asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the impact that a third runway at Heathrow Airport would have on traffic levels in the local area. [HL4671]

As explained in the Government's consultation document Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport last November, our primary focus has been on demonstrating the scope for further development within the environmental conditions laid down in 2003. We have also looked at how road traffic conditions would be expected to change over time and we report our provisional assessment of that in the consultation document (paragraphs 3.59 to 3.63 and 3.159 to 3.182). There is further detail in the supporting technical report on surface access available on the Department for Transport's website (http://www.dft. gov.uk/consultations/closed/heathrowconsultation/technicalreports/).

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to raise public awareness of the environmental consequences of emissions from aircraft. [HL4702]

The Government have a range of measures in place to raise public awareness of the environmental impacts of individuals' actions, both generally and specifically in relation to aviation. This includes the Act on C0₂ campaign and carbon calculator, which allows passengers to calculate their flight emissions; the inclusion of aviation in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme, which will feed through to the price consumers pay; support for high-quality consumer carbon offsetting; fiscal measures, such as air passenger duty, that give signals to consumers about the environmental impacts of their actions; and ensuring that appropriate references to aviation's environmental impact are included in all relevant government publications.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps the United Kingdom financial authorities have taken to satisfy themselves, independently of the Icelandic financial authorities, of the solvency and stability of Icelandic banks taking deposits in the United Kingdom; and of that of the Icelandic Deposit Guarantees and Investor-Compensation Scheme behind which the United Kingdom Financial Services Compensation Scheme stands as guarantor of last resort. [HL4580]

Overseas firms operate in the UK through a mixture of branches and subsidiaries. With regard to subsidiaries, a UK-incorporated subsidiary of an Icelandic bank is a British bank and is authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) like other British banks. All subsidiaries are required to comply with FSA rules on capital, liquidity, complaints and the FSCS. All UK-incorporated subsidiaries of Icelandic banks regulated by the Financial Services Authority continue to meet threshold conditions.

With regards to branches, firms from an EEA state are permitted to passport a branch into the UK under EU legislation and are authorised by their home state regulator. The FSA is responsible for the supervision of conduct of business, financial crime and liquidity in respect of these EEA firms' UK branch business. The home state regulator is the prudential supervisor. However all EEA banks are required to meet the capital requirements implemented in their member states under the Banking Consolidation Directive and the Capital Adequacy Directive. And the FSA has a regular dialogue with overseas regulators and firms where the firms passport into the UK, to share information about the firms and specifically their UK operations.

With regard to the Icelandic Deposit Guarantees and Investor-Compensation Scheme, the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme maintains contact with schemes in other member states. There are currently two major Icelandic players in the UK: Landsbanki provides its Icesave product through a UK branch while Kaupthing's Edge product is provided through a UK-incorporated subsidiary. As Kaupthing Edge's deposits are collected through a UK-incorporated subsidiary, they are covered exclusively by the UK's FSCS in the same way as savers with other British banks.

As Icesave is provided through a UK branch, its home state compensation scheme will apply. Where there is a gap between the coverage of the home state scheme and the UK maximum, where an EEA firm opts to contribute to the FSCS the deposit will be protected up to the UK maximum. This is the case with Icesave: it has “topped up” into the FSCS; the first €20,887 (around £16,700) of savers' money falls within the scope of the Icelandic deposit guarantee scheme while the remaining amount of the claim up to £35,000 is covered by the FSCS. Therefore, savers with up to £35,000 in an Icesave account would be protected against any losses in a similar way as if their savings were in a British bank.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many staff working for the Department of Health were paid a bonus in each of the past five years; and what was the total amount of bonuses paid by the department. [HL4696]

The numbers of departmental staff who have been paid bonuses in each of the past five years, and the value of these bonuses, are provided in the following table:

The department changed payroll provider contracts in 2003-04 and the cost of retrieving bonus information for 2003-04 would be disproportionate.

The department has two sets of arrangements under which bonuses can be awarded. For senior civil servants (SCSs), pay arrangements are common across all government departments. The department's senior pay strategy, which conforms to these common arrangements, explains that bonuses may be awarded for delivery of personal objectives or other short-term personal contributions to wider organisational objectives. Individuals are required to agree their priorities with their manager at the beginning of the performance year. Line managers then make recommendations for performance bonuses which are considered by the department's pay committees at the end of the performance year. The pay committees, which meet annually, make the final decision on whether a bonus should be awarded, relative to the performance of others.

For staff below the SCS, the department operates a special bonus scheme whereby managers may award a bonus to recognise an outstanding contribution in a particularly demanding situation. This can include a temporary and substantial increase in job loading, dealing with pressures arising from temporary vacancies or job requirements, a high level of commitment and resolution to get a job done, difficulties requiring a special effort to overcome or a contribution over and above what would normally be expected for the job and of the person, or team, concerned.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the English language course “ESOL-Skills for Life” for people who are applying for British nationality or an indefinite stay visa provided by the Citizenship Training School in Leyton. [HL4550]

Applicants for indefinite leave to remain or citizenship must provide the UK Border Agency with evidence that they have attained a relevant accredited qualification, defined as an ESOL Skills for Life qualification in speaking and listening at entry level approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). The UK Border Agency will only accept certificates provided by a QCA-accredited awarding body and not from individual colleges.

The QCA and the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator are responsible for accrediting qualifications. They ensure that organisations that offer and deliver qualifications have good systems in place and that they are held to account for their performance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the English Speaking Board is accredited or supported by the Home Office or any other department; and, if so, for what purposes. [HL4551]

The English Speaking Board is one of eight awarding bodies in England for the ESOL Skills for Life qualification, which is one of the means by which applicants can satisfy the English language and knowledge of life in the UK requirements for indefinite leave to remain or citizenship.

The English Speaking Board is accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). The QCA is a public body, sponsored by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Its role in accrediting awarding bodies includes ensuring that they have robust and appropriate management arrangements, and policies and procedures that will support and protect learners who take their qualifications.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What educational advice they use from (a) departments, and (b) elsewhere when deciding whether to approve and accredit agencies, courses and qualifications in connection with applications for British citizenship and indefinite leave to remain. [HL4552]

The UK Border Agency does not itself accredit agencies, courses or qualifications. In devising its policies and procedures in connection with British citizenship and indefinite leave to remain it sought and accepted advice from the former Department for Education and Skills that it should accept only ESOL Skills for Life certificates from awarding bodies accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. It continues to liaise closely with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on the provision of language training for migrants.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations they have made to the Government of Burma about the denial of medical treatment to Min Ko Naing. [HL4527]

Our embassy in Rangoon continues to inquire about the cases of Min Ko Naing and Myo Yan Naung Thein with political prisoner support networks and those non-governmental organisations concerned with prisoner welfare. We have received no recent updates on the status of Myo Yan Naung Thein, but understand that Min Ko Naing was transferred to a hospital for treatment in May. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met a family member of Myo Yan Naing Thein on 4 July to discuss his case.

Our Ministers, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council and the UN Security Council have called for the release of all political prisoners in Burma. Our embassy in Rangoon regularly repeats this call in their contacts with the Burmese regime.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have received representations about the denial of medical treatment to Burmese political prisoner Myo Yan Naung Thein; and what plans they have to investigate his situation and raise his case with the Government of Burma. [HL4528]

Our embassy in Rangoon continues to inquire about the cases of Min Ko Naing and Myo Yan Naung Thein with political prisoner support networks and those non-governmental organisations concerned with prisoner welfare. We have received no recent updates on the status of Myo Yan Naung Thein, but understand that Min Ko Naing was transferred to a hospital for treatment in May. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met a family member of Myo Yan Naing Thein on 4 July to discuss his case.

Our Ministers, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council and the UN Security Council have called for the release of all political prisoners in Burma. Our embassy in Rangoon regularly repeats this call in its contacts with the Burmese regime.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to improve the availability of bus services in rural areas. [HL4703]

It is for each local authority to decide the priority that it attaches to financial support for rural bus services in its area. The resources available to include revenue support grant from central government and the inclusion within area-based funding of rural bus subsidy grant which totals £57 million this financial year.

The measures in the Local Transport Bill, now before Parliament, will help enable local authorities to improve the availability and quality of bus services in rural and urban areas alike. These measures include strengthened arrangements for partnerships between local authorities and bus operators, expanding the role of community transport, extending the existing taxi-bus provisions to the private hire vehicle sector and for the first time the establishment of a statutory bus passengers' champion.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the review of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 will be completed; and what interim conclusions have been reached. [HL4545]

The review of the Civil Contingencies Act was announced in the Government's first national security strategy in March 2008. The provisional timetable for the review is to develop proposals for a full public consultation to begin by January 2009 with the aim of making recommendations to Ministers by the summer of 2009.

The formal programme of work under the review did not begin until early June and it is therefore too early in the timetable for any interim findings to be drawn. These will only begin to emerge following the Cabinet Office's programme of extensive stakeholder engagement over the summer and autumn. This work will examine current arrangements and develop policy options for a public consultation in the new year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether consideration has been given to establishing a protocol allowing free movement of traffic through toll points at the Dartford crossing on occasions when traffic queues have exceeded a certain level. [HL4715]

Under the A282 Trunk Road (DartfordThurrock Crossing Charging Scheme) Order 2002, the Secretary of State for Transport may suspend charges at any time when such suspension is considered reasonably necessary for the purpose of facilitating the movement of traffic or promoting its safety or in the interests of the safety of the public.

Charges have been suspended in the past in extreme circumstances such as a failure of the crossing electrical systems, during which charges had to be suspended for a short period. A protocol is in place to facilitate the suspension of charges in exceptional circumstances.

Charges are generally not.suspended to deal with queues resulting from weight of traffic, because allowing free flow through the toll plazas will not necessarily result in less congestion on the crossing itself, due to the need to manage flow into the northbound tunnels, and, southbound, on to the network.

A review of the operation of the crossing is under way, looking at both possible ways to make better use of the existing infrastructure and examining options for additional crossing capacity. This is expected to be completed around the end of the year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to introduce legislation amending the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, having regard to the decision of the House of Lords on 25 June in London Borough of Lewisham v Malcolm ([2008] UKHL 43), so that due allowance is made for the consequences of a person's disability, for example, in a case where there is a ban on dogs in restaurants, which has a disproportionate effect on blind people who rely upon guide dogs to get about. [HL4523]

The Government are giving careful consideration to the judgment in London Borough of Lewisham v Malcolm and any impact it may have on disability discrimination legislation.

This judgment does not alter the duty placed on service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, where it would otherwise be impossible or unreasonably difficult for a disabled person to access the service. For example, where it was reasonable to do so, a restaurant owner would have to make an adjustment to a policy of not allowing dogs into the restaurant to one that would allow disabled people with assistance dogs into the restaurant.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the new European Union directive on illegal migration provides for detention of up to 18 months and no return for five years; whether the directive takes account of population levels and ageing populations in some European states; and whether they supported or opposed the directive. [HL4733]

This directive aims to establish EU-wide rules and procedures on the return of all categories of illegal migrants. The United Kingdom has not opted in to this directive.

Under the proposed directive an illegal entrant may be detained for a period not exceeding six months, but only where it is judged that there is a risk of absconding, or the person avoids or hampers the return or the removal process. Member states may extend the six-month period for a further 12 months. The purpose of the six-month period, and its possible 12 months’ extension, is to facilitate the removal of illegally residing third-country nationals.

A re-entry ban may be imposed for a maximum of five years if a person was removed after failing to leave voluntarily. The ban may be for longer than the five years if the individual represents a serious threat to public safety. Member states which opted in have retained the right to waive, cancel or suspend such bans.

