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Children and Young People: Departmental Action Plans
Baroness Serota asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What arrangements are being made to publish departments' action plans for the implementation of the core principles for involving children and young people in the planning, delivery and evaluation of government policies and services relevant to them.[HL4637]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): In line with the commitment set out in Learning to Listen–Core Principles for the Involvement of Children and Young People in Government, the following departments are today publishing their action plans:
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- Ministry of Defence
- Department for Education and Skills
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Department of Health
- HM Treasury
- Home Office
- Lord Chancellor's Department.
The Children and Young People's Unit will be reviewing progress against action plans in an annual report.
School Exclusions: Pupils of Black-Caribbean Ethnic Origin
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What proportion of pupils permanently excluded from primary and secondary schools are of Afro-Caribbean ethnic origin.[HL4560]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: From the information readily available to us, black-Caribbean exclusions are down from 46 in every 10,000 for 1999–2000 to an estimated 38 in every 10,000 (approximately 3.5 per cent. to approximately 3 per cent.) for 2000–01. This includes information gathered from primary, secondary and special schools. Rebo
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they will take to ensure that pupils of Afro-Caribbean ethnic origin are not discriminated against on racial grounds in being excluded from primary schools.[HL4561]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a general duty on public authorities, including schools and LEAs, to aim to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good race relations between people of different racial groups. To help schools to comply with this duty, they are subject to specific, statutory duties, and were required by the 31 May this year to have prepared a written race equality policy setting out how they will tackle racial discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good race relations across all areas of school activity. They are also required to assess and monitor the impact of their policies on pupils, parents and staff from different racial groups, in particular whether their policies have, or could have, an adverse impact on the attainment levels of pupils from different racial groups. The policies to be assessed and monitored can include discipline and exclusions.
Black-Caribbean exclusions are down from 46 in every 10,000 for 1999–2000 to an estimated 38 in every 10,000 (approximately 3.5 per cent to approximately 3 per cent) for 2000–2001. Although figures are now falling, we are not complacent about the exclusion of black children from school and they continue to be of concern to us. We are working with key partners, both inside and outside of government, to develop ways of tackling the problem and examining the whole issue of black attainment in schools.
Consumer Products and the Environment: Internet Information Service
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are taking to set up an information resource on the Internet to offer advice on consumer products and more sustainable consumption choices. [HL4120]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): In its first report, the Advisory Committee on Consumer Products and the Environment Committee (ACCPE) presented the idea of setting up a new Internet information service, which could provide advice and guidance on the environmental impacts of products and the scope for making more sustainable consumption choices. It recommended that the Government should first commission work on the economic and technical feasibility of such a project, and the potential demand for the service. This has been done and the consultants' report is available on the DEFRA website, at http://www.defra.gov.uk.environment.consumerprod/accpe/research/index.htm. Having considered the details of this feasibility study, ACCPE has recently made recommendations (in its second report, Action for Greener Products: a toolbox for change, published in May) about the practicalities of piloting a new service. The Government are now preparing a pilot stage, with a view to full implementation if that is successful.
Mahogany Imports
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 11 April (WA 122), how figures for mahogany imports to the UK are collated. [HL4558]
Lord Whitty: Further to my reply of 11 April, mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla) is listed on Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and does not therefore require an import permit. However, the importer must complete an import notification form which must be presented to HM Customs for clearance.
These notifications specify the quantity of timber imported and are passed to my department (as the UK CITES Management Authority) to record. Details of quantities imported are then passed annually to the United Nations Environment Programme which collates similar information from all other signatories to the covention. These figures are published annually.
DEFRA: Horticulture Research
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether DEFRA has researched, or plans to commission research, into the quality of British-grown horticultural produce including its mineral and vitimin content, ranked according to the conditions under which it is grown.[HL4585]
Lord Whitty: DEFRA currently funds R & D to improve product quality by increasing our understanding of biochemical, molecular and physiological processes that occur during plant development, after harvest and during storage and processing. This research is relevant to UK-grown produce.
The research cuts across all areas of horticulture and includes, in the edible sectors:
- identification of novel tomato and lettuce breeding stock with enhanced antioxidant levels;
- identification of genetic markers for breeding quality traits into fruit and vegetables, for example, improving colour and flavour in cherries and plums, texture in (conventional and organic) apples and tomatoes and flavour in onions;
- improving shelf life of produce, for example, by controlling ripening of fleshy fruit including tomatoes and understanding deterioration in broccoli and salads;
- improving the quality of stored produce, for example, in apples and potatoes;
- understanding of processes that control seed vigour and seedling establishment, for example in onions, carrots and brassicas.
In addition much of the research that the department undertakes to reduce pest and disease damage also improves the quality and physical appearance of produce.
London Wholesale Markets: Review
Lord Stallard asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress they are making with their review of London markets.[HL4669]
Lord Whitty: In its report on New Covent Garden Market published last year the House of Commons Select Committee on Agriculture recommended a review of the provision of wholesale markets in London.
In response to this recommendation and in conjunction with the Corporation of London, which owns three of the four major wholesale markets in central London, we have commissioned Mr Nicholas Saphir to undertake a review. Mr Saphir is an adviser to several large food and farming companies in the United States, South America and Europe and has wide experience of the operation of the food chain in England. We have asked him to produce an initial report by the end of September.
The terms of reference of the review are as follows:
- To consider:
- whether the existing London wholesale market facilities are well adapted to the needs of the business communities and users which they serve;
- the effect on the operation of the markets of the legislation which governs them;
- the potential impact of product diversification and changing demand for the services provided by wholesale markets; and
- the scope for developing a co-ordinated strategy for the future management of the markets
- and to make such recommendations to the Secretary of State and the Corporation of London as the reviewer considers appropriate, after having regard to the practicality and legal and financial implications of implementing them.
- Review of London Markets
- Room 106
- Eastbury House
- 30–34 Albert Embankment
- London
- SE1 7TL.
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