asked Her Majesty's Government:Following the medical report on General Pinochet's fitness to stand trial, what steps the Home Secretary is taking to monitor the health of General Pinochet. [HL1061]

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary ensured that he was fully informed about the state of Senator Pinochet's health in general and his fitness to stand trial in particular by commissioning a medical report on him. Any further relevant representations to my right honourable friend the Home Secretary on this matter will be taken into account as appropriate before he reaches a decision on the implications of Senator Pinochet's health for the current extradition process.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it would in any circumstances be open to the Home Secretary to allow General Pinochet to return to Chile, even before the legal processes are completed. [HL1062]

Senator Pinochet was committed by the Magistrate on 8 October 1999 to await my right honourable friend the Home Secretary's decision as to his extradition to Spain. In those circumstances, although my right honourable friend the Home Secretary could not make an order for Senator Pinochet's extradition to Spain, it would be open to him in appropriate circumstances to decide that he will not make such an order.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give details about requests for additional funding for the Global Cultural Diversity Congress. [HL1183]

On 11 January 2000, the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) asked the Home Office for authority to provide funding to enable the Global Cultural Diversity Congress, to be held in Cardiff on 20–23 March, to go ahead as planned and subsequently asked for additional funding from the Home Office Vote. This international conference was being organised under the auspices of the CRE following decisions they made in 1998 but by a separate company limited by guarantee, Global Cultural Diversity Congress (GCDC) 2000 Ltd. At the time when they first decided to proceed in 1998, it was made clear that the Government could not offer substantial financial support for the conference.The Government have supported the aims of the congress, which was a potentially important forum for serious debate about issues of race and diversity, and was widely welcomed by many with an interest in these issues both in this country and worldwide.In the light of the CRE request in January this year for government funding, the Government thought it right to seek advice from independent consultants on the viability of the conference at this late stage, including from forensic accountants, who examined the affairs of GCDC 2000 Ltd.The conclusions of the accountants' report raised serious questions about the quality of the management and financial controls in GCDC 2000 Ltd as well as confirming that very significant additional funds, in the order of £1.5 million, would be required to enable the congress to go ahead, not least because fewer than 500 tickets had been sold for a congress initially planned to attract 2,000.Given the report's findings, it would not be justifiable to use substantial public funds to support this event. Yesterday, the directors of the company were advised of the report's findings and our decision. My honourable friend the Minister of State of the Home Office (Mr O'Brien) understands that the directors of GCDC 2000 Ltd decided late on Monday 21 February to put the company into liquidation.The decision to set up GCDC 2000 Ltd was a collective one of the Commissioners for Racial Equality, taken in September 1998. My honourable friend the Minister of State of the Home Office (Mr O'Brien) has asked the incoming chair of the CRE, Gurbux Singh, to consider urgently the lessons to be learnt from all of this and to provide us with a report.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they agree with the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords that the House of Lords should establish a committee with a wide-ranging remit in relation to human rights. [HL991]

The Government have welcomed the report of the Royal Commission and have made it clear that they wish to give proper consideration to its recommendations. As the noble Lord is aware, prior to Lord Wakeham's report, the House had agreed to set up a Joint Committee on Human Rights.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they agree with the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords that there should be a mechanism in the House of Lords for looking behind ministerial statements of compatibility under Section 19 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and checking that all the provisions of a Bill are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights. [HL990]

The Government have welcomed the report of the Royal Commission and have made it clear that they wish to give proper consideration to its recommendations. As the noble Lord is aware, prior to Lord Wakeham's report, the House had agreed to set up a Joint Committee on Human Rights.We hope to proceed by consensus with other political parties on the next stage of reform and we aim to have an early opportunity to debate the issues.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the light of the decision by the European Court of Human Rights on 8 February that Mr Richard McGonnell was denied a fair trial in Guernsey because the judge presiding over his case was a member of both the legislature and the executive, they will now ensure that the Lord Chancellor steps down as head of the judiciary.[HL1043]

No. The position of the Lord Chancellor is unaffected by this case. The decision in McGonnell is confined to the special position of the Bailiff of Guernsey and his role in the particular case. The European Court of Human Rights emphasised (paragraph 51): "The question is always whether, in a given case, the requirements of the Convention are met". On the facts of this case it held that they were not because of the judge's direct involvement in the passage of the legislation.The Court accepted the Government's submission that neither Article 6 nor any other provision of the Convention required "States to comply with any theoretical constitutional concepts as such". This is precisely what I have always said.The Lord Chancellor would never sit in any case concerning legislation in the passage of which he had been directly involved nor in any case where the interests of the executive were directly engaged.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether Mrs Annie Anderson, while a member of the interviewing panel for the posts of Vice-Presidents of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal during November 1999, was herself a candidate for appointment as a non-legal member of the same tribunal; and, if she was, whether this was appropriate and ethical. [HL1001]

Mrs Anderson was a member of the panel interviewing candidates for the posts of Vice-Presidents of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal on 1 November 1999. She was herself interviewed on 17 November for the post of lay member of the same tribunal. Although it was on the same tribunal, the post for which Mrs Anderson applied was different from that for which she had been a member of the interviewing panel. As with all appointments for which I am responsible, Mrs Anderson's application was considered on merit against the criteria for the post concerned. No other factors applied. The general question of whether lay interviewers should apply for or hold judicial posts is a matter currently being considered by my department.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many tickets granting free admission to the Millennium Dome have been allocated during the year 2000 for use by (a) sponsors and (b) VIPs; and [HL1015]How many tickets granting free admission to the Millennium Dome have been used between 31 December 1999 and 31 January 2000 by (a) sponsors and (b) VIPs. [HL1016]

