asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of set-aside in the current year is respectively in single field plots and in six to 10 metre strips along field margins. [HL792]

It is not possible for the Rural Payments Agency to answer this Question owing to the disproportionate resource and costs needed to extract the data required.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the costs of buying, maintaining and staffing an ambulance in Northern Ireland. [HL565]

The cost of purchasing and equipping one front-line accident and emergency vehicle is £110,000. This includes the base vehicle, ambulance conversion and equipment such as a stretcher and defibrillator.

It costs £430,000 per annum to operate such a vehicle 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This includes twelve staff to provide two person crews and associated non pay costs such as maintenance, insurance, fuel and consumables. This does not include costs for support facilities such as control, admin, uniform and other essential emergency equipment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, since 1970, they have had any contractual arrangements with the voluntary ambulance services in Northern Ireland. [HL566]

There are, and have been, no contractual arrangements with the voluntary ambulance services in Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the memorandum of understanding with the Government of the United States relating to further stages of the development and production of the Joint Strike Fighter, signed in Washington on 12 December. [HL853]

Although some Joint Strike Fighter partner countries have signed the production, sustainment and follow-on development memorandum of understanding (PSFD MOU), others are still seeking approvals within their Governments. They have until 31 December 2006, when PSFD MOU enters into effect, to sign the MOU. A copy of the MOU will be placed in the Library of the House when it has come into effect.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

To what extent the United Kingdom, as the only Tier 1 partner in the Joint Strike Fighter project, is party to arrangements between the Government of the United States and other partners in the project. [HL855]

The UK has been a Tier 1 partner in the system design and demonstration phase since 2002 and will remain so until this phase completes in 2013. The production, sustainment and follow-on development memorandum of understanding signed by the UK on 12 December has been constructed differently in that the tier structure does not apply, but is instead based on a collaborative approach where all the participants have a role in determining how the programme is managed through life.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Why the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultation was not followed by the Ministry of Defence in respect of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme) (Rights of Appeal) Amendment Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/2892); and whether, since the proposed legislation directly affected existing rights of appeal, the head of the tribunals policy division of the Department for Constitutional Affairs was formally consulted by the department; and, if so, when this consultation took place. [HL398]

The consultation undertaken was informal, with a limited number of stakeholders, which included the major ex-service organisations, the Council on Tribunals and the presidents of the three Pensions Appeal Tribunal jurisdictions. The ex-service organisations which comprise the statutory consultative body, the central advisory committee, had also been made aware of the policy intention to remove appeal rights for temporary awards in 2005, well in advance of the detailed drafting of the regulations.

The relevant branch of the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) Tribunal Service was approached in early September, when it was copied the exchange of correspondence with the president of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal for England and Wales. The DCA is content with the Pensions Appeal Tribunals (Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme) (Rights of Appeal) Amendment Regulations 2006, which were made on 30 October 2006.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Drayson on 1 December (WA 104), whether, and, if so, at what stages, the Ministry of Defence will consult the Department for Constitutional Affairs’s Tribunals Policy Division on drafts of any future proposed amending legislation to the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Pensions and Compensation Scheme directly affecting rights of appeal. [HL846]

The Ministry of Defence will consult the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) on the potential impact on the tribunals service of any future amendments to Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Pensions and Compensation Scheme legislation which directly affects rights of appeal. The DCA will be engaged during the development of proposals which directly affect rights of appeal, and during consultation with external stakeholders.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will review the maximum period of service of 22 years which an enlisted soldier is allowed, in light of increasing life expectancy and the operational need to retain skilled senior soldiers. [HL361]

The longer career model was introduced for the Staff and Personnel Support Branch of the Adjutant-General’s Corps in November 2004 offering the possibility of three to five years’ extension of service beyond the 22-year point. As a result of a review undertaken by the Army into soldiers’ career structures, this is to be extended with the introduction of a new versatile engagement, which is due to replace the present 22-year open engagement on 1 January 2008. This will mean that all soldiers will be engaged on an initial short career of 12 years. Soldiers will then be selected for a full career to 24 years. Thereafter, selected soldiers will be able to serve on a long career up to the normal retirement age of 55.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the resettlement grant provided at the end of a soldier’s military career. [HL362]

The tax-free resettlement grant is part of the wider remuneration and pension scheme arrangements for the Armed Forces. In part it is designed to have a “pull through” effect by encouraging individuals to complete longer service within their open engagement period. There is clear statistical evidence detailed in the DASA service manpower outflow charts that a significant proportion of personnel stay until they qualify for the grant. The relevant service points are nine years for officers and 12 years for other ranks under the Armed Forces pension scheme 2005 arrangements. While it is too early for evidence to emerge of the effectiveness of the grant under the new Armed Forces pension scheme 2005 arrangements, the opportunity was taken on the introduction of the new scheme to harmonise the qualification period for the grant to 12 years for officers and other ranks. We expect a similar “pull through” effect to be evident as statistics emerge for the new scheme.

The resettlement grant should be viewed within the context of an overall resettlement package which includes access to individually tailored resettlement training, careers advice, workshops and general job finding assistance. This overall package is designed to ensure that all service leavers make a successful transition to civilian life on completion of their time in the Armed Forces.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In what ways the powers of the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland differ from its counterpart in England. [HL443]

The Assets Recovery Agency is a single national agency created under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, with offices in London and Belfast. While there are differences in some of the legal systems under which the two offices operate, the powers granted by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 are granted to the director and can be used in both jurisdictions.

Schedule 1 to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 provides for an assistant to the director with responsibilities in relation to the director's functions in Northern Ireland and makes provision for the agency's annual plan to set out how those functions are to be exercised in Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Further to Lord Warner’s response to the debate on autism on 20 July (HL Deb, col. 1459) in which he undertook to draw points to the attention of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Secretary of State is expected to respond to those points. [HL731]

A written response to the points raised by the noble Lord has now been issued by the Secretary of State. I apologise for the delay with this response.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What saving to the Exchequer would result if the winter fuel payment to pensioners were made taxable to those pensioners whose income places them in the 40 per cent tax bracket; and how much the payment could be increased for all pensioners from that saving. [HL594]

Winter fuel payments are worth £200 to households with someone aged 60 or over and £300 to households with someone aged 80 or over. Estimates suggest that taxing winter fuel payments for higher rate taxpayers would raise revenue of around £80 million. This would represent an increase of around £9.40 for each of the 8.5 million households that receive winter fuel payments.

The estimation of revenue raised excludes those in residential care and relies on a number of simplifying assumptions such as 100 per cent take-up of winter fuel payments and no behavioural change. Taxing winter fuel payments for higher rate taxpayers would be administratively complicated, and this administrative cost is also not taken into account.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What have been the investment returns so far to the taxpayer from the £20 million of public funds invested in Bridges Community Ventures (BCV); and what are the arrangements for the BCV to report back to, and be monitored by, the Department for Trade and Industry. [HL951]

To date the department has had returns of £1.04 million from its investment commitment of £20 million into Bridges Community Ventures Fund I. The fund is four and a half years into its 10 to 12-year life and further returns are expected. The fund is established as a limited partnership with Bridges Community Ventures Limited appointed as the private sector manager of the fund.

BCV, as manager of the fund, provides half-yearly reports and audited accounts to investors in line with the British Venture Capital Association's guidelines. There are two formal investor meetings each year but DTI officials can meet the fund manager as needed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to confirm the integrity, independence and corporate governance standards of the board of Bridges Community Ventures in view of its responsibility for £20 million of taxpayers' money. [HL952]

The Government have no reason to question the independence, integrity and corporate governance standards of the board of Bridges Community Ventures Limited. Bridges Community Ventures Limited's fund management activities are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Who nominates the chairman and non-executive directors of Bridges Community Ventures (BCV); whether these nominations are subject to their approval; and, if so, whether they have the right to remove existing non-executive directors during their term of office should new circumstances arise which bring their suitability into question. [HL953]

Bridges Community Ventures Limited is a private company whose board members are appointed by its shareholders. The Government do not have a role in appointing or approving the board members.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 27 March (WA 91) on British Coal respiratory disease litigation, what is the current total of all expenditure incurred to date in that litigation, broken down between payments made to—(a) Capita and its predecessors; (b) medical service providers; (c) all other contractors; (d) the solicitors' co-ordinating group; (e) individual claimants' solicitors; (f) Vendside Limited; (g) the Union of Democratic Mineworkers; and (h) defendants' solicitors and counsel; and what compensation has been paid to the claimants. [HL801]

The total expenditure incurred in the British Coal respiratory disease litigation is as follows, as categorised above. However, figures for (a), (c) and (h) cannot be split between schemes so include expenditure incurred on both.

(a) £357.2 million; (b) £341.4 million; (c) £40.7 million (predominantly records storage and collection); (d) £ 16.5 million (excluding payments made in relation to individual claims); (e) £782.4 million (excluding the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM) and Vendside); (f) & (g) £22.6 million (Vendside handle claims submitted by the UDM) (h) £3 5 million.

£2,010 million compensation has been paid to claimants.

The difference in the figure at (a) compared to the equivalent in the answer given in March 2006 stems from an administrative oversight in collation of the information in March. The current figure has been checked and we believe reflects the true position.

The figure at (h) also includes sums for advice on other coal health liabilities which we are unable to separate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 27 March (WA 92) on the British Coal vibration white finger litigation, what is the current total of all expenditure incurred to date in that litigation, broken down between payments made to—(a) Capita and its predecessors; (b) medical service providers; (c) all other contractors; (d) the solicitors' co-ordinating group; (e) individual claimants' solicitors; (f) Vendside Limited; (g) the Union of Democratic Mineworkers; and (h) defendants' solicitors and counsel; and what compensation has been paid to the claimants. [HL802]

The total expenditure incurred in the British Coal vibration white finger litigation is as follows, as categorised above. However, figures for (a), (c), and (h) cannot be split between schemes so include expenditure incurred on both.

(a) £357.2 million; (b) £19 million; (c) £40.7 million (predominantly records storage and collection); (d) £6.7 million (excluding payments made in relation to individual claims); (e) £89.3 million (excluding the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM) and Vendside); (f) & (g) £6.0 million (Vendside handle claims submitted by the UDM); (h) £35 million.

£1,373 million compensation has been paid to claimants.

The difference in the figure at (a) compared to the equivalent in the answer given in March 2006 stems from an administrative oversight in collation of the information in March. The current figure has been checked and we believe reflects the true position.

The figure at (b) is lower than the equivalent given in March 2006. This results from an administrative error in the collation of information in March. We believe that the current figure reflects the true position.

The figure at (h) also includes sums for advice on other coal health liabilities which we are unable to separate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to the practice whereby solicitors subject to Law Society adjudication decisions in respect of complaints made by retired miners and widows under the British Coal litigation use the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal as an appeal court, a right denied to the complainants; whether denial of a corresponding right of appeal to the complainants constitutes a breach of the Human Rights Act 1998; and whether they have plans to amend the Solicitors Act 1974 to prohibit such conduct. [HL803]

If a solicitor fails to comply with Law Society adjudication decisions then the Law Society is required in statute to apply to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to have the decisions enforced. The public hearing that follows ensures compliance with Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Unlike solicitors, complainants are not subject to orders and Article 6 does not therefore apply. Complainants can apply to the High Court for a decision to be judicially reviewed.

There are no plans to amend the Solicitors Act in this respect.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to notification by the Law Society that, in proceedings against solicitors in the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal consequent on their conduct in the British Coal litigation, the complainant miners and widows are not recognised as parties and do not, therefore, have any rights of appearance or representation, save to attend the hearing as members of the public. [HL804]

If the Law Society instigates proceedings before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal then it is the Law Society that is the party to the proceedings, not the original complainant. However, I understand that complainants have been called to give evidence in such cases.

The complainants are open to bring proceedings before the tribunal themselves. However, they would be liable to pay the solicitor's costs if they are unsuccessful.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What proposals they have to invest in bus travel in County Fermanagh. [HL956]

The Government continue to invest in bus travel in County Fermanagh in a number of ways.

Through the rural transport fund, the Government provide support to two rural community transport partnerships and to Translink to provide bus services which will help to reduce social exclusion for people with reduced mobility in rural County Fermanagh. During 2007-08, some £320,000 will be made available, of which £225,000 will be allocated to the two partnerships. The remainder will be provided to Translink to operate a demand-responsive transport project, Rural Rover. The future roll-out of demand-responsive transport initiatives in the county will be considered in light of this and other projects.

In September 2006, the Government began to introduce a new specialised door-to-door transport scheme for older people and people with disabilities throughout Northern Ireland. This service will be introduced in the Enniskillen urban area in April 2007.

On 20 November 2006, Translink launched a new network of enhanced town services within Enniskillen along with new express services to and from Belfast.

In 2007-08, the department plans to fund the purchase of up to 346 new buses for Translink. All areas of Northern Ireland, including County Fermanagh, will benefit from this investment.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

By what percentage the volume of bus passenger journeys has changed during the past five years in (a) Northern Ireland outside Belfast, and (b) Belfast. [HL958]

Citybus/Metro passenger journeys increased by 9.3 per cent over the five years to 2005-06. Ulsterbus passenger journeys remained constant over the same period.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they will take in response to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants' call to align the requirements on small businesses with regard to the provision of data and business information, so as to avoid duplication. [HL830]

The DTI, along with other government departments, published a simplification plan on 11 December. The plan lays out a number of measures to reduce the burden of regulation on business. These include a number of measures being introduced by the Companies Act 2006 and work being carried out by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Companies House to facilitate joint filing.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures are in place to ensure that personnel in appropriate government departments and public services, including schools, health centres, hospitals, the police, courts, job centres, post offices and libraries, are briefed on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations reporting process, recommendations to the United Kingdom by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Government's response to those recommendations. [HL712]

Officials in the 12 government departments involved in the preparation of the forthcoming UK periodic report on the Convention on the Rights of the Child have been fully briefed on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations reporting process and the recommendations to the United Kingdom by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The Government do not routinely brief all personnel in government departments and public services on all aspects of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Detailed information on this convention is available at www.everychildmatters. gov.uk/uncrc.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether pension arrangements have been agreed for civil servants working in cross-border implementation bodies. [HL405]

The only civil servants working in North/South implementation bodies are on secondment from the Northern Ireland Civil Service and are therefore covered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (NI). Permanent employees of North/South implementation bodies are members of the North/South pension scheme except those who work in the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. The pension arrangements for these staff are under review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether bonus payments are made to members of the Northern Ireland Civil Service; if so, in what circumstances; and what size are such bonuses.[HL567]

Northern Ireland civil servants below the senior Civil Service who are awarded a Box 1 or Box 2 annual performance assessment may be eligible to receive an additional non-consolidated, non-pensionable performance bonus in the form of a lump sum payment. The values of the bonuses in 2005 were £400 for a Box 1 performer and £200 for a Box 2 performer.

A non-consolidated bonus is also payable to a proportion of senior Civil Service (SCS) staff. Non-consolidated bonus payments emphasise the importance of ongoing high performance as measured by in-year delivery relative to objectives. In 2006 the non-consolidated bonus payments for members of the SCS (including permanent secretaries) ranged from £3,000 to £12,000.

Non-pensionable bonuses are also paid under the Northern Ireland Civil Service special bonus scheme to reward exceptional performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations at any time. The scheme is applicable to both non-industrial and industrial staff and bonuses normally fall within the range of £250 to £500, but where higher should not exceed £1,000. The total cost of this scheme is restricted to 0.2 per cent of pay bill.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the recent suggestion by the European Commission that mobile phone companies are charging United Kingdom customers for services to recoup some of the 3G licence costs. [HL680]

The information requested falls within the responsibilities of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which has been asked to reply. The chief executive officer has responded:

I assume that the noble Lord refers to the press release published by the European Commission on 27 November, and the associated formal response to Ofcom on its proposals to extend charge controls in respect of mobile voice call termination. In its formal response, the Commission was broadly supportive of Ofcom's proposal to extend existing charge controls to 3G voice call termination (and to impose a new four-year control to apply irrespective of whether the call is delivered using a 2G or a 3G network). The Commission expressed some concern, however, about Ofcom's assessment of the cost of spectrum used to deliver such calls and invited Ofcom to reconsider its proposed conclusion. Ofcom is currently considering the views of the Commission and UK stakeholders, and plans to publish a concluding statement in March 2007.

The Government are not aware that the Commission has expressed any views on the broader question of whether it is appropriate for mobile phone companies to recoup some or all of the 3G licence costs through charges for telecoms services.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What funds are available to the public or businesses to help create a stock of captive bred specimens of a kind of animal such as coral for the purposes of ensuring a sustainable captive-bred trade in that kind of animal. [HL517]

There are no specific funding mechanisms that are dedicated to support the type of business venture described. However, government support for businesses in the United Kingdom may be accessed though the government-sponsored Business Link organisation. Further information is available from the Business Link website at www.businesslink. gov.uk.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proposals they have to regulate the charges that are imposed by credit card companies. [HL919]

The Consumer Credit Act 2006 includes a prohibition on the charging of compound interest on default sums charged under consumer credit agreements. Once it is implemented in April 2008, lenders will only be able to charge simple interest.

The OFT has also been looking at the question of penalty charges in respect of credit cards. It has stated that it believed that such charges had been generally set at a significantly higher level than was considered fair and set a £12 threshold for OFT intervention unless there were exceptional business factors.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will set out the process leading to the award of the contract for the clean-up of the Sellafield site; and whether Ministers at either the Department for Trade and Industry or the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs intend to direct or call in the final decision on the contract award from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. [HL636]

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) proposes to run a competition to select a parent body organisation for the Sellafield site licence company. This parent body will own the site licence company for the period of the contract.

The competition process will be in accordance with Office of Government Commerce (OGC) guidelines (and will be subject to review by the OGC at key stages); the Public Contracts Regulations 2006; and relevant EU procurement directives. In this context, an Official Journal of the European Union prior information notice has been issued and a contract notice is due to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union at the beginning of 2007.

The NDA's evaluation of proposals from bidders will be against robust and objective criteria relating to the role of a parent body. The development of specific criteria and their evaluation, which the NDA will also undertake, are commercially sensitive. The competition process will conclude when the NDA has selected the proposal offering best value for money (the most economically advantageous tender) in terms of meeting both Energy Act 2004 requirements, and the NDA strategy commitments to safety, security, environmental performance, socio-economic impact, and the delivery of nuclear decommissioning and operations. The NDA has consulted widely on the development of its competition strategy and award principles. Consultation has included workforce and the local community representatives as well as regulators (eg, the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate).

The NDA will in due course seek my department's endorsement that the competition process has been carried out correctly and fairly, and that the process of awarding the contract and the transition to the successful bidder for the Sellafield site licence company ownership can commence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Under what conditions they would allow the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield to reopen. [HL714]

A decision on whether to reopen the thermal oxide reprocessing plant (thorp) rests with the board of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) will issue a consent to allow thorp to reopen when satisfied that British Nuclear Group Sellafield Ltd (BNGSL) has done all the work necessary to ensure it can be restarted safely. This will include satisfactorily clearing all the NII's recommendations arising from its investigation of the incident in April 2005 and completing any plant modifications necessary to ensure safety.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the cost of the accident at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield in April 2005. [HL715]

The costs associated with the temporary closure of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant (thorp) due to the incident in April 2005 are subject to an insurance claim by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The costs therefore cannot be disclosed at this time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will consult the Government of Norway about the proposed reopening of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield. [HL716]

The decision on reopening the thermal oxide reprocessing plant (thorp) is a matter for the board of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the site operator British Nuclear Group Sellafield Ltd, and the Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. The Government of Norway will not be consulted on the decision.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of the £9 million allocated for the technology priority area, Electronic and Phonetics: novel technologies for low-cost high-efficiency electronics and lighting systems, will be available to fund solid-state lighting. [HL634]

The spring 2006 competition of the technology programme originally allocated £9 million for applications in electronics and photonics. The priority area attracted many viable applications and £13.26 million grant support is being offered to research and development projects in that area. Some £7.24 million of this sum has been offered to projects that directly relate to solid-state lighting.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they have declined to have a national solid-state lighting programme comparable with the programmes of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China and the United States. [HL635]

The Government's technology programme provides support for a wider range of technologies including solid-state lighting, and in recent competitions more than £7.2 million has been offered to support projects in that area.

The Technology Strategy Board that oversees the technology programme has the remit to select the priorities areas for support, the budget allocation for each of the areas and strategy for its delivery.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much electricity would be generated by the proposed new wind farm on the Isle of Lewis; and how many people this amount of electricity could supply; and [HL907]

How much land the proposed new wind farm on the Isle of Lewis would occupy as a proportion of the whole island; how many more wind turbines could be situated on the remaining area; how much electricity that number of turbines could generate; and how many people this amount of electricity could supply. [HL908]

This is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the framework agreement between France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry, signed at the Farnborough Air Show on 27 July 2000, has been incorporated into British law; and, if so, how it has been incorporated. [HL811]

The letter of intent framework agreement has not been incorporated into United Kingdom law. Existing legislation was and remains sufficient to implement the provisions of the treaty.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the reply by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 11 December (HL Deb, col. 1362), how they reconcile her remarks with Article 1(h) of the framework agreement between France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry which states that one of the objectives of the Agreement is “to promote harmonisation of the military requirements of the Armed Forces”; and whether, in view of this framework agreement, they will correct the remarks of Baroness Royall of Blaisdon; and [HL812]

Further to the reply by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 11 December (HL Deb, col. 1362), how they reconcile her remarks with Article 4 of the framework agreement between France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry which states that, “the parties recognise that the likely consequences of industrial restructuring will be the creation of TDCs (Trans-National Defence Companies), possible abandonment of national industrial capacity and thus the acceptance of mutual dependence”; and whether, in view of this framework agreement, they will correct the remarks of Baroness Royall of Blaisdon; and [HL813]

Further to the reply by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 11 December (HL Deb, col. 1362), how they reconcile her remarks with Article 46 of the framework agreement between France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry which states that, “The Parties recognise the need to co-operate in establishing a long term master-plan that would present a common view of their future operation needs. This would constitute a framework for harmonised equipment acquisition planning and would provide orientation for a harmonised defence related Research and Technology policy”. [HL814]

The reply of my noble friend Lady Royall on 11 December is an accurate reflection of government policy. The aim of the letter of intent framework agreement is to improve the competitiveness and the capabilities of the defence industries of the signatory nations. There is nothing in the agreement which affects the UK's sovereign control of our Armed Forces or requires the loss of essential national industrial or technological capabilities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the reply by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 11 December (HL Deb, col. 1362), whether any other European Union member states have signed the framework agreement between France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom concerning measures to facilitate the restructuring and operation of the European defence industry since it was first signed. [HL815]

No.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the United Kingdom's share of the expenditure of the European Union on overseas aid. [HL799]

The latest figures available are for 2005, in which the United Kingdom's share of the EC budget was 17.20 per cent. This accounts for £1,173 million of the external actions budget, of which £814 million can be classed as overseas aid. For the European Development Fund (EDF 9) the United Kingdom currently contributes 12.69 per cent, accounting for £234 million in 2005. Therefore the United Kingdom's total contribution to overseas aid via the European Union in 2005 was £1,048 million.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What are the cost limits imposed on requests for information through—

(a) Parliamentary Oral Questions;

(b) Parliamentary Questions for Written Answer; and

(c) requests from the public under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [HL900]

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury announced in a Written Ministerial Statement on 28 November that the disproportionate cost threshold relating to Written Parliamentary Questions would be increased to £700 with effect from 15 November 2006 (House of Commons Official Report; col. 87WS, House of Lords Official Report, col. WS 81). The threshold is an advisory limit only, and the Minister concerned may decide that a Question should be answered irrespective of cost. No cost limit applies to Oral Parliamentary Questions.

A public authority is not obliged to comply with a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit is set at £600 for government departments, both Houses of Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the National Assembly for Wales and the Armed Forces. The appropriate limit for all other public authorities is £450. Where the cost of compliance exceeds the appropriate limit, the public authority may charge a fee for communicating the information.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many applications under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 have been made to the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland; how many applications resulted in information; how many applications were refused; and in how many cases a fee was required. [HL671]

From 1 January 2005 to 8 December 2006 (inclusive) OFMDFM has received 180 requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Of the 180 requests received, 170 have been completed. Of these 170 completed cases, all the information was released in 136 cases, in 13 it was partially released, in 11 cases the information was not held by OFMDFM and seven requests were transferred to other public authorities. Only in the remaining three cases was the information refused. A fee was required in none of these cases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they will take to support the efforts of the British furniture-making industry to secure European Union financial assistance for long-term development. [HL632]

The UK's regions and devolved administrations are now in the process of developing their European regional development fund operational programmes, setting out their detailed plans for regional development spending for the 2007-2013 period. The regions will need to demonstrate that their plans are consistent with EU priorities and the UK national strategy for structural funds. Within this framework, they will have flexibility to develop spending plans that reflect regional and local needs.

There will be one national European Social Fund (ESF) programme in England to tackle the problems of worklessness and low skills that exist in all regions. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have similar strategies for delivering the funds on their territories.

The regional development agencies, the devolved administrations and the other bodies that have responsibility for delivering the funds will, of course, give careful consideration to all applications for financial assistance, including those from organisations within the furniture industry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they have taken to ensure that the Casino Advisory Panel makes its decision on the location of the first regional casino primarily on the basis of the best test of social impact and that the use of this test will be evident in its final report next year. [HL867]

The Government made it clear in the Casino Advisory Panel's terms of reference that the primary criterion by which it should make its recommendations to Ministers should be to ensure that locations for the one regional, eight large and eight small casinos provide the best possible test of social impact. The panel, which is operating independently of government, is on course to make its recommendations to Ministers on 30 January 2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they and the Casino Advisory Panel have undertaken on the impact and introduction of the first regional casino on existing leisure businesses in the local area; and what measures will be put in place to ensure that impact is minimised. [HL868]

The criteria against which the independent Casino Advisory Panel is making its assessment were set out in the Government's national policy statement on casinos published on 16 December 2004. The primary consideration will be to ensure that locations provide the best possible test of social impact. Subject to this primary consideration, the panel's additional criteria are:

to include areas in need of regeneration (as measured by employment and other social deprivation data) and which are likely to benefit in these terms from a new casino;

to ensure that those areas selected are willing to licence a new casino.

We will assess what the regeneration and other economic outcomes have been, alongside our wider assessment of the social impact of the new casino.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How the impact of the regional casino on the local area will be regulated once it is open for business; and when a framework will be published for consultation. [HL869]

All casinos, including the single regional casino permitted by the Gambling Act 2005, will be required to abide by new rules designed to protect consumers, particularly children and other vulnerable people. These rules will be implemented through a combination of conditions attached to operating and premises licences, and through codes of practice issued by the Gambling Commission.

The Government and the Gambling Commission have been consulting extensively over the past year on proposed licence conditions and codes of practice.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to ensure that the claims of economic benefits from the local authorities bidding for the regional casino licence are properly scrutinised by the Casino Advisory Panel before it issues its report on 30 January 2007; and [HL870]

Whether the Casino Advisory Panel should be responsible for scrutinising the economic claims made by local authorities bidding for a regional casino; and whether the full details of its assessment of the evidence submitted should be published when its report is released on 30 January 2007. [HL871]

It is the role of the Casino Advisory Panel, which is operating independently of government, to subject all the proposals it has received from local authorities interested in licensing one of the new casinos permitted by the Gambling Act 2005 to full scrutiny. In the case of the one regional casino licence, this has included holding a series of examinations in public into the shortlisted proposals.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to ensure that the successful local authority in the regional casino license competition is not placed in an unacceptable conflict of interest, bearing in mind it is both the relevant planning body and the licensing authority. [HL911]

Licensing authorities will be required to consider all applications for premises licences under the Gambling Act 2005, including the one regional casino premises licence permitted by the Act, on their merits, in accordance with the requirements of the Act. Similarly, planning authorities will be required to consider any planning application in accordance with planning legislation.

Section 210 of the Gambling Act 2005 requires that when considering applications for premises licences of any sort, a licensing authority shall not have regard to whether or not a proposal by the applicant is likely to be permitted in accordance with the law relating to planning or building. Furthermore, that section also provides that any decision under the Gambling Act 2005 shall not constrain any later decision by the authority under the law relating to planning or building.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What mechanism is in place to ensure that Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office make accurate observations in their correspondence and statements in their areas of responsibility. [HL613]

The Ministerial Code makes clear that Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

When, by what process and with what outcome the marmoset study carried out for the Ministry of Defence by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down into possible vaccine interactions, reported on in the Written Statement by Lord Drayson on 19 October (WS 87), was peer reviewed. [HL754]

The final findings of the main study in the vaccines interactions research programme were subject to the usual peer review process for scientific research; namely, consideration by reviewers for academic journals. This resulted in publication as follows:

Multiple vaccine and pyridostigmine interactions: effects on cognition, muscle function and health outcomes in marmosets. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior June 2006 edition (available June 06).

Multiple vaccine and pyridostigmine interactions: effects on EEG and sleep in the common marmoset. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior June 2006 edition (available July 06).

Development of methods to measure humoral immune responses against selected antigens in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and the effect of pyridostigmine bromide administration. International Immunopharmacology December 2006 edition (available October 06).

Multiple vaccine and pyridostigmine bromide interactions in the common marmoset Callithrix jacchus: Immunological and endocrinological effects. International Immunopharmacology December 2006 edition (available October 06).

An additional process of review was provided throughout the study by the involvement of the independent panel. The panel, made up of medical/scientific experts and veterans’ representatives, endorsed the study results in 2005.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What plans are in place, or under discussion, to make electronic patient records accessible in prisons. [HL806]

The task of developing and providing prison establishments with appropriate clinical information technology hardware and software has always been recognised as an integral corollary of the transfer of healthcare responsibility from the Home Office to this department from April 2006. Within the department, the provision of strategic IT systems is undertaken by the National Health Service Connecting for Health (NHS CfH) agency as a part of the wider national programme for information technology in the NHS.

There is no single national start or completion date for individual national programme systems and services. The aim is to achieve substantial integration of health and social care information systems in England under the national programme by 2010. In line with best practice, this involves implementing new services incrementally, avoiding a big bang approach, and providing increasingly richer functionality over time.

However, planning is under way to extend compliant primary care systems to support prison healthcare. Mental health and limited secondary care functionality will be added at a later date as applications become available. The first practical step to achieving this goal is in the form of providing the necessary connectivity to the N3 network in the prison estate. This has two aspects: providing broadband connections to prison establishments, and developing a network infrastructure in establishments. This month, £3 million will be specifically allocated through strategic health authorities to enhance prison healthcare IT infrastructure, with work due to complete by March 2007. NHS CfH is liaising with the Prison Service and primary care trusts to oversee implementation of this phase of the programme, based on local costed plans.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether they intend to allow residents of overseas territories access to specialist healthcare on the same terms as United Kingdom residents. [HL692]

The National Health Service is first and foremost for the benefit of people living in this country. Entitlement to access free NHS hospital treatment is based on whether someone is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, not on British nationality or the past or present payment of national insurance contributions or UK taxes. Anyone who is not ordinarily resident is subject to the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended. These regulations place a responsibility on NHS hospitals to establish whether a person is ordinarily resident, or exempt from charges under one of a number of exemption categories, or liable for charges. There are no plans to change this.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

How many NHS patients identified by the National Blood Service as having received blood from a donor who later developed vCJD were people with haemophilia. [HL750]

No patient with haemophilia or other bleeding disorders have been identified as having received blood from a blood donor who subsequently developed vCJD, nor have there been any reported cases of vCJD associated with receipt of plasma products.

However, all haemophilia patients who received plasma products between 1980 and 2001 sourced from UK donor plasma have been designated as “at risk of vCJD for public purposes”. All plasma products are now sourced from non-UK plasma. The United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors’ Organisation is collecting data that will provide an estimate of the number of haemophilia patients who have been exposed to plasma products which may be implicated with vCJD.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What is their response to the findings of Professor John Collinge in the December 2006 edition of the Lancet on the transmission by infected blood of variant CJD; and what action they are planning to take. [HL751]

The Lancet article refers to the third known case of vCJD transmission via blood transfusion from a vCJD-infected donor. This case was originally notified to the department in January 2006 and announced by the Health Protection Agency in a press release on 9 February 2006, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

There are 24 living patients in a group of people who had received blood components from donors subsequently known to have developed vCJD. They were all notified in 2005 or earlier, through their GPs, of their risk status and have been provided with information and support. The Health Protection Agency contacted the GPs earlier in the year to notify them of this third case and the agency has ensured that the GPs are fully informed and briefed about the subsequent Lancet publication.

The department has implemented a series of measures to reduce the risk of vCJD being transmitted through the blood supply. Shortly after vCJD was first identified in 1996, the possibility of human-to-human transmission through blood was considered, and the department implemented precautionary measures to reduce what was, at that time, a theoretical risk. These measures have been strengthened since evidence of transmission via blood began to emerge from animal studies, and following the first case of transfusion-associated transmission in humans, reported in December 2003. An important additional step, introduced in March 2004, was to exclude from blood donation those people who had themselves received a blood transfusion since January 1980. Other precautionary measures include:

from December 1997, blood components, plasma products or tissues obtained from any individual who later develops vCJD, were withdrawn/recalled;

in July 1998, it was announced that plasma for the manufacture of blood products, such as clotting factors, would be obtained from non-UK sources;

from November 1999, white blood cells, which may carry a significant risk of transmitting vCJD, were removed from all blood used for transfusion;

in August 2002, it was announced that fresh frozen plasma for treating babies and young children born on or after 1 January 1996 would be obtained from the USA;

in July 2004, the exclusion criteria for blood donation were extended to include previously transfused platelet donors, and donors who were unsure if they had previously had a blood transfusion;

in September 2004, the department announced further precautionary measures for patients who had received certain batches of plasma products;

in July 2005, the use of USA-sourced fresh frozen plasma was extended to all children up to the age of 16;

in July 2005, the department announced further precautionary measures for those patients who donated blood to three people who later developed vCJD.

The department continues to keep all the evidence in relation to transmission of vCJD by blood under close review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have issued any specific advice to officials of the Northern Ireland Planning Service about the implementation of the Northern Ireland draft planning policy statement of 16 March (PPS 14), Sustainable Development in the Countryside, in relation to the needs of people who are severely mentally or physically handicapped; if so, when that advice was given; and when they intend to publish it. [HL551]

There is no provision in draft PPS 14 specifically to meet the needs of persons with severe mental or physical impairment. Consequently, there was no need to prepare or issue advice to officials of the Northern Ireland Planning Service in this regard.

However, while it is not a specific category in terms of need, the particular circumstances of an applicant, including a mental or physical impairment, can be taken into account where it is considered relevant.

Policy HOU 16 (House Extensions) of A Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland has not been superseded by draft PPS 14. This policy facilitates the provision of partially self-contained accommodation for elderly or dependent relatives, as an alternative to a separate house in the countryside. This policy was first published in September 1993 and the Planning Service is familiar with both its provisions and application.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proposals they have to assist first-time home buyers in Northern Ireland. [HL564]

A number of initiatives have recently been introduced to assist first-time buyers in Northern Ireland. The co-ownership scheme, which has, since 1978, assisted almost 20,000 mainly first-time buyers to become home owners, was amended earlier this year to make it more accessible for people on lower incomes while the starting threshold for stamp duty on property was increased to £125,000. In addition, an independent housing affordability review has been initiated. This will look at barriers affecting those seeking affordable housing in the owner-occupied, social and private rented sectors and make recommendations as to how these might be overcome. A progress report will be issued for public comment later this month and the final recommendations will be presented to Government next spring.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What is the average income for all persons in employment in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. [HL761]

Information on the incomes of taxpayers in 2003-04 based on the survey of personal incomes can be found in table 3.13 on “Income and tax by county and region” on the HM Revenue and Customs website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu-by-year.htm#315

This table will be updated by the end of January with data from the survey of personal incomes 2004-05.

Alternatively, information on earnings from employment in 2006 based on the annual survey of hours and earnings can be found in “Analysis by place of residence by Local Authority, Table 8.7a: Annual Pay: Gross” on the Office for National Statistics website at www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/ASHE_2006/2006_res_la.pdf

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What has been the cost to public funds in each of the past five years of reconstruction and development in (a) Iraq, and (b) Afghanistan; and what financial provision has been made for this in 2006-07 and 2007-08. [HL782]

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is DfID's fifth largest programme. The UK is Afghanistan's second largest bilateral donor. At the London conference in January 2006, DfID committed to providing £330 million in development assistance over the next three years. This forms part of the UK's overall pledge of £500 million over the next three years to reduce poverty, improve security and governance and tackle the opium industry. The UK aid budget for Afghanistan is £102 million this year, rising to £113 million in 2007-08, and £115 million in 2008-09. In addition, DfID contributes 18 per cent—around £125 million—of the European Commission’s pledge of €1 billion over 2002-2007, and 10.4 per cent of the World Bank's spending in Afghanistan of $250-300 million a year. We also contribute to UN programmes and to the Asian Development Bank.

Iraq currently requires help from the UK and others to stem violence and build a stable society and economy. In 2003, the UK pledged £544 million for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance for Iraq. The UK has now fully disbursed this pledge and committed a further £100 million to be spent on reconstruction and development in Iraq over the next three years.

The table below shows the total spending in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past five years.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What has been done to give effect to each of the 12 recommendations made by the board of inquiry into the deaths of six members of the Royal Military Police at Al Majarr al Kabir on 24 June 2003. [HL747]

Action has been taken to address all 12 recommendations made by the board of inquiry into the deaths of six members of the Royal Military Police at Al Majarr al Kabir on 24 June 2003. The attached table illustrates the action that has been taken. All the recommendations are now considered closed, although serials 1 to 3 are reviewed regularly, as is case with the content of all training courses.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What are the arrangements for a consultation process for the proposed Irish Language Bill. [HL874]

The consultation paper on proposed Irish language legislation was launched on 13 December 2006.

Copies of the document have been placed in the Library of the House and are available from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure website at www.dcalni.gov.uk.

Responses should be addressed to Margaret O’Keeffe, Irish Language Bill Team, DCAL, Interpoint, 20-24 York Street, Belfast, BT15 1AQ, and should arrive no later than Friday 2 March 2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they plan to introduce micro-credit programmes to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises for women in the United Kingdom. [HL786]

Over the next year, regional development agencies from five regions are trialling different approaches to supporting the start-up and growth of female-owned businesses. The pilot regions are the north-west, north-east, Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands and the West Midlands. The purpose is to provide female-friendly business support from pre start stage onwards.

WEETU's “Full Circle Fund”, a micro-credit programme for women, has been running for several years, with the benefit of support from DTI's Phoenix Fund and has offered loans to more than 500 business starters.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have agreed a package of assistance to the Government of Montserrat to help with reconstruction following damage estimated at more than a £1 billion caused by volcanic activity. [HL695]

The Department for International Development (DfID) has provided assistance totalling some £250 million to the Government of Montserrat (GoM) since the beginning of the volcanic crisis of 1995-97. As part of this, DfID and GoM agreed in 2004 a country policy plan and indicative funding of £40 million for the three years to March 2007. A new multi-year support plan, and associated funding, is expected to be agreed next year. Additional British government assistance to Montserrat has been provided through our contributions to the European Development Fund, which has supported a number of infrastructure projects on the island.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will ask the Government of Montserrat to account for the way in which they have invested the amounts provided by the United Kingdom since volcanic activity commenced, estimated to be over £300 million. [HL696]

The British Government have provided some £250 million in assistance to the Government of Montserrat (GoM) since the onset of volcanic activity in 1995. All this funding is accounted for. This is done in a variety of ways—the GoM's annual accounts; annual audited statements of expenditure on development activities; twice-yearly reviews of government revenue and expenditure; and project-specific monitoring and accounting arrangements. We are currently providing assistance to the GoM to strengthen their accounting systems and remedy a backlog in the public accounts.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What are the circumstances that would cause an election to be held for the Northern Ireland Assembly in March 2007. [HL700]

Section 3(1) of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 provides for the next Northern Ireland Assembly election to take place on 7 March 2007. The Act provides that an election may not take place only if, before that date, the Secretary of State considers that there would be no reasonable prospect that each of the ministerial offices would be filled on 26 March 2007 and makes an order under Section 2(1) of the Act.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What would happen were an election not to be held for the Northern Ireland Assembly in March 2007. [HL701]

The Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 provides that the 7 March election to the Northern Ireland Assembly would fail to take place only if the Secretary of State made an order under Section 2(1) of the Act bringing Schedule 3 into force. This would also have the effect of dissolving the Northern Ireland Assembly and indefinitely postponing future elections to it.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many employees and other staff were attached to the Northern Ireland Office on 1 December 2006 and on the same day in each of the past four years. [HL669]