It is not designed to address demographic trends.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by Lord Bassam of Brighton and Lord Davies of Oldham on 2 July (WA 40–41), whether increases in fees uprated by statutory instruments are always “set at a level to cover the cost of the service” and “based on a two year estimate of inflation”; if not, what other rules are applied to increases; and in what circumstances. [HL4745]

Collated information on the contents of all statutory instruments relating to fees is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Each department is responsible for setting its own fees and laying its own statutory instruments.

Treasury guidance, Managing Public Money—it is available in the House Library or on the Treasury public website at http://managingpublicmoney. treasury.gov.uk/—provides guidance on how to calculate fees, including a list of the main features to be taken into account in measuring the annual cost of a service. So far as possible, the calculation should use actual costs, where they are known. The norm is to base the fee on full cost unless the primary legislation says otherwise. There are some exceptions to this, such as subsidised services, taxation, information services, discretionary services provided in competition with the private sector and levies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to promote further the regular consumption of foodstuffs containing wholegrain, antioxidants and folic acid. [HL4533]

The Government promote a healthy balanced diet consisting of plenty of fruit and vegetables and starchy foods, preferably wholegrains, and some protein-rich foods such as milk and dairy foods, meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses. This diet includes foods containing wholegrains, antioxidants and folate and provides all the nutrients that most people need.

In addition, folate-rich foods and folic acid supplements are promoted to women of childbearing age, who are advised to take a supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid before pregnancy and until the 12th week of pregnancy to help prevent neural tube defects in the newborn.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to promote healthier diets and less use of curative medical products such as energy enhancing liquids. [HL4534]

Following the Government's announcement of a new ambition to reverse the rising tide of obesity and of being overweight in the population by ensuring that all individuals are able to maintain a healthy weight, a new £372 million comprehensive cross-government strategy, Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives was launched in January this year. Copies of the strategy have already been placed in the Library.

One of the five themes of the strategy is promoting healthier food choices. Driving the ambition is a new dedicated cross-government obesity unit, which will continue to examine the best emerging evidence of what works, and how everyone in society can play their part.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the healthier diet programmes launched by the 2004 Wanless reports have reduced the incidence of poor health amongst the general population. [HL4535]

Measurable improvements in health metrics among the general population are usually due to a range of interventions programmes, and other factors. It is therefore difficult to isolate that which is due to particular programmes. Furthermore, any such evidence is usually gathered through measurement exercises targeted at specific beneficiaries as part of a programme of monitoring and evaluation rather than interventions aimed at the population as a whole.

Choosing a Better Diet: A Food and Health Action Plan published in March 2005 (copies of the publication have already been placed in the Library) brought together, in one place, all the Government's commitments relating to improving food and nutrition as well as further activity across government to encourage healthier eating. It provided details on the action that needed to happen at national, regional and local level to improve people's health through diet and nutrition.

Direct progress has been made reducing incidence of poor health relating to diet. For example, we have seen increased consumption of fruit and vegetables from 23 per cent to 28 per cent among men and from 27 per cent to 32 per cent among women between 2004 and 2006, a reduction in salt consumption from 9.5 grams to 9 grams and a reduction among adults in the prevalence of hypertension from 32 per cent to 31 per cent among men and 30 per cent to 28 per cent among women.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many and what proportion of households are affected by fuel poverty in each (a) county and (b) region in England. [HL4720]

The lowest level of aggregation available for fuel poverty is at government office region. The latest data, for 2005, is contained in the fuel poverty detailed tables published as an annex to the Fuel Poverty Strategy report (online at www.berr.gov.uk/energy/fuel-poverty/strategy/index .html). Table 29 holds the following details for 2005:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the causal factors underlying increased hospital bed occupancy in the winter season in (a) paediatric units and (b) neonatal units. [HL4727]

For many years, increased demand during the winter months for paediatric beds and beds for very young children, including neonates, has been recognised across the National Health Service. This is commonly associated with respiratory conditions in young children, particularly bronchiolitis caused by the respiratory syncytial virus.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, when calculating the cost of immigration applications, they have regard to the length of time the applicant has lived in the United Kingdom as a taxpayer. [HL4680]

When calculating the cost of an immigration application we do not take into consideration the length of time the applicant has lived in the United Kingdom.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many failed asylum seekers have been deported to Iran in each of the past three years. [HL4709]

A total of 390 asylum applicants (including dependants) were removed or departed voluntarily to Iran in 2005; 475 in 2006 and 480 in 2007. Figures include persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them, persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration and those who it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities. Figures are rounded to the nearest five and information for 2006 and 2007 is provisional.

It is not possible to say what stage in the asylum process the returnees as a whole have reached at the time of their removal, including whether their claim has failed at that point, because those departing voluntarily can do so at any stage.

Further information on asylum removals from the UK is available from the Library of the House and the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration -asylum-stats.html.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to draw attention to differing interpretations by member states of the definition of a medical device as opposed to a medicinal product in the United Kingdom's response to the European Commission's current consultation on the recasting of the medical devices directives. [HL4721]

None. The European Commission's consultation document on which interested parties are asked to comment, does not contain any proposals regarding the borderline between medical devices and medicines. The borderline is determined by the definitions of medical devices and medicinal products in their respective directives. This was only recently clarified in an amendment to the Medicinal Products Directive which came into force in 2005 and a more recent review of the Medical Devices Directive completed in September 2007 did not consider that any further adjustments were required. Any differences in interpretation can be raised by national regulatory authorities at a European level and reflected in guidance issued by the appropriate working groups to enable consistent application between member states.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the total cost of creating the Ministry of Justice's Judge for Yourself website; what is the projected annual cost of maintaining it; and what is the average number of visitors per day to the website. [HL4565]

The design and production costs of Judge for Yourself were £38,775.00. Additional costs to transfer the format to an online version were £800. The online edition of Judge for Yourself is based on a CD-Rom produced for the 42 probation areas. Judge for Yourself is hosted by the Government information site, DirectGov, and there is no charge to the Ministry of Justice for this service. Judge for Yourself was made available online on 1 July. Insufficient time has elapsed to gather information on average daily visitor numbers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the total cost of conducting Lord Darzi of Denham's review of the National Health Service, including staff time and publication costs. [HL4716]

High Quality Care for All, the final report of the NHS next stage review, sets out a vision for the 21st century National Health Service. The report is founded on an extensive year-long programme of engagement in which over 60,000 people have participated. Copies of the report are available in the Library.

The total spend at the end of June 2008 on the programme is £3.5 million.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much was paid to staff of the Northern Ireland Office in the financial year 2007–08 as bonuses; and what the figure was for the previous year. [HL4779]

The department operates two types of bonus schemes—special bonus (to reward staff for additional contribution e.g. innovation and improvement, project work etc.), and an end-of-year bonus (to reward staff for performance and delivery throughout the year). Figures for the past two financial years are set out in the tables below:

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What grades in the Northern Ireland Office received bonuses in the financial year 2007-08; and what was the cost of such payments. [HL4780]

Individuals representing all grades (A,B,C,D) of the Northern Ireland Office, including members of the Senior Civil Service, received either a special and/or end-year performance bonus at a total cost of £745,350 in the 2007-08 financial year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many burglaries there were in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; how many successful convictions there were; how many of those convicted were sentenced to imprisonment; and what was the average custodial sentence. [HL4851]

Table 1 gives the number of burglary offences recorded in Northern Ireland for the financial years 2005-06 to 2007-08.

Table 2 documents the total number of convictions for burglary, the number sentenced to immediate custody and the average custodial sentence length (in months). Data cover the calendar years 2004 to 2006 (the latest available years) and are collated on the principal offence rule, so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.

