Written Answers
Monday 23 June 2014
Air Pollution
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact of air pollution on the development of an irregular heartbeat and blood clots in the lung.[HL156]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): In 2010, the Department’s expert advisory Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) published an estimate of the mortality effect in 2008 of long-term exposure to particulate air pollution arising from human activities. The mortality burden for the United Kingdom was estimated as an effect equivalent to nearly 29,000 deaths.
Air pollution has been linked with effects on the cardiovascular system. However, it has not been extensively and consistently linked to an increased risk of developing an irregular heartbeat and there are few studies investigating whether it raises the risk of blood clots in the lung.
Apprentices
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many apprenticeship starts there were in public sector employers in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively in total and for each apprenticeship framework; for each year, how many were in (1) central government, and (2) local government, in total; and for each year and type of public sector employer, how many of those apprentices were aged (a) 16–18, (b) 19–24, or (c) over 25, when starting their apprenticeship.[HL122]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con): We do not separately measure the number of apprenticeship starts in the public and private sector.
Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts by Sector Subject Area is published in a supplementary table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 27th March 2014 and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications /learner-participation-outcomes-and-level- of-highest-qualification-heldhttps://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships--2
Armed Forces: Elections
Question
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to explore the possibility of electronic voting in elections for members of the armed forces posted overseas.[HL404]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): The Government has no plans to explore the possibility of electronic voting in elections for members of the armed forces posted overseas.
The Government has extended the electoral timetable for UK Parliamentary elections from 17 to 25 working days which will allow postal votes to be issued sooner and facilitate postal voting being viable for electors who are living overseas, including members of the armed forces.
Armed Forces: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they use to determine when a member or former member of the armed forces is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and is entitled to financial compensation or a pension; and when those criteria were adopted.[HL227]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) provides compensation for members and former members of the Armed Forces who suffer injury or illness as a result of service from 6 April 2005. Where a discrete mental health disorder is present, a separate award may be payable. The AFCS is tariff based and awards for mental health disorders and does not depend on precise diagnosis but effect on function.
The legislation requires that mental disorders are diagnosed by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist at consultant Grade. Each claimed injury or illness (including mental illness) is investigated to determine if it was predominantly caused by service. If so, it will be matched against the descriptors and corresponding awards in the Tariff.
The AFCS was preceded by the War Pensions Scheme (WPS), which provides no fault compensation to former service personnel and their dependants for injuries and death as a result of service. All decisions are certified by a Medical Adviser and once entitlement has been established, the war pensioner’s degree of disablement due to service is assessed – normally as part of the medical certification process. The method of assessment is on an individual basis by comparison of the disabled person with a person of the same age and sex.
Members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) 05, with a recognised diagnosis, will be entitled to an ill-health pension or a tax-free pension lump sum or both, providing they have completed two years qualifying service. The ill-health categories are split into three ill-health award levels and these are allocated by reference to the same tariff levels that are used for the AFCS. Trained lay decision-makers consider each case and will decide on the level of the award as per AFCS.
The AFCS05 was preceded by the AFPS75 which included provision of an occupational entitlement to a Service Invaliding Pension (SIP) calculated on length of reckonable service and the substantive rank held at discharge. Members with at least two years qualifying service have an entitlement to an ill-health award.
If the condition occurred before 6 April 2005 and is considered under the WPS to have been caused by service in the Armed Forces, and the degree of disability assessed as 20% or more, an additional entitlement under the provisions of the Armed Forces Attributable Benefit Scheme (AFAB) will also be considered. AFAB provides a minimum level of income and provides a top-up to the SIP.
Bank Services
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken over the last year to move their accounts from foreign-owned to state-owned banks .[HL170]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): The policy is to hold exchequer funds safe and secure at the Bank of England and minimise balances held with commercial banks. This policy has not changed and HM Treasury has been working with departments to minimise balances held in commercial accounts in recent years.
Government Departments and most public bodies bank with the Government Banking Service. The Government Banking Service is a directorate within HM Revenue & Customs. It is a shared service which manages contracts and supports banking services to Government departments using cost efficient and modern commercial banking platforms. The balances held by the Government Banking Service are utilised to reduce the Government's daily borrowing requirement and in turn its financing costs.
The Government Banking Service undertook an EU Procurement exercise for government transactional banking services in March 2008 following the decision by the Bank of England to exit from retail services. This resulted in the award of contracts to the two most economically advantageous tenders, the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBSG) and Citigroup (Citi).
A procurement exercise is currently under way to replace these contracts at expiry and again will comply fully with relevant EU regulation. Contract notices in this respect were issued on 9th June 2014 and Invitations to Tender will be made in early October with expectation of contract award in early 2015.
In the rare circumstance where banking is required outside of the contract then the Department concerned must seek Treasury approval to open separate commercial accounts. This will normally be where third party funds are being managed or the banking service required is complex. The Treasury provides an annual update to the Public Accounts Committee on monies held outside the Exchequer/Government Banking Service. The most recent update published in 13 January 2014 and a link to the publication is
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/treasury-minutes-january-2013
Census
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to include, in their consideration of the future of the national census, the possibility of collecting data for electoral registration purposes in addition to other purposes.[HL319]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, Director General for ONS to Lord Rennard, dated June 2014.
On behalf of the Director General of the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking Her Majesty's Government whether we plan to include in our consideration of the future of the national census, the possibility of collecting data for electoral registration purposes in addition to other purposes.[CO] HL319
If the Government decides to hold a census in 2021 then the Office for National Statistics will make arrangements to:-
• ensure that it has an accurate and up-to-date understanding of users' requirements• prioritise those requirements• develop questions to meet the highest priority needs which are acceptable and understandable to respondents.
At this point no decisions have been made on the topics or questions that could be considered in any future census.
It is important that respondents to the census have confidence that their responses will not be used for any purpose other than producing statistics about the population. Otherwise it risks the success of the census However ONS will continue to explore the potential of using Electoral registration data to enhance census and population statistics.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that online completion of census data could be combined with online electoral registration.[HL320]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: With the introduction of online registration in England and Wales on 10 June and September in Scotland, registering to vote is now more convenient and accessible.
The Government will continue to explore the mutual benefits of collaboration between online electoral registration and preparation for the online Census.
Charities
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 13 May (WA 467), whether the annual gross income of charities included contributions from central government; and, if so, what was their total contribution.[HL216]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): Central government does contribute to the total income of registered charities, but the Charity Commission does not keep figures on this. According to the 2014 UK Voluntary Sector Almanac, published by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, in 2011/12 voluntary sector organisations received over £5.9 billion of central government and NHS funding.
Coalition Governments
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to provide a response to the report of the Select Committee on the Constitution on the Constitutional implications of coalition government (HL Paper 130, Session 2013–14) which was published on 12 February and debated on 13 May, and why they were unable to produce their response within the normal two-month time frame.[HL244]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): I would like to once again thank the Select Committee on the Constitution for the work they did on this report, which raised a number of important matters which require detailed consideration. We will respond to the Select Committee on the Constitution shortly.
Constituencies: Scotland
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the event that Scottish voters opt for an independent Scotland, what plans they have in relation to the status of Scottish constituencies at the 2015 general election.[HL215]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): If the people of Scotland vote to leave the UK, the UK would continue in its current form and with its existing Parliament, laws, institutions and responsibilities for governing
Scotland up to the point that independence were given legal effect, unless the UK Parliament were to pass legislation to change existing arrangements. It would be for the UK Parliament to determine, in the event of a ‘yes’ vote, what, if any changes should be made to existing arrangements.
Co-operative Bank
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any department, executive agency or non-departmental public body has a banking arrangement with the Co-operative Bank.[HL218]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): Treasury policy is to hold Exchequer funds safe and secure at the Bank of England and to minimise balances held with commercial banks. The Treasury has been working with departments in recent years to minimise balances held in commercial accounts.
Government Departments and most public bodies bank with the Government Banking Service, which is a directorate within HM Revenue and Customs. GBS is a shared service which manages contracts and supports banking services to Government departments using cost-efficient and modern commercial banking platforms. The balances held by the Government Banking Service are utilised to reduce the Government's daily borrowing requirement and in turn its financing costs.
In the rare circumstance where banking is required outside of the contract then the Department concerned must seek Treasury approval to open separate commercial accounts. This will normally be when third party-funds are being managed or the banking service requirement is complex. The Treasury provides an annual update to the Public Accounts Committee on monies held outside the Exchequer / Government Banking Service. The most recent update was published on 13th January 2014 and can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270747/36048_ Cm_8774.pdf
From the information provided by departments we can confirm that the Forestry Commission and National Forest Company have a banking relationship with the Co-operative Bank.
Criminal Proceedings: Ethnic Groups
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the data published in court proceeding tables associated with their criminal justice statistics quarterly report of December 2013, whether they plan to institute an inquiry into the higher proportion of black and minority ethnic defendants denied bail or receiving custodial sentences than non-black and minority ethnic defendants with comparable records for similar offences.[HL251]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Faulks) (Con): The Government is committed to making sure that the criminal justice system is fair and just.
The Criminal Justice System Strategy & Action Plan, published last summer, set out a number of commitments to promote equality including a series of Minister-led events with stakeholders to explore what more could be done.
The Criminal Justice Board has had several recent discussions about equality and diversity and regularly reviews the statistical data.
We do not plan to hold a specific inquiry into the proportion of black and minority ethnic defendants denied bail or receiving custodial sentences as compared with non-black and minority ethnic defendants with comparable records for similar offences but are clear that more analysis is needed to understand the underlying causes reflected in this data.
The Government will shortly publish an update to this plan which will contain further actions designed to promote equality.
Department for Work and Pensions: Training
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is responsible for signing off Department for Work and Pensions training guidelines and manuals used by Atos and Capita.[HL273]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con): In the contract with Atos to deliver the Work Capability Assessment, Health and Wellbeing Directorate (HWD) within DWP sign off all training and guidance material. For Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Atos and Capita develop training and guidance based on policy documentation provided by DWP. The PIP contract requires Atos and Capita to involve DWP in the quality assurance process for their training and guidance but DWP does not sign off this material.
