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Northern Ireland: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Lord Smith of Clifton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the total number of recorded instances of sexually transmitted diseases in Northern Ireland for each of the years 2000 to 2004; and what is the number for each year for each parliamentary constituency. [HL584]
Baroness Amos: The total number of recorded instances of sexually transmitted diseases in Northern Ireland is shown in the table below for the years 2000 to 2004. Information is not recorded according to parliamentary constituency.
| Year | Number of instances of sexually transmitted diseases |
| 2000 | 10,139 |
| 2001 | 10,208 |
| 2002 | 10,782 |
| 2003 | 10,470 |
| 2004* | 5,188 |
Notes:
The number of instances of sexually transmitted diseases is measured according to the number of attendances at Genito-Urinary medicine clinics.
*Information for 2004 is for 1 January–30 September only, and is provisional.
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Incitement to Religious Hatred
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish in the Official Report the note by the Attorney-General on the exercise of his powers under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986 dealing with incitement of religious hatred. [HL588]
The Attorney-General (Lord Goldsmith): There is no note by the Attorney-General on the exercise of his powers under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986 dealing with incitement to religious hatred. There was only an early draft of a note produced for the purposes of debate on such a proposed offence. A Written Ministerial Statement relating to the proposed offence in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill was published by the Home Secretary on 7 December 2004 and was agreed by me.
Anti-social Behaviour Orders
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they propose to take to lessen the disruption caused to families and to the welfare of individuals when anti-social behaviour orders prevent individuals from visiting close relatives or gaining access to medical services. [HL496]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): It is for the courts to decide what prohibitions should be set out in the ASBO. The conditions should be reasonable and proportionate but protect all persons within a defined area from the anti-social acts of the defendant. The conditions are proposed to the court by the applicant agency and care should be taken to the formulation of the conditions so that individuals are not denied access to medical services or from visiting relatives, unless those relatives were party to the anti-social behaviour and the community needs further protection from their association. Local partnership working should ensure that the prohibitions set out in an ASBO application are workable and appropriate. Individuals may apply to discharge or vary the conditions of their ASBO.
Alcohol: Under-age Drinking
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe asked Her Majesty's Government:
In the light of the recently published studies indicating that the United Kingdom has the highest rate of teenage drinking in Europe, what plans they have to target this age group in their current campaign against binge drinking. [HL535]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government are working with the police and the alcohol industry to prevent the sale of alcohol to, and the purchase of alcohol by under-18s. This includes the wider use of fixed penalty notices for staff who sell to under-18s, confiscation of alcohol from minors and working with the industry on a social responsibility scheme which will include a protocol around seeking proof of age. A
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Christmas alcohol misuse enforcement campaign is also under-way in all 43 police force areas in England and Wales. Town centres across the country are being targeted in an effort to crack down on under-age drinking and alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder.
The Government also acknowledge that enforcement alone is not sufficient to tackle these problems and that a more holistic approach to tackling the misuse of alcohol is needed if we are to challenge current attitudes to drinking. That is why we launched the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England on 15 March 2004 which outlines a programme of work based on 41 recommendations covering actions on prevention, communication, education, and identification and treatment to tackle alcohol misuse and ensure that both consumers and retailers have a healthy and responsible attitude to alcohol.
School Sport Partnerships
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many schools were in a school sport partnership for the two years since 2003–04; and what are the targets for each year until 2007–08. [HL521]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Filkin): The numbers and projected numbers, of schools within school sport partnerships in England for the years in question are as follows:
| September 2003 | 8,030 schools |
| September 2004 | 10,750 schools |
| September 2005 | 15,900 schools |
| September 2006 | all maintained schools will be within a school sport partnership. |
Sports Colleges
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many specialist sports colleges there were in the two years since 2003–04; and what are the targets for each year until 2007–08. [HL523]
Lord Filkin: There were 228 specialist sports colleges in operation from September 2003 and 283 from September 2004. Subject to sufficient high quality applications coming forward, we are on target to achieve the designation of 400 specialist sports colleges by January 2006. Beyond then, any school which applies for specialist sports college status will be designated, subject to them meeting the standard for designation.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much funding was made available for specialist sports colleges from the physical education, school sport and club links budget head for the two years since 2003–04; and what is the projected budget for each year until 2007–08. [HL524]
Lord Filkin: Funding made available for specialist sports colleges from the physical education, school sport and club links budget was £32.3 million for 2003–04 and £38.5 million for 2004–05. Future funding for specialist sports colleges will depend upon the number of schools designated. Sufficient funding has been set aside to ensure that all schools applying for sports college status which meet the standards for designation will be designated.
Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links Budget
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of the physical education, school sport and club links budget head was spent on administration in 2003–04; and what percentage is expected to be spent in 2004–05 and 2005–06. [HL525]
Lord Filkin: The information requested is not available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Department for Education and Skills: Sick Leave
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many days' sick leave were taken in the past year by staff in the Department for Education and Skills; and how this compares with other government departments. [HL548]
Lord Filkin: The Department for Education and Skills is fully committed to managing its sickness absence effectively and to reducing the amount of sickness absence from its current levels. We have introduced specific strategies to improve attendance rates and tackling the underlying issues causing sickness.
10.3 working days were lost through sickness absence for each staff year in the department in 2003. The average across the Civil Service was 10.0 days.
Department for Education and Skills: Ministerial Changes
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
What costs were incurred by the Department for Education and Skills as a result of the recent ministerial changes in the department. [HL551]
Lord Filkin: Overall there have been no additional costs incurred by the DfES to date as a result of the recent ministerial changes in the department.
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