asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why cattle in bluetongue restricted zones in the United Kingdom may not be transported when cattle from similar restricted zones in Germany were allowed to be imported into the United Kingdom. [HL1449]

Under the EU Bluetongue Regulation (EC No. 1266/2007), susceptible animals are permitted to move out of bluetongue restricted zones into bluetongue free areas for intra-community and domestic trade, provided that all the necessary conditions have been met. In most cases, animals must undergo pre-movement testing and these tests must indicate negative results for virus infection. The conditions in the EU Bluetongue Regulation are being applied by the UK and other EU member states.

On 21 December, my officials announced that the UK is now in a period of low-vector activity as winter temperatures mean that midges are either dying off, inactive and/or unable to transmit virus. This means that, upon receipt of negative test results, farmers can move their animals out of the surveillance and protection zones to the bluetongue free area. It is hoped that the relaxation of movement restrictions during the vector-free period will alleviate some of the problems the industry has been facing during the bluetongue outbreak.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Marine, Landscape and Rural Affairs, Jonathan Shaw, on 10 December 2007 (Official Report, col. 24W), how much money has been budgeted for each of 2008–09, 2009–10 and 2010–11 for the School Milk Subsidy Scheme and the Dairy Supply Chain Forum. [HL1487]

There are two elements to the School Milk Subsidy Scheme, one being an EU subsidy, the other being a national top-up. For the national top-up, the UK Government have committed £1.5 million for each of the financial years (the contributions coming in equal part from Defra, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health). The total EU budget for the School Milk Subsidy Scheme for the 2008 EU financial year is €64 million. The budget allocations for future years are yet to be agreed. EU expenditure in 2007 in the UK was €8.2 million.

£81,000 was budgeted for the Dairy Supply Chain Forum for 2007-08. The budget allocation for future years has yet to be agreed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 9 January (WA 199), whether a passport control queuing time of 25 minutes for European Economic Area air passengers is an appropriate benchmark; and [HL1329]

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 9 January (WA 199), whether a passport control queuing time of 45 minutes for non- European Economic Area air passengers is an appropriate benchmark; and [HL1330]

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 9 January (WA 199), whether it is appropriate for airports to use a different passport control queuing time benchmark for European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA air passengers. [HL1331]

The current benchmarks are national standards against which all of our ports and airports can measure performance.

EEA nationals are subject to identity and nationality checks on arrival, in addition to checks against watchlists. Non-EEA nationals who require leave to enter are also subject to the same checks, and are also subjected to eligibility interviews and documentation examination. These different requirements on entry result in different transaction times and, depending on the circumstances, can lead to different waiting times. The current standards reflect this.

The Border and Immigration Agency is working with the Department for Transport to implement an action plan (as published in November 2008) which will set new standards for the processing of passengers on arrival for implementation over the course of 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Drayson on 17 October 2007 (WA 52), on how many occasions since last October Royal Air Force aircraft have been launched to monitor Russian aircraft approaching United Kingdom airspace. [HL1436]

Between 1 October 2007 and 18 January 2008, RAF Quick Reaction Alert aircraft were scrambled on 11 days to identify Russian military aircraft.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What value of assets was recovered by the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland in (a) 2006, and (b) 2007. [HL1509]

In Northern Ireland the agency recovered £0.8 million in the financial year 2005-06 and £0.3 million in the financial year 2006-07. These sums related to civil recovery cases. In the period 1 April 2007 until 31 December 2007, the agency recovered £0.3 million. This figure is subject to confirmation pending end of financial year results.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is still an offence in Northern Ireland to ride a bicycle on a footpath, to go through traffic lights at red on a bicycle or to have no lights of any kind on a bicycle after dark. [HL1239]

I can confirm that each of these actions is a criminal offence under road traffic legislation.

