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5 Mar 2009 : Column WA171

Written Answers

Thursday 5 March 2009

Apprenticeships

Question

Asked by Lord Low of Dalston

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Lord Young of Norwood Green): The Government are committed to ensuring that all people with learning difficulties or disabilities have full access to apprenticeship learning opportunities and we provide extra funds for appropriate specialist support and equipment. The proportion of young people starting apprenticeships in England who have a learning difficulty or disability was 12 per cent in 2007-08, up slightly from 11 per cent in the previous two years. We have no plans to introduce specific targets for the proportion of disabled people starting or completing apprenticeships. However, we are in discussion with Jonathan Shaw, the Minister for Disability, on ways of increasing employment opportunities for disabled people which will include apprenticeships. We are implementing world-class apprenticeships plans to increase the take-up and completion rates of apprenticeships by learners who are currently underrepresented in the programme. Pilots starting later this year will aim to increase the critical mass of learners in non-traditional occupations to encourage more such applications; and mentoring trials will support atypical apprentices through their experience. The National Apprenticeships Vacancy Matching Service which went live in January this year will help match employers to prospective apprentices and provides the opportunity for learners with disabilities and difficulties to raise any needs they will require for an interview so that they have the opportunity of being fully supported. There will be support available for learners who are not being successful in their applications. In addition, more disabled people are being helped as a result of extending apprenticeships to older learners.

Armed Forces: Aircraft

Question

Asked by Lord Astor of Hever

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): No.



5 Mar 2009 : Column WA172

Asylum Seekers: Darfur

Question

Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The UK Border Agency has not authorised the re-documentation of any non-Arab Darfuris in the past four months.

On 9 July 2008, the Government announced the suspension of enforced returns of non-Arab Darfuri asylum seekers to Sudan to await the outcome of the country guidance case by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. The UK Border Agency's current policy is not to seek to re-document non-Arab Darfuris until the country guidance case has been decided. The case is expected to be heard between May and July 2009.

As this policy does not extend to Darfuris of Arab origin, it is possible that the re-documentation of individuals of this group has been authorised in the past four months. Due to the nature of the records kept by the UK Border Agency, to differentiate between such applications and those for Sudanese nationals in general would require detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.

Banking: Fred Goodwin

Questions

Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick

The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Government were not involved in negotiating and did not give approval to or sign-off Sir Fred Goodwin's pension or the basis of his departure from the company. These matters were determined by members of the board of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

In response to questions raised in debate by Lord Smith of Clifton and Lord Howard of Rising on 2 March (Official Report, col. 583) I confirmed that no sum relating to Sir Fred Goodwin's pension was mentioned to me on 11 October 2008 and believed I was made aware of a sum a few days later. I can now confirm that I was informed of an estimate of the capitalised value of the pension late on 12 October 2008.



5 Mar 2009 : Column WA173

What I did not know—and only recently became aware of—was that the approval of the proposed pension arrangements by the Remuneration Committee of RBS was based on a decision to treat Sir Fred Goodwin as having retired early at the request of the company, and that this involved an element of discretion which had the effect of significantly increasing his pension. Investigation as to who at RBS was involved in this decision are continuing.

Banks

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): Part V of the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) provides the Financial Services Authority (FSA) with the power to regulate individuals exercising significant influence on the conduct of a firm's affairs in relation to regulated activities. The FSA requires both chief executives and chairmen of firms authorised by it to be approved. The FSA assesses applications for approved persons status against a “fit and proper” test which considers an individual's:

honesty, integrity and reputation;competence and capability; andfinancial soundness.

Since October 2008, the FSA has increased the scrutiny of candidates for significant influence functions (SIF). This scrutiny includes interviewing SIF candidates where appropriate and a greater focus on their personal accountability in post.

Belfast Agreement

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: As set out in section 3 of the declaration of support in the Belfast Agreement, the basis of all relationships within Northern Ireland, between Northern Ireland and Ireland and between the UK and Ireland is equality, partnership and mutual respect.

Civil Service: Muslims

Question

Asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch



5 Mar 2009 : Column WA174

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The proportion of Senior Civil Service staff in the Home Office and its agencies who have declared their religion as Muslim is around 2.5 per cent. Staff in the Home Office and its agencies have an option in our system not to give their religion when they are providing us with personal data.

EU: Galileo Project

Question

Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon

The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): The European Union (EU) and member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) have jointly funded the design and development of Galileo. Approximately €1.6 billion (£1.1 billion)is committed spend on the design and development of the system. The deployment and operational phase, which follows, will see the Galileo programme achieve full operational capability (FOC). It is currently being procured by the ESA on behalf of the European Commission.

The total UK commitment to the ESA element of the programme amounts to €168.05 million (£116 million). By the end of 2008 the UK had paid €98.45 million (£68 million) of this. No further contributions are to be made to the project via ESA.