Deportation: Somalia
Question
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to continue enforced removals to Mogadishu, Somalia, pending the publication of an official decision on the country guidance case and an official statement by the Home Secretary; and, if so, why. [HL236]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): There are no existing court judgments that have found that all removals to Somalia are unsafe or should be suspended. An existing country guidance judgment promulgated in November 2011 recognised that many but not all Somalis returning to the country after a significant time abroad would be at risk on return. However, the
determination also recognised that the country situation was improving and each case needed to be considered on its individual merits.
We are awaiting a country guidance determination on the country situation in Somalia. However, the High Court has previously ruled that automatic stays on removal simply because a country guidance case is pending are not necessary. A stay of removal is at the discretion of the courts in each particular case and on its own facts.
We will continue to assess each case on its individual merits against the latest country information and existing, relevant case law.
We will only enforce the return of Somali nationals who we, and the courts, are satisfied are not at risk on return and who do not elect to leave voluntarily.
Education
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the resources and support available to teachers to help equip students for adult life. [HL189]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The national curriculum is just one element in the education of every child that provides pupils with an introduction to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated citizens. It provides an outline of core knowledge around which teachers can develop exciting and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum.
Programmes of study for citizenship, which is statutory at key stages 3 and 4, include a clear focus on democracy, government and how laws are upheld and made. For the first time, they include a requirement for pupils to be taught to manage their money well and make sound financial decisions. Citizenship education helps to prepare pupils to play a full and active part in society. In addition, personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is a non-statutory subject that equips pupils with the knowledge and skills to make safe and informed decisions and to prepare for adult life.
Elections
Question
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to encourage (1) attainers, and (2) all eligible voters, to apply to register to vote online; and, whether they have plans to combine (1) electoral registration, and (2) voting, with incentives such as discounted council tax or local prize-draws.[HL364]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): UK Youth and Scottish Youth Parliament, who both received a share of the £4.2 million funding for maximising registration, are developing and testing approaches to promote engagement of young people with the democratic
process. The Government has made available for free the Rock Enrol! learning resource, and is working with the Higher Education sector to promote on-line registration during course enrolment for students. Over the summer the Electoral Commission will be running a nationwide media campaign which will make prominent reference to the new online registration page.
The Government has no plans to legislate to require Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers to incentivise electoral registration and voting, such as with discounted council tax or prize draws.
Elections: Fraud
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the rates of (1) misuse of postal votes, and (2) voting fraud, in the light of the recent local elections and the European Parliamentary elections.[HL454]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): The integrity of our elections is central to our democracy. The introduction of Individual Electoral Registration will make the electoral register more accurate and secure.
The Government will carefully consider any findings by the Electoral Commission in relation to the elections held on 22 May 2014 to determine whether any further measures may be needed to support electoral integrity.
Entry Clearances: Russia
Question
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current policy on granting visas for musical ensembles from Russia; why there was a delay in issuing visas recently for the Lyra Ensemble from St Petersburg which led to the cancellation of concerts on their proposed United Kingdom tour; and what steps they will take to avoid such situations in the future.[HL83]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): Due to its obligations under the Data Protection Act, UK Visas and Immigration is unable to comment openly on individual cases. There is insufficient detail in the question to enable us to identify these visa applications but if Lord Jones of Cheltenham wishes to provide specific details of the visa applicants, UK Visas and Immigration will provide him with an in confidence letter regarding this incident.
There has been no change in visa policy for those coming from Russia to give musical performances in the UK. Applicants must meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules. We advise Russian visa applicants to apply for their visas as early as possible in advance of their date of travel. In Russia, applicants can apply up to six months in advance of travel and a ‘submission without passport' service is available for those who want to hold on to their passport whilst their application is processed.
Estate Agents Act 1979
Question
Asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many estate agents were subject to (1) a warning notice, and (2) a prohibition order, for each year since 1984 under the Estate Agents Act 1979.[HL105]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie) (Con): Until 31 March 2014, the Office of Fair Trading was responsible for enforcing the Estate Agency Act 1979. Since then, its functions have been transferred to Powys County Council, under the National Trading Standards Board Umbrella.
Data from the archived register for prohibition orders and warning notices in relation to the OFT and its predecessors was:
| Year | Prohibition Orders | Warning Notices | Year | Prohibition Orders | Warning Notices |
| Year | Prohibition Order | Warning Notice | Year | Prohibition Order | Warning Notice |
Eurostar
Question
Asked by Lord Black of Brentwood
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have received any representations about the refusal of Eurostar to allow pets on board its trains using the Passports for Pets scheme.[HL295]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): Defra has received a small number of letters from pet owners on this issue since 2012.
Government does not impose any obligation on transport companies to carry pet animals. It is a commercial decision on the part of transport companies as to whether they offer this service to their customers.
Financial Services: Taxation
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the dismissal of the United Kingdom’s challenge to the proposed financial transaction tax at the European Court of Justice, whether they have any plans to re-examine the extent of European Union competence in respect of United Kingdom taxation; and whether they consider that the application of such a tax would trigger a referendum under the terms of the European Union Act 2011.[HL164]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): The Court of Justice of the European Union ruling on 30 April deemed the UK challenge to the FTT was premature, but confirmed that the Government could challenge a future FTT Implementing Directive.
The introduction of the FTT under the Enhanced Cooperation Procedure would not be a relevant transfer of sovereignty or power for the purpose of the “referendum lock” in the UK’s EU Referendum Act.
The extent of European Union competence in respect of United Kingdom taxation was set out in the Balance of Competences Review, published 22 July 2013, and available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/taxation-report-review-of-the-balance-of-competences.
Food Technology: Curriculum
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that cookery is included in the curriculum as part of design and technology lessons.[HL389]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): All pupils should be taught to cook and to apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Design and Technology (D&T) is compulsory for all maintained schools from key stages 1 to 3 and the new D&T curriculum, which will be in force from September 2014, strengthens the requirements on schools to teach about food at primary and secondary. At primary, the curriculum will ensure pupils are taught about healthy eating, where food comes from and to prepare and cook a range of dishes. At secondary, for the first time, cooking will be compulsory at key stage 3: teachers will be also required to cover nutrition, diet and where food comes from.
Free School Meals
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are putting in place to encourage increased up-take of free school meals among eligible pupils.[HL390]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): We have developed the Online Free School Meal Eligibility Checking Service (ECS), which is a system that allows local authority users to undertake record checks from one central point. The ECS allows local authorities to check data held by the Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in order to establish eligibility for free school meals (FSM). The ECS has been extended to allow parents to check their own eligibility, and to apply online, for FSM. The new system reduces the time, stigma and bureaucracy previously associated with applications for FSM, therefore encouraging more parents to register their children for a free school lunch.
Resources are also available from the Children’s Food Trust at http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/ to help schools increase take-up of free school meals.
From September 2014, all children in reception, year 1 and year 2 attending state-funded schools will be eligible for a free school lunch, regardless of parental circumstances.
Further Education: Free School Meals
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to allow colleges to provide free meals transactions on individual student smart cards.[HL387]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): We published guidance for further education funded institutions, including colleges, on 16 April setting out full details of the requirement on institutions to provide free meals to their disadvantaged 16- to 18-year-old students from September 2014.
Exactly how those requirements are met is for individual institutions to determine, and will depend on current practices and systems already in place. Institutions have the flexibility to be able to provide either a meal or a voucher or credit for the student to exchange for a meal. Smart cards would be an ideal way to make such provision.
GCE AS-level
Question
Asked by Lord Smith of Finsbury
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with universities, and what research they have conducted, in relation to the impact that changes to the A/S level examinations will have on the assessment the university sector will be able to make of candidates for undergraduate entry.[HL212]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): We have discussed the changes to the AS qualification with UCAS and other higher education organisations, including the A level Content Advisory Board (ALCAB), the Russell Group and Universities UK. It is, of course, for individual universities to determine their own admission arrangements. AS grades only form one part of a
range of information available to universities about prospective applicants. They also look at prior attainment at key stage 4, teachers’ assessments and personal statements.
In May 2013 the Department for Education published research which considered how GCSE results compared to AS Level results at estimating the probability of a student attaining at least a 2:1 at university. The research[1] found that using GCSE results are a better predictor of university outcomes than AS results. Our plans to restore rigour to GCSEs will ensure they are an even more useful source of information for university admissions.
[1]Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-comparison-of-gcse-results-and-as-level-results-as-a-predictor-of-getting-a-21-or-above-at-university
Health Education: Sex
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of sex education in schools for life in the 21st century.[HL188]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): Sex and relationship education (SRE) is compulsory in maintained secondary schools, and academies are expected to provide SRE as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. When teaching SRE, all schools must have regard to the Secretary of State’s statutory guidance.
Schools are encouraged to develop their SRE practice with the support of specialist organisations and expert professionals who are best placed to provide schools with up-to-date materials and advice on changing technologies that fit within the framework of our sex and relationship education guidance. ‘Sex and relationships education (SRE) for the 21st century’, recently published by the PSHE Association, the Sex Education Forum, and Brook addresses changes in technology and legislation since 2000.
We believe that headteachers and their staff are best-placed to decide what resources, including help from outside organisations, are needed to support excellent teaching of SRE. We have recently extended the grant funding to the PSHE Association until 2015 and we have commissioned them to develop a set of exemplar case studies of high quality teaching on key issues in PSHE and SRE.
Helen Ukpabio
Question
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 14 May (WA 519–20), whether they will place in the Library of the House the letter referred to in the Minister's answer.[HL211]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): The Home Office will not be placing a copy of the letter to the Bar Human Rights Committee in the Library of the House. The Home Office does not comment publicly on individual cases unless there is a substantial public interest in doing so.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why HS2 Ltd, in acknowledging petitions deposited against the High Speed Rail (London–West Midlands) Bill, requires petitioners to set up an account with a secure email service (the switch data encryption system) in order to receive electronically their Petition Response Document from the Bill’s promoter, the Secretary of State for Transport.[HL151]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD): Petitioners are not required to set up a new email account to receive their Petition Response Document (PRD) electronically. Ensuring that petitioners receive their PRD in a timely manner is an important part of the petitioning process. The use of the Egress email system ensures that the file size limits imposed by email service providers do not prevent petitioners receiving their PRD. It also avoids the delays and inconvenience that can arise if documents are posted in hard copy, and are delayed or delivery is attempted when the petitioner is not at home. These are issues that people have complained about before, so HS2 Ltd has listened and deployed a better solution. In addition, at the request of the Select Committee, petitioners will be offered alternative means of receiving their PRD other than Egress.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the switch data encryption system proposed by HS2 Ltd for communication with petitioners against the High Speed Rail (London–West Midlands) Bill allows petitioners to copy, circulate and otherwise communicate as a normal email; and whether any tracking or monitoring of such communications will be available to HS2 through the system.[HL152]
Baroness Kramer: Egress is an email system used by many government departments, NHS trusts and local authorities, including the London Borough of Camden, for communicating externally. It does not provide HS2 Ltd with any abilities to track or monitor emails sent by others. Petitioners will use Egress to download their petition response document; it will not be attached to an email. HS2 Ltd will only be able to confirm if and when the Petition Response Document (PRD) has been downloaded. Once downloaded, the PRD can be saved and copied, and circulated to others, subject to the constraints of email service providers on large files.
