Written Answers
Wednesday 23 October 2013
Armed Forces: Medals
Questions
Asked by Lord West of Spithead
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Arctic Stars have been presented; how many claims for award of the Arctic Star are outstanding; and what assessment they have made of the total number that may be awarded.[HL2579]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): As at 1 October 2013, the total number of Arctic Stars that had been issued was 3,912, with 13,364 applications waiting to be assessed. We estimate that, based on historical records, up to 120,000 may be awarded.
Asked by Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to issue a medal to members of the Royal Navy Submarine Service who were involved in special missions during the cold war.[HL2764]
Lord Astor of Hever: This Government appreciates the courage shown and sacrifices made by all of our brave Service people during the Cold War years. During that period, some military units or formations doubtless experienced incidents or periods of activity where their exposure to risk and rigour may have been heightened. However, military activity never reached a level where it would have been appropriate to institute a campaign service award. Consequently there are no plans to introduce such an award.
Badgers
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the criteria by which the effectiveness of the badger cull pilots will be assessed; and what assessment they have made of the reliability of the figures for the percentage of badgers killed, in view of the variability of the estimates of the number of badgers in the pilot areas.[HL2521]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): The badger cull pilots will be assessed on the basis of safety, humaneness, and effectiveness.
The methodology used for setting the original minimum and maximum numbers in February 2013 consisted of two elements, sett survey and hair trapping fieldwork, both carried out in autumn 2012. The methodology is published on the Defra website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/files/population-badger-pilot-areas.pdf
The current population estimates are based on additional hair trapping fieldwork collected from the pilot areas immediately before the cull began. This was conducted using the same methodology as in February 2013, but with some small improvements based on lessons learnt in 2012 and approved by the Independent Expert Panel.
Bahrain
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received reports from Human Rights Watch and other groups suggesting that children in Bahrain are regularly detained for long periods, beaten and subjected to threats of torture; and whether they will make representations to the government of Bahrain regarding any such allegations.[HL2630]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We are deeply concerned by reports, including from Human Rights Watch, of imprisonment and mistreatment of children in Bahrain. Our Embassy in Manama has raised the imprisonment of young offenders with the Ministry of the Interior and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince on several occasions. Our Embassy continues to urge the Ministry of the Interior’s independent Ombudsman’s Office to investigate fully the allegations in the recent Human Rights Watch report.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have been approached by the government of Bahrain about a treaty enabling that state to apply for the extradition of former Bahraini citizens living in exile in the United Kingdom; and if so, what was their response.[HL2743]
Baroness Warsi: The Government of Bahrain asked to discuss a possible extradition treaty with the UK earlier this year. The UK only negotiates such treaties where there is a clear operational need to do so, a criteria which we do not believe is met at present. Individual extradition requests between the UK and Bahrain will be considered on a case by case basis.
Cabinet Office: Precedent Book
Question
Asked by Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made of preparing the Cabinet Office “Precedent Book” for declassification and release at the National Archives.[HL2396]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): Officials in the Cabinet Office have been reviewing the Precedent Book and consulting with relevant parties to identify what material can be released to the National Archives.
Children: Early Intervention Grant
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to support local authorities to enable them to maintain spending on early intervention for children at existing levels when the early intervention grant is rolled into the rate support grant; and, if so, what support they plan to provide.[HL2611]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The Early Intervention Grant (EIG)—along with a number of other central government grants—from 2013-14 became part of the new local government funding scheme (the Business Rates Retention scheme). The Early Intervention Funding allocation for local authorities is visible within Business Rates Retention funding in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
The overall allocations for early intervention including funding for early education for two year olds from lower income households are increasing, from £2.2 billion in 2011-12 to £2.5 billion in 2014-15.
Funding within the Business Rates Retention scheme is not “ring-fenced”. This means that local authorities can spend it on any service. It is therefore up to local authorities to determine the overall amount of funding spent on early intervention compared to other local priorities.
Climate Change
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the likelihood and timing of any future phase of global cooling, and (2) the potential impact on the United Kingdom and global economies of any future extensive glaciation; and what precautionary plans they have to limit any damage they predict to the United Kingdom economy and its people from any such extensive glaciation. [HL2653]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): The UK government has made substantial investment in research that concerns the likelihood and timing of future changes in global and regional climate.
All of the climate models and policy-relevant pathways of future greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions considered in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) recent Fifth Assessment Report show a long-term global increase in temperature during the 21st century is expected. In all cases, the warming from increasing greenhouse gases significantly exceeds any cooling from atmospheric aerosols. Other effects such as solar changes and volcanic activity are likely to have only a minor impact over this timescale.
With regard to future glaciation the timescales are very long. Changes in the Earth's orbit are considered to have driven the glacial cycles that have occurred
every 100,000 years approximately, during the past one million years. The British Antarctic Survey has advised that the Earth is about halfway through the current interglacial period and the onset of the next glaciation is not expected for around 10,000 years at least. Although a future extensive glaciation would have huge geopolitical consequences, the transition into such a state would be slow, allowing for adaptation over many generations.
The slow changes in the Earth's orbit are not, however, expected to cause any net global cooling over the next several centuries, which will be dominated by a warming global climate due to greenhouse gas emissions.
Education: Climate Change
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that lessons on climate change in state schools are balanced and objective. [HL2646]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): Section 407 of the Education Act 1996 provides that, where political views are brought to the attention of pupils, they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views. We expect that the teaching of any issue in schools, including climate change, should be consistent with the principles of balance and objectivity.
Energy: Heat Meters
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have published the data from the heat pump metering programme in the Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme; and, if not, why not.[HL2654]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): There are now more than 700 sets of meters installed in the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) metering programme, logging high-frequency, high-resolution data. These are installed on ground- and air-source heat pumps around Great Britain. We believe this is the most comprehensive heat pump monitoring exercise that has been conducted anywhere in the world.
Field trials of this scale are very complex to administer, and it took longer than expected to install the metering equipment. Data analysis has also been more complex than we expected: and, therefore, we are not yet in a position to publish the results.
We have offered meetings with officials to other interested parties regarding this issue. Please let me know if you would like such a meeting as well.
Energy: Nuclear Power
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the European Union regarding the case for strategic, member state level planning for nuclear power projects, in the light of that body's decision to continue support for nuclear power provision on a case by case basis.[HL2644]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): We have made it clear to the European Commission that the new energy and environmental state aid guidelines must support our efforts to make the EU a leading destination for investment in new low-carbon energy infrastructure and should reflect the need for Member States to provide support for all low carbon forms of energy generation, including new nuclear.
The Commission's draft guidelines have not been published yet and we will respond to the consultation at the appropriate time. It is already possible to seek approval for aid for new nuclear whether this is explicitly provided for in the new guidelines or not.
Energy: Nuclear Power Stations
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the latest timescale for the decision on the construction of new reactors for the Wylfa nuclear power station; and on the basis of that timescale, what would be the earliest date on which (1) construction could be commenced; and (2) electricity could be generated from such new reactors.[HL2683]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): Horizon have yet to make an application for development consent for a new nuclear power station at Wylfa so it is too early to estimate dates for development consent, construction and generation. However, they have made clear their aim that Wylfa should become operational in the first half of the 2020s. Earlier this year Horizon submitted their proposed reactor design, the ABWR, to the regulators for Generic Design Assessment.
Energy: Prices
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of the average domestic energy bill is accounted for by (1) Government green and renewable policies, and (2) VAT; and what is the percentage by the net profit of energy companies after taxation.[HL2599]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): In March 2013 DECC published its latest estimates of the impacts of policies on energy prices and bills.
Annex D, Table Dl of the report provides a breakdown of an average domestic energy (gas plus electricity) bill in 2013 and shows that around 4% of the bill is accounted for by the costs of supporting cleaner energy supplies. Schemes to support energy efficiency and help vulnerable households, for example by providing a direct discount on electricity bills for more than 2 million low income and vulnerable households, account for a further 5% of the bill — giving a total of 9% for the costs of government policies. VAT accounts for 5% of the bill with wholesale energy costs the largest component (47%). The report is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/172923/130326_-_Price_and_Bill_Impacts_Report_Final.pdf
An estimate of the percentage share accounted for by the net profit of energy companies after taxation is not available. However, Ofgem publishes information showing that the indicative net margin for energy suppliers—the difference between the customers' retail bills and the suppliers' costs—is around 5% to 6% of the domestic energy bill:
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/gas/retail-market/monitoring-data-and-statistics/electricity-and-gas-supply-market-indicators
Environment: National Pollinator Strategy
Question
Asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will set out details of their National Pollinator Strategy.[HL2627]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): We are committed to the production of a National Pollinator Strategy in collaboration with interested groups. We plan to publish it before the end of this year in preparation for public consultation early next year. The Strategy will bring together all the pollinator-friendly initiatives already underway and provide an umbrella for new action.
EU: Defence
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the joint project by France and Germany to increase European Union defence capability, including the provision of battle groups of 1,500 soldiers, the development of military aircraft and the use of drones under European Union control. [HL2647]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): The European Council meeting on 19-20 December 2013 will discuss defence, including how military capabilities of European nations might be improved. France and Germany
share views on some of the proposals to be discussed in December, but there is no specific joint project of which the UK is aware.
The UK is keen to explore proposals to fill critical gaps in Europe's military capabilities and improve the capacity of NATO and the EU to act when necessary. We are, however, firmly opposed to any initiative that would place military capability under autonomous EU control. At present, military activity in support of the EU is subject to a unanimous voting procedure that gives every member state an effective veto.
EU battlegroups of around 1,500 personnel have existed since 2007 and are designed to provide a rapidly deployable crisis response force. Each battlegroup is formed from voluntary contributions of forces from EU member states and is on standby for a period of six months. The UK is leading the current battlegroup on standby.
Israel
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel concerning the arrest, alleged torture of, and murder charges against, five boys from Hares village.[HL2464]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): Officials from our Consulate General in Jerusalem and our Embassy in Tel Aviv are following this case closely. They last raised the case with the Israeli Ministry of Justice on 17 September. We also continue to have regular discussions with the Israeli authorities on the broader question of the treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention.
Northern Ireland: Military Covenant
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government with which Northern Ireland Executive Ministers they last discussed the implementation of the military covenant in Northern Ireland; and when.[HL2381]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave him on 10 April 2013, (Official Report, columns WA 260-261). In addition to the meeting mentioned the Minister of State for Northern
Ireland has continued discussions, predominantly with Members of Parliament, on issues relating to the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland. Discussions also take place between officials. We expect the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans and the Minister of State for Northern Ireland to have further meetings about Covenant issues.
Russia
Question
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that British citizens detained at Murmansk are able to enjoy the rights and freedoms protected by the European Convention on Human Rights while in the hands of the Russian authorities.[HL2565]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): As a party to the European Convention on Human Rights, we expect Russia to fully adhere to the principles expressed in it. We will continue to monitor closely the conditions under which the detainees are held, and will raise any concerns with the relevant Russian authorities.
World Trade Organisation
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what their negotiating priorities will be at the forthcoming World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in December; and whether the United Kingdom will be supporting commitments to giving duty-free, quota-free access to Least Developed Countries. [HL2501]
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint) (Con): The European Commission negotiates on behalf of Member States at the WTO. The EU and UK priorities for the WTO Ministerial Conference are to secure an agreement on the trade facilitation parts of the Doha package, which by itself would add approximately £70 billion to global GDP, along with some elements on agriculture and on issues of particular interest to low income and least developed countries. The UK already provides 100% duty-free/quota-free access to all LDCs under the EU’s ‘Everything but Arms’ preference scheme and we are keen to see other trading partners follow this lead.