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1 It is not possible to separate out figures relating specifically to enforcement fees.
2 It is not possible to identify figures relating to money recovered post-Payback specifically attributable to Payback activity.
3 Each area funded Payback activity from existing resources, HMCS/DCA only provided central funding for the accompanying national press campaigns.
4 Numbers of defaulters arrested during or following Operation Paybacks are not available. Some defaulters were detained in court to serve a one-day sentence (i.e. the defaulter was required to remain in court until the court rose).
5 Some areas ran Payback on different dates due to operational reasons (e.g. clashes with Inside Justice Week).
18 Apr 2007 : Column WA63
Debt
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will take measures to prevent people in debt from seeking artificial debt consolidation schemes. [HL3045]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): The Government want to see access to free, impartial debt advice for all who need it. We are spending £47.5 million on rolling out face-to-face debt advice for the financially excluded. This will fund the recruitment and training of more than 500 new advisers. These will help tens of thousands of consumers to make informed choices on how to handle their debt problems. We have also helped fund the National Debtline, which is now able to provide telephone advice to more than 120,000 clients.
Providers of debt consolidation must be licensed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The Consumer Credit Act 2006 provides the Office of Fair Trading with new powers to take action where licensees do not meet the necessary standards. It also enables borrowers to challenge a credit relationship which is unfair. In addition, legislation provides for protection against misleading advertisements and against fraud.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Philip Anschutz
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
When was the last time the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport or any official within her office had contact with Mr Philip Anschutz or any of his associates; and what was the nature of such contact. [HL2819]
Lord Davies of Oldham: On 30 October 2005 the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport attended a private dinner hosted by Matthew Freud at which guests included Philip Anschutz and another representative of Anschutz Entertainment Group.
On 31 October 2005, the Minister for Sport, and officials, attended a dinner hosted by Lord Heseltine at which Philip Anschutz was present.
Details of these meetings were previously provided in the Answer of 20 December 2005 (Official Report, cols. 2654W-2656W) to the honourable Member for North-East Cambridgeshire (Mr Moss) and in the Answer of 17 July 2006 (Official Report, cols. 94W-95W) to the honourable Member for East Devon (Mr Swire).
Equality: Departmental Responsibility
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the rationale for placing responsibility for equalities with the Department for Communities and Local Government, save for anti-age discrimination, which has been placed with the Department for Work and Pensions. [HL2831]
18 Apr 2007 : Column WA64
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Communities and Local Government brings together responsibilities from across government for social cohesion and equality, recognising the importance of equality across government and the necessity of collaboration in delivery. There is a natural synergy between matters of equality and the way we live in our communities. In taking forward these responsibilities, the Department for Communities and Local Government has a wider role as a champion of equality across government, in close liaison with the Department for Work and Pensions, which has lead responsibility for policy on disability and age equality policy because of the close links with welfare reform and pensions, and the Department of Trade and Industry, with its responsibilities in the field of employment.
Festivals: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they again propose to involve transitional funding in the allocation of funding to festivals in Northern Ireland in 2007. [HL2920]
Lord Rooker: Yes. My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland (Maria Eagle) announced in a press release on 15 December 2006 on the arrangements for the Community Festivals Fund for 2007-08 that a contingency had been set aside for the possibility of a reduced level of transitional funding for specified festivals in 2007.
Firearms: Certificates
Lord Morrow asked Her Majesty's Government:
In the past two years in Northern Ireland, how many firearms certificates have been refused renewal; how many firearms certificates have been renewed; and, of those individuals whose certificates have been refused, how many have no criminal convictions. [HL2840]
Lord Rooker: The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland has provided the following information:
| 01/02/2005 - 31/01/2006 | 01/02/2006 - 31/01/2007 | |||
| Granted | Refused | Granted | Refused | |
1. It is not possible to provide information about the number of refused applicants who have no criminal convictions.
2. Firearm certificates are no longer renewed. A person whose certificate has expired is subject to the full grant process.
3. The increase in processed applications in 2006-07 reflects a clearance of a backlog of applications from the previous year.
18 Apr 2007 : Column WA65
Food: Labelling
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will seek agreement by United Kingdom supermarkets and food producers on a standard identical format for front-of-pack nutritional data which is comprehensible to consumers. [HL3046]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): At its meeting on 9 March 2006 the Food Standards Agency's board made recommendations for a voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labelling approach that could be used by all manufacturers and retailers.
An independent study to evaluate the impact of front-of-pack nutrition signpost labelling systems that are being used in the United Kingdom is being set up. The study is expected to identify what works best for consumers in terms of improving their understanding of healthy eating messages and motivating them to change their behaviour.
Gambling: Casinos
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they will take further to the outcomes in both Houses of Parliament of the proceedings on 28 March on the Gambling (Geographical Distribution of Casino Premises Licences) Order 2007. [HL3133]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Ministers are considering the implications of the proceedings in both Houses of Parliament on 28 March, in respect of the Gambling (Geographical Distribution of Casino Premises Licenses) Order 2007, and will make a further announcement in due course.
