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European Human Rights Convention, Protocol 7: Ratification
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they intend to ratify Protocol 7 to the European Convention on Human Rights.[HL1436]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government intend to ratify Protocol 7 when legislation revoking four family law rules has been passed. We await a suitable legislative opportunity.
Diplomatic Passports
Baroness Seccombe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many diplomatic passports have been issued in the last 12 months; and which countries the individuals to whom they have been issued represent.[HL1452]
Baroness Scotland of Ashthal: 1,891 British diplomatic passports have been issued in the last 12 months to representatives of Her Majesty's Government serving at British diplomatic missions overseas and their dependants.
Baroness Seccombe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What meetings have taken place in the last 12 months between the Baroness Scotland of Asthal and Mr Keith Vaz MP concerning passports, and in particular diplomatic passport applications.[HL1453]
Baroness Scotland of Ashthal: None.
Baroness Seccombe asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What are the names of foreign nationals who have been granted diplomatic passports in the last 12 months.[HL1454]
Baroness Scotland of Ashthal: No foreign nationals have been granted British diplomatic passports: only British nationals are entitled to carry such passports.
Telecommunications Sector: Third Generation Problems
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In the light of recent reports of meetings between the Department of Trade and Industry and companies in the telecommunications sector to discuss difficulties associated with 3G (third Generation), how they intend to respond to the proposed European Commission initiative in this area. [HL1358]
The Minister for Science, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): DTI officials meet regularly with all telecommunications companies, and discuss a wide range of technical and regulatory issues. The Government are always prepared to discuss issues of commercial and regulatory interest with the operators.
The Commission Communication proposes three broad areas for discussion with member states and operators:
- (a) Getting the future regulatory framework right. This refers directly back to the ongoing negotiations under the 1999 communications review;
- (b) Deploying R&D and the eEurope programmes in support of 3G sevices;
- (c) Facilitating deployment of 3G networks under current legislation.
In the meantime, of course we have shared the Communication with companies in the sector, giving them every opportunity to give us their comments directly.
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What the budgetary implications for the Treasury are in the event that the European Commission suggestion that payment for 3G (Third Generation) licences should be deferred is adopted. [HL1359]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The five operators who won 3G licences in the UK auction have all paid in full for their licences. The Commission's proposal is therefore not relevant to the UK.
Partners in Innovation: Research Funding
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- (a) How many applications were received in 2000 for funding from the Partners in Innovation scheme, funded by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to promote sustainable construction; (b) how many were successful; and (c) who were the successful applicants.[HL1540]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty): My department initially sought first stage outline proposals and received 733 of these. Two hundred and fifty-nine were taken forward to the second stage, for which full proposals were required. Following the second stage appraisals, 115 proposals were successful in securing funding under the scheme.
The Partners in Innovation prospectus made it clear that all research proposals should be able to demonstrate relevance to one or more of the key economic, social and environmental policy aims of sustainable construction.
The successful applicants for Partners in Innovation 2000 funding (number of projects in brackets) were:
- ABS Consulting (1)
- Battle McCarthy (1)
- Bio Regional Development Group (1)
- British Council for Offices (1)
- Building Cost Information Service Ltd (2)
- Building Research Establishment (17)
- Building Services Research and Information Association (7)
- Cambridge Architectural Research Ltd (1)
- Centre for Window and Cladding Technology (1)
- CERAM Building Technology (1)
- Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (2)
- Chiltern International Fire (3)
- Co-Construct (2)
- Confederation of Construction Clients (1)
- Construction Industry Computing Association (2)
- Construction Industry Council (2)
- Construction Industry Research and Information Association (16)
- Construction Products Association (1)
- Construction Project Information Committee (1)
- Corus, Swinden Technology Centre (1)
- David Bartholomew Associates (1)
- Design & Build Foundation (1)
- ECD Energy and Environment Ltd (1)
- Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD) Ltd (1)
- ENSR (1)
- European Construction Institute (2)
- Gaia Architects (2)
- Glass and Glazing Federation (2)
- Greenfile Developments Ltd (1)
- HR Wallingford Group Ltd (6)
- Kingston University (1)
- Leeds Metropolitan University (1)
- Lovell Partnerships Ltd (1)
- Mortar Industry Association (1)
- Movement for Innovation (1)
- NBA Tectonics Ltd (1)
- Oscar Faber Group Ltd (3)
- The Palmer Partnership (1)
- Stanger Science and Environment (2)
- Steel Construction Institute (3)
- TRADA Technology Limited (7)
- Trend 2000 Ltd (1)
- University of Dundee (4)
- University of Luton (1)
- University of Northumbria (1)
- University of Strathclyde (1)
- University of Ulster (1)
- University of West England (1)
- Waste Management & Technology Centre (1)
Social Housing Provision in Small Settlements
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many units of housing were provided by registered social landlords and/or local authorities in settlements of under 3,000 people in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.[HL1541]
Lord Whitty: Registered social landlords provided 1,058 new units through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme, and local authorities provided 489 new units through the Local Authority Social Housing Grant programme, in settlements of under 3,000 people in 1999-2000.
