Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
In addition, we also announced in December that more support would be available for new parents to help them prepare for the changes parenthood brings. We are also prioritising support to third-sector organisations offering relationship support. Over the next two years, we will be providing grants of over £7 million to a range of third-sector organisations, such as Relate, working directly with parents experiencing relationship conflict. Information and advice to support parents both in their parenting and their couple relationship is available nationally through the innovative Parent Know How programme. We have also funded the National Academy for Parenting Practitioners (NAPP) to train and support the practitioners that parents turn to for advice, training and information around parenting skills.
Asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many directors have been refused authorisation for undertaking investment business as being not fit to do so by the Financial Services Authority; and whether the operation of this jurisdiction is satisfactory. [HL1531]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): This is an operational matter for the FSA. I understand that the chairman of the FSA, Lord Turner, will write to my noble friend directly.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel to seek an extension of fishing limits for fishermen in Gaza. [HL914]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): While we have made no specific representations on this issue, we, along with our EU partners, continue to press the Israeli Government to reduce their restrictions on Gaza to meet humanitarian and reconstruction needs, and also to allow Gazans the opportunity to rebuild their economy.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the quartet has raised or will raise with the Government of Israel the question of access to Gaza for building materials. [HL1024]
Lord Malloch-Brown: The quartet representative has raised and will continue to raise with the Government of Israel the issue of allowing building materials in to Gaza to allow for the urgent reconstruction of homes and infrastructure.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the Government of Israel concerning its role in restoring destroyed and damaged houses in Gaza, together with impaired education and health services; and whether they will draw attention to the sewerage situation and its impact on Gaza and Israel. [HL1079]
Lord Malloch-Brown: We would welcome an Israeli contribution to the wider reconstruction effort. The most essential Israeli action that we continue to press for is the immediate free and unhindered passage of humanitarian aid, construction materials and the staff of UN agencies and international non-governmental organisations through the Gaza crossings.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are in emergency shelters in Gaza; and how many are without water or power or both. [HL1084]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ease of movement of goods into Gaza. [HL1085]
Lord Malloch-Brown: The number of truckloads of aid permitted to enter Gaza daily by the Israeli authorities remains insufficient, and humanitarian organisations continue to face serious restrictions to enter Gaza. The UK along with the international community will continue to call for the full opening of the crossings into and out of Gaza.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the opening by Israel of border crossings into Gaza. [HL1086]
Lord Malloch-Brown: The number of truckloads of aid permitted to enter Gaza daily by the Israeli authorities remains insufficient, and humanitarian organisations continue to face serious restrictions to enter Gaza. The UK along with the international community will continue to call for the full opening of the crossings into and out of Gaza.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the short- and long-term supply of electricity, water, sewerage and sanitation in Gaza. [HL1088]
Lord Brett: The latest UN assessment found that the Gaza power plant still does not receive enough fuel to operate at full capacity and much of the Gaza Strip continues to receive only intermittent electricity.
On 9 February, the UN reported on that 50,000 to 100,000 people were without running water and 15 per cent of the population received running water in their homes only every five or six days. Even before the crisis 80 per cent of drinking water in Gaza did not meet international standards for human consumption. Gaza's water and wastewater system is in need of significant repairs which are estimated to cost approximately $6 million.
The United Nations (UN) reported on 9 February that three UN shelters remained open in Jabalia, Beach Camp and Deir Al Balah, hosting 388 displaced people.
