Written Answers
Wednesday 22 January 2014
Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops
Question
Asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what policy they are promoting about the global use of genetically modified organisms through their membership of the Food and Agriculture Organisation and their support for agriculture in developing countries. [HL4492]
Baroness Northover (LD): The Government believes that the responsible use of GM technology could help alongside other options to meet the challenges ahead on global food security, climate change and the alleviation of poverty. Developing countries should have fair access to such technology and be able to make their own informed decisions on its use, taking account of their particular needs and circumstances. While the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation provides a forum for sharing objective information and advice on genetically modified organisms, it does not formulate policies or make decisions in this area.
Bangladesh
Questions
Asked by Lord Carlile of Berriew
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider the recent elections which took place on 5 January in Bangladesh to be democratic and fair; and whether they consider the results of those elections to be an accurate reflection of public opinion in that country.[HL4649]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): As I noted in my statement of 6 January, the election was called in accordance with Bangladesh's constitution. But like others in the international community the UK is disappointed that voters in more than half the constituencies did not have the opportunity to express their will at the ballot box and that turnout in most other constituencies was low.
The UK believes that the true mark of a mature, functioning democracy is peaceful elections that express the genuine will of the voters. We have therefore called on all political parties to work together to strengthen democratic accountability as an urgent priority and to build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections without the fear of intimidation or reprisals.
Asked by Lord Carlile of Berriew
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to encourage and facilitate a fair and democratic political process in Bangladesh. [HL4650]
Baroness Warsi: Prior to the 5 January election, the UK urged all sides to resolve their differences through meaningful dialogue and to create the conditions conducive for free, fair and credible elections. During my visit to Bangladesh on 12 December, I encouraged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia to continue the process of dialogue initiated by the United Nations Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez Taranco. We continue to urge the new government and all parties to work together to strengthen democratic accountability as an urgent priority and to build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections free from intimidation and reprisals.
Asked by Lord Carlile of Berriew
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to encourage the government of Bangladesh to ensure that the International Crimes Tribunal, established to try those accused of war crimes during the 1971 war of independence, follows due process according to international legal standards. [HL4651]
Baroness Warsi: The UK is clear that the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) must operate in a manner that meets international fair trials standards. This is a message that we give consistently, both publicly and privately, for example at Bangladesh's 2nd Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council on 29 April 2013. Most recently, while in Dhaka on 12 December I raised this with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and also made clear our absolute opposition to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances.
Asked by Lord Carlile of Berriew
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations to the government of Bangladesh about the execution of Abdul Qader Mollah and the conformity of the judicial process leading to the execution with international law. [HL4652]
Baroness Warsi: The UK has made clear its support for Bangladesh's efforts to bring justice to those accused of atrocities committed during the 1971 War, but we have also made clear that it is essential that they meet international fair trials standards. On 10 December, our High Commissioner in Dhaka made representations to the Government of Bangladesh. On the same day I issued a statement expressing deep concern at the imminent execution of Abdul Qader Mollah. While in Dhaka on 12 December I raised this with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and also made clear our absolute opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances.
Britons Living and Working Abroad
Question
Asked by Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the total number of United Kingdom citizens currently resident in other member states of the European Union; and what are the numbers (1) working, and (2) retired.[HL4591]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The most recent figures we have date from a 2010 report which was commissioned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Consular Directorate. These figures are only estimates of the number of United Kingdom citizens living abroad (including for part of a year). We also have 2010 figures for those living abroad and drawing a UK pension. We do not have a further breakdown of figures for those working abroad, or for those who have retired and are not drawing a UK pension.
• Total number of UK citizens living abroad in EU Member States in 2010 (estimate): 2,197,800• Total number of UK citizens living abroad in EU Member States and claiming a UK state pension in 2010: 395,450.
Croatia joined the EU in 2013. The relevant figures for Croatia in 2010 were: estimated number of UK citizens living in Croatia—900; number of UK citizens living in Croatia and claiming a UK state pension—370.
Bullying: Racist Bullying
Question
Asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to combat racist bullying in schools. [HL4436]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The Government has made tackling all forms of bullying, including racist bullying, a top priority.
All schools must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying amongst pupils. They are also required to comply with the Equality Act 2010, which requires all public bodies to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Under the current Ofsted framework school inspectors consider how well schools prevent bullying and tackle harassment and discrimination as outlined in the Act.
The Department for Education has strengthened teachers' powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour, including bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items and search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images on mobile phones. Many schools choose to limit mobile phone use during the school day.
We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations to develop effective initiatives to prevent and tackle bullying: Beatbullying, The Diana Award, Kidscape and the National Children's Bureau. While these initiatives are not specifically targeted at racism, they can and do address racist bullying.
The best schools gather intelligence about issues between pupils which might provoke conflict and develop strategies to prevent bullying from happening in the first place. This might involve talking to pupils about issues of difference, perhaps in lessons, through dedicated events or projects, or through assemblies.
The new curriculum, which comes into force in September 2014, offers opportunities to address some of the underlying causes of bullying, including racist bullying; for example the new citizenship programme of study sets out a requirement for pupils to be taught about the diverse national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding.
As part of a broad and balanced history curriculum, pupils should learn about different cultures and about how different groups have contributed to the development of Britain. Other subject areas such as geography and art are sufficiently flexible to incorporate teaching about different cultural traditions.
Burma
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which departmental budget is paying for the training of the Burmese army; and what is the total cost to the British taxpayer of that training.[HL4580]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): The UK has spent around £90,000 on training for the Burmese military. This training was focused on encouraging respect for the rule of law and human rights and appropriate civil control of the military. It was funded from the cross-departmental Conflict Pool.
Education: Korean
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 7 January (WA 253), whether they will discuss with examination boards the possibility of developing a GCSE in Korean.[HL4386]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The Government has no plans to propose new GCSEs. Exam boards will be able to propose new titles where there is evidence of support from schools and others. Ofqual would then work to ensure any qualification met GCSE requirements and allowed standards to be maintained.
Education: Mandarin
Question
Asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to promote the teaching of Mandarin. [HL4437]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): Learning a foreign language provides an opening to other cultures, fostering pupils' curiosity and deepening their understanding of the world. It also equips pupils to study and work in other countries. That is why a modern or ancient language forms part of the English Baccalaureate, which is already encouraging more young people to take a language at GCSE level. It is also why we have introduced a foreign language at key stage 2 (ages 7-11) as part of the new national curriculum, which comes into force from September 2014.
The Prime Minister has pledged to double the number of people learning Mandarin Chinese in the UK, from 200,000 to 400,000 by 2020. Offering more young people the chance to learn Mandarin will help in our efforts to encourage mobility between the UK and China, and help ensure the long-term success of our economy and society.
A number of organisations are carrying out activity to further these aims. The British Council is working with Hanban, the Office of Chinese Language Council International, to increase demand for Mandarin teaching in schools in the UK and to address supply, by increasing the provision of Chinese Language Assistants, for example. The Institute of Education's Confucius Institute is working with HSBC to promote more teaching of Mandarin in primary schools. The Department is taking a close interest in this work and providing encouragement and support at a high level.
Education: Missing Children
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 20 November 2013 (WA 212), when they will publish the revised statutory guidance on children missing from education which was due to be published by the end of 2013. [HL4430]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The Government published the revised statutory guidance on children missing education on 29 November 2013, which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-missing-education.
Egypt
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the present status of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood; and what assessment they have made of the government of Egypt's response to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.[HL4566]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): On 25 December the Egyptian Cabinet declared the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation.
During his conversation with Foreign Minister Fahmy on 7 January, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised his concerns over the Egyptian government's decision to declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation. The UK continues to believe that the best way to create the stability and prosperity that Egyptians demand is through a genuinely inclusive political process open to all political groups.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with other European Union member states about possible steps the European Union could take to help restore political stability, economic development and personal security in Egypt. [HL4661]
Baroness Warsi: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials are in regular contact with their EU member state counterparts on foreign policy issues including Egypt. In addition, Egypt was discussed at the August and October 2013 EU Foreign Affairs Councils (FAC). In August, the Council agreed Conclusions setting out the EU's concerns at events in Egypt and the EU's ongoing assistance to the Egyptian people. Egypt was discussed again at the FAC on 20 January 2014, following Egypt's constitutional referendum.
Embryology
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 18 November 2013 (WA 145) and 4 December 2013 (WA 48–9), what is the minimum number of embryos required for the nuclear DNA to be extracted and moved elsewhere in order to perform pronuclear transfer between two embryos; under what circumstances any individual embryo from which the nuclear DNA has already been removed could then be classed as a live human embryo according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended); and why it is impossible to estimate how many embryos might be destroyed in pronuclear transfer. [HL4384]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 18 November 2013 (WA 145), 4 December 2013 (WA 48–9) and 7 January (WA 271), which of the various embryos from which nuclear DNA is necessarily removed during pronuclear transfer might correspond to the 10 people who would otherwise die; in what sense they consider that the lives of those people would be saved; and whether the isolated nuclear DNA
removed from an embryo during pronuclear transfer could itself be classed as a live human embryo according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended).[HL4385]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): At this time, it is not possible to estimate how many embryos might need to be used in mitochondrial donation treatment to prevent the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease. In theory every embryo undergoing pronuclear transfer could survive the procedure. This does not mean, however, that all will develop normally to the implantation stage or beyond. Even in typical In vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures only a minority of embryos develop normally. It is expected that with refinements of techniques the rates of survival and normal development will approach those for IVF embryos.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, defines the term live human embryo. This also includes an egg in the process of fertilisation or undergoing any other process capable of resulting in an embryo. Nuclear DNA removed and isolated from an embryo would not be classed as a live human embryo.
The relationship between two embryos involved in the pronuclear transfer technique is that one will receive the nuclear DNA from the other.
Energy: Fuel Poverty
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of households currently in fuel poverty; and what is their target for reducing that number over the next five years.[HL4628]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): The latest official fuel poverty statistics showed that there were around 2.39 million fuel poor households in England in 2011. The aggregate fuel poverty gap — which is an indicator of the depth of fuel poverty — was £1.05 billion.
Changes to the legislative framework for fuel poverty through the Energy Act 2013 have removed the focus on the eradication of fuel poverty by 2016, whilst maintaining a statutory requirement to address fuel poverty, with the details of that target to be set out in secondary legislation. The new target will focus on improving the energy efficiency of fuel poor households.
Secondary legislation setting out that new target will come forward later this year, accompanied by a new fuel poverty strategy. We will consult on the proposal for a new target and the draft strategy in spring.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact on fuel poverty of the recently announced changes to the Energy Company Obligation arrangements.[HL4629]
Baroness Verma: Our recent announcements have provided new longer-term certainty on dedicated fuel poverty activity under the Energy Company Obligation, by protecting the Affordable Warmth and the Carbon Saving Communities Obligation. For both of these elements of ECO we propose leaving the original targets set for March 2015 in place and then setting new targets, at the same full level of ambition, for the period to March 2017.
