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UNESCO Convention: UK Accession
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the speech of Lord Davies of Oldham on 4 March (HL Deb, col 28), what are the legal and policy issues which need clarification in consultation within the Government before the accession of the United Kingdom to the UNESCO Convention can be completed.[HL3157]
Baroness Blackstone: There were a number of complex legal and policy issues raised by the UNESCO Convention that needed to be resolved before the formal process of accession could start, particularly in respect of Articles 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10. All these issues have now been resolved and I have
authorised the commencement of the formal process of accession. The convention will be published as a Command Paper, together with an Explanatory Memorandum, and these will be laid before Parliament for 21 sitting days. It is anticipated that the convention will be published before the end of April.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the speech of Lord Davies of Oldham on 4 March (HL Deb, col 28), what issues have had to be resolved to ensure that accession by the Government to the UNESCO Convention will be compatible with Scottish legislation.[HL3158]
Baroness Blackstone: Accession to the UNESCO Convention takes effect across the whole of the United Kingdom. It was necessary to ensure that there were equivalent measures under Scots law to those measures under English law that had been identified as satisfying the requirements of the convention. This process has now been completed. lynne
Stonehenge
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are taking to ensure that sufficient funds are available for the appropriate protection of the Stonehenge, Avebury and associated sites world heritage site, as required under Article 151, paragraph 2, of the treaty establishing the European Community.[HL3199].
Baroness Blackstone: Article 151 of the EC treaty does not impose any requirements for action on individual member states. That article is concerned with defining the scope of Community action in the field of culture and cultural heritage.
As I explained to the noble Lord in my Written Answer of 5 March (WA 8), the Government take very seriously their responsibilities under the World Heritage Convention for the 24 world heritage sites situated in this country and its overseas territories. The Government have taken an active role in the establishment and implementation of management plans for the Stonehenge and Avebury parts of that world heritage site which identify and address the key issues affecting its current and future condition. Within the framework provided by the Stonehenge management plan, the Government are fully involved in the ongoing disucussions about the Stonehenge master plan proposals for a new road layout and visitor centre in the immediate environs of the world heritage site.
The improvement of the A303 at Stonehenge is included in the Government's targeted programme of trunk road schemes (TPI) and its primary objective is exceptional environmental improvement. The scheme, which includes a 2km tunnel, is currently estimated to cost in the region of £130 million and will be funded jointly by the Highways Agency and English Heritage.
Tower of London
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many staff are employed at the Tower of London.[HL3303]
Baroness Blackstone: The total number of staff permanently employed at the Tower of London is 229. This comprises 198 staff employed by Historic Royal Palaces Trust, 21 staff by the Ministry of Defence and 10 staff by the Royal Armouries. As well as public sector employees, there are 67 people employed by contractors of Historic Royal Palaces Trust for duties at the Tower.
Government Loans
Baroness Howells of St Davids asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the Performance and Innovation Unit report on modernising government loans.[HL3437]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord William of Mostyn): The Performance and Innovation Unit's report Lending Support - Modernising the Government's Use of Loans is being published today. The key conclusions of the report are:
- it sets out a new framework with criteria that will help consistent judgments to be made on when loans are more appropriate to use than alternatives such as grants;
- most existing government loans, and similar types of support, score well under these criteria;
- the framework has been demonstrated by applying it to a number of illustrative case studies such as the example of a government loan for unemployed people who wish to set up in self-employment;
- it announces a feasibility study looking into the longer-term opportunities offered by greater joining up of the administration of all forms of citizens' debts to government and financial transactions more generally. This will report to Ministers, who will decide whether or not to commission further work.
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