It is not possible to compare recorded crime data in table 1 with conviction data in table 2, as an offence recorded as burglary may subsequently be prosecuted on a different basis—for example, as theft. In addition, recorded crime data are offence-based while prosecution and conviction data are offender-based. Specific attention is currently being given to the problem of burglary in Northern Ireland. In 2007-08, a total of 11,698 burglary offences were recorded by police in Northern Ireland, which represents a net 37 per cent drop in the level of burglary since 2002-03, when 18,659 offences were recorded.

The number of domestic burglaries recorded by the police fell by 34 per cent during this period, from 10,125 to 6,712. These reductions correspond closely with the timing of an NIO PSA target to reduce the recorded level of domestic burglary between 2001-02 and 2006-07 by 15 per cent. The actual reduction in the level of domestic burglary during this period was 25 per cent, which was well ahead of the prescribed target.

Source: PSNI, Central Statistics Unit

¹ Average sentence lengths exclude those sentenced to a justice centre order.

Source: NIO, Statistics and Research Branch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the tender specification for 10,000 Post Office card account outlets details how many should be based in rural and in urban areas.[HL4819]

No. The successor to the Post Office card account will be available on a national basis throughout the United Kingdom, in both urban and rural areas.

We specified around 10,000 personal teller outlets because that number, combined with the fact that we hope that the Post Office card account successor will be available at ATMs, will provide the widespread coverage needed to ensure that it will be available in rural areas as well as urban communities. There is nothing to stop the successful bidder offering a network of more than 10,000 outlets.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the decision on the future of Post Office accounts is to be decided by the Department for Work and Pensions; and whether that department has to consult other departments before a final decision is reached. [HL4820]

The decision on who to award the contract for the successor to the Post Office card account to will be made by the authorities that are going to use the product. In this case, that is the Department for Work and Pensions, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency and the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency. The decision will be made strictly in accordance with the appropriate procurement rules.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vadera on 23 June (WA 207–08), from what date the new arrangements to carry out standardised post-legislative scrutiny were applied; whether that date applied to all legislation; and whether all secondary legislation is covered from that date. [HL4747]

The Government announced, in March 2008 that they would undertake post-legislative reviews of Acts of Parliament, other than Finance Acts, between three and five years after the legislation came into force. The Government agreed with the Law Commission report Post-legislative Scrutiny (Cm 6945) that it would be premature at this stage to establish a dedicated system for post-legislative review of secondary legislation as such. However, review of each Act should properly include the consideration of all or much of the delegated legislation made under the Act. Any such scrutiny should reflect any work already done by other Committees of the House, including the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the House of Lords Merits Committee. Further information on the government response to the Law Commission report can be found at: www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm73/7320/7320.pdf.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many candidates were shortlisted for the post of lay member to the Press Complaints Commission in 2008. [HL4730]

This is a matter for the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) as government have no involvement in making appointments to the PCC. Members of the PCC are appointed by an independent appointments commission, comprised predominantly of public members, including the chairman of the PCC, with only one member connected to the industry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many instances of drugs being found in prisons in Northern Ireland have resulted in prosecutions in the last two years.[HL4814]

Prosecution information in relation to drug finds in prisons is not available, as the court data sets do not hold any background information in relation to where the offence took place.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much, in real terms and as a percentage, have retail prices for unleaded and diesel vehicle fuel risen since HM Revenue and Customs Approved Mileage Allowance Payments were last revised. [HL4718]

Details of the increase in retail prices for unleaded and diesel fuel between April 2002 and May 2008 are shown in the attached table.

The Chancellor keeps the statutory tax-free mileage allowance rates under review and considers changes in the context of the Budget and Pre-Budget Report Statements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many dogs trained to detect imports of bush meat are currently in service with HM Revenue and Customs. [HL4688]

Products of animal origin (POAO) detector dogs were introduced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2002. Responsibility for POAO dogs was subsequently transferred to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in 2003. POAO dogs are not trained specifically to detect bush meat, but will identify products of animal origin in general. There are currently nine POAO dogs in service at ports and airports throughout Great Britain.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proportion of the United Kingdom population they expect to be regular tobacco smokers in 2010, as compared with 2007. [HL4536]

The latest data on smoking prevalence are from 2006, showing that 22 per cent of persons aged 16 and over in both Great Britain and England smoke. These data were published in General Household Survey 2006: Smoking and Drinking Among Adults by the Office for National Statistics, Copies of the publication have already been placed in the Library.

