asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which body provides government funding in Northern Ireland to groups offering help and support to those with addictions; and how much has been paid to these groups in each of the past five years.[HL1468]

The Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety through the alcohol and drug strategies, and its funding for core health board addiction services, provides funding to a range of organisations and groups offering help and support to those with addictions. Additional funding is provided by the NIO Community Safety Unit (NIO) and the Housing Executive for Northern Ireland (NIHE). The figures for these three funding bodies are as follows.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has taken to reinvigorate the information technology strategy to support the intelligence and covert operations of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch; and [HL1510]

What steps have been taken consequent to the report of H M Inspectors of Constabulary into the Service Police to increase the resourcing of the Service Police Crime Bureau and to clarify its roles and responsibilities; and [HL1511]

What are the arrangements for forensic warrant officers from the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch to be allocated periods of refresher training at the National Training Centre in Durham; how many such allocations have been made and completed; and how many are forthcoming; and [HL1512]

What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has taken to recruit a civilian head of profession for forensic services; and [HL1513]

Whether the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has considered taking fingerprints and DNA samples from all potential Royal Military Police applicants for speculative search against relevant databases; and [HL1514]

What steps the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has taken to identify options for reducing the case sizes of minor offences. [HL1515]

I refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 25 January 2007 (Official Report, col. WA 252-54).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made on developing a register of Territorial Army skills to improve the use by the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch of any Home Office police skills held by reserve personnel; and [HL1574]

Whether the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has undertaken a review of the tenure policies for all specialist postings within the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch; and whether the Office considered developing specialist career paths as part of this review; and [HL1575]

Whether the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has undertaken a review of the course portfolio of the Defence Police College; and whether this review considered the benefits of computer-based distance learning to remove training gaps; and [HL1576]

Whether the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has developed an action plan to progress the race equality scheme; and [HL1577]

Whether there are plans for regular independent inspection of the Royal Military Police; and, if so, by whom such inspections will be made. [HL1578]

I refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 25 January 2007 (Official Report, col. WA 252-254).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What were the qualifications for possible inclusion of wards in the maps of areas with assisted area status in England from 2007. [HL1614]

The Government set out the criteria for consideration of inclusion on the United Kingdom's new assisted areas map in its response document published on 10 October 2006. In order to achieve the most effective targeting, assisted area coverage for the new map was built up from ward level, aggregated to zones of a minimum 100,000 population. The criteria therefore applied to zones not wards.

Detailed information on the criteria, together with ward analysis data, can be found on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/regional/assisted-areas/assisted-areas-review/page24618.html.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which wards in Lancashire districts and Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool unitary authorities met one or more of the criteria for assisted area status in 2007; and which of those have been granted such status. [HL1615]

The Government constructed the new assisted areas map by building it up from ward level, aggregated to zones of a minimum 100,000 population. The Government set out the new map in their government response document published on 10 October 2006. The document also contains a list of wards that qualified for assisted areas coverage. See www.dti.gov.uk/regional/assisted-areas/assisted-areas-review/page24618.html

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What criteria were used to decide which of the wards in Lancashire districts and Blackburn with Darwen, which meet one or more of the criteria for assisted area status, have been included in the new map of assisted areas. [HL1616]

The Government set out the criteria for consideration of inclusion on the United Kingdom's new assisted areas map in their response document published on 10 October 2006. In order to achieve the most effective targeting, assisted area coverage for the new map was built up from ward level, aggregated to zones of a minimum 100,000 population. The criteria therefore applied to zones and not wards. See www.dti.gov.uk/regional/assisted-areas/assisted-areas-review/page24618.html

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which wards in Lancashire districts were added to the draft map of assisted areas following the consultation period in 2006; and what criteria were used to decide (a) whether to add any wards; (b) which wards to add; and (c) which wards not to add. [HL1617]

The Government set out which wards qualify for assisted areas coverage on the new map in their government response document published on 10 October 2006 See www.dti.gov.uk/regional/assisted-areas/assisted-areas-review/page24618.html.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they will ratify the Optional Protocol of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts. [HL1560]

The United Kingdom ratified the optional protocol on 24 June 2003.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many staff have been subjected to disciplinary procedures in the Home Office for poor performance or incompetence in each year since 2001. [HL1292]

Numbers of staff who have been subject to formal procedures for poor performance in the Home Office and all its agencies except the Prison Service are set out in the table below. Information prior to 2005 is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Information regarding the number of public sector Prison Service employees subject to disciplinary procedures for poor performance or incompetence in each year since 2001 is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Note: Information for 2006 is for the period ending November 2006. Data for December 2006 have not yet been entered on the central database)

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, following the passage of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, they have undertaken research on the number of visitors to the England and Wales countryside; if so, how many of these have been repeat visits and how many first time visits; and whether this information is publicly available.[HL1609]

The Great Britain day visits survey of 2002-03 reported on general leisure trips, including those to the countryside in both England and Wales. The England leisure visits survey 2005 provides updated information for England. The reports of both surveys are available to the public via the Natural England website.

Information on how many first time or repeat visits have been made to the countryside were not collected as part of either survey.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether their refusal to allow direct flights from the United Kingdom to Northern Cyprus is based on political or legal considerations; and what is being done in respect of the European Union assurance to end the isolation of Northern Cyprus. [HL1642]

The Government continue to review the legal position in respect of direct flights to Northern Cyprus. The UK does not intend to take action that would be in contravention of international law.

The UK and its EU partners remain committed to lifting the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots through targeted financial aid and trade liberalisation. We welcomed the decision by the EU last year to allocate €259 million for the economic development of Northern Cyprus. We continue to support the presidency's efforts to agree a direct trade regulation, which would fulfil the commitment made in April 2004 to allow Northern Cyprus to once again trade with the EU on preferential terms.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations they have made as guarantor power to the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to have compensation paid to Turkish Cypriots who have had land and property in southern Cyprus taken over by the public authorities. [HL1643]

The issue of property is one of the most contentious and central issues in the Cyprus dispute and the Government raise such issues with all interlocutors during their discussions.

The then UN Secretary-General's comprehensive settlement plan of 2004 contained provisions for the return of, and compensation for, property in respect of all Cypriots.

We are aware of recent legal claims by Turkish Cypriots for restitution of their property. However, we continue to believe that the best way of resolving the property issue is as part of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement agreement. We remain committed to doing everything we can to support progress towards a resumption of settlement negotiations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations they have made to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo about the imprisonment of Marie Thérèse Nlandu, the Congolese human rights lawyer.[HL1820]

Our ambassador in Kinshasa has raised the case of Mme Nlandu on several occasions with Congolese Ministers, the Congolese Interior Minister and President Kabila's advisors. He raised it with President Kabila himself on 2 February and underlined to him the need to respect due process. Embassy officials have also been present during some of her appearances in court. We continue to monitor Mme Nlandu's situation and treatment closely. International partners are doing the same.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they propose to take following the publication on 22 January of the report of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, Ofgem, on reform of the renewables obligation 2006. [HL1737]

We have consulted on ways of streamlining the renewables obligation in order to bring forward emerging technologies, such as offshore wind, that can take us toward our renewable energy targets. We received from a wide range of companies and interest groups, as well as Ofgem, a total of 206 responses to our consultation document: Reform of the Renewables Obligation and Statutory Consultation on the Renewables Obligation Order 2007. We will take account of all of these in formulating our policies for future support of renewable electricity generation.

Since the introduction of the RO in 2002, eligible renewable electricity generated under the scheme has increased to 4.0 per cent of total electricity sales to UK consumers in 2005—up from 1.8 per cent in 2002. This makes it more successful than the previous mechanism, the non-fossil-fuels obligation, under which the proportion of renewables rose from 0.2 per cent of electricity sales in 1992 to 1.8 per cent in 2002. We wish to build on this success with an approach that increases the deployment of renewable generation, maintains investor confidence and increases value for money for the customer.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will launch further consultations with industry to find suitable locations for new wind farms in addition to the London Array Thames Estuary and Warwick Energy North Foreland Thanet projects. [HL1532]

A number of offshore wind farm projects have been constructed or are now being brought forward for development. We are aware of developer interest in additional opportunities for the development of offshore renewable energy projects and have begun to explore options with the Crown Estate. Any consideration of future efforts will include consultation with the renewables sector and other parties with interests in or responsibilities for the marine environment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will consider appointing an independent environmental protection agency for Northern Ireland in order to ensure more effective preservation of the region's natural environment. [HL426]

On 28 February 2006 an independent review of environmental governance in Northern Ireland was launched. The review will bring forward proposals for future environmental governance arrangements, in relation to environmental protection, the natural heritage and the built heritage.

An interim report of the panel’s findings was published on 29 September 2006 and, following further research and public consultation, it will publish its final report by the end of March 2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will propose to the German presidency of the European Union that further attempts should be made to persuade Ethiopia to accept unconditionally the findings of the Ethiopia Eritrea Boundary Commission and to facilitate the demarcation of the boundary accordingly. [HL1538]

The United Kingdom voted in favour of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1741 on 30 January. The resolution reiterated the demand made in UNSCR 1640 that Ethiopia “accept fully and without delay the final and binding decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission”. The Ethiopia Eritrea Boundary Commission (EEBC) proposal to demarcate by co-ordinates is a matter for the EEBC to pursue, as it is the entity that Ethiopia and Eritrea have agreed will rule on demarcation. The UNSCR called upon the international community to engage with Ethiopia and Eritrea to make progress on their dispute and, with our partners, including the German presidency of the EU, we will consider what action might be taken to help the parties do this.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will propose to the United Nations Security Council that the council should indicate to the Government of Ethiopia that if they do not accept the Ethiopia Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) findings unconditionally, the council will proceed to demarcation by co-ordinates, as proposed by the president of the EEBC on 27 November 2006. [HL1800]

The United Kingdom voted in favour of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1741 on 30 January. The UNSCR resolution reiterated the demand made in Resolution 1640 that Ethiopia “accept fully and without delay the final and binding decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission” (EEBC). The EEBC proposal to demarcate by co-ordinates is a matter for the EEBC to pursue, as it is the entity that Ethiopia and Eritrea have agreed will rule on demarcation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the likely impact on the marine environment following the warning by Sarah Fowler, co-chair of the World Conservation Union Species Survival Commission's Shark Specialist Group, that a third of the 450 shark species are threatened with extinction because of increasing international demand for shark fin food products; and [HL1667]

Whether they will discuss with European Union, Commonwealth and United Nations partners the threat to the marine environment of the possible extinction of a third of shark species; and [HL1669]

Whether they have any plans to initiate an education programme to expose the threat to the survival of a third of the 450 shark species in order to reduce the demand for shark fin soup and other products. [HL1670]

Defra is regularly involved in meetings and negotiations at EU level, as well as globally, that have sought to address threats to shark conservation.

The illegal fishing of sharks for fins is a major threat to shark species. As a response to international concerns over the sustainability of shark fisheries, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) produced a voluntary action plan for the conservation and management of sharks. As the European Commission has competence on fisheries measures it has signed up to the plan on behalf of the UK and all other EU member states. As part of the commitment to implement the plan, the EU has already adopted a regulation outlawing the practice of removing sharks' fins on EU vessels and in EU waters.

The UK is active in its support for international agreements that seek to control international fishing activities. My honourable friend the Minister of State for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare (Ben Bradshaw) was the Chair of the High Seas Task Force on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, which produced its final report this year. The UK is actively implementing the proposals of the high seas task force in order to help identify and eliminate illegal fishing activity including the lucrative trade in shark products.

Furthermore, the UK has been instrumental in listing certain species (such as the basking shark) on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Convention for Migratory Species (CMS) to afford them better protection. The UK has supported the European Union's proposal that the listing of porbeagle and spiny dogfish sharks be considered at the forthcoming CITES Conferences of the Parties in June 2007. Following the CMS listing, the UK has been working with CMS and the Governments of Australia and the Seychelles to develop an international instrument to conserve migratory species of sharks. A meeting of government officials from range states and other interested parties, to consider this further, is likely to take place towards the end of the year.

The Far East is the main destination market for shark fins and the demand is ever-increasing due to the increased wealth of the population, particularly in China. Through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and during bilateral meetings between government officials and Ministers, we regularly raise the subject of shark conservation and the detrimental impact on shark species directly as a result of the demand for products such as shark fin.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any plans to introduce fishing regulations and guidelines to prevent cruelty to sharks that are caught. [HL1668]

The European Commission has competence in this area under the Common Fisheries Policy. Council Regulation (EC) No. 1185/2003 controls the removal of fins from sharks onboard vessels. In December 2006, the Commission published a report on the operation of the regulation. The report concluded that the regulation is achieving its general objectives and that further amendments were not necessary.

Since sharks are taken as a bycatch in many fisheries, it would be impossible to prevent all catches. The most effective way of conserving sharks is likely to be to limit to sustainable levels, within the EU and elsewhere, the overall level of fishing for the main target species.

Within the UK, we have recently completed a consultation on proposals to stop new commercial fisheries targeting tope, a species of large coastal shark.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What kind of reparative measures they had in mind, in their response to the 26th Report from the Joint Committee on Human Rights (HL Paper 245, Session 2005–06), for domestic workers brought in from overseas, who subsequently suffer abuse or exploitation. [HL1086]

We have already stated that, in line with the Government's policy to phase out low skilled migration, we will be terminating the overseas domestic worker in private households category.

Limited provision will, however, be made to allow visitors to the UK to be accompanied by their “domestic assistants” under revised business visitor arrangements. These are not migrant workers but people who are ordinarily employed and resident outside the United Kingdom.

