| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Colombia: Justice
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What matters are covered in the United Kingdom’s advisory role to the Colombian authorities on reform of the Colombian military justice system. [HL2897]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The UK has been working for several years with the Colombian authorities to improve human rights standards in the Colombian military. This is mainly achieved through workshops, which include participants from the Colombian Ministry of Defence, armed forces, police and other relevant institutions such as the public prosecutor's office and international organisations.
Our work with the Colombian military on reform of the military justice system is founded on respect for human rights. Under Colombian law, cases involving human rights abuses are the responsibility of the public prosecutor's office and are not dealt with within the military justice system. We have helped to develop formal liaison between the various agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution of offences allegedly committed by members of the armed forces and police, with a view to improving investigatory and judicial processes.
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What advice they gave the Colombian authorities regarding the inclusion of cases of human rights abuse within the Colombian military justice system. [HL2898]
Lord Malloch-Brown: The UK has been working for several years with the Colombian authorities to improve human rights standards in the Colombian military. This is mainly achieved through workshops, which include participants from the Colombian Ministry of Defence, armed forces, police and other relevant institutions, such as the public prosecutor’s office and international organisations.
Our work with the Colombian military on reform of the military justice system is founded on respect for human rights. Under Colombian law, cases involving human rights abuses are the responsibility of the public prosecutor’s office and are not dealt with within the military justice system. We have helped to develop formal liaison between the various agencies
21 Apr 2008 : Column WA226
Colombia: Military Support
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What monitoring and evaluation have been considered to assess the efficacy of support provided to the Colombian military, including the mountain units, and what has been the cost of that support in each year over the past five years. [HL2899]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): All UK projects in Colombia, as elsewhere, undergo rigorous evaluation before funding is agreed, in areas such as value for money and effectiveness of implementing partners, and they are carefully monitored while projects are under way in terms of proper use of funds, achievements of objectives and outputs. We continually and closely supervise the use of UK resources in an effort to ensure that the highest operational, ethical and human rights standards are maintained by the people whom we are working with. Our work with the Colombian Government, including with the Ministry of Defence, is specifically aimed at countering the threat of cocaine to the UK and at helping to improve the human rights situation. The only training that we have provided to individuals in the high mountain battalions has been human rights and demining training.
We do not divulge details of the support that we provide to our Colombian partners because to do so could not only endanger the effectiveness of the support but play into the hands of ruthless and powerful drugs-trafficking cartels. The Parliamentary Ombudsman has upheld this decision.
Colombia: Trade Unions
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Further to the Written Answer on 3 March by the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Dr Kim Howells MP (Official Report, Commons, 2143W), what was the outcome of the meeting with delegates from the Colombian trade unions. [HL2896]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): On 4 March, my honourable friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Kim Howells, met senior members of Colombian trade unions during their visit to the UK. The Minister reaffirmed the UK’s support for Colombia and our commitment to working with all sectors of Colombian society to improve the human rights situation. He also expressed the UK’s continuing support for trade unionists in Colombia and our intention to continue
21 Apr 2008 : Column WA227
Compensation: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much the Northern Ireland Compensation Agency has paid out each year since it was created. [HL2826]
Lord Rooker: This is the operational responsibility of the Compensation Agency. The chief executive has advised me of the following:
| Year | Expenditure | Year | Expenditure |
Compensation: Pleural Plaque
Lord Dixon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer by the Prime Minister on 12 March (HC Deb, col. 276) on action to be taken with regard to compensation for pleural plaque sufferers, how much progress has been made since the Law Lords' ruling on pleural plaque compensation on 17 October. [HL3029]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The House of Lords judgment on pleural plaques raises very complex issues. We understand the anxiety that is experienced by people who have been exposed to dangerous substances like asbestos, and who have been told they have pleural plaques. We are currently giving serious consideration to all the representations which have been made to us, and are actively exploring how people who have pleural plaques as a result of exposure to asbestos might be supported. We aim to announce our response as soon as we have analysed all the options.
Computer Systems: DCSF
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty’s Government:
In respect of the Department for Children, Schools and Families, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised its computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department’s activities. [HL3000]
21 Apr 2008 : Column WA228
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Lord Adonis): It is not in the interests of the UK’s national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK’s IT defences. This is not in the public interest.
Computer Systems: Department of Health
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of the Department of Health, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised its computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities. [HL3067]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): It is not in the interests of the United Kingdom's national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their information technology (IT) systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.
Computer Systems: DIUS
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised its computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities. [HL3001]
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems.
This information would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.
Computer Systems: DWP
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of (a) the Department for Work and Pensions, (b) Jobcentre Plus, (c) the Pension Service, and (d) the Child Support Agency, on how many occasions in the past year malicious
21 Apr 2008 : Column WA229
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.
Computer Systems: Ministry of Defence
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of the Ministry of Defence, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised its computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities. [HL3068]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.
Computer Systems: Ministry of Justice
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of the Ministry of Justice, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised its computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities.[HL3005]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences.
21 Apr 2008 : Column WA230
Computer Systems: Treasury and HMRC
Lord Harris of Haringey asked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of (a) Her Majesty's Treasury and (b) Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised their computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities. [HL3003]
Lord Davies of Oldham: It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.
| Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |