To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Answer by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 10 November (HL Deb, cols. 676–7), whether they have held further discussions with relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi about the rule of law in that state. [HL667]

Since my Answer on 10 November 2009, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not held any further high-level discussions with the authorities in Abu Dhabi about the rule of law. Police co-operation as outlined in my previous Answer continues, and rule of law issues remain relevant to the day-to-day work of our Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Answer by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 10 November (HL Deb, cols. 676–7), whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has taken forward any proposals for enhancing and protecting the rule of law in Abu Dhabi. [HL668]

Further to my Answer on 10 November 2009, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not taken forward proposals for enhancing and protecting the rule of law in Abu Dhabi. Such proposals would need to be raised in the appropriate forum, such as the annual UK/UAE joint ministerial meeting. The next such meeting is due to take place in 2010.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the authorities in Abu Dhabi about outstanding claims by the Al-Ghussein family for the loss of the family's business and property interests. [HL669]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not raised the case of the Al-Ghussein family with the authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As the late Mr Al-Ghussein was not a British National, the FCO has no locus to raise this dispute as a consular matter. Nor does the British Government have any authority to get involved in any matters concerning UAE domestic legislation.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will raise with the Government of Abu Dhabi the outstanding claims of the Al-Ghussein family concerning the loss of their property and any threat therefrom to business confidence in Abu Dhabi. [HL670]

As the late Mr Al-Ghussein was not a British national, the FCO has no locus to raise this dispute as a consular matter. Nor does the British Government have any authority to get involved in any matters concerning UAE domestic legislation.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are funding any mental health services in Afghanistan; if so, where; and how much they are funding. [HL692]

The Department for International Development (DfID) is providing £213,167 over three years (2007-10) to support the healthy mental development of children in western Afghanistan who have lived through war. This programme includes training for social workers and the implementation of a national social work training programme.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the European Union or NATO are supporting mental health services for the Afghan people; if so, where; and at what annual cost. [HL693]

Details of NATO and the European Union's activities in Afghanistan can be found on their websites:

http://ee.europa.eu/external_relations/afghanistan/index_en.htm

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_8189.htm

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Minister for Farming and the Environment, Jim Fitzpatrick, on 21 July (Official Report, House of Commons, col. 1167W), what proportion of the errors on completed maps are due to map features being notified incorrectly by farmers; and what proportion are due to problems with the computer system. [HL752]

Of the 7,471 farmers who have completed the update process and received confirmatory maps, 101 farmers have contacted the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to make further mapping changes. Of the confirmed land parcel errors that required changes to be made, 36 were found to be as a result of farmer error and 93 were found to be RPA digitising errors (a farmer may have notified us of more than one error). No errors have been reported or identified as being due to problems with computer system.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when ballistic sensor fused munitions will be available for use on the battlefield. [HL762]

The planned in-service date for the ballistic sensor fused munition is 2012. This is, however, subject to an internal review which is expected to conclude shortly.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what testing they will undertake on ballistic sensor fused munitions before use on the battlefield. [HL763]

A full qualification programme is planned for the ballistic sensor fused munition. This is standard practice for gun-fired munitions.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the manufacturers of ballistic sensor fused munitions regarding their ability to remain on the ground and cause damage to civilians after hostilities. [HL764]

Detailed discussions have taken place to understand the risks posed by unexploded sub-munitions from the ballistic sensor fused munitions. The sub-munitions have a self destruct mechanism designed to activate if a target is not located. If the self-destruct mechanism fails, the sub-munition is designed to power down so that it cannot be inadvertently detonated.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the manufacturer of ballistic sensor fused munitions is a British company; and, if so, what export restrictions will be imposed upon that weapon. [HL765]

A contract to procure the UKs ballistic sensor fused munition capability is in place with Gesellschaft für Intelligente Wirksysteme mbH (GIWS). This is a joint venture between Rheinmetall Defence and Diehl BGT Defence and is based in Germany.

To ask Her Majesty's Government why Question for Written Answer HL5965 about the cost of the United Kingdom's operations in certain countries, tabled on 23 October and due for answer by 6 November, was not answered by the end of the session on 12 November. [HL684]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost to public funds in each of the last five years of the United Kingdom's operations (including all three services) in (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan, (c) Cyprus, (d) Northern Ireland, (e) Germany, and (f) the Falkland Islands; and what is the budget for the current year. [HL685]

The Minister for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform, Lord Drayson, gave the noble Lord this Answer on 12 November. Unfortunately, this answer was not printed in Hansard.

The costs of UK military activity in 2004-05 to 2009-10 for each location is provided in the following table:

Notes

l. These are audited outturn figures.

2. The figures reflect estimated spend for Afghanistan and Iraq as outlined in the Winter Supplementary Estimates. These will be reviewed as required through the Spring Supplementary Estimates process.

3. 2009-10 figures for Germany and Northern Ireland do not include civilian pay.

The net additional costs of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are met from the reserve and do not include basic pay, pension and other costs not resulting from operational deployment.

Figures for the tri-Service garrison in the Falkland Islands include costs associated with pay for locally employed civilians, utilities, white fleet vehicle leasing and fuel, catering leisure and retail activities stores, and the British Forces Health Service. These figures do not include military equipment, military personnel pay, service children's education facilities, estate works and maintenance, IT and communication, maritime visits or air charter; costs associated with these activities are met by other top level budget holders. The reason for the lower figures in the most recent years is due to a change in MoD accounting policy, under which fixed asset depreciation costs and the cost of capital on fixed assets is recorded elsewhere.

Figures for headquarters British Forces in Cyprus include costs associated with pay for locally employed civilians, utilities, white fleet vehicle leasing and fuel, catering leisure and retail activities stores, and the British Forces Health Service. The figures do not include military equipment, military personnel pay, service children's education facilities, estate works and maintenance, IT and communication, or air charter.

Figures for the British Forces in Germany include costs associated with pay for locally employed civilians, utilities, white fleet vehicle leasing and fuel, catering leisure and retail activities stores and the British Forces Health Service. The figures do not include costs associated with military equipment, military personnel pay, service children's' education, estate works and maintenance, or IT and communications. The reduction from 2004-05 to 2005-06 relates to transfer of works funding to Defence Estates.

Figures for Northern Ireland include costs associated with pay for locally employed civilians and Territorial Army, utilities, white fleet vehicle leasing and fuel. The figures do not include costs associated with military equipment, military personnel pay, estate works and maintenance, or IT and communications. The reduction from 2004-05 to 2005-06 relates to transfer of works funding to defence estates.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the Rule 43 report of HM Coroner for the Black Country District of 18 September in the case of Stuart Raymond Dyson deceased; and what action they propose to prevent further deaths from ingestion of, or exposure to, depleted uranium by military and civilian personnel in areas of conflict. [HL724]

I will place a copy of the department's response to the Coroner for the Black Country District's Rule 43 report in the Library of the House.

In line with reports by independent expert bodies including the Royal Society, International Atomic Energy Agency and World Health Organisation it is the Government's view that depleted uranium (DU) is both weakly radioactive and chemically toxic to about the same extent as lead.

In relation to the use of DU munitions we base our risk assessments on the best available scientific advice and routinely monitor developments in the scientific literature.

To ask Her Majesty's Government why the decision to upgrade the Puma helicopter has taken the time that it has. [HL775]

The demonstration and manufacture phase contract for the Puma life extension programme was placed with Eurocopter UK on 18 September this year. Prior to this a full range of options were evaluated to determine an affordable technical solution that could be delivered in time to meet future capability requirements and provide value for money. Feasibility studies, risk reduction and commercial negotiations were undertaken to mature the programme to a point where the contract could be placed with confidence in its ability to deliver and its price.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the time taken to decide on further purchases of Chinook helicopters was due to needing to negotiate places on the Boeing Chinook production line; and when they expect the production of the new Chinooks to begin. [HL776]

The Secretary of State for Defence announced on 15 December a new strategy to deliver helicopter capability, including the acquisition of 22 new Chinook helicopters. Negotiations with Boeing are ongoing, and will inform investment decisions during 2010, to ensure the earliest possible deliveries. Subject to this, we expect delivery of 10 new-build Chinooks during the course of 2012 and 2013.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Royal Air Force will be equipped with Chinook and Puma helicopters for urban and tasking special forces. [HL777]

Royal Air Force support helicopters are used in a variety of different roles and environments. We will continue to provide this support into the future using appropriate equipment, making any changes in line with the needs of the operation. It is a long-standing policy of the Ministry of Defence not to comment on UK special forces issues.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Royal Navy will be equipped with an all-Merlin helicopter force to allow it to return to a littoral role. [HL778]

I refer the noble Lord to the Statement made on 15 December 2009 (Official Report, cols. WS 221-WS 222) by the Secretary of State for Defence, the right honourable Bob Ainsworth, announcing a new future rotary wing strategy which will see the Ministry of Defence deliver increased levels of helicopter capability. In addition to the procurement of at least 22 Chinook helicopters, the new strategy will see the retirement of the whole Sea King fleet by early 2016, and the modification of the Merlin Mk3/3a fleet to allow it to contribute to helicopter lift operations on both battlefield and ship-borne littoral operations, in the way that Sea King Mk4 does today. The new strategy assumes post-2016 that all maritime helicopter requirements will be met from the Merlin and Wildcat fleets.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Army will be equipped with suitable helicopters for its conflict operations. [HL779]

The Army is currently equipped with suitable helicopters for its conflict operations. These include Apache, for delivery of the find and attack function, and Lynx Mk7 and Mk9, which operate primarily in a battlefield reconnaissance role. We are upgrading Lynx Mk9 with powerful new engines to allow them to operate in Afghanistan all-year round.

Beyond this, in addition to the helicopter capabilities provided by the Army Air Corps, the Army is supported by RAF Chinook, Merlin and the Navy's Sea King Mk4 helicopters which deliver vital lift capacity in the battlefield domain. Over the next 10 years, the Ministry of Defence intends to invest some £6 billion in its helicopter capability, including procurement of the new Lynx Wildcat, which we confirmed in December last year.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have regarding the services provided by JobcentrePlus to jobseekers with autism. [HL594]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they propose to enable more jobseekers with autism to obtain sustainable full-time and part-time work. [HL596]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional support they will make available to employers to enable them to employ more jobseekers with autism. [HL597]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a national strategy for jobseekers with autism. [HL598]

The Department for Work and Pensions is represented on the Department of Health-led steering group, which works with the National Autistic Society and other organisations following the recent consultation A better future: a consultation on a future strategy for adults with autistic spectrum conditions and the publication on 15 October 2009 of the Public Accounts Committee report Supporting people with autism through adulthood. A formal response to the consultation is expected to be published early next year.

To ask Her Majesty's Government who Disability Employment Advisers can approach in JobcentrePlus for additional support when working with clients with autism. [HL731]

Disability employment advisers can seek help, where appropriate, from a network of work psychologists who offer a range of local services aimed at helping disabled customers progress into work.

Disability employment advisers can approach their access to work colleagues for advice on the support available to an autistic person. Where access to work support is required, the disability employment adviser will work with the customer and access to work adviser to ensure appropriate support is in place for the commencement of paid employment.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a list of all events involving United Kingdom-registered commercial aircraft with a take-off weight greater than 5,700kg recorded on the Civil Aviation Mandatory Occurrence Report database from 1 January 2000. [HL885]

The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to follow the governments of the United States and certain European Union member states in ensuring effective cuts in salaries and bonuses for senior directors and executives of banks in receipt of public money. [HL262]

The banks in which the Government are a shareholder are managed on an arm's-length commercial basis by UK Financial Investments (UKFI), which is wholly owned by the Government.

UKFI is working with the banks as a shareholder to ensure they offer incentives based on the Government's remuneration principles and to protect the interest of the taxpayer. In return for taxpayer support provided, both banks have agreed: not to pay discretionary cash bonuses in relation to 2009 performance to any staff earning above £39,000; and executive board members will defer bonus payments due for 2009 until 2012, to ensure that their remuneration is better aligned with the long-term performance of their banks. “UKFI has worked with these banks to implement among the most far reaching reforms of any large bank in the world”.

As regards remuneration practices in the wider banking sector, the Government and FSA are implementing the FSB Standards agreed by G20 members at the Pittsburgh summit. These include benchmark requirements for the structure of remuneration and will ensure there is a consistent international approach. In addition, the Government have announced that where bank (and building society) employees are awarded discretionary bonuses, in whatever form, above £25,000 in the period from the Pre-Budget Report to 5 April 2010, the banks paying these bonuses will pay an additional bank payroll tax of 50 per cent on the excess bonus over £25,000.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with directors and executives of banks about the level of bonuses they set. [HL917]

Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Lloyds Banking Group have explained to them why, after seeking to reduce by half payments made under covenant to the Lloyds TSB Foundations, they rejected the counter proposal from Lloyds TSB Foundation Scotland which would ensure that funds continue to be distributed to charities in Scotland. [HL88]

The concerns of Foundation for Scotland have been raised with Lloyds Banking Group and we have asked that they are addressed expeditiously. The ongoing discussions are a matter for the foundation and Lloyds Banking Group.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will answer HL88, tabled on 19 November by Lord Wilson of Tillyorn relating to the Lloyds TSB Foundation Scotland; and what is the reason for the delay in answering. [HL656]

I have today replied to the noble Lord's Question. I apologise for the delay and resolve in the new year to answer all Parliamentary Questions promptly and fully.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they will discuss with representatives of banks about the conduct of private equity companies in take-over activities. [HL918]

Mergers and acquisition activity is generally a commercial matter for the boards and shareholders of the companies involved. The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers is the independent body that administers the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers and supervises and regulates takeovers. Its central objective is to ensure fair treatment for all shareholders in takeover bids.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will exercise their rights as majority shareholders to remove the board members of Royal Bank of Scotland and replace them with new nominees. [HL919]

The Government’s shareholdings in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) are managed on a commercial and arm's-length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI). UKFI’s objective is to protect and create value for the taxpayer as shareholder, with due regard to the maintenance of financial stability, and to act in a way that promotes competition.

Under UK company law, the responsibility of boards is to act in the interests of all shareholders, and UKFI will robustly hold the boards of its investee companies to account in this regard.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish results and policy proposals derived from the Child Support Agency's three-year Operational Improvement Plan, completed in March. [HL637]

The outcomes of the Operational Improvement Plan (OIP) which ran from April 2006 to March 2009 can be found in the Child Support Agency (CSA) quarterly statistics.

The OIP was developed to improve agency performance in the short to medium term while Sir David Henshaw carried out his review of the child maintenance system. Sir David's review was completed in June 2006 and led to the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008.

The Child Support Agency (CSA) report on handover to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (the commission), published in December 2008, noted that the Operational Improvement Plan was acknowledged to have driven up performance and made the CSA a more businesslike organisation. The commission continues to act upon the findings of the handover report.

There are no plans to issue any further documentation relating to the OIP.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received about use of illegal child labour, payment of wages less than the minimum, and unsafe working conditions in the Jordan Valley region of the West Bank; and whether they will discuss those matters with the International Labour Organization. [HL614]

We are concerned by non-governmental organisation and media reports that there are Palestinian workers in Israel and in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Jordan Valley who are paid below the Israeli minimum wage, who do not enjoy the same legal protection as Israeli co-workers and who work in unsafe conditions. Our Consulate General in Jerusalem is currently following up on these reports.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the Government of China about Mr Gao Zhisheng following his arrest and alleged torture in 2004–05. [HL758]

We remain concerned at the case of Gao Zhisheng. We have consistently raised this case with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We raised it at our 2008 UK/China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing as part of an individual case list. In this we asked for details of the charges brought against him. The Chinese responded that “he had been sentenced to three years' imprisonment with probation of five years and one year's deprivation of political rights for instigating subversion”.

After co-ordination among EU member states, the EU Presidency raised the case with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 28 January 2009. We also worked with our European partners to ensure that his case was raised at the last EU/China Human Rights Dialogue on 19 November 2009.

We will continue to monitor his case and raise it at every appropriate opportunity.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will continue to press for access by the International Committee of the Red Cross to all places of detention in China; and whether they will raise the matter bilaterally and multi-laterally, including at sessions of the European Union–China Human Rights Dialogue. [HL755]

We remain concerned about detention facilities in China and continue to encourage increased transparency in Chinese detention facilities. We do this through our UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, the EU/China Human Rights Dialogue, and through project work.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to hold discussions with representatives of the United Kingdom beef and lamb production sectors to reduce their carbon dioxide emission targets for 2020. [HL782]

Defra Ministers and officials meet regularly with representatives of the England livestock sector including the NFU and EBLEX, the English Beef and Lamb Executive. NFU and EBLEX are working with other livestock organisations and agricultural sectors in England on a greenhouse gas action plan to meet agriculture's low carbon transition plan target for GHG reductions by 2020. EBLEX also recently published part one of its environmental roadmap: Change in the Air- The English Beef and Sheep Production Roadmap.

The devolved Administrations are responsible for emissions from agriculture in their respective parts of the UK.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will increase aid to Latin American countries to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation. [HL494]

Latin America has a vital role to play in reducing emissions from deforestation. The UK presently provides support for reduced deforestation through the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) and the Forest Investment Programme (FIP). Some of the finance administered by these bodies will go to Latin American countries. Levels of finance for reduced deforestation are under negotiation at the climate talks in Copenhagen and we expect these to rise substantially in the years ahead. The UK will meet its share of this.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what part the controlling of population size plays in the development of their policy on climate change. [HL617]

Climate change, population growth, energy demands and the fundamental determinants of health such as food and water are all interconnected. Population growth will increase demand for basic services such as food, water and energy. Climate change will make it more difficult to meet these demands, particularly in developing countries. That is why we need to take necessary action to limit climate change by reducing emissions, and help developing countries to adapt to climate change that cannot be avoided.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether United Kingdom intelligence and counter-terrorism officials were consulted on the security and public order implications of the publication of the book The Cartoons that Shook the World by Jytte Klausen. [HL717]

Security and intelligence officials routinely monitor the security implications of a wide range of matters. The police have the powers needed to deal with public order issues.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 2 December (WA 41), what are the public service agreement indicator sets for the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism [HL791]

Further to the Written Answer of 2 December, we can confirm that the public service agreement indicator set for OSCT is classified. Both the PSA indicator set and the data of performance against the PSA contain information about the UK counterterrorism effort that could be potentially useful to those who threaten the UK and its interests. Non-classified material about PSA 26 can be found in the UK's updated counterterrorism strategy, CONTEST.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what definition is used of “within reasonable travelling distance” with regard to the rural impact assessment of the closure of the 21 magistrates' courts on which they are consulting. [HL866]

HMCS is currently consulting on the proposed closure of 20 magistrates' courts. For each one of these courts a draft impact assessment has been carried out and respondents to the consultation are invited to comment on the potential impacts of closure. The decisions on whether to propose closure were taken on a case-by-case basis. Consideration was given to the proximity of other courts, the size and type of workload generated from the local area, and local transport links. Therefore, HMCS has avoided a generic approach but in all 20 cases, the alternative court is within 30 miles of the court proposed for closure. However, this is not to say that 30 miles would always be the appropriate level for “reasonable travelling distance”. In all cases it is possible to travel from the location of the old court to the new court on public transport or, in one case, on a combination of public transport and a local authority-run link service. It should be noted that all these courts were significantly underutilised and, at many of these courts, a representative group, which includes members of the local judiciary, had already decided to stop listing cases.

To ask Her Majesty's Government why they concluded in the rural impact assessment on magistrates' courts closures that extra costs for the public will not always be incurred, as suggested by the statement that “there may be travelling expenses for those attending courts”; and in what circumstances travelling expenses would not be incurred. [HL867]

The impact assessment is concerned with any additional travelling expenses which a court user may incur if his case were transferred to a new court. However, such additional expenses may not always be incurred. For instance, many citizens are entitled to free travel on public transport, or court users who already had to travel to the old court may have a journey of similar length and expense to the new court. For each court, HMCS has conducted a draft impact assessment and comments on these assessments have been invited from respondents to the consultations. Only once all responses have been analysed will the impact assessment be finalised.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what number and proportion of criminal cases were heard in (a) the Crown Court, and (b) magistrates' courts, in Northern Ireland in the past three years. [HL698]

The Northern Ireland Court Service collects information about criminal cases in Northern Ireland. In the Crown Court, information is collected by case and defendant, In the magistrates' courts and youth court information is collected by defendant. There may be more than one defendant in a case.

The following table details figures for the last three years for which validated judicial statistics are available. The table shows the number of defendants dealt with in the Crown Court, adult defendants in the magistrates' courts and youth defendants dealt with in the youth court as well as the proportion of criminal defendants dealt with by each court tier.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will seek to recover the £12,500 offered to Simon Granhof by the UK Border Agency for his two weeks' detention prior to removal from Northern Ireland to Denmark after his prison term ended, in order to meet the costs of any criminal injuries compensation paid to his victim and prison and court costs. [HL697]

In July 2009 the Government announced plans to bring in new powers to enable the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) to pursue offenders to recover funds in certain circumstances. Regulations to implement the compensation recovery powers under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 will be prepared. The powers under the 2004 Act extend to all convicted offenders (not only prisoners) and would enable recovery of compensation from convicted offenders where their victim has received compensation from the criminal injuries compensation scheme.

The UK Border Agency has reached an out of court settlement with Mr Granhof. It would be inappropriate to comment further.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many convictions there have been in each of the past three years of persons making false accusations; how many were false accusations of rape or sexual assault; and how many of those convicted were sentenced to imprisonment. [HL650]

Persons making a false accusation that a criminal offence has been committed may be proceeded against and found guilty of offences including perverting the course of justice, wasting police time and perjury.

Statistical information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the court proceedings database for England and Wales does not identify the circumstances of the offence. Therefore it is not possible separately to identify those cases resulting in court proceedings that have arisen solely from persons making false accusations.

Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals have entries on the Elmer database of suspects under the suspicious activity reports regime administered by the Serious Organised Crime Agency; and, of those, how many are the result of reports made anonymously or by unknown sources. [HL772]

The Serious Organised Crime Agency's database, known as Elmer, on which suspicious activity reports (SAR) are recorded, does not have the capability to provide information on the number of names held. Each SAR may contain multiple names, and any one name may appear on multiple SARs.

Out of 228,834 SARs received in the period from October 2008 to September 2009, 68 were recorded as coming from an anonymous reporter and 115 from an unknown reporter.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the announcement by the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on 14 December concerning Criminal Records Bureau checks, whether they plan to require families intending to educate their children at home to be subject to such checks. [HL814]

There is absolutely no question of local authorities CRB-checking home educating parents, nor of ISA registration being required in future.

Vetting and barring arrangements that are appropriate for people working with children do not apply to family members.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, bilaterally or through the European Union, to the Government of the Czech Republic about any discrimination against their Roma citizens. [HL877]

There have been no recent specific representations. However, the Government are committed to protecting human rights of persons belonging to minority groups. This includes Roma people. We condemn all instances of persecution and discrimination against individuals and groups wherever they occur. The British Embassy in Prague, in line with all Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s overseas missions, has a responsibility to monitor and raise human rights in the host country.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Tanzania about arms trafficking into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [HL558]

These allegations were discussed in a recent bilateral between the Foreign Secretary and the Tanzanian Foreign Minister at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. The Government of Tanzania have released a public statement denying any allegations of Tanzanian Government involvement. The Tanzanian police have announced that they will be conducting an investigation into the allegations in the report.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to strengthen the due diligence process for United Kingdom companies operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [HL600]

The Government encourage UK-registered companies to follow the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The Government also promote the OECD Risk Awareness Tool for Multinational Enterprises in Weak Governance Zones which assists companies in applying a due diligence process in countries where Governments are unwilling or unable to assume their responsibilities.

Government officials overseas also play a significant role in encouraging UK companies towards a due diligence approach (particularly in weak governance/conflict zones). Government's Business and Human Rights Toolkit, which explains how business operations may affect human rights, actions staff can take overseas to promote human rights, and guidance on complaints against UK companies using the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's National Contact Point can be accessed on the Foreign and Commonwealth website at http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/global-issues/human-rights/

The Government are an active member of the EU Task Force on the issue of Natural Resource Exploitation and Conflict, in which we have helped bring the private sector and non-governmental organisations together to address questions of due diligence in the mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The UK has worked with UN Security Council partners on the renewal and expansion of the sanctions regime in the DRC (Resolution 1896 (2009) was adopted by the Security Council on 30 November 2009). This new resolution mandates the Group of Experts to come up with recommendations to the Committee for guidelines on the exercise of due diligence to prevent indirect support to armed groups through the exploitation and trafficking of natural resources in the DRC.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made about United Kingdom companies and individuals named in the report of the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [HL601]

The Group of Experts has made recommendations for sanctioning individuals and entities. As I am sure you understand, we do not advise on whom the UK has recommended, or will be recommending, for sanctions. This is purely for practical purposes as to do so would give the individuals/companies concerned the opportunity to avoid the effects of any future asset freezes.

I can however assure you that the UK takes its obligations under the Democratic Republic of Congo sanctions regime very seriously and will not hesitate to support sanctions against any person or company against whom there is sufficient evidence. That could of course include UK-based companies or individuals.

To ask Her Majesty's Government why the East Midlands Development Agency has a minimum project size of £25,000 for funding assistance to livestock farmers; and whether all regional development agencies have the same limit. [HL754]

The East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) does not have a minimum project size for funding assistance to livestock farmers.

The minimum project size for funding assistance to livestock farmers across eight regional development agencies (RDAs) varies from no minimum project size (four RDAs) to a minimum project size of £6,250.

This is not applicable to the London Development Agency given that London is an urban region.

Note: If a project is a water recycling project on a livestock farm and the applicant is in a catchment sensitive farming area, there is a minimum project size of £10,000 due to demarcation requirements against the Catchment Sensitive Farming Scheme.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many teachers have been (a) investigated, (b) disciplined, and (c) removed from post, because of links to (1) extremist, and (2) proscribed, groups in each year since 1997. [HL638]

Membership of a proscribed organisation is a criminal offence. The department does not hold information relating to criminal investigations which are a matter for the police.

Membership of an organisation which is not proscribed would not, in and of itself, be grounds for disciplinary action against a teacher or for barring an individual from teaching or working with children.

The General Teaching Council for England can take disciplinary measures against a registered teacher found to be in breach of the GTCE Statement of Principles and Code of Conduct and Practice. The sanctions available to the GTC include removing unsuitable teachers from the register, with the effect that the person cannot teach in a maintained school.

In the past year there has been one referral of a teacher to the GTC where the individual was accused of accessing material of a racist nature on a school laptop. The GTC reached a decision on three further cases in 2008 where the referrals were associated with racism.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are taken to prevent (a) extremists, and (b) members of proscribed groups, from (1) becoming teachers, and (2) working with young people. [HL639]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what vetting procedures are in place to prevent (a) extremists, and (b) members of proscribed groups, from (1) becoming teachers and (2) working with young people. [HL640]

For maintained schools, the responsibility for considering the professional suitability of registered teachers, whether potential new recruits or existing members of the teaching profession, lies with the individual school governing bodies and with local authorities. The department has provided detailed guidance on the necessary checks which should be carried out before engaging a teacher. These checks involve checking the individual's identity, their academic qualifications and previous employment history, taking up professional and character references, and applying to the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) for mandatory checks on the individual's criminal background and whether they are included on the lists that are maintained by the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

For independent schools, the proprietor is responsible for carrying out the checks on their staff. Proprietors themselves must have a criminal background check as part of assessing their suitability and the Secretary of State has powers under the Education Act 2002 to prohibit unsuitable individuals from taking part in the management of an independent school.

Similar requirements for criminal background checks currently apply in children's social care and in registered childcare settings. In voluntary settings where individuals work with children and young people but which are not regulated by the Government, such as the churches or the Scouts for example, organisers are eligible to conduct CRB checks and we advise them to do so.

Individuals wishing to become teachers or to work with children in regulated activity must be registered with the Vetting and Barring Scheme when the registration requirements under the new scheme are phased in from next year. Where relevant safeguarding information is found by the CRB or Access Northern Ireland during the vetting process, this information will be passed to the Independent Safeguarding Authority. The ISA will consider this and other information that it may hold or gather on a person to determine if the person poses a future risk of harm to children. An ISA children's list bar would prevent an individual from working with children in any instance of regulated activity with children.

The Secretary of State has appointed Maurice Smith, former HM Chief Inspector of Schools, to consider the issue of racism in schools. The review is looking at the measures currently in place to prevent political impartiality, racially motivated discrimination and the promotion of partisan activities in our schools, and whether these need strengthening. Although Mr Smith has been asked to focus on the maintained sector the review is also taking evidence from the independent sector. He is due to report at the end of January 2010 and we will consider the findings carefully before deciding whether any further measures are required to strengthen those already in place.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) students, and (b) teaching staff, at (1) universities, (2) colleges, and (3) sixth form colleges, have been referred to the Channel Project since its inception. [HL641]

Nationally, the Channel Project has received 228 referrals between April 2007 and December 2008. Channel works with a wide range of partners to support individuals identified as vulnerable to violent extremism. Any further level of detail is an operational matter at a local level. We would not release such information in order to protect partners locally.

The known age range of those referred to Channel as potentially vulnerable to violent extremism and in need of multi-agency support was 7-50 years;

the majority of referrals were aged between 15-24 years;

of those referred to Channel as potentially vulnerable to violent extremism and in need of multi-agency support, 93 per cent were male.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many students have been (a) charged with, and (b) convicted of, offences under terrorism legislation in each year since 1997. [HL687]

The Home Office does not hold statistics which are recorded in this way. However, the Home Office does collate statistics on the number of terrorism arrests and outcomes and these are included in a bulletin published for the first time on 13 May 2009 (Statistics on Terrorism Arrests and Outcomes Great Britain 11 September 2001 to 31 March 2008). The first edition of the bulletin is available at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/hosb0409.pdf.

The second issue of the bulletin was published on 26 November 2009 and is available via the link below at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/hosb809.pdf.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 10 December (HL433), why they consider that individual children might be identified as a result of data released combined with other data publicly available. [HL759]

The department's policy is to employ statistical disclosure controls to ensure that statistics including those collected for research purposes do not reveal the identity of an individual, or any private information relating to them, taking into account other relevant sources of information. These statistical disclosure controls protect against both specific known risks and more general risks including unknown risks.

The figures provided by Birmingham on the number of electively home educated children who were subject of a child protection plan are small and we are not releasing them for these reasons.

The department keeps its statistical disclosure controls under review to ensure that arrangements for confidentiality protection are sufficient to protect the privacy of individual information, but not so restrictive as to limit unduly the practical utility of the statistics.

We provided a frequency distribution histogram to assist users in understanding the range of data provided by different local authorities that can be found at http:www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ete/independentreviewofhomeeducation/irhomeeducation/.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 10 December (HL433), why they consider that the release of the questionnaire could make local authorities reluctant to cooperate with departmental surveys in the future, given that many authorities have already released this information. [HL760]

Local authorities responding to requests for information from central government, or contributing to reviews such as that conducted by Graham Badman, must be able to freely and frankly express their views, and provide examples and evidence, about what is working and what needs to change. Local authorities provided information in the expectation that it would remain confidential and any breach of confidence could make local authorities reluctant to participate in similar data gathering exercises in future.

There are two specific concerns in addition to the general concern that there must be space for officials to express their views freely and frankly. The first concern is that some of the information provided by local authorities related to small numbers, or individual, children and there is a risk that these individuals could be identified if the data we held were combined with other information, including newspaper reports, or could in the future be combined with other information released under the Freedom of Information Act. Secondly, where the home educators are unwilling to co-operate with local authorities, some local authority officials have difficult relationships with some home educators in their area and then releasing this information could make their relationship worst.

They have observed the campaign of vilification and harassment against Graham Badman and are concerned that they too could be targeted by home educators locally if their responses were released.

We and individual local authorities keep the release of data under review, bearing in mind the nature and intensity of harassment and the risks this indicates. Some local authorities have decided that the risks to individual children and their employees are sufficiently low to release the questionnaire responses. These assessments can only be made at local level and bearing in mind the circumstances prevailing at a particular point in time.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 10 December (HL433), why the release of the reply to a questionnaire might lead to harassment if the existence of that reply has not; and on what evidence that statement was based. [HL761]

We cannot say with absolute certainty that releasing Birmingham City Council's responses to the questionnaires would lead to harassment and vilification of specific individuals in the authority. This does, however, appear to the department to be a likely outcome. The internet campaign of vilification and harassment against Graham Badman and individual home educators who have declared they support aspects of the review has worried local authority officers. Some have suffered personal harassment through the internet, some have found individual home educators have ceased to co-operate with the local authority and others have come under severe pressure from repeated Freedom of Information Act requests which seem intended more to disrupt their day-to-day work than genuinely to be seeking relevant information.

We and individual local authorities keep the release of data under review, bearing in mind the nature and intensity of harassment and the risks this indicates. Some local authorities have decided that the risks to individual children and their employees are sufficiently low to release the questionnaire responses. These assessments can only be made at local level and bearing in mind the circumstances prevailing at a particular point in time.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 9 November (WA 111) and the ensuing letter from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Chief Executive on 9 November, how many human eggs were expected to be used under research licence R0122 in the initial licence application and subsequent renewals or extensions of that licence; how many human embryos were expected to be used under that licence; and how the expected numbers compared to the actual usage of human eggs and embryos respectively under that licence. [HL858]

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the Newcastle Fertility Centre at LIFE applied for research licence R0122 in March 2000. The centre indicated, in its initial application, that the project would use 400 embryos and 0 eggs per year. A two-year licence was granted, covering the period 21 June 2000 until 30 June 2002.

The centre applied to renew this licence in February 2002. In its renewal application, the centre indicated that the project would use 300 embryos and 0 eggs per year. A three-year licence was granted, from 1 April 2003 until 30 March 2006. The centre also reported, as part of its renewal application, that between 16 October 2000 and 29 January 2002 it had used 275 embryos and 0 eggs in the project.

A progress report submitted during the course of the renewed licence stated that 227 embryos and 0 eggs were used in the project during the period 6 May 2003 until 16 March 2004.

The HFEA is not statutorily obliged to hold data on the number of embryos and eggs used in licensed research projects and these data are not recorded on the authority’s register. However, research centres submit snapshots of data, regarding the number of embryos and eggs used in research projects, to the HFEA in licence applications and progress reports. This allows the HFEA to ensure that the proposed use still fulfils the criteria of the research licence.

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 9 November (WA 111), what were the numbers of fresh and failed-to-fertilise eggs expected to be used under research licence R0152 in the corresponding time periods, as described in the initial licence application and subsequent renewals or extensions of the licence. [HL859]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the dates in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) inspection report for licence R0152 that quoted “a lack of suitable oocytes for use in the study”; how many human oocytes had been used in total according to that report; whether they will place a full copy of that report in the Library of the House; and whether oocytes that a researcher might subsequently deem to be unsuitable would be erased from the HFEA's records of total oocyte usage. [HL860]

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the Newcastle Fertility Centre at LIFE applied for a research licence R0152 to study the derivation of human embryonic stem cells using nuclear transfer and parthenogenetically activated oocytes (eggs) in 2004. The centre indicated, in its initial application, that the project would use 100 fresh oocytes and 900 failed-to-fertilise oocytes per year. A one-year licence was granted for the period 18 August 2004 until 31 July 2005.

The centre applied to renew this licence in April 2005. The centre indicated, in its renewal application, that the project would use 100 fresh oocytes and 900 failed-to-fertilise oocytes per year. A three-year licence was granted for the period 1 August 2005 until 31 July 2008.

The centre applied to renew this licence a second time in April 2008. The centre indicated, in its renewal application, that the project would use 400 fresh oocytes and 200 failed-to-fertilise oocytes per year. A three-year licence was granted for the period 1 August 2008 until 31 July 2011.

The HFEA has also advised that the report that quoted “a lack of suitable oocytes for use in the study” was the report of the inspection of the centre carried out in June 2005. This report covered the work carried out since the licence was granted in August 2004. This report stated that 26 fresh oocytes and 10 failed-to-fertilise oocytes had been used in the research project.

Centres are now asked to provide information on the number of failed-to-fertilise oocytes and embryos donated for use in a licensed project and the number actually used in the licensed project.

The HFEA does not plan to place a full copy of the report in the Library. The latest inspection reports for every licensed research project are available on the authority’s website (www.hfea.gov.uk).

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Liam Byrne, on 11 November (HC Deb, col 591W), how many net additional jobs have been created, as opposed to supported, by their stimulus measures. [HL241]

The fiscal stimulus taken forward by the Government in the 2008 Pre-Budget Report and Budget 2009, along with the Bank of England cutting interest rates and embarking on quantitative easing, has supported the economy and meant that employment is now substantially higher than it would otherwise have been.

Unemployment has also increased by a significantly smaller rate compared to output than during the 1990s.

The Government have directly taken steps to provide 170,000 jobs through the Future Jobs Fund. Jobs will last for six months, and will target young people and those in areas hardest hit by the downturn.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will allocate a proportion of the tax revenues from oil, gas and coal to a fund to develop efficient technologies for renewable energy. [HL575]

Tax revenues from oil, gas and coal are pooled in the Consolidated Fund so that the public spending they finance can be prioritised across all government activities in the most efficient way.

During the current spending period (2008-11) government policies are helping to drive over £6 billion of investment in renewable technologies. Additionally, at Budget 2009, the Chancellor announced a package of measures to remove tax barriers to projects that re-use North Sea oil and gas infrastructure for other activities, such as carbon capture and storage.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will introduce legislation necessary to secure equality between spouses to enable them to sign and ratify Protocol No 7 to the European Convention on Human Rights by (a) abolishing the common law duty of a husband to maintain his wife, (b) abolishing the presumption of advancement in respect of gifts between husbands and wives, engaged couples and fathers and their children, and (c) amending section 1 of the Married Women's Property Act 1964 in respect of money or property derived from housekeeping allowance so that it applies equally to husband and wife, and to equalise the position of civil partners in respect of housekeeping allowances by amending the Civil Partnership Act 2004. [HL804]

The Government are committed to signing and ratifying protocol 7 to the European Convention on Human Rights as soon as the necessary legislative changes have been made.

In order to fulfil Article 5 of the protocol, which demands equality between spouses, it is necessary to abolish the common law duty of a man to maintain his wife, abolish the presumption of advancement in respect of gifts between husbands and wives, engaged couples and fathers and their children, and to extend this provision to Northern Ireland, and amend Section 1 of the Married Women's Property Act 1964 to provide that money or property derived from a housekeeping allowance will belong to both spouses in equal shares (in the absence of an agreement to the contrary).

It would also be desirable simultaneously to amend the Civil Partnership Act 2004 to equalise the position of civil partners in respect of money or property derived from housekeeping allowances, although we do not think it is strictly necessary in order to fulfil the requirements of article 5 of the protocol.

We will continue actively to seek a suitable legislative vehicle for these changes.

To ask Her Majesty's Government for each department, in January to June 2009 (a) on how many occasions the scrutiny reserve resolution in the House of Lords was overridden, (b) on how many occasions the scrutiny reserve resolution in the House of Commons was overridden, and (c) in respect of how many documents an override occurred in both Houses or either House. [HL721]

The latest report shows there were a total of 14 instruments which Ministers supported in the Council before one or both of our Parliamentary EU Committees had completed their scrutiny. Of these 14, all were overrides while still under scrutiny in the Lords, but in the Commons six of them had cleared the scrutiny process so only eight instruments are recorded as overridden for the Commons.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have been (a) deported from the United Kingdom for “fomenting extremism”, and (b) barred from coming to the United Kingdom on that ground, in each year since 2005. [HL690]

I have taken the term “fomenting extremism” as equating to unacceptable behaviour under the policy announced by my right honourable friend the then Home Secretary on 24 August 2005. The powers to exclude or deport an individual on the grounds of their unacceptable behaviour are directed at foreign nationals who foment hatred or violence in support of their extremist beliefs. I can confirm that during the period in question, 106 individuals were excluded and one individual was deported on these grounds and a yearly breakdown is provided below.

These figures do not constitute part of National Statistics as they are based on internal management information. The information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols, should be treated as provisional and are subject to change.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have estimated the percentage of derivative traders in London who deal in (a) the hedging of risks generated by non-financial transactions, (b) the hedging of risks generated by financial transactions, and (c) speculation. [HL714]

In the UK, the overall aim in regulating derivative markets is to ensure a high degree of investor protection, that markets are fair and orderly, and that market abuse is prevented as far as possible and, where it occurs, is detected and dealt with appropriately. This is consistent for all users of the market.

In order to discharge the responsibility to deter and detect market abuse, the FSA and UK derivative exchanges focus on all large positions in commodity derivative markets, irrespective of whether they are held by financial or commercial participants, on an ongoing and real-time basis. Neither the FSA nor UK exchanges currently collect or make available aggregated position information by participant type.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the current value of the financial derivatives market in London on the basis of (a) notional principal, and (b) the amount at risk in the event of a major financial crisis. [HL715]

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) provides an estimate for the size of the London and global derivatives markets. As at 2007, BIS estimates that London had 43 per cent of the global OTC derivatives market (compared to New York at 24 per cent) based on an overall size of c. $415 trillion. Whilst this is a high notional figure, it simply represents the value of the assets on which the contracts are based. The risk exposure, represented by actual cash flows, is considerably smaller.

Compression of trades has addressed much of this risk. The UK supports ongoing international efforts to further strengthen market infrastructures such as the establishment of trade repositories and encouraging greater use of central counterparties. These measures will help to monitor and measure systemic risk.

On 16 December, Government will publish a package of policy proposals, designed to mitigate the impact of a future investment bank failure. The document, entitled Establishing resolution arrangements for investment banks, sets out more than 30 proposals to ensure an investment firm can be wound down effectively, with limited impacts on clients and counterparties of the failed firm, and on financial markets. These proposals form part of Government's broader agenda of work to reduce the likelihood, and impact, of failure in systemic financial firms.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the net earnings of the London financial community from trading in financial derivatives; where the corresponding loss from London's earnings on derivatives is borne; and what are the tax revenues from those earnings. [HL716]

HMRC's systems do not allow tax receipts from derivatives to be identified separately from other sources of profit. Consequently, these systems do not provide a breakdown of the net earnings derived from trading in financial derivatives. However, the usual corporate, income and capital gains taxes that apply to businesses and individuals involved with financial instruments will all apply. As in any business enterprise, in the first instance the losses on derivative instruments are borne by the relevant business entity.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are employed by the Financial Services Authority to investigate the risk management of banks; and, of those, how many have qualifications in risk management. [HL712]

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Financial Services Authority, in assessing the risk factors applying to each bank, (a) examines the trading strategy of each individual trader, (b) examines the mathematical models used by the bank, (c) reviews the mathematical models used, (d) compares the mathematical models used by different banks, and (e) quantifies the systemic risk arising from the use of trading strategies and mathematical models with common characteristics. [HL713]

The issues raised in these questions are operational matters for the Financial Services Authority, whose day-to-day operations are independent from Government. I have asked the FSA to write directly to the noble Lord on these matters.

To ask Her Majesty's Government on what data they based their cost comparisons regarding the Flood and Water Management Bill. [HL751]

The information on the sources of data used in determining costs in the flow bills are provided within the individual impact assessments (IA), available on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/flooding/policy/fwmb/key-docs.htm.

The table below provides a list of the key data sources used in determining the costs for each IA, and the location of the source within the relevant IA.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made into the investigation of alleged war crimes during Operation Cast Lead, as called for by the Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict. [HL817]

We understand from the Israeli authorities that investigations are under way or completed into 140 separate incidents, including all 34 incidents highlighted by the UN Fact Finding Mission on Gaza report. We await the publication of the conclusions of these investigations.

The Palestinian Authority has formed a high-level committee, drawing on expertise from the Independent Commission for Human Rights (a respected regional organisation). This committee will only be investigating allegations made by the UN Fact Finding Mission on Gaza report directed at the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

Media reports indicate that Hamas has also announced its own investigation.

We are clear that any allegations of breaches of international humanitarian law that may have occurred during the Gaza conflict should be addressed through full, credible and independent investigations.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what reports they have received from the Middle East concerning helicopter gunship incursions over Gaza since the end of Operation Cast Lead. [HL820]

We have not received specific reports detailing Israeli helicopter movements over Gaza. However, according to the UN, the Israeli Defence Forces have carried out a range of military operations throughout 2009, including air strikes. The targets were mainly tunnels under the border with Egypt.

The UK recognises Israel's right to defend itself but calls upon the Israeli Government to act with restraint and in accordance with international law.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the value of gilt-edged securities issued by them in each of the past six months; and what was the value of such securities purchased by the Bank of England in each of the past six months. [HL30]

The table below sets out (cash) sales of gilts by the Debt Management Office and (cash, reported on a trade date basis) purchases of gilts by the Bank of England via the Asset Purchase Facility in each of the last six months.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Governments of Uganda, Burundi and the United Arab Emirates about the gold and cassiterite trading network in those countries, in which the Rwandan Liberation Democratic Forces are involved. [HL559]

We have encouraged the Government of Burundi to exert tighter controls over their borders to prevent the illegal trade of natural resources by those companies identified by the Group of Experts’ report.

We have not made any representations to the Governments of Uganda or the United Arab Emirates in the past 18 months on the local gold and cassiterite trading networks.

In the Great Lakes region, the UK has been working with the respective revenue and trade authorities and regional economic entities. Through governance reform programmes and initiatives to support greater regional economic integration, we aim to make trade—including of minerals like gold and cassiterite—more accountable and formalised, in order to reduce smuggling and illegal trade. We believe that this support and dialogue is having a beneficial impact, although we recognise that it will take some time before trade in the region becomes fully regulated.

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much government debt is due for repayment in each of the next 24 months; and what is the date and rate of interest at which each such debt was issued. [HL294]

The tables below show the government marketable securities that are maturing in the next 24 months. The dates that the instrument was issued and the yield at the average accepted price for each operation is also given. Table 1 shows redemptions of gilts in the next 24 months and table 2 shows redemptions of Treasury bills as they currently stand.

The maturity profile for NS&I’s products by month of repayment in each of the next 24 months is not publicly available. A general maturity profile for NS&I’s products is available in NS&I’s Annual Report and Accounts 2008-09, page 101. (www.nsandi.com/about/annualreport-latest.jsp).

Table 1: Redemptions of gilts

Note that the DMO sometimes issues gilts to itself in order to use them as collateral in its cash management operations. These issues and the corresponding government holdings figures have not been included in this table as they do not contribute to redemptions payments.

Table 2: Redemptions of Treasury bills

To ask Her Majesty's Government for each of the last three years for which figures are available, how many people were eligible for performance bonuses and special bonuses in the Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies, by civil service band; how many people received each type of bonus, by civil service band; what the average payment was for each type of bonus, by civil service band; and what the maximum payment was for each type of bonus, by civil service band. [HL1]

There are two pay-related reward schemes operating in the Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies for which all employees are potentially eligible. They comprise end-of-year non-consolidated performance payments and in-year special awards. These are an integral element of the reward package for staff. They help drive high performance in DWP by providing a tangible reward for good performance. The payments must be re-earned each year and, as they are non-consolidated, do not add to future pay bill costs.

End of Year non-consolidated performance payments

DWP employees below the Senior Civil Service are eligible for an annual non-consolidated performance payment if they attain a “Top”, “Higher” or “Majority” rating under the department's annual performance and development system. The actual payment awarded is determined by the employee's pay band and the performance level achieved.

For the Senior Civil Service, end-of-year non-consolidated performance payments are determined by the relevant departmental pay committee in line with the recommendations of the independent Senior Salaries Review Body. The total payments made in respect of each of the last three financial years were as follows:

The following tables show these figures broken down by between staff in the Senior Civil Service and those below.

Total below SCS

Total SCS

Special Awards

Individuals may be awarded a special award either as cash or retail vouchers. These are one-off recognition awards, payable at any time during the performance year, to recognise exceptional achievements beyond what would normally be expected.

Information on special awards paid prior to 2007-08 is not available. The total number of awards made in each of the last two years were as follows (a small number of individuals may have received more than one cash or voucher payment during the year in question).

Cash Payments

Voucher Payments

Any further breakdowns by grade, beyond those given above, could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

To ask Her Majesty's Government for each of the last three years for which figures are available, how many people were eligible for performance bonuses and special bonuses in HM Revenue and Customs and its agencies, by civil service band; how many people received each type of bonus, by civil service band; what the average payment was for each type of bonus, by civil service band; and what the maximum payment was for each type of bonus, by civil service band. [HL3]

HM Revenue and Customs—HMRC—operates two bonus arrangements for delegated grades; a performance bonus tied to the annual performance mark, and a recognition bonus scheme which recognises exceptional in-year performance.

We have provided data for bonuses paid out in 2007-08 and 2008-09. HMRC does not hold the required data for earlier years in an easily accessible format and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Performance Bonuses—In 2007-08 bonus payments were made to top and good performers in respect of performance in 2006-07 on the pay band range maximum, as they had received a lower consolidated pay award. The rate for top performers was 2.6 per cent of their salary as of 31 May 2007. Staff on the maximum of their pay scales who received a good marking received up to 1.27 per cent of their salary as a non-consolidated payment.

In 2008-09 bonuses were only paid to top performers in respect of performance in 2007-08. The rate for top performers was 2.4 per cent of their salary as of 31 May 2008.

Data on 2009-10 bonuses for performance in 2008-09 are not yet available for HMRC. Bonuses are only payable to top performers. The rate for top performers in 2009-10 is 2.6 per cent.

Notes:

(1) Staff are eligible for a performance bonus if they have a performance box mark covering at least 91 days of the preceding year and are still in post at of 1 June when the bonus is due to be paid.

(2) This is the maximum bonus payable to staff on HMRC terms and conditions.

Recognition Bonus' Scheme (RBS)

All staff employed within the year are eligible for recognition under the RBS. Staff may have received more than one bonus payment in a year.