Riding on the footpath is an offence under Article 3 of the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997; riding through a red light is caught by Article 50 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995; and the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 require bicycles to be lit after dark.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the Border and Immigration Agency's revised guidance notes relating to applications for an extension of stay in the United Kingdom issued on 4 January state at paragraph 49 “please do not send your application to our Sheffield address”, and further warn at paragraph 59 that “if your application is sent to our Sheffield addresses this will delay the processing of your application”, and yet state at paragraph 54 that “completed applications should be sent to Work Permits (UK)” at a Sheffield address; why these instructions were issued; and when they will be revised and clarified. [HL1200]

The paragraphs were originally included in the guidance notes to ensure that applicants submitted their application via the payment handling service and not direct to the case-working teams based in Sheffield.

When the payment handling service was itself relocated to Sheffield in April 2007 these paragraphs should have been amended. This was an oversight which has now been remedied. A revised version of the guidance notes is now available through the Border and Immigration website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they anticipate that the appeals by bus operators about reimbursement for the concessionary fares scheme which have been outstanding since April 2007 will be decided. [HL1366]

We expect that decisions will be taken on the majority of the outstanding appeals by the end of January.

There were 102 appeals by bus operators about reimbursement arrangements in 2007-08, of which 21 were later withdrawn. Of the 81 appeals remaining, not all contained sufficient information for a decision to be taken. As of 17 January, 29 appeals have been determined by an independent adjudicator appointed on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport. A further 52 appeals remain to be determined.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether a person gaining citizenship at a citizenship ceremony can also be a citizen of another sovereign state; and, if so, to which state that person is required to give his first loyalty. [HL1177]

A foreign national is not required under UK law to relinquish his original nationality on becoming a British citizen. However, prospective British citizens are required to pledge allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen, to give their loyalty to the United Kingdom and to undertake to respect its rights and freedoms.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will encourage all United Kingdom-based airline companies to conduct research into climate change by using their own aircraft to collect scientific data on emissions and greenhouse effects. [HL1445]

We do encourage industry to work with the scientific community in research to improve understanding of, and reduce, its environmental impact. Airlines have collected valuable high-altitude environmental data in collaborative projects such as MOZAIC, NOXAR and CARIBIC since the early 90s. Rather than repeating these data new research needs to be focused and agreed with a consensus of the scientific community.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to ensure that any private sector corporate research into average emissions effects from vehicles, including aircraft and heavy goods vehicles, are made available to Government and scientific research bodies.[HL1446]

Decisions regarding what private sector research is conducted and how this research is used and disseminated are clearly a matter for the private sector itself.

The Government publish their own research, enabling the private sector to consider how their own work links in. The Government also welcome submission of private sector research data so that this may be considered in developing policy. Where private sector organisations approach the Government with new technology or ideas impacting on emissions of air pollutants or greenhouse gases, we encourage them to commission independent research to demonstrate the impacts and make this publicly available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What data protection rules cover the use of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and footage, including domestic CCTV; and what plans they have to ensure that all CCTV systems are covered by the Data Protection Act. [HL1293]

The Data Protection Act 1998 covers all processing of personal data by automatic means, including those closed circuit television (CCTV) systems where it is possible for the operator to identify distinct individuals from the footage or information relating to individuals, such as vehicle registration marks. The Act provides an exemption for any processing carried out purely for personal, family or household affairs. There are no plans to remove that exemption. It is the data captured by the CCTV systems that are covered by the Act, not the systems themselves. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) publishes a code of practice on the use of CCTV. The ICO has reviewed this code of practice and a revised version is due to be launched on 28 January.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 30 October (WA 181), whether they will publish their answer, as to whether the Prime Minister's statement at the Labour Party conference that “any newcomer to Britain who is caught selling drugs or using guns will be thrown out” will apply to citizens of European Union member states, in the official list. [HL78]

A copy of my letter to the noble Lord Willoughby De Broke was placed in the Library of the House on 22 January 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will change the timetable for elections to the House of Commons to bring them closer into line with elections to the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Parliament, the European Parliament and local authorities. [HL1249]

The Government keep the conduct of elections under review. They are considering a proposal that the timetable for the elections to the House of Commons should be extended to bring it closer to the elections to the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Parliament, the European Parliament and local authorities.

