asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether human rights issues were raised with the Algerian authorities by the European Union mission during their recent visit to Algeria and whether the mission raised the following issues: the use of force against demonstrators by the Algerian security forces; the deaths of civilians in the context of armed conflict; the disappearance of an estimated 4,000 people since 1993 following their arrest by the security forces; the intimidation of human rights defenders; and the lack of access for international observers. [HL5114]

The UK and our EU partners regularly raise with the Algerian Government our concerns about human rights violations in Algeria. The then FCO Minister, my honourable friend the Member for Exeter, did so during his visit to Algiers in September 2001. We continue to urge Algeria to comply fully with all its obligations under international human rights law, including the investigation of human rights violations, the intimidation of human rights defenders and to allow visits by special rapporteurs.The European Union mission pressed the Algerian authorities for a response on the "disappeared". This was to follow up the list that had been sent by the Presidency in April 2001 and was also raised by the Presidency in December 2001.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any British citizens or residents were prevented from flying to Iceland by Chinese government action during the recent visit of the President of China to Iceland; and, if so, what representations they have made to China. [HL5191]

We understand that Iceland Air Prevented two British passport holders from flying to Iceland during the recent visit by President Jiang Zemin.This was a matter for the Icelandic authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that the action of police in Hong Kong in March and April, when they arrested and charged 16 Swiss and local practitioners of Falun Gong, together with the reported preparation of a new "subversion law", constitute breaches of the constitution of Hong Kong; and, if so, what action they propose to take. [HL5192]

The 16 Falun Gong demonstrators who were arrested in March have all been charged with public order offences. Their trial, which began on 17 June, is still continuing and Her Majesty's Government therefore cannot comment on the outcome of the cases. We have confidence in the impartiality of the Hong Kong judicial system which is independent from that of mainland China.Under Article 23 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administative Region (SAR) (in effect Hong Kong's constitution), the SAR Government are required to enact laws on their own to prohibit, among other things, subversion. The SAR Government have committed themselves to undertake wide public consultation on the content of possible legislation, but have yet to announce any timetable for the consultation exercise or for the introduction of legislation. Her Majesty's Government welcome the commitment by the SAR Government to consult widely and consider it essential that any legislation is consistent with international human rights treaties.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What specific steps they and the European Union have taken in the past year to counter the use of capital punishment, torture and other means of repression in Iran. [HL5265]

We and EU partners have regularly made clear our concerns about such human rights issues in Iran. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary did so in Iran in September. The EU-sponsored resolution on human rights in Iran, which was put to the Commission on Human Rights in April, included references to both torture and public executions.We also welcome the fact that the Iranian Parliament has approved a Bill aimed at enforcing the current constitutional prohibition of torture in Iran. Despite initial rejection of the Bill by the Guardian Council, the Parliament intends to resubmit the Bill.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How the Wilton Park Executive Agency performed against the targets agreed for 2001–02; and what are the agreed targets for the current financial year. [HL5342]

Wilton Park met all four of the agreed targets set for the 2001–02 financial year, for income, cost recovery, the number of conference participants and cost per head to the FCO overall. Wilton Park's performance in 2001–02 and some of the targets for the current year are shown below.

	2001–02 targets	2001–02 performance	2002–03 targets
Income	£2,963,000	£3,210,000	£3,278,000
Cost recovery	85.9%	87.2%	86.1%
Number of conference participants	£2,400	£3,033
Cost to FCO per participant	£203	£156

Wilton Park's targets have been adjusted from 2002–03 to give greater emphasis to service delivery. Measures for number of conference participants and cost to the FCO per participant have been dropped. Wilton Park's annual targets now work from framework targets for cost recovery (which is to recover all its cash costs i.e. excluding non-cash cost), quality of conference programmes and standards of service. New measures have been added for "excellent" ratings awarded respectively for conference programmes and for conference administration. The 2002–03 targets for the two new measures are:"Excellent" ratings awarded for conference programmes: 56 per cent (an increase of 2 per cent on the informal target for 2001–02)."Excellent" ratings awarded for conference administration: 89 per cent (an increase of 1.1 per cent on the informal target for 2001–02).

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many serious offences were committed in 2001 by persons entitled to immunity by virtue of their employment by Diplomatic Missions or an international organisation, and their dependants. [HL5363]

From a community of over 19,500 persons entitled to immunity, 21 serious offences, allegedly committed by such persons, were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2001. "Serious offences" are defined in accordance with the 1985 White Paper on Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges—i.e. as offences that would in certain circumstances carry a penalty of 12 months or more imprisonment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What regulation is in place for the home security industry providing fire alarm, burglar alarm and similar services to the residential market. [HL2427]

None. The Private Security Industry Act 2001 contains provisions for the Security Industry Authority to regulate security guards and other specified sectors of the private security industry under a licensing system in the near future, but this does not include operators that provide alarms and similar services.

asks Her Majesty's Government:What are their best estimates, based on what evidence, of the numbers of people who would fall within Clause 6 (4) of their draft Mental Health Bill (a) in total, (b) who have no criminal conviction for a serious offence, and (c) who fall outside the Mental Health Act 1983 due to the "treatabilty" concept that it embodies; and what their best estimates are, and based on what evidence, of the number of serious crimes committed each year by persons falling within each of the categories (a), (b) and (c) above. [HL5088]

No individual will be dealt with under the proposed legislation who does not meet all the conditions set out in Clause 6 of the draft Mental Health Bill. It is not a matter of different people being caught under different conditions.The clause relates to the use of compulsory powers. Subsections (2) to (5) set out the four conditions which must be satisfied in all respects before any power to impose compulsory examination, assessment or treatment can be used. So these conditions and this clause relates to all those who come under compulsory powers, not just mentally disordered offenders or those who are a risk to others.It is estimated that, in total 26,774 persons per annum could fall within Clause 6 of the draft Bill. The best evidence for this estimate comes from the operation of the Mental Health Act 1983 in relation to the 26,650 formal admissions to hospital recorded in 2000–01. In addition, however, forecasts derived from the Office for National Statistics Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of Prisoners indicate that 124 persons per annum could fall within Clause 6 as a result of being at substantial risk of serious harm to other persons due to a severe personality disorder. The latter group could fall outside the 1983 Act.Central statistical databases do not hold information on the criminal convictions of all people admitted under the Mental Health Act 1983, other than for restricted patients and persons given unrestricted hospital orders by the courts. This additional information could be collected only at disproportionate cost. It is therefore not possible to estimate the total number of persons subject to Clause 6 of the draft Bill who do not have a criminal conviction for a serious offence. However, it is estimated that, of restricted patients and persons given unrestricted hospital orders admitted to hospital in 2000 under the 1983 Act, 664 were admitted for non-sexual or non-violent offences.As indicated above, 124 persons per annum could fall within Clause 6 as a result of being at substantial risk of serious harm to other persons due to a severe personality disorder and could fall outside the 1983 Act.In relation to the number of serious crimes commited each year it is not possible to determine the number of crimes committed by those falling within the draft. Bill because some crimes are undetected by the authorities. Central statistical databases also do not record the criminal convictions of all persons subject to the 1983 Act. However, of the restricted patients admitted and the number of persons given unrestricted hospital orders by the courts under the 1983 Act, in 2000 a total of 929 had been charged or convicted of a sexual or violent offence (including arson). It is not possible to determine the number of serious crimes committed by those who have no criminal conviction for a serious offence for the

For Gwent Constabulary
	1999		2000		2001		2002
Type	Shotgun	Firearm	Shotgun	Firearm	Shotgun	Firearm	Shotgun	Firearm
Grant	101.37	162.35	183.85	216.51	196.97	237.00	59.76	111.25
Renewal	54.84	80.75	131.07	174.52	214.88	229.85	77.47	75.41

For Hampshire Constabulary (figures for 2002 are unavailable)
	1999		2000		2001
Type of application	Shotgun	Firearm	Shotgun	Firearm	Shotgun	Firearm
Grant	63.98	74.51	115.74	110.22	122.19	106.71
Renewal	7.94	35.72	48.66	53.6	33.96	46.89

asked Her Majesty's Government:What hitherto has been the attitude of the criminal courts to the subsequent discovery of "human error" affecting full disclosure in criminal cases. [HL5195]

Where the error in prosecution disclosure comes to light before or during the trial, the court will usually seek to rectify this by ordering the prosecution to disclose to the defence the relevant unused prosecution material. It is also open to the court to accept an abuse of process argument raised by the defence and stay the proceedings. The court also has power to order costs against the prosecution for any time wasted if prosecution disclosure was delayed. In addition, where the prosecution fails to comply with its primary disclosure requirements, the defence is released from the duty to make defence disclosure.Where the error comes to notice following conviction, this may be raised by the defence as part of an appeal. In these circumstances, if the Court of Appeal considers that the effect of the failure in prosecution disclosure is to render the conviction unsafe, it may quash the conviction and may also order a retrial.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In each of the last three years, what was the average time taken to process (a) shotgun and (b) firearm certificate applications, renewals and variations in the Gwent Constabulary and the Hampshire Constabulary. [HL5101]

The figures are given, in days, in the tables below. Figures for average times taken to make variations to certificates are not available:If an error in prosecution disclosure was attributable to an individual police officer, it would be open to the chief constable to institute disciplinary proceedings against the officer concerned. If the prosecution disclosure failure was the subject of a formal complaint against the police, it would be open to the Police Complaints; Authority to recommend initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the officer concerned if appropriate.

asked Her Majest's Government:What further progress has been made regarding the self-escorting of abnormal loads on motorways and linked dual carriageways since the House of Lords debated the Police Reform Bill; and [HL5253]Which government department or organisation is expected to lead on the development of any guidelines for the self-escorting of abnormal loads on motorways and linked dual carriageways. [HL5254]

The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and the Association of Chief Police Officers are already working on the best arrangements for the management of abnormal loads on the roads, including the possibility of self-escorting.Any new arrangements and guidelines on best escorting practice will take into account the new provisions in the Police Reform Bill, if enacted. These will remove present restrictions on the powers of traffic wardens so that they will be able to stop as well as direct traffic when escorting abnormal loads. They will also make it possible for community support officers and accredited persons to have a limited power to stop and direct traffic specifically for this purpose. It will be for individual chief officers to decide whom to accredit, subject to the requirements set out in the Bill.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there is any offence committed on which the police can take action when a bus full of passengers is driven safely down Oxford Street with the bus driver having one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand holding a mobile phone. [HL5305]

There is no specific offence of using a mobile phone while driving. However legislation places the responsibility on drivers to have proper control of their vehicles at all times. An offence would be committed in the circumstances described if the police were satisfied that the driver did not have proper control or that his use of the phone resulted in careless and inconsiderate driving or, in an extreme case, dangerous driving.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to publish the first multi-agency public protection annual report. [HL5483]

We have today published the first multi-agency public protection (MAPPA) annual report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Local police and probation areas will from tomorrow begin to publish their own reports, and these will provide the public with information on the number of offenders covered by the arrangements.The work done in the past year by the Multi-Agency Public Protection Panel in managing risk has contributed to a higher level of public protection from potentially dangerous offenders in the community.Our aim is that the MAPPA process should be transparent and that members of the public should be able to see what is being done on their behalf. That is why the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 requires each area to publish a report detailing the work it has done in the past year. That is also why we announced last month that members of the public were being invited to apply to sit on the boards overseeing the arrangements in five pilot areas.In seeing the information which these reports now make available for the first time, we hope the public will be reassured by the work being done on their behalf.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In respect of the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Scotland Office and the Northern Ireland Office, what new data series separated by gender, race, disability and age have been commissioned by each department since June 1997 up to the present. [HL4453]

The following responses are listed by department.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For each of the last five years, what sum has been recovered by way of confiscation for those prosecuted for involvement in the sexual exploitation of women. [HL4556]

Under current legislation, the sexual exploitation of women is not a specific legal offence. There are a number of existing offences relating to those who profit from the prostitution of others, such as running a brothel. Information relating to the sums recovered as a result of confiscations from prosecutions in these cases is not currently centrally collected.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the reasons for not taking up the offer by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help resolve the problems arising from the presence of United Kingdom asylum seekers at the Sangatte centre in France. [HL5288]

The Government have not rejected any offer to help. Both we and the French Government welcome the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) offer of assistance, and the Home Secretary agreed with French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, on 12 July that the two governments would involve the UNHCR in work to prepare for the closure of the Sangatte centre.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the conditions in Afghanistan that have led them to the conclusion that it is now safe to return asylum seekers to that country. [HL5303]

The situation in Afghanistan has been and continues to be kept under constant review. There continues to be a real and sustained improvement in the country situation. After extensive consideration of all the available evidence and official advice, the Government decided that it was appropriate to modify our policy to reflect those improving conditions.The country of origin information on which this modification of policy was based comes from a wide range of sources, including from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, inter-governmental organisations such as the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and other United Nations (UN) bodies and non-governmental organisations. A bulletin setting out the latest available country of origin information, which updates the Home Office country assessment on Afghanistan published in April, is available on the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk.We will only enforce the return of unsuccessful asylum seekers who have been found not to be in need of protection and who can safely return to Afghanistan but who do not leave voluntarily.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What their policy is where family ties are claimed to the UK in third country cases. [HL5484]

The policy on the exercise of discretion in safe third country cases where family ties to the United Kingdom are claimed is that potential third country cases would normally have their asylum claims considered substantively in this country where:

(a) an applicant's spouse is in the United Kingdom;

(b) the applicant is an unmarried minor and a parent is in the United Kingdom;

(c) the applicant has an unmarried minor child in the United Kingdom.

The policy in (a) would not be applied in cases where a marriage was contracted after the applicant's arrival in the United Kingdom. In all cases "in the United Kingdom" is to be taken as meaning with leave to enter or remain or on temporary admission to this country as an asylum seeker prior to an initial decision on their application.Discretion may be exercised according to the merits of the case where:(d) a married minor was involved but the criteria in (b) or (c) above were otherwise fulfilled. (We would be less likely to consider cases under (c) than (b) under these circumstances);(e) the applicant was an elderly or otherwise dependent parent;(f) the family link was not one which would normally be considered but there was clear evidence that the applicant was wholly or mainly dependent on the relative in the United Kingdom and that there was an absence of similar support elsewhere.We would expect cases falling into this latter category to be rare.Factors which might influence the exercise of discretion in these cases such as language, cultural links or the number of family members in the United Kingdom may have a bearing, but there would need to be a compelling combination of such factors to ensure the exercise of discretion in favour of an applicant.Cases citing family ties which would not normally be considered and which did not display any of the features which engaged the exercise of discretion would not normally be considered substantively. This means that a brother who was not dependent on his sibling(s) would not normally have his case considered here, no matter how strong his cultural or linguistic links with the United Kingdom.The intention of the policy is to re-unite members of an existing family unit who, through circumstances outside of their control, had become fragmented. However, we emphasise that where the relationship did not exist prior to the person's arrival to the United Kingdom, the policy would be applied only in the most exceptionally compelling cases.We are satisfied that this policy complies with the United Kingdom's obligations as regards the European Convention on Human Rights and that it is consistent with our obligations under the Dublin Convention, as set out in Article 1 of Decision 1/2000 of the committee set up by Article 18 of the Dublin Convention concerning the transfer of responsibility for family members in accordance with Article 3(4) and Article 9 of the convention.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which government agencies require the submission of originals of passports, driving licences or birth certificates with applications for official documents. [HL2286]

