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1 Jun 2009 : Column WA51
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have evaluated the work of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission since 1999; if not, why; if so, what conclusion they reached about its value for money. [HL3578]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was established by Section 68 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and its statutory functions are set out in Section 69 of that Act. It carries out these functions independently of government. However, as set out in Schedule 7(5) to the Northern Ireland Act, the Commission makes a report to the Secretary of State on the performance of its functions during the year. Copies of this annual report are placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in relation to the seeking and provision of funding of Commission activities by third parties. [HL3738]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Paragraph 25 of the financial memorandum agreed between the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission states:
“The Commission may receive grants from other sources, with the Department's approval, to fund additional work consistent with its statutory function, which would not otherwise have been funded from grant-in-aid. This negative DEL income must be used only for discrete projects approved by the Department”.
Olympic Games 2012
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the latest cost of the 2012 London Olympic Games; and what was the proposed cost in the United Kingdom's original successful bid. [HL3734]
Lord Davies of Oldham: I refer the noble Lord to the first annual report on the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, published on 22 January 2008. This provides details of the development of the funding package for the Games from bid time to the announcement of the £9.325 billion funding package in March 2007.
As confirmed in the recent quarterly economic report on the Games (13 May 2009)—the £9.325 billion funding package for the Games remains unchanged. Both documents have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
1 Jun 2009 : Column WA52
Pakistan: Deportation
Questions
Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
To ask Her Majesty's Government in the light of the Government of Pakistan's prediction of there being potentially 800,000 displaced persons resulting from anti-Taliban operations, what assessment they have made of the appropriateness of deporting Christian Asif and Iqbal families seeking to escape the Taliban. [HL3526]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The Minister for Borders and Immigration wrote to the noble Lord with regard to these families on 10 February 2009. All asylum and human rights applications, including those from Pakistani nationals, continue to be considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the ECHR against the background of the latest available country information. UK Border Agency will continue to carefully consider any further submissions from those, including Pakistani Christians in fear of the Taliban, whose asylum or human rights application has initially been unsuccessful.
Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the statement by the Minister for Borders and Immigration, Phil Woolas, that court decisions on deportation are not necessarily final and binding, they will re-examine the cases of Pakistani Christians currently seeking to escape the Taliban. [HL3527]
Lord West of Spithead: In accordance with international obligations, protection is granted to those people who demonstrate a need for it. The UK Border Agency will continue to carefully consider on an individual case-by-case basis against the same protection criteria all further submissions from those, including Pakistani Christians in fear of the Taliban, whose asylum or human rights application has initially been unsuccessful.
Parole
Question
Asked by Baroness Howells of St Davids
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of Sean Hodgson's successful appeal against conviction after 27 years in jail, the Parole Board will review its guidelines for dealing with parole applications by prisoners who maintain their innocence. [HL3763]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): The Parole Board must by law accept that a prisoner convicted in a court of law has been found guilty. We currently have no plans to review Parole Board guidance for dealing with prisoners who maintain their innocence. Denial of the offence does make the board’s job more difficult, as some
1 Jun 2009 : Column WA53
Passports
Question
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The average unit cost for producing a passport in 2008-09 was £57, subject to audit. This figure excludes an average £12 Consular Service fee charged on each passport by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which when added gives a total average unit cost of £69.
People Trafficking
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they were represented at the recent conference in London for the chairmen of parliamentary committees in Europe concerned with human trafficking; and whether they will work to ensure that best practice is shared throughout Europe. [HL3827]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The conference organised by the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee to launch that Committee’s report in to human trafficking was addressed by my right honourable friend the Home Secretary and was attended by officials from the Home Office.
It has always been the stated intention of the Government to ensure that best practice on combating this horrendous crime should be shared with our international partners. In respect of this we have an excellent relationship with other European countries and international agencies dealing with law enforcement.
Pirates: Kenya
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what mechanisms are in place for the transport of pirates to other countries for detention. [HL3927]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): The UK has an arrangement with the Kenyan Government which allows the transfer of suspected pirates to Kenya for investigation and, if appropriate, prosecution.
1 Jun 2009 : Column WA54
When we consider there to be sufficient evidence on which to prosecute suspected pirates whom we encounter on the high seas, they will transported by sea to Kenya.
Prisons: Northern Ireland
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government who were the members of the team that the Northern Ireland Prison Service appointed to review its equity monitoring procedures. [HL3809]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The members of the team are set out on page 12 of the Northern Ireland Prison Service report The Inside View published on 12 May.
A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.
