| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA263
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA263
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA263
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Ambulances
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they regard ambulances operated by the Glengormley Ambulance and Rescue Unit as ambulances within the meaning of the Road Traffic Acts. [HL4067]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Road traffic law, and the definition of an ambulance within it, is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland. This is therefore a matter for the devolved Administration.
Archaeological Sites
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that material found on and information relevant to archaeological sites where the developer goes into receivership is safeguarded and the ownership secured for the public benefit. [HL3941]
Lord Davies of Oldham: We are aware of concerns that archaeological material may be lost as a result of developers' difficulties. However, we believe those in the archaeological sector are best placed to deal with the issue of safeguarding such material.
The Government's statutory adviser on the historic environment, English Heritage, is liaising with the Institute for Archaeologists and the Federation of Archaeological Managers and Employers on issuing advice to financial administrators about the cultural value of archaeological archives. English Heritage is carrying out a scoping project to try to define the scale of the problem and what it can do to help and expects to have the results in August. However, there are issues of legal responsibilities related to planning consents to take into consideration, where it would not be appropriate for English Heritage or central government to intervene.
Aviation: Air Contamination
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent toxic air affecting airline passengers. [HL4210]
The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): According to recent figures from the Air Transport Users Council, out of a total of 29,000 written complaints since January 2001, only 64 were categorised as medical and the main issues raised were pregnancy; ski injuries; allergies, typically from peanuts; and infectious diseases.
Evidence available to date does not demonstrate (or rule out) a link between ill health and fume events. Studies such as the European CabinAir project have
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA264
However, the department takes seriously concerns about aviation health. We began last year to conduct in-flight testing to capture and analyse what occurs in cabin air “fume events”. Cranfield University, which is the project manager, hopes to complete the research work this year.
Only after air sampling data has been obtained can we decide how best to assess any health impacts.
Bank of England
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how the level of sterling has affected the quantitative easing programme of the Bank of England. [HL4211]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England is responsible for setting monetary policy, including use of the asset purchase facility, to achieve the Bank's annual inflation target of 2 per cent. The MPC's monetary policy decisions are informed by a range of indicators, including developments in the exchange rate.
Banking: Asset Purchase
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent statistical outcomes in the asset purchase facility for quantitative easing; and which statistics they use from the Bank of England in the calculation of such measurements. [HL4213]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Governor of the Bank of England is committed to operating the asset purchase facility (APF) in an open and transparent matter. The Bank publishes quarterly reports on the operation of the APF, the first of which was published on 27 April. The Bank also reports on the APF in its inflation report and regularly publishes operational information for the APF on its website.
Businesses: Redundancy
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they will hold with representatives of the United Kingdom retail sector about avoiding redundancies in the next six months. [HL4214]
The Minister for Trade and Investment (Lord Davies of Abersoch): BIS Ministers and officials have frequent discussions with retailers and their representative organisations on a wide range of issues of importance to the prosperity of the sector and will continue to do
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA265
Crime: Bail
Questions
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times pre-charge bail conditions have been issued in each of the past five years. [HL4346]
To ask Her Majesty's Government how frequently pre-charge bail conditions are imposed by each police force. [HL4347]
To ask Her Majesty's Government (a) how many applications to vary bail pre-charge bail conditions are received, and (b) how often variations are granted, in each police force area. [HL4348]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The information requested is not collected centrally.
Department of Health: Outside Consultancies
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government which outside consultancies have been undertaking work commissioned by the Department of Health for the past 12 months; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of each commission.[HL3287]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The department has purchased the services of a range of consultancies during 2008-09 and is currently processing the information. Significant work is required to cleanse and validate the information in the requested format and we will endeavour to place this information in the Library before the House rises for the Summer Recess.
Elections: European Parliament
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the percentage poll in each of the 27 European Union member states at the recent elections for the European Parliament. [HL4217]
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA266
Lord Brett: The voter turnout for each EU member state is available on the European Parliament's election website at http://www.elections2009-results.eu/en/turnout _en.html.
Elections: Northern Ireland
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria govern the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland's practice of requiring sight of Commonwealth citizens' passports when registering for a vote but not the passports of individuals registering from the Republic of Ireland. [HL4173]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Procedure relating to the supply of documentary evidence to support an application for electoral registration in Northern Ireland is an operational matter for the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland. The noble Lord may wish to write to him directly.