Higher Education
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the reported increase in complaints from university students about the educational services provided by universities.[HL154]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con): As independent and autonomous institutions, higher education institutions are responsible for handling student complaints and appeals. Information on the numbers of complaints handled by each institution is not currently collected centrally.
We do anticipate that as a result of our higher education reforms students will have higher expectations of their universities and they are right to do so. Evidence from a recent survey of 99 institutions (and 36 students’ union representatives) shows that universities are prioritising improvements in the student learning experience, and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-the-student-learning-experience
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA), which provides a service to higher education students who are not satisfied with an institution’s final decision on their complaint, recently published its 2013 Annual Report. This includes data on unresolved student complaints in England and Wales and shows a slight fall in the number of these complaints. The OIA considered 1972 unresolved students complaints in 2013 in comparison with 2012 in the previous year.
Hospital Beds
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many hospital beds per head of the population there were in (1) England, (2) London and (3) Lewisham, in each year from 2008–09 to 2013–14.[HL309]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): Hospital beds data per head of population are not collected centrally.
Hospital beds data are collected for each National Health Service trust and NHS foundation trust.
Population estimates and projections are available for local NHS commissioning bodies; primary care trusts (PCTs) up to 2011 and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) from 2012. These data can be aggregated up to larger areas such as strategic health authorities (SHAs) up to 2011 and local area teams from 2012.
A table has been placed in the Library which shows the estimated hospital beds per 1,000 population in England and London each year from 2008-09 to 2013-14.
It is not possible to show the hospital beds per head of population in a local commissioning body such as Lewisham, because this would be based on the assumptions that the beds in a trust are available only for the population of the local commissioning body and that this population only uses these beds. These assumptions will not reflect reality as trusts serve populations from outside their commissioning areas and patients will access services in hospitals outside their local commissioning area.
Table: Estimated hospital beds per 1,000 population in England, London and Lewisham, 2008-09 to 2013-14
| England | |||||
| Year | Population (thousands) | Beds in wards open overnight | Beds in wards open day only | Overnight beds per 1,000 population | Day beds per 1,000 population |
| London | |||||
| Year | Population (thousands) | Beds in wards open overnight | Beds in wards open day only | Overnight beds per 1,000 population | Day beds per 1,000 population |
Sources:
NHS England, bed availability and occupancy data
ONS national and subnational population estimates, 2008 to 2012
ONS 2012-based national and subnational population projections, 2013
Notes:
1. Bed availability and occupancy data were collected annually before 2010-11. Data have been collected quarterly since 2010-11. Annual figures have been calculated, weighted for the number of days in each quarter.
2. The lower beds figures for England in 2010-11 may reflect a change in the basis of the collection from annual to quarterly. The quarterly data are collected in the month following the end of the quarter, which is timelier and requires less estimation than the previous annual collection.
3. The London population is aggregated from the resident populations of PCTs in the London SHA from 2008-09 to 2011-12, and of CCGs in the London Area Team in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
4. Beds in London are aggregated from NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts in the London SHA from 2008-09 to 2011-12, and of CCGs in the London Area Team in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) Amendment Regulations 2014
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) Amendment Regulations 2014 on rates of homelessness and rough sleeping. [HL184]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) Amendment Regulations 2014 on victims of domestic violence and their ability to secure a place in a refuge.[HL185]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what duties local authorities will have to homeless families with children in cases where the Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) Amendment Regulations 2014 prevent a housing benefit claim from being made.[HL186]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evaluation is planned of the impact of the Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) Amendment Regulations 2014. [HL187]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con): This Government is committed to preventing and tackling homelessness. According to the latest publication of the Quarterly Statutory Homelessness Statistics, (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-homelessness-in-england-january-to-march-2014), homelessness remains lower than in 27 of the last 30 years.
But we are not complacent. We have increased spending on schemes to prevent homelessness, making over £500million available to help the most vulnerable in society.
No assessment has been made of the impact of the Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) Amendment Regulations 2014 on homelessness and rough sleeping or on victims of domestic violence and their ability to secure a place in a refuge.
EEA jobseekers have not previously been eligible for homelessness assistance and this will remain the situation.
New EEA jobseekers will still be able to get some state support, but it is right that this is limited. In such cases, adults responsible for children can claim income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance for a period and in certain circumstances may be able to apply for support from
the Local Authority. In particular Local Authority support is subject to statutory criteria e.g. under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 (for a child in need and their family) or section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 (provision of accommodation in certain circumstances).
