Written Answers
Thursday 1 November 2012
Arms Trade Treaty
Questions
Asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Warsi on 24 September (WS 72), what steps they are taking to ensure progress towards an Arms Trade Treaty. [HL2720]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The UK is co-authoring a resolution at the UN General Assembly First Committee, currently underway in New York, to set the timing and modalities for a further short conference in March 2013 to finalise work on the Arms Trade Treaty.
The UK will continue to lead international efforts to secure a robust and effective treaty that enjoys the support of the widest possible range of states.
Asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which areas of the current draft text of the Arms Trade Treaty they will seek to improve; and what steps they will take to address any deficiencies.[HL2721]
Baroness Warsi: The UK is committed to securing a robust and effective Arms Trade Treaty that enjoys the support of the widest possible range of states, and to continuing its leading role in the UN process. The UK is co-authoring a UN resolution that will set the timing and modalities for a further conference to finalise work on the treaty in March 2013.
Discussions are continuing and it is therefore not appropriate for me to elaborate on the UK's negotiating positions ahead of a possible conference next year. We will continue to work with the international community, civil society and the UK defence industry to secure the highest possible standards in a treaty with the broadest support of the UN membership.
Bailiffs
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will respond to the consultation, Transforming Bailiff Action, which concluded on 14 May.[HL2828]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): The Government plan to publish the response to the Transforming Bailiff Action consultation this autumn.
Bovine Tuberculosis
Questions
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of recent claims that the proposed badger cull in Gloucestershire and Somerset could increase the incidence of tuberculosis in the cattle herd.[HL2661]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will halt the proposed badger cull in Gloucestershire and Somerset until the scientific evidence has been more fully assessed by government and industry scientists.[HL2662]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley): On advice from the NFU, Defra has agreed to postpone the two planned badger culling pilots, in West Somerset and West Gloucestershire, until summer 2013 to allow farmers to continue their preparations and have the best possible chance of carrying out the cull effectively.
Defra veterinary and scientific advice is that badger culling in high cattle TB incidence areas, carried out in line with the strict licence criteria, will reduce the number of infected badgers and thus reduce the weight of TB infection in badger populations in the treatment area.
The badger cull policy is based on evidence from the randomised badger culling trial (RBCT). Using the results of this trial (based on an average of five years' culling plus a four-year post-cull period), culling over an area of 150 km2 could be expected to lead to an average 16% reduction in TB incidence in the local area. This figure was agreed by an independent panel of scientists at a meeting with Professor Bob Watson, Defra's then chief scientific adviser. A summary of the key conclusions from this meeting is available on the Defra website at: http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/ farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/documents/bovinetb-scientificexperts-110404.pdf.
Badgers typically live in social groups of four to seven animals, with defined territorial boundaries. Culling disrupts the organisation of these social groups, which causes surviving badgers to range more widely than they would normally and come into contact more often with other animals, including both cattle and other badgers. This is called perturbation. It is for this reason that applicants for culling licences must put in place reasonable measures to mitigate the risk to non-participating farmers and landowners of a potential increase in confirmed new incidents of TB in vulnerable livestock within the culled area and in the 2 km ring surrounding the culled area. There are minimum biosecurity requirements and applicants must make use of barriers and buffers, such as motorways, rivers and coastlines, in addition to vaccination, where practical at the boundary of the culling areas.
Evidence from the RBCT post-trial analysis shows that the rise in cattle TB incidence observed in the adjacent 2 km ring around a culled area (the perturbation effect) had disappeared by 12-18 months after culling stops.
Embryology
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the work by Professor John Gurdon and Professor Shinya Yamanaka on stem cell technology which avoids the destruction of human embryos, whether they will reassess the public funding and licensing of experiments on human embryos that lead to their destruction, and the creation of animal-human hybrid embryos.[HL2746]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Lord Marland): The award of the Nobel prize for Medicine to Professor Gordon and Professor Yamanaka recognises the value of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) as tools for understanding disease mechanisms and the great promise iPSC offers for the development of medical therapies.
Regenerative medicine is an important component of the Government's life science strategy. In March 2012, the research councils and the Technology Strategy Board published A Strategy for UK Regenerative Medicine. The strategy was developed through wide consultation with research opinion leaders and sets out objectives for translating increasing biological understanding into clinical impacts that will benefit both patients and the UK economy. The strategy highlights the potential of iPSC technology to support developments in the field and provide more representative models of disease.
In line with this strategy, the Medical Research Council (MRC) continues to support all forms of stem cell research. The MRC currently funds research grants addressing iPSC technology and application and supports two research centres working on iPSC, one in Edinburgh and another in Cambridge, the latter in partnership with the Wellcome Trust.
Currently there are considerable uncertainties about the broader utility of iPSC and the biology of the reprogramming process, the optimal derivation technology or the precise tissue sourcing of the donor cells are not yet fully understood. Questions over the safety profile of iPSC also need to be resolved before they can be used in human transplantation, and as a consequence the regulatory requirements for developing iPSC-based therapeutics have yet to be ascertained. In contrast the first human clinical trials using human embryonic stem cell lines have now just begun, with the likelihood that such lines will form the mainstay of proof of concept studies for human pluripotent stem cell lines in the near term.
Employment: Health and Safety
Question
Asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of health and safety compliance by self-employed workers.[HL2768]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) would not normally have contact
with self-employed workers in low risk occupations. In higher risk occupations, where there is the potential to harm others, HSE has no robust evidence of an overall difference in health and safety compliance between self-employed and employed workers. Under the proposals, which are currently the subject of consultation, self-employed workers in the latter category will continue to be subject to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and related legislative requirements.
Gaza
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel about the alleged targeted airstrike carried out on 7 October in the Al-Brazil neighbourhood of Gaza.[HL2680]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We are aware of the Israeli airstrike carried out recently on the Al-Brazil neighbourhood in Gaza. We remain concerned about Israeli air-strikes and other attacks by the Israeli military on Gaza, as well as continued indiscriminate rocket attacks by Palestinian militant groups on Israel. We have encouraged all sides to show restraint and seek to reduce tensions.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Government of Qatar concerning the reconstruction of Gaza.[HL2682]
Baroness Warsi: The British Government have had regular discussions with the Qatari authorities over Qatari financial support for the Palestinian Authority. We will continue to engage closely with Qatar and other international partners to further action to ensure the urgent needs of the Palestinian people are met.
Government Departments: Retirement
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) men, and (2) women, employed by the Department for Education took early retirement in each month since 2006; and what were the reasons for such retirements in each case.[HL2794]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) men, and (2) women, broken down by age group, are currently employed by the Department for Education.[HL2795]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The table attached as Annex 1 shows the numbers of staff who took early retirement from the department (or its predecessors). The actual reasons for the early retirements are not recorded.
At 30 September 2012 the headcount figures for the Department were:
| 16-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 | 45-49 | 50-54 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65+ | Total | |
| Annex 1 | |||||||||||||
| Number of staff who left the Department for Education on early retirement. | |||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
Israel
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Israel regarding the repeated destructions of the village of Al-Araqib.[HL2568]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt) met Minister Benny Begin, who is overseeing implementation of the Prayer Plan, in January 2012 to raise our concerns and encourage further dialogue between the Israeli Government and Bedouin representatives. He saw Minister Begin again on 12 July 2012 who confirmed that extensive consultations with the Bedouin community are underway and that a revised Israeli Government plan will be issued shortly. We hope that this process will result in an agreed and satisfactory solution.
Israel and Palestine
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Government of Israel and BG Group about developing and commercialising gas fields off the Gazan coast. [HL2683]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We have had a number of discussions in recent years with the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and British Gas about the Gaza Marine gas field. The gas fields of the Occupied Palestinian Territories potentially represent a valuable economic resource for the Palestinian people and will help enable the financial sustainability of the future Palestinian state, a goal we strongly support. We therefore welcome recently renewed talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to enable the development of the Gaza Marine gas field.