In addition, as a result of the proposed package of changes to ECO energy bills will be lower than they otherwise would have been, further benefiting those in fuel poverty.
Our consultation on the future of ECO, due this spring, will provide more detailed information on the impact of our proposals.
Energy: Insulation Sector
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes have occurred in the numbers employed in the insulation sector in 2013 compared with the previous year; and what is their assessment of the levels of employment in that sector in 2014.[HL4630]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): Estimates and projections for the numbers employed in the insulation sector were published in the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Final Impact Assessment in June 2012:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/42984/5533-final-stage-impact-assessment-for-the-green-deal-a.pdf.
These figures are currently being updated and will be published alongside the forthcoming ECO consultation.
Flags
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 7 January (WA 260), what criteria the Foreign and Commonwealth Office uses to determine on what occasions and where to fly flags from other nations.[HL4597]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): There are no formal criteria for deciding which flags of other nations to fly and when. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) would generally only fly the flag of a foreign country on the occasion of a State Visit, and on these occasions the flag would only be flown in the enclosed perimeter of the FCO quadrangle.
Overseas, where a UK mission is co-located with another country's mission, the Union flag may be flown on the building alongside the flag of the co-located country.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), is consulted when any changes to the established flag-flying practice are proposed. This would include any recommendation to fly a flag of another nation.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 7 January (WA 260), what criteria the Home Office uses to determine on what occasions and where to fly flags from other nations.[HL4655]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): The Home Office takes account of Department for Culture, Media and Sport guidance when determining on what occasions and where to fly flags of other nations.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 7 January (WA 260), what criteria the Scotland Office uses to determine on what occasions and where to fly flags from other nations.[HL4657]
The Advocate-General for Scotland (Lord Wallace of Tankerness) (LD): The Scotland Office ordinarily flies the Union flag and the Saltire. At the request of other Government departments the Scotland Office will consider flying flags to mark special occasions such as Armed Forces Day and the 2012 Olympics.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 7 January (WA 260), what criteria the Northern Ireland Office uses to determine on what occasions and where to fly flags from other nations.[HL4658]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office (Baroness Randerson) (LD): The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 set out the occasions on which the national flag of other nations may be flown at Northern Ireland Government buildings. On a visit by a Head of State, where there is more than one flagpole at a Government building, the national flag of the visiting Head of State may be flown alongside the Union flag.
The Flags Regulations do not apply to UK Government buildings in Northern Ireland. It is a matter for each UK Government department to determine if and on what occasions they choose to fly flags from other nations.
Flooding
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the long-term effects of flooding (1) on the environment, and (2) on economic activity, in the Somerset Levels.[HL4573]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): The Government has not made an assessment of the long-term effects of flooding on the environment or on economic activity in the Somerset Levels.
As part of its six year monitoring cycle Natural England undertook a site assessment of Curry and Hay Moor SSSI during the summer of 2013. The assessment found that the wetland wildlife most affected by the 2012 flooding had made a rapid recovery.
Gaza
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current situation of families in Gaza made homeless by the floods.[HL4464]
Baroness Northover (LD): According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs approximately 1,400 families (11,000 individuals) were evacuated to temporary shelters and about 1,500 families to relatives' homes at the height of the storm. Most people have returned to their homes or rented accommodation. The storm caused substantial damage to infrastructure.
Genetic Modification
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 18 December 2013 (WA 210–11), whether there are any techniques listed under Schedule 2 to the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 that might be applied to humans but which they consider should not be applied to humans as a matter of principle.[HL4382]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 29 August 2013 (WA 359) and 18 November 2013 (WA 145) and by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 12 November 2013 (WA 114), whether they consider “genetic modification” of humans to be legitimate under the terms by which they themselves have defined it; and to what extent their view depends on current national legislation or outstanding agreements by international bodies.[HL4383]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): As I advised the noble Lord in my Written Answer of 18 December 2013 (Official Report, col. WA 211), genetic modification of humans or human embryos are specifically excluded by the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 and it would be inappropriate to discuss such activities in terms of these Regulations.
There is no universally agreed definition of genetic modification for human beings. We do not consider that permitting mitochondrial donation, aimed at preventing serious hereditary conditions, would be contrary to human dignity as envisaged by Article 24 of the UNESCO declaration.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 30 October (WA 259), 12 November (WA 113-14) and 18 December (WA 210-11), whether they consider that an egg or embryo with healthy mitochondria that has had its own nuclear DNA removed and entirely replaced by nuclear DNA from a different egg or embryo is genetically modified as a consequence; and whether they consider that an egg or embryo that has had just one gene within its own nuclear DNA replaced by homologous recombination with a transgene differing in sequence only by some synonymous codon substitutions is genetically modified as a consequence.[HL4439]
Earl Howe: For human eggs or embryos altered in the ways the noble Lord describes, the terminology of “genetically modified” or “genetic modification”, as set out in the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 would not apply, as genetic modification of humans or human embryos are specifically excluded by the Regulations.
As I advised the noble Lord in my Written Answer of 30 October 2013 (Official Report, col. WA 259), the transfer of nuclear DNA from a human egg or embryo affected by a mitochondrial DNA disorder to a disease free, enucleated egg or embryo is not considered to constitute genetic modification as the genes present in the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA used in these procedures will not be altered.
Golden Temple Attack
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government who will conduct the inquiry into British involvement in the attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984; when it will report; to whom it will report; and whether all the papers relating to those events have been released.[HL4709]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron)'s statement of 15 January 2014 (Official
report column: 849) confirmed that the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood has been asked to lead an urgent review to establish the facts and this process is under way. These findings will be made public.
Government Departments: Administrative Costs and Salaries
Questions
Asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the administrative costs, including salaries, of the private offices of each Minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for the last year for which figures are available.[HL4314]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The administrative costs, including salaries, of the private offices for each Minister in the financial year 2012-13 were as follows:
Minister for Sport and the Olympics—£206,973
Minister for Tourism and Heritage—£76,713
The total cost for ministers' private offices in 2012-13, therefore, was £821,539. This compares to over £l.2m in 2009-10. Costs have fallen in the intervening years, in line with the current Government's ongoing commitment to reducing costs wherever possible.
Asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the administrative costs, including salaries, of the private offices of each Minister in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for the last year for which figures are available.[HL4365]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): For 2012-13, the total administrative cost, including salaries, charged to the budgetary cost centre for Ministers, private offices and related functions was £2,883,728. This compares with a cost of £3,079,617 in 2009-10.
This cost centre also covers the Permanent Secretary, two Special Advisers and Defra's Parliamentary Branch.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown for each Minister's private office without incurring disproportionate cost.
Asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the administrative costs, including salaries, of the private offices of each Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the last year for which figures are available.[HL4366]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) salary costs include basic salary, national insurance, London location
allowance and superannuation. Other administrative costs include items such as travel, entertainment, telephones and stationery.
Administrative costs, including salaries, for the private offices of each Minister during the financial year 2012-2013 are as follows:
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Salary costs based on average salary for each grade £801,851
Other administrative costs £937,490
Salary costs based on average salary for each grade £227,145
Other administrative costs £85,857
Salary costs based on average salary for each grade £210,931
Other administrative costs £157,906
Mr Henry Bellingham and Mr Mark Simmonds
Salary costs based on average salary for each grade £210,931
Other administrative costs £212,169
Mr Jeremy Browne and Mr Hugo Swire
Salary costs based on average salary for each grade £210,931
Other administrative costs £160,898
Lord Howell and Baroness Warsi
Salary costs based on average salary for each grade £210,931
Government Departments: Management Information Reports
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 17 December 2013 relating to the Northern Ireland Office (WA 182), whether any performance data are collated on a daily or weekly basis for Ministers or the Permanent Secretary; and, if so, what.[HL4528]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 17 December 2013 relating to the Northern Ireland Office (WA 182), what key performance indicators are used to review progress against the overall performance targets and objectives of the Department.[HL4529]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office (Baroness Randerson) (LD): As stated in my answer on 17 December 2013, Official Report, Column WA182, management information is collated on a monthly basis.
The Northern Ireland Office management board uses a set of metrics and planning assumptions to monitor its performance.
The Department’s overall strategic objectives, including its Business Plan milestones, are aligned with Ministerial priorities, and are reviewed alongside a number of other Departmental reporting products by the Executive Team as part of their monthly performance discussion.
Data is then gathered and published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts which provides information on expenditure and performance of the Department. The published accounts for year ending 31 March 2013 can be accessed at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/211915/NIO_Annual_Report__Annual_Accounts_2012-13.pdf.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Tankerness on 18 December 2013 relating to the Attorney General's Office (WA 211), whether any performance data are collated on a daily or weekly basis for Ministers or the Permanent Secretary; and, if so, what.[HL4583]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Tankerness on 18 December 2013 relating to the Attorney General's Office (WA 211), what key performance indicators are used to review progress against the overall performance targets and objectives of the Department.[HL4584]
The Advocate-General for Scotland (Lord Wallace of Tankerness) (LD): The Attorney General's Office collects a range of performance data and management information, tailored to its different functions. This includes information for example about its litigation, casework, supervisory and advisory functions, covering timeliness, results and resources. This information is collated for management purposes at team level, and reviewed at Board level against business objectives and departmental priorities, as revised from time to time.
Because of its small size, AGO is not required to produce a Structural Reform Plan or to publish performance targets and measures as part of its Business Plan. It regularly publishes financial management information and other details about its work on its website.
Government Departments: Research and Development
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many competitions the Department for Health held for the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) in (1) 2010–11, (2) 2011–12, (3) 2012–13, and (4) 2013–14; how many Phase 2 SBRI projects the Department funded in each of those years; and how many of the Department’s SBRI-funded projects led to procurement contracts in each of those years.[HL4640]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The number of Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competitions held by the Department is shown in the following table. The information is based on the launch date of each competition.
The following table also shows the number of Phase 2 SBRI projects which the Department funded in each of those years. For clarification, the information is based on the contract award date of Phase 2, so that each project is only captured once, although the duration of Phase 2 projects typically spans more than one financial year.
| Financial year | Number of Department SBRI competitions held | Number of Phase 2 Department funded projects |
The Department has also financially contributed to one SBRI competition which was launched and predominantly funded by the Technology Strategy Board in 2011-12. This has resulted in four phase 2 projects being awarded contracts in 2013-14, which are not reflected in the previous table.
Additionally, the Department has contributed financially to Phase 2 of an SBRI competition which was held by NHS Midlands and East. This resulted in five Phase 2 projects being awarded contracts in 2012-13, which are not reflected in the previous table.
