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16 Jul 2002 : Column WA127

Written Answers

Tuesday, 16th July 2002.

Montserrat

Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will support the modifications of Montserrat's airstrip so that it meets the regional civil aviation authority's regulations requiring a minimum of 600 metres for the safe normal operation of Twin Otter aircraft.[HL5096]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): The requirements of the Directorate of Civil Aviation for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States were clarified at a meeting in Antigua earlier this month. The Government of Montserrat's project consultants have been asked to modify their designs accordingly.

Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What further ministerial meetings are planned with the Government of Montserrat to discuss the progress of their airport project.[HL5098]

Baroness Amos: The progress of the proposed airport development was discussed when Montserrat's Chief Minister called on the DfID Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 10 July.

There are no further ministerial meetings currently planned.

Limitation of Actions

Baroness Billingham asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether any decision has been taken on the recommendations contained in Law Commission Report No 270, Limitation of Actions.[HL5294]

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): The Government accept in principle the Law Commission's recommendations on limitation of actions, subject to further consideration of certain aspects of its report, and will legislate when a suitable opportunity arises.

Government Publication Schemes

Baroness Wilkins asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they plan to publish any guidance on publication schemes under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for central government and non-departmental public bodies.[HL5295]

The Lord Chancellor: I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her Question. I am pleased to inform your Lordships' House that I have today published

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guidance for central government and non-departmental public bodies on publication schemes under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Copies of the guidance have been placed in the House Library.

Railway Activity in Scotland

The Earl of Mar and Kellie asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Which aspects of railway activity are devolved, by any means, in Scotland; and[HL4845]

    Which aspects of railway activity in Scotland are reserved matters.[HL4846]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Head E.2 of Schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998 defines the following as reserved railway activities affecting Scotland: provision and regulation of railway services; rail transport security, including the on-railways activities of the British Transport Police; the subject matter of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987; and the subject matter of the Railway Heritage Act 1996; with exceptions to the above as follows:

Grants so far as relating to railway services; but this exception does not apply in relation to:


    (a) the subject matter of Section 63 of the Railways Act 1993 (government financial assistance where railway administration orders made);


    (b) "railway services" as defined in Section 82(1)(b) of the Railways Act 1993 (carriage of goods by railway); or


    (c) the subject matter of Section 136 of the Railways Act 1993 (grants and subsidies).

Interpretation of "railway services" has the meaning given by Section 82 of the Railways Act 1993 (excluding the wider meaning of "railway" given by Section 81(2) of that Act).

By virtue of the terms of the Scotland Act, all other matters relating to railway activities in or affecting Scotland are devolved. In addition, the following are devolved by virtue of orders made under the Scotland Act: administration of freight facilities and freight track access grants within Scotland; appointment of chairman of Rail Passengers Council (RPC) for Scotland and the tabling of the reports of the RPC before the Scottish Parliament; directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for Scottish passenger services, directions and guidance for Scottish sleeper services, and advice to the Strategic Rail Authority for cross Border services; legislative competence over the rail responsibilities of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive/Authority and any new such bodies; transfer of funding for the ScotRail franchise; legislative competence over the promotion and construction of new railways in Scotland; and local transport strategies.

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Northern Ireland: Air Travel

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

    In view of the importance to Northern Ireland of air travel, whether they will consider removing taxation on travel to the mainland as they have done on travel from mainland Scotland to the Western Isles.[HL5057]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: There are no such plans. The exemption from air passenger duty for flights from airports in the Scottish Highlands and Islands was introduced in recognition of the importance of air transport given the low density of population in the region. Population density in Northern Ireland is greater.

Businesses: Tax Affairs and Redress of Grievance

Lord Lea of Crondall asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What is the procedure for redress for those wrongly accused by HM Customs and Excise of non-compliance in their obligation to file accurate documentation.[HL5135]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Any business that believes it has been wrongly treated by Customs and Excise should follow the procedures set out in its code of practice Complaints and putting things right (Notice 1000), which is available on its website or through its national advice service. The code of practice includes arrangements for providing redress when a mistake has been made in dealing with a business's tax affairs.

