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People Trafficking
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many women and children were trafficked to the United Kingdom from eastern Europe in 2004, and during the first six months of 2005. [HL2071]
Lord Triesman: Given the nature of the crime, there are no reliable figures for the number of victims trafficked in or out of the UK. The Government are, however, committed to tackling this criminality. We have tasked the Reflex Group to co-ordinate intelligence on people trafficking and have introduced criminal sanctions and broadened the scope for prosecution of trafficking and exploitation offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which came into effect on 1 May 2004 and carries a sentence of up to 14 years' imprisonment.
Poultry Farms
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many commercial poultry farmers there are in England; and why, according to the statement by the Lord Bach on avian flu on 26 October (Official Report, cols. 1203–6), no register is currently held. [HL2098]
Lord Bach: Defra census data for June 2004 indicate that there were 5,536 registered holdings that have poultry as their predominant agricultural activity.
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Individual registers held by Defra, NFU and individual poultry organisations have been in use for some time for particular purposes and species. There is now clearly a need for a consolidated register that holds a wider range of information, including those that hold minor bird species not previously registered and smaller numbers of birds. To address this, the first GB poultry register for all commercial flocks of 50 or more birds is currently being developed by Defra, under the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) Regulations 2005.
Professor David Coggon
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 25 October (WA 180), why the name, contact address and personal website of Professor David Coggon, chairman of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, appear on the University of Southampton University2Business website. [HL2105]
Lord Bach: I understand that Professor Coggon was not aware of the website or that his name was on it. The Centre for Enterprise and Innovation at Southampton University operates the website. Apparently, a directory of expertise has been held at the university for a long time, and it seems that this has been used by those responsible for the University2Business Scheme.
Professor Coggon has not, as far as he is aware, received any contacts in relation to the scheme. Professor Coggon does not have, and never has had, a personal website. He holds a personal chair in the University of Southampton, and as such, has provided a page of biographical details for inclusion on the School of Medicine website.
Professor Coggon also serves as deputy director of the community clinical sciences division in the School of Medicine. As such, his name may appear as a contact point in university communications relating to the division. However, as indicated previously, he is a Medical Research Council employee and is not paid by the university.
Protection of Military Remains Act 1986
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What direct cost to public funds is incurred when the wreck of a vessel is designated as protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. [HL2086]
Lord Drayson: Costs incurred in designating wrecks under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 are administrative in nature and are not specifically recorded. The information therefore could be provided only at disproportionate effort.
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Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many wrecks have been considered for designation as protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. [HL2087]
Lord Drayson: Following a public consultation exercise on the operation of the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 held in 2001, Ministers decided that a small representative number of wrecks, lost when on military service as defined in the Act, would be designated as controlled sites (on which any activity without a licence is prohibited).
Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 1761 designated 11 wrecks—the remains of HMS "Bulwark", HMS "Dasher", HMS "Formidable", HMS "Hampshire", HMS "Natal", HMS "A7", HMS "Vanguard", HMS "Affray", HMS "Exmouth", HMS "Royal Oak" and the submarine "H5"—as controlled sites. The statutory instrument also designated six wrecks as protected places (where diving activity is permitted on a "look but don't touch" basis)—HMS "Hood", HMS "Prince of Wales", HMS "Repulse", HMS "Gloucester", RFA "Sir Galahad" and the U-Boat "U-12".
Ministers also announced that all other military vessels that met the criteria outlined in the consultation document would be designated as protected places as part of a rolling programme of assessment. Following consultation with a number of bodies, a second tranche of designations comprising 30 candidate wrecks, all considered to be on military service when lost, has been drawn up. Once the list has been finalised, ministerial approval will be sought to the designation of the vessels as protected places. Further tranches will follow.
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the procedure for designating the wrecks of vessels as protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. [HL2088]
Lord Drayson: Candidate vessels for designation as protected places are identified as part of a rolling programme of assessment. The assessment is made against the criteria set out in the report of the 2001 Public Consultation on Military Maritime Graves and the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 at www.mod.uk/consultations/maritime-graves/index.htm. Once approval by Secretary of State is given, designation is effected by means of a statutory instrument.
Renewable Energy
Lord Jenkin of Roding asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the statement by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 27 October in the debate on energy supply, when they will arrange for the Renewables Obligations Certificate regime to be applied to nuclear power stations. [HL1980]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The current statutory consultation on the 2005–06 review of the renewables obligation does not include any proposals to extend support to nuclear power. A copy of the consultation document is available from the Libraries of both Houses.
St Lucia
Viscount Waverley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which domestic priorities of the Government of St Lucia are supported by aid from other governments; and what action they are taking to provide such assistance. [HL1891]
Baroness Amos: St Lucia's national development policy is reflected in general policy statements and the policies of sectoral ministries. The preparation of a medium term national development strategy paper for 2005–08 is under way.
The Government of St Lucia are committed to poverty reduction and meeting the millennium development goals and clearly acknowledge the importance of sustainable economic growth and development in that context. The Government have in the past prioritised poverty reduction through various policies and programmes, for example through overall support to the agriculture and tourism sectors, as well as the provision of social safety nets. Donor support to St Lucia supports those broad priorities as detailed below.
The Department for International Development (DfID) continues to engage in St Lucia through its regional assistance programme for the Caribbean, which covers public sector reform, economic and fiscal management, education and HIV/AIDS. DfID's programme in the Caribbean is worth £10.5 million per annum, of which £3.5 million is assigned to regional issues. While some funds are available for particular strategic issues that may arise in-country, the main focus of the regional programme is to improve the effectiveness of other regional and international assistance, particularly through institutional strengthening. DfID has a number of regional projects of which St Lucia is a beneficiary, including in the areas of education, microfinance, civil society development, international trade negotiations, and combating HIV/AIDS. Two companies in St Lucia also receive support under the Business Linkages Challenge Fund.
The European Union (EU) has been the largest provider of grant assistance to St Lucia in recent years. The funds are drawn from a number of EU aid instruments including the 10-year special framework for assistance (SFA), which helps countries adjust to changes in the EU's banana regime. Projects under the SFA have focused on rural development and covered irrigation and rural credit facilities, as well as private sector development and social safety nets. Under the European Development Fund (EDF) health is the focal sector for the programme in St Lucia. This is
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worth just over £3 million for the period from 2002 to 2007, the UK share of which is 12.7 per cent. The major activity to be undertaken under this support is the construction of a new hospital.
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is also a key donor in St Lucia, and its planned concessional assistance over the next three years amounts to a programme of £62.5 million. The UK's share of the CDB's concessional funds following the recent replenishment stands at 24 per cent. That assistance will cover activities under three broad objectives: sustainable economic growth, good governance and inclusive social development. Priority will be given to the water and sewage sector, hazard mitigation and tourism infrastructure and development.
Assistance from the World Bank has focused on reducing environmental vulnerability (including disaster mitigation), human resource development and poverty reduction. The UK share of World Bank funding is approximately 10 per cent.
Other development partners active in St Lucia include the French Government, and the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development, both of which are involved in transport issues. The Government of the People's Republic of China are committed to assisting with the construction of a new psychiatric hospital. The United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Japan have focused on the fisheries sector. Besides the World Bank, several other development partners also provide support for combating HIV/AIDS in St Lucia. They include the Pan-American Health Organisation, the United Nations Population Fund, and the Clinton Foundation.
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