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International Development: School and NHS Links
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much money has been spent by the Department for International Development over the last five years on (a) schools' links with developing countries; (b) higher education links with developing countries; and (c) NHS Links. [HL1098]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development (Baroness Vadera): Over the last five years the Department for International Development (DfID) has spent £8,287,565 on schools' links and £9,000,000 on higher education links with developing countries from its bilateral programme. DfID also assists higher education links through its support for Commonwealth scholarships, totalling nearly £50 million over the last five years.
In support of NHS Links, £500,000 has been allocated to the Developing Global Partnerships to Improve Health Capacity in Less Developed Countries project over the financial years 2006-07 to 2008-09. This funding, through the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET), is to support the establishment of links and the capacity-building of existing links, health systems and workers. In addition, as of July 2007, DfID is providing approximately £2 million over two years, through a consortium managed by the Liverpool Associates in Tropical Health, to strengthen health systems in the Somali Republic. The largest component of this support, approximately £1 million, is through THET and King's College Hospital.
Jordan: EU Assistance
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will seek to increase the proportion of European Union assistance to Jordan devoted to good government, human rights and democracy. [HL1044]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development (Baroness Vadera): European Union (EU) assistance to Jordan is provided through the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI). The budget for the ENPI has already been set for 2007-10. Jordan will be receiving €265 million over this period of which €17 million is for the support of human rights, democracy and good governance and €77 million for public finance and administration reforms.
Under the ENPI there is also a €350 million seven-year governance facility (GF) which rewards countries in the neighbourhood (Eastern Europe and the Middle East/North Africa) for implementing reforms towards increased human rights and democracy. Ukraine and Morocco received GF funds in 2007. The UK has been working closely with the European Commission and other EU member states to ensure that the GF has a transparent and objective allocation process which both rewards and encourages reform.
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Justice: Overseas Visits
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they invite overseas judges, prosecutors and senior police officers to Britain, and in particular those from countries on or near the Mediterranean and Black Sea; and, if so, how many such guests have visited the United Kingdom in recent years. [HL1047]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): There is no central record kept of all those visitors to the United Kingdom who are judges, prosecutors and judges. However, information from the Ministry of Justice, the Crown Prosecution Service and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) shows approximate numbers of annual visits. The Ministry of Justice hosts approximately 300 visiting judges annually, including approximately 100 from south-eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The Ministry also hosts visits from senior officials, legal academics and others with an interest in Ministry of Justice areas of work.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) receives a regular flow of visitors from overseas. In addition to prosecutors, in recent years they have received visits from Ministers, judges, investigating magistrates and senior officials. They have received the following visits from countries on or near the Mediterranean and Black Sea: four in 2007, six in 2006 and two in 2005.
In addition to the above, in November 2007 the CPS hosted a three-day visit from a party of 10 prosecutors from Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco and Yemen in co-operation with the UN Development Programme.
The NPIA currently hosts approximately 350 senior international police officers annually: 40 European Mediterranean officers on the European Police College (CEPOL) Programme from the Palestinian Authority, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Morocco, Algiers, Turkey; 90 on the CEPOL Bramshill programme; 200 on NPIA international leadership and specialist courses; and 20 on other European programmes. Additionally, NPIA also hosts a number of justice sector personnel (judges, prosecutors and civil servants in the programmes referred to above).
Nanoparticles
Lord Hunt of Chesterton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to increase research into risks associated with nanoparticles following the recommendations made by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineers in their joint report published in 2004. [HL993]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Following the publication of the Royal Society and
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The work of the NRCG has been taken forward by five task forces, comprising representatives from government departments, their agencies, the research councils and members of the academic and industrial communities. The task forces have developed action plans and commissioned research to address objectives to fill the gaps in our knowledge. Over £10 million has been spent by government departments on nanotechnology environmental, health and safety research since 2005. The Government's second research report was published on 19 December outlining progress and setting out a strategy for prioritising and funding further risk-related research projects.
National Parks
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
With reference to Regulation 10 of the National Park Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/2542), how an inspector will decide that a person's views are irrelevant so that he may refuse to hear that person or consider any written representation from that person. [HL937]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Although Defra has published guidance on these regulations, the guidance does not prescribe how an inspector should decide that a person's views are irrelevant under Regulation 10(4). Defra expects inspectors to use their discretion within the terms of Regulation 10(4).
Orange Halls
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many Orange Halls in Northern Ireland have been damaged as a result of attacks in each year since 2000, including today in 2007; and in each year how many convictions have occurred as a result. [HL1095]
Lord Rooker: PSNI has advised that statistics on recorded criminal damage offences, including attempts, involving an Orange Hall are available from only 2001-02. The following table details these statistics.
