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Written Answers
Wednesday 8 November 2006
Afghanistan: Civilian Casualties
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many civilian casualties are known to have resulted directly from NATO activities in Afghanistan this year; how many incidents have been or are currently being investigated; and how these figures compare with those publicised by the Taliban.[HL7996]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Precise figures are unavailable for civilian casualties that may be attributable to action by the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Two incidents in which Afghan civilians may have died as a result of NATO close air support missions remain under investigation. I am also aware of a further four Afghan civilian deaths over the course of 2006 that were the result of accidents involving ISAF troops.
Afghanistan: Economic Opportunities
Viscount Eccles asked Her Majesty's Government:
What new and significant economic opportunities they and other NATO members have identified in Afghanistan; and what steps they are taking to assist in their exploitation.[HL8090]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): Mining of Afghanistan's natural resources such as coal, gas and minerals represents a significant economic opportunity over the medium and long term. DfID, the US and the World Bank have provided support to help the Government of Afghanistan develop this sector. DfID provides £3.85 million in technical assistance to the Ministry of Mines and the Afghan Geological Survey to help build institutional capacity to manage these resources and attract foreign investment.
DfID provides £1 million to the Afghanistan Investment Guarantee Fund (AIGF)—a World Bank- administered trust fund that pools funding from the Asian Development Bank and Germany. This is an innovative mechanism which seeks to help entrepreneurs overcome the risks involved in investing in fragile and post-conflict states. To date, $18 million in foreign investment has been leveraged for an agri-business project in northern Afghanistan.
DfID also provides funding for research on other economic opportunities that create jobs and wealth. For example, the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has explored the prospects for trade and enterprise in sectors such as carpets, raisins, and construction materials.
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DfID is providing £3 million for research into potential agricultural livelihood options for rural Afghans. The fund helps identify local, national and international market opportunities for high-value alternative crops, including an organic export feasibility study. DfID also provides £3.7 million for new and innovative ways for farmers to make a living in Eastern Hazarajat (one of the poorest areas in Afghanistan), including apricot drying, poultry, honey bee keeping, tailoring and weaving, silk and cashmere wool production and the introduction of fruit tree nurseries and greenhouses for vegetable production.
Afghanistan: Private Sector
Viscount Eccles asked Her Majesty's Government:
Bearing in mind that the World Bank’s drug replacement strategy in Afghanistan includes support for the growth of a formal, modern and competitive private sector, what action they have taken through their aid programme and their co-operation with international partners to assist the Afghan private sector.[HL8089]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): DfID provides £3.9 million in technical assistance to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This aims to help the Government of Afghanistan (GoA) identify and remove barriers to private sector development, and create an investment climate conducive to economic growth. DfID also provides £3.85 million to the Ministry of Mines to help the GoA manage its natural resources and attract foreign investment. This will tap into resources such as coal, gas and minerals and generate jobs and enterprise wealth and government revenues over the long term.
In collaboration with international partners such as the Asian Development Bank and Germany, DfID has contributed £1 million towards an innovative World Bank trust fund—the Afghanistan Investment Guarantee Fund (AIGF)—which attracts foreign investments. In 2006, this catalysed $18 million of foreign investment for the cotton sector in northern Afghanistan.
Animal Welfare: Electric Shock Collars
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made an assessment of the quality of the study on electric shock collars by Matthijs B H Schilder and Joanne A M van der Borg; if so, what is that assessment; and whether further research on electric shock collars is necessary.[HL8027]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): I understand that the study to which the noble Baroness refers is entitled Training dogs with the help of the shock collar: short and long term behavioural effects. Defra has considered the results of this study but found that they do not provide a sufficient basis to underpin government policy.
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We consider that further research in this area is necessary as a matter of priority to enable a decision to be made on whether there is a need for regulation.
I also refer the noble Baroness to the Answer given in the other place on 25 July 2006 (Official Report col. 1482W).
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in view of the number of studies that have already been undertaken, they have made an assessment of the extent to which the further testing of electric shock collars on dogs is ethical.[HL8061]
Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Baroness to the response I gave during the debate on the Animal Welfare Bill on 23 May 2006, Official Report col. GC189. In it, I explained that my department was considering advertising a revised call for research in the light of concerns raised about the unsuccessful open competition in 2005.
