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14 Jan 2010 : Column WA167
14 Jan 2010 : Column WA167
14 Jan 2010 : Column WA167
Thursday 14 January 2010
Alcohol
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to charge those who require National Health Service treatment due to the regular consumption of alcohol. [HL951]
Baroness Thornton: None. The founding principle of the National Health Service is that access to services is based on clinical need and is free of charge, a principle recently reconfirmed in the NHS Constitution, except in limited circumstances where charges are expressly sanctioned by Parliament, for example for prescription charges.
Chief of the General Staff
Question
Asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
To ask Her Majesty's Government what lump sum was paid to Sir Richard Dannatt on his retirement as Chief of the General Staff; and whether that payment was enhanced for any reason. [HL956]
The Minister for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): Sir Richard Dannatt was awarded a terminal grant and pension commensurate with his rank and length of service. The amounts awarded are considered personal data and are therefore protected from disclosure under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Climate Change: Copenhagen Conference
Question
Asked by Lord Browne of Madingley
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether further countries will sign the Copenhagen Accord; and whether they have taken steps to encourage other nations to sign up before the 31 January deadline for submission of emission-reduction plans. [HL1135]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): On 11 January the UN Secretary-General held a meeting in New York to discuss climate change priorities following the Copenhagen conference. The majority of interventions at that meeting either welcomed the Copenhagen Accord or recognised it as a building block to a future legally binding treaty.
The UK wholeheartedly associates itself with the Copenhagen Accord and will be writing to the UN to
14 Jan 2010 : Column WA168
We will be encouraging others to show the same level of support and urging all parties, including the EU, to show maximum ambition in their submissions to the appendices to the accord by 31 January.
Constable of the Tower of London
Questions
Asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
To ask Her Majesty's Government who advises the Prime Minister prior to him making a recommendation to HM The Queen on the appointment of the Constable of the Tower of London. [HL953]
To ask Her Majesty's Government who has served as Constable of the Tower of London since 1979; and what have been their qualifications for appointment to the post. [HL954]
The Minister for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): The Secretary of State for Defence makes the recommendation to the Prime Minister after seeking advice from the current service Chiefs of Staff.
Since 1784 and in accordance with Queen's Regulations for the Army, the ceremonial office of Constable of the Tower of London has been conferred on a retired senior military officer. Since 1979, the following former Chiefs of the Defence Staff and/or Chiefs of the General Staff have been appointed as constables.
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Control Orders
Question
Asked by Baroness Neville-Jones
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been paid in each type of benefit to people subject to control orders in each year since control orders were introduced. [HL822]
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 other than at disproportionate cost.
14 Jan 2010 : Column WA169
Democratic Republic of Congo
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that during the Kimia II operation in North Kivu 7,000 women have been raped, 900,000 people have been forced from their homes and 6,000 homes have been burnt down; and what representations they have made to the Governments of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda about pursuing political initiatives and a sustained peace process over further military offensives, such as Operation Amani Leo. [HL1151]
Lord Brett: The Government agree that significant human rights abuses were committed during Operation Kimia II, although precise numbers are very difficult to verify in an area such as Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We regularly raise the issue of civilian protection with the Government of DRC, and were instrumental in the renewal of the United Nations peacekeeping force in the DRC (MONUC) mandate, with its sharper focus on protection of civilians. We fully support the decision by MONUC to withdraw support from the Congolese military (FARDC) units which commit serious human rights abuses, and continue to press the Government of DRC to take action against any members of the DRC armed forces who commit such abuses.
We continue to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict, for example by supporting the voluntary disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration of Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda combatants, which has been successful in encouraging some of these combatants to lay down their arms.
We agree that long-term peace in DRC depends on good relations between the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda. There are signs of improvements in these relations and DRC made a welcome exchange of ambassadors with Rwanda in 2008 and Uganda in early 2009. Through our ambassador in Kinshasa, and High Commissioners in Kigali and Kampala we continue to support co-operation between the states.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will continue to review whether to appoint a special envoy for the African Great Lakes region to report on cross-border human rights issues, including ethnic tensions and cross-border military activity. [HL1152]
Lord Brett: At this point in time, we are content that we have sufficient coverage and leverage in the region to pursue our objectives of improving conflict situations and the quality of governance throughout Africa. This has been provided through the work of our posts in the region and by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.
14 Jan 2010 : Column WA170
Embryology
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 7 January 2008 (WA 151) and Baroness Thornton on 9 November 2009 (WA 111), whether the explanation for the inaccuracy in the figures given by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) chief executive in his letter on 9 November 2009 was also provided to the unidentified author of a letter to the HFEA on 18 September 2006; if not, why such an explanation was not given; and what alternative response was provided. [HL969]
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 7 January 2008 (WA 151) and Baroness Thornton on 9 November 2009 (WA 111), why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) supplied incorrect figures in response to the Freedom of Information request (F-2005-00134) regarding research licence R0152, given that the person responsible for that licence indicated in writing to Lord Alton of Liverpool on 4 September 2007 that accurate data were provided to the HFEA and records were checked by the HFEA when the licence was reviewed. [HL970]
To ask Her Majesty's Government with regard to a letter from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's legal advisor on 7 December 2009 describing the volume of correspondence about the use of eggs under research licence R0152, how many members of the press requested such information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; what response was provided to each of those applicants; how many letters or telephone calls were exchanged between members of the HFEA on that subject; how many were exchanged with external authorities; and what proportion of the HFEA's time was spent dealing with such enquiries. [HL971]
Baroness Thornton: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the author of the September 2006 letter has been provided with a copy of the letter sent to the noble Lord, by the HFEA's chief executive, on 9 November 2009.
In the November letter, the HFEA's chief executive stated that information relating to research licence R0122 was mistakenly included in the authority's response to the freedom of information request (F-2005-00134) as data relating to research licence R0152. The HFEA has advised that it has nothing further to add to the information given in that letter.
The HFEA has also advised that it has received a number of enquiries from the press about the use of eggs under research licence R0152. Only one such enquiry was made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The response to that enquiry concerned the number of eggs used between August 2004 and November 2005 and the regulatory oversight of the research licence.
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I have asked the HFEA to examine all records of correspondence and telephone communications concerning the use of eggs under research licence R0152 and to let me have the information requested by the noble Lord. The volume of documentation to be examined is substantial but the HFEA will endeavour to complete this within 20 working days, which is the statutory time period prescribed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I will write to the noble Lord in due course and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Energy: Electricity Generation
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to assess the Wave Hub project for electricity generation off the coast of Cornwall. [HL654]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Government formally assessed the business case for the Wave Hub project early last year to ensure value for money to the taxpayer. Construction on the project began in late 2009 and is due for completion in August 2010 with the first wave energy devices expected to be deployed in 2011. The project's progress is being monitored and will be assessed by funders (including Government) in the normal way once it is complete.
Energy: Supply Forecast
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what forecast they have made of the demand for and supply of energy between 2015 and 2020. [HL546]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): It is assumed that the question refers to future UK demand and supply. The latest energy projections are those published as part of the Low Carbon Transition Plan, July 2009. The table shows the central case projection of UK total primary energy demand by fuel for the years 2015 to 2020. The total supply of each fuel will equal total demand.
| UK Primary Energy Demand, Million Tonnes of Oil Equivalent | ||||||
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