asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answers by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 16 March

It is the long established practice of the Government to exchange views with all its international partners on a wide range of issues on the basis of mutual understanding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will be represented at the events in the Republic of Ireland designed to mark the bicentenary in 2001 of the creation of the United Kingdom; and, if so, by whom. [HL1874]

The Ambassador in Dublin plans to attend a British-Irish Association seminar on "The Act of Union: 200 years on" which will take place in Dublin in May 2000. We are not aware of any other relevant events taking place in Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are monitoring the sale and distribution of publicly-owned assets in Zimbabwe before the currently postponed elections take place. [HL1943]

We monitor regularly all significant economic developments in Zimbabwe.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have offered any assistance to the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe; and at which meetings, on which dates and with whom present any possible assistance was discussed. [HL1944]

The Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe has not asked us for any assistance. The Foreign Secretary met the MDC President, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, and the Minister of State had a telephone conversation with him on 14 April.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to ensure that the elections in Zimbabwe, under the ministerial direction of Mr Dubengwa, are held by mid-June. [HL1948]

We have urged the Government of Zimbabwe to create the conditions for the holding of free and fair elections, within the constitutional timescale. We have also agreed with our EU partners that we would be willing to support and monitor the elections. The Commonwealth Secretary-General has made clear that he is prepared to send Commonwealth observers if invited by the Government of Zimbabwe and supported by the parties contesting the election.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in view of the international interest in navigation along the whole length of the Danube, they will seek to mobilise funds for the removal of the debris of the three bridges that were destroyed at Novi Sad; and what they estimate the cost of such work to be. [HL1923]

The UK supports the proposed financing by the European Commission of the Danube Commission's project to clear the Danube at Novi Sad. The European Commission is planning to fund 85 per cent of the estimated total of 24.1 million euro needed to carry out the clearance work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are involved in monitoring the municipal elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if so whether they satisfy standard tests of freedom and fairness. [HL1920]

The United Kingdom has sent 74 polling supervisors, nine field election advisers, two counting supervisors and two international long-term supervisors to participate in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)—administered municipal elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 8 April.Ambassador Barry, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated on 9 April that the Mission was satisfied that overall the elections were "free and fair".

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action has been taken to implement Recommendations 222 and 223 of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice (Cm. 2263, 1993). [HL1629]

In its Final Response in 1996 to the Report of the Royal Commission, the previous government said that these recommendations "remain under consideration, although the Government is concerned that they would depart fundamentally from the principle that a jury should as far as possible be chosen at random from a cross-section of the population as a whole". In the light of the noble Lord's interest, we have looked at this issue again and have decided that the Government will give active consideration to these recommendations. A further statement will be made in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which public bodies (a) they intend to designate by order under Clause 4 of the Freedom of Information Bill; (b) are a publicly-owned company as defined in Clause 5 of that Bill; and (c) are public bodies neither in (a) nor (b) above nor in Schedule 1 to the Bill. [HL2059]

Clause 4 of the Freedom of Information Bill requires my right honourable friend the Home Secretary to consult every person to whom an order relates or persons appearing to him to represent such persons. We have still to consult formally as required under Clause 4 and, therefore, it is not possible to provide a list of bodies which will be designated under this part of the Bill. Our enquiries to date have, however, identified a number of bodies which we believe are likely to meet the criteria set out in respect of bodies designated under Clause 4. These are set out in the following list. Some of the bodies are listed in their own right and others by means of a generic description. The list does not represent a final list of bodies which may be designated as public authorities for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Bill.Clause 5 of the Bill provides that a company is publicly-owned for the purposes of the Bill if it is wholly owned by the Crown, or it is wholly owned by any public authority listed in Schedule 1 to the Bill other than (i) a government department, or (ii) any authority which is listed only in relation to particular information. Subsections (2) and (3) clarify the meaning to be given to "wholly owned by the Crown" and "wholly owned by a public authority" for these purposes and set out other definitions. The effect of Clause 5 is that a company which meets the criteria is caught by the freedom of information regime. Because we are using a generic definition we have not compiled a separate list of bodies which may be covered by Clause 5.Clauses 2 to 6 of the Freedom of Information Bill provide for coverage of all public bodies, either by means of a generic description of by specific inclusion in a list or an order. Bodies which might qualify for inclusion in the list at Schedule 1 have, however, not been so listed where we are satisfied that the body will have ceased to exist when the Bill comes into force, have no separate identity from a parent organisation, or are not yet established. In the latter case, the body will be brought within scope of the legislation by order.There are two exceptions to the principle that all public bodies are to be covered by the Bill. Clause 21(3) provides that any information provided by, or relating to, specified bodies is exempt. The specified bodies are the Security Services, the Secret Intelligence Service, the Government Communications Headquarters, the Special Forces (Special Air Service and Special Boat Service) and the National Criminal Intelligence Service. This has the effect of excluding those bodies from the scope of the Bill. In addition, certain Scottish bodies are exempt from the order-making powers in the Bill. These bodies are the Scottish Parliament, any part of the Scottish Administration, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body or any Scottish public authority with mixed functions or no reserved functions within the meaning of the Scotland Act 1998. Legislation in respect of those bodies is a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, when under the Freedom of Information Bill a public authority replies to an applicant on a matter where the duty to confirm or deny does not arise, they anticipate that the public authority will in every case state that the duty to confirm or deny does not arise (whether or not there is any undisclosed information); and, if so, what form of words they expect to be used. [HL2060]

Under Clause 15 of the Bill, a public authority which is relying on a claim that the duty to confirm or deny does not arise must give the applicant a notice that states that fact, specify the exemption in question and state why the exemption applies.We do not anticipate prescribing a standard form of words that authorities should use in those circumstances—it must be a matter for each individual authority.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, under the Freedom of Information Bill, a person who receives information from a public authority under the terms of the Bill may freely publish that information on the Internet; and, if not, why not, and what restrictions apply. [HL2058]

Whether disclosed information may be published on the Internet or not depends on whether the information is subject to copyright under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Anyone wishing to publish disclosed information which is copyright must first seek and obtain the permission of the copyright holder. The provisions in the Freedom of Information Bill will not disturb this.In terms of copyright, the information that may be disclosed under the proposed freedom of information regime will fall into three categories.Some information held by public authorities will be Crown copyright. This is defined as those works made by Her Majesty or by an officer or servant of the Crown in the course of his duties. The Government's White Paper on

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, under Clause 19 of the Freedom of Information Bill, information is "reasonably accessible to the applicant" if it is not available in electronic form and the applicant requires information in that form. [HL2061]

Clause 19 of the Freedom of Information Bill exempts information which is reasonably accessible to the applicant by other means. When assessing whether the information is "reasonably accessible" to the applicant, the Information Commissioner will of course take into account the form in which it is available.Where information is judged to be reasonably accessible by other means, the applicant will not have a right to require the information to be communicated to him in a different form other than the form in which it is already available. Therefore, if the information is reasonably accessible to the applicant in manual form, the applicant will not have the right to require it to be communicated to him electronically. However, an authority may always convert the information into the form requested by the applicant at its discretion.If the information is not reasonably accessible to the applicant, then Clause 19 will not apply, in which case the applicant is entitled to express a preference for the form in which the information is to be communicated to him, and, under Clause 10 of the Bill, the authority shall so far as is practicable give effect to that preference.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which countries of the European Union have a system of national identity cards, and in which of them (a) the system is mandatory and (b) the carrying of identity cards is mandatory; and from which of these countries such identity cards are an acceptable travel document for entry into the United Kingdom. [HL2017]

The following countries have identity cards, although they do not all use the same system for them: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Austria, Finland and the Netherlands. To the best of our knowledge identity cards are compulsory in the first six of these countries; and must be carried in the first five. The valid identity card of any European Union or European Economic Area country may be accepted as a travel document for entry into the United Kingdom.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether illegal immigrants who refuse to disclose their country of origin can claim, and be granted, political asylum; and, if not, whether it is possible for them to be deported. [HL2016]

