Written Answers
Tuesday 12 November 2013
Alcohol
Question
Asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total amount spent on alcohol during 2012-13 by HM Treasury.[HL3013]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): A record of alcoholic refreshments is not held centrally within our accounting system and the information could not be provided within the disproportionate costs threshold.
All staff and senior officials are required to refer to the department's travel and subsistence policy, which provides clear guidance with regards to the purchase of alcohol.
Antarctic
Question
Asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the advice of the British Antarctic Survey about (1) the current position and future trends of net movement of ice from the land areas of Antarctica to the ocean, (2) the increase of the area of sea ice surrounding Antarctica, and (3) changes in temperature over the Antarctic peninsula and over the main Antarctic continent.[HL3056]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie) (Con): The British Antarctic Survey, part of the Natural Environment Research Council, works alongside others in the UK polar science community to monitor change in the Antarctic environment—using data collected from satellites, from ship and by scientists on the ground.
1. Currently, scientists report that glacial ice is being lost from several parts of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, notably the Antarctic Peninsula and the Amundsen Sea sector of West Antarctica. Loss from the Antarctic Peninsula is probably a result of atmospheric warming in this region (see below), while loss from the Amundsen Sea sector is thought to be caused by changes in the coastal sea into which it flows. In East Antarctica, only a few areas of ice loss have been identified, and elsewhere the ice is slowly thickening. Overall, however, the Antarctic ice sheet is losing glacial ice and making a significant contribution (0.20 to 0.62 mm per year, 2002-2011) to observed rates of global sea-level rise which has been 2.8 to 3.6 mm per year, 1993-2010. Scientific advice is that in the future, it is very unlikely that increases in snowfall could outweigh the increases in ice loss, and there is thus a high likelihood that the Antarctic contribution to global sea-level rise will increase in future decades and centuries.
2. In marked contrast to the Arctic, over the 35 years for which satellite records are available, the extent of the seasonal sea ice (frozen sea water) floating in the seas around Antarctica has increased—2013 saw the largest extent on record. More than one mechanism is thought to be contributing to this observed increase. First, sea ice drifts under the influence of near-surface winds, and there has been an increase in the northerly winds blowing sea ice away from the Antarctic continent. Second, these increased winds carry more cold air off the continent, freezing more ice. Third, changes in the temperature and salinity of the coastal seas around Antarctica may have altered sea-ice production. The increase in Antarctic sea-ice extent (1.2 to 1.8% per decade, 1979-2012) is statistically significant, but is considerably less than the corresponding decrease in the Arctic sea ice (3.5 to 4.1% per decade, 1979-2012). It is unknown whether the small Antarctic increase is simply the result of natural variability or results from anthropogenic effects.
3. Over the past ~60 years, temperatures on parts of the Antarctic Peninsula have increased faster than anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere, and possibly anywhere on Earth. Meteorological records from Faraday/Vernadsky Station show a warming of over 3.3°C. Temperature changes measured at climate stations in East Antarctica have generally been much smaller in amplitude and in recent decades some have shown a cooling trend. Several studies suggest that the pattern of warming and cooling was driven by changes in atmospheric circulation linked to the Antarctic ozone hole. A paucity of long-term meteorological records from West Antarctica means that changes in this region can only be inferred from statistical temperature reconstructions, which are not as robust as those based on direct measurements. Such studies do, however, suggest decadal warming in this region, again strongly linked to wider patterns of atmospheric circulation.
These apparently diverse changes in the temperature, sea ice and glacial ice across Antarctica demonstrate the complexity of the Antarctic system but none of the observed changes is in contradiction to our overall understanding of anthropogenic climate change.
Apprenticeships
Questions
Asked by Lord Smith of Clifton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many employers in England who offer publicly funded apprenticeships employ (1) 1–24, (2) 25–49, (3) 50–99, (4) 100–249, and (5) 250 or more, staff. [HL3275]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many employers in England offer publicly funded apprenticeships to apprentices aged (1) 16–18, (2) 19–24, and (3) 25 and over; and how many apprenticeships are offered nationally to each age group.[HL3276]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): Information is not available on the number of employers offering or employing Apprentices by size.
Information on the number of employers who offer apprenticeships by age is not available as Apprenticeships places are open to individuals of all ages.
