asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the scope, analysis and recommendations of H2OK—Keep it Clean, published by the Crop Protection Association and part-funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, was endorsed by Ministers. [HL3557]

The H2OK—Keep it Clean booklet (published February 2007) was not specifically endorsed by Ministers, but officials were consulted as part of the production process. This leaflet is part of a long-standing campaign on water protection from the Voluntary Initiative (VI) for Pesticides' programme of work, which aims to minimise the impact of pesticides on the environment. The VI is an industry initiative managed by a steering group made up of a wide range of pesticide interests, including the Crop Protection Association, which has led on this publication.

The VI is actively contributing to Defra's England catchment sensitive farming delivery initiative through a small consultancy contract to provide pesticide-specific environmental advice and training in catchments with known pesticide problems covered by the initiative. The H2OK campaign contributes to this work.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will place the funding given to the Sea Cadets under the same conditions enjoyed by the Army and Air Force cadets. [HL3566]

The sea cadet organisation is not part of the Ministry of Defence and is therefore not in a position to be funded under the same conditions and mechanisms as Army and Air Force cadets. Each sea cadet unit is an independent charity under the direct management of a unit management committee and, by act of affiliation with the Marine Society and Sea Cadets (itself a charitable body), affiliated units form the Sea Cadet Corps. While the funding arrangements may be different they are effective, and the training choices and opportunities offered to sea cadets are comparable with their RAF and Army counterparts.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, having regard to Section 50(9A)(a) of the British Nationality Act 1981, a minor who is born in the United Kingdom or a qualifying territory would be a British citizen under Section 1 of the British Nationality Act 1981 in the following circumstances (a) neither the biological father or mother of the child was a British citizen or settled in the United Kingdom or that qualifying territory at the time of the child's birth; (b) the husband of the child's mother at the time of the birth, who is not the biological father, is a British citizen or settled in the United Kingdom or that qualifying territory at the time of the child's birth; (c) the child was conceived without resort to artificial means of insemination by its biological father and the mother; (d) the marriage between the husband and the child's mother has been lawfully entered into and is valid; and (e) the marriage between the husband and the child's mother was entered into primarily for the purposes of obtaining British citizenship for the child and is to be dissolved after the child's birth. [HL3508]

The child in this case would be a British citizen.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, having regard to section 50(9A)(a) of the British Nationality Act 1981, a minor who is born abroad would be a British citizen under Section 2 of the British Nationality Act 1981 in the following circumstances (a) neither the biological father or mother of the child was a British citizen at the time of the child's birth; (b) the husband of the child's mother at the time of the birth, who is not the biological father, is a British citizen otherwise than by descent; (c) the child was conceived without resort to artificial means of insemination by its biological father and the mother; (d) the marriage between the husband and the child's mother has been lawfully entered into and is valid; and (e) the marriage between the husband and the child's mother was entered into primarily for the purposes of obtaining British citizenship for the child and is to be dissolved after the child's birth.[HL3509]

The child in this case would be a British citizen.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the likely cost to the state were the childcare element of the working tax credit able to be claimed by (a) grandmothers; (b) grandfathers; (c) other female relatives; and (d) other male relatives who regularly care for a child or children in their family for a minimum of 20 hours per week to enable the mother to work. [HL3581]

The Government are unable to make an assessment because the information required is unavailable.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How, following the United Kingdom climate impact programme framework, businesses and other organisations have integrated climate risks and climate change effects into their decision-making procedures; and whether they will give detailed examples. [HL3542]

The Government set up the UK Climate Change Impacts Programme (UKCIP) in 1997 to encourage private and public sector organisations to assess their vulnerability to climate change so that they can plan their own adaptation strategies.

UKCIP has produced a wide range of research, guidance and tools for different sectors. Examples include:

scenarios of climate change for the UK;

scoping studies in all the English regions and the devolved Administrations looking at impacts of climate change;

guidance for local authorities on how they might need to adapt;

a risk and uncertainty decision-making framework; and

a method to cost the impacts of climate change.

