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Written Answers
Wednesday, 12th June 2002.
Prime Minister: Hospitality Costs
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How much was spent by the Prime Minister on hospitality in each of the years 1997–98 to 2001–02.[HL4290]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The total cost for all official entertainment at 10 Downing Street and Chequers was as follows:
- 1997–98: £43,777
- 1998–99: £53,639
- 1999–2000: £60,652
- 2000–01: £72,790
Intelligence and Security Committee: Annual Report
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they expect to lay the Intelligence and Security Committee's annual report before Parliament.[HL4700]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Prime Minister is grateful to the Intelligence and Security Committee for its valuable work and its latest annual report. Following consultation with the Intelligence and Security Committee over matters which could not be published without prejudicing the discharge of the function and operation of the intelligence and security agencies, the report will be laid before the House tomorrow. Copies will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
The Government will respond formally to the report shortly.
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984: Codes of Practice
Lord Parekh asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will issue for consultation the revised draft Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) Codes of Practice.[HL4699]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): On 15 May, we announced a review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the accompanying codes of practice. As part of the overall review process, and in order to provide practitioners with an up-to-date set of codes as soon as possible, limited amendments are proposed to existing Codes of Practice B-E. These will primarily take account of legislative changes since the codes were last updated in 1995. Further changes to the codes may follow from the broader PACE review.
Section 67 of PACE requires that the Secretary of State first prepare and publish revised drafts of any proposed amendments for consultation. The revised draft PACE Codes of Practice B-E were issued for consultation today and copies have been placed in the Library.
Colombia: FARC
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they consider the FARC terrorist group in Colombia to be an international terrorist organisation.[HL4486]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Filkin): FARC is not a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK under Part II of the Terrorism Act 2000.
The list of proscribed organisations is kept under review and decisions to proscribe or deproscribe are taken after careful consideration of all relevant aspects.
NHS: Information Management and Technology
Lord Clarke of Hampstead asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish the report commissioned from Professor Protti by the Information Policy Unit and the National Health Service Information Authority on issues of implementing information for health.[HL4667]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Professor Denis Protti of the School of Health Information Science at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, was commissioned by the Department of Health to provide an independent assessment of the progress with electronic record development and implementation. He also considered the emerging issues around implementation of the NHS information strategy in general.
The final report is published on the Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/ipu/whatnew/prottireport.pdf and copies placed in the Library.
Porton Down Volunteers: Epidemiological Research
Lord Gordon of Strathblane asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What plans they have for epidemiological research on Porton Down volunteers.[HL4638]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): The Ministry of Defence has accepted a recommendation by the Medical Research Council (MRC) to fund research to be undertaken by Dr Kate Venables of Oxford University and colleagues from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Imperial College, London. This research will consist of a one-year pilot study to assess the incidence of mortality and cancer amongst a selected group of 500 Porton Down volunteers compared with a control group of 500 other members of the Armed Forces and a small-scale questionnaire study to evaluate volunteers' own views of their health status.
The pilot study will commence later this month and will take about a year to complete. The MRC will be in a position towards the end of the pilot study to advise MoD whether the available historical data are of sufficient quality and quantity to allow a full-scale epidemiological study to proceed.
War Widows Pilgrimage Scheme
Lord Graham of Edmonton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What representations they have received to extend the War Widows Pilgrimage Scheme which is funded by the Ministry of Defence.[HL4639]
Lord Bach: Following a recent approach by the Royal British Legion, we have agreed to an extension of the War Widows Pilgrimage Scheme for a further two years, until 31 March 2005. The Government greatly appreciates the excellent work of the Royal British Legion which administers this subsidised scheme on our behalf. To date the scheme has enabled more than 4,000 widows to visit their husband's grave in many parts of the world.
Reserve Forces
Lord Merlyn-Rees asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What changes they plan to the role of the Reserves in home defence and security.[HL4668]
Lord Bach: The work to date on the New Chapter to the Strategic Defence Review indicates that there is scope for an additional role for the Reserves in home defence and security tasks, which would draw on their strengths and skills in the response to a crisis and which the Reserves would themselves welcome. To explain our concept and to seek views upon it, the Ministry of Defence has today issued a discussion document entitled The Role of the Reserves in Home
Defence and Security. Copies of the document have been placed in the Library of the House. It makes proposals for providing a significant enhancement to the support which the department and the Armed Forces can provide to the civil authorities in such circumstances in three areas:
- by the formation of reaction forces on a regional basis, comprising an average of 500 Reserve personnel who volunteer for the role and who would be available to be deployed in a crisis;
- by formalising the role of 2 Signals Brigade, and its predominantly Territorial Army subordinate units, in supporting those personnel deploying in response to a crisis, and enhancing its communications equipment accordingly;
- by using Reserve personnel to improve our contingency planning, and the machinery by which the civil authorities can gain access to support from the Armed Forces in a crisis.
Ofcom: Board Appointments
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What process they have adopted for the selection of a chairman and a chief executive to be appointed to the board of Ofcom; whether headhunters have been appointed to assist in the selection procedure; if so, which company has been so appointed; and when they expect to announce the appointment of the chairman and chief executive.[HL4582]
The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone): Advertisements for the positions of chairman and three non-executive members of Ofcom recently appeared in national newspapers and papers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The appointments will be made in line with the guidance issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Once appointed, the chairman and non-executive members will be responsible for appointing the chief executive of Ofcom, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State.
Saxton, Bampfylde, Hever has been appointed by DTI and DCMS to assist with the executive search for potential candidates for chairman and non-executive members.
We hope to be in a position to announce the appointment of the chairman and non-executive members in late July/early August. The appointment of the chief executive is not likely to be made until the end of the year.
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