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SnOasis
Baroness Scott of Needham Market asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will assist Mid-Suffolk District Council with the costs of the planning inquiry into the SnOasis proposal. [HL1884]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): Under Section 250(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and Section 42 of the Housing and Planning Act 1986, the Secretary of State can recover the costs of an inquiry. It is long-standing practice not to recover them fully, in return for local authorities providing inquiry accommodation free of charge and employing a programme officer where that is necessary. No reason is seen to depart from this practice in this case.
Sport: Medicine
Lord Addington asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the current availability in the National Health Service of sports medicine expertise is sufficient to encourage physical activity within the working age population; and [HL1602]
What level of expertise within the National Health Service in sports medicine is appropriate to provide support to back up their anti-obesity strategy. [HL1603]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Sports and exercise medicine is primarily a clinical specialty aimed at providing high-quality medical care to people who have injury due to exercise. The specialty will also contribute to fighting obesity by promoting exercise. However, this specialty is only one part of the medical support required to address obesity. In addition to this specialty, general practitioners, consultants and a range of clinical specialties will encourage physical activity.
As part of the workforce contribution to Delivering the NHS Improvement Plan, we are moving away from centrally prescribed national targets. It is the responsibility of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to analyse their local situation and develop plans, in liaison with their local National Health Service trusts and primary care providers, to deliver high-quality NHS services. Local development plans will need to include action to recruit and develop the appropriate staff required to deliver services.
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Sport: Skills Shortages
Lord Pendry asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to address skills shortages in the sport and fitness industries. [HL2025]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): From 2002, the Government established the Sector Skills Development Agency and a network of 25 sector skills councils (SSCs) to address sectoral-specific skills issues. SkillsActive, the SSC for the active leisure and learning sector, is licensed by the Government to lead the productivity drive across the sport and fitness, outdoors, playwork and caravan industries. Following consultation and research with employers, training providers and other partners, the recently published sector skills agreement for the sector has set out the priorities for addressing skills shortages and developing the skills of the workforce. SkillsActive is involved in a variety of initiatives to address skills shortages and to develop the skills of the workforce. These include: preparing a submission for a national skills academy; developing a sport and leisure diploma; developing an advanced apprenticeship in sporting excellence and a young apprenticeship for the sport and active leisure sector; and working with the sector and employers to develop national occupational standards.
Terrorism
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
How they will respond to the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the need to avoid “war on terror” phraseology in public statements. [HL1637]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): We agree that using appropriate language and communications can help to undermine terrorist propaganda and unite communities against a common threat. Phraseology is carefully considered in the Government’s communications around counterterrorism.
UN: Peacekeeping Forces
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have studied (a) the report on sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping forces by Prince Zeid Al-Hussein of March 2005, and (b) Barracks and Brothels by Sarah Mendelson of February 2005, concerning peacekeepers and human trafficking in the Balkans; and what steps the Government, NATO and the European Union are taking to prevent and eliminate the behaviour to which these studies draw attention. [HL1888]
19 Feb 2007 : Column WA205
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The UK, with EU partners and other like-minded countries, worked closely with the UN General Assembly’s Special Committee on Peacekeeping to ensure that recommendations in Prince Zeid’s report were adopted as a matter of urgency in 2005. Relevant provisions for prevention, monitoring and investigation of misconduct cases are included in the establishment of new mission mandates and the renewal of existing mission mandates. It is the responsibility of the UN Secretary-General and member states to take necessary steps to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse and to ensure that the UN standards of conduct are adhered to. There are signs that the major troop-contributing countries are now taking this issue seriously and withdrawing contingents accused of misconduct. The UK and EU member states continue to work together on this issue in the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping to ensure that work based on the report’s recommendations continues and is completed successfully. The committee met in special session last month to continue to ensure that progress is made on this issue.
The UK provides support to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations both to develop policy and to fund training programmes to prevent sexual abuse and exploitation, and regularly raises the issue
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Universities: Science Courses
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their estimate for the current year and next year of the number of degree courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics offered at United Kingdom universities and the number of students studying these courses. [HL1843]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): The department does not hold information on courses offered by higher education institutions. The latest available information on student enrolments is given in the table.
War Pensioners: Medical Treatment
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to ensure that war pensioners receive priority treatment from National Health Service trusts and local health authorities for conditions for which they receive a pension or have received a gratuity; and what mechanism is in place to resolve any breakdown in arrangements for priority treatment. [HL1758]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Standing National Health Service guidance on the right of war pensioners to generally receive priority treatment in NHS hospitals in respect of the condition or conditions for which they receive a pension or received a gratuity is published by the department in a circular in the
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Young Offender Institutions: Outdoor Exercise
Lord Carlile of Berriew asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much time juveniles spend in outdoor exercise each day in Wetherby young offender institution. [HL1811]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Young people spend an average of 0.87 hours in outdoor exercise per day at Wetherby. In addition, they are afforded a minimum of three hours per week physical education and additional enrichment activities such as football, basketball and the Duke of Edinburgh award. There are no systems in place to record how much of this activity takes place in the open air.
Lord Carlile of Berriew asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much time juveniles spend in outdoor exercise each day in Brinsford young offender institution. [HL1812]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Young people at Brinsford have on average 1.5 hours of outdoor physical education each week. This is in addition to 1.5 hours of indoor physical education per week.
Lord Carlile of Berriew asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much time juveniles spend in outdoor exercise each day in Castington young offender institution. [HL1813]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Young people at Castington are offered one hour of outdoor exercise per day, Monday to Friday, and two hours per day at the weekend, weather permitting. This does not include scheduled physical education sessions, which vary from week to week.
Lord Carlile of Berriew asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much time juveniles spend in outdoor exercise each day in Feltham young offender institution. [HL1814]
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