Embryology
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 9 March (WA 204—5) and 3 June (WA 87—8), how a “live human embryo” is defined in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended); whether that should be interpreted as an embryo that is neither dead nor a member of another species; and, if not, how it has been interpreted by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [HL4182]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The department takes the view that the term “live human embryo”, as it will appear in Clause 1(1)(a) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (1990 Act) from 1 October 2009, when the amendments made by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 come into effect, would not include dead human embryos or embryos of another species.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority advises that it has nothing to add to the definition set out in Clause 1(1)(a) of the 1990 Act, as amended.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 22 July 2008 (WA 243—45) and 3 June 2009 (WA 88), why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) does not hold data on the number of stem cell lines from HFEA licensed research projects deposited in the United Kingdom Stem Cell Bank, given that the HFEA's Head of Research Regulation indicated in a letter dated 5 September 2008 that the “inspection of research centres will
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA267
Lord Darzi of Denham: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority advises that it does not hold data on the number of stem cell lines derived from licensed research projects as it has no statutory obligation to do so.
Equality Bill
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer on 1 June by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (WA 23), whether they intend to seek the agreement of the Northern Ireland Executive for the Equality Bill to extend to Northern Ireland in relation to amendments to, and re-enactment of, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [HL4260]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: There is nothing further I can add to the Answer given on 1 June 2009 (Official Report, col. WA 23).
Finance Sector: Remuneration
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that recovery in the United Kingdom financial services sector will not lead to large increases in remuneration packages for senior directors. [HL4168]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Government are clear that the banking industry, both in the UK and globally, needs to develop sustainable long-term remuneration policies that take better account of risk.
The FSA has published a code of practice on remuneration, which it intends to add to the FSA handbook; the code is currently being consulted on and the FSA aims to have it in place for firms' 2009 remuneration review processes. In parallel, the Walker review is looking, among other things, at strengthening remuneration practices as part of improvements to corporate governance. Neither the FSA's work nor the Walker review are intended to dictate the quantum of remuneration, either for individuals or at the level of groups or institutions. This remains a matter for the boards and management, accountable to the institution's shareholders. Institutional shareholders are expected to take an active interest in the design and effectiveness of remuneration practices as part of fulfilling their stewardship responsibility to their clients.
UK Financial Investments (UKFI) is overseeing the remuneration conditions attached to subscribing to the Government's recapitalisation fund and working with RBS and Lloyds in the context of the asset protection scheme. UKFI has worked to ensure that
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA268
Gangmasters
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many successful prosecutions have been brought by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority since its inception; and what fines and other penalties were ordered to be paid. [HL4351]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) has carried out two successful prosecutions, both for operating as a gangmaster without a licence. In May 2008, a labour provider from Perth in Scotland was sentenced to 18 months probation and 140 hours community service for operating as a gangmaster without a licence and in May 2009 an Edinburgh recruitment firm was sentenced to a fine of £2001.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual cost of running the Gangmasters Licensing Authority; and what is the breakdown of those costs. [HL4352]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Gangmasters Licensing Authority's (GLA) running costs for the 2008-09 financial year were £1.368 million1. This covered the cost of the authority's licensing work and operating expenses. In addition to this, the GLA spent a further £2.041 million2 on enforcement which it undertakes on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Health: Bilateral Agreements
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government with which European Union countries they have bilateral agreements for the payment of costs for (a) United Kingdom pensioners, and (b) health services for all ages. [HL4256]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The United Kingdom currently has bilateral healthcare agreements with the following European economic area (EEA) member states: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. These agreements are in line with
23 Jun 2009 : Column WA269
Health: Former UK Residents
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government in (a) 2006—07, and (b) 2007—08, how much they paid to the Governments of (1) Latvia, (2) Poland, and (3) Lithuania, for healthcare for United Kingdom citizens in those countries; and how the figures were agreed. [HL4257]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The table below shows the actual cash payments the United Kingdom made to Latvia, Poland and Lithuania in 2006-07 and 2007-08. The payments represent reimbursement for healthcare provided to British citizens visiting, working or retired in these member states. Claims are submitted, determined and settled on the basis of EU Regulation (EC) 1408/71.
| Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |