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We are also taking forward a range of work on women offenders. The noble Baroness, Lady Corston, is currently leading an independent review of vulnerable women's experience in the criminal justice system. The Government look forward to receiving her recommendations later this year. In addition, the Women's Offending Reduction Programme is focusing the efforts of government departments and other agencies delivering community-based services in lieu of prison sentences; and the Together Women Programme seeks to tackle women's offending in the community by delivering services to meet the needs of vulnerable women offenders at every stage of their offending career.
Questions for Written Answer
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 9 October (WA 101), whether they will now answer the original Question asked by the Lord Jopling (HL7082).[HL7619]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given in Hansard of 9 October at col. WA 101. In addition, I refer the noble Lord to my reply to his Question (HL 8083) which I have answered today. In it, I confirm that:
“The delay in answering their noble Lordships’ Questions is very much regretted. It was caused by pressure of work in the relevant area of the department. The Permanent Secretary has reminded those concerned of the importance of adhering to the established timescale for responding to Parliamentary Questions.
The Home Secretary has recognised that the department’s performance in answering PQs has not been acceptable. In response, he has instructed both the Permanent Secretary and my right honourable friend the Minister of State for Policing Crime and Community Safety to review the current PQ delivery mechanisms. In addition to that, he has identified the department’s obligations to Parliament as one of the performance measures that should result from his plan to reform the Home Office”.
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the reason for the delay of 19 weeks by the Home Office in answering the two Questions for Written Answer by the Lord Lester of Herne Hill tabled on 5 June, when the target time for answer is two weeks.[HL7726]
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Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I refer the noble Lord to the Answers given to the Lord Lester of Herne Hill on the 8 November (HL6054) and (HL6055).
The Home Secretary has written both to the Speaker and the Leader of the House outlining his concern over the often delayed response to answering Parliamentary Questions. This concern should be viewed in the context of the 11,000 plus Questions that my department has received over the course of the Session. On one particular day, it received approximately 160 Questions.
The Home Secretary has instructed both the Permanent Secretary and my right honourable friend the Minister of State for Policing Crime and Community Safety (Tony McNulty) to review the current PQ delivery mechanisms. In addition to this, he has identified the department's obligations to Parliament as one of the performance measures that should result from the Home Secretary's plan to reform the Home Office. The improvements will not happen overnight but I am reassured that considerable effort has occurred throughout the Summer Recess to reduce the backlog of unanswered Questions. This work remains ongoing although I am pleased to reassure you that for the months of July, August and September the department answered 1,245 Questions with more than 70 per cent answered within agreed timescales.
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
In view of the two-week target time for answering Questions for Written Answer, when the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Permanent Secretary were informed of the failure to reply to the Lord Lester of Herne Hill’s two Questions tabled on 5 June (HL6054) and (HL6055), which remain unanswered after 21 weeks; and, if they have not been informed, what is the most senior level of Minister or official who have had the failure to reply drawn to their attention.[HL8083]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The delay in answering their noble Lordships’ Questions is very much regretted. It was caused by pressure of work in the relevant area of the department. The Permanent Secretary has reminded those concerned of the importance of adhering to the established timescale for responding to Parliamentary Questions.
The Home Secretary has recognised that the department’s performance in answering PQs has not been acceptable. In response, he has instructed both the Permanent Secretary and my right honourable friend the Minister of State for Policing Crime and Community Safety to review the current PQ delivery mechanisms. In addition to that, he has identified the department’s obligations to Parliament as one of the performance measures that should result from his plan to reform the Home Office.
Rally Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Whether the brochures and programmes for the Rally Ireland event in 2006, which they funded, were individually sold; and, if so, how much money was collected from their sale. [HL7203]
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Lord Rooker: Event brochures/programmes for the Rally Ireland event in 2006 were individually available for sale prior to and during the event. £22,845.39 was collected from the sale of brochures/programmes.
Schools
Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Adonis on 25 October (WA 252), what immediate steps they intend to take in order to help the 272,000 primary and secondary school pupils who are attending schools in special measures or in other Ofsted categories of concern.[HL8070]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): Local authorities have statutory responsibility for leading the process of improvement at schools in special measures or other Ofsted categories of concern. They are expected to produce a statement of action immediately when a school goes into special measures or is judged to require significant improvement, setting out which, if any, statutory intervention powers they intend to use to support the school's improvement.
The new Education and Inspection Act provides an additional power for local authorities to require a school to take a partner for the purposes of school improvement—this may be a nearby school that can help build the capacity of the school causing concern to drive the improvement forward.
The department works through the national strategies regional teams to provide support and challenge to local authorities with schools in Ofsted categories of concern so improvements are made as quickly as possible. Programmes of training, guidance and teaching support are available through the national strategies where the underlying problems identified concern the quality of teaching in the core subjects. Where weak leadership of the school is a key issue, support may be offered from one of the national leaders of education—head teachers at strong schools selected and accredited by the National College for School Leadership for deployment by the relevant local authority to support the turn around of the school in special measures. Tailored packages of support with additional financial resources can be offered by the department to particular schools where the local authority is unable to meet the immediate needs. In cases where the replacement of the school is necessary, the new Schools Commissioner may be involved to broker a new academy or a trust.
St Andrews Agreement
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty’s Government:
When they commissioned the signage referring to an agreement which was used at the St Andrews summit on 13 October.[HL7741]
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Lord Rooker: The decision to refer to an agreement in the signage used for the press conference at the St Andrews summit was taken shortly before the press conference on Friday 13 October, in light of the agreement reached that afternoon between the British and Irish Governments.
Tourism: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What hotel projects have received grants from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board since 1989; how much was paid; and when the projects funded were completed.[HL8131]
Lord Rooker: It has not been possible to answer the noble Lord’s Question within this parliamentary Session. I have, however, passed the noble Lord’s Question to the Minister with responsibility for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and she will write to the noble Lord.
Ulster-Scots
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they propose to bring an Irish language Bill before Parliament; and whether any such Bill will include parity of treatment for the Ulster-Scots language, as required by the Belfast agreement of 1998.[HL8004]
Lord Rooker: The Government purpose to introduce an Irish Language Bill which will seek to enhance and protect the development of the Irish language.
It is not intended to deal with the Ulster-Scots language in the proposed Bill.
Her Majesty’s Government are committed to enhancing and developing the Ulster-Scots language, heritage and culture and are working actively with the Ulster-Scots Agency and representatives of the Ulster-Scots community to develop more detailed proposals for fulfilling this commitment.
Ulster-Scots Agency
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Whether they have any proposals to increase the budget for 2007 for the Ulster-Scots Agency to match that available to the Irish language in order to meet the requirements of equality and parity of esteem.[HL7914]
Lord Rooker: The 2007 budget for the Ulster-Scots Agency will be determined in accordance with approved actions in the agency’s annual business plan. The Government are committed to affording equal respect to Ulster-Scots and the Irish language. They are, however, at different levels of development, as indicated by the different levels of recognition under
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Waste Management: Litter Penalties
Lord Monson asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the imposition of penalties for minor littering and waste disposal offences, which may be disproportionately high in relation to the nuisance caused, will foster respect for the law.[HL7965]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The current level of fixed penalty notice fine (for example, £75 for the litter offence issued under Section 88 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990) is not considered to be disproportionately high, given that these offences collectively have a large cost to the wider community. Today, the annual cost to keep our streets clean is in excess of £500 million.
Further, should an individual wish to dispute a fixed penalty notice, they are then liable to prosecution for the original offence in the magistrates' court, where the court will determine the level of fine, should they be found guilty.
Work Permits
Baroness Thomas of Winchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many work permits have been issued in the past two years to (a) Bulgarian, and (b) Romanian nationals.[HL7993]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The numbers of work permits issued to workers of Bulgarian and Romanian nationality to work in the UK, for the period 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2006, is in the table.
| Nationality | Oct 2004 — Sept 2005 | Oct 2005 — Sept 2006 | Total |
The numbers include both in-country and out-of-country approvals, but do not include extensions or in-country changes of employment. The numbers of approvals may not equal the numbers of workers of Bulgarian and Romanian nationality receiving work permit approval, as some individuals may have received more than one work permit during the period.
The figures quoted are not provided under national statistics protocols. They have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
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Baroness Thomas of Winchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
Following their announcement that they will issue work permits only to Bulgarian and Romanian nationals seeking certain categories of employment, what plans they have for those currently working in other categories of employment in the United Kingdom when their visas expire.[HL7994]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Regulations in respect of Bulgarian and Romanian workers' access to the labour market will be laid before the House in due course. However, Bulgarian and Romanian nationals with a visa currently who have already completed 12 months' legal work in the UK will generally be exempt from work permit restrictions in certain situations.
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A national of Bulgaria or Romania is not an accession state national subject to worker authorisation if they have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom under the 1971 Act and that leave is not subject to any condition restricting his employment.
A national of Bulgaria or Romania is not an accession state national subject to worker authorisation if they are legally working in the United Kingdom on 31 December 2006 and have been legally working in the United Kingdom without interruption throughout the period of 12 months ending on that date.
A national of Bulgaria or Romania who legally works in the United Kingdom without interruption for a period of 12 months falling partly or wholly after 31 December 2006 shall cease to be an accession state national subject to worker authorisation at the end of that period of 12 months.
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