asked Her Majesty's Government:Which consultants were commissioned by the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in 2001 to work with the Ulster-Scots Language Society to help develop a strategic planning capacity. [HL2748]

John Edmund was commissioned in February 2000 to produce a strategic plan for the promotion of the Ulster-Scots language.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the languages, histories, cultures and identities of the Ulster Scots and the Irish should be treated equally; and why bodies representing Ulster-Scots culture do not receive the same level of resources as bodies representing Irish culture. [HL3022]

The Government treat bodies representing Ulster-Scots and Irish Language and culture fairly and impartially in accordance with the principles of good public administration. In relation to funding for the agencies of the North/South Language Body I refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 20 May 2004 (WA 95).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 11 March (

An existing policy may be discontinued if appropriate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether those qualifying as teachers in Northern Ireland should be educated and trained together. [HL3225]

Those qualifying as teachers in Northern Ireland are educated and trained through the higher education institutions in Northern Ireland. A consideration of initial teacher education is currently under way in Northern Ireland, involving the Department for Employment and Learning, the Department of Education and the main stakeholders. This will embrace all aspects of current policy provision.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they expect that parental demands for integrated education in Northern Ireland will be met at a time when numbers of secondary pupils are declining. [HL3226]

The Government take seriously their duty to encourage and facilitate integrated education and respond to parental demand for integrated education where this does not involve unreasonable public expenditure. The numbers of post-primary pupils are declining and this is impacting on many schools across Northern Ireland. The viability criteria for the establishment of a new post-primary integrated school includes the requirement that a school must achieve a minimum year-eight intake of 50 pupils to be approved for receipt of recurrent grant, and to demonstrate its long-term viability before capital grant is made available. Procedures are also in place for transforming existing schools to integrated status.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress there has been, since the referendum on the Annan Plan, to remove obstacles to trade between Turkish Cyprus and the European Union; and, whether such imports still require approval from the Greek Cypriot authorities. [HL3180]

The 26 April General Affairs and External Relations Council tasked the Commission to come forward with proposals to end the international economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. We look forward to those proposals and have been encouraged by the extra impetus given to them by the UN Secretary-General.The Green Line Regulation, agreed on 28 April, was a major step forward. It establishes the rules under which Turkish Cypriots can currently trade with the EU.We continue to work with our EU and international partners to ensure that all Cypriots can enjoy the benefits of EU membership, and that efforts to reunify the island are underpinned by practical measures to reduce disparities between the two sides. We believe that the Government of Cyprus share that aim.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the percentage of lessons in which the quality of teaching of physical education and school sport was assessed to be good or better by Ofsted inspections for the years since 2001–02. [HL3298]

The department does not hold this information. I have asked HM Chief Inspector to write to the noble Lord setting out the information requested, and to place copies of his letter in the Library.

asked her Majesty's Government:Whether they could have prevented the publication of photographs allegedly showing the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by coalition forces. [HL2764]

We do not believe we could have prevented the publication of the photographs in the Daily Mirror.At the time the Ministry of Defence was informed of the

asked her Majesty's Government:Whether interrogation techniques involving physical or mental coercion have been used by members of the British Armed Forces or other United Kingdom personnel; if so, what is the nature of such techniques; and whether they are compatible with international human rights and humanitarian law. [HL2868]

All UK interrogators must successfully complete a stringent course prior to undertaking any operational interrogations. During the course they are specifically instructed that individuals being questioned must be treated at all times in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. The conventions ban the use of all forms of coercion.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their present military commitment in Northern Ireland, in terms of numbers, units and roles; what changes in this commitment have taken place over the past two years; and whether they are contemplating any future changes in the commitment. [HL3102]

Currently there are 12 Infantry Battalions and one Royal Marines Commando dedicated to Northern Ireland plus appropriate support troops as well as Royal Navy and Royal Air Force support.At 30 April 2004 12,870 military personnel (Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines and RAF) were stationed in Northern Ireland under the command of the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland compared with 13,288 at 30 April 2002. Currently the GOC NI also has under his command troops that are rear-based in Great Britain and Germany that can be called forward to the Province as and when required. In addition other troops can be made available to the GOC NI from Land Command if required, for example during the marching season.The role of the Armed Forces in Northern Ireland is to support the police in the defeat of terrorism and in the maintenance of public order so as to assist the Government in their objective of restoring normality. The level of military support is under continuous review and troop numbers are adjusted to meet the changing security environment as and when it is deemed appropriate and after consultation with the Chief Constable. Accordingly, as my right honourable friend the Minister for the Armed Forces announced in another place on 17 June 2004, (