The six projects that were awarded Phase 2 contracts in 2010-11 and 2011-12 have not led to procurement contracts. The eight Phase 2 contracts awarded in 2013-14 are at varying stages of development and are still within their contract period. However, two of the projects have generated some initial sales.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many competitions the Department of Energy and Climate Change held for the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) in (1) 2010–11, (2) 2011–12, (3) 2012–13, and (4) 2013–14; how many Phase 2 SBRI projects the Department funded in each of those years; and how many of the Department’s SBRI-funded projects led to procurement contracts in each of those years.[HL4695]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): The Department has run the following SBRI competitions:
| Year | Phase 2 | Competitions | Contracts projects |
Notes.
1Includes Greenius Project a joint funded SBRI competition with BIS
2Capital grants are not procurement contracts but have been included for completeness
Health Services: Inequality
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to identify and reduce inequalities in health, particularly in areas such as mental health, heart disease and emergency care.[HL4425]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The Government recognises the longstanding inequalities in access to services, in quality of care and in health outcomes for certain patients. The new health system makes tackling health inequalities a statutory duty, underpinned by measurement and assessment.
NHS England and each clinical commissioning group are under a legal duty as regards health inequalities in access to and outcomes from health services.
NHS England has set forward a programme of assurance and development that underpins NHS England's approach as a system leader, commissioner and as an employer, to reduce inequalities and comply with the statutory health inequalities duties as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
NHS England has published a Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy and is developing a programme of work to, implement the strategy. The strategy's recommendations have a clear focus on reducing inequalities in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes in cardiovascular disease. This includes improving the reach of the NHS Health Check to disadvantaged communities.
NHS England is working with NHS Improving Quality to develop a programme of work to ensure parity of esteem between mental and physical health so that people with mental health problems do not suffer inequalities, either because of the mental health problem itself or because they then do not receive the best care for their physical health problems.
The NHS Services Seven Days a Week Forum has investigated the variation in care and outcomes that is related to time and day of admission to hospital and has established ten clinical standards to ensure that patients receive consistent high quality care overseen by senior clinicians 24 hours a day seven days a week. The Forum has recommended a programme of work to implement these standards across the NHS in England by 2016-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government in which health services inequalities exist; and what plans they have to address them.[HL4427]
Earl Howe: The Government recognises the longstanding inequalities in access to services, in quality of care and in health outcomes for certain patients.
The new health system makes tackling health inequalities a statutory duty, underpinned by measurement and assessment.
NHS England and each clinical commissioning group are under a legal duty as regards health inequalities in access to and outcomes from health services.
NHS England is committed to commissioning and planning a healthcare system that seeks to reduce health inequalities and a number of steps have been taken to reduce inequalities in health including the commitment to embed the criterion of reducing inequalities in health outcomes in resource allocation methodology.
NHS England outlined the proposed strategic priorities and approach to meeting its legal duties and accountabilities in its board paper entitled Promoting Equality and Tackling Health Inequalities in December 2013.
NHS England has set forward a programme of assurance and development that underpins NHS England's approach as a system leader, commissioner and as an employer, to reduce inequalities and comply with the statutory health inequalities duties as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
Immigration
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what increase in costs they estimate immigration which has already taken place will cause over (1) the next 10 years, and (2) the next 20 years, through extra demands for (a) schools, (b) national health services, (c) state pensions, (d) welfare benefits, (e) roads, and (f) public utilities.[HL4638]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): The government does not routinely collect data or estimate the impact on public services of immigration separately from the effects of other changes in population. The government does, however, note the wider evidence on the economic and fiscal impacts of immigration and use this to inform policy making in this area.
Iraq: Camp Liberty
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the conditions in Camp Liberty; how many people they estimate to have been wounded or killed there in the past month; and what efforts they have made to secure the presence of United Nations observers there.[HL4536]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We rely on the UN for information about the situation at Camp Liberty. They
report that the provision of life support systems such as water, electricity and food continue to meet basic humanitarian standards. We understand that three residents were killed during the 26 December attack on the camp and many more, including Iraqi police, were wounded. UN monitors visit Camp Liberty on a daily basis, while the Government of Iraq continues to have responsibility for its security.
Libya
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are continuing to negotiate with the government of Libya regarding possible compensation for United Kingdom citizens killed or injured by weapons supplied to the IRA by the former Gaddafi regime. [HL4664]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): I refer the noble Lord to my Written Answer of 3 December 2012, Official Report, column WA 108 9. The Government is not involved in any negotiations with the Libyan government on securing compensation payments for the British victims of Qadhafi sponsored Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorism. The Government considers individual compensation claims that are being pursued to be a private matter and best pursued directly with the Libyan government. However, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office does provide facilitation support to a number of private compensation campaign groups, where it has been requested.
Malaysia
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Malaysia about the suppression of the teachings, practice and expression of Shi’a Islam in that country.[HL4539]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We continue to monitor closely steps against the Shia minority in Malaysia. Through the EU, we are pressing for an early resumption of the EO/Malaysia human rights dialogue which will provide an appropriate opportunity to raise concerns about freedom of religion and to ask Malaysia how it reconciles its endorsement of the 2004 Amman Message (recognising the validity of all eight legal schools including Shia) with recent actions taken by the Malaysian authorities.
Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee
Questions
Asked by Lord West of Spithead
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research relating to the treatment of the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee has authorised since 2003. [HL4485]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many bids for research relating to the treatment of the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee has turned down since 2003.[HL4486]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many serving officers are expert members of the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee; and whether any of those have seen active service.[HL4487]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): The Ministry of Defence (MOD) initially established a formal Departmental Research Ethics Committee (MoDREC) in 2005. Prior to this date, research involving human participation had been managed by the individual branches of the Services. Initially MoDREC had two separate committees, MoDREC(General) and MoDREC(Personnel, Protection and Effectiveness), each chaired by a separate chairman. These two committees were amalgamated in April 2013 under a single chairman and re-constituted with a number of new, openly and externally recruited members as well as some members from the previous two committees to maintain continuity.
