| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Northern Ireland: Human Rights
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the remit of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission would prevent it considering the human rights of people murdered or injured by terrorist action. [HL2514]
27 Mar 2008 : Column WA121
Lord Rooker: I am advised that there is nothing in the functions of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, as set out by Section 69 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, that prevents it considering the human rights of people murdered or injured by terrorist action.
Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has spent on advertising each year since its creation; and what are the details of such expenditure. [HL2517]
Lord Rooker: I am advised that the total expenditure spent by the commission on advertising, promotions, publications and general communications since its establishment is as follows:
| Year Ended | Total |
Official Visits
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
When was the last visit by a United Kingdom Prime Minister to (a) Dubai; (b) Abu Dhabi; (c) Bahrain; and (d) Oman. [HL2549]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House.
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
When was the last visit by a United Kingdom Foreign Secretary to (a) Dubai; (b) Abu Dhabi; (c) Bahrain; and (d) Oman. [HL2550]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The last visits by a Foreign Secretary to Dubai and Abu Dhabi were made by my right honourable friend the then Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) in March 2007.
The last visit by a Foreign Secretary to Bahrain was made by my right honourable friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr Jack Straw) in October 2005.
27 Mar 2008 : Column WA122
The last visit by a Foreign Secretary to Oman was made by my right honourable friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr Jack Straw) in March 2004.
Passports
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many (a) subject and (b) citizen passports were issued by the British embassy in Dublin in each of the five years from 2001. [HL2627]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The number of passports issued through our embassy in Dublin in the five financial years from 2001 is provided in the table below:
| Financial Year | Total |
Data are not available for financial year 2001-02, as we did not begin to keep records until financial year 2002-03.
We do not hold data on whether passports were issued to British subjects or British citizens in these financial years.
Prisoners: Learning Difficulties
Baroness Quin asked Her Majesty's Government:
What work they have undertaken, or plan to undertake, to ensure that the HM Prison Service is meeting its responsibilities under the disability equality duty with regard to prisoners with learning disabilities and learning difficulties. [HL2561]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): HM Prison Service will shortly be issuing a revised Prison Service Order (PSO) 2855 Prisoners with Disabilities, to expand on and update existing instructions. The PSO explains the duties and responsibilities the Prison Service has for prisoners with disabilities under the Disability Discrimination Act. This includes prisoners with learning disabilities. It sets out those actions which must be undertaken by prison staff to ensure that these duties are met.
Public Spending: Foreign Relations
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the outturn expenditure for (a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; (b) the Department for International Development; and (c) the BBC World Service, in each of the past five years. [HL2681]
27 Mar 2008 : Column WA123
Lord Davies of Oldham: The latest available information for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development was published alongside the Budget at tables 2, 3 and 4 of Public Expenditure Annual Outturns—National Statistics release 12 March 2008, copies of which are in the Library and can be accessed via the Treasury's public website at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk.
The latest available information relating to the BBC World Service, which is a public corporation and part of the overall FCO group, is set out in the FCO departmental report, copies of which are in the Library and can be accessed via the FCO's public website, www.fco.gov.uk.
Sudan: Darfur
Baroness Northover asked Her Majesty's Government:
What discussions they have had with the Government of Sudan regarding the United Nations African Mission in Darfur not having free movement at night. [HL2617]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): Under the Status of Forces Agreement signed on 9 February between the UN, African Union (AU) and the Government of Sudan, the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) vehicles have “full and unrestricted freedom of movement” throughout Darfur, including at night. We understand that UNAMID has now started night patrols.
The UN, AU and the Government of Sudan continue to negotiate over limitations on UNAMID flights. We have, in regular contacts with the Government of Sudan, most recently on 17 March and during my visit to Sudan on 28 January-1 February, pressed the Government of Sudan to co-operate fully with the UN and AU over UNAMID, and we call on the Government of Sudan to remove limitations on flights.
Tristan da Cunha
Lord Jones of Cheltenham asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The Royal Engineers are expected to complete the emergency repairs to Calshot Harbour on Tristan da Cunha by 31 March 2008.
Lord Jones of Cheltenham asked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) what assessment they have made of the impact of the fire on 13 February at Ovenstone's fish processing plant on Tristan da Cunha on the island's fishing industry; and (b) whether a replacement facility will be available for the start of the next Tristan rock lobster fishing season. [HL2638]
27 Mar 2008 : Column WA124
Lord Malloch-Brown: The fire on 13 February 2008 destroyed the lobster-processing facility on Tristan da Cunha owned by Ovenstone, the lobster concession holder. As the fire occurred towards the end of the current fishing season, we expect the impact on Tristan's economy to be minimal. The next fishing season will begin as normal in July 2008. Ovenstone are planning to process the next season's quota aboard its vessel, the “Kelso”, rather than on-island. Therefore, we do not expect any reduction of the income Tristan derives from lobster fishing. Some casual staff employed at the facility will be unemployed until the facility is rebuilt, but regular employees will continue to be paid by Ovenstone.
Ovenstone is currently designing and planning the construction of the new processing facility. It plans for the new facility to be open in time for the 2009 fishing season.
Waste Management: Brofiscin Quarry
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the total cost to date of legal advice and legal actions by the Environment Agency and the Environment Agency Wales in their pursuit of legal action against Monsanto and Solutia Inc in the United Kingdom and the United States for remediation of Brofiscin quarry and other legacy sites. [HL2571]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The total cost to date of legal advice and legal actions by the Environment Agency pursuant to its legal investigations of Solutia/Monsanto as a potential “Appropriate Person” under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is approximately £109,000.
Water Supply: Efficiency
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the proposal for minimum standards of water efficiency in new buildings put out to consultation in December 2006 has been adopted; if so, whether it has been adopted as proposed; and whether it will affect the type and number of appliances that may be installed. [HL2647]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Government announced in July 2007 that they would introduce an amendment to the building regulations to set a whole building performance standard for water efficiency in new homes of 125 litres per person per day. This standard will be in force and effective from April 2009 as part of a wider suite of changes to the relevant section of the building regulations.
There will be no comparable standard for non-domestic buildings in line with the consultation findings that there was insufficient evidence on which meaningful and robust standards could be based.
27 Mar 2008 : Column WA125
Because we have adopted a calculated performance standard for new homes, builders will have considerable flexibility in how they choose to meet that standard. There will be no restriction on the number of appliances that can be installed, or on the type—provided that they comply with existing fittings standards—but they will need to offset higher water-using appliances and larger numbers of appliances with more efficient ones in order to achieve the whole home performance standard.
World Health Organisation: Safety Plan
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the World Health Organisation safety plan was last amended; and whether it takes account of the dangers of the deliberate introduction of harmful substances. [HL2209]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Chapter 4 of the World Health Organisation's drinking water guidelines on water safety plans was first published in 2004 and
27 Mar 2008 : Column WA126
In England and Wales, water safety plans are regulated through the Water Supply (Water Quality) Amendment Regulations 2007.
Zimbabwe: Elections
Baroness Northover asked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they have taken within the international community to ensure that presidential elections in Zimbabwe on 29 March are free and fair. [HL2621]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): We continue to monitor the situation in Zimbabwe and are urging states and regional organisations that have been invited to observe the elections to ensure that they meet international standards and the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) own principles and guidelines on elections. We have emphasised that endorsing a rigged election would damage both SADC's and the African Union's credibility.
| Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |