Written Answers
Monday 29 October 2012
Agriculture: Pesticides
Question
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make the possession of the banned chemical carbonfuran a criminal offence.[HL2796]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley): The abuse or misuse of pesticides, such as carbofuran, is an offence. Carbofuran is a pesticide which had its approval revoked in 2001 and to advertise, sell, supply, store or use it for any purpose is a criminal offence, with guilty parties being liable to unlimited fines in some cases. The intentional use of any poisoned bait to kill wild birds is already prohibited under Section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Alcohol: Duty
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of (1) the amount of duty-unpaid
alcohol shipped to European Union destinations each year, (2) of those, the amount actually consumed in the European Union, and (3) the loss of revenue represented by the difference between those two figures; and what steps they are taking to reduce any loss.[HL2598]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): During 2011, alcohol valued at £2.56 billion was dispatched to European Union destinations. The majority of these dispatches would have travelled duty-unpaid. The table below sets out alcohol dispatches for previous years.
| 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |
Further details can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) UK Trade Info website at: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/BuildYourOwnTables/Pages/Table.aspx.
HMRC does not estimate across all alcohol types how much of the UK dispatches are actually consumed in the European Union, nor the difference between these two figures. HMRC's estimates of the UK tax revenues lost for the different types of alcoholic drinks were published in Measuring Tax Gaps 2012 on 18 October 2012.
| Spirits: Illicit market share and associated revenue losses | |||||
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-101 | 2010-112 | |
1. Figures for 2009-10 have been revised
2. Figures for 2010-11 are provisional
3. Figures independently rounded to the nearest 1%
4. Negative numbers have been truncated at zero and “-” indicates figures are negligible
6. Figures independently rounded to the nearest £10 million
| Beer: Illicit market share and associated revenue losses | |||||
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-101 | 2010-112 | |
1. Figures for 2009-10 have been revised
2. Figures for 2010-11 are provisional
3. Figures independently rounded to the nearest 1%
4. Lower and mid point estimates are not available for years before 2007-08
6. Figures independently rounded to the nearest £50 million
Measuring Tax Gaps 2012 and the associated methodological annex explain how the estimates are calculated, and can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ stats/measuring-tax-gaps.htm.
The Government take any losses to alcohol revenues very seriously. The spending review 2010 announced an £18 million reinvestment package for HMRC to reduce tax losses and bring in additional revenues on alcohol over the next five years. Additionally, at Budget 2012, the Government announced a consultation exploring options which could help to tackle alcohol fraud. This consultation has recently closed and HMRC officials are currently considering the responses.
Armed Forces: Ex-service Personnel
Questions
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial assistance they are offering ex-service personnel to help them acquire new skills.[HL2515]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of foreign systems of linking service veterans with organisations specialising in retraining, such as the Help a Hero, Hire a Hero scheme. [HL2516]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps the Ministry of Defence is taking to facilitate businesses’ access to ex-servicemen.[HL2517]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings have been held across Government on service veteran employability.[HL2518]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever): Making the transition from the Armed Forces into civilian life can be daunting. We therefore remain committed to supporting service leavers in taking this important step. During their service, all personnel develop many valuable and transferable skills but it is also acknowledged that a service leaver may need to acquire new skills to prepare for the civilian workforce.
The majority of service leavers qualify for the level of resettlement assistance which is associated with their length of service, including a grant of £534. They can combine that grant with government sponsored enhanced learning credits, up to £2,000 per annum for a maximum of three years, to help towards the cost of resettlement training activities. This allows better targeted public funding where the learning leads to the same outcome; namely, a nationally recognised qualification the service leaver can use to gain civilian employment. Other elements of the resettlement programme include: a three-day career transition workshop, the use of a career consultant, access to a job finding service, up to 35 days retraining time, access to a wide range of accredited vocational training courses and workshops, and resettlement support up to two years after leaving.
All service leavers, including those who leave early, are entitled to lifetime support from the Regular Forces Employment Association and Officers Association
charities, both of which are specifically focused on getting veterans into the right job.
Ministry of Defence (MoD) has engaged with different foreign governments to understand their transition policies and systems, but has not undertaken a formal assessment of these systems.
Business access to service leavers is facilitated through the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), a partnering arrangement between the MoD and Right Management Ltd. The CTP will work with organisations from the commercial, public and voluntary/community sectors to promote their employment services and employment vacancies to personnel leaving the Armed Forces. The CTP service lasts up to two years after individuals have left the military. Ninety-two per cent of ex-service personnel who transition through the CTP report that they are in employment within six months of leaving the Armed Forces. This figure rises to 97% after 12 months. The CTP also hosts employment and training fairs for service leavers to attend and businesses to exhibit nationwide and throughout the year.
MoD officials regularly meet Department for Education, Business, Innovation and Skills, and Department of Work and Pensions colleagues regarding initiatives to assist service leavers in making a successful transition to civilian life. Meetings are also held with other government departments and devolved Administrations as the need arises.
In September, the Prime Minister appointed Lord Ashcroft to be his special representative for veterans' transition. Lord Ashcroft will take a fresh look at the package in place for personnel leaving the Armed Forces, liaising with charities, industry and government departments, and championing the cause of service men and women making the transition to civilian life.
Asylum Seekers
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many claims for asylum in the United Kingdom have been granted on the basis of religious persecution in each of the past five years; and, for each year, (1) from which countries the claimants originated, (2) how many came from each country, and (3) what religion they were.[HL2596]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach): Data on the basis of asylum claims are held only at the level of co-ordinated paper case files or within the notes section of the UK Border Agency's case information database (CID). Those data are not aggregated in national reporting systems, which means this Question could only be answered through a disproportionately expensive manual case search to collate the data.
However, data relating to the number of asylum applications received are published on an annual and quarterly basis. Latest figures are available in Tables “as.01” and “as.01.q” of the release Immigration Statistics, April to June 2012 Second edition, available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office
Science website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/ science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q2-2012/.
Banks: Green Bank
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the proposed Green Bank will start operations.[HL2514]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Lord Marland): Plans for the UK Green Investment Bank (UK GIB) have now been approved by the European Commission and the bank will become fully operational in the near future.
The Government will inform the House when the bank has started operations.
BBC Media Action
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the first annual review into the grant of £90 million by the Department for International Development to BBC Media Action has been concluded; if so, what were its conclusions; what efficiency savings have been made to date; how much of the grant has been and will be spent in India; and for what purposes. [HL2578]
Baroness Northover: The first annual review for the global grant to BBC Media Action commenced on the 16 October and the report will be available on DfID's website from 30 November 2012.
The global grant includes two existing partnerships with BBC Media Action in India, for which £5.2 million was allocated for the period 2011-14.
The objectives of the BBC Media Action projects in India are:
to provide health information to reduce the number of deaths of mothers and children in two of India's poorest states, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa; andto carry out research with vulnerable communities in India to assess how the media can help some of the poorest people in the region to build resilience to the effects of climate change.
British Embassies
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government where the eleven new embassies and up to eight new consulates and trade offices, as announced by the Foreign Secretary on 10 September, will be located; what will be the extra cost of those changes; what will be the status of officials in the new Hargesia office, and whether they will have diplomatic protection; and whether the change involves the recognition of Somaliland.[HL2576]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The 11 new embassies are located in: Port-au-Prince (Haiti), San Salvador (El Salvador), Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire), Monrovia (Liberia), Asuncion (Paraguay), Antananarivo (Madagascar), Vientiane (Laos), Juba (South Sudan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Mogadishu (Somalia) when security circumstances permit, and the new British Interests Office in Naypyitaw (Burma). We will also be opening up to eight new consulates or trade offices beginning with Calgary (Canada), Recife (Brazil), Chandigarh and Hyderabad (both in India). Details of further posts will be announced once planning is finalised and formal approval has been granted by the host governments.
Our current estimate of the ongoing costs of all the new posts and the strengthening of existing posts in Latin America and Asia as part of the network shift is £18 million per annum.
The UK opened an office in Hargeisa on the 3 September, in line with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague)'s intent to re-open the embassy in Mogadishu and an office in Hargeisa as soon as local conditions allow. UK based officials stay at the office in Hargeisa for short periods in order to meet their contacts and implement our objectives in Somaliland. We have two locally engaged staff permanently based at the office who work on projects and political work. Locally engaged staff are exempt from diplomatic protection. Our work and presence in Hargeisa has been agreed through consultation with the Somali Government and Somaliland authorities. This does not change our position on recognition of Somaliland: we acknowledge Somaliland's aspirations for independence but it is for Somaliland and Somalia to resolve the issue of Somaliland's status, and the region should lead on recognising any new arrangements. The UK, with the EU and Norway, hosted Somalia and Somaliland in June at Chevening House at a preparatory meeting for talks about their future relations.
Burma
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have taken steps to obtain the release of Zaw Zaw Aung and other political prisoners in Burma; and what meetings they have had with representatives of Burma’s democracy movement since the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Burma in 2011.[HL2615]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): Zaw Zaw Aung was not included in the most recent release of political prisoners on 17 September and remains in detention.
We continue to call for the release of all political prisones at every opportunity. In a Statement on 18 September, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend
the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), welcomed the release of a number of political prisoners on 17 September, urged all remaining political prisoners to be released and called on the Burmese Government to establish an independent mechanism to look into disputed cases. He also pressed for the lifting of restrictions, including on travel, on those already released.
On 25 September the Foreign Secretary reiterated these concerns to the Burmese Foreign Minister, U Wunna Maung Lwin, when they met at the UN General Assembly session.
Since the Foreign Secretary visited Burma in January officials from our embassy in Rangoon including our ambassador have continued to attend frequent meetings with Zaw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, with wider opposition and ethnic political parties and with a wide range of civil society representative including 88 Generation. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials in London are also in regular contact with UK based representatives of Burma’s democracy movement.
The Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), met ethnic minority leaders during his visit to Burma in April as well as Zaw Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he also met when she visited the UK in June. My noble friend Lord Marland also met Zaw Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit to Burma in July.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Burma regarding its refusal to grant passports to members of the 88 Generation Students group. [HL2616]
Baroness Warsi: In a statement of the 18 September, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) pressed for the lifting of restrictions, including on travel, on those political prisoners already released. On 20 September, officials at our embassy in Rangoon were informed that nineteen 88 Generation leaders had been granted passports.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what restrictions are placed on diplomats from Burma travelling in the United Kingdom; and what restrictions are placed on United Kingdom diplomats in Burma travelling in Burma.[HL2617]
Baroness Warsi: There are no restrictions on Burmese diplomats travelling within the UK.
Officials from our embassy in Rangoon intending to travel beyond main urban centres must apply to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for travel permission in advance. Permission is usually granted, allowing our embassy officials to travel extensively throughout Burma to meet a wide cross section of Burmese civil society and political representatives.
Asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Burma regarding the case for the Burmese Parliament to have a fixed timetable.[HL2668]
Baroness Warsi: Officials from our embassy in Rangoon have discussed with Burmese Members of Parliament (MPs) from a wide spectrum of parties the issue of parliamentary calendars and shared UK parliamentary processes. However, the Burmese parliamentary calendar remains an issue for Burma's parliament to decide.
As part our policy of engagement with the Burmese Government and their reform agenda, we support a number of organisations including the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the British branch of the Inter-Parliamentary Union who are putting together programmes for parliamentary engagement in support of representative governance in Burma.
The Westminster Foundation for Democracy visited Burma in July accompanied by a small cross-party delegation of MPs. We look forward to the forthcoming report following their visit.
Asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Burmese lobbying and public relations companies now operate in the United Kingdom.[HL2670]
Baroness Warsi: We are not aware of any Burmese lobbying and public relations companies operating in the UK.
Business Ambassadors Network
Question
Asked by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 15 October (WA439), whether the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills or UK Trade & Investment hold records of the amount of funding the Business Ambassadors Network has received each year since its establishment; and how much of this has been spent on travel and accommodation for each business ambassador in that period. [HL2812]
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint): The Business Ambassadors Network annual budgets and expenditure since it was established in 2008 are as follows:
| Financial Year | Budget | Expenditure |
All expenditure incurred represents travel and accommodation costs, which are the only costs eligible under the scheme. We do not pay for business ambassadors' time. The business ambassadors secretariat at UKTI maintains records for the collective costs of the Business Ambassadors Network rather than the individual costs of each member.
Children: Road Safety
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to improve road safety for children travelling to and from school in the dark.[HL2738]
Earl Attlee: We take the safety of children and all road users very seriously.
The Department for Transport’s Think! Education road safety resources designed for use by teachers and road safety officers in schools, after school clubs, parents and pupils continue to provide road safety education for children.
All school children from early years to secondary school age are encouraged to wear bright or fluorescent materials in poor daylight conditions and at dusk because they show up while reflective materials are good at night.
Crime: Hate Crime
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 17 October (HL 2448), what action is being taken to tackle race hatred.[HL2665]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach): The Government's action plan to tackle hate crime brings together a wide range of activities to: prevent hate crime by challenging the attitudes that underpin it; build victims' confidence to come forward; and improve the response of the police and others when they do. Specific actions to tackle racial hatred include supporting Show Racism the Red Card, running educational workshops for young people and funding organisations working with the victims of racist attacks.
Deaths in Custody
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cases of deaths in custody occurred during the past five years; how many have led to disciplinary action or prosecutions; and with what outcomes.[HL2589]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): In October 2011 the Independent Advisory Panel (IAP) on Deaths in Custody published its statistical analysis of all recorded deaths in state custody between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2010: http://iapdeathsincustody.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/IAP-Statistical-Analysis-of-All-Recorded-Deaths-in-State-Custody-Between-2000-and-2010.pdf.
Table 1 of the above publication shows that there were 2,627 deaths in state custody recorded for the five years to 2010.
The report includes a breakdown of all recorded deaths in custodial sectors which fall under the council's remit; namely, prisons, police, immigration removal centres, approved premises, young offender institutions, secure children's homes, secure training centres. In addition, the report contains data on the deaths of patients who died in hospitals while detained under the Mental Health Act, though this is not specifically a custodial sector.
An updated report, which will include figures to include 2011, is due to be published in November this year. However, more recent information has already been placed in the public domain by some of the above organisations which contributed to the October 2011 report by the IAP.
The National Offender Management Service reports that there were 908 deaths in prison custody in the five years ending 2011. This includes 192 in 2011 and a revised total of 197 deaths for 2010.
The UK Border Agency has reported a further four deaths in immigration detention in 2011, bringing the total to six deaths for the five years to 2011.
The Youth Justice Board has confirmed that there have been no deaths in secure training centres and secure children's homes since 2004.
The information available on disciplinary action, prosecutions and outcomes varies according to the organisation concerned.
Prison staff disciplinary records held by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) do not specify an offence relating to the death of a prisoner in custody. This information may be recorded on individual staff files but it would entail disproportionate cost to check these manually.
There will be a police investigation following all deaths in prison custody, which may lead to criminal charges and/or prosecution. There will also be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) who may refer the matter back to the police if necessary or recommend that disciplinary investigation is undertaken by the Prison Service. There will also be a coroner's inquest held in public before a jury. The coroner would also have the authority to refer the matter to the police/CPS if required.
The information is not held centrally on any disciplinary actions or prosecutions relating to deaths in approved premises. It would incur disproportionate cost to review the records relating to deaths of residents in approved premises in the past five full years.
The independent Police Complaints Commission is responsible for the collation of data on deaths in police custody. It will be in touch directly with the noble Lord with regard to outcomes from its investigations.
Of the six deaths in immigration detention recorded in the five years to 2011, inquests have reported in four of the cases, with findings of death due to natural causes in three of the cases and suicide in the remaining case. Information from local records shows that for the four cases no disciplinary action or prosecution followed. The UK Border Agency is taking forward the recommendations from the PPO reports and from the inquests where appropriate.
Immigration removal centres (IRCs) are run by a number of service providers. All staff working in IRCs are accredited by the UK Border Agency to work with detainees; their accreditation will be suspended in any case where the service provider is pursuing disciplinary action which affects their ability to work with detainees.
The Department of Health does not hold any information on how many of the reported deaths of patients held under the Mental Health Act may have led to disciplinary action or prosecution.
Debt
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 8 October (WA 404), whether they remain committed to achieving a reduction in public sector debt as a percentage of gross domestic product by the date in 2015–16 set in the last Budget.[HL2612]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The Charter for Budget Responsibility approved by Parliament in May 2011 sets out that the Treasury's mandate for fiscal policy for this Parliament is supplemented by a target for public sector net debt as a percentage of gross domestic product to be falling at a fixed date of 2015-16. The Office for Budget Responsibility will publish its updated forecast alongside the Autumn Statement on 5 December.
Defence: BAE Systems and EADS
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to work with the governments of France and Germany to encourage new talks between BAE and EADS directors and managers regarding future collaboration.[HL2816]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Lord Marland): It will be a matter for the two companies to decide whether they wish to continue to explore different ways of working together. We have always made it clear that we understood the commercial logic of the proposed merger and were prepared to work with the
companies and other governments to try and find a way forward, while protecting the UK public interest. This remains our position.
Disabled People: Buses
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to improve access to buses for people with disabilities.[HL2739]
Earl Attlee: The Department for Transport continues to work to improve physical accessibility to public transport. The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) require all new buses and coaches used to provide local or scheduled services and designed to carry more than 22 passengers to be accessible to disabled passengers.
All existing buses and coaches used to provide local or scheduled services will have to comply with PSVAR by end dates between 2015 and 2020, depending on vehicle type. At March 2012, 60% of all buses in Great Britain met the PSVAR requirements.