The timetable for the election to the House of Commons starts with the receipt of the writ from the Clerk of the Crown by the Returning Officer and ends 17 working days later on election day. For the elections to the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament, the European Parliament and local authorities the election timetable starts with the issue of the notice of election, which may be no later than 25 days before the election day.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What administration costs were incurred by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in relation to the European structural and cohesion funds for the last financial year for which figures are available. [HL1385]

The administration costs incurred by Defra in relation to EU structural fund, for 2006-07 were £115,000. Defra does not administer a cohesion fund.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What legislative and administrative measures will be needed to give effect to the Protocol to the Treaty of Lisbon on the Application of the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality so as to enable either House of Parliament to invoke the protocol before the European Court of Justice. [HL1305]

The Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty on the Application of the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality establishes procedures allowing national Parliaments to raise objections to draft EU legislation on subsidiarity grounds. It is for Parliament to decide how to exercise its rights under these procedures.

Article 8 of the treaty also provides that:

“The Court of Justice of the European Union shall have jurisdiction in actions on grounds of infringement of the principle of subsidiarity by a legislative act, brought in accordance with the rules laid down in Article 230 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union by Member States, or notified by them in accordance with their legal order on behalf of their national Parliament or a chamber thereof”.

No legislation is required to implement this provision. As at present, it would be for the Government to conduct any litigation before the European Court of Justice on behalf of the United Kingdom pursuant to Article 230. This would include cases initiated at the request of Parliament, pursuant to the above provision, on the basis of prior discussion and agreement with the Government.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many staff and what proportion of the staff in each of the government offices in the English regions are agency staff or on temporary contracts. [HL1409]

The following table shows staff in post (SIP) figures for each government office and the percentage of total staff comprising number of agency staff or those on temporary contracts and on fixed term appointments (FTAs).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any proposals to allow the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to undertake duties for another department. [HL1237]

As set out in the Ministerial Code, the Prime Minister is responsible for the overall organisation of the Executive and the allocation of functions between Ministers in order to deliver the Government's objectives and priorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On what date the Home Office's legacy directorate started to process cases; how many have been decided to the latest date for which figures are available; of these, how many families have been identified as coming within the scope of DP5/96, referred to in paragraph 36.7.1 of the Operational Enforcement Manual; how many of those families have been deported; and how many have been given leave to remain. [HL1343]

Work started on selected legacy cases in November 2006 and the Case Resolution Directorate was created on 1 April 2007, tasked with managing the programme. All case files were allocated to a “case owner” in December 2007.

By the end of November 2007, 52,000 cases had been concluded. We do not hold information in regard to the identification of families falling within DP5/96 nor information on those families who have been deported or given leave to remain as this would involve checking through individual case records at a disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many members of the Border and Immigration Agency staff are employed in the deportation of (a) visa overstayers and (b) illegal immigrants. [HL1197]

The Border and Immigration Agency does not distinguish between staff employed in the removal of (a) visa overstayers and (b) illegal immigrants. As of 30 November 2007 there were 1,446 operational staff employed within the local enforcement offices of the Border and Immigration Agency directly engaged in operational activity, including the detention and removal of overstayers and illegal immigrants.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by Lord West of Spithead on 1 October (WA 259) and 14 November (WA 21), when members of the Border and Immigration Agency or of the Home Office last met face-to-face with Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID); and why joint letters from BID and the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association of August and October remain unanswered. [HL963]

The Border and Immigration Agency meets regularly with Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID). The last such meeting was on 29 November 2007 at the national asylum stakeholder forum, which is held bi-monthly.

Officials have been discussing with BID the information requested in its letter of August. That as well as the letter of October will be replied to very shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 26 November (WA 103), how many current detainees have been (a) in Haslar, and (b) in other immigration detention centres for more than 12 months; and how many of these have been in two, three or more detention centres. [HL1102]

The available information shows that on 20 December 2007, four detainees had been detained continuously for 12 months or more in Haslar. Of those, one had been detained only in Haslar, the remaining three had been detained in one other removal centre.

The following other immigration removal centres have held detainees continuously for 12 months or more:

Dover—12 (of whom seven have been detained in Dover only and five in one other removal centre);

Yarl’s Wood—three (of whom all have been detained in Yarl’s Wood only); and

Colnbrook—one who was previously detained in two other removal centres.

This information is based on internal management information, is provisional and subject to change, and as such is not published within official statistics.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What guidance they have issued to government departments on when the Information Commissioner's Office should be consulted on proposed legislation and policy development. [HL1306]

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has issued general legal guidance on the application of the Data Protection Act for those processing data in the public sector.

The MoJ has not issued guidance to government departments on when the Information Commissioner's Office should be consulted on proposed legislation and policy development. However government departments regularly consult the Information Commissioner's Office on these matters. The MoJ is also normally involved in the development of policies which involve data protection issues and encourages the involvement of the Information Commissioner.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will review whether no-win no-fee arrangements for lawyers, which include an uplift for success in litigation, are operating in the interests of justice. [HL1287]

The conditional fee agreements (CFAs) regime was reviewed in 2004, resulting in the changes introduced on 1 November 2005 when the regulations governing CFAs were revoked and the Law Society amended the Professional Rules of Conduct and the Client Care Code to take account of the changes.

We also published a consultation paper Conditional Fee Agreements in Publication Proceedings Success Fees and After the Event Insurance in August 2007. We are considering the responses and we plan to publish a report of the conclusions of the consultation and any decisions reached by Spring 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which current or former members of the Kenyan parliament have been subject to a United Kingdom travel ban within the past three years; and which are subject to such a ban today. [HL1414]

There are currently five such individuals excluded from the UK but it is not Home Office policy to give details of individual cases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What were the efficiency savings found by each local authority in England in each of the last three years; and what proportion of their revenue budgets they amounted to in each of those years. [HL1430]

Councils in England report the value of efficiency gains that they have achieved annually in the Backward Look efficiency statement. The data for each of the last three years are published in spreadsheets online at www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/efficiencybetter/deliveringefficiency.

The spreadsheets also set out the efficiency target for each council. The target is based on a percentage of their baseline expenditure in 2004-05 (no target in 2004-05, 2.5 per cent in 2005-06 and 5 per cent in 2006-07).

Cumulative achievement of efficiency gains in the SR04 period by English councils collectively has been:

by the end of 2004-05: £760 million (1.89 per cent of 2004-05 baseline expenditure);

by the end of 2005-06: £1,931 million (4.81 per cent of 2004-05 baseline expenditure); and

by the end of 2006-07: £3,064 million (7.63 per cent of 2004-05 baseline expenditure).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the level of efficiency savings required to be made by a local authority in a particular year should take account of the savings already achieved in the previous year and in the past five years. [HL1431]

During the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review period (2008-09 to 2010-11), there will be no mandatory targets for efficiency gains for individual councils in England. Efficiency targets will only exist where these are negotiated as one of the up-to-35 targets in each local area agreement (LAA). The negotiation of LAA targets will reflect the particular priorities for improvement in that area, hence any efficiency targets agreed will reflect past performance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What level of efficiency savings they are requiring from the government office in each English region in each year in the three-year period starting with the current year; and what proportion of the revenue spending this amounts to in each year. [HL1433]

The Government Office Network was set a target to deliver savings of 2.5 per cent per annum in CSR04. This equated to a required saving of £4.57 million in running costs in 2007-08. Under CSR07 the GO Network is required to make year-on-year running cost savings of 5 per cent per annum, in line with the settlement received by Communities and Local Government.

Across the GO Network this equates to savings in the first year of the CSR of:

The allocations to individual Government Offices and for central infrastructure in respect of the next two years have yet to be agreed but will deliver the CSR savings required from the network as a whole.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 3 July 2007 (WA 175), which of the outstanding parish reviews have been dealt with; which will be dealt with under the previous legislation; and which will be dealt with under the transitional provisions in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. [HL1213]

The tables below list the principal councils that have submitted proposals for new or revised parish arrangements which were outstanding at the time of my reply to the noble Lord on 3 July 2007. Table 1 lists the 12 parish cases that have been dealt with under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997; Table 2 lists the 15 cases which the Secretary of State has approved or will shortly decide, and in relation to which she intends as necessary to make orders under the 1997 Act; and Table 3 lists the 21 cases which we intend will be dealt with under transitional provisions following commencement of Part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which projects have benefited from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund in each qualifying district and unitary authority in Lancashire in (a) each of the last three years, and (b) the current year; which bodies were responsible for delivering the projects; what was the purpose of each of them; and how much funding each received. [HL1340]

There are six local authority districts in Lancashire which qualify for Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) as follows: Blackburn with Darwen (unitary), Blackpool (unitary), Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Preston. The reporting requirements have varied over the period for which information is requested due to the introduction of Local Area Agreements (LAAs) in Lancashire with effect from 1 April 2006 when NRF was pooled in the two unitaries. The detailed performance management of projects funded by NRF has been the responsibility of local authorities, as accountable bodies, in consultation with their Local Strategic Partnerships.

The Government do not formally require reporting on the level of detail requested in the Question. The tables below reflect the information which local authorities were required to submit in their quarterly returns and statements of grant usage. In the current year, 2007-08, NRF is paid as part of the LAA grant and is unringfenced, meaning there are no separate reporting requirements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have received evidence, including reports in the Observer and Guardian newspapers, to suggest that victims of trafficking to Britain for sexual purposes are getting younger, or that British paedophile rings are bringing girls into this country; and, if so, what preventive measures they will take. [HL1435]

The Government are aware of a small number of young girls being rescued during a recent police led operation. However, CEOP (Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre) advise that they have no evidence to suggest that victims of trafficking into the UK are getting any younger or that there is a trend towards British paedophile rings encouraging girls to travel to the UK.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On what dates they expect submissions to the Secretary of State of new regional spatial strategies for each region of England; and on what dates they expect them to be adopted. [HL1247]

Draft regional spatial strategies (RSS) from every region have been submitted to the Secretary of State. One has been adopted—West Midlands Phase 1 in January 2008. Draft RSSs for the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands, East of England, South East and South West are expected to be adopted later this year with the last, the West Midlands Phase 2 RSS, expected to be adopted in June 2009.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What use is being made of Privacy Impact Assessments as a means of identifying possible privacy concerns in public policy; and [HL1288]

Whether they have conducted full-scale Privacy Impact Assessments for the introduction of (a) identity cards, (b) Contact Point, (c) the National DNA Database, and (d) NHS electronic care records; and what alternatives the assessments uncovered; and [HL1289]

Which Government departments have made use of a Privacy Impact Assessment tool. [HL1290]

On 11 December 2007 the Information Commissioner hosted a conference entitled “Surveillance Society: Turning Debate into Action”, at which he launched his Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) handbook. The Government acknowledge that PIAs can be useful in maintaining the balance between the needs of today's society for more information to be shared and protecting privacy.

There is no requirement currently for government departments to conduct PIAs and no full-scale PIAs have been conducted in respect of identity cards, Contact Point, the National DNA Database, or NHS electronic care records. However, policy makers are already asked to take account of the full range of economic, social and environmental costs and benefits of their proposals, and where privacy issues have a material impact on assessing the impact of proposals, these would also be taken into account.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What consideration they have given to the fact that the Watford to Brighton service will from December terminate at Clapham Junction, as the rolling stock is to be transferred to Thameslink, and there are no other Electrostar units to provide this service. [HL1324]

The Brighton to Watford rail services, which run on an hourly basis each day, commencing after the morning rush-hour, will be amended to run only between Clapham Junction and Watford Junction from December 2008. Journeys between the Brighton Main Line and the West Coast Main Line, avoiding the London Underground, will still be possible, albeit with a change of trains at Clapham Junction, as happens in the morning peak today.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the solution to the shortage of Electrostar units to service Thameslink is to take them from the Watford to Brighton service, thus curtailing the West London service to Gatwick airport. [HL1325]