In relation to people who might enter the UK under the business visitor provisions we do remain open to suggestions to ways of identifying potentially abusive cases at the pre-entry stage and on reparative measures centred around the safe return of the visitor to either their country of departure or their country of origin, should any abuse be identified while the person is in the UK.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will act to ensure that the asylum gender guidelines (2000) are observed in all cases where rape is adduced as a specific form of persecution by asylum seekers. [HL1596]

The gender guidelines produced in 2000 are out of date in respect of reference to the law and have been replaced by a growing body of jurisprudence. The guidelines were originally designed to provide guidance for the Immigration Appellate Authority (the predecessor to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal), in considering asylum seekers’ claims under the refugee convention. They have not at any time had binding authority on the AIT.

Immigration judges are independent judicial officers and determine cases on the evidence placed before them. In all appeals, including those involving rape allegations, judges consider case law from the tribunal and the higher courts. Judges also have the Judicial Studies Board (JSB) Equal Treatment Benchbook available to them when conducting hearings and considering appeals involving vulnerable individuals.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What methods are used by United Kingdom security and immigration personnel at airports to identify themselves to entering passengers when carrying out sudden spot checks outsider the normal immigration queues. [HL1185]

Immigration officers undertake document checks at the gates of arriving aircraft on an intelligence-led basis. Officers wear high-visibility tabards/jackets to identify them as a member of the United Kingdom Immigration Service and ensure their warrant cards are visible during the document check.

Special Branch “ports” officers usually stand at a podium or point marked out as “Police Control”. At the point where they intervene in passengers' movement, they would announce themselves as a “police officer” (showing a warrant card, if necessary).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proposals they have to bring investment to East Belfast. [HL1385]

The Government, through Invest NI, promote Northern Ireland as an attractive and viable location for foreign direct investment. They also work to stimulate the development and growth of local businesses and entrepreneurial activity. Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) works to secure investment in tourism.

Invest NI works closely with local stakeholders to encourage them to develop regional propositions to maximise the attractiveness of their area for potential investors.

This strategy has resulted in around £18.8 million of assistance being offered towards total planned inward investment of £55.8 million in the East Belfast constituency area in the four years to March 2006. Through its accelerating entrepreneurship strategy, Invest NI has also assisted the creation of just under 350 new enterprises which have the potential to generate significant additional turnover in local businesses.

In the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2006, Invest NI organised 580 inward visits by potential investor companies to Northern Ireland, of which 110 were to East Belfast.

DETI’s £23.5 million investment to date in the establishment of a science park at Queen's Island has provided 80,000 square feet of high-quality workspace designed to attract innovation-led, high-growth, knowledge-based businesses. The Government have also recently approved a proposal to build a further 210,000 square feet of accommodation at the site, with additional funding of £4.3 million being made available for the first phase build of 60,000 square feet.

The Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) is the flagship tenant for the Science Park, with Invest NI offering £8.3 million assistance towards a total investment of £37.8 million, representing the single largest investment in leading-edge research and development infrastructure to establish in NI.

As a key signature project within the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's strategic framework for action 2004-07, the Titanic and Maritime Heritage project has the potential to make a significant impact on Northern Ireland tourism, providing further potential social and economic benefits for the local population, including new employment opportunities.

This project has been shortlisted for further consideration by the Big Lottery Fund. The Government, acting through NITB and DETI, along with Titanic Quarter Limited (TQL), are now progressing the lottery application to the second stage due for submission by end May 2007, and working to identify potential additional funding sources.

NITB has already committed funding of £825,000 for other aspects of the Titanic bid including the development of Thompson Dock and Pump House and also the world's first interactive multimedia digital trail, launched by NITB and Belfast City Council in August 2006. Invest NI has also offered £136,000 of assistance to hotels within the East Belfast area to help them develop their capability in order to strengthen the tourism product on offer within the area.

IKEA’s planned opening of a new store in East Belfast also represents a major investment proposal for this part of the city, bringing significant social and economic benefits to the area, with up to 500 new jobs expected to be created.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What additional costs they have incurred through fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in each year since those conflicts began; and whether those costs have been fully met by HM Treasury. [HL1711]

The Ministry of Defence identifies the costs of operations in terms of the net additional costs it has incurred. The costs that the department would have incurred regardless of the operation taking place, such as wages and salaries, are not included. Savings on activities that have not occurred because of the operation—training exercises, for example—are taken into account in arriving at the net figures. All of these costs are met, by convention, from the Treasury's reserves.

The annual audited figures for the cost of operations in Iraq for the years 2002-03 to 2005-06 were:

This gives a grand total of £4,026 million.

The current estimated cost of operations in Iraq for 2006-07 is in the region of £860 million. This was published in the winter supplementary estimates on 21 November.