The right to free bus travel for both older and disabled people is enshrined in primary legislation. The concessionary fares arrangements will not change over the lifetime of this Parliament.
As part of the Government’s Olympic and Paralympic legacy, the department is currently looking at a number of ways of further improving the accessibility of public transport. The outcome of this work will be included in the department’s accessibility action plan, to be published in due course.
Economy
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received representations advocating a reduction in the value of sterling as a means to increase exports and strengthen the manufacturing sector. [HL2622]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): As set out in Budget 2012, the Government remain committed to rebalancing the economy and taking action to help businesses make the most of export opportunities.
The Government's macroeconomic framework includes an independent Bank of England responsible for monetary policy that seeks to deliver price stability through an inflation target of a 2% annual increase in the consumer prices index. Under this regime, the exchange rate is allowed to adjust flexibly, with the value of sterling being determined by market forces.
Economy: National Debt
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much, as a percentage of gross domestic product, they forecast that the national debt will fall by 2015. [HL2591]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) produces the official fiscal forecasts. The OBR's March 2012 forecast shows public sector net debt peaking at 76.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014-15 and subsequently falling by 0.3% to 76.0% of GDP in 2015-16. This is consistent with the Government's supplementary target for debt. The OBR will publish updated forecasts alongside the Autumn Statement on 5 December.
Economy: Spending Cuts
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact and effects of expenditure reductions on mothers and children.[HL2592]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The Government are supporting families, for example by lifting 2 million of the lowest paid workers out of income tax altogether—six out of 10 of whom are women—and extending childcare support through universal credit.
As required by equalities legislation, individual government departments consider the impacts for maternity and gender when making spending decisions.
The Government publish their assessment of the overall distributional impact on households of policy decisions at fiscal events. In doing so, the Government have taken unprecedented steps to increase transparency and enable the effective scrutiny of policy making. This analysis was most recently published at Budget 2012 in the main Budget document (annex B).
Elections: Young Voters
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will consider to increase the interest of young voters in political and constitutional matters; and how they will involve members of both Houses of Parliament in efforts to achieve this.[HL2604]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: I would encourage everyone, young or old, to engage in political and constitutional matters and, all those who are eligible, to vote. Young people are currently under-represented in figures on registration and turnout and we all—Government,
politicians, political parties, electoral administrators and others in society—have a role to play in encouraging participation.
To maximise levels of voter registration among young people, the Government are piloting different approaches to encourage them to register to vote. This includes: holding 20 events in schools, running participatory sessions to inform attainers about the reasons to register to vote and encourage them to do so; making available an online registration event toolkit aimed at teachers and community leaders so that they can deliver their own events targeted at young people; commissioning digital work so that young people who register can share this fact on Facebook, encouraging other young people in their social networks also to register. We are also running data mining pilots which intend to assess whether data matching with data from other government departments and bodies like the Student Loans Company can assist in getting more young people on to the register.
Employment: Self-employed Workers
Question
Asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what health and safety requirements apply to self-employed workers.[HL2767]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): The general health and safety requirement on self-employed workers is contained in Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) which states:
“It shall be the duty of every self-employed person to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that he and other persons (not being his employees) who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health and safety”.
Section 53 of HSWA gives a broad definition of a self-employed person as “an individual who works for gain or reward, otherwise than under a contract of employment, whether or not he himself employs others”.
In addition, there are over 50 sets of health and safety regulations that apply to the self-employed, either explicitly referring to self-employment or contained within a broader category of “person.” Further details may be found at www.hse.gov.uk/legislation .
Energy: Biofuels
Question
Asked by Lord Steel of Aikwood
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of planned increases in the use of ethanol in aviation fuel.[HL2729]
Earl Attlee: The Government believe that biofuels may have a role to play in reducing the carbon emissions from transport, provided that they can be produced sustainably. We are working with our European
counterparts to ensure a coherent approach to their deployment and to ensure that sustainability criteria are met.
The Government have not undertaken any assessment of the use of ethanol in jet fuel. While some airlines and suppliers are assessing its potential, alcohol-to-jet fuels have yet to be certified by the relevant standard-setting bodies.
EU: European Justice and Home Affairs Powers
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Lord McNally on 15 October (Official Report, col. 1303) regarding European justice and home affairs powers, what estimate they have made of the number of measures considered (1) operationally useful, (2) less useful, and (3) defunct.[HL2631]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): The Ministry of Justice leads on this decision jointly with the Home Office and both departments are continuing to analyse all the measures within the scope of the decision.
It is not possible at this time firmly to conclude which measures are operationally useful, less useful or defunct, as we are still consulting operational partners, the European Commission and other member states. This information will be crucial so that we can come to an informed view as to which measures are defunct etc. We will provide further updates in due course.
Extradition
Question
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Statement by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 16 October (Official Report, col. 1376), whether they will support the provision by the Council of Europe of additional resources to the European Court of Human Rights to reduce delays and backlog. [HL2654]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): Good progress has been made in clearing the backlog of inadmissible cases before the court. The UK has been driving the process of reform: it was a key priority of our recent chairmanship of the Council of Europe (CoE). We secured agreement in the Brighton declaration to a package of reforms. Taken together, these should mean fewer cases going to Strasbourg, allowing the court to focus on allegations of serious violations without delay. We are now focusing on making sure these reforms are swiftly implemented, including cutting the backlog.
It is important that this reform effort is adequately resourced. At the same time the UK has argued successfully for budgetary restraint in the CoE, securing agreement in the 2012-13 biennial budget for a 2% cap
on any inflation increase. Discussions are currently under way between the member states and the secretary general on the latter's proposal for the 2013 programme, including allocations to the court, within the agreed ceiling.
Finance: Quantitative Easing
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they, the Financial Services Authority, or the Bank of England have assessed the impact of quantitative easing on the availability of quality collateral to safeguard the securities repurchase market.[HL2611]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee's policy tools are designed to affect the economy as a whole and meet the 2% inflation target over the medium term.
A significant amount of gilts purchased via the Bank of England Asset Purchase Facility are available for lending to the market through the Debt Management Office's (DMO) normal activity in repurchase markets.
The DMO is also permitted to create and lend out gilts via its Standing Repo Facility for the purposes of market management. These arrangements are in place to maintain liquidity in the markets for specific gilts.
Fishing
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to protect foreign nationals working in the United Kingdom fishing industry from abuse and ill-treatment.[HL2744]
Earl Attlee: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency enforces and promotes legislation and codes of practice which require fishing vessels to be safe places of work and require those employing fishermen to provide decent living and working conditions to employed fishermen. These standards are enforced through inspection and survey.
In 2010, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency published a Voluntary Code of Practice for Employment of Non European Economic Area Fishing Crew, produced by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation in collaboration with other organisations, including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the United Kingdom Borders Agency.
Government Departments: Procurement
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what restrictions the Department for Education has placed on the use of government procurement cards issued to its employees.[HL2646]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The Department for Education keeps very tight control of GPC cards and the related expenditure. The Department for Education can confirm it exceeds the standards and restrictions set by the (Cabinet Office formed) GPC Steering Group in every aspect identified in their recent report GPC Policy November 2011.
all card applications must be supported by a business case setting out the reasons why the proposed card holder requires a GPC and will only be awarded to civil servants;all cards should be restricted to the merchant codes (merchant codes are the tool used to either allow or block transactions with specific merchants/suppliers) required for that cardholder; andthe current card limit for single transactions is set at £1,000 as standard with a cumulative credit limit of £5,000.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many government procurement cards were issued to staff employed by the Department for Education, and its predecessor departments, in each year since 2007–08. [HL2647]
Lord Hill of Oareford: The answer is shown in tabular form below:
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | |
Government Departments: Theft
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps the Department for Education and its predecessor departments have (1) taken, and (2) plan to take in each of the next two years, to reduce the number of computers stolen from premises (a) occupied, and (b) leased, by that department.[HL2649]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The department takes security very seriously and all of the department's main HQ buildings have an on-site security presence and CCTV. For identification purposes all staff and visitors are requested to wear security building passes at all times while on the premises. The department has also taken measures in all of its buildings to asset-tag all computers and put in place guidance aimed at reducing the likelihood of theft from the office. The department conducts regular security sweeps of all HQ buildings to enforce its security policies, seizing any laptops left out overnight and issuing security breach notices to those concerned.
Looking forward, the department's planned measures for the next two years in all our premises is to continue with our existing best practices. In addition, and as part of a wider programme designed to reduce our overall IT cost, the department initiated a project in November 2011 which will see the replacement of all desktop computers in our offices with thin client devices by early 2013. Thin client devices are far cheaper than desktop computers, have no hard disk and will function only when connected to a suitably designed network, making them far less attractive to potential thieves. By April 2013 we anticipate that less than 20% of departmental staff will be using traditional desktop computers in our buildings.
Health: Sexual Health
Question
Asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure the protection and continuity of sexual health screening services.[HL2673]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): From April 2013, responsibility for commissioning most sexual health services will transfer to local authorities.
Secondary legislation will require local authorities to commission open-access testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and open-access contraception services.
The sexual health policy document currently in development will signpost to existing guidance including clinical guidelines and standards developed by professional bodies and organisations such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Local authorities will be able to use this guidance to help them to commission high-quality sexual health services. Public Health England will also work with local authorities to determine what other support they may find useful.
Local authorities will use the ring-fenced public health grant they receive to fund the sexual health services they commission.
House of Lords: Gift Shop
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees how much was spent on the recent relocation of the House of Lords gift shop.[HL2629]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Sewel): The relocation of the House of Lords gift shop over the Summer Recess cost £50,400.
Housing Benefit
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by the Foreign Secretary on 20 June (Official Report, Commons, col. 860), in which London Boroughs the 150 households receiving housing benefit of more than £50,000 a year resided. [HL2712]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): The information requested is given in the table below.
| Housing Benefit (HB) recipients with an estimated average yearly award in excess of £50,000 for London Local Authorities and GB: March 2011 | |
| Total | Number of payments in excess of £50,000 |
Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract 100% individual level data (SHBE) March 2011.
1. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month.
2. Components may not sum to total due to independent rounding.
3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
4. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. The data are available monthly from November 2008.
5. " - " denotes nil or negligible.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many, and what proportion, of housing benefit claimants in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have been in work in each year since 2001.[HL2714]
Lord Freud: Housing benefit (HB) recipients and those in employment, in Tower Hamlets Local Authority: Timeseries
| All HB caseload | All non-passported | Non-passported of which in employment | Non-passported, in employment as a % of all HB recipients | |
1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
2. Caseload figures are rounded to 10, percentages to one decimal place.
3. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month.
4. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and May 2012 is the most recent available. Comparable data for those in employment are not available prior to the introduction of SHBE.
5. These data refer to people receiving housing benefit not in receipt of a passported benefit and are recorded as being in employment if their local authority has recorded employment income from either the main claimant, or partner of claimant (if applicable), in calculating the housing benefit award. People receiving passported benefits who are working part-time cannot be identified and are therefore not included in this analysis.
Illiteracy
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have set a target date for the elimination of illiteracy in the United Kingdom; and, if so, what that target is. [HL2526]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Lord Marland): Education and Skills is a devolved matter and, as such, I can reply only with respect to England. The Government set out in Skills for Sustainable Growth (November 2010) that they will continue fully to fund literacy and numeracy courses for adults who lack these basic skills, but to maximise economic and personal returns we will review this provision and take steps to make it more effective. It sets out that this reformed programme will move away from targets to focus on equipping individuals with the skills and qualifications they need to get a job, progress in work and play a full part in society. This review was undertaken in 2011. The outcomes were published in New Challenges, New Chances (December 2011), the Government's further education and skills reform plan.
For young people aged 16-19, new study programmes will be implemented from September 2013 in which students studying post-16 will be expected to work towards GCSE A*-C in English and/or maths if they
have not already achieved this, with the aim of achieving the qualifications by age 19. Where GCSE A*-C is not attainable within the time of the study programme, students can take interim English or maths qualifications that would help them achieve GCSE over a longer period of time. The Government have already taken significant steps to increase rigour and to improve the quality of exams, including the re-introduction of marks for the good use of English in all relevant exams. In addition, the Government are introducing English baccalaureate certificates—new, high-quality qualifications that match the world's best—in six core academic subjects including English.
The new catch-up premium will allocate an additional £500 per pupil, aimed at pupils who have not attained level 4 in reading and/or maths at the end of primary school. It will be available to their secondary schools to enable them to catch up in year 7.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the level of illiteracy in the United Kingdom.[HL2527]
Lord Marland: The 2011 Skills for Life survey provides the most recent estimate of adult literacy levels for people aged between 16 and 65 years-old in England, based on fieldwork conducted between May 2010 and February 2011. The headline findings of the survey were published in December 2011.1 The survey results show that 14.9% (5.1 million) of people had a literacy level below level 1. Level 1 is viewed as the level required to be functionally literate, the level needed to get by in life and at work,2 and so people below this level could be defined as having a low level of literacy.
The most recent available evidence on literacy levels across the United Kingdom is more dated, from the International Adult Literacy Survey 1994-1998.3 This showed that 22% of adults aged 16-65 in the UK had the equivalent of below level 1 prose literacy4 and 23% had the same level of document literacy.5
The percentage of pupils achieving the minimum expected level at age 11, level 4 or above, in the 2012 Key Stage 2 reading test in England was 87%. The provisional data show that 13% of pupils did not achieve level 4 in reading, and that 6% achieved level 2 or below.
1 TNS-BMRB and AlphaPlus Consultancy Ltd. (2011) 2011 Skills for Life survey: headline findings, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, BIS research paper 57. Available online at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/0-9/11-1367-2011-skills-for-life-survey-findings.pdf, accessed on 12/10/12.
2 As defined in the Leitch review of skills. See Leitch, S. (2006) Prosperity for All in the Global Economy—world class skills, available online at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. uk/+/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/rnedia/6/4/leitch_ finalreport051206.pdf, accessed on 12/10/12: page 61-62.
3 OECD (2000) Literacy in the Information Age: final report of the international adult literacy survey, Statistics Canada.
4 Defined as the knowledge and skills required to locate and use information contained in various formats, including job applications, payroll forms, transportation schedules, maps, tables and charts.
5 Defined as the knowledge and skills required to locate and use information contained in various formats, including job applications, payroll forms, transportation schedules, maps, tables and charts.
International Labour Organisation: Work in Fishing Convention
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ratify the International Labour Organization Work in Fishing Convention; if so, when; and whether they will transpose the terms of the Convention into national law.[HL2743]
Earl Attlee: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has carried out preliminary analysis of existing legislation against the standards of the International Labour Organisation Work in Fishing Convention, and is discussing with the UK fishing industry the legislative and procedural changes that would be necessary for UK ratification. In the light of these discussions, proposals will be developed. The timing of possible UK ratification of the convention, which is not yet in force internationally, will depend on the progress of legislative procedures.
Iran
Question
Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made, directly or through international agencies, concerning the executions in the past week at Tabriz, Shiraz and Zahedan prisons in Iran and the further scheduled executions imminent at Ghezel Hesar prison.[HL2570]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We frequently condemn Iran's use of the death penalty, most recently in an online campaign to mark the World Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October both in Farsi and English.
On 24 August, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) issued a statement condemning recent death sentences in Iran, as well as the regime's overall human rights record. We are pressing Iran to address international concerns over its use of the death penalty both through the EU and the UN General Assembly.
In the UN General Assembly this Autumn, the UK will support the annual resolution on human rights in Iran and reiterate its strong support for the work of the UN special rapporteur, Dr Ahmed Shaheed, whose latest report details many areas of concern about Iran's use of the death penalty.
Israel
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations to the Government of Israel regarding that Government's participation in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.[HL2657]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We have regular discussions with the Government of Israel on a wide range of nuclear-related issues. Israel has not declared a nuclear weapons programme. We encourage Israel to sign up to the non-proliferation treaty and call on it to agree a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Legal Aid
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much legal aid was paid to each legal representative for (1) Abu Hamza, (2) Babar Ahmad, (3) Syed Talha Ahsan, (4) Adel Abdul Bary, and (5) Khaled al-Fawwaz, shown by solicitor and counsel; and how many legal representatives were instructed throughout their court proceedings.[HL2597]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): The information requested is not readily available as it involves matching data in different formats from several IT systems. I will write to the noble Lord to provide details of legal aid paid, if any, when the information is available.
Moldova
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what encouragement they intend to give to Moldova to assist that country in preparing for possible future membership of the European Union.[HL2601]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Republic of Moldova is making good progress in its negotiations with the EU on an association agreement and deep and comprehensive free trade agreement, and the UK is working closely with Moldova to ensure that it will be able to implement and enforce its prospective new commitments. Areas of current activity include conflict resolution, security sector reform, open government, promoting democratic values, tackling corruption and organised crime, respect for human rights, consumer protection, and food safety.
The UK continues to support the European integration aspirations of the Republic of Moldova and is in favour of an EU membership perspective for eligible countries able and willing to meet the necessary political and economic accession criteria.
NHS: Personnel
Question
Asked by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what involvement the Secretary of State for Health or the Department for Health have in appointing members of hospital, trust or other such bodies’ boards, committees or similar ad hoc and permanent groups; when and where these powers have been used in the last ten years; and under what guidelines, criteria and security checks appointed personnel have been selected. [HL2780]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): The power to appoint chairs and other non-executive members of boards of National Health Service trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities and NHS charity trustees was delegated by the Secretary of State to the NHS Appointments Commission in 2001 and then the Appointments Commission in 2006. On 30 September 2012, those powers were revoked and from 1 October 2012 in relation to NHS trusts and NHS charity trustees that power was transferred to the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA). For primary care trusts and strategic health authorities the Secretary of State retains responsibility until their abolition at the end of March 2013, with the NHS TDA supporting the appointments process.
With the exception of the appointment of NHS charity trustees, all of these appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and as such are subject to the requirements of his Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. The commissioner regularly audits the appointment process and publishes the audit findings. Those appointed are not subjected to security checks. However, as part of the appointments process, candidates are asked to declare anything which would cause embarrassment if they were appointed—for example, a criminal record—and references are followed up.
Nigeria
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the Human Rights Watch report Spiralling Violence: Boko Haram Attacks and Security Force Abuses in Nigeria, published on 11 October. [HL2620]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Human Rights Watch Report highlights the threat that violence in Northern Nigeria poses to human rights. It calls on the main Islamic group, known as Boko Haram, to stop its campaign of indiscriminate violence and calls on the Government of Nigeria to investigate and hold to account all those accused of human rights abuses, including members of the security forces.
We have strongly condemned the violence perpetrated by Boko Haram. We are deeply concerned about the allegations of human rights abuses being perpetrated by members of the Nigerian security services, including the ones contained in the recently published Human Rights Watch report. These are serious allegations from a respected organisation. We expect the Nigerian authorities to investigate the allegations thoroughly and independently, and to prosecute and punish anyone found guilty.
The Human Rights Watch report recognises the UK's engagement on these issues. However, it also calls on the UK to be even more proactive. Our high commission in Abuja and visiting officials regularly call for those responsible to be brought to justice, including members of the security forces. UK policy towards Nigeria is clear. Our programmes such as the Department for International Development's Justice 4 All and the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme are designed to increase human rights awareness and ultimately protection. We will continue to explore further opportunities to tackle violence and engage on human rights in Nigeria.
North Korea
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in the northern parts of North Korea which were struck by torrential rains in July 2012; and what is their assessment of the assistance being given to the homeless and displaced.[HL2581]
Baroness Northover: Some 62,000 people were temporarily displaced and 60,000 hectares of arable land damaged by torrential rains and subsequent flooding in July 2012. The International Federation of the Red Cross provided assistance for shelter and clean water and the World Food Programme provided targeted emergency food assistance. The World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children's Fund have also allocated funds for health and nutrition. DfID provides core funding to these organisations. The British embassy in Pyongyang has monitored the response by North Korea and international organisations, which have provided support to the North Korean authorities. The North Korean Government's response seems to have been appropriate although more could be done with additional resources. North Korea has not issued an official appeal for these.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the policy of the Government of North Korea in distributing food, housing, medical care, employment and education opportunities among the population of North Korea.[HL2582]
Baroness Northover: Officially, the North Korean authorities distribute food and other services to the population on an equitable basis, but observations on the ground suggests that there are inequities between the capital, Pyongyang, and the regions, and among
different groups in society. The latest report from the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea urges the Government to make enough resources available for the most critical needs such as food, medicine, water and sanitation. It points to misguided economic policies, the priority given to the military over the general population and the classification of the population according to a system of loyalty, which results in unequal access to food, housing, medical care and employment and education opportunities, as root causes of impoverishment in North Korea.
The UK provides core funding through multilateral organisations working in North Korea including the World Food Programme and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The CERF provided £15.4 million to North Korea in 2011 and an additional £7 million in March 2012. The UK's contribution is 22%.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of North Korea about the equity of the distribution of humanitarian aid and food provisions among the population.[HL2583]
Baroness Northover: We have not made direct representation to the Government of North Korea about the distribution of humanitarian aid and food provisions, but we address these issues indirectly in the context of the basic right to food, the discriminatory class system and the vulnerability of certain groups, particularly children and pregnant/lactating mothers, in North Korea. We raise these issues regularly by sponsoring with other EU member states annual resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly and Human Rights Council and when other opportunities arise. The UK provides core funding through multilateral organisations working in North Korea including the World Food Programme and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). The CERF provided £15.4 million to North Korea in 2011 and an additional £7 million in March 2012. The UK's contribution is 22%.
Olympic Games: Northern Cyprus
Question
Asked by Baroness Knight of Collingtree
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations to the International Olympic Committee about the inclusion of Northern Cyprus as a participant country in the Olympic Games. [HL2630]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The rules governing arrangements for competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games are a matter for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and not the British Government. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not recognised by the UN and does not have a National Olympic Committee recognised by the IOC.
Qualifying athletes who consider themselves to be affiliated to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are not prevented from competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Such athletes are free to compete under the Flag of a National Olympic Committee recognised by the IOC for which they hold a passport.
Our long standing position is to oppose any partition of Cyprus and we remain committed to the UN led settlement process, which seeks to end the continued division of the island.
Roads: A66
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many miles of the A66 trunk road between the M6 and the A1 are dual carriageway and how many are single carriageway; and what plans they have to complete the dualling of this road.[HL2704]
Earl Attlee: Between the M6 Motorway and the A1, the A66 trunk road comprises approximately 32 miles of dual carriageway and just over 17 miles of single carriageway. There are no current plans to upgrade the existing single carriageway sections of the A66 to dual carriageway standard.
Roads: Badgers
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many serious road accidents have been caused by badgers in each of the past 10 years.[HL2819]
Earl Attlee: Since 2005, the Department for Transport has collected information on road accidents which involved a vehicle hitting an animal (other than a ridden horse) in the carriageway. The table below shows the number of personal injury road accidents for which this was recorded in each year from 2005, broken down by severity. However, the species of animal is not recorded so no information is available on the number of accidents specifically involving badgers. No relevant information is available for 2004 and earlier years.
| Number/Percentage | |||||
| Accident Severity | |||||
| Year | Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total accidents involving animal in carriageway being hit | As percentage (%) of all personal injury accidents |
Roads: M4
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to restore the 70 miles per hour speed limit on the M4 between junction 4 and Chiswick flyover. [HL2789]
Earl Attlee: The Highways Agency currently has no plans to increase the existing speed limits on the M4 between Junction 4 and Junction 1. The reduced speed limit was introduced in 1999 due to the geometry of the road, and the reduction of three lanes to two lanes at the two lane elevated section. Following the suspension of the bus lane in November 2010 these factors have not changed.