Based on information obtained from across government, the following agencies require the submission of original passports, driving licences or birth certificates:

Agency	Original documents required
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency	passport, birth certificate or driving licence
Driving Standards Agency	driving licence
Maritime and Coastguard Agency	passport or birth certificate
Vehicle Inspectorate	driving licence
The Passport and Records Agency	passport, birth certificate or driving licence
Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies: Child Support Agency, Jobcentre Plus, Pensions Service and the Appeals Service	passport, birth certificate or driving licence

In addition, Foreign and Commonwealth Office entry clearance officers at posts outside the UK require sight of original documentation.A letter will be sent separately to the noble Lord about the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise, for which information is still being collected.I understand that it is normal practice for government departments and their agencies to require original documentation in order to establish identity and entitlement to services as a basic safeguard against fraud.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that any new Life Peers should be created pending the report of the Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform and decisions on phase two reform, including the composition of a reformed Upper House. [HL5132]

While the way forward on House of Lords reform is under consideration, the Government will keep the membership of the House, including that of non-party political Peers, under ongoing review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place in the Library of the House the evidence in support of the statement of Baroness Hollis of Heigham on 11 July

Total business investment, measured at constant prices, has increased markedly since 1997. It was £93.1 billion in 1997 and £113.1 billion in 2001. This information has been published in the UK Economic Accounts (Table A8: Grossed Fixed Capital Formation, Business Investment at Constant Prices).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which of the world's heavily indebted poor countries have had their debts written off; how much of the total debt has so far been cancelled; and what further amounts they expect to be cancelled in the coming 12 months. [HL5307]

The enhanced highly indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative agreed at Cologne in 1999 makes provision for the cancellation of around 100 billion US dollars of debt, of which 28 billion dollars is provided through traditional debt relief mechanisms and 11 billion dollars through additional bilateral debt relief over and beyond HIPC terms.Under the HIPC initative, a country receives interim debt relief on payments due when it reaches decision point, and subsequently the debt is irrevocably cancelled at completion point. Of the 42 countries classified as HIPCs, four are currently expected to have a sustainable burden of debt after traditional debt relief and one has so far not opted to apply for debt relief.Of the remaining 37 countries, 26 have now reached decision point with 62 billion dollars in debt relief committed compared with the 100 billion dollars total. Six of these countries, Bolivia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, have reached completion point and have had total debts of around 13 billion dollars cancelled, excluding traditional debt relief and additional bilateral voluntary debt relief. Out of 11 countries yet to reach decision point, eight are affected by conflict and this makes their progress in the HIPC initiative difficult.In April 2002 the staffs of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank estimated that, subject to progress under their poverty reduction strategy process and IMF programme, over the next 12 months (ie by mid-2003) 12 countries could reach completion point: Benin, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea, Honduras, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger and Rwanda. At completion point these countries could have total debts of around 14 billion dollars cancelled, excluding traditional debt relief and additonal bilateral voluntary debt relief.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the proposed civil defence organisation will commence; and in which locations it will operate. [HL4751]

As part of our work in the new chapter to the Strategic Defence Review, we published a discussion document on 12 June on the Role of the Reserves in Home Defence and Security. One of the proposals in that document was the creation of reaction forces formed from the volunteer reserves of each service. We have sought the views of the volunteer reserves, their employers and other interested parties on this and other proposals in the document by 13 September. We will adjust our proposals as necessary in the light of the comments we receive and then aim to have an initial capability as soon as possible thereafter. Our proposals are based upon the use of the Army regional brigade structure, allowing the reaction forces to operate throughout the country.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will seek to ensure that the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and KFOR and their personnel are required by law to comply with the international human rights standards prescribed by the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in discharging their functions in Kosovo, and that there are effective legal remedies for breaches of those standards; and [HL4602]What legal remedies are available for victims of abuses of the international human rights standards prescribed by the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and KFOR and their personnel arising in connection with the discharge of their functions in Kosovo. [HL4603]

Under Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights each state party to the covenant undertakes to respect and ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognised in the covenant. The European Convention on Human Rights requires the parties to secure to everyone within their jurisdiction the rights and freedoms set out in the convention.The UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) operate in accordance with the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. In the case of KFOR, the military technical agreement signed at the end of the Kosovo conflict, decisions of the North Atlantic Council and national regulations are also relevant. As with all international operations, instructions to personnel will have regard to international human rights standards.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to introduce legislation to replace compulsory retirement ages with more flexible arrangements; and, if not, why not. [HL4308]

The UK has no national mandatory retirement age. Like other terms and conditions of employment, when an employee retires is a matter for agreement between an individual and his or her employer, provided the employer does not discriminate unlawfully.The Government are currently working on implementing the European Employment Directive (2000/78), which includes provisions to combat discrimination on the new grounds of age. These provisions must be implemented by December 2006 and it is too soon to say what the legislation on age will say. We have already undertaken widespread initial consultation in the consultation document

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they conducted any research or consultation as to the impact of their "lane rental" policy on the installation cost and take up of broadband; and whether they believe that the policy, if applied nationally, could have the inadvertent effect of working against competition in the telecommunications sector. [HL4428]

Between August and October 2001 the Department of Transport consulted on proposals to test the impact of lane rental on a limited scale and the cost and benefits of those proposals. In the light of the response received, it was decided that pilot schemes in Camden and Middlesbrough should begin to allow a thorough assessment to be made of the benefits and disadvantages of extending lane rental throughout England.Consultants have been appointed to monitor the results of the pilots both in terms of the effectiveness of lane rental in reducing the disruption caused by utility works and the costs it imposes on utilities. The first monitoring report on the pilots, which began on 4 March 2002 and are due to continue until March 2004, is due to be delivered later this year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there is a backlog of security checks at nuclar facilities in the United Kingdom; and if so, what are the reasons. [HL4768]

The Director for Civil Nuclear Security stated in his recent annual report on The State of Security in the Civil Nuclear Industry and the Effectiveness of Security Regulation that the programme of compliance inspections was suspended immediately following the September terrorist attacks in the United States to allow the inspectors to concentrate their efforts on advising sites on the implementation of additional security measures. This seemed a better and more targeted use of resources, and the continuing work resulting from events of September 11 mean that a full programme of compliance inspections remain temporarily interrupted. However, site visits have been stepped up, so there has been no reduction in coverage.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in developing the quality mark scheme designed to eliminate "cowboy" builders in the domestic home improvement sector. [HL5051]

My honourable friend the Minister for Construction and Energy and I announced that, following the evaluation of quality mark pilots in Birmingham and Somerset, the scheme would be rolled out across the country over a three to four-year period. A Quality Mark Shadow Ownership Group has been set up to drive the scheme forward and is developing a comprehensive roll out strategy and detailed business plan.The first recruitment event took place on 26 June in Oxfordshire. The event was well attended and the DTI expects to see good take-up from Oxfordshire firms in the weeks and months to come. There will be a series of similar recruitment events in urban areas around the country to get contractors on board.The DTI continues to work with a number of reputable trade bodies to fast-track members into the quality mark scheme. Following recommendations in the pilot review, the scheme is subsidising registration costs for a limited period with the object of achieving a critical mass.The DTI is also working with local authorities, financial services groups, consumer groups and others to promote the scheme to tradesmen and encourage the participation of the latter wherever possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What targets they have set the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for 2002–03. [HL5347]

We have set the Veterinary Medicines Directorate the following performance targets for 2002–03.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What targets they have set the Central Science Laboratory for 2002–03. [HL5387]

We have set the Central Science Laboratory the following performance targets for 2002–03.Quality of Service1. To make satisfactory progress with the action plan resulting from the 2001–02 Science Audit.2. To manage the agency in an effective manner, including delivery of e-Government and commercial exploitation of research outputs.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Director of the Serious Fraud Office will publish her annual report. [HL5430]

I can confirm that I have today placed a copy of the annual report in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Law Officers will publish their

I can confirm that I have today placed a copy of the Review of the Year in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they accept the findings of the Audit Commission's report

We welcome the Audit Commission's report on housing benefit (HB) administration. Its emphasis on partnership and simplification is very much in tune with our current policy initiatives.We are determined to work with local authorities to drive up standards of service, tackle fraud and error, reduce barriers to work and tackle social exclusion.In March last year we established a help team to work in partnership with local authorities to support them in improving the administration of HB. We are already seeing real improvements resulting from the team's work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What £1,000 in a stakeholder pension invested in a "tracker fund" when the scheme was introduced is now worth. [HL5266]

There are many different tracker funds available, and they track a variety of indices, such as the FTSE 100, FTSE 250 or FTSE 350. Tracker funds may also track an index of bonds rather than an index of equities. Because of this there is no single, identifiable answer to the Question.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(a) how many pensioners in Warrington are on the minimum income guarantee;

(b) how many pensioner households in Warrington receive the winter fuel allowance;

(c) how many pensioners in Warrington aged over 75 receive a free television licence; and

(d) what is the total cost of all the above including the cost of the state pension, paid to people in Warrington. [HL5267]

As at February 2002 there were 5,100 people in receipt of the minimum income guarantee in Warrington.Thirty-four thousand nine hundred people living in Warrington received a winter fuel payment for last winter (2001–02).We estimate that 12,400 people in Warrington were aged over 75 and eligible to receive a free TV licence.The costs for the state pension, the minimum income guarantee and winter fuel allowances for pensioners living in the Warrington local authority area is estimated to be £148 million a year. Data are not available on the cost of free TV licences issued in geographical areas.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are monitoring, by collecting statistics:

Statistics on the use of "managed moves", "voluntary withdrawals" and the occurrence of "unofficial exclusions" are not collected or held centrally.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proposals they have received on improving the emotional well-being of school children in response to their consultation on Ofsted's framework

These are matters for Ofsted. The HM Chief Inspector, David Bell, will write to the noble Earl and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What consideration they have given to the report

We recognise that there is particular concern about the position of people with learning disabilities living with older carers aged 70 and over. They and their families must be able to plan for the future in good time. Promoting supported living for older people with learning disabilities is one of the priorities for both the revenue and capital elements of the £42 million Learning Disability Development Fund, announced in the White Paper Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century published in March 2001. The fund has been made available to the new learning disability partnership boards, now established in each local authority area.The needs of elderly carers and the development of supported living approaches for people with learning disabilities living with older carers are also identified as priorities in the implementation guidance, which was sent to all local authority chief executives, social services directors and directors of housing. Partnership boards, working with local housing authorities, people with learning disabilities, carers and service providers, are required to develop local housing strategies by winter 2002–03.We have received a copy of MENCAP'S report "The Housing Timebomb" (June 2002), which considers housing, care and support issues affecting people with learning disabilities living with older parents. We will consider the report and its recommendations carefully.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the establishment of consultant cardiologists in the East Kent National Health Service Trust; and how many full-time and how many part-time consultants are in post. [HL5130]

We are advised by East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust that it currently employs six consultants, one of whom works half time at the trust.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they have taken to ensure that money they intended for disability equipment is going to equipment services; and [HL5145]What discussions they have held with the National Audit Commission about disability equipment; and with what results; and [HL5146]Whether they have consulted with the relevant disability organisations' complaints about disability equipment. [HL5147]

Members of the National Integration Support Team continue to take every opportunity to encourage and support health and social services to make appropriate investment in equipment services to meet NHS Plan targets. The targets are to integrate health and social care community equipment services and to increase by 50 per cent the number of people who can benefit from such services by 2004.Progress towards the attainment of the targets will be monitored in a number of ways. These include regular statistical returns from councils with social services responsibilities and health authorities, and monitoring through the Social Services Inspectorate. The Department of Health is keeping the need for further performance measures under review, being advised by those in the field, service users and others with an interest.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Beverley Hughes MP on 1 July (HC Deb 188W), whether rural encampments of asylum seekers, who "have access to NHS care in the same way as people who are settled here" will have to be cared for by local rural general practitioners and other rural health services. [HL5149]

On-site primary healthcare facilities will be provided at the proposed trial accommodation centres for asylum seekers. The intention is to minimise the impact which the accommodation centres will have on local general practitioners and other local health services. The on-site healthcare facilities will be provided under contract to the Home Office. Local general practitioners and other health services may be involved in delivery of these services. Alternatively, the on-site healthcare may be provided by other providers. Asylum seekers residing at the proposed centres are also likely to have some need of specialist health care services and Department of Health officials are having preliminary discussions about this with the relevant organisations in the areas concerned.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to extend the pilot scheme, whereby the abortion pill RU 486 will be made available from selected family planning centres, to family planning centres throughout the United Kingdom. [HL5178]

The Sexual Health and HIV Strategy Implementation Action Plan sets out the Department of Health's intention to pilot early abortion procedures in non-traditional settings that meet legal requirements for abortion provision. There will be a limited number of pilots in non-traditional settings, such as family planning clinics, located in hospitals vested in a National Health Service trust or primary care trust. The pilots will be carefully evaluated, and there are no plans for a wider scheme at the present time.The action plan applies to England only. Services in Scotland and Wales are a matter for the devolved administrations. The Abortion Act does not apply to Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the National Health Service will comply with European Community procurement rules when contracts to deliver patient care in England are entered into with non-United Kingdom organisations; and, if so, when the appropriate advertisements will appear in the Official Journal of the European Community. [HL5185]

As the prospectus Growing Capacity, a new role for external healthcare providers in England notes, European Community procurement regulations will be applied where required by law; normally, this will mean that tendering for international establishment projects will be through the Official Journal of the European Community. The appropriate advertisements will appear in the official journal when specifications for individual projects have been drawn up.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they accept the opinion of the Audit Commission in its report Fully Equipped 2002 that "for the most part, equipment services remain in a parlous state" and that "ineffectual service commissioning is at the heart of the problems facing equipment services"; and what practical steps they intend to take in response to the Audit Commission's report. [HL5188]

The Government are committed to improve community equipment services. The NHS Plan targets are to integrate health and social care community equipment services and to increase by 50 per cent the number of people who can benefit from such services by 2004. We are only 15 months into a three-year period of reform and investment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the management information held by the Department of Health in respect of the performance of individual National Health Service bodies against their key financial duties for 2001–02. [HL5190]

The audited information in respect of the performance of National Health Service bodies against key financial duties for 2001–02 will be published in their individual annual accounts. The information will be available centrally in autumn 2002.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What increases in funding for voluntary hospices have been made in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what further increases are planned for future years. [HL5235]

Total expenditure (1999–2000) on adult specialist care services has been estimated by the National Council for Hospices and Specialist Palliative Care to be around £300 million, of which around £130 million comes from the National Health Service.The Government have pledged in the NHS Cancer Plan that funding for specialist palliative care services in England including hospices, will increase by £50 million per annum by 2004. This investment is included in the overall NHS investment for implementing the Cancer Plan. How this funding is deployed locally will depend on the needs of the area. We are currently reviewing the outturn position for 2001–02 and the progress in that year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will detail, borough by borough, the land and property belonging to the Department of Health, or any National Health Service trust, that has been sold in any London borough south of the River Thames during the last three years. [HL5349]

The Department of Health has not sold any land or property in any London borough south of the River Thames during the past three years.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the first report on the Shipman inquiry. [HL5486]

Dame Janet Smith, chairman of the Shipman inquiry, has published her first report. We are grateful to her for the work she has so far carried out. Copies of the inquiry's report have been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency will publish its annual report and accounts. [HL5492]

The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency's annual report and accounts has been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they would support the choice of Archbishop of Canterbury being made by the Church of England without the intervention of the Prime Minister of the day; and, if not, why not. [HL4559]

The appointment of the Leader of the Established Church is of importance to the country as a whole. The involvement of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister reflects this wider public interest and is also a symbol of the link between Church and nation. If the Church were to wish to propose a different method of appointment, the Government would of course consider it carefully. However, the General Synod recently voted by a substantial majority in favour of the current system.

asked Her Majesty's Government.What political and religious criteria are used by the Prime Minister in deciding how to advise Her Majesty about the appointment of a new Archbishop of Canterbury. [HL5174]

In the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury, my right honourable friend the Prime Minister benefits from the advice of the Crown Appointments Commission, a Church body responsible for nominating two candidates for the Archbishopric to my right honourable friend.The commission and my right honourable friend take a wide range of criteria into account. Party political criteria are not among them.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations the Prime Minister has received from Right 2 Vote Limited regarding the repatriation of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan; on what date any representation was received; whether any representation was requested; and what impact any representation had on Government policy. [HL5062]

The Prime Minister is not aware that he has received any representations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What the problems were that resulted in the noble Lord, Lord Lipsey, having received no Answer to his Question for Written Answer which was put down on 14 January and still appears on the Order Paper 24 weeks later. [HL5084]

The Question of the noble Lord, Lord Lipsey, has been answered today. The delay in answering this Question is totally unacceptable. It arose from a number of factors, including a delay in its allocation, changes in officials and the need to request information from all government departments and their agencies. My office and the House authorities have instituted changes since this Question was asked which should prevent such delays in future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the dates of correspondence, emails and telephone calls which have been made between parliamentary and government officials, including the titles of those both sending and receiving, in seeking a government reply to the Question for Written Answer put down by Lord Lipsey on 14 January and which remains on the Order Paper 24 weeks later. [HL5085]

The Question of the noble Lord, Lord Lipsey, has been answered today. The delay in answering this Question is totally unacceptable. Numerous phone calls and emails went between my office and officials in parliamentary branches across Whitehall in seeking a reply to the Question. It is not possible to list all such contacts. I will in future be able to provide more detailed Answers to such Questions now that a new database has been installed in my office to track Answers to Written Questions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many illegal guns have been captured in Northern Ireland in each of the last seven years. [HL5124]

The information requested is contained in the table below:

Year	Number of weapons recovered
1995	118
1996	97
1997	105
1998	88
1999	113
2000	134
2001	97
2002 (to 30 June)	62

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much the Northern Ireland Parades Commission has cost the United Kingdom taxpayer since creation. [HL5326]

The total cost of the parades commission since its creation in March 1997 is £5,049,653.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 10 June (

Heritage assets, which include "antique furniture", are those assets which have been inherited by the department since its earliest existence. These assets are held in trust for future generations because of their cultural, environmental or historical existence.Within the department furniture is purchased for use by operational staff. This furniture is classified under the heading "fixtures and fittings".

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received the fifth report of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, who are the members of the committee, and whether they will make a statement. [HL5473]

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments has submitted its fifth report to the Prime Minister and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report gives an account of its work from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002.The committee is an independent body which advises the Prime Minister on business appointment applications from the most senior civil servants and members of the Armed Forces. Where the applicant is a senior diplomat, it advises the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under the similar rules which apply in the Diplomatic Service. The committee also gives advice, under published guidelines, to former Ministers about any outside appointments they wish to take up after leaving office. It includes members with extensive experience of public life in England, Scotland and Wales, and, in this respect, it acts as a joint body although it provides its advice directly to those who seek it in accordance with the provisions of their ministerial code.The current members of the committee are:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to improve the United Kingdom's disproportionately low share of the European Investment Bank's overall funding of transport infrastructure. [HL5134]

Public and private sector organisations in the United Kingdom benefited from European Investment Bank loans totalling €15,626 million during the period 1997–2001. Many important transport infrastructure projects were among the initiatives supported. Government, other public sector bodies and private undertakings have and will continue to seek to make use of the bank's facilities when it makes economic and financial sense to do so. In recent months, the bank has approved substantial loan facilities in relation to the development of Terminal 5 at Heathrow and the improvement of the Al between Darrington and Dishforth in Yorkshire. The bank is also considering an application for support for phase 3 of the Manchester Metrolink.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How quickly and by what means United Kingdom enforcement authorities can determine whether a goods vehicle, ostensibly registered in another European Union state, is covered by an operators' licence of that state. [HL5262]

EC Regulation 881/92 requires all vehicles engaged in international road haulage and registered in another member state to carry a certified copy of a Community authorisation when entering the UK as evidence that the vehicles comply with the domestic operator licensing system of that state. This can be quickly and easily checked at the roadside by the enforcement authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How quickly and by what means United Kingdom enforcement authorities can determine whether a vehicle, ostensibly registered in another European Union state, is in fact legally registered in that state. [HL5263]

Foreign registered vehicles engaged in international haulage in the UK are required by EC Regulation 881/92 to carry a certified copy of a Community authorisation. The authorisation is evidence that the vehicles comply with the domestic operator licensing system of the member state in which they are based, including the requirements for registering the vehicle.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 18 July 2001 (

This is a matter for London Underground. I am informed that London Underground has now identified the scope of systems that could be applied and are commercially available to introduce onto the network to improve ventilation and areas of research work that could be undertaken to develop new systems.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they intend to achieve the outputs from the public service agreement announced on 15 July in respect of reducing road congestion on interurban trunk roads and large urban areas in 2010 below the 2000 levels. [HL5369]

The PSA congestion target in the Spending Review White Paper was first published in Transport 2010: The 10 year Plan in July 2000. The plan identifies the reduction of congestion as a priority. It seeks to address the problem through an integrated approach, using a wide range of measures. The plan is a package of investment to improve railways, strategic roads and local transport.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In respect of the intention on page 9 of the public service agreement announced on 15 July to "secure improvement in rail punctuality and reliability with a 50 per cent increase in rail use in Great Britain from 2000 to 2010", whether this refers to passenger or freight traffic; and, if the latter, what are the reasons for reducing these targets to 50 per cent from the 80 per cent in the 10 year transport plan at a time when rail freight traffic grew by 9 per cent in the last year. [HL5370]

The public service agreement announced on 15 July, which seeks a 50 per cent increase in rail use in Great Britain from 2000 to 2010, will be measured in terms of passenger kilometres, and therefore does not refer to freight traffic. The Department for Transport retains the target, as set out in the 10 year plan for transport, for a significant increase in rail freight's share of the freight market by 2010.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are their proposals to incur contingent liabilities in respect of Network Rail, as set out in the minutes laid before Parliament on 27 June. [HL5385]

In our statement on 27 June on Network Rail, we informed the House of two minutes laid that day setting out the contingent liabilities the Secretary of State for Transport proposed to incur on behalf of the Government to enable Railtrack plc to be acquired by Network Rail.This classification of Network Rail was a decision taken, not by the Government but by the Office for National Statistics. The ONS takes independent decisions in matters concerning the classification, preparation and publication of statistics. It was its view that Network Rail would be classified as a private sector corporation—once its board has been ratified by its membership—and that the company's borrowing could be classified as private sector borrowing in the national accounts. In reaching this conclusion the ONS has, I understand, based its considerations upon the European system of accounts 1995 (ESA95).As we explained to the House in our Statement on 27 June, the SRA is providing Network Rail with standby credit facilities. It is the commercial debt markets that will provide the required borrowing for Network Rail, with the credit facilities called upon in identified, though unlikely, circumstances. On this basis the SRA's standby credit facilities are considered to be contingent liabilities and would only score as public expenditure in the extremely unlikely event of them being called upon.The Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office has, in his capacity as auditor of the SRA, concluded that Network Rail should be accounted for as a subsidiary of the SRA. This judgment is based on the application of UK generally accepted accounting practice (UK-GAAP). As such the expenditure and liabilities of Network Rail will be accounted for in an open and transparent way—a very welcome step.The provision of any funds necessary to meet the SRA's financial obligations could be made by way of grant under paragraph 7 of Schedule 14 to the Transport Act 2000 or by permitting the SRA to borrow in accordance with paragraph 8 of that schedule. Whether the SRA's financial obligations (subject to normal supply procedures) would be met by a grant, by allowing it to borrow, or a mixture of both, would be determined if the need arose. It therefore remains the Secretary of State's intention to proceed as proposed and incur the liabilities set out in the minutes.The Government judge that the contingent liabilities set out in the minutes laid before the House on 27 June provide robust means of quickly setting up a strong and well-managed company to take over the responsibilities of Railtrack as network operator; and to do so by uniting the rail industry to work together under the strategic guidance of the SRA with government with the overall aim of delivering the efficient, safe and reliable railway network that customers want.