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Sentencing Reform
Lord Haskel asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What progress has been made on proposals for sentencing reform. [HL183]
Lord Rooker: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary will be publishing the report of a Review of the Sentencing Framework at 9.30 am on 5 July, copies of which will be available in the Vote Office and placed in the Library. The review was announced on 16 May 2000. The review, which was led by John Halliday, a senior official in the Home Office who has now retired, was established to consider what principles should guide sentencing decisions and what types of disposal should be made available to the courts so as more effectively to reduce re-offending.
The report, which is a very thorough and thought-provoking document, was presented to Ministers on 1 May. The report contains a number of interesting proposals and recommendations, which the Government will consider very carefully. The review was conducted in an open and inclusive way and, in line with what my right honourable friend the Home Secretary said in the House on 27 June, we want to build upon that process by inviting views on the report's recommendations before reaching final conclusions ourselves. We will be asking for initial comments by 31 October 2001 and, in the meantime, the Government will be examining the proposals in more detail. We will make a further statement to Parliament when the Government have considered the responses received during the consultation period.
Performance and Innovation Unit
Baroness Rendell of Babergh asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What additional projects are planned for the Performance and Innovation Unit.[HL163]
The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The Prime Minister has asked the Performance and Innovation Unit to undertake a further project to review the legal and regulatory framework for charities and the wider voluntary and community sector and bring forward proposals for reform.
The Government are committed to working in partnership with charities and the voluntary sector to strengthen their contribution to the health and dynamism of the society and the economy. The project will consider how the regulatory and legal framework could better enable existing organisations to thrive and
grow; encourage the development of new types of organisations where needed; and ensure public confidence.The Performance and Innovation Unit will report in the winter. The sponsor Minister will be my noble friend Lady Morgan of Huyton.
Rail Systems: International Comparisons
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What studies they have made of the engineering and operational performance of the Swiss railways, SNCF, and other national rail systems; what conclusions they have drawn about the comparative quality of service provided by Railtrack and the operational companies in the United Kingdom; and how far such studies will inform their policy for the future of the railways in the United Kingdom. [HL41]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): Railtrack and train operators have regular contact with their counterparts in other countries. This has enabled them to exchange ideas on best practice. However, the extent to which conclusions can be drawn about the comparative quality of service is limited not only by data availability but also by significant national variations in the context for rail, including the level of subsidy from the taxpayer, and by the priority given to rail in national transport policies over successive decades.
London Underground and Directive 91/440
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they regard European Union Directive 91/440 on the development of railways as applicable to the London Underground railway. [HL54]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: No. The scope of the Directive specifically excludes, "railway undertakings whose activity is limited to the provision of solely urban, suburban or regional services". We believe London Underground falls within this definition. The Directive is currently given effect in UK law by the Railway Regulations 1998.
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