To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent the Ministry of Defence provides an integrated, basic and formal education, including lessons in reading and writing, to recruits to the Afghan Army; and whether the provision of that education is a core element of their plan to create a democratic society in Afghanistan. [HL1050]

Basic training for the Afghan National Army is provided by the NATO Training Mission—Afghanistan, to which the UK contributes trainers. Recruits on the course currently have the opportunity to take part in voluntary literacy classes but there will shortly be a compulsory literacy training week during basic training.

In Helmand, UK forces work to improve the basic literacy and numeracy of members of the Afghan National Security Forces by means of train-the-trainer programmes run by the Adjutant General Corps (Educational and Training Services) and the Ministry of Defence police.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with foreign governments to increase the number of nations providing resources to the coalition forces in Afghanistan. [HL1478]

We continue to press our allies to share more of the burden in Afghanistan. In December 2009 the NATO Secretary General announced that ISAF allies, not including the US, have pledged an additional 7,000 troops.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many months of the delay in the A400M aircraft programme up to 31 December 2009 they attribute to the consortium not ordering engines from Pratt and Whitney. [HL1301]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the cost overrun in the A400M programme up to 31 December 2009 they attribute to the consortium not ordering engines from Pratt and Whitney. [HL1302]

It is not possible to answer these Questions as Pratt and Whitney did not win the competition, so it is not possible to know whether they would have been able to deliver the engines within agreed time and cost envelopes.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the position of the Government of Germany as regards ensuring the A400M aircraft complies to all specifications on capabilities in the original contract; and whether their position conforms with that of the Government of Germany. [HL1321]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice officials are giving to Ministers about the position of the Government of Germany as regards the funding of the A400M aircraft programme. [HL1322]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice officials are giving to Ministers about the position of the Government of Germany as regards the specifications of the A400M aircraft programme. [HL1323]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice officials are giving to Ministers about the position of the Government of Germany as regards the weight of the A400M aircraft. [HL1324]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice officials are giving to ministers about the position of the government of Germany as regards the delays to the A400M aircraft programme. [HL1325]

As the UK and other partner nations are currently involved in negotiations with Airbus Military, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any advice that Ministers may have received as this could be prejudicial to the outcome. However, I can say that the partner nations are working together closely in this matter.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to prevent banks paying the new tax on bonuses instead of the bankers concerned. [HL1256]

The bank payroll tax is not payable by bank employees on their incomes. Banks awarding discretionary bonuses above £25,000 to employees and executives in the period from the Pre-Budget Report to 5 April 2010 will pay an additional bank payroll tax of 50 per cent on the excess bonus over £25,000.

This tax will require banks to consider their capital position when setting the level of bonus payments above the exemption threshold, which is set at the level of median earnings in the UK. If banks choose to make significant bonus awards it is only fair that they contribute more to the fiscal consolidation of the UK economy, in a year when profits have been facilitated by significant taxpayer support for the banking sector as a whole.

This tax is a one-off measure and will apply until 5 April 2010.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what payments were made from 1 April 2008 to 31 December 2009 to General Sir Richard Dannatt as salary, payment towards pension, reimbursement for expenses in connection with his duties as Chief of the General Staff, and any other payments. [HL1313]

The salary scale for military personnel of 4 star level, as at 1 April 2008, was between £154,700.04 and £170,790.96 which was raised to £162,212.04 to £179,084.04 from 1 April 2009. The amounts awarded as salary and payments towards pensions for an individual are considered personal data and are therefore protected from disclosure under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Over the period 1 April 2008 to 31 December 2009 General Sir Richard Dannatt submitted total claims as follows:

Official Hosting reimbursements totalling—£1,019.72;

Official Entertainment reimbursements totalling—£6,588.01; and

Incidental claims totalling—£568.37.

Additionally he was entitled to services that, at 2008-09 rate, cost: Cleaning Services - £10,485

Staff Car—£4,993; and

Qualified driver—£34,662 (indicative annual salary for a dedicated qualified driver).

To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the answer by the Lord President (Lord Mandelson) (Official Report, 21/1/10; col. 1104), what were the figures for each of the last 10 years in support of the statement that “in terms of value and volume over the past 10 years, the manufacturing sector has maintained its strength and presence in the UK economy as a whole”. [HL1492]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the gross value added from manufacturing as a share of total value added for the whole economy in the last ten years. [HL1493]

ONS figures for manufacturing output (gross value added (GVA)) in volume and value terms for 1999 to 2008, the most recent ten years for which complete figures were available on 21 January 2010, are as shown below:

¹ The 1999-2007 figures for manufacturing gross value added at current prices are taken from the ONS's fully balanced UK National Accounts figures. The 2008 figure is an early estimate by ONS, as the fully balanced National Accounts data for 2008 won't be available until July 30 2010.

² These figures are calculated using figures for GVA at current basic prices.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 19 January (WA 224-5), why the information held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority on the use of eggs is limited; from what source Lord Darzi of Denham provided information on the use of eggs in treatment and research in his Written Answers on 19 June 2008 (WA 178-86); and what was the mean number of eggs collected per cycle at the Newcastle Fertility Centre in each year since 2004. [HL1421]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 19 January (WA 224–5), why the use of 681 human eggs was not recorded under research licence R0122 in the manner indicated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority chief executive’s letter dated 9 November 2009. [HL1422]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 5 December 2007 (WA 195-6) and by Baroness Thornton on 19 January 2010 (WA 224-5), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority still holds records of numbers of eggs pertaining to every cycle of in vitro fertilisation treatment carried out in the United Kingdom; and, if not, why that information is no longer maintained. [HL1423]

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) was the source of the information provided by Lord Darzi of Denham to the noble Lord in his Written Answer of 19 June 2008 (WA 178-86). The mean number of eggs collected per cycle (in which egg collection was intended), at the Newcastle Fertility Centre, is shown in the following table.

Source: HFEA

The HFEA has advised that the information held on its register, regarding eggs, is in line with the requirements of Section 31 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended. The HFEA has also advised that, with regard to the use of eggs in research and also its research licence R0122, it has nothing further to add to the information given in my answer of 19 January 2010 (WA 224-5).

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what files the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and its predecessors hold on (a) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, and (b) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Acts 1990 and 2008. [HL1424]

The main interest that the Department for Business Innovation and Skills has in the Human Fertilisation Embryology Authority (HFEA) arises out of the Hampton Report (Reducing Administrative Burdens: Effective Inspection and Enforcement, HM Treasury 2005). There are a series of files relating to the work that the Better Regulation Executive has been conducting with a wide range of national regulators to follow up on the report.

It is conceivable that documents relating to the HFEA and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Acts 1990 and 2008 appear on a number of other files held by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and its predecessor departments, but a search for each and every document could not be conducted without incurring disproportionate cost.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are giving direct or indirect financial assistance to Greece; and, if so, how much. [HL1429]

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave the noble Lord, Lord Stoddart of Swindon, on 27 January (Official Report, col. WA 343).

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Disasters Emergency Committee and related United Kingdom rescue operations in Haiti are not delayed by administrative hurdles. [HL1336]

The UN is responsible for co-ordinating the international response to the earthquake in Haiti, and the British Government are doing whatever they can to support the UN in this role. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development has been in regular contact with Sir John Holmes, the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, to discuss international co-ordination of the relief effort, and has also spoken regularly to Dr Raj Shah, the USAID Administrator to discuss how the relief effort can be facilitated.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development held a meeting with NGOs on 10 January and I also held a subsequent meeting last Tuesday. Both meetings were an opportunity for the government to hear from NGOs what support they most needed. We have for example, already provided funding for and facilitated the arrival of a Merlin assessment team and surgical unit into Port-au-Prince. DfID will continue to work with NGO members of DEC and others to facilitate the delivery of rescue operations in Haiti.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to send military as well as civilian personnel to assist the rescue effort in Port-au-Prince. [HL1337]

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is working closely with the Department for International Development (DfID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in co-ordinating the British Government’s response to the earthquake in Haiti.

A 16-man MoD Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Team arrived in Port-au-Prince on 24 January and a small deployment from the Joint-Stabilisation Unit arrived on 23 January to assist UK teams already working on the ground and to assess what further specialist requirements are needed in Haiti.

The UK will deploy the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, RFA Largs Bay, loaded with aid to help with the relief operation in Haiti at the request of the United Nations. It will sail from the UK carrying relief supplies that will be needed by the people of Haiti in the weeks and months ahead. Largs Bay has a crew of around 60 Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel and a small team from 17 Port and Maritime RLC to operate a Mexefloat craft.

A Royal Military Police protection team will also be arriving in Haiti soon to provide security for the FCO’s consular rapid deployment team.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many emergency services personnel from the United Kingdom have been deployed to Haiti to assist the rescue there. [HL1387]

The UK sent a total of 64 emergency services personnel with heavy rescue equipment, drawn from the national Fire and Rescue Service.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from the Macfarlane Trust regarding the Second Reading debate on 11 December on the Contaminated Blood (Support for Infected and Bereaved Persons) Bill [HL]; and what response they will be sending to the trust. [HL1443]

The department received a letter from the Macfarlane Trust, dated 19 January 2010, regarding the Second Reading debate on 11 December on the Contaminated Blood (Support for Infected and Bereaved Persons) Bill and a response will be sent in due course to the trust.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the contracts governing the independent arbitration of the three tenancy deposit protection schemes will be extended from April. [HL1431]

The Department for Communities and Local Government’s contracts with the three tenancy deposit protection scheme providers for the provision of tenancy deposit protection schemes will run until the end of March 2012. Under the contracts, the individual scheme providers make their own arrangements for the arbitration of disputes.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the recent announcement by Microsoft that Internet Explorer was used to carry out the cyber attacks which prompted Google to say it will withdraw from China, they will review the use of Internet Explorer throughout the public sector. [HL1505]

We take internet security very seriously. The UK Government have worked with Microsoft and other suppliers over many years to understand the security of the products used by HMG, including Internet Explorer. Each department is responsible for managing the risks to its IT systems based on government information security and assurance policy and technical advice from CESG, the National Technical Authority for Information Assurance.

Complex software will always have vulnerabilities and motivated adversaries will always work to discover and take advantage of them. There is no evidence that moving from the latest fully patched versions of Internet Explorer to other browsers will make users more secure. Regular software patching and updating will help defend against the latest threats. A government Internet Explorer user, operating on government systems, such as the GSi (Government Secure Intranet), will benefit from additional security measures, unlikely to be available to the average home computer user. These include tools which actively monitor for evidence of any malicious attacks and provide a layered approach to internet security.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Bach on 10 December 2009 (WA 160), whether there are security concerns arising from Google Earth’s ability to display the entrances and road frontages of properties owned and utilised by Her Majesty’s Armed Forces. [HL1258]

The Ministry of Defence keeps under review the impact of all technical advances in aerial surveillance and the wider public availability of images of UK defence establishments. Individual establishments may request the pixilation of all or part of MoD sites in appropriate cases.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering requesting that the European Union representation in the Middle East quartet be more active in encouraging the resumption of direct talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel; and whether they have recently made representations to the Government of Israel about delays to such talks. [HL1373]

The EU is an active member of the Middle East quartet. The recent quartet statements of 24 September and 26 June 2009—drafted jointly by quartet members (US, EU, UN and Russia)—stressed the need for the prompt resumption of peace negotiations.

The EU Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 8 December 2009 underlined the need for “reinvigorated quartet engagement” on the peace process.

The UK permanent representative on the UN Security Council (UNSC) called publicly for the rapid resumption of peace negotiations at the UNSC open debate on the situation in the Middle East on 27 January 2010.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was decided at the recent meeting in Brussels of the Middle East quartet. [HL1427]

Middle East quartet envoys met in Brussels on 13 January 2010. The meeting was an opportunity to exchange views on latest developments on the ground and how the quartet can best advance the Middle East peace process.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made or intend to make representations to the Government of Malaysia about the attacks on nine Christian churches and one convent between 8 January and 14 January. [HL1381]

On 14 January 2010 our High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur expressed concern about the attacks to the Malaysian Minister of National Unity and Integration. He has also raised the matter with senior officials. Our High Commission will continue to follow developments closely and encourage the Malaysian Government to pursue laws and practices which foster tolerance and mutual respect.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made regarding the increase of the salaries of Members of the European Parliament by £16,000 to £86,000 and the increase in expenses by £22,000, in the light of their proposals for wage restraint for United Kingdom citizens. [HL1081]

The salaries and expenses for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have not increased since the June 2009 European elections. MEPs’ salaries and expenses have remained at: €7,665 salary a month before tax; a per diem allowance of €298 to cover costs of accommodation, meals and local transport while in Brussels or Strasbourg; and a flat-rate allowance of €4,200 a month to cover office running costs and travel expenses reimbursed on the basis of receipts.

In December 2009 the Council refused to grant a proposed 3.7 per cent pay increase for the staff of EU institutions, in view of the current economic and financial situation, replacing it instead with a proposed increase of 1.85 per cent.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to promote the continuation of stable democratic Government in Nigeria; whether in the absence of the President they are encouraging the military in Nigeria to remain outside politics and encouraging the political community to secure the smooth transfer of power to the Vice-President in accordance with the Nigerian constitution; and what is their assessment of the situation in Nigeria. [HL1411]

The UK continues to promote the continuation of stable democratic Government in Nigeria through supporting the expressed commitment of the Government of Nigeria to adhere to its constitution, as well as in the longer term through efforts such as the Department for International Development’s Deepening Democracy in Nigeria programme.

The importance of the constitution is a message that both my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary and my noble friend Lady Kinnock have given to Foreign Minister Maduekwe in recent weeks, and that our High Commission in Abuja reiterates in all its contacts with Nigerian authorities, both civilian and military. We continue to wish President Yar Adua well for a speedy recovery. However it remains important that Nigerian authorities continue to focus on the job of government in the mean time. We are, meanwhile, very concerned about the recent violence and loss of life in Jos. Our High Commission in Abuja has made clear to the Nigerian federal and state authorities the need for those responsible to be held to account.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations to the Government of North Korea about the arrest on 25 December 2009 of the human rights campaigner Mr Robert Park; and what assessment they have made of his whereabouts and health. [HL1334]

Our ambassador in Pyongyang is following this case closely through regular contact with the Swedish embassy there, which is the consular protecting power for US nationals in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Our ambassador has offered our support and assistance in its efforts to gain access to Mr Park and secure his release. The Swedish embassy has formally requested consular access to Mr Park but this has not yet been granted. It has been told by the DPRK authorities that Mr Park is in good health, and is eating and sleeping well, but not been informed of his whereabouts.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, following the recent visit to Pyongyang of the United States envoy, Mr Stephen Bosworth, they have discussed with the Government of the United States whether progress has been made in securing North Korea’s renewed participation in the six-party talks on security and nuclear disarmament. [HL1335]

I welcome the bilateral talks that took place between the US and North Korea in December 2009. Stephen Bosworth’s visit to Pyongyang was a useful first step towards North Korea resuming the six-party talks. There was a common understanding on the need to resume the six-party talks and implementing the 2005 Joint Statement on denuclearising the Korean Peninsula. The next step is to get North Korea to agree a date for a return to the six-party talks.

We have discussed progress with the US Government. Until North Korea returns to the six-party talks and makes verifiable progress on denuclearisation, there is no question of the international community lifting UN sanctions.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the Government of North Korea about (a) conditions in labour training centres, and (b) the use of capital punishment in those centres. [HL1382]

We remain very concerned about the grave human rights situation in North Korea and take every opportunity to raise these concerns with North Korean officials. We expressed our concerns on a number of human rights issues in the UN’s Universal Periodic Review of North Korea in December 2009, including the extremely harsh conditions of detention, political prison camps and the right to life.

As part of an EU initiative, we also co-sponsored the UNGA resolution in November 2009 to raise awareness of the human rights situation in DPRK including the extensive use of forced labour.

Both bilaterally and with the EU, we will continue to ensure human rights issues stay at the top of our agenda.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will propose that the terms of reference of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the near east be widened to include responsibility for all Palestinian refugees. [HL1396]

The Department for International Development (DfID) has no plans to make such a proposal.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much public money is paid to David Cameron to run the office of the Leader of the Opposition; for what purposes such funds can be used; and whether any recent requests have been made to alter the level of funding or the arrangements for using the funds. [HL1314]

Payments from Short money to support the work of the office of the Leader of the Opposition have been available since April 1999. The initial amount approved by Parliament in 1999 was £500,000, and is increased each April by the increase in RPI.

Short money payments are made to political parties, not to individual Members.

The following table shows the payments made in each financial year since the last general election in respect of the office of the Leader of the Opposition.

The purpose of Short money is to provide financial assistance to assist an opposition party in carrying out its parliamentary business. This is defined as research associated with Front Bench duties, developing and communicating alternative policies to those of the Government of the day, and shadowing the Government’s Front Bench. Financial assistance is intended for expenses which have been incurred.

No requests have been made to alter the level of funding or the arrangements for using the funds.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publicise any effects of deep cuts in public spending on the economy. [HL1341]

The Pre-Budget Report published on 9 December 2009 shows a detailed analysis of the UK economy, including projections for economic growth over the forecast horizon. These projections take into account the spending plans set out in the Pre-Budget Report.

An update of the economic forecast will be published in the 2010 Budget Report.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce flashing orange traffic light modes on quiet junctions in the early night hours. [HL1339]

The Department for Transport has no plans to allow the use of flashing orange traffic lights on quiet junctions during early night hours. The flashing amber traffic light signal is reserved for use at pelican crossings in the United Kingdom. Using a flashing amber traffic light at junctions also raises safety concerns, particularly with regard to vulnerable pedestrians who rely on the protection afforded by a red traffic light. The preferred safer method for avoiding unnecessary delays at quieter times is to use responsive traffic light systems, which detect and adapt to traffic conditions.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will help the Governments of north and south Sudan after the elections to begin negotiations on post-referendum arrangements; and, if so, how. [HL1481]

The UK has been funding work by Chatham House with both parties in Sudan to take forward post-2011 issues. We continue to discuss the nature and co-ordination of this support with the parties in Sudan and our international partners. We will also continue to work with Sir Derek Plumbly and the Assessment and Evaluation Commission.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made under Sudan’s comprehensive peace agreement with demarcating the remaining sections of the north-south border; and with formulating projects designed to stabilise cross-border relations in those areas. [HL1482]

There is still much to do on border demarcation, including delineation of the border and the placing of boundary markers. My noble friend Lady Kinnock called on both parties to address these and other outstanding comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) issues as a matter of urgency when she was in Sudan earlier this month.

The UK is funding projects in the three areas both bilaterally and multilaterally. The UK has provided £2.3 million since January 2009 towards community-based projects and initiatives throughout the three areas. These aim to support the implementation of the CPA in by supporting peace-building measures for sensitive seasonal cross-border migrations by nomadic farmers and groups. We are also providing £800,000 in support for the Abyei Administration.

Multilaterally, we provide approximately £2.4 million towards a UN Children’s Fund project for school construction and provided around $10 million in 2008-09 for humanitarian programmes through the Common Humanitarian Fund.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take regarding the capacity of Sudan's National Petroleum Commission to encourage transparency in the audit of oil production figures and involvement by officials from the Government of south Sudan in the work of the Commission. [HL1483]

We are in discussions with international partners regarding Sudan’s oil sector capacity-building programme, with a specific focus on enhancement of transparency and monitoring. We have also had discussions with the Government of Southern Sudan Ministry of Energy and Mining on this subject. During my noble friend Lady Kinnock’s visit to Sudan earlier this month she encouraged both parties to focus on reaching agreement on post-2011 issues including wealth sharing.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how the joint integrated units (JIU) have carried out their peacekeeping tasks in the south of Sudan; and what immediate plans they and other donors have to strengthen the JIU to prevent conflict in Abyei, southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. [HL1484]

The performance of joint integrated units (JIU) across Sudan has been variable. We continue to seek to improve JIU performance by working with UN Mission in Sudan and the Assessment and Evaluation Commission Sudan, to encourage continued JIU deployment and the development of their security capacity in all areas mandated by the comprehensive peace agreement.

The UK continues to provide bilateral funds to support the JIUs in terms of essential life support. The Government of National Unity remain responsible for provision of JIU equipment and pay. The UK, along with international donors has set up a UN trust fund for JIU support.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what buildings and areas were included in the 2008 extensions to the Westminster World Heritage Site. [HL1280]

Margaret Street and Abingdon Street were included in the 2008 modification to the boundary of the Westminster World Heritage Site. This measure created a more cohesive and identifiable boundary for the World Heritage Site, bringing together two key components of the site, Westminster Palace and Westminster Abbey; and fulfilled one of the objectives of the 2007 Westminster World Heritage Site Management Plan.