No free tickets are provided to sponsors. Tickets available to sponsors are part of the sponsorship contractual terms and are an integral part of the benefits sponsors receive in recognition of their financial support for the project. These arrangements are standard for sponsorships of major events. The number of tickets available to sponsors under these arrangements vary according to the level of contribution made by each sponsor. Since they are part and parcel of the sponsorship contract, details are commercially confidential under the confidentiality clauses applicable to both parties.No VIPs automatically gain free entry to the Dome. The policy of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is that, where there is a benefit to the business or a relevance to NMEC's public accountability remit, guests (whether VIPs or not) invited to the Dome can attend on a non-paying basis. Additionally, because the Dome has such a high profile as the centrepiece of the UK's Millennium celebrations, many VIPs on official or State visits, often request that the Dome be included on their itinerary. In most cases, the host body of the group visiting reimburses NMEC.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people were employed by the New Millennium Experience Company on (a) 31 December 1999; and (b) 31 January 2000.[HL1017]

On both 31 December 1999 and 31 January 2000, the New Millennium Experience Company employed 2,077 people.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many contracts were awarded by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) to caterers to operate on the site of the Millennium Dome; what net revenue was received by the NMEC from the granting of those contracts; how many of those contracts were awarded after a process of competitive tendering; and how many of those contracts are still in force. [HL1021]

Sixteen catering and supply contracts have been awarded by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) to contractors to operate in and around the Dome. All contracts have been let following competitive tender processes and all contracts are still in force. Each contractor will pay NMEC an agreed percentage of net sales as a concession fee, the precise details of which are commercially confidential while the contracts are current.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many zones at the Millennium Dome have equipment that had broken down as at (a) 31 December 1999 and (b) 31 January 2000. [HL1055]

Each zone has, at some time or other, experienced defects of some nature in its operation. These defects range from overloading of electrical or computer systems to faulty light bulbs. These defects are being corrected by upgrading or replacement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is their intention that the support to be given in schools to the institution of marriage will be confined to marriage between persons of the opposite sex, or whether it will be extended to other lasting relationships between persons of the opposite or same sex. [HL1041]

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has made clear his intention that sex and relationships education should be firmly rooted within the Personal, Social and Health Education framework for schools issued last November. That framework clearly states that when learning about developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people, pupils should be taught about the nature and importance of marriage for family life and bringing up children. Marriage is defined in English law as "the voluntary union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of others". The Government also recognises that there are strong and mutually supportive families and relationships outside marriage and that many unmarried couples remain together throughout their children's upbringing and raise their children as successfully as married parents.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to rectify the position outlined in Note 134 from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology that the best model hearing aids "are not always available through the National Health Service". [HL1038]

Note 134 is misleading in its use of the word "best". There is no one "best" hearing aid that can be supplied to hearing impaired people in general or to an individual. Each user has different requirements, preferences and circumstances which can change with time. The hearing aid user wants to be able to have the choice from a wide range of hearing aid models. The National Health Service has always made available cost efficient and beneficial hearing aids to its patients. It has always provided all kinds of hearing aid types which have been supplied by all the high quality world famous manufacturers.However, technology is always advancing and a project will start in England later this year to trial digital hearing aids for NHS patients. This project will help to inform our plans to modernise hearing aid services. Detailed proposals for the scheme are being developed but we anticipate that the project will cover 20 hearing aid departments and that an estimated 20,000–30,000 patients will benefit from the scheme. The project is intended to lead to improvements for all NHS patients.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the FV430 range of armoured personnel carriers was first developed in its current form; and [HL1094]Whether the FV432 armoured ambulance can be penetrated by a .50" AP machine gun or sniper round; and [HL1095]For how much longer the FV430 range of armoured personnel carriers will remain in service; and [HL1096]What is the maximum road speed of the FV432 armoured ambulance; and how this compares with CVR(T) and the Warrior ranges of light armoured vehicles; and [HL1097]What is the mean distance between engine power pack failures for the FV430 range of armoured personnel carriers; and [HL1098]What type of radio is fitted to the FV432 armoured ambulance; and what is its maximum reliable range when mobile. [HL1099]

The FV430 series completed development in the early 1960s, and entered service in 1964. On present plans the vehicles will be progressively replaced between 2006–2018 by the Future Command and Liaison Vehicle, the Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle, and the Armoured Battlegroup Support Vehicle. The reliability of the power pack varies with environmental conditions and terrain. The vehicles achieve some 3,500 miles between engine failures.On the specific questions relating to the FV432—the armoured ambulance variant—the vehicle is fitted with the Clansman VRC 353 radio and the maximum road speed is 30 mph, which compares to 46.5 mph and 45 mph for the Warrior and CVR(T) variants respectively. Information regarding the vulnerability of the vehicle to certain types of munitions, and the operating range of the radio, is classified and, therefore, withheld in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to defence, security and international relations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many sea, land and air training exercises have been cancelled or curtailed during 1999; and why these exercises could not take place or why the duration of the exercise was shortened. [HL947]

A list of cancelled exercises and the reason for cancellation is set out in the tables. No exercises were curtailed or shortened. The lists do not include international exercises where UK forces were to have participated but which were either cancelled by other nations or there was reduced involvement but still UK participation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many surgical operations by category have been performed at the Royal Hospital Haslar during 1999; and how many have been carried out at the Military District Hospital Unit Frimley Park. [HL963]

We do not at present collate data by category of surgical operation. For Royal Hospital Haslar, which is a directly managed unit, the table below gives details of patients, both Service and civilian, discharged by specialty. For the Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (MDHU) at Frimley Park, the table shows the number of Service patients treated—whether by Service consultants or host trust personnel—under the terms of the MDHU agreement.