asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will respond to the Nuffield Council on Bioethics report Public Health: Ethical Issues, and, in particular, to the case made for (a) using price and availability to reduce alcohol consumption, and for (b) greater restrictions on advertising of alcohol to children. [HL373]

The Government keep the evidence on effective alcohol harm reduction strategies constantly under review.

We have published a comprehensive strategy to tackle the harms from excessive alcohol consumption—Safe. Sensible. Social. The Next Steps in the National Alcohol Strategy.

Our overall aims are to:

increase the number of people drinking within the Government's sensible drinking guidelines;

reduce the number of men who are drinking more than 50 units a week and the number of women who are drinking more than 35 units or more than twice the sensible daily drinking guidelines on a regular basis;

reduce the number of under-18s who drink and the amount of alcohol they consume;

ensure the laws and licensing powers we have introduced to tackle alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder, to protect young people and bear down on irresponsibly managed premises are being used effectively; and

shape an environment which actively encourages sensible drinking. This will be delivered through partnership working, by ensuring existing laws and powers are being used effectively, and by reviewing the effectiveness of existing powers in areas such as promotion and pricing.

We undertook in Safe. Sensible. Social. to commission an independent review of the relationship between alcohol price, promotion and harm. The review will cover advertising, price discounting and its promotion, and links between these and harms to young drinkers and other groups. It will take account of the study recently published by Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority on the impact of the stricter controls on alcohol advertising introduced in 2005. The independent review is expected to report findings in July 2008.

The impact of the Licensing Act 2003 is also being reviewed and the Government will look at the evidence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the consultation period allowed for the changes proposed by the Ministry of Defence to the multiple injury rules of the Armed Forces compensation scheme was limited to four weeks and not the 12 weeks recommended in the Cabinet Office guidelines; and what representations were received from the Royal British Legion on the limitation. [HL353]

My honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence considered it appropriate to use a shorter consultation period as the proposal is a simple, beneficial change that we want to put in place as quickly as possible. The Royal British Legion asked for the consultation period to be extended and after careful consideration it was decided not to agree to its request. None of the other ex-service organisations consulted asked for an extension.

The principal vehicle for consultation in this instance was the Central Advisory Committee, a statutory body which advises MoD Ministers on war pension and compensation issues. The details of the proposal were also made widely available to members of the Armed Forces, who had an opportunity to comment. A range of comments on the proposal were received, including from the Royal British Legion, and these are being examined ahead of making changes to the secondary legislation. A summary of responses received will be placed on the MoD website early next year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the replies by Lord Drayson on 19 June (Official Report, cols. 87–8) and 11 October (Official Report, cols. 341–3), what was the role of the Minister for Veterans in the decision, shortly before the death of Gulf War veteran Mr TE Walker, to cut his war pension from 100 per cent to 40 per cent; at what date he was aware of the decision to reverse the cut; whether and when the Minister saw the terms of the letter sent by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, following Mr Walker's death, to his father on 10 October; and whether at any stage the Prime Minister has been informed of the handling of this case. [HL357]

The Minister for Veterans had no role in the decision to reduce Mr TE Walker's war pension from 100 per cent to 40 per cent.

Following representations from the honourable Member for the City of York (Mr Bayley), about related matters, ministerial commitment was given on 31 July 2007 to look into the case in more detail. On 5 September 2007 a response from the Minister for Veterans was sent to Mr Bayley. The letter promised a further update once officials had provided a more detailed note about the case specifics. It was during this review that it was established that the decision to reduce Mr Walker's war pension had been incorrect.

The Minister for Veterans was kept up to date on developments.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In light of the remarks by the Prime Minister and Angela Eagle MP on 21 November (Official Report, col. 1186 and cols. 165WH–168WH), how the needs of each part of the United Kingdom have been calculated in respect of the Barnett formula. [HL625]

The Barnett formula gives the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland a population-based share of changes in comparable spending of UK government departments and is a formula for allocating expenditure across the UK. The current allocation therefore mainly reflects the cumulative changes since the formula was introduced. Full details of the Barnett formula are published in the Treasury publication Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly: A Statement of Funding Policy (October 2007).

Funding to the English regions is the responsibility of UK government departments. The latest data on identifiable spending in the regions and countries of the United Kingdom are published in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cm 7091).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

For the latest financial year, how much annually managed expenditure, such as social security, was allocated to Scotland, and how much expenditure was allocated under the Barnett formula; and how this compares with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. [HL639]

The information is not available in the form requested. Tables 1.7, 1.8 and 1.10 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cm 7091) show departmental annually managed expenditure by department and devolved Administrations. Table 9.17 shows total identifiable devolved and reserved spending for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by programme, including spending on social protection, and by spending authority for the year 2005-06, the latest year for which data are available. Table 9.11 provides total identifiable per capita spending by programme for all four countries. Changes in devolved departmental expenditure limit spending is determined by the Barnett formula and DEL spending by departments and devolved Administrations is shown in Table 1.12.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How they will raise public awareness of privately arranged foster placements and the importance of notifying them to the relevant local authority; whether they will conduct annual campaigns to raise awareness among professionals and the general public; and what guidance they have already given to local authorities. [HL636]

The Children Act 2004 requires local authorities in England actively to promote awareness amongst their communities of the requirement to notify private fostering arrangements to the authority. The extent to which they are doing this is a factor which Ofsted takes into account when assessing the quality of local authority children's services. The nature of local communities will vary considerably from one local authority area to another, and it is therefore appropriate that it should be for local authorities to promote awareness, and determine the most effective service response, at a local level. We have published guidance for authorities, Promoting Awareness of Private Fostering Arrangements, on the DCSF website. There are no plans for central government to conduct annual campaigns to promote awareness.

These are devolved matters. While similar arrangements operate in Wales where the Children Act 2004 also applies, there are different arrangements for private fostering in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is illegal for cyclists to cross traffic lights when at red; and, if so, what proposals they have to stop such practices. [HL647]

A cyclist who passes a traffic light at red commits an offence under Section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The maximum penalty is a fine at level 3 (£1,000) or a fixed penalty of £30 may be offered. Enforcement of the offence is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the police are entitled to prevent press photographers or camera crews filming or photographing public meetings, rallies or demonstrations at the behest of the organisers of such events. [HL693]

It is an operational matter for chief constables of the force area concerned, based on the individual circumstances of the situation, to determine whether action is required to respond to an offence or where they suspect an offence is about to be committed or to prevent a breach of the peace.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How the proposed classification of stoma and incontinence products will be kept up to date once the current review of Part IX of the Drug Tariff is concluded. [HL544]

The new product introduction mechanism will remain the same as the current process with the prescription pricing division of the NHS Business Services Authority.

As the proposed item classification structure is still subject to consultation, the department is unable to finalise the mechanism to keep any agreed Part IX Drug Tariff classification up to date. This will depend on how the classification may look once a decision has been reached.

It is envisaged that the relevant guidance and instructions will be provided at the appropriate time to ensure that future new items are accurately submitted for placement on the Drug Tariff.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 22 October (WA 78–9), why it was stated that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) does not hold data on the numbers of in vitro fertilisation patients who have produced 20 or more eggs when an HFEA research inspection report for research licences R0152 and R0145 states that a 29 year-old woman produced 44 eggs after superovulatory hormonal treatment, and another woman had 29 eggs collected in order to obtain 23 embryos for research. [HL641]

I refer the noble Lord to the Written Answer given on Wednesday 5 December 2007, (Official Report, col. WA 195-96), which stated that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) does receive information on the number of eggs collected from a patient during a treatment cycle. However, the specific information he requested in his earlier question, on the frequency of more than 20 eggs being collected in a single treatment cycle, is not routinely collected by the HFEA.

As stated in the earlier answer, the 7th edition of the HFEA's code of practice, which came into effect on 5 July 2007, requires any occurrence that is inconsistent with routine patient care to be reported to the authority. HFEA expects an incident report from a licensed clinic whenever the clinic is made aware of a case of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome resulting in prolonged hospitalisation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by Lord Triesman on 12 November (Official Report, cols. WA 1–2) and 26 November (WA 98–9), what might be accomplished by performing somatic cell nuclear transfer that could not be accomplished by direct reprogramming of differentiated human cells, as recently described by independent groups in other countries. [HL699]

It is too early to say what will be accomplished by reprogramming of differentiated human cells. The current scientific consensus is that all approaches should be pursued to provide the knowledge required to advance the field.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by Lord Triesman on 12 November (Official Report, cols. WA 1–2) and 26 November (Official Report, cols. WA 98–9), what validation of previously reported cloning research might be expected in light of a statement by the relevant authorities in Newcastle on 2 November that “no embryos will be produced” using 700 eggs expected to be provided by women benefiting from financial incentives publicly funded by the Medical Research Council. [HL700]

I am collating the information requested. I will write to the noble Lord in due course and place a copy of this letter in the Library of both Houses.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's central forecasts on oil prices for each of the next five years. [HL732]

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform does not publish oil price forecasts. It publishes future oil, gas and coal price assumptions for the period till 2020, which are used in the department’s analytical work. In order to capture some of the uncertainty around future oil prices, three different scenarios are presented: a high, central and a low scenario.

The last set of future oil price assumptions was published alongside the energy White Paper in May 2007 and can be found in Annexe B of the document titled Updated Energy and Carbon Emissions Projections: the Energy White Paper which can be found using the following link: www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39580.pdf.

The future oil price assumptions for the next five years outlined in this document are listed in the table below:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's central forecasts on oil prices for each of the next four decades. [HL733]

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform does not publish oil price forecasts. It publishes oil, gas and coal price assumptions for the period till 2020, which are used in the department’s analytical work. We do not publish oil price assumptions beyond 2020, due to the increasing uncertainty over oil prices further into the future. In order to capture some of the uncertainty around future oil prices, three different scenarios are presented: a high, central and a low scenario.

The last set of future oil price assumptions were published alongside the Energy White Paper in May 2007 and can be found in Annexe B of the document titled Updated Energy and Carbon Emissions Projections: the Energy White Paper which can be found using the following link: www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39580.pdf

The oil price assumptions for 2010, 2015 and 2020 outlined in this document are listed in the table below:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether their forecasts relating to oil prices falling from $65 per barrel in 2006 to $53 per barrel by 2030 remain valid in the light of recent concerns about long-term oil supplies. [HL746]

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform does not publish oil price forecasts. It publishes oil, gas and coal future price assumptions for the period till 2020, which are used in the department’s analytical work. In order to capture some of the uncertainty around future oil prices, three different scenarios are presented: a high, central and a low scenario.

The last set of future oil price assumptions were published alongside the energy White Paper in May 2007 and can be found in Annexe B of the document titled Updated Energy and Carbon Emissions Projections: the Energy White Paper at the following link: www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39580.pdf. The figures mentioned in the question originate from this document.

We keep the future oil prices assumptions under revision and will update them as necessary.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether an increase in the forecast price for oil between now and 2030 strengthens the economic case for further electrification of the railway system and the purchase of electric trains. [HL748]

An increase in the forecast price for oil is likely to strengthen the economic case for electrification. The extent to which higher oil prices improve the case for electrification depends upon the relative change in diesel and electricity prices and the impact of the oil price increase on the cost of car use, which can influence rail patronage.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether an increase in the forecast price for oil between now and 2030 strengthens the economic case for the use of light rapid transit systems. [HL749]

Using higher oil price forecasts than previously assumed would be likely to have some impact in improving the economic case for light rapid transit systems and other public transport modes, mainly through the impact on demand. However, this is likely to be relatively modest.  The impact will depend on the impact on demand and the trends in energy efficiency and energy sources of motor vehicles and public transport.  Updated forecasts will be used in future assessments of light rapid transit systems.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How, and at what point, the costs of expansion of the national grid to accommodate expected levels of renewable generation were taken into account in the original regulatory impact assessment for the renewables obligations of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and their subsequent revisions (2001 to present day). [HL235]

The original RIAs for the RO looked at the cost to consumers of introducing the renewables obligation.

Subsequent RIAs have addressed the marginal additional cost of changes to the administrative processes of the RO. As such they have not addressed the issue of national grid costs.

Investment in electricity networks is made by the transmission owners and distribution network operators under the regulatory supervision of Ofgem.

Investments will in most cases reflect the cumulative effect of a number of generators of all types seeking to connect.

In terms of investment over the next few years, Ofgem has agreed £560 million of investment in the transmission network specifically to connect new renewable 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 may increase if warranted by generator demand.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many buyouts have been bought by electricity providers since the inception of the renewables obligation, and by whom. [HL268]

Ofgem publishes annual reports listing suppliers with an obligation under the renewables obligation and whether they presented ROCs or paid the buyout price. A summary can be found below. The reports can be found on the Ofgem website at www.ofgem.gov.uk/Pages/MoreInformation.aspx?docid=73&refer=Sustainability/Environmnt/RenewablObl

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 22 November (WA 89) on level 3 assets, whether they will provide some examples of an unobservable input. [HL624]

Examples are:

long-dated currency swap—a level 3 input would include interest rates in a specified currency that are not observable and cannot be corroborated by observable market data at commonly quoted intervals or otherwise for substantially the full term of the currency swap. The interest rates in a currency swap are the swap rates calculated from the respective countries' yield curves;

three-year option on exchange-traded shares—a level 3 input would include historical volatility, that is, the volatility for the shares derived from the shares' historical prices. Historical volatility typically does not represent current market participant expectations about future volatility, even if it is the only information available to price an option;

interest rate swap—a level 3 input would include an adjustment to a mid-market consensus (non-binding) price for the swap developed using data that are not directly observable and that cannot otherwise be corroborated by observable market data;

asset retirement obligation at initial recognition—a level 3 input would include expected cash flows (adjusted for risk) developed using the reporting entity's own data if there is no information reasonably available without undue cost and effort that indicates that market participants would use different assumptions. That level 3 input would be used in a present value technique together with other inputs, for example (1) a risk-free interest rate or (2) a credit-adjusted risk-free rate if the effect of the reporting entity's credit standing on the fair value of the liability is reflected in the discount rate rather than in the expected cash flows; and

reporting unit—a level 3 input would include a financial forecast (for example, of cash flows or earnings) developed using the reporting entity's own data if there is no information reasonably available without undue cost and effort that indicates that market participants would use different assumptions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Financial Services Authority intends to take any action in respect of the takeover of Greycoat plc and its subsequent liquidation. [HL838]

As this is a matter for the FSA, I have requested that it replies to the noble Lord.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will discuss additional financing for the Galileo project with other European Union member state Governments in order to meet the commissioning target of 2010. [HL645]

EU Ministers agreed at the October Transport Council to take an integrated decision by the end of the year, in the appropriate council formation, on the Commission's proposals for the deployment of Galileo through public procurement. Subsequently, at the Budget Council on 23 November, the Economic and Financial Affairs Council reached political agreement on the financing of Galileo until 2013 and the Transport Council on 29-30 November agreed conclusions defining the general principles covering governance and public sector procurement for the programme and placed a €3.4 billion cap on the programme’s costs in this financial perspective.

Further discussion at official level on the draft regulation to implement the Transport Council decisions will now take place before the regulation is brought forward for adoption next year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In respect of the proposed new port development at Great Yarmouth (a) what is the capital cost of the project; (b) what are the sources for capital funding, including public sector, European Community and private sector; (c) whether Partnerships UK required a revenue guarantee from a port customer, from whom the guarantee was provided and whether this has subsequently been waived; (d) if the guarantee was waived, who authorised this and who carries the risk of any revenue shortfall; (e) whether the European Union has given state aids consent to any public sector contribution to this development and, if so, on what basis; and (f) whether any road or rail improvements are planned in connection with this development and, if so, who will fund them. [HL129]

The development of the port at Great Yarmouth consists of the construction of an outer harbour. The capital cost of the scheme, which is currently under way, is expected to be £54 million. This comprises £40 million for maritime access works —breakwaters and port entrance structures—and construction costs of port user infrastructure—quaysides, berths—of £14 million.

Public funding of £8.6 million (East of England Development Agency), £4.6 million (European Regional Development Fund), £3.1 million (Norfolk County Council) will part-fund the maritime access works, with Great Yarmouth Borough Council providing support in kind through lease of land valued at £1.6 million. The private sector developer, International Port Holdings, will meet the balance of the cost. The port user infrastructure is being funded entirely by the private sector developer. The risk of cost overrun on both the maritime access and the commercial port infrastructure works will be borne by the private developer.

As part of the project appraisal, Partnerships UK, one of the consultants advising on the project, recommended to EEDA that, in order to demonstrate the likely viability of the project, its funding of the outer harbour development should be subject to revenue commitments from a ferry operator being secured and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made this a condition of his consent to EEDA to fund the project. The Minister for Regions, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, subsequently waived this condition, being satisfied with EEDA's judgment that the plans of the preferred developer were viable without such revenue guarantees. The private sector port developer will carry the risk of any revenue shortfall. The European Commission decided that the public funding for the maritime access works did not constitute state aid. At present no road or rail improvements are considered necessary in connection with this development.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What discussions they have had with strategic health authorities to seek assurances that funding for local core National Health Service audiology services has not been and will not be cut. [HL217]

Funding for audiology services is provided through the general allocations to National Health Service trusts and primary care trusts. It is the responsibility of local health organisations to allocate resources to audiology services based on their knowledge of the needs of their local population and the resources available.

Strategic health authorities have assured the department that they can achieve necessary reductions in audiology waiting times by improving existing NHS services and with procurement from the independent sector where required.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they have stopped general practitioners and consultants from referring patients directly to consultants. [HL314]

Providers must accept referrals directly from referring clinicians in primary and secondary care. However, referral methods are determined by local health service bodies and may include a variety of referral processes. The care and resource utilisation guidance published by the department in December 2006 provides advice and techniques on how health service bodies should manage referrals to ensure that patients are given the best possible care. The techniques are owned and agreed by clinicians, working in partnership across primary and secondary care, to deliver integrated, well-designed services. The guidance is available in the Library and at the department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4141316&chk=iJxRrx.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What procedures exist by which potential conflicts of interest resulting from their previously published opinions on the clinical or cost effectiveness of relevant technologies are declared by (a) individual academics and (b) academic bodies engaged in the preparation of technical reports on behalf of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. [HL584]

We understand that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has procedures in place for ensuring that the authors of work undertaken for NICE declare any potential conflicts of interest, including previous public statements or opinions resulting from their previously published opinions on the clinical and cost effectiveness of relevant technologies. NICE's conflict of interest policy is available at www.nice.org.uk/niceMedia/pdf/CodeofPracticeforDeclaringand DealingwithConflictsofInterest.pdf

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they conduct surveys by MORI on patient satisfaction with their general practitioner (GP), when the GPs are already obliged to commission independent surveys of their patient satisfaction; how they ensure that the sample taken by MORI is representative of the demographic mix served by a particular GP; and whether they will explain how this exercise will improve patient care. [HL313]

The General Practitioner Patient Survey is a national survey of patients' experiences of access to their general practitioner services. The survey has been developed with and is run by the independent research company, Ipsos MORI. Survey results are used to trigger payments primary care trusts (PCTs) make to general practitioner (GP) practices when they achieve national access standards. From these data, PCTs have developed with local practices action plans to deliver improvements in access to care in GP services in those areas with the poorest reported satisfaction. For the first time these data are available to patients which can help inform decisions on choice on registration with GP practices and how their own practice performs compared with other practices, locally or nationally.

General practices are also free to administer their own local surveys under the voluntary quality and outcomes framework, which attracts rewards for actions to improve the patient experience. Rewards are not linked directly to reported patients views and there is no standardisation over how those surveys are conducted nor is the information collected necessarily available to patients to enable comparisons on practice performance.

We are currently in negotiations with the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association how surveys in general practice can be improved and rationalised while continuing to support the National Health Service to improve performance on access to services and ensure better responsiveness of practices to local patients needs, preferences and choices.

asked the Chairman of Committees:

What is the total cost of the new visitors’ entrance to Parliament; and when it is expected to be opened. [HL841]

The forecasted cost of the visitor reception building is £11.2 million split 60:40 between the Commons and Lords. It is expected that the building will be opened in early 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they propose to make it easier for immigration detainees to secure legal advice. [HL727]

All detainees are given information at the point of initial detention on how to contact the Immigration Advisory Service and the Refugee Legal Centre for advice. It is also the case that detainees must be advised of their right to legal representation and how they can obtain such representation, within 24 hours of their arrival at an immigration removal centre.

The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has undertaken a successful pilot of regular advice surgeries in immigration removal centres (IRCs) to help ensure that detainees can gain easy and prompt access to legal advice. These surgeries are open to all detainees. The LSC is now in the process of tendering for advice services in IRCs as a permanent part of legal aid services.

This advice provision complements the fast track duty rota advice scheme that operates in Harmondsworth, Oakington and Yarl’s Wood. This service offers all asylum seekers access to a duty representative for advice and assistance in relation to their asylum claim.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to prevent disruption of legal representation and healthcare when detainees in immigration detention are moved from one centre to another; and what action the Management of Detained Cases Unit is taking in this regard. [HL729]

It is sometimes necessary to transfer detainees and this is because of the need to maintain the most effective use of available space. For example it may be necessary to transfer a person to a facility near an airport for the purpose of removal. In such circumstances, it remains possible for detainees to maintain contact with their legal representatives and this may be by fax, phone or letter.

Healthcare is provided at every immigration removal centre and information about detainees’ medical needs will transfer with them. Detainees are medically screened within two hours of their arrival at a removal centre and are required to be seen by a doctor within 24 hours of arrival.

Where a detainee has an outside hospital appointment every effort is made to ensure that a transfer does not take place until after the date of the appointment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many pregnant women are at present in immigration detention; and why each is being held. [HL730]

On the 4 December 2007 there were seven women held in immigration detention whose pregnancy had been brought to the attention of the centres. Women are not routinely given pregnancy tests, so it is not possible to confirm this figure, and there is no pressure on detainees to disclose information related to pregnancy.

The majority of those held in the immigration detention estate are detained for the purposes of administrative removal or deportation. The figures provided do not constitute part of National Statistics as they are based on management information. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols; it should be treated as provisional and is subject to change.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are deporting Zimbabwean women to Malawi; if so, why; whether five Zimbabwean women have been hunger-striking since September; and, in particular, whether these include Maud Lennard, a Movement for Democratic Change party member, and Faina Pondesa, who has been deemed too ill to fly. [HL330]

We are not removing Zimbabwean women to Malawi.

We take very seriously the health of everyone in detention and monitor anyone refusing food very closely.

Under the Data Protection Act, the Border and Immigration Agency cannot share details of any individual in relation either to removal or to a claim of refusal to consume food.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What discussions they have had with the Government of Israel concerning the university students in Gaza and the West Bank who were refused exit to pursue their studies abroad. [HL793]

We raised the issue of university students with the Israeli embassy in London on 15 October. On the same day, the EU presidency also raised this issue with the Israeli Government. We are discussing with our EU colleagues the situation of a number of EU and non-EU nationals, including those who are registered with universities overseas, whose movement and access into and out of Gaza is currently restricted.

My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary also raised our concerns about movement and access with the Israeli Government during his recent visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories from 17 to 19 November. We hope that the continuing dialogue between Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas, and the Annapolis conference held on 27 November will lead to early improvement on movement and access.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What discussions they have had with the Governments of the United States, Palestine and Israel concerning progress in the dismantling of outposts in the West Bank constructed since 2001 and an end to settlement construction, as promised at the Annapolis conference. [HL791]

The Government are in regular contact with the US, Palestinian and Israeli Governments on a number of issues concerned with advancing the Middle East peace process, including settlements. Our embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of settlements and outposts with the Israeli Ministry of Defence on 29 November. Our consulate-general in Jerusalem discussed the issue of settlements with the Palestinians on 4 December and our embassy in Washington also discussed this issue with the US State Department on 5 December.

Settlements are illegal under international law and settlement construction is an obstacle to peace. The road map is clear that Israel should freeze all settlement construction including the “natural growth” of existing settlements, and dismantle all outposts built since 2001. The EU will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders other than those agreed by both parties. The Government support this.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment the Department for Communities and Local Government has made of the possible risk of the increased costs and complexity of local government through creating new small unitary councils. [HL594]

The unitary proposals have been assessed against the five criteria set out in the invitations to councils issued on 26 October 2006, and involved consideration of the costs, complexity and risks such proposals would be likely to give rise to if they were to be implemented.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Where the Ministry of Defence (MoD) receives a financial windfall as a result of the sale of MoD land, whether best use of the money is made by the MoD for MoD purposes. [HL669]

The MoD endeavours at all times to ensure that all financial resources received by the department, from whatever source, are used cost-effectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will use their discretion to grant residence permits to adults and children who have been trafficked; and whether taking this step would assist and bring forward their ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. [HL761]

Discretion may already be used to grant limited leave to victims of trafficking but as part of our implementation of the Council of Europe convention we are considering whether any amendment to existing arrangements is necessary. The Government are committed to ratifying the convention as soon as possible as part of our ongoing anti-trafficking strategy, set out in the comprehensive UK action plan on tackling human trafficking. But we will not ratify the convention until we have implemented it in full because our legal system, unlike in some other signatory countries, requires full compliance with an international treaty before ratification.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 15 November (WA 33), what assessment they have made of the debate on policing in the House of Lords on 7 June (Official Report, cols. 1247–91), particularly in respect of concerns raised about the quality of leadership in the police forces in England and Wales; and whether they have any plans to introduce a mandated development path for police officers. [HL606]

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Association of Police Authorities (APA), the Home Office and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) have been working together closely since April this year to build a new leadership framework. Proposed to start in 2008, this will include a substantially revised national high potential development scheme (HPDS). The HPDS will be a complete new set of national leadership training programmes and systems to ensure the continuous professional development at ACPO level for intermediate to senior police officer ranks and police staff equivalents.

The new national leadership training and development programme will focus on dynamic education and leadership development, to recognise the broad and diverse nature of police leadership. A new accreditation process will be developed which will ensure the officer's competence to an agreed standard in any area of leadership.

The strategy is in the final stages of development and will be rolled out in phases through next year, subject to available funding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 15 November (WA 32), what plans they have to address those aspects of level 2 crime that do not involve cross-border activity between separate police forces, having particular regard to the comments made by Mr Peter Neyroud, chief executive of the National Policing Improvement Agency, in an address to the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies on 24 September. [HL608]

The measures to improve the national capability and capacity for the delivery of protective services, which were set out in my Answer of 15 November, encompass those services described under the term level 2 whether they are dealing with cross-border crimes or crimes that fall within a single police force's boundaries. The approach which we are encouraging through .joint working between forces is focused on achieving greater effectiveness and efficiency in addressing all level 2 crime rather than being focused necessarily on particular crimes that only have an impact on more than one police force area.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the numbers of police officers on the beat in Merseyside have increased or decreased in 2007 to date; and by how many. [HL773]

The deployment of police officers to different functions is an operational matter for the chief constable. The latest available data, which are collected annually as at the last day of the financial year, show that the number of full-time equivalent police officers in Merseyside whose primary function is foot, car or beat patrol fell from 2,167 as at 31 March 2006 to 2,105 as at 31 March 2007.

The available data relate to the number of police officers whose primary function is “foot, car or beat patrol”; defined by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) working group on patrol as:

“The overt presence, whether on foot or mobile, of a locally accountable uniformed constable who provides public reassurance and who is approachable and available to ensure an appropriate response from all the resources of the police service, to the needs and demands of the general public”.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Approximately how many items posted before and during the recent postal strike remain undelivered. [HL776]

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 Viscount. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many items of mail posted before and during the recent postal strike are currently being held in High Wycombe and in London warehouses. [HL777]

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 Viscount. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they intend to take in regard to foreign national ex-prisoners due for deportation from countries to which they cannot currently be returned. [HL725]

In her letter to the Home Affairs Committee of 20 November, the chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency, Lin Homer, provided details of the agency’s management of sentence-expired FNPs and the position on enforced removal. A copy of this letter was placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, Mr Liam Byrne, on 24 October (Official Report, 343W), how many of the public service agreement targets entered into by them (a) are considered to have insufficient rural impact to justify a full impact assessment; (b) have had impact assessments carried out and published; and (c) have not yet had an impact assessment published. [HL433]

The public service agreements published on 9 October 2007 will come into effect on 1 April 2008. Those which the Home Office leads relate to migration, safer communities, alcohol and drugs, terrorism and the criminal justice system (led jointly with the Attorney-General and the Secretary of State for Justice). Each PSA priority outcome is underpinned by a single delivery agreement shared across all contributing departments and developed in consultation with delivery partners and frontline workers.

In response to (a), individual impact assessments were not produced for PSAs as each delivery agreement represents a range of co-ordinated activity ranging from existing and new legislation, which follows the normal parliamentary route, through to new or ongoing publicity campaigns to promote specific initiatives such as tackling anti-social behaviour. Impact assessments, previously called regulatory impact assessments, are only required when the Government bring forward specific new proposals. These are intended to assess the full impact of such proposals—for example, the costs and benefits, both monetised and non-monetised, to the public, private and third sectors—and we would expect that any significant effects on the rural community would be identified as part of that process, particularly as this has been given greater prominence in the new impact assessment format recently introduced.

In response to (b) the new PSA delivery agreements are cross-government and may relate to policies for which other departments are responsible. Previous assessments of policy areas for which the Home Office is responsible are published on the Home Office website at www. homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/publications/regulatory- impact-assessments/

In response to (c) any new assessments will also be published there or, where we are consulting on new proposals, the assessment will accompany the consultation documents at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/haveyoursay/

Equality impact assessments were prepared for our new PSAs, as a legal requirement, and are published at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/publications/regulatory-impact-assessments/#assess2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many flats and houses were demolished during the construction of (a) the Channel Tunnel Rail Link; and (b) St Pancras International railway station. [HL757]

A total of 60 dwellings (houses and flats) were demolished during the construction of the CTRL. This figure of 60 included 14 dwellings in the area of St Pancras International station, where one block of the Stanley buildings and the Gas Works Cottages were demolished.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much revenue is lost on the railways as a consequence of route closures and diversions at weekends caused by engineering works.[HL786]

Her Majesty’s Government do not hold the detailed information requested. The compensation regime between Network Rail and the train operating companies is set out in the relevant track access agreements between the parties and as such is a contractual matter for them.

My noble friend should contact Network Rail’s chief executive at the following address for further information on his question: Iain Coucher, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 40 Melton Street, London, NW1 2EE.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What estimates they have made of the costs of reinstating passenger services on the rail routes from Uckfield to Lewes, Oxford to Cambridge and Skipton to Colne, and of the social and environmental benefits which would accrue from each reopening. [HL785]

The Government have not carried out studies into the cost of reinstating passenger services on these three lines. However, they are aware of studies initiated by other parties promoting their reopening.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will establish an annual fund specifically for the purpose of reinstating railway services on lines closed to passenger trains.[HL787]

The Government have no proposals for establishing a fund specifically for reinstating railway services on closed lines.

Reopening regional or rural lines will not normally be the most effective way of delivering the capacity increases which, as the rail White Paper explained, are our priority. We remain willing nevertheless to consider any reopening proposal which is supported by a proper business case and can be funded.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What policies and programmes are being pursued to encourage more children to participate in sport; and [HL741]

Whether resources will be made available to enable children from early years, through their school years, to participate in all forms of sport and recreational activities; and [HL742]

How much expenditure will be incurred in 2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008–09 on programmes to promote sport and encourage increased participation; and whether such expenditure will be adequate to achieve the targets set for increased participation in sport, particularly among children and young people. [HL743]

The Departments for Culture, Media and Sport, and Children, Schools and Families, are working together to deliver the national school sport strategy. The strategy’s current aim is to increase the percentage of five to 16 year-olds participating in at least two hours a week of high quality PE and sport at school and, from 2008-09, the percentage of five to 19 year-olds participating in at least three further hours a week of sporting opportunities.

As part of the early years foundation stage (EYFS)—a single framework for learning, development and care for children from birth to age five, which will become statutory in all settings from September 2008)—the physical development of babies and young children is one of the six areas of learning and development which practitioners must encourage, through play, and by providing opportunities for physical and recreational activities. Implementation of the EYFS is funded through grants for training and delivery primarily through the free offer for three and four year-olds.

This department has allocated £135.5 million in 2006-07, £150.5 million in 2007-08 and £155.5 million in 2008-09 to deliver the national school sport strategy and its targets. DCMS has allocated £44.75 million annually in 2006-07 and 2007-08 to deliver the strategy. The allocation for 2008-09 is being finalised. This investment has helped us to increase the proportion of children aged five-16 participating in high quality PE and school sport from 62 per cent in 2003-04 to 86 per cent in 2006-07, achieving our target for 2008 of 85 per cent a year early.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations the Minister for Sport has received from the chief executive of Manchester United supporters trust regarding the Minister's recent public comments on ticket prices; what reply is being sent; and whether any action is being considered. [HL355]

The Minister for Sport received a letter from Duncan Drasdo, chief executive of the Manchester United supporters trust, on 15 November 2007 regarding ticket prices. He replied in full to the issues raised on 6 December.

There is a clear role for the Government to play in acting as a “critical friend” to football, and in seeking to start useful debates around areas of concern across all levels of sport. However, it would not be right for the Government to seek to intervene in these issues directly. Whilst the Minister for Sport will continue to raise these issues in discussions with the football authorities, we have asked Mr Drasdo to raise his concerns directly with both the FA and supporters direct.

The Government are committed to ensuring that all football clubs are run in the best possible way and that they remain a focal point of their local community.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have received representations from the Association of British Insurers regarding line safety of foreign lorries and drivers on British roads; and, if so, what is their response. [HL827]

The Department for Transport has recently received a copy of the report European Drivers: Crossing Borders Safely, prepared by the Association of British Insurers.

The report covers a wide range of issues, which the department is currently considering.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What approved training courses are currently available for candidates wishing to achieve the tier 1 level 2 boatmasters’ licence; what is the estimated cost of the fees and examinations for these courses; and when the regulations requiring these qualifications will come into force. [HL714]

Approved training courses are not required for the generic syllabuses for tier 1 level 2 BML, but the regulations require that a candidate passes either a written or an oral examination.

Examinations are currently being undertaken orally at MCA Marine Offices at a cost of £94.

The regulations came into force on 1 January 2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 5 December (HL526), when they last assessed Zimbabwe as having satisfactory arrangements in place for the issue of driving licences and as having driving test and licensing procedures comparable to those in the United Kingdom; and whether they will reassess these arrangements and in the meanwhile suspend the validity of driving licences issued in Zimbabwe. [HL820]

The arrangements concerning the issue of driving licences in Zimbabwe were last considered in the mid-1980s. There has been no formal review of the arrangements since that time but each application for licence exchange is examined on an individual basis.

There is currently no evidence that the exchange of Zimbabwean licences poses an additional threat to road safety. Officials will conduct a review in due course but the exchange of Zimbabwean licences will not be suspended in the mean time.