Since 2005, the committees have reviewed a total of 580 protocols of which only five specifically referred in their titles to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All of these protocols were approved. In addition, MoDREC has considered a further 23 protocols concerned with various psychological health aspects including post deployment issues and the proposed rehabilitation of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Of these 23 protocols, one has been rejected.
The MOD currently has two ex-officio advisors appointed to MoDREC to assist the independent expert members with their reviews; these are a Military Advisor and a Science and Technology Advisor. Over the years, the Military Advisor has changed several times and it is not a specific requirement to ensure that these individuals have seen active service. However, the majority of serving officers in this role have had the knowledge and experience of post deployment issues in either a personal or management capacity.
Northern Ireland: Haass Proposals
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost of the various institutions suggested by Dr Haass in relation to Northern Ireland; and what proportion of any agreed costs will be funded by HM Treasury.[HL4546]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office (Baroness Randerson) (LD): No estimate has been made of the cost. These are mainly devolved matters and funding for them is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive as part of the Block Grant.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to continue the process begun by Dr Haass's with the political parties in Northern Ireland; and if so, how.[HL4604]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Dr Haass' observations about the political parties in Northern Ireland.[HL4605]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of the Republic of Ireland following the cessation of the discussions among the political parties in Northern Ireland led by Dr Haass; and what was the outcome of those discussions.[HL4606]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether and to what extent they consider discussions on events in Northern Ireland prior to the peace process to be devolved matters.[HL4607]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been their involvement in the discussions in Northern Ireland led by Dr Haass; and whether they have sought to limit their engagement.[HL4608]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to encourage the political parties in Northern Ireland to resume the process begun by Dr Haass.[HL4609]
Baroness Randerson: The Government has been and remains very supportive of the Haass process. As the Prime Minister said recently, there is a lot of merit in the Haass proposals. The Government believes that the parties should lose no time in taking forward further discussion in order to seek to resolve outstanding differences. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has held frequent discussions with the Northern Ireland parties and the Irish Government to seek to move the process forward.
The institutions and arrangements proposed by Dr Haass would in most cases fall within the devolved field; in the case of parading, they would involve the devolution of relevant responsibilities.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they held consultations with the First and Deputy First Ministers in Northern Ireland following the failure of the political parties to agree on an outcome of the process led by Dr Haass; and, if so, what was the outcome of those consultations.[HL4632]
Baroness Randerson: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has held discussions with the First and deputy First Minister as the Government seeks to move the Haass process forward. Ministers remain in close contact with all the Northern Ireland parties about how best to facilitate further progress.
Police: Black and Ethnic Minority Officers
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many black and ethnic minority police officers are trained to senior investigative officer level; and at which forces they were based as at 31 December 2013. [HL4673]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many black and ethnic minority police officers are posted to traffic departments; and at which forces they were based as at 31 December 2013.[HL4674]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many black and ethnic minority police officers are at detective constable and detective sergeant rank; and at which forces they were based as at 31 December 2013.[HL4675]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many black and ethnic minority police officers are posted to support groups dealing with public order; and at which forces they were based as at 31 December 2013.[HL4676]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many black and ethnic minority police officers were posted to Counter-Terrorism Command as at 31 December 2013; and how many of those are above the rank of superintendent.[HL4677]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): The available data for HL4674, HL4675 and HL4677 is provided within the following tables. These are the most recent published figures and relate to police forces in England and Wales on 31 March 2013.
For HL4675, breakdowns into detective constables and detective sergeants are not available. Overall figures for constables and sergeants are provided instead.
For HL4677, the functions categorisation does not distinguish the Counter-Terrorism Command.
Figures for Special Branch/Protection/Immigration/Nationality and ports functions are provided instead.
The information requested in HL4673 and HL4676 is not collected by the Home Office.
Figures for police officers in post on 31 March 2013 are published in the 'Police Workforce, England and Wales, 31 March 2013' statistical bulletin, which can be accessed using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2013.
| Number of black and minority ethnic police officers in the traffic function1, 2 (FTE)3 in England and Wales, by police force area, as at 31 March 2013 | |
| Black and minority ethnic | |
1. Officers with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function.
2. Officers who are predominantly employed on motor-cycles or in patrol vehicles for the policing of traffic and motorway related duties. This includes officers employed in accident investigation, vehicle examination and radar duties. This also includes officers who are predominantly employed to support the traffic function of the force including radar, accident investigation, vehicle examination, traffic administration. This also includes officers working with hazardous chemicals, and those administrative staff predominantly serving the internal needs of the traffic function of the force and those officers in supporting roles.
3. This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been presented to the nearest whole number. Because of this, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.
| Constable | Sergeant | |
1. This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been presented to the nearest whole number. Because of this, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.
1. Officers who are predominantly employed on Special Branch duties including officers posted to Units situated at ports. Officers who are predominantly employed in the protection of persons or property. Includes officers who are permanently employed in the registration of foreign nationals and the conduct of naturalisation enquiries other than Special Branch Officers. This also includes administration staff who are predominantly employed in providing administrative support for staff employed in the protection of persons or property. Includes those officers in supporting roles.
