asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Chancellor on 16 November 2001 (

While the way forward on House of Lords reform is under consideration by the Joint Committee of both Houses the Government do not intend to make any commitment on the nature of any possible reforms.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the progress of discussions between the Lord Chancellor's Department and Fujitsu Services on the Libra project to provide IT services for the magistrates' courts in England and Wales. [HL5595]

There are two parts to the Libra project: the provision of a modern IT infrastructure and network to link the magistrates' courts with other parts of the criminal justice system and the special software for case management, accounting and other administration within the courts. Installation of the infrastructure and network is 75 per cent complete and will be completed during the first half of 2003. The specialised software has been delayed.The department has now signed a variation to the contract with Fujitsu Services (formerly known as ICL) in respect of the Libra project.Under these new arrangements, Fujitsu Services will continue to deliver the IT infrastructure and network and provide support until March 2007.However, the department has decided that Fujitsu Services will not be required to continue with the development of the specialised software for case management, accounting and other administration. Serious concerns arose last year when delays in delivery of the software and increases in their costs led Fujitsu Services to seek to renegotiate the contract. As many courts and offices had already been equipped with the IT infrastructure, a basis for renegotiation was agreed. Despite intensive negotiation however, it has not proved possible to reach an agreement on the specialised software at an acceptable price, which will deliver value for money for the taxpayer.Instead, the department will procure application services separately. Assessments show that robust, tried and tested software is now available in the marketplace which could meet requirements at a lower cost than that on offer from Fujitsu Services.The original 1998 contract was valued at £183 million to run until July 2009. A variation to this was signed with Fujitsu/ICL in 2000, which was valued at £319 million was to run unti 2013. This was not a real price increase as the extra cost was for the extra years and other benefits. In each case the contract with Fujitsu Services was for the delivery of both the infrastructure and the specialised software.The estimated value of the revised contract with Fujitsu Services is £232 million which includes some £31 million paid under the existing contract from 2000 to the end of June 2002 for the delivery and operation of the infrastructure services received by the magistrates' courts. In addition, the Government have paid Fujitsu Services £6.8 million for design products produced as part of the software application development that can be reused. Apart from this amount, the financial and management risks of developing the software have been borne by the supplier.A number of studies have been carried out by external organisations to provide assurances on the way forward, including a benchmark exercise on the infrastructure costs and an assessment of the costs, timescales and market capacity to deliver the software application services.The benchmarking exercise shows that the cost of the provision of the infrastructure service in the revised contract is in line with the cost of similar services provided to organisations of similar size, structure and complexity in the private and public sectors. It is possible, but by no means certain, that a new competitive procurement could deliver the services for less cost, but the department's assessment of the costs of delays and procurement and completing the implementation of the service to all courts shows that the revised contract provides best value for money to the taxpayer.The studies on the software application services indicate that the services can be delivered by the end of 2004—a delay of nine months on the original 1998 contract—and at a price that will be affordable and provide value for money. The department is planning on this basis. However, these services will be subject to new procurements and the House will be informed of the outcome when the procurements have been completed.There are lessons to be learned for all parties from the project. Since the original award of contract a range of government guidelines on managing IT contracts and on PFI/PPP contracts have been issued. These have been fully utilised in the recent negotiation. Improvements introduced on Libra in the past 12 months include strengthening of the governance arrangements, better risk management, the use of external benchmarking and an external review under the gateway process. This has provided more effective controls for the negotiations and future plans. The new arrangement separates the delivery of the infrastructure from the application which is designed to better ensure the success of the overall programme and at the same time place appropriate risk with the respective providers and the department.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they plan to publish the Monitoring Report for the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information covering the year 2001. [HL5599]

I am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. I am pleased to inform your Lordships' House that the Monitoring Report for the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information for the year 2001 will be published in August. A pre-print copy of the report has been placed in the House Library and a copy is available on my department's website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Attorney-General proposes to announce the outcome of his current review of the role and practices of the Crown Prosecution Service in cases arising from death in custody. [HL5540]

I hope to make an announcement around the end of September. I had hoped to do so before Parliament rose this month, but because of the thought-provoking contributions that have been made, and because I wish to examine aspects of the handling of a trial which ended in acquittal earlier this month, I have decided to extend the period of the review. I am grateful to all those who have so far responded to the consultation paper or contributed their views in other ways.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What languages are used by the Court Service of Northern Ireland to provide information to the public: and what is the rationale for their selection. [HL5243]

The Northern Ireland Court Service provides information leaflets, corporate literature and consultation documents in English. Information may be provided in any other language, if requested, subject to the reasonableness of the request and any associated costs.Irish may also be used in official business consistent with the Government's obligations under Part 3 of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.At the Laganside Courts complex "talking" information signs provide information in English, Irish and Cantonese, being languages which court users are likely to want to use.

asked Her Majesty's Government:(a) What are the reasons for the continuing delay in introducing legislation to give transsexuals legal recognition and the right to marry in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights; and (b) whether they will speedily introduce such legislation. [HL5289]

The Government recently reconvened the Interdepartmental Working Group on Transsexual People to re-examine the implications of granting full legal status to transsexual people in their acquired gender, and to make recommendations to Ministers before the end of this year. The working group met on 9 July. It has now been tasked additionally with considering urgently the implications of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in the cases of Christine Goodwin v The United Kingdom and I v The United Kingdom.Reconvening the working group has been necessary as the interests of transsexual people touch on the policy responsibilities of a large number of government departments and the devolved administrations. Responses to the Court's ruling must be carefully co-ordinated.The Government are obliged, under international law, to implement the judgments and will decide as soon as possible how to do so. The devolved administrations are also considering their approach to these issues where responsibilities are devolved.Following the ruling, statutes must be interpreted in the light of the ECtHR findings and, where a statute allows, discretion must be exercised differently in any case where the traditional interpretation of exercise of discretion would result in a violation of a transsexual person's convention rights.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that the arrangements for consultation work satisfactorily, when changes involving benches of magistrates, their areas, responsibilities and court houses, are being examined; and whether they have received representations on these matters. [HL5230]

For changes to the organisation of magistrates' courts that require the Lord Chancellor's approval or decision, the arrangements for consultation presently in place are considered satisfactory.The Justices of the Peace Act 1997 (JPA) requires magistrates' courts committees (MCCs) to consult before making any decisions for reorganisation controlled by statute. There is accompanying guidance which sets out the court users that MCCs may wish to consult.Magistrates' courts committees use local knowledge to determine the scope of their consultation. However, MCCs are encouraged to consult more widely than statute requires. For example, on proposals for courthouse closures, the JPA requires MCCs to consult their paying authoirty. In practice, MCCs usually also consult magistrates, staff, MPs and professional court users. The Central Council of Magistrates' Courts Committees issued a good practice guide in December 2000 for MCCs to consider when determining courthouse closures, and this asks MCCs to consult widely. The guide is endorsed by LCD.I have not received any representations on these matters

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Avon and Somerset Magistrates' Courts administration acted properly in proposing major changes affecting local justice in advance of the Government's response to the Auld report and without consulting all affected and interested parties. [HL5231]

On 10 July 2002 the Avon and Somerset MCC decided to defer any decisions concerning the long-term accommodation strategy at the court buildings at Minehead, Wells and Frome until the publication of the criminal justice White Paper in order for them to engage in dialogue with a wide-ranging number of stakeholders including local authorities, the Countryside Agency and other criminal justice agencies so that alternative options for maintaining a court service in the areas affected could be further explored.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that subsuming the local management of magistrates' courts into a national executive agency would lead to a serious reduction in local justice. [HL5396]

The Government said in the White Paper Justice for All (CM 5563) that they intend to legislate to integrate the management of the courts. The White Paper set out a clear intent to set up local management boards and to ensure that decisions are taken when possible at the local level. But they will need to operate within a framework of national standards.The new administration we are proposing will, we hope, be a benefit to local justice and local accountability. This will not prevent local justice being delivered locally, and it will not take away from the important role magistrates play in the community. These changes will not affect magistrates' independence or their daily work. Indeed, local magistrates' benches are being retained.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give an assurance that magistrates' courts committees, managed by local people, will not be dispensed with in favour of locally unaccountable and centralised management arrangements. [HL5397]

The Government said in the White Paper Justice for All (CM 5563) that they intend to legislate to integrate the management of the courts delivering decentralised management and local accountability within a single courts organisation.The new arrangements will increase local accountability. At present, engagement with the local community is voluntary for both the magistrates' courts and the court service. There is no requirement for court users, the local community, or local authorities to be consulted about many key management decisions. In the new agency, however, managers of courts will be accountable to new local management boards which will include representatives drawn, for example, from the judiciary, the magistracy, local court users groups, victims support groups, local authorities and the local community.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will make an announcement about the personal delivery of appeal determinations to asylum seekers. [HL5538]

Under the Immigration and Asylum Appeals (Procedure) (Amendment) Rules 2001, the Home Secretary has been responsible since 7 January 2002 for the delivery of asylum appeal determinations to appellants who have no further rights of appeal within the Immigration Appellate Authorities (IAA). While the majority of these determinations have been served by post, some determinations have been deemed suitable for delivery in person either by a home visit or at a reporting centre.A pilot scheme to test the effectiveness of personal delivery procedures commenced on 7 January in the areas covered by Croydon, East Midlands and Leeds Local Enforcement Units and more recently Eaton House (Heathrow). The primary focus of the pilot scheme has been to establish that the correct procedures are in place to ensure that determinations are delivered promptly and that asylum seekers have access to their legal representatives and to the courts.The Home Office has set targets of 48 hours for posting determinations and six weeks for those being served personally. This allows the Home Office, where appropriate, to serve the determinaton at a time when the appellant attends a reporting centre, in line with any reporting conditions, or by home visit. Where the Home Office is unable to deliver the determination in person within six weeks, it is posted to the appellant.The first evaluation of this pilot has now been completed and the results are as follows. Between 7 January and 31 May 2002 the average time taken to deliver a determination in person (including those delivered at reporting centres when a person attends for their regular appointment) has been 19 days. A copy of the determination has been forwarded to the appellant's representative within a maximum of two and a half hours of personal delivery. For those appellants who were removed by 31 May, the average time between delivery of the determination and removal has been 13 days and the minimum time was one day.Failed asylum seekers who have been taken into detention or removed have been informed of their right to contact a legal representative and given reasonable opportunity to do so. Those wishing to apply for judicial review have had three working days in which to submit an application and a day in which to obtain the High Court reference number. During this time removal directions have been suspended.Two such applications for judicial review were made between 7 January and 31 May. There have been no applications for a review (under rule 16 or 19 of the Immigration and Asylum (Procedure) Rules) by the chief adjudicator or president of the tribunal respectively.As of 31 May 2002, of the 76 determinations deemed suitable for personal delivery, 34 were succesfully delivered in person and 24 people have been removed from the country.The Home Office is now considering expanding the scheme in the light of the evaluation results.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on the public/private partnership for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. [HL5471]

On 1 July 2001, the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was successfully divided into QinetiQ plc, currently a wholly government-owned company, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, which remains part of the Ministry of Defence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What targets have been set for the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) for the financial year 2002–03. [HL5472]

Key Performance Indicators have been set for the chief executive of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) for financial year 2002–03 as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the latest figures for deaths of Gulf veterans, and amongst the control group. [HL5473]

The latest data, as at 30 June 2002, are shown in Table 1. Because of concern among some Gulf veterans over deaths caused by cancer, Table 2 provides a detailed breakdown of deaths from cancer (malignant neoplasm) by anatomical site.We are currently discussing with the University of Manchester proposals for a detailed comparative study of the incidence of cancers among Gulf veterans and the Era comparison group and underlying factors, and hope to place a contract shortly. We also plan to commission a study of a cohort of Bosnia veterans on whom data is already available.We are also discussing with the University of Manchester a detailed study of the factors underlying the figures for road traffic accident deaths, and hope to place a contract in the near future.In addition, we have asked the Medical Research Council (MRC) to undertake an independent review of the research work that has been carried out into Gulf veterans' illnesses and advise on appropriate areas for furture research. The MRC's conclusions will be published.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on the award of a General Service Medal to those who served in the armed forces in the Suez canal zone from 1951 to 1954. [HL5536]

The Government consider it important to respect the principle that where there is a clear, demonstrable decision taken within five years of a campaign that a General Service Medal should not be awarded, that decision should not be reopened.The evidence relating to consideration of a General Service Medal for the Suez canal zone is however less clear-cut. A number of representations have been made by the veterans of that campaign with which the Government have considerable sympathy.In view of these exceptional circumstances, the Government are setting up a small sub-committee of HD Committee under the chairmanship of General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank to report on the case for an exceptional award of a General Service Medal for the Suez canal zone without creating wider precedent or breaching longstanding principles which underpin the making of such awards.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the Health Council held on 26 June; and what their stance was on each issue discussed, including their voting record. [HL5539]

My right honourable friend the Minister for Health (Mr Hutton) represented the United Kingdom at the Health Council in Luxembourg on 26 June 2002.The Council debated the Commission's package of proposals for review of pharmaceutical legislation, covering the authorisation of medicinal products through a centralised authorisation procedure and the constitution of the management board of the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA). No conclusions were reached.During discussions of the framework convention on tobacco control, the commission, along with the incoming Danish Presidency, urged member states to be flexible to allow the adoption of a strong European Union position for the next round of negotiations in Geneva in October. Some member states called for high level political input to seek to avoid adoption of a position that simply represented the lowest common denominator. The United Kingdom remains a supporter of a strong and effective convention.Council conclusions on patient mobility were adopted; with the Commission expected to bring forward proposals during the Danish Presidency.The rest of the agenda covered the presentation of new dossiers or updates on the progress of current legislation. The Commission presented a draft directive on the safety of tissues and cells, to complement the current one on blood safety, as well as one on traditional medicines. There were also two recommendations one on smoking prevention and tobacco control and another on the reduction of risks associated with drug dependence.Details of these and other agenda items are set out in the table which will placed in the Library. No votes were taken on any issue before the Council.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment has been made of the effects of deep-ploughing at Verulamium; and why they have not taken effective steps to prevent the landowner or his tenants from continuing the consequent destruction of stratified late Roman levels at this site. [HL5357]

The Oxford Archaeological Unit (on behalf of English Heritage) carried out a programme of test pitting in the north-western half of Verulamium Roman Town. Its report, published in May 2000, indicated that there was evidence of erosion of the archaeological resource in part of the site.English Heritage embarked on negotiations with the estate owner with a view to agreeing terms by which the land could voluntarily be taken out of cultivation. Although there have been extensive discussions, English Heritage and the estate owner have not been able to make a long term agreement about the land. For the moment, however, the estate has agreed to limit its activity at the monument to minimal cultivation. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is now reviewing the options open to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in order to find a long-term solution to safeguard the archaeology at the monument.Officials have informed the owner that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is considering what action to take to protect the monument.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on implementing the recommendations contained in the Government's statement on historic environment:

Since A Force for Our Future was published in December 2001 the following has been achieved:DECEMBERThe listed Places of Worship Grant scheme was launched.MARCH

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to celebrate in 2007 the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union between Scotland and England; and [HL4882]What plans they have to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the joining of the crowns of Scotland and England in 2003. [HL5043]

The Government have, at present, no plans to celebrate either event.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What studies they have made of the discussion paper by Mr Christopher Taylor of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research on

Over half our total trade is with Europe, with over 3 million jobs affected.The Government have said that they will complete an assessment of the five economic tests within two years of the start of this Parliament. The assessment will be comprehensive and rigorous.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What view they take of the conclusion in the discussion paper by Mr Christopher Taylor of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research that greater volatility between the euro and the United States dollar is in prospect. [HL5359]

The Government do not comment on developments or prospects in the foreign exchange market.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they accept the conclusion of the discussion paper by Mr Christopher Taylor of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research that the Bank of England Exchange Rate Index severely misrepresents the reality of the global pattern of United Kingdom trade and investment. [HL5360]

The Bank of England Effective Exchange Rate Index is calculated according to a methodology set out by the IMF, using shares of UK manufacturing trade for 1989–1991. It is desirable to maintain a stable and transparent methodology for calculating such an index in order for it to be comparable across time and across countries.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What conclusions they draw from the recent study by Mr Christopher Taylor of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research concerning the importance of the United States dollar to the United Kingdom economy and the dangers of increased overall currency volatility if sterling is merged into the euro. [HL5361]

The Government have said that they will complete an assessment of the five economic tests within two years of the start of this Parliament. The assessment will be comprehensive and rigorous.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 16 July (

As I said in the House on 24 June 1999, "any country which chooses to enter EMU does so on the basis that it is an irrevocable step." The Chancellor confirmed this in his recent Mansion House speech, saying, "the decision [on EMU] is not just momentous, but irreversible." That is why, as the Chancellor said in his Mansion House speech, "the national economic interest—full employment, high and sustainable levels of investment and growth, long-term prosperity—is, and should be seen to be, the decisive factor."As I also made clear in the debate on 24 June 1999, any recommendation by government to join EMU would need to be agreed by a vote in Parliament, before being put to a referendum of the British people.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which companies are bidding to supply IT services to the Inland Revenue when present contracts expire in 2004; what effects on the continuity of the business, if any, would ensure from a change of supplier; and whether this will be a factor in the competition. [HL5515]

The shortlist of bidders who are likely to be invited to tender is BT plc, Cap Gemini, Ernst & Young, EDS/Accenture Alliance.The Inland Revenue is developing plans to mitigate the risk to the continuity of services should there be a change of suppliers when the current contracts expire in 2004. This includes having agreed exit strategies with the current suppliers, EDS and Accenture. The Inland Revenue will also expect bidders to be able to demonstrate that they are capable of managing a transition on this scale and to include detailed transition plans in their response to the invitation to tender.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any of the suppliers of IT services to the Inland Revenue are affected by corporate problems with their business partners in the United States. [HL5516]

The Inland Revenue has examined the contractual arrangements between EDS, Worldcom and the UK-based third party supplier and are fully satisfied that there is no threat to the data network service provision and that any default by Worldcom is fully covered by EDS.

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

Pursuant to my Written Answer on 22 July 2002, Official Report, (WA20):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.In addition, we have set up a help fund to support local authorities by providing funding for locally-led initiatives to improve the administration of HB. For the financial year 2001–02, a total of £1,637,570 was awarded, which benefited over 200 authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the outcome of the review of common land policy and legislation following the consultation exercise that took place in 2000. [HL5477]

We have today published a Common Land Policy Statement jointly with the National Assembly for Wales. This, together with the Report on Consultation Responses, is available in the Library of the House, on the DEFRA website, and from the National Assembly for Wales.The policy statement contains a comprehensive package of proposals relating to the registration and protection of common land and village greens. It also outlines our objectives for improving the agricultural management of common land and announces our intention to set up as soon as possible a working party of stakeholders to make recommendations on how these objectives can best be met.In the Rural White Paper, issued in November 2000, the Government gave a commitment to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows. We hope to be able to do so in the 2004–05 session.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the public consultation on the possible ban on enriched cages in England will begin. [HL5478]

The public consultation will start on 24 July and last for three months.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. [HL5479]

The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report for the Veterinary Laboratories Agency. [HL5480]

The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Laboratories Agency were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report for the Pesticides Safety Directorate. [HL5481]

The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Pesticides Safety Directorate were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the 2001–02 annual report for the Central Science Laboratory. [HL5482]

The 2001–02 annual report and accounts for the Central Science Laboratory were laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the consultation paper on competition in the water industry will be published. [HL5541]

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Environment (Michael Meacher) announced in another place on 19 March the Government's proposals for increasing competition in the water industry in England and Wales (HC Deb, Col 265W). We promised to publish a consultation paper with further details of our proposals later in the year.We can now confirm that the consultation paper on competition in the water industry will be published in the next few weeks.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What targets they have set the Rural Payments Agency for 2002–03. [HL5542]

We have set the Rural Payments Agency the following performance targets for 2002–03:

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to publish the United Kingdom strategy for radioactive discharges. [HL5543]

The strategy is currently being printed and will be published very shortly. Copies will be placed in the Library. The document will also be available on the DEFRA website.The strategy demonstrates how the UK will achieve substantial reductions in radioactive discharges in the period to 2020 to implement agreements reached at the 1998 ministerial meeting and subsequent meetings of the OSPAR Commission.Radioactive discharges in the UK have already been reduced to around 1 per cent of peak levels in the 1970s. This strategy represents the next chapter of what has been an increasingly effective policy to minimise such discharges and shows that the Goverment are determined to maintain the downward pressure and to achieve the objective of the OSPAR radioactive substances strategy.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What financial support is being given to English local authorities to meet the capital costs of dealing with contaminated land. [HL5547]

The Contaminated Land Supplementary Credit Approval (SCA) programme has provided support to English local authorities' capital works for 12 years. It assists local authorities to fulfil their responsibilities under the contaminated land regime which was introduced on 1 April 2000, under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The regime makes local authorities responsible for identifying contaminated land as defined in the Act, and they may also be responsible for its remediation in their capacity as regulators or in carrying some responsibility for the land's condition. The SCA programme assists local authorities to meet these obligations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What help and advice are available to sectors affected by the requirements of the Groundwater Regulations 1998. [HL5548]

Following publication of a groundwater protection code for sheep dipping last summer the department has prepared two further codes of advice. A groundwater protection code for those involved with petrol stations and underground storage tanks for hydrocarbons will be published shortly. In addition the department will be consulting this summer on a code aimed at businesses which use solvents. These codes will provide a useful source of advice on all aspects relating to groundwater protection, including site design and development, operation and decommissioning.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will publish its Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. [HL5549]

We are pleased to announce that, from today, the first three parts of the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate are publicly available on the Government's Sustainable Development website. Copies of the website on floppy disk have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.Part A of the framework sets out the overarching commitments to which all departments have signed up, and outlines the means by which progress towards these targets will be monitored and reported. It also sets a new target for environmental management systems to be rolled out across the estate. Parts B and C contain specific targets and guidance in the areas of travel and water consumption.It is planned that the remaining parts of the framework—covering waste, energy, procurement, estates management, biodiversity, and social impacts—will be rolled out over the coming year.The online publication of the framework is designed to facilitate the provision of the most up-to-date guidance and examples of best practice in relation to targets to all those involved in management of the government estate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will publish its response to the Environmental Audit Committee's Third Report of Session 2001–02,

We are pleased to announce that we have today laid in the Libraries of both Houses copies of the Government's response to the Environment Audit Committee's Third Report of the 2001–2002 Session, UK Preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the average rate of absconding among remand prisoners who are granted bail. [HL4941]

Our best estimate based on information held on the Home Office court proceedings database is that, of those who were remanded in custody at some point in time, 14 per cent failed to appear in court in 2000 while on bail. This is slightly higher than the figure of 12 per cent that refers to all those granted bail who failed to appear in court that appears in Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 2000, Table 8.9.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will advise magistrates to grant bail where, although they are satisfied that there are substantial grounds for believing that the defendant, if released, would commit a further offence while on bail, that offence is non-violent and attracts a maximum sentence of not more than three months' imprisonment. [HL5081]

No. Each bail decision is of course at the discretion of the courts and each case is considered on its own merits. The Bail Act 1976 establishes a presumption in favour of bail and then sets out exceptions to this presumption, so that the defendant need not be granted bail where he or she presents a bail risk. One of these exceptions is if the court believes the defendant would commit an offence. The Act even provides that defendants accused or convicted of non-imprisonable offences need not be granted bail if the court believes that the defendant would fail to return to custody and has a history of failing to surrender to custody in a previous grant of bail.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many representations they have received concerning possible miscarriages of justice in the cases of Samar Alami and Jarrad Botmeh convicted in 1996 of involvement in bombings in 1994; whether these include representations from foreign governments; and, if so, which ones. [HL4961]

According to Home Office records, we have received 21 representations alleging that Samar Alami and Jawed Botmeh are the victims of a miscarraige of justice. The Criminal Cases Review Commission, which is now responsible for investigating suspected miscarriages of justice cases and referring them, where appropriate, to an appellate court, has so far received 12 representations about Ms Alami and Mr Botmeh. None of these representations have been from foreign governments.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will encourage or enable courts to order the confiscation of motor vehicles when these are used in connection with criminal activity. [HL5240]

Section 143 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 provides that a court may order a convicted offender to forfeit any property, either lawfully seized or found in his possession when apprehended for the offence, that was used for the purpose of committing or facilitating the offence.In specified circumstances, where the offender committed the offence by driving a vehicle, the vehicle may be ordered to be forfeited.The exercise of these powers is a matter for the courts.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In the context of the draft Mental Health Bill, what evidence they have of the accuracy of predictions of violent behaviour (or the absence of it) by psychiatrists. [HL5313]

Research studies have been conducted on the relative accuracy of clinical opinion (i.e. the judgments made by clinical professionals such as psychiatrists and psychologists) in the assessment of violence (including sexual offending) in relation to actuarial or statistical risk prediction tools. The evidence from these studies indicates that statistically based risk prediction tools are more accurate in their predictions than clinical judgment alone. For example, a study by Bonta, Hanson and Law in North America indicated that actuarial risk assessments might be up to three times more accurate than predictions based on only clinical judgment.More recently there has been a move towards developing risk assessment processes which combine the use of actuarial tools and structured clinical judgment to guide the decision-making process regarding risk of serious offending. Recent international research indicates that this is more effective in prediction than either actuarial tools or clinical judgment, taken on their own.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In the context of the Mental Health Bill, what proportion of people who under current legislation would fail the treatability test but who might be detained under the terms of the draft Bill, and who have been convicted of a serious offence against the person, have been the subject of a verdict of diminished responsibility in respect of that conviction. [HL5315]

This question cannot be answered without disproportionate cost. There is no central record of diminished responsibility pleas on grounds of mental disorder; nor of those which fail by reason of untreatability.Forecasts derived from the Office for National Statistics Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of Prisoners indicate that 124 persons per annum could fail to be treated under Clause 6 of the Bill as being at substantial risk of causing serious harm to other persons due to a severe personality disorder. Members of this group could fall outside the Mental Health Act 1983 as being untreatable.Central statistical databases do not hold information on the criminal convictions of all people admitted under the 1983 Act, other than for persons given hospital orders by the courts. It is therefore not possible to offer a breakdown of disposals of offenders with reference to treatability or diminished responsibility.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will instruct the relevant authorities that in the event of a road closure due to an accident their absolute priority, after dealing with any casualties, must be to reopen the road as soon as possible. [HL5317]

This is an operational matter for the police, whose paramount concern must be the protection of the public. As well as ensuring that accident victims are appropriately attend to, the police must be satisfied that the road is safe for use. They also have a duty to investigate accidents and their causes in a professional manner and to gather any appropriate evidence from the scene. Depending on the circumstances, these necessary procedures may unavoidably take some considerable time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to reduce the number of accidents involving police cars. [HL5318]

The Government welcome the efforts that the police are making to try to reduce the number of police vehicle collisions.The police need to strike a balance between responding promptly to emergencies and apprehending offenders, and ensuring the safety of the public. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has ensured that measures are in place or being implemented to reduce the need for high speed pursuits and the risks when such pursuits are necessary.There is a nationally agreed ACPO Pursuit Code of Practice and work is going forward on a national basis to implement recommendations from the 1998 Lind report on police pursuit driver training. In December 2000 ACPO launched its new police driver training course, introducing a universal standard for driving in England and Wales. The police also seek to ensure that there are effective management controls and that robust risk assessments are in place to ensure that safety is maintained at all times.Forces are progressing the use of automatic data recorders (ADR) and vehicle accident data recorders (VADR). The VADR is triggered if an impact occurs and can automatically download data referring to a number of issues, including speed, gear changes, braking and the use of blue lights. The ADR gives management information on the vehicle's performance, and in effect both devices operate on a similar basis to the "black boxes" on aircraft. Twelve forces in Britain have already commenced fitting these devices, and a further five forces are considering implementation.ACPO recognise that there is still work to be done, particularly in terms of researching the reasons underlying the apparent upward trend in police vehicle collisions. The Police Complaints Authority has recently produced a report on this, making a range of helpful recommendations. Discussions have taken place with the Police Complaints Authority, and initial work has been agreed.