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Environment: Energy Plants
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
How the Department of Energy and Climate Change will ensure that decisions on the siting of energy plant, infrastructure and distribution systems accord priority to social, conservation, heritage and landscape considerations. [HL5725]
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The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): It is for developers to identify locations for infrastructure and for the appropriateness of those locations to be scrutinised as part of planning processes. In determining such applications, the full range of potential impacts of the projects in question can be taken into account, together with advice and views from local planning authorities, statutory advisers and others so that a view can be taken as to whether it is acceptable.
Freedom of Information
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
What procedures are in place to ensure that Freedom of Information requests, and doubts on the part of the receiving government department over the meaning of such requests, are addressed promptly and efficiently. [HL6008]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): The Freedom of Information Act, and supporting guidance on the Ministry of Justice website, states that public authorities are obliged to respond to requests for information promptly and no later than 20 working days following the date on which the request is received.
Section 16 of the Act requires public authorities to provide advice and assistance to people who have made or who propose to make requests for information, particularly where their request does not sufficiently identify the information required. Detailed guidance on the provision of advice and assistance, with examples of where the duty may arise and how public authorities might comply, is contained in the Section 45 code of practice for the discharge of public authorities' functions under the Act. The code may be viewed on the Ministry of Justice website at www.foi.gov.uk/reference/imprep/codepafunc.htm and is also available in the Libraries of both Houses. The Ministry of Justice also issues guidance on these points which can be found at www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/foi-procedural-assistance.htm.
Galileo Project
Lord Moonie asked Her Majesty's Government:
What equipment and services are expected to be supplied by British industry to the European Space Agency's Galileo project; what benefits are expected for the United Kingdom from the system when in service; and what financial contribution to the project has been or will be made by Her Majesty's Government. [HL5881]
The Minister of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Lord Drayson): The EU and member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) have jointly funded the design and initial development phases of Galileo.
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Up to May 2008 (the latest figures available) UK companies had contracts for goods and services in ESA's Galileosat programme for the development and validation phase. This is valued at £300.4 million out of a total budget of £1,691.6 million weighted to 2008 economic conditions. The deployment and operational phase which follows will see the Galileo programme achieve full operational capability (FOC) and is now being procured by ESA on behalf of the European Commission through an open tender competition in six work packages. A number of UK companies have been down-selected to compete in all but the launch provider work package of this tender competition. This process is on-going and it is too early to say which work packages could be won by UK companies.
A study published in December 2007 by ESYS Consulting—jointly commissioned by DFT and BNSC—concluded that the UK gross value added from downstream applications, using both GPS and Galileo, could be approximately £1.3 billion a year by 2025. Total cumulative benefits from 2013, when Galileo is expected to be in service, to 2025 are estimated to be £14.2 billion.
By the end of 2008 the UK will have provided £98.45 million, to the ESA element of the programme, leaving a balance of £69.60 million to be funded. This amounts to a total UK investment of £168.05 million. The next phase of the Galileo programme—the deployment and operation of the system (2010-13)—and all future funding for Galileo will be paid for wholly from the EU budget. No further contributions are to be made to the project via ESA.
The EU funding of Galileo between 2007 and 2013 has been capped at £3.4 billion. The European Commission estimates a further £6 billion will be needed for operation and maintenance costs from 2013-30. In terms of the EU contribution, the position is that EU member states contribute to the Community budget as a whole and not to individual programmes within it. The UK contributes around 17 per cent of the Community budget or 12.6 per cent after abatement. There is therefore no specific United Kingdom contribution to this phase of Galileo.
Immigration: Children
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ensure that the UK Border Agency issues guidance to staff dealing with female children subject to immigration control on how to deal with an alleged threat of female genital mutilation, including referral to the on-site social worker team if the allegation concerns a child who is located in an immigration removal centre, and the completion of a rule 35 form, used to report actual or suspected evidence of torture to the UK Borders Agency case holders. [HL5717]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The UK Border Agency is committed to keeping children safe from harm. Staff are required to undertake a keeping children safe learning and development programme which includes
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When a person expresses a fear of return to their country of origin on the grounds that they would be subjected there to female genital mutilation this is considered by the UK Border Agency as an application for asylum and those who demonstrate a need for international protection are given it. Each application is considered individually by a trained decision maker in accordance with the United Kingdom's obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) against the background of the latest available country of origin information and guidance. Guidance for asylum decision-makers includes the Asylum Policy Instruction on Gender Issues in the Asylum Claim which makes specific reference to claims based on female genital mutilation. This can be viewed at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/asylumpolicyinstructions/.
Guidance on the procedures to be followed on making, sending and considering reports under the terms of rule 35 of the detention centre rules was issued to UK Border Agency staff in early February this year.
Immigration: Colnbrook Detention Centre
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people are in Colnbrook detention centre; and how many men have been held there for longer than three months after the end of their prison sentence. [HL5889]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Colnbrook immigration removals centre has a capacity to hold 348 single male detainees.
There are currently 122 men detained at the centre who have been detained for more than three months after the completion of their custodial prison sentence.
