NOTICES AND ORDERS OF THE DAY
Items marked † are new or have been altered.
Items marked ‡ are expected to be taken during the dinner adjournment.
FRIDAY 7TH MARCH
At eleven o’clock
High Hedges Bill [HL]—Third Reading [The Baroness Gardner of Parkes]
The Baroness Harris of Richmond—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the European Union Committee on A Common Policy on Illegal Immigration (37th Report, HL Paper 187, Session 2001-02).
Wild Mammals (Protection) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill [HL]—Second Reading [The Lord Donoughue]
In the event of the bill being read a second time, the Lord Donoughue to move, That the bill be committed to a Committee of the Whole House.
Ministerial and other Salaries (Amendment) Bill [HL]—Second Reading [The Lord Goodhart]
In the event of the bill being read a second time, the Lord Goodhart to move, That the bill be committed to a Committee of the Whole House.
MONDAY 10TH MARCH
*The Lord Janner of Braunstone—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect the prison population in the United Kingdom to rise during the next five years; if so, by what number and proportion; and what steps they are taking to enable the prison system to cope with any such increase.
*The Baroness Hanham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they will take to resolve bed blocking in hospitals arising from section 54 of and Schedule 3 to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
*The Baroness Sharp of Guildford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria would need to be satisfied for university departments to gain the 6* status proposed in paragraph 2.15 of the White Paper The future of higher education (Cm 5735).
*The Lord Blaker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in developing a common foreign policy for the European Union.
†European Parliament (Representation) Bill—The Lord Chancellor to move, That it be an instruction to the Grand Committee to which the European Parliament (Representation) Bill has been committed that they consider the bill in the following order:
Clauses 1 to 6
Schedule
Clauses 7 to 25. | |
Sexual Offences Bill [HL]—The Lord Falconer of Thoroton to move, That the bill be committed to a Committee of the Whole House.
Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Bill—Report [The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath]
‡The Baroness Walmsley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will respond to the report on the United Kingdom’s treatment of children published by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child on 4th October 2002.
TUESDAY 11TH MARCH
*The Lord Peyton of Yeovil—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they see for parish councils in the future.
*The Lord Dormand of Easington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how effective present legislation is in restraining excessive increases in payments made to company chairmen and chief executives.
*The Lord Taverne—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the views expressed by Mr Michael Meacher MP published in the magazine The Ecologist on 17th February represent the policy of the Government.
*The Lord Ashley of Stoke—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many hospital patients have (a) become seriously ill or (b) died as a result of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospitals in each of the last five years.
Licensing Bill [HL]—Third Reading [The Baroness Blackstone]
‡Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (Continuance in force of sections 21 to 23) Order 2003—The Lord Filkin to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 23rd January be approved. [9th Report from the Joint Committee]
‡Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Codes of Practice) (Codes B to E) (No. 2) Order 2003 Order 2003—The Lord Falconer of Thoroton to move, That the Order laid before the House on 27th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
WEDNESDAY 12TH MARCH
The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury
*The Baroness Gale—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have successfully given up smoking due to the smoking cessation services; and how many people they would expect to give up smoking if smoking were to be banned in all workplaces.
*The Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to change sentencing provisions for causing death by dangerous driving.
*The Baroness Maddock—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure wider awareness of the Standard Assessment Procedure, to inform prospective house buyers of the energy efficiency of their homes.
The Lord Brennan—To call attention to the issues of corporate governance, following the recent reports on non-executive directors, auditing and accountancy; and to move for papers.
The Lord Redesdale—To call attention to the policy implications of the decision to upgrade the United States Missile Defence Programme at Fylingdales; and to move for papers.
Patients’ Protection Bill [HL]—Second Reading [The Baroness Knight of Collingtree]
In the event of the bill being read a second time, the Baroness Knight of Collingtree to move, That the bill be committed to a Committee of the Whole House.
THURSDAY 13TH MARCH
[At eleven o’clock]
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill—Committee [The Lord Rooker]
[At two o’clock
Judgments]
At three o’clock
*The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the cost to date of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.
*The Lord Judd—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Russian Government on the implications for the global alliance against terrorism of the referendum planned for 23rd March in the Chechen Republic on a new constitution.
*The Lord Smith of Clifton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the original intention in producing the Government’s Annual Reports; why these ceased after three years; and whether there is any likelihood of them being resumed.
[It is expected that the Committee stage of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill will continue]
The Lord Alton of Liverpool—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the threat posed by North Korea to international security and to the human rights of its citizens.
In the Moses Room
At 4.30 pm
European Parliament (Representation) Bill—Grand Committee [The Lord Chancellor] [12th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee]
FRIDAY 14TH MARCH
[At eleven o’clock]
The Lord Wade of Chorlton—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the Science and Technology Committee on Chips for Everything: Britain’s opportunities in a key global market (2nd Report, HL Paper 13).
The Earl of Selborne—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the European Union Committee on Environmental Regulation and Agriculture (36th Report, HL Paper 186, Session 2001-02).
Equality Bill [HL]—Committee [The Lord Lester of Herne Hill] [9th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee]
MONDAY 17TH MARCH
*The Baroness Barker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the Ombudsman’s Report on continuing National Health Service care.
*The Lord Lloyd of Berwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to reach a decision on the application for a Harbours Revision Order under the Harbours Act 1964 in respect of the West Pier Brighton, submitted on 3rd July 2001.
*The Lord Astor of Hever—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made to ensure that service users have 24-hour access to mental health services.
*The Lord Campbell of Croy—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to withdraw from parts of the European Convention on Human Rights in view of the number of asylum seekers arriving in the United Kingdom.
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill [HL]—Third Reading [The Lord Filkin]
Health (Wales) Bill—Report [The Lord Evans of Temple Guiting]
In the Moses Room
At 3.30 pm
Electricity (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill—Grand Committee [The Lord Sainsbury of Turville] [12th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee]
TUESDAY 18TH MARCH
*The Lord Geraint—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the estimated tonnage of illegal meat imported into this country last year and what was the corresponding figure for 1992.
*The Lord Faulkner of Worcester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what future they envisage for the Post Office underground railway in London.
*The Lord Clement-Jones—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what future they plan for the health visitors’ profession.
*The Baroness Park of Monmouth—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to help British pensioners in Zimbabwe whose pensions are paid through the banks at the official exchange rate.
‡The Lord Bishop of Winchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response both to the Final report of the United Nations Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo and to recent events there.
[It is expected that the Committee stage of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill will continue]
WEDNESDAY 19TH MARCH
*The Lord Roberts of Conwy—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to raise corporate investment from last year’s record low point.
*The Baroness Knight of Collingtree—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what improvements have been made in situations of doctors suspended from the National Health Service since the setting up of the National Clinical Assessment Authority.
*The Lord Berkeley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to implement the strategies contained in Making the Connections: Final Report on Transport and Social Exclusion published by the Social Exclusion Unit on 27th February.
The Baroness Rendell of Babergh—To call attention to racism in the performing arts in the United Kingdom; and to move for papers. [Balloted Debate]
The Baroness Howe of Idlicote—To call attention to the relationship between arrangements for the funding of students and student choice in British universities; and to move for papers. [Balloted Debate]
The Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are satisfied with the performance of the Civil Aviation Authority in regulating low-cost airlines.
THURSDAY 20TH MARCH
[At eleven o’clock]
[It is expected that the Committee stage of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill will continue]
[At three o’clock]
*The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the grant of legal personality to the European Union, as proposed at the Convention on the future of Europe.
*The Lord Renton of Mount Harry—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are finding any evidence of support for the establishment of elected regional assemblies in South and South East England.
*The Baroness Walmsley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to amend the remit of the Heavy Goods Operators Licence to enable overall traffic impact to be taken into consideration.
[It is expected that the Committee stage of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill will continue]
Asylum (Designated States) Order 2003—The Lord Filkin to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 11th February be approved. [11th Report from the Joint Committee]
Code of Guidance on Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Encouraging positive partnerships—The Lord Whitty to move, That the draft Code of Guidance laid before the House on 5th February be approved.
Apple and Pear Research Council (Dissolution) Order 2003—The Lord Whitty to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 25th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
Horticultural Development Council (Amendment) Order 2003—The Lord Whitty to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 25th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Cattle—The Lord Whitty to move, That the draft Code of Recommendations laid before the House on 26th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
MONDAY 24TH MARCH
*The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what new help they are considering for Gulf War veterans with still undiagnosed illnesses and the dependants of those who have died from Gulf War illnesses since the conflict.
*The Lord Bradshaw—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the competitive impact on rail freight in Great Britain of the implementation of the Working Time Directive later this year.
‡Local Authorities (Charges for Specified Welfare Services) (England) Regulations 2003—The Lord Rooker to move, That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 4th March be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
‡Regulatory Reform (Housing Management Agreements)Order 2003—The Lord Rooker to move, That the draft Regulatory Reform Order laid before the House on 24th February be approved. [13th Report from the Regulatory Reform Committee]
‡Code of Practice on Time Off for Trade Union Duties and Activities—The Lord Sainsbury of Turville to move, That the draft Code of Practice laid before the House on 10th February be approved.
‡Paternity and Adoption Leave (Adoption from Overseas) Regulations 2003—The Lord Sainsbury of Turville to move, That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 24th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
‡Employment Rights Act 1996 (Application of Section 80B to Adoptions from Overseas) Regulations 2003—The Lord Sainsbury of Turville to move, That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 24th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
TUESDAY 25TH MARCH
*The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the overseas performance of Trade Partners UK is satisfactory.
†*The Baroness Gardner of Parkes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will issue guidance to general practitioners, primary care trusts and other groups providing healthcare on dealing with MRSA (Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) infection.
Communications Bill—Second Reading [The Baroness Blackstone]
WEDNESDAY 26TH MARCH
*The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the resources allocated to the Are You Doing Your Bit Campaign are sufficient to inform consumers how they can reduce their impact on the environment and climate change and to fulfil the Government’s policy of decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation.
The Lord Chalfont—To call attention to the balance between national security and individual liberty in a democratic society; and to move for papers.
The Lord Northbourne—To call attention to the role of parents in providing for the needs of the nation’s children in the 21st century and to the case for making available more encouragement and support for parents; and to move for papers.
Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2003—The Lord McIntosh of Haringey to move, That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 24th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2003—The Lord McIntosh of Haringey to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 5th February be approved. [11th Report from the Joint Committee]
†Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 2003—The Baroness Hollis of Heigham to move, That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 5th March be approved.
THURSDAY 27TH MARCH
[At eleven o’clock]
Courts Bill [HL]—House to be again in Committee [The Lord Chancellor] [2nd Report from the Delegated Powers Committee]
At three o’clock
[It is expected that the Committee stage of the Courts Bill will conclude]
Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (Powers of Seizure) Order 2003—The Lord Falconer of Thoroton to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 24th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Consequential and Incidental Provisions) Order 2003—The Lord Filkin to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 28th February be approved.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2003—The Lord Filkin to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 25th February be approved. [12th Report from the Joint Committee]
NO DAY NAMED
PART I
The Lord Blaker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have for the future ownership and control of postal addressing.
The Lord Blaker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their policies when faced with overwhelming humanitarian crises and massive violations of human rights in other countries.
The Lord Moynihan—To call attention to the state of the United Kingdom’s relations with Cuba; and to move for papers.
The Lord Palmer—To call attention to the situation in the British countryside; and to move for papers.
The Lord Bradshaw—To call attention to the trends in the number of road deaths and casualties; and to move for papers.
The Lord Berkeley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the quality and effectiveness of the United Kingdom’s railways are satisfactory.
The Baroness Scott of Needham Market—To call attention to the state of the bus industry; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Finlay of Llandaff—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to tackle the threat that obesity poses to the health and well-being of the nation.
The Baroness Noakes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the services available to patients with Motor Neurone Disease are adequate.
The Lord Freeman—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether progress to date with the efficient use of resources in East Africa arising from debt relief and increased direct overseas aid is satisfactory.
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To call attention to the case for the abolition of the judicial functions of the House of Lords and the creation of separate Supreme and Constitutional Courts; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Hooper—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to review the implications of taxation on the preservation and conservation of the cultural heritage of the United Kingdom.
The Lord Hardy of Wath—To call attention to the coal industry, the development of clean coal technology and the maintenance of a mining engineering industry within the United Kingdom; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Onslow—To call attention to the use of hydrogen-powered vehicles; and to move for papers.
The Lord Lipsey—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to fulfil their manifesto commitment to review the experience of new electoral systems and the Jenkins Report, with a view to assessing whether changes might be made to the electoral system for the House of Commons.
The Baroness Hooper—To call attention to recent developments in Latin America; and to move for papers.
The Lord Clement-Jones—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are being put in place for commissioning of specialised health services from April 2003.
The Baroness Maddock—To call attention to the effects of poor housing on the health and well-being of the nation; and to move for papers.
The Lord Thomas of Gresford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the law, practice and procedure of Public Interest Immunity in criminal cases.
The Viscount Waverley—To call attention to the causes of terrorism; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Greengross—To call attention to corporate social responsibility; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Greengross—To call attention to women’s health and the case for a lifecourse approach; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the Forum for the Future report Government’s Business—Enabling Corporate Sustainability.
The Lord Avebury—To call attention to homelessness and social deprivation of Gypsies and travellers; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Cox—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the staffing situation of the Defence Medical Services is satisfactory; and what is their view of the future of the Services.
The Baroness Rawlings—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what humanitarian assistance they have provided to people living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the last four years of civil war in that country.
The Lord Norton of Louth—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure the security of the ballot in elections held by postal voting.
The Baroness Masham of Ilton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is being done to combat the spread of tuberculosis; and what facilities for treatment and after-care are available in the United Kingdom.
The Baroness Whitaker—To call attention to the developing countries in poverty which lack strong funding relationships with donor countries or international institutions; and to move for papers.
The Lord Norton of Louth—To call attention to the case for improving contact and understanding between the two Chambers of Parliament; and to move for papers.
The Lord Addington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are being taken to remove all barriers to literature for those who have difficulties accessing books in traditional print formats.
The Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde—To move, That this House takes note of the Pensions Green Paper Simplicity, Security and Choice: Working and Saving for Retirement.
The Lord Stoddart of Swindon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money (a) they and (b) the European Union spend each year in the United Kingdom on information about the European Union, and how these sums of money are split between (i) schools, (ii) universities and other further educational establishments, and (iii) elsewhere.
The Baroness Gale—To call attention to the illicit trafficking of people; and to move for papers.
The Lord Carlile of Berriew—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the way in which the courts deal with issues surrounding children who commit criminal offences and their families is satisfactory.
The Baroness Park of Monmouth—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place for the reception of the United Kingdom passport holders from Zimbabwe who wish to stay in this country but have to prove they qualify for habitual residence.
The Baroness Sharp of Guildford—To call attention to student debt in the light of the proposals put forward in the White Paper The future of higher education; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Wilcox—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to rising levels of personal debt and its social consequences.
The Lord Ashley of Stoke—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any new proposals for dealing with methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospitals.
The Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the All-Party Parliamentary Archaeology Group report The Current State of Archaeology in the United Kingdom.
The Lord Blackwell—To call attention to the proceedings of the European Constitutional Convention and the case for a referendum on any consequent treaty; and to move for papers.
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they believe that the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive and the Food Supplements Directive pose a threat to the availability of natural health products currently on the United Kingdom market.
†The Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank—To call attention to the relationship between Ministers and the judiciary; and to move for papers.
†The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration is being given to economy, efficiency and effectiveness in teacher recruitment.
PART II
MOTIONS FOR BALLOTED DEBATE
[Ballot on 19th March for debate on 9th April]
The Lord Campbell of Croy—To call attention to the functioning and effects of the Data Protection Act 1998; and to move for papers.
The Lord Alton of Liverpool—To call attention to Her Majesty’s Government’s policy on the policing of illegal drugs; and to move for papers.
The Lord Bishop of Oxford—To call attention to the religious element in global terrorism and appropriate interfaith responses; and to move for papers.
The Lord Dubs—To call attention to the contribution that renewable sources of energy should make to the United Kingdom’s long term energy supply; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Onslow—To call attention to the method, existing since the beginning of this session of Parliament, for the replacement of hereditary peers; and to move for papers.
The Lord Forsyth of Drumlean—To call attention to the plight of Atlantic salmon; and to move for papers.
The Lord Fearn—To call attention to the place of tourism in North West England; and to move for papers.
PART III
SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS
[The date in brackets is that on which the Report was published]
The Lord Smith of Clifton—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures (HL Paper 150, Session 2001-02). [24th July 2002]
The Lord Grenfell—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the European Union Committee on the Review of Scrutiny of European Legislation (First Report, HL Paper 15). [18th December 2002]
The Lord Scott of Foscote—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the European Union Committee on The Future Status of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (6th Report, HL Paper 48). [4th February]
The Baroness Harris of Richmond—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the European Union Committee on Europol’s Role in Fighting Crime (5th Report, HL Paper 43). [6th February]
The Lord Peston—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the Select Committee on Economic Affairs on Globalisation (First Report, HL Paper 5-I). [17th January]
†The Lord Peston—To move, That this House takes note of the Report of the Select Committee on Economic Affairs on The MPC and Recent Developments in Monetary Policy (2nd Report, HL Paper 66). [6th March]
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
[Tabled on 6th March, or unanswered after 21 days]
[The Government department responsible for
answering each Question is shown in brackets]
30th January
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Mr Jonathon Davies, a criminal barrister and Crown Court recorder, was consulted during the course of the joint Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and H M Inspectorate of Constabulary review of rape issues. [LSLO] (HL1452)
6th February
The Lord Patten—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the dropping of all charges by the Crown Prosecution Service in the case of Mr Colin Skellett, whether they will list all the background briefings that were given by the police and Crown Prosecution Service to the press at the time of Mr Skellett’s arrest; and whether they will name those who authorised them. [LSLO] (HL1558)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to seek amendments to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the European Convention on Human Rights, or the European Convention for the Elimination of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment so as to limit or abridge the prohibition against torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. [FCO] (HL1561)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to denounce the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights or the European Convention on Human Rights or the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. [FCO] (HL1562)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to seek amendments to Article 3 of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. [FCO] (HL1563)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, upon ratification on behalf of the United Kingdom on 8th December 1988 of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, any reservation was made to Article 3 of the Convention. [FCO] (HL1564)
10th February
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their justification for the link between the Lord Chancellor’s salary and pension benefits and the salary and pension benefits of the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales depends upon the fact that the Lord Chancellor is the most senior judge and is entitled to sit in a judicial capacity; and, if not, what is the justification for maintaining the link in current circumstances. [CO] (HL1596)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government for how long holders of each of the following offices have to serve to receive their maximum pension entitlement—
(d) Speaker of the House of Commons;
