eight sites as potential accommodation centre locations. These are:
QinetiQ (formerly DERA) Pershore, Wychavon, Worcestershire
RAF Hemswell, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire
Hooton Park, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
MoD land, Bicester, Oxfordshire
Air West Edinburgh (formerly RAF Turnhouse), Edinburgh
RAF Newton, West Bridgeford, Nottinghamshire
National Energy site, Killinghome, Grimsby
Site searching is continuing and the Home Office intends to invite suppliers to compete for the business of building or refurbishing the centres and for running them. Responses may be in respect of the identified sites or with ready-made solutions, involving sites of which we are not currently aware. It is therefore possible that further suitable sites may emerge.
The trial accommodation centres will have a total capacity of approximately 3,000 places. Therefore, in due course, around four of the most suitable sites will be selected for development as accommodation centres.
Asylum Seekers: Bilateral Discussions between UK and France
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What were the outcomes of the recent meeting between the Home Secretary and Madame Guigou, the French Employment Minister; whether they discussed the eight accidental deaths in the past 13 months among asylum seekers illegally travelling in the Channel Tunnel; and whether they considered the possibility of joint screening of potential refugees, while they are still in France. [HL2465]
Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary's meeting with Mme Guigou on 21 January was extremely constructive and built on the close relationship which has developed on immigration matters between the United Kingdom and French Governments. Amongst the issues discussed was the situation at Sangatte. My right honourable friend made it clear that we were prepared to consider innovative approaches including possible joint initiatives. Bilateral discussions will continue, including at official level.
My right honourable friend the Home Secretary and Mme Guigou did not discuss the accidental deaths of several potential asylum seekers. Any death in such tragic circumstances is regrettable. However, we do
not believe that there is any need for people to take such risks to reach the United Kingdom when, if they are in need of protection, they can apply for asylum in France.International Covenant on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they intend to ratify the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination. [HL2504]
Lord Rooker: There are no optional protocols under the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). The Government plan to review the United Kingdom's international human rights instruments once the Human Rights Act has bedded down. This review will include the question whether the United Kingdom should make a declaration under Article 14 of ICERD recognising the competence of the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to receive individual petitions.
Firearms Consultative Committee
Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will extend the life of the Firearms Consultative Committee. [HL2632]
Lord Rooker: The life of the Firearms Consultative Committee will be extended for a further period of two years from 1 February 2002.
Terrorism Act 2000
Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will lay before Parliament a report on the working of the Terrorism Act 2000. [HL2633]
Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is pleased to say that Lord Carlile of Berriew QC has completed the report on Part VII of the Act, which relates solely to Northern Ireland, which will be laid before Parliament today. A full report will be published later this year.
Prison Service: Publication of Corporate and Business Plans
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish the Prison Service's corporate plan for 2002–03 to 2004–05 and business plan key performance indicators for 2002–03. [HL2634]
Lord Rooker: The Prison Service corporate plan for 2002–03 to 2004–05 and business plan for 2002–03, which includes the key performance indicators agreed so far, has been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.
Public Appointments: Members of the House of Lords
Lord Graham of Edmonton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list, by department, those Members of the House of Lords who hold an appointment on a quango or similar body, together with the remuneration attached to such appointments. [HL2432]
The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): The Register of Lords' Interests, established in November 1995, is published annually. In addition, information on people who hold public appointments is available in the Public Appointments Directory on the Cabinet Office website at www.quango.gov.uk. Information on public bodies, their chairs and their remuneration, if any, and that of members is available in Public Bodies 2000 (ISBN 0 11 4301 73 5), an annual publication, provided by the Cabinet Office and published by The Stationery Office. The next edition, Public Bodies 2001, will be published shortly.
Aircraft: Minimum Space Standards
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What monitoring takes place of the seating space allowed for passengers in aircraft using British airports; what minimum standards apply to the space airlines must allow between rows; where responsibility lies for ensuring acceptable minimum standards; and whether they have any proposals for reviewing or making mandatory such standards.[HL2408]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations require UK-registered aircraft to have a minimum distance of 26 inches between the back support cushion of a seat and the back of the seat or other fixed structure in front. The CAA achieves oversight of the continued adherence to the requirements by a variety of inspection and audit procedures. A recent study, aimed principally at harmonising European standards in this area, found that in view of the increased height and weight of the population, there should be an increase in seat spacing. The joint aviation authorities are considering its recommendations.
Crossrail
Lord Bowness asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have decided to seek parliamentary approval for the cross-rail project.[HL2413]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: A final decision has yet to be taken on the most appropriate method for securing powers for any Crossrail scheme.
Bull Bars
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Mr Jamieson on 9 January (HC Deb, 847W–848W), what utility benefits accrue to the driver of a vehicle in fitting, or buying a vehicle fitted with, bull bars; and whether those benefits outweigh the accident savings to pedestrians and cyclists from removing bull bars.[HL2423]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government have not set out any benefits associated with vehicles being equipped with bull bars, though some owners clearly see a certain utility value otherwise they would not fit them in the first place. When options for possible national action on bull bars were examined in 1997, it was estimated that the cost to the owner of removing a bull bar would include £75 related to assumptions linked to loss of utility. In arriving at this figure no attempt was made to identify or value lost benefits. Some owners would obviously not bother with a replacement, but others might be willing to pay for a new "approved" replacement bull bar. An assumption was made that on average owners would replace their existing bull bar with a new pedestrian friendly one if the cost to them was £75.
Bed and Breakfast Unit
Baroness Hanham asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What powers and responsibilities will be vested in the new Bed and Breakfast Unit being established with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.[HL2447]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Bed and Breakfast Unit (BBU) has been fully operational since 1 October 2001. It is currently attached to the Government Office for London but will shortly move to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions as part of the new Homelessness Directorate. The new directorate will bring together and reinvigorate work on addressing homelessness. The BBU has a clear remit to reduce local authority use of bed and breakfast accommodation over the next two years.
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