| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Juveniles are given special consideration under the Security Industry Authority (SIA) criteria and are treated more leniently than older offenders. This applies on a sliding scale according to age for offenders aged from under 10 to 17 years. The SIA will operate in Northern Ireland as it does in the rest of the UK.
Energy: Light Bulbs
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a regulatory impact assessment was conducted before the enforcement of the European Union directive (2005/323/EC) phasing out inefficient incandescent electric light bulbs. [HL5524]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Davies of Oldham): As an implementing measure under the EU's Eco-design for Energy-using Products Framework Directive, Regulation 244/2009, which entered into force on 18 March 2009, sets minimum standards on non-directional household lamps.
A UK impact assessment was carried out and is available at http://www.ialibrary.berr.gov.uk/ImpactAssessment/?IAID= a8adb0acf49a44c5a6936c688cc5f761.
Equality Bill
Question
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, for the purposes of Clause 14 of the Equality Bill, a person disabled by both physical and mental impairment should be treated as having one relevant
19 Oct 2009 : Column WA39
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon): Clause 14 provides for those who have experienced less favourable treatment because of a combination of two relevant protected characteristics to bring a claim. The protected characteristics which may be combined are age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Clause 14 is therefore relevant where a claimant experiences less favourable treatment because of a combination of two different protected characteristics, such as disability and race or disability and gender.
If a person is disabled by both physical and mental impairments, these impairments should be treated as the protected characteristic of disability with respect to any claims for discrimination that they may wish to make. Should a person experience less favourable treatment because of one or more physical or mental impairments, they can submit one or more disability discrimination claims. Even though a single claim may involve a number of impairments, provided that the person met the definition of a disabled person, in that those impairments had a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities, this would be treated as disability discrimination.
EU: Military Headquarters
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty's Government following the opinion expressed by the French Defence Minister, Herve Morin, in Le Monde on 25 September that the European Union will have a permanent military headquarters in Brussels, what their attitude is towards such a development. [HL5555]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): The UK sees no justification for a permanent EU military headquarters in Brussels, which would be a duplication of existing capability and an unnecessary use of resources.
Seven options already exist for operational level command and control of EU operations. Through recourse to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) assets and capabilities, the EU has access to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and all other NATO headquarters-the EU military operation in Bosnia is currently being commanded from SHAPE. For operations not using NATO resources, the European Council agreed in March 2004 that "regarding the conduct of autonomous EU military operations, the main option for this will be national HQs, which can be multi-nationalised for the purpose of conducting an EU-led operation".
Five EU member states have declared national facilities as available to plan and command EU-led military operations: Northwood (UK), Mont Valerien (France), Potsdam (Germany), Rome (Italy) and Larissa (Greece).
19 Oct 2009 : Column WA40
The multinational HQ at Northwood is currently commanding the EU counterpiracy operation ATALANTA. Mont Valerien and Potsdam have also been used to command EU operations in Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively.
On a case by case basis, the EU also has the option of standing up an operations centre to run certain types of missions, in particular where a joint civil-military response is required and where no national headquarters is identified, but this is not a standing military headquarters.
Food: Halal Meat
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects on consumers of halal meat of legislation in Norway, Sweden and Switzerland forbidding the slaughter of animals by throat-cutting. [HL5497]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Davies of Oldham): No assessment has been made of the effects of the legislation in Norway, Sweden and Switzerland forbidding the slaughter of animals by throat cutting on UK consumers of halal meat.
Gaza
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government following the recent report of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Gaza conflict, whether they will discuss with other United Nations member states the possibility of requesting reparations from Israel for damage done to the infrastructure of Gaza during the conflict. [HL5489]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): The issue of reparations for damage caused to Gaza's infrastructure during the Gaza conflict is raised in the recommendations of the report of the UN fact-finding mission on Gaza. The report was discussed by the UN Security Council on 14 October 2009, in the context of wider discussion on the situation in the Middle East. It will also be discussed further by the Human Rights Council.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Israel to implement the recommendations of the recent report of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Gaza conflict. [HL5490]
Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: My right honourable friend the Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu on 18 September 2009 and again on
19 Oct 2009 : Column WA41
We have made clear that, while the Goldstone report has its flaws, there are serious allegations against both Hamas and Israel. Israel has undertaken a number of investigations. But we do not believe these have yet adequately addressed the concerns. We urge Israel to investigate allegations fully and credibly to ensure that there is full accountability for any breaches of local or international law.
To ask Her Majesty's Government following the report of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Gaza conflict, what discussions they will hold with the Hamas administration in Gaza. [HL5491]
Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: We do not plan to hold any discussions with Hamas. The UK, together with other EU states, does not believe it is productive to engage directly with Hamas while it remains committed to violence. To do so would undermine those Palestinians committed to peace.
We have long made clear that Hamas's use of indiscriminate rocket attacks against the people of southern Israel is unacceptable. Justice Goldstone raised concerns about this in his report. We continue to call on Hamas to renounce the use of violence.
To ask Her Majesty's Government following the report of the United Nations Environment Programme on the environmental consequences of the Gaza conflict, what action they will take to work with the international community to address the collapsing water table in Gaza. [HL5493]
Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: As the UN Environmental Programme report highlights, the aquifer underneath Gaza is being unsustainably exploited. This results in the water table dropping in areas where abstraction is greatest, with significant salt water intrusion. Damage to the aquifer is compounded by seepage from over-stretched sewage treatment infrastructure, the maintenance of which has suffered as a result of the access restrictions, and which has been further degraded by the recent Gaza conflict.
We take the damage to the aquifer seriously. A sustainable solution to water use in the region will have to be an important part of peace negotiations, which we are working to promote. We also seek to address the immediate problem by supporting non-governmental organisations and UN agencies to provide clean water to the population of Gaza and pressing the Government of Israel to allow basic goods into Gaza, including the materials to repair sewage and water treatment plant.
19 Oct 2009 : Column WA42
Government Initiatives: Advertising
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government which initiatives by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its agencies were advertised in each of the past five years; how much was spent on each; and which used the services of the Central Office of Information. [HL5506]
Lord Davies of Oldham: DCMS has incurred the following spend on advertising between 2004-05 and 2008-09.
| Year | Spend | Campaign |
The Royal Parks Agency has incurred the following spend on advertising between 2004-05 and 2008-09. It has not used the services of COI.
| Year | Spend | Campaign |
To ask Her Majesty's Government which initiatives by the Ministry of Defence and its agencies were advertised in each of the past five years; how much was spent on each; and which used the services of the Central Office of Information. [HL5507]
The Minister for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): Figures for advertising spend are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information is available on the advertising spend delivered using the services of
19 Oct 2009 : Column WA43
| Financial Year | Recruitment advertising spending by Service (£ million) | |||
| Navy | Army | RAF | Civil Service* | |
*Central figures for the Civil Service are available only from June 2007, and are recorded by calendar year. The "to date" figure for 2009 is 1.5 million.
| Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |