asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect to announce whether the proposals in the consultation paper Transforming Tribunals will be adjusted in any way to retain the Pensions Appeal Tribunal as a discrete specialised jurisdiction for determining war pension appeals. [HL3048]

Transforming Tribunals was published on 28 November, both in hard copy and on the Ministry of Justice website. The consultation closed on 22 February 2008 and analysis of responses received is currently under way.

The Government are committed to publishing their response to the consultation in May. I refer to my earlier Answer in the House of Lords on 25 February where I confirmed that members of the existing tribunal will be transferred into the new statutory tribunal structure to continue their excellent work in the same way as at present and to preserve the tribunal's expertise.

In addition Lord Justice Carnwath, the Senior President of Tribunals, has made it clear that one of his principal objectives in the coming months will be to ensure that the changes do not come at the expense of continuity, specialisation or service to users.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they will take following the open letter dated 27 March from the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner to the Law Society giving notice that in rejecting its plan for complaints handling for the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 it was “disappointing that moving into the 4th plan year, the Law Society is not yet delivering effective and efficient complaints handling and neither does it have an adequate plan to achieve this”. [HL3021]

The Government appointed the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner in 2004 as an independent regulator of the Law Society's complaints handling functions. Therefore, the Government do not become involved in discussions on the plan for complaints handling. However, it remains the Government's view that the Law Society and LSCC should work together effectively to deliver continued and sustainable improvements for consumers.

The Government have legislated in the Legal Services Act 2007 to create an independent Office for Legal Complaints, which will remove complaints handling from the legal professional bodies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised departmental computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities. [HL2984]

It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for departments to confirm, whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised its computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities. [HL3069]

None of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's computer systems has been compromised by malicious programs in the past year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised its computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities. [HL3066]

It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on how many occasions in the past year malicious programs have compromised its computer systems; for each occasion, how many machines were affected; how long it took to remove the programs from the system; and what the impact was on the department's activities. [HL3070]

It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much it will cost per year to provide police security and surveillance for the child sex offender, Raymond Horne. [HL2938]

There are no plans that will incur additional costs to the police as a result of the circumstances of this case.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the British Council hosted a public debate on hybrid embryos combining animal eggs with human cells at the Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem on 27 March; which panellists spoke against the proposals at the debate; and what role they played in supporting this event. [HL3073]

UK scientists were invited to attend a Stem Cells Research, Social and Ethical Issues seminar hosted by Tel Aviv University in March. As part of this visit and as part of the British Council's commitment to communicating issues in contemporary science, the British Council supported the Bloomfield Science Museum in hosting a small round-table discussion in the margins of this seminar which focused on understanding “hybrid embryos”. The museum advertised this discussion in advance to its membership and several members of the public attended to listen and ask questions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will increase their investment and involvement in the European Union seventh framework research programme for the development of computer infrastructure grid systems. [HL2783]

The Government, are actively encouraging UK participation in the European Union seventh framework research programme, including the capacities programme, which supports the development of computer infrastructure grid systems.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures they intend to take in relation to Anglo-French projects following the state visit of the President of France. [HL2888]

On 27 March 2008 at the UK-France summit, my right honourable friend the Prime Minister and French President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed to work closely on a range of global, EU and bilateral issues, in particular reform of international institutions, international development and foreign policy, climate change and energy, defence and security, and migration.

The summit communiqué is available at www.pm. gov.uk/files/pdf/UK-FR%20Communique%20270308 .pdf.

Government departments are following up these issues with their French counterparts.

My right honourable friend the Prime Minister and President Sarkozy agreed to hold annual summits, as well as six-monthly ministerial meetings and quarterly meetings of senior officials. UK-France task forces will also work on international issues of common interest, such as climate change.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What procedures they have put in place since the decision in R (SK) v SSHD 2008 to uphold Rule 9 of the Detention Centre Rules and to prevent future failures to review. [HL2563]

An independent review of detention reviews was commissioned and has since been completed. Work is currently under way to address all of the recommendations that have been made as a result of this review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many Zimbabweans they are holding in immigration detention (a) pending deportation following a criminal sentence and (b) pending administrative removal; how long each of these people has been held; and when they expect to deport or remove those now held. [HL2562]

There are currently around 50 Zimbabwean nationals detained under immigration powers who have committed a criminal offence within the UK and are facing deportation action. While information is published on the number of persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers as at the last Saturday of each quarter, information on the number of people who are recorded as being detained awaiting removal from the UK is not centrally collated; it could only be obtained through examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What ethical standards they apply to inward investment; whether such principles take account of living standards and human rights in countries investing in the United Kingdom; and what procedures, if any, exist to monitor where inward investment comes from. [HL2774]

The Government monitor inward investment by country of origin using project and financial data.

The Government's approach to corporate responsibility applies to inward investors as it does to all UK-based companies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Northern Ireland Office has a contract with any mobile phone company; if so, who; and after what process the contract was signed. [HL2867]

The Northern Ireland Office has contracts with Orange, Vodafone and O₂. These are arranged through a generic Office of Government commerce contract. The contracts are for a two-year period which is due to expire towards the end of 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 March (WA 30), (a) how the budget of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum's sponsoring division in the Northern Ireland Office was calculated; (b) what its budget was for each of the past five years; and (c) what amount was spent by the division in each of the past five years. [HL2720]

The budget for the sponsoring division of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum within the Northern Ireland Office is based on best estimates for the spending requirements for that division for the financial year in question. This will take into consideration staffing levels and other running costs as well as other direct costs for which that division is responsible. Thus the budget will vary year on year.

The following table gives the budget and spend for this division for the past five years to the nearest £100,000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the latest developments on the United Kingdom action plan on tackling human trafficking. [HL2932]

Many of the actions in the UK action plan have been completed or are ongoing and in the process of implementation. As implementation progresses the plan will be updated and revised. The interdepartmental ministerial group on human trafficking meets quarterly to monitor implementation of the action plan and updates on progress are also provided to the Ministerial NGO Group on Human Trafficking. Examples of progress include the training of police and law enforcement officers by the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC), increasing public awareness with the Blue Blindfold campaign, the establishment of an advice line for professionals likely to come into contact with child victims and the introduction of service level agreements with women's aid projects that expands available accommodation for victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation to other parts of the country.

In regard to enforcement activity we are currently in the process of the second nationwide Operation Pentameter.

The work currently under way to implement the Council of Europe Convention on action against trafficking in human beings is a major part of the UK action plan and to this end we have tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill at House of Lords Report stage in order to ensure we can ratify the convention by the end of the year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether a code of practice on the carriage of minors has been developed and implemented, as proposed in the United Kingdom Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking. [HL2933]

The Government have implemented all of the voluntary best practice recommendations made by the International Air Transport Association/Control Authority Working Group (IATA/CAWG) report of May 2007 that relate to control authorities apart from a legislative measure which remains under consideration.

It is planned that a review of the impact of the recommendations will be conducted a year after their implementation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they received advanced notification that the President of the Republic of Ireland would announce policy concerning the transfer of policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly; and if so, why the announcement was made by the president; and who briefed the president. [HL2753]

The UK Government did not receive advance notification of the president's response to a journalist's question. The president's comment reflected earlier public statements by the Taoiseach and is therefore a restatement of the Irish Government's position. Arrangements for briefing the president are, of course, a matter for the Irish authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 20 March (WA 68), which categories of polygamous marriage are legal under British law. [HL2906]

For a polygamous marriage to be considered valid in the UK, the parties must be domiciled in a country where polygamous marriage is permitted, and must have entered into the marriage in that country. Provided the parties follow the necessary requirements under the law of the country in question, the marriage would be recognised in England and Wales. The law is drafted thus because the Government have no desire forcibly to sever relationships that have been lawfully contracted in other jurisdictions. This should not, however, be construed as government approval of polygamous marriage. The Government do not support polygamous marriage and support the law that prohibits parties from contracting polygamous marriages in this jurisdiction.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 26 March (WA 89), what was the reason for the 18-week delay in answering Baroness Valentine's Question; and whether they will arrange for the contents of the substantive reply to be published in the Official Report. [HL2874]

While every effort is made to respond to Written Questions tabled by noble Lords within the deadlines set it is not always possible to do so and I am sorry that this has happened in relation to this Question.

The full text of my Answer to the noble Baroness is as follows.

Staffing requirements for all ports, including Heathrow, are calculated using a workforce planning methodology which takes into account information provided by port operators on scheduling, predicted passenger loads and nationalities, and estimates of transaction times. Staff are also re-deployed according to where the risk is highest.

We have carried out a critical review of how our resources are deployed in order to achieve better value for money and identify efficiencies. This has ensured that warranted staff are deployed only on operational work and that non operational work is undertaken by non-warranted officers.

Since March 2005 we have significantly increased the number of operational grades deployed nationally—by 35 per cent, in fact. This comprises inspectors, chief immigration officers, immigration officers and assistant immigration officers. The number of staff employed at specific ports will vary from day to day. Likewise, there are seasonal variations in line with passenger pressures and peak holiday periods.

BIA is committed to increasing the use of automated technology to facilitate passengers through arrivals controls without compromising border security. An example is the IRIS immigration recognition system (IRIS). IRIS enrolment stations and gates are available at all four Heathrow terminals and to both Gatwick terminals. Two gates will be available at the new Heathrow terminal 5. As at 7 March, 181,460 people had enrolled on IRIS and 909,028 crossings had taken place.

A snapshot of operational grades at Heathrow on 1 January 2006 and 16 October 2007 shows figures of 849 and 829 immigration officers respectively. Recruitment is ongoing to further increase this number, with a total of 385 additional operational staff being recruited across Border Control.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of the United Kingdom school milk market is subsidised by the European Union. [HL2989]

The school milk subsidy scheme is made available to all children between the ages of five and 11 in primary and nursery schools in participating local authorities throughout the UK. In the 2006-07 school year there were 195 claimants; 189 of these were local education authorities, three were schools and the remaining three were private schemes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many drivers between 17 and 20 years of age died in road accidents in each of the past five years; and [HL2973]

What percentage of road deaths involved drivers aged between 17 and 20 years of age in each of the past five years; and [HL2974]

What percentage of road deaths per one billion vehicle kilometres involved drivers aged between 17 and 20 years in each of the past five years. [HL2975]

The numbers of 17 to 20 year-old drivers killed and the percentage of road deaths involving 17 to 20 year-old drivers are shown in the table.

The percentage of road deaths per 1 billion vehicle kilometres involving 17 to 20 year-old drivers is identical to the overall percentage shown in the table. However, on average between 2002 and 2006 an estimated 20 car drivers aged 17 to 20 were killed in road accidents for each billion vehicle kilometres driven by those aged 17 to 20. The equivalent figure for car drivers of all ages was three fatalities per billion vehicle kilometres. The fatality rate for young drivers is therefore around seven times higher than for drivers of all ages. Information is not available for single years.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which canals in England are presently used only for tourism. [HL2966]

Canals in England are used for a broad range of activities, ranging from tourism to freight and water supply. The majority are, however, used predominantly for leisure and tourist activities such as boating, walking, cycling and angling and make an important contribution to tourism in England.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have taken emergency measures to protect British passport holders in Zimbabwe in the event of civil disorder in that country. [HL3051]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) takes its role of providing consular support to British nationals overseas seriously and their safety is our top priority. As with many other British diplomatic missions across the world, our embassy in Harare holds a civil contingency plan. The Zimbabwe contingency plan focuses on assisting the departure of British nationals from Zimbabwe by non-military means and is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. At present, we do not anticipate an assisted departure or evacuation, but we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our plans accordingly.

The FCO travel advice for Zimbabwe is under constant review. We are currently advising against all but essential travel to the whole country. We are also advising British nationals in Zimbabwe to avoid specific areas and to have their own contingency plan for how they would leave at short notice. A full copy of the travel advice can be found at www.fco.gov.uk/travel/zimbabwe. If the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorates further, we will reflect this in our travel advice and provide appropriate guidance. To ensure that we can effectively communicate this information, British nationals in Zimbabwe are urged to register with our embassy in Harare.