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There is no need to include aviation in Clause 28 for the reasons stated above.

Government Departments: Budgets

Questions

Asked by Baroness Neville-Jones

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the budget of the National Security Secretariat for 2008-09; what it is for 2009-10; and what is the planned budget for 2010-11. [HL4288]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the budget of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat for 2008-09; what it is for 2009-10; and what is the planned budget for 2010-11. [HL4289]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the budget of the Directorate of Security and Intelligence for 2008-09; what it is for 2009-10; and what is the planned budget for 2010-11. [HL4290]

Baroness Crawley: The budget for the National Security Secretariat in 2008-09 was £2,786,000; the budget for 2009-10 is £3,573,000.

The budget for the Civil Contingencies Secretariat in 2008-09 was £10,544,000; the budget for 2009-10 is £9,746,750. Both figures include funding for the Emergency Planning College.

The budget for the Directorate of Security and Intelligence (DSI) in 2008-09 was £22,097,000, which included funding for the Central Sponsor for Information Assurance. In addition DSI is responsible for £24.6 million of expenditure on behalf of a number of departments for services provided by BBC Monitoring.

The budget for the Directorate of Security and Intelligence in 2009-10 is £7,343,250. In addition DSI is responsible for £24.6 million of expenditure on behalf of a number of departments for services provided by BBC Monitoring.

The planned Cabinet Office budget for 2010-11 is published in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2007-08. This has not yet been delegated to Cabinet Office directorates.

Asked by Baroness Neville-Jones

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the forecast expenditure by the Natural Hazards Team on work to protect critical infrastructure in (a) 2009-10, and (b) 2010-11. [HL4291]

Baroness Crawley: The Natural Hazards Team is allocated a budget of £400,000 per annum for 2009-10 and 2010-11 to cover its operational costs. This excludes the costs of any measures to improve the resilience of critical infrastructure to natural hazards which may be agreed as part of the programme of work.

29 Jun 2009 : Column WA14

Health: Cancer

Question

Asked by Earl Howe

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to incorporate into clinical practice the treatment guidelines presented in "UK guidelines for the systemic treatment of renal cell carcinoma" published in the British Journal of Hospital Medicine (May 2009, vol. 70, no. 5). [HL4449]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): There are currently no plans to incorporate these guidelines.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently issued guidance on the use of sunitinib for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. NICE is also currently appraising bevacizumab, sorafenib, temsirolimus, everolimus and pazopanib for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

NICE has also published two pieces of interventional procedures guidance on renal cancer, as well as its 2002 Improving Outcomes in Urological Cancers guidance, which addressed services and treatments for kidney cancer patients.

Health: Contaminated Blood Products

Questions

Asked by Lord Morris of Manchester

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 3 June (WA 92), what action Lord Darzi of Denham has taken since his assurance on 28 April (Official Report, House of Lords, col. 143) that he as a Minister would assist in securing a debate on the response to the Archer report; whether he asked or will ask for fulfilment of his assurance to be considered by the business managers and usual channels; and when the debate will take place. [HL4191]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): Further to my previous Answer to you on this matter on 3 June, the department has contacted the Whips' Office about a further debate on the Government's response to the Archer report. A decision on whether to hold such a debate remains a matter for the House business managers.

Asked by Lord Morris of Manchester

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 15 June (WA 179), whether they will now review the conditions under which the widow of a patient infected by contaminated NHS blood products becomes eligible for financial assistance. [HL4354]

Lord Darzi of Denham: I refer the noble Lord to my Answer on 15 June 2009 (Official Report, col. WA179).

29 Jun 2009 : Column WA15

Asked by Lord Morris of Manchester

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 June (WA 198), what meetings took place between officials at the Department of Health and the Macfarlane Trust to retrieve and record the correct data to ascertain the average levels of disbursements paid to infected beneficiaries prior to the publication of the ministerial response on 20 May to the report of the Independent Public Inquiry headed by Lord Archer of Sandwell; and what records of such meetings were kept. [HL4450]

Lord Darzi of Denham: Departmental officials did not meet the Macfarlane Trust to discuss financial or other details of the government response to Lord Archer's report, prior to the publication of that response.

Asked by Lord Morris of Manchester

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 June (WA 198), whether officials in the Department of Health suggested to the Association of British Insurers that the association hold meetings with officers of the Macfarlane Trust. [HL4453]

Lord Darzi of Denham: The department has not suggested to the Association of British Insurers that it should hold meetings with the MacFarlane Trust. The association is free to meet the trust if it chooses.

Asked by Lord Morris of Manchester

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 June (WA 198), why the ministerial response on 20 May to the report of the Independent Public Inquiry headed by Lord Archer of Sandwell stated that "the increased payments we are making available will help people infected with HIV to meet higher insurance premiums they may face" when officials were advised by the Association of British Insurers that it was not possible to calculate the total cost of life insurance provision for patients with HIV or hepatitis C or both by contaminated blood products as the premiums would vary for each individual and would be dependent on their particular circumstances. [HL4454]

Lord Darzi of Denham: As stated in the Government's response to the Archer report, we will be increasing the amount of financial relief to those infected with human immunodeficiency virus to £12,800 per annum. The Government's response did not state that these heightened levels of financial assistance would be sufficient to meet insurance premiums, but that individuals will be able to use this money to help meet their insurance premiums, should they so choose.

Health: Skin

Question

Asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the funding of the SunSmart campaign. [HL4401]

29 Jun 2009 : Column WA16

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): SunSmart, the national skin cancer prevention and sun protection campaign, is run by Cancer Research UK on behalf of the United Kingdom health departments which each contribute funding to the campaign. The Department of Health, England, currently provides £115,000 for 2009-10 under the provisions of Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968.

