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Broadband
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 11 March (WA 179), how that Answer relates to the commitment to deliver broadband technology that will allow "internet access at 10 times the present speed" across the European Union by 2005, as outlined in the Statement on the European Council in Barcelona by the Prime Minister on 18 March 2002. [HL2140]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The Answer given on 11 March 2003 drew on the definition of broadband given by the Broadband
Stakeholder Group. This definition includes technologies operating at 500–600kbps, which allow internet access at approximately 10 times the speed of a standard 56kbps dial-up modem.
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What data transfer speed, expressed in terms of kbit/second, forms the basis for the commitment, outlined in the Statement on the European Council in Barcelona by the Prime Minister on 18 March 2002, to deliver broadband technology that will allow "internet access at 10 times the present speed" across the European Union by 2005. [HL2141]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister's Statement refers to the commonly available broadband products in the 500–600kbps range. These allow internet access at approximately 10 times the speed of a standard 56kbps dial-up modem.
Tourism and Leisure: Start-up Funding
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What start-up help and funding are available to small new businesses wishing to enter (a) the tourism market; and (b) the leisure industry. [HL2206]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Small Business Service (SBS) provides a range of support programmes designed to help small businesses in all sectors (including start-ups) to obtain finance. These include regional venture capital funds; the Phoenix Fund; and the Early Growth funding programme.
Those wishing to start up a business in the tourism and leisure sectors, as in other sectors, may be eligible to apply for enterprise grants, regional selective assistance, Smart awards, help from the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme (SFLGS) and other forms of support. From 1 April an extension to the scope and eligibility for the SFLGS will increase the number of businesses, including within the tourism and leisure sectors, which can benefit from the scheme.
In addition, SBS provides advisory support to start-up businesses through the network of business link operators. Business link services are either free or charged at affordable rates. People wanting to access support can contact their local business link operator via telephone on 0845 600 9006 or via the website www.businesslink.org.
BSE
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 22 May 2002 (WA 104), whether they will update the information in that Answer, in the same format, showing the number of cases of BSE confirmed in Britain each week since 10 May 2002, together with a moving total of cases for each week period.[HL2155]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): The number of active and passive surveillance cases of BSE confirmed in Great Britain during each week of 2002 and in the current year to 7 March and the moving annual totals of confirmed and reported cases for each 52-week period are shown below.
| 2002 | 2003
| Passive surveillance | Active surveillance | Reported | Passive surveillance | Active surveillance | Reported
| Week No | Number confirmed each week | Running 52 week total | Number confirmed each week | Running 52 week total | Running 52 week total | Week No | Number confirmed each week | Running 52 week total | Number confirmed each week | Running 52 week total | Running 52 week total
| |
| 1 | 0 | 751 | 0 | 261 | 1,207 | 1 | 0 | 513 | 0 | 593 | 883 |
| 2 | 19 | 734 | 0 | 259 | 1,209 | 2 | 7 | 501 | 15 | 608 | 870 |
| 3 | 22 | 742 | 0 | 259 | 1,208 | 3 | 2 | 481 | 10 | 618 | 857 |
| 4 | 12 | 742 | 51 | 310 | 1,200 | 4 | 2 | 471 | 28 | 595 | 850 |
| 5 | 2 | 733 | 21 | 331 | 1,201 | 5 | 4 | 473 | 7 | 581 | 835 |
| 6 | 25 | 747 | 29 | 359 | 1,184 | 6 | 5 | 453 | 7 | 559 | 832 |
| 7 | 15 | 731 | 30 | 385 | 1,185 | 7 | 6 | 444 | 4 | 533 | 819 |
| 8 | 9 | 728 | 7 | 390 | 1,182 | 8 | 5 | 440 | 37 | 563 | 798 |
| 9 | 17 | 733 | 14 | 402 | 1,174 | 9 | 6 | 429 | 5 | 554 | 787 |
| 10 | 10 | 733 | 4 | 405 | 1,160 | 10 | 3 | 422 | 13 | 563 | 780 |
| 11 | 16 | 743 | 29 | 433 | 1,151 | ||||||
