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| NIO and Executive Agencies Financial Year 2008-09 | |
| Management | |
Pollution: Airborne Particles
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average number of years lost per person in England and Wales who dies prematurely from short-, medium- or long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10). [HL5685]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Davies of Oldham): Calculations carried out for the review of the UK air quality strategy (www.defra. gov.uk/environment/quality/air/airquality/publications/stratreview-analysis/index.htm) estimated that, if all man-made fine particulate matter (PM2.5) present in the UK in 2005 were removed for the lifetime of people born in 2005, the average life expectancy per person would be 7 to 8 months greater than if the level of man-made PM2.5 had remained at 2005 levels for a lifetime.
The above calculation represents the effect of long-term exposure to fine particles. A similar calculation has not been done for PM10 since the evidence that it is a good metric for representing the effect of long-term exposure is much weaker than for PM2.5. (www. advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/pdfs/finallongtermeffectsmort2009report.pdf).
Studies of short-term exposure to PM10 do suggest a link with increased mortality but the studies do not give direct information on the life lost per person. It is thought that those affected are probably already seriously ill but that many of the deaths are brought forward by several months, rather than just days or weeks.
There are too few studies of the effects of medium term exposure for calculations such as those above to be made.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their calculation, based on the latest advice from the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (using a six per cent coefficient for all-cause mortality), of the number of people who died prematurely in Greater London in 2005 as a result of short-, medium- or long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10). [HL5686]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their calculation, based on the latest advice from the Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants for sensitivity analyses (assuming a 12 per cent and a 15 per cent coefficient for all-cause mortality), of the number of people who died prematurely in Greater London in 2005 as a result of short-, medium- or long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10). [HL5687]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The specified coefficients relate only to the effects of long-term exposure.
Calculations on the health impact of long-term exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) in Greater London will be done as part of a forthcoming supplement to the report of the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants on Long-term Exposure to Air Pollution: Effect on Mortality (www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/COMEAP/pdfs/finallongtermeffectsmort2009report.pdf.
The main results will be expressed in terms of effect on life expectancy, as this is more appropriate with regard to long-term exposure. However, there is also likely to be discussion on changes in the numbers of deaths over time.
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Sierra Leone: Visas
Question
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect on citizens of Sierra Leone of the decision to cease issuing visas in Freetown; and what is the estimated annual saving achieved by that decision. [HL5660]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The UK Border Agency continues to issue visas in Freetown, Sierra Leone. All applicants in Sierra Leone continue to be able to submit their applications and collect appropriate documentation in Freetown. Responsibility for decision-making on visas, however, has been transferred to Banjul as part of the UK Border Agency's "hub and spoke programme". This is a global strategy to improve the quality and consistency of visa decision-making by consolidating decision-making in a regional hub, thus allowing consideration of an application in a different location from that in which it was registered.
The change was primarily driven by the need to improve the consistency of decision quality by transferring it to a larger specialist team in Banjul. However, we expect there will be an estimated annual saving of around £60,000.
Universities: Officer Training Corps
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government in light of the suspension of training for the University Officer Training Corps (UOTC), how many officers from the UOTC they expect will go to Sandhurst in (a) two, (b) three, and (c) four years' time. [HL5891]
The Minister for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): The number of officers from UOTC expected to go to Sandhurst in two, three, and four years' time can only be estimated. It is estimated that the number of officers for each period will be 346.
The estimates are created from an average of the historical data of UOTC numbers starting at Sandhurst on both the Regular Commissioning Course and the Territorial Army Commissioning Course from 2006-08.
Training activity for the UOTC has not been suspended and it is hoped that the majority of UOTC core training activity will continue on a voluntary basis. Undergraduates and instructors will continue to be reimbursed for travel and subsistence costs. Non-core training activities may also continue on a voluntary basis at the discretion of commanding officers subject to the availability of volunteer instructors.
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Worker Registration Scheme
Question
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are registered under the Worker Registration Scheme in respect of each of the European Union accession countries. [HL5729]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Not all European Union accession countries' workers need to register
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Information for quarter two 2009 is available via the following at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/immiq209.pdf.
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