asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the United Kingdom embassy in Algiers will send an observer to the trial on 20 January of the human rights lawyer Amine Sidhoum. [HL1482]

Our embassy in Algiers has been in direct contact with Mr Sidhoum and is monitoring his case. He has been charged with contempt of court in relation to an article that he wrote in 2004.

We did not, on this occasion, send an observer to the hearing. However, I understand that the case has been adjourned until 30 March and that Mr Sidhoum has not been detained. We will continue to monitor this case.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there has been a comparison made of blood from badgers in areas affected by bovine tuberculosis with blood from badgers unaffected by it.[HL1483]

Although a number of blood-based diagnostic tests for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis (M.bovis) infection in badgers have been developed through Defra-funded research, none of these is suitable for extensive field use. Post-mortem inspection and culture of M.bovis remains the most reliable method of diagnosis.

The currently available blood tests have been validated using blood from both infected and uninfected badgers. They are currently used to measure immune responses in research projects such as the development of vaccines for badgers. A difference between the two populations can be measured, but no test is 100 per cent sensitive or specific, so some false positive and false negative results will occur. It is difficult to find populations of badgers that are truly negative for bovine tuberculosis.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Plaskitt, on 22 January (Official Report, col. 48–9 WS) under what legal authority the sum of £1,012,000 is being provided to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, prior to the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill receiving Royal Assent. [HL1575]

The advance of £1,012,000 to the Department for Work and Pensions is made under the legal authority of the Contingencies Fund Act 1974.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland on 10 December 2002 (WA 19), what was the outcome of the discussions with the Electoral Commission. [HL1405]

The Government issued a consultation paper on imprints in March 2005 (www.dca.gov.uk/consult/elections/elect-cp0905.pdf), and issued the summary of responses in March 2006 (www.dca.gov.uk/consult/elections/elect-rp0306.pdf). These papers confirmed that the use of post office boxes as addresses for imprints is legally permissible. PO boxes are traceable by the public through the Royal Mail, or where an address has been withheld on police advice, through the courts.

The Electoral Commission, in its guidance to candidates for elections in 2007, stated that “the Commission's view is that as good practice, wherever possible, a PO Box should not be used”. This advice resulted from the Electoral Commission's concern that the use of PO boxes did not allow the originator of the material to be contacted quickly, nor did it aid transparency.

The Government have no plans to alter the rules relating to the use of PO boxes in imprints.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 8 January (WA 189), how many financial penalties have been imposed by the European Union on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or its predecessors since 1993; what the nature of these financial penalties were; and what was their value. [HL1401]

To provide the full details requested in the Question would incur a disproportionate cost to the department. However, data since 1 April 2001 are summarised below.

Since 1 April 2001, there have been 34 instances of financial corrections imposed by the European Union, all relating to common agricultural policy schemes. The corrections fall into three broad categories:

financial clearance of accounts;

corrections in respect of infractions of regulations when making payments under the various schemes; and

late payment penalties for missing scheme deadlines.

The total value of these corrections, which relate to England only, was £162 million.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the light of the recent press reports, the Prime Minister joined President Sarkozy in urging the Portuguese Prime Minister to abandon plans to call a referendum on the European Union Reform Treaty. [HL1367]

My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has had regular contact with the president of the European Council. We do not comment on the details of ministerial conversations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What will be the effect on the sterling value of United Kingdom contributions to the European Union budget in 2008 of the devaluation of the pound against the euro since 6 September 2007. [HL1496]

United Kingdom traditional own resources are both collected and paid in sterling and are not therefore affected by exchange rate fluctuations. United Kingdom VAT and GNI-based contributions, and the United Kingdom abatement throughout 2008 will be converted from the euro figures shown in the EC Budget into sterling at the exchange rate on the last working day of 2007¹.

¹ The exchange rate on 31 December 2007: €1=£0.73335 or £1=€1.363605

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they have taken since the floods in 2007 in England to ensure that providers of essential services, such as water, energy, roads and railways, are taking robust measures to ensure the provision of their services in the face of the effects of climate change. [HL1302]

Since the flooding last summer, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has requested that electricity network operators should review the resilience of electricity substations to flooding. The water industry has appointed Sir John Baker to chair an industry-wide review on how to reduce the impacts of future flooding on water customers, including the vulnerability of water infrastructure to climate change.

