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Written Answers
Friday, 12th July 2002.
Treasury Silver
Lord Williams of Elvel asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their plans for the future of the Treasury's silver items formerly associated with the Privy Council.[HL5275]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Treasury has agreed to transfer the items concerned to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This will ensure that the cost of holding them is borne by the department whose objectives include broadening access for all to a rich and varied cultural life. That department will lend them to the Victoria and Albert Museum on condition that they are shared with appropriate regional institutions. The transfer will ensure that the items are available to public view for the first time in many years.
Maritime Auxiliary Service
The Earl of Mar and Kellie asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the purpose of the Maritime Auxiliary Service; and in which locations it operates.[HL4750]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS), part of the Warship Support Agency, provides a wide variety of marine services to the Ministry of Defence and other customers, with the major customer being the Royal Navy. It provides navigation and mooring buoy maintenance; support to military exercises and training worldwide; coastal and European armament freighting; oceanographic data acquisition system (ODAS) maintenance for the Met Office; and trial and exercise support at certain UK ranges.
The RMAS is a civilian manned organisation with a central mooring depot and headquarters at Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, a base at Kyle of Lochalsh, Rosshire and small support bases within Portsmouth and Devonport naval bases.
TA Intelligence Specialists
Baroness Gould of Potternewton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Territorial Army intelligence specialists called out into service last February are to be replaced, and if he will make a statement.[HL5250]
Lord Bach: As a result of the significant increase in intelligence work following the events of 11 September, the need to augment the Defence Intelligence Staffs and other headquarters organisations by some 55 reservists continues. It is therefore necessary to call out compulsorily a second tranche of intelligence specialists to relieve the majority of those called out last February who now wish to resume their civilian employment. The individuals involved in the second tranche will primarily come from the Territorial Army, but a small number will also come from the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. They will commence their appointments in mid-August. We recognise the essential contribution made by these reservists to the operations against global terrorism and are grateful to them, their families and their employers for their support.
Veterans Agency: Targets
Lord Bruce of Donnington: asked Her Majesty's Government:
What key targets have been set for the Veterans Agency for financial year 2002–03.[HL5251]
Lord Bach: The key targets that have been set for the chief executive of the new Veterans Agency for 2002–03 are as follows:
Service
Key Target 1: To reduce the average time it takes to issue decisions on claims to war pensions to no more than 82 working days. This is an improvement of eight working days on the agency's 2001–02 target; and it represents a cumulative improvement of 18 per cent against its 2000–01 baseline level of 100 working days.
Key Target 2: To reduce the average time it takes to issue decisions on war widow(er)s claims to no more than 34 working days. This is an improvement of two working days on the agency's 2001–02 target; and it represents a cumulative improvement of 5 per cent against its 2000–01 baseline level of 36 working days.
Key Target 3: To achieve an externally validated claims accuracy rate of at least 95 per cent.
Personnel
Key Target 4: To carry out an externally validated programme of internal IiP assessment during 2002–03 to determine whether the agency continues to meet the requirements of the IiP standards.
Working in Partnership
Key Target 5: To work with the Lord Chancellor's Department's Court Service to reduce the average time it takes an appeal to pass through the war pensions appeals process. By 31 March 2003 the average time should reduce to no more than 310 working days. This is an improvement of 198 working days on the agency's 2001–02 target; and it represents a cumulative
- improvement of 45 per cent against its 2000–01 baseline level of 565 working days.
Efficiency
Key Target 6: To develop a methodology for costing agency outputs to provide the baseline to measure any future years' business efficiencies.
Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The Government's consultation paper Towards Equality and Diversity, published in December 2001, set out our proposals for implementing the EC Employment and Race Directives. We also stated that we saw arguments in favour of a single statutory commission in the longer term. Following this, we announced on 15 May a project to look at the feasibility of, and options for, creating a single equality commission for Great Britain.
This work is under way and we are listening to the views of all stakeholders and considering them carefully. No decisions have been taken. We will set out our view on the feasibility of a single commission, as well as the outcome of the consultation on implementing the Article 13 directives in the autumn.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government's consultation paper Towards Equality and Diversity, published in December 2001, set out our proposals for implementing the EC Employment and Race Directives. We also stated that we saw arguments in favour of a single statutory commission in the longer term. Following this, we announced on 15 May a project to look at the feasibility of, and options for, creating a single equality commission for Great Britain.
We have received a number of representations in response to Towards Equality and Diversity and following the announcement on 15 May that specifically refer to the Disability Rights Commission. We are listening to the views of all stakeholders on
this issue and considering them carefully. No decisions have been taken, and we will set out our view on the feasibility of a single commission, as well as the
Lord Willoughby de Broke asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): Both Ministers and officials are continuing to emphasise to the French authorities the very considerable importance of complying with EU rules on sheep SRM. We are also in touch with the European Commission about this issue.
The Government will continue to argue strongly for the cancellation of the French proposals banning spinal cords of animals aged between six and 12 months which provide no significant consumer protection benefit and are widely regarded as a disproportionate measure. Any further restrictions on sheep SRM must be agreed at Community level, not imposed unilaterally by member states. That is the way to maintain consumer confidence across Europe. It also ensures a level playing field for all member states regarding trade.
Nonetheless, there is encouragement in France's recent decision to postpone these measures for six months. This shows that our arguments are having an effect.
Lord Dubs asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Whitty: We understand that the report of Dr Iain Anderson's Foot and Mouth Disease Lessons Learned Inquiry is now expected to be published on Monday 22 July.
Baroness Hilton of Eggardon asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): We are investing £40 million between
Whether they will ensure that the Commission on Disablity Rights is not merged with bodies engaged in other subjects. [HL4581]
What representations they have received on reports that the Disability Rights Commission is to be merged with other statutory agencies created to combat discrimination; and what replies they have sent. [HL4962]
What action has been taken to ensure that British lamb exports to France are not illegally blocked by the French Government. [HL4935]
When the lessons learned on the foot and mouth inquiry will publish its report. [HL5248]
Whether they have responded to the Howard League report on the education of school aged children in prison, and if so, what action has been taken. [HL5049]
purpose-built learning centres;
a literacy and numeracy strategy developed specifically for young people serving detention and training orders;
enhanced staffing, including a new senior post of head of learning and skills in each establishment and the appointment of special educational needs co-ordinators and learning support assistants on a ratio of one assistant for every 10 prisoners';
an entitlement of 30 hours education and training and personal development activity for each young person per week;
challenging re-engagement targets to ensure gains made in custody are consolidated post-release.
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