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20 Oct 2008 : Column WA75
20 Oct 2008 : Column WA75
20 Oct 2008 : Column WA75
Monday 20 October 2008
Access to Justice
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to give effect to the recommendations of the Civil Justice Council on “improving access to justice through collective actions”. [HL5425]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): The Civil Justice Council has provided an interim report. Its final report is expected towards the end of the year. Once the final report has been received, the Government will consider its contents and respond.
Airports: Stansted
Baroness Hamwee asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whom the Secretary of State for Transport met to discuss the expansion of Stansted Airport; and from whom he took advice. [HL5584]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): In the run-up to and since the publication of the 2003 air transport White Paper, Ministers have regularly met many different stakeholders to discuss aviation policies, including airport expansion.
Following a public inquiry held in 2007, and in line with the planning inspector's recommendation, the Secretaries of State for Transport and Communities and Local Government allowed a planning appeal and granted planning permission to change two planning conditions attached to the Stansted Airport 2003 permission. The reasons for these decisions are set out in the Secretaries of State's letter of 8 October 2008.
As is normal for cases of this kind, Ministers in both departments were advised by their respective officials on the issues relevant to the determination of this appeal.
Armed Forces: Short-take-off Aircraft
Lord Moonie asked Her Majesty's Government:
What evaluation has been made of ultra-short-take-off fixed-wing aircraft as an alternative to helicopters for casualty evacuation in (a) current operational theatres, broken down by location; and (b) ongoing assessments of United Kingdom defence needs. [HL5410]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): MoD has considered tilt-rotor aircraft in the context of studies to inform the composition of our future aircraft fleet.
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Children: Poverty
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the current economic situation will affect their targets for reducing child poverty by 2010; and what the projections are for (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012. [HL5534]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government have set a challenging target to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020. It does not make future projections of the number of children in poverty. The Government have recently announced their intention to legislate on the 2020 commitment.
Courts: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What prohibitions exist on members of the public taking notes in the public galleries of courts in Northern Ireland; and what authorities govern the matter.[HL5545]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): Taking notes in court by members of the public in Northern Ireland is a matter for the direction of the individual judge. There is no legislative provision governing the matter. However the Northern Ireland Court Service has produced guidelines for members of the public advising that they should not take notes in court unless authorised by the court to do so. These guidelines are available on the court service website at www.courtsni.gov.uk.
Disabled People: Clay Pigeon Shooting
Lord Faulkner of Worcester asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to promote the sport of clay pigeon shooting by disabled people. [HL5415]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform & Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Lord Carter of Barnes): Sport England has advised that it is currently assisting in the development of a whole sport plan and funding proposals for target shooting for the period 2009-13. This plan is being developed by representatives of a number of shooting
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Education: Land-based Diploma
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which representatives of farmers, veterinary surgeons and farriers have been involved in preparations for the land-based diploma due to start in 2009. [HL5501]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): There has been a wide consultation to ensure that there is industry input into the development of the content of the diploma in environment and land-based studies.
Among the members of the industry group covering farriery and veterinary nursing that took part in these consultations were:
the Worshipful Company of Farriers;National Association of Farriers, Blacksmiths and Agricultural Engineers;British Small Animal Veterinary Association;Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons;British Veterinary Nursing Association; anda number of private veterinary practices.Among the members of the industry group covering agricultural crops and livestock that took part in the consultations were:
National Federation of Young Farmers;
Farming and Countryside Education;
Country Land and Business Association;
British Institute of Agricultural Consultants;
Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers;
National Beef Association; and
In addition to the organisations listed, representatives of relevant trade associations were also consulted.
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many students are expected to enrol in 2009 for the land-based diploma; and how many hours of work experience for those students will need to be provided by farmers, veterinary surgeons and farriers. [HL5502]
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Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: Information from Consortia indicates that there will be approximately 3,621 places available for students wishing to enrol in 2009 for the diploma in environmental and land-based studies.
Work experience will be a key feature of all the diplomas. Each diploma will require a minimum of 10 days in the workplace, at each level. Wherever possible, this work experience should be directly related to the diploma being studied, but its focus will be on developing employability skills so could be undertaken with a wide range of employers.
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
How the land-based diploma will be supported; and whether the model will be similar to that for the construction industry. [HL5503]
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: There is a common delivery model across all of the 17 diplomas. Diploma development partnerships bring together employers, further and higher education institutions, schools and awarding bodies to set out the content of the diploma. In addition, there is a programme of support for all consortia that are approved to deliver the diploma, along with a dedicated range of workforce development to support teachers.