Railways: Accidents
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many rail accidents there have been along the west coast main line in (a) 2007, and (b) 2008. [HL3836]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): Data on rail accidents are not recorded on a route basis. However, on the west coast main line, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch has investigated the fatal derailment at Grayrigg on 23 February 2007, and the dislodgement of containers from two freight trains on 1 March 2008.
A fatal accident occurred at Rugby on 12 July 2008 and has been investigated by the Office of Rail Regulation, as it occurred during an engineering possession, rather than on the operational railway.
Railways: Level Crossings
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 18 May (WA 272), whether they have received representations from Network Rail about improving safety at railway level crossings since the passage of the Road Safety Act 2006. [HL3901]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): The Department for Transport does not keep a log of the representations it receives from individual organisations on specific issues outside of formal consultation exercises.
However, Network Rail is regularly involved in discussions surrounding the safety of level crossings generally and can initiate improvements to level crossing
1 Jun 2009 : Column WA55
Railways: Rolling Stock
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent passenger focus survey about railway passenger rolling stock, which found the Pendolino trains to be the least satisfactory. [HL3900]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): Passenger Focus' survey was commissioned specifically to gauge passenger views of existing inter-city rolling stock and to see what lessons could be learnt from them in designing the next generation of long distance trains. We are working closely with Passenger Focus to ensure that the results of the survey are taken fully into account as part of the development process for the new Inter City Express (Super Express) train.
Roads: Byways Open to All Traffic
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 11 May (WA 173), what action they will take to compel highway authorities to make traffic regulation orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to ban mechanically propelled vehicles from badly damaged byways open to all traffic, or to make pre-emptive orders on byways which are vulnerable to damage by such vehicles. [HL3808]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The management of all public rights of way is the responsibility of local highway authorities. It is for them to decide whether it is appropriate to introduce traffic control measures, such as a traffic regulation order on a byway open to all traffic, based on local needs and priorities and the circumstances of each case.
Schools: Volunteers
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support exists for primary school children struggling with reading who are not eligible for intensive one-to-one support by a trained teacher. [HL3778]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): Ensuring children are able to
1 Jun 2009 : Column WA56
In response to the recommendations of the Rose Early Reading Review, we changed the national curriculum to ensure that all children learn to read through the use of systematic phonics. We have also developed the Communication, Language and Literacy Development programme. This programme provides every local authority with a specialist consultant to improve the teaching of reading in schools.
For those children who struggle with reading, we are rolling out the Every Child a Reader programme which delivers a suite of early literacy interventions to support these pupils. The ECAR approach is based on three waves of intervention with those children most in need receiving intensive one-to-one support (using the Reading Recovery programme) whilst other children, with less severe literacy learning difficulties, receive small group support. By 2010-11, 30,000 children a year with severe literacy difficulties will benefit from Every Child a Reader.
The primary framework, developed by the National Strategies, is available online for all schools. This offers a broad range of optional guidance and resources to support teachers in ensuring that their teaching is personalised to the needs of every child. Local authorities and schools receive training from the National Strategies in the effective use of the framework and its supporting materials.
We have also developed the What Works Well website, a growing database of case studies, provided by teachers, that shares real practice which has improved learning and teaching.
Shipping: Navigational Aids
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not responded to the European Parliament's Petitions Committee following the evidence session in December 2007 on the funding arrangements of Irish navigational aids. [HL3775]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): We did not respond to the Petitions Committee on the evidence presented to them on the funding arrangements for Irish Lights because we were not invited by the committee to comment on this issue at that time.
Sport: Swimming Co-ordinators
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport approved the job description for the county swimming co-ordinators before it was advertised. [HL3593]
1 Jun 2009 : Column WA57
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of Barnes): The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport approved a proposal for the role of county swimming co-ordinators to be created. As part of the business case from the Amateur Swimming Association, a job description was included. This approval was given on 8 December 2008.
To ask Her Majesty's Government in which (a) written publications, (b) websites, and (c) other sources, the new role of county swimming co-ordinators was advertised. [HL3594]
Lord Carter of Barnes: Initially, the county and senior swimming co-ordinator posts were advertised in/on:
British Swimming website;UK Sport website;EFDS website;Sporting Equals website;Sport England website;Sport City website;Leisure Opportunities—website and publication; andSenior advertised in the Guardian.There were also second round of advertisements in/on:
British Swimming website;UK Sport website;EFDS website;Sporting Equals website;Sport England website;Sport City website; andJobs With Balls website.To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are funding any (a) administrative, or (b) management, fees for the employer of county swimming co-ordinators. [HL3595]
Lord Carter of Barnes: The employer of county co-ordinator does not receive any administrative or management fees for the employment of the county swimming co-ordinators.
Sunbeds
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