The number of employees and other staff attached to the NIO on 1 December 2006 and on the same day in each of the past four years is detailed in the table below. The increase in staffing levels reflects the expansion of the Public Prosecution Service NI and the creation of the Youth Justice Agency.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether Northern Ireland has a First Minister and Deputy First Minister designate; if so, who they are; and when they were designated. [HL672]

On 24 November, the right honourable Member for North Antrim (Dr Ian Paisley) and the Member for Mid Ulster (Martin McGuinness) indicated, subject to the outcome of the election planned for 7 March and other necessary conditions being satisfied, their intention to be nominated as First Minister and Deputy First Minister designate after the Assembly elections.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether, as part of the review of public administration in Northern Ireland, they propose to make special severance payments to the chief executives or chief administrators of hospital trusts, district councils, education services, the Catholic Council for Maintained Schools, the voluntary grammar schools associations, the integrated schools and the Irish-medium schools. [HL780]

There are no plans to make special severance payments to senior managers in any of the organisations that are affected by the review of public administration (RPA) other than what may be due to them under statutory provisions and in accordance with their contracts. Discussions on the voluntary severance arrangements for all RPA-affected staff are ongoing between the Government, the Public Services Commission, trade union side and the RPA-affected organisations.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether the public office of the Ordnance Survey Agency in Belfast was closed on the afternoon of Friday 8 December; if so, why; and what notice was given to potential users. [HL777]

The public office of the Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland® (OSNI®), Colby House, Belfast was closed on the afternoon of Friday 8 December 2006 due to the authorised absence of the three members of Ordnance Survey staff trained to work in that area. A notice informing customers of the closure was placed in a prominent position at the entrance to Colby House on Tuesday 28 November 2006 and remained in position until Monday 11 December. In addition to advising customers of the closure, the notice informed customers of other outlets for OSNI’s ACEmap® product (Craigavon, Armagh, Lisburn and North Down council offices) and the facility to purchase ACEmaps and other OSNI products via the OSNI website at www.osni.gov.uk.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What is the number of occupational pension schemes in wind-up which (a) have applied for assistance under the financial assistance scheme; (b) are currently under assessment by the Pension Protection Fund. [HL741]

(a) Up to and including 1 December 2006, 630 schemes have successfully qualified for the financial assistance scheme (FAS), of which 529 schemes are winding up and 101 schemes have wound up. One hundred and eighty-nine schemes have not qualified for FAS, making a total of 819 schemes. A further 172 schemes have provided FAS with basic details but have not gone on to provide the information needed for us to be able to make a decision on qualification.

As completing wind-up can take a number of years, FAS can make discretionary initial payments that enable us to start paying some money to qualifying members or their survivors who become entitled to assistance before their scheme has completed winding up.

(b) As at 1 December 2006, there were 130 schemes in an assessment period with the Pension Protection Fund. A further three schemes completed their assessment period during November 2006 and have now entered the PPF. Their members are receiving PPF compensation. Schemes in an assessment period are not in wind-up. Section 135 of the Pensions Act 2004 prevents schemes in assessment being wound up except in specific, very limited circumstances.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether they have conducted any studies in respect of the comparative cost between greenfield commercial developments and similar town-centre brownfield commercial redevelopments; and, if so, whether they will publish the results. [HL658]

Her Majesty’s Government have not conducted any recent studies on the comparative costs of greenfield commercial developments and similar town-centre brownfield commercial redevelopments.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the recent policy planning statement 14 pronouncement in Northern Ireland by Lord Rooker has resulted in a speeding-up of planning decisions; and, if so, how. [HL662]

The introduction of draft PPS 14 has not speeded up planning decisions in Northern Ireland. There was a surge in applications in divisional planning offices covering rural areas just before the draft policy was published. However, the underlying trend is down. It is also important to note more generally in this context that processing times for applications are influenced by a variety of factors, including the statutory requirement to advertise proposals, neighbour notification arrangements, the need to consult statutory and non-statutory bodies, consideration of all responses and representations received, the complexity of the planning issues raised, and the level of demand in the system as a whole at any one time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the percentage increase year on year for the past five years in the number of railway journeys over each section of Northern Ireland railways. [HL699]

The following table presents the percentage increase year on year for the past five years in the number of railway journeys over each section of Northern Ireland railways.

Large fluctuations in the percentage figures in the table were the result of interruptions to services due to infrastructure improvements, a revised timetable and the impact of the introduction of new trains. Overall, the actual number of train journeys increased by some 15 per cent over the past five years (from 6.7 million to 7.7 million).

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether they are still considering extensions to the railway network in Northern Ireland; and, if so, where. [HL957]

There are no plans to extend the railway network in Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many people have been killed as a result of motorcycle accidents in Northern Ireland this year and for each of the past four years. [HL698]

I have been informed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland of the following:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proposals they have to improve the traffic flow in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. [HL954]

The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the noble Lord in response to this Question.

Letter from Dr Malcolm McKibbin to Lord Laird dated December 2006.

You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question about what proposals they have to improve the traffic flow in Enniskillen County. As this issue falls within my responsibility as chief executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.

Traffic congestion in Enniskillen is typical of many similar provincial towns in Northern Ireland. However, it is recognised by Roads Service that Enniskillen is an island town and that this in itself contributes to problems for traffic progression. We are, therefore, progressing two significant schemes to address traffic congestion in the town. Gaol Square is to be signalised (to facilitate a major redevelopment with the developer bearing the costs). Also, notices of statutory orders were published in December 2006, for a scheme to provide an additional lane on the western (Henry Street) approach to the town.

I am also pleased to advise that another major works scheme, Cherrymount Link, (which will link the A32 Irvinestown Road with the B80 Tempo Road) is being progressed. It is hoped to publish statutory orders for this scheme in mid-2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the process of putting new street lights on the Earlswood Road, East Belfast commenced; when it is planned that the works will be completed; and why no work has been carried out during the past two months. [HL617]

The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the noble Lord in response to this Question.

Letter from Dr Malcolm McKibbin to Lord Laird

You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question about when the process of putting new street lights on the Earlswood Road, East Belfast commenced; when it is planned that the works will be completed; and why no work has been carried out during the past two months. As these issues fall within my responsibility as chief executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.

Work on the replacement of the old existing street lighting on Earlswood Road commenced in July 2006. At that time, it was anticipated that it would be completed by September 2006. Unfortunately, during the execution of the work, it was found that the proposed location of the Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) supply control point was unsuitable due to the presence of other underground services.

I am pleased to report that following discussions with NIE, a new location for the supply control point has been found and that it is now planned to have the new lighting operational by 5 January 2007.

In the mean time, Roads Service will continue to maintain the existing street lights. I hope this information is helpful.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

By what means and when since 1997 they have made or received estimates of likely shortfalls in the number of skilled or otherwise qualified personnel to fulfil the needs of science-related industries; and what steps they are taking to review and plan for any current or future deficit. [HL711]

The recent Leitch review on skills supports the stance that estimating the exact number of skilled or otherwise qualified personnel to fulfil the needs of science-related industries is difficult and not advisable in a dynamic and rapidly changing economy. It does not believe that the Government should aim to predict the impact of future technological advances and attempt centrally to provide the skills they believe will be necessary.

