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Civil Defence
The Earl of Mar and Kelllie asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the proposed civil defence organisation will commence; and in which locations it will operate.[HL4751]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): As part of our work in the new chapter to the Strategic Defence Review, we published a discussion document on 12 June on the Role of the Reserves in Home Defence and Security. One of the proposals in that document was the creation of reaction forces formed from the volunteer reserves of each service. We have sought the views of the volunteer reserves, their employers and other interested parties on this and other proposals in the document by 13 September. We will adjust our proposals as necessary in the light of the comments we receive and then aim to have an initial capability as soon as possible thereafter. Our proposals are based upon the use of the Army regional brigade structure, allowing the reaction forces to operate throughout the country.
Kosovo
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will seek to ensure that the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and KFOR and their personnel are required by law to comply with the international human rights standards prescribed by the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in discharging their functions in Kosovo, and that there are effective legal remedies for breaches of those standards; and[HL4602]
What legal remedies are available for victims of abuses of the international human rights standards prescribed by the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and KFOR and their personnel arising in connection with the discharge of their functions in Kosovo.[HL4603]
The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): Under Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights each state party to the covenant undertakes to respect and ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognised in the Covenant. The European Convention on Human Rights requires the parties to secure to everyone within their jurisdiction the rights and freedoms set out in the convention.
The UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) operate in accordance with the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. In the case of KFOR, the military technical agreement signed at the end of the Kosovo
conflict, decisions of the North Atlantic Council and national regulations are also relevant. As with all international operations, instructions to personnel will have regard to international human rights standards.Retirement Age
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they intend to introduce legislation to replace compulsory retirement ages with more flexible arrangements; and, if not, why not.
[HL4308]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The UK has no national mandatory retirement age. Like other terms and conditions of employment, when an employee retires is a matter for agreement between an individual and his or her employer, provided the employer does not discriminate unlawfully.
The Government are currently working on implementing the European Employment Directive (2000/78), which includes provisions to combat discrimination on the new grounds of age. These provisions must be implemented by December 2006 and it is too soon to say what the legislation on age will say. We have already undertaken widespread initial consultation in the consultation document Towards Equality and Diversity and we will be consulting on specific proposals on age in early 2003 in the light of the responses to that document.
Broadband: Lane Rental
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they conducted any research or consultation as to the impact of there ''lane rental'' policy on the installation cost and take up of broadband; and whether they believe that the policy, if applied nationally, could have the inadvertent effect of working against competition in the telecommunications sector.[HL4428]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Between August and October 2001 the Department of Transport consulted on proposals to test the impact of lane rental on a limited scale and the cost and benefits of those proposals. In the light of the response received, it was decided that pilot schemes in Camden and Middlesbrough should begin to allow a thorough assessment to be made of the benefits and disadvantages of extending lane rental throughout England.
Consultants have been appointed to monitor the results of the pilots both in terms of the effectiveness of lane rental in reducing the disruption caused by utility works and the costs it imposes on utilities. The first monitoring report on the pilots, which began on 4
March 2002 and are due to continue until March 2004, is due to be delivered later this year.Nuclear Facilities: Security Checks
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether there is a backlog of security checks at nuclear facilities in the United Kingdom; and if so, what are the reasons.[HL4768]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Director for Civil Nuclear Security stated in his recent annual report on The State of Security in the Civil Nuclear Industry and the Effectiveness of Security Regulation that the programme of compliance inspections was suspended immediately following the September terrorist attacks in the United States to allow the inspectors to concentrate their efforts on advising sites on the implementation of additional security measures. This seemed a better and more targeted use of resources, and the continuing work resulting from events of September 11 mean that a full programme of compliance inspections remain temporary interrupted. However, site visits have been stepped up, so there has been no reduction in coverage.
Home Improvement Sector: Quality Mark Scheme
Lord Ezra asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress has been made in developing the quality mark scheme designed to eliminate "cowboy" builders in the domestic home improvement sector.[HL5051]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My honourable friend the Minister for Construction and Energy and I announced that, following the evaluation of quality mark pilots in Birmingham and Somerset, the scheme would be rolled out across the country over a three to four-year period. A Quality Mark Shadow Ownership Group has been set up to drive the scheme forward and is developing a comprehensive roll out strategy and detailed business plan.
The first recruitment event took place on 26 June in Oxfordshire. The event was well attended and DTI expects to see good take-up from Oxfordshire firms in the weeks and months to come. There will be a series of similar recruitment events in urban areas around the country to get contractors on board.
The DTI continues to work with a number of reputable trade bodies to fast-track members into the quality mark scheme. Following recommendations in the pilot review, the scheme is subsidising registration costs for a limited period with the object of achieving a critical mass.
The DTI is also working with local authorities, financial services groups, consumer groups and others to promote the scheme to tradesmen and encourage the participation of the latter wherever possible.
The scheme is already being marketed successfully to consumers in Birmingham and Somerset through a variety of media, including Yellow Pages and a number of local papers and radio stations. Further targeted marketing will follow in new areas, once sufficient numbers of builders and tradesmen are registered.
Veterinary Medicines Directorate Targets
Lord McCarthy asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What targets they have set the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for 2002–03.[HL5347]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): We have set the Veterinary Medicines Directorate the following performance targets for 2002–03.
1. Provide high quality scientific assessment work.
2. Provide high quality policy advice to Ministers.
3. Comply with the timetables for entering SAR reports set out in the plan and to report to the VPC each quarter reviewing trends in SAR reports and identifying areas requiring evaluation.
4. Meet, in full, the requirements of the residues surveillance plans.
5. Comply with the timetables for handling applications under the centralised, decentralised and UK procedure set out in the plan.
6. Continue to collect data for 2002–03 with a view to establishing a three-year rolling average cost efficiency index. Establish a numerical baseline for timeliness of delivery from the results of customer satisfaction surveys.
Recover from industry and government the full economic cost taken as a whole of its main business activities of:
- licensing and surveillance;
- policy work; and
- residues monitoring,
Suspected adverse reaction surveillance scheme reports.
Enter human reports onto the database within two working days.
Enter serious animal reports onto the database within two working days.
Enter non-serious animal reports onto the database within 10 working days.
All assessments (including MRLs) to be submitted within timetables agreed with the EMEA.
All authorisations to be determined within the established regulatory timetables.
New marketing authorisations to be determined or referred to VPC in an average of 120 clock days; all to be determined within 210 clock days.
Average time to complete first assessment to be
Average time to sign off assessment to be <50 clock days.
99 per cent of applications to be signed off by
Average time to complete first assessment to be
Average time to sign off assessment to be
99 per cent of applications to be signed off by
Average time to complete first assessment to be
Average time to sign off assessment to be
99 per cent of applications to be signed off by
180 clock days.
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