| 12 | 19 | 749 | 0 | 432 | 1,153 | ||||||
| 13 | 12 | 756 | 34 | 466 | 1,146 | ||||||
| 14 | 0 | 737 | 0 | 464 | 1,152 | ||||||
| 15 | 26 | 753 | 13 | 474 | 1,154 | ||||||
| 16 | 2 | 751 | 29 | 501 | 1,156 | ||||||
| 17 | 20 | 758 | 0 | 501 | 1,162 | ||||||
| 18 | 16 | 755 | 13 | 514 | 1,169 | ||||||
| 19 | 7 | 749 | 8 | 519 | 1,162 | ||||||
| 20 | 15 | 749 | 1 | 519 | 1,161 | ||||||
| 21 | 7 | 740 | 12 | 531 | 1,158 | ||||||
| 22 | 16 | 741 | 9 | 540 | 1,154 | ||||||
| 23 | 0 | 732 | 1 | 541 | 1,135 | ||||||
| 24 | 17 | 735 | 22 | 561 | 1,140 | ||||||
| 25 | 9 | 729 | 4 | 565 | 1,139 | ||||||
| 26 | 5 | 721 | 16 | 581 | 1,141 | ||||||
| 27 | 0 | 704 | 0 | 581 | 1,141 | ||||||
| 28 | 7 | 694 | 19 | 599 | 1,125 | ||||||
| 29 | 1 | 685 | 0 | 599 | 1,108 | ||||||
| 30 | 4 | 666 | 11 | 610 | 1,101 | ||||||
| 31 | 4 | 663 | 7 | 617 | 1,083 | ||||||
| 32 | 22 | 674 | 16 | 628 | 1,083 | ||||||
| 33 | 9 | 647 | 9 | 637 | 1,059 | ||||||
| 34 | 7 | 646 | 10 | 633 | 1,054 | ||||||
| 35 | 5 | 648 | 5 | 632 | 1,051 | ||||||
| 36 | 3 | 634 | 8 | 632 | 1,038 | ||||||
| 37 | 8 | 631 | 4 | 636 | 1,034 | ||||||
| 38 | 7 | 628 | 5 | 622 | 1,021 | ||||||
| 39 | 7 | 605 | 19 | 635 | 1,003 | ||||||
| 40 | 11 | 583 | 7 | 632 | 983 | ||||||
| 41 | 6 | 577 | 5 | 616 | 975 | ||||||
| 42 | 8 | 555 | 11 | 619 | 956 | ||||||
| 43 | 9 | 549 | 2 | 596 | 945 | ||||||
| 44 | 4 | 521 | 7 | 597 | 938 | ||||||
| 45 | 13 | 522 | 18 | 600 | 944 | ||||||
| 46 | 5 | 518 | 2 | 577 | 929 | ||||||
| 47 | 13 | 520 | 12 | 586 | 911 | ||||||
| 48 | 22 | 541 | 23 | 581 | 904 | ||||||
| 49 | 3 | 519 | 31 | 606 | 898 | ||||||
| 50 | 11 | 519 | 6 | 596 | 888 | ||||||
| 51 | 5 | 512 | 9 | 593 | 884 | ||||||
| 52 | 1 | 513 | 0 | 593 | 881 | ||||||
1. Confirmation of disease may be affected by delays in diagnosis at the laboratory or by administrative matters. It does not necessarily reflect the occurrence of disease.
2. The totals for reported cases refer only to passive surveillance, ie the reporting of animals as clinical suspects. Cases identified by means of active surveillance are not reported as suspects and are therefore not included in these figures.
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Whitty: The collection and disposal industries advise that there is sufficient capacity within the existing infrastructure to deal with the estimated additional quantities of fallen stock, by incineration and/or rendering, arising from the ban on burial which comes into effect from 1 May. However, we are aware that the new rules will cause difficulties for some farmers and we have, since April of last year, been discussing with farmers and the disposal industry setting up a national fallen stock collection and disposal service. Although progress has been made on the operation of a scheme, we have not been able to reach an agreement on funding. Nevertheless, we are continuing our dialogue with the industry and plan to write shortly to individual farmers about the new rules.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Whitty: Considering the implications of changing the game licensing system is a substantial and
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone): From 1 April 2003 the regional development agencies will play a stronger part in the strategic leadership of tourism. The regional tourist boards are their natural partners and will be funded by them at a level equivalent to current regional project funding received from the English Tourism Council for at least three years. Guidance has been issued to RDAs on how tourism should be covered in their corporate plans and regional economic strategies. This is being followed, including the development of regional sustainable tourism strategies, with which the RTBs are closely involved.
Heritage sites play an important part in attracting visitors to all regions. The regional historic environment forums established by English Heritage will consider the links between heritage and the regional tourism agenda. Each forum will expect to work closely with the RDAs and RTBs in taking this forward.
What system will be made available to farmers and others from 1 May 2003 for the disposal of fallen stock.[HL2212]
When they expect to complete their consideration of the implications of changing the system of game licences.[HL2156]
What liaison there is between the regional development agencies and the regional tourist boards on (a) tourism and (b) heritage.[HL2203]
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