asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answer by Lord Rooker to the Oral Question of Lord Livsey of Talgarth on 26 June that the United Kingdom has adopted a voluntary scheme of vaccination control for bluetongue, whether they expect to benefit from co-financing from the European Union for this programme. [HL4483]

Under European Union (EU) law, the European Commission has a limited role in approving the eligibility of national plans for EU co-funding. Eligibility depends on an extensive audit trail and a high level of veterinary supervision. Having fully considered those options for England and Wales, we concluded they would both hinder rapid rollout of vaccination and add unnecessarily to farmers' costs, thus reducing take-up.

The Commission has indicated that a compulsory scheme administered by official vets is likely to be the only type of scheme eligible for co-funding. This type of scheme would substantially slow down delivery, and would, based on certain assumptions, cost over twice as much overall as voluntary vaccination, thus significantly outweighing the potential financial benefit of any co-funding.

Although the plan for England and Wales will not receive EU co-funding, the European Commission has expressed confidence that it is capable of achieving its objectives of minimising the impact of bluetongue and reducing the risk of disease spread.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have submitted annexes to the UK plan to the European Commission to seek potential co-funding. The Scottish Executive expect to undertake a compulsory vaccination campaign during winter 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 23 June (WA 202), whether the continuance of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy testing programme to identify 40 cases at a cost of £60 million is necessary to prevent recurrence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. [HL4610]

The ban on feeding mammalian meat and bone meal to farmed livestock is the primary control to prevent a resurgence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The primary purpose of the testing programme is to monitor the effectiveness of such controls and the prevalence of the disease.

In the light of the declining BSE epidemic, the EU has agreed that member states meeting prescribed criteria can apply to implement a reduced testing programme which could come into effect from 1 January 2009. The European Commission will determine the terms of the reduced programme on the basis of advice from the European Food Safety Authority, which is expected later this month.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is (a) the total annual budget of, and (b) and number of staff employed by, the Better Regulation Executive. [HL4567]

The total annual budget of the Better Regulation Executive for 2008-09 is £11.1 million, which includes £4.4 million for the Local Better Regulation Office. The total number of full-time staff employed by the Better Regulation Executive is 90.

Staff currently working for the BRE come from a wide range of professional backgrounds including the public, private and third sectors.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On what date the British Coal respiratory disease litigation is expected to conclude; and what will be the final cost of the scheme, broken down between (a) compensation paid to claimants; (b) costs paid to claimants' solicitors; (c) costs paid to defence lawyers; (d) payments made to each of their contractors; and (e) administrative and other expenditure incurred by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. [HL4164]

We expect to substantially complete the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) scheme by spring 2009. The anticipated final costs of the scheme, broken down as in the Question, are

(a) compensation paid to claimants: £3.8 billion (estimated);

(b) cost paid to claimants' solicitors: £1.209 million (estimated);

(c) defendant's legal cost: £47 million (estimated). This is a total figure and has not been broken down into schemes;

(d) Capita and other contractors: £638 million (estimated). This is a total figure and has not been broken down into schemes. Medical costs (COPD only): £395 million (estimated); and

(e) the department's internal cost: information not available at this level.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures they will put in place to prevent excessive salaries, bonuses and pension payments for senior company directors; and [HL3875]

Whether they will propose measures to increase shareholder influence at annual general meetings in order to prevent excessive remuneration of senior company directors. [HL3878]

The Government are keen to see effective linkage between pay and performance. Exceptional rewards for mediocre performance are not in the interests of the companies, their shareholders or the UK as a whole.

Directors’ remuneration is a matter for companies, their shareholders and remuneration committees. The Directors’ Remuneration Report Regulations 2002 introduced full disclosure for directors’ remuneration and a shareholder vote on the directors’ remuneration report at quoted company annual general meetings. Shareholders are also responsible for the appointment and removal of directors.

The Government will introduce a new requirement relating to directors’ remuneration for quoted companies. The new requirement will mean that quoted companies, with effect from financial years beginning on or after 6 April 2009, will have to report how they have taken into account pay and employment conditions elsewhere in the business when setting directors’ pay.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

How many new criminal offences have been added to the statute book by both primary and secondary legislation since May 1997. [HL4496]

There is no comprehensive system in place for tracking new offences and penalties created across Whitehall. To obtain the information will involve a manual trawl through primary and subordinate legislation from the past 11 years. This information is being assembled, and I will write to the noble Lord as soon as it is available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they continue to recognise certain Governments after they have secured power in a manner deemed not to be free and fair; yet do not recognise certain other elections that were deemed to have been free and fair. [HL4477]

Lord Carrington, then Foreign Secretary, stated in the House of Lords in April 1980 (Official Report, col. 1121 WA),

“we have decided that we shall no longer accord recognition to governments. The Government recognises States in accordance with common international doctrine ... the policy of successive Governments has been that we should make and announce a decision formally ‘recognising’ the new government. This practice has sometimes been misunderstood, and, despite explanations to the contrary, our ‘recognition’ interpreted as implying approval ... we shall continue to decide the nature of our dealings with regimes which come to power unconstitutionally in the light of our assessment of whether they are able of themselves to exercise effective control of the territory of the State concerned, and seem likely to continue to do so”.

Our policy has not changed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have raised with the Government of Egypt the lack of official procedures for their citizens to convert from Islam to any other religion. [HL4472]

The UK regularly raises its concerns about human rights issues with the Egyptian Government and will continue to do so when appropriate. My honourable friend the Minister for the Middle East, Kim Howells, raised the specific issue of religious freedom directly with the Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament during his visit to the UK on 21 January 2008. On 11 March, officials from our embassy in Cairo met the Egyptian Deputy Minister for Human Rights and expressed UK concerns about human rights abuses in Egypt, including in relation to freedom of religion and belief. Most recently, our ambassador in Cairo raised a number of human rights concerns with the Egyptian Minister of the Interior on 22 April. We acknowledge the steps the Egyptian Government have taken to engage with us on these issues and welcome the willingness they have demonstrated to hold further human rights dialogue.

We recognise the difficulties Egyptian citizens face in their attempts to have religious conversion recognised under Egyptian law. We continue to urge the Government of Egypt to implement transparent and effective procedures in this respect.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will support the European Union-sponsored Nabucco gas pipeline project between Iran and Vienna. [HL4424]

The Nabucco project, which is planned to run from Turkey to Austria, has been designated a project of European interest by the European Commission. The Government support the project, being in line with the EU and UK policy of diversifying both sources of supply and supply routes. However, we consider that the building of infrastructure should be primarily driven by commercial considerations, with the role of Governments best focused on removing regulatory and other barriers to investment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What recommendations they anticipate from the European Council on 19 and 20 June to deal with delays in the ratification of the Lisbon treaty; and [HL4359]

When they plan to instigate informal discussions with representatives of the Government and Parliament of the Republic of Ireland to discuss proposals for a possible resumption of the process of ratification of the Lisbon treaty. [HL4360]

Following the result of the Irish referendum on 12 June, the European Council on 19 to 20 June agreed to Ireland’s suggestion to discuss this issue at its meeting of 15 October 2008 in order to consider the way forward. The Council conclusions state that:

“The European Council agreed that more time was needed to analyse the situation. It noted that the Irish government will actively consult, both internally and with the other Member States, in order to suggest a common way forward.

Recalling that the purpose of the Lisbon Treaty is to help an enlarged Union to act more effectively and more democratically, the European Council noted that the parliaments in 19 Member States have ratified the Treaty and that the ratification process continues in other countries”.

On 23 June, in his post-Council Statement, the Prime Minister set out these agreed next steps on the Lisbon treaty to Parliament. (Official Report, Commons. col. 23), which I repeated to the House of Lords on the same day (Official Report, col. 1239).

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

When they will allocate money from the European Union Solidarity Fund for cleaning up damage from the floods of 2007. [HL4455]

The Department for Communities and Local Government will make an announcement in due course on payments to English local authorities from the £30.6 million restoration fund which the Government have set up following the announcement of EUSF funding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In what circumstances the Northern Ireland Office charges fees for freedom of information inquiries; how they are calculated; and by whom. [HL4336]

The Northern Ireland Office handles requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in accordance with the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Officials within the NIO consider all the circumstances of a request and calculate the fees as recommended by the MoJ.

The MoJ guidance can be viewed at the following address: www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/foi-procedural-fees.htm.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether, in order to stimulate the construction of affordable housing, they have any proposals to enable local authorities to dispose of land for housing at less than full market value but achieving full market value over a period of time by retaining a financial interest. [HL4385]

The Local Government Act 1972: General Disposal Consent 2003, contained in ODPM Circular 06/2003, enables local authorities to make land disposals which will contribute to the promotion or improvement of the economic, social or environmental well-being of an area at less than best consideration, provided that the undervalue does not exceed £2 million. If the proposed disposal was not covered by the general consent, the local authority would have to apply to the Secretary of State for a specific disposal consent.

Additionally, the housing Green Paper, published in July last year, contained proposals for a local housing company (LHC) pilot programme. An LHC is a local authority-promoted housing development and management organisation, with wider regeneration objectives, likely to be established via a stand-alone corporate vehicle. English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, is working alongside 14 local authorities to develop the LHC model. The LHC model may involve local authorities investing land suitable for housing which is in their ownership into the LHC and deferring some or all of their land receipt until such time as the LHC generates returns.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they propose to take to increase the construction of affordable housing on publicly owned land. [HL4386]

The housing Green Paper published last July announced our ambition to deliver 200,000 new homes on surplus public sector land by 2016. It also set out the role that English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, will play in taking forward this agenda. So that the Government meet their objectives, English Partnerships is working in collaboration with public sector landowners to accelerate the process of bringing land forward for housing development while ensuring minimum standards are delivered.

English Partnerships standards include a 50 per cent minimum target for developing affordable homes on surplus public sector sites. This target will help maintain the pace of housing delivery. On sites where it is not possible to deliver 50 per cent affordable homes, English Partnerships will seek to maximise the potential for these sites to deliver affordable housing in accordance with local need.

The creation of the new Homes and Communities Agency will take forward and build on the successful housing programmes currently being delivered by the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships. The agency will play a key role in helping to increase the supply of affordable housing and will work with local authorities and other public sector partners to bring forward development on brownfield sites.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the names of members appointed to the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission who are (a) working within the legal profession, and (b) lay members; and who is responsible for each appointment. [HL4363]

The members of the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission who are working within the legal profession are Mr Peter Cush, Barrister-at-Law and Mr John Gordon, solicitor. The lay members of the commission are: Mr Donal Flanagan OBE, Dame Joan Harbison CBE DBE, Ms Ruth Laird, Professor John Morison and Dr Raymond Mullan OBE. The General Council of the Bar of Northern Ireland nominates a barrister to be a legal profession member of the commission and the Law Society of Northern Ireland nominates a solicitor. The Northern Ireland Court Service administers the lay member appointment process in compliance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments code of practice. The Lord Chancellor makes all these appointments. The arrangements are governed by the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002, as amended by the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

When they will publish the United Kingdom’s revised third country equivalence list in relation to anti-money-laundering and counter terrorist financing systems; [HL4442]

What the criteria will be for inclusion in the United Kingdom’s revised third country equivalence list in relation to anti-money-laundering and counter terrorist financing systems; [HL4443]

Whether they plan to publish a consultation paper on the criteria for inclusion in the United Kingdom’s third country equivalence list in relation to anti-money-laundering and counter terrorist financing systems; [HL4444]

What the criteria are for inclusion in the European Union list of non-European Union countries whose anti-money-laundering and counter terrorist financing systems are to be treated as equivalent to those of European Union members; and [HL4445]

Whether discussions have taken place between HM Treasury and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to anti-money-laundering and counter terrorist financing systems to be regarded as equivalent to those of European Union members. [HL4446]

Member states participating in the EU Committee for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing agreed a list of equivalent third countries—that is, countries with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter terrorist financing (CTF) systems considered equivalent to those of the European Union—in April 2008. HM Treasury published this list on its website on 12 May 2008.

The criteria for inclusion on the list are based primarily on performance against the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) 40 + 9 recommendations for anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing. A range of information was taken into account, including assessments made through the mutual evaluation process conducted by the Financial Action Task Force, the IMF and the World Bank.

The EU list of equivalent third countries represents the common understanding of member states and will be subject to periodic review. Individual member states may, at their discretion, supplement the EU list at a domestic level. HM Treasury is currently considering whether such a supplement is desirable.

There are no current plans to issue a consultation paper on this matter. HM Treasury officials are in discussions with officials from other government departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, business representatives and a number of interested jurisdictions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which consultants received the £16,187 allocated for consultants’ fees in section 3 of the annual report of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission; how much they each received, how they were selected; and what services they provided. [HL3924]

The expenditure on consultants’ fees was in relation to Biznet Solutions, which was paid approximately £7,800 for website design, development and maintenance; and Parity Training Ltd, which was paid approximately £8,350 for consultancy in relation to the recruitment of the secretary to the Parades Commission.

The selection process by which Biznet Solutions was engaged was handled by the NIO Procurement Unit and was subject to the unit’s procurement process. The selection process by which Parity Solutions was engaged was handled by the Parades Commission in accordance with the NIO Procurement Unit recruitment process.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Who is the accounting officer for the Northern Ireland Parades Commission; and when the accounting officer was first aware that income tax and national insurance contributions for the commissioners may not have been paid for five years. [HL4242]

The secretary to the Parades Commission serves as the accounting officer. He was formally notified on 10 January 2005 by the department that the Inland Revenue had decided that the commissioners should be treated as office holders for tax purposes.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 June (WA 192–3), whether the amount owed by the Northern Ireland parades commissioners was paid twice; and, if so, whether the money has been returned to either party. [HL4436]

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will not disclose information to a third party concerning an individual’s tax position; therefore, the NIO is not in a position to comment on the parades commissioners.

However, as a result of an audit, HM Revenue and Customs determined that the NIO was liable to make a payment in respect of tax and national insurance, irrespective of moneys paid by individuals. This payment has been made and no part of it has been, or will be, returned to the department.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether they have issued guidance to any police force which does not yet know its financial budget for the current financial year; and [HL4419]

What is their response to the budgetary proposal by Surrey Police Authority for the financial year 2008-09, set within its overall proposal for the financial years 2008-11. [HL4420]

The Government announced their decisions on council tax capping on 26 June. All police authorities and forces know their budgetary position for 2008-09.

We have cancelled the designation of Surrey Police Authority and nominated it with a proposed notional budget requirement of £189,622,000 for 2008-09.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What have been the annual promotional advances within the grades of Police Service of Northern Ireland personnel by (a) gender and (b) community background, since the introduction of the 50:50 recruitment policy. [HL4368]

The chief constable has provided the following figures:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What have been the community backgrounds of those police officers who have availed themselves of the Patten severance scheme, by rank within the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Royal Ulster Constabulary. [HL4369]

The chief constable has provided the following figures:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

By how much the prison population in England and Wales has increased during the past decade; and what are the causes of the increase. [HL4399]

The information requested is published in the annual volume Offender Management Caseload Statistics and monthly Population in Custody, copies of which are available via the Library of the House and from the Ministry of Justice website at www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics.htm.

At the end of June 1997, the total prison population in England and Wales, including in police cells, was 61,467, and at the end of June 2007 the corresponding figure was 80,205, an increase of 18,738.

These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

An account of the drivers of the prison population can be found in the report by Lord Carter of Coles, Securing the future: Proposals for the efficient and sustainable use of custody in England and Wales, published in December 2007, a copy of which is available from the Library of the House and from the department's website at www.justice.gov.uk/publications/securing-the-future.htm.

Lord Carter's report commented that:

“The increased prison population of the past decade is a result of a concerted and successful effort to catch, convict and detain for longer periods the most dangerous and serious offenders ... There are a number of factors behind the increase in the prison population in England and Wales since 1995. They include both legislative and non-legislative elements which, in some cases, overlap with each other. The drivers include, but are not limited to, the following:

changes in public attitudes and the political climate;

changes to legislation and the sentencing framework;

more offenders brought to justice, increased custody rates and longer sentence lengths;

greater focus on enforcement of sentences; and

greater awareness of risk, and greater political prominence of public protection”.

The key recommendations of this report are:

a significant expansion of the current prison-building programme should begin immediately so that up to 6,500 additional new places, on top of the significant expansion already planned, can be provided by the end of 2012;

larger, state-of-the-art prisons should be planned and developed now so that from 2012 there can be approximately 5,000 new places that will allow for a programme of closures of old, inefficient and ineffective prisons offering better value for money and much improved chances of reducing re-offending and crime;

a structured sentencing framework and permanent sentencing commission should be developed, with judicial leadership, to improve the transparency, predictability and consistency of sentencing and the criminal justice system; and

there are grounds for a more efficient approach to the way operations and headquarters’ overheads are structured and managed.

On 5 December 2007 (col. 1703) I repeated a Statement made in another place by my right honourable friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on the report on the prisons review carried out by Lord Carter.

Further information can be found in the department's analysis, Story of the Prison Population: 1997-2007, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library (Reference: Dep 2008-0362). It is also available online at: www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers /2008/DEP2008-0362.pdf.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Under the Varney delivery plan, how many large businesses managed by HM Revenue and Customs’ Large Business Service had (a) a high, (b) a medium, and (c) a low-risk rating from HM Revenue and Customs at the most recent date for which the figures are available; and what are the criteria for allocating these ratings to businesses. [HL4519]

At 1 June 2008, 238 large businesses managed by HMRC’s Large Business Service benefited from a low-risk relationship. HMRC does not allocate a medium- or high-risk rating.

Guidance on the criteria for allocating the risk rating is contained in the December 2007 HMRC publication, Tax compliance risk management: Guidance for LBS customers and staff. This is available on the HMRC website: www.hmrc.gov.uk/large-business/risk-framework-guidance.pdf.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Malloch-Brown on 18 June (WA 172) about the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325, how many women have been nominated or selected for senior posts in post-conflict reconstruction by the United Kingdom in Southern Sudan since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in January 2005. [HL4473]

We do not nominate or select members of the Government of Southern Sudan, the UN, or non-governmental organisations working on post-conflict reconstruction in Southern Sudan.

The UK does not have any staff, male or female, working solely on post-conflict reconstruction in Southern Sudan. However, our ambassador in Khartoum and the head of the Department for International Development’s office in Sudan are both female. The UK successfully nominated a woman to the post of head of the Joint Donor Office, a senior leadership role in Southern Sudan reconstruction and development.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many suicides have been recorded in each of the past five years in Northern Ireland; and how such statistics are obtained in cases where no inquest has been held. [HL4002]

These matters are dealt with by the Registrar General's Office, in the devolved Administration.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will require all United Kingdom companies with more than 1,000 employees to include in their annual reports a table showing the effective tax rate paid by them in each country in which they operate. [HL4522]

The Government have no plans to introduce such a requirement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 23 June (WA 207), whether the assessment of the VAT base may be altered during the course of a financial year to reflect increases in VAT revenues caused by price rises. [HL4609]

Updated estimates for VAT receipts in 2008-09 taking account of all relevant economic factors including price changes will be published in the forthcoming Pre-Budget Report and Statement released in the autumn.

The latest published estimate of VAT receipts in 2008-09 is £83.8bn. This can be found in table C.6 of the 2008 Financial Statement and Budget Report, www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/7/3/bud08_ chapterc.pdf.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will draw the attention of the European Union Commissioner for Enlargement to the sentence of five months’ imprisonment imposed by a Turkish court on Mr Ragip Zarakolou for translating and publishing a book by George Jerjian on the killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. [HL4463]

We understand that the case against Mr Ragip Zarakolou is currently under appeal. We note that the prison sentence imposed by the Turkish court has been commuted to a fine.

The Government do not plan to bring this case specifically to the attention of the EU Commissioner for Enlargement. However, our embassy in Ankara is in close touch with the European Commission delegation in Turkey and has discussed this case with them in detail. We will continue to follow developments closely.

We continue to impress on Turkey the need for effective implementation of the recent legislative amendments to its constitution and penal code, including on freedom of expression cases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the total value of (a) annual United Kingdom exports to Zimbabwe, (b) annual United Kingdom imports from Zimbabwe, and (c) United Kingdom investment holdings in Zimbabwe. [HL4566]

HMRC overseas trade statistics show UK exports of goods to Zimbabwe worth about £22.9 million in 2007 and imports of goods from Zimbabwe worth about £19.6 million.

The UK Balance of Payments Pink Book shows UK exports of services to Zimbabwe worth about £28 million in 2006 and imports of services from Zimbabwe worth about £40 million.

The Office for National Statistics estimates that the stock of UK direct investment in Zimbabwe was worth about £58 million at the end of 2006.