asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 29 October (WA 135), whether the Abortion Act 1967 is being infringed when abortions are authorised by two doctors who had neither seen the patient nor read her notes. [HL312]

The certificate of opinion (form HSA1) requires each doctor to indicate whether he has or has not seen or examined the patient. It also requires that the certificate of opinion relates to the circumstances of the pregnant woman's individual case. If the doctor knows nothing of the woman's individual case, he could not have formed his opinion in good faith (as required by Section 1 of the Abortion Act 1967 and the HSA1 form prescribed in the Abortion Regulations 1991, which includes a declaration that the opinion was formed in good faith).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will always apply the precautionary principle when considering issues concerning genetically modified crops, their cultivation and importation; and, in particular, whether they are applying this principle to genetically modified maize and its possible effects on butterflies and other beneficial insects. [HL461]

There are strict EU safety controls on the proposed release of genetically modified (GM) organisms, and the Government take a precautionary approach when addressing this issue. Risk assessments of GM crops look at the potential impact on insects, in particular where the crop is designed to be resistant to a specific pest species.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Why the Department of Health leaflet How Much is Too Much? updated in October states that one small glass of wine containing 125 millilitres (ml) contains one unit of alcohol, when that amount of most table wines containing 13.5 per cent alcohol would be 1.7 units of alcohol; and why the department's web page on alcohol and health states that a 175 ml glass of wine contains two units, when the figure for most table wines is 2.36 units. [HL141]

In the leaflet How Much is Too Much? the information that a 125 millilitre (ml) glass of wine contains around one unit of alcohol is inaccurate. A 125 ml glass of wine containing 13 per cent alcohol contains 1.6 units of alcohol. The department is committed to ensuring that everyone has accurate information so that they can estimate how much they really drink. In addition, as the noble Lord pointed out, the entry on the alcohol and health web page was inaccurate and has now been corrected. I would like to thank the noble Lord for bringing this to the Secretary of State’s attention.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many residential alcohol treatment requirements have been imposed by the courts of England and Wales in each quarter since Section 212 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 came into force on 4 April 2005. [HL316]

The table below shows the number of alcohol treatment requirements made under community orders and suspended sentence orders that commenced under Probation Service supervision in each quarter since they were introduced for adult offenders for offences committed on or after 4 April 2005. Information on the number of alcohol treatment requirements made where the required treatment was residential is not centrally available.

These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the number of places available in establishments suitable for persons subject to alcohol treatment requirements under Section 212 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003; and how many of these were unoccupied on the latest convenient date. [HL317]

There is no specific allocation of places in residential rehabilitation for offenders sentenced to an alcohol treatment requirement (ATR). Offenders on ATRs will generally be managed as out-patients but they can be referred into residential treatment provision subject to an assessment of their suitability, the availability of a placement and the necessary funding being in place.

The Bedvacs residential database indicates that there are 2,148 beds in residential rehabilitation services in England and Wales (this figure excludes the 412 beds that are reserved solely for those with a drugs problem). Of the 2,148 beds, 427 were unoccupied in the week ending 23 November 2007 (the most recent date for which figures are available).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements they have made for monitoring the subsequent criminal justice history of persons discharged from alcohol treatment requirements under Section 212 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003; and whether they are evaluating the comparative effectiveness of treatment in the establishments to which offenders are committed. [HL318]

Alcohol treatment requirements (ATRs) provide access to a tailored treatment programme with the aim of reducing or eliminating drink dependency. The requirement can last between six months and three years.

Information on the termination of alcohol treatment requirements, the reasons for their termination and the time taken to terminate is routinely monitored by RDS NOMS in the form of a data collection exercise, under which each probation area submits regular monthly data returns to RDS NOMS. However, there is no specific monitoring of the subsequent criminal justice history of persons discharged from ATRs. Reoffending rates of persons discharged from ATRs may be included in future reoffending reports. The first reoffending report in which community orders will be reported on will be the 2006 cohort results, which are planned to be published in late July 2008.

A research study has been commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, which, although not assessing reoffending specifically, will examine ATR retention and completion rates and will consider the different commissioning and delivery models for ATRs. This study will report at the end of 2008.

