asked Her Majesty's Government:

Following the recent Budget, how much excise duty is imposed on (a) a pint of beer and (b) a pint of cider at the following alcoholic strengths: (1) 0.5 per cent, (2) 3 per cent, (3) 5 per cent and (4) 7 per cent. [HL2669]

Excise duty imposed on a pint of beer and a pint of cider are shown in the table.

Figures are excluding VAT.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they propose to start medical tests for all of those currently in receipt of incapacity benefit.[HL2641]

Initially people on incapacity benefits will continue to be reassessed at appropriate intervals by the personal capability assessment. We plan to assess them under the new work capability assessment from April 2010, as and when customers are due to have their benefit entitlement reassessed. This means that over a three-year period, everyone on incapacity benefits will have been reassessed using the new test.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will uprate United Kingdom state pensions in overseas territories. [HL2848]

We have no plans to change the current uprating arrangements of UK state pensions paid to recipients residing in overseas territories.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the progress report on measures to improve compliance with part L of the building regulations, mentioned on page 21 of the 2007 energy efficiency action plan, is available to the public. [HL2581]

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave on 25 March (Official Report, col. WA 76).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether and when they have made representations to China about minorities other than Tibetans who are the victims of discrimination and persecution in China, such as the Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang province. [HL2765]

We regularly raise our concerns with the Chinese Government about discrimination and persecution of minority groups in China, including the Uighur community in Xinjiang. Minority rights was a main theme at the most recent round of the UK-China human rights dialogue which took place in Beijing at the end of January, with a focus on the protection of religion and education. British officials also met local authorities in Xinjiang in April 2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to secure direct talks between Tibetan exiles and the Government of China. [HL2785]

We have been in regular contact with the Chinese authorities both in Beijing and London regarding events in Tibet and the surrounding region. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister spoke to Chinese Premier Wen on 19 March urging the Chinese Government to address the underlying issues in Tibet by re-engaging in dialogue with the Dalai Lama and his representatives. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Chinese Foreign Minister Yang on 21 March, further emphasising the need for dialogue. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has made clear he will pass on similar messages to the Dalai Lama when he visits the UK in May this year. We are encouraged that both sides have indicated that they are prepared to engage in dialogue.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have responsibility for advising Ministers on the Commonwealth. [HL2651]

Officials from across the breadth of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have responsibility for advising Ministers on issues relating to the Commonwealth and its member states. The International Organisations Department leads on issues relating to the Commonwealth as an international organisation. In the past year officials in the following directorates, in the UK and at posts overseas, have worked, and briefed Ministers, on Commonwealth matters: Africa Directorate; Americas Directorate; Asia-Pacific Directorate; Communications Directorate; Consular Directorate; Defence and Strategic Threats Directorate; EU Directorate; Finance Directorate; Global and Economic Issues Directorate; International Security Directorate; Migration Directorate; Overseas Territories Directorate; Protocol Directorate; South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate; and Policy Planning Staff and Research Analysts.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there is a Commonwealth co-ordination unit in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and, if so, how many officials work in it. [HL2652]

There is a Commonwealth co-ordination team within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's International Organisations Department. The team has three core officials, though these are supported by senior officials and a much larger number of staff working both across individual Commonwealth countries and thematic issues on the Commonwealth agenda. In the three months leading up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, the team of core staff increased to seven.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Malloch-Brown on 12 March (WA 229), whether, in the light of President Christofias's comments in Brussels on 14 March that the European Commission should not advocate lifting trade and travel embargos against Turkish Cypriots and that he will not negotiate a settlement based on the United Nations plan, they will consider the application of international human rights standards to the people of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. [HL2601]

The UK strongly supports the EU's commitment of 2004 to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community and facilitate a Cyprus settlement. This commitment was reaffirmed in 2007. We are committed to seeing the Turkish Cypriots play a full and constructive role as EU citizens—this means sharing the benefits of EU membership, but also the responsibilities. Our aim is to increase contact between the two communities in Cyprus and make any future settlement easier to implement by raising the Turkish Cypriot community's capacity to meet the EU acquis.

While efforts to ease the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community are important, ultimately this isolation will only be fully lifted in the context of a UN-brokered comprehensive settlement to reunite the island. A new opportunity has opened up to make decisive progress towards a comprehensive Cyprus settlement. It is important that energy is focused on capitalising on this opportunity and that obstacles are not placed in the way of any new negotiation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Malloch-Brown on 12 March (WA 229), whether, given the current status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the European Union, they will consider the economic situation of Turkish Cypriots with a view to seeking an equitable solution to the division of the island since 1974. [HL2602]

The fact that Turkish Cypriots are European citizens is just one of many reasons why the UK and the EU have sought to improve their economic well-being. This has been done by means of the aid regulation and by supporting their access to European markets on preferential terms. We want to put market forces at the service of a settlement, by integrating Turkish Cypriots into the economy of Europe, and promoting the economic integration of Cyprus. A recent conference held in Nicosia by the Peace Research Institute of Oslo found that each family in Cyprus would benefit by €5,500 per year (on average) if the island was reunified. This underlines the importance of all parties engaging with the efforts of the UN to achieve a comprehensive settlement of benefit to all Cypriots.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there will be a review of devolved government arrangements in Scotland; if so, what its terms of reference will be; and whether there will be a similar review of arrangements in Wales. [HL2655]

The Advocate-General for Scotland gave details of the commission to review the Scotland Act in a Written Statement on 25 March. This was in response to a motion in the Scottish Parliament calling for such a review. There are no current plans for a similar commission for Wales.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many diplomatic staff are in the British embassies in (a) Kazakhstan; (b) Tajikistan; (c) Uzbekistan; and (d) Turkmenistan; and what is the annual cost of each of those diplomatic missions. [HL2679]

The numbers of UK-appointed staff employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at our missions in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and the annual running costs for these missions, excluding the salaries and allowances of UK-appointed staff, are set out in the table below.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations they have received from British business for stronger diplomatic representation in central Asia; and what action they propose to improve such representation. [HL2680]

We are not aware of any formal representations from British business for stronger representation in central Asia. UK Trade and Investment is represented in the region through a commercial section at our embassy in Astana and a trade office in Atyrau (both in Kazakhstan). Elsewhere in the region, our ambassadors are active in support of British business. In Turkmenistan, this has primarily been in the oil and gas sector; in Uzbekistan, our ambassador supports the activity of the Uzbek-British Trade and Investment Council and, in Tajikistan, our ambassador has lobbied on behalf of a UK company active in the country.

Our diplomatic representation in the region, and globally, is kept under regular review in order to ensure that the overseas network helps deliver the Government's international priorities, including in support of British business.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any proposals to reduce bureaucracy in education. [HL2654]

In December 2007, in line with other departments, my department published a simplification plan. The plan summarises all the initiatives that the department is carrying out to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy in education. A copy of the plan can be found at the following website: www.dfes.gov.uk/reducingbureaucracy/.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Statement by Lord Jones of Birmingham on 10 January (Official Report, cols. 988–92) on energy policy, how they will ensure that power companies invest in a sufficient number of new power stations to replace one-third of the current generating capacity while using technologies that will meet their carbon emissions targets. [HL2648]

The Government have put in place a regulatory framework within which energy companies have every commercial incentive to ensure that they have sufficient generating capacity to meet the electricity demand of their customers. In addition, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme provides a strong commercial incentive to minimise carbon emissions from power generation as well as from other industrial activities covered by the scheme.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they are not implementing energy performance certificates until September. [HL2540]

In England and Wales, energy performance certificates (EPCs) have been required for all dwellings put on the market since 14 December 2007. In accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 as amended, from 6 April 2008 EPCs will be required for newly built dwellings and on the rent, sale or construction of non-domestic buildings larger than 10,000 square metres. The requirement to have an EPC will be rolled out to other commercial buildings and rented dwellings during 2008. Details are set out in the table below. There are no plans to implement EPCs in September.

In Scotland, energy performance certificates were introduced for all new construction (dwellings and non-dwellings) for which a building warrant application was received by the local authority on or after 1 May 2007. EPCs for all other buildings will be introduced as follows:

In Northern Ireland it is anticipated that EPCs will be required as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to increase the number of offshore wind farms around the British Isles. [HL2784]

On 10 December 2007 my right honourable friend the Secretary of State announced the launch of a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) on a draft plan for up to 25 gigawatts of new offshore wind development rights in UK waters. These proposals could lead to increasing our current plans of up to 8 gigawatts for offshore wind to up to 33 gigawatts.

We are undertaking a full assessment this year of our draft plan for offshore development. Following the results of the SEA, we expect to make a decision on whether to proceed with our draft plan in early 2009.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to the statement by the Government of Eritrea on 1 February regarding the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1798, particularly the assertion that the resolution disregards earlier resolutions of the Security Council, distorts the meaning of the Algiers Peace Agreement and represents a failure by the Security Council to ensure the withdrawal of the army and institutions of Ethiopia from the occupied territories. [HL2672]

The Government have not responded to the statement made by the Government of Eritrea on 1 February.

We fully support UN Security Council Resolution 1798. We believe it is entirely consistent with previous Security Council resolutions and the Algiers Peace Agreement. It states clearly what the council expects of both Eritrea and Ethiopia. We call on both parties to implement fully all its provisions, particularly that the parties:

hold the primary responsibility for resolving the dispute, in line with the Algiers agreements;

should respect the integrity of the temporary security zone; and

should implement fully the delimitation decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission.

Eritrea's recent refusal to supply fuel to the UN Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) or to allow UNMEE to purchase its own fuel has meant that the mission has had to temporarily relocate out of Eritrea. We condemn Eritrea's unacceptable stance on fuel for UNMEE. It has also caused the Security Council to concentrate its attention on the safety and security of UNMEE personnel, thus distracting it from the core issue of the border dispute.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What mechanisms are in place to (a) review and (b) overturn planning decisions made by local authorities to build new dwellings in areas of high flood risk. [HL2606]

Section 100 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides a mechanism for the Secretary of State to initiate proceedings for the revocation or modification of planning permission. Revocation or modification can only be made before a planning permission is implemented and the Secretary of State can use these powers as she thinks fit, after consultation with the local planning authority.

Section 104 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 enables the Secretary of State to make an order requiring that any use of land shall be discontinued or continued subject to conditions, or that any buildings or works shall be altered or removed, if it appears expedient for her to do so.

Such intervention by the Secretary of State can only be justified in exceptional circumstances. The Secretary of State will generally use these powers only if the original decision is judged to be grossly wrong, so that damage is likely to be done to the wider public interest. Each case is considered on its merits.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What (a) number and (b) percentage of new dwellings were built in areas of high flood risk in each year since 1997 in (1) England and (2) each government region; and what projections they have made of the number of new dwellings that will be built in areas of high flood risk in each year to 2020. [HL2607]

Between 1997 and 2005, the most recent year for which data are available currently, an estimated 120,860 dwellings were built in England in areas of high flood risk. This is 9 per cent of all dwellings built in this time. The tables below detail the (a) number and (b) percentage of dwellings built in England and each government region in each year.

The Government have not made projections of how many houses will be built in flood-risk areas in future years.

1. There is an inevitable time-lag between land use change occurring and it being recorded; therefore data are constantly being updated.

2. The data in the table above are based on records received from Ordnance Survey up to September 2007, consistent with the January 2008 update of LUCS.

3. Figures may not add up due to rounding.

4. The definition of high flood-risk areas used by Communities and Local Government is the high-risk zone mapped by the Environment Agency as being at a probability of flooding, excluding the presence of flood defences, of at least one in 100 each year for river flooding and at least one in 200 for coastal flooding. High flood-risk areas account for about 10 per cent of land in England, including parts of major cities such as London.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 30 January (WA 122–23), what is their assessment of the appropriateness of the British Fluoridation Society giving advice on the fluoride content of water for infant formula. [HL2742]

The British Fluoridation Society has a wide range of contacts with academic bodies, professional associations and other voluntary organisations here and abroad. Its advice on infant formula, which is now also available on the National Fluoride Information Centre's website, replicates that given by the American Dental Association and the Centre for Disease Control.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 21 November 2007 (WA 78), why the advice note to which the Answer referred members of the public on the British Fluoridation Society's website does not mention the assessment of the prevalence of dental fluorosis of aesthetic concern by the systematic scientific review into water fluoridation by the University of York in 2000; whether the society should have done so; and how the scientific review's assessment compares with the other publications cited by the society. [HL2743]

The University of York identified 88 research studies relating to dental fluorosis of which only one was ranked in category B (evidence of moderate quality) and the remainder in category C (lowest quality of evidence). The researchers qualify their estimates of the extent of fluorosis of aesthetic concern by reporting that “the precision of these rough estimates is low”.

We share the British Fluoridation Society's view that new research is required, which is why the department is funding a project aimed at measuring the prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(a) What was the total number of consultation responses to Lord Darzi of Denham's review Healthcare for London: A Framework for Action; and (b) how many of these consultation responses were from (1) members of the public, (2) patients, (3) NHS staff and (4) stakeholder organisations; and [HL2746]

What is the cost to date (a) in total, and (b) broken down by major cost area, of the public, patient, staff and stakeholder consultation organised for Lord Darzi of Denham's review Healthcare for London: A Framework for Action. [HL2747]

The information requested is not held centrally.

Proposals for changes to services are a matter for the National Health Service locally. The department does not hold information on the detailed breakdown of Healthcare for London's costs and responses—this is available directly from NHS London.

The noble Baroness may wish to raise this issue locally with NHS London.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will publish the cost to date (a) in total, and (b) broken down by major cost area, to the public purse of Lord Darzi of Denham's review Healthcare for London: A Framework for Action. [HL2752]

The information requested is not held centrally.

Proposals for changes to services are a matter for the National Health Service locally. The department does not hold information on the detailed breakdown of Healthcare for London's costs and responses—this is available directly from NHS London.

The noble Baroness may wish to raise this issue locally with NHS London.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What their most recent estimate is of (a) the cost to date, and (b) the total expected cost to the public purse, of Lord Darzi of Denham's National Health Service next-stage review; and [HL2748]

Whether they will publish the cost to date (a) in total, and (b) broken down by major cost area, of the public, patient, staff and stakeholder consultation process organised as part of Lord Darzi of Denham's National Health Service next-stage review; and [HL2749]

How much money has been allocated for the implementation of the findings of Lord Darzi of Denham's National Health Service next-stage review; and whether implementation will be centrally or locally funded; and [HL2750]

Which external consultants have been used to date in connection with Lord Darzi of Denham's National Health Service next-stage review; and what the nature and cost of the work was in each case. [HL2751]

The estimated costs of consultation undertaken by strategic health authorities (SHAs) as part of the nationwide National Health Service next-stage review, Our NHS, Our Future, is not held centrally. The committed spend on Our NHS, Our Future activity and materials organised and produced nationally by the department in 2007-08 is £3 million. The review process is ongoing and we do not have a final figure at this stage.

Implementation of the final report's recommendations will depend on what those recommendations are. The final report, to be published in June, will include details of how the recommendations will be implemented. Implementation of new models of care is of course a matter for local organisations.

The department has purchased the services of a range of consultancies during 2007-08 and some of this activity will have contributed to work in connection with the next-stage review. The project team itself has procured consultancy services from 15 companies.

These organisations have assisted the project team in a range of areas including the following:

supporting the development of the SHA strategic visions and the contributing reports of the 74 local clinical pathway groups;

design and facilitation of review events; and

communications including production of materials, including the interim report, and website management.

The total amount paid to these companies is approximately £2.6 million.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to the recent report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, which claims that food security could be adversely affected by climate change, leading to social unrest in Iraq. [HL2728]

We welcome the report as an attempt to disseminate existing scientific evidence. Understanding the science of climate change is key to creating the political conditions for a global agreement on greenhouse gas reduction and allowing Governments and international organisations to better prepare for the consequences of climate change. The transition to a low-carbon, high-growth global economy is crucial to our security and prosperity.

Climate change will hit the poorest countries hardest. While scientific models of the distribution of climate change effects are uncertain, as this report indicates, the Middle East is predicted to be at considerable risk over the next 60 to 90 years. As this report highlights, most models suggest water availability is likely to decline in the region and this could have serious consequences for food production.

However, the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report (November 2007) concluded that even with the combined challenges of population growth and climate change, global capacity to produce staple food commodities is unlikely to be compromised. Certain regions may increasingly depend on imports from other countries but, at the global level, higher productivity is likely to compensate for this.

We welcome the growing international debate linking climate change and security, such as the recent EU report presented to the spring Council. Food security is an important part of this debate and will increasingly become an issue, even if overall global capacity is not compromised. We are taking the security impacts of climate change very seriously, continuing to develop our evidence base and analysing its impacts on our own policies. We are also supporting the work of the World Bank and other international organisations to assist developing countries in preparing for the effects of climate change.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 6 January 2004 (WA 31) concerning prisoners captured in Iraq, what inquiries they made before giving the Written Answer; what questions they asked the relevant United States authorities in order to test the accuracy of the information obtained through inquiries; and what answers they received from the United States authorities. [HL2094]

As it will take time to prepare the information necessary to respond to this Question, I will write to the noble Lord as soon as officials have provided me with the details and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking in relation to the increasing number of young Iraqi women and girls who have left Iraq and are turning to prostitution in Syria. [HL2683]

The Government share the noble Baroness's concerns about the Iraqi girls and women who have turned to prostitution in Syria. We are assisting these women through contributions to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which is leading the international humanitarian response to the Iraqi refugee situation. In March, the Department for International Development announced an additional £3 million contribution to the UNHCR's work with displaced Iraqis in Syria and other countries in the region. This takes its total contribution to the UNHCR to £7.75 million and its overall humanitarian contributions for Iraq to £147 million since 2003.

The UNHCR provides assistance to Iraqi refugees, including food aid and financial grants. The objective is to prevent destitution among the refugee population and avoid situations whereby young women feel forced to turn to prostitution to provide for themselves and their families. Furthermore, the UNHCR plans to expand the number and capacity of safe houses it already supports in Syria in 2008 to protect vulnerable women and children and prevent them turning to prostitution. The UNHCR is also currently exploring options for collaborating with women volunteers in areas where prostitution is particularly prevalent to help women already in the industry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Statement by Lord Davies of Oldham on 26 February (Official Report, cols. 571-73), when the first report of the ad hoc ministerial group appointed to work with Manchester City Council and its partners to identify and bring forward a range of regeneration alternatives to the casino recommended for Manchester by the Casino Advisory Panel will be published; and by what approximate date they expect the group to complete its work. [HL2782]

I refer Lord Morris to the Written Statement made by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 25 March. The work will be ongoing as projects are completed and new opportunities arise, but the role of the group will be reviewed no later than March 2009 to ensure it continues to add value.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress is being made on the reduction of the number of employees in the Northern Ireland Office. [HL2545]

The NIO has no specific commitment to reduce the number of employees in the department.

The CSR07 settlement reduced the department's administration cost budget by 5 per cent year on year, but these reductions have been reallocated to front-line service delivery areas, so may not affect overall headcount numbers.

The department allocated its CSR settlement across spending areas in January 2008 and work is ongoing to establish final headcount figures for the three CSR07 years.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their assessment of the threat from any terrorist group in Northern Ireland. [HL2548]

The Government are looking forward to receiving the next IMC report at the end of April. The last report on paramilitary activity indicated dissident republicans continue to pose a real threat while the Provisional IRA is not involved in terrorist activity. Loyalist organisations clearly need to underpin their encouraging statements with action on decommissioning.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 13 March (WA 253) regarding Granite, how much financial benefit Northern Rock has had as an economic beneficiary of the securitisation since it was formed. [HL2665]

Northern Rock has received initial cash consideration for the mortgages it has sold to Granite, and may also be entitled to receive additional deferred consideration payments from time to time. Northern Rock also receives payments of principal and interest in respect of its “seller's share”.

In addition, Northern Rock has entered into certain commercial arrangements with Granite, which provide additional economic benefits such as the cash flow provided by Granite's wholesale deposits with Northern Rock and the fees payable to Northern Rock in respect of servicing and cash management agreements.

Details of Northern Rock's revenues are set out in its published accounts.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 13 March (WA 253) regarding Granite, how much tax the company has paid since it was formed. [HL2666]

Granite is a privately owned company. HMRC has a legal obligation to maintain taxpayer confidentiality. The Government do not comment on the tax affairs of named individuals or organisations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 13 March (WA 253) regarding Granite, whether any net surplus on a winding up would accrue to Northern Rock. [HL2667]

The mortgage assets sold by Northern Rock to Granite are held in a trust. On a winding up of this trust, any net surplus would accrue to Northern Rock.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 13 March (WA 253) regarding Granite, how many other banks and building societies have similar securitisation arrangements. [HL2668]

There are 10 other UK banks and financial institutions with similar securitisation arrangements to Granite, involving a master trust and residential mortgages, and several others with securitisations on a different model. The Government do not discuss the business arrangements of particular institutions.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to make the Ordnance Survey's MasterMap available free of financial or legal restrictions. [HL2714]

As announced in the Budget, the Government will look closely at public sector information held by trading funds, including Ordnance Survey, to distinguish more clearly what is required by government for public tasks and ensure that this information is made available as widely as possible for use in downstream markets. In the lead-up to the next spending review, the Government will ensure that information collected for public purposes is priced so that the need for access is balanced with ensuring that customers pay a fair contribution to the cost of collecting this information in the long term. In the mean time Ordnance Survey will continue to generate the revenue it requires to cover its costs, to fund investments and to provide a return to government, from sales of paper mapping and from licensing use of the Crown copyright and Crown database rights in its data, including OS MasterMap.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many prisoners in Northern Ireland absconded and were free for (a) less than a week; and (b) more than a week, in each of the last five years. [HL2675]

The following table provides a breakdown of those prisoners on temporary release who absconded during 2007 and 2008.

Prior to 1 January 2007 the specific periods for those absconders who returned to custody are not available on a central record. To answer this Question for those years would incur disproportionate costs.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 March (WA 30) concerning appointments by the Northern Ireland Office to three non-statutory ad hoc advisory bodies in 2007, to which Ministers considered that the appointments did not require a public appointment process; when that decision was taken; and when the appointments were made. [HL2721]

The appointments to the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum, the Strategic Review of Parading and the Consultative Group on the Past followed discussions between officials and Ministers and were subject to the Secretary of State's final approval. Following the Secretary of State's decision on each, appointments were given immediate effect from 15 March 2007, 18 April 2007, and 22 June 2007 respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the latest figures showing the delay in minutes from (a) accidents on the railways involving bridges; (b) fatalities on the railways; and (c) unlawful incidents at level crossings; and when the next figures for these types of incident will be published. [HL2701]

Detailed train-delay data for the rail network are not held by the Department for Transport, but are collected and processed by Network Rail. The noble Lord may wish to contact Network Rail for this information at the following address: Chief Executive, Network Rail, 40 Melton Street, London, NW1 2EE.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many of the 1,300 extra railway carriages promised in the high-level output statement published in 2007 have been ordered from manufacturers. [HL2610]

Three hundred and seventeen of the vehicles have been ordered.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the proposals in Network Rail's strategy for the east coast main line satisfy the aspirations of the successful franchise bid and reflect the likely rise in the cost of oil and the need to meet climate change objectives. [HL2702]

The service pattern proposed in the successful franchise bid is subject to the emerging recommendations of the east coast main line route utilisation strategy (RUS). Once the RUS is established by the Office of Rail Regulation, the franchisee will work towards securing the necessary train paths to operate a timetable that reflects the bid proposition.

Route utilisation strategies are prepared by Network Rail in accordance with guidance issued by the Office of Rail Regulation. They make use of HM Government's economic forecasting data, which take account of the cost of oil, and, although the ORR's guidance does not include explicit climate change objectives, the east coast main line strategy proposes to accommodate significant levels of growth in passenger and freight traffic by rail rather than by less environmentally friendly modes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will make it a requirement that when a utility company cuts a trench in a road the whole width of the carriageway or footway is resurfaced and not just the trench. [HL2773]

Powers in the Traffic Management Act 2004 will enable highway authorities in England to issue a “resurfacing notice” to a utility company when the utility is planning or executing street works. This would result in the utility company being required to execute resurfacing works as stipulated by the notice. The Government plan to consult in due course on how to give best effect to this part of the Traffic Management Act.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the seizure of the town of Jowhar in Somalia by Islamist fighters. [HL2913]

Jowhar was raided by a group of anti-government Somali insurgents, the Shabab, on 26 March 2008. The Shabab entered the town, released prisoners from the jail and then withdrew. The Shabab have been reported to have carried out similar raids in other towns. Unverified reports from the area indicate that seven people died in the fighting.

We strongly condemn the use of such force and call on all Somalis to renounce violence and commit to a peaceful political process of dialogue, reconciliation and nation-building.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What discussions they have had with the African Union's President on the African Union's difficulties in contributing to the Darfur peacekeeping mission. [HL2618]

We are in regular discussion with the African Union (AU) Commission, including with the current chairperson, Alpha Omar Konare, on the situation in Darfur and the transition from the AU Mission in Sudan to the joint AU-UN peacekeeping force in Darfur (UNAMID). I discussed Darfur with a number of AU and other African leaders in the margins of the AU summit in Addis Ababa on 31 January and 1 February 2008. We look forward to an early opportunity to discuss Darfur and UNAMID with the incoming chairperson of the AU Commission, Jean Ping, who is due to take over from Alpha Omar Konare on 28 April and whom we have invited to London.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the cost of upgrading highways and bridges to accommodate the last increase on maximum lorry weights to 44 tonnes. [HL2615]

Six-axle 44-tonne lorries have been authorised on UK roads since 1 February 2001. However, since 1 January 1999, the United Kingdom has been required to implement EU directive 89/460/EC, which allows the use of road vehicles with 11.5-tonne axle loads and plated vehicle weights of 40 tonnes. These vehicles are more demanding in loading terms than a 44-tonne vehicle on six axles.

Both the Highways Agency and local highway authorities undertake considerable investment in their networks, but it is not possible to identify how much of this was specifically to accommodate 44-tonne vehicles. When the EU directive came into force, all bridges on the motorway and trunk road network were able to accommodate 40-tonne vehicles. Maintenance of other roads is a matter for the relevant local highway authority.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

For the last two years for which figures are available, (a) how many vehicles seized under Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 have had to be returned, and the associated removal costs repaid, because of erroneous information given by the Motor Insurers' Bureau; and (b) how many prosecutions have failed after a valid certificate has been produced in court. [HL2740]

There are as yet no reliable statistics of the number of vehicles which have had to be returned following seizure under Section 165A. Police seized in excess of 150,000 vehicles in 2007, virtually all of which were uninsured. The Motor Insurers’ Bureau's current best estimate is that of the order of one or two per 1,000 may have been returned because they proved on further investigation to be covered by valid motor insurance. All insurers consider such cases in accordance with the Financial Services Authority complaints procedure guidelines with, if merited, reimbursement of costs incurred. It is within the operational discretion of the police to release a vehicle without charge.