The online Apprenticeship Vacancies Report shows the number of vacancies updated on a monthly basis and published by the Data Service on at the following link:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/fe_data_library/Apprenticeships/
Provisional data for the 2012/13 academic year show that over 225,9001 employer workplaces (site level) employed Apprentices in England. An employer workplace may employ Apprentices of different ages.
Information on Apprenticeship participation and starts by age in England is published in the Statistical First Release (SFR):
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D37C3948-A652-4894-B686-9D28D8ACACD0/0/All_SFR_Tables_Oct13.xls
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current/
This figure is rounded to the nearest hundred
Badgers
Questions
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that badgers are not trapped for long periods inside cages in winter weather conditions as a result of attempts to reach the killing target for the Gloucestershire pilot trial; and whether they will ensure that pregnant female badgers that have been trapped are tested for tuberculosis and released if they are free of the disease.[HL3239]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): Requirements for cage trapping and shooting are set out in best practice guidance, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69544/pb13715-badger-shooting-cage-trapping.pdf
Natural England carry out monitoring to ensure that the culls are being conducted in accordance with the Best Practice Guidance.
Cage-trapping and shooting, controlled shooting and vaccination require adherence to a closed season to avoid cruel ill treatment to the animal or to any dependent off-spring. The duration and timing of the closed season balances badgers’ welfare requirements against disease control requirements. In the winter, the closed season for cage trapping (which starts at the beginning of December) aims to protect trapped badgers from poor weather conditions. In the spring, it aims to minimise the risk of removing lactating sows and so leaving dependent cubs underground. The timing of these seasons has been set using evidence from culling during the RBCT and expert ecological advice.
Implantation and the onset of pregnancy in badger sows is unlikely to take place before mid-December. No routine testing of badgers for bovine TB is being carried out during the culls. The purpose of the pilots was to find out whether controlled shooting is safe, effective and humane.
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking against farmers and others who attempt to gas badgers.[HL3289]
Lord De Mauley: The police are responsible for investigating wildlife crime, and any suspicions of possible illegal culling should be reported to them.
Commonwealth: Heads of Government Meeting
Question
Asked by Baroness Scotland of Asthal
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the government of Canada’s decision to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka.[HL3075]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The Government of Canada has not decided to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka. As Prime Minister Harper of Canada said in his statement of 7 October, he would not be attending the CHOGM, he would instead be sending the hon. Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights. Like Canada, the UK is deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. CHOGM will shine a spotlight on Sri Lanka and our attendance will provide the opportunity for the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), to deliver direct messages to the Sri Lankan government: that they must make real progress on issues of human rights, reconciliation, and political reform.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Question
Asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current assessment of the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the prospects for a credible peace agreement in that area.[HL3139]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We welcome the M23 militia’s announcement on 5 November that it would lay down its arms. It is now important that the Kampala process is completed quickly. This will be an important step towards stabilising the region, and will allow the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Government, with support from the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), to move on to tackling other armed groups in the region.
But this military activity is only part of what is needed. We urge the region’s leaders to return their focus to the implementation of the Peace, Security and Co-operation Framework for the Great Lakes, underpinned by regional political dialogue. This offers the best hope for building sustainable peace and prosperity in the Great Lakes region. The UK will continue to support this important process by working closely with the UN and countries of the region, as well as the US and EU.
Energy: Carbon Capture and Storage
Question
Asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when their programme to promote carbon capture and storage will lead to construction of the first installation; and how much carbon they plan to capture by 2020.[HL3174]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The Government is strongly committed to the development of Carbon Capture and Storage. In April 2012, we published the CCS Roadmap which sets out a comprehensive strategy for the development of cost-competitive CCS and launched the £1bn Commercialisation Programme, together with a £125m four-year Research and Development programme.
Budget 2013 announced the selection of two preferred bidders in the CCS Competition. We are currently working with these preferred bidders to develop detailed contracts for Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies of their projects which will inform final investment decisions. We expect to sign FEED contracts around the turn of the year.
Information coming from the FEED process will provide greater clarity on timelines and the amount of carbon dioxide they expect to capture, but we expect projects to complete construction before 2020.
Energy: Electricity
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of their agreement with EDF and the government of China to provide nuclear power plants in the United Kingdom and the recent price increase by the large energy companies, they have any plans to consider renationalising the electricity supply industry.[HL3185]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The Government has no plans to renationalise the electricity supply industry.
Energy: Prices
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Ofgem about their decision that energy companies should no longer be allowed to offer tariffs that track competitors' prices.[HL3090]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): Ofgem’s rules on the structure of tariffs and the other reforms under the Retail Market Review are designed to make the market similar, clearer and fairer. This work was done by Ofgem in their role as the independent regulator of the gas and electricity markets and they undertook formal consultations together with bilateral meetings and seminars with large and small suppliers, consumer groups, Government and other interested stakeholders.
Asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they ensure energy consumers can make appropriate comparisons with differing suppliers.[HL3311]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government is providing legislative backing to Ofgem's Retail Market Review measures which will simplify and standardise tariff structures and require suppliers to provide consumers with clearer and better quality information so that it will be far easier for consumers to compare tariffs.
These measures include requiring suppliers to adopt a standardised Tariff Information Label on bills. websites and promotional material which contains the key features of a tariff and requiring suppliers to use a standardised way of estimating the total cost of a tariff to an individual consumer, the Personal Projection.
Energy: Wind Farms
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of wind farms on rural house prices in Britain.[HL3172]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The evidence of the impact on property prices in the presence of a windfarm is mixed and not conclusive. DECC recognises that there is scope for new up-to-date research on the impact that energy infrastructure has on house prices. Any evidence on the impact of wind farms on rural house prices will be assessed as part of the wider work that Defra is doing working with DECC to investigate the effects of electricity generation on the natural environment. A report setting out the findings of this analysis will be published in due course once it has been through the usual quality assurance processes.
EU: Vacuum Cleaners
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so why, they supported European Union Regulation 666/2012 reducing the permissible power rating for vacuum cleaners.[HL3184]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): The UK Government supported Regulation 666/2013 on the Ecodesign of vacuum cleaners, together with the Commission Delegated Act 665/2013 concerning energy labelling, viewing both as a necessary and important contribution to reducing electricity use and making savings in greenhouse gas emissions and consumer bills. For the first time, these regulations introduce a minimum standard for cleaning performance, helping consumers choose vacuum cleaners that are both effective and energy efficient.
Vacuum cleaners have long been sold under the misapprehension that greater power equals greater cleaning, which has led to a proliferation of models with ever increasing electricity demands.
Gaza
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent representations they have made to the government of Israel about the six-mile fishing limit for Gazan fishermen.[HL3062]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We regularly make representations at both ministerial and official level to the Israeli authorities on the urgent need to ease restrictions on Gaza, including fishing limits, most recently with the Israeli Ministry of Defence on 17 October.
Genetic Modification
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 30 October (WA 259), whether their definition of genetic modification is limited to recombinant nucleic acid techniques, or whether it also includes either the direct introduction into a cell of heritable genetic material from another source or cell fusion techniques whereby live cells with new combinations of heritable genetic material are formed by means of methods that do not occur naturally.[HL3115]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie) (Con): There is no universally accepted definition of ‘genetic modification’. However, the term
is commonly used to describe the artificial modification of a gene or other genetic material of a cell or organism to alter the biological characteristics in some way. The genes present in the donated mitochondria will not be altered nor will the nuclear DNA of the child's parents' egg or embryo that will be used in these new IVF procedures. At this time there is no agreement that this procedure constitutes genetic modification.
Geneva II Peace Talks
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that the United Kingdom delegation to the Geneva II peace talks includes (1) women at a senior level, and (2) a gender expert.[HL3156]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The format for Geneva II has yet to be decided, though we look forward to hearing from the United Nations what formal role the UK will have. As a result, it would be premature to appoint a UK delegation at this time. However, we place a high priority on ensuring that women’s rights are fully taken into account in peace talks. We are actively encouraging the National Coalition to appoint women to their delegation to Geneva II and are working with international partners on other means to ensure the involvement of women’s groups in the process.
Government Departments: Ministerial Agreements
Question
Asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will release a copy of the tripartite ministerial agreement between the Department of Health, HM Treasury and the Department for Communities and Local Government governing the operation of the Integration Transformation Fund.[HL3019]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The tri-partite agreement referred to is within the content of the spending round settlement letters between HM Treasury, the Department of Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Her Majesty's Government will not release a copy of these letters as this relates to confidential ministerial communications.
Detail of the agreement is set out in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Spending Round 2015 statement to parliament1 on 26 June 2013 and the Spending Round 2013 document published by HM Treasury in June2.
NHS England and the Local Government Association have published further details as to how this will be implemented in practice, and fuller guidance will be published in the coming weeks.
Notes:
1. www.gov.uk/government/speeches/spending-round-2013-speech
2. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/209036/spending-round-2013-complete.pdf
Israel
Questions
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the government of Israel to declare (1) any stocks of nuclear weapons they possess, and (2) any facilities they fund to research and produce such weapons.[HL3069]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): Israel has not declared a nuclear weapons programme. We have regular discussions with the Government of Israel on a range of nuclear-related issues. The Government of Israel is in no doubt as to our views. We encourage Israel to become a state party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We also call on Israel to agree a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had, or plan to have, with the government of Israel about UNICEF's report Children in Israeli Military Detention, published in March; and what action they will be encouraging Israel to take in the light of that report's conclusions.[HL3085]
Baroness Warsi: Our Ambassador to Tel Aviv raised the issue of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention again with the Israeli Minister of Justice on 16 October. The issue was also highlighted by the UK during Israel's Universal Peer Review at the UN Human Rights Council on 29 October. We will continue to raise this issue with the Israeli authorities and encourage further progress, including on the recommendations in the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) report as well as the independent UK-funded report published in June 2012.
Israel and Palestine
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about Palestinian access to gas and oil fields off the coast of Palestine.[HL3061]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We have regular discussions with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities about Palestinian Authority development of the gas and oil fields off the coast of Gaza. The issue was last raised by our Ambassador to Tel Aviv with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office on 30 October.
Israel and Palestine: West Bank
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are giving any support to the Palestinian Authority in its recent request that countries impose tighter controls on companies doing business with Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. [HL3026]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We are not providing support to the Palestinian Authority regarding its recent request that countries impose tighter controls on companies doing business with Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs).
We are in the process of updating our online guidance for citizens and businesses on overseas markets, including Israel and the OPTs, in line with the UK Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. We expect this guidance to be published in the coming weeks.
NHS: Lewisham Hospital
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to make an announcement in response to the judgment of the Court of Appeal on 29 October in respect of Lewisham Hospital.[HL3052]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The debates in both Houses on 30 October 2013 on changes to health services in London included responses from the Secretary of State and myself about the Court of Appeal's judgment of 29 October in relation to the Trust Special Administrator's regime.
House of Commons: 30 October 2013, Official report, columns 921 to 938.
House of Lords: 30 October 2013, Official report, columns 1585 to 1595.
The judgment was formally handed down in the Court of Appeal on 8 November 2013. We have considered it carefully and will not be pursuing any further appeal.
NHS: NHS Choices
Question
Asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the procurement process to outsource a revamped NHS Choices website will meet the deadline set by Earl Howe for retendering to begin in 2013.[HL3207]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The current NHS Choices website is evolving into a new online service as part of the Health and Social Care Digital Service. As a result, several of the components previously managed by the supplier are in the process of being outsourced using the Government procurement framework G Cloud. In addition NHS Choices is already supported by close to 50 contracts from industry suppliers many of whom are United Kingdom Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
A comprehensive market engagement exercise has been conducted with more than 200 UK SMEs briefed on NHS England's plans for NHS Choices. Many of them have provided feedback and cost saving ideas that are being incorporated into the re-procurement plans. Subject to appropriate business case and technical approvals, NHS England plans to commence procurement of more of these services from industry from April 2014.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the level of grant paid to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in each of the last five years; what were the full-time equivalent staff numbers in each of those years; what was the total cost of their salaries and pension contributions; and what percentage of the total grant that comprised.[HL3092]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office (Baroness Randerson) (LD): The information can be found in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission’s Annual Report and Accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House or on the NIHRC website, www.nihrc.org.
Railways: Compensation
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 31 October (WA 298), what financial compensation is paid to train operating companies in respect of free and reduced travel facilities for former British Rail staff on trains.[HL3224]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD): Free and reduced travel facilities on trains may be offered by train operators to their staff who were formerly employed by British Rail, as part of their employment package. Specific financial compensation is not paid to train operators to offset any notional cost or revenue loss to train operators.
Royal Charter: Press Regulation
Question
Asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in implanting the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practice and ethics of the press.[HL2951]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): Following the Report of the Leveson Inquiry, on 30 October 2013, acting on the advice of the Government, the Privy Council granted a Royal Charter on the self-regulation of the Press. The Secretary of State for Culture has written to all MPs and Peers updating them on this matter, and the published version of the Charter can be found in the library of the House.
Both the industry and the Government agree that independent self-regulation of the press is the way forward and that a Royal Charter is the best framework. At its heart, the Charter sets up a new Recognition Panel, independent of politicians. Its role is to recognise that independent press self-regulator(s) meet agreed criteria set out in the Charter. It does not seek to regulate the press in any way and cannot interfere with what they choose to publish. However, as a voluntary system, the choice to seek recognition, as well as to sign up to self-regulation, lies with the industry, and I would encourage them to look at that. The Charter will be sealed shortly, which will enable the appointment process for the Chair and initial Board members of the Recognition Panel to commence.
Free speech underpins our democracy and the Royal Charter will protect freedom of the press whilst offering real redress when mistakes are made.
Scotland: Independence
Question
Asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings have taken place between the Scottish Government and (1) the Ministry of Defence, (2) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (3) HM Treasury, (4) the Department of Work and Pensions, and (5) the Department for International Development, to discuss the contents of the White Paper on Independence to be published by the Scottish Government. [HL3102]
The Advocate-General for Scotland (Lord Wallace of Tankerness) (LD): No meetings have taken place between the named departments and the Scottish Government regarding the contents of its White Paper on Independence.
Smoking
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 24 October (WA 199–200), when they expect to see a decrease after the workplace ban in the number of admissions to hospitals attributable to smoking; whether there are any extra health risks involved in the percentage of people who smoke hand-rolled tobacco rising from 26 per cent to 35 per cent; and what proportion of the decrease of 17 per cent in cigarette consumption is estimated to be due to illegal imports.[HL3093]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): Smokefree legislation has already had a beneficial effect on admissions to hospital attributable to smoking. As part of a Department funded study assessing trends in key health outcomes, an analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics was conducted to explore the impact of smokefree legislation on admissions for myocardial infarction (MI). The study examined emergency admissions from July 2002 to September 2008 and so included 15 months of data from the period after smokefree legislation was implemented. The study found a statistically significant reduction of 2.4% in the number of admissions for MI following the implementation of smokefree legislation. This was equivalent to 1,200 fewer emergency admissions for heart attacks in the first year following the implementation of the legislation. This study is referenced in the academic review of the evidence of the impact of smokefree legislation that was published alongside the Government's Tobacco Control Plan for England in 2011. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
The rate of smoking-related hospital admissions per 100,000 population aged 35 or over decreased from 1569 in 2006-07 to 1563 in 2011-12. Over the same period, the total number of hospital admissions increased by 16%.
Smoking of tobacco is harmful to health and the Department is aware of evidence that suggests that smoking hand-rolling tobacco is not less harmful than smoking factory made cigarettes.
There is no way to estimate what proportion of the 17% decrease in United Kingdom duty paid tobacco released for domestic UK consumption between 2006-7 and 2012-13 could be attributed to illegal imports. However HM Revenue and Customs' tax gap estimates indicate that the UK's total consumption of cigarettes fell from 61 billion sticks to 44 billion sticks from 2006-07 to 2012-13, a reduction of 28%. Over the same period, consumption of illicit cigarettes has fallen from an estimated 9 billion sticks per year to 4 billion, a reduction of 56%. As a result, the cigarette illicit market share has reduced from an estimated 15% in 2006-07 to 9% in 2012-13.
Sport: Racism
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what provisions they are making to support anti-discrimination campaigns, such as “Kick it Out”, in their efforts to deal with racism in sport.[HL3036]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): Racism is absolutely indefensible and must not be tolerated in any form. We have come a long way in tackling racism in sport in this country in the last 25 years and anti-discrimination campaigns such as “Kick it Out” are vital in ensuring that we continue to push for positive change.
Through Sport England, we are investing over £1m in ‘Sporting Equals’ who actively tackle discrimination and promote greater involvement in sport and physical activity by all communities that are disengaged, especially the black and minority ethnic (BME) population.
Sri Lanka
Questions
Asked by Baroness Scotland of Asthal
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the government of Sri Lanka’s commitment to the principles enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter.[HL3074]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): Like every other Commonwealth country, Sri Lanka is expected to live up to the values of the Commonwealth. Over the last few years and in particular in the run up to the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting, the UK has regularly raised concerns with the Sri Lankan government about human rights and the need to uphold Commonwealth values.
Progress has been made in the areas of demining, the resettlement of internally displaced people, first ever Northern Provincial Council elections since the start of the conflict in 1983, and infrastructure development. But there needs to be further progress in a number of areas including freedom of expression; judicial independence; issues of accountability that arose after the conflict; and achieving a lasting reconciliation and political settlement between Sri Lanka’s communities.
Asked by Baroness Scotland of Asthal
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what efforts they are making to support Commonwealth values and principles in Sri Lanka.[HL3076]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): Like every other Commonwealth country, Sri Lanka is expected to live up to the values of the Commonwealth, as set out in the Commonwealth Charter.
In recent years, in the wake of Sri Lanka's conflict, and in particular in the run up to the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the UK has regularly raised concerns with the Sri Lankan government about human rights and the need to uphold Commonwealth values. We will use our attendance at CHOGM to raise concerns with the Sri Lankan government and to engage directly with local communities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The UK is engaged in supporting Commonwealth values and principles in Sri Lanka through a variety of means. UK funding, bilaterally and through the UN and the EU, supports the delivery of a range of capacity building projects in Sri Lanka. We are also engaging with the Commonwealth on how its ‘Good Offices’ work can have a measurable impact, sharing UK experiences with Sri Lankan Ministries and regularly meeting with and supporting the activities of local NGOs and human rights defenders.
Asked by Baroness Scotland of Asthal
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what reports they have received regarding sexual violence committed against women in Sri Lanka; and whether they have made representations to their Sri Lankan counterparts on this issue.[HL3078]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: We continue to be concerned at reports of a culture of impunity for rape and sexual violence and the lack of support for victims in Sri Lanka. The British Government is supporting projects to ensure a zero tolerance approach to rape and sexual violence in Sri Lanka.
Tackling sexual violence is central to conflict prevention and peace-building worldwide, as recognised in the Preventing Sexual Violence initiative (PSVI) by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague). The then Parliamentary-Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), raised the PSVI declaration in his meeting with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 25 September 2013. We have encouraged Sri Lanka to endorse the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, launched by the Foreign Secretary on 24 September, and we will take the opportunity to raise these issues with Sri Lanka as Chair and host of CHOGM.
Syria
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether and in which ways they are supporting the appeal by the International Committee of the Red Cross and 150 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies for full access to provide humanitarian services and supplies within Syria.[HL3129]
Baroness Northover (LD): At the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, the UK called for action to implement the UN’s proposals for unfettered humanitarian access inside Syria. This resulted in a Presidential Statement on the humanitarian situation in Syria which called for a humanitarian ceasefire as well as unhindered humanitarian access, lifting bureaucratic obstacles, granting visas/permits, assisting cross-border delivery and demilitarising schools and medical centres. We are actively supporting the UN High Level Group led by Baroness Amos which is being established to oversee implementation.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will support requests for ceasefires, both local and national, in Syria.[HL3130]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The Syria conflict can only be resolved through a political settlement. The planned Geneva II talks are the best hope of delivering one. Ceasefires, whether local or national, agreed between the regime and opposition forces could play an important role in building confidence between the parties and in facilitating humanitarian access to the millions of Syrians in desperate need of assistance.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the emergency aid they provide Syria is assisting the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional government in making provision for refugees from Syria.[HL3131]
Baroness Northover: The UK has allocated over £5.3 million to partners working in Iraq to provide essential support to Syrian refugees. This represents 1.5% of the total UK aid allocated so far for specific programmes.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports about the discovery of two new mass graves in Sadad, in Syria; and whether they have verified reports that 45 people have been killed there by the Islamist militias of Al Nusra Front and Daash since 21 October.[HL3145]
Baroness Warsi: We are deeply concerned by recent media reports of mass graves being discovered in Sadad. We have not been able to verify these reports, but we condemn all instances of human rights abuses in Syria. We have consistently made clear that those responsible for the most serious crimes should be held to account. To this end, we have trained over 100 Syrian activists to document human rights violations and abuses to assist in any future accountability process, and continue to support efforts to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Syrian women are fully included in the preparations for the Geneva II peace conference.[HL3155]
Baroness Warsi: The British Government places a high priority on ensuring that any peace process reflects the interests of all Syrian people, including women. We are encouraging the National Coalition to appoint women to their delegation and to work with international partners on other means to ensure the involvement of women’s groups in the Geneva II process.