The annual audited figures for the costs of operations in Afghanistan for the years 2001-02 to 2005-06 were:

This gives a grand total of £844 million.

The cost of operations in Afghanistan for 2006-07 is estimated to be in the region of £540 million. This was published in the winter supplementary estimates on 21 November.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On which occasions the United States authorities have followed advice from United Kingdom military and civilian officials in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.[HL1675]

UK and US military and civilian officials work together closely on Iraq. We have military officers embedded at all levels in the coalition who contribute to planning and policy making. We also have close and excellent relationships with all parts of the wider US civilian administration and regularly discuss and agree on our strategy in Iraq.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Who appointed the human rights forum which met in Northern Ireland on 18 December 2006; how it was funded; who selected the members; and for what purpose. [HL1222]

The Minister of State for Northern Ireland has agreed all the matters raised.

In the light of the general consensus that emerged following public consultation, the Government concluded that the Bill of Rights Forum should comprise an independent chair, 14 political representatives and 14 representatives of civic society. Political parties and representative groups from civic society were invited to nominate individuals to sit on the forum. Arrangements are being taken forward to select the independent chair.

The forum has to date incurred a small amount of expenditure for which the Northern Ireland Office has made provision.

The purpose of the forum is to produce agreed recommendations to inform the work that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is undertaking to fulfil its statutory duty to provide advice to Government on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the passport details of United Kingdom citizens who are detainees overseas, which are entered on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office consular assistance database, Compass, are passed to the United Kingdom Identity and Passport Service. [HL1740]

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 23 January (Official Report, col. WA 228).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What additional resources have been provided in Scotland and Northern Ireland for identifying, rescuing and rehabilitating trafficked women in each of the current and two previous financial years. [HL1238]

The information is not held by the central Home Department and needs to be referred to the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland departments respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will indicate the date when the United Kingdom Action Plan on Trafficking will be published. [HL1284]

We are currently developing the UK Action Plan on Trafficking and aim to publish it in the next few months.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is required to operate on the principle of confidentiality. [HL1315]

The Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is required to operate on the principle of confidentiality.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many former Royal Ulster Constabulary GC officers have died prematurely since the setting up of the Office of Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; and how many of those ex-officers had been interviewed by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. [HL1316]

The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many investigating officers currently work for the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; and how many of them have previously investigated a terrorist incident. [HL1317]

Some 76 investigating officers work for the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, of which there are 44 investigators (over half have had previous police experience), 13 seconded police officers, 11 contract retired police officers and eight trainee investigators. The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is not required to disclose the previous employment details of staff in her office. However, senior investigators in her office have headed covert policing branches, anti-terrorist branches and anti-corruption branches and have the necessary competences to conduct the investigations required of them.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many investigating officers currently in the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland have managed a counter-terrorist operation in a hostile environment; and [HL1318]

How many investigating officers currently in the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland have been involved in handling an informer in a hostile terrorist environment; and [HL1319]

How many investigating officers currently in the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland have previously worked operationally on matters of United Kingdom national security.[HL1320]

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is not required to disclose the previous employment details of staff in her office. However, senior investigators in her office have headed covert policing branches, anti-terrorist branches and anti-corruption branches and have the necessary competences to conduct the investigations required of them.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 17 January (WA 162) concerning the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), whether they will request that the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland considers adding Opus Dei to the notifiable membership list for the PSNI. [HL1483]

The Government have no plans to request that the list be changed to either add or remove any organisations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the mechanism for members of the public or serving police officers to make formal complaints about the conduct of investigations carried out by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. [HL1488]

If an individual is unhappy with the way in which a complaint was handled by the Police Ombudsman's office they can refer the matter to the ombudsman, who will have their complaint investigated. If a complainant feels there has been maladministration, he can write to the Police Ombudsman's chief executive. If the complainant remains unhappy with the chief executive's response, he can write to the Secretary of State specifying where he believes maladministration has occurred. The Secretary of State can consider complaints only where it is alleged that maladministration has taken place.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many serving or retired police officers have been convicted of criminal offences, excluding motoring offences, arising from investigations conducted by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland since the office was established. [HL1490]

As at 31 March 2006, six serving or retired police officers have been convicted of criminal offences as a result of investigations conducted by the Police Ombudsman.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much compensation has been paid each year to members of staff employed by, or attached to, the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland since it was established; how many staff received compensation each year; what was the grievance and the amount awarded in each case; and whether this information has previously been published. [HL1491]

Compensation was paid to one member of staff dismissed by the Office of the Police Ombudsman following the judgment of an employment tribunal. The judgment of the tribunal was published on 23 December 2005. A confidentiality clause was imposed restraining the applicant and respondent from publishing details of the settlement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much compensation has been paid each year to members of the public and former or serving members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC or the Police Service of Northern Ireland by the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland since it was established; what was the grievance and the amount awarded in each case; and whether this information has previously been published. [HL1492]

