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12 Jan 2005 : Column WA61
Written Answers
Wednesday, 12 January 2005.
Northern Ireland: Health Trusts
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which of the health trusts in Northern Ireland bank with the Bank of Ireland; how much was paid to the Bank of Ireland in fees and charges by health trusts in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and when the bank accounts of these trusts are due to be renewed. [HL408]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): All 19 health trusts in Northern Ireland bank with the Bank of Ireland.
No bank fees or charges were paid to the Bank of Ireland by any health trust in any of the past five years.
The bank accounts of these trusts are due to be renewed on 1 September 2005. There is an option in the contract with the Bank of Ireland to extend it for a further two years.
Judicial Pensions
Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 13 December (WA 56), whether the senior judges and judges' representative organisations stated during consultation the number of serving judges who would resign; and, if so, what was that number. [HL569]
The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): The responses did not indicate how many serving judges would resign, but did not suggest that it might be a substantial number.
British Citizenship: Mr Ross Brans
Lord Faulkner of Worcester asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will reply to the letter from the Lord Faulkner of Worcester of 7 November to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office about the application for British citizenship by Mr Ross Brans. [HL453]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): As far as I am aware, the Home Office has not received this letter. We would be most happy to reply if the noble Lord would be kind enough to forward a copy to us.
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Prison Visits
Lord Williams of Elvel asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the Lord Williams of Elvel's suggestion on 8 December (HL Deb, col. 909) that there should be a standard, included in prison audits, for the conduct of prison visits; and, if so, how they propose to introduce such a standard. [HL527]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Prison Service policy is for visits to take place in the most humane conditions possible. Prison guidelines stipulate that the duty to treat prisoners with humanity also applies to the treatment of families and other visitors, and they should be treated courteously and sensitively.
The Prison Service has around 70 performance standards applying to all aspects of the management of prisons and prisoners, each comprising a number of measurable baselines that are audited regularly. The prisoners' family life standard currently contains 13 key audit baselines relating to social visits, including visiting arrangements and the provision of information to visitors.
Anti-Binge Drinking Advertisements
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Home Office is supporting work by police and trading standards, but is not currently running any advertisements on anti-binge drinking.
Prison and Probation Services: Alcohol Misuse
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much additional money will be provided to (a) the Prison Service and (b) the Probation Service in 2005–06 to implement the strategy of addressing alcohol misuse. [HL537]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The strategy will be implemented within existing funding settlements within the Prison Service. The National Probation Directorate is developing a parallel strategy that will result in a consistent approach across the National Offender Management Service.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will extend the assessment of prisoners on reception from the identification of immediate need for the management of alcohol withdrawal to the risk of harm from drinking, by use of the Paddington alcohol test or a similar questionnaire which can be administered briefly. [HL539]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: For prisoners who are assessed as not being physically dependent on alcohol upon reception, Prison Service guidance recommends the use of the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT), which is similar to, but fuller than, the Paddington test.
Prisons: Speech and Language Therapy
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, following the research conducted by Professor Karen Bryan on speech and language therapy for young people in prison under the auspices of the University of Surrey in collaboration with the Prison Service, they will screen young offenders for communication problems and provide therapy where appropriate. [HL538]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We will be studying the findings of Professor Bryan's report very carefully and will then consider any action that may be appropriate.
Criminal Cases Review Commission
Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider it part of the function of the Criminal Cases Review Commission to investigate the following possibilities if brought to its attention in relation to a claim: (a) forensic evidence not presented at trial; (b) exculpatory evidence known about but not sufficiently highlighted at trial; (c) the creditability of confession evidence provided from a prison cell; (d) a mistaken direction by the trial judge; and (e) inconsistencies between evidence given at trial and evidence given at retrial. [HL599]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The commission may refer a conviction, verdict or finding to a court of appeal if it considers that there is a real possibility that the conviction, verdict or finding would not be upheld if the reference were made. The commission is responsible under the Criminal Appeal Act 1995 for interpreting "real possibility", and will generally be looking for evidence not adduced, or arguments not raised, in the proceedings that led to the conviction, verdict or finding, or in any appeal or application for leave to appeal. In exceptional circumstances, the commission can refer a conviction in the absence of such evidence and arguments. The commission can only refer a sentence to a court of appeal if it considers that it would not be upheld because of an argument on a point of law, or information, not so raised.
In the exercise of its role to investigate miscarriages of justice, it would be part of the commission's function to investigate any of the possibilities to which the noble Earl refers.
Army: Infantry Battalions
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will list all infantry battalions in the British Army, indicating in respect of each the total number of persons currently serving and how many of these are female. [HL531]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach): The infantry battalions in the British Army as at 1 November 2004 are as listed in the table below.
Females are not enlisted into the infantry (nor the Household Cavalry or the Royal Armoured Corps), though women may serve alongside the infantry as attached personnel. Therefore, the numbers shown in the table below refer only to male serving officers and soldiers.
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The data have been rounded to the nearest five. Because of the rounding method used in all tables, the subtotals and grand total may not be the same as the constituent parts.
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