asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether there will be an independent audit of official development assistance to Afghanistan; and, if not, what auditing processes are now in place. [HL47]

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) takes lead responsibility for conducting independent assessments of overall official development assistance to various countries. It last conducted an assessment of official development assistance to Afghanistan in the 2006 Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration, for which Afghanistan was used within the indicators.

The UK National Audit Office undertook a programme review of DfID’s aid programme to Afghanistan in August 2007. It also conducted a value-for-money assessment in September 2007 as part of its investigation into DfID expenditure in hostile environments.

The International Development Select Committee is currently conducting an investigation into DfID’s programme in Afghanistan. A report with recommendations will be available in early 2008.

DfID’s internal audit department plans to undertake an audit of DfID’s programme in Afghanistan during the first quarter of 2008. DfID’s internal audit department has visited the DfID office to audit DfID’s internal administrative systems in three of the past four years.

UK funds disbursed through multilaterals such as the Asian Development Bank, the UN and the World Bank are subject to the auditing processes of those organisations. Similarly, aid provided to NGOs will be subject to their own independent external audits.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will review the extent of their support for the national Afghan ministries, and reconsider the balance between capacity building at the centre and achieving visible and transparent results through non-governmental organisations. [HL48]

We believe that we have a good balance. DfID’s Afghanistan programme channels more than 80 per cent of its funding through Afghan government systems, as this is the best way of extending the legitimacy and authority of the Government, strengthening government capacity and co-ordinating donor funding. It is also an effective way of spending aid money. A study by the Peace Dividend Trust conducted in 2006-07 estimated the local economic impact of aid spent through government systems to be more than four times greater than aid spent through international contractors or non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

However, DfID works indirectly with NGOs across Afghanistan since NGOs are the major implementing partners for the Afghan government programmes that DfID funds with other donors. For example, the National Solidarity Programme disburses funding through 23 NGOs.

UK funds are also available for NGO work in Afghanistan through the joint DfID, MoD, and FCO Global Conflict Prevention Pool and through various DfID-wide funding pools for civil society and humanitarian work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What financial or other support they are giving to the Independent Directorate of Local Governance in Afghanistan; and what expectations they have of its influence on the present provincial, district and village administrations. [HL49]

DfID Afghanistan is currently considering how best to support the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG). The IDLG is seeking both political and financial support from donors, and officials have met with the director, Gilani Popal, and other government Ministers on a number of occasions to discuss plans for the IDLG’s activities. President Karzai has mandated the IDLG with securing insecure provinces to the south and south-east of Kabul in the short to medium-term and with improving governance at provincial, district and community level to improve the delivery of basic services. It is too early to judge how successful this will be, as the IDLG was established only eight weeks ago and is still discussing its mandate and work plan.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

What measures they are introducing to prevent the use of United Kingdom-sourced equipment for terrorist acts and torture. [HL90]

The export of strategic exports—that is, military and dual-use goods from the UK or a UK individual or company overseas—requires an export licence. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against The Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, also known as the Code of Conduct. No licence is issued for equipment to be exported to any country if it is considered that the equipment or its likely use in a given country is inconsistent with the Code of Conduct.

Criterion 2 of the Code of Conduct specifically covers respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including careful consideration of equipment that could be used for torture or other cruel acts. Criterion 6 covers the behaviour of the buyer (and, by extension under Criterion 7, any other end user) with regard to terrorism and international law. Export licence applications are also assessed against European Council Regulation 1236/2005, “Concerning trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. This system of licensing the export of military and dual-use goods is reviewed regularly.

The Government expect to issue a response to the current review at the end of the year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

For the smallest levels for which statistics are kept, how many applications have been made for exclusions to access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 since the introduction of Part I of that Act in each region; how many applications were approved; how many of the approved exclusions were temporary and how many are permanent; what is the breakdown of categories of exclusions; and what is the area of land to which approved permanent and temporary exclusions in each category currently apply; and [HL2]

For the smallest levels for which statistics are kept, how many applications have been made for restrictions to access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 since the introduction of Part I of that Act in each region; how many applications were approved; how many of the approved restrictions were temporary and how many are permanent; what is the breakdown of categories of restrictions; and what is the area of land to which approved permanent and temporary restrictions in each category currently apply. [HL3]

Natural England, which administers the restrictions and exclusions regime under Part I of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, has received 241 applications for exclusions and restrictions. Applicants do not always specify whether they are applying for an exclusion or a restriction. The regional breakdown is as follows: north-west 33, south-east 46, east Midlands 32, Yorkshire and Humber 40, south-west 63, north-east 20, east of England 2, West Midlands 5.

