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Written Answers
Monday, 10th June 2002.
Life Peers
Lord Jacobs asked Her Majesty's Government:
- (a) how many life peers there are in each of the three parties and on the Cross Benches;
(b) if no further life peers are created, what statistically would the number in each party be likely to be in each of the next 10 years; and
(c) on the same basis as in (b) above, what approximately would the number be in each of the next 10 years if the retirement age were:
(i) 85 years;
(ii) 80 years;
(iii) 75 years;
(iv) 70 years.[HL4382]
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): On 9 May 2002, the number of life peers in each category was as follows:
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Lord Chancellor: The Government are of the view that a sufficient case has not been made for the abolition of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords and its replacement by a separate new supreme court.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: While it would not in any case be appropriate to comment on resourcing decisions taken in part under the previous government, there is no uniform explanation for the change in the overall number of Customs staff employed in different roles in Northern Ireland between 1993 and 2002. In individual areas there has recently been, for example, a significant increase in the resources allocated to tackle oils fraud in Northern Ireland and a reduction in the number of staff engaged in handing inquiries following the welcome creation of the Customs National Advice Service.
Viscount Goschen asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The responsibilities of the Office of Government Commerce include promoting and maintaining the procurement policy and legal framework. However, responsibility and accountability for individual procurements and the procurement routes used are delegated to departmental accounting officers.
In preparing my answer on 22 May, the Office of Government Commerce, Department of Health and HM Treasury were consulted.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Conservative: 171
Labour: 188
Liberal Democrat: 60
Cross Bench and other: 157.
This excludes those peers who have taken leave of absence (source: House of Lords Information Office). On the same basis, the total strengths of the parties, which include the elected hereditary peers, were:
Conservative: 220
Labour: 192
Liberal Democrat: 65
Cross Bench and other: 189.
The changes to the strength of life peers, as requested in parts (b) and (c) of the noble Lord's Question, are set out in the attached table. These are based on calculations done by the Government Actuary's Department. The figures shown are for the mid-point of each year and have been rounded to the nearest whole number. They are only approximate figures; given the small size of the numbers involved, the statistical fluctuations will be large, especially when the figures are disaggregated among parties. Applying the same calculation to the figures including the elected hereditary peers would be meaningless since under present legislation the hereditary peers are automatically replaced when they die.
01.07.02 01.07.03 01.07.04 01.07.05 01.07.06 01.07.07 01.07.08 01.07.09 01.07.10 01.07.11 01.07.12
No retirement
Conservative 171.0 165.0 158.0 152.0 146.0 140.0 133.0 127.0 121.0 115.0 110.0
Labour 188.0 182.0 177.0 172.0 166.0 161.0 156.0 151.0 146.0 140.0 135.0
Lib Dem 60.0 59.0 58.0 56.0 54.0 53.0 52.0 50.0 49.0 48.0 46.0
Other 157.0 149.0 142.0 135.0 129.0 122.0 116.0 110.0 104.0 99.0 93.0
Total 576.0 555.0 535.0 515.0 495.0 476.0 457.0 438.0 420.0 402.0 384.0
Retirement at age 85
Conservative 159.0 151.0 143.0 135.0 129.0 122.0 115.0 110.0 104.0 96.0 88.0
Labour 175.0 171.0 166.0 161.0 156.0 152.0 145.0 139.0 132.0 127.0 122.0
Lib Dem 59.0 58.0 56.0 54.0 51.0 49.0 48.0 47.0 46.0 44.0 43.0
Other 139.0 133.0 126.0 116.0 108.0 102.0 97.0 91.0 86.0 81.0 75.0
Total 532.0 513.0 491.0 466.0 444.0 425.0 405.0 387.0 368.0 348.0 328.0
Retirement at age 80
Conservative 140.0 132.0 126.0 120.0 110.0 101.0 95.0 90.0 82.0 75.0 68.0
Labour 169.0 161.0 154.0 147.0 141.0 136.0 130.0 126.0 120.0 113.0 105.0
Lib Dem 53.0 52.0 51.0 50.0 48.0 47.0 45.0 43.0 42.0 40.0 38.0
Other 116.0 111.0 105.0 99.0 94.0 88.0 82.0 75.0 70.0 65.0 58.0
Total 478.0 456.0 436.0 416.0 393.0 372.0 352.0 334.0 314.0 293.0 269.0
Retirement at age 75
Conservative 110.0 104.0 99.0 91.0 83.0 75.0 67.0 61.0 57.0 52.0 46.0
Labour 147.0 141.0 136.0 130.0 123.0 115.0 107.0 100.0 95.0 88.0 81.0
Lib Dem 51.0 48.0 47.0 45.0 43.0 41.0 40.0 39.0 36.0 33.0 30.0
Other 97.0 91.0 84.0 78.0 72.0 65.0 57.0 52.0 46.0 40.0 36.0
Total 405.0 384.0 366.0 344.0 321.0 296.0 271.0 252.0 234.0 213.0 193.0
Retirement at age 70
Conservative 81.0 72.0 65.0 60.0 55.0 49.0 43.0 40.0 36.0 30.0 23.0
Labour 121.0 113.0 106.0 101.0 94.0 87.0 81.0 74.0 63.0 52.0 45.0
Lib Dem 44.0 42.0 41.0 39.0 35.0 31.0 29.0 28.0 27.0 24.0 21.0
Other 68.0 62.0 56.0 49.0 43.0 39.0 34.0 29.0 26.0 22.0 18.0
Total 314.0 289.0 268.0 249.0 227.0 206.0 187.0 171.0 152.0 128.0 107.0
Whether they favour the creation of a supreme court of the United Kingdom, independent from the House of Lords; and, if not, why not. [HL4499]
Why there was a decline of 55 full-time staff employed by HM Customs and Excise in Northern Ireland from 1 April 1993 to 1 April 2002. [HL4456]
Further to the answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 22 May (HL Deb, col. 764), which government departments they contacted in preparing the answer.[HL4518]
What progress they will seek to make in strengthening global economic growth at the forthcoming G8 summit in Kananaskis.[HL4526]
10 Jun 2002 : Column WA4
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Kananaskis summit and the meeting of G7 Finance Ministers in Halifax on 14-15 June take place at a time of cautious optimism about the prospects for global growth. Discussions are likely to focus on the measures required to raise the sustainable level of economic growth in the global economy.
The UK Government will emphasise the role of structural reform of labour, product and capital markets in raising productivity growth over the medium term within a stable macroeconomic framework and with continued improvement in the system for preventing and resolving financial crises.
The meetings will also consider ways to promote poverty reduction internationally, with a specific focus on development in Africa.
Privy Council Silver
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on Privy Council silver on 16 May
(WA 64), whether they are satisfied that the National Audit Office can give an "appropriate independent verification of this classification decision" when the question is one of heritage significance only; whether the National Audit Office sought expert independent advice before verifying this classification decision; and, if so, whose advice did it take. [HL4532]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Designating an item as a "heritage asset" determines only the way in which it is treated in a department's accounts. Responsibility for interpreting it therefore lies with the department. The National Audit Office has been tasked by Parliament with reviewing all government departments' accounts. It is for the auditor to judge whether it needs external advice on any particular issue: that is not a matter for the body being audited, or hence for me as a Minister. However I have passed the noble Baroness's question to the NAO, which intends to reply.
Treasury Silver
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on Treasury silver on 16 May (WA 84), whether they will give details of the (a) date; (b) maker's mark; (c) provenance; and (d) value for each of the 16 items of silverware, and specify whether each is of Royal issue and is engraved with Royal arms; whether the Treasury has plans to sell any of the 16 items of silverware in the foreseeable future; and whether it is the Treasury's policy to issue a public statement as soon as the decision is taken to sell one of its antique assets.[HL4533]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I will write to the noble Baroness with details of the silver items. So far as sale is concerned, as I explained on 25 October last (Official Report, col. 1102), "It has been decided not to sell items valued at over £1 million with the greatest historical and heritage significance". In respect of the remaining items I refer her to my Answer of 18 March this year (Official Report, col. WA 123).
The Treasury's antique assets include some items of very modest value and no historical importance— ranging down to a vase valued at £10. The Treasury would not make any public announcement of the proposed sale of such items. I will, however, keep your Lordships informed of decisions in respect of the silver items formerly associated with the Privy Council.
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