To facilitate the construction of the Thameslink programme, significant infrastructure and timetable changes will occur in December 2008. This will necessitate a substantial increase in the Thameslink fleet of specialised dual-voltage rolling stock, which will be achieved by making an allocation of Electrostar units. Some of these units will be new-build, and some will be reallocated from the West London Line service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In light of concerns about the curtailment of the Watford to Brighton rail link which serves Gatwick airport, whether they will press Southern Rail to provide the investment needed to purchase sufficient Electrostar units for both this route and Thameslink. [HL1326]

The Secretary of State for Transport recently announced the intention to introduce 1,300 additional vehicles to the railway network in England and Wales between 2008 and 2014. This will involve a small number of fully competitive procurement processes that will ensure that the new rolling stock orders represent the best possible value for public money.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the conversion of a small number of single-voltage trains into dual voltage to enable an increase in the Thameslink service would be preferable to taking the Electrostar units from the current Watford to Gatwick airport service. [HL1327]

It is technically feasible to convert single-voltage Electrostars to be dual-voltage, but, even if it were possible to make a value-for-money case to invest in such conversions, it is not possible, at present, to procure any alternative stock to replace any further Electrostars removed from Southern.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What lessons they have learned from the protracted appraisal process leading to the signing of the contract for the procurement of two new railcars for the West Midlands franchise. [HL1365]

The two new railcars (Parry People Movers) being procured for the new West Midlands franchise are not being procured by Her Majesty's Government.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of (a) the Civil Aviation Authority, and (b) the Office of Rail Regulation, how many criminal prosecutions were brought by that regulator for each of the last three years for which figures are available; and, of those cases, how many gave rise to a conviction. [HL1377]

Civil Aviation Authority criminal prosecutions over the last three complete financial years and the current year to date are shown in the table below.

Cases by the Office of Rail Regulation/Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate and the Crown Prosecution Service taken to court in relation to railway health and safety offences in the last three complete financial years and the current year to date are shown in the table below:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will take steps to encourage the availability of subsidised school milk to children between five and 11 in all local education authorities; and, if so, how they propose to ensure that all such children, wherever they live, receive subsidised milk. [HL1428]

Under the EU subsidy scheme, school milk is available to all children between the ages of five and 11 in primary and nursery schools in participating local authorities. It is a matter for local education authorities and schools to decide whether they will participate in the scheme although it is open to all to do so.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any of the 11,000 illegal immigrants employed in the security industry are authorised to carry firearms or tasers; and, if so, how many. [HL1055]

Prohibited weapons, including tasers, can only be possessed with the authority of the Secretary of State given under Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968. Such authority is not issued for purposes connected with employment in the security industry. Nor is personal protection or the guarding of premises accepted by the police as good reason for granting a firearms certificate needed to possess other types of firearm.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will encourage large retail and wholesale distribution groups in the United Kingdom to use canal, river and sea transportation platforms to transport non-urgent supplies, in order to assist in the reduction of lorry pollution on motorways and other main roads. [HL1358]

The Department for Transport promotes coastal, inland waterway and short sea shipping, and provides grant support for the modal shift of road freight transport to water. £23 million has been awarded in freight facilities infrastructure grants for coastal and short sea shipping projects since 2000. In 2005, we introduced the new Waterborne Freight Grant scheme to assist shipping companies with their operating costs. We also provide support to Sea and Water, an organisation which promotes the shipping of freight on coastal and inland waterways.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether further action is required by the Environment Agency to deal with the unauthorised dumping by chemical companies of toxic waste in landfill sites, following the initial investigation into the Brofiscin Quarry case in South Wales in February 2007. [HL1313]

When the Environment Agency becomes aware of any unauthorised deposit of waste at an operating landfill site, it will fully investigate and consider what enforcement actions are appropriate in accordance with its enforcement and prosecution policy.

Where historically contaminated landfill sites, like Brofiscin Quarry, Groesfaen, have been designated by the local authority as a special site under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Environment Agency will follow a sequence set out by legislation which involves establishing who is responsible for the remediation, consulting those responsible to decide the best remediation options, and recording remediation activities, notices and appeals on a public register. In certain circumstances, the Environment Agency can carry out remediation work itself.