The Ministry of Justice is not evaluating the comparative effectiveness of treatment in the establishments to which offenders are committed. However, the Department of Health’s Review of the Effectiveness of Treatment for Alcohol Problems (2006) provided a “critical appraisal of the evidence base for the treatments available for people with alcohol problems” which offenders on ATRs will be referred into.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations they received from the British Dental Association regarding the use of dental X-rays to assist in determining the age of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children; and whether they will place copies of this and other representations on this subject in the Library of the House, together with their responses. [HL458]

We received 119 written responses to our consultation paper Planning Better Outcomes and Support for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. This included a response from the British Dental Association. We have considered the responses received and intend to publish our response paper in the near future. Copies will be placed in the House Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many carers under the age of 18 are unable to attend school or college; and how this has changed in the past year. [HL395]

This information is not collected. The parents of all children of compulsory school age have a duty to secure their children's participation in suitable full-time education, whether at school or otherwise. Schools record the attendance and absence of their registered pupils using national codes that show the reason for any absence, but there is no discrete code for absence that results from caring responsibilities. We do not collect absence data for pupils who are not of compulsory school age or children and young people who are educated outside the school system.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

For each of the 10 metropolitan councils in Greater Manchester, how many children were placed in care outside their own district in each of the last five years; and what was the cost of these placements in each of the last five years. [HL435]

For children who were placed in care outside their own local authorities, this information has been collected only since 2005-06 and so is not available for the last five years. The most up-to-date local authority information can be found in Table 22 of the statistical volume entitled Children Looked After by Local Authorities, Year Ending 31 March 2006 and is accessible at www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgatewav/DB/VOL/v000721/Addition1.xls. An edited version of Table 22 is shown below.

1. Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.

2. Figures are taken from the SSDA903 return.

3. Children who are the responsibility of the LA.

4. Placement is not known or not collected (not collected where child placed for adoption).

5. Children who are the responsibility of another LA.

6. Figures exclude children whose LA of placement is not known.

Further information is also available on national level data for children placed in care outside their local authorities only by foster placement, children’s homes and secure units, year ending 31 March 2007. Table A3 is accessible at www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000741/index.shtml.

Information on the cost of out-of-authority placements is not collected centrally.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in light of the missing computerised personal data relating to child benefit from HM Revenue and Customs, they intend to continue to compile the computerised children's database created under the Children Act 2004. [HL399]

The department is fully committed to implementing the ContactPoint system. Before it is put into service, ContactPoint will go through extensive user acceptance testing by practitioners to ensure that the system meets their needs and is fit for purpose. It will also be subject to rigorous penetration testing by people who are experts in the IT security field and approved by the Communications and Electronics Security Group.

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families (Kevin Brennan) and I have today made the following Written Ministerial Statement about funding and implementation of ContactPoint:

I am announcing today levels of funding to local authorities to support the implementation of ContactPoint and providing an update on the implementation timetable.

To support local implementation until March 2009, £40 million will be made available, made up of the following elements:

£27 million to local authorities in England, from April 2008 to March 2009, to support implementation;

£1 million from April 2008 to March 2009 to support national partners’ ContactPoint implementation projects;

a further £12 million from January 2008, made available to lead organisations to support modifications to case management systems. This will enable the main existing systems to provide data to ContactPoint and/or for authorised users to be able to have one-way access to ContactPoint via those systems.

We have also provided indicative funding allocations to local authorities for future years: £27 million in 2009-10 and £15 million in 2010-11. My officials will write to local authorities and national partners today to inform local authorities and other partners about this funding.

ContactPoint is a key element of the Every Child Matters programme to transform children's services by supporting more effective prevention and early intervention. Its goal is to improve outcomes and the experience of public services for all children, young people and families. ContactPoint will provide a tool to support better communication among practitioners across education, health, social care and youth offending. It will provide a quick way for those practitioners to find out who else is working with the same child or young person.

ContactPoint will be a simple basic online tool containing:

minimal identifying information for each child, and name, address, date of birth, gender, and contact details for parents or carers; each child will also have a unique identifying number;

contact details for the child's educational setting and GP practice and for other practitioners or services working with them; and

an indication as to whether a service or practitioner holds an assessment under the common assessment framework or whether they are a lead professional for that child.

No case information will be held on ContactPoint.

ContactPoint is being developed with extensive input from a wide range of stakeholders. These include:

delivery partners—local authorities and national partners (for example, voluntary and community sector organisations);

practitioners and managers from across children's services, and bodies that represent them; and

children, young people and parents and carers.

Over the last few months, we have been considering the substantial stakeholder feedback that we have received and we have looked at the implications that the resulting proposed changes could have on the system. It is clear from the considerable work that we have done so far that we will need more time than we originally planned to address the changes to ContactPoint that potential system users suggested.

The change to the timetable will mean that deployment of ContactPoint to the “early adopters” local authorities and national partners will be in September or October 2008. It will be deployed to all other local authorities and national partners in 2009, between January and May, depending on final deployment slots. The additional time available presents a number of opportunities to do more work in the period prior to ContactPoint deployment, which will help to realise some benefits earlier. The fundamental design of ContactPoint will not change; the alterations will make sure that the system works even more effectively for users and improves the ability of local authority ContactPoint teams to manage user access.

The news on Tuesday 20 November of the loss of large volumes of child benefit data from HMRC has raised questions about the safety of large-scale personal data in other government systems, including ContactPoint. ContactPoint will not contain any financial information (such as bank details) or case information (such as case notes, assessments, medical records, exam results or subjective observations).

On Tuesday 20 November, the department conducted an assessment of how personal data are stored and protected in the department. As a result of that assessment, I am confident that we have very robust procedures in place. On Wednesday 21 November, the Prime Minister confirmed this approach when he asked all departments to check their procedures for the storage and use of data. In light of the security breach at HMRC, we are continuing to check our procedures to ensure that standards are as high as they can be. To this end, on 20 November, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families decided to commission an independent assessment of its security procedures. This will be undertaken by Deloitte. Delaying the implementation of ContactPoint will enable the independent assessment of security procedures to take place as well as address the changes to ContactPoint that potential system users have told us that they need.

Delivery partners will receive further information early in the new year. In the mean time, progress will be reported to local project managers regularly through their ContactPoint implementation co-ordinators. They will work with individual authorities and national partners to agree new deployment slots as soon as it is possible to do so.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the publication of the annual report and accounts for 2006-07 for the Environment Agency, whether industrial carbon dioxide emissions are not falling fast enough to meet United Kingdom domestic targets because (a) the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme offers insufficient incentive, or (b) other parts of the United Kingdom are increasing carbon emissions. [HL432]

The most significant factor contributing to increases in UK carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in 2005 and 2006 was greater electricity generation from coal burning. The price of gas has been at a level that has meant that it is more profitable to generate electricity through the increased use of coal.

The introduction of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) set a price on CO₂ emissions. Power stations are covered by the scheme and must account for their emissions by surrendering allowances.

In phase 1 of the EU ETS, the price of allowances fell significantly due to oversupply in the market. It is still more profitable for electricity generation to come from increased use of coal even when factoring in additional carbon costs of burning coal compared to gas.

In phase 2 of the EU ETS, the European Commission's decision to request significant reductions on several member states’ caps will help to ensure greater scarcity of allowances in the market. This should deliver a carbon price that incentivises cost-effective emission reductions and investment in clean technology.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to meet the national shortfall in refuges for women who have experienced domestic abuse. [HL320]

There is a range of support for victims of domestic violence. Some victims will be accommodated in refuges, but sanctuary schemes and mainstream local authority accommodation may be an option for others, while some victims will pursue independent solutions with help and advice from support schemes as necessary.

Housing associations have around 3,200 units of accommodation for women at risk of domestic violence. In the period 2006-08, the HC allocated £17 million for 153 units in 17 schemes or refuges, which will accommodate some 400 persons. It is currently assessing bids for 2008-11.

The department provided revenue support for victims of domestic violence through the Supporting People programme of £61.6 million in 2006-07, up from £59.3 million in 2005-06. The Government also fund the national domestic violence helpline to give support and advice.

Many victims of domestic violence prefer to stay in their own homes, if these can be made safe. We have published guidance on sanctuary schemes for housing providers, which set out the security measures that can enable victims and their children to remain in the family home.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many people under 18 are currently monitored by electronic tagging in England and Wales; and how many have been monitored in each of the last five years. [HL463]

Electronic monitoring (EM) is currently available for those aged 10 to 17 who have been sentenced to curfew orders, bailed with a curfew requirement from the courts, or subject to curfew on release from custody under a detention and training order.

According to data provided by the EM contractors Group 4 Securicor and Serco, the case load for this age group at 31 October 2007 was 3,447.

The total number of these cases monitored in each of the last five financial years, according to data returns from the EM contractors, is set out in the table below:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations Ministers have received on the effects for disabled people, including severely disabled war pensioners, of subjecting to import duties the electric powered vehicles on which they depend for their mobility; and what action they will take. [HL359]

Electric mobility scooters have been classified in the same tariff heading for customs import duty purposes since at least 2002 when the World Customs Organisation published its classification opinion on the subject. The World Customs Organisation is the international authority responsible for tariff classification. The European Union has set an import duty of 10 per cent for these vehicles.

Representations have been received from both the industry and disabled users of mobility scooters. They cover a range of issues:

the tariff classification of the vehicles;

the potential impact of demands for unpaid customs duty on companies within the industry and the increased cost to disabled people;

the effect on value added tax (VAT) zero rating; and

the usage of mobility scooters for travelling on pavements etc.

VAT and customs are separate regimes. Classification for duty purposes under the customs regime has no direct bearing on VAT liability, which is determined by VAT law.

For VAT purposes, mobility scooters may qualify for the zero rating that applies when disabled people purchase certain “carriages” or other equipment specifically designed to meet their needs. The Government have no plans to change the scope of this VAT relief.

Classification for import duty purposes has no direct bearing on the usage of mobility scooters for travelling on pavements, usage on public roads etc.

Officials from HM Revenue and Customs are working with the industry on the options available to pursue a change to the classification.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is now their view that passenger data should be included in e-Borders when the contract is due to be let for its provision. [HL477]

The e-Borders solution contract was awarded to the Trusted Borders consortium, led by Raytheon Systems Ltd, on 14 November 2007. The contract has provisions for the capture of all travel document information (TDI) from carriers during their check-in process as part of the core contractual requirements.

We also have the option of additional service provisions to add to the core contract to enable capture of other passenger information (OPI), which are reservations data transmitted from carriers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

For how long it is intended that Project Semaphore will run. [HL478]

Project Semaphore was commissioned to run for 39 months to provide an operational prototype to trial e-Borders concepts and technology in order to inform and derisk the e-Borders solution.

The project currently receives and processes 30 million passenger movements each year, covering 134 non-UK arrival and departure points, and has exceeded its 30 million target. It will conclude on 31 March 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the status of the authority to carry scheme within e-Borders. [HL479]

The e-Borders programme will establish the capability to automatically deny authority to carry (ATC) at the point of check-in to certain categories of individuals seeking to travel to the UK. Primary legislation is already in existence for the authority to carry scheme.

E-Borders will require carriers to submit passenger details in advance of travel to the UK. The travel document data will be checked against a specific ATC categories list, which will be specified in secondary legislation. If a person is on this list, authority to carry can be refused to the carrier.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Within what timetable the authority to carry scheme is to be achieved. [HL480]

The e-Borders service provider has been tasked with delivering components of the authority to carry scheme over a phased period from October 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 23 October (WA 101) regarding the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's (HFEA) code of practice, why the HFEA has not previously taken similar account of the Declaration of Helsinki. [HL74]

I am advised by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority that the guidance in the sixth edition of its code of practice, published in January 2004, provided information in line with the guidance set out in the Declaration of Helsinki, in respect of information for women donating eggs for research and the general obligations relating to consent.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many women have donated eggs specifically for research at each respective licensed centre following the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority press statement on 21 February; and what level of financial compensation was paid to egg providers at each respective licensed centre since that date. [HL188]

The information requested has not been collected by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) prior to February 2007. For these cases, the information is held locally on licensed centres' records and is made available for examination at HFEA inspections.

Since February 2007, HFEA records show that no women underwent ovarian stimulation treatment specifically to donate eggs for research. Eggs have been donated as part of an egg-sharing arrangement for patients who were also undergoing their own fertility treatment. This is shown in the following table:

Note:

⁽¹⁾ The HFEA is investigating the possibility of some double counting by two of the centres, which may affect the accuracy of these figures. The HFEA will release updated information when its investigations are complete.

Source: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Where all the eggs provided are for donation, the donor, irrespective of whether the eggs are to be used for treatment or research, can be reimbursed only for loss of earnings (up to a daily maximum of £55.19 with a maximum total payment of £250) and reasonable expenses. In egg-sharing arrangements, the patient receives treatment at a reduced cost in return for donating some of her eggs for the treatment of others or for research. Egg-sharing arrangements are carefully regulated and the HFEA's code of practice requires that the patient's treatment is not compromised by the donation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

To which companies and in what proportions the emissions allocations of the first phase of the European Emissions Trading Scheme were distributed. [HL414]

The EU has approximately 12,000 installations that monitor and report emissions to agreed guidelines in phase I of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).

In the UK, approximately 1,100 installations were covered under phase I. These installations carry out activities as listed in Annexe I of the emissions trading directive. They include heavy emitters such as large electricity producers, energy-intensive activities such as iron and steel production and smaller combustion installations with a thermal input capacity above 20 megawatts (MW). The exact allocation to each UK installation is laid out in the final allocation decision for phase I. This is available on the Defra website.

In the UK, all sectors except for the electricity supply industry were provided allocations that were equivalent to business-as-usual projections. The electricity supply industry was expected to deliver the emission reductions that the UK's share of the phase I cap required, as it faced limited international competition and had relatively low-cost abatement opportunities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much the cost of expansion of the national grid required to accommodate expected levels of renewables generation in the United Kingdom will exceed that assumed in the regulatory impact assessments conducted for the renewables obligations of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [HL236]

The energy White Paper set out proposals that will bring forward a wider range of renewables generation technologies. This includes the likely accelerated development of offshore wind. We estimate the costs of connection of 8 gigawatts of offshore wind generation to be £2.5 billion to £3 billion.

Investment in onshore electricity networks is made by the transmission owners and distribution network operators under the regulatory supervision of Ofgem. Ofgem has agreed £560 million of investment in the onshore transmission network specifically to connect new renewables generation in Scotland and the north of England. In the transmission price control, which covers the five-year period from 1 April 2007, a further £3.8 billion of investment in the transmission network was agreed. This figure includes both refurbishment and the costs of connecting new generators of all types, and it may increase if warranted by generator demand.

These costs are not included in the regulatory impact assessment for the renewables obligation. The costs of new electricity infrastructure will ultimately depend on which technologies are brought forward, the amount of generation, its location and the technical and commercial framework within which it is delivered.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the total cost of flood damage in each of the last 10 years. [HL483]

Where the information is available, the Environment Agency records flood extents. Complete estimates of actual flood damage in past years are not recorded centrally.

Regular flooding occurs to a variable extent each year. Estimates of flood damage caused by some of the larger individual events in recent years are £3 billion from the flooding in June/July 2007 (still being evaluated), £450 million in Cumbria in 2005 and £1 billion in the autumn 2000 events.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to give greater powers to the Environment Agency for the co-ordination of action to prevent flood damage. [HL484]

The Environment Agency is empowered under the Water Resources Act 1991 to manage flood risk arising from designated “main” rivers and the sea. The agency also exercises a general supervision over matters relating to flood defence.

Under our developing strategy to improve flood risk management, Making Space for Water, we intend to give the agency a strategic overview for management of flood risk from all sources (main rivers and other watercourses, sea, surface, sewer and ground water). We have announced the detailed form that this new role will take on the coast and are considering how the role should be applied inland. As with the coastal overview role, the inland changes will be informed by public consultation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the number of different organisations producing flood mapping as a consequence of flood damage earlier this year. [HL485]

The Environment Agency's first national map of flooding was published on the internet in 2000. The Environment Agency is aware of other organisations, such as Norwich Union, that produce flood maps. However, the agency does not have a complete picture of the number of other organisations in the private sector that have produced flood maps since the summer floods.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What advice is being provided to local authorities on (a) the costs, and (b) the benefits of appropriate insurance cover for flood damage; and what assessment they have made of the costs incurred as a consequence of inadequate cover. [HL488]

The Government do not hold detailed information about local authority insurance provision.

Local authorities have a duty under the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 to ensure that they have a sound system of internal control which facilitates the effective exercise of their functions and which includes arrangements for the management of risk (Regulation 4).

Guidance issued by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on local authority reserves and balances lists “the adequacy of the authority's insurance arrangements to cover major unforeseen risks” as one of the factors that authorities should consider in deciding the level of their general reserves (LAAP Bulletin 55). This guidance is available at www.cipfa.org.uk/pt/laap.cfm.

Communities and Local Government (CLG) wrote to all local authority chief executives on 15 November 2007 to recommend that they review their decisions in respect of insurance cover for flooding to ensure that they are satisfied with the arrangements and level of cover in place in their authority. CLG suggested that they do so whether or not they experienced flooding this year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment has been made by the Royal Mail of the volume of business it receives from the Channel Islands involving the carriage of food supplements and herbal remedies that either contain illegal ingredients or are marketed with illegal claims; and what steps they intend to take to ensure that Royal Mail addresses this issue. [HL415]

This is an operational matter for which Royal Mail has direct responsibility. I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier, to provide a direct reply to the noble Baroness.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What formal mechanisms are in place to ensure that new developments in areas of devolved responsibility are shared between the United Kingdom Parliament and the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly. [HL401]

The way in which the United Kingdom Parliament and the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly communicate new developments in areas of devolved responsibility is rightly a matter for those bodies. The UK Parliament remains of course the sovereign legislature in the United Kingdom and can continue to debate, inquire into or make representations about devolved matters if it wishes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which Ministers, from which departments of state, including the Ministry of Justice, the Scotland Office and the Wales Office, will be meeting the independent public inquiry, headed by Lord Archer of Sandwell, into the deaths of 1,757 haemophilia patients infected with contaminated National Health Service blood and blood products. [HL358]

There are currently no plans for Ministers to meet Lord Archer's independent inquiry. Officials from the department are co-operating fully with the inquiry, have met the inquiry team twice and have supplied it with copies of relevant official documents in line with the Freedom of Information Act.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the incidence of HIV, AIDS and AIDS-related illness in the United Kingdom, by regions, for the years 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005. [HL375]

HIV is currently monitored at the overall population level by collection and analysis of data on the number of new HIV diagnoses, which includes newly acquired (incident) and existing (prevalent) infections. The data for 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005 are shown in the table.

Source: Health Protection Agency

The increase in the number of new HIV diagnoses has occurred for several reasons including:

increased testing for HIV of groups at risk of infection;

the introduction of HIV antenatal screening;

diagnosis of infections in the United Kingdom that were acquired abroad in countries of HIV prevalence;

continuing transmission of HIV in the United Kingdom, mainly transmitted sexually between men; and

the introduction of effective antiretroviral drug therapies in the mid-1990s, which may have led to an increase in HIV testing.

HIV incidence (newly acquired infections) is currently monitored through unlinked anonymous testing of men who have sex with men across a network of 15 sentinel genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Data are analysed for London and outside London. There have been no statistically significant trends since 1996 in the incidence of HIV among men who have sex with men as measured through this sentinel surveillance system. In 2006, incidence of HIV among men who have sex with men was estimated at 2.1 per cent. For London the estimated incidence was 2.6 per cent and outside London it was 1.3 per cent. Men who have sex with men who attend GUM clinics are considered to be a higher risk of HIV than the general population of men who have sex with men and therefore are likely to have a higher incidence of HIV.

Available data about the estimated incidence of first AIDS and first AIDS-defining illness are shown in the table.

Source: Health Protection Agency

Notes:

1. First AIDS or first AIDS-defining illness refers to the first occasion on which an individual has had AIDS or an AIDS-defining illness.

Data that are available on first AIDS diagnoses, which include newly acquired (incident) and existing (prevalent) infections, are shown in the table.

Source: Health Protection Agency

Notes:

1. First AIDS diagnosis refers to the first occasion on which an individual has been diagnosed with AIDS.

2. Numbers may rise as further reports are received, particularly for recent years. These diagnoses include newly acquired (incident) and existing (prevalent) infections.

3. In 1990 it was not possible to allocate the region of diagnoses for 93 first AIDS diagnoses

4. In 1995 it was not possible to allocate the region of diagnoses for 166 first AIDS diagnoses

5. In 2000 it was not possible to allocate the region of diagnoses for 95 first AIDS diagnoses

6. In 2005 it was not possible to allocate the region of diagnoses for 58 first AIDS diagnoses

After a marked reduction in the number of AIDS cases following the introduction of antiretroviral drug therapy in the mid-1990s, numbers have remained consistently at a relatively low level.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

When they plan to implement the scheme for home improvement packs for one-bedroom or two-bedroom properties; and what action they are taking to introduce the mandatory requirements to include energy performance certificates in home improvement packs for all domestic properties. [HL214]

I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement on home information packs given on 22 November (Official Report, WS 124-26).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their estimate of the number of domestic energy assessors who will lose their jobs due to the delays in implementing the full home improvement packs. [HL215]

This information is not held centrally. I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement on home information packs given on 22 November (Official Report, WS 124-26).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they will respond to the recent report from the Commission for Rural Communities, Taking Forward the Recommendations of the Affordable Rural Housing Commission: Final Report, on the subject of affordable housebuilding in rural areas. [HL482]

We are preparing a formal response to the Affordable Rural Housing Commission's final report. We expect it to be published in the first quarter of the new year.

asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Why men are being held in Haslar immigration removal centre for more than eight months. [HL197]

All individuals detained in an immigration removal centre face administrative removal or deportation. The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency outlined in recent letters to the Home Affairs Committee this year the reasons for the time taken before removal and deportation take place. Copies of these letters are available in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will continue to regulate international medical graduates’ entry to the United Kingdom on nationality and not merit, meaning that only those who hold a United Kingdom or European Union passport will be eligible for a work permit; and [HL475]

Whether they have any plans to change the situation whereby international medical graduates with medical degrees from Commonwealth medical schools, recognised by the General Medical Council, can be considered for employment in this country only if they hold a United Kingdom or European Union passport. [HL476]

International medical graduates (IMGs) who are UK or EEA passport holders have free access to the UK labour market, apart from Romanians and Bulgarians, who still require a work permit.

IMGs not holding UK or EEA passports can currently gain entry to the UK as follows. Those who have taken the foundation course in the UK and need to continue with their postgraduate training can apply for jobs in UK hospitals. The NHS trust will need to apply for a work permit and undertake a recruitment search to ensure that the post could not be filled by a resident worker. This complies with the normal requirements of the work permit arrangements. IMGs may apply to enter the UK under the highly skilled migrant programme (HSMP), as long as they meet the points threshold. Successful HSMP applicants have free access to the UK labour market. The medical training initiative (MTI), which is part of the training and work experience scheme (TWES), offers an additional work permit route for IMGs who may need specific training in a particular area of medical procedures. As this is specific training for the individual doctor, advertising is not appropriate. The period of approval for the MTI is limited to 24 months and requires endorsement by the deanery.

We currently have no plans to change these three entry routes other than to bring them within the scope of the new points-based system during 2008-09.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any action against the Government of Japan will be considered in view of the resumption of licensed hunting of humpback whales. [HL334]

The UK Government have consistently voiced their opposition to Japanese “scientific” whaling. The UK's position is that we remain strongly opposed to all lethal whaling, except for some limited subsistence whaling. We do not believe that this lethal research is necessary and consider that a great deal of this information can be obtained by non-lethal means. It is difficult not to conclude that this research is driven primarily by commercial gain rather than science and we have serious reservations as to the scientific value of this research.

Japan plans to take 50 humpback and 50 fin whales this season. The humpback populations targeted by this research belong to small vulnerable populations. Humpback whales are classified as vulnerable in the IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List of threatened species and fin whales are classified as endangered.

As in the past, we will consider high-level protest to the Japanese Government following consultation with like-minded anti-whaling countries. Whaling involves an unacceptable level of cruelty and we will remain in the forefront of maintaining the moratorium on commercial whaling and opposing efforts by Japan to undermine this moratorium by so-called “scientific” whaling.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Where the £24 billion loaned to Northern Rock has come from; and what effect the loan will have on government DEL (departmental expenditure limits) expenditure. [HL455]

Full details of the Bank of England loan to Northern Rock are set out in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's letter to the Treasury Select Committee and Public Accounts Committee of 11 October, copies of which are available in the Library, and his Statements of 11 October and 19 November. The loan is secured against high-quality assets, and the Treasury's indemnity to the Bank of England will be triggered only in the event that the Bank is unable to recover its full loan. There is therefore no direct impact on the public finances at this stage.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, when negotiating the terms of the draft European Convention on Access to Official Documents, they will seek to ensure that persons requesting access to official documents are able to challenge violations of the convention in processing their requests, such as administrative silence, or a refusal to receive requests, or the imposition of excessive charges for copying documents; and [HL341]

Whether, when negotiating the terms of the draft European Convention on Access to Official Documents, they will seek to ensure that persons requesting access have a right of appeal to an independent and impartial tribunal or other public authority authorised to give a binding decision; and [HL342]

Whether, when negotiating the terms of the draft European Convention on Access to Official Documents, they will seek to ensure that it prescribes a maximum time limit for answering requests; and [HL343]

Whether, when negotiating the terms of the draft European Convention on Access to Official Documents, they will seek to ensure that exemptions from the right of access are appropriate, necessary and proportionate to the legitimate aims of such exceptions; and [HL344]

Whether, when negotiating the terms of the draft European Convention on Access to Official Documents, they will seek to ensure that it provides a right of access to official documents relating to functions of a public nature performed by private bodies. [HL378]

The Government welcome the work that has been carried out by the group of specialists on access to official documents in drawing up a draft convention. The Government are keen that there should be a robust convention along the lines of the Freedom of Information Act, yet moderate enough to gain wide acceptance. Any exemptions from the right of access should be proportionate to the aim of protecting other legitimate rights and interests. The Government are working closely with civil society groups on proposals for an Explanatory Memorandum that will emphasise the principles contained in a convention. These proposals concern: the definition of a public authority; possible limitations to the right of access; the establishment of time limits, including the opportunity to challenge administrative silence; the denial, review and appeal of requests; and proactive disclosure of information. The Government will continue to work closely with these groups to determine how these proposals can be reflected in the Explanatory Memorandum.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect that the national firearms licensing management system will have a live interface with the police national computer. [HL521]

Work to establish a live interface between the NFLMS and the PNC was completed in October.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the publication of the annual report and accounts for 2006–07 for the Environment Agency, whether operator and pollution risk appraisals apply to (a) oil terminals; (b) oil distribution depots; (c) warehouses; (d) shopping centres; and (e) supermarkets; and, if not, what environmental risk assessments are made for them, by whom and at what intervals. [HL431]

The Environment Agency's operator and pollution risk appraisal methodology applies to those activities that are permitted under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations or licensed under the Waste Management Licensing Regulations.

The operator and pollution risk appraisal methodology does not consider oil terminals, oil distribution depots or warehouses unless these form part of a larger pollution prevention and control installation. It also does not apply to shopping centres or supermarkets, as these activities are not regulated under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations or Waste Management Licensing Regulations.

Oil terminals, oil distribution depots and certain warehouses are regulated under the Control of Major Accident Hazard Regulations, if sufficient quantities of hazardous materials are stored. Environment Agency officers assess the environmental risk of these facilities every five years.

The Environment Agency does not directly regulate supermarkets or shopping centres. The agency acts as an adviser and statutory consultee to local planning authorities on flood risks and environmental impacts as part of the planning application process for these facilities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many prisoners at HM Young Offender Institution Aylesbury are serving indeterminate public protection sentences; and whether enough places are being provided for these offenders on courses required to satisfy the parole authorities that it is safe to release them. [HL374]

There are currently 119 IPP-sentenced young offenders held at HM Young Offender Institution Aylesbury. Course availability is prioritised and those with the shortest tariffs are placed first on suitable programmes. Funding is provided for 133 enhanced thinking skills (ETS) and controlling anger (CALM) places and for 16 sex offender treatment programme (SOTP) places per year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations the Northern Ireland Office is making to the Department of Education for the school within the juvenile justice centre in Bangor to be linked to the C2K computer network. [HL380]

The issue of C2K connectivity is being addressed as part of ongoing consultation between the Youth Justice Agency and the Department of Education in relation to the review of education services.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the human rights and equality implications of the non-recognition of the school system within the juvenile justice centre in Bangor. [HL381]

A recent independent review of education services within the juvenile justice centre in Bangor, commissioned by the Youth Justice Agency, has recommended that education provision for young people in custody should continue to be provided by the Youth Justice Agency but that closer links should be forged with the Department of Education to inform future provision.

As part of an ongoing programme, the juvenile justice centre is currently undergoing an inspection by the Northern Ireland criminal justice inspectorate. The inspection team includes an inspector from the Department of Education. It will review all aspects of children's rights compliance and Section 75 equality issues. The inspection report is expected to be published in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of people under 18 who have received custodial sentences over the last five years have been assessed for mental health problems; and, of those, how many were deemed to have such problems. [HL462]

The information requested is not held centrally.

In a study commissioned by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in 2005, Mental Health Needs and Effectiveness of Provision for Young Offenders in Custody and in the Community (Professor Richard Harrington and Professor Sue Bailey), 31 per cent of young offenders were estimated to have a mental health problem. A copy has been placed in the Library.

All young people are assessed at the point of reception into prison and those who are at risk of having a mental health problem, or vulnerable to suicide, are referred for a mental health assessment.

A comprehensive health assessment tool has been developed by the department in partnership with the YJB and Her Majesty's Prison Service. This provides a reception screen for first-night arrivals to custodial placements, which is followed by a comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment covering general health, mental health, physical health and substance misuse.