The UKCIP website (www.ukcip.org.uk) includes an adaptation actions database, which contains case studies that show how organisations in the UK are adapting to climate change. This database can help organisations to see what others are doing and identify what actions they might take to reduce their risks or exploit opportunities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they plan to increase their research efforts into ecosystem threshold changes in order to augment the collection of important data as a basis of future recommendations for policies to prevent adverse changes such as desertification, soil erosion and destruction in tree clusters. [HL3616]

Defra's evidence and innovation strategy¹ sets out the department's research priorities. The need to better understand environmental limits (which include ecosystem threshold changes) is identified under several of these priorities and is being pursued through a number of means including:

research under Defra's ecosystems research programme, including a scoping study on “defining and identifying environmental limits”² which assessed the current evidence base on environmental limits and how this could be better applied in policy and decision-making;

joint Defra and devolved Administration research on the “normal ranges” of soil properties (including those reducing erosion risks) for healthy soil function in the UK; and

scoping work on development of the sustainable consumption and production evidence base, which is likely to pursue research on limits for consumption of non-renewable and renewable resources.

The issue will also be addressed in the context of the planned “Ecosystems Services and Poverty Alleviation” research programme, a joint initiative between the Natural Environment Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council and the Department for International Development.

¹ Defra 2006 “Our approach to evidence and innovation”. www.defra.gov.uk/science/how/documents/Evidence AndInnovation.pdf.

² Haines-Young and Potschin 2006 “Defining and Identifying Environmental Limits for Sustainable Development”. www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/ natres/pdf/NR0102_limits full%20technical%20report.pdf

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What, in terms of reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, is the projected effect of the European Commission's proposed caps on allocation for phase 2 of the European Emissions Trading Scheme, assuming coal and gas prices remain constant. [HL3573]

It is too early to say what the projected effect of the caps will be for phase II of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme as the European Commission has yet to make assessments on all member states' national allocation plans (NAPs). The Commission has so far made decisions on 20 member states' NAPs. Six further plans have been submitted for assessment, leaving one member state yet to submit its NAP. Should member states accept the Commission's decisions, the NAPs that have so far been assessed would give a total cap of 1,663 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per year between 2008 and 2012. This is against 2005 verified emissions of 1,685 million tonnes of carbon dioxide for those member states.

The UK's phase II cap of 246 million tonnes of CO₂ will deliver savings of 29 million tonnes of CO₂ per year and puts us on track to achieve carbon dioxide reductions of 16.2 per cent by 2010.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What have been the total emissions of (a) carbon dioxide, and (b) all greenhouse gases for each member state of the European Union, in each of the years since 1980 for which data are available for any member state. [HL3571]

The UK does not hold detailed greenhouse gas emissions statistics for each European Union member state. Most member states report greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These data, yearly from 1990, can be found on the UNFCCC website.

There is a longer data history for UK carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions from 1970 can be found in the national atmospheric emissions inventory which is available on the website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will advocate that the third EU Money Laundering Directive will apply to United Kingdom Crown dependencies and other overseas territories. [HL3555]

The third EU Money Laundering Directive applied to all member states, and covers Gibraltar. UK Crown dependencies and British Overseas Territories that offer international financial services have established independent regulatory authorities and have implemented laws and systems to prevent money laundering in line with internationally recognised standards. Regulatory standards and anti-money-laundering systems are independently assessed against recognised international standards by the relevant international bodies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 23 November 2006 (WA 14), how they define “hard-line activist”; whether a register is kept of such individuals; and whether an individual has a right to know whether they are so classified by the Home Office; and [HL3471]

Whether an activist is considered to be “a hard-line activist” when he or she has committed an offence, or when they have attended a certain number of protests, or both. [HL3472]

The term “hard-line activist” has no statutory definition. It is commonly used to describe someone who is uncompromising in their views or beliefs and is prepared to commit criminal offences in furthering a particular cause or ideology. The Home Office does not classify individuals as hard-line activists and there is therefore no such register.

The term “hard-line activist” used by the Metropolitan Police in the context of the “Sack Parliament” demonstration referred to a group of individuals who were clearly intent on disrupting the work of Parliament that day.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many regulations the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has introduced over each of the past five years; how many were updated regulations; and how many were revoked without being replaced. [HL3595]

The department has made over 750 general and local statutory instruments since 2001. However, the department does not have a central database of revoked regulations or one which identifies those that are updated regulations, and collation of the data requested would involve disproportionate cost.

The department views the revocation, modernisation and rationalisation of its regulations as an essential part of its approach to regulating better. For example, the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2005, which govern the statutory controls on veterinary medicines, provided much-needed clarity and improved comprehension by replacing part of the Medicines Act 1968 and 49 separate statutory instruments. To keep these regulations up to date and to maintain their ease of use they have been replaced by the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2006 as part of an annual exercise to revoke and remake them.

The Veterinary Medicines Regulations are one of a number of simplification measures the department is taking forward. The department's 2006 simplification plan, Maximising Outcomes, Minimising Burdens, identifies a reduction in the administrative burden Defra imposes on business of £159 million, more than 30 per cent of the department's total administrative burden. Copies of the simplification plan are available from the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has taken or is taking to reduce the burden of regulation. [HL3596]

Defra is committed to a comprehensive programme of regulating better. Our December 2006 simplification plan, Maximising Outcomes, Minimising Burdens, explains the action that is being taken across Defra and its agencies to reduce administrative burdens and to improve regulations. That includes removing redundant legislation without compromising environmental standards, seeking alternatives to traditional regulation and taking a risk-based approach to enforcement and inspection.

The simplification plan, which is available from the Library of the House, identifies over 130 separate initiatives that will contribute to meeting our target of reducing the administrative burden we impose on business by 25 per cent by 2010. Those initiatives are scheduled to deliver an annual administrative burden reduction of around £159 million, more than 30 per cent of the department's total administrative burden. They include:

movements of hazardous waste—simplifying paperwork for monitoring movements will deliver savings of £2.1 million;

whole-farm approach—the administrative saving for farmers is estimated at £2.9 million by 2009-10 (based on current uptake);

replacement of the Over Thirty Months Scheme with the older cattle disposal scheme—will deliver administrative savings of £3.49 million by the end of 2008;

fruit and vegetable marketing standards (introduction of electronic certificates of conformity with EU marketing standards)—will achieve administrative savings of £3.22 million in 2007; and

the game licensing review—realises administrative savings of £0.6 million per annum—starting in mid-2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures they have taken to assess the effectiveness during the 3 May 2007 elections of the new arrangements for voting by the Armed Forces; and when the results of any assessment will be available. [HL3621]

The Ministry of Defence carried out a survey in December 2006 to determine electoral registration levels and awareness of the need to register among members of the Armed Forces. Evaluation of the survey is not yet complete. I understand that the Ministry of Defence will place a copy of the report in the Library of the House when it becomes available.

In February 2007, the Government asked the Electoral Commission to review and report on the introduction of personal identifiers for absent voting in England and Wales and, in particular, the use of the personal identifiers at the 3 May 2007 elections in England and Wales. The Electoral Commission has advised that the review may include an assessment of the impact of the new provisions on members of the Armed Forces. The Electoral Commission has been asked to produce its report by 31 July 2007. A copy of the report will be made publicly available when it is produced.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their strategy to reduce wasted energy in Britain's hotel industry; and what specific steps they will take to reduce energy wastage as a result of (a) lights being left on all day in hotels; (b) televisions in bedrooms left on stand-by; (c) 24-hour air conditioning; and (d) all-year-round corridor heating. [HL3568]

Emissions from the large non-energy-intensive business and public sector are rising and there is scope for significant abatement.

The Government's consultation on the most effective measures for achieving 1.2 million tonnes of carbon (MtC) savings per year by 2020 from this sector, including hotel chains, closed earlier this year. It considered an energy performance commitment (EPC), a mandatory auction-based emissions trading scheme and a system of voluntary benchmarking and reporting. The Government will announce which option will be taken forward in the energy White Paper.

We also fund the Carbon Trust, which was established in 2001 to help businesses and public sector organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low-carbon technologies. The trust provides a range of tailored support to help businesses improve their energy efficiency and has worked with a number of the UK's largest hotel chains as part of its carbon management programme. Hotels with annual energy bills over £50,000 are eligible for the Carbon Trust's free energy-efficiency site surveys. They can also use the trust's Hospitable Climates Advisory Scheme, a free energy-saving advisory programme dedicated to the hospitality sector, managed by the Hotel and Catering International Management Association. The trust has produced a range of advisory publications, a number of which have been specifically aimed at the hotel industry, and provides further energy efficiency advice via its website (www.carbontrust.co.uk) and telephone helpline (0800 0852005).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the publication of the report and accounts for 2005-06 of the Environment Agency, whether it is expected that the 2007-08 farm list will be delivered on time; and whether it was delivered on time for 2006-07. [HL3589]

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) was the competent control authority (CCA) in England for groundwater (SMR 2), sewage sludge (SMR 3) and nitrate vulnerable zones (SMR 4) for the 2005 and 2006 single payment scheme (SPS) years. However, it delegated checking these SMRs to the Environment Agency (EA).

For the 2006 scheme year, the RPA supplied the EA with inspection data in sufficient time to enable the EA to carry out the 1 per cent statutory inspection programme within the deadline (effectively the 2006 calendar year).

For the 2007 scheme year, the EA was appointed CCA for SMRs 2, 3 and 4. It is therefore now responsible for selecting 1 per cent of all SPS claimants for an on-the-spot check using a risk analysis appropriate to the SMRs which it is responsible for enforcing. The RPA, as the paying agency, is still required to pass SPS claimant data to the EA. This was provided to the EA in December 2006, which should allow it sufficient time to select the inspections for 2007 and complete them by the end of the calendar year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What efficiency savings are generated each year within the Environment Agency's flood management programme; whether these are sufficient to cover inflationary pressures so that spending in real terms is maintained; and how these inflationary pressures will be accommodated in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. [HL3533]

The Environment Agency (EA) currently delivers £15 million of savings each year against an overall budget of approximately £450 million for flood risk management. This equates to just over 3 per cent and these efficiencies cover only part of the inflationary burden that is currently running at between 4 per cent and 5 per cent. To date, it has been possible to reprioritise activities to allow key outputs to be maintained in keeping with the 2004 spending review target.

The EA is working to ensure that further efficiencies are delivered and has contributed evidence on funding requirements to inform the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their current estimate of the costs to the United Kingdom of European Union directives and regulations. [HL3512]

The Government estimate that the total administrative burden on business, charities and the voluntary sector in England derived from EU legislation is approximately £6.3 billion per annum. This estimate excludes the costs of EU administrative burdens in financial services which are not available in this format. The Government are committed to European regulatory reform and welcome the European Council's endorsement on 9 March 2007 of a 25 per cent target to reduce administrative burdens on business arising from EU law by 2012.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What civil protection and remedies are available under the current law of England and Wales for the victims of female genital mutilation. [HL3463]

In addition to the criminal protection of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, victims of female genital mutilation may make an application for civil protection under Part IV of the Family Law Act 1996 as amended by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 or the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, depending upon the circumstances of the case.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the publication of the report and accounts for 2005-06 of the Environment Agency, when a draft Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Bill, referred to in Target Reference 14, will be published. [HL3588]

My honourable friend the Minister of State for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare (Ben Bradshaw) announced on 14 December 2006 that the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 will be modernised along with other legislation affecting migratory and freshwater fisheries. We expect this legislative project to be completed in early 2009.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether health authorities will make good the possible negative impact on Gift Aid receipts by hospices following the reduction in the basic rate of income tax from 22p to 20p. [HL3487]

The level of funding a hospice receives is a matter for local negotiation between the local primary care trust, which is responsible for commissioning and funding palliative care services locally, and the hospice.

As announced by my right honourable friend the Chancellor in his recent Budget speech, the Government will consult with the charitable sector on measures to increase take-up of Gift Aid, in addition to conducting an awareness-raising campaign. The consultation is expected to take place over coming months with a view to reporting on progress in the autumn.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What analysis they have made of the availability of screening in men age 65 or over for aortic aneurysm by health authorities in the Gloucester and Chichester areas. [HL3484]

It is for local primary care trusts in conjunction with other stakeholders to make an assessment of availability and commission services for local people.

NHS South West has advised departmental officials that screening was introduced in Gloucestershire in September 1990 for men reaching the age of 65. Each year just over 3,000 men are invited for screening.

NHS South East Coast has advised that screening was introduced at St Richard's Hospital, part of the Royal West Sussex National Health Service Trust, in 1983 for men aged from 65 to 80. Since 1988, men over the age of 65 have been screened as part of a research programme funded by the NHS Research and Development Forum and the Medical Research Council, and each year just over 2,000 men are invited for screening.

The United Kingdom national screening committee (NSC) has advised that screening for men aged 65 for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) can be recommended in principle subject to further work, particularly on the appropriate configuration of treatment services and the provision for men to make an informed choice about whether to undergo screening. At its meeting in March 2007, the NSC considered further work undertaken by the AAA screening working group. More detailed work will now be undertaken on the practical issues that would be involved in implementation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many non-geriatric National Health Service patients are in hospital provision mainly for the care of geriatric patients, broken down by region and age group; and what action they are considering to address any need for more appropriate provision. [HL3380]

The information requested is not collected centrally. Wherever possible, patients should be treated on wards most appropriate to their needs. Decisions on the most appropriate ward should be based on clinical need.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many medical students may have had their confidential information publicly available on the Medical Training Application Service website; and [HL3603]

What support will be given to medical students who may be subject to identity theft or identity fraud as a consequence of their personal information being publicly available on the Medical Training Application Service website; and [HL3604]

How many junior doctors may have had their confidential information publicly available on the Medical Training Application Service website; and [HL3605]

What support will be given to junior doctors who may be subject to identity theft or identity fraud as a consequence of their personal information being held in a non-secure way on the Medical Training Application Service website; and [HL3606]

When there will be a full independent investigation into the causes of the security breach that resulted in confidential information held by the Medical Training Application Service (MTAS) being open to public viewing on the MTAS website. [HL3607]

The department has commissioned an investigation into the breach of security of the Medical Training Application Service website, the findings of which we will publish. The investigation includes a detailed analysis of all activity on the website to identify all those who accessed the site.

The department will take the appropriate steps to prevent identity theft and fraud and support medical students and junior doctors if this proves necessary.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has decided to commence an investigation into the circumstances of the security breach. The department is co-operating fully with the ICO.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will take additional steps to enhance the anti-obesity campaign in Britain, especially amongst schoolchildren and young mothers. [HL3544]

There is now a coalition of 150 organisations working together and using social marketing techniques to develop a deep understanding of the drivers of families' food and physical activity habits. This has informed two main areas of work enhancing the programmes to tackle obesity: first, improving the effectiveness of initiatives through understanding and supporting families in overcoming the barriers that prevent them leading healthier lifestyles; secondly, tackling obesity requires a societal response with a broad range of organisations working collaboratively to influence the problem. The Government are providing direction for this work and facilitating these working partnerships.

These two work areas have also helped in the development of a number of new campaigns, rolling out from spring 2007. The first of these campaigns, a 5 A DAY campaign branded as Top Tips for Top Mums is an initiative to tackle the key barriers to children eating fruit and vegetables.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the cost of treating patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in each strategic health authority of the National Health Service during the latest year for which figures are available. [HL3633]

Information on the costs of treating patients with specific conditions, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is not collected.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why Baroness Scotland of Asthal's Written Answer on 23 April (WA 118) did not address the reasons why the Home Office had not replied to Lord Grenfell's letter before the Question was tabled. [HL3593]

My reply to the noble Lord sought to answer the fundamental concern that had been raised regarding the failure to reply to a letter sent by the noble Lord, Lord Grenfell.

The Permanent Secretary and the Minister of State for Police, Security and Community Safety continue to review departmental systems so as to ensure that the 14-day time line is attained.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What environmental policies they have to address the effects on the public of any prolonged period of hot weather in 2007. [HL3543]

The period from September 2006 to February 2007 was the wettest since 1914 and enabled reservoirs and aquifers to recover to normal spring levels. The outlook for water supply is now healthier than it has been over the past two years. All water companies have statutory drought plans setting out a range of actions to take in the event of a developing drought.

The Department of Health's heatwave plan exists to reduce the health risks of hot weather. It informs the public and health and social care professionals of the dangers, encourages them to plan ahead for care, and sets out practical action in the event of a heatwave.

In order to cope with the impacts of unavoidable climate change such as hotter summers, we need to adapt. This action is complementary to our efforts to reduce emissions to avoid dangerous levels of climate change.

The Government are developing an adaptation strategy containing three key elements: a clear direction at national level, a responsive and evolving framework for action and a new agreement with communities and citizens. The adaptation policy framework around which this strategy is based is being developed to guide decision-making across government. Phase 2 is under way and will see the development of a cross-government framework by the end of this year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many asylum seekers have come to the United Kingdom from Iraq in the past two years; of these, how many are “failed asylum seekers”; and how many have been returned to Iraq (a) voluntarily, and (b) against their will. [HL3490]

Information on asylum applications, initial decisions, appeal outcomes and removals for Iraqi nationals is published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Excluding dependants, the number of Iraqi asylum applications received during 2005 and 2006 was 2,365. Information on how many of the applications lodged in the past two years have been refused and how many have subsequently been removed is not available; this information would be available only by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many asylum seekers have come to the United Kingdom from Zimbabwe in the past two years; of these, how many are “failed asylum seekers”; and how many have been returned to Zimbabwe (a) voluntarily, and (b) against their will. [HL3491]

Information on asylum applications, initial decisions, appeal outcomes and removals for Zimbabwean nationals is published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Excluding dependants, the number of Zimbabwean asylum applications received during 2005 and 2006 was 2,705. Information on how many of the applications lodged in the past two years have been refused and how many have subsequently been removed is not available; this information would be available only by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have reviewed or suspended their policy of forced removals to Iraq and Zimbabwe in view of the conditions in those countries. [HL3492]

Developments in Iraq and Zimbabwe are closely monitored against the background of the latest available information on those countries.

We are currently enforcing the return by charter flight of individuals from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) area of Iraq. Ministers and officials have discussed the issue of returning failed asylum seekers to Iraq with the Kurdish Regional Government on a number of occasions.

Enforced removals of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe were recently reviewed and put on hold pending the resolution of a test case relating to such removals. On 6 March 2007 the Court of Appeal found that, in reaching its determination that the enforced return of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe does not put them at risk of mistreatment, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal did not fully consider material parts of the evidence of two of the witnesses in this case. It has asked the tribunal to look at that evidence again.

Returns will be undertaken only where we are satisfied that the individual will not be at risk.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the statement by the Advocate-General for Scotland on 2 May (Official Report, col. 1125) that “the primary benefit of civil litigation is usually that the parties involved are those that receive the benefit”, what is their response to the view of the Civil Justice Council that there is “collective benefit in the administration involved in proceedings”, and that “it is in the collective interest that an efficient and authoritative means for resolving disputes should exist, that the law should be clarified and that human rights should be safeguarded”. [HL3597]

We fully accept that an effective civil justice system delivers a collective benefit to society as well as helping those people specifically involved in individual cases. But it does not follow that taxpayers should subsidise the level of court fees generally. Rather, help should be directed at those least able to pay court fees. Litigants that can afford to pay the full cost should do so. To set fees at a lower level, or remove them altogether, would allow corporations and other wealthy litigants to benefit from taxpayer contributions. Further, the reduction in income would increase pressure on other budgets such as legal aid.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will return to the practice of collecting data on fire, health and safety repairs, and modernisation, from those National Health Service estates which are not included in the fire, health and safety repairs, and modernisation programmes. [HL3612]

The Government's aim is to keep the amount of management information they collect from the National Health Service to an absolute minimum so as not to impose an unnecessary burden. These matters are kept under constant review.

Data are collected from the NHS on the investment needed to bring the estate up to an acceptable standard analysed by the level of inherent risk. This replaced an earlier, and larger, collection which included identifying fire and health and safety investment requirements separately. The new arrangements provide a more accurate understanding of the condition of the NHS estate and there are no plans to reintroduce the previous data collections.

All NHS trusts are responsible for managing their assets to ensure that they are fit for purpose and safe for patients and staff. This will include managing investment to maintain the estates quality, including safety issues, with prioritisation based on risk assessment, reconfiguration planning and available resources.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will investigate the feasibility of arranging for British passports to be delivered by the Identity and Passport Service to the holder's nearest police station and requiring the holder to collect the passport from that police station providing proof of identity on collection. [HL3496]

Directing passports to the holder's nearest police station would place a considerable administrative burden on IPS, which would be required to identify the station in question, and the police who would be obliged to deal with a further 6 million personal callers a year as a consequence. It would also incur considerable cost which would have to be recovered through the passport fee. Travelling to a police station would create considerable difficulties and expense for many passport applicants, especially those in rural areas. It is therefore not regarded as practical that passport applicants should collect their passports from police stations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the full replacement fee for a lost passport is a standard fee; if so, how much this standard fee is; and, if not, whether it depends on the costs of investigating the circumstances of the loss, and what the lowest charged fees were during the most recent 12 months. [HL3539]

The fees to replace lost passports are the same as for applications for new passports and renewals. For the standard service the fees are £66 for adults and £45 for children, for the one-week fast-track service the fees are £91 and £80 respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether those whose mental illness is drug-induced by cannabis will be excluded when new hospital prison wings are built for those with mental illness. [HL3518]

We are committed to modernising prison health services, and will be issuing guidance to prison healthcare teams on the management of dual diagnosis; that is, problems of both mental illness and substance misuse, much of which involves cannabis, later this year.

There are no plans to build hospital wings in prisons for those with mental illness. The National Health Service commissions health services for all publicly run prisons in England and Wales. As in the wider community, prisoners receive health services solely on the basis of need.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the centralisation of licensing staff by the Vehicle Operator and Services Agency at Leeds allows the traffic commissioners to carry out their supervisory role over road transport operators properly. [HL3657]

Centralisation will deliver a better service to operators by providing a single point of contact and more consistent procedures across the country. It will also deliver efficiency savings for VOSA.

Traffic commissioners were fully involved in developing the proposals, and their role in carrying out their statutory functions is not affected.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What funding and resources the Department for Education and Skills will provide to schools, additional to their current budgets, with regard to the Creative Partnerships initiative, currently being piloted and due to be rolled out nationwide in 2008-14. [HL3713]

The Government allocate resources to departments on a three-year cycle through spending reviews. DfES received its settlement for 2008-09 to 2010-11 in the 2007 Budget. We are now thoroughly evaluating the financial implications and are working to allocate funding as effectively as possible to ensure the maximum benefit to children and young people.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

To what extent local authorities are experiencing difficulties in recruiting appropriately qualified educational psychologists to meet their responsibilities for children with special educational needs and for more general support for schools, especially those in disadvantaged areas; and what estimates there are of current unfilled vacancies. [HL3659]

Educational psychologists (EPs) are employed by local authorities, and it is for those authorities to determine how many to employ in light of their assessment of local needs and available resources, and to plan for future needs including predicted vacancies.

The Government do not undertake any manpower planning assessment for this group of local authority employees but, as part of an annual survey, we do collect data on the number of full-time equivalent number of EPs in post in local authorities in England, and the number of full-time vacancies. A summary of that data, covering the period between 1997 and 2007 (provisional data), is given in the table below.

I am aware that there has been some uncertainty about the future supply of new EPs, following changes in both their entry training requirements, and the central funding arrangements operated by the employers' side. In order to help find a constructive way forward, the Children's Workforce Development Council has been facilitating, at our request, further discussions about future arrangements between the employers' side, representatives of the EP professional interests, and EP training providers. I have asked to be kept informed of progress and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How morale at the Serious Fraud Office has progressed since the cancellation of the investigation into the British Aerospace Al Yamamah arms deal with Saudi Arabia at the end of 2006. [HL3545]

Morale within the SFO remains high—the SFO has a heavy and continuing caseload across a wide variety of investigations apart from those relating to overseas corruption.

SFO staff members are professionals and well used to ongoing assessment of the various factors that may affect the continuance of an investigation. They recognise that not all investigations result in prosecution.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the European Union's proposed regulation on the liability of passenger carriers by sea and inland waterways in the event of accidents would apply to chain-and-cable ferries operating in the United Kingdom. [HL3656]

The European Parliament has recently voted to exclude inland waterways from the scope of the proposed regulation. The proposed regulation must be agreed by both the European Council and Parliament. Like the UK, many other EU member states continue to oppose the inclusion of inland waterways in the scope of the regulation and it is hoped that the final regulation will apply only to travel by sea. This would exclude chain-and-cable ferries operating in the United Kingdom from the application of the regulation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

By what procedure a householder who takes delivery of over 2,300 litres of heating oil for domestic use in a private dwelling can reclaim the difference between the standard rate and reduced rate of VAT. [HL3538]

Where a customer has been charged the standard rate of VAT on a supply that was correctly liable to a reduced rate of VAT, the customer should contact their supplier to obtain a refund of the amount they consider the supplier has overcharged. In turn, the supplier should be able to recover from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) the VAT for which he has over-accounted to them. In cases of doubt, the supplier should contact HMRC's national advice service on 0845 010 9000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many non-geographic telephone numbers are in use by the Department of Health and its agencies; what services can be accessed by calling each of them; and what revenue has been received from them between September 2004 and September 2006. [HL3269]

The only non-geographical telephone number that is used by the department is for staff to remotely access the internal computer network via dial-up connection. The department does not derive any income from this number.

The department's main public-facing service, the customer service centre, has an 020 7210 4850 number. The department also uses a switch board service used under the contract and that is 020 7210 3000. The department's executive agencies, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency also have geographic numbers.

The department funds a wide range of voluntary and charitable organisations, via Section 64 and similar grants, to provide services in connection with healthcare and healthy living. Some of these services include advice telephone lines. However, it is not possible, without incurring disproportionate costs, to identify individual projects and telephone services.