There are no statistics of prosecutions failed for the reason requested.

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau has developed an internet inquiry facility, www.askmid.com, to enable any motorist to verify that their vehicle is recorded on the motor insurers database. Current usage is running at over 2 million inquiries on an annualised basis.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any plans to require new road vehicles to have a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour for road safety reasons. [HL2796]

There are no plans to require 70 mph speed limiters for new motorcycles, passenger cars or light goods vehicles.

However, under current EU legislation, all new goods vehicles with a maximum mass of more than 3,500 kilograms are already limited to 90 kmh (56 mph) and all new passenger-carrying vehicles with more than eight passenger seats are already limited to 100 kmh (62.5 mph).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress is being made in implementing recommendation 7 of Lord Donaldson of Lymington's report into the “Sea Empress” (Cm 4193) regarding amending Section 85(1) of the Water Resources Act 1991. [HL2731]

The Government are working to address this recommendation by means of a legislative reform order. The Department for Transport is developing the consultation package, which will include both the draft order and a consultation document, and expects to go out to consultation in the summer.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many pensioners received winter fuel payments in each of the five parliamentary constituencies in the city of Manchester in 2007-08. [HL2805]

The following table shows the number of winter fuel payments made in winter 2006-07. Figures for winter 2007-08 are not yet available but we expect the numbers to be similar.

Source: Information directorate 100 per cent data.

Notes:

1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.

2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On how many occasions the Youth Justice Board has used the power granted to it by Section 34 of the Offender Management Act 2007 to place sentenced children in a therapeutic setting inside (a) a young offender institute; (b) a secure training centre; or (c) a local authority secure children's home. [HL2661]

Section 34 of the Offender Management Act 2007, among other things, amends Section 107 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 so as to confer on the Secretary of State power to specify, by order, additional types of custodial provision in which a detention and training order may be served. Section 107 has, from the outset, provided for trainees to be placed in a young offender institution, a secure training centre or a secure children's home and Section 34 would not affect placement in any of those settings. Variations in the regime followed within establishments can normally be made without legislative change.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many people under 18 are serving indeterminate sentences for public protection; and of those how many were aged 15, 16 or 17 when they were sentenced; and [HL2662]

How many people under 18 serving indeterminate sentences for public protection had a minimum tariff of (a) one year or less; (b) two years or less; (c) three years or less; or (d) more than three years; and [HL2663]

How many people under 18 sentenced to an indeterminate sentence for public protection have been released. [HL2664]

At the end of January 2008 there were 48 people under 18 serving indeterminate sentences for public protection. Of the 48, 17 were aged 15, 20 were aged 16 and 11 were aged 17 when sentenced.

No prisoner serving an indeterminate sentence of detention for public protection may be considered for release until they have completed their tariff—ie, the period of imprisonment considered necessary to meet the requirements of retribution and deterrence. The term “tariff” refers to the period of imprisonment that runs from the date of the prisoner’s remand in custody.

The breakdown of tariff lengths for prisoners who have been given an indeterminate sentence of detention for public protection when under the age of 18 (some of whom will now be aged 18 or over) is as follows:

Prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence of detention for public protection may be considered for release by the independent Parole Board once they have completed the period of imprisonment considered necessary to meet the requirements of retribution and deterrence (the tariff period). This period is set in open court by the trial judge when passing sentence. The Parole Board may direct the release of such a prisoner only if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the prisoner should be confined. The Secretary of State may release such prisoners at any time only if exceptional circumstances exist which justify release on compassionate grounds.

As at 31 January, no prisoners given an indeterminate sentence of detention for public protection when under the age of 18 had been released.

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.