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Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the National Probation Service has a race equality scheme; and whether such a scheme has been approved and monitored by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. [HL6443]
Lord Bach: The National Probation Service has never been a body listed as subject to the specific duty to publish a race equality scheme. This duty instead lies with the 42 individual probation boards and trusts.
At a national level the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is responsible for ensuring that the individual boards and trusts comply with the duty. The MoJ has published a race equality scheme. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has critically assessed this scheme and offered guidance.
The National Offender Management Service—the agency of the MoJ that includes the Probation Service—and the EHRC have agreed that from April 2009 there will be a National Offender Management Service (MOMS) single equality scheme. This will include NOMS national functions regarding probation.
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Equality and Human Rights Commission has raised concerns about any institutional discrimination in the National Probation Service; what complaints it received about the National Probation Service in the past year; how it responded thereto; and whether it will undertake any formal investigations into the National Probation Service. [HL6444]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon): The Equality and Human Rights Commission has continued to pursue concerns about the National Probation Service which were originally raised by one of its predecessor bodies, the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE). These concerned assurances in spring 2007, following a central review originally agreed with the CRE, that all 42 probation boards were compliant with the statutory duty to promote race equality schemes. The CRE's small dip sample in summer 2007 threw doubt on this, as did a larger dip sample conducted by the EHRC after it had assumed responsibility.
Therefore, the EHRC earlier this year engaged with the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) stressing its advice that statutory equality duties placed upon the Ministry of Justice included action to secure compliant practice by probation boards and trusts. In response the NOMS has this month set out its programme of guidance and training designed to secure equality schemes which comply with all the equality duties by the end of March 2009. The aim is that that practice based on sound equality schemes will prevent and combat institutional and other discrimination.
In the past year, the EHRC has received five individual complaints against probation services concerning alleged discrimination on grounds of age, race and disability. The appropriate advice and guidance was provided in each case. Furthermore, the EHRC has said it will
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The commission currently has no plans to undertake any formal investigations into the National Probation Services.
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether ethnic monitoring takes place in the National Probation Service; and whether this is part of any equality impact assessments. [HL6445]
Lord Bach: The National Probation Service collects a range of ethnic monitoring data for both employment and service delivery. There is published guidance about how these should be used in conducting equality impact assessments.
National Probation Service: Equality Data
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the equality data for the Hertfordshire Probation Area on staff recruitment, probation and leavers over the past three years. [HL6446]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): Information on staff probation is not collected centrally. Information on the ethnicity and gender of staff recruitment and leavers for the period 1 January 2005 to 31 October 2008 is as follows. To ensure that monitoring data remains confidential, it is customary not to give precise figures below five. In the light of this and the very low figures in many of the separate census categories, ethnicity is given in six groups rather than the 16 categories used to collect it.
StartersAsian—<5;Black—7;Mixed—<5;Other—<5;White British—129;Other White Groups—14;Not disclosed—2;Female—121;Male—40.LeaversAsian—<5;Black—17;Mixed—<5;Other—<5;White British—116;Other White Groups—15;Not disclosed—0;Female—111; andMale—45.New Forest National Park
Lord Taylor of Holbeach asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will intervene to adjudicate on those parts of the New Forest National Park management plan that may contravene the Animal
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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): As part of its consultation on its draft management plan, the New Forest National Park Authority issued guidance to clarify the circumstances in which it might conclude that there had been a change of use to recreational horse keeping, which would require planning permission.
The guidance is about the planning system, not about the way in which horses should be looked after.
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 14 November (WA 155—56) concerning the membership of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, what is the basis for saying that the Secretary of State has complied with the obligation to secure, so far as is practical, that the Commissioners as a group are representative of the community in Northern Ireland; who made the judgment that he had so complied; and when this judgment was reached. [HL6439]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: There is nothing further I can add to the answer given to the noble Lord on 14 November, Official Report, cols WA 155-56.
Northern Ireland Office: Taxis
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 10 November (WA 101) concerning the cost of taxis for the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum, what is the breakdown of the £2,401.40 spent on taxis. [HL6378]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Members of the Bill of Rights Forum completed their work on 31 March 2008. Records from the Forum Secretariat, held by the Northern Ireland Office, indicate the breakdown of monthly payments in respect of the forum's taxi account.
| Month and year | Amount invoiced (£) |
Olympic Games 2012: Employment
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What contracts have been awarded to black and ethnic-minority contractors and consultants for work related to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and what is the value of those contracts. [HL5745]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) defines a black, Asian and minority-ethnic (BAME) business as being 51 per cent BAME-owned. Information about ethnic ownership of businesses is provided to the ODA by its contractors through self-evaluation. Contractors are not obliged to provide this information to the ODA. The ODA has worked with over 700 suppliers to date; 44 per cent of these have provided information about their ethnic ownership. Of these, 17 (5 per cent) are BAME-owned. These businesses have been awarded contracts in media, marketing, retail, and communication.
I am awaiting advice from the ODA about the value of such contracts. I will write to the noble Lord to update him on this further and will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of both Houses.
The ODA promotes equality and inclusion within the organisation and within its supply chains. It has an active programme of targeted business outreach which aims to increase the number of BAME-owned businesses engaged in its supply chains. For example, the ODA, partnered with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, held an event for diverse-owned businesses in September. It has also held engagement events for businesses within the Olympic host boroughs, as well as other London boroughs and other parts of the UK with a significant minority presence, including Bristol.
The ODA is also working with the regional development agencies and devolved Administrations to direct businesses to appropriate support services to ensure that, especially, small and medium-sized businesses, and those with diverse ownership, are equipped to compete for and win contracts in the London 2012 supply chains.
Palace of Westminster: Cold Monday Mornings
Baroness Thomas of Winchester asked the Chairman of Committees:
Whether he will take steps to increase the temperature in the Palace of Westminster on Monday mornings during the winter months. [HL6535]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): The cold temperatures experienced in the Palace on Monday 25 November were caused by a failure to turn the heating back on after weekend maintenance
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Palace of Westminster: Cyclists
Lord Colwyn asked Her Majesty's Government:
What area is covered by the cycle parking exclusion zone around the Palace of Westminster (excluding buildings owned by the Parliamentary Estate); and [HL6163]
What is their assessment of the risk posed by cycle bombs in the vicinity of the Palace of Westminster; and whether they are aware of any fatalities or serious injuries caused by cycle bombs in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. [HL6164]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): It has not proved possible to respond to the noble Lord in the time available before Prorogation.
Parkland: Brockwell Park
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay asked Her Majesty's Government:
In relation to the proposal to take 1,072 square metres of metropolitan open land from Brockwell Park, Lambeth, what ministerial consideration was given to the proposal, given that the letter of consent was dated 8 August, four days after the consultation period closed; and whether any independent expert advice was sought, or information requested from the London Borough of Lambeth or any objector; and [HL6277]
In relation to the proposal to take 1,072 square metres of metropolitan open land from Brockwell Park, Lambeth, what action has been taken, as required by paragraph 17 of the Schedule to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Provisional Order Confirmation (Greater London Parks and Open Spaces) Act 1967, to ensure that any London parkland taken under these provisions is replaced; and [HL6278]
In relation to the proposal to take 1,072 square metres of metropolitan open land from Brockwell Park, Lambeth, whether they will consider an alternative scheme drawn up by IMA Transport Planning on behalf of the Friends of Brockwell Park which takes half as much parkland; and whether they will reconsider their consent to the proposal to take 1,072 square metres. [HL6279]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Secretary of State's consent was granted under Article 17 of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Provisional Order Confirmation (Greater London Parks and Open Spaces) Act 1967 to the London Borough of Lambeth on 8 August in response to its request of 3 July 2008. On the basis of all the material received, it was decided that the benefit of the land remaining as open space was outweighed by the benefit to be derived from the proposal. The decision is final and can only be challenged by judicial review.
Lambeth's request for consent under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Provisional Order Confirmation (Greater London Parks and Open Spaces) Act 1967 (the Act) was considered by officials at the Government Office for the West Midlands, and the letter of consent issued under the delegated authority arrangements under which officials consider cases and issue decisions on behalf of the Secretary of State.
While there is no requirement under Article 17 for a consultation exercise to be undertaken as part of the procedure for determining whether or not the Secretary of State's consent should be granted, nor is there any requirement for independent expert advice to be sought. The London Borough of Lambeth did however put in place a site notice on 7 July 2008 as required by Article 17 of the Act providing a period of 28 days for representations to be made to the Secretary of State at the Government Office for the West Midlands. The letter of consent issued to Lambeth on 8 August refers to the number of representations made. It was decided that consent should be issued after consideration of all the material received.
Passports
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 3 November (WA 20), whether carriers are to be paid for checking the identities of passengers and crew following a police request on domestic air or sea journeys on Northern Ireland-Great Britain routes. [HL6438]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): There are no plans to reimburse carriers for checking or providing information to the police about passengers and crew on journeys between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Under the terms of Section 14 of the Police and Justice Act 2006, once the police have submitted a request to a carrier, passengers and crew will be required to provide that carrier with evidence of their identity before travelling.
We plan to hold a formal consultation exercise about the secondary legislation of these to implement arrangements next year. We will also continue to work closely with transport industry representatives to help reduce the impact upon their business.
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