2. Officers who are predominantly employed at sea or airports on general policing and security duties, excluding protection staff. This also includes those officers in supporting roles.
3. Officers with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function.
4. This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been presented to the nearest whole number. Because of this, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.
Registration of Deaths
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 17 December 2013 (WA 192), what is their estimate of the number of deaths that remain unregistered for longer than six months following an inquest. [HL4626]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): Deaths do not remain unregistered following an inquest as once the inquest is completed the death is registered promptly.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 17 December 2013 (WA 192), what is their estimate of the average delay in “fact-of-death” registration following an inquest in England and Wales; and how that figure compares with registration times in Scotland.[HL4627]
Lord Taylor of Holbeach: There is no statutory provision for coroners to notify registrars of fact of death nor for registrars to register such information. For deaths awaiting an inquest, the average time between death and the holding of the inquest was 26 weeks in 2012 (the latest year that records are available). There are no comparable figures for registration times in Scotland as the registration system is different to that in England and Wales.
Roads: M4
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 9 December 2013 (WA 96) concerning the M4, whether their decision not to restore the 70 miles per hour speed limit to the stretch of the M4 between Junction 3 and the Chiswick flyover was made in response to European Union air quality standards.[HL4431]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD): The decision not to restore the 70 mph speed limit along the stretch of the M4 between Junction 3 and the Chiswick Flyover was not made in response to European Union air quality standards.
Schools: Free Schools
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many free school applications they have (1) accepted, and (2) rejected, in each year since 2010 and to date in 2013.[HL4490]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The total number of free school applications and those that are accepted to move to the pre-opening stage of the free schools process are published on the Department's website after each application wave.
Social Care: Elderly People
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how recent cuts in the social care budget will affect basic social care for the elderly.[HL4395]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): Social care is a priority for this Government and against the context of tough public sector finances we have provided significant extra resources to help councils protect services.
Spending on social care is ultimately a local decision and some councils have reduced budgets. But councils have reported in the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) budget survey that the vast majority of savings made have been through efficiency, with over half of all councils saying that there have been no or minimal impacts on services.
In 2015-16 we will be going further by creating a £3.8 billion pooled budget for health and social care, which will provide much needed funding for social care and break new ground in driving closer integration of services. A condition of accessing this fund is that social care services are protected.
Sport: Women
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that national governing bodies of sport should be required to deliver explicit outcomes for women in their whole sport plans.[HL4634]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): Each Sport has individual targets in their Whole Sport Plan which reflect the investment priorities required to drive up participation levels.
Sports which are popular with women or where there is a high latent demand among women will therefore have a greater focus on women's participation to ensure they meet their overall target. Sports such as netball, running, equestrianism, swimming and tennis have high participation rates among women and receive Sport England funding to the sum of £25m, £22m, £6 million, £20 million and £17 million respectively.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specific initiatives or new policies have been implemented to promote the interests of women in sport since the London 2012 Olympic Games.[HL4635]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to boost women's sport at the grassroots and encourage more women to participate in sport; and if so, through which mechanisms.[HL4636]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Sport England is investing in a number projects specifically targeting women and girls. These include:
o £2.3 million for a year-long pilot in Bury that is looking at ways to break down barriers and get the town’s women more active and involved in sport. Best practice from this pilot could then be rolled out nationwide;o 150 “girls only” satellite clubs - community sports clubs in secondary schools for 11 - 25 year olds. The ambition is to have 5,000 Satellite Clubs by 2017;o £10 million to target women living in deprived areas, and women with children under the age of 16;o £1.7million to the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation
In addition, in its 2013-17 round of Whole Sport Plan funding, Sport England awarded a significant amount of funding to a number of sports popular amongst women, for example netball (£25m), running (£22m), equestrianism (£6m), swimming (£20m) and tennis (£17m).
A Ministerial Advisory Board has been established by the Secretary of State to drive forward the women’s sport agenda: to see more women participating in sport; to raise the profile of women’s sport in the media and to increase the number of women on sports boards.
Taxation
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will update the table on the number of income tax payers whose personal taxable income exceeded (1) £30,000, (2) £50,000, (3) £75,000, (4) £1 million, (5) £2 million, (6) £3 million, (7) £4 million, and (8) £5 million, provided by Lord Sassoon in a Written Answer on 3 October 2011 (WA 193). [HL4452]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): Estimated numbers of income tax payers by total income for 2013-14 are published on page two of the HMRC National Statistics table 2.5 which is available from the following internet address.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/tax-statistics/table2-5.pdf
These estimates are due to be updated on Friday 7th February 2014.
Teachers
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) male, and (2) female, qualified teachers there are in state primary and secondary schools in England and Wales.[HL4617]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The number of full-time equivalent qualified male teachers in publicly funded primary and secondary schools in service in England, as at November 2012 was 28,360 and 78,570 respectively. The number of full-time equivalent qualified female teachers in publicly funded primary and secondary schools in service in England, as at November 2012 was 171,360 and 126,110 respectively.
This information is published in Table 3 within the Statistical First Release 'School Workforce in England: November 20121.
Education matters in Wales are the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
1Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2012
Teachers and Teaching Assistants
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the present ratios of teaching assistants to qualified teachers in state primary and secondary schools in England and Wales; and how many teaching assistants are (1) male, and (2) female.[HL4618]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The following table provides the ratios of full-time equivalent teaching assistants (TAs) to full-time equivalent (FTE) qualified teachers in publicly funded primary and secondary schools; and the number of full-time equivalent teaching assistants by gender. The latest available information is for November 2012 and covers England only.