The applications that resulted in exclusions or restrictions are outlined below. The terms “short term” and “long term” are used rather than “temporary” and “permanent”, as all long-term exclusions and restrictions are reviewed at least once every five years.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

For the smallest levels for which statistics are kept, how many 28-day restrictions on access have been notified under Section 22 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 since the introduction of Part I of that Act in each region. [HL4]

There have been 124 discretionary notifications in the north-west region, 584 in the north-east, 550 in Yorkshire and Humber, 73 in the east Midlands, three in the West Midlands, nine in the east of England, 239 in the south-west, 68 in the south-east and four in London.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether further action is necessary to tackle the continuing use of hand-held telephones by individuals driving motor vehicles; and, if so, what action is proposed. [HL105]

There has been a significant increase in the number of drivers caught by the police committing this offence. The latest figures, for 2005, show that the police took enforcement action against 129,700 drivers for the specific offence of driving while using a hand-held mobile phone. This is a 72 per cent (75,200) increase on the 2004 figure.

The message that the Government and the police want to get over is that using a mobile phone while driving is dangerous and where drivers continue to flout the law and are seen by the police they will be prosecuted.

The offence became endorsable (three points) and the penalty was increased to £60 with effect from 27 February 2007. The Department for Transport also ran through the summer months a significant publicity campaign under its THINK! Road Safety umbrella to raise drivers’ awareness of the consequences of the offence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 10 October (WA 18), whether they will remind the police and other emergency services that the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 do not permit the use of sirens when no other road users are present. [HL80]

I am confident that the emergency services are fully aware of the legal controls on the use of sirens. Individual police forces and other agencies may issue their own guidance, but subject to the law it is a matter for individual drivers of emergency service vehicles to decide when they need to alert to their presence other drivers and pedestrians or others using the road. These drivers are well aware that they should use sirens with restraint, so as not to cause a nuisance to other locals.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have replied to the letter dated 2 November to the head of the radioactive substances division of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from Greenpeace UK about the waste from any new-build reactors; and, if so, whether they will publish that reply. [HL35]

The letter from Greenpeace dated 2 November was a response to the consultation document Managing Radioactive Waste Safely: A Framework for Implementing Geological Disposal. It is not usual practice to respond to individual consultation responses.

We are currently analysing responses and a summary will be published. We expect the outcome of the consultation to be the basis for a White Paper policy statement during the first half of 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they have appointed only one non-executive director to the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority to date; and when they expect to make further non-executive director appointments. [HL125]

We were keen to establish the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority as quickly as possible. The Pensions Act 2007 provides for a minimum of three members of the authority at any time and, in line with accepted principles of good corporate governance, that at least half the board, excluding the chair, should be non-executives. The chair, chief executive and one non-executive director have been appointed as part of the first phase of board recruitment. Further appointments, including further non-executive directors, are planned for the first quarter of 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What further steps they intend to take to improve police response to level 2 crime. [HL178]

We are working with police forces and authorities to create additional capability and capacity across the country for the delivery of protective services, including the police response to level 2 crime, by encouraging them to explore opportunities for collaboration. We have also asked police forces and authorities to assess their demand for protective services and put in place plans to improve their delivery. We will be measuring forces’ performance in these areas from 2008-09 and new national standards have been introduced by the Association of Chief Police Officers, which set the benchmark for inspections that are currently under way by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

We have also invested in the development of an intelligence unit to tackle level 2 crime in each police region and we have contributed to the growth of a serious crime investigatory unit in the east Midlands.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any plans to consider management of the careers of senior police officers in England and Wales along the lines of systems employed in Sweden and elsewhere. [HL177]

Unlike in the United Kingdom, the police service in Sweden is a national force, reporting to a national police board and to parliament and ministers. The educational programmes of the Swedish National Police Academy are formed in accordance with the directives issued by the Government and parliament. It is thus a more centralised system than that which exists than in this country.

The tripartite arrangement for policing in the UK means that the Swedish model is not one that would be suitable for direct import here, although the National Policing Improvement Agency has been working with the Swedish National Policing Agency and police from other EU countries in this area.

Putting aside the predetermined career path that the rank structure imposes, there currently is no mandated development path for police officers. However, at the national level a number of mechanisms exist to assist senior police officers in their career development. Importantly, these also assure the quality of senior police leadership.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What were the dates, times and purposes of flights by Royal Air Force aircraft over eastern Zaire in November and December 1996; and whether they will publish the photographs taken during those missions and the reports made on the findings. [HL144]

In November 1996, a Canberra PR9 photo-reconnaissance aircraft was sent to Entebbe to assist the humanitarian efforts being made in the Rwanda conflict. The flights over Zaire were part of this support. Details of the dates, times and remarks on the flights made by the Canberra PR9 from Entebbe are provided in the table below. They are taken from the operational record book of No. 39 Sqn RAF.

The MoD released Canberra PR9 imagery to the media illustrating a small group of probable refugees in an area to the north-west of Lake Kivu, which appeared in the Times on 3 December 1996.

There are currently no plans to publish any further reports or photographs taken during these missions.