No compensation has been paid to members of the public, former or serving members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC or the Police Service of Northern Ireland by the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many serving officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, including reservists, currently being treated through the service's occupational health unit or elsewhere, for stress-related illnesses, have been the subject of investigation by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. [HL1493]

The information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 6 July 2005 (WA 106), what was the per capita cost of maintaining the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in terms of the Police Ombudsman’s budget set against the total number of serving police officers in Northern Ireland, during the year ending March 2006; and what is the comparable budget for the current year. [HL1542]

The Police Ombudsman's annual budget is set at a level to allow the Police Ombudsman to fulfil her legal obligations under Part VII of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 and is not based on numbers of serving officers within the Police Service of Northern Ireland. However, the table below sets out the per capita cost of the total number of serving police officers in Northern Ireland against the budget of the Office of the Police Ombudsman. The comparable budget of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for the current year 2006-07 is £7,923,000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 6 July 2005 (WA 106-07), what is the updated per capita cost of a criminal conviction in Northern Ireland in terms of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland's budget set against the total number of successful convictions arising from a Police Ombudsman recommendation to prosecute, over the period April 2001 to March 2006. [HL1543]

The Police Ombudsman’s primary function is to provide a system for handling complaints against the police. The Police Ombudsman advises that the information asked for is not available in the form requested. However, consistent with the previous Answer (WA 107), the ombudsman's annual budget from April 2001 to March 2006 is as follows.

The Police Ombudsman also advises that during this period 19,000 complaints have been handled by her office. As at end of March 2006, 74 criminal charges have been referred to the PPS and to date 34 have been or are being directed by the director. In those cases concluded, six police officers have been convicted of criminal offences.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many former Royal Ulster Constabulary GC or Police Service of Northern Ireland officers, including reservists, currently being treated through the Police Rehabilitation Trust or elsewhere for stress-related illnesses have been the subject of investigation by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. [HL1544]

The information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the remarks by Mr Mark Durkan MP on 24 January (HC Deb, col. 1415) about the report by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland into the death of Raymond McCord Junior, and related matters, whether the three Royal Ulster Constabulary GC senior ex-officers named were (a) suspected of any offence; (b) formally interviewed about any alleged offence; or (c) reported to the Public Prosecution Service for any alleged offence during the Police Ombudsman's investigation. [HL1706]

Inquiries relating to cases conducted under the independent investigatory powers and statutory functions of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland should be pursued directly with the ombudsman.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures have been taken to address the problems found by electronic data capture analysis in August 2006 that demonstrated errors in the recording of prisoners' details including their names, prison number and nationality. [HL1151]

The C-NOMIS programme ensures a continuous cycle of data quality reporting on legacy systems that starts at least 20 weeks before site (prison establishment or probation area) implementation. Sites are required to “cleanse” the data and ensure accuracy before migration to the new system. This is monitored by the project and data quality metrics are produced every two weeks. High-level data-quality standards have been reviewed and approved for enforcement by senior business leads. All serious data quality issues are corrected prior to site implementation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to improve the rate of transfer of prisoners with mental health problems from HM Prison Chelmsford to places better equipped to treat such prisoners. [HL1684]

Prisoners with severe mental health problems should be transferred and treated in hospital whenever possible. To help facilitate quicker transfers, a protocol has been issued setting out what must be done when a prisoner has been waiting for a hospital place for more than three months following acceptance by the NHS. Tighter monitoring has also been introduced to identify prisoners waiting an unacceptably long period for transfer.

In 2005, 24 per cent more prisoners with mental illness too severe for prison were transferred to hospital than in 2002—up to 896 from 722. In the quarter ending September 2006, 43 prisoners had been waiting over 12 weeks for a transfer, down from 58 in the same quarter in 2005.

We are looking to further reduce the national waiting time standard for transfers between custodial settings and hospitals and pilots of a 14-day maximum wait will take place in 14 mental health trusts this year. A protocol specific to the transfer to hospital of young people in the secure estate with severe mental illness is also being developed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to increase the level of counselling and psychological support services available to prisoners with mental health problems in HM Prison Chelmsford. [HL1685]

Mental health services for prisoners have been a key part of the Government's recent reforms of health services for prisoners. The Department of Health is now investing nearly £20 million a year in NHS mental health in-reach services for prisoners. These are community mental health teams working within prisons and are now available in 102 prisons, with some 360 extra staff employed. Every prison in England and Wales has access to these services.

