Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 14 June (WA 168), why information on the cost of abortions performed by the independent sector, commissioned directly by primary care trust commissioners, is not collected centrally; whether they will now ask for this information; and how many such abortions were undertaken in 2009-10.[HL10234]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): Reference cost data are currently collected from National Health Service provider organisations (NHS foundation trusts, NHS trusts and primary care trust provider arms) and show the costs they incur in providing services to patients. This covers both the services that they themselves provide and services they contract out to independent sector organisations.
The cost to primary care trust commissioners of commissioning services from the independent sector for services such as abortion is not currently an explicit requirement of the reference cost collection. Any requirement to collect these data in the future would be subject to the department's review of central returns process. This is intended to ensure that central collections of information are appropriate to their purpose, do not duplicate existing collections, and minimise the burden on the NHS of submitting the data.
There were 189,100 abortions performed on women resident in England and Wales in 2009 and 189,574 in 2010. Of the 189,574, over half, 59 per cent, took place in the independent sector under NHS contract.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 14 June (WA 167-68), what is the nature and extent of counselling provided to those who have previously had multiple abortions; who typically provides this counselling; and what is the evidence that it has been effective.[HL10235]
Earl Howe: The department does not collect information on the nature and extent of counselling provided to individual women seeking an abortion, including repeat abortions.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' evidence-based guideline, The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, highlights that abortion service professionals must be able to provide the degree of support and counselling required by each individual and identify those who require more support. For the minority of women who need formal, therapeutic counselling, services should have agreed care pathways
29 Jun 2011 : Column WA420
To ask Her Majesty's Government what delays will be incurred by the A400M programme due to the engine gearbox problems.[HL10343]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever): The A400M development fleet continues to undergo rigorous testing, including that of the engine and gearbox, as part of the flight test activities leading to civil and military certification. During a flight test being conducted on Monday 6 June 2011, a gearbox incident took place, resulting in the automated shut down of the engine and the safe return of the aircraft to its base at Toulouse. An extensive investigation was immediately initiated and the gearbox is currently undergoing detailed inspection and failure analysis. This investigation is expected to take a number of weeks to be able to conclusively detail the cause of the incident and its report will be presented to A400M nations. To date there has been no direct impact on the overall flight test programme, although this will be reviewed once the investigation is complete.
The A400M flight test programme continues, with appropriate limitations and inspections.
To ask Her Majesty's Government when Ministers were first apprised that the A400M would not be performing a display routine at this year's Paris air show.[HL10344]
Lord Astor of Hever: The decision not to fly the aircraft was taken by Airbus Military, as the operator of the aircraft, at a late stage prior to the start of the Paris air show. Due to the late nature of this decision by Airbus Military, it was not possible to brief Ministers beforehand.
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty's Government why, in light of their policy of not opting in to the European Union common asylum policy, they intend to engage with the development and functioning of the European Asylum Support Office; and what will be the nature of such engagement.[HL10318]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Browning): The Government are not persuaded of the need for a common EU asylum policy. We believe that by focusing its energies on unnecessary legislation, the
29 Jun 2011 : Column WA421
Engaging with the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) allows us to further our commitment to tangible, practical co-operation at EU level, in particular by providing technical assistance to build capability in member states that are facing particular migration pressures. Effective border and asylum systems in other member states are firmly in the UK's national interest as they deter illegal migration and asylum shopping. The UK has recently deployed a number of asylum experts to Greece as part of EASO operations and expects to send at least three more in the next few months.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will arrange for the group trial in Bahrain of doctors and nurses to be observed daily by British and European Union diplomats.[HL10122]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): Our embassy in Bahrain sent observers to the trials on 6 and 13 June. We will continue to monitor progress in the ongoing National Safety trials. We urge the Government of Bahrain to ensure that due process is followed in all cases and that human rights are fully respected. We will continue to raise our concerns on a regular basis.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Bank of England continues to give precedence to the monetary policy objective specified in Section 11(a) of the Bank of England Act 1998; or whether it is now giving priority to Section 11(b).[HL10146]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): At the Budget in June 2010, the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed the Monetary Policy Committee's objective of targeting 2 per cent inflation, as measured by the 12-month increase in the Consumer Prices Index.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the United Kingdom would be obliged to participate in any recapitalisation of the European Central Bank (ECB) consequent upon any losses sustained by the ECB.[HL10141]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The capital of the European Central Bank (ECB) is provided by the national central banks of all EU member states. The key for capital subscription or capital key determines the share of the total capital (currently €10.76 billion) paid by each member state. It is based on a weighting of each member state's share of the European Union (EU) population and share of EU gross domestic product.
Euro area member states pay 100 per cent of their subscribed capital. Non-euro area member states pay a much smaller percentage (currently, and since 29 December 2010, 3.75 per cent). This reflects the fact that the national central banks of all member states, including the United Kingdom, participate in the European system of central banks. However, the Bank of England contributes a relatively small amount (€58.5 million) to the ECB's capital, specifically as a contribution to its operating costs. The Bank of England makes no other contribution.
