Written Answers
Tuesday, 8th January 2002.
Zimbabwe
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether in Zimbabwe they think it essential that independent observers oversee the registration process before the presidential elections. [HL2051]
Independent observers should ideally be present during the entire electoral process if they are to be fully effective.
asked Her Majesty's Government:What benefits have arisen from the Abuja agreement on Zimbabwe; what benefits they expect in the future; and whether, considering Zimbabwe's failure to honour commitments from it, it is now of any value. [HL2052]
The Abuja agreement set out a clear and objective framework for the Government of Zimbabwe to return to international respectability and to secure international support for just and sustainable land reform.The UK Government and others went the extra mile at Abuja to reach agreement. The Abuja text sets out clear benchmarks on the rule of law, ending political violence and intimidation and promoting basic human rights. The Government of Zimbabwe's scant regard for their commitments have damaged Abuja's credibility. But the continued engagement of the UN development programme on land reform—a key element of Abuja—is important. We continue to support UNDP's efforts and to honour our Abuja commitments.
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will recognise the result of the forthcoming presidential election in Zimbabwe if there are no international observers of the European Union's choice monitoring and evaluating the results. [HL2053]
We are currently discussing with EU partners and others what benchmarks we will use to judge the outcome of the forthcoming presidential election in Zimbabwe.
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will acquiesce in President Mugabe's choosing the countries from which international observers for the presidential election in Zimbabwe will come. [HL2054]
As head of a sovereign state, President Mugabe is entitled to decide whom he invites to observe the election and when. But he will also be aware that international confidence in the process and outcome of the presidential election may depend on the early and effective deployment of a range of independent international election observers.
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the standards on which they will judge the forthcoming presidential elections in Zimbabwe. [HL2055]
We are currently discussing with EU and other partners what benchmarks the international community will use to judge the forthcoming presidential election in Zimbabwe. It is important that in due course these are widely recognised.
asked Her Majesty's Government:When the European Union will follow the United States' lead on providing legislation for sanctions against Zimbabwe. [HL2056]
The United States Congress has recently passed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act. This has not yet been signed into law by President Bush.The European Union does not have an equivalent law-making body. Any similar measures by the EU would be a political decision for the Council of Ministers. The EU has already initiated formal consultations with Zimbabwe under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement. If there is no progress on EU concerns, "appropriate measures" may be taken.
Stolen Tractors And Excavators
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will use Europol to tackle the increasing trade in stolen tractors and excavators; and how much these crimes are costing the European Union annually. [HL1628]
Our National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS is considering the further sharing of intelligence on the trade in stolen tractors and excavators with Europol in the light of its continuing assessment of organised crime threats. Europol can support member states' competent authorities in preventing and combating the theft of agricultural vehicles and construction plant where there is an organised criminal structure involved.We do not know how much these crimes are costing the European Union annually but we estimate that in the United Kingdom in 1999 the insurance costs of these crimes was some £115 million.
Protective And Preventive Security Group
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committee business is not disclosed under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Illegal Firearms
asked Her Majesty's Government:How many illegal firearms have been seized by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Trident; and [HL1942]How many of the illegal firearms seized by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Trident were capable of lethal discharge at the time they were taken; and [HL1943]What were the calibre, class or type, maker and model of the illegal firearms seized by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Trident; and [HL1944]How many of the illegal firearms seized by the Metropolitan Police during Operation Trident were:
I understand that 62 complete firearms (including three replicas) have been siezed so far by the Metropolitan Police in connection with Operation Trident. Details of the weapons concerned are not readily available in the form requested. The firearms seized comprised 53 handguns (including three replicas), five shotguns and four machine pistols, as well as a number of component parts.
Race Riots Reports
asked Her Majesty's Government:How they will respond to the Cantle and Ritchie reports on the racial riots in Oldham, Burnley and Blackburn. [HL2049]
The response to the key recommendations of the Cantle and Ritchie reports and our proposals on how to take these forward are given in the report of the interdepartmental Public Order and Community Cohesion Ministerial Group which was also published on 11 December. We have already given an undertaking to look at the remaining recommendations and to provide a timely response.
House Of Lords Reform
asked Her Majesty's Government:What considerations and criteria will govern the decision of the Lord Chancellor's Department whether or not to publish in due course all or any of the submissions made in response to the proposals in
The House of Lords: Completing the Reform (Cm 5291) for which confidentiality has not been requested; and whether, in order to foster open public debate and the informed consideration of such proposals, they will publish all such responses on the Internet when they are received. [HL2113]
At the close of the consultation period the responses will be analysed and in due course all responses (other than any where confidentiality was requested) will be published.
A400m Military Transport Aircraft
asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the present proposals for the production of the A400M military transport aircraft; and whether they have received any representations from the Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation en matiere d'Armement (OCCAR) on the United Kingdom approach. [HL1903]
On 18 December we signed an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding to allow the A400M contract to be placed. The contract itself was signed on the same day by the Organisation for Joint Armaments Cooperation (OCCAR), on behalf of the partner nations, and by the contractor Airbus Military. It provides for the development and manufacture of 196 aircraft in a single launch order. The UK's share is 25 aircraft. OCCAR will manage the programme to standards agreed by the partner nations.
The A400M contract will enter into force once final Bundestag approval has been given to the German commitment. The agreement of other nations, including the UK, is subject to the German signature becoming effective. If this has not happened by the end of January 2002, these authorisations will lapse, providing a further opportunity to review the position.
We are content that the programme now agreed with Airbus Military satisfies the conditions that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced in another place on 16 May 2000 for our participation in the A400M programme. Specifically:
Programme commitments now total 196, well above the notional level of viability of 180 aircraft.
The price negotiated with Airbus Military is affordable and represents value for money.
Achievement of contract signature on 18 December is consistent with the UK's in-service date. This is planned to be 2010.
The commercial terms and conditions of the contract are acceptable.
Statistical Information
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether in Parliamentary Answers they are prepared to give statistical information relating to the whole of the United Kingdom, split between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, when requested to do so; if not, why not. [HL2071]
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from the National Statistician, Len Cook, dated December 2001.
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the provision of statistical information relating to the whole of the United Kingdom.
When asked in a Parliamentary question and where such information is readily available, the Office for National Statistics will itself continue to give statistical information for the whole of the United Kingdom, split between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Where statistical information to answer such a question requires a special analysis by officials of a devolved administration, that contribution will be dependent on the agreement of the devolved administration.
Landfill Tax
asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of the proceeds of landfill tax so far received has been spent on (a) community projects within a 10-mile radius; (b) recycling education projects; and (c) other purposes. [HL2111]
Around £346 million, or 17 per cent, of landfill tax has been claimed as tax credits under the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme since the tax was introduced on 1 October 1996. This represents 90 per cent of the total amount contributed to environmental bodies. Of the total money contributed, £251 million has so far been spent by the environmental bodies. This spend is apportioned as follows:
| Project | % of total spend to October 2001 |
| Enhance local environment around a landfill site | 59.5 |
| Contribute to sustainable waste management (including recycling education projects) | 33.2 |
| Other | 7.3 |
Private Finance Initiative
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have commissioned research into the use made of the private finance initiative by central and local government; and, if so, when results of any such research will be published. [HL2162]
The Government keep the implementation of PFI under constant review, drawing on relevant information from a number of sources, including the work of the Public Accounts Committee, National Audit Office, Office of Government Commerce and Partnerships UK. Research is commissioned from time to time into various topics relevant to PFI. Where appropriate, as in the case of the two reports by Sir Malcolm Bates and the Arthur Andersen/LSE Report on Value for Money Drivers in PFI Projects, these are placed in the Library of the House and made available on the OGC website.
Belfast International Airport
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any plans to ensure that Belfast International Airport remains viable. [HL1424]
Details of discussions between the Government and commercial undertakings on requests of financial assistance are confidential and cannot be disclosed in accordance with exemption 13 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.
Northern Ireland: Parity Of Esteem
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's comments in Liverpool on 21 November that "Unionists have still to be convinced that their culture is really understood, let alone respected in the Republic of Ireland" represent government policy; and [HL1635]Whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's comments in Liverpool on 21 November that "the Unionist community feels itself isolated with its foundations eroded and victims of violence who are witnesses to a stream of concessions to the other side" represent government policy; and [HL1637]Whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's comments in Liverpool on 21 November that "Northern Ireland must not become a cold place for protestants, or we will have failed" represent government policy. [HL1639]
Quotations taken out of context rarely give the whole picture. In his speech in Liverpool on 21 November, the Secretary of State drew attention to the fact that despite the very many gains achieved for all sides through the implementation of the Belfast Agreement, there is still a perception among many unionists that their traditions, needs and aspirations are somehow respected less than those of the nationalist side of the community.As explained by the Secretary of State, the Government do not believe this to be the case. The Belfast Agreement addresses many of the deep-seated concerns of both sides of the community in a balanced way, taking parity of esteem as one of its guiding principles. However, as a consequence of its implementation many fundamental changes have been
| Northern Ireland Security Statistics | |||||||||
| 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 (to 3 Dec) | |
| Murders | |||||||||
| By Republican | 35 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 37 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| By Loyalist | 47 | 37 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 11 |
| Shooting incidents | |||||||||
| By Republican | 166 | 103 | 15 | 34 | 79 | 62 | 43 | 71 | 93 |
| By Loyalist | 202 | 191 | 10 | 50 | 90 | 103 | 65 | 183 | 219 |
| Bombing incidents | |||||||||
| By Republican | 201 | 140 | 2 | 11 | 59 | 33 | 0 | 18 | 40 |
| By Loyalist | 56 | 65 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 88 | 74 | 94 | 278 |
| Casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings | |||||||||
| By Republican | 25 | 54 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 38 | 26 | 50 | 63 |
| By Loyalist | 60 | 68 | 3 | 21 | 46 | 34 | 47 | 86 | 114 |
| Casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults | |||||||||
| By Republican | 6 | 141 | 141 | 172 | 78 | 55 | 44 | 52 | 49 |
| By Loyalist | 35 | 38 | 76 | 130 | 78 | 89 | 90 | 76 | 85 |
Note: Statistics for 2001 are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment at a later date.
Great Britain Security Statistics for Republican Groups
| |||||||||
1993
| 1994
| 1995
| 1996
| 1997
| 1998
| 1999
| 2000
| 2001 (to 3 Dec)
| |
| Bombing incidents | 23 | 31 | 2 | 7 | 5 | — | — | 3 | 5 |
| Shooting incidents | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Finds | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 6 | — | 1 |
| Other | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Note: Statistics for 2001 are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment at a later date.
instigated in a relatively short space of time; and change can be a very unsettling experience.
The Secretary of State's intention in making this speech was to acknowledge that both communities in Northern Ireland are in need of persuasion. He expressed the Government's desire to work towards reversing negative perceptions of the political process and encouraging unionism and nationalism to embrace the changes which are being brought about; to encourage all sections of the community to feel that they belong to the new Northern Ireland. He also called on political and community leaders in Northern Ireland to take an active role in achieving this goal. Taken in its entirety, the speech is a reflection of government policy.
Northern Ireland: Terrorist Incidents
asked Her Majesty's Government:How many incidents have occurred in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain which they believe are the responsibility of (i) the Real IRA, (ii) the Continuity IRA, (iii) the Provisional IRA and (iv) other republican groups in each of the years since 1993. [HL1803]
Security statistics do not assign attribution for terrorist incidents to specific paramilitary groupings. Therefore, it has not been possible to supply the level of detail asked. However, I have attached separate statistics for terrorist incidents attributed to republican paramilitary groups for Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Northern Ireland security statistics for loyalist terrorist incidents have also been provided for comparison.
Northern Ireland: Policing
asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 5 December
(WA 139), whether it is appropriate to co-operate with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on policing when the Garda Síochána is required to "render good and true service and obedience to the constitution and government of the Republic". [HL1972]
Yes. The Government believe that it is entirely appropriate to work with the Irish Government to take forward the Patten recommendations concerning north/south cooperation on policing matters. Indeed, a recent joint operation between law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border resulted in 10 arrests, with nine people charged for a variety of offences linked to smuggling and laundering of fuel, and there have also been a number of very significant seizures of illegal cigarettes on both sides of the border.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 26 November
(WA 18) about the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, when they expect to receive the accounts of the commission for 2001–02. [HL2000]
In accordance with a direction issued on behalf of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under paragraph 7(2)(a) of Schedule 7 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will be required to submit to the Secretary of State and the Comptroller and Auditor General copies of its statement of accounts for the financial period ended 31 March 2002 by 31 July 2002.
Crops Conference
asked Her Majesty's Government:Who made the decision that no one from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should attend the 2001 Annual Crops Conference held at Linton; and why the decision not to attend was made. [HL2173]
Crops magazine, which was the organiser of the conference, originally invited my right honourable friend the Secretary of State to give a keynote speech. Diary commitments did not permit her or any other member of the Defra ministerial team to do so.
Employment And Social Policy Council, 3 December
asked Her Majesty's Government:What the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy Council held in Brussels on 3 December; what the government position was on each issue discussed, including their voting record; and if they will make a statement. [HL2102]
My right honourable friend the Secretary of State represented the United Kingdom at the Employment and Social Policy Council in Brussels on 3 December, together with the Minister of State for Employment Relations and the regions, my honourable friend the Member for Hull West and Hessle (Alan Johnson).The Council agreed parameters for the simplification of the co-ordination of social security schemes under Regulation 1408/71. The United Kingdom was able to accept the parameters, subject to detailed scrutiny, further negotiations and correction of linguistic points. The parameters will be forwarded to the Laeken European Council. The United Kingdom was also able to endorse the Council's Conclusions indentifying the appropriate legal base for extending co-ordination of social security schemes to nationals of third countries.The Council reached political agreement on the autumn package of employment measures, comprising the employment guidelines for 2002; recommendations on the implementation of member states' employment policies; and the adoption of the Joint Employment Report for 2001; the package will go to the Laeken European Council for endorsement.The Council adopted conclusions on indicators on quality in work which will be presented to the Laeken European Council, thus fulfilling the remit from the Stockholm European Council.The Council adopted a report on indicators of poverty and social exclusion for Laeken; a joint Commission and Council report on social inclusion and a joint report from the Social Protection Committee and the Economic Policy Committee on objectives and working methods in the area of pensions. All three documents will go the the Laeken European Council for adoption.The Council agreed a common position on amending the Insolvency (worker protection) Directive, to bring it in line with recent jurisprudence.The Council also agreed to adopt 2003 as the European Year of People with Disabilities.The Council adopted conclusions on structural indicators, which will be forwarded to the General Affairs Council; indicators on the gender pay gap, and on an EU-level mechanism to help resolve transnational employment disputes.
The Belgian presidency presented a progress report on a Directive on Employee Involvement in the European Co-operative. The presidency reported progress on the Asbestos (worker protection) Directive. A common position is expected to be finalised under the forthcoming Spanish presidency. The Council noted two presidency reports on gender mainstreaming in Council formations and agreed a contribution to work on the broad economic guidelines for 2002, to be forwarded to ECOFIN.
The Council adopted a resolution on the Commission's Green Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility and requested that the outcomes of the current debates at national level be incorporated in the Commission's next communication on this subject.
The Commission gave an overview of its communication on increased labour force participation and active ageing. The Commission presented its communication on lifelong learning.
No votes were taken at this Council.
Patient's Charter Standards
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish performance against key Patient's Charter standards for the quarters to 30 June 2001 and 30 September 2001. [HL1596]
The Patient's Charter was replaced in January this year with Your Guide to the NHS. The core standards contained in Your Guide to the NHS will be monitored as part of the implementation of the NHS Plan.Three of the original four key Patient's Charter standards are routinely published in the Treating Patients section of the
NHS Quarterly Review, which can be found on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsquarterlyreview. Performance data on urgent and routine transfers of GP medical records is no longer collected centrally.