The United Kingdom is a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Under the Convention, the United Kingdom has an obligation to consider all applications for asylum made in the United Kingdom or at its ports. The Secretary of State will, therefore, consider all claims for political asylum made in this country.Where an applicant refuses to disclose his nationality, this will be taken into consideration when the claim is considered. However, failure to disclose his nationality may affect the assessment of the applicant's credibility and ultimately the overall decision whether or not to grant asylum.Under the Immigration Act 1971, an illegal entrant may be removed to the country of which he is a citizen or national or to any country or territory to which there is reason to believe he will be admitted. Provided the latter condition is satisfied, it is still possible to remove someone who is unwilling to disclose his country of origin.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will enquire into the circumstances of the release from prison of Kevin Chambers, who on 3 April was sentenced to life imprisonment for a rape committed in Ipswich within 18 hours of being released from serving four years' imprisonment for an earlier conviction for rape; and why the Suffolk Police were not informed that he was accommodated at public expense in the Chequers Hotel in Ipswich on his release from the earlier custodial sentence. [HL2015]

This case was the subject of a serious incident report by Essex Probation Service in line with the requirements of Probation Circular 71/1998. The Home Office has asked Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation to investigate, and my right honourable friend the Home Secretary will be receiving an urgent report on this incident, which will recommend any action that should be taken.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, when a convicted sex offender is released from prison, it is standard practice to alert the police force covering the area in which it is expected that the offender will reside; and, if not, why not. [HL2014]

Yes. A mandatory instruction was issued to prisons in August 1997 requiring them to inform the relevant police force when sex offenders who are subject to the Sex Offenders Act 1997 are released. There is also a statutory requirement on those sex offenders themselves to notify the police of their address and other details on release from prison.It is not standard practice to alert the police of the release of other sex offenders.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What measures are in place to prevent the excessive classification of official documents as not appropriate for public disclosure. (HL2086)

Clear guidance is available on the use of protective markings for the administrative classification of official documents. However, such classifications are not a factor which will be taken into account when considering disclosure of information under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Bill.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many and which of the 70 recommendations made by the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry have been implemented. (HL2085)

Forty-four recommendations have now been fully implemented, and work is in progress to implement the remaining 26 in line with my right honourable friend the Home Secretary's Action Plan. Further information is available in Stephen Lawrence Inquiry—Home Secretary's Action Plan: First Annual Report on Progress, published in March 2000, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they intend to publish the proposed rules and practice directions for civil proceedings in magistrates' courts in relation to the coming into force of the Human Rights Act 1998. [HL1993]

Material for civil proceedings in the magistrates' courts is required only under Section 2 of the Human Rights Act. As indicated in paragraph 2 of the consultation paper, Human Rights Act 1998: Rules, published on 10 March 2000 by my department, this will be similar to the material produced for the civil and family courts generally under Section 2. It is anticipated that the final rules and practice directions for all civil and family proceedings will be published by the end of July 2000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they agree with the statement attributed to Mr Keith Best, Chief Executive of the Immigration Advisory Service, by

The impact of the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights was taken into account by the Immigration Appellate Authority in drawing up its Business Plan for the year 2000–2001. The plan shows a disposal rate for asylum appeals by adjudicators of 1.5 per day for the months of October and November 2000. The disposal rate is then increased to 2 per day from December 2000 onwards.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their policy on development along the Thames, especially in relation to the appropriate height of buildings [HL2053]

Strategic Planning Guidance for the River Thames (RPG3b/9b) was issued in February 1997. The guidance includes a section on the built environment alongside the River Thames. It states that development should establish and reflect a relationship with the river, it should take full account of its local context, including its relationship with buildings and structures of particular sensitivity. The scale, mass, height, silhouette, skyline, layout, material and colour of buildings adjacent to and in the vicinity of the river should all be given close attention and should be appropriate to the local context. Because of the emphasis on the context of buildings and the varied character of the river, there is no rigid prescription about the height of buildings.In November 1999, Ministers broadly endorsed advice produced by the London Planning Advisory Committee on high buildings and strategic views. The advice re-states the guidance in RPG3b/9b that London boroughs should identify the extent of the Thames policy area in their development plans and carry out an appraisal of their stretch of the river. This appraisal should form the basis of the designation of any areas appropriate for high buildings.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether benefit books and giro cheques for social security beneficiaries will continue to be made available for presentation at post offices for those who require them after 2003. [HL2088]

From 2003 we intend to move from the traditional paper-based methods of benefit payment to a more secure and efficient method of paying benefits through automated credit transfer (ACT). The move to ACT will begin in 2003 and be completed in 2005. During this period we will phase out girocheques and order books as benefit recipients are migrated to payment by ACT.However, those benefit recipients who wish to collect their cash at post offices will continue to be able to do so, both before and after the move to ACT.We also recognise that there will be some people whom we will be unable to pay by ACT. For these, we are considering what alternative simple electronic money transmission system, which could also be accessed at post offices, may be commercially available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What information they hold on the outcomes of Reduced Benefit Directions under the Child Support Act 1991; and, in particular, when parents with care ultimately chose to co-operate, what was the average length of time they were subject to a reduced benefit direction before deciding to do so. [HL2020]

The information is not available in the form requested. Such information about the duration of reduced benefit directions a s is available is in the table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the incidence among parents with care, who have been subject to a reduced benefit direction, of (a) theft; (b) prostitution; (c) serious illness; and (d) disappearance from Government records, and how these figures compare with those for the adult population as a whole; and [HL2021]What proportion of parents with care who have been subject to a reduced benefit direction, and have subsequently agreed to co-operate, have been victims of domestic violence; and how this figure compares with figures for the population as a whole. [HL2022]

The information requested is not available. However, reduced benefit directions are only imposed where a parent with care refuses to co-operate with the Child Support Agency without good cause.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for the pricing of generic medicines used in National Health Service primary care. [HL2205]

I am today announcing the Government's proposals for setting maximum prices for generic medicines supplied for use in NHS primary care.Generic medicines play an increasingly important part in NHS treatment. In 1998, 63 per cent. of all prescriptions were written generically and savings from generic prescribing have allowed the NHS to invest in other areas of patient care. The Government are committed to building on this success.The policy of encouraging generic prescribing depends on a reliable supply of generics which offer value for money. Over the last year the generics market has failed to deliver either. There have been apparent shortages and steep price rises in many generics, which cannot adquately be explained by changes in the cost base for generics manufacture.Generic price increases and related turbulence in the generics market are expected to cost the NHS in England some £200 million in 1999–2000. Equivalent pressures have been experienced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Government are determined that the NHS should not face further additional cost pressures arising from generics in 2000–2001. We therefore propose to use powers in the Health Act 1999 to introduce a statutory ceiling, applicable across the UK, on the prices of the main generics. The proposals will not apply to branded medicines sold to the NHS by the research and development-based pharmaceutical industry, the profits of which are regulated voluntarily under the 1999 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS). The statutory ceiling will correspond to prices some 15 months ago, before last year's steep price inflation. It will be reviewed after 15 months. We also propose to require the submission of information by suppliers of generics to underpin the review. The scheme will also include provision for appeals and for penalties in cases of contravention.Subject to the outcome of consultation, we propose to lay regulations to underpin the controls around the middle of June.The Government have considered the scope for introducing a voluntary scheme for setting maximum prices. It is difficult to see how a meaningful voluntary scheme could be negotiated, given the fragmentation of the generics supply chain, the number of representative bodies involved and the fact that many companies are not represented by any of them. However, if the Government are persuaded, through the consultation exercise, that a meaningful voluntary agreement could satisfactorily be negotiated, then they will seek to do so.The Government are committed to ensuring that the principle of fair reimbursement for community pharmacists and dispensing doctors is maintained under the proposed scheme. At the same time, we share the view of the House of Commons Select Committee on Health that aspects of the reimbursement system—in particular the Category D arrangement—are flawed. We believe that Category D has had the effect of encouraging speculation in the supply chain and now propose to abolish it. We intend to discuss this and the wider implications of the price control scheme with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and the General Practice Committee of the BMA (GPC). There will be separate discussions to cover arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland.The Government's proposals are intended to correct last year's unjustified price increases in the generics market and, in so doing, to protect the position of the NHS. At the same time, the Government remain committed to building on the UK's successful record on generic prescribing. We are therefore determined to ensure that, for the longer term, we have in place arrangements which best serve the Health Service as well as supporting a soundly managed and fully competitive generics market. Identifying such arrangements is the purpose of the Fundamental Review of the generics supply chain, which we have commissioned from Oxford Economic Research Associates (OXERA). We expect OXERA's programme of work to be concluded in the summer.A copy of the consultation document setting out the Government's proposals for setting maximum prices has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It is also available on the internet at

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 23 March

The only civil servant with the official title of "Envoy" or "Czar" is Alex Allan, the e-envoy. He has a remit to drive forward e-commerce policy in the United Kingdom, and to represent the UK's e-commerce interests internationally. My answer of 9 March (Official Report, col. WA 157) set out his reporting lines.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 23 March

No.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 28 February

The Prime Minister's official spokesman has overall responsibility for the No. 10 internet site. Day-to-day editorial control is in the hands of civil servants in the Strategic Communications Unit.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 25 January

No. The replies referred to do not include the Prime Minister's official spokesman.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the external commercial interests, insofar as they may exist, of special advisers employed by the Government are required to be declared; and, if so, to what extent they are subject to appropriate public and parliamentary scrutiny; and [HL1870]Whether any of the special advisers working in 10 Downing Street have any external commercial interests which would give rise to either an actual or a perceived conflict of interest with their duties in the formulation of government policy. [HL1871]

Special a dvisers—like all civil servants—are required under paragraphs 4.3.8 and 4.3.9 of the Civil Service Management Code to declare to their departments any business interests or share holdings which they or members of their immediate family hold, to the extent which they are aware of them, which they would be able to further as a result of their official position. They must not be involved in taking any decisions which could affect the value of their private investments, or the value of those on which they give advice to others, or use information acquired in the course of their work to advance their private financial interests or those of others.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are confident that their UK Online initiative will not be confused with the Internet service provider of the same name. [HL2028]

The Government plan to to use UK Online to brand its new personalised portal and to brand its internet access initiatives aimed at individuals and small and medium-sized businesses.The Government have made clear that they have no plans to compete with the service provided by the Internet Service provider currently trading as UK. Online.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received any representations about their use of the phrase UK Online as the name for their initiative to offer government services over the Internet; and, if so, what form they have taken. [HL2029]

Grahame Davies, the Group Managing Director of Easynet PLC, wrote to Patricia Hewitt, the e-Minister, on 31 March about the Government's intention to use the phrase UK Online to brand its planned new portal and its Information Age access initiatives.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in taking forward the review of central government audit announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 28 February. [HL2180]

I am pleased to announce that Lord Sharman, a former senior partner at KPMG International, has agreed to lead this review. Lord Sharman will report to (as well as being a member of) a steering group chaired by the Chief Secretary. Arrangements are being made to provide him with the appropriate support. The full membership of the steering group will be announced in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are their plans to reduce VAT on hotel accommodation in line with the rates charged by other member states of the European Union. [HL2115]

The Government have no plans to reduce the rate of VAT on hotel accommodation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What discussions the Chancellor of the Exchequer has with fellow Ministers in the Economic and Finance Council of Ministers (ECOFIN) about the misalignment of the exchange rate of the pound and the euro; and whether the Chancellor or the Governor of the Bank of England has had exchanges with the President of the European Central Bank on this and related matters. [HL2087]

The Chancellor of the Exchequer meets regularly with other Finance Ministers in the Economic and Finance Council of Ministers (ECOFIN), and a wide range of macroeconomic issues are discussed. Similarly, the Governor of the Bank of England meets regularly with the heads of other major central banks, including the President of the ECB.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the gross output figures for the United Kingdom in £ million at 1948 prices showing the changes that have occurred in the industries specified below from 1948 to latest available date in 10-year steps: coal mining; steel production; shipbuilding; agriculture; motor vehicle manufacture; and textiles. [HL2120]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 27 March

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is intended to upgrade the A.80 motorway between Stepps and Haggs; and, if so, when the work is likely to be undertaken. [HL1978]

Decisions on road and transport projects and priorities within Scotland are devolved so this is now a matter for the Scottish executive.