Changes to the ECB's subscribed capital may lead to adjustments to the individual contributions from all EU member states. The ECB last increased its subscribed capital in December 2010 by €5 billion, in line with the Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) Council Regulation No. 1009/2000 of 8 May 2000, which granted the ECB's governing council the power to decide on an increase up to this amount. At the same time, the percentage of subscribed capital that non-euro area national central banks are required to pay was adjusted down from 7 per cent to 3.75 per cent; as a result, the Bank of England contributed an additional €40,473.51. Any further increase to the ECB's subscribed capital would require EU member states at ECOFIN to agree on a new council regulation.
Net profits and losses of the ECB are allocated among the euro area national central banks. The non-euro area national central banks are not entitled to receive any share of the distributable profits of the ECB, nor are they liable to fund any losses of the ECB.
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 7 June (WA 92), whether HM Treasury has the power to require the Financial Services Authority to release to it the report commissioned by the Financial Services Authority into the failure of the Royal Bank of Scotland.[HL10147]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The only report commissioned by the Financial Services Authority to which this Question appears to refer is the PricewaterhouseCoopers report, on which I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 14 June (Official Report, col. WA 170).
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.[HL10170]
Baroness Rawlings: Initiatives are being organised by a number of national and regional military museums to mark the occasion, including the National Army Museum and relevant regimental museums, which come under the remit of the Ministry of Defence. There is also likely to be some commemorative activity at associated heritage sites such as Apsley House, the home of the Duke of Wellington, and Walmer Castle.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people who claim (a) employment and support allowance in the support group, (b) employment
29 Jun 2011 : Column WA424
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people who claim (a) employment and support allowance in the support group, (b) employment and support allowance in the work-related activity group, or (c) incapacity benefit, have (1) Crohn's disease, (2) rheumatoid arthritis, or (3) psoriasis, in each of the NUTS 1 regions of Great Britain. [HL10210]
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people who claim (a) employment and support allowance in the support group, (b) employment and support allowance in the work-related activity group, or (c) incapacity benefit, have (1) Crohn's disease, (2) rheumatoid arthritis, or (3) psoriasis, in each of the NUTS 2 regions of Great Britain. [HL10211]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): The information requested is given below.
Number of IB/SDA claimants with main disabling condition Crohn's disease, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis by NUTS 1 areas-November 2010. | ||||
All | Crohn's disease | Psoriasis | Rheumatoid arthritis | |
Asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett
To ask Her Majesty's Government (a) how many, and (b) what proportion of, children were living in poverty in each of the past 30 years, using the after housing costs measure of poverty.[HL10296]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or equivalised) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
The latest year of data that are available is 2009-10. The table below shows the number and proportion of children with income below 60 per cent of contemporary median income after housing costs (AHC) in the UK, for available years between 1979 and 2009-10.
Table: Numbers and proportions of children in households with equivalised incomes below 60 per cent of contemporary median income after housing costs (AHC) | ||
Number (million) | Proportion (%) | |
To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances in England a coroner's inquest is not held following a death in unusual circumstances. [HL10316]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): The circumstances in which coroners in England and Wales must hold an inquest are set out in Section 8 of the Coroners Act 1988. This provides that where a coroner is informed that a body of a person is lying within their district and there is reasonable cause to suspect that the deceased has either died a violent or unnatural death; has died a sudden death of which the cause is unknown; or has died in prison or police custody, then, regardless of where the death occurred, the coroner must hold an inquest into the death of the deceased as soon as practicably possible. They may not hold inquests in other circumstances.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the duty to co-operate in so far as education is concerned. [HL10100]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The findings of the Audit Commission's report Are We There Yet? showed that before the duty to co-operate was extended, schools
29 Jun 2011 : Column WA431
The Government have taken into account the evidence in that report and the need to reduce the burden of statutory duties on schools and colleges. We are not convinced that the addition of schools and colleges to the list of statutory relevant partners, under Section 10 of the Children Act 2004, was an effective or appropriate way of improving children's educational outcomes or of enabling the best local co-operation arrangements to be put in place.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the number of emergency travel documents issued to undocumented nationals of Iran, Palestine and Eritrea for each of the past three calendar years.[HL10305]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Browning): The number of emergency travel documents issued to nationals of Iran, Palestine and Eritrea for each of the past three calendar years is as follows:
Years | Eritrea | Iran | Palestine | Total * |
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to increase transparency on the capital gains made by firms running private finance initiative projects as a result of large scale equity transfer. [HL10384]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): HM Treasury currently collect, from departments, and publish PFI project data biannually. This includes information on the capital value, equity owners and full stream of payments over a project's life. This information can be accessed from the Treasury website: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_pfistats.htm.
HM Treasury recognise that there is insufficient transparency in investor returns, particularly in relation to secondary market sales. The Treasury is now engaging with the National Audit Office to scope a workstream on PFI equity issues including transparency.
Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |