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Schools: Race Equality Policy
Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they expect all schools to have an admissions statement relating to the ethnic mix of their communities and to provide a record of the ethnic origin of each child. [HL3322]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): By 31 May 2002 all maintained schools are required to have a written race equality policy in place and arrangements for meeting their duties for assessing and monitoring the impact of their policies on pupils, staff and parents from different racial groups.
Admission authorities, including foundation and voluntary aided schools, are required to monitor school admissions. If this monitoring reveals that the ethnic make-up of a community is not reflected by admissions to a school, the admissions authority should review why this is the case and consider whether its policies need to be changed in order to promote equality of opportunity.
London Congestion Charging: Disabled People
Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they possess powers to ensure that satisfactory arrangements for disabled people are included in any plans for imposing financial charges on motor vehicles entering central London. [HL3043]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): We recognise the enormous importance of personal mobility for many disabled people. There is an appropriate regulation-making power in the Greater London Authority Act 1999, Schedule 23, paragraph 11. We have given a public assurance that if the London congestion charging scheme is introduced ahead of the national regulations, and if those regulations require concessions greater than those in the scheme, the Mayor and Transport for London will be given adequate time to bring its scheme into line with national requirements.
Government Departments: Internal Investigations
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the statement on 26 February by Lord Falconer of Thoroton that "whether it is appropriate to publish the results [of the investigation] will depend on the results" (HL Deb, col. 1355), in what circumstances it would be (a) appropriate, and (b) inappropriate to publish the results of the internal investigation into the actions of civil servants in the press office of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. [HL3048]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The way in which the results of an investigation are handled will depend on the findings. Where an investigation leads to action being taken against an individual the results may become public. It would not be fair on individuals concerned if the results of an inconclusive investigation were made public.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they established the internal investigation into the actions of civil servants within the press office of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions; how many civil servants were involved; the dates on which they were interviewed; and whether they will publish the relevant guidelines for the procedure and the outcome to such a departmental investigation. [HL3050]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: On 15 February the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions instigated an internal investigation into the leaks which apparently took place from the department between 11 and 14 February. The investigation has been carried out by the department's security officer on the basis of existing central advice and guidance on the conduct of leak inquiries. Around 10 civil servants have been interviewed as part of this process. Interviews took place between 20 and 26 February 2002. Reports on internal investigations and the associated guidance, which is protectively marked, are not published.
Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions: Employment of Finsbury
Baroness Hanham asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the employment of the public relations firm, Finsbury, by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions was carried out on a competitive basis; and, if so, how may other companies were assessed for suitability. [HL3224]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Finsbury was originally engaged by SSSB, the department's financial adviser, on its own account, to assist it in its work as the department's banking adviser.
At the end of December 2001, it was decided to extend Finsbury's invovlement. It now works direct to the department. The extension of Finsbury's involvement was by single tender in view of the knowledge and expertise it had accumulated at that stage.
Baroness Hanham asked Her Majesty's Government:
- For what term the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has employed Finsbury, a public relations firm; and whether the contract is renewable. [HL3226]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Finsbury has contributed to the work of the team dealing with Railtrack in administration since October 2001, initially under contract to SSSB, the department's financial adviser, and latterly directly for the department. The current arrangement is due to be reviewed at the end of March.
Local Government Finance: Distribution
Baroness Hanham asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will pubish a Bill on the new arrangements for the distribution of local government finance. [HL3227]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government will introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows to implement the reforms in our recent White Paper Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services. Reform of the system for distributing formula grant is not dependent on new legislation.
Local Authorities: Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the total amount of money for 2002–03 that has been allocated to local authorities to commence work on the implementation of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; and [HL3238]
On what basis they have divided any money allocated among highway authorities for the implementation of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; whether it was by length of rights of way network within each authority, open access land to be brought into use by the public or on another basis; and, if so, what that basis is. [HL3239]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The overall costs of the new rights of way responsibilities in the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000 were estimated to be up to £19 million. We took this into account when setting the level of general grant for local authorities for the coming financial year in the Spending Review 2000. We also added £0.754 million to the general grant for 2002–03 through the Local Government Finance Settlement to reimburse councils for the costs of local access forums. General grant is distributed to councils through standard spending assessments (SSA) which take account of various broad social and economic factors such as population. Local authorities' responsibilities under the CROW Act 2000 are within the Environmental Protective and Cultural Services SSA Block. This increased by £360 million (4.2 per cent) between 2001–02 and 2002–03, substantially more than inflation.
Goods Vehicles
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the appropriate authorities have successfully used the provisions of the Transport Act 2000 to impound illegally operated goods vehicles; and, if so, whether they believe that this will improve road safety. [HL3257]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Vehicle Inspectorate has used the provisions in the Transport Act 2000 to detain 11 goods vehicles operated without the required operator's licence. One of the main purposes of the operator licensing system is to improve road safety. Penalising those who choose to operate outside the system therefore strengthens road safety.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether it would be desirable to allow commercial vehicle leasing and hiring companies access to the TAN 21 computer system in order that they can avoid hiring a goods vehicle to a person who does not hold the appropriate operator's licence. [HL3258]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: We agree that it is desirable, as a matter of good practice, for commercial vehicle hiring and leasing companies to check that customers produce satisfactory documentation about their licence status. In addition, the Traffic Area Network (TAN) is examining ways of enabling those companies to verify the information, including the option of placing an extract of the TAN 21 licence database on the TAN's proposed website.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether it is realistic to expect commercial vehicle leasing and hiring companies constantly to monitor Applications and Decisions published by each of the traffic commissioners in order to avoid hiring a goods vehicle to a person who does not hold the appropriate operator's licence. [HL3259]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Applications and Decisions publication gives a snap-shot of recent activity on goods vehicle operator licensing in a specific part of the country but it does not provide a comprehensive list of the licences in issue. I refer the noble Earl to my Answer given today to his other Question (HL3258) on ways of checking the licence status of operators.
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