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23 Oct 2007 : Column WA93
23 Oct 2007 : Column WA93
23 Oct 2007 : Column WA93
Tuesday 23 October 2007
Afghanistan: Media Portrayal
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to support British or Afghan non-governmental organisations which specialise in making television documentaries for use by the British media. [HL5511]
Lord Davies of Oldham: No. As a general principle the Government do not offer financial support for the making of specific programmes for the British media, which are editorially independent of the Government.
Agriculture: Foot and Mouth and Bluetongue
Lord Fearn asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their assessment of the impact on the tourism industry of the recent announcements on foot-and-mouth and bluetongue diseases. [HL5570]
Lord Davies of Oldham: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Minister for Tourism, have discussed the impact of the foot and mouth outbreak with the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group.
The localised nature of the outbreak, which has so far been successfully contained within a small area of Surrey, has meant that there has been no significant impact on the national visitor economy. However, it is too early to make a definitive assessment, and longer- term work will be necessary to assess the full effects of the outbreak alongside such other factors as the poor summer weather, the strong pound and the increase in visa fees for inbound visitors earlier this year. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be working to that end over the next few months with the tourism industry.
Bluetongue is a very different disease from foot and mouth. It cannot be transmitted directly between animals, or by human agents. There is therefore no reason to close any parts of the countryside, and no significant impact on tourism businesses is expected.
However, the Government fully recognise that the farming community is suffering as a result of both forms of outbreak, and that many rural businesses are based on both farming and tourism. The impacts of the outbreaks will, therefore, continue to be monitored carefully.
Agriculture: Slaughter of Lambs
The Duke of Montrose asked Her Majesty's Government:
How they will fund the welfare slaughter scheme for lightweight lambs in Scotland, made necessary by the imposed movement restrictions; and how much this will cost. [HL5473]
23 Oct 2007 : Column WA94
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The Scottish sheep welfare scheme for lightweight lambs is designed and funded by the Scottish Executive.
Airports: Heathrow
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect to discuss airport passenger safety issues with representatives of BAA after the recent runway collisions at Heathrow airport. [HL5592]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The collision at Heathrow Airport on Monday 15 October 2007 is under investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). The AAIB will report on its findings at the conclusion of the investigation and make such recommendations as it deems appropriate.
Antiquities
Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 8 October (WA 1) concerning the antiquities returned by University College, London, to the Schøyen Collection, whether the lawful export of these antiquities from the United Kingdom to the Schøyen Collection in Norway would require the issue of an export licence by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; whether a licence was issued for antiquities; and whether the issuing authority was able to take into account the conclusions of the report of the committee of inquiry that the incantation bowls had been illegally exported from Iraq after August 1990. [HL5457]
Lord Davies of Oldham: In line with current UK export licensing procedure, specified categories of cultural property over 50 years old, valued above specific value thresholds, and which have been in the UK for 50 years or more, will require an export licence to leave the UK.
It is the policy of DCMS and the Export Licensing Unit neither to confirm or deny receipt of particular export licence applications.
Armed Forces: War Pensioners
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make clear, at the outset of investigations by covert surveillance into the physical capabilities of disabled ex-service personnel making war pension claims, which physical capabilities they are to assess. [HL5320]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Drayson): An investigation will be considered only if specific evidence in an allegation casts doubt on entitlement to the pension or allowance in payment.
23 Oct 2007 : Column WA95
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the costs of conducting covert surveillance of sick and disabled ex-service personnel; and what are the details of these costs. [HL5406]
Lord Drayson: I am withholding the information requested as it relates to investigations, and proceedings conducted by public authorities and law enforcement.
Biodiversity: Terminator Seeds
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether at the May 2008 meeting on the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity they will oppose proposals by New Zealand, Canada or others to remove the existing moratorium on the development of terminator seeds technology. [HL5566]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): As is usual with international negotiations, parties do not take up fixed positions in advance of meeting so we cannot say what stance New Zealand, Canada and others will take on “terminator seeds technology”.
The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) decided, in 2000, that there should be a precautionary approach in field testing and commercial development of genetic use restriction technologies (GURTs) while research into the possible socio-economic impacts of these technologies was carried out. This decision was reaffirmed at the CBD meeting held in Brazil in 2006. As a party to the CBD, the UK supports this decision. There has been no change to our position.
Broadcasting: Allocation of Spectrum
Baroness Howe of Idlicote asked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration has been given to the value to society in allocating spectrum released as part of the digital dividend review. [HL5519]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The allocation of spectrum released as part of digital switchover is a matter for Ofcom, subject to direction from Ministers. In its consultation on this subject—the digital dividend review—Ofcom outlined its framework for assessing the value of the released spectrum to society. This
23 Oct 2007 : Column WA96
Care Services
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made any representations to the Government of Ireland concerning the case for residents of care homes in Ireland who are in receipt of United Kingdom pensions or other benefits receiving the appropriate amounts. [HL5558]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): We have made no representations to the Government of the Republic of Ireland about UK state pensions or other benefits paid to residents of care homes. A person's full UK pension entitlement is normally paid directly to the customer, or to their legal appointee.
Crime: Sex Offenders
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people are currently on the Northern Ireland sex offenders register; how they are categorised; and for how long each category remains on the register. [HL5423]
Lord Rooker: On 10 October 2007 there were 718 offenders in Northern Ireland subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (the sex offenders register) On the same date, there were 778 offenders subject to risk assessment and management arrangements—461 are categorised as level 1 (low risk); 294 are level 2 (medium risk) and 23 are category 3 (high risk). These figures include offenders in prison and in the community.
The period of time an offender is required to comply with the notification requirements depends on how he was dealt with in respect of the relevant offence and, in some cases, the type of disposal received, as set out in the following table.
These notification periods apply to offenders over the age of 18. For those under 18, the notification periods are halved.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many sex offenders were reported in Northern Ireland in (a) 2004; (b) 2005; and (c) 2006. [HL5424]
Lord Rooker: Data relating to the number of sex offenders reported are not available. It is possible to provide only the number of sexual offences recorded by the police or the number of offenders prosecuted and convicted for sexual offences.
Table 1 gives the number of sexual offences recorded by the police for the period requested.
Data for 2006 are not available for prosecutions and convictions and therefore table 2 gives the number prosecuted and convicted for indictable sexual offences for the calendar years 2004 to 2005, the latest available years. These figures are collated on the principal offence rule; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
Figures for recorded crime and prosecutions and convictions cannot be directly compared. Recorded crime figures relate to the number of notifiable crimes reported whereas prosecutions and convictions refer to the number of offenders who have been subsequently tried for offences. In addition, recorded crime figures incorporate each offence as initially recorded and these may differ from the offence for which a suspect or suspects are subsequently proceeded against.
| Table 1: Number of sexual offences recorded by the PSNI for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 | |
| Number recorded | |
| Source: Police Service of Northern Ireland | |
| Table 2: Number of prosecutions and convictions for sexual offences for the years 2004 and 2005 | ||
| Number prosecuted | Number convicted | |
| Source: Northern Ireland Office | ||
23 Oct 2007 : Column WA98
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they propose to bring forward proposals to end automatic 50 per cent remission of prison sentences for sex offenders in Northern Ireland; and [HL5425]
Under what circumstances and when the concept of automatic 50 per cent remission of prison sentences for sex offenders in Northern Ireland was introduced. [HL5426]
Lord Rooker: The Government intend to publish draft legislation to end automatic 50 per cent remission for dangerous violent and sexual offenders in the near future. Fifty per cent remission of prison sentences was introduced by an amendment to the Prison Rules in 1976.
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