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Lord Magginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will liaise with the Irish Republic on cross-border abuse of waste transportation. [HL4597]
Baroness Amos: My honourable friend the Minister with responsibility for the Environment in Northern Ireland (Angela Smith), has already met her counterpart in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) to discuss this and other issues of mutual interest.
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The Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) of the Department of the Environment has good working relationships with the relevant regulatory bodies in the RoI. It continues to exchange information on waste management issues with district councils and the RoI's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Recently, two working groups were set up by the EPA, one on transfrontier shipment of waste and the other on unauthorised waste activities. EHS is a member of both groups.
The transfrontier shipment of waste working group focuses on strengthening the enforcement of the relevant regulations by local authorities. The unauthorised waste activities group will co-ordinate enforcement action to stem the cross-border movement of waste into Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland: Diesel Sales
Lord Glentoran asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their estimate of diesel road fuel sales in Northern Ireland in the year before the Belfast peace agreement and for each subsequent year. [HL4615]
Baroness Amos: Her Majesty's Government do not collect information on the sales of diesel road fuel in Northern Ireland. However amounts of DERV fuel delivered to Northern Ireland during the period 1997 to 2003 are as follows:
| Year | Thousand Tonnes of DERV fuel |
| 1997 | 338 |
| 1998 | 274 |
| 1999 | 212 |
| 2000 | 150 |
| 2001 | 171 |
| 2002 | 193 |
| 2003 | 241 |
Northern Ireland: Healthcare for the Elderly
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to introduce a system of free healthcare provision for the elderly in Northern Ireland similar to that in Scotland. [HL4627]
Baroness Amos: In October 2002, the Northern Ireland Executive introduced a scheme of publicly funded nursing care for people in nursing homes. There are, however, no plans at present to introduce a scheme of publicly funded personal care for older people in Northern Ireland similar to that in Scotland.
Northern Ireland: School Admissions
Lord Glentoran asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect to publish their proposals to replace the current post-primary education and transfer tests in Northern Ireland. [HL4671]
Baroness Amos: The Government expect to publish proposals for new admissions arrangements, including admissions criteria, for consultation at the end of the year.
Israel: Human Rights
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Government of Israel are in breach of any articles concerning human rights under the European Union-Israel Association agreement; whether the Government have taken any legal advice on this matter; and whether they intend to raise this issue at a future meeting of the association. [HL4592]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): We have raised our concerns about Israeli actions on human rights grounds with the Israeli Government both as the UK and through the EU. Following the recent violence in Gaza, EU Foreign Ministers, at the 11 October General Affairs and External Relations Council, condemned "the disproportionate nature of the Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip".
The legal services of the Commission and Council have not been asked for their opinion on whether Israel is in breach of any articles in the EU-Israel Association Agreement. We have not sought legal advice on this.
The EU has regularly raised issues of concern, including human rights, at EU/Israel Association Councils. We, with other member states, will consider in due course what issues to raise at the EU/Israel Association Council scheduled to be held at the end of this year.
Parole Hearings: Mr Peter Chester
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What action has been taken since March 2001 on the request of Mr Peter Chester, 889983, H M Prison Wakefield, for a review and oral hearing by the Parole Board; how many times a hearing has been postponed; and for what reasons. [HL4304]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The independent Parole Board last considered Mr Chester's case on the papers in December 2002, prior to the interim arrangements introduced as a result of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgment in Stafford.
In April 2003, Mr Chester's solicitors requested that the case be referred back to the Parole Board for reconsideration at an oral hearing, and that a fresh set of reports should be obtained. According to the solicitors, the Parole Board listed the case for an oral hearing on two separate occasions. However, on neither occasion were the solicitors or the Secretary of State told and as a result the hearing did not proceed.
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In February 2004, a single member of the Parole Board considered the case under the interim arrangements and recommended that the case should proceed to a full oral hearing. That hearing was scheduled for early May 2004 but was deferred for three months at the request of Mr Chester's solicitors in order that they could commission an independent report.
The deferred hearing was rescheduled to take place on 21-22 September. Unfortunately the judge was unable to attend and the Parole Board rearranged the hearing for 29 September. At that later hearing, Mr Chester's counsel requested a further deferral to enable witnesses to attend. The case has now been relisted for hearing in early December.
Prisons: Education
Lord Chadlington asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many GCSEs and A-levels were awarded last year in prisons and young offenders' institutions. [HL4323]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The information requested covers England and Wales and Northern Ireland. For information with respect to Scotland, I refer the noble Lord to the Scottish Executive. Current data collection systems mean that reporting on awards gained across the prison estate in England at GCSE and A-level would be at disproportionate cost.
Data are collected on the number of basic skills qualifications and work skills qualifications gained. In 2003–04, the Prison Service delivered 46,500 basic skills qualifications against its key performance target of 36,600 and 109,237 work skills qualifications against a target of 58,000.
The smaller size of the estate in Northern Ireland has meant that the Northern Ireland Prison Service was able to collect this information. During the past year a total of six GCSEs were awarded and three GCSE modules were completed.
A number of essential skills qualifications were also achieved. These were at levels 1 and 2 which are equivalent to lower and higher passes at GCSE.
| Essential Skills | Level 1 | Level 2 |
| Literacy | 6 | 2 |
| Numeracy | 11 | 11 |
Asylum Seekers: Children
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the number of asylum-seeking children detained in the United Kingdom has increased since December 2003; and, if so, by how much. [HL4342]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Figures on the number of children detained in the United Kingdom solely under the Immigration Acts have been available on a
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quarterly basis since December 2003. However, the count of children detained on 27 December excluded minors detained with their families under non-suspensive appeal provisions at Oakington reception centre. These children were included in the published statistics for March and June 2004. For this reason the figures are not comparable.
However the counts of children detained as at the end of March and June 2004 were carried out on the same basis, and can be compared. As at 27 March 2004, 30 people (all of whom were asylum detainees) who were detained solely under Immigration Act powers were recorded as being under 18 years old. As at 26 June 2004 this figure was 60. It is important to remember, however, that these figures are snapshots and that the total number of children detained with their families will fluctuate from day to day, depending on the number of families detained and their composition.
Information on the number of people (including those under 18) detained solely under Immigration Act powers is published on a quarterly basis and the figures for March and June 2004 are already in the public domain. Information for those in detention at 25 September 2004 is due to be published on 16 November 2004 on the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html
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