| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Universities
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements exist for citizens of (a) Gibraltar, and (b) the Falkland Islands to attend universities in the United Kingdom; what is the reason for any differences in these arrangements; and whether they will take steps to give the students from the two areas equal status. [HL1534]
Lord Filkin: Students from Gibraltar who have been ordinarily resident there for three years before their course starts, and who have British citizenship, are eligible to pay "home" tuition fees in the same way as UK students. Students from the Falkland Islands would be expected to pay the overseas rate of tuition fees. The difference is because Gibraltar is the only overseas territory formally considered part of the United Kingdom in terms of the UK's membership of the European Union (EU), and so entitled to the benefits of EU membership, including home tuition fees for their students. There are no plans to change the status of the Falkland Islands or other overseas territories vis à vis the EU.
8 Mar 2005 : Column WA77
Sport: Funding
Lord Pendry asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will provide additional funds for those sports failing to meet their potential. [HL1519]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Lord McIntosh of Haringey): Sport England has announced plans to invest £315 million in the development of 32 sports over the next four years. The purpose of this funding is to help national governing bodies to realise their sports' potential by delivering their own objectives and those of Sport England. In practice, this will entail increasing participation and achieving greater success in international competition.
Moreover, UK Sport has endorsed a new investment strategy to reinforce the best performing sports, support those that are developing and provoke change in those that are underperforming. There is a sharpened focus on those sports and individuals who demonstrate the potential to deliver on the biggest stage.
Seventy-five per cent of available resources will be allocated on the basis of proven performance at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and 25 per cent based on a sport's future potential for improved performance. As a result, 14 Olympic sports will receive enhanced funding between 2005 and 2009 from a total summer Olympic investment of £75 million.
Benefit Offices
Lord Smith of Leigh asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider allowing certain councils to administer local benefit offices of the Department for Work and Pensions to achieve greater efficiency and improvement in the take up of benefits. [HL1482]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Hollis of Heigham): The department aims to work closely with local authorities, where appropriate, in order to reduce duplication and improve the service offered to customers. There are, however, no plans to allow local authorities to administer local benefit offices on behalf of the department.
Lancaster House: Government Hospitality
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the estimated cost of the Lancaster House reception on 28 February arranged by the Department of Trade and Industry to say farewell to Sir Robin Young and introduce his successor as Permanent Secretary; and how many invitations have been issued. [HL1387]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): In total 339 invitations were issued to a range of key departmental stakeholders. Government hospitality has not yet prepared the final invoice for the Department of Trade and Industry.
NHS: Appointments
Lord Wedderburn of Charlton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the light of their advice in 2003–04 on ways to introduce better systems of booking National Health Service appointments and their definition of partial booking, they are satisfied with the methods of partial booking used in London for National Health Service patients referred to consultants by general practitioners, in particular when such patients are given a non-definite waiting time, such as three months or more. [HL1531]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The Department of Health is not aware of any methods of partial booking in London that are inconsistent with national policy.
Partial booking was introduced as an interim measure, which recognised that, for some specialties, there were long waits that made it impractical for both the National Health Service and the patient to book an appointment at the time of the referral decision. Under partial booking systems, patients are advised of the approximate waiting time at the time of referral and are then contacted approximately four to six weeks in advance to choose a time and date for their appointment or admission.
As waiting times continue to fall, we expect more appointments to be booked at the time of the referral decision. With the introduction of the electronic choose and book system, all patients referred by their general practitioner for an outpatient appointment will have the opportunity to make an appointment at the time of referral.
Ouse Washes
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they have taken to address the deterioration in the ecological condition of the Ouse Washes Special Protection Area Ramsar site since it was placed on the Montreux record of sites undergoing adverse ecological change in October 2000. [HL1186]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): Since the Ouse Washes was listed by the UK on the convention's Montreux record a Ramsar advisory mission (RAM) took place in November 2001 resulting in a RAM report being submitted to Defra in January 2003. The report recognised that the complexity of problems means that there is no quick fix solution, and highlighted that long-term integrated solutions will be
8 Mar 2005 : Column WA79
necessary for the Ouse Washes to be restored to a favourable condition. The report also recognised that impressive efforts had already been made by stakeholders to solve the problems on the Ouse Washes.
Defra and its agencies have continued efforts to work with stakeholders to identify and develop lasting solutions to the problems, considering the recommendations of the RAM and taking account of other studies. The Environment Agency has invested considerable sums in new sluices to help control flood water on the washes, and has been leading a working group to consider technical solutions to the problems. It has also been necessary to undertake further studies to establish the hydro-ecological requirements for the site, and to identify the long-term remedies as acknowledged by the RAM.
Fish Stocks: Azores
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the waters between 100 and 200 nautical miles around the Azores were opened up to European Union trawlers; and what assessment of
- fish stocks in these waters was undertaken prior to this extension of the fishing zone, and subsequently. [HL1510]
Lord Whitty: New arrangements on effort restrictions in Western Waters were decided in November 2003 and came into effect in August 2004. This department does not hold data on any stock assessments that may have been carried out in respect of the Azores.
Government Agencies: Retirement Age
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 23 February (WA 211–12), whether they will establish a central record of the age at which individual government agencies require their staff to retire; and whether they will place this information in the Library of the House. [HL1511]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: There are no plans to establish a central record of the age at which individual government agencies require their staff to retire.
| Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |