asked Her Majesty's Government:Who was consulted in the setting of the budget for the Ulster-Scots Agency for 2004; and on what dates. [HL1632]

The budget for the Ulster-Scots Agency for 2004 was set after consultation between sponsor departments and the agency. The chief executive of the agency met with DCAL officials on three occasions with regard to the budget, on 17 October, 30 October and 6 November. There were also numerous telephone conversations and e-mail exchanges between sponsor departments, departments of finance and the agency.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the budget of the Food Safety Promotion Board Cross-Border Implementation Body was increased by 9.3 per cent between 2002 and 2003; what information was used to facilitate the increase; and whether the proportion of contributions has changed. [HL1714]

The FSPB budget for 2002 was set at 8,400,000 euros or £4,960,000 using an exchange rate of 0.59.The budget for 2003 was set at 8,630,000 euros or £5,420,000 using an exchange rate of 0.63.The budget for 2003 was based on a business plan submitted by the body to the sponsoring departments north and south. The increase, in euros, on the 2002 position was 2.7 per cent, and reflects inflationary pressures on pay and non-pay factors. However due to exchange rate fluctuations the budget in GBP increased by 9.3 per cent from 2002 to 2003. The proportion of the contributions north/south has remained constant at circa 70/30 per cent.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of males and females smoke in Northern Ireland; and how those figures compare with the rest of the United Kingdom. [HL1820]

In Northern Ireland in 2002–03, 27 per cent of males and 26 per cent of females (aged 16-plus) smoked cigarettes. The corresponding figures for Great Britain in 2001–02 were 28 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many fires were believed to have been started in Northern Ireland as a result of cigarettes in each year since 2000. [HL1821]

The numbers of cigarette-related fires in Northern Ireland each year since 2000 are as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What policies Tourism Ireland has introduced since November 2002 to increase the number of tourists visiting Northern Ireland from outside the island of Ireland. [HL1854]

The policies for Tourism Ireland Limited are set out in the company's 2002–2004 corporate plan and annual operating marketing plans. The 2004 operating marketing plan details the company's strategies and how it will be supporting Northern Ireland to realise its tourism potential by working in partnership with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the industry both at home and overseas. It is the policy of the company to ensure that Northern Ireland has a prominent presence in its overseas marketing campaigns and as part of its policy Tourism Ireland Limited ensures that all staff in its overseas markets are familiar with the Northern Ireland tourism product. It also ensures that Northern Ireland is included in the itinerary of familiarisation visits to the island of Ireland by key tourism and media representatives. Most recently the company has indicated its intention to use its resources to support the development of new direct air services to Northern Ireland.The company is working closely with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in building and maintaining a positive image of Northern Ireland overseas as a quality tourist destination and in developing marketing initiatives in key targeted markets of importance to Northern Ireland.

asked the Chairman of Committees:Which "Fair Trade" products are sold in each outlet of the House of Lords Refreshment Department. [HL1914]

"Fair Trade" tea is available in the Peers' Guest Room and Bishops' Bar; "Fair Trade" coffee is available in the Peers' Guest Room; and "Fair Trade" drinking chocolate is available in the Bishops' Bar and Staff Restaurant. In addition, "Fair Trade" bananas from the Windward Isles are sold in most outlets when they are available from the market.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In relation to the five British subjects now due to be released from Guantanamo Bay, when the Government first believed that each of them would not pose a threat to the security of the British people. [HL1455]

All appropriate measures will be taken, in accordance with UK law, to seek to ensure that the five British nationals who were recently released from Guantanamo Bay will not pose a threat to the security of the British public.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they believe that each of the four British subjects not due to be released from Guantanamo Bay pose a threat to the security of the British people. [HL1456]

We shall continue our discussions with the United States authorities on the four British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay. There are a range of security and other issues which we and the United States are considering in respect of these four men.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ask the United States authorities to supply all information they have on the five British citizens released from Guantanamo and returned to this country; and when they expect the five men will be reunited with their families. [HL1846]

The US Government have provided information about the five British citizens concerned to the British authorities. The men have now been reunited with their families.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they are making to the United States authorities to ensure fair trials for the four British citizens still held prisoner at Guantanamo. [HL1847]

As my noble friend Lady Scotland of Asthal said on 24 February, "We shall continue our discussions with the United States authorities on the situation of the other four British detainees … Our overall position remains that the detainees should be either tried in accordance with international standards, or returned to the United Kingdom. We shall continue to work to resolve their positions". (Official Report, col. 123).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they accept any responsibility for prisoners held at Guantanamo who were formerly residents, though not citizens of the United Kingdom; and, if so, what is that responsibility. [HL1848]

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to his Question of 6 October 2003 (Official Report, col. WA 23).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received representations from the Government of Algeria concerning six Algerians who were arrested in Bosnia, ordered to be released by the Supreme Court of Bosnia, but transferred to Cuba and held in Guantanamo. [HL1844]

No.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What additional measures they consider necessary, in the light of two fatal terrorist attacks on groups of non-governmental organisation workers in the past fortnight, to strengthen security outside Kabul and bring to justice those who are trying to prevent Afghanistan's reconstruction. [HL1553]

The UK and the rest of the international community have responded to the security concerns in Afghanistan with additional measures. The UK supports NATO's efforts to expand the role of the International Security Assistance Force beyond Kabul. This includes provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) across Afghanistan, which enable reconstruction by improving security in the regions. The UK is planning to lead a second PRT and run a forward support base for all PRTs in northern Afghanistan. We are also working hard to encourage other nations to contribute to PRTs.In the longer term, the UK is helping the Afghan Government provide for its own security and law enforcement. We will contribute £18 million for security sector reform (SSR) projects in 2004–05. Over the past two years the UK has supported a range of SSR projects including work to establish a multiethnic national army within a civilian-led Ministry of Defence, and reform of the police force and judicial sector.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they have made to the Chinese authorities about the death sentence passed on a Tibetan monk, Rinpoche Tenzin Delek; and whether they will draw the attention of the United Nations Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers to the procedures followed at his trial. [HL1557]

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) raised the case with Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui in Beijing on 17 December 2003. He replied that Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche had had a fair and public trial and had been sentenced in accordance with Chinese law.The latest EU demarche took place in Beijing on 4 February. In response, Mr Wang Min, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Organisations and Conferences at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche was in good health and was being held in Tuandong prison, Sichuan province.Both we and the EU have raised Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche's case, including our concerns about his health and whereabouts, with the Chinese authorities on a number of occasions, including in our bilateral human rights dialogue.We have not drawn the trial to the attention of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers because the UK's general policy is not to forward information to special rapporteurs on a government basis. We consider that to do so risks giving such information a political appearance which could cause problems for the rapporteur's independence and allow the target country to dismiss the allegation as politically motivated. For this reason we believe it is more productive for NGOs to take the lead in forwarding issues of concern and encouraging action.However, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Religion raised Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche's case with the Chinese authorities last year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to persuade the People's Republic of China to strengthen the democratic process of electing the Hong Kong administration. [HL1778]

We continue to follow developments in Hong Kong closely to ensure that the principles of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, which promised a high degree of autonomy for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) except in foreign and defence affairs, are adhered to. We assess that, generally, the "One Country, Two Systems" approach enshrined in the joint declaration is working well. Where we have had concerns since the handover that the principles of the joint declaration might be undermined, we have raised them with the SAR Government, or Beijing, as appropriate.Our position on constitutional reform in Hong Kong, provisions on which are contained in the Basic Law of the SAR, has been consistent and was restated in the most recent six-monthly report to Parliament (Cm 6125 of February 2004). We hope to see early progress towards the Basic Law's ultimate aims of the selection of the chief executive and election of all members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage, at a pace in line with the wishes of the people of Hong Kong. We have made this position clear on many occasions to the Chinese authorities and to the Hong Kong SAR Government.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in light of the United Nations Security Council presidential statement S/PRST/2003/21, they will seek the assistance of the Secretary-General in obtaining information about the early history of Oryx Natural Resources, a British-registered company alleged to have been involved in the exploitation of diamond resources in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[HL1782]

In its final report of 16 October 2003, the UN Expert Panel on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth in the Democratic Republic of Congo stated that its allegations against Oryx Natural Resources were unresolved, and it referred the allegations to the UK's national contact point (NCP) for Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines. In its capacity as the UK's NCP, the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) subsequently received a letter from the chairman of the expert panel explaining the "unresolved" status of the panel's allegations. He said that the allegations were largely resolved, but the panel could not close its file on Oryx because two Oryx employees were engaged in a related libel case in the UK.The DTI wrote to the UN expert panel on 17 November 2003 and to the UN Secretariat on 16 January 2004 requesting all the information the UN holds relating to the allegations against Oryx, and all other UK companies and individuals named in the reports. The DTI has not received a response to either letter. The UK mission to the UN in New York raised the matter with the UN Secretariat on 24 February 2004, and the UN has undertaken to reply directly to the DTI.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 26 February (

It is for parliamentarians, not Her Majesty's Government, to issue invitations to their French counterparts. We would be happy to help support any plans that members of either House may have to invite French parliamentarians to the United Kingdom to mark this centenary year of the Entente Cordiale.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they would assist the Ugandan Government to enter a more regular dialogue with Acholi community leaders and the Lord's Resistance Army if such dialogue were facilitated by an international group of eminent persons trained in conflict resolution. [HL1822]

The UK is actively encouraging the Ugandan Government to look beyond a purely military solution to the conflict. We are helping the Acholi community leaders' attempts to establish dialogue with the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Since 2001 we have spent nearly £1 million on conflict reduction and peace initiatives in Uganda. A further £1.6 million will be provided over the next 12 months.The LRA is distrustful of outside intervention. While a role for third parties is not ruled out, we believe initiatives by local leaders are more likely to achieve sustainable peace.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to Amnesty International's latest report on extra-judicial executions and human rights violations by the Nepalese security forces and the communist party of Nepal (Maoists). [HL1823]

We are concerned about all reports of violations of human rights in Nepal, including reports of extra judicial executions by both the Maoists and the Nepalese Security Forces. We consistently raise human rights at the highest levels with the Nepalese Government and remind them of their need to fulfil their international obligations and to investigate in a fair and transparent way any allegations of human rights abuse. Maoist efforts to seek control of the country through violent. non-democratic means has resulted in misery for the Nepalese people and we continue to condemn their actions. The admission, on 11 March, by the Nepalese authorities that extra-judicial killings took place in August 2003 at. Ramechhap, and the announcement of trials for these offences, is a positive development, and a welcome first step in addressing impunity in Nepal.The UK is aiming to strengthen both state and non-state of human rights mechanisms in Nepal and supports a range of programmes in Nepal aimed at improving the human rights situation. A substantial proportion of UK assistance has gone towards training in human rights awareness within the Royal Nepalese Army.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the establishment for Foden and Scammell EKA recovery vehicles in 103 Battalion REME (V); and what was the current holding on 9 March. [HL1862]

103 Battalion REME (Volunteers) are established to hold 20 wheeled recovery vehicles. As at 9 March 2004 the unit held 11 vehicles, (a mix of Foden and Scammell). A further seven vehicles, were used by 5 Battalion REME in Iraq last year. They are currently going through the normal recovery and repair process, and will be returned to 103 Battalion REME (Volunteers) shortly.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether dental patient registrations will be abolished from 2005. [HL1511]

Under general dental services arrangements, dentists receive some 23 per cent of National Health Service gross earnings from payments in respect of the registration of patients. From the introduction of primary dental services under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003, the system of remuneration based on the item of service fees and payments in respect of individual registrations will be replaced with a new base contract. The proposed new contract will help to stabilise and improve access to NHS dental treatment. It will also allow dentists to treat patients on the basis of clinical need, as it will replace the fee for item of service system which dentists tell us feels like a treadmill and which is generally agreed to be the main reason for dentists' dissatisfaction with the NHS. We have guaranteed that dentists working in the GDS will have an automatic right to a contract under the new arrangements and that their gross earnings will be protected over the transition period of three years in return for a similar level of NHS commitment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will delay the coming into force of the Licensing Act 2003, and the issuing of guidance thereon, until at least six months after the forthcoming publication of the alcohol harm reduction strategy, so as to allow for public discussion of the new licensing regime. [HL1765]

No. There was full public consultation on the White Paper on licensing reform and full parliamentary scrutiny on the Licensing Bill which received Royal Assent on 10 July 2003. The Licensing Act 2003 provides useful and complementary tools to help to address problems relating to crime and disorder highlighted by the alcohol harm reduction strategy. We therefore have no intention of delaying the implementation of the Act and the important measures that will help to create a more civilised late-night culture. We expect to lay the draft guidance before both Houses in the near future.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received a report from the Metropolitan Police that the Licensing Act 2003 is likely to cause an increase in crime and disorder; and whether they will refrain from making an order bringing the Act into force until such a report has been published and debated. [HL1877]

So far as I am aware, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not received a report from the Metropolitan Police of the kind described. On 15 October last year, a joint briefing note about the Licensing Act 2003 and its impact on anti-social behaviour, prepared by Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police, was sent to us under cover of a letter from the then Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Andrew Trotter. In his letter, Mr Trotter expressed concerns that the implementation of the 2003 Act may result in increased consumption of alcohol with a resultant rise in crime and disorder. In his reply, the Minister for Sport and Tourism (Richard Caborn) informed Mr Trotter that the Association of Chief Police Officers has generally supported the abolition of permitted hours as they believe it could lead to a decrease in incidents of crime and disorder. The merits of the Licensing Bill were debated by Parliament at length and it received Royal Assent on 10 July 2003. Since then three commencement orders have been made bringing into force parts of the 2003 Act. We expect to make further orders as soon as possible and we see no reason to delay the implementation of the 2003 Act, not least because of the important contribution we expect it to make to the prevention of crime and disorder.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the statistics on planning applications affecting playing fields, released on 4 March 2004, were considered and approved by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Playing Field Monitoring Committee. [HL1838]

The 2002–03 statistics on planning applications relating to playing fields were published by the Government from figures provided by Sport England.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will liaise with the other representatives on the Playing Field Monitoring Group to arrange an early date for a meeting to discuss the way forward for the group.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will define "high quality physical education and school sport" in the context of their public sector agreement target. [HL1872]

The outcome, characteristics and impact of high-quality physical education and school sport are set out in Learning through PE and sport (DCMS/DfES, March 2003). High-quality PE and sport for young people DCMS/ DfES, March 2004) provides a detailed description of those outcomes, an overview of high-quality provision and an overview of effective school/club links. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Minister of Sport on 23 February (HC Deb, 38W), what is their intention regarding use of proceeds from any sale of the assets of the National Stud. [HL1916]

The Written Answer confirmed that the Government hope to be able to transfer, for no consideration, the National Stud, which is the sum of its assets, to a new independent charitable trust; and that it is not the intention to sell the assets. No conclusions have been reached about the use of proceeds in the event that a sale becomes necessary.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to further the development of cricket at grass-roots level. [HL1956]

The promotion of grass-roots cricket continues to form a central part of the Government's wider sports policy. The sport received a total of £71,544,519 in Sport England community capital awards from 1995 to May 2003, and grass-roots cricket will continue to benefit substantially from lottery funding as one of Sport England's 20 priority sports in England.The England and Wales Cricket Board is also receiving £9.4 million over 2003 to 2006, for capital work at amateur clubs under the Community Club Development Programme.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the benefits of UK Sport and Sport England's priority sports to the health of children, adults and elderly people. [HL1982]

In their decisions on priority sports for funding purposes, Sport England and UK Sport took account of governing bodies' abilities to use public funding to increase participation rates. The national profiles of individual sports, and their existing infrastructures, were material to these decisions.The reorganisation of Sport England and UK Sport, of which the designation of priority sports forms a part, is one element of the Government's drive to increase physical activity, particularly among target groups including children, women, and those from areas of economic and social deprivation. The improvement of public health is the primary aim of that drive.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to the European Commission's consultation on the merits of a "Made in the European Union Origin Marking" scheme, especially with regard to food. [HL1659]

The UK response to the Commission's consultation on "Made in EU" origin marking was that such marking is neither necessary nor advantageous and that the current voluntary origin marking regime provides greater benefit to consumers and business in all UK sectors including food. This response followed consultation with industry, retailers, trade unions, consumer organisations and relevant public authority bodies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether electricity generators, in co-firing biomass fuel, face any restrictions on where they must source that fuel, in order for the electricity generated to qualify for renewables obligation certificates; and [HL1859]Whether, under the terms of the renewables obligation, as proposed to be amended by the draft Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2004, electricity generated from imported co-fired biomass fuel will be eligible for renewables obligation certificates; and, if so, whether they have made any projection of (a) the amount of fuel that will be imported per annum, and (b) its likely countries of origin; and [HL1860]Whether they have made any calculation of the transportation cost, in terms of average carbon-equivalent emissions per MWh of electricity generated, of importing biomass fuel for co-firing. [HL1861]

Electricity generated from biomass is eligible for renewable obligation certificates whether the fuel is domestic or imported. This will not change as a result of the 2004 amendments. However, we do expect the amount of such fuels to decline as the amount of home grown energy crops increases. DRAX power station has recently announced trials of UK-sourced biomass for its co-firing; it had previously used imported fuel.It is important to remember that modifications made to the rules on the co-firing of biomass with fossil fuels are the Government's transitional move towards enhancing the prospects for the development of energy crops. When we consulted on changes to the co-firing rules in 2003, we published a study made by Ilex Energy Consulting which analysed several scenarios which took into account the potential sourcing of energy crops from outside the UK and recognised that some biomass fuels would be imported.The renewables obligation is a market mechanism and the use of imported rather than domestic fuels is a matter for the market. Any restriction on fuel would not be permissible under international trade rules and could also deprive generators of a source of fuel, some of which is a waste with no other end use. We are aware some generators are using imported olive cake and palm husks.

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

The department does not have a single list of consultants and professional advisers employed. The department as a contracting authority under the public procurement rules expects to comply with those rules and not take any action that could be considered as anti-competitive or giving rise to the concern that all contractors were not being treated equally or with transparency.The question of whether the creation and maintenance of such a list is standard practice in government departments is one that should be addressed to the Office of Government Commerce as it is best able to answer the question for central civil government as a whole.

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

The department has not put in place a single list of consultants and professional advisers employed. The department as a contracting authority under the public procurement rules expects to comply with those rules and not take any action that could be considered as anti-competitive or giving rise to the concern that all contractors were not being treated equally or with transparency.The department has, as part of its e-procurement strategy, implemented an e-contracts database which will be live and available for use from 1 April 2004. This database has been developed to improve further the management of the department's relationships with its supply base and suppliers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the total cost of the common agricultural policy in 2002 to British consumers, taking account of the cost of food prices in the United Kingdom, relative to world prices. [HL1950]

Our latest provisional estimate of the cost in 2002 of the common agricultural policy to UK consumers, based on an examination of the difference between UK and world prices for agricultural food products, is around £3.3 billion.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the agreement between Eurostar and Union Railways committing Eurostar to pay for up to eight train paths per hour on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link for 50 years takes precedence over European Directive 2001/14; and, in particular, whether it is defined as a framework agreement under Article 17 of that directive. [HL1903]

The regulations that transpose Directive 2001/14 into British law will provide for framework agreements, including prescribing the circumstances in which they can be for longer than ten years. All access contracts that are for longer than one year will need to comply with these provisions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What would be the cost of estimating the cost to business of new regulations introduced in each year since 1997; and how that figure is calculated. [HL1856]

In order to obtain the information requested by Viscount Goschen the Cabinet Office would have to ask each government department to examine every regulatory impact assessment it has produced since 1997. This would require considerable resources and so I regret that the information required could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.