Nigeria
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they co-operate with the Government of Nigeria on internal security training, equipment and intelligence sharing.[HL2693]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We share expertise on human rights compliant counterterrorism policy, legal frameworks and doctrine with the Nigerian authorities. Our high commission in Abuja regularly discusses the security situation with Nigerian officials. It is long-standing British Government policy not to comment on matters of intelligence.
In 2010 a UK-funded joint maritime security training centre was opened in Lagos. As part of the training package, the UK also loaned a number of training boats to the centre. We have supported a small, permanent British military assistance training team, which replaced the British defence advisory team in 2008. These teams have provided human rights compliant training and advice to the Nigerian Armed Forces.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Commonwealth states and agencies are assisting the Government of Nigeria in its efforts to combat corruption; and, if so, how.[HL2694]
Baroness Warsi: Commonwealth states recognise the damaging effect of corruption on political, economic and social development. In 2003 Commonwealth heads of government reaffirmed their commitment to tackling corruption as part of the Aso Rock Declaration.
Corruption is a particular problem in a number of Commonwealth countries, including Nigeria. The Commonwealth, through its secretariat, has offered training and provided technical assistance that promotes transparent and accountable practice in the public and private sectors in Nigeria. Recently this has included a roundtable on regulation of private equity and pensions in Nigeria.
The British Government also work bilaterally to tackle corruption. Accountability and transparency are essential elements of our bilateral assistance programme. For example, a project run by our high commission supported the implementation of Nigeria's Freedom of Information Act through delivery of training to civil society, media and government groups on their rights and responsibilities under the Act. The Department for International Development also provides advice and expertise on budget reform and supports anti-corruption agencies and justice and security institutions in Nigeria.
North Korea
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they consider to be the status of persons escaping from North Korea for economic or political reasons; whether they consider that they should be allowed safe passage to resettlement in third countries; and what information they hold about the journeys currently being undertaken by escapees seeking safe passage to South Korea.[HL2500]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The British Government believe that people who have escaped from North Korea are entitled to protection under the International Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) and the protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (1967).
The Government have received reports from defectors and through the media that suggest escapees have undertaken journeys through China, Mongolia and south-east Asia to reach South Korea, as well as directly into South Korea itself.
Public Bodies Act 2011
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which bodies listed in Schedule 1 to the Public Bodies Act 2011 have been abolished under Section 1 of that Act. [HL2701]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the starting date of each consultation that has been held under Section 10 of the Public Bodies Act 2011 in advance of the Minister making an order to abolish a public body; and which of those consultations have been concluded.[HL2702]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government in respect of which bodies listed in Schedule 1 to the Public Bodies Act 2011 they intend to hold a consultation under Section 10 of the Act in advance of the Minister making an order to abolish a public body; and when they will announce the consultation in each case.[HL2703]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: This Government are undertaking an ambitious programme of reform of public bodies. The reforms will increase accountability, cut duplication of activity and reduce the overall cost of the public bodies landscape.
To date, the total number of public bodies that have been abolished under Section 1 of the Public Bodies Act is 27, along with a number of statutory advisory committees of the Environment Agency. The bodies that have been abolished under Section 1 are listed below, along with the month in which consultation commenced:
| Public Body | Consultation Start Date | Abolition Date |
All consultations must have been concluded prior to an order being laid as stipulated under the Public Bodies Act 2011.
By the end of the spending review period in March 2015 the Government will have reduced the overall number of public bodies by a third. The Public Bodies Act is already playing a significant role in this programme of reform.
The Government will hold a consultation in relation to the abolition of each and every body listed in Schedule 1 to the Public Bodies Act. Section 10 of the Act, which was added by government amendment in the House of Lords, stipulates that consultation must have occurred prior to a Minister bringing forward a draft order for scrutiny by Parliament. While the precise dates of future consultations are not available in all cases, Ministers must have started consultation at least 12 weeks prior to them bringing forward a draft order.