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Armoured Regiments: MBTs
Lord Vivian asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why the six armoured regiments of the British Army do not have the same tank establishment; and what are the reasons for the variation in the number of Challenger 2 main battle tanks established to each regiment.[HL4933]
Lord Bach: The six armoured regiments of the British Army have the same establishment of Challenger 2 main battle tanks. The number allocated to each regiment at any given time is, however, dictated mainly by its specific requirements in any one year.
A-Level Examinations: Special Arrangements
Baroness Cox asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will provide the figures for each year from 1993 to 2001 for the total number of candidates in England and Wales allowed special arrangements in GCE A-level examinations. HL4967]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): I refer the noble Baroness to my Answer on Tuesday 2 July (WA 30).
School Performance Tables
Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether schools for 11 to 16 year olds which permit some students to take some GCSEs a year early and then to study for AS-levels or AS-level modules in their last year will have the results of the AS examinations included in the school performance tables for GCSE points score and value added measures; and[HL4999]
Whether they consider that allowing children born in the first half of the school year to drop back, and children born in the second half of the school year to advance a year, according to their individual educational needs, might result in an improved educational experience for these children; and, if so, whether they will adjust the bases on which schools performance tables are compiled to remove disincentives to allowing children to advance or drop a year.[HL5000]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The performance tables for secondary schools already provide for pupils who take their GCSEs early. The Green Paper, 14-19 Extending Opportunities, Raising Standards contains a number of proposals for greater coherence in the 14-19 phase of education, including recognition of the need for young people to be able to develop at a pace consistent with their abilities and a commitment that the achievements of pupils taking AS-levels before the age of 16 are reflected in the performance tables. These proposals will impact on the way performance tables for secondary schools are compiled in future. The Green Paper sought views on how these issues might be addressed. Once we have analysed the views expressed we shall consider what changes might be required. We shall consult on specific proposals for change as part of our annual cycle of consultation on performance tables.
Corporate Performance Assessment of Councils: Ofsted Participation
Lord Smith of Leigh asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why Ofsted has not played a part in the corporate assessment of local authorities taking place.[HL4969]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Ofsted has contributed in three ways to the corporate performance assessment of councils. Alongside the Standards and Effectiveness Unit, Ofsted has led on the educational element of the assessment and is visiting all 150 LEAs to discuss their score with them. Ofsted has also made its inspection data available to corporate assessment teams and has participated in several corporate governance inspections. It has played a full part, with other inspectorates, in discussion of the emerging methodology.
Ulster Scots: Broadcasting
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackstone on 25 June concerning development of minority language based television, radio and film programmes, how this programme was made available to the Ulster Scots community in Northern Ireland; and, if it was not, why not.[HL4948]
The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone): The Radio Authority issued a press release in May 2001 to advertise the Access Radio pilot project, inviting interested parties to submit a letter of intent. It also wrote to groups which had attended an Access Radio seminar in February 2001 and to community groups that had broadcast under the authority's short-term restricted service licence in the previous year. Fifteen groups were selected from the 200 letters of intent
which were received by the deadline. One of these, Northern Visions Radio (NVR) in Belfast, has stated in its promise of delivery, which forms part of its licence, that "under the Good Friday Agreement and the European Charter for Minority Languages NVR will seek to encourage the use of the Irish language and Ulster Scots". NVR commenced broadcasting on 9 March. Their licence lasts for one year.Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the audiovisual industries in the UK, works closely with the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission (NIFTC), the Sector Training Council, in Northern Ireland. The NIFTC welcomes applications for training from all sectors of the community, including those working in minority languages. The NITFC has received no specific approaches regarding training in Ulster Scots in the last two years.
Children Act 1989
Lord Hughes of Woodside asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When will they report on the operation of the Children Act 1989.[HL5068]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): We have published a report on the operation of the Children Act 1989 pursuant to our duties under Section 83 of the Act. Copies are available in the Library and the Printed Paper Office. A copy of the document can also be found at the following website address: www.doh.gov.uk/qualityprotects/index.htm and www.doh.gov.uk/scq/childrenactreport2001.htm.
Foot and Mouth Disease
The Duke of Montrose asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they had considered the research referred to by Dr Anderson, of the Institute of Animal Health in the article he wrote in the Veterinary Record on 12 May 2001 before the Winslade case went to court on 22 May; and [HL4965]
Further to the comments of Lord Whitty on the 25 June (HL Deb, col. 1287), whether their assessment of all forms of transmission was amended in any way after they had considered the research referred to by Dr Anderson, of the Institute of Animal Health, in the Veterinary Record on 12 May 2001.[HL4966]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): I presume the noble Duke is referring to the article on research on foot and mouth disease by Dr Donaldson in the Veterinary Record of 12 May 2001.
Instructions issued to the State Veterinary Service on 6 April state that the key methods of transmission of foot and mouth (FMD) have been "through animal, human, mechanical or airborne transfer between neighbouring farms". In the light of the epidemiological background, it is believed that susceptible animals on farms neighbouring a farm where infection has been confirmed will have been exposed to the infection of FMD. The culling of susceptible animals on contiguous farms was vital to prevent further onward spread of the disease. The Winslade case was one where my department obtained a High Court injunction to enable the culling of cattle on a contiguous farm.
The article by Dr Donaldson concerns itself with only one route of transmission—airborne spread. His research shows that with the particular strain we were dealing with, airborne spread was unlikely to play much part in the lateral spread of disease. But in the 2001 outbreak the other routes were important. Analysis has shown that nearly 80 per cent of cases occurred within 3km of existing infected place and the likely method of spread was put down to one or more of the other routes of infection given above. Dr Donaldson's paper downplays these other routes in the belief that livestock farmers operated good biosecurity. However, this was not always the case.
Equality: Ministerial Responsibility
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current allocation of responsibility among Ministers of the Crown for the development and co-ordination of policy on legislative measures to combat discrimination and promote equality.[HL4872]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): All Ministers are responsible for mainstreaming and promoting equality through their policies and management. Other Ministers responsible for the development and co-ordination of policy specifically on discrimination legislation are: Secretary of State, Home Office, who has lead responsibility for race and religion; Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions, who has lead responsibility for policy on disability and age; Secretary of State, Department for Trade and Industry, who has lead responsibility for gender and sexual orientation.
The Department for Trade and Industry also has particular responsibility for preparing legislation to outlaw discrimination at work on the new grounds of age, sexual orientation and religion.
The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, chairs the Cabinet sub-committee on equality, and is responsible for co-ordinating the Government's policies on equality issues.
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