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1 Apr 2009 : Column WA233
Written Answers
Wednesday 1 April 2009
Advertising: Deep Packet Inspection
Question
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the consistency with consumers' interests of the commercial rollout of interception-based advertising that uses deep packet inspection. [HL2154]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of Barnes): The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has made no assessment of any specific targeted online advertising system and has no plans to review the consistency with consumers' interests of any commercial rollout.
Online targeted advertising can be provided in a number of different ways. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is responsible for overseeing the data privacy issues arising from the use of communications, including those raised by targeted online advertising, and for investigating the security of personal data.
The ICO is satisfied that it is possible to operate targeted online advertising in a lawful and proper manner. The ICO is keeping the situation under review.
Agriculture: Pesticides
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will respond to the letter written jointly by PAN UK, the Soil Association, Friends of the Earth and the CHEM Trust to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 3 February on the European Union Regulation for the Placing of Plant Protection Products on the Market. [HL2266]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): My department has no record of receiving a letter dated 3 February 2009 from PAN UK, the Soil Association, Friends of the Earth and the CHEM Trust. If another copy is sent to my office I will look into the issues raised.
Armed Forces: Aircraft
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held or plan to hold with the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and other European nations about delays to the A400M programme. [HL2345]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): We are in regular discussion with the other nations involved and with OCCAR, the appointed contracting body and management authority for the A400M, about a way forward.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the value to United Kingdom industry of the A400M programme at the current levels of commitment to purchase; and who are the principal actual and potential beneficiaries in the United Kingdom of work on design and construction of the aircraft. [HL2346]
Baroness Taylor of Bolton: Airbus Military, the A400M prime contractor, estimated in 2003 that the A400M programme would directly create up to 2,500 high quality jobs in the UK, notably in design and advanced manufacture. It also calculated that indirect employment could bring that figure to more than 8,000. The total investment in UK industry is reported by Airbus Military to be just over €2 billion.
The principal beneficiary of the development and production of the A400M is Airbus UK, with some 900 employees at Filton, Bristol, with a UK investment of around £750 million. Rolls-Royce is a key supplier of the TP400 engine programme, with more than 20 further companies across the UK that are directly involved in the A400M supply chain.
Commonwealth Scholarship Endowment Fund
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will contribute this financial year to the newly established Commonwealth Scholarship Endowment Fund to mark the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth. [HL2515]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has given £500,000 to the new Commonwealth Scholarship Endowment Fund, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan.
Defence Trade Co-operation
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United States on progress on a United Kingdom—United States defence trade co-operation treaty. [HL2561]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the likely response of the United States Congress to a United Kingdom—United States defence trade co-operation treaty. [HL2562]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): Her Majesty's Government continue to discuss the Defence Trade Co-operation Treaty with the US Government at all levels. The Prime Minister wrote recently to President Obama on the matter, and the Foreign and Commonwealth and Defence Secretaries have also received assurances from their US counterparts about support for early ratification. Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have also been engaged. At the working level, MoD officials in the British Defence Staff in Washington regularly discuss treaty implementation with their US colleagues in preparation for ratification. The next meeting with UK-based officials will take place later in April.
The treaty still requires the advice and consent of the US Senate, and the UK has worked hard to ensure that senators are aware of the importance the UK places on it and the benefits for both nations in operational and industrial terms. Although ratification is wholly a matter for the Senate, we understand that there are no substantive objections to the treaty. Officials are nevertheless ready to provide further clarification on certain aspects of implementation and enforcement. HMG remain hopeful that the treaty will receive advice and consent from the US Senate in the near future.
Embryology
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 10 February (WA 176) and 23 March (WA 93), whether the 14-day limit applies to all human embryos created in vitro except those that have been cultured for more than 14 days; and, if not, why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority applies different criteria when classifying various entities resulting from nuclear transfer as embryos in comparison with outgrowing embryos. [HL2488]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): No licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority permits centres to culture live human embryos beyond 14 days or the appearance of the primitive streak, in accordance with Sections 3(3)(a) and 3(4) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 23 March (WA 92) regarding the relative contributions of nuclear transfer and induced pluripotent stem cell technology, to what extent each of these technologies has contributed to the generation of pluripotent stem cells in humans over the past decade. [HL2489]
Lord Darzi of Denham: The development of techniques in both human and animal stem-cell research, including nuclear transfer and the generation on induced pluripotent
1 Apr 2009 : Column WA236
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 23 March (WA 92), whether advances in embryonic stem cell research over the past decade have contributed towards nuclear transfer technology; and, if not, why it was cited in the previous Answer regarding non-reproductive applications of nuclear transfer. [HL2491]
Lord Darzi of Denham: Advances in animal embryonic stem cell research over the past decade have contributed towards the development of nuclear transfer technology in a variety of species.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 23 March (WA 92), whether advances in nuclear transfer technology over the past decade have been essential to embryonic stem cell research; and, if not, which non-reproductive applications would benefit from nuclear transfer that have not been superseded by the use of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. [HL2516]
Lord Darzi of Denham: The Government have no view as to whether advances in nuclear transfer technology over the past decade have, or have not, been essential to embryonic stem-cell research. Parliament has voted in favour of pursuing all avenues of stem cell research in the United Kingdom.
Freedom of Information
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Freedom of Information requests made to the Ministry of Justice are outstanding. [HL2468]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): The Ministry of Justice has published quarterly reports containing statistical information on freedom of information requests. These reports include statistics on the number of outstanding requests by monitored bodies (including central government departments). The most recent published report for Quarter 3 2008 (between July and September) shows that, of the 676 requests received by the MoJ during this period, 176 were still being processed at the time the statistics were collected. This report can be found at the following address: www.justice.gov.uk/docs/foi-quarterly-stats-jul-sep-08.pdf.
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Freedom of Information requests made to the Ministry of Justice have taken longer than six months to respond to. [HL2469]
To ask Her Majesty's Government how long the Ministry of Justice takes on average to respond to Freedom of Information requests. [HL2470]
Lord Bach: The Ministry of Justice has published quarterly reports containing statistical information on freedom of information requests. These reports include statistics on the time taken to respond to requests by monitored bodies (including central government departments). The most recent published report relates to Quarter 3 2008 (between July and September). This shows that, of the 676 requests received by the MoJ during this period, 425 (63 per cent) were answered “in time”, in that they either received a response within the standard 20-day deadline required by the Freedom of Information Act or were subject to a permitted extension to the deadline to allow additional time for considering the public interest in whether or not to disclose the information requested. Statistics are not collected on the average length of time to respond to requests or the number of requests that have taken longer than six months to respond to. The Quarter 3 2008 report can be found at the following address: www.justice.gov.uk/docs/foi-quarterly-stats-jul-sep-08.pdf.
Gaza
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they will make to the Government of Israel concerning compensation to farmers in Gaza for the loss of 5,000 acres of arable land following incursions by the Israeli Defence Force. [HL2199]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): We have made clear our concerns at attacks against civilian infrastructure. Any claim for compensation would be a matter for the individuals concerned (or their relatives), and Israel.
Georgia
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Russian forces in Georgia have returned to the ceasefire line agreed in the six point ceasefire between President Sarkozy and President Medvedev; and, if not, what steps the European Union and the Government will take. [HL2169]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): I refer the noble Lord to the letter from my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary to the right honourable Mr William Hague on 17 February 2009 setting out the UK's
1 Apr 2009 : Column WA238
The international community continues to press Russia to abide by its commitments under the Sarkozy-Medvedev agreements. On 5 February 2009, for example, the Czech Republic as EU presidency issued a statement expressing serious concern about possible Russian plans to build up its military presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. That statement referred specifically to the ceasefire agreements and urged Russia to continue to implement all its commitments.
EU partners have also agreed that the pace and tone of negotiations on a new EU-Russia agreement will reflect Russia's actions, including in Georgia. The resumption of negotiations does not constitute a return to business as usual. In a similar vein, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has made clear that the decision of 5 March 2009 to resume meetings of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-Russia Council does not mean that the events of August 2008 will be overlooked. The alliance will use meetings to engage Russia, but in a hard-headed way, including on Georgia issues. Our own bilateral engagement with Russia is consistent with this international approach. We are not seeking to isolate Russia, but nor will we avoid making concerns clear. We and partners will continue to urge Russia to abide by its commitments in Georgia.
Health: Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the Final Report on Extending Professional and Occupational Regulation, covering the statutory regulation of practitioners of acupuncture, herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. [HL2436]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): Members of the Extending Professional and Occupational Regulation working group are currently reviewing drafts of the report. It is expected that it will be finalised in the next few weeks for submission to Ministers for consideration and publication.
A consultation on the regulation of acupuncture, herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners is due to be launched once the report on extending professional and occupational regulation is published.
To ask Her Majesty's Government in the absence of statutory regulation of practitioners of herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, what assessment they have made of the number of practitioners in those disciplines who will not qualify to be considered as "authorised health professionals" when Article 5 of European Medicines Directive 2001/83/EC comes into force in 2011, and who will therefore be unable to access traditional herbal medicinal products. [HL2437]
1 Apr 2009 : Column WA239
Lord Darzi of Denham: The ability of herbal and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to commission the manufacture of an unlicensed herbal medicine to meet individual patient needs is one of the issues that will be covered in the forthcoming consultation on the regulation of acupuncture, herbal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.
To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of the press release issued by Mr Ben Bradshaw on 13 June 2008 stating that he intended “to consult publicly for a three-month period this summer” on the regulation of acupuncturists, herbalists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, when they will issue such a consultation paper. [HL2438]
Lord Darzi of Denham: The consultation will be launched once the report of the Extending Professional and Occupational Regulation Working Group has been published.
Health: Donor Organs
Question
Asked by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publicise the change in organ donation regulations to allow the next of kin of an organ donor at the time of consent to request preferential consideration of donation to a named person who is already on the transplant waiting list. [HL2590]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The department has agreed in principle to a change to existing policy whereby donated organs are allocated on the basis of clinical need to one which could allow the directed donation of an organ from a deceased donor in certain exceptional circumstances. However, there are a number of key aspects that still need to be worked through, particularly the need for United Kingdom-wide agreement to a change of policy and the development of safeguards to ensure that implementation is consistently and legally operated. The department is working with the UK health administrations, National Health Service Blood and Transplant, the Human Tissue Authority and representatives from the transplant community to obtain UK-wide support for the policy and to develop guidance for publication later this year.
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