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In addition, other EU institutions and bodies which are not based in the UK are also entitled to certain privileges and immunities under the terms of the European Communities Act 1972.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Question
Asked by Lord Baker of Dorking
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to freeze the level of the education maintenance allowance in 2009-10; and whether it will be increased in 2010-11 and 2011-12. [HL4798]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): We currently have no plans to increase the level of the education maintenance allowance. EMA is an incentive paid direct to young people to encourage them to participate in post compulsory learning. We have no evidence to suggest the current rate of payment does not provide the required incentive. Since it was introduced participation in post-16 learning has increased each year. EMA is not designed to meet
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Gurkhas
Questions
Asked by Lord Selkirk of Douglas
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider increasing the pension for Gurkhas who served prior to 1997 to a level equal to other British army soldiers with the same length of service from 1 April 2010. [HL4748]
The Minister for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): It has been the policy of successive Governments not to implement changes to pensions and similar benefits retrospectively. This policy has been applied across the public sector in the United Kingdom, not just to Gurkha veterans. To do so now would not only be counter to this policy but would also lead to potential claims from other groups in public sector schemes.
The Gurkha pension scheme pays pensions earlier than the Armed Forces pension scheme. This is because Gurkhas are unlikely to work again in Nepal unlike their British counterparts, in the UK. For example, a Gurkha rifleman or corporal with 15 years (approximately 85 per cent of those receiving GPS payments) can claim an immediate pension (from age 33) whereas equivalent service under the AFPS would not attract pension payments until age 60. Like any pension scheme, the earlier the benefits are paid the lower the annual payment.
It has been estimated that the cost of increasing the annual pension payments for Gurkhas who served prior to 1 July 1997 to the amount received by their UK equivalents would be £1.5 billion over 20 years.
Asked by Lord Selkirk of Douglas
To ask Her Majesty's Government what the estimated cost would be of increasing the future pensions of Gurkhas who served prior to 1997 to a level equal to other British Army soldiers of the same rank. [HL4752]
Baroness Taylor of Bolton: It has been estimated that the cost of increasing the pensions for Gurkhas who served prior to 1 July 1997 to the amount received by their UK equivalents would be £1.5 billion over 20 years.
The Gurkha pension scheme pays pensions earlier than the Armed Forces pension scheme. This is because Gurkhas are unlikely to work again in Nepal unlike their British counterparts, in the UK. For example, a Gurkha rifleman or corporal with 15 years (approximately 85 per cent of those receiving GPS payments) can claim an immediate pension (from age 33) whereas equivalent service under the AFPS would not attract pension payments until age 60. Like any pension scheme, the earlier the benefits are paid the lower the annual payment.
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Housing: Second Homes
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Holbeach
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of rural dwellings are taxed as second homes in each of the regions of England and Wales; and what are the equivalent figures for coastal areas. [HL4660]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): Details of the percentage of rural dwellings registered as second homes for council tax purposes in each of the regions of England or in coastal areas are not collected centrally.
Data for Wales are a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.
Iran
Questions
Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United States about its proscription of the National Council of Resistance of Iran; and what was the response. [HL4667]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): We have made no representation to the US Government about their proscription of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The status of any organisation in another country is a matter for the authorities of that country.
Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they and other European Union member states have agreed sanctions against the Government of Iran in response to its recent action against protesters. [HL4668]
Lord Malloch-Brown: The EU has made clear its serious concerns about the Iranian authorities' response to the legitimate demonstrations that followed the Iranian elections. In a declaration on 19 June 2009, the EU condemned the use of violence against protesters. On 28 June 2009 the EU condemned the continued arrest and detention of peaceful demonstrators.
No sanctions have been agreed by the EU in response to the recent actions. We continue to monitor the situation in Iran closely.
Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of demonstrators shot by state forces in Iran and of the circumstances surrounding the death of female student Neda Soltan during a protest. [HL4669]
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Lord Malloch-Brown: On 20 June 2009, Iranian state media confirmed that at least 21 people had been killed and many more injured during post-election clashes. It has not been possible for us to conduct an independent assessment of the total number of protesters who have been killed.
The death of Ms Neda Soltani was captured on video and widely circulated on the internet. Accusations by the Iranian regime that foreign governments or media organisations were responsible are without foundation.
We have made it clear that we deplore the post-electoral violence which has led to the loss of lives of Iranian civilians. We urge Iran to respect fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression.
Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations directly or through the United Nations concerning the Ayatollah Khatami's public demand that leaders of the current protests in Iran must be executed. [HL4670]
Lord Malloch-Brown: We are extremely concerned by reports that the Iranian Government have set up special courts to deal with those arrested and have threatened harsh sentences. Ayatollah Khatami's comments are absolutely unacceptable and we urge the Iranian authorities to guarantee the lives and rights of those arrested in the post-election violence. These individuals must be protected from torture or ill-treatment, allowed access to their families, lawyers and any necessary medical treatment.