The information requested on convictions would necessitate a manual trawl through files across departments and police districts which would incur a disproportionate cost.
These attacks are to be condemned and anyone with any information should bring it to the police.
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Please note that these figures are provisional and may be subject to revision.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they propose to amend legislation to allow the payment of compensation for damage to Orange Halls, as amended by the Secretary of State in February. [HL1096]
Lord Rooker: There are currently no plans to amend legislation. The Orange Order is entitled to make claims for statutory compensation in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Damage (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1977. Following a meeting in February between the then Secretary of State and representatives of the Orange Order, Ministers have been working with the Orange Order, PSNI and the Compensation Agency to ensure that the existing system operates more effectively.
Palace of Westminster: Public Entrance
Lord Berkeley asked the Chairman of Committees:
What was the construction time, original and outturn cost of the new public entrance at St Stephen's entrance, and what were the reasons for any cost overrun. [HL1258]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): Work started on the visitor reception building on 9 January 2006 with an original planned completion date of 8 September 2006. It is now expected that the building will open in mid-February 2008.
The original cost for the building as stated in the business case was £8,687,500. Taking into account the delay and remedial work, by 1 November 2007 the cost was estimated at £11,200,000. While this is now expected to be the total cost of the building, some additional equipment will cost up to £250,000. All the costs are shared between the Commons and Lords in the proportion of 60:40.A lessons learnt review will examine the reasons for the delay and cost overrun.
Planning: Design Review
Baroness Whitaker asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they have taken to implement the recommendation of the Callcutt Review of House-building Delivery that there should be a design review process for house building. [HL1060]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The final report from the Callcutt review of the house-building industry was published on 22 November. Her Majesty's Government are currently considering the report and its recommendations and assessing the appropriate responses to them.
The Government take the issue of design quality very seriously. The housing Green Paper published in July 2007 set out how we intend to eliminate poor development over time. We consider that expert advice on schemes at the pre-planning stage can play an important role in driving better standards, and we currently fund the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) to provide a free service that reviews significant schemes at national level. CABE is also providing support for the establishment of design review panels at regional level.
As announced in the housing Green Paper, the Government are commissioning a light-touch review of CABE. This review will consider how its programmes can strategically inform and support both its sponsor departments' priorities most effectively, including maximising its contribution to good design as we expand housing growth. This will include consideration of how we can maximise the effectiveness of its design review function.
Police: Search Warrants
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps the police are required to take before a magistrate can sign a warrant for the police to search private premises; and [HL1078]
How many search warrants have been executed by the police in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in the last 12 months. [HL1079]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Section 15 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the PACE Code of Practice B set out the requirements for a constable when seeking a warrant to enter and search premises. In making the application, the police must specify in writing the enactment under which the application is made, the premises to be searched, the object of the search, the grounds for the application, the grounds for either limited or unlimited repeat entries, where applicable, and that there are no grounds to believe that the material sought is not of a status precluded from seizure under the warrant.
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A constable must take reasonable steps to ensure that information justifying the application is accurate, recent and not provided maliciously or irresponsibly; ascertain as specifically as possible the nature of the articles concerned and their location; make reasonable enquiries to establish if anything is known about the occupier, the premises and whether the premises have been searched previously; obtain written authorisation for the application from an officer of inspector rank or above; and, if there is reason to believe a search might have an adverse impact on police community relations, the officer in charge should consult the community liaison officer before or as soon as possible after the search.
Information is not collected centrally on the number of search warrants executed by the police.
Prisons: Northern Ireland
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish the locations of the five sites they are considering for the proposed new prison in Northern Ireland. [HL1021]
Lord Rooker: On 18 December 2007 my right honourable friend the Minister of State (Paul Goggins) formally announced a comprehensive plan for the provision of prison places in Northern Ireland over the next 10 years. Included in the announcement was a decision to develop a detailed plan for a brand new prison on the site of the existing Magilligan Prison. On the same day he placed the full Options Appraisal in the Library of the House; Appendix J of that report is the site research paper which refers to the potential alternative sites.
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Smoking
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they have to make the areas around the entrances to Civil Service buildings smoke-free. [HL810]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The Health Act 2006 includes powers to make regulations for specific non-enclosed places to be smoke-free if there is “significant risk that, without designation, persons present there would be exposed to significant quantities of smoke”. At present the Government do not intend to make any non-enclosed place smoke-free.
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