Telephone Calls: Cold Calling
Question
Asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they propose to take to prevent telephone cold calling.[HL3009]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): Consumers are protected from telephone cold calling through the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) 2003, which prohibits unsolicited marketing calls to numbers registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), or if a recipient has previously advised the calling company that further calls should not made. The TPS is a free service and more than 19.3 million numbers are currently registered with them. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) considers complaints about breaches of the PECR and can issue a monetary penalty of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches.
We outlined our future plans in our strategy paper Connectivity, Content and Consumers: Britain's digital platform for growth, which was published on 30 July. This includes enabling Ofcom to share information more easily with the ICO in relation to organisations that make unsolicited marketing calls, so more effective action can be taken. We are also continuing to work with industry and regulators to ensure better enforcement to target those that break the rules. Other measures include supporting efforts to enable calls to be traced where a caller conceals or withholds their number and considering the scope to lower the legal threshold, which needs to be met before the ICO can issue a monetary penalty. Further information about our proposals is set out at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/connectivity-content-and-consumers-britains-digital-platform-for-growth.
Also, a joint action plan was published in July by ICO and the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which identifies steps they are taking to improve guidance, pursue on-going targeted enforcement and improve call and message tracing processes to track down those responsible for making calls. Ofcom will also be conducting a review of the effectiveness of the TPS and further details are available at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/silent-calls/ joint-action-plan/. We will review their findings carefully to see what further action can be taken to tackle nuisance calls.
Uganda
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any assessment of the Public Order Management Act recently passed in Uganda which makes it illegal to hold a meeting of more than three people at which government policy is discussed without the written authority of the head of the Ugandan police.[HL3158]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We have been closely following the Public Order Management Bill, which was passed by Uganda’s Parliament on 6 August. We are working with local and international partners to understand fully the Act’s implications. However, the final Act had been amended during Parliamentary debates and is substantially different from the original bill. The clause regarding meetings of more than three people is not included in the final Act. It is important that implementation of the Act strikes the right balance between maintaining order and freedom of assembly.
Vehicles: Heavy Goods Vehicles
Questions
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many heavy goods vehicles have been stopped by Vehicle and Operator Services Agency examiners on the A55 since European Union regulations 1072/2009 and 1073/2009 came into effect; and how many immediate prohibitions were issued to drivers of those vehicles.[HL3079]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD): 1072/2009 relates to cabotage and regulation1073/2009 relates to most serious infringements. The figures provided below relate to all our prohibitions:
| Regulation 1072/2009 | ||
| 14th May 2010 to 30th October 2013 | ||
| Mechanical Checks | Immediate Prohibitions | |
| Regulation 1073/2009 | ||
| 4th December 2011 to 30th October 2013 | ||
| Mechanical Checks | Immediate Prohibitions | |
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many heavy goods vehicles have been checked on the A55 in North Wales from (1) the United Kingdom, and (2) other countries, during the last year for (a) weight offences, (b) drivers' hours offences, (c) mechanical condition offences, and (d) speeding; and how many of those vehicles received immediate prohibitions. [HL3080]
Baroness Kramer: The tables below outline how many heavy goods vehicles that have been checked on the A55 in North Wales from (1) the United Kingdom, and (2) other countries, during the last year for (a) weight offences, (b) drivers’ hours offences, (c) mechanical condition offences, and how many of those vehicles received immediate prohibitions. However we are unable to comment on part (d) speeding; as speeding offences are not within the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency's (VOSA)'s remit. Drivers’ hours offences are included in the figures given as they are unable to be split out.
1st November 2012 to 30th October 2013 by VOSA
| UK Vehicles | ||
| Mechanical Checks | Immediate Prohibitions | |
Traffic Checks include some of the weightings
| Other Countries | ||
| Mechanical Checks | Immediate Prohibitions | |
Waterways: Rivers and Estuaries
Question
Asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have commissioned any studies about constructing a barrier across the Mersey estuary; and if so, what conclusions those studies have reached about the practicality and economic costs and benefits of a barrier.[HL3057]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The Government has not commissioned any studies on constructing a barrier across the Mersey estuary.