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Baroness Wilkins: My Lords, can the Minister say what steps the Government have taken to implement the recommendation in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report, Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People, that by 2010 each locality would have a user-led organisation based on the model of centres for independent living? Would he confirm that additional resources are being bid for in the 2006 spending review to facilitate development of a network of user-led organisations?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, my noble friend is right to draw the House's attention to the importance of those centres. They will provide a great deal of support to disabled people in order to take advantage of the independent living proposals contained in the Strategy Unit's report. My noble friend tempts me down the route
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of forecasting funding allocations. I cannot say any more than I have already said, which is that that will be a matter for the ministerial group to consider over the next few months.
Lord Addington: My Lords, will the Minister give us guidance on how any new office for disability issues would work with the new equalities commission and whether any relationship has been drawn up at least on paper between those two bodies? There is potential here for a turf war.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, we certainly do not want a turf war. I am sure that as the proposals are taken forward we will want to discuss closely with the commission to ensure the office and the commission work together. Essentially, the purpose of the office is to work within central government to support the ministerial group. There is no reason why that should not complement the work of the commission.
Lord Skelmersdale: My Lords, this is my first opportunity to congratulate the Minister on his return to government in what I am sure he will accept is a most demanding job. While I agree with the intention in the report to give disabled people the dignity associated with work, does the Minister also accept that the proposals for direct payments to disabled people will do nothing of themselves to increase the number of affordable and accessible dwellings that they need?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, first, I welcome the noble Lord to his own new position on the Front Bench. I also take this opportunity to express the thanks of the House to the noble Lord, Lord Higgins, for his sterling work in that position over a long period.
The noble Lord is right to draw attention to the issue of housing for disabled people. The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit certainly identified it as a major issue. Much of our housing stock is physically unsuitable for those with mobility or other impairments. I do not think that there is any question about that. It is one of the issues that the new office and the ministerial group will take forward. Legislation governing the allocation of social housing by local authorities has recently been amended to ensure that people who need to move house because of a disability are given appropriate priority. I should also point out the existence of disability housing registers which provide for disabled people to be housed appropriately and ensure that the best use is made of the existing adapted stock.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, does my noble friend agree with the statement:
"The UK has a proud Paralympic heritage and London 2012 would set new standards for inclusion and accessibility in every aspect of the Games"?
Is this not an appropriate moment for him to pay tribute to everyone concerned with the bid: the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State, the Mayor of London, the bid team and the noble Lord, Lord Coe?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, I have a line to take which says, "Rejoice".
Lord Pearson of Rannoch: My Lords, will the Government continue with their excellent policy of encouraging independent living within village communities, which are both care-effective and cost-effective, and that they will continue to do what they can to make sure that their excellent policy at the national level is followed through at the local level?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, I have to be careful about straying into the policy areas of other departments. I well understand the noble Lord's concern about the future of such village communities. He knows that I have taken part in discussions with him on this in previous years. When providing services for such people, whether they are in village communities, using other facilities or accommodated in social housing, it is important to ensure that services are geared to individual needs. The whole point of independent living and independent budgets is to give people much more control over their own lives.
Baroness Uddin: My Lords, is my noble friend aware of extensive under-claiming of disability benefits and resources by ethnic minority communities? We have discussed that on previous occasions. Is he satisfied with the outreach arrangements in place for these hard-to-reach communities that seek to ensure that individuals are aware of their full rights? Moreover, in the light of the successful 2012 bid, which will affect the East End of London and have an impact on a huge range of heavily disadvantaged communities, will he ensure that we reach out to them in the best way possible?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, that is one of the reasons why our winning the Olympic bid is so important for many communities not just in London but throughout the country. On benefit claims, I recognise the point raised by my noble friend; it is a matter of concern to my department. We seek ever new ways of ensuring that those entitled to benefits do claim and receive them.
G8: Gleneagles Summit Costs
3.14 pm
Baroness Rawlings asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, the original budget estimate figure for the cost of the summit was around £10 million. The final figure will not be known until after the event.
Baroness Rawlings: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her Answer. Does she think that the
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predicted costs of £109 million for the organisation and policing of the Gleneagles Summit, stated in response to a Written Question, are realistic? The summit in Japan cost £500 million, and two years ago the Evian Summit cost over £400 million. Keeping in mind the need for transparency, will the Government publish the detailed overall costs? More importantly, what consideration has been given to the use of video-conferencing for future G8 gatherings, as used nowadays by so many successful businesses? In that way, the half billion pounds spent could go to help the African poor.
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, security for the summit is the responsibility of the Tayside Police and the Scottish Executive. It is therefore not, at this moment, for the FCO or the UK Government to comment. However, it is interesting to note that last week the First Minister said that he expected the economic benefits to Scotland to be around £500 million, some 10 times more than the cost of security. I shall ensure that the costs are published in due course.
The noble Baroness's suggestion that future summits should take place by video conference is interesting. I shall ensure that it is considered. However, I can see the merits of face-to-face meetings in this context. It is clear that G8 Summits have achieved many tangible outcomes, some of which would not have been produced if there had not been face-to-face meetings.
The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, can the Minister not see the full extent of the irony behind the question of the noble Baroness, Lady Rawlings, that at least some of the countries represented among the G8 are in part the perpetrators of the very iniquities that many of us want redressed at the Gleneagles gathering?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, I understand exactly where the right reverend Prelate is coming from. Yes, some of these people have been perpetrators in the past. However, it is necessary now to bring all these people to the table to try to ensure that in future we can find global solutions to the problems that affect each and every being on this planet.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: My Lords, will the Government consider undertaking a cost benefit analysis of the entire exercise after the event? The extent to which what was originally a small informal meeting of heads of government has grown into a vast circus seems to us to raise large questions about its value. In the light of the remarks of the French President, can the Minister reassure the House that good Scottish food will be served at the Gleneagles Summit?
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