With regard to longer-term needs, the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme and European Community, working closely with the Palestinian Authority, will take the lead in co-ordinating international efforts on reconstruction. They are currently planning a full needs assessment which is expected to last two to three months. This will include a full assessment of needs for electricity, water and sanitation.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they will hold with the government of France with a view to including Hamas in a government of national unity covering all Palestinian Territories. [HL1101]
Lord Malloch-Brown: We support Egyptian efforts to work with President Abbas to reunite Palestinian politics and ensure the authority of the Palestinian Authority runs throughout the Palestinian Territories. However, the quartet has made clear that Hamas needs to make significant movement towards rejecting violence, accepting Israel's right to exist, and recognising previous agreements. We discuss these issues frequently with France and other partners.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will seek access by sea to Gaza for imports and exports, if supplies transported by road prove to be insufficient. [HL1123]
Lord Malloch-Brown: We have no reason to believe that sea-borne access to Gaza is any more straightforward than access by land. So we will continue to press the Israeli Government to allow full access.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the call by 80 members of the British Jewish community in a letter to the Guardian on 10 January for a programme of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel after the recent military action in Gaza. [HL1260]
Lord Malloch-Brown: We believe divestment, sanctions and boycotts directed at Israel would be counterproductive. Isolation of Israel would advance neither Britain's influence nor the prospects for peace in the Middle East.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they will make to the Government of Israel about any civilians who have been blinded by the recent military action in Gaza. [HL1261]
Lord Malloch-Brown: We have no plans to make specific representations on this issue. But we have been very clear that we condemn any attack on innocent civilians. UN Security Council Resolution 1860, which was proposed by the UK, was emphatic in its condemnation of all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism.
Asked by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Statement repeated by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 25 November 2008 (Official Report, House of Lords, cols. 136870) which stated that the Department for Work and Pensions reduced its staffing by 31,000
24 Feb 2009 : Column WA45
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): Having already delivered £26.5 billion of savings through the Gershon efficiency programme, over the next three years all departments will go further and achieve additional efficiency savings, including Defra which will deliver more than £379 million of value-for-money savings by 2010-11. Departments are responsible for achieving their savings and there is no central workforce reduction target.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what they will do to improve the time and budget success rate of information technology contracts. [HL1373]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The responsibility of managing all contracts rests with the contracting department or organisation. The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is working with departments on a number of initiatives to help them improve procurement and project management skills and capability; the negotiation, agreement and subsequent management of contracts; and the improved management of projects defined in those contracts. In particular, the OGC is working closely with colleagues in the Cabinet Office to ensure that a greater number of ICT contracts are fulfilled within time and budget.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the status of their relationship with the Japanese company Fujitsu. [HL1374]
Lord Myners: Fujitsu is a strategically important supplier of goods and services to a number of government organisations, primarily in the area of information and communications technologies (ICT).
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the performance of their information technology contracts, and whether any cost over-runs are expected. [HL1376]
Lord Myners: The responsibility of managing all contracts, including performance assessment and budget projections, rests with the contracting department or organisation. In the area of ICT, the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and the Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council work with departments to monitor ICT supplier performance; these assessments are commercially confidential.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any of their information technology projects are experiencing difficulties; and why 45 projects are considered by the Office of Government Commerce to be unachievable. [HL1416]
Lord Myners: Of 2007 OGC Gateway reviews completed to date, 964 were categorised as having been carried out on IT enabled projects.
Since the introduction of delivery confidence in June 2008, four projects have received a single red delivery confidence rating, indicating that successful delivery of the project, as currently constituted and defined, appears to be unachievable and that the project may need re-baselining and/or its overall viability reassessed. The Gateway report contains recommendations which, if adopted, should help the project to improve its potential for success.
Prior to June 2008, 41 projects received a consecutive red review, indicating that at the time of the review one or more of the recommendations, contained within a review report, needed to be carried out urgently. The red status was not a reflection of the overall status of the project and did not necessarily mean that the Office of Government Commerce considered the projects to be unachievable.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pages of primary legislation (excluding money bills) have been passed in each of the past 15 years. [HL1439]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): The number of pages of primary legislation (excluding Money Bills) passed in each of the past 15 years is as follows:
Year | Number of pages |
To ask Her Majesty's Government which Muslim organisations were consulted when they established the Hajj Advisory Group. [HL1159]
To ask Her Majesty's Government who are the current members of the Hajj Advisory Group; how they are chosen; and what criteria are used for selecting members. [HL1160]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a charter or constitution was agreed upon the establishment of the Hajj Advisory Group; and, if so, whether they will place a copy in the Library of the House. [HL1161]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they have provided to the Hajj Advisory Group and the British Hajj Delegation in each of the past five years. [HL1162]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The Hajj Advisory Group (HAG) was established in July 2001 and abolished in 2006.
The Hajj Advisory Group charter contained the criteria for appointment of members to the group. This was based on the particular skills and contributions an individual could bring to the group in terms of professional experience in relative fields (eg fund raising, medical, welfare, administration and communication) and their work within established communities.
Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |