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NHS Estates Executive Agency

Lord Mason of Barnsley asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have received the report and copies have today been laid in accordance with the requirements of Section 5 of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act 1921. Copies have also been placed in the Library.

Special Advisers

The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): There are six special advisers working on a part-time basis, of which one is unpaid. They are employed in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Cabinet Office, the Home Office, the Department of Trade and Industry and HM Treasury. On the paybands of individual special advisers, the Government have already announced the introduction of a new pay system for special advisers from June 2001 based on individual job evaluation. An announcement on the special advisers pay system will be made when the process of evaluation is completed.

Charities and the Voluntary Sector

Lord Swinfen asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: This report will be published in due course.

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Civil Service Fast Stream

Baroness Whitaker asked Her Majesty's Government:

    When they expect to publish the 2002 Civil Service fast stream recruitment report.[HL5301]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston : The seventh annual Civil Service Fast Stream Report was today placed on the Cabinet Office website at www.faststream.gov.uk and in the Libraries of the House. It covers the year from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 and reports the results of fast stream competitions completed during that period and the developments that have taken place.

The standard of entry to the fast stream development programme has remained consistently high and the report shows that the Civil Service has had increasing success in filling its vacancies. In addition, there has again been steady progress in broadening the diversity of fast stream recruits. Women and men were recruited in equal numbers and the proportions of those recruited from ethnic minority groups,those with disabilities and those attending universities other than Oxford and Cambridge have all increased.

Downing Street: Entertainment Budget

Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 12 June (WA 35), what was the cost to the official entertainment budget of £72,790 at No 10 Downing Street in 2000–01 of receptions for:


    (a) teachers;


    (b) National Health Service workers;


    (c) the police;


    (d) members of the emergency services; and


    (e) victims of floods.[HL4831]

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The entertainment budget for 2000–01 covered all official entertainment at Downing Street and Chequers, including the receptions listed. It is not our normal practice to breakdown the total cost of each individual reception.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has requested extra resources from them; on what occasions; and, in each case, what was their response.[HL4690]

The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Willaims of Mostyn): Her Majesty's Government have received requests from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for extra funding on a number of different occasions.

These occasions and the Government's response are listed in the table.

DateRequestResponse
August 1999The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission requested £200,000.The commission was advised that there were already sufficient funds within its budget to cover its request.
October 1999The commission requested the same £200,000 funding.It was advised that £178,000 had been ringfenced within its budget.
January 2001The commission bid for an additional £207,000 for the financial year 2000–01.The Government sought further information to be included in a revised bid.
January 2001The commission bid for an £398,250 increase for the financial year 2001–02.The Government sought further information to be included in a revised bid.
August 2001The commission bid for extra funds for its Bill of Rights consultation amounting to £456,200.The Government agreed funding of £357,200.
October 2001The commission requested £25,000 to undertake an independent evaluation of its effectiveness and a review of the organisational structure.The Government agreed to this request for funding subject to certain conditions.
November 2001A bid for £227,603 for the financial year 2001–02 was received from the commission. This subsumed the bid submitted in January 2001. However, the commission had since increased the amount of its bid.The Government agreed to funding of an additional £183,592.
April 2002The commission submitted a bid for further funding of £575,750 for the financial year 2002–03. This bid subsumed the bid received in January 2001 for the financial year 2001–02.The Government agreed additional funding of £443,250 in addition to the baseline funding of £750,000.


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Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

    (a) on which Bills the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has made written submissions since 1 March 1999;

    (b) how many amendments the commission proposed to each Bill; and

    (c) how many proposed amendments to each Bill were accepted by the Government.[HL4914]

Lord Williams of Mostyn: A full response to this Question could be supplied only at disproportionate cost. However, listed below are the Bills on which the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commisison has made written submissions:


    Police (Northern Ireland) Bill


    Terrorism Bill


    Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill


    Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Bill


    Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill


    Freedom of Information Bill


    Immigration and Asylum Bill


    Criminal Justice and Police Bill


    Disability Rights Bill

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What is their response to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's criticisms not being accepted in the main by the United Nations' Human Rights Committee when it considered the report on the United Kingdom at its meeting in Geneva in the autumn of 2001.[HL5011]

Lord Williams of Mostyn: In preparing for the UN Human Rights Committee's examination of the UK's Fifth Periodic Report the UK took into account the comments submitted by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. We are giving careful

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consideration to the concluding observations of the UN Human Rights Committee following the hearing and will take these into account during the preparation of our next periodic report. The UK takes its international obligations seriously and has an excellent record of co-operation with UN mechanisms. The UK welcomes scrutiny as part of its efforts to promote and protect human rights.

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What changes, if any, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has requested to the job description of the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.[HL5044]

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has responsibility for the appointment of the chief executive and also for the agreement of his or her terms and conditions. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has not requested the commission to make any changes to the job description of the chief executive.

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What is their response to the concerns noted in the minutes of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on 10 December 2001 (paragraph 5.3.1) and 11 February 2002 (paragraph 4.1) about the level of detail included in correspondence by the Northern Ireland Office about the commission's finances.[HL5052]

Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is an independent public body. However, when making a bid for funding it is subject to the same constraints as all other public bodies. The Government are responsible and accountable for the correct use of public funds, and therefore require that all bids for funding are accompanied by a clear business case. If, when

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assessing bids, more detailed explanation is required, we will seek further information from the commission.


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