(f) Chancellor of the Exchequer. [CO] (HL1601)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which individuals whose pensions are paid from public funds become entitled to their maximum pension entitlement as soon as they are appointed. [CO] (HL1602)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government for how long Lord Chancellors have been entitled to their full pension as soon as they are appointed. [CO] (HL1603)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Senior Salaries Review Body, in conducting its review of the proposed 12.6 per cent increase in the Lord Chancellor’s salary, will take into account the difference between the pension entitlements of the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice and the Cabinet Secretary. [CO] (HL1604)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Lord Chancellor is entitled to a full pension as soon as he is appointed, in contrast to the Lord Chief Justice and the Cabinet Secretary, to whose salaries his salary is linked. [CO] (HL1605)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 28th January 2003 (WA 142), whether they will update the answer on the basis of the Lord Chancellor receiving a salary of either (a) £184,096 or (b) £202,736. [CO] (HL1606)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Belfast Agreement of 1998 affects all those who live in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic; and, in particular, whether the Unionist, Protestant, Ulster Scots and British communities in the Irish Republic are included in parity of esteem status under the Agreement. [NIO] (HL1616)
11th February
The Lord Carlile of Berriew—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what would be the cost to public funds of obtaining information concerning the number of police officers above the rank of inspector currently suspended in England and Wales; and what is the amount of salary and other emoluments being paid to them. [HO] (HL1626)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the salaries of (a) the Lord Chancellor, (b) the Prime Minister and (c) the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1990, 1980, 1970, 1960, 1950, 1925 and 1900. [CO] (HL1628)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 6th February (WA 41), whether they have a copy of the Irish government briefing paper quoted in the media. [NIO] (HL1629)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 6th February (WA 42) concerning any requirement for Republic of Ireland civil servants working in Northern Ireland to take an oath of allegiance, whether, given paragraph 9 of the Rights section of the Belfast Agreement of 1998, this is also a matter for the United Kingdom. [NIO] (HL1630)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 6th February (WA 42) concerning the site of the Battle of the Boyne, whether, given paragraph 9 of the Rights section of the Belfast Agreement of 1998, this is also a matter for the United Kingdom. [NIO] (HL1631)
12th February
The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what increase in the use of slug pellets they have recorded or estimated on (a) farmland, (b) gardens and (c) horticultural holdings over the last ten years; what is the decline in the song thrush population over the same period; and whether they have evidence of a correlation between the two. [DEFRA] (HL1662)
The Earl Russell—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost to date of litigation under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. [LSLO] (HL1669)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on the Storm Shadow stand off missile programme; and whether it will be made an urgent operational requirement. [MoD] (HL1677)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place for nuclear, biological and chemical protection of United Kingdom base areas in the Gulf; and what theatre missile defence will be available. [MoD] (HL1678)
6th March
The Lord Barnett—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost to the Department of Trade and Industry of conducting conferences in the most recent year for which figures are available. (HL2050)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that either Home Office presenting officers or counsel representing the Home Office participate in the hearing of asylum appeals by Adjudicators; and, if not, why not. (HL2051)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government in approximately what proportion of cases during the past year Home Office presenting officers and counsel representing the Home Office have participated in the hearing of asylum appeals by Adjudicators. (HL2052)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the principles of public international law that govern and prescribe the circumstances in which it would be lawful for the United Kingdom and its allies to launch military action against Iraq, and the manner in which such action should be taken. (HL2053)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the principles of international humanitarian law set forth in the Statute of the International Criminal Court would be binding upon the United Kingdom and its allies in the event of military action against Iraq; and, if not, which principles of international humanitarian law set forth in the Statute would be inapplicable. (HL 2054)
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 16th December 2002 (WA 71) concerning Harrier jets and the Norwegian commission of inquiry, when a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House. (HL2055)
The Duke of Montrose—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by the Lord Whitty on 4th March (HL Deb, cols. 702-3), whether they have an assessment of how many halon fire extinguishers are in the hands of private individuals or one-man businesses who are not subject to an annual fire system assessment for insurance purposes. (HL2056)
The Duke of Montrose—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps have been taken to enable the public to recognise a halon fire extinguisher and to alert them to the risk. (HL2057)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many taxpayers had taxable incomes of (a) £80,000-£100,000, (b) £100,001-£120,000 and (c) over £120,000 in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02; and whether they will analyse the figures for each of these taxable income brackets for each of these years by sex and by year of birth from 1946 to 1961. (HL2058)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate, in respect of the most recent year for which figures are available, of how many members of Defined Benefit Pension Schemes retired with a starting pension of—
(f) over £100,000. (HL2059)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will estimate, under the present taxation arrangements and annuity rates, for—
what starting pension could be purchased today with a capital lump sum of £1.4 million, less the maximum permissible lump sum allowed to be drawn tax-free on retirement today, working on the assumption that the starting pension can provide for a surviving spouse pension to be payable at half the rate of the person retiring today and with both pensions uprated annually in line with the Retail Price Index; and what annuity rates have been used in making these estimates. (HL2060)
The Baroness Knight of Collingtree—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 26th February (HL Deb, col. 237), what is the performance for Home Office responses to correspondence from the general public. (HL2061)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the set up costs of the Central Secretariat for the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh including the cost of premises and furnishings. (HL2062)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much was spent by the Central Secretariat for the North South Ministerial Council on travel and entertainment in the years 2001 and 2002. (HL2063)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the salary bands of the grades of those employed in the North South Ministerial Council Central Secretariat; and what was the total amount in expenses during the year 2002. (HL2064)
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER AWAITING ANSWER
6th MARCH 2003
[Tabled on the dates shown]
[The Government department responsible for
answering each Question is shown in brackets]
30th January
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Mr Jonathon Davies, a criminal barrister and Crown Court recorder, was consulted during the course of the joint Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and H M Inspectorate of Constabulary review of rape issues. [LSLO] (HL1452)
6th February
The Lord Patten—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the dropping of all charges by the Crown Prosecution Service in the case of Mr Colin Skellett, whether they will list all the background briefings that were given by the police and Crown Prosecution Service to the press at the time of Mr Skellett’s arrest; and whether they will name those who authorised them. [LSLO] (HL1558)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to seek amendments to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the European Convention on Human Rights, or the European Convention for the Elimination of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment so as to limit or abridge the prohibition against torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. [FCO] (HL1561)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to denounce the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights or the European Convention on Human Rights or the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. [FCO] (HL1562)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to seek amendments to Article 3 of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. [FCO] (HL1563)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, upon ratification on behalf of the United Kingdom on 8th December 1988 of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, any reservation was made to Article 3 of the Convention. [FCO] (HL1564)
10th February
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their justification for the link between the Lord Chancellor’s salary and pension benefits and the salary and pension benefits of the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales depends upon the fact that the Lord Chancellor is the most senior judge and is entitled to sit in a judicial capacity; and, if not, what is the justification for maintaining the link in current circumstances. [CO] (HL1596)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government for how long holders of each of the following offices have to serve to receive their maximum pension entitlement—
(d) Speaker of the House of Commons;
(f) Chancellor of the Exchequer. [CO] (HL1601)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which individuals whose pensions are paid from public funds become entitled to their maximum pension entitlement as soon as they are appointed. [CO] (HL1602)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government for how long Lord Chancellors have been entitled to their full pension as soon as they are appointed. [CO] (HL1603)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Senior Salaries Review Body, in conducting its review of the proposed 12.6 per cent increase in the Lord Chancellor’s salary, will take into account the difference between the pension entitlements of the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice and the Cabinet Secretary. [CO] (HL1604)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Lord Chancellor is entitled to a full pension as soon as he is appointed, in contrast to the Lord Chief Justice and the Cabinet Secretary, to whose salaries his salary is linked. [CO] (HL1605)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 28th January 2003 (WA 142), whether they will update the answer on the basis of the Lord Chancellor receiving a salary of either (a) £184,096 or (b) £202,736. [CO] (HL1606)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Belfast Agreement of 1998 affects all those who live in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Republic; and, in particular, whether the Unionist, Protestant, Ulster Scots and British communities in the Irish Republic are included in parity of esteem status under the Agreement. [NIO] (HL1616)
11th February
The Lord Carlile of Berriew—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what would be the cost to public funds of obtaining information concerning the number of police officers above the rank of inspector currently suspended in England and Wales; and what is the amount of salary and other emoluments being paid to them. [HO] (HL1626)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the salaries of (a) the Lord Chancellor, (b) the Prime Minister and (c) the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1990, 1980, 1970, 1960, 1950, 1925 and 1900. [CO] (HL1628)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 6th February (WA 41), whether they have a copy of the Irish government briefing paper quoted in the media. [NIO] (HL1629)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 6th February (WA 42) concerning any requirement for Republic of Ireland civil servants working in Northern Ireland to take an oath of allegiance, whether, given paragraph 9 of the Rights section of the Belfast Agreement of 1998, this is also a matter for the United Kingdom. [NIO] (HL1630)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 6th February (WA 42) concerning the site of the Battle of the Boyne, whether, given paragraph 9 of the Rights section of the Belfast Agreement of 1998, this is also a matter for the United Kingdom. [NIO] (HL1631)
12th February
The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what increase in the use of slug pellets they have recorded or estimated on (a) farmland, (b) gardens and (c) horticultural holdings over the last ten years; what is the decline in the song thrush population over the same period; and whether they have evidence of a correlation between the two. [DEFRA] (HL1662)
The Earl Russell—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost to date of litigation under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. [LSLO] (HL1669)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on the Storm Shadow stand off missile programme; and whether it will be made an urgent operational requirement. [MoD] (HL1677)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place for nuclear, biological and chemical protection of United Kingdom base areas in the Gulf; and what theatre missile defence will be available. [MoD] (HL1678)
17th February
The Lord Northbourne—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many accusations of sexual abuse were made against teachers by pupils and by parents respectively in England and Wales for the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of each category is expected to lead to a prosecution. [HO] (HL1714)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 10th February (WA 96) concerning the press release of 3rd July 2002 on the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, how much was at that time intended to be spent on the Service in 2003-04 and 2004-05; and how these figures have since changed. [NIO] (HL1715)
18th February
The Baroness Whitaker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they satisfy themselves that United Nations personnel on peacekeeping operations are fully accountable for their actions; and whether any alleged breaches by such personnel are dealt with in accordance with the rule of law. [FCO] (HL1735)
[As amended on 20th February]
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made to bring the National Attack Warning System (NAWS) into operation. [CO] (HL1744)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of the Northern Ireland civil service are qualified to supply legal opinions; and in which departments they are located. [NIO] (HL1756)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the underspend in the Northern Ireland block grant in the years 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02; and which departments were responsible for what percentage of the underspend. [NIO] (HL1757)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the current business plans for all the North South Implementation Bodies will be passed by the North South Ministerial Council; and whether all the business plans and all decisions relating to Implementation Bodies will be placed in the Library of the House. [NIO] (HL1758)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the budget each year for the North South Ministerial Council Secretariat since its formation; and what is the projected budget for this year. [NIO] (HL1759)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the projected budgets of the Implementation Bodies for the year 2003; and what percentage increase or decrease these represent over 2002. [NIO] (HL1760)
The Baroness Noakes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what effect the Sexual Offences Bill will have on Northern Ireland. [HO] (HL1761)
The Baroness Noakes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Sexual Offences Bill will achieve gender neutrality for Northern Ireland in the same way as for England and Wales; and, if not, what are their reasons for treating Northern Ireland differently. [HO] (HL1762)
The Earl of Mar and Kellie—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is a future for the Lisburn-Antrim railway line, after the current funding runs out in March 2003. [NIO] (HL1775)
19th February
The Baroness Williams of Crosby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what stage has been reached in the investigations of mass graves at Dasht-e-Leili in Afghanistan; whether they are co-operating with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan Human Rights Commission for this purpose; and what precautions are being taken to protect the evidence at Dasht-e-Leili. [FCO] (HL1779)
The Baroness Williams of Crosby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the wall now being built in the West Bank inside the 1967 Armistice line; and what status they expect the wall to be accorded in the “road map” for peace. [FCO] (HL1780)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, with the suspension of the devolved administration in Northern Ireland, what detailed arrangements have been put in place to replace the North South Ministerial Council decision-making process; and whether this is an interim measure which can have no impact on long term policy or new areas of activity. [NIO] (HL1781)
The Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total amount of coal burnt at coal fired generation plants with flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) equipment in each year between 1997 and 2002 compared with the amount burnt at plants without FGD. [DEFRA] (HL1783)
The Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total amount of sulphur dioxide emissions from coal fired generation plans with flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) equipment in each year between 1997 and 2002 compared with the amount emitted from plants without FGD. [DEFRA] (HL1784)
The Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average amount of sulphur dioxide emissions per gigawatt generated from coal fired plants with flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) equipment in 2002 or the latest twelve-month period available, compared with the equivalent figure from plants without FGD. [DEFRA] (HL1785)
The Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take to encourage a reversal of the decline in load factors at coal fired generation plant fitted with flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) equipment and the increase in coal burnt at plant without FGD. [DEFRA] (HL1786)
The Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much coal fired generation capacity they expect to be taken out of the market as a result of the implementation of the Large Combustion Plant Directive. [DEFRA] (HL1787)
The Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to impose stricter sulphur dioxide emission limits on coal fired generators that do not have abatement plant fitted. [DEFRA] (HL1788)
The Lord Mason of Barnsley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the up-to-date position on the question of ending the North Sea drift net fishery. [DEFRA] (HL1793)
The Lord Campbell of Croy—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action is being taken to reduce the amount of sulphur dioxide and other polluting substances being released into the atmosphere from the generation of electricity in coal fired power stations. [DEFRA] (HL1795)
20th February
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what circumstances they consider it constitutionally appropriate for Ministers to criticise publicly the decisions of the judiciary. [LCD] (HL1803)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they will take to address the concern expressed by the Civil Justice Council in their report on Full Costs Recovery that the present level of fees discourages access to the courts, particularly on the part of low-wage employees and small business proprietors not eligible for legal aid. [LCD] (HL1804)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the view expressed in The Times on 20th February by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, that the courts system may seize up because of a funding shortfall, whether they will increase public expenditure on the courts. [LCD] (HL1805)
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contracts have been awarded to the Capita Group by the Department for Education and Skills. [DfES] (HL1807)
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contracts have been awarded to the Capita Group by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. [DEFRA] (HL1809)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the year ending 30th April 2002, what percentage of crimes notified to the Police Service of Northern Ireland resulted in either a caution or a conviction; and how that compares to the average percentage for the rest of the United Kingdom. [NIO] (HL1813)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the year ending 30th April 2002, how many incidents of burglary were notified to the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and how this figure compares to the number of notified instances of burglary in the previous two years. [NIO] (HL1814)
24th February
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the legislation governing data protection principles applies to prevent the disclosure of personal data gathered by Transport for London for the purposes of the congestion charge to other public authorities for purposes unrelated to the congestion charge. [LCD] (HL1821)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, as reported in the Guardian newspaper on 20th February, the European Commission has made an agreement with the United States government, binding on all British airlines with effect from 5th March, whereby personal information about all passengers flying to the United States will be disclosed to the United States customs, immigration and other agencies; if so, whether (a) the terms of the agreement contain safeguards matching European data protection laws; and (b) the agreement has been approved by Her Majesty’s Government or by the Council of Ministers. [LCD] (HL1822)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government on how many occasions in the last five years people have been released from prison, after serving more than five years, on the grounds that there was a miscarriage of justice. [HO] (HL1825)
The Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they plan to implement, in the event of military intervention in Iraq, to prevent the looting of archaeological sites and museums and to safeguard the rich historic, archaeological and cultural heritage of Iraq. [FCO] (HL1826)
The Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will now ratify the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, with the First and Second Protocols to the Convention; and, if not, what are their reasons for delay. [FCO] (HL1827)
The Lord Stoddart of Swindon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the 447,600 non-industrial civil servants employed on 1st April 2002 were men and how many were women. [CO] (HL1828)
The Lord Stoddart of Swindon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many industrial civil servants were employed on 1st April 2002; how many were men; and how many were women. [CO] (HL1829)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the commencement date for the risk sharing scheme announced in February 2002 in respect of beta interferon and multiple sclerosis. [DoH] (HL1830)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many patients in England were on waiting lists for treatment with beta interferon for multiple sclerosis when the 2002 risk sharing scheme began. [DoH] (HL1831)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish a progress report on the implementation of the risk sharing scheme for beta interferon. [DoH] (HL1832)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they have given to Patient Care Trusts to encourage them to implement the risk sharing scheme for beta interferon. [DoH] (HL1833)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans Northern Ireland Railways have for freight traffic over the next two years. [NIO] (HL1834)
The Earl of Northesk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when it is anticipated that the HAZMOD data network to co-ordinate emergency services’ responses in the event of a large-scale terrorist attack will be launched. [CO] (HL1836)
The Earl of Northesk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent the failure to launch the HAZMOD data network by the originally scheduled date of October 2002 is attributable to lack of funding or technical difficulties. [CO] (HL1837)
25th February
The Lord Faulkner of Worcester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 16th December 2002 (WA 71), when they expect to place in the Library of the House the letter about the crash of a Wideroe Airlines aircraft on 11th March 1982 which the Lord Bach indicated in his answer would be written. [MoD] (HL1845)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether an equality impact assessment was carried out prior to proposals for the introduction of university fees for students; and, if so, what was the outcome. [DfES] (HL1846)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when work was started by the Strategy Unit into the study on “Ethnic Minorities in the labour market”; whether and when they intend to publish the report thereon; and what is the cost of this project. [CO] (HL1847)
The Earl of Northesk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in light of recent advice from the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) about potential threats to key commercial information technology systems, whether appropriate steps are being taken to protect the integrity of the Government’s own information technology systems. [HO] (HL1849)
The Earl of Northesk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in light of recent advice from the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) about potential threats to key commercial information technology systems, what practical assistance they are offering to appropriate commercial interests to facilitate an effective response to the risk. [HO] (HL1850)
The Earl of Northesk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 19th November 2001 (WA 115), whether they have arrived at a conclusive definition of broadband in respect of data transfer speeds for—
(a) the commercial market; and
(b) the residential market. [DTI] (HL1851)
The Earl of Northesk—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the recent announcement that the United Kingdom has in excess of a million broadband subscribers, whether the data transfer speeds of these connections are all in excess of 384kbit/second; and, if not, what is the breakdown of data transfer speeds of these connections. [DTI] (HL1852)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how, in the event of any decision to give effect to the Office of Fair Trading Report on the deregulation of pharmacy services, the Department of Health would be able to deliver managed health care services using pharmacy, as outlined in Pharmacy in the Future. [DoH] (HL1855)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 in so far as they currently exempt furniture products that are registered as medical devices and which can be legally marketed in the United Kingdom for domestic use even though they do not meet the standards laid down in the Regulations. [DTI] (HL1857)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether consumer safety is adequately served when mattresses containing viscoelastic foam which has not been combustion-modified may be legally marketed, distributed and sold in the United Kingdom. [DTI] (HL1858)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what directions are to be issued to judges on the conduct of care and adoption proceedings in the light of the judgment delivered by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of P C and S v. The United Kingdom. [LCD] (HL1861)
The Lord Dholakia—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost of the Formal Investigation into the Prison Service by the Commission for Racial Equality; and when the report is likely to be published. [HO] (HL1864)
The Lord Rix—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the future funding of the Tizard Centre, University of Kent. [DoH] (HL1865)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering the possibility of introducing legislation to limit the role of the judiciary in interpreting the international human rights obligations by which the United Kingdom is bound. [LCD] (HL1867)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are circumstances in which a resident of the Irish Republic could receive United Kingdom legal aid; and, if so, what they are. [LCD] (HL1869)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether in their recent discussions with the Irish Republic’s government the prospect of a war with Iraq featured; and, if so, whether they are content with the Irish response. [FCO] (HL1870)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that legal advice from lawyers employed in the Northern Ireland civil service over the last two years is available to them at all times. [NIO] (HL1871)
The Lord Skelmersdale—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the maximum levy on sheep and bovine animals slaughtered in (or sent out of) Northern Ireland as permitted under the Livestock Marketing Commission Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 was not increased in either the 1980s or 1990s, so resulting in the large percentage increases in the Livestock and Meat Commission (Maximum Levy) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.I. 2003/20). [NIO] (HL1874)
26th February
The Baroness Blatch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government over what period in weeks is a student expected, on average, to achieve an NVQ level 4 in (a) careers, (b) youth work and (c) social work. [DfES] (HL1883)
The Lord Kilclooney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total area of United Kingdom sovereign bases in Cyprus proposed to be transferred if there is an Agreement there; what area in each of the United Kingdom bases is involved; and what areas will be transferred to each of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot states as proposed in the United Nations Plan. [FCO] (HL1884)
The Lord Kilclooney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they last had a meeting with representatives of the Council of the Turkish Cypriot Associations in the United Kingdom; and with which other Turkish Cypriot Organisations they have had meetings during 2003. [FCO] (HL1885)
The Lord Kilclooney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many persons resigned from the Royal Irish Regiment (a) as Full Time Members and (b) as Part Time Members in the Home Service in Northern Ireland during the year 2002. [MoD] (HL1886)
The Lord Kilclooney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many new recruits there were in 2002 to (a) the Full Time Home Service of the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland; (b) the Part Time Home Service of the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland; and (c) all other battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment. [MoD] (HL1887)
The Lord Kilclooney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total strength of the Royal Irish Regiment; and how many servicemen come from (a) Northern Ireland; (b) Great Britain; and (c) the Republic of Ireland. [MoD] (HL1888)
The Lord Kilclooney—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total strength of the Irish Guards Regiment; and how many servicemen come from (a) Northern Ireland; (b) Great Britain; and (c) the Republic of Ireland. [MoD] (HL1889)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25th February (WA 12-13), whether the courts have recognised the legitimacy of the principles stated in the second paragraph of the answer; and, if so, whether they will identify the reported cases in respect of each principle. [LCD] (HL1890)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25th February (WA 12-13), whether the reference to “human rights law” includes the obligations imposed upon the United Kingdom by international treaties other than the European Convention on Human Rights, including the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Labour Organisation Conventions; and, if not, why not. [LCD] (HL1891)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25th February (WA 12-13), what criteria are used, in cases not involving the need to comply with human rights law, to decide whether there is legal need for legislation to authorise an extension of Ministers’ powers. [LCD] (HL1892)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25th February (WA 12-13), whether they consider that the common law principles of legality and legal certainty extend beyond circumstances where proposed action might substantially interfere with human rights; and, if so, what are those circumstances. [LCD] (HL1893)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25th February (WA 12-13), what were the instances during the past five years in which they decided that legislation was undesirable to authorise an extension of Ministers’ powers. [LCD] (HL1894)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 25th February (WA 12-13), which powers of Ministers have been extended without legislative authority during the past five years. [LCD] (HL1895)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many trafficked persons were deported to their countries of origin from the United Kingdom in each of the last three years; and whether they can state the percentage of those who are women and list the countries of origin. [HO] (HL1896)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any prosecutions of traffickers have been brought under sections 145 and 146 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; and, if so, how many convictions were obtained. [HO] (HL1897)
The Baroness Anelay of St Johns—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the prison population in the United Kingdom at 25th December 2002, 25th January 2003 and 25th February 2003; and how many of those persons were being held in police cells designated for the purpose. [HO] (HL1898)
The Baroness Anelay of St Johns—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of prison beds in the United Kingdom at 25th February; and how many of those were in police cells designated for the purpose. [HO] (HL1899)
The Baroness Anelay of St Johns—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many places were available in open prisons at 25th February; and how many prisoners were of a category judged to be suitable for placement in open prisons at that date. [HO] (HL1900)
The Baroness Anelay of St Johns—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their contingency plans to provide places in secure accommodation for persons sentenced to a term of imprisonment when the number of places in prisons has been filled. [HO] (HL1901)
The Baroness Gould of Potternewton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in introducing the package of reforms designed to tighten court rules and importing some of the conclusions from the surveys of the Good Practice Guidelines produced by the Children Act sub-committee of the Lord Chancellor’s advisory board on family law. [LCD] (HL1902)
The Baroness Gould of Potternewton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on the survey of court orders in 12 courts in order to consider (a) the rates of enforcement, (b) whether the courts are using options such as supervised or indirect contact of parents with children following break up of marriage as a result of domestic violence, and (c) what are the rates of domestic violence. [LCD] (HL1903)
The Baroness Gould of Potternewton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in the specific training for all judicial officers in child care issues before they are allowed to have a “family law ticket” which enables them to hear such cases. [LCD] (HL1904)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what equality and diversity data are available on the make up of general practitioners, nurses and consultants in the National Health Service. [DoH] (HL1905)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the current estimates of the anticipated loss (due to resignations and retirements) of general practitioners and nurses over the next two years; and how many replacements will be recruited from abroad. [DoH] (HL1906)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many minority ethnic nurses apply for jobs in the National Health Service but fail to make shortlists; and what are the reasons therefor. [DoH] (HL1907)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what benefits have arisen from the “Vital Connection” launched by the National Health Service in 2000; whether any of the initiatives have been monitored for effectiveness; and whether there is any intention to publish the results. [DoH] (HL1908)
The Lord Clement-Jones—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, for the benefit of Gulf War veterans and troops now deployed or deploying to the Gulf, they will publish in the Official Report the letter to be sent by the Lord Bach to the Lord Morris of Manchester about the safety of the anthrax and other vaccines administered to service personnel, in keeping with the undertaking by the Lord Bach in his Written Answer of 4th February (WA 26). [MoD] (HL1910)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people were killed as a result of traffic accidents in Northern Ireland during the month of January in each year since 1998; and what plans they have to reduce the figure. [NIO] (HL1914)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will hold a public inquiry into the planning proposal to build a power station and an open cast lignite mine near Ballymoney in North Antrim. [NIO] (HL1915)
27th February
The Lord Tebbit—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the pension of the Lord Chancellor will be based on the salary to which he is entitled or that which he currently chooses to accept. [CO] (HL1920)
The Lord Tebbit—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the provisions intended to limit the total value of individual pension funds apply in the same manner to all categories of persons. [DWP] (HL1921)
The Lord Lipsey—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the statistical basis for the Secretary of State for Health’s statement in his speech on 5th February that National Health Service management costs are falling. [DoH] (HL1922)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any Home Office civil servant or special adviser provided information last week to the Daily Mail about cases previously decided by Mr Justice Collins; and, if so, what was the nature of the information, and in what circumstances and under whose authority it was provided. [HO] (HL1923)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are taking part in, or sponsoring in any way, British participation in the forthcoming Defence Fair (IDEX) to be held in Abu Dhabi; and, if so, what will be the cost to the taxpayer. [MoD] (HL1924)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the value of arms and military equipment sold by the United Kingdom to China, in the last year for which figures are available. [MoD] (HL1925)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have evidence that goods made in labour camps in China are being imported to the United Kingdom; and, if so, what action they are taking to prevent such imports. [FCO] (HL1926)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the United Nations will—
(a) appoint a Special Rapporteur to assess the human rights situation in Tibet; and
(b) publish reports on conditions in labour camps in China. [FCO] (HL1927)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the United Nations has considered requests for a referendum to ascertain the will of the people of Tibet as regards self-determination; if so, when; and with what result. [FCO] (HL1928)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any British companies are involved directly or indirectly in exploiting the natural resources of Tibet. [DTI] (HL1929)
The Earl of Sandwich—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what additional funding will be available to meet the humanitarian consequences of a war in Iraq over and above existing aid budgets; and, if this is to come from the global contingency reserve, how much of that reserve is already committed in this financial year. [DfID] (HL1930)
The Earl of Sandwich—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the event of a war in Iraq, what is their estimate of the number of displaced persons on which to base a contingency plan of assistance; in how many countries this programme will be in operation; and which United Nations agency will provide overall co-ordination . [DfID] (HL1931)
The Earl of Sandwich—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what conclusions they have drawn from the suicide in custody of Mikail Bodnarchuk on the day of his removal to Ukraine from immigration removal centre Haslar in January; and whether they will review their own evidence of torture in Ukraine in the Home Office Country Assessment. [HO] (HL1932)
The Earl of Sandwich—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have established minimum standards of accommodation, free time and visiting hours in the new immigration removal centres; and, if so, whether they will provide details of those standards as applied to Haslar and other comparable centres. [HO] (HL1933)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the announcement of 24th February concerning investment for the Northern Ireland Health Service, the £29 million provided for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service is new money which has not been announced before; over what period it will be available and for the development of what part of the Ambulance Service. [NIO] (HL1936)
The Lord Fearn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what help has been given in the past, or will be given in the next twelve months, through the Arts Council or other body, to “Stagetext” which makes theatre accessible to people with hearing loss. [DCMS] (HL1938)
The Lord Fearn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much grant was given to English Heritage for the years 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. [DCMS] (HL1939)
The Lord Fearn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what water sports safety measures have been legislated for or activated in the last two years. [DCMS] (HL1940)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the Operational Welfare Package is comprised of for those troops serving in the Gulf; and what is the allocation of telephone calls, e-mails and Forces’ airmail letters per individual. [MoD] (HL1941)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the problems encountered with local suppliers providing British troops in the Gulf region have now been solved. [MoD] (HL1942)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to encourage all service personnel deployed to the Gulf to accept anthrax vaccinations. [MoD] (HL1943)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the reasons for reducing the Armed Forces manning requirement between 1st April and 30th September 2002; by how much was the requirement reduced; and what were the reductions within each service. [MoD] (HL1945)
The Lord Vivian—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action has been taken by the Ministry of Defence and what progress has been made to assist house purchase through the Long Service Advance of Pay to members of the Army at an earlier stage than is currently allowed. [MoD] (HL1946)
28th February
The Lord Rix—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, to assist statementing and meeting special educational needs, they will commend to other local education authorities the Oxfordshire local education authority approach to monitoring support for children with special educational needs. [DfES] (HL1953)
The Lord Rix—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many school nurses there were in each of the last five years, identifying separately nurses working in mainstream schools and those working in special schools. [DoH] (HL1954)
The Lord Rix—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the number of school nurses has been increased in recent years to reflect the increasing numbers of school children with profound and multiple disabilities. [DoH] (HL1955)
The Lord Rix—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will initiate a joint inspection by OFSTED and the new Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection to establish whether health and education authorities are adequately addressing children’s health needs in a way that meets their educational needs. [DfES] (HL1956)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the aggregate value of payments made to National Health Service trusts by the Compensation Recovery Unit of the Benefits Agency under the terms of the Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Act 1999 for each quarter between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2002. [DoH] (HL1957)
The Earl Howe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number and aggregate value of charges billed to insurance companies by the Compensation Recovery Unit of the Benefits Agency under the terms of the Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Act 1999 for each quarter between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2002. [DoH] (HL1958)
The Baroness Seccombe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 27th February (WA 54), under which departmental heading the sum of £95,000 was paid to Sir William Stubbs. [DfES] (HL1959)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what help the Foreign and Commonwealth Office gave to Mr Derek Bond while he was held in detention in South Africa. [FCO] (HL1960)
The Lord Lamont of Lerwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representation they intend to make to the American government about the conduct of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with reference to the detention of Mr Derek Bond in South Africa. [FCO] (HL1961)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in Northern Ireland in respect of (a) males, (b) females and (c) both sexes combined, what is—
(1) the proportion of Protestants and Roman Catholics among the economically active population;
(2) the proportion of Protestants and Roman Catholics in monitored employment; and
(3) the proportion of Protestants and Roman Catholics in employment. [NIO] (HL1962)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in respect of (a) males, (b) females and (c) both sexes combined, what is the employment gap between Protestants and Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL1963)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the change in the numbers of Protestants and Roman Catholics in employment in Northern Ireland over the last ten years. [NIO] (HL1964)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what factors have been identified as responsible for the unemployment differential between Protestants and Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL1965)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have of unemployment differentials between different denominations within the Protestant community in Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL1966)
3rd March
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish a list of gifts given to Ministers of the Crown during their period in public office; and, if not, why not. [CO] (HL1971)
The Lord Leste | 