Government: Lyons Review
Baroness Scott of Needham Market asked Her Majesty's Government:
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Lyons inquiry is estimated to cost about £1.76 million. In addition, £464,637 of funding has been provided by the Government for research commissioned by the inquiry.
Gulf War Illnesses
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
In the cases of how many veterans of the 1991 Gulf War the term Gulf War syndrome has been used by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in allowing the veteran's appeal. [HL2990]
18 Apr 2007 : Column WA66
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Records from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency show that the term Gulf War syndrome, which includes the umbrella term Gulf War syndrome, has been used by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in allowing the appeals of some 30 individuals. This figure has been rounded to the nearest five for data protection purposes and to reflect the level of accuracy associated with data obtained from administrative systems.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
In the cases of how many veterans of the 1991 Gulf War the term Gulf War syndrome has been accepted by the Veterans Agency in making awards; and [HL2991]
How many veterans of the 1991 Gulf War now have pensions awarded to them under the umbrella term Gulf War syndrome. [HL2992]
Lord Drayson: No veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict have pensions awarded to them solely under the umbrella term Gulf War syndrome as war pensions are awarded only for accepted disablements. Where accepted disablements relate to a veteran's service in connection with the 1990-91 Gulf conflict, the umbrella term can be applied to those disablements.
As at 31 December 2006, approximately 60 individuals had war pensions or gratuities with the term Gulf War syndrome, including the umbrella term, accepted by the Veterans Agency. This figure has been rounded to the nearest five for data protection purposes and to reflect the level of accuracy associated with data obtained from administrative systems.
Health: Emergency Treatment
Baroness Taylor of Bolton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress they have made in ensuring that a patient's record of vaccinations is available to medical staff in the event of the patient needing emergency treatment. [HL3064]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Where possible it is normal practice for healthcare workers to seek information on vaccination status of the individual during the clinical record taking.
Health: Food Supplements and Herbal Remedies
Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether new products bearing claims referring to (a) children's development and health; (b) slimming and weight-control; or (c) newly emerging science can be placed on the United
18 Apr 2007 : Column WA67
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The regulation puts in place various transitional periods, and associated conditions, which allow health claims to continue to be made following the application date of 1 July and until the Community list of health claims has been adopted. These transitional periods relate to the health claim, rather than the product or nature of supporting evidence.
The specific transitional period for claims, which refer to slimming or weight control and psychological behavioural functions, allows claims on the market prior to 19 January 2007 to continue to be used on the condition that an application for authorisation has been made prior to 19 January 2008.
The controls for claims referring to children's development and health were added late in negotiations and as a result a specific transitional period could be included with an amendment on comitology currently being discussed. Both the Council and Commission have indicated that they would support this, if proposed by the European Parliament.
Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 7 March (WA 54), when they next propose to meet with the Governments of (a) Jersey, and (b) Guernsey to determine the extent to which the European Union legislation governing the composition, presentation and marketing of food supplements and herbal remedies applies to them; and [HL3102]
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 7 March (WA 56), when officials from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency last met with the Governments of (a) Jersey, and (b) Guernsey as part of their ongoing dialogue to control the marketing of illegal products; and when they next plan to meet. [HL3103]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Both Guernsey and Jersey have indicated their willingness to apply relevant European Union legislation. In the mean time, no meetings have yet been deemed necessary.
Officials from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an executive agency of the department, met officials from the Government of Guernsey on 17 December 2003. The MHRA has had no meetings with the Government of Jersey. Following the MHRA's assessment of the current consultation exercise of the Government of Guernsey on medicines legislation, the MHRA will be writing to the Governments of both Guernsey and Jersey asking for meetings.
Health: Homeopathic Hospitals
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any proposals to close the three National Health Service homeopathic
18 Apr 2007 : Column WA68
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): There are five homeopathic hospitals in the United Kingdom (Glasgow, London, Bristol, Tunbridge Wells and Liverpool). These hospitals fall under the jurisdiction of the National Health Service in the area in which they are based. Any decisions on the services any of these hospitals provide are the responsibility of those NHS healthcare organisations. Although the department provides strategic leadership to the NHS and social care organisations in England, it is for local NHS organisations to plan, develop and improve services for local people.
Health: Infant Vaccinations and Boosters
Baroness Taylor of Bolton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of infants receive a tetanus vaccination and the appropriate booster injections; and what estimate they have made of the proportion of the population that do not have appropriate tetanus vaccinations. [HL3063]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The latest annual estimate of one, two and five year-old children immunised against tetanus can be found in tables one to three published in NHS immunisation statistics, England: 2005-06 at the following link:
While we have not estimated the proportion of the population who have not received appropriate tetanus vaccinations, the incidence of tetanus in this country remains low.
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