A new commissioning framework, developed on behalf of the Department of Health, the Home Office, the Youth Justice Board and the Department for Education and Skills is shortly due to be issued setting out best practice guidelines for commissioning child and adolescent mental health services for children in secure establishments, including young offender institutions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What has been the cost so far of preparing for the implementation of the custody-national offender management information system (C-NOMIS); what is the current estimate of the total of set-up costs and implementation across the prison and probation management systems; and what was the original estimate of the costs of setting up and implementing C-NOMIS. [HL1148]

The cost of preparing for the implementation of the C-NOMIS system at HMP Albany includes all costs (supplier and internal costs) associated with the application development and implementation incurred to-date. (Please see attached table.)

Currently, the estimate for the total set-up and implementation costs across the prison and probation management systems is being revisited. The estimate will be prepared once development and implementation plans have been finalised and approved by the C-NOMIS programme board and in the light of emerging feedback from implementation at HMP Albany.

The business case estimate of project cost is £99 million (excluding annual charges of £9 million per annum, which includes increased wide area network, hardware and software maintenance, first, second and third line post-implementation support and so on). The costs excluded sunk costs of £16.7 million to the end of June 2005 (used to produce a prototype, technical designs and contracts). The estimated full life cost (over 14 years) is £234 million (including support and technical refreshes), which equates to about £240 per member of staff per annum. The estimated costs include licensing the preferred COTS package, design and development of the system, user trials, data migration, implementation, training and ongoing support and maintenance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether detailed talks took place with the Government of the Republic of Ireland prior to the republic's announcement that 8 per cent of the proposed €180 billion national development plan would be spent on projects in Northern Ireland; over what period such talks took place; who took part; whether any local political parties were involved; what conditions were imposed; what agreements were made; and how these talks will impact on Northern Ireland's constitutional integrity. [HL1705]

The development of the Irish national development plan was entirely a matter for the Irish Government, although Northern Ireland Ministers and officials were kept abreast of their thinking as the plan was developed. We are not aware of the amount of funding the chapter entitled “All Island Co-operation” entails for Northern Ireland, but it is highly unlikely to be anything like the €14 billion implied by the noble Lord's Question.

Consultation with local parties would have been a matter for the Irish Government, but I note that Irish officials gave evidence on the matter to the Transitional Assembly’s programme for government sub-group on economic issues on 7 December 2006 and that representatives of all four of the main Northern Ireland political parties were represented.

The relevant part of the plan makes it clear that the Irish Government wish to agree the proposals with the British Government and a restored Northern Ireland Executive so that neither it nor the process by which it was developed will have any bearing on Northern Ireland's constitutional integrity.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many people were charged with parking in a bus lane in Northern Ireland during 2006. [HL1485]

The PSNI have confirmed that parking in a bus lane is not a recordable offence and therefore statistics relating to this are not available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What estimates they have made of the amount that the Dartford Crossing annually costs the economies of (a) Essex; (b) Kent; (c) London; and (d) the south-east of England. [HL1687]

No estimates are available in the form requested.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Department for Transport has undertaken or commissioned any work regarding the possibility of abolishing tolls on the Dartford Crossing; and, if so, what were the findings of this work. [HL1688]

Chapter 3 of the consultation document Proposed Changes to Charges at the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing (December 2006) refers to research published in August 2001 by Brown and Root which suggested that use of the crossing would grow more rapidly than the increases forecast at the time if there were no charge at the crossing.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many accidents have occurred on the approach to the bridge and tunnel sections of the Dartford Crossing since their respective openings. [HL1690]

The information is not held in the form requested.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 17 January (WA 165) concerning a bypass around Enniskillen, when they estimate the bypass will be built. [HL1486]

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 dated January 2007.

You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 17 January 2007 (WA 165) concerning a bypass around Enniskillen, when they estimate the bypass will be built. As this issue falls within my responsibility as chief executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.

As I advised in my reply to Parliamentary Question HL1226, the proposal for a bypass to the south of Enniskillen was included in the consultation document Expanding the Strategic Road Improvement Programme. While responses to the consultation supported the inclusion of the bypass, analysis of the feedback is still ongoing and, as such, it is not yet possible to confirm whether it will be included in the resulting expanded programme.

I can, however, advise that, typically, it can take at least six years to progress a scheme from its initial inclusion in a programme to the start of construction. This, of course, is subject to detailed economic appraisal, clearing the relevant statutory procedures and the availability of funds through the normal budgetary processes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What the enrolment figures were in each of the past five academic years in each primary school in the constituency of Strangford. [HL1644]

The information requested is as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What the enrolment figures were in each of the past five academic years in each primary school in the constituency of Newry and Armagh. [HL1645]

The information requested is as follows.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 17 January (WA 167) concerning the sewerage system at Springfield, County Fermanagh, what are the criteria for economic feasibility. [HL1484]

The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs Katharine Bryan) has written to the noble Lord in response to this question.

