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Gibraltar: Diverted Aeroplane
Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 25 January (WA 221):
(a) what were the date and time of the flight of the aeroplane which was diverted to Spain from Gibraltar;
(b) whether the plane first flew to Tangier; and
(c) whether the flight was rescheduled as a flight from Tangier to Malaga.[HL2618]
The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): (a) 24 August 2001. The flight had an expected landing time of 9.30 am.
(b) No. The aircraft declared an emergency, and was given permission to land directly at Palma airport in Majorca.
Baroness Billingham asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Following the appointment of my right honourable friend the Member for Neath, the Minister of State for Europe (Mr Hain) as the Government Representative on the Convention on the Future of Europe, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has reallocated responsibilities as follows:
Whether there have been any recent changes to the responsibilities of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers.[HL2646]
Peter Hain—European Union, Central Europe, Southern Europe.
Baroness Symons (Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and also a Minister in the Department of Trade and Industry)—trade promotion, inward investment, trade policy, North America, Britain Abroad Task Force.
Ben Bradshaw—Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, South-East Asia, Former Soviet Union, International Security, Non-Proliferation and Security Policy issues, Counter-Terrorism, Visas.
Denis Macshane—Latin America, North East Asia, China and Hong Kong, South-East Europe, drugs and international crime, environmental policy, United Nations, Human Rights, aviation, maritime and energy, science and technology public diplomacy, cultural relations, central administration and resources.
11 Feb 2002 : Column WA124
- Baroness Amos (also the Government's principal spokesperson in the House of Lords on International Development)—Africa, Commonwealth, Caribbean, Overseas Territories, consular issues, personnel.
- Ben Bradshaw covers for Baroness Amos's portfolio in the House of Commons (with the exception of Africa). Denis MacShane covers the Foreign Office aspects of Baroness Symons's portfolio in the House of Commons (and also Africa).
- Baroness Symons and Baroness Amos between them cover all Foreign and Commonwealth Office responsibilities in the House of Lords.
Rebated Fuels: Introduction of the Euromarker
Lord Corbett of Castle Vale asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are their plans for consultation on proposals for the introduction of the new Euromarker which aims to tackle the misuse of rebated fuels throughout the EU. [HL2809]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Customs and Excise consultation document Improving markers in rebated fuels—Introduction of the Euromarker is published today. Copies are available in the Library and in the Printed Paper Office.
Economic and Monetary Union
Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What lessons they draw for the economy of the United Kingdom from the experiences of Germany since it joined the Economic and Monetary Union. [HL2647]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Information on recent developments and the outlook for the world economy can be found in the Budget and Pre-Budget Reports.
Taliban and Al' Qaeda Detainees
Lord Craig of Radley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What instructions have been given for handling Al' Qaeda and Taliban combatants who are captured by, or surrender to, British Armed Forces in Afghanistan; how such combatants will then be classified; and where they will be held captive. [HL2525]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): Appropriate guidance has been given to the UK forces operating in Afghanistan to ensure compliance with the UK's
international obligations. The status of captured combatants will be determined on a case-by-case basis in accordance with these obligations. The location where any potential captives might be held would depend on the circumstances at the time.Chinook ZD576: Government Response to Select Committee Report
Baroness Michie of Gallanach asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish their response to the report of the Select Committee on Chinook ZD576. [HL2719]
Lord Bach: The Government have a commitment to respond to Select Committee reports within six months. However, we will try to produce a response to this report significantly sooner than that. It is our expectation that the report and the government response will then be debated together in the House, although the precise arrangements for that are a matter for the usual channels.
Health Authorities: Spending
Lord Smith of Leigh asked Her Majesty's Government:
- To what extent health authorities are currently overspending on their budgets; and how this will impact on primary care trusts in the next financial year. [HL2367]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): By the end of this financial year we expect all health authorities to live within their agreed resource limits. Where they require support at year-end this will be provided principally through brokerage from elsewhere in the National Health Service. This is normal practice in managing the year-end financial position of individual bodies and for the NHS overall.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How they plan to disseminate the findings and recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer's working group report on their management of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis; and what resources they will devote to this task; and [HL2579]
Whether they will commission National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis management; and [HL2580]
What research they or the Medical Research Council will commission following the Chief Medical Officer's working group report on the management of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. [HL2581]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis independent working group's report has identified CFS/ME as a specific illness. The report was published on 11 January and has been placed on the Chief Medical Officer's website so that it can be accessed by all interested parties including general practitioners and consultants. It is hoped that the report and the summary for clinicians will result in improved awareness and understanding and will lead to improved diagnosis, management and treatment.
The report makes a number of recommendations around recognition and definition of the illness: treatment and care; health service planning; education and awareness; and research. The report has been drawn to the attention of doctors through the Chief Medical Officer's bulletin and nurses via the Chief Nursing Officer's bulletin. We shall also be bringing this report to the attention of chief executives of health authorities, NHS trusts and primary care trusts so that they can consider its implications when commissioning services. Referral to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to provide a guideline on mangement and treatment is currently being considered.
The Department of Health has commissioned research into the diagnosis and treatment of CFS/ME and details are available on the National Research Register which can be accessed via the department's research and development website—www.doh.gov.uk/research. The department has asked the Medical Research Council to develop a broad strategy for advancing further biomedical and health services research on CFS/ME.
Rough Sleepers: Westminster Cathedral Piazza
Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What help they are giving to the rough sleepers who sleep on the pavements each night within the piazza in front of Westminster Cathedral; and [HL2627]
What is their target for the ending of rough sleeping nightly within the piazza in front of Westminster Cathedral. [HL2628]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): The Government's Rough Sleepers' Unit funds contact and assessment teams in the Victoria area who, in conjunction with local statutory services, work with people who sleep rough on the piazza. The contact and assessment teams visit daily to offer help, including accommodation, to anyone who needs it.
Westminster City Council has a responsibility for both addressing rough sleeping in its borough and the wider daytime street activity issues which the piazza suffers from, such as street drinking.
The Government had a national target to reduce the number of rough sleepers by two-thirds by 2002. The Prime Minister announced in December 2001 that they had met this target with a reduction of 71 per cent. The Government do not have targets for specific areas such as the piazza in front of Westminster Cathedral but we are aware of the problems in this area.
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