Schools: Finance
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 15 October (WA 454–5), how many local education authorities did not send a statement to the Department for Education confirming the number of schools financial value standard (SFVS) statements they have received in the last three years for which information is available; how many schools in England are estimated not to have filed SFVS statements with their local education authorities in those years; and what action is taken with respect to schools that do not file SFVS statements.[HL2687]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The schools financial value standard (SFVS) did not come into force until April 2012, so most schools will not have to complete the return until 31 March 2013. The department will not receive confirmation from local authorities that their schools have completed SFVS for 2012-13 until mid 2013.
The exception is for those schools that did not achieve the earlier measure of financial management standard in schools. In those circumstances, schools are required to complete SFVS for 2011-12 and we expect to be notified by local authorities that they have done so by 31 October 2012.
Completion of SFVS is a statutory requirement which we expect local authorities to enforce.
Schools: Free Schools
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they will give to administrators of free schools regarding religious instruction, including the teaching of creationism.[HL2772]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The terms on which free schools are funded are set out in the funding agreement between the Academy Trust and the Secretary
of State. This agreement requires free schools to provide religious education and a daily act of collective worship. The funding agreement also makes clear that free schools should not teach, in the context of any subject, any view or theory that is contrary to established scientific or historical evidence and explanation, such us creationism.
Spain/Gibraltar Border
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from the Government of Gibraltar regarding reported increases in the time taken by Spanish authorities to inspect vehicles crossing over their border with Gibraltar en route to Spain. [HL2607]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Government of Gibraltar raised their concerns on 9 October and again during the course of the weekend of 12-14 October. The British Government share these concerns and raised this issue at a very high level with the Spanish Government over the weekend of 12-14 October during the ongoing disruption.
I also refer the noble Lord to the Statement on 15 October by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington) in the other place (Official Report, col. 23).
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the economy of Gibraltar of an increase in delays to motorists crossing the Spanish border.[HL2608]
Baroness Warsi: Financial and economic matters are the competence of the Government of Gibraltar. The British Government consider that disruption to border flows could have a direct impact on the prosperity of Gibraltar, as well as having a negative impact on the wellbeing of communities on both sides of the border. We remain in close and regular contact with the Government of Gibraltar on the border situation.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Government of Spain regarding delays to vehicles at the border between Spain and Gibraltar.[HL2609]
Baroness Warsi: I refer the noble Lord to the Statement of the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington) on 15 October in the other place (Official Report, col. 23).
We raised this issue over the weekend of 12-14 October at very high level with the Spanish Government. We have raised the issue again since then and also protested formally to the local authorities.
Syria
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Government of Syria has offered compensation to internationally-protected Palestinian refugees killed or wounded by its forces on its territory; and, if not, whether they will make representations about the matter.[HL2569]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We are not aware that Syria has offered any compensation to Palestinian refugees killed or wounded by its forces on its territory.
Over the past 19 months, all those in Syria, including Palestinian refugees, have had to endure increasing violence, with the regime resorting to the use of aircraft, helicopters and artillery. The numbers killed now exceed 25,000. 1.2 million are displaced within Syria, with a further 350,000 having sought refuge across the neighbouring borders of Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.
The UK has been at the forefront of international efforts to bring an end to the killing and find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) has made clear that those responsible for the worst crimes should be held accountable for their actions and we remain at the forefront of the international community in calling for the situation in Syria to be referred to the International Criminal Court.
Asked by Lord Janner of Braunstone
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate of the adequacy of protection for civilians in Syria.[HL2586]
Baroness Warsi: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has repeatedly called on the Syrian Government to end violence and the killing of civilians. The Geneva communiqué, agreed by the Foreign Ministers of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary General and the Secretary General of the Arab League, called on all parties “to fully adhere to their obligations under international law, including in relation to the protection of civilians”. The Human Rights Council in its latest resolution on Syria, adopted on 28 September, reiterated its call to the Syrian authorities to meet their responsibility to protect the Syrian population. However, recognising that the UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry has reported human rights abuses to a much lesser scale by some armed opposition groups, the Foreign Secretary has called on all sides, including armed opposition groups in Syria, to uphold human rights and international law.
The Syrian regime has failed to heed these calls and continues to subject its population to violent repression. The Human Rights Council mandated commission of inquiry stated in its report of 15 August that Syrian Government forces and their Shabiha militia were responsible for the massacre in A1-Houla. It also
reported that although the Syrian Government's stated aim was to attack “terrorists”, attacks were directed at neighbourhoods, towns and regions with civilian populations. The Foreign Secretary said in his Statement in the other place on 3 September (
Official Report
, col. 53), that the Syrian “regime is using indiscriminate shelling, aircraft, helicopter gunships and militias to terrorise civilians”. We do not doubt that the regime continues on the same course as the violence escalates.
Venezuela
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to improve relations between Venezuela and the United Kingdom, following the recent presidential election.[HL2658]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), met the Venezuelan ambassador on 11 October to discuss ways of developing our bilateral relationship following the presidential election. Areas covered included commercial opportunities and ways of sharing information on public policy. Together with our embassy in Caracas we will take forward this work.
Western Balkans
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what new policy initiatives they are proposing for United Kingdom activities in the western Balkans to assist local economic development and trade with the United Kingdom.[HL2602]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We encourage leaders in the western Balkans to improve the region's economic prospects through the implementation of key structural reforms and by improving the business environment. These reforms include promoting fair competition, creating effective public administrations, and rooting out corruption. Such measures will help to generate foreign investment through the creation of a more attractive business climate, and help promote the region's long-term economic development.
The process of EU enlargement for the region, which we support, encourages these reforms. Eventual membership will provide confidence to potential investors of the stability of western Balkan markets. The UK also supports reforms through bilateral and EU project work and our embassies throughout the region continue to use diverse and creative measures to support UK business interests and commercial links.