We subsequently circulated a limited tender call in July, which encouraged proposals for an epidemiological study to assess the effect of specific electronic pet training collars on the welfare of dogs; in other words, a study based on observation of collars already in use. We will take account of ethical considerations when assessing the proposals we have received in response.
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made an assessment of the relevance of the effects of electric shock stimuli on mice and rats to determining the welfare implications for electric shock collars worn around the neck of a dog.[HL8062]
Lord Rooker: We have made no such assessment.
Anti-social Behaviour Orders: Statistics
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the reasons for the delay in the publication of the anti-social behaviour orders statistics for 2003—04 and 2004—05.[HL8112]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The latest data on anti-social behaviour orders issued, as reported by the courts, cover the period up to September 2005 and have already been published on the crime reduction website. Data for the March 2006 quarter will be ready later in the year, but data for the December 2005 quarter are currently prepared for publication, and we hope that they will be ready soon. This publication will include data about the breach rate for the period up to December 2005.
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Armed Forces: Health
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a recent review of procedures for family members and colleagues to report concerns about the health of serving Armed Forces personnel has been undertaken.[HL7833]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): A review of the Army post-operational stress management (POSM) policy was undertaken in September 2005. No substantive changes were made to the section of the policy relating to the role of families and colleagues in detecting mental ill health, since it already recognised that friends and family, colleagues, and those in the chain of command all have a part to play in detecting and managing operational stress. The policy recognises that they are often the first to notice changes of mood, behaviour or work performance in someone who has returned from an operational tour.
We emphasise the importance of families being made fully aware of the warning signs and symptoms, what they can do and who can help them, and we offer presentations and leaflets as part of this educational process.
Efforts are also made to arrange a “decompression period” for personnel immediately prior to returning from deployment. The exact form of the decompression period varies between the services and depends on the individual unit's circumstances, but in general it allows personnel mentally and physically to unwind after their operational tour and provides them with the opportunity to talk to friends, colleagues and superiors about their experiences.
The individual unit's chain of command uses the decompression period to monitor and identify those personnel who are apparently most vulnerable to any form of post-operational stress or stress-related condition. During this time, all personnel are offered a briefing on post-operational stress.
Once back at their home base, if treatment is required for a mental health condition this is provided either as out-patient treatment in one of our 15 regional departments of community mental health (DCMHs) in the UK or satellite centres overseas, or as in-patient treatment at regional facilities run by the Priory Group. The regional locations of the DCMHs and the Priory facilities mean that treatment can be provided close to an individual's unit, base or home, thus allowing the vital support from families to continue.
Armed Forces: Military Combat Actions
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the methodology used by United Kingdom and other coalition forces in calculating the number of deaths among insurgents in military combat actions, including the Taliban in Afghanistan; whether
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): We do not formally track the number of insurgents killed, as this would not be an accurate measure of our progress.
Armed Forces: Trained Strength
Lord Newby asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current trained strength of (a) regular; and (b) reserve personnel in (i) the Army; (ii) the Royal Navy; and (iii) the Royal Air Force; and how many in each category are planned to be abroad on 15 December 2006.[HL8140]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Figures for the trained strength can be found in Tri Service Publication 1 (TSP 1 ).
TSP 1 is a monthly publication and copies are held in the Library of the House and can also be found at www.dasa.mod.uk. The most recent publication shows data as at 1 September 2006.
Due to the deployment and movement of personnel changing continuously, it is not possible to say how many personnel will be abroad on 15 December.
Belfast Agreement
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have estimated the annual cost of implementing an Irish Language Bill for Northern Ireland as envisaged in the 1998 Belfast agreement.[HL8077]
Lord Rooker: Information on the cost implications of implementing an Irish Language Act is currently being compiled for the purposes of a consultation paper which the Government plan to publish.
Benefits: Incapacity Benefit
Baroness Hollis of Heigham asked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of the United Kingdom population by (a) age, and (b) gender are in receipt of incapacity benefit.[HL8123]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The information is in the table:
Baroness Hollis of Heigham asked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage and number of those on incapacity benefit are in receipt of: (a) lower rate disability living allowance; (b) middle rate disability living allowance; and (c) higher rate disability living allowance; and [HL8124]
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