The Government can and do analyse data on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, employment rates of science graduates, international comparisons of stocks and flows of science skills, and consider national employer skills surveys. Such analyses (for example, the DTI's economic paper No. 16 Science, Engineering and Technology Skills in the UK March 2006, and DfES research report 775: The Supply and Demand for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Skills in the UK Economy) suggest that, at the broadest level, the supply of STEM skills is likely to meet demand over the next decade. However, we accept that there is the need for further action regarding the situation for specific science subjects, such as engineering and physical sciences. The falls in participation in mathematics and science A-levels are equally a cause for concern.

The Government have, therefore, made science education a high priority. The Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-14: Next Steps and STEM programme reports set out our commitment to improving STEM skills by increasing attainment of science and mathematics at GCSE level, increasing participation in science subjects post-16 and improving the quality and number of science teachers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they can demonstrate with proven statistics that the current use of Greenwich Mean Time +1, which is not synchronised with Central European Time, creates better conditions for the financial services industry combined with trade and travel to Europe than if the nation switched to single/double summer time, which is synchronised with Central European Time. [HL974]

There are potential advantages and disadvantages of a change to the summer time arrangements, which would have an impact on a range of industries including financial services, trade and travel.

We consider that the present situation is a satisfactory compromise between those who prefer lighter mornings and those who prefer lighter evenings and we are not convinced that a change to our winter time and summer time arrangements would be in the best interests of the UK.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Further to the comments by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 13 December (HL Deb, col. 1519), whether the contents of the e-mail sent by special adviser Damien McBride to Sky television complied with paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers; and, if not, what action they will take; and [HL929]

Further to the comments by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 13 December (HL Deb, col. 1519), whether special adviser Damien McBride complied with paragraph 15C (Conduct and Confidentiality) of the Model Contract of Employment provided in the case of special advisers. [HL930]

All Treasury members of staff are expected to follow the relevant codes of conduct for their employment, whether they are special advisers or civil servants, but we do not discuss individual cases.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Which ministerial office accommodation in Stormont Parliament Buildings is currently occupied; by whom it is occupied; and from when they have occupied the accommodation. [HL832]

No ministerial office accommodation is currently occupied in Parliament Buildings.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What endowments and investments are held by the parliamentary pension fund or by the Government in companies with commercial interests in Sudan; how large are these endowments; who controls them; and whether they have plans to disinvest until the end of hostilities in Darfur. [HL768]

The investment of the assets of the parliamentary contributory pension fund is a matter for the fund's trustees. There is no centrally held information setting out the commercial interests of companies in which the Government are an investor.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether persons serving custodial sentences are entitled to claim (a) working tax credits, or (b) any other tax credits; and, if so, how much has been paid in each of the past two financial years; and to how many claimants.[HL519]

Families’ entitlement to tax credits does not stop because one of the family is in prison. The children and partner still need to be supported and, in some instances, prisoners could be named on a claim that predates their imprisonment without impacting on the value of the award.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What proposals they have to co-ordinate bus and rail travel in Northern Ireland. [HL959]

Currently, the bus and rail public transport services provided by the subsidiaries of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company are co-ordinated under the brand name Translink. These comprise the majority of public transport services in Northern Ireland.

On 22 August 2006, the Minister for Regional Development, David Cairns, MP, announced the Government’s plans for the future governance, regulation and delivery of public transport in Northern Ireland.

The proposals include the creation of a unitary public transport authority that would comprise district councillors drawn from the new local authorities being created in Northern Ireland.

The new public transport authority will have responsibility for planning, designing and securing public transport services, both bus and railway services. This is intended to ensure that there will continue to be a unified, integrated and co-ordinated approach to public transport provision and development in Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many unlawful infringements of tree preservation orders have occurred in Northern Ireland since 1 January 2003; and where those multiple infringements have taken place.[HL462]

The number of unlawful infringements of tree preservation orders subject to enforcement action and their divisional location since 1 January 2003 is as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many cases are being prosecuted in Northern Ireland in respect of the unlawful destruction of trees that were subject to tree preservation orders since 1 January 2003.[HL463]

Since 1 January 2003, one case has been prosecuted and action is pending on a second.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What consideration they have given to the possible introduction of an Ulster-Scots Language Bill. [HL875]

While no specific consideration has been given to the introduction of an Ulster-Scots Language Bill, the Government have placed a duty on the Executive Committee of a devolved Government, as stated in paragraph 15(2) of the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006, that states:

“The Executive Committee shall adopt a strategy setting out how it proposes to enhance and develop the Ulster Scots language, heritage and culture”.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation has the power to regulate disposals of land under Article 217 of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 on the coming into operation of that article; and, if not, on what date the authority will acquire such power. [HL960]

The authority will have power to regulate the disposal of land from the coming into operation of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proposals they have to invest in sewerage facilities in the Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart areas. [HL955]

The chief executive of Water Service (Mrs Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the noble Lord in response to this Question.

Letter from Mrs Katharine Bryan to Lord Laird dated December 2006.

You recently asked a Parliamentary Question to ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to invest in sewerage facilities in the Coleraine, Portrush and Portstewart areas (HL955). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as chief executive of Water Service.

Water Service is investing significant resources to upgrade the sewerage facilities in this area in order to cater for the existing and future needs of the residents and to meet increasingly stringent environmental standards. An extensive study of the north coast area, in terms of existing and required wastewater treatment facilities up to the year 2032, was completed by Water Service in 2002. The study, which took account of technical, economic and environmental considerations, concluded that the construction of a new wastewater treatment works to serve Coleraine, Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock and Articlave represented the optimum solution for the provision of the wastewater treatment facilities required in the area.

The North Coast Wastewater Treatment Works scheme is a substantial project, costing in the region of £45 million. Construction commenced in January 2005 and the works are now nearing completion. Wastewater flows are scheduled to be diverted from Portstewart in April 2007, Portrush and Coleraine in May 2007.

Work associated with the construction of new pumping stations at Coleraine, Portrush, Portstewart Castlerock and Articlave, which will allow transfer flows to the new north coast works, will permit the removal of effluent discharges to the Articlave and Bann Rivers and to the sea at Castlerock, Blackrock and Ramore Head. A considerable amount of work has already been completed on the upgrading of the sewerage network in the Portrush and Portstewart areas and a number of recommendations identified by a study of the Coleraine area have been included in Water Service's capital investment programme.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

On what terms the Department for Regional Development in Northern Ireland intends to make the general authorisation for disposal of land under Article 217 of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 referred to by Lord Rooker on 11 December (HL Deb, col. 1377). [HL923]

The terms of the general authorisation for disposal of land to be made by the Department for Regional Development under Article 217 of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 will be broadly as set out during debate on the draft order at col. 1377.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What amount was required by central government to be added to council rates in Northern Ireland in 1998, 1999 and 2000; and what proportion of council rates paid was used to support the supply of water in each year. [HL612]