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The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): Since 13 December 2009, my ministerial colleagues have discussed the issues arising from the UK's arrest warrant procedure in cases where there is universal jurisdiction with Israeli Ministers. Since this issue has been in the media, Government officials have also been asked by US and EU counterparts for updates about the issue, which we have provided.
Korea
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will propose co-hosting with the government of South Korea an international summit on human rights on the Korean peninsula. [HL1947]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): We have no plans to co-host with the Government of South Korea a summit on human rights in the Korean peninsula. We regularly participate in international meetings on human rights. Last week, our embassy in Seoul participated at the International Donor Conference on North Korea at which human rights were discussed. Chatham House is proposing to hold a human security conference in North Korea later this year which we will attend and support.
Marine Environment: British Indian Ocean Territory
Question
Asked by Lord Wallace of Saltaire
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the declaration of a Marine Protected Area in the British Indian Ocean Territory would impose limits on the operation of the United States/United Kingdom base on Diego Garcia. [HL1954]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): A decision on whether to establish a Marine Protected Area the British Indian Ocean Territory has not yet been taken.
The use of the facility on Diego Garcia is governed by a series of Exchange of Notes between the UK and US and imposes treaty obligations on both parties. Because of these treaty obligations, we have been discussing the possible creation of a marine protected area with the US. Neither we nor the US would want the creation of a marine protected area to have any impact on the operational capability of the base on Diego Garcia. For this reason, and as has been set out in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office public consultation document, it may be necessary to consider the exclusion of Diego Garcia and its three-mile territorial waters from any marine protected area.
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National Identity Register
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Attorney General has a National Identity Card; and, if so, on what date she was enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1496]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Home Secretary and ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1497]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1498]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Justice and ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1499]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister has a National Identity Card; and, if so, on what date he was enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1500]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The Identity & Passport Service holds in confidence on the National Identity Register personal information about who has been issued with an identity card. Under Section 27 of the Identity Cards Act, it is not permissible for the Home Office to disclose or verify information from any individual's record on the National Identity Register in this manner.
Section 27 of the Identity Cards Act only permits disclosure or verification of such information in certain circumstances, for example to an organisation that is prescribed under Sections 17-20 of the Act, or one that is approved under Section 12 of the Act and has obtained the individual's consent to obtain that information.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other ministers in HM Treasury have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1698]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1699]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Transport and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards;
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To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for International Development and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1701]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Defence and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1702]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and other ministers in her department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1703]
Lord West of Spithead: The Identity & Passport Service holds in confidence on the National Identity Register personal information about who has been issued with an identity card. Under Section 27 of the Identity Cards Act, it is not permissible for the Home Office to disclose or verify information from any individual's record on the National Identity Register in this manner.
Section 27 of the Identity Cards Act only permits disclosure or verification of such information in certain circumstances, for example to an organisation that is prescribed under Sections 17 to 20 of the Act or one that is approved under Section 12 of the Act and has obtained the individual's consent to obtain that information.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1713]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Health and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1714]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1715]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1716]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and other ministers in his department have National Identity Cards; and, if so, on what dates they were enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1717]
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To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Leader of the House of Commons has a National Identity Card; and, if so, on what date she was enrolled on the National Identity Register. [HL1718]
Lord West of Spithead: The Identity & Passport Service holds in confidence on the National Identity Register personal information about who has been issued with an identity card. Under Section 27 of the Identity Cards Act, it is not permissible for the Home Office to disclose or verify information from any individual's record on the National Identity Register in this manner.
Section 27 of the Identity Cards Act only permits disclosure or verification of such information in certain circumstances, for example to an organisation that is prescribed under Sections 17 to 20 of the Act or one that is approved under Section 12 of the Act and has obtained the individual's consent to obtain that information.
NHS: Primary Care Trusts
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what deadline they have set for primary care trusts in England to complete their Commissioners' Investment and Asset Management Strategies; what assessment they have made of whether trusts will submit their strategies on time; and whether they will penalise any trusts that do not have a complete strategy in place by the deadline. [HL1971]
Baroness Thornton:Enabling New patterns of Provision (DH, January 2009) requires primary care trusts (PCTs) to agree with their strategic health authority (SHA) a clear and realistic strategy for the future of the community estate by 31 March 2010. The performance of PCTs in meeting requirements set by national guidance in this way is managed by SHAs.
Enabling New Patterns of Provision has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/index.htm.
North Korea: Human Rights
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the answer by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2 February (HL Deb, col 114), what assessment they have made of claims that significant amounts of dollars have been laundered through banks in Switzerland and Luxembourg by leaders of the North Korean regime. [HL1877]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Government are not able to comment on matters of intelligence. However the Government
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It should also be noted that in 2009 the UK signed up to further sanctions against North Korea under UN Resolution 1874, placing restrictions on financial institutions providing services to North Korea and requiring enhanced vigilance by member states. While aimed at reducing the threat from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, such measures also serve to strengthen international anti-money laundering controls.
Northern Ireland Office: Freedom of Information Act 2000
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many requests for information the Northern Ireland Office has received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each year since 2005; and how many they have accepted. [HL1932]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into operation on 1 January 2005. The following table provides details of the number of requests received by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), how many were withheld in full, partially withheld and the number that were not met as the department did not hold the information requested.
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 (Q1-3) | |
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has committed to publishing quarterly updates in relation to departmental performance under FoI, including information on both the volume and outcome of requests. The bulletins up to the 2009 third quarter can be found on the MOJ website at http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/freedomofinformationquarterly.htm and in the Libraries of both Houses. The MoJ will be publishing information from the 2009 fourth quarter in spring 2010.
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Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Northern Ireland Office was asked to sanction the visit to Uganda in September and October 2009 by the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and whether the cost of the visit was met by the Commission. [HL1329]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) was not asked to sanction the visit and there was no requirement for the NIO's approval to be sought. The NIO was informed that an invitation had been received and accepted. The chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission visited Uganda from 27 September to 4 October 2009 at the invitation of the Irish ambassador to Uganda. The purpose of the visit was to share lessons from working in societies coming out of conflict, and it included meetings with the Ugandan Human Rights Commission and the British ambassador to Uganda. Costs were covered by the Irish Government.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Northern Ireland Office was asked to sanction the visit to East Timor by the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in November and December 2009; and whether the cost of the visit was met by the Commission. [HL1330]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) was not asked to sanction the visit and there was no requirement for the NIO's approval to be sought. The NIO was informed that an invitation had been received and accepted. The chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission visited East Timor from 26 November to 6 December 2009, at the invitation of Nuala O'Loan, the Irish Government's Special Envoy to East Timor. The focus of the visit was on gender-based violence in conflict situations, using UN Security Council Resolutions (1325 and 1820) to take forward this work. Costs were covered by the Irish Government.
Northern Ireland: Peter Robinson
Question
Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the statement on the BBC "Today" programme by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, saying Peter Robinson has "cleared his name" from allegations made in a BBC programme, took account of the investigations by the Northern Ireland Assembly's Committee on Standards and Privileges and the House of Commons Standards
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Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Secretary of State was referring specifically to the findings from Paul Maguire QC that "on the material provided his considered view was that there were no breaches whatsoever by me of the Ministerial Code, the Ministerial Code of Conduct, the pledge of office and the seven principles of public life".
Official Secrets Act
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all Ministers are subject to the Official Secrets Acts. [HL1928]
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon): Yes, Ministers are subject to the Official Secrets Act.
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