Food: Pork and Bacon
Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:
What action the Department for International Development is taking to implement the public sector food procurement initiative in respect of its purchasing of pork and bacon; what proportion of pork and bacon purchased is British; what attention is given to farm assurance, animal welfare, and health and nutrition; and how often purchasing policy is reviewed. [HL4831]
Lord Tunnicliffe: The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs's (Defra) report to Parliament in November 2007 shows that the Department for International Development (DfID) procured 30 per cent of bacon and 30 per cent of pork from British sources during the period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. These figures were also reflected in the more recent BPEX report “Is the Government Buying British” in July 2008. This is available online at www.bpex.orq.uk/Article.aspx?ID=296231. More up-to-date data will become available towards the end of the year when Defra plans to publish its new report. However, early indications show that DfID's percentage figures for British pork and bacon have increased significantly for the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008.
The issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is highlighted within our tendering documentation for all new contracts. We are currently reviewing CSR policy and will ensure that the public sector food procurement initiative (PSFPI) is covered effectively.
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Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked the Chairman of Committees:
Further to his Written Answer on 16 July(WA 168—69), whether he has referred the difference in quoted costs for bacon between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands to BPEX for its comment. [HL5573]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): No. The difference in cost between English bacon and Dutch bacon is a matter for the agricultural industry. We will continue to source bacon in line with House of Lords procurement policy.
Food: Prices
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
With reference to the report Food Matters: Towards a Strategy for the 21st Century by the Cabinet Office, whether any revenue raised by taxes on the generation of methane and nitrous oxide will be spent only on schemes that reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases or employ technologies to increase the use of energy from renewable sources. [HL5539]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The report concerned did not make specific recommendations on environmental taxation.
As a general principle, the Government's spending priorities are not, except in limited circumstances outlined in the Treasury's budgeting guidance, determined by the way in which the money is raised. Hypothecating taxes to particular spending programmes causes inflexibility in spending decisions and can lead to a misallocation of resources, with reduced value for money for taxpayers. The spending review process ensures that resources are allocated efficiently to deliver government objectives and ensures priorities, such as education and health, receive the increased levels of funding, as set out in the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Homelessness
Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The majority of our homelessness grants are allocated to local authorities to support them in their work on tackling and preventing homelessness effectively, which includes rough sleeping, and it is for them to determine how they spend this grant.
In December 2007 we announced homelessness grant funding of at least £150 million over the three years 2008 to 2011 to continue to support local authorities and voluntary sector organisations in tackling and
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Also, local authorities spent £17.5 million under our supporting people programme for rough sleeping services in 2006-07.
Immigration: False Passports
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will reconsider the provisions of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004 concerning asylum applicants who travel on false passports. [HL5419]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): We have no plans to review the provisions for sanctions against those persons who seek to enter the UK without travel documents which satisfactorily prove their identity and nationality.
Immigration: Worker Registration Scheme
Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): All the funds raised from the workers registration scheme fees are used to cover the costs of processing and considering the application.
Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the net gain to HM Treasury from A8 and A2 nationals paying worker registration scheme fees, taxes and national insurance contributions. [HL5497]
Lord West of Spithead: There is no charge for applications for work authorisation made by A2 nationals. There is no gain to HM Treasury from the fees for the workers registration scheme paid by A8 nationals as the fee is set to only recover the costs of processing and considering the application.
Information about the net gain to HMT from A8 and A2 nationals is not available since the income tax and national insurance paid by migrants is not reported separately.
India: Orissa
Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they or non-governmental organisations supported by the United Kingdom are sending aid to the 8,000 Christian and Dalit refugees who have fled persecution to the camp at Raikia in Orissa state, India. [HL5322]
20 Oct 2008 : Column WA81
Lord Tunnicliffe: Camps such as the one at Raikia are organised and maintained by the Government of Orissa. At their request, the Indian Red Cross Society is providing medical services in Raikia through a non-governmental organisation. At the central level, the Department for International Development (DfID) supports the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, of which the Indian Red Cross Society is a member.
It would not be appropriate for the UK Government to consider providing aid directly unless a specific request is received. However, DfID's Orissa tribal empowerment and livelihoods programme supports work with tribal communities in Kandhamal district in which the Raikia camp is located. So far the incidents in the district have not directly impacted on this programme.
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