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their assessment of the recent causes of volatility in United Kingdom wholesale gas prices and the related fluctuations in domestic prices; and whether there are any proposals to bring stability to the market. [HL3184]

Wholesale gas prices over the last few months have not been significantly different from prices in the equivalent period last year.On 28 May Ofgem issued an interim report,

asked Her Majesty's Government:What complaints have been made to the United Kingdom National Contact Point (NCP) of breaches of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Companies, giving in each case the date of the original complaint, the originator, the date on which the NCP responded or the complaint was withdrawn and, where no response has yet been made, the date on which it is expected. [HL3222]

The National Contact Point (NCP) has received four complaints since the guidelines were revised in 2000, three of which are ongoing.A complaint was made against Anglo American plc by Rights and Accountability in Development and others in February 2002. The NCP first responded in March 2002. The investment committee of the OECD issued a clarification on the applicability of the guidelines in this case in April 2004. The company's detailed response was passed to the complainant in December 2003 and the NCP is awaiting the complainant's response.In April 2003 the NCP received a complaint from Friends of the Earth and others against the BTC Consortium (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan). The NCP first responded in May 2003. The company response was passed to the complainant in March 2004 and the NCP is awaiting the complainant's response.A complaint was received in July 2003 from Citizens for a Better Environment against National Grid/Transco. The NCP first responded in July 2003 and the company's response was passed to the complainant in November 2003 and again, the NCP is awaiting the complainant's response.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why decisions about the decommissioning of the National Severe Personality Disorder Service provided by Webb House, Main House and the Henderson Hospital were taken in advance of the publication of the independent research which the National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group had stipulated was necessary. [HL3186]

The therapeutic community service provided by Webb House, Main House and the Henderson Hospital for people with personality disorders is being centrally funded for a time-limited period while an independent evaluation of the replicability of the service is carried out. The second and final strands of the evaluation are due to be published in autumn 2004. The Department of Health, National Health Service commissioners and providers are working closely together in the transitional period between now and April 2006 when the funding is expected to be returned to the NHS and the service will be once again commissioned by the NHS.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking to improve the treatment of skin cancer in England. [HL3255]

The Department of Health and the Welsh Assembly Government have commissioned the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to produce service guidance for skin tumours including melanoma. This guidance is expected to be published in April 2005.The recommendations set out in the guidance will be translated into a series of measures against which cancer networks will be peer reviewed to ensure the guidance is being implemented.The Department of Health has also issued GP cancer referral guidelines to assist general practitioners in determining those patients who need to be referred urgently to see a specialist within two weeks. The guidance addresses skin cancers. The referral guidelines are currently being reviewed by NICE and the updated guidelines are due to be published in March 2005.In addition, patients with skin cancer will also benefit from the measures set out in the National Health Service Cancer Plan to improve services across the board for cancer patients.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the proportion of time spent by general practitioners in dealing with suspected cases of skin cancer or pre-cancerous skin lesions. [HL3256]

No assessment has been made by the Government of the proportion of time spent by general practitioners in dealing with suspected cases of skin cancer or pre-cancerous skin lesions.The Department of Health has issued GP cancer referral guidelines to assist GP's in determining those patients who need to be referred urgently to see a specialist within two weeks. The guidance addresses skin cancers. The referral guidelines are currently being reviewed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the updated guidelines are due to be published in March 2005.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether a screening programme similar to the screening programme for prostate cancer in the Tirol province of Austria will be carried out in any region of the United Kingdom; and, if so, when. [HL3292]

We are committed to introducing a screening programme for prostate cancer if and when screening and treatment techniques are sufficiently well developed. Trials for prostate cancer screening have shown that there are a number of complex issues involved. There is no conclusive evidence from any country that screening for prostate cancer would reduce the death rate from prostate cancer. It would however, almost certainly lead to the diagnosis of a large number of cases of prostate cancer which would never have caused harm during a patient's natural lifespan.The Department of Health is funding a large-scale randomised controlled trial of treatments for localised prostate cancer detected by prostate specific antigen testing ("The ProtecT Trial"), which began in 2001. The trial will last for five years at a total cost of £14.1 million.As part of the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme, all general practitioners in England have been sent an evidence-based resource pack to help them to counsel men worried about prostate cancer.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many deaths from prostate cancer there have been in each region of the United Kingdom during each of the past five years. [HL3291]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many criminal offences have been created in Acts and regulations sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since its inception. [HL2533]

Defra came into being on 8 June 2001. Since that date over 400 statutory instruments and four Acts emanating from the department have come into force.A comprehensive and exhaustive list of new criminal offences and the number created is not readily available but I will write to the noble Baroness shortly and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.Some new offences have been created. Some offences have been repealed and re-enacted. Most of the offences relate to breach of the regulations or obstruction of officers enforcing the regulations. Many of the regulations, examples of which I set out below, were necessary precautionary legislative responses to potentially devastating outbreaks of new animal or plant diseases outside England and Wales or outside the European Union.These examples of offences, which reflect the range of Defra's responsibilities, have all come into force since 8 June 2001:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to preserve the native red squirrel from extinction; and what action they are taking to control grey squirrels. [HL2826]

The red squirrel is protected under Section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which prohibits the unauthorised killing, injuring, taking, possession, sale or disturbance in a place of shelter or protection, any wild animal listed on Schedule 5 to the Act. It is also protected under Section 11 of the Act which prohibits certain methods of killing and taking of wild animals listed on Schedule 6 to the Act.Under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan an individual species action plan has been prepared for the red squirrel. The UK Red Squirrel Group, a partnership of public, private and voluntary organisations led by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, is responsible for delivery of the red squirrel action plan.The UK Red Squirrel Group has consulted widely among scientists, woodland managers and conservation bodies on a prioritisation process for the UK's surviving red squirrel populations. This identified the areas where action to maintain red squirrels is most likely to be effective in the long-term, including the Isle of Wight, the Poole Harbour Islands and the North Tyne area. The continuing expansion of the grey squirrel is to be expected and red squirrel conservation is focused on limiting that expansion in areas where the two species overlap. Some significant progress has been made in developing more effective and targeted ways of defending healthy populations of red squirrels against replacement by the grey squirrel.In northern England, these priorities have now been translated into management plans for key forest areas, where we believe a combination of large-scale habitat management in forests and buffer areas allied to surveillance and targeted grey squirrel control gives the red squirrel the best chance of survival. These plans will form the basis of a bid for Heritage Lottery funding within the next few months by a consortium of government agencies, wildlife trusts and private landowners.The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Forum, led by the Isle of Wight Council has drawn up an action plan for the red squirrel population on the island. The plan, which is supported by the UK Red Squirrel Group, includes contingency arrangements that will trigger immediate actions in the event of grey squirrel incursions. The owners and managers of Poole Harbour islands are working with the Forestry Commission and English Nature on a joint Poole Harbour red squirrel management plan, including contingency arrangements in the event of a grey squirrel incursion.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the temperatures in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs offices at Nobel House on 8 June were in line with guidance on optimum working conditions for office employees. [HL3249]

In common with a large proportion of offices in the United Kingdom, Nobel House is a naturally ventilated building. On those days when the external temperature rises to become particularly hot the temperature in Nobel House does likewise.On the 8 June the temperature in London rose to 31 degrees, one of the hottest days of the year so far and considerably above the average for the month.There is no legal maximum temperature for office buildings: for some days every year it will feel hot inside and out and will be above an optimum comfort level. This is countered with the judicious use of fans; and works currently under way in Nobel House to make the building more open plan will improve the free circulation of air.Full air conditioning is not favoured because of the negative impact on the environment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 27 May (

The 10 railway lines which will serve the proposed Olympic Park in Stratford are made up of four London underground lines, four mainline railway lines, the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL).The Underground lines are the Jubilee and Central lines through Stratford station and the District and Hammersmith and City lines through West Ham station. They and the DLR are the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport for London. Investment in the underground lines will be largely delivered through the PPP contracts.The mainline railway lines are the Great Eastern mainline, North London line, Lea Valley line and C2C line. In addition to normal track maintenance and renewal works, investment plans for the railway network are set out in the Government's 10-year transport plan, the Strategic Rail Authority's strategic rail plan for 2003 and the Network Rail business plan.CTRL phase two serving Stratford and London St Pancras is currently under construction. Work on the line, including the new Stratford International Station, is expected to be completed by 2007.