The next phase of the Galileo programme—the deployment and operation of the system (2010-13)—and all future funding for Galileo will be the responsibility of the EU. The EU funding of Galileo between 2007 and 2013 has been capped at €3.4 billion (£2.3 billion). The European Commission estimates a further £6 billion will be needed for operation and maintenance costs from 2013-30.

Discussions on how funding after 2013 might be sourced and what elements might come from private and public sources will not take place until the programme has advanced to a later stage. We expect the Commission to bring forward proposals for financing future phases of the programme in 2010.

Regarding the EU funding for Galileo: 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 UK contribution to the EU element of the funding for the Galileo programme.

The above figures are weighted to 2008 economic conditions.

Female Genital Mutilation

Question

Asked by Baroness Warsi



5 Mar 2009 : Column WA175

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): In October 2007 the Department of Health funded the Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development (FORWARD) to undertake a study in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and City University Midwifery Department to estimate the incidence of female genital mutilation in England and Wales. The study reveals that nearly 66,000 women with FGM are living in England and Wales.

The Department of Health have commissioned FORWARD to undertake further research to update these figures.

To date, neither the Metropolitan Police Service nor the Crown Prosecution Service has a record of any arrests or prosecutions being commenced under either the 1985 or 2003 Acts.

First World War

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): At the end of the First World War the United Kingdom debt owed to the United States amounted to around £850 million. Repayments of the debt were made between 1923 and 1931. In 1931 President Hoover of the United States proposed a one-year moratorium on all war debts, which allowed extensive international discussions on the general problems of debt repayment to be held. However no satisfactory agreement was reached. In the absence of such an agreement no payments have been made to, or received from, other nationals since 1934.

I also refer the noble Lord to the Answers provided on 17 July 2002 (col. WA 159), 23 October 2002 (col. WA 103-04) and 11 July 2003 (col. WA 66).

Geert Wilders

Questions

Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill



5 Mar 2009 : Column WA176

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): As required by regulation 21(5) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, the Home Secretary took into account the personal conduct of Mr Wilders, illustrated by his statements about Muslims and their beliefs. The Home Secretary considered that his statements were intended to incite racial and religious hatred and that his presence in the UK would, therefore, threaten community harmony and public security in the United Kingdom. As a result she took the view that Mr Wilders' presence in the United Kingdom would constitute a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat to fundamental interests of public policy and public security.

She decided it was proportionate that Mr Wilders be denied admission, despite his position as an elected Member of the Dutch Parliament and the freedom of movement he would normally have as a national of a member state of the EU. The Home Secretary's views were conveyed to the immigration officer who decided to refuse Mr Wilders admission to the UK.

Asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch

Lord West of Spithead: Any attempt by Mr Wilders to seek admission to the UK in the future would be decided on its own merits and in the light of the circumstances at that time. Factors that would be considered would include the purpose of his intended visit and any impact on our public policy of preventing extremists intent on stirring up hatred and division from entering the UK.

Government Departments: Food

Question

Asked by Lord Hoyle

The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The second report published on the PSFPI website in November 2008 gives the proportion of domestically produced food used by government departments and also supplied to hospitals and prisons between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008. It can be seen at www.defra .gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/pdf/psfpi _datareport081125.pdf.



5 Mar 2009 : Column WA177

Government: 30-year Rule

Question

Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill

The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon): Papers of meetings of the Cabinet and its committees are held by the Cabinet Office until they are ready for transfer to the National Archives under the 30-year rule, except in a very small number of cases where approval to withhold sensitive information for longer is given by the Lord Chancellor on the advice of his Advisory Council on National Records and Archives.

The Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations require public authorities to consider on a case-by-case basis all requests for information, and to release requested information unless an exemption or exception applies. The Government believe that there is a very strong public interest in upholding the convention of the collective responsibility of the Cabinet and maintaining the confidentiality of its proceedings.

Under information rights legislation the Government have released some Cabinet and Cabinet Committee correspondence, and papers of Cabinet Committee meetings. In addition, two extracts from the minutes of Cabinet discussions following the devastating landslide in Aberfan on 21 October 1966 were released early at the National Archives on 2 January 1997 as the Government considered it would be in the public interest that all records relating to Aberfan should be released into the public domain together. The extracts in question would normally have been released in 1998 and 1999 respectively. Where appropriate, Cabinet papers have been disclosed to inquiries.

Guantanamo Bay: Binyam Mohamed

Questions

Asked by Lord Dykes

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Binyam Mohamed is currently in the UK on temporary admission while his immigration status is being considered. Whilst on temporary admission Mr Mohamed is entitled to the same financial and healthcare services as anyone entering the United Kingdom on that basis.

Asked by Baroness Neville-Jones

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