The Cancer Reform Strategy also made commitments to increase the funding available for skin awareness programmes and has provided additional money in 2008-09 and 2009-10 for national and local skin cancer initiatives.

Internet: Broadband

Question

Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their announcement that broadband internet would be provided throughout the United Kingdom is prompted by the European Commission's policy to provide such a service throughout the European Union; and whether any of the proposed £6 annual tax on all land line telephone accounts will be used to finance a European Union-wide system. [HL4555]

The Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of Barnes): The Government's announcement of a universal service commitment for broadband was the result of analysis that shows that broadband is fast becoming as essential as a utility and that it is important for all in the UK to be able to benefit from the advantages that broadband access can bring. We have worked hard in Europe to secure changes to the telecoms regulation framework that allow for the definition of universal service to encompass broadband. The proposed £6 annual levy on all fixed telephone lines is intended to provide a Next Generation Fund for the delivery of next generation, truly high speed, broadband to the final third of the UK that the market will not deliver to otherwise, and will not be used to finance European Union-wide system.

Iran

Question

Asked by Lord Avebury

To ask Her Majesty's Government in how many instances the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom did not receive a reply from the Government of Iran concerning allegations of human rights violations within her mandate, as documented in her most recent report to the United Nations Human Rights Council; what means are available to the Human Rights Council to persuade governments to give timely responses to matters submitted to them by the special procedures; and whether they will propose that a summary be published before meetings of the Human Rights Council of allegations to which there had been no response. [HL4302]

29 Jun 2009 : Column WA17

Lord Brett: UN member states are not privy to correspondence between individual member states and the UN Human Rights Council's special procedures. However, in an addendum to her report to the 10th session of the Human Rights Council, the special rapporteur details her correspondence with Iran including where she has and has not received replies to her concerns raised on various cases. This addendum can be found on the Human Rights Council website at http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G09/109/80/PDF/G0910980.pdf?OpenElement.

The UK has a standing invitation to UN special procedures, strongly believes that countries must co-operate with them for them to be able to work effectively, and we encourage co-operation whenever we can. The council has no means beyond such encouragement to persuade Governments to provide timely responses. As with the afore mentioned addendum, points raised by special procedures are usually covered in their regular reports.

Israel

Question

Asked by Lord Steinberg

To ask Her Majesty's Government what were (a) the total value of trade between Israel and the United Kingdom, and (b) the total value of exports from the United Kingdom to Israel, over the past three years. [HL4580]

The Minister for Trade and Investment (Lord Davies of Abersoch): The data requested are shown in the following table:

£ million	UK exports of goods to Israel	UK exports of services to Israel	UK imports of goods from Israel	UK imports of services from Israel
2006	1308	447	965	297
2007	1257	475	1045	305
2008	1337		1153

Sources: ONS monthly review of external trade statistics and UK Balance of Payments Pink Book

Geographical estimates of trade in services in 2008 are expected to be available at the end of July.

Lisbon Treaty

Question

Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether under Article 46A of the Lisbon treaty the European Union will have the power to make international treaties binding on its member states; and, if so, whether that will affect the royal prerogative in respect of making treaties and remove the necessity for ratification of them by Parliament. [HL4319]

Lord Brett: The Lisbon treaty would insert a new Article 46A into the Treaty on European Union (Article 47 in the consolidated version of the treaty) which provides that "the Union shall have legal personality".

29 Jun 2009 : Column WA18

Articles 216-219 of the consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Article 2(173) of the Lisbon Treaty) sets out the legal basis and procedures that would apply for negotiation and conclusion of international agreements between the Union and third countries or international organisations. There is no substantive change to the existing position. The European Community presently enters into international agreements within Community competence under the current Treaty establishing the European Community. The Treaty on European Union also provides for the conclusion of international agreements in Articles 24 and 38. Those agreements are given effect through legislation where that is needed to implement them and they create obligations at the EU level for the member states in those areas of competence.

In the same way such agreements concluded by the Union within its competences under the Treaty on European Union, and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union would be implemented through legislation where necessary and would create obligations for the member states at the Union level. Council decisions on the conclusion of agreements are currently subject to parliamentary scrutiny and that would continue to be the case under the treaties as amended by the Lisbon treaty.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to amend the remit of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. [HL4474]

The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): The Government have no plans to amend the remit of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Media: Salaries

Question

Asked by Lord Dykes

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider introducing legislation to provide for the disclosure of newspaper owners', managers' and journalists' salaries and emoluments. [HL4376]

The Minister for Trade and Investment (Lord Davies of Abersoch): Companies are already obliged to lodge their annual financial accounts with Companies House and we have no intention to add unnecessarily to the existing legislative burden. The noble Lord will be aware that all new legislation must be preceded by an impact test so if he has any evidence that suggests that the benefits of further legislation would indeed outweigh the disadvantages, then we would be pleased to consider it.

Local newspapers are currently facing a particularly difficult time as they make the structural changes that are necessary if they are to survive in a rapidly changing sector. The present economic climate, coupled with changes to the way that people choose to access news and other information, have placed the print media sector under unprecedented strain. Structural changes will inevitably involve a review of current working

29 Jun 2009 : Column WA19

patterns, which, among other things, will often lead to a reduction in the overall numbers employed. Such circumstances require proprietors to make some difficult commercial decisions and it would not be appropriate for government to intervene directly in this process. Nevertheless, we keenly understand the hardship caused by job losses and we recognise the need to work with the industry to alleviate this distress.

Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights

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