I will write to the noble Baroness when the figures for 2000-01 are available.
Tourist Attraction Admissions and Sales: VAT
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- In the light of the foot-and-mouth crisis, whether they are considering a VAT reduction from 17.5 per cent to 5 per cent on admissions and sales at tourist attractions to help these businesses avoid bankruptcy.[HL1501]
Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government have no current plans to reduce VAT on admissions and sales at tourist attractions.
Special Educational Needs Children: Support Funding
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their estimate of the total cost and the average cost per child of providing support for children with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream schools, broken down by type of disability and need and by category of expenditure (capital costs/recurrent costs including additional staffing) in each of the next five years; and[HL1401]
What proportion of the cost of special support services for children with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream schools during each of the next five years will be borne by:
(a) central government;
(b) local education authorities (or local authorities);
(c) the schools themselves out of existing budgets;
(d) fees and charges paid by the parents of the children concerned; and
(e) charitable donations raised by the school.[HL1402]
The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone): The department's funding estimates do not distinguish between different types of pupil. It is for LEAs to allocate resources between schools with regard to local needs and circumstances.
In the current year more than £22 billion is available for the education of school children, including children with special educational needs. Over £1 billion of this is used by LEAs to provide additional support for children with special educational needs. When allocating budgets to schools in 2000-01, LEAs also identified over £1.7 billion as notionally allocated towards special educational needs. However, it is for schools to decide exactly how they spend this funding taking account of their statutory duties towards children with special educational needs.
Our plans allow for a real terms increase in overall education funding per pupil of nearly £750 by 2003-04 compared to 1997-98. This includes the 20 per cent of all pupils who have special educational needs, the overwhelming majority of whom are educated in mainstream schools. We are, however, also committed to a buoyant and vibrant specialist sector, which is demonstrated by the increased funding for pupils at special schools. Under this Government there has been an increase of 20 per cent in real terms funding per special school pupil between 1997-98 and 2000-01.
Total capital spending on schools, including PFI credits, will be £8.5 billion for the period 2001-02 to 2003-04. This will add to the £5.4 billion invested since
We have also made £82 million of supported expenditure available for special educational needs in next year's Standards Fund (2001-02). This compares to £55 million this year. The fund can be used for a range of activities, including training for staff in special educational needs, improvements in speech and language therapy provision for children with communication difficulties, the provision of information and advice to parents, and the greater inclusion of children with SEN in the mainstream.
As regards support services for children with SEN and disabilities in mainstream schools, these are not directly funded by central government. Funding for schools is allocated and distributed via Education Standard Spending to local education authorities (LEAs), which together with schools, have a duty to ensure appropriate provision for all children in their area, including those with special educational needs. It is for them to decide upon the provision of special support services, taking due account of local circumstances.
In our policy paper, The Role of the Local Education Authority in School Education, issued last October, we made clear that there are a number of essential LEA functions which cannot and should not be discharged by schools. Examples of this include running high quality educational psychology and support teaching services and developing close inter-agency partnerships with health and social services.
The relative amounts spent by schools and LEAs on SEN vary, reflecting different levels of delegated funding.
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