The Department is actively monitoring the impact of the recent changes to Housing Benefit regulations relating to EEA migrants, using Management Information and administrative data and through research with Local Authorities.
Human Papillomavirus
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the sub-committee of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation which is investigating extending the human papillomavirus immunisation programme is expected to publish its conclusions and recommendations.[HL181]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Human papilloma virus (HPV) sub-committee will report its findings to JCVI following consideration of ongoing studies by Public Health England on the impact and cost-effectiveness of extending HPV vaccination to men who have sex with men (MSM) and/or adolescent boys.
It is expected that the MSM modelling study will be completed at the end of 2014 at the earliest, and the adolescent boys modelling study will be completed at the end of 2015 at the earliest. The JCVI will then consider the findings of the HPV subcommittee before deciding what advice or recommendations can be made.
Independent Living Fund
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 14 May (WA 522), why they do not intend to ring-fence monies identified by the Independent Living Fund as needed to meet the critical and substantial needs of recipients.[HL457]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con): The Government’s position on how local authorities manage their finances is clear; local authorities need to be allowed to meet their statutory responsibilities in a flexible and responsive way and the ring-fencing of funding prevents this. Allowing local authorities the flexibility to manage their budgets locally means they can respond to local needs and priorities to deliver more efficient services and better outcomes.
International Conference on Population and Development
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they will take to help implement the Stockholm Statement of Commitment developed at the April 2014 International Conference on Population and Development.[HL359]
Baroness Northover (LD): The UK Government is fully committed to the principles of the International Conference on Population and Development’s (ICPD) Programme of Action and will continue to uphold these principles in its development work. We consider 2014, as the twentieth anniversary and review year of the ICPD, as an important moment to recognise progress and to address remaining gaps and emerging challenges.
We have been fully engaged in the intergovernmental process for the review of the ICPD, including actively participating in the regional and thematic conferences, the 47th Commission on Population and Development which took place in April of this year, as well as preparations for the upcoming special session at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The Stockholm Statement of Commitment was the outcome document agreed by participants attending the Sixth International Parliamentarians’ Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, which also took place in April. Official representatives from the UK Government did not participate in the Stockholm parliamentarians’ meeting. However, the Stockholm Statement does endorse a number of the elements we have been supporting throughout our engagement in the ICPD review process and will continue to support, including that sexual and reproductive health and rights become a reality for all, without distinction of any kind.
Israel
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with their European partners with regard to listing Israeli settler groups such as Hilltop Youth as terrorist groups, following the United States State Department’s description of recent settler acts of violence as terrorist incidents.[HL321]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): We do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not under consideration for proscription.
A decision to proscribe an organisation must be based on a belief that it is concerned in terrorism as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000, and it must be proportionate.
The list of proscribed terrorist organisations can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/301777/Proscribed OrganisationsApril14.pdf.
Military Decorations
Question
Asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering the award of a United Kingdom national defence medal for Her Majesty's armed forces personnel who have served since the end of the Second World War; and, if not, why not.[HL249]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): Sir John Holmes was invited to undertake further work to implement the recommendations set out in his Military Medals Review, published on 17 July 2012. This included a review of the case for some form of National Defence Medal, to recognise all military service. Work on this has begun, but – as Sir John noted in his report of July 2012 – the National Defence Medal is an issue of broad national significance which would require a broad political and public consensus and consideration by the government as a whole, in consultation with other political parties and concerned organisations.
Money Advice Service
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many calls per week on average were received by the Money Advice Service (1) before, and (2) after, the television advertising campaign; and how much has been spent on the campaign.[HL166]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): This matter is the responsibility of the Money Advice Service. I have asked the Chief Executive to respond and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be deposited in the Libraries of the House.
National Identity: Education
Question
Asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to ensure that British values are taught in schools.[HL199]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): Independent schools, academies and free schools are already required to encourage pupils to respect British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
We plan to strengthen the requirement placed on these types of school, to one of actively promoting British values. We will also ask Ofsted to change the Section 5 inspection framework to reflect this expectation, which will ensure that for the first time maintained schools are also properly held to account.
Nigeria
Question
Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 14 May (WA 525) on the issue of children accused of witchcraft in Nigeria, whether their policy includes any consideration of future visits to the United Kingdom by Helen Ukpabio; and, if so, whether they will publish that consideration.[HL210]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): It is the general policy of the Home Office not to disclose or discuss, to a third party, personal information about another person’s immigration status unless there is a substantial public interest in doing so. This is because the Home Office has obligations in law to protect this information. But I can confirm that any visa application from Ms Ukpabio would be considered in accordance with the Immigration Rules.
North Korea
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been done to implement the recommendation of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations in North Korea (1225, h: p 371) that States which have ties with North Korea, such as diplomatic relations, should form a Contact Group which would communicate human rights concerns to the regime and support initiatives that help improve the human rights situation on the ground.[HL132]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The UN Commission of Inquiry’s (COI) report on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) recommended that states with historically friendly ties, major donors and potential donors and those states engaged in the DPRK through the Six-Party Talks framework form a human rights contact group. Although the UK does not fall into the aforementioned categories, a senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office official did meet COI members in April to discuss a range of issues associated with human rights in the DPRK, including the proposal to form a contact group. However, the group has not yet been formed nor have potential members formally been identified. The Minister of State, my Right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), also discussed this with Ambassadors and senior UN Officials in Geneva on 18 June.
