asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 8 January (

Standards for cycle lamps are developed by the British Standards Institute. Preliminary discussions about the need for a standard have been held with the relevant BSI committee, which includes representatives from government and manufacturers.If the results of the Department for Transport's consultation paper outlining proposals to permit flashing cycle lamps suggest that a standard is appropriate, the Government will consider introducing basic requirements until a British Standard can be adopted.The consultation paper was issued on 13 January.Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 5 November 2002 (

We are presently finalising the regulations taking account of the comments on the draft regulations published last July. We hope to be in a position to make them within the next few weeks.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress Network Rail are making in reducing delays to trains by bridge strikes. [HL1006]

I understand that Network Rail and highway authorities work in association to try and reduce the incidence of road vehicles striking railway bridge structures. This includes the provision of signs indicating the location of bridges and their specifications, particularly height. Network Rail investigates all reported incidents as quickly as possible and is trialling new electronic systems to reduce the response time and the amount of delays to services. Its prime objective is to ensure that railway safety has not been compromised. Delays to trains may occur until necessary checks and any required remedial works have been carried out.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they support the Highways Agency in raising an objection to a planning application which flows from the already adopted structure plan for the county of Oxfordshire. [HL1007]

The Highways Agency is responsible for implementing the Government's trunk road development control policy on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport. The policy is set out in DTLR Circular 04/2001, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of the House, and could lead to the Highways Agency raising proper objections to planning applications whether or not the proposed development flows from adopted structure plans.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is their policy that tax law should not be discriminatory between married couples on the one hand and either unmarried cohabiting heterosexual or homosexual couples on the other. [HL955]

Tax law in general applies equally to men and women but the law provides differently for married couples than for other couples. The Government will consult on a civil partnership registration scheme for same-sex couples in the summer, including the implications of such a scheme for tax.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When and why the Inland Revenue acquired the security holdings listed on pages 32 and 33 of the Statements supplementing the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund accounts; and what plans he has for these holdings; and [HL1016]Why the Inland Revenue increased its holding of Coral Group plc Loan Stock Certificate 2010 (Funding Bonds) from £4,166,239 nominal value at 31 March 2001 to £5,515,972 nominal value at 31 March 2002; and why it acquired a holding of £94,247 Coral Eurobet plc Loan Stock Certificates 2010 (Funding Bonds) between those two dates. [HL1017]

For reasons of taxpayer confidentiality the information requested cannot be supplied. Exemptions 14 (Information given in confidence) and 15 (Statutory and other restrictions) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information apply.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they have made to persuade the Turkish Cypriots to accept the United Nations Secretary-General's plan for Cyprus as the basis for continued talks. [HL349]

Our High Commissioner in Nicosia and members of his staff are in regular contact with Mr Denktash, Turkish Cypriot political leaders and members of civil society. During his visit to Cyprus on 21 and 22 November 2002, the UK Special Representative to Cyprus, Lord Hannay, had meetings with the representatives of Mr Denktash, party leaders and NGOs.We have also made clear to Turkey that we believe a comprehensive settlement which protects the legitimate interests of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots is attainable. The Prime Minister met Mr Erdogan, leader of Turkey's ruling party, on 12 December and my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary visited Ankara on 4 December.We urge all parties to come to agreement by the UN deadline of 28 February on the basis of the UN Secretary-General's revised proposals of 10 December. We fully support the UN Secretary-General and his special adviser, Alvaro De Soto.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the London meeting on Palestinian Reform. [HL1049]

On 14 January my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary chaired a meeting in London attended by representatives of the Quartet and Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. We are grateful that they were able to attend and contribute. They were joined through a video link by Palestinian Authority Ministers and civil society representatives, as the Israeli Government had unacceptably denied permission for them to travel to London. This arrangement was no substitute for a face to face conference, but we believe the meeting to have been constructive and wide ranging. It will support and complement the efforts of the Quartet on the road map towards a two-state settlement.Palestinian reform is only one part of the work required to achieve a just and comprehensive peace, but it is an important part. It is clear that the Palestinians are committed to the reform of their institutions and have already started that process. But there remains much to be done, and they need support and encouragement. At the meeting they repeated their condemnation of violence against civilians as a means of achieving Palestinian ends and briefed us on their plans for a new Palestinian constitution, political, economic and administrative reform and the creation of a Palestinian state.This is an objective the whole international community shares. The next step will be meetings in London in early February of the Taskforce on Palestinian Reform and of Quartet envoys. It will take action from all sides, including Israel, to maintain momentum and implement the roadmap.Her Majesty's Government urged the leaders of all sides to demonstrate the courage necessary to realise their obligations towards one another and turn that realisation into a genuine process of negotiation.The Foreign Secretary has placed a summary of his understanding of the proceedings and outcomes from the meeting in the Library of the House. The key elements were:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether English Nature has any plans to carry out further environmental developments along the pinewoods of Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council in 2003. [HL997]

English Nature currently has no plans for further environmental development along the pinewoods of Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council.However, a full environmental impact assessment of the potential effects of any further removal of frontal woodlands on the Ainsdale Sand Dunes National Nature Reserve (NNR) and candidate special area of conservation (cSAC) will be carried out, incorporating public consultation, in 2003.Plans for any future environmental developments would be produced in the light of the environmental impact assessment which is due to be concluded by 31 August 2003, and then submitted to the Forestry Commission.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who is the "senior Government figure" quoted on page one of the

I have no information on the source of remarks allegedly made to the Sunday Times.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of the running and capital costs of the Northern Ireland Hospice they fund; and what plans they have to increase funding. [HL987]

This year the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Eastern and Northern Health and Social Services Boards have provided a total of £1,448,208 in revenue funding to the Northern Ireland Hospice at Somerton Road, Belfast. This amounts to over 32 per cent of the hospice's anticipated revenue expenditure of £4.5 million in 2002–03.In relation to capital costs, no requests for capital funding have been received from the Northern Ireland Hospice in the current year and no capital funding has been provided.At this stage, it is too early for the department or boards to have reached agreement on the level of funding for 2003–04.

asked the Chairman of Committees:What fairly traded products are used in the House of Lords' restaurants and bars. [HL993]

The House of Lords Refreshment Department purchases from a wide range of suppliers and, when appropriate, purchases fairtrade products. The department currently purchases fairtrade bananas and mangoes on an occasional basis. There is, however, no policy to favour the purchase of fairtrade products. Fairtrade coffee was supplied in the peers' guest room for a trial period in 1998 but was withdrawn from sale after poor take-up.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they plan to launch a police science and technology strategy. [HL1123]

Today sees the launch of the first ever science and technology strategy for the police.Science and technology have been important tools in the fight against crime for many years. However, as criminals become more technologically aware, so it becomes vital that the police service is not only properly equipped to combat this new strain of criminals but also that the tools they use are as effective and efficient as possible. From early on in the police reform process the major stakeholders in policing identified the need for an overarching strategy for the police use of science and technology—a commitment which was made in the police reform White Paper:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they plan to take samples from prisoners whose DNA is not currently on the national DNA database. [HL1124]

The DNA expansion programme is a major government initiative that has been developed to enable the police to make maximum benefit of DNA in tackling crime. Home Office funding has been made available to enable the police to take DNA samples from all people cautioned or charged with a recordable offence and from as many crime scenes as possible. The database has already played a leading role in solving a large number of crimes.A number of prisoners and mentally disordered offenders do not have DNA on the database as they were convicted before the DNA expansion programme enabled every offender to be DNA sampled. An exercise is now under way to identify those offenders without DNA on the database and to ensure that a sample is taken before they are released from prison or hospital. This prisoner DNA sampling programme is being run under the auspices of the existing DNA expansion programme.A dedicated programme management team has been recruited and is developing plans to ensure that the majority of those without DNA profiles on the database do provide them by summer 2003. Centrally managed but regionally based teams of police officers working in close co-operation with prison and mental health establishments will ensure a speedy completion of the exercise with minimal impact on the estabishments involved.The exercise will underpin the Home Office aims of reducing crime, increasing the efficiency of crime investigation and increasing successful prosecutions. If known offenders can be linked to their offences more often and more quickly, then we will be able to detect and deter more crime in the future and also improve victim reassurance and so contribute to reduction of the fear of crime.The prisoner DNA sampling programme and the broader DNA expansion programme are clear examples of the use of science and technology to reduce crime and improve the effectiveness of the police. In the national policing plan, published recently, we state our commitment to ensure that the DNA database covers all known active offenders by 2004.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What references have been made by them. or supported by any member of the Government, during or since 1997, advocating action by Her Majesty's Government to assist any application from the United Kingdom to stage a future Olympiad; and, in respect of any such reference, what action has been taken to further that objective. [HL956]

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has worked actively with the British Olympic Association and other key stakeholders since the end of 1999 to consider the possibilities of a UK city bidding to host the 2012 Olympic Games. It was the decision of the BOA that a UK bid should be based on London as host city for Games. The key stakeholders, the GLA, the BOA and the Government jointly commissioned a cost benefit analysis on bidding for and staging the 2012 Olympic Games in London. A summary of this report was published on 1 November 2002 A thorough cross-government analysis of this report is being conducted. The Government will decide whether to support the bid for London hosting the Games within the next month.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they are considering on the Market Research Bureau's recent finding that the United Kingdom has the lowest availability of recombinant for people with haemophilia in the developed world; and whether they will be taking any action. [HL934]

These findings have been drawn to the Government's attention by the Haemophilia Society and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Haemophilia.In England, all haemophilia patients up to the age of 21 years receive recombinant clotting factors. The Government are considering the case for extending provision to all other haemophilia patients. A decision will be made shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to make treatment with Enbrel and Remicade available to people in Northern Ireland currently on waiting lists to receive biologic therapy for severe rheumatoid arthritis; and how widely this treatment is now available to National Health Service patients in England and Wales. [HL935]

Treatment with Enbrel and Remicade has been available to patients in Northern Ireland since November 1999. In recognition of the high cost of these and other specialist drugs, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland made an extra £3 million available in the June 2002 monitoring round. It is for each health and social services board individually to determine how best to deploy these funds to meet local need. Specific proposals to reduce the waiting lists for biologic therapies are currently being considered by the boards.In England and Wales we do not hold information centrally about drugs prescribed and dispensed in hospitals, which is where Enbrel and Remicade are supplied. Therefore, we cannot provide information on how widely available this treatment is to National Health Service patients. However, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence issued guidance on these drugs in March 2002. It recommended that consultant rheumatologists, or consultant paediatric rheumatologists in the case of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, should prescribe these drugs in accordance with the guidelines set out by the British Society for Rheumatology or British Paediatric Rheumatology Group.We have issued directions obliging health authorities and primary care trusts to provide appropriate funding for recommended treatments. This is in line with our manifesto commitment to ensure that patients receive drugs and treatments recommended by NICE on the NHS if deemed appropriate by their clinicians. The NHS has three months from the date of publication of each technology appraisal guidance to provide funding so that clinical decisions made by doctors involving NICE recommended treatments or drugs can be implemented.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is legal for research institutions to offer financial or other inducements to fertility clinics in exchange for human embryos; and [HL985]Whether it is legal for human embryos to be created specifically for subsequent sale to research institutions. [HL986]

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 provides that the creation of human embryos outside the body and the use of those embryos can only take place under the conditions of a licence issued by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The authority would not issue a licence for embryos to be created for subsequent sale.It is essential that couples who are considering donating their embryos for research should receive proper counselling. It is appropriate for research institutions to support fertility clinics to provide that counselling in order to ensure that patients are able to make a fully informed choice about whether to donate their embryos for research, and to enable those donations to take place if the patients so wish. In line with this, the Medical Research Council (MRC) is to make funding available to clinics to employ nurse coordinators who will ensure that the donor couple are fully informed and able to make such choices of their own free will, and also to liaise with researchers to inform them if embryos become available. The MRC is not offering financial or other inducements in exchange for human embryos.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What impact smoking restrictions envisaged in the Health and Safety Commission's proposed approved code of practice would have on (a) consumer expenditure in the hospitality sector and (b) tourism revenue. [HL835]

The draft regulatory impact assessment, prepared as part of the consultation on a proposal for an approved code of practice on passive smoking at work, did not specifically address the impact of the proposed approved code of practice (ACoP) on consumer expenditure in the hospitality sector and tourism revenue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith on 23 July (

It is impossible at this distance of time to reconstruct the complex series of events in this case so as to identify with any degree of accuracy how many instances of human error occurred in relation to disclosure. I can however say that no one has been disciplined as a consequence of any such error. This is because any errors were made in good faith and did not constitute misconduct. Moreover, in so far as the question suggests that errors affecting disclosure occurred on appeal, it is incorrect; the errors occurred at the pretrial or trial stage.I refer the noble Lord to the decision of the Court of Appeal, which expressed itself entirely satisfied about five things. First, prosecuting counsel had access to everything they wanted to see and examined all relevant or potentially material matter in accordance with the relevant legal tests. Secondly, the trial judge was correct to rule as he did in relation to the disclosure and non-disclosure of the matter before him. Thirdly, no one attempted to conceal from the Court of Appeal any relevant or potentially material matter. Fourthly, public interest immunity was rightly claimed in relation to matters which the court saw, because it affected national security at the highest level and would. if disclosed. present a clear and immediate threat to life. Fifthly, apart from two matters, there was nothing of significance before the Court of Appeal which was not before the trial judge.Having ordered disclosure of those two matters to the appellants in a suitable form and having heard submissions in relation to them, the Court of Appeal was satisfied that no injustice was done to the appellants by not having access to them at trial.The two matters which the court ordered should be disclosed were further information prior to the bombings suggesting that a terrorist organisation unconnected to the appellants may have been contemplating an attack on the Israeli embassy and an explanation as to the circumstances in which a document was not shown to counsel and a later document was not shown to the trial judge. As to the information, the court was satisfied that this would have had no impact on the trial. As to the documents, the court accepted the explanation put forward and said that this explanation disposed of any sinister implication.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What additional costs, in addition to the repair cost of around £26 million, will have been incurred before HMS "Nottingham" is returned in November 2004 to operational tasking, including those in Australia in preparation for her recovery to the United Kingdom and her trans-shipment to Portsmouth by heavy lift ship. [HL555]

Further to repair costs of around £26 million (including the cost of materials supplied by the department), further expenditure, incurred before HMS "Nottingham's" return to operational service in November 2004, is expected to be about £13 million. This includes the cost of preparations in Australia for her recovery to the United Kingdom and of her transportation to Portsmouth by heavy lift ship.In addition, HMS "Nottingham's" Sea Dart missiles, which were damaged by seawater, have been written off at a value of £3.5 million. They will not be replaced.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to set up an arrangement to allow the Ministry of Defence to contribute to the funding of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) in cases where Army personnel make extensive use of NACAB's services. [HL794]

All citizens advice bureaux are registered charities and consequently it would be inappropriate for the Ministry of Defence to provide financial contributions from public funds.It is, however, possible for the three services to make donations to citizens advice bureaux from their own non-public welfare funds.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether NATO European member states provide and are likely to provide sufficient marine patrol aircraft to meet the necessary or desirable levels of security over the seas around Europe. [HL903]

Euopean Allies' national requirements for maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) are a matter for individual nations, although NATO assesses that there is currently no overall shortfall in provision of MPA to the alliance and there are no indications that this position is likely to change. The United Kingdom continues to provide sufficient maritime patrol aircraft for the protection of its territory and territorial waters, and is currently upgrading its fleet to deliver an enhanced surveillance capability.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Following the letter from the Lord Bach to the Lord Morris of Manchester dated 2 December concerning smallpox vaccine—(a) whether the vaccine was administered routinely to members of HM forces until the mid-1970s, and how many members of HM forces, if any, suffered serious adverse reactions or fatalities; (b) which other vaccines administered to troops deploying to the Gulf in 1990 have had similar side-effects for a small number of service personnel; and (c) what is the result of the combined immunisation programmes for those who do react adversely, and whether they will place a copy of the Minister's letter in the Library of the House. [HL925]

Smallpox vaccine was administered routinely to UK civilians of school age until the mid-1970s. Armed Forces personnel were also vaccinated upon enlistment and routinely re-vaccinated every three years. This programme was abandoned in the early 1980s following a declaration by the World Health Organisation that smallpox had been eradicated. Smallpox vaccine can produce mild adverse reactions common to many vaccines, including a sore arm, mild fever, headache, fatigue and a permanent scar at the vaccination site. In a very small proportion of people, vaccination against smallpox can produce more serious adverse reactions including serious skin reactions and inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Records of adverse reactions to smallpox vaccine among Armed Forces personnel from that era were not kept centrally and the information requested could only be provided at disproportionate effort. Smallpox vaccine was not given to UK Armed Forces personnel during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. We are confident that none of the vaccines given to UK Armed Forces personnel at the time of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict would have produced serious adverse reactions similar to those than can arise from smallpox vaccine.We announced our intention to vaccinate a small cohort of Armed Forces personnel against smallpox. I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to my noble friend Lady Goudie on 2 December 2002,

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they reconcile the refusal to accept Gulf War Syndrome as a pensionable condition with the Army Personnel Centre's decision in the case of Douglas Robinson, a Gulf War veteran and former Sergeant Major in the Royal Military Police, whose application for a war pension, approved by the centre's medical adviser, was based on Dr R G Alexander's description of him as suffering from Gulf War Syndrome. [HL936]

I believe my noble friend refers to Mr Douglas Robertson and his award of war pension by the Veterans Agency and I have answered this Question accordingly.The overwhelming consensus of medical and scientific opinion is that there is no evidence to support the existence of a discrete medical disorder called "Gulf War Syndrome". Accordingly, this term is not used as a diagnostic label in respect of awards of war pension. However, this does not prevent Gulf veterans who are ill from getting a war pension. A war pension can be paid for any disablement provided a causal link to service is accepted.The Veterans Agency noted that Mr Robertson's GP used the term "Gulf War Syndrome" to describe his medical condition. However, this label did not influence the outcome of his claim for a war pension. In accordance with standard practice the decision to award a war pension was based on case specific facts, the relevant standard of proof and contemporary medical understanding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide further information on the operation in Manchester on 14 January, which led to the death of a police officer. [HL1122]

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary said yesterday that he would report further to the House, when he was able to do so, about the operation in Greater Manchester on 14 January in which a police officer, DC Stephen Oake, died.The basic facts about this incident have not been confirmed by Greater Manchester Police. In the late afternoon of Tuesday 14 January, two immigration officers, with the support of Greater Manchester Police, entered premises in Crumpsall Lane, Manchester, for the purpose of detaining, pending deportation, an individual whom the Home Secretary had certified earlier in the day under the provisions of Part IV of the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001. In addition, the officers of Greater Manchester Police had obtained a warrant to search the premises.Three men present at the premises were detained. Nine Tactical Aid Unit officers, who had entered the premises, assisted in securing these men and in making the scene safe. All these officers were wearing full protective equipment, including body armour, and remained in the premises. Fourteen Special Branch officers were there to undertake aspects of the operation involving investigation and intelligence gathering. These officers were not wearing body armour.The exact detail of what took place is still under investigation and will be the subject of an inquiry. But, as is already known, it is clear that a violent incident occurred during which DC Oake was fatally stabbed. Three other officers were stabbed and a fourth officer sustained a broken ankle. One of these officers remains in hospital, suffering from stab wounds to the abdomen. His condition is stable and he is likely to leave hospital next week. The other three officers have now been released from hospital.Following the struggle, the situation was brought under control by the police and all three men were arrested under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Subsequently, one man was released from these provisions and immediately detained by the Immigration Service. He is currently detained in prison under Part IV of the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act. The second man has also been released from the provisions of the Terrorism Act and remains in the custody of Greater Manchester Police pending investigation into the death of DC Oake and injuries to the other officers. The third man remains detained under the Terrorism Act and is now in the custody of the Metropolitan Police.Armed response vehicle resources were available throughout the operation for immediate deployment as required, but firearms officers were not deployed in specific support of this operation. The inquiry will obviously examine this. All the Tactical Aid Unit officers who entered the building were wearing full protective equipment, including body armour.The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester, Michael Todd, has, with the agreement of the Home Secretary, established an inquiry which will be led by a senior police officer from outside the Greater Manchester police force. The inquiry will be held with the support of the Immigration Service. The senior investigator from Greater Manchester Police will be a detective superintendent and, from the Immigration Service, an assistant director.The inquiry will concentrate on all aspects of planning, briefings, communications and implementation of the operation. The key objective will be to learn the lessons from this tragic incident, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary made clear in his oral statement to the House yesterday. The preliminary findings will be available within four weeks.