Education matters in Wales are the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
Source: School Workforce Census
4 1Ratios are calculated by dividing full time teaching assistant by full time qualified teachers.
2Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
3Includes special schools and centrally employed.
4https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2012
Turkey
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they last made an assessment of the number of journalists imprisoned in Turkey; what was the result of that assessment; and whether they intend to make representations to the government of Turkey about the matter.[HL4572]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): We have asked the Government of Turkey for an official estimate of the number of journalists in prison, but they remain unable to provide one. We and our EU partners continue to take a close interest in press and other freedoms in Turkey and share concerns about the number of journalists imprisoned in Turkey.
Our concerns are reflected in the EU's 2013 Annual Progress Report on Turkey. The UK continues to play an integral part in delivering the EU's human rights strategy in Turkey. Most recently officials from our Embassy in Ankara spoke to a cross-departmental Turkish delegation of senior officials and judges on 13 December. The importance the UK attaches to media freedom was underlined.
UK Trade and Investment
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current guidance to UK Trade & Investment as regards promoting inward investment in England outside the Greater London area.[HL4397]
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Livingston of Parkhead) (Con): UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) does not receive guidance as such on the promotion of inward investment but the 'UK First' principle is followed. This means that the very best locations the UK as a whole can offer are promoted.
The specific location choices that clients are offered are determined by the individual needs of clients. Local factors including sector strengths, access to markets and talent, clusters of sectoral excellence and other national assets (e.g. Catalyst Centres) are all aspects which could assist a client in setting up and running, a profitable business in the UK.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many inward investment projects have been established in the north-east of England with the support of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) in each of the last three years; and what proportion of total inward investment projects supported by UKTI those figures represent.[HL4398]
Lord Livingston of Parkhead: The number of inward investment projects which have been successfully landed in the North-East of England with the support of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in each of the last three years is:
2012-13—37 projects; 2.8% of total projects landed by UKTI
2011-12—55 projects; 4.7% of total projects landed by UKTI
2010-11—21 projects; 2.5% of total projects landed by UKTI
Universal Credit
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answers by Lord Freud on 6 November 2012 (HL Deb, col 888) and on 18 December 2013 (WA 232), what they intended to “go live” in October 2013. [HL4505]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 8 January 2013 (WA 92), whether the national launch of universal credit in October 2013 took place.[HL4506]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Freud on 5 December 2013 (WS 41), when it was decided to launch the Universal Credit Pathfinder “six months earlier than planned” in April 2013.[HL4507]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the original planned date for the launch of the Universal Credit Pathfinder.[HL4508]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Freud on 10 July 2013 (WS 22), whether in October 2013 the roll-out of universal credit to six hub Jobcentres began; and what progress is being made.[HL4509]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con): The plans for progressive national roll out from October 2013 were described as part of my announcement of 10th July 2013. I can confirm that we are on track with those plans. The Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement (Official Report tabled 5 December 2013: column 65WS-66WS) set out the next stage delivery plans.
The White Paper “Universal Credit – welfare that works” (November 2010) outlined the Department’s plans to deliver Universal Credit from October 2013.
It has always been our intention to introduce Universal Credit in a safe and controlled way. This is the right approach for a programme of this scale. The Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement (Official Report tabled 10 December 2012: column 11WS-14WS) outlined the Departments intentions to test the core proposition within the Pathfinder sites from 29 April 2013.
The progressive national rollout of Universal Credit service from October 2013 began as planned, with Hammersmith Jobcentre, which started to take new claims for Universal Credit from 28 October 2013, and Rugby and Inverness Jobcentres which started to take claims from 25 November 2013. A further 3 Jobcentres; Harrogate, Bath and Shotton will begin to take claims to Universal Credit by Spring 2014.
Water Management
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the classifications for water bodies in England as set down by the European Union Water Framework Directive.[HL4563]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): The Water Framework Directive establishes an approach for the management, protection and improvement of water resources across the EU at a River Basin District level. It requires surface water bodies to be classified into one of five ecological classes, and one of two chemical classes. Groundwater classification reflects water quantity and chemical status. One key aim is to achieve good ecological and chemical classification status by 2015 unless there are grounds for exemption or alternative objectives. Achieving 'good' status involves meeting certain standards for the ecology, chemistry, morphology and quantity of waters. In general terms, 'good' status means that water shows only a slight change from what would normally be expected under undisturbed conditions.
Classifications for water bodies in England under the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) are set out on the 2009 River Basin Management Plans, details of which are on the Environment Agency's website. Progress against the objectives set out in these plans for 2015, will be reported in 2016.
The classifications are made by the Environment Agency according to the River Basin Districts Surface water and Groundwater Classification (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Directions 2009.
The Environment Agency is now reviewing the River Basin Management Plans for the 2015-2021 period. This will involve updating the classifications of water bodies and objectives. It will be consulting on draft plans later this year.
Winter Olympic Games 2014 and 2018
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they intend to provide to the British Biathlon Union, directly, through the National Lottery or through the auspices of the British Olympic Association, to fund the preparations, training and competition
costs of British biathletes seeking selection for the Winter Olympic Games in 2014 and 2018.[HL4468]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): We understand that the GB Biathlon team has not applied to UK Sport for National Lottery funding for Sochi 2014. The full GB Olympic team for Sochi will be announced later this month. Any biathlete who qualifies will benefit from the support provided by The British Olympic Association in the run up to and during the Games, in the usual way. UK Sport will announce their funding investments for Pyeongchang 2018 later this year.