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Written Answers
Tuesday, 9th July 2002.
Playing Fields
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many applications for planning permission in relation to change of use of playing fields were received in 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02; and how many of these applications were granted.[HL4583]
The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker): Sport England, the Government's adviser on sport, compiles statistics on playing field applications notified to it. The Government expect to publish these and other statistics on playing fields shortly.
Building Regulations: Part M
Lord Swinfen asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the proposals for the revision of part M of the building regulations will be published for consultation.[HL4648]
Lord Rooker: My honourable friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government and the Regions who has responsibility for the building regulations, hopes to make an announcement about publication of the proposals for the revision of Part M before the Summer Recess.
Committee on Standards in Public Life: Remit
Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will extend the remit of the Committee on Standards in Public Life to bodies such as the National Trust that have been set up by Act of Parliament, in order to ensure oversight of governance, elections and related matters.[HL4971]
The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): The Government have no plans to extend the remit of the Committee on Standards in Public Life to such bodies.
Transport Projects Awaiting EC State Aids Approval
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list transport projects currently awaiting state aids approval from the European Commission.[HL5019]
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Department for Transport is currently awaiting state aids approval from the European Commission in respect of the following transport projects: the UK Logistics Transaction Programme; the scheme to enable Railtrack to be brought out of administration on a financially sound and secure basis; the modernisation of the London Underground through a public/private partnership; and, a payment, in a specific case, of a grant in excess of 50 per cent under the freight facilities grant scheme.
Road Traffic Regulations: Metric Measurements
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why, in Parts II, III and IV of the Schedule to the M4 Motorway (Hillingdon and Hounslow) (Speed Limits) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1651), distances are expressed in metres and kilometres instead of yards and miles; and whether this is lawful.[HL5042]
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The use of metric measurements to express distances when making orders and regulations under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 is a long established convention. There is no provision to prevent this or make it unlawful.
Youth Justice Board: Annual Review 2001–02
Lord Merlyn-Rees asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the Youth Justice Board will publish its annual review for 2001–02.[HL5156]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): The Youth Justice Board annual review for 2001–02 has today been laid before Parliament. Copies have been placed in the Library. The Youth Justice Board was established in 1998 by the Crime and Disorder Act to reform the youth justice system. The annual review provides evidence of success in meeting the principal aim of the reformed youth justice system to prevent offending.
The Government's pledge to halve the time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders has been achieved. It has been reduced from an average time of 142 days in 1997 to 67 days in the first quarter of 2002.
The review shows that effective use has been made of police final warnings, bail supervision and support programmes, robust new sentences and the new intensive surveillance and supervision programme to reduce reoffending.
The review also presents evidence that targeted prevention work with young people at risk, use of parenting programmes and education, employment and training initiatives are effective to prevent and reduce offending rates.
Helsinki Conference, 16 and 17 September 2002
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What proposals they intend to make on behalf of the United Kingdom at the seventh conference of European Ministers responsible for migration affairs in Helsinki on 16 and 17 September 2002 for integration policies and migration management within the framework of the Council of Europe.[HL4562]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Filkin): The Helsinki conference is one of a number of Council of Europe initiatives on integration. The intention is for Ministers to have a free-ranging, unfettered discourse on a pragmatic approach to integration issues and to exchange ideas and best practice.
To facilitate discussions, a draft final declaration has been prepared. This is, of course, subject to change in the light of discussion and it will not be binding on member states.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they intend to consult Parliament about their proposals to be made on behalf of the United Kingdom at the seventh conference of European Ministers responsible for migration affairs in Helsinki on 16 and 17 September 2002.[HL4563]
Lord Filkin: No. The Government do not intend to put any formal proposals to the conference. If, however, the noble Lord has any suggestion that he wishes to put forward in this regard, I would ask him to write to me.
A report of the outcome of the conference will be made available to Members in the Library.
World Food Summit
Lord Howell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What proposals they have tabled at the current United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation meeting in Rome to meet the growing food crisis in central and southern Africa.[HL4708]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): The United Kingdom tabled no proposals on the crisis at the FAO meeting "World Food Summit: five years later", which took place from 10 to 13 June in Rome and which was held to review progress in tackling global hunger. The United Kingdom Government are working with partner governments, United Nations organisations and non-governmental organisations to address the growing crisis in central and southern Africa. A meeting of Governments, NGOs and donors, hosted by the United Nations, was held in Johannesburg on 6 and 7 June to assess humanitarian
needs and consider responses. Following the meeting, the United Kingdom committed nearly £50 million to meet urgent humanitarian needs.
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their estimate of the outcome of the recent World Food Summit in Rome.[HL4772]
Baroness Amos: The Government share the widely held view that the "World Food Summit: five years later"—which was interposed between the 1996 Summit and the "plus ten" review due in 2006—did not justify the substantial financial and opportunity costs involved, both for FAO and its membership. The Government will work with the UN and like-minded member states to promote a more action-orientated, forward-looking, follow-up to UN conferences which concentrates on implementation rather than a review of existing agreements.
The Government's approach to food security in developing countries is set out in the policy paper Eliminating Hunger—Strategy for Achieving the Millennium Development Goal on Hunger launched on 13 June and a draft consultation paper Better livelihoods for poor people: the role of agriculture. These papers are in the Libraries of both Houses.
Agricultural Subsidies
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their policy towards agricultural subsidies in the context of the fight against world poverty.[HL4774]
Baroness Amos: The UK recognises the damaging impact of trade distorting agriculture subsidies on developing countries' agriculture sectors. The EU's heavy use of subsidies encourages over-production, which depresses world prices and so constrains agriculture investment in developing countries. In 2000 alone, the EU spent 98 billion euros on agriculture subsidies. At the Doha ministerial meeting last year it was agreed that agriculture negotiations would aim to achieve ''substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a vew to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support''. We are committed to ensure that these negotiations result in liberalisation that will benefit the world's poor. Further, we are committed to pushing for significant reform of the common agriculture policy in order to achieve, amongst other objectives, a reduction in export and domestic subsidies.
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