Written Answers
Tuesday, 6th October 1998.
Parole Decision Making
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any plans to change the way in which early release is considered for determinate sentence prisoners. [HL3347]
The Parole Board presently has delegated authority to take decisions on the grant of parole to determinate sentence prisoners who are serving at least four years and less than seven years and who were sentenced after 1 October 1992. I have today published a consultation document, Improving Parole Decision Making, which proposes that the scope of this delegated authority should be extended to encompass all determinate sentence prisoners serving a sentence of up to, but not including, 15 years. There are no plans to change the current arrangements for considering the release of prisoners serving discretionary or mandatory life sentences. Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Library.
National Coal Mining Museum For England
asked Her Majesty's Government:What future financial arrangements they have for the National Coal Mining Museum for England. [HL3348]
I am pleased to announce that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has agreed to provide annual revenue support, via the National Museum for Science and Industry (NMSI), to enable the National Coal Mining Museum for England (NCMME) to remain open to the public. Revenue support of £770,000 will be made available in 1999–2000. The trustees of the NMSI have agreed to assume ownership of the collections of the NCMME, which will continue to be managed by the trustees of that museum.
Reviews And Task Forces
asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the undated Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 31 July (
WA 270–290), how many reviews or task forces had not been included in the list given in the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 12 February ( WA 232–247) but had been announced to the House prior to that date; which reviews or task forces they were; and which departments were responsible. [HL3300]
Seventeen of the reviews and task forces listed in my Written Answer of 31 July (WA 271–290) were omitted from the Written Answer given to you by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 12 February (WA 232–247). I am sorry for this discrepancy.Details are as follows:
| Review/Task Force | Department |
| Review of Bovine Tuberculosis in Cattle and Badgers | Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |
| Review of Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company | Northern Ireland Office |
| Working Party on Electoral Procedures | Home Office |
| Prisons—Probation Review | Home Office |
| Planning Policy Review on Opencast Coal in Scotland | Scottish Office |
| Review of Arrangements for the Supervision of Sex Offenders in Scotland | Scottish Office |
| Review of Community Education | Scottish Office |
| Review of Fishing Vessel Licensing Arrangements | Scottish Office |
| Review of the List of Nationally Important Sporting Events which must be made available on Free-to-Air Terrestrial TV Channels | Department of Culture, Media and Sport |
| An Independent Review of the Future of the Royal Opera House Companies and the English National Opera | Department of Culture, Media and Sport |
| Review of Trust Ports | Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions |
| Opencast Coal: Review and Planning Policy | Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions |
| Review of Waste Strategy for England and Wales | Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions |
| Financial Management and Policy Review of the UL Ecolabelling Board | Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions |
| Lord Donaldson's Review of Salvage and Intervention and their command and control (Independent review on behalf of DETR and reporting direct to the DPM) | Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions |
| TECH Stars Steering Group | Department of Trade and Industry |
| Official Group on Organophosphates | Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |