asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answers by the Lord President on 26 May (

The noble Lord is aware that discussions took place regarding the Ulster-Scots Agency budget. My answer of 26 May 2004 (WA 133) explains why it is not possible to place in the public domain documents, the disclosure of which would be contrary to the Code of Practice on Access on Government Information.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many electors, representing what percentage of the electorate, were registered to vote by post for elections to the United Kingdom Parliament in each constituency in Northern Ireland at the latest date for which figures are available. [HL3960]

The number of postal ballot papers issued, as a percentage of the electorate, for the 2001 general election, is detailed below. The number of actual postal ballot papers received before the close of poll equate to an overall average of approximately 85 per cent of those papers issued.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to encourage a resolution of the impasse in Portadown following a peaceful "Drumcree Sunday" in July. [HL4047]

The Government remain convinced that the best solution can be achieved at a local level. The Government continue to encourage those with influence to seek a peaceful resolution to the Drumcree dispute.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they propose to exempt the Health and Safety Executive from plans to reduce the size of the Civil Service. [HL4062]

The Government are currently reviewing the allocation for HSC. This will be announced in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What were the expenses involved in producing the Hutton report. [HL3969]

I refer the noble Lord to the Statement the Lord Filkin made to the House on 6 May 2004, Official Report col. WS 70 which, apart from a further £20,000 paid to Cable and Wireless for hosting the inquiry website, is the final cost of the inquiry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Statement by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 22 July (

The review of international human rights instruments had implications for a number of government departments and agencies. A meeting of officials from those departments with an interest in the review took place on 4 December 2003. At the meeting, officials agreed to put a range of options to Ministers. These options had to be carefully considered by the Ministers involved and, following ministerial consultation, the final outcomes of the review were agreed and published in July.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What has been the pattern of compensation awards under the Human Rights Act 1998. [HL4125]

This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their response to proposals by the European Commission concerning the registration of bank accounts, including those of charities and commercial companies. [HL4092]

As far as HM Treasury is aware the European Commission has not proposed a register of bank accounts.The Commission published its proposal for the third Money Laundering Directive on 30 June 2004. Article 28 makes clear that EU credit and financial institutions must be able to respond fully and rapidly to requests by the relevant authorities for information on their business relations with natural and legal persons. However, the Explanatory Memorandum to the proposal explicitly states that "the Commission is not at this stage proposing a mandatory register of bank accounts in all Member States"; it is left to each member state to decide how to achieve the objective of Article 28.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the current one-year and five-year survival rates for lung cancer and breast cancer respectively; and how these survival rates compare with each of the years 1996–2003. [HL4102]

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

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in their appraisal of the new licensing laws, they have given further consideration to a compulsory levy on the entertainment industry to pay towards the costs of policing, hospitalisation and clearing up in the early hours of the morning. [HL4112]

This matter was fully considered in the context of the production of the alcohol harm reduction strategy by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit in March 2004, after the Licensing Act 2003 had been given Royal Assent on 10 July 2003. As the strategy makes clear, we do not think that the case has yet been made for imposing a compulsory levy on industry for the costs of policing and any other costs resulting from the development of the night-time economy. We believe that the right way forward is through voluntary schemes where they are necessary and can be justified.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Answer by the Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 8 September (HL Deb, col. 677), whether they intend to provide compensation to the owners of hefted hill flock lamb crops who have not opted for whole flock slaughter and whose lambs will only be allowed to be disposed of for slaughter when unfinished and not suitable for human consumption. [HL4158]

Under the compulsory scrapie flocks scheme, where the approach of genotyping the flock applies, compensation will be paid only in respect of sheep of the susceptible genotypes that have to be killed and destroyed and cannot enter the food chain. It is not intended that compensation will be paid for sheep of genotypes that have to be slaughtered for human consumption.However, where genotyping action has to be taken in a flock with a lamb crop on the ground, owners may be offered the option of having some or all of their lamb crop killed and destroyed without genotyping. In these circumstances, compensation would be paid for all lambs killed and destroyed.