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Lord Dixon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will take steps to ensure that an apology is made to the families of the 44 persons who lost their lives on the "MV Derbyshire", given that, while the assessor at the original formal investigation had concluded that the ship's crew had been negligent, Mr Justice Colman's reopened investigation attributed the sinking to the weakness of the foredeck hatch covers with consequent bow flooding.[HL3500]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Government pay tribute to the efforts of the families of the "MV Derbyshire" and continue to give strong support to the safety recommendations made by Mr Justice Colman.
We are happy to note here that the new evidence considered by Mr Justice Colman, which had not been available to the assessors at the earlier investigation, indicated that the principal cause of the loss of the "Derbyshire" was structural failure of the foredeck hatch covers.
We have been keen to keep the families informed of the ongoing process of implementing recommendations. At the Royal Institute of Naval Architects' "Design and Operation of Bulk Carriers" international conference in October 2001 we covered the costs of a number of family representatives. One member of the Derbyshire Family Association is being invited to the UK's external briefing of the International Maritime Organisation's Maritime Safety Committee in May and will receive all the session papers.
Aviation Security
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps are being taken to improve security at Heathrow airport for passengers travelling on international flights to and from the airport; and[HL3526]
What additional security measures (including reinforced cockpit doors) have been introduced to aircraft using Heathrow and Manchester airports since 11th September 2001.[HL3527]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Following the attacks on 11 September, heightened aviation security measures were introduced at all UK airports, including Heathrow and Manchester, and for all airlines operating from the UK. Security remains at an enhanced level, with requirements including additional passenger searches as well as those relating to cockpit security. Since 18 September 2001, all UK registered airlines have been required to keep cockpit doors locked and the CAA has also introduced a fast-track procedure to allow UK airlines to make modifications to doors to protect the cockpit still further.
In addition, the Cabinet Office commissioned, through the Committee on Domestic and International Terrorism, a wide-ranging review of aviation security following the 11 September attacks. As a result a number of potential measures have been identified for both pre-flight and in-flight security on which work is currently being taken forward.
Following the robbery at Heathrow on 11 February, the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and the Secretary of State for the Home Department ordered an immediate review of airside security. This review has also been considering the implications of the second robbery at Heathrow on 19 March. The review will report this week and the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions will make an announcement shortly about action to be taken to tighten security still further.
Individual Learning Accounts: Successor Scheme
Baroness Blatch asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When is the successor scheme to the individual learning accounts to be introduced.[HL3352]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): There will be a replacement ILA-type scheme building on the strengths of the ILA and taking into account the findings of the current stakeholder consultation exercise, which are due in early April. We will announce our plans in due course.
Training and Enterprise Councils: Staff Pensions
Lord Borrie asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will consider action to remedy the fact that a significant number of people formerly employed by the training and enterprise councils in England and Wales (now in liquidation) are being denied full year-for-year pension rights on their transfer to the Learning and Skills Council.[HL3393]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Training and enterprise councils (TECs) were private companies
and it was for them to determine the remuneration levels and pension arrangements for their staff. A range of different pension schemes were in place across the TEC network, including final salary, group money purchase and group personal pension schemes.TEC staff transferred under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, 1981 (TUPE) to the Learning and Skills Council and joined the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) unless they chose to opt out. The Department for Education and Skills is ensuring that every member of the various TEC pension schemes, whether money purchase or final salary, has been granted their full statutory rights in relation to transfer values from their scheme. It has also worked to ensure that those transferred have been treated fairly and consistently, securing a range of flexibilities within PCSPS which will benefit the pension arrangements of many transferees.
The transfer value of a pension is dependent upon the available assets within the scheme and funding decisions made by the employer and/or the individual. This has meant that many former TEC staff will be able to secure year-for-year transfer values in PCSPS, while some will secure more than year-for-year and others less.
The only circumstance where it would be appropriate for the Government to consider taking action would be where it became evident that a TEC had not fully met its contractual and legal obligations in respect of its pension arrangements and we are not aware at present of any such cases.
Science Teaching
Lord Smith of Leigh asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How they intend to ensure that all students in publicly maintained schools are taught science in accordance with the national curriculum.[HL3436]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Science is a core subject within the national curriculum with clearly defined programmes of study, general teaching requirements and attainment targets. Ofsted is the body with responsibility for inspecting schools and the quality of teaching in schools.
London Primary Schools: Sports and Physical Education
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their response to the survey of 50 of the largest primary schools in London, published in the Evening Standard on Thursday 21 March, which found that nearly half fail to deliver two hours of sport and physical education each week; that nearly
- half do not have a sports pitch of their own; and that a quarter do not have a gym.[HL3485]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Government are committed to all children having two hours of high quality PE and school sport a week, within and outside the curriculum. The network of specialist sports colleges and the school sport co-ordinator programme are helping schools to make that a reality. Over 500 school sport co-ordinators have been appointed working with almost 2,500 primary link teachers in 100 "families" of schools. In London there are 13 specialist sports colleges, 50 school sport co-ordinators and over 200 primary link teachers. We intend to build on these foundations.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's PE and School Sport Project is demonstrating how PE and school sport can raise standards and how with imaginative and flexible timetabling schools can, and do, provide two hours of high quality PE and school sport.
Significant funding is also being provided to enhance PE and sports facilities in schools. In total £130 million is being provided via the Space for Sport and Arts programme and £541 million from the New Opportunities Fund. London's share of these resources is £101 million (£20 million from the Space for Sport and Arts programme supporting projects in 43 primary schools and £81 million from the New Opportunities Fund).
BBC Online
Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they support the BBC's current and proposed activities on the web.[HL3152]
The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone): The Government made it clear in the licence fee settlement announcement in February 2000 that the BBC should help to drive the take-up of new digital and online services.
It gave approval to the BBC to launch BBC Online on a permanent footing as a core public service in 1998. There will be an independent review of the service against the original approval as part of a rolling programme of BBC new services reviews. The first of these is underway and the BBC Online review will follow.
Tourism Information Centres
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What help has been given, in the year 2001 and the present year to date, to tourism information centres staffed by local authority personnel.[HL3302]
Baroness Blackstone: More than £90 million is spent annually by local authorities on tourism, much of which is allocated to supporting tourist information
centres staffed by local authority personnel. The Government have made £900,000 available from the Capital Modernisation Fund this financial year to support the electronic networking of tourist information centres during 2001–02 and 2002–03. We also announced on 20 March that we would be making £3.6 million available from the Invest to Save budget over two years (2002–03 and 2003–04) for the development of e-tourism in England, which will build on this work.
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