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Written Answers
Tuesday, 17 January 2006.
Roads: A14
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people have been killed or seriously injured on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon; and what is the estimated cost of these accidents in terms of delays and human life. [HL3247]
Lord Davies of Oldham : The number of people killed or seriously injured on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon over the period 1 October 2002 to 30 September 2005 is set out in the table below. Using the methodology set out in the Department of Transport publication Highways Economics Note No. 1 2004 valuation of the benefits of prevention of road accidents and casualties, the estimated cost of these accidents in terms of human life is further quantified.
| No. of Fatal Accidents | 3 | ||
| No. of Serious Accidents | 48 | ||
| No. of Fatal Casualties | 4 | Cost of Fatal Casualties* | £5,537,748 |
| No. of Serious Casualties | 53 | Cost of Serious Casualties* | £8,245,316 |
* Average value of prevention per casualty by severity and element of cost and based on the figures in the table below.
| Injury severity £ | Lost output £ | Medical and ambulance £ | Human costs £ | Total £ |
| Fatal | 475,922 | 817 | 907,698 | 1,384,437 |
| Serious | 18,336 | 11,108 | 126,128 | 155,572 |
The department does not currently have a published method for measuring the cost of traffic delays caused by accidents and incidents. However, the department is developing a computer program called INCA (incident cost benefit assessment) that can be used to assess the delays and journey time variability associated with incidents and accidents.
Avian Flu
Lord Steinberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
What precautions have been taken and what plans have been made to prevent an outbreak of avian flu in the United Kingdom. [HL3275]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Bach): The Government are closely following international developments in the spread of the disease and taking action proportionate to the risks. As a temporary measure, all wild bird imports into the EU have been banned. There are also restrictions on gatherings of birds.
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New surveillance arrangements on certain species of migratory water birds are now in place. We have also issued advice on how to improve biosecurity—encouraging bird keepers to feed and water their birds indoors to minimise contact with wild bird populations. We will continue to play a leading role in international initiatives to co-ordinate action.
British Citizenship: Status Letters
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25 October (WA 169) on the issue of status letters by the Home Office, when they will respond to the letter from the Lord Avebury dated 31 October (ref: P0531107) asking whether a Home Office status letter has been issued to the applicant discussed in that correspondence. [HL3208]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Immigration and Nationality Directorate officials have written to the applicant advising him to refer his claim through the British Consul-General in Hong Kong. This is the correct procedure for dealing with applications and inquiries regarding British nationality made by people living abroad. This ensures that proper checks are carried out. If his claim to British overseas citizenship is accepted then he will be issued with a status letter.
Civil Service: Reduction of Posts
Lord Taylor of Warwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why, in view of their proposal to reduce the state payroll, the number of people working for the Civil Service increased in 2005 from 519,000 to 570,000. [HL3237]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: The most recent estimate of Civil Service numbers from ONS is 567,000 (for the third quarter of 2005). At no time in 2005 does ONS record the number of civil servants to have been 519,000. The ONS figure for the first quarter of 2005 is 562,000. As set out in the PBR, the Government have achieved a reduction in Civil Service posts of 31,085 (including 5,771 relocations to front-line delivery) since the start of the 2004 spending review period. For a variety of reasons relating to machinery of government changes and definitional issues, the PBR figures cannot be compared directly to the ONS series.
Armed Forces: Eurofighter Typhoon
Lord Garden asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the latest Eurofighter Typhoon financial figures, omitted for reasons of commercial confidence from the National Audit Office annual major projects report, will be made public. [HL3244]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The Eurofighter Typhoon financial figures concerned will remain commercially confidential until their release will no longer be prejudicial to the UK's interests.
Extraordinary Rendition Flights
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 20 December 2005 (WA 251–52) on rendition flights, what is their interpretation and application of the relevant provisions of the Chicago convention. [HL3236]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government believe that their application and interpretation of the Chicago convention is entirely compatible with their other international obligations. The convention is not used to shield from scrutiny acts that would be unlawful under the terms of other international conventions and, for example, does not prevent investigation of aircraft by the police, immigration or customs services, should this be considered necessary.
Gulf War Illnesses
Lord Craig of Radley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they accept the finding of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal concerning the delay by the Ministry of Defence in accepting Gulf War syndrome as the appropriate medical label for symptomatic ill health developed by veterans of the first Gulf War to be over and above that to be expected in the normal course of events. [HL2986]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The principal issue raised by veterans claiming Gulf War syndrome before the Martin decision was that it should be recognised as a discrete medical condition. There was, and remains, no scientific basis for doing this and this was confirmed in the Pensions Appeal Tribunal decision. The proposal to use Gulf War syndrome in a
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broader sense as an "umbrella term" is a new one. We have recognised the need to bring an element of closure for those who have sought some acknowledgement that their ill health is connected to their Gulf service. For this reason we have welcomed the decision that Gulf War syndrome should now be used as an umbrella term covering any recognised medical condition caused by service and connected to the 1990–91 Gulf War.
Indian Citizenship
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will place in the Library of the House the correspondence from the Indian Government agreeing that an Indian minor who acquires British nationality by registration does not lose Indian citizenship as a consequence. [HL3207]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): We have not received any such correspondence. Our discussions with the Indian Government in 1997–98 culminated in the issuing by them of two press releases. There is no other correspondence from the Indian authorities on the subject. The two press releases have already been placed in the Library of the House in response to the noble Lord's earlier Questions on the subject.
Inheritance Tax: Property Prices
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
What has been the effect of changes in property values on (a) the yield of inheritance tax; and (b) the numbers of people paying the tax in each of the past five years. [HL3216]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: If house prices had remained constant in real terms from the end of 2000–01 (ie, if they had risen in line with inflation), then it is estimated that the effects on inheritance tax yield and taxpayer numbers would be as shown in the tables below. The yield and taxpaying numbers for 2005–06 are those estimated at the time of the Pre-Budget Report.
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