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The figures in the table below reflect the fact that European economic area (EEA) medical costs are typically submitted by EEA member states one to three and sometimes more, years in arrears. Payments made in one year do not necessarily relate to claims for that year nor do they reflect the full value of claims for that year.
| Payments by UK to Latvia, Poland and Lithuania underEU Regulation (EC) 1408/71 | ||
| Member State | 2006-07 Amount (£) | 2007-08 Amount (£) |
Independent Safeguarding Authority
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will be established and operational; and what is the budget for the ISA. [HL4247]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) was formally vested on 2 January 2008 and commenced operations in March 2008. The ISA's budget for 2009-10 is £12.9 million.
Legislation: Costs
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they keep full accounts that would show the total cost of preparing and bringing in any bill, including all departmental civil service, drafting, other legal and associated costs. [HL4146]
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The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon): The Government do not keep such accounts.
Mutual Recognition Regulation
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the main principles of the Mutual Recognition Regulation ((EC) 764/2008); and what assessment they have made of the impact of that regulation. [HL3958]
The Minister for Trade and Investment (Lord Davies of Abersoch): Regulation 764/2008 seeks to improve the operation of the principle of mutual recognition of goods, which already exists in EU law, whereby products which are lawfully on sale in one member state should be accepted in other member states' markets.
The regulation has two main elements. Firstly, it sets out a procedure national enforcement authorities must follow when deviating from the principle of mutual recognition. This requires them to clearly set out the justification for their action and allow a set time period for considering comments.
Secondly, the regulation requires member states to set up product contact points and to provide information to businesses on national technical rules which might create barriers to trade.
BIS has made an assessment of the impact of the regulation in the UK, which can be found at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48727.pdf, though it should be noted that most of the benefits to UK businesses will come from implementation in other member states. The Commission has published an impact assessment for the EU as a whole at http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/regulation/internal_market_package/docs/sec2007-112impactassessment_en.pdf.
NHS Trusts
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Chairmen of NHS trusts were removed from office in each of the past three years by the Secretary of State, or his agent, for (a) an unacceptable level of trust debt, (b) a negligent or avoidable failure in patient treatment care, and (c) inappropriate trust governance. [HL4349]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The Secretary of State has powers to appoint and terminate the appointment of National Health Service Trust chairs. These powers may be delegated by him to the Appointments Commission—an independent executive non-departmental public body.
In the past three years, there has been one chair termination, in 2006-07. The termination decision was made following a review of the case, which included evidence of inappropriate trust governance by the chair.
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NHS: Fracture Liaison Service
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that every hospital in England is linked to a Fracture Liaison Service. [HL4398]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to decide locally how best to commission services. We know that we need to support PCTs to improve services for people who suffer falls and fractures. Over the last year the department has worked closely with key stakeholders, including leading clinicians, charities and those who commission and provide services to develop a range of tools that we hope will drive local improvement.
The department's forthcoming prevention package for older people which is due to be published as part of the Government's forthcoming new strategy for an ageing population includes a renewed focus on best practice for commissioning falls prevention and care for people with fractures as well as a toolkit to help services improve.
Poland
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they give to black and Asian British citizens travelling to Poland in the light of recent experiences of persons reportedly subjected to racial abuse, harassment and threats of violence. [HL4232]
Lord Brett: There have been no reports in the Polish press of abuse, harassment or threatening behaviour being directed towards black or Asian British citizens in Poland. We see the risk of British citizens, irrespective of ethnic origin, being attacked in Poland as being negligible. We do not, therefore, have any plans to produce specific travel advice for black and Asian British citizens at this time. However, we constantly review our travel advice with our embassy in Poland and amend it when necessary.
Police: Databases
Questions
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals' images are stored by (a) the Metropolitan Police Force CO11 Public Order Branch, and (b) each other police force in England and Wales; and how many such images have been deleted over the past three years. [HL4155]
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many members of the House of Lords have their images stored on a police database. [HL4158]
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the name of the police database on which individuals' images are stored. [HL4160]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): There are a number of databases maintained by police forces and policing organisations with the capability of storing images. However, this information is not held centrally.
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria are used by police forces in deciding whether to retain an image on a database. [HL4156]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what rank of police officer decides whether to continue to store an image on a database. [HL4157]
Lord West of Spithead: The criteria and authority to decide whether to retain an image on a database is specific to the purpose for which the image is held, and therefore specific to each database. The number of databases held by police forces or policing organisations is not held centrally as this information may relate to an individual force or unit within a force. Guidelines on the retention of records are outlined in the Data Protection Act (1984 and 1998).
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (as amended) sets out the legal framework governing the retention and use of facial, scar mark and tattoo images, as well as fingerprint images, taken in accordance with that Act.