Single Currency

Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on the 24 June 1999 (HL Deb, col. 1063) that "any country which chooses to enter EMU does so on the basis that it is an irrevocable step" and "The treaty contains no legal basis for a member state withdrawing from EMU", whether this conflicts with the constitutional principle, set out by Dicey and others, "that one Parliament cannot bind its successor"; and, if not, why not.[HL5162]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: I refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 1 July 2002 (WA 7).

Road Fuel Duty

Lord Carter asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What is the level of fuel duty rebate in price per litre equivalent for LPG (liquid petroleum gas); CNG (compressed natural gas); LNG (liquid natural gas); biodiesel; and bioethanol; and[HL5237]

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    What steps they are taking to evaluate the relative environmental and economic merits of biofuels and road gas fuels in relation to current fuel duty rebates.[HL5238]

The Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The current duty rates are 9p. per kilogram for gas used as road fuel (including liquefied petroleum gas, compressed natural gas and liquid natural gas). Biodiesel and bioethanol are currently taxed at the rate of 45.82p. per litre but we shall shortly be introducing a new, lower rate of duty on biodiesel of 25.82p. per litre. We have also given a commitment that duty on road fuel gases will be frozen in real terms until at least 2004.

Taxation of road fuel, including biofuels and road fuel gases, is reviewed Budget by Budget. In making his judgement, the Chancellor of the Exchequer takes into account a range of economic, social and environmental factors.

Women in the Criminal Justice System

Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Further to the reply by Lord Filkin on 30 May (HL Deb, col 1490), whether they have succeeded in speeding up consideration of a criminal justice board for women as proposed by the Lord Chief Justice.[HL5064]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): As my noble friend Lord Filkin has previously indicated, the new Correctional Services Board may consider this proposal. The Correctional Services Board will set the overarching strategy for the correctional services, monitor performance, review allocation of resources and encourage joint working.

The initial focus of the board is likely to be on improving services in relation to 18 to 20 year-olds, with a view to expanding this focus to other groups, which could include women. However, we have no plans at present to establish a separate board with specific responsibility for women.

Forensic Science Service

Lord Gregson asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they intend to lay before Parliament the annual report for the Forensic Science Service.[HL5338]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Copies of the Forensic Science Service's (FSS) annual report and accounts for 2001–02 have today been laid before Parliament.

Performance against agency targets 2001–02:


    The FSS met seven of its 10 targets and concluded the financial year with a strong performance.

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Financial targets:


    A 12.9 per cent return on capital employed was produced against a target of 10 per cent.


    A three-year rolling efficiency gain of 10 per cent was achieved against a target of 10 per cent.

Service delivery:


    An average turnaround time of 35 days was achieved against a target of 26 days.


    Ninety-four per cent, 92 per cent and 90 per cent of agreed dates were achieved in urgent, critical and persistent young offender cases (respectively) against targets of 97 per cent, 97 per cent and 100 per cent.


    Eighty-nine per cent of agreed delivery dates in all categories were achieved against a target of 93 per cent.


    Service level agreements were put into place with 92 per cent of police forces, against a target of 90 per cent.


    A biennial customer satisfaction survey was conducted.


    A baseline overall measure for putting into place routine and robust customer satisfaction measurement processes based on transactional approach and for demonstrating year-on-year improvements in police (customer) satisfaction was established.


    External quality accreditation to ISO standards was maintained, and extended.


    Application for 50 per cent of reporting officers for accreditation to the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners, were appropriate was achieved.

The targets for 2002–03, the agency's fourth year of trading fund, are:

Finance:


    Target: a 10 per cent return on captial employed.


    Target: a 10 per cent efficiency gain (over three years).

Service delivery:


    Target: a 5 per cent increase in transactional index of customer satisfaction (baseline 100 per cent).


    Target: agreements on service levels implemented with 92 per cent of police forces.


    Target: maintain quality accreditation.


    Target: meet dispatch dates in 98 per cent of urgent and critical cases and 99 per cent in persistent young offenders cases.


    Target: meet dispatch dates in 93 per cent of all categories of cases.


    Target: achieve a 70 calendar day turnaround time in 90 per cent of standard jobs (violent and volume crime cases) by the year end, demonstrating improvements through the year.

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    Target: submit applications for accreditation to the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (CRFP) of 100 per cent of reporting officers in areas where the CRFP is registering people. lynne


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