In Agreement 18 of the Public Service Agreement Delivery, the department has a target to reduce adult smoking rates to 21 per cent or less by 2010. At the current trajectory, the department expects that this target will be achieved.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What their plans are for coin-operated telephone boxes in the United Kingdom; and what obligations there are on the providers of telephone services to retain such boxes. [HL4731]

The universal service obligation is administered by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), the independent regulator. Therefore the Government have no plans for coin-operated telephone boxes. The universal service obligation applies to BT and Kingston Communications (KCom).

As defined in the direction provided by Ofcom, “The universal service provider shall ensure that at least 70 per cent of public call boxes providing call box services shall offer cash payment facilities”.

Seventy per cent applies to all of BT and KCom's public call boxes in the UK.

Previously, BT/Kingston was required to provide at least one public call box within a site, save in certain limited circumstances. This was changed in 2006 to the current provision. In the statement that accompanied the amendment, Ofcom said that it would expect BT/Kingston to informally consult with the relevant unitary authority before removing a cash payment facility. Ofcom also said that it would expect BT/Kingston to enable the public to make:

freephone and reverse charge calls;

card payment facilities, save in exceptional circumstances; and

a call for the minimum existing fee using alternative payment methods.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they support the use of the price mechanism to influence mode of travel. [HL4707]

The Government's policy was set out by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport in Towards a Sustainable Transport System, where she stated: “Fundamentally, we need to get the prices right to cover the environmental and congestion costs of transport, to encourage technological innovation, to promote behavioural change, and to be smart with our investment decisions”.

The transport planning process we set out in Towards a Sustainable Transport System will be further developed in a formal consultation in the autumn of this year, with firm proposals set out in spring 2009.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will encourage all Commonwealth countries to join the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and to appoint national co-ordinators to promote the alliance's programmes. [HL4421]

The UK is an active member of the Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilisations. We warmly encourage all other countries to be associated with the alliance and its programmes and welcome the nomination of national co-ordinators to support its initiatives.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What meetings or other communication the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has had with strategic health authorities to discuss the uptake of, and compliance with, its guidance on (a) routine and (b) non-routine immunisations. [HL4725]

The role of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is to advise the United Kingdom Secretaries of State on matters relating to communicable diseases, preventable and potentially preventable through immunisation. The Department of Health for England and equivalent departments in the devolved Administrations communicate with the NHS regarding JCVI recommendations. This is done through Chief Medical Officer letters and the book Immunisation against Infection Diseases (The Green Book). Copies of the green book have already been placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What reporting mechanisms are in place for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to communicate its latest guidance for non-routine immunisations to (a) commissioners, (b) health professionals and (c) members of the public. [HL4726]

The role of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is to advise the United Kingdom Secretaries of State on matters relating to communicable diseases, preventable and potentially preventable through immunisation. The Department of Health for England and equivalent departments in the devolved Administrations communicate with the National Health Service regarding JCVI recommendations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assessment they have made of the differences between rights abuses allegedly committed by the forces of Jean-Pierre Bemba, ex-Vice President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for which he will face trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and the rights abuses allegedly committed by the armed militias and supporters of President Mugabe of Zimbabwe; and whether they will take the necessary steps at the earliest opportunity to have President Mugabe similarly arraigned. [HL4698]

The allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity faced by Jean-Pierre Bemba and the suffering witnessed in Zimbabwe are extremely serious. Jean-Pierre Bemba is in custody following an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into crimes committed during armed conflict in the Central African Republic and the issue of a warrant for his arrest. There has been no such investigation into events in Zimbabwe, which is not a state party to the ICC. Neither do we wish to pre-empt a decision that is properly the prerogative of a successor Government in Zimbabwe.