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Vehicle Identification Symbols
Lord Shore of Stepney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations (S.I. 2001/561) has been approved by the Council of Ministers; whether it was adopted unanimously or by qualified majority vote: and, if the latter, how the Minister representing the United Kingdom voted. [HL1284]
Lord Whitty: The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 is domestic legislation and does not require the approval of the European Council of Ministers.
Council Regulations 2411/98 which requires member states to recognise number plates incorporating the Euro-symbol as an alternative to the traditional oval sticker was adopted unanimously by the Council of Ministers.
Lord Shore of Stepney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations (S.I. 2001/561) permit the display of the Euro-symbol, the 12 stars in gold, on vehicle licence plates as from 1 September 2001.[HL1285]
Lord Whitty: The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 will permit the display of the Euro-symbol along with the UK national distinguishing sign "GB" on a voluntary basis on vehicle number plates from 1 September 2001.
Lord Shore of Stepney asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations (S.I. 2001/561) allow, as an alternative to the display of the Euro-symbol the display of a British national symbol on vehicle licensing plates as from 1 September 2001.[HL1286]
Lord Whitty: The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 will prohibit the display of any symbol on number plates other than the United Kingdom national identification letters "GB" together with the Euro-symbol. This does not preclude the use of the traditional GB sticker elsewhere on the back of the car.
RAF Little Rissington: Glider Movements
Lord Marsh asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will set out the current situation relating to the proposals for a substantial increase in glider movements out of RAF Upper Rissington and the estimated timetable for an end to current uncertainty.[HL1071]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): RAF Little Rissington is one of a number of Ministry of Defence sites under consideration as a new location for the future delivery of Joint Service Adventurous Training (Gliding) following the planned closure of RAF Bicester in December 2001. A detailed investigation into alternative sites is under way and will be completed within the next few months.
Lord Marsh asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will estimate the level of glider movements from RAF Upper Rissington in the months May to September 2001 inclusive.[HL1072]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The No. 637 Volunteer Gliding School, currently based at RAF Little Rissington, is programmed to undertake approximately 4,000 glider launches per annum. Historical data indicates the number of launches taking place during the period May to September 2001 is likely to be in the region of 1,700.
Army Pay
Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What additional total amount of pounds sterling would be payable to a private soldier on a six-monthly overseas unaccompanied emergency tour if he were paid at the rate of the National Minimum Wage.[HL323]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I refer my noble friend to the Answer I gave him on Wednesday 29 November 2000, (Official Report, column WA 133).
Green Technology
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What action they are taking to persuade the private and public sectors in the United Kingdom to increase the use of green technology; to improve their efficiency in the use of natural resources; to adopt fully, where applicable, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines for multinational companies; and to report regularly on their social and environmental performance.[HL1226]
The Minister for Science, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The Government are taking robust action on all these issues. Green Technology and Natural Resources
The recent White Paper, Opportunity for all in a world of change, takes forward the new green industrial agenda. It is based on radically improving resource productivity by harnessing innovation, green technologies and the market. The Government are leading on a number of initiatives to persuade sectors to increase use of green technology, which include the Sustainable Technologies Initiative and a proposal to consult on setting up a Green Technology Challenge (GTC). Work is also taking place to establish and run a Climate Change Projects Office. Programmes such as Envirowise and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) also help to improve efficiency in the use of natural resources.
A total of over £250 million over the next three years will be invested in renewable energy and renewables R&D, and Climate Change Levy exemptions are available to businesses on renewable electricity from quality assured combined heat and power plants.
As far as the public sector is concerned, the Green Ministers Committee (which is made up of Ministers from each Department) works collectively to promote the integration of sustainable development across government and the wider public sector.
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
The Government are actively promoting and implementing the OECD guidelines through the National Contact Point (NCP) housed in the Department of Trade and Industry. Activities include
the establishment and maintenance of a website; discussions with industry, trade union and other non-governmental organisation representatives; participation in the Confederation of British Industry Annual Conference; and a soon-to-be-published booklet to raise awareness of the guidelines and highlight the role of the NCP.Social and Environmental Performance Reporting
The need for wider reporting of non-financial information by companies is being considered as part of a review of company law being undertaken by an independent steering group. The steering group has proposed that economically important companies should be required to publish, as part of their annual report, a new operating and financial review (OFR). This would require the company's directors to report on the performance and future plans and prospects of the company, including policies and performance on social and environmental issues where they are material to an understanding of the business.
The steering group is expected to publish its final recommendations in May this year. The Government will then set out their response and proposed way forward in the light of the review's recommendations.
In addition, in his recent report on corporate social responsibility, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competition and Consumer Affairs underlined the importance the Government attach to corporate social responsibility, including reporting on performance. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) also supported the Business Impact Task Force (which last year gave guidance and showed the importance to business of reporting on their impact on society) and a number of projects which encouraged environmental and sustainability good practice, including reporting.
The Prime Minister has challenged the top 350 FTSE companies to report on their environmental performance by the end of the year.
Government departments' progress in reducing their environmental impacts is already made public in the annual "green Ministers" report. These reports also cover their progress in taking account of environmental and sustainable development issues in their policy making. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is also encouraging businesses to measure, manage and report publicly on their major environmental impacts and has published a series of guidelines for company reporting in Greenhouse Gases, Waste and Water.
Lamb, Pork and Bacon: Origin Labelling
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 5 March (H.L. Deb., col. 4), why the rules designed to prevent consumers from being misled about the true nature, substance or quality of beef imports do not apply to lamb, pork or bacon.[HL1191]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman): The EU beef labelling rules and the cattle tracing system on which they are dependent arose directly from concerns over the public health implications of BSE. No similar concerns have arisen in respect of sheepmeat or pigmeat, and thus no parallel rules have been promulgated for labelling and tracing in those sectors. False or misleading labelling of any product is an offence under food law and consumer protection legislation. The Government have issued advice to enforcement authorities and industry, making it clear that origin claims must be clearly worded so that they do not mislead, particularly as to the origin of ingredients.
Foot and Mouth Disease
Lord Inglewood asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will declare a national emergency because of the foot and mouth outbreak.[HL1259]
Baroness Hayman: There are no plans to declare a national emergency. All necessary resources of government are being devoted to the eradication of the disease from the national herds and flocks.
Non-food Crop Uses
Baroness David asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress has been made with appointments to the government-industry forum on non-food uses of crops since the adjournment debate on non-food crops in Westminster Hall on 11 January. [HL1417]
Baroness Hayman: The following appointments have been made to the forum: Mr Robert Margetts CBE as Chairman, Professor Dianna Bowles, Dr David Carmichael, Mrs Pamela Castle, Dr Paul Ekins, Dr Ray Marriott, Dr Richard Miller and Mr Andy Taylor. In addition there will be one member each from MAFF, DTI and DETR and MAFF will also provide a full-time Secretary, and two technical advisers.
The terms of reference of the forum are:
- To provide strategic advice to government and industry on the development of non-food uses of crops. In particular:
- To keep under review technological developments and market opportunities for non-food uses of crops.
- To make recommendations on policy affecting non-food uses of crops and on R & D priorities.
- To publish an annual report.
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