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Written Answers
Thursday, 12th June 2003.
General Commissioners of Income Tax: Amalgamation of Divisions
Lord Acton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are their proposals for the amalgamations of divisions of the General Commissioners of Income Tax in Lancashire, Bedfordshire, Clwyd and Essex.[HL3344]
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): On 8 June 2003 I made an order under Section 2(6) of the Taxes Management Act 1970 amalgamating a number of divisions in Lancashire, Bedfordshire, Clwyd and Essex.
From 1 July 2003, the Blackburn and Burnley Divisions shall be merged into a new division to be called the East Lancashire Division.
From 1 January 2004 the Divisions of Bedford; Biggleswade; Flitt and Manshead shall be merged into one new division to be called the Bedfordshire Division.
That order also gives effect from 1 June 2003 to the merger of the Mold and Wrexham Maelor Divisions into the Mold and Wrexham Maelor Division and the Divisions of Dunmow and Ongar; Epping and Harlow to be merged into a new division to be called West Essex.
All the amalgamations were made at the request of the General Commissioners in all the divisions with the aim of improving the organisational efficiency of the divisions concerned. I have placed a copy of the order amalgamating the divisions in the Library.
Rent and Council Tax Arrears: Enforcement
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What proposals they are considering which would add forcible entry to the list of options that can be used by local authorities and bailiffs in cases of rent and council tax arrears.[HL3099]
The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Government's proposals for a single piece of enforcement agent law aim to eliminate the differences between the rules for different types of judgment debts. Few enforcement agents currently have the power to undertake forcible entry to residential premises. Existing case law relating to bailiffs is complex. However, we are looking to simplify the law.
We are proposing a stricter definition of the term "normal entry", which currently permits an enforcement agent to enter through such means as an open window. In order to offer the debtor more
protection, we propose that enforcement agents should only be allowed to enter a domestic property through an open or unlocked door or with the permission of the debtor.Prior judicial authority will be required for forcible entry to be permitted in domestic properties. It is my intention that forcible entry to residential property should rarely be used and then only in very specific circumstances. The court will need to be satisfied that certain criteria have been met before granting such authority. All enforcement agents will be licensed and subject to strict regulation.
We are keen to protect those who genuinely cannot pay from being subject to any undue pressure, including forcible entry to their premises.
Civil Partnerships
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer given by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 22 May (WA 105), whether lack of legal status for unmarried cohabiting partners of the opposite sex causes problems for such partners in their daily lives; and if so, whether they see arguments in favour of a civil partnership registration scheme in England and Wales for such couples, bringing with it a package of rights and responsibilities for those who register.[HL3105]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Opposite-sex couples already have the opportunity of obtaining legal status for their relationship by entering into a marriage, whether religious or civil. Some couples choose not to marry, and that is entirely a decision for them.
North/South Language Body
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 12 May (WA 2) which indicated that the Irish Government could not set the budgets which include contributions by the United Kingdom Government, how this Answer is consistent with the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 12 May (WA 1) which indicated that the Irish Government set the North/South Language Body's budget on 12 November 2002 and announced it in the Irish Parliament on 3 December when the United Kingdom Government only agreed the budget on 26 February 2003.[HL2858]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The Written Answer to the noble Lord on 12 May (WA 1) did not indicate that the Irish Government set the North/South Language Body's budget on 12 November 2002; rather it indicated that officials in the Department of Culture, Arts, and Leisure were informed of the Southern contribution to the budget of the Body.
The Northern Ireland contribution to this budget was announced as part of the overall Northern Ireland budget by the Secretary of State on 11 December 2002.
Under the agreement made by the exchange of notes between the British and Irish Governments dated 19 November 2002, the two governments approved the recommendation for the total budget for the North/South Language Body on 26 February 2003.
Waterways Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- On what basis a pay award was made for the employees of Waterways Ireland from 1 October 2002; whether all employees will receive the award; what are the remuneration packages of the chief executive and the deputy chief executive; and how they were calculated.[HL2935]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Waterways Ireland employees based in the Republic of Ireland received a 4 per cent pay award for the period 1 October 2002 to 30 June 2003 in line with the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness which applies to all public service workers in the Republic. Employees based in Northern Ireland were paid a pro rata award of 2.67 per cent for the period from 1 October 2002 to the end of March 2003. From 1 April 2003 pay awards for employees based in Northern Ireland will be linked to pay awards for the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
The chief executive's salary from 1 April 2002 is £70,725 within the range £70,725 to £83,025 within the Senior Civil Service pay bands of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. The salary from 1 April 2003 is awaiting the agreement of the 2003 pay settlement. The assessment of grading and salary level was made using the job evaluation system for senior posts in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
Waterways Ireland has no deputy chief executive.
Northern Ireland: Protestant Community Employment Data
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 18 March (WA 26), what factors have been identified as responsible for the unemployment differentials between different denominations within the Protestant community in Northern Ireland.[HL2974]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: While various academics have alluded to information, derived from census results, on differences in the unemployment rates between Protestant denominations, no research findings are available to explain the differences that have been observed.
Paramilitarism
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are committed to paragraph 13 of the Joint Declaration by the British and Irish Governments of April 2003 which concerns paramilitarism.[HL2976]
Northern Ireland: Translink Services
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will ensure that, if Translink travel passes for former employees in Northern Ireland are replaced by the Senior Smartpass, the same conditions will apply for former employees.[HL2977]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: Translink has advised that as from 1 April 2003 it has withdrawn travel passes from all retired employees over 65. Such retired employees are eligible for Department for Regional Development Senior Smartpasses which are available to all Northern Ireland residents aged 65 and over and provide free bus and rail travel throughout Northern Ireland.
The Government have no plans to intervene in personnel affairs between Translink and its retired employees on this matter.
Owen Waide: Special Educational Needs Assessment
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will review the case of Owen Waide of Carryduff who has been refused special treatment for the conditions of Aspergers and Dyspraxia by the Northern Ireland South-Eastern Education and Library Board.[HL2978]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: The South-Eastern Education and Library Board is currently undertaking a statutory assessment of Owen Waide's special educational needs and in this connection the board's Special Education Sub-Committee met on 15 May 2003 to review the level of specialist provision afforded to Owen. It was then agreed that the board would provide an enhanced level of specialist provision, both at home and at school.
The full detail of the enhanced provision has been communicated to Mr and Mrs Waide and the board is currently awaiting their response.
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