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty's Government how an individual knows whether their image is stored on the police database; and how they can appeal to have it deleted. [HL4159]
Lord West of Spithead: Police databases are regulated by a substantial body of legislation, primarily the Data Protection Act and the Code of Practice for the Management of Police Information. Under the Data Protection Act a member of the public is able to make a subject access request to determine whether data, including images, are held by a police force and the purpose for which that data is held. In addition it outlines procedures by which members of the public may appeal to have personal data deleted or rectified.
Prisons: Northern Ireland
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 1 June (WA 54) concerning the team appointed to review the equity monitoring service in relation to Northern Ireland prisons, why they did not provide the names in the Answer; who took the decision not to; and for what reason. [HL4261]
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Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The roles of the review team members were made public in the document. It is normal practice not to publish the names of Prison Service personnel unless this information is already in the public domain.
Railways: Bridges
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money has been spent on undertaking the Bridgeguard 3 programme (under EC Directives 85/3/ECC and 89/460ECC); whether the programme is complete; and how much money has been spent on it by (a) Network Rail, and (b) Highway Authorities. [HL4357]
The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): Bridgeguard 3 is a Network Rail programme to check the capacity of their road over rail bridge stock to carry 5-axle 40 tonne and 6-axle 44 tonne vehicles, pursuant to EC Directive 85/3 (and subsequent amending directives). There are approximately 9,300 overbridges owned and maintained by Network Rail, not all of which carry primary route network (PRN) roads.
Network Rail's costs in relation to Bridgeguard 3, and progress with the programme, are operational matters for Network Rail. The noble Lord should contact: Iain Coucher, Chief Executive, Network Rail, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG.
The Highways Agency's structures that carry motorways and trunk roads over railways do not fall under the Bridgeguard 3 programme, but have been addressed as part of the Highways Agency's own assessment and strengthening programmes, and costs are included in the overall expenditure figures. For older bridges there has been a large programme of structural assessment followed by strengthening of bridges where necessary. Total costs are estimated to be about £777 million overall, including an allowance for future costs. Expenditure to the end of 2007 was about £651 million from this total estimate.
The management of the local road network in England, including maintenance of its bridges, is the responsibility of local highway authorities. The Department for Transport provides funding to English local authorities, outside London, for highway maintenance through its local transport plan settlement allocations, and through specific funding for maintenance for structures, including bridge strengthening, on the PRN.
Highways matters outside England are a matter for the devolved Administrations. In London, they are a matter for the mayor.
Railways: Freight
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the scope for reviving the former central railway freight line from the north and midlands to southern England. [HL4378]
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The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): The Government's strategy for developing the freight capability of the rail network is set out in “Strategic Freight Network: The Longer-Term Vision”, which is published on the Department for Transport website at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/strategyfinance/strategy/freightnetwork/.
The Government remain unconvinced of the viability of proposals to reinstate part of the former Great Central Railway as a rail freight-only line.
Safety Standards
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are plans to work with European counterparts in the hospitality industry to strengthen hotel safety standards. [HL3978]
The Minister for Trade and Investment (Lord Davies of Abersoch): The Government have no formal plans to work with European counterparts on hotel safety standards. The British Hospitality Association is involved, through its European association, in working with the European Council in respect of Recommendation 86/666/EEC, which relates to hotel fire safety.
Smoking
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to increase taxation on tobacco products in order to fund the cleaning of litter caused by such products. [HL4313]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Government have no plans to hypothecate tax revenues from tobacco duties to fund the clearing of litter.
Voluntary Organisations: Funding
Questions
Asked by Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope
To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they provide to voluntary bodies and other local organisations supporting volunteers who are facing reductions in public funding for their projects. [HL4100]
Baroness Crawley: In response to hearing concerns of a range of third sector organisations, unprecedented support is being given to the third sector during the economic downturn.
The Real Help for Communities: Volunteers, Charities and Social Enterprises package of measures includes support for volunteers, grants to small organisations and support for jobs and loans to assist partnership
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Asked by Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope
To ask Her Majesty's Government what national sources of funding are available to voluntary bodies and local organisations supporting volunteers. [HL4101]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to fund voluntary bodies and organisations supporting volunteers over the next three years. [HL4102]
Baroness Crawley: The Government are committed to supporting an environment for a thriving third sector and provides funding and support to a wide range of third sector organisations, including community groups, registered charities and social enterprises. The Office of the Third Sector leads on this work and between 2008-11 will be investing up to £515 million to support third sector organisations. This includes an investment of up to £137 million on programmes to support volunteering.
In addition this year's Budget saw the announcement of a £16.7 million Hardship Fund for third sector organisations delivering services to people that have been affected by the recession. The fund builds on the up to £42.5 million announced in the February 2009
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