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To ask Her Majesty's Government what comparisons have been made between the availability of micronutrients, in particular iron, manganese and zinc, in animal feed from soya beans that have and have not been genetically modified; and whether the availability diminishes with each RoundupReady crop grown in the same soil.[HL401]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): The nutritional content of genetically modified (GM) products is examined as part of the pre-market assessment of GM feed, according to guidelines issued by the European Food Safety Authority and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Iron, manganese and zinc are not considered by OECD to be key nutritional components of soya for the purposes of animal nutrition and therefore no comparison has been made of their availability from non-GM and GM soya, including Roundup Ready soya.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the effect on newly planted crops on which phosphorus fertilisers are applied of the soil in which they are grown containing immobilised glyphosate used on previous crops.[HL471]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Henley): The Government are not aware of any evidence that the long-term use of glyphosate in the UK, under UK conditions and where products containing glyphosate are used in accordance with the conditions of authorisation, has an effect on the uptake of phosphorus by crops planted in soils where glyphosate has been previously used.
Relevant new scientific literature on the potential effects of glyphosate will be considered as part of the second review under Council Directive 91/414/EEC of active substances used in the European Union. We expect a Commission proposal on this review later in the year.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what research has been conducted into the toxicity of glyphosate on earthworms and soil micro-organisms and their ability to increase the availability of nutrients to plants.[HL473]
Lord Henley: Applicants seeking approval of plant protection products containing glyphosate are required to submit relevant information on the behaviour of glyphosate in the environment, including the risk to earthworms and soil micro-organisms. The assessment
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Relevant new scientific literature on the potential effects of glyphosate will be considered as part of the second review under Council Directive 91/414/EEC of active substances used in the European Union. We expect a Commission proposal on this review later in the year.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have regarding the provision of legal aid and representation for asylum seekers, and their effect on decisions on asylum applications.[HL335]
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will respond to any financial difficulties experienced by smaller law firms from the Legal Services Commission's decision to refund legal aid after a decision has been reached.[HL337]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): I understand that the noble Lord's two Questions relate to the arrangements for legal aid that may flow from the early legal advice pilot scheme in Solihull.
There are currently no proposals to change the provision of legal aid and representation for asylum seekers. Legal aid is available for eligible individuals to obtain initial advice and representation at appeal in cases with merit. We are currently considering with the United Kingdom Border Agency the implications of the pilot and whether to extend it further.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what conclusions the Financial Services Authority has reached from the investigation of the United Kingdom activities of the Bank of Scotland, Ireland.[HL359]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what investigations they have carried out into the appointment of a chairman of the Bank of Scotland, Ireland, which has branches in the United Kingdom.[HL360]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), which is independent from government. The noble Lord's inquiry has been passed to the FSA, which will write directly to him on this subject.
To ask Her Majesty's Government when Ministers last discussed with the Government of Iceland the amounts to be recovered from Iceland in respect of the failure of Icelandic banks operating in the United Kingdom.[HL263]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much is outstanding to United Kingdom banks under the Bank of England's special liquidity scheme.[HL266]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The drawdown period for the special liquidity scheme (SLS) closed on 30 January 2009. When the drawdown window closed on 30 January the nominal value of Treasury bills lent by the Bank under the SLS was £185 billion.
In its annual report, which was published on 2 June 2010, the Bank of England reported that as at 28 February 2010 the outstanding nominal value of Treasury Bills lent under the SLS was £165 billion.
For further details please follow this link at http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/marketnotice 090203c.pdf.
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): Her Majesty's Treasury is the department responsible for negotiating the new Civil List, as has been the case under previous Administrations.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to give effect to Section 3(6) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.[HL219]
Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Codes of conduct, including the Civil Service Code and associated guidance, are being revised to give effect to the provisions of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, including Section 3(6).
Asked by Lord Campbell-Savours
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether persons falsely accused of sexual offences would enjoy anonymity prior to court proceedings under their proposals for anonymity for persons accused of sexual offences; and what assessment they have made of how their proposals would have affected the case of Teresa McKenzie of Meifod, Powys.[HL334]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): The Government have made clear that they will carefully consider all the options before bringing proposals to Parliament on the question of extending anonymity in rape cases to defendants. This includes consideration of the period which would be covered by the anonymity, and the possible extension of coverage beyond rape to other offences. It would be inappropriate to comment on the individual case to which the noble Lord refers, but our consideration will include the possibility of special provision for teachers and others in positions of trust. Our coalition agreement includes a further commitment to give anonymity to teachers accused by pupils and take other measures to protect against false accusations.
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 8 June (WA 33), how many lorry drivers involved in incidents in which a cyclist was killed were prosecuted in the latest year for which figures are available; and with what results.[HL363]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): Unless the offence is separately specified in law, the Ministry of Justice does not centrally hold information that identifies the circumstances of an offence. Therefore, from prosecutions for motoring offences involving a death of a person, it is not possible to separately identify those cases where the defendant was a lorry driver or where the victim was a cyclist.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made or intend to make to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo about the death sentence given to Joshua French, who has dual British and Norwegian nationality.[HL532]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): Where a British national faces the death penalty, we will seek to use all appropriate influence to avoid the death sentence being carried out.
Our ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has raised the UK's concerns with the Government of the DRC and the Governors' office in Kisangani.
We are discussing with Mr French's legal team and the Norwegian Government how to co-ordinate representations so that they are as effective as possible.
We understand that the DRC has imposed a moratorium on the death penalty and we will encourage it to maintain this policy.
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to direct the Financial Services Authority to implement the European Union-wide deposit protection limit of €100,000 under the Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive (94/19/EC, as amended by Directive 2009/14/EC).[HL270]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The amended Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive (Directive 2009/14/EC, amending Directive 94/19/EC) increases the coverage limit for deposit guarantee schemes to €100,000 from 31 December 2010. The coverage limit for deposits under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme will therefore be increased from this date. The Financial Services Authority plans to issue a consultation in October 2010 on increasing the coverage limit to the equivalent of €100,000.
Asked by Lord Corbett of Castle Vale
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the budget for online consultations and regional public meetings to seek suggestions on ways to reduce the fiscal deficit.[HL385]
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) civil servants, and (b) other personnel, will be employed to arrange and run the regional public meetings to seek suggestions on ways to reduce the fiscal deficit; and what are the estimated salary costs.[HL386]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish the results of consultations at regional public meetings and with others to seek suggestions on how to reduce the fiscal deficit.[HL387]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The Government are committed to holding a fully consultative process ahead of the spending review, including the private sector, the general public, voluntary/charitable organisations and experts, in order to obtain the best ideas from those most involved in and affected by public services. Over the next few weeks, the Government will begin a process to engage and involve the whole country in the difficult decisions that will have to be taken. This process will evolve throughout the run-up to the spending review, and further details will be announced shortly.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken and plan to take to promote the development in the United Kingdom of a sustainable market for commercial and residential mortgage securitisation.[HL262]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The Treasury, Bank of England and the FSA are in discussion with issuers and investors, to explore ways of encouraging more sustainable, transparent and standardised UK mortgage-backed securities markets.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have issued guidance to electoral registration officers on whether to seek evidence about a person's immigration status if they have doubts about it.[HL213]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): The Electoral Commission has responsibility for issuing guidance to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). The Government are responsible for the legislative framework for electoral registration.
Under the Representation of People Act 1983, British and Irish citizens and citizens of other European Union countries are entitled to register to vote in the UK. Commonwealth citizens can also register to vote, if they qualify to do so. A qualifying Commonwealth citizen is an individual who has leave to enter or remain in the UK or does not require such leave.
The Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 provide that a person's application for registration must, among other things, state their nationality and include a declaration that the details given in the application are true. Under
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The Electoral Commission's guidance on electoral registration states that,
where EROs have doubts about a person's immigration status:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their timetable for introducing individual registration of electors.[HL390]
Lord McNally: The Government are committed to speeding up the implementation of Individual Electoral Registration. The Government are currently considering the options for this and we will set out our plans in due course.
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