Letter from Mrs Katharine Bryan to Lord Laird

You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question, further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 17 January (WA 167) concerning the sewerage system at Springfield, County Fermanagh, what are the criteria for economic feasibility [HL1484]. I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as chief executive of Water Service.

Under current legislation, Water Service has a duty to provide water and sewerage services but is not required to do anything which is not practicable at a reasonable cost. For this reason, Water Service has always operated a policy of reasonable cost allowances for the purpose of determining what is practicable at reasonable cost. The reasonable cost allowances for sewerage schemes are £4,000 for each house occupied before May 2000 and £2,300 for all other houses. The policy provides Water Service with an objective mechanism to consider applications for new water and sewerage services in a consistent and equitable manner. The policy seeks to strike a balance between the interests of householders and taxpayers, within the context of resources made available for water and sewerage services. If the cost of the scheme is more than the total reasonable cost allowance, the scheme cannot be provided at public expense alone and can proceed only if the property owners agree to meet the additional cost.

When an application was received in 2002 for a sewer extension covering eight properties at Springfield, it was estimated that it would cost £45,000 and the total reasonable cost allowance was assessed at £32,000. The applicant was advised that the scheme could proceed if the additional cost of £13,000 was met by the householders who would benefit, but the offer was not taken up.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they support an international treaty to ban the use of all weapons in space; and, if so, what action they are taking to promote such a treaty. [HL1633]

We consistently support UN resolutions on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS), recognising that negotiations for the conclusion of an international agreement to prevent an arms race in outer space remain a priority task. However, there is no international consensus on the need to start negotiations on a new instrument, such as PAROS, governing the military use of space.

The Government do not accept the argument that negotiations on important issues such as the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty should be conditional on negotiation of a PAROS treaty.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 17 January (HL1063) concerning suicides in custody in Northern Ireland, whether the 10 individuals who died in custody in 1981 as a result of a hunger strike committed suicide.[HL1473]

Death by suicide is a determination which can be made only by a coroner’s inquest. Information retrieved from the coroner’s files indicates that seven of the deaths were a result of “starvation—Self imposed” and three were a result of “starvation with terminal bronchopneumonia—that the starvation was self imposed”.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations they have made to the BBC concerning the need for the programme BBC Parliament to be fully accessible to people who rely on television subtitles. [HL1590]

None. As the channel’s audience share is below the threshold at which broadcasters are obliged by Ofcom to offer subtitles, the subtitling service on BBC Parliament is a voluntary commitment of the BBC. It is the only parliamentary channel in the world to offer such a service.

The BBC announced in October of last year an increase in its subtitling of BBC Parliament from 450 hours per year to 810 hours, enabling more of the most important events to be offered in subtitling. The Government welcome this.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is their policy actively to encourage all broadcasters to exceed their legal minimum requirements for subtitling and audio description as set by Ofcom. [HL1589]

No. We expect broadcasters to meet their legal minimum requirements for subtitling and audio description as set by Ofcom and we welcome the fact that many broadcasters choose to exceed those requirements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many incidents of fly-tipping were recorded in the years 2001 to 2006; what were the clean-up costs for each year; and how many successful prosecutions were completed. [HL1605]

Flycapture, the national database of fly-tipping incidents, was set up in 2004 by Defra, the Environment Agency and the Local Government Association, to record fly-tipping incidents dealt with by the Environment Agency and local authorities. Data on fly-tipping levels are, therefore, available only from April 2004 onwards.

Flycapture data show that, in England, 926,534 incidents were reported in the period from April 2004 to March 2005. There were 1,034,518 incidents reported from April 2005 to March 2006.

The cost of clearing illegally dumped waste reported by local authorities between April 2004 and March 2005 was over £44 million. Between April 2005 and March 2006, the cost was almost £50 million. Over half of this cost was due to clearing fly-tips equal to small van-sized loads of waste. When the costs of clearance on private land are included, the 2005-06 clearance costs are estimated to rise to over £100 million.

The number of defendants found guilty of offences under Sections 33 and 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is shown in the table below. Data from 2006 will not be available until November 2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they charged the Northern Ireland Water Service an interest rate of 5.8 per cent when such projects in Scotland are charged an interest rate of 5.1 per cent. [HL834]

The target rate of return for Northern Ireland Water Limited, determined by the Government in their role as sole shareholder, reflects the specialist analysis and advice contained in the report by UBS, published on 9 February 2006. This is subject to ongoing review. The position in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive and HM Treasury.