The UK continues to raise concerns over the DPRK human rights situation during meetings with the authorities, most recently with the DPRK Ambassador to the UK in May, but also in Pyongyang where we do so both bilaterally and alongside other EU diplomatic missions.
Palestinians
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to promote the education of United Kingdom citizens about the events of 1948 in Palestine.[HL277]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The new national curriculum for history, to be taught in maintained schools in England from September 2014, requires that 11-14 year olds be taught about the challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world from 1901 to the present day. This can cover Britain’s place in the world since 1945, including the events of 1948 in Palestine. It is for schools to decide what to teach and how to teach it. In accordance with Section 407 of the Education Act 1996, we would expect that the teaching of any issue in schools be consistent with the principles of balance and objectivity.
Passports
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether British passport holders wanted by the police have their details routinely reported to Border Force.[HL503]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): The UK holds a watchlist of adverse information and intelligence drawn from a variety of sources, including the police. The system is used by Home Office staff for the purposes of national security and the detection and prevention of crime. It is longstanding policy not to discuss either the specific data held on the watchlist, the source of the data or how it is used as to do so would be counterproductive.
Peers: Correspondence
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 8 May (HL Deb, col 1574), when will they respond to the email sent by Lord Wills to Roger Smethurst at the Cabinet Office on 14 March.[HL182]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): Mr Smethurst replied to the noble lord on 23 June 2014.
Productivity
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest available figures on output (1) per worker, and (2) per hour worked, in the United Kingdom; and how those figures compare with the equivalents for Germany, France and the United States.[HL398]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, Director General for ONS, to Lord Birt, dated June 2014.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest available figures on output (1) per worker, and (2) per hour worked, in the United Kingdom; and how those figures compare with the equivalents for Germany, France and the United States. (HL398)
Quarterly estimates of labour productivity in terms of output per worker and output per hour worked are published quarterly in index number form (2010=100) and as percentage changes on earlier periods. They can be found on the ONS website at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/productivity/labour-productivity/index.html
The latest estimates available are for the fourth quarter of 2013 and show the index for output per worker for the whole economy at 100.5, an increase of 1.3% on the same quarter in 2012 and unchanged from the previous quarter. The index for output per hour worked was 99.1 in the fourth quarter, an increase of 0.7% on the same quarter in 2012 and an increase of 0.3% on the previous quarter. The next publication of UK labour productivity statistics will be on 1 July. This will include estimates up to the first quarter of 2014.
Annual comparisons of labour productivity between the UK and the G7 economies in levels terms are published biannually on the ONS website at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/icp/international-comparisons-of-productivity/index.html
The latest estimates available are for 2012 and show output per worker in Germany, France and the United States was 11, 18 and 46 percentage points more productive respectively relative to the UK.
In terms of output per hour worked, the latest estimates show that Germany, France and the USA 31, 32 and 35 percentage points more productive respectively than the UK in 2012.
The next publication of international comparisons of productivity will be in September 2014, when first estimates for 2013 will be published.
Pupils: Holidays
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many parents have been imprisoned for non-payment of fines in respect of taking their school-age children on holiday during term time.[HL169]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): Parents who have been issued a penalty notice (fine) for failing to secure their child’s regular attendance at school cannot be imprisoned for not paying the fine. However, if a parent knowingly
and deliberately takes their child on holiday during term time (without a leave of absence granted by the school) they could face a term of imprisonment for doing so if they are prosecuted under the substantive offence set out in section 444(1A) of the Education Act 1996 (the Act). It will be a matter for the prosecuting authority (the Local Authority) to decide on the particular facts and circumstances of the case whether to bring formal proceedings and under what offence.
Radicalism
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to protect vulnerable people from radicalisation.[HL155]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): Prevent, which is a key strand of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy, aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The Prevent strategy, which was revised in 2011, now covers all forms of extremism where it creates an environment conducive to terrorism.
The Prevent strategy has three objectives: respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it; prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensuring that they are given appropriate advice and support; and work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to address.
Frontline staff have a significant role to play. We have produced a training tool, ‘Workshop to Raise Awareness of Prevent’ (WRAP), which teaches staff how to recognise people who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and how to refer people who may need support to our Channel programme.
Channel is a key element of the Prevent strategy, and was rolled out nationally in April 2012. It uses existing collaboration between local authorities, the police, the local community and statutory partners (such as the education and health sectors, social services, children’s and youth services, and offender management services), to identify individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism, assess the nature and extent of that risk; and develop the most appropriate support plan for the individuals concerned.
Since roll-out, over 2000 Channel referrals have been received, and over 300 people offered support. We are working to increase awareness of Channel, particularly among public sector frontline staff, in order to maximise the number of appropriate referrals.
Religion: GCE A-level
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of sixth form colleges in England offered Religious Studies at A-level in 2009 and 2013.[HL148]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash) (Con): The Department for Education does not hold information on the proportion of sixth-form colleges that offer religious studies at A level.