National Assessment Agency
Lord Taylor of Warwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why civil servants at the National Assessment Agency are to receive bonuses; and whether such bonuses took into account the preparation for the marking of the 2008 standard assessment tests which began more than a year ago. [HL5909]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): The National Assessment Agency is part of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), which is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) and is responsible for its own pay arrangements.
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Bonus payments are linked to meeting specific performance objectives set for each member of staff, many of whom work on programmes unrelated to the delivery of national curriculum tests. The performance evaluations for bonus payments relate to the last financial year ending in March 2008.
National Asset Register
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the National Asset Register, last published in January 2007 and containing entries up to March 2005, will next be published. [HL6035]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): As part of HM Treasury's operational efficiency programme, launched in July, Gerry Grimstone has been asked to lead work on asset management across government and Lord Carter on property management.
This work will consider what scope there is to drive further efficiencies and deliver better value for money across these areas. It will make recommendations by Budget 2009, including the scope for further savings and how the Government should go about capturing them.
Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 29 October (WA 173) on the budget of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, if the Belfast agreement of 1998 requires the Irish Government to establish a Human Rights Commission with a mandate and remit equivalent to that in Northern Ireland, how they monitor that following the reduction in funding of the Irish Human Rights Commission. [HL6050]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Funding and operational issues relating to the Irish Human Rights Commission are a matter for the Irish Government.
Questions for Written Answer
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 27 October (WA 138), whether they will answer the Question as tabled. [HL5951]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Chancellor's Statement of 13 October explained the basis on which support was made available. The noble Lord's Question seeks to compare two unrelated matters: the population of Scotland; and the support made available to two banks which operate throughout the United Kingdom and in many other countries.
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Railways: Engineering
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 4 November (WA 42), whether the arrangements made in the Peterborough area for people travelling towards East Anglia during the weekend of 1 and 2 November followed the usual industry process for pre-planning railway engineering work. [HL6180]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): The planning of engineering works is an operational matter for Network Rail under the national possessions regime overseen by the independent Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). As part of its Periodic Review 2008 Final Determinations announced on 30 October, the Office of Rail Regulation has identified the need for Network Rail to reduce the impact of its engineering works on users of the railway.
The noble Lord should contact Network Rail’s chief executive at the following address for a response to his Question: Iain Coucher, Chief Executive, Network Rail, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG.
Railways: First Great Western
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 4 November (WA 42—3), how they will work with First Great Western to ensure that capacity requirements for Bristol and the west of England meet the capacity standards. [HL6182]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): The Government’s process for implementing capacity enhancements through train operating companies involves, first, a phase of collaboration to produce a specification which meets present and forecast capacity requirements. This is likely to be affordable within funds available, and to offer value for money.
Such discussions are in progress with First Great Western (FGW). Upon successful conclusion, the Government will issue a request for proposal to First Great Western, intended to lead to commercial negotiation and a deed of amendment to the franchise agreement to secure the changes.
Religious Freedom
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations they have made to the Government of Kazakhstan about implementing the recommendations of the OSCE Advisory Council of Exports on Freedom of Religious Belief, in particular those recommendations relating to amendments to the current law before the Kazakhstan Senate. [HL5806]
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The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): We have made clear to the Kazakhstani authorities our concerns about the draft law, and our view that they should take on board the recommendations of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) experts. In April, our ambassador called on Ardak Doszhan, Head of the Committee on Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Justice, and raised our concerns about the law. In June, the French ambassador in his capacity as EU presidency demarched the Kazakhstani Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These concerns are also reflected in the EU's statement at the OSCE Permanent Council on 23 October 2008, which called on the Senate to reconsider the draft legislation to ensure its consistency with Kazakhstan's OSCE commitments.
Separately, the UK is funding via Freedom House a group of Kazakhstani non-governmental organisations to monitor progress on the commitments made by Kazakhstan at the OSCE ministerial in Madrid last year. This work includes legislative developments on freedom of conscience.
Somalia: Khat
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have completed their examination of the evidence of the effects of khat; and what new research they have commissioned, as foreshadowed by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, Vernon Coaker, in his letter of 21 July (reference M12715/8). [HL5848]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The Government recognise the concerns surrounding khat and this is reflected in the 2008 drug strategy action plan which made a commitment to look at the individual and social harms associated with its use.
The review of the existing evidence base (both UK and international research) is ongoing. Simultaneously we are progressing plans for new primary research to consolidate our understanding of the individual and social harms associated with khat use. This work will comprise discussions with members of the communities where khat use is prevalent, as well as with treatment providers and other practitioners. The research will seek to engage Somali, Yemeni and Ethiopian communities in areas of the UK where these communities are concentrated. The work is due to be completed in spring 2009.
Sport: Free Swimming
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which local authorities in England have decided not to provide free swimming for the over-60s. [HL6025]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of Barnes): Three hundred of 354 local authorities initially confirmed their participation in the over 60s element of the Government's free swimming programme. We shall shortly be issuing details on final levels of take-up in all elements of the programme.
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