Along with our EU partners, we have strongly supported UN statements voicing grave concern about the use of excessive police force, arbitrary arrests and killings in the Islamic Republic of Iran and urging the Government fully to guarantee freedom of expression and assembly throughout the country.
Kenya
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they have given to the government of Kenya in forming before the end of August 2009 a special tribunal to try the perpetrators of the post-election unrest. [HL4791]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The UK has been the leading donor to the Kofi Annan mediation process (£1.4 million over two years). This included support to the Waki Commission, which recommended the establishment of a special tribunal to try the perpetrators of the post-election unrest.
We continue to urge the Kenyan Government to establish a credible, independent tribunal with a strong international element, to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the violence that followed the 2007 elections. I raised this most recently with the
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Ministry of Justice
Question
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to move the offices of the Ministry of Justice outside London. [HL4639]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): The Ministry of Justice is, in line with government policies on relocating Civil Service jobs out of central London, investigating the feasibility of establishing a new location for a regional administrative headquarters.
We are working to identify the most cost-effective means of providing support and administrative services for the ministry and we will be co-ordinating this work with other government departments. As soon as we have reached a decision, the Justice Secretary will inform Parliament.
Northern Ireland Office
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Northern Ireland Office checks which other organisations are funding a project when it is considering funding the same project. [HL4622]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: When the Northern Ireland Office, including the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland but excluding its agencies and executive NDPBs, receives a request for project funding, all funding issues are reviewed before a decision is taken to make a contribution either to fully fund, part fund or co-fund the project.
Ofsted
Question
Asked by Baroness Perry of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of Her Majesty's Ofsted inspectors are qualified teachers with teaching experience. [HL4387]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the noble Baroness and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
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Pensions
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HM Treasury will publish an annual pensions statement showing national insurance contributions and pensions paid out. [HL4642]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Government Actuary Department publishes an annual report on the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating) Order. This report includes estimates for payments from and receipts into the National Insurance Fund. The most recent report was published by the Government's Actuary Department in January 2009.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any relationship between employment levels and the provision of pensions by the state. [HL4644]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any relationship between tax incentive schemes which aim to increase employment and the provision of pensions by the state. [HL4645]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The requested information is not available.
However, the Government recognise that increasing employment and reducing unemployment and inactivity are key to driving economic growth and improving prosperity.
Work, for those who can, remains the best and most sustainable route out of poverty. We continue to target extra resources on people who are at the greatest disadvantage while being careful not to reduce their incentives to work.
The Government understand the importance of a balance between the working and retired populations so that the state pensions system can continue to be supported. That is why the reform programme outlined in the Pensions Acts of 2007 and 2008 is vital for the long-term sustainability of the system. Gradually raising the state pension age means that pensioners will account for just over a fifth of the population from 2025, a proportion that remains broadly stable to 2055.
The reforms strike a balance between protection from poverty and encouraging saving, in a way that is sustainable for tax payers.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on retired teachers of their pensions authority's reduction in pensions payments of up to 12 per cent to compensate for previous overpayments. [HL4812]
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To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they will take to alleviate any hardship faced by retired teachers as a result of the reduction in their pensions of up to 12 per cent. [HL4813]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): It is not possible to assess the individual income of affected members, and therefore the impact of the pension reduction, because the teachers' pension may provide only a small percentage of the teacher pensioner's income. All teacher pensioners received a 5 per cent increase in their pension from April 2009, which was taken into account in determining the timing of their reduction.
The teachers' pension administrator has issued guidance to all affected teacher pensioners living in the UK containing details of different agencies that can offer help and support. Pensioners who had the largest percentage reduction in pension were also offered a visit from the Department for Work and Pensions to review whether they are entitled to further benefits.
Police: Northern Ireland
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 24 June (WA 291) which indicated that the threat from dissident republicans remains consistently more serious than at any time in the past five years, what extra funding and resources are being made available to the Police Service of Northern Ireland to deal with that threat. [HL4676]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Government have recently provided the chief constable with access to an additional £28.7 million in 2009-10 to meet the dissident threat with the bid for 2010-11 to be considered at a later stage.
This reflects the commitment the Prime Minister and Secretary of State made to ensure that the chief constable has the resources he needs made available to him to meet the dissident threat.
Railways: Heart of Wales
Question
Asked by Lord Livsey of Talgarth
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the Heart of Wales railway line is fully operational, including the passing loops which are out of use. [HL4702]
The Secretary of State for Transport (Lord Adonis): Network Rail is funded to maintain the steady state of the rail network in terms of the capability and capacity of the network. The independent Office of Rail Regulation
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