Revenue and Customs
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to bring their proposals to give HM Revenue and Customs power to remove money from bank accounts without prior judicial process for consideration or agreement by the House of Lords; and, if so, how.[HL217]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): The Government is consulting on the Direct Recovery of Debts until 29th July. This policy will modernise and strengthen HMRC’s ability to recover tax and tax credit debts from those who are refusing to pay what they owe but have sufficient funds in their accounts.
The Government intends to publish a response document and draft legislation later this year. This draft legislation will be consulted on before it is included in next year’s Finance Bill, where it will be subject to the usual Parliamentary scrutiny.
School Meals
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many schools will not have the facilities to provide hot meals in September.[HL388]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash): The Department for Education is providing funding, expert advice and support to assist schools in offering hot meals to all infant pupils from September.
There will be a range of ways that hot meals are provided in schools, with some being fully prepared on site and others transported in. The vast majority of schools are on track to offer free school meals to all their infant pupils in September, and we have made it clear that we expect them either to offer hot options immediately, or to work towards doing so as soon as possible.
Succession to the Crown Act 2013
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Wallace of Tankerness on 26 February (HL Deb, col 921), whether they are now in a position to implement the Succession to the Crown Act 2013.[HL224]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): All Realms have concluded the necessary processes before implementation apart from Australia. The Council of Australian Governments agreed that States would legislate first, before legislation was brought forward by the Canberra Government.
Four states have now enacted legislation; the remaining two have introduced legislation which is due to be enacted shortly. All State Premiers have expressed support for the proposed changes and the Government understands that the Australian Government stands ready to legislate when all the State legislation has been enacted.
Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010
Question
Asked by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to implement fully the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010, including the secondary legislation and a programme to ensure that the public is aware of the dangers of sunbeds.[HL177]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 came into effect in 2011 to ensure sunbed businesses are properly supervised. In England some local authorities choose to enforce the under 18 ban enshrined within the primary legislation and the Department has published guidance to support them
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_125656
The Government has recently received a report from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Skin which gives a number of recommendations including the introduction of secondary regulations in England and how the public can be fully informed. Government has noted the report and is currently considering how to progress the recommendations.
Taxation
Questions
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any estimate of the likely financial consequences for taxpayers over the official retirement age of any merger of income tax and national insurance contributions into a single tax; and, if so, what was that estimate.[HL214]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): As set out by the Chancellor at Autumn Statement 2012, the Government will wait for further progress on planned operational changes to the tax system before formally consulting on the operational integration of income tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
The scope for the consultation was originally set out by the Chancellor at Budget 2011, and made it clear that the Government will not extend NICs to individuals above State Pension Age nor to other forms of income such as pensions, savings and dividends.
Asked by Lord Howard of Rising
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money was repaid to taxpayers as a result of overcharging by HM Revenue and Customs in each of 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12 and 2012–13.[HL243]
Lord Deighton:: The information is not available as HM Revenue and Customs does not collect information on amounts underpaid or overpaid.
For many of the taxes that HM Revenue and Customs is responsible for such as income tax and corporation tax, taxpayers are required by law to make payments on account before the ultimate tax liability for the year is known. This can result in overpayments, in which case the taxpayer would be due a refund once the final liability was known. But it can also result in underpayments, in which case HMRC would seek to collect the additional amount owed.
In either case, interest may be due to HMRC or to the taxpayer according to the statutory rates.
Tobacco: Packaging
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the challenge made via the World Trade Organisation to the introduction of standardised tobacco packaging in Australia, in the light of their plans to consider introducing a similar regime in the United Kingdom.[HL237]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): The Government is aware of the complaints made in respect of the Australian plain packaging legislation, within The World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute procedures. The Government continues to carefully consider all issues relevant to the introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco products, including all legal aspects.
In accordance with normal practice, the Government is not intending to disclose legal advice received.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to continue with the introduction of restrictions on the display of tobacco in smaller shops from
April 2015, in the light of their plans to consider introducing standardised tobacco packaging; and, if so, what is their rationale for doing so.[HL238]
Earl Howe: Legislation to end the open display of tobacco products in shops has been made and will come into force for all shops on 6 April 2015.
Standardised packaging of tobacco products is a policy that is still under consideration by the Government. No final decisions have been made regarding the policy. The Government will be publishing a final, short consultation that will contribute to final decision-making.
Trident
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that any extension of the mutual defence agreement with the United States does not pre-empt decisions by Parliament on the future of Trident.[HL340]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): Renewal of the Mutual Defence Agreement (MDA) does not pre-empt a Main Gate decision on the Successor submarine in 2016. The MDA underpins the nuclear relationship between the UK and US and enables the UK to procure from the US certain non-nuclear components for the existing UK warhead. The Government's policy is to maintain and renew the continuous at sea nuclear deterrent based on a submarine system and Trident missiles.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place in the Library of the House the bond document of the loan that they have guaranteed for the Turks and Caicos Islands.[HL123]
Baroness Northover (LD): The TCI Government issued US$170 million of bonds in 2011 under the terms of an Offering Memorandum. This was guaranteed by DFID. It would not be appropriate for her Majesty’s Government to place a Turks and Caicos Islands Government document in the Library of the House. A copy might be requested, however, from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.