We are implementing the various urgent recommendations from Sir Michael Pitt's independent review of the summer's flooding. We will be working with water companies to enable local resilience forums to identify critical infrastructure and assess their vulnerability to flooding.

Operators, emergency planners and responders will be considering, as part of their risk assessments and contingency planning, issues such as the failure of single points of supply and the complete loss of assets.

In addition, one of the Pitt review's interim conclusions concerns infrastructure operating companies presenting the case for further investment in flood resilience through appropriate regulatory processes. In the case of the water industry, this would be through Ofwat's periodic review of price limits.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the case of the Department for Work and Pensions, how many (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory redundancies have been taken to date as a result of the Gershon review; what is the total departmental bill for each type of redundancy; and what is the natural wastage during the Gershon period to date for the department. [HL986]

As part of its efficiency programme the department has run a number of early release schemes. The numbers of staff leaving as a result of these schemes is shown in the table below.

The department reports financial information based on financial years, April to March. The departmental expenditure on early release schemes in the period from April 2004 to the end of March 2007 is shown alongside the number of staff. In this period, only one member of staff was issued with a compulsory redundancy notice but they were willing to leave on a compulsory basis.

Natural wastage is reported in the Department for Work and Pensions on an annual basis, as annual turnover. The annual rate for each of the relevant 12 month periods is shown in the table below.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the case of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, how many (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory redundancies have been taken to date as a result of the Gershon review; what is the total departmental bill for each type of redundancy; and what is the natural wastage during the Gershon period to date for the department. [HL1066]

Following the Gershon review, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) carried out a restructuring exercise both among senior management structure/senior Civil Service equivalent and among staff in the delegated grades to realise efficiency savings. It is the policy of the FCO to do all we can to avoid compulsory redundancies. A trawl in November 2004 resulted in a number of early retirements. As a result of that trawl:

efficiency savings of 67 senior management structure/senior Civil Service equivalent positions were achieved. These officers took the compulsory early retirement or severance packages at a cost to the FCO of £14,853,645; and

210 delegated grade officers took flexible early retirement or severance packages at a cost to the FCO of £15,268,766.

Our natural wastage rate over this period was 7.8 per cent.

This restructuring programme will enable us to reduce the size of the senior management structure in the FCO by 18 per cent by 31 March 2008.

The amounts quoted include FCO costs to the Cabinet Office to cover the additional years included in the packages, compensatory lump sums under the compulsory early retirement scheme of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, and annual pension payments until the officer reaches 60.

All payments to early retirees have been calculated and paid in strict accordance with the terms of the standard Civil Service compensation schemes of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the case of the Ministry for Defence, how many (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory redundancies have been taken to date as a result of the Gershon review, what is the total departmental bill for each type of redundancy; and what is the natural wastage during the Gershon period to date for the department. [HL990]

To provide this specific information would require a departmental-wide trawl to ascertain the number and cost of voluntary and compulsory redundancies that have taken place to date as a result of the Gershon review. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Details of natural wastage covering 2004-05 to 2006-07 are shown below. These figures include MoD personnel less trading funds.

asked the Chairman of Committees:

Further to his Written Answer on 30 November 2007 (WA 144–5), whether he will press for the wording printed on the parliamentary mail pouches in which correspondence is forwarded to Members during recesses to be grammatically correct, and in particular for apostrophes to be inserted where appropriate. [HL1608]

The wording printed on the parliamentary mail pouches has been reviewed and amendments proposed. The noble Lord will be invited to inspect the proposed amendments before they are submitted to the mail services. The mail services will introduce the amended pouches when present stocks of pouches are used up.

asked the Chairman of Committees:

Whether the House of Lords Refreshment Department will cease the use of plastic bags when present stocks are used up. [HL1469]

Plastic bags are the only type of bag currently available in House of Lords Refreshment Department outlets, apart from the House of Lords gift shop where paper bags are used for small or very large purchases. The option of providing paper bags in a fuller range of sizes across outlets in replacement of plastic bags has been considered but was discounted on the grounds of cost. Consideration has also been given to the procurement of biodegradable plastic bags but the commercial range currently available is small and relatively costly. The Refreshment Department continues to seek an alternative to the use of plastic bags and will keep the supply situation under review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they accept the criticisms by the Chief Inspector of Prisons of the temporary handling facilities at Heathrow airport for immigration detainees, and of the unprofessional behaviour of some staff; and how they will improve the training of staff handling detainees. [HL1490]

The Border and Immigration Agency is carefully considering the contents of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons' report and will respond with an action plan in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they and the quartet will take to prevent the closing down of the electricity plant in Gaza; what is their assessment of the humanitarian consequences of the absence of electricity there; and whether, following 72 deaths of patients unable to leave Gaza for medical treatment elsewhere, they will secure exit permits for all urgent cases. [HL1535]

The Government continue to believe that Israeli security and Palestinian suffering and hardship need to be addressed together, and they can be addressed only through mutual recognition, which will be vital to long-term stability in the area.

As my right honourable friends the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for International Development said on 21 January: “The recent escalation of violence between Gazans and Israelis is extremely grave .... The rising number of rocket and sniper attacks from Gaza into Israel is unacceptable, as is the number of Palestinian civilian casualties. We do not support Israel's decision to close all crossings into Gaza, preventing the delivery of vital humanitarian supplies as well as fuel to the Gaza power station. Reports that electricity has been cut due to fuel shortage are particularly alarming and require urgent attention. Continued fuel shortages will have immediate humanitarian consequences, including on the supply of clean water”. On 17 December 2007, the quartet called for the “continued provision of essential services, including fuel and power supplies”.

Israel allowed limited fuel and humanitarian supplies to resume on 22 January. Some Palestinians have also been allowed to leave for medical treatment. We continue to call on Israel to fulfil its obligations to provide essential services, including medical treatment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to take action to inform all households and businesses in what way they should safely dispose of used fluorescent light bulbs and how they should deal with breakages, bearing in mind the toxic substances contained in those commodities. [HL1170]

The Government have worked with our delivery partners—the Energy Saving Trust, Carbon Trust and Environment Agency—to ensure that households and businesses can access clear information on energy- efficient light bulbs, their benefits, as well as how to dispose of them safely when they reach the end of their lives.

I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the House that while energy-efficient bulbs do contain a small amount of mercury (enough to cover the tip of a ball point pen) it cannot escape from an intact bulb. Even if a bulb should break, the risks from such a small amount of mercury are minimal.

However, it is sensible for householders to take reasonable precautions in cleaning up and disposing of a broken bulb, such as ventilating the room for 15 minutes. A broken bulb can be taken to a local civic amenity site. Local authorities are under an obligation to provide such sites for the disposal of household waste.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have agreed with suppliers of energy-saving light bulbs that a warning should be displayed on packaging and the light bulbs themselves that they contain toxic substances, instructions for their safe disposal and advice as to how breakages should be safely dealt with. [HL1171]

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2006 require that the producers of energy-saving light bulbs—compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)—include on the item or packaging the crossed out wheelie bin symbol. This indicates that the item should not be disposed of in an ordinary household waste bin. The retailers of WEEE have an obligation to advise consumers on where they can safely dispose of them. There is no requirement within the WEEE regulations for advice on disposal to be included on packaging or on the item itself.

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 3 December 2007 (Official Report, Commons col. 742W), whether the information requested will be provided for those waters which are ultimately classified as nitrate vulnerable zones. [HL1486]

The consultation on how we implement the nitrates directive in England closed on 13 December and we are carefully considering all responses before taking decisions on how to proceed, including whether to designate extended nitrate-vulnerable zones (NVZs) or apply the action programme across the whole of England.

If the decision is taken to designate NVZs, Defra will publish the results of its analysis of water quality monitoring data which formed the basis of the designations. The raw monitoring data collected from the network of surface water and groundwater network in England, much of which was used in this analysis, is already publicly available either on request from the Environment Agency or via its website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any plans to devolve policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Executive while the Irish Republican Army Council is still active. [HL1369]

The Government's position was set out in the St Andrews agreement. Implementation of the agreement should be sufficient to build the community confidence for the Assembly to request the devolution of policing and justice by May 2008. Reflecting that position the Government are committed to completing the necessary practical arrangements to transfer these powers in May, if the Assembly so requests.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measurement they have used to calculate current support in Northern Ireland for the devolution of policing and justice. [HL1370]

The necessary measure of support for the devolution of policing and justice was set down by Parliament in Section 4 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. That requires that the motion proposing the transfer of powers be tabled by the First and Deputy First Ministers and supported in the Assembly, on a cross-community vote, by a majority of members voting, a majority of designated nationalists voting and a majority of designated unionists voting.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to reduce the number of staff of the Northern Ireland Office. [HL1153]

As part of its CSR07 settlement, the Northern Ireland Office is required to make 5 per cent per annum real savings in administration costs from 2008-09 onwards. Detailed plans to achieve these savings are being developed. These include savings in staff costs through natural wastage or redeployment, and savings in non-staff costs. The NIO's participation in shared services initiatives across the Northern Ireland Civil Service, for example, Account NI (for financial services) and HRConnect (for human resources), will contribute to the delivery of these savings.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 11 December (WA 35) concerning the expenses of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's visits to the United States, why it is not possible accurately to disaggregate the cost for accompanying officials from those incurred by the Secretary of State; and how much the travel and accommodation cost for the officials and how much for the Secretary of State. [HL955]

Pursuant to my Answer of 11 December 2007 with estimated costs of visits made to the United States by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State, more detailed updated information on costs incurred by the Northern Ireland Office is now available. Details of other costs such as subsistence and miscellaneous expenditure are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However the final, major costs of the visits are as follows.

As previously stated, it is important as we progress towards the completion of devolution to maintain contact with the US Administration and key politicians and opinion formers there. Such visits also enable my right honourable friend to support the devolved Administration in attracting inward investment to Northern Ireland.

Washington DC and New York—10 July to 13 July

Secretary of State's flights—£7,659.20

Officials' flights—£17,900.60

Accommodation (1)—£523

Transport—£1,455

Official meals/receptions—£1,229

Boston and New York—16 October to 18 October

Secretary of State's flights—£7,414.35

Officials' flights—£15,810

Accommodation (1)—£1,722

Transport—£1,335

Official meals/receptions—£1,230

Washington DC and New York—14 November to 19 November

Secretary of State's flights—£7,795.20

Officials' flights—£10,415

Accommodation (1)—£761

Transport—£2,380

Official meals/receptions—Nil

(1) These figures are mainly for the cost of hotel accommodation for officials. Wherever possible, the Secretary of State was accommodated at the Ambassadors' residences or made private arrangements.

asked the Chairman of Committees:

How many laptop computers have been reported lost or stolen within the Palace of Westminster in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available. [HL1554]

No laptop computers were reported lost or stolen from within the Palace of Westminster during 2007. Two laptop computers were reported lost or stolen across the Parliamentary Estate during this period.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many personal passport interviews have been held in each of the personal passport interview offices. [HL1274]

The attached table shows the number of interviews held to date in each office as at close of business 10 January 2008.

The variation in numbers from office to office reflects both the sizes of offices and their catchment population as well as how long they have been operational.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the total cost to the end of 2007 of establishing the network of personal passport interview offices. [HL1275]

The total expenditure to date to establish and to operate the network of passport interview offices is £93,560,890.93.

This includes capital, project set-up costs and operational costs.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made with regard to the proposal to establish remote area personal passport interview offices. [HL1276]

IPS is progressing with the development of remote community passport interview services. A service proof-of-concept has been developed and will shortly commence customer testing. Negotiations with local authorities to make available staff and premises where the video interviews will be conducted are well advanced. It is planned that the services will be rolled out during 2008, subject to successful testing and finalisation of offices.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 3 December 2007 (WA 170–1), whether they will review the application of pollution risk appraisal methodologies to oil terminals, oil distribution depots and warehouses. [HL1484]

The Environment Agency is extending the use of operator and pollution risk appraisal to cover other legislative regimes within its remit.

These plans do not include oil terminals, oil distribution depots and warehouses as named activities or sectors, unless specifically included within the scope of the regulations being considered.

For instance, oil terminals, oil distribution depots and warehouses that form part of an installation regulated by the Environment Agency under the pollution prevention and control regime are covered by the operator and pollution risk appraisal methodology.

Where oil terminal, oil depots and warehouses fall within the scope of the control of major accident hazard regulations, due to the quantities of hazardous materials, they are regulated by a joint competent authority comprising the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency.

At present the competent authority is not planning to use the operator and pollution risk appraisal methodology to cover sites regulated under the control of major accident hazard regulations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will instruct Post Office Limited to make available all relevant financial information pertaining to those post office branches earmarked for closure to outside parties with a serious and credible interest in keeping such establishments open; and whether it will suspend the timetable for closures until that information is available.[HL1024]

Disclosure of financial information concerning post office branches earmarked for closure under the network change programme is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. The Government do not have a role in proposals or decisions for individual post offices and final decisions on which post offices will close are taken by Post Office Ltd in light of the responses received to the area consultations.

However, Post Office Ltd is putting in place a process for responding to serious expressions of interest and where a firm proposal for local funding emerges, Post Office Ltd will delay physical closure of the existing branch in that locality for a stipulated period to allow both funding and a contract to be put in place.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many (a) young offenders, and (b) women in Northern Ireland were in custody on 1 January in each of the past 10 years. [HL1240]

In answering this Question, the term young offenders covers all males at Hydebank Wood, including those aged under 18 (sometimes called juveniles) and those over 21 allowed exceptionally to complete their sentences at Hydebank Wood. In respect of females, there are two categories, those under 21 and those over.

The following tables provide the information on the date closest to 1 January, for which it is available.

Prior to 2003 figures for females under 21 were not recorded separately—for those years they are included in the figures in column 3.

Prior to 2003

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will take into account the lack of public transport to Magilligan, and consequent difficulties for family members visiting prisoners, when deciding on the site for a new prison in Northern Ireland. [HL1349]

In reaching the decision about the site for a new prison which was announced on 18 December, issues in relation to location and access to Magilligan were considered as part of the comprehensive options appraisal, published on the same day.

In taking forward the development and delivery of the new prison, the Prison Service has committed to carry out a full equality impact assessment (EQIA) which will give consideration to the needs of families and the services and facilities to support these.

The Prison Service conducted a detailed visitors survey in October 2006 in which over four-fifths of respondents said that they did not have any problems with travel arrangements to Magilligan prison, over three-quarters of respondents normally travel to Magilligan by “private car”. The Prison Service currently funds NIACRO to provide a transport service to Magilligan originating from Belfast (three days per week) and Dungannon/Cookstown (once a month).

In addition the prison provides a bus service from Bellarena station to the prison on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In recognition of the distance to Magilligan, the service operates extended morning and afternoon visiting sessions. Special arrangements can be made for family visitors to attend both morning and afternoon, especially where they have been unable to attend frequently.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of (a) the Financial Services Authority; (b) the Security Industry Authority; and (c) the Statistics Board, how many criminal prosecutions were brought by that regulator for each of the past three years for which figures are available; and, of those cases, how many gave rise to a conviction. [HL1378]

The number of prosecutions brought and convictions secured by the FSA for the past three years are as follows:

2005—10 prosecutions, 10 convictions;

2006—17 prosecutions, 17 convictions; and

2007—15 prosecutions, 13 convictions to date.

Prosecutions brought under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 are not necessarily brought by the SIA itself. They may be brought by the police, local authorities or the SIA. The statistics do not show how many prosecutions were brought by the different bodies. Statistics are available for 2004, 2005 and 2006.

2004—11 prosecutions, 10 convictions;

2005—168 prosecutions, 66 convictions; and

2006—156 prosecutions, 93 convictions.

The Statistics Board does not come into existence until 1 April 2008, and will replace the Office for National Statistics and the Statistics Commission.

In the past three years the Office for National Statistics has brought the following prosecutions under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947.

Businesses served with a summons can then choose to comply with the legislation, which accounts for the lower number of cases going to court.

The Statistics Commission does not have prosecution responsibilities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many criminal prosecutions were brought by (a) the Health and Safety Executive, and (b) the Pensions Regulator, for each of the past three years for which figures are available; and, of those cases, how many gave rise to a conviction. [HL1393]

(a) The number of criminal prosecutions brought by the Health and Safety Executive, and the number of resulting convictions, for each of the past three years is:

The offences prosecuted and conviction figures are for specific charges laid before the courts. Prosecution cases can contain one or more charges. Only one offence may be charged in any one information laid before the courts. Each offence is a single breach of a specific piece of health and safety legislation.

The Pensions Regulator has brought, in 2006, one prosecution. This did not result in a conviction.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many schools in England and Wales participate in restorative justice schemes. [HL1421]

This information is not held centrally.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the level of primary school spending per head in (a) Wales; (b) England; (c) Scotland; and (d) Northern Ireland; and [HL1452]

What is the level of secondary school spending per head in (a) Wales; (b) England; (c) Scotland; and (d) Northern Ireland. [HL1454]

The tables below provide the available information for Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The figures provided are not comparable for the reasons set out in the notes:

Notes:

1. The figures supplied are taken from the revenue outturn forms and will differ from published per pupil data for 2006-07 as the previously published figures for 2006-07 were budgeted.

2. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

3. The figures are not comparable with the figures supplied by Northern Ireland, England and Scotland.

4. Expenditure on pupils by age is not collected by Wales.

Notes:

1. School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by local authority maintained schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. The pupil data are drawn from the DCSF Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

2. Secondary school based expenditure includes any sixth form expenditure by local authority maintained secondary schools.

3. Combined local authority and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in local authority maintained establishments and pupils educated by the authority other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). Certain elements of central local authority expenditure cannot be attributed to a particular phase of education and consequently a sector breakdown is not available. Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under 5s funded by the authority and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and any other local authority maintained pupils. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis.

4. The expenditure is drawn from local authorities Section 52 Outturn Statements (Table A) submitted to the DCSF. 2006-07 data are subject to change by the local authority.

5. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10.

6. Cash terms figures as reported by local authorities as at 18 January 2008.

Notes:

1. 2005-06 is the most recent financial data available for Scotland.

2. The data are drawn from Expenditure on School Education 2005-06.

Notes:

1. The figures relate to the latest available per capita expenditure figures for primary and post-primary schools in Northern Ireland.

2. The available figures relate to 2006-07 and include all expenditure within schools delegated budgets and expenditure by the Department and Education and Library Boards which is directly attributable to schools.

3. The range of services provided by funding authorities here and the levels of delegation to schools are quite different from those in other parts of the UK.

4. Education and Library Boards provide the school meals service centrally in Northern Ireland and therefore expenditure is not delegated to school level.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the ratio of primary school teachers to pupils in (a) Wales; (b) England; (c) Scotland; and (d) Northern Ireland; and [HL1453]

What is the ratio of secondary school teachers to pupils in (a) Wales; (b) England; (c) Scotland; and (d) Northern Ireland. [HL1455]

The information available is set out in the following table:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether funding letters for (a) the Training and Development Agency for Schools; (b) the General Teaching Council for England; (c) the School Teachers Review Body; (d) the National College for School Leadership; and (e) the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority contained provisions specifically relating to increasing the knowledge base and skills of the children's workforce with regards to children's speech, language and communication needs; and whether they will set out for each what those provisions were. [HL1489]

There is no specific mention of children's speech, language and communication needs in the current remit letters for either the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), or the National College for School Leadership (NCSL). The TDA's remit letter does, however, require the agency to work with officials to improve coverage of SEN and disability issues in teacher training, and speech, language and communication needs come within that broad brief.

The NCSL has a remit to ensure that school leaders have the necessary skills to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met. The QCA is the national authority for qualifications, curriculum and assessment and standards in England. Its remit covers qualifications for both young people and adults. From April 2008, an interim regulator will be established that will be responsible for carrying out the regulatory functions of QCA. The DCSF does not issue funding letters to the School Teachers Review Body or the General Teaching Council for England.

In the light of the Children's Plan, which sets out the Government's ambitions for the educational attainment and wider well-being of children and young people, remit letters for 2008-09 are being developed for the QCA, NCSL and TDA.

The Children's Plan acknowledges the need to provide additional support to speech and language services in tackling barriers to learning. It also includes a commitment to invest further in the inclusion development programme (IDP), which aims to increase the skills of the whole early years and school workforce in dealing with children with speech, language and communication needs.

The noble Baroness will be aware that on 11 September 2007 the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and the Secretary of State for Health launched a major review of the provision of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, led by the honourable member for Buckingham, Mr John Bercow. As part of his review, Mr Bercow will examine how the children's workforce can best be organised and supported to meet the needs of children with speech, language and communication needs. He will submit an interim report in March, prior to his final report in July 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to focus international attention on the comprehensive peace agreement for South Sudan. [HL1351]

We have drawn international attention to the comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) by: raising the issue at multilateral institutions such as the UN and the EU; through resolutions and statements, eg the EU's recent statement on the CPA's third anniversary and the UN's recent statement on the Sudan People's Liberation Movement's resumption of participation in the Government of National Unity; ministerial visits to and calls on key Sudanese leaders, for example, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development's July 2007 and my September 2007 visit to Sudan; and frequent contact with our closest international partners on matters related to CPA implementation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the total sum of money collected relating to the suspected financing of terrorism through the suspicious activity reports (SAR) regime since it was created; and [HL1145]

What is the total sum of money collected relating to the suspected financing of terrorism through the suspicious activity reports (SAR) regime in the past 12 months. [HL1146]

Statistics on the amount of money seized as a result of information received through suspicious activity reports (SARs) on the suspected financing of terrorism have been collected by the national terrorist financial investigation unit (NTFIU) of the Metropolitan Police since September 2006.

Since that date, £1,027,280 has been seized by the NTFIU for further investigation into the origins of the money and the intentions of the transacting parties following SARs of suspected terrorist financing passed on to them from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). It is not possible to provide further details of the transactions or a breakdown of this figure due to the need to protect ongoing operations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the impact on the United Kingdom's standing in the United States of the United Kingdom joining the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement. [HL1497]

No formal assessment has been carried out on how the UK's standing in the US might be altered by membership of the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have assessed the impact of the cuts in vehicle excise duty in the Finance Act 2001 on (a) accidents involving heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) on rural roads; (b) the damage caused by HGVs on rural roads; and (c) noise pollution in rural areas. [HL1488]

Following a consultation exercise, vehicle excise duty for lorries was comprehensively reformed in 2001 better to reflect the environmental and road track costs of these vehicles. This reform simplified the number of bandings for lorries making vehicle excise duty less burdensome for hauliers to administer.

The Treasury factors in a variety of evidence in assessing the overall effectiveness of vehicle excise duty across all vehicle types in helping to achieve the Government's priorities, but has not singled out rural affects for a specific assessment of lorry rates.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to the Declaration for a Democratic Solution to the Kurdish Question, published by the Democratic Communities of Kurdistan in November 2007; and whether they will ask the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture to publish its findings on the Imrali Island Prison in Turkey. [HL1348]

We are aware of the Declaration for a Democratic Solution to the Kurdish Question, published by the Democratic Communities of Kurdistan in November 2007. It is in the interests of all parties to achieve security and stability in south-east Turkey. We continue to encourage the Government of Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government to work with Turkey to tackle the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) presence in Northern Iraq.

The Government publish the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) reports on the UK, and we would encourage the Turkish Government to publish the CPT reports for Turkey, including any findings on the Imrali Island prison. They have done so with an earlier report in 2005. (www.cpt.coe.int/documents/tur/2006-30-inf-eng.pdf).

The situation in Imrali Island prison is a matter for the Turkish Government, but we urge the Turkish Government to ensure that conditions of detention and the treatment of all prisoners are in line with European Court of Human Rights standards.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Environment Agency and the Environment Agency Wales will return to Mr Douglas Gowan the original sworn witness statements and other evidential material relating to Brofiscin quarry and other matters, submitted by him in response to requests by the agencies from January 2006 onwards. [HL1544]

All original documentation received by the Environment Agency from Mr Gowan relating to Brofiscin quarry, Groesfaen, was returned to him on the 13 December 2007.