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Shipman Inquiry
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will publish the first report on the Shipman inquiry. [HL5486]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Dame Janet Smith, chairman of the Shipman inquiry, has published her first report. We are grateful to her for the work she has so far carried out. Copies of the inquiry's report have been placed in the Library.
NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency Annual Report and Accounts
Lord Patel of Blackburn aked Her Majesty's Government:
- When the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency will publish its annual report and accounts. [HL5492]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency's annual report and accounts has been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.
Appointment of Archbishop of Canterbury
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they would support the choice of Archbishop of Canterbury being made by the Church of England without the intervention of the Prime Minister of the day; and, if not, why not.[HL4559]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The appointment of the Leader of the Established Church is of importance to the country as a whole. The involvement of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister reflects this wider public interest and is also a
symbol of the link between Church and nation. If the Church were to wish to propose a different method of appointment, the Government would of course consider it carefully. However, the General Synod recently voted by a substantial majority in favour of the current system.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What political and religious criteria are used by the Prime Minister in deciding how to advise Her Majesty about the appointment of a new Archbishop of Canterbury.[HL5174]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: In the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury, my right honourable friend the Prime Minister benefits from the advice of the Crown Appointments Commission, a Church body responsible for nominating two candidates for the Archbishopric to my right honourable friend.
The commission and my right honourable friend take a wide range of criteria into account. Party political criteria are not among them.
Afghanistan: Asylum Seekers
Baroness Ludford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What representations the Prime Minister has received from Right 2 Vote Limited regarding the repatriation of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan; on what date any representation was received; whether any representation was requested; and what impact any representation had on Government policy.[HL5062]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Prime Minister is not aware that he has received any representations.
Questions for Written Answer
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What the problems were that resulted in the noble Lord, Lord Lipsey, having received no Answer to his Question for Written Answer which was put down on 14 January and still appears on the Order Paper 24 weeks later.[HL5084]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Question of the noble Lord, Lord Lipsey, has been answered today. The delay in answering this Question is totally unacceptable. It arose from a number of factors, including a delay in its allocation, changes in officials and the need to request information from all government departments and their agencies. My office and the House authorities have instituted changes since this Question was asked which should prevent such delays in future.
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the dates of correspondence, emails and telephone calls which have been made between parliamentary and government officials, including the titles of those both sending and receiving, in seeking a government reply to the Question for Written Answer put down by Lord Lipsey on 14 January and which remains on the Order Paper 24 weeks later.[HL5085]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Question of the noble Lord, Lord Lipsey, has been answered today. The delay in answering this Question is totally unacceptable. Numerous phone calls and emails went between my office officials in parliamentary branches across Whitehall in seeking a reply to the Question. It is not possible to list all such contacts. I will in future be able to provide more detailed Answers to such Questions now that a new database has been installed in my office to track Answers to Written Questions.
Northern Ireland: Illegal Guns
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many illegal guns have been captured in Northern Ireland in each of the last seven years.[HL5124]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The information requested is contained in the table below:
| Year | Number of weapons recovered |
| 1995 | 118 |
| 1996 | 97 |
| 1997 | 105 |
| 1998 | 88 |
| 1999 | 113 |
| 2000 | 134 |
| 2001 | 97 |
| 2002 (to 30 June) | 62 |
Note:
2002 statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The total cost of the parades commission since its creation in March 1997 is £5,049,653.
Lord Freyberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much the Northern Ireland Parades Commission has cost the United Kingdom taxpayer since creation.[HL5326]
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 10 June (WA16), by what criteria the
22 Jul 2002 : Column WA31
- Cabinet Office distinguishes "antique furniture" from the furniture classified under "fixtures and fittings".[HL5393]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Heritage assets, which include "antique furniture", are those assets which have been inherited by the department since its earliest existence. These assets are held in trust for future generations because of their cultural, environmental or historical existence.
Within the department furniture is purchased for use by operational staff. This furniture is classified under the heading "fixtures and fittings".
Business Appointments Advisory Committee
Lord Elder asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they have received the fifth report of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, who are the members of the committee, and whether they will make a statement.[HL5473]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments has submitted its fifth report to the Prime Minister and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report gives an account of its work from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002.
The committee is an independent body which advises the Prime Minister on business appointment applications from the most senior civil servants and members of the Armed Forces. Where the applicant is a senior diplomat, it advises the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under the similar rules which apply in the Diplomatic Service. The committee also gives advice, under published guidelines, to former Ministers about any outside appointments they wish to take up after leaving office. It includes members with extensive experience of public life in England, Scotland and Wales, and, in this respect, it acts as a joint body although it provides its advice directly to those who seek it in accordance with the provisions of their ministerial code.
The current members of the committee are:
- The Rt Hon Lord Mayhew of Twysden QC DL (Chairman)
- Sir John Blelloch KCB (Vice-chairman)
- The Rt Hon Lord Morris of Aberavon QC
- The Rt Hon Lord Maclennan of Rogart
- The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT GCMG
- Admiral Sir Kenneth Eaton GBE KCB FEng FIEE
- Sir Bryan Nicholson
Transport Infrastructure Projects: European Investment Bank Funding
Lord Lea of Crondall asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are taking to improve the United Kingdom's disproportionately low share of the European Investment Bank's overall funding of transport infrastructure.[HL5134]
The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston): Public and private sector organisations in the United Kingdom benefited from European Investment Bank loans totalling E15,626 million during the period 1997–2001. Many important transport infrastructure projects were among the initiatives supported. Government, other public sector bodies and private undertakings have and will continue to seek to make use of the bank's facilities when it makes economic and financial sense to do so. In recent months, the bank has approved substantial loan facilities in relation to the development of Terminal 5 at Heathrow and the improvement of the A1 between Darrington and Disforth in Yorkshire. The bank is also considering an application for support for phase 3 of the Manchester Metrolink.
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